There has been some conversation lately about why enchanting is normally relegated to books with advanced magic rules, rather than included with conjuring and sorcery in the main rules. I'd like to open up a discussion regarding this in general, but I'll start off with some specific concepts you might want to mull over.

Starting Off
Any object can be enchanted. The first weapon focus may well have been a pointed stick enchanted by the spirit-man or wise-woman of some hunter-gatherer tribe. A modern magician might enchant a length of wire as a weapon focus to serve as a garotte. The principle purpose of the enchantment is the same, no matter that the form is wildly different.

But consider the common focus. A focus can be anything, from a ceremonial dagger to a rusty tin can, from a rune-enscribed amulet to a sneaker, from a college ring to a river-smoothed stone. When faced with a practically infinite number of options regarding how a focus might look, why would a magician choose a flashy or obvious form over a more mundane one?

The answer, of course, is that some magicians do enchant a focus in a mundane form, for the precise reason that they want to hide it.

But other magicians might choose a more recognizable form, especially if making the item themselves. Foci are costly and difficult to make, and their creation is made easier by incorporating elements (virgin telesma, arcana, orichalcum, etc.) into their creation. Furthermore, the incorporation of said elements into the form of a focus must needs be done by hand labor in nearly all cases, a level of personal attention and expertise seldom compatible with a low-profile.

In some cases, a magician's tradition or knowledge might limit the forms their foci take. Magical traditions include stories and raw data on the construction of foci along certain lines, and as a magician becomes more familiar with their tradition, their own thinking and styles develop on a similar vein.

An AmerInd shaman might feel more comfortable making their own flint spear or bronze-bladed warhawk according to their own traditions, but they'll still recognize the cross-shaped dagger of the Hermetic mage, the katana or daisho of the Wu Jen, the golden sickle of the Druid, or the deadly pen of the Chaos Mage as it's jabbed toward their eye.

There's nothing stopping the AmerInd shaman from making a focus in the form of another tradition. But even if the AmerInd shaman decided to make a weapon focus in the shape of a Roman spatha, it would retain a style unique to the shaman, and reflective of the shaman's tradition.

Formulae and Duplification
Ideally, two magicians following the same formulae would create foci nearly identical in form and function, with only careful astral or physical inspection noting the differences. This isn't always the case.

Magicians strive to be flawless when following the formulae for enchanting, but even following a formulae exactingly leaves room for slight variations of style. A Hermetic mage might design a formulae calling for symbols of the four elements be etched onto the surface, but to the enchanter these symbols might be alien, and replaced or supplemented by similiar signs and charms of their own tradition, just for an example.

A corporate model for enchanting follows something of an assembly line format. Depending on the formula and availability, the raw materials for the focus will be gathered by hand. The form of the focus may be mass-produced by robots or hand-crafted in a literal assembly line(the nature of this depends on the focus in question and the size of the operation, a weapon focus might require a smith and a jeweler, while a paper charm might require dozens to make the paper and ink and others to do the actual calligraphy or folding). Then the magician enchants the focus, and it is taken to be packaged and sold.

The level of detail in a formulae might vary. While a formulae might consist entirely of describing the precise way to manipulate thaumaturgical energy into a sustainable pattern within the focus-form, others might include rites, rituals, and offerrings that should be made instead. The nature of the instructions matters little, because the goal and the result is the same. The purpose of rites and rituals might be to shift the magician's perceptions and modes of thought into the correct configuration that allows the mana to build within the focus, or perhaps the magician is building up forces around the object to establish sympathetic energies within. The goal is the same.

Elements and Arcana
Some formulae might specify that some exotic material(s) is needed for the enchantment, or that specific runes or names be incorporated into it. But for the greater part, magicians are free to include other elements as they feel fit, so long as they don't disrupt the general form of the focus.

Including radicals of the arcana (herbal, mineral, and metal), for instance, aids a magician in enchanting. But how are these radicals included? In some cases, this is a simple matter, adding radical iron to a hand-forged weapon focus, for example. In other cases, a bit of ceremony might work better: burning the herbs and passing the focus through the smoke, grinding the mineral to fine powder and dusting the focus with it. Whatever the result, the remainder of the radical not directly incorporated into the focus is essentially useless dross.

