[center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/C7nwoGY.png[/img] [b][color=ea590c]wordcount:[/color][/b] 7651 (+8 rapport/exp) [b][color=ea590c]Edward Portsmith: Level 6 (16 cells) (1 level up benefit stored) [/color][/b][color=ea590c]/////////////////////[/color]///////////////////////////////////////// (21/60) [b]Location[/b] The Avenger (ft. Ace Cadet) [/center] While Miss Fortune’s words about people having nothing to say about the dead due to them not knowing each other hadn't quite panned out as poorly as it had initially seemed it would, they did still stick in his mind. Enough for him to make a decision regarding an idea he had been dithering on, which resulted in him seeking out a plus one for his premiere visit to the Mysticenter. [color=ea590c]”Ace”[/color] he said, as he caught the Cadet in the corridor outside of the bar, the man having just finished being handed something by Bowser Jr, which turned out to be the spirit of a burrowing monster from his home reality. [color=ea590c]”I was wondering if you’d like to follow up on our previous rain check?”[/color] He enquired, before explaining [color=ea590c]”I’ve found out the details of a facility called the ’Mysticenter’ which would suit my crafting purposes perfectly, if you’d be interested in joining me?”[/color] Normally rain checks weren't called in on the same day, but Ace didn't mind. At least he wouldn't have minded, but the place Edward proposed... It was all in the name, really. Mysticenter. So where normally the hunter would easily agree to some quality crafting time with a new friend, this time he actually had to pause and consider it. He let out an audible [i]hmm[/i], tossing the spirit Junior had given him between his hands. He could use this time to prepare for deployment tomorrow, restocking on spent ammo and coatings, maybe mess around with making a few blade oils. He could do that in any of the mundane workshops on the Avenger. He could also try and get a better hang of that beetle-bow in the range. The option of spending some more quality time with Nadia before they were split up again was there too, an option that very much appealed to Ace. Ultimately though, after just coming out of a memorial service with loss fresh on the mind... preventing more of it seemed like the most important thing at the moment. The short time he'd already spent with Edward rationalizing magic had helped Ace, and if he could cram in more of that, get even just a little more comfortable with it, then if it came down to do or die against the Highlands' Guardian Ace could make damn well sure no one was going to die. He'd better be able to react, and protect everyone, himself included. So he nodded at Edward, somewhat forcing a grin onto his face. [color=salmon]"Sure, that sounds good. We should make sure everyone's geared up before tomorrow."[/color] He held up the spirit of the balahara as well. [color=salmon]"And if we're lucky then we'll get a new bowgun to tinker with too."[/color] Edward smiled back encouragingly, somewhat aware of Ace’s position on magic and hoping that this might be an additional step on becoming comfortable with it. As for the luck, he replied [color=ea590c]”We can hope”[/color] before considering and then adding [color=ea590c]”But when we can also tip the scales in our favor, we should do so”[/color] as he flicked open an armory screen and summoned the symbol of avarice into his hands. The mimic hat was an ugly thing, but, as he’d explain, it did tip the odds of a good outcome in the favor of the spirit crusher. [color=ea590c]”Naturally I can if you do not wish to use it personally. It is a rather unpleasant artifact all things told”[/color] Ace eyed it with suspicion. He actually had pretty decent luck with crushing spirits so far - maybe he had some kind of affinity for it, or something. And he didn't really want to use the crazy looking helm. But, he had already decided to get out of his comfort zone. His grin turned into a grimace. [color=salmon]"I can handle it,"[/color] he said. [i]Probably,[/i] he privately added. [color=salmon]"...but let's do it somewhere else."[/color] He steered the two of them further down the hall, more than happy to let Edward carry the symbol of avarice as they walked. Even if there weren't maps of the ship's interior to check, the both of them had a rough layout of the Avenger. Ace slowed down as they approached the Mysticenter, and finally gestured for the hat outside of it. It was as unpleasant as Edward had warned, to say the least. [center][hider=For Ace]Item obtained: [url=https://i.imgur.com/ReULmoY.png][b]Balahara Alpha[/b]][/url] A set of low-rank armor formed from Balahara scales, shells, and hide, with a durability and texture much like metal, covered in metallic teeth like a giant mining drill. It acts as an alternate costume and will conform to the wearer, but can only be equipped in its entirety, replacing other pieces of armor. It confers Evade Extender lvl3, Hunger Resistance lvl1, and Quick Sheathe lvl1. It takes less damage from water-aspected attacks, but more damage from electric-aspected attacks.[/hider][/center] It wasn't a bowgun, or any type of weapon - instead a whole suit of armor fell into the Cadet's arms, though it was folded over slightly, not at its full mass. The hunter's eyes brightened up at the sight of it, the experience with the mimic hat quickly forgotten as it was passed back to Edward. [color=salmon]"Oh, [i]radalos[/i],"[/color] he said, turning the attached suit over and back. The leather work, the sleek metal plates...! This was good quality! Unfortunately it did seem that each piece would stay attached, the entire thing staying in one piece so he wouldn't be able to mix and match with his own armor, but it was still pretty great. Being in one big piece like this did have its benefits, in the case that someone else could get some use out of it or just quick swapping equipment. [color=ea590c]”It really is interesting how much or how little comes out of a spirit, mass wise. Then again that did seem to be a large creature?”