Excuse me waiter, where’s my menu?

I woke in the morning to an uncomfortable pressure in my bladder. In the night I had rolled onto my side and the orb I had been given by Misaki that I put into my waistband was right under my kidney. I staggered to my feet and went to the front door. Stepping outside I noticed the outhouse at the edge of the yard and went to do my business. I studied the orb in my hand as I left, in the early morning light I noticed that there was an object embedded in the center like an insect. It wasn’t bright enough to make out what it was exactly. I made my way back towards the house where I was greeted by Adda’s pet squirrel.

The door opened and Adda yelled out “bring in a pail of water when you come in.” I did as she instructed and when I came back, she had laid out some ingredients and built up the flames in the hearth.

“Do you need some help with breakfast?” I offered. Everyone in the village had given me a warm reception and Adda had been nothing but helpful to me. Cooking has become one of my distracting havens after my son had passed and I dove into it with enthusiasm.

“Have at it, I’ve always been rubbish at it. I have many talents but cooking was never one of them as my previous three husbands would attest.”

I glanced around the room looking at the bunches of herbs she had tied and drying from the ceiling along with sausages and vegetables. Adda was watching and directing me to the various ingredients I needed. I grabbed a cast iron frying pan and placed it over the stove to preheat it, and stared to peel and slice an onion thinly with dab of butter from a crock. With the onions in the pan slowly caramelizing I went around the room tasting a bit of some the unfamiliar herbs. More blue screen pop-ups flashed up with little more than the name of the herb. Adda confirmed when I checked with her for verification.

I diced and tossed some of the dry cured sausage into the pan to heat and started to beat some eggs. The onions had browned perfectly in a third of the time they should have. I emptied the pan and added more butter before adding the eggs. The cast iron was wonderfully seasoned and the eggs didn’t stick at all. I added back half of the filling and carefully folded it over before loosening it from the pan and plating it with a garnish of chervil. I started another for myself as Adda tucked into the first one.

“I don’t thing I have ever had eggs cooked quite like this before.”

“In my world we called it a French omelet. The eggs are still creamy and custardy unlike a western omelet. It’s just a matter of textures in the dish made from the same ingredients.”

“That is very interesting but it is unimportant. Are you ready to talk about your menu now?”

I swallowed and braced myself. The entire concept of life as a game was fundamentally disturbing for me, and I had been putting it off by sticking to the familiar. I had gotten quite good at distracting myself after my son had died. I needed to face this new reality though. Menu.

Race:

Subspecies:

Arbrem

Restoring Shalom

Class:

Subclass:

Champion of Misaki

None

Health:

Mana:

Stamina:

Chi:

75/75 Restores at .15/Hour

45/45 Restores at 2/ Hour

59/60 Restores at 15/Hour

45/45 Restores at 1.5/Hour

Rank:

Essence:

Level:

Karma:

Normal

0/10000

1

0/2500

Attributes

Class

Boons

Map

Quest Log

Skills

Resistances

Reputation

Abilities

Properties

Spells

Traits

“Now look at me and will it to be shared. I will be able to see what ever window you have open.” I did as she asked. “If you have question about something just focus on it and an explanation will appear.” Both of our eyes glazed over as we delved into my status.

Health is a representation of your current lifeforce. Base health is determined by your (base*level) + (Vitality*2). Base recovery is determined by Constitution/100.

Mana is a representation of the amount of external energy you can manipulate. Base mana is determined by (base*level) + (Intelligence*2). Base recovery is determined by Intelligence/10.

Stamina is a representation of exertion capacity. Base stamina is determined by (base*level) + (Endurance*3). Base recovery is determined by Constitution.

Chi is a representation of the amount of internal energy you can manipulate. Base chi is determined by (base *level) + (Wisdom*2). Base recovery is determined by Wisdom/10.

Strength:

15/105

Wisdom:

15/105

Endurance:

15/105

Faith:

40/130

Constitution:

15/105

Intelligence:

15/105

Vitality:

30/120

Memory:

15/105

Dexterity:

10/100

Perception:

20/110

Agility:

10/100

Charisma:

15/105

“Your attributes are self-explanatory, yes?” I nodded my assent. I knew what all of the words meant but didn’t understand how they measure up to the numbers. When I pondered strength, a new pop-up appeared.

