Adam followed the brawny Braun into the back. “Am I in trouble?”

“Should you be?” Braun asked, raising his brow.

“No?” 

“We need you to Identify a few items,” the muscled veteran said.

“Oh,” Adam said, anticlimactically. “Right. Sure. I can start today, I guess?”

“Are you certain? You’ve only recently returned from a gruelling quest. I wouldn’t ask you to do it tonight.”

“I should get it out of the way,” Adam said. 

Braun nodded. “There are three items. Will you handle them all?”

“Sure,” Adam said, returning back to his party. “Just some guild business, you know how it is.”

Spell: Identify

+1 Dagger
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.

Spell: Identify

+1 Sword
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.

Spell: Identify

+1 Handaxe
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
???

Adam noted something off about the weapon, staring at it long and hard. He cast Identify on it once more, this time trying to dig deeper into learning more about the weapon.

Spell: Identify

Arcane Lore 
D20 + 5 = 22 (17)

+1 Handaxe (Cursed)
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
Cursed. The weapon critically fails on a roll of 1-2.

It was late at night by the time he was finished, and he gave his finding to the guild, which prepared his reward.

Gems: 10 Obsidian -> 19 Obsidian

Once he was done with his work, having faced two Herbearvores and spent four hours casting Identify, he passed out in his bed, snoring loudly.

Omen: 1, 6

Adam spent the morning relaxing in the hot bath of the Adventurer’s Guild, before heading down for some breakfast, Herbearvore stew, which was delicious. The meat was more flavourful than typical meat, somehow the diet of the Herbearvores, which would sometimes consist of eating the flesh of people, seemed to pack the meat with extra flavour without the use of spices and herbs once might typically use. 

“I’m going to buy some supplies with the Party Fund,” Adam said, glancing to the rest of Fate’s Golden. “Alchemy,” he muttered under his breath, covering his lips.

The Iyrmen nodded, and Dunes threw him a look. “You can make potions?” he whispered.

“I can do much more than that, but let’s keep that between you and me.” Adam popped a bit of torn bun into his mouth as he winked. 

Adam walked out to make his way to the Alchemy Store, only to find Nobby outside. “Nobby?” he said, only to realise he hadn’t given the boy the day off. “My bad.”

Currency: 53 -> 52

Adam flicked the coin to the large boy, who barely caught it. “Take the day off, Nobby ol’ boy.”

“Thank you,” the boy said, quickly retreating back home.

The Half Elf trekked through the town, making his way to the Alchemy Store. He found the little shack, basked in the shadow of the nearby buildings. He slipped into it, smelling all manner of putridly earthy smells. The door creaked as it opened, as it had done previously.

Candles dimly lit the room. Bottles of all manner of concoctions were littered around the walls, eyes of certain creatures, stalks of various herbs, and even bits and pieces of people and other things. Things which probably had names, but Adam couldn’t identify them right away.

“What brings a hunky armoured fellow like you into my domains?” came the raspy voice of a woman. 

“Really?” Adam asked. “I’m certain you said the last thing as last time.”

“Oh? We’ve met?” the heavily clothed figure asked, amorphous under her scarves.

“I’m here to buy some herbs and such to make Healing Potions,” Adam said, placing down five Obsidian.

Gems: 19 Obsidian -> 14 Obsidian

“You want such high quality ingredients? I can do that for you, handsome,” she said, scooping the gems before bringing out a small box with her next motion. 

There was a long moment between them before Adam took the box. “Fifty gold’s worth of herbs and such for Healing Potions?” Adam asked to confirm.

“I wouldn’t dare otherwise, not to such a handsome man, especially not one in puthral.” She smiled. 

Adam nodded, before stepping outside, feeling her gaze on him long after he had rounded the corner. He returned back to his room, wishing to make a large number of potions. 

He clasped his hands together, before setting about his work.

Mana: 8 -> 7
Alchemy Check
D20 + 3 = 23 (20)

He brought out the herbs, measuring them out before placing them down into the mortar, where he ground the herbs together. As he slipped the crushed herbs into the water, he expended his Mana into the concoction. As the liquid glowed, creating a swirling vortex within the bottle, he noted just how potent it was. He split the liquid into half, and added in some more of the crushed herbs and water, creating two decent Healing Potions. 

Congratulations!
2 Basic Healing Potions Created.
Heals for 2D3+3 HP.
XP Gained: +100
XP: 2500 -> 2600

“Nice,” he whispered, smiling.

