Open The Tenday Of Trinkets

[Oralie]

Oralie was glad that Ialari did not take offence at her question and she gave the woman a small smile. Her words were curious, if the Kelvic took them at face value it might seem like they had something in common, neither of them having many social skills. Though Oralie’s was not because she spoke to ghosts. It was a curious thing to hear.

Wide-eyed, Oralie listened to Ialari explain about an island where people appeared to be living corpses, driven to some sort of undeath through a need to study magic. It sounded both horrifying and fascinating all at the same time, and definitely not a fate Oralie desired for herself. The Kelvic was slowly coming to realise that she had an interest in magic, but she decided then and there that she would not try to learn all of it – not that she knew about that many different kinds yet in any case.

She turned her attention to Moritz once more as he happily answered her question. Like her, it appeared he was a little overwhelmed with the rest of the conversation. She suspected he was somewhere around the same age as she was and still unlearned in many things that a human who was the age they looked would know. Spiritism sounded interesting to her, interacting with ghosts. Oralie had never seen a ghost before that she could remember, and she wondered what they were like. She had no idea what soulmist was, but it did sound useful.

As Moritz was speaking to her, she noticed Ialari do something to Tazrae’s arm out of the corner of her eye. Something seemed to pass between the two women, but Oralie’s attention was still mostly on Moritz to pay much heed, and besides, it seemed like a somewhat private moment despite the fact the pair were practically strangers.

Oralie joined Tazrae when her friend moved to set the dishes aside. The Kelvic was starting to miss the safe feeling the Protea gave her, anxiety creeping in to her thoughts now. This was the longest she had ever been in a social setting where she was actively conversing and not serving others. She stuck to Tazrae like a shadow, giving Moritz a small wave when he seemed to choose to stay at the table the rest of them were abandoning.

The further they got from the social gathering, the more Oralie relaxed again. Eventually she piped up, asking Ialari a question that had been eating at her. “Ialari… you said um, that you were only here a little bit. ‘In part’? What, what did you mean by that?” It had been such a curious thing to say that it had stood out to her. As far as she could tell, Ialari was completely here with them.

When they arrived back at the Inn, anyone looking at Oralie would notice her start to stand up a little straighter again. Large golden eyes took in the equipment that filled Tazrae’s office. She had seen it a little before, but had never really looked properly with it being Tazrae’s personal space. She ran her gaze slowly over all the different tools, noting how orderly it all was and looking very impressed by it all.
“It seems like philtering is something that has many possibilities, is that right? How would a person know where to even start with all of it?”

+567

[Ialari Pythone]

It was Moritz who posed a rather unexpected question as the group engaged in a variety of different conversation topics. Ialari cocked her head ever so slightly and slightly raised an eyebrow. The question was not one she had ever been asked before, What is an Isur?

“What is an Isur? Well…I am an isur. The full answer to such a question though, can and does fill entire libraries. To make it shorter, we are an ancient race of people descended directly from Izurdin, the God of Strength, Patience and Industry. Known as the Divine Father, the Architect, The Hammer, Anvil and Sentinel, Izurdin created the plan from which the world as we know it grew. The Isur were created as symbols of what humans could become. We were created from the strongest and most beautiful elements of nature; metals and gemstones molded in the image of Izurdin. We were the teachers and protectors of humanity for so many centuries. We lived in one of the greatest cities ever to exist, perched upon the ancient mountain peaks of Kalea. That was until Ivak’s rage was unleashed upon the world. Our race was nearly destroyed. We were forced deep underground were we licked our wounds and rebuilt. Today, we have slowly begun to return to the world. Yet, there is great distrust and fear of humans and what horrors they may still bring upon us. We remain a strong people, passionate and creative. We love to build and create…almost…I think you would call it fanatically. We are deeply spiritual and that spirituality influences every aspect of our society. We are blessed with these…” Ialari held up her black, silver-veined arm.

