ATTENTION BRAVE SOULS OF NEW DARIA

  JOIN THE ELITE RANKS OF THE ADVENTURERS GUILD

  Are you tired of sitting on the sidelines while the forces of darkness encroach upon our nds? Do you hunger flory, treasure, and the thrill of battle? Look no further! The Adventurers Guild wants YOU to be a part of the vanguard defending our realm from the perils that lurk beyond!

  WHY JOIN?

  GLORIOUS ADVENTURES: Immerse yourself in epic quests, face menag monsters, and quer treacherous dungeons. Every mission is a ce to carve your o the annals of history.

  INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE: Sharpen your skills in the crucible of battle. Gain experien bat and grow your skills! Whether you wield magic or the sword, the Adventurers Guild provides unrivaled training to mold you into a true champion.

  RICHES BEYOND IMAGINATION: Discover areasures, lost cities, rare artifacts, and mountains of gold. Your efforts will be rewarded with spoils fit to make a dragon's hoard seem like loose ge.

  BROTHERHOOD OF THE BRAVE: Fe bonds with like-minded warriors, mages, archers, and rogues. As a member of the only transtial bat anization, you will and respect wherever you go. Together, we stand united against the forces that threaten our nation, our realm, and our world.

  ENLIST TODAY, BEE A LEGEND TOMORROW!

  Visit your Adventurers Guild chapter or our Headquarters in Southport to begin your jourhe realm awaits, and your destiny bes – will you ahe call?

  * Offer ti on a full background check. The Adventurers Guild is not responsible for death, dismemberment or any other form of perma damage incurred during guild duties. Support positions are avaible, non-bat csses are also wele to apply.

  - Recruitment Advertisement for the Adventurers Guild in Southport, New Daria.

  Aliandra

  Laurel’s Café had been fun, the food exquisite, and Ali had that tented happiness of a full stomach after some mueeded rexation as they strolled back across town.

  Not that I want to do this every day, mind you. Even just walking dowreet in her finery caught the attention of all the passersby, leaving her with the unfortable sensation of always being watched. She didn’t enjoy being the ter of attention at the best of times. It was, however, far better than the occasional looks of distrust or fear, but certainly not rexing.

  “That was a great lunch!” Mato said, rubbing his stomach, and burping tentedly. “I o find out who their chef is.”

  Ali chuckled, her tummy feeling just as happy.

  “Mato!” excimed, pung him on the arm.

  “What? I’m a Beastkin…” he answered, as if that expi. Malika just rolled her eyes.

  said, “There are dies present.”

  “Whhing –”

  “I think we should all join the Adventurers Guild together,” Malika put in. She had mentioned wanting to join the guild during lunch, but this was the third time she was suggesting it.

  “Why would we do that?” Mato asked, frowning.

  Ali found herself nodding in agreement. The idea of joining a bat-focused guild filled her with something akin to ay. She had a bat css – or at least a hybrid – but her experieh bat so far hadly left her hungry for more.

  “We could quest together?” Malika responded, seemihusiastic about the idea. “It also might offer some prote.”

  “The Adventurers Guild in Myrin’s Keep is not very well established,” noted. “It’s really small and has few members.”

  “It’s still respectable work for bat csses like ours, and it doesn’t require joining the Town Watch,” Malika tered. “And a good Adventurers Guild be a force of stability in a town, helping to reduce crime. Unless you fancy yourself a soldier and want to join the garrison under ander Brand.”

  Mato snorted, “Do you really think a new Adventurers Guild stand against the criminal syndicates?”

  “Um… that’s a good point,” she said, scratg her neck. “Still, I wondered …”

  “Actually, I think it might be a good idea,” interjected.

  Everyoopped and looked at him. Ali remained quiet throughout the debate – she had already let them know she was uain about the adventurer’s life, but she was willing to trust her friends. If they all decided to join, she would too, and see where it took them.

