Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 484 Rune Alchemy
Each of the gifts from his predecessors, copied onto paper, was filled with his own thoughts and annotations. With an intelligence level as high as nineteen, the mage absorbed and digested the knowledge and skills about arcane arts, constructs, and runes like a sponge.

The hidden veil of the ancient arcane path was lifted for Zhang Yuan at this moment. Although a few months was not enough for him to enter the inner sanctum and step into the hall of arcane magic, using arcs to replace spell slots for casting spells, it was enough to reveal the surface outline of the mystery.

Having mastered the principles and basic operation of the spell, Zhang Yuan was confident that even if he couldn't make any outstanding contributions in the process led by his teacher, he wouldn't be reduced to a mere spectator.

No matter how much the teacher takes care of me, I'm not his employee. I can't just stay in the enchanting workshop and be his inscription tool. In the upcoming research project, I'll be an apprentice learning from the master craftsman. How much skill and technique I can learn is up to my own destiny.

If you are completely clueless during practical training due to insufficient preparation and a lack of basic knowledge, and end up just getting by without understanding what's going on, you'll be the one who suffers the most when faced with cutting-edge equipment.

Tyrantil, or rather most magic mentors, are not the kind of kind and patient teachers who are willing to teach and persuade. They are already short of time to explore the mysteries themselves, so how can they have the spare time to deal with unmotivated and stubborn students?
Can't learn it?
I'm sorry, whether it's your own lack of qualifications or your improper attitude, that's your own business. No one can take responsibility for you, and they don't even offer an apology.

This has nothing to do with factions. Not treating incompetent apprentices as slaves or even raw materials is already a sign of kindness and tolerance.

Having studied under several mentors and had numerous academic experiences, Zhang Yuan understands this point very well. He also knows that the reason he is favored by these mentors is by no means simply due to his emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills.

A week has passed since Master Vader took his leave, and Archmage Tyrantir arrived at the high cliff as promised.

Along with him came three drive cores.

During these months, Tyrantir was not idle either. The remains of the two Shadowsteel golems provided him with ample research material, enabling the archmage, who was already proficient in this field, to now have a complete understanding of the overall structure and casting process of this special golem.

The binding array that drives the Shadow Soul and the ancient alchemical reactor were completely analyzed and reconstructed. In addition to the damaged drive core being repaired, the archmage even successfully replicated two new cores.

Tyrantir's goal was simple: to completely repair the two damaged golems and, incidentally, to create two new ones for practice.

While the Shadowsteel Golem's combat power may not be much in the eyes of modern archmages, the ability to restore and recreate lost artifacts through one's own hands is a great pleasure for academic geeks, especially since this matter is not as simple as just a golem.

The rune construction workshop left behind by Nether is hard to estimate in terms of its value, but if word gets out, at least 90% of spellcasters will be green with envy.

If we hadn't had this opportunity before, so be it. But now that we have it, we're determined to fleece this fat sheep.

"The alchemy originating from ancient Netheril is quite different from the mainstream schools of thought today, and is closer to runic spells, but it does have some similarities with the ancient races and the elven arcane school."

While fiddling with and adjusting the instruments in the enchanting workshop, Tyranitar launched into a semi-evaluative, semi-explanatory discourse on the current state of alchemy in Faerûn:

"Most current alchemy is based on the Transmutation school, either directly using spells to distort and transform, or setting up arrays composed of spell nodes and circuits. The more unorthodox Necromancer school excels in flesh transmutation, but the application of runes has never become mainstream."

"Why? Is it because of the limitations of rune alchemy after the changes to the magic network?"

"Yes and no."

The high priest, seemingly having uttered a pointless statement, explained:

"Compared to cumbersome node circuits, runes are closer to the essence of arcane power, being concise and efficient. The fact that the Nether Empire was able to popularize magical items in the lives of ordinary people was not solely due to the Miser Core." "However, nothing is perfect. While runes have the advantages of high integration and precise expression, they also place almost demanding requirements on the user."

"Without a sufficient understanding of the essence of arcane magic, and without being able to grasp the deeper threads from the complex and difficult explicit knowledge, it is difficult to use this refined script. Runes are not like carving stone, where you can draw a couple of strokes to connect with the magic network."

“Rune alchemy wasn’t something that could be easily mastered even during Nether’s time, let alone now.”

This is easy to understand. Runes are a concise and accurate expression of arcane energy. Currently, the mainstream method is for spellcasters to copy spellbooks and "purchase" spellcasting permissions from the Goddess of the Magic Network using mental energy as currency. This involves an intermediary, which naturally takes them further away from recognizing the original expression that is close to arcane power.

Of course, the difficulties and barriers depend on who they are. For archmages and even legendary spellcasters, who are already close to the pinnacle of mortal power, even if they switch to the path of arcane magic, they are still potential candidates for archaric magic. How could runic literature possibly stump them?

Not to mention that Tyrandeur already possessed considerable basic skills.

"In-Zaru, the silent shadow, the silence in the darkness."

Tyrantir inscribed a rune pattern on the raw Shadowsteel ingot. The rune's structure resembled a combination of willow-leaf-shaped scimitars and spit-shaped cones, possessing a wondrous rhythm.

"Du-la-ka, eternal, solidified, unchanging."

With a swift stroke, the archmage carved another rune into the stone. This time, the rune's structure resembled a jigsaw puzzle that had been scrambled and rearranged, with chaotic yet orderly geometric shapes.

“Jeha-da, the stubborn one, the hater.”

The ring and the arc together form the third rune.

As you can see, three inscriptions were engraved on the metal ingot. After being sent into the alchemy furnace and reacting twice with the mixed shadow liquid, the finished shadow steel was finally obtained.

It is sturdy, stable, has a shadow affinity, is self-concealing, and possesses a certain degree of magic resistance.

Without elaborate and complex array diagrams, the concise runes endow Shadowsteel with outstanding properties.

"Although the enchanting workshop is helpful, the efficiency of this runic alchemy is a bit too high. No wonder even ordinary people could use spells to create things in their daily lives during the Nether era."

Zhang Yuan had refined magical metals before, but most magical items, especially those made of metal, required pretreatment of the raw materials. This is why their quality often surpasses that of ordinary weapons forged from similar materials.

But ordinary magical metals are not so easy to refine. The process of drawing the transformation array, preparing auxiliary materials and alchemical potions, including setting up various gems required for mana nodes, requires far more cost and effort than rune alchemy.

Thank you to Tianyuankugou, ZSPZSP, Lazy Dormouse, Smoke Descends to Dust, xtea, Book Friend 20190506175454743, Yougu Liming, Wanliu Tongyuan, Fengxue Ye Wuren, Ssczy, and Book is My Life 2 for your monthly ticket support. Thank you everyone!



(End of this chapter)