The Elder Mine Boons
The Elder Mine Boons
Although our newly established Arcanum is still in its infancy, we, the descendants of the original Arcanum members, have determined that we shall follow in our ancestors' footsteps and further the cause of knowledge and understanding in Dereth.
This volume details how the Kingdoms have repurposed the ancient relics called 'The Elder Mines.'
It was Sir Akreg of the Order of Dereth who discovered the true nature of the Elder Mines and what new purposes they could be given. Sir Akreg found that these ancient relics were actually conduits to the powers represented by each Kingdom. He theorized that if the power of these mines could be directed and concentrated on a tapping device, it could grant a modicum of the mine's nearly limitless power to an individual. Upon learning this, the new head of the Order of Dereth's knights, Aun Tanua, ordered the seizure of the Celestial Matter mines. Sir Akreg quickly began construction of his theorized device in the Order's Sanctuary. The tapping device he constructed, which he called the Celestial Well, was indeed able to direct the energy of the Order's mines and give it to an individual. Golems empowered in this way became stronger and more durable, while mortals gained additional intelligence and wisdom.
It should be noted that this discovery did not come without problems. Partial solutions to these problems were discovered by Sir Akreg and his counterparts in the opposing Kingdoms, who, through spies and traitors to the Order, quickly learned of his discovery.
While the various tapping devices constructed by the Kingdoms can direct an enormous amount of energy, they are reliant on the Kingdom's Guiding Mechanism to control the flow of the energy from the Mines. A weakened Guiding Mechanism is unable to direct as much energy to the tapping device, which in turn weakens the boons granted by the device. A Guiding Mechanism with four undamaged gems allows the tapping device to grant the most powerful of boons. The power of the boons decays as gems are lost or damaged, and if all governing gems are lost, the tapping device ceases to work altogether.
The components of the various tapping devices wear out slightly every time a boon is granted. This wear causes further boons to suffer from shorter and shorter durations. Overseer Suthanna of the Dominion came up with a partial solution to this problem.While experimenting with a granule of Celestial Matter found in the remains of a Golem, she discovered that she could transfer its power to the Dominion's tapping device, the Energy Font. This strengthened the internal components of the Font and increased the duration of its boons. She immediately called for all Dominion warriors to bring back any type of enemy Elder material they encountered. Any warriors who brought back such items were richly rewarded.
Secrets do not remain secrets for long in Dereth.Soon after Suthanna's discovery, the other Kingdoms began offering similar rewards for captured Elder motes and granules to their subjects.
Seeing the power that the Elder Mines represented, each Kingdom began asking for volunteers to lead raids into enemy mines. These volunteers are responsible for summoning a Portal Bore at the enemy mine. This device breaks through the mine's magical defenses, allowing the Kingdom to summon portals directly into the enemy's mines. If the volunteers in this vanguard are successful, they are rewarded for their efforts. Meanwhile, the defending Kingdom must quickly scramble to defend the mine, for if the invading forces are not driven back within 30 minutes, they will disrupt the delicate link between the mines and the tapping device. This causes the tapping device to disappear until the link is reestablished. However, if the defenders are successful, they also find that their Kingdom rewards them well.
