ALCHEMICAL APPRENTICE
HERON DAIMA
Decades before Empress Anahita attained the throne of Miridian, a young man named Heron Daima contracted an incurable illness. His body was slowly breaking down and his ability to control his motor functions was waning. The young man was a poor vagrant and did little with his life before contracting the illness. For many years he searched for a cure which led him to travel far into the Eastern Provinces to find what was known as the Panacea, a tincture that could cure any ailment.
It was in the east that Daima first learned of the discipline of alchemy, which was used in the creation of potions and other medicine to slow his symptoms. The sages in the east could help with his ailment but could not cure it. They did not possess the Panacea but were familiar with legends of such a substance. Daima eventually heard a story of a man that supposedly possessed the secrets of the Panacea. The man was a Faun Elf and had been known to heal any illness, which he had once done for the Queen of Cascades in Amitabha long ago. The Faun’s name was supposedly Arka Mitra. Soon, Daima began to follow the trail of this man.
After a year of searching, he finally heard rumors of a healer that was said to be able to cure the incurable. Daima was a smart man and took to the sages teachings. He eventually learned some alchemy to synthesize his medicine and set off to find the man. Unfortunately, at this time Daima also learned from the eastern sages that he had not long left, and his body was breaking down. He realized it was true when he began to feel the weight of his illness and now had some difficulty walking.
heron daima
Immediately Daima sought out the man and found that he was indeed a Faun and was building a small temple in the forest. Daima could barely walk at this point and it was becoming difficult to ride a horse as well. The scholar was also running out of materials needed for his medicine and was becoming desperate in his search to heal himself. Although the Faun was not a monk or a priest, he had been traveling across the country, helping erect shrines and temples for prayer. Heron Daima spoke with the Faun and explained that he suffered from an illness and that he needed help. Daima asked about the Faun’s ability to heal others but the man claimed to have no such ability.
Daima attempted to plead with the man to help him with his illness, saying he has nothing left. He stated that he has spent his last years searching for a cure and has given everything to find it. The man then told Daima that he needed the help of prayer and there was nothing that he could do for him. This angered Daima, who was becoming increasingly desperate, but he was not deterred. His hands still worked and over the next few days, he drew up plans with a charcoal stick. It was for the foundation that could help with the structure of the temple.
The next day, he presented the plans to the man hoping it would change his mind. The Faun was unimpressed but had a brief conversation and Heron Daima who was surprised to learn that the Faun did not know his own name. Believing it to be amnesia Daima told the man that his name is Arka Mitra. The Faun Elf paused and began to remember that they used to call him that long ago though it was not his real name. Still, he thanked Heron Daima for the information and the man asked why Daima wished to be healed if he had nothing left. Daima could not give him an answer at first but did tell him that he does have something left. He has never done anything for anyone but himself and he wishes to change that. His mind is still his own and he desires to use it for the good of others. The man told him that he would heal him the next day. However, he was free to stay in the small encampment near the temple.
THE PANACEA
That morning, Heron Daima could not lift himself up off the ground. He was camped not far from the temple but found that his legs were unable to move. Furthermore, he could no longer hold the charcoal stick. He spent the day in the tent alone. That evening, Arka Mitra entered his tent and told him why he did not heal him initially. Those that come to him, have always come for someone else. A father once came to him to heal his son. A wife once came to him to heal her husband. Not once did anyone come to him to heal themselves. The man worried that Daima had spent his life with only himself in mind. However, it seemed to him that Heron Daima was ready to begin using his mind for others. Heron Daima, promised to do what he could to create with others in mind. Arka Mitra accepted this and told Daima to close his eyes. He touched him on the forehead and told him to sleep for now. He can begin his life’s work when he wakes.
Daima awoke after an unknown amount of time and was surprised to find that he could get himself up. He could stand. He could walk. He searched the area but found no sign of Arka Mitra. Daima now knew the Panacea was not a tincture but was a person. He was grateful for the newfound lease on his life and began to implement his changes to the church foundation. On the eleventh day, Arka Mitra returned and the pair worked to finish the church.