“Our arms represent our divine heritage and allow us to shape and mold metals, stone and wood as if it were clay. They also allow us to impart upon the things we create, a bit of ourselves in the form of physical enhancements and even mystical ones. We are long-lived. Myself, I am 53 years old. As long as the various forces aligned against me don’t kill me first, I may live to see 200 years of age or more. Our skin is thick and we don’t injure easily. Our bones, at least history and experience tells us, cannot break. We can see in total darkness and make our way through underground tunnels without even a spark of light. Yet, with all of our gifts, I have come to learn that we are just as flawed as any other humanoid. There is so much to say about my people but it could dominate a conversation.”

Ialari offered an appreciative smile at Tazrae’s offer of food for lessons in philtering and took a moment to consider the idea of crafting philters to combat the effects of snakebites. The young girl professed beginning knowledge of the art which Ialari found fortunate as it was easier to converse with and guide another when they already have a grasp on the basic concept.
“Indeed, it would be possible to create such a thing. I already have some experience with such things as I am rather…what is the word…competent? Yes, competent in the handling of several types of poisons and venoms. More directly, those that relate to serpents.” Ialari was immediately reminded of the other part of her experience with the First Tree; the one that brought about an even more profound transformation beyond the gaining of Caiyha’s mark. Of course, there was also the additional properties that her blood had taken on a few short years ago.

Ialari listened as Tazrae spoke of her experience with being bitten by the viper. The girl seemed quite knowledgeable in regards to snakes and their handling.
As she listened, Ialari couldn’t help but think, This girl, a human girl, seems to share many qualities with me. It was then that the mark on her arm caused a slight tickle to her skin; a slight amplification to the physical representation of the spiritual connection Ialari was starting to feel toward the young girl.

Casually rubbing her upper arm, Ialari gave a soft sigh before saying, “My name, my family name, Pythone, comes from the fact that we breed and raise a number of different types of serpent. We have done so for many centuries and as such, have created unique breeds found nowhere else in the known world. They are truly amazing creatures. Your obvious knowledge of such beings is impressive. While I know a few things about venomous breeds, I am more deeply…connected…with the constrictors.” She paused a few breaths before adding, “I know that sounds as…cryptic…as some of the other things I have shared in this short bit of time since meeting all of you but there are things that are better shown than told and this is not the place right now to show. I apologize for my difficulty with your language, it doesn’t come naturally for me. In fact, it can be somewhat exhausting.”

“Returning to your speaking of snakes though, while I can get into more detail later, many of the more advanced philters, the potions, can focus certain magical qualities. I have a number of magical methods and…ingredients…that can produce the type of treatment for snakebites that you are seeking. Treatment that should be more than effective in solving your problem.”

As the conversation evolved and shifted toward Sahova and the nuit, Ialari tried to think back to her time in Sahova; something that didn’t take much effort. “Arcadius…the name, it sounds somewhat familiar but I am uncertain why. I spent quite some time amongst the undead and was for a brief time, intimately bound to their center of knowledge. It is probable that I was exposed to the name or one similar to it during my time there. As for the number of nuits out there…I do not know about those outside of Sahova, but on the island there were, at the time I was there, exactly 514 individual nuit existing there. I would have to dig into my own mind to pull out the details of where I may have heard the Arcadius name. That takes a bit of effort but it is not impossible.”

Ialari’s connection to Tazrae through the now obvious marks on their respective arms, could not be ignored. “The First Tree…I was there. I passed the divine challenge and received a seed from the tree. It…it gave shape to my inner self; a…blending…of beauty and horror, of order and chaos, of sentience and monstrosity…” The truth of what Ialari was gifted was definitely not something to be shared openly among so many people like those who enjoyed the celebrations around them. Something for a somewhat later time perhaps.

As the group wrapped things up with their meal and made their way to Tazrae’s establishment, the human girl brought up the topic of the Guardian Statues.

In response to her questions, Ialari thought back to her own experience with similar types of magic in relation to statues. Although her wording was awkward and misplaced, she said, “I have not heard of these…Guardian Statues…at least directly as you describe them. I am well aware though of the…concept? Yes, concept. The idea. My people, we build and statues are something we build a lot of. Many a statue of great heroes and leaders fill every corner of our cities. Some of these statues are imparted upon by the souls of these heroes. It is said that, in the darkest of times, our ancestors will return through these statues and help defend us. While we do not control them, they serve as protectors, they inspire us and connect us to those who have given everything for the people.”