More exotic means to use these elements include feasts of specially prepared clays (mineral), plants and fruit (herbal), or ingesting tinctures (herbal, mineral or metal) as a means of purifying the body. Perhaps certain signs must be drawn in inks, powders, or pastes on the magician, the item, or an enchanting circle. Crystals and gems fall under the class of minerals and are easy to incorporate in their traditional role as decoration.

Animal materials fall into an unusual category, being a sort of pseudo-arcanum. In some cases animal materials are easier to incorporate, as metahumanity has spent thousands of years making the most of the sinew, skin, fur, feathers, beaks, bones, talons and other integral parts of animals. Certain toxins or juices might form potent potions for the enchanter to consume, or perhaps they should fast and partake of the ritually-prepared meat of the animal to fortify themselves for the enchantment.

More exotic means to incorporate animal materials might be using radical blood to quench a blade from the forge, divining the most proper moment to begin the enchantment by reading the animal's entrails, sharpening an edge on a tooth (or a metal or mineral radical), making a tool of a bone for fine work on the focus, or lighting a forge-fire with bones.

Orichalcum is generally similiar to metal radicals in all uses. A suspension might be used as a bath or tonic, it might be directly alloyed to a metal or electroplated on it. Those familiar with traditional whitesmithing techniques may form it into wires and wrap it around the object, or form it into dozens of little beads for a different texture.

No matter what the shape of the focus, keep in mind it's type. A dagger may be a power focus, but it does not count as a magic weapon to overcome an Immunity to Normal Weapons.

Oddballs
Psychics, while a rarity among magicians, benefit from an extensive wealth of parapsychological research. While any magician might speak of the resonating power of crystals, a psychic may actually have the records of some former researcher to refer to and claim as proof. Generally speaking, psychics more than any other magician understand the nature of a focus is to amplify the abilities of the magician, and can easily explain bonding as "attuning themselves to the natural or artificial psychic resonances within the stone" or similar pseudoscientific jargon.

Some magicians, not limited to psychics, take the technical explanation for the powers of an object to an extreme, devising all manner of seemingly futuristic (or silly) mechanisms to further their power. A Spell Focus (Laser) might be an articulated guantlet with a prominent cannon-shape, from which the Laser comes when the spell is cast. Such scientist-engineers often place mental blocks on their power in this way, depending on talismans to utilize their full abilities, explaining away drain and the like be claiming the device is powered by "bio-energy" supplemented with batteries within the focus. The arcane theory and explanations behind such devices are at least as complex as standard formulae and magical theory, and may probably be translated with little ill effect.

It must be said that this particular fetishism is merely an outgrowth of the common desire for utility with a focus. A pen that is a weapon focus may also be used to write; if it is a zero-gravity pen then it may write upside down and still be used to stab someone through the neck. There is nothing wrong or inherently unusual with enchanting a cyberdeck, for example, especially if the magical power of the focus will aid in using the cyberdeck (or vice versa). For Hermetic magicians who must summon elementals in long rituals, it might make sense to enchant Mr. Soykaf ™ or their favorite mug as a spirit focus. Curtain rods and electric toothbrushes make unusual choices for foci, but then they're easy to hide in plain sight and fulfill other functions in the meantime.

Dragon materials more generally fall under telesma than animal materials, simply because obtaining them that way might be fractionally easier. Western dragon scales tend to be dull, and may be dried and ground up for inclusion in a focus, while Eastern dragon scales tend to be brighter and serve better as decoration. The feathery scales of Feathered Serpents are perhaps best suited as the ornamental material base of a focus, although some traditions hold they can be burnt, and the ashes included. Some traditions hold with boiling dragon scales until the keratin fibers come apart, forming a dense mass that may, with the proper treatment, be made into a sort of rough fabric. Again, the hairy tresses of Easterns and Feathered Serpents are better suited for this than those of Western dragons.

