Rhamiel spent the night between observing his Drones building the Wall around his perimeter and reading the book Yule had lent him.
The Wall was coming along smoothly, but due to infrequent monster attacks, someone had to stay with them to keep them from being destroyed. Luckily, they switched between Joselin, who used the time to practice with the Souls Rebirth Dagger, and someone Rhamiel hadn’t met yet named Bernard Lawry.
Bernard Lawry was a human, and Rhamiel learned through Joselin that he hadn’t noticed him due to his leg injury. It was a deep injury that was better now but not gone. The man stood under six feet tall, was solidly built compared to the crafters, and was not aesthetically pleasing with his helmet off. His face was set in a perpetual scowl, with heavy eyebrows and a ragged face with a crooked nose. Luckily, he kept his helmet on most of the time, a part of a set of armor that included the helmet, a battered breastplate, shin guards, and bracers.
He was able to keep up with the Drones, but he could fight the weaker monsters that appeared randomly.
He fought with a series of creatures called Mushroom Goblins. They are small, mushroom-formed creatures that are only humanoid in that they have two arms, legs, a torso, and a head. But the head was way too big, with rows of sharp teeth and eyes that were pitch black and gelatinous. All of them carried heavy sticks as improvised weapons that they wielded clumsily against an injured man.
It still took some effort for Bernard to slay them, but that may have been simply due to his injury that made it hard for him to approach. Instead, he had to goade them into coming, catching their attack on his buckler and stabbing them with his Shield. It was hard work for the man, and the effort made him breathe hard after every encounter.
After the third drawn-out encounter, Rhamiel looked up his Attributes with his Aspected Analysis Perk.
Bernard Lawry
Species: Human. Aspects: War, Body, Blood.
Class: Skirmisher Level 39
Attributes:Health:33. Mana:10. Stamina:19. Might:14. Dexterity:15. Mind:9. Spirit:8. Luck:10.
Skills: Buckler Proficiency 3, Light Shield Proficiency 2, Spear Proficiency 4, Light Armor Proficiency 4, Sprint 1, Woodcraft 5.
Perks: Improved Parry, High Mobility, Guerrilla Warfare, Critical Mastery, Improved Critical.
Skirmisher, huh, interesting, Rhamiel commented under his breath as he watched the man work. He was stronger than Joselin in pure Level but skilled and fast. His injured leg, wrapped in soiled bandages, held that speed back, not that he allowed that to stop his mission. The more he watched, the more he was glad he had another person capable of fighting.
Eventually, after spending several hours splitting his focus between the book ‘Alchemy for the Insistent Moron,’ and watching the Drones, he finished the book.
The final page in the book had a handwritten notation from a previous owner, or maybe Yule; Rhamiel wasn’t sure. It read, ‘This Book does not confirm the ability to gain Alchemy-related Skills or Perks. However, if you read Frin’s Guide to Chemical Processes and Litera’s Textbook along with this book, you will find a world of possibilities open up.’
Rhamiel found the helpful information, even if he did not gain any Perk or Skill for the effort. He did regret putting this before working on his Mana Generator stuff, but any knowledge gained was good.
But when he finished the book, he added finding those books, or at least seeing if Yule had them when the young man woke up. Who knew what might happen if he got some Perks or Skills related to Alchemy, especially considering where his focus was: Architecture and City Building?
He considered checking Yule’s belongings for those books but decided against it. Not only would it likely ruin or tarnish his relationship with Yule, but it would take time to read one or both of them. There were better ways to spend his time.
Like building his Core Generator, he took a moment to review the Perk to confirm what he remembered before getting too excited.
Mana Generator - The power of Mana is great, infinitely facetted, and is only limited by the user and the System’s limitation. With this Perk, you take the first step into understanding a lost technology that allows one to use Mana to power entire towns and cities. Once the Core Generator has been built, as long as it is not destroyed, its power increases automatically with your own. If another core is placed upon a Core Generator, it does not grow with the Core if it somehow levels because it will lack this Perk.
Perks with ‘Core’ as part of their title may be created using only Mana Processing Skill.
If he understood it correctly, he could use the Mana Processing Skill to directly build things with the word ‘Core’ in the title. Pulling up the Blueprint of the Core Generator, Ramiel confirmed this by checking the Building requirements and found that the only requirement was his Mana. He was unsure how that worked but was happy he did not need to look for resources.
Looking at the dimensions of the Generator, he was surprised by its size. It was a five-foot square pillar structure that moved straight up for several feet before tapering to a point.
It was simple in design, and its size made it easy to place, so Rhamiel thought about where he would put it. Changing his perspective to look at his buildings from above, he needed clarification.