  “Joining the Town Watch is a hard no from me, but I’m pretty much broke – those thugs stole everything I had. The guild is likely to have quests for clearing out vermin as. They’re chores, but only bat csses do them, so they would pay reasonably well. I’d like to buy new arrows and a rept set of leather armor sometime soon – and pay my mother back for the money she’s lending me.”

  That derailed the versation for another five minutes while her three friends veheir frustration about the Town Watch situatioed the ck of det leatherworkers, and iserated over how expensive everything was.

  “What about the Goblin horde?” Mato asked, finally bringing the versation ba track. “Shouldn’t we be more worried about them?”

  “Almost certainly, the Adventurers Guild will have quests reted to Goblins. Even if they don’t yet, they will as soon as they show up. That means we earn money defending ourselves against them,” pointed out.

  “Now you’re talking!” Mato said, clearly excited. His position on the Guild reversed the instant suggested making money by fighting Goblins.

  “Does it cost anything to join?” Ali asked, deg to get involved after all. If it was expe would be entirely out of her means and the decision would beoot at that point.

  “I heard that this Guildmaster is free signups. The only obligation is that you do enough jobs or quests to pay off the cost of the guild membership ring,” Malika answered.

  “Membership ring?”

  “Oh yes, they have a ring with a quest tracker and a spatial magic ste entment,” answered, his face lighting up. “It would be o have space to carry camping gear ara arroouldn’t have to sleep on the ground anymore.”

  “And food,” Mato added.

  “And for you, a hairbrush and a few extra manners,” Malika teased the big Beastkin.

  “Ooh, that sounds nice!” And with that, Ali was vinced.

  ***

  The Adventurers Guild was nothing at all like Ali had imagined. It was housed in an unassuming building of mixed wood and stone stru in a quiet part of town, rather he market. led in among several merts and other businesses, it stood out precisely because it didn’t try to catch her attention with bright signs advertising services and wares.

  She waited as Mato pulled the heavy oak door open and held it for them and then stepped inside pausing to let her eyes adjust after the brightness of the sunshiside. The guild hall that greeted them was not particurly rge – wood-paneled walls decorated with trophies and stylized artwork depig adventurers defeating monsters. The wooden floors creaked a little underfoot, covered with rugs in warm colors. A small reception desk stood he doorway and, at the back of the hall, several people – mostly humans – sat at small tables near a bar finishing a te lunch, filling the air with the king of silverware on ptes and the soft hubbub of quiet versations. The aroma of toast and a hearty stew mingled with the sharper smells of polished steel and oiled leather. A stairwell, fnked by several potted pnts, led to the sed floor. There was a lounge area with several fortable-looking chairs arranged around a hearth where a small crag fire had bee, lending a radiant warmth to the entire room.

  Ali grimaced at the sight of the preserved head of a monstrous boar mounted over the hearth, turning her gaze to the handful of people she could see in the bar and lounge areas. They looked like adventurers, which she firmed quickly by identifying everybody.

  Must be the members, Ali thought, noting that they ranged from level one up to around twenty. Nearly all were human, much like the demographics of the town itself, and most seemed to be warriors ues dispying a wide array of swords and daggers worn openly.

  “Hi, we’d like to join,” Malika announced, approag the reception desk. Her direct approach drew a few curious gnces from the guild members, but they soouro their own affairs.

  The pretty Elvish woman sitting behind the desk looked up with a ready smile on her face, which seemed to widen fraally as she g . She had long flowing azure hair with big sky-blue eyes set in a delicate face. She wore a pair of stylish thin-rimmed gsses that flickered and shimmered in Ali’s mana sight. The fasating magical interpy was rapid and surprisingly plex, leading Ali to guess it must be some type of unication device, or analysis tool.

  “Hi, my name is Mieriel. I’m the Guild Administrator. I’d be delighted to get you all signed up.” She had a soft lilting voice, and as her delicately manicured hand touched the gsses, the magical array muted dramatically.

  Out of habit, Ali identified her.

