15 Ash 121
Because of the recent discovery of summoned spirits in the warrens, this had become a rush job for Shuai; the man was rudely awakened in the early hours of the morning. It was something he could allow to pass because it was a request of a longtime friend who made it to his dream vocation with the circle of spells and, a request he could fulfill because it was kind of a personal favor and a friend's wellbeing should always be prioritized- unless it clashed with something a lot more important like the interests of his own family. However he had mixed feelings because still not fully awake and barely even being allowed to enjoy his breakfast with how much he was being rushed because it was that important that Shuai could complete this job before the investigative expedition of the circle set out into the warrens in the afternoon. "Can't this wait until I at least finish my morning routine? I've already given up two hours of sleep for you against me better judgement to shut the door and let you wait until its time for me to wake up." No? Alright then. Favor or not for his old friend Shuai was definitely going to charge him a premium for this."Alright just tell me, what the hell is going on and what do you need? If its not a good enough reason to wake me up before daybreak I'm going to punch you in the face" and a punch was letting the other off lightly. If he had not been a friend of Shuai something heavier which would likely have him miss the expedition. Yawning as his usual morning drink had not kicked in yet, Shuai lazily asked "if you are working with the circle, why did you come to me? Don't they have other people to make what you need? They are all busy preparing to help you? Damn, your job must not be as important as you say it is. I'll tell you what. You sit right there and I'll make it fast for you. Just don't flinch" but before Shuai could throw that punch his friend quickly assured him that the job truly was important if not for the circle, for himself. "Fine, fine, I'll bite but you've still not told me what is going on. I can't help you until you do. Well? Hurry up with it man!" Now it was Shuai turn to rush the other man to hurry up with his dallying.
Now he had Shuai's interest. "Masterless summoned spirits you say... how are you guys sure about that? Can't they be warrens creeps? We know the weird shit in there." Ah right, so that was why they needed to have the investigations "and you actually volunteered to join? Hahahahahha! But you're a desk jockey! I don't see you going down there even if there was the greatest discov-" alright so maybe Shuai underestimated his friend's ability or lack of because it looks like there would be times even the man would find worthwhile to go down there. "You sure you're only coming to me to make something for you? Not be your bodyguard? I know they'd have some guys to protect you, maybe even pull some strings to get the Guard or the Legion to help you but you know I've always got your back right?" Especially if it was going to give him a chance to explore the warrens.
But he should not have given this assurance because now he gave his word, he was stuck having to make good on it. It was because he knew Shuai would have his back that he came to him, the brownnoser. More like Shuai was the only scrivener who would give him the time of day that early. "And I'll definitely help but you know what you're asking for is silly right?" but what else did Shuai expect? He was not even shocked with the suggestion. So he was going down into the warrens with the whoever else the circle was sending but he did not trust the circle enough to keep him safe, with the warrens' reputation of things, 'happening', so he wanted some sort of item which could track his fitness and alert everyone in the vicinity if he was in critical condition or you know, dead. "You want to know what's better? A good gun. It has what you want, a loud shot to alert everyone when you are in trouble and bonus, you can use it as a weapon too! I'd recommend you not get the rifle but one of those neat little revolvers which goes pew pew pew before they are spent. You might even get to put up a fight!" It was mean spirited but Shuai hoped his suggestion would at least be taken into consideration because it seemed a lot more practical for his friend's concerns of the warrens.
As practical as it sounded, a gun was not what he wanted; if something bad happened to him in the warrens he wanted them to find him or his body, to take him home in time for medical attention or get his corpse back before it could be desecrated by the horrors of the underworld. "Fine I'll make you this thingy but I'm telling you... Get! A! Gun! You'll get your money's worth out of it even if you're buying it along with this thingy I'm gonna make." Shuai already had a rough idea for how it was going to work and it would not be long to make but instead of telling this straight, he went "it'll take some time and you look like you need to rest. Why don't you go home, take have a break and the thingy will be here when you get back? I don't know two hours? Gods know you look like you need a break" and with him out of his hair Shuai could avoid the usual phase of having to make adjustments and fixes to an otherwise functional item because of one especially anxious customer. However even if the money was not worth the trouble, this was for a friend and thus unavoidable unless the man was ready to cut the other out of his life.
