There have been many references that state that dwarves have a sorcerous society. These are misleading, because true Mostali use mechanics which is similar in outline to conventional Malkioni sorcery, but profoundly different in practice. Heretic and apostate dwarves find that mechanics are less reliable for them due to their deviance from the True Way of Mostal and they often convert to sorcery as the most similar magic to mechanics.
This is similar to the way that some dwarves have converted their number system to decimal for ease of communication with outsiders, whereas true Mostali count in octal (base 8) Because of some mystic relationship with the operations of the world machine. It has been found that dwarves can calculate much more accurately and much faster when using octal instead of decimal and this may be because of some property of their brains, or because they receive aid from an external collective intelligence. Some have speculated that dwarves have a hive mind similar to that of insect colonies and that all communication is carried out using octal numbers (or some derivative). Others have speculated that this exterior source of intelligence is the World Machine itself and that if it was ever fully repaired then all true dwarves would become hyper-intelligent and soon take over the world.
In fact it should be noted that dwarves who do not count in octal are unable to use mechanics. Thus, it would seem that there is some basis to the above theories. The reason why these facts have been hidden from humans for so long is because the God Learners tried to standardize all systems of magic and to this end converted several dwarven populations to sorcery. This caused rifts to appear within dwarven society and the remaining octal/mechanics based dwarves deliberately withdrew contact with the outside world and kept their secret knowledge well hidden.
Basic mechanisms (spells) are manipulated in a manner similar to sorcery, however the actual manipulations have a different effect to that of Malkioni sorcery manipulations.
Mechanics refer to their manipulations as tools, the complete set of tools are given below. The effect of the tools varies with the skill of the mechanic in using them.
This is the origin of the Mostali proverb;
``A bad worker always blames his tools''.
The force of the mechanism is roughly equivalent to sorcerous intensity and is limited to the force skill of the mechanic divided by 10 Force times 10% is subtracted from the mechanic's chance to erect the mechanism.
Distance is similar to range in sorcery, but distance operates over a much smaller gap. The maximum distance in metres is limited to the mechanics distance skill and the distance in metres is subtracted from the mechanic's chance to erect the mechanism.
It is speculated that the very short distance measure is due to the fact that dwarves are very short sighted and that in their tunnels 100 metres with a clear line of sight is very rare.
While similar to sorcerous duration the time manipulation of mechanics is generally superior due to the very strong links between Mostali and the Stasis Rune. When used on normal magics the duration of a mechanism is limited to the mechanics time skill squared in minutes thus 30% time skill results in 15 hours of duration. The time skill used is subtracted from the mechanic's chance to erect the mechanism.
Note that if the time skill is used for mechanisms which are closely tied
to the Stasis Rune then the duration will be the cube of the
time skill used in rounds.
| Duration Table | |||
| Sorcery | Mechanics | ||
| Normal | Stasis | ||
| n% | 10 × 2n minutes | n**2 minutes | n**3 rounds |
| 2 | 4 minutes | 1.5 minutes | |
| 3 | 9 minutes | 5 minutes | |
| 5 | 25 minutes | 25 minutes | |
| 10 | 20 minutes | 100 minutes | 200 minutes |
| 20 | 40 minutes | 400 minutes | 1 day |
| 30 | 80 minutes | 15 hours | 3.5 days |
| 40 | 160 minutes | 26 hours | 8.9 days |
| 50 | 5 hours | 41 hours | 17 days |
| 60 | 10 hours | 2.5 days | 30 days |
| 70 | 21 hours | 3.5 days | 47 days |
| 80 | 42 hours | 4.5 days | 71 days |
| 90 | 3.5 days | 5.5 days | 101 days |
| 100 | 7 days | 7 days | 153 days |
A mechanic may attempt to speed up the erection time of the mechanism. For every 5% skill in acceleration he may reduce the erection time by one strike rank, unfortunately the acceleration skill used reduces the mechanic's chance of success.
The cumulative penalties caused by force, distance, time and acceleration to the chance of success are known as friction. This is said to be a result of damage to the World Machine. If it was ever fully repaired friction would drop to zero. Also if the World Machine's condition alters then friction would rise or fall with its condition.
Friction can be reduced by use of lubrication. Every extra magic point expended when erecting the mechanism reduces friction by 10%. Thus most dwarves have to use a considerable amount of lubrication when erecting more powerful mechanisms in order to increase their chances of success. Note that lubrication can only cancel friction, not actually increase the mechanic's base chance of erecting the mechanism.
Extra time spent contemplating the mechanism increases the chance of success. Calculation operates in the same manner as the ceremony skill.
The erection time of a mechanism (in strike ranks) is equal to the SR of the mechanic, plus the sum of the force, distance and time used divided by 10, plus the number of MPs used for lubrication, minus the acceleration used divided by 5, plus any time spent calculating.