  Spy – Sun Elf – level ?? (Mind)

  Mieriel g her, and an unfamiliar mana flickered briefly in her eyes, unlike anything Ali had seen before. Slightly disoriented, she caught herself staring auro the unusual notification.

  Analyst – Sun Elf – level 18

  Huh, wasn’t that just…

  “Oh my, how stylish!”

  Mieriel’s excitement caught her off guard, and she found herself staring at her once again.

  Her eyes…

  “I’d love to know who made your outfit, if you don’t mind sharing?”

  “Uh…” The soft fragrance of summer lilies filled the air, and, for some reason, Ali felt fused. Wasn’t there something…

  Mieriel just waited patiently, and Ali found herself answering automatically. “Oh, we were just at Lydia’s Allure, down on Artisan’s Row. Lydia made these for us as a favor.” Ali twirled, making her pretty dress fre as Malika had done earlier.

  “Thank you! I will definitely pay her a visit then,” Mieriel said, a pretty smile on her face. “She is truly a genius, and you wear that so well.”

  Ali smiled bad then waited while Mieriel processed everyone’s applications, the eime bothered by a persistent feeling that there was something in the back of her mind that she just couldn’t remember.

  It’ll e to me ter, she thought, putting it dow was finally her turn. Mieriel kindly brought a low woodeool for her to use so that she wasn’t standing uhe desk.

  “As I told the others, the guild membership ring is five gold. A pertage will be deducted automatically from your quest or job rewards until the cost is covered. Unless you wish to pay for it upfront?”

  “No, that’s ok,” Ali said, accepting the agreement. It wasn’t like she could pay even if she wao.

  Sliding a small glowing panel across the desk toward her, Mieriel said, “First, el a little mana into this. The device will cast an Advanced Identify using your mana for the guild records.”

  So, they do have devices, she thought, studying the panel with great curiosity as she eled a little of her mana into it.

  “Let’s see,” Mieriel said, scrutinizing the panel. “Aliandra Amariel. I love your name, so pretty! Mage css, Nature and Are. Race is Fae, obviously. Age…”

  Mieriel stopped and stared at her over the rims of her gsses in surprise. “Are you really three thousand two hundred ay-seven years old?”

  “Um… that’s … teically correct, probably?” Ali answered, feeling the skin of her cheeks growing warm.

  “I’m sorry, that was rude,” Mieriel said quickly, looking quite mortified.

  “No, it’s ok, it’s just plicated,” Ali reassured her. Well, now everyone knows exactly how decrepit I am. Me included. What’s a few millennia between friends?

  Mieriel reached into a drawer arieved a bronze ring. Toug it briefly to the panel, she ha to Ali. “Here’s y. el a little mana into it to key it to your mana signature and it will bind itself to you. You track quests by toug it to the quest scrolls posted on that board by the firepce.”

  Ali eled her mana into the ring, and then put it on her finger, happy to find that it adjusted to a fortable fit automatically. She identified it.

  Bronze Guild Ring – level 1 signifying bronze-level membership with the Adventurers Guild.Owner: Aliandra Amariel.Quests: None.Mana: Store or retrieve an item. Capacity: 200g / 25kg.Created by Giddy Clicksprocket.Ring

  “Um, excuse me? It seems there’s something already stored in my ring…”

  “Mioo,” Mato said.

  “Oh, that?” Mieriel answered, smiling. “That’s a gift from the Alchemist shop on the er, Pretty Powerful Potions. The proprietor, Morwynne Fizzlebang, thought it would be a great way to market her services by gifting every new adventurer with a Recall Potion. It’s an excellent way of getting out of trouble, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

  Mato nodded emphatically, grinning as a vial of the bck potion appeared in his hand with a subtle ripple of magic.