Part of Tazrae’s question about the statue gave Ialari some pause. “You mention something coming for Syka. I do not know of a direct, named threat, however I have felt a strange connection to this place for many years. It is what has brought me back here over the years. I…I feel things that are not meant to be felt. I can sense things that are…beyond what I should be able to sense. One thing is certain, I can feel and sense that there is something important about this place…something pressing although I can’t define it. A grave danger? Maybe that could explain what I feel. The problem is I am connected to so many dangers that separating them is not easy when it comes to Syka. Most currently…or…recently…I have been trying to…discover…break…undo…the puzzle that is the World Gate. I am unsure if that is the grave danger you speak of but it is surely a…complication.”

Ialari considered one more thing before adding, “I myself have crafted a statue that was imparted with elements of my own inner person. While I do not know with sureness what was imparted, it feels like, in a far smaller way, like what you describe.

As they approached the Protea, Ialari casually reached down and picked up a small stick, roughly a foot and a half in length. She absently stripped off any excess growth with her metallic hand until the stick was smooth without any added branches. It was a simple thing yet could be seen as unusual.
It was then that Oralie asked a rather important question. It was a question based on something Ialari had mentioned earlier yet hadn’t thought much about at the time. Now however, she found herself faced with a dilemma. She realized that she’d been speaking with vagueness and something akin to riddles. These were things she DESPISED as it was the same thing that the gods had done to her time and time again.

“When I say I am only here a little bit…in part, I mean just that. I hope to show you shortly what I really mean but when I say I am not all here it is because, I’ve recently come to the greater understanding that I exist in pieces, scattered across time and reality, each piece separate but still connected. I have lived, died, live and die and will live and die dozens of different lives even as we walk here now, with each word spoken. I know it sounds…unstable…but I have been gifted the sight by Tanroa, Goddess of Time. I have been shown context by Dira, Goddess of Death. I have been granted meaning by Caiyha, Goddess of Nature and have been presented purpose by Izurdin. I have been tasked by the gods to open the eyes of mortals to something greater than their own lives. While I feel a very strong connection with Tazrae, I can also feel a connection with the rest of you. It is as if I was led to find you. What I hope to present to you with the help of Tazrae and her facilities, I hope will give you a new perspective on what is real. I say that because what you, right now, think as being real…it is about to change.” It was with that last sentence that the group walked up to the Protea. Ialari left her explanation to Oralie hang as they entered the building.

Upon entering the Protea and being led to what appeared to be an office of sorts, Ialari’s eyes shined and a broad smile spread across her face.

“Tazrae…this is amazing.” Ialari took the opportunity to examine the lab that Tazrae had set up.

“This is perfect. My own lab, at least if you want to call it that, I made from a very old portable kit and whatever I could scavenge from ruins, shipwrecks or what little I could buy from whatever small city I ended up in.” Ialari couldn’t stop smiling knowing that Tazrae had all the equipment needed to do what she would need for what she wanted to show the girl and the group. There were so many questions with answers to come with unforeseen consequences. Despite the uncertainty of what was to come, Ialari knew that it was finally time to face them.

Word Count: 2010

[Tazrae]

Moritz tended to answer things literally like he was reciting something out of a textbook, Taz decided. He never added flare or emphasized things that made what he was saying dramatic or entertaining. He was informative. She decided he’d make a good teacher, as she heard a classic example in the form of his recitation of Spiritism. She had no idea why someone would want to ‘replenish or feed’ a ghost. Did people keep them as pets or something? Wasn’t there an afterlife? Surely a spiritist who worked with ghosts would know.

“The library has a ghost. And there’s a little girl wandering around with a ghost kitten.” Taz supplied, wondering if that’s what he meant. “I think she might be James’ youngest daughter though, so I wouldn’t try and hurt her. She’s pretty cute. His ship is named after her, I’m fairly certain.” The Innkeeper responded. “The librarian is really old too… she was living when Pavena was.” The Innkeeper nodded, knowing this to be true since she’d talked to the woman once in a while.

