Contract formed with The Bibliomancer’s Sacred Tome! Bonding with this artifact has nullified your signature in The Accords of the Mage’s College; you have become an enemy of the Mage’s College and are now a Rogue Wizard! Your reputation with the College has decreased by -6,000. Current reputation: Loathed. Wow, that escalated quickly! You don’t do things in half measures, do you? I guess congratulations are in order? So… congratulations, you rapscallion! Way to stick it to the man! Might want to run.
Sam staggered drunkenly as a wave of golden light and unbridled energy washed out of the book, rushing into him like water soaking into a bone-dry sponge. The light lifted him from the ground, which before now meant he was leveling up. This didn’t feel at all like the other times he’d leveled up before. It hurt. This time around, the golden power burned, almost as if there was magma coursing through his veins and slivers of powdered glass had been injected directly into his muscles. His breathing came in short, sporadic bursts, and his head throbbed as though his brain was swelling up and ramming up against the inside of his skull… except, it didn’t have the room it needed to grow adequately.
As Sam hung there in the air, rotating slowly, knowledge bloomed inside his head while he was inundated with a host of new notifications.
Warning! Forced Class Change! You have lost the Class ‘Aeolus Sorcerer’, and all the following class-specific spells are locked: Wind Blade, Aeolus Sword, Mage Armor! You have assumed the Class ‘Bibliomantic Sorcerer’! You have retained the ability: Instinctual Casting. You have formed a permanently binding Mana contract with the Bibliomancer’s Sacred Tome, known as Bill, more formally known as Sir William the Bravi.
You have completed a Hidden Unique quest: Symbiotic Knowledge! Experience gained: 10,000.
You have gained a Character level! Current level: 6.
You have earned a New Title: Stick it to the Man! When hitting a male with a stick, there is a 1% chance that he will explode into meaty chunks! Careful not to strike yourself!
Bibliomantic Sorcerer (Artifact). Unlike other Sorcerer Classes, this extremely rare subclass derives their powers and spells not from the arcane forces of nature but from the Ancient Artifact to which they have bound themselves. In this way, they are actually closer to Summoners than Sorcerers. Additionally, though Bibliomantic Sorcerers have a large potential pool of spells to call on, they must often prepare materials in advance and can only cast a limited number of spells based on how many Orbital Spell Tomes they have available at any given time.
The Bibliomantic Sorcerer intuitively understands the magic of their given class—it is a part of him that is as natural as breathing. Those choosing this class have naturally large Mana pools and regenerate Mana at a faster rate than their more generalized brethren. Overall, their spells are less powerful than those of a basic Mage at the same level, but the spells can cost less than half the Mana. They also naturally learn new class-compatible spells every third level without any training from an outside source, though in this case, the Bound Artifact can act as a Class Trainer, allowing them to unlock new abilities and spells at a far faster rate than most Mages.
Because of their wide potential spell pool, Bibliomantic Sorcerers can operate in a number of different party capacities depending on how they build out their available spell slots. Everything from combat Mage to party support caster is possible with enough training and plenty of prior preparation. The Bibliomantic Sorcerer gains four characteristic points to spend per three levels and +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, and +1 Dexterity on every even level (Artifact Bonus). They gain three free skill points to spend per level. They also gain a small boost to their overall characteristic points as they merge more closely with their chosen Artifact!
Because of their affinity for spellcraft, the suggested characteristics for this class are intelligence, wisdom, and dexterity.
That was only the start of the notices, however, a flood of information followed in a raging torrent.
By binding with the Bibliomancer’s Sacred Tome, you have unlocked the Title Soul-Bound Level 1 (Upgradeable). Effect: Received a one-time character bonus as a result of absorbing a portion of the Bibliomancer’s Sacred Tome’s Characteristic Points. +1 Strength, +3 Dexterity, +1 Constitution, +5 Intelligence, +4 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, +2 Perception, -5 Luck, -5 Karmic Luck (Artificially Artifact bonus). As you bind more closely with the Bibliomancer’s Sacred Tome, you can upgrade this title to a maximum of Soul-Bound Level 4, unlocking a new, one-time character bonus with each successive upgrade! Until the maximum rank, this title cannot be combined with any other title nor removed for any reason.
