The Three Artificers

The Dragon's Head Tavern and Inn, Vorland, 1438 ATC

It was a calm fall day. All around Vorland the swaying trees were just beginning to change their colors, not quite weak enough for the winds to bring the leaves down. For now the country was in a sleepy state of autumn peace.

The black haired demoness barmaid disappeared for just a moment and reappeared with a tray which held a tea kettle, a black porclain cup, and hand created tea bag. Setting the tray ontop of the bar, her short height about an inch above it, Kira carefully began to put the tea together, "It's always good when people order my tea. This is my... Specialty." Kira giggled and looked up towards one of the patrons in interest, "I would love to try sometime." Once the black tea was crafted with ease, Kira lifted the cup into her hands and placed it in front of the woman from the nearby town of Aline. "Please Enjoy." She tilted her head to the side with a priceless smile as always. Then she moves back to pick up the tray and set it carefully out of the way, all before another nameless patron raised a hand for her, and she placed clasped her hands and wandered over to help and all the other patrons at their tables.

"Yeah. Later on tonight just come back to my room for some... Good conversation. That's it, Kira. As usual! Uhhh... Anyone else want some ice cream?'' Ven asked setting a rather large bowl of vanilla ice cream slathered in honey and topped with apricot slices on the bar, casually just eating while he worked. He looked to the tendril and raised a brow, looking to the woman. ''You wouldn't happen to be... What the fuck are they called... Shadow demonesses is as easy as I can say. I don't see a tail and you're too dark to be a Pryldahnian. I mean the horns... Hm.''

Selly narrowed her eyes at the man. "Never tie my kind in with demons..." She spat, turning away. "I'm a Soutabulat..."

"Good conversation you say?" Kira then rose a finger and poked at his side as she came back to fill a tankard with grapefruit beer. "Do you want me to meet you there or knock?" The black haired, pale short demon girl rose both of her eyebrows in a sly manner, then gave a light sigh, already feeling the whiskey sour drink Ven had her try earlier flow through her system like a seductive spell. Wandering back over to the male patron and collecting his payment, before whispering to the woman from the town of Aline. "Emer, Venser is nuts. But... In a good way most a lot of the time."

For a moment Nadine almost seemed angered watching the shadow tendril. But settled down. Not what she thought it was. She bit her lip and stared forward at the rain. "No thank you." She said and tapped the bartop. "I dont blame her." Meaning the shadow. Nadine inched away a little.

''A what?'' Venser asked blinking his emerald snake like eyes, grabbing a spoon and digging into the ice cream while watching the ladies at his bar.

"Soutabulat. You'd do well to remember that." Selly snapped her gaze back in his direction for a moment before turning back to Nadine. "Telzar? I don't believe I've heard of a place of that name."

"Consider yourself lucky." Was all Nelu had to say then decided to say screw it, and ate ome of the ice cream.

''I don't know what a soutaskabulbunt is. But let's get a good look at ya...'' The handsome bearded barkeep leaned over the bar to examine the women before him. Venser himself was an ordinary human man in his mid thirties with slicked back raven black hair, a neatly trimmed beard, fair skin, and handsome features. ''Hmm...'' The only thing not human about him were his eyes, that appeared to be plucked from the skull of a snake. His orbs traveled all over her body, briefly glancing at her chest.

The girl with the orange bob cut elbowed Selly. "Watch out hes a bit of a perv. Mistook me for a prostitute or some shit a while back."

"That's fine..." Selly smirked. "Even if he were able to seduce me, he wouldn't survive the first five minutes." She leaned against the counter.

Venser rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to speak. ''I don't remember that. I think- No maybe I did. Or a mage or a scholar.'' He chuckled and missed the last part, then said, ''Survive the first five minutes. Pffft. Clearly we've never met before. Misss...?''

Nadine groaned loudly. After the day she had, she was not willing to put up with it. Ignoring the two for now, the artifictor grabbed her bag and flipped it open, a bit of weird greasy bright blue substance was flicked at Selly. She didn't notice as she was more interested in finding a book.

"Let me put this in terms you'll understand." Three blade like tendrils emerged from her shadow with a metallic ring, these however were more white than black, all three stopping a bit before they impaled his head, she placed a finger under his chin. "... See that woman back there?" Selly pointed to the orange haired, golden eyed woman. "She has a better chance with me than you do." She narrowed her dark eyes. "I'm not into men... Especially ones who disrespect my peoples name in such a careless way."

