Bloodstained: Scholars of the Inferno (Bloodstained Alchemist Quest)

[X] Plan: The Selenar Scotsman
-[X] Explore the Alchemist's Guild (15 TU)
-[X] Experiment with Moonblight (25 TU) (1 Biological Experiment)
-[X] Call Down Moonstone Meteor (35 TU)
--[X] Princely Signet Ring
-[X] Volunteer at Alchemical Sorcery Lab (20 TU)
-[X] Attempt to Purchase a Cow (5 TU)


17XX

DEC 29

The new year is almost upon us. I've begun to explore the guild in earnest: I've familiarized myself with the layout of the streets enough I won't get lost, and have discovered a few landmarks of importance.

Firstly, I've located another Sorcery Lab- they wouldn't permit me entrance, but it seems that the exotic sorcery lab is also located above-ground, a short walk from Dian Cecht. According to what I can recall of my masters wisdom, they research foreign magics, largely from the far east- it's guarded by men in strange painted armor, with a helmet possessing a feature that I can only describe as beetle-like horns. Their faces were covered in a fierce, almost demonic looking masks- I find myself wanting to acquire one such piece for my own cabinet of curiosities.

Like the rest of the sorcery labs, it's sadly not open to visitors who haven't been invited, sadly: the guards were quite strict about not letting me within, though they were at least willing to answer my questions- apparently the lab is ran by Master Noda, a foreign alchemist. He apparently has very exclusive invitation criterion, requiring the donation of magics from beyond Europe.

Maybe if I donate enough catalyst and valuable reagents? Or perhaps a buy of some sort, though sadly with my current funds and resources I lack the ability to realistically do so. Still, tis a fairly useful discovery- for the future, at least. At the moment, I have little need of their resources, but it is always good to prepare for the future, I feel.

Twasn't the only fortunate find, however: I also stumbled upon what appears to be a sort of alchemical fraternity: the Brothers of Lazarus. Petty necromancers, it seems- tasked by their charter with the discovery of how to reanimate the dead. They're headquartered in a small crypt-house- where they conduct trade, research, and perform social gatherings. They're the heart of the islands corpse trade, it seems- selling and buying. I met one of their members- a man by the name of Emile- near the graveyard. Apparently, the body-trade is mostly legal on the island, in order to supply the guild cadavers to study and test on. Convenient: if only it were this simple elsewhere to acquire and divest oneself of cadavers.

Emile himself was a treasure trove of information: apparently there are several such fraternities on the island, formed by Alchemists of common cause or creed. Whereas the labs work at the whims of the Grandmasters, the fraternities are public institutions, collectives of Alchemists working under common cause. Apparently, the last owner of Klaus House was a member of the same fraternity as Emile- he was one of their more reliable manufacturers of homunculi.

Emile told this while giving me a tour of some other useful locations: his help is frankly greatly appreciated, as he showed me several useful locations, such as the meal house- where poorer or more frugal alchemists go for free bread and soup. I'll likely be visiting the place often in the coming days- both as a volunteer and customer.

I believe I'm suitably acquainted with the island to prevent becoming lost, now- and I have enough familiarity to manage at least temporary self-sufficiency. Food, water, and other supplies.

I have the geography memorized: all that is left is to learn about the people. I've never been a particularly social soul- but this is not an arena I can be a isolated soul in, not unless I wish to be left behind by my peers…

Gideon has discovered the following locations that he possesses access to:

Guild Meal Hall: A source of free- if bland, unfilling, and of overall poor quality- food for journeymen too busy to cook but not wealthy enough to afford others to prepare their meals. It was largely ran by apprentices.

Brothers of Lazarus Fraternity House: A collection of alchemists who trade in corpses and research the possibility of reanimation and life after death- in other words, vulgar necromancers. Still, if one wanted to acquire a corpse- or sell one- they were valuable contacts to have.

As a result of the Chariot card, he will also stumble upon an opportunity to make a connection, good or ill, that benefits his goal. Remember- it might benefit Gideon materially to obtain a collaborator, but it needs to be balanced with presenting him just the right kind and amount of adversity to help keep him driven and bring out his potential.

The action code for this vote is [CHARIOT]. Please provide a portrait, as well- the one most suitable for the character will be used as their picture.

[ ] A Rival: While exploring around the hospital, Gideon would get into an argument with another Journeyman to be- an extremely heated one over in which Gideon would earn the other persons ire through a poorly worded retort coming off a little more biting than intended, leading to a challenge of ability. Gain a Rival who will help sharpen Gideon and challenge him in the arenas of skill, of morality, and politics- this relationship will no doubt present an obstacle to Gideons ambitions, but it will also provide him the opportunity to grow through adversity, and it while it will begin in enmity it does not have to end so.

