The Newt and Demon

Theo returned to his lab, dodging the crowd that formed to marvel at the new town hall. He had a sense that his stills were done cooking, and his reserve tanks were full of [Refined Healing Essence]. In his mind, he always considered a good run to have at least 1,000 units of any essence. With the expansion on his garden, he could make one full run, and half of another with a different reagent. While he considered which plant was the most valuable to cultivate, excluding the small patch of [Mage’s Bane] in the corner of his greenhouse, he inspected a few leftover ingredients.

Monsters often had parts that could be used for alchemy. Fades had their carapaces, Falds had their eyeballs, and so on. But there were a few ingredients that seemed completely useless on the surface. [Ogre Snapper Spleens] provided the [Poison] property, but there were easier ways to get that one. Theo laid out a bottle of [Troll Blood] and a pile of [Goblin Tongue]. He already explored everything possible with the blood, but he considered the tongues for a moment, inspecting the item.

[Goblin Tongue]

[Alchemy Ingredient]

Common

The tongue of a goblin. It’s disgusting.

Properties:

[Insatiable Hunger] [????] [????]

[Insatiable Hunger] didn’t seem like a useful property. Aside from its use as a modifier. And there was no way he was going to take a bite out of the short, slimy thing to discover a new property. Even after having a single session with Xol’sa, he was confident enough that he could decompose reagents without exploding himself, but Zarali still hadn’t told him how to discover properties without eating them. Theo took a tongue over to his shrine, making an offering with no effect. He cut the tongue open, probing at the insides and learning nothing. With a heavy sigh, he sat down near the window and considered his options.

Zarali wanted him to take [Reagent Deconstruction] for his level 15 skill, but he wouldn’t. [Alchemy Constructs] was too tempting. As he’d practiced in the Dreamwalk, Theo pulled mana from his [Drogramath Alchemy Core] and let it dance in his palm. That’s where the mana was, he’d learned. Resting in a physical location in his chest, spread over his cores that could handle mana. In his mind’s eye, he could see two purple stars glowing, flames bursting out and licking his insides. The mana in his hand was like burning water, glittering with the power of Drogramath.

It obeyed his commands as though it was an extension of him, but that came with practice. This was a wild energy that wanted to join the power of Drogramath in the air. Willpower was the only thing that battered it into a usable shape, but still it pulled against his consciousness. Theo tipped his hand, letting the liquid flow over the [Goblin Tongue]. It consumed the reagent in purple flames, flaring up and fading out in an instant. The only thing remaining was a pile of unusable ash.

Theo took mental notes on how the sensation felt, withdrawing more tongues and cleaning his stills out. If he couldn’t discover the second property, he could at least figure out what kind of potion the first one made. He started a small, 100 unit run for testing. Anything less than that risked burning the mash, which would cause a low-quality potion. The alchemist waited by the window, whittling the time away by practicing with his mana in the real world, and prodding at his constructs.

His problem with constructs was worse than reagent deconstruction. Theo had alchemically treated a copper cage, scooped mud from the swamp, rolled a monster core from a [Marsh Wolf] in that mud, then inserted it into the construct. Nothing happened, but he felt a twinge in his mind as though he were on the right track. Shoving a [Reveal Construct] into the mix caused his chest to swell with intuition. It worked. It should have worked, but nothing happened. The last piece of the puzzle was the skill.

Theo’s personal level was on the verge of tipping to 14. He’d put one last point into [Intelligence], then grind for the remaining experience to hit 15 in both his Drogramath cores. His [Tara’hek Core] was at 16. That core always needed to be higher than both his Drogramath cores, unless he wanted to give in to the Demon Lord completely. The afternoon was winding down and someone came knocking on his door. He didn’t even hear the bell jingle downstairs.

“I felt a flash of Drogramath’s power,” Zarali said, smiling. She always wore a soft smile when she talked about her patron.

“I’m almost there,” Theo said, nodding to the stack of [Goblin Tongues] on his table.

“Disgusting. I never explained these to you,” Zarali said, crossing the room and running her fingers along the fermentation barrels. The script of Drogramathi was scrawled all over them, but he still didn’t know how they functioned.

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Theo said, gesturing to the barrels. “I’ve been too busy to figure it out on my own.”

“They require power,” Zarali said. “Do you see this series of enchantments?”

Theo saw them, and could read them, but they were nonsense. Drogramathi magic usually came as flowery poetry the alchemist had no interest in understanding.

