Chapter 3.14: Unfriendly Guest

Chapter 3.14: Unfriendly Guest

Theo spent what was left of the afternoon on reactions. His alchemical garden was at the point where it could produce hundreds of [Healing Potions] per day, but that left a gap for his other potions. Fenian enjoyed walking away from the town with a variety of potions. Attribute-enhancement potions were popular, but the alchemist was interested in brewing more niche potions. While his idea for constructs had fallen to the side, he needed to take the chance to produce for the trader. The cost of his potions had reached the point where gold couldnt buy them. Bartering would be the way forward, which worked well for both Theo and the town.

Tresk signaled she was returning home as Theo wrapped up the days brewing. As he waited for her to return, he went through his mental list of modifiers to discover the best pairing for his stat potions. [Mana Bloom] might work in interesting ways, especially for attribute potions that enhanced [Intelligence]. [Embolden] was mostly useless, as it seemed far too dangerous to use. The effects usually traded mana for health, but the user could die if they didnt have the required mana to fill the gap. By the time the Marshling got back to the Newt and Demon, he had a short list of modifiers that he could use, which led to a singular thought.

He needed more modifiers.

His mind tracked along a familiar path as they walked to the Marsh Wolf Tavern. Anything that arrived in town that came as though it was part of some destiny always made great potions. Theo had yet to experiment with [Veostian Karatan Cheese], but the properties were [Suffuse] and [Bind]. Their wool was likely to create good potions, although he didnt look forward to eating hair to discover properties. The [Pozwa Horns] had already produced an essence that was unique, so that was sorted as an excellent investment. The only thing he had left for those horrid goat-things was their eggs.

Tresk went over her day, Theo splitting his attention as she talked. She met her fair share of new adventurers and had formed a small friend-group among them. The influx of new adventurers to the town was a boon, according to her. Theo agreed, if only for the increased business his store would draw. It was the first time at the Marsh Wolf that Xam did a repeat of a previous meal, but the curry-like Zee couscous was just as delicious as before. No one had a single complaint.

Alise had a few updates, even after Tresk shouted at her about not bringing b business to dinner. She heard about Throks new project, and took the lead on hiring adventurers and organizing the work. She used the towns funds to buy more [House Seed Cores], but otherwise it seemed like a calm week. Xam took the opportunity to point Theo out as the reason her new bathhouse wasnt open. By now, everyone knew what it was and it was impossible for her to keep the secret for more than a few days. The alchemist didnt mind. Throk worked quickly.

Despite Theo not telling anyone about Fenians arrival, others in town seemed to know. Azrug was the likely culprit, having a communication crystal linking to the trader. Everyone seemed to prefer the Elfs prices over the various traders that had been visiting. Theo had to wonder how the man even made a profit, but he shook the thought off.

When Tresk and Theo fell into the Dreamwalk, the Marshlings assassination attempt was poor. The sneaky bomb technique he developed was enough to handle more assassins than she could spawn, and she didnt take his advice on changing the scenario. He was fine with the situation as she abided by their new rule of having only a singular attempt every night. That left him with an uninterrupted night to experiment and refine his process. He took the chance to brew essences from the [Veostian Karatan Cheese], reminded once again that he couldnt create anything new, but he could discover it through the normal process.

Something Theo learned about the Dreamwalk was the boundaries were flexible. If he believed he couldnt do something, then it was so. But there were still hard limits to his abilities inside the dream, even if he felt it growing stronger by the day.

The cheese had the [Suffuse] and [Bind] properties, but neither seemed obvious. When he held a bottle of the [Refined Suffuse Essence] in his hands, it felt strange. Each reaction type failed, and his cores had no suggestions on making it happen. The [Refined Bind Essence] was easy to discover. It would produce a bomb-style potion, and a modifier essence of the same name. Whatever rules bound the Dreamwalk allowed him to pursue that bomb, resulting in an ordinary-looking bomb with a swirl of smoky energy behind the glass. Theo inspected the result.

[Bind Bomb]

[Bomb]

Rare

Created by: Belgar

Grade: Excellent Quality

Shatter against a surface to release binding shadows.

Effect:

Bind a target. Time based on potion quality.

This bomb served a niche purpose, but Theo could see its use. His current strategy for binding targets centered on using a [Freezebomb] with the [Web] modifier. He could see this entering the arsenal he carried at all times, and a use for the adventurers who manned the walls of Broken Tusk.

Theo pushed himself in the Dreamwalk, trying to force his cores to advance to level 15. He ran more stills than he would have managed in the real world, tending gardens that sprawled over the landscape. Theyd picked a pleasant memory from Tresks childhood, where she played in the hills north of Broken Tusk. Even with the delightful view, the alchemist had concerns about his cores advancement. When he only had 2 cores, it was easy enough to understand how that affected his personal level. If they were both level 10, hed be level 10. With 3 cores, that problem became confusing. Instead of providing half of his experience requirement, they all now provided a third, scaling with his level.

Both his [Drogramath Alchemy Core] and his [Drogramath Herbalism Core] were on the edge of level 15, but that would be useless for him. Hed unlock access to skills he desperately needed, but until his personal level hit 15, he couldnt buy them. His [Governance Core] went to 9 yesterday, but his personal level sat at 13, stubbornly refusing to go higher. Times like this, it was tempting to use the [Lesser Experience Boost Potion], but warnings given by Fenian werent something he took lightly.

