Topics

To the staff and fellow students of the Sandstone College,

 I have moved out of the Dorms and currently own a property in the Offices of Particular Import, Room 5.

 I will still be visiting the College to collect my course work, or to study, but any special correspondence can be sent there in case I am not around the College at the time.

 I thank you for the comfort the dorms have offered me all this time, but it was time to find my own place to live.

 Sincerely,

Orin Vossar

[My Experiences with Alchemy: The Good, the Bad, the Strange]

My Experiences with Alchemy: The Good, the Bad, the Strange
by Orin Vossar

Introduction

Alchemy was never a major interest for me. In truth, when I first approached Alchemy it was out of a need to learn more about the different aspects of the Arcane, of which Alchemy was one.

When I began this journey I sought guides that would lead me correctly forward, and one such guide was the Arcano-Chemical Aspirant's Guide by Itri Ablator.

It formed the core of how I would approach Alchemy, and yet it was a complicated topic to me for a number of reasons. I did not know where I would study it, I did not know what I would use, and I did not know exactly how to approach it.

With time, what started as a passing thought turned into a great interest of mine, even though I lack the skills many those who are fully dedicated to Alchemy possess.

Still, I wanted to describe my journey, using the knowledge and suggestions from the Arcano-Chemical Aspirant's Guide to hopefully help you set out on your own journey.

Yet be warned, while Alchemy is a study filled with marvel and mystery there is also great many dangers, so approach it with all the due respect that you can. For it can spell your doom.

Chapter 1: The First Step

The Guide underlined that in order to effectively study alchemy one has to find reliable reagents to use in their experiments. Based on personal observation almost anything can be a reagent. Paper, ale, stale bread, ichor, sinews, or even entire bottles of Well Water. Almost anything you find can be added to the pot, but that does not mean everything is useful for your experiments.

 If you wish to pursue your alchemical research thoroughly you need to find reagents that you can find with as much ease, or as little cost, as possible. Thus, paper is often used as a reagent, as it costs only one dinar, and you can obtain plenty of it, quickly. Ale, bread, and similar such things are also reagents, as mentioned before, but here I want to underline one thing. Only because something is rarer, or more expensive does not mean it will provide you with a better outcome.

If you decide to suddenly use Aged Waters as one of your reagents I would call that incredibly wasteful, because, again, based on my own experience, it's not about the price of a reagent, and instead how you use it.

My first steps were a lot more humble, for I did not have much gold, and I was afraid of spending any of it on reagents. So, instead I pursued a resource I knew was available for "free", though with a degree of danger, namely, worm meat.

Worm meat, found in abundance beneath the Well, can be used as a reagent as well. However, due to the way the arcane and alchemy behaves while Worm meat worked for me, it might not work for you, or any other aspiring alchemist. In my case however, to this day, I rely heavily upon Worm Meat as a primary reagent.

That is because I managed to refine worm meat into ichor. Then, I managed to produce all manner of other reagents from the combination of ichor and worm meat.

Then, as my library of recipes grew I found I could make almost any reagent I wanted or needed through the right combination of worm meat, to the point where the only thing I needed to perform my experiments was a lot of patience, and a lot of worm meat.

To explain how reagents work; you can add many different reagents, in any combination that you wish, though the order in which you add the reagents is important. If you wish to replicate a result you must add the same reagents in the same order as you did before. This also means that while having two or three different types of reagents in what order you add them to the pot can greatly impact the outcome of the experiment.

However, the minimum number of reagents you must add is three. Add one or two reagents, regardless whether it's the same one or different ones, and no reaction will occur. You can add three of the same reagent, and, due to the mysteries of alchemy, if you add more of the same reagent the outcomes might be completely different.

As was in my case, when I combined three worm meats, I had no positive outcome, but once I added four, I could produce ichor. Then, when I added five, again, there was no positive result. From what I read you can produce extremely long recipes, of even eight different reagents added. Which means that if you have access to three different reagents the number of possible recipes using just them is extensive. However, here comes the problems of sunk cost.

In a practical sense trying to create more complex, longer, recipes may allow you to make a harder recipe have a positive outcome somewhat easier. However, finding the correct recipe may prove difficult still, and as you could see in my example, simply adding more of a reagent does not always mean you will have a better or more powerful outcome.

To give you a rough estimate, when I began my experiments, about a month ago, I have since then performed over 124 individual experiments, with different combinations of reagents, both more or less common. Refined, or found. And these are just the tests I did with what I call "basic alchemy".

What I mean by that is Alchemy without the use of "Catalysts", something that we will touch upon in the next chapter.

But just to underline, while I made many such experiments, many of them produced similar results, with varying levels of difficulty and complexity.

Out of those 124 individual tests around 50 produced no beneficial result. In other words, you may spend a month performing different experiments, but your success is down to dedication, diligence and a lot of patience, as well as luck. Sometimes you may find a beneficial recipe through your first random combination of items, other times you may spend a full week with no proper breakthrough, as you try combination, after combination with nothing new produced.

Before I reached that wall, and wanting to move to more advanced alchemy I noted a number of things.

Firstly, that certain reagents, or combinations of reagents, can produce an "Arcane Effect", also known as "Sparkles". This is a bit difficult to describe, but basically this opens up your recipe to the use of spells, instead of physical reagents. So, if you find a reagent that you can either produce or find that allows you to then combine it with magic, you can cut down on your costs substantially, holding in mind that cantrips are the cheapest and most versatile, for you may continue to cast them. Meanwhile, while you can use many spells of higher circles in your experiments the challenge comes in having enough of said magic to make these experiments worthwhile. And here again, just like in the case physical reagents, you might have a better outcome by casting a simple ray of frost instead of an ice storm. Lastly, each spell cast that is absorbed by the experiment counts in the same way as a physical reagent would. So, a combination of a physical reagent with two spells would count toward the three reagent minimum.

Secondly, if you managed to produce a reagent that leads to desirable results in your experiments it may be a good idea to keep experimenting with different common reagents because you may produce the same result more cheaply.

As an example, the alchemical produce that I simply call Alchemical Lump could be produced by myself by combining three pieces of worm meat, with two ichors and then casting a spell of flare. This was a labour intensive recipe, but necessary at first, because I knew of no other one. But, by pure chance I eventually found a different, simpler recipe to produce Alchemical Lumps by combining one ichor with three worm meats.

Thirdly, it is possible to find recipes for the same product that are much easier to perform. Granted a lot depends on your skill and available equipment, but this essentially means that if you find a formula that is too difficult to complete it may be possible to find an alternative path to it, that is much easier. As an example, on a number of attempts I found different recipes to create a Lesser Potion of False Life. In one case the formula called for the use of just three ichors, but achieving a desirable outcome was moderately challenging. Then I found a different formula that called for one piece of worm meat, two ichors and then two more pieces of worm meat, and this particular formula produced the same effect but was trivial in its difficulty.

This is why you must take notes while performing your experiments. Not only to not repeat your failures, but also to find the most efficient ways to achieve certain outcomes. 

Once you have gained a level of confidence with your experiments it may be time to try your hand with the use of Catalysts.

Chapter 2: Catalysts – Elemental Alchemy, and not only

Catalysts are described as objects that set your recipe down a certain path. As an example if you add a fire beetle belly you will gain access to outcomes related to the element of fire. Similarly using Spring Water grants you access to outcomes associated with water as well as frost.

By adding a Catalyst at the start of a reaction means that any other reagents you add will produce a reaction, or lack of it, associated with that element.

The Guide does note however you can add the Catalyst at any point of your reaction, so you could add it at the start, or at the end, or in the middle of it.

That said, a Catalyst is not the same as a reagent, if you add a Catalyst, and then only two reagents, you will have no outcome at all. The number of reagents must always be at least three. So, if you wish to add a catalyst make sure you also have three reagents to add to the mixture.