“I see them,” Theo said flatly.

“[Siphon Power],” Zarali said, tapping the runes. “Then, [Distribute Power],” she gestured to another series of runes. “And then all the other enchantments are powered. [Crafting Speed], [Crafting Effectiveness].”

“I need one of those power-grabbers like in your building,” Theo said.

“Power-grabbers,” Zarali said, nodding sage-like. “That’s what you need.”

Of course, Zarali had one of those devices on her. With great effort, she set it on the table and patted the top as though it were her favorite pet. Theo inspected the device.

[Power Siphon]

[Specialty Artifice]

Epic

Created by [????]

Converts raw power into usable mana. Depending on the density of power in an area, the rate that mana is accumulated varies.

The description provided by the system was simple enough to understand. Theo already knew that Drogramath’s power soaked the air in Broken Tusk, and it seemed like a waste not to use it. His mind spun at the possibilities, not only for his mint, but for other uses. But the possibilities answered themselves through logic. Coins were the standard way to store mana, so that’s how he’d have to do it. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to press Zarali on a few issues.

“What storage mediums are there for raw mana?” Theo asked.

“Coins are the easiest,” Zarali said. “Don’t think I didn’t see you snag the [Power Core] from that Elven Guardian. That’s another way to do it.”

Theo still had the [Power Core] in his inventory. But that wasn’t storing mana, it was storing raw power. “You’re mistaken,” he said, withdrawing the large [Power Core] from his inventory. “This only stores power, not mana.”

“My mistake,” Zarali said, running her fingers over the device. “I’ve never seen one.”

“Is this a product of an alchemist, or an artificer?” Theo asked.

“Both, I think,” Zarali said, stepping back from the core.

Theo smiled. “I was right. There are other powerful alchemists out there.”

“Not here,” Zarali said, waving his statement away. “Certainly not in Qavell. This is a product of Tarantham.”

The Elves were mysterious, and Theo knew little about Tarantham. But a theory had stuck in his mind for a few days, ever since Fenian arrived with the guardian. There were powerful alchemists over there, people who put the alchemists in Qavell to shame. The Kingdom of Qavell seemed like a child in comparison. This land already had its end of days. They had only rebuilt recently, rising from the ashes of destruction to join the wider world. Only they hadn’t rejoined it in full, they remained two hermit kingdoms and one destroyed landmass.

“About [Reagent Deconstruction],” Theo said. “Do I need the skill to do it?”

“Certainly not, brother,” Zarali said. “But you’ll train for years before you figure that out on your own. That’s what skills do, after all. They bridge the gap of knowledge, thrusting you forward years at a time.”

“Fair enough,” Theo said, swiveling his head when the timer on his still clicked. It was done running. “Speaking of, I have this reagent that’s useless. [Goblin Tongues]. Well, the modifier is decent enough. [Desiccate] is an alright modifier.”

“You already know this, but some essences can only do certain things,” Zarali said. “I doubt there’s an alternative use for the property. You’ll need to discover another property if you want to use that reagent. Well, I suppose you won’t want to eat it.”

Zarali grinned, moving over to look at the pile of [Goblin Tongues].

“Unfortunately, you’ll need to get better at deconstruction to discover properties with mana. I can’t help you there, but would you like to learn how to use your new toy?” Zarali asked, gesturing to the black cube on his table.

The operation of the device was simple enough. It had some way of converting power to mana, so it always had a bit of mana inside. If it ever ran dry, Theo would need to introduce his own to jump-start it. Otherwise, it just sat there. Accumulating raw power and converting it into mana. The moment Zarali started the device up, simply by tapping it on the top, the runes on the side of his fermentation barrels glowed purple. She must have been in an educational mood, because she showed him how she inscribed runes.

“Some people call enchanting runesmithing,” Zarali said, withdrawing a sharp awl and a gemstone from her inventory. “Every aligned enchanter is different, but I weave my enchantments with Drogramathi.”

The purple gem melted in her hands, forming a pool of liquid glass in her palm. It flowed onto the tip of the awl and she scratched a few runes into his [Drogramath Still]. These were the same enchantments she put on his fermentation barrels, and the literal translation was silly. It was a poem about the early Dronon, and their desire to wander. That part drew in the mana. Then, another one about their desire for power, their craftiness wrapped the entire thing to complete the enchantment. Zarali was done with the process in a matter of minutes, skillfully engraving her story onto the still.

