Veil Towers and Stabilizing Agents

Due to the events that lead to the almost complete devastation of the Veil, magic was once inaccessible. Much like the Spellplague from 4e, the Veil Fall in the world of Emia was an event where the Deitic Gap was shut out as well and for whatever reason the Veil became highly unstable. Wizards and elves alike, those that used the Veil to tap into their magics went mad, elves returned to the Seelielands, those creatures who didn't leave also went mad or made do without it. It's only been in the last 30 years or so that magic circles have devised a means to strengthen the Veil in Emia using what's called Veil Towers.

The Creation of the Towers

Veil Towers were created shortly after the Veil Fall during the those 10 years of absolutely no magic whatsoever.

Found quite by accident, crystals of brilliant clear pink were found in some areas around the destroyed portals that were once the gateways to the worst hit areas. After a few years of study of these crystals, the wizard Hesorin of White Tower discovered through an incident his lady friend and comrade, Sorcerer Bynna endured, who after being warned, touched the crystal directly and it repowered her, it's power so great it knocked her out for days.

She herself had became a conduit for the crystal, and it continued to lock with her for hours with bolts of energy, to Hesorin's dismay, till it wore off in a week or so. When she came too, she and Hesorin worked out a way with the help of a tinker gnome by the name of Togswright Fussgrind, how to harness the power of the crystal, and had exhibitions to go find more of the stuff.

The first test, was in the mountains just past the Wooly Hills around a small camp site. They noted that the higher up it got, the crystal seemed to warp the collapsed veil around it and even mended it just over top the tower. Tests then came. Spellcasting within range. They could do it to within 10 miles of the haphazard tower they erected and then it started to fizzle out the farther out they got. The closer to the tower, the more potent the spells. They found other kinds of crystals that worked but not as good as the pink shards. The green shards had their own properties and would suffice for some areas.

The next experiment was to go bigger. But they needed funds. Building a tower with the help of some local stoneworkers around White Tower, and a grant of coins from the Lord of the land after some minor convincing, with a small army of guardsmen to watch the Lord's investment, the first Veil Tower was built. Housing the crystal on a pedestal and bound securely in iron bars to keep anyone from taking it, and a mechanism by the tinkerer to keep the crystal spinning (as the Tinkerer discovered, if it doesn't spin, the range is uneven) the crystal immediately began working. This time, the crystal was much larger than the test crystal.

And it worked. Those who had magic abilities, which were few and far between now, after the long drought--were finding their spells working. It was a success.

The Aftermath of Success

The wizard Hesorin became wealthy, got a seat on the council, and the Lord of White Tower sent word to towns all along the Lands of the Myst with their glorious find willing to share for a price and a percentage for supplying the crystal (which was extremely rare and they charged a ridiculous amount for). Many came from all over just to see this sight. This began a tumultuous turn around as rogues and thieves, mercenaries and jealous lords heard about this new power shift in the Land of Myst and quickly became infuriated, not to mention a little nervous.

Several attempts at theft occurred, increasing the need for more guards to the towers. The lands around then began working hard at getting that same sort of thing in motion. First the dwarves, then the land's of Kahalim and Ash, and the others soon followed. Soon, Veilguard were making postings and embassies all over the Lands of Myst and expanding into those other lands. These other lands put out their own exhibitions and found there own chunks of the stuff, bypassing the Lord of White Tower and built their own towers. Some worked better than others. Some died in the hasty construction, as the crystal itself, would knock out those prone to certain abilities and higher intelligences. Some folks never woke from their comas.

By the time the 10 years were up, most of the major cities had spied their way to their own towers, traded many goods to the lands of Myst for the knowledge, or just outright stole from others to get it.

The Business of Magic Towers & Veil-Sap

One of the unknown factors was how to make a good profit off the Towers. Within years the towns were selling Veil-Sap Phylacteries to upcoming magic users who were excited to get back to their studies and lived on the outskirts of the towers' magic conduit. With the dominant business being run through the Lords and Temples of major cities, this left a void in the outskirts. How to get their own Veil-Sap.

