Out of curiosity any reason votes are so low on this? This seemed a pretty straight forward vote and it's not clear there's a particularly strong lead among the contenders, and the subject matter involved a character dear to you with the implications pretty straightforward.
I find some of the reasons put forward for why we'd see less voting put by some players before wouldn't apply in this case. Asking since I know helix obsesses over metrics of how many people comment and vote in plans.
I wonder if it would be possible to get one of his teachers out to the outpost. His magic teacher might be nice right about now... if he had one at least. I am not sure if that ever came up.
[x][Contact] You won't get very much help if you keep secrets, tell them everything important, and just run the risk of negative complications as a result.
We've had an option to hire another enchanter for a while, just didn't have the money for it. Maybe we still don't.
A teacher would probably do us no good though, since while Tristan isn't a bad mage himself, his methods clearly aren't working. We don't know if more of the same would help us much.
[X][Contact] You won't risk Olivia in that way, you'll be vague, put things in hypotheticals, claim it's speculative research. You won't get as much help, but you'll risk less.
[x][Contact] You won't get very much help if you keep secrets, tell them everything important, and just run the risk of negative complications as a result.
We've had an option to hire another enchanter for a while, just didn't have the money for it. Maybe we still don't.
A teacher would probably do us no good though, since while Tristan isn't a bad mage himself, his methods clearly aren't working. We don't know if more of the same would help us much.
[X][Contact] You won't risk Olivia in that way, you'll be vague, put things in hypotheticals, claim it's speculative research. You won't get as much help, but you'll risk less.
I don't see it as currently enough of a concern to give up on secrecy. I'd be more worried about dodgy people making dodgy plans then her growing scales. We should, with a bit more information from other professionals, manage to keep on top of this.
We'll probably have to either compensate them or at least spend some coin to settle them comfortably, since we are kinda living in a deathworld, not a sea resort.
That reminds me. Is it feasible to hire mercenaries, i.e. units that we temporarily hire on a seasonal basis, but don't own, and can't refill with the Duke's help? Would in help solve some problems, like having to keep around a unit that we only need to use once or twice? Or would it overcomplicate/imbalance the existing system without being of much use?
[x][Contact] You won't get very much help if you keep secrets, tell them everything important, and just run the risk of negative complications as a result.
[X][Contact] You won't risk Olivia in that way, you'll be vague, put things in hypotheticals, claim it's speculative research. You won't get as much help, but you'll risk less.
The forge on the other hand demonstrated that the underground beasts are still about. The heavy bits of iron and stone that were purchased for its construction were scarcely set down before the earth beneath them collapsed, with them practically vanishing. The holes then proceeded to expand practically swallowing the whole structure. Your guards were at least somewhat aware of the possibility though and discouraged the beasts without casualties.
I swear to god, we need to either fill in this tunnel network or demolish it and set back up in the crater. I know it's just a mechanical way of representing crit-fails, but speaking 'realistically', we should solve this.
While contacting people that are well versed in magic and all the ways it can go wrong is likely your best bet for further understanding Olivia's condition, you are a little worried about it.
Her superior strength is likely well enough known to the people that pay attention to the castle at this point. Your father certainly knows. The ongoing transformation is currently only known by you and her though. You're a little concerned that she might be seen as significantly more valuable as a dragon than as your… well as herself. You could easily imagine someone harvesting scales for making armor out of, and who knows what could be done with her blood and organs. Your imagination easily fills in such a grizzly scene. She could be a target for kidnapping or merely stealing samples. Given all the details others might want to actually further the process and then use her as a source for valuable draconic reagents that simply aren't available anymore.
On the other hand how much help can an expert be without all of the relevant details? And can you afford that loss? So far the changes have been benign, but you don't have enough understanding on your own to know if they'll stay that way.
You spent much of your time this season with Nerissa. While you don't feel like there's much left for you to learn from her, you do feel a sort of obligation to be with her. It's admittedly rather enjoyable in an odd sort of way. Kind of like having a child and skipping the disgusting parts in between really. Instead you get the nice quiet moments reading a book together or answering questions about humans.
