Cores - Petrified Remains of Blessed Creatures
Cores: The Source of Magical Power for the Fairies of Sagadorm
During the Age of Fairies, petrified remains of blessed creatures were harvested and provide the fuel needed to perform magic.
Blessed Creatures
Blessed creatures are non-sentient creatures that are "blessed by Sagadorm" with naturally magical power.They do not have the ability to intentionally use their magic through spells. However, they have enhanced instincts and are stronger, faster, and live longer than their non-blessed equivalents. This makes them very difficult to hunt.
Blessed are wild animals found in nature. Creatures that are born domesticated are never "blessed." It is possible to "tame" a blessed animal, like a wild horse. Taming the blessed but it extremely difficult due to their enhanced instincts that resists normal training.
Cores Creation
When a Blessed animal dies or is killed, instead of decaying as a normal creature, this animal rapidly petrifies into stone. All of the magic from the animal then coalesces into the last functioning organ of the body, traditionally a liver, a heart, or brain. This organ instead of turning into stone, turns into a crystal.
This crystalized organ, now a core, contains all of the magical potential of the animal. The cores do retain the shape of the organ from which it was formed, however in a slightly smaller more compact shape. Depending on the size and usage of the core, it may be shaped into orbs, the shards, or other useful shapes depending on their usage.
Fairy, Fae, and Magic
The Fairy and Fae in Sagadorm are those humanoids that have the ability to tap the magical powers stored within cores.
The level of power drawn from a core depends on the complexity (i.e. level) of magic that is being performed.
- One First Level Spell drains a First Tier Core worth 1 gold pieces
- One Second Level Spell drains a Second Tier Core worth 2 gold pieces
- One Third Level Spell drains a Third Tier Core worth 10 gold pieces
- One Fouth Level Spell drains a Fourth Tier Core worth 25 gold pieces
- One Fifth Level Spell drains a Fifth Tier Core worth 50 gold pieces
Cantrips (minor magic) is a negligible drain on cores. Roughly one thousand uses per first tier core.
Cores that come from the very small blessed animals are often used for jewelry that is worn by the fairie:s that can power si cantrips.
Societal and Economical Impact of Cores
Cores are extremely valuable due to their rarity and usefulness. Many professions and advances in technology are due to their value.
Many merchants and jewelers use core in their wares. As with any rare gem or metal, the prestige and expense of these wares greatly varies for each merchant or jeweler.
Harvesting Cores
A Harvester is one who seeks cores in the wild. They can either focus on the living or the petrified. The great majority of Harvesters are trained hunters who tracks the living blessed animals. Cores fresh from recently deceased blessed animals are more powerful.
A few Harvesters seek for the corpses of long dead blessed animals to collect their cores.
The Harvester who hunts live creatures are more successful as any person may discover the petrified remains of a blessed animal to sell to the core merchants.
Refueling Cores
Cores drained of their power are valuable but ineffective in the use of magic. The profession of the Core Custodian oversees "recharging" the power within the cores. This is done by laying the cores in the moonlight of The Four Moons of Sagadorm [WASC2020].
Over time the ability for a court to recharge diminishes. A core could last for hundreds of recharges, but each recharge is slightly less than the one before. Meaning after a while fifth tier core would only be able to perform fourth level magic. This diminishing of power is very slow but inevitable.
A crystal that has completely drained and is unable to be recharged is considered an heirloom and is often added to decorations or museums or depending on its rarity.
History
The use of cores was known by the dragons for many centuries prior to their extinction. During this time humans had no knowledge or understanding about blessed animals or the cores that are found within them.
It wasn't until Vola Wranthana as the first fairy did the knowledge of cores begin to spread throughout humanity.
Alternate Names
The names for cores have changed over time and those who use them. The following are some of the alternate names for "cores."Cores
Cores is the name for the raw crystals that are extracted from blessed creatures.
Nox Lapis
Nox Lapis, or night rocks, are the names for cores that have been refined and/or recharged by Core Custodian. The reference of "Night Rocks" comes from the core's need to be in moon light to regain it's magical energies. Nox Lapis is considered a refined good that is made out of the raw crystal of a "core."
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