Elanthipedia - User contributions [en]

Rafano

2021-04-12T15:40:44Z

RAFANO: Marked character as Inactive

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=r
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}
Theory & Research page: [[User:RAFANO]]

==Appearance==

<gallery>
File:Rafano_Pixel_Portrait.PNG|none|thumbnail|alt=Rafano.|<div align="center"><span style="color: green">Rafano in Softskin</span>'''</div>
</gallery>

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.
* '''Attire''': You are wearing a white shirt, a white velvet waistcoat with green embroidery, a white cotton cravat pinned with a bright emerald, an emerald green cloak, some white slim pants, a white silk belt with a simple seed-pearl clasp and some fur-lined white leather boots.

==Background==

* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [[User:RAFANO]]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/603 Fluoresce]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms%27%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1213 Letter to House Turmar, Regarding Gorbesh Parley]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

434 Years, 12 days: Achieved "Transcendent" status in Guild.
{{PCSkills
|Collapse=No
}}

Blur

2020-12-01T21:50:55Z

RAFANO: Added max duration

{{Spell
|abbrev=Blur
|minprep=5
|castcap=100
|minskill=10
|maxskill=600
|minduration=10
|maxduration=40
|validtarget=Self
|guild=Trader
|magic=Lunar Magic
|spellbook=Illusion
|prereqs=[[Fluoresce]]
|slot=3
|desc=Harnessing the light of the stars or a bright moon, Blur enrobes its caster in colorful visual interference. Mages under the spell's obfuscating effect will find it easier to evade and maneuver tactically in battle.
|buffs=Tactics, Evasion
|debuffs=No debuffs
|dtype=No damage
|htype=No heal
|messaging=Coalescent starlight becomes shimmering liquid afterimages that stretch away from your body like a clingy rainbow haze. You are confident that the visual interference will make it easier to dodge and maneuver tactically in battle.
|sig=No
|diff=basic
|source=standard
|type=augmentation
|ctype=standard
}}
*Refreshing with same or higher integrity doesn't cost starlight aura.
*Replaces speculate defense.
*Others see: [Caster] who is blurred by hazy afterimages.
{{RefAl}}

Avren Aevareae

2020-12-01T14:39:09Z

RAFANO: Added max duration

{{Spell
|abbrev=ava
|minprep=10
|castcap=66
|minskill=80
|maxskill=800
|minduration=2
|maxduration=10
|validtarget=Area
|guild=Trader
|magic=Lunar Magic
|spellbook=Illusion
|prereqs=[[Blur]]
|slot=2
|desc=When cast upon Xibar or Yavash, Avren Aevareae makes it more difficult to stalk, steal or hide. When cast upon Katamba, the reverse is true. Purchased at astronomical cost from the Celestial Compact, this spell has a rigid dependence on moonlight -- one that can be surmounted not by direct starlight, only by its transduced essence.
|buffs=Thievery skill, Stealth skill, Light,
|debuffs=Thievery skill, Stealth skill,
|dtype=No damage
|htype=No heal
|messaging=A school of luminescent red jewelfish flickers out from the ground, cavorting and swimming along a gyre that soon implodes them all.
The glare of red luminescence falls upon Bystander.

Shimmering blue unicorn bream rain from above in their hundreds. Leaping as one, they flow into a dense, sparkle-filled shoal.

The glare of blue light falls upon a blood wolf.

Dark bubbles roll out of the ground, bursting to release a rush of shadowy sea welkins that mass together.

You are enfolded in the concealing haze.
|offtype=magic
|deftype=fortitude
|sig=No
|diff=intermediate
|source=standard
|type=augmentation, debilitation, area of effect
|ctype=standard
}}
==Notes==
*Cast target:
:*Katamba: +Stealth, +Thievery.
:*Xibar/Yavash: -Stealth, -Thievery, light source.
:*Aura: +Stealth (group), +Thievery (group), -Stealth (others), -Thievery (others), light source.
*Room wide effect.
*Will act as a light source for dark rooms when cast from starlight or on the bright moons
*This used to be a [[Avren Aevareae (2.0)|planned Moon Mage spell]].
*Translates to [[Gamgweth_Lexicon#Spells_and_Abilities|"moon watch" in Gamgweth]].
*The starlight option now smartly provides both functions of the spell, buffing your group and debuffing all outside your group. (The moon options will continue to affect everything in the room.)
* If used for [[breaking and entering]], cast in the room you start B&E in. You'll keep the stealth and thievery buff in all rooms of the house you're invading.
{{RefAl}}

Trabe Chalice

2020-11-26T01:01:15Z

RAFANO: Adding max time duration

{{Spell
|abbrev=TRC
|minprep=1
|castcap=100
|minskill=0
|maxskill=400
|minduration=10
|maxduration=40
|validtarget=Self
|guild=Trader
|magic=Lunar Magic
|spellbook=Fabrication
|prereqs=none
|slot=1
|desc=The fabrication of Trabe crystals from light is a craft which had been squandered and forgotten by all, now restored by Arbiter in Darkness. This knowledge did not avail the lost tribe of crystal shapers, but we shall never know the truth of that tale. The Chalice offers superb protection against piercing and slicing attacks, but not any force of impact. Therefore, certain foes could smash through it like so much glasswork. The spell pattern, especially when well integrated, is capable of self-repair over time.
|buffs=No buffs
|debuffs=No debuffs
|dtype=No damage
|htype=No heal
|effect=Damage reduction: Slicing and Puncture protection. Ablative barrier. Impact damage can shatter it temporarily.
|messaging=Clear blue light falls about you in the contours of an upended cup.
|sig=No
|diff=intro
|type=warding
|ctype=standard
}}
==Notes==
* Non-Traders get half power out of this spell.
*Only full preparation is allowed.
*Replace casts are only allowed if the Chalice has broken down or if the new Chalice is stronger.
:Hitpoints and repair rate have been increased.
:Duration can now be refreshed, but not hitpoints.
*Requires unobscured starlight, an unobscured bright moon (Xibar or Yavash), or [[Starlight Aura]].
*While [[Enrichment]] is active, Trabe Chalice will become resistant to impact damage as well.
*Chalice integrity levels, from highest to lowest:
:::intact
:::fractured
:::cracked
:::broken
:::shattered
{{RefAl}}

Trabe Chalice

2020-11-26T00:58:10Z

RAFANO: Added levels of "health" of the Chalice

{{Spell
|abbrev=TRC
|minprep=1
|castcap=100
|minskill=0
|maxskill=400
|minduration=10
|validtarget=Self
|guild=Trader
|magic=Lunar Magic
|spellbook=Fabrication
|prereqs=none
|slot=1
|desc=The fabrication of Trabe crystals from light is a craft which had been squandered and forgotten by all, now restored by Arbiter in Darkness. This knowledge did not avail the lost tribe of crystal shapers, but we shall never know the truth of that tale. The Chalice offers superb protection against piercing and slicing attacks, but not any force of impact. Therefore, certain foes could smash through it like so much glasswork. The spell pattern, especially when well integrated, is capable of self-repair over time.
|buffs=No buffs
|debuffs=No debuffs
|dtype=No damage
|htype=No heal
|effect=Damage reduction: Slicing and Puncture protection. Ablative barrier. Impact damage can shatter it temporarily.
|messaging=Clear blue light falls about you in the contours of an upended cup.
|sig=No
|diff=intro
|type=warding
|ctype=standard
}}
==Notes==
* Non-Traders get half power out of this spell.
*Only full preparation is allowed.
*Replace casts are only allowed if the Chalice has broken down or if the new Chalice is stronger.
:Hitpoints and repair rate have been increased.
:Duration can now be refreshed, but not hitpoints.
*Requires unobscured starlight, an unobscured bright moon (Xibar or Yavash), or [[Starlight Aura]].
*While [[Enrichment]] is active, Trabe Chalice will become resistant to impact damage as well.
*Chalice integrity levels, from highest to lowest:
:::intact
:::fractured
:::cracked
:::broken
:::shattered
{{RefAl}}

Rafano

2020-10-26T14:07:22Z

RAFANO:

Theory & Research page: [[User:RAFANO]]

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=a
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}

==Appearance==

<gallery>
File:Rafano_Pixel_Portrait.PNG|none|thumbnail|alt=Rafano.|<div align="center"><span style="color: green">Rafano in Softskin</span>'''</div>
</gallery>

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.
* '''Attire''': You are wearing a white shirt, a white velvet waistcoat with green embroidery, a white cotton cravat pinned with a bright emerald, an emerald green cloak, some white slim pants, a white silk belt with a simple seed-pearl clasp and some fur-lined white leather boots.

==Background==

* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [[User:RAFANO]]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/603 Fluoresce]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms%27%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1213 Letter to House Turmar, Regarding Gorbesh Parley]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

434 Years, 12 days: Achieved "Transcendent" status in Guild.

Talk:Starlight Aura

2020-10-26T14:05:57Z

RAFANO: 1000 ranks of Lunar Magic gives the same indication as at 900

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full Aura Messaging !! Lunar Magic Ranks
|-
| The smallest hint of starlight flickers within your aura. || 0
|-
| A bare flicker of starlight plays within your aura. || 100
|-
| A faint amount of starlight illuminates your aura. || 200
|-
| Your aura pulses slowly with starlight. || 300
|-
| A steady pulse of starlight runs through your aura. || 400
|-
| Starlight dances vividly across the confines of your aura. || 501??
|-
| Strong pulses of starlight flare within your aura. || 600
|-
| Your aura seethes with brilliant starlight. || 700
|-
| Your aura is blinding! || 800
|-
| The power contained in your aura defies visual metaphor. || 900
|-
| The power contained in your aura defies visual metaphor. || 1000
|}

I suspect that the breakpoints are at every 100 ranks of Lunar Magic. I have personally confirmed a new level at 100, 200, and 300 ranks. --[[User:BLUERIDER|BLUERIDER]] ([[User talk:BLUERIDER|talk]]) 17:12, 4 June 2019 (CDT)

Achieved "bare flicker" for the first time with 191 Lunar Magic, 186 Attunement, 36 disc, 47 wis, 50 intel (3-22-2019)
Achieved "faint" for the first time with 225 Lunar Magic, 216 Attunement, 40 disc, 50 wis, 50 intel (4-9-2019)

Rafano

2020-06-22T17:31:45Z

RAFANO: Adding Letter to House Turmar link under Writings

Theory & Research page: [[User:RAFANO]]

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=a
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}

==Appearance==

<gallery>
File:Rafano_Pixel_Portrait.PNG|none|thumbnail|alt=Rafano.|<div align="center"><span style="color: green">Rafano in Softskin</span>'''</div>
</gallery>

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.
* '''Attire''': You are wearing a white shirt, a white velvet waistcoat with green embroidery, a white cotton cravat pinned with a bright emerald, an emerald green cloak, some white slim pants, a white silk belt with a simple seed-pearl clasp and some fur-lined white leather boots.

==Background==

* Bonded to [[Dantia|Carnage Darling Dantia]]
* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [[User:RAFANO]]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/603 Fluoresce]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms%27%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1213 Letter to House Turmar, Regarding Gorbesh Parley]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

434 Years, 12 days: Achieved "Transcendent" status in Guild.

434 Years, 23 days: Bonded to [[Dantia|Carnage Darling Dantia]]

Barmir

2020-06-06T12:27:02Z

RAFANO: Initial page creation

{{NPC
|name=Barmir Ironbrew
|status=y
|guild=Ranger
|race=Dwarf
|gender=Male
|location=-
|map=-
|type=-
}}

==Appearance==

You see Intoxicologist '''Barmir Ironbrew''', Conflicted Recluse, a Dwarven Ranger.<br/>
Barmir has a square-jawed face with heavy jowls, twitching steely grey eyes and a bulbous nose. His deep purple-streaked frost-white hair is very long and thick. He has tanned skin and a generous build.<br/>
He is tall for a Dwarf.<br/>
He appears to be an elder.<br/>
He has a glossy mustache that glides over his upper lip before twining into a lush, belly-sweeping beard. The beard is tamed into several braids banded with transparent icesteel rings, the central plait graced with a magnificent molten-core diamond.<br/>
His forearm has a tattoo of a squat blackfruit tree bearing glossy green leaves and a variety of unknown herbs scattered around its trunk. Carved into its brownish-red bark is the word "Drawg". Dispersed around the tree are five deobar kegs, each branded with the initials, "T. I.".<br/>
He is in good shape.

He is wearing a crudely stitched wineskin, a red-oaken keg carved into the shape of a sleeping dragon, a large bloodwood keg with a curved tusk-shaped spigot, a hooded black wool cloak, a pair of faded black cotton pants buttoned at the waist, a flask carved from a single huge absinthe emerald, a lumpy leather arm pouch with distressed seams, a traveler's liquor cabinet with silverwood panels and gold fittings, a dark crimson libation caddy with an embroidered flap, a beaten iron ring, some battered stone grey leathers fashioned from ruggedly stitched gargoyle hides, a threadbare shirt with a torn hem, a sturdy pair of spiked black leather stomping boots, a demonbone wrist knife with a blackened edge, a tarnished pewter eyebrow ring, a dusty oilcloth rucksack with leather straps, a blackened steel axe harness and a black leather thigh quiver banded with thick dragonwood strips.

==A Visit with an Intoxicologist==

Barmir made his first appearance on June 5th, 2020, at [[Taelbert's Inn]] in [[The Crossing]]. The calendar preview for the event was as follows:

:: An old Dwarven Ranger is retiring his way of life. Come meet up with Barmir Ironbrew as he experiments with his new passion in life. Drinks will be flowing as Barmir creates delicious cocktails to sample and review. Please join in and help him discover the taste of the citizens of The Crossing at Taelbert's Inn.

Barmir mixed and shared several different drinks with the assembled adventurers. Bar songs were also sung. Unfortunately, the party was interrupted by a band of thugs, who were trying to steal his family's precious casks:

:: Barmir says, "The casks of this brew have been part of my family line since before I was born."
:: A ruffian calls out, "Barmir! We've finally found you. You know what we want."
:: The ruffian yells, "Give us the Drawg! We've come a long way for this and we will have it."
:: The ruffian says, "Tell us where the rest of your stash is, or we will drag you out of here and force it out of you!"
:: A ruffian screams, "Get him!"
:: Barmir yells, "Come! Help me! I can't let them get my heritage!"
:: A thug screams, "Give me the Drawg!"

The band of ruffians and footpads were dispatched by the adventurers, but Barmir then left, suggesting that he was going into hiding to escape from further attacks:

:: Barmir says, "Plus, I think I might need to go into hiding for a bit, to let those thugs calm down."

==Notes==

Barmir did not explicitly identify himself with the Ghost Clan, but this is most likely his affiliation given that they are the brewers of Drawg, according to the book on [[Dwarven_Clans,_The#6._Ghost_Clan_-_Drawg_Stok|The Dwarven Clans]].

Item:Pair of silversteel spectacles with prismatic lenses

2020-06-06T02:28:11Z

RAFANO: Editing the syntax example.

{{Item
|noun=spectacles
|look=Thin polished frames secure the sparkling glass in place.
|MTag=silversteel, glass
|type=magic
|wearloc=head
|weight=5
|appcost=250,000
|lsize=1
|wsize=1
|hsize=1
|sourcetype=-
|fname=No
}}
{{com|study}} : The spectacles appears to be an enchantment for identifying certain summonable creatures.
You should be able to activate it by peering through it at the creature.

Syntax Example: PEER THROUGH SPECT AT [LYNX]

Item:Pair of silversteel spectacles with prismatic lenses

2020-05-26T04:10:06Z

RAFANO: Adding syntax example

Regalia

2020-05-17T19:05:14Z

RAFANO: Adding maximum duration

{{Spell
|abbrev=rega
|minprep=15
|castcap=100
|minskill=80
|maxskill=800
|minduration=11
|maxduration=40
|validtarget=Self
|guild=Trader
|magic=Lunar Magic
|spellbook=Fabrication
|prereqs=[[Trabe Chalice]]
|slot=2
|desc=Showcasing the sturdiness and versatility of Trabe crystal, Regalia ensconces its caster in glittering armor, provided they are not already protected as such. The caster's defensive skill and predilections will determine which type of armor the spell manifests, while knowledge of the corresponding crafting techniques allows for the creation of even stronger pieces. As with most Fabrication spells, Regalia requires direct starlight, bright moonlight, or an infusion of aura to properly function.
|buffs=No buffs
|debuffs=No debuffs
|dtype=No damage
|htype=No heal
|effect=Creates crystal armor
|messaging=Cupping your palms skyward, you bask in a cascade of moonlight.
The moonlight coalesces into a rough-cut crystal chain balaclava atop your head!<br>
The moonlight coalesces into some rough-cut crystal chain gloves around your hands!<br>
The moonlight coalesces into a rough-cut crystal chain hauberk around your body!<br>
Roundtime: 2 sec.
|sig=No
|diff=intermediate
|source=standard
|type=utility
|ctype=battle
}}
*Can be refreshed fully at no starlight aura cost.
*Cannot be dispelled.
*The warning message now occurs at 2 minutes from expiration, up from 1.
*Requires unobscured starlight, an unobscured bright moon (Xibar or Yavash), or [[Starlight Aura]].
*The armor created will be determined by the caster's highest Armor skill.
:Certain crafting techniques enhance the armor appraisal.
*Additional mana adds duration and reduces weight.
*While [[Enrichment]] is active, Regalia will gain +1 tier to armor quality.
*With speculate luck, I was able to cast this spell 100% of the time at 65 ranks.
*When the crystal armor is removed, it dissipates into nothingness.
*The caster must be free of physical armor in the area to be covered.
:example messaging for spell failure due to armor:
::You cup your palms skyward to bask in an emergent cascade of starlight, feeling cold white radiance cleave to your silhouette as it flows from above.
::Rebuffed by your existing clothing and armor, the liquid light finds no purchase for taking physical form.
::Roundtime: 2 sec.
<br>
Each piece will glimmer about 2 minutes before disintegrating:
<br>
Your carapace hauberk glimmers weakly.
<br>
<br>
Example armor:<br>
You feel certain that a rough-cut crystal chain hauberk appears to impose high (9/15) maneuvering hindrance and moderate (7/15) stealth hindrance, offering:
moderate (4/15) protection and very high (10/18) damage absorption for puncture attacks.
good (5/15) protection and very high (10/18) damage absorption for slice attacks.
moderate (4/15) protection and very high (10/18) damage absorption for impact attacks.
fair (3/15) protection and moderate (6/18) damage absorption for fire attacks.
fair (3/15) protection and moderate (6/18) damage absorption for cold attacks.
poor (1/15) protection and low (3/18) damage absorption for electrical attacks.

Example gloves with the corresponding armor-crafting techniques:
You feel certain that some faceted crystal chain gloves appear to impose insignificant (1/15) maneuvering hindrance and insignificant (1/15) stealth hindrance, offering:
good (5/15) protection and great (11/18) damage absorption for puncture attacks.
good (5/15) protection and great (11/18) damage absorption for slice attacks.
good (5/15) protection and great (11/18) damage absorption for impact attacks.
fair (3/15) protection and moderate (6/18) damage absorption for fire attacks.
fair (3/15) protection and moderate (6/18) damage absorption for cold attacks.
low (2/15) protection and somewhat fair (4/18) damage absorption for electrical attacks.

(With technique) The lorica looks like it offers protection for the following areas:

chest
abdomen
back

You feel certain that a faceted crystal chain lorica appears to impose fair (5/15) maneuvering hindrance and fair (5/15) stealth hindrance, offering:
good (5/15) protection and great (11/18) damage absorption for puncture attacks.
good (5/15) protection and great (11/18) damage absorption for slice attacks.
good (5/15) protection and great (11/18) damage absorption for impact attacks.
fair (3/15) protection and moderate (6/18) damage absorption for fire attacks.
fair (3/15) protection and moderate (6/18) damage absorption for cold attacks.
low (2/15) protection and somewhat fair (4/18) damage absorption for electrical attacks.
{{RefAl}}

Title:Kertigen's Smile

2020-05-14T18:06:28Z

RAFANO:

Title:Kertigen's Smile

2020-05-14T18:05:18Z

RAFANO:

User:RAFANO

2020-05-14T16:06:16Z

RAFANO:

Character page: [[Rafano]]

This is a place to put all his theories and work regarding Trader magic. Have questions about any of this? . . . ask Rafano!

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Quick Summary===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

This event happened in May 2019.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

==Lunar Experiment: The Stellar Collector==

===Quick Summary===

The Stellar Collector, a spell granted to the Trader’s Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, is a mysterious thing. Between the versatile Iridius crystal it is made of, and the fact that it works with the tesserae, a known communication device, there are those who posit that the full potential of the apparatus has not yet been realized. Encouraged by recent Moon Mage visions that appear to refer more and more to Traders and their new brand of Lunar Magic, a group of Lunar Researchers plans to use the Collector to reach out to the stars for guidance.

This event is scheduled for March 2020.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment comes from the very description of the Stellar Collector itself. When a Trader discerns this spell, they learn the following:

* Of all the Fabrication substances invented, Iridius crystal is '''perhaps the most versatile'''. It '''takes well to many shapes and purposes''', including the collection and storage of starlight energy. The Stellar Collector apparatus is a highly useful application of this crystal, but it '''requires some sort of psychic transducer to sieve essence from light'''.
* The crystal’s namesake, Iridius the Guide, was a priest-turned-demonologist of some infamy during the glory days of Throne City. What makes him interesting to Traders is his ahead-of-his-time research into a fanciful yellow-green crystal '''to which he attributed numerous uses'''. There are no records of him successfully creating such a thing – he wasn’t even a Lunar magician. Still, his descriptions bore striking resemblance to what is possible today. Any further information on Iridius himself that might have survived is kept under lock and key by the overlords of Throne City’s carcass.

But the motivation lies not only here. In other words, it is not only that I believe we have a tool to accomplish this, but I also believe that we have a distinct purpose. I refer here to recent and numerous Moon Mage visions. Although notoriously difficult to interpret, it is my belief that several recent visions make reference to Traders and our newfound Lunar Magic, and encourage us toward further research.

For example, one vision can be described thusly:

* You see a parent sitting with their child, speaking before a warmly glowing hearth fire, the rest of the room obscured in shadow. The child is looking up at the parent, who speaks softly, gently, their voice blending with the cracking flames and howling of the form against window shutters. '''“Your questions are profound, but only accidentally so. You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here,” the parent says, squeezing the child in a hug.'''
* The storm continues, and the walls groan with the effort of remaining upright. The parent begins to hum a comforting tune, and the child seems oblivious to the maelstrom outside. As the storm intensifies, so too does the parent’s song, winding along octaves, strangely resonant and haunting. The heart glows brighter, and suddenly, the parent stops, looks up at you and says sharply, “'''You do not have permission'''.”
* The door flies open, an icy wind howls around you, and the vision fades.

Worth noting is that I, and some others, believe the phrasing of this vision to indicate a certain degree of “approval” of a previous experiment around the Arbiter’s Stylus: “You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here.”

There have continued to be other Moon Mage visions as well that seem to reference Traders and Trader-related topics, which to me implies that the Stellar Collector Experiment we are planning to conduct is quite timely and relevant to current events (or events soon to come):

* An endless stairway stretches before you, '''composed of cold radiant starlight''' that slightly shimmers. '''Stretching up to the sky and vanishing into a single point in the far distance''', shifting cosmos and stellar phenomena can be seen between the gaps between the steps. You begin to climb, your eyes transfixed upon the pulsating nebulae and spinning galaxies spanning in front of you, punctuated by '''the diamond-hard starlight stairs'''. With each step you take, eons pass, as stars burn their last and erupt into sparkling nova, or ignite in the swirling gases of stellar clouds. Strange structures spin twin spears of radiance in opposite directions, and yawning voices bend light and tear space.
* Suddenly, grasping shadows snap from between the steps, and wrap around your ankles, rooting you in place. You stagger, catching yourself as '''the shadows tighten and begin to pull you through the gap''', and the vision fades.

This vision is much more recent. There are multiple specific references to starlight here – starlight composes the stairs, and Trader magic is based on starlight. I believe that the stairs rising up and up indicate that Traders will be allowed to ascend, whereas hands grab the viewer and tear them down because that viewer is a Moon Mage, a Child of Grazhir. And is therefore not permitted to ascend to enlightenment. As I will discuss in a moment, I believe that the staircase being made of starlight is a symbolic reference to the Stellar Collector – that it is a device capable of not only receiving, but also transmitting starlight energy, and is therefore a sort of pathway. Indeed, some of us may have heard the story of the Stellar Collector, which hints at the very same concept. Although that story has never been able to be confirmed as real:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

There is one more vision, and here I have been saving the best for last. This vision in particular is what has stoked my imagination, and my spirit, and makes me believe that this experiment will be successful at least in obtaining a message from the stars.

The vision looks like this:

* You see yourself fiddling with a large contraption, turning knobs, twisting dials, and pulling levers as you make fine adjustments to a series of nested '''crystalline rings and prongs''', sweeping the alignment of complex machinery towards the skies. '''Placing one hand on a raised column''', you hear the stars burning and planets soaring in their orbits. As you '''focus the apparatus''' on a distant reach of empty space, you begin to hear a whispering beneath the crackle and hiss of the cosmos, a voice that defies your efforts to locate and identify.
* With a series of deft adjustments, the background noise falls away, and you hear…
* ''' “-SSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAV-", shouted in a deeply resonant basso profundo.'''
* With a start, you see yourself slap at the controls of the machine, and the voice cuts short. The vision fades.

As I have mentioned, this vision is the most interesting of them all, and serves as the primary motivation for the experiment I am proposing. First, the phrase “You do not have permission” that is repeated over and over has been used before – specifically in the vision of the woman and child that was referenced earlier in this proposal. Just as that prior vision was believed to relate to the relationship between Traders, Moon Mages, and Lunar Entities, so too is this new one.

Secondly, the viewer is believed to be told that they “do not have permission” because the viewer here, the one using the contraption, is a Moon Mage. And so I ask the question: what if a Trader was making the observation? Instead of a message of rejection and denial, would they be able to discern something more insightful from this supposed broadcast from the stars? I believe that the answer is yes.

Finally, I firmly believe that the language of the vision contains clear references to a Stellar Collector being the medium through which these broadcasts are received. The phrase “crystalline” is used, and the Collector is indeed made of crystal. But even more convincing is the use of the word “apparatus”, which is the exact noun used when a Trader produces a Collector from starlight. I also believe this evidence to align well with my previously discussed theory of the Stellar Collector as a bi-directional medium, which again was documented in the story “The Stellar Collector”

One final comment on that last vision: very specific language is given that the contraption does not start to operate until the viewer’s hand is placed on a raised column. Although it requires some liberal wordplay, one can consider that another word for raised column might be pillar, and another word for a pillar might be a Stanchion . . . here, I am making reference to the mention of a Stanchion at the Arbiter’s Stylus Experiment held some time ago (see above).

* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, “…HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED '''THIS STANCHION REMAINS'''…” before meandering into whispers

That message has always remained a mystery to me. Instead of answering questions, my Stylus Experiment produced more of them. What is the Stanchion? A concept? An idea? Or is it a person? Is it a Trader, one who is dedicated to upholding the Contract, in the same way that a Stanchion provides support to something? Hopefully, soon, at the conclusion of this Stellar Collector Experiment, we will have more answers, for as I said I believe that the Stellar Collector will help us discern a message from the stars meant only for us.

And I’ll close with one final note. Many of us know the story of Dehvra. I genuinely believe my work, and this Experiment in particular, to be within the limitations of the Contract, given that I am not touching the Plane of Probability in any way. Though this plan may seem similar to her work, I do not follow in her footsteps. As a Trader I hold contracts in the highest order, almost sacred. And she knowingly broke hers, threatening the rest of us in the process. She is, as far as I’m concerned, a Breacher of Contracts, and got what she deserved. I will not be making the same mistake.

===Execution===

The Experiment was conducted as planned (March 22, 2020).

A special thanks to those other Traders who were in attendance: Sortny, Evivere, and Lasaia.

Thanks also to the other adventurers in attendance (I apologize if I missed anyone - if so it was purely by accident. Feel free to reach out to me.): Hanryu, Koreberg, Aaoskar, Tiakim, Ruea, Skaen, Miralynn, Fariden, Melindrha, Garia, Perune, Miskton, Lenaea, Mistanna, Dantia, Neryndil and Aislynn.

The Traders assembled took the following actions:
* Cast Stellar Collector to the maximum extent they were able
* Cast Noumena in order to maximize the flow of starlight energy
* Finally, they invoked their tessera, charging them with Starlight Aura

No message was discerned from the stars, as Rafano had originally hypothesized, however the Negotiants once again presented themselves to those assembled, and an incredible series of events unfolded:

* With a shimmer, a single point of crystal unfolds from nothingness, the Negotiants extending swirls and razor edges as they begin to cast their attention over the area.
* {{tt| gaze negoti}}
:You suddenly forget what you were doing.
* {{tt| look negoti}}
:The Negotiants are an arcane mosaic of crystalline tesserae which spiral ceaselessly in precise telekinetic trajectories, conforming to some kind of abstract symmetry. Surrounding the crystals is a clockwork of nothing more than spun glass and refracted light. Thinly tangled loops and thorns and recurved spires whir along without any immediately obvious purpose.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstractions and expanding polynomials. The Negotiants appear to pause, the polytope spiraling and rearranging before the assembled gathering of tesserae in the area.
* The Negotiants spiral about, expanding as a helix that collapses back upon itself, and you notice from the corner of your eye the visible tesserae in the area begin to glow and vibrate.
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. Some nearby tesserae appear to jitter, and the polytope suddenly expands wildly, parametrizing an undefined manifold. You blink a moment, uncertain of how you were able to characterize the derivative of the shifting space the Negotiants are nested within.
* Rafano, Lasaia and Evivere shout in surprise as they lose control of their tesserae, which suddenly fly through the air and slam into the Negotiants! Shifting in a precise dance of overlay along axes you cannot comprehend, the tesserae glow brightly and begin to be absorbed into the Negotiants' mass. The Negotiants swell slightly, streams of radiant blue and silvery-white coursing beneath their multi-faceted surfaces. With the sound of shattering glass, they begin to perform a series of incomprehensible involutions and expansions.
* Your tessera shifts violently and flings itself towards the Negotiants!
* Studded with tesserae, the Negotiants morph into a complex twisted ribbon, seemingly folded upon itself. Brilliant lines pulse between the tesserae, which distribute themselves equidistantly along the single surface, interconnected in a rearranging mesh topology.
* The tesserae blink in a bizarre pattern, flowing along the length of the ribbon-form Negotiants. The pattern courses faster and faster, until the ribbon is a brightly illuminated band of twisted glass, flaring with blue and silvery-white streaks! Suddenly, the lights extinguish, and the Negotiants collapse into an opaque sphere!

