Surviving the Simulation: The Grand Crusade

Exploring the rest of the first level, the team fell into a rhythm. A trap would be positioned across the tunnel, an abandoned storeroom containing little more than rotten junk would be found, or a random gnoll patrol would be quickly overwhelmed by the party's sheer number and force. The sound of mining tools faded, replaced by the louder drip of water and the stench of rot.

"I think we're going the wrong way, Rex," Xander commented while waiting for the scouts to disarm a nasty deadfall trap blocking the path.

"Possibly. We haven't seen a patrol for a while now and it sounds like we're moving away from the miners," Rex commented back as he leaned against the rock face.

"There is certainly something up ahead, though. That water sound is coming from somewhere," Zoey added.

"Yeah, I agree with you there," Xander said, intently watching a wisp of spectral energy waft further down the hallway. It was the seventh time he had caught it with his spectral sight. Even Cabbot had hissed at one as it floated by. Whatever was up ahead, they were getting close. The frequency Xander noticed the energy was increasing.

"Ugh, this feels like a side quest."

"It's all still part of the dungeon," the captain of the guard added.

"Fair point," Xander conceded, though the words felt hollow.

If it was part of the dungeon, then they'd have to clear it, eventually. Still, it gnawed at him. Every step deeper into the unknown pulled them farther from the faint sounds of captives. Jo could be just around a corner or slipping out of reach with every delay. It was a familiar feeling. In his old life, bureaucracy and task creep had always buried the genuine problems under meetings and metrics. Now, it was a spectral puzzle and glowing moss.

He clenched his jaw and said nothing. Delays were dangerous, but so was tunnel vision. If there was a sub-boss ahead, better to hit it now before it hit them later. Still, he hated the feeling that someone out there might be waiting... and wondering why no one had come yet.

A moment of silence followed as they waited for the scouts to finish picking up their tools and signal the all clear. The traps were getting harder to spot, and more difficult to disarm, the deeper they went. This one had taken them twice as long as any of the others.

Exiting the tunnel ten minutes later, after rounding a bend, they emerged into an enormous cavern. The group found themselves perched upon a wide but crumbling stone bridge suspended above a chasm of brackish water, its depths concealed in the murky embrace of darkness, lying fifty feet below.

An otherworldly luminescence, a sickly glow from phosphorescent moss on the cavern walls, bathed the cavern. The air was heavy with an ancient stillness, broken only by the distant echoes of water dripping and the muffled whispers of unseen voices. The eerie illumination cast grotesque shadows, creating an unsettling display of light and darkness against the rugged stone formations.

An eerie, haunted feeling crept over Xander as he stepped onto the bridge. It felt like the stones had seen things like echoes from a golden age that had slipped through the cracks of the Simulation. The air buzzed with spectral energy, the kind that made his skin itch, and shadows flitted across the floor like they had somewhere to be.

On the far side of the bridge, the crumbling outline of an ancient temple emerged from the gloom. Carved into the rock face, its entrance loomed with quiet menace, half-hidden in the flicker of phosphorescent moss. Xander didn't need Analyze to know this place had history and not the friendly kind.

"If there was any question about this dungeon being a mix of what it looked like before the reboot and during the Simulation, now we know," Rex said, whistling low as he took in the grandeur of the cavern.

"We saw something like this near Sidney," Zoey added, eyes scanning the far side of the bridge. Her bow stayed loose in one hand, but Xander could see the tension in her shoulders.

A heartbeat later, the bridge groaned beneath one scout. A section gave way with a sharp crack, forcing the scout to leap aside as a gap opened where his foot had nearly landed. Heavy stones plunged into the water below, vanishing with a splash.

Xander stepped closer, just in time to see concentric ripples spreading out across the black surface. Only to be shattered by other ripples surging in from all directions. Something big. More than one.

"We've got movement," he called out. "Under the water."

"All right, important safety tip. Watch where you step and stay out of the water," Rex said, watching the ripples.

"Was that an accidental collapse or a trap?" the captain of the guard inquired.

"Looks like a trap, sir!" the scout called back.

The rest of the transition across the bridge was without incident, but it had placed everyone on edge once again after losing focus for a moment at the wonder of the cavern design itself. The large archway leading into ruins was wide enough for everyone to enter three people abreast and ten feet tall. Upon the last team member's entry into the ruins, an ornate portcullis slammed down; instantly, everyone assumed a defensive posture as a Simulation message appeared in their vision.