Here I will underline that the mysteries of when to add Catalysts is not entirely obvious to me. Many reactions that worked in Basic Alchemy do not have a similar reaction with the use of Catalysts. So, technically, if you find a reagent and magic chain, you could  perform it first, and then add the catalyst at the end, to save on physical reagents.

I am stubborn, however, and I add the Catalyst at the start of the recipe, for it felt like discovering a whole new form of alchemy, from the bottom up. However rediscovering the different interactions between reagents and spells from the start can be a harrowing experience, with no guarantee of immediate success.

The main challenge of using Catalysts is finding them. Most merchants will have a handful and they will usually expect hefty payment for them. It may be possible to find them when exploring or adventuring, but there is simply no reliable or certain way of obtaining a specific reagent in a consistent way, with one exception, Blood.

Blood drawn from one's self can be used as a reagent to practice Blood Alchemy. However, if you want to assume that Blood, something that often symbolizes life, is safe to use, you would be very wrong.

From the many experiments I performed I was nearly poisoned or diseased two dozen times. Other times the outcomes produced terrifying monstrosities that I had to dispatch. And very often the results produced troubled me greatly.

Blood Alchemy may be a good way of learning how dangerous Catalyst Alchemy can be, so when you attempt to approach it do so with great and absolute care.

Here I should finally mention the use of Accelerants and Fuel. Smouldering Ash is often identified as one such Accelerant. It can empower certain Catalysts, producing more powerful results, but not every accelerant can be used for every catalyst.

The Guide notes two examples of how Catalysts and Accelerants can interact.

By combining Spring Water with Fire Lichen your outcome will be of the Steam Element. Meanwhile by combining a Positive Energy Rod with Smouldering Ash will produce a more powerful product, connected to the Positive Energy field.

As such, what you can do is, find recipes in basic Alchemy that produce certain effects, and then add a Catalyst and any Accelerant to see what the outcome will be. As I have found, even though Basic Alchemy might produce something, adding a Catalyst does not guarantee success at all.

I have found that if you add a Catalyst first the reactions of certain Reagents will be different than in Basic Alchemy, so, if you find more reliable recipes in Basic Alchemy, add the Catalyst at the end to hopefully produce a beneficial effect.

Here I will underline, when you eventually wish to add a catalyst and accelerant, always do it in that order. Catalyst first, then Accelerant. Whether you wish to add the pair at the start, end, or middle of a recipe is always up to you. And of course, just like the Catalyst, the Accelerant does not count toward the three Reagent minimum. 

Chapter 3: Patience, Diligence and Organization

This may not be a chapter focusing specifically on Alchemy, but how you should approach Alchemy. When you begin your studies approaching Basic Alchemy may be disheartening because the vast majority of outcomes does not produce anything thrilling, and you might spend the most time with it.

Remember how I mentioned that I performed over 124 unique experiments, out of which 50 produced no beneficial results? Out of the remaining 74 successful experiments I only managed to produce 11 different products or beneficial results. I still sometimes managed to find something that felt unique, if not directly useful. It may be that there are some complex or rare combinations of reagents that could produce something incredible, but at this time I cannot confirm such.

It was not until I started using Catalysts that I began finding more beneficial results. At the same time, like in the case of my Blood Alchemy experiments, I performed 40 unique experiments, out of which 27 were failures, and the remaining 13 successful experiments ended up producing 5 different positive results, out of which 1 was special, I would say, and the rest disgusting.

The important of note keeping is crucial, as without it you might end up repeating the same mistakes. I would suggest, when designing a table, noting down what reagents you used, in what order, what was the outcome, how difficult it was to achieve, and if a combination of reagents produced an Arcane, "Sparkly" effect, note it down with a symbol so that you can go back to it and try using different spells to produce even more different results.

I would also avoid being neurotic or restless when it comes to your experiments. I know the thrill of discovery is a powerful one, however considering how often the results you may produce will be unsatisfactory I would advise you to gather catalysts and reagents and then have single, lengthy and productive sessions every couple of days, instead of running every single day to the lab and then leaving dissatisfied. I found myself in a more satisfied state after a lengthier series of experiments, instead of rushing in to do just one or two.

Lastly I would say that patience is the key to Alchemy. Luck may play a role in it, as you may discover a very beneficial formula by chance, but you might had discovered the same formula via consistent and steady testing. What I am trying to underline is, it would be easy to make a handful of combinations and find no positive result, and just give up, but you may have been just one more reagent or combination away from producing something new. If you truly wish to make that breakthrough or great discovery you must do so through consistent and steady testing. Like I mentioned myself, I have been performing these experiments for only a month, but the more I dabble the more outcomes I produce and I continue to ask myself the question, "What greater outcome could I produce and how do I achieve it? What great discovery waits just around the corner?"

Chapter 4: Protection and Safety

Basic Alchemy is the safest, for despite my numerous failed experiments the outcomes never caused me any harm, or to those around me. However, once you begin using Catalysts you must take different safety precautions, for your safety and that of others. Depending on which elements you decide to experiment with, what Catalyst you use, the negative outcomes of your experiments can differ greatly. Whether it's summoning a beast, a monster, or a powerful spell being released. Whatever the case, if you decide to use Catalysts, you must be prepared.

A combination of abjurations will not be an ill idea. A Shell, Protect, Mage Armor and Elemental Protection spell should form the basics of such protections. Increasing your Endurance can also help in case the failure is explosive. And lastly, in the event that something horrible appears, always keep at least one summon by your side, so that they can distract the monster while you conjure more help, or cast evocations to dispatch it.

When you perform experiments with specific Catalysts you may also find that using specific protections can be especially beneficial. For example if you decide to use Blood Alchemy using a spell of ironguts can protect you somewhat from possible diseases and poisons. If you perform experiments with Negative Energy Alchemy, then obviously drinking a Polarization potion ahead of time can ward you from any soul or strength sapping effects. If you know what you are up against then you can prepare for it, so plan ahead, and don't just try and rush an experiment without the necessary precautions. That is how many Alchemists met their untimely end. 

Closing Remarks

I would wish to once more recommend the Arcano-Chemical Aspirant's Guide by Itri Ablator. It was a book that got me started in this field, and its explanations and diagrams helped greatly in understanding the basics of alchemy.

The rest, that is, performing all of the experiments and finding favorable outcomes is entirely up to you. In many ways I found the study of Alchemy to be similar to the study of the Arcane. It's the combination of different reagents, in different orders, with different catalysts to produce varying effects. Sometimes a spell may fizzle, but once in a while you will find that beneficial combination and produce something outstanding.

That is the case with Alchemy, hundreds of different experiments that may produce nothing or little, and then a handful that you will be absolutely proud of.

But even as lengthy and extensive as this book may be, it does not cover everything. Some things you will simply have to learn and discover on your own.

Mister Wren,

 While our last outing may have not been very successful, I will do what I can to help your son study. While I am not a skilled Astrologist, like the Nadiri and Apothars of the Tower of Q'tolip I can at least provide some basic knowledge and understanding for your son to follow through on.

 He is still very young, and thus capable of learning much, but I'd rather not test his abilities with materials that can be overwhelming for a beginner.

 A good beginning to help him prepare for greater Astrological learning is to begin with stargazing. Purchasing a telescope or even a spyglass may be very expensive, so using his own eyes will be a good start.

 You should then purchase a star map. Some of these are less, some are more detailed, but you should try and purchase a basic one, that would mention and identify some of the primary constellations and stars.

 These constellations and stars, through the use of the map, can in fact help in navigation, so it would already be a somewhat practical skill.

 While there might be plenty of light pollution coming from the Well, the brightest starts ought to still be visible. Going away from the Well for stargazing can be very dangerous so I would advise against it.

 Ask your son to use the Star Map to try and identify the different stars and constellations on his own, or with your help.

 If you wish for him to have a bit of fun while doing so, suggest to him recording his own constellations or stars on the star map, and ask him to try and find them again on subsequent nights.

 I would argue that if one wishes to seriously study Astrology, knowing how to find these basic stars would be a proper beginning.

