I went directly to see Bammi. I placed 8 of the 9 pieces of magical clothing loot from the dungeon, 68 minor health potions, and 22 minor Aether pool potions. Bammi checked the items and offered me 5,900 credits for the lot or 6,500 store credits. I took the store credits. I got some quality engineering tools so I could work on the computers, a small portable fusion generator, 100 instant meals, 3 more mattresses and a new alchemy recipe. The potion was called ‘Skill Enhancer’ and gave the imbiber a +10% faster skill growth for 4 hours. Bammi sold it cheap with the condition I deliver 10 potions to her next time. It had two common and one rare ingredient but I knew two places where I could find the rare ingredient from my travels. I also recharged my current batteries and got two used electric bicycles. They were cheap ones for Vlad, Will, Andrew, Casey and Red to share. I hoped they would visit the farm and if only Vlad and Red came that would be an ideal situation. Next I went to see Gallana. I gave her some magical lace underwear from the dungeon as a gift and we spent a few hours in passionate sex. I purchased 200 bottles of cold beer for my inventory using copper coins from the dungeon. I didn’t waste money on the room at the hotel. I met up with the guys in their house. The guys were happy with their bicycles. I shared some beers and told the group I was planning to head to the Ballen city in a few weeks. Andrew said they were not ready for that expense. I asked Vlad and Red to come visit the farm using the bikes. They were slower than my bike and not as durable but should be good enough. They had tomorrow off so said yes to Andrews dismay. We left immediately.
We made it in time for dinner at the farm. I slipped Leo the fully charged core and told him he could move the ship in 4 days. The next day I sprang the ship on the Red and Vlad. They wanted to see it but I said we were moving it closer to farm and to come back in 6 days. I imparted it was a huge secret and not to let the other guys know for now. I was hoping I had read the guys well and they could be trusted. We slept at the farm and the next day with Cael we brought them to Cael’s dungeon. Red and Vlad had a fun time. The monsters were no challenge for either but they liked getting loot. Unfortunately I had to have them give it all to Cael since I didn’t want them showing it off in town. They were surprised it took over 20 hours for the monsters to respawn as the town dungeon took less than 4. After completely clearing the dungeon we drank some beers by the Aether pool. I was very happy to see Red and Vlad getting along great with Cael.
The talk turned to the ship. I said I was looking for 4 crew besides myself and Cael. The minimum crew I needed was a pilot, magitech engineer, navigator and gunner. The gunner required two skills, small ship missles and small ship guns. Navigator had two required skills as well, stellar navigation and intersystem navigation. The pilot needed three skills, corvette piloting, combat piloting, ship sensors. I was planning to hire a magitech engineer in Sand Bastion. Were they interested? Vlad had one free skill slot and was getting another at level 10. He wanted the gunner position and was super excited until Red asked about Casey, Andrew and Will. I said they were not included but I would bring them to a more populated system if they wanted. Red didn’t have any open slots, but had one coming at level 10. He was very uncertain about joining the crew but would be the navigator if he decided he was in. They asked about Cael. Cael was level 16 and a ways from getting a skill slot. He would be the ships logistics and trade director. When he got a new skill slot he would either expand on this role or be the backup navigator. They of course asked about shares. I said there would 100 shares to divide profits, 50 going to the ship for maintenance and upgrades, 8 going to me as the captain and owner and the remaining 42 going to the whole ship. So with 6 crew I would get 15 shares and everyone else would get 7 shares. Vlad nodded and said that was more than a fair divide. Red chimed in and said the standard rate for taking a passenger to another system was about 10,000 credits or so Andrew had stated. I said there was room for 15 passengers…Vlad whistled.
Then I burst their bubble a little. I talked about the repairs needed and how I would have to level up my space mage class to power the ship. I guessed two or three months minimum. Cael said we could go to the other dungeon to help me level quicker. The loot wasn’t as good but the experience was much higher. Red and Vlad immediately jumped on ‘other dungeon’ thing. Cael explained the simple dungeon’s setup, it respawned every 12 hours or so. Cael said there were hundreds of dungeons on this planet but most were small and insignificant. The one by the Aether pool we were currently at was pretty special as the loot was 4-5 times better for its size than normal probably due to its proximity to the Aether pool. Normally there would be no copper coins, just monster parts, and no Aether crystal drops in such a small dungeon. The boss on the first floor of a dungeon rarely dropped a magic item while this dungeon had 3 items with 100% certainty albeit always clothes.
The conversation devolved to women and when I let slip I had a friends with benefits relationship with Gallana in town Vlad got all loud and excited. Apparently in a town with some 600 residents everyone had a good idea of who was who. Vlad had visited the ‘brothel’ just once and the selection was terrible. Cael’s girlfriend, who had showed him the other dungeon, operated large machinery clearing farm land. He visited her once or twice a week.
Before the sun got too low Red and Vlad took their bikes back to town. They promised to visit in 3 days. I talked with Cael and I agreed to run the other dungeon with him after Leo moved the ship. Cael went back to the farm and I went to the bat cave to drain my mana before going to sleep. Before sleeping I checked my sheet. Only my excavate spell had leveled from 11 to 12. I looked long and hard at my skill sheet.
