Dragonstone Tablet

A Story :: Brisk Breezing Brew

A biting wind whipped through the clearing, tugging at Jayne's scarlet cloak as she approached Gervic's makeshift workshop. Inside, hunched over a strange contraption of wood, wires, and glowing crystals, Gervic muttered furiously to himself.

"Dragons can be temperamental beasts," Jayne boomed, startling Gervic from his concentration. A sheepish grin spread across his face. "But tinkering with… whatever that is… seems a bit out of your element, wouldn't you say?"

Gervic scrambled to his feet, nervously fidgeting. "Lady Jayne! Just… tinkering with a new contraption for the hatchlings. Helps them… uh… exercise their… problem-solving skills."

Jayne raised an eyebrow. "Problem-solving, huh? Looks more like you're trying to talk to a metal spider."

Gervic sighed. He knew he couldn't keep hiding his secret project – a project that involved a peculiar stranger named Finn who claimed to be from the future and spoke of wondrous things called "computers."

"Alright, alright," Gervic confessed, his voice dropping to a whisper. "This… is a computer, Jayne. Finn, a friend of mine, showed me the basics."

Jayne's eyes widened. "A computer? You mean like… those stories Finn tells about? Magical boxes that hold all the world's knowledge?"

Gervic nodded, a nervous tremor in his hand. "But learning it all… it's overwhelming. Like trying to outrun a stampede of wild boars."

Jayne chuckled, a glint in her eye. "Well, speaking of outrunning things, I brought you something that might help." She produced a vial filled with a vibrant green liquid that shimmered faintly. "The Brew of Brisk Breezing. A gift from the Freefolk. Sharpens the mind and body, lets you move like the wind."

Gervic eyed the potion cautiously. "Will it… help me understand these… computers?"

"Can't hurt," Jayne said with a wink. "Besides, Finn mentioned something about needing a quick learner to help him decipher his strange device. Seems like a perfect fit for a Targaryen with a thirst for knowledge… and a secret computer buddy."

Gervic uncorked the vial, a sweet, floral scent filling the air. He took a hesitant sip, the cool liquid tingling down his throat. His mind buzzed with a newfound clarity. He looked at the mess of wires and crystals with fresh eyes, a thrill coursing through him.

"Alright, Finn," Gervic said, a newfound determination in his voice. "Let's see what this computer can do."

Jayne grinned, stepping back. "Now that's the dragon tamer I know. Ready to conquer a new challenge, one line of code at a time."

With the Brew of Brisk Breezing coursing through his veins, Gervic pounced on the "computer" like a dragon on fresh prey. Finn, who had been watching nervously from the corner, was swept up in Gervic's newfound enthusiasm.

"Whoa there, Targaryen," Finn chuckled, dodging Gervic's rapid-fire questions. "The Brew might make you think faster, but this is still new territory for both of us. Slow down, or you'll overload the circuits!"

Gervic, still buzzing with newfound mental energy, paced the workshop. "But Finn, this is incredible! The way information flows, the logic behind it… it's like having a map to a whole new world!"

"A world full of bugs, glitches, and frustrating error messages," Finn reminded him, though a smile tugged at his lips at Gervic's infectious excitement. "But hey, at least with the Brew, you might actually understand them now."

The next few days were a whirlwind of experimentation and discovery. Under the influence of the potion, Gervic grasped concepts that would have previously taken him weeks to understand. He learned to differentiate between binary code and gibberish, his fingers flying across the makeshift keyboard Finn had constructed.

"Look at this, Finn!" Gervic exclaimed, pointing at the glowing crystal display. "We managed to display a simple message! Imagine the possibilities!"

Finn, exhausted but exhilarated, nodded. "We're onto something, Gervic. This could revolutionize communication, information storage… even dragon training, who knows?"

Their secret project wasn't without its challenges. The Brew's effects wore off after a few hours, forcing Gervic to rely on his natural intelligence – Targaryen wit, as Finn liked to call it – to retain the knowledge during breaks. Additionally, the prototype computer was prone to overheating and erratic behavior.

"Maybe another round of the potion will help us figure out the overheating problem," Gervic suggested, reaching for the vial.

Jayne, who had become a regular visitor to the workshop, her curiosity piqued by the hushed whispers and frantic activity, intervened. "Careful there, Targaryen. Too much of a good thing can…"

Before she could finish, the vial slipped from Gervic's grasp, shattering on the workshop floor. The vibrant green liquid pooled around his boots, and a heavy drowsiness washed over him.

"Oh no," Finn said, his voice laced with worry. "The side effects! You must have taken too much in your excitement."

Gervic slumped into a chair, his eyelids drooping shut. "Just… need… a short nap…" he mumbled before drifting off to sleep.

Jayne glared at the shattered vial. "Seems even the Brew of Brisk Breezing has its limits. Time for a different kind of solution, wouldn't you say, Finn?"

Finn, his brow furrowed in concern, nodded. "We do. A way to make the computer more stable, and a way to ration the potion more effectively. We'll just have to keep this a secret until then."

A mischievous grin spread across Jayne's face. "Secrets are what we Freefolk do best, wouldn't you agree? But for now, let's get your dragon-taming friend some rest."

With a shared look of determination, Jayne and Finn set about their new task. The secret project of a dragon tamer, a Freefolk knight, and a time traveler from the future had taken an unexpected turn. The dragon fire of innovation might have been dimmed for a moment, but the embers of their curiosity still glowed brightly.

However, the setback forced them to re-evaluate their approach. Relying solely on the Brew was unsustainable. Finn, with his knowledge of the future, suggested alternative solutions – stable power sources unseen in Westeros, and even whispers of a magical metal that could hold information without the need for potions.

