The wing of Baslin’s workshop that Duke found himself in was different than any of the others he had seen. This section seemed far more sterile with its glossy white walls, floors, and ceiling. There were glass tables and displays all around the area that were nearly as large as Duke’s throne room.
“Well, what do you think?” Baslin asked, a wry smile just barely formed on his lips.
“It seems…blank. Like there should be more to it but it’s just missing. The display cases are empty, the walls bare, and the floor and ceiling are really no different from the walls.”
“That is a fair observation. The next chamber has the carving stations for making the runes so familiar to this world, but here is where we will work on the runescripting. These tables are made with magical glass. They can be carved into to create patterns or scripts and have liquid gold poured into them to set the script. When it’s cooled, the table will heal itself, pushing the golden scripting out to the surface.”
“That is interesting. Is this one of your creations?”
Baslin glowed with pride, “Yes, they are my own design. After spending countless hours carving runes and attempting to decipher and duplicate the runescript into wooden, stone, and metal tablets, this solution came to me. Although I do have to admit my success with even duplicating the runescript has been marginal at best. There is a fundamental understanding that I seem to be missing.”
“Let’s hope that we can correct that lack. Here, let’s look at this example of runescripting.” While he spoke, he pulled one of the most simplistic runscripted items he had in his INVENTORY. It was a basic sword with a minor runescript engraved in the blade.
When the blade was on the table, they began to study the runescript. Baslin puzzled over it commenting on the connection between sections before Duke interrupted him, “This is a four-word sentence. It says, ‘I am always sharp.’ It’s probably the simplest example of runescript I have seen.”
Baslin looked at Duke in surprise, “You really can just read it like that?”
“It’s a language. I can read just about any language.”
“Can you write it?”
“That, my friend, is where I run into problems. I can read it and understand what is says and how it works, but I can’t seem to write it out. It’s odd as I can form the sentences in my head but when I have tried to transition it into actual script, it just doesn’t work. I’m missing something but I don’t know what.”
“That, my boy, is why you have me. We’ll figure it out together.”
Duke spent hours teaching Baslin how to read the language, but it was slow going as the runescript language had intricate subtleties and context that Duke couldn’t decipher enough to explain. His Ability gave him the capability to read and understand the language, but the syntax of this language this was far more complex than any spoken language Duke had encountered.
The breakthrough came when Baslin was able to script his first sentence in the language that worked. He had struggled as his countless attempts had appeared to be identical to the example Duke had produced etched into the sword.
“It works! And I know why!” Baslin declared, brimming with excitement. He danced around the room shouting as Duke watched on confused but thoroughly amused.
Duke watched for the full five minutes of Baslin’s “victory dance” before the Archmage finally came back to Duke to explain what he had done differently.
“You see, Duke, it’s not enough to write the runescript perfectly. We did that dozens of times without any reaction. You have to infuse the runescript with both Mana and intent. Part of the magic of the runescript is tied to the context of what you want it to do. Since so many words have different meanings when put together, even in the same order, you have to focus your intent into the script to give it the right emphasis!”
“Intent? Emphasis. What do you mean?”
“Just like different words can be pronounced differently. Like heal and heal.”
“Heal and heal? They’re the same word.” Duke paused, replaying the words as they were actually spoken rather than the automatic translation he had grown so used to with his Ability. He nodded, “I see what you are saying now. So, it’s what you intend the script to do that determines how the word should be used. Where you place your emphasis. I get it now.”
“Yes, exactly. Show me more examples of the runescript and let’s see what else we can figure out.”
Duke pulled all sorts of unidentified gear out of his INVENTORY for the two of them to work with. He pulled out dozens upon dozens of swords as they were easy to fit on the tables. Finally, he pulled out a dark blade that looked different from the rest. He held it up to the light only to see the light absorbed into the blackness of the blade.
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“Well, that one’s different,” Baslin remarked.
“It is different. It’s not runescripted at all.”
“Ah, so a sword from your travels on Teldin then?”
Duke IDENTIFIED the sword and his blood ran cold. He knew this blade. He had committed to destroying this blade and yet, here it was gripped in his hand.
He placed the blade on the floor and took a step back, Baslin joining him at his side.
“What is it Duke?”
“This is the Blade of the Netherword. We got this as loot a long time ago. I meant to destroy it then like I had done with the other cursed blade. But it appears that I have never gotten to it.”
“And it’s been sitting in your INVENTORY all this time. Is everything in your INVENTORY in stasis or could this blade have affected something else?”
“Thankfully, they are in stasis, so I think we’re OK in that regard, but I have to destroy this blade.”,
“Just be careful.”