  “Oh, nice!” Ali studied her ring. Her friends were all busy with their rings, but the trols seemed quite intuitive. All it took was a tiny trickle of her mana to activate the ste entment, and she suddenly found a view of what must be the inside of the ring’s spatial partment somewhere off in the back of her mind – that same mental space where her notifications usually appeared, visible, but not interfering with her view of the world. She selected the only thing in it – a familiar-looking bck potion – and suddenly it was in her hand. Same as the oo bought me. Ali found it even had the same smartass mana signature. Smiling, she used a few more points of mana and put the potion ba the ring.

  “Wele to the guild!” Mieriel gratuted them cheerily. “If you’d excuse me for a sed, I’ll go get the Guildmaster. She prefers to interview all the new members so she uand what kinds of jobs are best suited for you. Feel free to sit, browse the quest board, or purchase some refreshments at the bar. I’ll be back shortly.” And with that, she disappeared up the stairs.

  Well, that was easy, Ali thought, joining the others over at the quest board. She dragged her woodeool over so she could read the scrolls and leaflets pio the board. Fuild that had supposedly only just retly been formed, there were a rather surprising number of quests listed.

  Lots of work needs doing, I guess? There were requests ranging from help finding missing sheep, to colleg herbs in the forest, esc mert wagons, aerminating spiders in a mine.

  The herb one looks iing, she thought, looking a little closer. She didn’t know what ‘Blue Mana Grass’ was, nor ‘Fire Flowers,’ for that matter. If I grow them, perhaps I make a little money on the side?

  “Here, why don’t we get this one?” Mato suggested, putting a rge finger on a scroll he bottom of the board. The scroll was simple and to the point:

  By order of the mayor, William Turhe following bounty is set for Kobold extermination.

  It was followed by a short list of payouts by monster level.

  Ali touched her ring to the scroll as Mieriel had suggested and her ring glowed softly for a moment as it updated the quest tracker.

  Bronze Guild Ring – level 1 signifying bronze-level membership with the Adventurers Guild.Owner: Aliandra Amariel.Quests: Eliminate hostile Kobolds in and around Myrin’s Keep – 0Mana: Store or retrieve an item. Capacity: 200g / 25kg.Created by Giddy Clicksprocket.Ring

  “Too bad it doesn’t t the ones we already killed.”

  “We’ll just get some more. It will be easier now that we’re stronger,” Mato reassured her with a kind smile. “It looks like it pays pretty well.”

  A few mier, Mieriel reappeared. “Please follow me. The Guildmaster is ready for you now.”

  They were led upstairs to a feren of sorts. A little small and cozy, but there was a table with some chairs, and the walls were decorated with what must have been portraits of porary heroes. Ali didn’t reize any of them, of course.

  “Guildmaster, these are the new members I told you about – Malika, Mato, , and Aliandra. This is Guildmaster Vivian Ross.”

  Warrior – Human – level ???

  Three marks! Vivian Ross’s identification and her high level caught Ali by surprise, and she quickly stopped herself before she made it too obvious that she was staring.

  She must be over one hundred!

  The Guildmaster cut an imposing figure with her lo-bck hair tied ba a funal braid. She wore striking red-and-bck scale mail armor that looked like it might possibly be Dragonscale, and hanging from her belt were two slightly curved swords tucked away into pin bck cquered sheathes. She had an athletic build and held herself with an easy fidehat hi substantial physical power.

  Ali felt a jolt as Vivian caught her gaze with her striking violet eyes, but her fad smile were weling.

  “Wele to the guild, I’m gd you decided to join,” Vivian said. She spoke with an unhurried ess and a resohat pelled attention.

  “I’m Vivian Ross, a long-time adventurer and dungeon delver, now retired. I’ve seen the inside of the worst dungeons, and the most horrific bosses, and I’ve seen way too many novice adventurers, full of excitement and fidence, killed before they even reach level twenty. My vision for this guild is to train and educate people who wish to bee adventurers and are willing to take advice, work hard, and value teamwork. Long-term, I believe that a strong ahy Adventurers Guild will bee a force against the crime and corruption that is so rampant here in Myrin’s Keep.”

  That’s the same thing Malika said. Hmm. Maybe with her around that Kieran Mori would be throwing a few less people down into Kobold caverns.