The Enchanted Circuitry of the Resonance
Your party has stumbled into an event. Complete the event and reap the rewards. Solve the chamber's puzzle to complete the event. You will only use each pressure plate once in the solution, and some plates might be unnecessary. Returning to the first correct pressure plate will reset the sequence.
Rewards: Experience, Gold, Chamber Key

"Nobody touch anything!"

The entry chamber, dimly lit by a soft blue glow emanating from floating crystals, was in the shape of a large oval. Along the outer wall, in alcoves, someone had positioned ten statues depicting what Xander assumed were some type of knight. In the center of the chamber was a circular platform, and on the opposite side from the entryway was a heavy, ornate door.

Upon closer inspection, Xander noticed a series of pressure plates set on the floor encircling the platform. Each plate had a symbol carved into it, but it didn't look like anything but a random design. Three gnolls lay on the floor dead, their bodies positioned so that each one had been standing on a different pressure plate when they died. Burn marks covered their body in a pattern that Xander hadn't seen before.

"Ouch, electrocution. Nasty way to go, even for these assholes," Rex said, examining the bodies. "Five bucks says you have to stand on the plates in some kind of order or else the statues come alive and zap you."

"Sometimes a statue is just a statue, Rex," Zoey chuckled. "That and money has no value anymore, so it would be five gold. If you're serious, I'll take that bet. You say the statues are the threat of failure. I am saying the plates are electrified."

"You're on."

"So we need to do something with the pressure plates and if we mess it up, something will kill us, most likely with electricity. Not exactly a how to manual here," Xander said, glancing around.

"There have to be more clues. Spread out."

Paying close attention to the statues, Xander compared several, looking for any slight differences that would reveal the order in which the plates needed to be activated. He already had a good idea that the three plates the gnolls were standing on were not the starting point.

After finishing his examination, there were two different sets of statues in the room. One group wore a cloak with a clasp in the shape of a lion, while the other set wore one with the shape of a bear. The pommels of their swords displayed carvings corresponding to the pressure plates. Two distinct sequences, but no obvious way to tell what the order was.

"I think there are two solutions to the puzzle, five pressure plates each. One for the lion and one for the bear. What I can't figure out is what the order is for either. Anyone have any ideas?" Xander asked, still studying one statue.

"Eliminate these three statues, since they coordinate with the gnolls," Rex said, gesturing to three statues. Two belonged to the lion sequence and the remaining one to the bear.

"Look here at their belts, each one has a reliquary hanging it from it, but they're all different," Zoey said excitedly as she was the first one to see it after everyone else had been racking their brains.

"You're right. Look there, there is the order," Xander said, pointing out the increasing number of tassels on each statue. Every reliquary was the same, but they all had a different number of tassels hanging off of them.

"Question of the day: lion or bear?" Zoey asked.

"Not enough information to really know. Flip a coin?" Rex replied.

"Nah, we're going with lion because look," Xander said, pointing up to Cabbot laying across the shoulder of one statue of the lion sequence.

Rex chuckled. "Good enough of a reason."

Xander moved toward the first pressure plate when Rex stopped him and said, "I'll step on the plates. You're the only one that can cast a heal."

Nodding, Xander cast divine aegis on Rex while the rest of the team cleared the bodies off the plates.

Rex nodded to Xander before cautiously taking a step onto the first pressure plate, his eyes closed as he waited to be electrocuted or have the statues come to life. Instead, a soft blue glow surrounded the plate's edge, and one of the floating crystals flared brighter.

"One down…"

The next two plates in the lion sequence went just as smooth as the first, but the fourth plate was proving to be difficult. Wear caused two symbols to look very similar. It didn't help that one of the electrocuted gnoll had dropped its hammer directly onto the rune, damaging it further.

"Do we switch to bear?" Xander asked.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's this one," Rex said, stepping down on the plate.

Lightning arced from the sword of a nearby statue, to catch Rex in the chest. A loud grunt escaped his lips as he was thrown from the plate. Lightning battled against the magical shield Xander had cast on him earlier.

Xander quickly cast a heal on Rex and rushed over as soon as the lightning as stopped.

"I win. The statue came alive and attacked me," Rex said as he grimaced in pain.

"I'll live, thanks to the shield, but damn, does that hurt."

"Take it easy for a bit. You're probably going to be feeling that for a while. We know the sequence now, I'll do it," Zoey chimed in.

