#naxxa

Magister LaCoria,

Congratulations on the arrival of your progeny, Magister Vere apologizes for not taking the time to come see them yet. However, the reason for our delay in paying our respects is one I hope will make up for our absence. With the help of an armorsmithing Krewe here in Rata Sum, we’ve finished the assembly and initial tests of the MEA Mk.IV.

Unlike the Mk.III, this armor has shown an incredible improvement not only from a defensive perspective, but in compatibility with the Mists Energy System. There are a few more tests that we need to run since we’ve incorporated the Bloodstone nullification field into the armor itself, rather than on the outside. Additionally, we’ve modified the helmet to allow for several communication interfaces since you do have a variety of methods at your disposal.

Currently, the timetable for finishing all of the initial tests puts us at six to ten days from now. It could be sooner or later depending on test results. Regardless, I felt that you would like to be informed that we’ve reached this stage in development. Should you wish to examine any of the tests personally, we are still located in lab Gamma-Epsilon 744, and if not, then we will inform you when the MEA is ready for you to equip and test out.

- Scholar Naxxa

“Seems like everyone is trying to get me to get out of the house and spend some time being an adult instead of just a mommy.” Alexandria folded the letter and set it back on her desk with one hand. Occupying her left arm was a gurgling baby with thin wisps of pinkish hair poking every which way. “Katrina… you’re stinky again.”

“Are you out of your bug-eyed little mind Naxxa?!” Immediately the Asura shrunk away from the small Human woman, carefully stepping back and dragging the open weapon case with him. Alexandria fumed, her gaze focused on the ‘special’ weapon that Naxxa said he’d been working on to test the durability of aurillium. It was the standard length of a staff, but the top third looked more like a flanged mace, four sharp blade-like protrusions jutting out viciously.

“Magister!” Naxxa protested when he felt he was a safe enough distance away from the enraged Elementalist. “I assure you that it is completely safe. I tested it thoroughly, and the metal and the minor system I installed completely regulates and contains the ambient magic.”

“There is a fucking massive shard of Bloodstone built in! Not to mention how many other pieces that I can, or can’t see!”

“It was vital to test the durability of the aurillium,” whining nervously, the Asura Scholar glanced around, assessing how much more room he could put between the two of them. “Several technicians have already begun using shaped Bloodstone shards in jewelry to amplify magic. I simply applied that theory on a larger scale, and created larger mountings. Once I applied a mist energy current to it, the metal didn’t show any signs of degradation or warping! You were right Magister.”

“Fantastic,” her dry reply made Naxxa’s ears droop again. “I asked you to test the durability of aurillium, not build me a Bloodstone powered weapon. How many things could go wrong huh? Did you test how stable the shard was? What its limitations to magical exposure is? How carefully did you examine it for imperfections that would very obviously increase the risk of critical failure?”

Grabbing the staff from the case, the Asura stomped over to Alexandria and thrust the weapon into her hands. “There are always risks in what we do Magister. But I did test the stability, and I examined it carefully, along with two members of the Engineer Corps who might see something that I missed. Even if it goes critical, the four prongs make up the barrier of a containment field that could withstand a chaos energy burst.”

Sighing, she tested the weight of the odd staff, swinging it and setting her weight on it. “Did it ever occur to you that I probably won’t have need of a weapon like this anymore?”

“Then use it as a fancy walking stick,” retrieving the weapon case, he shook his head. “I thought you’d want it more as a token of genius than an actual weapon anyway. Once again, you thought of something weeks before it would have ever occurred to me. It’s a little annoying that you keep doing that, you know? Who’d jump straight to the material being the cause of failure before testing the magitech system extensively?”

“Naxxa…” with a sigh she walked over, patting his ears. “We just think in different ways, that’s all. Plus, the idea wasn’t entirely mine; I got it from a conversation with a ghost. But, that’s not really important. What is, is that you’re far smarter than me in a lot of ways; I can’t even being to comprehend the basics of magitech that you could do in your sleep.” Grinning, she looked down at him, “in fact I think I’ve watched you do it in your sleep once or twice.”

“Yes, yes,” his ears twitched happily as he grumbled. “I’m not as egocentric as most of my race, but there’s still a point of pride in being the one to solve a problem. Sometimes I wonder if you aren’t some Asura ghost from ages ago that wandered through the Mists and got stuck in a Human body. Then I remember that you’re far too emotional and not nearly conceited enough.”

“Thanks?”