“And that’s it,” she said, keeping calm while beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

“That takes a lot out of you, huh?” Theo asked, leaning in to inspect the still.

[Enchanted Drogramath Still]

[Alchemy Equipment]

Legendary

Created By: [????]

A 500 unit capacity Drogramathi still with attached advanced condenser. The advanced condenser allows for a more efficient cooling of essences, decreasing the time needed to distill. The Drogramathi metal increases the spread of heat, providing an even distribution across a run.

Effects:

Distillation time reduced.

Occasionally produces more essence per run.

Enchantments:

Siphon Power

Distribute Power

Crafting Speed

Crafting Effectiveness

Alignment: Drogramath

The runes glowed to meet the power accumulated by the [Power Siphon]. That led Theo to a question he’d been mulling over for a while. Perhaps he should spend more time talking to his adopted sister, but he’d been too busy.

“Can you enchant my boats?” Theo asked.

“I can enchant almost anything,” Zarali said, laughing. “Dronon were never known for their seafaring abilities, but I can weave a story good enough to enhance an entire sailing vessel. Speed, turning, durability. We’ll have your fleet moving at a clip even in dead wind.”

That was a relief. Theo wasn’t interested in sending slow-moving boats out into the open ocean, but the promise of increased performance was enough to put his mind at ease. Zarali was often wise when it came to these kinds of things, but he hadn’t gotten her opinion on the harbor. He looked over the [Refined Insatiable Hunger] essence and shrugged. His senses told him it was useless for anything but modifiers, something he missed last time.

Theo explained his plans for the harbor to her, detailing every step of the process to ensure she knew the challenges he faced. She nodded along as he spoke, soaking up the information and processing it with all those years of wisdom, and the aid of her Drogramath-aligned cores.

“If you can move a mountain, you should,” Zarali said, nodding. “Digging a channel to bring the ocean to us is the right move. When you expand the town over the harbor, it will automatically create a gate over the water.”

“Really?” Theo asked. That was one of his worries about extending the town.

“Well, I imagine it won’t be a town much longer,” Zarali said, chuckling. “By the time you’re done making the harbor, we’ll be a small city.”

That was something to look forward to. 100 people didn’t seem like many, but when Theo compared it to the 20-some they started with, it was absurd. Even with the citizenry sitting at 100, there were just as many visitors weekly. Without his support structure, it would be impossible for him to manage everything. His mind went to the wisdom of those around him, and their endless ability to forestall danger.

Theo looked out his window, spotting the failing sun. It cast the town in an orange glow, throwing long shadows as the day wound down. His conversation with Zarali was a pleasant one, marking the end of the 56th day of the Season of Blooms with excitement for the future. As long as they could keep up with the demand for housing and food, they’d be fine.

Without words, Theo knew Tresk was approaching the town. He could feel her off in the distance, jumping through shadows to reach the town. He didn’t tell her, but the quest she was on was one that he instigated. The Adventurer’s Guild had a keen interest in making sure they could keep the Fald under control.

“Want to grab dinner?” Theo asked.

“I usually dine with Xol’sa,” Zarali said.

“I’m sure you love dried meat and wine, but Xam cooks,” Theo said.

Dinner time! Tresk shouted into Theo’s mind.

“Alright. Let’s go,” Zarali said. “I enjoy eating outside.”

There were even more people than normal around the Marsh Wolf Tavern. Theo didn’t know where Xam got the extra tables, but the entire street was blocked by rows of tables and chairs, all lit with lanterns to fight the fading sun. Tresk joined with Zarali and Theo, jumping from the shadows and shouting. She was covered in seaweed and still wet from swimming down to the [Ocean Dungeon]. The alchemist tipped a few drops of [Cleansing Scrub] on her head, washing away the filth.

Xam’s meal tonight was a rehash of an old favorite. Wolf meat stew. Compared to the original version, this was amazing. It had just enough spice to make it interesting, but nothing to offend foreign palettes. Broken Tuskers seemed to like their food on the spicy side. Theo admitted to himself that he felt disappointment that there wasn’t anything new. When he was preparing to leave, with all the tables cleared away and the good cheer dying down in the darkness, the servers brought something else out.

“What is this?” Tresk asked, her eyes going wide. “Bread? Sticky bread? Puffy sticky bread!?”

Theo wanted to temper his expectations, but that would not happen. Xam let everyone take their fill from the serving trays before clearing her throat and gaining the attention of all in attendance. The alchemist’s eyes darted between the Half-Ogre woman and the pastry on his plate. A pastry. It was made of flaky bread, likely Zee, but not her normal flatbread. A white drizzle of something sweet-smelling rested artfully on top. He tore his attention away to listen to Xam speak.

