Decided now that if I'm gonna go down the path as a soul devour I need to optimize for that. So for upgrades I decide on Range and Knowledge, I'm not about to devour another cursed soul.
Speaking of which I can now see all of Tony's Stats since this is now my body:
Name Tony Duskclaw
Race: Tigerbeastman
Character Level Lv.15
[ Lv.3 Rouge]
[Lv.9 Swashbuckler]
[Lv.3 Ranger]
Strength: 14
Dexterity: 18
Toughness: 12
Knowledge: 14
Wisdom: 16
Charisma: 16
It looks like this world has a soft level cap at 20, and again every 20 levels but you can get past that with an item, that silver rank adventures automatically get when they rank up. That being said it's not my priority, I want to get this curse cleansed and the only lead I have is that a witch did this. Game logic says to see a church or find a cleric, Tony tried church's and that didn't work so I guess its find a cleric then, good thing I live at a guild. After suiting up I head downstairs, order a tasteless breakfast and head over to the clerks to ask about a cleric. A friendly deer actually has a quest from a cleric, apparently a party went to go kill the Vespin Queen but retreated their cleric got left behind and they need to be rescued. Taking on the quest I head out, my return to bug-bitter forest felt predestined.
Upon entering the forest the first thing I do is head toward the Vespin Hive, I had found a path to it before. Moving through the forest was fast and easy, but not enjoyable, in moments I was back at the clearing where I ran into my former self. I flashed back remembering that day from two sets of eyes, not helpful, I need to locate the Hive. Minutes later I found it the hive, carved into a stony outcrop it tunneled down creating a natural dungion, swarms of Vespin were out patroling, too many, the cleric must have escaped and the Vespins were on the hunt. Using one of my Ranger abilities I detected a set of footprints leading to the river, tracking them I found the Cleric.
Bruised and clearly stug an few times I found my target, a shark-beastmen still in heavy armor he kept limping towards the river. Despite his injuries he still was nearly at the waters edge, if he gets in there's no way for me to catch him. Deciding to risk it, I rush forward and activate my Range Possession ability. My soul now in the form of a pouncing tiger crashes into the shark knocking him forward, I feel as his soul fight back with a strong sense of will power but Vespin paralytic toxin was already in his veins and his very soul exhausted after struggling to stay alive.
Just as I rip control from him, I feel the splash of water and then a sudden euphoric cleansing as the cleric must had some kind of healing ability associated with water. Opening my new eyes, I myself only a couple inches of water, I feel the sharks soul gaining strength from the water. Deciding to return to land I march back to shore, my heavy armor creaking with each step making feel like a walking tank. Giving myself a moment I activate the knowledge upgrade possession ability, a panel before me appears.
Possessing:
Name Ryker Stormhollows
Race: Tigershark beastman
Character Level Lv.25
[ Lv.20 Tempest Cleric]
[Lv. 5 Sea Paladin]
Strength: 20 [Possessed stat]
Dexterity: 16 [Possessed stat]
Toughness: 20 [Possessed stat]
Knowledge: 14
Wisdom: 16
Charisma: 16
Delving further into his mind I do see he has the spell remove curse! Further digging I find his memories of the Vespin Queen fight. Beaten and battered I stood in front of my party on my order I sent them to run away, I was ready to die but managed to limp outta there only to discover the fallen bodies of all my comrades except one, dead. We were silver ranked adventures this shouldn't have happened, I saw his life unfold before me like a book, swearing fealty to an ocean deity, walking on land for the first time, founding and adventuring with his party. I felt a familiar hunger grow within me.
I cast Devour, my soul crashed against Ryker's a frenzied shark ready to devour a minow. Ryker however managed to put up a fight a tug of war began and I managed to prevail, barely. Targeting people ten levels above me might not be the smartest idea. Everything changed again as I became Ryker mind and soul, my stats fully changed to match his:
Name Ryker Stormhollows
Race: Tigershark beastman
Character Level Lv.25
[ Lv.20 Tempest Cleric]
[Lv. 5 Sea Paladin]
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 16
Toughness: 20
Knowledge: 16
Wisdom: 25
Charisma: 26
Breathing out I let my whole body flex then relax opening my eyes again, I head to the deepest part of the river, dive down and swam. The water activating my [Blessings from Udine] toxins where leached out of me and I felt my wounds start to naturally heal and close. Traveling faster then I ever could walking I burst out of the river into Port-Tailus proper, I now knew of a secret way in and out. Jogging down to the adventures guild I report to the cleric that "A nobel tiger best man that help to save me and if they had seen my companion that put out the request". Saddend the same deer from earlier told me that she had left town to return home unable to bear the thought of being only one alive, I put on a sad face but smirk at this internal that takes care of one problem.
I head upstairs ready to check out the room my party had once rented out of, the room was bare bone all the equipment except my own. I decide to pack it up and drop it off in Tony's room since it was nice and cheaper. I initate the shift back loosing mass and hight, heavy armor weapons and all disappear as I return back into my tiger form. visible straining to carry some of the new stuff I got I sneakily head back to my room carefully to avoid any prying eyes. Back in the safety of my room I sift back into my shark form each shift becoming smoother and faster, I spend 10 minutes removing the heavy armor and start checking out my new form. The curse still lingered on this form as well but tomorrow that will be over, I do diligence and as Ryker check out of my old room saying I'm gonna look for a smaller place to stay and as Tony I collect the reward money for "rescuing" Ryker.