Wands

Discovery

It was initially developed to aid in the mining process by a convict serving in the Sink by the Lake roughly 100 years ago. Because the grass tree's trunk is so strong and its inner layer of salt is famously inert, the convict reasoned (without any processing as done now) that it might serve in channeling the molten metal when it came time to shape them. It had worked and the idea spread and was refined to later work with more reactive salts.
An accident in involving such a wand occurred in one of the Garden Cities were a metal worker did not cap one end of the culm properly; packed with black salt the resultant explosion fired out in one direction, and catching a shop on fire. So was the first use of a wand as it is most known.

Utility

The creation of the first wand was an accident. Mistakes in the diameter by wandcrafters in later years, proved to be the impenitence to creating wands specialized to specific tasks. Additionally, different and standardized recipes of salt would be formulated to further make their handling safer and more efficient.

Channeler

There is no diametric constraint on a wand used for directing molten metal. Its safe handling is dependent on the steadiness of the crafter.

Fire Lance

Possessing the smallest diameter; and packed with red salt, streams of fire would hiss from the nozzle of a culm sapling at a concentrated point to drill holes and disintegrate anything

Thunder Stick

With medium sized openings; these wands are packed with salts mixed with iron pellets or pottery shards from which erupts fumes and debris

Manufacturing

1. Look for grass trees culms that are longer and straighter in appearance. These culms may be sturdier and their width tapers off with height. This means you'll have a variety of sizes to work with when using the culms.
2. Before you begin curing and storing your trunk, remove any infected culms. Culms that contain fungus, bugs, or other problems can infect the rest of the culms.
   • Look for circular ring patters, which can indicate fungus. While fungus is mostly cosmetic and can be removed, it can be a pain if it spreads. If you only have a few culms that look like they might have fungus in an otherwise healthy batch, you might want to simply toss the infected culms.
   • Some viral infections leave mosaic-like patterns on the tree culms. These culms should be discarded. You should also get rid of culms infected with a black, sooty mold.
   • Bugs and parasites can infect grass tree culms. Watch for a white substance on shoot tips. If you notice such a substance, peel back the culm leaves and look for small, pink bugs. Such culms should be discarded as the pesticides required to treat such infections are pricey and time consuming.
3. Saw the truck's culms into manageable pieces of 4 feet or so.
4. Place the trunk culms into a fire to cure one at a time.
   • Watch for the culm to change color slightly. This indicates resin rising to the surface, important to the curing process as it strengthens culms.
   • Rub the resin into the culms. The color of the trunk should slowly change from deep green to mint green. Once the entire culm has reached this color, set it aside somewhere to cool
   • Wait for the culm to be cool enough to handle. Then, poke holes in its inner membranes to quicken the drying process.
5. With regards to preparing the salt, is best done by practiced hands.
   • Adequate portions of a chosen salt is tied tightly in a rag for easy and quick use for all salt practitioners

Children Technologies

• War Wands

Access & Availability

It is fairly, widely understood how a wand works though not many can afford to own one. Being seen as a tool for professions involving fire.

Complexity

Many different artists or manufactures may possess an established style or mark upon their work, but the two major components are the hollowed grass trunk exported from either the Cold Swamp or the Brine Marshes, and some variety of salt of an explosive nature; usually black and/or red salt.

Related Materials

• Black Salt