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The Hourglass Order Timeline
Below, you will find a complete timeline of The Hourglass Order up to the current juncture. Pleas note that there are five days per week: Taldes, Pandes, Orredes, Lepdes, and Victendes. The second half of Lepdes is considered to be the weekend along with Victendes.
Arc One: Pit of Vipers (Welcome)
Week One: Vardes 23-27
Taldes to Orredes: pre-arrival
Lepdes: Arrival at the school and entry procession, plaza gathering
Victendes: School Tour and Course Selection
Week Two: Vardes 28-32
Taldes: First day of class
Pandes: Conclave of the Five Thrones, assassination attempts
Orredes: Doge assassination attempt, Volti Reveal, Blood Magic class
Weekend: back to (new) normal
Intermission
Weeks Three & Four: Vardes 33 - Assani 5
Both Weeks: n/a
Arc Two: Through the Portal (Missions)
Week Five: Assani 6-10
Taldes to Orredes: n/a
Lepdes: Late at night, the students receive a riddle and call to the Forked Tower.
Victendes: Missions start. Some are moved ahead to that night via time shenanigans.
Week Six: Assani 11-15
Taldes: Lorentine Queen ends, Black Flag ends, Into the Depths begins
Pandes: Desert excursion, Wyrm goes mad, death of Tavio, sirrahi attack
Orredes: Deserted montage, unassigned students join, meeting the sirrahi
Lepdes: Deserted montage, sirrahi reveal and escape
Victendes: Into the Depths joins Deserted. Duke arrival, final battle!
Intermission
Weeks Seven & Eight: Assani 16-25
Both Weeks: Everyone returns, collabs.
Week Nine: Assani 26-30
Taldes - Orredes: n/a
Weekend: Student Societies Faire, Day of Skills.
Week Ten: Assani 31-35
All Week: Elevator music, baking sounds.
Arc Three: The Trials
Week Eleven: Assani 36 - Velles 4
Taldes - Lepdes: n/a
Victendes: The Great Melon Derby
Week Twelve: Velles 5-9
Taldes: The Dragon
Pandes: Roses & Neskals
Orredes: Thin Air
Lepdes: Tug-of-Peace
Victendes: Closing ceremony and awards
Intermission
Week Thirteen: Velles 10-14
All week: Secrets of the Forked Tower
Time Skip to Zales
Dieci Volti Nascosti
Binding Magic is not used for offense. Dark Magic isn't real. The Dieci Volti do not exist.
Long have there been whispers about the existence of this secretive cabal of killers. Few dare speak about them openly, but those who do have provided a handful of details. The Dieci Volti Nascosti, which is Revidian for 'Ten Hidden Faces', are based in Revidia, though they draw their members from across the twin continents. They have been around for over two hundred years and represent the only significant challenge among assassins to the dominance of the Black Rezaindian Order.
Nobody knows the true identities of the Dieci Volti, but each is a legendary and ruthlessly capable killer and there are always exactly ten. Some claim that they are immortal - inhuman - but what is more likely is that, when one dies or retires, another simply takes up their mask and seamlessly carries on their work.
Of course, vanishingly few individuals have ever lived to see the mask of a Volto Nascosto and relate the tale, so there is a distinct lack of information here beyond unreliable conjecture and baseless braggadocio. It is believed that they are all relatively nondescript individuals when unmasked, easily able to blend into crowds and operate unnoticed. The Dieci Volti walk among us even at this moment and we do not know who they are. We cannot even be sure if they truly exist... right?
The Ten Masks
- Volto d'Oro - Gold Mask (also known as Dante)
- Volto Nero - Black Mask, also known as Diavolo (Devil)
- Volto Grigio - Grey Mask, also known as Spada (Sword)
- Volto Bianco - White Mask, also known as Avrael or Ombra (Shadow)
- Volto Rosso - Red Mask, also known as Liscia (Slick)
- Volto Giallo - Yellow Mask, also known as Sorriso (Smiler)
- Volto Azzuro - Blue Mask, also known as Triste (Sorrowful)
- Volto Verde - Green Mask, also known as Fiore (Flower)
- Volto Indaco - Indigo Mask, also known as Insorto (Rebel)
- Volto Marrone - Brown Mask, also known as Serpe (Snake)
Martial Arts of Sipenta
What follows is a series on the various martial arts of the world of Sipenta, each of which was developed in a particular nation in response to a particular need or environmental factor.
Machorro
Machorro, sometimes known as the Art of the Cobra, is the martial art of Torragon and is, in many respects, a product of this country's harsh desert environment. It stresses conservation of energy and motion, an understanding of environment and psychology, and sudden, decisive strikes.
A big part of Machorro is about developing an awareness of one's surroundings. It emphasizes using all of one's senses and maintaining a position that allows one to react quickly to threats.
