Arcanum Optimar

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After the Necroquake many aftershock waves of magic and strange hurricanes of aetheric energy currents of every hue of magic spread across the realms. This created an era of enormous magical potential. This age would be know by many names most notably the Arcanum Optimar by the Collegiate Arcane, the Gorak-drek by the Kharadron Overlords, the Erus Draíocht by the Eldritch Council and the Time of Ripples by the Starmasters. Many wizards sought to use the proliferation of magic to seize greatness, leading many to take reckless risks that would lead to the spread of rouge Endless Spells through the realms.[1a]

Effects

During this era there were many notable changes across the realms regarding magic:

  • The necroquake itself awakened untold numbers of hostile spirits and undead creatures that attacked the living.[1a]
  • Wizards could channel magic of their current realm into Realm Spells, a host of new and often deadly spells. Not only was this very easy and often used to empower realms, the wizards were aware of the spell almost as if by instinct rather than having to learn it from a tome like other spells.[1a][1b]
    • The weakest casters, those regarded as quasi-charlatans, were able to modify their arcane knowledge with minor cantrips like changing their hair color on a whim or creating a spark out of thin air.[1b]
    • Most casters could only use minor cantrips like conjuring arcane flames in Aqshy or or smelling prey in Ghur, regardless of their area of expertise and sometimes modifying it.[1b]
    • However true sorcerers, those that could use battle magic, found their abilities greatly expanded and amplified, able to summon scorching blasts in Aqshy or instantly rust metal in Chamon, among many other examples across each of the realms.[1b]
  • New and deadly self-sustaining Endless spells could now be summoned, at the risk of escaping the control and going rogue, which many did.[1a][1b]
  • Many of the weapons, trinkets and armour pieces and other objects that were once wielded by great champions or the devout, or forged from the rarest metals, began to absorb the magic. These objects gained enchantments spontaneously, whose nature depended on the hue of magic it was immersed in. And in the Realm of Ghur the tusks of the most ferocious and famous beasts gained an amber glow and were used to make powerful artefacts that copied the abilities that made monsters famous, like the magical helmet of Thok da Krumpa. Items made with Realmstone became even more powerful.[1a][1b]
  • Elemental Creatures emerged in fury.[1a]
  • Godbeasts stirred in their slumber.[1a]
  • Khorne's anger at the rise of magic, causes him to offer greater rewards for the death of spellcasters. Physical manifestation of the Blood God's anger similar to Endless Spells, called Judgements of Khorne, start to manifest around his priests.[2a]

Study

The practitioners of arcane arts of the Mortal Realm began to study the effect of the Necroquake as quickly as possible, at least those that survived the undead attacks cause by the Necroquake.[1a][1b]

Each of these various types studied it's after effects their own away:

  • Lord-Ordinators looked at star-signs and shared their knowledge with their Sacrosant Chambers.[1b]
  • Mages of Azyr checked celestial orreries and arcanoscopes.[1b]
  • Branchwyches tasted the magic in the air, water and soil with their sensitive roots.[1b]
  • The Bright Mages of Aqshy studied burning embers.[1b]
  • Auric Runesmiters and Firebellies read portents in the way magma flowed.[1b]
  • Tidecasters searched for spells that would help with soul-raids.[1b]
  • Greenskin Shamans became aware of the changes by instinct alone.[1b]

The conclusion they reach was the same regardless of their status or knowledge, that the realm were filled with magic like never before and it manifested in many variety of ways.[1b]

