4th of Glade, 121 AS
Location: Lyra's Hidden Lab
"You already got your shipment of Abjinurium." the Ork said with a sigh, looking up from her desk and the pile of ledgers and notes that were strewn across it, "That should have been enough to last for the rest of Glade. Why do you need more?"
Tilting her head Lyra smiled, glancing to the side where Vex was examining a wall of metallic tools, under close scrutiny of the Half Mortallen Lucious, "The stock you provided was for testing, child. I need a stone of much higher quality for the final product."
Mari rubbed the bridge of her nose. She and her team had been set the task of 'working with' the Lady Lyra near the middle of Frost. In that span of half a season the Ork had seen 3 flux rods shattered, 6 abominations raised and put down, an odd crystal growth that acted like a fungus instead of a dragonshard, and gods knew how many countless wasted materials. All of this and more this woman, this creature claimed was essential. In the name of 'my oath to the frozen queen'. Which to the Ork amounted to mere extravagance in the name of experimentation for curiosity's sake.
"You've already run through the budget for this fortnight." She began slowly, picking up a piece of paper and scanning the numbers, "In fact, you've somehow managed to spend nearly a seasons worth of gold in the span of a few weeks. So tell me again, what is this for?"
Lyra's smile widened, the look in the woman's eyes making Mari shiver slightly. It was easy to forget sometimes that she was talking to a corpse, and when she did it brought back a sense of unsettling dread. Though she did not realize it, Lyra at that moment was singing a soft song of unease into the Ork's mind, enjoying the slight tremble in the orchestra of the other woman's mind.
"It is for my 'special' project." She turned and both she and Mari looked to the corner where that man sat cross-legged on the ground.
Mari frowned, glancing between the man, Odison as he was called, and Lyra. He was a real oddity. Lyra had brought him to the lab unexpectedly, canceled all her previous projects that occupied that space and stuck the man there without so much as an explanation. He wasn't the social sort either, and so Mari and the rest of the lab simply left him be. They had, however, noticed his little 'issue'. Spontaneously emitting black, caustic smoke which was barely contained in the barrier.
"Alright, fine." she said at last, tearing her eyes away and pulling out a ledger and a pen, "What do you need?"
"Infused ink, of the highest quality. Blood, fresh if possible from the creatures of the Warrens. Abjinurium, of the highest quality you may obtain of course, as well as Pesticyte." at the Ork's raised eyebrow Lyra shrugged, "Lyrethillium will work as well, though that will mean the device will require routine upkeep."
"The device?"
Lyra nodded, motioning for paper and pen which Mari handed over. On it Lyra sketched out a circular outline, adding a bit of dimensionality to it until the form of a collar took shape. At its front was a rounded oval shape, with a series of smaller circles around its circumference embedded in the leather, or whatever the material the color would be made of.
"It will be worn around the neck." Lyra explained as she drew, pointing at the largest oval at the clasp, "The Abjinurium will be the centerpiece, connected to a schema placed on the man's skin. The smaller circles will be either pesticyte or Lyrethilium beads. The dragonshard is preferred, but Lyrethilium will suffice as it is similar in structure. The corrosive effects of the man's magic will be drawn through the Abjinurium, its frequency disrupted before being fed through the beads which will absorb and disperse the weakened magic."
"It wont last for long." Mari observed, pointing to the beads, "That much magic passed through these points will eventually make them degrade despite their natural resistant properties, or perhaps because of Lyrethilium's natural properties."
"The beads would have to be replaced periodically." Lyra acknowledged with a nod, "But it will suffice until a better solution is found."
"What of the collar itself? What will it be made of?"
"Flesh of a Gravebound." Lyra said simply, scratching a few notes in the margin, "Have a hunting expedition prepared and bring back the full corpse. The blood can be drained and used in this and other projects as well, and I am certain Lucious can find a use for the bones."
"I'll go." The large man's deep voice made both Lyra and Mari look up to where Lucious stood, hand on hip as he scratched his chin, "I need more materials for another commission anyway."
"If you are going, can you collect a few of the black-cap mushrooms that grow near the Pillars?" Annabell looked up from her bubbling pop of soupy grey liquid, a smile on her wizened face, "I've already run out."
"Sure." Lucious grunted.
Lyra felt herself smile fondly at the simple interactions, a sense of nostalgia surfacing from somewhere deep before Mari brought her attention back to the present.
