Towers And Tieflings: ONC 2021 Longlist

3: An Unexpected Encounter

After an entirely uneventful day trekking through the virtual Starchasm Forest, the party sets up camp for the night and attempts to establish an order for keeping watch.

"But being a lookout is so boring! At least when your character is sleeping you can go AFK or watch ads for credit towards the monthly membership fee. Guard duty means you just have to sit somewhere and stare off into space for hours on end." Seamus says, sending a small rock skittering with his shoe.

"Well we could've kept walking if you and Kohl didn't waste all your special abilities dueling each other," Adam replies as he tries to use his 'Survival' skill to light a campfire. "I don't even have any healing spells left. We need to re-cooperate or just a group of goblins would pummel us."

"Fine, fine. I call the last watch!" Seamus cries, not wanting his sleep period to be interrupted.

"I call first!" Kohl says. While navigating her 'Inventory' screen, she clicks a button to attempt a 'Survival' check in order to break down the bird she previously caught into feathers and meat.

Kohl swears like the sailor she is when she fails miserably, the fruits of her labor turning into a useless pile of mangled flesh and fragmented bones. She turns to Seamus and demands some of his stolen rations to eat instead. He acquiesces immediately.

The four sit around the cozy fire, enjoying the golden sparks and fabricated warmth it emits. Hundreds of little pinpricks of white light illuminate the midnight sky overhead, and the game plays a peaceful melody for all who have their music sound setting enabled.

"You okay with taking third watch, Orianna?" Adam asks. "I'll get the second and wake you up when it's time."

"O-oh, yeah, that's fine with me, thanks. Is keeping watch really as simple as Seamus said? I just look around?" Orianna gazes at Adam earnestly, inquisitively.

"Pretty much, yeah. Your character has something called "Passive Perception", which is how much they can notice without actually looking for anything in particular. It doesn't work when your character sleeps, but as long as you're awake you'll receive notifications if anything's amiss nearby."

"Make sure to study your spells during sleep time, Orianna," Kohl adds. "We'll definitely need your help when we run into monsters. You're the only one with multi-target abilities."

"Psh, she'll be fine," Seamus says. "Orianna, just don't cast spells that can hit both friends and foes when we're in range, yeah? Don't shoot any fireballs at me."

Orianna's skin turns a few shades paler than its normal pink. "My wizard abilities can hit you guys too?"

"Not all of them, just some. Usually the more powerful ones." Kohl tells the tiefling. She settles up against a nearby tree, ready to take first watch. "After all, it doesn't make sense that an earthquake or something would only hit the bad guys, right?

Adam places a hand on Orianna's shoulder. "Don't worry about it too much. The spell's description will tell you whether or not you can choose who it affects. And you have control over where your spells hit, so this only really matters if one of us is in your way."

Despite the paladin's reassuring touch, Orianna remains distressed. Visions of accidentally incinerating her companions haunt her horned head.

"Well," Adam says, clapping his hands together, "you guys up for reserving one of the dorm study rooms and working on our English essays while Kohl keeps watch?"

Kohl pouts. "Aw, no fair! I feel so exclud--"

"Hell no!" Seamus replies, ignoring the whiny pirate. "I'm gonna watch ads so I can afford to keep playing this game. Not all of our parents send us an allowance. You and Orianna go."