It made sense that he would put the Core Generator somewhere in the center of his walled-off area. Theoretically, it would make sending out his Core Power Cables to power buildings easier. Or he could put the structure somewhere else and eat the mana cost for the extra length needed for the Core Power Cables to do it.
Then, looking over the storage shed that some of the Citizen had been working towards taking apart, the one initially damaged by the Dryad Possessed Goblin, he had an epiphany.
Most of his buildings would likely be temporary, especially the ones he had built already. Upgrades would likely come over time, monsters may wreck his structures, or he would rather have something else. However, except certain buildings, like his currently built Architects Library and the soon-to-be-built Eldritch Cathedral.
With that thought, Rhamiel decided he would need a solid plan for his city before building the Cathedral.
Until then, though, He could build this thing anywhere and then tear it down after he and Hutch or whoever found a better spot. Especially since he was wasting his own time and Mana’s.
Feeling a little more confident, he chose a location near the cookfire. He wasn’t sure how long this would take, but part of this choice was simply because he hoped to surprise those still asleep like Joselin and Hutch.
Selecting the Blueprint and confirming the location with the summoned Wireframe, Rhamiel watched as nothing happened. Looking at the area, he waited for a while, expecting something to happen. Then the thought hit him: nothing was happening; he needed to use his Mana Processing Skill. But how?
Mana Processing typically involved Rhamiel learning how to create a product, putting in the Mana to create a blueprint, and then using Mana to process raw materials into those products. But maybe he didn’t have to make a blueprint; he already had one, and the raw material was his own Mana.
So he extended a line of Mana and focused on expanding his Mana Processing Skill towards where the Wireframe was sitting. A strange feeling overcame him as soon as he touched the illusory Wireframe. It was a grinding pressure that wasn’t painful but unusual, pulling and processing his Mana as it moved into the Wireframe.
Quickly, Rhamiel could see his Mana working; thin crystalline lines outlined the structure, sprouting up from the ground and filling in slowly. If he had to describe what it was like watching this, it would be like what Mom had explained what happened to ice when it formed into a container, slowly crystalizing within the mold—just the Wireframe acting as the mold for the mana crystalizing.
Seeing it going now, he tried to turn his attention away to something else, only to find the process stopped after only a few moments. Glaring at it, he tried again, this time trying to focus on keeping it going, even as he turned away from it and tried to look back at his Drones.
Yet again, it worked briefly, but only for a short time. Grumbling, he concentrated again on keeping it running and then kept it there. Supposedly, multitasking would become more accessible with his Structured Midnet Skill, but it was not that easy, so he kept his focus there, watching it work and intent on learning.
This was going to take more time than he thought.
A couple of hours passed as Rhamiel watched the dull crystalline pieces form out of pure Mana. The frame formed first, and he watched with interest as other pieces formed inside the structure he was creating. Interconnected plates inside his structure, various colored crystalline wires connected the plates to each other with strange runic symbols all along each surface.
He wished he could understand what was happening; each piece made the structure more complicated, and he quickly lost track of it.
Eventually, he was interrupted by Joselin.
“Rhamiel, wha- what are you doing?” she asked wonderfully. Daylight played across his face, and the Core found that he was a little disappointed. It was morning already, and it wasn’t done.
Rhamiel connected to her Communication Crystal. “This is the Core Generator. I can create it with pure Mana, so I started working on it. Why?”
“It’s making a few people nervous,” Joselin told the Crystal. “Something appearing out of nowhere is not normal, Rhamiel.”
“So?” Rhamiel asked, unsure why she was bringing this up. “I am getting close to done, I think. Then I can figure out how to build the cables and do other interesting stuff,” Rhamiel Proclaimed. “Like lights and heaters!”
Joselin blinked, “you can create lights?”
“I can,” he confirmed. “I can create something called Basic Manatech Lights, which my Core Generator powers.” He pulled up the Blueprint for the Basic Manatech Lights and sighed, “Actually, I’m wrong. We need the material components for these, but otherwise…”
Joselin shrugged, “Oh well, got me excited for a moment there. I just had to deal with the Surveyors complaining that bringing torches underground was dangerous due to gas pockets. They were asking me about some mana-based light.”
“Really?” Rhamiel asked, questioning the coincidence.
“Well, they were asking Mom, but yeah,” Joselin nodded. “Either way, what do you need for it?”
“Copper, glass, and silver,” Rhamiel listed.
Your Karma has been spent to create a prosperous event.
“How much silver?” Joselin asked with a head shake.
Ignoring the Karma prompt, Rhamiel answered. “It says… three grams.”
Joselin stopped. “Just three grams?”
