12-70. The Importance of Context
The choices were a little more muddled than usual. In addition to the normal, cryptic descriptions that gave him very little real information, the impending evolution lacked much of the context usually provided by his instincts. That just made the decision even more difficult.
Elijah knew that couldn’t matter, a point punctuated by another explosion in the distance. The ground shook as one of the buildings collapsed. It wasn’t near his position, but it was closer than the last, highlighting the need for urgency.
He pushed those thoughts away and focused on the options before him. The only solace was that, despite the importance of the choice, each path represented a viable way forward. There were no bad options. Just ones that would require adjustment.
The first choice – Sage – came with the description: Become an arbiter of balance through fire and wisdom. The second, Sovereign, told him to establish dominion through ash and talon. Meanwhile, the third, Rebirth, wanted him to embrace the cycle of death and rebirth by setting the world aflame.
Each option sizzled with power, which wasn’t a surprise. Shape of the Master had been far and away his most potent bestial form when he’d first acquired it. With it, he was able to unleash a truly devastating amount of damage. It only stood to reason that its evolution would be equally contextually powerful.
But which option suited him?
After a few moments of focus, his instincts came through for him. When he looked at the Sage path, he got the feeling that it was as close to a straight upgrade as he was likely to get. In that vein, the basic idea behind the shape wouldn’t change that much.
There was more than a little to be said for that. Shape of the Master had served him quite well, and he suspected that a straightline evolution would be similarly suited to his endeavors. Even if it was a little boring.
Despite being a dragon, Elijah was also still human. And as such, he wasn’t immune to the pull of novelty. The grass wasn’t always greener on the other side of the fence, but the potential represented by change made it seem that way.
Still, he didn’t think he could go wrong by picking Sage.
He moved on to the next option, labeled Sovereign. The description reminded him a little of Sadie, though instead of order, it focused on balance. The part about ash and talon suggested that it would be equally dependent on magic and physical might, which suited Elijah just fine. However, he couldn’t help but feel some trepidation he couldn’t quite trace to its origin.
And then it hit him.
It was about responsibility. Elijah already had the weight of the world on his shoulders, so adding the need to maintain some unknowable balance to the mix just felt overwhelming. Perhaps that wasn’t fair. Maybe the form would make it easy. But the mere notion of adding more responsibility to his plate just felt exhausting to contemplate.
He didn’t think he could pick the Sovereign path of evolution.
By contrast, the description of the Rebirth option – which focused on the cycle of life and death – was much more appealing. It also fit with some of Elijah’s ideas about what constituted nature, which was characterized by life, struggle, and death. With that came a kind of beauty that only the natural world could create.
Maybe that was the whole point of nature in the first place. Before life, there needed to be fire. Destruction and rebirth.
Elijah made his choice:
| Shape of Embers Archetype: Druid Class: Primal Lord Level: 250 Adopt the form of an emberkin saint, providing an incredible increase to all attributes. Spellcasting (save in very specific circumstances) is suspended while Shape of Embers is active.
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| Wildfire
| Envelop your hands and feet in flames. Lasts until cancelled. Each evasion or landed attack builds a charge of Seed of Ash. Only usable under the effects of Shape of Embers.
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| Seed of Ash
| The embers of a wildfire burn within you. Stoke the flames, until they are ready to be unleashed. Being struck by an enemy will dissipate all charges. Only usable under the effects of Shape of Embers.
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| Flames of Renewal
| The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Renewal begins with destruction. Release the wildfire to destroy the enemy so that they may fuel nature’s rebirth. Only usable under the effects of Shape of Embers.
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| Reprisal of Ash
| Surround yourself with a corona of flame, exacting vengeance upon those who would attack you. Only usable under the effects of Shape of Embers.
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| Herald of Regrowth
| Become an avatar of pure flame, increasing all attributes. Potency of enhancement dependent on number of charges of Seed of Ash. Duration determined by Core cultivation. Current: 133 seconds. Only usable under the effects of Shape of Embers. Cooldown: 9 days.
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| Cloak of Embers
| Passively surround yourself with ash, creating a natural domain that enhances your reaction speeds and slows enemies. Each defeated enemy adds ash to the cloak, expanding its reach and effect. Limits dependent on Core Cultivation.
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