Amdirlain’s PoV - East Wind’s Court
Amdirlain tossing out the name of a Class drew a grunt from Klipyl. She took her attention from admiring the schools of fish and slid back from the porch railing. “What’s Psionic Dreadnought?”
A glowing panel covered with the details of the Class appeared in the air before Amdirlain but was readable from all directions. Jinfeng sat up, staring curiously at the display, while Cyrus relaxed into his chair with an amused smile.
[Psionic Dreadnought
Details: Focuses on psionic support of an individual's physical toughness. Only beings of the outer planes possessing colossal toughness and immense psionic potency can possess this Class.
It provides a significant chance of insights into developing mental and defensive powers.
Requirements:
- Power: True Psion or higher evolution.
- Home Plane: Individual’s primary Home Plane must be among the outer planes.
- Size: Length over a hundred metres or weight over three hundred tonnes.
- Endurance over twenty thousand.
- Intelligence over twenty thousand.
- Health over twenty million.
- Psi Pool over fifty million.
Adjustments:
+4 Defence per Level.
+2 Melee Attack Power per Level.
+8 Intelligence per Level.
+8 Endurance per Level.
+4 Free attribute points per level after 22.
+100 Health per Level.
+100 Psi per Level.
Powers:
Psionic Reflection]
Amdirlain didn’t bother showing them the variations specific to each region of the lower planes.
[Psionic Reflection
Details: Providing an innate mental reflection effect to send any attack that can’t overcome the possessor’s intelligence rating against its source. This response utilises the same mental pathways opened to launch it, making the original attacker especially vulnerable.]
That’s one way to bypass someone’s mental protections.
Sarah hummed thoughtfully. “Hopefully, those insights would include your Enduring Flame and Phoenix’s Symphony since they both contain defensive aspects.”
“Time will tell.”
“You’re set on that one?”
“The other stronger ones had names like Psionic Devourer or Psychic Maelstrom,” replied Amdirlain. “They are on par with the Psionic Dreadnought Class, but neither theme sounds like something I’d want to incorporate into a Prestige Class with Songbird. Its theme is this deep, rumbling bass that feels like a solid mountainside, enduring the battering of seasons without concern. There is another protective one, but it seems more effective on the Astral Plane than anywhere else.”
“You’ll need stronger mental defences later. If someone gets inside your thoughts, it could be bad,” observed Sarah. “Let’s come back to that for now. You’ve got three slots for classes. Do you have anything better as a Wizard option yet?”
“No, I’ll need to indulge in lots of casting since I’m still only getting offered classes on par with Primordial Locus.” Amdirlain frowned. “I guess I’ll leave a Class slot open for a later arcane pick.”
Sarah clicked her tongue thoughtfully. “It would be useful to have your Mana Font progressed before trying to hot house your way to Mana Mastery. What are your options for Monk variants?”
A new panel appeared before Amdirlain.
[Ki Guardian
Details: Guardians of life itself, those with access to this Class have proven themselves along the trials of life in both battle and compassion.
Provides significant insights into all protective and healing Ki Powers.
Requirements:
- Evolved a martial art 2+ times at Grandmaster rank.
- Evolved 2+ Ki powers with tailored techniques,
- Merged 4+ defensive/offensive Ki powers.
- Ki Pool over half a million.
- Saved the lives of over a million beings.
- Killed over a million beings.
- Establish an organisation for the benefit of others, at least partly involving teaching Ki.
Powers:
- Significantly increased chance of evolution for any Ki powers in the Grandmaster tier.
- Can unlock any Ki Power.
Adjustments:
+3 Defence per Level.
+2 Melee Attack Power per Level.
+9 Willpower per Level.
+4 Free attribute points per level after 22.
+30 Health per Level.
+90 Ki per Level.]
“That is the strongest option I’ve got.”
An irritated huff followed Sarah’s theme of Analysis. “That one has more requirements than many tier 5 achievements.”
“I don’t know which organisation involves Ki.”
Klipyl tapped Amdirlain’s leg. “Silly, the Daughters of Hope teach the use of Ki. Also, you’ve got dozens of delvers that Jul’iane has been teaching on Qil Tris.”
“What of the other requirements?” asked Master Cyrus.