“A treat!” she shouted, loud enough for everyone to hear. “The Pozwa are finally making eggs, and I couldn’t be happier.”

The crowd cheered, and Miana blushed.

“This day marks a very important occasion,” Xam continued. “100 citizens is impressive—thank you, Theo—but there’s something more exciting! The Marsh Wolf Bathhouse is now operational! Thanks to Throk and his boys for working so hard to get the water treatment system operation—no thanks to Theo—and putting in those long hours!”

“I was paid!” Throk shouted, his next words coming as annoyed mumbles. “Just doing my job.”

That got a chorus of laughter from the crowd.

“The big room is open for free to all citizens and anyone can rent one of 20 private rooms,” Xam continued. “I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what we’ve created here. Enjoy!”

Theo knew better than to rush the bathhouse. Tresk was itching to get in there and try it out, but he held her back.

“I could use a bath,” Zarali said, nodding.

Xam came over, smiling the entire way. She was brimming with excitement. “The best room is reserved for you, Theo.”

Theo looked up in shock, not expecting any special treatment. “I’ll still pay,” he said.

“It’s always the same with you,” Xam said, sighing. “Here, take my money. Oh, I got a problem. Let me just throw gold at it until I’m purple in the face. Yeah, that’s you.”

Theo wasn’t happy with how spot on her impression of him was, either in tone or content. He felt his cheeks sting with blush. He ate his pastry, and while it was delicious, he couldn’t spare the space in his mind. The idea of the bathhouse was too much.

“Sorry about the delay,” Theo said. “I needed to make sure the water system could survive if anything happened.”

“And we have a new ugly building to show for it,” Xam said, nodding. “Just messing with you. Go check out the bath. I labeled your room. I guarantee it’s better than that [Cleansing Scrub] you’ve been using.”

“Let’s go!” Tresk shouted.

Theo, Tresk, and Zarali cut the line to the bathhouse. Xam already hired attendants to work the place. They stood in the front, taking money from people renting rooms and checking a list to weed out visitors. Broken Tuskers got the first crack at the new bathhouse. The interior of the building was already warmer than the night air outside. It was a wide entrance with potted plants lining the walls, a stone floor, and wooden walls. Lanterns hung from the ceiling, casting yellow light over every surface. An attendant led the trio down a series of hallways, finally coming to the back of the building and a door labeled “Theo’s Room”.

“Fancy,” Tresk said.

The room was large and square, with natural rocks bordering a circular pool at the center. Benches rested on the walls, and a window sat high up giving a few of the night’s sky. Spigots poked from the walls, and there were drains scattered along the floor. Steam rose from the surface and the scent of minerals hung in the air. The attendant handed them towels, bowed out, and closed the door.

“This is very nice,” Zarali said.

Theo had learned early on that this world had a different view of modesty than Earth. His time working in close quarters with others had dulled his sense of embarrassment while naked, so he was the first to strip down. Tresk was the first to discover that the spigots coming from the wall were meant for washing up before going into the large pool, and the bathhouse provided powdered soap for the job. The water that came from the walls was ice cold, sending a chill down the alchemist’s spine. His skin was gooseflesh by the time he lowered himself into the deep pool.

“Now this was made for Half-Ogres,” Theo said, finding a smooth rock to sit on.

He leaned his head back as the others got into the pool. There was a section shallow enough for Tresk to soak with her head barely poking out of the warm water. A sense of relaxation spread through his body immediately, even as the Marshling took to swimming in the massive pool.

“Oh, this is nice,” Zarali said, letting out a long sigh.

Time passed, but no one seemed to notice. They sat in silence until their fingers pruned. Using the [Cleansing Scrub] was one way to clean himself, but this was completely different. The cold shower outside primed his body for the soak, and it felt as though the minerals from the water were soaking into his skin, washing away every bit of stress that accumulated in his muscles. The alchemist couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this relaxed.

Only when a system message popped into Theo’s vision did he snap out of his relaxed stupor.

[Bathhouse Buff!] You’ve soaked long enough in an enriched pool of water, provided by a bathhouse.

+1 to All Stats for 1 Day.

Actions taken use reduced [Stamina] for 1 Day.

“Well, I guess we’re coming here every night,” Tresk said, laughing.

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