Chereads / Wandering Dead Roads / Chapter 3 - 3

Chapter 3 - 3

Crawling through the vents was relatively quiet and simple. Winston, my Homunculus, was a rather good warning system if something was going to have the possibility to discover us. The small flying metal statue taking to its self imposed role with zeal that made us both chuckle. It was like watching a puppy honestly. My cannon was currently folded up as a very compressed cube inside my bag, Tashaun tried to lift it and broke his back instantly. I had to use my modified Mending to fix his spine otherwise he'd never be able to walk again.

I could lift it rather easily as it's compressed by my abilities and magic, otherwise it just was a seemingly dense cube of metal and other materials.

My WC had also been killed after a while of running, the ghostly Orangutan went down swinging. Me and Tashaun managed to catch the ending of that chase and fight. Tashaun paled, and I just watched silently as the WC swung around on a glass ball in the center of all floors. Literal THOUSANDS of zombies climbing on each other or throwing themselves at the ball and cracking it were after the WC. The monkey knew it was going to die eventually as the ball's cracks were spreading. So when Tashaun almost got us killed the ghostly Orangutan screeched, arms raised in the air, before slamming them down on the ball beneath it.

Causing shards of glass to explosively go flying downwards due its strength, screaming and wailing on the undead Humans even they depleted it's health. We left after it did that, I had no doubt the monkey knew I was watching it, yet it made its own choice to draw the attention back to it. The summoned animal knew what would happen, it was experiencing it after all, so to prevent its summoner from dying it sacrificed itself. That… wasn't something I liked yet I could accept it, as animals were simple creatures and had more agreeable reasonings for certain actions. If it was a human they'd have potentially made things worse for everyone potentially. Because most Humans are selfish and would've demanded we save them, getting us involved and likely killed.

When we had gotten to a parking lot some humans had nearly done that. If I hadn't forced Tashaun into a jeep and started driving off after getting the keys from the zombified driver. We would've died, a smaller but more dangerous zombie wave had occurred due to their screaming. The wave that reached where we were had a concerning amount of "Bulls" in it, the armored zombies were quick on their feet and highly destructive chargers. While their armor can be broken, the better it is the tougher that is for normal people. Some spells even face that same problem, Firebolt can set them on fire if an unarmored section is hit, but that's a small chance to be present. Plus fuck those people, and the six Bulls that killed them, they shot at Winston.

I may not FEEL but I can simulate… and then there was the RAGE I actually felt with my body heating up. If I had let that continue things could've gotten worse in some way, so the worthless were sacrificed and Tashaun evacuated as he knows stuff that can't be shared easily. Infection could potentially connect him to a hive mind of some sorts, or the very vague chance that someone could find a way to read the dead minds of high value targets.

So even though I don't really like the man, until I can completely vaporize him or make sure he never tells a secret even in death. Then I can only keep him alive and close, his group following that same decision, only when the military truly gets involved will I not be able to actually do so. By that point I'll have to be on the run or make it very clear that I can't be fucked with. Hm wasn't there a Dragon Mark  called Mark of Passage? I will be getting three feats next level, and I can use one to get the mark to be able to learn ways to move around faster. I was only five hundred short as my WC killing or causing the deaths of a lot of the infected was giving me experience, making Winston had also given a small amount of experience. 

So much to Tashaun's horror I had begun to run over the infected if there weren't big groups while he gave me directions. Running over a Lurker the world froze in my vision and so I got to select my feats, but also got a notice from my character sheet saying my HP was being corrected due to my collective class health. I was rather surprised at my health as that also meant I could do more strenuous stuff due to HP affecting my body.

[Kaiser Lockart | Warforged Human | Druid, Warlock, Artificer | Far Traveler | Chaotic Neutral |Level 4 0/2,700

— — — —

Status:

Armor Class: 16 | Proficiency +2

Strength: 18, +4(mod), +4(save) | Intelligence: 23, +6(mod), +8(save)

Dexterity: 21, +5(mod), +5(save) | Wisdom: 16, +3(mod), +3 (save)

Constitution: 15, +2(mod), +4(save) | Charisma: 14, +2(mod), +2(save)

— — — —

Abilities:

Strength: Athletics 4

Dexterity: Acrobatics 5, Sleight of hand 5, Stealth 5

Charisma: Deception 2, Intimidation 2, Performance 2, Persuasion 2

Wisdom: Animal Handling 3, Insight 7, Medicine 3, Perception 7, Survival 3

Intelligence: Arcana 10, History 6, Investigation 10, Nature 6, Religion 6

— — — —

Spells:

Cantrips: Fire Bolt, Mending, Thunder Clap, Spare The Dying, Mold Earth, Eldritch Blast, Sword Burst, Chill Touch, Find Familiar, Dancing Lights

1st LVL: Purify Food and Drink, Identify, False Life, Ray of Sickness, Unseen Servant, Comprehend Languages, Goodberry, Speak with Animals, Jump, Catapult, Witch Bolt, Shield, Thunderwave, Ice Knife, Expeditious Retreat

2nd LVL:  Blindness/Deafness, Gentle Repose, Misty Step, Pass without Trace

3rd LVL: Feign Death, Speak with Dead, Blink, Phantom Steed

— — — —

Racial Features:

Within 120 feet of you, treat dim light as bright and darkness as dim light

Ability Scores increased by one

Light Fortification: Whenever a sneak attack or critical hit is scored, there is a 25% chance that the extra damage is negated and damage is rolled normal

Tireless: Immune to Fatigue and Exhausted conditions

Automatic Languages

Partial Inorganic: You do not require sleep, you only require one meal and water every two months

Pain Tolerance: Unless it's intentional self inflicted pain you do not feel it

— — — —

Artificer Features:

As an action, use tools to give a tiny object a visual, auditory, or olfactory effect.

  -The object sheds bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet. Whenever tapped by a creature, the object emits a recorded message that can be heard up to 10 feet away. You utter the message when you bestow this property on the object, and the recording can be no more than 6 seconds long. 

 -The object continuously emits your choice of an odor or a nonverbal sound (wind, waves, chirping, or the like). The chosen phenomenon is perceivable up to 10 feet away.

 -A static visual effect appears on one of the object's surfaces. This effect can be a picture, up to 25 words of text, lines and shapes, or a mixture of these elements, as you like.

 -Artificer Infusions: Enhanced Weapon, Homunculus Servant, Repeating Shot, Replicate Magic Item: Bag of Holding

 -Eldritch Cannon:

  -Flamethrower: The cannon exhales fire in an adjacent 15-foot cone that you designate. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 2d8 fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. The fire ignites any flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried.

  -Force Ballista: Make a ranged spell attack, originating from the cannon, at one creature or object within 120 feet of it. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 force damage, and if the target is a creature, it is pushed up to 5 feet away from the cannon.

  -Protector: The cannon emits a burst of positive energy that grants itself and each creature of your choice within 10 feet of it a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1)

Druid Features:

 -Druidic: You know Druidic, the secret language of druids. You can speak the language and use it to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a message. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom(Perception) check but can't decipher it without magic.

 -Druidic Circle of Spores

 - Wild Shape

 -Wild Companion

 -Halo of Spores

 -Symbiotic Entity

 - Improved Wildshape

Warlock Features:

 -Pact of The Undying

Repel attacks by undead creatures

You know the spells False Life and Ray of Sickness

Spare the Dying counts as a cantrip for you

 -Innovactions: Mask of Many Faces, Repelling Blast

— — — —

Feats:

Gunner: You are proficient with firearms, you don't have disadvantage when firing at adjacent targets, you can fire the same weapon more than 1/round, and +1 Dex

Slotless: You can cast spells freely, over use though will cause headaches and eventually death

Materialless: Spells requiring materials can be cast without them in exchange for HP depending on the spell level

Spell Mixer: you can mix spells together (self taught)

Sharpshooter: Your ranged attacks ignore no cover and half cover, you don't have disadvantage from long range, and you can take -5 to a ranged attack for +10 damage.

Linguist: You know three additional languages, can create coded ciphers, and gain +1 int

Aberrant Mark:  Your marks flaw is your mark whispers to you, its whispers are indistinguishable

  -Mark of Passage: 

   -Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and one other Ability Score of your choice increases by 1(con).

   -Courier's Speed You gain a base walking speed of 35ft.

   -Intuitive Motion: Whenever you make an Dexterity (Acrobatics) or an Ability Check involving operating or maintaining a Land Vehicle, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the total ability check.

   -Magical Passage: You can cast the Misty Step spell with this trait. Once you cast this spell with this trait, you can't cast that spell again until you finish a Long Rest. Dexterity is your Spellcasting Ability for these spells.

