The Catalyst (the still)

When exploring in my adventures to battle the Elderkind I stumbled upon information in the library describing the use of a still. Apparently, several of the other adventurers drowning themselves in drink at the Gargoyle Inn had all heard of the contraption. I, however, had not. To mask my ignorance, and maintain what bit of my pride remained after realizing I had not been aware of what so man were considering a fundamental aspect of their adventuring, I pretended to know what they were talking about until later sneaking off to the library in hopes of discovering the secrets of this contraption. I found some dated information on making a series of red dyes from demon bloods, but the librarian quickly informed me that the mithrilfin dwarves had become the de facto go to for dyes.

I still didn't know where this still was located though. So, I set out to find it. I headed north of the goblins in Eastlands into a zone filled with giants named The Ruined City. While there, I stumbled onto several doors that led into the Ancient Crypts. One of the doors led me directly to a troll standing before a table with an odd lever on a pillar next to it. I quickly filled him with arrows and felled the horrible smelling creature. Once I examined the table he appeared to be guarding, I realized that it was in fact The Still I had searching for. I was elated to finally have solved this puzzle, but I didn't forget to grab the Flailing Death heavy flail that the filthy creature I had killed had been holding.

As I exited back into the woods of the Ruined City I noticed a narrow opening to the east and decided to venture into a wooded area filled with many giants. Rather happy with myself and my earlier discovery I decided to make quick sport of them as well with my bow. After felling the last of the giants I noticed a Shabby Old Woman behind a cooking pot in the back corner. Upon approaching her she scolded me for having killed her "friends". I spoke with her further to discover that while she kept interesting company with the giants (I won't judge a woman based on her tastes) she hated the filthy trolls just as much as I and even offered me a bounty for the Flailing Death item I had found upon the troll I killed earlier. She told me that she would pay me the same for each I brought her in the future as well. She told me that she hated the trolls because The Still had previously belonged to her.

Knowing now that she had been The Still's previous owner I realized that she was the perfect person to ask about one of the legends I had read pertaining to The Still. I asked her about The Catalyst. She explained to me that The catalyst did not need to be entered into The Still to operate, that it would improve the operations of The Still and that she would allow me to purchase one from her for a mere 100,000 gp.

I bought The Catalyst and rushed back to The Still to experiment. Upon reaching The Still, I decided to first test the recipe for Paths to the Plane of Elderkind. By simply placing 1 Egg shaped Crystal and 1 Seed of Destruction within The Still while having The catalyst in my possession I could now produce double the amount I could before. After sampling a few other recipes I realized that the output of The Still had been increased by %100 on each one I tried. Doubling the output of such a valuable contraption as The Still for the price of only 100,000 gp seemed to go to be true. One should not take on the Elderkind without it.

-Xotic Inspiration

publish contract has been received: DONE

L0BSTER