Luquayle's Longevity-Enhancing Ballast

What's it called? Luquayle's Longevity-Enhancing Ballast (or LLEB for short)               

What does it do? It makes a shield heavier and sturdier. Why would you wish to do that, you might ask? Well, this is due to the characteristics of magically floating a shield for self-defense using Endorphin's Floating Friend. Heavier shields are more difficult to float but resist more damage before being knocked out of orbit. Once you acquire more proficiency in magical defenses, you regularly need to 'upgrade' to a heavier shield and abandon your previous one. This new spell allows you make the previous shield heavier, and therefore, to continue using it, which you might like to do for a variety of sensible reasons (old shield looks cool, the recommended upgrade is too expensive or it is too scarce...).

Where is it? It is one of the new hedge-wizard spells that are to be found within the pages of the Pracktical Hedgecrafte grimoire, in Skund.

What does it require? a sliver of octiron and a riving of ironwood, both of which are consumed ('merged' with the shield) in the process.

What skills do I need? gold, turning, enchanting, water, binding

Has it worked? A successful output should look something like this:

You prepare to cast Luquayle's Longevity-Enhancing Ballast on the antique round shield.

> You hold the octiron sliver in one hand, urging it to liquify like molten gold.

Holding the ironwood riving horizontally, you command it to spin in place in front of you.

You slowly draw the liquid octiron across the full length of the spinning ironwood, coaxing the two to merge into a single, miraculous amalgam.

You stretch out the liquid octironwood into a thin sheet and wrap the antique round shield up in it completely.

With a final exertion of your will, you bind the octironwood to the antique round shield and watch it sink below the surface.

The antique round shield feels sturdier now.

Notes: A line of description is added to the shield on whom the spell has been cast:

Occasional shimmers of multi-coloured light ripple across its surface.

The spell can be cast multiple times on the same shield, making it heavier each time (and perhaps increasing the casting requirements? Needs to be tested). A failure brings the shield upon your head, destroying it in the process.

The weight increase, in my case, was roughly of 3 pounds (about 7 before casting, about 10 after casting). I imagine it would be the same for everyone.

Help Information:

Luquayle's Longevity-Enhancing Ballast

A second-order miscellaneous spell that reinforces a shield. This process causes the shield to weigh more than before, but also increases the amount of protection it provides. In most cases, this process will also increase the overall durability of the shield.    

 It is possible to cast the spell multiple times on the same shield, but there is an upper limit to the amount of additional mass that any shield can be expected to accommodate.

This spell requires a sliver of octiron and a riving of ironwood to cast.  Both of these components will be consumed in the process of casting the spell.   

Ridcully's Travelling Furniture Manufactory

What's it called?  Ridcully's Travelling Furniture Manufactory (or RTFM for short)

What does it do? It brings into being a very comfortable chair, which you can sit on and relax, while enjoying a nice cuppa and a snack.

Where is it? This is one of the new hedge spells that you will find inside the bark-like pages of Pracktical Hedgecrafte tome, in Skund.

What does it require? A sore bum. No, really - it is component free.

What skills do I need? chanting, dancing, conjuring, banishing, charming

Has it worked? A chair should appear in front of you. A successful output looks like this:

You prepare to cast Ridcully's Travelling Furniture Manufactory.

> You clear your throat and declaim a thunderous address to the abstract concept of comfort and ease.

You gesture broadly, describing the concept of an armchair to the listening universe.

You reach out with your will and force the waiting potential into the shape of a comfy armchair.

You sense eldritch creatures from the Dimensions of Endless Discomfort crowding in, and send a tendril of magical influence to banish them.

You project a feeling of welcome and ease, offering the nascent comfy armchair a home in the real world.

A luxurious hawthorn petal white armchair falls out of a hole in the air with a THUMP.

Notes:

Each chair is slightly different. The colours will depend on your order (which means I get different shades of white, mostly), but stuff like wooden material, stuffing, decoration and legs vary randomly. This chair I brought to being looked like this:

This solid wood-framed armchair has been very generously upholstered in hawthorn petal white wool, stuffed with lavender and decorated with brass studs.  The arms are broad enough for a tankard or a tea mug, and the wide-set legs have been carved with marvellous skill into the shape of pig's trotters.

There is nothing on the luxurious hawthorn petal white armchair.

You can only bring one chair at a time into a room, although other wizards can add chairs to yours. You (and others) can also dismiss them, at the cost of some guild points:

dismiss armchair

You get off the luxurious hawthorn petal white armchair and stand up.

With a flicker of your will, you prise open a gateway out of the reality we know.  You twist your tongue around the ancient language of furniture, and tell the luxurious hawthorn petal white armchair "You can go home now".  It shuffles off through the gateway, dissolving once again into pure potential.

A curiosity: if you cast the spell while floating over water, what gets created is actually a duck!