Name: Sam_K ‘Bunny Reaper’
Class: Aeolus Sorcerer -> Bibliomantic Sorcerer
Profession: Unlocked
Level: 6 Exp: 20,043 Exp to next level: 957
Hit Points: 110/110
Mana regen: 12.24/sec (.25 -> .3 per point of wisdom)
Stamina: 105/105
Characteristic: Raw score (Modifier)
Strength: 15 (1.15)
Dexterity: 21 (1.21)
Constitution: 16 (1.16)
Intelligence: 36 (1.36)
Wisdom: 34 (1.34)
Charisma: 15 (1.15)
Perception: 11 (1.11)
Luck: 11 (1.11)
Karmic Luck: -3
You have unlocked the following Spells:
Orbital Tome Casting (Novice I): This is the primary mechanism by which Bibliomantic Sorcerers cast spells. You can bind up to (6) tomes, which circle around you. Each tome can contain 1x/2 rounded up prepared spells, where x=skill level; spells can be swapped out at will, but this is time-consuming and not recommended during combat, so choose wisely. Furthermore, the quality—trash, damaged, common, uncommon, rare, special, unique, artifact—of the book paper, ink, and page count within will affect the strength and number of available spell slots.
Magical Origami (Novice I): Using prepared paper and optional inks, create a set of instructions that automatically fold and create a paper weapon. Quality and potential damage of the created weapon are based upon skill level. 10n potential damage where n=skill level, damage increased based upon materials used. Cost: 5 Mana per second until completed or attempt is failed. Caution! Not all materials can contain high amounts of Mana!
Origami Activation (Novice I): Select an enemy target to attack with a prepared spell, inflicting 2n damage + damage equal to the prepared spell. 20-n% chance of activation failure, where n=skill level (Paper-aligned magic) Range: Ten meters. Cost: 2n Mana. Limited by number of prepared spells in Bound Orbital Tomes. Cooldown: 1.5 seconds; hand gestures must be completed to cast.
You have learned the most basic variant form of ‘Magical Origami’ spell: Paper Shuriken (Novice I). Effect: Assign Paper Origami to one of your bound Orbital Tomes, allowing you to automatically hurl a folded Paper Shuriken at your enemies for magical slashing damage. Damage, cost, and range are derived from the base skills, Magical Origami and Origami Activation. Paper Shuriken does an additional 0.5 damage against earth-aligned beings but suffers a 0.5 penalty against fire-aligned players.
Papier-Mache Mage (Beginner III): Cocoon yourself in a layer of flexible and versatile papier-mache, which acts as Mage Armor! Sure, people will laugh, but you’ll have the last laugh by not dying horrifically! Effect: For every point of Mana devoted to this spell, negate two points of damage from primary sources of physical damage and half a point from primary sources of magical damage. Negate an additional 0.75 damage from the element effects wind and earth, but suffer an additional 0.75 damage against the elemental effects fire and water. Increase conversion by 0.025n where ‘n’ equals skill level.
Alert! Aeolus Sword has been absorbed and transformed into Quill Blade!
Quill Blade (Novice I): Call upon the Bibliomancer Artifact, Bill’s Quill. Quill Blade acts as a one-handed sword and deals a maximum of 2n damage per h
it where ‘n’ is skill level + 2x damage per hit where ‘x’ is the Sword Mastery skill. (Paper Aligned magic) Cost: 10n Mana to cast, +2n per second to maintain. Why settle for having a pen that is mightier than the sword when you can have a pen that is a sword?
Warning! Minimum threshold for normalcy achieved for characteristic: Perception! Body modification in process in three… two… one…
The golden glow surrounding Sam in a cloud disappeared, and he dropped from the air, collapsing into a heap as he struggled to breathe and think. For a long moment, everything cut off. As though he were in a sensory deprivation chamber, he lost contact with the world around him. This could have lasted an instant or an eternity, but then everything came rushing back to him.