It was interesting to learn about the Isur, their culture, and a little about Ialari. She had no idea about the Island Ialari was talking about, but it was a seriously cool-sounding place… sad though, all those people trapped between life and death. It was also interesting to learn there was another Wildling about. Taz had thought she’d been alone. But it made sense that Syka would house more than once, that the kind of people Caiyha had made this gift to were drawn to places like Syka.

Ialari didn’t hold back and talked a great deal about history, her people, and even Ivak. The woman was fascinating to Tazrae. She seemed a fountain of knowledge, filled up and leaking out in a beautiful spray that only had to be guided by questions. It was a sad thing that her race was nearly destroyed, though in the end, they’d persisted. The information about the arms was astonishing. It was surprising to Taz how a God had gifted a race with one unique limb to represent and do so many different things. Taz had noticed the difference between the two arms Ialari had, but she didn’t want to be impolite and ask about them outright. The differences quite possibly could have been an unnatural thing, and Taz didn’t want to bring up bad memories or something else equally distressing.

The fact that Ialari had ties to snakes, especially she guessed the big constrictors, really impressed Tazrae. Snakes were one of those things the Sykan really enjoyed and had learned a great deal about since being here. “You must know much about snake breeding and keep then. I am just learning myself, trying to breed Mussurana for the colony to help keep the pit viper and other poisonous snake populations in check. I don’t think we are going to have a language barrier. I just find it interesting that your family is so long-lived that their snakes have evolved into unique breeds. I generally admire the constrictors. To me, they are some of the most well-evolved snakes around. They are astonishingly beautiful and resourceful here in and around Syka. Besides, their flesh is delicious. I hope it's not offensive that we eat them, but some of the bigger ones that stray into the settlement need to be put down because they do pose a true threat to the people here. Plus, we’ve learned they are less than agreeable to relocation. It’s almost as if they carve out and defend territories like other animals that we would consider more evolved do.” Taz suggested, wondering if Ialari knew anything about that.

Ialari further confirmed Tazrae’s suspicions about the constrictors and admitted she was a fair hand at Philtering, well capable of assisting Tazrae in making some potions that might do well around the settlement. One of the biggest risks in the jungle was snake bites. It didn’t matter who you were or how capable you were of navigating the jungle, snakes were a real and present danger, though they had an important spot in the food chain. Getting rid of them would mean more problems from other things, mainly pests of all kinds, and Taz was acutely aware of the fact they were the invaders in Syka and not the other way around. Taz found Ialari very easy to talk to and even more interesting to listen to.

“I agree about things being shown and not told. I learn better hands-on anyhow than I probably ever would from a book or lecture.” Taz added, nodding to Ialari and glancing around to Moritz and Oralie to see how they felt on the topics. She was glad Ialari knew about Philtering. She’d had help setting up her lab and an initial lesson or two, but that was about it. And she hadn’t had much luck getting time to go back to it since. She wanted to actually infuse her cooking with other things – namely magic – to help those whom she fed. But it wasn’t something she was sure was possible, though from Ialari’s words… Taz now had hoped it would be.

The mention of Sahova and the Nuit there surprised Taz. She didn’t know of either thing, though she could tell Sahova was a place and the nuit were some sort of group, possibly undead. “It would be useful if you can think of anything you’ve heard of him if at all. It’s a long shot, but worth investigating. He might potentially be a threat to this settlement someday soon.” Taz added though she knew she had plenty of time later. “I would be grateful for you to further access your memories if, in fact, you have time later. It’s not an urgent topic, at least not at the moment.” Taz assured her.

“I was at the trial as well. The First Tree was beautiful. For me, it was made of stars and stretched into the heavens linking worlds together. I swallowed my seed and it caused something inside of me to shift. The Goddess said it would take time to manifest and unfold, but I feel it moving and doing so slowly, changing me. I am grateful for it though, and find that oftentimes the sun and rain is as nourishing as a good meal these days.” Taz added, not sure if Ialari’s experience was different or similar.

Tazrae, of course, offered to tour the Settlement with her and show her the statues, perhaps after they visited the philtering lab.