Mana: 7 -> 6
Alchemy
D20 + 3 = 23 (20)

Congratulations!
2 Basic Healing Potions Created.
Heals for 2D3+3 HP.
XP Gained: +100
XP: 2600 -> 2700

Somehow he had managed it again, creating two Healing Potions. “Did I really roll maximum twice?” He glanced around, trying to find the eminent Assassin’s dagger coming for his throat. “Nice.”

Mana: 6 -> 5
Alchemy
D20 + 3 = 10 (7)

Congratulations!
1 Basic Healing Potion Created.
Heals for 2D3+3 HP.
XP Gained: +50
XP: 2700 -> 2750

“Well, I can’t win them all,” Adam whispered to himself, shaking his head, but still smiling.

It was late in the evening when the party gathered together to eat their dinner. 

“Did you rest well?” Adam asked, glancing at Jurot. 

“Yes,” Jurot replied. 

“Good. Yesterday was rough, eh?” Adam asked.

“Yes.”

“Right,” Adam whispered, glancing around quickly. “We should head to my room after dinner, I have something for you.”

Once they had finished their dinner, which had been the same as their breakfast, save for some extra fruit, the party gathered in front of his room. Adam handed over the Healing Potions to each of them, including an additional Minor Healing Potion to Kitool, who didn’t wear heavy armour, nor wielded a shield. 

“Since you’ll be able to move quicker than us soon, I’ll hand this over to you,” Adam said, trying to respect her pride.

Kitool nodded her head slowly.

“You made these all today?” Dunes asked, staring at the potion. He wasn’t sure if most Alchemists could create so many Healing Potions so quickly.

“Yeah, pretty much,” Adam replied, simply.

Dunes blinked.

“You’ll get used to it,” Jaygak said, patting the War Priest’s back.

Omen: 5, 7

“Damn, what’s with these terrible rolls?” Adam grumbled. 

He met with his party after his bath, each of whom were chatting away as they enjoyed their breakfast.

“What’s the plan today?” Dunes asked.

Adam rubbed his chin. “Do you guys want to relax? I don’t mind working today as you guys recuperate another day, but I will need the day off tomorrow to relax.”

“What are you going to do today?” Dunes asked, sure he wasn’t going to make more potions.

“Same thing as yesterday,” Adam replied.

Dunes blinked. “That’s probably a good idea,” he admitted, even if it did make him wonder why Adam was so eager to work so hard.

Currency: 52 -> 49

“Did you have fun yesterday?” Adam asked, paying the Porters.

“Ay,” Jeremy said. “Took my misses out to eat in Silver Spoon.”

“You don’t say,” Remy said. “I took mine out to Weather Spoon.”

The pair nodded their heads together.

“Did you have fun with your old man?” Adam asked Nobby.

“Yes.”

“What did you do?”

“Chores.”

Adam blinked. “Well then, have fun today too, alright?”

Nobby nodded. 

“Back again?” the feminine voice called.

“Thought I may as well stock up while I’m in town,” Adam said, sliding a few more gems her way.

Gems: (14) Obsidian -> (10) Obsidian

He didn’t spend too long with her, quickly slipping away once he had the supplies, ignoring the gaze he felt as he rounded the corner. 

Mana: 8 -> 7
Alchemy Check
D20 + 3 = 18 (15)

Congratulations!
1 Enhanced Healing Potion Created.
Heals for 2D6+4 HP.
XP Gained: +100
XP: 2750 -> 2850

Mana: 7 -> 6
Alchemy Check
D20 + 3 = 10 (7)

Congratulations!
1 Basic Healing Potion Created.
Heals for 2D3+3 HP.
XP Gained: +50
XP: 2850 -> 2900

He had spent a large portion of the day making his potions. “One more,” he said, yawning and stretching, before returning to his work.

Mana: 6 -> 5
Alchemy Check
D20 + 3 = 11 (8)

Congratulations!
1 Basic Healing Potion Created.
Heals for 2D3+3 HP.
XP Gained: +50
XP: 2900 -> 2950

He had made it down late in the evening, where the Iyrmen in his party were speaking with a few other Adventurers. The Adventurers glanced his way, nodding, as Adam sat down beside Jurot, patting his back. 

“We should be heading to sleep,” the Adventurers said, excusing themselves. They had heard he was a Half Elf, which would have been awkward considering the relationship between them at the moment. 

“Tomorrow I’m going to relax all day,” Adam said, yawning. 

“Are you sick?” Jurot asked, though he noted that Adam didn’t look too terrible, other than some signs of tiredness.

“No, no, I just can’t burn myself out.” He yawned. “Actually…” He leaned in. “Is there a place which sells spell scrolls?”

Jurot glanced his way. “Yes,” he said. “If you wish to go, I will take you there.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Adam said, noting how an Iyrman’s presence might assist him. He handed Jurot the Enhanced Healing Potion he had created, patting the Iyrman’s back. “That’s for you.”

