“While Peter reads over all his fancy new stuff, did anyone come up with an interesting use for the Worldstone?” Annie asked.

  “I still think tha best use is a dungeon,” Balin said, “if’n we can find a place ta put it.”

  “Where on Erd would we get enough space?” Bran groused.

  “We could ask Duke Schist for some land up North?” Aqua tried hopefully.

  The clan broke into excited discussion about possibilities while I started reading over my options. Honestly, with a name like Legendary Archemist, I considered it a done deal, but it was still worth reading everything.

  My current class was an [Otherworldly Arcane Crafter], and it would serve as a base while the subsumed Milestones gave direction. Thankfully, all of the options seemed to stem off the concept of brewing and crafting with a bit of luck tossed in, which was exactly what I’d hoped for!

  I read them over with interest, several times. in particular, two of them – the [Legendary Archemist] and [Barck’s Bartender].

  [Lucky Arcane Crafter] and [Otherworldy Crafter of Fortune] were both neat, and definitely fit with my desires as a crafter, but they also felt like more of the same. I’d gone from an [Alchemist] to an [Otherworldly Brewer] to an [Otherworldly Arcane Crafter], and I wanted something more than just a material improvement to my basic abilities this time.

  I wanted something new.

  [Lucky Arcane Crafter] would let me craft literal luck, and while that was super cool, we’d seen from the Herder gem brew that passing around free luck could be a bad idea. Now, would I love to fortify Balin and his party with some liquid luck? Sure! But someone else probably had the same Ability, and we were rich enough at this point that we could buy it from them. I’d need to ask the Alchemist’s Guild if someone in Kinshasa had a similar Ability.

  [Lucky Arcane Crafter] was the flip side. Nothing new for me to craft, but it definitely added to my bag of tricks. If I pumped [Loads of Luck] high enough, I could potentially do some pretty crazy stuff. And [Best Tool For The Job]? Useful, but again… nothing new.

  Honestly, my heart was really swaying to [Legendary Archemist], even with the goofy name. Seriously, what was an Archemist? But, the alchemist’s stone, bab-ay!! More magic and the ability to transmute ingredients!!! And it doubled as a wand! How cool was that shit! And I didn't even need to beat up a bespectacled British child to get it!

  But… [Barck’s Bartender] really filled that itch for something different, and had some interesting connotations. If Barck could make a door to the cellar, would I be able to meet him there?

  Chat?

  Boot him in the balls for being such a dick? I was still nursing a grudge over the Birch incident, when he’d locked me out of my escape route and in a roundabout way had forced me into deadly combat with a duck.

  And how big was a demiplane? Were we talking, like, infinite? I could think of a lot of possible uses for an infinite space, even one that Barck could kick me out of whenever he wanted. Oh, and it could have multiple doors? Could I leave a door here at the Goat then ask Barck for one whenever I needed it?

  And what brews did it have!? Even with the sorry state of beer in this world, there were other alcohols, and other drinks that Barck must've collected. Could there be, like, extra-dimensional beers?

  Guinness?

  REGENERATING ELVEN WINE?? *phew* Calm down Pete! It was just wine!

  By far, it was the most interesting, even if it wasn’t quite as awesome as [Archemist].

  Bereft of ideas I reached out to my clan, interrupting the current discussion, which was about using the [Worldstone] to make Erd’s most magical stove.

  “Alright all. I have two candidates, and I want your opinion, because one of them could impact the Goat,” I said once I had everyone’s attention.

  “Uh oh.” Aqua tittered. “Pete’s about to throw a hammer in it again!”

  I gave her a glare. “The first is a [Legendary Archemist].”

  Bran held up his hand. “Ho-ooold it! You got a Legendary Specialisation, before me??”

  “That a problem, chef?” I asked sweetly. “Got some beef?”

  “Don’t you be tart with me, lad!” Bran growled. “I cook yer meals!”

  “That’s true, I‘ve seen you with Opal, you’re definitely cooked!”

  Bran thumped both fists on the table. “Gorram Aaron’s Arse! It’s not fair! I’m the one whose name is on all the food! It’s not like yer the one personally makin’ the beer! I know for a fact that Johnsson and Richter make most of it these days!”

  “I supervise…” I replied, nettled. “And besides, what’s so special about a Legendary Specialisation? Isn’t it just a name?”

  “It means ‘dat folk consider you a Legend in ‘de field,” Richter put in. “It’s more than just a combination of yer Milestones, it needs some outside support. ‘De only other kind like it is ‘de God Specialisations, where a God needs ta approve of ya.”

  “Funny you should mention that.” I grinned.

  Annie perked up. “Oooh, another God Specialisation? What is it!”

  ‘Another?’ Bran mouthed, shutting his eyes like a dwarf in pain. In contrast, the Digger family’s eyes all went wide.

  “Aye. Here, I’ll brief you all on the options.” I read the Specialisations and their Blessings out in full, and then did it again as everyone took notes.

  “[Legendary Archemist].” Richter was the first to offer his thoughts. “I’ve heard of ‘de [Alchemist’s Stone], and it's considered one of ‘de best tools fer a mage. You’ll be able to learn spells faster and cast ‘em easier. And you’d be able to get rare ingredients more easily.

  “I vote for [Bartender]. It suits Pete.” Bran chuckled. Balin nodded vigorously.

  I crossed my arms petulantly. “You just don’t want me to be Legendary before you. Sorry Bran, but I’m the Forefather of Brewing now, I’m already a Legend.”

  Aqua rolled her eyes. “And here we go. It’s getting to his head.”

  “More for therapy?” Annie asked, none too quietly. Aqua nodded emphatically.

  Annie sighed. “Well, even if it gives him a bigger head, which I’m not sure is possible, I agree with the [Legendary Archemist]. It benefits nearly everything you do, while the [Bartender] is questionable at best. The cellar could be empty for all you know.”

  “Aye, you can brew just about anythin’ or buy just about any brew now,” Richter added. “ It’s neat, but I t’ink you’d be way happier wit’ learning new spells faster. Think about how long it took you to learn ‘dat awful bacon spell, and imagine learning it twice as fast.”

  There was general agreement, and I was about to lock it in, when the most unexpected voice spoke out.

  “Is a Demiplane some kinda dimensional space? Worldstones can upgrade Abilities and Dimensional pockets, so… What if we used the Worldstone on [Barck’s Cellar]?”

  We all stared in incredulity at Bando, who blushed.

  “By All Tha Bits of Tha Gods,” Richter whispered. “What would happen?”

  Good on everyone who caught Arcane and Chemist, for Archemist.

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