Turn Eighteen: Writing books is tiresome
Helskaya:I should go to the potion shop and spend all I have split 50/50 on healing potions and mana potions. I would like to explore the library for books on (in order of preference) shamanic armour, transformation (specifically into eagles), invoking the wrath of the northern gods (specifically summoning extreme cold in the form of wind and snow), and spirit journeys / healing.
(5) The shop has actually upped its stock. Maybe it could even be called a serious store now. It now is stocking the following goods:
Potion of Lesser Healing: 8 cp
Adrenaline Potion: 11 cp
Painkiller Potion: 13 cp
Potion Base: 3 cp
Poison Flask: 9 cp
Acid Flask: 17 cp
Potion of Okay Healing: 18 cp
Potion of Above Average Healing: 34 cp
Stoneskin Potion: 17 cp
Antivenom: 10 cp
Disease Vial: 14 cp
Clarity Potion: 32 cp
Instant Injection: 25 cp
Magical Girl Merrin Gum: 6 cp
Lord Smorg's Patented Hellfire Contoction: 100 cp
Crushed Mana Crystals: 20 cp/g
Diluted Mana Potion: 15 cp
Blindpowder: 22 cp
Less Diluted Mana Potion: 31 cp
...they raised prices, though. Seriously?
After buying what he wanted, Hel walks to the library and pulls out a few books with promising titles, then puts them on the reading table and sits down, ready to read.
Elenor:Elenor ignored the laughter and overall stupidity of the situation and took a small metal sigil with his family's coat of arms (a dark red rose upon a dark blue background) emblazoned from one of his pouches, presenting it to Elizabeth.
"Would it be possible for you to grant this object a small healing effect so that the wielder may regenerate damage on his body over time? Only if it is within your constraints, of course."
(1) "Well, duh." She still doesn't take it well when someone questions her ability. "Of course I can. Everything is in my constraints... well, more or less. But such an enchantment - who the hell do you think I am to fail such a simple enchantment?"
Elenor remains stoic.
"Well, just give that thing to me. Let's get this over with."
He hands the trinket over.
Perhaps his thoughts are more vocal, but he does not say anything during the act. But it is evident he doesn't really trust her still.
Apollo:Apollo heads into the library, looking for any books on alchemy.
(5) Any books on alchemy... Hah, you might have underestimated the size of the search results. Or the size of the library for the matter. Most of them are actually about Alchemic Magic, eventually, Apollo caves and picks a book at random.
It is actually about Alchemy proper. As in, transmutation of things, equivalent exchange, chemistry and stuff like that. The writing style is also, overall, easy enough to understand.
"Alchemy and Alchemic Magic are similar not only in name. Evidence does suggest they are just two sides of the same coin. Both a capable Alchemist as well as a trained Alchemic Mage understand that the power lies within the matter itself. However, it is rare that an Alchemist uses Alchemic Magic or that an Alchemic Mage learns Alchemy. The reason of this is twofold; one, neither group gets along with the other. Some skilled Alchemists view Magic as a crutch and Mages as amateurs, they are elitists and purists. Many other pursue the legendary Philosopher's Stone, but they are mainly charlatans and deluded fools. Transmutation is a point where Alchemy and Alchemic Magic touch, but it has long since become discredited by those wishing to transform lead to gold but only managing to transform gold to nothing. Anybody with a basic knowledge of economics would see that a way to transform Lead to Gold would only crash the currency in the long term, anyway. The few reputable transmuters that remain have chosen to isolate themselves from the other practitioners. It is rare that you see one of them, but they should not be underestimated.
Of course, (most) Alchemic Mages view Alchemy as a roundabout and overly complicated way of achieving something you could solve by waggling with your fingers, and thus those very similar schools of thoughts are in reality very, very far apart. But unlike most practitioners like to think, Alchemy and Alchemic Magic are not two ways of achieving the same thing the same way. They are not redundant to each other, and there has been an attempt to unify the two, magic and science, in hopes of achieving a result far beyond what either Alchemy or Alchemic Magic could achieve, calling it 'Universal Science'. The person behind this magical, theoretical and scientific effort is only known as 'Kreutzer', and little else is known about him/her. Their motives are unknown. Because nearly every practitioner of Alchemy or Alchemic Magic thinks an unification of the branches to be a fool's effort, there is nearly no books about the subject matter - this might prove to be a fatal mistake somewhere down the road. This development should be watched. For further information, refer to the book 'Of Universal Science' by R. Christofer."Why the hell did you read all of this. Your tl;dr reflexes must have failed you.
Taren:Heading towards the Town Church to speak with the Abbot there, or the Priest, whichever is present.
And asks for their blessing.
If not, he prays at the Altar, and donates 2cp to any passing beggars; if possible, teaching them in the ways of independence and self-worth, by working.
(5) The town church is really rather unremarkable, like many of the other churches you have come across. The priest is anything but unremarkable - he's towering, buff and bald as well as full of vigor, a very imposing figure that you'd run from in a dark alley.
Despite this, he's really friendly and you have a good chat with him. The two of you get along very well. And thus, when you ask for his blessing as an adventurer slash member of the only sane knight corps, he gladly gives it to you, together with a patronizing, but ultimately friendly pat on the shoulder.
Now, if only the world had more sane people like him. Instead... you have your party.
Ratherio:He goes in and searches for a book about the Goddess of chaos. If there is none, he settles for a book of dark magic.
(4) Ratherio searches and finds an 'Encyclopedia Spiritae', which, he figures, should help him in his quest. The book is huge and, or so it seems to Ratherio, contains every supernatural being that ever existed, by name...
