Introductory Manalurgy:
Chapter 08 - Mana Dust Processing
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After you've properly arranged and appraised each of your mana clusters, it is time to begin processing them into usable materials. Of all the things mana clusters can be used to make, the easiest and most useful is Mana Dust. However, just as all things relating to mana, mana dust refining comes with it's own hurdles and risks. Luckily nothing should explode or burst into flames as long as all procedures are followed correctly.
The first steps come to preparing the materials. The machines used to process and stabilize mana clusters require high concentrations of mana to function, thus the amount of mana crystal able to fit into their chambers is limited. In order to more easily and effectively use the machines, the clusters must be broken up into smaller pieces. However, when a mana cluster is broken it starts to react with the ambient mana in the air and degrades in purity and concentration. Thus it is required to be submerged in a non-mana-conducting fluid such as distilled water or ethanol.
Once a cluster is fully submerged, a gold-plated chisel can then be used to carefully break the clusters into more usable pieces. Remember to re-plate your chisel at least once every week to reduce its mana retention. Now, the clusters can be put into separate vials and placed into the first machine, the Mana Disruptor. After a few hours, the crystals placed within the chamber will be reduced to a sandy powder. However, this form of mana is very unstable as it's structure is no longer uniform in nature. This is where the final machine comes in, the Mana-Furnace. The vials are then transferred into the furnace and are infused for up to 8 hours. Over this duration, the fluid in the vials is evaporated and the mana dust is allowed to reshape into smaller crystalline forms. This stabilizes the mana dust so that it can be handled in even mana-rich environments without evaporating.
Now that you have created a batch of mana dust, it is very important to store it in a way which keeps it away from open flames or other sources of volatility, as this can cause the mana to rapidly change expressions. For further information on the expressions of mana and sources of volatility, refer back to Chapter 03 - Environmental Mana Expression and Chapter 04 - Pure Mana Reactions.
- An excerpt from Introductory Manalurgy, the go-to guide for the beginner manalurgist to learn all things Mana-craft and Artifice.
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A loud crash resonates through the deep woods as a body is sent flying through a tree. After the cacophonous sound of the massive trunk slamming into the forest floor passes, a grunt is heard as the man stands up following his brief flight.
A young woman cloaked in blue shouts out from across the field.
"Marcus! Are you alright?!"
Marcus returns his compatriot's worried question with a bloody smile before rushing back towards the beast, his massive axe still firmly gripped in his hands. Stepping off of the now fallen tree, the unusually nimble brute jumps high into the air to deliver a deft blow on the foe. His opponent, a massive Horn Bear, swings its branching antlers to block the attack but still recoils under the force of the blow. Although, it appears that the bear remains unscathed after the fearsome swing.
A young man wielding a bow also shouts at the unbothered warrior.
"Marcus, don't damage the antlers! Those are valuable!"
The young woman lightly hits the man in his shoulder and retorts.
"Ash, now's not the time to be thinking about money. Do you have a shot or not?"
The young man, now revealed to be named Ash readies his bow and tries to line up a good angle with the looming creature. However, the creature is thrashing around, trying to hit the now taunting Marcus.
"If that meat-head would just sit still I would, but the bear is moving too much. Marcus, you're supposed to be fighting it, not playing chicken with it!"
After barely deflecting a hit from the creatures massive claw, Marcus chides back.
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"Aww come on, we have a healer! Let me have some fun!"
Not a second after he replies, the Horn Bear bashes into Marcus once again, sending the man flying into another tree.
With a sigh, Ash readies his bow once again as the warrior dusts himself off a second time.
"Fucking finally."
With the bear distracted with the winded Marcus, the ranger looses an arrow which penetrates deep into the bear's chest. With a heavy roar the creature turns to charge at the two, but Ash quickly looses two more arrows in rapid succession. The arrows pier deep into the charging bears skull, bringing it down with a barreling crash.
