A last minute reminder by Brewary changed the Orc plan slightly, as it was the original plan to get another skill before going to the Orcs. Roland arrived at the guild, much to the cheer of the Recruiter and Rowland. The cat was still on the roof. Roland felt a tingling of resentment for Hunters. The first thing they noticed was his new bow.
"Longbow", remarked Rowland.
"That's good. Earn more and move on to the War Bow. A proper Long War Bow with horn for extra pull weight. Make sure to learn the difference so you don't accidentally pick up some composite Hunter's War Bow", said the Recruiter. Rowland spat the bit of toothpick he had in his mouth.
"So what have you come to learn this time, Roland?", asked Rowland. Roland told about the plan to go for Orcs next. The 2 teachers opinions differed on the matter.
Kinetic was suggested by the Recruiter. It was a broadhead skill that imparted great force to anything it comes in contact with. It could knock weapons out of grips, smash weak shields or send lighter mud goblins flying, their inner organs damaged. If fired from an angle, it could move a metal shield out of the way, stop an armoured person's momentum, smash regular doors, barrels. Basically the weight of a heavy rock in a single arrow.
"Practice your Chop as well", cautioned the Recruiter.
"Orcs have a habit of charging and knocking the front line aside. Once they break through, it's only a few strides to where you are. This is where Kinetic will come in handy. Hit the head and slow it down for your Warrior by stunning. If that doesn't stop them, Chop. Chop like you need to turn the whole damned forest into kindling."
Rowland suggested the passive skills. Stop-eye was an accuracy skill that could be used in conjunction with Quick-eye. If you could hit what you wanted to before, now you could place it reasonably close to the precise point you wanted it to go, like the eye slits in a visor. Only battle experience and practice could make up the extra 3 inches or so in accuracy. Lean-in gave extra driving power and an even flatter trajectory to the arrow flight, at the expense of a slightly slower draw. The ultimate Archer passive was out of price range. Even if Roland could learn it, he was not ready until he learned everything else.
"Against orcs, Penetrator is what will punch through all that extra plate. The passives make sure you put those bodkins where they need to go. Orc fighting isn't cheap for bow users".
Roland showed them the elemental coated bodkin. The 2 men nodded.
"That's good. It will save your life. However, you're a long ways away from carrying a quiver of the things, and not even orcs can pay for firing those."
"Aye. Dragons, Wyverns, Greater Demons, Tarrasque, Liches, Animated Constructs, Vampire Lords, Giants, the terrors of the sea maybe. But not orcs."
"What are those? There are Giants? Where?", asked Roland. The 2 men shook their heads.
"Never mind that. Tell you what. Get to chopping and delivering, then when you get back, you can tell Rowland there what you want to learn." The recruiter handed Roland a plate of food and a mug of ale.
"We're spoiling him", said Rowland.
"Yes we are. But on the bright side you don't get to chop wood today", replied the Recruiter. Rowland laughed. Roland said little, pondering over his decisions as he worked, drawing on all his battle experience.
I can hit reasonably well. But to put it exactly where I want?
If I can beat plate no matter what…
But maybe I can buy extra seconds for anyone if I just slammed something aside…
Dammit, couldn't they just have told me what to learn like the last time?
"Remember those White Giants?", asked the Recruiter. The 2 men were discussing something quietly, convinced that Roland was distracted by work and his own thoughts.
"I hope no one ever learns where they are", answered Rowland.
"We burned all the signs, maps, and swore never to tell a soul about the hole", continued the Recruiter.
"Stop. Please. I lost my wife to a glaive creature, the black bastard. The stupid mistakes we made for pushing ahead of our skill level...", They saw Roland had stopped working and was looking at them.
"You got some Mage magic to make that axe move itself, boy?"
"I saw the last log become all firewood. Don't make us go there and make you chop a fresh tree and start over."
"Getting lazy. Maybe we make him run the gauntlet again. This time we use broadheads". Roland went back to wood chopping.
"Bread and water for you tonight, boy". He wasn't a boy. He wasn't supposed to be listening in either. After coming back from Alterna, he asked for an extension, to the slight annoyance of the 2 men. After his calisthenics, he decided on Stop-eye. The Recruiter extended his hand for the payment.
"Tell me why", asked Rowland. Roland explained the times where his arrows bounced off plate, got caught in shields, the times his arrows missed by a hair, his frustration with the goblin's bobbing style of running and fighting. The 2 men nodded, pleased with the answer.
"You're not upset?"
"Why should we be upset?", asked the Recruiter.