Magister LaCoria-Eskara,

I have excellent news! Our recent trip to the Hidden City of Tarir was a success beyond measuring. Not only are the Exalted willing to supply us with aurillium, they have offered over the service of one of their own to show us how to find deposits scattered throughout Auric Basin in addition to the methods needed to forge and temper it properly.

As you know, I would have normally included this letter with a small shipment of materials for you yourself to test. However, I am also aware that you wanted news of our progress as soon as possible. With the next shipment, I am sending some samples of aurillium, Bloodstone shards, and a single unit to replicate the flow of Mist Energy. Having tested it myself repeatedly, I assure you that you will be more than satisfied.

Should any irregularities arise, please notify me immediately. Otherwise, Magister Vere and I will begin working on the new aurillium based MEA and MEW.

With great delight, Scholar Naxxa

 As was too often a habit with the nearly thirty year old woman, she squealed with joy as she reread the letter. Compared to the mess of research that lie in Albert Thindrid’s tomes, this letter and everything it meant would not give her a headache. Already a battery of tests that would need to be run filled her head, and within a minute an entire page in her journal contained that list.

“So it’s…” trailing off, Alexandria eyed the device that looked like an Asura Gate had been miniaturized and adorned with additional Asura tech. Poking at the small cube that floated between the two upright obelisks at the top, squinting revealed that there was a small piece of refined Mist Essence.

“It has several functions. Firstly it has the capability to distort gravity for short bursts to help prevent you from falling in case your leg injury acts up. It also has a scanning unit that will allow you to constantly track the fluctuation of ether levels around you.” Naxxa patted the device before taking a seat at the table across from here next to Vere who as usual was wrapped in heavy robes and a shawl that showed only her green eyes and a hint of her dark skin.

“How has your recovery been coming along Alexandria?” Vere opened a leather folder on the table in front of her, separating various reports as she waited for Alexandria’s response.

“As well as can be expected I guess,” shrugging, she ran her fingers over the device that Naxxa had brought. “The leg braces that you sent me are working nicely Vere. I hadn’t expected that the bridges around here were going to pose such a challenge. But, it’s getting easier to deal with them too; how is the Arcanist working out?”

Naxxa paused, eyeing Vere before looking at Alexandria. “I can’t tell if she’s brain damaged or is just simple. Have you ever tried having a conversation with that woman? It’s infuriating!”

“Calm down Naxxa,” the Elonian Magister said with a pat to the Scholar’s small arm. “Arcanist Tyrconnell is simply an analytical mind. She appears to lack the ability to understand figures of speech and anything that isn’t a straightforward statement. However, her abilities in the field are remarkable and have given us new insights into how our magitech interacts with other types of magic.”

“Which won’t do us any good as long as our most viable test site prevents us from using the M.E.W. and the M.E.A. was destroyed in the last test.” Naxxa grumbled, and slid over a few pages to Alexandria. “First off, I was able to sort through some of the scan data; you’d find less of a mess in a Dynamics lab. Despite that, I was able to pick out some familiar etheric wavelengths. Natrually, there’s Bloodstone resonance everywhere; there’s also a massive concentration of ley-line magic. As you predicted as well, the rifts that spontaneously open in the region are very similar in construction to the readings from the Thaumanova Reactor.”

Reading over the report, Alexandria noted the presence of several still unknown magical signatures, and an additional note about Bloodstone concentrations. “What’s this about Bloodstone foci?”

“We’ve been getting other reports from Bloodstone Fen, including several that mention that somehow the White Mantle cultists are summoning Jade constructs.” As Naxxa spoke, Vere provided another page with a map and graphs on it. “Those reports are only half right. I almost couldn’t pick it out of the M.E.A.’s scans because of how intense the magic was, but it’s there. Each report states that the constructs appear near large shards of Bloodstone, which it turns out are acting as foci and beacons.”

“So they’re connected to somewhere else?” Alexandria asked.

“Correct. But, we have no idea where,” Naxxa pointed at the map. “There’s too much magical interference to establish a flow of magic from those foci to their point of orgin.”

Setting the reports aside, Alexandria asked the question that had been on her mind since Callais’ original report from Bloodstone Fen. “We’ll just have to keep sorting through the data and see what we can find. Can you forward a copy of everything you’ve worked out so far to an Asura named Flixxa here in the Refuge? Also, was the Mark Three armor of any use against the Bloodstone magic?”

“No,” Vere stated flatly. “We were able to confirm that every failsafe we’ve developed so far works successfully. Considering the significant damage to the armor itself as well as the conduits and wiring, the situation could have been far worse than moderate damage to the Arcanist’s ribs.”

