Finally, a perk that marks the beginning of Alex's journey into the mystical.He feels it instantly a sudden, deep connection etched into his soul by the Forge. With just a thought, he can now open a portal to a private dimension, one tethered directly to him.
This realm, newly linked to his essence, comes with all the knowledge he needs imprinted directly into his mind. It's a secure haven, completely sealed off from intrusions. Thanks to the protections of the Forge, no demons, entities, or other beings can enter unless Alex summons them himself. It is, in every sense, a sanctuary.
Even better, Alex possesses complete control over the portal's form and functionality. He can design its appearance to suit his preferences whether it takes the shape of a small swirling circle, a plain doorway, or a grand, theatrical entrance radiating energy. In the physical world, he can summon the portal at any location within a 10-meter radius around himself. Once opened, the portal allows him to step into the alternate dimension and emerge at any point of his choosing within that realm, giving him near-limitless navigational freedom inside it.
Alex can use this new dimension in multiple ways simultaneously: as a weapon, an inventory, a prison, and a secure base of operations. Thanks to his expertise in advanced technology, he already has the tools and knowledge to construct high-level security systems, automated defenses, and cutting-edge surveillance. To complete the prison ideally hidden beneath the mansion he plans to integrate these technologies with magic, which he'll need to study and master. Magical wards will suppress supernatural threats, while his tech will neutralize physical ones. The combination will make the prison nearly unbreakable.
For storage, Alex envisions a streamlined, high-efficiency warehouse within the dimension. Using digital mapping and mental indexing, he can instantly recall the location of every item, allowing him to access anything through portals as small as his hand. He'll keep his most valuable possessions there powerful artifacts, rare resources, emergency supplies, and specialized tools all secured and always within reach.
And as any Avengers: Infinity War fan knows, portals aren't just for travel. Used creatively, they become devastating weapons, slicing through objects or enemies with the very fabric of space.
After finalizing his plans, Alex opens the door to his dimension and steps inside. He finds himself standing before a grand, two-story mansion, nestled within a lush garden that stretches out in every direction. Beyond the garden lies a vast, seemingly endless forest. Even the sky overhead appears normal blue, calm, and open belying the surreal nature of the world he's just entered.
Walking up to the mansion, Alex takes a moment to examine the garden surrounding it. The plants here are unlike anything he has encountered before. Despite his deep knowledge of Earth's flora, developed through years of alchemical research, none of these species are familiar. Their colors shift subtly in the light, and some give off a faint magical glow. It's immediately clear that they are magical in origin. Curious and slightly unsettled, Alex decides he will need to consult the mansion's magical library to learn more about them.
As he approaches the front door, it opens silently on its own. Whether this is due to enchantment or some hidden mechanism, Alex cannot be sure, but the timing is precise. He steps into a wide entrance hall with high ceilings and polished floors. A large staircase rises in front of him, and four doors are spread across the space. Two sit on either side of the staircase, and two more are positioned to his left and right near the main entrance.
Deciding to explore the upper level first, Alex climbs the staircase. At the top, a long hallway connects to several rooms. Some of them are bedrooms, each furnished and complete with private bathrooms. Others serve different purposes. One room is clearly designed for magical rituals, filled with intricate symbols and ambient energy. Another is set up for forging and enchanting, with equipment ready for use. He finds a space meant for meditation, calm and quiet, and another room that appears dedicated to magical research, already stocked with tools and reference materials.
After carefully examining the second floor, Alex returns to the ground level to continue his exploration. He finds a kitchen that blends modern design with magical touches, and a nearby dining room that feels ready to host many guests. One room is set up for potion-making, with shelves of ingredients and tools neatly organized. Another room draws his attention with rows of containers and storage units. This is where materials from the Celestial Forge appear, automatically delivered and sorted. It is not a system that generates resources on its own, but rather a space that receives and holds what the Forge provides.
Eventually, Alex enters the library. The room is vast, filled with rows of towering bookshelves. The air is thick with the scent of old paper and something faintly magical. Tomes and scrolls of all kinds line the shelves, offering knowledge from forgotten eras and distant realms. It is clear this library will become one of his most important tools in mastering the dimension and its possibilities.
The final room on the first floor is a living room. Unlike the other spaces, this one feels warm and inviting, with plush furniture arranged for comfort and conversation. Large windows let in natural light, and the room has a cozy, home-like atmosphere, a stark contrast to the more functional areas of the mansion. It seems like the perfect space for relaxation after a long day of exploring or research.
Finished with his tour of the mansion, Alex makes his way back into the library. The vast room, with its towering shelves of ancient tomes, feels like a treasure trove waiting to be explored. He starts skimming through the books, hoping to find something that will help him get started in magic.
However, as he browses, something begins to feel off. He notices an odd detail: none of the books are written in dead languages, as he expected. Sure, some of the chants contained within them call for ancient tongues, but the rest of the text, including descriptions, explanations, and even the titles, are all written in plain English. The books themselves appear to be proper magic tomes, with ornate covers and intricate symbols. It feels wrong. It's not what he was anticipating.