Unfortunately enchanting proved no easier than the previous attempt. At this point you think that the ambient magic of the Overgrowth is actively resisting your attempts. The careful and delicate patterns of your enchantments are meant for efficiently working with minimal magic. They simply can't cope with magic attempting to break free. It's like putting a snake in an irrigation ditch; it just climbs out and wrecks the channel while it's at it.
Cute time with Nerissa is cute, but we're probably going to have to reinvent the wheel here... and invent the caterpillar track, if you catch my drift.
You sent out the very weak second hunter unit to scout the coastline in each direction for a suitable place to build a port. With their limited numbers it proved rather difficult, especially the portions within the forest. It's a good thing you sent Olivia along really or they might have suffered even more casualties in their already weak state.
The results of their survey aren't good though. The cliffs stretch along the entire coast as far as they surveyed. Varying from 150 to 200 feet in height and close to sheer the whole way down. You're basically going to have to build a bunch of pulley raised platforms to move things up from the shore.
That's bad. Without magic BS, that's going to cut down the amount of goods that can be lifted up in a single trip. Which means dock-side storage. Which means tons more lumber, construction, and people.
And I wouldn't put it past this place to be near One Piece level of sea monsters.
On the positive side the harbor is quite deep in general, with the cliff extending beneath the waterline in many places, allowing for docks to be made right against the shore. Though this will somewhat complicate the construction of drydocks. You suppose the other advantage is there's basically no way you could be assaulted from the sea.
Since there doesn't seem to be an easy way down you might as well build the lifts immediately adjacent to your base, as that portion of the inlet is fairly sheltered. A section of sand exists more towards the mouth of the harbor you might be able to squeeze a drydock onto as well, though it would be somewhat more vulnerable to storms.
I wonder if it would be possible to get one of his teachers out to the outpost. His magic teacher might be nice right about now... if he had one at least. I am not sure if that ever came up.
His magic teacher is the primary person he intends to contact. Tristan thinks it just about impossible to get him to move out of his very nice home to the wilderness though. Keeping in mind the salary and capability of an enchanter and decades of work, his home is basically on a tier with a modern manor, if one with active and passive defenses. He's Tristan's role model in terms of the life he wanted, sadly that isn't very likely now.
Tristan never studied the sword besides his few lessons with Leo. He wasn't likely to inherit so it's not like it was necessary, and it seemed like so much physical effort!
General studies he could probably dig up his old tutors. As has been referenced he didn't pay as much attention as he perhaps should have, but it hasn't bit him too much yet. (I'm unsure what you'd be interested in learning that way though, keeping in mind their magic beast lore is heavily degraded from reality by passing of time anyway, though a bit better than Tristan's.)
That reminds me. Is it feasible to hire mercenaries, i.e. units that we temporarily hire on a seasonal basis, but don't own, and can't refill with the Duke's help? Would in help solve some problems, like having to keep around a unit that we only need to use once or twice? Or would it overcomplicate/imbalance the existing system without being of much use?
Mercenaries logically should exist. Not sure how to handle them though. My initial reaction is something like 2x equivalent unit upkeep, but no upfront cost, and can use them for individual seasons as desire, with possible complications from them.
I swear to god, we need to either fill in this tunnel network or demolish it and set back up in the crater. I know it's just a mechanical way of representing crit-fails, but speaking 'realistically', we should solve this.
Well it was triggered by a crit fail, but it is imposing a steady issue. Dealing with a tunnel network without pistols or explosives is rather hard though. The only idea I've yet heard that would really work is mass excavation, and that would be a ton of labor. Plus they could probably escape and rebuild the tunnel network after you were done. So players need to come up with some sort of plan for dealing with them.
Cute time with Nerissa is cute, but we're probably going to have to reinvent the wheel here... and invent the caterpillar track, if you catch my drift.
That's bad. Without magic BS, that's going to cut down the amount of goods that can be lifted up in a single trip. Which means dock-side storage. Which means tons more lumber, construction, and people.
And I wouldn't put it past this place to be near One Piece level of sea monsters.
