What is an Artificer?
Artificer: Elemental Mages that draw their powers from the enchanted armors they wear and weapons they wield. These are called “Artifacts” -- equipment forged from the remains of powerful magical flora and fauna at great cost.
You have just received your first Artifact. Congratulations!
As a ward living off of Kingdom taxes for up to the last sixteen years of your life, you’ll need it to pay off all that accumulated debt... Or be forcibly drafted into the Kingdom’s military!
You can’t say you haven’t been prepared, the Orphanage has provided the best education and military training (a moderate amount of) money can provide. (You’ll have to pay for this education as well. Even though the schooling and training was mandatory. It’s almost as if they want you saddled with an impossible debt...)
Like every Ward, you have until your 18th birthday to pay off your debt (and vacate the orphanage). That gives you just under two years, so there’s no time to waste!
Artificer: Elemental Mages that draw their powers from the enchanted armors they wear and weapons they wield. These are called “Artifacts” -- equipment forged from the remains of powerful magical flora and fauna at great cost.
You have just received your first Artifact. Congratulations!
As a ward living off of Kingdom taxes for up to the last sixteen years of your life, you’ll need it to pay off all that accumulated debt... Or be forcibly drafted into the Kingdom’s military!
You can’t say you haven’t been prepared, the Orphanage has provided the best education and military training (a moderate amount of) money can provide. (You’ll have to pay for this education as well. Even though the schooling and training was mandatory. It’s almost as if they want you saddled with an impossible debt...)
Like every Ward, you have until your 18th birthday to pay off your debt (and vacate the orphanage). That gives you just under two years, so there’s no time to waste!
Artificer: Elemental Mages that draw their powers from the enchanted armors they wear and weapons they wield.
Artifact: Enchanted paraphernalia charged with mana.
Mana: The essence of all magic. Untouchable and unfathomably potent. Comes in all sorts of Elements.
Manabeast: The broad term for any magical animal, plant, or monster. Hunted down for their threat to humanity and their value in Artifacts.
Reagents: Mana-charged metals, crystals, and Manabeast remains.
Rules of an Artificer:
1. By wearing and using Artifacts, an Artificer slowly absorbs the ambient mana given off, allowing them to wield mana on their own.
2. The more involved the Artificer was during the Crafting process, the more quickly the Artificer will absorb the ambient mana -- speeding training and growth. This includes the hunting and harvesting of the Manabeast corpse.
3. The Element of the Reagent dictates the Element of the Artifact -- and thus the Element of mana the wearer absorbs.
4. Casting is amplified by equipped Artifacts of the matching Element.
5. There's a limit to how fast one can absorb mana. Oversaturate your body, and it'll react with a Manabeast mutation dependant on the Reagent of the Artifact. As alarming as this sounds, taking on Manabeast traits has become rather fashionable lately -- especially the Manabeasts of the feline variety... ;)
Artifact: Enchanted paraphernalia charged with mana.
Mana: The essence of all magic. Untouchable and unfathomably potent. Comes in all sorts of Elements.
Manabeast: The broad term for any magical animal, plant, or monster. Hunted down for their threat to humanity and their value in Artifacts.
Reagents: Mana-charged metals, crystals, and Manabeast remains.
Rules of an Artificer:
1. By wearing and using Artifacts, an Artificer slowly absorbs the ambient mana given off, allowing them to wield mana on their own.
2. The more involved the Artificer was during the Crafting process, the more quickly the Artificer will absorb the ambient mana -- speeding training and growth. This includes the hunting and harvesting of the Manabeast corpse.
3. The Element of the Reagent dictates the Element of the Artifact -- and thus the Element of mana the wearer absorbs.
4. Casting is amplified by equipped Artifacts of the matching Element.
5. There's a limit to how fast one can absorb mana. Oversaturate your body, and it'll react with a Manabeast mutation dependant on the Reagent of the Artifact. As alarming as this sounds, taking on Manabeast traits has become rather fashionable lately -- especially the Manabeasts of the feline variety... ;)
- Mages expend mana to control their respective Elements, by either manipulating their surroundings or creating their Element from mana and manipulating that.
