Theo avoided confronting his feelings about Yuri departing. All this time he was thinking of him as Khahar, another man entirely, and that wasn’t a lie. So much time in this world had changed him, but there was a glimmer of that Russian spy in there somewhere. But as that realization hit him, another one of solace came in just as strong. He didn’t belong in this world. The realm of the gods awaited him, and there couldn’t have been a higher calling than that. Right?
Aarok went on about the defense of the town, doubling patrols and increasing the size of squads. But Theo was left feeling a deep sense of comfort where he expected grief. Reports rolled in from adventurers about the departing Khahari, others from the walls stating that everything was quiet. If the Burning Eye had plans to strike, he didn’t play his hand now.
More concerning reports came from Aarok’s lips, telling of reports from Gronro-Dir.
“They’ve already been hit,” Aarok said. “A small wave of [Skeletal Warriors] made their way down Murder Passage.”
“That reminds me,” Theo said. “I have a communication crystal for both leaders.”
The midday sun filtered through Aarok’s lone window. Just like Theo’s bedroom, this room could have used a few units of [Cleansing Scrub]. There was dust in the air, blown around by the constant buzz of the air conditioner. The alchemist splashed some cleanser on the ground, watching as the magic scrubbed the room clean. It didn’t remove the particles of dust in the air, leaving them floating through the shafts of light. Maybe that was a change he could make for the air conditioners Throk had invented. An air purifier.
But those were just idle thoughts brought to stave the accusatory stares coming from Aarok and Luras. Tresk didn’t seem to care.
“Those would have been useful,” Aarok said.
“I have to hand it to them myself,” Theo said. “They attach to the first person they touch. That’s what Fenian said.”
“Fine. We’ll sort it later. But I had a point,” Aarok said. “Their defenses are crap. We should send aid.”
“In what form?” Theo asked. “Aren’t we already helping by training their people?”
“Immediate aid. Even a single [Chain Lightning Tower] would help,” Aarok said.
“So, it’s a matter of money,” Theo said. “Right. You want to split the cost with the town?”
“Assuming Fenian has one,” Aarok said, softening a bit. “If we can’t get one today, there’s no point.”
Theo let it sink in for a moment. Undead had already reached as far south as Gronro. What that meant for the northlands was beyond him, but it couldn’t have been good. There were also the towns between the south and Qavell to consider. How long could they hold out without the aid of the kingdom? All these facts made the defense of Murder Passage even more important, placing it at the top of the alchemist’s priorities.
“Did we misjudge something?” Theo asked, trying to see a flaw in their logic. They’d prepared well, but had no experience working with other towns. If the horde descended on Broken Tusk, they’d be fine.
“We’re new to this,” Tresk said. “We’ll stumble a few times, but we’ll get it.”
“Tresk is right,” Luras said, cutting off Aarok before he could speak. “We can’t expect to get it right every time. Aarok is doing his best.”
The phrasing of that statement was specific. Theo took a moment to study the Half-Ogre guildmaster’s face. Anger lingered on his face, but the thing resting behind his eyes was fear, and disappointment. He realized, perhaps a little late, how this affected Aarok most of all.
“I said we,” Theo said, punctuating the statement by smacking his fist on the table. “No one in the command structure carries a burden alone. If everyone in this room—and the administration staff—missed something as simple as arming Gronro, we’re all to blame.”
“Broken Tusk doesn’t carry the burden of outsiders,” Tresk said. “We’re not some well-funded empire.”
“Well said,” Luras said, patting her on the head. Theo often forgot how close they were before he arrived.
“Fine. Done grabbing each other’s butts?” Aarok said, huffing a breath. “Here’s the plan. I’ll spend the guild’s funds on towers. We’ll use Theo’s contracts to give them on loan to Gronro. Pitch in whatever you can from the town’s funds, and your personal funds.”
“I have some cash,” Tresk said with a shrug.
“Yeah, me too,” Luras said.
“I have 50 gold to pitch in, if needed,” Theo said. But that was all his money.
“Right. Perfect. This doesn’t leave this room. I don’t want people thinking we’re in a financial pinch. If they think we need to collect money from random people… Yeah, I don’t know what they’ll do,” Aarok said.