A rather bruised Marcus shuffles out of the brush, glaring rather harshly at the kill-stealer.
"Hey, you said I could fight this one!"
Ash point accusingly at Marcus.
"That was before you decided to dance with it instead of being serious. Val may be able to heal you, but it doesn't work if you're dead. Now come and help me skin it, we only have a few hours until nightfall."
As Ash walks away, the sorceress, Val, approaches the bleeding Marcus and places her hand on his shoulder.
"You know he means well. Now come on, we'll let you take on the next one. Just, promise me you'll be a little safer. I may be a mage, but my mana core isn't limitless."
After she finishes speaking, a weak glow spreads over his body as Val begins to heal his bodily injuries. After a few moments, the gashes and bruises of varying sizes begin to visibly recede.
With a small smile Marcus pats Val on the shoulder.
"Thanks, Val. I'll be more careful."
Val knows he's lying through his teeth, but she appreciates the effort.
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After an uneventful night, the three adventurers continue their trek deeper into the woods. In the distance, the silhouette of a mountain grows ever closer. Its peaks reaching high into the sky, and huge swaths of snow drape its form.
The party eventually makes their way to a clearing, the reason for their journey makes itself evident.
Ash whispers dejectedly under his breath.
"Shit."
Val, just as motionless as the others, responds with a shaky voice.
"They really did see a dragon. I thought the farmer was just looking for attention, but this..."
Before them lies nearly an acre of forest left desolate. The field littered with the smoldering remnants of trees and still glowing charcoals. The charred corpses of many forest creatures are scattered about, some clearly torn into by something monstrous in size.
Ash, Marcus and Val all turn to stare at the looming mountain in the distance with trepidation.
Val takes a few steps back the way they came, still staring at the mountain.
"I-I think we should head back, this is enough evidence for the guild... S-surely."
Ash places his hand on her shoulder and resolutely states what she clearly didn't want to hear.
"Now that we have determined that there was in-fact a dragon, you know what we have to do."
Val lets out a groan and retorts.
"Oh come on Ash, this is crazy! You know we wouldn't stand a chance if it were to see us!"
"Then we will make sure it doesn't, but it is our job to determine what type and age the dragon is. We don't know how big of a threat it is yet."
Marcus butts in by stating the obvious, gesturing at his massive body.
"How is it not going to see us, I don't do stealthy!"
Ash thinks for a second before sighing.
"Then you won't go, in fact, both of you will stay at the base of the mountain while I find its nest. In case the worst happens, I need you two to sound the alarm back home."
Both Val and Marcus stare at him dumbfounded before Val responds.
"This is crazy, you're crazy! We can't let you do that! Why would you put yourself at such risk. The pay for this mission is good, but not that good."
Ash returns her genuine worry with a slightly guilty expression before reaching into his carrying bag withdrawing a single dark-blue vial.
Upon realizing what Ash was holding, she can't help but sputter.
"H- How did you get that!"
"I bought it from an acquaintance, and that's all I will say. Now, will you let me go or not?"
Glancing between him and the potion in his hand, Val can't help but admit defeat.
"I won't ask, but you'll have to give me an explanation when we get home, alive hopefully."
Disregarding the tense atmosphere that developed, Marcus nudges Ash's shoulder with a knowing look.
"I didn't take you as the type. Tell me, how much did you have to shill out to get that?"
Ash returns a disgusted look before moving away from Marcus a bit.
"It's not like that, besides, it was payment for another job I did. But right now it's my ticket for survival."
Ignoring Marcus's snide grin, Ash addresses the group.
"Alright, we have a plan..."
"A rather shit one." Val interjects.
"But a plan none-the-less. So, once we get to the mountain base, you two will wait for a day at most. After that time, I want you to turn back and deliver the news. Hopefully it shouldn't take too long to locate the nest, but once I do I'll return immediately."
Reluctantly the two nod in agreement and begin approaching the mountain proper.