“I will, but I’m far stronger than I was with the last one.” Duke reached out to the blade with his MANA DRAIN Ability and began to siphon off the Mana from the blade’s enchantments. With the vast increase in his Psyche, the pull of the blade’s warped Mana was easy to resist. He unconsciously separated the intent of the enchantments from the magic empowering them. Before he could do anything about the separated intent, it was drained into his Psyche and hidden from his consciousness.
“Oh, that’s not going to be good,” Duke muttered.
“What happened?”
“I absorbed the sword’s intent into my Psyche. It will sit there waiting to fuel one of my Abilities, I expect.”
As he spoke, the sword itself corroded and turned to a pile of dust, its magic gone along with its curse. Baslin didn’t hesitate to cast a spell and pull all the dust of the sword into a jar that he quickly sealed.
“Mustn’t let something like that sit around. Always best to put it away even if it appears inert. I have learned to not take chances.”
“I have to say that is smart, Baslin. I wouldn’t want that dust to be floating around and getting into something that it shouldn’t. Now, let’s see what we can do with these runescripted swords.”
It took the rest of the day, but Baslin had gotten the basics of runescripting down. He seemed to have a talent for it as he was able to modify his own scripts to produce different effects based on his intent for the few words of the runescript language he had learned. Duke, on the other hand, was absolute garbage at writing the runescript. He moved too quickly and was too impatient to effectively write a functioning script. When it came to reading the scripts, he relied on his Ability and was able to easily determine their purpose and effect.
Finally, Duke began to empty his INVENTORY of items that he knew contained runescripting. As the items’ runescripts became more and more complex, Baslin stared with deeper concentration and wonder. When Duke took him to the largest chamber in this wing of the workshop, Baslin’s curiosity was fully piqued.
“What do you have for me now, Duke?”
“The largest and most complex example of runescript that I have with me.”
Duke pulled a mech out, placing it in the middle of the floor. Baslin stared at the mech in wonder. It was the smallest version Duke had encountered, only standing five meters tall but it still had all the usual runescripting Duke had seen in mechs. It seemed that there was a rather specific runescript design that all mechs followed. At least, all the mechs he had seen had the same or very similar pattern.
Baslin traced his hands over the mech, feeling the materials and studying it with his magic. As he traced the lines of its left leg he asked, “This is quite the golem, but I don’t see any runescript?”
“That’s because the runescripting is on the inside. The mech is made of multiple layers of material that are all inscribed with runescript. It is the most complex runescript I have found in that it is so compact but also does so much.”
“You see it through the layers?”
“Even better. Watch this.” Duke focused his Grandmaster Ability and TELEPORTED the outer layer of the mech onto the floor, making sure to keep the runescript intact. “The connections between the layers will be broken this way but it will give you so many layers to study, it will keep you busy for months.”
“Years, my boy. Years.” Baslin stopped talking to Duke as he poured his energy into examining and deciphering the runescript.
Duke watched for a while but soon realized that Baslin was too far engrossed in his study. He finished taking the mech apart and went on his way, TELEPORTING to the hangar. He had a project of his own to work on when it came to runescript. And he felt he had learned enough working with Baslin that he might just be able to pull it off.
In the hangar, he perused all the ships he had in storage and selected one at random. He really didn’t know much about any of them so one seemed to be as good as another. He entered and made his way to the bridge. Once there, he got to work.
“OK, so this looks like the navigation station to me. And I’m talking to myself again.”
“Not entirely. You are in my dungeon, so I kind of am always listening unless you push me out.”
Duke turned to see Sam standing in front of the captain’s chair. With a flourish, he sat down and spun the chair to face Duke, “So, what is it that you are looking to accomplish here?”
“I need to find a way to make a navigation system like this.” Duke waved at the station in front of him. “Well, I need to make it portable so I can use it without a ship.
“So, why don’t you just create one with your Abilities? I’ve seen you make things out of dungeon essence before.”
“I don’t know how they work well enough just yet.”
“Oh, so you’re just studying it until you can make one of your own. That makes sense. Well, don’t let me stand in your way.”
As Sam turned to leave, Duke stopped him, “Wait. Was there something you needed or wanted? You usually don’t just drop in.”
“Oh nothing, really. I just wanted to tell you that I’m on the cusp of Tier Seven.”
“Wow. That’s great! Will that give you anything cool?”
“You’re not jealous?”
“Why would I be jealous?”
“You’re only a Tier Six.”
“And you used to be a Tier Eight dungeon if I recall correctly.”
“Damn. I hoped you had forgotten that.”
“Nope. But still, it’s great progress. I know this is wildly unconventional for you, but it seems to be going well.”
“Exceptionally well. That’s why I’m good with my descendants following this model. Anyway, enjoy your project. I have a group of elite Legionnaires making a run at the deep boss. I just have to watch.” With that, Sam faded away, leaving Duke to study the navigation system in peace.