''If you're not into men than that settles it.'' He said with a shrug, his eyes going over to Nadine before returning to the unnamed woman. Venser remained calm throughout the entire oredeal even with the shadow blades near his head. ''We have those here too.'' He said gesturing to them.

Selly snapped her finger and the blades retracted, feeling the bright blue substance on her hand. "Hmm? What is this?" she stared at it, tilting her head.

"I dont know." Nelu was more distracted by the content of her bag, she finally pulled out a rather thick book that looked like it shoudlnt have been in there and opened it. It was, though.

''Whatcha reading there?'' He asked digging back into the bowl of ice cream, acting as if Selly and his exchange didn't happen. Venser was now looking to Nadine's chest, despite the fact she was wearing a rather thick leather blacksmithing apron on.

"You sure do like reading, don't you?" Selly tried to get a look at what the book was called, if the cover even had a title on it.

"Please enjoy it, sir." Kira now took a moment to relax for a moment as she reached for her tea cup and took the final gulp of her own saki and green tea mixture. Those dark eyes gazed upon the patrons while she stood there in silence, until another shadow tendril would appear with a fresh clean full cup of what she was endulging herself with. "Arigato." she spoke quietly towards the Shadow Tendril whom eventually disappeared into nothing. Kira would then take a few steps to the side of the bar and continue her work, fading into the background.

The book was leather, with a title in a foreign language, symbols not of this world. But once opened it was… A sketchbook. Full of designs for strange arcane machines and scrawled text. Almost as if blueprinting. “Its necessary.” She stated and smiled, showing the contents of the page.

“Schematics for an artifact we are working on.”

The bearded bartender disappeared in a puff of thick red smoke that quickly disappaited and reappeared behind Nadine, peering over her shoulder silently and looking into the sketchbook, gently trailing his fingertips up her side.

"You certainly have no manners, do you?" Nadine raised an orange eyebrow at the bearded barkeep. The text wasnt legible, but the drawings were pretty in depth and detailed. The orange haired artifist seemed more interested in the text though. "I don't mind people looking as long as they don't touch."

''I do when it's useful. Or when I feel like it.'' Venser replied shrugging his shoulders, looking at a silver bracelet the girl wore that has a polished green stone within it. ''Lately... It's complicated. Been busy with tedious work here and my farm... I've been so... Hmmm... What's the word?''

"Horny." Selly said with a sly grin, obviously making fun at his expense.

Nadine put the book on the counter and leaned on her elbows. "I can't think of any." Shrug. "Venser, does the tavern have any rabbit stew tonight?''

''Rabbit? Yeah. We pretty much have everything here. Maybe I can interest you in some fried catfish instead and a Pink Footed Booby?'' Venser suggested.

Nadine looked up with wide hazel eyes and her lips pressed into a straight line.

"CAT FISH? YOU EAT CATS?"

Suddenly, there was a sneeze, and out of no where a white haired, elven gentleman appeared a little bit away from the bar. "God dammit... That big haired woman got me sick aga--Oh! There you are Nadine!" He stood up and brushed himself off. "Didn't tell me you went to take a lunch break." He snorted, Selly looked over at her. "Friend of yours?"

Nadine's surprise at the mention of what she thought was fried cat meat faded a bit as her companion Myrin appeared. "Yes, we work together you could say." She then smiled at the elven man with long white hair and patted her open sketchbook. "Needed a quiet place to work... Away..."

Groooaaann…

It was clear she had a long night before and possibly hadn't rested much. Especially since she worked out in the store room in the stables.

''What? No! Catfish not actual cats!'' Venser yelled back. ''I do eat a different kind of puss-'' He was interupted by the elven gentlemen and stepped away. ''Why don't I go make both and you can judge for yourself? I spare no expense when I cook!" He then disappeared in a puff of thick red smoke.

"Pretty rough fight, huh? We almost didn't make it out." Myrin plopped down beside of her, Selly doing her best not to laugh at the barkeep.

"There's aquatic cats in this land?" Nadine blinked, releived and nodded. "Okay then I'll try them." She produced a few coins in order to pay for it. "Almost..." She grumbled and stretched her arms. "And we lost three more of the guards."

"Damn...Those beasts are gaining an edge on us..." He crossed his arms. "At this rate they'll find a way to cross over the other side of Posiil..."

"Apparently this land has cats that are also fish." Selly said. ''This makes me want to go to the lake I heard about nearby and seek them out...''

"...That makes no sense." Myrin blinked.

"I know right? Do cats really swim like fish here?"

