Culture and Commerce

Commerce and Trade

There are a wide variety of commodities available on even the most simple of planets, but the means by which they're distributed varies drastically. Many monster tribes subsist on bartering, trading items or services directly for other items. Others use a standard currency or even live under a system of community ownership of goods, forgoing trade entirely. Demon cultures have an elaborate web of secretive guilds, complex markets and politically-driven currency valuation, while the Angels of Brightwind often focus so much on generousity and gift giving that the very concept of commerce never occurs to them. Despite these strange economies, the most common form of trade is that practiced by the girls of Prime; currency-driven trade, based on supply, demand, and merchantry.

Most girls in small communities survive one of three ways: They create things and sell them, undertake quests or perform services for payment, or they fend for themselves without trade through hunting and producing their own goods. Though the majority predominantly take part in one of these three, most rely on the others at least to some extent. An enchantress who sells magical trinkets and gemstones may go foraging for fruits when business is slow, while an adventurer who slays monsters for gold may find a niche for selling the spare arrows she has made.

More complex professions emerge in the larger cultures; specialized professions like banking, clothing design or even acting can become viable ways to make a living in big cities.

Other species don't find it so easy. As most species cannot live indefinately off of normal food, they must eventually find living prey to eat. Few warriors are so skilled as to be able to bring back enough living creatures to feed all of the specialists in a city, so civil and monetary concerns are, by necessity, relegated to part-time status. A Succubus architect may make a handsome living raising luxury homes from the earth, but sometime she's still going to have to go out and catch something to eat. It is very difficult to keep a wily sorceress or a defiant valkyrie imprisoned for any length of time, so purchasing such "meals" on a regular basis is likely to be prohibitively expensive.

The major exception is tinies and other small creatures. Some planets are so infested with tinies that they can be captured and sold in sufficient quantities to keep an entire culture fed. And tinies, unlike normal girls, are fairly easy to keep imprisoned--a few simple anti-magic enchantments will easily overpower them. Some cultures go so far as to breed or "farm" tinies for this purpose, particularly spacefaring cultures. In such places it is not uncommon to step into a grocery store and see rows of tiny women encased in shrinkwrap, constantly terrified that the next girl to be pulled off the shelf will be them.

Other times, a specialist will buy the assistance of a mercenary or two to help her catch her meal. A tailor may not be much in combat, but if she can afford the help of a squad of amazons, she can eat pretty much whomever she wants. This is particularly common in monster tribes. They frequently hunt in packs, often to offset the fact that their main prey species tend to travel in groups as well.

As such, most economies tend to produce three kinds of people: Combatants, crafters, and, in larger cities, auxilliary professions (the actresses, bankers, librarians, and so forth). All three come in a huge variety, generally determined by the birth class of the individual. Combatants include amazons, valkyries, sorceresses, guardians, dominesses, evocators, and a slew of other combat-oriented birth classes. Crafters consist of things like architects, enchanters, engineers, tailors, and gemworkers. Some classes, such as monster shamans, could be considered both. Just as the combat classes are born with combat abilities, each crafting class is born with the ability to create certain things using magic, requiring little effort to do so. The auxilliary professions do not typically have a birth class and must be learned to some extent--however, as memories can be genetically transmitted, it is not uncommon for a creature to be born with a general sense of how to perform an auxilliary profession that is practiced in the area.

Money

Money varies wildly from world to world, but tends to follow particular trends. Because of the sheer number of fluctuating cultures, symbolic or government-backed currency (paper money, minted coins, etc.) is fairly rare outside of extremely large or high-tech empires. Most forms of currency are based on materials that have some form of more or less universal value, the most common being nuts, metal coins, and gems. Some monster societies use teeth, claws or tusks as well.

Very few cultures use all types of currency at once--generally, two or three things will be chosen as the "standard" currency in a particular region or planet, depending on what elements are most common on that planet. A jungle world may use mostly nuts, while a world with abundant gem deposits may use only gems. A typical world will use gold and/or silver coins and two or three other forms of currency, which may or may not be coins. (Gold and Silver are both very common metals and both are useful in magic, even for novices.)

Coins

Metal coins are the most common currency among human societies and also the most widespread currency in general. The vast majority of Girl Clans use metal coins either primarily or exclusively, as do most Demon Fanes.

Gold: Gold is a very common metal found on nearly all planets and it is easily created by an enchantress or architect. Gold is valued not because it is powerful but because it is magically receptive, is capable of conducting magical energy and is highly mutable; enchantresses can turn gold into a variety of other metals and alchemists often use gold powder to strengthen their concoctions. It is also very attractive visually, making it a favorite of many of the more aesthetically inclined. It is actually less commonly found in coins than silver, however, if for no other reason than the fact that gold is more often used in other capacities.

The amount of metal one can make out of gold varies according to the metal. While a bar of gold can be turned into a bar of iron without losing any weight or size, it can take hundreds of bars to make an extremely potent metal like Blue Adamant. For this reason, most enchantresses only go so far in making metals out of gold; Lustrasteel is generally the most potent metal that goldforgers will bother to make. (As a result, Lustrasteel coins are also very common among extremely wealthy societies.) Gold can be converted into Lustrasteel at a ratio of 8:1, though it requires an enchanter of at least moderate skill.

Gold coins are valued by their size. A standard "GP" (Gold Piece) is roughly the size of a quarter, and most other currencies are valued in relation to these.

Silver: The most common metal currency is silver coins. Though not as potent as gold, silver has numerous magical uses--it is a good magical insulator and enchanted silver can be used to nullify otherwise dangerous magical energies. This same property also makes it dangerous to magical creatures, meaning a sword of faerieslaying can be as simple as making a sword out of silver. (Needless to say, most Fae do not use silver as currency unless they are exceptionally belligerent or they are outside of Phaesili.)

Copper: Isharan copper is darker in hue than terrestial copper and holds a deeper color, giving it a closer resemblance gold. Copper is also a lesser cousin of gold in that it shares some of the same magical properties. The problem with using copper, however, is that it does not hold on to magical energy nearly as well as gold does. Magical energies that are placed in copper tend to fade and bleed away, and energies that are conducted through copper encounter more resistance. It is still superior to most mundane materials in these respects, but it is rarely used in the ways that gold is. Enchanters who are capable of imbuing copper with permanent magical effects are usually capable of doing so with just about anything else, and the benefits of using copper are rarely significant enough to matter. The one exception is with large items such as weapons and armor, where a highly magical item is desired but gold would be too expensive to be practical. Many midrange enchanted weapons are forged with a copper core, and copper is a popular metal for large magical runes.

Copper's inferior ability to conduct magic can actually be an advantage in some cases, as it can be used to serve as a buffer against hostile or dangerously intense magical energies. When a magical item needs an extremely powerful magical conduit or centerpiece, it is often lined, insulated or banded with copper. Extremely talented enchantresses and smiths can actually use the differing characteristics of gold, copper and silver to control the natural flow of magical energies through an item without any enchantment at all. Such techniques are often used in the creation of staffs and wands, as they can provide a spellcaster with a natural wellspring of concentrated magical energy without the expense of an enchantment.

Other metals are often used as coins as well. In some cases their value is set roughly according to how much gold would be required to make them, but more commonly it is determined by how common the metal is in the region and how useful it is. Many metals simply cannot be made out of gold and others are difficult enough that their value is increased; other times a metal is so common that it is not considered worthwhile to transmute.

In descending order, the most common coins overall are Silver, Gold, Copper, Iron, Lustrasteel, Steel and Blue Adamant. In terms of value, the scale is Blue Adamant (with one coin being worth 20-50 GP), Lustrasteel (8), Steel (2), Gold (Worth 1, obviously), Silver (Typically 4-5 silver for 1 gold) and Copper (Typically 3-5 copper to a silver). This is not necessarily indicative of their value or strength; Blue Adamant is not necessarily 8 times stronger than Lustrasteel. (Rather, it is the commonality of the different metals and how often they are used that determines their value).

Nuts

Nuts are typically the lowest form of currency and are generally the least valuable. However, nuts have intrinsic value in that they are edible and typically do not spoil; those which are used as currency typically have magical properties as well. In the case of monster tribes, nuts replace coins as the most common currency, and monster tribes trade the widest variety of them. The most common trade-nuts among the girl clans are the Pink Almond, the Rose Flowerseed and the Firax nut.

Pink Almonds are oval nuts about an inch long; they are named both for their color (which is actually a pale pink) and for their effect. Pink Almonds, when eaten, are a potent aphrodesiac and instill a strong sense of love and desire in the eater. The nut stimulates both the body and the pink chakra, causing the people nearby to experience a diminished version of the same effect. It is primarily valued as a recreational aid or a low-maintenance love potion. The effects last for 30-90 minutes and are amplified by ingesting multiple nuts, though each additional nut will add somewhat less than the previous one. While a single nut will simply instill a noticeable sense of desire, a large handful can drive an otherwise shy or disinterested girl into a lust frenzy. Eating an entire bag of pink walnuts is a very quick way to lose one's self-control (not to mention one's money).

Pink Almonds grow from several different plants, the most common being Blue Gossamer trees, Lover's Willow, and the carnivorious Fanespillow. Of these, the Fanespillow by far produces the most almonds; it is also the most dangerous to harvest from, for obvious reasons. The nuts from these plants are of slightly varying potency--again, the Fanespillow produces the most potent variety.

