Magitech Awakenings

One day by her all peoples will walk free.

-prophecy of the duskbringer

11 years ago in the city of Nolusberg...

"Mamwe tell me the story of the cat people please" begged Guppy as she squirmed beneath her blanket. "They are not called cat people Guppy, their race"s name is Calgaree, and there"s not going to be a story unless you stop bouncing on your bed like that."

An abrupt lack of bouncing suddenly resounded through the previously boisterous room.

Esmeralda smiled and began "A long time ago-", "how long ago mamwe?" interrupted Guppy. "Well let"s see, this year you"re 6 and the year is 4982 Alto Draconis, it happened in 3371 A.D. So it would have been 1611 years ago." "What"s Alto Draconis mean?" queried Guppy while tilting her head to the side. "It means after the Great Dragon Empire was founded-" Esmeralda answered "what-" Guppy was silenced by Esmeralda"s finger on her lips. "That"s quite enough questions from you young lady, at this rate we will never be done with them, quiet down and let me tell the story." Guppy nodded silently, not willing to risk her story time any further.

Esmeralda"s rich story voice reverberated through the room "1611 years ago there lived a rare half Elf called Galafel, she belonged to the Order of the Open Door, a group of inquisitive misfits that sought to plumb the depths of magic. Galafel was brilliant, but a tragic accident when she was young left her unable to bear children.

Some say her obsession with having a child drove her mad, others say she heard voices and at times behaved like a different person. But they all agree on one thing. Galafel did what no other mortal had done before or since. She created new life.

Not once, not twice, but thrice. Into the world three new races sprung forth.

First were the Calgaree, quick of wit and dexterous of limb, but possessing little physical or magical might. Excelling in clerical, merchant, or accountant matters. They resembled a cat in human shape, standing on their rear paws a full head below humans with 4 double jointed slender fingers on each hand. Their fur came in a variety of shades making them as colorful as their personalities.

Second were the Orcs, thick of limb, body and mind, these muscle brains were born as natural soldiers. Their instinct led them to fight and grow strong, their lives were short but in return they bred at a speed like none other. Soon their brawny ash-grey bodies were seen on every battlefield.

Last were Galafel"s elite. Wolfmen some called them, Lycans they named themselves. With the ability to shift between human, wolf and warwolf forms they dominated any combat, yet they also boasted intelligence and longevity greater than man. They were envied and feared as Galafel"s abominations.

All three races revered Galafel as a mother, and for a time she was content.

But the greed of humans knew no bounds, they preasured, tricked, and trapped Galafel"s children and used them as slaves for centuries. Until one day the three beastkin races took a chance and revolted with the Sons of Bra.s.s in the Third Great War that encompa.s.sed the world. Many died.

Then during the Third Great War, the Magitech faction arose from the disgruntled and enlightened members of both the Pure Magic Faction, Socerers of great power, and the Pure Tech Faction, led by the Sons of Bra.s.s. They fused the best of both magic and science and called it Magitech. They then sought to use this new found power to end the century and a half long war that had ruined much of the world already.

The Calgaree and Lycans joined them early on. Seeing in them neither the oppression of their former human masters, nor the fanaticism and rage of the Sons of Bra.s.s.

Their choice proved correct as the Magitech

faction proved to be overpoweringly strong. After the Third Great War was ended they were rewarded.

The new rulers allowed the Lycans to retreat from the world into the frozen northern wastelands as was their wish.

The Calgaree choose to serve the new rulers not as slaves, but an equal race. Binding themselves in a symbiotic relationship with mankind. To prove their commitment to this accord and bury previous resentments they vowed to become vegetarians, foregoing their previous consumption of beast and man flesh alike.

But the Orcs were seen as dangerous and wild, their feats on the battlefield fresh in everyone"s minds. Too great of a threat to let go or be freed from control, lest their l.u.s.t for power and dominion would overthrow the nations and peoples made fragile by the protracted war. And so they were, one and all, enslaved.