Daima was humbled by the man’s virtuous and noble demeanor. He had little, save for books, but would treat others that sought shelter with dignity and respect. The man, was well versed in many disciplines and shared some of his knowledge of religion and science. Daima became greatly interested in the study of medicine and alchemy and was set on helping others though his mind. He desired greatly to do what Arka Mitra could, healing others, and asked Arka Mitra’s how he acquired his unique healing ability. The Faun admitted that he did not know. He never knew how he himself acquired the power.
Daima posited that there must be a way to attain the powers as there were rumors of others possessing similar unique abilities. Arka Mitra could not attest to this, but he had known others with powers. He had never attempted to replicate his power artificially, but stated that perhaps Daima would one day find a way. He admitted that, there were rumors among alchemists that there was a substance that could possibly be used to grant these powers. It was thought that it could be the first form of matter, a substance called Prima Materia, but that was only speculation.
When the temple was finished, Heron Daima thanked the man for his help and promised to return the favor by seeking out knowledge for the sake of helping others. The two departed as friends. From then on Heron Daima devoted himself to seek out and use knowledge of medicine and alchemy to the benefit of humanity. He would start by seeking to replicate the Panacea, the Elixer of Life, now that he knew that it existed.
ALCHEMIST OF SELENE
Many years past since Heron Daima met Arka Mitra. In his old age, Heron Daima had never given up on attempting to synthesize the Panacea. In his older days, he had become the Royale Physician for the city of Selene in Veiland. He also devoted his time to Alchemy and would often come across speculation about something called the Prima Materia to use in creating the Elixer of Life. He had created a great many medicines and concoctions but it was still not what he sought after. In his mind, he needed a tincture that could cure any ailment.
The alchemist soon learned that a man resembling Arka Mitra became involved with a young Empress calling herself the Empress of Gules. Daima learned of this from an acquaintance in Miridian named Ewan Wickers. Wickers was the Royal Physician in Meridian but was deposed by the man named Simon Perish when the Empire took over. Daima followed the events of the Empire closely until he learned of the Empress’s demise. Only Heron Daima knew that the man named Simon Perish used to be called Arka Mitra and knew the man that he used to be. It was Heron Daima that told King Marcus of Simon’s power of Panacea. However, Daima never intended any harm to come to Simon Perish.
The King had captured Perish and intended for him to help Queen Theia who had suffered from continued miscarriages. Perish refused to do so and was sentenced to death. During this time, Daima sought out Perish in the dungeon and attempted to treat with him and convince him to help the queen. He was astounded to see that Arka Mitra had not aged a day despite Daima now being an old man. After a brief conversation, Daima became uncertain that this was Arka Mitra, as he seemed to be a completely different person, broken by some unknown experiences.
Daima knew of Perish’s extensive alchemical work since their friendship years prior and told him about his search to create the Panacea. Perish was initially unwilling to reveal anything to the alchemist as it seemed that Simon had no memory of Daima. Daima told Simon that he had taught him the basics of alchemy long ago when his name was Arka Mitra. Perish now remembered that he once healed a pathetic man that could not accept his own fate.
Daima wanted to know why Perish was unwilling to help the Queen. Simon clarified that that there was nothing that could be done for the Queen. She is not sick or suffering from injury, there is nothing to heal. Daima tells Perish that she is suffering and that he once told Daima that he only helped people that sought help for others. He has devoted his life to helping others and knows that Perish would have done the same. Perish told him that he cannot help anyone anymore and tells Daima why.
Several years prior, Perish was searching for a way to transfer powers to others. It was through the discovery of the Prima Materia that he learned of a way. Heron Daima was familiar with the term, that it is the basis for all matter but was considered impossible to make. This however, was speculated in being the main ingredient in Panacea. Simon told him that he had in fact discovered it. In using the Prima Materia, he attempted to create a device that could replicate powers from one person and allow another to use that power. The resulting device was called an Artifact.
Daima was enamored with Perish’s discovery and wished to know the secrets of the Artifact if it would help the queen. He pleaded to know what the Prima Materia is and how to find it. Perish refused to tell him. He admitted that an Artifact only causes destruction. Daima did not understand. Simon explained that the Artifact was a failure. It was the reason for what happened in the Grey Plains.