The amount of construction needed is a large part of why there's a serious expense involved.
On the sea monsters I'll admit that still been debating whether they'll exist at all with Megrisvernin. There won't be anything near the level of sea kings regardless. Trying to project out what would happen in the ocean subjected to the same effects as the overgrowth is somewhat difficult because of the very different mechanics of the ecosystem there. The ocean just works very differently than a forest.
Your weather is too cold for hurricanes, and you're too tectonically stable for tsunamis to be an issue. You do get quite a few storms, but normal storms are something you can deal with a lot more readily.
[X][Contact] You won't risk Olivia in that way, you'll be vague, put things in hypotheticals, claim it's speculative research. You won't get as much help, but you'll risk less.
We can give out more information later - we can't take back information we have already shared.
Well it was triggered by a crit fail, but it is imposing a steady issue. Dealing with a tunnel network without pistols or explosives is rather hard though. The only idea I've yet heard that would really work is mass excavation, and that would be a ton of labor. Plus they could probably escape and rebuild the tunnel network after you were done. So players need to come up with some sort of plan for dealing with them.
Frankly it seems it'd be easier to devise a soil hardening enchantment projector to prevent cave ins and leave them be.
They'd be happier about not getting random breaches too.
[X][Contact] You won't risk Olivia in that way, you'll be vague, put things in hypotheticals, claim it's speculative research. You won't get as much help, but you'll risk less.
1d85 = 77
You send out a series of letters concerning Olivia's condition, carefully phrased in the hypothetical, to the handful of people you believe more knowledgeable in magic than you in the nation. Being the duke's son helps ensure that they at least reply to you.
Most replies are of scant help, things you already know or tried, or simply advice that this line of research is extremely dangerous and should only be done after extensive animal testing. Which you would have done if your original reagent hadn't been so limited in supply. You suspect there was subtext in some you should be studying whatever it was under their supervision, for which of course they'd demand a fee.
Your teacher's reply is the most interesting, which is no surprise, he was supposed to be the best in the duchy.
Knowing you as I do, I have little doubt this is not a merely hypothetical matter. You wouldn't ask for help over a mere theoretical exercise this way. Let us dwell on the first rule of enchanting I taught you.
The first rule he taught you was of course "Don't touch my pipe."
Do not use materials you do not know the nature of, for results are unpredictable.
I spend extra on reliable vendors for a reason, not because I enjoy wasting money. Predictable results are important.
Enchanting something, or in this case someone, alive only compounds your failure. Living things are always much more difficult to enchant not because of any extra resistance, but because living things aren't consistent. Each person is slightly different, and even the same person can change over time gradually disrupting the delicate matrices that characterize modern magic.
Truly it's a sign of my brilliance as a teacher that your test subject hasn't already died.
You preferred to think of yourself as self taught really given you spent far more time studying without him than with him. It was usually best not to disagree with his boasting though.
Or at least so I assume, as I doubt you would contact others were they already dead. While there's little I can do without gathering more accurate data from the subject myself, based on the information you provided I can speculate.
Humans tolerate the current low mana levels much better than most species, which contributes to our ongoing success while other more magic reliant species have declined to near extinction. Blending a more magical species into a human with the matrix you suggested was therefore relatively stable, assuming that as my student this matrix was tailored to the subject's initial state.
It had been, at least as best you could. You'd spent quite a bit of time and effort on making the enchantment perfect for Olivia, even if the idea itself clearly wasn't well thought out.
The dominant human state would have helped contain any issues. While the idea itself was dangerous, a sign of your youth, that it was so well executed can only be a sign you learned something from me.
When you were assigned to the Overgrowth however, the essence of the other species would be nurtured by the more plentiful magic and have gained an advantage over the human host essence.
I am actually surprised that they didn't die rather quickly from uncontrolled complications. Systems in most species are largely parallels, but normally in chimeric experiments without much more careful designs something fails to line up and is lethal rather quickly.
I can only assume you kludged together some sort of quick fix to save them and are now hoping for a more permanent solution.
...That's odd, considering you had done nothing of the sort. A little disturbing as well.