Theo could see the Half-Ogre’s nerves wearing thin. He didn’t realize how stressful the defense of the town was, let alone the defense of another one. The alchemist stood, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“We’ll sort it out. Stop stressing,” Theo said. “I’ll find that Elf and see how many towers he has in stock.”
Theo turned to leave the room without another word, Tresk following close behind. The Marshling cradled Alex in her arms, kissing her on the head. Aarok and Luras remained, falling into discussion the moment they cleared the room.
It was getting harder to find Fenian in town. Even if the trader’s carriage train was resting near the ranch, the Elf himself was nowhere near it. Theo had to run around town, asking if anyone had seen him before getting a tip. He was near the mine, hanging out with the miners and trading tales to anyone that would listen.
Theo and Tresk headed to the southern part of town, finding Fenian outside the mine. He was standing on a crate, all the miners of Dead Dog Mine sitting cross legged and enraptured.
“...and then I said to the Shadow Prince, ‘if you want him, come and get him!’,” Fenian said, ending the statement with a flourish. “Oh. The alchemist is here. Sorry, but I’ll have to continue this story another time.”
The miners issued a collective groan, all eyes turning to Theo.
“I need some towers,” Theo said, shrugging off the stares.
“Business? A worthy reason for interrupting a tale,” Fenian said, jumping from the crate and grabbing Theo by the arm. He dragged him down the road, Tresk following closely behind. “I have 2 [Chain Lightning Towers] in my inventory. The last towers I’ll get my hands on for a while.
“Standard price?” Theo asked.
“Indeed,” Fenian said.
Theo removed 20 gold from his inventory and handed it over. If everyone was in such dire financial straits, he was happy to carry that burden. The less the people felt the strain, the better.
“Thanks,” Theo said, placing the turrets in his inventory. “Actually, I wonder if you could deliver these to Gronro for me. And the communication crystals.”
“What was the point of me handing them over, then?” Fenian asked, laughing. “Let me see… I have to leave tomorrow. It’s a long journey, but I suppose I can stop by Rivers and Gronro. As a favor.”
“Does that mean you’re heading north?” Theo asked.
“Yes, but cardinal directions mean little on the Bridge. They’re more vague suggestions than anything.”
“Could you take someone with you? One of my administration needs to have Grot sign a contract.”
“Of course. No problem,” Fenian said, playing with the feather on his hat. Anytime the trader was around, it reminded Theo of his own absurd hat. “I heard Khahar left town. Finally.”
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“Is that cause for concern?”
“No. You should be fine. They will be busy.”
Fenian either knew more than he was letting on, or he was just guessing his way through this. At that moment, Theo couldn’t figure out which was worse. But he was reminded of the trader’s intentions. At every turn, he was there for the betterment of Broken Tusk. He was more than an ally; he was a friend.
“How is Galflower doing?” Theo asked. He knew better than to ask how the Elf was doing. Better to ask about his favorite Karatan.
“Oh, she’s loving it,” Fenian said, giving Theo an excited look. “Days ago, she was grazing on the rampant energy of the Taranthian highlands. Now she gets more of her favorite food. Drogramath’s unfiltered energy. It’s the closest thing to her preference. Which is Uz’Xulven’s power.”
Since he had the Elf’s attention, Theo led him to the eastern wall. Fenian wouldn’t normally follow him around like this, but he seemed bored. They toured the defenses, spotting that the shipwright team were making the rough shape of a boat. They talked about the town, and the importance of the alliance. Somewhere near the eastern gate, near the bridge, they landed on Qavell.
“What happens if Qavell is destroyed?” Theo asked. “What happens to the towns connected to the [Kingdom Core].”
“They’ll degrade,” Fenian said. “You can feed them motes and materials to prolong the effects of the magic, but it’s only a matter of time. You’ll need another [Kingdom Core] to keep it alive.”
“I’m not interested in running a kingdom,” Theo said, peering into the distance. He hoped to spot those bandits, but there was nothing to the east or the north.
“Good news!” Fenian said. “You can select many governments.”