''No no no no no. There are fish called catfish because they have tentacles that resemble cat whiskers. It's a very ugly fish and looks nothing like a cat." Venser explained, letting out an amused chuckle at the thought of an actual aquatic cat. ''I'll have it out in a few minutes... Keep chattering amongst yourselves.''

POUT!

Nadine felt deceived. The idea of cute fluffy water cats was better than this. But at least she no longer felt guilty about eating it.

"We should catch some and bring them back to Telzar."

A couple minutes later...

''Chef Venser right here!"' He called moving quickly down one of the hallways, wearing a pair of shoes with wheels on the bottom of them. Along with a giant white chef's hat on his head. Venser stopped behind the bar and set a silver platter down on the bar removing the lid. On the platter were a few pieces of fried catfish, with some salt, paprika, and pepper added to it for taste. Along with a few hash browns and a bowl of hot rabbit stew.

''Ta da!''

Nadine sniffed it and took a peice, careful to check if it was hot or not and waved her other hand at Myrin. "Be a good idea. Something for people to look forward to." She then thanked Venser and nibbled on the end of the fish. Obviously she was unsure of it.

Myrin took a piece of the catfish and tried it. "Hmm... Not bad..."

''What are your names by the way?'' Venser asked dipping a piece of the fried catfish in some hot sauce, taking a bite out of it

"Myrin of Lapwait! I am a very skilled wizard!" He smiled, plopping a bit of catnip into his mouth.

"You already know my name. You've tried to hit on me before." Nadine said. "Where do you find catfish?"

''The lake behind the tavern if I wanna spend my time fishing. Or the town down the road, Aline.'' Venser replied.

"Maybe we could spend the night here before going home. We need to stock up on supplies tomorrow anyhow." Myrin looked over at Nadine.

Myrin got a nod. "Yeah. Up early to leave though. I dont think staying away for too long will be a good idea though. Especially not now. I come here a lot but I don't stay too long."

''Three rooms then? Or are you going to be camping out nearby? I know some patrons do that if we don't have any rooms.'' The handsome bearded bartender said, enjoying a glass of huckleberry cider while listening to them all.

"Yeah, I'll stay up and gather what we need, you can go get some sleep, you look like you need it." The white haired elven man smiled.

"And how do you plan on noy dying? Or being kidnapped?" Tsk tsk. At least on Telzar it was dangerous to wander alone. Especially if you had nobility. "Three rooms it seems. Because Myrin can't skip out on sleep. he fought too." She finished off her last peice of fish.

"Awh. Come on, Nadine. I'll be fine."

''So how many rooms, exactly? Two, three?''

"If any more decide to try and come up on us I'm going to need you alert and awake." Nadine gave his childish reaction one of her own and squinted at Venser. "Three" She repeated.

"Fine..." Myrin sighed and placed some coin on the counter, paying for his room.

''Alright... Will need to prepare the rooms. Excuse me, and enjoy the catfish and rabbit stew.'' Venser took the coin and then disappeared in a puff of thick red smoke.

"What will you do if a land close to here next? Maybe Vorland itself. And you are too tired to fight." Nadine puffed her cheeks this time. Her small size, standing at five foot three, making her seem an actual child.

"...You make a valid point... Alright then. I'll get some rest and we can head out in the morning." He shrugged and reached into his robes, pulling out a wand and waving it about, summoning a few butterflies.

Nelu waved away the insects. "Impressive magic." She said and smiled. ''I can do something like that.''

''Because why not? They make for good distraction.'' Myrin said standing up. "I'll be right back."

Venser reappeared back behind the bar and adjusted his cravat, handing each of them a small silver key with a tag and a number on it. ''All of them are down the left hall. Directly beside each other.''

Nadine held out a hand, green energy forming for a moment before she created her own illusions to join the butterflies. Small neon green, shimmering fish that flitted around. "You have to excuse Myrin." The woman with the carrot colored bob cut watched him for a moment, giving him a supporting smile. Venser got a nod and she took her key. "Thank you, rest of the money's on the counter."

Myrin took his key and made his way down the hall without looking back, the green eye shaped rune on his forehead glowing a soft red as he walked passed them.

Nadine sat down with a sigh. Better not to follow him. She knew better than do that sometimes. Her fish slowly began to fade away as the spell ran out.

In the hallway something appeared. Only momentarily. It was a good six feet tall with glowing blue eyes. Gone as fast as it came. Nadine laughed along and then held out a hand. To add more butterfish, all sorts of shapes and sizes. One a literal butter stick with wings.

