John Lee is a residence of Whitehorse in Yukon, Canada. He is camping at Kluane National Park when the The System turns Earth into a Dungeon World.
Physical Description
5′ 8″, black hair long enough to get in his eyes
Trivia: Wears Pac-Man boxers.
Life Before the Apocalypse
John Lee was seeing a therapist before The System took over. He had a living father with whom he was angry. A week after he lost his job as a programmer, his apartment burned down. He also had a break up with his girlfriend, which in part prompted him to take an excursion into Kluane National Park right before the System Apocalypse began.
He once went through a Rambo phase which caused him to buy a Bowie knife, overkill for his intentions, but a good decision for the Apocalypse. This knife does a base damage of 4.
In a flashback scene, John hears his father saying to “bring the cane” and maybe he’ll learn this time.
John describes his childhood briefly as a “dearth of love” and a “parade of nannies”, then boarding school. He rarely saw his father throughout his youth and even less as an adult. His mother left when he was born and he never met her.
John had a sister he was once close with, but they drifted apart as they got older.
Beginning Statistics
John is awarded 7,500 XP for spawning in a level 110+ area, and is given 1 small, 1 medium, 1 large, and 1 greater perk.
Beginning inventory is a five-by-five grid.
| STATUS SCREEN | |||
| Name | John Lee | Class | None |
| Race | Human (Male) | Level | 0 |
| TITLES | |||
| None | |||
| Health | 100 | Stamina | 100 |
| Mana | 100 | ||
| STATUS | |||
| Twisted ankle (-5% Movement Speed)
Tendinitis (-10% Manual Agility) |
|||
| ATTRIBUTES | |||
| Strength | 11 | Agility | 10 |
| Constitution | 11 | Perception | 14 |
| Intelligence | 16 | Willpower | 18 |
| Charisma | 8 | Luck | 7 |
| SKILLS | |||
| None | |||
| CLASS SKILLS | |||
| None | |||
| SPELLS | |||
| None | |||
Chosen Small Perk – System Companion Spirit “Congratulations! World Fourth. As the fourth individual to gain a Companion Spirit, your companion is now (Linked). Linked Companions will grow and develop with you.”
See Character Ali.
Chosen Medium Perk – Prodigy: Subterfuge “You’re a natural born spy. Intrepid would hire you immediately. Effect: All Subterfuge skills are gained 100% quicker. +50% Skill Level increase for all Subterfuge skills.”
Ali explains that this gives a direct bonus to all stealth skills and helps John gain them faster.
Chosen Large Perk – Quantum Stealth Manipulater (QSM) “The QSM allows its bearer to phase-shift, placing himself adjacent to the current dimension. Effect: While active, user is rendered invisible and undetectable to normal and magical means as long as the QSM is active. Solid objects may be passed through but will drain charge at a higher rate. Charge lasts 5 minutes under normal circumstances.”
Ali explains that this uses a Type III Crystal Manipulator, which recharges automatically in a day under normal circumstances.
Chosen Greater Perk – Advanced Class: Erethran Honor Guard “The Erethran Honor Guard are Elite Members of the Erethran Armed Forces. Class Abilities: +2 Per Level in Strength. +4 Per Level in Constitution and Agility. +3 Per Level in Intelligence and Willpower. Additional 3 Free Attributes per Level. +90% Mental Resistance. +40% Elemental Resistance. May designate a Personal Weapon. Personal Weapon is Soulbound and upgradeable. Honor Guard members may have up to 4 Hard Point Links before Essence Penalties apply. Warning! Minimum Attribute Requirements for the Erethran Honor Guard Class not met. Clss Skills Locked till minimum requirements met.”
Ali explains that this gives John a better base stat gain per level. When John first chooses this as his Greater Perk, the experience causes him lots of pain and to black out for two hours (during which the grace period before System monsters begin spawning expires).
Habits & Mannerisms
John’s go-to snack is a chocolate bar. He also frequently meditates.
Timeline
Life in the North, Book 1
Just before The System apocalypse, John Lee hiked up King’s Throne Peak in Kluane National Park. He left on a Tuesday.
Approximately 2 hours, 30 minutes into the System Apocalypse, John earns the skill Stealth.
On the second day of the System Apocalypse, John reaches level 3 after kill stealing several Lightning Elk that were heavily damaged by a giant salamander.
John makes his way out of Kluane National Park and heads towards Haines Junction, arriving there early on Day 3.
Level 3 Stats
| STATUS SCREEN | |||
| Name | John Lee | Class | Erethran Honor Guard |
| Race | Human (Male) | Level | 3 |
| TITLES | |||
| None | |||
| Health | 190 | Stamina | 190 |
| Mana | 220 | ||
| STATUS | |||
| Normal | |||
| ATTRIBUTES | |||
| Strength | 15 (50) | Agility | 18 (70) |
| Constitution | 19 (75) | Perception | 12 |
| Intelligence | 22 (60) | Willpower | 24 (60) |
| Charisma | 8 (16) | Luck | (10) |
| SKILLS | |||
| Stealth | 6 | Wilderness Survival | 3 |
| Unarmed Combat | 2 | Knife Proficiency | 5 |
| Athletics | 3 | Observe | 4 |
| Cooking | 1 | Sense Danger | 2 |
| CLASS SKILLS | |||
| None (2 Locked) | |||
| SPELLS | |||
| None | |||
| PERKS | |||
| Spirit Companion | Level 3 | Prodigy (Subterfuge) | N/A |
Days 3 & 4
John allocates 2 points to Agility and 1 to Constitution to raise his Stamina in preparation for a fight that will pit a Giant Salamander against a horde of Ogres at Haines Junction. He spends two days preparing for this plan.
On Day 3, John assigns 2 unallocated points to Agility and 1 to Constitution to raise his stamina in preparation for a fight that will pit a Giant Salamander against a horde of Ogres at Haines Junction. After the battle, he receives a title for killing a creature 100+ levels above him: Monster’s Bane: All damage dealt to Monsters with levels higher than him +15%.
John visits the shop where he acquires various equipment, weapons, and skills. This combined with the Ogre Salamander battle levels him up to 7.
Level 7 Stats
| Status Screen | |||
| Name | John Lee | Class | Erethran Honor Guard |
| Race | Human (Male) | Level | 7 |
| Titles | |||
| Monster’s Bane | |||
| Health | 390 | Stamina | 390 |
| Mana | 360 | ||
| Status | |||
| Normal | |||
| Attributes | |||
| Strength | 27 (50) | Agility | 38 (70) |
| Constitution | 39 (75) | Perception | 14 |
| Intelligence | 36 (60) | Willpower | 36 (60) |
| Charisma | 14 | Luck | 10 |
| Skills | |||
| Stealth | 6 | Wilderness Survival | 3 |
| Unarmed Combat | 2 | Knife Proficiency | 5 |
| Athletics | 5 | Observe | 5 |
| Cooking | 1 | Sense Danger | 4 |
| Jury-rigging | 2 | Explosives | 1 |
| Class Skills | |||
| None (4 Locked) | |||
| Spells | |||
| None | |||
| Perks | |||
| Spirit Companion | Level 3 | Prodigy (Subterfuge) | N/A |
At the time that John visits The Shop, and after Ali has bartered and sold his inventory, he has 250,632 credits.
He purchases many things, including Sabre (see System Items). His new helmet retreats into a metal collar with a touch, he now wears a tight one-piece black jumpsuit which acts as armor, and purchased the Genome Treatment specific for Humans. This treatment makes him more good looking: chin stronger, features more symmetrical and elongated, and blends his Chinese origin with other races. John comments that he looks more like Keanu Reeves. He still has his black hair and eyes.
He has increased 4 inches in height and has more muscle. His smaller wrinkles are gone, and he looks 10 years younger, like he’s in his 20s.
The Genome treatment also came with a chemical flush of emotions which makes him feel more mentally stable.
He purchased and had installed a Neural Link with which he can communicate with his bike, Sabre, a Personal Assault Vehicle. John describes Sabre as a road bike on steroids. It has black, armored plating and can attach to John as power armor. He bought a base model with very few features, hoping to upgrade it as time went on. He also purchased an integrator for his QSM so it could interact with the bike.
John purchased two weapons: A Ferlix Type II Beam Rifle and a Tier II Sword.
He also purchased the following skills:
Unarmed Combat Skill (Level 6)
Blade Mastery Skill (Level 6)
PAV Combat Skill (Level 4)
Energy Rifles Skill (Level 3)
Meditation Skill (Level 5)
Mana Manipulation Skill (Level 1)
Minor Healing Spell
Upon learning Mana Manipulation, John receives a System Quest Update:
The System Quest Update – The journey to understanding the origins of the System and Mana has many beginnings, but all roads lead to the understanding of Mana. You have taken your first step in understanding the System.
Requirement: Learn Mana Manipulation
Reward: 500 xp
Upon burning the bodies of those at Haines Junction who were slaughtered by Ogres, John completes a hidden quest, earning the title Redeemer of the Dead.
Hidden Quest Completed – You have laid to rest the bodies of the fallen and avenged their death against all odds. The System might be callous, but you are not. Rewards: 5,000 xp, Title Gained: Redeemer of the Dead. Reputation change with certain factions.