  Vivian studied each of them in turn. Ali suppressed an urge to apologize for not wiping her feet on the green mat outside this woman’s door. “You don’t o share my long-term vision, but I insist that all members know and respect the guild’s goals. The guild is not your parent or school. If you do something stupid and die, it’s on you. This is a pce to practice, find jobs, and people to work with and learn from. That said, if you actively sabotage the guild’s vision or any of its members, you will be expelled.”

  She seems so intense, Ali thought listening to Vivian expin the guild’s mission. Perfealika, though.

  “Mieriel says you joined as a group, and I see that you have at least enough skill and cooperation to pass the earliest levels on your own. You’re wele to keep your current group, but four-person teams are quite rare – mainly because they typically e critical role, making them vulnerable. Five is our normal guideline. Once I uand your csses and experience a little better, I also reend people with patible csses for you to sider. An actual choice will be up to you – I don’t make orders, but I’d ask that you seriously sider my reendations.”

  She wants us to have another person? Anxiously, Ali’s mind flitted back to the guildhall and the faces of the various strangers she had seen. I’m not sure I’d want anyone else…

  “I knoeople are private about their csses and capabilities, and food reason. I won’t ask you to share more than you’re fortable with – but the quality of my advice will be directly proportional to the quality of the information I have to work with. Just bear in mind that when you work with other members of the guild on bigger jobs, your abilities will bee known quite quickly.”

  Ali g Malika, knowing that she had beeant to share, but she seemed focused on what the Guildmaster was saying.

  She’s probably also assessing our knowledge, Ali worried.

  Vivian sed across the group unhurriedly before her eyes settled on . “Why don’t we start with you? , right? How about you tell me what you’re fortable with sharing and how you see your role oeam?”

  Clearing his throat lightly, he replied, “I’m an archer with a light magic affinity, ma’am. I have an archery proficy skill and a magic damage enha for my arrows. My primary attributes are dexterity, intelligence, and perception, and I have an attribute boost skill for those. I have stealth, trag, and silent movement. I have an advanced identification skill for monsters and areas, and for level ten I took a passive visual perception skill. My role oeam is scouting and doing as much ranged damage to monsters as possible.”

  ’s anized description was exactly how Ali had e to see him in the short time she had known him. She just hoped she would be as collected as him, and not look like a fool in front of the Guildmaster when it was her turn.

  Vivian nodded briefly, and Mieriel’s fancy gsses flickered as she took notes.

  “Ambush?” Vivian asked.

  “No.” grimaced at the admission.

  “We work on that with training,” Vivian said. “Okay, Malika, how about you?”

  To Ali’s surprise, Malika seemed to trust the Guildmaster and immediately spoke up, saying, “I’m a Monk. I have an unarmed martial arts proficy skill and a soul magic damage enha for melee attacks. It has a small health drain po. I have an attribute boost, armor, and evasion skills, a touch-range heal, and a bat haste movement skill. I typically take the tank role.”

  Again, Vivian nodded while Mieriel took notes.

  “If she’s the tank, the Druid must be the healer?” she asked, turning toward Mato.

  “No, I do damage,” Mato answered gruffly, drawing a raised eyebrow from Vivian.

  “He’s a shapeshifter, and his heal is a self-heal,” Malika expined.

  “Oh, I see?” Vivian asked curiously.

  Motioning the others to give him enough space, Mato showed off his Wolf and Bear Forms quickly.

  “So big,” Vivian ented when Mato ged to his Bear Form, taking up so much spa the feren that it instantly felt cramped. She followed up with several detailed questiarding the forms, armor, and his attributes.

  “I also have a damage redire skill and an advanced regeion aura,” Mato added.

  “Oh, that’s unusual,” Vivian said. “How does that work?”

  “I take damage meant for other people within a twelve-foot radius,” he expined.

  Ali shivered at the memory of a dagger stabbing her – well acquainted with Mato’s life-saving skill.

