Artifact: Augmented Runecraft, Magitech and Communication Utility Sleeve (Armacus)

Designation: Communication Magitech

Particulars: Created out of necessity, this artifact is an amalgamation of telepsychic crystals and runecraft. While dwarven standards might not be at par with that of the sylvani that enables the creation of a similar artifact of different rune craft paradigms, the armacus still manages to come out on top in many aspects. Initially created to send and receive [Messages] due to the low number of [Relay Mages], this artifact has grown to encompass other utilities such as storage of preloaded utility magic all thanks to the properties of the versatile telepsychic crystals. Originally, the armacus was used for the dwarf Triad, integrated as part of scalemail armor for the Blackguard who needed communication in the field hence its shape. Now that it has percolated to the privateers’ market it still retains its original appearance but can not be as short as a bracer worn on the wrist. Archive of Magitech Items, Artifacts and Relics, Zentrahl Institute for Magitech Studies

The dwarven Deephold of Lohndihr; a moderately large dwarven city with a history that ran way back. It was a bustling metropolis, curved out from the deep stone of Eryth’s Underneath. With a population that was well l in the hundred thousands it was a given that it would be noisy and bright.

An artificial sun made from an amalgamation of Lux crystals shone down from an impossibly high grotto ceiling, shining on the massive urban sprawl of tall buildings, spires and walkways. There were green house gardens for the dwarves with a green thumb reflecting the light as were the various buildings built of glass and dwarven steel that competed for height. If you put many Lux crystals together and powered them using a magic leyline you could actually simulate the light and heat of the sun hence, amongst the buildings of glass and steel competing for height, were greenhouses and gardens for the dwarves with a green thumb.

The tallest structure was a gigantic obelisk which sat on the magic leyline running through the city. A six sided monolith, it was hard to miss its obsidian facade that coruscated with rune arrays powering [Message] relays.

Nonetheless, there was more to it than enabling city wide connection of armacus communication; it also collected and filtered mana to power the wards keeping out the monsters of the. It also conveyed everything needed to keep a city running like clean air and water from Aertherite and Aqerite plants.

Dwarven smithies and other crafting complexes that needed mana for their firestones were also connected to a mana grid that ran throughout the city like a network of fungi. With all the activity, it would have been hot if the dwarves hadn’t already appropriated weather enchantments; the colossal cavern housing the city was therefore cooler than it had any right to be.

As a Seeker, Holly took the route reserved for the Triad, a standalone tunnel guarded from intrusion by golems, dwarven guards in scalemail wearing with runic weapons. A cursory security check verified her credentials and the Skidbladnir was picked up and moved into a steamlift for transport with Holly still inside of it. From there, it was a couple of hands free pars as she waited for her steamlift to dock several stories beneath the city.

“Welcome to the Citadel, Seeker Holly, please remain in your craft as [Cleanse] protocols are in effect,” an prerecorded voice came through her armacus as soon as she’d passed the Triad’s alarm wards. The Skid was retrieved by a steam crane and placed into a decontamination chamber. Hot steam billowed out from vents around the craft, until Holly couldn’t see past the nose of the vessel as the craft was repeatedly blasted to scour away dirt and detritus.

She’d turned off the heat sensing enchantments on the canopy of course, otherwise she would have seen red mist around her craft. Only the tinting enchantments were left on because after the steam, the Skid would be illuminated by a harsh light to kill any spores and little crawlies that might have piggybacked on the craft back to base.

The entry of maintenance crafters into the chamber was her cue to open the canopy and exit the Skid. A pop of a latch and a hiss as air escaping from the cockpit preceded her disembarkment. The maintenance crew saluted her as they lugged a giant hose made from the vascular system of a wurm. Along the docks were also other crafts similar to or different from hers also being worked on after missions or being loaded with utilities for another. Others were designed to carry more than one dwarven operative for long haul assignments.

The ramp was a hubbub of crafters, Seekers, Keepers and the occasional Blackguard walking to and from other arches where steam lifts conveyed them to other parts of the Triad’s main building; the Citadel. While Holly headed to the exit ramp a craftsman tapped somewhere on the craft’s hull and the anima metal responded to his commands, receding to reveal a valve which they clamped the hose on, secured a gasket and let it do its job. It was a three-way system that replenished magicore, added water and retrieved spent magical fuel.