“Well, yeah,” Rhamiel confirmed. “Three grams made into a thread for the magic to travel through. If I understand what this device blueprint is telling me.”
“We have many people with small trinkets or treasure, nonmagical rings and necklaces. We might be able to get them to donate them for the cause. Copper and glass, though,” Joselin paused. “I don’t even know how to make glass, I know there is sand involved, but-”
“H-hello, can I interject?” Someone spoke timidly.
Joselin turned her attention to the elderly human man standing by her. He was barely taller than her at around five feet and eight inches tall, with dark skin contrasted with his grey-white hair and piercing brown eyes that looked at her behind gold-rimmed glasses. He wore a simple pair of cotton pants and a shirt under his dark leather apron laden with tools.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Oh, Uh, Mr. Heady,” Joselin acknowledged.
“Headley,” he corrected with the patience of someone correcting people a lot. He coughed into his fist, “Can I assume you are our host, the Core, Rhamiel? I am Lamar Headley, and I am the old hamlet Artisan.”
“Artisan?” Rhamiel asked.
“Indeed,” Lamar Headley nodded. “Artisans are the middle ground of many crafting disciplines, but then put to work on smaller products.”
“Like what?” The Core asked.
“Like Jewelry, Glasses, and even more complicated pieces like Chronometers,” Lamar said with no little pride.
“Chronometer? What’s that?”
“It’s a watch,” Joselin answered, reaching into a pocket and withdrawing a small round item. It was thin, attached to a thin chain, and had a clasp that held it shut. It was smooth and polished, and Rhamiel had to hold back his innate urge to yell, ‘Mine.’
“A watch,” Rhamiel said slowly, letting the word roll around a little as he thought. “What does it do?”
Joselin opened the WatchWatch and revealed the device’s face, flicking the clasp device’s thumb. It had the numbers one through fourteen along the Watch’s edge; a tiny pin in the center of the WatchWatch moved a pair of black arms that pointed to the numbers, one short and one longer. The surface of the device was covered in a mildly scratched piece of glass.
“This,” Joselin said a moment later.
Pushing his perspective inside, Rhamiel was astounded by the amount of moving gears, pins, and elegant pieces that all worked together for the entire piece. But peering a little deeper, the Core found a tiny piece of red Crystal attached to the bottommost point of the device. He was fascinated by the device and how it was powered.
“This thing is cool,” the Core said in awe.
“Well, thank you,” the man said kindly. “That means a lot for something that can create great works independently. Or, eventually, at least,” Lamar commented with a smile.
“Can we help you, Mister Heady,” Joselin asked him respectfully. “With all due respect, we were in the middle of something and needed to return to work.”
“First off, Young Lady, It’s Headly. And well, I heard you two talking, and I think I can help,” the man said, a cheerful smile on his face. “I am rather good at creating small devices and trinkets, and I can probably help with some of these projects. This… Basic ManaTech Light sounds fascinating, I was hoping to see the Blueprint. I have a few perks and Skills that may be useful here.”
Rhamiel finally pulled up the man’s Attributes with the Aspected Analysis Perk.
Lamar Headley
Species: Human. Aspects: Wisdom, Madness, Crafting.
Class: Special Artisan Level 60.
Attributes:Health:13. Mana:28. Stamina:15. Might:10. Dexterity:23. Mind:15. Spirit:15. Luck:20.
Skills: Precision Tool Proficiency 8, Tabletop Workshop 4, Reverse Engineering 2, Artifice Mimicry 1, Chemistry 4.
Perks: Tinker’s Touch, Emergency Repair, Trade Secrets, Alternate Materials, Quick Assembly, Art is Mighty, Call of Inspiration, MadWorks.
Madness AND Wisdom, Rhamiel found himself curious how someone could have two Outer gods but decided to investigate it eventually. However, the Core had a more pressing matter: to ask the Artisan first.
“Why haven’t I seen you before now?” Rhamiel accused, annoyed at this man’s previous anonymity.
“I- I was afraid, Lord Rhamiel,” the man said, taking a nervous step away from Joselin and the Communication Crystal she held. “We haven’t had the opportunity to work with a Core willing to talk to us, let alone be able to work with or help us. I have worked with a Cruel Mistress before, I refuse to work with someone who would exploit me again,” he said, his kindly voice gone hard and unkind.
The Core was unsure what part of that meant, but Joselin covered her mouth with both hands in surprise. “No, please tell me you weren’t part of-”
Lamar took a deep breath and nodded slowly, “Yes, I slaved for Viscountess Emola before she ascended to a City Boss. I was fortunate compared to the many that did not escape before her transition to her current station.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Mister Heady,” Joselin said. “I didn’t know.”