 There might of course be other phenomenon to observe, such as comets, falling stars, and so forth. I would encourage him not only to spot them, but try to identify them correctly.

 Let me know how these beginnings will go, and if he will have some trouble I will try to aid him. We can arrange a time.

Orin Vossar
Apprentice-Student of the Sandstone College

[The Acclimation Theory]

The Acclimation Theory

by Orin Vossar, Student-Apprentice of the Sandstone College

On Undead and Constructs – The Original Thought

While pondering on the Undead a thought crossed my mind, a question. How come these monsters, that are sometimes as little as bones, are still capable of using magic? Most creatures in order to cast magic need to be alive and thinking. They need to be aware of themselves using said magic, in order to repeat the process. Then I too looked at certain constructs, that seem capable of a limited number of spells. Perhaps not fully capable of learning or expanding on the magic they know, but there was a difference between Constructs and Undead, when it came to their respective magic use.

In the case of Constructs, they were built and prepared to cast magic. There are many constructs that hold no magic at all, and simply operate within their given parameters. I have yet seen some capable of casting limited magic, due to the runes and fuel stored or engraved upon them.

Undead on the other hand don't typically have the same excuse. Most undead who are brought back to life are simply fodders, using swords, axes, bows, whatever they may get a hold of. And yet some of them will be capable of casting magic, and usually, in such cases, it would be the bodies of dead spellcasters who retain such an ability to use magic, after animation.

One of the most common explanations is that during animation a piece of the original owner's soul is bound to their body, and due to that the undead can still continue to use their magic. Similarly, certain undead spirits can do the same, and they lack any physical body as such.

So the question remains, how can undead continue to cast magic, when, practically speaking, they should have no ability, or memory of doing so?

A theory began to arrive in my mind, one for which I cannot find a fully correct name but one that I shall for now call the Acclimation Theory.

The Acclimation Theory

Following Daoud al-Maaz's theory of arcane energy, and my own theories on "Raw Arcanum", I tried to look for a possible explanation as to why some are capable of casting more magic over others, and how some are capable of casting it at all, while others do not.

This will combine some observations, pre-ring fall, of a phenomenon known as Plane Sickness.

Plane Sickness, also known as Planar Sickness and Seam Sickness, was caused in one of two instances. Travel to other Planes, and a Wizard casting magic on himself or upon others. The use of magic in the past, in the form of Wizardry magic, relied heavily upon Planar energies, which, based on some speculation, escaped after their destruction at the hands of the Djinn, and now may, very well, be present throughout our world.

This planar energy is now everywhere, and thus magic is drawn not from distant planes, but from around us.

Holding that in mind, Planar Sickness was a dangerous illness, as it would "destabilize" an individual, and in the final stages, kill them. However, now that this is not present, at least not visibly, I wish to put forth this theory;

The doze of Planar Energy present while casting our magic, is greatly diluted. Further, it is served in such small dozes that over time our bodies grow more acclimated to it.

Daoud al-Mazz showed upon his drawings of "Passive Energy Wands", that they would draw Arcane energy from their surroundings, and pass it through themselves. In a way, I view Wizards and Sorcerers in a similar light. With the Arcane Energy present around us we "draw it" into ourselves while casting, and then expel it, in the form of a completed spell.

At first we seem only capable of casting a limited amount spells, which some claim is forgetfulness, power, exhaustion. But what if it was simply our bodies incapable of simply storing or "passing through" more arcane energy?

It would seem, in my mind, that most races are capable of casting magic, thus everybody is capable of storing a very small amount of arcane energy, but be unable to use it, as that requires the right triggers, training or "gift". However, those who continue to use magic have their bodies grow more accustomed to the strain, and, over time, they can handle and use more, and more arcane energy.

In essence, the Acclimation Theory is that over time our bodies adapt to use more and more powerful magic, the more we expose ourselves to it.

There is however a difference between casting a spell and having a spell cast on you. When you cast a spell raw magical energy passes through you. Meanwhile those who are on the receiving end of the spell receive the "filtered" product. Thus, a person who continues to cast more and more magic may prove to be more capable of casting more of it, over time, while a warrior who continues to receive a spell of Bull's Strength won't suddenly have the ability to cast magic.

In other words, Arcanists slowly "adapt" to magical energy, they grow acclimated to it. But this is not usually reflected in some physical change, I believe it might be a more internal one.

While grotesque, we can look at some examples of where such may be true, especially when we consider our previous thoughts on the Undead.

Shamanistic Fetishes – Monstrous Artefacts of Bone - Wands

 Among my many adventures I have both heard of and seen the use of bone fetishes by different monstrous races. Some of them, however, were notably made from the bones or body parts of other spellcasters. While many such objects exist, it seemed that those fetishes made from spellcasters were the most potent.

It almost seemed as if the bones or body parts were either more magically charged, or capable of storing more energy.

And while this may be a grotesque observation, many commonly made wands are made of bone. While it may be an aesthetic choice I believe that bones may be a natural conductor for arcane energy. And, while most creatures can store magic, to some degree, only those who truly delve into the arcane are capable of storing more of it. More expensive wands are often made of silver or gold, including certain other devices with magical, arcane, properties, which may suggest that they too are capable of storing arcane energy, though I do not know how we can compare their relative capacity.

Returning to the Question of the Undead

Holding the above in mind, we can theorize, at least in part, why skeleton mages may be capable of casting spells. Their "bones" are capable of more aptly conducting arcane energy, thus allowing them to cast spells.

This however does not address the question of ghosts and spirits that have physical bodies, at least not entirely. However, the simplest explanation I can think of is that there isn't a single organ, or body part, responsible for storing or casting magic. Instead the entire body, and even the soul, grows more capable of storing and using magic. Thus, a spirit, who has no physical body, is still capable of using magic, because, to some degree, its soul can store arcane energy to do so.

Based on this however one could assume that undead have a diminished store of the arcane, because the amount of "mass" they have is reduced. A skeleton has only its bones, a spirit only its soul, but considering the varying levels of power that these individuals may have had when they were still alive, a fraction is still plenty of power at their disposal.

The Nazaru, Sorcerers, Beasts and Familiars.

This chapter will be a little odd, as what do all of these groups mentioned above have to do with one another?

The Nazaru are a race of goblin-like creatures that are, as a race, incapable of casting magic. This in itself is fascinating, as one would beg the question, how can the Nazaru be incapable of using Arcane Energy at all? Could it be that they lack any sort of arcane conductivity? And if not that, what are they "missing" that allows so many others to cast magic?

With that in mind, the way the Nazaru go around their inability of casting magic is by forming pacts with the Djinn. These Marked Nazaru are often covered in tattoos, due to all the pacts they have formed. This gives them not only different empowerments but in some cases also allows some of them to become shamans or mages. However, it is clear that while they might know how to cast magic, how much they can cast of it depends fully on the Djinn Tattoos that they carry. A sort of artificial magical storage, without which they would be entirely helpless, at least in terms of magic. It could also be theorized that the Djinn, by living inside of the Nazaru like parasites, become leeches that drain their souls and life force, while also making available the arcane energy that they themselves can store. A sort of parasitic symbiosis.

Sorcerers are split between those who have been touches by the Arcane, in a specific way, or who have heritage that awakens in them, thus allowing them to use magic.

Their blood, in essence, is what allows them to both store and use magic. At first their blood could be called a crutch, but over time their bodies acclimate to the magic, and thus become more capable of casting more powerful spells, like wizards, and perhaps also undergoing certain changes due to their heritage, thus allowing for more such power.

Meanwhile among Beasts we have a handful of examples where normal animals suddenly become capable of using magic. One such example that I can think of are Arcanist Rats, as they are known. However, their existence could be due to something similar that the Nazaru go through. Rats have been used for centuries in all manner of arcane experiments. Perhaps over said centuries some of them were released, some of them escaped, and, these experiments having been exposed to more arcane energy than others may, somewhat like a mixture of both the Nazaru and Sorcerers, be capable of casting limited magic.