  Vivian nodded, waiting for Mieriel to finish writing before turning to Ali.

  “Aliandra, how about you? The identify s seemed a little fused about your css.”

  “I have a hybrid css – Mage and Schor.” Ali saw real surprise flicker across the Guildmaster’s face for the first time.

  “I have a hard time seeing how you guys leveled up with two-and-a-half damage csses,” Vivian pointed out. “What does your css do?”

  Ali frowned as it suddenly dawned ohat Vivian had assessed her css as the half. Clearly, Mato and were granted a full role as the damage csses oeam, but surprisingly, it was who came to her defense.

  He chuckled quietly and said, “Ali does more damage than me.”

  “With a Schor css?” Vivian sounded incredulous, but at least, she did not dismiss anything they had said so far.

  “I normally take the role of damage, defense, or trol,” Ali said, gng at Malika who had first taught her the names and roles for adventuring. Malika just smiled at her, and Ali took some measure of encement from the support of her friends.

  “I have an Are Bolt spell and a Barrier,” she began.

  “ I see those?” Vivian asked.

  Ali summoned her barrier in the ter of the table, quite substantially rger now than when she had first learhe skill. It popped ienstantly and simply sparkled as Ali watched Vivian’s intrigued expression through the floating magic wall.

  Vivian reached out and flicked it with a finger, making a small ringing sound. “Very nice,” she said. “The gold color is unusual; did you do that on purpose?”

  “It’s always been that way,” Ali said. “My mother’s magic was the same.”

  “A Fae thing, then? Why don’t you show me the bolts?”

  “It needs a target,” Ali answered. “I don’t…”

  “I got you,” Malika said, standing up.

  Ali fired a few bolts at Malika before stopping. She was immediately reminded of the first time she had used the skill – that time also shooting her friend. Soul Magic looks so cool, she thought as Malika dispyed her healing. We’ve e such a long way sihen.

  “Seeker bolts, very nice,” Vivian approved. “But I still don’t see how you do more than the archer. What other skills do you have?”

  “I have some Schor skills, something to help me learn nguages and magic, Runic Script allows me to read and write magical runes, and a perception skill for seeing mana.”

  “Not much use in bat, though?” Vivian pointed out. “At least not for damage.”

  “She learo inscribe a Druidic Restoration circle, which saved my life a few times,” Mato put in.

  “Hmm,” Vivian answered.

  “Mostly I don’t do much damage on my own,” Ali tinued. “My minions do most of it for me.”

  “You’re a Summoner?” Vivian asked. Both she and Mieriel visibly startled, sitting up straighter.

  “Yes? My father was a Summooo.”

  “What you summon?”

  “Mostly Kobolds,” Ali answered.

  “Why would you choose Kobolds for your css summon?”

  “I didn’t … choose? I just learned Kobolds.” What’s wrong with Kobolds? She was quite proud of them, actually. They had saved her and Mato’s lives down in the ruins – many times.

  “Wait, you didn’t choose a minion when you unlocked your css?”

  “No?” Is that how it’s supposed to work? Ali frowned, “I learhe Kobolds after we fought a bunch of them. I make wolves, too.”

  “Wow, that’s… iing,” Vivian deadpanned, punctuating her nonplussed rea with a quick grin. “Do you mind showing me?”

  “Um, ok,” Ali answered, looking for support from her friends. She was feeling unfortable with this line of questioning, as if she were being judged by the intense scrutiny unleashed upon her css and choices, but her friends smiled encingly. At least they believe in me. But Vivian had such a high level – at least a hundred by the marks – and had to have an enormous amount of experience. Maybe this is just the opportunity I o catch up on all that bat education I missed? She certainly knows how to focus on the importaails, just like a good schor, and she sounds like she might make an ally if we keep on her good side.

  Ali produced her Grimoire and summoned a Kobold. As soon as the bck-scaled rogue appeared beside the fereable, Ali turhe pages, summoniher armor and a pair of crude daggers for him.

