alchemy and excitement
Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2022 6:53 pm
T A L O N
60 Frost 121 Age of Steel
Skyforge Workshop
Talon paced lightly as he held in front of him the tome detailing the various processes related to alchemy. While he could wrap his head around some of the fundamental pillars of the magic, he recognized that experimentation would be the easiest way forward when it came to actually seeing how everything functioned. It was similar to how he had approached his learning of Runeforging, where he had to see the reactions and parts of the magic taking place in order to truly grasp them. He already knew that he was going to be exploring the avenues of the more volatile Occult Alchemy as opposed to the methods of the Traditional Alchemy. While that meant he would be dealing with more dangerous substances in the short term, with what he intended to do with the majority of those substances, that did not matter.
At least, as far as he could tell.
Talon set the book upon a stand and picked up a piece of aetherite chalk. In front of him was a space made of smooth white stone. He placed the tip of the blue chalk down onto the surface and began the slow work of drawing the Sigil of Catalyzation. He made broad sweeping gestures in order to expand the circle and ensure that it touched the very edges of the stone space he was working on. Talon was not a Scrivener on the level of Lyra but he possessed enough foundational knowledge to be able to piece together a functioning Sigil. With practice would come greater refinement. As he completed the Sigil of Catalyzation, he formed a bridge within it and began the work of building the Sigil of Isolation. He started in a smaller area as what he had in mind was not particularly large, it just needed to be controlled. He expanded upon some of the symbols and concepts related to isolating properties to become pictographs dedicated to completely dissolving properties unrelated to what Talon desired.
As he worked the Sigil of Dissolution came into form. It was slow and tedious but he understood that as he progressed in understanding and skill, he would grow much better at drawing the alchemic circles. He constructed the Sigil of Reconstitution so that the dissolved substances would be able to be put back together and made usable in the aftermath of his catalyzation of the materials. As he got down to the last bits of his chalk, he put the finishing touches on the Sigil of Stabilization that would be activated at the final stage. Talon sat back and let out a sigh of satisfaction…until he noticed a flaw in the Sigil of Stabilization.
Sighing, He rubbed his face, pinching the bridge of his nose before taking out a cloth and another piece of chalk. As he was wiping away the evidence of his mistake, Talon heard footsteps. He sent a pulse out across his kinetic senses, weaving a touch of his semblance into the technique. What returned was the familiar presence of Velkan’s aura. His chief apprentice was always a welcome sight in his workspaces and under normal circumstances, Talon would have had him at his side so that the two of them could experiment and learn together. As it was, Velkan had been spending some time with the Dawnmartyrs amassing at the settlement in order to learn their ways. He had only just returned from an intense few months of training with them. He sensed the moment Velkan came to a stop at the archway leading into the workspace.
“Master.” Without looking up, Talon smiled. He finished wiping away the smudges and smears of his error then began the work of redoing the sigil.
“Velkan. Bapona sent word that you returned home a few days ago. I am glad that you are back.” Talon looked up. Velkan looked refreshed. The young man stood with his feet shoulder width apart. His hands were resting at the small of his back. He carried himself differently. He filled out his clothing a bit more, the training with the Dawnmartyrs having obviously strengthened not just his mind but his body as well. His apprentice stood taller and Talon could see a newfound confidence in his eyes. The young man bowed his head.
“Thank you, Master. I apologize for interrupting.” Talon waved off the apology. He tucked the remaining chalk into a pouch on his hip then dusted off his hands.
“Not at all. I am glad you are here. There are lessons to be had. You are just in time to see my first real venture into occult alchemy.” Talon saw the young man’s eyes spark with interest. “Was there something else you needed?”
Talon could see that there was also some measure of urgency in Velkan’s stance. The young man straightened himself and nodded.
“There is an Imperial here to see you, Master. Sylas is bringing him.” The way that Velkan said the word Imperial, with a barely restrained distaste, made Talon pause. He knew of only a few Imperials in Kalzasi. The first was his fiance and soon to be husband. The second was Ser Baudric.
“Be mindful, Velkan. Many wrongs have been committed by the Imperium. It is true. But that is not cause to show such hostility. If we are to one day free our brothers from the empire’s chains, we must be willing to show them the compassion that the Imperium has so denied them.” Talon took that to heart. Even to the present day, Aoren sometimes showed the psychological scars that his upbringing as a Legionnaire had inflicted upon him. It was a journey the two of them were still walking together and Talon was as patient and loving as he needed to be along the way. Velkan nodded but said nothing. Talon knew that meant he was thinking. He had no doubt that being among the Dawnmartyrs had exposed the young man to stories of just how badly the knights had been wounded by the Imperium.
That was a wound he knew he would have to address in time. He gently rest a hand upon his apprentice’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze before two more aura’s registered on his senses. The first he knew quite well. Sylas, the head of his workshop security detail. The second was one he was not as familiar with but one he recognized after having examined it in the hospital. When both Sylas and the Kathar came into view, Talon smiled up at the towering knight.
“Ser Baudric! I am glad to see you.” Talon looked down at himself. He was dressed in plain leather pants, worn work boots, a leather apron and a plain linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Chalk dust covered his hands. He was certain he had smudged some on his cheek. He blew a strand of hair out of his face.
“You are just in time for a bit of excitement!” Stretching out before Baudric was a workshop that was clearly dedicated to alchemical practices. Several workbenches had glassware set up. Cauldrons stood at the ready to be filled with whatever substance needed to be put in them. Various chalkboards had different formulae scrawled out upon their surfaces. Many books were either open to specific pages or were stacked nearby. Just behind Talon, spread across a ten foot by ten foot space of smooth stone, was an elaborate alchemic circle drawn in chalk.