"The flesh will need to be tanned and cut into strips, and the beads will take some time to prepare." The Ork said, once more looking at the drawing, "Still, there is the issue of the collar itself eroding. That needs to be protected somehow."
"You can boil the skin in a mixture of bitterweed and widow's bark sap overnight." The older woman offered, now magically appearing at the table where Lyra and Mari were conspiring, "That will make it tougher, and makes the leather resistant from decay or corroding effects."
"Magical as well?" Mari asked with a raised eyebrow.
"In part, but it would be more effective if you did a full infusion." Annabell pointed to the drawing, tapping a finger on the beads, "If you are using Lyrethilium then adding a pinch of ground Lyrethilium to the mixture will help as well."
"Still, that will only make it more resistant." Mari looked at Lyra, who looked back at the researcher and nodded with a smirk. A few lines of thought clinked into place, and Mari's eyes widened as she looked back down at the drawing, "But... if you wove in a negation element to the collar itself--"
"The man's body," Lyra cut in, drawing both Mari and Annabell's attention to her, "is not affected by his own power. Thus all that need be done is --"
"Mirror the man's body to the collar." Mari finished, smiling for the first time through the entire interaction. Annabell looked at the drawing curiously, and Lyra simply shrugged.
"Simplicity is the essence of genius." Lyra said as she straightened, picking up the paper and rolling it up carefully, "The purpose is to control, not suppress, the man's abilities. Not just for his sake, but for the sake of those around him."
"Poor boy." The older woman said with a sympathetic look toward Odison where he sat on the floor.
"You've made your purpose clear as far as the projected and materials go." standing Mari stretched her back, causing an audible craving sound as she twisted, "There is still one thing you need to account for though."
"Is there?" Lyra asked.
Mari nodded and crossed her arms, "How is this projected to the benefit of Sahfri, to Kalzasi? Don't forget we, this entire place," She waved at the lab as a whole, "Is meant to be used to achieve the goals you and the Lady have agreed on."
There was a long pause, during which Lyra remained still, her gaze distant as if considering the question. Mari shifted impatiently as time stretched, and even Annabelle waited with more than a little interest for the answer. Finally, Lyra met Mari's gaze once more, and smiled with a tilt of her head, "I will be taking him with me to Zaichaer."
Location: Lyra's Hidden Lab
"You already got your shipment of Abjinurium." the Ork said with a sigh, looking up from her desk and the pile of ledgers and notes that were strewn across it, "That should have been enough to last for the rest of Glade. Why do you need more?"
Tilting her head Lyra smiled, glancing to the side where Vex was examining a wall of metallic tools, under close scrutiny of the Half Mortallen Lucious, "The stock you provided was for testing, child. I need a stone of much higher quality for the final product."
Mari rubbed the bridge of her nose. She and her team had been set the task of 'working with' the Lady Lyra near the middle of Frost. In that span of half a season the Ork had seen 3 flux rods shattered, 6 abominations raised and put down, an odd crystal growth that acted like a fungus instead of a dragonshard, and gods knew how many countless wasted materials. All of this and more this woman, this creature claimed was essential. In the name of 'my oath to the frozen queen'. Which to the Ork amounted to mere extravagance in the name of experimentation for curiosity's sake.
"You've already run through the budget for this fortnight." She began slowly, picking up a piece of paper and scanning the numbers, "In fact, you've somehow managed to spend nearly a seasons worth of gold in the span of a few weeks. So tell me again, what is this for?"
Lyra's smile widened, the look in the woman's eyes making Mari shiver slightly. It was easy to forget sometimes that she was talking to a corpse, and when she did it brought back a sense of unsettling dread. Though she did not realize it, Lyra at that moment was singing a soft song of unease into the Ork's mind, enjoying the slight tremble in the orchestra of the other woman's mind.
"It is for my 'special' project." She turned and both she and Mari looked to the corner where that man sat cross-legged on the ground.
Mari frowned, glancing between the man, Odison as he was called, and Lyra. He was a real oddity. Lyra had brought him to the lab unexpectedly, canceled all her previous projects that occupied that space and stuck the man there without so much as an explanation. He wasn't the social sort either, and so Mari and the rest of the lab simply left him be. They had, however, noticed his little 'issue'. Spontaneously emitting black, caustic smoke which was barely contained in the barrier.
"Alright, fine." she said at last, tearing her eyes away and pulling out a ledger and a pen, "What do you need?"