Myrim felt the beast emerge, his eyes narrowed and he braced himself. He stood tall and lifted up his wand.
"...You..." He bared his teeth, a small circle of flames circling his feet. Grains of salt appearing from mid-air and circling his body, without warning a wave of the salt was launched at the creature with enough force to shred flesh and wear down stone with enough effort.

All his attack would hit was wall, causing some slight damage to it. Was it even real? Nadine laughed and held out her arms. Illusionary wings sprouting from her back, she too leapt in the air and joined the fish. It felt good to have fun sometimes, that was for sure.

Myrin's eyes rapidly darted around and he cried out. "YOU WON'T MAKE A FOOL OF ME!" He yelled, going into another of his tantrums.

It never returned. The hallway remained normal aside from Myrin destroying the wall. Nadine heard the screams, and after clapping to congratuate the princesses effort she settled down on the floor.
"I'll be right back." She nodded a hello at the newcoming deer, and started toward the hallway.

"Myrin?" She held up her hands in an attempt to counter his magic use and make him stop before he completely destroyed the wall.

Venser was staring off into space behind the bar and the bowl of vanilla honey ice cream before him had melted. He sighed, and called up the shadow tendrils. Two of them manifested themselves into shadow clones of himself. ''Gonna need to repair the wall once he's done...''

''I think you should go to your friend, Nadine.''

Myrin was on his knees at this point, head in his hands as the salt began to fade and fall to the floor. "You...Won't." He was mumbling that over and over.

Sighing Nadine knealt beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on." She planned on taking him to his room and getting him to rest.

"So, seeing things again?" The orange haired artifactor asked quietly and dug in her bag, producing a small vial of liquid. A potion made from some ingredients gotten from the last market she had visited. She waited, not wanting to get up and leave for some water before he answered.

''Interesting... Must be a lot in the forest out there...'' He said pulling his hand back.

''I have to find it Nadine... It teleported all the way over here, somehow...''

''Myrin…''

"I KNOW WHAT I SAW, NADINE! THAT THING APPEARED IN THE SQUARE AND DISAPPEARED INTO THIN AIR!" He sat up, Myrin was never one to lie, especially about The Luektorem.

She just stared at him with bright golden eyes just stared. And handed him the potion. Nah she wasnt going to dilute it. He needed to rest before his crazy obsession got worse.

Myrin took the potion and downed it. "Nadine, I promise you I wasn't seeing things, I landed a hit on it before it disappeared!"

''Okay. I believe you." She agreed. She didn't want to argue with him. Just waited for it to start taking effect.

Myrin opened his mouth as if to say something but quickly shut it, laying back in his bed. "... Maybe I am just seeing things...I mean...I've been so obsessed with them I could just be paranoid."

She waved at him a bit. "It will all be fine. Don't worry just get some rest, I'll go get what we need from the market." And that included the catfish.

"... I just don't get it... I could sense it I could SEE it's mana. It doesn't make any sense." He was getting frustrated.

''You've had a lot on your mind and the uncharted lands are full of strange creatures. It could have been anything, if anything. Just get some sleep, I think exhaustion is just getting to you." Nadine started for the door. She needed to go get her stuff from the bar.

"...Right..." He sighed and closed his eyes. "...Thanks, Nadine.''

''How's your friend?'' Venser asked removing a small silver tin from his waistcoat, popping it open and pushing a light green cigar in his mouth. He lit it and inhaled, then exhaled greenish white smoke. He let out a cough and called for the shadow tendrils to get him some water too.

The pretty girl with the orange bobcut nodded and left. Heading to the bar, looking more exhausted than before. She gathered her things along with the now cold rabbit stew and turned to head to the doorway that lead to the room. She wanted to listen in on him, make sure nothing was up. "Myrin… Not good." She mumbled and crammed some stew in her mouth.

Meanwhile outside Myrin's room something scratched against his window.

''What's wrong with the man?'' He asked exhaling greenish white smoke that smelled earthly with a hint of citrus. ''Heh... Does he like cannabis?''

Myrin's eyes popped open and he hopped up, swinging his hand and causing a salt dagger to fly through the glass.
"LEAVE ME ALONE DAMN YOU."

"He's... Got a lot of stuff wrong with his head. Bad things happened. Typical stuff you hear about in taverns. He will be fine, I gave him something to--" Nadine heard the screams. "Oh dear." The dagger hit a tree outside. But there was nothing... But perhaps a slight blue glowing pinprick of light in the shadows of the woods visible from the window.