Nodding, Alexandria glanced at the reports again. “We have samples of the Bloodstone; repair the armor as best as you can and ship it back here. I’ll see if I can figure out a way to increase resistance to Bloodstone magic,” grumbling, she shook her head. “If that’s possible at all, does that work for you two?”

“Yes, I still have too much data to sort through from the scanner,” Naxxa replied, hopping off his chair. “A few hours of repairs is more manageable than trying to make an entirely new set.”

“Shall I send the Arcanist to you as well?” Vere asked as she rose from her chair.

‘No, I’m going to be sending her out to aide with the recovery of Bloodstone shards. She’s likely more help to Pact forces in Central Tyria then cooped up here in this canyon with me. That way our little team is doing the most we can, and hopefully we can make some progress before something else happens.”

Loremaster LaCoria-Eskara,

The following is my report following the reconnaissance operation in Bloodstone Fen on 34 Season of the Scion 1329 AE.

Initial findings: Upon arriving in Bloodstone Fen, the functionality of the aetheric scanner was immediately compromised. With the chaotic nature of the magic in the area, it is possible that the magitech was overwhelmed and that data can be gathered from it by Scholar Naxxa. Several other samples were obtained including: the remains of one of the warped, Bloodstone creatures in the region, bloodstone fragments, rubies harvested from the base of crystalized Bloodstone outcroppings. Warmaster Valsiter has ordered that all samples and data be studied immediately and a report delivered to you upon completion.

Observations: In addition to the red hued environment caused by the particles of Bloodstone dust and magic from the explosion, there are also several ley-line streams in the region. Several of the elementals in the crater of the explosion also exhibit the same signs as the elementals located in the ley-line hub in Dry Top.

Setbacks: During the operation, several incidents occurred which resulted in an emergency rescue of Warmaster Valister and myself from the crater rim. Not including the failure of the scanners in the helmet that made it impossible to see, the Mist Enhanced Armor was heavily damaged. A particular type of construct, formed from Bloodstone shards, frequently detonates when the magic holding it together becomes unstable. This resulted in heavy shrapnel damage to the armor which could not withstand the force of the shards. During an engagement with members of the White Mantle, a spell was used that flung me over the crater edge and upon impact, the already weakened armor cracked in numerous places. Enough damage was sustained that I was forced to power down the armor to prevent further damages. All armor was returned to Scholar Naxxa and Magister Vere for study and repairs.

This concludes my report. Arcanist/Researcher Callais Tyrconnell

Tapping her pen against her chin, her icy blue eyes stared into the fire where nearly two dozen drafts of her letter now burned. As much as she hated paperwork, she had never had such a problem writing a simple letter. Considering what she was writing though, maybe it wasn’t surprising that she was having issues. Once this was sent out, she would finalize the call for her replacement in the field.

It was silly to worry, she knew that. If the person proved to be more than capable, she would merely insist on their continued assistance once she had recovered enough to resume some of her responsibilities. Gods knew that Naxxa, Vere, and Ruo would all appreciate any extra help that could be mustered. Sighing, she set her pen to parchment again, “fine.”

 Upon being received, please post the following notice on the dining hall announcement board:

Esteemed members and colleagues of the Priory,

Recent events have left me unable to perform my duties as both a member of the Durmand Priory as well as a member of the Pact. My name is Magister Alexandria LaCoria-Eskara and I am one of the two Magisters on the Mist Energy Research and Application Team, as well as a member of the Pact Strike Force Noesis. It is with this strike force that my team is able to field test our various magitech.

Currently, I am seeking one, potentially two able-bodied members of the Priory to step in to work with both teams. This will require relocation to the Maguuma Jungle, specifically the Auric Basin region and will also require field work in hostile territory. Because of this, applications will only be accepted from members with a minimum of two years field combat experience. Other requirements include a willingness to work with members of other races, including taking orders from Charr and Norn, and most importantly, person(s) who are heavy magic users. This is due to the nature of the magitech that we are testing.

For those interested, I can be contacted through the Durmand Hall in Divinity’s Reach, and will be conducting interviews in one weeks’ time.

- Magister Alexandria LaCoria-Eskara.

Naxxa and Vere,

First off, I would like to say that the first official test of the Mk. V Mist Tracer was a complete success. Incorporating it with the MEW Mk. III allowed for a fully generated representational construct of the Mist stability parallel to a region that was recently host to a resonance place site. I have included a recorded image from RARG to show you the results. As it was a spell that required the expertise of four of us to manufacture, we were correct to assume that the caster would be extremely fatigued.

