You have leveled up!

Received: 5 Unassigned Attribute Points; Class Skill [Aura of Might]

Due to Advancing in level, you may now access the Attribute Field in the Character Sheet!

‘Perfect! Aura Skill on my first level up…’ However, before looking at his new skill, Sirius wanted to investigate all of the Attributes.

He pulled up the Character Sheet and found a new window positioned next to his avatar portrait.

Sirius of the Toth

Health Points: 140/140 Stamina: 158/158 Rage: 0/75

Equipped Title: None

Attributes:

Str: 13

Dex: 8

Per: 9

Con: 15

Spr: 10

Wis: 6

Cha: 9

Primary Class: Barbarian Secondary Class: Locked

Profession: None

Proficiencies: Skills:

Unarmed Mastery, Beginner Lvl 1 Heavy Strike Lvl 1

Aura of Might Lvl 1

Locked

‘7 different attributes, a pretty standard affair from the looks of it,’ Sirius mused. He was able to gain more detailed information about each of the stats by pressing on them.

Strength: A measure of how physically dynamic a person is. Influences maximum Health and the performance of strength-based Skills.

Dexterity: A measure of a person’s fine control over their body. Dexterity also influences certain crafts, and the performance of dexterity-based Skills.

Perception: A measure of a person's acute senses and awareness of their surroundings. Perception influences the performance of both strength and dexterity-based Skills — as well as casting Spells.

Constitution: A measure of how sturdy a person is. Constitution influences Resistances, maximum Health Points, and Stamina.

Spirit: A measure of a person’s affinity with the supernatural. Spirit influences maximum Spirit Pool and the ability to cast most Spells.

Wisdom: A measure of a person's ability to manipulate the supernatural. Wisdom influences Spirit Regeneration Rate and the ability to cast certain Spells. Additionally, provides resistance to mental damage and illusion based effects.

Charisma: A measure of a person's social influence, and sometimes, their physical appearance. It impacts the ability to negotiate, earn Reputation, and the performance of certain Spells.

Again, not exactly the most detailed descriptions, but Sirius was able to draw a few conclusions: First, each character, regardless of build, would want to invest in Perception to an extent; considering the Attribute's ability to effect all Skills and Spells across the board seemed pretty important.

Second, players wouldn’t be able to dump all their points into a singular stat. Rogue characters could invest heavily in Dexterity to increase their precision and body control, but their speed would be sorely lacking if they ignored Strength. Likewise, Spirit and Wisdom went hand-in-hand for Casters. You might favor one or the other; however, letting one fall too far behind might prevent you from being able to use higher-level Skills or Spells if there were Attribute checks — like the descriptions seemed to indicate.

Finally, he measured a guess that each race would have different starting Attribute bases. Although, that inference didn’t require much deductive reasoning.

Sirius had a feeling that tanks were one of the few physical archetypes that would largely ignore Dexterity and instead choose to focus on Strength, Constitution, and Perception as core Attributes. His job in groups was mostly just to serve as a meat shield and disruptor, soaking up aggro and damage.

With that in mind, he hesitantly invested 3 points into Strength, and 1 into both Constitution and Perception. For the time being, he wanted to work on getting his Str to outstrip his Con — just so that he wouldn’t lack too much damage for solo-play.

After confirming his choices, Sirius saw his Max HP jump up to 160, Stamina increase to 168, and his base unarmed attack improve from 3-4 to 4-5. From this, he was able to work out a few of the system’s calculations:

Max HP = [(Str + Con)/2] x 10

Max Stamina = [Con x 10] + 5% bonus from his Khilaite racial passive.

And Base Unarmed Attack was somewhere between 25-30% of his Strength.

All simple enough. But the unarmed damage modifier was worrying. It seemed relatively low, so Sirius could only hope there would be Skills — passive or otherwise — that would increase its scaling.

Right now, the maximum damage he would be able to deal with a strike was 36 points. This was calculated with the additional damage of his gloves, a maximum 300% multiplier from an Impact based Severe Blow, and a 50% bonus from a rage-fueled Heavy Strike {(8 x 3) = 24, [24 + (24 x 0.5)] = 36}.

That meant a perfect strike, not even factoring in resistances, wouldn’t even knock out a quarter of his own Max HP. The Khilaite likely had the best base Str and Con aside from the Dracae, still — it was enough to already make Sirius question his decision to go unarmed.

