Item:Book of master artificing instructions/Chapter 1/Artificing theory

A page of the Book of master artificing instructions, chapter 1: artificing theory.

Book	Book of master artificing instructions
Chapter	1
Lowest book	Apprentice

The book page below is quoted as read in game on 11 November 2026. Page numbers shift when recipes are added or the books are re-sorted; the chapter page has the current list.

Book page

You peruse the instructions and learn more about artificing theory.  During the enchanting process a number of events can arise that require quick thinking to properly handle.  Failure to address these events can be blunted with knowledge of certain techniques, but even exceptional crafters would be wise not to ignore them.
The first difficulty would involve blurring of the sigil patterns.  Often times fatigue can cloud one's sense of perception.  This tends to be an easier problem to resolve.  Simply MEDITATE on the FOUNT to focus your thoughts and move past this problem.
A second problem crafters may encounter involves difficulties with the material accepting sigil scribing.  Although magically imbued, the burin merely reinforces the traced imprint upon the item undergoing enchantment.  Perhaps the initial trace was misaligned, or a knot in the wood has set things askew.  If you FOCUS upon the item a skilled mage can reign in the errant trace and allow continued scribing to succeed.
Another challenge involves an exposure of the sigil pattern, creating a tear or inability to properly channel the mana streams.  To address this problem, the Society invented the Augmentation Loop tool.  Simply PUSH the ITEM WITH LOOP so these leaks may be patched and will no longer penalize further scribing attempts.
Of final concern to artificers is the interaction of the fount and the imbue mana used.  The type of fount sets a cap on the grade and precision of the final enchantment.  For training purposes, a common fount may be of some use.  For obtaining higher quality results however, a more powerful fount will be required.  Founts may be STUDIED or ANALYZED to determine their capabilities.
A fount's sturdiness will determine the best material to pair with it.  For example fragile founts are incapable of taking advantage of anything beyond common materials, but a heavy fount contains sufficient reinforcement to maximize even ultra rare materials such as indurium.
Then you have a fount's surface.  Rough surfaces indicate a lower grade and more textured surfaces indicate a higher grade.  An enchantment's grade is set by the type of fount used, and will forever determine how difficult the enchantment is to use or activate, and the magnitude of the enchantment's effect.
Finally you have the imbue potency.  Rarer materials that possess an increased enchantment capacity will require a stronger imbue, particularly when paired with more precise runes to obtain the full effect and avoid any nasty side effects.
A good rule of thumb is trying for as many streams of mana as the higher of the material's capacity or the sigil's average precision allows for.  Anything less and you risk catastrophe!