Dialog in this story has the speaker's initial in front of it, unless it is bleeding obvious who is talking. NPCs will have some name or descriptor, leaving initials to be used by the player characters.

A: Ashcroft - mage with biased to fire

J: Jorlund - as close to a dwarf as a human can get

W: Werlkhan - title character, first person naration is from this perspective

Now that I have my rat buffs, I want to see what a stronger monster will do for me. I walk directly back to the path, turn and head for the grasses.

"Here snaky snaky. I want you to meet my firends." The rats are running and hopping along behind me, fanned out like a common street gang trying to look imposing. I equip my strongest weapons. With the serious health buff they are granting me, I am unstoppable in this low level monster area.

A Rat (lv 1) from your pack has died.

0.7 vitality removed

I turn around in time to see one of my rats disappearing into the mouth of a snake. The five remaining rats squeak and attack, and I lunge forward with my weapons.

-4 from rat

-4 from rat

-6

-4 from rat

-13

-4 from rat

9 damage to rat

-4 from rat

The snake is struggling under so many attacks. This is far different from my first encounter with snake. The difference that a class makes is expected, but gang stopping this snake is cathartic.

-4 from rat

-13

85exp

Oh, I wonder what kind of buff I would get from a snake.

Player Jorlund is requesting to be your friend. Accept / Ignore

Accept.

Player Ashcroft is requesting to be your friend. Accept / Ignore

Accept.

It looks like Dustin and Eric are both here. Eric likes to play a mage, and usually has some "Flame", "Ash" or "Blaze" in his name. Dustin is the typical tank player, takes a beating and keeps laughing, and I like to go rogue or try something unusual. Altogether we make a good enough party. Regardless, it is evident that they are here. I activate my Pathfinder skill as a test, and think "friend Jorlund". I feel a tug back towards town, and facing that way reveals a little glowing spot on my overhead transparent compass. Rats are supposedly good with mazes, but this skill has little use in a fight. I start running for town, with my five rodent minions scurrying behind me.

As I run through the gate into town, that little glowing spot on my compass slides sideways to point straight down the center of the road. Running along the street I pass the chapel and adventurer guild and approach the training field where I started. Getting close to the street that little light slides along the compass again to tell me to turn. So, either Dustin (Jorlund) is moving awfully fast, or this does not point straight to him but rather points out which turns to make. That will be very helpful in a cave or dungeon, or in a town or sewer or other places that rats tend to be. Funny how conveniently that works out. I enter the training field and easily find my friends.

Just how I expected. Ashcroft is tall and thin and holding a quarterstaff. Jorlund is shorter, twice as wide in the shoulders, and holding a wooden shield and wooden mallet. If they would let him be a dwarf I know he would've picked it. I get their attention.

W: "So, you two here for the couples cupcake cook-off?"

J: "Werl-kun! There you are. I thought you would have been here waiting for us like a homeless kitten."

W: "It's Werl-KHan! Your otaku side is showing when you talk like that."

A: "Khaaaaaan!" in his best Captain Kirk expression.

Then they see the rats behind me.

A: "You can pull monsters into town?"

W: "I can. You can't. These are my rodent friends. Each one is giving me avitality bonus. It's a class skill."

J: "What weird class did you find this time, Sewer King? Ratman? Are you going to release a plague on the NPCs for some quick level gains?" He grins.

"Is there going to be a quest to suppress you?"

W: "No. This is some beast tamer / monster master class, and right now I'm as buff'd as any tank you've built. These five rats are increasing my vitality by 40%, and this is only half my monster limit; and level 1 montsters."

J: "Alright, that does sound rather handy. So to business then. You've already got a class, so tell us which way to go sensei."

Respect feels nice, even when it is buried in sarcasm.

W: "I have not found an easy source of money yet. Not all monsters drop money, and these rats only drop three coppers a piece. You are able to take a class at level five, and much like a lawyer at your last arrest one will be assigned to you if you dont provide your own. I got this one by accident, because I did all my leveling outside of town and didnt pick a class. Ashcroft will want to ask at the chapel, because they have some class information and could point him to a mage trainer, I suspect. Also, the monsters hurt."

J: "You should have known that already. This isnt your first dive after all."

W: "Yes, Bore-lund, I knew it would hurt. How about you take your nice hammer there and walk straight out of the east gate. After you pass some farm fields you will enter tall grass, and then I will meet you at the chapel when you resurrect. By the way, how much health do you have?"

They both check their status sheets.

Name: Jorlund Class: n/a Level 1(0%) exp to level 98.5 Vitality 8 Health 65 Strength 9 Mana 7.5 Dexerity 4 Stamina 51.5 Intelligence 3 H regen 1.11 (58s) Wisdom 3 M regen 0.15 (50s) Charisma 3 Armor 2 unspent 0 Carry limit 92 Money 4c Name: Ashcroft Class: n/a Level 1(0%) exp to level 97.5 Vitality 3 Health 50 Strength 3 Mana 20 Dexerity 3 Stamina 45.5 Intelligence 8 H regen 0.56 (90s) Wisdom 8 M regen 0.40 (50s) Charisma 5 Armor 0 unspent 0 Carry limit 32 Money 4c

They asnwer at the same time.

A: "50"

J: "65"

W: "Okay. So Ashcroft would be dead before he knew what bit him and you would at least get to see the thing, though I doubt you could hit it, before it kills you."

A: "What lives in the grass to the east?"

W: "Just some level 3 snakes, not even poisonous. Speaking of, you might find a use for these before I do." I hand Ashcroft the 3 snake eyes I have.

"They are supposedly potion ingredients, but potioneering is not one of my pursuits right now."

J: "So, you are not aspiring to be the Lord of Fluffies? Perhaps my doubts are unfounded..."

W: "Doubts?"

J: "Doubts of your manhood! Hahahaha"

Grooooan.

A: "You walked into that one. Now, which way to magic so I can start burning things?"

How did I become friends with these clowns? I am about to brag about my skill, but selecting Pathfinder and thinking of "mage" gives me a system prompt.

Destination unclear. Try going to somewhere you have already been or to something that is familiar.

Not going to give Jorlund more ammo. I turn to the training ground entrance and say over my shoulder

W: "We can ask a guard as one would be closer than the chapel. After I drop you at day care I will take the beardless dwarf for a little excursion."

J: "I'm not that easy. You have to buy me a drink first."

W: "A little excursion, and then leave him there. I hear short and talkative is trending as a menu item."

The city guard was a helpful NPC. It seems they have extra patrols around the mage's house because of the dangerous things that mages are known for getting into. He knew right where to send us. Just as we walk in the door

NPC mage: "Ah good. Perfect timing, I need some help."