"Ki Armour, Ki Aura, Ki State, Ki Infusion was my progression to Ki Body. My Ki Pool is just short of nine hundred thousand. Let's not talk about my death toll, even if most are demons."
Jinfeng whistled softly. “I don’t think I’ll ever manage that Class.”
“Just have to be positive,” declared Klipyl. “If you get all those sorted out before getting your Immortal insight, it would make a great starter point for a Tier 7 Prestige Class.”
“There is being positive, but I feel getting to that point is more overly optimistic, Klipyl,” said Jinfeng.
“You could help me close a demonic Gate on an inhabited world, that is bound to count as saving millions of lives,” persisted Klipyl. “What about the Class that combined Ki, Mana, and psionics?”
Amdirlain sighed. “Primal Monk. It needed a variant of Wizard, Monk, and Psion combined into one Class. While I’ve got them individually or in pairs in a Class, I don’t have all three. Once I do, it might unlock an even stronger Class.”
“And that’s why you’re being picky about setting up for your next four combined classes?”
“Yes.”
Sarah nodded. “It might be your last opportunity to combine them all with a True Song Class. Who knows what you’ll get from it? Psionic Dreadnought boosts your Intelligence and Endurance, which helps your True Song and psionics. Will you stack in favour of True Song’s need for Endurance or spread the other two classes towards Willpower?”
Bahamut recommended I improve my ability to channel as much energy as possible.
“Do you know of any Wizard variants that improve Willpower?” asked Amdirlain.
“There are some, but they are pseudo summoners. Is there another Class unlocked by your Psychic-Lord evolution that boosts Intelligence and Willpower? I know a few arcane classes that boost Intelligence and Endurance.”
“The defensive one I mentioned does. It's called Psychic Bastion.”
Amdirlain added its details to the display
[Psychic Bastion
Details: This Class focuses on establishing mental dominion and protective fields. While primarily used by psychics on the Astral Plane, it offers strong options for mental defence on any Plane.
Requirements:
- Possess True Psion or higher evolution.
- Intelligence over twenty-five thousand.
- Willpower over twenty-five thousand.
- Psi Pool over sixty million.
Adjustments:
+12 Intelligence per Level.
+12 Willpower per Level.
+4 Free attribute points per level after 22.
+10 Health per Level.
+200 Psi per Level.
- Increase Psi multiplier by one stage.
Powers unlocked:
- Energy Reservoir.
- Thought Form.
- Cloud Thoughts.
- Mental Fortress.]
Though she’d seen the first two powers offered within another Class, Amdirlain tossed them on the display for others.
[Energy Reservoir
Details: Allows for any objects to be used as a focal point for a reserve of energy (Psi or Mana). The quantity that can be stored depends on the object’s material, size, and the level of this Power. Draining the reservoir completely will always destroy the object.]
[Thought Form
Details: This Power unleashes a psychic entity with traits and goals chosen by their creator. Effective level and psionic abilities determine the projection's longevity and capacities. The entity will exist until it achieves a set goal or the invested Psi energy is exhausted.]
[Cloud Thoughts
Details: Offensively, inflicts confusion and a lack of focus on targets, ranging from dropping a weapon instead of sheathing it to directing spells at allies instead of foes. Defensively, provides an outer layer of false mental chatter to bombard any mental assault with distraction and false neural pathways, making it more difficult to delve into inner thoughts.]
[Mental Fortress
Details: Extends a psionic’s defensive mental techniques. It doesn’t depend on the user’s mental reservoirs and runs automatically. Initially, providing a diluted manifestation of whatever protective techniques the possessor knows increasing in effectiveness until, at Grandmaster, creating a genus node within the mind. Regardless of wakefulness, this genus node will actively seek and repel intruders, effectively multiplying the user’s mental protection. On the Astral Plane, its use causes defensive structures to be manifested out of the Plane’s environment. ]
“I like the bastion option better since it’ll give you a decent jump in your Willpower, which helps the defence and attack offered by your Enduring Flame. It also has powers to help shield your mind when you eliminate the curse,” offered Sarah.
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“Would you tell us how you ended up with a Power called Psychic-Lord instead of the True Psion that Aitherlar told you about?” asked Cyrus. “The details in these psionic classes refer to it.”
