The golem crafter, p.29
The Golem Crafter, page 29
part #2 of Ethria Series
Ailsa giggled from somewhere behind me, as I just stared blankly in confusion. “Um… Master Pyromancer?” I just blinked not knowing what to do. One of the two younger apprentices in blue turned and began walking back towards the tower. Walking was a bit generous, the boy practically skipped with joy.
Ailsa landed on my shoulder still giggling. Alderon cleared his throat for my attention. “Sir? Are you alright?”
I shook my head to clear it. “Yes, I…” Tol’geth’s hand rested on my shoulder as he spoke up for me.
“He is new to mastery young mageling. He is unused to such respect.” Understanding dawned on the girl’s face, and her relief was almost palpable.
“Uh yeah. You didn’t do anything wrong…” I said hesitantly. “Who was that guy who was harassing you anyway?”
“That? Oh, right you’re new to the city. That was Ol’ag. He is the market warden. He comes by to check up on us sometimes as technically these displays are part of the main market.”
“Oooh, so its a power-tripping thing is it?” The mageling looked highly uncomfortable. “Hmmm… What's your name apprentice? You have helped me quite a bit. You and Alderon here.” I patted the young knightly page on the shoulder and he beamed with pride. “Kept us out of trouble!”
“My name is Kyla, Master Pyromancer. I am the youngest Journeywoman in the tower at age 18!” She smiled at that, obviously proud of her accomplishment.
I lifted my eyebrows, impressed but having little context other than the only other young water mage I had ever met back in Laketown. Apparently Traser’s cousin had been a prodigy. “Well, while I’m always happy to accept gifts and bribes for silence…” Kyla’s face went a light red and her eyes shifted down ever so slightly. I laughed and continued. “I’m not going to deprive a young woman of her fair wages. Particularly when I have plenty of legal coins to spend thanks to my knowledgeable young knight here.” Again I patted Alderon on the back and the boy’s smile somehow went even wider.
I looked at Alderon and gave him a once over. He was in respectable looking clothes, covered in a tunic with the bleeding heart symbol emblazoned on the front and back. “Say, how old are you Alderon?”
“17 sirs, and the youngest page in my order! I’m set to be taken as a squire any time now. Sir Ronald has been in talks with the Orders Commander about it.”
“Well then. Two enterprising, young, and successful folk such as yourselves should get to know each other. Never know when a … professional relationship in another local organization might come in handy in your careers.” Kyla’s eyes went wide at the suggestion. She then locked eyes with Alderon and flushed. She opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by a mildly annoyed loud voice from somewhere near the gates.
“Kyla, what is this I hear about you calling the Market Warden on a visiting Master?” It was an older woman hunched as she walked with a cane that seemed to glow slightly blue. She wore a deep blue robe, with a purple shawl that hung from her shoulders trimmed in gold.
A much younger man, wearing black robes and the same purple shawl trimmed in gold accompanied her. His staff was built similarly to my own, a massive crystal at its head capable of holding what I only guessed was a tremendous amount of mana or stored spells. He also had a small reed that hung from his hip like a sword. It was mundane and looked more a tool for motivating people to move along then to do any real damage.
My own staff was in the crux of my right arm, allowing me to fiddle with the pouch of coin. I had put the coins away when the two magi, returning my staff to my hand. I let its head ignite, and did the same to my ring. They wouldn’t burn anything unless I wanted them too, but it let me cut a striking visage. Or, at least I hoped it did. It had been enough to intimidate a teenage water mage in Laketown at least.
The younger man locked eyes on me, but they quickly slid off towards Tol’geth. The real threat in his eyes. The big man was standing almost bored behind me. When the two other mages had appeared Ailsa had flitted to his shoulder for a better vantage point to see all the action from.
When the two got within comfortable speaking distance half a second later, Kyla jumped into an explanation. “No Mistress Lana, I swear. I have only been tending the booth. The Market Warden was here already. He heard me discussing pricing with this foreign Master Pyromancer, and explaining to him the rules regarding foreign coins and then…”
The older woman’s eyes softened slightly, I noticed, but her voice did not. “That’s no excuse to tattle on him to the warden and run away business. Heaven knows you need all the coins you can get to pay for your master’s experiment girl.”
