A/N: So, this chapter has my first foray into looking at how things are priced in this world. It's kind of all over the place, but I'm trying. Since adventurers like Ais can be expected to pull in 40 Million on their own to pay for repairs, I can only assume that Loki and Freya's Familia have 10's of Billions of Valis in their accounts.
This chapter does have a lot of dialogue, so be prepared for that. Please let me know if you guys have any comments or questions.
Hearthfire
Chapter 11
Ais
Ais was panting heavily, kneeling on the ground, and leaning on her sword. In front of her stood Torrhen, the man who had become her newest goal. She was determined to become strong enough to defeat him, but it was clear that it was going to take a while. After their first spar, Torrhen had extended an invitation to her to join his Familia for training every morning at 6.
Ais had accepted, of course. She had arrived at Heartfire Hall, the home of the Hestia Familia at 6 am sharp for the last two days. She would assist Torrhen in teaching Bell and Lili, the two active members of the Hestia Familia and then, once they had left for the Dungeon, Ais and Torrhen would spar.
Torrhen was a blindingly fast swordsman and was strong enough that trying to block his attacks made her arms feel like they were about to break. Even his technique as a swordsman surpassed her own and after each spar, he had started critiquing her performance or pointing out small mistakes she had made. It was helpful and she was grateful for his advice, even though it stung her pride a little to know she was still making mistakes. She'd even learned a few new maneuvers from him. Mostly from him using them on her, and her trying to replicate them.
Ais had to admit that the last few days had been… fun. She enjoyed working with Bell and Lili. Bell was fascinating to her on several levels. He had an impressive drive to improve that rivaled her own, maybe even surpassed it, and his rate of improvement matched his drive. He was almost ready to level up, and he hadn't even been adventuring for two months! She might have been jealous if she hadn't started learning from the same teacher as Bell. She could feel herself improving with every spar and wasn't surprised that Bell was improving so fast if he'd been learning from Torrhen the whole time. She was even learning new things by working with Bell. Riveria had always stressed that Ais needed to learn restraint and through working with Bell and Lili, she finally felt like she was learning how to hold back.
Ais' more childish side liked Bell because he reminded her of a bunny rabbit. He was just so adorable! There was more to her fascination with him though. Beyond his resemblance to a cute little bunny and their shared drive to improve, there was something about Bell that she wasn't quite sure of, something about him that she just liked. She enjoyed being around him, she just wasn't sure why. She liked Lili well enough, but she wasn't as captivating as Bell was.
"I think that's enough for today," Torrhen said, sheathing his sword. Like always, he didn't even look winded despite the fact that she had been attacking him for over an hour. Ais could only nod, exhausted. She struggled to her feat, sheathing her sword, and walked towards the chairs set up to the side of the training yard. Collapsing into one, she took a moment to try and catch her breath.
The girl from the Miach Familia… Ais thought her name was Naaza, came over to her. She'd shown up during training the day before carrying a box of potions that Bell and Lili had taken into the Dungeon. She was apparently working on developing new potions and the Hestia Familia was testing them for her. She'd shown up again that morning with another box. Bell and Lili had taken most of them, but there were a few left. Ais thanked Naaza as she handed her a green potion. Taking it, Ais popped the cork out and downed it.
Relief spread throughout her body as her exhaustion faded. She felt as good as she had before the spar! When Naaza had shown up the day before, Ais had happily tried one and been shocked at how effective the potions Naaza had been working on were. The Miach Familia wasn't quite ready to start selling them yet, but once they were she was going to recommend Finn, the Captain of her Familia, buy as many as they could afford. If all the various potions worked the way Naaza described them, they would be extremely helpful during their upcoming expedition.
"Can I have a few of these?" She asked Naaza. "My Familia has an expedition coming up, and I want to show them to my Captain. They could be helpful."
Naaza seemed happy with that. "Sure." She said, "You can take everything that's left in the box I brought with me."
"Thank you," Ais said, pulling the box across the table towards her. There were 5 potions left inside. 1 was green, 1 was blue, 1 was red, and 3 were yellow. "What do they do?" She asked.