“I don’t know anything, what happened!” Rhamiel practically demanded.
Joselin seemed suddenly nervous at the subject, clenching the Crystal as she hummed in pure nervousness.
“Viscountess Emola, that damnable Hag,” Lamar spat, his kindly old man behavior dropping into a quiet snarl. “She was the Viscountess of the City of Erlgrad, high leveled, and was the one who dealt with the high leveled Elites and Monsters that appear. The public believed that she was on our side and that her Level was believed to be around 200 or higher.”
“Wow!” Rhamiel cheered, amazed at the Level. “That’s high!” then Rhamiel remembered what the subject matter was about. “But what happened, uh, next?”
“Yeah, it is high; that’s why people put up with the rumors happening for years. Disappearances, murders, strange monsters appearing in the city, and even bodies with strange causes of death appearing. I got lucky, as far as the timeline of events go, I was taken later. It turned out that she was either taking people who would be missed less or skilled professionals. I met her a month before her ascension into a Boss and-” Lamar shivered, “She was terrifying.”
“How so?” Rhamiel questioned, trying to keep the conversation moving.
“She was beautiful,” he commented somberly. “But there was a burning cold in her gaze and heart that left everyone afraid of her. When I was escorted into her throne room with five others, she told us she sought someone to give her what she desired most. Any who could give her a workable solution to her goal would not be sacrificed.”
“Sacrificed?” Rhamiel asked.
“Killed,” Joselin simplified. “But why?”
“That’s the thing, she did not say to what,” Lamar shrugged. “But it didn’t matter to what; we were all successfully cowed.”
“What did she want?” Rhamiel asked; his primary thought was greed. Whatever this woman wanted was something he could want or use.
Lamar smiled at the Communication Crystal, “Now, you see, that’s the thing. The Viscountess wanted the impossible; she was trying to resurrect Wyrnaem.”
Joselin blinked, and Rhamiel said nothing.
“The dead god-king of nightfall?” Lamar said with the expectation of understanding.
“Oh, okay,” Joselin nodded, then froze. “Wait, that’s bad. Isn’t resurrection impossible?”
Lamar nodded, “that was the problem. We weren’t sure why she was trying to bring him back to life, but we did try. Forced to work in filth, from sun up to sun down, on our attempts, we would often have some of our colleges dragged off. We never saw any of them again. The fear, the exhaustion, and stress were driven through the roof.”
“I wasn’t with the Viscountess when she ascended, and I do not know if what happened was due to her experimentation. All I know is that when I ran away with several others, the ground trembled, and heat issued from each new crack.”
“I see,” Rhamiel said solemnly. “And why did you not come forward earlier with your useful skillset? Fear that I would want to do something similar to her?”
He nodded slowly.
Rhamiel said nothing else for several seconds. “Well, I guess that’s fair. I don’t see me wanting to use anyone for such a purpose. Playing with dead things is gross, even you guys eating animals or monsters, blah, gross.”
Lamar froze briefly; Rhamiel’s words went through his head before he broke into a laugh. A deep belly laugh relieved the tension of the subject matter he had just discussed. “That- Ha, that is not exactly what I meant, but I like that answer. Ha!”
Joselin and Rhamiel joined a moment later, and their laugh reverberated through the area. Many people around them watched for a few moments, wondering if they were crazy or why they were laughing.
Once it died down, the Core asked, “Okay, But can you tell me what some of your Perks and Skills do?”
“You have an Analysis Perk or Skill?”
“Yes.”
“Then… can’t you just Analyze the Skill or Perk?” Lamar asked.
Instead of questioning why he didn’t know about it, Rhamiel pulled back up Lamar’s Attributes page and selected the first skill that he did not have a reasonable idea of what it did, Tabletop Workshop level 4.
And to his surprise, it worked.
Tabletop Workshop Skill level 4. You don’t always have the option of working in a proper workshop, which makes it easier to do the job. This skill makes working on a standard tabletop easier and reduces the drawbacks of working in an undefined space for your Artisan work.
-Original drawbacks of working in an undefined space are a 75% chance of failure, a 50% chance of lesser quality, a 50% longer work time, and a 20% chance of distraction.
-Current Drawback: 50% chance of failure, 30% chance of lesser quality, 30% longer work time, and 12% chance of distraction.
“Huh, neat,” Rhamiel said, appreciating the sill but disliking the negatives at all.
Reverse Engineering Skill Level 2 - When you break something, you can learn something from how it fell apart. This is not as simple as breaking it with a hammer and watching it fall apart, but intellectually breaking it down to see how it works is always worthwhile.