Myrin jumped through the window and landed on the ground below, raising his hands and causing multiple large spears to form above his head, which he would fire into the woods one after another.

"GET OUT OF MY FUCKING HEAD!"

Venser's head whipped around to look down the hall while his cigar was in his mouth. ''Ugh... Yeah. We should go after him.''

Nadine was sounding panicked. "Yes, lets." And she darted down the hallway. She wasn't a healer she didn't know what to do, really. Meanwhile the blue light began to fade.

Venser ran down the hall with Nelu then disappeared in a puff of thick red smoke and reappeared beside her a few seconds later wearing a nurse's hat and carrying an herb bag with him. ''OOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE OOGIE OOGIE OOGIE OOGIE! I'm a healer! But not the one you were expecting.''

The girl with the orange bobcut was staring out the broken window, looking back to Ven with a confused look. What was he doing? Did he smoke too many cannabis cigars? "Damnit." She pointed. "He's outside." And she was gone, jumping out the window and gently floating down and over to him.

"STOP ASSULTING TREES"

Vincent stomped his feet and swung his hand toward Venser, launching a wave of skin shredding salt in his direction.

"STAY OUT OF IT! THIS IS BETWEEN ME AND THE LUEKTOREM.''

The shadow tendrils manifested themselves into a shadow replica of Venser himself to serve and run the bar. Meanwhile, he teleported down from the second floor and teleported again to the elven man. ''Hey- Ah!'' He yelped and flung himself behind a nearby tree avoiding the salt. Barely as some of it caught the side of his pants and coat.

Myrin pointed his blade at the woman who emerged from the woods. "WHERE IS IT! I KNOW ITS AROUND HER SOMEWHERE!" He growled in her direction, tears pouring from his eyes. "WHERE. IS. THE. LUEKTOREM."

''What the fuck is a Luektorem? Luek? Luekocyte?'' Venser called out to Nelu from behind a tree. ''Um... I got an idea! Distract him while I go back to the tavern and grab something! Make an octopus!'' He disappeared yet again.

Too much was happening. Nadine was frozen in place. She had held out her arms in an attemot to stop his attacks. But paused.

Myrin gritted his teeth. "You're lying...WHERE IS IT!" His eyes flashed red and his body became engulfed in fire, breaking himself free, he would vanish and reappear a little bit away from them. "They won't hurt anyone else...AND IF YOU STAND IN MY WAY I'LL TREAT YOU THE SAME AS THEM!" He swung both arms out, around twenty spears of salt forming around his body.

"TELL ME WHERE IT WENT!"

She had it! Nadine started digging in her bag and slowly approached her elven companion.

Myrin backed away a bit as his orange haired friend approached, the spears parting. "Nadine... Please... Stay out of this...I know it's here." The spears began to shake and collapse, spinning around like a whirlwind.

Venser reappeared in his room and tore the place apart, looking for the item that could help in this situation. Where was it? No, just a bunch of gold and papers littered his desk. He fell to his knees and looked beneath his bed. ''Here it is!'' He pulled out a jar of dirt and rolled it across the floor, before grabbing a hand crossbow and a bunch of sleep darts. He loaded the crossbow and teleported back to the forest, at the tops of a tree. He aimed for the elven man's neck, and then fired the sleep dart, sending it flying through the air.

The darts would be shredded by the cyclone of salt now circling him and Nadine. "I...It's here...I can't let it turn everything into a lifeless white dune... We've seen it before."

Nadine ignored his insane babble and just, pulled out some sprigs of cannabis, inspired by their friendly bartender. She then slapped him with them, and began smearing them all over his face. It wouldnt do anything but hopefully distract him enough to Ven sedate him.

The salt cyclone slowed for a moment before it dispersed and he collapsed on the ground. He had exhausted himself completely, laying in the grass while the cannabis took effect, relaxing him before another dart hit him in the neck and knocked Myrin out.

Nadine gave a thumbs up to Venser, brushing back her orange hair and blinking her golden eyes. ''A lot of effort...'' And then she... Simply fell forward, laying across Myrin like an X. She handy slept in nearly three days. It finally took effect.

The handsome bearded barkeep appeared out of a puff of thick red smoke in front of them, letting out a sigh and clipping his advanced hand crossbow to his belt, letting it dangle freely as he approached them.

''Oh great... Good thing I'm used to drunks falling asleep in random places inside the tavern already...''