I want to thank everyone for their patience! I do hope you all enjoy this book as much as I had writing it!
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Thursday, May 29, 2014
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Get Caught Up!
In celebration of Spellscribed Tales: First Refrain's publication this week, I am going to give readers a chance to get caught up to the series!
From the 27th until the 30th, you can get Spellscribed Provenance and Spellscribed Ascension on sale for 2.99!
... That's... really all I had to say I guess.
READ ON!
Reaching Beyond, a guide to Elemental Calling Magic
The elements are everywhere. They compose everything that is the world.
Elementalism users, most commonly elves, discovered that among the elements that they manipulated were some form of 'vital' essence of the element. It seemed to reside in the purest form of the element that was being sampled, an essence that had a form of consciousness, but no ability to move or act of their own volition. Even more strangely, it was discovered that the consciousness split as easily as the material it inhabited did, becoming smaller, less aware, bits of the whole that could become one the moment they were reconnected.
Elven theory generated over thousands of years of research and religious development believes that when the first word was spoken and the world came into being, the will that brought the world into its form was broken up into the materials that constructed it. There they continued to reside, countless millennium later, dormant and waiting to be called to action again. It still left many questions unanswered.
An Elemental Calling connects the mage to that elemental essence, and provides the elemental essence with power. In doing so gives the consciousness the energy needed to animate the element it is inhabiting, bringing it to life. The power is expended at a constant rate, dependant only on the factors of the size of the consciousness and the purity of the substance that it inhabits. A small elemental the size of a cat could take a small investment of power and remain operable for weeks, while an elemental of the same purity but the size of a house could only operate for minutes at best on the same amount of power.
Different elementals have different purity concerns. Water, earth, and fire elementals are concerned of the purity of their base material, or the material being burned in the case of fire elementals. Air and life elementals have notably less purity dependant requirements to be used. The elements presence is usually all that's required, but each comes with their own limitations that separate them from the other three. Air is usually completely connected to the air around it, so there have been no elementalism users who have successfully conjured a full sized air elemental since it would require more power than could be easily concieved of. Life is difficuult in that it worries not about purity, but can only animate 'thoughtless' forms of life. Trees, grass, flowers, many plants and some simple life forms, but never a living thing capable of moving of their own volition. A living, moving creature is already possessed with a will and ability to move of its own. There have been fables of ancient life elementalists calling elementals of pure life energy, but this has never been confirmed.
Elementals are interesting beings of purpose. When conjured, they possess a will of their own, personalities can vary but invariably they are pliable to the instructions of the one who gave them form. They follow commands given absolutely, with no flexibility or creative license to adjust to changes in a situation. They do not comprehend nuanced orders and will take the most obvious, direct interpretation of said orders. If not able to understand them, the elemental instead does nothing. This has led to several small disasters or even deaths due to inexperienced Elementalists. Imagine if you will an earth elemental commanded "Don't let anyone into my tower". Since the mage said anyone, the elemental would also attempt to bar the mage's path should he return.
On this end there are members of Elven family trees who devote their Pursuits to designing commands to the specifications of the Elementalist's desires. Similar to human Lawyers, these elves figure out how to phrase a command to an elemental to do exactly what the Elementalist desires, including contingencies and response actions during certain situations. Many elves who dedicate their entire life to Elementalism start off spending a few decades in this Pursuit before practicing Elementalism so they can manage on their own.
Elementals form a serious part of Elven culture, though the Suo'hdi are far better suited to the process than their dark-adopting Sha'hdi. Even so, Sha'hdi use of elementalism far outstrips human use of the art. Humans have little of the research and understanding that the elves do on the subject, and most of what they do have is barely enough to enable an experienced mage to conjure a small elemental for a few days at best. Elves use elementals for their cleaning, sewage systems, regrowing forests damaged by wildfires, preserving food supplies, personal security and much more.
Elementalism users, most commonly elves, discovered that among the elements that they manipulated were some form of 'vital' essence of the element. It seemed to reside in the purest form of the element that was being sampled, an essence that had a form of consciousness, but no ability to move or act of their own volition. Even more strangely, it was discovered that the consciousness split as easily as the material it inhabited did, becoming smaller, less aware, bits of the whole that could become one the moment they were reconnected.
Elven theory generated over thousands of years of research and religious development believes that when the first word was spoken and the world came into being, the will that brought the world into its form was broken up into the materials that constructed it. There they continued to reside, countless millennium later, dormant and waiting to be called to action again. It still left many questions unanswered.