- While more cost-effective to manipulate pre-existing material, a Mage has better control over an Element they created.
- When you create an Element, it appears in its natural or "base" state, and you can expend additional mana to change that.
- Certain elements complement each other, speeding the absorption process based on the element already absorbed.
- Certain elements conflict with each other. Conflicting elements must be balanced, or the Artificer risks Backlash.
- Backlash: When an Artificer's element goes out of control. Possible causes are:
- Casting beyond what you are capable of, forcing training, overdrawing your mana, or being unable to balance conflicting elements.
- Absorbing too much Mana at once.
- Overdrawing Mana reserves.
- Inability to balance conflicting elements.
- Backlash may result in fatigue, nausea, unconsciousness, mutations, physical damage, paralysis, brain damage, or death.
- Artificers can always sense their own elements, as well as weaker artificers of the same element. Artificers can hide elements they are stronger in from being sensed.
- The area around an artificer, called their domain, is saturated with their manaforce--it is harder for another artificer to cast in that area.
- Mages can use any Element of Artifact, but a Mage wielding a conflicting Element will have greater difficulties using that Artifact.
- Element conflicts can be resolved by sealing Artifacts, so that it is just a tool, and not both a tool and a training measure.
- When a Manabeast corpse is harvested, a simple formation around the corpse focuses all the Elemental mana into a single Reagent taken from the corpse, such as a claw, scale, or patch of fur/skin.
- The same formation doesn't work on multiple Manabeasts of the same species, as the Elemental mana from different bodies won't have an affinity for each other.
Tiers do not indicate the strength of an Element, only its rarity in the vicinity of the Kingdom. (Except for the special exception of T?)
Rarity: You'll be tripping over T1 Manabeasts left and right.
Rarity: You'll see a few of these here and there as you go about your day.
Rarity: If you search all day and get quite lucky, you might see a T3 Manabeast.
Rarity: Most people go their entire lives without seeing one. Highly coveted for the incredible magics they possess.
Rarity: You'll be tripping over T1 Manabeasts left and right.
Fire
Create and control magical fire that burns whatever the caster wishes, as well as control mundane fire. Size and heat level is controllable. Fire can be sustained with mana alone, but fuel eases mana consumption. Fire can also be detonated to consume mana in an explosion.
Water
Create and control magical water, as well as visible mundane water. Size, shape, density, and temperature is controllable.
Earth
Create and control magical earth, as well as mundane earth. Size, shape, makeup, and temperature is controllable.
Wind
Create and control magical air, as well as mundane air. Air naturally resembles sea-level air, and more energy is needed to modify the composition. Temperature and density is controllable.
Create and control magical fire that burns whatever the caster wishes, as well as control mundane fire. Size and heat level is controllable. Fire can be sustained with mana alone, but fuel eases mana consumption. Fire can also be detonated to consume mana in an explosion.
Water
Create and control magical water, as well as visible mundane water. Size, shape, density, and temperature is controllable.
Earth
Create and control magical earth, as well as mundane earth. Size, shape, makeup, and temperature is controllable.
Wind
Create and control magical air, as well as mundane air. Air naturally resembles sea-level air, and more energy is needed to modify the composition. Temperature and density is controllable.
Rarity: You'll see a few of these here and there as you go about your day.
Lightning
Create and control magical lightning, as well as mundane lightning. Shape and size is controllable, but lightning doesn’t like to be controlled.
Metal
Create and control magical metal, a well as mundane metal. Shape, size, density, and temperature is controllable. Only metals absorbed can be manipulated and created. Some metals are most costly to form than others. Great for crafting Artifacts.
Ice
Create and control magical ice, as well as mundane ice. Shape, size, and temperature is controllable.
