59 - Finding Connections

  After his training session and separating from the renowned monster-hunter, the trio wandered through booths brimming with uncanny items. What struck Joe was how different the styles of the objects were from stall to stall. A market on Earth would have plenty of varying styles, patterns, and color combinations, but back there the items were all created for the same race. Here, the proportions and designs were all over the place. Dwarven hammers, too thick and short for human hands, were displayed across from two-story tall jotun fish poles. There were racks of diminutive gnomish curled shoes and flamboyant hats. The apparel for the beast-races was tailored to account for tails and ears; pants were cut for legs that were jointed completely differently than human limbs.

  At the behest of his female companions, Joe picked up a new shirt and pants for himself. He had managed to rinse out his starter clothes a couple of times, but the garments were well past the point they needed to be retired. The man running the shop offered a magical cleaning service as well. He had a skill that would remove dirt and odors from Joe and his gear for a reasonable fee. Joe happily paid the two silver pieces for the equivalent of an instantaneous shower and gear scrubbing.

  He had offered to use his own money for these. There were four gold in the pouch Kaid had nicked, and Joe had gained another seven after selling off the various loot items he had in his backpack. The priestess wouldn’t hear of it. While performing a duty in the name of the Fourfold Courts, presentability was preferred over the smelly beggar vibe Joe was rapidly approaching.

  Mazsy let him chip in on the cost of his new staff. She was willing to buy him a staff with a minor enchantment, but Joe found a weapon enchanted with a moderate empowerment called [Thunderstrike] and had to have it. The AC/DC named effect released sonic damage on hits and pushed back targets, sort of like [Strong Arm]’s secondary ability. For the next hour, he kept uttering “Ah-ah, ah-ah-ah” under his breath until Hah’roo and Mazsy started swatting him every time he started the na’s.

  The next thing Joe wanted to deal with was his three open attribute points. Both Count Randeau and Hah’roo suggested he use them before he began the quest. Joe would likely be the lowest level among them, with the possible, but unlikely, exception of the unknown Jink. Saving points for later in this situation made no sense.

  In order to get an idea of what the best skill to get would be, Joe’s companions suggested he have his affinities read. They were collectively shocked he didn’t know his. Cataloging one’s affinities was something every kid learned shortly after they gained their first class. It was hard for them to fathom a grown man getting his primary class just days ago.

  The reader’s shop Mazsy led him to was tucked between a wizardly establishment whose hanging sign was the classic pointy hat and a conjured creature emporium. Joe passed dozens of tiny cages, each containing minute marvels: diminutive dragons, candleflame-sized efreeti, miniature unicorns and pegasi. Hah’roo literally had to drag Joe away into the store next door.

  For some reason, Joe was expecting a new age or fortune-teller vibe from the affinity reader. It probably had to do with the word ‘reader,’ which brought up the images of palm readers and such. He was a bit thrown off when the interior looked more like a clerical office or maybe even a bank. There were four desks, each with a privacy screen around them.

  One of the cubicles was already occupied. The screens must be enchanted since even though he was only a few feet away, the voices on the other side of the partition were completely unintelligible, just a vague set of murmurs.

  A man with exceedingly angular features and skin that seemed to be almost metallic waved for Joe to join him. Joe had a guess on the man’s race, but to confirm it

  “Greeting,” the reader droned in an inflectionless voice. “Are you here to review changes to your affinities? If so, I will need the original record.”

  “Nope. First time,” Joe replied, taking a seat across the desk from him.

  “Most unusual. How have you never had your affinities categorized before now?” Numat’s voice was throwing Joe off a little. It was a single monotone hum. Not a single change in pitch.

  “I just got here,” he answered, still a bit taken back by the archon’s flat voice.

  “He is a newcomer,” Hah’roo breathed.

  “Ah,” the reader droned. “That would explain it. Very well. Let’s take a look.”

  Numat opened the desk drawer and pulled out a case. When he opened the box, Joe saw it was full of dozens of sets of spectacles. They were very old-fashioned looking, simple wireframes with lenses. He plucked out the first set and donned them before turning towards Joe.

  “Is this some sort of a prank?” the assayer asked, looking none too pleased. “I have better things to do than test your [Deception], sir.”

  “Are you kidding me,” Joe swore. ‘Ok, Hawking. This trait is not nearly as much fun as I thought it was going to be.’

  Joe waited a moment, but no reply came back to him.

  “Am sorry, sir. I have a trait that blocks assessment,” Joe apologized, starting to rise from his seat. “I didn’t think it would block this, too. Thanks anyway.”

  “That is interesting,” Numat hummed, waving Joe back into his chair. “I do like a challenge. So we will not be able to read your full set of affinities, but we should be able to read your output.”

  He bent down and opened a lower drawer, retrieving a second case. This one was a near-perfect cube. He unclicked the top and withdrew a large clear ball about the size of a volleyball with hundreds of facets.

