Chapter 52: [Level; 3], Homework, and Master-plan
[Name] Jasper “Book” Bookmyer
[Race] Elf??/Human??
[Class] [Scrivener; apprentice]
(Bonded by Alric Tavoryn, Master)
[Level; 3] [Progress], 17 / 25
Display [Solar Time]
(calculation of the passage of time based on the position of the Sun in the sky based on the synodic day {the period for a celestial object to rotate once in relation to the star it is orbiting, and is the basis of solar time})
Placement: Upper center of vision
Type: Alpha Numerical [Mini-map]
Active Range: 45 meters
(highlights all living creatures in a defined radius in real-time; filters available; customizable)
Passive Range: 400 meters
(detail mapping of visited locations in defined radius; scrollable; filters available; customizable)
Placement: Upper right corner of vision
Type: Graphic
[Status]
Health meter: red bar
(representation of current physical health, measured in percentages of full health {100%} with decreasing gradients lowering until collapse {10%} and death of physical body {0%})
Fatigue: green bar
((representation of current physical energy, measured in percentages of full energy {100%} with decreasing gradients lowering until physical and mental impairments, ranging from low motivation {50%}, muscle weakness {40%}, slowed reflexes and responses/impaired hand-to-eye ordination {30%}; headache and dizziness/impaired decision-making and judgment {25%}, blurry vision/short term memory loss {20%}, collapse {10%}, and death of physical body {0%})
[Mana] reserves: blue bar
(representation of current absorbed, ephemeral, energy force of creationism *divine energy, if religiously inclined*, measured in percentages available from maximum {100%} with decreasing gradients lowering until collapse {10%} and death of physical body {0%})
Placement: Upper left corner of vision
Type: Graphic
[Quick-key]
(assignment of an action shortcut for a method or means of doing something more directly and quickly than and often not so thoroughly as by ordinary procedure *cheat*, ranging from {1} to {4}; customizable binding; upgradeable by two per level)
Placement: Lower center of vision
Type: Numerical
{1} [Apprenticeship Unlock; good]<-[Apprenticeship Unlock; common]<-[Spell]<-[Folder]
{2}[Ink; good](P)<-[Ink; common]<-[Ink; poor]<-[Skill]<-[Folder]
{3}[Ink; good](V)<-[Skill]<-[Folder]
{4}
[Vision]
(toggle options ranging from {low light}, {thermal}, {high contrast}, {[mana] saturation}, {materials/ingredient highlight}, and {friend/foe}, {ingredient search}; customizable; upgradeable by level)
Placement: Lower left of vision
Type: Graphical <@>
[Folder]
(representation of storage locations for routines and sub-routines)
Placement: Lower right of vision
Type: Icon
[Folder]->[Skill]-> 1. [Translation; superior](The ability to understand *auditory/written* known or downloaded languages) 2. [Aether-sight; common](The ability to peer into the Void and see the energies of creation) 3. [Over-charge; common](The ability to [mana] fill cells to the point of no return, then one step more) 4. [Infuse parchment; common](The ability to imbue suitable material with [mana], allowing for the transformation from parchment to scroll, full of potential and free of clouding intent.) 5. [open]
[Folder]->[Skill (2)]-> 1. [Ink; poor]->[Ink; common]->[Ink; good](The ability to manufacture basic magical ink with paraffin *stable* from proper ingredients, [mana] infused) 2. [ink; good](V)(The ability to manufacture basic magical ink with vermiculite *combustible* from proper ingredients, [mana] infused) 3. [Ink; poor](Flex){Error}(Without conscious direction…read ‘Ignorance’…you used a base recipe to manufacture basic magical ink with [error] *unstable/flexible* from proper ingredients [error; no proper ingredient found], [mana] infused) 4. [Torchlight; common]->[Torchlight; good](Steady source of light; 10 meter radius) 5. [Heat; common]->[Heat; good](Steady source of heat; variable)
