Holy crap!

I boggle at the wall of information, There was so much to decipher. Even with focusing and not summoning up my full Character sheet I’m nearly overwhelmed. The top is the first major bit of information.

Available Character Points: 24

Wowza. More than I’d thought. Much more. But I don’t even waste time for a mental grin, instead, I keep scanning through as quickly as possible. Then something else jumps out at me in the Special Abilities Section.

Perfect Recall - You have an amazing knack for details. When you have time to concentrate you are able to remember images and other sensations with near-photographic precision. (Time Limited Purchase: 21 hours remaining) Cost: 5 points

The description and the time limit makes me pause for a second longer than I'd intended. The wheels in my brain spin so fast I swear I smell burning rubber. I spare a few more heartbeats to narrow my focus and Analyze the (Time Limited Purchase: 21 hours remaining)

Time Limited Purchase: If the criteria are met certain Skills, Special Abilities, Powers or similar may be Unlocked. If the points are not spent the offer will expire. This may mean the offer is lost completely or the conditions for purchase will need to be met again at a later time.

That was too good to pass up. I will the Character Point spend, punch out of the void and rocket back into the edge of trance, feeling the passage of time slow and resume like I’ve just exited hyperspace.

Everything around me is still and I allow myself to experience the meditative state for a moment. It really was quite calming. I hear a steady metronome-like tick tick tick of the clock on the edge of the tub to my left and the distant murmur of Cinnamon, perhaps talking to herself in the bedroom.

You are no longer Resting.

Looking to the clock I check how long it has been. Almost ten minutes? I chew on my lip in thought. There was so much to unpack, but that new skill might be just what I need. All I need to do of course was figure out how to use it.

Breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. C’mon Daniel-san, just like Mr. Miyagi taught you. Breathe in. Out. Concentrate and...

You use Special Ability: Perfect Recall

Times stops. Then races backward at the speed of thought until I'm staring at my Character sheet. I feel the smile creep across my face as I slowly move the sheet up and down like I’m scrolling through a page on a phone or kindle.

Everything was there, just like when I had been on the lifter and saw the accident. What a godsend. I play my memory carefully reading the lines over again. Now I could plan a bit instead of knee-jerk point spending due to lack of time and with my remaining 19 Character points I wanted to try and make the most out of it.

10 Commonly Used Skills

Charm 14- cost to raise: 2 pt

General Skill: Conversation 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

General Skill: Deception 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

General Skill: Deduction 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

Insight 12- cost to raise: 2 pt

Parkour 13- cost to raise: 2 pt

Perception 14- cost to raise: 2 pt

General Skill: Persuasion 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

Stealth 13- cost to raise: 2 pt

General Skill: Trading 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

I suppose that I have been using more skills than I thought. Seeing those low 8- numbers are rather worrisome and I can’t help but think that I may have flubbed a few interactions due to them. If we are going to be in a social situation perhaps I should look at raising some of them.

Newly Acquired Skills:

General Skills:

General Skill: Climbing 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

General Skill: Conversation 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

General Skill: Deception 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

General Skill: Fishing 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

General Skill: Performance 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

General Skill: Persuasion 8- cost to purchase: 1 pt

I notice quite a few duplicated skills between the Newly Acquired and the Commonly Used. That cinches it. And I earmark 4 points to pick up Conversation, Deception, Deduction, and Persuasion. Trading makes me pause. That seems like a great skill to level up as well, I’m sure that I used it in obtaining the Scriber and the Jewelry, which I noticed my plans for listed further down. If I have enough points its one I’ll definitely come back around to.

Available Knowledge Skills:

Knowledge Skill: Humanoid Races cost to purchase: 2 pt

I suck my teeth loudly. This one seemed like a must pick up as well. That’s another 2 points. Continuing my scrolling I stop when I spy the next entry.

Free Background Skills:

Knowledge Skill: Monsters 13- > cost to raise: 2 pt

Cooking 11- > cost to raise: 2 pt

Artist 11- > cost to raise: 2 pt

x1 Free Background Skills Remaining

It seemed I was getting a few free things as I progressed. I did have some talent when it came to cooking and art. And I do recall seeing that I had a skill regarding monsters before too. It could be that is translated over from my gamer knowledge.

What was odd to me, however, is that I could easily call on basics, like trolls being vulnerable to fire and acid for instance, but when I tried to get that info dump instinctive knowledge like I had done with the Naga to Crod I’d gotten nothing. Perhaps I had simply failed the ‘roll’ in order to pull on the information pertaining to this world.

