The OP Lich is a Returnee, Book 4 Prologue (Patreon)

Prologue – Trade Chat

(Magical World Disharmony Server, General Chat)

UsualSuspect, manoutoftime, muon, MewTwo, Avariel, Chummer, Golddigger, CrazyCelt, Blaze, DoYouEvenLyft?, MarcoPolo, MightMakesRight, MacD, Inquisitor, OrangeQueen, Lizard, RedFox, SemiSolidSnake, BabyShark, Not_the_Face!, Scholar, Salty, Anonymous3, Anonymous4, Anonymous7, Anonymous9, TheLichQueen, WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot, DigDug, Backlog, DarkAvariel, Knocker, GrimDark, BloodForTheBloodGod, BackDat@55Up and DarkAngel are in the chat.

manoutoftime: So, the magicule conversion rates on the new Bandar 367 CADs is about 10% less efficient than the older model, but boasts a 15% increase in cast speed.

BabyShark: Hmm. That is an interesting tradeoff. Favors those with high magicule densities, I suppose. They can absorb the inefficiency and still get the increased cast times.

Knocker: Yeah, but they’re still going to tire out faster than someone with a more efficient CAD.

Inquisitor: Useful for people who need high-speed casts, fast, but aren’t going to be that great for people who want endurance.

Anonymous7: The 367 is being marketed primarily to police forces for the Magic Response Teams or their local equivalents.

Backlog: That would make sense. You don’t need as much endurance in that job compared to someone who uses spells more often throughout the day.

DigDug: So, it is designed to help cops kill people quicker. Wonderful.

Lizard: Hey! That’s not cool, man. There are good cops out there!

DigDug: If you have 4000 good cops and 12 bad cops, and those 4000 good cops aren’t beating down the doors of Internal Affairs, the District Attorney, and the local news to try and get them thrown off the force and in jail, then you have 4012 bad cops.

Lizard: It isn’t that simple!

DigDug: Yes, it is. It is just the same as the Catholics back when they protected child molesters by shuffling them around to different churches, rather than throwing them to the wolves.

Blaze: He’s right. The ‘wall of blue’ protecting bad cops and actively punishing any cops that try to do the right thing means that any ‘good cops’ either become bad cops, or they get forced off the force.

Chummer: Back on topic, I got my hands on one of the Shield Bracelets that Phantomline is making.

MacD: Ooh, I’ve been wanting to get one of those. I know the speed is fast, but what about the efficiency?

Chummer: Surprisingly good. You have a 12% reduction in efficiency for initial activation, but the sustained efficiency is 25% better, even under load.

UsualSuspect: Interesting. So, you pay more for the initial burst, but you can hold the spell longer. Is it like this for all foci?

TheLichQueen: Depends on the quality. Remember that foci are crafted, rather than computer-controlled. So, there is some variance.

Blaze: You’re saying their unreliable?

TheLichQueen: Not at all. They all do what they’re supposed to do. But there are differences between foci depending on the craftsmanship involved.

TheLichQueen: Mass-produced foci like the Shield Bracelets are like someone mass-producing a fully-mechanical firearm. Yes, you can stamp out the parts for an AK-47 in any machine shop. The high-end military rifles that people use nowadays, with integrated magic circuits and all that, are going to be superior as weapons, but that AK is going to break less often, and require less maintenance.

Chummer: I get it. You don’t bring an AK to a precision shooting competition, and you don’t bring a high-power sniper rifle when you’re clearing out a building room to room.

TheLichQueen: Exactly. So, a Shield Bracelet is rugged, reliable, and ready to use no matter what situation you find yourself in. A high-end CAD, purpose-built for a Shield spell, will beat it on efficiency, sure, but that’s a lot of expense and maintenance time to keep it up to that standard. A Shield Bracelet, on the other hand, just needs to be worn.

OrangeQueen: But what about the strength of the shield?

TheLichQueen: So, a shield spell done by a CAD will have a certain strength ‘baked in’ when the spell is designed, right? For a Shield Bracelet, the shield’s strength depends on how much mana you pump into it, and it will last until it turns off.

DigDug: Explain, please?

TheLichQueen: OK, so, a CAD’s shield spell is like a soda fountain. You press the button, and your drink of choice comes out at a certain rate and mix, and continues on until you release the button, right?

DigDug: Sure, I can see that.

TheLichQueen: Now, the Shield Bracelet is more like a water fountain. How strong the stream is depends on how far you turn the handle, and the pressure in the pipes, and all that.

DigDug: I get it. Thanks!

MightMakesRight: Hey, LQ, is it true that you went to war with some Yakuza?

Chummer: Oy! You don’t just out and ask people if they’re fighting the Yakuza! That’s a great way to get people killed!

Chummer: Sure, it isn’t like LQ is likely to get brought down by anyone, but think about all the people caught in the crossfire!

SemiSolidSnake: But I heard that she basically destroyed an entire Yakuza clan overnight! Dismantled their entire operation!

TheLichQueen: Oh, dear. It seems that some things have been blown a bit out of proportion.

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot: So, what’s the real deal, then?

TheLichQueen: Well, it is true that there was a Yakuza clan that aroused my ire. Their actions were only tangentially aimed at me, but they twice tried to bring violence to my presence, despite my warning them.

Anonymous3: I heard that there was a bloodbath at this office building in Tokyo!

TheLichQueen: Oh, yes. The clan you’re talking about attacked a rival clan. But I didn’t do much in that incident. Just kept any naughty boys from leaving before it was over.

Anonymous7: What about the missing mansion?

Chummer: Missing mansion?

Anonymous7: The mansion belonging to the head of the clan. A few hours after the bloodbath, the mansion just got surrounded by this black shield. When it went away, the place looked like it had been scooped out of the ground. Only thing left was a sign saying ‘they chose poorly’.

TheLichQueen: Yes, well, I went to have a discussion with their leadership, and ensured that they took responsibility for their actions. However, they were all still very much alive when I left the compound, I can assure you. And I had nothing to do with dismantling the organization.

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot: Sure, if you say so. What does that mean for you now, though? What you doing next?

TheLichQueen: Well, I still have crafting to do, but I promised that I would give a few lectures on magic to certain college professors. The first of those is coming up soon, at my sister’s school.

Scholar: Are these lectures going to be restricted to students, or open to the public?

TheLichQueen: Restricted to students and teachers, though I know that some outside academics have managed to snag invites. You’d want to talk to the Thaumaturgy Department at the University of Seattle.

Scholar: Great, gotta go make calls! I wouldn’t miss this for the world!