To keep them thus, each Orc was fitted with a magitech collar of insidious design. The collar drew on an Orcs inherent mana as fuel to power its functions. It allowed someone who could control their mana to be registered and locked in as the orc"s master, inflicting pain via nerve stimulation if their orders were disobeyed. And if this collar were ever to be removed without the proper procedures, the Orcs life would be abruptly and painfully ended. By thus doing they forever crippled the Orc threat.

Esmeralda paused, looking at her child who was hiding under the blankets and shaking. "What"s wrong my little Guppy?". "Are Orcs really that scary and bad mamwe, they always just looked sad and tired to me." Guppy asked while peeking out from under the blanket. Esmeralda swooped in and cuddled her. "You are right my lovely little girl, you can see the truth so many these days cannot. The Orcs are like us, some bad, but most good. They"ve just had some very bad luck." "Well when I grow up, I"m going to free all of them and make them happy!" shouted Guppy as she rebounded in spirit and body, standing on her bed while posing heroically.

....

Present day 4993 A.D. Second week of Spring

Guppy shook her head, dispelling the memories that rose from seeing the many races mingling in the past market square. She smiled sadly at her previous foolishness. "How can I save 30 million slaves when I can barely look after the three of us, and by Tikka"s fiery beard, why am I remembering all these memories today of all days?".

Guppy refocused once more and raced over the bridge she was on while dragging Kyle behind her. She paused briefly at the far end to show their engraved iron work permits to the guards at the district gate. "Mornin Guppy, you best hurry if you aren"t to be late." the gate guard advised as she pa.s.sed. Guppy nodded in response and took off running again.

Her familiarity with the guards stemmed from two things. First, she was one of a small group who worked in a district where they did not live, thus necessitating a special pa.s.s issuance. Second, on her first day she had slipped while running over the bridge and fell into the river. Eliciting chortles from the guards as they fished her out. It left a firm impression on them and with little to do but gossip, soon all the regular guards knew her by name or as they sometimes called her, the drowning apprentice.

Pa.s.sing the gate they entered the craftsman district, the sights and smells abruptly changing. Everywhere you looked you could see shops opening. Materials of wood, bra.s.s and many others more exotic being shaped with a pa.s.sion towards the artistry and completeness their makers could envision.

The smells wafting over were just as diverse, as they jogged along Guppy smelt the tanneries, as well as the smitheries" charcoal fires burning to melt copper and tin to bra.s.s. She even caught the wiff of powdered gems being added to a mix somewhere. A viable, if expensive way of increasing mana conductivity in an item, a side effect of which made the item glitter in the light. "Probably something for a n.o.ble." thought Guppy, "they do like their products as guady as possible."

Finally they arrived at their destination, a Magitech workshop run by the pre-eminant crafter of the city, John Mithrilsmith. John had at first refused to believe Esmeralda four years ago, but when shown proof of Kyle"s talent he had gruffly promised to accept him as a core desciple once he turned 12. He had been true to his word, though Esmeralda was no longer there to see it.

Feeling a little guilty about the jam Guppy put both cheese wedges into Kyle"s wrapper and shoved it into his hands. She looked him over, dusted some lint off his shoulder, and reminded him to take a break and eat lunch when the first afternoon bell rang. She then pushed him towards the entrance and bowed to Master John who waited there. "You"re late, " he brusquely said "come earlier tomorrow." Guppy sighed, her eyes still facing down. She knew he had a good heart, but wished he could speak a little kinder towards others. Once they both entered she stood back up and took off once more.

A few minutes later she arrived at her workplace, panting and out of breath from her exertions. A rickety old workshop lay before her. Everyone walking by gave the shop a wide berth, and rightly so. The whole place looked like it could fall over at any time, so many and varied were the additions to it.

Guppy took a moment to catch her breath and straighten her disheveled hair and clothes, a plain st.u.r.dy dress though it was. That done, she marched into the shop and immediately ducked.