“Come! I promise I will happily assist you in just a moment. I just wish to finish this small experiment.”
Skyforge Workshop
Talon paced lightly as he held in front of him the tome detailing the various processes related to alchemy. While he could wrap his head around some of the fundamental pillars of the magic, he recognized that experimentation would be the easiest way forward when it came to actually seeing how everything functioned. It was similar to how he had approached his learning of Runeforging, where he had to see the reactions and parts of the magic taking place in order to truly grasp them. He already knew that he was going to be exploring the avenues of the more volatile Occult Alchemy as opposed to the methods of the Traditional Alchemy. While that meant he would be dealing with more dangerous substances in the short term, with what he intended to do with the majority of those substances, that did not matter.
At least, as far as he could tell.
Talon set the book upon a stand and picked up a piece of aetherite chalk. In front of him was a space made of smooth white stone. He placed the tip of the blue chalk down onto the surface and began the slow work of drawing the Sigil of Catalyzation. He made broad sweeping gestures in order to expand the circle and ensure that it touched the very edges of the stone space he was working on. Talon was not a Scrivener on the level of Lyra but he possessed enough foundational knowledge to be able to piece together a functioning Sigil. With practice would come greater refinement. As he completed the Sigil of Catalyzation, he formed a bridge within it and began the work of building the Sigil of Isolation. He started in a smaller area as what he had in mind was not particularly large, it just needed to be controlled. He expanded upon some of the symbols and concepts related to isolating properties to become pictographs dedicated to completely dissolving properties unrelated to what Talon desired.
As he worked the Sigil of Dissolution came into form. It was slow and tedious but he understood that as he progressed in understanding and skill, he would grow much better at drawing the alchemic circles. He constructed the Sigil of Reconstitution so that the dissolved substances would be able to be put back together and made usable in the aftermath of his catalyzation of the materials. As he got down to the last bits of his chalk, he put the finishing touches on the Sigil of Stabilization that would be activated at the final stage. Talon sat back and let out a sigh of satisfaction…until he noticed a flaw in the Sigil of Stabilization.
Sighing, He rubbed his face, pinching the bridge of his nose before taking out a cloth and another piece of chalk. As he was wiping away the evidence of his mistake, Talon heard footsteps. He sent a pulse out across his kinetic senses, weaving a touch of his semblance into the technique. What returned was the familiar presence of Velkan’s aura. His chief apprentice was always a welcome sight in his workspaces and under normal circumstances, Talon would have had him at his side so that the two of them could experiment and learn together. As it was, Velkan had been spending some time with the Dawnmartyrs amassing at the settlement in order to learn their ways. He had only just returned from an intense few months of training with them. He sensed the moment Velkan came to a stop at the archway leading into the workspace.
“Master.” Without looking up, Talon smiled. He finished wiping away the smudges and smears of his error then began the work of redoing the sigil.
“Velkan. Bapona sent word that you returned home a few days ago. I am glad that you are back.” Talon looked up. Velkan looked refreshed. The young man stood with his feet shoulder width apart. His hands were resting at the small of his back. He carried himself differently. He filled out his clothing a bit more, the training with the Dawnmartyrs having obviously strengthened not just his mind but his body as well. His apprentice stood taller and Talon could see a newfound confidence in his eyes. The young man bowed his head.
“Thank you, Master. I apologize for interrupting.” Talon waved off the apology. He tucked the remaining chalk into a pouch on his hip then dusted off his hands.
“Not at all. I am glad you are here. There are lessons to be had. You are just in time to see my first real venture into occult alchemy.” Talon saw the young man’s eyes spark with interest. “Was there something else you needed?”
Talon could see that there was also some measure of urgency in Velkan’s stance. The young man straightened himself and nodded.
“There is an Imperial here to see you, Master. Sylas is bringing him.” The way that Velkan said the word Imperial, with a barely restrained distaste, made Talon pause. He knew of only a few Imperials in Kalzasi. The first was his fiance and soon to be husband. The second was Ser Baudric.
“Be mindful, Velkan. Many wrongs have been committed by the Imperium. It is true. But that is not cause to show such hostility. If we are to one day free our brothers from the empire’s chains, we must be willing to show them the compassion that the Imperium has so denied them.” Talon took that to heart. Even to the present day, Aoren sometimes showed the psychological scars that his upbringing as a Legionnaire had inflicted upon him. It was a journey the two of them were still walking together and Talon was as patient and loving as he needed to be along the way. Velkan nodded but said nothing. Talon knew that meant he was thinking. He had no doubt that being among the Dawnmartyrs had exposed the young man to stories of just how badly the knights had been wounded by the Imperium.
That was a wound he knew he would have to address in time. He gently rest a hand upon his apprentice’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze before two more aura’s registered on his senses. The first he knew quite well. Sylas, the head of his workshop security detail. The second was one he was not as familiar with but one he recognized after having examined it in the hospital. When both Sylas and the Kathar came into view, Talon smiled up at the towering knight.
“Ser Baudric! I am glad to see you.” Talon looked down at himself. He was dressed in plain leather pants, worn work boots, a leather apron and a plain linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Chalk dust covered his hands. He was certain he had smudged some on his cheek. He blew a strand of hair out of his face.
“You are just in time for a bit of excitement!” Stretching out before Baudric was a workshop that was clearly dedicated to alchemical practices. Several workbenches had glassware set up. Cauldrons stood at the ready to be filled with whatever substance needed to be put in them. Various chalkboards had different formulae scrawled out upon their surfaces. Many books were either open to specific pages or were stacked nearby. Just behind Talon, spread across a ten foot by ten foot space of smooth stone, was an elaborate alchemic circle drawn in chalk.
“Come! I promise I will happily assist you in just a moment. I just wish to finish this small experiment.”