   -Spells of the Mark: If you have the Spellcasting or Pact Magic class feature, the spells on the Mark of Passage Spells table are added to the spell list of your Spellcasting class.

Extra Spell Level: Due to your collective class levels your Spell Paths gain access to spell slots one level above your current Spell Levels

— — — —

Proficiencies:

Armor - Light, Medium, Shields

Weapon - Simple, Firearms

Tool: Guitar, Thieves' Tools, Tinker's Tools, Blacksmith Tools

Languages: Common, Greek, Draconic, Elven, Asgardian, Roman, Japanese, Javascript, Python

— — — —

Curses:

Frailty: You are more likely to get sick or break bones easily (partially counteracted)

Sociopath: You do not understand feelings, nor will you ever, the only feelings you truly understand are the warped feelings you simulate

Emotional Suppression:  You barely register emotions at all when they come to you

Physical Immortality: You can never die, you will always regenerate, the only way you can die is if your soul is destroyed, this is both a curse and a blessing

Insanity: You always see and hear things that aren't there, things which would cause these hallucinations have no sway over you, only your own mind can torment you

— — — —

Blessings:

Tri-Class: You can have three classes at once and level them all together at once

Sparta's Blessing: Your rage is insurmountable, your always tightly lidded rage lets you suppress or ignore affects targeting your senses or were cast by a god

Last Words: Words left unsaid should you pass or leave the world permanently in some way shall be delivered regardless of world rules

— — — —

Soul Bound:

Bag of Infinite Ammo

Steam Deck

Android Phone]

Grinning as the world once more sped back up, I chuckled realizing I had third level spells because collectively I could handle those so I was given them by my character sheet. Which means since I could be said to be a level twelve in name when I'm only level four naturally even with three classes. This was interesting since the health fix added up to twelve levels of health as well even though it isn't on there, I should have close to a hundred twenty health. Which… yeah I sorely needed it because of getting hurt and sick so much due to being frail body wise even with my high scores so extra HP was appreciated given it helped passively reinforce my body.

Pulling the car to a halt after running over another Lurker, Tashaun all but fumbled out before throwing up while I decided to have a little fun with the mark that I could feel had been etched into my chest. As I had the opportunity to do so, Misty Stepping I felt my body become fog briefly as I essentially teleported right next to Tashaun and smacked him on the back playfully.

"Ah! Fuck man! How'd you move so fast?!"

"I can now traverse a lot more freely, so I decided to just try something out."

I said this rather casually as I used Misty Step to appear on top of a light pole. The spell like many others was less… constrained…. It still has its restrictions, but as long as I took "steps" it let me go anywhere within sight. I both stepped up on the light pole and the air with a jump to get up here while making sure my feet touched the pole. Tashaun looked up at me as if seeing a cartoon scene in real life. Stepping off the light pole, foot still touching it, I became mist once more. Circling around the firefighter before shooting off towards a Bullet with Misty Step.

Drawing my axe and creating a Pact Weapon in the form of a Great Axe. Tensing my muscles I threw the pact weapon that flew as if a cannon fired, my strength not for show even if Mending has to prevent my arm from exploding. The PW spinning through the air with air currents buzzing around it. Then it hit the riot armored zombie, its lower half separating from the top half. Dismissing the PW as it continues to fly, I swung my axe up the falling top half's chin. Cleaving the head in half with the helmet flying off, spinning mid step, must trailing after me with a Lurker jumping at me from under a car. As the jumpy undead flew by from my hand that was facing down towards it already an Eldritch Blast went off.

Its head exploded into a mess of gore as the spell hit the back of its head. Meanwhile the body skids a few feet away without it's head. Misty Stepping back towards Tashaun that had my Homunculus guarding him I chuckled.

"I think I got my original fighting style from before I got so frail back. Because damn if that wasn't nostalgic."

I honestly missed fighting like that, if Atreus was ranged with Kratos being a raging bull. Then I had to become a speedy misdirection close ranged ranger due to being extremely squishy. Couldn't pull that off in my last stand because I was weak already and there just wasn't the space to do so. Then I spent years here worrying about just breaking my damn neck due to turning my head too fast. So getting to revisit that style of fighting was honestly quite pleasing.

"Holy shit man… you just split that armored zombie in half like it was nothing! You were essentially just mist the entire time! Are you sure you can't teach me your magic bullshit?"

