Liquid Aether is one of the stories from
Anthologies of Ullord. The story follows the traveling clerics group including Lucas, a cleric for the goddess of love, Nila, Lucas' bodyguard and a cleric of Mara as well as Lucas' two childhood friends Branan a cleric for the god of fear, Barbas and Aeson, a thief with no ties to any gods. The party arrives in a small town where they hear stories of a cure-all liquid being sold by a traveling alchemist. Suspicious, the group goes to see the alchemist peddling the miracle cure. After hearing her explanation, the group realizes that they cannot so easily disprove her claims, but are concerned she is unfairly profiting from false claims.
Tropes found in Liquid Aether:
- Ambiguously Bi: Most of the consecrated are for many reasons. Part of it is being on equal footing with other consecrated. Part of it is a want for affection from anybody who will give it.
- Badasses Wear Bandanas: Aeson, being a thief and all.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Lucas is a complete sweetheart. Until you threaten his friends.
- Beware the Quiet Ones: Branan is by far the quietest. And arguably the deadliest when fighting.
- Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Gender inverted. Aeson, Branan and Lucas in that order. With further playing with: Aeson and Lucas splitting the sweet, but Aeson being more fiery with Lucas having more Dumb Redhead moments and Branan outright being a Brainy Brunette:.
- Blood Magic: This falls under Barbas' domain and is in Branan's purview as a mage and a cleric under the god of fear's domain.
- Bodyguarding a Badass: Nila is an athletic, strong cleric of Mara with healing capabilities. Lucas is tall, imposing, a skilled swordsman and mage. And he pays Nila to be his bodyguard since he has trouble with assassins.
- Even the Girls Want Her: Leni has this effect on some of the women she meets.
- Even the Guys Want Him: Lucas is a consecrated. And he has no issues with using his divine talents should he need to get information or accomplish tasks. And this sometimes comes up.
- Genius Ditz: Branan gets caught up in what he does, including reading. And he has shades of idiocy, but otherwise is a well-read intellectual.
- Lovable Rogue: Aeson is a pickpocket and he even led a group of homeless child thieves in his own childhood.
- Mark of the Supernatural: Lucas points out his own: the third color in his eyes. And he intends to get close enough to Leni to prove his suspicions.
- Mundane Solution: In order to size up potential opponents, Lucas turns on the charm. He usually cradles his target's cheek and stares lovingly into their eyes...to look for the third ring of color all consecrated have in their eyes. So he knows whether to use paeans or magic. Which is certainly better than him hoping and guessing and wasting energy and an attack.
- Power Nullifier: All consecrated are this to one another. They are unaffected by other consecrated's divine magics.
- Snake Oil Salesman: Aeson is convinced that the alchemist is lying about her potions.
- Stoic Spectacles: Branan's glasses count as these.
- True Companions: Lucas, Branan and Aeson all qualify. They have been together forever. And they love one another deeply and are not afraid to show it or say it.
- Weirdness Magnet: Lucas is always finding or being found by weird people, walking into weird events or causing the weirdness himself. He accepts it as part of his lot in life being a consecrated.