[ ] A Collaborator: Near the Graveyard, Gideon would meet another Journeyman to be- one sharing his interests, if not Gideons goals. The pair would find themselves engaged in conversation, quickly achieving a degree of camaraderie- and in the process becoming quick allies, though perhaps not friends- yet, at least. Gain a Collaborator who can assist and enable Gideon- for good and ill- in a variety of ways, and vice versa. Note that this character is not a friend- though they can become one, do not expect loyalty until it is earned. And while this relationship begins beneficial, beware you don't wind up causing the Journeyman and the Collaborator to begin feeding each others worst parts.

[ ] A Patron: While working at the Meal Hall, Gideon would get into a conversation with another Alchemist, a senior one who had fallen on hard times that had been forced to eat with the Journeymen- seeing an opportunity, Gideon would offer his services as a cook in exchange for the older Alchemist doing him a few favors. Gain a Patron who Gideon can fulfill tasks for in exchange for various rewards: individual spells, catalysts that would otherwise be unavailable, favors of various stripes, even potentially Treasures, Grimoires, and Mysteries- a reliable way to progress, if one that is subject to the whims and resources of another.


______________________________



JAN 01

The new year is upon us- I've too busy to celebrate, sadly. I've been looking into acquiring a cow and- well, it turns out I lack a means to actually house a cow. Klaus House wasn't designed with livestock in mind.

I also don't know anyone who owns cows. I tried locating one on the island I could purchase, but unfortunately I got lost in the forests between the guild and Arvantville. All in all, it wasn't entirely a waste of time: I spent the day sketching the plants and animals of Weird. Much of it is the same as the isles- including the rats.

I was able, however, to find a few interesting species of fungus, like a species of extremely colorful deathcaps that will be useful for toxin based research. Curiously, the ambient magic of the island causes them to grow more frequently in circles- which means they'll be useful for manufacturing reagents for my Unseelie rituals.

Got lost in the woods, able to identify a source of 1* Poison Mushrooms, which can be collected and transmuted to 1* Alchemical Reagents by spending 10 Time Units.

Remember: reversed or upright doesn't necessarily mean failure or success. The former has more common negative associations, and the latter typically more positive, but both present opportunities and pitfalls. It's all a matter of context- and interpretation.

___________________________________




The Alchemical Sorcery Lab was bustling- each chamber working on different projects. Gideon whistled as he worked on testing a particular ritual circle, using chalk. The room itself was- large, incredibly so, filled with dozens of teams of Alchemists working, using abaci and blackboards to perform advanced theurgic equations, using brewing equipment to experiment with and synthesize reagents, or like him and his team, experimenting with ritual circles.

When he had volunteered, he had been assigned here- research based on studying the Liber Logaeth and attempting to use the arcane knowledge within to improve transmutation magics to more efficiently synthesize reagents.

Once he had carved into the ground the ritual sigil- designed to call upon the power of the moon, Gideon stepped back. "Good, I'll prepare the shard," His partner said, an older alchemist responded, opening a chest and bringing out the item- a white looking gem. The catalyst for this experiment, alongside phials of quicksilver, lead, and several common alchemical ingredients.

Setting them throughout the ritual circle, his partner stepped back, and Gideon stood up. "Alright, do you want to lead the chant or nah?"

His partner, wearing dark robes, hair stringy, greasy, and unkempt, shrugged. "You drew most of the circle- I'll let you do the honors." Nodding, Gideon walked to their work table, picked up his grimoire, and approached the circle. Clearing his throat, Gideon began chanting, raising his hand, speaking in that ancient antediluvian angel language- he could feel energy in the air, and a tug on his soul that signaled his meager reserve of magic was being taxed.

The circle began to glow, and Gideon felt a strange heat from it- and a surge of an inexplicable guilt, as if he had just committed some unspeakable act. Refusing to waver, he continued chanting, the light of the circle having a strange, greasy aura to it- like it couldn't quite decide whether it was actually light or glowing mist- before he reached the final verse of the chant, causing the ritual circle to flash brightly- before fading to reveal a bright, gleaming pile of-

"Iron pyrite," His partner said, mildly annoyed. "Another failure."

