Sundering

Introduction

In comparison to most other magics, Sundering is very new to the world. It has existed for thousands of years in reserved elven laboratories and smithies, but its creators did not share their knowledge with humans, other species of elf, or any other people outside of their own for the entirety of the time that they commanded it. It was their well-kept secret, an edge on the rest of the world that helped keep the Ald'Norai ahead of the competition, and it served them best as a tool of war. Outside of the Ald'Norai's uses, it was vastly used as a primitive means of aiding survival for the majority of history.

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. That was until the craft withdrew into obscurity as the populations of Mortal races grew, and eventually returned to the world when corrupted Adac began to appear after the Bleeding of Venadak.

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, as well as better advances in metallurgy, 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 through the use of Brass as a conductor.

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 all the tools used in Sundering are created by manipulating Arcanacrags and brass alloy, it is much easier to create these tools with ready-made and available Sundering tools. The process can be compared to creating a frigate with naught but hand tools and raw materials versus a lumber mill to accurately and quickly cut lumber into the required sizes, and a forge to shape the nails and fittings. It's for this reason that most Sunderers see it as a much more worthwhile investment to simply purchase their tools from another Sunderer, who can create tools with much greater ease.

All the descriptions below are in nature of the tool's appearance and its general purpose in the art of Sundering. For more detailed uses and the processes these tools are involved with, please refer to the Processes section beneath.

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 of black iron, almost akin to a table in its size, often carved and engraved with golden-brass lining on the faces where work is not performed. Generally, it is used to reshape Fragments, but cannot split or cut Fragments by itself. They must retain the same size, and more drastic changes require a lot more time to process.

Dividing Rod: The tool is a single metal pick-like object, akin to a heavy black iron chisel in appearance, but with a brass core that can be seen through engravements in the body of the metal, and the tooth of the chisel itself, which shines a shade of metallic gold. It can be used to cut Fragments into smaller, more manageable pieces when used in conjunction with the Shaping Bench.

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. The etherforge has multiple uses including, but not limited to the creation of Relics, Purification, and Granulation.

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. The hammer itself is normally designed for one-handed use, short with a larger flat head; the surface of which is usually brass in contrast to the wrought iron casting.

Sunderstrike: The tool that revolutionized modern Fragmenters and infamously dubbed them 'Sunderers'. The Sunderstrike most commonly appears as a stake of pure brass with a lens at the hilt. The brass is a coating for a sturdier material, capable of breaking through bone. Sunderstrike is used in the conversion of mages to Sunderscraps. It is named for the process in which a mage's marks are sundered from their soul.

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. The top and bottom boards are that of a dark iron with a brass fitting at the connection of the hose, which usually leads out from the top board. The Hacking Bellows are used in the extraction of corruption.

Shimmer Trough: This dark iron barrel or vat is engraved with a series of brass veins that extend from a broad brass plate at the bottom of the structure. It can be used to retain the toxicity of a fragment for use in refinement, as well as serve important roles in the creation of Relics.

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 with a brass rim wrapped around it. The tool allows the Sunderer to refine Arcanacrags with incredible ease.

Founding Vessels: These crucibles come in a variety of sizes for the completion of different jobs. The inner lining is always a brass alloy, while the outer shell (or the casing) is a dark iron with a specific grind lined through the body of the outer metal for heat vectoring. They are a necessary tool in casting Relics.

Processes

The Novice Sunderer is often taught from day one that they must pay close attention to their work. Knowledge and timing are key to a successful Sunder, and to the guaranteed destruction of the World Mage. As one progresses in their craft, they're likely to find just how close they should have heeded this warning.

A lot of Sundering revolves around perception, dexterity, and craft, which is reflected in the Sunderer's progression. The truth is that any Sunderer can pick up and use the tools above, but there are higher skill floors for working with specific Fragments of various purities and refinements.

Shaping & Cutting

Shaping & Cutting are the most simple process in Sundering, but also one of the most beneficial. Before the shaping and cutting of Arcanacrags were available, handheld tools that wielded their power were inconceivable unless one was lucky enough to obtain a fragment that was already small. The development of the Shaping Bench and the Dividing rod revolutionized Sundering, and have made way to a variety of other processes. In a sense, this is the root of all Sundering's potential.

To shape and cut an Arcanacrag is normally impossible, but with the aid of the Dividing Rod and the Shaping Bench, the Sunderer needs only to place the Fragment on the Shaping Bench and attempt to shape it with a sturdy hammer or to tap it with the Dividing Rod at the correct stage. The Arcanacrag will begin to accumulate heat and will glow Amber, a vibrant Gold, then White, akin to superheated metals. Every Arcanacrag requires a different amount of time to transfer between these three stages and stays in each stage for a specific length of time (or a Work Window). This also varies by the quality of the Shaping Bench, as more expensive models are designed to maintain an Arcanacrag's specified stage when set upon it.

The correct stage for shaping the Arcanacrag is when the Fragment is glowing Amber. At this stage, there will be a protective cushion of air around the Fragment that will prevent direct transference of kinetic energy to the Arcanacrag but will still allow the shaping of the crystal, as if struck by phantom blows. The Sunderer will need to use a well-made hammer to strike the protective skin of the Fragment, akin to shaping red-hot metal. This must be done quickly and efficiently lest the Sunderer misses their chance and strike the Fragment at the wrong stage.