John is introduced to Lord Roxley as “The Adventurer John Lee, Monster Bane and Redeemer of the Dead.”
Mental Influence Resisted – This memo flashes across John’s vision after he resists the low-level charisma bubble Lord Roxley puts out.
After speaking with Roxley, John enters the shop and looks up information on his family and if they have survived. They have not.
John travels to his old home, newly purchased from the system, passing tent cities on the way.
Lana, Mikito, Richard, and half a dozen mini-pony-sized dogs convince John to let them move in with him.
Quest Completed: The Safety of Many – Reward: 2,000 Credits per Each Survivor (22,000 Credits Received); 500XP per Survivor (5,500XP Received), Type: Repeatable.
Level Up! You have reached Level 8 as an Erethran Honor Guard. Stat Points automatically distributed. You have 18 Free Attributes to distribute.
John tries to keep himself busy with various housekeeping duties but eventually decides to go out hunting. He practices calling and recalling his sword while battling an Ant Nest. Ali calls it a warm up.
John encounters 7 Hakarta warriors defending the Carcross Cut-off Fort. They fire at John with a Beam Rifle, which injures him. He uses the QSM several times to outmaneuver them. The first 5 he kills using his sword and firearm. Loot:5 Beam Rifles (Type IV), 5 Tier V Personal Body Armor, personal arms for each Hakarta, 3 plasma grenades, 432 credits.
He continues on to kill the last 3 Hakarta inside a restaurant and grocery store, which the system has recognized as a fort. These yield unspecified loot in the form of scrap, personal weapons, and credits.
John levels up twice to Level 10 after this battle.
Looting the room/fort yields food stores and some high-tech sleeping bags.
| Status Screen | |||
| Name | John Lee | Class | Erethran Honor Guard |
| Race | Human (Male) | Level | 10 |
| Titles | |||
| Monster’s Bane, Redeemer of the Dead | |||
| Health | 510 | Stamina | 510 |
| Mana | 450 | ||
| Status | |||
| Normal | |||
| Attributes | |||
| Strength | 33 (50) | Agility | 50 (70) |
| Constitution | 51 (75) | Perception | 14 |
| Intelligence | 45 (60) | Willpower | 45 (60) |
| Charisma | 14 | Luck | 10 |
| Skills | |||
| Stealth | 6 | Wilderness Survival | 3 |
| Unarmed Combat | 6 | Knife Proficiency | 5 |
| Athletics | 5 | Observe | 5 |
| Cooking | 1 | Sense Danger | 4 |
| Jury-rigging | 2 | Explosives | 1 |
| Blade Mastery | 6 | PAV Combatics | 4 |
| Energy Rifles | 3 | Meditation | 5 |
| Mana Manipulation | 1 | ||
| Class Skills | |||
| None (5 Locked) | |||
| Spells | |||
| Minor Healing | |||
| Perks | |||
| Spirit Companion | Level 3 | Prodigy (Subterfuge) | N/A |
John spends the night in Carcross after traveling there to search for survivors.
John encourages Jason to come with him on a pre-lunch hunt that Ms. O’Keefe (Jason’s mother) isn’t too happy about.
John accepts a quest to bring Elder Andrea Badger, along with her sizeable inventory, to Whitehores and back.
John checks in with Lord Roxley, and completes the quest: Bring News of the Survivors. He also visits an armourer, the giant spider Xev, and pays 2,700 credits and waits 5 hours for him to fix the damage on Saber.
John then visits Sally’s Alchemical and Magical Emporium and procures some healing potions. He purchases one of each type of potion for 50 credits each, a discount, in exchange for being a guinea pig and reporting back on the potions’ effects.
John upgrades his dwelling to include hot water for showers and a mana stove.
Back at John’s residence, Ali and Lana arrange a microloans system to help others. Ali reveals that his affinity is Electromagnetic Force.
John is pulled into a board meeting at Whitehorse where he is asked many questions about his knowledge of the system. Though they are slightly antagonistic towards him, John still gives them useful knowledge, but not without his own traded barbs. He acquires the first level in the skill Dissembling. He goads them into giving him a quest:
Quest Received – Report to the Council of Whitehorse any information of importance. Rewards: XP Reward Varies.
Upon arriving back at Carcross, John levels up to 11.
Level Up! You have reached Level 11 as an Erethran Honor Guard. Stat Points automatically distributed. You have 11 Free Attribute Points to distribute.
John then decides to check out the town of Tagish for any survivors. He rides Saber on a highway from which he can see the Tagish River and passes by Crag Lake. He finds a group of Tagish survivors and escorts them to Carcross. On the way, he fights several mini battles to keep the group safe, including one with a slime, which nets him a Slime Nervous System Core, prized for bioware implants.
After delivering the first Tagish survivor to Whitehorse, on his way back for the second, John runs into a spider-wolf creature, later revealed to be a Wexlix spider. He is outnumbered and caught off guard, so uses his QSM to get away. In the process, Saber is damaged won to 48% and his rifle is broken.
Ali answers John’s question about why the council would create a dungeon world by saying it is a form of farmland for resources and power.
Lana spreads the word about John’s residence having hot water and rents it out to people who need to use it.
John has Ali give him Elemental Affinity, for which he receives 2,000 experience points. However, his beginning affinity is very poor, and it knocks him unconscious.
John heads out with Mikito and Richard to investigate and attempt to tame a mutating Eagle. They run into Raven’s Circle. Luthien has a new class as Sorceress. Luthien and Kevin aggravate John to the point of John punching Kevin in the face, which starts both groups off at odds with each other.
Richard loans John a shotgun, specially bought from the shop for Beast Tamers, out of which he fires a net to capture one of the mutated Eagles. Richard tames it with his will and names it Orel.
John trains with Ali to attempt to gain his Elemental Affinity: Electromagnetic Force. It goes poorly.
Elemental Affinity Gained (Electromagnetic Force) – Affinity: Very Poor. Congratulations! For gaining your first Elemental Affinity, you have been rewarded 2,000 Experience Points.
John convinces Amelia Olmstead to go out hunting with him at Long Lake in order to level her up from 14 to 15. After this example, several low level volunteers join him to get the same advantage.
John purchases the spell Mana Dart from the System, as well as a side arm:
Mana Dart – Effect: Creates a dart out of pure Mana, which can be directed to damage a target. Does 10 damage. Cooldown 10 seconds. Cost: 25 Mana
Silversmith Mark II Beam Pistol (Upgradeable) – Base Damage: 18, Battery Capacity: 24/24, Recharge Rate: 2 per hour per GMU, Cost: 1,400 Credits.
John, Mikito, and Richard, along with their dog-ponies and Orel the mutated Eagle, go to kill the Wexlix spiders. It’s an intense fight where they are outnumbered, with approximately 18 Wexlix spiders. But through luring spiders away from the rest of the pack and killing them piecemeal, they manage to kill a significant number of them. When they encounter the alpha and the rest of the nest, the fight goes badly. Richard loses a foot, and one of the dogs is killed. Afterwards, John gains his first boss kill and levels up to 12.
Congratulations! Wexlix Spider Alpha – Boss Slain, +11,700 XP
Level Up! You have reached Level 12 as an Erethran Honor Guard. Stat Points automatically distributed. You have 14 Free Attribute Points to distribute.
They do ravage the nest for spider eggs to sell, and John comments later that they received enough credits to fix up Sabre fully.
John has lunch with Lord Roxley and tells him about the Hakarta and Wexlix Spiders, while Mikito and Richard spend time in the shop (Richard gets his amputated foot regenerated).
When reporting to the Whitehorse council about the spiders, John receives a quest:
Quest Received (Repeatable) – Kill the Boss monsters around Whitehorse. Boss monsters are appearing around Whitehorse. To reduce the danger of a monster horde, you must kill the Boss monsters before they grow too strong. To succeed, kill 4 Boss monsters. Rewards: 20,000 XP.
John, Mikito, and Richard have a conversation over dinner that they will continue to kill boss monsters around Whitehorse. Lana is not happy about their first boss fight.
John, Richard, and Mikito continue to take beginning levelers out to hunt in order to gain them more xp and levels. He has to purchase another rifle from the shop.
Ferlix Type II Twinned-Beam Rifle (Modified) – Base Damage: 57, Battery Capacity: 17/17, Recharge rate: 1 per hour per GMU (currently 12)
There is a council meeting at Whitehorse that makes it clear there isn’t enough food or credits to go around. Arguments ensue, while John suggests speaking to Lord Roxley. His idea is shot down by a vote, however.