An Elemental Calling connects the mage to that elemental essence, and provides the elemental essence with power. In doing so gives the consciousness the energy needed to animate the element it is inhabiting, bringing it to life. The power is expended at a constant rate, dependant only on the factors of the size of the consciousness and the purity of the substance that it inhabits. A small elemental the size of a cat could take a small investment of power and remain operable for weeks, while an elemental of the same purity but the size of a house could only operate for minutes at best on the same amount of power.
Different elementals have different purity concerns. Water, earth, and fire elementals are concerned of the purity of their base material, or the material being burned in the case of fire elementals. Air and life elementals have notably less purity dependant requirements to be used. The elements presence is usually all that's required, but each comes with their own limitations that separate them from the other three. Air is usually completely connected to the air around it, so there have been no elementalism users who have successfully conjured a full sized air elemental since it would require more power than could be easily concieved of. Life is difficuult in that it worries not about purity, but can only animate 'thoughtless' forms of life. Trees, grass, flowers, many plants and some simple life forms, but never a living thing capable of moving of their own volition. A living, moving creature is already possessed with a will and ability to move of its own. There have been fables of ancient life elementalists calling elementals of pure life energy, but this has never been confirmed.
Elementals are interesting beings of purpose. When conjured, they possess a will of their own, personalities can vary but invariably they are pliable to the instructions of the one who gave them form. They follow commands given absolutely, with no flexibility or creative license to adjust to changes in a situation. They do not comprehend nuanced orders and will take the most obvious, direct interpretation of said orders. If not able to understand them, the elemental instead does nothing. This has led to several small disasters or even deaths due to inexperienced Elementalists. Imagine if you will an earth elemental commanded "Don't let anyone into my tower". Since the mage said anyone, the elemental would also attempt to bar the mage's path should he return.
On this end there are members of Elven family trees who devote their Pursuits to designing commands to the specifications of the Elementalist's desires. Similar to human Lawyers, these elves figure out how to phrase a command to an elemental to do exactly what the Elementalist desires, including contingencies and response actions during certain situations. Many elves who dedicate their entire life to Elementalism start off spending a few decades in this Pursuit before practicing Elementalism so they can manage on their own.
Elementals form a serious part of Elven culture, though the Suo'hdi are far better suited to the process than their dark-adopting Sha'hdi. Even so, Sha'hdi use of elementalism far outstrips human use of the art. Humans have little of the research and understanding that the elves do on the subject, and most of what they do have is barely enough to enable an experienced mage to conjure a small elemental for a few days at best. Elves use elementals for their cleaning, sewage systems, regrowing forests damaged by wildfires, preserving food supplies, personal security and much more.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Elven Magic
The magic of the Elves is one much older and primal than the magic of the humans. While all magic seeks to attain the same ends (Completing the Spell form), how it is attained and what ends that are sought can vary greatly between sources.
Thousands of years ago the elves still lived in their homeland, a country that had no spoken name, but was understood as a concept by any elf no matter their age or disposition. The elves back then were more deeply connected to nature and the flows of magic than they are at present, taking on traits associated with different forms and elements of magic. Even more interesting was that they could only use elemental magic of the element they were aligned with at the time.
Their resonance was almost chaotic, changing many times over the course of an elf's lifetime. This meant that their forms were more mutable, more unstable. As time passed the elves found their magic tied deeply with the core concepts of the five elements: Air, Water, Life, Earth, and Fire. Light and Dark existed, but were outside the reach of the elves. So unstable were their connections to the elements that an elf experiencing a strong mood swing could trigger a change.
For millenia, things remained as they were. Their homeland existed in a shifting pattern of elemental chaos, until a pair of twins named Sha'hdi and Suo'hdi fought against the changing natures of the elves. They believed that their ephemeral existences were too much dependant on emotions and the elements too dangerous to let rule over their lives so fully. They sought something that none of the other elves had ever attained: to forge a connection between light and darkness, for all elements existed within those two concepts.
While the connection to the elements may seem trivial, it was greatly different from what the humans would eventualy learn to harness. Human magic harnesses the elements, but focused more on making an effect happen regardless of the elements involved, and some of their spells have no real elemental connection. Time magic and sensory magics have no associated elements. (Save for perhaps the element of time or space, if they could be measured)
When Suo'hdi and Sha'hdi managed to connect to Light and Darkness, They forever altered the course of hundreds of elves. Those who followed them on their quest similarly aligned with either the Light or the Darkness, loosing almost all but a tenuous connection to the primal elements.