A second major facet of Machorro is using the body as an instrument to intimidate. The most successful martial artists are those who do not have to expend energy and risk injury in an actual fight.
Alternatively, it espouses lulling opponents into a false sense of security by appearing weaker or friendlier than one truly is, by using subtly rhythmic motions and then a sudden strike, or through distraction and the environment.
In actual combat, Machorro stresses concise movements and combinations that flow from one another, conserving momentum and energy. It does not shy away from deadly strikes but, except when an opportunistic first strike is made, blows that specifically target weak points are predictable. They are usually the second or third in a combination, with the final strike of said combination being designed to take advantage of the debilitating strike moments before.
Arrechasse
Arrechasse, also known as the Art of the Dragonfly, is a traditional martial art from Perrence, heavily focused on swift movement, acrobatics, and use of one's environment to either ambush unsuspecting foes, escape from superior ones, or turn the tables rapidly during a running fight.
Arrechasse practitioners emphasize the rapid use of constant, dizzying motion to throw an opponent off balance, and using sudden stops, pushoffs, and swing-arounds (often using the environment) to quickly reverse direction.
Experts in this martial art are known for using feints and unpredictable strikes. They focus on entering a 'flow state' where, in some regards, not even they can predict what they will do next.
Masters of Arrechasse often focus on unbalancing their opponents, confusing them, and knocking them off their feet in order to deliver stretching kicks, heavy stomps, and spinning back-fists. It is considered a particularly mesmerizing and stylish form of combat.
However, Arrechasse is not much concerned with concepts of honour. If outmatched, a practitioner of this school will not hesitate to take flight, using whatever dirty tricks they need in order to survive. Just... be careful they don't disappear around a blind corner and you walk right into a roundhouse kick as you come charging after them.
Vai-to
Also known as the Art of the Mantis, Vai-to is a traditional fighting style of Rettan and is heavily focused on rapid range transitions, wrestling, and the use of full-body strikes to deal maximum damage to one's opponent.
Vai-to practitioners focus on fighting from either long range or very close range. They prefer to be 'all the way out' or 'all the way in', specializing in long kicks, pseudo-feints, and sudden lunging strikes in the former case and pummeling body slams, takedowns, knees, and elbows in the latter.
Masters of this martial art seek to make use of every ounce of force the human body can muster, eschewing traditional feints and defense. Fighters are able to deliver maximum kinetic force and damage from very close, in clinches and wrestling, where many others struggle, by throwing all of the body's momentum into each strike. From very far, they often lunge or twist. Many motions are rapid and swirling, to make it hard for an opponent to target. Lunges often turn into rolls, leaps, and low, spinning kicks. The goal is almost inevitably to close the distance and take the fight into close quarters.
When fighting in the style of Vai-to, one becomes adept at making use of the extremes. From long range, a Vai-to practitioner can knock you out cold with a single blow if you are incautious. However, once he has you in a clinch or on the ground, you stand even less of a chance.
Zebaka
Known as the Art of the Monkey, Zebaka is a traditional martial art of Belzagg and Joru. It emphasizes the building and maintenance of constant momentum and manipulation of kinetic energy using the Gift to grant one's strikes unexpected and often-overwhelming power.
Zebaka practitioners utilize vertical, diagonal, and horizontal spinning and swirling movements, free-flowing combinations, and a mesmerizing dancelike motion to make themselves difficult to strike cleanly and build up to sudden, unpredictable strikes of their own.
With Zebaka, an opponent is never quite sure which motions are momentum-builders and which are momentum-spenders. A strike carries the body's entire momentum and can seem innocuous at first, coming almost out of nowhere. the only surety is that a strike is coming.
Defensively, masters of this martial art focus on spins, back and frontflips, leaps, and rolls. Often, striking at a Zebaka practitioner leaves you off-balance, reaching, spun aside, and easy to take down. Those who can use the Gift also incorporate it into their movements, augmenting them or drawing from them as necessary.
Once an opponent is on the ground, a master of Zebaka is quickly able to finish them through leaping stomps, knees, elbows, and body-slams.
Seun-chi-go
Known to some as the Art of the Snapping Turtle, Seun-chi-go is the traditional martial art of Tan Keoul. In particular, it focuses on powerful defense, counters, throws, trips, and stomps.
Seun-chi-go practitioners emphasize solidity and patience. By maintaining a strong defensive stance, once does not waste energy or open oneself up to counters. Watching an opponent carefully and being aware of one's surroundings is key to finding openings and taking advantage of them. A master of this fighting form prefers to block, parry, or roll with blows rather than dodge, and generally leaves very few openings.
While other forms of combat aim to seize the initiative, Seun-chi-go seeks to smother offense and counter. Its goal is to catch an opponent lunging, reaching, or overextending and ruthlessly hammer them, not letting up until the fight is won or they recover.
