Difference between revisions of "Sundering"

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[[Category:Magic]]
 
[[Category:Magic]]
 
[[Category:Created by Ruin]]
 
[[Category:Created by Ruin]]
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[[Category:Created by Vesper]]
  
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[[File:Sundering2.png|center]]
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[[File:Sundering1.png|center]]
  
  
  
 
==Introduction==
 
==Introduction==
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The general term for manipulating Sunderscraps, Sundering also touches on the ritual hunting of mages for the Marks of Control they possess. These markings are Sundered from the very soul of the mage, resulting in Sunderscraps which are then corrupted by Magithermal Entropy into Relics, tortured artifacts notorious for the decimation of entire armies.
  
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In comparison to most other magics, Sundering is very new to the world. It has existed for thousands of years in more primitive practices, but not nearly as expansive as it is in the current year.  
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Sundering is new to the current age. Long ago it was the well-kept secret of the Ald’Norai, an edge that helped to dispense shock and awe as a tool of war. Since the fall of elven dominion, it has become infamous as the most amoral application of World Magic. Many regions ban Sundering with the penalty of murder without proper licensure. Others such as Daravin and the Grisic Empire cruelly endorse it.
  
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Sundering is the general term for tampering with [[Fragments]], though it has carried many different names in the past. The practice is often viewed as controversial, even on an individual basis, for its ability to harness Arcanacrags, but also the creation of Sunderscraps. While some countries condone the execution of mages that the darker side of Sundering necessitates, others aggressively rebuke all aspects of the craft for that reason alone and seek retribution against all its practitioners. Regardless of the stance a country might take on Sundering, it cannot be denied that the benefits the Sunderer provides are revolutionary.
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==Origin==
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With the fall of the Ald’Norai, their technologies were lost to flame. The passage of time brought ruin to the greatest innovations of Sundering, and soon even the knowledge to Sunder a Mark of Control was lost, and Sundering fell into obscurity for a time.  
  
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A lot like [[Necromancy]], Sundering has held back the world on the exploration of traditional sciences, as the convenience of Fragments has historically fulfilled the need to innovate new technologies.
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Partway through the Fragmenting Revolution of the current age, Sunderscraps slipped into existence with a shudder. The crystallized ether of a mage was rediscovered in Daravin, and Candor spread the word like wildfire. Fragmenters abroad learned of its existence and began to hypothesize its inner workings, and soon the first corrupted Relic of a new age came to be, the process co-opted by both the wielders of the Mark, and the Grisic Empire which hunted them.
  
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==Origin==
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==Sundering Instruments==
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Some tools within the Sunderer's Kit are derived for the purpose of murder. Unlicensed possession of Sundering Instruments may be equated to the intent to commit murder, or even treason. Only in the Grisic Empire are these tools fully legal without license, as the practice of sacrificing mages is regulated elsewhere out of fear.
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'''Sunderstrike:''' The most well-known tool of the Sunderer, a Sunderstrike is a basic tool for the conversion of a Mark of Control to a Sunderscrap. The stake is made of pure brass with a lens at the hilt, coating a sturdier material beneath that is capable of plowing through bone and musculature.
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'''Sunderwell:''' This vast, deep centrifuge of dark iron is coated along the inside with hundreds of brass mirrors, then filled with Lightwater which naturally circulates into a neverending whirlpool of glowing waters. The Sunderwell is built expressly for the conversion of mages to their myriad of Sunderscraps. '''The Sunderwell is a rare structure that cannot be purchased. It is not a part of a Sunderer’s Kit.'''
  
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It should come as no surprise to any that know them that the Ald'Norai were the first to unlock the hidden knowledge that was Sundering. Arlain, previously known as Indorin, the homeland of the Ald'Norai, is rich in copper and zinc, both metals used in the creation of Brass, a metallic alloy similar to gold in appearance. Though largely inexpensive and plentiful, the alloy made the perfect conductor for the magical effects that Arcanacrags could produce. Early tools were made entirely from brass and later evolved to transfer the effects through less conductive metals like iron and steel.----
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'''Tonal Susser:''' A handheld claw-like contraption of black iron with deep brass engravings upon the exterior of the claw mechanism. When the claw is clutching a Sunderscrap, it will thrum with soft vibrations when within range of an active mark of control of the same kind. It is used optionally with the Sunderstrike to hasten the process of Sundering.
  
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Fragmenting was the original name of the art as it dealt solely in the application of Arcanacrags, which was the only Fragment available for the majority of history. It is well known that Fragmenting was made by no intention of the Gods, and instead came to be when the first Hyr'Norai discovered the crystalized remains of Noradac and all the wild and bizarre properties they had. They were plentiful at the beginning of mortal existence but became rare and obscure as the Mortals became more populace. The stones that provided so much in the form of benefits were very finite, and only so many had been discovered. As Such, Fragmenting gradually tapered from a common life skill that nearly every mortal knew and practiced, to a specialized art that very few understood or even knew about.  
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==Sundering==
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Sunderscraps are produced through the act of Sundering. This entails the location and restraint of another being in possession of a Mark of Control. The point of the Sunderstrike is thrust into the heart of the mage where the Mark of Control meets the soul. This is done through the back, through the ribs, or through the sternum.
  
