Arcane Engine: A Weird Dream

[Ruethgar]

I had a strange dream where I build a massive arcane engine from living trees and crystals and decided I wanted one... in D&D. But I can't really think of how something could be a power source in D&D, let alone what it would be powering. Greater Consumption with perpetual summons via traps would work, as would Spellfire absorption, and the Absorption spell, but those are all fairly short term and don't really store power as much as they provide a temporary boost.

[Quiet Wizard]

Is this conceptually similar to the Fantastic Machine and Greater Fantastic Machine spells in the Spell Compendium?

[Ruethgar]

Those pretty much just look like instant constructs rather than a massive arcane engine which would most certainly be some form of Wondrous Architecture. The size of the device in my dream was between gargantuan and colossal in D&D terms. Is there any way to temporarily grant the magic mantle and switch spells known?

[Daishain]

Well, fluff wise it appears to be possible.

The PrC known as Mage of the Arcane Order has access to something known as a spellpool. From which he can retrieve and use spells stored by others, and then needs to restore the debt by storing spells himself.

Catch is, I have not seen the nature and function of the spellpool actually described.

And then there are the various storage type things that can be done with crystals in psionics, which is often fluffed as simply another means of using the weave, the same force behind standard arcane spells.

[Ruethgar]

Spell pools let you switch what spell you have prepared(essentially giving Wizards spontaneous casting). Has a diminishing % depending on spell level to actually be in the pool but you can call on any spell you want... like a Whispering Way Living Templated or War version of any spell.

I suppose I could use psionic crystals, but I was really wanting to be able to use them in conjunction for greater effect(item set rules look to be the only thing available apart from just synergy).

[Alent]

Could you describe this "Arcane engine" more in depth?

It sounds interesting, but that whole "I have no idea what it was powering" (besides conversation) thing makes it difficult to make suggestions.

If they were awakened or animated trees, it's possible they could have been constructs with psionic tattoos, the thay tattoo feat, participating in circle magic, somehow?

[Emperor Tippy]

What do you want to do with it?

Energy Transformation Field (SC) with a permanent animated object pressing repeatedly an Unbreakable Rod to power Mage's Lucubration is fun if you can convince your DM that ML is a valid choice for ETF.

[nedz]

If this is just fluff you could file the serial numbers of Sha'ir and have your gen crystal-tree-homunculus go fetch your spells.

[Ruethgar]

ETF looks like it fits very well. The trees were arched inward, their branches reaching towards a central point. Crystals were growing out of the trees, both as budding flower clusters, and straight out of the trunks. The crystals arched power between the trees, making the power even across the device. Power was being drawn into the crystals, as well as being pulled up through the roots of the trees. The power was being concentrated in the center of the trees. When it reached critical mass it created a burst effect that clung to each living thing near-by, empowering them.

[Darkweave31]

everything you dreamed and more awaits in gramarie (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?291019-By-the-Inferior-Science-of-our-Enemies-Gramarie-Mark-II). No, seriously... just combine biostructure (from biollurgy) with an eldrikinetic engine and you have it.

[Ruethgar]

I love gramarie, stick two gravity baubles on a cone of land(a biome you create in a Rope Trick will do which oddly can hold any number of objects). One gravity to hold the land above ground, the other to be the steering wheel for indefinite speed(you fall the full distance in one round whether it is beyond the normal max fall distance since it is based on Reverse Gravity instead of game gravity) without dealing with those irritating engines.

But yes, I Bio101 and an ELDK engine would work well to make the device I described.

[The Random NPC]

I took a look at your thing, looks like all your tables are broken, and I love how you made the Eldritch Animas all labeled like college classes.

[Werephilosopher]

I recall seeing somewhere a cube made of riverine, sealed but for a small riverine nozzle at the bottom. Decanters of Endless Water set to "geyser" are attached to the top inside the cube, pointing down; the jets of water pass through a permanent wall of fire stretched across the inside of the cube. The cube fills with steam, which builds and builds within the unbreakable box, until the nozzle is opened. Boom, steam engine.

Although that seems is more steampunk than what you're going for...