Where possible, a Seun-chi-go master prefers to unbalance his opponent by parrying their attacks and countering, or by using quick footwork to sidestep, backpedal, or close distance unexpectedly fast, taking advantage of the openings created. Seun-chi-go is all about patience, timing, and sudden, explosive strength.
Once an opponent is unbalanced, a practitioner of this martial art will often close the distance with a rapid spring forward and grab, throw, or trip his opponent. Once that opponent is on the ground, the Seun-chi-go user will rarely give up the advantage of remaining on his feet. He will deliver stomps and pummeling strikes from above.
Kastäng
Known to some as the Art of the Mammoth, Kastäng is the traditional martial art of Eskand. It is focused first and foremost on grappling, making use of holds, grips, angles, and the body's weak points to break opponents physically and mentally.
Kastäng practitioners emphasize the intelligent application of force when wrestling to create torsion and destroy joints and other weak points as well as the exercise of control and domination of an opponent's limbs.
A master of Kastäng circles and reverses, rolls, leaps, charges, and uses long-range kicks, punches, and feints to create an opening so that he can take his opponent off of his feet and either pound him into submission from above or use his own body against him.
Practitioners of this martial art are particularly adept at creating panic and giving opponents no ability to mount significant offense. They will constantly search for chokes, armbars, and holds which put strain on joints and sensitive areas, mixing in shoulder thrusts, foot-stomps, knees, and elbows.
Once in a dominant position a Kastäng master will often finish a fight by choking an opponent to unconsciousness, pounding his head into the ground, or dislocating (or even breaking) his various joints.
Magic School Prevalence in the Time of The Hourglass Order
The Five Great Schools
The School of Ipte: Magnetic - practiced by 66% of magic users
The School of Shune: Arcane - practiced by 91% of magic users
The School of Oraff: Binding - practiced by 68% of magic users
The School of Eshiran: Chemical - practiced by 77% of magic users
The School of Dami: Kinetic - practiced by 94% of magic users
The Advanced School
The Sixth School: Atomic - practiced by 2% of magic users
The Forbidden Schools
The Seventh School: Blood - practiced by 7% of magic users
The Eighth School: Temporal - practiced by 0.1% of magic users
The Ninth School: Dark - practiced by 0.00001% of magic users
Magic School Prevalence in the Time of City of Steel
The Essential Schools
The First School: Mechanical - 90% of magic users
The Second School: Thermal - 88% of magic users
The Third School: Electrical - 81% of magic users
The Fourth School: Chemical - 74% of magic users
The Fifth School: Electromagnetic - 71% of magic users
The Advanced Schools
The Sixth School: Healing - 40% of magic users
The Seventh School: Nuclear - 21% of magic users
The Eighth School: Generation - 9% of magic users
The Forbidden Schools
The Ninth School: Spatial-Temporal - 0.5% of magic users
The Tenth School: Dark - 0.03% of magic users
(Dark) Aberrations
Aberrations are four-dimensional holes in spacetime caused whenever its fabric is manipulated by means of magic. They are completely lightless places that both have a shape - that of the object that caused them or that the offending spell was used upon - and are paradoxically shapeless, being little more than ultra-dark gaps where reality simply does not exist.
While the shape of an aberration is a reflection of its caster or its affected person, animal, or object, its size is thought to be connected to the size of the spatial and (far more often and impactfully) temporal deviation from the original reality that it has caused.
The effects of aberrations upon sentient and nonsentient minds and bodies are both quite varied and quite pronounced. Easily absorbed, either through the act of magical drawing or simply by touch, the energy from these holes in reality is abundant and has been said to have a strange, 'sweet' feeling to it. When absorbed by one with a high enough capacity to handle it, aberration energy will permanently increase that person's magical capacity. There are, however, side effects ranging from the mild to the deadly.
1) If the amount of aberration energy drawn is very small compared to the affected person's capacity, its effects will be negligible. That person may experience a headache and irritable mood for some hours as well as cravings for the next couple of weeks.
2) If the amount of energy is somewhat small, its effects will be bearable but not negligible. The headache will last for a couple of days, the cravings will be stronger, and there may be a temporary madness of ten to forty seconds.
3) If the energy is moderate to significant, the effects will be as well. A pounding headache and irritability will take hold for a few days, cravings will last for a month, and there will be a pronounced insanity for two to ten minutes.
4) If the energy drawn is much of the drawer's capacity, the effects will be pronounced. Full body aches will wrack the body and aggressive, unpredictable behaviours take hold of the mind for weeks. Cravings will be constant and serious and will fade over time but may never completely disappear. The initial period of madness may last for hours or even days.
5) If the energy is close to a drawer's maximum, the pains and aggression will carry on for months and the cravings indefinitely. Fighting them will be a lifelong battle. The period of insanity is likely to go on for days or weeks and there is a chance that it may become permanent and often violent.