"But one that's closer to our goal-" Gideon pointed out as he approached the lumpen, hard-edged mass, picking it up and bouncing it in his hand. Glancing down, he noted the catalyst had all been used up- except for the crystal, which he picked up and ran over his fingers, marvelling at the strange gem, which felt warm to the touch. "Interesting catalyst here," He noted. "Could do without feeling I'm being judged at church every time I use it."

"You get used to it," His partner shrugged, voice a little listless, troubled. "Eventually, the feeling fades- after using the crystals long enough. A side effect of using an unholy catalyst in a ritual devised from the Liber Logaeth, I think." Gideon nodded, presuming them correct- and hoping their statement about it fading also true.

"Well, that I'll give," He agreed- each of these 'Shards' seemed to be brimming with fel power. Walking to the table, the journeyman put both items down among the cluttered mess of failed transmutations and surplus catalyst they had been assigned for these experiments. "Any idea how the things are made?"

"Need a body: living, preferably. A homunculi'll usually do, but tis slow growing," His companion admitted, grabbing the mop they had brought and using it to wipe up the ritual circle. "I'll look into giving you a copy of the formula. Now, maybe if we increased the magic…"

Gideon has volunteered 40 time units at the Alchemical Sorcery Lab, helping progress their Improved Transmutation Potency project and learning about a handful of their current research programs. In the process, he has also earned a reputation, albeit a meager one, of being a relatively hard working Alchemist eager to contribute to the general advancement of the art.

Participate and aid Sorcery Labs through volunteering, donating, and other means-each completed project will provide guild wide boons. And if you invest enough, its possible for Gideon to reap additional rewards aside…

Transmutation Research Project: The Guild was using the Liber Logaeth and 'Shards' to develop more powerful transformative rituals and souped up alchemical formulas that could be used to improve reagent production. Transmutation, Arcane

Progress: 340/1000

Guild Reward: All spells that require Alchemical Reagents will have the required star rank of said catalyst reduced by 1*.

Significant Contribution Reward: +1 to Transmutation Star Rank

Arcane Torch Development Program: The Guild was at the cutting edge of alchemical research: they wanted to develop an arcane torch that could be used to house excess magic, to be used as a quick emergency source of arcane power to fuel spells. Transmutation, Arcane

Progress: 210/500

Guild Reward: Unlock Arcane Torch Formula.

SCR: Unlock Alchemists Torch, a 1* Arcane Treasure.

Shard Production Program: Shards were the latest development of the Guild, so advanced they hadn't yet left the island, at least partly by how slow growing them was- they could apparently be cultured in homunculi made from the recently deceased, but it could take months to get even a small crystal. The Alchemists Guild wanted to develop a means to accelerate the process in order to grow the stuff at a reasonable rate. Transmutation, Blood, Infernal

Progress: 1,400/???

Guild Reward: Significantly reduce TU of White Shard Formula.

SCR: ???

Demonic Compendium: One of the Grimoires in possession of the Alchemical Sorcery Lab was the Legemeton, a legendary tome of demon summoning among various other arts supposedly written by King Solomon himself. The Alchemists Guild was attempting to translate the legendary book and synthesize it with several other demonic grimoires and tomes in order to create a catalog of true names for the purposes of summoning and binding demons.

Progress: ???

Guild Reward: Conjuration Rank Up.

SCR: ???

Gideon has also gained the following formula:

White Shard [F] An extremely powerful catalyst, shards had to be incubated in the blood of a living thing, such as a homunculus. The process was slow, but otherwise the only way to obtain any to work with the material unless one received permission to use the Guilds limited supply. Infernal, Blood, Transmutation, Difficult/Potent, creates White Shard, a catalyst that can be used in place of 2** Alchemical Reagents or to drastically strengthen infernal aspect rituals without being used up. Requires Homunculus as growth medium. 250 TU.


_______________________________________


The moon shines bright, looming. Gideon was in the forest outside the Guild- a small clearing that guild members used for rituals that required a natural setting. The alchemist was erecting the ritual space: this particular one did not call for a protective circle, but instead a hexagram, each triangle containing strange fey symbols that called upon the influences of various planetary bodies.

The Bloodmoon had ended, but though the moon had returned to its natural pale hue, it hadn't yet lost its fullness: perfect to collect more Moonstone to add to his stocks and test out an alteration to the ritual by incorporating a certain item.

Finishing carving the sigil into the ground with his wooden stick, before stepping back, examining the star shaped symbol, comparing it mentally to what was in the book, walking to his pack and pulling out various rulers and angles, as well as the last two items this ritual needed, holding them under his arms as the Alchemist, in a frenzy, made sure everything was correct. Looking up every now and again, Gideon gave a dry swallow as he noted he was on a time limit, as the ritual needed to be performed at precisely the moons zenith.

