Item: Weapon; Bloodied Wendigo Spear (Copper (I)). This weapon was created by a Savage Shaman in conjunction with many attendants from the bones and horn of a Dirt (0) tier wendigo Elite. However, in every way except for durability, the original form, function, and attributes of the wendigo's materials have been subsumed by those of the Shaman's blood and will. As such, the Bloodied Spear thirsts for blood, and will reinforce itself with whatever blood is offered to its head. While under the influence of Ritualistic Transfer, the Spear's creator can transfer his HP, MP, or Stamina to fortify the Spear. The Spear's creator can channel Skills through the Spear at no additional cost. This equipment grants additional attribute points to its wearer. Points granted: +5 Strength and Toughness, +8 Vitality.
TJ hefted the weapon with a pleased look on his face. Though it wasn't a weapon he was particularly comfortable with, it was a good proof of concert. Plus, there weren't any weapons he was comfortable with. That the spear only required that he see what he wanted to hurt and poke it was something he could manage.
"Lemme see." Sarah demanded, though she sat on the ground with a decidedly woozy look on her face. He stood and offered the weapon to the Zealot who Appraised it and nodded appreciatively. "That's pretty good. Better than my hatchet. I think."
"Don't offend your partner," TJ joked, looking down at the always present weapon on Sarah's hip, "otherwise, it'll fail you to prove a point!"
"Nah, she'd never." She patted the solid steel item as she passed the spear back. "Plus, I'm pretty sure I'll take the Holy Weapon Skill at level 20. I was thinking I'd hold off untilI evolved, but as the monsters get stronger and stronger, I'm worried they'll chip or even break ol' faithful here. I'm just about there, and am pretty bummed I didn't get that level today."
"You didn't get it as an option on your Occupation?" TJ asked as he sat and let himself recover. He'd planned on needing to Meditate soon to get himself ready to conduct a massive Stormcalling tonight, but as he'd gotten a level in Savage Shaman with this, so he was at full again. So, he was able to have a relaxed conversation.
"It was offered in my Class and Occupation. I just kept taking other Skills, but now, I think I need to get with it. Maybe I could get someone to make me something like that spear and I wouldn't but I think I've been too hopeful to get through this all without making that decision."
"Eh." TJ replied. "I don't think it matters. The Classes offered to me were all good, and suited to what I'm doing. I'd guess if you have Holy Vestments and Sacred Weapon at the same time, your evolution will provide a mix of the two or both an upgrade."
"Probably right." Sarah shrugged. "I was going to do it anyways, so whatever. Anything else I can do for you right now, or should I just try to get as much rest and experience as I can manage for now?"
"Nothing else for me." TJ agreed. "I'm just going to see if I can't make anything else in the next couple of hours before I make a storm to help us out for the siege. This spear was a good proof of concept, so I'm going to try to bind something else."
"You call this a proof of concept?" Sarah scoffed. "That's a damned fine weapon."
TJ shrugged. "I'd try something with your hatchet there, but I can't really work in metal, at least, not for now."
"I've talked to Michelle about it. Not a whole lot to do about it as is, I'm just too strong for it, even though it's pure steel all the way through." Sarah yawned as she stood. "Good luck making a storm, or whatever."
TJ laughed as he turned back to his experiments. He wasn't willing to spend a lot of his resources on experimenting much with imbuing his own will into objects, given that he'd need to spend quite a while as well as a lot of his own resources channeling Stormcaller for it to last as long as he needed it to. But then again… TJ quickly set to doing some mental math as he checked what his current HP, MP, and Stamina totals were.
As Savage Shaman reached level 22, it pulled Semi-Divine Human to 21, and (after distributing his Free Points to a variety of Attributes to round them out and boost what he thought he'd need most) with all the Attributes from those two levels, his resources were as follows:
Health Points (HP): 2360/2360
Mana Points (MP): 2110/2110
Stamina: 2100/2100
Health Points (HP): 4640/4640
Mana Points (MP): 4150/4150
Stamina: 4200/4200
Checking with the System, he could spend his resources as a coatl for Stormcaller, but he'd have to spend the entire time during the Calling in coatl form. He'd already done the math on what it'd take to create a 24 hour storm–an hour and a minute with a resource spend of 6,650. He could almost afford to do that without Divine Transformation. Given that he woke up at 6:30 and the siege was going to start at 8:00 AM, he could get that done and just go to bed whenever he wanted. The sheer increase in his Attributes from evolution was insane.
Doing some more calculating to ensure that he would be able to begin the siege with his Divine Transformation able to last as long as possible, he decided to wake up at 4:30 in the morning to make a 24 hour storm that would last from 5:45 AM before the siege to 5:45 AM after the 18 hours of the siege were long over. With Storm Soul and Meditation, he'd be able to recover back up to full long before it was time, and allowing himself to recover to the maximum length of time to use Divine Transformation would be important for the siege.
Decisions made about resting and Skill use, TJ settled back to conduct whatever experiments he could manage without spending too much of himself before his upcoming rest and Stormcalling. Though it was entertaining, there wasn't much he found out, and before long, he found himself eating dinner with Sarah and Farid sitting near him.