If you would send me your experimental subject, or at the very least real data on them, I shall endeavor to fix this mess you've created. As a teacher I feel some modicum of responsibility.
Knowing him, it was more likely he was interested in something he hadn't seen before.
These old bones aren't what they once were however, so I can't travel to you.
Your teacher,
Elias, Master Enchanter
In truth he was getting on in age, so that wasn't impossible. You think it more likely he simply didn't want to head out into the wilderness though. You wouldn't leave his home if you'd had a choice either. The castle might be better protected, but even your father lived in less luxury than Elias. Though in fairness your father was not given to frivolity.
Well that leaves you with something of a new set of options. You could send him your research data, limited as it is, and hope he can make do with that. Or you could send Olivia in person.
He's the best in the nation. If anyone can help her he can. He's also incredibly egotistical which should help motivate him to do the job well. Conversely he might decide that he has to one up you and do something even more... impressive with her. Which may or may not be desirable, or reversible.
You could at least be sure he wouldn't do something to Olivia that would put her life in jeopardy after berating you for the risks, but to him she is just a servant after all, and so what he considers acceptable results might be a bit extreme.
If you just sent him the full info though you're not sure he'd be able to accomplish much. The research data you have though is rather limited since your instruments and own abilities weren't capable of coping very well with the magic absorption effect.
(Free vote separate from the plan)
[] Send Olivia off to Elias, he'll definitely manage something. (1-2 seasons of her being gone)
[] Just send the research data, it's likely not enough to work with though given how little your instruments could gather, but it's a start.
[] Writein
Plans for Summer: (Base costs shown, increase 15% for merchants issue)
You now have 2 construction actions (For clarity specifying number of structures inside wall now, you are at 9/12):
[][Construction] Forge: 100 Denier construction cost, 40 Denier upkeep, reduces costs by 10% on first 1000 per turn before merchant mod.
[][Construction] Reinforce the newest section of wall (2 actions, minus 1 if taken after or with the moat project)
[][Construction] Warehouse: You could really use the ability to keep at least a season of supplies on hand. A simple warehouse would be enough for now. 100 Denier
[][Construction] A clay lined moat around the base with sections for bathing and swimming could add to the defensibility of the base while also improving morale. There's very little cost involved, but it will be an enormous amount of labor. (4 actions for defense bonus, gets morale bonus at 2 actions.)
[][Construction] More housing at current quality +6 housing slots (200 Denier)
[][Construction] You don't need a steady supply of bricks for your current operation. But you do have a number of things you could use them for. Making bricks is simple enough that you can probably have one of your construction teams make a big batch with some hired advisors. (50 Denier, will produce enough to add fireplaces to your current structures)
[][Construction] Port facility, 400 denier, 100 upkeep. Allows docking of ships for trade. This bypasses orc ground raid penalty and further due to reduced transport costs reduces upkeep 10%.
[][Construction] Drydocks, 400 denier, 200 upkeep, 400 profit, allows construction and maintenance of ships. Requires recruiting shipwright specialist units.
[][Construction] Write-in
2x d85s or 1x 1d100. (Can only take 1d100 if you send off Olivia)
[][Personal] You could produce some basic enchanted gear for one of your units. Sharper blades and harder armor are staples for a reason. (100 Denier in needed materials)
-[] Specify a unit.
[][Personal] Have Leo give you a bit of training. However much you hate it, being better at fighting will help a lot if something is trying to eat you. (Must be taken with appropriate Captain action)
[][Personal] Recruit basic units. Specify what kind. (Automatically includes lumberjacks for free)
-[] Replace losses, 75 denier
-[] What units?
[][Personal] Recruit one Specialist unit (Enchanter, Elite, Healer, Potioneer) These units need special persuasion or negotiation so can't be hired in bulk. (Note this will involve traveling to them)
[][Personal] Find a way to make it so you can recruit without taking so much of your time. You'll either find an assistant that can do recruiting for you or just build a network of contacts willing to do it for a fee. (Cost variable dependent on roll, will have option to refuse and retry or recruit normally)
[][Personal] Investigate what's happened with your siblings.