“Can you find me a [Kingdom Core]?” Theo asked.
“I’m having a hard enough time finding your mint,” Fenian said after a long pause. “I know a Coresmith in Tarantham, but they’re backed up. To get a [Kingdom Core], you’d need to delve into a high-level dungeon and get really lucky. Or get an equally high-level Coresmith to do the job.”
“How high?” Tresk asked, reminding everyone that she was always lurking in the shadows.
“I’ve heard about level 80 dungeons dropping them. Good luck finding a level 80 dungeon, though. Seems about the same level for the Coresmith, but that’s more about the person’s skills,” Fenian said. His eyes lingered over the harbor. “I can’t wait to see ships docking there.”
Theo paused for a long moment. There was no way they’d find a [Kingdom Core] on short notice, and despite the trader’s words he didn’t want to be a king. Only time showed him he wanted to be a mayor, but that was tenuous. If there was an option where he could save Broken Tusk, Rivers and Daub, and Gronro-Dir without making them his subjects, that would be ideal. He wanted them to have autonomy, to an extent. Maybe a duchy.
But all the thoughts of expanding his power led him to think about Fenian’s involvement.
“Why are you helping us?” Theo asked. “Actual answers only.”
“Would I ever lie to you?”
“Yes.”
Fenian let out a heavy sigh. He averted his gaze from both Tresk and Theo.
“When House Southblade fell, it wasn’t a quick thing. The empire cut us off from the [Kingdom Core] and let us die a slow death. They knew they couldn’t take us on brute strength. We’d have depleted their army. What good is one champion against famine?”
Fenian let that hang in the air for an uncomfortable amount of time. The same thing that happened to Broken Tusk happened to House Southblade. It was different, but similar enough to send a twinge of pain through Theo’s chest. Qavell left the southlands to rot over time, not directly removing them from the kingdom.
“So, I see my people in your town. When I arrived, I saw those hungry eyes. But the path to strength isn’t paved by handouts. The stones and mortar set in that road are hard won battles,” Fenian said, letting those words linger in the air. “You’ve already paved your road with hard work. With sweat and blood. With stone and ore—potions and lumber. And some luck. I’m just making sure you get what you deserve.”
Theo felt a rush of emotion from Tresk. That hit home for her more than him, and he felt the years under the yoke of Qavell weigh heavily on his soul. The Bantari peoples, and the Half-Ogres native to Broken Tusk, were driven to near extinction over several hundred years. King Karasan would regret his decision to turn his eyes from the town. If the undead horde didn’t destroy his kingdom, the Southlands Defensive Alliance would come knocking in a few years. The twin heart the alchemist shared with Tresk guaranteed it.
“Music to my ears,” Tresk said.
Alex chirped her agreement.
“I already said it, but we’re with you,” Theo said.
“I know. When my next job is done, I’ll return to Broken Tusk for refuge,” Fenian said. “When you establish your seat of power, I hope you accept an old friend. Even after what he has to do.”
“Always.”
Fenian was a master of changing the subject. Theo had pushed him, over the days, to talk more plainly. While the Elf was happy to do so, it came with a weight that stifled the air. When he changed the subject back to Galflower, and by extension Alex, the alchemist was happy to entertain it. The Karatan that drove his carriages weren’t familiars, but they shared a special bond. When asked if Alex could bond with Uz’Xulven, using the Bridge, Fenian couldn’t answer.
“The price might be too heavy for you, dear alchemist,” was Fenian’s only comment on the matter.
Theo, Tresk, and Fenian spent hours talking about whatever. Whenever things roamed to serious topics, they were quickly diverted. Eventually, the Elf asked about his potions. The alchemist was happy to lead the way back to the Newt and Demon to show off his wares. Salire was in the shop talking with a customer. She bowed her head at the Elf trader but offered no other words, too engrossed with a paying customer to pay them any mind.
The first potion Theo showed Fenian was the [Vigor Potion] with the [Refined Elemental Earth] modifier. The alchemist inspected it as he handed it over.
[Vigor Potion]
[Refined Elemental Earth]
[Potion] [Modified Potion]
Epic
Created by: Belgar
Grade: Excellent Quality
Alignment:
Drogramath (Middling Bond)
Drink to enhance vigor.
