^^ Summoned Paladin of Muradin ^^

— Nonith, Southern Wasteland, Anitra —

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Gained: 150% XP (x2) for Capturing (3) Tier Two Dungeons!
Gained: 150% XP (x2) for Capturing (1) Tier Three Dungeon!
Level Up x6! (->66!)
Spells Gained:—^
Enhanced Spells:—^
Stat Points: 72! (Distributed!)
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Name: Anitra Arcata
Age: 12
Tier: 2
Level: 66(3%)
Tier 1 Class: Champion of Muradin
Tier 2 Class: Warlock (Pact of the Chain)
—Titles—
Dungeon Master
—Stats—
Health: 3720/3720
Mana: 3720/3720
Strength: 110
Dexterity: 120
Constitution: 200
Intelligence: 200
Perception: 170
Charisma: 130
Stat Points: 0
—Skills—
Mana Touched Eyes (Mana Sense) Lvl 1*
Breath of Mana (Mana Manipulation) Lvl 1*
Light Armor Mastery Lvl 1*
Paladin's Holy Armor Mastery (Heavy Armor Mastery) Lvl 1*
Paladin's Holy Shield Mastery (Shield Mastery) Lvl 1*
Paladin's Holy Weapon Mastery (Blunt Weapon Mastery, Staff/Spear Mastery, Sword Mastery) Lvl 1*
Architecture Lvl 5*
Bartending Lvl 1
Bartering Lvl 9*
Intimidation Lvl 9*
—Granted Spells—
Touch of Life (Greater Restoration, Holy Healing Hands, Heal)*
Anitra's Magic Butchery (Area) (Magic Butcher)*
Anitra's Hidden Vault (Area) (Magic Warehouse)*
Anitra's Greater Appraisal (Area) (Magic Appraisal)
Energy Drain (Area)
Mana Lance*
Mana Coffin (Mana Chains, Mana Barrier)*
Elemental Lance (Acid Lance, Fire Lance, Ice Lance, Wind Lance)*
Aura of Vitality (Wide Area Heal)*
Destroy Impurity (Wide Area Purify, Destroy Undead)*
Aura of Heroism (Wide Area Shield)*
Paladin's Strike (Area) (Holy Smite)*
—Unique Skills—
Muradin's Blessing (XP, Stat Points x 200%)
Draconic Arcana (Gestalt Magic, Demiplane, Dungeon Maker, Draconic Enchantment, Draconic Crafting)*
Pact of the Chain (Summoning Talent)
—Dungeon Management—
——View Dungeon (1(6))*
—Familiars—
——View Familiars (36)*
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Gazing at the changes to my Status, I scoffed softly at the pathetic attempts to appease me by Muradin; naming skills after me, upgrading some of my abilities, merging my Unique Skills for something even better, all appreciated, sure... but none of which made them forgiven for betraying me.

"Muradin still trying to talk to you?" Heron murmured, leaning against the tree nearest us as we took our rest and kept watch of the surroundings while everyone stretched their legs and did their necessaries.

"No, they've given up on that, thankfully... no, they're just tinkering with my Status; upgrading Skills, increasing my Skill Levels, stuff like that. Like giving jewelry to a wife you've cheated on, it's simply not being to fix things, even if I like the Shiny Stuff."

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "Never thought I'd be hearing someone compare a deity to a disloyal husband and it actually make sense, but I suppose here I am in life, eh?"

"Welcome, it's quite odd for me as well, we should make a club! Disgruntled Champions Anonymous: We've got 99 Problems, and our gods are all but One!!!"

She laughed full-belly now, covering her mouth as a full-on snort ripped it's way out of her like a pig in a manger, which only served as fuel for further laughter for both of us. I liked spending time with Heron, Aron's mother, because she was honestly a woman similar to me in many ways; we were the same age, (or at least, we had been before I was shunted into this world as a twelve-year-old,) our early-forties, we had similar attitudes, and we both had a distaste and distrust for society, just in general. "Mm... anyway, forget about them; where are we headed next in your weird, horseless carriage?"

I grinned, looking at the vardo in question; making a golem in the shape of an RV was honestly super simple, and I hadn't hesitated at all when I realized we would be walking the whole way, otherwise. "It's a smooth ride, though, isn't it? The next dungeon is in the woods behind the town up ahead, and it's a Tier Three, so we'll need to be on our toes. Can you clear the area around it while we Capture it?"