While Rex recovered, Zoey went back to the first pressure plate to repeat the entire sequence. Once Rex had triggered the wrong plate, all the lighting around the previous plates and floating crystals had returned to the same state they had at the beginning. Confident that they now had the correct solution, Zoey quickly moved from plate to plate until she had completed all five in order.

The Enchanted Circuitry of the Resonance
Congratulations! Your party has completed the event via the path of the lion.
Dungeon Encounter 1 of 3 completed
Rewards: Experience, Gold, Chamber Key

Reset Timer: 24:00:00

Walking over to Rex, Zoey placed five gold in the palm of his hand. He returned the gesture with a single raised finger of his right hand. Giggling, she moved over to Xander to slip a key quietly into his hand. It was a plain key roughly six inches long with the circle head with a carving of a lion matching the one from the statues. Not knowing what the key went to, but also not wanting to open the discussion to the entire group, he gave a slight knowing nod as he placed the key in his belt. Zoey had been discrete about slipping him the key for a reason, and for the moment he agreed with her. There were too many open questions to fully trust everyone in the mixed group.

Grinding at both ends of the chamber could be heard as the gates rose to allow the party to pass. Just after the gate farther into the ruin's depths, the path split off in two different directions. More statues lined the walls in each direction. A quick inspection showed that one tunnel was the path of the bear and the other the path of the lion as determined by the cloak clasps matching the ones in the main chamber.

Before the group could turn down the passageway, one scout signaled a stop. A loud click echoed across the hallway, followed by the sound of something charging up. It reminded Xander of an old piece of machinery warming up. The slight smell of ozone and a steady increase in a hum that started low but worked toward a higher pitch followed by a snap-hiss. Frantically, the scouts turned to run back down the chamber, terror in their eyes. Xander snapped off two quick divine aegis shields to protect the men from whatever was coming.

A flash of light illuminated the far end of the hallway, but was working its way back toward the fleeing men. Lightning arched between the statues' swords on either side of the hallway in the fashion of a Jacob's ladder. Moving from one sword to the next in swift sequence.

"Run!" Zoey screamed.

Xander flinched. The scouts were already sprinting, but her voice cracked like someone already bracing for the worst. She wasn't giving orders. She was afraid.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

He caught the flicker of helplessness in her eyes before she turned away, bow at the ready. They had all seen death more times than they could count. That didn't make it any easier, especially when it came suddenly, loud, and just out of reach.

The lightning struck both men, the magical shield holding for several steps before collapsing and giving way to the smell of burnt flesh and ozone. Screams of pain filled the hallway as Xander cast healing spells in rapid succession. A brief thought in the back of his mind chastised him for prolonging their suffering, but that was the old way of thinking. In the new world of the Simulation, living through something that normally would have been an instant death sentence was now just a matter of proper application of magic. A tremendous amount of pain and living was better than a quick death.

At least, that's what Xander told himself to justify the men's pain.

The rest of the group had backed up into the entrance chamber as the lightning still raced toward the group. Xander stood at the intersection, refusing to step back one foot. While the lightning had passed over the two scouts, they were still close to death, and Xander's healing was the only thing preventing that. He was not about to put them both through that, only to give up now. He was positive the trap wouldn't extend out past the start of the path of the lion. Thankfully, the Simulation seemed to agree with him as the lightning finally grounded out just two statues before the intersection.

With the lightning over, Xander raced for the two men. It was a risk, since they didn't know what had triggered the trap originally and the only two men who could answer that question were unconscious. Sliding to a stop next to the two downed men, he checked for a pulse to confirm they were actually unconscious before casting one final healing spell on each one, bottoming out his mana and causing a massive headache.

"They're alive! Get them back to the main chamber."

Tossing some smelling salts to Rex, Xander dropped to a sitting position and closed his eyes as he waited for his mana to return. Focusing on his breathing, he tried to relax as much as his headache would allow. He wasn't sure it was going to help, but when he'd had splitting headaches due to what he thought was overwhelming stress in his previous life, quiet meditation had certainly helped. It took him a couple of minutes to reach a state of calm, but he felt his mana was increasing faster, though that could have just been confirmation bias or the placebo effect.

"You back with us?" Rex asked.

"Yeah, just a nasty headache when I bottomed out my mana."

"Those two will live thanks to you," Rex said, watching the wounded scouts being helped to their feet. "Turns out one of them was conscious long enough to say they stepped on something. Pressure plate, just barely raised."

Xander nodded, scanning the hallway floor. It all looked the same at first glance. Rough stone, uneven from wear and time. But then he spotted it. One section of tile near the scorch mark wasn't cracked like the others. It was smoother, slightly depressed in the center. The detail you'd only catch if you were already looking for it.