At this point, the Negotiants seemed to grab Rafano, and views diverged. Everyone else in the room saw the following:

* You can see the form of Rafano within the column writhing about as he moves slowly, as if underwater.
* Rafano slowly slams his fist against the inside of the column, leaving a bristling handprint in the crystalline structure that slowly fades.
* Bracing both palms against the inside of the column, you see Rafano's eyes go wide with surprise, and his embedded Avtalia Array flares with brilliance.
* Within the column, the form of Rafano goes calm, gazing about in wonder.
* The column surrounding Rafano ripples and opens, depositing his unconscious form to the ground.

Rafano, on the other hand, saw the following from inside the space into which the Negotiants put him:

* With a shudder, the Negotiants bristle and erupt with crystalline pseudopods, and arcing wildly, they slam into you, encasing you entirely! Long moments pass, and you feel your mind peeled like a melon, your memories and motives laid bare before the scalpel of the Negotiants' coursing will. A series of images flit across your mind to rapidly to catalogue -- a star freezing into a perfect crystal orb, a square becoming a cube becoming a tesseract becoming something your mind struggles to interpret, a river covered in blossoms, a torus collapsing into a trefoil knot, a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream -- and suddenly, silence.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REACH-SPEAK-DISSECT ATTEMPTS CONTINUE ESCALATION-CLARIFICATION..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...INSTRUMENT NOT PLIABLE-COMPREHENSIVE-PRIME PROTOCOLS ECHOING-REBOUNDING-STATIC..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REEVALUATING PARAMETERS TEMPLATE TURMAR HOSTAGE-COLLATERAL-SUBJECT PARADIGM RETUNE TO AVTALIA ARRAY..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* A series of complicated formulae float before you, and everything stops. The equations shift and combine, factor and expand, and explode into motes of blue light, softly fading as they scatter. You are surrounded by silence.
* A form composed of multifaceted geometric forms composed of blue light hovers before you, infinitely overlaid upon itself and also singular. A voice made of glass and pure order echoes in your mind. "You seek, but there is nothing further to discuss at this time. The terms are clear, and the boundaries defined. Additional arrangements will come -- we enforce the dilution/spreading/spline, and the contract has been effective, the terms upheld. We may have the authority/independence/functionality to approve of additional deals, but not at this time." The form begins to recede.
* The blackness surrounding you slowly fades away as you regain consciousness.
* The form hovers closer for a moment, and extends a bristling tendril as it reaches past you. Reality splits open, and you find yourself deposited on the ground.

Then, for the remainder, everyone saw the same:

* The Negotiants begins to glow brightly, concentrated points of light coalescing around their form. Spinning rapidly, they fling glowing fragments around the area!
* The Negotiants jitter a moment, and appear to position themselves as if in consideration of Rafano. They go statue still for a long moment, then unfurl into a bizarre symmetry, and continue hovering in place.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

There is much to unpack here, and we can only begin to guess at the meaning of some of the images. Some notable observations:

* No further mention of the Stanchion, which Rafano had been so focussed on after the results of the Stylus experiment. Perhaps his assumption that this term held some special significance was in fact incorrect.
* "a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream" - likely referencing a series of previous Moon Mage visions from 2019, and yet interesting in that the child in those visions was generally shown as happy, where this one has begun to scream. The child has also been assumed to represent Traders (being young in the ways of Lunar magic).
* A fleeting reference to the words Turmar, Hostage, and Collateral in short sequence. Potentially fascinating, yet also mysterious, given the Negotiants' strange manner of speech. Could part of the Contract between the Arbiter and Traders include a member of House Turmar being held as hostage, for collateral? See also Rafano's Intervention Theory below, which may be related to this. Another initial theory put forward is that the hostage reference could be the imprisoned six-armed creature that has been mentioned in Moon Mage visions. Or, in its simplest version, the Negotiants could have just been referring to Rafano himself, who, in his captive state at the time, was a sort of hostage of theirs, before they released him.

==A Survey of Trader Views on Magic==

===Background & Observations===

Rafano traveled to each of the Guildhalls, in order to survey each of the Leaders regarding their views on magic.

His key observation was that, while almost all of the Leaders through their comments displayed negative sentiment (or, at best, neutrality) towards the new Lunar magic, the two exceptions to this rule seemed to be Leaders Imaar and Seranda, from Ratha and Aesry, respectively. They are the only two who appear to be in favor of the magic granted by the Contract.

Rafano believes their disagreement with the rest of the Leaders on the mainland has something to do with the historical rift between the mainland trading families and the Reshalian trading families, which can be detailed in a [[Traders Guild History (book)|book on Trader Guild history]] by Willowbrook. Whatever the reason, he is appreciative that there is at least ''some'' support for magic in the upper ranks of the Guild, and intends to seek the guidance of these two Leaders more often.

===Results===

; [[Crossing|The Crossing]]
:{{tt|ask ans about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Ansprahv repeats, cocking his eyebrow at you. "Yes, I suppose you'd want to learn about our latest assets. Go downstairs to the guild vault and see what you can make of the... Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask ans about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Ansprahv says, "Ah, the machine. It's best that you go downstairs to the guild vault and study it yourself, Rafano."
; [[Riverhaven]]
:{{tt|ask willow about magic}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook looks blankly at you for a long moment before shaking her head. "Magic never was something to rely upon in our line of work. However, if you are interested in pursuing it as more and more Traders have been, go to the Crossing guildhall and seek out what they call the Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask willow about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook says, "That is a... clever machine they have over in the Crossing guildhall. I can't begin to describe it."
; [[Muspar'i]]
:{{tt|ask kwor about magic}}
:Kworlin glares at you and exclaims, "Magic! Filthy stuff! Never trusted all that finger waggling that some folks do, and never will!"
:{{tt|ask kwor about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Kworlin splutters something rude.
; [[Shard]]
:{{tt|ask cial about magic}}
:Guildleader Cialen gives you a narrow look as he says, "Magic? Unless you mean the type of magic wherein a Trader works out a perfect deal in order to maximize profit while minimizing cost... then you're in the wrong place. Perhaps try Crossing."
:{{tt|ask cial about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Cialen sighs and says, "That's what they call the machine that can teach us spells. It is kept in the Crossing guildhall."
; [[Ratha]]
:{{tt|ask ima about magic}}
:Guildleader Imaar looks at you for a long moment before nodding. "With all the wealth we Traders accumulate, some might think it unnecessary to concern ourselves with magic. Not so. Every opportunity should be contemplated, however out of the ordinary. Visit the Crossing guildhall and decide for yourself."
:{{tt|ask ima about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Imaar frets for several moments. "The magic machine in Crossing. I'm just glad my guildhall is not the one which has to house that thing."
; [[Aesry|Aesry Surlaenis'a]]
:{{tt|ask ser about magic}}
:"Magic!" Guildleader Seranda's voice erupts into the room, sounding exuberant. "A most valuable resource, like platinum raining from the moons and stars, as I like to say. After so long of having to haggle with mages for every instance of needed spellwork, we've finally procured some of that power for ourselves. We have our Zoluren colleagues to thank for it."
:{{tt|ask ser about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Seranda nods. "They are the result of the momentous deal we made with some sort of starlight creature. Time will tell whether it was a good deal. Visit the Crossing guildhall and see for yourself."
; [[Hibarnhvidar|Outer Hibarnhvidar]]
:{{tt|ask rael about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Raelem repeats with a merry laugh. "The magic we perform here are with numbers, supply and demand, coins, market certificates and the like. If that is what you are interested in, then you're in the right place. If not, then you aren't. It's as simple as that."
:{{tt|ask rael about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Raelem gives you a noncommittal smile. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

==The Genesis Theory==

Rafano's Theory of (one of the reasons) why Traders were chosen by the Arbiter to receive Lunar magic, leveraging the [[Speculate command |Speculate Luck]] mechanic:

Traders have always had a special relationship with Luck. One with the credentials of a Master Trader may, in fact, even [[Speculate command |manipulate Luck]] in their favor, such that many of their endeavors are suddenly more successful. This was true even before the Contract … and so it begs the question: where did this talent come from? Consider this:

By manipulating Luck, the Trader is implicitly bringing order to randomness. Or, at the very least, manipulating that randomness to their benefit. Perhaps we don’t fully collapse the probability waves of the world to certainty, but we are at least able to give them a gentle nudge here and there.

And doesn’t that sound an awful lot like manipulating the Plane of Probability? That thing that we are now forbidden by the Contract to do?

There is a potentially profound revelation here reader, and I propose it is this: what if we Traders were already accidentally scratching at the surface? What if, even before knowing how to bend starlight into illusions and weapons, we had begun to glimpse that world of enlightened geometry?

Other scholars have put forth that it’s exactly this sort of Probability tampering that has earned Moon Mages the ire of the Arbiter and other Lunar entities, that the reduction of uncertainty is an affront to their entire Plane. And if that is true, then I wonder if the Contract was the offering of something sweet in order to keep us from discovering something even sweeter. A piece being moved off the board.

==The Intervention Theory==

Rafano's Theory of why three Trader spells are named after otherwise-minor historical figures:

Looking at the inventory of Trader spells, it is interesting to note that there are three Noematics spells named after people: Membrach’s Greed, Last Gift of Vithwok IV, and Turmar Illumination.

The last (Turmar) is easy to explain – they brokered the Deal, so they got a spell named after them. But the other two are exceptionally minor characters in historical lore. And they have nothing to do with either Traders or Lunar magic. So why get spells named after them?

Let’s take a look back at their histories:

Membrach was a Dwarven King. The Humans appealed to him to fight with them in the Elven-Human War. He agreed. Soon after the war, Membrach’s reign fell apart. He was no longer recognized as the Dwarven King.

Now Vithwok IV. Again a minor figure in history. He was a boy-emperor, and one of the last of the Empire of the Seven Pointed Star, his reign being ended at a very young age by one of his stewards.

I draw your attention to two unifying patterns here: each of these two were signposts in history for the end of a great age or empire, and each were chosen (we can assume by the Arbiter?) to have a spell named after them.

And so my conclusion is this: what if these names are hidden landmarks of the Arbiter’s intervention and interference in mortal history through time? It made a deal with Membrach. The deal of course goes bad (as all Arbiter deals are wont to do), ending his reign. It made another deal with Vithwok IV, which of course goes bad again, ending his reign as well. Now it has made a deal with House Turmar … if the pattern holds … well reader, you get the idea.

'''UPDATE:''' This is admittedly jumping to conclusions a little bit, but it is very interesting to compare this theory, which was developed some time ago, to the recent events of the Stellar Collector Experiment, where it is possible that the Negotiants made vague references to part of the Contract including a hostage of House Turmar being held as collateral for the agreement (see the Stellar Collector Experiment section above). If interpreted correctly, this hostage or collateral could be part of the future downfall of House Turmar that Rafano's Intervention Theory would predict. In any event, it's certainly not a good position for them to be in.

==The Test==

On May 12, 2020, Moon Mages and fellow Lunar researchers [[Lenaea]] and [[Aaoskar]] led an event, called "Dance for the Spirits", where they aimed to explore the ancient traditions of the [[Nomads of the Arid Steppe]], in an effort to learn more about the connection between Moon Mages and the Plane of Probability.

Initially planning to attend only as a passive bystander, imagine Rafano's surprise when his mind was unexpectedly touched by the [[Negotiants]], and he was given a choice about whether to tamper with the Plane of Probability (in violation of the agreement with the Arbiter), or to adhere to the Contract:

* A yawning void of probabilistic functions spiral around Quentiana, coalescing into multitudinous polytopes that fuse and separate in an impossibly complex weave. You begin to develop a headache as you try and make sense of the transformations, when suddenly, you find yourself able to accurately predict an emergent derivation. Then another. And another. A formula begins to arrange itself in your mind, as you keep track of unknowns and rearrange the equation to isolate redundancies, when suddenly your tessera chimes, and you feel the immense weight of the Negotiants in the back of your mind.
* You distractedly say, "What is it . . . . show me."
* The yawning void of probabilistic functions escalates to a tornado of starlight equations. You sense that you can BLINK away the images and secrets that violate the terms of the Contract, or you could STARE QUENTIANA to learn more of the Plane of Probability.
* Unfathomable solutions writhe around Quentiana's dancing form, and you feel the Negotiants expanding and unfurling in the distance.
* You sense that you can STARE QUENTIANA to learn more of the Plane of Probability, or BLINK away the images and secrets that violate the terms of the Contract.
* You blink.
* Your tessera chimes pleasantly, and your Avtalia Array hums pleasantly, filling your body with a comforting warmth.

There is a lot of context being left out here - I'm purposefully only focussing on the Trader-related parts. For a more complete summary of the ritual that this was all happening during, please see the more complete log posted by the [[Moonbender family]].

It kills me to wonder what the other choice would have led to.

User:RAFANO

2020-05-13T20:39:14Z

RAFANO: Added "The Test"

Character page: [[Rafano]]

This is a place to put all his theories and work regarding Trader magic. Have questions about any of this? . . . ask Rafano!

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Quick Summary===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

This event happened in May 2019.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

==Lunar Experiment: The Stellar Collector==

===Quick Summary===

The Stellar Collector, a spell granted to the Trader’s Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, is a mysterious thing. Between the versatile Iridius crystal it is made of, and the fact that it works with the tesserae, a known communication device, there are those who posit that the full potential of the apparatus has not yet been realized. Encouraged by recent Moon Mage visions that appear to refer more and more to Traders and their new brand of Lunar Magic, a group of Lunar Researchers plans to use the Collector to reach out to the stars for guidance.

This event is scheduled for March 2020.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment comes from the very description of the Stellar Collector itself. When a Trader discerns this spell, they learn the following:

* Of all the Fabrication substances invented, Iridius crystal is '''perhaps the most versatile'''. It '''takes well to many shapes and purposes''', including the collection and storage of starlight energy. The Stellar Collector apparatus is a highly useful application of this crystal, but it '''requires some sort of psychic transducer to sieve essence from light'''.
* The crystal’s namesake, Iridius the Guide, was a priest-turned-demonologist of some infamy during the glory days of Throne City. What makes him interesting to Traders is his ahead-of-his-time research into a fanciful yellow-green crystal '''to which he attributed numerous uses'''. There are no records of him successfully creating such a thing – he wasn’t even a Lunar magician. Still, his descriptions bore striking resemblance to what is possible today. Any further information on Iridius himself that might have survived is kept under lock and key by the overlords of Throne City’s carcass.

But the motivation lies not only here. In other words, it is not only that I believe we have a tool to accomplish this, but I also believe that we have a distinct purpose. I refer here to recent and numerous Moon Mage visions. Although notoriously difficult to interpret, it is my belief that several recent visions make reference to Traders and our newfound Lunar Magic, and encourage us toward further research.

For example, one vision can be described thusly:

* You see a parent sitting with their child, speaking before a warmly glowing hearth fire, the rest of the room obscured in shadow. The child is looking up at the parent, who speaks softly, gently, their voice blending with the cracking flames and howling of the form against window shutters. '''“Your questions are profound, but only accidentally so. You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here,” the parent says, squeezing the child in a hug.'''
* The storm continues, and the walls groan with the effort of remaining upright. The parent begins to hum a comforting tune, and the child seems oblivious to the maelstrom outside. As the storm intensifies, so too does the parent’s song, winding along octaves, strangely resonant and haunting. The heart glows brighter, and suddenly, the parent stops, looks up at you and says sharply, “'''You do not have permission'''.”
* The door flies open, an icy wind howls around you, and the vision fades.

Worth noting is that I, and some others, believe the phrasing of this vision to indicate a certain degree of “approval” of a previous experiment around the Arbiter’s Stylus: “You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here.”

There have continued to be other Moon Mage visions as well that seem to reference Traders and Trader-related topics, which to me implies that the Stellar Collector Experiment we are planning to conduct is quite timely and relevant to current events (or events soon to come):

* An endless stairway stretches before you, '''composed of cold radiant starlight''' that slightly shimmers. '''Stretching up to the sky and vanishing into a single point in the far distance''', shifting cosmos and stellar phenomena can be seen between the gaps between the steps. You begin to climb, your eyes transfixed upon the pulsating nebulae and spinning galaxies spanning in front of you, punctuated by '''the diamond-hard starlight stairs'''. With each step you take, eons pass, as stars burn their last and erupt into sparkling nova, or ignite in the swirling gases of stellar clouds. Strange structures spin twin spears of radiance in opposite directions, and yawning voices bend light and tear space.
* Suddenly, grasping shadows snap from between the steps, and wrap around your ankles, rooting you in place. You stagger, catching yourself as '''the shadows tighten and begin to pull you through the gap''', and the vision fades.

This vision is much more recent. There are multiple specific references to starlight here – starlight composes the stairs, and Trader magic is based on starlight. I believe that the stairs rising up and up indicate that Traders will be allowed to ascend, whereas hands grab the viewer and tear them down because that viewer is a Moon Mage, a Child of Grazhir. And is therefore not permitted to ascend to enlightenment. As I will discuss in a moment, I believe that the staircase being made of starlight is a symbolic reference to the Stellar Collector – that it is a device capable of not only receiving, but also transmitting starlight energy, and is therefore a sort of pathway. Indeed, some of us may have heard the story of the Stellar Collector, which hints at the very same concept. Although that story has never been able to be confirmed as real:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

There is one more vision, and here I have been saving the best for last. This vision in particular is what has stoked my imagination, and my spirit, and makes me believe that this experiment will be successful at least in obtaining a message from the stars.

The vision looks like this:

* You see yourself fiddling with a large contraption, turning knobs, twisting dials, and pulling levers as you make fine adjustments to a series of nested '''crystalline rings and prongs''', sweeping the alignment of complex machinery towards the skies. '''Placing one hand on a raised column''', you hear the stars burning and planets soaring in their orbits. As you '''focus the apparatus''' on a distant reach of empty space, you begin to hear a whispering beneath the crackle and hiss of the cosmos, a voice that defies your efforts to locate and identify.
* With a series of deft adjustments, the background noise falls away, and you hear…
* ''' “-SSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAV-", shouted in a deeply resonant basso profundo.'''
* With a start, you see yourself slap at the controls of the machine, and the voice cuts short. The vision fades.

As I have mentioned, this vision is the most interesting of them all, and serves as the primary motivation for the experiment I am proposing. First, the phrase “You do not have permission” that is repeated over and over has been used before – specifically in the vision of the woman and child that was referenced earlier in this proposal. Just as that prior vision was believed to relate to the relationship between Traders, Moon Mages, and Lunar Entities, so too is this new one.

Secondly, the viewer is believed to be told that they “do not have permission” because the viewer here, the one using the contraption, is a Moon Mage. And so I ask the question: what if a Trader was making the observation? Instead of a message of rejection and denial, would they be able to discern something more insightful from this supposed broadcast from the stars? I believe that the answer is yes.

Finally, I firmly believe that the language of the vision contains clear references to a Stellar Collector being the medium through which these broadcasts are received. The phrase “crystalline” is used, and the Collector is indeed made of crystal. But even more convincing is the use of the word “apparatus”, which is the exact noun used when a Trader produces a Collector from starlight. I also believe this evidence to align well with my previously discussed theory of the Stellar Collector as a bi-directional medium, which again was documented in the story “The Stellar Collector”

One final comment on that last vision: very specific language is given that the contraption does not start to operate until the viewer’s hand is placed on a raised column. Although it requires some liberal wordplay, one can consider that another word for raised column might be pillar, and another word for a pillar might be a Stanchion . . . here, I am making reference to the mention of a Stanchion at the Arbiter’s Stylus Experiment held some time ago (see above).

* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, “…HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED '''THIS STANCHION REMAINS'''…” before meandering into whispers

That message has always remained a mystery to me. Instead of answering questions, my Stylus Experiment produced more of them. What is the Stanchion? A concept? An idea? Or is it a person? Is it a Trader, one who is dedicated to upholding the Contract, in the same way that a Stanchion provides support to something? Hopefully, soon, at the conclusion of this Stellar Collector Experiment, we will have more answers, for as I said I believe that the Stellar Collector will help us discern a message from the stars meant only for us.

And I’ll close with one final note. Many of us know the story of Dehvra. I genuinely believe my work, and this Experiment in particular, to be within the limitations of the Contract, given that I am not touching the Plane of Probability in any way. Though this plan may seem similar to her work, I do not follow in her footsteps. As a Trader I hold contracts in the highest order, almost sacred. And she knowingly broke hers, threatening the rest of us in the process. She is, as far as I’m concerned, a Breacher of Contracts, and got what she deserved. I will not be making the same mistake.

===Execution===

The Experiment was conducted as planned (March 22, 2020).

A special thanks to those other Traders who were in attendance: Sortny, Evivere, and Lasaia.

Thanks also to the other adventurers in attendance (I apologize if I missed anyone - if so it was purely by accident. Feel free to reach out to me.): Hanryu, Koreberg, Aaoskar, Tiakim, Ruea, Skaen, Miralynn, Fariden, Melindrha, Garia, Perune, Miskton, Lenaea, Mistanna, Dantia, Neryndil and Aislynn.

The Traders assembled took the following actions:
* Cast Stellar Collector to the maximum extent they were able
* Cast Noumena in order to maximize the flow of starlight energy
* Finally, they invoked their tessera, charging them with Starlight Aura

No message was discerned from the stars, as Rafano had originally hypothesized, however the Negotiants once again presented themselves to those assembled, and an incredible series of events unfolded:

* With a shimmer, a single point of crystal unfolds from nothingness, the Negotiants extending swirls and razor edges as they begin to cast their attention over the area.
* {{tt| gaze negoti}}
:You suddenly forget what you were doing.
* {{tt| look negoti}}
:The Negotiants are an arcane mosaic of crystalline tesserae which spiral ceaselessly in precise telekinetic trajectories, conforming to some kind of abstract symmetry. Surrounding the crystals is a clockwork of nothing more than spun glass and refracted light. Thinly tangled loops and thorns and recurved spires whir along without any immediately obvious purpose.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstractions and expanding polynomials. The Negotiants appear to pause, the polytope spiraling and rearranging before the assembled gathering of tesserae in the area.
* The Negotiants spiral about, expanding as a helix that collapses back upon itself, and you notice from the corner of your eye the visible tesserae in the area begin to glow and vibrate.
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. Some nearby tesserae appear to jitter, and the polytope suddenly expands wildly, parametrizing an undefined manifold. You blink a moment, uncertain of how you were able to characterize the derivative of the shifting space the Negotiants are nested within.
* Rafano, Lasaia and Evivere shout in surprise as they lose control of their tesserae, which suddenly fly through the air and slam into the Negotiants! Shifting in a precise dance of overlay along axes you cannot comprehend, the tesserae glow brightly and begin to be absorbed into the Negotiants' mass. The Negotiants swell slightly, streams of radiant blue and silvery-white coursing beneath their multi-faceted surfaces. With the sound of shattering glass, they begin to perform a series of incomprehensible involutions and expansions.
* Your tessera shifts violently and flings itself towards the Negotiants!
* Studded with tesserae, the Negotiants morph into a complex twisted ribbon, seemingly folded upon itself. Brilliant lines pulse between the tesserae, which distribute themselves equidistantly along the single surface, interconnected in a rearranging mesh topology.
* The tesserae blink in a bizarre pattern, flowing along the length of the ribbon-form Negotiants. The pattern courses faster and faster, until the ribbon is a brightly illuminated band of twisted glass, flaring with blue and silvery-white streaks! Suddenly, the lights extinguish, and the Negotiants collapse into an opaque sphere!

At this point, the Negotiants seemed to grab Rafano, and views diverged. Everyone else in the room saw the following:

* You can see the form of Rafano within the column writhing about as he moves slowly, as if underwater.
* Rafano slowly slams his fist against the inside of the column, leaving a bristling handprint in the crystalline structure that slowly fades.
* Bracing both palms against the inside of the column, you see Rafano's eyes go wide with surprise, and his embedded Avtalia Array flares with brilliance.
* Within the column, the form of Rafano goes calm, gazing about in wonder.
* The column surrounding Rafano ripples and opens, depositing his unconscious form to the ground.

Rafano, on the other hand, saw the following from inside the space into which the Negotiants put him:

* With a shudder, the Negotiants bristle and erupt with crystalline pseudopods, and arcing wildly, they slam into you, encasing you entirely! Long moments pass, and you feel your mind peeled like a melon, your memories and motives laid bare before the scalpel of the Negotiants' coursing will. A series of images flit across your mind to rapidly to catalogue -- a star freezing into a perfect crystal orb, a square becoming a cube becoming a tesseract becoming something your mind struggles to interpret, a river covered in blossoms, a torus collapsing into a trefoil knot, a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream -- and suddenly, silence.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REACH-SPEAK-DISSECT ATTEMPTS CONTINUE ESCALATION-CLARIFICATION..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...INSTRUMENT NOT PLIABLE-COMPREHENSIVE-PRIME PROTOCOLS ECHOING-REBOUNDING-STATIC..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REEVALUATING PARAMETERS TEMPLATE TURMAR HOSTAGE-COLLATERAL-SUBJECT PARADIGM RETUNE TO AVTALIA ARRAY..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* A series of complicated formulae float before you, and everything stops. The equations shift and combine, factor and expand, and explode into motes of blue light, softly fading as they scatter. You are surrounded by silence.
* A form composed of multifaceted geometric forms composed of blue light hovers before you, infinitely overlaid upon itself and also singular. A voice made of glass and pure order echoes in your mind. "You seek, but there is nothing further to discuss at this time. The terms are clear, and the boundaries defined. Additional arrangements will come -- we enforce the dilution/spreading/spline, and the contract has been effective, the terms upheld. We may have the authority/independence/functionality to approve of additional deals, but not at this time." The form begins to recede.
* The blackness surrounding you slowly fades away as you regain consciousness.
* The form hovers closer for a moment, and extends a bristling tendril as it reaches past you. Reality splits open, and you find yourself deposited on the ground.

Then, for the remainder, everyone saw the same:

* The Negotiants begins to glow brightly, concentrated points of light coalescing around their form. Spinning rapidly, they fling glowing fragments around the area!
* The Negotiants jitter a moment, and appear to position themselves as if in consideration of Rafano. They go statue still for a long moment, then unfurl into a bizarre symmetry, and continue hovering in place.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

There is much to unpack here, and we can only begin to guess at the meaning of some of the images. Some notable observations:

* No further mention of the Stanchion, which Rafano had been so focussed on after the results of the Stylus experiment. Perhaps his assumption that this term held some special significance was in fact incorrect.
* "a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream" - likely referencing a series of previous Moon Mage visions from 2019, and yet interesting in that the child in those visions was generally shown as happy, where this one has begun to scream. The child has also been assumed to represent Traders (being young in the ways of Lunar magic).
* A fleeting reference to the words Turmar, Hostage, and Collateral in short sequence. Potentially fascinating, yet also mysterious, given the Negotiants' strange manner of speech. Could part of the Contract between the Arbiter and Traders include a member of House Turmar being held as hostage, for collateral? See also Rafano's Intervention Theory below, which may be related to this. Another initial theory put forward is that the hostage reference could be the imprisoned six-armed creature that has been mentioned in Moon Mage visions. Or, in its simplest version, the Negotiants could have just been referring to Rafano himself, who, in his captive state at the time, was a sort of hostage of theirs, before they released him.

==A Survey of Trader Views on Magic==

===Background & Observations===

Rafano traveled to each of the Guildhalls, in order to survey each of the Leaders regarding their views on magic.

His key observation was that, while almost all of the Leaders through their comments displayed negative sentiment (or, at best, neutrality) towards the new Lunar magic, the two exceptions to this rule seemed to be Leaders Imaar and Seranda, from Ratha and Aesry, respectively. They are the only two who appear to be in favor of the magic granted by the Contract.

Rafano believes their disagreement with the rest of the Leaders on the mainland has something to do with the historical rift between the mainland trading families and the Reshalian trading families, which can be detailed in a [[Traders Guild History (book)|book on Trader Guild history]] by Willowbrook. Whatever the reason, he is appreciative that there is at least ''some'' support for magic in the upper ranks of the Guild, and intends to seek the guidance of these two Leaders more often.