Once he had made sure every inch of the five by five symbol was perfect, he set his stick and measuring tools down to the clearings side, before walking to the center of the hexagram. Each step was measured, careful so as to make sure nothing was disturbed. Once he was in place, Gideon cleared his throat, and raised both hands, one empty and clenched shut, but wearing upon it a ring of white stone and a blazing sigil pointed directly at the moon. The other had a book- a grimoire.

Opening his mouth, Gideon began to chant, feeling the sensation of his magic being drained- and a burning sensation, an intangible, painful warmpth he couldn't place. As a rising sense of dread rose in him and his afflicted limb began to hurt, Gideon continued, speaking a strange, ephemeral language of inhuman creation, the wind beginning to pick up and howl, the warmpth growing worse and worse. It wasn't until the moonblight scars under his coat began to throb that he realized something was wrong- and yet he couldn't stop, his mouth forced to move, no ability to abort what he had started.

Above him, the moon began to bleed, white turning to red, and over the increasingly deafening howls of wind Gideon heard something- laughter, a peel of it coming from everywhere and nowhere, full of malice and mirth, as the stars themselves began to take on a strangely orange hue, burning in the sky.

Each and every verse increased the amount of terror in his heart, Gideon realizing the ritual was coming to a crescendo, fear gripping him as his body was forced to bring it all to it's final, terrible conclusion…

Only for it to end. The moment he finished the words, Gideon had control of his body again, causing him to nearly collapse, energy spent, breathing ragged, eyes wide and terrified- and yet, it seemed all was peaceful. The wind had died down. The heat was gone. The pain of his moonblight had begun to dull again. Looking up, Gideon felt relief: no artificial blood moon, no burning stars…

Just clear starlight. Falling to his knees, Gideon allowed himself a moment of weakness, waiting- there was always a delay, normally, a brief period between the rituals fulfilment and the meteor coming down.

At first, it looked like an approaching star, growing larger and larger- something about it was different, however. Was it…larger? Gideons eyes widened hungrily. If it had turned out the ring had brought him a great mass of moonstone…

Then he saw the first comet fall. Followed by a second, and then a third, fourth, fifth, Gideon's glee turning into horror as he realized- he hadn't just brought down a large meteor, no, he had unleashed on the isle a storm of comets, across the entire island of weird…

Including, in the distance, the guild, from which smoke was already rising.

_____________________________________

Gideon felt his heart shudder as he sat in the room- deep in the Alchemical Sorcery Lab. It was entirely bare, devoid of furnishings other than his chair- on the floor at least. Above them, etched into the ceiling, was a seal designed to negate mystical abilities.

He had erred. He had erred badly- he hadn't even had time to confess upon returning that he had been accosted by an angry senior alchemist and told to help extinguish the fire he had inadvertently caused, alongside countless other panicking Alchemists. And once the flames had begun to settle, he had been interrogated- how they realized it had been Gideon's fault so fast, he didn't know.

And now, he sat awaiting judgement.

He heard the door to the chamber open, and he craned his head, spotting a robed man enter the room, face a scowl.



"Journeyman MacGregor," The man said, coldly. "My name is Alfred. As you are no doubt still getting your bearings, allow me to explain who I am: on most days, I preside over most research of Liber Logaeth, of which I am the foremost expert. On some days, I also help ensure containment- when one of the Sorcery Labs has something dangerous emerge that requires sealing, I help lock it away in the gaols. And on some days, I discipline idiot children who set fire to the guild. Can you guess in which capacity I am acting at this moment?"

Gideon did his best to remain calm. "I'm sorry sir, it was an acc-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, MacGregor- do you think good intentions absolve you of moral negligence?" Albert said, sneering, cutting Gideon off, the scotsman freezing a moment, going pale. "We have dozens of people injured- not just in the Guild, but also Arvantville," Gideons senior explained, fury evident in his voice. "And, making the situation worse, each and every rock you summoned from the heavens is cursed: weakness, delirium, and bad luck," The master alchemist spat.

"I didn't mean to…I didn't realize the ritual…" Gideon sputtered, heart pounding, shaking in his chair a little as he lapsed back into his old accent.