The Grey Plains incident had become widespread knowledge by this time. Everyone knew of the devastation that was wrought by the Shimmering Knight. There was untold suffering because of the deaths involved and Daima now knew that Simon Perish had a hand in it. Simon then tells the old man that if he wishes to never see such devastation again, Daima should release him. Daima was horrified at what Perish had become and it truly seemed that Arka Mitra was gone. Hurt by this revelation, Daima begins to leave Perish in his cell, taking pity on what he has become. Perish then tells Daima that he knows nothing of what he has been through. What a person can go through in desperation. Someone else will take up his research and he needs to get out of his cell to prevent that from happening. Daima then stops with a realization. Someone will find Perish’s research. Daima looks at Perish one last time and leaves the broken man in his cell.
THE SHAKTI MANUSCRIPT
Several days later, Heron Daima begins his jouney to Miridian. He now sought to locate Perish’s research on the Artifact and destroy it. If it was capable of such devastation as the Grey Plains it must not fall into the wrong hands. It took Daima several months to reach the city of Helena. Travel was difficult with the kingdoms now in disarray and the new regime now in Miridian. It was now ruled by the newly appointed Emerald King and Queen after the Empress’s death and it would take years until the kingdom was stable. It was not until much later that Daima learned of Perish’s escape attempt where he had killed nearly 100 Knights of Veiland before being apparently killed by the King himself.
When the alchemist reached Helena, the city was still under marshal law because of the transition of powers. Many people in Helena were protected remnants of the Empress’s people and there were many people in support of the new regime. However, there were also others that remained loyal to the previous rulers before the Empress, the Elder King which they considered the true ruler. The city was, therefore, not in a peaceful state. However, Daima was able to find passage thanks to his colleague Ewan Wickers. It was here that Daima learned that there were new reports of a mysterious illness, an illness that left white dots around the eyes of those afflicted. Furthermore, the reports of the ill were only coming from Veiland.
Daima was able to access Perish’s lab thanks to Wickers, as it was previously his lab. Wickers had not been given his position back as Royal Physician but was given compensation by the Emerald Royals for his service. Still, he helped Daima locate the research that was being conducted in his old lab. Upon locating the research, Daima found a book with most of Perish’s notes on the Prima Materia and Artifacts. Daima opted to burn everything until he remembered what was happening in Veiland. He considered what he could gain by using the notes in the book, titled the Shakti Manuscript. Daima, above else, desired to create the Elixer of Life, the secrets of which lie in the Prima Materia. If there was a possibility of creating the Panacea with the Prima Materia, and those notes were in his grasp, was it worth it to lose that if it would help countless others. He then decides to take the Manuscript and other various research on powers and artifacts. He then burns the rest before traveling back to Veiland.
THE PRIMA MATERIA
Over several years, Daima uncovers the secrets of the Shakti Manuscript and Perish’s notes on people with unique abilities. Over the years his desperation began to weigh on his mind. He became obsessed and overly engrossed in his work to discover the Elixer of Life to heal the sick in Veiland. When a young man, named Samuel Ward came to him for tutelage, it was only after Daima found out about the boy’s unique power that he took him as his apprentice. The man’s ability allowed him to change one material into another, exactly what Daima needed to continue his research.
It was during this time that he learned that the Prima Materia is the blood of humans. This is the reason for the blood as a necessary ingredient in the creation of what would become the Resonating and Empowered Artifacts. However, this was not the whole truth. The reality that even eluded Simon Perish at the time was that the Prima Materia is not just blood.
Unfortunately, this realization came too late. In Daima’s haste to create the Panacea, the test exploded, killing Daima in the ensuing fire. Samuel Ward was saved by the King but his left hand became badly burned.
The true nature of the Prima Materia eluded both Daima and Perish was that the substance is not the blood of a human or Champion. A human itself is the Prima Materia. Not the ingredients of a human, but an actual human vessel. It is the reason the Shimmering Knight was killed in the creation of the Resonating Artifact. The transmutation of a pure Resonating Artifact will kill the host that holds it. It was the cause of the Grey Plains incident. The process was thought to be a failure but Perish did not realize that it was a success. The incident bound the Shimmering Knight’s power to the gold medallion that now rested at the site of the explosion. It was soon after found by none other than Basildes, whe subsequently gave it to John, heir to the family heirloom. No one at the time knew what it was capable of.