Rain pattered playfully outside the windows of the lab. The clean, chilly breeze it blew into the stuffy place was a welcome reprieve. Fires danced along the boughs of the Ogre Cypress in the distance, suffocating from the daily drizzle. Theo sat with Uharis and Tresk in the Newt and Demon. They’d explained their problem with Sledge’s cores, making sure the wizard understood how useless they were to the town currently. The Archmage had a grin on his face even before he began talking.

“More free consultations, huh? Well, I suppose it’s worth it for the display outside,” Uharis said.

“And the fact that you’re a dirty spy,” Tresk sneered.

“Dirty? Not after pilfering a vial of your [Cleansing Scrub]. A spy? Absolutely,” Uharis said. “Well, more of a minder. See this ties in well with my suggestion for your carpenter. What do you know of the Pantheon?”

“Gods,” Tresk blurted out. “There’s a lot of them.”

“Fair enough,” Uharis said. “How about you, Theo?”

“Nothing,” Theo said with a shrug. He never put much thought into what gods there were, or how they operated.

“There are gods. Many of them. They exist in their own realms, but can travel to others on rare occasions. The Demon Gods are the ones most likely to jump between the realms, but they’re typically banished by my order. The Burning Eye is a god, considered being the god most opposed to Demons. Now, why is this important? Because the best way for them to influence our realm is through cores. Even Tresk’s [Assassin’s Core] is aligned with a god named Zaul.”

Uharis paused for a moment, casting his gaze out the window. “Do you understand so far?”

“You’re implying that the whispers I’m hearing are Drogramath’s,” Theo said.

“You already determined this on the wall,” Uharis said, shrugging. “Although I think you knew it for a long time. Here’s something you didn’t know. Your [Tara’hek Core] is acting as a more powerful buffer than anything else. Even the sigil Sulvan inscribed you with pales when it compares.”

“Wait. The power of friendship is keeping the Demon God at bay?” Tresk asked, eyes going wide. “I always knew friendship was the most powerful force in the world.”

Uharis smiled. There was something below that facade that Theo picked up on.

“Things seem to fall into your lap, don’t they, Theo?” Uharis asked.

“Because this whole place was planned,” Theo said, letting out a sigh. “I already knew that, too.”

“Indeed. Gods, mortals with agendas—I don’t know who. But someone designed Broken Tusk for something,” Uharis said.

A silence washed over the group that lasted a painfully long time. Theo gleaned as much from what Miana told him, but to hear another source confirm it was strange. It was difficult for him to know how he felt about the situation.

“Is this a gift, or a curse?” Theo asked.

“See, that’s the interesting part,” Uharis said, withdrawing a leather-bound journal. “I would put money that this depends on you.”

“I’m the determining factor? What about the dungeons and the coming monster wave?” Theo asked.

“I don’t know,” Uharis said. “That’s beyond me at the moment. What I understand about this place is that there’s high-level magic at work. The herbs that grow in the wild replenish at an alarming rate. Your quarry has perfect quality stone—it certainly shouldn’t. And there are more monsters, and a more powerful dungeon.”

“A confluence of events,” Theo said.

“That’s a good way to put it,” Uharis said.

Another silence consumed the room, a rush of wind outside punctuating the lull in conversation.

“I’ll take it as a good thing,” Theo said, nodding. “There’s no reason to give up on my positive attitude at this point.”

“Good idea!” Tresk said, jumping from her chair and pumping her fist. “What could go wrong?”

“Now, shall we talk about the other topic? The reason you brought me here?” Uharis asked. “There’s an obvious choice for your woodworker. [Fabricator] is the only option that makes sense.”

“What does a Fabricator do?” Theo asked.

“Well, do you see all these seed core buildings you’re planting in your town? Someone with a [Fabricator’s Core], even one unaligned with Delcan the God of Construction, can change seed core buildings. She could keep doing what she loves and make a tidy profit.”

“I didn’t know that was possible,” Tresk said. “How much could she change?”

