40th Day of Spring, 522 AV
Ialari, despite all that had been happening with the curses in Syka, tried to make time to return to her Dominion for a refresh of focus and energy. As she stepped through the doorway back to her home, she paused for a moment to scratch at the itchy feeling of imaginary maggots eating away at her flesh. It was not just annoying but draining. It was draining on her sanity. She could see and feel the horror but nobody else could. To everyone else, she looked as normal as she could. To her, it was torment. Returning to her Dominion however helped give her the focus to temporarily push aside the feelings the curse poured upon her. She could not feel things in the physical world the way she did in the Ukalas which was a bonus in her mind. It granted her a small amount of relief. Returning to her Dominion however brought about the danger of becoming consumed by it once more. This would only hurt her quest to experience life as it was meant to be. As with the most recent time she returned to her Dominion, Ialari felt the comforting embrace of a warm, loving blanket. Stepping through the doorway, her anxiety was momentarily relieved. The physical world was loud, so intrusive and all-enveloping. In her Dominion, Ialari felt control, power and connection even though the curse fought against it. In her Dominion, she was connected to all things, all life, unliving and those things that never lived. The curse was put aside at least for the moment which allowed her to focus on other things.
As she welcomed the familiar feeling of comfort and control, she once more felt the call of something else. She was immediately connected with the surrounding space; her senses bombarded by the smells, sounds, tastes and feelings that she’d forgot how much she loved.
Once more, Ialari made her way to her work area as her entire reason for returning was to make use of her philtering lab. It was a collection of items gathered over the years from many sources. It was a cobbled together collection of tools and materials that would make anyone back in Sultros think she was their lesser. She was not particularly proud of what she’d assembled but she was proud of what she was able to do with so little.
She’d already worked on some things for Syka a number of days prior but she realized the need for something more. With all that the curses had brought to the settlement, anything she could further provide would be desperately needed.
Focusing on the need of the people…something she would never have considered just a few years ago, Ialari prepared the makeshift lab once more for production.
She had gathered a few supplies during her last venture back to her Dominion. While she’d gifted some of them to the Panacea, she kept a few others for further refinement. Reaching into her pouch, she pulled out a few pieces of bark gathered from the Tree of Death that loomed above her entire claimed space within the Ukalas. Laying the bark on the workbench, she then retrieved a bottle of distilled water. She only had a few left and quickly realized that she would need to distil some more if she were to continue using the lab. The bark itself would need to be reduced for the process to be effective. Looking through her collection of tools, she spotted something that would work well enough. It was a rectangular piece of metal with a wooden handle. The metal was spotted with a variety of different shaped holes; each designed with something of a blade. When something was pushed over the surface of the metal, the blades would cut into it and reduce it to slivers.
She began assembling her apparatus as she had numerous times before. She retrieved some flint and steel and proceeded to light the burner. She noticed that the burner itself was not in the greatest condition and uttered a few curses. She would have to replace it very soon. She then took the bottle of distilled water and poured it into the distilling flask. She filled the flask so that there is still room for the steam to form and rise. She then poured water into the lower bulb of the flask which had two tubes extending out of it. She paused for a moment when she noticed the wear on the connections of the various part of the apparatus. [i]By Izurdin, I’m going to have to do something about this…[/]
One tube was short and off set from the other; it was the one she poured the water in and had a cork to seal it. The other extended straight up from the top of the flask and fitted into an upper bulb. The connections there were also showing signs of wear.
Where the tube extended from the lower flask, another flask was fitted at the upper end. A small piece of copper punched with several small holes was placed over the point where the two flasks connected; a filter. The copper was tarnished and the holes were looking weak.
Ialari assembled the other half of the apparatus separately with a coiling copper tube that fit into the upper flask and stretched downward, dipping into a basin that would hold cold water before continuing into another flask. There was an oddly shaped object made of copper and glass connected with resin seals that split into two separate receptacles; another flask and a small vial. Her assembly was simple and not the highest of qualities but she did what she could to make it work. It was made more difficult by the wear and tear she’d been noticing. Likely, this would be the last potion she would be able to produce with what she had at hand. The thought caused her a tinge of anger and concern at how she would replace it.
Ialari held up the oddly shaped copper and glass piece and attached it to the rest of the apparatus. She then grabbed a bowl and filled it with water from a nearby basin. Her focus was interrupted by her concern over the condition of her tools. She tried to push away the concern though with the overall goal held close to mind. She worked to then focus more on her connection with her Dominion, she concentrated on the water in the bowl and the temperature. She willed the area immediately around the bowl to cool. Slowly, the water began to cool; her bond with her Dominion causing the water to gradually freeze.
Ialari then took the slivers of bark, and dropped them into the main upper flask and packed them in with a wooden dowel.
Ialari then took the receiving flask in her non-metallic hand and braced it against her body. With one finger of her metallic hand, she ever so gently used her finger nail to carefully create a light etching into the glass. As she drew her finger nail barely over the surface of the glass, she etched a series of lines that quickly formed angles and straight-edged geometric shapes. She worked with a surprisingly steady hand as she created a moderately complicated geometric pattern in the glass.
The whole idea, as it was each time she performed the process of philtering, was to create a glyph that would focus and contain the intended magic into specific patterns.
She then retrieved her dagger with her metallic hand and held her other hand over the upper flask containing the slivers of bark.
Ialari drew the dagger across her hand; the sharp looking blade cutting into her thick skin. She formed a fist and allowed the blood to drip onto the peppermint leaves. After several drops, she wrapped her hand in a bit of cloth and put her dagger away. She then made the final connections on the apparatus, lit the oil burner and continued her focus on keeping the water cool.
Ialari concentrated on the intent she wished to placed within the glyphs and the overall desire for the final product. Her goal was to create a potion that would stave off death for a short time, perhaps allowing for other methods of healing to take effect.
There was at least a couple of bells before the distilling of the potion would be complete so that left some time for Ialari to consider her next action.
The curse was still with her although her Dominion was helping to mute it somewhat just by being there. It was not gone by any means but the ability to focus on other things was cathartic.
Bells passed and she continued to try and focus on anything other than her cuse.
Taking a look at the flask Ialari noted that as the water dripped into the flask from the receiver, the patterns etched in the glass began to outline in black. As the flask filled, the water took on an inky color, deep black with threads of red whisps swirling inside.
After just over five bells had passed, Ialari extinguished the oil burner. She then adjusted the seal on the receiver to drain excess water before reaching the oil which she then allowed to drip into the vial. Taking the receiving flask, she held it up and examined the contents. The etched lines in the glass had solid black outlines, soft pulsing red whisps swirled within the inky black fluid in the flask.
Retrieving three vials slightly bigger than the one she used to collect the excess, Ialari proceeded to pour the contents of the receiving flask into each vial before placing a stopper in each. She placed each vial in a small holder.
Where the product of the process would have been divided between oil and waste, this time, just like the last, Ialari observed a concentrated amount of magic infused into into a potion. The glyphs focused magic into the water. Where there would otherwise be oil from process, there was concentrated amounts of magic. Ialari combined the various vials and flasks to bring about the final product.
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