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Then, everything changed after The Bleeding of Venedak. It was discovered that Noradac, the Spirits, became Arcanacrags when they were slain. A series of great hunts were launched over a period of only fifty years, and Arcanacrags were placed in the hands of ambitious scholars and scientists. With a much higher floor of education than early society, scholars across the world discovered alternative uses for the Arcanacrags. The Fragments that were once considered to be indestructible, could be manipulated and altered to bend and shape other Arcanacrags to the will of the crafter.
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Once the heart is touched by a Sunderstrike, the mage’s arcane stamina dissipates to nothing. The body becomes steadily inoperable, the conscious victim forced to feel as their ruptured heart struggles to pump, ears ringing, eyes drawn wide with shock. Wriggling and pushing aside the ventricles of the heart for several moments, the Sunderstrike will hum violently with vibrations once it finds the traces of a Mark reaching towards the soul. The mage may choose between Marks of Control, each flaring brilliantly with light as the Sunderstrike bumps different connections.
  
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These Scholars, or ''Fragmenters'' as they were named at the time created specialized tools that could bend and shape Arcanacrags as they saw fit. Anvils and hammers capable of doing so became common in the castles of kings and the palaces of emperors. When [[Arch Hollows]] were discovered, and the supply of Arcanacrags only grew as rulers and usurpers sought to claim control of them where they appeared, Fragmenters only innovated more and more with the crystallized essences, and eventually discovered means of refining and purifying the corrupted fragments collected from the Hollows.  
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The Mark of Control will begin to have its presence crystallized from the soul with prolonged contact by the Sunderstrike, hardening the heart into a jewel of potential, a Sunderscrap. As the mage dies, the Sunderscrap is formed embedded upon the tip of the Sunderstrike, ready to be plucked from the victim’s chest. The Tonal Susser may channel a held Sunderscrap or Relic with the same Tone to immediately crystallize a Mark of that type directly from the soul on contact with the heart, hastening this entire process from several seconds down to just a couple of heartbeats.
  
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As new technologies and applications of Arcanacrags began to explode in popularity, Sunderscraps slipped quietly into existence. The crystallized ether of a mage was discovered in Daravin, and though the existence of such a thing was tried for secrecy, the workings of the Candor found the truth, and word spread like widlfire. Fragmenters all over the world learned of its existence and began to hypothesize how something could come to be, and what its applications might entail. And with their reserves of knowledge and research, they found the answers they sought.  
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A Sunderwell may be employed to harvest multiple Marks of Control at once, drowning victims in churning Lightwater and crystallizing every Mark within the mage’s body in one go, the flesh and bone disintegrating to nothing except for the Sunderscrapts themselves. Once drained, the Sunderscraps in the shape of the mage’s many organs: heart, stomach, spleen, brain, lungs, kidney, liver - one for each Sunderscrap - may be retrieved. This entails the risk of parading captured mages across the countryside, often executing many at once in a public display. Sunderwells are rare objects maintained by large institutions. They cannot be purchased and must be constructed by a Master Fragmenter aware of the necessary Convergences.
  
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A new branch of Fragmenting was founded. ''Sundering'', as it was called, was built with a focus on mage hunting, and the gathering of Sunderscraps by extension. Lorien's Fragmenters saw the most growth in this practice, and because they didn't care for the well-being of mages that were executed in the acquisition of the Sunderscraps, no innovations toward the longevity or sparing of the donor mage were looked for, but only greater tools purposed for the murder and cannibalization of a mage's ether.  
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==Relics==
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Powerful artifacts of tightly bound corruption, Relics are the result of harnessing and further tainting Sunderscrap energies - Magithermal Entropy - towards specified qualities. These objects may be capable of immense fireballs, repulsion of force, or other wonders dependent upon the Sunderscrap used in its creation.
  
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The weapons and armor created through Sundering changed the tides of war and decimated opponents that relied on steel and bullet alone. Quickly, it was established that Lorien's innovations in the efficiency of extraction and destruction of mages were a superior means of obtaining Sunderscraps, and the wild arms race that was the Sundering Revolution hit its head.
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'''Tonality:''' The natural resonance of a Relic is its Tonality, the ‘Tone’ of the Relic referring to the Sunderscrap that was used to create it. This governs the strength and type of abilities it may channel, and sometimes even the weight of the object. Many Relics possess a ‘Grace Period’ indicating how long one must wait for the Tonalities to be activated in succession.
  
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Now, Sundering is the common name for the practice. Scholars are usually divided politically on the art, as some regard it as a World Magic, and others, a blasphemous misuse of the Mark of Control. It is both lucrative and dangerous to study, both as a Fragmenter and a Sunderer for various reasons.
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Every Relic exhibits an aura shimmering across its surface with effects detailed in the write-up for that Sunderscrap. Furthermore, the stronger its Tonality, the more the object will ‘sing’ with the qualities of that magic, offering a soft hum or even a grating screech to those in its presence, chirping ever more loudly when the abilities are actively channeled.
  
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==Tools==
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'''Structure:''' The structure of the Relic is dependent on the base object. This can be anything from a sword, to a piece of armor, a pair of gauntlets or a ring. Each separate object must be on one’s person in order for the Relic to channel its abilities. Darkforging will then multiply these structural values; steel will be tougher than iron provided the skill and Tonal Strength are similar. These enhancements will almost always warp or twist the object into something that looks artfully offensive.
  
