With a load of mystic sap and ichor brought fresh from the Spooky Grove, I set to work on making a batch of sigil ink myself this time. The Hearth is full of babies and I shut myself in the workshop to get some work done without listening to screaming children or having things knocked over or stolen by tiny idiots who don't know better yet.

I hadn't reached Elite yet the last time I helped make sigil ink, so I wasn't able to complete the process myself, since it requires using magic. So I'm eager to actually be able to do that part this time.

I've got a handful of sigil items that I hadn't really had a chance to play with yet as I've been busy with other things. I need to learn some intermediate Wizardry before I can really analyze the sigil code on something as complicated as a magitech camera. Right now, I've barely made even the simplest of magic items yet. I haven't even duplicated the frost wand I don't like using because it was used to do bad things and feels psychically icky. Once I can etch sigils precisely enough, I'll add them to my copper rod. But I don't know that technique yet, only [Calligraphy]. The problem with [Calligraphy] is that while it's easy enough to paint and repaint, it's also very easy to damage.

I have a million things drawing on my time and projects I want to do at some point, but I'm trying to be patient. I'm going to be learning Wizardry in school, and Invocation is fun. They can be combined well once I learn them so there's no reason I shouldn't learn both.

Rowan gives me a hand with the ink preparation. He hasn't said anything aloud about it, but I can tell from his aura that Amethyst has not endeared herself to him. My [Empathy] has been picking up spikes of annoyance from him every time she draws attention to herself. Or refers to him as a barbarian.

Amethyst is having a chat with Lark Harrow, our houseguest from Gleam. The young woman's stark white hair and pale blue eyes stand out amid the mostly dark-haired, brown-eyed locals.

Name: Lark Harrow Gleam Tiganna Race: Human | Gender: Female | Rank: Elite | Tier: Journeyman | Class: Capable Jeweler Disposition: Friendly | Mood: Calm

I eavesdrop, because I'm nosy and they're noisy. If they didn't want the entire workshop to hear, they ought to be using their indoor voices. Gleam's grapes are different from Hebron's life-aspected magenta ones. They mostly have mundane varieties, and their main magical type is order-aspected instead. Since Lark is a [Jeweler] and not a [Brewer], she obviously didn't bring any yeast samples with her when she went into exile.

"If you're going to Gleam, you will want someone along who is from there," Lark says. "You need a trustworthy guide, and you should trust no one but your guide while you are there."

"And you can't come because you're exiled," Amethyst says. "Well, if you can recommend me a trustworthy guide, I'll be happy to get a quest in too."

"Contact Sage Pinner Gleam Tiganna at the Cloudy Draught in Mayfair," Lark says. "I will write you a letter of introduction."

Lark writes up a letter, and when she finishes, her aura flashes as a completed quest ignites into experience.

I touch an astral tendril to Lark's connection to her core. [Harrow, what are you up to?]

[I have need of a Resonant Child,] Harrow replies in a monotone mental voice psychically touched with surprise and thrill. [There will be progression in it for you.]

If its quest had just been to send someone to Gleam, there have been plenty of higher level people who could have gone. I request details.

Title: Awaken the Silent Bell. Rank| Elite | Domain: Gleam | Requirement: Resonant Child Description: Re-Attune the sacred bell of Westminster. Reward: 10% Elite → Heroic rank progression Result: Increase the Chaos rating of Gleam by 5%

I raise an eyebrow. Interesting. Whether or not that's something I actually want to do, I can recognize it for what it is regardless. A level-appropriate quest hook specific to my class.

I send to Harrow, [How fortuitous that these refugees picked my village to hide out in.]

[Your Hearth is strong and has a high Chaos alignment. It was a good position from which to give invitations to adventurers.]

[I will consider your challenge,] I tell it, and break the connection.

Harrow didn't actually give me a quest, just showed me the text without committing the essence. I would imagine if I hadn't contacted it directly, I would have had to actually go there to find out the details. Harrow decided to go with unapologetic blunt honesty instead. Hoping I'd eventually push its agenda and offering payment.

Well, a visit to Gleam is in order in the near future regardless. I'll find out more about the situation in that part of the City when I get there.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"Mayfair is on the underside of Gleam on the edge closest to the skymote core," Lark says. "You will not be able to miss the advertisements. Don't mention mine or my son's names in public. It will do you no favors."

"Why were you exiled, anyway?" Amethyst asks.

"My son, Bucky, snuck into the Temple of Light in Westminster and rung the Sacred Bell," Lark says in a tone like she's discussing a schoolyard incident.

"I see," Amethyst says blankly.

"I think I'm going to need to know more about this bell," I put in. "You haven't said much about your home domain and I respect that, but if your core wants to give me a quest, I've got questions I'd like some answers to."

"Of course," Lark says with a sigh.

Congratulations! You have crafted a Fair sigil medium. Skill acquired: Wizardry (Medium Preparation) You can prepare magically potent sigil inks, dyes, and inlays to be used for Wizardry.