"The green one is a Potion of Enhanced Stamina." Naaza explained, pointing to each potion as she spoke. "It's basically an energy boost. The blue one is called a Potion of Magicka, which causes the drinker to rapidly regenerate a medium amount of Mind, allowing them to cast more spells. The red one is a Potion of Healing. It works similarly to a normal healing potion, regenerating the body after an injury, only stronger and cheaper to make." She moved on to the yellow ones. "These each do something different, though the effects are temporary. This one boosts the effectiveness one-handed weapon skills, this one gives a boost to archery skills, and this one increases the effects of attack magic."
Ais had never even heard of potions that affected skills like that. If they worked, they would be a massive help in the Dungeon. "Thank you," she said to Naaza. "Are they labeled anywhere?"
Naaza nodded. "They have labels on the bottom. When we start selling them, we'll have a proper description wrapped around the neck of the bottle." Ais thanked her again and, after a brief conversation with Torrhen, she picked up the box of potions and made her way home.
As she neared her home, she couldn't help but compare it to the home of the Hestia Familia. Despite being unfinished, Heartfire Hall felt like a very welcoming place. On the other hand, the Twilight Manor, the home of Ais' Loki Familia, looked like a very imposing structure. It was Ais' home though, and she loved it.
Entering the manor, she made her way up to Finn's office. It wasn't quite lunch time, so he was likely there with Riveria and Gareth, planning for their expedition. Knocking, she waited for the muffled "enter" before opening the door.
"Excuse me," she said as she stepped into the room.
"Good morning, Ais!" Finn said, smiling. "What can I do for you?" He was sitting at his desk with Riveria and Gareth seated on the couches in front of it, going over a series of papers.
"I wanted to show you this," Ais said, placing the box on the desk.
"Potions?" Finn asked, pulling out one of the yellow ones. "I've never seen a potion this color before."
"They're new," Ais said. "I got them from the Captain of the Miach Familia a little while ago. Her Familia is working on developing them. The description is on the bottom. If they work as intended, they could help with the next expedition."
Finn's eyebrows raised as he read the description on the bottle. "Skill boost potions? I've never heard of these." He handed the bottle to Gareth. Riveria was examining the magicka potion. "How did you meet the Captain of the Miach Familia?"
"I met her through a new training partner." Ais said. "I've been training with them every morning for the last few days."
"So that's where you've been disappearing to." Riveria said. "Who is this new training partner?"
"It's the man who helped me and the twins at Montserphilia. His name is Torrhen" Ais said. "He's in the same Familia as the boy from the Minotaur incident. Their goddess, Hestia, is friends with Lord Miach. According to Naaza, Miach's Captain, Torrhen has been helping her develop the potions. The other members of the Hestia Familia, Bell and Lili, are testing them in the Dungeon."
Finn's eyebrows had disappeared. "The one who healed Lefiya? Loki has mentioned him. She's convinced he's at least at Level 6. She's supposed to meet with Goddess Hestia in about a month to talk about it. You've been training with him?"
Ais nodded. "He invited me to join his Familia for training each morning. I've been helping Lili and Bell, the boy from the Minotaur incident, train. Once they leave, Torrhen and I have been sparring."
Finn leaned forward, interested. "And? Is Loki right? He's Level 6?"
Ais shook her head. "He's definitely stronger than that. We've sparred 3 times and I haven't been able to hit him once. I haven't seen Ottar in action since he hit Level 7, but it wouldn't surprise me if Torrhen is stronger."
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth all had comical looks of shock on their faces. The silence seemed to stretch for an eternity before Gareth finally cut in, "think he'd be willing to spar with me?" He asked.
"Gareth!" Riveria exclaimed.
"What? Don't stand there and tell me you don't want to spar with him too?"
Riveria opened her mouth to protest, but the words didn't come out. After a moment, she turned up her nose to Gareth and said, "So what if I do? I wouldn't walk up to a total stranger and ask for a spar out of the blue."
"I think we'd all like to spar with a man who could be Level 8" Finn said, "but Riveria is right. We should meet him first. Do you think he'd object to meeting us, Ais?"
Ais wasn't' sure. "I don't think so," she said. "He didn't say I couldn't bring anyone, but the training is primarily for the members of his Familia."
