Levels and Loot

"Fur Fur....Noor...wake...Wug not lose you so wake!" I hear in the distance as my eyes flutter open and i see Wug hovering overtop me. I groan as Wug finally smiles and moves out of my way so i can sit up. I begin looking around and notice that Wug has gathered all the gnoll bodies into one pile except for one, and that all the wyrmlings are just standing in a group staring at us nervously.

"Wug happy Noor okay! Wug saw Noor fighting puppy man and Noor brave! Last stabby stab kill puppy man but Noor go sleep. Lots of blood so Wug not move Noor and try find healthy foods!" Wug says excitedly as he puts a small mound of berries in front of me, motioning for me to eat some. As I pop one of them into my mouth my eyes widen as I smile and start eating them three at a time until their all gone, the taste of cherries mixed with oranges lingering in my mouth as my shoulder slowly starts to begin healing. Once i stop feeling as much pain in my shoulder i stand up and realize I've been laying on the gnolls corpse this entire time, my axe handle is broken in half and useless but the gnolls dingy armor and mace are still in decent shape so i begin trying to take off the shoulder pads and pants from the body. Once i get them off I I try to put them on and realize even though the gnoll was at least a foot taller and more muscled than me his gear shrinks to fit my body. I inspect the chest piece that has a hole through the gut and am surprised at the result.

(Shoddy Leather Chest Piece- Poor Quality chest armor)

Armor made from poorly tanned leather. Can Provide the bare minimum protection but won't last very long.(Monster only item) Limitations=Small to medium humanoid monsters.

So armor and stuff can be made for specific creatures and they can fit anything that's included in their size limits. That's actually kind of useful except that means I can't wear just any gear that I end up finding but at least now I have something that's such a relief to own again....pants! As I'm enjoying not feeling a breeze on my lower bits I feel like something inside of me has changed. I pull up my status and laugh as I see something else that I didn't realize.

[Name-Noortain Level 3]

[Race-Gremlin]

STR-4

CON-5

INT-9

AGI-8

Available Stat points-4

New combat ability

Desperate charge-You desperately charge at your enemy brandishing your weapon in an attempt to survive.

I Laugh excitedly as I realize that this world gives stat points as you level then as I start thinking I realize I'm an idiot. I'm level 3....which means i had points i could have used to make myself stronger before this fight but instead I went in at my weakest! I sigh dejectedly as I decide to add two points to strength and two to constitution that way next battle instead of being overpowered by my enemies I can either fight back or not be taken down with a single attack. After I use my points I can feel my body getting stronger and healthier, my fur seems to take on a nicer shine, and I can see small muscles hardening around my stomach and hands. Once the feelings stop i look towards Wug and notice that he seems to want to say something so I wait until he finally notices I'm looking at him and smiles.

"Wug level and wonder what Wug should make stronger. Wug thought make stronger so Wug not need work hard but Wug want know what Noor think." Wug says shyly as I realize he's only level 3 like me and when he first leveled up his family probably helped guide him into what he should have picked. After asking some questions and finding out he gets two points per level also I think for a few minutes before telling him to put both points into INT, hoping to make him a little smarter that way we can come up with better strategies in case we have to fight groups again.

Wug stands there for a few minutes before a small twinkle is seen in his eyes and they brighten considerably before he nods towards me and smiles, then leads me towards the pile of bodies. Once we arrive Wug starts laying them into a row and then walks towards the pile of stuff the gnolls had drug out of the cave. I can hear Wug mumbling under his breathe before making a happy noise and turning around with a large metal blade the size of a machete in his hand.

"Wug can...no no not right.....I can think...clearly now....huh. I don't feel as slow now. Not stupid anymore." Wug says in a ponderously slow way before smiling sadly towards me.

"Noortain...thank you for helping me get smart. But now I see how lucky I was. Can you help me kill the thing that took my family? Wug asks gravely as he looks towards the cold bodies of his parents in anger.