"The fact it was unintentional is the only reason you'll be receiving clemency- and because you are at the moment still technically an apprentice," Alfred said, knuckles clenched white. "But allow me to be clear here: this was unacceptable. We are not an academy for training neophyte immature magicians in the basics of magic- you are a journeyman, a learned professional who is expected to act with at least a modicum of responsibility. You are expected to at least ATTEMPT to ensure any potentially dangerous rituals you perform are accompanied by safety measures, of which, according to the testimony you gave and evidence that was collected, there was precisely none. Now, for your punishment, you will be expected to replace every last drop of holy water that the guild was forced to use, pay for the destroyed houses and lost wages of their inhabitants to be repaired out of your own stipend, and see to providing the people you injured medi-"

There was a rap-tap-tapping at the door, which slowly opened. "Tut tut tut, Alfred, don't you think this is overstepping your bounds a little bit, disciplining my subordinate?" Hugo said cheerfully, causing Alfreds brows to furrow.

"In matters of guild discipline the head chairman of an institution may provide discipline-"

"-To Alchemists who break guild laws or behave in an exceptionally irresponsible way- within reason and only should their immediate superior agree to defer the responsibility," Hugo responded, raising a hand and wagging a finger, expression jovial, while his counterpart fumed. "And while I agree our young MacGregor here wasn't as careful as he could have been and normally would leave his punishment to you, don't you think it's a little unfair to be harsh for what is ultimately a bit of youthful misadventure?"

Alfred sputtered, red faced, and Gideon also felt…confused, unnerved. "He set the guild on fire! He collapsed three houses in Arvantville!"

"For which he will be suitably punished," Hugo responded evenly. "I'm thinking…three weeks of community service at Dian Cecht without compensation."

"People nearly died, Hugo," Alfred said flatly in disbelief, eye twitching.

"But they didn't," Hugo responded calmly, not budging an inch on the subject. "And of course, he'll only get half of the moonstone he conjured."

"He shouldn't get any!" The other master alchemist responded, face a rictus of anger. "You're giving him a slap on the wrist, Proctor, and you know it!"

"I'm sorry, Alfred, but my mind is made up," Hugo responded simply, causing the other alchemist to sigh.

"Fine. I see you're intractable." Alfreds gaze shifted to Gideon, who shivered under the harsh and unforgiving glare. "I hope you feel fortunate, MacGregor- you've been saved by on high. Don't mistake this for carte blanche or a sign you're not beholden to our guidelines: if this incident repeats, Hugo will not be able to protect you. No one is above the rules."

A moment later, he disappeared in a puff of light- teleportation, causing Gideon's eyes to widen and Hugo's to roll at the display of advanced spacial alchemy. "So dramatic," He muttered. "You'll need to forgive Alfred- he means well, what he lacks in social ability he makes up for with an over-developed sense of responsibility."

Gideon sat still, frozen, realizing that he had just witnessed two people with immeasurable power over him quarrel. Giving a dry swallow, Gideon stood up shakily. "Are you alright, lad?" Hugo asked, face returning to a state of stoicism. "You seem a bit troubled."

"Sorry, I just…am a bit stressed," Gideon confessed, causing Hugo to nod.

"Understandable: my colleague has that effect on some people. Come, walk with me- a conversational stroll might help sooth your nerves, and might offer some illuminating insights." Hugo held the door open, allowing Gideon to leave the small chamber, the pair of them exiting into the corridors of the lab.

"The people who got hurt…" Gideon asked, concerned.

"Will be fine-" Hugo dismissed as they passed under flickering torchlight. "Some broken bones, a few gashes- nothing permanent, in a few months they'll be fine- and the curses you gave them were unfortunate, but hardly debilitating. Most of the injured are Alchemists anyways- their injuries will not impede their work." He shrugged. "And as for the villagers, well, thankfully you did this in winter instead of planting or harvest season."

…That wasn't right. It had been awhile, but Gideon remembered the village he had grown up in- The winter wasn't a time of complete idleness, there was plenty of work that still required a hale body, like caring for animals, chopping wood, and other things of that nature, to say nothing about the necessity of having a warm home when the weather was cold. Still, the Alchemist kept that thought to himself, keenly aware he had already earned the ire of one master. "Ah, well, then…" He was silent for a moment as they walked. "...For the record sir, I am sorry- I dinnae mean-"

"Young man, allow me to stop you: you aren't the first newly promoted journeyman to accidentally cause a bit of a disaster on guild grounds because of misapplied magic," Hugo responded as they passed another Alchemist hauling a massive crate. "Your particular spell was more…impressive than usual, I will grant you, but its a story that we typically see several times a year."