Rose Flowerseeds are large, dark red nuts identifiable by the series of black, petal-like markings on either side. They are produced by the benign Velvet Veil Rose, or Velrose as it is more commonly called. The number of seeds produced by a single Velrose bush or Velrose flower varies greatly according to the climate and the level of ambient energies, but typically it is between 6 and 12 nuts per year, typically falling in groups of 2 or 3. (This may seem to make them very rare, but Velrose bushes are fairly small and grow in large patches across any area that is hospitable to them.)

Rose Flowerseeds are an effective healing agent. Eating a Velrose Flowerseed is often more convenient in combat than chugging down a potion, and the effects are just as immediate. While the Flowerseed is not as powerful as the higher grade healing potions, they are easily a match for the standard Bladefall Leaf potions. Warriors who need greater healing often just swallow multiple flowerseeds at once. They also have the advantage of tasting considerably better than a Bladefall Leaf potion.

Firax Nuts are a step above Rose Flowerseeds. Their healing effects are much more powerful but, ironically, they are less commonly used for this purpose; Firax nuts take considerably longer to digest than the relatively quick Rose Flowerseeds. Firax nuts are an all-around stimulant; they increase strength, speed, and health and mana regeneration.

Interestingly, Firax nuts are actually least effective when directly consumed; they increase greatly in power when used as part of a potion or shaman powder. While Firax nuts are a complex and difficult ingredient to use, their effects in alchemical creations--and even some enchantments--is quite potent when they are properly amplified.

Firax nuts grow in the silk nodes of the aggressively carnivorous Dragonsweave tree and on some varieties of Groundmaw, typically on the end of their tendrils or scattered near their feeding area. As both varieties of plant are very dangerous, Firax nuts are typically only harvested by highly skilled druids or herbalists. On the plus side, a single Dragonsweave can produce hundreds of Firax nuts each month, allowing a skilled collector to reap enormous profits from them. Firax Groundmaws do not produce nearly so many, but they often drop their nuts on the ground to attract potential prey; thus a careful collector can gather at least a few of them with minimal risk.

Gemstones

A predominant form of currency among the wealthy, Gemstones are valued differently among different cultures but are roughly equivalent among commerce-heavy societies. Like metals, most gemstones have some variety of magical effect or affinity that makes them valuable in enchantment and spellcasting. Stones which do not have any existing power are called crystals (though crystals take to magic very easily, just as normal gemstones do). A gemstone's value is dependant primarily on two factors: It's mass, and it's type. Weaker gemstones, such as Topaz, are not valued as highly as more powerful gemstones like Rubies and Emeralds. Likewise, a large stone is considered more valuable than a small one.

A base size for a gemstone is 1 square centimeter and approximately half a centimeter thick. This size of gemstone is readily powerful enough to enhance a weapon or armor without additional effort. (Smaller gems typically need amplifying enchantments to become effective.) While gemstones come in a huge variety of shapes and cuts, their overall mass is generally how they are valued unless they have been enchanted.

Gem values can vary according to the skills of local enchanters and the energies of the planet; different gemstones respond to local mana supplies differently; while a diamond may be more powerful than a ruby on most planets, there are worlds where a small Topaz or Garnet can rival a Black Diamond in power. Likewise, enchanters who naturally "click" with certain gemstones can make them much more potent than they normally are, matching or exceeding other enchanted gemstones in power.

Monetary Values (In gold pieces; approximate)

*Nuts*		*Coins (Quarter-sized)*		*Gemstones (for 10 cubic millimeters)*
Pink Almond	0.5 GP	Copper Coin	0.1 GP	Crystal	10 GP
Rose Flowerseed	5 GP	Iron/Silver Coin	0.25 GP	Garnet/Topaz	50 GP
Firax Nut	20 GP	Steel Coin	0.5 GP	Emerald/Ruby/Sapphire/Amythist	100 GP
Others	0.1 - 100 GP	Gold Coin	1 GP	Diamond/Heartstone/Bloodstone/Blood Ruby	500 GP
		Blue Adamant Coin	8 GP	Black Diamond/Vortex Stone	10,000 GP
		Lustrasteel Coin	10 GP	Others	15 to 50,000 GP
		Brightsteel or Demonskin Coin	50 GP
		Surrellius Coin	1000 GP

Unusual Currency

Many large cultures and empires mint their own, unique currency. The Allied Star Protectorate, for example, uses millilitres of starship fuel as currency. The Orchid Fane creates triangular coins called "Faiths" made of crystal with an arcane pattern inside, typically made of loops and letters of several different valuable metals and gemstones. The Night Fane uses paper money that is printed with fragments of strange magical and alchemical formulas. The value of these currencies fluctuates further and further as you go farther away from the faction's territory. Here are a few specific examples and how much they are typically worth:

Human Currencies

El and Vice Orbs: Common among the Velvet Flower clan, Orbs are small crystals set inside a ring of thin metal circlets. El Orbs are typically made of crystal and silver, whereas Vice Orbs are made of a gemstone (typically Garnet) surrounded by Gold. An Orb is typically 1.5 centimeters in diameter. El Orbs are worth 10 GP and Vice Orbs are typically worth 100 GP.

Emperesses: The Emperess is favored among the Black Crescent and Darkswallow clans. It is a large, diamond-shaped coin made of Blacksteel, framed with Lustrasteel and inset with a small gemstone (typically a ruby) at it's center. Silver etchings and writing are laced into the Blacksteel on both sides, making this a very elaborate--and very expensive--coin. A single Emperess typically trades for 500 gold.

Dynasties: A less elaborate cousin of the Emperess, the Dynasty is a Lustrasteel coin with very similar features except that it is made primarily out of Lustrasteel framed with Silver rather than Blacksteel and Lustrasteel. A Dynasty is typically worth 100 gold and are the primary currency of the Whiteswallow clan, though variations are used by the Maizer and Velvet Flower clans.

Moon Crescents: Minted and distributed by the Black Crescent clan, Moon Crescents are crescent-shaped silver coins inset with three very small sapphires. A popular trick with Moon Crescents is to place a small, one-shot enchantment on the gems that will relay a message to a specific person when they touch the coin; the Black Crescents frequently use this to communicate secretly with their business partners in plain view of others. They are typically worth 5 gold pieces. Other clans are often wary of trading with these coins, as another popular trick among the Crescents is to enchant the gemstones to spy on whoever is carrying them, allowing their original owner access to a wide variety of potentially valuable--if random--information. Savvy merchants who do trade in Moon Crescents will only do so if they have a means of detecting whether the coins have been enchanted.

Valentines: These coins are simply gold that is magically tinted pink or red and minted into a heart shape with a thin rim of silver along the outside. They are the primary currency of the Girlyburps and are often seen in Brightwind, but other factions only use them if they trade heavily with one of these two groups. A Valentine is worth one gold piece, or slightly more if the local cultures are into that kind of thing.

Firebirds: These coins are made of gold and copper damascus and etched with a symbol of a phoenix. They are roughly the size of normal coins and are worth 1.5 gold in Firebelly territories, whereas in other places they tend to be worth one (mostly because they are half gold, half copper). Being seen with a Firebird in your hand is a good way to get yourself killed in Demongut territories, but it is also one of the few ways to help ensure at least a lukewarm welcome among the Firebellies. This makes them a popular currency among travelling merchants, and the stylish appearance of the Firebird means they are frequently minted by other clans as well. The Firebird is the most common of all of the multi-metal coins; the fact that they are half copper makes them cheaper and helps put more currency into circulation, and it is generally agreed that Firebirds will be valued at one gold. To keep from angering the Firebellies, who value their Firebirds more highly, each clan uses a slightly different phoenix design for their own Firebirds.

Mons: The imperial currency for very high-priced exchanges among any faction, Mons are coins made from gold, silver or crystal that contains one or more large, mid-powered gemstones (ruby, emerald, amythist etc.) The symbol is sometimes something non-specific, such as a flower or an abstract shape, but most often it is the clan or faction symbol of the group that minted it (as typically only large factions that can create them in significant numbers). Likewise, the type of gem is most often reflective of the group that minted it. Each mon has not only a symbol and gemstone, but is also enchanted with a potent charm that affects whoever is carrying it. The specific effect varies according to which faction's Mon it is. Girlyburp Mons, for example, make a person more attractive, whereas Ironbelly Mons increase physical hardiness. In order to ensure the coins stay in circulation, the effects are non-cumulative (so a person who has 500 Girlyburp Mons would still only be affected by one of them). A Mon is valued at 1,000 gold, and factions are expected to ensure that the enchantment and gemstones reflect that value. (Not all factions meet this expectation, of course...)

Monster Currencies

Monsters use almost as many currencies as there are edible objects on the planet they inhabit, as they most commonly trade in barter and aren't typically capable of minting coins. Those that they do create are typically wooden talismans that confer some sort of minor magical benefit to their possessor, and these are bartered just as everything else is. Nuts, fruits, and plunder from other societies (weapons, armor, clothing, and sometimes coins) are the primary currency of monster tribes, and their value is highly inconsistant.