Events

  • The Living Inferno of Hallowheart destroyed parts of Hallowheart before being stopped. Just as it was subsiding the Purple Death was released on the streets of Hammerhal.[1a]
  • Battle of Fang Gorge: A battle where a Brayherd fought Stormcast, where the Great Bray-Shaman Grakhorn summoned a Ravenak's Gnashing Jaws that devastated both sides.[1a]
  • The Necromancer Von Kressling halted the Bone Tide of Ull.[1b]
  • The Lord-Arcanum Artheleone and his warband stopped the Death-Bringer and Amber Jaws of Aquillonth.[1b]
  • A Suffocating Gravetide killed hundred of thousands in the Rusted Wastes before being finally stopped by three covens of the Eldritch Council.[1a]
  • After the Necroquake Tzallagor, a Magister of the Bluefire Pyrofane Cult sought to use the overflowing arcane energies to sabotage the heart of the Living City by casting off the illusions that hide them and lead his minions into battle. He summoned a Burning Head of Aqshy in the city and the spell caused enormous devastation, but rather than attack the Temple of Life, the spell turned on it's caster and consumed it and its entire cult. The spell is currently burning a path through the Globus Gulf.[1a]
  • Khorne is enraged by the rising power of magic, began to offer immediate boons to his followers that slay spellcasters with greater rewards for gorier and spectacular kills. His rising anger pierces the veil of reality to invigorate Slaughterpriests where his minions are attacked by sorcerous powers to unbind the very fabrics that hold Endless Spells together.[2a]
  • Lakshar Bloodspeaker summons a Skull Altar in the Scablands upon which cultists of Tzeentch are sacrificed resulting in the summoning of a Bleeding Icon, the first summoning of a Judgement of Khorne. Soon Slaughterpriests across the realms begin summoning Judgements of Khorne to face the increased arcane powers head on.[2a]
  • Battlemages of Hallowheart discovers that Endless Spells can be trapped inside voidstone amphorae warded by Azyrite runes. While dangerous the spells could then be unleashed upon one’s foes, whereupon they would explode from their prisons with terrible fury.[3a]
  • Grandmasters of the Collegiate establishes the Order of the Chained Flame whose battlemages are given the license to recruit their own mercenary retinues to unbind and dispel rogue endless spells. While the order hunts spells the Grandmasters lock themselves in their eldritch laboratories and begin studying and dissecting captured spells to examine their inner workings. As a result the Collegiate has developed new and terrible weapons of war such as aetheric lance-cannons that can be fired through the void to strike distant lands, negastone arks that when activated drags all nearby into their crushing embrace and chronomantic orbs that can slow the passage of time for the wielder.[3a]

Sources

Magic of the Mortal Realms and Beyond
Lores of Magic Magic Spectrum Heavens {{{3}}}Beasts {{{3}}}Fire {{{3}}}Metal {{{3}}}Life {{{3}}}Death {{{3}}}Light {{{3}}}Shadows {{{3}}}
Chaos Beasts of Chaos (Twisted WildsDark Storm) • Chaos Ascendant (Ruinous Sorcery) • Disciples of Tzeentch (FateChange) • Hedonites of Slaanesh (SlaaneshForbidden Sorceries of SlaaneshPain and Pleasure) • Maggotkin of Nurgle (MalignanceVirulenceFoulness) • Skaven (RuinWarpvolt Galvanism) • Slaves to Darkness (Damned)
Death Flesh-Eater Courts (Madness) • Legions of Nagash (Sorrows) • Soulblight Gravelords (DeathmagesVampires) • Nighthaunt (Underworlds) • Ossiarch Bonereapers (MortisansNecro-Alchemy)
Destruction Gloomspite Gitz (MoonclansSpiderfangs) • Ogor Mawtribes (GutmagicSun-Eater) • Orruk Warclans (WeirdSavage Waaagh!Savage BeastSwamp)
Order Cities of Sigmar (CinderCollegiate ArcaneLeavesSmogPhoenixDark SorceryWhitefireEaglesUmbral SpiteIlluminationGhurish Heartlands) • Daughters of Khaine (Shadows) • Idoneth Deepkin (Deeps) • Lumineth Realm-lords (HyshHigh PeaksWindsZaitrec) • Seraphon (Celestial DominationCelestial Manipulation) • Stormcast Eternals (DrakesStormInvigoration) • Sylvaneth (Deepwood)
Unaligned Realmsphere Magic (EightpointsShadespire) • Ice
Realmstone AetherquartzAmberboneCelestiumChamoniteCyclestoneEmberstoneFalsestoneGrave-SandNullstoneVaraniteWarpstone
Magic Crafts Alchemy (Aether-KhemistryDark AlchemyNecro-Alchemy (Soul Alchemy)) • ChantooRunecraft
Other BloodGrudgeMinor CantripsNull
Arcanum OptimarEndless SpellIncarnateSpells (Common SpellsUnits Spells)