An unexpected result of this realignment also changed their lives forever. Their land, the home of such elemental fluidity, became foreign to them. No longer did the concept of it's name remain in their minds as it rejected their presence. Driven away, the followers of Sha'hdi and Suo'hdi were ejected from their homelands.
It landed them on Salthimere. The land was strange to them, the soil foreign, the name didn't come to them for decades as they tried to find a way to live in a new land rife with dangers.
It was in Salthimere they discovered their method of spellcasting had changed to what the elves know of today.
Their connection to the primal elements were far weaker than before, but it afforded them a degree of flexibility. While they may have a preference for one element or another, no longer were they constrained to the element of their aligning. Not only did they have their now innate powers of Light and Darkness, the elves (referred to among their kind as the 'hdi) could also cast elemental magics of any element they desired.
For elves who are magical by nature, spellcasting differs in some ways but the fundamental purpose is the same: The completion of a spell form to make an effect happen. The elves' bodies were able to easily handle the power flowing through them; in fact it was a small part of their physical forms in the first place. As such, they stored their power for spellcasting in their bodies, not their aura. The body was a much more efficient storage medium, and had two other benefits that humans have never been able to understand. An aura used to store power could hold a large quantity of it, but had limitations. Power naturally recovered slowly in a person's aura, but faster in the body. The reason behind it was simple, the rate of recovery was the same for either, but the aura was not self-contained and 'seeped' power slowly. Some of the power recovered merely kept up with the amount lost. That is the first benefit of internal storage: Faster recovery.
The second benifit is a little more abstract. Continued storage of power within the body and awareness of the power's presence led elves to become extremely adept at manipulating power internally. The elves don't need to use hand gestures or words of power to utilize their spells, as they could make the spell forms entirely internally. While it requires no movements or words, they still need to concentrate and mentally process the spells, which requires time similar to the amount that humans need. This reliance on purely mental process means it can be more readily interrupted by stray thoughts or distractions.
For all the advantages of Elven spellcasting over Human casters, there are notably less dedicated Elven 'mages' than the Humans do. This is in part because of how natural magic comes to Elves, and how difficult it is to teach new magic to an elf who learns their spells intuitively. This means that while the average elf has much more magic than an average human, a human mage could grow in power much more quickly than an elf, since they have a tried and true method of educating themselves and their lessers into magic. Most elves just develop the magic talents that they feel inclined toward, with elder elves having more just because of the amount of time they've lived.
Thousands of years ago the elves still lived in their homeland, a country that had no spoken name, but was understood as a concept by any elf no matter their age or disposition. The elves back then were more deeply connected to nature and the flows of magic than they are at present, taking on traits associated with different forms and elements of magic. Even more interesting was that they could only use elemental magic of the element they were aligned with at the time.
Their resonance was almost chaotic, changing many times over the course of an elf's lifetime. This meant that their forms were more mutable, more unstable. As time passed the elves found their magic tied deeply with the core concepts of the five elements: Air, Water, Life, Earth, and Fire. Light and Dark existed, but were outside the reach of the elves. So unstable were their connections to the elements that an elf experiencing a strong mood swing could trigger a change.
For millenia, things remained as they were. Their homeland existed in a shifting pattern of elemental chaos, until a pair of twins named Sha'hdi and Suo'hdi fought against the changing natures of the elves. They believed that their ephemeral existences were too much dependant on emotions and the elements too dangerous to let rule over their lives so fully. They sought something that none of the other elves had ever attained: to forge a connection between light and darkness, for all elements existed within those two concepts.
While the connection to the elements may seem trivial, it was greatly different from what the humans would eventualy learn to harness. Human magic harnesses the elements, but focused more on making an effect happen regardless of the elements involved, and some of their spells have no real elemental connection. Time magic and sensory magics have no associated elements. (Save for perhaps the element of time or space, if they could be measured)
When Suo'hdi and Sha'hdi managed to connect to Light and Darkness, They forever altered the course of hundreds of elves. Those who followed them on their quest similarly aligned with either the Light or the Darkness, loosing almost all but a tenuous connection to the primal elements.
An unexpected result of this realignment also changed their lives forever. Their land, the home of such elemental fluidity, became foreign to them. No longer did the concept of it's name remain in their minds as it rejected their presence. Driven away, the followers of Sha'hdi and Suo'hdi were ejected from their homelands.
It landed them on Salthimere. The land was strange to them, the soil foreign, the name didn't come to them for decades as they tried to find a way to live in a new land rife with dangers.
It was in Salthimere they discovered their method of spellcasting had changed to what the elves know of today.
