SJ walked from the crypt’s damp, musty air into the breeze blowing through the graveyard. She had left the torches lit and slowly pulled the metal gate closed behind her, dropping the latch with a resounding clunk, and the sense of her achievement made her smile. Walking back to the front of the church, she entered to find Lythonian. He was not visible in the nave, so she approached the vestry. Hearing a slamming sound as she approached, she could hear an argument behind the thick wooden door. Standing close, she listened carefully.
She did not realise how far she had been leaning forward to listen as the door to the vestry flew open. A human dressed in the same white robes and mail as Lythonian stormed out, nearly knocking her flying as he stormed past, his face red with anger.
SJ looked into the room and saw Lythonian with his head in his hands, looking down at the large desk he sat behind.
“Lythonian?” SJ said, using his name for the first time.
The draconian cleric looked up and, seeing SJ, forced a smile onto his face.
“My dear. Well done. I saw the announcement that you had cleared the crypt.”
SJ had not even thought they might get announcements as Amathereans, which surprised her.
“Erm. Yes, the crypt is cleared. I have left the torches burning as I guessed you would like to go and confirm, but if you received a message, you already know.”
“Yes. I do need to go down there. The flowers need replacing at several of the Sarcophagi.”
“Your reward.” Lythonian opened a drawer in his desk, withdrew a small red potion bottle, and placed it on the desk. He then counted out 45 pieces of copper from a pouch and placed them on the desk in perfectly aligned stacks.
“Thank you so much. Can I ask? Is everything all right?”
Lythonian’s face dropped from the question. “No, unfortunately not.”
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“I doubt it. The Adeptus is investigating me. They believe there is a problem with the church’s finances. I have told them exactly everything that has been spent, all incomings and outgoings. Yet we are seemingly down a large sum.”
“A large sum?”
“Twelve gold in total. Over the past two years, and apparently all since I started here as the town cleric.”
“Twelve gold!” SJ exclaimed. Knowing what she could buy with a few silvers, twelve gold sounded like a fortune.
“Yes. Twelve. I do not have the funds to pay the deficit, and the Adeptus is threatening legal action against me.”
“Legal action? Do you have courts?”
“The Adeptus has its own judicial System. A month from now, I will be called up in front of the high cleric to answer the charges of squandering. They believe I have been reckless and foolish with the church’s money.” Lythonian dropped his head back into his hands, looking down at the desk.
“Do you not have records?”
“I do, yes. I keep an account of all expenditures and have detailed journals. I always have had, but the money does not add up to what was expected.”
SJ’s forensic accounting mind had kicked into overdrive when he mentioned finances and journals.
“This may sound strange, but I may be able to help you.”
Lythonian looked up again. “How?”
“My previous existence. I worked in the Finance Sector, specifically Forensic Accounting.”
Lythonian stared at her blankly. “I have no idea what all that means. It does sound impressive, though.”
SJ closed her eyes, knowing how stupid she had been in explaining what she had done in her previous life. It was likely to have no meaning here at all. “I worked in looking at accounts and finding issues in journals, where errors were made, or people had misappropriated funds.”
“Misappropriated?” Lythonian asked.
“Misplaced or misused.”
“I have never used any of the church’s money incorrectly.” He replied, anger flaring.
“No. No. Not you. Someone else.”
“Oh,” he replied, relaxing again.
“Who else can access the journals and the church’s funds?”
“Several in the congregation regularly help out and support activities. Particularly when we fundraise.”
SJ had never even considered that a church would do fundraising on Amathera. “What do you fundraise for?”
“Oh, we have many activities throughout the year. The last one was for young Willoc. He is a very adept mage, but his family is poor, and he was hoping to attend the mage’s academy in Asterfal, the nearest city to here. We held a sponsored hogling hunt to raise funds for his first term tuition.”
This news blew SJ’s mind. She had never even considered the lives of the normal population of Amathera and that they may lead everyday lives similar to those back on Earth. “Was it successful?”
“Yes. Willoc was a very well-liked community member, especially for a gnoll.”
“Why do you say for a gnoll?”
“They are not known for being the most sociable creatures at times, but Willoc was special. He always helped around town. Unfortunately, his family was not rich and could not afford to support him.”
“I have something I need to do, and I need to go clean up before I do anything else, but I can look through the journals later if you wish and see what I can discover. I have a way with numbers.”
“Of course. I am always here until sunset, at least. Then I will be in the rectory.”
“Where is that?”
“It is the first house on the left as you enter town.”
“Okay. I will see how I get on, but if I don’t see you today, I will come and see you tomorrow.”
“Your help would be very welcome. Thank you, and don’t forget your rewards.”
SJ collected the minor healing potion and coppers from the desk and deposited them in her inventory before leaving. As she left the church, her display triggered.
Congratulations! Your reputation with Lythonian was raised to Friendly.
“I bet he stole it,” Dave said as soon as they were outside.
“What makes you say that?”
“He is draconian.”
“That is a little presumptuous of you, isn’t it? And a tad racist.”
“Racist! How dare you call me racist. I have helped every race there is now as Legionnaires.”
