Artificery

**Artificery** is the craft of creating and inventing magically-infused objects, naturally originating from traditional practice of Alchemy and the rise of industry and engineering. Artificers treat magic as something that can be (and should be) controlled and understood: more of a science than an art.

## History

### Origins

Artificery originated from the gnomes of Nimscodd in their attempts to reclaim their long-lost homeland of the Dragon Coast from the kobold race. While naturally talented in magic, the gnomes were small in number and had to find a way to make magic, or at least magic-like abilities, accessible to their less-talented brethren and foreign mercenaries they brought in to fight.

## Types of Artificery

### Racial

The very first way to categorize artificery was via its three founding races. This was based on that race's outlook on how exactly artificery should be performed.

#### Gnomish Artificery

Gnomish artificery is the most popular and also the oldest branch of artificery. It prizes itself on elegant and also realistic solutions. Gnomish artificery is regarded as the most "safe" but also the one that relies most on experimental thesis, hypothesis and empirical evidence. To gnomes, artificery is very much a science.

#### Goblin Artificery

If gnomish artificery is doing things the right and proper way, then goblin artificery is the opposite. The stereotypical goblin invention cuts corners, uses scrap and discount materials and, more often that not, provides a big boom. To goblins, what matters is that "it just works".

#### Kobold Artificery

Kobold artificery is a strange branch of artificery that focuses a lot on modifying the body, such as artificery-powered metallic arms and skin grafts, said to be born from the kobold's desire to achieve the perfect form of being a dragon. While the other two branches rely on traditional steam and coal to power their inventions (along with damestear), kobolds have begun to utilize the Dragon Coast's stormy climate to power their latest inventions with electricity.

### Philosophies

During the Age of Artificery a new and more widely accepted way was established, based off the defining philosophies of how exactly artificery and its inventions should function and why.

#### Philosophy of Brilliant Inventors

The Philosophy of Brilliant Inventions seek to fulfil the promise of true synthesis between magic and technology, blending the two into creating things entirely new and all the more capable. The Brillites see themselves at the forefront of the science of artifice, and it is no surprise that the most wildest and ingenious inventions come from followers of this philosophy. Their most famous invention is the Sparkdrive Rifle which utilizes elemental essence to shoot lightning with marksman accuracy.

#### Philosophy of Techno-Thaumaturgy

The Philosophy of Techno-Thaumaturgy see artificery as a new school of magic, treating it through the lens of pragmatic mysticism as the common wizard would. They see artificery as a tool to bridge the gap between the arcane and the mundane, often using artifice to replicate spells without the need of complex rituals and reagents. One such invention are Wandlocks, allowing spells to be fired from the barrel of a pistol.

#### Philosophy of Mechanism

The Philosophy of Mechanism are engineers and craftsmen who combine artifice and traditional engineering know-how to push the limits of machinery. Mechanists stereotypically treat the more fantastical applications of artifice with disdain, believing in simple and effective artifice, especially when it can help with mass production. The Mechanists are proud that it is often their inventions that revolutionize society, such as Skyships.

## Artificer Materials

### Blueblood

During the 1700s, Balgabar scholars discovered that the blood of a mage or magical race could be used as a damestear substitute while researching the Veykodan tribes and their magical runic tattoos. The Veykodan ruinborn, who were elves, had been using ink infused with their own blood allowing for the runes to work on flexible surfaces like skin which otherwise was impossible. Dwarven runes by contrast had to be carved into a firm surface to work. By pairing this discovery with the existing Blueblood Theory they proved that magical blood, in high enough quantities and concentration could be used not just for runes, but could replace damestear as a source of magical power. As a whole blueblood was met with revulsion by the larger artificer society, dubbing it as a part of Amoral Artificery.

From there all manner of uses were discovered for blueblood. However, it is not as powerful or as practical, leading to its nickname "the poor man's damestear." Though easier to come by, it is only cheap by comparison as most accepted means to acquire blueblood are slow processes with little yield. The practice of leaching took on a new life following this discovery while in less regulated parts of the world so-called "Blood Barons" make a hefty profit procuring blood through more questionable means.