Their connection to the primal elements were far weaker than before, but it afforded them a degree of flexibility. While they may have a preference for one element or another, no longer were they constrained to the element of their aligning. Not only did they have their now innate powers of Light and Darkness, the elves (referred to among their kind as the 'hdi) could also cast elemental magics of any element they desired.
For elves who are magical by nature, spellcasting differs in some ways but the fundamental purpose is the same: The completion of a spell form to make an effect happen. The elves' bodies were able to easily handle the power flowing through them; in fact it was a small part of their physical forms in the first place. As such, they stored their power for spellcasting in their bodies, not their aura. The body was a much more efficient storage medium, and had two other benefits that humans have never been able to understand. An aura used to store power could hold a large quantity of it, but had limitations. Power naturally recovered slowly in a person's aura, but faster in the body. The reason behind it was simple, the rate of recovery was the same for either, but the aura was not self-contained and 'seeped' power slowly. Some of the power recovered merely kept up with the amount lost. That is the first benefit of internal storage: Faster recovery.
The second benifit is a little more abstract. Continued storage of power within the body and awareness of the power's presence led elves to become extremely adept at manipulating power internally. The elves don't need to use hand gestures or words of power to utilize their spells, as they could make the spell forms entirely internally. While it requires no movements or words, they still need to concentrate and mentally process the spells, which requires time similar to the amount that humans need. This reliance on purely mental process means it can be more readily interrupted by stray thoughts or distractions.
For all the advantages of Elven spellcasting over Human casters, there are notably less dedicated Elven 'mages' than the Humans do. This is in part because of how natural magic comes to Elves, and how difficult it is to teach new magic to an elf who learns their spells intuitively. This means that while the average elf has much more magic than an average human, a human mage could grow in power much more quickly than an elf, since they have a tried and true method of educating themselves and their lessers into magic. Most elves just develop the magic talents that they feel inclined toward, with elder elves having more just because of the amount of time they've lived.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Mystic Symbology
[Originally my 'Rune magic' post. Expanded]
Mystic Symbology is a catch-all term applying to any form of written magic. Generally they come in three forms: Magic Script, Glyphs/Sigils, and Runes.
Magic Script is the easiest of the three to master. Simply learning to use the commonly accepted 'true' language allows a mage (any kind of practitioner of magic) to be able to read it. To any other, the language wriggles and squirms, never making any sense. This is in part due to the nature of the 'true' languages; It can only be learned by someone who had the knowledge passed down to them, not simply learned by observation. Fortunately, one did not need to be taught how to read the language to understand it. Simply learning how to speak the 'true' language allowed the reader to comprehend a magic script. This allowed the humans to learn Magic Script; The mercanian's servants had been taught their 'true' language to allow them to relay orders to the enslaved humans below them. When the masters vanished, the servants passed the language on to those who sought it.
While used typically in spellbooks, where mages diagram their varying magical research, it can also be used to refine and focus other Mystic Symbols when connected. More complex structures can be worked this way, but generally lack in power compared to more simple symbols.
Glyphs/Sigils are usually interchangeable terms to indicate a 'magic picture'. In their basest form, a glyph/sigil is a marking that creates a two-dimensional spell form. (It is possible to stretch a glyph over a three dimensional surface) These spell forms are the most direct method to enact a spell, and glyphs are like the many other methods but in written form. Fully powered spells may be placed on pages, walls, floors, windows, even on clothing if done properly, making them flexible sources of magic.
Runes are proof that there may be more than one 'true' language. Single letters, these runes are of a language that predated even the Mercanians. It is theorized that the runes are actually simple icons, similar to the common language's arrow symbols, or the 'x' marking a location on a map. This would explain why one need only learn the rune instead of the complete language in order to be able to use it on it's own.
Runes have very limited fields of use, but are incredibly powerful in those fields. A rune can be placed on any surface that is relatively unbroken. Runes can have one of the following three effects: They can affect an object it is placed on. They can affect anything in an area around where they're placed, and they can affect anyone who reads them. The last is an insidious, yet useful function as the reader need not comprehend the rune, merely looking at it is enough to activate its powers.
Inverted Runes are placed in their mirror-reversed form. making them perform the opposite of their normal effect. Only certain Runes are the same mirrored and are viewed in such a way. Perspective doesn't affect a rune; its nature is that the carving/setting creator was facing when made. (You cannot 'flip' over a rune on a piece of glass to make its nature change) This allows certain effects to be made possible to a clever enough mage.
