Page 58 of Code Bound
Core Ability Modifier(s): Charisma
“Fuck. Is every single Glitch going to be so fucking depressing?” I ask.
“With all power comes bleeding,” Cipher says. “You do not get to trade in your humanity for nothing. That is the price you pay to enter the Harrow . . . and to leave it. You must be a Tier Three to withstand the exit.”
I take a shuddering breath. “How much XP is that?”
“A lot,” he says. “You will not know until you reach Tier Two and see your stats. Your XP bar will show progress as you level up. I cannot tell you in advance, just as I cannot tell you what your Glitch will become as you level up. This must be a decision you make on your own.”
“Stats and requirements change as you level up?” I ask.
“They do. Drastically. Whatever you choose, you will only see Tier One requirements until you acquire enough XP to level up. Once all requirements have been met and you have sufficient funds in your inventory, you will unlock more of your Glitch menu. Only then will you see what you become.”
“Why can’t you tell me?”
He sighs. “Coding mostly. It is against my programing at this point. But that is a story for another time. You should keep going. Siren sounds promising.”
Promising, my ass. But I do keep going, if only to reassure myself that there’s something in here that could help me survive without destroying who I am entirely. The chances of that though are probably pretty slim. At least, that’s what my instincts are screaming at me.
BLOODRAGER
Bloodragers convert pain, fury, and spilled blood into overwhelming physical power. The more damage they take or deal, the stronger they become, turning jury into momentum and rage into fuel.
“That sounds more promising than Blood Breaker,” I murmur. “Locke should have chosen that one.”
“Keep Reading,” Cipher warns.
“The cost of the Bloodrager is steep. Each surge of power erodes control, and corruption pushes them closer to becoming a creature of endless rage. To walk this path is to accept that calm is temporary, and restraint may one day vanish entirely.Core Ability Modifier(s): strength.” I shake my head. “I think this is a game for you. You took the payment for power very literally.”
“As I should have,” Cipher agrees. “I’ve seen what power without cost does. Corruption creates monsters. Remember that, Vespera.”
I read through a few more, dismissing them as options. Ashbinder, Puppeteer, and Hollowborn don’t sound like anything I want to mess with. Iron Veins and Bloodwrights sound terrifying. I start to lose hope until my eyes find and hold on the last option.
BEAST BOUND
Beast Bound players forge a living bond with a predatory force, blurring the line between human instinct and animal dominance. They excel in tracking, ambush, and close-range combat, where instinct outpaces strategy.
Those who choose this path gain freedom from fear, but risk losing the part of themselves that remembers how to be human.
Core Ability Modifier(s): Willpower and Agility
I hum under my breath and scroll to what a Tier One Beast Bound looks like.
“Tier One is called a Scavenger’s Bond. The alley-crow and the cellar rat . . . these are your first disciples. Remember to treat your familiar well or else suffer their wrath. Every Beast Bound begins small. A single bond, brittle and frail, is already unnatural. Whispers say a Beast Bound’s first rat never leaves their side, even in death, gnawing its way back into their corpse. Or perhaps, that’s only your familiar . . .”My eyes scan the stats. “Plus one to agility and willpower. Bond limit of one. And corruption level of five percent.” My mind replays my conversation with Cipher and his mention of corruption. Corruption must be an important metric in our stats. Is that the key to surviving this?
Cipher remains quiet as I study the Glitch, but I can feel his approval of my thoughts down our mind connection. I’m on the right track, but I have a question.
“How do I keep corruption from increasing? Is it something I can stop?” I ask.
“You can hold back corruption with increased willpower,” he answers. “There is nothing else capable of stopping it. Corruption does not decrease once it rises.”
“And what’s a familiar?” I ask, my eyes studying the menu in case I missed something.
“A trait of the Glitch. Consider it a perk. Beast Bound players share connections with beasts, so you could be gifted one through various challenges though it is not guaranteed. The familiar will be a creature that you share a bond with and must actively work to maintain that bond.”
“Is that the bond limit the description talks about?” I ask curiously.
“No,” Cipher replies. “A familiar does not count toward your bond limit. Your bond limit determines how many beasts you can bond with outside of your familiar. The size and strength of that bond depends on the size and strength of the creature.”