The young Innkeeper was fascinated by Ialari saying she could sense things and had strange connections to Syka. She wondered why and then a thought occurred to her. “There used to be a settlement here, long before Syka… a city called Pavena. I’ve heard it be referred to as a research facility. It dealt with travel to other places – other worlds – with an active interest in all the sciences. It was operated by Myrna Kelvic, the twin sister of the man who created the Kelvic Race, Marcus. At least that’s what Mathias said he learned.” Taz added, thinking it was better to cite her source then throw out the information as just speculation.

But truth be told, she was glad Oralie asked the question of Ialari she did. Taz too wanted to know what Ialari meant by the fact that she was only there a little bit, in part no less. Taz tried to figure it out. She thought about it the whole way back to the Inn, waiting for Ialari to answer Oralie’s question. And when she did, it was a shock. Taz tried to take in all Ialari said, but it was a lot to wrap ones’ brain around. She listened, thinking carefully on what the other woman had said, and finally nodded, absolutely believing her.

“That’s quite a life lived… quite an existence. I don’t envy you.” Taz said softly.

Normally, with Ialari’s story on the way back to the Protea, Taz would have somewhere in the middle of that decided that the woman was crazy. However, with everything that had happened to her recently with Alric and even in the city of Syka proper, she didn’t hesitate to actually believe the woman. Crazier things had happened, for sure, and the way Ialari voiced her life, backed by the fact she could feel the seed and the Caiyha mark in the woman… Taz didn’t even remotely question her when she talked about Dira and Tanroa, though she did appreciate how Ialari had indicated who they were. The Innkeeper couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to live and die repeatedly, nor being entwined with all the deities Ialari had mentioned.

By that time they’d reached the Inn and Taz was able to side back the walls to reveal what used to be her office that was converted into a small philtering lab. “It’s not grand by any means. It’s just cobbled together on shelves we built to hold the distiller and the lab equipment. I have a book on philtering, though its more of a journal full of notes than anything, and I’ve really only used it to make essential oils.” Taz added, walking in and gesturing everyone else to follow if they liked. Pushing the sliding walls all the way to give more room for everyone to stand, Taz turned to the group.

“Does anyone have any philtering experience or want to learn?” She asked carefully. Taz hadn’t really talked about the lab to Oralie, and Moritz was a virtual stranger to her. When she’d given them a chance to answer, Taz turned to Ialari.

“Where do you want to get started?” I have chemicals below, some supplies, clean glassware, philtered and distilled water, and some herbs and spices store. But I’m afraid that’s about all I have for components.” Taz admitted, a little sheepishly. For all Ialari had made a big deal out of her lab, Taz didn’t see it that way. Her kitchen was far fancier and better set up to handle the guests. This was just a small hobby she hadn’t really had time for. Hopefully meeting Ialari would change that for Tazrae.

Words: 1705

[Moritz Craven]

As Ialari explained what an Isur was Moritz nodded along. The more she explained the more he realized the person he had met back in Lhavit that had seemed similar to her was likely just that, an Isur, not necessarily related directly to this woman.

Somewhat abashed Moritz tried to work out how to respond to her words, finally deciding to just admit his own lacking knowledge.

"Oh, okay. Sorry, I didn't realize, I've never heard of an Isur before. But it is good to know all of those things so I'll know when I see another. Though from what you said, the people I saw in Lhavit that reminded me of you were probably Isur then. That probably makes more sense... Lhavit is in Kalea, and you had said Isur come from there as well. I guess I've seen an Isur, I just didn't hear them called that. I don't think I've heard of Izurdin before either. "

Examining the arm Ialira held up, in an odd way Moritz felt a kinship to her. Not in being a Isur, clearly he was not one, but in her difference from humans which set her apart from them. Something that was part of her innately, just as a Kelvic's dual form made them so different from a normal human and was a part of them.

"Your arm is beautiful. To be touched by a god like that, and with such a visible display of their gift, to grow with it... I kind of feel like that with my Kelvic form, in a small way, though maybe a bit differently. Its... Its an intrinsic part of who I am, I couldn't imagine being without it. And its almost impossible for anyone born without it to fully understand... From how you describe it, perhaps you feel the same about the Izurdin gifted limb."