For all that worry it would only take a lesser lorestone to satisfy his friend's commission for the warrens even if the likelihood of him getting into any problems, already a rare thing by itself like a heart attack in old age, while he was with all those other meat shie- people should not even be something harassing him like this. Maybe this was why he needed it, as an assurance to himself. Recording a loud cry for help Shuai went "help, I'm here" over into the lorestone with various pictographic symbols focused on a convergence of mirrors to reinforce the ability of the lorestone to record the message. He played it back and inside his workshop it sounded quite loud and clear so it was good enough for the warrens which he remembered could echo any loud sounds in it... would this be loud enough? It would have to be- he had nowhere else to go to test this under warren's conditions not to mention he was worried even if it was for something as simple as a sentence, pushing the lorestone too far into recording and increasing the volume of his cry could push it over the threshold. Maybe if he had more time he could have done something about it but this was a rush job so there was no helping it to keep it to the minimal level of functionality which was asked of him.
With the cry recorded Shuai could remove the first set of pictographs to make room for the patterns his friend really wanted, the ones which would keep the lorestone constantly in effect until a very specific performance by its user would activate the cry. With all other parts of the composition already within the lorestone due to its inherent build and characteristics, Shuai simply had to task it to activate the moment the first bit of aether was put into it by its user although instead of the usual use of lorestone where the aether would have the lorestone playing its recording, it would remain inside and circulate. So a vortex in the center with some branching paths into a continuum. The lorestone would take that first bit of aether and draw out a constant flow from its user until a significantly unnatural spike or lull. That was what all those extra paths were for, to better determine what the unnatural changes of aether going through it could be then have them flow into the same continuum. With any luck for his friend, this would extend the longevity of this lorestone so it would last until the end of the expedition and he was out of the warrens. Considering it a little more based on its current functions, maybe his friend might want to put it into an accessory which can fit a part of his body his aether would flow through more as it did in the circulation of blood, like the head or the wrist or the heart but that is his own decision.
And then the activation and playback of the cry. Shuai with a preexisting pattern of pictographs in place for something similar decided to have the functioning of the lorestone continue into that. The continual trickle of aether would eventually change based on what happens to its user and then once activated, the cry for help would be a redundant function in itself. An extra path set in to cut that function off and another to divert it through one more continuum would be enough to have the aether start the cries for help instead and the loop in on itself until all the aether was spent, whatever was taken from the lorestone's user and whatever energy was inherent in the lorestone. The perfect example of a single use item. Which was immediately given to his customer on his return. Obviously not to the man's wants and he asked that Shuai change a few things here and there but that request? Denied. He was going to have to be firm with it especially when the item was working as it should. "Take it or leave it but if you are taking it, remember what I said about putting it in an accessory or something." That was going to have to be something done to make the item function better.
Which only left them on one final matter, the payment. Rubbing his fingers together Shuai asked, "my friend. You know what you need to do to get this right?" Of course he was going to ask for the aven. Even if they were friends and the item could very well mean the difference between him successfully coming home and the failure,permanent injury or death, this was still business and even if it was his family's, questions would be asked. But as always there was a solution. "The circle is taking care of this right and you say you are going to need this? Why don't I write up the bill and let you claim it from them? Lets see..." if it was the on the circle's aven just how much would be enough to get Shuai that little bit more of currency which the group would pay for without angering them? Maybe this amount? No that was still a little too much for just a common dragonshard but added with the array he had, "how about this? Don't worry this a circle price. If they refuse to pay I'll charge you the buddy price but we know they will since they still have to look like they are caring for their people here, right?"