“And yet, you say ‘He is draconian’ as if that means they all steal!”
“Erm. Okay, I may be a little biased as the Legionnaire who I looked after was a draconian rogue.”
SJ rolled her eyes. “You can’t taint all with the habits of one. Otherwise, we would all be murderous killers.”
“You are. Is that not what Legionnaires do? Level through death and mayhem. You bring chaos to Amathera.”
“What? Are you telling me that these things only happen because of Legionnaires?”
“Not exactly, but they generally don’t help out much.”
“Well, I hope to change that outlook.”
“Says the fae assassin!”
“I have told you; I will only kill for the good.”
“We will see in time,” Dave replied in a foreboding tone.
They had reached the edge of town, and on the corner of the street, SJ noted the rectory Lythonian had mentioned. It was a small, single-storey dwelling that in no way looked affluent. She walked over to the window and peered in. In the front room, all she could see was a fireplace, a high-backed chair, and a small table with a candlestick on it.
“What are you looking for?” Dave asked.
“Oh, nothing. Just being nosey. I was expecting a cleric to live in better surroundings if provided by the church. It is not like back on Earth.”
“Why are they all thieves?”
“NO,” SJ said rather loudly, getting the attention of a couple walking towards the church.
“No, not at all,” she whispered. “It was thought that the church looked after its own back on Earth.”
“Oh. Like one orc scratching another orc’s butt.”
“They do that?”
“No. Don’t be stupid. Why would orcs scratch each other’s butts?”
“Because you just said they did.”
“Did I?”
“Are you okay? You have sounded a little strange over the past day.”
“I am fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“No, not really,” Dave said, sighing.
“What is wrong?”
“Mum wants to have another child. Apparently, she always wanted a girl, and this new fella she is with has agreed if the System will allow it.”
SJ stopped in her tracks. Trying to comprehend the life of an AI and how they seemed to have personal lives outside of Amathera was just as strange as being on Amathera as a reincarnated fae.
“Do you not want a sister?”
“I am not sure. I have no other siblings, and Mum is no spring chicken. She is one of the early models, so her data is not as fluid as the newer versions.”
“She had you, though, didn’t she.”
“Yes. I suppose you are right.” Dave paused before continuing. “It could actually be fun having a younger sibling. I can play all sorts of tricks on her.”
There were no words that SJ could say without being rude, so she decided silence was the best option. Dave continued whispering in her head about what he could do amid fits of giggles as he thought up other ways to wind a sibling up. She began to feel sorry for the unborn AI and hoped the System would say no to the request.
Arriving back at the inn, SJ made her way straight upstairs. Her dress was immaculate, but her hair once again had spider ichor in it, and there was still gluey residue from the strands, making her feel icky. Filling the bucket with water, she placed it over the fire. While she waited for the water to heat up, she pulled the sleeve of her dress up and rubbed her arm where the acid had burned her earlier that day. The skin was back to its pristine smooth texture again, and she smiled. The amazing healing ability of her body was unimaginable.
After removing the loot items from her inventory, she placed them on the bed. The spider Fang was about 9 inches long and curved, and its tip was exceedingly sharp.
“Are the fangs used in recipes?”
“No. They are turned into daggers. If you took the fang to Zej, he could fashion one for you.”
“Oh. I may do that. It looks pretty evil.”
“They are, but until created, you don’t know what damage they will do. Some are useless. Others can end up with special buffs, such as venom strike or similar.”
“That would be awesome to be able to strike venom into a victim.”
“At last, your inner assassin is flourishing.”
SJ felt her cheeks redden. She had been thinking just that. Picking the items up and adding them to her growing stash in her wardrobe, she kept only the waterskin. With the money from the kills and the reward from the quest, she now had 158 coppers and 4 silver. She also still had the wolf pelt. SJ collected the berries she had brought and decided to see if Floretta wanted them to cook with before they turned.
Her inventory storage was seriously limited, and she may have to try and invest in a backpack she could wear as a fae to give her extra slots. The water was bubbling, and she decided to bathe before going downstairs. Once the bath was filled, she scrubbed off the worst of the ichor and wiped her wings down. Then, she climbed into the bath, laying back and relaxing in the hot, scented water. Opening her character sheet, she relaxed and looked through her options before adding one to her Strength and Intelligence.
↻ Level: 5
Experience: 41 of 600
Hit Points: 33 of 33
Mana Points: 25
Armour Class: 15
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 15
Intelligence: 10
Subterfuge - Identification Level 3 - 12 of 30 to level 4
Profession: Unknown
“Dave. I have a few questions.”
“Sure.”
“My armour class is registered as 15. Is that any good, and how does it work?”
“Armour class is defined by your primary clothing even though you are naked and in a bath! It has selected the items you usually wear, the boots and your dress. Be warned, if you aren’t wearing them, you don’t magically get an armour class. It will also add your Dexterity bonus, one per level above level 10.
The way it works is a little difficult to explain, but I will try and explain it in simple terms. Since you are now level 5, you will nearly always hit creatures with an armour class of 5 or lower. This increases with each level, making it easier to hit lower-level creatures.”
“So that means creatures must be level 15 to hit me,” SJ said excitedly.