Thus a rat, "super charged" with arcane energy might not immediately show any arcane ability, but through following generations, also due to how unpredictable magic can be, some of them suddenly go through an "Awakening", and become capable of casting spells. 

Familiars on the other hand tend to be perfectly normal animals, in most cases, until they are bound to a wizard. The bond formed between them seems to change how the animal behaves, and familiars are known for gaining super natural abilities, and sometimes limited spell casting. There was, in the Well's history, an example of a Familiar that broke its bond and went on to become an independently powerful brooker, but I would say it is a similar case to the above. A familiar would had been a perfectly normal animal, if not for the exposure to magic. 

Racial Magical Heritage

I dare take a step further and say that, if the origin of magical use goes back to the inception of a race, or its early steps, so to speak, that some of them may be especially skilled in specific forms of magic, or particular schools, while others may grow more resistant to magic.

This again could tie in as to why certain races or creatures are capable of using magic more skilfully than others. Why some of them have more access to specific schools, or, in some cases, be incapable of using magic at all.

To name a few such examples;

Dwarves are known for being somewhat more resistant to magic than other races. Elves seem more resistant to spells from the school of enchantment. Gnomes are often seen as very skilled illusionists. Kobolds are often seen as having closer ties to the earth, and they are one of the few races who use Geomancers. Orcs don't only seem more acclimated to heat, but they have a greater than normal number of Pyromancers, showing some connection to Fire.

I would theorize that if we followed the history of each race, to its very roots, we could see the reasons for these specific traits appearing, what impacted their "development" in this path, and perhaps observe how each of them developed magic in their own way, how they were exposed to it, and how they used it.

Final Remarks

 While just a theory, I would hope that these observations hold some merit. Considering how we do not truly have an explanation for why with time the magical power of individuals grows, this is a blind jab at a vast and complicated topic. And while it may be tempting to begin examining the bodies of different monsters, to find some "magical organ" that could answer the question of arcane use, as with most magic, it might not be immediately obvious, or even visible. We may not have a clear answer, in our lifetimes, to this question, but there certainly seems to be some correlation between exposed arcane use and becoming more adept in using it.

And just like in other cases, if we consider ourselves conduits of arcane energy, as we grow more capable we can conduct and use more of it. But, if we try to overcharge ourselves, we may simply, explode, change from the maelstrom of energy that we cannot contain.

I would not wish to create an illusion that arcane energy in its raw form is safe, for it is not. Wild Magic has damned many to death and worse fates. So, our "acclimation" to it is not a quick or immediate process. We barely seem capable of using small portions of it. When we observe certain ancient magics, none of the wizards I can think of today could easily replicate that, and even some legendary personas, such as Q'tolip himself or the Golden Vizier of Kha'esh have their limits.

In short, while Acclimation exists, what we seem capable of is still greatly hindered by what we are, and strip a wizard or sorcerer from all his magical trinkets and you will see that the amount of magic they have will usually be trivial at best. 

[Introduction]

An Apprentice's Guide to Wizardry
by Student-Apprentice Orin Vossar of the Sandstone College

Introduction

Those who wish to achieve mastery over Wizardry have a long road ahead of them. The Arcane Art is one of mystery and beauty, but also dismay and treachery. Those who wish to learn how to perform such arcane miracles will take many years to begin understanding the basics, before they can even begin on their own path as Wizards.

The purpose of this tome is to explain some of the basics, to those who may just be beginning their journey, or those who ponder on taking that first step.

Much of what may be said here will not be for everybody, but like any art or craft, one must see the basics, the foundation of how the Arcane works, before they can begin creating something of their own.

As such, let us begin by discussing the different schools of magic.

The Schools of Arcane Magic

There are eight Schools of Arcane Magic. Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy and Transmutation. Those who study the Arcane as Wizards will either aim at understanding magic as a whole, not foregoing any specific school of magic, while others may choose to become specialists in a specific school.

When one chooses to specialize in a school they will traditionally be unable to tap into an opposing school of magic, trading away versatility for a more focused approach, allowing them to more effectively use magic associated with that particular school.

Let us look briefly at each of these schools, and what those who choose to Specialize in them tend to become.

Abjuration

Abjurers are specialists in protecting themselves and others from harm, through the use of shields, barriers and other beneficial enspellments. Their unique approach to magic also allows them to block planar creatures from persisting in our reality, being capable of banishing them. Further, they are capable of dispelling magic. Broadly speaking, while the School of Abjuration lacks in almost any spells that would allow an Abjurer to cause harm, they have a multitude of ways of stopping it from happening.

Abjurers are opposed to the School of Conjuration.

Conjuration

Conjurers, sometimes also known as Summoners, are capable of calling forth different creatures from the planes. A skilled summoner won't only be able to bind a greater number of creatures to do his bidding, but also be capable of keeping them at his side for longer, compared to other arcanists.

That said, Conjuration does not focus solely on the summoning of creatures, but also has access to a plethora of spells capable of causing harm, or disrupting a wizard's enemies.

Conjurers are opposed to the School of Transmutation.

Divination

Diviners specialize in magic that allows them to see hidden creatures, foes and dangers. Capable of observing those who would be hiding, whether nearby or in distant lands. Furthermore, Diviners have a better grasp in collecting and understanding knowledge, often seen as the wisest among Wizards.

However, as one might guess, the School of Divination, similarly to the School of Abjuration, lacks almost any spells capable of doing harm. While they have many spells that can aid a Wizard, the School of Divination might not help him defeat his foes, at least not directly.

Diviners are opposed to the School of Illusion.

Enchantment

Enchanters are known for manipulating and dominating the perception and minds of others. This allows them to control an otherwise dire situation, by turning enemies against one another, or to put to slumber a mighty beast. Here too we might see few spells that can directly harm a creature, which does not leave an Enchanter helpless.

Assuming that the foe they face has a mind that can be manipulated.

Enchanters are opposed to the School of Illusion.

Evocation

The single most recognizable School from among all the Schools of the Arcane. Evokers are known for their grand displays of destruction. Whether calling forth fireballs, ice storms or casting lightning bolts that pierce through numerous foes, an Evoker is a very present and powerful threat to any who would stand in his way.

While the School of Evocation offers a great many spells that allow a Wizard to harm another, there are a scant few spells that offer anything but that. One such exception being Shelgarn Spells that uniquely allow an Evoker to animate weapons to do his bidding, if for a limited time.

Evokers are opposed to the School of Conjuration.

Illusion

While it is a bit redundant to state such, Illusionists specialize in the use of Illusions. Whether to conceal themselves or others, or to convince a foe that they have been struck by a fatal blow, the School of Illusion affects the minds of others, but unlike Enchantment can still be used, under some circumstances, against those who lack a mind.

A powerful Illusionist could create scores of copies or clones of himself, while remaining hidden and out of sight. Many Illusion spells serve a Wizard, whether to keep himself or those with him safe.

Illusionists are opposed to the School of Enchantment.

Necromancy

Necromancers are most often known for the manipulation of negative energies. It is very difficult not to associate them with animating the dead, as that is one of the most common reasons why Necromancy, as a School, is banned in most civilized lands.

While it is true that Necromancy offers more than magic that allows one to create the undead, their spells can rarely be seen in a benign light. It is why my personal recommendation is to approach the School of Necromancy with great caution, and be weary of any grand promises that Necromancers can make when it comes to studying this particular School.

Necromancers are opposed to the School of Divination.

Transmutation

Transmuters may transform themselves, or others, according to their wills. Whether to strengthen a warrior, or curse somebody into a chicken, or perhaps turn themselves into a mighty beast. Much of transmutation focuses around change, for better or worse. It's a school that can manipulate the body, or objects, in a similar fashion how Enchantment focuses on manipulating the mind.

While there are certain spells from the School of Transmutation that allow one to cause harm directly, the majority of spells aim at strengthening or weakening others.

Transmuters are opposed to the School of Conjuration.


