Bookworming...
Bookworming...
Chapter 1.29
The introduction of chess causes unexpected developmental shifts in the Antinium Hive, producing both a speaking Worker and a violent Aberration. A massive mob of Goblins later ambushes the inn, leading to a brutal battle where Klbkch sacrifices his life to save Erin. Sensing her commander's death, the Antinium Queen orders her Soldiers to the surface.
After the Chosen Workers bring the game of chess back to the Hive, the Antinium experience unexpected mental developments. The mental strain causes the Aberration Worker to break; overwhelmed by newfound desires, he steals a blade from the Worker with the butcher's knife and goes on a violent rampage before Klbkch puts him down. Conversely, the Designated Worker develops the unprecedented ability to speak, successfully petitioning the Queen for time off to play chess at the inn.
Klbkch and the Designated Worker visit Erin Solstice at her inn, but the peaceful visit is shattered when a mob of forty Goblins, led by the unusually large and aggressive Big Goblin, ambushes them. A brutal brawl ensues. Despite Erin utilizing her [Bar Fighting] skill to defend herself, she is quickly overwhelmed and takes a severe stab wound from the Female Goblin.
Klbkch fights fiercely to protect Erin and the Designated Worker from the horde, taking fatal wounds in the process. The Designated Worker is killed, and Klbkch is mortally wounded. Just as the situation appears completely hopeless, Rags arrives with three Goblin friends. Betraying her own kind, she attacks the mob to save Erin's life.
Before succumbing to his injuries, Klbkch forces his last healing potion down Erin's throat, saving her life. Deep within the Hive, the Queen instantly senses the death of her trusted commander. She utters his true name in grief and immediately commands her Antinium Soldiers to march to the surface.
The introduction of chess causes an Antinium Worker's mind to break, turning him into a violent Aberration who steals a knife before Klbkch executes him.
A unique Worker develops the ability to speak and successfully asks the Queen for permission to visit the inn to play chess.
An exceptional Antinium Worker who learns to speak and petition for time off to play chess, but dies fighting Goblins.
aka Designated Worker, the designated Worker +2
An Antinium Senior Guardsman in the city’s watch; arrives at Erin’s door and greets her.
aka Senior Guardsman Klbkch, ant-man +23
A strategy board game from Erin’s world that she uses to focus and cope with pain.
aka chess, Chess Board +3
A mob of forty Goblins, led by the Big Goblin, ambushes Erin, Klbkch, and the Designated Worker at the inn.
Rags arrives with three friends and attacks the larger Goblin mob, betraying her tribe to save Erin.
Mortally wounded by the Goblin horde, Klbkch uses his final healing potion to save a severely injured Erin before dying.
The lowest caste of the Antinium, bred purely for manual labor and simple tasks.
aka Workers
The original twelve Antinium Workers who visited the Wandering Inn and brought the game of chess back to the Hive.
aka Chosen Workers, the twelve Workers +2
A Skill obtained by Erin after winning a violent struggle inside her inn.
aka [Bar Fighting]
An Antinium Worker whose mind breaks from the strain of chess and newfound desires, turning into a violent Aberration.
aka Aberration, screaming Worker +1
An Antinium Worker whose job involves butchering, whose knife is stolen by an Aberration.
aka the butcher
The unusually large and aggressive leader of a mob of forty Goblins that attacks Erin's inn.
aka leader of the Goblin mob, the big Goblin
A small female Goblin who shadows the warriors and observes Erin, apparently driven by personal motives.
aka little Goblin, small Goblin +17
One of the Goblins from the mob who lands the first stab wound on Erin during the brawl.
aka female Goblin
The leader of the Antinium Hive, to whom Klbkch plans to report his findings about the unique human, Erin Solstice.
aka The Queen, Free Queen +5
A city adjacent to the Floodplains, culturally aligned with Drakes and not friendly to Humans.
aka City of Liscor, the city +8
A species of large, sentient insectoid people; one arrives at Erin’s door with a companion.
aka giant insect, Ants +25
Antinium that break from their programming, go mad, and violently attack everything around them.
aka Aberrations
A class used as an example by Klbkch to illustrate the variability of skill acquisition within the leveling system.
aka [Soldier], Soldiers
“Someone!”
“noOOOooo. NOOOooooooO—”
“wE! WE! a gAMe!”
“Clean up the bodies. Get back to work.”
“State your business immediately or be cut down. Why has the Queen not alerted me?”
“This one would request time off, Prognugator.”
“…Why?”
“This one wishes to visit the Innkeeper Solstice.”
“For what purpose do you wish to visit Erin Solstice?”
+44 more quotes →“This one would play a game of chess.”