As the discussion turned to topics on snakes and bits and poison Moritz listened, but didn't feel he had as much to say about it as other topics being discussed. Still he listened, always interested in taking in new information, not knowing much about snakes or poisons or philtering and so feeling he had much to learn. Apparently, from what the Isur, even magic could be pulled into the process of a philter. This made the Kelvic wonder for a moment at his eyes and if perhaps others could see as he did with some philtering done right. Though would it be permanent? From how he understood the process of becoming an Iraso he did not think so, but perhaps at least the vision could be shared and experienced for a time.

At the mention of the World Gate Moritz was reminded of his own reasons for being in Syka, or Morwen who had passed though a gate in the jungle... It seemed Ialari also knew things about this place and the Gate and was interested in it.

As the discussion turned to topics of reality, gods, and other such complex things, Moritz was left feeling a bit lost. Tiny bits and pieces made sense as words, but together as one sentence what the woman said was confusing to say the least. He had a feeling this wasn't just a language issue, but rather a topic or set of topics he simply did not understand. Some of what had been said on Kelvics also seemed interesting, though he was less than sure what to do with it.

Speaking on ghosts and libraries Moritz nodded along to Tazrae's words, wondering if he would be able to interact with the ghost at some point, though he felt his own current skills in such matters were too weak to take much interest of a strong spirit. He also was not aware of a library within Syka itself, which he supposed meant it was out of the city proper and one of the places within the nearby wilds.

"Maybe once I'm a bit better at dealing with ghosts, and better skilled at moving in the wilds, I could find this library and see this ghost. As for hurting a ghost, I wouldn't do that, At least, not unless it was attacking or hurting someone. If I can I try to help ghosts if they are of a good sort, and if possible help them move on, though thats usually easier said than done... But I would only fight with a ghost if it was malicious. It doesn't sound like this library ghost is hurting anyone, nor this girl ghost."

"I think philtering is interesting, it seems to be possible to do many things with it. You said magic could be infused... I wonder if my Iraso sight, my eyes, could be infused into a philter... I suppose I'm a bit mixed when it comes to learning though. Some things I feel work better with explaining, some with doing, and some a bit of both. But I'd definitely be interested to learning if your willing to show it. I've never tried it before though, so I can't say I"d have a knack for it. Though... I'm a bit unclear, what exactly is a philter? Like the final thing you are making, that you would use, what sort of thing or things would it be?"

WC: 878

[Ialari Pythone]

Tazrae’s mention of the library and its ghost was something Ialari made a mental note of to ask more about later. Anything having to do with Pavena was something she took more than a passing interest in. When the woman spoke of the other ghost, James’ daughter, Ialari recognized the description of Veronica. Ialari had heard mention of the child in the past and caught glimpses of her from time to time during some of her previous visits to Syka. She hoped to see her again as she felt somewhat drawn to the ghost.

When Tazrae described a bit of her experience with the First Tree and the seed, it sounded quite a bit different than what Ialari had went through. It was a difference Ialari wished to speak to but it was yet another thing that was difficult to describe in words. Offering an excited smile, Ialari said, “My experience with the Tree was also quite…” She struggled for the right word before continuing, “…Inspiring. Although, the changes the seed brought about were…” Ialari felt a stirring in her chest as she thought about the seed; a yearning to let go. She swallowed hard and pushed the feeling back. “They were powerful.”

Nodding to Tazrae’s description of Pavena, ”I know of Pavena but I didn’t know about the Kelvic ties. This whole place never stops becoming a more of a puzzle every time I return.”


Something Tazrae said during their walk to her home gave Ialari pause; that she did not envy Ialari for the life she lived. Ialari never before considered what her life may seem like through the eyes of others. It wasn’t a life she could imagine anyone else living but at Tazrae’s words, she began to realize something she struggled to admit to herself. She wouldn’t know how to live any other way.


At the Protea, Ialari took stock of what Tazrae had available in her lab. The young woman had assembled a good amount of materials that would be perfect for Ialari’s needs. Ialari listened to what the others said about their own knowledge or lack thereof in philtering. Moritz’s comments about his sight being put into a philter was rather vague although Ialari understood his meaning.

