I started by making a list of the things I needed to work on relating to magic. There was a note taking app on the Interface, so I could update it regularly.
To start with, I needed a list of spells that I wanted to learn. Then were the spells I needed to teach to my creatures. Then I needed to study the basics of magic through the Database. I could follow up on that by watching my creatures use magic, especially by watching the Rockworm in front of me. I added looking into items that helped with magic, like the stereotypical wand. Ah, the Spellbook thing, too. Figuring out what that was might be important.
For now, the easiest was to watch how the Rockworm used magic. Having a living sample, especially with my Aura Perception, should speed things along nicely. I lowered the Interface and studied the creature in front of me.
The thing that stood out to me in its use of magic was the flow of mana. Rather than the emanations that happened when I looked at my Aura, a majority of the mana the Rockworm had was cycling out into the gem, then returning to its core with slightly less color than it left with. A miniscule amount was also being dragged towards my Core room. Perhaps this was the way to raise my CP generation that Nyx suggested? Something to look into later.
My impression of the colors... Emotions? Though I wasn't sure if colors represented specific emotions or not. I could somehow get a read on how the Rockworm was feeling based on its Aura though, so maybe they did. At the moment, I had the image in my head of cheerful whistling and swinging a pick down into stone. Or maybe since it was eating the stone, it was actually a glutton at a buffet? Either way, the sheer joy the creature was feeling seemed to be a significant source of mana. That mana was getting used to cast the spell, offsetting the loss in color I'd noted.
Hmm, is that why I'd passed out before? I hadn't really been physically tired, how could I have been after only a few hours of being awake? Instead I'd felt emotionally drained, even apathetic. If I wanted to use magic in the future, I would need to hold onto a strong emotion in order to stay conscious. Assuming it wasn't a coincidence, but I felt this theory held a lot of water.
I continued to watch the flow of mana for a few minutes, before lifting up the Interface again and pulling up the Study screen for the Excavate spell. I compared the diagram of the spell with what the Rockworm was using. It was... Slightly different. I couldn't really tell what was meant to be different just by looking though. Theoretically, since Excavate pulverized the rock and dumped it in a pile, it should have some differences compared to the spell that liquified the stone.
I needed a more thorough understanding. I sighed loudly. Normally, I enjoyed reading to pass the time. However, ever since I'd used the Refinement pattern, I'd felt so full of energy. I just wanted to run around and do things. Even now I'd been pacing around without noticing. But if I wanted to study magic, the next reasonable step was to read through all of the source material in the Study menu, particularly the basics.
I looked at my Aura to see if I could find the source of my energy. Maybe if I channeled it all into a spell, I could relax a little. But I couldn't really understand what I was looking at, other than a simple idea that I was excited and a little agitated. Maybe with study, I'd be able to control myself more. But for now, I would just have to clamp down on this energy and focus on reading.
I went back to my Core room since the floor was flat there, and I paced while I read. It was sort of unpleasant trying to read while moving, but I quickly got absorbed in the material. Everything from different types of mana, which emotions worked best with those mana types, basic spell forms, common spell combinations, and more. Everything I read through zealously. I must have been reading for hours before I came back to myself. The reason was because I'd slammed into a wall at full tilt.
Uh... I'd been steadily increasing my pace while I was reading. The lack of fatigue made it easier to ignore and apparently this body didn't get motion sick either. I was sure I would have gotten dizzy running back and forth like that before. I wasn't hurt from the impact, but I felt I'd been going so fast that I actually checked the wall to make sure it wasn't damaged. Of course it was fine, but I was impressed with this body's resilience.
I felt a moment of panic as I thought I may have wasted CP and checked the time. Only seven hours, and thirty-eight of sixty-five CP. I was relieved for a moment, and then realized a problem. I'd completely zoned out for seven whole hours. Even for me, that was unusual.
Before, I'd always gotten tired or hungry and had to change tasks eventually. Since I no longer had such needs, I could theoretically get so absorbed in something that days could pass without me noticing. And that might be fatal under the current circumstances. It was a bit ironic, since I'd have loved to be able to just sit down and read without distractions a few days ago, but now I had to worry about dumb things like being eaten by Chaos monsters...
From now on, I should keep better track of time... I immediately used the alarm app on the Interface to set an alarm for eleven hours from now. Assuming I hadn't spent any CP in the meantime, that would leave enough CP to make a Kindlesprite. Or find an alternative creature to use. With so much time having passed, I could check on the forums.
"Ah, the Rockworms..." I spoke out in dismay. After so much time, the room the Rockworm was making might have gotten a little too big. I would just go check on that reaaaal quick.
This chapter in a shellnut: Hyperfocus mode go!
That aside, think i'm getting why magic doesn't really have mumerical values in this system. Despite how weird it originally sounded (and honestly kinda still does) it does make some sense. Magic generally seems to be powered by mental capability and emotional energy and trying to numerically measure emotions isn't something one can really do.
I wonder what other sort of changes were done to Selene, other then effectively making her a magical entity instead of a physical one from the sounds of it.
There is also the question of what sort of changes are possible through the system. There ones to alter your current form and change how it functions; however are there ones to become a different type of creature? Like for reference, could someone become a dwarf or a goblin or kobold? Or even something like an alraune or an arachne? And if so, does the form affect the person's mental capabilities? Its been stated that different creatures have different Mind and Spirit stats, thus effecting how good they are doing complicated things but if would such things apply to someone else assuming their form?
Rambling aside, thats probably the most interesting introduced so far. To me anyway
Also, was it mentioned that the invasion would start in a month and i just forgot? Because i don't remember it being mentioned before this
Yeah, I thought it would be weird to try to attach numbers to emotion, especially since someone with high control over what they were doing could get more out of the same amount of mana.
The way Evolution works on a DM is kinda funky because
their physical body... Isn't their real form. They are the Crystal Core, they just have an interesting limb that looks like a person. Not really a spoiler, I think? Maybe.
Anyways, the result is that you can pretty much make any changes you want, as long as you're comfortable with them. Your race would never change, but you could strongly resemble another species to the point where it's pointless to distinguish. If you don't want a particular trait, then you can choose one that overwrites it.
Ah, it's different when evolving normal creatures though.
As for the time of invasion, it's in the letter Selene gets in the Prologue.
The Fogotten Worm
The really forgotten worm is the one that burrowed straight down. And the common ones are right out.
@Cipiteca396 I know, in first I wanted to make a pun on Selene with bookworm but I didn't retrieve the word for the state to forgot something
@Aniel Hmm, something like 'Forgetful Bookworm'? Kinda cute.
@Cipiteca396 yeah that !!!
I know how it feel being one myself.
Sometimes I forgot to eat when I read...