Jurot nodded. 

Omen: 10, 19

Currency: 49 -> 46

Adam and Jurot, after Adam paid the Porters, made their way to a shop near the edge of town towards the Noble District. It quite a large shop, made of thick stone, and etched around the perimeter of the building were Runes, full of gold dust. Whether they were real Wards, no one knew, and no one wanted to find out.

Mikael’s Magical Milieu 

“What’s a milieu?” Jurot asked.

“Don’t ask me, my people don’t like the EU.” Adam clamped his mouth shut tight and almost began to sob at his terrible joke. “I’m a fucking riot,” he whispered to himself before stepping into the shop.

He felt something press over him, as though he was wearing another set of plate mail over his body. “Oof,” Adam groaned, feeling the pressure for a moment, before it passed. He looked down to his fingers. “Antimagic?” he asked.

“Yes,” the young woman said. “Just in case.”

“Smart,” Adam said, nodding his head. “You aren’t by chance Mikael, are you?”

“No,” she said. “I’m one of his Apprentices.”

“He has multiple Apprentices?”

She smiled. “My mother was an old friend of his, and he took me in as a favour to her.”

Adam nodded. “Adam, son of Fate. This is Jurot, son of Surot.”

“And I’m going to try and take every gold coin from you,” she said, smirking at him. “Mikaela,” she said.

Adam raised his brow, flashing a cheeky smile. “Just how close were your mother and this wizard?”

“It was a bet they made,” she replied. “She was Petrified by a Basilisk.”

“Oh,” Adam said, his cheeky smile turning into an embarrassed frown. “Well, uh, I’m here to buy some spell scrolls, if you have any.”

“If we have any,” she scoffed. “What are you looking for?”

“Do you have a selection?” he asked.

“Hmmm.” She looked at the Iyrman, noting his tattoo, before at their tags. “Can you afford them?”

“How much is each spell scroll?”

“Tricks are fifty gold, 1st Gate are one hundred, 2nd Gate are two hundred, and 3rd Gate are five hundred.”

Adam nodded his head slowly. “Well, I have about…” Adam squinted his eyes. “Well, let’s say I can buy a 3rd Gate scroll at least.” He smiled.

She blinked. “Well, we have a few items. I can see you’re a heavily armoured man, perhaps a few Smite Spells will be good for you? We have Thunderous Smite and Wrathful Smite. We also have Heroism, if you like, or Bless. If you would like a ranged option we have Chaos Bolt.”

“Do you have Fireball?” Adam asked.

“Do we have Fireball,” she scoffed. “What kind of self respecting Wizard Emporium doesn’t have Fireball?”

“I’ll take the lot,” Adam said, placing down his pouch of Tiger Eye gems. 

“The whole lot?” Mikaela asked, blinking twice. She grabbed an umbrella and pulled the pouch over the counter, waiting for a moment to see if it alerted anything, before she opened up the pouch using the hook of the umbrella. She waved her hand and a spectral hand started to place out the coins. “You must be quite close with the Iyrmen,” she said.

“Of course,” Adam said, nodding his head to Jurot. “He’s my brother.”

“Your brother?” she asked, glancing at the Iyrman, before glancing at the boy. “You should have removed your helmet. If you were an Iyrman, I wouldn’t have been so harsh.”

“Well, I have a skin condition, so…”

“Are you an Iyrman?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Adam looked to Jurot. “No?” he said. “I’m a Nephew of the Iyr.”

She nodded her in understanding. “Usually we wouldn’t sell something like Fireball to just any group, but since you’re being vouched for by an Iyrman…” She dropped the gems somewhere before placing down six spell scrolls in their own cases down onto the counter.

“Thank you,” Adam said, placing the scrolls away. “It was a pleasure doing business with you.”

She nodded. “You too, son of Fate.” She waved as they left, before noting down his appearance and behaviour on a piece of paper, which quickly replicated itself, before she folded it. She’d send it away in the night to the Adventurer’s Guild, which would send out the information to the other Guilds and Magical Shops. 

“Oh, crap,” Adam whispered. “I don’t have any ink…” He glanced to Jurot. “I’ll have to ask the Guild.”

He used part of the Party Fund to pay for it, having forgotten to use it to pay for the herbs for the various Healing Potions. 

“Damn, I’m so poor now…” He frowned, copying the Bless scroll into his spellbook. 

 

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Is it the potion making arc? So soon?

Also, I'm at chapter 113 over on Patreon. I managed to write three chapters today because I received a bunch of new patrons, so shout out to you guys for letting me buy food! Lol!