The weeks following their return from the Suntouched Confederacy settled into a new, more overtly strategic rhythm for Alaric Steele. The influx of valuable cores and unique reagents fueled Iridelle's workshops and his own arcane experiments. Brita Kuusk, now firmly under his thumb and her Python Essence steadily integrating, became an even more potent, if subdued, asset. Shaila Bloomwater, still somewhat dazed by the rapid shift in her life but increasingly susceptible to Alaric's subtle influence and the promise of purpose, diligently worked alongside Iridelle's apothecaries, her knowledge of desert toxins and reagents proving invaluable. Ceanna Paxton oversaw her growing clergy, their faith now undeniably centered on Lord Alaric, the source of their divine power.
