Almanac: Trade Pt II ~ Rare Bundles, Extract from Visions of Glass Options

[BBB]

Extract from The Companion Issue Eight Volume 4
Aug 2006
By Alan Morgan

NOTE: Heroes relevant stat information has been highlighted in italics. The information is of little use to the LRP player but I've kept the references in for completeness of the original article.

Rare Bundles
A description of those rare Bundles that many cities have access to from mine, Merchant or even Curiosity Shop. By their very name these are not commonly available and each has benefits and, sometimes, dangers to be aware of. This updates and clarifies anything that has gone before in the usual manner. It should be born in mind that the locations of such are often very defined, geographically. Seeking for Blackstone about many cities for example will typically come up a blank.


Blackstone
A hard, yet brittle ore Blackstone is filthy stuff and comes in two forms.

Backle, the most common, is dusty and is prone to decomposition if not stored properly. It burns well, and indeed fiercely and is used both for common warmth and in the same manner as charcoal in the foundries and forges of the northern territories, assuming they can get any.

Slake is harder and resembles rather poor quality onyx. It can also be burnt, and used in the same way as Backle but it also has the property of being able to settle Dragon Ore, to combine with it to form Dragon Stone.

A Blackstone Mine fulfils a requirement for Charcoal on a level-by-level basis (including the benefit to foundries / forges when used). In addition a single Bundle of Backle counts as two of Wood for a city’s needs. That’s the city’s needs not for building and especially not for making ships. Feel free to try though.

Slake does both these things. In addition, a city with a Foundry or an Alchemist Guild can elect to turn one Bundle of Slake and one of Dragon Ore into a singe Bundle of Dragon Stone through either a Focussed Order – or using those orders derived from Alchemist Guilds for often more productive result.


Brandin Stone
The most common of these Bundles is Brandin Stone. Sourced from the Mountains of the same name, such stone possesses a marvellous quality to withstand pressure and destruction, yet a skilled mason can work it almost as easily. Such masons take more time, not in the work itself as much as the selecting of the right lump for the job. The stone is said to have a ‘shape within it’ and if the craftsmen can perceive such then his art is sufficient to work it effectively and well.

Much of the stone found elsewhere in the Empire tends not to hold well to the observations and traditions of the Guilds, typically crumbling over a generation or two, or at least becoming so worn that the arts of the Guild can no longer maintain its upkeep.

Brandin Stone also has a marvellous capacity to see and accept the runic Mountain Lore that is almost the sole preserve of the Dwarfs.

Brandin Stone is commonly seen in large, often weighty and lofty structures. Fortifications built entirely from Brandin Stone cause war engines to lower their effectiveness by 1.


Dragon Ore
When excess ritual is enacted upon a given location the Entropy attendant has an adverse effect on the very land about it. Dust and soil thrown up by the more visible and destructive rites makes such even more likely and as it settles the power within it seeps into the ground. Typically mined, Dragon Ore is dangerous, unstable stuff that is the closest thing to material Entropy. The supernatural force present, over the course of the years, becomes pure (or corrupt, depending on the ritualist’s viewpoint) and can be used for any and all rites to empower the direction of the ritualists will.

The Guilds sometimes need Dragon Ore for structures, the power within it being needed either for their own observances or to provide an initial kick for some supernatural structures.

Each Bundle of Dragon Ore provides a certain amount of the Faith requirement for a ritual. As increasing amounts are, literally, burned, absorbed or crushed (depending on the nature of the Tree) the effect trails off somewhat but is still useable. Faith provided can be equated as follows.

2 Bundles of Dragon Ore provides Faith for a Level 1 Rite.
5 Bundles of Dragon Ore provide Faith for a Level 2 Rite.
9 Bundles of Dragon Ore provide Faith for a Level 3 Rite.
14 Bundles of Dragon Ore provide Faith for a Level 4 Rite.
20 Bundle of Dragon Ore provide Faith for a Level 5 Rite.

Note though that Entropy created is 1 more for each level of the Rite to enactor and city.

It is unstable. Every stored Bundle of Dragon Ore has a chance of destroying itself, in a smoky and rather sullen manner. This often takes a number of hours and so people tend to get out of the way quite easily. The storehouse though tends to suffer. No one is insane enough to volunteer for ‘smoking Dragon Ore moving’. It is unpredictable stuff and has never successfully been used as a weapon, always going bang at the worst possible time. And it always will, note.

Dragon Stone is stable and does not detonate, even if hit with a hammer or a big feck-off rite. It burns slowly in ritual use.


Light of Averlaeren
Commonly found as a wine, Light of Averlaeren is imported from a land north of Ishma and is said to be created from certain songs of the elves that are rumoured to live there in a timeless land. Refreshing yet heady, the wine has no one taste but rather seems to be whatever the imbiber would most prefer. It allows a level of light-headed drunkenness and continued use over a given time extends the duration, rather than sends the sot into a fool’s gabbling. Precious stuff it is the greatest accompaniment to any celebration and a gesture at the richness of a patron.

The wine has often been used as a means to store wealth as much as its value as a drink. It does not go bad (even over centuries) and many Merchant Sires have a Bundle put aside for the odd hard month.

Use of a Bundle of such Light increases the effectiveness of a celebration, or the seeking of a grant, or other social affair by increasing the result of Tags/Structures given towards such by 3.


