Tag: dsm

LORE24 ENTRY #11 – Mass-Produced Spell Wands

Category – Magic / Spell

Although not strictly the domain of the DSM Arcane Research & Development department, this group is most often associated with mass-produced spell wands.  Though the creation of true magic wands isn’t a lost art, the craft has become much more rare in modern times as many of the reasons to carry such an item have been supplanted by technological items that replicate the effects of such spells, and for much less investment in time and resources, with the ability to be used by anyone, with or without magical talents.

In the case of a mass-produced wand, however, the costs have been minimized through the use of cheaper materials and the implementation of a single charging; once the power of the wands have been used, the artificially-created crystal holding the spell  charge crumbles, as often does the wand itself as the cheap composite materials break down over the lifespan of the wand.  Each wand is keyed to a single spell, and once crafted, this cannot be changed, whereas with a traditional wand, one of sufficient skill can create them with multiple spells stored within.

The benefits of a mass-produced wand are numerous, however.  Firstly, it allows for the group using them to easily equip their members, even those with minimal magical talents, with extra offensive and defensive options while leaving their personal spellcasting resources open for more powerful magics.  Second, in the event of losing such a wand, the loss is minimal in terms of cost to replace and time invested in its replacement.  Third, having a variety of additional spells available for an arcanist can give them greater advantage against those who oppose them, either in terms of offense and defense, or allowing the arcanist to use magic they normally are not capable of using, simply by uttering the activation phrase assigned to the wand.  In a pinch, those spellcasters who are familiar with the construction of wands can even supplement their own arcane energies by absorbing charges from the wands.

Generally, such wands hold limited charges, much fewer than a traditional spell wand, allowing for perhaps 20-30 castings of a lower powered spell, or as few as 10 or less of a more powerful spell.  As they cannot be recharged, once the power is expended, the wand is rendered useless.  Further, the power of spells from such wands is fixed, meaning that the spells cast from them are usually at a reduced magnitude of effect compared to the user having cast the spell themselves from their own reserves.

 

LORE24 ENTRY #2 – The DSM Corporation

Category – Organization

DSM, or Dynamic Solutions Multiversal is the single largest corporate entity in the known galaxy, and one of the most reviled, even though they are the monolith in which all other corporations are overshadowed by.  Even planetary governments pale in comparison to their power and reach.  They own hundreds if not thousands of smaller companies, having taken them over through various methods, most of them shady.

DSM was originally created following the fall of the Great Elvish Dominion, the last vestiges of the old-world hierarchies that were struggling in vain to survive with the coming of a space-faring, galaxy-spanning civilization.  Following a great war amongst the stars, from the ashes of the old empire came the founder of DSM, Rivalle Volcari, with a new vision of how she and the remaining elvish great houses would continue to manipulate and control the newly developed galactic population, namely through commerce.  Though initially a somewhat unassuming company dedicated to experimental technology and preserving arcane knowledge, DSM rose through the ranks of the early galactic economy, and would eventually become the most powerful and feared megacorporation in the galaxy.  DSM will do whatever it takes to see that their competition is crushed beneath its power, either through economic manipulation, ruthless corporate spying, or the might of its private armed forces.  Over the course of its history, it has taken over countless smaller companies.

The looming monolith of DSM has become something of a galactic boogeyman, with rumors abound of dozens of highly secretive black-sites where their mysterious Arcane Research & Development division perform dark and perverse experiments that threaten the very fabric of the universe.  Though other rumors state that these black-sites are simply private prisons, no different from the massive prison systems ran by the dark elf clans.  If anyone knows the truth of the matter, they aren’t talking.  Of all the divisions within DSM, the AR&D department is the only one personally overseen by Rivalle Volcari herself, and to cross her by allowing information about this group to be made public would be most unwise.