"Well, we don't want to ambush him, and Loki is already planning a proper meeting with his goddess," Finn said. "Do you mind if just I accompany you tomorrow to meet him? That might be better than all three of us showing up and challenging him to a spar."
"I don't mind." Ais said. Gareth grumbled about not getting to go but seemed to accept Finn's proposal.
"Fantastic!" Finn said. "In the meantime, I think we should put these potions to the test. If they really work, they could be a big help on our expedition."
"The stamina potions definitely work," Ais said. "I've drunk them right after my last two spars with Torrhen. I was exhausted before I drank them and felt better than if I'd just gotten out of bed once it took effect." Finn's eyebrows had disappeared again, and Riveria would absolutely deny her jaw having dropped to the floor. Gareth just looked excited.
Torrhen
Torrhen stood in the training yard, basking in the pale morning light as he waited for his students to join him. They had made excellent progress over the last few days, with Bell and Lili performing very well in training, and even better in the Dungeon. They were averaging 40-50,000 Valis per run at this point, and Torrhen was very proud. His spars with Ais had also been fun. It was nice to be working on more advanced things for a change.
Since the Minotaur incident, catching up to Ais had been Bell's primary motivation, so having her around as a training partner had been doing him a world of good. The kid was even more determined than ever before, and it showed in his performance. Lili had been making very good progress as well. She was taking a more active combat role now that she had found a style that worked for her, and it was showing. Her shots with her crossbow were getting faster and faster, and she rarely missed a target that was moving at speeds under that of a Level 3 adventurer.
Torrhen had contemplated giving her a grimoire, like the Summon Familiar one, but he wanted to consult a mage of this world before handing out any more grimoires. Wasn't there a mage in Ais' Familia? Perhaps he'd ask her to introduce him after Hestia's meeting with Loki.
Soon enough, Torrhen spotted Ais walking towards him. Unlike the last few days though, she was not alone. Walking next to her was a short blonde figure. A Pallum, which meant he was probably the Captain of the Loki Familia. "Good morning!" He called to them.
"Good morning," Ais said in her usual near-monotone voice.
"Sorry for the intrusion," the Pallum said. "Ais was talking about you yesterday, so I was hoping to meet you. I'm Finn Deimne, Captain of the Loki Familia." He held his hand out for Torrhen to shake.
Taking his hand, Torrhen said, "the pleasure is mine, Finn. I'm Torrhen, and I'm the Mentor of the Hestia Familia. "What did you wish to speak to me about?"
"Well," Finn said, "Ais mentioned the fact that you've been sparring with her, and I must admit, I was intrigued by her descriptions of your strength. I was hoping you might consent to a spar, but I was also hoping to talk about the potions Ais brought home yesterday. She said you were helping to develop them?"
"That I am." Torrhen said. "The Miach Familia has full market rights, but I'm able to make them all. Naaza and I are developing the recipes together. As for the spar, I'd be happy to spar with you after my Familia's usual training is over. Naaza should be here soon if you want to talk to her about getting some potions for your expedition though."
"Well, if you don't mind me sticking around, I'll gladly speak to her while you train." Finn said with a nod.
Soon enough, Bell and Lili joined them, with Naaza following not too far behind with a small box of potions. "Everybody, this is Finn Deimne, Captain of the Loki Familia." Torrhen said, "He's here to speak with you, Naaza, about buying some potions for their upcoming expedition. Finn, this is Bell, Lili, and Naaza," Torrhen pointed to each of them as he spoke.
"I must say, it's a pleasure to meet two fellow Captains," Finn said, nodding at them before turning to Lili, "and I have to admit to being thrilled to see a fellow Pallum succeeding as an adventurer."
"It's an honor to meet you, sir" Bell replied, with Naaza also saying hello.
"I'm still more of a supporter than an adventurer…" Lili said, but Torrhen cut her off.
"You're doing extremely well, Lili. Your new magic bag lets you serve as a supporter while still fully participating in Dungeon combat and you're doing phenomenally." He said, causing Lili to blush.
"Magic bag?" Finn asked.
"I'll tell you about it later," Torrhen said. "After we finish."
"Fair enough," Finn said. "Captain Naaza? Perhaps we should step aside to talk while they begin."
"Of course." Naaza said, following Finn.