[/color] Edward said, as he set about banishing the hat back to the armory while Ace looked over the armor. It certainly seemed good quality to him as well. [color=ea590c]”Is it an upgrade?”[/color] Edward enquired, as they proceeded to make their way into the Mysticenter. [color=salmon]"I dunno,"[/color] the hunter replied honestly. [color=salmon]"It looks like Guild-made armor so it'll be sturdy for sure, but without having fought that monster myself I have no idea what kind of resistances it has or what skills could be built into it."[/color] He did look eager to test it and find out though. Ace went to stuff the armor into his square pack. He wouldn't mind sharing but he did want first crack at trying it out, so in there it went. He looked back up at Edward as he did. [color=salmon]"Junior was saying something about me maybe being familiar with it. It looked like a leviathan, but not one I've seen before. Back in Hammerhead Little Miss-- er, [i]Gemma[/i] mentioned they'd sent an expedition party into some forbidden lands back in my world, so it might be from that area."[/color] He was really curious about it. As soon as he got back home and the Fifth Fleet's own expedition into the Hoarfrost Reach was completed, he was going to request to travel there too. But that was something to consider in the future; there were much more pressing matters to think about. Ace waved his hand in front of his face once, like motioning away those thoughts. [color=salmon]"I'll figure it out later."[/color] Edward nodded in understanding, and then as his head came up he beheld that [color=ea590c]”ah, it looks like we’ve arrived”[/color] Tucked away in the guts of the sophisticated, futuristic, and highly technological airship lay a small oasis of fantastical magics, the air itself glutted with arcane energies. Magic came in many forms, after all, and this one room had to house all of it. Petitions had been raised in the past from certain Lost Numbers to expand the Mysticenter into an adjacent chamber or two, but magic and technology didn’t always get along. While the Mysticenter was far enough removed from vital pieces of Avenger infrastructure like the engine room, the potential for interference with the ship’s systems was simply too great. That all meant that the place projected a rather thick magical aura. If Ace managed to push through it and get inside, he’d find the reason for the anomaly quite place: the place was quite cluttered. Along one wall stood a row of elemental spellcraft altars crammed next to one another. One corner featured bookshelves arranged around a magic enchanting table, with barely any room between the volumes and the arcane workbench itself. A mystic pedestal nearby was home to a scrying pool the size of a bird bath, and against the wall behind it stood a heavy desk with shelves full of potions and jars of magical reagents. Right now, the potion master seemed to be the only other person here: a large, stocky, green-skinned ogre in simple attire, intimidating at first glance until one happened to catch sight of the little spectacles perched upon his broad nose. There were plenty of other stations, knickknacks, and storage shelves, but there was some open space at least, mostly in one of the corners. It wouldn’t be hard for an onlooker to imagine that any sort of magical mishap in here might spark a chain reaction strong enough to knock the Avenger itself out of the sky; clearly, this place was for professionals only. Fortunately, Edward was one such professional, with academic training to his name and everything (not that his diploma had survived years of war). Unfortunately, he intended to add to the clutter. [hider=Edward Level Up] Arcane Item Forger: Edward gains proficiency in crafting/breaking down magical artefacts of various stripes, as well as the renaissance and earlier levels of equipment for the purpose of making enchanted artefacts in their stripes. This also allows the creation of an Arcane Item Forge, a facility dedicated to breaking down magical artifacts into ‘Binding Essence’ and ‘Binding Fragments’ which can then be used to forge new magic items. Items are split into 5 tiers though only ones up to level 4 are craftable. Those below tier 3 require only Essence, while those at or above that level require Binding Fragments, which can only be gained from other tier 3 and above items. Naturally there are losses in breaking down the items, with a tier of items producing only 50% of the resources needed to hypothetically forge it. Each tier is also worth twice as much as the tier below it. So it would take 4 tier 1 items to make one tier 2 item. Meanwhile a tier 5 item could be used to make 2 tier 4 items. A (non craftable) tier 5 item would be a flaming sword that can apply 5 different basic status effects at once. A tier 4 item could be a wand which allows a one use per battle chance to dominate a foe for the duration of that battle, a tier 3 armor one that provides 20% damage reduction against both magic and physical attacks, a tier 2 a set of boots that lets the wearer move 30% faster, and a tier 1 hood would give 20% increased ranged accuracy. An oversized list of more examples can be found here: https://minionsart.github.io/aow4db/HTML/HeroEquipment.html [/hider] And as for Ace, well, he was the exact opposite. Just the feeling emanating from