Poison
Create and control magical poison, as well as gain resistance or even immunity to poisons. Liquid, gas, appearance, taste, smell, and temperature is controllable. Effects can only resemble poisons imbibed or poison mana absorbed.
Nature
Create and control magical plants, as well as control mundane plants. Rate of growth, appearance, and behavior is controllable. Only plants absorbed can be manipulated and created.
Crystal
Create and control magical crystal, as well as control mundane crystal. (Quartz, glass, diamond, etcs) Size, shape, and temperature can be controlled. Some crystals are more costly to form than others. Only crystal types absorbed can be manipulated and created. Great for crafting Artifacts.
Qi
Cultivate and focus energy throughout the body, enhancing it to improve various aspects. such as vision, reflexes, and toughness. At high levels of attainment, can focus that energy into weapons, armor, or even into the air. As a neutral element, fuses well with most elements.
Create and control magical lightning, as well as mundane lightning. Shape and size is controllable, but lightning doesn’t like to be controlled.
Metal
Create and control magical metal, a well as mundane metal. Shape, size, density, and temperature is controllable. Only metals absorbed can be manipulated and created. Some metals are most costly to form than others. Great for crafting Artifacts.
Ice
Create and control magical ice, as well as mundane ice. Shape, size, and temperature is controllable.
Poison
Create and control magical poison, as well as gain resistance or even immunity to poisons. Liquid, gas, appearance, taste, smell, and temperature is controllable. Effects can only resemble poisons imbibed or poison mana absorbed.
Nature
Create and control magical plants, as well as control mundane plants. Rate of growth, appearance, and behavior is controllable. Only plants absorbed can be manipulated and created.
Crystal
Create and control magical crystal, as well as control mundane crystal. (Quartz, glass, diamond, etcs) Size, shape, and temperature can be controlled. Some crystals are more costly to form than others. Only crystal types absorbed can be manipulated and created. Great for crafting Artifacts.
Qi
Cultivate and focus energy throughout the body, enhancing it to improve various aspects. such as vision, reflexes, and toughness. At high levels of attainment, can focus that energy into weapons, armor, or even into the air. As a neutral element, fuses well with most elements.
Rarity: If you search all day and get quite lucky, you might see a T3 Manabeast.
Darkness
Create and control magical shadows and darkness, giving it shape and form, as well as control mundane darkness and shadow. Size, shape, and opacity can be controlled. Suppressed or complemented by Light. Has a poor reputation...
Light
Create and control magical light, giving it shape and form, as well as control mundane light. Size, shape, appearance, and form can be controlled. Suppressed or complemented by Darkness. Has a good reputation~
Life
Create and control lifeforce, as well as the lifeforce of others. Increased lifeforce grants regeneration, speeds healing, gives energy and vitality, and can temporarily allow one to survive fatal wounds. Decreased Life energy causes fatigue, weakness, slows healing, drains energy, and will eventually result in death. Life can also animate constructs to make golems. Has a good reputation, and is valued.
Death
Causes decay and corrosion, and manipulate the spirits of the dead to attack directly or reanimate the dead. The remains of a spirit are more compatible than other mediums. Users of death have the capability of moving their own body after dying. Has a very poor reputation...
Psyche
Manipulate and sense the emotions, senses, and at higher levels memories and even thoughts of yourself and others. Psyche users are untrusted but valued, and are useful in a variety of therapeutic and judicial roles as well.
Create and control magical shadows and darkness, giving it shape and form, as well as control mundane darkness and shadow. Size, shape, and opacity can be controlled. Suppressed or complemented by Light. Has a poor reputation...
Light
Create and control magical light, giving it shape and form, as well as control mundane light. Size, shape, appearance, and form can be controlled. Suppressed or complemented by Darkness. Has a good reputation~
Life
Create and control lifeforce, as well as the lifeforce of others. Increased lifeforce grants regeneration, speeds healing, gives energy and vitality, and can temporarily allow one to survive fatal wounds. Decreased Life energy causes fatigue, weakness, slows healing, drains energy, and will eventually result in death. Life can also animate constructs to make golems. Has a good reputation, and is valued.
