Luck favours the bold...and the prepared

Forget that the previous chapter existed. Think of it as a dream or a prank. The real winner was the trait -Iron Stomach- which changes things. Congrats, you have your first trait (and 0 trait points once more), AND a living host. 

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You shake yourself awake, the strange sensation of heaviness lifting from your awareness. The desert sun bathes everything in a golden haze, and as you glance around, you realize—you're still in the palm tree, overlooking the oasis below. Huh. It seemed you'd dozed off for a bit, lost in a bizarre dream about an orange cat. Who knew that even a ring could fall asleep?

But, really, it wasn't so surprising. The Crow had been watching the streets for hours now, her single eye locked on the same shifting patterns of traders, beasts, and carts. Nothing had come close enough for her to act, and boredom, it seemed, had crept into even your disembodied state. Eight hours was plenty of time to decide it was time for a change of plans.

(Control roll - 30 req. Rolled - 87+10(control) = 97 / Pass)

You nudge the Crow mentally, a soft push of your will in the direction of movement. To your relief, the Crow offers no resistance, her instincts taking over the moment you give the signal. She takes off instantly, wings beating the warm air, the palm fronds swaying slightly as she lifts into the sky.

You're on the lookout for something specific now—trash. Food in its worst, most grimy form. With the Iron Stomach trait you'd just purchased (or maybe created—you weren't exactly sure how that part worked), you knew the Crow could eat just about anything. Surely, in the dirtiest corners of this trading center, there would be something she could stomach.

The Crow soars low, skimming over the narrow streets, weaving between the towering tents and mud-brick walls, her eyes scanning for the telltale signs of refuse. Soon enough, she spots it—an alley, narrow and shadowed, cluttered with discarded crates, broken pottery, and the general stink of waste.

She lands carefully, claws clicking softly on the stone, her wings folding in tight to her body as she surveys the alley for threats. The smell hits you immediately—rancid, a mix of rotting food, sweat, and something else, the kind of odor that clings to the air in a place like this. The kind of place where desert folk throw away what little they can't salvage. Spoiled camel meat, half-eaten flatbread, dried dates turned sour, and skins of fruit long past their prime.

The Crow tilts her head, inspecting the mess before her. A crow's search for food isn't like a human's. There's no hesitation, no grimace of disgust. She hops forward, claws scraping on the stone, her beak darting into the muck with quick, sharp motions. She picks through the debris, tugging at a moldy piece of bread here, nudging aside the discarded bones of some animal there, her movements as precise as a surgeon's, even in the filth.

(Perception check - 40 req. Rolled - 65-10(half blind)=55 / Pass) 

But then—her head jerks, twisting ninety degrees in an unnatural, bird-like motion, giving you a perfect view of what she heard. A rat. Massive by any standard, with slick, patchy fur, yellowed teeth bared, and eyes glinting with hunger. It had been silent, sneaking up from behind. But the Crow's senses had picked up the faintest hint of its presence.

The rat leaps.

(Crow roll - 63-10(half blind, hungry)+20(air superiority) = 73)

(Rat roll - 70)

Time stretches. You see every ripple of its muscles, every twitch of its claws as it soars through the air toward the Crow. The rat's body is a blur of matted fur and teeth, aiming straight for her neck, but the Crow is quicker. With a powerful flap of her wings, she lifts off the ground, dodging the rat's lunge by mere inches. The air whooshes in your ears as the rat hits the stone where she had stood, missing its mark but already pivoting, preparing to strike again.

The Crow circles above, her sharp black eyes locked on the rat. It scurries below, teeth snapping, tail whipping back and forth in irritation. Then she dives.

Her beak plunges into the rat's back, the impact like a hammer blow, sinking deep into its flesh. The rat shrieks in pain, twisting violently, trying to grab her with its claws, but the Crow is too fast. She dodges the swipes with ease, wings beating furiously as she strikes again. This time, the beak digs into the rat's side, tearing a chunk of fur and flesh. Blood spills onto the stones below, a thin, dark streak.

The rat hisses, scrambles, and then bolts, running for the shadows, its wounded body dragging slightly as it retreats into the depths of the alley. It's no longer interested in a fight.

((Brawling lvl 5-lvl 6 / Yes, hosts have skills of their own and they will develop much, much faster when wearing the ring, think 10 years of progress in a week with enough luck)

The Crow, victorious, perches on a nearby crate, her chest puffed up with pride. Her instincts push her to call out, to screech into the silence, to let the world know that she had fought and won.

(Control roll - 50 req, Rolled 82+10(control) = 92 /Pass) 

Control (10) + 5+5(proximity) =20

 But before she can, you clamp down on that impulse with an iron grip. Not now. Making noise would only draw more predators, more dangers.

The Crow quiets, though she doesn't know why, her feathers settling down as she returns to her search.

She pecks at the trash again, finding something, anything that can be consumed. The smell worsens, the alley growing ever more foul with each rotten morsel she digs up. A piece of spoiled fruit. A sliver of dried meat, covered in flies. Her beak moves without hesitation, scooping up the detritus, swallowing it down with that iron stomach you've given her.

But you—well, you don't feel all that hungry. You flick away your connection to her senses, blocking out the smell and the taste of what she's scavenging. Necessary it is, but its still nasty as hell.

The world fades to black as you don't tap into the Crow's senses anymore, and you wait, letting the Crow do what she needs to do, and you check out the new traits available to you...

Host bond = 0(trust) + 20 (control) = 20 ( + 1 trait point, unlocked acces to rank 2 traits for -Unnamed Crow-) 

Next trait point gained at Bond = 30

Current trait points - 1 

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Thickened Skin

Cost: 1 Trait Point

After many battles and close encounters, the crow's skin has toughened, providing slight protection against scratches and pecks. This hardened exterior helps the crow withstand minor damage and continue fighting.

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One Sharp Eye

Cost: 2 Trait Points

The crow may have lost an eye, but her remaining one has become twice as sharp with practice. She now has enhanced vision, allowing her to detect threats from farther away and track fast-moving objects with great precision, making her deadlier in combat.

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Nest Protector

Cost: 1 Trait Point

The crow's fierce determination to defend her home drives her to fight with greater strength when protecting it. She gains a +10 bonus to all rolls when defending her nest, ensuring that nothing threatens the safety of her territory.

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Rank 1 traits (Heat Resistance lvl 1, Stealthy Shadows lvl 1, are still available for 1 trait point each)

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You can upgrade Iron Stomach to Lvl 2 for 1 trait point as well. 

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Or save the point.