Next Skill Slot at Level 10
Unused Skill Points: 10
Skill
Level
Tier
Percent Next Lvl
Stat
Spellcraft (Primary)
20
9
47%
Chan
Spirit Magic
3
3
51%
Aeth
Mind Shield
3
3
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78%
Int
Sense Psionics
3
3
2%
Chan
Earth Magic
10
5
37%
Aeth
Stone Magic
17
7
77%
Con
Order Magic
4
3
50%
Aeth
Starship Engineering (secondary)
8
5
23%
Int
Long Blades
7
5
91%
Str
1
Marksman
11
6
41%
Agil
2
Cooking
5
4
35%
Agil
3
Aether Cultivation
14
7
17%
Chan
4
Air Magic
9
5
11%
Aeth
5
Alchemy
8
4
97%
Int
6
Botany
8
5
98%
Int
7
Mycology
8
5
71%
Int
8
Water Magic
4
4
74%
Aeth
9
Sculptor
6
4
29%
Chr
10
Supplemental Aether Core (secondary)
13
7
50%
Aeth/Chan
11
Teleport Magic
11 (+5)
5
17%
Int
12
Time Magic
9
5
56%
Chan
13
Space Magic
9
5
56%
Aeth
14
Force Magic
9
5
73%
Str
15
Analyze
5
4
27%
Int
I just stared at it for a bit. All the mistakes I made. I had a boon to choose for long blades. Either +15% damage or 10% reduction cost in stamina for combat actions. I selected the damage boon. Marksman…a half mistake as I did need an attack skill and it was helping with my Aether pistol. Cooking and sculptor two big errors. I had learned there were fairly cheap robots that had a cooking skill of 23. Sculptor would become obsolete as I moved away from stone magic. Alchemy, botany and mycology were half mistakes too. If I started exploring planets they would be super helpful in generating wealth from plant and fungi harvesting. From a conversation with Cael most people had around 20 skills when they reach level 23. I would have at least 27. So I guessed my 6 errors in judgement wouldn’t be too bad. I also planned to focus on my alchemy the next few months to raise money. Bammi had said my health potions were selling to the dungeoneers and she would pay 55 credits in the future. I used analyze on one of my potions.
Minor Health Potion
Effect: Instantly heals 24 health, removes bleeding effects
Cooldown: 45 seconds
Shelf Life: 108 days
Ingredients: Root of blue seminal flower, Leaf of Yellow Mint Bush, Black Morel Mushroom, Purified Water
Volume: 129 ml, gray color
Notes: Brewed by Oliver, this minor health potion has a minty egg salad after taste
A lot of info with the analyze skill but that was partly due to the fact that I brewed the potion. Looking at the ingredients they were all common and I started wondering if perhaps I could substitute some things. I had the Aether pool which could swap in for the purified water. I always grabbed a few bottles when I was at the pool. I analyzed the Aether water.
Aether Water, 100% Aether Channeling for 60 minutes, Volume: 200 ml, Shelf Life: 8 hours, Notes: tastes like sugary water
It was a great result and when stacked with Aether cultivation helped in replenishing my Aether pool greatly. Being submerged in the aether water gave a 300% bonus effect but the water as a potion was also good. Hmm. I knew of about seven different mushrooms and flora that had health restorative properties. Well first let’s try the minor health potion with the Aether water instead of distilled water. Thirty minutes later I had brewed a batch of two of my new potions.
Minor Health Potion
Effect: Instantly heals 40 health, removes bleeding effects, heals 2 health per second for 4 seconds
Cooldown: 40 seconds
Shelf Life: 160 days
Ingredients: Root of blue seminal flower, Leaf of Yellow Mint Bush, Black Morel Mushroom, Lessor Aether Water
Volume: 129 ml, gray opaque color
Notes: Brewed by Oliver, this minor health potion has a minty after taste
Everything improved, even the taste! I was a little paranoid if someone had a high enough analyze skill they could see I was using Aether water. I brewed one of my new potions of Skill Enhancer. I had gathered enough ingredients to brew 15 but could only make batches of two with my alchemy set. 34 minutes later.
Minor Skill Enhancer
Effect: Improves Skill growth by 12% for 60 minutes
Cooldown: 95 seconds
Shelf Life: 48 days
Ingredients: Silver Oak Bark, Petals of Orange Thorned Rose, Gills of Violet Mushroom, Purified Water
Volume: 200 ml, light orange color
Notes: Brewed by Oliver, this skill enhancer tastes like carrots
I then used the Aether water with the recipe.
Minor Skill Enhancer
Effect: Improves Skill growth by 17% for 60 minutes, first skill used will be 20% more effective
Cooldown: 65 seconds
Shelf Life: 66 days
Ingredients: Silver Oak Bark, Petals of Orange Thorned Rose, Gills of Violet Mushroom, Lessor Aether Water
Volume: 200 ml, light orange color
Notes: Brewed by Oliver, this skill enhancer tastes like carrot cake
Damn this was some good stuff. It was late but the second effect about the first skill used being more effective got my attention. I drank one of the new potions and brewed two more.
Minor Skill Enhancer
Effect: Improves Skill growth by 18% for 60 minutes, first skill used will be 21% more effective
Cooldown: 63 seconds
Shelf Life: 68 days
Ingredients: Silver Oak Bark, Petals of Orange Thorned Rose, Gills of Violet Mushroom, Lessor Aether Water
Volume: 200 ml, light orange color
Notes: Brewed by Oliver, this skill enhancer tastes like carrot cake
So it did work on the alchemy skill even though it took over 30 minutes to make a batch of potions. The rare ingredient for this potion was the orange rose petals. I would have to get as many as possible. This potion wasn’t a cheat but could accelerate my growth a bit. I would make 20 regular potions, 10 for my deal with Bammi and 10 to sell to her. Then the rest would be the advanced ones with Aether water for me and Cael. I also wanted to try rarer ingredients with the minor health potion. I was excited about alchemy for the first time. I also found out my dimensional pocket spell preserved the shelf life of potions! Making them infinitely viable!
Two days later I was less excited about alchemy.