Since they have no basis of comparison for the value of objects, many of their deals are things that other societies would consider highly lopsided--a monster who has three or four swords stashed away may be willing to trade one for a basket of apples that would cost 1/100th as much in a human village. Merchants from other races can put this to great advantage when trading with monster tribes, provided they live long enough to start making deals with them.

Demonic Currencies

Nightcalls: A Nightcall is a coin made of lacquered Dark Iron, inset with small pieces of crystal that accent the image that is pressed on the coin. The Nightcall is used by all Fanes, though the imagery and crystal types vary from Fane to Fane. Typically, one side of the coin has an image representative of the Fane's demonettes whereas the other side has an image representative of it's Succubi. The Blood Fane Nightcall, for example, has a warrior with red crystal horns and a crystal trident on one side while the other side has a succubus with crystalline nipples and eyes. The Orchid Fane Nightcall, on the other hand, has a succubus with blue crystal claws and a crystal tail, while the other side is adorned with a bat-winged eye with a crystal iris. Nightcalls are worth 10 gold pieces in Faneglut, regardless of their Fane of origin; it is considered a matter of both courtesy and practicality that each Fane honors the coins of the others. Their value varies wildly elsewhere, depending on the scarcity of dark iron and the prevalence of demons in the area; in places where demons are despised, they may be valued only for their materials, and if dark iron is not used in the region, they may not be accepted at all. If Dark Iron is rare on the planet, on the other hand, a Nightcall could be worth hundreds of gold pieces.

Orchid Faiths: The Faith is a flat triangle of blue crystal with a three-pointed celtic knot inside. The knot itself is typically made of silver. In the center of the knot is a lustrasteel symbol; while the most common symbol is simply the flower-like symbol of the Orchid Fane, other symbols are often minted into the coins to represent particularly prominent members of the fane or in honor of major business partners when a large payment is being made. The sides of the crystal are generally etched with aesthetic patterns that are unique to the mint that created them. The outermost loops of the celtic knot often contain symbols as well, and these are often political in nature, as they are almost always symbols of other factions or demonic houses. As it would be embarassing to the Fane to make use of currency that held the symbols of enemies or rivals, having one's symbol included in Faiths that are newly minted is a political gesture that the Fane is attempting to foster a long-term relationship. And, as Faiths are expensive to mint and most of their value is lost if they have to be remade, this is often true. Faiths are a little over one inch long and half a centimeter thick. In Orchid Fane territories and areas that formally recognize demonic currency, a Faith is valued at 50 gold pieces. Outside of these areas, they are typically worth 15-30.

Night Secrets: The Secret is the unique paper currency of the Night Fane. It has the distinction of being one of the only paper currencies that grows more valuable as you travel further away from it's origin, for while most paper money has no innate value to back it up, Night Secrets literally contain secrets--or, more appropriately, fragments of secrets. Each piece of Night Fane currency has a number, a symbol, and a piece of a formula of some sort--an alchemical mix, instructions for building a weapon, a little-known way to incapacitate a common kind of creature, or even blueprints for a starship. These formulas are always for very useful and often powerful things, but they are often spread across hundreds or even thousands of individual Secrets. The symbol on the Secrets let the owner know whether they are part of the same formula, and the number lets them know what part of the formula it is. Thus, Night Fane currency is inherently a collector's item. The lower forms of currency--those that are worth a few silver pieces or a few gold pieces--have comparatively simple (but still very useful) formulae on them, whereas the higher and more valuable forms of currency (worth hundreds or even thousands of gold pieces each) have very powerful secrets scribed upon them. Because most people who trade in Secrets copy down all the secrets they recieve, the value of the currency they have drops the instant they get it, but only to them; this encourages them to spend it and try to get more Secrets from elsewhere, meaning trade with the Night Fane takes place at a very rapid rate--often goods are bought and sold simply for the sake of money changing hands. This has made the Night Fane quite wealthy for very little effort, much to the chagrin of the Orchid Fane, who like to think of themselves as the masters of commerce. There is no doubt they would simply copy the Night Fane's methods if not for the fact that it would be tentamount to admitting that the Night Fane had outsmarted them. They harbor something of a grudge over this to this day, and often prefer not to do business with the Night Fane for no other reason.

Fae Currencies

Faerie Kisses: Not a physical currency so much as a mobile enchantment, a Faerie Kiss is a small, tattoo-like image that appears somewhere on the skin of the owner, typically on the neck or shoulder. All one needs to do to give a Faerie Kiss to someone is to literally kiss them with the intention of giving them the Faerie Kiss; the magic of the kiss will automatically transfer itself to it's new owner. The kiss needs to leave an imprint on the person, both physically and mentally, so it must be passionate, loving, overtly carnal, or all of the above. (Of course, a lot of it has to do with the standards of the person being kissed) As a person gains more and more Faerie Kisses, the images on their body will become more and more elaborate; what was originally a tiny butterfly may become larger, then it might gain detail on it's wings, then it might begin trailing pixie dust, until finally--when the person has accumulated hundreds of kisses--their entire back is awash in moving images of butterflies flitting about in a sunlit glade, complete with trees and leaves that sway in an invisible wind. Faerie Kisses are mesmerising to look at, and many find them quite alluring as well; particularly the Fae themselves.

The value of a Faerie Kiss is not typically measured against gold, but instead is used more like barter. A Faerie Kiss will only transfer itself in response to a given event once, so if you try to transfer a second kiss as additional payment for the same item or service, it will fail. As such, it is very uncommon for more than one kiss to be given away at a time or as part of the same deal (unless each kiss is given by or to a different person), so they can't be tossed back and forth in bulk like coins can. Kisses are typically used as a whole payment for a minor item or service or as additional incentive to accept a deal that's already on the table. Like Orchid Faiths, Faerie Kisses are often used as a way to foster positive relationships.

Being enchantments, Faerie Kisses are dispelled by normal countermagic, magical purges, and so forth; however, like many other Fae enchantments, they almost invariably come back after a matter of a few days (or, if you're in Phaesili, a few hours). The only time they permanently go away is if they are willingly given away or if the owner no longer wants them.

Giving a Faerie Kiss gives a brief feeling of euphoria to both parties, but those seeking to abuse this property typically find that it is more trouble that it is worth since it only works once for any given reason; those finding themselves scrambling for new excuses to kiss each other back and forth will eventually realize that normal sex is a lot less complicated. Nonetheless, it does give business partners a certain level of eagerness to make deals that would not otherwise be present.

Faerie Kisses originate among Fae and among Angels with Fae blood. Faerie Kisses are considered extremely valuable in Brightwind; it is one of the few things in their culture that is practically considered a status symbol. An Angel will do just about anything to get a Faerie Kiss...short of hurting someone, of course. (Faerie kisses do survive if an Angel is eaten, meaning she may well have it forever. Thus, a common exchange is that a faerie will give an angel a kiss in exchange for letting the faerie eat her. Unfortunately, this only works once per person, but some angels are just sentimental enough that they'll take the same payment even if they won't get the kiss enchantment out of it...)

It is commonly said that Faerie Kisses bring both happiness and good luck. At very least, they bring a positive response from both faeries and angels, as they are a clear sign that you have done a kindness for one of them, as they cannot be extorted. They will never transfer themselves if the owner does not truly want it. They seem to have a will of their own when it comes to these kinds of rules, and if certain Fae are to be believed, they just might.

Fae Cartovore Cards: While many cultures play Cartovore or other games, the Fae actually consider Cartovore cards to be a legitimate form of currency--and those who have seen a Faerie Cartovore deck would immediately see why. Unlike other species, Fae make their cards lavish beyond description; the edges are covered in lustrous gold leafing, the images are illuminated with precious metals, crystal, and wafer-thin gemstones, and the foiled writing is elegant and evocative, changing with each card so as to better fit it's character. Each card is a work of art, and it takes a wide range of very exacting skills to duplicate one; they are even enchanted so they can be shuffled and played without damaging the delicate crystal patterns and foiling that comprise them. There is an entire profession dedicated to creating these cards, and they are considered valid as currency almost anywhere in Phaesili--even among those who don't play Cartovore. Many collect the cards simply for their beautiful imagery. A Cartovore card--any Cartovore card--is assumed to be worth 25 gold pieces, and merchants are expected to accept any cards they are handed (even if the cards are considered useless in the game itself). There are specialty shops where specific cards can be obtained, but they are commensurately more expensive; one can never expect to pay less than 50 gold for one, and often they are 300 gold or more. Cartovore card shops are among the most lavish and wealthy establishments in Phaesili; while a normal Cartovore booster may sell for a silver piece, a single booster of Fae Cartovore cards sells for at least 350 gold.

Outside of Phaesili, Cartovore Cards are simply colored paper and comparatively mundane--those created by the Fae are considered curious wonders, but they are rarely seen as more than collector's items because they can't even be used in a normal deck (the backs are as elaborate as the fronts, making them immediately stand out--to play with a Fae deck, one must have enough cards for all of the cards to be Fae). This does mean, however, that one can become quite wealthy by finding that one wealthy Cartovore player who wants a few particular Fae cards enough to pay several thousand gold for them. Outside of Phaesili, Cartovore players with Fae decks are automatically considered to be among the elite; casual players simply aren't willing to invest that kind of money for a simple game, so only hardcore players and overpriviledged, massively wealthy fops commonly play with Fae decks. In fact, it is often only the latter who buy them; the former usually accumulate their Fae cards by winning tournaments, as they are often part of the prize. Tournaments with Fae cards will usually draw most of the serious players in the area, and dozens or even hundreds of such players can be drawn to tournaments where a playable Fae deck is the grand prize.