"Here," he said, tapping the edge with his mace. "They blend in. Look for unbroken tiles or spots where the dust looks lighter."

With that clue in mind, the group pushed on, picking their steps carefully. No one triggered another trap. A few minutes later, the hallway opened into a new chamber lit by the soft, flickering glow of ethereal blue flames.

A stone altar stood at the far end of the room. It looked like a shrine to Xander, though he couldn't tell who or what it honored.

Cabbot slipped out of Xander's pocket and moved toward the altar, her tail straight up in the air and swaying back and forth in a sign of a cheerful mood. Xander's spectral sight caught it first, but soon everyone in the room saw the form of a kneeling man taking shape at the base of the shrine. Weapons drawn and ready for an attack, the group watched as Cabbot bumped her head against the figure's hip. Slowly, the hands clutched in prayer unfolded and reached down to stroke the spectral cat.

[Analyze] Morvinn Stoneheart | Level: 45 Boss | Status: Neutral | Class: Blacksmith.

In a voice tinged with melancholy, the dwarven spirit regarded the group as he stood. "Greetings. It has been a long time since I've had visitors."

His eyes blurring for a moment as if to consult a player screen of his own, Morvinn continued, "My, quite some time indeed. That is unfortunate. Plus, I do not see any dwarves or other species among you. Please bear with me for a moment as I consult with Perilis."

Xander shot Rex a confused look, only to have Rex shrug and slowly relax his stance. Whatever was going on here was certainly odd, but also not an immediate threat. Though it seemed that Morvinn had expected something else to happen and was off script, in a manner of speaking.

"My apologies, my friends. Much has changed since my time. If you will indulge me for a moment, I will provide you with some context. My name is Morvinn Stoneheart, once the ruler of this place and patron saint of blacksmiths to the local clan of dwarves. What you see here is a testament to my accomplishments as a master of the forge," Morvinn said, gesturing to various displays and carvings depicting his work around the room.

A large padlocked chest in the back of the room with the symbol of a lion on it caught Xander's eye.

That solves the mystery of the key Zoey received, he thought.

Still, given the way the safe zone team was claiming every scrap of useful magic equipment for the safe zone, Xander kept this one under wraps. He didn't enjoy being underhanded about it, but he also would let no one take advantage of him or his friends, either.

"Evil currently taints my domain in the form of a gnoll blacksmith named Fang Smeltbinder. Bring me his head and cleanse his horde from my home. In return, I will, for this act of service, allow you to associate this mine into the holdings of a safe zone of your choosing."

Mine Menace Elimination
Quest Notification! Morvinn Stoneheart wants you to find Fang Smeltbinder end his occupation of the Dusk Tunnel Mine Complex. In return, he will give you access to the mine and its rich supply of minerals.
Difficulty: Hard
Reward: Experience, gold, and control of the mine

Accept Quest? Yes/No

Once the group had accepted the quest, Morvinn continued, "Given the circumstances of the state of the Simulation, I've been given permission by Perilis to pass along two pieces of important, but not immediately relevant information…"

Morvinn's spectral gaze shifted to the party as he imparted a dire warning. The dwarf revealed that the increasing number of unsanctified dead in the world posed a growing threat. If left unchecked, these restless spirits could unleash unforeseen consequences upon the realm. Addressing this issue was not just a matter of morality, but a crucial step to maintaining the delicate balance of the world. He wouldn't elaborate further, saying he lacked permission to expand on his warning.

As the party listened, Morvinn Stoneheart shared a glimmer of hope. The dwarven spirit hinted that there may be a way to return lost species to the Simulation, hinting at the potential for restoring the dwarven species and others that have faded into myth.

Simulation's Lost Legacy Retrieval
Quest Notification! Morvinn Stoneheart has suggested that it may be possible to restore lost species to the Simulation. Bring back at least one of the lost species.
Difficulty: Mythical
Reward: Experience, gold, and additional player species unlocked

Accept Quest? Yes/No

"Morvinn, thank you for everything you've told us. I have a question… well, lots of questions actually. Though judging by what you've hinted at so far, you will not answer most of them. One question I'm hoping you can answer, though, is who is Perilis?" Xander asked.

The spirit regarded the party for a moment before shaking his head. "So much common knowledge lost. Perilis is the Quest Engine. That is all I can say about it."

Zoey muttered under her breath, "I'll say it again. The simulation requires an encyclopedia or wiki."