the room was enough to set him on edge. He felt the unfortunately familiar skin crawling feeling, which only got worse when he stepped through the doorway, and it didn't take long at all for beads of sweat to form on his brow. He stood near the exit, a stilted nod of greeting towards the ogre his only movement. After marveling for a moment, Edward glanced back at Ace, noted his condition, and endeavored to do at least something about it. Well. And serve his own purposes. It was, after all, his opinion that the best way to counter fear was knowledge. [color=ea590c]”Good afternoon”[/color] he said the ogre with perfect cordiality, not put off by the potion master’s form for a moment. The Dreadnaught was rather familiar with Ogres, as it happened, having both allied with and fought against the giant-kin on numerous occasions. As such, he was well aware that their base appearance could be deceptive, and, indeed, that it was entirely possible for the sageness of their world-forging ancestors to shine beneath their heavy brows. Not too often, admittedly, but if nothing else it was simply courteous to treat people as people. [color=ea590c]”I am Edward Portsmith, and this is Ace. We were hoping to learn about and make use of the facilities here. I don’t suppose you would be able to help educate us on the wide manner of workstations you have here?”[/color] The ogre paused in his work and turned around, giving the strangers a polite nod of the head. “Hello. I am Gronk.” He had a deep, gravelly voice, and his manner of speech was slow but deliberate, without any trace of hostility or broken English. “Lots of stuff in here. I just do potions. But I can try.” He seemed very perplexed by the forge Edward set up since his back was turned, having never seen anything like that before. After a moment, though, he pointed out the Mysticenter’s amenities one by one. “Potion table, mostly mine. Mona’s scrying pool. Enchanting table, also used for alchemy. Altars for making spells and spell ammo.” He then pointed out a couple features of the room that might not be immediately obvious for the uninitiated. “Magic plants. Watch your heads” He indicated a number of flowerpots hanging from the ceiling around the room, low enough that folks as big as Gronk would need to be careful not to hit one. Gronk pointed toward a half-cute, half-ghoulish [url=https://i.imgur.com/8Qzwvmm.png]clay figure[/url] sitting in an alcove where one might expect to find a fire extinguisher. “Pot boy. A fire source, good for heating cauldrons. He likes coal.” Unfortunately Gronk could not demonstrate since he’d already treated Potboy to all the coal he brought with him. Beneath Potboy was a hefty-looking [url=https://i.imgur.com/32wc4u3.png]arcane device[/url]. “The crucible, for reducing things to arcana.” Finally, he indicated a blackboard near the door with a rack of different chalks and wands next to it. “That’s for rituals and pictos. Pictos are like magic tattoos. Still in research stage though.” [color=ea590c]”Fascinating. Thank you”[/color] Edward said, having tapped away at the armory without even really looking at it while this explanation had been given, and in doing so summoned a straight up anvil into the room, which he’d ‘borrowed’ from one of the conventional workshops. Given how old tech it was, it probably wouldn't be missed. [color=ea590c]”This is, or will be, an arcane item forge. With it I will be able to break down magical items into binding fragments/shards, which can then be used to fuel the creation of new magical items. It is an inefficient process, but it allows for the conversion of excess, or ill fitting, matical times, to be reused in the creation of something more suitable for our specific set of heroes”[/color] he explained, as he retired several halos [url=https://i.imgur.com/Yqug7Fe.png]halos[/url] from a pouch and placed them on top of a nearby workspace. He then turned to Pot boy and said [color=ea590c]”Now then I am in need of a, well, a forge. I am afraid I do not have any coal, but would this be to your tastes?”[/color] before summoning an entire barrel of liquid morkite from the armory. The little guy flared to life and stared down at the barrel of alien fuel in awe. “Huhuhuhuhuhu!” He rubbed his little clay hands together as he prepared to dive right in. Gronk’s eyebrows shot up as his jaw dropped. He’d learned a lot of lessons throughout his life, most of them the hard way, and what happened when one exposed flame to flammable liquid didn’t need reinforcement. “Wait! Don’t-!” Potboy leaped toward the barrel of morkite. Edward tried to drag the barral away, but, well, oil was heavy. Which left Ace the only one in a position to stop the imminent explosion that even he could see coming. He had just been letting Edward and Gronk talk, passively absorbing the information while attempting to keep his composure when surrounded by all of the mystical artifacts and ingredients, up until the little clay figure leapt out. Fear and uncertainty had never stopped the Ace Cadet from acting before -normally it was the opposite- so he lurched forward to intercept. The hunter caught Potboy out of the air, swinging the little guy away from the barrel while holding him at arm's length. [color=salmon]"Probably shouldn't be fueling around in here,"[/color] he joked lightly. [color=ea590c]”I, ah, yes”[/color] Edward replied, before asking/asking [color=ea590c]”I suppose that is what I get for placing an entire barrel of treacle in front of a child?”[/color] as he dragged the offending container away from the potboy. [color=ea590c]”Would he have survived that?”