The Spellrail

There are few faster ways to travel in Gyrraholm than by using the Spellrail, though there are also few more expensive or rare forms of transportation either. Spanning the length and breadth of Teikokami, the Spellrail facilitates relatively fast transportation of goods, passengers and military force across the entire Hajinarese Empire. Through some secret combination of spellwork, alchemy and craftsmanship the Spellrail was developed by two of the Empire's more prominent clans, with more lines and carriages being added over the decades since it's creation. This has lead to the Spellrail gaining quite the reputation outside of the Empire, and the idea of creating their own Spellrail has certainly occurred to some folks with a mind for civilization (and money) in neighbouring lands. If only they knew how it worked.

Utility

The research in question was undertaken as a result of the expansion of the Hajinarese Empire. Having consumed it's neighbouring cities before converting them to prefectures, the Emperor desired a fast and efficient way to transport cargo between his new lands, which in turn would lead him to commission the Kamakaen and Hoshiba in this endeavour.

Inventor(s)

The key minds involved with the Spellrail's inception were both heads of their respective clans. Hoshiba Asuka (the current head of the Arcane Academy in the Mahoinshi Prefecture) led development of the arcane and alchemical requirements for the project, while Kamakaen Hideki (former head of the Kamakaen clan and mind behind the original Arcanic design) spearheaded the mass production of physical components and their assembly.

Access & Availability

The Spellrail is uncommon on Gyrraholm, as only one closed system exists on the continent of Teikokami. As for use of the system, commoners are able to purchase tickets to travel aboard it, but such a thing is quite expensive for most folk. Most commonly, room aboard the rail is booked by merchants and those with stock to trade, though it has been used (on occasion) to move large amounts of troops and military equipment from one end of the Empire to another. The technology behind the Spellrail itself is a closely guarded secret, so much so that even the families who designed it are not privy to the entire blueprint. It would thus be highly unlikely that any other kingdom or empire could easily manufacture their own rail system.

Complexity

The technology requires a number of components to function correctly, ranging from alchemical and arcane components (to aid in the vehicle's light levitation capabilities and propulsion), as well as various physical components in it's physical assembly. Though it could never be truly confirmed, rumours suggest that the rail itself is constructed from Matōtara timber (harvested from Kohorunan forests en masse) which, if true, would explain how the magics used in it's operation have taken hold so quickly and completely.
The system is not so complex that it can run itself, as a trained pilot must be on hand to regulate speed, as well as track changes, and in recent years the line has been made to accomodate multiple carriages and a number of interconnecting lines.

Discovery

The various components that make up The Spellrail are the result of decades of research and development on the part of two Hajinarese noble clans, namely the Kamakaen and Hoshiba clans. The Kamakaen, renowned for their massive forges and streets that hum with continuous labour are responsible for the physical and mechanical design of the system, namely the assembly of the rail itself and the carriages that run upon them. The Hoshiba, conversely, are responsible for the actual locomotion achieved by the system, using a mixture of arcane techniques (including extensive transmutation treatments to achieve very limited levitation) and alchemical science to achieve a level of forward momentum. The latter is a closely guarded secret, but many suspect (due to it's distinct lingering stench) that the process involves black powder, an incredibly uncommon substance that might be familiar to fighters that utilize cutting edge ranged weaponry.