The Outskirts

This was easily figured out once some of the more roguish types and necromancers found that the Veil-sap could be syphoned off of magical beasts and creatures. Necromancers were the first to discover this, as they dissected the bodies of many creatures killed or found dead, and using the idea from the Veil Tower's phylacteries, created what would later be the bain of the Veilguard and it's Guardians everywhere--the Blood-Sap phylactery.

The Common Outskirts vs. Towers Movement

There are several small sects of magic users and even common folk who either despise the towers and Veil-Saps' existence, or who see it as a domination of the High Wizard class who are keeping their towers all to themselves and forcing the apprenticed outskirts to pay to be a part of their elite 'club'. Don't be surprised if you find towers being attacked outright to destroy them, or find the more peaceful kind who despise the entire enterprises' existence to be standing around outside these towers with hoes and pitchforks demanding they be taken down and getting into skirmishes with the Veilguard. This usually results in arrests.

A common problem for the Lords of their lands are petitions brought to them while holding court about necromancers in the woods around their lands murdering their wild creatures, being found slaughtered, or whole ecosystems being violated (usually Druid's hate this) who's filling his Blood-Sap phylacteries illegally. Typically the Veilguard will react to this by having themselves or a group of trusted mercs go out and find the necromancer, prove his wrongdoings and return him to the King/Lord, what have you. Often, a good hanging is in order.

The Black Market

Necromancers who like to make some coin on the side, will often pair up with some underground group of thugs or bandits to provide their services to them for a very high price. Since most criminals and thugs avoid towns because they have an arrest record as long as their arms, they pay through the nose for the privilege of having a necromancer in their midst. These necromancers usually get wealthy fast and are treated like the Golden Goose and will be defended heavily.

The Veil-Sap Business

Veil-Sap - A mysterious, blue liquid collected by wizards of the Veilguard and used to stabilize arcane magic for the casting of arcane spells outside the range of a Veil Tower. The use of arcane spells imbued with Veil-Sap consumes a small amount (spell dependant) of sap to the ethereal plane.

Ichor (WIS) - Akin to Veil-Sap, this white, glowing material is utilised by casters who use Wisdom, like sorcerer's, paladins and the like, in order to stabilise divine magic. The use of divine spells imbued with ichor consumes a small amount (spell dependant) of ichor to the ethereal plane.

Veil-Sap Phylactery (INT) - A Veilguard approved container (normally glass) for Veil-Sap that can be transported for use by arcane casters that use INT. These allow the casting of arcane spells up to level 8. Phylacteries come in 4 common sizes.

Small. Able to hold up to 10 total units of sap.

Medium. Able to hold up to 20 units of sap.

Large. Able to hold up to 30 units of sap

Resin-vial. Used to cast a single level 9 INT spell.

Phylacteries must be attuned to a caster at a Veilguard dispensary and once attuned, can not be attuned to another caster without another visit to the dispensary.

Ichor Reliquary (WIS)- A Veilguard approved container (normally silver) for Ichor that can be transported for use by casters that use WISDOM to cast. These allow the casting of WIS spells up to level 8. Reliquary's come in 4 common sizes.

Small. Able to hold up to 10 total units of ichor.

Medium. Able to hold up to 20 units of ichor.

Large. Able to hold up to 30 units of ichor

Manna-vial. used to cast a single level 9 WIS spell.

Reliquaries must be attuned to a WIS caster at a Veilguard dispensary and once attuned, can not be attuned to another caster with ought another visit to the dispensary.

Soulic Reliquary (CHA)- A Veilguard approved container (normally silver) for Soulic imbued Veil-Sap that can be transported for use by casters that use CHARISMA to cast. Soulic Veil-Sap is Veil-Sap that's been imbued with Soulic energies that typically come for conjured devils. These allow the casting of CHA spells up to level 8. Reliquaries come in 4 common sizes.

Small. Able to hold up to 10 total units of ichor.

Medium. Able to hold up to 20 units of ichor.

Large. Able to hold up to 30 units of ichor

Manna-vial. used to cast a single level 9 CHA spell.

Reliquaries must be attuned to a WIS caster at a Veilguard dispensary and once attuned, can not be attuned to another caster with ought another visit to the dispensary.