===Results===

; [[Crossing|The Crossing]]
:{{tt|ask ans about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Ansprahv repeats, cocking his eyebrow at you. "Yes, I suppose you'd want to learn about our latest assets. Go downstairs to the guild vault and see what you can make of the... Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask ans about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Ansprahv says, "Ah, the machine. It's best that you go downstairs to the guild vault and study it yourself, Rafano."
; [[Riverhaven]]
:{{tt|ask willow about magic}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook looks blankly at you for a long moment before shaking her head. "Magic never was something to rely upon in our line of work. However, if you are interested in pursuing it as more and more Traders have been, go to the Crossing guildhall and seek out what they call the Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask willow about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook says, "That is a... clever machine they have over in the Crossing guildhall. I can't begin to describe it."
; [[Muspar'i]]
:{{tt|ask kwor about magic}}
:Kworlin glares at you and exclaims, "Magic! Filthy stuff! Never trusted all that finger waggling that some folks do, and never will!"
:{{tt|ask kwor about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Kworlin splutters something rude.
; [[Shard]]
:{{tt|ask cial about magic}}
:Guildleader Cialen gives you a narrow look as he says, "Magic? Unless you mean the type of magic wherein a Trader works out a perfect deal in order to maximize profit while minimizing cost... then you're in the wrong place. Perhaps try Crossing."
:{{tt|ask cial about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Cialen sighs and says, "That's what they call the machine that can teach us spells. It is kept in the Crossing guildhall."
; [[Ratha]]
:{{tt|ask ima about magic}}
:Guildleader Imaar looks at you for a long moment before nodding. "With all the wealth we Traders accumulate, some might think it unnecessary to concern ourselves with magic. Not so. Every opportunity should be contemplated, however out of the ordinary. Visit the Crossing guildhall and decide for yourself."
:{{tt|ask ima about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Imaar frets for several moments. "The magic machine in Crossing. I'm just glad my guildhall is not the one which has to house that thing."
; [[Aesry|Aesry Surlaenis'a]]
:{{tt|ask ser about magic}}
:"Magic!" Guildleader Seranda's voice erupts into the room, sounding exuberant. "A most valuable resource, like platinum raining from the moons and stars, as I like to say. After so long of having to haggle with mages for every instance of needed spellwork, we've finally procured some of that power for ourselves. We have our Zoluren colleagues to thank for it."
:{{tt|ask ser about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Seranda nods. "They are the result of the momentous deal we made with some sort of starlight creature. Time will tell whether it was a good deal. Visit the Crossing guildhall and see for yourself."
; [[Hibarnhvidar|Outer Hibarnhvidar]]
:{{tt|ask rael about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Raelem repeats with a merry laugh. "The magic we perform here are with numbers, supply and demand, coins, market certificates and the like. If that is what you are interested in, then you're in the right place. If not, then you aren't. It's as simple as that."
:{{tt|ask rael about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Raelem gives you a noncommittal smile. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

==The Genesis Theory==

Rafano's Theory of (one of the reasons) why Traders were chosen by the Arbiter to receive Lunar magic, leveraging the [[Speculate command |Speculate Luck]] mechanic:

Traders have always had a special relationship with Luck. One with the credentials of a Master Trader may, in fact, even [[Speculate command |manipulate Luck]] in their favor, such that many of their endeavors are suddenly more successful. This was true even before the Contract … and so it begs the question: where did this talent come from? Consider this:

By manipulating Luck, the Trader is implicitly bringing order to randomness. Or, at the very least, manipulating that randomness to their benefit. Perhaps we don’t fully collapse the probability waves of the world to certainty, but we are at least able to give them a gentle nudge here and there.

And doesn’t that sound an awful lot like manipulating the Plane of Probability? That thing that we are now forbidden by the Contract to do?

There is a potentially profound revelation here reader, and I propose it is this: what if we Traders were already accidentally scratching at the surface? What if, even before knowing how to bend starlight into illusions and weapons, we had begun to glimpse that world of enlightened geometry?

Other scholars have put forth that it’s exactly this sort of Probability tampering that has earned Moon Mages the ire of the Arbiter and other Lunar entities, that the reduction of uncertainty is an affront to their entire Plane. And if that is true, then I wonder if the Contract was the offering of something sweet in order to keep us from discovering something even sweeter. A piece being moved off the board.

==The Intervention Theory==

Rafano's Theory of why three Trader spells are named after otherwise-minor historical figures:

Looking at the inventory of Trader spells, it is interesting to note that there are three Noematics spells named after people: Membrach’s Greed, Last Gift of Vithwok IV, and Turmar Illumination.

The last (Turmar) is easy to explain – they brokered the Deal, so they got a spell named after them. But the other two are exceptionally minor characters in historical lore. And they have nothing to do with either Traders or Lunar magic. So why get spells named after them?

Let’s take a look back at their histories:

Membrach was a Dwarven King. The Humans appealed to him to fight with them in the Elven-Human War. He agreed. Soon after the war, Membrach’s reign fell apart. He was no longer recognized as the Dwarven King.

Now Vithwok IV. Again a minor figure in history. He was a boy-emperor, and one of the last of the Empire of the Seven Pointed Star, his reign being ended at a very young age by one of his stewards.

I draw your attention to two unifying patterns here: each of these two were signposts in history for the end of a great age or empire, and each were chosen (we can assume by the Arbiter?) to have a spell named after them.

And so my conclusion is this: what if these names are hidden landmarks of the Arbiter’s intervention and interference in mortal history through time? It made a deal with Membrach. The deal of course goes bad (as all Arbiter deals are wont to do), ending his reign. It made another deal with Vithwok IV, which of course goes bad again, ending his reign as well. Now it has made a deal with House Turmar … if the pattern holds … well reader, you get the idea.

'''UPDATE:''' This is admittedly jumping to conclusions a little bit, but it is very interesting to compare this theory, which was developed some time ago, to the recent events of the Stellar Collector Experiment, where it is possible that the Negotiants made vague references to part of the Contract including a hostage of House Turmar being held as collateral for the agreement (see the Stellar Collector Experiment section above). If interpreted correctly, this hostage or collateral could be part of the future downfall of House Turmar that Rafano's Intervention Theory would predict. In any event, it's certainly not a good position for them to be in.

==The Test==

On May 12, 2020, Moon Mages and fellow Lunar researchers [[Lenaea]] and [[Aaoskar]] led an event, called "Dance for the Spirits", where they aimed to explore the ancient traditions of the [[Nomads of the Arid Steppe]], in an effort to learn more about the connection between Moon Mages and the Plane of Probability.

Initially planning to attend only as a passive bystander, imagine Rafano's surprise when his mind was unexpectedly touched by the [[Negotiants]], and he was given a choice about whether to tamper with the Plane of Probability (in violation of the agreement with the Arbiter), or to adhere to the Contract:

* A yawning void of probabilistic functions spiral around Quentiana, coalescing into multitudinous polytopes that fuse and separate in an impossibly complex weave. You begin to develop a headache as you try and make sense of the transformations, when suddenly, you find yourself able to accurately predict an emergent derivation. Then another. And another. A formula begins to arrange itself in your mind, as you keep track of unknowns and rearrange the equation to isolate redundancies, when suddenly your tessera chimes, and you feel the immense weight of the Negotiants in the back of your mind.
* You distractedly say, "What is it . . . . show me."
* The yawning void of probabilistic functions escalates to a tornado of starlight equations. You sense that you can BLINK away the images and secrets that violate the terms of the Contract, or you could STARE QUENTIANA to learn more of the Plane of Probability.
* Unfathomable solutions writhe around Quentiana's dancing form, and you feel the Negotiants expanding and unfurling in the distance.
* You sense that you can STARE QUENTIANA to learn more of the Plane of Probability, or BLINK away the images and secrets that violate the terms of the Contract.
* You blink.
* Your tessera chimes pleasantly, and your Avtalia Array hums pleasantly, filling your body with a comforting warmth.

There is a lot of context being left out here - I'm purposefully only focussing on the Trader-related parts. For a more complete summary of the ritual that this was all happening during, please reach out to myself, or [[Lenaea]] and [[Aaoskar]].

It kills me to wonder what the other choice would have led to.

Rafano

2020-05-05T16:05:12Z

RAFANO:

Theory & Research page: [[User:RAFANO]]

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=a
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}

==Appearance==

<gallery>
File:Rafano_Pixel_Portrait.PNG|none|thumbnail|alt=Rafano.|<div align="center"><span style="color: green">Rafano in Softskin</span>'''</div>
</gallery>

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.
* '''Attire''': You are wearing a white shirt, a white velvet waistcoat with green embroidery, a white cotton cravat pinned with a bright emerald, an emerald green cloak, some white slim pants, a white silk belt with a simple seed-pearl clasp and some fur-lined white leather boots.

==Background==

* Bonded to [[Dantia|Carnage Darling Dantia]]
* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [[User:RAFANO]]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/603 Fluoresce]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

434 Years, 12 days: Achieved "Transcendent" status in Guild.

434 Years, 23 days: Bonded to [[Dantia|Carnage Darling Dantia]]

Rafano

2020-05-05T03:56:27Z

RAFANO:

Theory & Research page: [[User:RAFANO]]

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=a
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}

==Appearance==

<gallery>
File:Rafano_Pixel_Portrait.PNG|none|thumbnail|alt=Rafano.|<div align="center"><span style="color: green">Rafano in Softskin</span>'''</div>
</gallery>

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.
* '''Attire''': You are wearing a white shirt, a white velvet waistcoat with green embroidery, a white cotton cravat pinned with a bright emerald, an emerald green cloak, some white slim pants, a white silk belt with a simple seed-pearl clasp and some fur-lined white leather boots.

==Background==

* Bonded to [[Dantia|Carnage Darling Dantia]]
* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [[User:RAFANO]]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1208 Optimization]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/603 Fluoresce]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

434 Years, 12 days: Achieved "Transcendent" status in Guild.

434 Years, 23 days: Bonded to [[Dantia|Carnage Darling Dantia]]

Talk:Starlight Aura

2020-05-01T01:28:12Z

RAFANO: Adding new level of Aura

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full Aura Messaging !! Lunar Magic Ranks
|-
| The smallest hint of starlight flickers within your aura. || 0
|-
| A bare flicker of starlight plays within your aura. || 100
|-
| A faint amount of starlight illuminates your aura. || 200
|-
| Your aura pulses slowly with starlight. || 300
|-
| A steady pulse of starlight runs through your aura. || 400
|-
| Starlight dances vividly across the confines of your aura. || 501??
|-
| Strong pulses of starlight flare within your aura. || 600
|-
| Your aura seethes with brilliant starlight. || 700
|-
| Your aura is blinding! || 800
|-
| The power contained in your aura defies visual metaphor. || 900
|}

I suspect that the breakpoints are at every 100 ranks of Lunar Magic. I have personally confirmed a new level at 100, 200, and 300 ranks. --[[User:BLUERIDER|BLUERIDER]] ([[User talk:BLUERIDER|talk]]) 17:12, 4 June 2019 (CDT)

Achieved "bare flicker" for the first time with 191 Lunar Magic, 186 Attunement, 36 disc, 47 wis, 50 intel (3-22-2019)
Achieved "faint" for the first time with 225 Lunar Magic, 216 Attunement, 40 disc, 50 wis, 50 intel (4-9-2019)

Starlight Aura

2020-05-01T01:26:59Z

RAFANO: Adding new level of Aura

The [[Trader]] [[Magical_theory#Confounds|confound]] is the Starlight Aura; the ability to siphon the supernatural energies of the stars through their minds and around them for later use. This is done automatically under the correct conditions, but may be augmented by the [[Noumena]] and [[Stellar Collector]] spells. Many [[:Category:Trader_spells|Trader spells]] have environmental requirements which Starlight Aura can substitute for.

==Environmental Requirements==
Generally speaking, Trader spells fall into four type of environmental requirements:
*None: Can be cast freely.
*Stars / Bright Moons: Must have access to starlight or the light of Xibar/Yavash.
*Stars: Must have access to starlight specifically.
*Moons: Like a traditional Moon Mage spell, requires one of the three moons.
:'''Starlight aura cannot substitute for the last requirement.'''

Without [[Noumena]] in place, there are three conditions necessary for natural aura growth:

*It must not be overcast. Mild cloud cover doesn't hinder you.

*It must be night time.

*You must be out under the open sky.

Three things to note about the aura.

*Its capacity is directly related to your Lunar Magic and scales pretty high. The floor of the system is at 20 ranks of Lunar Magic (below that you're just given the value of 20 ranks as a courtesy). Your aura will have double its original capacity by 40 ranks, and it will continue to grow until you hit 1000 ranks.

*It's regen is directly related to your Wisdom and each and every point in Wisdom contributes to the size of your regen pulse. It will double from its default (assuming a 0-mod race) at around 40 Wisdom and continue to grow in perpetuity (though there's a practical limit to how much you'll want to invest into Wisdom).

*Most aura costs are related to the mana you're putting into the spell. It costs more aura to power a 4-mana spell than a 2-mana spell.

When you're drawing on your aura in the early stages of your magic you want to be careful about how much mana you put in. Bearing in mind that early in a Trader's life they have free access to [[:Category:Analogous_Patterns_spellbook|Analogous Patterns spells]] that cover every skill except Utility, which can be covered by Noumena at 2nd circle.

As your skills and stats increase, the aura's limits loosen up considerably and casting more powerfully and repeatedly under adverse conditions will become possible. By the time you lose access to the AP spells you should have enough Lunar Magic to notice a substantial improvement over Noobler's First Aura.

==Perceiving Your Aura==
*{{tt|PERCEIVE AURA}}: Will give a few lines of information:

You close your eyes and take a measure of your aura. <br>
Starlight dances vividly across the confines of your aura. <br>
Your aura contains as much starlight as you can safely handle. <br>
Local conditions are hindering the growth of your aura. <br>
Roundtime: 6 sec.

The first line is just messaging, but the next three each convey a separate piece of information:
* {{tt|Starlight dances vividly across the confines of your aura}}:
:This is like your aura inventory. It's just telling you how much you currently have stored up. It corresponds to the list of levels given below. So I'm currently at a 6 on that list.
* {{tt|Your aura contains as much starlight as you can safely handle}}:
:This tells you that you can't fit any more Starlight. You've charged as much as you can. If this is not true then this line will not appear at all.
* {{tt|Local conditions are hindering the growth of your aura}}:
:This is telling you the rate of change of your aura inventory. So how fast you are charging.
:There are three variations here:
::*"prohibiting": you're not charging at all, which means one of three conditions listed above is not met
::*"hindering": you are charging your Aura, but charging it slowly -- you are probably using Noumena to bypass one of the conditions above
::*"optimal": you are meeting all three of the conditions above, and your Aura is charging as fast as it can

==Starlight Aura Levels==
Levels:
#The smallest hint of starlight flickers within your aura.
#A bare flicker of starlight plays within your aura.
#A faint amount of starlight illuminates your aura.
#Your aura pulses slowly with starlight.
#A steady pulse of starlight runs through your aura.
#Starlight dances vividly across the confines of your aura.
#Strong pulses of starlight flare within your aura.
#Your aura seethes with brilliant starlight.
#Your aura is blinding!
#The power contained in your aura defies visual metaphor.

==Glowing Iron Fragments==
Can {{com|invoke}} a {{ilink|i|glowing iron fragment}} while holding it to refill starlight aura:
* {{tt|With an instinctive, sharp inhalation, you draw the entirety of the fragment's power into your starlight aura! Its glow dies, leaving mere iron in your hand.}}
{{RefAl}}

Title:Kertigen's Smile

2020-04-20T20:00:36Z

RAFANO:

{{Title
|category=Trader
|subcat=trading,
|diff=0
}}{{TitleReq|Trading|950}}
{{TitleReq|other|Likely also unknown crafting requirements.}}

Title:Kertigen's Smile

2020-04-20T19:58:13Z

RAFANO: Creating new Trader Title

Title:Trader King

2020-04-20T19:55:59Z

RAFANO:

User:RAFANO

2020-04-20T17:54:55Z

RAFANO: Fixed typo

Title:Inspector General

2020-04-17T23:06:15Z

RAFANO: Title first appeared at 950 Trading

Title:King of the Road

2020-04-17T23:04:55Z

RAFANO: Title first appeared at 950 Trading

Rafano

2020-04-16T01:38:58Z

RAFANO: Adding pixel portrait

Theory & Research page: [[User:RAFANO]]

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=a
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}

==Appearance==

<gallery>
File:Rafano_Pixel_Portrait.PNG|none|thumbnail|alt=Rafano.|<div align="center"><span style="color: green">Rafano in Softskin</span>'''</div>
</gallery>

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.
* '''Attire''': You are wearing a white shirt, a white velvet waistcoat with green embroidery, a white cotton cravat pinned with a bright emerald, an emerald green cloak, some white slim pants, a white silk belt with a simple seed-pearl clasp and some fur-lined white leather boots.

==Background==

* Bonded to [[Dantia|Carnage Darling Dantia]]
* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [[User:RAFANO]]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1208 Optimization]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

434 Years, 12 days: Achieved "Transcendent" status in Guild.

434 Years, 23 days: Bonded to [[Dantia|Carnage Darling Dantia]]

File:Rafano Pixel Portrait.PNG

2020-04-16T01:33:45Z

RAFANO: Portrait of Rafano by Vrallux

Portrait of Rafano by Vrallux

Marriage

2020-03-28T19:47:16Z

RAFANO: Adding link to Rakash wedding traditions under the Customs section

{{stub}}
==Marriage Necessities==
*{{ilink|i|Saemaus' kiss rose}}
:Acquired from a [[Cleric]].
===Optional===
*[[Trader]] for [[Genealogy Office]] surname changing.
*Wedding Rings
:Acquired from a Wedding Shop, [[Trevellyn's of Leth Deri'el]], at some festivals, or a Trader's shop in the Market Plaza.

{{RTOC}}
==GM Assisted Weddings==
:For varied costs, it is possible to purchase a GameMaster Assisted Wedding. These wedding packages come in three sizes and availability depends on the type. The names of the packages are: Prince's Wedding, Queen's Wedding, and King's Wedding. More information about them can be found on the DragonRealms Wedding Website below.

* [[Wedding command]]
* [[Assisted wedding areas]]
* [https://sites.google.com/site/dragonrealmsweddings/Home DragonRealms Wedding Website]
: Which includes descriptions of the areas, maps of each area, current rare material list, all wedding created item guidelines, games available, and all other guidelines.
* [http://www.play.net/dr/boxoffice.asp Weddings can be purchased here.]

==Known Marriage Customs==
* [[Elven Marriage Rituals|Elves]]
* [[Rissan Wedding Customs (book)|Rissan]]
* [[S'Kra Mur Wedding|S'Kra Mur]]
* [[Rakash_Traditions_and_Dawvs_(book)|Rakash]]

==Bonded Verbs==
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="500px"
|-
!Command!!Messaging
|-
|Bask [[S'Kra Mur]]||<Person> smiles at you and steps forward slightly, tail angled in a graceful curve, and looks at you worshipfully as if basking in your very presence.
|-
|Beam||<Person> beams in loving admiration at you!
|-
|Blink||<Person> blinks in amazement at you. Good heavens, dear!
|-
|Bow||<Person> bows ceremoniously to you, a mischievous twinkle in (his/her) eyes.
|-
|Eat||<Person> nibbles you gently.
|-
|Hold||<Person> clasps your hand tenderly and draws you into (his/her) arms.
|-
|Hug||<Person> enfolds you in a warm embrace.
|-
|Join||<Person> takes (his/her )rightful place beside you.
|-
|Kiss||<Person> kisses you, letting (his/her) lips linger.
|-
|Lean||<Person> leans back against you with a tender smile.
|-
|Lick||<Person> grins mischievously, then leans over and licks you!
|-
|Nibble ||<Person> nibbles on you affectionately.
|-
|Nudge||<Person> jabs an elbow into your ribs. . .somewhat gently, of course.
|-
|Punish ||<Person> gives you an admonishing glance. Perhaps you should stop?
|-
|Purr [[Prydaen]]||<Person> places (his/her) hands on your shoulders and directs a fond, rumbling purr in your direction as he presses (his/her) forehead against your own.
|-
|Smooch||<Person> smooches you all over your face, finishing with a big warm *mmmmwaaaah*!
|-
|Snuggle||<Person> lovingly snuggles up to you and rests (his/her) head on your shoulder, cradling you in (his/her) arms.
|-
|Stare||<Person> stares deeply into your eyes.
|-
|Tap||<Person> taps you in that manner (he/she) knows will usually get your attention.
|-
|Trill [[S'Kra Mur]] and [[Prydaen]]||<Person> trills softly at you with warm affection.
|-
|Wink (Female)||<Person> bats her eyes at you.
|-
|Wink (Male)||<Person> winks at you with a playful sparkle in his eyes.
|-
|Wave||<Person> waves to you, seeming not to want to take (his/her) eyes from you.
|-
|}

==Spousal Locate==
Syntax: FOCUS SPOUSE

* When you can't locate your spouse (ie, no locate area):<br>
: '''You:'''
: You focus on your love for Spouse, but something seems to separate you.
:
:
: '''Them:'''
: You feel a faint warmth, as though someone reached toward you with a loving hand.

* When you can locate them:<br>
: '''You:'''
:You focus on your love for Spouse, and see...

: [Northern Trade Road, Deep Forest]<br>
: The trees rise about you like looming tombstones in a graveyard, each one draped in shawls of sickly gray lichen. The air is thick with a pressing sense of gloom, and you get the distinct impression that you are being watched.<br>
: You also see a dense copse.<br>
: Also here: Spouse.<br>
: Obvious paths: northeast, south.<br>

: '''Them:'''
: You feel a sudden warmth, as though a loving hand brushed your shoulder.

A successful locate will display the room your spouse is in, as above.

==GM Wedding Ring Verbs==
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="600px"
|-
!Command!!Messaging
|-
|Appraise ||<Person> gazes at (his/her) wedding band with a tender expression.
|-
|Bless|| <Person> kisses (his/her) <wedding ring> with a reverent expression.
|-
|Clean||<Person> removes (his/her) <wedding ring> and holds it at arms length, eyeing it carefully. With a slight frown, (he/she) polishes it until it shines as brightly as the loving expression on (his/her) face, then slips the band back on (his/her) finger.
|-
|Eat||<Person> touches (his/her) <wedding ring> to (his/her) lips, obviously lost in a pleasant memory.
|-
|Exhale||<Person> puffs gently to blow away some minor imperfection on (his/her) <wedding ring>.
|-
|Glare||<Person> glares angrily at a <wedding ring>. Guess the honeymoon is over!
|-
|Hug||<Person> clasps (his/her) <wedding ring> to (his/her) chest with a blissful expression.
|-
|Kiss||<Person> looks at (his/her) <wedding ring> with a tender smile, then gives it a little kiss.
|-
|Peer||<Person> studies (his/her) <wedding ring> closely for a while, then looks up with an infatuated expression.
|-
|Ponder||<Person> gazes thoughtfully at (his/her) <wedding ring>, obviously lost in thoughts of (his/her) love. Noticing you watching, (he/she) looks up with a smile.
|-
|Pull||<Person> tugs distractedly at (his/her) <wedding ring>, gently at first, then with growing vigor, but to no avail -- it's really stuck tight!
|-
|Raise||<Person> stretches out (his/her) hand, proudly displaying (a/an) <wedding ring> which adorns (his/her) finger.
|-
|Rub||<Person>'s <wedding ring> glows softly as (he/she) brushes a finger against it, a visible sign of (his/her) love and devotion.
|-
|Remove||<Person> slides a <wedding ring> off (his/her) finger.
|-
|Shake||<Person> adjusts a <wedding ring> on (his/her) finger, drawing attention to its lustrous finish.
|-
|Stare||<Person> gazes at (his/her) wedding band with a tender expression.
|-
|Tap|| <Person> absent-mindedly taps (his/her) finger against (his/her) face, discreetly calling attention to a <wedding ring>.
|-
|Touch||<Person> touches (his/her) <wedding ring> with a loving smile.
|-
|Trace||<Person> sighs wistfully as (he/she) rubs (his/her) <wedding ring>, tracing its design with (his/her) finger.
|-
|Turn||<Person> toys with a <wedding ring>, a fond smile on (his/her) face.
|-
|Wear||<Person> slips a <wedding ring> on (his/her) finger. The <wedding ring> glows with a soft radiance, revealing the loving smile on (his/her) face.
|-
|}

==Surnames==
GM Wedding Rings also allow a couple bonded by a [[Item:Saemaus' kiss rose|kiss rose]] to adjust their surname as follows:
*{{com|turn}} will toggle your displayed last name between the two hyphenated versions, and your spouse's last name.
*{{com|tap}} will toggle between your last name, and whichever option you last used from Turn.

For example, if your last name is A and your spouse's last name is B:
*{{com|turn}} will toggle between A-B, B-A, and B.
*:'''Note:''' Will only work if your spouse is logged into the game.
*{{com|tap}} will toggle between your selection above (of A-B, B-A, or B) and A.

{{Cat|Events}}

Rafano

2020-03-28T19:04:50Z

RAFANO:

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=a
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}

==Appearance==

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.
* '''Attire''': You are wearing a white shirt, a white velvet waistcoat with green embroidery, a white cotton cravat pinned with a bright emerald, an emerald green cloak, some white slim pants, a white silk belt with a simple seed-pearl clasp and some fur-lined white leather boots.

==Background==

* Bonded to [[Dantia|Carnage Darling Dantia]]
* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [[User:RAFANO]]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1208 Optimization]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

434 Years, 12 days: Achieved "Transcendent" status in Guild.

434 Years, 23 days: Bonded to [[Dantia|Carnage Darling Dantia]]

Tidworth

2020-03-27T12:42:46Z

RAFANO: Creating Tidworth page

{{NPC
|name=Tidworth Baretta
|status=y
|guild=-
|race=Halfling
|gender=Male
|location=-
|map=-
|type=alterer
}}
Tidworth made his first appearance in March 2020, in Fang Cove.

==Appearance==

You see Tidworth Baretta, a Halfling.
He has an angled face framed by a strong jawline, twinkling green eyes, and a pinched nose. His untamed platinum hair has bright green streaks, and he has a thin and awkward build.
He is rather tall for an Olvi.
He is a pipesmoker.
He is in good shape.

He is wearing a crisp bowler hat banded with smoi leather bronze-rimmed goggles, a pair of brown suspenders, a smoi leather backpack, an off-white side-buttoned shirt, some fingerless gloves tailored from smoi leather, a pair of brown twill breeches with upturned cuffs and a pair of beige clogs.

==Guidelines==
Tidworth exclaims, "My speciality is mechanical things. If it whirs, springs, ratchets, cranks, spins, or buzzes, I can probably work on it!"

Tidworth says, "That said, I learned my love for tinkering on the farm, and have spent my fair share of time around animals. I'll also work on pets, but just your pet, not their home."

Title:Chief Executive Officer

2020-03-27T00:27:43Z

RAFANO:

Rafano

2020-03-26T14:05:08Z

RAFANO:

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=a
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}

==Appearance==

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.
* '''Attire''': You are wearing a white shirt, a white velvet waistcoat with green embroidery, a white cotton cravat pinned with a bright emerald, an emerald green cloak, some white slim pants, a white silk belt with a simple seed-pearl clasp and some fur-lined white leather boots.

==Background==

* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [[User:RAFANO]]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1208 Optimization]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

434 Years, 12 days: Achieved "Transcendent" status in Guild.

User:RAFANO

2020-03-24T12:21:47Z

RAFANO:

Character page: [[Rafano]]

This is a place to put all his theories and work regarding Trader magic. Have questions about any of this? . . . ask Rafano!

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Quick Summary===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

This event happened in May 2019.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

==Lunar Experiment: The Stellar Collector==

===Quick Summary===

The Stellar Collector, a spell granted to the Trader’s Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, is a mysterious thing. Between the versatile Iridius crystal it is made of, and the fact that it works with the tesserae, a known communication device, there are those who posit that the full potential of the apparatus has not yet been realized. Encouraged by recent Moon Mage visions that appear to refer more and more to Traders and their new brand of Lunar Magic, a group of Lunar Researchers plans to use the Collector to reach out to the stars for guidance.

This event is scheduled for March 2020.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment comes from the very description of the Stellar Collector itself. When a Trader discerns this spell, they learn the following:

* Of all the Fabrication substances invented, Iridius crystal is '''perhaps the most versatile'''. It '''takes well to many shapes and purposes''', including the collection and storage of starlight energy. The Stellar Collector apparatus is a highly useful application of this crystal, but it '''requires some sort of psychic transducer to sieve essence from light'''.
* The crystal’s namesake, Iridius the Guide, was a priest-turned-demonologist of some infamy during the glory days of Throne City. What makes him interesting to Traders is his ahead-of-his-time research into a fanciful yellow-green crystal '''to which he attributed numerous uses'''. There are no records of him successfully creating such a thing – he wasn’t even a Lunar magician. Still, his descriptions bore striking resemblance to what is possible today. Any further information on Iridius himself that might have survived is kept under lock and key by the overlords of Throne City’s carcass.

But the motivation lies not only here. In other words, it is not only that I believe we have a tool to accomplish this, but I also believe that we have a distinct purpose. I refer here to recent and numerous Moon Mage visions. Although notoriously difficult to interpret, it is my belief that several recent visions make reference to Traders and our newfound Lunar Magic, and encourage us toward further research.

For example, one vision can be described thusly:

* You see a parent sitting with their child, speaking before a warmly glowing hearth fire, the rest of the room obscured in shadow. The child is looking up at the parent, who speaks softly, gently, their voice blending with the cracking flames and howling of the form against window shutters. '''“Your questions are profound, but only accidentally so. You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here,” the parent says, squeezing the child in a hug.'''
* The storm continues, and the walls groan with the effort of remaining upright. The parent begins to hum a comforting tune, and the child seems oblivious to the maelstrom outside. As the storm intensifies, so too does the parent’s song, winding along octaves, strangely resonant and haunting. The heart glows brighter, and suddenly, the parent stops, looks up at you and says sharply, “'''You do not have permission'''.”
* The door flies open, an icy wind howls around you, and the vision fades.