“But mistress, I did not. I swear it. I …”
“Enough girl. Let's hear what this visiting ‘master’ has to say about it.” The woman turned to me. Those examining, soul-piercing eyes met mine and I smiled. I couldn’t help myself, memories of my grandmother still filled my mind.
I bowed slightly to first the elder water mage, then the other man who I assumed was some kind of functionary or guard. Still good to be polite, I thought. “This girl, I take it she is your apprentice then?” The elderly woman rolled her eyes at me but nodded. “Good, then you are responsible for her behavior.”
The elder’s eyes hardened, in a way that told me she was about to attack me, at least verbally, if I said the wrong thing. I smiled, “she has impeccable manners, only spoke to the Warden when he demanded it of her as any citizen of any place should. She has treated me nothing but fairly, and from the look of her product here, along with the work of your other students, I can tell they have a wonderful Master. I was actually about to buy your entire stock of potions.”
I extinguished the fire in my staff as I put it back in the crux of my arm and fetched my coin purse. “How much would that be in total?” I asked Kyla who looked flummoxed.
“Well, I have fifteen potions of this quality sir. Each at three silver pennies.”
“Good, and the other students?”
“Uh, let me check.” Kyla pulled out a small ledger from underneath the display and began counting it up. While she worked, the black-robed man spoke.
“While she totals your purchase Wizard. Let me introduce myself. I am Jo’han, the City Mage. I am a Master of Light Magic, but do not yet take apprentices.”
He knows I'm a wizard? What the heck? He hasn’t even analyzed me.
“He hasn’t been recognized by the Master’s Council yet,” the elderly water mage explained before cackling. Jo’han’s expression fell slightly from one of imperious authority to one of slight annoyance at a long-standing thorn in his side. “Oh cheer up, it's only because the council hasn’t met in six years. That really needs to change. Maybe next year we can get Zathos back from the coast and we can...”
“Oh enough Lana, that is not going to happen. I’m a master in all but your petty little club. I’ll get a dispensation from the count come the start of the new year. Then I can start taking on apprentices whether you lot like it or not.”
“And I'm telling you, you go that route and the Royal Mages Tower in the south will pitch a fit! The king will strip you of all of your rights, maybe even banish you. Doesn’t matter what the Count or the Duke says about it.”
“The king isn’t in a state to do anything like that. The church rules Tri-Water for all practical purposes. And…”
I cleared my throat, and both of the masters looked at me with daggers. “Pardon the interruption, but, what’s wrong with the king?”
“He’s ill, and his son is too young to take the throne yet,” Lana explained curtly. “But the second he turns 20 that boy will take the reins of power and the church will have to go back to its proper place.”
“If he lives that long, he’s only 17 now Lana.” He said this in a hushed tone. All pretense of annoyance gone. “If the church doesn’t seize full authority of Tri-Water by then, then the Cardinalic Council is more foolish than I thought.”
“Bah, if they do that the dukes will revolt. It’ll be civil war.”
“Well, some might say that positioning oneself on what would be the inevitably victorious side might be a wise move,” Lana shook her head sadly. I cleared my throat again and the two gave each other a meaningful look. I tried to parse out what it meant for Jo’han to get the dispensation from the Count, and then it hit me.
“Wait, wouldn't’ that place you firmly on the side of civil authority?” Jo’han glared at me.
“Keep your voice down fool. Who are you anyway?”
“Oh I'm the fool? I’m not the one discussing civil war and my potential part in it in front of everyone and their dogs.” I muttered so only they could hear. I grabbed the stack of papers I had given the Market Warden earlier and handed them over. The City Mage read them.
“Your total will be 3 silver dimes,” Kyla said perkily. The apprentice mage beamed at me, as she gathered the potions into a wooden crate. “We can take that in any denomination, and can provide change for up to a Gold Dollar if needed.” I fished around in the purse for something that looked silver. I smiled then, as I placed a silver dollar on the table.