  Your reserved mana has increased by +57.

  Rogue – Kobold – level 9

  “I see. How many rogues you make?”

  “I ’t choose which kind it makes, nor the level. I sometimes get warriors instead,” Ali answered. “This one reserved fifty-seven mana, and I have nine hundred and forty-five, so I guess I could make sixteen of those if I didn’t want to cast anything else. Oh, and I have a skill that increases the damage of all my minions if they’re in range.”

  “Well, that expins a few things,” Vivian answered cryptically. “I uand now how you guys have been leveling. Yroup position is very unventional, and while you might still sider adding another member, I take back what I said before, you’re easily strong enough with just the four of you. In fact, you’re probably going to outperform many rger groups given the right ditions.”

  Does that meahinks my css is ok? Ali brighterying not to fidget as the high-level warrior sidered her for a moment loha necessary.

  After tapping her fingernails on the desk in front of her as if making a decision of sorts, the Guildmaster said, “I do have some immediate suggestions and advice for you all. As a team, you have all the major bases covered, albeit in unusual ways. I won’t reend another person for your team unless you ask for it. I estimate that if you use your csses effitly, you shouldn’t have trouble taking any of the bronze-ranked jobs suitable for your levels.”

  Why did she ge her mind about our team’s strength? Ali wasn’t certain because Vivian didn’t seem particurly easy for her to read, but her attitude had seemed to ge when Ali summohe Kobold.

  “Normally, I would be careful telling a eam that they are strong for fear of making them overfident – that usually gets novices killed quickly. But the fact is, you have a Summoner, and used effitly, Summoners are unreasonably powerful. But she will also be the main vulnerability on your team.”

  I’m strong? Ali didn’t feel very strong. Malika and Mato were both strohan she was. No, she said strong and weak. Great!

  “You will o structure your team a little differently. . For you, I reend training to unlo Ambush skill or adva. Paired with stealth, that would give you a huge advantage on burst damage.”

  “Would you focus on burst rather than sustained damage?” asked.

  “Your kind of css bes mostly from iing ierity and intelligence – both damage-enhang attributes – but her of those help you with mana or stamina. With your kind of css, sustained damage is difficult to develop without diluting your focus. With a ranged Ambush, you elimihe most dangerous soft target faster than any rogue or Assassin.”

  Fire Mages, definitely, Ali thought, nodding her head.

  “You will be highly depe on good gear and ables, so get familiar with using mana potions and buy yourself a better bow. Your role should be scouting, damage, intelligence, and pulling or splitting difficult monster packs. Practice your kiting skills.”

  Kiting? I’m going to o ask Malika to transte some of that ter, Ali thought.

  “Mato, you should sider the role of main tank, instead of Malika.”

  Both of them g her in surprise.

  “But…” Malika began.

  “Why?” Mato asked, folding his arms across his chest.

  “I’ll expin my reasoning, but you should decide for yourselves. Mato, you have a strong self-heal, and your aura regeion bes all the melee fighters near you – the more the better. In your team, that’s Malika and Aliandra’s Kobolds. All your skills are melee and, other than your Charge, you are slow. Pinning you down to take the hits from the boss doesn’t limit you in any meaningful lus, you have more natural armor than Malika does. You should defialk to the bcksmiths after you gain a few more levels – some of them make shapeshifter gear. Heavy pte armor scales very well for strength-focused csses.”

  Picturing a pte-armored bear in her mind, Ali did not know whether to feel excited or terrified. Mato’s normally open face was unreadable, his arms still folded across his broad chest and his expression carefully kept bnk. Is he worried about Malika’s rea to all this? Before she could sider it further, Vivian said:

  “Malika, your css provides mobility and speed, and a touch-based heal. You are the team’s only general healer. Pinning you down loses about half of what your css is capable of. You’ll never reach your full potential if you give up your mobility.”

  “What is my role, then?” Malika asked, scowling at her own hands.