Mechanics is very economical in terms of MPs for skilled practitioners. The MP cost of a mechanical spell is one plus the number of points spent in lubrication.
Chip O'Rock a true worshipper of Mostal and faithful Rock Dwarf is busy at his life's work repairing the World Machine. His current work task is to remove some temporary masonry ceiling supports and install long term stone pillars.
Firstly Chip prudently decides to support the rock ceiling to avoid the chance of a cave in. He decides that 41 hours (50% time) should be enough to get the job done and settles down for an hour to erect a Stabilize Rock mechanism. Chip has 70% Stabilize Rock and decides not to use any other tools, but to use 4 points of lubrication to ease construction of the mechanism. Thus his chances of success are 70% (skill) 50% (time) + 40% (lubrication) equals 60%. Chip rolls a 57 and just succeeds, whew. The mechanism took Chip 1+4=5 MPs to erect.
Now Chip decides to loosen the masonry by using the Unset Cement mechanism this is one of Chips favourites and he has a skill with it of 89%. Chip decides to loosen 8 ENC of cement (his maximum as his force skill is 83%) and he reckons that he should be able to take the supports down in 100 minutes so he decides to only use 10% time, he also uses 10% distance to allow him to be 10 metres back so that he is not directly under the masonry if it suddenly falls. Noting that the friction on the mechanism will be very high (100%) Chip decides that a fairly hefty amount of lubrication will be needed. Since he has already used 5 of his own MPs he decides to use 9 points from his enchanted lubrication can and only one of his own MPs (for the mechanism itself). Thus Chip has an 89 (skill) 80 (force) 10 (time) 10 (distance) + 90 (lubrication) = 79% chance of success. He rolls a 12 and succeeds easily. The mechanism took 3 (Chip's DEX SR) + 8 (force/10) + 1 (time/10) + 1 (distance/10) + 9 (lubrication) = 22 strike ranks to erect.
Chip strolls over to inspect his handiwork and gently tests the firmness of the cement; nice and soft. Unfortunately, this causes a large lump of masonry to fall onto Chips head as he turns to fetch his hammer and chisel. Metaphorical dice are rolled and Chip takes 17 points in the head. Fortunately Chip obeys safety regulations and always wears his 6 AP bronze miners helmet when working. Chip also maintains a force 5 Stone Skin at all times for just this type of eventuality. The Stone Skin blocks 5d3 damage (10 is rolled) and the helmet blocks a further 6 points so Chip is lucky to escape with a 1 point bruise on the bonce. Chip, ever the cautious type, immediately sets about re-erecting a Stone Skin just in case of further trouble and then continues with the slow task of repairing the World Machine.
Note stability magic does not require a point of POW (except to sorcerous dwarves) as true Mostali are aided by their close ties to the Stasis Rune. The rational argument goes like this: why waste 1 POW for a temporary increase to 6 AP for a glass container when each Armouring Enchantment gives it d3 AP permanently (remember that it already has 1 AP)? Thus sensible dwarfs take the long term view and apply three points of Armouring Enchantment and produce a glass flask that is both stronger and lasts for EVER!
Below are some Mostali mechanical mechanisms (aka. spells), listed by caste. The list makes no attempt to be complete, but merely serves as an indication of the type of mechanisms each caste uses.
ranged, active, temporal
Allows the dwarf to monitor and lubricate a number of machines equal to the force of the mechanism. All the machines must be within range of the mechanic at all times. While this mechanism is running the mechanic can automatically monitor and maintain a number of machines and automatically detect any abnormalities or malfunctions.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**3, as the sorcery spell but does not require 1 POW.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**3, similar to the sorcery spell Stabilize Masonry but works on rock and does not require 1 POW.
self, passive, temporal
Each point of force blocks d3 damage from the first blow that strikes the caster, including specials and criticals. Only one Stone Skin mechanism may be running at a given time. This mechanism is generally used by Rock Dwarfs to reduce casualties in mining accidents.
ranged, passive, temporal
Each point of force temporarily reduces the ENC of an item by one. This reduces the damage of crushing and slashing weapons by one per point. Dwarves use this mechanism to help lighten heavy objects to make them easier to place in position.
ranged, passive, temporal
Each point of force adds one ENC to an item upon which it is cast. On a weapon, one ENC increases the STR and DEX requirement by one. Dwarves use this mechanism to increase the mass of counter weights to enable heavy objects to be hoisted.
ranged, instantaneous
Speeds up the drying of cement or mortar, by the duration of the mechanism (n**2 minutes). Thus 10% time would speed up the drying of the cement by 100 minutes. The mechanism affects a maximum ENC of cement equal to the force times 10
ranged, passive, temporal
Loosens an ENC of cement or mortar equal to the force of the mechanism. This may cause partial collapse in smaller structures, but is unlikely to cause larger structures to collapse as the amount affected is too small. Of course it might cause a fatal weakness at a critical point, and a Rock Dwarf is the best equipped person to detect flaws in stone-work.