“No. If you let me finish explaining,” Dave sighed. “A creature attacking you also considers its Dexterity, making it easier for a creature with high Dexterity to hit against higher armour classes. Then, you also have positioning, distance, combat expertise, defensive abilities, and luck. These add minor adjustments to your ability to attack or defend better.”
“That is a lot more complex than I was expecting. In gaming systems, you always hit if your attack exceeds a person’s armour class.”
“The System’s true measures and calculations are insanely complex. Suffice it to say, though, that with your already high Dexterity and the equipment you are wearing, your ability to dodge and defend is pretty good.”
“If I am hit, does armour class negate damage?”
“Not exactly. Again, it is prescriptive. Your armour class of 15 is good, and it means that a player who hits you with a strike has to do over three damage before you receive any.”
“So, it does act like a shield.”
“In a way, yes. Again, it is not that straightforward. A person hitting you from behind where you have no concept of the attack armour class means nothing. A person attacking from your side again does not have the same penalties. A person attacking you straight on does. If a person hits you for more than four damage, you still receive four damage. It does not negate the damage. It just means you must receive more damage.”
“That sucks.”
“Sort of, but actually, with all the other fluidity mechanics of a fight, you probably won’t notice the difference.”
“I think I get the basic concept. My stiletto, for example, does a maximum of 6 damage, meaning it would be useless against a level 6 creature.”
“No. That’s where everything else comes into play. You get bonuses for your attributes and skills. Many of these are hidden in the System details, making it virtually impossible to work out the exact mechanics. Safe to say all weapons can damage any level creature with any armour class.”
“What about wearing plate armour or chain mail? That must help against being damaged?”
“Sort of, but even more complex as you start considering specific damage variants. Hitting someone wearing plate armour with a sword should not have the same impact as hitting someone with cloth armour, as you would expect their tensile properties to take effect. This is not always the case, as the exact location of the armour that is hit can change the damage impact. Also, since cloth armour can have a higher armour class than plate armour, if magical, it could completely negate the blow of a weapon you would normally expect to destroy or go straight through.”
“I thought that sharp objects would always be better for lighter armour?”
“Oh. I agree completely, and you would think that, but no!”
“So does wearing cloth armour with the same armour class as plate armour have the same effect?”
“Yes and no.”
“What do you mean, yes and no?”
“This is even more difficult to explain. The concept of armour class varies not just through the material properties of items. Due to skills, attributes, and many other factors in combat, a stiletto dagger, as you mention, could inflict more damage on a paladin wearing full plate armour than on a monk wearing only a robe.”
“Now, after what you have just explained, that makes absolutely no sense.”
“Exactly. None of it does!”
“In the simplest terms, the higher my armour class, the harder it is for someone to hit me, and if they do, they have to do more damage before it affects me.”
“For standard weapon attacks, yes.”
“Standard weapon?”
“Swords, maces, arrows. When it comes to magic, that is a whole new ball game, and also, when it comes to creatures, they don’t use standard weapons, so that changes it all again.”
“Let’s go back to the beginning. Is having a high armour class good?”
“Yes.”
“And mine being 15 is good for my level?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Let’s leave it there for now, then,” SJ could not make head nor tail of what Dave had just tried to explain. “One more question.”
“I am here to serve.”
“How do I choose my profession? It is just registering as ‘Unknown’.”
“Do you not have a Professions tab on your display?”
“No.”
“Umm. Let me check.”
Silence.
“Dave?”
“Sorry. I was just confirming my suspicions.”
“What suspicions?”
“Your profession will activate when you see Fizzlewick again. The System pre-determined your choice due to your interaction with a god. It has not even bothered giving you the other profession options for your primary profession.”
“That’s unfair, isn’t it?”
“I can understand why you would say that, but were you ever going to choose something different?”
“No. But I wanted to see what the others offered. Skill paths, etc.”
“Oh, no, don’t worry about that. Literally, all the professions tab shows you is a list of professions with a basic description. None of the skill trees are available until you choose a profession.”
“How do people know what to become then?”
“Many just choose what they think will benefit their class.”
“Fighters choosing blacksmith. Mages choosing enchanting, etc. I have explained before that most AIs do not have the same abilities as me, and I have never conversed with a Legionnaire as much as I have with you before. My longest-serving administration job was 965 years, and I think I only spoke to them on the first day.”
“Wow. I do not understand how that can be. You have never shut up long enough.”
“Rude!”
“I don’t mean it in a bad way. I mean, you have always been talking and helpful when you can be.”
“The main reason is because you are an anomaly. I do not have the same restrictions. I would not have been able to tell 95% of the details we have discussed to a normal Legionnaire. The restrictions by the System are locked into the terms and conditions. There are still many areas I am held over, though, and I am still working on my new loophole after the emergency patch they implemented.”
“That makes a little more sense.”
“I would not even have been able to communicate most of the time unless at times of danger when I would have been able to shout to wake someone up being attacked, etc. Even though we are there to advise, we can’t really advise until specific events occur, such as levelling.”
“I think we need to go and see Fizzlewick then,” SJ said as she climbed from the bath.