Sarah shot Cyrus a dissatisfied look. “That headband.”
At the sudden tension in Sarah’s body, Amdirlain patted her leg reassuringly. “When the powers were merging, I could hear the energy and tweaked their flow. Gideon’s notification awarded me True Psion and immediately progressed it to Psychic-Lord.”
“Does that mean you skipped one or two evolutions of the Power?”
“Two, since Psychic’s description says it’s an evolved version of True Psion, and then the tier progressed,” admitted Amdirlain. “Agony for shortcuts isn’t a trade I’d willingly accept any longer. The curious thing is he either doesn’t have classes created for it, or I’m missing qualifications for them. My bet is the second, and that’s the problem with shortcuts.”
“Not enough investment in supporting areas has caused many endeavours to fail,” offered Kadaklan. “The numbers you see are weird; they seem so small compared to things I’ve seen you do.”
“Does it help to know those are the base numbers, and my attribute bonuses get added on top of them at every level?” asked Amdirlain, adding a new section to the display.
[Attribute Bonuses:
Strength: +5,415
Endurance: +14,170
Quickness: +9,505
Intelligence: +14,645
Willpower: +14,029
Charisma: +11,463]
“Your endurance bonus applies to every level in every Class and Species?” questioned Klipyl.
“Yes, and retroactively at that. If my endurance bonus goes up, it will apply to every level I have.”
“This is part of the mechanism behind the realm’s rules?” asked Cyrus. “At least as far as your mind translates it? Surely the numbers don’t determine everything?”
“Nothing is a fixed certainty,” said Amdirlain. “It’s more what my optimal capacity limits are, but if I don’t focus, I can still mess up. Also, it’s a tiny part of the whole. For example, skills can have a simple additive outcome for lower tiers or compound effectiveness for higher tiers. You can measure everything without knowing these numbers. How much weight can you lift? How long can you run?”
Jinfeng shifted in her seat. “Have you shared this with anyone besides Sarah?”
“I gave an elven Sage a write-up of some Class details decades ago,” said Amdirlain. “I’m not sure how far it was distributed. Some people like to know numbers, but others go with the classes that feel right for how they want to live.”
“What do you prefer?” asked Jinfeng.
“These numbers are useful, but they’re not the only thing I consider. That I can look at a Class’s numbers and see where its focus lies is useful. That lets me find and fill in my weaknesses or build on my strengths,” explained Amdirlain. “As you can see from my strength bonus, crushing foes with Strength alone isn’t an area I specialise in. The powers I’ve gained let me apply my Willpower like a scalpel to break through defences.”
“Ki Guardian seems to provide the most aid to powers you have at Grandmaster,” noted Kadaklan. “Are you going to learn more Ki powers?”
“I think I need to refine the ones I already possess before I take it,” replied Amdirlain with a mischievous smile. “You know what that means?”
“What?” Kadaklan sighed.
“I’ll need your help to work on Universal Life,” replied Amdirlain.
“There are people better suited to that role.”
Amdirlain dramatically pouted. “But I want my favourite healer to teach me.”
Her objection was almost drowned out by a burst of giggles from Klipyl, and she mirrored the pout.
“I’m skilled at healing, but my focus is the application of alchemy to the healing process,” objected Kadaklan. “You need someone whose focus is battlefield or general healing since you seem to minimise the use of objects.”
“Speaking of alchemy, you never mentioned you were the Grandmaster Alchemist.”
“A Grandmaster,” emphasised Kadaklan. “It was never important. The South Wind’s Court has several at that rank in each pavilion. Unlike Indra Ka’s sect, the rank is based on competency alone, and there isn’t a cap on the number. I’m a Senior Master among the healers. Since you included us in this conversation, let’s discuss your overall goal for your classes. I’m curious about what you’re seeking to achieve.”
“I need to grow strong enough to become a progressive Primordial once my Soul gets released from the curse.”
? ? ? ? ? ?
Klipyl’s PoV - East Wind’s Court
In the early morning, Klipyl glided downstairs to respond to the ringing doorbell with Jinfeng on her heels.
As the stairs widened into the entryway, she jiggled sideways, carefully jostling Jinfeng and preventing her from reaching the latch first.