‘First to get over with the debriefing, see how much time I have left before they toss me out…again, Holly thought, massaging a kink at the back of her neck from sitting too long. She wanted to get it over with, change, go get something to eat…and drink maybe that new spirit made from mature Moonflowers called Moonshine. She needed something stiff for sure. But then she remembered that she had to check on her niece and grimaced at her indecision.

By steamlift she went down several floors to the debriefing room. Her summons came from the upper echelons and it left her feeling nervous; Superintendents’ could be very intense.

As she got there Holly hesitated in front of the door. There was a plaque with the name S. Ingrezh Embersteel. She inhaled and exhaled as she tried to loosen the knot that seemed to have coiled itself in her stomach. The hallway was noisy with more dwarves conversing as they walked, others were looking at something in their mage slates, the hum of magical lighting enchantments above eerily sounded like droning. It felt stuffy to Holly; especially after being Topside for a couple of months.

‘Someone should be fixing those Lux crystals,’ Holly frowned. ‘Ugh, let me get this over with.’

“Seeker Holly, girl I know you’re out there. Do not keep me waiting or so help me—”

Holly literally blundered into the room; she could not stand having people rubberneck her while she stood in front of the door.The older woman behind the desk squinted at her with crescent shaped eyes of amusement behind a pair of pince nez. Holly stood stiff in deference. The ancient looking woman had the same facial features as her but more vivid crimson hair that looked as if she was wearing mane of fire

“At ease Seeker; take a seat and provide your report.” Superintendent Igrezh Embersteel drawled in a husky voice. She was getting well in years yet she hadn’t retired; rather her retirement had to be postponed because the Triad had its hands full. All said, she was still spry at her two centuries of age. She was Holly’s grandmother, but in her office, she was the taskmaster who ran a tight ship even if she had to run her own kin roughshod.

“Well, are you waiting for the steam whistle to go off before you gather your wits about you lassie?”

“My apologies superintendent, “Holly started. She retrieved the scrying crystals from one of the many pockets on her leathers and handed it over to the Superintendent. The woman took the crystal and slotted it into a recess of her desk. A phantasmal representation of the key moments the crystal had recorded bloomed from the desktop like a hologram.

One hand on her pipe, she used the other to swipe across the illusion, eyes scrutinizing every detail until she reached the image of a ship facing off against a deep wurm. However, past a certain point, the image suddenly went white and the recording stuttered. She frowned, tapped her pipe against the ashtray and stuffed a few dried leaves, rekindling the pipe with a fire magic. Ingrezh looked at the picture again, and then glanced at Holly.

“ What happened to the scrying crystal?” Superintendent Ingrezh asked with a scowl.

“ I have no idea Ma’am, I believe the only thing strong enough to disrupt a scrying crystal’s recording was a powerful telephysic burst,”

“Were I not seeing this, I would scarcely have believed it myself. This changes things. Was the source identified?” Ingrezh Embersteel turned her eyes to the Seeker with a raised brow.

“ I am afraid not ma’am; the mercenary company at the scene mentioned something about an invisible weapon that followed the telepsychic disruption. They barely escaped with their lives. However, according to the records of the interview with the shipmaster of the Blackbeard Company we believe the originator was a youth in his tweens, as you are already aware, we have a name…”

“But?” Ingrezh ’s brow crinkled, creasing her wrinkles further. She swiped back a little then panned out the illusion to get a closer look at the aership evading a hail of Mana Seekers.

“ He seems well connected,” Holly hesitated. She was basing her inferences on conjectures. “ potentially to someone high up on the sylvani hierarchy.”

“Ah, you did well despite the odds,” Ingrezh drawled and exhaled smoke. She set her pipe aside then swiped down the phantasmal recording, minimizing it into a tiny preview. “And that weapon they used. Was it magic or magitech?.”

“I was unequipped to get accurate readings on account of the mana fall out but I would think it wasn’t wholly magical. Deep wurms are known to be resilient to magic ma’am.”

