My Stealth crept up into the high apprentice levels from the exercise scouting the Ice Troll. The training was good. What I found the most difficult was being around people so much. There were constantly people everywhere, and I was handling it less and less well. Ice Trolls are not the only solitary creatures. Polar Bear-kin are as well.
I liked the late watch schedule through the early hours of the morning. Even though there was very little dark at this time of year, most people had their rest period then. There was always a shift working the mine, but it was a light shift, and most others slept.
Some days, I just needed to get away. I would take off and go fishing or swimming or just wander the wilds for a bit and watch the sun, stars and moons. The night sky always brought me peace. I liked to laze in the sun’s warmth. The sky didn’t change. It didn’t have strange customs. Yoboc taught me the names of the major constellations. And I can pick them out enough to navigate by now. This was good as there will be times I want to go to a particular place. Maybe find my way back here sometime.
My Fishing levels jumped when the dwarves introduced me to using a fishing line and a hook. I used more bait, but I didn’t get wet. If I took a knife, I could descale and fillet it for cooking. I was just used to eating it whole, but you did have to crunch the bones well. I was quite partial to cooked fish, especially with a few herbs. I didn’t usually cook them myself, but I would take them back to our cook. He showed me what to do, and I learned to light a fire and cook, but if I was on my own, I probably would not bother.
By the time you have packed flint, knives, fishing gear, axes for wood… and the list just goes on, who wants to lug all that around everywhere? The dwarves take clothes and armour everywhere as well. No wonder they stick to one place to live.
When I could, I just turned back into a bear and went wandering. I had to do it to stay sane. These dwarves might generally be OK, but they are still insane, especially when they get some alcohol in them. I have learned to drink their ale, but their whiskey is too much.
There is one skill that the guards aren’t teaching me, and everybody says I should know it. Even the guards I work with say I should learn it, but there is no time to teach me, and it is not essential for the class. I am not sure I need knife skills, although technically, they are called Small Blades. I have my claws so I don’t also need to know Small Blades.
They argue that knives are easy to carry as a backup weapon, but claws are easier. They argue that I will find knives all over the place if I need a weapon, but my claws are always with me. The argument that knives are good throwing weapons does have some merit, and learning Small Blades will sync with my Throw Weapons Skill. The other argument is that knowing Small Blades at least at the Apprentice level will teach me how I can be attacked and, therefore, how to defend against it. Maybe. As it is such a common skill, I guess being attacked with a knife is quite common.
I borrowed a couple of knives, and Yoboc showed me some practice moves to get me started. There is a problem with all these weapons. The problem is if you carry weapons, then you have to carry all the equipment to sharpen and maintain them. Most guards have a skill for that, and it is part of what they are taught. There is just so much stuff that is needed. Weapon maintenance gear, armour maintenance equipment, on top of everything else. It all seems to just weigh everyone down, and it all costs coin.
All my gear was loaned to me because I had no coin. I was taught to maintain it because they want it back in good condition. I did get the Weapon Repair skill, but repairing armour seems beyond me. It all seems far too much. Is this really how people live? It does seem to be.
The one weapon I like and would consider getting is the axe. It is a very versatile weapon, especially the ones with the spike on the back like these. You can really put some power behind the strikes, and the spike can crack armour, or you can use it as an ice pick. It can chop wood, which is great. The axe is the best weapon. I like the axe. I am OK with the shield and spear, but I like the axe.
I can see the advantage of the spear and keeping the monster at a distance, and that is going to be a key in fighting the Ice Troll, but the axe is much more versatile. I picked up axe skills really quickly.
The fight with the Ice Troll was delayed a week when the supply ship arrived. This was a smaller ship than before, and it was all hands to help unload the supplies and load the ore. It only stayed a week, and a few dwarves went home with it while some others stayed. Most were here for the full summer.
This fight with the Ice Troll is important to me. It is important because one day, I will be coming up against the Ice Cats. I need to learn how to combat something with an Ice affinity.
“It is Eric’s Patrol’s turn to get a monster kill, and we will be taking Ivan with us to attack the Troll,” The commander said. “Yoboc and I will be coming, but we have monster kills on our status and specialised classes from that. Eric is up for the monster kill, but we will not be taking any chances, and whoever lands the final blow will get the kill.”
I knew that a monster kill on my status would open up different Specialised classes. The Guard Class is one that might specialise in Monster Hunter, but it may not either.