In the water just below and near the docks.  Huge numbers of now silent boats and ships almost block the banks of the river completely and what little space is left is cluttered by floating debris.  Although it isn't as hectic as during the day, roaming sailors and less than legal traders still keep the place busy.  A flimsy layer of ice has formed on the surface, but the constant traffic of ships keeps it very thin.  The silhouette and lights of Ankh Bridge lie a bit off to the east.

It is a very cold autumn prime's night with almost no wind and medium cloud cover.

There are five obvious exits: down, north, east, south and west.

A giant luxurious cloud white rubber duck is floating here.

> 

l duck

This enormous cloud white rubber duck floats comfortably on the water, huge webbed feet dipping low to stabilise the weight it is designed to bear.  The wings have been shaped into a comfortable back rest, and the head bears a noble but playful expression on its beak.

> The giant luxurious cloud white rubber duck is swept west by the current.

Help Information:

Ridcully's Travelling Furniture Manufactory                                                    

Right.  Write that my spell summons a comfy chair. Have you got that?                     

What do you mean more detail?  Alright.  Say you're sitting by a river somewhere, or in a really boring meeting with those hard wooden chairs and your donkey is falling asleep. What you need is a comfy armchair!   So you cast my spell, which is a first order miscellaneous spell, and just like that, you have an armchair.                                                                                                                

When you don't need it any more, you can dismiss it to make sure nobody else sits on it.  

Alright, we're done, what's for elevenses?  What do you mean the little box is still recording?  Don't write that bit.  Turn it off.   

       

Ralstorphine's Refreshing Draught

What's it called? Ralstorphine's Refreshing Draught (RRD for short)

What does it do? It brings into being a cup filled with ginger beer, which you can then proceed to consume. It tastes delicious! Besides, I imagine you could use the cup for when you are in need of any container (like if you want to try the herbal tea at the shed before the hedge maze).

Where is it? This is one of the new hedge wizard spells that lies lurking within the bark-encrusted covers of the Pracktical Hedgecrafte volume, in Skund.

What does it require? It is component-free!

What skills do I need? water, evoking, summoning

Has it worked? Well, if you find a cup with ginger beer in your hands, the answer is yes. The casting messages look like this:

cast Ralstorphine's Refreshing Draught

You prepare to cast Ralstorphine's Refreshing Draught.

> Reaching into the rivers that flow between the planes we know, you spin a tendril of water into a hovering orb.

Recalling adventures in summer meadows, you infuse the hovering orb of water with the essence of leaf and spice.

Remembering that you need something to put the drink in, you reach into the crockery dimension and grab the first thing you see, holding it out for the liquid to fall into.

Your driftwood grey cup of ginger beer quivers gently and falls still.

Notes: 

What does the cup and the drink look like:

l cup

This sturdy driftwood grey stoneware cup is gently rounded to fit in the hand, and large enough to quench almost anyone's thirst.  The glossy surface has been decorated with a stylized pattern of blossoms.

It is in excellent condition.

The driftwood grey cup of ginger beer is completely full with one cup of ginger beer.

It is completely full.

> 

l beer in cup

This is about one cup of sparkling golden ginger beer.  Despite the name, it contains no alcohol whatsoever, which has confused many a rural youth more used to ginger wine.

Each cup will have a different colour. I was misled by my first two cups, which produced different shades of grey (driftwood grey and raindrop grey). Third one was deep brown. I imagine you go through all available colors, like those for inks.

The help file also gives a interesting warning about what can happen if you don't have enough summoning skills for the spell. I haven't failed it, but I'd guess you might get the cup going away instantly, perhaps with the ginger beer falling on your clothes.

Help Information:

Ralstorphine's Refreshing Draught                                                              

Ralstorphine's Refreshing Draught is a first order miscellaneous spell which summons a cup of ginger beer for the wizard who wants a refreshing drink and doesn't have a fancy hall full of servants to get it for them.                                                      

Warning: entities from the Plane of Crockery may get bored if insufficiently strongly summoned, and return there.    

Feyfirkin's Errant Trainee Collection Herbage

What's it called?  Feyfirkin's Errant Trainee Collection Herbage (FETCH for short. Also, pun intended, I expect).

What does it do? In a way, it is an inverse portal. It send an 'arcane bloom' to someone, who then has the option of grasping it (and being taken to the caster's place) grasping and uprooting it (same, but stops any nasty meaning who might be at your previous location from following you) o uproot or ignore it (nothing happens).

Where is it? It is one of the recently discover hedge wizardry spells contained in the Pracktical Hedgecrafte volume in the upper reaches of a certain magical tree. 

What does it require? A wooden staff, which is not consumed in the process.

What skills do I need? divining, staff, convoking, channeling, evoking

Has it worked? This is the output from my first casting, spell Creator's intervention in the chat included!

You prepare to cast Feyfirkin's Errant Trainee Collection Herbage on Flatulent Thalic.