The blade-dancer sighed heavily. "Yeah, I can cut some trees down, I guess... can't you use magic for that?"

"Yeah, but this way you have something to do." I grinned at her wolfishly, barely dodging the rock she tossed my way in response, which made her blink in surprise.

"Whoa, you actually dodged that?!? How high is your Dex now?!? I thought your Class only gave you Con and Int?!?"

"It does, I've been spending my free points to balance my stats as best as I can. 66 levels of Switch-Boosting Dex and Charisma puts me at 120 Dex." I threw the rock back as swiftly as I could, clicking my tongue in disappointment when she simply caught it.

"120 is respectable, especially for a Tier Two Heavy Knight or Paladin! Get it to 200 before you throw rocks at a Blade Dancer though, dear, my Dex is just a little less than ten times higher than yours, after all."

A quick calculation in my head had my eyebrows raised. "... How? Is blade dancer a Rare Class? You should only have access to 1,760 Stat Points as a Level 200 Tier Six, and you're only Tier Five, right?"

"Blade Dancer is a Rare Class, yes, but only the Third and Fifth Tiers, so I've only gotten an extra 480 or so Free Stat Points, all of which I dumped into Dex, as it has always been my Main Stat. So my Dex is around 985, as of now, but I'll get it up to 1000 for my Stat Awakening by the time I finish out my Blade Dancer Class; if I get Holy Blade Dancer, at Tier Six, I'll need to focus my stats on my Int, instead, which I have somewhat neglected due to my not having a Mage or Scribe Class."

I hummed softly, nodding as I digested that new knowledge. "Interesting... and what's a Stat Awakening? You get a Buff when you get a Stat to 1000, or something?"

She raised an eyebrow at me, apparently confused. "Your mother never-... never mind... well, okay, it's like this: Stat Awakenings happen every 200 Points, and they essentially balance out your use of the Stat, increasing Efficiency by 20%; by 1000, that number is 100%, meaning your usage is twice as efficient as it used to be. This doesn't increase the amount of it you have, but It does increase your stamina in its usage, so to speak. For Mages, a 200 Stat Awakening in Int would mean an extra 20% of Not-Wasted Mana for Spells, essentially. In Health, a 200 Con Stat means your health recovers 20% faster, and you bleed out 20% slower. Very useful; the only reason I don't have a 1000 Dex Awakening is because I wanted to have that Con Buff, and my Class Stats increased my Con and Strength."

I blinked slowly, opening my status. "So... my Int and Con both just hit 200, am I supposed to do anything extra or is it automatic?"

She frowned, staring at my face to discern a lie, perhaps, then opened her own screen, a very limited version of it at least. "It should show you automatically?"

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Name: Heron
Tier: 5
Level: 170(82%)
Tier 1 Class: Warrior
Tier 2 Class: Fencer
Tier 3 Class: Wind Blade
Tier 4 Class: Rogue
Tier 5 Class: Blade Dancer
—Stats—
Strength: 250
Dexterity: 985
Constitution: 225
Intelligence: 100
Perception: 100
Charisma: 100
Stat Points: 0
——Stat Awakening Bonuses—*
Str: 200 (20%)
Dex: 800 (80%)
Con: 200 (20%)
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"Hmm... alright, let's see if that's on mine? It didn't seem like it was... aha!"

——————————————————————————
—Stats—^
——Stat Awakenings—*
Available at 250, 500, 750, 1000.
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"Interesting... so I don't get mine until my stats reach 250? Probably because of the Extra Stats from my Rare Class, eh?"

Heron nodded understandingly. "Right, because you have the opportunity to get double the stats of a Common Class Advancement, yeah?"

"Four times, actually, due to my Founder Buff for the Order of the Tower... my Stats will cap out at Tier Six with 6,510 Stat Points, if I continue to snag Rare and Contract Classes that give extra Stat Points..."

She blinked slowly, clearly short-circuiting as she did some math in her head and then gave up halfway through, dropping her face into her hands. "WHAT?!? I thought it just gave you an XP Buff?!?"

"Oh, no, it doubles my Stat and XP Gain equally. Technically, the more Dungeons I gather, the more the Modifier is supposed to rise, but Muradin is being a little bitch about it and refusing to give me what I'm owed, so it'll probably Cap Out at 100% for everyone in the Order, even if the Dungeons continue to be captured by our Order. Hence our argument and me not speaking to them." I explained, relaxing back into the log behind me as she fell into a pensive silence.