[][Personal] Design and produce a network of wardstones to harden the earth within your base to prevent cave ins or breakthroughs. (100 Denier, eliminates tunnel issue within base.)
[][Personal] Write-in
There's always something nice about taking time out of your day to visit with Nerissa. (Can ask something of her as a subvote. Do keep in mind she's still maintaining a chunk of defense for your base and an herb garden regardless.)
[][Nerissa] Spend a personal teaching her.
[][Nerissa] Buy her some books? 25 Denier
[][Nerissa] Nothing
(2 Hunter units available)
[][Hunters] Hunt for food, reduce upkeep by 50
[][Hunters] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Hunters] Catch a bunch of rabbits for the rabbit pen. (Requires rabbit pen.)
[][Hunters] Explore the forest, collect flora and fauna samples. Attempt to map out the notable locations
[][Levy] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Levy] Train with the captain (must be taken with captain action, is not advised at this time)
-[] Upgrade to footmen, 200 Denier upfront, 50 upkeep
[][Levy] Guard
-[] The base and sawmill
-[] The merchants that bring your supplies (eliminate 15% modifier)
[][Footmen] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
[][Footmen] Train with the captain (must be taken with captain action, is not advised at this time)
[][Footmen] Guard
-[] The base and sawmill
-[] The merchants that bring your supplies (eliminate 15% modifier)
[][Captain] Command troops, raising morale and effectiveness
[][Captain] Recruit new units. Specify what kind. (Automatically includes lumberjacks for free)
-[] Replace losses, 75 denier
-[] What units?
[][Captain] Train unit (must be taken with appropriate action)
[][Captain] Train you (must be taken with appropriate action)
[][Captain] Train Olivia
Also feel free to do separately from the plan a single contact if you like, writing in what you want to to talk to them about.
[][Contact] Nicolas
-[] About?
[][Contact] Kaleb
-[] About?
[][Contact] Father
-[] About?
[][Contact] None
37 starting -1167 upkeep this turn -460 construction +600 season payment +200 sawmill profit +200 wood workshop +400 herbs +200 charcoal = 10
Upkeep next turn: 1025+15% (100 you +100 leo +100 sawmill + 200 construction crews +75 hunters + 50 levies +100 footmen +50 herbalist +100 woodworkers+50 harvesters+100 charcoal burner)
Income next turn: 600 base stipend + 200 Sawmill profit +200 Wood Workshop +200 charcoal +400 herb sales
AN: I forgot when writing the second sawmill option to include the 200 construction cost. I thought I did since it was clearly a repeat of the original sawmill so would cost about the same. I feel a little unsure about charging you for it, but the fact you don't go into the negatives makes me think it might have been accounted for anyway.
If it's too unfair let me know, could probably be persuaded to discount it.
Added @veekie's idea for dealing with the tunnels. It's a creative solution I hadn't considered, and that's definitely worth rewarding by allowing it. It's worth noting that it would mean the dire moles are still there if someone else tries to tunnel into your base.
Okay so current cost is 1178.75, income is 1,600 for now but we should consider that our stipend is going to drop due to pressure from other nations so we need to increase our income to cover our upkeep. Right now extra upkeep is about 150 (not sure if the 15% applies to construction cost as well). So keep that in mind for the port facility.
We have 431.25 to spend without going negative. Having said that I think
[][Personal] Design and produce a network of wardstones to harden the earth within your base to prevent cave ins or breakthroughs. (100 Denier, eliminates tunnel issue within base.)
is vital to eliminate a construction penalty we are dealing with.
@inverted_helix does the 15% apply to construction costs as well and basically everything short of recruitment?
Edit- Also I do not see the income from the second sawmill in the expected income or does that require the lumberjacks to kick in?
Edit- Forge nets us 69 effective income at the current upkeep level
Action to replace losses brings in lumberjacks which nets us 85
Port facilities cost 460 to build which is more then we have however the sawmill and forge would put that in reach for next turn (+154 net income)
Port facility is actually a better option though as it will provide more effective income then the drydock at the 15% markup- actually even lower due to an additonal 10% discount on upkeep
[][Construction] Forge: 100 Denier construction cost, 40 Denier upkeep, reduces costs by 10% on first 1000 per turn before merchant mod.
