Tunnel Rat

Chapter 102: I have found my people!

Milo wondered how his second life had gotten so hectic. After some thought he decided to blame the eels. They always seemed to be up to something. At least he got double experience and skill points from them. Being part of the group that killed the hydra had given him 10 more points. Of course, there were a huge number of things he wanted to spend points on!

Generic Core Skills: Any player has access to these Core Skills. Many more skills can be learned by finding teachers, reading books, completing quests, or doing mighty deeds. The cost of Generic Core skills will increase with each Tier. Choose wisely. Putting off a skill today may cost you more tomorrow.

Name

Description

Cost

Increase Health 1

+50 points to Health score

3

Increase Health 2

+100 points to Health score (Must have level 1 first.)

7

Increase Health 3

+150 points to Health score (Must have level 2 first.)

12

Increase Health 4

+250 points to Heath score (Must have level 3 first.)

12

Increase Health 5

+450 points to Health score (Must have level 4 first.)

20

Increase Mana 1

+50 points to Mana score

3

Increase Mana 2

+100 points to Mana score (Must have level 1 first.)

7

Increase Mana 3

+150 points to Mana score (Must have level 2 first.)

12

Increase Mana 4

+250 points to Mana score (Must have level 3 first.)

12

Increase Mana 5

+450 points to Mana score (Must have level 4 first.)

20

Increase Stamina 1

+50 points to Stamina score

3

Increase Stamina 2

+100 points to Stamina score (Must have level 1 first.)

7

Increase Stamina 3

+150 points to Stamina score (Must have level 2 first.)

12

Increase Stamina 4

+250 points to Stamina score (Must have level 3first.)

12

Increase Stamina 5

+450 points to Stamina score (Must have level 4 first.)

20

Identification 1

Gives exact information on an item or creature of levels 1-5 even if you are a lower level.

5

Identification 2

Gives exact information on an item or creature of levels 6-10 even if you are a lower level.

7

Identification 3

Gives exact information on an item or creature of levels 11-15 even if you are a lower level.

10

Tier 2 Stats Cap Increase.

Increase the cap on a statistic. You may buy this ability up to 5 times, to raise the cap on a stat to a max of rank 10 in Tier 2. Rank 10 is a Hard Cap for all stats in Tier 2.

2

Tier 2 Foundation Increase

Add 5 pts to one of your foundation skills

2

Purchase Bonus Points:

These abilities add to your stats. Gaining bonuses does not affect stats gained by ranks.

Spirit of the Ox 2

+1 Bonus to STR. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way

4

Spirit of the Bear 2

+1 Bonus to CON. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way

4

Spirit of the Monkey 2

+1 Bonus to DEX. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way

4

Spirit of the Owl 2

+1 Bonus to INT. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way

4

Spirit of the Cheetah 2

+1 Bonus to AGI. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way

4

Spirit of the Pig 2

+1 Bonus to WIS. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way

4

Spirit of the Hawk 2

+1 Bonus to PER. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way

4

Spirit of the Swan 2

+1 Bonus to CHA. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way

4

Second Wind 1

Once per day, regain 20 Health/Mana/Stamina.

2

Second Wind 2

Once per day, regain 50 Health/Mana/Stamina.

5

Second Wind 3

Once per day, regain 100 Health/Mana/Stamina.

7

Breathless 2

You may hold your breath 10x as long. (10 minutes.)

2

Rune-Boned Scout Core Skills

Name

Description

Cost

Gain knowledge of the mundane Rune: Lux

The Rune of Light and Radiance

10

Gain knowledge of the mundane Rune: Tenebrae

The Rune of Darkness, Corruption, and the Hidden

10

Gain knowledge of the advanced Rune: Draconis

The Rune of Eels and Betrayal

10

Gain knowledge of the advanced Rune: Nihil

The Rune of nothing and the void

10

Gain knowledge of the advanced Rune: Formation

The Rune of making and creation

10

Smugglers Stash 4

Storage Skill. Summons/Dispels a magical chest. Size increases with rank. 54 cubic feet.

20

Smugglers Summoning

Transfer a spell component, food, or potion to your hand from your stash. Time: 3 seconds Cost: 100 stamina.

