EFate: An MMO Story Chapter 57: Skilled Observations

Leaving the path, Eric forged his way through the forest, with Griffin and Mark trailing behind him.
"Where are we going anyways?" Griffin spoke up.
"There was a cave system I saw earlier. I didn't have time to explore it though," Eric explained, opening his UI to check his compa.s.s. Confirming that he was headed in the right direction he pressed onwards.
"Right I forgot that you died already Eric. What are the penalties like? I've read a bit about it on the forums but there's conflicting information," Mark asked.
"It wasn't that bad actually," Eric said thoughtfully. Going silent for a minute as he recalled the experience, "So when you die, they really dull the sensation. I got hit so hard I was probably chopped in half, but I couldn't feel a thing. The entire world went black for a moment, and then after that I had the feeling of waking up in a field. Super calming place called Elysium."
"After the fields of Elysium? Like in Greek mythology?" Griffin asked.
"The very same according to my fairy. Like I said, super nice place. Had a calming effect, I half suspect that Hurricane was drugging me," Eric joked which got a grin from Mark.
"Anyways. You need to stay there for half an hour in game time, but you're free to leave the game and spend the time in the real world. That's when I checked your Strife message Mark," Eric continued, "After that you're allowed back in the game. I feel that you resp.a.w.n in whichever location you started at. So for me that was Tonbura. I didn't lose any of my equipment, but I did lose a ton of loot from my storage, and there was a system message which told me I'd lose more in the future once a certain system was unlocked."
"So for now our equipment is safe? Good to know," Griffin mused. Mark nodded, "I was a little worried about that. What about our money? I haven't found a bank or anything yet and I don't really want to just buy equipment so that I won't lose my silver."
"I'm fairly sure that coins are treated like equipment rather than loot. At least for now. I got to keep all my money at least," said Eric, spreading his hands helplessly to indicate he didn't really have an answer.
"What about skills? Do we lose skill levels when we die?" Griffin asked, opening his own UI to check his stats.
"I don't think so. At least I didn't lose any skill levels. The more I play, the more I feel that skill levels are actually proficiency levels. They show how good you are at something, rather than how many times you've performed the skill," Eric explained. As Griffin and Mark nodded their affirmations, Eric opened his UI, doubting himself now that Griffin had asked about his skill levels. Dismissing the skill levelup notifications that he'd been ignoring for a few hours, he checked his current level.
[Status]
Erick Kystfyr - Level 12
Health: 220/220
Mana: 120/120
t.i.tle: None
Weapon: Fine Yew Longbow (20 Fine Goose-feathered Iron Arrows, 20 Stone)
Common Iron Shortsword
Armour: Leather Padded Armour (Common)
Skills: Basic Magic (Arcane, Fire, Wind, Water)
Basic Martial Arts (Apprentice 5)
Militia Spearmans.h.i.+p
Militia Swordsmans.h.i.+p (Apprentice 4)
Basic Archery (Apprentice 7)
Basic Evasion (Apprentice 9)
Basic Herbalism
Basic Speechcraft
Active Skills:
Evasive Shot (Apprentice 2)
Charged Shot (Beginner 8)
Sword Technique - Guard (Beginner 6)
Sword Technique - Das.h.i.+ng Cut (Apprentice 2)

Magic:
Basic Arcane Magic (Apprentice 6)
Arcane Strike (Apprentice 1)
Arcane Blade (Beginner 1)
Arcane Dart (Beginner 1)
Basic Fire Magic (Beginner 6)
Flame Strike (Beginner 5)
Multi-linked Flame Strike (Beginner 2)
Basic Wind Magic (Apprentice 2)
Wind Blade (Beginner 9)
Wind Dart (Beginner 7)
Basic Water Magic (Beginner 1)
Water Strike (Beginner 1)
Water Blade (Beginner 1)
Water Dart (Beginner 1)
Arcane Formations (MAX)
Basic Nova.n.a.lba Mana Technique (Beginner)

Seeing his new stats, Eric raised an eyebrow in surprise. While his sword skills and archery had leveled up at roughly the same rate they'd been leveling since he began, his magic had actually gone up by quite a bit, as had his martial arts. There was also a brand new magic skill at the bottom that he'd clearly gotten from the book at Morningstar's lab, but strangely enough it didn't have a level a.s.sociated with it, it just said beginner.
Opening his event log, Eric quickly found the chronological sorting function. Setting the parameters, he examined what had happened in the past few hours since he'd died.
[You have died!]
[Wind Dart has levelled up to Beginner 6]
[Wind Dart has levelled up to Beginner 7]
[Your understanding of Arcane magic has grown. Basic Arcane Magic has reached Apprentice 4]
[Your understanding of Arcane magic has grown. Basic Arcane Magic has reached Apprentice 5]
[Basic Nova.n.a.lba Mana Technique has been learned!]
[You have learned a mana technique! Mana techniques will allow you to cast spells more effectively and are a crucial part of being a successful mage in Fate. Continue to practice your mana technique and search for techniques which suit your casting style!]
[Due to learning a mana technique your understanding of Arcane Magic has grown. Basic Arcane Magic has reached Apprentice 6]
Letting out a low whistle, Eric exhaled. He knew that studying under Lucy would bring him benefits, or at least it better have after paying her five silver Sricks, Eric grumbled to himself, but he hadn't expected to gain this many levels simply from reading books on the topic and listening to Lucy's lectures. Clearly it had been money well spent, he thought to himself, closing the event log and bringing up the description of his new mana technique.

Basic Nova.n.a.lba Mana Technique: Beginner Mana Technique - Arcane
Pa.s.sive
You have learned the basic mana technique taught to residents of the Nova.n.a.lba Kingdom. This is a mana technique that was developed with the purpose of being as easy to learn as possible. It is a very balanced mana technique that does not lean towards either casting speed or mana efficiency. It offers a miniscule bonus for casters of Wind or Water magic, however, the effects are so small as to be negligible. Creating a new mana technique with this technique as a base would not be difficult for an accomplished mage.

Closing the skill description, Eric pushed a branch out of the way, allowing the flexible limb to whip back and whack Griffin in the face. Laughing under his breath at his friends indignant sputtering as he spat pine needles out of his mouth, Eric tried to digest what he'd just learned about skill leveling.
It was now clear to him that there alternatives to leveling apart from simply using the skills to kill monsters. Skills could be leveled up as long as one learned more about the skill. Whether or not that meant becoming more proficient with the skill, learning more about it, or a combination of both, was something he would have to figure out. But it seemed definite that taking lessons or learning new things about a skill would have an effect on the skills proficiency.