Once I dropped to the ground on the otherside of the teleporter I took a good look around. Sarantium and Atria couldn't be more different. Sure, they were both Slavo-Bynzantine classical cities but one was a provincial wannabe and one was the capital, a iconoclastic city that would be known all over Meridian 60 in the public release. Domes and spires and collonades but done in dark grey stone instead of the iconic white. A fascinating contrast with the silver decoration.

My little vampire stowaway slipped into the night giving me an address to go to when I was level 20 or above. That was a long way off but the final payout was Extraordinary. Literally. I would pick up my third Template. A sort of Rogue/Entertainer/Mage hybrid. Primarily magic which gave it strong bardic characteristics. Not a slutty bard, though. The sex simulation software wasn't ready back in those days to go commercial. Just a sort of tricksy, flamboyant, and at the same time very stealthy magical troubadour. Yes it seems a bit contradictory, w/e, Vampires and shit. I also got 4 gold and 75k experience for meetting a special objective.

I had another special mission to attend to, the note I got from the mage I rescued was an introduction to his master. An even older and more esoteric magus involved in magical research and history. First, the magic bazaar. The Guild of Mages in Sarantium was an unimaginably exotic and splendifurous affair for someone who had first entered a frontier Guild in a far off backwater. I definitely prefer seeing them in that order. I would have been immensely disappointed if it had gone the other way.

With my 28 Gold in hand, the most I had ever had at once, after selling my leftover items and materials, I went hunting for amazing bargains. There were a ton of splashy baubles well out of my price range but I did find some helpful deals. Few, but some. The bazaar wasn't really designed for a cash poor border mage, regardless of my magical talents.

I sold and traded some gear including my damage charm and upgraded my staff at a special wand and staff shop. I traded out patch clothes and old rings. In the end I emerged with 570 HP, 1145 MP, 70 INT, 40 CHA and WIS, and 44 MEM. I remained steady at 25 CON and 10 STR. I did get to 20DEX. My staff was now at the standard post-Master level Practicioner 20+STR+1/2INT. So 25+10+35=70 damage. Of course it was still 2s per hit without Haste active and with an 8 foot range. Even mana free it was very situational vs an Arcane Missile or a DoT combo. Still, cheap in relative terms and a little caution never hurt anyone.

Finally I headed out to the home of my new mage contact. He lives in the second most sumptuous tower after the Archmage of the Guild with huge magical laboratories and supply rooms and a fantastic living area with all the bells and whistles. His spire shot 200 feet into the air. Fucking rich ass capital mages.

I slipped him my letter of recommendation, I guess you'd call it, and engaged in some magical demonstrations for him. We sat down on his amazing furniture while I told him the real story of my adventures in the high castle. This guys probably had truth spells to make the schmucks in Atria weep. I demonstrated some of my unique powers and he told me he would make me a real mage. Like damn. Overthrow a vampire king but you're still a n00b from the sticks if this guy never heard of him.

I spent a week in that tower, luckily not stuffy, learning about the world and so forth. Since I took the Historian and Geographer abilities at level 15 my academic knowledge was decent for someone without a knowledge template. All my investments in social and intellectual stats and features really paid off. I'm not clear what stuff I could have gone without while still getting this Legendary Template. It was an Intellect Archetype but at Legendary is had some magical theory and even practical magic Talents as well.

I'll show you the points that I got below. Basically I got an equivalent number of stat points to the free stat points I'd have got if this was my first Template, plus a Free Point for Abilities from a previous Template list, you got 1 every time you got a new Template, and then the selection and ability points of the Template.

Template(Intellect): Primordialist(Legendary*)

Stat Points: 10

Free Ability Points 1 Archetype Selection Points 4

Template Ability Points 5 Template Selection Points 4

Archetype Ability Points 2

*Multiclass version

I still had 15 skill points as well. I dropped all 10 points into MEM. It was a good stat for Intellect and I was gaining tons of Magic/Intellect skills as well which were capped by MEM. For me Free Point I took Tricaster. Nice burst if I ever needed it. I'd grab Thoughtcaster when I got my Extraordinary Template from the vampire girl. Now for the Ability lists. Thank god this was a non-magic Archetype so I could see the Archetype stuff. I was almost done with Magic Archetype stuff of any use.

