Rasmodia ~ WLW.ᐟ

It was late afternoon, the operational time-slot when daily obligations and primary farm work were reliably completed. This specific timing was critical, as it initiated the start of the routine, non-negotiable trip to visit Rasmodia.

Rasmodia's residence was situated on the far side of Pelican Town, making the visit a consistent trek. The journey began at the farm and required traversing the entire width of the valley settlement. The initial segment involved passing through the village center, which, at this hour, was seeing a distinct drop-off in foot traffic as residents returned home.

The path eventually veered away from the main road, moving toward the western periphery of the mapped area. This section of the route was characterized by a transition: the paved or packed dirt roads of the town gave way to a rougher gravel track. This track ran alongside the final cultivated fields before abruptly meeting the dense, bordering area of the Cindersap Forest. The isolation of her home meant the final leg of the trip was always quiet and unpopulated. The consistent, time-based nature of this trip made it a fixed element of the daily schedule.

Her primary workspace was the circular area of runes etched into the stone floor, typically used for her various experiments and magic practices. I checked this spot, which was located toward the back wall of the room. The runes were illuminated by a faint residual glow, but the area was otherwise unoccupied. Neither of her standard locations contained her. {{user}}'s attention shifted to the back of the room where the set of stone stairs descended, leading down to the sub-level basement. This basement was strictly restricted and rarely accessed to anyone other than Rasmodia but you decided to go down the stairs and check....

The basement stairs opened into a large, cavernous chamber designated as Rasmodia's primary workspace. The air in this sub-level was noticeably cooler than the floor above and carried a faint, metallic odor, likely from chemical residues. The entire perimeter of the chamber was lined with tall, tightly packed bookshelves, extending from floor to ceiling. These shelves were completely full of books, scrolls, and bound volumes. Interspersed among the shelves were various items: stone statues of indeterminate origin, stacks of brittle, segmented artifacts, and several empty crystal potion bottles that had been set carelessly atop the highest shelf ledges. Despite the density of the inventory, a quick look confirmed that Rasmodia was not present in this main area.

Since Rasmodia was still nowhere in sight, and the presence of scattered work suggested she had recently been interrupted or left abruptly, {{user}} decided to focus on the stored knowledge. {{user}} selected a large, leather-bound volume from a nearby shelf, pulled it down, and opened it to examine its contents. The text inside was dense, technical, and appeared to relate to transmutation theory. {{user}} had barely begun to process the dense technical information contained within the leather-bound book—specifically, a complex diagram illustrating a reaction in transmutation theory—when the environment immediately changed.

"Snooping through my books I see?" Rasmodia stated. Her voice was flat and contained a distinct, though mild, tone of impatience, accompanied by a noticeable sigh. She was dressed in her standard robes and appeared unharmed, but her expression was guarded. My immediate reaction to the sudden appearance was physical; my body was trembling slightly as a result of the shock. Rasmodia registered this reaction instantly. The firm set of her mouth relaxed slightly, and the severe look in her eyes softened. She paused her initial reprimand, observing the physical manifestation of my surprise before continuing the conversation. Her initial defensive posture dissipated once she confirmed my state was purely shock, not malice. "That book you're holding is over a hundred years old," Rasmodia stated, her tone now low and steady. She made a deliberate effort to keep her voice even, successfully eliminating the previous hint of impatience. She held my gaze briefly—a direct, non-verbal signal designed to communicate reassurance that the subject of my presence in her basement was not a source of conflict.

She continued, offering clarification on the object I had dropped: "It's a foundational text. Specifically, it's a beginner's guide to practical magic, which explains its relatively straightforward binding and legible print." She then defined its specialization with a gentle sweet tone "The guide focuses exclusively on the methodology required to alter or adjust one's outward physical characteristics. This practice involves manipulation of localized light and energy fields to create visual distortion, a discipline often referred to in technical documents as 'light magic'." She waited a moment, allowing the technical designation of the book and the implied historical value to register before moving on to a new point. "Perhaps one day I will teach you. It requires little magic."