Airgid Drochaid: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 18:37, 17 November 2023

Drochaid stone inlaid into the stone floor

Drochaids, monumental in scope and ancient in origin, are enigmatic monoliths measuring 4 to 5 meters in diameter, either circular or oval. These massive stones, infused with magic, glow with an inner light, a testament to their deep connection with ley lines and wells of magical energy. Modern efforts to replicate these relics have invariably failed, underscoring the unique blend of divine influence and arcane knowledge in their creation. Consequently, the existing Drochaids are finite and irreplaceable, anchoring cities to their mystical locales and serving as rare portals across the lands of Elder Soteria.

Operation

Activating a Drochaid is a ritual steeped in simplicity, echoing the fundamental balance of the Old Gods' teachings. The silver-engraved symbol serves as a conduit, channeling magical energy to initiate the portal's lensing effect, a clear, tangible bridge between two stones. With a Focusing Stone in hand, even laypersons can tap into this energy, their intent shaping the flow to complete the connection. When activated, the Drochaid summons a vortex of energy, a gateway that exists fleetingly unless anchored by presence.

Focusing Stones

A Focusing Stone, not inherently magical but a receptacle for intention, can be attuned to a specific Drochaid or tuned generally. To activate a general stone, the wielder typically must have a prior connection to the destination. Mages of moderate prowess can imbue a Focusing Stone with a targeted Drochaid’s resonance, but crafting a universal stone demands greater mastery, reflecting the intricate balance of Kyntris's teachings. These stones, lying dormant until unearthed from ancient soils or ruins, can persist through centuries untapped. The rarest are those leading to forgotten Drochaids, their locations a secret guarded by monarchs or lost to history, their discovery a momentous event celebrated or shrouded in secrecy, depending on the finder's discretion.

Creation

Forging an Airgid Drochaid is a solemn rite, reserved for mages who have earned favor with Kyntris through their dedication to mastery. The intricate preparation of silver, echoing the whispers of divine knowledge in dreams, takes months, with stone carvings wrought by hand, a nod to the labor extolled by the Goddess. The consecration, a two-day ritual, unites stone and silver in anticipation of Kyntris's blessings, while a subsequent week-long rite, necessitating the unity of 14 mages, mirrors the Fates' collaboration, sealing the arcane patterns with a harmonious convergence of magic and might.

Mythos

Kyntris, the Goddess of Knowledge, deemed the diligent pursuit of wisdom among mortals worthy of divine reward, bestowing the secrets of crafting the first Airgid Drochaid through dreams. As a testament to their scholastic devotion, these dream-whispered instructions were a beacon of enlightenment. However, the Fates intervened, insisting that such arcane knowledge should not be hoarded. In a bold act that defied Kyntris’s intent for selective dissemination, they scattered the inaugural Drochaid stones among human settlements. In retribution, Kyntris proclaimed that only those with a Focusing Stone, crafted through further scholarly labor, could harness the portals, thereby ensuring that knowledge remained a prize for the persevering.

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-[[File:{{#setmainimage:airgid-drochaid-symbol.png}}|thumb|Symbol]]
+[[File:Airgid-Drochaid-Stone.png|thumb|Drochaid stone inlaid into the stone floor]]
-[[File:airgid-drochaid-open.jpeg|thumb|Open]]
+[[File:airgid-drochaid-open.jpeg|thumb|Open Drochaid portal]]
-The Drochaids are a network of portal locations sitting at wells of [[Magical Energy|magical energy]], where ley lines converge.  Most cities are thus constructed somewhere near such a place.  These wells serve to power the complex magic patterned by the symbol, the symbol is filled with pure silver laid into deeply carved fissures inside large flat stones.  These stones are made of a solid and very dense volcanic rock which shines sparkling blue in direct sunlight, and a deep blue-grey in diffuse light.
+Drochaids, monumental in scope and ancient in origin, are enigmatic monoliths measuring 4 to 5 meters in diameter, either circular or oval. These massive stones, infused with magic, glow with an inner light, a testament to their deep connection with ley lines and wells of [[Magical Energy|magical energy]]. Modern efforts to replicate these relics have invariably failed, underscoring the unique blend of divine influence and arcane knowledge in their creation. Consequently, the existing Drochaids are finite and irreplaceable, anchoring cities to their mystical locales and serving as rare portals across the lands of [[Elder Soteria]].
-The actual stone itself from which the Drochaids are made at between 4 to 5 meters (13 to 17 feet) in diameter and fashioned into either circles or ovals of roughly that size.  Attempts have been made, roughly 150-200 years ago to create smaller stones but all attempts failed.  Since stones must be carved on site (see notes on creation of a Drochaid Stone) it cannot be moved and must be aligned perfectly with the well and ley lines on which it sits.
-== Origin ==
-No one is entirely certain who originally created the stones, but the knowledge has been passed down.  Very few sites with the mystical blue stones exist at the current time, and none have enough to form even a single new Drochaid location.  The most common idea on the theory of who created the Drochaid is that the Gods brought them down from heaven, and taught elves how to make them, who then taught man before the wars and the [[Peace of Ages]].
 == Operation ==
-The symbol engraved into the stone just called a '''Drochaid''' in silver pulls in [[Magical Energy|magical energy]] and stores it in the the pattern for a portal to form, missing the final flows to form a portal from one stone to another.  These can be used by anyone who has a '''Focusing Stone''', which are relatively easy to fashion by a qualified mage which allows a persons thoughts to complete the magical pattern of the Drochaid and open a portal from one place to another.
+Activating a Drochaid is a ritual steeped in simplicity, echoing the fundamental balance of [[the Old Gods]]' teachings. The silver-engraved symbol serves as a conduit, channeling magical energy to initiate the portal's lensing effect, a clear, tangible bridge between two stones. With a Focusing Stone in hand, even laypersons can tap into this energy, their intent shaping the flow to complete the connection. When activated, the Drochaid summons a vortex of energy, a gateway that exists fleetingly unless anchored by presence.
-Once activated, the [[Magical Energy|magical energy]] swirls up and creates a vortex of silver-blue energy at both the origin and destination.  If one is inside the vortex when it forms the vortex is short-lived and closes right after, leaving the person at their destination instantly.  If no one is standing in the vortex as it forms, it will stay open until the focus is released.  Since a Drochaid can only be used to go from one place to another at a time, it is actually against the law in most places to hold a portal open for long periods of time without a serious need to.
 === Focusing Stones ===
-A focusing stone can be specific, opening a portal from one Drochaid to another specific Drochaid or they can be more general, allowing the owner to pattern the magical forces to a location of their choosing.  It is most common that the owner of a Focusing Stone has to have been to a location before, to use a general stone to go there.  This is not the case for a specific focusing stone.
+[[File:drochaid-focus.png|thumb|200px|Focusing Stone]]
+A Focusing Stone, not inherently magical but a receptacle for intention, can be attuned to a specific Drochaid or tuned generally. To activate a general stone, the wielder typically must have a prior connection to the destination. Mages of moderate prowess can imbue a Focusing Stone with a targeted Drochaid’s resonance, but crafting a universal stone demands greater mastery, reflecting the intricate balance of [[Kyntris]]'s teachings. These stones, lying dormant until unearthed from ancient soils or ruins, can persist through centuries untapped. The rarest are those leading to forgotten Drochaids, their locations a secret guarded by monarchs or lost to history, their discovery a momentous event celebrated or shrouded in secrecy, depending on the finder's discretion.
 == Creation ==
-The Airgid Drochaid's are extremely difficult to create, and only a mage of the highest order can even attempt it.  It takes months to prepare the silver, and the stone carving must be done by hand without the use of magic.  Once the stone is prepared and the silver is ready, the ritual to open the stone and silver to be joined takes 2 days to complete prior to being able to pour the silver into the stone.  Once poured a second ritual is required to bind the silver and stone together and establish the final patterns of magic takes a solid week of continuous magical work to complete, taking no less than 14 mages joined in a circle to fuse the stone and silver together in such a way to complete the process.
+Forging an Airgid Drochaid is a solemn rite, reserved for mages who have earned favor with Kyntris through their dedication to mastery. The intricate preparation of silver, echoing the whispers of divine knowledge in dreams, takes months, with stone carvings wrought by hand, a nod to the labor extolled by the Goddess. The consecration, a two-day ritual, unites stone and silver in anticipation of Kyntris's blessings, while a subsequent week-long rite, necessitating the unity of 14 mages, mirrors the Fates' collaboration, sealing the arcane patterns with a harmonious convergence of magic and might.
-All of this must be done on-site, at the location of a well that doesn't already have a stone in place.  The stone itself can be brought in and placed prior to being carved and must be made of a very dense mineral such as quartz, feldspar, or calcite though quartz is preferred.  If a foreign stone is used it must be acclimated, a process taking several months of sitting at the well and becoming attuned to the ley lines.  Placement is key and once acclimated the stone must be further carved on site.  The surface of the stone must be as smooth as glass and polished to a shine prior to adding silver.
-== Myth ==
+== Mythos ==
-Some locations are only known to exist because of the focusing stones to get there, rare artifacts which provide the only transport to these mythical locations.  Often times these are forgotten places of old cities or fortresses.  Many times legends are told in reference to some unknown site of a portal, leading to vast riches or vaults of magical power.  Myth holds that there are hundreds of unknown and lost stones out there waiting to be discovered, something treasure hunters often hunt for.
+Kyntris, the Goddess of Knowledge, deemed the diligent pursuit of wisdom among mortals worthy of divine reward, bestowing the secrets of crafting the first Airgid Drochaid through dreams. As a testament to their scholastic devotion, these dream-whispered instructions were a beacon of enlightenment. However, the Fates intervened, insisting that such arcane knowledge should not be hoarded. In a bold act that defied Kyntris’s intent for selective dissemination, they scattered the inaugural Drochaid stones among human settlements. In retribution, Kyntris proclaimed that only those with a Focusing Stone, crafted through further scholarly labor, could harness the portals, thereby ensuring that knowledge remained a prize for the persevering.
 [[Category:Embers of Soteria]]