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Though the majority of Sundering is performed through the use of raw Arcanacrags and Sunderscraps, there are a few tools that the Sunderer makes use of to make their lives easier. Though it's possible to create one's own tools through the use of Arcanacrags, it's extremely time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive to do so. Modern sundering tools are much easier to create with tools that already exist.  
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'''Shattering:''' The destruction of a Relic is referred to as Shattering; its energies lash out violently from the broken surface in an explosion that leaves the surrounding area awash in corruption. Those caught in the blast will suffer burns as well as (1) point of Mageblight per tier of the Sunderscrap used in its Strickening.
  
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'''Fragment Catalogue:''' A staple in any Sunderer's kit is some form of documentation to record the applications and uses of all the Arcanacrags and Sunderscraps in the world. While this is not a magical item, it is strongly recommended to just about every aspiring novice that they start one of these as soon as possible.  
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==Mercies (Tools)==
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The dark tools for the Sundering of Relics, Mercies are similar, yet fundamentally different to those of Fragmenting in the way they utilize Magithermal Entropy to mimic the Mark of Control through a Sunderscrap. Many Mercies serve the dual purpose of torturing people, inflicting pain and Mageblight.
  
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'''Shaping Bench:''' A large anvil, almost akin to a table in its size, often carved and engraved on the faces where work is not performed. Anything placed atop the Anvil will gradually accumulate heat and glow with power. It will take on the malleability of iron while red hot, and cannot be directly struck due to a layer of hardened air that cushions all attempted blows. Despite this, striking at the material in contact with the Fragging Anvil will force the material to yield and become reshaped as if it were a piece of heated iron. The pinnacle of this tool's usefulness is in its ability to allow the reshaping and molding of Arcanacrags, which are thought to be otherwise indestructible.  
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'''Mercy Suit:''' The Mercy Suit is a collection of safety equipment that all Sunderers must wear. Most striking is a blackened, beak-like mask of smooth dark iron covering the entire face used to lens all facets of Magithermal Entropy towards the visual spectrum, informing the Sunderer’s actions. Upon the torso sits an apron of plated metal sheets and a thick, brass lined robe contributes even more protective layering against the corrupting energies. Unwieldy gauntlets of dense metal lined with arcane circuits are used to shield the Sunderer from the lapping tendrils of Magithermal Entropy. These are worn for nearly every process, as direct exposure will mean certain death or contamination by Mageblight.
  
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'''Dividing Rod:''' Where the Shaping Bench falls short is in its inability to cut the materials placed upon it. The divining rod excels at this task but must be used in conjunction with the Shaping Bench. The tool is a single metal pick-like object, akin to a heavy iron chisel. When gently tapped against an object that is set atop the Shaping Bench, it will form an etheric line the whole way around an object. The glow of the etheric line varies in hue, depending on the material it's set upon, but it's normally a stark contrast for visibility. When the etheric line is tapped a second time, the cut is confirmed, and the material is split down the etheric line. The etheric line recedes and vanishes within a minute if the cut is not confirmed and must be re-applied. If another part of the material is struck, the previous line is erased, and a new one is formed.  
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'''Isotopic Chamber:''' A compact, pyramid-shaped forge for use with Strickening. Tiny brass mirrors line the rounded internal structure of the forge, arcane circuitry flowing behind every panel to carry the raw, Magithermal Entropy of Sunderscraps towards the tip and focus them into a beam.
  
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'''The Etherforge:''' An enormous tower-like contraption that stands as a staple in any Sunderer's kit. Akin to a blast furnace in shape and design, but often built with a door that leads to access to a cavity within the tool. Sunderdust is introduced to the machine through a funnel on the side. When ignited, the forge glows with a golden flame. While the flame is not nearly as hot as the environment created by a regular blast furnace, anything fed through the top of the machine (Which is often accessed with a ladder, a pulley, or a stairway) is burned to ash and forms salt-like dust from the substance in the receptacle beneath. Even Arcanacrags can be reduced to their dust state with the application of this machine.
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'''Strickening Chains:''' Chains of alternating brass and dark iron are hung from dark iron hooks screwed into the ceiling above an Isotopic Chamber. The weapon, object, or raiment to be enchanted is bound in these chains, suspended above for the process of Strickening.
  
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'''Melding Hammer:''' Another tool that must be used in conjunction with the Shaping Bench is a large, engraved hammer. It's often used as a means of combining Arcanacrags to achieve a variety of creations. Two separate objects must be placed atop the Shaping Bench for at least a minute before work can begin. Once they have become malleable enough, the Sunderer must use pliers to hold both materials, then hammer them together. For Arcanacrags, this process is often strenuous and labor-intensive as it can take some time to convince the different energies to meld, but this is usually easy for other, more mundane materials.  
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'''Tonal Maiden:''' A large man-sized cabinet of dark iron filled with an innumerable number of resonating prongs and brass focusing circuitry, a Tonal Maiden is operated by dozens of dials and levers for use with Flaying, tuning and strengthening a Relic towards its potential.
  