Meanwhile, Jayne used her Freefolk connections to discreetly gather the necessary materials. Dragon scales, imbued with a hint of magical fire, were rumored to possess unique conductive properties. Nightshade, a poisonous plant with hallucinogenic effects, might hold the key to amplifying and stabilizing the Brew's effects.

Their clandestine activities took on an air of espionage – late-night meetings under the cloak of darkness, coded messages exchanged through trusted scouts. The thrill of the secret, coupled with the potential to change their world, fueled their determination.

Gervic, upon waking, found himself in a race against time. The knowledge gleaned from the Brew was fading, but the fire of invention had been ignited. He spent his days meticulously documenting everything he could recall, his notes a jumbled mess of code, diagrams, and wild theories.

As days bled into weeks, the workshop became a crucible of innovation. Sparks flew as Jayne experimented with dragon scales, the air thick with the pungent smell of nightshade. Finn, hunched over ancient scrolls scavenged from forgotten libraries, searching for forgotten lore that might hold the key to their fantastical computer. The pressure mounted. Gervic's frustration mirrored the erratic behavior of their prototype. He slammed his fist on the workbench, his notes scattering like startled pigeons.

"It's no use!" he roared. "The Brew's effects are fading too quickly. We're chasing shadows!"

Jayne, ever the pragmatist, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Targaryen. We've come this far. We just need that… extra push."

Finn, his eyes gleaming with a newfound conviction, emerged from his corner, a tattered scroll clutched in his hand. "I think I found it," he declared. "An ancient inscription about a lost alchemical process. It speaks of amplifying and stabilizing potions using… moonlight."

Gervic scoffed. "Moonlight? That's your grand solution?"

"Don't knock it till you try it," Finn retorted. "The inscription mentions a specific lunar phase, a full moon infused with… well, let's just say a touch of dragon magic."

A spark of hope ignited in Gervic's eyes. Dragon magic. Something he understood. He glanced out the window, spotting the sliver of a crescent moon hanging in the twilight sky.

"We have a week," he announced, a resolute glint in his eyes. "A week until the full moon. Jayne, gather the scales. Finn, decipher the inscription further. I'll…" He hesitated, then a determined grin spread across his face. "I'll visit an old friend. Someone with a touch of dragon magic at their disposal."

The next week was a whirlwind of activity. Jayne, using her Freefolk network, procured a magnificent set of shimmering red scales, rumored to have come from a particularly fiery beast. Finn, fueled by endless cups of strong Westerosi tea, meticulously translated the inscription, his brow perpetually furrowed in concentration.

Gervic, meanwhile, embarked on a secret journey. He rode his fastest dragon, Vermithor, to Dragonstone, the ancestral seat of House Targaryen. There, he sought out Maester Yandel, a wizened old scholar with a reputation for delving into forgotten magical lore.

Yandel, upon hearing of Gervic's predicament, chuckled, a dry rasping sound. "Ah, the thirst for knowledge. A dragon tamer's unexpected vice. Very well. But be warned, young Targaryen, manipulating moonlight is a delicate dance. One wrong step, and your potion could turn into a potent sleeping draught."

Under Yandel's watchful eye, Gervic meticulously followed the inscription's instructions. They bathed the dragon scales in moonlight, whispering ancient incantations, the air crackling with a faint magical energy. By the time the full moon reached its zenith, the scales pulsed with an otherworldly glow.

Returning to the workshop, Gervic incorporated the enchanted scales into the potion's brewing process. The concoction bubbled a vibrant emerald green, shimmering with an ethereal luminescence. This wasn't just the Brew of Brisk Breezing anymore; it was a culmination of their combined efforts, a testament to their shared thirst for knowledge.

Gervic took a tentative sip. The potion tasted different – sharper, infused with a faint tingle of moonlight magic. But the effect was undeniable. His mind buzzed with renewed clarity, the knowledge gleaned from previous sessions flooding back with perfect recall.

With newfound vigor, they tackled their prototype computer. The dragon scales, imbued with moonlight magic, provided a stable power source. The Nightshade, carefully balanced by Yandel's instructions, amplified the Brew's effects without the harsh side effects.

Finally, after weeks of tireless work, the moment of truth arrived. Gervic, his fingers flying across the makeshift keyboard, typed in a simple command. The crystal display flickered to life, glowing with an emerald luminescence that mirrored the potion itself. A single word materialized on the screen: "Hello."

A cheer erupted in the workshop. Jayne whooped with delight, Finn punched the air in triumph, and Gervic, a wide grin splitting his face, let out a dragon-like roar that echoed through the night. They had done it. They had built a computer in a world of magic and dragons.

The future remained uncertain. The implications of their invention were vast and unexplored. But for now, they reveled in their success, a ragtag group of dreamers who had dared to push the boundaries of their world. The night sky, ablaze with a million stars, seemed to wink in approval. The future, once shrouded in darkness, now shimmered with the promise of a new dawn, a dawn illuminated by the flickering light of their fantastical computer.

WORD COUNT: 1,899 Words
PROMPT: "POTIONS"   | "Raven Task #10"  


POTION #3 The Brew of Brisk Breezing | GIFTED BY: JayNaNoOhNo

A vibrant elixir blended with sharp Wild Garlic and soft Peony in Windrift Water, fortified with Zephyr's breath and Cloud fleece. It enhances speed and agility, a favorite among athletes, adventurers, students, graphic designers, and computer programmers seeking to swift-footedly breeze through their challenges.