Worth noting is that I, and some others, believe the phrasing of this vision to indicate a certain degree of “approval” of a previous experiment around the Arbiter’s Stylus: “You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here.”

There have continued to be other Moon Mage visions as well that seem to reference Traders and Trader-related topics, which to me implies that the Stellar Collector Experiment we are planning to conduct is quite timely and relevant to current events (or events soon to come):

* An endless stairway stretches before you, '''composed of cold radiant starlight''' that slightly shimmers. '''Stretching up to the sky and vanishing into a single point in the far distance''', shifting cosmos and stellar phenomena can be seen between the gaps between the steps. You begin to climb, your eyes transfixed upon the pulsating nebulae and spinning galaxies spanning in front of you, punctuated by '''the diamond-hard starlight stairs'''. With each step you take, eons pass, as stars burn their last and erupt into sparkling nova, or ignite in the swirling gases of stellar clouds. Strange structures spin twin spears of radiance in opposite directions, and yawning voices bend light and tear space.
* Suddenly, grasping shadows snap from between the steps, and wrap around your ankles, rooting you in place. You stagger, catching yourself as '''the shadows tighten and begin to pull you through the gap''', and the vision fades.

This vision is much more recent. There are multiple specific references to starlight here – starlight composes the stairs, and Trader magic is based on starlight. I believe that the stairs rising up and up indicate that Traders will be allowed to ascend, whereas hands grab the viewer and tear them down because that viewer is a Moon Mage, a Child of Grazhir. And is therefore not permitted to ascend to enlightenment. As I will discuss in a moment, I believe that the staircase being made of starlight is a symbolic reference to the Stellar Collector – that it is a device capable of not only receiving, but also transmitting starlight energy, and is therefore a sort of pathway. Indeed, some of us may have heard the story of the Stellar Collector, which hints at the very same concept. Although that story has never been able to be confirmed as real:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

There is one more vision, and here I have been saving the best for last. This vision in particular is what has stoked my imagination, and my spirit, and makes me believe that this experiment will be successful at least in obtaining a message from the stars.

The vision looks like this:

* You see yourself fiddling with a large contraption, turning knobs, twisting dials, and pulling levers as you make fine adjustments to a series of nested '''crystalline rings and prongs''', sweeping the alignment of complex machinery towards the skies. '''Placing one hand on a raised column''', you hear the stars burning and planets soaring in their orbits. As you '''focus the apparatus''' on a distant reach of empty space, you begin to hear a whispering beneath the crackle and hiss of the cosmos, a voice that defies your efforts to locate and identify.
* With a series of deft adjustments, the background noise falls away, and you hear…
* ''' “-SSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAV-", shouted in a deeply resonant basso profundo.'''
* With a start, you see yourself slap at the controls of the machine, and the voice cuts short. The vision fades.

As I have mentioned, this vision is the most interesting of them all, and serves as the primary motivation for the experiment I am proposing. First, the phrase “You do not have permission” that is repeated over and over has been used before – specifically in the vision of the woman and child that was referenced earlier in this proposal. Just as that prior vision was believed to relate to the relationship between Traders, Moon Mages, and Lunar Entities, so too is this new one.

Secondly, the viewer is believed to be told that they “do not have permission” because the viewer here, the one using the contraption, is a Moon Mage. And so I ask the question: what if a Trader was making the observation? Instead of a message of rejection and denial, would they be able to discern something more insightful from this supposed broadcast from the stars? I believe that the answer is yes.

Finally, I firmly believe that the language of the vision contains clear references to a Stellar Collector being the medium through which these broadcasts are received. The phrase “crystalline” is used, and the Collector is indeed made of crystal. But even more convincing is the use of the word “apparatus”, which is the exact noun used when a Trader produces a Collector from starlight. I also believe this evidence to align well with my previously discussed theory of the Stellar Collector as a bi-directional medium, which again was documented in the story “The Stellar Collector”

One final comment on that last vision: very specific language is given that the contraption does not start to operate until the viewer’s hand is placed on a raised column. Although it requires some liberal wordplay, one can consider that another word for raised column might be pillar, and another word for a pillar might be a Stanchion . . . here, I am making reference to the mention of a Stanchion at the Arbiter’s Stylus Experiment held some time ago (see above).

* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, “…HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED '''THIS STANCHION REMAINS'''…” before meandering into whispers

That message has always remained a mystery to me. Instead of answering questions, my Stylus Experiment produced more of them. What is the Stanchion? A concept? An idea? Or is it a person? Is it a Trader, one who is dedicated to upholding the Contract, in the same way that a Stanchion provides support to something? Hopefully, soon, at the conclusion of this Stellar Collector Experiment, we will have more answers, for as I said I believe that the Stellar Collector will help us discern a message from the stars meant only for us.

And I’ll close with one final note. Many of us know the story of Dehvra. I genuinely believe my work, and this Experiment in particular, to be within the limitations of the Contract, given that I am not touching the Plane of Probability in any way. Though this plan may seem similar to her work, I do not follow in her footsteps. As a Trader I hold contracts in the highest order, almost sacred. And she knowingly broke hers, threatening the rest of us in the process. She is, as far as I’m concerned, a Breacher of Contracts, and got what she deserved. I will not be making the same mistake.

===Execution===

The Experiment was conducted as planned (March 22, 2020).

A special thanks to those other Traders who were in attendance: Sortny, Evivere, and Lasaia.

Thanks also to the other adventurers in attendance (I apologize if I missed anyone - if so it was purely by accident. Feel free to reach out to me.): Hanryu, Koreberg, Aaoskar, Tiakim, Ruea, Skaen, Miralynn, Fariden, Melindrha, Garia, Perune, Miskton, Lenaea, Mistanna, Dantia, Neryndil and Aislynn.

The Traders assembled took the following actions:
* Cast Stellar Collector to the maximum extent they were able
* Cast Noumena in order to maximize the flow of starlight energy
* Finally, they invoked their tessera, charging them with Starlight Aura

No message was discerned from the stars, as Rafano had originally hypothesized, however the Negotiants once again presented themselves to those assembled, and an incredible series of events unfolded:

* With a shimmer, a single point of crystal unfolds from nothingness, the Negotiants extending swirls and razor edges as they begin to cast their attention over the area.
* {{tt| gaze negoti}}
:You suddenly forget what you were doing.
* {{tt| look negoti}}
:The Negotiants are an arcane mosaic of crystalline tesserae which spiral ceaselessly in precise telekinetic trajectories, conforming to some kind of abstract symmetry. Surrounding the crystals is a clockwork of nothing more than spun glass and refracted light. Thinly tangled loops and thorns and recurved spires whir along without any immediately obvious purpose.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstractions and expanding polynomials. The Negotiants appear to pause, the polytope spiraling and rearranging before the assembled gathering of tesserae in the area.
* The Negotiants spiral about, expanding as a helix that collapses back upon itself, and you notice from the corner of your eye the visible tesserae in the area begin to glow and vibrate.
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. Some nearby tesserae appear to jitter, and the polytope suddenly expands wildly, parametrizing an undefined manifold. You blink a moment, uncertain of how you were able to characterize the derivative of the shifting space the Negotiants are nested within.
* Rafano, Lasaia and Evivere shout in surprise as they lose control of their tesserae, which suddenly fly through the air and slam into the Negotiants! Shifting in a precise dance of overlay along axes you cannot comprehend, the tesserae glow brightly and begin to be absorbed into the Negotiants' mass. The Negotiants swell slightly, streams of radiant blue and silvery-white coursing beneath their multi-faceted surfaces. With the sound of shattering glass, they begin to perform a series of incomprehensible involutions and expansions.
* Your tessera shifts violently and flings itself towards the Negotiants!
* Studded with tesserae, the Negotiants morph into a complex twisted ribbon, seemingly folded upon itself. Brilliant lines pulse between the tesserae, which distribute themselves equidistantly along the single surface, interconnected in a rearranging mesh topology.
* The tesserae blink in a bizarre pattern, flowing along the length of the ribbon-form Negotiants. The pattern courses faster and faster, until the ribbon is a brightly illuminated band of twisted glass, flaring with blue and silvery-white streaks! Suddenly, the lights extinguish, and the Negotiants collapse into an opaque sphere!

At this point, the Negotiants seemed to grab Rafano, and views diverged. Everyone else in the room saw the following:

* You can see the form of Rafano within the column writhing about as he moves slowly, as if underwater.
* Rafano slowly slams his fist against the inside of the column, leaving a bristling handprint in the crystalline structure that slowly fades.
* Bracing both palms against the inside of the column, you see Rafano's eyes go wide with surprise, and his embedded Avtalia Array flares with brilliance.
* Within the column, the form of Rafano goes calm, gazing about in wonder.
* The column surrounding Rafano ripples and opens, depositing his unconscious form to the ground.

Rafano, on the other hand, saw the following from inside the space into which the Negotiants put him:

* With a shudder, the Negotiants bristle and erupt with crystalline pseudopods, and arcing wildly, they slam into you, encasing you entirely! Long moments pass, and you feel your mind peeled like a melon, your memories and motives laid bare before the scalpel of the Negotiants' coursing will. A series of images flit across your mind to rapidly to catalogue -- a star freezing into a perfect crystal orb, a square becoming a cube becoming a tesseract becoming something your mind struggles to interpret, a river covered in blossoms, a torus collapsing into a trefoil knot, a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream -- and suddenly, silence.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REACH-SPEAK-DISSECT ATTEMPTS CONTINUE ESCALATION-CLARIFICATION..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...INSTRUMENT NOT PLIABLE-COMPREHENSIVE-PRIME PROTOCOLS ECHOING-REBOUNDING-STATIC..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REEVALUATING PARAMETERS TEMPLATE TURMAR HOSTAGE-COLLATERAL-SUBJECT PARADIGM RETUNE TO AVTALIA ARRAY..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* A series of complicated formulae float before you, and everything stops. The equations shift and combine, factor and expand, and explode into motes of blue light, softly fading as they scatter. You are surrounded by silence.
* A form composed of multifaceted geometric forms composed of blue light hovers before you, infinitely overlaid upon itself and also singular. A voice made of glass and pure order echoes in your mind. "You seek, but there is nothing further to discuss at this time. The terms are clear, and the boundaries defined. Additional arrangements will come -- we enforce the dilution/spreading/spline, and the contract has been effective, the terms upheld. We may have the authority/independence/functionality to approve of additional deals, but not at this time." The form begins to recede.
* The blackness surrounding you slowly fades away as you regain consciousness.
* The form hovers closer for a moment, and extends a bristling tendril as it reaches past you. Reality splits open, and you find yourself deposited on the ground.

Then, for the remainder, everyone saw the same:

* The Negotiants begins to glow brightly, concentrated points of light coalescing around their form. Spinning rapidly, they fling glowing fragments around the area!
* The Negotiants jitter a moment, and appear to position themselves as if in consideration of Rafano. They go statue still for a long moment, then unfurl into a bizarre symmetry, and continue hovering in place.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

There is much to unpack here, and we can only begin to guess at the meaning of some of the images. Some notable observations:

* No further mention of the Stanchion, which Rafano had been so focussed on after the results of the Stylus experiment. Perhaps his assumption that this term held some special significance was in fact incorrect.
* "a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream" - likely referencing a series of previous Moon Mage visions from 2019, and yet interesting in that the child in those visions was generally shown as happy, where this one has begun to scream. The child has also been assumed to represent Traders (being young in the ways of Lunar magic).
* A fleeting reference to the words Turmar, Hostage, and Collateral in short sequence. Potentially fascinating, yet also mysterious, given the Negotiants' strange manner of speech. Could part of the Contract between the Arbiter and Traders include a member of House Turmar being held as hostage, for collateral? See also Rafano's Intervention Theory below, which may be related to this. Another initial theory put forward is that the hostage reference could be the imprisoned six-armed creature that has been mentioned in Moon Mage visions. Or, in its simplest version, the Negotiants could have just been referring to Rafano himself, who, in his captive state at the time, was a sort of hostage of theirs, before they released him.

==A Survey of Trader Views on Magic==

===Background & Observations===

Rafano traveled to each of the Guildhalls, in order to survey each of the Leaders regarding their views on magic.

His key observation was that, while almost all of the Leaders through their comments displayed negative sentiment (or, at best, neutrality) towards the new Lunar magic, the two exceptions to this rule seemed to be Leaders Imaar and Seranda, from Ratha and Aesry, respectively. They are the only two who appear to be in favor of the magic granted by the Contract.

Rafano believes their disagreement with the rest of the Leaders on the mainland has something to do with the historical rift between the mainland trading families and the Reshalian trading families, which can be detailed in a [[Traders Guild History (book)|book on Trader Guild history]] by Willowbrook. Whatever the reason, he is appreciative that there is at least ''some'' support for magic in the upper ranks of the Guild, and intends to seek the guidance of these two Leaders more often.

===Results===

; [[Crossing|The Crossing]]
:{{tt|ask ans about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Ansprahv repeats, cocking his eyebrow at you. "Yes, I suppose you'd want to learn about our latest assets. Go downstairs to the guild vault and see what you can make of the... Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask ans about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Ansprahv says, "Ah, the machine. It's best that you go downstairs to the guild vault and study it yourself, Rafano."
; [[Riverhaven]]
:{{tt|ask willow about magic}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook looks blankly at you for a long moment before shaking her head. "Magic never was something to rely upon in our line of work. However, if you are interested in pursuing it as more and more Traders have been, go to the Crossing guildhall and seek out what they call the Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask willow about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook says, "That is a... clever machine they have over in the Crossing guildhall. I can't begin to describe it."
; [[Muspar'i]]
:{{tt|ask kwor about magic}}
:Kworlin glares at you and exclaims, "Magic! Filthy stuff! Never trusted all that finger waggling that some folks do, and never will!"
:{{tt|ask kwor about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Kworlin splutters something rude.
; [[Shard]]
:{{tt|ask cial about magic}}
:Guildleader Cialen gives you a narrow look as he says, "Magic? Unless you mean the type of magic wherein a Trader works out a perfect deal in order to maximize profit while minimizing cost... then you're in the wrong place. Perhaps try Crossing."
:{{tt|ask cial about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Cialen sighs and says, "That's what they call the machine that can teach us spells. It is kept in the Crossing guildhall."
; [[Ratha]]
:{{tt|ask ima about magic}}
:Guildleader Imaar looks at you for a long moment before nodding. "With all the wealth we Traders accumulate, some might think it unnecessary to concern ourselves with magic. Not so. Every opportunity should be contemplated, however out of the ordinary. Visit the Crossing guildhall and decide for yourself."
:{{tt|ask ima about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Imaar frets for several moments. "The magic machine in Crossing. I'm just glad my guildhall is not the one which has to house that thing."
; [[Aesry|Aesry Surlaenis'a]]
:{{tt|ask ser about magic}}
:"Magic!" Guildleader Seranda's voice erupts into the room, sounding exuberant. "A most valuable resource, like platinum raining from the moons and stars, as I like to say. After so long of having to haggle with mages for every instance of needed spellwork, we've finally procured some of that power for ourselves. We have our Zoluren colleagues to thank for it."
:{{tt|ask ser about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Seranda nods. "They are the result of the momentous deal we made with some sort of starlight creature. Time will tell whether it was a good deal. Visit the Crossing guildhall and see for yourself."
; [[Hibarnhvidar|Outer Hibarnhvidar]]
:{{tt|ask rael about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Raelem repeats with a merry laugh. "The magic we perform here are with numbers, supply and demand, coins, market certificates and the like. If that is what you are interested in, then you're in the right place. If not, then you aren't. It's as simple as that."
:{{tt|ask rael about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Raelem gives you a noncommittal smile. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

==The Genesis Theory==

Rafano's Theory of (one of the reasons) why Traders were chosen by the Arbiter to receive Lunar magic, leveraging the [[Speculate command |Specular Luck]] mechanic:

Traders have always had a special relationship with Luck. One with the credentials of a Master Trader may, in fact, even [[Speculate command |manipulate Luck]] in their favor, such that many of their endeavors are suddenly more successful. This was true even before the Contract … and so it begs the question: where did this talent come from? Consider this:

By manipulating Luck, the Trader is implicitly bringing order to randomness. Or, at the very least, manipulating that randomness to their benefit. Perhaps we don’t fully collapse the probability waves of the world to certainty, but we are at least able to give them a gentle nudge here and there.

And doesn’t that sound an awful lot like manipulating the Plane of Probability? That thing that we are now forbidden by the Contract to do?

There is a potentially profound revelation here reader, and I propose it is this: what if we Traders were already accidentally scratching at the surface? What if, even before knowing how to bend starlight into illusions and weapons, we had begun to glimpse that world of enlightened geometry?

Other scholars have put forth that it’s exactly this sort of Probability tampering that has earned Moon Mages the ire of the Arbiter and other Lunar entities, that the reduction of uncertainty is an affront to their entire Plane. And if that is true, then I wonder if the Contract was the offering of something sweet in order to keep us from discovering something even sweeter. A piece being moved off the board.

==The Intervention Theory==

Rafano's Theory of why three Trader spells are named after otherwise-minor historical figures:

Looking at the inventory of Trader spells, it is interesting to note that there are three Noematics spells named after people: Membrach’s Greed, Last Gift of Vithwok IV, and Turmar Illumination.

The last (Turmar) is easy to explain – they brokered the Deal, so they got a spell named after them. But the other two are exceptionally minor characters in historical lore. And they have nothing to do with either Traders or Lunar magic. So why get spells named after them?

Let’s take a look back at their histories:

Membrach was a Dwarven King. The Humans appealed to him to fight with them in the Elven-Human War. He agreed. Soon after the war, Membrach’s reign fell apart. He was no longer recognized as the Dwarven King.

Now Vithwok IV. Again a minor figure in history. He was a boy-emperor, and one of the last of the Empire of the Seven Pointed Star, his reign being ended at a very young age by one of his stewards.

I draw your attention to two unifying patterns here: each of these two were signposts in history for the end of a great age or empire, and each were chosen (we can assume by the Arbiter?) to have a spell named after them.

And so my conclusion is this: what if these names are hidden landmarks of the Arbiter’s intervention and interference in mortal history through time? It made a deal with Membrach. The deal of course goes bad (as all Arbiter deals are wont to do), ending his reign. It made another deal with Vithwok IV, which of course goes bad again, ending his reign as well. Now it has made a deal with House Turmar … if the pattern holds … well reader, you get the idea.

'''UPDATE:''' This is admittedly jumping to conclusions a little bit, but it is very interesting to compare this theory, which was developed some time ago, to the recent events of the Stellar Collector Experiment, where it is possible that the Negotiants made vague references to part of the Contract including a hostage of House Turmar being held as collateral for the agreement (see the Stellar Collector Experiment section above). If interpreted correctly, this hostage or collateral could be part of the future downfall of House Turmar that Rafano's Intervention Theory would predict. In any event, it's certainly not a good position for them to be in.

User:RAFANO

2020-03-24T12:17:18Z

RAFANO:

Character page: [[Rafano]]

This is a place to put all his theories and work regarding Trader magic. Have questions about any of this? . . . ask Rafano!

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Quick Summary===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

This event happened in May 2019.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

==Lunar Experiment: The Stellar Collector==

===Quick Summary===

The Stellar Collector, a spell granted to the Trader’s Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, is a mysterious thing. Between the versatile Iridius crystal it is made of, and the fact that it works with the tesserae, a known communication device, there are those who posit that the full potential of the apparatus has not yet been realized. Encouraged by recent Moon Mage visions that appear to refer more and more to Traders and their new brand of Lunar Magic, a group of Lunar Researchers plans to use the Collector to reach out to the stars for guidance.

This event is scheduled for March 2020.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment comes from the very description of the Stellar Collector itself. When a Trader discerns this spell, they learn the following:

* Of all the Fabrication substances invented, Iridius crystal is '''perhaps the most versatile'''. It '''takes well to many shapes and purposes''', including the collection and storage of starlight energy. The Stellar Collector apparatus is a highly useful application of this crystal, but it '''requires some sort of psychic transducer to sieve essence from light'''.
* The crystal’s namesake, Iridius the Guide, was a priest-turned-demonologist of some infamy during the glory days of Throne City. What makes him interesting to Traders is his ahead-of-his-time research into a fanciful yellow-green crystal '''to which he attributed numerous uses'''. There are no records of him successfully creating such a thing – he wasn’t even a Lunar magician. Still, his descriptions bore striking resemblance to what is possible today. Any further information on Iridius himself that might have survived is kept under lock and key by the overlords of Throne City’s carcass.

But the motivation lies not only here. In other words, it is not only that I believe we have a tool to accomplish this, but I also believe that we have a distinct purpose. I refer here to recent and numerous Moon Mage visions. Although notoriously difficult to interpret, it is my belief that several recent visions make reference to Traders and our newfound Lunar Magic, and encourage us toward further research.

For example, one vision can be described thusly:

* You see a parent sitting with their child, speaking before a warmly glowing hearth fire, the rest of the room obscured in shadow. The child is looking up at the parent, who speaks softly, gently, their voice blending with the cracking flames and howling of the form against window shutters. '''“Your questions are profound, but only accidentally so. You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here,” the parent says, squeezing the child in a hug.'''
* The storm continues, and the walls groan with the effort of remaining upright. The parent begins to hum a comforting tune, and the child seems oblivious to the maelstrom outside. As the storm intensifies, so too does the parent’s song, winding along octaves, strangely resonant and haunting. The heart glows brighter, and suddenly, the parent stops, looks up at you and says sharply, “'''You do not have permission'''.”
* The door flies open, an icy wind howls around you, and the vision fades.

Worth noting is that I, and some others, believe the phrasing of this vision to indicate a certain degree of “approval” of a previous experiment around the Arbiter’s Stylus: “You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here.”

There have continued to be other Moon Mage visions as well that seem to reference Traders and Trader-related topics, which to me implies that the Stellar Collector Experiment we are planning to conduct is quite timely and relevant to current events (or events soon to come):

* An endless stairway stretches before you, '''composed of cold radiant starlight''' that slightly shimmers. '''Stretching up to the sky and vanishing into a single point in the far distance''', shifting cosmos and stellar phenomena can be seen between the gaps between the steps. You begin to climb, your eyes transfixed upon the pulsating nebulae and spinning galaxies spanning in front of you, punctuated by '''the diamond-hard starlight stairs'''. With each step you take, eons pass, as stars burn their last and erupt into sparkling nova, or ignite in the swirling gases of stellar clouds. Strange structures spin twin spears of radiance in opposite directions, and yawning voices bend light and tear space.
* Suddenly, grasping shadows snap from between the steps, and wrap around your ankles, rooting you in place. You stagger, catching yourself as '''the shadows tighten and begin to pull you through the gap''', and the vision fades.

This vision is much more recent. There are multiple specific references to starlight here – starlight composes the stairs, and Trader magic is based on starlight. I believe that the stairs rising up and up indicate that Traders will be allowed to ascend, whereas hands grab the viewer and tear them down because that viewer is a Moon Mage, a Child of Grazhir. And is therefore not permitted to ascend to enlightenment. As I will discuss in a moment, I believe that the staircase being made of starlight is a symbolic reference to the Stellar Collector – that it is a device capable of not only receiving, but also transmitting starlight energy, and is therefore a sort of pathway. Indeed, some of us may have heard the story of the Stellar Collector, which hints at the very same concept. Although that story has never been able to be confirmed as real:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

There is one more vision, and here I have been saving the best for last. This vision in particular is what has stoked my imagination, and my spirit, and makes me believe that this experiment will be successful at least in obtaining a message from the stars.

The vision looks like this:

* You see yourself fiddling with a large contraption, turning knobs, twisting dials, and pulling levers as you make fine adjustments to a series of nested '''crystalline rings and prongs''', sweeping the alignment of complex machinery towards the skies. '''Placing one hand on a raised column''', you hear the stars burning and planets soaring in their orbits. As you '''focus the apparatus''' on a distant reach of empty space, you begin to hear a whispering beneath the crackle and hiss of the cosmos, a voice that defies your efforts to locate and identify.
* With a series of deft adjustments, the background noise falls away, and you hear…
* ''' “-SSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAV-", shouted in a deeply resonant basso profundo.'''
* With a start, you see yourself slap at the controls of the machine, and the voice cuts short. The vision fades.

As I have mentioned, this vision is the most interesting of them all, and serves as the primary motivation for the experiment I am proposing. First, the phrase “You do not have permission” that is repeated over and over has been used before – specifically in the vision of the woman and child that was referenced earlier in this proposal. Just as that prior vision was believed to relate to the relationship between Traders, Moon Mages, and Lunar Entities, so too is this new one.

Secondly, the viewer is believed to be told that they “do not have permission” because the viewer here, the one using the contraption, is a Moon Mage. And so I ask the question: what if a Trader was making the observation? Instead of a message of rejection and denial, would they be able to discern something more insightful from this supposed broadcast from the stars? I believe that the answer is yes.

Finally, I firmly believe that the language of the vision contains clear references to a Stellar Collector being the medium through which these broadcasts are received. The phrase “crystalline” is used, and the Collector is indeed made of crystal. But even more convincing is the use of the word “apparatus”, which is the exact noun used when a Trader produces a Collector from starlight. I also believe this evidence to align well with my previously discussed theory of the Stellar Collector as a bi-directional medium, which again was documented in the story “The Stellar Collector”

One final comment on that last vision: very specific language is given that the contraption does not start to operate until the viewer’s hand is placed on a raised column. Although it requires some liberal wordplay, one can consider that another word for raised column might be pillar, and another word for a pillar might be a Stanchion . . . here, I am making reference to the mention of a Stanchion at the Arbiter’s Stylus Experiment held some time ago (see above).

* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, “…HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED '''THIS STANCHION REMAINS'''…” before meandering into whispers

That message has always remained a mystery to me. Instead of answering questions, my Stylus Experiment produced more of them. What is the Stanchion? A concept? An idea? Or is it a person? Is it a Trader, one who is dedicated to upholding the Contract, in the same way that a Stanchion provides support to something? Hopefully, soon, at the conclusion of this Stellar Collector Experiment, we will have more answers, for as I said I believe that the Stellar Collector will help us discern a message from the stars meant only for us.

And I’ll close with one final note. Many of us know the story of Dehvra. I genuinely believe my work, and this Experiment in particular, to be within the limitations of the Contract, given that I am not touching the Plane of Probability in any way. Though this plan may seem similar to her work, I do not follow in her footsteps. As a Trader I hold contracts in the highest order, almost sacred. And she knowingly broke hers, threatening the rest of us in the process. She is, as far as I’m concerned, a Breacher of Contracts, and got what she deserved. I will not be making the same mistake.

===Execution===

The Experiment was conducted as planned (March 22, 2020).

A special thanks to those other Traders who were in attendance: Sortny, Evivere, and Lasaia.

Thanks also to the other adventurers in attendance (I apologize if I missed anyone - if so it was purely by accident. Feel free to reach out to me.): Hanryu, Koreberg, Aaoskar, Tiakim, Ruea, Skaen, Miralynn, Fariden, Melindrha, Garia, Perune, Miskton, Lenaea, Mistanna, Dantia, Neryndil and Aislynn.

The Traders assembled took the following actions:
* Cast Stellar Collector to the maximum extent they were able
* Cast Noumena in order to maximize the flow of starlight energy
* Finally, they invoked their tessera, charging them with Starlight Aura

No message was discerned from the stars, as Rafano had originally hypothesized, however the Negotiants once again presented themselves to those assembled, and an incredible series of events unfolded:

* With a shimmer, a single point of crystal unfolds from nothingness, the Negotiants extending swirls and razor edges as they begin to cast their attention over the area.
* {{tt| gaze negoti}}
:You suddenly forget what you were doing.
* {{tt| look negoti}}
:The Negotiants are an arcane mosaic of crystalline tesserae which spiral ceaselessly in precise telekinetic trajectories, conforming to some kind of abstract symmetry. Surrounding the crystals is a clockwork of nothing more than spun glass and refracted light. Thinly tangled loops and thorns and recurved spires whir along without any immediately obvious purpose.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstractions and expanding polynomials. The Negotiants appear to pause, the polytope spiraling and rearranging before the assembled gathering of tesserae in the area.
* The Negotiants spiral about, expanding as a helix that collapses back upon itself, and you notice from the corner of your eye the visible tesserae in the area begin to glow and vibrate.
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. Some nearby tesserae appear to jitter, and the polytope suddenly expands wildly, parametrizing an undefined manifold. You blink a moment, uncertain of how you were able to characterize the derivative of the shifting space the Negotiants are nested within.
* Rafano, Lasaia and Evivere shout in surprise as they lose control of their tesserae, which suddenly fly through the air and slam into the Negotiants! Shifting in a precise dance of overlay along axes you cannot comprehend, the tesserae glow brightly and begin to be absorbed into the Negotiants' mass. The Negotiants swell slightly, streams of radiant blue and silvery-white coursing beneath their multi-faceted surfaces. With the sound of shattering glass, they begin to perform a series of incomprehensible involutions and expansions.
* Your tessera shifts violently and flings itself towards the Negotiants!
* Studded with tesserae, the Negotiants morph into a complex twisted ribbon, seemingly folded upon itself. Brilliant lines pulse between the tesserae, which distribute themselves equidistantly along the single surface, interconnected in a rearranging mesh topology.
* The tesserae blink in a bizarre pattern, flowing along the length of the ribbon-form Negotiants. The pattern courses faster and faster, until the ribbon is a brightly illuminated band of twisted glass, flaring with blue and silvery-white streaks! Suddenly, the lights extinguish, and the Negotiants collapse into an opaque sphere!