But that was a sufficient amount of math and worrying, for the time being, he still had his Class Skill to check out and a multitude of other tasks to complete.

Fortunately, [Aura of Might] was able to cheer him up a bit as he moved away from burning mound of rodents.

[Aura of Might]

None on the battlefield will be able to deny your imposing presence!

Requirements: Barbarian Class

Cooldown: Toggle On/Off

Effect: Increases base Strength of all allies (including the user) by 10% within a 15-meter radius. Furthermore, the user is more likely to attract aggro while in combat and allows them to generate an additional 2 Rage every second

Choosing the Toth was already paying dividends. Thanks to his Attuned Body trait, the aura was actually providing an 11% effective increase to Strength, and that was only at Skill Lvl 1.

Sirius toggled on [Aura of Might] to get a feel for it. As it activated, he felt a surge of power flood his body, bringing a certain heart-pumping clarity that was very reminiscent of an adrenaline rush.

A pair of players that had just reached the courtyard in front of the food repository suddenly flinched and backed away from Sirius as his Aura washed over them. However, it didn’t deter them for long as an excitable girl, who appeared only slightly older than himself, rushed over.

“Wow! So cool! Was that a Skill?” she asked, the words tumbling out her mouth in a hurry.

“Uh, yeah. Sorry about that. I just got it at Level 2 and couldn’t resist testing it out.” Sirius smiled wryly. If non-partied players could feel it — that meant NPCs likely could as well. He would have to be very careful when toggling it on out of combat, lest he sends the wrong message to a powerful opponent.

“Ah, what!” the girl exclaimed, her long, silver curls bouncing up and down as she pouted. “I didn’t get a new Spell at Level 2! What class are you?”

“I'm a Barbarian,” Sirius replied. “But I didn’t have any Lvl 1 Skills. How about yourself?”

“That makes sense, I suppose…” The girl sighed theatrically, “I’m an [Priestess] of Nimera. I had access to the Spell [Mending Rain] as soon as the game started.”

“Nimera… Isn’t that the Sky Goddess...” Sirius thought he was recalling that correctly. “...How’d you end up in Blackhill Garden?” He had assumed this would be a starting zone exclusively for the Toth followers of Kimala.

Before the girl could reply, her companion stepped in, “If you and a registered friend in the Vault Creative system chose the same race and ethnicity — there was an option in the Synchronization Lobby to start in the same zone.” The man who spoke had shoulder-length dark hair swept across his eyes, giving him a rather gloomy appearance that stood in sharp contrast to the girl’s bubbly enthusiasm.

“I see…” Sirius felt a bit embarrassed that he hadn’t even considered something like that, so he tried to divert the topic. “Are you two heading inside to complete Foreman Olvar’s job?”

“Yup!”

“Alright, then I’ll tell you this: make sure to place any of the rodents you kill into your inventory, and when you’re done — ask the Foreman where to dispose of them. You should trigger a bonus reward that way.” Sirius didn’t mind giving a tip to an easy-going pair like these two.

“Thanks!” The girl flashed a bright smile. “I think I can return the favor. If you haven’t done Alchemist Bolivar’s herb collection yet, look carefully in each cluster of Chrennoil. There should be one or two stalks that appear a little larger and more vibrant in every group. If you exclusively pick those to fill the quota, Bolivar will provide you with a few Health Potions as an extra reward.”

“Oh, that's pretty good! I’m sure those will come in handy later on. I appreciate the help.”

“As do we,” the young man nodded politely. “C’mon, Talia. If you keep accosting every player with a Skill, we’ll never get these jobs finished.”

“I know, I know…” Talia groaned.

“I’ve been slacking off myself, so far,” Sirius chuckled. “I’ll be heading off. Good luck, guys.”

“Be seeing you! Thanks again!” Talia waved as she was dragged into the warehouse.

Sirius quickly left the area and found his way back to the main road that Old Biln had mentioned previously. A Map was a necessity if he wanted to avoid another hour of wandering aimlessly through the streets.

‘A clock of some kind would nice too.’

Currently, it was impossible to accurately determine both how long he’d spent in the game — and what time it was in The Shattered Realm.

Taking a look up at the sky revealed that the sun was already beginning its descent. ‘I need to get a move on. Hopefully, there isn’t a long line at the registry…’

***

*Ding*

Congratulations! You have received a map of Blackhill Garden!