There are only a few 'common' runes, and any other runes discovered/known are usually kept by the mages that discovered/researched them. Many have been willing to teach, especially in the academic hierarchical structure of the Ironsoul Circle of Magi. While the elven mages use runes, they're typically underplayed compared to their Elemental Magics.
Magic Script, Glyphs/Sigils, and Runes can be used collaboratively to great effect. The most commonly known form of this work is known by mages across the world: The magic circle. A properly worked magic circle uses runes, script, and glyphs together (The circle itself is part of the glyph component) to perform a compounded magical effect that can be one of the most powerful spells a mage can perform. The preparation required to make such a circle are great, however, and many make due with simple circles when they are pressed for time or resources.
Mystic Symbology is a catch-all term applying to any form of written magic. Generally they come in three forms: Magic Script, Glyphs/Sigils, and Runes.
Magic Script is the easiest of the three to master. Simply learning to use the commonly accepted 'true' language allows a mage (any kind of practitioner of magic) to be able to read it. To any other, the language wriggles and squirms, never making any sense. This is in part due to the nature of the 'true' languages; It can only be learned by someone who had the knowledge passed down to them, not simply learned by observation. Fortunately, one did not need to be taught how to read the language to understand it. Simply learning how to speak the 'true' language allowed the reader to comprehend a magic script. This allowed the humans to learn Magic Script; The mercanian's servants had been taught their 'true' language to allow them to relay orders to the enslaved humans below them. When the masters vanished, the servants passed the language on to those who sought it.
While used typically in spellbooks, where mages diagram their varying magical research, it can also be used to refine and focus other Mystic Symbols when connected. More complex structures can be worked this way, but generally lack in power compared to more simple symbols.
Glyphs/Sigils are usually interchangeable terms to indicate a 'magic picture'. In their basest form, a glyph/sigil is a marking that creates a two-dimensional spell form. (It is possible to stretch a glyph over a three dimensional surface) These spell forms are the most direct method to enact a spell, and glyphs are like the many other methods but in written form. Fully powered spells may be placed on pages, walls, floors, windows, even on clothing if done properly, making them flexible sources of magic.
Runes are proof that there may be more than one 'true' language. Single letters, these runes are of a language that predated even the Mercanians. It is theorized that the runes are actually simple icons, similar to the common language's arrow symbols, or the 'x' marking a location on a map. This would explain why one need only learn the rune instead of the complete language in order to be able to use it on it's own.
Runes have very limited fields of use, but are incredibly powerful in those fields. A rune can be placed on any surface that is relatively unbroken. Runes can have one of the following three effects: They can affect an object it is placed on. They can affect anything in an area around where they're placed, and they can affect anyone who reads them. The last is an insidious, yet useful function as the reader need not comprehend the rune, merely looking at it is enough to activate its powers.
Inverted Runes are placed in their mirror-reversed form. making them perform the opposite of their normal effect. Only certain Runes are the same mirrored and are viewed in such a way. Perspective doesn't affect a rune; its nature is that the carving/setting creator was facing when made. (You cannot 'flip' over a rune on a piece of glass to make its nature change) This allows certain effects to be made possible to a clever enough mage.
There are only a few 'common' runes, and any other runes discovered/known are usually kept by the mages that discovered/researched them. Many have been willing to teach, especially in the academic hierarchical structure of the Ironsoul Circle of Magi. While the elven mages use runes, they're typically underplayed compared to their Elemental Magics.
Magic Script, Glyphs/Sigils, and Runes can be used collaboratively to great effect. The most commonly known form of this work is known by mages across the world: The magic circle. A properly worked magic circle uses runes, script, and glyphs together (The circle itself is part of the glyph component) to perform a compounded magical effect that can be one of the most powerful spells a mage can perform. The preparation required to make such a circle are great, however, and many make due with simple circles when they are pressed for time or resources.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Spellscribed Tales: First Refrain
And now for the moment you're waiting for!
Coming soon (I.E. in May) is Spellscribed Tales: First Refrain!
This book, while not the third in the Spellscribed series, tells stories from the world of Spellscribed. Anyone who is a fan of Spellscribed will find this book doesn't disappoint! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!
Here's a Sample from one of the two stories in First Refrain:
Then, one night while Devinia was sleeping, her
mother swept in and woke her with a start.
“Get dressed and grab the bag I packed for
you.” Ashrava commanded, shaking Devinia’s shoulder. All the lights in the
house had been extinguished, and only her eyes could pierce the darkness.
She slipped out of bed and went to her closet.
Inside was a stand mirror for which the frame had been grown instead of carved.
