====== Empowerment ======
**Empowerment** is a technique for bestowing [[magic|magical ability]] on a commander, mage, or priest, using [[gems]]. It is a permanent process that stacks with all temporary boosts, such as those from [[items]], spells, and rituals.
Empowerment is very expensive. To empower you spend an amount of gems in that path equal to the new level times 15. The table below shows this for [[Nature]]:
^ New Path ^ Gem Cost ^
| {{path>N1}} | {{gems>50N}} |
| {{path>N2}} | {{gems>30N}} |
| {{path>N3}} | {{gems>45N}} |
| {{path>N4}} | {{gems>60N}} |
| {{path>N5}} | {{gems>75N}} |
| {{path>N6}} | {{gems>90N}} |
| {{path>N7}} | {{gems>105N}} |
| {{path>N8}} | {{gems>120N}} |
| {{path>N9}} | {{gems>135N}} |
| {{:misc:magic:nature.png?14&nolink}}X | {{gems>15N}}*X |
Note that the costs above are **not** cumulative, so empowering from not being a nature mage to having {{path>N2}} costs {{gems>80N}}.
==== Common Empowerments ====
Any empowerment should be done with a clear purpose. Empower costs are expensive but if done for a good reason can provide a good return on that cost.
Some examples of useful empowerments:
^ Example Scenario ^ Starting Path ^ Empowered Path ^ Cost ^ Example Purpose ^ Nation Benefit ^
| Nation with {{path>D1}} access only | {{path>D1}} | {{path>D2}} | {{gems>30D}} | Allows forging of a Skullstaff +{{:misc:magic:death.png?14&nolink}} booster. The mage can equip this item and is now {{path>D3}}. This allows access to the spell to summon a Mound Fiend which when given the Skullstaff becomes {{path>D4}}| Increased [[Death]] access. Nation path access increased from {{path>D1}} to {{path>D4}}. |
| Nation with Earth but no Earth and Astral crosspath access | No Astral | {{path>S1}} | {{gems>50S}} | Done with an Earth mage provides access to Earth and Astral crosspath items like the communion items Sky Metal Matrix and Slave Matrix. | Access to communions for non-Astral nations to cast higher spells in combat. |
| Nation with Astral but no Earth and Astral crosspath access | No Earth| {{path>E1}} | {{gems>50E}} | Done with an Astral mage provides access to Earth and Astral crosspath items like the communion items Sky Metal Matrix and Slave Matrix. | Access to communions for non-Astral mages to cast higher spells in combat. |
| Nation with {{path>W1}} access only | {{path>W1}} | {{path>W2}} | {{gems>30W}} | Alongside a forgeable (with any {{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} mage) water bracelet +{{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} booster this boosts a {{path>W1}} mage to {{path>W3}} and allows forging of the Sea Robe +{{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} booster. | Increased [[Water]] access. Nation path access increased from {{path>W1}} to {{path>W4}} and ability to make 2 x +{{path>W1}} boosters to make any {{path>W1}} mage into a {{path>W3}} mage. |
| Nation with {{path>S1}} access only | {{path>S1}} | {{path>S2}} | {{gems>30S}} | Allows forging of Starshine Skullcap +{{:misc:magic:astral.png?14&nolink}} booster and if done on a mage with {{path>E2}} also allows forging of Coin of Meteoritic Iron +{{:misc:magic:astral.png?14&nolink}} booster. | Increased [[Astral]] access. Access to one (and with {{path>E2}} two) Astral boosters, increasing nation path access from {{path>S1}} to {{path>S3}} access ({{path>S4}} with {{path>E2}}). |
| Nation with Glamor but no Glamor/{{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} crosspath access | No Water | {{path>W1}} | {{gems>50W}} | Done with a Glamor mage provides access to Glamor/{{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} crosspath to summon Water Kobolds. | Nation access to Glamor/{{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} crosspath spells and sailing. |
| Nation with {{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} but no Glamor/{{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} crosspath access | No Glamor | {{path>G1}} | {{gems>50G}} | Done with a {{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} mage provides access to Glamor/{{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} crosspath to summon Water Kobolds. | Nation access to Glamor/{{:misc:magic:water.png?14&nolink}} crosspath spells and sailing. |
| Nation with {{path>D3}} access but no {{:misc:magic:death.png?14&nolink}}{{:misc:magic:air.png?14&nolink}} crosspath | No Air | {{path>A1}} | {{gems>50A}} | Provides {{:misc:magic:death.png?14&nolink}}{{:misc:magic:air.png?14&nolink}} crosspath to be able to cast Winds of Death, which is an impactful strategic option. | Ability to threaten significant attrition to large enemy armies. |
| Mage with {{path>A1}} | {{path>A1}} | {{path>A2}} | {{gems>30A}} | Provides access to Cloud Trapeze magic phase movement to the mage. | Enhanced strategic movement and attack options for mage. |
==== Empowering into Blood ====
Empowering into [[Blood]] is also doable; {{:gem:gem_b.png?nolink}}blood slaves are basically Blood gems, after all, just like how {{:gem:gem_s.png?nolink}}astral pearls are basically [[Astral]] gems.
{{:abilities:horror_mark.png?nolink }} There is a danger to empowering in Blood, though. The heinousness of the act //may// permanently stain the subject's hands with a [[horror mark]], a sigil invisible to all but the gods above and the [[horrors]] further above them...