“Mmh, astute deductions Seeker Holly.” Her gaze flitted from the memory crystal to her. “ However, we were too late to respond to the mana wave our thaumoseismographs detected, otherwise we would have taken more direct measures.

“I want you to take the scrying crystal down to magical forensics, maybe those baldies will find something new,” she said, puffing another ring of smoke. “And... though your mission remains as is, I would want you to initiate contact…discreetly of course. Learn about what kind of person our little mageling is. I would think that his being at Ascal Cornieva’s mansion was just a fluke but, we can never be too sure. Your mission briefs will await you after your leave. You have two days. Dismissed.” Ingrezh waved her off.

Holly nodded, receiving the memory crystal before she gave the Triad’s salute and walked out, finally relieved to be away from her grandmother’s overpowering aura. It felt like being smothered on all sides by hot rocks and outside the door, she paused to catch her breath before walking to the steamlift—It was time to meet her favorite niece and she had something sweet to share; after she passed by Magical Forensics of course.

At twenty years, Holly’s niece had already picked a craft for herself. She also ran the house while Holly was away on long missions and as a result, she’d matured faster than her peers. So when finally made it home, Holly found that Seria had already set the table.

“Auntie Holly!”

“Seria! how’s my favorite niece?”

The two embraced. The tween was as tall as her aunt; and for a dwarven woman Holly considered herself to be head and shoulders above other women.

“I didn’t know you were coming back so soon; grand grand said you won’t be back for a while,” Seria said as they regarded one another at arm’s length.

“Ah, this and that happened. Sorry I wasn’t able to hail ahead.”

“No worries, it’s no skin off my back auntie. Anyway, let me get more utensils while you settle.”

A clutter of utensils later, aunt and niece were dining and laughing like they’d always done. Discounting their workaholic matriarch, the two cut a happy family enjoying their lunch. They bantered about the latest gossip on the street, how Seria’s job and studies were getting on; just the standard fare after every one of Holly’s missions.

“You staying a while Auntie?”

“Nah, I wish. Though I’m going to be around for a couple of days.”

“Awh, I wish I could join the Triad and become a Seeker too.”

“Haha, with those homely hands? The Triad might seem like they have the easiest jobs but no, we see combat from time to time.” Holly chuckled. “How far is your pole arms training?”

“Not that bad,” Seria shrugged, “At least it’s enough that I used it to catch our lunch and dinner.”

“No way!” Holly gawked, play acting. “Two direhogs? Way to go Seria.”

“Auntie, you’re doing it again,” Seria cringed. “You’re not a tweenager you know.”

“Ugh, Ustrina’s ti—“

“Auntie, language!” Seria gasped then chuckled.

“Haha, sometimes the job rubs off on me eh?” she rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. “Anyway, I got something,” she added, fishing out a small wooden container from her pouch which in actuality was just a miniaturized bag of holding with twice the capacity.

“What is it?”

“Open it…” she prodded her.

Seria opened it to find three rows of tastefully decorated cookies; one row per flavor. They smelt heavenly.

“Confectionery…what’s new about these?” she asked with enquiring eyes.

“Seria…” Holly pouted.

“Alright…fine fine.” Seria placated as she took one and bit into it. Her eyes twinkled. “So sweet it makes my teeth hurt,” she squealed. “How?”

“Got them on my mission, some human found a way to make more sugar I think. You like them?” Holly said, proud of her haul.

“Yea, I think I kind of do. Better than those exotic teas you keep bringing home. I’ve got a whole cabinet of them in the kitchen.”

“Ahaha, sorry…maybe I’ll take a few off your hands; I think I might just have gotten something to take the tea with.”

She’d bought a crate full of the sweet things and snacked on them every single time she got the chance. In fact, she liked the cavea flavored ones that balanced bitter notes with a sweet aftertaste and also had the benefit of keeping her alert. She had found herself addicted from the start with the other candy made of the same stuff…now if she could just pair it with a good drink, hot or not.

“Auntie, you’re daydreaming…haha.” Seria remarked, amused at the dopey look on her aunt’s face. “I wish I could come with.”

“If you pass Seeker certification I might just bring you up one day,” Holly winked.

“Count on it Auntie,” Seria said feeling pumped.