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'''Sunderstrike:''' It usually takes the form of some kind of dagger-like instrument, but others occasionally creep up as other stabbing weapons like pikes and swords. The larger the metallic working piece, the longer the process takes. For that reason, daggers and needles are usually favored by the Sunderer. Whatever the tool is made to resemble, it must be able to break through bone when thrust, and must possess an oculus somewhere for the Sunderer to peer through and a dial near the oculus for manipulation. To activate, the tool must be thrust through the chest of another being with a soul in its body and held in place for ten to thirty seconds. If the tool is removed at any point, the process ends and the victim isn't converted. If the Sunderer succeeds, the victim is paralyzed and is slowly brought to die as their body is compressed, hardened, and crystallized.  
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'''Lightwater:''' Derived as a byproduct from Fragmenting, Lightwater is used with Darkforging to make a Relic reel with repeated quenching, rendering it vulnerable to the Scab and Keelbrand. Sunderers must source their Lightwater from Fragmenters.
  
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'''Hacking Bellows:''' A large set of white bellows with a tube that leads from the device like a hose, that can be fitted to a jar or any sort of container. When fitted to the Etherforge, it can be used to extract corruption from the object within, and deposits concentrated radioisotope in whatever container is attached to the hose. It is advised that the Sunderer regularly washes their Hacking Bellows, as they can quickly become corrupted and bring illness to the aspiring Fragmenter. They are white to aid in the sighting of corruption within the contraption.
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'''Scab:''' The Scab is a menacing tool of dark iron with several protrusions and bends upon the flanged, curved end. It is used with Darkforging to tweak, twist, prod, and jab a Relic to torture away its structural weakness.
  
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'''Shimmer Trough:''' This dark iron barrel or vat can be filled with virtually any fluid, and over the course of a day, all the fluid inside will be converted to an etherically infused substance known as Shimmershine. Shimmershine acts as a protective layer to whatever is dipped inside, or rather, everything that isn't dipped inside. The fluid, when made to utterly and evenly coat an object, will prevent the radiation of corruption from the object. It can then be polished down and buffered safely with mundane tools akin to waxing a surface, which produces a spectacular and colorful shine. This is easily removed with additional friction, as the protective layer is by no means permanent and not intended for field use.  
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'''Keelbrand:''' A pair of twisted dark iron prongs with many awful teeth, the Keelbrand is used with Darkforging to gnash sections of a Relic towards finer points, honing its sharpness.
  
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'''Fixing glass:''' The tool comes in a variety of designs, but most often appears as a spyglass with a fantastic and colorful-looking lense. While it can in theory appear as a monocle, a set of goggles, binoculars, and even a magnifying glass, the working lense will always appear bright fluorescent green. The tool allows the Sunderer to refine Fragments by peering deep into the structure of the amalgam and aligning them with the twist of the lense's rim.
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'''Scaphist:''' The Scaphist is used with Malefaction to cast multiple Sunderscraps together using Lightwater as the catalyst. This is a spherical dark iron vessel covered in window-like dials for tweaking the energies within towards a singular essence.
  
 
==Processes==
 
==Processes==
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Those that learn the Mercies of Sundering are usually supported by an institution or else their own desire for revenge or power, as Sundering is both expensive on the wallet and taxing on the soul. Sunderers who begin as accomplished mage hunters, artisans, and Fragmenters will have an easier time approaching this field due to the need for Sunderscraps, well made creations, and Lightwater that these trades yield. Every process in the creation of Relics ultimately makes use of at least one of these labors.
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===Strickening===
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To Stricken an object is to convert it into a Relic. Hung from Strickening Chains above, an Isotopic Chamber is fitted with a Sunderscrap and placed beneath. Magithermal Entropy will begin to circulate within before erupting as a  beam of light from the top-most point of the forge. As the Sunderscrap disintegrates, its information is imparted through the corrupting beam, irradiating the object above.
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The Sunderer must be wearing the Mercy Suit as they turn the would-be Relic over by hand, irradiating every possible surface with focused light as they intimately expose the object to their soul through touch. Sunderers suffer unavoidable Mageblight because of this, ascending (1) point on the Mageblight graph for every Relic created. Understudies can be invaluable resources for this reason.
  
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There is usually enough energy in a single Sunderscrap to Stricken a large weapon, two small weapons, two gauntlets or boots, a piece of torso armor, or equivalently sized objects. The resultant Strickened Relic is dangerous but rapidly decaying, the untuned abilities subjecting those around it to moderate Mageblight at the slightest touch to bare skin. If the Sunderer fails to coat every surface in Strickened light, then the object will explode in subsequent steps. Strickening is learned at Novice.
  
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==Sunders==
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===Flaying===
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The process of tuning the corrupted energies of a Relic with sound, Flaying is accomplished by placing a Strickened Relic within the Tonal Maiden, then adjusting the internal prods to hold the Relic in place. The door is then shut, and the Sunderer begins to adjust the dials as necessary, reading and binding the resultant Magithermal Entropy. This process is incredibly loud, akin to screaming as dangerous energies rattle violently within the machine, threatening to explode if overtuned. The visible tendrils of corruption will begin to wrap and bind tightly to the Relic as they are Flayed before disappearing altogether, rendering it resistant to further tuning, fully functioning, and safe to wield.
  