Naaza
She could admit to herself that the prospect of selling potions to the Loki Familia was exciting. While Naaza usually came across to people as always being sleepy, she was very passionate about 4 things. Lord Miach, making potions, reviving her Familia, and earning money. If she could manage to get the Loki Familia as clients and keep them, it would go a long way to helping revive her Familia and make them a boat load of money.
The last few weeks had been life changing for Naaza and Miach. First, Goddess Hestia had invested in their business which had allowed them to pay off more of their debt than expected and sped up Naaza's research into her dual potion recipe. Then, once again with the help of the Hestia Familia, she had completed her potion and completely cleared their debt to Dian Cecht. The cherry on top was the fact that thanks to a member of the Hestia Familia, again, her Familia had full market rights to unique and extremely powerful potions that might catapult her Familia back to where it was before she was injured. Maybe even past that. She lived for the day they surpassed the Dian Cecht Familia in power and prestige.
Naaza despised Dian Cecht for his contemptuous attitude towards Lord Miach and for so gleefully heaping so much debt on them to while simultaneously poaching their members. While Lord Miach's generosity did not help, it was Dian Cecht and the traitors who abandoned them that Naaza truly blamed for the sad state of her Familia. If the members of her Familia hadn't betrayed and abandoned them, they could have paid back the debt years ago.
Still, things were finally looking up for the Miach Familia with their new potions. Naaza had been working tirelessly with Master Torrhen to edit or build new recipes and create new potions that would only ever be sold by her Familia if she had any say in it. She was especially grateful to Bell and Lili for testing them in the Dungeon each day. They had several potions that were ready for sale and even a few poisons that Master Torrhen had taught her about. She just needed to land this deal with the Captain of the Loki Familia. She may not be overly fond of high-class adventurers, but she certainly had no problem with selling to them.
Sitting down in the chairs that bordered the Hestia Familia's training yard, Naaza addressed Finn. "So, you were hoping to buy some of our new potions, Captain Finn?" She said.
"Yes," he said, sitting opposite her after placing his spear on an empty weapon rack. "The ones you gave Ais yesterday were very impressive. I've never even heard of potions that boost skills, and the health, stamina, and magicka potions were better than anything but elixirs.
"Those were still medium grade compared to some of the ones we are working on." Naaza said, trying to get Finn interested. "There are varying grades of effectiveness to almost all of the potions we are developing. The more effective ones are more expensive, of course, but they are likely better for high-class adventurers."
"Really?" Finn said. "Do you have a catalogue of some kind? I'd like to peruse what options you have."
"I do have a catalogue that I have been working on," Naaza said, pulling it from her bag. "There are a few recipes that we have been working on that aren't ready yet, but this is what we have so far." She handed the catalogue to Finn. It essentially broke down the various potions into categories and then by type and potency and listed their prices. Their current categories included Resistance, Recovery, Enhancement, Skill Boost, and Poison.
"Poison?" Finn asked, looking surprised as he read that. Naaza nodded.
"While they would work on adventurers and are therefore going to be a controlled substance, poisons can be extremely effective against monsters inside the Dungeon. The best way to use them is to coat arrows and shoot them at your target or coat a blade and cut them. We have poisons that kill monsters, reduce their resistances to certain types of elemental attacks, paralyze them, and a few that attack their minds."
"Attacking a monsters mind?" Finn asked. "You mean like these Fear Poisons?" He pointed to a section of the catalogue.
"Yes." Naaza said. "Those will make a monster flee from you. Helpful if you need to get away."
"What do Frenzy poisons do?" Finn asked. Ah, those were… delicate.
"Those are probably one of the most helpful and most dangerous poisons we can make." Naaza said. "Frenzy poisons will drive the target mad with rage for a short period of time. They start attacking everything in sight the second it takes effect. When used on a monster, it will go mad and start attacking all the other monsters in the area. Very helpful if you're trying to cause a distraction and slip away from a group of monsters or want to thin the herd before you get too close. Unfortunately, they also work on adventurers."
Naaza sighed, "The most potent of them are extremely dangerous. Mr. Torrhen says that even he is affected, though he can fight off the effect with enough resolve. They cause an all-encompassing rage in people that causes them to lash out at whoever they can. If they catch sight of someone they are angry with when under its effects, nothing short of death will stop them from killing the person."
