“I-”
ZEKE held up a hand to forestall him. “No apologies. Not to me at least, for I have all the time in the world. Though if you do not come bearing rewards, I fear Master Elzmir may flay you.”
“Four options.” Alarion replied.
ZEKE’s posture relaxed. It was just a slight dip in the shoulders, but for the machine, it might as well have been a deep sigh of relief. “Perhaps you shall have some small amount of skin left after he has finished. Come, you can inform me of the details during our return.”
The trek down the mountain was difficult. Not physically, of course, but as the wind whistled through the crags, Alarion found it impossible to ignore Sierra’s gaze boring into his back. Her disapproval was clear; he didn’t need to turn around to see the hard mask on her face. Nor did he want to. She’d spoken few words to him while they exited the cave, and even fewer as they made for the shore, which left Alarion and ZEKE plenty of time to discuss his options and his newly updated feats of strength.
Unbound Magus [Common](Rank I)
Description: Unfamiliar to most, the heterodox path of an Unbound Magus is one filled with mystery and uncertainty. Eschewing traditional methods, you have embraced unstructured magic, trading reliability for flexibility. This class focuses primarily on skills and attributes related to unstructured arcane magic.
Requirements: Unbound Spellcraft. At least four known spells. Basic spell-casting proficiency.
Growths - STR – +4 – 40% | AGI – +4 – 40% | VIT - +4 – 40% | INT – +4 – 60% | WIL – +4 – 60% | PER – +4 = 60%
Unraveller [Exceptional](Rank I)
Description: Able to see the ties that bind, the Unraveller manipulates the strings of magic to work their bidding in physical reality and divine the outcome of events. This class focuses primarily on skills and attributes related to arcane magic, with a special focus on sympathetic and fate-based magic.
Requirements: Behold an act of True Prophecy. Basic spell-casting proficiency.
Growths - STR – +5 – 40% | AGI – +5 – 40% | VIT - +5 – 40% | INT – +5 – 60% | WIL - +5 – 60% | PER - +5 = 60% | LUK - +6 – 50%
Note: This class provides access to the LUK attribute.
Arcane Challenger [Rare](Rank I)
Description: Unwilling to yield even in the face of divine obstacles, the Arcane Challenger has proven capable of tremendous feats of bravery and prowess. Their power and potential is reflected in their class, driving them to greater heights than most. This class focuses primarily on skills and attributes related to arcane magic and testing one’s limits.
Requirements: [Challenger] feat of strength. Basic spell-casting proficiency.
Growths - STR – +7 – 40% | AGI – +7 – 40% | VIT - +7 – 40% | INT – +7 – 60% | WIL – +7 – 60% | PER – +7 = 60%
Favored Magician [Epic][Divine](Rank I)
Description: Whether by accident or design, the Favored Magician has earned the attention of a powerful divine patron and has learned to channel their power. As a result, the Favored Magician gains strong skills and growth potential but is subject to obligation and restriction in equal measure. This class focuses primarily on skills and attributes related to arcane and divine magics.
Requirements: Moderate favor with a divine patron. Knowledge of at least one Divine Spell.
Growths - STR – +8 – 40% | AGI – +8 – 40% | VIT - +8 – 40% | INT – +8 – 60% | WIL – +8 – 60% | PER – +8 = 60%
Note: This class will be downgraded to a Common ranked ‘Unfavored Magician’ if the Awakened falls out of favor with their patron. As a [Divine] class, the Awakened may be given [Quests] or assigned a [Geas] once per year at their favored deity’s direction.
Favor of Lal Viren [Divine](Moderate)
Description: Having obtained the Favor of a divine entity, you have established a sympathetic link between that Deity and yourself. This link has become more durable but can be broken from either side with effort.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Requirements: None.
Effects: You are able to activate divine items linked to Lal Viren. Divine spells linked to Lal Viren or one of her incarnations will have moderately reduced cost and moderately improved effect. Lal Viren is always aware of your general location and wellbeing and, with effort, can temporarily scry your location. This scrying can be contested, but at the risk of the loss of favor. Lal Viren is able to offer [Quests] but these must be voluntarily accepted.
Challenger
Description: Having successfully completed an Arcane Challenge of Lal Viren, you have achieved the title of Challenger. Seek out and attempt additional Challenge Dungeons of alternate types (Combat, Puzzle, Endurance) to improve this title and the corresponding effects.
Requirements: Complete one of Lal Viren’s Challenge Dungeons.
Effects: You gain a 5% bonus to all attributes. This bonus is retroactive. In addition, you gain a 5% bonus for all future growth rates.
The information was a lot to take in, but ZEKE did not so much as break stride as he began his assessment.
