[✗] [Invention] Arcane Amplificares

[Johann 2498]

Arcane Amplificares

"Even a spark of magic can shake the world's foundations."

- An Alurian Artificer, circa. SA 56.

 

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Origin

Throughout the ages the concept of arcane siege-class machines have come and passed. First conceived in the distant halls of Rivel followed by a brief resurgence in Ando Alur, amplificares were a feat of arcane ingenuity, invented as a means of surpassing the physical capacity of sorcerers to manifest even grander feats of magic. As heavily coveted knowledge, methods of creation for this wondrous device was lost to time and obscurity. It would take centuries of research and failure by disparate mages across the realms before finally returning to the public consciousness in Aevos. Employed primarily as siege engines but often used as a means of arcane magnificence, true to their name these devices amplify a mage’s power manyfold, allowing even a small handful of evocationists to muster awe-some displays of magic. 

 

 

Function

Like a casting focus the crux of an arcane amplificare's functionality is that it hones in on a mage’s power and focuses it, amplifying the spell cast through augmented focus crystals embedded upon arcanium and allowing for a more accurate and potent casting of magic. As a siege engines, amplificares are similar to cannons in that they are not easily moved and require a substantial amount of time to charge and fire. Furthermore, as magical constructs they are incredibly delicate, susceptible to destruction from minor amounts of damage and abuse.

 

Mechanics:

Spoiler

Arcane Amplificares require [5] emotes to prepare a charge and has a minimum [3] emote cooldown as follows:

 

[1] The amplificare is fastened in place and the operating mage connects to the machine. 

[2] Mana is drawn from the amplificare’s powering source such as supporting mages or a mana obelisk. 

[3] The spell is shaped into form through the amplificare and manifested from arcana.

[4] The spell undergoes charging and amplification.

[5] The spell is cast and wreaks its arcane havoc upon the battlefield.

 

The number of mages required to operate and utilize it ranges from one to four, depending on the criteria as explained in ‘Powering’. The effects of the amplificare vary depending on the branch of magic used though it must always be of the “arcane” archetype. While evocations are the most commonly applied form, Voidal feats such as Voidstalking or Eminence may also be honed and focused through the amplificare. More physical conjurations such as earth or ice, have the potential to damage the machine and cause it to explode.  Knowledge of the magic being cast is required for the operating mage and may not be 'shared' from mages powering the amplificare.

 

For information regarding the rolling system, see the 'Powering' subsection. 

 

Fire evocation may be used to scar terrain and decimate flammable defenses such as wood. Amplificares with fire evocation can be used to shower flame upon a region of up to a five-meter radius, or create a seething fireball of five-meters in diameter. Both manifestations of fire evocation are potent enough to immediately inflict second-degree burns upon targets, igniting any flammable objects with any residual flames lingering for five emotes in the affected area. This spell may also be made combustive to inflict concussive force sufficient to fracture bones. 

 

Water evocation may create a potent jet of pressurized water three meters in diameter and ten meters in length which may be used almost like a hose for [3] emotes, beating back troops with the pushing-force of an orc or dowsing large fires on the battlefield. Those initially struck by this hose of water suffer broken bones, while those struck by the torrent while it is being channelled will at the very least be heavily bruised and knocked back. Alternatively, it may be used to hurl large blocks or spikes of ice from above, creating blizzards which can span upwards of five meters in diameter. This blizzard showers Minecraft block-sized chunks of ice or spikes that can concuss or pierce through targets like the thrust of a ferrum blade respectively. 

 

Earth evocation may form a giant boulder of rock and stone [3] meters in diameter that barrels through the air and devastates any targets and structures in its path. This boulder is considered launched at trebuchet-speed and therefore may inflict significant damage on defensive structures such as castle walls and even impair Olog-class creatures. 

 

Air evocation may be used to knock back enemies with an intense sphere of compressed wind stretching five-meters in diameter or a potent gale which sweeps across a ten-meter stretch with a five-meter reach. The compression-shot is capable of knocking back olog and even golem-class creatures, leaving them disoriented and battered for at least an emote. The potent gale is a constant gust of wind lasting [4] emotes, slowing the movement of humanoid-sized targets first and eventually causing them to lose their footing and even be pushed back by the third emote. Though not causing much damage to the surrounding terrain, it can be an effective anti-cavalry weapon, knocking down large lines of armored troops and even other siege engines.

 

Eminence may be used to create a powerful beam of pure arcane energy three meters in diameter to smite opponents in a furious display. This is a crushing force than an incinerating one, those caught in its path smashed back with force equivalent to a cannonball and smashed against whatever nearby surface they were between, or knocked back with severe injuries large enough. 