With a demure smile, she shooed Jinfeng back, enjoying the ribbons of playfulness and determination that rose from the woman, so different from her original serene composure. They spun slightly as the strength of their connected emotions shifted, invisible to even True Sight—Klipyl wasn’t sure what Power had granted her the ability to see emotional connections and feelings, from a single thin thread to a flurry of ribbons surrounding someone. Though talking to Ammie would solve the mystery, blindly exploring the Power was too fun to give up so soon.
She slid the front door open and regarded the fellow who had his hand extended to the silk ribbon hanging from the brass clapper. His outfit was typical of the martial pavilions she’d seen in all the courts. This uniform was a crisp blue silk, with white frothing at the hems of his sleeves and pants, unlike the grim feel in the north and west courts. Though he only came up to her shoulder, he was broad-shouldered with a solid musculature that made Klipyl hum appreciatively. The warmth of her gaze made him shift awkwardly, threads of pink embarrassment rising off him, prompting Klipyl to offer a reassuring smile.
“Good morning. What brings you by today?”
The young man bowed and held out a simple parchment envelope, presenting it formally with both hands. “I have an invitation from the Martial Pavilion to Master Lu Jinfeng.”
Klipyl returned the bow and accepted it. “Thank you. Do you wish to wait for a reply?”
“That won’t be necessary. It provides all the details she needs.” His piece said he bowed again and stepped back but he only turned away when Klipyl shut the door.
Jinfeng unfolded the letter and scanned the contents, with Klipyl peeking over her shoulder. It was a polite but concise listing of the Martial Pavilion training sessions for her attendance and how to arrange an arena for any exchange of pointers. Klipyl blinked when she folded it back up and briskly ran her fingers down the folds, threads of tight concern flaring from her.
“Problem?”
She tapped the letter against her palm. “I don’t know. It doesn’t say directly, but it’s implicit that the sessions are for me to attend alone.”
“That’s a chance to shine solo.”
“I thought they would invite Sifu as well,” replied Jinfeng. “I didn’t expect them to imply that she should stay away.”
“That’s hardly surprising if you think about it, Jinfeng,” Amdirlain called from where she’d appeared at the top of the stairs without warning.
“Sifu?”
“They’ve heard the tales of people’s rapid progress around me. The pavilion’s leadership wants to see what you’re like without my inspiration driving you on,” advised Amdirlain. “It’s not an insult, they’re curious to get a baseline to assess your progress after training here.”
Klipyl put a hand on her hip. “Have you been listening in, Ammie?”
She laughed, mirth sparkling in Amdirlain’s gaze, the warmth in her expression so much better than the once-masked grief. Yet the same Power that showed the threads of others’ emotions reveals nothing from her. Indra Ka was cold and isolated but even he had ribbons about him, making Klipyl sure it was from Am’s hidden state, and not lack of feelings or connection to others.
“Jinfeng was the one that enquired about the Martial Pavilion to Lady Takano, so they restricted the invitation to her, at least for now,” observed Amdirlain. “I said nothing because I’d meddle if I went to a training pavilion. What time is the first session you can attend, Jinfeng?”
“The next is in an hour, but we’ve our morning session then,” replied Jinfeng.
“How much time do you need to get there?”
Jinfeng’s mouth tightened into a straight line. “Only a few minutes. They’ve included directions for flying there.”
Amdirlain smiled reassuringly. “I can shift our training to a later time.”
As Jinfeng tensed, determination and irritation flickered about her. Frayed thread from her parent’s rejection and obstruction of her path flailed the surrounding air, wounds that lingered despite her progress.
“We can play dress up,” gushed Klipyl. “Some of those outfits we saw on the way here were so pretty but look complicated.”
The sudden change of subject caused the emotions to falter, and Jinfeng regarded her curiously.
“I need suitable clothing to show proper decorum here. Can I get you to cheat for me, Sis?” Klipyl looked innocently up at Amdirlain, deliberately oblivious to Jinfeng’s expression.
“A proper wardrobe is important for the right first impression.”
Klipyl lifted an eyebrow critically. “But you’re almost always wearing the same thing, and it looks like you’re ready for a fight.”