[/color] That hadn’t been what Gronk was worried about. “Him? Probably.” The ogre wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. “Us? The Avenger? Probably not.” With all of the magical energies and items stuffed into the Mysticenter, there was no telling what kind of arcane chain reactions a point-blank explosion could kickstart. After settling down, Gronk picked up a ladle from beside his potions cauldron and scooped out a draught of liquid morkite from the barrel. Carefully he tipped it into Potboy’s mouth, who squirmed with delight as he licked his dry lips with a tongue of clay. His flame flared up, and he jumped around in excitement, ready for action. Gronk nodded and stepped back, bumping Mona’s scrying pedestal in the process. “Good to go.” Ace shuffled backward a little, giving Edward plenty of space to set up his station. It really took all of his willpower not to excuse himself after the close call and leave the room as quickly as he could. The mana thickly permeating the air in the room made him feel anxious, restless, and uncomfortable, but he knew he needed this. There probably wouldn't be a better time to just immerse himself in his kind of low stakes (well, normally, assuming the pot boy behaved), magic rich environment to try and get used to it. [color=salmon]"A forge, an anvil... how close to actual blacksmithing is your process?"[/color] Ace asked Edward after a moment, partway between Gronk and the door. He was working on stamping down his nervousness, and though slow going it was enough that his curiosity could come through. [color=ea590c]”Both more and not as much as you think”[/color] Edward replied as he picked up a halo in a pair of tongs and began to heat it over pot boy’s fire. As he did this, he unclipped the tome of pyromancy from his hip, which floated up into the air above the fire and unfurled its pages. Spell circles formed between the source of the fire and the book of flames, and then the fire leapt up into one set of pages, and then out of the other set to stream back down to the source, causing a swirling vortex of flames who’s heat was contained by the magic. Within, the halo glowed first red and then white with heat, which was the point at which the man was satisfied. He detached the tome of enchantment now in turn, which hovered over the anvil surrounding it in more spell circles, at which point Edward transferred the halo to it and began hammering it not into shape, but into the anvil itself. As the tome of chanting contained the sparks flying off of it, the magical metal of the halo not so much warped into a new shape as atomising as it was expended in the process of crafting the new crafting station. Then he did this again, and again, and again, till the anvil and hammer both where aglow with a [url=https://i.imgur.com/RdyT7d4.png]white-gold light[/url], as if permanently superheated and yet at the same time being almost unnaturally cold to the touch. [color=ea590c]”And there you have it, one arcane item forge”[/color] the man declared with winded words, stepping back and wiping his brow as the tomes of magic returned to their spots on his belt. It looked like it hadn't taken much at all to set up, but Ace figured it was only deceptively simple. And now that the arcane forge was ready, he did want to see how it functioned. At a distance. [color=salmon]"Heat to say it, but it is kind of groovios,"[/color] he said. The glow it gave off gave it an epic look that even the hunter couldn't deny. [color=salmon]"Are you planning on making a totally new bowgun instead of repairing the magelock?"[/color] [color=ea590c]”Indeed. I will be extracting the essence from it and the musket, with which I should be able to make a slightly improved replacement. With a few more, something even better”[/color] he said, before explaining [color=ea590c]”However, I am also able to create many, many more kinds of items than just rifles. Swords. Crossbows. Helmets. Magic rings. Wands. Empowering Trinkets. All these and more. I could even try my hand at enchanting a non-magical item to improve it further, though odds are technology and magic will not mix to well”[/color] [color=ea590c]”If you are interested, I could make something for you. Something that you know exactly what it does, and how it was made”[/color] he offered, hoping that this might be a helpful step towards alleviating the other man’s fear of helpful magic. Ace's eyebrows shot up in surprise. It was a generous offer considering that items needed to be sacrificed in order to make the new ones. He easily caught on to Edward's thought process though, and... would having something like that help him? He had worn the mysterious accessories melded by wyverians plenty of times, and logically he'd know more about whatever Edward made except for the crucial [i]magic[/i] parts. The Cadet already had a small bit of magic lodged inside him thanks to Aphrodite, but since it had been there before he'd developed his aversion it was easier to live with, even if it did still make him uncomfortable and he hadn't used it since. A piece of equipment that he could take off at any time if his feelings got too strong would definitely be better than suddenly being drenched in an ally's spell, the same way knowing that he could just exit the Mysticenter made it easier to be inside it. [color=salmon]"That's- really kind of you,"[/color] Ace said, rubbing at the back of his neck. [color=salmon]"Carrying something like that around probably would help me feel less spell-shocked in the field. Maybe... something small, like a charm?"[/color] He blinked then, making sure to add, [color=salmon]"I am kinda broke, though. No cents in making it unless you'd take an IOU or a trade."