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Flaying allows the Sunderer to tune for Utility capabilities at Novice, and eventually they learn to impart Offensive and Defensive Tonal Types as well by Apprentice. By Expert, a Sunderer is able to halve or double the weight of a Flayed Relic purely by adjusting its Tonalities. The maximum Tonality Strength is dependent on both the skill of the Sunderer, and the tier of the Sunderscrap used. Flaying is learned at Novice.
  
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==Impact==
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===Darkforging===
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Darkforging is the art form for torturing structural improvements into a Relic. Lightwater from a Fragmenter must be obtained and poured from a dark iron vessel upon the Relic, awakening its Magithermal Entropy. Once those tendrils of corruption begin to rise from the sizzling surface, the Darkforger may take the Scab to twist, prod, bend, stab, and strike the corruption into submission until the object is far more durable than normal. Similarly, the Keelbrand may be used to squeeze and stretch the points and edges of the Relic and its corruption to render them more deadly. Both tools horribly disfigure a Relic, contorting its surfaces and edges into twisted abominations of uneven bends, pock marks, dimples, and angles.
  
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The Relic hardens itself towards Lightwater faster the weaker the Tonality Strength is, becoming impervious to further change without Shattering. The amount of additional sharpness and structural improvement a Sunderer may impart upon a Relic is directly tied to skill and the tier of Sunderscrap. Only a Master may Darkforge a Relic that appears without disfigurement.
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===Malefaction===
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The merging of Sunderscraps for the purpose of imbuing Relics with multiple properties, Malefaction is performed with the Scaphist by inserting up to three Sunderscraps within the device and drowning them in Lightwater. The energies within are then manipulated by dials to harmonize the Sunderscraps until they begin to melt and crystallize with the surrounding waters. The result is a spherical, artificial Sunderscrap with the tonalities of each. Three of the same mundane Sunderscrap can create an Artificial Sunderscrap of the next tier, and Artificial Sunderscraps are impervious to further merging.
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Relics made with multiple Sunderscraps merged into one tend to ‘sing’ more loudly than their counterparts, and one made with several powerful mages could be deafening to the point of nausea in its presence without being encased by additional shielding.
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==Progression==
  
 
===Novice===
 
===Novice===
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A Novice Sunderer is often someone of questionable morality. They will spend their time hunting and learning about newly initiated mages and the many Marks and Sunderscraps derived from them. They will use Sunderscraps to learn Strickening and Flaying, operating the Isotopic Chamber and Tonal Maiden under the watchful guise of a mentor to avoid disaster in the creation of their first Relic.
  
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At this stage, they may only impart Utility Tonality upon a Relic, unable to progress beyond T1 Tonal Strength. It is no more durable than a normal item, and thus faces the heightened risk of being Shattered.
  
 
===Apprentice===
 
===Apprentice===
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Apprentice Sunderers begin to study the art of Darkforging and its intricacies, seeking out Fragmenters for coveted Lightwater. They have a more detailed understanding of Strickening and Flaying, the risks to them mitigated through experience. As a hunter, they can begin to operate the Tonal Susser with some measure of success provided they have the correct Sunderscrap, allowing them to specialize in hunting specific types of mages.
  
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An Apprentice Sunderer is capable of imparting T2 Tonal Strength from T2 Sunderscraps, and they may begin to impart Offensive or Defensive Tonality types. Darkforged Relics from T2 Sunderscraps are half again as sturdy and sharp as the original item.
  
 
===Journeyman===
 
===Journeyman===
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As a Sunderer begins to fill the shoes of a Journeyman, they have become menaces to the mages around them, often sickened with Mageblight from several Strickenings. They begin to dabble with Malefaction, merging Sunderscraps together to create Relics with multiple Tonalities.
  
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The Journeyman Sunderer may impart T3 Tonal Strength from T3 Sunderscraps, and their Darkforged Relics from T3 Sunderscraps are twice as sturdy and sharp as the original item.
  
 
===Expert===
 
===Expert===
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The Expert Sunderer is often a true wretch of Mageblight. They are sought by many, either to be a patron of their craft, to employ them as a torturer and hunter of mages, or to bring about their end. At this point, a Sunderer’s skill with the Tonal Maiden is so remarkable that they are able to Flay half the very weight from an item, or else double it. Their Darkforged items can begin to look somewhat normal, if still villainous.
  
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Expert Sunderers may impart T4 Tonal Strength from T4 Sunderscraps, and their Darkforged Relics from T4 Sunderscraps are three times as sturdy and sharp as the original item.
  
 
===Master===
 
===Master===
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The Master Sunderer is a strange thing. Perhaps a dozen in the entire world openly admit their existence, and many of them are Blighted or other abominations. The scarce few that serve the Omen of Lorien, the Grisic Empire, or the Daravinic Entente are the disfigured and rotting husks of men and elves conspiring to bring about the downfall of powerful mages. Their Relics can be as beautiful as the sins enacted to create them, throbbing with their auras and singing powerfully with haunting melodies. The Tonal Abilities these Relics wield are capable of true wonder or utter catastrophe.
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Master Sunderers may impart T5 Tonal Strength from T5 Sunderscraps, and their Darkforged Relics from T5 Sunderscraps are five times as sturdy and sharp as the original item.
  