6) If the drawer takes in the energy of an aberration right up to their capacity and is unable to absorb quite all of it, the madness and agony induced will be permanent. The drawer will hunger eternally for more, driven only by this constant need and their insanity.
7) If the aberration is far greater than the drawer's capacity, the encounter will be fatal. The drawer will turn into an aberration, frozen forever, semi-corporeal, in space and time.
In general, the consumption of aberrations is strongly discouraged. If it must be done, the power drawn should be split between as many people as possible so as to lessen the effects and further aberrations should only be consumed after the craving period has passed.
Timewalkers
Long ago, in the days of myth and legend, when titans such as Talit'yrash, Otios'yyia, Eliis'Qarmena, and Lyen'yvhere walked among the yasoi, timewalkers were blinded for the very many troubles that their special abilities could - and, indeed, had - caused.
However, in the more recent past, as the dark honey of the aberration addiction took hold of the people, the practice had waned and was no longer universal. When timewalkers did find themselves in danger, they simply fled to human lands, where the yasoi's closest kin were eager to learn from them and use them for their power. There, they lived lavishly in their gilded cages.
Now, 50-100 years later, as great swathes of yasoi society have collapsed into ruin and near-anarchy and others struggle to stay afloat, many timewalkers remain hidden and go unblinded.
In the eventuality that someone is revealed as a one, there is no way that he goes unmolested. Many addicts come to him, hoping to be fed. Some of these timewalkers give in to their baser natures and become no better than drug lords, selling their abilities for money and power. Others, possessed of greater moral fortitude, resist and run, hiding their true natures.
In some places which combat the addiction, often by draconian means and harsh and absolute justice, Baron or self-appointed mobs chase down and either blind or murder timewalkers. They believe that their natural compulsion to employ temporal magic is accelerating the aberration infestation.
Others are less brutal. Instead, they lock timewalkers up in two-layered cells to act as aberration magnets. The timewalker is in the inner layer and the aberrations around her, kept away from others.
Of course, capturing an empowered timewalker is not an easy thing to do, as she can see into the future and particularly skilled ones can rewind their actions. Often, timewalkers are used to hunt down other timewalkers. These are known among their mana-sisters as the vilest of traitors.
The 'Collateral Damage' of the Brawl at the Proving Grounds
Federico Lotti: a skilled craftsman, thirty-two years of age, who was working late on balls for the next day's Roses & Neskals. His home and shop were destroyed and while they were promptly repaired, his body was not. He lost his left arm... and he was left-handed. Now unable to make a living, he and his family of six will be forced to rely on the generosity of others.
Genevieve Marais: a nine-year old girl who had just gotten her first magic: at 5.11, it was the highest in the history of her commoner family. She had hoped to become a ballet dancer. Sadly, she will have to abandon that dream, as both of her legs were lost in the 'collateral' damage. Her father, who works as a coachman, will have to take time off of work to help with her care.
Paolo Bruni: A twenty-four year old father to be who worked as a dyemaker. In additon to being recently married, he was the primary caregiver for his elderly mother who is blind. Now he is too, the result of bound steel darts impaling both of his eyes. He will never get to see his child and will have to hire someone to care for his mother, only he won't have the money without a job.
The Sanguinaire Hierarchy
If they are cunning, strong, and fortunate, sanguinaires can live almost indefinitely. However, in practice, most are not, and survive for only a normal human lifespan or possibly less. It is believed that the current global population in the year of DZ54 stands at about five thousand. Below is a guide to the relative strength of these terrible beings.
The Progenitor: is the original sanguinaire, who is held to date back to the dawn of recorded history. Little to nothing is known about this shadowy figure, except that she or he is a being of unfathomable power, wisdom, and wickedness. There is only one of these, thank the Pentad.
Elder Sanguinaires: have lived for at least 1000 years, have consumed the blood of at least one Arch-Zeno-level magic user, and possess at least five mana subtypes. Their manas seem to have evolved and they are generally much stronger than other sanguinaires. These account for 0.2% of all sanguinaires, or 10 in total.
High Sanguinaires: have lived for at least 500 years, have consumed the blood of at least one Zeno-level magic user, and possess at least three mana subtypes. Their manas seem to have evolved somewhat and they are noticeably stronger than other sanguinaires. These account for 1.4% of all sanguinaires, or about 70 in total.
True Sanguinaires: have lived beyond a normal sapient lifespan, have consumed the blood of at least one Alta-level magic user, and possess at least two mana subtypes. They are generally quite capable and comfortable in their existence as sanguinaires. These account for 18.2% of all sanguinaires, or about 880 in total.
