Engineers
From Snowblossom
Thousands of years ago, the Engineers were a dominant civilization of humans who had mastered the arts of Alchemy. Their cities lie in the eastern lands of the Eye, and were cities of wealth and splendor. The Engineers harnessed the power of the universe not through magic, but by unlocking the energy in the elements themselves.
The Engineers were the first to uncover the secrets of floatstone and skyships, as well as creating the hydrophaser, which can draw a large amount of power from water and has never been replicated by modern alchemists.
Contents |
History
When the first humans discovered magic, they used it in a very different way than the elves and goblinoid races. Instead of using it to master the elements and command the world around them, they used it to understand the world around them and uncover its secrets. And thus were born the Engineers.
The Engineers were humans, but modern humans look at them as a miraculous and separate race altogether. Their nation grew up in the Northeastern part of the Eye, from a tribe of humans, to a kingdom to a place of mechanical wonder. The Engineers’ society looked heavily to its scientists, alchemists and mechanics. In turn, they created wonders which made their society great and powerful.
To the Engineers, magic was a brute-force method of accomplishing goals. Cast a spell, weild the ancient power of the universe, and bring the might of the gods to bear, in small doses. To them, it was far better to harness the natural energies of their world than to call upon ancient forces and bend the rules around one’s will.
And this is why their inventions have lived so long. Many Engineer items are self-powered and self-sufficient, and are not subject to the shortcomings of magic. An Engineer artifact can not be controlled by magic and cannot be dispelled by it either. Their items function on the fundamental principles of the universe itself. Many Engineer artifacts work on clean water, which they somehow synthesize into energy. Most require the user to pull a lever or work a crank to get them started, after which they will run for hours under their own power.
Culture
The Engineers had a representative government and a merchantile economy. Because of their great prosperity, it is said that there was no poverty in their nation.
The Engineers’ cities and artifacts are built with columns and arches, and are decorated with stallions and eagles. The Engineers were very concerned with art, so their artifacts are always masterpieces in themselves – their airships (when kept clean) shine with golden luster and are adorned with carvings and inlays.
Fate
The ultimate fate of the Engineers is unknown. Their civilization seems to have simply disappeared about two thousand years ago. Their cities seem to fall to pieces overnight, and their citizens seemed to simply vanish. However, peices of their alchemical technology survived, and many pieces remain functional to this day.
Some Githyanki have claimed that they are the descendants of the Engineers. While a few Githyanki have taken to alchemy, others do not, and their sister race (and enemies) the Githzerai have no love of alchemy whatsoever.
Legacy
Centuries after the fall of the Engineers, the nation of Arctorus sprung up from the ashes of the Engineers. This nation has been built over the ruins of the Engineer's ancient nation.