[][Personal] Design and produce a network of wardstones to harden the earth within your base to prevent cave ins or breakthroughs. (100 Denier, eliminates tunnel issue within base.)
[][Personal] Recruit basic units. Specify what kind. (Automatically includes lumberjacks for free)
-[] Replace losses, 75 denier
Costs: 115+115+75 = 305
Available: 431.25 (421.25 net income, 10 in treasury)
Treasury: 126.25 (add 69 if forge comes online). This does buffer us to buy the port facility next turn and something else
New Net Income: 421.25 + 69 (forge) + 85 (sawmill) = 575.25
Funds for Next turn: 701.5 (with an additional 69 if forge counts for this turn and 85 if sawmill counts for this turn).
[X] Just send the research data, it's likely not enough to work with though given how little your instruments could gather, but it's a start.
-[X] While you are at it also send him you research on enchanting inside the overgrownth in case he has any insign to offer.
[X]Plan Preparation
-[X][Construction] Forge: 100 Denier construction cost, 40 Denier upkeep, reduces costs by 10% on first 1000 per turn before merchant mod.
-[X][Construction] Warehouse: You could really use the ability to keep at least a season of supplies on hand. A simple warehouse would be enough for now. 100 Denier
-[X][Personal] Recruit basic units. Specify what kind. (Automatically includes lumberjacks for free)
--[X] Replace losses, 75 denier
-[X][Personal] Design and produce a network of wardstones to harden the earth within your base to prevent cave ins or breakthroughs. (100 Denier, eliminates tunnel issue within base.)
-[X][Nerissa] Buy her some books? 25 Denier
-[X][Hunters 1] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
--[X]Olivia helps
-[X][Hunters 2] Catch a bunch of rabbits for the rabbit pen. (Requires rabbit pen.)
-[X][Footmen] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
-[X][Levy] Guard
--[X] The base and sawmill
-[X][Captain] Command troops, raising morale and effectiveness
[X] Just send the research data, it's likely not enough to work with though given how little your instruments could gather, but it's a start.
-[X] While you are at it also send him you research on enchanting inside the overgrownth in case he has any insign to offer.
[X]Plan Preparation
I can go with this, it reduces our treasury by another 115 to 11 minus any additional income but being able to layaway extra supplies before a winter would be nice.
He won't kill her if that's what you mean to imply. He might do non-lethal exploratory surgery, but that's rather unlikely. He's got much more advanced diagnostic equipment than you. To make an analogy you're working with the equivalent of a primitive X-ray machine, whereas he's got an MRI machine.
[X] Send Olivia off to Elias, he'll definitely manage something. (1-2 seasons of her being gone)
So long as he doesn't make her grow a tail...
...
Actually, no, can't see any drawbacks at all.
Gentlemen, we need to solve our merchant situation, it costs us upwards of 150 Denier every turn. We need new units for that. If we go to hire lumberjacks anyway, might as well grab some.
[X]Plan Extra Units
-[X][Construction] Forge: 100 Denier construction cost, 40 Denier upkeep, reduces costs by 10% on first 1000 per turn before merchant mod. -[X][Construction] Have workers help at the sawmill (no Upkeep, +50 Income)
-[X][Personal] Recruit basic units. Specify what kind. (Automatically includes lumberjacks for free)
--[X] Replace losses, Cost 75 denier --[X] Skirmishers, Cost 300 Denier, Upkeep 100 Denier
-[X][Personal] Design and produce a network of wardstones to harden the earth within your base to prevent cave ins or breakthroughs. (100 Denier, eliminates tunnel issue within base.)
-[X][Nerissa] Buy her some books? 25 Denier
-[X][Hunters 1] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
--[X]Olivia helps
-[X][Hunters 2] Catch a bunch of rabbits for the rabbit pen. (Requires rabbit pen.)