Focusing on enunciating her words through her accent, Ialari nodded and said, “If when you speak of your sight, you mean some…unique…quality it may have, then yes, it may be possible. As for what a philter is, it is…I think your word for it is a ‘mix’. A mix of different ingredients that when done right, makes something new. Perfume, soap, different kinds of medicine, even flavors of food can be made and changed with philtering. For those with knowledge and ability in magic, potions can be made with effects…ref..reflecting some of that magic.”

After a pause, she spoke to Moritz’s mention of not knowing of Izurdin. ”Izurdin is the center of everything related to my people. Yet…he is still something of a mystery. Always with us, always guiding us, he rarely appears in the flesh. He exists more as an inspiration; a symbol of everything we strive to be. Faith…I’ve learned that faith is not just believing in a divine entity. It is believing in yourself and your potential to be something more than your current situation presents. That is what Izurdin teaches; believing in your own strength and ability to beat all challenges as long as you have faith in yourself. Unfortunately…it is not always so simple as it sounds.

Seladonna, who had been relatively quiet thus far, spoke up and said, ”I am not all that knowledgeable of philtering although I have heard of it. One of my people who came to Syka has dabbled in it a bit over the years though he has never engaged in making potions.”


At Tazrae’s question on where to start, Ialari looked again at the collected ingredients and said, “You have everything we need. For what I am going to make, it begins with the same process you would use to make the essential oils.”

Ialari took the opportunity to begin. She described what she was doing as she did it and accepted any help that may be offered even if it was just questions and/or moral support. She retrieved the distilled water before sorting through Tazrae’s collection of herbs and spices. After a bit of searching, she found what she was looking for in peppermint leaves. Returning to the philtering apparatus, she noted its construction and began to adjust the various pieces and accessories to better suit her own knowledge of the process. She complimented Tazrae on the wise choice of different pieces.

Figuring that Tazrae was familiar enough with her own equipment, Ialari described what she was doing and with what pieces and ingredients mainly for the sake of the others. She spoke slowly as she worked with the occasional word in isur substituted in place of common though the general idea remained the same. ”First, we light this oil burner which will be our source of heat. Then we pour the distilled water into the distilling flask. This is because water taken straight from the source can be defiled with unwanted things. Fill the flask so that there is still room for the steam to form and rise.” Ialari poured water into the lower bulb of the flask which had two tubes extending out of it. 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

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. [b]”The plant material, for us it is peppermint, is packed into the upper flask. Not too tight as we want the steam to be able to pass through it.”[b]

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.

[b]”This piece of curled copper tube is a condenser which will cool the steam once it passes through the peppermint leaves. The steam carries with it the oils in the leaves and when it moves through the condenser, it turns back into water. As it exits the condenser, the water and oil move can move directly into a receiving flask where the oil floats to the top. It can be harvested although there is quite a bit of waste as it is difficult to get all the oil out of the water. That is what this little piece is for.”[‘b] Ialari held up the oddly shaped copper and glass piece. [b]”I know this as being called a receiver. It helps separate the water from the oil. When the water passes through it, it moves through one tube and drains into the receiving flask. The oil and a little bit of water collects in this other tube. There is a small seal on the end of this tube that can be opened just enough to drain the little bit of water that still collects with the oil. Once you see the oil start to drip, replace the seal, put the vial under it and start collecting. That is the basics of it except for one thing.”

Ialari politely excused herself for a moment to look around the lab as well as the adjacent kitchen. She wasn’t sure what she would find but she was hoping to find something that would help her with the missing piece of the philtering process; how to cool the condenser.

While she marveled at the extensive kitchen; one that was unlike any other she’d seen before, she could not find anything that might help. As she was about to ask if Tazrae had any way of introducing a steady supply of cold water to the philtering apparatus, she opened a seemingly unassuming cabinet to be greeted by a blast of ice-cold air. Inside the ice-cold interior of the cabinet there were shelves holding all manner of preserved food. Ialari stared at the cabinet for a few moments in slight shock. Her gaze then fell on a bowl filled with pieces of ice.