[/color] [color=ea590c]"A charm I can certainly manage. As for payment, an IOU would be fine, but hands on help with the magelock construction would also be a boon. I have a candidate for gutting that having someone with more hands on experience with more advanced weapons take a look at would be a great help"[/color] Edward replied, before summoning the [url=https://i.imgur.com/YwIqRmU.png]MGR-M1 Bishop[/url] from the armory, and offered it to Ace. [color=ea590c]"I have no idea how they strange coils within are meant to function, but if removed it would leave plenty of space for placing the magical mechanisms in their place"[/color] When Ace took the weapon, he was confused at first. It was more advanced than what the Cadet was really used to, including his experience with the Breechshot he'd taken to using, but... just from the look of it he could tell the weapon was a little odd, probably even in the world it came from. The gun was long but its barrel was comparatively short, and to compensate the scope seemed shorter too, yet pushed farther forward than he would expect on a weapon meant for very long range. Was it meant to pack the power of a sniping rifle at a closer distance? Then why did the action look like it was made for more rapid fire? And what [i]were[/i] the coils for? [color=salmon]"I'll definitely help out if I can. Last time went well, so this is just... like a rank up,"[/color] he said, mostly trying to convince himself. He still moved a little stiffly given where they were, but handling the distinctly non-magical gun was loosening him up some. He quickly found the magazine release, and after ensuring there was no ammunition in it or the chamber, he popped it back in, flicked the safety off, glanced a little nervously around the room, and once more took a few steps away to make sure he wasn't too close to... anything. Then, he simply dry-fired the gun. With no ammo there shouldn't have been any combustion, and thankfully there wasn't. What did happen though was that the coils wrapped around the barrel emitted a very specific noise: the sound of electricity. It was one that the Cadet was very familiar with, whether conjured up by monsters or manifested from weaponry. He stared at the coils for a moment, trying to piece together their function. They had to electrify the barrel, but why? He ran his hand over the barrel, and when he felt the metallic parts of his glove lag ever so slightly it all clicked into place. His eyes lit up. [color=salmon]"I think I fulgur'd it out. If I'm right, it's pretty rado-cool,"[/color] he told Edward, glancing up at the other man with a real smile this time. [color=salmon]"Do you know what a Magnet Spike is? I don't know if they have them in other worlds, they're already kind of rare in mine. They're these huge weapons that use magnetism to offset the weapon's weight. The hunters that get really good at using them can move around [i]really[/i] fast. “I'm thinking these coils do the same kind of thing. They must pull the bullets through the barrel and speed them up at the same time."[/color] [color=ea590c]"Now that, that, is fascinating."[/color] Edward replied, having immediately started making notes when Ace had said he’d figured it out. He then went on [color=ea590c]"I hadn’t heard of a magnet spike, no. Magnetism yes, but only really for compases and the like. That it has uses with weight management could lead to all sorts of developments… and of course weaponry"[/color] [color=ea590c]"It almost seems like a shame to dismantle those parts now. Hmmm. Perhaps if I modify the round generation so that the projectile can be influenced by magnetism… and I heard the sound of low level lightning magic so maybe if we"[/color] he began to say, scribbling design notes, before stopping himself. [color=ea590c]"Ah, my apologies. I offered to make you something, let’s stick to that first. I believe I have acquired enough magical items which can be broken down to satisfy both our needs"[/color] he informed Ace, gesturing to a small pile of items all of which seemed magical in nature which where: his broken magelock, the dismantled Charr Pirate Musket, the machet and pistol combo weapon, the Illumina Baton, the wand dagon, and finally the Berserker's Barrage. [color=ea590c]"All that remains is to work out what sort of trinket you might find useful. I have a few suggestions: A charm that will increase your on foot speed by about 20%, or another that will speed everyone with your way through forests, snow and caves. I could also make a ring that produces an anti projectile barrier of wind around you, or another that will make you hard to spot at long distances and let you slip through walls. Finally, I could make a wand that will create a simulacra of a beast native to the local train for 30 seconds, or that will let you breath flames once during a battle"[/color] [color=ea590c]"A ring that grants great resistance to fire, cold, lighting, spirit, or blight damage is also an option, or a lesser resistance to three of those is also an option"[/color] Edward added as an addendum. If Ace wasn't holding the Bishop he probably would have raised his hands to signal Edward to slow down. [color=salmon]"Let's not get Kut-kurazy now..."[/color] There was absolutely no way he wanted something that would make him breathe fire or walk through walls. Sure, conceptually it was kind of interesting, but he could just imagine the kind of powerful spell needed for something like that, and he didn't like the thought of magic altering his body more than what he was already stuck with. That was easy enough to read on his face, as the hunter paled slightly. He was a little tempted by the wind barrier though, even though he figured it would be magically produced wind surrounding him. He'd be like a mini Kushala Daora. [color=salmon]"Something easy like a resistance charm would be fine,"[/color] he said eventually. It was also something he was already familiar with from his own world, just made with the element producing organs of monsters rather than a mystical force. Not to mention it would be handy in a lot of situations. [color=salmon]"Maybe as a bracelet though."