“Keep the change, view it as a donation towards you gaining your Mastery. Just do me a favor…” I whispered and leaned in. Lana scowled at me, but I ignored the older woman. “Take my friend over there…” I pointed towards Alderon who had wandered off to another booth. It was smart, getting out of the potential blast radius of any brewing spell slinger fight. But he kept glancing back at us to make sure he knew where we were. “... take him out on a date? I think he could use a little female attention.” Kyla’s face went bright red with embarrassment, and Lana guffawed loudly.
“Lana could use a bit of male attention herself!” The elderly woman said, gripping her apprentice’s shoulders with two firm hands and pulling her into a kind of awkward hug. “Today’s a good day girl. He’s handsome enough, and he’s got manors. That’s more than I can say for most of the men folk in that old black tower. Go have some fun.” The elderly woman let her apprentice free from her hug. “Before that though, make sure you deliver these goods wherever the wizard wants them.”
“Yes, grandma,” Kyla said in a near whisper, still fighting burning embarrassment. “Where would you like these delivered, Master Pyromancer?” She asked tentatively, barely keeping herself from running away and hiding as I was sure the girl wanted too.
“I don’t know, just a moment.” I waved at Alderon for him to come over and he came jogging back.
“Yes sir? How can I help?”
“Can you tell these fine ladies where I can have goods delivered?”
“Ah yes, well that would be to the Traser estate.” He pulled out a map, and pointed out where it was. “It's a three story manor house, with the Traser house emblem on the front gate. A jumping trout out of water.” The two young people kept talking about the delivery and my and Lana’s attention moved on to other things. The two of us slowly made our way away from the two talking teenagers.
“Thank you for that wizard. Normally I wouldn’t be very happy if some meddling man tried to get one of my granddaughters bedded for the night. But, Kyla is a different story. Don’t think that girl has ever held a boy's hand, let alone hiked her skirts for one.”
It was my turn to flush then. “Well, I was just trying to get them a date. Not, not that.” The elderly woman cackled evilly. Lana guided the City Magi and I a few feet further from the booth giving the two teenagers time to talk.
“Seems like it's all in order,” Jo’han said, handing the papers back to me. “One last thing though, in order to practice any magic above tier 1, you need a permit. You can attain a permit from the Cardinal, the Count, or a Guild. The only other way is by working under a recognized Master of the tower.” I sighed, here was yet another nudge telling me to get a master to train me.
“Who are the masters in the city right now?” I asked, exasperated.
“There are three. Lana is the region's Water Master. Then there is the Pyromancer Javic, though he is not willing to take on any new apprentices until at least three of his current cohort graduate and go off on their own. And there is the Light Master Po’tak. He’s on his deathbed, so he won’t be of any use to you sadly.”
“And before you ask, no, I’m not taking on any more apprentices. I’ve already got my hands full with the thirteen I already have,” Lana said. “You seem like a kind fellow but i’m not going to be responsible for what you do.”
“Really? I am on the verge of journeyman rank in water magic.”
“You split your mana pool? That is one of the dumbest things anyone could do. Why?” she asked. “Nope never mind, I don’t care. I can’t take you on. I'm far too busy. But there might be someone…”
“Who?” I asked.
“You don’t mean that moron do you?” Jo’han groaned slightly.
“That is exactly who I mean. And he might be eccentric but moron is the last thing I would call him. He’s a kind, supporting friend even if he is a bit weird. And I’d have you remember that Jo’han!” Lana smacked the younger City Mage in the shoulder with her cane. Jo’han just rolled his eyes, but he stayed silent.
“His name is Zed. He’s a bit, odd.”
“Oh? What type of magic has he mastered?”
“That’s the thing. He’s not mastered any of the traditional types of magic.”
“So?”
“Force magic. That’s what he’s supposedly mastered,” Jo’han said in a rush. “He’s on the damned Master’s Council of the entire northern duchy, and all he knows is force magic! I’m a light master! Have been for years and I'm not even on that council!”
