Chapter 375: Tutoring Offer
Elder Manif sat down at the table, and brought out two gems and a book.
"Now for the reason I’m here. I was hoping that you would be interested in trading some lessons for that most wonderful revolver you’ve made." He explained.
Dominic shrugged. "I won’t object to that. I need training in magic, both to use combat spells and for practical purposes. I don’t see any issue trading you a pistol for it.
We’ve made a few of them."
Manif’s eyes flickered to Amie, who was caressing the now gleaming weapon in her hands like a lover. But Dominic took out another and placed it on the table between them.
"Now, what do we have here?" Dominic continued.
"The essential spells you were most likely thinking of. [Spell Amplification] and [Create Gems]. Spell Amplification is the magical equivalent of the strength gems, in that it adds a small boost to your spell casting above the actual level of your spell gem. Create Gems is the one that you’ll need for all sorts of Magitech work.
Both are core skills of a Mage Sect, and not normally sold outside the Sect. But this case is somewhat special.
Not just because you’re the local Duke, but because we are here to establish a school.
Like you, we also believe that Wistover would be better off if everyone had some magical skills. Those who cannot learn them are at a disadvantage, and we hope that everyone can at least be trained to the level of the Royal Paladins by the time that they finish basic schooling." Manif explained.
"Getting Holy Cores to train more Paladins and Clerics won’t be easy, but I understand what you mean. If the average resident can use [Area Barrier] and [Slash], at the very least, they will be much more safe living in rural areas and travelling." Dominic agreed.
"I’m glad we’re on the same page."
"Now, the spell gems are useful, and I believe that you don’t have either of them. But the book is the real treasure. It is the one that you said you were hoping the Second Prince would bring you.
Materia Gem Creation.
This tome contains the trick to making new spell gems, which are necessary for many advanced magitech items, as well as the basis for the Trade Skill Core that you will understand how to make when you reach Master Rank on your blacksmithing core.
There are secrets to every trade skill core, so they’re not so easy to make. But recreating gems for spells that you know isn’t terribly hard once you know the technique.
It’s just that it takes a lot of work and that makes them valuable.
What you should know before you start is that there are two types of spell gems. One is intended to be used as a spell by a person. The other is intended to create a spell effect when placed in an item.
The ones intended to be placed in an item are impossible to attune. They are the source of most fake spell gems. Looters will tear down a magitech item and attempt to resell the gem, which appears genuine at first glance, as it is not attuned.
Only once it is sold will the buyer realize that it cannot be attuned, unless they’re a mage.
So, that is the first thing to keep in mind both as you’re learning the skill, and when you’re making them for magitech items.
Make the version that cannot be attuned to use with magitech items, unless you want to make a personalized item. If you use an attunable gem, all gems in the item must be capable of attunement, or the item won’t work after the process starts.
But if you do it that way, you can make a weapon that bonds to one particular user.
There are some weapons like that within the Royal Families, mostly as heirlooms now. But when mages are making items for themselves, they will sometimes do it to prevent theft."
Dominic smiled at that part of the mage’s description. "You have a point. An attuned item is completely worthless to anyone else. If they don’t want you to have it, all they can do is destroy it or hide it from you. They can’t sell it or turn it against you.
Well, most of the time."
Elder Manif gave him a confused look. "Most of the time?"
"Well, if you attune a morning star for your personal use, I wouldn’t be able to activate the spells on it. But I could still grab it and beat you with it." Dominic elaborated.
Amie giggled, which caught Dominic’s attention.
"Sorry, that exact reason is why wands fell out of favour with most mages. The spell book shape is much less likely to be used in horrific and painful ways by bullies in school."
Elder Manif rolled his eyes. If anything, Amie was likely to have been the bully who would threaten to stick your wand where the sun doesn’t shine than the one being bullied.
"You know; that makes a twisted sort of sense. Pops made me a sceptre with added spell damage as an effect." Dominic noted.
"Preventative violence. I like it." Amie agreed.
Elder Manif smiled. "If you can’t cast fast enough, just beat them to death with the sceptre? How utterly Dwarven. But he’s not wrong. Most Dwarven mages carry a hammer or sceptre instead of a wand, while human mages usually go for a staff or a spell book.
The staff is clunky and easy to spot, marking you as a mage. So, it’s not as common these days. But I’m told that you have a spell book style casting device."
Dominic shook his head. "No, it’s an actual spellbook. The Sorcerer’s Spellbook, a Magitech item."
Elder Manif’s eyes went wide. "And you can use it? The Duskblade Sect also owns one, but nobody can attune to it, the design is flawed. However, it contains a copy of every spell that has ever been turned in to the Sect Warehouse.
It’s the greatest Grimoire that a Sect can obtain."