Ialari took hold of the bowl, shut the door on the cabinet and slowly returned to the lab. Looking to Tazrae, she said, ”You are a girl of many resources to be sure.” She then sat the bowl of ice near the apparatus. Retrieving a few bowls of water to run the condenser through, Ialari moved one into place.

As Ialari pulled out the peppermint leaves from their container, she dropped them into the main upper flask and packed them in with a wooden dowel. ”As I said, pack the leaves in but not too tight. So once fully assembled, we wait for the water to boil into steam which then passes through the leaves before turning back into a mix of water and oil. The end result is the oil drips into the vial and the left-over distilled water goes into the receiving flask. The oil will have a strong smell of the plant leaves that were used. The spent water will have a little bit of this as well.”

Ialari took the receiving flask in hand and turned to face the others.

”That is the easy way of collecting oils that can be used in cooking, medicines and so on. As for the potions, there is at least one added ingredient as well as, for this particular potion, an added step. You see, the magic I am going to infuse into this philter in order to make a potion is based on world magic. So, I will need to alter the receiving flask a little in order to draw the magic into the philter and infuse it. It is a bit different with personal magic and divine blessings but that is something for a later time.” Ialari held the 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, it could be seen that she was etching 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.

”When focusing and containing magic such as this, specific patterns must be formed else your final product will have no magical properties.” She said as she placed the marked flask in its place at the end of the apparatus.

She then retrieved her dagger with her metallic hand and held her other hand over the upper flask containing the peppermint leaves.

When it comes to the added ingredient, potions require something that possesses the magical quality you wish to infuse into the potion. This could be materials harvested from magical plants, animals but usually, at least in the type of philtering I practice, one’s own blood. See, from my blood, I can draw upon a number of different qualities that I can infuse into a potion. The etchings on the receiving flask will draw upon the quality I’m looking for in this potion.” 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, put several pieces of ice into the bowl of water and stepped back. Eventually she would put the ice back in the odd cabinet; retrieving it as needed to keep cold water around the condenser.

”Now we wait. It could take a couple of bells to finish. As we are not looking to collect the oil as a main goal here, it won’t take as long. We are looking at the distilled peppermint water infused with the magic….So that leaves the obvious question of what exactly is the potion that is being made?” Ialari took a deep breath while she gathered her thoughts.

With her words still carrying an accent and some small words said in isur, her meaning was still pretty clear. ”This potion is one of protection. It will be infused with the same magic that will allow me to show you something very special; the very thing I said earlier would change how you see your own reality. I don’t want to move too fast though. When the potion is finished, we can move on to the final step and reason I wanted to do all this.”

Ialari looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing, ”While we wait, if you don’t mind my asking, what brought you all to this place? I mean, everyone in Syka is from somewhere else. What made you come here though of all places?”
There was at least a couple of bells before the distilling of the potion would be complete so that left plenty of time for conversation; whatever direction it may take. As the time passed, Ialari would occasionally switch out the bowls of ice water while monitoring the receiving flask and the oil vial. If anyone happened to take a look at the flask on their own, they would see that as the water dripped into the flask from the receiver, the patterns etched in the glass began to glow ever-so-slightly with the barest hint of red. As the flask filled, the water had a light pink color while the lines began to slowly grow a deeper shade of red.

After just over two 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 a deep red, soft pulsing glow while the liquid inside was a cloudy pink color swirling with wispy trails of red.

Retrieving three vials slightly bigger than the one she used to collect the oil, 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.

”Now to what has been created here. This potion, when consumed, will grant you the ability to experience reality as I do. For a short time, you will be able to expand your senses and be able to perceive your surroundings beyond that what is otherwise possible for most mortals. There is…I believe you call it a catch. While the magic within the potion is based on world magic…it isn’t of this world.” Ialari reached into the pouch at her waist and pulled forth a handful of charcoal.

”Tazrae, if you will honor me, I would like to make use of a section of wall here in your establishment. I wish to present a bit of décor, most of it temporary, that will allow us to realize the full potential of this potion.” Ialari sat the handful of charcoal next to the philtering apparatus while keeping hold of a single piece.