Chapter 196

196 Servant of the Axe, 96 – Proof of Life

Chapter Type: Summary, System

Larger Brother,

I am happy to report to you that I am alive, and have escaped the clutches of the Norvik. Please extend my condolences to Harkulet on the death of his agent, Narces.

As to Gamilla, you should have seen the look on her face. Trust me, it was humorous. Not one of fear or shame, but rather of surprise. Don’t ask me how her network didn’t inform her; I think I strike a rather singular figure, easily recognized.

The jeweler we loaned money from assures me that in my absence she has been frugal with our funds, but has gotten multiple tasks accomplished. In fact, she has made a small windfall trading in place, which I am sending part of to the Furdian diplomatic office.

In short, while not pleased with her motivations, I am recommending that she assume financial control of the Red Axe Trading Company. So long as the ambassadors can strike a balance between how much she has to her own means, and how much gets sent home, I believe this venture will eventually reach success.

If you have a seaworthy vessel, getting thirty or so veteran warriors, or a hundred of the quality you are sending to the centaur front, and sending them to Lavin Buscala would ensure our military presence and potentially dominance of the colony on that island.

Plus, if you want to anger the Norvik, openly taking their colony by military force might not be the worst way to start such a war.

If you don’t want to start a war, sending about half that number to join the colony and support it will give you better insights into their culture than I got from the bottom rungs of their society. (Although that report is attached in triplicate. I’m still not good at scribe work, but I’m getting to the point where I’m not bad at it anymore.)

.....

I am still recovering from my injuries sustained on that expedition, but all should be well by the time I next write you. I expect that to be from Dauria.

Regarding the Daurians, I have already told you my plans for dealing with that matter. At the moment, I can only present them as plans; we don’t have anywhere near the coinage or vessels to implement them in reality. Honestly, I expect them to refuse, but doubt they’ll execute me for presenting it.

Of greater concern is that the Black Madonna, our resident devil, is going to sneak off and try to steal something. She says that she won’t do this in a manner that endangers our negotiations, but ... she lies, often and early and easily. In my darker moments, I think she finds it less stressful than telling the truth.

Have I warned you about the diamond? Supposedly, they have a very large, very cursed diamond. I’m supposed to steal it, but I think I can actually get them to trade it to me. Don’t worry, I’m not giving them anything of yours; I’m thinking trade in service.

In any case, once I’ve met with them and determined their stake in the islands, I can set about firming up my plans for establishing a place for the Tidelands here. I certainly hope that progress on the docks goes well; although the Outrage isn’t the vessel I’d choose to sail during storm season, Gamilla assures me that it is our first step in that direction.

Neither the dragon nor the kraken-spawn will be a friend to our efforts here, but neither to they need to be removed. It is my recommendation that we act to dispose of neither of them. Not just because they keep each other in check, but they also keep the human powers from militarizing too heavily, and attempting to claim the entire island group.

Also, while they are both present I don’t think that our planned activities will offend those already here (earlier exception noted). There is enough unclaimed or mutually claimed territory for nearly double the colonies of the original plan. Shortage of resources, and what we’ll need to supply and when should be in Gamilla’s briefing, which I have not yet copied.

In summary, we can do what you asked me to, as well as create a staging ground and colonies of mixed races and cultures here. I agree we should do so. I do not think that taking the islands by military force is a feasible goal until we have the navy to commit a few thousand troops to the effort. Say ten to twelve thousand for a guaranteed victory, with a minimum of three. I heartily encourage the development of new areas, and hope that some day you will tell me what in the northwest is so important.

Your Smaller Brother,

Rhishisikk

Postscript. I am told it is just weeks until Harvest. If I’m timing the responses correctly, your response may need to wait out the winter storms. For now, just know that I am beginning to make actual, tangible progress.

Oh, and I know how to use an axe for more than just chopping wood, now.

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I hadn’t written anything about my System, nor my suspicion that it was blatantly lying to me. Most changes took time; why had my health points changed instantly when Tomas Istre was about to spear me?

How did the critical by Freida not even cause a fracture in my bone?

What WERE the rules on pain, and how did the System measure it?

And what changes had happened at the reset?

For the most part, the System reflected how I viewed the world, right? So why was it suddenly so off kilter about what I was capable of?

Did I have those health points before, and it just hid them from me? Might it be hiding more?

Or did it lie, telling me how many hit points I would have after it developed the Healthy trait? I did notice it was filed under Rapid Healing, as though it were a sub-trait. Maybe it was, properly speaking.

So why wasn’t...

There WAS a sub-trait for Calm Demeanor, (+1, max of three) under my Spiritual trait granting my Charisma, though. A trait that I don’t remember being there, earlier.

There were no other, unexpected sub-traits, but I resolved to keep a view out for them. Maybe a monthly check?

I started a System list on things I needed to ask my System, and how often.

For example, why were some types of mana still at zero (single point maximum), and others up to four points (rating two)? How did I raise those attunements? COULD I raise those attunements, without raising my Lore statistic?

Actually, shouldn’t I be able to raise those with Water Adept or Shaman points?

[System Error]

???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????

<System. Inquiry. Details. Most Recent System Error.

[System Error]

THAT was also becoming annoying. I was used to my System not knowing things I hadn’t been exposed to. That didn’t seem to be what was happening here, though.

[Error]

Okay that was what ... wait. I repeated my inquiries.

[System Error]

[Error]

Okay, what was the difference between what caused the two messages?

Or was I just being paranoid? It didn’t feel like that was the answer.

Was my System something like my eggshell? Something to aid me when I was young, but needed to be broken apart later in life? I’d done things without my System before, and with greater rates of success than the System indicated should be possible.

But... did I lose all the abilities provided by my System if I did that? I would hate to lose Inherent Longevity, only to age to death in minutes. Seconds might not be so bad, I wouldn’t have to feel my gums...

My gums were receding, just slower than I would have noticed.

[Condition: Gingivitis. Caused by improper diet, usually lack of fruits.]

Well, thanks, system. How close to Scurvy was I?

[Diagnostic tools to analyze medical conditions are available for one hundred twenty development points. Focus here to confirm purchase.]

Augh! It was like I had multiple, conflicting Systems in my head...

Wait.

That actually made sense.

[System Error]

[Reach System level three and unlock System Modification Tools to perform this query.]

Okay, so all I needed to do... WHAT?

[Reach System level three and unlock System Modification Tools to perform this query.]

[System Level One, 100/300 system points to next level.]

Wait. Was that RIGHT? Had that changed when my System was reset?

[System points are a measure of the capabilities of your System. Unlock System Modules with development points to earn system points.]

Except no, I hadn’t done that to earn the system points I had.

When the bards sing of broken systems, they mean things like setting one or more of your System stats to your age. To this day, I have no proof that such things happen, or have ever happened.

My System was broken, in the bad way, and now I had proof of it.

[You have proven your first theory using the Scientific Method! 5 Scientific XP awarded to your most developed Scientific class, Naturalist; after divisor, 1XP has been awarded.]

Well, great.

I’d rather have a working System.

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