Sylas didn't know much about Floo Powder, only that it was a common magical transport method in the wizarding world.
He vaguely recalled the general process: a wizard would take a handful of silvery-green powder, step into a fireplace, toss the powder at his feet, clearly announce his destination, and then be whisked away in a rush of emerald flames, reappearing through the connected fireplace on the other side.
As he remembered this, Sylas's eyes lit up. If Floo Powder could teleport people… couldn't they just use it to reach the Lonely Mountain directly and avoid the dangers of the long journey?
But that glimmer of hope faded the moment he absorbed the rest of the instructions embedded in the system's knowledge.
Floo Powder by itself wasn't enough.
To travel via Floo, the location had to be part of the Floo Network, a system of magically linked fireplaces. Without a pre-established network, the spell had no fixed endpoint, meaning the user could end up in any random fireplace that happened to be enchanted, even across continents. The risk was far too great.
Worse, a proper Floo Network required someone to physically visit the destination first to anchor and bind its fireplace using advanced magical rites. Only then could it serve as a safe arrival point.
So unless someone marched all the way to Erebor on foot and bound the Lonely Mountain's fireplace to the network, teleportation was out of the question.
Sylas let out a quiet sigh of disappointment. It would've been nice to skip the spiders, trolls, and orcs.
Still… it wasn't all bad.
Even if it couldn't help him now, the Floo Network could be incredibly useful in the future. With the right components, he could start setting up his own network between places like Rivendell, Bree, and even the Shire. It would revolutionize travel across Middle-earth.
He made a mental note to begin crafting Floo Powder and anchoring fireplaces whenever possible.
Later, inside The Prancing Pony, while the Dwarves continued guzzling ale and singing increasingly off-key songs, Sylas approached the front counter, pulling aside his cloak.
"Innkeeper," he asked, "do you know where I might find Moonstone?"
The innkeeper, a stout man with weathered hands and quick eyes, turned with practiced hospitality. Seeing Sylas in his wizarding robes, he immediately straightened, voice polite. "Ah, good evening, sir. Moonstone, you say? There's a fine jeweler in town, Olbar's Shop, just off the main square. He trades in precious stones. I'm sure you'll find Moonstone there."
Sylas shook his head. "I'm not looking for gemstone-grade Moonstone. I need the raw, uncut kind. Nothing fancy. And in large quantity."
The innkeeper blinked, then frowned slightly. "Ah. I see. That might be difficult."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Most Moonstone that comes through Bree is meant for jewelry. No one really collects the rough kind."
However, the innkeeper glanced at the company of Dwarves who had accompanied Sylas and offered a thoughtful suggestion.
"Wizard Sir, if you're searching for Moonstone, why not ask your Dwarf companions? They're born miners. If anyone knows where to find it, it's them."
Sylas blinked. Of course. He'd almost forgotten the obvious.
"Thank you," he nodded. "That's very helpful." Then he added, "By the way, could I borrow your fireplace for a moment?"
"My fireplace?" The innkeeper looked puzzled. What use could a Wizard have for the hearth? But after a moment's pause, he simply said, "Of course. Be my guest."
Sylas offered a brief word of thanks before heading over to the hearth. Pulling out his wand, he began casting a sequence of spells in murmured incantations, tapping the mantle and tracing runes in the air.
Not far away, Gandalf noticed the magical activity and wandered over, staff in hand.
"What are you up to now, Sylas?" the old Wizard asked with mild curiosity.
Sylas replied without pausing his spellwork, "I'm binding this fireplace to a Floo Network."
Then he gave a simple explanation of what the Floo Network was: a magical system that allowed for near-instant travel between connected fireplaces using Floo Powder.
Gandalf's expression steadily brightened as Sylas spoke. By the end, his eyes were wide, sparkling with both surprise and admiration.
"This is… remarkable!" he declared. "Sylas, you astonish me."
"Once you've linked enough nodes," Gandalf continued, "travel across Middle-earth could be transformed. Villages that took weeks to reach could be visited in moments. Merchants, scholars, messengers, entire kingdoms, could benefit. And in war? If darkness returns, allies could come to each other's aid within minutes. This could change the fate of the world."
Sylas couldn't help but smile. Gandalf's enthusiasm was infectious.
With the Prancing Pony's hearth now bound as the first node in his network, Sylas had laid the foundation. As the journey continued, he planned to enchant more fireplaces along the way, gradually building a magical highway that spanned the realms of Men, Elves, Dwarves, and beyond.
Gandalf, captivated by the concept, promised to assist him in establishing the network wherever possible. His only request: that the Floo Network remain open to others.
Sylas agreed immediately.
After all, the production method for Floo Powder was his alone. Anyone who wanted to use the network would need the powder, and that gave Sylas full control over distribution. If he wanted, he could even turn it into a source of steady income.
Control the Floo Powder, control the flow of people. A monopoly like that could easily rival the riches of Erebor.
Floo Powder's main ingredient was Moonstone, also known as Adularia, a translucent, whitish mineral with a silvery sheen that shimmered like moonlight. It was commonly used for jewelry, but in the magical world, it had more arcane uses: calming draughts, love potions, and sleep elixirs.
In the wizarding world, Floo Powder was strictly regulated. The British Ministry of Magic allowed only one producer: Floo Pow ,headquartered somewhere within Diagon Alley. Its workshops were hidden, its workers unknown, and its ingredient list was a mystery.
The price, oddly enough, had never changed: two Sickles per scoop. Most Wizards considered that affordable, almost generous.
But after reviewing the manufacturing process now etched into his mind, Sylas finally understood the truth.
Floo Powder was dirt cheap to make.
Two Sickles per scoop was already an exorbitant profit, and it wasn't because the Floo Powders company had a conscience that they kept the price so "affordable."
"You're looking for a Moonstone mine?" Thorin looked up from his cup, eyeing Sylas with some surprise. The other Dwarves, still gathered around their barrels of ale, turned to listen with interest.
Sylas nodded. "Yes. I need a large amount of raw Moonstone for a magical material I'm working on. I thought if anyone would know where to find it, it would be the Dwarves. Mining is in your blood, after all."
Thorin stroked his beard thoughtfully before answering. "Moonstone isn't common, but I've heard of a few veins. There's one in the Blue Mountains, old Dwarven territory. Our ancestors mined it long ago, but the veins there are mostly exhausted now."
He paused and then added, "Another lies in the Lonely Mountain. It's unmined. Once we reclaim Erebor, I promise that Moonstone vein will be yours."
Bifur, who hailed from Khazad-dûm stock, chimed in next. "The Misty Mountains might have Moonstone as well. They're rich in many minerals, but…" He glanced grimly around the table. "That range is crawling with Orcs now. Reaching it would be dangerous, and digging safely even more so."
Sylas nodded with a grateful smile. "Thank you. That's already very helpful."
The locations they provided were promising, but for now, all were too far or too risky.
For now, he decided to take the innkeeper's earlier suggestion and check out the local jewelry store.
...
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