Following his final comment, Morvinn vanished back into the ether. Xander could still see him with his spectral sight, but the conversation was over, even though Morvinn had clearly wanted to say more.

Collecting Cabbot, the group headed back out to the main chamber. Rex gestured to hold off on any conversation until they were somewhere more private.

"Team, we're going to break here for six hours. Get some rest, get some food, do what you need to do with your character sheets. We've got a lot of ground left to cover and doing it exhausted will not be the path to success," Rex called as he broke out an MRE from his pack.

Soon, everyone had broken into their own smaller groups to eat, talk, and relax. Xander kept catching the captain of the guard, whispering quietly to his men while they stole glances at Xander and Zoey.

"Seems we have a fan club," Xander said quietly to Zoey. The sandwich in his hands covering his mouth.

"Honestly, there are so many layers as to what's going on here I'm not even sure what I should be concerned about," Zoey replied.

"No, it's really not that complicated. Something is rotten in the safe zone. My money is on it being related to Victor making a power play. The captain here is just an errand boy for Victor, and he got a good look at that chest back in Morvinn's room and he thinks you still have the key."

"Though I guess it could also be something to do with that Cult we heard about."

Zoey sighed. "Ugh, how did a cult spring up that fast, anyway?"

"Honestly, I doubt it's about the Simulation. Get the right amount of scared people in front of the right charismatic nut job and presto, cult or pseudo-cult. That's an issue on the back burner for the moment, though. Victor is a wildcard. He's in on it or he knows who is and is working against it politically."

"Why not just call it out if he's working against it?" Zoey asked.

"Because someone else high in the safe zone is in on it if he isn't. So he can't just come out and expose them without a bunch of evidence. Again, that's assuming he isn't the guy on the inside."

"How do you know anything about this type of stuff?"

"Years in corporate America. There's always some backroom, political crap going on to curry favor. The only difference here is that people are actually dying."

"Order of importance for me right now is to clear this dungeon and find Jo. After that, it's a coin toss between the rot at the safe zone or this issue about graveyards."

"What about going back for that chest we appear to have the key for and this stuff about lost species?" Zoey asked.

"Species stuff isn't even on the radar, and I'm going to go back for the chest here in a few. Just need to complete my plan. I'll do it solo and stuff everything in my dimensional space."

Xander gave a casual shrug, hoping the confidence sold better than he felt. The others had already turned their attention to the next leg of the dungeon, and that was exactly what he needed.

As the group settled into a brief planning session, Xander slipped out of the circle and reached into his belt pouch. The remains of a ham sandwich came free, slightly squashed but still fragrant enough to do the job.

"Alright, Cabbot," he muttered, holding it out like a bribe. "You do your part, and I'll owe you an entire picnic."

Slipping back into Morvinn's room was easier than Xander expected. Though it still took the better part of the sandwich to convince Cabbot to go along with the plan. The spectral cat was smart. He'd always known that. But now he was thinking she might game the system more than any adventurer.

With a flourish worthy of a stage performance, Cabbot snatched the rest of the sandwich and bolted down the hallway. She moved just fast enough to seem uncatchable, but slow enough that everyone could clearly see Xander chasing after her in a classic misdirection move.

Entering Morvinn's room, Cabbot stopped running and began eating her reward for a job well done. Xander could see Morvinn with spectral sight, but he didn't want to give that fact away. Instead, he went directly to the chest he had seen on the first trip to the room and produced the key from his belt. Morvinn was standing right beside him as Xander unlocked the chest, still pretending that he couldn't see Morvinn. All the items in the chest related to crafting, which didn't surprise Xander. Outside of actual magic items, the chest contained a small amount of crafting materials and a mixture of gold and gems in a small baggy as well.

Artisan's Forge Apron
Quality: Uncommon
Enchantments: Reduced Fatigue from Forging
Description: Woven from rare and resilient enchanted fibers, the Artisan's Forge Apron is a standard-sized blacksmithing garment with magical properties. When donned, this apron becomes a conduit for latent magical energies present in the forge. As the blacksmith works, the apron absorbs excess heat, redirecting it into bursts of magical energy that augment the crafting process. Blacksmiths wearing the Artisan's Forge Apron find themselves able to work for longer periods without fatigue.

Forgeheart Emberstone
Quality: Uncommon
Enchantments: Increased Item Quality Chance Description: A small, unassuming stone with a warm, pulsating glow, the Forgeheart Emberstone is a boon for any crafter using the forge to heat metals. When placed in the heart of a forge, the stone emanates a gentle heat that refines metals with unparalleled efficiency. Items forged in the presence of the Forgeheart Emberstone gain additional durability and a faint magical resonance, making them more resilient.

