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HC: Handyman | Ch. 152 - Squirrel Warrior
🕑 Added 2025-01-30 12:38:02 +0000 UTCJack went through the list of rewards he’d obtained through synergies. He began with skills in the order he’d received them. The first one was a simple way to increase the quality of his ropes.
Rope Waxing (Common)
Skill level: 1
Skill description: You can strengthen ropes by coating them in wax for added durability and resistance to weathering.
Skill effects:
Allows you to apply wax to ropes, increasing their durability;
Waxed ropes gain slight resistance to fire and water damage.
He nodded approvingly. Practically everything he was wearing was made of rope. He was all for it if there was a way to strengthen his stats with such a small effort.
It will be hard to apply wax to my clothes now that they are all woven together…
Applying wax to ropes after they were woven would make it impossible to spread it evenly. It was just as well. The set of armor he'd made by the pond where Rob had ambushed them was crafted in a hurry because of the looming threat of the Slayer.
I need to make a new set of clothes then. I wonder if the resistance to fire and water will also carry through to equipment made out of it.
If the trip to the snowy peak had taught him anything, it was the importance of resistances. Having [Fat Coating] and its boosting effects to cold resistance had been a lifesaver.
He already had some resistance to fire it because of his firekeeper title, but he was happy to receive some more. It wouldn’t hurt to have some water resistance either, even though he was unsure where that would come into play. He hadn't noticed any ill effects in underwater mazes or when swimming in Red Lake.
He turned to the next skill.
Wax Resist (Common)
Skill level: 1
Skill description: With your pottery expertise, you can use beeswax to create intricate patterns and designs by preventing glaze or dye from adhering to specific areas.
Skill effects:
Use wax to create patterns on pottery before glazing.
“Interesting. So instead of shaving a layer off the clay, I use wax to make the pattern.” Yet again, something else had come up pertaining to pottery etching.
Between shaving off a layer of the clay in the bone-dry stage and using wax as if it were paint to draw a pattern, he could easily see the latter's benefits. Using a brush or a piece of wax would be much easier to handle than a knife. Also, if he wasn’t carving off clay, the final piece should have an extra bit of resistance due to how it retained a consistent layer of material across its surface.
Even though the skill description makes it sound simple, knowing my luck, there’s probably a trick to it. Maybe I could combine [Wax Resist] with that design I picked up from the One-Eyes. Make the drawing with wax. Double the craftsmanship, double the value.
“Nice! Let’s check the truly interesting one.”
This next skill was the one he was looking forward to the most. It came from the synergy of four different minors, something he hadn’t seen before.
It was the upgraded version of clay tempering, which had been renamed.
Tempering (Uncommon)
Skill level: 2
Skill description: Combining beekeeping, pottery, bushcraft, and butchering, you’ve learned to use wax and natural materials to strengthen crafting materials.
Skill effects:
Clay tempering: You can mix clay and dry grass to strengthen a crafted item;
Fiber tempering: You can mix clay, oil, and wax to strengthen a crafted item.
“Uh? What in the world?”
Clay tempering had been brought under the umbrella of a larger, evolved skill, which also included fiber tempering.
Clay tempering was already incredible, letting him craft lighter, more durable ceramic pieces with little effort. It would be awesome if he could do something similar with fibers.
Fibers should include my clothes made of rope, right? I wonder how wax, oil, and clay can strengthen rope. The recipes probably hold the answer.
He pulled up the recipe that had come with the skill.
Recipe for: [Terracoat]
Ingredients:
2x [Beeswax]
1x [Fat]
1x [Earthenware Clay]
Instructions:
Melt the [Beeswax] and [Fat] together in a heat-safe container over a controlled flame.
Gradually add [Earthenware Clay], stirring continuously to create a thick sludge.
Requirements:
[Wax Factory], lvl. 1
[Touch of the Potter], lvl. 1
[Lipid Extraction], lvl.1
Even without seeing it, based on his experience rendering oil from fat, he could already imagine the consistency—a sticky, tar-like mix. Am I supposed to spread it on my equipment like butter? Whatever this sludge does, it’s worth testing. Four synergies. This has to be special.
He moved on to the next recipe.
Recipe: Candle Mold
Ingredients:
2x [Clay]
Instructions:
Shape the [Clay] into a cylindrical candle shape. Fire it.
Shape another piece of clay into the shape of a brick.
Press the clay candle on the brick, creating a mold.
Fire the mold in a kiln.
Requirements:
[Pottery], lvl. 6
[Wax Resist], lvl. 1
"Huh? A mold for candles."
This recipe reminded him of when he first made an ocarina. Back then, Felix even lent him flour to help him keep the mold separate from the counter mold. It was interesting to see the molding technique for something different.
Pottery really is the best minor. The applications are endless.
The next recipe was just as simple.
Recipe: Candle Holder
Ingredients:
2x [Clay]
1x [Water]
Instructions:
Shape the [Clay] into a base and a holder suitable for securing a candle.
Smooth the surfaces using [Water] and add designs if desired.
Fire the piece in a kiln to harden.
Requirements:
[Pottery], lvl. 7
[Candle Making], lvl. 1
Hmmm… are these the ones that Beatrice suggested I add to my pot hives?
The recipe was simple enough, and he would definitely add these to the design of the next batch of [Pot Hives].