Beneath the scales lies the actual hide, which can be formed into a worthy leather by the application of acid and/or smoke to tan the hide, which will of course bear the marks of the scale-plucking and any scars the dragon picked up during its life. Abraisives, mastication, and chemical treatments can alter the texture and coloration of the hide, making it softer, darker or lighter; although it is practically impossible to form a passable suede or any sort. Dyes easily take to dragon-leather, making it available in many different shades. Primitive enchanters have been known to pickle dragonskin in briny salutions, or submerge them in acidic peat bogs for months or years to obtain the shiny brown-black curative result. Desert sands, ice, and spells tend to dessicate and destroy the hide proper, and are not recommended, although certainly milder spells may be developed to facilitate the process in a more timely fashion.

Dragon sinew is excellent for all manner of binding, and may be dried and twisted into ornamental ropes. However, such sinew tends to dry rapidly and needs the regular application of fat or oils to remain supple. Some bardic-types make a point of using dragongut for stringed instruments, but the amount available in your average dragon for suitable instruments is little more than sufficient to string a grand piano properly.

Dragon bones and talons are strong, and are suitable for many weapon-types by whittling and carving, although bone blades are notorius for dulling with use and maces or clubs must need to be properly weighted. Dragon teeth are similar enough to ivory to allow carving, and once enchanted are sturdy enough for more-than-ceremonial use. Dragon skulls are generally unwieldy, and are often broken down into splinters for use as styli, needles, or kindling when making smelting weapons. Rarely, a skull may be suitable, with proper treatment, to form a drum or other musical isntrument. Spare materials may be boiled and treated to form a reasonable glue, although this is generally considered inferior to typical craftsmen glues and industrial adhesives. Certain Eastern traditions bake the dragon's skull or scapulae until they split, using them for importain divinations. Such divination tokens are then favored as telesma for foci.

Many magicians have use for the meat and blood of dragons, preparing them according to ancient recipes or consuming them raw to power their acts of creation. Many dislike dragonmeat, which is generally said to be like liver, although it depends on the dragon's diet. Vegetarian dragons are said to taste sweeter. In any case, it is considered vulgar to make a stew or sausage of a dragon. Most of the internal organs are sufficiently tough or poisonous to metahuman consumption that only master chefs should attempt it, and even then only following traditional recipes. Dragon marrow is exceedingly rich, and best served with caviar or other seafood, and in small quantities (the measure of vitamin K in even a cupful is several dozen times what a normal metahuman should ingest). The eyes and brains, especially, are considered a delicacy, but must be eaten quite soon after death and at just below room temperature. Certain organs are highly prized as exotic materials or can apparently be rendered into potions and unguents for the rituals of some magicians.

Dragon fat can be made into tallow for candles, as well as rendered into oil. In each case, a warm and steady flame is given off, but heavy scents must be used because the result smells strongly of dragon.

Dragon blood often sees use in certain potions, but also in baths (for both the item and the magician, depending on the quantity), and is highly prized for inks, though certain herbal anticoagulants must be added, and even then the color is normally made or maintained using powdered minerals of various sorts.

Dragon venom is especially efficious, being highly corrosive. When dried, very small flakes may be detached and diluted in water to form powerful hallucinogenic poisons, eminently suitable for ingestation by an enchanter. Some enchanters also use the venom as an etching material.

Dragon dung is generally used as fuel for a fire, although certain trace elements may be rendered from it by the enterprising and chemistry-minded talismonger. Certain druids maintain it is an excellent fertilizer, though Native American shamans debate this, saying it is no more potent than elephant or mammoth feces. Dragon urine or bile has its proponents, especially among certain European Alchemist circles, who distil phosphorus and acid from them, respectively, to pain sigils or to mark foci. It is considered crass to use undistilled dragon urine when making a focus, which is why some wizkid gangs and antisocial chaos magicians make a point of it.

Rumors of stones within the bodies of dragons are unconfirmed, so the debate rages as to whether these would be animal or mineral materials.

...I think, at some point, I got lost with what I was trying to say.

Minor detail. The spirit of the rules is that psychics need to come up with a good interpretation for taking a spell or using a magical power. If I had one in my game that wanted to slap a "Mark VI Neural shielding helm" with a "psychic power battery" on their head rather than calling it a shielding focus, that works for me.

I want my Cerebro!