Death
Causes decay and corrosion, and manipulate the spirits of the dead to attack directly or reanimate the dead. The remains of a spirit are more compatible than other mediums. Users of death have the capability of moving their own body after dying. Has a very poor reputation...
Psyche
Manipulate and sense the emotions, senses, and at higher levels memories and even thoughts of yourself and others. Psyche users are untrusted but valued, and are useful in a variety of therapeutic and judicial roles as well.
Rarity: Most people go their entire lives without seeing one. Highly coveted for the incredible magics they possess.
Space
Manipulate space to teleport yourself and others, create and activate teleportation formations. Can also “lengthen” and “shorten” space. For example, lengthening space between an enemy and oneself would make it take longer for the opponent to reach you. At high proficiency, can also create and maintain a pocket dimension.
Time
Manipulate time to slow or speed individuals, objects, or areas.
Gravity
Create and control gravity fields to affect designated targets.
Holy
Create and control holy energy, which can neutralize and purify mana, temporarily improve abilities, heal the body and mind, and affect emotions positively--raising morale, bringing a sense of wellbeing and confidence, or granting a sense of peace, fulfillment, and happiness. Has the best reputation, and is even worshipped in some religions. Mutually suppressed by and conflicts with the Curse element.
Can also be attained through the accumulation of goodwill (gratitude, gratefulness) of your own and others.
Curse
Create and control curse energy, which can neutralize and corrupt mana, suppress and seal abilities, permanently damage the body and mind, and affect emotions negatively--lowering morale, shattering determination, instilling fear, anger, and paranoia, or granting a sense of depression and hopelessness. Has the worst reputation, and is usually at odds with organized religion but is also worshipped by some cults. Mutually suppressed by and conflicts with the Holy element.
Can also be attained through accumulation of badwill (grudges, hatred) of your own and others.
Manipulate space to teleport yourself and others, create and activate teleportation formations. Can also “lengthen” and “shorten” space. For example, lengthening space between an enemy and oneself would make it take longer for the opponent to reach you. At high proficiency, can also create and maintain a pocket dimension.
Time
Manipulate time to slow or speed individuals, objects, or areas.
Gravity
Create and control gravity fields to affect designated targets.
Holy
Create and control holy energy, which can neutralize and purify mana, temporarily improve abilities, heal the body and mind, and affect emotions positively--raising morale, bringing a sense of wellbeing and confidence, or granting a sense of peace, fulfillment, and happiness. Has the best reputation, and is even worshipped in some religions. Mutually suppressed by and conflicts with the Curse element.
Can also be attained through the accumulation of goodwill (gratitude, gratefulness) of your own and others.
Curse
Create and control curse energy, which can neutralize and corrupt mana, suppress and seal abilities, permanently damage the body and mind, and affect emotions negatively--lowering morale, shattering determination, instilling fear, anger, and paranoia, or granting a sense of depression and hopelessness. Has the worst reputation, and is usually at odds with organized religion but is also worshipped by some cults. Mutually suppressed by and conflicts with the Holy element.
Can also be attained through accumulation of badwill (grudges, hatred) of your own and others.
Miscellaneous information about the world will be here.
- All characters will know each other's names from the start.
- Wards of the orphanage have been able to work to pay off their debt since they were 13, but making any real headway only becomes possible after they become an Artificer.
- Treatment at the Orphanage has been decent. The Kingdom has invested in the Wards, and won't mistreat them without reason. However, the rules are strict, and rule-breakers dealt with strictly.
- Mandatory military training means that all Wards are physically fit and are practiced in hand-to-hand combat.
- All Artificers are Mages, but not all Mages are Artificers. (So how do other counties wield magic?)
- (Will continually update with more)