These few words upon each School do not do them justice. Before making a decision whether one wishes to specialize in one, over another, consider their strengths and limitations. Many Wizards opt to remain as Generalists, thus not limiting their selection of spells or magic, and instead embracing the Arcane as a whole. This may, to some, make a Generalist less capable in a single School, but if one desires choice and versatility then this is the path for you.

Now let us move onto a largely unexplored topic.

The "Language" of the Arcane

A spell normally requires two things in order to be cast. A verbal component as well as a Somatic one. In some cases an appropriate Reagent may also be used, but this differs between spells.

If one ever witnessed a Wizard cast his magic he would both utter the spell and perform a series of hand gestures, after which the spell would be cast.

It is important to note however that the gestures and words are not a random jumble of vowels or motions. There exists something that could be broadly called the Arcane Language.

Unlike a traditional language however it is not something that is typically used for record keeping or communication. Instead it is the means by which spells of many different forms can be cast.

An Arcane Scroll typically describes what manner of gestures and words have to be spoken in order to cast a spell, but only those who have studied the Arcane as a Wizard can comprehend and copy it. One of the first things an Apprentice will attempt to learn is this "Language".

There does exist an alphabet for it, as such, and there is a parallel alphabet of hand gestures to go alongside it, and while some such examples I will list below, simply understanding how to pronounce individual "letters" or how to perform a singular gesture will not be enough to successful cast a spell.

The reason why I call it a language is because if you were to read out a sentence in a tongue you have not learned, and you were even given the alphabet and how to pronounce each individual letter, you would not be able to pronounce even a single word correctly.

This is why simply offering a full Alphabet of "letters" and "gestures" means little, as one has to learn how to "read" and "speak" a language before they can communicate with it, understand it.

From these "letters" you must learn to form words and sentences. Then one must learn how to move from one gesture to another fluently. Through the combination of these two things can a spell be cast.

And the more skilled you become in the use of this language, the greater the feats you can achieve. A child may learn to read and write, but a writer, a poet, a troubadour, masters the language to create something unique and beautiful.

This also brings me to the matter that certain Wizards master the art of casting their magic without the need for verbal or somatic components. This however is a demanding art, and few ever truly perfect it, though it does allow some to cast their magic in unusual circumstances, such as when their hands would be bound, or when for one reason or another they are silenced and unable to speak.

See below a few examples of Arcane runes and hand gestures.

[What would follow would be a few individual runes and sketches of hand gestures, showing examples of the above mentioned "Arcane Language"]

When one finally learns the Arcane Language it is the time one can begin learning magic on their own. But, simple learning the Language is barely enough. One must practice and continue to use it, so that it does not dull or is forgotten.

Yet, the Arcane is not a simple thing, and while one might learn the basics of what is needed to cast spells there may exist phrases, runes or gestures that could be considered ancient and forgotten.

This is also omitting the occasional need for specific reagents or means to cast certain spells. For example, the need for a scrying focus when attempting to Scry, or of reagents needed to summon certain being into our world.

And while finding a scroll describing such an ancient spell may be a boon an unskilled wizard may not be capable of replicating it, which brings us to our next topic.

Scrolls, Wands and Spell books

The staple of any Wizard is his Spell book. It acts as your Thesaurus to the Arcane Language. Spells that you collect, discover or learn you ought write down within it, so that you may use them for your own reference, to repeat and copy them yourself. A Wizard's spell book is his most prized possession, and losing one may make it difficult if not impossible to replace.

Arcane Scrolls will typically describe the spell written upon them, allowing a Wizard of sufficient skill to replicate it, yet even if a wizard does not fully know how to cast a spell himself he can usually use even an ounce of his skill to unleash the spell stored upon a scroll.

The magical ink that is typically used to create such a scroll is like a powder keg that a Wizard can light. To others it might simply be a piece of parchment, but to a wizard it is a tool, or a piece of knowledge.

The magic stored on the scroll, ready to be unleashed, just needs the right trigger, and when that occurs all the magic stored within is released, destroying the scroll in the process.

The difference between a scroll and a wand is that a wand keeps the raw energy of the spell stored within itself, while a scroll is like a spell that will cast itself.

Because of their study of the Arcane Language, any Wizard is capable of recording their own scrolls. Yet it takes a degree of skill and mastery to create wands. It is also a very expensive and difficult process, especially in the case of more powerful spells. Even then the stored spell will typically be weaker than what a wizard would be capable of casting himself.

To some there is still a benefit in creating wands, as they allow the stored magic upon the wand to be cast again, and again, in rapid succession, and it is typically also faster than trying to unfurl and activate a scroll.

However, one cannot learn magic from a Wand, and a scroll is required for a Wizard to add a new spell to their spell book. 

Raw Arcanum and Casting Magic

You may now understand that in order to cast a spell one needs to know how to utter it and what gestures must come with it. Then, they must learn what a spell actually requires to be cast. But even with all of this knowledge presented before you one cannot cast the same spell indefinitely.

The Theory of Raw Arcanum is that a Wizard has a limited capacity of how many spells they can cast before they are depleted, unable to use more magic.

An apprentice may be limited in what they are capable of casting, and it is related to their own skill and understanding of the Arcane.

That said, there exist in the world objects that allow one to tap into more Raw Arcanum, allowing them to cast more magic, where others might be unable to.

These may be pieces of clothing, ancient relics or artifacts, foci or something as simple as a stave created from the right material. Some objects may be saturated with magic, while others allow a Wizard to focus more, thus be able to draw upon more magic.

This is where the clearest difference between specialist and generalist wizards may be seen. A specialist can typically only prepare very specific spells, in order to be cast, while a Generalist may use his deeper understanding of the Arcane as a whole to restore some of his magic, delving deeper into the Raw Arcanum, to cast more spells.

Here too, those who would seek to gather objects with the Aspect of the Apprentice may find themselves capable of replenishing their supply of Arcanum, at a slow rate, allowing them to cast far more magic than what any other wizard is capable of casting.

It ought be also noted that most wizards have access to a very shallow and near endless pool of said Arcanum, which is what allows them to cast and recast cantrips endlessly. Cantrips usually consume so little Arcanum that it does not restrict their other spellcasting, and even when nothing else is available, any Wizard is at least capable of casting these most basic spells.

The Journey from Apprentice to Wizard

The main reason why Wizards take on Apprentices is to pass on the basics of magic to those who may grasp these complicated notions. Understanding the core, the basics, of casting magic is but one facet of Wizardry. The Arcane Language is something that takes a long time to perfect, even to the most gifted of students, as a single slip or mistake can make a spell fail or misfire.

More powerful and proficient Wizards may have spent decades perfecting the Arcane, and such knowledge comes with a price. There is a reason we often imagine Wizards as hermits, living secluded in their towers. The privacy and environment of their home allows them to continue their studies unhindered. Even with an Apprentice present, they might seem dismissive and unable to truly communicate as an ordinary man would.

Yet, if one thinks this is unusual, many masters of artistic crafts may seem equally hermit-like and distant. Remaining in their workshops, working upon their works of art. Apprentices who join them may witness their masters crafting these creations while unable to yet fully grasp as to the method.

But those who are willing to be patient with their teachers, heed what wisdom and knowledge they share, and most importantly, do a lot of self-study may break out of the mould and graduate from mere apprentices to real wizards.

Yet, even as I write this, I never felt I left being an Apprentice, even after my teacher sent me out into the world. The Arcane is vast and complicated topic, that very few may ever fully grasp in their lifetimes. Especially here, in the Ash desert where the Ancient clashes with the Modern, so too can one suddenly learn of magic so mysterious and incomprehensible that even somebody whom we view as a Master may not fully understand it.

Closing Remarks

There is still much that I could not touch upon in this book. Alchemy, brewing of potions, arcane rituals, but many of these topics are things that Wizards tend to embark out to, or learn on their own. Not everybody wizard is a potion brewer, not every one trains with alchemy or herbalism, and while many dream of performing great and powerful rituals, it is a complicated topic that could not be simply stuffed or added into such an introduction to the Arcane.