 

Voidstalking may be used to create horrendous, land-scarring bursts of energy, and are arguably among the most detrimental. This causes the land it strikes to wither up and die via a burst of corrupting Voidal energy in a five meter radius, or alternatively cause it to warp drastically to become alien in nature. Druids would hear nature shriek in agony, and any individuals caught within the blast would experience temporary corruption of their flesh and physical weakness identical to Voidstalker “Withering” for an OOC day, requiring rest and recuperation.

 

In non-combative scenarios amplificares may be used to project wondrous city-scale displays of magic without limitations, subject to usual rules for RO-consent should it be required. Some examples include light shows, large-scale illusions, arrays of magelights to illuminate streets, local climate control, and construction-scale transmutations.

 

More exotic uses for arcane amplificares such as circling multiple amplificares and harnessing other Voidal magics unincluded above are possible with ET consent in event scenarios. Keep in mind that the crux of the Amplificare concept is that they are SPELL amplifiers, not ENCHANTMENT holders like Obelisks.

 

Creation

The creation of an Arcane Amplificare requires the oversight and expertise of a Voidal Artificer or a [T5] transfigurationist, and demands forging five solid arcanium rings which scale down from largest to smallest. Typically, the largest of the rings begin at a 2-3 meter diameter, scaling down to head-width as its smallest. This may vary slightly depending on the general scale of the amplificare to no extra benefit and typically remains constant. 

 

The rings themselves are required to be created from arcanium lined with magegold and embedded with focus crystals. This is a rather delicate process and requires a stable workshop environment otherwise the machine faces extreme volatility in its creation process. Once constructed it is vital to fasten an amplificare on a sturdy surface and plant it firmly when used, as the force of an amplified spell channelled through it will almost certainly cause significant recoil otherwise, easily resulting in the shattering of this rather fragile device.

 

Powering

There are multiple ways in which an amplificare may be powered, the most common of which is via the mana of supporting mages. Every spell cast by an amplificare expends a third of the mana of a single [T5] mage, half the mana of two supporting [T4] mages and nearly all mana of three supporting [T3] mages. The casting mage does not use any mana from operating an amplificare.

 

The mages powering the amplificare must be separate from the mage who is focusing their spell, as the machine has no effective means to powering itself. Alternatively, however, other methods may be used to forgo the presence of powering mages, and instead allow the focusing magi to cast the device on their own. This requires an immense amount of power granted only by either a mana obelisk or being within the influential radius of a voidal tear. 

 

Though it is unlikely that the weapon would be present in immediate proximity to the source of power, mana ley lines and other methods of mana transmission may be utilized to power the weapon from a reasonable distance. 

 

- Eminents operating the amplificare are able to masterfully weave and amplify their magic which allows them to entirely ignore the cooldown of the amplificare inflicted after use.
 

- Voidstalkers operating the amplificare may power and use it independently without the need of supporting mages as they are surrogate mana obelisks, incurring the manacosts of supporting mages themselves. 

 

- Artificers operating the amplificare have an innate understanding of its fault-points and thus are able to channel solid-spells (i.e. ice, earth, combustion) without a roll requirement.

 

Overloading

Despite the awesome amount of power the amplificares grant, they are still limited in their function, and thus may be “overloaded” by certain spells or frequent overuse. All amplificares possess a minimum [3] emote cooldown after being used, as otherwise it will overheat and may explode should this be ignored.

 

Should the mage either attempt to use the amplificare prematurely or attempt to apply a spell that would be considered “harmful” to the amplificare, they must roll a [d50] to determine the outcome:

 

• Attempting to channel solid spells (i.e. ice, earth, combustion) through the amplificare will require the mage roll higher than a [15]. Artificers waive this restriction.
• Ignoring the cooldown or attempting to charge a spell before the cooldown is complete will necessitate the mage roll higher than [10], with an additional [10] added to the threshold for every emote earlier they try to charge the spell. 
  • This means that should a mage attempt to re-use an amplificare immediately after cast they would need to roll higher than a [30].

 

Lastly, any use of abjuration or warding attempted through the machine will cause the machine to overload and self-destruct. Being struck by any form of abjuration will cause the machine to deactivate while [T5] abjurations will fully destroy it.

 

Failure of any of the rolls above will cause the magegold lining of the machine to glow and overload with arcane energy, rendering it unstable and unusable and resetting the [3] emote cooldown.  Attempting to ignore this cooldown again will cause the amplificare to catastrophically explode with its attempted magic and critically wound all those in its immediate radius.

 

General Redlines

- Amplificares are the magical analogue to siege machines and are primarily intended for usage in large scale EVENTS. As magical constructs they are inherently fragile in nature and can be broken very easily when struck directly by a concussive force or antimagic source. 