Drink to increase resistance scaling.
Effect:
+14 Vigor for 1.75 hours.
For 1.25 hours, your physical resistances scale 1.30 times better than normal.
“The scaling effect is the important part here,” Fenian said, comparing the [Vigor Potion] and a [Dexterity Potion]. “Yes, the attribute enhancement is great but… These potions would be effective no matter what your level. Hard to say what price I’d get these for. Anywhere from 5 to 20 silver a potion, depending on the buyer.”
The problem with making more powerful potions was finding the right buyer. That’s why Theo was focusing on making tailor-made potions for the citizens of Broken Tusk. The point with that wasn’t to make a massive profit, but to provide the most benefit to his people. Everything influenced everything else. If the adventurers were performing better, the laborers could work without fear they’d be eaten by a monster. If the laborers were happier, they produced more, which made more money for the town.
There would come a time when Theo had to renegotiate his contracts with everyone, something he didn’t know how to approach. The more industry he owned in town, the more he felt like a fascist dictator. Those thoughts never stopped him from expanding his holdings, which didn’t help matters. He wondered what the difference between someone who held all the power for the good of their people, and one that held it for themself was. But he was never one for politics. He just wanted to see his town, and the alliance grow. Maybe that was enough.
“I don’t feel like negotiating,” Theo said. “We’re in a transitional period, and Broken Tusk considers you a close ally. Whatever you can pay.”
“We’ll settle on the bare-minimum of market value,” Fenian said. “With a 10% discount because you love me so much.”
Fenian was very interested in the [Potions of Lesser Foresight]. Theo made sure he knew the limitations of the potion. Anyone who drank them could only drink one every 6 hours, otherwise they’d grow deathly ill. Theo had plenty of [Pozwa Horns] from the ranch, and began brewing a full batch for the Elf as they went over the other potions. Fenian needed as many health, mana, and stamina potions as they had, but took interest in his other creations. Especially poisons.
“We don’t normally sell poisons to outsiders,” Tresk said. “But you’re our dude.”
“The one with [Anti-Mage] interests me,” Fenian said.
This was the poison that Tresk considered a “mage killer”. She wasn’t wrong. As Theo inspected the poison, he reflected on how deadly it was.
[Poison]
[Anti-Mage]
[Poison] [Modified Poison]
Epic
Created by: Belgar
Grade: Excellent Quality
Alignment:
Drogramath (Middling Bond)
Coat your weapon to deal additional damage over time to an enemy.
Chance to inflict 2 stacks per hit.
Effect:
Cripples an enemy, reducing their Dexterity by 5.
Applies a stacking DOT effect based on poison quality. Maximum 15 stacks. Poison inflicts DOT damage. Targets inflicted with this poison take 1 point of damage for every mana spent, multiplied by the amount of stacks. This applies to ongoing spells cast before the poison was applied.
Stacks of poison take twice as long to fade.
Removing a stack of poison through any means other than the natural expiration of the effect causes the remaining stacks of poison to explode, dealing their remaining damage to the target.
If a mage didn’t understand the effects of the poison, they would die quickly. If they did understand the effects, they were locked down for the duration of the poison. Both options meant it earned its name and reflected Fenian’s desire to fight at least one mage.
After the [Pozwa Horns] were distilled into [Lesser Foresight Essence], and brewed into a variety of potions with different modifiers, they settled into negotiations. Theo paid little attention to this part, letting Fenian set the terms. The alchemist was just happy to have weapons for Gronro, and more [Monster Cores] than he needed. They ended the deal, settling on 30 gold for potions worth far more than that. Those potions included an array of [Hallow Ground] potions, both in bomb form and otherwise.
“Well, this has been an eventful day,” Fenian said, stuffing everything in his inventory. “Pretty Half-Ogre… Lurking on the other side of the door. Care to join us for dinner?”
A lilting, stammering voice came from the other side of the door before Salire stumbled inside. Her red-tinged skin was stained a deeper shade as she tried to get the words out.
“We’ll take that as ‘yes’,” Tresk said, giggling.