C4 Raven God's Token

Upon returning to his dorm, Odin was greeted by the sight of his two roommates quietly conversing as he pushed open the door. Having been officially accepted into Ivywood University, Odin was a bona fide student, residing in a four-person dorm complete with an en suite bathroom.

Given his hectic academic schedule, it was rare to see his roommates, except perhaps at night when they all gathered to sleep. It was a surprise, then, to find two of them there at that moment.

Upon noticing Odin's entrance, one roommate turned and asked, "Odin, you're back. Weren't you meeting with Professor Carte? How did it go? Did he offer to keep you on as his research assistant?"

Before Odin could respond, he caught a glimpse of the other roommate's shifty gaze.

Odin hesitated, then shook his head, "Bad luck, I'm afraid. When I arrived, Professor Carte had just been murdered by Leo. I stuck around to watch the commotion, but came away with no information."

"How could it be Leo?" exclaimed the other roommate in disbelief.

"It was definitely him. The authorities have already detained Leo. I noticed his skin turning red; he must have fallen under the influence of an Evil God."

The roommate tensed up at this revelation. "That can't be right. Ivywood University is under the protection of the God of Wisdom. How could an Evil God be involved?"

"Who can say? There might be those who are desperate to become apprentices. After all, it's well-known that apprenticeship can boost one's standing at the university."

Odin continued, his gaze fixed on the uneasy roommate, who seemed lost in thought since hearing of Leo's predicament.

Once Odin had finished recounting the day's events, he excused himself and left.

With the roommate gone, Odin had no desire to dwell on his behavior. Instead, he sat on his bed, deep in thought about the day's occurrences.

'The details are unclear, but one thing is certain: Carte's death coincided with the activation of my system. His demise triggered it,' Odin mused.

'The scheme against me must have been laid out in advance. Whether there's a connection, I can't be sure.'

'While the reason behind their targeting me remains uncertain, one thing is crystal clear: they won't stop here.'

"More schemes are bound to arise, escalating in intensity until the Ivywood University authorities intervene."

"We can't afford to wait that long. We need to escalate the situation now."

Odin's mind raced with thoughts, each one flickering by and vanishing. By the time he snapped back to reality, night had fallen. His roommate had left the dorm at some point, and now he was alone in the room.

Feeling a bit peckish, Odin stood up, intending to grab a bite to eat, when he accidentally bumped into his wardrobe, causing it to swing open.

That's when he noticed something peculiar stuck behind his wardrobe. He hadn't paid much attention to it before, and since it was tucked away inside, it had gone unnoticed.

Pushing aside a few old-looking school uniforms, Odin reached in and retrieved the item.

It was a decorative piece with a Native American flair, featuring black, white, and red feathers bound together on a piece of rough bronze fashioned into a crow, complete with a touch of punk style.

Holding the object, Odin felt a coldness seep into his fingertips, as if a chilling presence was entering his body.

Ding! You have discovered the Raven God Token of the Ebon Hand. Would you like to destroy it, absorb its power, or analyze it?

Destroying the Raven God Token will grant you 1,200 experience points.

Absorbing the power within the Raven God Token will bestow a random supernatural ability (related to the Raven God).

Analyzing the Raven God Token will reveal information about three professions within the Ebon Hand.

The notification was clear and appeared right before Odin, impossible to overlook.

Looking down at the Raven God Token in his hand, Odin's expression grew more solemn.

He was familiar with the Ebon Hand. The Raven God and the Death God were archenemies, both having traveled to the Whitehawk Principality from Europe during the peak of the Black Death. The ships they sailed on were plagued by the disease.

The Raven God believed the Black Death could be cured, but the Death God saw it as an act of divine retribution, refusing to allow the Raven God to save the afflicted. In the end, when they reached this land, only the Raven God and the Death God managed to set foot ashore, while the rest perished at sea.

After their encounter, the two went their separate ways. Rumor has it that the Death God met his end following that incident. Ironically, his misfortune turned into a blessing, and he was reborn as a deity of death.

The Raven God, due to his healing prowess, ventured into Native American territory, where he mastered their ancient shamanic practices and gradually became their revered guardian spirit.

The souls that perished from the Black Death remained close to him, which is why their collective is known as the Ebon Hand.

However, the Death God's official narrative claimed that the Raven God was a harbinger of doom, a crow responsible for bringing the Black Death.

Amidst the conflicting stories, Odin remained indifferent to who was right or wrong. His primary concern was understanding why the Raven God had set his sights on him.

After some thought, Odin decided to take action. "Analyze," he commanded.

With those words, the Raven God Token vanished from his hand, and a spectral image of it appeared before him, continuously breaking apart and reforming. This transformation was unsettling for Odin, but he was uncertain whether he should maintain his vigil. He watched intently, not wanting to miss any detail.

Eventually, the token's apparition dissipated, leaving behind three orbs of red, white, and black light that merged into Odin's consciousness.

The Plague path stimulates the body with the Black Death's plague, transforming it into a formidable Plague Corpse. In battle, this being fears neither life nor death and can wield the plague as a weapon. Level 1 Profession: Plague Corpse. (With Constitution 2.0, one can spend 300 experience to assume this profession.)

The Bloodline path involves absorbing the blood of mighty creatures to awaken one's own bloodline. During combat, one can morph into a bloodline creature. Level 1 Chimaera profession. (With either Strength or Dexterity 2.0, one can spend 300 experience to become a Chimaera.)

The Spirituality path calls forth a powerful Familiar through a blood sacrifice, prompting the body to begin transforming into the summoned Familiar and gaining its combat abilities. Level 1 profession, Ghost Rider. (With Spirit 2.0, one can spend 300 experience to become a Ghost Rider.)