  

Casting in the Post-Veil Fall

• Spells cast (arcane or otherwise) are subject to a veil backlash unless the caster is utilising a stabilising agent like Sap or Ichor. (See Veil Backlash).
• Stabilised agents are consumed by the casting of spells at an average of 1 Unit per spell level (1/2 for ritual magic at a minimum of 1).

Note: Level 9 spells require special forms of stabilisers (Resin for arcane magic and Manna for Divine casters).

Cantrips: Cantrips do not consume stabilising agents, but do require some to prevent backlash. Most Phylacteries or Reliquaries contain a small, separate compartment at the bottom that contains just enough to cast cantrips safely even with an empty vial.

Innate spell or spell like abilities: Like those one gains from their Race are not affected by backlash.

DISPENSERY PRICES

Stabilising agents

Sap (Per Unit) -       1    gp

Resin (Per refill) -     100 gp

Ichor (Per unit) -      1    sp

Manna (Per refill) -   10   gp

Cantrip refill  -         1    gp

Vial-Sap Phylactery

Small                      50  gp

Medium                 100  gp

Large                     200  gp

Resin                    1000 gp (Caster must apply to a Veilguard committee to gain access to a Resin Phylactery)

Reliquary (only sold to registered Divine casters associated with a church or temple sanctioned by the Veilguard)

Small                      50  gp

Medium                 100  gp

Large                     200  gp

Manna                  1000 gp (Caster must apply to a Veilguard committee to gain access to a Manna Reliquary)

  

Re- attunement -       10  gp

  

Blood-sap Vial - Outlawed by the Veilguard, these hacked Phylactery's are designed to not refill on Sap or Ichor, but rather the blood of magic casters (Creatures). Blood-vials come in 4 common sizes.

Small. Able to hold up to 10 total units of blood-sap.

Medium. Able to hold up to 20 units of blood-sap.

Large. Able to hold up to 30 units of blood-sap and finally a

Plasma-vial. Used to cast a single level 9 spell (requires the blood of a CR 8 or higher Demon, Devil, Celestial or Dragon, A creature with extracted Plasma can not have any Blood-sap taken from it).

Blood-sap drains residual veil-sap from the very blood of a recently dead (within an hour) magically inclined creature.

Blood-sap Unit chart  (min of 1 for 1/2 or 1/4 CR's)

Demons, Devils, Celestials and Dragons  = 20 Blood sap units per CR

Aberrations      = 10 Blood sap units per CR

Beasts             = 5 Blood sap units per CR

Humanoids      = 5 Blood sap units per CR

Dragon          = 20 Blood sap units per CR

Elemental       = 15 Blood sap units per CR

Fey               = 10 Blood sap units per CR

Giant            = 5 Blood sap units per CR

Monstrosity    = 5 Blood sap units per CR

Fiends           = 5 Blood sap units per CR

(Oozes, Undead, Constructs and Plants are all immune to Blood-sap Vials.)

Blood-sap Phylactery (only buyable on the black market)

Small                      20  gp

Medium                  50  gp

Large                     100  gp

Plasma                   500  gp

Blood-sap cost

Blood-sap (Per Unit) -       5    sp

Plasma Vial (Per) -          50   gp

  

To get a Veil-Sap phylactery, you can buy one from the Veilguard locations or temples if you desire a Reliquary of Ichor for divine casting. Each phylactery has a pin in the top of it that once pushed in, it becomes your syphon for your spells. You can carry up to 10 of these without succumbing to Veil Sickness, to you and those in your immediate vicinity.

Before you use your phylactery it is wise to attune the vessel to yourself. You can do this with all 10 by pilling them up and making contact with each one. Some wizards might use certain words to attune that they repeat over and over, while holding the items. This works like any other attunement of a magical item. Otherwise, it will be used by everyone within 60 foot range of you that's using magic. Once these are attuned to the caster, that's it. To un-attune them they need to be returned to their source.

Another interesting thing about the phylactery is, in the wild it can be filled by simply defeating one of any magical beasts. Using a Blood-Sap Phylactery. Typically bought on the black market or through a necromancer. This is illegal in Emia. 

To extract he Blood-sap after the victory, simply pull the pin out on the phylactery and press it to an open vein. Once it's filled with the beasts blood, it serves as Blood-Sap.

Example of Veil Towers of differing crystals and their ranges