Primordialist Ability Options:

Esoteric: Gain an extra selection point per level in a magical talent (Not Retroactive)

Paragon: Gain 10 Skill points every time you gain a Template (Retroactive)

Insight: 50% to bonus skillpoint gains rounded down (Not Retroactive)

Prodigy: 25% off Phase boosting rounded down (Not Retroactive)

Acumen: Gain 1 extra stat point per level (Not Retroactive)

Affinity: +2 Quality Level to crafted items

Astute: +14% Charisma Bonus to social checks

Intellect Archetype Ability Options:

Attentive: +14% Charisma Bonus to social checks

Endower: +1 Quality Level to crafted items

Talent: +1 Ability point per 5 levels (Retroactive)

Tranquil: Freecast a single spell under Surprise penalty

Cynical: Strong ability to resist non-combat illusions

Engaging: Deep and fascinating knowledge improves conversation skills and gives +5 CHA

Astute: Gain +20% MEM to attention checks (*See Perception)

Anthropology: Boost Linguist, Historian, Geographer, Religious, and Arcana

Primordial was an exceptional Template for Abilities. I had a lot of tough choices to make. Obvious choices were related to character capabilities. I obviously took Talent for a net gain, so far of 2 Ability points, Acumen for sadly no immediate boost, Esoteric and Paragon as well as Prodigy. I took Insight before Paragon, obviously. That was my cap of 5 Template Abilities.

Using Talent had me at 3 Template Ability points remaining. I took Anthropology, Engaging, and Astute. I could pick up Cynical, Tranguil, and Endower later. I ended up with 30 Skill points, which was insane, great synergy. Estoteric and Acumen would be amazing later. Prodigy was worth a lot as well. I was really stacking up Selection Point abuse options. My real concern was honestly running out of things to select. I now had a whopping 45 skill points. Wtf.

Finally I was left to my spell/skill selections. I had 4 points for Intellect Archetype skills and 4 points for my new Primordialist spells/skills.

Primordialist Template Options|

Archive(Tier 1): A master of knowledge and research who knows feels the thrum of power in eldritch tomes and the flows of power through dusty stacks. Library magic is not technically a thing and bibliomancy a myth but intuitive knowledge of the ancient archives of the world is as close as it gets

Runescribe(Tier 2): Modern magic is a thing of finesse and form that trascends languages and cultures. Yet ancient and powerful cultures forged great works in their crude and primal way. Knowledge of ancient Runes mundane and magical provides unique benefits and carries the favor of fallen and forgotten gods. A fragment of divinity is still beyond the might of man or elf and even more so directed those few who remain with hidden and obscure knowledge

Binder(Tier 2): While runes and enchantments are skills confined mostly to objects and monsters the magic of improving the body and the mind through visible signs allows the temporary and even permanent alternation of a sentient's essential nature

Haruspex(Teir 3): To divine the fate of men and kingdoms is typically a power reserved for the servants of the gods. However ancient mages understood the skills of piercing time's veil in their own limited way. Chronomany allows a mage to wield power over time but it is also possible to engage in finer interactions with reality

Scholar(Tier 3): A student of the arcane and the mundane who believes that knowledge is power

Alchemist(Tier 4): Knowledge comes in many forms and some provide great benefits without requiring great magical power. The brewing of potions and other concoctions can provide numerous benefits if time and money are invested

Enchanting(Tier 4): The ability to channel magical power through objects is very powerful. It is also expensive and time consuming to master

Performance(Tier 4): A knowledge of culture and literature and the skills to engage with and create it are of immense value for those who don't spent their whole lives trudging through distant and savage lands enacting a story of slaughter and carnage