At this point, the Negotiants seemed to grab Rafano, and views diverged. Everyone else in the room saw the following:

* You can see the form of Rafano within the column writhing about as he moves slowly, as if underwater.
* Rafano slowly slams his fist against the inside of the column, leaving a bristling handprint in the crystalline structure that slowly fades.
* Bracing both palms against the inside of the column, you see Rafano's eyes go wide with surprise, and his embedded Avtalia Array flares with brilliance.
* Within the column, the form of Rafano goes calm, gazing about in wonder.
* The column surrounding Rafano ripples and opens, depositing his unconscious form to the ground.

Rafano, on the other hand, saw the following from inside the space into which the Negotiants put him:

* With a shudder, the Negotiants bristle and erupt with crystalline pseudopods, and arcing wildly, they slam into you, encasing you entirely! Long moments pass, and you feel your mind peeled like a melon, your memories and motives laid bare before the scalpel of the Negotiants' coursing will. A series of images flit across your mind to rapidly to catalogue -- a star freezing into a perfect crystal orb, a square becoming a cube becoming a tesseract becoming something your mind struggles to interpret, a river covered in blossoms, a torus collapsing into a trefoil knot, a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream -- and suddenly, silence.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REACH-SPEAK-DISSECT ATTEMPTS CONTINUE ESCALATION-CLARIFICATION..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...INSTRUMENT NOT PLIABLE-COMPREHENSIVE-PRIME PROTOCOLS ECHOING-REBOUNDING-STATIC..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REEVALUATING PARAMETERS TEMPLATE TURMAR HOSTAGE-COLLATERAL-SUBJECT PARADIGM RETUNE TO AVTALIA ARRAY..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* A series of complicated formulae float before you, and everything stops. The equations shift and combine, factor and expand, and explode into motes of blue light, softly fading as they scatter. You are surrounded by silence.
* A form composed of multifaceted geometric forms composed of blue light hovers before you, infinitely overlaid upon itself and also singular. A voice made of glass and pure order echoes in your mind. "You seek, but there is nothing further to discuss at this time. The terms are clear, and the boundaries defined. Additional arrangements will come -- we enforce the dilution/spreading/spline, and the contract has been effective, the terms upheld. We may have the authority/independence/functionality to approve of additional deals, but not at this time." The form begins to recede.
* The blackness surrounding you slowly fades away as you regain consciousness.
* The form hovers closer for a moment, and extends a bristling tendril as it reaches past you. Reality splits open, and you find yourself deposited on the ground.

Then, for the remainder, everyone saw the same:

* The Negotiants begins to glow brightly, concentrated points of light coalescing around their form. Spinning rapidly, they fling glowing fragments around the area!
* The Negotiants jitter a moment, and appear to position themselves as if in consideration of Rafano. They go statue still for a long moment, then unfurl into a bizarre symmetry, and continue hovering in place.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

There is much to unpack here, and we can only begin to guess at the meaning of some of the images. Some notable observations:

* No further mention of the Stanchion, which Rafano had been so focussed on after the results of the Stylus experiment. Perhaps his assumption that this term held some special significance was in fact incorrect.
* "a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream" - likely referencing a series of previous Moon Mage visions from 2019, and yet interesting in that the child in those visions was generally shown as happy, where this one has begun to scream. The child has also been assumed to represent Traders (being young in the ways of Lunar magic).
* A fleeting reference to the words Turmar, Hostage, and Collateral in short sequence. Potentially fascinating, yet also mysterious, given the Negotiants' strange manner of speech. Could part of the Contract between the Arbiter and Traders include a member of House Turmar being held as hostage, for collateral? See also Rafano's Intervention Theory below, which may be related to this.

==A Survey of Trader Views on Magic==

===Background & Observations===

Rafano traveled to each of the Guildhalls, in order to survey each of the Leaders regarding their views on magic.

His key observation was that, while almost all of the Leaders through their comments displayed negative sentiment (or, at best, neutrality) towards the new Lunar magic, the two exceptions to this rule seemed to be Leaders Imaar and Seranda, from Ratha and Aesry, respectively. They are the only two who appear to be in favor of the magic granted by the Contract.

Rafano believes their disagreement with the rest of the Leaders on the mainland has something to do with the historical rift between the mainland trading families and the Reshalian trading families, which can be detailed in a [[Traders Guild History (book)|book on Trader Guild history]] by Willowbrook. Whatever the reason, he is appreciative that there is at least ''some'' support for magic in the upper ranks of the Guild, and intends to seek the guidance of these two Leaders more often.

===Results===

; [[Crossing|The Crossing]]
:{{tt|ask ans about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Ansprahv repeats, cocking his eyebrow at you. "Yes, I suppose you'd want to learn about our latest assets. Go downstairs to the guild vault and see what you can make of the... Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask ans about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Ansprahv says, "Ah, the machine. It's best that you go downstairs to the guild vault and study it yourself, Rafano."
; [[Riverhaven]]
:{{tt|ask willow about magic}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook looks blankly at you for a long moment before shaking her head. "Magic never was something to rely upon in our line of work. However, if you are interested in pursuing it as more and more Traders have been, go to the Crossing guildhall and seek out what they call the Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask willow about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook says, "That is a... clever machine they have over in the Crossing guildhall. I can't begin to describe it."
; [[Muspar'i]]
:{{tt|ask kwor about magic}}
:Kworlin glares at you and exclaims, "Magic! Filthy stuff! Never trusted all that finger waggling that some folks do, and never will!"
:{{tt|ask kwor about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Kworlin splutters something rude.
; [[Shard]]
:{{tt|ask cial about magic}}
:Guildleader Cialen gives you a narrow look as he says, "Magic? Unless you mean the type of magic wherein a Trader works out a perfect deal in order to maximize profit while minimizing cost... then you're in the wrong place. Perhaps try Crossing."
:{{tt|ask cial about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Cialen sighs and says, "That's what they call the machine that can teach us spells. It is kept in the Crossing guildhall."
; [[Ratha]]
:{{tt|ask ima about magic}}
:Guildleader Imaar looks at you for a long moment before nodding. "With all the wealth we Traders accumulate, some might think it unnecessary to concern ourselves with magic. Not so. Every opportunity should be contemplated, however out of the ordinary. Visit the Crossing guildhall and decide for yourself."
:{{tt|ask ima about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Imaar frets for several moments. "The magic machine in Crossing. I'm just glad my guildhall is not the one which has to house that thing."
; [[Aesry|Aesry Surlaenis'a]]
:{{tt|ask ser about magic}}
:"Magic!" Guildleader Seranda's voice erupts into the room, sounding exuberant. "A most valuable resource, like platinum raining from the moons and stars, as I like to say. After so long of having to haggle with mages for every instance of needed spellwork, we've finally procured some of that power for ourselves. We have our Zoluren colleagues to thank for it."
:{{tt|ask ser about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Seranda nods. "They are the result of the momentous deal we made with some sort of starlight creature. Time will tell whether it was a good deal. Visit the Crossing guildhall and see for yourself."
; [[Hibarnhvidar|Outer Hibarnhvidar]]
:{{tt|ask rael about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Raelem repeats with a merry laugh. "The magic we perform here are with numbers, supply and demand, coins, market certificates and the like. If that is what you are interested in, then you're in the right place. If not, then you aren't. It's as simple as that."
:{{tt|ask rael about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Raelem gives you a noncommittal smile. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

==The Genesis Theory==

Rafano's Theory of (one of the reasons) why Traders were chosen by the Arbiter to receive Lunar magic, leveraging the [[Speculate command |Specular Luck]] mechanic:

Traders have always had a special relationship with Luck. One with the credentials of a Master Trader may, in fact, even [[Speculate command |manipulate Luck]] in their favor, such that many of their endeavors are suddenly more successful. This was true even before the Contract … and so it begs the question: where did this talent come from? Consider this:

By manipulating Luck, the Trader is implicitly bringing order to randomness. Or, at the very least, manipulating that randomness to their benefit. Perhaps we don’t fully collapse the probability waves of the world to certainty, but we are at least able to give them a gentle nudge here and there.

And doesn’t that sound an awful lot like manipulating the Plane of Probability? That thing that we are now forbidden by the Contract to do?

There is a potentially profound revelation here reader, and I propose it is this: what if we Traders were already accidentally scratching at the surface? What if, even before knowing how to bend starlight into illusions and weapons, we had begun to glimpse that world of enlightened geometry?

Other scholars have put forth that it’s exactly this sort of Probability tampering that has earned Moon Mages the ire of the Arbiter and other Lunar entities, that the reduction of uncertainty is an affront to their entire Plane. And if that is true, then I wonder if the Contract was the offering of something sweet in order to keep us from discovering something even sweeter. A piece being moved off the board.

==The Intervention Theory==

Rafano's Theory of why three Trader spells are named after otherwise-minor historical figures:

Looking at the inventory of Trader spells, it is interesting to note that there are three Noematics spells named after people: Membrach’s Greed, Last Gift of Vithwok IV, and Turmar Illumination.

The last (Turmar) is easy to explain – they brokered the Deal, so they got a spell named after them. But the other two are exceptionally minor characters in historical lore. And they have nothing to do with either Traders or Lunar magic. So why get spells named after them?

Let’s take a look back at their histories:

Membrach was a Dwarven King. The Humans appealed to him to fight with them in the Elven-Human War. He agreed. Soon after the war, Membrach’s reign fell apart. He was no longer recognized as the Dwarven King.

Now Vithwok IV. Again a minor figure in history. He was a boy-emperor, and one of the last of the Empire of the Seven Pointed Star, his reign being ended at a very young age by one of his stewards.

I draw your attention to two unifying patterns here: each of these two were signposts in history for the end of a great age or empire, and each were chosen (we can assume by the Arbiter?) to have a spell named after them.

And so my conclusion is this: what if these names are hidden landmarks of the Arbiter’s intervention and interference in mortal history through time? It made a deal with Membrach. The deal of course goes bad (as all Arbiter deals are wont to do), ending his reign. It made another deal with Vithwok IV, which of course goes bad again, ending his reign as well. Now it has made a deal with House Turmar … if the pattern holds … well reader, you get the idea.

'''UPDATE:''' This is admittedly jumping to conclusions a little bit, but it is very interesting to compare this theory, which was developed some time ago, to the recent events of the Stellar Collector Experiment, where it is possible that the Negotiants made vague references to part of the Contract including a hostage of House Turmar being held as collateral for the agreement (see the Stellar Collector Experiment section above). If interpreted correctly, this hostage or collateral could be part of the future downfall of House Turmar that Rafano's Intervention Theory would predict. In any event, it's certainly not a good position for them to be in.

User:RAFANO

2020-03-24T11:44:06Z

RAFANO:

Character page: [[Rafano]]

This is a place to put all his theories and work regarding Trader magic. Have questions about any of this? . . . ask Rafano!

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Quick Summary===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

This event happened in May 2019.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

==Lunar Experiment: The Stellar Collector==

===Quick Summary===

The Stellar Collector, a spell granted to the Trader’s Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, is a mysterious thing. Between the versatile Iridius crystal it is made of, and the fact that it works with the tesserae, a known communication device, there are those who posit that the full potential of the apparatus has not yet been realized. Encouraged by recent Moon Mage visions that appear to refer more and more to Traders and their new brand of Lunar Magic, a group of Lunar Researchers plans to use the Collector to reach out to the stars for guidance.

This event is scheduled for March 2020.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment comes from the very description of the Stellar Collector itself. When a Trader discerns this spell, they learn the following:

* Of all the Fabrication substances invented, Iridius crystal is '''perhaps the most versatile'''. It '''takes well to many shapes and purposes''', including the collection and storage of starlight energy. The Stellar Collector apparatus is a highly useful application of this crystal, but it '''requires some sort of psychic transducer to sieve essence from light'''.
* The crystal’s namesake, Iridius the Guide, was a priest-turned-demonologist of some infamy during the glory days of Throne City. What makes him interesting to Traders is his ahead-of-his-time research into a fanciful yellow-green crystal '''to which he attributed numerous uses'''. There are no records of him successfully creating such a thing – he wasn’t even a Lunar magician. Still, his descriptions bore striking resemblance to what is possible today. Any further information on Iridius himself that might have survived is kept under lock and key by the overlords of Throne City’s carcass.

But the motivation lies not only here. In other words, it is not only that I believe we have a tool to accomplish this, but I also believe that we have a distinct purpose. I refer here to recent and numerous Moon Mage visions. Although notoriously difficult to interpret, it is my belief that several recent visions make reference to Traders and our newfound Lunar Magic, and encourage us toward further research.

For example, one vision can be described thusly:

* You see a parent sitting with their child, speaking before a warmly glowing hearth fire, the rest of the room obscured in shadow. The child is looking up at the parent, who speaks softly, gently, their voice blending with the cracking flames and howling of the form against window shutters. '''“Your questions are profound, but only accidentally so. You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here,” the parent says, squeezing the child in a hug.'''
* The storm continues, and the walls groan with the effort of remaining upright. The parent begins to hum a comforting tune, and the child seems oblivious to the maelstrom outside. As the storm intensifies, so too does the parent’s song, winding along octaves, strangely resonant and haunting. The heart glows brighter, and suddenly, the parent stops, looks up at you and says sharply, “'''You do not have permission'''.”
* The door flies open, an icy wind howls around you, and the vision fades.

Worth noting is that I, and some others, believe the phrasing of this vision to indicate a certain degree of “approval” of a previous experiment around the Arbiter’s Stylus: “You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here.”

There have continued to be other Moon Mage visions as well that seem to reference Traders and Trader-related topics, which to me implies that the Stellar Collector Experiment we are planning to conduct is quite timely and relevant to current events (or events soon to come):

* An endless stairway stretches before you, '''composed of cold radiant starlight''' that slightly shimmers. '''Stretching up to the sky and vanishing into a single point in the far distance''', shifting cosmos and stellar phenomena can be seen between the gaps between the steps. You begin to climb, your eyes transfixed upon the pulsating nebulae and spinning galaxies spanning in front of you, punctuated by '''the diamond-hard starlight stairs'''. With each step you take, eons pass, as stars burn their last and erupt into sparkling nova, or ignite in the swirling gases of stellar clouds. Strange structures spin twin spears of radiance in opposite directions, and yawning voices bend light and tear space.
* Suddenly, grasping shadows snap from between the steps, and wrap around your ankles, rooting you in place. You stagger, catching yourself as '''the shadows tighten and begin to pull you through the gap''', and the vision fades.

This vision is much more recent. There are multiple specific references to starlight here – starlight composes the stairs, and Trader magic is based on starlight. I believe that the stairs rising up and up indicate that Traders will be allowed to ascend, whereas hands grab the viewer and tear them down because that viewer is a Moon Mage, a Child of Grazhir. And is therefore not permitted to ascend to enlightenment. As I will discuss in a moment, I believe that the staircase being made of starlight is a symbolic reference to the Stellar Collector – that it is a device capable of not only receiving, but also transmitting starlight energy, and is therefore a sort of pathway. Indeed, some of us may have heard the story of the Stellar Collector, which hints at the very same concept. Although that story has never been able to be confirmed as real:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

There is one more vision, and here I have been saving the best for last. This vision in particular is what has stoked my imagination, and my spirit, and makes me believe that this experiment will be successful at least in obtaining a message from the stars.

The vision looks like this:

* You see yourself fiddling with a large contraption, turning knobs, twisting dials, and pulling levers as you make fine adjustments to a series of nested '''crystalline rings and prongs''', sweeping the alignment of complex machinery towards the skies. '''Placing one hand on a raised column''', you hear the stars burning and planets soaring in their orbits. As you '''focus the apparatus''' on a distant reach of empty space, you begin to hear a whispering beneath the crackle and hiss of the cosmos, a voice that defies your efforts to locate and identify.
* With a series of deft adjustments, the background noise falls away, and you hear…
* ''' “-SSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAV-", shouted in a deeply resonant basso profundo.'''
* With a start, you see yourself slap at the controls of the machine, and the voice cuts short. The vision fades.

As I have mentioned, this vision is the most interesting of them all, and serves as the primary motivation for the experiment I am proposing. First, the phrase “You do not have permission” that is repeated over and over has been used before – specifically in the vision of the woman and child that was referenced earlier in this proposal. Just as that prior vision was believed to relate to the relationship between Traders, Moon Mages, and Lunar Entities, so too is this new one.

Secondly, the viewer is believed to be told that they “do not have permission” because the viewer here, the one using the contraption, is a Moon Mage. And so I ask the question: what if a Trader was making the observation? Instead of a message of rejection and denial, would they be able to discern something more insightful from this supposed broadcast from the stars? I believe that the answer is yes.

Finally, I firmly believe that the language of the vision contains clear references to a Stellar Collector being the medium through which these broadcasts are received. The phrase “crystalline” is used, and the Collector is indeed made of crystal. But even more convincing is the use of the word “apparatus”, which is the exact noun used when a Trader produces a Collector from starlight. I also believe this evidence to align well with my previously discussed theory of the Stellar Collector as a bi-directional medium, which again was documented in the story “The Stellar Collector”

One final comment on that last vision: very specific language is given that the contraption does not start to operate until the viewer’s hand is placed on a raised column. Although it requires some liberal wordplay, one can consider that another word for raised column might be pillar, and another word for a pillar might be a Stanchion . . . here, I am making reference to the mention of a Stanchion at the Arbiter’s Stylus Experiment held some time ago (see above).

* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, “…HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED '''THIS STANCHION REMAINS'''…” before meandering into whispers

That message has always remained a mystery to me. Instead of answering questions, my Stylus Experiment produced more of them. What is the Stanchion? A concept? An idea? Or is it a person? Is it a Trader, one who is dedicated to upholding the Contract, in the same way that a Stanchion provides support to something? Hopefully, soon, at the conclusion of this Stellar Collector Experiment, we will have more answers, for as I said I believe that the Stellar Collector will help us discern a message from the stars meant only for us.

And I’ll close with one final note. Many of us know the story of Dehvra. I genuinely believe my work, and this Experiment in particular, to be within the limitations of the Contract, given that I am not touching the Plane of Probability in any way. Though this plan may seem similar to her work, I do not follow in her footsteps. As a Trader I hold contracts in the highest order, almost sacred. And she knowingly broke hers, threatening the rest of us in the process. She is, as far as I’m concerned, a Breacher of Contracts, and got what she deserved. I will not be making the same mistake.

===Execution===

The Experiment was conducted as planned (March 22, 2020). A special thanks to those other Traders who were in attendance: Sortny, Evivere, and Lasaia.

Thanks also to the other adventurers in attendance (I apologize if I missed anyone): Hanryu, Koreberg, Aaoskar, Lasaia, Tiakim, Ruea, Skaen, Miralynn, Fariden, Sortny, Melindrha, Garia, Perune, Evivere, Miskton, Lenaea, Mistanna, Dantia, Neryndil and Aislynn.

The Traders assembled took the following actions:
* Cast Stellar Collector to the maximum extent they were able
* Cast Noumena in order to maximize the flow of starlight energy
* Finally, they invoked their tessera, charging them with Starlight Aura

No message was discerned from the stars, as Rafano had originally hypothesized, however the Negotiants once again presented themselves to those assembled, and an incredible series of events unfolded:

* With a shimmer, a single point of crystal unfolds from nothingness, the Negotiants extending swirls and razor edges as they begin to cast their attention over the area.
* {{tt| gaze negoti}}
:You suddenly forget what you were doing.
* {{tt| look negoti}}
:The Negotiants are an arcane mosaic of crystalline tesserae which spiral ceaselessly in precise telekinetic trajectories, conforming to some kind of abstract symmetry. Surrounding the crystals is a clockwork of nothing more than spun glass and refracted light. Thinly tangled loops and thorns and recurved spires whir along without any immediately obvious purpose.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstractions and expanding polynomials. The Negotiants appear to pause, the polytope spiraling and rearranging before the assembled gathering of tesserae in the area.
* The Negotiants spiral about, expanding as a helix that collapses back upon itself, and you notice from the corner of your eye the visible tesserae in the area begin to glow and vibrate.
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. Some nearby tesserae appear to jitter, and the polytope suddenly expands wildly, parametrizing an undefined manifold. You blink a moment, uncertain of how you were able to characterize the derivative of the shifting space the Negotiants are nested within.
* Rafano, Lasaia and Evivere shout in surprise as they lose control of their tesserae, which suddenly fly through the air and slam into the Negotiants! Shifting in a precise dance of overlay along axes you cannot comprehend, the tesserae glow brightly and begin to be absorbed into the Negotiants' mass. The Negotiants swell slightly, streams of radiant blue and silvery-white coursing beneath their multi-faceted surfaces. With the sound of shattering glass, they begin to perform a series of incomprehensible involutions and expansions.
* Your tessera shifts violently and flings itself towards the Negotiants!
* Studded with tesserae, the Negotiants morph into a complex twisted ribbon, seemingly folded upon itself. Brilliant lines pulse between the tesserae, which distribute themselves equidistantly along the single surface, interconnected in a rearranging mesh topology.
* The tesserae blink in a bizarre pattern, flowing along the length of the ribbon-form Negotiants. The pattern courses faster and faster, until the ribbon is a brightly illuminated band of twisted glass, flaring with blue and silvery-white streaks! Suddenly, the lights extinguish, and the Negotiants collapse into an opaque sphere!

At this point, the Negotiants seemed to grab Rafano, and views diverged. Everyone else in the room saw the following:

* You can see the form of Rafano within the column writhing about as he moves slowly, as if underwater.
* Rafano slowly slams his fist against the inside of the column, leaving a bristling handprint in the crystalline structure that slowly fades.
* Bracing both palms against the inside of the column, you see Rafano's eyes go wide with surprise, and his embedded Avtalia Array flares with brilliance.
* Within the column, the form of Rafano goes calm, gazing about in wonder.
* The column surrounding Rafano ripples and opens, depositing his unconscious form to the ground.

Rafano, on the other hand, saw the following from inside the space into which the Negotiants put him:

* With a shudder, the Negotiants bristle and erupt with crystalline pseudopods, and arcing wildly, they slam into you, encasing you entirely! Long moments pass, and you feel your mind peeled like a melon, your memories and motives laid bare before the scalpel of the Negotiants' coursing will. A series of images flit across your mind to rapidly to catalogue -- a star freezing into a perfect crystal orb, a square becoming a cube becoming a tesseract becoming something your mind struggles to interpret, a river covered in blossoms, a torus collapsing into a trefoil knot, a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream -- and suddenly, silence.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REACH-SPEAK-DISSECT ATTEMPTS CONTINUE ESCALATION-CLARIFICATION..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...INSTRUMENT NOT PLIABLE-COMPREHENSIVE-PRIME PROTOCOLS ECHOING-REBOUNDING-STATIC..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REEVALUATING PARAMETERS TEMPLATE TURMAR HOSTAGE-COLLATERAL-SUBJECT PARADIGM RETUNE TO AVTALIA ARRAY..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* A series of complicated formulae float before you, and everything stops. The equations shift and combine, factor and expand, and explode into motes of blue light, softly fading as they scatter. You are surrounded by silence.
* A form composed of multifaceted geometric forms composed of blue light hovers before you, infinitely overlaid upon itself and also singular. A voice made of glass and pure order echoes in your mind. "You seek, but there is nothing further to discuss at this time. The terms are clear, and the boundaries defined. Additional arrangements will come -- we enforce the dilution/spreading/spline, and the contract has been effective, the terms upheld. We may have the authority/independence/functionality to approve of additional deals, but not at this time." The form begins to recede.
* The blackness surrounding you slowly fades away as you regain consciousness.
* The form hovers closer for a moment, and extends a bristling tendril as it reaches past you. Reality splits open, and you find yourself deposited on the ground.

Then, for the remainder, everyone saw the same:

* The Negotiants begins to glow brightly, concentrated points of light coalescing around their form. Spinning rapidly, they fling glowing fragments around the area!
* The Negotiants jitter a moment, and appear to position themselves as if in consideration of Rafano. They go statue still for a long moment, then unfurl into a bizarre symmetry, and continue hovering in place.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

There is much to unpack here, and we can only begin to guess at the meaning of some of the images. Some notable observations:

* No further mention of the Stanchion, which Rafano had been so focussed on after the results of the Stylus experiment. Perhaps his assumption that this term held some special significance was in fact incorrect.
* "a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream" - likely referencing a series of previous Moon Mage visions from 2019, and yet interesting in that the child in those visions was generally shown as happy, where this one has begun to scream. The child has also been assumed to represent Traders (being young in the ways of Lunar magic).
* A fleeting reference to the words Turmar, Hostage, and Collateral in short sequence. Potentially fascinating, yet also mysterious, given the Negotiants' strange manner of speech. Could part of the Contract between the Arbiter and Traders include a member of House Turmar being held as hostage, for collateral? See also Rafano's Intervention Theory below, which may be related to this.

==A Survey of Trader Views on Magic==

===Background & Observations===

Rafano traveled to each of the Guildhalls, in order to survey each of the Leaders regarding their views on magic.

His key observation was that, while almost all of the Leaders through their comments displayed negative sentiment (or, at best, neutrality) towards the new Lunar magic, the two exceptions to this rule seemed to be Leaders Imaar and Seranda, from Ratha and Aesry, respectively. They are the only two who appear to be in favor of the magic granted by the Contract.

Rafano believes their disagreement with the rest of the Leaders on the mainland has something to do with the historical rift between the mainland trading families and the Reshalian trading families, which can be detailed in a [[Traders Guild History (book)|book on Trader Guild history]] by Willowbrook. Whatever the reason, he is appreciative that there is at least ''some'' support for magic in the upper ranks of the Guild, and intends to seek the guidance of these two Leaders more often.

===Results===

; [[Crossing|The Crossing]]
:{{tt|ask ans about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Ansprahv repeats, cocking his eyebrow at you. "Yes, I suppose you'd want to learn about our latest assets. Go downstairs to the guild vault and see what you can make of the... Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask ans about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Ansprahv says, "Ah, the machine. It's best that you go downstairs to the guild vault and study it yourself, Rafano."
; [[Riverhaven]]
:{{tt|ask willow about magic}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook looks blankly at you for a long moment before shaking her head. "Magic never was something to rely upon in our line of work. However, if you are interested in pursuing it as more and more Traders have been, go to the Crossing guildhall and seek out what they call the Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask willow about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook says, "That is a... clever machine they have over in the Crossing guildhall. I can't begin to describe it."
; [[Muspar'i]]
:{{tt|ask kwor about magic}}
:Kworlin glares at you and exclaims, "Magic! Filthy stuff! Never trusted all that finger waggling that some folks do, and never will!"
:{{tt|ask kwor about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Kworlin splutters something rude.
; [[Shard]]
:{{tt|ask cial about magic}}
:Guildleader Cialen gives you a narrow look as he says, "Magic? Unless you mean the type of magic wherein a Trader works out a perfect deal in order to maximize profit while minimizing cost... then you're in the wrong place. Perhaps try Crossing."
:{{tt|ask cial about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Cialen sighs and says, "That's what they call the machine that can teach us spells. It is kept in the Crossing guildhall."
; [[Ratha]]
:{{tt|ask ima about magic}}
:Guildleader Imaar looks at you for a long moment before nodding. "With all the wealth we Traders accumulate, some might think it unnecessary to concern ourselves with magic. Not so. Every opportunity should be contemplated, however out of the ordinary. Visit the Crossing guildhall and decide for yourself."
:{{tt|ask ima about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Imaar frets for several moments. "The magic machine in Crossing. I'm just glad my guildhall is not the one which has to house that thing."
; [[Aesry|Aesry Surlaenis'a]]
:{{tt|ask ser about magic}}
:"Magic!" Guildleader Seranda's voice erupts into the room, sounding exuberant. "A most valuable resource, like platinum raining from the moons and stars, as I like to say. After so long of having to haggle with mages for every instance of needed spellwork, we've finally procured some of that power for ourselves. We have our Zoluren colleagues to thank for it."
:{{tt|ask ser about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Seranda nods. "They are the result of the momentous deal we made with some sort of starlight creature. Time will tell whether it was a good deal. Visit the Crossing guildhall and see for yourself."
; [[Hibarnhvidar|Outer Hibarnhvidar]]
:{{tt|ask rael about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Raelem repeats with a merry laugh. "The magic we perform here are with numbers, supply and demand, coins, market certificates and the like. If that is what you are interested in, then you're in the right place. If not, then you aren't. It's as simple as that."
:{{tt|ask rael about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Raelem gives you a noncommittal smile. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

==The Genesis Theory==

Rafano's Theory of (one of the reasons) why Traders were chosen by the Arbiter to receive Lunar magic, leveraging the [[Speculate command |Specular Luck]] mechanic:

Traders have always had a special relationship with Luck. One with the credentials of a Master Trader may, in fact, even [[Speculate command |manipulate Luck]] in their favor, such that many of their endeavors are suddenly more successful. This was true even before the Contract … and so it begs the question: where did this talent come from? Consider this:

By manipulating Luck, the Trader is implicitly bringing order to randomness. Or, at the very least, manipulating that randomness to their benefit. Perhaps we don’t fully collapse the probability waves of the world to certainty, but we are at least able to give them a gentle nudge here and there.

And doesn’t that sound an awful lot like manipulating the Plane of Probability? That thing that we are now forbidden by the Contract to do?

There is a potentially profound revelation here reader, and I propose it is this: what if we Traders were already accidentally scratching at the surface? What if, even before knowing how to bend starlight into illusions and weapons, we had begun to glimpse that world of enlightened geometry?