John, Mikito, and Richard fight a handful of lizardmen without too much trouble, then come across the ruins of a small community. One of the dogs, Shadow, picks up a trail and leads them to a cave in the forest surrounding the town where a cluster of humans has been living. Some women and kids have gone through a harrowing experience, but are rescued by John and his crew and brought back to Whitehorse.
| Status Screen | |||
| Name | John Lee | Class | Erethran Honor Guard |
| Race | Human (Male) | Level | 14 |
| Titles | |||
| Monster’s Bane, Redeemer of the Dead | |||
| Health | 710 | Stamina | 710 |
| Mana | 570 | ||
| Status | |||
| Normal | |||
| Attributes | |||
| Strength | 48 (50) | Agility | 66 (70) |
| Constitution | 71 (75) | Perception | 24 |
| Intelligence | 57 (60) | Willpower | 57 (60) |
| Charisma | 14 | Luck | 14 |
| Skills | |||
| Stealth | 6 | Wilderness Survival | 4 |
| Unarmed Combat | 6 | Knife Proficiency | 5 |
| Athletics | 5 | Observe | 5 |
| Cooking | 1 | Sense Danger | 5 |
| Jury-rigging | 2 | Explosives | 1 |
| Blade Mastery | 7 | PAV Combatics | 5 |
| Energy Rifles | 4 | Meditation | 5 |
| Mana Manipulation | 2 | Energy Pistols | 3 |
| Dissembling | 2 | Erethran Blade Mastery | 1 |
| Lip Reading | 1 | ||
| Class Skills | |||
| None (7 Locked) | |||
| Spells | |||
| Improved Minor Healing (1) | |||
| Improved Mana Dart (1) | |||
| Lightning Strike | |||
| Perks | |||
| Spirit Companion | Level 14 | Prodigy (Subterfuge) | N/A |
More residents are moving into Whitehorse, cramming 12-15 people into each house. The farming efforts have paid off by reaping a system-enlarged super harvest, and they expect the next harvest to be even bigger. This still leaves them with the need to purchase 8,000 more credits worth of supplies to prepare for the winter.
It is determined that it would require 350,000 credits to purchase the dam from the System, which is a necessity to ensure it isn’t damaged and breaks.
Ali can now stay visible without effort and sometimes physically affect the world, as a result of John’s leveling up.
John and his group are sent to hunt a couple of long, blue creatures by Gadsby from Whitehorse.
Xu’dwg’hkkk Beast (Level 44) HP: 2380/2380
After defeating them, the council discusses an area that seems like it is turning into a dungeon. John and his group are given a quest by the council:
Quest Received: Clear the Caves – Clear the caves found by the scout and report back to the Council of Carcross. Rewards: 10,000 XP
Inside the cave, John’s group is attacked by a five foot tall humanoid creature covered in purple fur and hard to see due to writhing shadows and darkness. It has a double row of fangs.
It disappears and reappears at will, and manages to get behind Mikito and injure her badly. Shadow, the huskie, is able to end it, revealing its name and stats.
Shadow Aspected Crilik Shifter (Level 36) – HP: 0/370
Rachel Martin casts a spell:
Nature’s Blessing Received – Effect: Increases regeneration rate by 23%
John carries Mikito out and attempts to heal her while Ali overloads his affinity to light up the cave, making the Crilik Shifters more vulnerable for Rachel and Richard to kill. Elsa, the turtle, also aids with her fire breath. Ali is banished, and it requires 500 mana to bring him back, something John puts off doing until after Mikito is conscious again, several days later.
John and his party bring survivors to Whitehorse and encounter the Yerick. The situation nearly becomes hostile until Roxley jumps in the middle and casts a spell that freezes most people. John resists. Roxley explains the Yerick are guests in “his” town and any harm done to them will be punished.
Lana procured a 72” tv for John’s residence, which has drawn in many people from the community, especially kids, seeking entertainment and a place with relative safety and electricity.
John acquires the skill manipulation while talking to his group about the Yerick.
Skill Acquired – Manipulation (Level 1) – Everyone wants their own way. You’re just better at getting it than some others.
Roxley informs John that he has worked out a deal with the Yerick to become permanent residents of Whitehorse.
John meets with Capstan, attempting to smooth out relations between the Yerick and the humans. He succeeds in amusing Capstan, and getting him to agree to attempt to be peaceful with the humans.
John goes out hunting on his own and encounters a metal elemental. He fights it and uses all of his mana trying to defeat it before he blacks out. It was enough to kill it, and he gains 7000 xp, however. In using his Lightning Strike spell combined with Ali’s power, he gains the following:
Lightning Strike Enhanced! You have combined Lightning Strike with your Spirit Companion’s Elemental Affinity to empower the spell. Description updated.
Lightning Strike – Effect: Call forth the power of the gods, casting lightning. Lightning strike may affect additional targets depending on proximity, charge and other conductive materials on hand. Does 100 points of electrical damage. Lightning Strike may be continuously channeled to increase damage for 10 additional damage per second. Cost: 75 Mana. Continuous cast cost: 5 Mana / second. Lightning Strike may be enhanced by using the Elemental Affinity of Electromagnetic Force. Damage increased by 20% per level of affinity.
As a result of draining all of his mana, John has a system-applied debuff effect:
Mana Withdrawal – You are suffering from severe Mana withdrawal. Effect: -80% recovery rates. -80% to all stats. Inability to cast spells till withdrawal effects are over. Duration: Withdrawal effects will reduce by 1% for every 1% of Mana regained.
John and his group head back to the Crilick cave to try to take it. John has purchased a drone that can map out the caves, and he discovers there are about 40 Crilick inside, including an Alpha. Jason and Mike join up with the group to help.
They use a large controlled fire to smoke the Crilick out of their cave, then slaughter them.
Quest Complete! You have cleared the Carcross Cave of Crilik Shifters! 10,000 XP Awarded. Reputation increase in the village of Carcross.
John also levels up twice, and unlocks his class skills, with 8 skills available to distribute.
Level Up! * 2 You have reached Level 16 as an Erethran Honor Guard. Stat Points automatically distributed. You have 18 Free Attribute Points to distribute. Class Skills Unlocked.
He chooses to allocate points to Charisma.
The Carcross community throws a celebration at the success at the caves, and most of the party relaxes. John, however, doesn’t feel like celebrating. He gains a Camouflage Level 1 skill for trying to stay on the edges.
Skill Acquired – Camouflage (Level 1). It takes skill to disappear in a crowd.
John leaves the party and chooses some class skills.
Class Skills Acquired
Mana Imbue (Level 1) – Soulbound weapon now permanently imbued with Mana to deal more damage on each hit. +10 Base Damage (Mana). Will ignore armor and resistances. Mana regeneration reduced by 5 Mana per minute permanently.
Blade Strike (Level 1) – By projecting additional Mana and stamina into a strike, the Erethran Honor Guard’s Soulbound weapon may project a strike up to 10 feet away. Cost: 40 Stamina + 40 Mana.
Thousand Steps (Level 1) – Movement speed for the Honor Guard and allies are increased by 5% while skill is active. This ability is stackable with other movement related skills. Cost: 20 Stamina + 20 Mana per minute.
Altered Space (Level 1) – The Honor Guard now has access to an extra-dimensional storage location of ten feet cubed. Items stored must be touched to be willed in and may not include living creatures or items currently affected by aura’s that are not the Honor Guard’s. Mana regeneration reduced by 5 Mana per minute permanently.
John’s recent acquisitions have also added to his sword’s abilities:
Tier II Sword (Soulbound Personal Weapon of an Erethran Honor Guard) – Base Damage: 63, Durability: N/A (Personal Weapon), Special Abilities: +10 Mana Damage, Blade Strike.
John goes out hunting by himself to test out his new skills instead of staying with the celebration.
| Status Screen | |||
| Name | John Lee | Class | Erethran Honor Guard |
| Race | Human (Male) | Level | 16 |
| Titles | |||
| Monster’s Bane, Redeemer of the Dead | |||
| Health | 790 | Stamina | 790 |
| Mana | 630 | ||
| Status | |||
| Normal | |||
| Attributes | |||
| Strength | 52 | Agility | 74 |
| Constitution | 79 | Perception | 30 |
| Intelligence | 63 | Willpower | 63 |
| Charisma | 16 | Luck | 15 |
| Skills | |||
| Stealth | 6 | Wilderness Survival | 4 |
| Unarmed Combat | 6 | Knife Proficiency | 5 |
| Athletics | 5 | Observe | 5 |
| Cooking | 1 | Sense Danger | 5 |
| Jury-rigging | 2 | Explosives | 1 |
| Blade Mastery | 7 | PAV Combatics | 5 |
| Energy Rifles | 5 | Meditation | 5 |
| Mana Manipulation | 2 | Energy Pistols | 3 |
| Dissembling | 3 | Erethran Blade Mastery | 1 |
| Lip Reading | 2 | Manipulation | 1 |
| Camouflage | 1 | ||
| Class Skills | |||
| Mana Blade | 1 | Blade Strike | 1 |
| Thousand Steps | 1 | Altered Space | 1 |
| Spells | |||
| Improved Minor Healing (1) | |||
| Improved Mana Dart (1) | |||
| Enhanced Lightning Strike | |||
| Perks | |||
| Spirit Companion | Level 16 | Prodigy (Subterfuge) | N/A |
John and his team make another run bringing inventory and travelers from Carcross to Whitehorse. Upon arriving, Lord Roxley speaks with him to confirm that he leaked information, however unintentionally, about the Yerick buying up property in Whitehorse. The property they bought has been burned down.
Eric appears beside John and goads him into choking and nearly killing him. John is stopped by Mikito and Richard. A sudden bout of anger brings John to live the next three days at the Carcross Fort while he kills and hunts, only returning to town at night to trade in and have Xev fix up Saber.