Scrivener(Tier 4): Magical scrolls are an incredibly useful option for those who wish to increase their versitility in combat or other matters without actually learning a wide array of magic

I am not a crafter this game, sadly, so I ignore Scrivener and Enchanting and Alchemist. Scholar was my Tier 3 special Archetype Talent. Not bad actually. My Primordialist talents were nice as well. Sadly standard Legendary Templates typically have a Tier 3 and 2 Tier 2 Talents as well as primary Tier 1 Talent. I might actually use selection points on Performance at some point. Knowledge has more useful Tier 4 and Tier 3 options than magic IMO.

Archive Phase 1 Spell List:

Steel Mind: +10 MEM | Perk

Genius: +10 INT | Perk

Correlation: -2 cost per consecutive same Talent skill | Perk |

Copy: Instant Cast a repeat of a spell cast in the last 5s | Cooldown 10s | 100 mana

Runescribe Phase 1 Spell List:

Might: +10% damage of 1 type 20s | Cooldown 10s | 100 mana

Emanate: +50% Mana Recovery 10s | Cooldown 30s | 50 mana

Vitality: +50% Health Recovery 10s | Cooldown 30s | 50 mana

Binder Phase 1 Spell List:

Anticipate: Avoid the next instance burst damage 8s | Cooldown 14s | 100 mana

Mettle: Specify: -10% chosen type damage 10s | self | Cast 2s | 80 mana

Transmute: Convert pool at 2x cost | Perk

Haruspex Phase 1 Spell List:

Bore: Ignore Negative Typing 4s | Cooldown 20s | 50 mana

Transfix: Sleep 3s | 3 targets | ranged 20ft | Cast 2s | 50 Mana

Grok: +5 CHA | Perk

Auspex: Instant Cast 1 spell for -20% mana after ambush | Perk

Scholar Phase 1 Spell List:

Inspect: -10% on item costs | Perk

Knowledge: +2 stat points per new Template | Perk

Spot: +5% INT to Perception | Perk

Understanding: +5% CHA to Social | Perk

So unfortunately I am required to take all the Scholar options since my other Archetype options are Tier 4. At least Knowledge is useful. Also Perks can't be skilled but they get Phase Boosted. At Phase 4 I get 2/3/5/8, 8 stat points per Template. Now my other choices are rough. Intellect is a weird Archetype. It has way more Perks than other Archetypes and some pretty weird options. Cooldown is a mechanic that exists in very few other Archetypes. The game system is not super well aligned to non-combat Active actions. There's no like dialogue fight for haggling or w/e.

I take Steel Mind, Genius, and Correlation. Chaining Arcane Arrow or Miasma spells with Correlation is viable. Archive is Tier 1 for a good reason. I take Grok because screw it. All the other stuff is a bit situational and weird. I'll probably spend most of my selection points from levels on my other Template and Free Talents. I might Phase Boost Archive at some point though. The real value here is the Abilities. Although as you can see many Talents are kinda like upgradeable abilities under this Archetype.

So I ended up with 30 bonus stat points, not bad, as well as a stat point and a selection point per level and also I have a shit ton of skill points now. 45? What? Also Anthropology, as a multi-talent boost was awesome. Nowe I am going to go ahead and deploy my skill points. Holy wow. I drop 3 into Quicken to get 8/10 for a 12s base duration. Sorry I refuse to get 13. Bad mojo. 42 left. 8 to Stagnation for 8/10 and 12s duration. 34 left. 10 to each of my new time magic skills. So strong. Time Magic is the best magic. 4 left. 4 to Envenom for 2 more seconds of duration. 12/12 damage duration now.

With that we are done for a while. I was set back on putting this out due to life circumstances. I hope to pick up and get a lot of work done tomorrow. Thank you. The next few stories will cover my push to level 20 and a Template that was a little bit more useful spell wise as well as 2 Free Talents. Boom. And some decent extra quest rewards point wise. Gotta bounce.