Chapter 2

“Um, more like Elektrina…” Rick said, his cheeks turning pink.

Vince snorted. “So you would be playing a girl?”

Rick blushed harder. “Yeah…”

“Good!” Katie said. “I won’t be the only female in the group then! Unless someone else here wants to cross-gender?”

“Not I!” Vince said. “I’m using an old character, my trusty Earthborne Brawler from the Fanged Mountains. I only need a couple more experience points before I can give him another dot in Strength and advance to the next tier.”

“And I’m planning on making a male Shigohm,” Flynn said. “Sorry, man. But don’t worry about it, plenty of players make opposite-gender characters. It adds an extra challenge to playing them.”

The encouragement relieved Rick immediately, and with help from Vince and Katie, he got to work on his character creation. Flynn, in the meantime, decided that since there was already going to be a Brawler in their group, he should put his points into Endurance. Shigohm had natural defense bonuses because of their tough reptilian skin, but being cold-blooded could lead to longer recovery times. Flynn didn’t want to slow everyone down by lagging behind to nurse his wounds.

Katie was helping Rick choose his character’s name when Matt arrived with the other two players. One was Matt’s younger brother, Jeremy, whom Flynn knew from previous games but had never seen play War of Harmony, and the other was a girl Flynn didn’t know, but wished he did. She had dark hair cropped into a stylish pixie cut and bright hazel eyes that lingered longer on Flynn as she looked around the room. She wore clothes that were baggy on her relatively fit frame, but even her loose T-shirt couldn’t hide the subtle bust from which the rest of the fabric hung. Flynn immediately straightened himself in his chair and gave her a friendly smile. She returned it briefly before setting her messenger bag next to an empty seat and easing herself into it.

She pulled a dice bag from her jacket pocket. “Who’s ready to play?” she asked.

“I hope these guys, because I have a doozy of a campaign for y’all,” Matt said with a devious grin. He most likely meant it, too. All the games he had run in the past, as far as Flynn knew, were detailed and intricate, and Matt planned for anything. No matter what twist the characters or players threw at him, he had a challenge waiting for them. Based on the proud glint in Matt’s eyes, it was clear this latest one was a masterpiece.

Introductions were made around the table. The new girl hesitated and looked to Matt briefly. He gave her a subtle shrug. The corner of her mouth twitched with unease. “I’m…Tanya.” Then suddenly the confidence she had shown upon first entering the room was back. “However, you’ll come to know me as Cethin Byrne, the Arrow out of Shadows.”

“I take it you’re playing a Darkborne then?” Katie inquired. “Awkward, mine is a Lightborne sorceress.”

Tanya waved her hand. “No problem. Cethin gets along well with all elemental classes, although he is more wary around Chaosbornes for obvious reasons.”

“Hey! Another cross-gender!” Flynn exclaimed. He clapped Rick on the back. “Told ya it wasn’t that uncommon.”

A brief flash of something like anxiety passed over Tanya’s face, but within seconds she had regained her cool demeanor. “Yeah, I always make male characters. More interesting in my opinion.”

Vince snorted somewhat incredulously. “If you think you can handle it. So are you an Archer, then?”

“Yep! Three points in ranged weapons, three in stealth, and two in throwing weapons for fun.”

“Ooo, sounds like you’re going to have competition for Sneakiest Character, Rick,” Vince teased.

Matt cleared his throat. “For that matter, why don’t we all go around and say whose character does what to make sure no one is stepping on anyone’s toes, shall we?”

Flynn wasn’t quite done with his character, so he let someone else go first. Jeremy was playing a Shigohm Fireborne Knight of the Divine with a sword that could burn like the sun. Vince had his Human Earthborne Brawler, who preferred hand-to-hand combat, but carried a short sword and a small shield. Katie’s Human Lightborne Sorceress had a crystal staff and knew some basic healing spells, so she could act as the healer since there were no Lifebornes in the party. Rick decided on a Human Assassin with martial arts skills and an arsenal of daggers. Tanya’s Darkborne Archer was a bit of a surprise since he was a Shifter with a panther as his original form.

“My first GM promised me bonus points if I gave my character a disadvantage,” Tanya explained. “Since non-conventional OF Shifters are pretty much the outcasts of the outcasts, it seemed like the simplest path to go. He does prefer a human form, although he keeps the amber eyes.”

“But wouldn’t that mean his mother was in panther form at his conception?” Vince inquired. Tanya nodded, causing Vince to grimace. “Gaaah, that must have been painful.”

“Yet another reason I got the bonus points. Spent them on increasing my Charisma and Focus stats. He’s only up to three Charisma, but it makes him likeable enough that people don’t necessarily care he’s a Shifter.”

“What’s his Focus rating?” Katie asked.