On one of his visits to Xev, Constable Amelia and Lieutenant Vir are waiting for him. They question him about the burned buildings. Sally comes out after to inspect the bodies in John’s loot and mentions that things are tense between humans and non-humans.
When John returns to the fort, Richard is there waiting for him to talk to him on behalf of the council: they have decided to oust him from the council and would like him to leave, though they don’t have any way to enforce the latter. John dismisses Richard, indicating he has no interest in going back to join the group at that moment.
He does return to his home, though, and has a conversation with Lana that makes him run back to the fort. He decides he needs to kill a lot of things and goes on a killing spree, even banishing Ali when the spirit refuses to help him in his destructive behavior.
Lana finds John passed out from his killing spree and helps him wake up. John recalls Ali, who points him towards a river to wash and refresh before heading home. John looks at the following notifications about class skills:
Class Skill Acquired – Two are One (Level 1). Effect: Transfer 10% of all damage from Target to Self. Cost: 5 Mana per second.
Class Skill Acquired – Greater Detection (Level 1). Effect: User may now detect System creatures up to 1 kilometer away. General information about strength level is provided on detection. Stealth Skills, Class Skills and ambient Mana density will influence the effectiveness of this skill. Mana regeneration reduced by 5 Mana per minute permanently.
Class Skill Acquired – The Body’s Resolve (Level 1). Effect: Increase natural health regeneration by 10%. On-going health status effects reduced by 20%. Mana regeneration reduced by 5 Mana per minute permanently.
This last one reduces John’s Mana regeneration by 20 points.
Class Skill Learnt: Frenzy – Due to repeated actions, you have learnt a Class Skill outside of your class. Effect: When activated, pain is reduced by 80%, damage increased by 30%, stamina regeneration rate increased by 20%. Mana regeneration rate decreased by 10% Frenzy will not deactivate until all enemies have been slain. User may not retreat while Frenzy is active.
Level Up! You have reached Level 17 as an Erethran Honor Guard. Stat Points automatically distributed. You have 8 Free Attribute Points and 1 Class Skill Point to distribute.
John immediately dumps 5 points into willpower.
John returns to the fort and attempts to deal with his emotions, despite Lana’s invitation to return with her to his residence.
Monster Kills and Battles from Book 1
Day 1
Level 1 Ant – Loot: A hunk of ant meat.
Day 2
Lightning Elk
Ground Squirrel
Horse-sized Snowshoe Hare
Rabid Fluff Ball with too many teeth, tribble-like – Loot: Fluff
The Salamander Ogre Battle
John uses a rifle and a full two magazines of bullets to take pot shots at a giant Salamander, luring it towards the horde of Ogres he wishes to eliminate at Haines Junction. He also uses the QSM to slip away from them once the two meet. He uses one of his last bullets to ignite a propane tank, spurring the Salamander the final few steps into the confrontation.
The Ogres do a lot of damage to the Salamander at first, the Ogre Chief using a magical skill to wreath his club in green flame which does more damage. The Salamander then activates its ability to boil its own blood and release it as steam, scalding the nearby Ogres. It quickly finishes them off after that.
The final stage of the battle ends when John uses a contraption he built inside an old shopping cart, an improvised bomb with shrapnel. The Salamander ignites the bomb by crushing it with its foot, and the explosion sends John forward, knocking him out and killing the Salamander.
For killing the Ogre village, John receives 13,000 xp.
For killing the Giant Salamander, John receives 27,000 xp, and is warned by the system about his specific actions, cluing John into the fact that he is being watched at least some of the time by one or several Observers. The Salamander’s loot is a single Salamander sac, which later gets him 23,187 credits in the Shop.
He also receives a title for killing a creature 100+ levels above him: Monster’s Bane: All damage dealt to Monsters with levels higher than him +15%.
For achieving his first title, he receives a bonus 5,000 xp.
He also gains four levels, up to Level 7 as an Erethran Honor Guard, and receives 15 free attribute points to distribute. Due to leveling past 5, his inventory is also increased to a 6×6 grid, giving him a total of 36 slots.
He is, however, concussed and exhausted as a result of the battle.
Giant Salamander Loot: Salamander Fire Sac, Salamander Skin, Salamander Meat.
Ogre Loot: Ogre skins, crude weapons, oversized armor, Ogre hide, and 5,000 credits.
Ogre Chief: Enchanted Oversized Club of Smashing – Base Damage: 38. Enchantment: Ignores 20% of Target Armor. John leaves this club behind as he can barely lift it.
Ogre Chieftain: Ogre hide, 7,000 credits, Key to the city of Haines Junction
John sells the rights to Haines Junction at 10% its cost and gains 200,000 credits.
After a short visit to the shop, John burns the bodies of the townsfolk who were slaughtered by the Ogres while Ali sings a lament by Stephen Crane. He completes a hidden quest.
Hidden Quest Completed – You have laid to rest the bodies of the fallen and avenged their death against all odds. The System might be callous, but you are not. Rewards: 5,000 xp, Title Gained: Redeemer of the Dead. Reputation change with certain factions.
The Hakarta at Carcross Cut-off Fort Battle
7 Hakarta warriors defended the Carcross Cut-off Fort. They fire at John with a Beam Rifle, which injures him. He uses the QSM several times to outmaneuver them. The first 5 he kills using his sword and firearm. Loot:5 Beam Rifles (Type IV), 5 Tier V Personal Body Armor, personal arms for each Hakarta, 3 plasma grenades, 432 credits.
He continues on to kill the last 3 Hakarta inside a restaurant and grocery store, which the system has recognized as a fort. These yield unspecified loot in the form of scrap, personal weapons, and credits.
John levels up twice to Level 10 after this battle.
Looting the room/fort yields food stores and some high-tech sleeping bags.
Redeemer of the Dead, Book 2
John has integrated a projectile weapon into the mecha (Sabre) of his right arm.
John and Ali argue about whether or not to go in and battle the creatures inside a cave that the System has designated as a dungeon, Ingles Canyon Dungeon. It is dangerous but yields high rewards. John goes in and encounters mutated, probably poisonous fungus which doesn’t harm him.
Further inside, he encounters several of the creature Kongorad: Level 28 quadrupedal creatures with an HP of 480. They have spiked, dark green bodies with blotches of black, whip-like tails dripping with acid, and rat faces. Their coloring helps them camouflage in the cave.
Using a combination of a drone and some fired light sources, John initiates battle. The Kongorads retaliate by throwing their spikes, but are eventually defeated. On level 2 of the dungeon (descending further down), John encounters increasing numbers of Kongorads as well as a tripedal creature that shoots light beams. He uses Ali as bait in an improvised kill zone.
Congratulations! Dungeon Cleared. +5,000 XP. First Clear Bonus. Having cleared the dungeon for the first time, you have been rewarded an additional +5,000XP +1,000 Credits. Bonus for being the first explorer .+5,000 XP. +5,000 Credits. Ingles Canyon Dungeon classified as Level 20+ and above.
Upon returning to the Carcross Cut-off Fort, John is ambushed by several Hakarta, who were previously cloaked. A Hakarta Lieutenant begins an interrogation to get information about Whitehorse from him. John wheedles a bit of information out of him as well. In the end, John goads the Hakarta Lieutenant into giving him a contract for supplying specific information about Whitehorse in exchange for payment.
Contract Initiated and Agreed Upon by Labashi Ruka and John Lee. Further Details? (Y/N)
After the Hakarta leave, John decides to go stay in his house in Whitehorse instead of the fort.
Omnitron Class II Nanite Armor Upgrade – John purchases this at some point for Sabre as an upgrade which allows Nanites to repair the armor. It doesn’t, however, entirely erase the damage.
When John returns to Whitehorse after living at the Carcross Cut-off Fort, he notes the buildings that have sprung up since his absence: A grocery store with handmade local luxuries, an armorer with locally crafted low-level armor pieces, a couple of competing alchemists, a trio of clothing stores, the Guild, the hotels that have been purchased, and a pub called The Nugget.
John meets up with Jason, Mike, Mikito, and Richard inside the Nugget.
Jason Cope (Level 38 Elementalist) – HP: 230/230
Constable Mike Gadsby (Level 37 Guardian) – HP: 940/940
Mikito Sato (Level 32 Samurai) – HP: 530/530
Richard Pearson (Level 31 Beast Tamer) – HP: 250/250
Rachel is also in the pub, but is talking with the Brothers of the Wolf. Jason and the others ask Ali to teach them about how stats work in the system, information for which Ali charges them 100 credits for. John prefers to simplify the answer by saying “the System is the System. No use trying to figure it out. It doesn’t make sense”.
Ali surprises John by drinking with them.
Summary of info Ali gives Jason about System stats:
- The System gets translated into Galactic Script, then translated into human languages.
- Increasing strength means changing how you manage Mana via the system
- System alters density and strength of objects you interact with according to strength increases
- Thus, non-breaking tables and ground that one can run on without it being churned up
- System “helps” things along to create the effect of increased strength, but knows when to keep a strong hand from breaking a drinking glass
- Points are an approximation
- Intelligence doesn’t make you smarter. (Example: someone who cannot do higher physics because they never learned the basics.)
- A person in the System is like a computer with upgradeable parts (RAM, motherboard, etc.) that still needs to run the right programs (skills).