Just as the ability to create Cartovore cards is held by a priveledged few, the ability to design new sets is held by even fewer. The greatest of the Cartovore players--the elite among the elite--are invited to live in the lavish crystal palaces of the Cartovore Scripters, those who's cards are considered "Official." There they spend their days testing and designing new cards under the venerable eyes of the Cartovore masters. So too are the greatest artists and visual designers invited to bring the designers' visions to life, ensuring each card is as visually evocative as only a Fae can make it.

This is not to say that all Cartovore cards come from there; locally designed sets are fairly common in areas where Cartovore is popular. Entire playable factions can be available that are exclusive to the planet they came from (as many factions are indigeonous to one planet). These are rarely Fae cards, however, and are usually marked as "House" or "Mutt," depending on just how unofficial they are; House cards are cards that are largely accepted in the area, whereas Mutt cards are those used by individual game houses or play groups that were made largely to shift the game towards their personal tastes or include local groups and heros. (The ultimate in unofficial cards is called the "Vanity Mutt," which is when a person makes a character card that represents themselves.) The inclusion of House or Mutt cards is generally up to the players or event organizers, but neither are accepted as official currency; a House or Mutt card that is decorated like a Fae card is sometimes considered valid, but it is always at the option of the merchant whether to accept it, and they are considered outright counterfeit if they are not marked.

Angel Currencies

Angels do not make use of currency as extensively as other races; because of their generous nature, work is often volunteer and items are given as gifts more often than they are sold. Traditional commerce does occur, however. Sometimes it is in the form of barter, as it is with monsters, and other times they make use of currency just as other races do. Angels are unusual also in that some of their currencies are considered not only to have a specific gold value, but are considered to be worth a specific service as well. For example, the lowest denomination of Angel currency, the Kiss, is literally considered to be worth either one copper or one kiss on the lips.

Angel Kisses: Unlike Faerie Kisses, Angel Kisses are physical currency and are worth between one and two copper pieces. They are small ivory coins carved into numerous shapes; hearts, wings, tiny angels, halos, or circles with carved images are all very common, though a simple heart shape is the default. An Angel Kiss is worth one copper piece, but they are often traded for literal kisses as well. Things are often very inexpensive in Brightwind, so one can often buy a lot more with these coins than would be expected. In fact, often the most expensive luxury that is purchased with Angel Kisses is kisses themselves. ("Kissing Booths" are a bustling business practically everywhere in Brightwind)

Glitters: Glitters are thin coins made of Brightsteel. Aside from being about a quarter the thickness, they are otherwise identical to normal coins. They are embossed with numerous images depending on where they were made and are worth roughly 10 gold pieces.

Angel Hearts: Hearts are a unique form of faceted, heart-shaped gemstone that originate from numerous sources in Brightwind. Hearts have the innate magical ability to protect their wearer from harm; specifically, they can cause one magical effect to take place which will save the life of the person who is carrying them. While the specific means they use to do this varies drastically, it seems to work with 100% effectiveness--you are essentially immortal so long as you have an Angel Heart with you. They might deflect a deadly projectile, restore life to their owner, teleport them out of harm's way, or even stop an attacker dead in their tracks. There have even been tales of things as outlandish as entire armies being summoned out of nowhere to protect the Heart's owner. There are only two limitations to this power: It will only activate in response to something that would lead to it's owner's death, and it will always destroy itself--and any other Hearts the person is carrying--in the process of using it's magic. Hearts seem to be able to do almost anything else and seem to possess an almost supernatural intelligence. In fact, sometimes the owner won't even know the means the heart used to save their life--it will simply shatter, and they will later find out that had things gone just a little bit differently that day, they would have been led to certain doom a few weeks down the road. (Assuming they ever find out in the first place)

Among Angels, it is considered greedy to own more than one heart; if an angel acquires another, they typically use it to go on a shopping spree or give it as a gift (and a heart is a very valuable gift, even among angels). There is an exception made for extra hearts that were given as gifts; if an angel recieves hearts as gifts from more than one angel, they can keep them all. It is not uncommon for Rose Angels in particular to have necklaces and jewelry consisting of many hearts (the first extra heart a Daisy Angel recieves is typically given to their lover or secret crush; the next is generally given to their caremistress. This is not an official tradition, but always seems to happen. The more militant angels tend to distribute them more pragmatically, using them as wards to keep their officers and their best soldiers alive). Among non-angels there is no faux-pas in owning multiple hearts, though most people will never have the chance to own more than one and even those who do will only carry one at a time unless they are going out to spend them.

One strange characteristic with Hearts is that, while they usually intervene to save their owner, they sometimes save other people instead--particularly people who the owner cares about. Generally speaking, if the owner would rather die themselves than let the other person die, the heart will save that person's life. This seems to be the only time that more than one heart on a single person will act to save someone. In this case, none of them will save the carrier except under one condition--they must be saving someone who would refuse to be saved if they knew the cost would be the other person's death. Essentially, if both would die to save the other, both will be saved. If not, those who the carrier would die for will be saved and the carrier will not.

Hearts are very valuable, easily worth 5000 gold pieces in Brightwind and sometimes even more. Outside of Brightwind, they are often considered magical items rather than currency and, due to their potent lifesaving power, can be sold for astronomical prices, depending on their rarity in the region. (While there are plenty of magical items that confer greater protection in general, very few magical items guarantee that they will outright save your life at least once.) They are uncommon in Brightwind and almost unheard of everywhere else; in remote places like Beastspace they can end up selling for millions of gold pieces.

Materials and Metals

There are numerous naturally occurring materials in Ishara, ranging from the downy, fur-like petals of the Pillowflower bush to the near-unbreakable Silver Adamant. These materials can be split into roughly four categories: Earths and stone, woods and plant matter, metals, and biological materials such as blood, hides or scales. These materials are used to make homes, weapons, and even artifacts and machines. Following are a few of the most common and most famous materials found in Ishara:

Metals

Metals are used primarily for three things: Weapons, armor, and artifacts. A few metals are commonly used as coins as well, with different cultures using different metals for their currency.

Irons

Irons are metals which are found naturally occurring in the earth. They are biproducts of the life processes and chemical reactions that take place in most planets and most places have at least one vein of iron running through them.

Irons are generally weaker than other metals and are not usually magically conductive. Though they can hold enchantments, they are no better at doing so than a rock, a piece of wood, or other inanimate object.

There are dozens of different types of iron, but the most common are as follows:

Tin: A very weak metal, Tin is used only because it is common and easy to work with. It is commonly used for kitchenware and other simple tools.

Common Iron: This dark grey metal is fairly heavy and moderately strong. It is very common on almost all worlds and needs only to be purified before it can be used. It is fairly easy to smith or shape through magic. Common Iron can be used to make Steel.

Dark Iron: This dark reddish iron is stronger than common iron and is the same weight. It is difficult to convert into other metals, however. Dark Iron is commonly used as armor by monster tribes and societies who don't have many smiths or enchanters, as it is easier to shape than common iron and is also stronger. A few factions know how to turn this material into Blacksteel, a much stronger and much more magically conductive metal, but the majority of smiths cannot do this.

Black Iron: Black Iron is actually a synthetic iron, created by alloying Blacksteel with common iron and adamant. It is extremely strong--twice as strong as adamant itself--but is also very heavy. In addition to this drawback, it is very difficult to enchant. Despite this, it is still a popular metal for weapons and armor, particularly among exceptionally strong creatures such as Thaegons and Ogresses.

Steels

Steels are synthetic metals, made either by converting other metals magically or by mixing other metals together. Most of them are stronger and lighter than their natural counterparts, but some are made for other properties.

Normal Steel: Normal steel can be created out of gold or iron and is a strong metal of moderate weight. It is the most common metal used in both armor and weapons, owing to it's abundance and ease of manufacture. (Iron can be converted into steel fairly easily by an enchanter or a skilled smith and is about three times as strong.)

Pinksteel: Pinksteel is an alloy of 3/4ths steel and 1/4th Bloodsteel. It has nearly the same tensile strength as Bloodsteel, but it is a softer metal overall and thus is not quite as valuable in weaponsmithing.

Bloodsteel: Bloodsteel is a fairly difficult metal to make, but it is one of the few steels that actually grows naturally. Natural Bloodsteel tends to grow wherever a substantial amount of blood has been shed; it seems to be the result of a natural reaction blood has with newly-growing iron. Synthetic Bloodsteel is made with blood, alchemical ingredients, and common iron. The type of blood does not make a large impact unless the blood is exceptionally potent (blood from a Dragon or an Empirisai, for example). Bloodsteel is most commonly found growing in ancient battlefields or in Faneglut, where it's manufacture is more common than in other places. Bloodsteel is about twice as strong as normal steel and is known for being particularly good at holding a sharp edge, making it popular for weapons. Bloodsteel takes Dark Magic, Healing, or blood/strength enchantments well, but it is difficult to get it to hold most others.