General Skill: Deduction + Situational Bonus: Success!

That had to be it. Also when I’d thought about my old job at Big Joe’s and then about my years filling notebooks with sketches of superheros I’d gotten a bit of a rush too. At the time I figured it was just a bit of nostalgia, but it was much like the feeling of exhilaration when I access my character knowledge. The art and cooking skills must have been added to my character when had focused on skills that I had actually possessed in my old life

I’d have to be careful and see if I can hold onto that last Free Background Skill slot. I certainly don’t want to waste it on something like Knowledge Skill: Movie Trivia.

Free Innate Character Skills:

Regional Knowledge: Despthfell 15- > cost to raise: 2 pt

Free Native Character Languages:

Native Language: Shadowspeak / Darktongue

Native Language: Elvish

Free Dialect: Drow

x0 Free Native Languages Remaining

Free Basic Languages

Unlock CANCELED: Free Basic Language: Zantorish

x2 Free Basic Languages Remaining

It seems that I might not have to worry about wasting that slot after all, seeing as I somehow canceled a Free Basic Language. I do remember when I was talking to Raven and trying to place her sexy accent I’d toyed with the idea of testing out some of my old high school Spanish. That had to be it.

Special Abilities Available for Purchase:

FlashBang Shot: lvl 1 – (Action): Gunslinger may fire their weapon close to an opponent's head imposing the blinded and deafened condition for a short time. Cost: 5 points

Pistol Whip: lvl 1 – (Re-Action): Gunslinger may use the butt of their weapon to make a melee attack. Cost: 5 points

Gunslinger Swagger: lvl 1 – (Passive): The Gunslinger has [+5 Presence] only for Faceoffs, Presence Attacks, or similar situations. Cost: 3 points

Perfect Recall - You have a amazing knack for details. When you have time to concentrate you are able to remember images and other sensations with near-photographic precision. (Time Limited Purchase -21 hours remaining) Cost: 5 points

Craftsman Abilities: Available for Purchase:

Market Song: (Action): Through minor arcane manipulation the skills of Conversation, Persuasion, and Trading are increased for a short time. (Mana cost 2) Cost: 5 points

Ice Maker: (Slow Action): Grants the ability to chill liquids down to freezing temperatures. Useful on hot days. (Mana cost 1) Cost: 4 points

Clean Shop: (Slow Action): A spell often used at the end of the day to tidy up a workshop or place of business. (Mana cost 2) Cost: 4 points

I rub my chin as contemplate the Special Abilities. There were a couple that I want to spend points on right away. Gunslingers Swagger mostly just because I like the idea if nothing else. I’m not exactly sure how often it would come into play for me.

FlashBang didn’t seem that great at first glance, but it would give me another special effect beyond just trying to do physical damage which was always a plus in my book.

Where I had dismissed them before the Craftsman Abilities I'm now seeing possible uses for. Market Song in particular looks to be a very good one, especially with me being in a city and because I had been using every one of those skills recently. Still, it was a large point sink especially if I buy both the skills and the Special Ability magical booster for them.

I finally decide to allow myself a max of 5 points for a Special Ability. Which means I’m down to 8 Points already. Give or take.

Character Limitation: Added

Social Limitation: Shadowkin – Occurs: Frequently. Effect: Minor: A member of a racial or cultural group that is somehow out of the norm for the surrounding society. [+10 Character Points]

Character Limitation: Available for Acquisition

Psychological Limitation: Absent-Minded – Occurs: Very Frequently. Effect: Moderate: - Character is forgetful of, or confused by, anything not related to what they are working/focused on at the moment. [+20 Character Points]

That explains where a big chunk of those 24 Character Points came from. I guess the interactions with people and me being a bit of an outcast, or at least not the norm around here has given me some kind of social stigma. It doesn’t look to be that bad simply that I don’t blend in with the crowd. Which I suppose could be problematic.

Then there’s the Absent-Minded Limitation. If I were to add that to my Character the 20 additional points that added would be a huge resource. I could increase my stats, purchase and upgrade skills even grab more Special Abilities. I wobble my head from side to side in contemplation. That I was 'Shadowkin' had been referenced a few times today both in passing, casual conversation and as what was definitely racist bigotry. If that was Frequently and Minor I don't think I want to see what Very Frequently and Moderate is. Especially when it comes to attention span and possible forgetfulness.

No. I think I’ll pass on mixing D&D with ADHD.