John internalizes that the System is purposefully nerfing Intelligence. Mikito invites John to go Boss killing with them but he is unsure. John visits with Lana, learning that she is using his initial funds to grow her micro-loan business. Ali makes suggestions for Lana to purchase an AI assistant. Upon learning that Lana is going with the group to hunt Bosses, John makes up his mind to go if only to protect her.
Minion organizes different groups to go out killing bosses. John follows behind them, hoping to jump in and save Lana or Richard or Mikito if they need help. Instead, Ali calls John’s attention over to Jim’s group, who is about to encounter an overwhelming number of lightning squirrels. The squirrels are small and low level, but in large numbers their accumulative lightning damage is too much for Jim’s group. John loans his affinity skills to Ali and Ali attaches a thread to each squirrel. Lightning rips through them both, pulling Mana with it, and kills all the squirrels. This is quite painful for John and damages Sabre enough to need repairs again. He complains later that the cost of going out is equal to the credits he gains from the loot.
Level Up! You have reached Level 22 as an Erethran Honor Guard. Stat Points automatically distributed. You have 3 Free Attribute Points and 4 Class Skills to distribute. Resistance Improved: Electricity +10% (50% Total)
Level 22 Status Screen
| Status Screen | |||
| Name | John Lee | Class | Erethran Honor Guard |
| Race | Human (Male) | Level | 22 |
| Titles | |||
| Monster’s Bane, Redeemer of the Dead | |||
| Health | 1070 | Stamina | 1070 |
| Mana | 840 | Mana Regeneration | 70/minute |
| Attributes | |||
| Strength | 66 | Agility | 102 |
| Constitution | 107 | Perception | 42 |
| Intelligence | 84 | Willpower | 90 |
| Charisma | 16 | Luck | 20 |
| Class Skills | |||
| Mana Blade | 1 | Blade Strike | 2 |
| Thousand Steps | 1 | Altered Space | 1 |
| Two Are One | 1 | The Body’s Resolve | 1 |
| Greater Detection | 1 | Instantaneous Inventory* | 1 |
| Cleave* | 1 | ||
| Combat Spells | |||
| Improved Minor Healing (II) | Greater Regeneration | ||
| Improved Mana Dart (IV) | Tinder | ||
| Enhanced Lightning Strike | |||
Upon returning to Whitehorse, John is approached by a Yerrick who was in the hunting party that he just saved.
Aron Hauser (Level 38 Axe Brother) – HP: 1240 / 1240
Aron thanks him for his assistance, however John is miffed that the effort damaged Sabre and he doesn’t have enough credits to fix it up.
Lana tells John about Aarak blood, which can be distilled into an addictive substance that is supposedly better than Meth to humans.
John goes out hunting without Sabre and takes it easy, returning when his inventory is full. Upon returning to cash in his loot with the System store, a man brushes past him angrily and lobs a grenade into one of the stores, shouting “I warned you!”
John attempts to use Thousand Steps and Two Are One in order to save the shopkeeper, but she dies anyway. The man had once owned the store pre-System and wanted it back, but the store owner had bought it from the System and refused to leave.
John hunts and kills a troll which completes his quest from Sally to get Troll Blood, as it is in high demand for Alchemists. After the battle, however, John spots a white dragon far off that is too high level for Ali to extract any information on it.
Quest Complete (Troll’s Blood) – Retrieve 40 Liters of Troll’s Blood for Sally. Rewards: 2 Tier II Health Regeneration Potions, 2 Tier II Mana Regeneration. Potions, 2,000 XP.
The Raven’s Circle returns from a trip to Dawson City, severely diminished, with only three survivors (Luthien, Kevin, and Tim) and four newcomers, one of which is Bill Cross, a level 46 Enforcer, with an HP of 1400. John notes subtle ways that Luthien and Bill relate to each other and assumes Luthien has or will soon cheat on Kevin with Bill, as she had done to him pre-System.
John enters The Nugget and grabs a large table by himself where he can lip read a group of women talking about him, and if he and Lana are sleeping together.
Capstan First Fist enters with some companions and John lets them join him at his table. Aron Hauser, the Yerick who was fighting with Jim, Nelia, a level 48 Shaman Truthseeker, and Tahar Ocasio, another Yerick adventurer. They order Apocalypse Ale, a decently strong brew, to celebrate completing a dungeon level 35 and up. Upon hearing that John has also cleared a Dungeon by himself, albeit a level 20 one, the Yerick ask to team up with him to share locations of dungeons and clear them together.
The Golem Dungeon
The dungeon the Yerick lead him to is an old office building, single-story, and sprawling. The Yerick Aron and Tahar lead the way, using portable blue shields and wrist mounted weaponry until they are within melee range. Hours into the fight, the Yerick secure a room with portable shield generators and take a break for lunch. While eating, the Yerick tell John about 8Ink, a distant world whose integration into the System went poorly when the inhabitants refused to interact with the System at all. Mana built up and eventually mutated the inhabitants as well as the planet itself, and it became a World Titan and flew away. Its location is currently unknown, and the planet features in many fictional stories that Tahar passes on to Ali, who seems interested.
While conversing more with the Yerick about dungeon formations and how mana works, John receives an update to his quest:
Quest Update—the System. The creation of Dungeons and Mana are important for the Quest, but why? You have found some answers, but more questions. Reward: +200 XP
The group soon encounters the dungeon boss, which is a 25 ft. green Golem.
Golem Arcana (Boss Level 42) – HP: 7420/7420
Ali tips them off that the creature is weak to water. Capstan assigns each party member to attempt to take out an arm with instructions to help another once they succeed.
Nelia begins to cast the spell Glacial Wall but before it can complete, the Golem attacks. Capstan protects her from its beam weapons until it completes, which then covers one of the Golem’s arms in ice, making it brittle and heavy enough to break off. Ali distracts the Golem to allow the others to get in close. Capstan takes his arm down next, and after that Aron and Tahar succeed in taking down their arm. Just as John is working his way through his assigned arm, the Golem ejects its arms and retreats. Its body opens to reveal dozens of beam weapons, and fires. John casts Two Are One on Nelia to take some of her damage as a beam is directed at her. He also casts Greater Regeneration on himself to be able to take more damage. While the others continue to wail on the Golem, Capstan orders John to heal Nelia. John drags her away from the fight.
After the battle, they haul the Golems to Xev’s shop, split their profits and loot at the Shop, and then celebrate in The Nugget together.
An inebriated hunter sours the celebration by demanding the Yerick get out, arguing that The Nugget is a human establishment. Most people try to ignore him, but he persists, leading Lana to use her Aura of the Red Queen. Her face flushes, her hair darkens to blood red, and her violet eyes become more brilliant, her skin becoming more fair. She emits a sense of danger.
John receives a notification: Aura of the Red Queen resisted. The hunter pees himself and John pushes him outside.
The Yerick and John agree to have John lead them through the dungeon he cleared the next day. They leave, and John is approached by Bill, Luthien’s newest love interest.
Bill asks John if he is working with the Yerick and keeps mentioning that they have something in common but never says what. After they walk away, Ali looks into the third person who was with them and realizes she has a skill that makes one forget about her or what she was doing, telling John she is some sort of spy.
John and Mikito train together, which brings conversation up about Mikito’s blade. Ali takes an interest and pulls up stats for it:
Tier II Polearm (Hitoshi) – Base Damage: 94. Durability: 750/750. Special Abilities: Soul Drinker (Level 3), Armor Piercing (Level 1)
Ali explains that Soul Drinker weapons are rare, and he warns Mikito to not let anyone ever see its stats up close again because it is so valuable: its stats increase and build with each wielder, and could potentially develop a personality. Mikito intimates that its name, Hitoshi, is what her and her husband would have named their son.
While out hunting low level areas around Whitehorse and casually killing things, Ali admits to John that he is fulfilling his job as a System Companion in order to pay off a rather large debt. The more John levels and the longer he stays alive, the more Ali gets paid. Ali then asks John if he’s ok with the fact that he is a job to Ali, and John seems ok with it.
John visits the Carcross Cutoff fort and decides to give it up, leaving it for someone else to take since it would be a major investment for him to keep it up.
Shortly after, while hunting, Ali patches John into a transmission indicating Carcross is being swarmed by monsters.
Save Carcross Quest
Quest received: Save Carcross! Save the city from the monster swarm. Destroy or drive away the monster swarm before they kill all the survivors in Carcross. Note that experience during this event for monster kills will be reduced. Reward: 50,000XP (shared) Type: Unique.
John begins running towards Carcross, but realizes it will take him 34 minutes to get there. He watches his display as monsters are briefly held at the defensive line, then break through, and friendlies form a second defensive line, which also doesn’t last long.
John downs a mana regeneration potion before reaching the fight, then cuts his way through to the thick of the battle and calls on Ali for his lightning spell. This kills a number of monsters, but leaves his back exposed and he is attacked by a once-house-cat now ferral. He triggers his QSM to get away, then fires his pistol at it point blank. A large bear has fallen on the old defensive line, leaving a gap to let monsters in. John run towards it, slowly accumulating damage from projectiles. On the other side, he sees Jason’s mom, Melissa, dead, having given her life to buy a few minutes of time for the town and her son. John goes into a rage to continue buying the town time. Gadsby’s hunting group arrives from outside the city and helps turn the tide.
