I stared blankly at the new messages that appeared in front of me, ignoring the warm fluid - probably blood - running from my nose again. That certainly couldn’t be healthy, but it was the least of my concerns at the moment. What had I just done? What had I unlocked? I got my answer on Favoured skills, but what was a Soul Level? Universal Akashic Records? System?

Concentration was indeed useful. Something told me I’d be using it and Autohypnosis in conjunction quite often, if that was the only way to get new information.I then called up information on the new Knowledge I’d received.

Knowledge (System): Information related to the Systematic Record Network, or System, of Akashic Records, including Universal, Class, Heredity, Planar, and Divine Records.

Once again, more questions than it answers. I pushed further, to see if I could answer my other questions.

Soul Level: Represents the accumulation of strength of an individual as expressed by their Soul Core, across their heredity and classes.

Universal Akashic Record: The Akashic Record that governs and binds underlying rules of existence, also provides linkages to the other Records an entity should have access to. All Realmbound are born with access to the Universal Akashic Record upon Awakening.

Some information, and more new questions. I sighed. Still, I was starting to understand more about the world I’d find myself in. Or should I say Realm, based on the latest information? Did I count as Realmbound, now? Something told me I shouldn’t. It doesn’t seem like accessing such basic information should be so hard - practically giving myself an aneurysm everytime I wanted to retrieve basic information.

I searched back through my memories and quickly found something that seemed to confirm my suspicions.

Initiating Mask Query...

Back to the Mask, again. I needed to know more about the Mask. Slightly dreading what I was about to do, I started to focus my attention inwards again.

In… out… in… *gurgle*

My growling stomach interrupted my thoughts. Apparently I’d need to deal with some more practical problems before diving back into the esoteric ones. System or no, I still needed to eat. Probably needed to find some water, too. I looked at the water lapping against the shore and considered it. As I did, I felt a thrumming inside of me, not uncomfortable, but more like a tiny pulse in my mind.

Survival Lore → 2

The water was crystal clear, without any impurities disrupting it. There was also no visible life in it - no fish flitting about, no shells, only uniform sand. No life might mean anything, but it certainly didn’t help to prove that it was safe to drink. It also meant I couldn’t try to catch any fish here.

The weather was perfectly moderate, and there wasn’t a strong breeze that I could feel. I could probably leave the water worries for now, I wasn’t losing much at the moment. Food was my top priority.

I turned around and looked towards the trees on the other side of the monument. Slowly, I approached them. I looked over the trees, and they didn’t seem to resonate with my spotty memory at all. I knew they looked like trees, but that was it. I stared at them, wishing I knew more, and promptly sensed a small thrum again. This time, I could tell it was coming from my left temple.

Name: Bokken Tree

Description: Insufficient Knowledge or experience.

I snorted. Not exactly the most useful information, but the fact that I could get information at all was very interesting. What exactly was happening? What was that tingle? I suspected it once again had something to do with my Mask.

While I was certainly a little hungry, and more than a little curious about what lay beyond my beach, a certain amount of caution suggested that it would be wise to get a better understanding of what seemed to me to be a rather major part of my abilities.

I went back to the monument, and rested against its closest face, the one towards the forest. I closed my eyes, doing my best to ignore the periodic growling of my stomach as I adjusted my breathing and tried to recall the status that had appeared briefly initially.

In… Out… In… Out…

I once again felt a pulse from my temple, and a new flood of information appeared in front of me.

Status

Name: ???

Age: 18

Heredity: Human

Soul Level: 1

Essence: 0/1000

Favoured Class: ???

Classes:

Human Paragon 1

AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10

hp 9 ()

Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +2

Speed 30ft.

Melee weapon Unarmed Strike +0 (1-3)

Size: Medium (Bipedal); Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Base Atk +0; Grp +0

Str: 10 (0)

Dex: 10 (0)

Con: 10 (0)

Int: 10 (0)

Wis: 10 (0)

Cha: 10 (0)

Traits: Able Learner, Educated

Feats: 0/3

Skills (Favoured - *) (10/10):

* Acrobatics - 1

Appraisal

Arcane Energy Lore

Arcane Energy Manipulation

* Athletics - 1

* Autohypnosis - 2

Bluff

* Concentration - 2

Crafting (+)

Cryptology

Diplomacy

Divine Energy Lore

Divine Energy Manipulation

Escape Artist

Handle Animal

Healing

Intimidation

Investigation

Ki Lore

Ki Manipulation

* Knowledge (+)

System - 1

Linguistics

Martial Lore

Mechanical Lore

Mechanical Manipulation

Natural Energy Lore

Natural Energy Manipulation

* Perception - 1

Profession (+)

Psionic Energy Lore

Psionic Energy Manipulation

Sense Motive

Sleight of Hand

* Stealth - 1

* Survival Lore - 2

Abilities:

Unbound (Legendary)

Adaptive Learning (7/10)

Equipment:

Mask of the Unbound

I grinned with the rush of success, and then tried willing it back on and off a few times. It became easier each time.

Hidden Skill System Manipulation added to Favoured skill list.

Hidden Skill System Lore added to Favoured skill list.

Achievement Unlocked! (*2)

Hidden Depths : Through personal research or efforts, discover a skill not available through the System by default.

Rewards: + 1 Skill Point per Level.

System Manipulation → 1

System Lore → 1

Now that was a pleasant, if a little confusing, surprise. It also lent more credence to the idea that I might not be approaching things in the conventional manner. I opened my Status once more and drilled down to the only entry in the Equipment section.

Mask of the Unbound:

Rank: Artifact

Type: Utility, Growth

Level: 1

Essence: 0/1000

Description: A unique artifact provided by the entity known as Master of Games as part of a Great Bargain.

Abilities:

Provides manual entrypoint to System networks through successful skill checks. Allows access to information on objects or entities targeted based on user’s Appraisal, Knowledge, Lore, and other relevant skills. Further abilities unlocked with additional levels.

Now that was interesting. It wasn’t difficult to discern that the information concerning the water quality was related to my Survival Lore, and the lack of information about the trees was due to a lack of the associated knowledge on my part. Still, the ability to see my skills and other information was incredibly helpful.

The growling of my stomach brought me back to the present, and my immediate issues. Sadly, it looked like that was all that was available for my preparation. I knew more about my situation in general, but still nothing about the island I was on, nor of the potential dangers waiting for me.

Still, sitting in the sand wasn’t going to fix my lack of supplies or my growing hunger. I got back up, brushed myself off, took a deep breath, and strode into the trees.