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==Related Articles==
 
==Related Articles==
  
 
* [[Fragments]]
 
* [[Fragments]]
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* [[Arch Hollows]]
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* [[Fragmenting]]
 
* [[Spirits And Dregs]]
 
* [[Spirits And Dregs]]
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* [[Magic]]
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* [[Magic List]]

Latest revision as of 05:04, 25 March 2022


Sundering1.png


Introduction

The general term for manipulating Sunderscraps, Sundering also touches on the ritual hunting of mages for the Marks of Control they possess. These markings are Sundered from the very soul of the mage, resulting in Sunderscraps which are then corrupted by Magithermal Entropy into Relics, tortured artifacts notorious for the decimation of entire armies.

Sundering is new to the current age. Long ago it was the well-kept secret of the Ald’Norai, an edge that helped to dispense shock and awe as a tool of war. Since the fall of elven dominion, it has become infamous as the most amoral application of World Magic. Many regions ban Sundering with the penalty of murder without proper licensure. Others such as Daravin and the Grisic Empire cruelly endorse it.

Origin

With the fall of the Ald’Norai, their technologies were lost to flame. The passage of time brought ruin to the greatest innovations of Sundering, and soon even the knowledge to Sunder a Mark of Control was lost, and Sundering fell into obscurity for a time.

Partway through the Fragmenting Revolution of the current age, Sunderscraps slipped into existence with a shudder. The crystallized ether of a mage was rediscovered in Daravin, and Candor spread the word like wildfire. Fragmenters abroad learned of its existence and began to hypothesize its inner workings, and soon the first corrupted Relic of a new age came to be, the process co-opted by both the wielders of the Mark, and the Grisic Empire which hunted them.

Sundering Instruments

Some tools within the Sunderer's Kit are derived for the purpose of murder. Unlicensed possession of Sundering Instruments may be equated to the intent to commit murder, or even treason. Only in the Grisic Empire are these tools fully legal without license, as the practice of sacrificing mages is regulated elsewhere out of fear.

Sunderstrike: The most well-known tool of the Sunderer, a Sunderstrike is a basic tool for the conversion of a Mark of Control to a Sunderscrap. The stake is made of pure brass with a lens at the hilt, coating a sturdier material beneath that is capable of plowing through bone and musculature.

Sunderwell: This vast, deep centrifuge of dark iron is coated along the inside with hundreds of brass mirrors, then filled with Lightwater which naturally circulates into a neverending whirlpool of glowing waters. The Sunderwell is built expressly for the conversion of mages to their myriad of Sunderscraps. The Sunderwell is a rare structure that cannot be purchased. It is not a part of a Sunderer’s Kit.

Tonal Susser: A handheld claw-like contraption of black iron with deep brass engravings upon the exterior of the claw mechanism. When the claw is clutching a Sunderscrap, it will thrum with soft vibrations when within range of an active mark of control of the same kind. It is used optionally with the Sunderstrike to hasten the process of Sundering.

Sundering

Sunderscraps are produced through the act of Sundering. This entails the location and restraint of another being in possession of a Mark of Control. The point of the Sunderstrike is thrust into the heart of the mage where the Mark of Control meets the soul. This is done through the back, through the ribs, or through the sternum.

Once the heart is touched by a Sunderstrike, the mage’s arcane stamina dissipates to nothing. The body becomes steadily inoperable, the conscious victim forced to feel as their ruptured heart struggles to pump, ears ringing, eyes drawn wide with shock. Wriggling and pushing aside the ventricles of the heart for several moments, the Sunderstrike will hum violently with vibrations once it finds the traces of a Mark reaching towards the soul. The mage may choose between Marks of Control, each flaring brilliantly with light as the Sunderstrike bumps different connections.

The Mark of Control will begin to have its presence crystallized from the soul with prolonged contact by the Sunderstrike, hardening the heart into a jewel of potential, a Sunderscrap. As the mage dies, the Sunderscrap is formed embedded upon the tip of the Sunderstrike, ready to be plucked from the victim’s chest. The Tonal Susser may channel a held Sunderscrap or Relic with the same Tone to immediately crystallize a Mark of that type directly from the soul on contact with the heart, hastening this entire process from several seconds down to just a couple of heartbeats.

A Sunderwell may be employed to harvest multiple Marks of Control at once, drowning victims in churning Lightwater and crystallizing every Mark within the mage’s body in one go, the flesh and bone disintegrating to nothing except for the Sunderscrapts themselves. Once drained, the Sunderscraps in the shape of the mage’s many organs: heart, stomach, spleen, brain, lungs, kidney, liver - one for each Sunderscrap - may be retrieved. This entails the risk of parading captured mages across the countryside, often executing many at once in a public display. Sunderwells are rare objects maintained by large institutions. They cannot be purchased and must be constructed by a Master Fragmenter aware of the necessary Convergences.

Relics

Powerful artifacts of tightly bound corruption, Relics are the result of harnessing and further tainting Sunderscrap energies - Magithermal Entropy - towards specified qualities. These objects may be capable of immense fireballs, repulsion of force, or other wonders dependent upon the Sunderscrap used in its creation.

Tonality: The natural resonance of a Relic is its Tonality, the ‘Tone’ of the Relic referring to the Sunderscrap that was used to create it. This governs the strength and type of abilities it may channel, and sometimes even the weight of the object. Many Relics possess a ‘Grace Period’ indicating how long one must wait for the Tonalities to be activated in succession.