Because of the pitch darkness, though she could see, there was no reflection in
the mirror. While still reflective, there was nothing it revealed except a pair
of golden cat eyes staring back at her.
She reached for the small light crystal her
mother had put in the closet, but Ashrava caught her hand. Looking up, she saw
her mother shake her head slightly. Frowning, she turned back to her clothes.
Slim and slender, Devinia hadn’t even grown
into her full height yet. Just under five feet, she was pretty but indefinite,
with no definition of curve nor muscle, she could be confused for an elven boy
just as easily as a girl. She was nearing her growing period, which happened
between twenty and twenty two. Her
father, as a silk weaver, had made sure her wardrobe was well stocked so she
had plenty of adult clothing prepared in advance.
She dressed quickly, confused but afraid to ask
her mother any questions. Ashrava was wearing her civil service gear and
smelled of blood. Her face was tight, drawn into a mask of emotionless focus.
Devinia had seen her mother make that face before, when she thought that
Devinia wasn’t looking. It was her expression when she thought a fight was
going to start. It was the face she made when she was called in to do a
contract.
Since Sha’hdi fashion trended towards the
blacks and grays, Devinia didn’t have much clothing that couldn’t be stealthy.
She avoided clothing with hanging adornments and shiny embellishments. Thus
dressed, she pulled her shoulder length blonde hair together and bound it from
her face with a simple black ribbon.
Devinia pulled the bag out from under her bed
and slipped it onto her shoulders. She looked over to her mother and nodded.
The room was pitch black, but the two of them could see clearly they were alone
for the moment. Ashrava opened her mouth to speak, but froze.
A faint tick of something hard touching wood
came from the other side of the bedroom door. Devinia looked to the door and
back at her mother. She had disappeared.
The doorknob silently turned, and the door
slipped open just enough to let a lithe, masked figure into the room. Devinia
backed away as quietly as she could, hoping that her pack wouldn’t make enough
noise to give herself away. The assassin looked over the bed and scanned the
room. She had golden eyes; the gold burning in defiance of the muted colors of
the dark. She spotted the girl immediately.
“Ah… already dressed and ready to go.” The
voice purred. Devinia thought she had heard the voice before. “Where is your
mother?”
Devinia shook her head.
“Pity.” The assassin said, drawing a long, thin
blade barely wider than one of her delicate fingers. “I had hoped to take care
of her without waking you, but since you’re now awake… I am sorry, honey. But
if you lay back down on the bed, I promise I will make it quick and painless,
okay?”
Devinia trembled in fear, but shook her head.
“No.”
“No?” the assassin pouted. “I’m offering you a
gift, child.”
She did not hear Ashrava drop down behind her.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Artifice. The art of crafted spells
The art of crafting magic into physical objects is not one isolated to just humans. Any intelligent being that could use magic at one point had a thought that sounded similar to: "Wow, even though I have cosmic, world bending powers, it would be handy to have some of those powers set into a more permanent object so I use it without needing all that concentration and energy I usually have to use. That would be great."
... Whatever the motivation, crafting a magically enchanted item was a sound idea. Done properly, a magical item can do almost anything a mage could do. Some items were made to supplement a mage's abilities, some boosted them, some even provided completely bizarre and strange new powers to the user.
One of the appealing parts of magically enchanted items is the fact that almost anyone can use the item instead of a spell just being able to be cast by a mage. Should a mage be able to throw fire from his hand make a glove that does the same, anyone wearing the glove should be able to use it to throw fire, so long as they can fulfill the requirements to activate it.
Those requirements could be anything so long as it can be considered a trigger. Pressing a button, making a certain hand sign, saying a trigger word, or touching with a drop of blood are the most commonly accepted methods to activate items. Other conditions could exist.
Some items, however, are created by someone powerful enough to make them able to have a constant effect. These are fueled by some other source, subtly subsume the surrounding energy in the environment, or are granted so much power that they run little risk of running out for centuries. However they're achieved, such powerful objects are sought after by any who know of their ability.