Waaait. You don't know her name... perhaps her titles. Not her name, though. So you resort to leafing through the book.
It, as it turns out, has a huge amount of illustrations, but one catches your eye - it is really ancient. But it also is a crest, and it shows the ranking of the abyssals. Unfortunately, there is no hint of her anywhere, not even at the top... wait a second. That's no fancy page border, that's got a meaning too. "The Sea of Chaos", it says... so, is she out of the normal order, and does she actually have a name like any other good abyssal?
Either way, all of this exists in the Sea of Chaos. Is there any deeper meaning to be found in there? No sighting of her, yet.
Remy:Sell my stinky helmet. Use that and my share of the money to pay off as much of my debt as I can. Then find the gunchucks book.
(1) Your offering of helmet is rejected in disgust everywhere you try it, including the local beggars. In fact, you have a permanent restraining order from Lemongrass General in your hands right now. At least the gunchucks guy accepted your money, and perhaps even took it as a sign of goodwill. After all, you are not restrained from going in there, at least...
Maka:Explore Liz's library for books on augmenting living things.
(5) So many books! Wow. Liz must be crazy.
After a short consideration time Maka pulls out a bunch of reading implements that seem relevant, spreads them on the ground, then throws her scepter into the air. Through sheer, dumb luck it does not smash any, but points on one instead, so Maka takes that one and stuffs the others back into the bookshelf. The book is titled "Gene Engineering, Fleshgrafting And You." She starts reading it.
...oh, wow, that's one author that has earned Maka's greatest respect and will subsequently be placed at the very last spot of the zombification list. She pockets the book, eager to do some SCIENCE.
Character sheets.
Helskaya Arkut (lawastooshort)
Status: Normal.
Injuries: None.
Equipment: Pair of knives (one large, one small),
northern white bear jawbone on necklace, northern white bearskin.
Inventory: Wet stone, firestone, pot, spoon, three leather pouches varying in size, pestle and mortar, dried meat rations for several plus more days, filled waterskin, flour, Lesser Herbal Medicine, Lesser Blade Poison, Rusty Axe, random precious metal baubles, four lumps of crystallized magic, 115 cp.
Skills: Herbal Medicine; Shamanic Magic; Knowledge (Legends of the North)
Spells:
Shining Shamanic Healing Finger!, Transform: Raging North Bear, Summon Water Elemental
Elenor Warsen (Caellath)
Status: Still hurts, somewhat.
Injuries: Small pains.
Equipment:
Masterwork Armor, Longsword, Crossbow,
Dragon Crest Shield, small well-crafted crossbow.
Inventory: Medical kit, small supplies bag, 120 cp, Potion of Lesser Healing, Painkiller Potion, Gibberish Paper, Map Shred, Rations Listing, some longbolt ammo.
Skills: Result-oriented swordsmanship, Dodger's Agility, Marksmanship, Medical care, Taunting.
Spells: None. He's notoriously unmagical.
Apollo Anderson
(Spinal_Taper)Status: Character development going in a dangerous direction...
Injuries: Some remainders of yesterday.
Equipment: Reinforced lab coat, cheap leather armor,
Dagger,
Rudimentary Rifle, Officer's Scimitar,
Inventory: Bullets, Gunpowder, various pouches and bags, Experimental Painkiller (?) Potion, 119 cp.
Skills: Alchemy: Chemistry, Alchemy: Potion brewing, Alchemic Magic: Rudimentary Enchantments (quantum amount +1), Metal Working (quantum amount +1).
Spells: Enchantment: Better wearability!
Taren Creyn (Tiruin)
Status: Blessed.
Injuries: Well-treated ones.
Equipment: Broadsword, Crossbow, Longbolt ammunition (quantum amount -4), white cloak, grey tunic, belt, solid holey leather boots, buckler.
Inventory: Whet stone, one filled waterskin, Cloth, lots of rations, ratman cloth, 118 cp.
Skills: White Magic: Healing, Anatomy, Swordsmanship, Marksmanship
Spells:
Menscur, Fogili, Nonsens, Mendia,
Leonic Cleanse,
Vi Vanita.
Ratherio Houston (borno)
Status: Normal.
Injuries: Those scratches might become scars.
Equipment: Purple robes of death!
TM, Wand of death!
TMStaff of death!
TMDagger of death!
TM Ring of death.
Inventory: 115 cp,
Debt notice, Scrolls of:
Leaden,
Monovolt,
Lesser Silence,
Flare Arrow.
Skills: Black Magic: All of it, Agility
Spells:
Kortuch,
Leaden,
Costrus.
Remy Maelle (Remaelle)
Status: Slight... hangover?
Injuries: The chest hurts every so often.
Equipment: A spirit talisman, knife, leather armour, traveling clothes, a backpack, Vintage pair of Chain Revolvers, buckler, 0 cp.
Inventory: Bedroll, rope, tinderbox, enough food to last a few days,
Debt notice,
officer's helmet, Contract.
Skills: Shamanistic Magic: Elementalism, Agility, Quick Reflexes, Hand-to-Hand Combat.
Spells:
MEGA BRAND Maka R'lyeh-Voile (IronyOwl)
Status: It is normal for her to act like on sugar spiked with crack, yes?
Injuries: None.
Equipment:
Magical golden scepter, Very Frilly Dress, Backpack, Belt w/ pouches.
Inventory:
Surgeon's Kit, 105 cp, Book: Gene Engineering, Fleshgrafting and You.
Skills: Creating Servants, Alchemic Magic: Augmenting Living Stuff, Dodging, Black Magic: Curses.
Spells: Quantum uncertainity here.