New Sanguinaires: are still within the bounds of a sapient lifespan, have yet to consume the blood of a powerful trained magic user, and may not necessarily possess multiple mana subtypes. They are generally the weakest of sanguinaires and most will not live to become True Sanguinaires. These account for 77% of all sanguinaires, or about 3850 in total.
The Vile: are sanguinaires who have failed to sate their bloodlust but managed to regain their strength. Foul, stupid, and animalistic, they have lost all higher reason and prey on sapients and animals alike with abandon, often wreaking havoc before being put down by their erstwhile prey or other sanguinaires. These account for 3.2% of all sanguinaires, or about 160 in total.
Failed Sanguinaires: have failed to assimilate the sanguinaire mana type after being exposed to it. In many cases, they die horrible, agonizing deaths. Sometimes, if they were intentionally given the mana type, they will be given the mercy of a swift death by the sanguinaire who exposed them to it.
A Comprehensive Guide to Hegelan Imbuement and Enchantment
While there are many skilled artisans among the human population, the crafting of mana-imbued items is unique to Hegelan society and considered an artform among these people: one with deep personal and cultural significance.
This is made possible by the nature of Spring and Pool Manas. Colonies of these single-celled organisms occur in the wild in hot springs and mineral pools around the volcanic homelands of the Hegelan peoples on Callanast. Unlike the varieties that live within the bloodstreams of large and sapient animals, these are able to survive independently.
Imbuement
Item Properties
Often farmed in large pools, mana cultures are employed in numerous enterprises and products, ranging from mana brews to medicine to those used in runic imbuement. In this process, a hot, mineral-rich extract containing manas is distributed throughout a series of 'arteries' bored, sealed, or carved into a carefully crafted item by its maker. Both the creation of the item and the insertion of the manas are undertakings requiring the very highest levels of skill. The crafter's aim is to balance the five factors below:
1) Coverage: The item is made so that the runic arteries display optimal coverage.
2) Regulation: Manas are able to quickly generate and bleed off heat from their surroundings.
3) Distribution: Runic arteries are designed to allow for smooth and cyclical flow of manas.
4) Volume: The most mana possible is contained within the item.
5) Integrity: The item's integrity is in no way compromised by the manas.
6) Aesthetics: Sometimes, this is added as a sixth factor. Most crafters pride themselves on it.
An item made by any guild-certified crafter may be assessed and assigned a rating for each of the main five factors (the sixth is subjective). These are: AAA, AA, A, B, C, D, and E (translated into the Avincian alphabet) and they often roughly correspond with the quality of the manas used (as it would be a waste to use fine manas on a mediocre item or vice versa). An item's final rating is the average score that it receives across these five. Some assessors further distinguish between levels by adding a plus or minus designation to the letter ratings. In order to receive a AAA assessment, it will have to reach that level in at least three factors.
AAA: Item is comprehensively optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is virtually flawless.
AA: Item is excellently optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is a masterwork.
A: Item is very well optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is of outstanding quality.
B: Item is well optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is a good quality item.
C: Item is somewhat optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is a fair quality item.
D: Item is poorly optimized in terms of the assessed factor. It is a poorly-made item.
E: Little to no attempt has been made to optimize the item in terms of the assessed factor. Rubbish.
Labour Costs
Overall price point is assessed on an hourly labour rate, since some items, though requiring a high degree of skill, are simply smaller and require less time to craft. In order to craft items of higher quality, one must hire a crafter certified to produce items of that level. Higher-level crafters may be certified to produce AAA and AA masterworks but, due to the expense of these commissions, few are received, so they will often take lower-level commissions and work for wages at those levels. However, they will rarely waste their time crafting items below B level. Below is a table that measures rough labour costs for items at each of the seven item assessment levels:
AAA: Ỽ5 - Ỽ8 per hour
AA: Ỽ1⌘5 - Ỽ3 per hour
A: ⌘5 - Ỽ1 per hour
B: ⌘2 - ⌘4 per hour
C: ✤20 - ⌘1✤15 per hour
D: ✤10 - ✤20 per hour
E: ✤4 - ✤8 per hour
The ranges above reflect the difficulty of working with the material selected by the buyer. Less workable materials push labour costs higher within these.
Material Properties
There is no way around it: some materials are simply better than others for manas and the liquid solution that they need to survive. However, virtually all materials have their uses situationally. When accounting for labour costs, the workability of materials is ranked on the standard AAA - E system according to the five factors below, with final ratings averaged:
1) Durability: How resistant to being cracked, torn, or broken the material is.
2) Malleability: How easy the material is to sculpt and shape with precision.
3) Reparability: How easily the material can be patched or small mistakes can be fixed.
4) Suitability: How much mana can realistically be held within the material.
5) Waterproofing: How resistant the material is to liquids and how well it holds them.
Materials possess varying qualities, of course. Some might be outstanding to work with by certain metrics and abysmal by others. Their placement on the chart below reflects averages as opposed to measuring each factor individually.