Well, I was going to start a new thread for some enchanting questions, but this will do.


1) re-enchanting : is it possible to strengthen the enchantment on an item you already created and bonded?
example: Say you make a ring that is a power focus 3. Karma is 7x force. Say you use 3 units of Orichalcum(-3), 3 radicals (-4), and it's handmade (-1), and you get 4 successes (-2), so it costs you 11 karma to make it (21-20=11). Then later, you decided to enchant it to force 5 (you just got more karma, good for you). Is this possible? What would be the karma cost? would you still be able to lower the bonding cost in any way?

2) karma cost for expendable spell focus? It says that the cost is the same for a full batch (if you make 6 force 3, it's just multiplies as the force 3). But it doesn't show the multiplier on the next page in MiTS. Is the multiplier 1?

I really liked the flavor text. Great stuff.

I have a few questions though. Enchanting is generally a proces where each step, from gathering to refining to binding the focus, increases the value of the object significantly.

How do people handle PC enchanters?

By the book, its as easy to go out and find gold, as it is to find plants. Conmpletely disregarding that the gold is much more valuable.

Or you can go buy a batch of gold ore and refine it to radicals, and then sell it off for a fat profit.

Second, you can dodge the use of gold as a metal in your choice of materials in all things not orichalcum.

I find it kind of funny that gold sticks out like a sore thumb in this regard. Its open to exploitation or lack of balancing. - I'm aware that most groups probably just houserule their way around this, but I prefer to play by the books, and to the limit, and its annoying when the rules are flawed.

Like with deckers who spend entire months of game-time coding programs, building cyberdecks, or hacking data to sell, enchanters run into real-life market problems...the value of the material on the market, their success in finding a buyer, the legality of it, the cost of negotiation, etc. etc. etc.

There's nothing wrong with a steady income on radicals...but you'll probably make more money in a shorter time by running the shadows, all things considered. Besides, if you wanted a regular job, what are you doing running the shadows in the first place?

We had a PC who was built around a core of enchanting. It really only takes 6 bps, and a few knowledge skill point to do.

Then he proceeded to produce powerful foci, that economically would normally be way out of the groups scope.

This was all done within the rules, but the GM was sorta superceded by the enchanting specific rules.

Everyone, including the player, agreed that it was too unbalancing that a character could produce foci for a quarter of the normal price, and bind them for lower than normal karma, and then sell off spare radicals to end up with an overall profit.

So, you have a viable Runner who enchants during downtimes. Both ventures are profitable.

The problem with this, is that if you make an enchanter, and do Not make effective use of the advantage, then you are a stooge.

Hence, our group just stopped enchanting and buy magic gear at list prices, modfied by SI like any other joe runner.

To "fix" Enchanting I think you would have to normalize the karma cost and remove the 1 unit splits to several more expensive units rules. - Rebalance sizes and prices accordingly and it would still be a viable trade, but not as overpowered as it currently is.

I wonder how they will handle this in SR4.

Fuck, I dunno man. I never had any problems with enchanting more complicated than "Damn, how much to make a gris-gris?" If you play focus addiction correctly and follow the enchanting rules, I don't see Enchanting being overpowered.

Now, you could make the argument that producing radical gold or orichalcum is overpowered at certain skill levels, but I generally find that the real problem is an abuse of the karma-for-cash rule...someone making orichalcum, selling it, buying back karma, improving their Enchanting skill, making more orichalcum, selling it, buying back more karma, repeat.

Now see, you definately didn't read far enough.

Of course, one might not actually trust the words of a Great when discussing the culinary uses for dragons.

Never dine with a dragon?

"To Serve Dragons" is only a cookbook...

I'm wondering how often a metahuman would actually be able to have some dragon meat to try out. I've been playing SR for 7 years, and took out my first dragon last week. It was a charred mess, what with all the white posphorous , rockets, fireballs and such.


"How to Cook for Forty dragons"

Anyone remember what book that ED book that makes an appearance in?

Ahh darn, AH did include that in his blurb... sorry AH, my head started to hurt when i got to the part about dragon bones..

oh well, it happens...

but liver? bleh...

I think it should taste like chicken, or shrimp heh