There is some importance to the material of the item crafted. Firstly the purity of the material. Magic works equally well in steel as it does wood, depending on the purity of both materials. Steel that is poorly made, or of a bad mixture of minerals, will resist the flows of power and reduce the efficiency of an item. Rarer metals are better, silver and gold being favorites for crafting as they are relatively easier to get ahold of. Platinum, and other extremely rare metals, provide even better results. No matter what material, the purity of the material being used is extremely important. The standard purity of a metal accepted by ironsoul mages is 85%, while mages such as the Archmagus only work with metals of 98% purity or higher. Metal Enchanted items are a signature of Ironsoul mage craftsmanship
Woods that have been artificially treated with strange chemicals or drawn from young trees would be similarly reduced in efficiency. Though speculated at why, it had been found that the heartwood of a tree is particularly effective, with better results the greater the age of the tree. Some groves in the Elven country of Salthimere have a variety of trees grown in geomantically optimal locations, tended to by some of the best woodshapers in the dual monarchy. They can use their ability to extract the needed type, age, and volume of heartwood without causing their trees much more than mild irritation. Wood Enchanted items are a signature of Salthimere mage craftsmanship.
Stones and other minerals like crystal structures are used by all races, but were once the specialty of Dwarven mages. Many of their secrets were lost with the disappearance of the race thousands of years ago, though some of their edifices are existant to this day, a testament to the durability of their crafting techniques. Only the Mercanians were close to the dwarves in terms of ability to work stones and crystals. As with metals and woods, the more pure the base material, the better that power could run through it.
Regardless of the material used, the act of Enchanting an object changes it. Not counting the actual effect it was enchanted for, the object enchanted resists decay far more effectively than a mundane counterpart. The power flowing through it keeps the material in peak condition. It also reinforces the structure of the object, making it harder to damage. The more powerful the enchanted object, the harder it is to scratch/cut/break. This is exceedingly helpful for magical objects made of very pure rare materials, like silver, gold, willow, or sandstone. Tales exist of crystal orbs made by mages surviving the collapse of a stone tower directly on top of it, or mages who had used their staves to block attacks that would have cut through a foot of stone. Enchanted buildings have remained undamaged amidst widespread destruction.
The practice of making such enchanted objects is extremely difficult, though by every right worth the effort. The crafter needs to know everything relating to the object they're making. This means they need to know everything about the materials being used (percentage of purity, weight, dimensions, etc.) the tools being used, and most importantly the effect being wrought. It's possible to 'estimate' the values of the base materials, but a mage cannot spitball the magical know-how behind the effects they're trying to evoke. If they want to make an object that does something, they better research the magic behind that thing. An example would be researching spells that create light in order to make a crystal that sheds light on command. Without a proper grasp of the principles, one could make an enchanted object that is either inefficient or one that outright fails. Even worse, being misinformed about the principles used can cause the object to work, but to disastrous ends.
As with any degree of mastery, the better a mage knows what he's doing, the more effective their craftsmanship would be. The aforementioned light crystal could require activation and only work for a few minutes before being inoperable for the rest of the day when made by a novice, but once mastered the same crafter could make a crystal that always sheds light without needing to shut down and was far clearer and brighter than the original.
Example Object:
Apprentice Grady is trying to build a staff that spews fire like a miniature dragon. He procures the wood, metals, and tools, and sets to work using a fire spell he learned a month ago to create the object. weeks of work later, he finishes. It works, spraying flame when a trigger word is spoken, but it's rather lacking. The weak flames only reached out about ten feet and Grady could only get it to work once before he had to refill the stave with power.
Grady's master, Magus Randal Grey, wants to show him how to do it. With finer materials procured and high quality tools, he uses the very same spell he taught his apprentice in the crafting... but he had learned it a century ago and had been practicing with it regularly. His staff worked spectacularly. The flames where white hot and reached three times as far, and required only a tiny trickle of power to not only fuel the spell, but to activate it. To anyone else, he could just point and shoot without any unnecessary actions. The power requirements were so low, that even a normal human could have the energy to activate the staff at least once.
While the difference in the power of the staves were vast, the principles were the same. Only experience, superior tools and materials, and more intimate understanding of the spells involved made Magus Grey's staff better. With practice and time, Apprentice Grady would be able to make an object of similar power.
... Whatever the motivation, crafting a magically enchanted item was a sound idea. Done properly, a magical item can do almost anything a mage could do. Some items were made to supplement a mage's abilities, some boosted them, some even provided completely bizarre and strange new powers to the user.
One of the appealing parts of magically enchanted items is the fact that almost anyone can use the item instead of a spell just being able to be cast by a mage. Should a mage be able to throw fire from his hand make a glove that does the same, anyone wearing the glove should be able to use it to throw fire, so long as they can fulfill the requirements to activate it.
Those requirements could be anything so long as it can be considered a trigger. Pressing a button, making a certain hand sign, saying a trigger word, or touching with a drop of blood are the most commonly accepted methods to activate items. Other conditions could exist.
