Sundering

Introduction

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.

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.

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.

Origin

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. It was during this time that Indorin began an inquest for the collection of the finite resource that was Arcanacrags.

Shortly after the manipulation of Arcanacrags became widely available to the Ald'Norai, the Sunderscrap was soon discovered, and from that, more types of Fragments and greater magical technologies soon followed. The Ald'Norai were the greatest users of Sundering in all of history, thousands of years ahead of the rest of the world's knowledge. They possessed relics, a means of purifying, refining, and even farming Sunderscraps; massive swaths of slaves were initiated with the intent of being harvested to fuel their Relics, and at their peak, they created powerful artifacts that have persisted through to the Age of Industry.

With their fall, their technologies and innovations were lost, utterly destroyed in the flames of war as no more than 'Elven Trinkets' in the eyes of their executioners. The passage of time destroyed most of their knowledge and research on Sundering, and when the knowledge that was to maintain and repair their great forges was lost, so too did their tools fade into obscurity, and eventually, extinction.

Modern Methods

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.

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 with the use of Brass.

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.

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 wildfire. 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.

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.

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.

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.

Tools

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Processes

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Sunders

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Impact

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Novice

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Apprentice

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Journeyman

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Expert

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Master

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