Other than that, he couldn't see himself using candles that much. For now, they only served as sources of light. He already had torches for that. Torches were bigger and brighter, and he could hold them in his teeth if he needed his hands free.
Until I unlock more candle recipes with some practical effect, I don’t see myself using this much.
Satisfied, Jack closed out the recipes and rubbed his hands together. All right, let’s get to work on testing this stuff. But first, I need to get another serving ready. The others should be back soon.
He found Esther by the fire, crouched over several shaped pots lined up to be fired.
"How goes the work, Esther?"
"It's good, sir. Thank you," she replied, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand, leaving a streak of muddy clay across her face.
Jack smiled, inspecting the pots. In the short time he’d been away playing for his hive and checking out his new skills and recipes, Esther had made impressive progress. He nodded approvingly.
He texted Amari:
"How goes with the wave?"
"Nearly done!" came the swift reply.
I guess I should start making food, then.
Every second counted between the waves, especially with Horace and Marie's upcoming trips to the two pins Jack and Amari had visited earlier.
Plenty of romie meat remained in his inventory from Marie’s loot-picking spree. Unfortunately, she’d preserved it at the expense of nearly all their salt.
He waited for the pot to heat and then threw a few blobs of romie fat into it, watching it melt into a thick, golden oil. Jack tossed the chunks of meat into the pot, and the sizzle was immediate. The rich, savory aroma wafted through the air, drawing Esther’s attention from her work.
Her eyes lit up as she realized food was on the way, even though they’d eaten only a short while ago. Jack smirked.
Wave 14 cleared.
+1 breach point
Jack added water, pepper, salt, and a drizzle of honey. He then covered the pot.
When everyone returned, Jack was ready with steamy romie meat stew bowls.
"How was the wave?" he asked as they dug in.
"Walk in the park," Horace said, leaning back with a satisfied grin. "Barely broke a sweat."
"Enjoy it while it lasts," Amari added. "Next wave’s got an elite. It'll be a whole different story."
Jack nodded, making sure everyone was served before standing. "I guess it’s time I go back to loot-picking duty."
"Can’t you ask Esther to do it?" Horace said, gesturing toward the woman who was eating her stew with graceful precision instead of her earlier hurried meal.
"No. I prefer to do it myself this time. There’s something I want to try."
“Suit yourself.”
Jack took off toward the battlefield. He was looking forward to trying the upgraded version of [Skinning] and his new skill: [Pelt Mantle].
He reached the carriage and took in the vestiges of the battle. Wherever he looked, there were mounds of red-furred carcasses. He hopped off and approached one of them.
Roomies were smaller than Jack expected, about the size of a fox, but much bulkier. Its red fur was coarse and patchy, streaked with white along its sides. The face was somewhere between a squirrel and a rat, with sharp, yellowed incisors sticking out from its short snout. Its hind legs were strong and muscular, built for leaping, while its bushy tail was stiff and lifeless. Even in death, its claws looked deadly, curved like hooks made for tearing through bark—or flesh.
Jack crouched and touched it. The body transformed into motes of light.
You’ve harvested the corpse of a red ischyromys.
You’ve picked up 32 coppers and 1x[Ischyromys Fat].
+5XP in [Butcher]
“One down. A gazillion to go!”
He kept harvesting the battlefield, crouching over one carcass after another. The process was slow and repetitive, but he stayed focused, hoping for the skill to trigger. Copper coins and fat piled up in his inventory, but it wasn’t until the 14th attempt that he finally got what he wanted.
You’ve harvested the corpse of a red ischyromys.
You’ve picked up 27 coppers, 1x[Ischyromys Meat], and 1x[Red Ischyromys Pelt].
+5XP in [Butcher]
“Aha! Finally!” Jack exclaimed.
He removed the [Moss Cape] he’d been using for the past few days. Its stealth bonus had been useful, but aside from that, it didn’t offer much. Since he mostly avoided combat, the cape’s durability was still close to when he first crafted it.
“I’ll keep this in storage,” he said, tucking it into his inventory. “Just in case I need some stealth. But for now, I want to try my new skill.”
He shook the red pelt once and draped it over his back.
[Pelt Mantle] activates. You can wear [Red Ischyromys Pelt] on your mantle slot.
Red Ischyromys Pelt (Common)
Soft yet durable enough, the red Ischyromys pelt is prized for crafting lightweight gear.
Item effects:
+2 jump;
+2 cold resistance;
+1% running speed;
+3 block;
+4 defense;
Durability: 14
The pelt was warm against his shoulders, warding off the biting cold, and the subtle boost to his stats made him feel sturdier. From a walking bush, Jack now looked like a fearsome squirrel warrior.
“Not bad!” he exclaimed. Best of all, there was the prospect of upgrading this equipment slot as the Breach went on. Progressing through the waves meant stronger beasts. Stronger beasts meant stronger pelts; stronger pelts meant an even better mantle.
He glanced across the battlefield. If the Breach wants to throw bigger beasts at us, then I’d better be ready to skin them.
With a warmer back, Jack resumed looting the 14th wave of the breach.
*****
Author's note:
Hidden Class: Card Slinger is now available for pre-order.
*****
Comments
Cássio Ferreira
What a strange bug! Thank you for bringing my attention to it. It's fixed.
Julia Pennoyer
Candle Holder's description has taken descriptions from the other recipes