The copper cauldron shimmers inky black with faint magenta sparkles. The finished ink feels correct, and while it might not be as potent as the stuff made by my more experienced relatives, it's definitely a success. I'm not sure how much my [Copper Affinity] helped, but any bonus is still a bonus. I carefully bottle it up.

While getting our supplies and materials ready, we ask Lark all the obvious questions and learn whatever she knows of relevance. Unfortunately, that's not as much as one might hope. Bucky has been unable to speak since the bell incident and never told her why he did it, though I have to assume either he had a quest or he has about the same level of self-preservation instinct as Colt and Poppy.

Lark isn't psychic, though. I am. So I go off to find Bucky to see if I can read the answers from his aura.

The boy sits on the bank of the little swimming pond behind the Hearth, plucking at a lute intently.

Name: Bucky Harrow Gleam Tiganna Race: Human | Gender: Male | Rank: Basic | Tier: Novice | Class: Creative Child Disposition: Friendly | Mood: Wistful

He doesn't notice me approach at first and I pause nearby to listen to him play for a few minutes. I would say that he's a master Bard in the making, if he sticks at it for a few more decades. Right now, he's a 7-year-old picking out "Deck the Halls" on a low-quality instrument. (In July, no less.)

The white-haired boy finally notices me, smiles at me awkwardly and lifts a hand in a small wave.

"Hey, Bucky," I say. "How are you doing?"

Bucky shrugs, gestures to the lute and makes a face.

"You'll get better with practice," I say. "Going into music is an interesting choice. I need to ask you a few questions about that bell…"

When I speak the word "bell", a flurry of emotions swirls through his aura faster than I can keep up with. Awe, wonder, fear and joy. It was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard and he's been left with a deep yearning for music in its wake.

"Did you have a quest for it?" I ask.

Bucky shakes his head.

"You just went poking around in the Temple of Light just to see— what's that? Oh, you want my pen and some paper? Okay."

I pass over a pen and paper to him and let him scribble out a note. Right, here I was thinking I would try to read his aura, but he knows his letters. I ought to see if I can find someone who can teach him a sign language, if not break whatever effect caused this.

Bucky passes the note back to me. 'They said no hitting bell. But I wanted to hear it. It was so pretty. I hope I hear it again.'

I read over the shaky words, some of them barely legible, and nod slowly. The experience clearly affected him deeply in some way, but whatever imprint it might have made upon his aura, I'm not really able to pick out right now. I'm going to need to see this bell for myself.

"I'm planning on heading to Gleam soon," I say. "Is there anyone you want me to say hi to while I'm there?"

Bucky cocks his head thoughtfully, then grins and nods enthusiastically. He takes back the paper and writes down, 'My cousin Misty. She's 15. She knows stuff! I hope she's okay.'

"I'll let you know if I see her," I say. "Thanks."

Aunt Savannah has returned carrying a huge black-and-red salamander haunch on her back. Judging by the size of the thing, the monster must have been even bigger than the Heroic salamanders that were attacking Hebron. She brings it into the Hearth and passes it off to the Hearthkeepers to be cooked.

"This..." Aunt Hazel says, examining it dubiously and not daring to touch it. "What is this?"

"I visited the Fire Nest dungeon," Aunt Savannah says. "Though despite the name, the only 'fire' was spiciness. This meat came from the final boss, an Epic-rank Ghost Chili Salamander who proved to be a good match for me."

"This will be our greatest challenge yet," Aunt Magnolia says. "Cooking this meat will be an Epic Deed. If we are fortunate, we may gain a great deal of experience from preparing this meal, provided we do not perish in the attempt!"

Okay, I've never known Aunt Magnolia to be quite so over-dramatic, but what do I know about cooking high level monsters?

"We'll need to be very careful when handling the meat," Aunt Hazel says. "Yew accidentally rubbed his eyes after helping with some of the Elite salamander meat. We had to wash out his eyes with a milky potion before they'd stop stinging. At least he was already blind to begin with!"

"The spicy salamanders have proven themselves delicious," Aunt Savannah says. "Nefern and Amroth already want more."

"Did you learn anything about why the monsters suddenly attacked Hebron?" I ask.

"Yes, the salamanders wanted to be eaten," Aunt Savannah says.

"… what?"

"Our adventurers hadn't delved the Fire Nest recently as they'd been busy with other things, so no one was hunting the monsters. They'd just respawned and sat there waiting for someone to show up and when no one did, they went and sought out the source of the adventurers."

"They wanted to be eaten?" Anise wonders.

"I spoke with them, and they said they'd been trying to become tastier and the dungeon seemed offended that it had gone and designed a whole new Epic-rank variety of monster and no one had come to fight it yet."

"Why would the monsters want to be eaten?" Anise wonders.

"Monsters gain experience from interacting with people too," I say. "It feels weird, but since they just respawn, they don't really have any sense of self-preservation, or a need for one for that matter."

"I guess I never really thought about what the monsters might want," Anise admits. "Usually I'm just trying to set them on fire while they're trying to chew my face off."

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