“Well, she can’t expand the buildings beyond what they’re currently upgraded for in terms of floor space. She would use mana to create upgrades and reform the buildings if she wanted. Unlike most Artisan cores, it’s a school of magery.”

Theo thought about that for a moment. He had to make sure it would fall into line with a core that would benefit both Sledge, and the town. The alchemist wasn’t even aware seed core buildings could be modified by anything but upgrades. That would influence the flow of money, sending it straight to the woodworker. She’d be providing a useful service to the town, and it gave everyone something to spend their money on. Since seed core buildings came in random arrangements, this all made sense.

“That’s perfect,” Theo said, nodding. “But that was the simple part. Now we have to find one, and convince Sledge it was her idea.”

“Oh, leave that to me,” Tresk said, grinning. “I’ve known Sledge for a long time.”

“How much will she need to know about magic?” Theo asked.

“Not much. The seed core buildings have a mind of their own,” Uharis said, casting his eyes around the lab. “Your alchemy lab is a good example of that, I think.”

Theo had to agree. His lab seemed to have a mind of its own, ‌or at least a mind to influence his alchemical reactions. The bonuses he got from the building alone were great, and the artifices within were even better.

“I don’t mean to treat you like my personal consultant, but…” Theo said.

“But you have a free core slot,” Uharis said, shrugging. “And you want to know the best one. I thought you would have grown tired of my prattling by now, but if you insist.”

“Please,” Theo said, gesturing for the Archmage to continue.

“You’re in a rare position. You started with the herbalism core and an alchemy core. This isn’t always the case. I’d wager most people start with one or the other, with a secondary core that’s mostly unrelated. They have to go out and buy the core they’re missing. So, you have a new core slot. There are thousands of options to pick from. You could get a core focused on administration. That would allow you to manage your town better, reduce taxes, and so on. You have an herbalism core, so you could do farming, brewing, and so on. There’s the [Loremaster’s Core], which would work if you increased your [Intelligence]. There’s also the [Scholar’s Core] route, if you like.”

“That’s a lot of information,” Theo said, letting out a heavy sigh.

“Well, what are you interested in doing?”

Theo took a long moment to think. He didn’t really know what he wanted to do. Initially, the [Loremaster] route seemed interesting, but Uharis had presented so many options. Knowledge seemed like a powerful thing in this world, and he was accumulating a lot. When he considered how much he knew about Drogramath alchemy, it appeared he was the expert on this planet. Whatever Dronon existed throughout the world were too tight-fisted with their information to share. Even the tome the alchemist had was absurdly rare, by his measure.

“I want to accumulate knowledge,” Theo said, shrugging at his incomplete description. “What’s the difference between a [Scholar] and a [Loremaster]?”

“A [Loremaster] is a specialized type of [Scholar]. [Loremasters] specialize in lore, as you might have guessed. Their primary stats are [Intelligence] and [Wisdom]. You’d be uncovering the hidden lore of the world. If it happened, you can determine who did it and why. It’s also incredibly lucrative. Every item generated by the dungeons has a hidden story. Perhaps an adventurer died in a dungeon hundreds of years ago. The system attaches the lore of that death to the item. You uncover the additional properties on the items, and uncover the lore.”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Alright, what are the mechanics of [Loremaster]?” Theo asked. “How do I uncover that lore?”

“Well, you inject small amounts of mana into the object and you get a clue. Let's say you find a pair of old magical boots in a dungeon. They’re made of leather, so you know the person who wore them used light armor. You’ve deduced something about the person, so you’ll gain knowledge based on that assumption. This is a class where [Wisdom] and [Intelligence] work in tandem, unlike most classes that have a single primary stat,” Uharis said. He had assumed the tone of a lecturer. “So, you’re stumped. You cannot find the rest of the lore. Channel some mana into the boots, and the system tell you to look at the size. Suddenly you realize they’re small boots. The last person who wore them was from a diminutive race, perhaps a Marshling. More information. This goes on until the system relents. The higher level the item, the harder this process is.”

“That’s a lot to take in,” Theo said.