Some items, however, are created by someone powerful enough to make them able to have a constant effect. These are fueled by some other source, subtly subsume the surrounding energy in the environment, or are granted so much power that they run little risk of running out for centuries. However they're achieved, such powerful objects are sought after by any who know of their ability.
There is some importance to the material of the item crafted. Firstly the purity of the material. Magic works equally well in steel as it does wood, depending on the purity of both materials. Steel that is poorly made, or of a bad mixture of minerals, will resist the flows of power and reduce the efficiency of an item. Rarer metals are better, silver and gold being favorites for crafting as they are relatively easier to get ahold of. Platinum, and other extremely rare metals, provide even better results. No matter what material, the purity of the material being used is extremely important. The standard purity of a metal accepted by ironsoul mages is 85%, while mages such as the Archmagus only work with metals of 98% purity or higher. Metal Enchanted items are a signature of Ironsoul mage craftsmanship
Woods that have been artificially treated with strange chemicals or drawn from young trees would be similarly reduced in efficiency. Though speculated at why, it had been found that the heartwood of a tree is particularly effective, with better results the greater the age of the tree. Some groves in the Elven country of Salthimere have a variety of trees grown in geomantically optimal locations, tended to by some of the best woodshapers in the dual monarchy. They can use their ability to extract the needed type, age, and volume of heartwood without causing their trees much more than mild irritation. Wood Enchanted items are a signature of Salthimere mage craftsmanship.
Stones and other minerals like crystal structures are used by all races, but were once the specialty of Dwarven mages. Many of their secrets were lost with the disappearance of the race thousands of years ago, though some of their edifices are existant to this day, a testament to the durability of their crafting techniques. Only the Mercanians were close to the dwarves in terms of ability to work stones and crystals. As with metals and woods, the more pure the base material, the better that power could run through it.
Regardless of the material used, the act of Enchanting an object changes it. Not counting the actual effect it was enchanted for, the object enchanted resists decay far more effectively than a mundane counterpart. The power flowing through it keeps the material in peak condition. It also reinforces the structure of the object, making it harder to damage. The more powerful the enchanted object, the harder it is to scratch/cut/break. This is exceedingly helpful for magical objects made of very pure rare materials, like silver, gold, willow, or sandstone. Tales exist of crystal orbs made by mages surviving the collapse of a stone tower directly on top of it, or mages who had used their staves to block attacks that would have cut through a foot of stone. Enchanted buildings have remained undamaged amidst widespread destruction.
The practice of making such enchanted objects is extremely difficult, though by every right worth the effort. The crafter needs to know everything relating to the object they're making. This means they need to know everything about the materials being used (percentage of purity, weight, dimensions, etc.) the tools being used, and most importantly the effect being wrought. It's possible to 'estimate' the values of the base materials, but a mage cannot spitball the magical know-how behind the effects they're trying to evoke. If they want to make an object that does something, they better research the magic behind that thing. An example would be researching spells that create light in order to make a crystal that sheds light on command. Without a proper grasp of the principles, one could make an enchanted object that is either inefficient or one that outright fails. Even worse, being misinformed about the principles used can cause the object to work, but to disastrous ends.
As with any degree of mastery, the better a mage knows what he's doing, the more effective their craftsmanship would be. The aforementioned light crystal could require activation and only work for a few minutes before being inoperable for the rest of the day when made by a novice, but once mastered the same crafter could make a crystal that always sheds light without needing to shut down and was far clearer and brighter than the original.
Example Object:
Apprentice Grady is trying to build a staff that spews fire like a miniature dragon. He procures the wood, metals, and tools, and sets to work using a fire spell he learned a month ago to create the object. weeks of work later, he finishes. It works, spraying flame when a trigger word is spoken, but it's rather lacking. The weak flames only reached out about ten feet and Grady could only get it to work once before he had to refill the stave with power.
Grady's master, Magus Randal Grey, wants to show him how to do it. With finer materials procured and high quality tools, he uses the very same spell he taught his apprentice in the crafting... but he had learned it a century ago and had been practicing with it regularly. His staff worked spectacularly. The flames where white hot and reached three times as far, and required only a tiny trickle of power to not only fuel the spell, but to activate it. To anyone else, he could just point and shoot without any unnecessary actions. The power requirements were so low, that even a normal human could have the energy to activate the staff at least once.
While the difference in the power of the staves were vast, the principles were the same. Only experience, superior tools and materials, and more intimate understanding of the spells involved made Magus Grey's staff better. With practice and time, Apprentice Grady would be able to make an object of similar power.
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