The Bee Dungeon

Back in the bear people’s camp, Juosiutik watched as the pot just outside her tent bubbled. Others of the clan passed her by, but most knew better than to interrupt her mid-brew. She focused in, stretching out with what little mana she had herself to try that of the potion as it bubbled and swirled. She frowned.

A true potion-maker would be able to follow the flow of mana throughout the entire process, and even predict how it would develop. She…they would have been able to make micro-adjustments at the very start so that the whole thing would coalesce at the end, even through a chaotic middle. Juosiutik, on the other hand, did not have the mana reserves to keep such a close and detailed eye. She barely had enough to infuse the potion and kick off the process. Nor did she have the knowledge of what changes she needed to make, what sort of chaotic flow was actually good and what sort of seemingly smooth flow would ruin the entire mix. It was one reason why so many of her experiments went up in flames.

But there was nothing for it. Only a handful of records were left behind when the…last potion-maker passed, so there was no choice but to figure it out through trial and error. A process made much more difficult by the clan’s lack of resources. It had neither the mana-infused food stuffs that would have boosted the growth of her own reserves, nor the extra potion ingredients for her to make more than the occasional attempt.

That was beginning to change, however. The God of Bees had given her slight blessings, boosting her mana reserves just a bit. In addition, Juosiutik now had a consistent source of high-quality ingredients. She could now afford to waste a few on failed experiments. And she also had a powerful source of mana that appeared capable of infusing any combination of ingredients she had tried.

Her thoughts turned to the Sacred Den and its master for a moment. He was small and strangely furless. She thought that might have been just part of who he was but he had a small patch on the top of his head, so it clearly wasn’t impossible for him to grow any. She originally was going to investigate his condition but Chief Rohsuak had told her no, so she would let it lie. Maybe he was sensitive about it?

It would make sense. The Sacred Den Master was incredibly timid. He reminded her more of Noigakkuq, the runt of the clan, than of a leader like Chief Rohsuak. That wasn’t all bad, though. Juosiutik didn’t mind Noigakkuq’s company when the other girl was willing to speak with her. She, and the Sacred Den Master, were both far less likely to ignore her warnings and tip over a brew in progress. There was a reason Tyhgak wasn’t allowed near her pot anymore.

Still, Juosiutik couldn’t make heads or tails of the Sacred Den Master. The man commanded an entire army that could wipe out most of the clan. He possessed riches beyond imagining, and even Juosiutik’s limited senses could tell his personal mana reserves were nothing to scoff at either. So, why then was he so timid? If she had that much power at her disposal…well, she probably would be marching back towards…in any case, it was strange that someone with that much power would not be waving it about.

But Juosiutik was taken out of her thoughts as she felt the bubbling mana begin to settle down. She leaned over the pot and began to stir it with a ladle. The mana remained settled even with her disruption, letting her know the mixture was now stable. She allowed herself a small smile.

Yet another successful brew. At this point, she was beginning to understand some of the properties of the mana honey. The magical, ridiculous properties that defied her understanding of potion ingredients. Mana honey was greedy. It wanted to absorb more mana and harmonize it with its own, taking on its properties. It shared its own mana in the process, creating a current of mana exchanging characteristics between different ingredients. It was an excellent binding agent that could tie clashing ingredients together, using itself as the medium. And the mana it already possessed would kick-start any such process, taking the burden off of Juosiutik.