John sits with Jason as he mourns his mother, and while her funeral pyre, their house, burns. Then he gives him lots of ale and tucks him into bed. Gadsby and Elder Badger direct clean-up, mourning their losses, but also remarking on how practically speaking, losing Melissa and all her high levels is a significant blow.
Upon returning to Whitehorse, John is invited by Capstan to visit the Yerick’s compound: A walled area with watchtowers and buildings inside, all connected via shaded walkways on the ground and in the air, broken up by a series of open air, grassy courtyards. The buildings have door ways that are at least twelve feet high and ceilings a good twenty feet up, with a minimum of three stories in each portion.
A single human child is playing with Yerick younglings and a Bounding Rabbit that seems rather dangerous, though the adults looking on seem relaxed. The Yerick use games like this to train their children early, despite the potential danger and pain. A teenager waits off in a corner, ready with a healing spell in case of emergencies.
Underwater Dungeon
Capstan leads John to a Level 20 dungeon they discovered recently at Miles Canyon. Looking down into the Yukon River, there is a new whirlpool there that requires jumping into from the canyon’s edge in order to enter. John at first refuses to do it, but Ali goads him into it, making him angry enough to forget his fear. A childhood memory of not being able to swim in the deep end of a pool is the source of John’s fear of water.
The underwater dungeon proves to be an experience John doesn’t want to talk about. His lightning spell is quite effective at clearing hostiles in the water, but it also singes himself and his friends in the process, something they yell at him for.
Richard visits John while he’s recovering and slightly drunk and gets him to agree to go dungeon clearing with him and Mikito and Lana later. Their friendship appears to be on the mend since John almost killed Minion. They clear the air about some things.
John goes with Capstan and the Yerick group again to another dungeon, this one proving much easier. So much so that he and Capstan are able to have a casual conversation in which Capstan reveals that he and the Yerick came to Earth, and Whitehorse specifically, at Roxley’s invitation, and specifically to Roxley because he implements his authority in a less abusive way than most Truinnars do or have done.
John spends a week clearing out dungeons with the Yerick which gains him xp, loot, and enough credits to fix Sabre up. But he decides to leave her in Xev’s shop until he can get materials in to upgrade her.
Goblin Dungeon
John goes out dungeon raiding with Richard, Mikito, Aiden, and Amelia. They encounter a swarm of Goblins (Ali’s name for them), and the group debates the ethics of killing them since they are semi-sentient and have a town structure set up with buildings. John convinces them to let him try talking to them first.
Dungeon Located! Warning! The current dungeon has not been categorized at this time due to System limitations. All XP rewards are doubled. Successful completion of the dungeon by a System-registered individual will generate additional rewards.
John only gets to say two words before they begin attacking, which decides the morality issue for them. Aiden casts Guardian’s Embrace, a shield spell that won’t last long but will protect from anything except a Dragon’s breath. The group manages to kill fifty Goblins before they retreat back into the dungeon, at which point they realize there are way more of them than they initially thought. After doing the math they realize about three hundred have spawned in the last week and if left unchecked, they will quickly get into the thousands. The group decides to finish it. It is a gory, gruesome battle that leaves their consciences scarred, but they sweep the dungeon, then use explosives to collapse all the warrens and leave a giant crater in the ground.
John returns to Whitehorse to update their maps from his travels. The first one he meets there is Eric (Minion), the one he almost killed out of irritation. He doesn’t like dealing with Eric, but he agrees to share maps with him.
John returns to the Carcross Cutoff fort to check in with the Hakarta. They ask him mostly about numbers, classes, defenses, and Roxley’s whereabouts.
Back in the Nugget, John notices it is emptier than usual. Lana is tired. She explains that the last manager quit and she hasn’t found anyone else, and also that Bill has opened up a second tavern in town, drawing most of her customers with his human-only policy and longer open hours. They debate the ethics of getting people drunk vs helping them by closing early. Richard’s current girlfriend Patti argues that if they are so useless as to become an alcoholic they shouldn’t be helped. During the debate, a man barges into the Nugget accusing Richard of sleeping with his wife. Lana has to turn on her Red Queen Aura to get them both to take the fight outside. When Richard comes back in, he explains that the woman he slept with told him her husband was dead, and that she is now pregnant. Even though Richard got himself neutered in the Shop, it was a cheap option, and the Beast’s Vitality which he tacked on later overrode it.
Level 26 Status Screen
| Status Screen | |||
| Name | John Lee | Class | Erethran Honor Guard |
| Race | Human (Male) | Level | 26 |
| Titles | |||
| Monster’s Bane, Redeemer of the Dead | |||
| Health | 1190 | Stamina | 1190 |
| Mana | 930 | Mana Regeneration | 65/minute |
| Attributes | |||
| Strength | 72 | Agility | 114 |
| Constitution | 119 | Perception | 45 |
| Intelligence | 93 | Willpower | 100 |
| Charisma | 16 | Luck | 25 |
| Class Skills | |||
| Mana Blade | 1 | Blade Strike | 2 |
| Thousand Steps | 1 | Altered Space | 2 |
| Two Are One | 1 | The Body’s Resolve | 1 |
| Greater Detection | 1 | Instantaneous Inventory* | 1 |
| Cleave* | 1 | Frenzy* | 1 |
| Combat Spells | |||
| Improved Minor Healing (II) | Greater Regeneration | ||
| Improved Mana Dart (IV) | Tinder | ||
| Enhanced Lightning Strike | Polar Zone | ||
First Frakin Dungeon Battle
John, Mikito, Richard, Aiden, and Amelia are fighting dungeon monsters again, this time the Frakin, Level 58, HP 980. The group barely makes it out alive and decides to go raid a previously cleared dungeon instead since it will be easier and needs to be done soon anyways.
After a mild hunting trip, John returns to Whitehorse to find a crowd standing around Rachel and one of the Brothers of the Wolf. They are the only two of their party who made it back alive. Rachel begs John to go help the other five, and her companion indicates on a map where they were.
Xu’dwg’hkkk Beast Battle
Jim goes with John, providing his truck since Sabre is still in the shop, and two other hunters join them. Ali flies ahead and reports that the five they are looking for are all dead and the monsters are eating the corpses.
Four Xu’dwg’hkkk Beasts are left, including the Alpha, at high 40s to low 50s level range. The Brothers of the Wolf managed to kill three before being overcome.
Xu’dwg’hkkk Beast (Level 48) HP: 2880/2880
Xu’dwg’hkkk Beast – Alpha (Level 55) HP: 3780/3780
John tells the two hunters and Jim to turn back, knowing they can’t win this fight. But he chooses to stay. Ali berates him for this, but instead of rushing them, he comes up with a plan. He adds more Altered Space to his inventory, then spends the majority of the day digging a large pit and pulling all the dirt into his inventory and dumping it a little distance away. He then kites the Xuds to the edge of the small canyon and makes it collapse, delivering the beasts into the pit. Ali then empties his inventory of dirt on top of them and John casts Fireball, burrying the Xuds alive.
John returns to Whitehorse, dropped off at the reclaimed Kwanlin Dun Cultural Center by a hunter offering him a ride, and returns the bodies of the Brothers of the Wolf to their people.
He then enters the Shop to let Ali do his haggling. While reading, Lord Roxley appears to him, and explains that he’s had to be away from Earth to smooth out the wrinkles that the Yerick situation has caused: their buildings being burnt down has made it difficult for him to attract other immigrants to Whitehorse. He claims the city cannot currently sustain itself unless it has a steady stream of Adventurers. If he fails to make Whitehorse a stable safe zone by the time the System is fully integrated on Earth, then his efforts will be considered a failure, and other Truinnars will come to take authority, whose methods will be far more unpleasant.
Back at his house, Lana tells John that two thirds of the women in town are pregnant (three of them are Richard’s). The next morning, Mikito, Richard, and John make a plan to invite as many people as they can, including the Yerick (but not Raven’s Circle), to go on a dungeon run with them. Richard gives him a ride to Xev’s shop where John finally gets Sabre back after many modifications and upgrades.
Omnitron III Class II Personal Assault Vehicle (Sabre)
Core: Class II Omnitron Mana Engine
CPU: Class D Xylik Core CPU
Armor Rating: Tier IV (Modified with Adaptive Resistance)
Hard Points: 5 (5 Used)
Soft Points: 3 (2 Used)
Requires: Neural Link for Advanced Configuration
Battery Capacity: 120/120
Attribute Bonuses: +35 Strength, +18 Agility, +10 Perception
Inlin Type II II Projectile Rifle
Base Damage: N/A (Dependent Upon Ammunition)
Ammo Capacity: 45/45
Available Ammunition: 250 Standard, 150 Armor Piercing, 200 High
Explosive, 25 Luminescent
Ares Type II Shield Generator
Base Shielding: 2,000 HP
Regeneration Rate: 50/second unlinked, 200/second linked
Mkylin Type IV Mini-Missile Launchers
Base Damage: N/A (dependent on missiles purchased)
Battery Capacity: 6/6
Reload rate from internal batteries: 10 seconds
Available Ammunition: 12 Standard, 12 High Explosive, 12 Armor Piercing, 4
Napalm
At Carcross, the party realizes they only have Rachel, Aiden, Amelia, Mikito, Richard, and John to make a dungeon run and decide that it’s not enough, since John had to leave a message for Capstan instead of inviting him directly. So they decide to go hunting instead. A day and a half later when they return, Capstan talks with John. He’s not happy to have more party members and have to split more of the credits up but he agrees to go with them nonetheless.