Blacksteel: Steel made from Dark Iron rather than Iron, Blacksteel is three times as strong as steel. In addition to Dark Iron, the manufacture of Blacksteel requires both Enchanted Obsidian and a very powerful heat source. It is very difficult to make magically, meaning only those who know the physical formula can generally make it. The top manufacturers of Blacksteel are the Darkswallow clan, though there are pockets of people in every faction that know the formula for it's manufacture.

Blacksteel holds enchantments better than most steels, but it is still no match for lustrous or energy metals.

Lustrasteel: Lustrasteel is made purely out of gold through magic. It is one of the strongest of steels, being six times as strong as normal steel. However, gold magically converts to Lustrasteel at an 8 to 1 ratio, making it a very expensive metal to create. However, it inherits part of the magical capacities of gold, making it one of the easiest metals to enchant, especially among the stronger metals.

Lustrasteel is formally both a steel and a lustrous metal in that it has most of the properties of both; however, unlike other lustrous metals, Lustrasteel does not occur naturally.

Adamants

Adamants are naturally occurring metals which, like irons, tend to be found in veins or in small clumps. The primary difference is in the strength and nature of Adamants; Adamants are harder to shape and enchant than irons and are far harder to alloy or convert into other metals, but conversely, they are far stronger physically. Adamants are among the strongest naturally occurring metals and are considered very valuable as armor.

Adamant does not hold magic very well; while on the one hand this means Adamantine armor resists magical attacks better than others, it also means it is harder to enchant. However, since Adamant is so strong already, enchanted adamant becomes practically unbreakable and thus is extremely valuable. An enchanter who has both a supply of adamant and the skill to enchant it will almost invariably be very powerfully equipped, very wealthy, or both.

Blue Adamant: One of the most common and most useful of the Adamants is Blue Adamant. It is lightweight compared to most Adamants (being slightly heavier than Steel) but is still very strong (being eight times as strong as steel). However, while it is common compared to other Adamants, it is uncommon compared to other metals. Blue Adamant is slightly reflective and is an almost pure blue, with some veins being lighter or darker than others.

Normal Adamant: Normal Adamant is a dull grey in color. It is slightly weaker than Blue Adamant and slightly heavier. It is only approximately 10% less common, but it is rare to find both Adamant and Blue Adamant in the same region. Adamant and Blue Adamant are actually used as currency in a few cultures, particularly those lucky enough to live in an area that has a decent amount of them. Even these cultures find it difficult to mint enough coins out of pure adamant to meet their economic demands, however, and thus they tend to make their coins out of multiple metals (placing an adamant frame or imprint into a golden or silver coin, for example).

Red Adamant: The inverse of most Adamants, Red Adamant is typically found in powdered or sandstone-like form. It is extremely brittle and will crumble under the slightest pressure. As such it is useless on it's own, at least as a construction material. As it turns out, it has other properties that make it valuable, the most well-known of which are it's alchemical properties; for example, mixing Red Adamant with certain potions can make their effects permanent, and alloying Red Adamant with Black Iron not only makes it enchantable, but a mana magnet as well. The most difficult part about obtaining Red Adamant is not it's rarity, but rather, identifying it in the first place. Red Adamant in it's natural form simply looks like reddish dust and mixes in freely with normal dirt or sandstone. Few people know how to tell the difference and even fewer know where to look. This, combined with it's natural rarity, makes it quite difficult to obtain. It's alchemical uses are also often obscure and complex; only the most experienced or educated alchemists can make use of it safely. Even so, the promise of a permanent magical potion is often incentive enough to overcome this.

Black Adamant: One of the rarer Adamants and one of the most valuable, Black Adamant is one of the strongest naturally-occuring metals in existance. It is very heavy, being twice as heavy as normal adamant, but is also more than twice as strong. Black Adamant is also the most enchantable of the common Adamant types, making it even more valuable to a potential smith. (Though this is relative; being Adamant, "Most Enchantable" means it is roughly as enchantable as steel.)

Silver Adamant: Often considered one of the most precious metals there is, Silver Adamant is the lightest adamant by far, weighing slightly less than steel. It is also the strongest; in fact, Silver Adamant is considered unbreakable for all practical purposes. It takes force on the scale of a starship weapon--and a powerful one, at that--to penetrate even a half inch of this material.

If you would expect such a powerful metal to be rare, you would be right. Many planets do not have any Silver Adamant deposits at all, and those that do have it scattered in small veins deep underground. Typically, the larger a planet is, the higher it's chance of containing Silver Adamant. This metal only seems to appear beyond a certain depth, and that depth is over three miles. Thus, a mining team on a planet that is only eight miles in diameter may have to burrow all the way to the planet's core before they'll find even a trace of this metal. Compounding this difficulty is the fact that silver adamant veins tend to be extremely thin and almost lace-like; tiny pieces of the metal must often be magically bonded before any substantially large amount can be gathered, and because of it's strength, it takes an incredibly potent enchanter or a supernaturally hot furnace to perform this bonding.

Magical energy is both attracted and repelled by Silver Adamant in ways that are not well understood. Extremely skilled enchanters have found ways to make it magic resistant or enchantable, but in it's natural form, spells flow around it like water, and ambient mana swirls in unnatural patterns when a significant amount of it is present. This effect is not strong enough to affect spellcasting per se, but it does mean anyone wearing a suit of silver adamant will have some light protection against magic as well as almost impenetrable physical protection.

Lustrous Metals

Like Irons, Lustrous metals are naturally occurring and grow out of the earth. The main difference is that lustrous metals are less dispersed (they are fairly pure when found) and are generally magically conductive in some fashion.

Lustrous metals are often used as currency, partially because they are common, partially because they are pretty, and partially because there aren't dozens of blacksmiths trying to make weapons out of them. (Though there are often enchanters trying to make jewelry or runes out of them...)

Gold: Gold is a soft, lustrous metal that is capable of both conducting and storing magical energy. Because of this it is very easy to enchant, making it the most common choice for magical items and jewelry. Because it is a soft metal, it is rarely used in weapons or armor unless they are intended to be almost entirely magical in nature.

Silver: Though not as potent as gold, silver has numerous magical uses. Rather than a conductor, it serves as a magical insulator, and enchanted silver can be used to control or nullify what would otherwise be dangerous magical energies. This same property also makes it dangerous to magical creatures, many of which cannot defend themselves against silver weaponry. However, like gold, silver is fairly soft, so weapons made for this purpose are generally either enchanted for greater strength or are silver-plated versions of normal weapons. (The latter are considerably less effective than a pure silver weapon, however.)

Opal: The polychromatic metal Opal is primarily produced by plantlife and used as a lure to catch living prey. However, areas with very large amounts of benign vegetation can often sprout opal naturally as well.

Opal is a reasonably strong but easy to use metal that takes enchantment well, though not as well as Gold or Lustrasteel. It is considered a midrange metal, not having any particular strongpoint or weakpoint but being a solid choice for almost any application. If it could be said to have a unique trait, it would be that it can be attuned to particular elements or magic types more easily than other metals (thus, it is common to find such things as "Fire Opal" and "Dark Opal" in the shops of skilled enchanters.) It also comes in a very wide variety of natural forms, depending on which life form produced it. These forms are generally comparable in strength and properties, with a few exceptions.

Surellius: This metal is an extremely reflective blue, interspersed with marble-like black patterns. Surrellius is, bar none, the most powerful lustrous metal. Indeed, it is one of the most magically powerful metals that is known to exist in nature. It can be manufactured at great cost by the most powerful enchanters and it can be found in the rarest and most exotic of places, but in either case it is very difficult to obtain in any significant amount. The most anyone can hope for in most cases is enough for a small ring or even an inset for a ring, and even this requires considerable resources or connections.

Surellius has profound effects, however. Even a small amount confers an array of powers upon the user; greater strength, speed, health and mana regeneration, and resilience are all bestowed on the user. What's more, Surellius isn't merely easy to enchant--it actively amplifies any enchantment placed on it many times over. Something as simple as placing an emerald into a Surrellius ring can give it's wearer incredible regenerative powers.

Like Demonskin, Surellius tends to have a "Personality" which manifests once an item is made. However, rather than demonic imagery, Surellius tends to take on geometric forms, creating intricate patterns that weave in and out of one another. Often runes will appear, sometimes recognizable, sometimes alien. Runesmiths have even been known to learn of the existance of powerful new runes by looking at an item made from Surellius.

Surellius is actually used as currency among the most powerful of individuals; rings and coins made of Surellius exchange hands between the leaders of powerful empires and exceptionally powerful heroes or villains. There is practically no one in the universe who can't use Surellius, so it is almost universally accepted as currency...during the infitesimally rare instances when it is widely available.

Despite it's magical strength, Surellius is not suitable as material for weapons or armor unless it is enchanted. It is comparatively fragile in it's natural form and will shatter under significant stress. (In this sense it is about as strong as tin--it won't break if you drop it, but it will break if you hit it with a big enough hammer.) Surellius is easy to mend and form, however, so shattering it is not a great tragedy unless it breaks an enchantment in the process. Due to it's magical power, a simple enchantment meant to physically strengthen it will easily put it on par with adamant, and a more powerful enchantment can make it stronger than any naturally occurring metal.