  “You will cast your spells one by one on this device. With it, I will be able to read the coloring of the affinity utilized and the strength of its makeup.” The reader placed a stand below the orb before adding, “Obviously, please refrain from casting any destructive area effects. This orb is designed to be able to absorb attack spells but only targeted ones. Please begin with your first spell.”

  Joe reached out and placed his hand on the ball before casting [Healing Touch].

  “Very nice. You have an ascending six with {Life}.”

  “Out of …,’ Joe asked.

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  “The scale is from zero to ten. So it is an eleven-point scale. We call a six ‘Favorable.’ By ascending, I can tell it is getting stronger. You must have had a condition that diminished your {Life} affinity. Since you have overcome that affliction, this affinity is gaining strength.”

  ‘Yeah. Cancer and dying would probably do that,’ he thought. Out loud, he asked, “Next one?” When the archon nodded, Joe hit the ball with [Efferous Endurance].

  “Even better. You have a strong {Beast} affinity. That is a seven.”

  Curious to see how the one affinity he knew he was good at stacked up, Joe tried the {Earth}-based [Steadfast] next. This time, all of them saw a purple light wink inside the orb.

  “My goodness, That was a high superior, just short of a perfect affinity. You would be well served by utilizing {Earth} skills, sir.”

  One by one, Joe cast all the spells he knew. Since he didn’t have any area damage spells, he had nothing to worry about. He had been pretty close in his guesses aboard the Tide Dancer. He now understood why he didn't feel the same connection to [Purge] and [Swift Strike] as he did to [Steadfast] and [Efferous Endurance].

  Even better, by getting his affinities formally read, a new screen was now available for Joe.

  It didn’t list every affinity, just the ones he knew. Still, it was a start.

  “Hold on,” Mazsy said, digging into one of her belt pouches. She drew out a small roll of paper and handed it to Joe. “Try casting this.”

  Joe unrolled the small sheet, revealing a piece of parchment the size of an index card with the words ‘Thornskin’ written on it. Tiny runes formed a border around the edge of the slip. It was an actual spell scroll.

  Joe couldn’t help but geek out a bit as he projected his will into the parchment, sending the spell into the glass sphere.

  “Ah. There are three more for you, Joe,” the archon droned. “[Thornskin] is a {Briar} spell. {Briar} is made up of {Wood} and {Shadow}. As you have fives in both of the bases, it is no surprise that you have a five with the combination affinity as well.”

  Joe noted the three new affinities on his screen.

  “So, at some point, I need to buy a bunch of scrolls to round out the base affinities and then look for the best combinations. {Earth} and {Beast} seems like a no-brainer.”

  “That would be {Bone},” Numat stated. “Be aware, though. Correlations are probable but not a certainty. Your {Air} and {Fire} affinities are both on the low side, but it is still possible you could be a genius with {Smoke} magic. It is highly unlikely, but such odd alignments happen from time to time,” the skill-reader explained.

  “But it is likely that I’d be good at {Bone}.”

  “Very likely,” the archon confirmed.

  “Ok. Got it. Thank you.”

  Mazsy paid for this visit. As they left, she stated that this information could only help the quest, so she should have no trouble expensing it.

  “Now that I have an idea what I’m good at, let’s go spell shopping,” Joe posed, rubbing his hands together as they stepped back out onto the street.

  “I have been thinking, and I am not sure all new abilities is the best idea,” Hah’roo mused airly. “Will you have time to level them up to be effective on an Epic quest in just one day?”

  “But you and Valloc said I should spend my open points.”

  “And I still believe you should. I think you should consider using some of them to advance the skills you already possess. That way, you get the benefit of the skill ranks you have earned combined with a higher degree of potency.”

  “Ok, that makes sense. [Healing Touch] only heals about forty points a pop. I bet at uncommon, it would be twice as much.”

  “That is an excellent choice,” the galeling declared. “Should I be grievously wounded, you would need ten of your current heals to restore me. I am sure Azbekt and Count Randeau both have higher health pools than I do.”

  “And it should be better than twice, Joe,” Mazsy input. “When I moved my healing to uncommon, it more than doubled the spell’s effect.”

  “Ok, so let’s buy a healing skill crystal.”

  “No need. I can share my skill with you,” the young priestess offered.

  Her sheet opened in the air in front of Joe. Unlike his blue computer-like screen or Thorton’s stone slab, Mazsy’s character panel looked like a sheet of legal parchment. The black lettering on it reminded Joe of ancient handwritten books. It was very precisely drawn, but it was not the uniformity of printed letters; each character had its own slight deviation, whether it was a flourish, a tilt, or some other distinctive stroke.

  A skill called [Blessed Balm] was squiggling on the page to get his attention, but that wasn’t all that caught Joe’s eye. The priestess had other skills that felt right to him, and she had both her kitsune racial and heritage traits from the god Onhur.

  Joe began to wonder just how many things Mazsy was willing to share with him.