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?

I can

to hold onto surfaces and objects

My lord! My savior! Truly your beard is

some sort of help system built into the status to explain the skills when

ants could do that. I'll have to try it

my other skills do I

accurately and forcefully apply a bite

Provides sub-conscious guidance when digging

when attempting to attack from a distance using a

Okaaaaay.

formic acid from their rear zone. I must belong to 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 opponent, a course of

and shoot acid? That doesn't

me and Croca-beasts, I've no idea where the surface is or if the surface

I want any information I'll have to get it myself. Out,

Hmmm.

That's so scary,

with who knows how many unknown horrors as a

not help this situation in any way. Stay rational,

question is, what can I spend my points

you like to spend your skill

would! I absolutely would oh wise and magnificent Gandalf, bringer of

a

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

purchase new skills or upgrade existing

can be spent to improve or modify

[Skills available to purchase:

cost 1sp, improves your ability

cost 1sp, Increases speed over short distances but

more accurate

1sp, bites pierce more and are more difficult to

improves sense of

available

+1: harden your exoskeleton to improve resistance to

and improve their

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

to air

gland +1: thicken the

of options! It's very difficult to choose! I have

tunnel sense would make it harder for me to get lost whilst underground, chomp

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

I have to

have made

Eyes +1

like to purchase Eyes

Yes, please.

over my eyes, like a thousand mosquito bites erupting at

Gaaah!

I can't even scratch this itch, I might

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