Second Frakin Dungeon Battle
John and his group (Capstan, Nelia, Tahar, Richard, Mikito, Aron, Rachel, Aiden, and Amelia) return to the dungeon with the Frakin. It’s entrance is a limestone cave, 20 by 30 ft., with small stalagmites and stalactites.
They enter the first cavern, then set a drone near an unexplored entrances on the side to act as an alarm in case they get flanked. They then issue drones out to various points in the other corridor that are modified firefighting drones, which spew acid on command. Ali goes ahead and scouts. Aiden raises an Earth wall to block off an entrance, and then the Frakin begin to storm. At Ali’s command, the drones are triggered and release their acid on the Frakin, who are clustered together, the narrow corridor nullifying the advantage from their superior numbers. As the swarm nears, Aiden and Rachel put up a wall of Earth and a wall of Ice respectively to cut off the front of the swarm from the rest. Then they charge. They are mostly successful with this first phase. Eventually, one of the Frakin breaks through the walls and they prepare for round two. A half hour later, they are forced to retreat back to the first cavern, but only because the Frakin corpses are a space hindrance in the narrow corridor. Eventually they move further into the dungeon, mapping as they go with drones. Capstan chooses the middle out of three tunnels to explore next because it is bigger than the rest and he fits better.
They find a swarm of 63 Frakin who are different than the rest: their names glow red which means they are incendiary and they are calm, not rushing the adventurers. John and his team conclude that they are smarter than the rest, and that the group is being flanked. John orders Capstan to take the others and get out while he offers himself as a sacrifice to buy them time.
He unloads his missile launcher at the Frakin. They return fire with plasma bolts. Then he uses Inlin, firing armor-piercing bullets for five minutes until he runs out. Next he uses lightning. He continues in this manner until he mana is down fifteen percent. He then makes it to the cavern where the rest of the party has set up Chaos Mines. Ali warns him that the others are trapped in a bottle neck unable to get out of the dungeon. The mines go off and open a portal: pink and yellow tentacles come out and gobble up the Frakin. John gets a notification that he has reached Level 30, and he immediately applies his new points to his Class Skill.
Level Up! You have reached Level 30 as an Erethran Honor Guard. Stat Points automatically distributed. You have 6 Free Attribute Points to distribute. You have 6 Class Skills to distribute.
John uses Soul Shield to buy time for both the party and himself as he attacks the Frakin. Just as it’s about to fail, Ali instructs him to Blink Step around corner. Ali then tells him to use Sticky Grenades. Then Polar Zone, which causes the sticky grenades’ substance to freeze and harden, and making the Frakin’s carapaces go through rapid temperature change, hot to cold, and then shatter. He continues to follow Ali’s commands, releasing his final payload of missiles, then resorts to his sword as the first Frakin come around the corner. He looses his left arm to a slow dodge, but eventually triggers the QSM and uses it to walk out of the dungeon. The rest of the group is incredibly injured to various degrees, many limbs missing. Tahar has perished.
Level 30 Status Screen
| Status Screen | |||
| Name | John Lee | Class | Erethran Honor Guard |
| Race | Human (Male) | Level | 30 |
| Titles | |||
| Monster’s Bane, Redeemer of the Dead | |||
| Health | 1420 | Stamina | 1420 |
| Mana | 1100 | Mana Regeneration | 77/minute |
| Attributes | |||
| Strength | 80 | Agility | 133 |
| Constitution | 142 | Perception | 45 |
| Intelligence | 110 | Willpower | 112 |
| Charisma | 16 | Luck | 25 |
| Class Skills | |||
| Mana Blade | 1 | Blade Strike | 2 |
| Thousand Steps | 1 | Altered Space | 2 |
| Two Are One | 1 | The Body’s Resolve | 3 |
| Greater Detection | 1 | Instantaneous Inventory* | 1 |
| Soul Shield | 2 | Blink Step | 2 |
| Cleave* | 1 | Frenzy* | 1 |
| Combat Spells | |||
| Improved Minor Healing (II) | Greater Regeneration | ||
| Improved Mana Dart (IV) | Enhanced Lightning Strike | ||
| Fireball | Polar Zone | ||
The Body’s Resolve (Level 3) – Effect: Increase natural health regeneration by 35%. On-going health status effects reduced by 33%. Honor Guard may now regenerate lost limbs. Mana regeneration reduced by 15 Mana per minute permanently.
Soul Shield (Level 2) – Effect: Creates a manipulatable shield to cover the caster’s or target’s body. Shield has 1,000 Hit Points. Cost: 250 Mana.
Blink Step (Level 2) – Effect: Instantaneous teleportation via line of sight. May include Spirit’s line of sight. Maximum range—500 meters. Cost: 100 Mana.
Once they are back in Whitehorse, Capstan invites them all to a memorial for Tahar and calls them his blood companions. Ali instructs John to go to Sally’s, as he has grabbed a body of one of the Frakin for an autopsy he wants her to perform.
At Tahar’s memorial ceremony, John writes on a piece of red cloth a memory of Tahar, simply standing, covered in mud, and laughing.
Through Sally’s autopsy of a red Frakin body, John discovers the Onlivik Spores, a parasitic being that attaches to lesser beings and invades their cerebral and nervous system. They take control of conscious mental impulses and also lend varying levels of sophistication and sentience to their host bodies. John receives a quest:
Quest Received—The Onlivik Spores (Shareable) – Destroy the Onlivik Spores that have infected the Frakin in the Two-Horn Mountain Dungeon. Rewards: 50,000 Credits, 20,000 XP
John enters the shop to buy information on the spores, and returns to a heated discussion tilting towards violence between the Yerick and humans. The Yerick, Xev, and other shopkeepers accuse Fred of a conspiracy with the butchering yard men to take parts of the kills and under-report what the hunters have brought back. It was subtle at first but has grown extremely blatant. Nelia channels a spell where she can declare any statement as true or false during this entire exchange. John intermediates until things calm down, and purchases information directly from the shop to determine who was cheating and who was not. That settles the matter for the time being and the crowd disperses once Capstan agrees to go with Amelia to discuss things in a less heated environment and in a more peaceful way.
Back at his residence, John reviews video of the Frakin fight and notices a slight hesitation and delay between commands being given to the hive-mind spores and when the command is carried out.
Lana interrupts to tell him that Bill has turned his new establishment into a Strip Club from which to sell drugs out of, but legally no one can do anything. She is angry at this, but also mentions that the council is reforming itself after what Fred, the Mayor, was involved in with cheating the hunters. She says they are thinking of offering the Yerrick a seat, and asks John if he wants one as well. He turns it down. After showing Lana what he’s discovered from reviewing the Frakin, they piece it together: the Spores are controlling the Frakin like a computer program, and when the Frakin are forced to go off-script, there is a slight stutter while they get updated orders. Ali and John continue the metaphor of a program by deciding they should try to give it a virus.
John finds Leonard, a BioTechnician Class, and Lana flirts with Leonard, to get him to try to come up with a biological weapon against the Onlivik Spores. He says it will take hime 2-3 weeks.
The General Council has been reformed, with seats given to the Yerick, Sally, Lana, and even Bill. Roxley has given his blessing as well by assigning Vir to mediate issues. A three-foot snow fall requires those who have the strength to yield snow plows, and those who have fire spells to melt snow.
No one in John’s party seems to want to make plans to take on the Frakin and spores again. Capstan says they need to break in a new team member. Rachel and Aiden are almost certainly never going out hunting again. John takes Sabre out of his inventory when he can to let her repair herself:
Omnitron III Class II Personal Assault Vehicle (Sabre) – Structural Integrity: 82%. System Integrity: 94%.
John purchases a Dragonfly Drone with a bio-dispersal container so he can disseminate the bioweapon that Leonard has created for the spores. Upon approaching the dungeon, Ali spots a large mutated cat that shows evidence of being infected with the spores, two miles outside of the dungeon. This means it is escaping the confines of the dungeon and spreading quickly. John sends one of his drones back to the city with this information in case he dies, then continues on to enter the dungeon and find a place to hide. He then sends out his two remaining drones and dumps their manufactured virus payloads on the Frakin. He comments that if the virus works, he’ll even forgive Leonard for asking Lana out. One of the drones gets caught and the Frakin begin moving. The other, John is able to put into hiding hibernation in the vain hope he can retrieve it later. Then John leaves the cave and returns to Whitehorse.
Ali presents John’s findings to the Council at Whitehorse, then John makes some suggestions. They can buy themselves time from the spread of the spores by killing the scouts currently posted and infected outside the dungeon. Second, they need to know whether the spores are a part of the dungeon and will need to be constantly cleared out, or if they have infected the dungeon, meaning a simpler solution is to kill everything infected. In order to know which situation they are facing, they need to purchase the information from the System for 50,000 credits. John proposes that they have ten days before the virus he planted is in full effect, which is when they should launch an attack on the dungeon.