touch, active, temporal
Reduces the dimensions of a block of stone. One point of force affects 100 ENC of stone, or reduces its dimensions by 5%. Dwarves use this mechanism to fit blocks of stone together with virtually airtight seams. The mechanism does not reduce the mass of the block of stone.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**3, as the sorcery spell but does not require 1 POW.
ranged, passive, temporal
Each point of force adds one ENC to an item upon which it is cast. On a weapon, one ENC increases the STR and DEX requirement by one.
touch, instantaneous
Creates a permanent, air tight seal over on a container with an ENC less than or equal to the force of the mechanism.
touch, passive, temporal
Creates a magical lock on a chest, container or door with a STR equal to the force of the mechanism which only the mechanic can open easily.
touch, passive, temporal
Creates a magical ward with a circumference or length equal to the distance of the mechanism which acts as one point of spell resistance per 2 points of force. The ward causes d3 damage to any enemies crossing it per 2 points of force and also sounds a loud alarm.
ritual Enchantment
Standard enchantment.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**3, as the sorcery spell but does not require 1 POW.
touch, instantaneous
Allows the caster to transform an ENC of unenchanted Aluminium or Quicksilver equal to the force of the mechanism into its other state.
touch, active, temporal
Allows the mechanic to identify a chemical compound and analyze its chemical properties. The mechanic may identify one unknown fact about the compound for every point of force, each fact takes 10 minutes to gather, obviously the duration of the mechanism must be sufficient.
Repeated castings of the mechanism reveal the same facts, therefore it is normal practice for the Quicksilver Dwarf to use mundane methods to determine as much as possible about a compound before resorting to mechanics.
ritual Enchantment
Standard enchantment.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**3, as the sorcery spell Stabilize Magic Point Matrix but does not require 1 POW. Unfortunately the matrix is drained by the mechanism and will cease to function when the mechanism expires.
ritual Enchantment
As the spell Magic Point Matrix Enchantment.
touch, instantaneous
This mechanism generates an electric charge which will travel down any conductor the copper dwarf is touching. If the metal object is grounded through another living being they take d3 damage per point of force. If the caster is not a copper dwarf the mechanism earths through him or her causing the appropriate damage.
touch, instantaneous
This mechanism tests whether the conductor which is touched has any breaks or bottlenecks in it within the range of the mechanism.
ritual Enchantment
Standard enchantment.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**3, as the sorcery spell but does not require 1 POW.
ritual Enchantment
touch, passive, temporal
This mechanism repairs damaged dwarves, Mostali and other dwarven constructs. The mechanism repairs 1 point of damage per hour up to the force provided it lasts for sufficient time. This mechanism boosts the target's internal damage control and self repair systems so that the mechanic does not need to do all the repair work, but merely has to occasionally monitor the operation.
touch, active, temporal
Allows the mechanic to replace an organ or limb which has been lost, or damaged beyond repair on a dwarf or Mostali. The mechanic must make a repair dwarf skill roll in addition to successfully casting the mechanism. The force times 10% is the chance that a newly installed limb or organ will function correctly.
ritual Enchantment
Standard enchantment.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**3, as the sorcery spell but does not require 1 POW.
ranged, instantaneous
This mechanism ignites any combustible substance causing a fire which causes d6 damage on the first round of exposure, the damage on subsequent rounds varies according to the substance, some less combustible substances will die out quickly, others will flare up. Wood for example will slowly increase in intensity by +d6 per 5 rounds.
The force of the mechanism must be equal to the SIZ of the target.
touch, instantaneous
Measures the tensile strength of a metal up to a maximum of a STR of the force of the mechanism * 10
touch, instantaneous
Measures the hardness of a metal.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**3, as the sorcery spell stabilize magic but acts on mechanical mechanisms and does not require 1 POW.
ranged, instantaneous
The mechanism creates a magical missile which causes d3 damage per point of force. The caster must overcome the MPs of the target and armour protects.
ranged, passive, temporal
Each point of force reduces the damage done by the target object by 1 point.
touch, passive, temporal
This mechanism converts an object into a small swirling ball of energy. The force must equal the SIZ of the object. Dwarfs, Mostali and their constructs may also be digitized safely. Other living beings may be digitized, however on reconstruction their bodies may be found to be uninhabited by their spirits. There is a chance equal to the number of rounds that the being was digitized that their spirit has departed towards the Halls of the Dead. Resurrection can be used to place the spirit back inside its body.