“Well, I think [Loremaster] is a good fit for you. Administration cores are also a good fit for you. Both have their advantages, but since you’re not worried about money you could consider the administration core first,” Uharis said.

Theo nodded, trying to process everything. “What are the mechanics of the administration cores?”

“Well, the standard [Administrator’s Core] is fairly lackluster. There are rare cores that might suit you better—since you have the budget,” Uharis said, shrugging. Since some skills are locked behind cores, meaning you need a certain grade of core to view the skill, nothing but a legendary administration core would do. Perhaps a [Governance Core], [Baron’s Core], or [Taskmaster’s Core]. The mechanics of it are fairly simple. You’ll gain abilities that help you manage the town. Between keeping your books straight, to getting a small map in your vision. You can manage your people easier, sending commands telepathically or granting various advanced titles that come with benefits.”

“It's a toss-up,” Theo said.

“[Loremaster] sounds great,” Tresk said. She had given her full attention to the Elf his entire speech, sitting on the edge of her seat and nodding as he spoke. “I have these boots that have 3 properties. You could identify them for me. I guess administration is nice, too.”

Theo nodded, lost in thought. He wondered how many pairs of boots had come out of the dungeon. How many items that weren’t identified. Then, there was the allure of learning more about Broken Tusk. That was something he was incredibly interested in. But he didn’t forget Uharis’ earlier warnings. About cores and how they were aligned. It was obvious that core pairings were a massive thing. If the [Loremaster’s Core] was aligned with some other demonic god, he wanted nothing to do with it.

“Are there unaligned [Loremaster] cores?” Theo asked.

A smile painted plainly across the Archmage’s face. “You have a high [Wisdom] score already. Well, that’s the logical line of reasoning. All scholar cores are aligned with Uvuqor, god of knowledge.”

“So, that’s the question. Does Uvuqor align with Drogramath?” Theo asked.

“Yes, they align nicely. Drogramath is an outcast Demon Lord, by Demon standards. He stands on the edge of the Demonic Pantheon. Uvuqor stands outside of the Prime Pantheon, right on the edge near the lesser gods. He does not elect a champion, nor does he take part in any of their quarrels. Better still, he seeds dungeons with his cores. Some gods withhold their cores for the chosen few, such as Glantheir.”

“That’s perfect,” Theo said. “You’re giving this information for free, but I have one more question.”

“For you? Ask away.”

“Are there bad core combinations? Combinations that would affect the user negatively.”

“Indeed, there are. It can be as minor as bad synergy, and as bad as having two personalities warring inside your mind,” Uharis said. “I’ve seen Sulvan wait decades to pick a new core. I’ve even seen him remove and destroy old cores that went out of alignment with the Burning Eye.”

“Thank you, Uharis,” Theo said. “This is a lot to take in.”

“Not a problem. You’re too interesting not to befriend,” Uharis said, grinning. “This little swamp is going to do great things. Very soon. Now, I’m off to have a drink. It’s been a day.”

Uharis turned on the spot and descended the stairs without another word. Theo and Tresk sat there in silence for several long moments.

“It’s not even noon,” Tresk said, grimacing. “Does he have a problem?”

“Maybe,” Theo said, scratching his chin. “It might be an act, though. Uharis is operating on a different level. His spying was obvious and innocent. I’m worried about the things we don’t know about.”

The pair lingered there for some time. Theo had enough things to worry about today, and would cast the far-reaching thoughts about core combinations to the back of his mind. Sledge should be done with his barrels, if her bravado had anything behind it. Tresk would hit the dungeon, influenced by Uharis’ mention of the magical items. Then, there was the issue of making weapons for the town. They’d want them, but the alchemist didn’t know if it was the best approach. It was to prove a point more than anything. The towers he bought for the walls would do more than anything to defend against that wolf-riding goblin. It couldn’t dodge a bolt of lightning, or so he hoped.

“I’m going to collect my barrels,” Theo said, clapping his hand over Tresk’s shoulder. She nodded, lost in thought. He stooped low, pressing his forehead against hers before departing.