"Yes. Your bodily constitution wouldn't be able to handle an ounce of magic. You could use a magic item just fine, but only ONE otherwise you would die. Even just using a Bag of Holding would count as the one magic item. But if you truly wanted to learn magic, I could essentially force you to adapt to do so. Which would make you experience excruciating pain as your body would be essentially evolving forcibly. In the end though, if you survived the pain without having a heart attack or something, you'd be able to become any of the DnD classes at essentially random based on your current capabilities. Like you very likely becoming a Fighter or Rogue as your physical abilities stand out more."

Tashaun deflated hearing that if he truly wants magic, he'd have to risk dying rather painfully. As magic isn't anyone's friend, it'll fuck you up if given a chance because it's more of a force of nature. Wild Magic is a thing after all, plus if someone without any talent for magic wanted it. Then it would essentially test their resilience in holding and using it. I would know, I murdered a high school bully by forcing magic into his body. Police still never found his remains as he melted from being introduced to magic. He deserved it though, I found the young man molesting another male student not far from their school.

The victim was scared shitless that he was already passed out by the time I acted. That's a given since he had several trauma to his anus, a gash on his head, and blood loss on top of mentally shutting down to preserve his sanity. His assailant could barely make a noise before he was just a puddle of flesh. That I later incinerated and kept the ashes due to any lingering magic in them. The kid graduated highschool with a scholarship to the college he wanted as I decided to give him a hand. By now he should be squirreled away as a robotics expert for drones.

It was amusing, I DIDN'T feel anything regarding the kid, not even pity. I just helped off a whim to avoid the loss of someone that loved creating robots from what I found in his bag. Heading up through the building that doubled as a mall and office building that currently was being used as shelter for hundreds of people. Tashaun's group consisted of one Angel Flores, Bunko Tatsumi, and Arnette Larkin… a Firefighter, a gangster, a hacker, and an engineer. Certainly an odd enough group to sound like a DnD party or the beginnings of one.

While I walked around with the group, I took my fair share of items to use to create more items. One person had a literal claymore that he apparently took from a museum. I gave the man one of the trench knives I had in my bag because I hoard weapons or tomes. With my new claymore I rested it on my shoulder, while we headed up stairs to the roof. Once we got to the second to topmost floor, the carnage started as a child hugging their mother turned. So did many others. So our small group bolted, any of the specials that got close I eviscerated with my new sword using raw strength. The regular ones the others could mop up easily enough.

Tashaun was especially putting his temporarily enchanted axe to the grind. Winston was currently being a spinning ball of death with constant Eldritch Blasts going off. None of the group questioned it, since the Homunculus was killing more than enough zombies.  Once we reached the roof we barricaded the door and got comfortable on the roof. The dead banging on the doors for a long time, before giving up for other prey. The more persistent ones got their heads blown off their necks with an Eldritch Blast. And like so we'd spend a few weeks on the roof, with me enchanting and infusing my claymore to become a beast.

Swinging my newly bound Pact Weapon and magic sword that was a mix of Asgardian and DnD magics. I grinned, flames rolling off the blade harmlessly with each swing. Flame Tongue: Claymore Edition, a sword made using literal divine Dwarven Techniques and my Artificer class to its full potential. Even if cracks formed along my body from pushing it, it was still very possible, I just had to tap into powers I wasn't ready for yet. Fixing my body was as simple as breathing for me by now to the point I practically breathed Mending unconsciously. Which scared the others as they watched me about to explode repeatedly before rapidly healing with Mending.

"This will do nicely… and man I fucking love Mending…"

"You don't say…."

"Shut up Bunko."

"No. How are you even using that spell from my niece's stupid game to fix your body? It's not a healing spell!"

"Mending and many other spells are all about your precognitive views surprisingly… Mending SHOULDN'T work like it is, but because I see my body more as an item or crafting materials if needed. It ignores that restriction and fixes me, because to me I'm an ITEM for my own crafting, that view has altered its purpose slightly. Plus it's not untrue, I've used my own flesh and blood to create things before. So as far as I'm concerned, Mending is doing its job just right."

"Fucking insane bastard…. So you ready then to get out of here?"

I didn't bother answering, I just nodded my head. While I stood up fully, since I had been swinging my sword while sitting for the most part. Resting the flaming sword that I had attuned to, and practiced getting used to, for the past hour on one shoulder. It was about time for us to leave as waiting was getting dangerous.