________________

*Ding*

You have received a [Small Linen Sack]

“And here’s your Identity Token, Herald. Shouldn’t be an issue if Old Biln already knows you’re coming. But better keep it with you just to be safe.”

“Will do. Thanks again, Miss Rhuvi!”

“All right. Be safe out there, dear!”

The old secretary smiled and waved as Sirius shouldered his way out of the cramped registry office.

‘Thank God that’s over with,’ he sighed, inhaling a deep breath of the cool evening air. Waiting in a long line in real life was already horrendous, but waiting in line in a beautiful fantasy world was absolutely excruciating. No amount of torture could ever compare to it.

On multiple occasions, Sirius had been tempted to just blast everyone with his [Aura of Might] and fight his way to the front of the line. But the Village Chief’s Blackguards who were keeping the peace in the marketplace outside were more than intimidating enough to quell such thoughts. Those behemoths even made Olvar look like a weakling in comparison.

In stark contrast to when he’d arrived earlier in the day, the current scene in the market was serene. Many of the vendors were laughing with their acquaintances as they busied themselves packing up their stalls, and all the village folks were either heading back home or out to a restaurant for a meal.

It made the situation fairly awkward for all the players who were still wandering around to check out what Blackhill had to offer. They didn’t require sustenance, and neither did they have much disposable income to spend idly in a tavern while killing time. All they could really do at this point was go to their assigned residence — if they’d even gotten around to visiting the registry, and logout until morning.

Sirius was stuck in a similar state of limbo. All the tasks in his Quest Log were grayed out, which he assumed meant the quest givers weren’t in their designated areas. So, with nothing else urgent to do, he decided to head over to Old Biln’s and see what the man was up to.

The registry clerk had been kind enough to mark the shortest path to the man’s home down on his map, but Sirius decided to go the long way around so that he could familiarize himself with landmarks and more of the village.

‘Oh! Now that I think about it… I should visit all the quest locations and draw out a route…’

He was determined not to waste a single minute tomorrow.

***

“Sirius! Glad to see you made it safe and sound!” Old Biln exclaimed as he pulled open the worn wooden door. The warm light from inside the house leaked out onto the street.

“Yea, I’ve finally got a map now, so I didn’t have too much issue finding the place.”

“Good. That’s good. Well, come on in. You’ve arrived at the perfect time — we were just about to sit down for dinner.

“Great! Thanks again, Biln.” Sirius replied as he stepped past the man, into the foyer. Old Biln’s home was a narrow, two-story building, packed tightly against its neighbors much like a townhome. The furniture that Sirius spotted inside was rather rustic, and there were a few candles lit up in the ivory sconces along the walls.

Old Biln led him through an entryway, past the staircase that was tucked in the northwest corner of the foyer, and into the dining room beyond.

“Have you had anything to eat yet? Palma is cooking up some Vegetable Medley. I know you youths love your red meats but I have a little trouble tearing into it like I used to.” Old Biln flashed a wide grin, revealing quite a few gaps and chipped teeth.

“I haven’t actually. And it's no problem — Vegetable Medley sounds wonderful,” Sirius replied as he took an empty seat at the small round table. “I’m not taking anyone’s spot, am I?” He came from a family that always had strictly assigned seats at the dinner table.

“Of course not, dear!” A plump woman exclaimed as she swept into the room. Like Biln, she had short greying hair and deep laughing lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth that stretched thin as she smiled brightly.

“Sirius, this is my lovely wife, Palma.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Ma’am. I really appreciate you allowing me to stay in your home.” Sirius stood back up and moved to shake Palma’s hand, but he soon found himself wrapped in a tight hug. Palma squeezed him with a strength that far surpassed his own.

“No need for all that!” she exclaimed as she released him. “And Biln — don't think your flattery is gonna earn you any extra portions tonight. I’m sure Sirius must be starving.”

Sirius chuckled, awkwardly. So far, there weren’t any survival mechanics present in the game, and he wasn’t even sure if he would be able to actually taste any food. However, he didn’t want to turn down this couple’s goodwill, so he would eat whatever he was served.

After he and Old Biln sat back down, Palma soon returned with a large bowl full of semolina and steamed vegetables. It looked delicious. Very reminiscent of Couscous. Sirius had only ever tried couscous once before, but he'd loved it and was eager to dig into Palma's version of the dish.