“‘lright, I need to go rest now before the potion of wakefulness wears off, else you’ll be scraping me off the floor. And save some cookies for me will you?”

“Auntie Holly; I am sure you ate a burlapful or a crateful or something.”

“Haha, see ya,” Holly made herself scarce as she went to sleep. A persistent yawn told her just how close she was to having the potion’s effects elapse on her. And she quickly fell asleep in their shared two-bedroom apartment.

“By the great bearded one, my head’s killing me,” mumbled Holly, jogging through the streets as she went to the Triad’s headquarters. From her family apartment to the Triad was an steam tram ride away and she was there before a par had even elapsed. Holly hated it because it was public transport and she had to share it with dusty miners, sweaty smiths and shroom farmers.

The intercity steam tram was well-used and maintained nonetheless, but it was soon going to be phased out in favour of magilev or magical levitation using Tertherite repulsion magic. Aertherite crystals would have also been a viable mana source but It was hard to find and mine below ground. The few pockets of Aertherite found within subterranean forests needed some time to replenish else they risked harming the ecosystem; who said dwarves did not like nature?

Arriving at the Triad, she went through the checking in process. Checking her courier chute for briefings she found a folder of vellum waiting for her. She retrieved the mage slate from within and activated it, reading it for directions of her next mission.

To her surprise, her first stop was the Arcane Craft and Weapons Smithy. She groaned; that bunch would always tend to get lost in their own talk whenever new vehicles and weapons were being requisitioned from their department.

Entering the hangar cum dockyard after riding a steamlift she found the yard bustling with the magitech engineers and crafters working on a sundry of vessels both new and old. There were ongoing arcane weapons tests from afar; using her goggles, she zoomed in on a bulky craft that had thick hull plating and turrets. It was blocky and had three pairs of articulated mechanical legs.

‘ A new type of Skidbladnir? No, Skids are not heavy attack craft. That thing looks like it could go toe to toe with a Terra scorpion brood queen and come out on top.’ She mused as the lift clunked to a stop. She looked around for the partition with the details on her mage slate, head on a swivel wary of the movement around her. There were crates passing on an overhead crane, a golem pushing a cart, vessels being flown around for test runs or a group of crafters running through after a work break.

She double checked her mage slate again and found the dock she was looking for. There was an even stranger craft in the docking bay. It About the size of what she’d helmed before but with more features like four folded back extensions that were three quarters the length of the craft and a longer tail section.

Its front was spherical and joined to a main body that looked like an oblate spheroid but one of its elongated sides cut off leaving three quarters of it. Its colours varied between jungle green and cedar brown in swirls which had no discernable patterns. Then she realized it was modelled after a certain swamp insect—the drachenfly.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she found that the magitech engineer was one of those whose specification pointers were cut and dried.

“[Magitech Crafter] Thorir?” she called out as she approached.

“ Ho?” the crafter looked up from his own mage slate. “ Ah, our first test pilot,” the male dwarf smiled. He was relatively young but already, he sported a well-groomed beard, braided and tucked into his work coat to keep it out of his tasks. He also had a fade with a runic tattoo on the sides of his head and a man bun— Unconventional but a sight for sore eyes. If Holly wasn’t going on a mission, she would have asked the guy out.

“First test pilot?” Holly queried, waving away her delusions.

“Aye, this here craft was in the pipeline when we were asked to have it ready in two days for you.”

“Is that why you’re the only one around to give the breakdown? Not that I mind of course.”

“That’s right; me and the boys pulled all-nighters on this thing…the drachenfliegr,” he beamed despite his tired eyes and scruffiness. “The documentation you need is in the cockpit but I’ll humour you anyway.”

“Mmh, go on...”

“First the drachenflieger is a craft capable of three configurations of motion; it is fossorial, aquatic and aerial…”

“Eh…okay?”

“The frame is an enchanted lightweight fae steel chassis, two pairs aer wings made from resilient sylphid worm silk and anima steel bracing, anima metal hull and the usual choice weapons.

The usual magical sensors that go into the Skidbladnir go into this fledgling but the range has been increased to accommodate for the wide blue yonder. Now this is not a battleship—,” the crafter glanced at Holly to ensure she was paying attention and continued, “It was never meant to be; it’s a scout vessel that gets you in and gets you out. It also seats two instead of one, has the miniature living quarters you’re used to and will get you from here to the Riftedge outpost in a pinch.