Gressen Ore / Deci Ore
Most often found in the Lord’s Mine located in the city of the same name, Gressen Ore is in fact many different metals. They are without a doubt the hardest to be found on Primus and are commensurately difficult to work except by decent craftsmen. The ore does not rust and once forged into a purposeful form seems to bear some mark of purpose within it so that it can only be used for the same purpose even if worked anew. If polished over the months it never loses its sheen and a blade made from Gressen Ore never loses its edge. It is also possible to mix Gressen Ore in with baser metals, extending their longevity and strength.

Generally needed as a pre-requisite for certain structures – some forms of armour and weapons and the really powerful war engines - Gressen Ore can also be used to supply a city’s needs. In this latter use a single Bundle can cover the need for 10 Bundles of Workable or Precious metals in a given month. Used thusly though any excess from market is lost as it is snapped up and used.


Heart Glass
Also called Nagrech Shard, the material is of crystalline form and is said to derive from Ishma where myth would have it the Nagrech was once located. It has also been found near to Elemental Founts of sizeable power, or where such were once located. Heart Glass is useful to ritualists and alchemists both, warbands and indeed anyone fearing ritual. During the early Empire all Heart Glass was declared the property of the Emperor, even possessing such was enough to ensure the owner’s death if discovered.

A Bundle of Heart Glass counts as any given ritual paraphernalia at the rate of 1 Bundle for each level of the Rite.

A Bundle of Heart Glass used by alchemists triples a Bundle of their produce – thus from one Bundle to three of that brewed.

A Bundle of Heart Glass can be made into amulets or other charms by a suitable Guild. A warband wearing such a charm is known to be lucky – supernaturally so – and indeed the first armour rolls they are required to take in a clash are rerolled the once if such comes up as a failure. Such charms are only lucky that once. Such charms also protect against the first Level 1 Rite that is targeted at them. It is the case with such charms that they work on the first such occasion they are needed, there is not a choice as to when they are used. They need to settle on their owner, not put on at need. A given Held may only wear one such charm.

A Bundle of Heart Glass can be made into suitable adornments (there’s a lot of wastage) for a character whose Tag’s represent Neuronic ability. For the period of a given month such Tags count as being two higher (to a max of five, as is normally the case).


Primal Feast
A black, spongy fungus, Primal Feast can be reduced to more compact cakes, pungent smelling parcels easily capable of being carried in a common pouch. Tasting of nothing more than heady spices, Feast is surprisingly filling and can sustain a user for a day without feeling any pangs of hunger. Feast can be used as an additive to ale but care must be taken as if burnt is leaves a stink that even the gods themselves would have trouble removing.

Primal Feast counts as 10 Bundles of Food (of whatever type). It is of course of great use for warbands and ships since a single Bundle can sustain such people for long periods. It was used by Glorianave for some time, but Woland banned its exploitation unless a Bundle was used to feed many Helds at the same time. It was found that extended use saw the spears becoming addicted to the sticky stuff, becoming surly and even sluggish in battle. Nonetheless when the alternative is starvation…

1 Bundle of Primal Feast can be used to supply a city’s needs. In this manner a single Bundle can cover the need for 10 Bundles of Hardy or Perishable Food in a given month. Used thusly though any excess from market is lost as it is snapped up and used. Citizens get a bit… twitchy.

A Bundle of Primal Feast used in a Demesne structure that gains an income from its ale/wine/mead will double its income derived from such until the next Final Dawn.


Salt
It’s salt…

A Bundle of Salt added to Perishable Food is sufficient to turn 10 such into Hardy Food.

If distributed through a suitable structure during the Pestilence Season, every Bundle will lower those dying from such in a city by 200. Such is calculated after all else and the saved 200 are taken from the total that would otherwise be dead. The number so committed is stated first – it doesn’t really help to see how many have died and then commit the right number of Bundles…

Trollsville Wood
Also found in the Shedeff Forest and the Dark Forest, its more popular name derives from its more recent discovery, and few care to venture into the Dark Forest. Harvested from those trees in one of the three great forests bordering or within the limits of the Empire, the wood is from those trees that enjoy some measure of sentience, even awareness. Not every tree that can walk, or even prove hostile would be considered ‘Trollsville Wood’. Indeed, most won’t. In being harvested the spirit, in the tribal sense, within them dies, yet the wood itself maintains life such that incorporated into structures and war engines it can be grown about, within and part of that building or machine. It has properties for certain Guilds of use in their rituals. It is almost unheard of for such to grow outside of the three great forests.

Those that dwell in the three forests view its harvest as an entirely bad thing. It is murder in all but name and the spirits that dwell as part of the sentient whole are thought to be diminishing as the years go by.

Mostly used in specific structures, Trollsville Wood can also be burned purposefully in a city and is so doing each Bundle reduces the Faith of Nature there by 2 – to a max of 10 in a given month. Rather wasteful but for some people the idea of really annoying Druids is too good to miss.


Vandling Stone / Shard
Crystal veined stone, Vandling Shard is thought to be formed by centuries of tribal, shamanic and even druid ritual about stones raised for their various celebrations, and more ritual uses. The name derives from the most prominent examples being those set in place by Weaver (and then Prince) to enforce and define the Rites that are now barely rumoured with the passing of the High Dawn some five or six years ago. Now commonly found in small quantities, it can be harvested from powerful henges and cairns and thus one of the more commonly dangerous of trade bundles to seek.

Used with Woven Rites the rituals so bound do not expire at the Final dawn. Indeed, at all until triggered.

If used in the tribal manner then rites enacted within that area of a certain variety do not likewise expire at the Final Dawn.

If used upon a burial mound the shard is effective at protecting the dead within from Decay and other Necromantic rites and miracles.