"That… is extremely dangerous." Finn said. "Adventurers could be made to commit murder or go on rampages with them."
"I know," Naaza said. "We have already informed the Guild of all these new potions and gotten them to review everything we have. It hasn't been released yet, but they have declared all of our poisons to be controlled substances. You'll need special Guild clearance to purchase them. Frenzy poisons have been declared to be highly restricted substances. You'll need even higher clearance and the presence of a Guild employe to purchase them. The most powerful cannot be sold at all so they aren't in the catalogue. We only made a few, to see if the recipe worked, and they are being kept in a secure vault at the Guild. Master Torrhen and I suggested that they be destroyed but the Guild thought it better to lock them up until they degrade on their own or they find a use for them."
"That seems rather irresponsible, but I suppose there is no arguing with the guild. They can be a bit strange sometimes." Finn said. "I don't think I'll be purchasing any poisons, but I'd like to get quite a few potions from all the other categories."
"Do you have an idea of your budget for this purchase?" Naaza asked. She was so close to closing the sale!
"We have allocated 50 million Valis to potions and healing items," Finn said. Naaza's heart rose into her throat. That was so much! "We were going to buy from Dian Cecht, but you have quite a bit more to offer than they do. Thankfully, we hadn't approached them yet." Score! She was stealing a major customer from Dian Cecht! She just needed to get a list and close the deal!
"I can personally guarantee the effectiveness of our potions," she said, her voice actually sounding awake for once. "If you wish to compile a list of the potions you want and their grades, I can begin production today." She pulled a pen from her bag and handed it to him. She could barely contain her excitement as he started marking off a list. He had even set down purchases for a few Ultimate Potions! She would need to work all night for the next few days to get everything done, but she would not fail!
Her first big contract for the new potions and not only was it with one of the top Familia's in Orario, but she was also pulling business away from Dian Cecht! Naaza couldn't be happier if she tried. She just needed to make sure a contract was drawn up and signed before Lord Miach tried to give any potions away or make up a discount.
Finn
It was rather amusing to see Captain Naaza trying to restrain her happiness as he signed the contract the two had drawn up. These new potions would make a world of difference on their next expedition, so he did not mind paying so much money for them. It was worth it to get them deeper into the Dungeon and get them back out alive again.
Since the deal was finally closed, he turned his attention back to the training yard to find that it was just Ais and Torrhen standing there. He must have missed Bell and Lili leaving while they were working on the contract. That was disappointing. There were so few Pallum's working as adventurers, he was hoping to see Lili in action. Still, if Torrhen agreed to spar Riveria or Gareth too, he might get to come to their training again and see her in action.
"Do you wish to go first Finn, or let Ais do it?" Torrhen called over. It seemed he had the perfect timing to watch their spar.
"I'll go second, if you don't mind!" He called back to them. It would give him a chance to get a feeling for Torrhen's fighting style and gauge his strength. Ais claimed he was stronger than Ottar, and Finn was eager to see if she was right.
He watched with anticipation as the two drew their swords. Suddenly, in a burst of movement, Ais darted forward with a jab. Torrhen easily deflected it, moving onto the offensive. It was glorious to watch. Torrhen's movements were effortless as he consistently stayed one step ahead of Ais. As he watched, Finn realized that Torrhen was deliberately moving just a little bit too fast for Ais!
Did that mean he was holding back against her? Even Ottar wouldn't be able to hold back like that, so perhaps Ais was right about his strength. Finn watched eagerly as the dance of blades continued. Ais was trying everything she had ever learned, even a few tricks he'd never seen her do, seemingly praying that one would work only to be stymied every time. Torrhen's technique was flawless. It was as though he could not be hit, and Finn could feel his anticipation grow.
He was certain now that he could not win against Torrhen. Ais was right, he had to be at least Level 8, but that only made him more excited. He had a chance to spar with someone more powerful than Ottar. What's more, he might be able to befriend him. If their Familia could form an alliance with the Hestia Familia, then they would have the most powerful adventurer in Orario on their side! Finn knew that Torrhen was Semi-Retired, but that just meant he would be a secret weapon.