Energy Metals

Energy metals can be either synthetic or natural. They are almost always magical, often containing innate magical effects before an enchanter even touches them. Beyond these commonalities, their nature varies drastically.

Angelic Iron: This alabaster, marbled-looking metal grows mostly in Brightwind, though it has been found in Phaesili and other places on occaision. It is strong, lightweight, and confers magical protection to the wearer in addition to it's physical protection. It takes enchantment extremely well, particularly light magic. Dark magic is not only difficult to place on this metal, but will actually degrade the innate protection it provides and can even cause the metal itself to rot. (Extremely skilled enchanters can circumvent these effects, however--it has even been said that enchanters skilled in void magic or metallurgy can cause Angelic Iron to amplify dark magic as if it were light magic.)

Angelic Iron can be converted into Brightsteel.

Brightsteel: This polychromatic, mirrored steel is aptly named--it seems to reflect even more light than actually hits it, casting rainbows and a shining glimmer in every direction. Brightsteel is strong, but more for it's magical properties than it's physical ones.

Unlike Angelic Iron, Brightsteel takes all kinds of magic, including dark magic. In fact, when enchanted with enough dark magic, Brightsteel transforms into an entirely new material called Darksteel. Darksteel has a black, oily appearance, and is equally powerful--albeit in completely opposite ways. Brightsteel's luster changes appropriately to the kind of magic it is saturated with; Brightsteel that is enchanted with Light magic will reflect an even brighter rainbow, whereas Brightsteel enchanted with fire magic will cast flickering, orange light. Dark-enchanted Brightsteel is even known to "reflect darkness," casting flickering, irridescent shadows from spots where light hits it.

Demonic Iron: This naturally-occurring dark red metal is most common in Faneglut. It tends to confer lifestealing properties on the weilder. When used as armor, it slowly drains the wearer's life force but considerably increases their combat abilities.

Demonskin: Also known as Fanesteel, this flesh-pink metal is an alloy of Demonic Iron and Bloodsteel. It actually shares properties of both steel and more earthen materials such as the iron ores used to create it. It has unique magical properties that tend to alter both it's appearance and it's surface. Demonsteel, regardless of it's original shape when forged, will tend to take on demonic characteristics--skulls and snarling faces will appear on it's surface, serrations will grow along cutting edges, and the item will generally turn nasty. Demonsteel is not the strongest of magical metals, but has the unusual advantage that it can repair itself. (Apparently whatever power allows it to manifest demonic characteristics also allows it to seal cuts and dents in it's surface.)

In contrast to Demonic Iron, Demonskin will actually heal the wielder when used as armor. It also tends to have a magical effects when used as a weapon, though these vary from weapon to weapon--it is much as though each item forged from Demonsteel takes on it's own "Personality."

Mage Steel: This magical metal is made by pouring molten steel through a series of enchanted tubes and plates, each of which contains a fairly complex enchantment that acts on the molten metal, placing enchantments on it as it travels through. While the initial setup of this system is painstaking and costly, once it's done, the converstion of steel into Mage Steel is practically effortless, making Mage Steel an affordable and lightweight alternative to Steel--provided there is someone in town who supplies it. Mage Steel is extremely light and increases the user's mana regeneration and mana supply very slightly.

Sorcerous Steel: A much more elaborate version of Mage Steel, Sorcerous Steel involves channelling the energy of the stars through giant mirrored skylights, the chanting of words of power by dozens of acolytes, the burning of arcane runes into each bar as it cools and, generally speaking, a lot more work. Sorcerous Steel is only somewhat more powerful physically than Mage Steel, but it provides much greater magical benefits, particularly a deflection/dispelling effect against enemy magic, an amplification effect on one's own spells, and a significant capacity for mana. It can be tricky to enchant without disrupting it's existing powers, however. Conversely, those who know the inner workings of Sorcerous Steel can take advantage of those powers in order to make their enchantments easier to apply.

Ghost Plate: Created by using Light Magic enchantments on Obsidian, Ghost Plate is a translucent, light-grey metal that is both strong and almost feather-light. It is favored by mages who can afford it because it is extremely strong for it's weight, but it's price is high.

Crystalline Metals

Crystalline metals are metals with a crystal-like matrix. The shape of this matrix generally determines the physical properties of the metal, meaning crystalline metals are generally much more special-purpose than standard metals. They are often translucent or transparent and some are magically conductive.

Crystalline metals can be either synthetic or natural, depending on the metal. Naturally occurring crystallines usually take the form of actual crystals which are found both above and below the ground.

Turalyon: Turalyon is a translucent red metal with a highly angular matrix. It is slightly weaker than steel, but it's angular matrix means any damage it takes will tend to shear off at an acute angle. This makes Turalyon a poor choice for armor, but makes it ideal for weapons; wear on the weapon's edge will effectively sharpen it, meaning Turalyon edged weapons start very sharp and stay very sharp. Turalyon is a naturally occurring metal and is difficult to make synthetically.

Obsidian: Obsidian has a similar structure to Turalyon, but it's matrices grow in random patterns relative to each other rather than along a single, uniform line. This means that In it's natural form it is a poor choice for either armor or weapons; the random structure means it will shatter or blunt very easily. However, Obsidian is one of the easiest metals to enchant because it can "soak up" a great deal of magical energy and one of the simplest enchantments is one that causes the crystalline matrix to align itself in a particular way. This can turn Obsidian into a strong choice for both weapons and armor, depending on the alignment chosen. Thus, nearly any item made of Obsidian will be made of Enchanted Obsidian.

Obsidian is very common, particularly in desert and volcanic areas. Enchanted Obsidian is also common in these areas, to the extent that enchanters are available.

Towerglass: Towerglass is a perfectly transparent, glassy metal. It is very sturdy and hard to either dent or shatter, and when it does take significant damage, it tends to take the form of starbreak chips and cracks rather than the metal actually breaking or denting. It's strength is roughly three times that of steel. The most unusual aspect of Towerglass is that it is exceptionally good at channeling the magical energies of gemstones, making it an ideal material for gem-based enchantmented items. It is also good at conducting simple magical energies, though it is not as good at holding them.

Towerglass is a naturally occurring metal and most commonly grows in Brightwind. It grows to a lesser extent in Prime and Phaesili. It is usually found in extremely bright and sunny areas, particularly when there is little vegetation or other obstacles to cast shadows on it. (This also means it is often found in arctic and snowy regions, where vegetation is less commonly found.)

Goddesses' Tears: This translucent, pale-blue metal is said to be unbreakable by almost any means. Unfortunately, it is also unshapeable by almost any means. It takes it's name both from it's color and from the fact that it is most commonly found in a small, teardrop-like shape.

Despite the difficulties in shaping it, it has still found it's uses; using Goddesses' Tears to make an overlapping mesh with another material makes very effective armor, whether it be as simple as interweaving it with a cloak or as complex as aligning it with a Lustrasteel breastplate.

Few ever obtain enough Goddesses Tears to make useful armor out of them, however, so they are used instead as magical talismans. Goddesses' Tears can be crammed with a lot of magical energy, though it can sometimes be difficult to get it back out again...generally it is better to simply use a Sapphire or other gem, unless the enchantress is exceptionally skilled. Overall, Goddesses Tears are most commonly found in magical jewelry.

Elipax: Elipax is a black, opalescent crystal that is fairly soft. It is a poor choice for weapons or armor on it's own; while it will not shatter, it bends and dents very easily. What makes Elipax useful is that it draws magical energy into it, it is capable of storing a great deal of it, and is capable of discharging it almost instantaneously when stimulated to do so. This makes it much easier to simulate spellcasting, add reactive defenses, and so forth--even non-enchanters can often mimic the effects of enchantments using Elipax.

For example, an emerald which normally conveys regenerative abilities on the wearer could be placed into an item made of Elipax. The Elipax would absorb this magical energy, causing the effect to be lost--however, with the right stimulation, all of the absorbed energy could be released at once, causing one very powerful and instantaneous healing effect rather than a slow regenerative effect.

Elipax also allows non-enchanters to make anti-magic defenses. As Elipax naturally absorbs magical energy, it will absorb part of the energy from a hostile spell simply by coming in contact with it. Simply coating armor with Elipax will cause the armor to absorb some of the power from any spell that hits it.

This effect can be amplified by an enchanter or metalleurgist to make "Shadowsteel." While Shadowsteel is technically the same material as Elipax, it has different properties in that it absorbs magic with such force that actually sucks magical energy in from the surrounding area (typically in the radius of a foot) and these energies typically cannot be taken out again unless the Elipax is extremely saturated (and typically when this is the case it will begin to radiate magic back out in a raw form). This makes it almost unenchantable (or, rather, any enchantment will have it's effects drawn back into the Shadowsteel before they can do anything) but it makes it an unmatched counter to magical attacks and extremely lethal against magical creatures. Shadowsteel is visibly distinguishable from normal Elipax by the fact that it is jet black and often seems to "emit" darkness (hence the name). This effect is far more pronounced than it is for Darksteel, which merely casts flickering shadows in response to light; Shadowsteel literally glows with pure blackness, and a room filled with Shadowsteel items can become almost impossible to see in without an extremely bright light source.