“I normally only care enough about clothes to wear something clean and practical,” countered Amdirlain before she looked back at Jinfeng. “It’s just as well you have an offer for a training session. Klipyl isn’t the only one who will have to dress up, I’ll have to figure out my wardrobe for formal visits.”
Jinfeng blinked in surprise. “You, dress up?”
“There is a difference between steamrolling someone officious and being rude when it doesn’t hurt anyone. Not wearing suitable attire when I know they find formality comforting is rude.”
“See, we can use the time while you meet some new martial fellows,” offered Klipyl innocently. “That way, we’re all making progress on needed tasks.”
She half expected Jinfeng to go straight out the door to confirm she had all the directions right. Instead, she joined Klipyl upstairs to discuss fancy garments for social battles, and no one suggested asking Cyrus for advice. When Klipyl drew attention from Kadaklan by clapping excitedly at the illusions of local dresses that Amdirlain presented, they shooed him on his way.
“I need ones with lots of pretty flowers.”
“Of course you do,” agreed Jinfeng. “I know the symbolism of flowers varies in different lands, so check what they mean to the locals before wearing them.”
Jinfeng had to head off before Klipyl finished the cloth selection, but as soon as she had it narrowed down to her favourite twelve, Amdirlain easily transformed cloth bolts into finished dresses. Sarah and Amdirlain were helping Klipyl into the first Kimono when there was a chime from the front bell. One of Sarah’s gadgets showed a water Shen, who appeared to be a young man in a dark blue silk mandarin shirt and pants, had tugged on the silk cord.
“I’ll get it,” Amdirlain started.
“I should get it,” declared Klipyl.
“That would be wise. To play by the local rules, we’ve got to watch seniority,” agreed Sarah, and she tightened Klipyl’s obi before she could teleport away. The Shen swallowed at her appearance, magnified by the impact of her unrestrained Charisma. The outfit's floral pattern of large orange and yellow flowers made her dark hair and pale skin stand out.
“Can I help you?” asked Klipyl.
“I’ve letters of invitation for Klipyl, Sword of Light, from Lady Kisshōten and Lady Omiyanome-no-Okami.”
Klipyl offered him a brilliant smile and tilted her head curiously. “Letters from both the ladies for me?”
The courier swallowed again and bowed, presenting a small tray with two sealed parchment scrolls.
Klipyl received them with both hands as she returned the bow. As she gathered them up, two distinct floral scents that complemented each other tickled her nose, and the feeling of a warm, summery day swept pleasantly across her.
“Would you come inside for some refreshment while I compose replies?” Klipyl stepped back and beckoned the courier inside.
The courier hesitated at the door. “Both ladies informed us they don’t require an immediate response.”
“Then please convey my appreciation to Lady Kisshōten and Lady Omiyanome-no-Okami for their invitations and assure them they’ll hear from me shortly,” Klipyl hesitated, her hand on the door. “Might I ask a question?”
“What is that I can help you with?”
“Do you usually deliver their letters together?”
“It was a matter of timing, and I’m handling deliveries this morning. Since their servants said they were both for you, I brought them together.”
Klipyl smiled and exchanged bows again before closing the door and retreating upstairs.
A mental call for help to Lerina brought a measured response. ‘Little Sis. Relax and discover what they want to speak about before worrying about the choices involved.’
‘But Lerina, I still can’t figure out what classes I want. Won’t you tell me what to pick?’
‘That’s not happening. We all need to embody choice and hope in what we do. If I stop asking and start ordering, I'm betraying Am. Find a path that brings you happiness while you help others discover their choices in life.’ The words came with a reassuring comfort that eased Klipyl’s jitters and firmed her determination.
As she passed the main room on the upper floor, the shifting light outside fell across Master Cyrus. He’d knelt on the edge of a mat to meditate, and the illumination played with the sharp lines of his features. That the interplay of light was enough to create a stark moment of simplicity for a Primordial caught her full attention.
“Do you need some advice, Klipyl?”
“Apologies for disturbing you.”
Cyrus smiled and gestured to a spot beside him. “My transformed state means I can easily keep track of my surroundings.”
“Am strikes again,” chuckled Klipyl, and she slipped inside the room. She paused on the threshold, fidgeting awkwardly with the letters. “I was just along to help, and now I have these.”