More than just his strength though, Torrhen genuinely seemed like a nice guy. He clearly did not judge the Pallum race as being weak, which was as big bonus in Finn's book. He had been polite and courteous and very generous, considering he was indulging Ais' obsession with getting stronger. Actually, he seemed to be helping her. Ais was moving even better than he'd ever seen her move. She was a fresh Level 6, so she should still be getting used to the boost in power, but she was moving more like someone who'd been Level 6 for a few years. Like she'd already adapted. If that's what sparring with him for a few days had done for her, he could hardly wait for his turn.
Finally, with a very impressive maneuver, Torrhen sent Ais' sword clattering to the ground. Ais stood there, panting heavily, but grinning like a loon. She was loving it, and Finn couldn't blame her. Torrhen didn't even look winded as he picked up Ais' sword and handed it to her.
"Go grab a potion out of the box, Ais." Torrhen said. Ais obeyed, shuffling over to the table and flopping into one of the seats. She pulled out one of the green potions, the label said it was a 'Potion of Plentiful Stamina.' That would make it the fourth best grade if he remembered the catalogue rightly. Ais' condition visibly improved as she drank the potion. Her breathing eased, she sat up, and she no longer looked like she was about to collapse. The potion clearly worked. That was good, it meant he had spent the Familia's money well when buying them.
"Looks like it's my turn," he said as he stood. Grabbing his spear from the weapon rack he'd leaned it on and striding to the center of the yard.
"Looks like it," Torrhen said, readying his sword. "Shall we?" He asked with a smirk.
"Lets," Finn said, dropping into his ready stance. A sudden weight settled on him. An intense pressure coming from the human in front of him. He could not remember the last time he felt like this, and he loved it. He loved the challenge. He darted forward with an opening strike that Torrhen easily blocked. Unlike his duel with Ais, Torrhen was moving at the same speed as Finn, making them evenly matched. This would be a test of pure skill.
Finn wasn't sure how long the fight went on. It became a series of maneuvers that blended together. Block, thrust, retreat, swipe, jab, dive, spin. At one point, Torrhen grabbed the shaft of his spear, so Finn used that opportunity to use Torrhen's grip to lift himself off the ground and aim a kick at his opponent's head. He came so close, but Torrhen managed to avoid it and Finn barely ducked under the sweeping slash that followed it.
The fight continued on until, in a confusing sequence of bladework, Torrhen sent Finn's spear flying to the side and rested his sword against Finn's neck. Just like Ais earlier, Finn was utterly exhausted and thrilled beyond belief. That had been one of the best spars he'd ever had!
"You're incredible," he said, panting.
"You're not exactly bad yourself." Torrhen said, still not winded. "That's the best fight I've had since I moved to the city. Ais is good, but you're definitely more experienced." Finn nodded, trying to catch his breath. "Here," Torrhen said, walking to the table and grabbing one of the stamina potions, "have a little preview of what you bought from Naaza."
Finn accepted the potion gratefully and, popping the cork, downed it in one go. Instant relief spread through his body. He didn't feel 100% but he did feel like he could fight again. "These are really effective," he said, looking at the bottle.
"Yeah," Torrhen said, "Naaza is pretty damn good at what she does."
"Money well spent then," Finn said, picking up his spear. "Thank you for the spar, Torrhen. It was a lot of fun."
"Anytime," Torrhen said. "I love teaching the kids, but it's nice to have a few sparring partners who really know what they're doing."
"In that case," Finn eyed him, "do you mind if I bring Riveria or Gareth? They were both interested in a match, but we didn't think it polite for us to all show up at once."
"I don't mind at all," Torrhen said. "Your Familia seem like good people, and I would never say no to seeing the skills of new opponents."
"If you don't mind me asking, how strong are you?" Finn probed, not really expecting an answer.
"Ah," Torrhen smiled, "I'm sorry my new friend, but that information will have to wait until after Loki and Hestia meet." Finn had expected him to say that. "I do have a bit of a consolation for you, though." Torrhen said, much to Finn's interest. "A gift that might help with your expedition."
"What is it?" Finn asked, intrigued.
"Just wait here for a minute," Torrhen said, walking towards a building at the back of the property. Finn moved to sit at the same table as Ais.