AAA (outstanding): lowest possible labour cost within the range
- Soft metal plate or single piece
AA: (very good): far low end of the labour cost range
- Most woods, Waterproof hides, Soft minerals, Sponge
A: (above average): lower end of the labour cost range
- Stone, Hard metal plate or single piece, Dragonscale
B: (average): middle of the labour cost range
- Horn, Soft metal chain or multiple piece, hard minerals, Pearl
C: (below average): higher end of the labour cost range
- Bone, Non-waterproof hides, Thresher Plate
D: (poor): far high end of the labour cost range
- Fabric, Hard metal chain or multiple piece
E: (abysmal): highest possible labour cost within the range
- Paper and cardboard, Soft organics, Diamondscale (due to sheer hardness)
Material Costs
Material costs within the hegelan societies of Hogh Munkhelad, Hoagh Ahaghivan, Hoch Dorumvir, Hokh Havernast, and Hagh Ramorghand generally reflect the availability of materials. With the opening of the Silk Gate, this is likely to change rapidly. In general, however, adhere to prices out in the wider world when calculating these costs, except where stipulated below:
Softwood: roughly double the price.
Hardwood: roughly triple the price.
Paper: roughly triple the price.
Steel: roughly half the price.
Iron: roughly half the price.
Most metals: roughly half the price.
Gold: two-thirds of the price.
Silver: two-thirds of the price.
Most gemstones: two-thirds of the price.
Leather: half again the price.
Dragon products: roughly half the price.
Thresher products: roughly triple the price.
Dragon Pearls: roughly one-third of the price.
Thresher Pearls: roughly triple the price.
Sea Sapphire: roughly half the price.
Furs: roughly triple the price.
Quicksponge: available (unavailable in the Twin Continents)
Mana Properties
Not all manas are created equal. Those living in the wild and extracted from their environment by people rarely possess the traits desired for use in imbued items. More often, they are farmed, being bred and raised in specific conditions to create mana cultures of superior quality. These are judged on five qualities in particular:
1) Longevity: how long the mana colony will last between uses.
2) Efficiency: how much energy and food it needs to maintain itself.
3) Density: how mana-dense the fluid is.
4) Capacity: how much energy capacity each mana in the colony has.
5) Attunability: how easily the manas attune with outside manas.
An item made by any guild-certified crafter may be assessed and assigned a rating for each factor. These ratings are listed below. An item's final rating will be the average score that it receives across all five. Some assessors further distinguish between levels by adding a plus or minus designator. In order to receive a triple platinum assessment, it will have at least three qualities at that level.
3xPlatinum: The manas are truly prodigious in terms of the assessed quality, all-but unsurpassed.
- 0.04% of manas
2xPlatinum: The manas are genuinely outstanding in terms of the assessed quality. Rarely equaled.
- 0.46% of manas
Platinum: The manas are excellent in terms of the assessed quality. Only exceeded by the best.
- 2.5% of manas
Gold: The manas are quite good in terms of the assessed quality. Above average.
- 12% of manas
Silver: The manas are fair in terms of the assessed quality. Average and nothing special.
- 30% of manas
Bronze: The manas are somewhat poor in terms of the assessed quality. Below average.
- 30% of manas
Steel: The manas are poor in terms of the assessed quality. Well below average.
- 25% of manas
Mana Costs
Recently, there has been a push from a couple of elite mana farming operations to add a 4xPlatinum certification, though this is not yet official. In general, high platinum level manas are very rare and the cultures take years to mature, raised within specific, carefully-managed conditions and exposed to highly specialized stimuli. Due to this substantial investment, they are often eye-wateringly expensive and only entrusted to master crafters specifically certified by the trade guild. Below are the price ranges for each level per milliliter, with the city commissioned as well as a plus or minus designation affecting where a mana culture will fall within the range.
4xPlatinum: Ỽ20 (unofficial)
3xPlatinum: Ỽ5 - Ỽ10
2xPlatinum: Ỽ1⌘5 - Ỽ4
Platinum: ⌘3✤10 - ⌘8
Gold: ✤20 - ⌘2
Silver: ✤4 - ✤15
Bronze: ∝20 - ✤2∝10
Steel: ∝10 - ∝15
Hegelan Spring Manas also occur in different varieties, similar to their smaller cousins that can be found within bloodstreams of numerous creatures. Below are the commonly requested types and their costs.
