text: For a full detailed explanation of game mechanics, skills, and passives, please refer to the appendix.
  
  Dhane's stats had made a rather large improvement over a single night, all because of how levels translated to skills, and how skills affected attributes. Every skill had an attribute type. Learning a new skill, or leveling an existing skill, provided +1 from that skill's attribute type.
  
  Skills were literally the way to build and customize a class, and all classes had their own sub-class styles of play. An arachnomancer could invest in summoning or support or melee combat, depending on their chosen skills and attributes.
  
  Assassins could invest in ranged or melee combat, or focus entirely on playing in the shadows with backstab and critical strikes. They even had a few crowd control skills like Snake Bind, allowing for great flexibility in strategy.
  
  In addition to earning an attribute for whatever new or upgraded skill was chosen, all players received an implicit +1 to their Vitality per level.
  
  And this all kind of sucked for Dhane. Every level would cost twice the amount of experience. This all meant he'd have less health, fewer attribute points, and fewer skills or skill levels overall.
  
  It was a double-edged sword, a handicap in one area to gain a significant advantage in another. He would have had no hope in killing a hundred monsters last night by himself as a level 2 assassin. But he was not just an assassin, he was an assassin with a giant soul spider.
  
  The passive bonuses each class received made up the difference in lower overall stats. And not only did he benefit from these passive bonuses, but so did Octoralis. Better, there were more unknown passives to be unlocked at higher levels, so who knew what advantages may come from that.
  
  Lastly, while everyone else received a single new skill option with every other level, Dhane received two. He may have fewer levels, though there were skills across classes that gave him a unique advantage that no one else had.
  
  ─ Dhane [Arachnomancer, Assassin] Lvl. 10 (33,474/44,000)
  
  ─ Stats:
  
  ─ Health: 85/85
  
  ─ Mana: 110/110
  
  ─ Stamina: 140/140
  
  ─ Attributes:
  
  ─ Strength: 8
  
  ─ Dexterity: 12 (15)
  
  ─ Intelligence: 22
  
  ─ Vitality: 17
  
  ─ Passive Bonuses [Arachnomancer]:
  
  ─ [Soul Spider] Unlocked at Lvl. 1
  
  ─ A slice of the arachnomancer's soul is taken to form his or her Soul Spider, a summoned creature that is bound to its creator. Unlike normal summons, the Soul Spider does not require mana and can heal over time while desummoned.
  
  ─ Level: 12 [Intelligence - 10]
  
  ─ Health: 180 [15 * Soul Spider Level]
  
  ─ Damage: 72 [6 * Soul Spider Level]
  
  ─ Size: 1 Inch to 12 Feet Tall [Soul Spider Level]
  
  ─ Spider Rider (Unlocked at Lvl. 1): The arachnomancer is capable of riding spiders large enough to mount. Unlike normal mounts, spiders may climb walls and ceilings. As long as the arachnomancer intends to remain on the spider, gravity becomes relative.
  
  ─ Vibration Sight (Unlocked at Lvl. 1): Spiders are incredibly sensitive to vibrations. Even the most immobile and silent things, give off a sense of energy, be that from itself or reflecting the living world.
  
  ─ Arachnomancers gain the sense to visually see vibrations around them. This ability can be focused in any direction or all directions at the same time. Since illusions do not give off vibrations, they are often ineffective.
  
  ─ Attuned Hearing (Unlocked at Lvl. 1): As all sounds are vibration waves in the air, an arachnomancer is capable of hearing sounds much farther away than is typical. They are also able to focus on a specific location up to 300 feet away, allowing for long-distance eavesdropping.
  
  ─ Arachling Language (Unlocked at Lvl. 5): All spiders in Olindale speak and write Arachling. This passive allows for communication with wild spiders. Further, arachnomancers are capable of identifying spider relics, weapons, armor, and jewelry.
  
  ─ Spider Climb (Unlocked at Lvl. 10): The arachnomancer gains the ability to defy gravity, similar to spider riding. It takes a constant focus to bend the laws of physics and affect the relative world. As long as there is a surface close enough to touch, it can become the new "down."
  
  He could climb walls? Hmm, not climb. Climb would imply he needed to use his hands. But no, he could literally walk up a wall like he was the Goblin King in the Labyrinth. He could even sit on the damn ceiling if he wanted to. This was an explorer's wet dream, to have nothing off-limits.
  
  ─ Passive Bonuses [Assassin]:
  
  ─ Improved Agility (Unlocked at Lvl. 1): Assassins are agile, flexible, and strong. They can flip, roll, summersault, run up short walls, and if they ever fall, they always land on their feet. This boost in agility helps avoid attacks and improve positioning in battle.
  
  ─ Backstab (Unlocked at Lvl. 1): An assassin has one key benefit over all other classes: an attack to the back of a target will always trigger a critical strike, dealing 150% damage [100% + (Dexterity - 10)%].
  
  ─ Silent Step (Unlocked at Lvl. 1): Whether the assassin is running, walking, or in the middle of battle, their steps are always silent. They can step on a dry twig and emit no sound. They can dash across a field of broken glass and be unheard.
  
  ─ Shadow Fade (Unlocked at Lvl. 1): Shadows are a friend to the assassin. By remaining still within a shadow, the assassin fades, becoming a piece of the darkness, hidden to all but the keenest of eyes. This transition takes 10 seconds and lasts until the shadow is gone or the assassin moves.
  
  ─ Summon Mount (Unlocked at Lvl. 5): Upon achieving level 5, the player gains a soul linked mount of his or her choice. This mount is limited to transportation and will be desummoned if it takes more than a fourth of its health in damage. Options include horse, giant wolf, stag, ram, bear, sumilian, and giant fox.
  
