1.6 Into the Woods.

This seemed to be the best time to use the [Guidance] Spell. It was a Spell that could grant a bonus to a single action, but could only be used once an hour. I could have used it to try and find a stream to follow, or a source of food, but not both. It would be the first time I used the Spell since I had transcribed the The Road Not Taken on the Altar. Nutrition was my first priority, so I would ask for [Guidance] to find something I could eat. Although I was only the equivalent of a Level 1 Spellcaster, I had a Spell Focus that boosted that to an effective Level 4. As a First Circle Spell it only had a base difficulty of 3, adjusted to 4 due to my low Wisdom, but still within my auto success range.

A word about Magic Items in general, and Spell Foci in specific.

Although lacking in utility, many of the items I was summoned with were translated into rather powerful Magic Items, most of which ended up being some sort of Skill Focus. Both the System, and the game based on it, limited Item use in the same ways. Most powerful Items, anything with a bonus greater than +3, and a majority of those at the +2 and +3 range require Attunement to fully benefit from their Properties. In this way they are somewhat like Titles, passive benefits anyone can use, and active benefits only helpful for those that have paid the price to Attune. My Legendary backpack’s Enhancements of Astral Camouflage and Weatherproof, were passives, while the rest depended on an Attuned user.

The Attunement process is fairly easy, the potential Attuner pays a Mana (and sometimes Sanity) Cost based on the Item, waits for a Long Rest and makes an Attunement Check. The Difficulty is usually 2-3 times the Item’s + value, for the first Item. Each Item already Attuned increases the Difficulty for future Items. The amount of increase is dependant how similar the new Item is to those already Attuned. Unrelated Items only increase by one Difficulty Level, while identical Items may increase difficulty by 6 levels. If the Item is already Attuned to someone else, the Difficulty increases based on the prior owners Level. If the Item is an Heirloom, the Difficulty is reduced by 50% for an Heir, and increased 50% for everyone else. If an Attunement Check fails, one would need to pay the Cost again, wait another Long Rest, and make a new Check, at +1 Difficulty. Certain Classes may have an easier time Attuning certain items, Paladins and Holy Weapons for instance.

As a High Scholar, I would get a bonus when Attuning books, cards, and other graphic Items.

This explains why most Casters only have one Spell Focus Attuned at a time. Spell Foci, like casters temselve, are categorized into Traditions. An Arcane caster can only use an Arcane Focus. Mystic Spell Foci are universal, and can be used by any caster.

Besides Spell Foci, the other standard types of Focus Item are: Weapon Focus, which gives bonuses to attack and damage; Skill Focus, which acts like a Spell Focus, but for non Spell type Abilities; Power Focus, which adds directly to effective Class Level and Ability Rank or Circle; Defensive Focus, increases one’s defense or opponents difficulty; Protection Focus, which reduces the effect of offensive Abilities used on the wielder.

My watch was a Spell Focus, limited to Time Spells, and my Compass was a Mystic Skill Focus, limited to Direction Abilities (the Mystic modifer including spells). Powerful, but each limited in their own ways. Attuning to both, and my Backpack would ordinarily be beyond me, if they hadn’t arrived pre-Attuned. Not to mention that my four other pieces of jewelry ended up as Foci as well.

I have mentioned before that I was not only wearing my and my wife’s wedding bands, but a purple gold triskele necklace and a silver triskelion belt buckle as well. Transmuted into Mystical Alloys, the buckle became a +3 Holy Amulet of Protection, the necklace a +4 Holy Amulet of Power, and the rings +5 and +3 Bands of Triquetra.

+5 Soulbound Band of Triquetra: Oathbinder, Promisemaker, Vowkeeper

This ring of Celestialum (White or Celestial Auriculcum) is engraved with the Mark of the Realm of Triquetra and was Soulbound to Gabriel in an Otherworld ceremony.

+5 Power/Skill Focus for all Oaths, Promises, Vows, Pledges, Bargains, Contracts, Pacts, and Covenants.

+3 Mystic Spell Focus

+3 Heirloom Band of Triquetra: Hearthkeeper, Heartbinder,

This ring of Cupidium (Rose Auriculcum) is engraved with the Mark of the Realm of Triquetra and is infused with the Memory of Hearth and Home.

+3 Mystic Spell Focus (stacking) for all Domestic Spells, including Domains of Heart, Health, Hearth, and Home.