Flameshield (see: Fireblood): 1.75x price - ubiquity: 6, demand 7
Frostshield (see: Icevein): 1.25x price - ubiquity: 5 , demand: 3
Manashield (see: Limitbreaker): 1.25x price - ubiquity: 7, demand: 4
Radishield (see: Glowvein): 1.5x price - ubiquity: 3, demand: 3
Maladyshield (see: Devourer): 1.75x price - ubiquity: 3, demand: 5
Lightfoot (see: Skyborn): 1.5x price - ubiquity: 3, demand: 3
Juggernaut (see: Leadvein): 2x price - ubiquity: 3, demand: 6
Magnetizer (see: Thunderchild): 2x price - ubiquity: 2, demand: 5
Hypershift (see: Timeracer): 3x price - ubiquity: 1, demand: 5
Catalyst (see: Agitator): 2x price - ubiquity: 2, demand: 5
Hydrophile (see: Oceanborn): 1.25x price - ubiquity: 6, demand: 2
Managifter (see: Greengrowth): 1.5x price - ubiquity: 3, demand 3
Manamiser (see: Blackrot): 1.25x price - ubiquity: 4, demand 2
Assimilator (see: Sanguinaire): 5x price - only on platinum +
Stoneskin: 1.75x price - ubiquity: 4, demand: 5
Skinspeaker: 2x price - ubiquity: 4, demand: 6
Manatracer: 1.5x price - ubiquity: 2, demand: 2
Sensemaster: 3x price - ubiquity: 1, demand: 5
Enchantment
Enchantment Properties
While any manas provide an additive bonus to magical capacity, some items are designed to bring about a particular magical effect, in essence casting it without the help of an actual caster's knowhow. This is known as enchantment and there are three main types:
1) Solo
This is an enchanted item that uses only its own manas to bring about the desired effect. Most commonly, they are either smaller items that cast spells with a high complexity but low energy cost or very significant items containing the manas necessary to cast something with a large energy requirement, rendering it accessible to someone who may have the skill but not the capacity for such a cast. They can also simply be used to cast effects that are too complex for most people to learn. Occasionally, and on the cheap end, they are single-use items which consume themselves for extra power.
2) Tandem
These items use their own manas in concert with the manas of their user in order to bring a spell or other effect to fruition. They are often - but not always - the most powerful and sought-after items, allowing a caster with some skill to use an ability normally beyond their learning or capacity or to use it quickly or with little focus. Occasionally, Tandem enchantments are used for lesser items as well. If an item's user has significant capacity, there is no need to waste as much money on loading it with manas as Solo enchantments often do. The user can supplement.
3) Dependent
These items do not cast anything of significance on their own, instead relying on their user's reservoirs of power. There are two main uses for Dependent enchantments. The first is to act as a 'guide' for very complex spells, providing an internal chemical framework to help the user cast these using their own capacity. They may also do this by casting a weakened version of a complex spell and allowing the user to simply pour more energy in to enhance it. The second major subtype are known as 'triggered' spells. Their job is to temporarily hijack the user's capacity to cast a spell or effect when certain specific preconditions are met, such as a protective barrier, sight enhancement, internal chemical persuasion, or opportunistic attack.
Enchantments are a result of an enchanter attuning with an imbued item and training its uninitiated manas to produce specific behaviours in response to specific stimuli. The precise means by which this is done are little known and the Enchanters' Guild is very keen to retain them as trade secrets. Regardless, with this mechanism for enchanting in mind, when we look at the five main qualities of manas, attunability becomes the most important one to consider, followed by density and capacity. The latter two essentially act as enablers for any spell to be carried out. An enchanted item needs to have a high enough capacity to carry out the action trained into it. This leaves attunability, which essentially amounts to how 'obedient' manas are and how eager to bond to and interface with their user's manas. The higher a mana colony's attunability is, the easier that it is to enchant and, particularly, enchant with complex behaviours. Beyond the simple capacity of the mana colony to carry out the enchanted effects, there are three main factors to consider when enchanting an item:
1) Effect complexity: the more complex the effect, the longer that it takes to train.
2) Mana attunability: the higher the attunement rating, the quicker that the mana colony 'learns'.
3) Number of effects: the more there are, the longer they take to train both due to number and to the added difficulty of ensuring that the colony distinguishes between them.
Enchantment Costs
The costs of enchanting are governed by the factors listed immediately above and are usually quite high. While the number of effects are relatively simple and more or less additive, they will be covered along with the other two factors below.
Effect Complexity
Effect Complexity is rated on virtually the same scale as Mana Quality and is covered below. Price ranges represent the variability of desired enchantments and act as the base price for enchantments.
Diamond: Ỽ1,000 - Ỽ10,000
- myriad extremely complex actions working in concert and contingent upon other actions, with myriad nuanced stimuli, accounting for multiple potential confounding variables.
3xPlatinum: Ỽ200 - Ỽ1,000
- multiple highly complex actions working in concert and contingent upon other actions, with multiple nuanced stimuli, accounting for the presence of confounding variables.
2xPlatinum: Ỽ50 - Ỽ200
- multiple complex actions, sometimes in concert and often contingent upon other actions, with multiple or nuanced stimuli, accounting for the occasional presence of confounding variables.