With a groan, he pushed up on to his palms, then winced from the cacophony of sound assaulting his ears. Wow, but everything hurt. His muscles felt sorer than he could ever remember, and the most minor sensation was amplified tenfold like he had the world's worst migraine. The area around him was far more solid and real than it had just seconds before. The blur in his vision was gone, banished without a trace; every sound was sharper, clearer, and even his nose seemed to be working overtime… Dang, did he stink.
He had some kind of black slime coating his skin, and it reeked like a porta-potty that had been left too long in the sun. Eww. More than anything, Sam wanted to strip down and take a long hot shower both to rid himself of the sore muscles and the lingering odor. No! What he really needed was to level up again; that would solve all his stench problems. Unfortunately, he needed another nine hundred and fifty-seven experience points to advance to the next level, which likely wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.
<Hey, you! We gotta get moving.> The voice came out of nowhere, and Sam sprang to his feet in a panic, whirling about as he searched for the source of the voice. Had the guards already managed to find him? If so, there was a chance that he wasn’t going to walk out of here alive. Walking out dead would be even more impressive but also unlikely. Sam scanned the stretching hallways running off in either direction and saw no one. There were no pounding footsteps, no guards charging toward him with upraised weapons and bloodthirsty intent.
“Hello?” Sam called softly, the hairs at the back of his neck standing stiff. “Is someone there?”
He raised his hands, ready to cast Wind Blade, which is when he remembered that he couldn’t. Not anymore. He’d closed that door, it seemed, and now, he had a new set of skills to master if he hoped to survive for any length of time.
<Down here. Come on, you can't tell me this is outside your realm of possibilities,> the voice came again. There was a flutter of movement by Sam’s feet. There, lying on the floor, was the book.
It was moving. Pages were flapping and rustling against each other like the legs of some enormous cricket. Even more disconcerting, however, was that the face protruding from the cover like a cancerous growth had opened its eyes and was now frowning at him in stern disapproval.
“I’m sorry,” Sam managed to speak while the world was spinning topsy-turvy around him. “Is… are you the book? The person talking to me, I mean?”
<Ding, ding, ding, give the kid a cookie,> the book replied, even though its pouty, leathery lips never moved. <Yeah. I’m ‘the book’. Though, if I’m being honest—and I really feel like we should start our relationship off right with complete honesty—the term book feels a little dismissive… I’m just messing around with you. ‘Book’ is fine, though mostly, I go by Bill. That was my human name before I got all bookafied by the Mage’s College.”
“So… you were a person before? You’re a talking book?” Sam was still reeling from the interaction.
The great, leather-bound volume rolled its emerald eyes. <That’s a long story, and now probably isn’t the best time to have it. Also, talking is a bit subjective since I’m actually speaking to you with my mind—just one of the many benefits of sharing a soul, but like I said, we can sort out all the details once we get outta here.>
Still, Sam hesitated. “Before I pick you up and tote you around, tell me why you were locked up. If you’re some sort of prime evil, I’m not sure I want to help.”
<Phft. Evil. What? No, not even a little bit. I’m not even really all that dangerous; more like dangerously annoying, if you ask the stuffy, old fuddy-duddies hanging around the College. All I did was challenge The Accords—because they are evil—and instigate one smallish rebellion. Boom. Long story short, I wind up as a book. They would’ve destroyed me—these Mage types don’t like that I’m a free thinker, ya know?—but turns out I’m indestructible. They hurt me and managed to whittle me down to level one, but they couldn’t get rid of me. So, magic coma. Pretty standard as these things go.>
<Besides, all of that is behind me. Ancient history. Right now, we should really focus on the present because, like it or not, we’re partners in crime. You didn’t just open my prison, you bound me to your soul. Speaking of crimes, there are a whole bunch of Mages coming our way, and if I had to make an educated guess, they are going to be awfully grumpy when they see what you did. So, unless you want to get Dewey-decimated, maybe we… book it?>
“Yeah, that’s… I can see why you were locked up,” Sam mumbled. The gongs were still clanging overhead, and it was only a matter of time before the other Mages found him. If the punishment for joining an ‘unauthorized group’ for a basic grind session was a month of fueling The Accords with his Mana, Sam couldn’t even begin to imagine what they’d do to him for this little transgression. So, probably best to beat feet before he became mincemeat.
