Glass // Transmutation

"I'm gonna put some sand in your eyes!
Beware of splinters, for as this sand has sharp edges."

Cocky Speculi

Despite popular belief is glass magic not a derivative of the Veilgate of Spring and instead draws powers from the Wind arcane, with Speculi being more the applicants of their lent element having no control over it in its raw silicate state. Speculi have to carry the raw sand around or reside mostly on beaches to be able to fully utilize their capabilities. That being said are they even without sand not completely useless, far from it even.

Shimmer // Shatter

The hands of a Speculi are their forge, their breath the form giving odem. Depending on how they treat the sand in their pockets or breath can multiple things happen. Size and the way of glassblowing changes the composition vastly.


What Speculi call 'Shimmer' is in general an ability to turn very small clumps of sand into miniature glass splinters keeping the course form of sand but adding some weight and refracting powers to it. Shimmer dust is mostly a defensive maneuver to refract abilities and powers that can be bent. Specially useful against the energy weapons of Etheriums sci-fi armory. But this mist-like glass-sand also aids in obscuring vision, bending light to change the outlines of the caster to be harder to hit.


'Shatter' on the other hand is a broad description for the usage of small glass constructs, melting and reforming the sand into singular translucent items. Based on the sand used, can these tools be nearly invisible to the naked eye or colored in yellow, reddish or black hues. These constructs are flimsy single-use items that shine through sharp edges but no mass. Transmutation is fast enough to get used instinctively.

"This girl is spitting fire!
No ... what the heck?
Glass spikes!?"

Nailgun in action

Construct // Reshaping

Silicate transmutation was a favorite subject of the Academy's headmaster, being a Speculi himself. His office had multiple reservoirs filled with sand, ready to aid its master with the fresh creation of all tools necessary, or even trinkets to gift to his skilled pupils, whimsical figurines or brooches. His glass ornaments decorate many desks of absolvers of the licence Magica Vellius and its higher grade derivatives.

The creation of lasting and resilient glass constructs is considered a form of art, that gets taught to aspiring Speculi artists and artisans alike. Learning the traditional ways of glassblowing and sculpting, Speculi are quickly encuraged to use their sandy breath as refining material and their hot hands instead of a blowtorch. A capable Speculi is highly asked on the market, able to create constructs that are not possible by traditional means, while keeping the resilience of them high enough that they are meant to last.


Of course, are there more blunt and barbaric applications of that school present as well. Speculi are often seen carrying around a formless glass club or staff they can render more dangerous on the fly using a glassblowing application to add spikes and other mean attachments. The school of 'Reshaping' is a discipline that can either be done slow with care or via brute force, using their hot hands to pull the glass tool apart, sacrificing its integrity for a quick alteration of glass.


Reshaping can however also be used to bypass glass barriers, melting the glass to such a degree so that the Speculi can 'swim' through it before shaping it back to state 1.


To prevent such glaring structural weaknesses in domiciles is it common to embed the protective glass with traces of Zabrit rendering the touch of the glass to a depowering experience.

Windowswimming Speculi by Soulwing98

Aquired Through:
Symbiosis with a -todo-
General Name
Speculi / Transmuter

Related School

Exotic manifestation of the gate of autumn

Related Element

Strong association to the earth element / Strong association to the fire element / Mediocre association to the wind element

Effect Duration

Transmutations last till the object breaks or gets undone or repurposed.

Effect Casting Time

Depends on the desired longevity. From seconds to many hours.

Range

Touch-based

Body alterations

Speculi get upon symbiosis essentially partially rebuilt to become a living glass-maker. To be resilient against the process of creating glass grows their skin more resisting against heat as well as slightly cut-proof. Their lung gets rebuilt to enrich the inhaled air in the bronchi with traces of a matter akin to organic sand, being able to have at least some matter present to cast and form spells. Hands and feet, as well as the mouth have the ability to heat up to red-hot degrees creating the heat necessary to reshape and condense sand into glass. Without the obvious hint regarding their Veilgate, with their eyes glowing yellow while casting spells, one could interpret this power to be more akin to the fire arcana.

Most Speculi doesn't even realize how much of a border power this ability is. They can easily open the Veilgate of Summer, maybe even opened it without realizing it in the first place.


As it is the case with most exotic graded symbioses are the limits between the gates blurring and blending together. A state which allows for a broader application, but a serious disadvantage in further Overstretching attempts.
Only very few Speculi achieve the rank of a Transmuter, integrating yet another gate into their array, being able to influence other matter than silicates, maybe even ores.

Arcane Arcanum;
Prof. Tung