Once everyone was seated, Palma and Biln paused and dipped their heads and clasped their hands atop the table. “Thanks be to Deias for this bounty.” They chanted in unison. Afterward, they traced a symbol on their foreheads that seemed to resemble an eye, but it was difficult for Sirius to tell.

“Feel free to help yourself,” Palma instructed as she distributed smooth wooden plates and forks. Fortunately, neither her nor Biln seemed put off by his lack of participation in the prayer.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Biln laughed as he was the first to shovel food onto his plate — eliciting an eye-roll from his wife.

Sirius quickly found himself caught up in the friendly atmosphere. The food was incredible, and the banter between Palma and Biln throughout the meal was very lighthearted and fun.

‘This new technology continues to amaze me,’ Sirius sighed as he leaned back in his chair, the earthy flavor still lingering on his tongue. Because he didn’t feel full no matter how much he ate — it was a struggle to hold himself back.

“Thank you, Palma. The meal was delicious.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Palma smiled, but this time it didn’t reach her eyes. “Been a while since I’ve been able to cook for guests…”

“Pal…” Biln frowned, concern etched deeply into his forehead. “The Heralds are here now. Things will get better.”

Sirius sat back up, fully alert now. “I noticed on the way over that your home is relatively close to the Palisades — has there been a lot of trouble in the area?”

Old Biln deflated as he exhaled a deep sigh. “Early on there was. After the eastern district went up in flames, our neighborhood was one of the first that those scum pillaged. They mostly went after the young couples — killed any who tried to resist… W-We lost a lot of friends that night...” Old Blin choked up as his eyes misted over. Palma wiped the tears from her cheeks as she gently rubbed her husband’s back.

Sirius felt his heart clench as he gazed solemnly at the old couple. They were likely only spared because of their age, but that only made them feel all the more guilty and helpless.

“I’m sorry to make you relive such painful memories.” Sirius hesitated to question them any further. This was a perfect opportunity to learn more about the main conflict in the Tutorial Zone, but it was obviously hard on them.

“No, it's alright.” Biln looked up, anger and resolution hardening in his eyes. “You’ve only just arrived in this place, with hardly any context or connection to our people. So… I want you to understand why we fight — and what we’re fighting for. The invaders have drawn a hard line: We either renounce our faith and join their church, accepting their rule, or we find ourselves shackled as slaves. To them — we’re merely savages. They don’t see any value in peace or compromise…”

“I understand. Thank you, Biln. Whatever I was before doesn’t matter to me. I am Sirius of the Toth now, so I will do whatever I can to see these invaders defeated and make sure that we take back what is ours.”

Old Biln nodded, “Good, man. I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate those words. We must be as one if we are to succeed. Our strength lies in our unity.”

“Aye…” Palma voiced her agreement as well. “It’s getting late, dear, so why don’t I show you to your room. I think we could all use a good rest tonight.”

“Of course,” Sirius readily assented. He was planning on getting an early start the next day, and logging out would pass the time quicker.

*Ding*

Sirius received a notification as soon as he found his way into the spare bedroom on the second floor.

You have entered a designated Safe Zone.

Note: Other players will not be able to intrude upon this area while you are logged out.

"That's nice," Sirius mumbled to himself in passing as he flopped onto the bed. He rolled from side to side to find a comfortable position, but his efforts were in vain. The straw mattress was rather thin and the feather pillow was lumpy. He’d slept on worse more than once during his brief university stint, but with the comfort of his own bed a mere word away — he didn’t plan on taking his role-playing too far.

‘Speaking of which…’ Sirius sighed and sat back up. ‘I lost myself there for a bit during dinner.’

Sympathizing with the NPCs had its merits, but he couldn’t let himself get too entrenched in the game world.

“Ahhh,” Sirius groaned. It was so hard not to. He’d dreamed so often of living life in a world that wasn’t his own and now he was finally presented with a taste of what that could be like. Playing AoA was almost a tease in a way.

At the end of the day — it was all just bits of data. He needed to draw a clear distinction in his mind before he let his yearning spiral out of control.

However, there was nothing stopping him from enjoying himself in both the virtual and real worlds. If he worked hard he could experience the best of both.

“Logout!” Sirius issued a command.

It was time to see what information he could gather online.