"No, that makes no sense. Explain this theory to me again and show your work. You're mixing science and magical theory, and then tossing in 'Runes' and other words as if that made it all better. We are men of science, mad or otherwise."

Damien was throwing his hands in the air nearly as soon as Milo opened his mouth. Vladimir did his best to keep Damien worked up by agreeing with Milo and tossing out his own theories, most of which he was making up as they walked. Ben was taking notes as he observed the world through the goggles.

Milo started over. "I'm simply proposing that under the System, there are different rules for different energy sources. Even different types of mana behave differently. It's impossible to treat them as the same type of energy. The System is a set of rules with many layers, and some are even contradictory. Understanding those rules is indeed Science. But when in the field, dealing with mana and magical systems can be more of an art form used by a skilled mage. But once the mana is placed into a storage device, it loses its special properties unless that device was specifically designed for that purpose. This explains how we can use Dark, Light, Fire, Storm, and other mana types in the teleport stones. It's all pure mana once stored."

Vladimir nodded as if that all made sense, "Of course, and that explains fully how an Elven Moss Master can alter weather patterns. It all depends on the skill and vision of the artist. You should visit the Elder Forest of Pitkenney with me when I journey there in the spring, Damien. Just the initiation process would do wonders for your understanding."

"Is that the part where you lie on the ground and let mold grow on your skin? Thank you for the suggestion, but not in my next dozen lifetimes! There are so many other interesting ways to die that are more fun."

"Moss, Damien, not mold. The fragile Bloodseeker Moss covers your exposed skin but also enters your lungs and digestive tract. You eat it while it eats you, giving you an understanding of the Synergy between species. I've heard the abilities you and your moss partner gain can stack, taking your enhancements beyond normal levels!"

"Synergies? With moss? What garbage are you spouting? No! And what does this have to do with mana flow in Gadobhra?!"

Vladimir rolled his eyes. "I'm only trying to stretch your perceptions so you can appreciate new concepts and open your mind."

Ben pointed to the ring of small runestones that were at the perimeter of the city. "If I'm reading things right, there is a mana channel surrounding the city, but broken at the gate. This confirms my theory that the smaller stones were feeding the larger two that kept the city locked up. It's amazing to actually be able to see the Dark mana being absorbed by the runes on the pillars."

Damien gritted his teeth and examined one of the pillars, "These things are a pain in the ass. They make me want to run screaming into the woods. Aversion Runes, Growth Runes? What sort of cursed ecological nightmare did the druids create."

"A fairly efficient one, from what Rolly and Lyle have told me. They see the effects firsthand, working with the sedgebeasts. The entire network has two purposes: Keep Gadobhra penned in, and deal with the leakage of Dark Mana. The main pillars were destroyed when we opened up the city, and I think the channel has just been filling ever since."

Milo retrieved his goggles, to Ben's disappointment. Damien looked at them with unconcealed avarice.

Settling the goggles over his eyes, Milo could see the glowing channel that circled the city. "It's filled to capacity and has been wasting mana. The pillars absorb and emit the same amount of mana, doing nothing but putting wear on the system. Linking this ring to the Hermetic Shield will relieve the pressure and let the pillars do their job of encouraging the growth of sedgebeasts and forests."

"And what are we going to do with all this mana? Damien was rubbing his hands together and making plans. It was always good to have extra plans since so many turned out to have fatal flaws."

Milo shrugged. "That's not up to me, you people live here. I'm sure you or someone else will find a good use for excess power. I'm simply an Engineer who wants to make the system more efficient. By linking the mana-producing areas with the teleport stone, and a huge reservoir we are creating a better system and providing new options. If nothing else, the Baron will be able to supply mana to the rest of the teleport system. From my interactions with the Mage's guild, they seem very low on mana these days."

Damien looked upset at Milo's words. "Help those leeches?! Why would the Baron do those idiots a favor after what they tried to do to him?"

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Ben smiled, "Our Baron can focus past the wrongdoings of others, and focus on what is important to him, the money. He's helped out in emergencies only to show the Mage's guild what he can do. I expect that after all their interference, the price of his help going forward will be quite high, and whatever the market can bear. He'll squeeze them hard for money, political concessions, or other advantages."

Damien felt better. The Baron obviously could see what was important. "That warms my heart. There are very few things that the guild values more than a coffer full of gold coins. In fact, I can't think of any. They'll hate paying him for his help, but they do need the mana. And frankly, they are silly to complain. No matter what they pay, they'll just raise their prices. But political concessions? Oh, that will hurt them. I'll have to sit down with the Baron and tell him a few things. Hmm, or maybe the Baroness? She seems to have sharpened her mean streak to a fine edge."

Vladimir was poking at the rune-carved stones and running his hands over the carvings. "These are definitely druidic work, they used hardened ebony chisels which carve sloppy, wide grooves. 'More natural', they claim. Sloppy work, I say. I would suggest putting one crystal on each of the two stones nearest to the gate. This will evenly draw the mana around the circle. Just one would create an unbalanced circular flow that could create a mana vortex."

"And that's bad? I have never heard of such a thing. Surely it can't do that!" Damien looked at the stones, seemingly perplexed.

Vladimir scoffed and began telling a long story about the downfall of an elven city that had created a vortex for visual effects during a spring festival. He continued the story as he and Milo dug into the ground and attached crystals to the stones on either side of the gateway. Damien made sure that Ben was taking notes. The runestones and their applications to ruining elven festivals were a top priority for him.

That job done, they entered the city itself. All of them paused. Damien looked around, seeing nothing. "Does it feel like we are being watched?"

Vladimir snarled, "Yes, and by more than one person."

Ben started pointing out the local points of interest. "On this side of the road, you'll find an old graveyard, infested with hungry ghouls. They've been known to attack people walking these roads, although I must say, the Baron is doing a good job culling their numbers. Past that area is a rustic little place called Hungrytown. There's a lovely coffee shop there, a dungeon, and some friendly impoverished folks. Tread carefully, Mama Laveau is someone you don't want to piss off, and she holds a grudge against the college, nobles, and anyone who might hurt her people. Then on our right is the Beastwoods. Several hungry predators are stalking us at the moment, but won't chance coming out of the woods. Larger critters and the Menagerie are found in the deeper woods. The large glass and stone minarets are an area inhabited by the Endless Dance. I have no information about them. If we are lucky, it turns out to be a nightclub. The ruined Castle behind the ACME building is a mystery. The Baron has people working there. Players die in droves to the traps inside. The dark, smokey area in the far part of the city is a slaughterhouse for creatures the city gathers from all around it. A lovely dungeon known as the Pit of Butcher is in the center, strangely unpopular with the few players who went in and had their skin flayed and bones crushed."

Damien relaxed, "Ah, that explains things. And I look forward to touring the city with you, nephew. It's splendidly dangerous."

Vladimir was staring at the dance, "There is something familiar about those spires. Vaguely Elven in design, but not quite, I wonder if..."

Vladamir stopped dead in his tracks and then sprinted towards Damien, "Oh, my stars and garters! Look at those!" He leaped and landed on Damien's shoulders, standing upright as Damien grunted and grasped his ankles. "Steady now, I need the height to see! Yes, someone is unloading a lovely set of Automatons at the good Baron's residence. They look massive and, oh dear, one just fell over and landed hard. I daresay they may need the help of distinguished scholars to assist them in putting that one back together."

Ben could see that all three of his companions were suddenly very excited at the idea. "Well, I'm not sure where we'd find scholars, but perhaps we'll do." They hurried along the road, half running. Passing close by the metal statue of a crouching demon, no one noticed as it turned to follow them with an amused smile.