"I'm not even close to Copper." Farid said. "I barely got one requirement. I wonder if I'll get closer in this whole siege."
"I get it." Sarah commiserated, shooting a joking glare at TJ. "This yahoo's got us all thinking that we should be Copper when the System itself said that getting that high is crazy."
"TJ, setting high expectations from the very beginning. I hope your boy can live up to them." Farid said, though his tone and face were gentle as he met TJ's gaze.
For his part, TJ let out a shuddering breath. "The System said that there's something that you typically get as you evolve, a…Systemic Audience? Yeah, that. Said mine was banked until after the Tutorial. I figure that'll give me more information about Junior at that point. And, no matter what, he'll always live up to my expectations."
"I figured." Farid smiled wide. "You seem a fierce and loving father. I hope that he is healthy, safe, and happy."
"Me too." TJ shrugged. The conversation continued, and he engaged a little with it, but his mind drifted. If all went according to what he understood from the System, he was just over a day away from getting more news about his child. Just needed to get through this siege.
Before he consciously noticed it, night had fallen and TJ was fighting to fall asleep. His mind raced, wondering if Junior was missing him, if he was safe or alive, if the System had lied to him and would continue to. Was the vision that he saw of Junior's future accurate to what would happen if TJ himself died? Where was the child?
He felt himself pushing his mind into an anxiety attack, spiralling further and further out of control. Fear for the future, for everything, built inside of him, but somehow, before he lost himself completely, he fell asleep. His rest was fitful, and time stretched as he kept checking his timer each time he woke.
8:32:45
7:02:27
5:54:52
3:48:01
When he woke the fourth time, TJ didn't try to sleep any more. He didn't have a reliable alarm, and he was close enough to his planned starting time that he decided to eat, take some time to look around, and begin the Stormcalling. As his consciousness filled the skies, he gathered the winds to himself. Somehow, they understood from him that the time for the Tutorial's end was coming. The entrapped wind gloried in that news, and excitedly gathered all together. TJ lost himself in the moment, the wind gathering moisture from wherever it could be found and adding to the clouds that stayed overhead. TJ himself danced in the swirling maelstrom, though each time that he felt it wanted to grow to a fiercer storm, he held on long enough for it to grow in longevity instead of ferocity.
In this state, it wasn't long before TJ felt that it was time to pull himself out of the Stormcalling. He didn't delay, and as his consciousness was once again on the ground, he opened his eyes.
He was wrapped around himself, a massive pile of vibrant scales and coils. Overhead, clouds billowed and a light rain fell, letting TJ feel that he was recovering much more quickly than usual. As he reverted back to his human form, TJ rolled his shoulders as he pulled the hood of his Tezcatlipoca's Minor Shroud over his head. The rain splashed down his back, and TJ walked to where he could sit and stay mostly dry for a short while. With his Divine Authority and Storm Soul, his recovery was increased by 200%, so even without Meditation's assistance, he could get to full with just a little longer than the time that was available.
There was some movement around the fort, but few people were actually awake. Some were relieving themselves quickly, others were rolling over to rest, but most remained in bed, even if not asleep. TJ quickly decided to Meditate for an hour and a half, until 6:30. It was his habit, after all, and remembering Junior's presence just before this final day began in truth seemed like a good choice. Again, with his mind focused within a Skill, the time passed quickly, and TJ found himself nearly recovered to full once again as the timer showed that a mere hour and a half remained until the siege began.
Standing and walking around, TJ saw that much more of the fortress's inhabitants had woken. The smell of cooking food filled the air, and his stomach grumbled. With a sigh, TJ went to fill his stomach. At the fire where breakfast was being prepared, everybody sat in painful silence, lost in their thoughts. He joined them,though when Laura walked past, her face pinched in worry, TJ stood and threw the last of his javelina pork chop in his mouth. With his excessive Strength, he took only two chews to get it ready to swallow.
"Laura." He called out, and the Bureaucrat stopped for him.
"Yes, TJ?"
"It'll be better for everyone if I become the nominal leader of the siege defence. I got a Title," TJ explained to the woman, "that will keep everyone from spending their MP and Stamina quite as fast."
"Alright." Laura agreed without further discussion. "Is there anything else that I can do for you? I'm rather busy preparing for this."
"No. I just should probably say something to everyone not long before the siege begins."
"Fine. That'll be in an hour."
TJ nodded and left her to continue on her path. Then, he let himself worry about what he'd say in his speech. The next hour passed in tense, anxious quiet as everyone woke up, including Lailani and Stanton, who had finished their evolutions some time during the night. Upon Appraising them, both remained Neophyte and Acolyte respectively. Then, as TJ's stomach twisted in particular anxiety, Laura spoke up and called everyone's attention to her.
"Thank you. I'm glad you're all here. For today, TJ will be in charge. He's the strongest of those in our Tutorial, and he has a Skill that will give you all a buff. I'll also be providing what I can from behind the lines, but for now, let's listen to what TJ has to say."
TJ swallowed, stood up in front of the assembled Participants, and began the speech to begin the end of the Tutorial.