"Infused ink, of the highest quality. Blood, fresh if possible from the creatures of the Warrens. Abjinurium, of the highest quality you may obtain of course, as well as Pesticyte." at the Ork's raised eyebrow Lyra shrugged, "Lyrethillium will work as well, though that will mean the device will require routine upkeep."
"The device?"
Lyra nodded, motioning for paper and pen which Mari handed over. On it Lyra sketched out a circular outline, adding a bit of dimensionality to it until the form of a collar took shape. At its front was a rounded oval shape, with a series of smaller circles around its circumference embedded in the leather, or whatever the material the color would be made of.
"It will be worn around the neck." Lyra explained as she drew, pointing at the largest oval at the clasp, "The Abjinurium will be the centerpiece, connected to a schema placed on the man's skin. The smaller circles will be either pesticyte or Lyrethilium beads. The dragonshard is preferred, but Lyrethilium will suffice as it is similar in structure. The corrosive effects of the man's magic will be drawn through the Abjinurium, its frequency disrupted before being fed through the beads which will absorb and disperse the weakened magic."
"It wont last for long." Mari observed, pointing to the beads, "That much magic passed through these points will eventually make them degrade despite their natural resistant properties, or perhaps because of Lyrethilium's natural properties."
"The beads would have to be replaced periodically." Lyra acknowledged with a nod, "But it will suffice until a better solution is found."
"What of the collar itself? What will it be made of?"
"Flesh of a Gravebound." Lyra said simply, scratching a few notes in the margin, "Have a hunting expedition prepared and bring back the full corpse. The blood can be drained and used in this and other projects as well, and I am certain Lucious can find a use for the bones."
"I'll go." The large man's deep voice made both Lyra and Mari look up to where Lucious stood, hand on hip as he scratched his chin, "I need more materials for another commission anyway."
"If you are going, can you collect a few of the black-cap mushrooms that grow near the Pillars?" Annabell looked up from her bubbling pop of soupy grey liquid, a smile on her wizened face, "I've already run out."
"Sure." Lucious grunted.
Lyra felt herself smile fondly at the simple interactions, a sense of nostalgia surfacing from somewhere deep before Mari brought her attention back to the present.
"The flesh will need to be tanned and cut into strips, and the beads will take some time to prepare." The Ork said, once more looking at the drawing, "Still, there is the issue of the collar itself eroding. That needs to be protected somehow."
"You can boil the skin in a mixture of bitterweed and widow's bark sap overnight." The older woman offered, now magically appearing at the table where Lyra and Mari were conspiring, "That will make it tougher, and makes the leather resistant from decay or corroding effects."
"Magical as well?" Mari asked with a raised eyebrow.
"In part, but it would be more effective if you did a full infusion." Annabell pointed to the drawing, tapping a finger on the beads, "If you are using Lyrethilium then adding a pinch of ground Lyrethilium to the mixture will help as well."
"Still, that will only make it more resistant." Mari looked at Lyra, who looked back at the researcher and nodded with a smirk. A few lines of thought clinked into place, and Mari's eyes widened as she looked back down at the drawing, "But... if you wove in a negation element to the collar itself--"
"The man's body," Lyra cut in, drawing both Mari and Annabell's attention to her, "is not affected by his own power. Thus all that need be done is --"
"Mirror the man's body to the collar." Mari finished, smiling for the first time through the entire interaction. Annabell looked at the drawing curiously, and Lyra simply shrugged.
"Simplicity is the essence of genius." Lyra said as she straightened, picking up the paper and rolling it up carefully, "The purpose is to control, not suppress, the man's abilities. Not just for his sake, but for the sake of those around him."
"Poor boy." The older woman said with a sympathetic look toward Odison where he sat on the floor.
"You've made your purpose clear as far as the projected and materials go." standing Mari stretched her back, causing an audible craving sound as she twisted, "There is still one thing you need to account for though."
"Is there?" Lyra asked.
Mari nodded and crossed her arms, "How is this projected to the benefit of Sahfri, to Kalzasi? Don't forget we, this entire place," She waved at the lab as a whole, "Is meant to be used to achieve the goals you and the Lady have agreed on."
There was a long pause, during which Lyra remained still, her gaze distant as if considering the question. Mari shifted impatiently as time stretched, and even Annabelle waited with more than a little interest for the answer. Finally, Lyra met Mari's gaze once more, and smiled with a tilt of her head, "I will be taking him with me to Zaichaer."