10

Skilled Provider

Your gathering skills have an increased chance of finding better quality items

1/2/3

Heroic Leap

3x Leap Distance

5

Claws of Alta-Viator (2)

+40 Damage

10

Spine of Volax-Repat (3)

+40 Damage

20

Grunt and Throw Hands

You have a talent for primitive charades, and ways to make yourself known when you don't know the native language.

1

Under-Linguist

Given a few days, and enough people talking, you can learn enough of new language to understand 80% of what you hear, and you can carry on a basic conversation, at the level of a 5-year-old. Within a month, you'll speak like a native.

7

WereRat Core Skills Tier 2

Name

Description

Cost

Totally Normal Human

Improved Disguise/Illusion in Were form. You may openly walk among humans even in wereform, and pass for one of them. Creatures much above your level, or with a good sense of smell, or who can see through illusions may not be affected.

10

Many small eyes

Make friends with local rats who will (maybe) do some scouting for you.

5

See through small eyes

Increased control of your small scouts and you are able to use their eyes instead of your own.

10

Skill Upgrade: Cheese Mastery

Expands Cheesemaking beyond easy recipes.

5

Strong Poison Resistance

Gain the CON skill Strong Poison Resistance. Gives benefits to resist Strong Poisons from nature, creatures, or spells.

7

Strong Disease Resistance

Gain the CON skill Strong Disease Resistance. Gives benefits to resist Strong Diseases from nature or spells. You are immune to most common diseases.

7

Extra Stabby!

All of your attacks have an increased chance of a critical hit.

3/7/12/15/17

Fiendishly Clever Traps

Your traps and machinery almost always work, and in fiendish ways no one (sometimes even you!) suspected. Everyone gets a surprise. This core skill affects Mechanic, Trap-Maker, and other such skills.

3/6/9

Strong Regeneration

Grants increased, (x8), health recovery. Regenerate scar tissue, and missing body parts in 1 to 3 days. A steady diet of cheese speeds the process.

20

Mutant Regeneration

(Alternate advancement..., or take both! What could happen?)

Grants increased, (x12), health recovery. Regenerate scar tissue, and missing body parts in less than a day.

Warning: As with all mutations, there can be significant side effects.

10

Magical Aspects open up options to learn more mage skills. Each additional aspect has an increased cost. Gaining an aspect does not automatically give you spells.

Chill of the Grave

You have a high Death aspect. Training will let you learn Death magics. Increasing cost with additional aspects. Increase your Corruption by +1. Opens more options for mage abilities. Increased ranks decrease mana costs of casting spells.

5/10/25

Deeds in the Dark

You have a high darkness aspect. Training will let you learn dark magics. Increasing cost with additional aspects. Increase your Corruption by +1. Opens more options for mage abilities. Increased ranks decrease mana costs of casting spells.

5/10/25

Storm Born

You have a high Storm aspect. Training will let you learn Storm magics. Increasing cost with additional aspects. Opens more options for mage abilities. Increased ranks decrease mana costs of casting spells.

5/10/25

Individual Abilities: You have earned these through quests or adventuring.

Spirit of Durgi Forefather

+1 Bonus to TOU (Dwarves only.) May be taken 3 times.

4

Blessing of HeKate: Canine Speech

You can almost understand dogs, and they understand you.

2

Guardian Pet 1

Who's the Big Dog? Your pet increases in both size and intelligence.

2

Guardian Pet 2

Your pet gains attack skills and double health and mitigation

5

He'd just have to be patient and find a nice place deeper down where he could do some mining, and hunt some smaller bosses.

His current plan was to head up the mines, and find the passage to Limburger Hollow. He'd take a quick look around, and if the town seemed fun, maybe he would stay for a bit before heading down deeper. If it was like the starting areas in many games, there would be three or four quest givers, a newbie hunting zone, and some trainers. He was curious to see if anyone besides himself was running a character with a tail and a love for cheese.

Cheese was also a reason for visiting. What varieties did they make that he hadn’t tasted yet? And he needed a better place to restock supplies, both cheese and other food, instead of going back to Shadowport. The halfling clan wasn’t going to be selling cheese anytime soon, and too much was going on in the town. He wanted something quieter.