The protective layer of air is lost when the Fragment advances to the second stage, which more often brief on the Fragment's journey to stage three, but it's at this stage that the Sunderer is able to gently tap the fragment with the tip of the dividing rod to form an etheric band all the way around the section of the Fragment. The band will always take the shortest path around the Fragment and will always create a perfect loop around the fragment. The Sunderer will have a brief window to check the band, which acts as a sort of preview for the actual cut before they either allow the band to dissipate, or tap the same spot a second time to safely cut the fragment all the way through. There is no limit to how many times a Fragment can be cut, but its area of effect becomes more and more limited the smaller it is made.

A Sunderer cannot cut through an Arcanacrag when the Fragment is glowing amber due to the protective shield that surrounds it, and the energies in an Arcanacrag when it's glowing White are much too volatile to work by any hands but that of a Master. A Sunderer must take great care when moving an Arcanacrag in its White stage as it becomes unstable and very reactive.

Mounting

Mounting existed before it became possible to cut and shape Arcanacrags. Simply put, it is the process of setting an Arcanacrag in a brass cradle. The device in which the Arcanacrag is set is often designed with a series of root-like brass inlays all over the surface of the device, and women throughout the depth of the material. It's for that reason that most devices utilizing Arcanacrags are made of metal, as it's much easier to cast a metal frame around brass roots than to bore several holes in the structure of a different material and cast brass through its structure.

To mount an Arcanacrag, two things are necessary, but the rest is up to the design of the mage. The first and most important factor is that the Brass Cradle that holds the Arcanacrag must encapsulate at least fifty percent of the Arcanacrag's surface area to efficiently channel the energy within. The second design necessity is that the mount must be placed at the epicentral nexus of all the set inlays. More often than not, the Fragment is encased within the tool or machine for safety.

The inlays serve three purposes; one is to conduct and route the power of the Arcanacrag to a working surface, at which it can be applied depending on the nature of the Arcanacrag, the second is to route the Arcanacrag's power from non-working surfaces, and the third is to dilute the power of the Arcanacrag. Fragments are exceptionally potent, and the Sunderer should take care when deciding how many Inlays they should route to the working surface. A single inlay carries one-thirtieth of the mounted Arcanacrag's full power. Thus, thirty inlays would be needed to extend an Arcanacrag's full power to the working surface.

Routing is sometimes difficult for the Sunderer to grasp, and can be both annoying or disastrous if applied incorrectly. Inlays are very useful for routing the power of Arcanacrags, but they are far from perfect. As they carry the flow of an Arcanacrag's energy through them, they project the Arcanacrag's powers onto nearby materials' surfaces. This is only in cases where another Inlay is not nearby, however. Inlays will not project the Arcanacrag's power onto a surface where another inlay is set nearby. It's for that reason that the working surfaces of Arcanacrag contractions are almost always devoid of brass. That is to say that the only safe surfaces to touch on machines created with Sundering are those covered with brass engravings.

Other surfaces should be engraved plentifully with these inlays. Vast designs of spiraling roots, etches and conjoined runes are drawn in the non-working surfaces of Arcanacrag machinery, and the purpose is to protect them from the power of the Fragment that powers it. However, while these surfaces should be covered in branching roots and complex coils and spirals, they should never intersect except at the Nexus. When Inlays intersect, the Fragment is made to feed its own energy back into itself through the Mount, and disastrous failure abounds.

Refinement

While the refinement of Arcanacrags is only necessary for those that come from Arch Hollows, Spirit Born Arcanacrags also benefit from refinement. Refinement is the process of improving the Fragment's Ether conversion efficiency, and for some Arcanacrags, this is vital to ensure the safety and survival of whoever is exposed to them. Some practices are safer than others, but most methods involve use of the Fixing Glass, Shimmer Trough, and the Hacking Bellows.

The Sunderer will need to peer through the Fixing Glass into the body of an Arcanacrag. In the crystalline structure they will see, in a luminescent green hue, a number of fractals that may be magnified depending on the quality of the tool. These fractals consist of a variety of shapes created with small spherical structures that are tightly bonded to one another with a variety of lines, bars, or tethers. In less refined Arcanacrags, the fractal is a mess that cannot form the same repeating pattern throughout its structure. By properly aligning the spheres and optimizing the flow of the pattern, the efficiency of the Arcanacrag can be improved. By improperly aligning the spheres, the efficiency is decreased.

The efficiency of an Arcanacrag is identified by how much Corruption the fragment is leaking, and how potent its effects are. As one value rises, the other decreases. This is because of the Fragment's own ether conversion process, where a portion of its intake is converted into the magical effect it produces, and the rest is the corrupted waste product which is bled into the surrounding environment.

The Fixing Glass is able to correct the warped positions of spheres by turning a brass dial that frames the lense. The Sunderer with see specific structures illuminate a golden light within the body of the crystal, which relays what is currently selected by the focus of the Fixing Glass, and it can be manipulated in and out of shape using the frame of the dial.

However, it's impossible to correct the Fractals while the Arcanacrag is stable as they are indestructible. To begin editing the structure of the Fractal, the fragment itself must become corrupted. This is achieved in a variety of methods, but one of the most common is to strike the fragment from afar to intentionally flood the structure with corruption. Though this quickly bleeds from the structure, the Shimmer Trough can be used to retain most of the accumulated corruption in the body of the fragment.

The application of the oily fluid acts as a layer of insulation that shields the environment from the bleed of corruption. This is essential to protect the Sunderer from the isotope during refinement, but the Sunderer should beware that Shimmershine is easily rubbed off and should not be touched during the process of refinement. It’s only when refinement is complete that the Sunderer should touch the fragment, but even then, the removal of the Shimmershine will often shower those nearby in lethal levels of Corruption if it's not done in a safe and contained environment, as detailed below.

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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