1423

> *"It is their worst-kept secret. It feels as if it has been in development forever, and would only be ready... 'in 20 years.' And then something happened: 20 years became 'today.' And people will mark today as the point the marquisate brought our Magical Future to be our Magical Now..."*
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> **-Forsythe Gearburn, House of Maragond, Lantan**
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## The Rumor Crystalizes: ***Harnessing* *Arcane Energy***

There had been sightings for more than a decade: magically-energized devices, with powerful, compact motors in a variety of roles. Most of this surrounded the horseless carriages, but anywhere there was a regular draw of energy, or something that used fuel, the SMC had been working on prototypes to *make stuff go*.

Those with even a modicum of insider connection knew the SMC was working with a range of partners, from the Stonehearth College in Baldur's Gate to allied Houses and almost-family support contractors. This was going to be *the Next Big Thing*. By **1423** **DR**, the SMC debuted the arcane technology in Mageweave's recently-completed *Exposition*.

This was the technical grand-opening of the *Expo*, following the success of the Mageweave *Grand Mall*, and it was a smashing success. The "Worst Kept Secret" still surprised most, but the power and flexibility of the arcane crystals simply blew people away.

The *Crystals* were a way of powering devices without the complexity or delicacy of a permanent enchant. The crystals could made fairly inexpensively and simply for low-to-mid power, and reliably for mid-to-high power. The low-to-mid range was exceptionally safe, so a supply of crystals could be stored or transported where other fuel or energy sources were either hazardous or toxic.

There were a dozen demonstrations where these crystals could be used but the biggest were magical motors. Any place steam was harnessed, from water pumps to horseless carriage engines, a carriage could run all day, doing heavy work, on one-mid powered crystal. And when that ran out? Just pop in another one!

One of the most intriguing demos were crystal-powered wands. Dedicated wands, such as Bigby's Grasping Hand (popular on loading docks), fireball, lightning bolt, magic missile and so on were created to function on crystal power. A weaponized wand could blast through it's charges, swap out the crystal, and keep blasting until they ran out of crystals (or until the wand was too hot to hold).

The possibilities were not only endless, *they were staggering*...

## **Mageweave invents *Refrigeration***

*Refrigeration* wasn't a new concept by any means, but the ability to do so reliably and consistently was limited at best. Utilized most popularly to keep foods chilled, or frozen, for long periods of time, it was only available on the boutique level. Either somebody had access to ice or regular access to a mage who could create ice – and they were surprisingly rare against the demand.

Tied in to the release of *Arcane Energy Crystals*, House Sid announced the creation (and licensing) of a magically-powered compressor that would constantly generate cold air. Suddenly, an ice box could grow to be the size of walk-in pantry – or even a whole warehouse.

Such cold production could keep masses of food from spoiling. Agriculture was the first to latch onto this idea, but inns and taverns had a beat later. Within ten years, the available food supply in the marquisate would double – and the population would grow right along with it.

At a lower intensity, a version of the device could cool a whole building to a consistent temperature. Controlled by a thermostat, it could keep a palace in Chult at a comfortable 72º. Tap water was rare in the realms, but this could chill the flow to make perfect drinking water.

### **A Whole New Market**

The refrigeration itself a new implementation of an old desire, but the way it worked specifically with arcane crystals was by design. This wasn't just selling chillers or compressors, pumps or magical motors, or dozens of crystal-powered wands: it was opening a market *to sell magical crystals*.

The SMC made and sold crystals under their own brand, licensed the arcane technology to key partners and made the technique available to those who wanted to make their own. Between direct sales and licensing sales percentages of these crystals alone – *even though the crystals could be made by anybody with half a wit for enchanting* – the convenience of buying them would make the Stonehearth Merchant Company the richest private enterprise on Toril by a wide margin.

It stunned the sense of perspective to think sales of crystals were limited to the marquisate. And that this was on top of the still-moving scroll and potion business, where mass sales reached as far as Kara-Tur.