"You weren't exaggerating about his strength. He's Level 8 at least." He told her. Ais nodded.
"I just wish he would tell me how he got so strong," she said.
"I'm afraid that asking that question will probably have to wait," Finn said. Torrhen was walking back to them now, carrying three leather backpacks.
"I mentioned Lili has a new magic bag earlier," he said as he walked up, placing the packs on the table. "These are just like it, and they are my gift to you. To help with your expedition."
Finn picked one up, curiously. "What do they do?"
"In enchanting parlance, they are imbued with the effects Expand Storage and Lesson Carry Weight. Basically, they hold nearly 30 times their actual size, but never weigh more than they do right now." Finn's eyebrows disappeared in his shock. "They also have a magical display that shows everything stored withing and allows for easy removal. Give it a try, just open the top."
Finn flipped the top of the bag open, his jaw dropping in amazement as the display popped up. The bag was currently empty. Grabbing the box of potions, He placed it at the lip of the bag, and, to his amazement, the box disappeared. The display now read, 'Potion of Plentiful Stamina (3) Potion of Plentiful Magicka (2) Potion of True Shot (1) Wooden Box (1)'. Tapping on the display, Finn was amazed to see that the potion he had tapped on was now in his hand.
"This is incredible!" He said, turning to Torrhen. "Are you certain you want to give them to us?"
"You're bringing a lot of business to a good friend. Ais has been helping me train the kids and saved Bell's life. I like you, and I'm hoping we can be friends so, yeah. I'm sure." Torrhen smiled. "Put them to good use."
Finn could only stare in wonder at the bags. Finally, he turned to Torrhen. "I know you're Semi-Retired but… do you want to go on the expedition with us? At least until we reach the 18th floor?"
A/N: Bit of a cliffhanger? Torrhen's not quite ready to come out of retirement, but he could easily join them for a bit of a stroll.
Ok so, talking potions. I tried! I did everything I could to research potions in Danmachi but I came up with almost nothing! What I got said that everything below high potions and elixirs is basically garbage. They're the only things that can regrow skin or heal bones and clot blood. Since even the basic potions in Skyrim can do that, I'm basically saying that Skyrim potions are 100% better.
Here's how I chose to break down the potions for health, magic, and stamina in order of effectiveness and list their prices. (I know the prices kind of bounce around, but I'm trying to keep it consistent to what I know of canon.)
Low Stamina/Mind potion: Basic Stamina/Mind recovery (100 Valis)
Potion of Minor Stamina/Magicka potion: Medium Stamina/Mind recovery (500 Valis)
Potion of Minor Healing/Potion: Immediately begins clotting blood. Will completely heal minor wounds (Ie. Cuts and scrapes). (500 Valis)
Potion of Healing/Magicka/Stamina/: Decent Stamina/Mind recovery. Will mend fractured or cracked bones and most non-lethal wounds. (5,000 Valis)
Dual Potion: Dual Healing and Mind Recovery: Decent Mind recovery. Will mend fractured or cracked bones and most non-lethal wounds. (10,000 Valis)
Potion of Plentiful Healing/High Potion: Healing is efficient enough to make lethal wounds survivable with help. (50,000)
Potion of Plentiful Stamina/Magicka: Good Stamina/Mind recovery. (30,000 Valis)
High Stamina/Mind Potions: Good Stamina/Mind recovery. (30,000 Valis)
Potion of Vigorous Stamina/Magicka: Great Stamina/Mind recovery. (100,000 Valis)
Potion of Vigorous Healing/ Elixirs: Will regenerate skin and heal bones. Can be used to survive most fatal wounds but not completely recover unless used to excess. (500,000 Valis)
Potion of Extreme Stamina/Magicka: Excellent Stamina/Mind recovery. (800,000 Valis)
Potion of Extreme Healing: Turns fatal wounds into minor ones. Will leave scars. (1,000,000 Valis)
Potion of Ultimate Stamina/Magicka: Complete Stamina/Mind recovery regardless of amount. (1,000,000 Valis)
Potion of Ultimate Healing: Complete physical regeneration to pre-injury condition. Heals all physical wounds. No scars left. (5,000,000 Valis)