  “In a standard team I would say primary healer every time, simply because healing is so rare and crucial to the success of the team, but the Bear do a lot of his own healing. So, your value to the team is versatility. You do everything. You o get good at reading the fight and choosing when to be a healer, a sed tank, or a damage dealer. You won’t be the best at any role, but with some good training and appropriate skill choices, you bee great at all of them.”

  Ali tried to read her teammate’s rea. She’s not vinced.

  “Aliandra, your primary role is support. As a Summoner, you will be bringing most of the damage to the fight, but you must learn to be adept at adjusting, defending, and generally trolling the flow of the battle with your abilities. You will o adjust too – you will take different roles in different fights. Your minions are all melee fighters. That’s a big limitation.” Leaning forwards with her ched fists upoabletop, Vivian said, “If you learn new minions, you should choose ohat increase your versatility – find an archer type, or, better yet, a mage. That way, you ize your team figurations. In the meantime, you’ll o get yues better ons and armor – those daggers are frankly awful.”

  Ali squeaked in embarrassment, “Yes. Yes, they are.”

  “So, everyone. Your team’s strength is its versatility; you have two sources of healing, and you bring two tanks to any fight. Your weaknesses are a ck of area damage and general crowd trol. And you ck escape skills. Especially the shapeshifter – he ot use potions.” Mato grunted unhappily at this. “If you ever run into monsters with mind trol or charm, you might find yourself fighting Aliandra’s minions and will likely die. If you’re serious about stig together as a group, you should prioritize skills that be all allies, area buffs like Mateion aura, and ways to prevent your weaknesses from being exploited. Right. Thoughts?”

  It was a great deal of information for her to process, but Ali was very impressed with Vivian’s reasoning. Malika and were both smart and knowledgeable, but Vivian was on a different level. Everything she had said made sense, especially her insights around using csses effitly – gleaned from years of experieno doubt. Although, maybe removing Grasping Roots was a mistake. Vivian had listed trol as one of their oints. It wasn’t all bad though, Ali hadn’t even sidered the possibilities that would be unlocked if she had minions for different roles. Suddenly she felt much more excited to return to the ruins and try learning the Slinger Kobold, or even the Fire Mage. Could she even learn to summon a particur variant on and?

  “I’m still not sure about this,” Malika muttered. “I’m hand-to-hand, and I prefer being right in their faces using my martial arts skills.”

  Ali decided that both she and Mato seemed a little shell-shocked by the dramatic ge in how they had perceived their roles oeam.

  “Isn’t her suggestion just like how we fought the Goblin Warband?” Ali asked as the entire picture suddenly clicked in her mind. “Mato, you tahe Bugbears and helped Malika with your aura. She healed you when the shaman bsted everything with that Lightning Bolt, and did damage when you didn’t need as much healing. and my minions took out the mage and the shaman.”

  “Oh…”

  “Hmm…”

  “Wait … you fought a Goblin Warband with elites and Bugbears?” Vivian’s demeanor flipped from lecture to serious in an instant. There was a raze to her pierg eyes that Ali hadn’t seen before, and the tone of her question silehe room instantly.

  “Yes, in the forest to the south,” answered. “ander Brand’s aide kicked us out wheried to report it.” He was still obviously frustrated by their experie being taken seriously by the authorities.

  “Tell me everything,” Vivian insisted. Her iy grew deeper, augmented with something that looked a lot like suppressed rage as told her the whole story.

  “Mieriel, let Brand know I’ll be over iy miell him it’s an emergency.”

  “Yes, Guildmaster.” Mieriel’s rexed attitude vanished, repced with that of an adjutant taking orders from her ander. She touched her gsses and a riot of magical formations flickered across the lenses.

  “I’m sorry to eeting short,” Vivian said, brusquely. “I o deal with this immediately. Please check back soon, Mieriel should have some new quests and jobs reted to town defense pced on the board at the test by tomorrow m.”

  Clearly dismissed, Ali added her voice to the chorus of thank-yous from her friends headed back downstairs.

  timewalk