If the duration of the mechanism is exceeded before reconstruction then the ball of energy disperses and the digitzed object is lost forever. This increases the entropy of the World Machine so that dwarfs do their best to avoid this happening.
touch, instantaneous
Reconverts an object from a ball of digitized energy. The force of the mechanism must equal the SIZ of the object. Unfortunately living beings (other than dwarfs and Mostali) may have lost their spirits, and thus be dead.
touch, instantaneous
This mechanism allows the mechanic to transmit a digitized object down an energy conduit prepared by copper dwarfs. The force must equal the SIZ of the digitized object.
Unfortunately due to the influence of Chaos there are corruptions and losses during transmission. There is a 1% cumulative chance per km transmitted that an object will suffer corruption. Thus the chance for successful transmission is 100% minus the range in km. If this roll is failed then when undigitized a living or magical object will be found to be dead or non-magical due to very tiny distortions. If the roll is fumbled all objects are twisted out of all recognition. Dwarfs use repeater stations every 10 or 20 km to boost the signal and mimimize the chance of corruption, even so it is a brave or desperate Mostali who allows themselves to be transmitted in this manner. If the World Machine was ever fully repaired and Chaos was eliminated then transmission would become loseless and safe.
It is possible for two or more objects which are transmitted together to be combined if either transmission roll is failed. The results of this are generally chaotic, and dwarves use very careful signalling to avoid transmitting down conduits at the same time as someone else.
touch,passive,temporal
Creates a duplicate copy of any non-living or non-magical digitized object. Living or magical objects may be replicated, but the replicas of magic items will be non-magical. With living beings the spirit will inhabit the first replica to be reconstructed. This mechanism requires a mass of silver equal to the original mass of the object to be replicated. The force must be equal to the ENC of the object (Note that this differs from the rest of the digitize mechanisms).
Unfortunately due to damage to the World Machine and the fact that the Mostali developed this mechanism before the creation of Gold, Iron and Diamond Mostali it cannot replicate any of these substances. It also cannot replicate Truestone or Adamant and some other valuable substances.
touch,instantaneous
Transfers a digitized object to a specially enchanted permanent store. While in the store the object suffers no degradation and the energy will not dissipate unless the store is destroyed. The force of the mechanism must be equal to the SIZ of the object.
ritual Enchantment
Enchants a specially prepared disk made of enchanted aluminium and iron to store a digitized object. Each ENC of disk allows it to be used to store 1 SIZ of digitized object. The enchantment costs 1 POW per 10 ENC of the disk (or fraction thereof).
ritual Enchantment
Standard enchantment.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**3, as the sorcery spell but does not require 1 POW.
ranged, passive, temporal
Blurs the outline of the target which reduces all attackers chances to hit the target by 3% per point of force.
ranged, passive, temporal
Blurs the outline of the target to sonar and darksense etc. which reduces all attackers who use these senses chances to hit the target by 3% per point of force.
ritual Enchantment
Standard enchantment.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**3, as the sorcery spell but does not require 1 POW.
ritual Enchantment, temporal
Duration n**2, the force must equal the AP of the armour. As the sorcery spell Fend Blow but does not require 1 POW.
ranged, passive, temporal
Each point of force adds 3% to the chance to hit with a specific crossbow, pistol or musket for the duration of the mechanism. Note that the target must be within the range of the mechanism for the bonus to be received. This mechanism only functions for dwarf or Mostali weapon users, other races are unable to benefit from the complex aiming signals which it generates. The mechanism also allows dwarfs to see clearly out to the maximum distance of the mechanism unfortunately this vision is black and white, not colour. This still represents a great improvement as most Mostali cannot see beyond 40 metres.
touch, passive, temporal
Each point of force adds 3% to the chance to hit and parry with a specific melee weapon for the duration of the mechanism. The mechanism also works for thrown weapons such as axes, hammers and rocks.
ritual Enchantment
Standard enchantment.
ritual Enchantment
Standard enchantment.
self, passive, temporal
Converts the Diamond Dwarfs hands into specialized tools for their trade, as the description in Elder Secrets.
ranged, active, temporal
Allows Diamond Dwarfs to heat substances appropriate to their trade, as the description in Elder Secrets.
Each point of force allows the mechanism to affect 1 ENC of substance or creates 1d6 of heat intensity (see page 81 of the RuneQuest book). Heat intensity rises by 1d6 per minute, up to the maximum, this mechanism does not produce instant explosions of heat.
self, instantaneous
Allows the Diamond Dwarf to accurately measure for the purpose of their trade, as the description in Elder Secrets.
ranged, active, temporal
Melts any substance which is in a special container of varying size, as the description in Elder Secrets. This mechanism must be cast at Force 10
self, instantaneous
Allows the Diamond Dwarf to weigh within a range appropriate to their caste, as the description in Elder Secrets.
ritual Enchantment
Allows a Diamond Dwarf to convert an ENC of Truestone equal to the force of the mechanism into an equal ENC of Adamant. The mechanism also requires 1 point of POW per ENC.