( Jade POV )

Seeing how John is off working, and I finished all the daily maintenance of the house.

I might as well do some more research and preparation for TtA.

Us getting access this religious gameplay mechanic was just a random twist of faith.

But one that I intent to use to its full potential.

The fact that they worship me has absolutely nothing to do with it.

I leave a small bit of my awareness behind in John’s flat before moving into the digital space John made for discussing TtA with Zane, and other people as well but we haven’t been in contact with anyone else yet.

Currently we should try and contact more tribes, see if we can’t spread our religion.

But we shouldn’t forget our other objectives, getting some sort of agriculture is still high on our priority list.

although I can probably convince John that we can always try and get more information from nearby tribes.

Which might even be true… because I have no idea what we would actually grow.

I pull up the religious overview and notice a few discrepancies between now and the last time I pulled it up, rather big discrepancies.

Seems like something is earning us additional faith points.

Enough even to be able to buy a blessing.

Let me check whether I have any notification about this.

Yes, I do have some notifications, two of them.

A champion rises.

The person known as Jormund the Wanderer has risen as a champion of your faith, his deeds are already becoming known to all, but only time will tell how he will be remembered.

The deeds of Jormund the Wanderer have a chance of converting people to the worship of the Jade Mother. The greater the deeds performed the higher the chance.

Jormund the Wanderer and his next-of-kin will held in higher regards to those who follow your religion. Effects depend on heritage.

Territorial milestone reached

The religion known as the Jade Mother worship from the far eastern coast to the roots of the great mountains.

The distance between these place is great indeed. Many people will have heard about the Jade Mother, but what is true and who to believe

Unlocked: religious orders

Okay, so good news Jormund is still alive.

I will need to ask John about this religious order, for now let’s take a look at what is available.

After all I will need to inform John about this.

Seems like currently we can only take 1 religious order but this might increase later on...

Circles of Nature

Close to nature the shaman circles exclude themselves from most other people and try to decipher the needs of their deity through by listening to nature.

Joining a shaman circle requires a magical talent. Members have a closer connection to the elements Only available during the Age of Stone, and Age of Bronze.

The priestly sects

The Priestly sects are a simple organization whose only purpose is to take care of those who follow their deity and maintain both the places of worship as the relic of their god.

No requirements for entry High amounts of specialization possible but start of rather weak.

Other options are currently locked

Which one would be of more use, the shaman circles seem like a organization ment for specializing and furthering the use of elemental magics while the priestly sects are a support tool for your community and religion.

Both of them have their advantages and disadvantages…

I get a signal from my fragment I left at the flat telling me that John returned.

I return to reality with a simple though absorbing the fragment at the same time.

"Welcome home, John."

( Nym POV )

Weakly I open my eyes.

I really feel like just rolling over on my other side and staying in bed a while longer but I have work to do.

I get out of bed and start getting dressed.

While doing so I look around my new hut, the sleeping quarter I am currently in on the left side of the entrance with a raised bed.

On the other side I have a room specifically for preparing all my herbs drinks and other medicines.

And finally in the middle I have a fireplace and plenty of room to move around, I have enough room for maybe four people, really Kali outdid himself when designing it.

I still haven’t forgiven him for not telling me that he already had his Gylari queen though.

But it’s also partially my fault, if I would have gone out and talked to people then maybe I would have noticed, but I was to engrossed in helping him.

I didn’t even do it for him, I thought that I was helping the village after all having a Gylari nest nearby would have meant easy access to both the birds and the eggs.

Having finish getting dressed I check the laces on my bracelet for any signs of wear and finally I grab the other thing I made Kali make.

When leaving my hut I climb the small slope which leads down to the entrance.

Whenever I look at my hut I am surprised at how small it looks from outside, but I guess that’s because it’s partially underground.

I head towards the river and fill the large waterskin I am holding, using my magic to make it go faster.

When it’s full I dry it off and hang it behind my back.

After having control over water is nice but I can’t make it appear out of nowhere, so I need an easy supply nearby.

The biggest reason I have actual control over it now, is that I might have gotten a bit… upset at Kali and might have used him as target practise.

Luckily he understood why I was angry and provided me with plenty of compensation in the form of three requests and I didn’t have to hurt him… much for it.

So I requested the hut he promised to me for the Gylari queen and the waterskin I am currently using.