“The first and last are non-starters,” ZEKE said. “Which is frustrating. The common class is… well, common, and you have better options. The divine class would be an excellent choice if you had freedom of movement. But an inopportunely timed Geas when you have mandated duties? A conflict of interest and a disaster waiting to happen. A man cannot serve two masters.”
Alarion felt his shoulders sag in relief. He’d have fought the Steelborn on the matter if ZEKE had pressed for the class, but for entirely different reasons. It was bad enough that his favor had improved without having to be subservient to that… thing.
The creature floating amidst the stars was one of the few parts of the Challenge Dungeon that Alarion still vividly remembered, and it chilled him to his core. What was more, he didn’t understand why she, or it, strengthened their bond. Lal Viren had seemed angry and even pained by his presence. She’d dismissed him as though she wanted to be rid of him. So why draw him closer? Just to keep watch? Or was there a more sinister motivation?
He’d have broken the favored connection on the spot if not for the divine spell in his arsenal. Valentina’s Energetic Embrace was a strong spell, but it wasn’t its strength that stayed his hand. The spell felt as though it had sentimental value, as though it were important in ways he couldn’t recall. The idea of losing or discarding it made him feel sick.
“That leaves us with two.” ZEKE continued, unaware of Alarion’s anxiety. “Two hard choices at that. Unraveller and Arcane Challenger.”
“Are they familiar?” asked Alarion.
“They are. Neither is as idiosyncratic as your Stubborn Swordsman or totally unheard of like your Orphan class. Challenger type classes are well known and sought after for their strength. They’re usually taken at Rank II or later, with correspondingly higher rarities, but having one as the base of your magecraft is something many Vitrian scions would envy. It is the safe choice and the one I would recommend in almost all circumstances.”
“Almost? But not this one?”
“That… is complicated.” ZEKE paused briefly as the trio rounded a sharp curve with a narrow edge. They were close enough to the shoreline that the fall wouldn’t be fatal, but the embarrassment of falling in front of his pupils certainly might be. “The Unraveller is a fairly rare class, particularly in Vitrian circles. Prophecy is cheap and easy to find, but True Prophecy is the realm of the divine and the diviners, which usually means either Godborn or powerful spellcasters.”
Despite the words being on Alarion’s lips, it was Sierra who asked, “What is the difference?”
“Ah, Mistress Feln, I almost forgot you were there.” ZEKE’s tone suggested the opposite, and he was quick to answer her question. “The name contains the difference. Plenty of diviners and other spellcasters can see glimpses of the future in both the short and long-term, but those visions are probabilistic. They will probably go to war, or this coin will probably land on the Imperator. The better the mage and the simpler the question, the more likely the result will match reality. But there is always room for error. Meanwhile, True Prophecy is just that. True. Whatever they see will happen. It is unavoidable.”
“The gods know the future, then?” Alarion frowned. He didn’t much like that idea.
“Who is to say?” ZEKE shrugged as the path levelled out before them. “Some claim that True Prophecy isn’t prophecy at all, but precise planning and manipulation. If I tell you that you will die tomorrow knowing your neighbor intends to stab you, am I a prophet? Or am I just very clever? If I tell you that you will be Imperator, were you fated to, or did I instill such a drive that the prophecy fulfils itself? Either way, it is dangerous.”
Alarion chewed on the question for a short while, then said, “Lal Viren tol-”
“What did I just…” The Steelborn glared back over his shoulder at Alarion. “Even if the future cannot be changed it can be acted upon. If you know gold is fated to be found in the hills, you can start digging early. Knowledge is power. And danger. My recommendation would be to tell no one, but the Governor at least will be sure to ask. Have you told Mistress Feln?”
Sierra shook her head.
“Good. Keep it that way.” ZEKE’s body language softened somewhat as he returned to his original thought. “Regardless, Unravellers typically follow a non-combat path. Sympathetic and Fate magic don’t lend themselves to combat or warfare until higher Ranks. However, there is an undeniable synergy.”
“My luck.” Alarion said with certainty.
“Your luck. An Unraveller with your level of absurd luck… you’d likely punch well above your rank in terms of accuracy. Perhaps even enough to make certain combat divinations actually worthwhile, to say nothing of the general utility.”
“It is the better choice then?” The young man pressed.
“Both would be strong; the question is if it is better to be broad or narrow. I’d say neither is strictly better. In fact, my recommendation is to delay and offer the choice to Mistress Elena by way of apology.”
Alarion winced. “Is she that angry?”
“She is that angry.” ZEKE confirmed as they reached the foot of the hill to find a grim faced Elena waiting at the docks alongside her husband.