[/color] It would be easier to remove in a hurry. [color=ea590c]"Rings are better for resistances unfortunately. Hmmm. But perhaps…"[/color] Edward said, before opening and flicking through his journal till he came across a sketch of a rather [url=https://i.imgur.com/uxkFkux.png]sinsiter[/url] looking charm. [color=ea590c]"The Halo of Nekron"[/color] he called, it, before explaining that [color=ea590c]"it is an amulet that can, every 10 seconds, create a short ranged pulse that steal the strength of foes around you and grants it to yourself instead"[/color] [color=ea590c]"Not exactly simple, I admit, but it's the best all around defence I can grant without crafting armor instead"[/color] Ace weighed the pros and cons of the offer. On paper (literally in this case) it sounded very beneficial, and Edward was right that it would work well for general defense. For offense too, if it powered the wearer up. And as an amulet, removing it in a pinch would be as simple as yanking it off. However, it also looked pretty... evil. A just heart shouldn't go around wearing something like that, but maybe the menacing appearance was just superficial? Edward wouldn't be giving him something that was actually cursed, right? There was also the way he described the effect. A pulse that would sap strength away from opponents and grant it to the wearer. Ace had endured the spells of allies washing over him plenty of times before, and every time it felt bad. He wasn't thrilled about the prospect of that happening so often, but on the other hand since he would be traveling with several magic users in the Highlands then the quicker he got over it the better, and being somewhat in control of when it happened with the amulet would probably help. The Cadet shifted the gun to prop it against his shoulder, a freed hand coming up to rub at his face as he thought it through. Then, he suddenly went rigidly still as something he hadn't considered about the Highlands expedition before occurred to him. Edward, Geralt, Blazermate, Sectonia, Sandalphon, Roxas, Ganondorf... and him, the Ace Cadet. Was he really the only one out of the entire group that wasn't a magic user of some kind? Ace cursed under his breath. Should he switch destinations? No, really wanted to see the events they'd started in the Frozen Highlands through - and he was still sort of lousy as a duelist against other people besides. His choice was the right one, but man... he would really be throwing himself right into the deep end. No mundane comrades to station himself alongside when fights inevitably broke out. [color=salmon]"This giggisux..."[/color] he murmured to himself. Getting used to all the magic as soon as possible was now even more of a priority. Ace finally dropped his hand from his face, and though he seemed even more deeply uncomfortable than just minutes before when he met Edward's eyes again there was determination buried in his expression, only just visible beneath what was probably nausea. [color=salmon]"It's gonna be one hell of a hex-perience but, okay,"[/color] he said, agreeing with the dreadnought's suggestion. [color=salmon]"Thanks. And if it doesn't work out, at least someone else is sure to get use out of it, right?"[/color] Whether it did or not, the hunter was planning to keep his end of the bargain regardless and help Edward build the most radalos bowgun possible. [color=ea590c]"Then let us begin. First things, first: destruction, and only then, creation"[/color] Edward declared, before setting to work dismantling the magical gear, It was a process that mostly mirrored the creation of the forge, only instead of beating the magic into the anvil itself, he functionally beat it out of the objects. It also involved far more precise strikes, the Dreadnaught delivering swift blows to the points in the artifact where the magic was most concentrated, causing shimmering dust like binding essence or shard like building fragments to burst forth, only for spell circles to catch the essence and consolidating it into packets of power. Specifically, he started with the Berserker's Barrage, which resulted in a veritable bounty of shards and essence, as well as leaving them with an entirely mundane axe. One which hosted a veritable bounty of valuable metal for forging with. [color=ea590c]"Such a shame that it seemed to have apparently languished unused since it was acquired, at least according to the armory mistress, but at least it will now serve a perouse in covering the costs of both our major projects"[/color] He explained, before setting to work on just that. He extracted the red gems from the now magicless axe, salvaged dark steel from its blade, and from this forge an arrowhead shaped [url=https://i.imgur.com/avTgv1D.png]amulet[/url] for Ace. Unassuming in nature, for it had yet to have power poured into it. That step came next, the essence swirling around Edward as he channeled the magic, the item rising up into air as 7 [url=https://i.imgur.com/CYwwhBW.png]slots[/url] formed around it. Edward pointed to a single one of these magic circles forming around his hand, causing a storm of essence and a flurry of shards to shoot into that one singular slot as he chanted [color=ea590c]"Strength from the unworthy, power to the bold! The master of his own destiny stands alone, surrounded by foes, and yet even in the face of this adversity they stand strong, while their foes who shall wither and weaken in the shadow of their divinity!"