Sam bent over and scooped the book up from the floor. The second the hefty volume was in hand, a ghostly, silver chain erupted from the book’s spine, snaking down and digging into Sam’s hip with a sharp pinch. Sam fumbled the book in shock, but instead of falling to the ground, the tome just hung suspended in the air before him. It was floating. Sam glanced down at the odd chain and noticed there was a gentle ebb of blue light flowing from him to the book.
<Just pretend I’m a book about anti-gravity. I’m impossible to put down. C’mon, don’t look so surprised!> Bill demanded his attention. <We share a soul—a Core—which means we also share a Mana bond. That’s the chain thingy. We’re literally stuck together now, so I hope you’re not an introvert because I’ll be with you wherever you go. Forever! Muhu-ha-ha!>
Sam felt his stomach lurch at the idea of being stuck with this thing for the rest of his time in Eternium. He didn’t exactly relish the notion. There would be time to worry about that later, though. Over the top of the clanging gongs, Sam could now hear the distant call of voices and the heavy pounding of footfalls. Footfalls which were slowly drawing closer to his position.
“Okay, how in the abyss are we supposed to get out of here?” Sam whispered, gaze skipping along the hallway. “We’re trapped in the most secure section of the most secure library in Ardania.”
<Just so happens that we’re in luck because I can check you out of here. I know just about everything there is to know about the College. I was around when the first Rituarchitect, Sage Cognitionis, built this place. Guy was kind of a stick in the mud, but we were still buddies. That was before they murdered him for trying to expand his Coven, of course. The administration here really doesn’t like people trying new things. Anywho… all of that is to say, I know ways in and out of this place that no one else does, but, uh… sounds like they’re getting close. Might have to throw a few punches to clear the way. Here, take this.>
There was a brilliant shimmer of opalescent light, and a wide-brimmed cavalier hat made from fine felt appeared in Sam’s hands. A red velvet band encircled the hat, and protruding from it was an enormous, cobalt-colored ostrich feather.
“Where in the abyss did this thing come from?” Sam sputtered, turning the hat over in his hands.
<Soul Space,> Bill explained dryly. <I can store one item inside me, sort of like a spatial container. Except books. I can store all the books that your skill allows
to orbit you. That’s where we’ll stash the other books when we’re not using them to cast. Unfortunately, I only have the hat at the moment.>
<Why a hat? Also, why this hat?>
<Hey, no judgment now. That was my favorite hat, for the record. You should really be less sassy and more thankful! Where do you think your quill blade comes from, some random quill?> The book pointedly blinked toward the huge feather poking up from the brim. Sam quickly pulled up the item description.
Bill’s Foppish Hat. Well, don’t you just look ridiculous. With the rest of the outfit, you could pass as a Three Musketeers reenactor. Now, to give credit where credit is due, the hat is a really potent magical artifact. While wearing this hat: Strength +5, Dexterity +5, Charisma +5, +10% Resistance against Fire, +2 Skill Level to Bladed Weapons. In addition to being an interesting fashion statement, Bill’s Foppish Hat acts as a sheath for the Bibliomancer Artifact, Bill’s Quill. This item cannot be sold, stolen, or destroyed as it is Soul-Bound to the Bibliomancer’s Sacred Tome.
<Hey, looking better already! We really need to hurry. How’s about you grab a couple of those books there.> The book motioned toward a nearby shelf with his eyes. <They’re all magical, so we should be good to go. Just get a couple of big, ol’, fat volumes—the more pages the better—doesn’t really matter which one, but we’ll need it to cast spells. You better move your butt because the bad guys are closing in on us, and once they’re in range, you won’t be able to quick slot spells. You’ll learn pretty soon how awesome this class is, but it has a few… limitations. Prior preparation is one of ’em.>
Moving in a daze, Sam slipped over to the bookcase and pulled out the two thickest doorstoppers he could find—Fantastic Fallacies and Where to Find Them, bound in blue leather, and the Dangers of Arithmancy, bound in crimson. Instinctual information bloomed inside Sam’s head—just as it had when he was an Aeolus Sorcerer—and with a thought and a brief effort of will, Sam started assigning Magical Origami to one tome.