The way was obvious. The World-Boss had left an easy trail to follow in the mines, and that led him to a steep rocky path leading downward. It was fairly treacherous, with loose rock and dirt. New players were going to have a tough time getting to Shadowport unless they picked up some climbing skills. Not his problem, and might even be for the best. Baby rats would have a hard time in the town if they didn't have the disguise skills of a wererat. Which made Milo wonder how rat-kin would react to him? Would they hold his part-human heritage against him? That might be something to hide among rat-kin as much as he hid his rat-kin heritage from humans.

The long passage came to a large cavern where the path was level, and then plunged deeper on the far side of the cavern. Off to his left was a dark passage that led slightly upward. There were smells coming from it: the tang of ozone and poison, baking bread, and cheese! This had to be the way!

The tunnel showed recent use and the tracks of both clawed feet and heavy boots. After a few hundred feet it ended in another cavern. Milo slowly skulked into it. The ceiling had quite a few bats hanging from it, and a few flew in slow circles around the cavern. Light was coming from another passage directly across from him. He could just make out two hulking guards, both twice as tall as he was, and much heavier. He moved carefully around the outer perimeter of the cave, stopping often. The guards mumbled something now and then, but mostly stayed silent. As he got closer, he could make out their handsome, rat-like faces and their strong tails. Each was well over six feet tall, heavily armored and holding a huge polearm.

Milo looked at his options. He could just walk up and ask to enter. That might or might not work. The stern looks on their faces showed they wouldn't be someone to argue with. Running by was out of the question. He could just move near them and try to tip-toe by? Or should he use the ceiling?

He decided on the ceiling. He could ascend here, and move along it one step at a time. The ceiling got lower as it neared the tunnel, but was still over ten feet high. The guards were used to staring at the other entrance. They probably never looked up. He just had to be careful not to disturb the bats. Carefully, moving one foot or hand at a time, he moved like a shadow on the top of the cave. The guards were oblivious to him.

"Hey, Justin, look at that bat" One of the guards pointed to his left. Milo suppressed the urge to turn his head.

"My, you’re right Brutus, that certainly is a large bat, you rarely see them that size."

Milo stayed frozen, not moving as the two guards discussed the large bat, the recipes their grandmothers used to cook bat, and whether bat stew was better than bat tacos. Batacos won. Who didn't like batacos?

After another five minutes of hanging from the ceiling, he started moving again. The guards began discussing the best route down to pick mushrooms, one drawing a map in the dust, and the other arguing with him and placing pebbles to denote the route he liked. Milo just kept moving. Another ten feet and he'd be in the tunnel, and past them.

"Surprise! Welcome to the Hollow!"

"Happy Bataco day!"

Both guards yelled at the top of their lungs, and beat their gauntlets on their metal breastplates. Milo lost his grip, flipped over, and fell to the floor running. The guards pounded their feet on the ground like they were running, and laughed hysterically. "Omg, I love playing Surprise!"

Milo ran on, slowly getting his adrenaline under control. He shot out of the end of the tunnel into a huge cavern. It was well lit, profuse with greenery and many buildings. He was so surprised that he missed the furtive tail that tripped him. He rolled and slid twenty feet, finally coming to a dusty stop in front of two muscular legs and a swishing tail. A hand helped him to his feet.

"What was I just saying about wishing you whelps could show a bit more excitement about my class? And what should happen but someone comes running in, and very excited to be my first volunteer. What's your name, newbie?"

Milo looked up at the tall rat-kin in front of him. He was an impressive specimen of muscle and carefully groomed whiskers, just starting to turn grey.

"I asked you for your name, newbie. Spit it out."

"Name? Right, I have a name. I'm Tallsqueak." The older rat-kin smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Well, Tallsqueak, why don't you toss your extra gear off to the side, and show me your best tail-fighting stance. Nothing fancy, I want to see how well you know the basics and then we'll go a few rounds."

From behind him Milo heard a loud whisper. "Tail-Master is going to tear this guy apart. He hates interruptions."

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