Jim commits his hunting groups to help man the area, but insists they won’t be much help in the actual fight. Richard offers to chip in on the credits, but Vir says Lord Roxley will handle that. Vir also offers a group of Lord Roxley’s men to aid in the attack. Capstan commits three adventuring parties. Sally offers to outfit people with potions and to talk to Xev about contributing something. Bill refuses any of his group to help, but Amelia calls him on a technicality of Galactic law and gets him to agree to join the fight. Even still, John knows they don’t have enough to fight the Frakin. So John meets with Labashi, gives him his spy report, then asks to hire his services to aid them in the fight. John also meets with Aiden and tells him that if they all die, to take all the children and head South.
Third Frakin Dungeon Battle
Everyone gathers at the Two-Horn Mountain Dungeon to ready themselves, and they are joined by the Hakarta, in fact more Hakarta than John originally bartered for. Labashi explains his employer has a vested interest in defeating this dungeon, so he has figured out a way to get paid twice for this job. Aiden and Rachel have joined them after all, as well as Jim’s hunting parties. Gadsby has stayed behind in Carcross, elected to defend the town while everyone else is away.
The first eight and a half hours is dull, as the group must move slowly to investigate all branching tunnels to make sure they aren’t flanked. They finally find some Frakin, infected, in a side cavern, but it’s not so many that one group can’t deal with them. These Frakin do not throw plasma like the others did but instead emit gaseous clouds that eat away at armor. They are swiftly destroyed. Capstan decides it’s time for dinner and everyone settles in to prepare food. While Labashi refuses to answer questions about who his employer is, Vir offers the information freely: Her Grace Wuli Kangana, Duchess of the Pourquoi States. She owns and controls the Village of Fairbanks and the Town of Anchorage. After talking for a bit, Capstan orders people to bed down and for those on watch to start their shifts.
On day 2 of the dungeon run, the group finally encounters the Frakin, and it appears as if the virus is working. The first wave is mowed down by Bill, John, and the others’ projectile weaponry. Vir commands them to stop shooting and to instead hit the second wave with ice spells.Then Vir commands fire spells and the Mages comply. Next come the plasma-shooting Frakin, but even these are dealt with fairly easily by the group. Meanwhile, Mikito, Richard, and Lana’s group are dealing with their own battle, but seem to be holding their own.
Somehow, the Frakin manage to flank them again despite all their careful checking of passageways. Some of the group is sent to deal with the Frakin coming from behind. On the front-line, the Frakin begin firing purple globule sacs which break open to release a gaseous poison-acid combo. The humans draw gas masks from their inventories, the Hakarta are safe inside their suits, and the Yerick just push through it until it begins to bother their exposed hides. In addition to this surprise, silver-steeled Behemoth Frakin emerge, which appear tougher to take down. The Mages raise rock spears to pierce them which slows their approach.
Hours of fighting later and the group begins to run out of ammunition despite taking breaks (provided by Mage attacks) from projectile weapons. Capstan and Vir discuss moving to Plan F (F for Final Run, a hail mary scheme), which will mean John, Vir, and Bill’s shadowy Asassin/Rogue friend surging past the incoming Frakin, (as they all have a way of moving through them, John using his QSM) leaving them for the rest of the group to deal with, and trying to find and take down the boss.
John encounters a Titanic Frakin, which he manages to surprise, rip open enough to shove a grenade inside, then move away from. It blows up, hindering the Frakin around it with its large corpse. There are three more Titanic Frakin behind it, but John determines he doesn’t have time to deal with them. Four minutes into using up his 5-minute QSM time, John finally comes to the end of the Frakin swarm.
John comes across three guard Frakin which he uses his sword on. He sends Ali to try to find Vir and Bill’s shadow friend to lead them back to where he is, becaue he’s pretty sure it’s where the boss is. Upon entering the next cavern, John sees that the Frakin held back a couple dozen from the rest of the battle, and they knew he was coming. He lobs grenades into them and finishes them off with his sword. Only one corridor leads away from that cavern, leading to the Boss: reddish brown, eight legs, a double pair of pincers that fit over its bulbous body, three stingers, and lots of teeth. Inside the Boss cavern, there is another exit/entrance than the one John is approaching from.
Surrounding the Boss Frakin are a handful of smaller Frakin, all different variations. John takes five minutes to plan, then sets up Claymores and guns to fire down from the ledge he’s on, hoping to split their forces so he doesn’t have to fight all of them at once.
The guns draw the Frakin to him, about half that were guarding the Boss. John hits them with a Polar Wind spell which freezes the front ones in place and bunches the group up. Then he triggers the Claymores. Only some of them go off, however, the others damaged by the sudden cold. Then John starts making his way forward, slashing through them.
John labels these as Frakin Champions. After getting through them, John is limping and Sabre is down to 82% integrity.
As John approaches the Boss, it lets loose a blast from its stinger which sends him flying back into the corridor. John gets up, takes a running leap, and uses Blink Step. While he’s blinking towards the Boss, he launches his first pair of missiles into the gathered Frakin. As he lands, he casts Polar Wind with one hand and grabs smoke grenades from his inventory with the other.
He tags enemies as he dances around them, then pulls out high-tech white phosphorous grenades: self-propelled, these grenades split in the air, each separate portion able to track their pre-selected targets, then attach and ignite the phosphorus, directing the burning substance into the creatures at 2,760 C (half the surface temperature of the sun).
John then begins to damage the Boss, aiming for a spot where its heart is, hoping he can get enough damage through to hurt it.
John gets caught by the Boss’ pinchers, then slammed with another in the shoulder, sending him hurtling away. It’s only the effect of the virus that causes the Boss to miss its next strike. John realizes he cannot defeat this creature on his own, but he doesn’t have a choice. He prepares everything he has and is about to make his last effort when Ali tells him to keep it busy for just a moment longer.
Triggering Blink Step several times, but depleting his Mana, John jumps around and slashes more into the Frakin. John distracts the Boss with another set of missiles launched into its side and it reacts in anger by bearing down a pincher on him. He takes the blow with his sword, bearing up under it. The Boss withdraws its pincher, taking the sword with it, and prepares to blast with its stinger, when someone else attacks with red light, tearing off a stinger and two legs, leaving part of the Boss’ body exposed. The one-time blast came from Vir, and the monsters direct their attacks at him, giving John a chance to catch a breath and think through how to end the fight. Ali confirms for him that Shadow-girl is nowhere to be found. John spends a few minutes running around the cavern, collecting bodies and stones into his Altered Space inventory.
John calls out to the Boss to get its attention, then uses Blink Step to get in close to it where its pinchers can’t reach him. He then launches himself into its open maw and allows the creature to eat him, Soul Shield turned on. Inside, he launches sticky grenades down its throat and unloads everything from his inventory, even his supplies and food. He then does as much damage as he can to its throat while it gags and tries to dislodge him. John’s Soul Shield blinks out and he doesn’t have enough Mana to cast another. He triggers the QSM and exits the monster, coming back into his plane of existence just as the Boss is going through death throws, one of which catches him and knocks him out.
John wakes to Shadow-girl tending to him, and without Sabre. The mecha is torn apart, having ejected him when it ran out of Mana battery. The Boss voided its bowels in a smelly, yellow-pink mixture and without Sabre to filter out the smells, John vomits. He allows himself five minutes to heal while Vir recovers as well and Shadow-girl takes care of a straggling Frakin, and reads his System notifications. He has leveled up to Level 34.
Congratulations! Dungeon Cleared. +10,000 XP. First Clear Bonus: Having cleared the dungeon for the first time, you have been rewarded an additional +5,000 XP, +1,000 Credits. Bonus for being the first explorer +5,000 XP, +5,000 Credits. Two-Horn Mountain Dungeon classified as Level 50+ and above.
System Quest Complete (Onlivik Spores) – Destroy the Onlivik Spores that have infected the Frakin in the Two-Horn Mountain Dungeon. Rewards (shared): 50,000 Credits, 20,000 XP.
Level Up! * 4 – You have reached Level 34 as an Erethran Honor Guard. Stat Points automatically distributed. You have 12 Free Attribute Points and 3 Class Skills to distribute.
John finally learns Shadow-girl’s name: Ingrid Starling. Returning to the rest of the group, John takes in the losses. The Hakarta lost a third of their people, the Yerick lost a pair of theirs. Jim lost half of the people he brought in. Richard is also dead, leaving John to silently comfort Lana as she mourns her brother’s death.
Upon arriving back in Whitehorse, the group immediately has to fend off a monster attack, but this one is simply dealt with.
Rachel moves permanently to Carcross to join Jason. Aiden vows to never leave the classroom again. Rumors circulate that Whitehorse may receive more immigrants from the system soon. John gets a lot of credits in the Shop from selling his loot from the fight: central-Spore mass and Frakin plasma generators.
Lana comes on to John their first night back in Whitehorse, but he refuses her because she is grieving and not herself. She is upset at this. John takes Richard’s body into his altered space to preserve it, then a week later goes with Lana and Mikito up to the Peterson’s pre-apocalypse farm to bury him there.
Ali tells John there are only 11.4% of Earth’s pre-apocalypse population left living.
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