[/color] Power flowed and pulsed, till the essence had all been crammed into that singular infusion of power, at which point all of the slots shrunk towards and then into the amulet. A slight redundancy given only one held power, but still, the system worked, and the magical power was infused into the artifact, which floated for a moment before slowly sinking down onto the anvil. Ace watched for a while, but by the time the magic circles expanded and levitated the amulet he had to avert his eyes. Getting used to all of this was easier said than done, and he was already fighting the impulse to get as far away as possible just being in the room. Instead he turned his mind towards a more mundane task, not only hoping the distraction would help but also just to get it done while the dreadnought worked. He moved over to a (relatively plain) looking table after throwing a look Gronk’s way to make sure it was alright, rooted around in his bag for some of the tools he'd borrowed earlier in the day, and went about dismantling the weapon that Edward planned to use for the base of his new gun. Taking things apart was always way easier than putting them back together, but he kept a mental note of which bits went where. Once it was in pieces he could more easily see how the coils actually worked and where they drew their power from, even if the actual science was a little outside of his scope. He gutted the modern firing mechanism, and after a moment of consideration set the coil's power mechanism aside too. If Edward wanted to leave the coils themselves in, maybe it would be better to power them with some kind of magic too? Otherwise he had no idea if the electricity would interfere with the conjured ammo, or vice versa. Which left the new power source. The pieces of the broken magelock were already there, it wasn't inconceivable to just see if and how the crystal could fit into the new base. Ace glanced over at it, understandably hesitant. He reached over and took the fixture that was intended to hold the magic gem in place instead, figuring he could get everything else set up and leave the actual spell work to Edward. [color=ea590c]"And there you have it"[/color] Edward declared, as he picked up the amulet by its chain and presented it to Ace. Within its gem, rather than a human skull, there hovered the vision of a wyvern skull, dark red mist swirling around it, its jaws open and moving ever so slightly, expressing a feral hunger. [color=ea590c]"Form is somewhat less important than what is inside, so I customized it to be a little less macabre. As much as I could anyway. Nekron was not, as you might imagine, the most pleasant individual"[/color] He explained with more than a little contempt for the described man, before more evenly saying [color=ea590c]"Still, it is entirely functional, and the only danger in this item represents is over committing to it. Becoming entirely surrounded might be the fastest way to power, but don’t let that get in the way of sound strategy"[/color] [hider=for Ace] [url=https://i.imgur.com/avTgv1D.png]The Halo of Nekron (Tier IV amulet)[/url]: Within the gem of this amulet lurks a ruby hued aparision of a [url=https://i.imgur.com/gZvbAC6.jpeg]bone wyvern[/url]. Once every ten seconds, during combat, at the start of its wearers “turn” the amulet can release the wyvern that swoops around the wearer, sapping strength foes in melee range and then returning it to the user. Mechanically this means it has a 60% chance (magic/status effect resistance reducing) to apply a weakness debuff (lasts 30 seconds, reduces damage output by 10%, and can stack up to 5 times) and for each foe it successfully weakens in this way, it grants a buff of strengthened (lasts 30 seconds, increases damage output by 10%, and can stack up to 5 times) to the wearer.[/hider] Ace carefully took the new accessory by said chain, watching the charm as it spun slightly while dangling. It definitely looked a lot more appealing than the original drawing, the hunter would give him that. As far as magic items went, seeing the entire creation process from start to finish did lessen the mystery and made it less off-putting than all others so far. Even so, Ace didn't hold it for long after dropping the amulet's face into his palm and getting a closer look. He tucked it away into his bag, to be worn later. Tomorrow. He felt like he was still covered in goosebumps and didn't want to press his luck by wearing it right now. [color=salmon]"Nice work,"[/color] he said. The craftsmanship looked good, though he'd just have to trust the man when it came to the magic part. Speaking of, he turned to grab the scout rifle he'd been working on from the table and held it out to Edward by the barrel, the only pieces missing from it now being the ones Ace didn't care to touch. [color=salmon]"And I think, after your inspection, you could probably fit this thing with your own firing mechanism and end up with a really groovios gun."[/color] [color=ea590c]"Much appreciated"[/color] the Dreadnought replied as he took it by the stock and then flipped it over to hold by both palms as he inspected Ace’s craftsmanship [color=ea590c]"Hmm. Yes. I see"[/color] he said to himself, before telling Ace that he’d done [color=ea590c]"Excellent work"[/color] and that [color=ea590c]"You really do have quite the knack for adapting, don’t you"[/color] as he set the rifle down on the forge’s anvil. [color=salmon]"So I've been told,"[/color] the Cadet said. Ever since he was young. Edward performed a few minor adjustments to add the basis for the magic, mainly by inserting and modifying the core of the magelock rifle, tinkering such that the magic circles that it produced alongside the inside of the barrel interleaved with the coils in the gun. Then he stepped back, and went to work. [color=ea590c]"Fire and lighting, energy unbound, strike my foes with thunderous sound. Leap fourth and leave nothing but ash!"