News arrives out of the east. The forces of Mestom have completed their invasions successfully, and the City State of Stoink and the Empire of Lagganulva have been conquered. Stoink in particular is a valuable prize, for now Mestom has a seaport on the east coast of Central Amrica.
Finally, on November 22nd, Gilstrock gives up on Darian. It seems that the wood elf simply cannot gain any more skills as a warrior, despite Gilstrock's best attempts.
Darian sighs and shakes his head. "I'm sorry, Gil. It's not you, it's me. Lord Valdar warned me that it's difficult for elves to train as highly skilled warriors. And that I likely wasn't naturally strong enough to become one without help. I just didn't realize I had already reached my limit. He told me that Stiff could probably help me with a wish or a lot of them, but Stiff's not here and I never got up the guts to ask him."
"Oh well. I can still train to be a mage."
"Do ya need to wish fer more strength or just the ability ta learn, Darian?"
Occa says, "It is an issue of strength. A friend of mine named Teke Perianth had the same problem."
"And how do we elves get around that? Are there other ways besides wishes to raise our strength?"
Occa shrugs. "Teke found a godling that helped her out. I don't know other ways."
"I don't suppose there was a tome of strength in the shop?"
"Lord Valdar didn't tell me and I don't really know. I'm no expert on wishes. It seems like having more strength would let me hit with more force, but I'm not sure what that entails. And I'm not sure how much stronger I need to be to train."
Occa says, "I have no experience in making others stronger or smarter, but I could try once for you. If I am aged, then so be it...I may not be since it doesn't benefit me. How strong are you by the way compared to the others of this group?"
Darian shrugs. "I don't know. Obviously not as strong as Gil and probably not Op Code or Robert. Don't know about the others. Shall I arm wrestle everyone?"
Occa says, "I do have another idea for you Darian. It would allow you to grow more powerful...however, you would have to become a drow. Something to consider."
Darian nearly chokes. "Drow? Why?"
Gilstrock nearly chokes himself. "You can DO that? Just, snap your fingers, and hey look! Darian's a Drow!"
Gilstrock shakes his head and puts his hand on Darian's shoulder. "You're a fine warrior as you are, Darian. Study your magic, get better at that. Improve your mindbending stuff, if you can. It's not worth turning into a... drow, just to be a better warrior."
Darian sighs. "Not just a better warrior, Gil, a better mage at some point as well. Plus, having a drow in hell might be a useful thing. Not to mention their magic resistance and other abilities. I'd only consider it if I could return to a wood elf and keep the skills I learned."
"For instance, turn into a drow, train and then turn back?"
Gilstrock still looks skeptical. He says slowly, "Well, it still sounds kinda risky to me."
"Perhaps these are questions to asks Salaam's god when we get him back. It may be interesting to research these questions, as I may run into these problems as well in the future. But first, let us rescue Salaam!"
"It is what we had to do with Teke for a while before she was able to get a divine wish to allow her to go unlimited in skill. Drow apparently have better abilities to increase in skills in many professions."
"But, won't everyone who doesn't know me, wish to kill me?"
"Yes, but they won't be able to do so. Like I said, it is something to consider."
Darian nods, obviously doing some real soul searching. "If I do this, will you be able to change me back without me losing the abilities? Or do I have to stay a drow forever? And what about my psionics? Will I lose them?"
"It is unlikely that you could be changed back and retain your skills. They would be a function of your race. Unless you raised your abilities or found another way to progress wihtout limit."
Op Code looks at Darian, "Besides, wouldn't changing your be a shock to your body? What would be the purpose of changing back and forth, if you can't keep your increased ability, as Occa claims."
Darian shakes his head. "Not worth it, then. I don't want to be a drow."
"Before you take this action," suggests Emm, "shouldn't you see if a wish would even work? We've been having problem with magic, don't forget."
"That's a good point Emm," Op Code nods. "With the way magic works around here, why don't you wait until we're out of the area before trying something like changing races for the sake of abilities."
He turns to Niko, "shall we see if I have any talent with that short sword, Captain."
Occa says, "Well, I don't think I can help you much, but we can see what the effect of this is will be."
He stands up and invokes a wish, "I wish that Darian Trist's strength would be raised as high as possible permeanently."
Nothing happens.
"K-I-S-S," intones Robert, who has apparently witnessed a wish or two in his time.
"K-I-S-S??? What in blazes does that mean, Robert?"
"Keep It Simple, Stupid."
"He wants you!" Gilstrock says to Niko, with a wink.
"Naw, that's Valdar," says Robert with a chuckle.
"How should I simplify it more?"
Robert shrugs.
"You're the arch-mage..."