Spectacles of Vein Seeking
Quality: Rare
Enchantments: +5 Prospecting
Description: A sturdy pair of spectacles with rose-colored crystal lens designed for miners and prospectors, the Spectacles of Vein Seeking aids in the discovery of precious minerals. When peering through the lenses reveals a faint, magical glow around mineral deposits within a certain radius. This enables miners to pinpoint the locations of valuable veins hidden within rock walls, giving them a distinct advantage in resource gathering.

"Good stuff. Was kind of hoping for a skill book, though. Oh well, no need to be greedy," Xander said out loud, as if to himself.

Rolling his eyes, Morvinn broke the ruse. "You can see me, can't you? Dammit, I should have known even without being able to see your eyes, since you have your furry little friend over there. How did you manage that, by the way? Spectral cats are extremely picky regarding their companions. Most go their entire life without ever finding one they can tolerate, but yet yours actually seems to like you."

"Game recognizes game," Xander chuckled. "Seriously though, I love cats, and cats can always tell when someone truly appreciates them. Still trying to figure out why her name is Cabbot the Destroyer."

"Admittedly, the first part of that sentence makes little sense to me, but I think I get the point," Morvinn replied. "You know I can't answer questions for you, right? Even though I'd love to help more. Based on what I've been able to find out from the Simulation directly, generations of standard knowledge are just gone and it's causing problems."

"People are smart. We'll figure it out. Zoey had it right, though. The Simulation doesn't need to spell everything out. Just give us a place to compare notes across the globe. People have gotten pretty good at game theory and data parsing," Xander replied as he scooped up Cabbot to leave.

"Don't get me wrong, this whole thing is a mess and I wish we didn't have to lose so many people trying to adapt, but I also know things won't go back to the way they were. The only path is the one forward, but a little help would be appreciated."

A book slipped from the shelf and landed at Xander's feet. He bent to pick it up, already smirking as Morvinn made a dramatic show of pretending to be deeply interested in something across the room.

Morvinn's Primer to Blacksmithing
Quality: Rare
Enchantments: +15 Blacksmithing
Description: Written by the great Morvinn himself, this book provides a more in-depth introduction to blacksmithing than most training materials.

Xander tucked the book into his dimensional space with practiced ease, offering Morvinn a nod of thanks he didn't put into words.

A few quiet steps later, he was back in the main chamber, Cabbot perched on his shoulder like nothing had happened. He dropped next to Rex and Zoey with a casual grunt.

The captain of the guard gave him a long, appraising look, but his shoulders eased when he saw no visible loot in Xander's hands.

"Mission accomplished," Xander murmured. "But let's wait until this is over to talk. Everything was crafting related plus some gold, some gems. Nothing game-breaking."

He leaned back, letting the conversation drop as he pulled up his status windows.

+2 Spear Fighting | Congratulations! Now that you have a suitable weapon, you have refined your combat technique with it. We'll have to change your name to Stab Man if you keep going.

+2 Light Armor | Congratulations! You have become more comfortable wearing light armor into combat.

+1 Meditation | Congratulations! You have learned meditation. By focusing your mind during resting periods, your mana recovery will increase based on your skill level.

Name: Xander Kell

Class: Lightbringer Paladin
Level: Six
Health: 260/260
Mana: 120/120

Stats
Strength: 8
Dexterity: 14 (+10)
Intelligence: 6
Constitution: 6
Charisma: 5

Abilities
Taunt
Disarm
Cat's Grace
Cat's Sight
Spectral Sight
Radiant Smite
Divine Aegis
Judgement
Light Heal
Sanctify

Skills
Spear Combat: 13
Mace Combat: 9
Knife Combat: 1
Thrown Spear: 1
First Aid: 9
Analyze: 7
Light Armor: 11
Leadership: 3
Meditation: 1

Xander felt that his comfort level with a spear had increased, though the numbers themselves still meant little to him other than just a visual representation of that growth. He was certainly getting more solid strikes in. It was also nice to see that meditation did actually help recover his mana as he had thought. That bit of confirmation gave him confidence that the numbers actually meant something, and he wasn't just imagining that he was getting better at these things.

Satisfied that he'd taken care of everything that needed to be done right that moment, Xander let his group know he was going to get some sleep and to wake him up in a few hours for his watch.