One final frequent use for raw Elipax is as a mana battery; anything from a simple crystal necklace to give a mage a boost all the way up to the power source for a gigantic Mecki war machine.

Woods and Plants

As there are a near-infinite variety of plant species in Ishara, so too are there a near-infinite variety of woods and plant matter to use. However, plants--like animals--follow certain archetypes, and this generally makes their woods very similar. Below are a few of the more common types and varieties of wood and how they are used.

Common Woods

Alchemical Plants

Symbiotic Plants

Lumber Woods

These are sturdy woods without any particularly unusual properties. They come from the central bodies of traditional trees. They are typically used as structures or frames for buildings, or used as an exclusive building material for the building. Wood is not used as commonly for building construction as one might think, simply because carnivorous trees are difficult to distinguish from normal ones, making Earth Magic a safer way to create housing.

Earthenwood

Earthenwood is a common building material for one reason alone--there is no carnivorous version of the Earthwood tree. This makes it safe to harvest and use, though it is otherwise a mediocre material, being fairly soft and not particularly sturdy.

Titanwood

The inverse of Earthenwood, titanwood is difficult to harvest because every titanwood tree is at least partially carnivorous. However, the sheer size of titanwood trees means large sections can often be cut out with minimal casualties. Titanwood is very sturdy, though it is difficult to shape with magic. It is most often used or supplied through factions with technology that aids them in harvesting it; Giant Mecki contraptions covered in buzzsaws are not an uncommon sight around Titanwood trees.

Blackwood

Blackwood is a strong, heavy wood that is often used in buildings, particularly fortifications. The reason for this is that it is magic resistant and cannot be burned. It's strength also makes it difficult to harvest, however.

Alchemical plants are distinguished by whether they are easily converted into a drinkable or edible material that confers some sort of benefit or other effect. A plant with no discernable effect is just a weed, but if it can make you breathe fire, it's considered an alchemical plant.

The three most well-known alchemical plants are leaves from different sub-species of a particular kind of tree; the most common sub-species are called Bladefall, Shadefall and Gladefall trees.

Bladefall Leaves: The blood-red leaves of the Bladefall tree are the most common alchemical reagent on most planets. With little more than water, they can be converted into healing potions. More complex potions can be created with other reagents and the proper knowledge. There are other common reagents that create similar potions of varying levels of power, including the Dragonseye Rose, Veinroot and the Cherry Blossom (which also restores mana).

Shadefall Leaves: Similar to Bladefall trees, the slate blue Shadefall leaves are the mana counterpart to Bladefall leaves. They can be used to mix mana potions quickly and easily. Like Bladefall trees, Shadefall trees exist in most temperate climates. Other common mana reagents include the Moonrose and Cherry Blossom.

Gladefall Leaves: Rounding out the triangle of leaf-based alchemy, Gladefall leaves produce potions that restore endurance and remove fatigue. More powerful reagents with similar effects include the Titan Root, the Sunrose and the Sunflower Lilly.

Black Ivy: Though a potent magical aid when eaten, black ivy is poisonous to touch and tends to confer a minor magical curse on anyone who is carrying it. Sometimes variations of this effect will appear when the plant is used in other potions.

As such, most black ivy potions and enchantments involve a countermeasure of some sort to control it's negative energies; silver-based catalysts or magics which negate curses are typically used in tandem with black ivy.

Skilled enchanters and alchemists, particularly those skilled in dark magic, have been known to amplify or reverse the effects of the curse, turning it into a potent charm or a potential weapon.

Prism Lotus: Found mostly in Brightwind, the Prism Lotus is a powerful healing agent of body, mind and spirit. It can be eaten directly, mixed into a potion, or even used as part of an enchantment. In fact, merely keeping prism lotus petals on one's person will grant slow regenerative powers to the wearer. This doesn't last terribly long, of course, as the petals will run out of energy and wither unless they are enchanted or otherwise cared for.

Prism lotuses are popular in marriage ceremonies in those cultures that have them.

Numerous plants actually exist solely to provide some useful function to animal species such as girls, monsters and so forth. In some cases it is a double-edged sword, as the plants might be partially or fully carnivorous. In many cases, however, symbiotic plants are completely benign.

There are two reasons that plants intentionally serve useful functions to animals: reproduction and energy metabolism.

Unlike Earthly plants, Isharan plants do not reproduce via seed; they reproduce via spore, just as animals do. And, like animals, their spores interact with those they come in contact with. Technically, plants are just a very specific set of animal archtypes. Every girl carries plant genes and plants carry girl genes, but, just like with animals, when the spore takes root and starts activating genes, certain genes will prevent others from activating. If a plant gene is activated before an animal gene, it will typically stop any other animal gene from activating. Thus, having animals near them will increase the plant's chance of spreading and having it's genes passed on.

In addition, most non-carnivorous plants sustain themselves on ambient magical energies. Plants in a given area will quickly deplete these energies if there are too many of them, but animal traffic will bring in fresh magical energy for them. The type of "mana" used by plants is rarely used by animal life, but their spirit bodies still absorb it. However, they tend to radiate it off just as fast, meaning if they enter the plant's vicinity, they will be bathed in fresh energy that the animal brought in with them, even if only for a short time.

Slumber Leaves: These long, podlike plants are large enough to accomodate a full-sized human. They are filled with small, cushion-like petals and give off a faint, pleasant smell. These plants are used as beds by many cultures, particularly travellers who want to rest before finishing their journey. Slumber leaves are harmless 99% of the time; while they will close in on the person who lies down within them, they will do so gently and will freely open up if the person attempts to push their way out. The remaining 1% of the time, they will still gently wrap around the person; the difference is they will seal themselves firmly shut, and the plant will begin secreting digestive juices once the person has fallen asleep. The soft petals inside will start to function as phillae, slowly absorbing the hapless person within. When they inevitably awaken, the petals will start squeezing and churning them, speeding their digestion along. Once the person has been reduced to little more than bones and mush, the plant will channel the remains into a secondary stomach below the ground and open back up again, looking as clean and innocent as ever. Because of this, most people do not know that slumber leaves are carnivorous; their hard outer pods are nearly soundproof and the soft petals within absorb the shock of their squirming meals, giving no outside indication that anything unusual is going on inside.

Food-bearing Plants: Many plants in Ishara bare fruit, nuts or nectar; everything from flowers to the hugest trees. Even some forms of grass produce something edible at their tips.

Fruits, nuts and so forth are typically coated in spores from the plant, as are the lips of nearly all animals. Thus, fruit will cause the animal to carry some of their genes, giving them a chance of dropping spores that will sprout into a similar (or even identical) plant. As a result, food-bearing plants are very common. However, plant-based food rarely contains any spirit energy, meaning most animals cannot live off of it for very long; generally only humans are capable of doing so indefinately.

Farming is exceedingly simple; as anything edible is coated in spores, it is typically just a matter of putting the thing in the ground. Even pouring raw nectar on the ground is often enough to "seed" a new plant, particularly if it has come in contact with the animal (most spores deactivate if they come into contact with an identical or near-identical spore, whereas they reactivate if they come in contact with a significantly different spore; this avoids overcrowding with both animal eggs and plant spores).

Plant matter that is not intended to be food can still be eaten, and often is, but it rarely tastes as good and is not as nutritionally valuable to most species. Such plants, when harvested and eaten, are referred to as "vegetables."

Housing Plants: Many plants grow into forms which naturally resemble tents, small houses, or other forms that animals can use as housing. As the presence of animals helps them reproduce, the more people there are in an area, the more of these plants will grow. They often provide food as well, though there are a few varieties that are secretly carnivorous, occaisionally snatching one of it's inhabitants and pulling her into a hidden stomach somewhere underground. The majority of housing plants are perfectly safe, however; those that are not are typically in areas that have a large number of carnivorous plants already, giving the person some small degree of warning.

Infused Woods

Trees with inherent magical properties are referred to as Infused Woods. These are used for myriad purposes according to their nature. Brightleaf lumber, for example, has a calming effect on nearby creatures, and is often used for the construction of Cherub halls or temples to holy Goddesses. The insidious Agony's Pine, on the other hand, is typically only used by demonesses who want to create a place of trials, punishment, or exceptionally brutal combat training. (Ironically, immunity can be built up to the effects of Agony's Pine, making forests of it popular places for renegades to hide)

Aside from those two, there are a few other particularly noteworthy infused woods:

Faerie Oak: Faerie oak has a very unique trait. Every Faerie Oak tree that grows is linked to another Faerie Oak tree, often in another realm (the most common realm being Phaesili). Often just touching the tree and thinking of the area around the other tree will be enough to transport somene there. In fact, in areas with a high concentration of magic, just touching the tree is often enough.

Faerie oak is almost never harvested, because it's effects become very unpredictable once the tree is cut down; the wood seems to become haunted and often seeks vengeance on anyone around it. Only the most skilled of alchemists are willing to fool around with this powerful and unpredictable material, though dark enchanters make use of it from time to time. Some Faerie enchanters and mages with plant-control magics have also been known to use it safely, as it behaves differently when it is harvested non-violently.

Ghost Willow: Ghost willow trees remember things. Thoughts, events, pretty much anything that happens near them...and sometimes other things too.