Gideon deflated a bit. "Alright, Master Hugo. Next time I do that spell, I'll leave out the rings. Teach me right for meddling with hell," He said bitterly, keenly aware that both rituals of an infernal nature he had performed had backfired.

"I believe you might be taking the wrong lesson here," Hugo noted idly as they came upon a bannistered staircase, the pair of them beginning the ascent to the labs exist above them. "How much did your master teach you about hell?"

…Not much, admittedly- his specialty had been more destroying demons than how they worked. "Some- that the realm is ruled by demons, fel pagan gods, and fallen angels, all of whom seek to bring misery to mortals, ruled by the demon king Bael."

Hugo paused, Gideon halting as well as he heard the master make a clicking noise. "Technically correct," the master noted in a tone that was…Gideon couldn't tell if it was disappointment or complete neutrality. "Though shallow enough to convey things wrong. Infernal doesn't mean evil, MacGregor- you're familiar with the fruit of the Liber Logaeth, but you should remember that much of the guilds magic descends from the Ars Legemeton, a book of demonic magic."

"...Written by Solomon himself, yes, I've heard of it," Gideon conceded, causing Hugo to give a soft smile and continue his ascent.

"Mmm," The master alchemist said, humming. "Yes, indeed- I've read some of it, and it contains extensive notes from the man himself on the nature of the infernal. Would you like to learn something interesting? There exist a particular order of demons known as the Rul'Sha, who act as benevolent healers and providers of blessings." Gideon blinked. That…flew against everything he knew about demons.

"That's because you ultimately know very little about demons," Hugo responded, as if reading his mind. "Their minds do not work like ours do, perhaps- but that does not make them wholly evil, merely dangerous- or costly- to deal with without sufficient preparation." A cluster of sleep deprived looking alchemists passed them, hauling a twitching homunculus on a gurney. "And the same can be said for much of the magic that calls upon hell. Your mistake wasn't consorting with the infernal, MacGregor, it was that you did so without any form of safety measures."

…Gideon nodded, hesitantly, believing he understood the message. "So you're saying it's not that I shouldn't do the ritual like that again…"

"...but rather that you should perhaps invest in a few safety measures beforehand, like trying to develop a method you can direct the meteors away from the guild. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, Mr. MacGregor- and besides, it would be such a waste to discount such an efficient source of catalyst."

…Well, that wasn't…untrue, Gideon supposed, feeling a little reassured. "Aye sir, I'll be a bit more careful next time," He agreed. "And you can expect me bright and early tomorrow morning at Dian Cecht."

"Very good, MacGregor, I appreciate the enthusiasm." Hugo responded pleasantly as they continued going up and up and up the stairway, before exiting into another corridor, still a few floors below the exit.

"And, uh, sir, if I can ask- the moonstone the guild is confiscating, I'm a bit curious…" Gideon said, coughing awkwardly. "What do they plan to do with it?"

"Hmm. Well, at the moment, it's likely to go to one of the various labs- the material is still novel enough that the guild is still researching uses for it," Hugo admitted as they slowed down a bit, expression changing imperceptibly. "Or else it will get given to senior alchemists my fellow masters agree will get the most use out of it. I will confess, part of the reason I'm cautioning you to not discount the ritual is because I'm dreadfully certain we'll likely require a great deal more moonstone once you're properly inducted. Now, I've unfortunately need to be elsewhere, and no doubt so do you."

He gave a nod to Gideon, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a strange blue stone. "Here- something to help you get home a little quicker. Hold it tight and think of your destination. Your moonstone will be available tomorrow, after your shift at Dian Cecht. I will see you again in time, MacGregor," He said, giving his own farewell before disappearing- the same magic that Alfred had used, leaving Gideon alone with his thoughts.

…

And so we close this turn. You now know what happens if you take an unmodified lunar meteor spell and alter it's aspects towards the infernal- it summons a storm of cursed comets. In the process of this, you accidentally caused severe property damage, which means you only have 3 units of Cursed Moonstone from this.

These items will be added to your inventory, which is still under construction. With that, I leave you to discuss your options, dear players: remember, your choice need not be driven by pragmatism, what you believe would benefit the Journeyman the most, or even morality.

This story is a prequel, and what defines a good prequel is, in many cases, FAILURE, after all, both of ability and character. If you wish to shape Gideon along a darker path, that is your option- though please note this story will always attempt to adhere to good taste, meaning some particular sins will always be excised from your options, not presented as choices during turns and veto'd from being written in during schedule planning.

Until next update, dear reader, your Crypt Master bids you adieu.