Every Level of this skill allows you to learn more with each item broken down and with less waste, allowing you to have an easier time replicating it in the future and allowing your skills and perks to work on it in the future.
Artifice Mimicry Skill Level 1 - You are not an artificer, enchanter, alchemist, cleric, aether weaver, or echo crafter, but you know how they work! Given an example of the type of item effect that you wish to mimic, you can create a lesser version of the effect upon a creation you are currently working on.
With every Level of this skill, your comprehension speed and understanding of these engraved powers get more profound. Every Level also increases the time the Mimicked power stays fresh in your mind for reuse
Then, finding himself curious, he checked two more.
Alternate Materials Perk - You know that some materials are more suited for some projects than others for a myriad of reasons. That does not mean that other materials that are less suitable do not work. This Perk allows the Artisen to take a design and alter one or more of the component materials for a project without lowering the quality. The more pieces you change, the higher the chance of failure or a deviant product.
Madworks Perk - With your experiences in the past, you have gained the Wisdom of skill and dedication and the lunacy to see things that others may see as impractical or impossible. And they may just still work. Through the alien ideas and powers of Venerable Madness, even outlandish projects may work.
“Oh, that is… interesting. You may have just been able to do it if given enough time. You know, to resurrect that god guy,” Rhamiel commented idly.
Lamar’s smile drooped, “maybe, but I would have needed so many more levels and get other skills or perks. But I’m done talking about this,” the Artisan said, looking past Joselin. “I am much more interested in what that is and how I can help you. Basic ManaTech Lights sound interesting. Copper and Silver are reasonably easy to come by, but glass? That is where I can come in.”
“You can make glass?” Joselin asked with some skepticism. “Really, I thought we needed a lot of things to make glass, like sand and stuff?”
“Oh, the young and their rudeness,” Lamar said, disappointed and shaking his head. “Yes, I can, but I can give the Surveyor an idea of what they need to look for for future creations, but ultimately, I have the solution. At least one person brought a bottle of baking soda or soda bicarbonate. Just heat it long enough, and it will become Soda Ash, the main missing ingredient for glass.”
“And the sand?”
“I believe the Surveyor’s found some uncut gems yesterday in the underground. With those crystals, by the description given to me, I believe there is some quartz mixed in there. We can make quartz sand with it, but we need limestone.”
They talked for a bit longer, and Rhamiel needed some clarification. Not at the man’s words or the liberal use of his Alternate Materials, Perk; no, it was at his sudden appearance. The timing of the conversation was a little too perfect to be a coincidence, mainly because he could be utilized to help them create these lights.
Was this because of the Karma Prompt that was mentioned earlier? He had been conversing with Joselin, so he moved past it and planned to address it later. But what triggered that Karma usage?
“Rhamiel?” Joselin called, getting his attention.
“What, sorry, just thinking,” The Core said.
“Can you tell him what this… thing is,” Joselin pointed to the Core Generator. “He’s curious and wants to know how the lights will function.”
“Oh,” Rhamiel perked up. “That is my Core Generator; once finished, it will allow me to generate Mana that can power devices and buildings without thinking about it. Mana will power the lights.”
“Fascinating,” Lamar approached the Generator. He walked around it slowly, not touching the device and looking it over. “I’ve heard of ManaTech but never had the opportunity to observe it.”
“Well, it’s not done yet,” Rhamiel told him. “I’ve been working on it for a while and have not had a chance to finish yet.”
“Why not?” Lamar asked.
“This conversation,” Rhamiel stated bluntly. “I might not be done for several hours, but I could be further along.”
“My apologies, Lord Rhamiel, do not allow me to stop you. But may I watch?” he asked. “My curiosity about this process is piqued, and I hope to learn how you create.”
“Sure, sure,” Rhamiel agreed, turning his attention to the Generator. “Anything else, Joselin?”
“Oh, no, go ahead,” Joselin said, shaking her head before returning to the crowd.
She walked to what remained of the crowd, most having moved on to their work, and a few others watched with curiosity. They seemed to calm down from their curiosity and fear of the thing appearing in the middle of their uprising settlement.
“Hey, Lamar, can I ask you a question?” Rhamiel whispered directly in front of his face.
“Sure, Lord Rhamiel,” the elderly man said with a slight nod.
“Are there any other experts or highly skilled people here that I have not been told about?” Rhamiel asked, a bit of annoyance tinting his voice. “I am tired of learning new things about my Citizen AND my system stuff!” he hisses, keeping his voice down.
Lamar furrowed his eyebrows, unsure for a few seconds how to answer. “I- uh, yeah, we have a pretty good farmer, so far as I’ve heard.”