The problem with bored gods is simple. Finding something for a bored god to do usually results in catastrophe, or worse, a new inspiration for the annoying bard to try to swoon you with.
Obsidian, the God of Undeath, is exactly that. It's been precisely seven-thousand eight-hundred and forty-six years, six months, and nine days since he's even interfered with lower beings. And soon to be the travesty to all, he's incredibly bored.
It's not like he hasn't had opportunities, thousands of necromancers once pleaded for his divine favor, though many cultures that know of him since learned that such doesn't get them anywhere. But at there was always something to see during those times already, heroes and greater monsters duking it out, kingdoms rising and falling, stuff never staying still. He didn't even have to do anything, just watch and enjoy the show.
Right now, though? In the year 4924 A.S. (After Sermallia, you don't wanna know), the last Calamity to be formed was nearly a century ago, and Obsidian can't seem to find anything rising even close to it, all the big bads of the world either just grey haired bastards ruining their own nations or beings that can't seem to get much stronger currently thanks to the newest Dragonlord being a strictler for rules and having the capacity to wipe out most upcoming threats. Even the Infernal Plane is relatively calm, no major wars for the fun of Demon Kings or anything else really interesting enough.
A tragedy to few, a blessing to most, and a boring turn of events for Obsidian.
But lo, Obsidian has a funny idea. Divine beings have a resource known as Divinity Points, often simply shortened down to DP. They gain these points through actions from the lower planes occuring within their domain of influence, and often use them to further encourage such. Obsidian has never once really had to do that, being that plenty of the mortal races, once they realized they could use Necromancy to live longer, or better, potentially live forever, immediately jumped on it. Even as it becomes taboo across the world, many still cling to the dream of defying entropy and fate.
Not to mention the few Dungeon Cores that adapted to form Undead Dungeons, chalk full of the lesser ones and churning them out like a farm, to the point where they've become prime spots for Dungeon Divers to grind levels and train the [Necrotic Resistance] trait. With all that in mind, Obsidian has accumulated over 20,000 DP, and has now chosen what to start using it on.
The Living Skeleton awakens in the Farentz Dungeon, built like any other low-rank Living Skeleton that a Dungeon Core makes. The only real difference, though a pretty big difference, if the fact that this one has a bit more of a mind than the rest, not just a wandering husk. When they look down upon their yellowish-white body of pure bone and mana holding it together, the first thing they get to process isn't their own thoughts.
[Hello, my dearest little protagonist.]
Of course, the newly sapient being that also had just a tidbit of education forced into their mind reacts negatively to being spoken to by an incorporeal being who's very words reverberate through their soul, panicking to find the source of the voice.
[Ah, don't bother. I'm not present, not able to be on the Mortal Plane, but I can mess with you a bit. I am Obsidian, the God of Undeath.]
The Living Skeleton pauses it's panic, but only for a moment. How does one actually respond to a god greeting them? It certainly has no idea, this is a first everything for it.
[Don't think about it too much, little one, it's not important. What is important is the fact I have chosen you, and granted sapience to you, so that you may entertain me.]
As the undead proceeds to ask a question, they realize they physically can't. Some more advanced skeletons would just use magic to speak, but an ordinary skeleton, no matter how much more intelligent, still lacks a voice box.
[What kind of entertainment? Oh, nothing severe, really. I just want you to get stronger, go out into the world, and let the pot stir. Do whatever you like, as long as it results in a bit of chaos, be it good or bad in the eyes of mortal morality, I don't mind which. And yes, I can hear your thoughts.]
Despite how many worshipping people would prostrate themselves at hearing the voice of their favored deity, this Living Skeleton has no real reaction aside from forming an understanding of their situation. What would you expect from something that just gained sapience and has no real attatchments yet?
[So, from here on, do as you please. As long as you're making good progress, I'll give you little boons and blessings here and there, make sure you become something a bit more important than a pile of bones and XP, and I'll be watching you from afar. It costs a little bit of DP for me to even talk to you, but I have enough.]
With quite literally no other choice and no other purpose, the Living Skeleton stands slowly, and properly looks around the space they woke up in. The Farentz Dungeon is floored with dark cobblestone, with walls of grey slab lit by sconces attatched to them covered in dirt and dust. A simple and honestly empty space, one would likely find themselves slowly losing their minds at the mundanity in here.
[Wonderful, my little star. Now then, I'll be giving you a nickname, so that I don't have to come up with more cutsie compliments and such. "Kindle" will do for now, as it is what you will be.]
Kindle simply nods, not fully invested in such a name, but not in the belief they can question divinity. Instead, the begin marching down one of the halls, towards... well, they're not sure.
[Ah, hold on, do be sure to check your system, little Kindle. I don't want you getting killed as soon as you started, I already invested 300 DP into granting you sapience, and another 2,000 DP wouldn't hurt. I wish you the best, and I do hope you'll become an interesting protagonist for me. I'll be watching.]
As if summoned by Obsidian's farewell, the system begins popping up, providing Kindle with a few important notifications.
[NOTICE: PATRON {OBSIDIAN} HAS GIFTED YOU A BOON]
[+TRAIT ///UNIFIED FORM (F)///]
[+TRAIT ///HEROIC POTENTIAL (F)///]
Kindle has no idea what these are, but with the simple education pressed into their mind by whatever Obsidian did to make them sapient makes them understand at least enough to know how to open the system window and check.
[///UNIFIED FORM (F)///: THE FIRST STEP TO ASCENSION. INCREASES MAX VALUE OF VITAL STATS BY A MULTIPLE OF TWO. (PATRON BOON: {OBSIDIAN})]
[///HEROIC POTENTIAL (F)///: INCREASES XP GAIN BY A MULTIPLE OF TWO. (PATRON BOON: {OBSIDIAN}]
Amidsts reading, they spot another Trait they didn't see in the notice.
[///BIOLOGICAL IMMORTALITY/// BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES DO NO RESULT IN AGING BEYOND PHYSICAL PEAK. (SPECIES TRAIT)]
Kindle pretty much understands what they need to do at this point: explore the dungeon they're currently in, find some monsters or fellow undead to kill, and then get strong enough to do whatever once they're strong enough, which will apparently be considered entertaining to more omniscient beings in comparison to him.
Whatever the case may be, it doesn't seem like a Living Skeleton has much else to do in this dungeon, so they begin their journey towards a fate they don't know of.
The fate of one set to become the next Calamity.
—[SYSTEM WINDOW]—
NAME: KINDLE
SPECIES: LIVING SKELETON
SEX: N/A
LV. 1
XP: 0/50
HP: 20/20
MP: 20/20
SP: 20/20
STR: 1
CON: 1
AGI: 1
DEX: 1
PER: 1
INT: 1
JOB CLASSES:
NONE
TRAITS:
///BIOLOGICAL IMMORTALITY///
///UNIFIED FORM (F)///
///HEROIC POTENTIAL (F)///