As Alex continues flipping through the pages, another unsettling realization hits him. The spells contained within these books aren't anything he remembers from any fiction he's encountered. There's nothing about the spells he recognizes from DC, Marvel, or Ben 10. Instead, they all seem to be basic, almost generic magic: simple teleportation, fireballs, barriers, binding spells, curses the kind of magic you find in any magic fantasy novel. It's all very straightforward.
He finally finds the book titled Basics of Magic and grabs it to read, but at that moment, the familiar sensation of the Celestial Forge fills him.
[Automatic Looting | Waste Not, Want Not (Mass Effect Andromeda) (300CP)
Automatic Looting (100CP)
A Technician can be called in to fix things in the middle of a fight. But when your focus is on keeping your head on your shoulders, who has time to pick up those supplies you ran past 3 hours ago? You, that's who! You now have two things: First, you have some sort of pocket-universe/bag-of-holding/bigger-on-the-inside backpack/whatever that allows you to carry a large amount of loot. The loot will be unsorted, and while you can carry a lot and not notice, you also cannot immediately use what's in your loot bag. You'll first have to have your mineral wealth in the right place to build something with it, and equipment needs to actually be equipped before it can be used. Second, you gain a sort of aura or field that will automatically put anything (that hasn't been claimed by another being) nearby you into your loot bag. Stumble across a dead Kett, you get all the loot a thorough check would have found you if you'd taken your time. A farmer's vegetable field wouldn't work, unless you are knowingly stealing from the owner. The size of the looting-aura grows with how quickly you can move and what areas you can actually access. And the loot you get is determined by your skills. For example, if you have butchery skills, you can auto-loot meat, bones, and/or skin, while skills with electronics would let you get intact pieces of robots. The size of a single item would go up to and include a shuttle or the Nomad. If you run into something bigger than that, you'd need to have the skills to break it down to fit it.
Waste Not, Want Not (200CP)
Sometimes a Technician just doesn't have the resources they need to get the job done. That's when you have to get creative with what you consider a resource. You have the ability to break down objects that you can personally move into their component parts and/or resources, whichever you wish. If you need a bit of Eezo, an Initiative gun should have some. Don't want to murder some harmless Eirochs? Kett gear usually has some Eiroch Fluid Sacs incorporated into it. In addition to breaking down objects, you also have an accompanying pocket dimension for just resources and/or component parts. It doesn't weigh on you, and you can easily carry around enough resources for any job. If you have the Automatic Looting perk, you can choose to have any raw resources you pick up to go straight into your Resources Bag. And any crafting you do can pull straight from your Resources Bag.]
Not enough CP to purchase.
100 CP banked.
It was certainly an interesting perk, but it wasn't necessary for Alex, so he wasn't too disappointed that he couldn't purchase it.
Back to the magic, it had taken Alex the entire day to read through the massive book, and he knew he would have to revisit it if he misunderstood anything. So, he decided to design a robot that would scan all the books in the library and upload them to his PDA, allowing him to access the information at any time. With the decision made, he opened a portal back to the real world, doing so effortlessly thanks to the Forge, and began working.
[Interlude]
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
"Sir, an important piece of information was discovered by our team. It concerns our mission target," said the agent assigned to monitor Alex's company, addressing his team captain.
"What is it?" the captain asked, turning his attention fully to the report.
"We found a connection between Nexus and the new miracle drug that has suddenly appeared in several countries. We traced Alex Walker's name to one of the financial groups controlling the company behind the drug's origin. It was buried under multiple layers of secret shell companies and offshore accounts, but we've successfully linked Alex Walker to the financial group."
"Excellent work. I need to report this to my superiors immediately. In the meantime, find out exactly how he got involved with this new giant that came out of nowhere."
"Yes, sir."
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters – Director's Office
"Sir, you called for me?" asked Coulson from outside the door.
"Yes, come in," said Nick Fury.
"What happened that I had to cut my vacation short, sir?"
"You've read the reports about the new miracle medicine that applied for clinical trials in multiple countries at the same time?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then you should know that a massive company, one that appeared out of nowhere, is behind it. One of our agents has found a connection between that company and Alex Walker."
"You think he's the one behind it, sir?"
"Yes. I don't have hard evidence, but my gut says he's involved. I need you to meet with him and ask about it. He'll probably deny everything, but keep it friendly. We don't want to make an enemy of him for now. Also, try to bring up how he suddenly became some kind of super-genius. I want to see how he reacts. Bring a full team with you, just in case he turns hostile."
"Understood, sir. I'll start the preparations and try to meet with him tomorrow."
"Dismissed."
[Sentinel Plans (X-Men Evolution) (400CP)
How on earth did you get these? The prototype isn't meant to be finished until almost a year passes. Regardless these are Bolivar Task's plans to even out the mutant playing field with a mass producible robot. The sentinel as it is called is capable of many things ranging from firing lasers, flight to the atmosphere, and has a gel substance which will trap most mutants. It seems like there are even plans for something called a Super Sentinel but with current technology it's almost impossible to complete. Maybe you'll be the first to bring it in then.]
Not enough CP to purchase.
200 CP banked.