Strength is the capability of the body to apply physical force. Strength allows for 13 Lbs. of carry capacity per point. Current value 15 with a maximum potential of 105.

One after another I went through them.

Endurance is the capacity for physical exertion. Endurance provides three stamina per point. Current value 15 with a maximum potential of 105.

Constitution is the innate resistance to the corruption of the body. Constitution allows for .5 poison and disease resistance per point. Current value 15 with a maximum potential of 105.

Vitality is the tenacity with which you maintain your lifeforce. Vitality provides 2 health per point. Current value 30 with a maximum potential of 120.

Dexterity is the fine motor control of the body. Dexterity increases the chance to hit by .5% per point. Current value 10 with a maximum potential of 100.

Agility is the flexibility of the body. Agility increases the chance to dodge by .5% per point. Current value 10 with a maximum potential of 100.

Wisdom is the understanding of yourself and others. Wisdom provides 2 chi per point. Current value 15 with a maximum potential of 105.

Faith is the strength of your soul. Faith allows for a .5% curse and death magic resistance per point. Current value 40 with a maximum potential of 130.

Intelligence is the ability to process information. Intelligence provides 2 mana per point. Current value 15 with a maximum potential of 105.

Memory is the ability to retain and call forth information. Memory allows for the memorization of 1 spell per 5 points. Current value 15 with a maximum value of 105.

Perception is the awareness of your surroundings. Perception allows for a .5% illusion resistance per point. Current value 20 with a maximum value of 110.

Charisma is a presence that can inspire a positive reaction in others. Charisma improves others reactions to you by 1% per point. Current value 15 with a maximum value of 105.

I focused on the Class tab and it brought up the class information that had been granted to me in my last interaction with the goddess.

Champion of Misaki (Divine)

The Goddess of the Untamed Wilderness is a bulwark against the ambitions of civilization expansion into the wild places of Fayoria. A defender of the goddesses ideals gains a class skill from the Primal Domain and one from Defense Domain also +5 to the potential of all stats per rank.

Next up was Boons.

Blessing of Misaki

For being a resident of Silvertun you are granted: 100% of all resources found in the forest, +20% to nature related skill gains, and +10% to forest movement.

Essence of Communication

Due to you interaction to millions of other souls you are granted the skill Omnilingual and 25 points in it.

Sentry Eyes

The Goddess Misaki granted you +10 to the value of you perception.

Trials of Purgatory

For maintaining your sense of self in the face of the endless continuum of Limbo you are awarded +25 faith to both value and potential.

The Map and Quest log tabs were both greyed out an inactive.

Adda told me, “Map will only activate if you get a hold of a map crafted by someone with the cartography skill or earn it for yourself. Now bring up your Skills.”

Bow Mastery

16

0%

Butcher

27

0%

Chakra Manipulation (R)

23

0%

Cooking

26

0.001%

Meditation

30

0%

Omnilingual (L)

25

0.007%

Skinning

21

0%

Tracking

13

0%

“Now that is impressive. Eight skills, and one is rare with another one legendary. Let’s keep moving bring up your Resistances.”

Curses

20

Death Magic

20

Illusion

15

Next was Reputation but again it was inert, so we moved on to Abilities.

Bow Mastery

10

Steady Shot

Butcher

10

Rapid Processing

20

Preservation

Chakra Manipulation (R)

10

Aina Chakra Unlocked

20

Vishuddha Chakra Unlocked

Cooking

10

Rapid Preparation

20

Ingredient Identification

Meditation

10

Stamina Regeneration

20

Chi Regeneration

30

Mana Regeneration

Omnilingual (L)

10

Comprehension

20

Reading

Skinning

10

Rapid Preparation

20

Preservation

Tracking

10

Track Identification

Again, we ignored inert choices of Properties and Spells, and moved on to Traits.

Regenerate

Health recovery determined by Constitution/10 when planted.

Major Primal Magic Focus

2* training speed for primal magic domain spells.

“Well, there is a lot to unpack with all of that. Let’s head out to the garden. I’ve got some chores that need to be done and you look like you need a moment to process.