TJ wanted it to be a human. He almost prayed for it, but he didn’t need Appraisal to hear that these weren’t a human’s steps approaching. Though the sound of each footfall wasn’t especially loud, it somehow communicated an almost stomping quality. With a sigh and no small amount of embarrassment, TJ tried his hardest to activate Divine Transformation in such a way that it would shunt all of his clothes off of his body. He couldn’t know what part of the clothing was considered “equipment”, and if several pukwudgies were about to assault the cabin, TJ would need every additional attribute point he could muster.
A moment’s concentration. The feeling of his belly on the ground. Shifting back to his feet. TJ opened his eyes, and his boots, pants, and shirt were on the floor, his denim jacket unbuttoned with his chest exposed. His boxers and socks remained on, so TJ swiftly rolled each sock off and strode to the front door with an affected air of uncaring. If he was wrong and these were humans, underwear and boxers would be embarrassing, but nothing serious. If, like he suspected, this was a small swarm of the bastard goblin things, then the jacket and underwear would be easy to remove.
Still acting unbothered, TJ leaned against the wall beside the door and peeked out, just as two loud knocks snapped against the door. He pulled it open, and there stood a taller, more well-built pukwudgie than any he’d seen before. It stood maybe 4 feet tall, and smelled of flowers and spring just like every other. Its fingers were long and seemed dexterous, while its toes and feet reminded him of a hobbit’s.
It was covered in black fur, though along its back, its fur stood straight, almost like a porcupine’s quills. One hand carried the same primitive spear the others TJ had seen carried, though its right hand also held a gleaming hatchet. Its haft seemed to be fashioned of ordinary wood, but the head was a strange blue metal that glowed with internal light. The pukwudgie’s feet were bare, indigo skin and a dusting of hair covering the top. Its hands and face too were devoid of any hair, and its face unnerved TJ.
A wide mouth, too wide, and filled with teeth made for ripping into and through flesh, grinned back at him. Its fat, bulbous nose was just as wide as it was long and tall, and both gaping nostrils flared as the creature smelled him. Its eyes were the rotting cherry on top of the off-putting pie. The sunken eyes both yawned black without any glint of light reflecting off them, except for the pure white pupils. To top it off, TJ Appraised the horrid creature.
His Skill didn’t grant him any additional information than that, but TJ’s blood ran cold. This one had reached the first benchmark, and would be commensurately more powerful. If there were others at its same level, or worse, higher level, then TJ couldn’t see himself and Stanton escaping with their lives. Maybe their boon or Skill from level 5 was just a little bit more strength and bulk? This one was maybe 130% the size of the other ones.
“Greetings, divine one.” It hissed as TJ tried to collect himself. The words came out garbled and chewed, as if they were a delicious morsel that had fought its way free of its gullet. “We offer safe passage.”
TJ scowled at the statement, confused. “What–how– Why?”
“You are blessed by the Divine. You can pass safely, and we hope that your Eminence shows us mercy at the time of our inevitable meeting upon the proving ground. The pukwudgies have long been bound with the Divinity of this continent, and even if it originates further south the blood of Kukulkan is sweet, and blessed. Pass, please.” Though the words sounded like the pukwudgie had gargled glass, his turn of phrase was surprisingly refined.
“I see.” TJ answered, completely confused, but wholly willing to lie to get himself and Stanton out of there without fighting. “Then let us collect our things, and we’ll be on our way.”
“Perfect.” The pukwudgie answered, its grin even wider and more predatory than before. “You have two minutes.” It didn’t move from the doorway, standing bolt upright without any extraneous movement.
Recognizing what was happening, TJ turned and began stuffing the clothing he’d stripped into the backpack before sprinting past Stanton struggling to his feet, back to the coat closet he’d found the pack in in the first place. Another large backpack was in there, and glancing in it, it looked like a panic bag of some sorts. Nonperishable food and a couple toiletries filled the bottom, and TJ tossed another sleeping bag inside before rushing back to the kitchen. He didn’t know if there were any more good water bottles, but he filled the rest of the pack with any canned food and water bottle he could find. The pack quickly grew too heavy to hold in one hand, and TJ threw it over his shoulder, nearly knocking himself prone with the weight.
Stanton carefully strapped the backpack on, hissing in pain as TJ’s clumsy bandaging was disturbed. Fortunately, he’d still had his boots on, so there was no need to bend over and try to tie them on. TJ lent the older man his shoulder as they walked towards the door. Feeling grateful, TJ asked, “What’s your name?”
“We are pukwudgies.” The trollish face screwed up in confusion.
“Yes, and what is your individual name?”
“We are pukwudgies. There is not a distinction between us. We are pukwudgies.”