[Folder]->[Skill (3)]-> 1. [Heat-blast; common](When invoked, a small exothermic combustion will occur at a point determined by the user. Range, 3 meters; Cast time, instant.) 2. [Barrier; poor](When invoked, a coalesced field of [mana] prevents the passage of a defined parameter determined by the user {Energy; variable *[mana]/kinetic*}, {Sense; variable *light/sound/smell*}; Radius, 2 meters; Resistance, weak) 3. [Fresh-Barrier, (prairie rose)] scroll; minor, common quality, single-use, variable-> [Fresh Breeze-Barrier, (prairie rose); common ](When invoked, a minor [barrier] will separate a defined space, blocking heat {variable intensity determined by intent} from crossing, simultaneously emitting a predetermined scent {prairie rose} that gently wafts away from the [barrier] on a light breeze of [mana]. Max. [barrier] area, 4m x 4m; Cast time, instant; duration, 24 hours {effect may be turned on and off, cumulative duration.}) 4. [Open]
5. [Open]
[Folder]->[Spell]-> 1. [Apprenticeship Unlock; common]->[Apprenticeship Unlock; good]
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
(As the official Apprentice to Master [Scrivener] Alric, allowing entry to any space locked by the named Master. Apprenticeship token required.) 2. [Open] 3. [Open] 4. [Open]
[Folder]->[Title] 1. [Experimental Pioneer]
(Congratulations! You were stupid…BOLD…enough to play with fire and create a new, unique scroll. +10% chance to successfully discover new applications of [mana] with intent in regards to magical scroll making.) 2. [Improvisational Combatant]
(Wow, impressive! You corrupted a noble [Class] for personal defense, using imagination and available materials in new and unexpected ways. +10% chance to successfully improvise magical scrolls during combat. +10% chance to cause harm to self on implementation.) 3. [Open]
I was sitting at my workstation in the back of Alric’s shop, going over my new stat sheet. So, a few changes. There was a third [Skill]s folder and space for an additional [Title]s and [Spell]s. [Mini-map]’s active and passive ranges had increased by fifteen and one hundred meters, respectively. My vision filters now included an ingredient search option. Sweet, if it worked as implied.
//Not much interpretation needed there, boy-o//
I’ll play with that later.
[Infuse parchment; common] will be a major time saver. I have to admit, streamlining that process made me want to salivate. More freedom for extracurriculars. So will mass producing [Fresh Breeze-Barrier, (prairie rose); common] for Vitor, that way I could finish paying him for his work—over Tess’s protests. While we are at it, let's shorten that mouthful to [Prairie Rose]. If Tess could do it--[spurt], for acorn's sake!--then so could I.
The new ink I was leery of, that {Error} not sitting well with me. That is why I hadn’t placed it under the others on my [Quick-key].
//And how are you going to make your [Prairie Rose] without it?//
Crap. ‘Logic sucks.’
I was saved from any other inconvenient thoughts by the arrival of my Master.
“So Book, you have officially learned three scrolls and two inks.” Did my Master put a little more inflection on the word ‘official’?
“Yes, Master.”
“Which ink did you use for your new [barrier]? I don’t believe that I have taught you [strengthen]ing ink yet, have I? Did you get it from that old recipe book of mine?”
“Uh,” actually, I hadn’t been smart enough to do that. Idiot. (//Idiot//). “No, Sir. I used a base [ink; good].” I should probably do more than a cursory search, next time.
“And it worked? Interesting.”
“Should it not have, Master?”
//Ignorance is bliss//
“Hmm. Depends.”
Depends on what? Had I screwed up?
//Need you ask?//
‘Quiet. If your ‘help’ exposed me…us…we could be in trouble.’
“Well, I expect you to learn the correct version. I do not want any scrolls leaving my shop—with my name appended to them—that are not done in the proper manner, understood?”
“Yes, Master” What else could I say? At least it kept decision paralysis at bay.
“Fine. You have mastered two that I taught and succeeded in one of your choice, and ahead of schedule I might add.”
Was that a compliment? I was positively giddy.