"We are not upset because you are showing signs of critical thinking. You know where you need improvement and why you need it. You know how you want to fight. You've observed Warriors wearing different weighted armour and swords?", asked Rowland. Roland thought of Brewary's lighter and slimmer Zweihander compared to most other warriors' weapons. Brewary also didn't aim to cover himself in plate, preferring to use his sword hooks and crossguard as a shield. He nodded.
"It's the same for Archers. With enough experience and some mind, certain styles are favoured. You choose to make your arrows count. You want each one to land where you want it to land. Coincidentally, that is my fighting philosophy as well", explained Rowland.
"I prefer more brute force, as long as I hit what I aim at, which is why I would use Kinetic in your situation", explained the Recruiter.
"It's the subtle things that make all the difference. You will see this in other classes as well; Thieves that carry clubs in their off-hand, Mages that learn Shadow magic, Hunters that prefer their machete or bow, or crossbow users, Paladins with smaller shields but larger swords, or Priests that step right up with the rest of them," Rowland continued.
"My Priest wears a Gambeson over her robes", said Roland.
"Exactly. Smart Priest. Now you have an off-tank", said Rowland. Roland felt better. Perhaps part of the burden on his mind was the fact that he had to choose between the two recommendations.
Roland learned Stop-eye.
Back at the skill demonstration meeting, Jakson asked for a Cure. His arm was so sore he had it in a sling. There would be no hunting that day anyway so Demit could afford to be more liberal with her healing. He sighed in relief and tested his arm.
"Show us what you got, Broski". Jakson grabbed some discarded piece of wood and tossed it to Demit. He pulled out his Baselard and waited. Demit hit and he parried it with his dagger by aiming straight for the weapon. Several parries later, Demit stopped.
"Is Swat. Good for block, but also make opening", Jakson explained.
"Outstanding. Roland?".
"Remember the broken bucket you chucked?", Roland asked Brewary. He nodded.
"Now try that roof tile". He activated Stop-eye and Quick-eye. Brewary picked up a discarded misshaped roof tile and threw. The tile broke as Roland's training arrow flew into it. He had prepared just the one for the demonstration. There's no using broadheads for that.
"I demand only headshots from now on, Marksman. Brewary?"
"There's no displaying this one, darlings. Steel Guard draws energy from within and strengthens my armour", said Brewary, standing with hips to the side, running his hands from hips to chest to neck.
"I do have a small bit of meditation to do for it, and can't keep it on all day".
"I have something similar. Guard Stance uses my staff to raise my defence. You will also be glad to hear that my magic has increased, so Cure is more potent and I can use more of it".
Having learned from their multiple sources, they knew orcs favoured very brutal melee combat. They were all expecting trouble and beefed up their defences. Roland started having doubts. Suddenly Kinetic seemed like a good idea. He took a deep, quiet breath. Don't be ridiculous.
There was the issue of the hunting grounds. Brewary had something to contribute.
"There's a small feud between 2 nobles over their father's will", he explained. This news came straight from his associates, these 'finest men'. It was passed on from person to person, keeping the scale of involvement low so a minor war wouldn't break out, pulling in every noble house and the Alterna Frontier Army. He also told the payment received for participating. A sharp intake of breath followed. The party had yet to see any gold coins.
"No", said Demit.
"Is good money", said Jakson. Roland agreed.
"Why not, Paprika? My associates don't spread this kind of news lightly. The coin is good."
"You guys ever wondered what you were before coming here?", asked Demit. Roland remembered an archery club, riding a bus, boring lectures and dinner with a girl. Jakson remembered a sibling he nicknamed "Cheburashka" and his drinking buddies. Brewary didn't remember anything (or wasn't willing to admit). Demit remembered dry dusty lands, brown mountain ranges which were just as dry, hard stone and hot sun. Walls were mud and brick due to the weather. There were plants with white and red flowers. She was a soldier from a different land, and she killed the locals who were better dressed for the weather than she was.
"I was a people killer before I came here. I signed up at the Temple to serve, do what is right and to stand against the evil of the land. So I'm not going to order you to turn down the offer, but I say with all due respect that should you choose to accept, I'm not coming. You can divide the loot and reward among yourselves, cos I got no business killing people unless I have to". No cussing, no insulting, no direct orders and she said something resembling 'please'. Oh shit. She's dead serious.
"I'll tell my associates", said Brewary. He seemed amused about something. Jakson just shrugged. Fireteam Alpha had the rest of the day off.
The next day, they assembled to leave.
"Oh, fuck. It's PTSD Mary", Demit laughed. Mary the Priest was recruited into Team Manato as replacement Priest. She followed Team Manato a few steps behind. She had her wall up and was refusing small talk from the others. Manato was no longer there, and based on how the Thief led the group it was now Team Haruhiro.
"Well, at least her staff is decent. But for fuck's sake buy some armour."