[/color] he chanted, filling the large slot on the left of the forge’s interface, before filling three of the slots below. Two fifths of the power he was invested streamed into the first as he said [color=ea590c]"Lighting linger, fire burn, ignite the land and set a storm in the soil!"[/color] before the other two were filled with [color=ea590c]"Strip their resistance, let them feel magic’s sting, and its lingering bite"[/color] and [color=ea590c]"Shock them, sting them, leave them convulsing before your sorcerous might"[/color] resulting in a gun who’s barreled softly smoked and who’s internals cracked with electricity. [hider=for Edward] [url=https://i.imgur.com/YwIqRmU.png]Electrifiying, Resistance Stripping, Electopyre Igniting, Magelock Gause Sniper Rifle of Archfire (aka the Smiting Bishop):[/url] A MGR-M1 Bishop with its unique penetrating ammo system removed and replaced with the magical components of a Maglock, causing smoke to trickle from its barral, and electricity to permanently crackle within it. The coils of the railgun remain however, and are incorporated into the new firing system, interwoven with hovering spell circles. The scope, rifling, and railgun system give the weapon increased range over a conventional magelock. The gun fires high powered rounds that do an even mix of fire, electric, and physical damage, which ignores 50% of an enemy’s armor/resistances. These rounds, upon impacting with a target, release a shower of sparks that then ignite the ground beneath them, producing an electrical napalm like effect over a two meter diameter area. This effect persists for 30 seconds, and inflicts burning and electrified (fire/electric damage over time effects that last 30 seconds and stack up to 5 times) onto targets that pass through or stand still on the effect (a unit standing on it will then receive an extra pair of stacks every 10 seconds). The ignition takes a moment, giving the shot target a chance to move out of the effect before they count as standing in it. The rifle also has a 90% chance to apply electrified on hit, and another 90% chance to inflict sundered resistance (reduces magic and status resistance by 10%, lasts 30 seconds, stacks 5 times). The weapon has infinite ammo and automatic reloading, but does take 10 seconds between shots. It is also fairly inaccurate if hip fired at anything but close range. Stabilizing runes need to be activated, anchoring the weapon in place for a few moments, in order to deliver a properly accurate shot over long range. [/hider] [color=ea590c]"There, I think that will do nicely"[/color] Edward declared, as he lifted up the warm to the touch weapon, before saying that [color=ea590c]"I can’t wait to test fire it"[/color] and then adding after a moment [color=ea590c]"outside"[/color] because it was, after all, a fire hazard if used indoors. Even with his nerves starting to really fray, Ace chuckled. He was hoping to see the results too, at a distance of course, but they'd probably get a chance soon enough after touching down in the Highlands tomorrow. [color=salmon]"By the way... are all those words necessary? Some kind of in-vocab-ation?"[/color] [color=ea590c]"Yes it-"[/color] Edward began, before giving a chuckle at the pun that he had taken just a moment to process, before going on [color=ea590c]"Magic is an act of will, of telling the world that this is how things so it better start acting like it. Much of the fine complexities of that are performed with mind and pre-prepared instructions done in complex notation, but the ‘drama’ as it where, of the vocal incantation really, well, hammers everything home, so to speak"[/color] [color=ea590c]"Gestures and such are fine for temporary magic, but if you want something to stick, then you have to nail it to reality as hard as possible. Hence the rather blunt instrument of the spoken word"[/color] Somehow that actually made a lot of sense following the explanation that casting of a spell was like rewriting reality. Though to be fair, just because it made sense didn't make it any less unappealing. The magic itself at least - the words themselves tickled some unique parts added to his personality. With a whole crafting station newly added to the Mysticenter and two projects served to break it in, the night seemed like a success. The Cadet couldn't honestly say he felt [i]good[/i] at the moment, but maybe a little accomplished. And eager to say they'd done it and leave the Mysticenter behind. [color=salmon]"Anything else we need to tackle?"[/color] he asked. He technically did, they had in the end only broken down one of the magical items after all, but sensing the Cadet’s mood he replied [color=ea590c]"Nothing that can’t wait till later. I need to mull over what to use the rest of the materials for anyhow"[/color] That worked for the monster hunter. He clapped his hand on Edward's back a few times. [color=salmon]"Well alright then. Thanks a lot Edward, I mean it."[/color] [color=ea590c]"No problem at all"[/color] the man replied, feathers ruffling as he re-settled his wings. Slow and steady progress was progress all the same, and Ace hoped his appreciation showed through. That said, he was quick to make for the door - throwing a nod and a short wave as he passed Gronk's potion station. Was the process of brewing a magic potion as dramatic as forging a magic trinket? Maybe he'd find out eventually.