Every Relic exhibits an aura shimmering across its surface with effects detailed in the write-up for that Sunderscrap. Furthermore, the stronger its Tonality, the more the object will ‘sing’ with the qualities of that magic, offering a soft hum or even a grating screech to those in its presence, chirping ever more loudly when the abilities are actively channeled.

Structure: The structure of the Relic is dependent on the base object. This can be anything from a sword, to a piece of armor, a pair of gauntlets or a ring. Each separate object must be on one’s person in order for the Relic to channel its abilities. Darkforging will then multiply these structural values; steel will be tougher than iron provided the skill and Tonal Strength are similar. These enhancements will almost always warp or twist the object into something that looks artfully offensive.

Shattering: The destruction of a Relic is referred to as Shattering; its energies lash out violently from the broken surface in an explosion that leaves the surrounding area awash in corruption. Those caught in the blast will suffer burns as well as (1) point of Mageblight per tier of the Sunderscrap used in its Strickening.

Mercies (Tools)

The dark tools for the Sundering of Relics, Mercies are similar, yet fundamentally different to those of Fragmenting in the way they utilize Magithermal Entropy to mimic the Mark of Control through a Sunderscrap. Many Mercies serve the dual purpose of torturing people, inflicting pain and Mageblight.

Mercy Suit: The Mercy Suit is a collection of safety equipment that all Sunderers must wear. Most striking is a blackened, beak-like mask of smooth dark iron covering the entire face used to lens all facets of Magithermal Entropy towards the visual spectrum, informing the Sunderer’s actions. Upon the torso sits an apron of plated metal sheets and a thick, brass lined robe contributes even more protective layering against the corrupting energies. Unwieldy gauntlets of dense metal lined with arcane circuits are used to shield the Sunderer from the lapping tendrils of Magithermal Entropy. These are worn for nearly every process, as direct exposure will mean certain death or contamination by Mageblight.

Isotopic Chamber: A compact, pyramid-shaped forge for use with Strickening. Tiny brass mirrors line the rounded internal structure of the forge, arcane circuitry flowing behind every panel to carry the raw, Magithermal Entropy of Sunderscraps towards the tip and focus them into a beam.

Strickening Chains: Chains of alternating brass and dark iron are hung from dark iron hooks screwed into the ceiling above an Isotopic Chamber. The weapon, object, or raiment to be enchanted is bound in these chains, suspended above for the process of Strickening.

Tonal Maiden: A large man-sized cabinet of dark iron filled with an innumerable number of resonating prongs and brass focusing circuitry, a Tonal Maiden is operated by dozens of dials and levers for use with Flaying, tuning and strengthening a Relic towards its potential.

Lightwater: Derived as a byproduct from Fragmenting, Lightwater is used with Darkforging to make a Relic reel with repeated quenching, rendering it vulnerable to the Scab and Keelbrand. Sunderers must source their Lightwater from Fragmenters.

Scab: The Scab is a menacing tool of dark iron with several protrusions and bends upon the flanged, curved end. It is used with Darkforging to tweak, twist, prod, and jab a Relic to torture away its structural weakness.

Keelbrand: A pair of twisted dark iron prongs with many awful teeth, the Keelbrand is used with Darkforging to gnash sections of a Relic towards finer points, honing its sharpness.

Scaphist: The Scaphist is used with Malefaction to cast multiple Sunderscraps together using Lightwater as the catalyst. This is a spherical dark iron vessel covered in window-like dials for tweaking the energies within towards a singular essence.

Processes

Those that learn the Mercies of Sundering are usually supported by an institution or else their own desire for revenge or power, as Sundering is both expensive on the wallet and taxing on the soul. Sunderers who begin as accomplished mage hunters, artisans, and Fragmenters will have an easier time approaching this field due to the need for Sunderscraps, well made creations, and Lightwater that these trades yield. Every process in the creation of Relics ultimately makes use of at least one of these labors.

Strickening

To Stricken an object is to convert it into a Relic. Hung from Strickening Chains above, an Isotopic Chamber is fitted with a Sunderscrap and placed beneath. Magithermal Entropy will begin to circulate within before erupting as a beam of light from the top-most point of the forge. As the Sunderscrap disintegrates, its information is imparted through the corrupting beam, irradiating the object above.

The Sunderer must be wearing the Mercy Suit as they turn the would-be Relic over by hand, irradiating every possible surface with focused light as they intimately expose the object to their soul through touch. Sunderers suffer unavoidable Mageblight because of this, ascending (1) point on the Mageblight graph for every Relic created. Understudies can be invaluable resources for this reason.

There is usually enough energy in a single Sunderscrap to Stricken a large weapon, two small weapons, two gauntlets or boots, a piece of torso armor, or equivalently sized objects. The resultant Strickened Relic is dangerous but rapidly decaying, the untuned abilities subjecting those around it to moderate Mageblight at the slightest touch to bare skin. If the Sunderer fails to coat every surface in Strickened light, then the object will explode in subsequent steps. Strickening is learned at Novice.