“Yes yes, it's a great injustice.” Lana whacked him again with her cane, this time a little less lightly.
“Ow! Hey!” Jo’han rubbed his elbow where the heavy cane had landed with a wicked sounding crack.
“Grow up. Someone of your power and position shouldn’t be jealous of an old coot like Zed.” She turned to me. “Wizard, he might be willing to take you on. Particularly if you have been foolish enough to gain any kind of ranks in Force magic.” Jo’han glared daggers at the old woman for just a moment, before sighing in defeat.
“Where can I find him?” I was curious.
“Well, I was going to say his apple orchard in the northern part of the city, but right now? Behind you actually.” The old woman cackled as I turned around and found nothing but the crowd.
“What are you…” I turned back but the two mages were just past the gates. How they moved so quickly I will never know. I sighed in frustration and began scanning the crowd looking for this Zed character. “If I were an eccentric mage that mastered a magic type that everyone else thought was useless, what would I look like? Oh, that.”
A man stood at the Light Mage table. His robes were grey and made from rough home-spun wool. He carried a long branch as a walking stick. It still had its bark and everything. He also wore what I recognized from Earth as a traditional Wizards hat. Pointy, flat rimmed with a droopy point that fell to one side. He was bent over, examining a yellow rock.
I approached the same booth and looked for myself. As far as I could tell it was just a normal rock painted yellow. The placard next to the rock explained it had a pain-numbing enchantment on it, with five charges. Nothing too special, and remarkably similar to the small rock I had in my pocket that held a single charge of nearly the same spell.
“What are you looking for?” I asked the bent over mage.
“What? Oh, hello…” Zed said, still bent over. Not even looking directly at me. “... I’m looking at this rock,” he pointed a bony finger at the yellow painted stone.
“I can see that, but why?”
“Looking for a golem heart matrix. At least that’s what the text I read calls it.”
“Oh? Are you trying to learn golem making?” I asked. This might be my way into his good graces.
“No. Well…” He stood up then and put a finger to his grey-bearded chin thinking about his answer. “Nope, still no. But I do want to conduct an experiment on one. And no one in this blasted city who knows how to make them is willing to lend me one to experiment on. I mean, it's not like I'm going to attack them or anything. I just want to experiment with the harmonics between their will and the actions of the golem by manipulating their mental state a bit.”
“But wouldn’t that require that you have access to their will? Perhaps even their mana pool?” Zed looked at me squarely and squinted his eyes as if examining me for something. “ And the use of drugs or mind altering magic?”
“Well, there is that. I suppose that is a legitimate reason for concern.”
“Manipulating a person's will like that would allow you to control the golem, perhaps even gain control over their mana pool. It's extremely dangerous.” He looked at me dumbfounded. “You know, the will? Or more properly the tiny portion of their anima-atiumi that connects their will to the golem?” I had had some time to think about how it all worked and that was the best explanation I had for the connection I had with the waterdog. It wasn’t telepathy, but the thing could feel my will. I couldn’t give it commands non-verbally, at least not yet, but it could tell what I was feeling.
“Yes, I know what you’re talking about. How do YOU know what you are talking about?” The old man got close to me and looked deep into my eyes. His eyebrows were just as bushy and unkempt and grey as his beard was. “Do you… know someone who knows Golem Crafting?! Please tell me you do, I would like to hire them!”
I sighed. “I know Golem Crafting. Just the basics of course, but yes. I know it.”
“Great! Can you make one now? I really need to do an experiment involving your connection to the creature!”
“Hold on, maybe we introduce ourselves first?”
“Oh right, polite conversation. Hmmm. Well, my name is Zedakariah Zendicar, Master of Force Magic, and a member of the regional Mage Master’s Council. Kind of. If they would just tell me when we were supposed to be meeting. Maybe they keep forgetting my address. I should tell Lana to visit, she might know more about golems, I hear water magic has a kind of special connection to the skill.”