This being said, the reason for this test is another matter. Twenty-nine hours ago, from the time of writing this letter, two friends of mine were pulled into a Mist Resonance Place Site. Had the tests shown that the region was as Dessa has coined a “stable fracalization” recovering them would have been a simple matter. However, the tests instead showed that the region opens into an unstable region. While it is possible that they landed in a completely unstable region, I cannot discount the possibility that they landed in a ‘bridge region’ and that they are now moving between various Mist realities.

I have sent letters ahead to the necessary parties. When you receive this, I need one of you to travel to the Black Citadel and bring the MEA with you. I know that it is still the Prototype Mk. III, but it may prove vital to determining the fate of my friends. I hope also to enlist the aide of a Mistologist by the name of Mixxa who may be able to provide her own unique insights into this issue.

Sincerely, Magister LaCoria

Along with that letter, she sent one for Captain Blue at Olivia’s Refuge, and one for Sylvius Skyrend. Accompanied with a substantial payment for both, she hoped to ensure the quickest travel for her team members. Now all that was left was to write a letter to Mixxa in hopes of acquiring her help.

Mixxa

I won’t waste time with idle pleasantries because time is not on my side. Twenty-nine hours ago, two friends of mine were pulled into the Mists through a Mist Resonance Place Site, or an unstable Mist Portal. Using a spell constructed by my team, I was unable to locate them due to the chaotic nature of the region that lies parallel to where the incident occurred. I’m pulling in additional resources from my Priory team, but I fear that it may not be enough to save the two women I mentioned in time, should they still be alive. I am writing in hopes that you might be willing to lend your aide and knowledge to this search in the hopes of saving two lives. I hope to hear from you soon, or even see you here in the Black Citadel sooner.

Sincerely, Magister Alexandria LaCoria.

“Flixxa,” sealing the letter, she turned to the blonde Asura who looked almost as frazzled as she was. Handing it over, she nodded weakly, “get this to Mixxa as fast as you can. I don’t care if you have to hijack an airship, I’ll bribe or pay whoever I have to avoid issues.”

“What just happened?”

Small arches of purple energy crackled in the air around the stone workroom. Measurement devices and tools lay scattered about the room, a few showing signs of damage from impacting the surrounding walls rather than an explosion.

“Gods my head hurts,” the Magister groaned and began assessing her own status. Coughing only made her chest feel worse than it already had, and it already felt like someone had struck her full force with a mace. Grateful that she was resting against the wall, lead-like limbs were added to her mental list. Tilting her head forward made the dizziness worse in addition to the slightly damp feeling on the back of her neck.

“Great…” groaning internally she pushed past the pain of raising her arm and ran her fingers along the back of her neck. Bringing them back into her sight, it was a relief to see that while there was some blood, it was a minimal amount, meaning that whatever had happened had caused only a small cut on her head.

“Minthe is going to be pissed,” that realization hit her about the same time as the one that made her remember that if there was an explosion, someone would be arriving soon to check what had caused it. Coming full circle on her thoughts, she turned her attention back to what had brought her to this moment in the first place.

“Heavy limbs, either caused by a blow to the head or an external shock of some sort. Confusion and short term memory loss, also a blow to the head. Wait…” Pushing her body against its urge to remain against the wall, she rose slowly. Once on her feet, she could see the small metallic orb on the desk, the only object remaining. “It was supposed to create a high density chaos field, wasn’t it?”

The ten steps to cross the room to the desk took much longer than it should have. Between the heavy, sore limbs and the dizziness, each step was a battle against the urge to just collapse. Reaching the table, she braced herself with one hand, using the other to pry the metallic sphere open. Inside were four small Mist Energy crystals surrounding a singular Chaos Energy crystal which had lost its lively glow.

“Magister LaCoria!” Naxxa shouted, rushing to her side as he looked around the room. “What happened?”

“Side experiment with the Mist shards,” looking at the worried blue-grey Novice she couldn’t help but grin. “I need you to find my notebook; I need to note the effects of this thing. It creates a high density chaos field that appears to cause extreme disorientation. Additionally, it emits a powerful energy pulse as you can see, it also seems to stun anything with a nervous system… or maybe that was caused by hitting my head against the wall.”

“You hit your head?” Picking up her notebook, he hurried over to her. Spotting the blood his eyes went wider, which for an Asura was a remarkably impressive and terrifying feat, and took her hand. “First we get you to a medic, and then we can go over the results of your experiment. Then we can get back to this and see if we can’t control it a little better. I can’t wait to see what it does in a controlled test.”