“Ohhhhhkay then. Anyway, thanks! Let’s all prove ourselves on the grounds! Good luck!”
“We do not need luck. We seize it.” The ugly face smirked, but it extended a hand and blocked TJ’s passage. “Where are you bringing the Blood of the Morrigan? We will devour it here.”
The catch. There always was one, always would be. “I trust you aren’t speaking about my companion here, are you?”
“The Morrigan is no companion to Kukulkan.” The pukwudgie declared, quite sure of itself. “They fought many times, though not so fiercely as he did with Manannan mac Lir. After Manannan’s death at the hands of Kukulkan, the Morrigan swore to pluck his feathers.” It spoke as if teaching a young, slow child. “Fear not, we will cause no more suffering than necessary. To descend from a Divinity of Osmium is an honor, and we will bathe in the Morrigan’s diluted blood. Furthermore, the blood of the Morrigan is already prepared in her traditional attire, the bloodstained clothes of the fallen.
“Now, go, and we will meet once more on the proving grounds. We wish you victory and strength. May the winds guide you.” It dismissed the younger man and reached out to grab Stanton’s arm. TJ smacked it away while Stanton’s eyes seemed to glaze over. The old man’s lips moved at a frenetic pace, as if he were praying.
“No, I don’t care where his bloodline comes from, it's got nothing to do with Stanton. We’re working together, and we’re leaving this place together.”
“We will not allow it.” The pukwudgie declared, and a half dozen others in the surrounding forest poked their heads out. None seemed to be with a partner, so maybe more than 12 of the troll-goblin things were there? TJ sighed.
“Absolutely not. There are rules to follow, after all.” Disregarding whatever that meant, TJ continued.
“Ok.” He turned to Stanton. “Let me have that backpack. It’s better packed, got more stuff in it and is better packed.” TJ shrugged off his own backpack, accidentally catching his jacket and pulling it off with the same movement. He shivered in the wind from the open door and gooseflesh prickled his bare chest and arms. Stanton’s eyes remained glazed over and unfocused, and TJ hoped he could come back from this. Then, as he dropped his backpack and jacket, TJ prayed that his boxers would come off with his Divine Transformation.
He gave no warning as his serpentine jaws flashed towards the unsuspecting pukwudgie. TJ caught its right arm, the one carrying the hatchet, and thrashed up and down as hard as he could. It howled its hawklike screech of pain as the hatchet fell. TJ didn’t hesitate to release the mangled arm and snap his jaws closed over the pukwudgie’s head. Its gurgling breaths stunk in opposition to its natural floral scent. TJ felt a flash of something strange, and his enemy’s healthy arm twitched and the spear, which had skated so easily off his scales in the hands of another, sunk deep into the flesh of TJ’s neck.
Warning. You are suffering from a minor Bleed affliction. You will continue to lose 2 HP a minute until the Bleed condition is cured.
TJ didn’t let the burst of pain and the difficulty of drawing breath distract him. He smashed his enemy into one side of the doorway, then the other, then back to the first. It went limp. TJ crunched his jaws down harder.
Pukwudgie, Level 5, slain. Experience gained.
Class: Neophyte has advanced to level 5.
Attribute points allocated: Endurance +3, Vitality +3, Toughness +2, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +2, Fixation +2, Free Points +1. Additional Free Points currently available. Skill selection available
Race: Human has advanced to level 5.
Attribute points allocated: Strength +1, Agility +1, Endurance +1, Vitality +2, Toughness +1, Wisdom +1, Intelligence +1, Perception +1, Willpower +1, Fixation +2. Additional Free Points currently available.
TJ grinned as his neck healed and the spear was pushed out of his neck. It fell with a clatter, and, seeing and tasting no pukwudgie immediately there, though many came sprinting towards them, screaming “Deceit!” TJ yelled.
“Wake up Stanton! We’ve got company!”
“I know! I figured you’d keep him busy longer, instead of rushing me !” Stanton replied, his eyes running wildly through the air as if he was reading.
“Oh. Shit! You level up?”
“Level 5.” Stanton answered, his sentences stilted and confused as he tried to read and talk at the same time. “Trying to figure out what’ll be best. There’s no guarantee that–well, that’s what I’ll have to do.” He cut himself off, and apparently made his Skill selection. “Keep them away from me, and I’ll keep them from swarming you.” He commanded, not asked, but that he was in the fight and confident he’d be able to contribute had TJ convinced to do as he asked.
Activate Primal Savagery, TJ thought, and he felt the Skill flare to life. His mane of feathers flared out, and TJ hissed his greeting to the dozen pukwudgies that leapt to screeching battle against him.
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