Other scholars have put forth that it’s exactly this sort of Probability tampering that has earned Moon Mages the ire of the Arbiter and other Lunar entities, that the reduction of uncertainty is an affront to their entire Plane. And if that is true, then I wonder if the Contract was the offering of something sweet in order to keep us from discovering something even sweeter. A piece being moved off the board.

==The Intervention Theory==

Rafano's Theory of why three Trader spells are named after otherwise-minor historical figures:

Looking at the inventory of Trader spells, it is interesting to note that there are three Noematics spells named after people: Membrach’s Greed, Last Gift of Vithwok IV, and Turmar Illumination.

The last (Turmar) is easy to explain – they brokered the Deal, so they got a spell named after them. But the other two are exceptionally minor characters in historical lore. And they have nothing to do with either Traders or Lunar magic. So why get spells named after them?

Let’s take a look back at their histories:

Membrach was a Dwarven King. The Humans appealed to him to fight with them in the Elven-Human War. He agreed. Soon after the war, Membrach’s reign fell apart. He was no longer recognized as the Dwarven King.

Now Vithwok IV. Again a minor figure in history. He was a boy-emperor, and one of the last of the Empire of the Seven Pointed Star, his reign being ended at a very young age by one of his stewards.

I draw your attention to two unifying patterns here: each of these two were signposts in history for the end of a great age or empire, and each were chosen (we can assume by the Arbiter?) to have a spell named after them.

And so my conclusion is this: what if these names are hidden landmarks of the Arbiter’s intervention and interference in mortal history through time? It made a deal with Membrach. The deal of course goes bad (as all Arbiter deals are wont to do), ending his reign. It made another deal with Vithwok IV, which of course goes bad again, ending his reign as well. Now it has made a deal with House Turmar … if the pattern holds … well reader, you get the idea.

'''UPDATE:''' This is admittedly jumping to conclusions a little bit, but it is very interesting to compare this theory, which was developed some time ago, to the recent events of the Stellar Collector Experiment, where it is possible that the Negotiants made vague references to part of the Contract including a hostage of House Turmar being held as collateral for the agreement (see the Stellar Collector Experiment section above). If interpreted correctly, this hostage or collateral could be part of the future downfall of House Turmar that Rafano's Intervention Theory would predict. In any event, it's certainly not a good position for them to be in.

User:RAFANO

2020-03-24T04:34:26Z

RAFANO:

Character page: [[Rafano]]

This is a place to put all his theories and work regarding Trader magic.

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Quick Summary===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

This event happened in May 2019.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

==Lunar Experiment: The Stellar Collector==

===Quick Summary===

The Stellar Collector, a spell granted to the Trader’s Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, is a mysterious thing. Between the versatile Iridius crystal it is made of, and the fact that it works with the tesserae, a known communication device, there are those who posit that the full potential of the apparatus has not yet been realized. Encouraged by recent Moon Mage visions that appear to refer more and more to Traders and their new brand of Lunar Magic, a group of Lunar Researchers plans to use the Collector to reach out to the stars for guidance.

This event is scheduled for March 2020.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment comes from the very description of the Stellar Collector itself. When a Trader discerns this spell, they learn the following:

* Of all the Fabrication substances invented, Iridius crystal is '''perhaps the most versatile'''. It '''takes well to many shapes and purposes''', including the collection and storage of starlight energy. The Stellar Collector apparatus is a highly useful application of this crystal, but it '''requires some sort of psychic transducer to sieve essence from light'''.
* The crystal’s namesake, Iridius the Guide, was a priest-turned-demonologist of some infamy during the glory days of Throne City. What makes him interesting to Traders is his ahead-of-his-time research into a fanciful yellow-green crystal '''to which he attributed numerous uses'''. There are no records of him successfully creating such a thing – he wasn’t even a Lunar magician. Still, his descriptions bore striking resemblance to what is possible today. Any further information on Iridius himself that might have survived is kept under lock and key by the overlords of Throne City’s carcass.

But the motivation lies not only here. In other words, it is not only that I believe we have a tool to accomplish this, but I also believe that we have a distinct purpose. I refer here to recent and numerous Moon Mage visions. Although notoriously difficult to interpret, it is my belief that several recent visions make reference to Traders and our newfound Lunar Magic, and encourage us toward further research.

For example, one vision can be described thusly:

* You see a parent sitting with their child, speaking before a warmly glowing hearth fire, the rest of the room obscured in shadow. The child is looking up at the parent, who speaks softly, gently, their voice blending with the cracking flames and howling of the form against window shutters. '''“Your questions are profound, but only accidentally so. You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here,” the parent says, squeezing the child in a hug.'''
* The storm continues, and the walls groan with the effort of remaining upright. The parent begins to hum a comforting tune, and the child seems oblivious to the maelstrom outside. As the storm intensifies, so too does the parent’s song, winding along octaves, strangely resonant and haunting. The heart glows brighter, and suddenly, the parent stops, looks up at you and says sharply, “'''You do not have permission'''.”
* The door flies open, an icy wind howls around you, and the vision fades.

Worth noting is that I, and some others, believe the phrasing of this vision to indicate a certain degree of “approval” of a previous experiment around the Arbiter’s Stylus: “You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here.”

There have continued to be other Moon Mage visions as well that seem to reference Traders and Trader-related topics, which to me implies that the Stellar Collector Experiment we are planning to conduct is quite timely and relevant to current events (or events soon to come):

* An endless stairway stretches before you, '''composed of cold radiant starlight''' that slightly shimmers. '''Stretching up to the sky and vanishing into a single point in the far distance''', shifting cosmos and stellar phenomena can be seen between the gaps between the steps. You begin to climb, your eyes transfixed upon the pulsating nebulae and spinning galaxies spanning in front of you, punctuated by '''the diamond-hard starlight stairs'''. With each step you take, eons pass, as stars burn their last and erupt into sparkling nova, or ignite in the swirling gases of stellar clouds. Strange structures spin twin spears of radiance in opposite directions, and yawning voices bend light and tear space.
* Suddenly, grasping shadows snap from between the steps, and wrap around your ankles, rooting you in place. You stagger, catching yourself as '''the shadows tighten and begin to pull you through the gap''', and the vision fades.

This vision is much more recent. There are multiple specific references to starlight here – starlight composes the stairs, and Trader magic is based on starlight. I believe that the stairs rising up and up indicate that Traders will be allowed to ascend, whereas hands grab the viewer and tear them down because that viewer is a Moon Mage, a Child of Grazhir. And is therefore not permitted to ascend to enlightenment. As I will discuss in a moment, I believe that the staircase being made of starlight is a symbolic reference to the Stellar Collector – that it is a device capable of not only receiving, but also transmitting starlight energy, and is therefore a sort of pathway. Indeed, some of us may have heard the story of the Stellar Collector, which hints at the very same concept. Although that story has never been able to be confirmed as real:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

There is one more vision, and here I have been saving the best for last. This vision in particular is what has stoked my imagination, and my spirit, and makes me believe that this experiment will be successful at least in obtaining a message from the stars.

The vision looks like this:

* You see yourself fiddling with a large contraption, turning knobs, twisting dials, and pulling levers as you make fine adjustments to a series of nested '''crystalline rings and prongs''', sweeping the alignment of complex machinery towards the skies. '''Placing one hand on a raised column''', you hear the stars burning and planets soaring in their orbits. As you '''focus the apparatus''' on a distant reach of empty space, you begin to hear a whispering beneath the crackle and hiss of the cosmos, a voice that defies your efforts to locate and identify.
* With a series of deft adjustments, the background noise falls away, and you hear…
* ''' “-SSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAV-", shouted in a deeply resonant basso profundo.'''
* With a start, you see yourself slap at the controls of the machine, and the voice cuts short. The vision fades.

As I have mentioned, this vision is the most interesting of them all, and serves as the primary motivation for the experiment I am proposing. First, the phrase “You do not have permission” that is repeated over and over has been used before – specifically in the vision of the woman and child that was referenced earlier in this proposal. Just as that prior vision was believed to relate to the relationship between Traders, Moon Mages, and Lunar Entities, so too is this new one.

Secondly, the viewer is believed to be told that they “do not have permission” because the viewer here, the one using the contraption, is a Moon Mage. And so I ask the question: what if a Trader was making the observation? Instead of a message of rejection and denial, would they be able to discern something more insightful from this supposed broadcast from the stars? I believe that the answer is yes.

Finally, I firmly believe that the language of the vision contains clear references to a Stellar Collector being the medium through which these broadcasts are received. The phrase “crystalline” is used, and the Collector is indeed made of crystal. But even more convincing is the use of the word “apparatus”, which is the exact noun used when a Trader produces a Collector from starlight. I also believe this evidence to align well with my previously discussed theory of the Stellar Collector as a bi-directional medium, which again was documented in the story “The Stellar Collector”

One final comment on that last vision: very specific language is given that the contraption does not start to operate until the viewer’s hand is placed on a raised column. Although it requires some liberal wordplay, one can consider that another word for raised column might be pillar, and another word for a pillar might be a Stanchion . . . here, I am making reference to the mention of a Stanchion at the Arbiter’s Stylus Experiment held some time ago (see above).

* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, “…HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED '''THIS STANCHION REMAINS'''…” before meandering into whispers

That message has always remained a mystery to me. Instead of answering questions, my Stylus Experiment produced more of them. What is the Stanchion? A concept? An idea? Or is it a person? Is it a Trader, one who is dedicated to upholding the Contract, in the same way that a Stanchion provides support to something? Hopefully, soon, at the conclusion of this Stellar Collector Experiment, we will have more answers, for as I said I believe that the Stellar Collector will help us discern a message from the stars meant only for us.

And I’ll close with one final note. Many of us know the story of Dehvra. I genuinely believe my work, and this Experiment in particular, to be within the limitations of the Contract, given that I am not touching the Plane of Probability in any way. Though this plan may seem similar to her work, I do not follow in her footsteps. As a Trader I hold contracts in the highest order, almost sacred. And she knowingly broke hers, threatening the rest of us in the process. She is, as far as I’m concerned, a Breacher of Contracts, and got what she deserved. I will not be making the same mistake.

===Execution===

The Experiment was conducted as planned (March 22, 2020). A special thanks to those other Traders who were in attendance: Sortny, Evivere, and Lasaia.

Thanks also to the other adventurers in attendance (I apologize if I missed anyone): Hanryu, Koreberg, Aaoskar, Lasaia, Tiakim, Ruea, Skaen, Miralynn, Fariden, Sortny, Melindrha, Garia, Perune, Evivere, Miskton, Lenaea, Mistanna, Dantia, Neryndil and Aislynn.

The Traders assembled took the following actions:
* Cast Stellar Collector to the maximum extent they were able
* Cast Noumena in order to maximize the flow of starlight energy
* Finally, they invoked their tessera, charging them with Starlight Aura

No message was discerned from the stars, as Rafano had originally hypothesized, however the Negotiants once again presented themselves to those assembled, and an incredible series of events unfolded:

* With a shimmer, a single point of crystal unfolds from nothingness, the Negotiants extending swirls and razor edges as they begin to cast their attention over the area.
* {{tt| gaze negoti}}
:You suddenly forget what you were doing.
* {{tt| look negoti}}
:The Negotiants are an arcane mosaic of crystalline tesserae which spiral ceaselessly in precise telekinetic trajectories, conforming to some kind of abstract symmetry. Surrounding the crystals is a clockwork of nothing more than spun glass and refracted light. Thinly tangled loops and thorns and recurved spires whir along without any immediately obvious purpose.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstractions and expanding polynomials. The Negotiants appear to pause, the polytope spiraling and rearranging before the assembled gathering of tesserae in the area.
* The Negotiants spiral about, expanding as a helix that collapses back upon itself, and you notice from the corner of your eye the visible tesserae in the area begin to glow and vibrate.
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. Some nearby tesserae appear to jitter, and the polytope suddenly expands wildly, parametrizing an undefined manifold. You blink a moment, uncertain of how you were able to characterize the derivative of the shifting space the Negotiants are nested within.
* Rafano, Lasaia and Evivere shout in surprise as they lose control of their tesserae, which suddenly fly through the air and slam into the Negotiants! Shifting in a precise dance of overlay along axes you cannot comprehend, the tesserae glow brightly and begin to be absorbed into the Negotiants' mass. The Negotiants swell slightly, streams of radiant blue and silvery-white coursing beneath their multi-faceted surfaces. With the sound of shattering glass, they begin to perform a series of incomprehensible involutions and expansions.
* Your tessera shifts violently and flings itself towards the Negotiants!
* Studded with tesserae, the Negotiants morph into a complex twisted ribbon, seemingly folded upon itself. Brilliant lines pulse between the tesserae, which distribute themselves equidistantly along the single surface, interconnected in a rearranging mesh topology.
* The tesserae blink in a bizarre pattern, flowing along the length of the ribbon-form Negotiants. The pattern courses faster and faster, until the ribbon is a brightly illuminated band of twisted glass, flaring with blue and silvery-white streaks! Suddenly, the lights extinguish, and the Negotiants collapse into an opaque sphere!

At this point, the Negotiants seemed to grab Rafano, and views diverged. Everyone else in the room saw the following:

* You can see the form of Rafano within the column writhing about as he moves slowly, as if underwater.
* Rafano slowly slams his fist against the inside of the column, leaving a bristling handprint in the crystalline structure that slowly fades.
* Bracing both palms against the inside of the column, you see Rafano's eyes go wide with surprise, and his embedded Avtalia Array flares with brilliance.
* Within the column, the form of Rafano goes calm, gazing about in wonder.
* The column surrounding Rafano ripples and opens, depositing his unconscious form to the ground.

Rafano, on the other hand, saw the following from inside the space into which the Negotiants put him:

* With a shudder, the Negotiants bristle and erupt with crystalline pseudopods, and arcing wildly, they slam into you, encasing you entirely! Long moments pass, and you feel your mind peeled like a melon, your memories and motives laid bare before the scalpel of the Negotiants' coursing will. A series of images flit across your mind to rapidly to catalogue -- a star freezing into a perfect crystal orb, a square becoming a cube becoming a tesseract becoming something your mind struggles to interpret, a river covered in blossoms, a torus collapsing into a trefoil knot, a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream -- and suddenly, silence.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REACH-SPEAK-DISSECT ATTEMPTS CONTINUE ESCALATION-CLARIFICATION..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...INSTRUMENT NOT PLIABLE-COMPREHENSIVE-PRIME PROTOCOLS ECHOING-REBOUNDING-STATIC..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REEVALUATING PARAMETERS TEMPLATE TURMAR HOSTAGE-COLLATERAL-SUBJECT PARADIGM RETUNE TO AVTALIA ARRAY..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* A series of complicated formulae float before you, and everything stops. The equations shift and combine, factor and expand, and explode into motes of blue light, softly fading as they scatter. You are surrounded by silence.
* A form composed of multifaceted geometric forms composed of blue light hovers before you, infinitely overlaid upon itself and also singular. A voice made of glass and pure order echoes in your mind. "You seek, but there is nothing further to discuss at this time. The terms are clear, and the boundaries defined. Additional arrangements will come -- we enforce the dilution/spreading/spline, and the contract has been effective, the terms upheld. We may have the authority/independence/functionality to approve of additional deals, but not at this time." The form begins to recede.
* The blackness surrounding you slowly fades away as you regain consciousness.
* The form hovers closer for a moment, and extends a bristling tendril as it reaches past you. Reality splits open, and you find yourself deposited on the ground.

Then, for the remainder, everyone saw the same:

* The Negotiants begins to glow brightly, concentrated points of light coalescing around their form. Spinning rapidly, they fling glowing fragments around the area!
* The Negotiants jitter a moment, and appear to position themselves as if in consideration of Rafano. They go statue still for a long moment, then unfurl into a bizarre symmetry, and continue hovering in place.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

There is much to unpack here, and we can only begin to guess at the meaning of some of the images. Some notable observations:

* No further mention of the Stanchion, which Rafano had been so focussed on after the results of the Stylus experiment. Perhaps his assumption that this term held some special significance was in fact incorrect.
* "a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream" - likely referencing a series of previous Moon Mage visions from 2019, and yet interesting in that the child in those visions was generally shown as happy, where this one has begun to scream. The child has also been assumed to represent Traders (being young in the ways of Lunar magic).
* A fleeting reference to the words Turmar, Hostage, and Collateral in short sequence. Potentially fascinating, yet also mysterious, given the Negotiants' strange manner of speech. Could part of the Contract between the Arbiter and Traders include a member of House Turmar being held as hostage, for collateral? See also Rafano's Intervention Theory below, which may be related to this.

==A Survey of Trader Views on Magic==

===Background & Observations===

Rafano traveled to each of the Guildhalls, in order to survey each of the Leaders regarding their views on magic.

His key observation was that, while almost all of the Leaders through their comments displayed negative sentiment (or, at best, neutrality) towards the new Lunar magic, the two exceptions to this rule seemed to be Leaders Imaar and Seranda, from Ratha and Aesry, respectively. They are the only two who appear to be in favor of the magic granted by the Contract.

Rafano believes their disagreement with the rest of the Leaders on the mainland has something to do with the historical rift between the mainland trading families and the Reshalian trading families, which can be detailed in a [[Traders Guild History (book)|book on Trader Guild history]] by Willowbrook. Whatever the reason, he is appreciative that there is at least ''some'' support for magic in the upper ranks of the Guild, and intends to seek the guidance of these two Leaders more often.

===Results===

; [[Crossing|The Crossing]]
:{{tt|ask ans about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Ansprahv repeats, cocking his eyebrow at you. "Yes, I suppose you'd want to learn about our latest assets. Go downstairs to the guild vault and see what you can make of the... Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask ans about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Ansprahv says, "Ah, the machine. It's best that you go downstairs to the guild vault and study it yourself, Rafano."
; [[Riverhaven]]
:{{tt|ask willow about magic}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook looks blankly at you for a long moment before shaking her head. "Magic never was something to rely upon in our line of work. However, if you are interested in pursuing it as more and more Traders have been, go to the Crossing guildhall and seek out what they call the Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask willow about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook says, "That is a... clever machine they have over in the Crossing guildhall. I can't begin to describe it."
; [[Muspar'i]]
:{{tt|ask kwor about magic}}
:Kworlin glares at you and exclaims, "Magic! Filthy stuff! Never trusted all that finger waggling that some folks do, and never will!"
:{{tt|ask kwor about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Kworlin splutters something rude.
; [[Shard]]
:{{tt|ask cial about magic}}
:Guildleader Cialen gives you a narrow look as he says, "Magic? Unless you mean the type of magic wherein a Trader works out a perfect deal in order to maximize profit while minimizing cost... then you're in the wrong place. Perhaps try Crossing."
:{{tt|ask cial about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Cialen sighs and says, "That's what they call the machine that can teach us spells. It is kept in the Crossing guildhall."
; [[Ratha]]
:{{tt|ask ima about magic}}
:Guildleader Imaar looks at you for a long moment before nodding. "With all the wealth we Traders accumulate, some might think it unnecessary to concern ourselves with magic. Not so. Every opportunity should be contemplated, however out of the ordinary. Visit the Crossing guildhall and decide for yourself."
:{{tt|ask ima about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Imaar frets for several moments. "The magic machine in Crossing. I'm just glad my guildhall is not the one which has to house that thing."
; [[Aesry|Aesry Surlaenis'a]]
:{{tt|ask ser about magic}}
:"Magic!" Guildleader Seranda's voice erupts into the room, sounding exuberant. "A most valuable resource, like platinum raining from the moons and stars, as I like to say. After so long of having to haggle with mages for every instance of needed spellwork, we've finally procured some of that power for ourselves. We have our Zoluren colleagues to thank for it."
:{{tt|ask ser about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Seranda nods. "They are the result of the momentous deal we made with some sort of starlight creature. Time will tell whether it was a good deal. Visit the Crossing guildhall and see for yourself."
; [[Hibarnhvidar|Outer Hibarnhvidar]]
:{{tt|ask rael about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Raelem repeats with a merry laugh. "The magic we perform here are with numbers, supply and demand, coins, market certificates and the like. If that is what you are interested in, then you're in the right place. If not, then you aren't. It's as simple as that."
:{{tt|ask rael about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Raelem gives you a noncommittal smile. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

==The Genesis Theory==

Rafano's Theory of (one of the reasons) why Traders were chosen by the Arbiter to receive Lunar magic, leveraging the [[Speculate command |Specular Luck]] mechanic:

Traders have always had a special relationship with Luck. One with the credentials of a Master Trader may, in fact, even [[Speculate command |manipulate Luck]] in their favor, such that many of their endeavors are suddenly more successful. This was true even before the Contract … and so it begs the question: where did this talent come from? Consider this:

By manipulating Luck, the Trader is implicitly bringing order to randomness. Or, at the very least, manipulating that randomness to their benefit. Perhaps we don’t fully collapse the probability waves of the world to certainty, but we are at least able to give them a gentle nudge here and there.

And doesn’t that sound an awful lot like manipulating the Plane of Probability? That thing that we are now forbidden by the Contract to do?

There is a potentially profound revelation here reader, and I propose it is this: what if we Traders were already accidentally scratching at the surface? What if, even before knowing how to bend starlight into illusions and weapons, we had begun to glimpse that world of enlightened geometry?

Other scholars have put forth that it’s exactly this sort of Probability tampering that has earned Moon Mages the ire of the Arbiter and other Lunar entities, that the reduction of uncertainty is an affront to their entire Plane. And if that is true, then I wonder if the Contract was the offering of something sweet in order to keep us from discovering something even sweeter. A piece being moved off the board.

==The Intervention Theory==

Rafano's Theory of why three Trader spells are named after otherwise-minor historical figures:

Looking at the inventory of Trader spells, it is interesting to note that there are three Noematics spells named after people: Membrach’s Greed, Last Gift of Vithwok IV, and Turmar Illumination.

The last (Turmar) is easy to explain – they brokered the Deal, so they got a spell named after them. But the other two are exceptionally minor characters in historical lore. And they have nothing to do with either Traders or Lunar magic. So why get spells named after them?

Let’s take a look back at their histories:

Membrach was a Dwarven King. The Humans appealed to him to fight with them in the Elven-Human War. He agreed. Soon after the war, Membrach’s reign fell apart. He was no longer recognized as the Dwarven King.

Now Vithwok IV. Again a minor figure in history. He was a boy-emperor, and one of the last of the Empire of the Seven Pointed Star, his reign being ended at a very young age by one of his stewards.

I draw your attention to two unifying patterns here: each of these two were signposts in history for the end of a great age or empire, and each were chosen (we can assume by the Arbiter?) to have a spell named after them.

And so my conclusion is this: what if these names are hidden landmarks of the Arbiter’s intervention and interference in mortal history through time? It made a deal with Membrach. The deal of course goes bad (as all Arbiter deals are wont to do), ending his reign. It made another deal with Vithwok IV, which of course goes bad again, ending his reign as well. Now it has made a deal with House Turmar … if the pattern holds … well reader, you get the idea.

'''UPDATE:''' This is admittedly jumping to conclusions a little bit, but it is very interesting to compare this theory, which was developed some time ago, to the recent events of the Stellar Collector Experiment, where it is possible that the Negotiants made vague references to part of the Contract including a hostage of House Turmar being held as collateral for the agreement (see the Stellar Collector Experiment section above). If interpreted correctly, this hostage or collateral could be part of the future downfall of House Turmar that Rafano's Intervention Theory would predict. In any event, it's certainly not a good position for them to be in.

User:RAFANO

2020-03-24T04:32:47Z

RAFANO:

Character page: [[Rafano]]

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Quick Summary===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

This event happened in May 2019.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

==Lunar Experiment: The Stellar Collector==

===Quick Summary===

The Stellar Collector, a spell granted to the Trader’s Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, is a mysterious thing. Between the versatile Iridius crystal it is made of, and the fact that it works with the tesserae, a known communication device, there are those who posit that the full potential of the apparatus has not yet been realized. Encouraged by recent Moon Mage visions that appear to refer more and more to Traders and their new brand of Lunar Magic, a group of Lunar Researchers plans to use the Collector to reach out to the stars for guidance.

This event is scheduled for March 2020.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment comes from the very description of the Stellar Collector itself. When a Trader discerns this spell, they learn the following:

* Of all the Fabrication substances invented, Iridius crystal is '''perhaps the most versatile'''. It '''takes well to many shapes and purposes''', including the collection and storage of starlight energy. The Stellar Collector apparatus is a highly useful application of this crystal, but it '''requires some sort of psychic transducer to sieve essence from light'''.
* The crystal’s namesake, Iridius the Guide, was a priest-turned-demonologist of some infamy during the glory days of Throne City. What makes him interesting to Traders is his ahead-of-his-time research into a fanciful yellow-green crystal '''to which he attributed numerous uses'''. There are no records of him successfully creating such a thing – he wasn’t even a Lunar magician. Still, his descriptions bore striking resemblance to what is possible today. Any further information on Iridius himself that might have survived is kept under lock and key by the overlords of Throne City’s carcass.

But the motivation lies not only here. In other words, it is not only that I believe we have a tool to accomplish this, but I also believe that we have a distinct purpose. I refer here to recent and numerous Moon Mage visions. Although notoriously difficult to interpret, it is my belief that several recent visions make reference to Traders and our newfound Lunar Magic, and encourage us toward further research.

For example, one vision can be described thusly:

* You see a parent sitting with their child, speaking before a warmly glowing hearth fire, the rest of the room obscured in shadow. The child is looking up at the parent, who speaks softly, gently, their voice blending with the cracking flames and howling of the form against window shutters. '''“Your questions are profound, but only accidentally so. You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here,” the parent says, squeezing the child in a hug.'''
* The storm continues, and the walls groan with the effort of remaining upright. The parent begins to hum a comforting tune, and the child seems oblivious to the maelstrom outside. As the storm intensifies, so too does the parent’s song, winding along octaves, strangely resonant and haunting. The heart glows brighter, and suddenly, the parent stops, looks up at you and says sharply, “'''You do not have permission'''.”
* The door flies open, an icy wind howls around you, and the vision fades.

Worth noting is that I, and some others, believe the phrasing of this vision to indicate a certain degree of “approval” of a previous experiment around the Arbiter’s Stylus: “You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here.”

There have continued to be other Moon Mage visions as well that seem to reference Traders and Trader-related topics, which to me implies that the Stellar Collector Experiment we are planning to conduct is quite timely and relevant to current events (or events soon to come):

* An endless stairway stretches before you, '''composed of cold radiant starlight''' that slightly shimmers. '''Stretching up to the sky and vanishing into a single point in the far distance''', shifting cosmos and stellar phenomena can be seen between the gaps between the steps. You begin to climb, your eyes transfixed upon the pulsating nebulae and spinning galaxies spanning in front of you, punctuated by '''the diamond-hard starlight stairs'''. With each step you take, eons pass, as stars burn their last and erupt into sparkling nova, or ignite in the swirling gases of stellar clouds. Strange structures spin twin spears of radiance in opposite directions, and yawning voices bend light and tear space.
* Suddenly, grasping shadows snap from between the steps, and wrap around your ankles, rooting you in place. You stagger, catching yourself as '''the shadows tighten and begin to pull you through the gap''', and the vision fades.

This vision is much more recent. There are multiple specific references to starlight here – starlight composes the stairs, and Trader magic is based on starlight. I believe that the stairs rising up and up indicate that Traders will be allowed to ascend, whereas hands grab the viewer and tear them down because that viewer is a Moon Mage, a Child of Grazhir. And is therefore not permitted to ascend to enlightenment. As I will discuss in a moment, I believe that the staircase being made of starlight is a symbolic reference to the Stellar Collector – that it is a device capable of not only receiving, but also transmitting starlight energy, and is therefore a sort of pathway. Indeed, some of us may have heard the story of the Stellar Collector, which hints at the very same concept. Although that story has never been able to be confirmed as real:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

There is one more vision, and here I have been saving the best for last. This vision in particular is what has stoked my imagination, and my spirit, and makes me believe that this experiment will be successful at least in obtaining a message from the stars.

The vision looks like this:

* You see yourself fiddling with a large contraption, turning knobs, twisting dials, and pulling levers as you make fine adjustments to a series of nested '''crystalline rings and prongs''', sweeping the alignment of complex machinery towards the skies. '''Placing one hand on a raised column''', you hear the stars burning and planets soaring in their orbits. As you '''focus the apparatus''' on a distant reach of empty space, you begin to hear a whispering beneath the crackle and hiss of the cosmos, a voice that defies your efforts to locate and identify.
* With a series of deft adjustments, the background noise falls away, and you hear…
* ''' “-SSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAV-", shouted in a deeply resonant basso profundo.'''
* With a start, you see yourself slap at the controls of the machine, and the voice cuts short. The vision fades.

As I have mentioned, this vision is the most interesting of them all, and serves as the primary motivation for the experiment I am proposing. First, the phrase “You do not have permission” that is repeated over and over has been used before – specifically in the vision of the woman and child that was referenced earlier in this proposal. Just as that prior vision was believed to relate to the relationship between Traders, Moon Mages, and Lunar Entities, so too is this new one.

Secondly, the viewer is believed to be told that they “do not have permission” because the viewer here, the one using the contraption, is a Moon Mage. And so I ask the question: what if a Trader was making the observation? Instead of a message of rejection and denial, would they be able to discern something more insightful from this supposed broadcast from the stars? I believe that the answer is yes.