 

- Amplificares require the oversight of a mage possessing a [FA] in Voidal Artificery or T5 transfigurationist to create and require ST signage. Creating an arcane amplificare is considered an exhausting task and may not be done overnight, requiring multiple days of roleplay logged in a document before its completion. 

 

- Amplificares must always be stationary when mounted. They cannot be moved through whilst in combat, including by means of ologs, constructs, carts, or magic.

 

- Casting one of the available spells for an amplificares requiring the OPERATING mage to have knowledge of that magic. This cannot be intrinsicially shared from the mages powering the amplificare.

 

- The creation of amplificares must be learned from one who understands how to make them, whether derived from an ST-signed book or teacher directly, and is not assumed knowledge by any mage, including those of the former iteration.

 

- Only T4+ mages may successfully operate the amplificare. Each spell focused would be equivalent to a tier five spell in power and would exhaust the participating mages accordingly. The radius and sizes of the spell is based generally off the number of mages participating in the operation of the amplificare, though one mage, even with a tear or obelisk present, will only ever be able to manifest a 5x5 meter spell via the focus.

 

- After firing, the operating mage cannot cast other spells for [1] emote as a cooldown period. Eminents do not suffer this restriction. The amplificare itself undergoes a [3] emote cooldown.

 

- Mages providing mana to the amplificare are required from emote number [2] to [4] of the amplificare’s usage as their mana is constantly being drawn and pooled for the spell. They may not cast any other spells in this duration.

 

- Attempting to fuel the Amplificare with non-arcane magic is impossible.

 

- Amplificares cannot be pre-charged before combat unless allowed in an event scenario.

 

- Amplificares may fire up to 48 meters (shout range), unless in an event where they may fire beyond this threshold should the overseeing ET allow.

 

- The explosion of a spell destroys the amplificare, causing critical harm to those nearby.

 

- Future incorporation of arcane amplificares to warclaims like cannons is entirely contingent on Moderation Team and Story Team collaboration and is as of now impossible due to plugin restrictions. Should this change at any point in the future the usage of amplificares requires Moderation Team approval like any other siege engine.

 

- Amplificares require RO permission to damage any region.

 

 

Credits

knghtArtoria (Author)

StingyParrot (Feedback)

Pundimonium (Original Submission)

 

References

Thaumaturgical Amplificares

Original Thaumaturgical Amplificares

 

 

 

[Gamma 812]

viktor

[McSteve 131]

is this hextech powered

 

[Luxury 1080]

Let transfigurers make these and you have my support ;) They’re too similar to justify one instead of the other.

[Johann 2498]

54 minutes ago, Luxury said:

Let transfigurers make these and you have my support ;) They’re too similar to justify one instead of the other.

 

That's a good shout actually, will do!

[Cheese 8873]

Finally a use for transfig and artificery

[Helmet 1454]

5 hours ago, Johann said:

Voidstalking may be used to create horrendous, land-scarring bursts of energy, and are arguably among the most detrimental. This causes the land it strikes to wither up and die via a burst of corrupting Voidal energy in a five meter radius, or alternatively cause it to warp drastically to become alien in nature. Druids would hear nature shriek in agony, and any individuals caught within the blast would experience temporary corruption of their flesh and physical weakness identical to Voidstalker “Withering” for an OOC day, requiring rest and recuperation.

 

This write goes immensely hard, but an OOC day long withering effect on everyone within a 5 meter radius (10 blocks in diameter) is very worrying to see for anyone that isn't a voidal mage already lmao. i'd reccomend making it only affect a set amount of people within the AoE closest to the center, reducing the AoE size overall, or turning down the amount of time someone is affected by the withering effect.

best of luck regardless, i'd love to see proper magic artillery exist

Edited April 22, 2025 by SlitheryC1

[PrimnyaQuorum 3998]

7 minutes ago, SlitheryC1 said:

This write goes immensely hard, but an OOC day long withering effect on everyone within a 5 meter radius (10 blocks in diameter) is very worrying to see for anyone that isn't a voidal mage already lmao. i'd reccomend making it only affect a set amount of people within the AoE closest to the center, reducing the AoE size overall, or turning down the amount of time someone is affected by the withering effect.

best of luck regardless, i'd love to see proper magic artillery exist

This is a event only effect and afaik these will be used on ET badguys, not players

[StingyParrot 1595]

we winning the mage war with this one folks

[z3m0s 1957]

This is dope

[Samler 1564]

Seems cool for events and stuff. And Johann if it's denied, nothing stops you from having McGuffin Arcane Amplifiers in your own events. <3

[Islamadon 9158]

This lore has been denied. You will be sent a forum PM regarding the reasons for denial within the next 24 hours.