Flaying

The process of tuning the corrupted energies of a Relic with sound, Flaying is accomplished by placing a Strickened Relic within the Tonal Maiden, then adjusting the internal prods to hold the Relic in place. The door is then shut, and the Sunderer begins to adjust the dials as necessary, reading and binding the resultant Magithermal Entropy. This process is incredibly loud, akin to screaming as dangerous energies rattle violently within the machine, threatening to explode if overtuned. The visible tendrils of corruption will begin to wrap and bind tightly to the Relic as they are Flayed before disappearing altogether, rendering it resistant to further tuning, fully functioning, and safe to wield.

Flaying allows the Sunderer to tune for Utility capabilities at Novice, and eventually they learn to impart Offensive and Defensive Tonal Types as well by Apprentice. By Expert, a Sunderer is able to halve or double the weight of a Flayed Relic purely by adjusting its Tonalities. The maximum Tonality Strength is dependent on both the skill of the Sunderer, and the tier of the Sunderscrap used. Flaying is learned at Novice.

Darkforging

Darkforging is the art form for torturing structural improvements into a Relic. Lightwater from a Fragmenter must be obtained and poured from a dark iron vessel upon the Relic, awakening its Magithermal Entropy. Once those tendrils of corruption begin to rise from the sizzling surface, the Darkforger may take the Scab to twist, prod, bend, stab, and strike the corruption into submission until the object is far more durable than normal. Similarly, the Keelbrand may be used to squeeze and stretch the points and edges of the Relic and its corruption to render them more deadly. Both tools horribly disfigure a Relic, contorting its surfaces and edges into twisted abominations of uneven bends, pock marks, dimples, and angles.

The Relic hardens itself towards Lightwater faster the weaker the Tonality Strength is, becoming impervious to further change without Shattering. The amount of additional sharpness and structural improvement a Sunderer may impart upon a Relic is directly tied to skill and the tier of Sunderscrap. Only a Master may Darkforge a Relic that appears without disfigurement.

Malefaction

The merging of Sunderscraps for the purpose of imbuing Relics with multiple properties, Malefaction is performed with the Scaphist by inserting up to three Sunderscraps within the device and drowning them in Lightwater. The energies within are then manipulated by dials to harmonize the Sunderscraps until they begin to melt and crystallize with the surrounding waters. The result is a spherical, artificial Sunderscrap with the tonalities of each. Three of the same mundane Sunderscrap can create an Artificial Sunderscrap of the next tier, and Artificial Sunderscraps are impervious to further merging.

Relics made with multiple Sunderscraps merged into one tend to ‘sing’ more loudly than their counterparts, and one made with several powerful mages could be deafening to the point of nausea in its presence without being encased by additional shielding.

Progression

Novice

A Novice Sunderer is often someone of questionable morality. They will spend their time hunting and learning about newly initiated mages and the many Marks and Sunderscraps derived from them. They will use Sunderscraps to learn Strickening and Flaying, operating the Isotopic Chamber and Tonal Maiden under the watchful guise of a mentor to avoid disaster in the creation of their first Relic.

At this stage, they may only impart Utility Tonality upon a Relic, unable to progress beyond T1 Tonal Strength. It is no more durable than a normal item, and thus faces the heightened risk of being Shattered.

Apprentice

Apprentice Sunderers begin to study the art of Darkforging and its intricacies, seeking out Fragmenters for coveted Lightwater. They have a more detailed understanding of Strickening and Flaying, the risks to them mitigated through experience. As a hunter, they can begin to operate the Tonal Susser with some measure of success provided they have the correct Sunderscrap, allowing them to specialize in hunting specific types of mages.

An Apprentice Sunderer is capable of imparting T2 Tonal Strength from T2 Sunderscraps, and they may begin to impart Offensive or Defensive Tonality types. Darkforged Relics from T2 Sunderscraps are half again as sturdy and sharp as the original item.

Journeyman

As a Sunderer begins to fill the shoes of a Journeyman, they have become menaces to the mages around them, often sickened with Mageblight from several Strickenings. They begin to dabble with Malefaction, merging Sunderscraps together to create Relics with multiple Tonalities.

The Journeyman Sunderer may impart T3 Tonal Strength from T3 Sunderscraps, and their Darkforged Relics from T3 Sunderscraps are twice as sturdy and sharp as the original item.

Expert

The Expert Sunderer is often a true wretch of Mageblight. They are sought by many, either to be a patron of their craft, to employ them as a torturer and hunter of mages, or to bring about their end. At this point, a Sunderer’s skill with the Tonal Maiden is so remarkable that they are able to Flay half the very weight from an item, or else double it. Their Darkforged items can begin to look somewhat normal, if still villainous.

Expert Sunderers may impart T4 Tonal Strength from T4 Sunderscraps, and their Darkforged Relics from T4 Sunderscraps are three times as sturdy and sharp as the original item.

Master

The Master Sunderer is a strange thing. Perhaps a dozen in the entire world openly admit their existence, and many of them are Blighted or other abominations. The scarce few that serve the Omen of Lorien, the Grisic Empire, or the Daravinic Entente are the disfigured and rotting husks of men and elves conspiring to bring about the downfall of powerful mages. Their Relics can be as beautiful as the sins enacted to create them, throbbing with their auras and singing powerfully with haunting melodies. The Tonal Abilities these Relics wield are capable of true wonder or utter catastrophe.

Master Sunderers may impart T5 Tonal Strength from T5 Sunderscraps, and their Darkforged Relics from T5 Sunderscraps are five times as sturdy and sharp as the original item.


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