Chrysalis

Chapter 2

The world before the System Descent is mystery to us now, any records of that time disappeared during the Rending or were lost in the centuries since. How did those people judge each other, unable to view themselves with perfect numerical accuracy as we so easily can today?

Was that society a more equitable place? When the worth of a human being can be weighed with such precision, strict roles and structures are easy to maintain, perhaps back then, when the qualities of each individual were more nebulous, it allowed greater freedom, greater choice in a persons' life? Many believe the System elevated us, empowered us to fight back against the great cataclysm, but many of the wise question this narrative, we know what we gained in the Descent, but we can no longer recall what we lost.

Exert from page 15 of "Ruminations on the pre-Descent society" by Illarion the heretic.

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Okay. So I have a skill point and a body point to spend? If this is a game-like situation then I would be able to open some sort of menu in order to spend my points and improve myself. How do I access this menu here in my tunnel though?

Erm. Level up!

No, that didn't work.

Escape! Escape key!

… Nothing.

I mean, worth a shot right?

Sigh.

Status!

Whoa!

Name: Anthony

Level: 1

Might:15

Toughness:12

Cunning: 25

Will: 18

HP: 30

MP: 0

Skills: Digging level 1; Acid Shot Level 1; Grip Level 3; Bite Level 2

Species: Hatchling Ant Worker (Formica)

Biomass: 1

Skill Points: 1

Wow, this is really interesting! My status huh?

The first time I saw these numbers I thought they looked high but perhaps they are actually really low? I can't imagine a hatchling ant worker has an impressive status in any way. And what are these skills?

Does this mean I can hold onto

objects

of Lord Gandalf! My lord! My savior! Truly

help system built into the status to explain the skills when I

my ability to hold onto stuff with my six legs, including walking on walls and the ceiling? I totally forgot ants could do that. I'll have to try it as soon as I

other skills do

and forcefully

when digging to

attack from a distance using a

Okaaaaay.

a monstrous species of formic acid spraying ant then. This could be very helpful, it gives me an option to attack without getting too close to my

crawl on the roof, dig and shoot acid? That doesn't seem like a lot of tools to survive in an

creatures live in this place other than ants like me and Croca-beasts, I've no idea where the surface is or if the surface

any information I'll have

Hmmm.

so

there with who knows how many unknown horrors as a lone little ant monster?! Madness, madness

will not help this situation in

is, what can I spend my points on and

to spend

and magnificent Gandalf, bringer of hope, bringer of light, may

my status, a window opens within my

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

use skill points to purchase new skills or

be spent to improve or modify aspects

[Skills available to purchase:

ability to hide and

cost 1sp, Increases speed over short distances but

attack: cost 1 sp, more

bites pierce more and are more difficult to shake

improves sense of direction

available

+1: harden your exoskeleton to improve

mandibles and improve their ability

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

increase sensitivity to air current and

+1: thicken the concentration

options! It's very difficult to choose!

to run faster would help be escape my enemies, tunnel sense would make it harder for

would only be suicide, if I attack a monster I can't defeat then it'll be game over straight away, improving my speed will be a dead end if I run into something that is faster than I am. Without information, how am I supposed to know what creatures I can fight and how fast any

worker, I have to assume I am close

I have made my

Eyes +1

you like to purchase Eyes +1

Yes, please.

maddening itch burst over my eyes, like a thousand

Gaaah!

scratch

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