I awake rather late the next day, packing my things while the sun is high in its Zenith.
I commanded my children to hide inside my robe, and it always surprises me how they all fit inside, given that they number in the thousands now.
As I go down to get a bite to eat, I continue wondering how my classes work in general.
I want to level them up, I would even say that I need to do that, as I do not want to keep the pilgrim class any longer than necessary.
And while I hope raising 'Mother of spiders' to be easy, I have a sneaking suspicion that just making more of them is not enough.
I need to do something motherly for them, take care of them in a way that fits with the mother aspect.
And the easiest way to do that would be to raise them properly, and not just command them.
After concluding this, I finish my breakfast and go outside, heading towards a back alley and free my children.
"Hello there, little ones, today we will begin a bit of training. Are you interested in talking?"
I ask, all of them bobbing happily as they stream out, coating the walls and corners of the room in metallic black.
I call upon Arachnid, liberating my soul to properly speak the ancient words of this tongueless tongue.
A grin spreads across my face as I see some of them imitating me, replicating the sound as each of them did their best to speak.
It took me the entire day, and I had to eat those of my children that distracted or slowed down the surreal class, my skin blooming as more and more eggs cracked open inside, and my raw flesh was covered less by my wounded skin, and more the cloak of knowledge hiding my figure from the few people that enter, with only two deaths as some were too curious for their own good. Tragedies that further help feed the little ones.
As evening descended, the spiders had taken to conversation with great vigor, possibly enhanced as those who didn't were eaten or sacrificed to help everyone else develop their skills.
After a day of physical and mental torture, and amounts of damage that would have killed anyone without my own penchant for regenerative abilities, I find myself with a satisfying upgrade to my abilities.
| Human | Physical stats: | Numbers | Mental stats | Numbers | Classes: | Most used skill | Signature Trait |
| Caroline | Strength | 4 | Charisma | 3 | Pilgrim (10) | Meditation | Unassuming |
| 23 | Dexterity | 3 | Wisdom | 3 | Mother of Spiders (10) |
Enduring | Pilgrim Aura |
| Neutral Evil | Agility | 2 | Intelligence | 3 | Eldritch Librarian (6) | a mothers plea | adaptable |
| Expand for hidden stats | Constitution | 17 | Serenity | 12 | Human (peasant, fair, abyssal) Heritage. | Skill list expand | Trait list expand |
| Skill: Sacrifice lvl.4 |
| Skill: soul liberation lvl.2 |
I feel the power well within me, two thirds of my classes reaching new heights as the city turns dark once again.
This night I venture to another cheap tavern, drinking only a hint of alcohol as I inspect the people around me, mostly groups upon groups of sorry gamblers and alcoholics, with a single shadowy figure creeping in the tavern corner, a phenomenon observed at almost every inn, at least in every one of those I ever visited.
The one I witnessed today seemed even more off than any I had met before though, his constant staring enough to wake my curiosity.
If there actually is someone following my mental documentations, be it my ancestors, some abyssal creature, a Fey or a particularly interested form of spider God, they probably know my stance on curiosity.
If you don't, you should probably dive into my memories again. Already made the experience, no need to not share it.
So, as I approach the hooded figure, my own cloak hiding my scars as always, we both stare into the darkness of each others hoods. I move my little ones to function as lengthened shadows, his darkness pulsing in concert with my own.
Its weird to talk with another person so obviously Evil aligned, especially as I test sacrifice on them and it doesn't work.
Not a single part of their essence is whisked away, indicating a mental superiority to me.
"The temple must fall."
I intone, my voice rhaspy and, probably, alien to him.
At that moment I remember to reconfine my soul, his stature relaxing and everyone seemingly much happier.
Maybe Powers from outside our reality have unintended side effects...
"Praise be the dark lord."
The other intoned, ripping me out of my own thoughts by indicating a darkness much different to my own, as his masters.
"We need a source of knowledge."
I say, hoping that the subtle hints would work to forge a plan, and given his answer, it did.
"The libraries backdoor is open."
I nod, my quietest child resting in the others robe, and the certainty that he did something similar.
"Nobody would notice two shadows climbing in?"
"Not at last light."
"Then it will happen soon."
"So it must. Though I shall depart for the night."
"An I shall prepare."
Both of us reabsorbed our powers, except for the spies we planted in each other.
Quickly I get a room, and begin to rest.
Tomorrow will be a big day.
tftc
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