“And now?”
“I’m hoping they’ll just want to meet and have a friendly chat,” Klipyl sighed. “But I know that’s unlikely. They’ll have a reason for inviting me, and I’ll have to decide what to do. I don’t know what I want to do anymore, so it’s hard to decide if someone else's wants match my objectives.”
“Building on sand is challenging and prone to instability.”
“How do I figure out what to do with my existence?” huffed Klipyl. She plopped down next to Cyrus and set the scrolls aside. “Lerina says to take my time, but I’ve never stopped to think so much about something before. It’s driving me crazier.”
“Most people find the start of their way by focusing on something they wish to achieve. To become the best swordsman, gatherer, or healer. It was always about the Jian and her perfection of that weapon for Jinfeng.”
Klipyl grinned. “Or you to become the perfect teacher?”
Cyrus’s gaze twinkled. “Modest goals.”
“And others?”
“They decide what they can’t live without, Klipyl,” replied Cyrus. “You don’t have to know precisely from the start, as ongoing contemplation will let you refine your core. The elements you don’t want in your life will take exponentially more effort than whatever enjoyment they add, while the areas you enjoy can frequently feel effortless.”
“Thank you,” Klipyl moved the letters in front of Cyrus, the wax seal on display. “It feels strange asking you questions about them when they will hear.”
“Isn’t the same true as conversations near Am?”
“She tunes conversations out into background noise,” countered Klipyl.
“She did. I’m not sure if that is still the case, and I’m not planning to ask,” said Cyrus.
“Point. Would you tell me about Lady Kisshōten and Lady Omiyanome-no-Okami?”
“Lady Kisshōten is the senior goddess of beauty, fortune, and prosperity. Occasionally, she plays a role among the seven deities of fortune, but mostly, she leaves such duties to her lesser kin. Prayers from Geisha and children often find favour with her. If she wishes to speak with you, it will occur through an Oracle, not with the goddess directly.”
Klipyl wrinkled her nose in confusion. “I get lots of translations for the term Geisha. Are they performers?”
“I’ll discuss them with you later.” Cyrus’s composure didn’t waver.
“Why wouldn’t she speak to me directly?”
“She isn’t on the Material Plane, and if you went to her, you might lose track of time completely. Lady Kisshōten is one of the higher primordials, and the Jade Emperor is the one who communicates with them.”
“I hope I don’t mess up.”
Cyrus patted her hand reassuringly before he continued. “Lady Omiyanome-no-Okami is the goddess of the dawn, performing arts, and dance. She has a justifiable reputation for being a bright goddess with a keen sense of humour and playful nature, but she takes her duties to Lady Amaterasu seriously.”
“Lady Amaterasu you mentioned on the trip around the bay. She’s their goddess of the sun and another of the chief primordials above the Jade Emperor, correct?”
Cyrus smiled approvingly. “You were paying attention.”
“I always listen. Though I don’t always understand the importance mortals place on some things, I try to take it all in. There is something I’m curious about.” Klipyl hesitated. “But I can drop the subject if it’s too painful.”
Her worried expression made the topic an easy guess for Cyrus. “Why did we come here since we don’t need the prayers of mortals to survive?”
Klipyl nodded. “It seemed like you could have just closed the heavenly gates until the Yomi King lost his grip on the mortals’ hearts.”
“Since I would be in both realms, it was an opportunity to guide more souls to enlightenment.”
“But not all members of the five courts are in both realms.”
“They are not, and in part, that is because of the Great Wheel. The cycles turn, and the new replaces the old, but that doesn’t apply to immortals who can become obstacles instead of guides.”
“Most immortals left, so new immortals could grow against the challenge of the Yomi King and step into their roles? The ones that remained were there to support the new?”
“A healthy life contains opportunities to grow and change. You’re a fine guide in more than that respect,” Cyrus's words had tears prickling Klipyl’s gaze. “How might you grow?”
“Growth is a choice. I need to figure out what to say in my acceptance letters.” Klipyl impulsively kissed him on the cheek and plucked up the scrolls. “Which means I also need to decide outfits.”
With that, she ran off, and Cyrus’s good-humoured laughter lightened her mind.