  ─ Mount: Horse
  
  ─ Level: 10 [Player's Level]
  
  ─ Health: 100 [10 * Player's Level]
  
  ─ Critical Sight (Unlocked at Lvl. 10)
  
  ─ All entities of Olindale have weaknesses. At level 10, the assassin gains the ability to see the locations where a strike will yield a critical hit.
  
  ─ Subsequent strikes to a weakness increase critical strike damage by 20% with each hit. This bonus resets after 10 seconds or after dealing non-critical strike damage.
  
  And now for the skills he chose. Having such a high Intelligence stat would be completely wasted if he didn't pursue the summoning element of the arachnomancer class.
  
  But . . . spiders. The mere thought of the tiny things seemed to send them crawling down his spine, their many little legs tickling as they went. He shivered. Though, if he were to be powerful enough to not only survive today, but balance the world, he had to build to his strengths. . ..
  
  ─ Skills [Arachnomancer]
  
  ─ Exploding Spider [Int] Lvl. 1
  
  ─ Mana: 30
  
  ─ Damage: 33
  
  ─ Duration: 44 Seconds
  
  ─ Size: 1 - 6 Inches Tall
  
  ─ Summon an exploding spider that lasts 44 seconds [2 * Intelligence]. The spider can be given a target, a route, a guard position, or a patrol. It detonates either by command or automatically for 33 damage [Skill Level * 1/2 Intelligence].
  
  ─ Skill Modification: Disguise (Unlocked at Lvl. 3. The exploding spider can take on any color or pattern the summoner chooses.)
  
  ─ All skills at level 3 gained a modification choice. A mod introduced new ways to use the skill, but was optional. For Exploding Spider, there were two options: Disguise and Swarm, which summoned 3 smaller spiders, each dealing 1/2 the original damage.
  
  ─ While Swarm provided the potential to do more damage, the spiders would be easier to spot and evade, not to mention slower for being half their original size. Plus, Dhane had an inkling of a strategy developing. Could spiders trigger his assassin's backstab damage?
  
  ─ Venomous Spiders [Int] Lvl. 1
  
  ─ Mana: 18
  
  ─ Damage: 2 Venom Counters DoT
  
  ─ Area: 88 Square Feet
  
  ─ Launch a swirling mass of spiderwebs and spiders at an area of 88 square feet [(3 + Skill Level) * Intelligence]. All enemies within the area receive 2 venom counters [1 + Skill Level].
  
  ─ Each venom counter deals 1 damage every 3 seconds for a total of 9 seconds. If the target is hit with another venom counter before the effect is removed, the timer is reset.
  
  ─ Maximum of 5 active venom counters from Venomous Spiders.
  
  ─ Modify Vibration [Dex] Lvl. 1
  
  ─ Mana: 16
  
  ─ Damage: 5
  
  ─ Duration: 8 Seconds
  
  ─ Vibrations are everywhere and can be enhanced or diminished. Enhancing a sound makes it louder, while diminishing a sound makes it quieter. A blade that vibrates can do more damage. An enemy's sword or shield that vibrates may become uncomfortable to hold.
  
  ─ The effect lasts 8 seconds [Skill Level * 1/2 Dexterity] and increases damage by 5 [Skill Level * 1/3 Dexterity] per attack when amplifying vibrations to a weapon. This effect is different based on the material: Weapons 100%, Sound 20%, Water 10%.
  
  ─ Web Wall [Str] Lvl. 1
  
  ─ Mana: 30
  
  ─ Health: 240
  
  ─ Area: 110 Cubic Feet
  
  ─ Duration: 44 Minutes
  
  ─ Generate a wall of thick spider webs with 240 health [15 * Skill Level * Strength]. The wall lasts for 44 minutes [Skill Level * Intelligence] and can cover up to 110 cubic feet [5 * Intelligence].
  
  ─ The arachnomancer—and anyone touching the arachnomancer—can step through the wall unhindered, though anyone else will have to destroy the wall in order to pass.
  
  ─ Skills [Assassin]:
  
  ─ Venom Bite [Dex] Lvl. 1
  
  ─ Mana: 8
  
  ─ Damage: 5 & 1 Venom Counter DoT
  
  ─ Imbue your next attack with venom, dealing an additional 5 damage [Skill Level * 1/3 Dexterity] and adding a venom counter to the target.
  
  ─ Each venom counter deals 1 damage every 3 seconds for a total of 9 seconds. If the target is hit with another venom counter before the effect is removed, the timer is reset.
  
  ─ Maximum of 5 active venom counters from Venom Bite.
  
  ─ Venom Extract [Dex] Lvl. 1
  
  ─ Mana: 14
  
  ─ Damage: 5 per Venom Counter
  
  ─ Any venom counter an opponent has received—including counters that have concluded their effect within the last 2 minutes—can be extracted, dealing 5 damage [Skill Level * 1/3 Dexterity] per venom counter.
  
  ─ This is a touch effect and removes all venom counters from the target. The location of the touch determines the amount of damage and whether or not a critical strike is applied.
  
  ─ Shadow Shift [Dex] Lvl. 1
  
  ─ Mana: 15
  
  ─ Distance: 45 Feet
  
  ─ Delay: 1 Seconds
  
  ─ Smoke Trail: 10 Seconds
  
  ─ After a 1-second delay [1 / Skill Level], teleport between shadows that are no farther than 45 feet apart [(2 + Skill Level) * Dexterity], leaving behind a trail of smoke that can be seen and followed for 10 seconds [10 / Skill Level].