Finally, I firmly believe that the language of the vision contains clear references to a Stellar Collector being the medium through which these broadcasts are received. The phrase “crystalline” is used, and the Collector is indeed made of crystal. But even more convincing is the use of the word “apparatus”, which is the exact noun used when a Trader produces a Collector from starlight. I also believe this evidence to align well with my previously discussed theory of the Stellar Collector as a bi-directional medium, which again was documented in the story “The Stellar Collector”

One final comment on that last vision: very specific language is given that the contraption does not start to operate until the viewer’s hand is placed on a raised column. Although it requires some liberal wordplay, one can consider that another word for raised column might be pillar, and another word for a pillar might be a Stanchion . . . here, I am making reference to the mention of a Stanchion at the Arbiter’s Stylus Experiment held some time ago (see above).

* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, “…HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED '''THIS STANCHION REMAINS'''…” before meandering into whispers

That message has always remained a mystery to me. Instead of answering questions, my Stylus Experiment produced more of them. What is the Stanchion? A concept? An idea? Or is it a person? Is it a Trader, one who is dedicated to upholding the Contract, in the same way that a Stanchion provides support to something? Hopefully, soon, at the conclusion of this Stellar Collector Experiment, we will have more answers, for as I said I believe that the Stellar Collector will help us discern a message from the stars meant only for us.

And I’ll close with one final note. Many of us know the story of Dehvra. I genuinely believe my work, and this Experiment in particular, to be within the limitations of the Contract, given that I am not touching the Plane of Probability in any way. Though this plan may seem similar to her work, I do not follow in her footsteps. As a Trader I hold contracts in the highest order, almost sacred. And she knowingly broke hers, threatening the rest of us in the process. She is, as far as I’m concerned, a Breacher of Contracts, and got what she deserved. I will not be making the same mistake.

===Execution===

The Experiment was conducted as planned (March 22, 2020). A special thanks to those other Traders who were in attendance: Sortny, Evivere, and Lasaia.

Thanks also to the other adventurers in attendance (I apologize if I missed anyone): Hanryu, Koreberg, Aaoskar, Lasaia, Tiakim, Ruea, Skaen, Miralynn, Fariden, Sortny, Melindrha, Garia, Perune, Evivere, Miskton, Lenaea, Mistanna, Dantia, Neryndil and Aislynn.

The Traders assembled took the following actions:
* Cast Stellar Collector to the maximum extent they were able
* Cast Noumena in order to maximize the flow of starlight energy
* Finally, they invoked their tessera, charging them with Starlight Aura

No message was discerned from the stars, as Rafano had originally hypothesized, however the Negotiants once again presented themselves to those assembled, and an incredible series of events unfolded:

* With a shimmer, a single point of crystal unfolds from nothingness, the Negotiants extending swirls and razor edges as they begin to cast their attention over the area.
* {{tt| gaze negoti}}
:You suddenly forget what you were doing.
* {{tt| look negoti}}
:The Negotiants are an arcane mosaic of crystalline tesserae which spiral ceaselessly in precise telekinetic trajectories, conforming to some kind of abstract symmetry. Surrounding the crystals is a clockwork of nothing more than spun glass and refracted light. Thinly tangled loops and thorns and recurved spires whir along without any immediately obvious purpose.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstractions and expanding polynomials. The Negotiants appear to pause, the polytope spiraling and rearranging before the assembled gathering of tesserae in the area.
* The Negotiants spiral about, expanding as a helix that collapses back upon itself, and you notice from the corner of your eye the visible tesserae in the area begin to glow and vibrate.
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. Some nearby tesserae appear to jitter, and the polytope suddenly expands wildly, parametrizing an undefined manifold. You blink a moment, uncertain of how you were able to characterize the derivative of the shifting space the Negotiants are nested within.
* Rafano, Lasaia and Evivere shout in surprise as they lose control of their tesserae, which suddenly fly through the air and slam into the Negotiants! Shifting in a precise dance of overlay along axes you cannot comprehend, the tesserae glow brightly and begin to be absorbed into the Negotiants' mass. The Negotiants swell slightly, streams of radiant blue and silvery-white coursing beneath their multi-faceted surfaces. With the sound of shattering glass, they begin to perform a series of incomprehensible involutions and expansions.
* Your tessera shifts violently and flings itself towards the Negotiants!
* Studded with tesserae, the Negotiants morph into a complex twisted ribbon, seemingly folded upon itself. Brilliant lines pulse between the tesserae, which distribute themselves equidistantly along the single surface, interconnected in a rearranging mesh topology.
* The tesserae blink in a bizarre pattern, flowing along the length of the ribbon-form Negotiants. The pattern courses faster and faster, until the ribbon is a brightly illuminated band of twisted glass, flaring with blue and silvery-white streaks! Suddenly, the lights extinguish, and the Negotiants collapse into an opaque sphere!

At this point, the Negotiants seemed to grab Rafano, and views diverged. Everyone else in the room saw the following:

* You can see the form of Rafano within the column writhing about as he moves slowly, as if underwater.
* Rafano slowly slams his fist against the inside of the column, leaving a bristling handprint in the crystalline structure that slowly fades.
* Bracing both palms against the inside of the column, you see Rafano's eyes go wide with surprise, and his embedded Avtalia Array flares with brilliance.
* Within the column, the form of Rafano goes calm, gazing about in wonder.
* The column surrounding Rafano ripples and opens, depositing his unconscious form to the ground.

Rafano, on the other hand, saw the following from inside the space into which the Negotiants put him:

* With a shudder, the Negotiants bristle and erupt with crystalline pseudopods, and arcing wildly, they slam into you, encasing you entirely! Long moments pass, and you feel your mind peeled like a melon, your memories and motives laid bare before the scalpel of the Negotiants' coursing will. A series of images flit across your mind to rapidly to catalogue -- a star freezing into a perfect crystal orb, a square becoming a cube becoming a tesseract becoming something your mind struggles to interpret, a river covered in blossoms, a torus collapsing into a trefoil knot, a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream -- and suddenly, silence.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REACH-SPEAK-DISSECT ATTEMPTS CONTINUE ESCALATION-CLARIFICATION..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...INSTRUMENT NOT PLIABLE-COMPREHENSIVE-PRIME PROTOCOLS ECHOING-REBOUNDING-STATIC..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REEVALUATING PARAMETERS TEMPLATE TURMAR HOSTAGE-COLLATERAL-SUBJECT PARADIGM RETUNE TO AVTALIA ARRAY..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* A series of complicated formulae float before you, and everything stops. The equations shift and combine, factor and expand, and explode into motes of blue light, softly fading as they scatter. You are surrounded by silence.
* A form composed of multifaceted geometric forms composed of blue light hovers before you, infinitely overlaid upon itself and also singular. A voice made of glass and pure order echoes in your mind. "You seek, but there is nothing further to discuss at this time. The terms are clear, and the boundaries defined. Additional arrangements will come -- we enforce the dilution/spreading/spline, and the contract has been effective, the terms upheld. We may have the authority/independence/functionality to approve of additional deals, but not at this time." The form begins to recede.
* The blackness surrounding you slowly fades away as you regain consciousness.
* The form hovers closer for a moment, and extends a bristling tendril as it reaches past you. Reality splits open, and you find yourself deposited on the ground.

Then, for the remainder, everyone saw the same:

* The Negotiants begins to glow brightly, concentrated points of light coalescing around their form. Spinning rapidly, they fling glowing fragments around the area!
* The Negotiants jitter a moment, and appear to position themselves as if in consideration of Rafano. They go statue still for a long moment, then unfurl into a bizarre symmetry, and continue hovering in place.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

There is much to unpack here, and we can only begin to guess at the meaning of some of the images. Some notable observations:

* No further mention of the Stanchion, which Rafano had been so focussed on after the results of the Stylus experiment. Perhaps his assumption that this term held some special significance was in fact incorrect.
* "a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream" - likely referencing a series of previous Moon Mage visions from 2019, and yet interesting in that the child in those visions was generally shown as happy, where this one has begun to scream. The child has also been assumed to represent Traders (being young in the ways of Lunar magic).
* A fleeting reference to the words Turmar, Hostage, and Collateral in short sequence. Potentially fascinating, yet also mysterious, given the Negotiants' strange manner of speech. Could part of the Contract between the Arbiter and Traders include a member of House Turmar being held as hostage, for collateral? See also Rafano's Intervention Theory below, which may be related to this.

==A Survey of Trader Views on Magic==

===Background & Observations===

Rafano traveled to each of the Guildhalls, in order to survey each of the Leaders regarding their views on magic.

His key observation was that, while almost all of the Leaders through their comments displayed negative sentiment (or, at best, neutrality) towards the new Lunar magic, the two exceptions to this rule seemed to be Leaders Imaar and Seranda, from Ratha and Aesry, respectively. They are the only two who appear to be in favor of the magic granted by the Contract.

Rafano believes their disagreement with the rest of the Leaders on the mainland has something to do with the historical rift between the mainland trading families and the Reshalian trading families, which can be detailed in a [[Traders Guild History (book)|book on Trader Guild history]] by Willowbrook. Whatever the reason, he is appreciative that there is at least ''some'' support for magic in the upper ranks of the Guild, and intends to seek the guidance of these two Leaders more often.

===Results===

; [[Crossing|The Crossing]]
:{{tt|ask ans about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Ansprahv repeats, cocking his eyebrow at you. "Yes, I suppose you'd want to learn about our latest assets. Go downstairs to the guild vault and see what you can make of the... Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask ans about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Ansprahv says, "Ah, the machine. It's best that you go downstairs to the guild vault and study it yourself, Rafano."
; [[Riverhaven]]
:{{tt|ask willow about magic}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook looks blankly at you for a long moment before shaking her head. "Magic never was something to rely upon in our line of work. However, if you are interested in pursuing it as more and more Traders have been, go to the Crossing guildhall and seek out what they call the Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask willow about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook says, "That is a... clever machine they have over in the Crossing guildhall. I can't begin to describe it."
; [[Muspar'i]]
:{{tt|ask kwor about magic}}
:Kworlin glares at you and exclaims, "Magic! Filthy stuff! Never trusted all that finger waggling that some folks do, and never will!"
:{{tt|ask kwor about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Kworlin splutters something rude.
; [[Shard]]
:{{tt|ask cial about magic}}
:Guildleader Cialen gives you a narrow look as he says, "Magic? Unless you mean the type of magic wherein a Trader works out a perfect deal in order to maximize profit while minimizing cost... then you're in the wrong place. Perhaps try Crossing."
:{{tt|ask cial about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Cialen sighs and says, "That's what they call the machine that can teach us spells. It is kept in the Crossing guildhall."
; [[Ratha]]
:{{tt|ask ima about magic}}
:Guildleader Imaar looks at you for a long moment before nodding. "With all the wealth we Traders accumulate, some might think it unnecessary to concern ourselves with magic. Not so. Every opportunity should be contemplated, however out of the ordinary. Visit the Crossing guildhall and decide for yourself."
:{{tt|ask ima about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Imaar frets for several moments. "The magic machine in Crossing. I'm just glad my guildhall is not the one which has to house that thing."
; [[Aesry|Aesry Surlaenis'a]]
:{{tt|ask ser about magic}}
:"Magic!" Guildleader Seranda's voice erupts into the room, sounding exuberant. "A most valuable resource, like platinum raining from the moons and stars, as I like to say. After so long of having to haggle with mages for every instance of needed spellwork, we've finally procured some of that power for ourselves. We have our Zoluren colleagues to thank for it."
:{{tt|ask ser about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Seranda nods. "They are the result of the momentous deal we made with some sort of starlight creature. Time will tell whether it was a good deal. Visit the Crossing guildhall and see for yourself."
; [[Hibarnhvidar|Outer Hibarnhvidar]]
:{{tt|ask rael about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Raelem repeats with a merry laugh. "The magic we perform here are with numbers, supply and demand, coins, market certificates and the like. If that is what you are interested in, then you're in the right place. If not, then you aren't. It's as simple as that."
:{{tt|ask rael about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Raelem gives you a noncommittal smile. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

==The Genesis Theory==

Rafano's Theory of (one of the reasons) why Traders were chosen by the Arbiter to receive Lunar magic, leveraging the [[Speculate command |Specular Luck]] mechanic:

Traders have always had a special relationship with Luck. One with the credentials of a Master Trader may, in fact, even [[Speculate command |manipulate Luck]] in their favor, such that many of their endeavors are suddenly more successful. This was true even before the Contract … and so it begs the question: where did this talent come from? Consider this:

By manipulating Luck, the Trader is implicitly bringing order to randomness. Or, at the very least, manipulating that randomness to their benefit. Perhaps we don’t fully collapse the probability waves of the world to certainty, but we are at least able to give them a gentle nudge here and there.

And doesn’t that sound an awful lot like manipulating the Plane of Probability? That thing that we are now forbidden by the Contract to do?

There is a potentially profound revelation here reader, and I propose it is this: what if we Traders were already accidentally scratching at the surface? What if, even before knowing how to bend starlight into illusions and weapons, we had begun to glimpse that world of enlightened geometry?

Other scholars have put forth that it’s exactly this sort of Probability tampering that has earned Moon Mages the ire of the Arbiter and other Lunar entities, that the reduction of uncertainty is an affront to their entire Plane. And if that is true, then I wonder if the Contract was the offering of something sweet in order to keep us from discovering something even sweeter. A piece being moved off the board.

==The Intervention Theory==

Rafano's Theory of why three Trader spells are named after otherwise-minor historical figures:

Looking at the inventory of Trader spells, it is interesting to note that there are three Noematics spells named after people: Membrach’s Greed, Last Gift of Vithwok IV, and Turmar Illumination.

The last (Turmar) is easy to explain – they brokered the Deal, so they got a spell named after them. But the other two are exceptionally minor characters in historical lore. And they have nothing to do with either Traders or Lunar magic. So why get spells named after them?

Let’s take a look back at their histories:

Membrach was a Dwarven King. The Humans appealed to him to fight with them in the Elven-Human War. He agreed. Soon after the war, Membrach’s reign fell apart. He was no longer recognized as the Dwarven King.

Now Vithwok IV. Again a minor figure in history. He was a boy-emperor, and one of the last of the Empire of the Seven Pointed Star, his reign being ended at a very young age by one of his stewards.

I draw your attention to two unifying patterns here: each of these two were signposts in history for the end of a great age or empire, and each were chosen (we can assume by the Arbiter?) to have a spell named after them.

And so my conclusion is this: what if these names are hidden landmarks of the Arbiter’s intervention and interference in mortal history through time? It made a deal with Membrach. The deal of course goes bad (as all Arbiter deals are wont to do), ending his reign. It made another deal with Vithwok IV, which of course goes bad again, ending his reign as well. Now it has made a deal with House Turmar … if the pattern holds … well reader, you get the idea.

'''UPDATE:''' This is admittedly jumping to conclusions a little bit, but it is very interesting to compare this theory, which was developed some time ago, to the recent events of the Stellar Collector Experiment, where it is possible that the Negotiants made vague references to part of the Contract including a hostage of House Turmar being held as collateral for the agreement (see the Stellar Collector Experiment section above). If interpreted correctly, this hostage or collateral could be part of the future downfall of House Turmar that Rafano's Intervention Theory would predict. In any event, it's certainly not a good position for them to be in.

User:RAFANO

2020-03-24T04:12:26Z

RAFANO:

Character page: [[Rafano]]

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Quick Summary===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

This event happened in May 2019.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

==Lunar Experiment: The Stellar Collector==

===Quick Summary===

The Stellar Collector, a spell granted to the Trader’s Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, is a mysterious thing. Between the versatile Iridius crystal it is made of, and the fact that it works with the tesserae, a known communication device, there are those who posit that the full potential of the apparatus has not yet been realized. Encouraged by recent Moon Mage visions that appear to refer more and more to Traders and their new brand of Lunar Magic, a group of Lunar Researchers plans to use the Collector to reach out to the stars for guidance.

This event is scheduled for March 2020.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment comes from the very description of the Stellar Collector itself. When a Trader discerns this spell, they learn the following:

* Of all the Fabrication substances invented, Iridius crystal is '''perhaps the most versatile'''. It '''takes well to many shapes and purposes''', including the collection and storage of starlight energy. The Stellar Collector apparatus is a highly useful application of this crystal, but it '''requires some sort of psychic transducer to sieve essence from light'''.
* The crystal’s namesake, Iridius the Guide, was a priest-turned-demonologist of some infamy during the glory days of Throne City. What makes him interesting to Traders is his ahead-of-his-time research into a fanciful yellow-green crystal '''to which he attributed numerous uses'''. There are no records of him successfully creating such a thing – he wasn’t even a Lunar magician. Still, his descriptions bore striking resemblance to what is possible today. Any further information on Iridius himself that might have survived is kept under lock and key by the overlords of Throne City’s carcass.

But the motivation lies not only here. In other words, it is not only that I believe we have a tool to accomplish this, but I also believe that we have a distinct purpose. I refer here to recent and numerous Moon Mage visions. Although notoriously difficult to interpret, it is my belief that several recent visions make reference to Traders and our newfound Lunar Magic, and encourage us toward further research.

For example, one vision can be described thusly:

* You see a parent sitting with their child, speaking before a warmly glowing hearth fire, the rest of the room obscured in shadow. The child is looking up at the parent, who speaks softly, gently, their voice blending with the cracking flames and howling of the form against window shutters. '''“Your questions are profound, but only accidentally so. You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here,” the parent says, squeezing the child in a hug.'''
* The storm continues, and the walls groan with the effort of remaining upright. The parent begins to hum a comforting tune, and the child seems oblivious to the maelstrom outside. As the storm intensifies, so too does the parent’s song, winding along octaves, strangely resonant and haunting. The heart glows brighter, and suddenly, the parent stops, looks up at you and says sharply, “'''You do not have permission'''.”
* The door flies open, an icy wind howls around you, and the vision fades.

Worth noting is that I, and some others, believe the phrasing of this vision to indicate a certain degree of “approval” of a previous experiment around the Arbiter’s Stylus: “You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here.”

There have continued to be other Moon Mage visions as well that seem to reference Traders and Trader-related topics, which to me implies that the Stellar Collector Experiment we are planning to conduct is quite timely and relevant to current events (or events soon to come):

* An endless stairway stretches before you, '''composed of cold radiant starlight''' that slightly shimmers. '''Stretching up to the sky and vanishing into a single point in the far distance''', shifting cosmos and stellar phenomena can be seen between the gaps between the steps. You begin to climb, your eyes transfixed upon the pulsating nebulae and spinning galaxies spanning in front of you, punctuated by '''the diamond-hard starlight stairs'''. With each step you take, eons pass, as stars burn their last and erupt into sparkling nova, or ignite in the swirling gases of stellar clouds. Strange structures spin twin spears of radiance in opposite directions, and yawning voices bend light and tear space.
* Suddenly, grasping shadows snap from between the steps, and wrap around your ankles, rooting you in place. You stagger, catching yourself as '''the shadows tighten and begin to pull you through the gap''', and the vision fades.

This vision is much more recent. There are multiple specific references to starlight here – starlight composes the stairs, and Trader magic is based on starlight. I believe that the stairs rising up and up indicate that Traders will be allowed to ascend, whereas hands grab the viewer and tear them down because that viewer is a Moon Mage, a Child of Grazhir. And is therefore not permitted to ascend to enlightenment. As I will discuss in a moment, I believe that the staircase being made of starlight is a symbolic reference to the Stellar Collector – that it is a device capable of not only receiving, but also transmitting starlight energy, and is therefore a sort of pathway. Indeed, some of us may have heard the story of the Stellar Collector, which hints at the very same concept. Although that story has never been able to be confirmed as real:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

There is one more vision, and here I have been saving the best for last. This vision in particular is what has stoked my imagination, and my spirit, and makes me believe that this experiment will be successful at least in obtaining a message from the stars.

The vision looks like this:

* You see yourself fiddling with a large contraption, turning knobs, twisting dials, and pulling levers as you make fine adjustments to a series of nested '''crystalline rings and prongs''', sweeping the alignment of complex machinery towards the skies. '''Placing one hand on a raised column''', you hear the stars burning and planets soaring in their orbits. As you '''focus the apparatus''' on a distant reach of empty space, you begin to hear a whispering beneath the crackle and hiss of the cosmos, a voice that defies your efforts to locate and identify.
* With a series of deft adjustments, the background noise falls away, and you hear…
* ''' “-SSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAV-", shouted in a deeply resonant basso profundo.'''
* With a start, you see yourself slap at the controls of the machine, and the voice cuts short. The vision fades.

As I have mentioned, this vision is the most interesting of them all, and serves as the primary motivation for the experiment I am proposing. First, the phrase “You do not have permission” that is repeated over and over has been used before – specifically in the vision of the woman and child that was referenced earlier in this proposal. Just as that prior vision was believed to relate to the relationship between Traders, Moon Mages, and Lunar Entities, so too is this new one.

Secondly, the viewer is believed to be told that they “do not have permission” because the viewer here, the one using the contraption, is a Moon Mage. And so I ask the question: what if a Trader was making the observation? Instead of a message of rejection and denial, would they be able to discern something more insightful from this supposed broadcast from the stars? I believe that the answer is yes.

Finally, I firmly believe that the language of the vision contains clear references to a Stellar Collector being the medium through which these broadcasts are received. The phrase “crystalline” is used, and the Collector is indeed made of crystal. But even more convincing is the use of the word “apparatus”, which is the exact noun used when a Trader produces a Collector from starlight. I also believe this evidence to align well with my previously discussed theory of the Stellar Collector as a bi-directional medium, which again was documented in the story “The Stellar Collector”

One final comment on that last vision: very specific language is given that the contraption does not start to operate until the viewer’s hand is placed on a raised column. Although it requires some liberal wordplay, one can consider that another word for raised column might be pillar, and another word for a pillar might be a Stanchion . . . here, I am making reference to the mention of a Stanchion at the Arbiter’s Stylus Experiment held some time ago (see above).

* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, “…HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED '''THIS STANCHION REMAINS'''…” before meandering into whispers

That message has always remained a mystery to me. Instead of answering questions, my Stylus Experiment produced more of them. What is the Stanchion? A concept? An idea? Or is it a person? Is it a Trader, one who is dedicated to upholding the Contract, in the same way that a Stanchion provides support to something? Hopefully, soon, at the conclusion of this Stellar Collector Experiment, we will have more answers, for as I said I believe that the Stellar Collector will help us discern a message from the stars meant only for us.

And I’ll close with one final note. Many of us know the story of Dehvra. I genuinely believe my work, and this Experiment in particular, to be within the limitations of the Contract, given that I am not touching the Plane of Probability in any way. Though this plan may seem similar to her work, I do not follow in her footsteps. As a Trader I hold contracts in the highest order, almost sacred. And she knowingly broke hers, threatening the rest of us in the process. She is, as far as I’m concerned, a Breacher of Contracts, and got what she deserved. I will not be making the same mistake.

===Execution===

The Experiment was conducted as planned (March 22, 2020). A special thanks to those other Traders who were in attendance: Sortny, Evivere, and Lasaia.

Thanks also to the other adventurers in attendance (I apologize if I missed anyone): Hanryu, Koreberg, Aaoskar, Lasaia, Tiakim, Ruea, Skaen, Miralynn, Fariden, Sortny, Melindrha, Garia, Perune, Evivere, Miskton, Lenaea, Mistanna, Dantia, Neryndil and Aislynn.

The Traders assembled took the following actions:
* Cast Stellar Collector to the maximum extent they were able
* Cast Noumena in order to maximize the flow of starlight energy
* Finally, they invoked their tessera, charging them with Starlight Aura

No message was discerned from the stars, as Rafano had originally hypothesized, however the Negotiants once again presented themselves to those assembled, and an incredible series of events unfolded:

* With a shimmer, a single point of crystal unfolds from nothingness, the Negotiants extending swirls and razor edges as they begin to cast their attention over the area.
* {{tt| gaze negoti}}
:You suddenly forget what you were doing.
* {{tt| look negoti}}
:The Negotiants are an arcane mosaic of crystalline tesserae which spiral ceaselessly in precise telekinetic trajectories, conforming to some kind of abstract symmetry. Surrounding the crystals is a clockwork of nothing more than spun glass and refracted light. Thinly tangled loops and thorns and recurved spires whir along without any immediately obvious purpose.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstractions and expanding polynomials. The Negotiants appear to pause, the polytope spiraling and rearranging before the assembled gathering of tesserae in the area.
* The Negotiants spiral about, expanding as a helix that collapses back upon itself, and you notice from the corner of your eye the visible tesserae in the area begin to glow and vibrate.
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. Some nearby tesserae appear to jitter, and the polytope suddenly expands wildly, parametrizing an undefined manifold. You blink a moment, uncertain of how you were able to characterize the derivative of the shifting space the Negotiants are nested within.
* Rafano, Lasaia and Evivere shout in surprise as they lose control of their tesserae, which suddenly fly through the air and slam into the Negotiants! Shifting in a precise dance of overlay along axes you cannot comprehend, the tesserae glow brightly and begin to be absorbed into the Negotiants' mass. The Negotiants swell slightly, streams of radiant blue and silvery-white coursing beneath their multi-faceted surfaces. With the sound of shattering glass, they begin to perform a series of incomprehensible involutions and expansions.
* Your tessera shifts violently and flings itself towards the Negotiants!
* Studded with tesserae, the Negotiants morph into a complex twisted ribbon, seemingly folded upon itself. Brilliant lines pulse between the tesserae, which distribute themselves equidistantly along the single surface, interconnected in a rearranging mesh topology.
* The tesserae blink in a bizarre pattern, flowing along the length of the ribbon-form Negotiants. The pattern courses faster and faster, until the ribbon is a brightly illuminated band of twisted glass, flaring with blue and silvery-white streaks! Suddenly, the lights extinguish, and the Negotiants collapse into an opaque sphere!

At this point, the Negotiants seemed to grab Rafano, and views diverged. Everyone else in the room saw the following:

* You can see the form of Rafano within the column writhing about as he moves slowly, as if underwater.
* Rafano slowly slams his fist against the inside of the column, leaving a bristling handprint in the crystalline structure that slowly fades.
* Bracing both palms against the inside of the column, you see Rafano's eyes go wide with surprise, and his embedded Avtalia Array flares with brilliance.
* Within the column, the form of Rafano goes calm, gazing about in wonder.
* The column surrounding Rafano ripples and opens, depositing his unconscious form to the ground.

Rafano, on the other hand, saw the following from inside the space into which the Negotiants put him:

* With a shudder, the Negotiants bristle and erupt with crystalline pseudopods, and arcing wildly, they slam into you, encasing you entirely! Long moments pass, and you feel your mind peeled like a melon, your memories and motives laid bare before the scalpel of the Negotiants' coursing will. A series of images flit across your mind to rapidly to catalogue -- a star freezing into a perfect crystal orb, a square becoming a cube becoming a tesseract becoming something your mind struggles to interpret, a river covered in blossoms, a torus collapsing into a trefoil knot, a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream -- and suddenly, silence.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REACH-SPEAK-DISSECT ATTEMPTS CONTINUE ESCALATION-CLARIFICATION..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...INSTRUMENT NOT PLIABLE-COMPREHENSIVE-PRIME PROTOCOLS ECHOING-REBOUNDING-STATIC..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* Your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants' chatter, "...REEVALUATING PARAMETERS TEMPLATE TURMAR HOSTAGE-COLLATERAL-SUBJECT PARADIGM RETUNE TO AVTALIA ARRAY..." before you are unable to continue focusing and find the cacophony losing coherence and fading into whispers.
* A series of complicated formulae float before you, and everything stops. The equations shift and combine, factor and expand, and explode into motes of blue light, softly fading as they scatter. You are surrounded by silence.
* A form composed of multifaceted geometric forms composed of blue light hovers before you, infinitely overlaid upon itself and also singular. A voice made of glass and pure order echoes in your mind. "You seek, but there is nothing further to discuss at this time. The terms are clear, and the boundaries defined. Additional arrangements will come -- we enforce the dilution/spreading/spline, and the contract has been effective, the terms upheld. We may have the authority/independence/functionality to approve of additional deals, but not at this time." The form begins to recede.
* The blackness surrounding you slowly fades away as you regain consciousness.
* The form hovers closer for a moment, and extends a bristling tendril as it reaches past you. Reality splits open, and you find yourself deposited on the ground.

Then, for the remainder, everyone saw the same:

* The Negotiants begins to glow brightly, concentrated points of light coalescing around their form. Spinning rapidly, they fling glowing fragments around the area!
* The Negotiants jitter a moment, and appear to position themselves as if in consideration of Rafano. They go statue still for a long moment, then unfurl into a bizarre symmetry, and continue hovering in place.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

There is much to unpack here, and we can only begin to guess at the meaning of some of the images. Some notable observations:

* No further mention of the Stanchion, which Rafano had been so focussed on after the results of the Stylus experiment. Perhaps his assumption that this term held some special significance was in fact incorrect.
* "a child standing before a chalkboard and beginning to scream" - likely referencing a series of previous Moon Mage visions from 2019, and yet interesting in that the child in those visions was generally shown as happy, where this one has begun to scream. The child has also been assumed to represent Traders (being young in the ways of Lunar magic).
* A fleeting reference to the words Turmar, Hostage, and Collateral in short sequence. Potentially fascinating, yet also mysterious, given the Negotiants' strange manner of speech. Could part of the Contract between the Arbiter and Traders include a member of House Turmar being held as hostage, for collateral?

==A Survey of Trader Views on Magic==

===Background & Observations===

Rafano traveled to each of the Guildhalls, in order to survey each of the Leaders regarding their views on magic.

His key observation was that, while almost all of the Leaders through their comments displayed negative sentiment (or, at best, neutrality) towards the new Lunar magic, the two exceptions to this rule seemed to be Leaders Imaar and Seranda, from Ratha and Aesry, respectively. They are the only two who appear to be in favor of the magic granted by the Contract.

Rafano believes their disagreement with the rest of the Leaders on the mainland has something to do with the historical rift between the mainland trading families and the Reshalian trading families, which can be detailed in a [[Traders Guild History (book)|book on Trader Guild history]] by Willowbrook. Whatever the reason, he is appreciative that there is at least ''some'' support for magic in the upper ranks of the Guild, and intends to seek the guidance of these two Leaders more often.

===Results===

; [[Crossing|The Crossing]]
:{{tt|ask ans about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Ansprahv repeats, cocking his eyebrow at you. "Yes, I suppose you'd want to learn about our latest assets. Go downstairs to the guild vault and see what you can make of the... Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask ans about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Ansprahv says, "Ah, the machine. It's best that you go downstairs to the guild vault and study it yourself, Rafano."
; [[Riverhaven]]
:{{tt|ask willow about magic}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook looks blankly at you for a long moment before shaking her head. "Magic never was something to rely upon in our line of work. However, if you are interested in pursuing it as more and more Traders have been, go to the Crossing guildhall and seek out what they call the Negotiants."
:{{tt|ask willow about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Willowbrook says, "That is a... clever machine they have over in the Crossing guildhall. I can't begin to describe it."
; [[Muspar'i]]
:{{tt|ask kwor about magic}}
:Kworlin glares at you and exclaims, "Magic! Filthy stuff! Never trusted all that finger waggling that some folks do, and never will!"
:{{tt|ask kwor about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Kworlin splutters something rude.
; [[Shard]]
:{{tt|ask cial about magic}}
:Guildleader Cialen gives you a narrow look as he says, "Magic? Unless you mean the type of magic wherein a Trader works out a perfect deal in order to maximize profit while minimizing cost... then you're in the wrong place. Perhaps try Crossing."
:{{tt|ask cial about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Cialen sighs and says, "That's what they call the machine that can teach us spells. It is kept in the Crossing guildhall."
; [[Ratha]]
:{{tt|ask ima about magic}}
:Guildleader Imaar looks at you for a long moment before nodding. "With all the wealth we Traders accumulate, some might think it unnecessary to concern ourselves with magic. Not so. Every opportunity should be contemplated, however out of the ordinary. Visit the Crossing guildhall and decide for yourself."
:{{tt|ask ima about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Imaar frets for several moments. "The magic machine in Crossing. I'm just glad my guildhall is not the one which has to house that thing."
; [[Aesry|Aesry Surlaenis'a]]
:{{tt|ask ser about magic}}
:"Magic!" Guildleader Seranda's voice erupts into the room, sounding exuberant. "A most valuable resource, like platinum raining from the moons and stars, as I like to say. After so long of having to haggle with mages for every instance of needed spellwork, we've finally procured some of that power for ourselves. We have our Zoluren colleagues to thank for it."
:{{tt|ask ser about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Seranda nods. "They are the result of the momentous deal we made with some sort of starlight creature. Time will tell whether it was a good deal. Visit the Crossing guildhall and see for yourself."
; [[Hibarnhvidar|Outer Hibarnhvidar]]
:{{tt|ask rael about magic}}
:"Magic?" Guildleader Raelem repeats with a merry laugh. "The magic we perform here are with numbers, supply and demand, coins, market certificates and the like. If that is what you are interested in, then you're in the right place. If not, then you aren't. It's as simple as that."
:{{tt|ask rael about negotiant}}
:Guildleader Raelem gives you a noncommittal smile. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

Rafano

2020-03-20T13:37:46Z

RAFANO:

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=a
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}

==Appearance==

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.
* '''Attire''': You are wearing a white shirt, a white velvet waistcoat with green embroidery, a white cotton cravat pinned with a bright emerald, an emerald green cloak, some white slim pants, a white silk belt with a simple seed-pearl clasp and some fur-lined white leather boots.

==Background==

* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [[User:RAFANO]]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1208 Optimization]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

Title:Rainmaker

2020-03-20T13:04:45Z

RAFANO: First saw this appear at Trading = 900

User:RAFANO

2020-03-18T12:45:30Z

RAFANO:

Rafano

2020-03-15T20:10:00Z

RAFANO:

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=a
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}

==Appearance==

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.

==Background==

* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [[User:RAFANO]]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1208 Optimization]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

Resumption

2020-03-15T00:04:08Z

RAFANO: Added additional messaging.

{{Spell
|abbrev=resum
|minduration=999
|validtarget=Special
|guild=Trader
|magic=Lunar Magic
|spellbook=Noematics
|prereqs=All other Noematics spells
|slot=1
|pulse=for cyclics
|desc=A true master of Noematics is above forgetfulness and amnesia of any kind -- even that caused by Urrem'tier's hand. Provided that there is at least one noematic pattern to be repurposed at the moment of death, Resumption can capture one's own memories and perfectly preserve them regardless of his body decaying or his spirit dwindling.
|buffs=No buffs
|debuffs=No debuffs
|dtype=No damage
|htype=No heal
|effect=Preserves memories after death
|messaging=Before your demise, you were able to salvage enough of your fading noematic craft for a final pattern of Resumption. Your crystallized memories await your return to life.
|sig=Yes
|diff=-
|source=standard
|type=-
|ctype=metamagic
}}
While laying dead:
* Without a brain to ground its experiences, your soul forgets more and more of itself. Struggling, you nonetheless remember that your true memories remain protected by the Resumption spell.
* What spiritual strength you have left continues to fray at the edges, but your identity remains preserved thanks to your noematic mastery in life.
Gives interesting messaging if both Rejuvenation and Resumption are active:
* Your memories are being protected from loss by both Rejuvenation and Resumption, two very different spells mutually apathetic.
{{RefAl}}

Rafano

2020-03-14T18:19:13Z

RAFANO:

{{PC
|name=Rafano Rekletar
|status=a
|race=Rakash
|gender=Male
|guild=Trader
|instance=Prime
}}

==Appearance==

* '''Room''': Starlight Titan Rafano who is mounted on a tremendous enthralled starcrasher.
* '''Softskin''': You have an oval face, beady crystal green eyes and a classical nose. Your dark brown hair is short and thick, and is worn tousled. You have tanned skin and an athletic build.
* '''Moonskin''': You have a wolfish face, beady crystal green eyes and an elegant muzzle, a silver and white coat with black masking, a curving tail and an athletic build.

==Background==

* Owner of [http://drservice.info/Plaza/default.aspx?ShopID=444 Wooden It Be Nice], a shop in Riverhaven's Trader Plaza
* Since the signing of the Contract with the Arbiter, he has become an avid Lunar researcher. See, for example: [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Catalog_of_Curious_Observations#A_Lunar_Experiment:_The_Arbiter.27s_Stylus The Arbiter's Stylus Experiment]
* He is obsessed with the lore and legends surrounding how the Rakash lost their moonskin. He hopes that this will one day be his mark on the world: that, following in the paw prints of his god [[Mrod]], he gifted his brethren with a return to their natural form
* In his little spare time he enjoys artistic pursuits, including painting and writing
* Also check out some of his research and results here: [[User:RAFANO]].

==Writings==

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Races%20of%20DragonRealms/Rakash%20-%20Rakash%20Pack/view/1484 Beyond Moonskin]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1208 Optimization]
* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

==Paintings==

* '''Much More Than A Discussion of War''':
:: Around the edges of the paper, orcs are drawn in a blurry, abstract style, their bodies represented by nothing more than angry strokes of red paint, armed with thin streaks of black, obscure weaponry. They seem to rush toward the center of the frame, where, in contrast, a band of defenders is drawn in painstaking detail: Klurn, Kammae, Rairken, Sturm, Somniumvisum, Zymi, and others . . . back-to-back in a circle, their arrows, spells and steel lunging outward toward the advancing horde. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Much More Than A Discussion of War; 427 years, 56 days AV.

* '''Tavern Troupe Slumber Party''':
:: The center of the page is consumed by a gigantic silver telescope, with a dark black sky stretched out above it, freckled with points of starlight arranged into familiar heavenly bodies. A great many persons are painted as laying around its base, most of them covered in splashes of blue bedroll. From the edges of the page, sinister shapes creep inward, dark and foreboding, composed of small excerpts of text - the manifestation of dark stories, come to life. Whilst the unknowing slumberers at center laugh and assail each other with weapons of feather and cloth. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: Tavern Troupe Slumber Party; 429 years, 129 days AV.

* '''It Got A Bit Dicey''':
:: The setting is a beach: a crescent-shaped cove that wraps its sandy arms around either edge of the painting's border. The group assembled there is painted close together: Djorde at the lead, the others crowded around him, his open palm outstretched toward the viewer - the dice that come rolling out of it are painted blurry and mid-throw, forever frozen in this moment, their outcome eternally uncertain. Regarding the group assembled, there's a hopefulness in each of their eyes. A hope that their number will appear. A hope that they'll get the prize. A hope that maybe the friendships borne on this beach and around these dice will echo into eternity. A title and date are scribbled at the bottom: It Got A Bit Dicey; 431 years, 16 days AV.

==Milestones==

419 Years, 118 days: Joined the Trader Guild.

419 Years, 216 days: Won First Place in Order of the White Rose Painting competition.

419 Years, 348 days: Achieved full "Guild" status.

419 Years, 349 days: Inducted into the Order of the White Rose (but is no longer a member)

426 Years, 171 days: Achieved "Expert" status in Guild.

426 Years, 225 days: Won horse courtesy of the Lorethew Mentor Society. Named Salna, which is Rakash for "Frost".

427 Years, 221 days: Awarded first maker mark:

:You see the fuzzy initials "R. R." impressed into the surface of the metal.

428 Years, 24 days: Achieved "Master" status in Guild.

429 Years, 96 days: Achieved "Grand Master" status in Guild.

431 Years, 256 days: Custom-built ship, the [https://elanthipedia.play.net/Category:Private_ships#Galleon galleon] "Sunk Cost", was launched.

User:RAFANO

2020-03-14T18:06:56Z

RAFANO:

User:RAFANO

2020-03-13T21:33:12Z

RAFANO:

User:RAFANO

2020-03-13T21:27:45Z

RAFANO:

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Quick Summary===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

This event happened in May 2019.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

==Lunar Experiment: The Stellar Collector==

===Quick Summary===

The Stellar Collector, a spell granted to the Trader’s Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, is a mysterious thing. Between the versatile Iridius crystal it is made of, and the fact that it works with the tesserae, a known communication device, there are those who posit that the full potential of the apparatus has not yet been realized. Encouraged by recent Moon Mage visions that appear to refer more and more to Traders and their new brand of Lunar Magic, a group of Lunar Researchers plans to use the Collector to reach out to the stars for guidance.

This event is scheduled for March 2020.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment comes from the very description of the Stellar Collector itself. When a Trader discerns this spell, they learn the following:

* Of all the Fabrication substances invented, Iridius crystal is '''perhaps the most versatile'''. It '''takes well to many shapes and purposes''', including the collection and storage of starlight energy. The Stellar Collector apparatus is a highly useful application of this crystal, but it '''requires some sort of psychic transducer to sieve essence from light'''.
* The crystal’s namesake, Iridius the Guide, was a priest-turned-demonologist of some infamy during the glory days of Throne City. What makes him interesting to Traders is his ahead-of-his-time research into a fanciful yellow-green crystal '''to which he attributed numerous uses'''. There are no records of him successfully creating such a thing – he wasn’t even a Lunar magician. Still, his descriptions bore striking resemblance to what is possible today. Any further information on Iridius himself that might have survived is kept under lock and key by the overlords of Throne City’s carcass.

But the motivation lies not only here. In other words, it is not only that I believe we have a tool to accomplish this, but I also believe that we have a distinct purpose. I refer here to recent and numerous Moon Mage visions. Although notoriously difficult to interpret, it is my belief that several recent visions make reference to Traders and our newfound Lunar Magic, and encourage us toward further research.

For example, one vision can be described thusly:

* You see a parent sitting with their child, speaking before a warmly glowing hearth fire, the rest of the room obscured in shadow. The child is looking up at the parent, who speaks softly, gently, their voice blending with the cracking flames and howling of the form against window shutters. '''“Your questions are profound, but only accidentally so. You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here,” the parent says, squeezing the child in a hug.'''
* The storm continues, and the walls groan with the effort of remaining upright. The parent begins to hum a comforting tune, and the child seems oblivious to the maelstrom outside. As the storm intensifies, so too does the parent’s song, winding along octaves, strangely resonant and haunting. The heart glows brighter, and suddenly, the parent stops, looks up at you and says sharply, “'''You do not have permission'''.”
* The door flies open, an icy wind howls around you, and the vision fades.

Worth noting is that I, and some others, believe the phrasing of this vision to indicate a certain degree of “approval” of a previous experiment around the Arbiter’s Stylus: “You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here.”

There have continued to be other Moon Mage visions as well that seem to reference Traders and Trader-related topics, which to me implies that the Stellar Collector Experiment we are planning to conduct is quite timely and relevant to current events (or events soon to come):

* An endless stairway stretches before you, '''composed of cold radiant starlight''' that slightly shimmers. '''Stretching up to the sky and vanishing into a single point in the far distance''', shifting cosmos and stellar phenomena can be seen between the gaps between the steps. You begin to climb, your eyes transfixed upon the pulsating nebulae and spinning galaxies spanning in front of you, punctuated by '''the diamond-hard starlight stairs'''. With each step you take, eons pass, as stars burn their last and erupt into sparkling nova, or ignite in the swirling gases of stellar clouds. Strange structures spin twin spears of radiance in opposite directions, and yawning voices bend light and tear space.
* Suddenly, grasping shadows snap from between the steps, and wrap around your ankles, rooting you in place. You stagger, catching yourself as '''the shadows tighten and begin to pull you through the gap''', and the vision fades.

This vision is much more recent. There are multiple specific references to starlight here – starlight composes the stairs, and Trader magic is based on starlight. I believe that the stairs rising up and up indicate that Traders will be allowed to ascend, whereas hands grab the viewer and tear them down because that viewer is a Moon Mage, a Child of Grazhir. And is therefore not permitted to ascend to enlightenment. As I will discuss in a moment, I believe that the staircase being made of starlight is a symbolic reference to the Stellar Collector – that it is a device capable of not only receiving, but also transmitting starlight energy, and is therefore a sort of pathway. Indeed, some of us may have heard the story of the Stellar Collector, which hints at the very same concept. Although that story has never been able to be confirmed as real:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

There is one more vision, and here I have been saving the best for last. This vision in particular is what has stoked my imagination, and my spirit, and makes me believe that this experiment will be successful at least in obtaining a message from the stars.

The vision looks like this:

* You see yourself fiddling with a large contraption, turning knobs, twisting dials, and pulling levers as you make fine adjustments to a series of nested '''crystalline rings and prongs''', sweeping the alignment of complex machinery towards the skies. '''Placing one hand on a raised column''', you hear the stars burning and planets soaring in their orbits. As you '''focus the apparatus''' on a distant reach of empty space, you begin to hear a whispering beneath the crackle and hiss of the cosmos, a voice that defies your efforts to locate and identify.
* With a series of deft adjustments, the background noise falls away, and you hear…
'''* “-SSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAV-", shouted in a deeply resonant basso profundo.'''
* With a start, you see yourself slap at the controls of the machine, and the voice cuts short. The vision fades.

As I have mentioned, this vision is the most interesting of them all, and serves as the primary motivation for the experiment I am proposing. First, the phrase “You do not have permission” that is repeated over and over has been used before – specifically in the vision of the woman and child that was referenced earlier in this proposal. Just as that prior vision was believed to relate to the relationship between Traders, Moon Mages, and Lunar Entities, so too is this new one.

Secondly, the viewer is believed to be told that they “do not have permission” because the viewer here, the one using the contraption, is a Moon Mage. And so I ask the question: what if a Trader was making the observation? Instead of a message of rejection and denial, would they be able to discern something more insightful from this supposed broadcast from the stars? I believe that the answer is yes.

Finally, I firmly believe that the language of the vision contains clear references to a Stellar Collector being the medium through which these broadcasts are received. The phrase “crystalline” is used, and the Collector is indeed made of crystal. But even more convincing is the use of the word “apparatus”, which is the exact noun used when a Trader produces a Collector from starlight. I also believe this evidence to align well with my previously discussed theory of the Stellar Collector as a bi-directional medium, which again was documented in the story “The Stellar Collector”

One final comment on that last vision: very specific language is given that the contraption does not start to operate until the viewer’s hand is placed on a raised column. Although it requires some liberal wordplay, one can consider that another word for raised column might be pillar, and another word for a pillar might be a Stanchion . . . here, I am making reference to the mention of a Stanchion at the Arbiter’s Stylus Experiment held some time ago (see above).

* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, “…HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED '''THIS STANCHION REMAINS'''…” before meandering into whispers

That message has always remained a mystery to me. Instead of answering questions, my Stylus Experiment produced more of them. What is the Stanchion? A concept? An idea? Or is it a person? Is it a Trader, one who is dedicated to upholding the Contract, in the same way that a Stanchion provides support to something? Hopefully, soon, at the conclusion of this Stellar Collector Experiment, we will have more answers, for as I said I believe that the Stellar Collector will help us discern a message from the stars meant only for us.

And I’ll close with one final note. Many of us know the story of Dehvra. Indeed, there was coverage of her in this very paper at the time. I genuinely believe my work, and this Experiment in particular, to be within the limitations of the Contract, given that I am not touching the Plane of Probability in any way. Though this plan may seem similar to her work, I do not follow in her footsteps. As a Trader I hold contracts in the highest order, almost sacred. And she knowingly broke hers, threatening the rest of us in the process. She is, as far as I’m concerned, a Breacher of Contracts, and got what she deserved. I will not be making the same mistake.

User:RAFANO

2020-03-13T21:27:01Z

RAFANO:

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Quick Summary===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!

==Lunar Experiment: The Stellar Collector==

===Quick Summary===

The Stellar Collector, a spell granted to the Trader’s Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, is a mysterious thing. Between the versatile Iridius crystal it is made of, and the fact that it works with the tesserae, a known communication device, there are those who posit that the full potential of the apparatus has not yet been realized. Encouraged by recent Moon Mage visions that appear to refer more and more to Traders and their new brand of Lunar Magic, a group of Lunar Researchers plans to use the Collector to reach out to the stars for guidance.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment comes from the very description of the Stellar Collector itself. When a Trader discerns this spell, they learn the following:

* Of all the Fabrication substances invented, Iridius crystal is '''perhaps the most versatile'''. It '''takes well to many shapes and purposes''', including the collection and storage of starlight energy. The Stellar Collector apparatus is a highly useful application of this crystal, but it '''requires some sort of psychic transducer to sieve essence from light'''.
* The crystal’s namesake, Iridius the Guide, was a priest-turned-demonologist of some infamy during the glory days of Throne City. What makes him interesting to Traders is his ahead-of-his-time research into a fanciful yellow-green crystal '''to which he attributed numerous uses'''. There are no records of him successfully creating such a thing – he wasn’t even a Lunar magician. Still, his descriptions bore striking resemblance to what is possible today. Any further information on Iridius himself that might have survived is kept under lock and key by the overlords of Throne City’s carcass.

But the motivation lies not only here. In other words, it is not only that I believe we have a tool to accomplish this, but I also believe that we have a distinct purpose. I refer here to recent and numerous Moon Mage visions. Although notoriously difficult to interpret, it is my belief that several recent visions make reference to Traders and our newfound Lunar Magic, and encourage us toward further research.

For example, one vision can be described thusly:

* You see a parent sitting with their child, speaking before a warmly glowing hearth fire, the rest of the room obscured in shadow. The child is looking up at the parent, who speaks softly, gently, their voice blending with the cracking flames and howling of the form against window shutters. '''“Your questions are profound, but only accidentally so. You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here,” the parent says, squeezing the child in a hug.'''
* The storm continues, and the walls groan with the effort of remaining upright. The parent begins to hum a comforting tune, and the child seems oblivious to the maelstrom outside. As the storm intensifies, so too does the parent’s song, winding along octaves, strangely resonant and haunting. The heart glows brighter, and suddenly, the parent stops, looks up at you and says sharply, “'''You do not have permission'''.”
* The door flies open, an icy wind howls around you, and the vision fades.

Worth noting is that I, and some others, believe the phrasing of this vision to indicate a certain degree of “approval” of a previous experiment around the Arbiter’s Stylus: “You inquire only to establish your boundaries. You will always be safe here.”

There have continued to be other Moon Mage visions as well that seem to reference Traders and Trader-related topics, which to me implies that the Stellar Collector Experiment we are planning to conduct is quite timely and relevant to current events (or events soon to come):

* An endless stairway stretches before you, '''composed of cold radiant starlight''' that slightly shimmers. '''Stretching up to the sky and vanishing into a single point in the far distance''', shifting cosmos and stellar phenomena can be seen between the gaps between the steps. You begin to climb, your eyes transfixed upon the pulsating nebulae and spinning galaxies spanning in front of you, punctuated by '''the diamond-hard starlight stairs'''. With each step you take, eons pass, as stars burn their last and erupt into sparkling nova, or ignite in the swirling gases of stellar clouds. Strange structures spin twin spears of radiance in opposite directions, and yawning voices bend light and tear space.
* Suddenly, grasping shadows snap from between the steps, and wrap around your ankles, rooting you in place. You stagger, catching yourself as '''the shadows tighten and begin to pull you through the gap''', and the vision fades.

This vision is much more recent. There are multiple specific references to starlight here – starlight composes the stairs, and Trader magic is based on starlight. I believe that the stairs rising up and up indicate that Traders will be allowed to ascend, whereas hands grab the viewer and tear them down because that viewer is a Moon Mage, a Child of Grazhir. And is therefore not permitted to ascend to enlightenment. As I will discuss in a moment, I believe that the staircase being made of starlight is a symbolic reference to the Stellar Collector – that it is a device capable of not only receiving, but also transmitting starlight energy, and is therefore a sort of pathway. Indeed, some of us may have heard the story of the Stellar Collector, which hints at the very same concept. Although that story has never been able to be confirmed as real:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/The%20Social%20Side%20of%20DragonRealms/In-Character%20Fiction/view/597 The Stellar Collector]

There is one more vision, and here I have been saving the best for last. This vision in particular is what has stoked my imagination, and my spirit, and makes me believe that this experiment will be successful at least in obtaining a message from the stars.

The vision looks like this:

* You see yourself fiddling with a large contraption, turning knobs, twisting dials, and pulling levers as you make fine adjustments to a series of nested '''crystalline rings and prongs''', sweeping the alignment of complex machinery towards the skies. '''Placing one hand on a raised column''', you hear the stars burning and planets soaring in their orbits. As you '''focus the apparatus''' on a distant reach of empty space, you begin to hear a whispering beneath the crackle and hiss of the cosmos, a voice that defies your efforts to locate and identify.
* With a series of deft adjustments, the background noise falls away, and you hear…
'''* “-SSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAVEPERMISSIONYOUDONOTHAV-", shouted in a deeply resonant basso profundo.'''
* With a start, you see yourself slap at the controls of the machine, and the voice cuts short. The vision fades.

As I have mentioned, this vision is the most interesting of them all, and serves as the primary motivation for the experiment I am proposing. First, the phrase “You do not have permission” that is repeated over and over has been used before – specifically in the vision of the woman and child that was referenced earlier in this proposal. Just as that prior vision was believed to relate to the relationship between Traders, Moon Mages, and Lunar Entities, so too is this new one.

Secondly, the viewer is believed to be told that they “do not have permission” because the viewer here, the one using the contraption, is a Moon Mage. And so I ask the question: what if a Trader was making the observation? Instead of a message of rejection and denial, would they be able to discern something more insightful from this supposed broadcast from the stars? I believe that the answer is yes.

Finally, I firmly believe that the language of the vision contains clear references to a Stellar Collector being the medium through which these broadcasts are received. The phrase “crystalline” is used, and the Collector is indeed made of crystal. But even more convincing is the use of the word “apparatus”, which is the exact noun used when a Trader produces a Collector from starlight. I also believe this evidence to align well with my previously discussed theory of the Stellar Collector as a bi-directional medium, which again was documented in the story “The Stellar Collector”

One final comment on that last vision: very specific language is given that the contraption does not start to operate until the viewer’s hand is placed on a raised column. Although it requires some liberal wordplay, one can consider that another word for raised column might be pillar, and another word for a pillar might be a Stanchion . . . here, I am making reference to the mention of a Stanchion at the Arbiter’s Stylus Experiment held some time ago (see above).

* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, “…HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED '''THIS STANCHION REMAINS'''…” before meandering into whispers

That message has always remained a mystery to me. Instead of answering questions, my Stylus Experiment produced more of them. What is the Stanchion? A concept? An idea? Or is it a person? Is it a Trader, one who is dedicated to upholding the Contract, in the same way that a Stanchion provides support to something? Hopefully, soon, at the conclusion of this Stellar Collector Experiment, we will have more answers, for as I said I believe that the Stellar Collector will help us discern a message from the stars meant only for us.

And I’ll close with one final note. Many of us know the story of Dehvra. Indeed, there was coverage of her in this very paper at the time. I genuinely believe my work, and this Experiment in particular, to be within the limitations of the Contract, given that I am not touching the Plane of Probability in any way. Though this plan may seem similar to her work, I do not follow in her footsteps. As a Trader I hold contracts in the highest order, almost sacred. And she knowingly broke hers, threatening the rest of us in the process. She is, as far as I’m concerned, a Breacher of Contracts, and got what she deserved. I will not be making the same mistake.

User:RAFANO

2020-03-13T20:52:20Z

RAFANO: Created page with " ==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus== ===Summary & Motivation=== The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Ar..."

==Lunar Experiment: The Arbiter's Stylus==

===Summary & Motivation===

The Arbiter's Stylus, a spell granted to the Trader's Guild as part of the Contract struck with the Arbiter in Darkness, attacks an enemy with written words of starlight, carved into the target's very flesh. And yet the content of these abstract writings of arcana has never been deciphered. Similarly, the exact terms of the Contract are also unknown . . . by deciphering the former we hope to uncover more about the latter.

===Background & Supporting Lore===

The original inspiration for this experiment was from the very messaging of the Stylus spell itself, some examples of which include:

* '''Radiant words''' etch themselves across a fledgling gryphon's abdomen.
* Inked in starlight, '''myriad lines of script cut glittering arcana''' onto a baby forest gryphon's back!
* White lines of light reach out with geometric precision, marking a fledgling forest gryphon with '''frostbitten symbols''' on its head.
* A fledgling forest gryphon is suddenly haloed by '''celestial geometries, lines sketched with rigorous precision, inked with the brilliance of concentrated starlight'''. Its body collapses in iced pieces.
* Your '''calligraphy of light''' assailing a fledgling forest gryphon dulls into nothingness.

With this initial inspiration, further research was conducted. Given that the focus of this experiment is the Arbiter, it is interesting that the records of precedent events suggest that it has a certain affinity for symbols and writings. From the records of the Planar Observatory:

* The two entities regard each other and then walk wordlessly toward the opposite end of the cavern. The second entity’s illumination '''reveals more serpentine symbols''', carved into the floor with greater frequency toward their destination. The first entity either cannot see or does not care about the carvings, '''but the second one pauses'''. '''It kneels down to examine one of the carvings for a long moment''' before catching up with its companion.

The following short story was written and posted to the Forums as a potentially interesting "teaser" that skirts many of the themes that this event was building towards, but without suggesting any direct links:

* [http://forums.play.net/forums/DragonRealms/Events%20and%20Happenings%20in%20DragonRealms'%20Elanthia/In-Character%20Event%20discussions./view/1204 The Arbiter's Stylus]

===Execution===

The quick summary of the plan was to go to origami creatures, near Dirge, and have any Traders present cast Arbiter's Stylus at the creatures, scarring them with the starlight symbols, and then having those adventurers present attempt to decipher the symbols.

In the end, the symbols were not able to be deciphered, and no new information was gleaned. However, the Negotiants did present themselves to those assembled, and gave several interesting messages:

* With a screech of shattering glass, the Negotiants suddenly unfold from empty air, extend fractal extremities that bristle with red hot crystal needles, and begin to survey the area.
* The Negotiants extend a line of swirling crystal into a broad loop held before them, the space within contorting and shimmering into a bizarre kaleidoscopic polytope which slowly morphs and shifts.
* The Negotiants rotate slowly in place, as if viewing the area through the lens of the polytope. Distorted images fracture behind the shifting geometries, ephemeral and angular.
* As the Negotiants scan the area, you catch a glimpse through the polytope -- branching equations reduce physical phenomena to shifting abstraction and expanding polynomials. Functions asymptotically weave across infinity, and reality itself is laid bare. The scattered symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus blossom behind the polytope, radiant and sharp.
* Through the polytope, degenerate bijectives swirl harmoniously between linear morphisms, algebraically reducing dust, light, gravity, time, to monoid variants. You have no framework to comprehend the otherworldly information creeping through the Negotiants lens, and find yourself gritting your teeth as your mind tries to make sense of it all!
* As the polytope rotates around the Negotiants, you are able to see twisting lines of abstraction rendered into reality, cycling between symbol and substance. The faded symbols of the Arbiter's Stylus wink in and out of being, language drawn from the rules of reality.
* Suddenly, your head fills with the psychic backlash of the Negotiants chatter, "... HAS BEEN NOTED AND ACCOUNTED FOR THE CONTRACT REMAINS AS INTENDED THIS STANCHION REMAINS..." before meandering into whispers.
* The Negotiants begins to whirl chaotically, their crystalline form rapidly retracting into nothingness and suddenly, they vanish!