The rain outside came as a slow drizzle, moving across the town in a calming wave. People moved about the town, shielding themselves from the rain and muttering low whispers about Theo’s display outside the gates. It was nice to prove a point, but he could have done without the stares. He pushed on to the center of the town anyway, stopping to check the progress toward the next rank.

[Town]

Name: Broken Tusk

Owner: Kingdom of Qavell

Mayor: Theo Spencer

Faction: [Qavell]

Level: 14 (20%)

Features:

Alchemy Lab

Blacksmith

Large Farm

Tannery

Tradesmen

Quarry

Adventurer’s Guild

Core Homes (x12)

Upgrades:

[Stone Walls and Gates]

[Stone Roads]

It was close enough that he wouldn’t worry about it. The adventurers would put enough cores in to level it up, although if Fenian came to town he’d finish it off with some level 30 [Monster Cores]. He dismissed the screen, moving up toward the housing development and Sledge’s workshop. He mentally prepared himself for dealing with the woman, forcing a smile on his face as he approached the building.

Sledge was working on another wooden beam outside. She actually smiled for a moment when she saw him, quickly reverting her face back to that stern appearance. The alchemist let his genuine smile show, noticing the crowd of barrels in the woman’s shop.

“About time,” Sledge said, shaking her head. “I’m guessing that big explosion was you.”

“You’re right,” Theo said. “How are the barrels?”

“Well, I learned a new recipe. When I added your magic bands, they turned into [Alchemy Equipment],” Sledge said, letting out a bark-like laugh.

“Hopefully it wasn’t too much trouble for you,” Theo said. “Can I inspect them?”

“They’re yours,” Sledge shrugged.

Theo moved into the messy woodworker’s shop, brushing the sawdust from the lid of the barrel and inspecting the item.

[Alchemy Fermentation Barrel]

[Alchemy Equipment]

Uncommon

Created By: Sledge

A 200 unit capacity barrel capable of fermenting any reagents placed inside. Placing a mote with the mash is required for the process to take effect. Additional motes and mana may be required over the course of the fermentation.

Effects:

Creates a fermentation reaction when reagents are placed inside with a mote.

Speed of fermentation is greatly increased, depending on the strength of the mote.

Theo didn’t expect it to generate the barrel as an actual piece of [Alchemy Equipment], but he wouldn’t complain. The system just recognized it as the correct items to give it that label. The advantage was, he knew it would work for fermentation. This also led him to believe that Sledge was completely capable of performing more tasks in the town. She was just another destitute citizen unable to lift herself above the impoverished area. The alchemist found himself wanting to help those who weren’t asking for it more than others. The farmers came to mind.

“Well, you’ve outdone yourself,” Theo said, taking all 10 barrels into his inventory.

“Any other work you need done?” Sledge asked, her eyes glittering.

“Not at the moment. I have some things to tend to,” Theo said, waving her off.

As Theo went to pass by the Marshling, she reached out a clammy hand and grabbed him by the forearm. She had a look of pain mingled with relief on her face, something he knew all too well.

“Thanks,” she said, her tough facade falling away for only a moment. “Now get out of here. I’ve got boards to trim.”

Theo bid her farewell, retreating back to the Newt and Demon. Azrug was downstairs, although there were no customers. They shared a few words, mostly about the massive explosion, before Theo retreated upstairs.

Theo didn’t have any use for 10 barrels. He doubted he’d use more than 2 of them, but that wasn’t the point. The silver coins he forked over to the woodworker would last her a long time. Enough time that he could sort out a better position for her among the citizens of Broken Tusk. The alchemist rearranged the room, shoving a table out of the way and exposing the north-facing wall. He removed 2 empty barrels from his inventory and set them there, shoving his entire body against them to line them up perfectly. He removed the remaining 8 from his inventory, shoving them in the [Dimensional Storage Crate].

The sound they made when being sucked into a too-small space was satisfying.

Theo retrieved his Drogramath alchemy book, set it up on the table nearest the barrels, and cracked it open. He rubbed his hands together, turning to the page about fermentation.

“Alright,” he said, grinning. “Time to ferment some stuff.”