According to the Trader, it affected advancement and was considered illegal in the kingdom. The lesser version of the potion capped at level 10, but he was certain the second tier version would work up to 20. Theo pushed those thoughts aside, working through the night and waking the next morning to a rush of experience, but nothing to push him over the edge. Tresk woke at the same time as him, now that they used the Dreamwalking skill. Before heading off for breakfast, he ran his wheel of [Vesotian Karatan Cheese] through his grinder, made an offering to Drogramath, and set his still working on the first property, [Suffuse].

The leftovers from the night before were delicious, as they always were, and Theo went to make his rounds for the festival. While his wreath stood strong, most others had fallen to the elements. The alchemist tutted as someone in the neighborhood district had used mushrooms for their entry. It wasnt a flower, but he allowed the entry anyway, since the mushrooms had a short lifespan, especially outdoors.

His [Governance Core] drank up each action he performed for the town, sending a series of small experience gains as windows popping into his vision. Theo ended his route at the marble quarry, finding a need to check in with Ziz and his gang of stoneworkers. The companionship gave him time to reflect on what hed done in the town, and what needed to be done.

Expansion is important, Theo said, bringing his thoughts to words before the burly stoneworkers. We have stone, metal, and wood production. Trade goods, an enchantereven if shes not doing much yetand a wizard.

You stress out too much, Ziz said, patting him on the shoulder. I heard Throk cursing your name about the new water project.

There was a problem with producing cultivated reagents that restored mana and stamina. [Manashrooms] were mushrooms that only grew in a dark cave, north of town. [Moss Nettle] only grew in the tall Ogre Cypress trees. Neither reagent was suitable for growth within the greenhouse, limiting his options on which he wanted to grow. A thousand [Healing Potions] at absurd quality was better than a few of each at decent quality. When he was done in the greenhouse, he went to the lab to tend to his stills.

Theo moved the flask of [Refined Suffuse Essence] to the side, saving that for later. He cleaned his stills with [Cleansing Scrub] and set them up for another run. The alchemist already brewed enough potions to make Fenians trip worthwhile, but the shop needed more potions. With the stills loaded with cultivated [Spiny Swamp Thistle Root], and [Stone Flowers], he turned his attention to the new essence.

It was nothing special to speak of. Something about the Dreamwalk blocked his senses when he was there, perhaps a personal failing, but out in the real world it spoke to him as a detergent-style essence. He ran the basic experiment to figure out the essence to water ratio, settling on a strangely dilute mix of the two. It reminded him of the [Tunneling Potion] in its design, but the description was too vague to understand.

[Suffuse Potion]

[Potion]

Rare

Created by: Belgar

Grade: Excellent Quality

Alignment:

Drogramath (Middling Bond)

A potion used to bind two properties to an object, or each other.

Effect:

Bind two properties.

Sometimes the system gave him exact numbers, effects, and side-effects of a potion. Other times it gave him vague hints as to the use of a potion. He set the flask of potion aside, scratching his head in confusion. Theo was snapped out of his stupor, a system message hed been waiting for popping up.

[Drogramath Alchemy Core] receivedexperience (5%).

[Drogramath Alchemy Core] leveled up! Level 15.

[Drogramath Alchemy Core] gained an enhanced effect: +5 wisdom.

One core down, Theo said, feeling the slight tingle in his mind as his intuition expanded by a fraction. One to go.

Theo left the lab, letting his potions cook down. He wouldnt discover the secrets of the [Suffuse Potion], but he suspected it was related to a skill he hadnt unlocked. It wasnt entirely like the [Reveal] property, but it had the same flavor. That led him to think it was related to constructs. If that was the case, he wouldnt have a use for the potion until his personal level hit 15. The alchemist planned to leave [Reagent Deconstruction] for level 20, taking [Alchemy Constructs] at level 15. His mana control was still horrible, and would require greater practice before he found a use of the skill.

Attempting to level his [Governance Core], Theo split his attention between visiting citizens and picking herbs. The woodcutting operation was going great. Sledge elected someone to be the forester that managed which trees to cut, and which to leave. The Ogre Cypress, despite towering to the heavens like skyscrapers, grew at an absurd rate. With the help of a forester, that process was even faster.

The miners were doing fine, but they hadnt found new metals in the ground. Their new tunnels allowed them to increase production, but that bottlenecked at Alise. The smelter had found an apprentice in record time, even buying her a [Smelters Core] with the towns funds. She must have told Alise about the situation, who then sorted the money out.

As Theo made his way back to the Newt and Demon, he felt a familiar haptic buzz in his mind. He recognized it as Fenians communication crystal, which he withdrew without hesitation.

Alchemist! Fenian shouted, excitement seeping from his words. Is the far side of the river still clear?

Theo blinked a few times, trying to let his brain catch up to the strange question.

Last I checked.

Perfect! Fenian shouted, laughing into Theos mind. If you wouldnt mind charging your towers, that would be lovely. Im coming with an unfriendly guest!