After a few minutes, she nodded slowly, coming to a decision. "I think I finally understand your confidence that everyone in the world will either join you or die; every Tier Six in the world wants to reach Tier Seven and become Immortal. If you can provide that, if only they choose a Cleric or Mage Class as their Tier Seven Class... you're going to rule the whole world, someday, if you survive."

"Less like ruling and more like supervision." I shrugged, tapping the helmet in my lap in a rhythm. "I don't really care for the idea of being responsible for the whole world, but I have to get over it quickly, because as of right now I already am: the whole world is ignorant of the fact that the Mages are the only thing keeping the whole place sewn together, and it's my job to make a few hundred thousand Mages, and let people know they're important, without making the Mages so goddamned big-headed and egoistic that they think they're more important than everyone else. It'll be a precarious balancing act, and I'm not looking forward to it, to be honest... but someone must do it, and I was the one with the plan, so it's my job to carry it out."

Heron laughed sarcastically. "Ahhh, yep: don't you just love being the one who suggests a good plan?"

"It's a cakewalk, yeah, I know." My dry response got a sincere laugh out of her, which made me smile. "Mm... and laughter truly is the best medicine for feeling sorry for oneself, isn't it? Look at me complaining about saving the world!!! My Mom would beat me senseless if she could hear me griping like an old maid about stained laundry..."

"Yeah, well, people deserve a few moments of maudlinity a day, it's healthy to let loose those thoughts, makes room for happiness! Speaking of, you're going to be 13, soon, right? Have any of my children caught your eye? Heric and Ronic are your age, and already Tier Two Rogues, and Aron is only four years older than you, eh?" She grinned easily, gesturing at her two daughters off in the other side of the meadow, sitting amongst the flowers and reading a book together. If the book weren't about brewing poisons, it might have been idyllic.

I snorted derisively at the concept, shaking my head at her. "No, not even close; firstly: I've spent almost thirty years in Muradin's Realm learning magic and teaching them my ideas and plans. Secondly: I am entirely uninterested in either of the sexes. And Thirdly: were it not for my royal duties to bear children and my own abject adoration of the cute little things, I would live alone in a tower for the rest of my days as a withered old crone, forgoing all company except my actual family, the ones who don't try to assassinate me with irritating regularity."

"Oh... damn, so you're one of the Loveless?"

"If that refers to people who do not enjoy Sex, or the idea of it, then yes. I still form emotional attachments to people, of course, just not sexual ones."

She hummed under her breath, sighing heavily after a moment. "Well there goes my plans to marry off one of my children to you so you don't throw us away some day when you don't need us anymore."

I threw a pebble at her head with Mage Hand, glaring thunderously at the mystified Blade Dancer. "DO I LOOK LIKE ONE OF MY COUSINS TO YOU?!? PATHETIC AND HYPOCRITICAL, FIGHTING AND BETRAYING EVERYTHING I PRETEND TO BELIEVE IN FOR A MOMENTARY INCREASE IN POSITION OR WEALTH?!? SOME FAITHLESS, PATHETIC, PISS-POOR BEING OF NO TRUE EMOTIONS OR CONNECTIONS?!? I am not so bereft of soul and heart as to throw away or choose friends due to their usefulness to me, Heron the Blade Dancer, and don't you EVER forget that!!!"

She held up her hands slowly, eying the ten or so other pebbles floating and shaking violently around her, ready to launch like missiles at any moment. "I apologize, I didn't mean to insult you, I didn't take into account your... unique perspective of such types of callous and cold calculations in court and society both..."

The rocks dropped to the floor limply as I stood up and dusted myself off. "Well, I think I'll avail myself of the facilities, seeing as everyone else seems to be finished. Good day, Heron." I stomped off into the Vardo, finding the bathroom thankfully empty and clean. Convincing people to remember to flush the chamber pot had been a chore the first few weeks, so this was good progress.

Before I could sit down, though, grumbling irritably to myself the whole way, a presence hit the edge of my perception, just in time for two of my Summoned Paladins to roar out a halt to someone in the trees. "TRESPASS NOT UPON MURADIN'S CHOSEN, BLACKGUARDS!!! MERCY IS STILL TO BE HAD, ONLY QUIT THIS PLACE IN PEACE!!!"