“To be clear, the monster core will go to the Forgemaker Clan to power the Earth Eater, but the other resources we harvest will be split between participating people. Almost everything on the Troll is harvestable, and in this climate, we can keep the perishables frozen easily. Therefore, the Forgemaker quartermaster will assess the value and issue you your portion in coins. There will be no fighting over the spoils.” The Commander looked at everyone present. I gathered there was some history behind this.
“Eric will take first aggro on the Troll, and we will lead it out onto bare ground rather than ice. Eric has a skill that should draw it to him reliably. He will indicate when he will pass aggro to his second, etc. Yoboc has the liquid fire formula, and we will be applying it to melt the ice as much as we can. We don’t have much, but the object is to get the Troll to use more and more Spiritual energy to wear it out. This will also reduce its ability to regenerate health.”
The commander paused to make sure everybody was keeping up. Then he continued, “I will have the War hammer, and I will break the ice. And this will probably draw its attention, which you will need to get back as I won’t have a shield. There will always be three shield bearers with whoever has the Troll's attention. Eric will be directing who they are, and they will rotate. If you are not on shield defence, you are on the attack with the axes where the ice has melted or broken or the axe spike if there is still ice where you can reach. The axe blades will make bigger wounds in the flesh, but the axe spike will break the ice better. Any questions?”
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“How long do you expect this fight to last?” I asked.
“That depends on how fast we can whittle down its Spiritual Energy and Regeneration, but I would say not less than an hour, probably more like two,” the commander replied.
“Do we have a healer,” a guardsman asked.
“No, but the company will supply two health potions each. You are responsible for your energy management, so Stamina and Mana potions are on you.”
There were a couple more questions, but we would set out mid-morning tomorrow. The most important instruction was to stick together if it all goes bad. Lone people are easy to target and kill, and a group can defend against more powerful creatures, like the troll.
This was a thought for me, as I tend to hunt alone. Dwarves were definitely group hunters. Groups can take on monsters bigger than any individual could. A group of Ice Cats took down my mother. I will need a group with me when the time comes. This is definitely getting more complicated, but I am starting to realise how thoroughly outmatched I am. I will need an attack group against the Ice Cats.
I wandered away, off duty until tomorrow. I dropped my geat and trousers in the lean-to, and they built me behind the kitchen. Felix was there asleep. I think he is older and more frail than I was told.
I changed into a polar bear and went for a walk down to the beach. Parts of the ice shelf were so melted that we had a small rocky beach. It was the height of summer, and autumn was approaching.
I looked at my attributes.
I was saving my free attributes for Physical or Spiritual Perception, whichever was going to be needed. I was stronger in almost everything. Most of the dwarves still had me beat as they had specialisation classes, and your basic classes were only able to specialise when they got Journeyman level, which was level 10. Specialisation classes were offered based on your skills and attributes, and they often had minimum requirements. Specialisation classes also often gave a hard-to-get skill when you chose it. I wasn’t sure what options I would get with Hunter Scavenger, but that was still three levels away, and levels were slower to get the higher you were. My options have certainly expanded with the training I have received.
I looked through my skills.
Resistances: Cold +29, Pain +3
Skills:
Novice:
General
Weapon Repair 1,
Fighting
Crushing Bite 3, Tough Hide 3, Small Blades 1,
Senses
Lore
Herb Lore 3, Plant Lore 4, Animal Lore 4, Mineral Lore 2, Monster Lore 1,
Apprentice:
General
Arctic Camouflage 9, Transform 8, Fishing 7, Sprint 8, Tracking 8, Stealth 8, Tremor 5, Dwarvish 7, Identify 5,
Fighting
Quick Claws 5, Unarmed Combat 6, Shield 5, Spear 5, Throw Weapons 5, Axe 5,
Senses
Olfactory 7,
Lore
Arctic Lore 6
Journeyman:
General
Common 11,
Fighting
Senses
Nightsight 10,
Lore
The key thing I have realised is how important Lore is. Knowledge undermines everything. I am not good with book learning. I learn best with someone like Yoboc, who is teaching me on the job.
I am going into a fight tomorrow, and I am the weakest person there. I know they will look out for me, but for all my improvements, I am still the weakest. I get my butt handed to me in Unarmed Combat, and even with the practice spears and axes, my Tough Hide has levelled.
I am frustrated. I know I have made huge progress, but it never seems to be enough. Now, I am going into a fight where everybody will have to watch out for me. Grrrr. I need to do better.