+3 Sanity Protection Focus

+4 Holy Triskele Amulet of Power

This Holy Symbol of the Ancient Aeternalian faith is cast of Imperial Auriculcum, itself a symbol of Imperial Authority,

+4 Sacred Power/Spell Focus(Holy)

+4 Sacred Bane verse Anarchy/Evil/Wickedness

+3 Holy Triskele Amulet of Protection

This Amulet engrave with the Holy Symbol of the Ancient Aeternalian faith is cast of Mystic Argentium, bane of the Nightfell, the Infernal, and the Undead.

+3 Sacred Protection Focus(Holy)

+3 Sacred Defence Focus verses Evil, Infernal, Nightfell, and Undead type creatures.

If you count them up I had six different Foci. Powerful foci, although until I learned how to cast Sacred, or Domestic, or Time, or Direction type Spells only one of them was doing me any good. Ok, there was some utility in the Protection Foci, but they only reduced damage from attacks, not my own screwups, where most of my hurts had come from.

Besides, I was unlikely to encounter the types of monsters from which I had the best protection. The Great Beasts of the Briarwood were creatures of Primeval Magic and raw physical might. The different Magic Traditions were like a complex game of Rochambeau, certain Traditions were more or less effective against certain others. Sacred Magic was strong against Arcane, Occult, and Eldritch, weak against Primeval, Elemental, Psionic, and well Physicality. Arcane Magic was rather weak against Psionic, Occult, Sacred, and Eldritch, but strong versus other Traditions. Primeval and Elemental were the only Traditions strong versus physical attacks. A Sacred Protection Focus would be the least effective against the threats I expected to face. Frankly, my cloth duster was better protection, at least in those woods.

Until I read the description of my wife's ring, I had not even heard of the Domestic Tradition.

I was as ready as I was going to get. I took a reading with my Compass, spent the point of Mana need to set the Altar as a Waypoint, and started off heading in what I hoped would be the right direction. Once I reached the actual trees, I started reciting Frost, “Two roads diverged in a yellowed wood…”

I pushed my way into the undergrowth, trying to remain observant of my surroundings, while counting my steps, reciting the poem, and keeping a weather eye on my compass. Orienteering is more than keeps reading maps and compasses, it’s about knowing one’s own stride, being able to guesstimate distance and direction while on the move. One needs to pick out landmarks, while watching where one is stepping. I could feel the Mana drain when the Spell took effect. Both the compass in my right hand, and the ring on my left, tingled? It was a strange sensation. It took me about 30 minutes to find a game trail, and a sense of release from the [Guidance]. I took another compass reading, and started to follow the trail. It was old, as if the animals and Beasts avoided this section of the wood. I stopped to [Examine] the occasional plant, trying to determine if any were edible. Even with the assistance of my overpowered Foci, I could only identify less than half.

The farther from the hill, the less obstructive the undergrowth became. The smell of cloves had become stronger, birds and other small animals more common. About an hour and a half from the hill, I found them. I didn’t even need to use any magic, which seemed to impress the System.

Congratulations! You have discovered Fistulina hepatica, aka Beefsteak Fungus.

You have acquired the Class Skill [Herbology], implementing Otherworlder bonus...Level 3.

Skill Synergy Detected! [Herbology] Skill added to Personal Spell [Examine] when targeting Plants/Fungi and Plant/Fungus type Creatures.

You have acquired the Amateur Skill [Survival], implementing Otherworlder bonus...Level 5.

You have acquired the [Survival] Subskill [Forage], implementing Otherworlder bonus...Level 2.

You have acquired the [Navigation] Subskill [Orienteer], implementing Otherworlder bonus...Level 16.

Error! Subskill Max Level exceeded.

+1 Wit

[Navigation] Level reset...Level 11.

[Orienteer] Level reset...Level 10.

It had been awhile since I had gone mushrooming in the wild, when I was a Scoutmaster a mother of one of the Scouts took the Troop foraging. I like to cook. I really like fresh ingredients. I went foraging a couple of more times, and spent a year reading books on the topic.

Now if I could find some morels!

They were growing on the side of a tree, I ate one raw, and filled my pockets with the rest. The mushrooms were larger than any I had seen before, and tasted meatier. I should have been paying better attention to my surroundings, because before I knew what was happening, scarlet veined emerald vines had wrapped around my arms and legs and dragged me about fifteen feet into the air.