Birthmonth 15th 6:30 PM, 289 of the 29th age. The group arrived in Sparkhouse, the seat of gnomish airship manufacturing as well as magical experimentation and research in the Gnomish kingdom of Nightwoods. We disembarked from the Lightning Cart and after asking around, found that a local inn called Long Horse Inn would cater to “Tallies” (non-gnomes/halflings/dwarves).
The city itself was situated in a clearing about 4 and a half miles in diameter. No building was taller than 70’ in height, and we could count 11 different wizard towers. There were no trees, and no birds, nor were there any airship docks. The center of Sparkhouse was dominated by the massive Moonspire, a single edifice 300’ in height that started at 40’ diameter and quickly narrowed to almost a needle like point.
Long Horse Inn was proprietored by a human name Lugari Long Horse. He’s the distant son of a magic using family who currently runs the Long Horse School of Alchemy here. We were able to arrange a room for all of us (at a very decent price) on the 3rd floor. Room 4. Dinner and breakfast included. We went up to take a look. The inside seemed larger than the room should be when looked on the outside. The beds were soft, blankets thick, pillows comfortable. Vibrating hooks shook the dirt from our clothes where it was whisked away by softly sucking vents below. Even a tub was here, warm water available on tap.
We went down to the Common Room, listened to the harpsichord playing minstrel, ate a really good meal, got instructions to the towers of magic. There are 11 – 2 for each school, and one for the school of Archmagery. The schools also didn’t correspond to ours or what we knew – Thaumaturgy, Alchemy, Magic, Sorcery, and Wizardry. There were no mentions of air, earth, fire, or water.
We were told about the Moonspire. At midnight, the moonspire collects magic sent down to it from a sister spire on the moon, powering the massive batteries, lathes, gears, and magics under Sparkhouse. On the moon? Apparently, ancient gnomes took a spelljammer up there, discovered the moon was a repository of untouched magic, but the chaos of it was too wild and when the ores were collected, it wrecked the ship. So a sister ship had been sent up to save the gnomes there and a big undertaking was employed. Using some thaumaturgic principles, 2 versions of the moonspire were created at the same time – one here and the other on the moon. Then at midnight the massive influx of magic would fire down here to be collected.
We went to the roof before midnight to watch it. Sure enough (others were there as well) at 1 minute prior to midnight the base of the Moonspire glowed in a red and purple light that made its way swiftly to the top where @ the stroke of midnight, a long shaft of brachiating lightning arced out of the obsidian sky and flared into the Moonspire, where it was channeled down the edifice and into the ground. For 10 solid seconds we could faintly hear humongous flywheels race up to speed somewhere below as well as some groaning before it all calmed down and the night was calm again.
Wow.
We rested well and the next day, Birthmonth the 16th, headed off to the magic district. Wanting to know a bit of what had been mentioned to us last night, we headed to the Bardarian School of Thaumaturgy where we got an education of magic and the 7 rules by a gnomish Thaumaturge named Mendainicus.
To gnomes, there is a different ordering of magic. Magic comes in two flavors – innate and learned. Everyone has some version of innate magic – whether it’s a bit of luck at dice, knowing when it's going to rain, able to make cookies perfect every time, even just remembering the words to jokes.
Learned magic – the Arcane version (doesn’t matter sorcerer or magic user) is derived from 7 principles. There are 5 distinct schools of magic.
Thaumaturgy is the first school and the magic user must exhibit cunning. What we know of as transmutation and necromancy are magics that fall under the umbrella of Thaumaturgy. There are 2 principles: The Principle of Sympathy – it dictates that Like Produces Like. And The Principle of Contagion – it dictates that Once Together, Always Together. Long and short the first means that affecting a small thing can affect a larger thing, and the second means that if you have a small piece or copy of an original, you can affect an original. A cunning mage can find connections and paths to really make this school work well for them, but over extending is possible to kill the mage.
Alchemy is the second school and the magic user must exhibit perseverance. The one principle is The Doctrine of Signatures – it dictates the Attributes Without Mirror the Powers Within. Long and short, every ingredient, component, reagent or the like has some version of a physical power that can be used to infuse not only potions and inks, but spells as well. The problem with potion making is that no matter how much preparation one puts into place, there is always a random factor that no mage can completely overwhelm, and each iteration of creation and brewing is a chance for failure. Even simple potions have 4 iterations of brewing, while some of the more difficult ones can have up to 14 steps of refinement.
Magic is the third school and the magic user must exhibit logic. What we know of as enchantment and evocation are magics that fall under this umbrella. There is one principle: the Maxim of Persistence – it dictates that Perfection is Eternal. Long and short, rituals must be exact and performed without error. Item creation, ritual magic, and synergistic magic with apprentices feature heavily here. A logical mage is needed here because the adherence to steps, logic, and able to function amidst distractions make a good practitioner to the School of Magic.
Sorcery is the fourth school and the magic user must exhibit bravery. What we know of as abjuration and illusion fall under the purview of Sorcery. There is a single principle and even in our time it is a known maxim: The Rule of Three: Thrice Spoken, Once Fulfilled. Mind control, charms, everything in magic has a three time price and it must be paid. It takes a brave mage to exhibit the level of control and discipline to be a skilled Sorcerer and is known as one of the more difficult schools.
Wizardry is the fifth school and the magic user must exhibit Strength. What we identify as divination and conjuration fall under wizardry. Two principles guide it: The Law of Ubiquity – it dictates that Flame Permeates All. And the Law of Dichotomy – which dictates Dominance or Submission. Long and short the first indicates that the act of piercing the veil of the prime material plane required the burning of something. Flame, whether within the mage of material component – something must be burned to weaken the fabric or reality for the magic user to slip through. The second says that in each transaction, there is a master and a slave – if you do not have the strength to get the answer or control you need, then you are the lesser wizard and risking much on your attempts.
We went to the Long Horse School of Alchemy where Alchemist Nain went through what was available, explained some of the ideas and needs of the typical alchemist, and we horse traded quite a number of items (including long held Bandersnatch rock skin) for healing potions, potions of heroism, portions of positive energy and the like. We then went to the Fire Style School of Magic where we talked with Hoses and we traded and purchased other items from them. Earring to talk to animals, rings of spell storing, rings of protection, even a girdle of masculinity/femininity. We did not get the bowl of watery death even though it was open to purchase – just seemed like a horrible idea.
We were going to go to the Therbaric School of Magic next as they generally make magical weapons, armor, and the like. As of now, it’s Birthmonth the 16th, 2:45 PM
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