> > You close your eyes and send out mental feelers, trying to pinpoint Flatulent Thalic.

You plant your staff firmly on the ground and instruct it to act as a focal point for distant arcane energies.

(Wizards) Kadath's wispy voice comes from the Sung family crest, saying: FETCH shouldn't allow anyone to leave an area that doesn't allow portalling out or enter an area that doesn't allow portalling in ^_^.  If you somehow manage to circumvent this, please report it as a bug :)

You trace a route through sub-dimensional space that links your location with that of Flatulent Thalic.

With a connection in place, you prime the area around Flatulent Thalic, charging it with magical potential.

With a grunt of effort, you start to manifest a physical totem at Flatulent Thalic's location.

You feel the connection between your location and Flatulent Thalic's solidify.

Notes:

The spell will fail if either the caster and/or the receiver is in a no-portalling location. In the first case, you get the following message:

Your current location seems to resist being linked via magical means.

In the second, you get the following message:

Some kind of thaumic inteference prevents you from reaching that location.

The bloom will look like the staining present in the caster's staff. From the receiver's side, the apparition looks like this:

An Institute turquoise arcane bloom sprouts from the ground here, growing rapidly to about knee height.

l bloom

This otherworldly piece of flora consists of thousands of long, Institute turquoise stems protruding from a single point and spreading out to create a roughly elliptical shape.  At the tip of each stem is a tiny, delicate flower that tessellates almost perfectly with its neighbour.  When viewed all together, the various shades of the tiny flowers seem to form an image of some sort.

You could try inspecting it more closely to make sense of the displayed image.

> 

inspect bloom more closely

The pattern in the flowers shows a simple depiction of an arid plain.  The glimmer of sentience within the Institute turquoise arcane bloom tells you that it was created by Octograver Ochrion for your benefit.  You feel that you could grasp the bloom if you were so inclined, in order to visit the place it portrays.  Alternatively, you could uproot the bloom if you don't wish to be bothered by it.

You inspect the Institute turquoise arcane bloom.

> 

grasp bloom

You roughly grasp the Institute turquoise arcane bloom and immediately feel yourself being pulled through interdimensional space.

(...)

Feeling dizzy and a little drained from the trip, you stagger forwards to find yourself in a new location.

You see a cloud of flower blossoms forming here, materialising into the shape of Grimoire the alligator.

Grimoire the alligator stares at Octograver Ochrion.

In case the receiver chooses to ignore the boom, it will go away after some time with this message:

The butterscotch yellow arcane bloom shrinks rapidly until there is no longer any sign of it ever having been here.

Help Information:

Feyfirkin's Errant Trainee Collection Herbage                                                  

A zeroth-order miscellaneous spell that aids the caster in retrieving their lost apprentice.  The spell sends a clump of herbage (namely an arcane bloom) to the location  of the inept lost soul that they can use to quickly travel back to their mentor's side.   

The apprentice need only grasp the arcane bloom to be transported.  Should the apprentice not wish to be followed by any pesky bandits, yetis or particularly dexterous wolves, they may uproot the bloom as they grasp it, to prevent unwanted stowaways.                     

Finally, should the apprentice be feeling particularly wilful, or indeed disagree as to whether they are in fact in need of rescue, they may simply uproot the bloom without travelling at all.                                                                        

This spell requires the caster to have a wooden staff on hand to be cast successfully.  

Books - Pracktical Hedgecrafte

A new wizard guild has been discovered, hiding in a magical tree close to Pekan Ford! It is the glory of hedge wizardry, and in the following days, I will be describing it in detail. For today, just take a look at the topmost platform I've been able to climb, which holds a new grimoire for wizardry, and 4 new spells!!

This wooden platform is most certainly not a library.  It has no rows of shelves, no desks, no chairs, no densely-packed volumes or tomes and certainly no reason for the already mind-bending physics of this giant tree to be stretched even further with the introduction of any of that L-Space nonsense.  There does appear to be one single, solitary book though.  It sits on a wooden lectern in the centre of the platform.

There are no obvious exits.

A closed bark-bound book is on the lectern.

> You hear a faint scratching sound, although it's impossible to pinpoint which direction it's coming from.

l book

This book looks more grown than manufactured.  A thick layer of bark serves as a front and back cover, and the pages seem less like paper and more like impossibly-thin layers of wood, as if cut directly from a thick tree trunk.

Motes of octarine light dance around the book.

It appears to have something written on it.

It is closed.

> 

read book

You read the cover of the closed bark-bound book:

Written in dark lettering:

Pracktical Hedgecrafte.

open book

You open the bark-bound book to page 1.

> 

read book

You read page one of the open bark-bound book:

 Table of Contents 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

  2 ... Luquayle's Longevity-Enhancing Ballast

  3 ... Ridcully's Travelling Furniture Manufactory

  4 ... Feyfirkin's Errant Trainee Collection Herbage

  5 ... Ralstorphine's Refreshing Draught