The Scry-weave (Frightening Anachronisms) - GLAUGUST
I've been chewing on some ideas for this prompt, and decided to pull from some ongoing jokes that have been going on in the games of D&D I run, both online and at my home table. The main idea will be image capturing techniques in my high fantasy setting. Let's give some background information, shall we?
Alastria, The City of Secrets
Alastria is a massive desert city, located in the heart of a scorching hot desert surrounded by rocky badlands and savannas. It was once the capitol of a thriving empire ruled by the mighty Sorcerer King. 300 years ago, the Sorcerer King and his four great heralds disappeared without a trace, leaving the empire to crumble into ruin, and fall to the desert sands.
In the meantime, several noble houses, cults, and religious orders attempted to fill the void in power within the vestiges of the empire, but none could succeed. Eventually, the people of Alastria primarily operated within a non-aggression principle. Most folks kept to their own guilds, fraternities, and cults for protection. One group of zealots took to roaming the streets, peacefully and loudly proclaiming their belief that the Sorcerer King would return and restore the glory of the empire. However, the city still lay in barely-contained anarchy. It became a common sight to see people (especially magic-users of opposing factions) fighting in the streets. Criminals eventually became more bold.
In response, a secret order of wizards banded together with the goal of maintaining the peace and detaining dangerous magic-users and everyday criminals. Working from the shadows with absolute discretion, they became known as the Magisterium. Most people had not even the slightest idea where the Magisterium came from, but they seemed to be a force for good. Magisterium agents were known for their vibrant blue robes, and their use of the well-kept secret spell Teleport.
At least 2/6 people you meet in Alastria have seen a Magisterium agent at work, for a brief moment. They appear in a puff of smoke, grab hold of those who they deem to have broken their unknown laws, and disappear into thin air with their targets.
The Return of The Sorcerer King
In recent time, a devastatingly powerful wizard has appeared to all of Alastria, casting a field of darkness over the city. "I am the return of the Sorcerer King. Swear fealty to me, or die!" After this proclamation, the supposed Sorcerer King took his place in the long-abandoned palace and was fervently praised and worshipped by the zealots who once aimlessly roamed the streets.
With these zealots and a number of new adherents, the Sorcerer King established the new Imperial Cult, which hails him as god-king. It became high crime to deny the Sorcerer King's divinity, or to speak against any of his decrees. Loyal Imperial Sorcerers were granted mysterious power, and a distinctive silver mask as a sign of their office.
Orbs, The Scryweave, Memory Stones and Surveillance
In my setting, every self-respecting magic-user can scry with the use of a magic mirror or crystal orb (it's a feature tied to my magic-user's [B] template). In Alastria, orbs are all the rage while magic mirrors are seen as antiquated and old-timey. However, a good orb will set you back around 1000 gold pieces. With a quality scrying focus, a magic-user can scry any area within their home or out in an open area up to 1/2 mile x their level. Thusly, a level 4 magic-user can scry up to a 4 mile radius. Normal people or objects in plain sight are easy to view by scrying, but intelligent creatures will usually be able to sense they are being scryed upon. Experienced magic-users often have safeguards in place to prevent the prying eyes of other wizards. An anti-scrying amulet or talisman will likely cost 500-600 GP. However, if the target is willing and also seated at a magic mirror or orb, you may use your scrying to speak to one another. This is where the real fun begins.
Magic-users who wish to keep in contact with one another will trade attunement stones. These objects don't have to be literally stones, but any durable material etched with runes and containing enough residual mana to attune one's scrying to the intended recipient's orb. So then, in Alastria many spellcasters are able to view and speak with one another in real-time.
Some groups have taken this idea and created their own scrying networks, known as Scry-weaves. By maintaining a scrying network between manned orbs placed strategically around the city, the range of connectivity can be increased with each node. It is believed that this is a technique that the Magisterium themselves first pioneered, and then perfected by removing the need for a full-fledged wizard to be operating an orb and maintaining a connection. Instead, the Magisterium keep a large web of specially designed familiars and homunculi with smaller crystal balls and gemstones embedded in their bodies. Eventually, as these familiars were discovered and slain by alley-wizards in the city, their orbs and gems harvested from their bodies, and the technique eventually spread and became a more common practice. It was soon discovered that within these well-used scrying gems, memories could be etched upon a physical medium for long-term storage. Of course, the Magisterium was aware of this possibility for a long time. Large polyhedrons of crystal could store an entire lifetime of memories, known as a Codex. Smaller ones are called memory stones.
Most people with access use the open Scry-weave for information. Messages and announcements float through the psychic ether, powered by whoever is currently scrying through the weave, and by a countless number of silently dreaming familiars. Some groups have discovered it is possible to string together their own nodule within the weave, and if continuously connected by a scrying familiar (or an underpaid apprentice), other folks can regularly attune to their 'domain', or restrict access to only those with an attunement stone. In professional use, magical fraternities will establish their own weave nodule to send vital information and memorandums to faculty. Groups of assassins and alley-wizards broadcast secret bounties and hold auctions for illicit items. The Imperial Cult is constantly broadcasting notices, bounties, and of course, singing the praises of the returned Sorcerer King.
Imperial Sorcerers act as the new city watch, keeping the peace but moreso watching for anything they deem as blasphemy. Placed around the city on every major block and through street are animated silver eyes, harnessing the interconnected lattice of the Scry-weave. It is well understood that each member of the Imperial Cult can see through these eyes as if they were their own, allowing them to shuffle through each view as they stop and concentrate.