If you are certain that you wish to follow this path, to try and become a Wizard, the first step to take would be to find a Wizard willing to teach you these basics. It is exceedingly rare, if not impossible, for one to learn all of this on their own. And many times over you have to prove your ability for learning and curiosity in order to persuade a wizard of your worth. And all the while, aside from the learning, you will have to act as a wizard's helper and assistant, often doing gruelling and unrelated work for him, some perhaps expecting to be paid for their time teaching you.

But at the very end of it all, after many years, you may be able to claim the title of Wizard.

[Summoning – Introduction]

[A collection of essays, written by a student Orin Vossar of the Sandstone College. Mostly short and to the point, touching on many matters of the Arcane, as part of his studies in the College.]

Summoning – Introduction

 The summoning of creatures to aid a wizard in his multitude of tasks is a staple among many arcanists, specifically so amongst conjurers or summoners. Beings thus summoned can perform a plethora of tasks, from aiding in simple daily chores to engaging in truly dangerous or lethal undertakings.

 The challenge of using such help effectively comes in two forms:

Firstly, finding a way to conjure them to a satisfactory level. As I have observed depending on the base reagents that you use the resulting manner of beasts, their strength, complexity or skills will differ.

 This in lay terms is often described as "circles" of summoning. The higher the circle the more powerful the summon.

An example; a quartz crystal can be used as a reagent to summon an Earth Elemental. It acts as a core reagent which allows you to, every time, summon an earth elemental. However depending on other components that you use the power, or grade, of the elemental will increase. Thus, the quartz is only the means to summon a specific type of creature, while your deeper understanding, practice of summoning allows you to call forth more powerful creatures.

But the act of summoning a creature is but the one thing. The second matter is keeping it at your side, for as long as it is plausible to do so.

An inexperienced mage may be able to call forth different creatures, but how many he is capable of controlling, and for how long he is capable of binding them for, is a different matter. Thus almost any wizard can call forth a plethora of magical or mundane creatures, but only those who truly dwell on and study the art of summoning become capable of calling forth and controlling, for extended periods of time, entire armies.

There are many different types of beings that one is capable of summoning, and how this occurs can be classified into three groups. First are the summons or elementals that the arcanist has grown a close attachment to, and can freely tap into. Thus certain mages may be free call in different elementals, animate furniture and clothing, while others will have to use one of the two remaining methods.

The next most obvious method are reagents. Simple single use objects that have a connection to a specific creature type, like the afore mentioned quartz crystals. Other components I have observed were spider eyes and dog drool. If not certain of the magical properties of an object, or whether it can be used as a reagent, there are special powders that react with such reagents, thus identifying them as conjuration reagents.

The last category is a bit more complex. These are typically tomes that describe, in detail, how to summon certain creatures. But, it has been observed that other objects can be "tapped into", thus allowing an arcanist to conjure different creature types, connected with said object, without using it up. Akin to a permanent reagent, or a focus.

In these two categories, reagents and foci (permanent reagents), some may be stronger, some weaker. Some thus allowing a summoner to conjure more powerful creatures, while some will only summon inferior ones.   

It is important to experiment with different creature types and forms, to find their strengths and weaknesses, to best apply them to the task at hand. Granted there are also forbidden forms of summoning, such as those who call forth undead spirits, or other hate-filled beings, and it would be the task of a teacher, or master, to guide a student away from such practices, or to help them avoid making a very grim mistake.

To the esteemed members of the League of Gold,

 It is said that tragedy to some is opportunity for others. Arslan may be free, while also bankrupt, with much of its machinery broken, but that should not stop us from creating a foundation for business and profit.

 We ought be aware that the war is still ongoing, and it is unlikely that we will be able to do much until Iakmes lies dead. Yet, it does not change the fact that we are offered a golden opportunity.

 No doubt the Tutors of Arslan will come, asking the Legates for funding, but, and while no doubt such investment will be paramount for the stability of our Vassal, we ought look for ways to profit as well.

 As far as I am aware, the Gem Mines are out of our hands directly, as they belong to a private company. However, offering to deliver them materials and machinery for swift repairs may allow for a quick profit.

 Further, every lord has their own plans and desire that they cannot speak of loudly to their masters. With their coffers empty offering appropriate "loans for favors", such as limiting who can deliver appropriate good and machines to the gem mines, might be a suitable angle.

 No doubt, we won't be alone upon this stage, and no doubt there will be those among you trying to jump ahead and try to claim the "prize" for themselves.

 Yet there is only so much individual merchants from Ephia's Well can accomplish, but we, as a League, could achieve much more.

 I would propose a League Meeting in the coming days where these ideas may be discussed.

 Among some of the ideas that may be brought up:

1) Delivery of Building Materials to Arslan, alongside labor (we have no shortage of laborers squatting outside of the Rose Gate). Could see whether we could redirect some of the stone from the Quarry toward this as well, perhaps alongside the blessing of the Legates to make a profit out of a heap of rocks.

2) Purchase, restoration and renting of properties. No doubt the heavy losses incurred by the populace does mean there are many abandoned properties. Their purchase by us would be a short-term boon to Arslan's treasury, and a long-term benefit for ourselves. It may sadly also be the case that many fo the properties are damaged or ruined.

3) Prospecting for other resources/materials/goods around Arslan. Perhaps aside from the Gem Mine we may be able to find something else of note and worth.

4) Resettlement of refugees. In case Arslan will have a shortage of manpower we can offer to transport our own to Arslan for a suitable funding from the Pyramid, as I doubt Arslan will have the funds to cover such. We would also have to include security for this, and who can tell what the state of the roads will be after the war.

These are just some early ideas, but I believe that even these budding notions can be expanded upon. We ought consider them, for the sake of profit and growth.

Intern-Secretary Catalina Calza

Legate Lhyrian,

 While the incident yesterday may have come as a surprise to the Crown Princess, it should not had come as a surprise to any of us.

 Looking through the scope of a Modini, Kha'esh has been on a rampage to garner more power and influence from the early days of the war. Now that they have gained it, it may be difficult to pry it from their hands.

 It is clear that Arslan is the main prize, while the Quarry, to my own eyes, is such a minor topic I do not know why it was even presented before such an Assembly. Most of the controversy surrounding it is so trivial I beg myself the question whether it's not used as a distraction by one of the players present.

 And yet, while we are at "war" over Arslan, we near the end of the conflict of Iakmes. Everybody knows that. There will be a lot of prizes to fight for, when the dust settles, and therein lies the problem.

 Baz'eel and Kha'esh both will claim rights to many a different things. To territory, to treasures, to all manner of things. We are also in no position to play a significant enough role to gain almost anything for ourselves.

 The balance of power is crushingly in our disfavor, which may seem odd considering our investment in this War, but from a purely political and diplomatic standpoint, we are a warhound unleashed by Baz'eel. And while the leash may be loosened to allow us to conduct some limited diplomacy of our own, or to take decisive action in some matters, we are still by our master's side, for if we stray, we are given the rod.

 Holding that in mind we ought consider a few likely scenarios and answer a few basic questions.

 Firstly, a balancing act, of investment versus victory. Every side in the Union wishes the War to be over, and I doubt any side will want to pull away, as that would be a dark mark on their standing and reputation, both today and in historical records. As such I doubt that Khe'sh will pull out of the war, as that would mark them as Pariahs, abandoning their allies at their time of greatest need, against a world ending cataclysm.

 Which of course brings us to the matter of balance. Kha'esh may not be interested in the War being Lost, but at the end of it they do not wish to be in a position of disadvantage. The moment Iakmes falls to the ground may be the most critical. If our own forces are exhausted, specifically those of the Well, and Kha'esh seeks blood or immediate demands in spoils, I do not know whether the Legion forces present will be enough to safeguard us, and all of the assets present in the War Camp.