Ghost willows have some level of intelligence, and those with a sufficient attunement to nature (or magic that will substitute for it) will be able to communicate with and, potentially, share the memories of these sagely trees.

It is said that if you cut down a Ghost Willow, you will force the past to repeat itself--specifically, the sort of events the Ghost Willow has witnessed will occur again, close to where the Ghost Willow's wood has been stored or used.

Goldenwood: Also known as Trees of Life, Goldenwood trees are almost never chopped down except by demonesses and other sadistic creatures, for Goldenwood trees are extremely rare and extremely valuable--but only when they are alive. Goldenwood nurtures all the life around it, including animal species. It heals wounds in animals and speeds the growth of plants, and even carnivorous plants will cease to require living prey if they are within the shining rays of a Goldenwood tree. Because of this, they are considered sacred by many cultures.

When cut down, however, they quickly rot and their decaying stumps begin to kill and twist the life around them. Demons seem to revel in this effect and many will gleefully destroy any Goldenwood tree they find. They rarely have the chance, however, as Goldenwoods are rare in Faneglut, and it is rare to find one anywhere else that does not have some sort of powerful guardian.

Trees of Life can grow to tremendous size; if allowed to grow long enough on a large enough planet, they can grow to be kilometers high.

Darkwood: Darkwood is a curious kind of leafless, pale grey tree that grows best in dark areas with high concentrations of magical energy. This makes them common in Phaesili, Faneglut and planets which recieve little light. They can even be found in caverns, provided there are luminescent crystals or plants to provide what little light they do require (and some sub-species do not require light at all).

Despite the fact that they only grow in magically dense areas, Darkwood trees do not actually consume more magical energy than any other plant; they simply metabolize it and then release it back into the air. They seem to prefer certain kinds of magical energy, particularly the lower-intensity forms. Fierce, powerful energies do not suit them particularly well, but calm, balanced energies do.

Darkwood is one of the most easily enchantable woods, but unenchanted darkwood is not particularly strong or durable and does not grow as fast as Earthenwood (which is otherwise just as good), so it is only used for other purposes when better woods are not available..

Carnivorous Plants

The most notorious of plants are those which feed on living creatures, and they are quite common in many areas. As their name implies, carnivorous plants swallow and digest living prey much as an animal would. In truth, they share quite a few characteristics with animals, and some could even be considered hybrids (in fact, literal plant-animal hybrids do exist; these hybrids are called typically called Dryads).

Girlcrunch Plants: Also known as Venus Weeds, Girltraps or any of a dozen other names, Girlcrunch plants simply consist of two gigantic, jaw-like leaves, resembling a venus flytrap. When prey strays between these jaws, they clench shut and immediately begin secreting digestive enzymes.

Girlcrunch plants are quite obvious and do not blend in with benign plants; as such, they need some way to draw their prey to them. They have numerous means of doing this. Some have extremely long necks coiled in the ground that they use to shoot out and snatch their prey; others have tendrils that they use to drag their prey towards them. Others utilize lures, pheromones, or even mind control.

Carnivorous Trees: Most trees found in forests and jungles are harmless or even beneficial, but there are some which are dangerous. Carnivorous trees look generally like exceptionally large normal trees, usually between six and twelve feet wide, and many other trees grow to this size, so they don't seem unusual. Their nature is betrayed when brown, slimy tentacles burst from the ground and sieze the victim. A panel opens up in the side of the tree, and the poor girl is thrust into a tight, cramped wooden space and the panel is closed. The bark inside then starts excreting a slimy, acidic sap, and the rest is history. The sap can digest nearly anything given enough time, so there is no need to disgorge remains, and the tree goes back to looking just like a normal tree.

Larger trees, rather than having larger 'stomachs', often grow multiple chambers to digest girls in. The largest varieties could be digesting several girls at any given time. This digestion generally takes between three and six hours.

A few of the more brutal varieties also thrust long, hollow thorns into their victims and inject acid directly into them, but these are less common. Needless to say, this cuts the digestion time considerably.

Some types, rather than digesting their victims with acid, simply grow roots into the unfortunate victim. This causes a suitably disturbing death as the girl feels dozens of tendrils slowly burrowing into every part of her body. These kinds occaisonally digest girls outside the main bulk of the tree, as the roots tend to stay once the girl has been devoured by them.

Slime Vines: Clusters of long, tendril-like vines, these seek to wrap around their victims, hold them tight, then begin to excrete painful digestive enzymes. The vines are very strong, and the acid is strong enough to cause rashes within minutes; however, generally the vines must wrap their victims into a veritible cacoon before they can digest them thoroughly. Slime vines are one of the most common types of carnivorous plant due to their simplicity and high rate of growth, and many have the ability to move through the ground at surprising speed. However, this rate barely makes up for the almost casual ease with which they can be hacked apart by a sword or axe.

Parasitic Plants

Treading the line between symbiotic and carnivorous plants, parasitic plants typically steal some sort of sustenance from another creature without actually attempting to digest it. The most notorious of parasitic plants are blood crystal and bloodweed, though there are many others.

Bloodweed: These plants are similar to slimevines in that they are free-moving tendrils, but rather than wrapping up their prey, they stab into them with hollow, needle-like ends and begin to drain their blood. Generally one or two tendrils will wrap around a limb to slow the target's escape, and if enough bloodweed tendrils are present the bloodweed will attempt to lift the prey off the ground in order to prevent them from pulling free.

Because there is no digestion involved, it is difficult to die from blood loss alone, so bloodweeds are typically nonlethal. They can significantly weaken their prey, however, making them vulnerable to more dangerous attackers.

Clothing Materials

Most materials are harvested from plants. Animal products are rare simply because it is difficult to aquire products from an animal who's spirit body actively defends it. The most common clothing materials are cloth (material that is created from leaves or hair), Leather (material that is created from plant bark), and Silk (material that is magically created).

Cloth

Cloth is created by physically or magically weaving different materials, including certain kinds of leaves, other plant matter, and fur or hair (This is not as unpleasant as it sounds, as the hair is usually treated and softened both before and after it is woven into a garment). Sometimes it is created purely out of magic.

Cloth generally provides poor protection but serves to hide the naughty bits well enough. There are exceptions, of course; depending on the source of the materials, certain kinds of cloth can be extremely strong. A cloak woven from the hair of an Empirisai, for example, would be almost impossible to cut.

Leather

Since most creatures either self-destruct or are unkillable, making material out of the skin of creatures generally isn't an option (the exception is harder materials that tend to remain after the creature self-destructs, such as shells or scales). As such, in Ishara, "Leather" actually refers to certain forms of soft treebark or other plant tissues. It is called leather because these barks, once treated, are comparable to cured Earth leather.

The quality, comfort and protective value of leather depends almost entirely on two things: The plant matter used and the process used to create it. Thus there are a wide variety of leathers available, ranging from cheap, uncomfortable leather that is practically a stitched set of leaves to supple, strong leather that fits like a second skin.

Silk

The term "Silk" refers to a clothlike material made by converting another material using transmutation. The most common form of silk is produced magically using common water; running water is magically transmuted into silk using transmutation magic. This form of silk is soft, very smooth, and considerably stronger than cloth, but has no other special properties. The next most common are silks made with fire, of which there are two varieties: smoke silk and fire silk. Smoke silk is generally inferior to water silk, being rougher in texture and easier to cut or rip. It is also easier to make in large amounts, however--water silk requires a large amount of mana, whereas smoke silk requires almost none--it actually takes more mana to bring the smoke together than to actually transmute it. It's companion, fire silk, is quite the opposite--it requires considerable concentration and mana to create, but is superior to water silk. It is comparable to water silk in durability, but fire silk tends to increase the strength, speed, and fire resistance of the wearer, and takes enchantment more easily.

There are silks corresponding to the other elements as well, but these are less common as they are more difficult to create than water silk or fire silk. Typically, elemental silks are created by hybridizing the element with water; earth silk is created with mud or liquified metal (the latter being very difficult to make, but very powerful); dark silk is created using a liquid infused with dark energy, and so on. These silks vary in strength and in the effects they confer on the wearer. In fact, almost any liquid can be turned into silk, provided the weaver is skilled enough. Those that assume that the effects conferred by a silk will be the same as the liquid are generally disappointed, however--just because you wove silk out of a healing potion doesn't mean it will constantly heal you. (It may, but the effect may be so slow that it is effectively useless) Nonetheless, alchemists can make many powerful silks by converting the right magical liquids. For example, some transmuters--particularly demonesses--have entire tailoring guilds dedicated to creating silks solely from the blood of different creatures. (This is the origin of the rare, powerful, and sometimes dangerous "Dragon Silks.")

Water silk is one of the most common clothing materials among human cultures. Practically any village that has a transmuter will have at least some silk clothing available. Water silk is nearly transparent naturally, but most transmuters will add color to it that makes it opaque using numerous methods (adding inks or paints to the water, or simply coloring the object after it is made).

Some silks can be made of solids, despite the difficulty; Fae in particular are skilled in transmuting certain solids (particularly crystals and gemstones) into sheets of silk. These silks are very valuable as they almost invariably inherit the magical properties of the crystal or gem they were made from. Other transmuters can create silks out of powders as if they were liquids, often creating similar (if diminished) effects.