I groaned slowly as the presence multiplied, slowly surrounding us with close to thirty enemies within my magical sight's reach. 'Paladins, Mount your Golems and create a Star Formation; Warriors, take up the spaces between them to make an nine-pointed star. Prioritize defending the carriage. Mages, Mage Armor and Blur Spells active, Debuff any enemies in sight within your Acceptable Mana Regeneration Ranges. Rogues other than Aron... get inside the Carriage for now, I want to see how effective my people are. Aron, you're with me.' The mental commands sent, I turned and tapped the Golem, commanding it to lower the stabilizing arms, long bars of metal that dug into the dirt around the wheels to prevent it from wobbling at all. The sounds of people shouting and others mounting horses came first, and then the sound of the Ballistae Turrets revealing themselves and beginning to crank with the ghostly Unseen Servants' assistance came next, making me relax slightly.

As I stepped out of the carriage and stood beside Aron, donning my armor magically, the Paladin in the northern position shouted a question, pointing his long enchanted halberd at the encroaching enemy as they tightened their encirclement. "Lady Anitra, the enemies show no sign of Retreat!!! Your orders?!?" The helmet of the silver and blue Plate Armored being seemed to glow softly as the enchantment showed the movements of the enemies to the being within, summoned only two months ago inside the Tower to serve as a member of my escort.

"Create a Domain of Faith with all eight Paladins and Mages as Loci; that should empower the Shield Wall and create an acceptably defensible position! Aron, guard my back, keep an eye out for sneak attacks and arrows! Someone else give me a report on the enemy's Levels, I want to know who I'm fighting!" I activated my Auras of Purity and Vitality, alongside the Paladins, and soon there was a wave of silver and gold energy swirling around the campsite, clearly demarcating the edge of our influence, before the Mage/Clerics finished their spells, and the Domain of Faith was created; with an Antilife Shell cut into a Dome form, it mixed with our Auras to solidify them and take on some of the mana expenditure. While this wall was not quite as impressive as a Forcewall or Globe of Invulnerability, it was superior in that it's mana expenditure was much smaller, and when pierced it restored itself, because it was mixed with the Compelled Duel Spell to create a perfect Combat Arena for small amounts of opponents while preventing others from attacking from outside. In other words, if they wanted us, they'd have to come in here and get us, a few at a time.

"I was going to do something, but I think you've got this handled, Lady Anitra..." Heron sheathed her two curved shortswords, staring at the dome and nodding slowly.

"If a Tier Four or above shows up, they're all yours; everyone else is within our range of control, regardless of their Numbers." I assured her quickly, raising my Mace and Shield and moving forward to my spot in the pentangle formation, Aron next to me as the Tenth Point of the Star. With everyone situated, I called out of the dome into the woods surrounding us, provoking our enemies with a simple casting of Message so that my words reached into their minds, even if they couldn't hear me. "COME ON IN, COWARDS, IF YOU WANT A TASTE OF LADY ANITRA THE DUNGEON MASTER, THE CHAMPION OF MURADIN!!!"

The reaction I got was not what I expected, because as soon as the spell was cast, one of them screamed out into the woods, covering his ears. "THEY'VE GOT A PSIONIC!!! STEEL YOUR MINDS, LADS, AND KILL THE GILDED ONE FIRST!!!"

"Rude." I frowned, then waited as they approached the barrier, but only poked at it with their weapons a bit before moving back into the trees. "COME ON!!! FIGHT!!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!? THIS SPELL WILL LAST FOR AT LEAST EIGHT HOURS, SO IF YOU THINK YOU'LL OUTLAST IT, YOU'RE WRONG!!!"

Laughter sounded from the trees, as apparently my Message Spell was no longer terrifying them, after there's been no effect of the first one. "AYE, SURE, IT'LL LAST EIGHT HOURS, AND I'LL SHIT RAINBOWS WHILE I WAIT!!!"

"Well that is entirely unacceptable; have at thee, ye yellow-bellied, humorless blackguards!!! I shall dash thine wills with the Coming of The Green!!!" I grinned savagely, casting with a flourish a spell that'd gotten me banned from six different Game Tables in my long and storied D&D career.

"Conjure Woodland Beings."