 If Kha'esh turns on us, as the War ends, both our forces in the Scald, and our own City, may be exposed to an attack. Baz'eel may no doubt observe any such movements, but I would not guarantee that they will be quick enough to react, if they are willing to hand over secret missives to people like Oswick.

In short, Kha'esh may excuse its forces from any final assault, claiming to be in reserve, letting its allies be broken and withered. Or, if they do send any forces, it will be those they find to be expendable most. If we cannot learn of their plans and intentions, or hear even any rumors from the mercenary forces in the Scald, there are too many unknowns.

On the other side, Kha'esh may decide to commit fully those forces in the Scald, if only to gain legitimacy over more spoils, just as they did at Arslan. The question being whether Bet Nappahi is at all a priority for them, or whether they just wish to focus on what they can easily gain and control, Arslan. 

Which brings me to my second matter.

If we are afraid of what the current situation may lead to, once the War is over, it may be good to have a sit-down with those of any modicum of power and responsibility to prepare a suitable exit strategy, without any surprises. We assume that Kha'esh wants to gain something after the War, as does Baz'eel. We may have to come to terms that there will be nothing left for us, but if we can perhaps make the two come together at least we will avoid a tragedy.

The Theater we witnessed yesterday was of course troubling, which is why now is the time to try and see what cards each side has, and what they may intend to do.

Baz'eel wants Arslan. Only because they claim that we are to "rule over it" does not mean much. Much like a father giving his favorite toy to his son, they may play with it, but the moment the father disapproves he will take it away. And frankly, unless somebody wants to be exiled for high treason, we would just nod and hand it over.

Kha'esh wants Arslan. They claim to have conquered it, even though more than one side was invested in fighting for it.

Do we want Arslan? We can barely govern ourselves. And while there are some apparent riches in the city itself, gems if I am not mistaken, I doubt we will get to keep them.

Granted there may be something in Arslan that we are not aware of that skews the whole vision. People of the Desert are so obsessed with Collosi artifacts and mysticism, I would not be surprised if Arslan was home to something everybody else finds important, and to me it's just a pile of rocks.

Thirdly, we should ask ourselves what we want out of this war. Not what Baz'eel wants, not what Kha'esh wants, but what we want. We are heroically sacrificing our people and resources, but to what end?

Granted, as I mentioned before, we were warhounds, unleashed by Baz'eel, expected to return back at their singular call. But that doesn't mean we should return empty handed.

 And I will not accept the rhetoric of "We did this for the desert and its people". Iakmes is a threat, yes. That doesn't mean we should pretend to be Oathtakers and allow Baz'eel and Kha'esh to take everything, while we receive only some manner of scraps, if anything at all.

 It really does not help that our city is split apart between numerous factions. Even if we wanted to make such a decision somebody else would object. I would say that this decision lies in the hands of the two Legates that the people elected.

 The outcome of this war may very well depend, not via performances on the grand public stage, but what you and Alexandria might achieve through whispers.

 I will try to see the Warmaster's thoughts as well, as I imagine she too is aware of the situation we find ourselves in.

 Let us make the best of our current situation.

Catalina Calza
Intern-Secretary of the Gold League

Legate Lhyrian,

 I bring a spot of troubling news, as it seems matters between the League and the Banda Rossa are souring. A brief talk with Luther over recent events brought about the topic of the Banda's support during upcoming elections, and whether they should not blacklist the League from future cooperation.

 As you are one of the highest ranking Gold League members currently, as Fabio tends to be focus on more mundane duties, it may be worthwhile to address this matter before it does spiral further.

 While it is not my place to impose strategy on behalf of the League, I feel that one way or another a resolution to the ongoing "battle" regarding Luther has to find some manner of conclusion.

 Holding in mind your political standing and future, the Gold League might be concerned if the Banda's potential support is lost. That said, it may be difficult to lift up a second Gold Legate in the coming election regardless. But an angry band of mercenaries is rarely a good thing, and while right now they might refuse to support us during elections they are also free to escalate.

 Granted, this is also Luther saying the Banda might consider such actions, but whether the Capitana will want to go that far is another question. But I still urge to look for an end in some form.

 It may be a battle where there are no true victors, so I suggest looking for how to get most, if not everything that you want.

Intern-Secretary of the Gold League
Catalina Calza

To the Dutiful and Honorable Janissaries of the Fourth Legion,

 I write on behalf of Legate Vellyn Lhyrian. She, and I, have brought certain topics before you, yet no response was yet received. While we understand that the pursuing of the conflict against the Orcs is of highest import, we would not wish for our work to be unfinished, or be seen as neglected in your own eyes.

 If you need more time, it is perfectly fine, but we would welcome a response that you are still taking matters into consideration, and just need more time to find a suitable solution.

 At the same time, if you would need a personal meeting with Legate Lhyrian, do not be afraid to get in touch with either me or the Legate herself.

 Our doors are always open to you all.

Humbly,

Intern-Secretary Catalina Calza

Dear Deputy Chief Scribe Bashir Khatara.

 I have seen your work, and heard of your legendary prowess when it comes to the art of the needle. I would wish to commission a dress. Something unique, and beautiful. I know that your going rate is only a thousand dinari, but I would be ready to prepare a greater sum of funds for something far more unique or exotic.

 I hail from Il Modo, as you may have no doubt heard in passing, so as you might imagine I have a certain preference for Modini style of dressware. That said, I'd not wish to obstruct your vision.

 I confess, my idea for the dress may be impossible, for I seek both beauty and utility. While a dress is usually envisioned as something one would wear to a ball, to a formal meeting, I'd wish for it to be also practical, if danger were to appear from any corner. While my formal training was that of a servant, a secretary one could say, I just as much took to bladework. In a world of both political and literal cuthroats, one must be ready for anything, at any time.

 While the analogy to a rose is of course most adequate, beauty combined with sharp thorns, we could look for other inspirations. Perhaps among birds, where some of their kind are indeed beautiful, with songs that inspire artists, but talons and beaks sharp enough to disuade all manner of predators.

 Here I ought underline, by "utility" I do not necessarily mean any form of strong reinforcement. I do not believe we will have to replace any parts of it with any sturdier leather. But, perhaps pouches or pockets to hide a blade, or other useful trinkets could prove useful. A way for the dress not to restrict movement too much.

 Also, would you happen to know whether anybody in the Well specializes in the making of masks? I was thinking of preparing a small Opera play and I was a bit inspired by the representation of Death as a Jackal, from the Wheel Twindari faith. As such I was wondering whether anybody does make such masks, or would be willing to produce them.

 With warm and best wishes,

Catalina Calza

To the Warmaster Mirielle Rosseau, and Legates Komemnos and Sayburgh,

 While the conflict in the Scald is ongoing I wished to offer my report to you all as well as observations and notes regarding our skirmishes and assaults in the Scald.

 Firstly, while this was never put into doubt, the Rust weapons work best when employed in greater numbers. During yesterday's skirmish against a Titan we had a sizeable group, but I also armed four of our skilled warriors with said Rust weapons. According to the comments offered by those present, once the effect of the Rust became more prevalent, it became easier and eaiser to overwhelm the Titan. Its defences failing.

This is of course of benefit, and employing the weapons in sufficient numbers against the Titans can greatly shorten an engagement. However, the issue may rise that we need sufficient numbers of supplies to withdraw the weapons. I expended my own reserve greatly, and it would take me time to recover the necessary supplies.

A possible solution is to perhaps elect a number of individuals who would delivery the supplies and then be capable of withdrawing the necessary equipment to those who are to take part in battles or skirmishes. Though of course it also creates an abstract situation where we have a Quartermaster to handle the affairs with the Camp Quartemaster.

 Secondly, and this is related to the supplies. It seems to me that some people may be hoarding war supplies intended for the Scald. I have ran into some people who would sell great numbers of them, and the cost usually depends. Seems the price that most find agreeable is 200 dinari per bundle. While I am willing to spend any amount of gold to see our skirmishes through, if I focus upon our skirmishes I in turn cannot earn the necessary gold to purchase them.