-[X][Footmen] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
-[X][Levy] Guard
--[X] The base and sawmill
-[X][Captain] Command troops, raising morale and effectiveness
Upkeep next turn: 925+15% (100 you +100 leo +100 sawmill + 100 construction crews +75 hunters + 50 levies +100 footmen +50 herbalist +100 woodworkers+50 harvesters+100 charcoal burner) = 1064
Income next turn: 600 base stipend + 200 Sawmill profit +50 2nd Sawmill +200 Wood Workshop +200 charcoal +400 herb sales = 1650
Costs: Forge (100 + 15) + Skirmishers (300) + Replacements (75) + Books (25) = 515
Net profit: 1650 - 1064 - 515 = 71 Denier
Questions: @inverted_helix, is the construction action legit? I know we discussed the option before:
Can we expect to make a reduced profit (given we have two sawmills, and the second one has no people to work in it), or just pay for their upkeep?
Are lumberjacks and woodworkers the same unit?
Why are hunters only +75 Upkeep, and not 100?
If Olivia is sent to our teacher, she is automatically removed from the plan, right?
Knowing you as I do, I have little doubt this is not a merely hypothetical matter. You wouldn't ask for help over a mere theoretical exercise this way. Let us dwell on the first rule of enchanting I taught you.
The first rule he taught you was of course "Don't touch my pipe."
Enchanting something, or in this case someone, alive only compounds your failure. Living things are always much more difficult to enchant not because of any extra resistance, but because living things aren't consistent. Each person is slightly different, and even the same person can change over time gradually disrupting the delicate matrices that characterize modern magic.
Truly it's a sign of my brilliance as a teacher that your test subject hasn't already died.
You preferred to think of yourself as self taught really given you spent far more time studying without him than with him. It was usually best not to disagree with his boasting though.
Or at least so I assume, as I doubt you would contact others were they already dead. While there's little I can do without gathering more accurate data from the subject myself, based on the information you provided I can speculate.
Humans tolerate the current low mana levels much better than most species, which contributes to our ongoing success while other more magic reliant species have declined to near extinction. Blending a more magical species into a human with the matrix you suggested was therefore relatively stable, assuming that as my student this matrix was tailored to the subject's initial state.
It had been, at least as best you could. You'd spent quite a bit of time and effort on making the enchantment perfect for Olivia, even if the idea itself clearly wasn't well thought out.
The dominant human state would have helped contain any issues. While the idea itself was dangerous, a sign of your youth, that it was so well executed can only be a sign you learned something from me.
When you were assigned to the Overgrowth however, the essence of the other species would be nurtured by the more plentiful magic and have gained an advantage over the human host essence.
I am actually surprised that they didn't die rather quickly from uncontrolled complications. Systems in most species are largely parallels, but normally in chimeric experiments without much more careful designs something fails to line up and is lethal rather quickly.
I can only assume you kludged together some sort of quick fix to save them and are now hoping for a more permanent solution.
If you would send me your experimental subject, or at the very least real data on them, I shall endeavor to fix this mess you've created. As a teacher I feel some modicum of responsibility.
Knowing him, it was more likely he was interested in something he hadn't seen before.
In truth he was getting on in age, so that wasn't impossible. You think it more likely he simply didn't want to head out into the wilderness though. You wouldn't leave his home if you'd had a choice either. The castle might be better protected, but even your father lived in less luxury than Elias. Though in fairness your father was not given to frivolity.
Well that leaves you with something of a new set of options. You could send him your research data, limited as it is, and hope he can make do with that. Or you could send Olivia in person.
He's the best in the nation. If anyone can help her he can. He's also incredibly egotistical which should help motivate him to do the job well. Conversely he might decide that he has to one up you and do something even more... impressive with her. Which may or may not be desirable, or reversible.
You could at least be sure he wouldn't do something to Olivia that would put her life in jeopardy after berating you for the risks, but to him she is just a servant after all, and so what he considers acceptable results might be a bit extreme.
If you just sent him the full info though you're not sure he'd be able to accomplish much. The research data you have though is rather limited since your instruments and own abilities weren't capable of coping very well with the magic absorption effect.
