73 Chapter Seventy-Three – We Now have a Paladin (1/2)
”Use three of them,” Briggs said calmly, taking Sama's cue. ”Rep counts. You need to use those as often as possible to get your rep counts up.”
”Rep… counts?” he repeated, even as he crossed his hands again.
”What, they don't teach basic Spellcraft to Paladins, now?” Briggs huffed.
”I… forgive me, but it is passing strange to hear a, ah…”
”Ancient,” Sama snapped from behind him.
”Ancient,” he agreed in relief, ”lecturing on Spellcraft.”
”It is passing strange to hear total ignorance on basic magic from a Powered Human, so I guess we're even,” Briggs replied without batting an eye, and the young noble's face fell. ”Don't tell me that they filled your head with that 'Mithar Provides' stuff, and you just smote pelts and fenced most of the time?”
”Ah…” he managed, and didn't say anything. Briggs looked at Sama, who just snorted, and the young man blushed despite himself.
”Wow, he has a LOT to learn. It's a good thing Paladin is not a Primary Class. We're gonna have to put you to studying, Sir Estemar of the Knights of the Ruby Heart.”
”I am a mere squire, I have no honorific!” he started to protest.
”Do you really want us to be addressing you as Your Royal Highness?” Briggs asked, arching an eyebrow. He noticed Sama giving him a glance, and smiled to himself. Someone didn't put Ranks in Knowledge/Local, he mused to himself. Or, more likely, she never had the opportunity to…
Estemar immediately stiffened. ”I, you…” Having a Neandrathal find him out was definitely surprising the heck out of the lad, Briggs mused.
”You're wearing a Ruby Heart ring given only to senior knights, and it's been enspelled with anti-divination protections. Your armor is QL 30 high-carbon steel at +Zvei, the maker's mark is Jotungard's Royal Guild, with the crown attachment reserved for the Royal Family, and you're wearing a personal identification Amulet under your tunic. I won't comment on your accent, you're definitely trying to work on it, but you can't hide your mannerisms.
”Now, I don't know which one of the Ogredown Princes you are, as I've been told there's like two dozen of you, but if they sent you off into a knightly order at your age, it wasn't because you were magnificently talented at being a cavalier… especially with a Scryward on you.
”I'm going to assume that your siblings and/or their supporters might be making things difficult for you, and you were packed off to somewhere you might be able to grow and make something of yourself without taking a shiv in the aorta. Add in some martial training since young, and the hopelessly optimistic viewpoint necessary to become a Paladin, and knightly orders was definitely a road for you.” His bushy eyebrows waggled magnificently on his browline. ”How am I doing, Sir Estemar?”
The young noble winced. ”You are doing magnificently, sir. I shall not underestimate you in the future!”
Briggs clapped his shoulder, and the boy staggered, feeling again the inhuman strength there. ”Well that you do not. Now, let's get you back into your armor. Oh, Sama, I assume he had a good tussle yesterday, what should he Level up?”
Estemar blinked, and only then saw his armor underneath the saddlebags, as Sama lifted the latter off the former.
”Soulshaper. Mastery to Extra Smite. Soul Feat to Wrathful Soul. Shape to Shock Gauntlets. He should pray for Assay and then all the healing magic he can.”
The young noble looked totally perplexed at the words coming out of her mouth, and looked to Briggs for an explanation.
”You can cast spells?” Briggs asked, somewhat amused.
”I have been blessed by Mithar, and He will grant some very minor Prayers of mine,” he replied, somewhat stiffly.
”So, yes. Probably only two, three a day at this point.” Estemar blinked, and nodded slowly. ”Okay, here's what you need to do.” He had the boy's curious but rather disbelieving gaze.
”Mithar is the God of Paladins, but he's also the God of Skill. He is totally and fully capable of granting you all the knowledge and power He wants to, being He's a Divinity and all, yes?” Estemar nodded, and started to open his mouth while Briggs went on blithley. ”So, Him teaching you the basics of a Class is exactly the same thing as Him granting you the powers of a Paladin, is it not?”
Estemar blinked, as if the idea had never occurred to him before this moment. ”I… suppose it is?” he admitted warily.
”Outstanding! Now, what we would like you to do is go over there and pray.” The young Paladin blinked. ”You will pray to Mithar as normal, and you will prepare your Prayers as appropriate in meditation and recitation. The ones you want are Assay and Lesser Fast Healing. If you don't know those Prayers, then you directly request inspiration of Mithar to learn them, and He will politely acknowledge His younger mortal brother's circumstances and teach you.” Estemar blinked at what was an astounding show of faith from an Ancient, who were reportedly mostly godless.
”Then, you will politely request that He show you the way to be a Soulshaper. This is no more or less difficult then Him showing you the Path to being a Paladin, and given that you have been in battle and fought in His name and your mutual goals, He will grant you this boon for the good deeds you have done.
”You will also request of him inspiration in the art of Smiting Mastery, how to stir within yourself a Wrathful Soul, and how to shape Shock Gauntlets. You need not worry if you do not know what these are, because Mithar most certainly does, and I imagine He is going to be ecstatic that you are making such an unusual and wise request at your age.”