I move onto the final text block. Lists of possible Crafted Items I could try and make. There are already a good dozen or so entries. Various small devices I had been percolating in the back of my mind ever since I made my shades. I look over the break down of a Pocket Watch. The Drayger pistol grips for my gun; taking note of the hour or so left that it will take to complete. Finally, I find the one particular entry I’m looking for.

Earring of Whispered Words: When worn these earrings can be touched allowing the wearer to send whispered messages to other linked earrings; as long as they are within the range of a quarter-mile.

Required Materials: Scriber Parts / Resonance Crystal / Jewelry

Required Craft Skill: Inventor (-12 Minimum)

Required Craft Skill: Magitech (-13 Minimum)

Crafting Time (each): 2 hrs / 2 hrs Remaining

Modifier: (Exceptional) Magictech Toolkit: 25% reduction to crafting time.

Crafting Time (each): 1.5 hrs / 1.5 hrs Remaining

Bonded Item Character Point Cost: 5 pts

Accessory Item Character Point Cost: 3 pts

Duplicate - Automatic Accessory Item: Character Point Cost: 1 pts

If ever there was a crucial, must-have item in-game, some sort of comm device to keep in contact with other party members was it.

Normally it would be fairly easy to get an item that would fit the bill in a modern or Sci-fi game. A phone, radio, cybernetic implant, spy gadget any number of things really. It was almost commonplace. So much so that the GameMaster would have to go out of their way to specifically design scenarios where those kinds of communication were usable. Frequency jammers or high energy zone maguffins.

Fantasy games, on the other hand, that's when it got tricky. They would almost always be magical in some form or another. If it was a spell that usually meant only the magic users of the group could cast it. A magic item was better, but that generally meant shelling out lots of gold or being fortunate enough to somehow come across them in a dungeon.

Ever since I’d seen the Scriber's I’d had the idea to try and somehow use them to make something. And that was all he needed. An initial core idea, possible materials I could use and my crafting skills filled in the blanks.

I study the breakdown once again.

Interesting. It looks like I can purchase the initial item as a Bonded Item or Accessory Item and create duplicates at a much-reduced cost. The shaving of the 2 points for the Accessory, like my shades is once again a tempting offer but I earmark 5 points for the Bonded Item and another 2 for additional earrings. And with that, I am down to a single point left.

I'm not sure how much time I have left before we have to attend this party. I might not have time to make all of them now but I wanted to get them built as soon as possible. I would like to make an extra just to have on hand, but that could always be done at a later time.

Slipping into my Jelf state of trance and separating it from the deeper Character Sheet zone is getting easier and easier each time I do it. Within moments after closing my eyes I am back in the void and immediately will my point spends to my various preplanned allotments.

I give myself a moment simply to look at my newly acquired skills and appreciate the jump from 8-.

Newly Acquired Skills:

Conversation 12- > cost to raise: 2 pt

Deception 12- > cost to raise: 2 pt

Deduction 13- > cost to raise: 2 pt

Persuasion 12- > cost to raise: 2 pt

Knowledge Skill: Humanoid Races 13- > cost to raise: 2 pt

I’m just about to exit when a pop-up appears in my mind's eye. With points now spent I focus on the notification and my attention to the real world comes back in a rush.

Racial Ability: Lightsleep.

You are no longer Resting.

A glance to clock confirms only a minute or so is passed. I'm not sure if I'll always be able to pull it off as quickly and efficiently as I’ve just done but I’m rather pleased with myself that I have managed to accomplish my point spending in a minimal amount of time.

I'm a little confused as to what has caused my Lightsleep ability to trigger. Everything seemed normal. Had I heard voices? If I had they had been loud enough to break me out of my trance. Which probably ment shouting. I listen intently…

Perception: Fail!

…but I don't hear anything. It's quiet perhaps a little too quiet. Was there somebody in the other room?

Holding my tongue I resist the urge to call out for Cinnamon. That’s always what people did in the movies, thereby alerting potential attackers to their location. Crap. Maybe I should have left the door open. At least the crack just in case.

I look to my knapsack and my gun belt that was resting across the top of it. My pistol was in pieces, and my sword was sitting comfortably in its scabbard back in the bedroom. However, I had buckled one of my very sharp daggers onto my gun belt.

With slow movements, trying to be as quiet as possible, I slide closer to my knapsack, my belt just out of reach.

Stealth vs ???: Success!

I’ve just begun to lift myself from water when the door slams open with a bang.