{New Quest! Your Vassal Wug wants vengeance for his slain family. As his Lord you have the choice to help him move on or get even. Reward for getting vengeance-Increase in respect level of all Vassals under you. Wug receives New passive ability. Reward for moving on-None}

I read over the quest and after thinking for a few minutes decide that Me and Wug make a pretty good team and I actually want to help him settle his score. I nod at him and he smiles at me before coming over and handing me the knife telling me to skin the Gnolls with it while he starts digging a pit to bury his family in. I start using the machete knife to cut the battered gear off the first gnoll, its chest and skull are both caved in causing most of its armor to be destroyed, and begin trying my best to skin the fur that still intact off its body. Working through the seven bodies I gain the skinning skill after the third one and it reaches level two after the sixth. The hides show definite improvement over my first attempt at a blood covered rabbit bag and I smile bitterly Remembering how proud I was at my obviously disgusting attempt before and now. Once I've finished skinning the bodies i go through the gear they had finding a still usable chest piece as well as some decent quality boots, several rusted or poorly kept weapons, 27 dull brown coins, and an actual large sized backpack with coarse rope straps. Inside the pack are a few grungy roots, a few pieces of almost burnt meat wrapped in some kind of leaf, and a well maintained whip with a small spike at the end that i decide to inspect.

(Slaver's Dominance-Uncommon Quality Weapon)

A well maintained whip used to break the will of sentient creatures. Enchanted by a Gnoll Shaman this weapon is given to raiding parties to help discipline their cannon fodder as well as motivate beasts of burden. Increases users AGI by 1.

I can't help feeling both excited and disgusted at the sight of the well cared for weapon. On one hand it's the first weapon I've found so far that's actually in good condition and its even enchanted! But on the other its made to pretty much just torture creatures and it makes me sick to think of all the things these gnolls probably used it on. I still decide to attach the whip to my belt considering it's the best quality weapon out of the bunch and even if its a disgusting thing maybe i can use it to do some good.

After putting everything usable in a pile I walk over and silently help Wug finish digging the pit then we roll his parents bodies into the hole and bury them before Wug put a large stack of stones overtop them as a grave marker. Once that's done I look towards the four wyrmlings that are still just standing in the same spot looking at us nervously, their bodies twitching often almost like they're small children after getting ahold of energy drinks. Finally Wug and I approach them and just stand in front of the tiny creatures. They stand around two feet tall coming up to just under my chest with deep brown scales the color of mud. All four are bone thin with most of their skin hanging tightly to their frail bones.

"Can you creatures understand me?" I ask slowly remembering that the description said that they were fairly stupid creatures. When they nod I smile and ask several questions where they either answer in nods or growls. When I ask if they can speak they look confused before they start hissing happily, one of the four looking annoyed before marching to the front of the group.

"Masters! Masters win us!" It hisses out before coughing violently and rubbing its throat. I grimace before nodding at the creatures, all four smiling and starting to cheer before hugging each other. I notice all four are staring at the skinned pile of gnolls nearby, the one that spoke drooling as it glance at me then back at the pile. I grow a little sick realizing what the wyrmlings want but as i nod my head i realize its probably a sick type of justice when the four creatures run over and star tearing chunks off the gnolls bodies and swallowing pieces whole.

"They might be helpful in scavenging. Maybe we train them? Like pets?" Wug asks as he watches the wyrmlings with a smile. I think a little bit before nodding then we start talking about the random loot we've found. I find out the club that the gnolls were dragging before is Wug's fathers weapon made from a bronze wood tree. Wug lifts it with one hand and decides to take it as his weapon as well as grabbing a few other things lying around and walking back into the cave. As I move to join him I step on something that I can feel through my boot. When i bend down to see what it is i notice a copper ring with a shattered gemstone in the setting. Curiously I decide to inspect it and once I read what it says I'm happily surprised and equip it.

(Shattered Ring of Command-Poor quality Accessory)

A copper ring that's seen extreme abuse. Although still usable the enchantment on it has become almost worthless over the years and its magic is barely functional. Effect-During battle allows one to mentally communicate with allies. Due to condition can only be used for one ally.

After putting the ring on I use it to say greet Wug and laugh as he yelps from the cave. Finally I start walking into the cave and see Wug making up a second bed using the gnoll fur, and smiling towards me before we eat the food we took from the gnolls. Once our dinner is done we make our way to our beds and fall into a deep sleep.