Platinum: Ỽ15 - Ỽ50
- multiple moderately complex actions or a single very complex action, occasionally in concert or contingent upon other actions, with either a single nuanced stimulus or multiple simple stimuli.
Gold: Ỽ2 - Ỽ15
- multiple simple actions or a single complex action with a single reasonably clear trigger stimulus or multiple very clear and simple stimuli.
Silver: ⌘5 - Ỽ2
- multiple very simple actions or a single moderately complex action with a single clear trigger stimulus.
Bronze: ✤20 - ⌘5
- A single simple action with a single clear and simple trigger stimulus.
Steel: ✤10 - ✤20
- A single very simple action with a single direct and very simple trigger stimulus
Mana Attunability
Mana attunability has already been covered in brief, but the way that its level designations affect cost has not. In general, manas with higher attunability ratings take less time to enchant and, hence, tend to cost less. Note that this represents a reversal of the usual pattern, with a higher rating equaling a higher expenditure. A guide follows:
3xPlatinum: subtract 30% from the listed price.
2xPlatinum: subtract 20% from the listed price.
Platinum: subtract 10% from the listed price.
Gold: pay the listed price as directed.
Silver: add 10% to the listed price.
Bronze: add 20% to the listed price.
Steel: add 30% to the listed price.
Number of Effects
The final factor - number of effects - refers to the number of distinct and separate effects that need to be enchanted into an item. For example, each spell that a staff has to be able to cast where the spells aren't clearly and directly variations on each other would count as separate effects. Each sense that an item (assuming it doesn't have sensemaster manas) enhances with a separate trigger stimulus would count as a distinct effect. Each new effect is assessed on its own, with a small deduction for each subsequent effect added, as they can sometimes be enchanted in concert.
A Final Cost Calculator
If all of this seems dizzyingly complex, that's because it is. There is a reason that Hegelans maintain a monopoly on the industries of imbuement and enchanting: they simply care enough to make it work and they're a society built around complex agreements and a love of engineering, crafting, and unnecessary but amusing things. All in all, when calculating the cost of your imbued or enchanted item, the following must be considered:
Imbuement
Labour Costs on a scale of AAA to E.
Material Properties as a modifier to Labour Costs on a scale of AAA to E.
Material Costs based upon world averages, with an eye to Hegelan modifiers based on availability.
Mana Costs on a scape of 3xPlatinum to Steel.
Special Mana Types as a price multiplier to Mana Costs.
Enchantment
Effect Complexity on a scale of Diamond to Steel.
Mana Attunability as a modifier to Effect Complexity on a scale of 3xPlatinum to Steel.
Number of Effects as an additive factor in overall price of the enchantment.
Legal and Finder's Fees
The importance of contracts cannot be understated in hegelan society. The art of writing and then reading them aloud is considered an artform - one that originally developed as a result of the scarcity of paper and has since grown of its own accord. Any imbuement or enchantment commission of Gold or above must be subject to a binding contract, overseen by a lawyer. It is generally considered good form to employ a representative of a level of renown and quality roughly commensurate with the work being done. Overspending on a lawyer is viewed either as a form of boasting or as a marker of suspicion. Underspending is viewed as disrespectful or as taking the work lightly. Very small gifts for crafter and enchanter are also appreciated and considered normative. A guide to these other fees follows:
Celebrity lawyer: 20-25% fee (suitable for 3xPlatinum and above, acceptable one level below)
Widely respected lawyer: 16-20% fee (suitable for 2xPlatinum, acceptable one level above or below)
Noteworthy lawyer: 13-17% fee (suitable for Platinum, acceptable one level above or below)
Journeyman lawyer: 10-15% fee (suitable for Gold, acceptable one level above or below)
Beginner lawyer: 7-12% fee (suitable for silver or below, acceptable one level above, will be grateful)
Extravagant gift: 2% of price
Generous gift: 1.5% of price
Regular gift: 1% of price
Miserly gift: 0.5% of price
Insulting gift: none to 0.2% of price
Navigating Hegelan society may also prove difficult for non-natives. For a nominal fee, there exist agencies devoted to helping potential buyers find honest and reliable crafters, enchanters, and legal representation, as well as accommodation and transportation if requested. They will usually charge two to five percent of the final fee paid, depending on the level of crafter and enchanter you seek and any other specific demands that you may have.
Cost Calculation Chart
Material Costs:
- With hegelan prices modifier (if applicable):
Labour Costs:
- With material properties modifier:
Mana Costs:
- With special type modifier (if applicable):
Enchantment Complexity:
- With number of effects modifier (if applicable):
- With mana attunability rating modifier:
Subtotal:
Legal Fees:
Finder's Fee (if applicable):
Gift Fees (if applicable):
Total:
