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Warlocks, Shamans, and Witches. It is among these spellcasters that you are most likely to find Eldritch spells being used. The primary difference between Eldritch and Arcane magic is in where the power comes from. Which in turn dictates how that power is applied to achieve a given effect. Arcane magic works by subtlety adjusting the balance between Order and Chaos that underlies our reality, by directly interacting with those forces. Eldritch magic in contrast adjusts that balance by introducing, (and in some cases removing again), Chaos from Elsewhere. Less subtle and elegant than Arcane magic, but when Chaos and/or Destruction are the goal Eldritch magic is easily as, if not more, powerful. Now the reason that Eldritch magic is more likely with these spellcasters than others is a matter of how these casters gain their magic in the first place. Warlocks (and technically Dracons, Naze, and the like) gain their spells by forming a Pact with a Patron of one type or another. And it depends on the Patron and the circumstances, as to which mode (Wizard, Sorcerer, or Cleric) will be used. Of course there are any number of Warlocks who will try to find ways of recording the spells they are given regardless of the mode the Patron selected. Which brings us to Shamans and Witches. Unlike Warlocks, Shamans and Witches don't make an enduring pact with a single being but rather bargain with many different types of magical beings to gain the spells they need. This can lead to them becoming a Warlock, Druid, or Cleric, depending upon the type of spells they are most interested in. After all, why keep shopping around if you can get everything you're looking for in one place and for a single set of terms. The most notable difference between Shamans and Witches is that Shamans are typically members of a Barbarian tribe and so tend to be illiterate. Thus leaving them little choice but to follow the Sorcerer path for learning spells. Witches, by contrast, tend to live closer to civilization. On the edges of typically, but still, Close enough that reading is a skill that they can typically learn.

Huggles

We all have had traumatic experiences - I've mentioned my mother taking me to see The Exorcist at 6-years-old. But there are several other moments from my childhood, one being: My father, for a while, had a night job (more second shift, not overnight) at a facility for the "mentally impaired" (they still had them at the time and that was NOT what it was called, but that was a different time, populated with individuals who didn't make a living by finding ANY reason to be offended . . . but I digress) and we would pick him up very late. The parking lot was dark and there were very few lights outside the building. As a child, the building seemed far taller than the 10 or so floors it actually was and, with dim lights burning in random windows, had an eerie feel about it. But that was not why it was traumatic. No, the traumatic thing about it was the screaming. Blood curdling screams. Horrific cries from the depths of tormented souls that seemed to go on forever. Imagine being a small child sitting in a dark parking lot, staring at a building that, to you, is straight out of some demented nightmare, screams echoing all around and your father walking out of that darkness, whence those haunting sounds emanated. Yeah. This was BEFORE The Exorcist. Good times.

The most common spellcasters are Wizards and Sorcerers who use Arcane magic. Maguses, Shamans, and some Warlocks also use Arcane magic. But more on them in a bit. Arcane magic works by subtlety adjusting the balance between Order and Chaos that underlies our reality. The primary difference between Wizards and Sorcerers is in how they learn and cast their spells. Which most of you are likely already familiar with. But, for completeness and those who may not know. Wizards load spells into their minds with the mana attached and once the spell is cast it vanishes from their mind leaving room for a new spell. Sorcerers on the other hand learn spells permanently (well simi-permanently. more on this in a bit) With the mana as a pool to be taped and channeled through the spell as needed. Wizards can take a Feat called Spell mastery that allows them to permanently learn a spell the way a Sorcerer does. And likewise Sorcerers can take a Feat called Spell Flexibility which allows them to temporarily learn a spell as Wizards do. Seeing the advantages of being able to do both some adventurers tried training both ways. This proved to be quite difficult as the two ways of learning spells are almost opposites. Which puts quite a bit of strain on the mind of the student. Which eventually lead to the development of the Magus class. Which is designed specifically to address that problem. Progress is somewhat slower than for students who follow just Wizard or Sorcerer paths. But those who choose Magus say that it worth it. Anyway moving on. The next most common type of spellcaster is the Cleric or Priest. Priest are typically those who stay in Towns and Cities taking care of their congregations. While the Cleric is out with groups of adventurers keeping evil beings away from civilized lands. These spellcasters use Holy Magic provided by the Gods. Or Infernal magic provided by Demons or Devils in the case of Evil Clerics and Priests. Typically their handling of spells is much the same as Wizards. With the spells they are likely to need being provided by the Being they serve. Healing spells being a notable exception in most cases. These tend to be installed Sorcerer style and can be cast extra times by sacrificing other spells for the mana needed to do so. The difference between Good and Evil Healing spells is a side topic that I'll expound on more fully another time. Just as I will cover Warlocks, Shamans and the rest a bit later in this series.

Well, Good luck with finding any Demosidhe, Demosidhe Essence, or Demosidhe Hunters. As one might expect. Things that are from a time refered to as "The Forgotten Age" tend to be rather hard to find. Slightly easier to find are spellbooks than contain Arcane spells that reproduce Dreamwalking abilities. Well, most of the spells are Arcane, there are at least a few variations of these spells in Divine and Infernal formats. But as those spells are rarely written down in the first place I don't expect that you will find any of those. Then again; Given Your "Talent" for getting yourself in to trouble...

Snypiuer disregards ALL warnings and simply notes - May get "snippy" if used as fuel source.

There are forms of essence magic that would allow someone to drain Demosidhe essence and either consume it or embue an object with it so as to gain Dreamwalking abilities. Of course this would come with it's own risk. Those who hunt Demosidhe might mistake you for one or assume you are bonded to one depending on the type of magic that they are using for tracking them down. And on the other hand Demosidhe and those willing to bond with them would probably be able to tell what you had done as soon as they see you using your powers. And they would probably not be happy about it. And given their ability to create very realistic dreams... Would you want to risk finding out just how creative they might be about expressing their displeasure over your having eaten one ? So while I don't have any accounts of this being tried. I expect that at some point someone did; and it probably didn't end well for them. Essence Magic is an interesting topic in its own right and I'll try to cover it in more detail somewhere else; assuming I haven't already.

Are there any accounts of anyone "feeding" on or "harvesting" the Demosidhe to, simply, take their power, rather than partnering with them?

I've been skimming this in an attempt to get a feel for it while trying to lessen the spoiler effect. I'm ALSO trying really hard NOT to go back and read the original to freshen my memory on who is who beyond Harmony and Muse! From what I've allowed myself to absorb, I'm going to have to get the book sooner rather than later so I can actually READ this! That said, any idea when this one MIGHT be out? ** Snypiuer slowly reaches for a pointy stick as he glares at Harmony and Muse **🤨

I finally gained access to the restricted section of the Archives at The Library of Ling, and after allowing for author bias, "glorious victory" vs "appalling massacre". The relating of the events themselves is quite accurate. And by having both sides recored it is possible to gain an understanding of each side's view and motivation. One of the more important things to note is that Demosidhe vary widely in their views on the beings they feed on. Some seeing us as little more than food and playthings. While others were seeking some form of symbiosis. With some middle ground leaning in the food direction of treating those they feed upon much the way a wise farmer treats his cows and sheep well. So, basically two camps prey/food animals vs beings we can partner with. The symbiosis group are the ones who lead to the development of dreamwalking and subsistence magic. Interestingly most surviving research into this branch of magic is in the reverse direction. That is to say finding ways to take lifeforce and convert it into magical energy rather than finding ways to feed on magic. Although there are some creatures that are known to do this. I'll have to look into any connections between magic feed creatures and the Demosidhe later. In any event, because of Demosidhe that were willing to make a deal, there were people who were hiding the Demosidhe they were partnered with from those seeking to exterminate them. As you can easily imagine the arguments on both sides were quite heated. "They are just trying to survive. And they give us powers." On one side, and "They are draining your life force while giving you corrupting selfindulgent dreams." On the other. With a dash of "Power to invade people's minds and dreams. By joining with them you become as vile as they are." Just to round things out. And while there have certainly been Dreamwalkers who abused their powers. There are easily just as many stories of Dreamwalkers rescuing people from dangerous situations or delivering vital information and so on.

Now that we've covered basic protection, let's talk about what it is that we are protecting ourselves from. The first signs of Demosidhe activity is very vivid yet mundane dreams. Which is the beginning of breaking down your ability to tell the difference between dreams and reality. After a few weeks of this you will begin to notice that inspite of spending increasing amounts of time sleeping you are feeling less and less rested. With all your the usual effects of being tired all the time. This is when the dreams start getting odd. Nothing major, at first, just small things. Pictures of people you don't know on the wall among the ones that belong there. Looking in the mirror and seeing your reflection blink. People you know acting in ways that are totally out of character. Not too long after the dreams start getting odd, the hallucinations start. The same out of place stuff that was happening in the dreams. Along with people that you can only see when you're not looking at them. Now the Demosidhe aren't trying to kill you. At least not right away. They are draining your life energy, that's why you are feeling tired all the time. But it is your emotions that they are savoring. Lust, Anger, Fear, Confusion, ect. Individual Demosidhe have their preferred emotions. And typically act alone or in small groups. Once the hallucinations have started the Demosidhe are using your mind as a way into the waking world. Being shapeshifters they will use their abilities to create more confusion and mistrust between their chosen victim and the people around them. Thankfully the Demosidhe aren't able to remain in the real world for long. A few hours at most. It is unclear as to what it is about the real world that limits the time they are willing? able? to stay. Now what I've described above is their normal and preferred mode of operations. Near the end of the Forgotten Age as they were being hunted down in the Dream World, they changed their methods and started attacking in groups. Dragging victims into the Dream World and ritualisticly sacrificing them so as to quickly harvest and store the life energy and emotions for later consumption. There have also been reports of trapped tomes that if opened and read resulted in Demosidhe appearing and attacking the reader and anyone else nearby. With the apparent goal of simply feeding on their victim's life energy right there. Which would tend to indicate that a) the attempt to eradicate them at the end of the Forgotten Age was not entirely successful. And b) The surviving Demosidhe have not found a suitable or reliable replacement for US as a food source. Which means the ones that are left are Hungry and Desperate.

The Bel'Vekian jumping turtle is, basically, a frog/turtle hybrid whos' origin is . . . disturbing. As we know, the Bel'Vekians have turned their planet into a giant science experiment in order to create weapons (or whatever may be desired) to sell to the highest bidder. They live in sterile labs that span the entirety of the planet, sealed off from its' atmosphere and protected from whatever survives within its environment. The Bel'Vekians have found that, simply ejecting their failed experiments and waste indiscriminately, can lead to discoveries never contemplated. The Bel'Vekian jumping turtle is the product of this practice. The Nevb Coalition of sector 7.23 of the Direliz Quadrant had commissioned a physical enhancement drug to allow their settlers to survive the higher gravity of several planets they had conquered and depopulated. The Bel'Vekian scientist used testosterone, the adrenal glands and pituitary glands of the giant marsh frogs to create a drug but it was far too powerful, causing grotesque physical changes that were incompatible with sustaining a colony. So, they dumped it. It didn't take long to totally contaminate the giant marsh frog population, leading to larger, more aggressive offspring. It was so devastating, within three generations, not only were all members of the species larger and more aggressive, not one female was produced. This is where it gets disturbing. The last generation of the giant marsh frog; larger, more aggressive, filled with testosterone and no . . . outlet, descended upon a large population of marsh turtles, eliminating all the males and . . . violating the females in an uncontrollable frenzy. It lasted, non-stop for days, until the last giant marsh frog expired from exhaustion. Like I said . . . disturbing. With all the contaminates in the environment, it was actually quite easy for cross species breeding to occur. Thus, we now have the Bel'Vekian jumping turtle. This unexpected outcome has also led to the creation of the Bel'Vekian: Monitor Sloth, Spider Worm, Tarantula Hamster and the surprisingly cuddly Centipede Wombat - among others. ** All animal names used are of the closest Earth animal equivalent of the actual Bel'Vekian species in appearance, in order to be able to visualize the subject **

Wait . . . when did I do this? Might have to rename - "Chronicles of a Procrastinator with ADD"🤪

Demosidhe Basic protections Most of these are really pretty obvious once you think about it a bit. First and generally easiest is to drink a glass of holy water before studying about the Demosidhe and especially just before sleeping. Also keep a flask of holy water within easy reach at all times and take a mouthful when you first wake up and anytime you notice Demosidhe activity. I'll explain more about what that looks like in just a bit. Some other protective measures you can take include wearing a headband made of an alloy of iron and silver. (Ferogentum) Having protective runes and symbols engraved on it is a good thing to add but the headband will offer a fair bit of protection even without them. A protective magic circle and pentagram combo carved into the floor of your sleeping room and painted with a paste made from equal parts salt silver and iron added to just enough holy water to make a paste works very well. Top it off with a good clear coat sealant and place your bed in the middle. And you are protected from a wide assortment of supernatural dangers.

....Methinks you procrastinated on posting anything Perhaps I will as well... All procrastination is best done jointly

Day 1:

At least 2 at this point, possibly 3. I maay use this world to do stories of other characters, instead of the same family always? At this point I only have the 2nd one sorta-kinda-plotted out, so it's nothing finite yet 😂 Thank you so much for your interest--and I'd love to sign a book or a few, for you. And anyone else on here who wants to identify. This site is still the ORIGINAL place this story came from!

Thanks for the info., just wanted to make sure there wouldn't be a problem with the Hello Kitty magnet stuck to the ricasso of my enchanted sword, Doris Nether Bane - Devourer of Demon Spleens. And, you know, just for NEXT time, it'd be helpful to some of us if you LEAD with the advice on protecting and securing your mind and dreams against evil and forgotten beings using them to enter our world . . . you know, for NEXT time. Now . . . kind of busy . . . have a bit of a . . . situation . . . let you know how it goes . . . maybe.😐

Coolness. since I'm not in IL., chances of recognizing me - slim! Anyways, let me know when you have definite schedules, and I'll send a bulk mail to let everyone know so those in that vicinity can have a heads up. If you have a virtual signing, at some point, I can send one for that also. Now, do you have an idea as to how many books will make up the Awakening series? Are you planning on an open-ended universe or a finite series? Finally, it won't be soon, but I do plan on buying several (not a lot, a few) and then harassing you for an address so I can send them to you to sign them. One for me and a couple, or so, to give away - I plan on using them to TRY to get more participation.😉

FAIR WARNING!! THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1!! >> >> >> >> Seed of Grebefal The winds were different. Kyirtana Armonia Grebe was sure of it now. He’d been checking the winds for days in the same way, as he did every morning; standing barefoot, clad in only his pants, on the top of the tower, arms outstretched, his hands spread wide. The rushing air pressed against his bare skin, and filtered through his fingers and hair. But his face was still warm, today, even warmer than it had been for the last few days. It shouldn’t be getting warmer; it was already midsummer, and the weather should be getting colder now. Grebefal’s powerful mana-laden winds were cool and pure, and had never stopped circling this tower. They had been like this since before he had even been born. Why were they so odd today? He paused in his mental exercises and frowned, looking around him at the weathered stones and high outer wall of the tower. Today was his sixteenth birthday, which should be a good thing, great even; today he was officially the heir of the Grebefal Duchy, and an adult. And yet, he felt strangely uneasy. The winds were slower, sluggish today, and carried with them an odd new scent—dust, not cool and earthy like the meadow beyond the castle wall, but harsh and hot, and rough with a slight bitterness. Kyir scowled. It's all wrong, he thought. Maybe he would ask his father to do a scan and see, later. There was definitely something odd going on, and whatever it was, Kyir knew his father, Harlan, would find out what it was. Lord Harlan Grebe was the best Air mage in the world, Kyir was certain; no one else could scan as far, or as accurately, or manipulate the winds as completely as he—not even Kyir’s mother, who was a mage too. But she had other talents, after all. She didn’t control the air, but nobody knew the earth as well as she did. Between the two of them, Grebefal had the best possible governors, and Kyir was proud that they were his parents. Still, it would be nice if they were a bit less busy and could give him the time to ask, before the festival…this might be really important. Kyir turned to the trapdoor in the floor and reached for the handle to pull it up, but just then it popped open with a soft thump, and a narrow, dark face peered out. It was Muse; his mother’s maid, a shapeshifter and transport expert. “Kyir? Your Mom needs you for something. I’m to bring you to her.” Kyir groaned. “Aw, couldn’t I just walk? I don’t like transporting. It makes my stomach turn.” Muse shook her head, her long, straight hair swishing around her slanted eyes. “She needs you right now, buddy. In the outer fields to the west. It’s important. Oh, and the guests will be arriving for your celebration soon, so you’ll need to dress too. You know it takes too long to walk everywhere; you should be glad you have me to get you around, you know.” Kyir nodded, resigned. “Yeah yeah…let’s just get this over with.” He pulled on his outdoor tunic, buckled his belt around it, & slid on his boots quickly. Then he reached out his hand to Muse, who hopped nimbly up through the trapdoor, balancing easily on the smooth stones. She grasped his hand in hers, cool and pale. “Ready?” He steeled himself and closed his eyes, to prevent the dizziness from making his stomach turn. “Sure, ok.” For a moment, the winds howled wildly in his ears; then they were gone, replaced by dull sunshine. The smooth wind-worn stones beneath his feet were now rough, tumbled earth. Kyir owned his eyes; they were in the west fields, outside the city walls. He blinked and stared; the ground was hard, dry, and cracked; the clods of earth felt as sharp as cracked stone, and between the clods, something glittered and sparkled up at them, shining in the sunlight. He knelt down and stared, then pinched a little of it in his fingers, lifting it and letting it trickle down back to the ground. Glass sand. What was glass sand doing here?! “Kyir! Over here!” Kyir grinned at the voice, recognizing it instantly. Pasan, his best friend from the village—there she was, waving her long, bare brown arms at him frantically, motioning him over. Beside her stood his mother, who looked grave. Muse followed him as he jogged unsteadily over, stumbling on the large clots of dry, tilled earth. “Pasan? Mom? What’s going on?” Harmony, Kyir’s mother, pointed down at the glittering sand. “Silica sand. Definitely from Ellux—It’s the only place where this type of sand originates on Vacoelus. It’s been blown here somehow, and it’s bad sign. The winds have changed direction.” Pasan was staring at his mother mutely, with her characteristic dumb, awestruck look. Kyir frowned. He wished Pasan wouldn’t idolize her quite SO much—it was embarrassing. He focused instead on the ground, where the glittering sand lay in little pools between the earthen clods. “I saw. What does it mean? I mean…besides the winds changed, like you said. We never had sand here before. Can’t we just get rid of it?” Harmony shook her head. “It’s a mark of the changing the land. Even if we got every grain of sand out of the fields, the wind would simply blow more into the area. It means the borders of the Ellux desert are extending towards us. And even with your father’s powers, we can’t stop an entire desert filled with sand.” Kyir frowned at the glittering dapples on the ground. “So what do we do then? Move the fields further east? After planting everything?! The farming association will throw a fit!” Pasan nodded. “Yeah, especially the Twins. They’ll have a cow if we tell them they have to abandon the Western fields and cut a whole new sector to the east, Lady Harmony.” Harmony smiled diplomatically at Pasan. “Well...can convince them. Still, I hope we won't need to.” Kyir snorted. “And give up on eating fruit or bread for the entire winter season, too, and eat only eggs and salt pork for the snow months, probably. Gross! And unhealthy." He looked more carefully at the clods; there were tiny shoots of grain poking up here and there, but it already looked dry and brittle. "Mom, isn’t there any way to salvage the crop? At least until next planting?” Harmony shook her head. “I'm not sure. We could try building a windblock, to stop the sand from accumulating further; and it would take double or triple the waterings to keep it from drying out, with the additional sand in the ground, but your father could probably manage a few more...maybe. He's been very busy lately. I’m sure you’ve sensed it too, Kyir; The winds aren’t circling the tower anymore. They’re blowing from the west, now, with an odd energy I haven’t sensed before. It's taken a toll on his reserves to keep things running as normal.” Kyir sighed. Why did this have to happen now? On his birthday? Why couldn’t it have happened in, say, three or four days from now, when everything was back to business? This was supposed to be a special day, a day for him to enjoy turning sixteen—and becoming officially a man of Grebefal, an adult according to the laws of the town. Today he would have his first debut as heir, and greet the guests at the head of the festival as the host. Today his father had promised to gift him his memoir, a book of his grandfather’s inventions that Kyir had been longing to read for years. He wanted time to enjoy this—the festival, the legendary book, his day, without worrying about the town, for once. His parents always had to worry about something; the fields, monsters raiding from the northern forests, the merchants and farmers fighting in the association, upkeep of the mana sigils and maintenance of the mineshaft inventions, judging day for citizen's complaints…and he had to worry about lessons, too--riding and sword training, archery and ancient languages, diplomacy and marketing, and everything else. Today was supposed to have been HIS. No lessons, no problems. Or, it had been. He hunched his shoulders a little in agreement. “Yeah. We should ask Dad. He should know.” He tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice. This was important, after all. More important than a party. But he couldn’t help feeling a little sad. Pasan nudged him with a thin brown elbow. She seemed to recognize his feelings. “Heeey, it’s ok, Kyir! Sorry this had to happen on your birthday! But your Dad says we don’t master the winds, remember? They answer only to themselves. We just ask them for favors, sometimes.” Harmony nodded at her. “In a way, I suppose. It is poor timing, but we do need to make a plan for these fields, before the sun destroys the crops here. It’s urgent that we save them, since the town depends on the grain planted here. We’ll still celebrate your birthday, Kyir. We might need to move it to sundown, though, instead of noon.” Kyir smiled wryly at their attempts to comfort him. “It’s fine, Mom…this is more important. I’ll be fine. I was going ask Dad about the winds anyway; I noticed it was really odd, this morning.” Muse trailed along behind the three as they walked up the path towards the town gate. She shifted into bird form and fluttered here and there, dropping toxic red bird-berries from trees and chasing away the pigeons that were circling, looking for crumbs. Kyir unconsciously dropped a few steps behind his mother, letting her take the lead as they entered. She smiled and greeted the guards by name, giving polite greetings before hurrying on through. Then she turned to Kyir and Pasan who were walking in lock-step behind her. “Kyir—your father was going to the market today, so we’ll find him there, I expect. Muse?” The Muse-the-bird fluttered down to perch on her hand. “Yes?” “Find my intrepid husband, would you?” Muse cocked her bird-head cheekily. “Of course. Now...Which one was that again?” Kyir and Pasan both struggled to hide their laughter as Harmony swatted the bird into the air. “Cheeky. Just go find Harlan, already!” Muse rose high above the market, then swooped back down. “By the exotics merchants’ stand, on the far north of the square. Looks like he’s moving on towards the baked goods and fresh foods inspections, in a minute.” Harmony nodded and eyed Kyir and Pasan, who was still giggling. “Why don’t you two meet me by the fresh fruit stand, beside the farmer’s association hall? I’ll go with Muse to catch Harlan and bring him there, in the association offices. It’ll be a quieter place for a private conversation.” Kyir nodded and grinned at Pasan. “C’mon, Pas. Let’s go get a pie, and let my mother catch her intrepid husband on her own.” His mother’s face turned red; Pasan looked like she’d burst from suppressed laughter as he grabbed her hand and pulled her away. Kyir didn’t bother suppressing it; his laughter rang out over the market as they weaved in and out of the stalls, headed towards the association building. In a few minutes they’d crossed the square and were nearing the baked goods stalls, where fresh breads, pastries and hand-pies were staked on tables. Kyir waved at the baker, Uther; he was Pasan’s step-brother, a large, strong, square framed man with skin the color of a fresh baked brownie, and a wide, friendly smile. Pasan scooped up a couple of hand-pies and they headed into the farmer’s section. She passed him one—apple-berry, his favorite. “On the house for you today! Happy birthday!” called Uther after them. Pasan paused in the street for a moment, inhaling her pie, which was a meat pie; then she called back. “Thanks for breakfast, bro! They’re good today. Tell Riette I said Hi, ok? See you both at the festival later?” Uther motioned to the tables. “Probably be late. But we’ll be there! Wouldn’t miss it!” Kyir stuffed his face, his mouth full of buttery pie crust and delicious, tangy apple-berry pie filling. He wiped his face and checked his shirt for crumbs, and they turned into the doors of the large, stocky brick building that housed the Farmer’s association, Merchant’s guild, and Miner’s association. Inside the main doors, a long hall split off into an upper and lower level; Miners had the basement, Merchants the ground floor, and Farmers had the second floor offices. They paused at the landing of the second floor; it was quiet here, in spite of the noisy market going on outside. A faint scent of ink and papers, and the soft rustles and clicks of people working on documents, copywriting, making out orders. This was all new in the last five years; Father had funded the building of this association building and basically forced them to share a building together, to bring a halt to the constant disagreements between the three main Grebefal guilds. The guild leaders had separate offices, a room of their own each. The rest was taken up by the under-secretaries, document runners, and file rooms in each floor, with a sitting-room for important guests and a single large hall on the main floor, for all-association meetings. Kyir and Pasan headed into the sitting room to wait. It was plain, but comfortable; two low brown leather couches decorated with furs, a side table and a large bookshelf. Grebefal had outgrown the palace courtrooms; so many new people had come to stay that they’d had to build a new sector of the town, to the east. There had been fights, at first. The other town residents had disagreed with the new, and arguments had broken out over land and jobs. But Father had found a way to compromise with them, and somehow made it look easy—he made everything look easy, Kyir thought. Which was incredible, considering that he was blind, and used Air powers to move...his father was the strongest person he knew, and never backed down from any challenge, even if it meant finding ways of doing things he couldn’t physically do on his own...

Still loving that background!! And yes, I'm hoping to post snippets and scraps of new book here (hopefully without spoiling the 1st book TOO much) and add some cool new characters as well. Like Whittle, who definitely features somewhere while they're in the deep desert... she strikes me as one who might need a story of her own, too. She's pretty cool, in a totally-a-Dune-reference way. First book show is (so far) planned in September, definitely in person, when I'll hopefully have some copies to sell at my local book club fair...willl update later on time/place since I don't have alllllll the details yet. I don't have funds for renting tables at bigger shows Sighed copies absolutely available, orrr you can always buy one online (those will be cheaper) and have me sign it there. And if you wear a crowned squirrel or lizard somewhere on your clothes, I might just recognize you, too. 🤣

Other metals of note. Titiansteel a bit of a misnomer as it is actually an alloy of titanium and tungsten. Nonmagnetic very durable and corrosion resistant. Not typically enchanted which is not really all that surprising as it is made almost exclusively by Morlocks who tend to be technological and psyonic rather than magical. Ferogentum, (a lesser form of Myrthriem, being an alloy of silver and iron), is more often used for protective amulets and the like than actual weapons, mostly because it just doesn't hold high level enchantments as well as actual Myrthriem. Which is typically enchanted up +4 or even +5 as well as being both blessed and Ghosttouched. Myrthriem is an alloy of Mithril and Darksteel. Only a few hundred of these weapons are known to exist. As they were made for the singular purpose of driving out the Demosidhe. A Demon Fae hybrid that came into being during the Great Fae Migration of the Forgotten Age. The Forgotten Age is forgotten on purpose and for good reason. For the Demosidhe can enter the dreams of those who know about them and can then use those dreams as a way to enter our world. I will say no more about them here least you become an unwitting doorway for their return. If you are determined to learn about them, there are spells and other protections to secure your mind and dreams against them. Make sure those are in place before continuing your studies of this subject.

Feromantic iron is very magnetic. Such blades tend to become magnetic during forging. As to the effects of magnetic fields on enchantments. No one has really looked into it. There are no reports of enchanted blades made from other metals showing any magnetic properties. The exact effects of magnetic fields on enchantments would depend greatly on the type of enchantment and the purpose of the object and the reason for magnetising it. Brasium is non magnetic. In fact its non magnetic nature is a reason for its use in place of iron or steel in some cases. Brasium weapons are not typically enchanted but there are no reports on it being any harder to enchant than other metals. Darksteel takes powerful magic to enchant but once enchanted it will stay that way unless even more powerful magic is used specifically to disenchant it. There are no reports of anyone trying to magnetise darksteel but most likely it would take a powerful magnetic field to do so but once accomplished it would be practically impossible to demagnetise it.

Is feromantic iron magnetic? Are any of these metals magnetic? If yes, once enchanted, does a magnet have any effect on the enchantment?

This a quick overview of metals unique to the Shardscape. Or mostly unique; as some of them, Brasium for example, do have real world equivalents. And given that I just mentioned it I'll start off with Brasium. Brasium is an alloy of brass and bronze; which is to say copper, tin, and zinc; with chrome and nickel occasionally added for extra strength and croesion resistance. Brasium is commonly found in places where such resistance is especially needed; and in places where iron is less available. Next we have feromantic iron. This form of iron is mined in the Underworld along the banks of the Styx and is therefore much more able to retain certain enchantments. Which is the primary reason for bothering with the stuff, as it is otherwise no better than iron minded from anywhere else. However the ability to incorporate magical properties makes Feromantic iron highly valued for the creation of Darksteel. Which is formed by adding a relatively small amount of finely powered dark fire crystal. The resulting material is not only able to store highly powerful magical energies it is also nearly indestructible. There are a few other items I will be adding to this list later. When I can find my notes on them.