The propulsion system is classified and experimental but all you need to know is, it uses a Tertherite crystal mana source for subterranean maneuvers but switches to pure Aertherite once you’re on the surface. It’s basically silent in operation; no moving parts involved.”

The crafter paused to catch his breath. “Ah, there’s a new feature of animus steel we just unlocked while you were away—adaptive cloaking magic.”

“Let me guess…also experimental?”

“Eh…yes. It can only hold a cloaked state for a few pars while in motion but will hold it indefinitely while at rest as long as its mana source crystals are functioning normally. We don’t know why that is, as of yet but it should suit you just fine.”

“Okay…so weapons remain the same eh? What was that loud weapon they were testing?”

“Oh that?” His eyes drifted towards the area where an Aegis enchantment was in effect as a weapon hammered away at targets made of stone slabs of varying thickness.

“That’s the gandr mounted Vanagadr. Now that right there… is a battle prowler,” he grinned.

‘You people have funny naming conventions.’ Holly thought amused.

“May I?” Holly requested asking if she could test it out. The sooner everything checked out the sooner she would be out above ground. Every moment spent dithering was time the trail went cold.

“Be my guest,” Thorir handed her another mage slate containing the vessel's operation manual. “Now If you’ll excuse me…I have some sleep to catch upto before the next slew of maintenance requests grinds me to death.”

‘That’s so morbid…’ Holly shook her head. She walked up against the drachenflieger, taking notice of where a short climbing platform had been sidled near the vessel’s hull and tapped where she thought the canopy’s pressure plating to be five times, timing the sequence with her knuckle.

The force sensing component on the animus steel registered the default security gesture and the canopy detached by itself, venting pressure. She made it as if to lift it up but it astounded her by opening it up all the way letting her peer into its innards.

The seat and instrument panels had undergone significant alterations including the additions of new gauges and instruments. The control yokes were also completely different and caught her eyes. While were the same yokes with leather stitched grips, they seemed to however to the left side and the right of the helmsperson’s seat as though through [Levitation] magic. On the helmsperson side were also the usual pedal levers.

‘Well, nothing to it. Guess a Seeker always learns on the job,’ she thought to herself as she hopped in. As soon as she had settled in the seat, she knew that neck cramps were going to be a thing of the past. Flicking through the documentation to the drachenflieger, she read through to the parts where she started it up, what controls to use and how to close the canopy.

It barely took a par to get going. She found the starting rune gem; a tap activated it and the canopy retracted overhead, taking on transparency as it descended. She suddenly found herself sitting in a bubble that had a 270° spherical view. Holly panicked feeling exposed. ‘Rust! Who approved this design?! Don’t they know we get up close and personal with monsters?

By then all the runes gems, including the large telepsychic orb that was considered the mind of the vessel had already gone through the cyclical process of checking everything was in order; the drachenflieger let out a rumble a little, indicating that it was ready for use.

“Well then, seeing as everything checks out and no craft has ever failed in the history of the Triad…better get going. I’ll read the mission brief on the way.” Holly muttered, before she fed power to the craft through the pedals.

Like its muse, the feedback was instantaneous, and it lurched into the air slamming Holly into her seat as its quad wings flicked open.

“Rust and toe shrooms!” she swore as the craft stabilized. The [Farspeak] rune on the instrument panel crackled.

“ Dispatch to Seeker Holly, do you require assistance?”

“ Uh, yes…open the bay doors.” She groaned. ‘I really need to make a habit of using harnesses,’ she thought as she secured herself appropriately.

“Acknowledged Seeker, Safe ‘journs.”

Holly eased the control sticks…slowly. Gossamer wings pulsing with Aer mana lifted a craft they had no business holding aloft. Overhead, a large hatch slid apart, venting steam from its drivers as it opened into a yawning tunnel. The drachenflieger ascended into the aperture beginning what would be the longest haul Holly would have. She looked at the empty seat beside her and sighed, “Grow up fast Seria…got one more slot for adventures with your name on it.”