“Now it is time to broaden your variety. I have a list of five different scrolls of varying difficulties, and I want you to research them—they are all in the book—and their appropriate inks. When you think that you have succeeded in [Scriven]ing each one, bring them to me. If I am satisfied with your work, then we will move on to the next step in your training.”
Greeeeat, homework.
“You will, of course, keep up with any orders I assign you.”
“Of course, Master.” Homework and a full-time job.
Alric held out a sheet of paper—not parchment, but actual paper—and I took it on reflex. Looking it over, I read the listed scrolls to myself.
[Chill], [barrier]—this was crossed out—, [preserve], [strengthen], [weaken], and [purify]. The last one was hastily written, an obvious addition after the cross-out. What, no credit for the one I’d learned on my own?
//Ha!//
‘*Grumble*’
“Are these in order of difficulty, sir?” I asked my teacher.
“That is up to you.”
Huh? That doesn’t make sense…unless?
//You figured it out on your own? Jeez, where you would be without me is a mystery//
‘Home on Earth?’
Bitter? Nope. At least, not as much as I used to be.
//Lobotomized on a steel slab//
‘Oh.’
//Your cerebral fluid swirling down a drain//
‘OK!’
“How long do I have?” I asked, inviting another non-answer.
He gave me a flat look. Got it.
“Feel free to use any materials you might need. Start with the, ahem, lower quality ingredients that seem to be gracing my shelves, as of late.”
I winced.
“Yes, Master. Thank you.”
“It is only my duty, Book.”
Are the subtle snides your duty?
//Yes//
‘Not your duties.’
“And mine to learn, sir.”
Alric peered closely at my eyes, looking for any impertinence. Happy to say, there wouldn’t be any to find; I was serious.
“Very good.”
And with that, I was dismissed. Alric returned to the desk under the window, and I retreated to my closet in the back. Finding the [torchlight] scroll behind the glass shade of the lamp affixed to the wall in my personal space guttering, I snagged a new one from the overstock shelves. Feeling the resonance wafting off of it, I knew it was one of mine. Sweet. I removed the globe, carefully lifting the old scroll out. I pinched it between my thumb and forefinger and held it over my dustbin. ‘Dust’ is very apropos.
I snapped my wrist to give it a shake, and the whole thing disintegrated into charcoal dust, settling in the bottom of the bin. So cool.
I settled the new [torchlight] in place, replaced the globe, and gave it a smidge of [mana]. A low glow suffused the space, bright white like an incandescent bulb. Twenty watts; a smidge more, and forty watts. Perfect. It reminded me of home, the stark, white light. Mr. W. had told me once that it wasn’t his favorite version—all [torchlight]s differed based on the [Scrivener]— so I made sure to adjust my intent when I made the scrolls specifically for him. Magali loved mine, the steady, stark light made it easier for him to work with. Or so he said.
//Blowing smoke up your ass//
‘Hey…probably, yep. Besides, that’s what friends are for.’
//I would not know//
‘You got that right.’
//*Harrumph*//
‘You sound like an octogenarian.’
//Ba-humbug//
‘Do you need a butterscotch candy?’
//Too spicy//
Anyway. I should try for a daylight bulb.
I pulled out Master Alric’s dog-eared recipe book and started flipping through its pages, making a mental note to check the index for appropriate inks.
Meanwhile, in the recesses of my mind, a little imp was figuring out ways to corrupt Alric’s ‘pure’ recipes.
It was too bad [barrier] was crossed off, but my Master would never let an oversight like that get by him. Oh well.
‘Do you think if I told him about [Prairie Rose], he would count it?’
//You are the one that insists on staying under the radar//
So that is a no.
‘Hey, Sia…?’
//I don’t like the sound of this//
‘No, no, it’s good. You will like it. I was thinking, hoping, you could take a look at these recipes, maybe rank them for difficulty?’
//Oh, Book. You don’t want me to cheat, do you?//
The AI sounded positively gleeful, like a cartoon villain explaining his—her—evil master plan.
‘Only under the watchful eye of a master.’
Butter up, buttercup.
//he-he-he-ha-ha-ah-Ha-HA!//