The last request I am keeping for now, maybe there is something I will need it for later.

But since I am done with my morning routine, I should get ready for my work of today.

So I needed to visit Hinyr.

Ever since my outburst against Kali Dutori seems to trust me enough to allow me near his wife.

I still think he need to get over his hatred for goblins though.

And after that Jor promised to show me how to brew some of that drink he makes from berries.

Lastly I have to go out and gather some more herbs, but maybe some of the goblins are willing to do that for me, after all they like going into the forest.

I could use the extra time to practice my magic a bit more, so that seems like a good idea.

( Kali POV )

Bok-tar aren’t in good mood today.

Still it’s better to be here then in village

Out here I can see scary water girl coming before she reaches me.

Yes, yes much better here.

"So the Bok-tar aren’t really cooperating, is there anything else we can try in order to get it to come with us?"

Jors complaining brought me out of my concentration, what did he say… something about Bok-tar?

Oh, yes! The Bok-tar didn’t want to take our bait, how would we get them to notice it though?

"We must try something else, yes?

Maybe we try and throw the bait at them?"

Jor looks at me as if I said something weird, or well weirder than usual.

"And how are we going to throw powder at them?"

"I don’t know! You are the hunter, not me."

Jor sighs and moves toward the bait we had prepared, carefully closing the piece of cloth back over the powered herbs.

"Maybe today simply isn’t the day, we should try again tomorrow."

What? No! Nym will still be inside the village, I must think of something!

I must find something that allows the powder to reach the Bok-tar. Something. Anything!

Then I see the solution that must be it!

"Wait I know what we can use!"

I grab something of the ground and quickly run over to Jor.

"What is it now?"

I hold up my hand showing him what i found.

"It’s a stone. I know you are a good crafter but I simply don’t see it, Kali."

I roll my eyes and grab sack with powder from his belt, before he can even reach over I open the sack deposit the stone inside and then close the sack again.

"Now you throw this into mouth."

Jor takes the sack in to his hands and tries to get a feel for its weight.

"Now I feel stupid for not thinking about something this simple.

But with the added weight behind it I might be able to throw it."

Run run run!!

"This was a stupid idea, why did you hit its eye!"

"I wasn’t aiming for its eye!"

"That doesn’t help your case!"

"I will just keep running it must be getting tired by now!"

I try and turn my head so that I can look behind us but Jors arm is in the way.

"Turn me around then I can see when it's slowing down."

Jor doesn’t even complain, simply turning me around underneath his arm.

Thats one big angry beetle, and it's gaining on us!!

"It’s not slowing down, it’s not slowing down at all, go faster! Faster!!"

"You know I could just throw you at it that might slow it down."

Wait, I see something else… on either side of the Bok-tar, are those wolfkin?

I recognize that one! That was the nice one!

"Don’t worry the friendly wolfkin are helping!"

"How do you know that they are friendly?"

"I recognize them, the one on the right lost a crafting competition against me so I gained my freedom and was allowed to keep my skull."

"Not helping your case!"

I was going to complain but the next moment the biggest of the two wolfkins closes towards the bok-tar beetle and with one mighty swing of his club shatters the chitin on its thorax.

The beetle loses control of its legs and falls down, unable to resist as the two wolfkin carefully decapitate each leg before finally moving over to the head.

Meanwhile Jor has stopped and put me down onto the ground.

I walk over to the two wolfkin, making sure not to step into any of the mushy parts of the beetle.

"Garuu, what are you doing out here together with the Alpha?"

Garuu turns and looks slightly confused before barking out a laugh.

"If it isn’t Kali! I should have known that you were involved in something as silly as taking on a Bok-tar beetle with a single hunter!"

He keeps laughing for a good while until Jor joins the conversation.

"So you were right they are friendly."

"Garuu answer me! I demand your respect as the superiour craftsmen!"

That made him stop laughing.

"please stop bringing that up.

anyway I am here with my bloodkin because he feels the end of his life coming nearer and need to fulfill his final hunt.

We thought that you guys might have something worth hunting nearby because there isn’t anything near our own cave."

"I see, I am sure Kali can lead you over to camp, I will stay here and protect the carcass from scavengers."

What but scary water girl is still there, although what is worse her or two angry wolfkin…