 This is not a rule however. Sometimes when I would check the status of available supplies at the Scald there would be a varying amount deposited already, but there would also be days when nothing would be found.

 In one notable example, when the Board seemed especially poor, a full day or two passed without any supplies being delivered. I had to then spend a full 3000 dinari to obtain those necessary supplies to organise a skirmish, from those who hoard them.

During these "droughts" if the Pyramid or the War Council could handle compensation for acquiring War Supplies, when necessary, it would be a boon, and not halt our progress of the War.

 Thirdly, I am pleased to report that during all recent engagements that I lead losses have been largely minimal. At most one or two injuries. This has kept spirits high and most times when Rallies are called forth we are not short of men. I have also began to develop a system for more calm and stable loot and treasure sorting, that helps minimize any conflict at the end of it. However, with the amount of work already upon my head, I sometimes do not have the strength to see it through to the end. I will see whether I can organise something akin to a "Treasurer" who would help manage the sorting and rolling of loot, after battles.

 Lastly, This has become an ever more vocal issue. While our artillery when used well is extremely effective, we are still suffering from issues of friendly fire. There are three main issues here that I see:

I - The Artillery is almost always short staffed. At times we have only one Artillery Operator without a Spotter. This leads to great delays between the flare being fired, and the artillery firing. We had a number of cases where a Flare would be fired upon a suitable target, but by the time the artillery would hit the target we would be there already, resulting in friendly fire. We would need a dedicated Spotter and one or two artillery operators, who are also trained in the use of artillery.

II - We sometimes have highly inexperienced Flare Operators, who do not only lack experience in the operation of the Flare devices, but also do not use them in the most efficient or safer manner possible. I would suggest, just like in the case of the artillery operators, that we identify the best individuals to use them, so that targets chosen by the Flare Operators are "safe", and do not lead to accidents.

III - In a number of cases I tried to hold back or restrain a rapid advance of our troops, but it is true that, especially if we have Evokers, an Orc defense can be cleared out in seconds. So, by the time the Flare is fired, and the Spotter relays the information to the Artillery, the Orc position might be already gone. While the Artillery is very good, when it comes to targets that cannot be immediately reached (on walls, over chasms, behind solid defences that we cannot destroy) they become dangerous to use when facing normal barricades, or even when targeting "chokepoints". I have seen Flare Operators firing their flares, with good intention, at Towers held by Orcs that we would try to scale, but our warriors would often reach the tower first, before the first artillery even hit the tower. If anything the artillery would even pause an advance, while we observed, wearily, whether the artillery did not already fire upon a Flare that stood in our path.

This however falls into the matter of training and instructing both our Flare and Artillery operators, so that we can prioritize safe targets, instead of those that sadly lead to accidents.

We did not have a chance to use the Flares in a defensive manner, and I feel that, in some cases, it might prove more useful than on the attack. Targeting the approach points of the enemy, or simply firing "afield" to shatter any orcs foolish enough to run through our open field, while we hold our defensive positions. This would sadly conflict with our cavalry tactics, that help disrupt enemy formations, and hunt down their shamans, and it could be dangerous to our warriors as well, who often happily charge ahead of our defenses, to engage the orcs almost as soon as they enter the field.

This is the report I wished to offer, and points that I wished for both the Legates and the Warmaster to consider.   

Toward Victory,

Former Legate Marcellus Saenus

[A brief note, rather than a letter, delivered to the First Seat]

I heard of the incident involving the Edict Board, among them the destruction of the Springtime Promise. As I understand it, the Promise did not survive even a handful of days before being annulled. While I understand that many of the other Edicts may have been put into question, why did you agree to the destruction of this particular document? Did it hold no importance to you? It certainly should had.

I expect no answer.

Marcellus Saenus

*A plain and simple letter sent to Tlonsiyya, lacking any official markings as such*

To whom it may concern,

 While the city has ordered and I hope funded the Respirators and other needs and equipment for the purpose of our crossing of the Scald, I would have a special personal request.

 At the time of writing this letter I was informed that my Son, Ricky Saenus, has departed for the Scalding as part of the Big Chum mercenary company. While I fully trust the mercenaries to care for their own he is still my son, and I'd wish to avoid any harm coming to him.

 As such, I would wish to ask whether a Respirator can be provided for him, if an appropriate payment is offered.

 Marcellus Saenus

Warmaster,

 The situation feels dire, and I worry we are not doing enough to prepare for what is to come. Yataghan informed me he was concerned about the lack of preparations on our side. Lack of war council meetings, and so forth. We must change that.

 I understand that you are a busy man, and I know you heard of the matter of me offering myself as a Warmaster, but as it stands the Legates are both clashing with one another, and things are going nowhere.

 As such, I beseech you, if you are unable to pursue your duties as Warmaster at this time, choose one of your men, or anybody else, to act on your behalf. We are at War, decisions will have to be made, battles fought. If our own allies are starting to doubt our own preparedness I fear for the future of our campaign.

  Act on the words of this letter as you deem fit, but please heed my pleas. We are at War, and we cannot afford to stand idle. Time passes by us when we should be acting.

Please.

Marcellus Saenus

[Model Gaming Tournament]

*A number of posters are seen hanging around the Well and at the War Camp*

Model Gaming Tournament

Kanön Hray 18th, IY 7788

Special 3v3 Scenario – The Red Hill

Two Teams shall face off as both Ephia and its allies against the Sibilant Legion.

Will you rewrite history?

Free Drinks and Snacks.

No Entry Fee.

Legates,

 I write to you not as a man hungry for power or influence. Not as somebody who'd wish to take the honor of the seat of Warmaster from a man who has already done much for the Well and its people. I do not wish to sound a schemer, or a tyrant, nor can I fully consider myself the right man for such a position.

 However, as some have suggested I would wish to propose myself as the Warmaster for our Well. The intense hatred between the Janissaries and the Banda, the conflict between their members, it all may spill out into the battle, though I do hope it shall not.

 Colmes while present on occasion has at the same time been often absent, difficult to get a hold of. I have often been present in the Well, and while I also know I am not on the best of terms with all in the Well I do have a few simple desires.

 I wish for us to be victorious, and I wish to avoid as many losses as we can.

 It was my desire to try and rally our own people before the march through the Scald, to fund and equip them, supply them, but then I wondered, along with those suggestions, whether I would not do more good were I in command.

 Whether we would succeed or not with me at the helm, only the gods know, but if you deem it necessary to find a new Warmaster, somebody to lead the war to its conclusion at this stage, I would propose my own candidacy.

 It would perhaps restore some of the peace to the Well, if the two most dominant powers in the City would be unable to quarrel with one another for this seat.

 Axes high,

Marcellus Saenus

Dutiful Students, Knowledgeable Professors,

 I seek information about the Scald. I wish to be prepared for it, knowing well that while the Orcs may pose a very real threat I expect the Scald has threats of its own. If there is any such information you can share I would heed it, as I may have need of it, very soon.

Live and drink,

Marcellus Saenus

Dear Rashid,

 I seek knowledge regarding the Scald. The books I have purchased from your previously, and other local sources seem to be lacking. As such I'd wish to ask whether you have any of your own knowledge regarding the Scald to share, or to sell.

Live and drink,

Marcellus Saenus

Dear Jamileh,

 I know you have been busy with your archaeological works, but I was pondering whether you would wish for a small side-project.

 While it is clear our next destination will be the Scald, the recent outbursts by the Accord and Legates leaves me with a feeling that we will be ill prepared for this journey. From you I would ask for something like a comprehensive report on the Scald. Not just general information, from the point of view of any flora, fauna or dangers that may be within, but also more broader questions of safely crossing it.

 To put it plainly, I need to prepare us for this crossing, and information, knowledge about it will be priceless. If you are willing to undertake such a project let me know, I can offer you compensation for it.

 Live and drink,

Marcellus Saenus