Touchstones

A Touchstone is a large (2m tall) piece of crystal or rock that is "linked" to a similar artefact at a remote location.

When activated by a member of the Djinn, up to seven medium-sized humanoids (plus up to one mount each) that are simultaneously touching the item are quickly transported to the other linked crystal or rock. Such travel is one-way and so these "touchstones" are often called either "dispatchers" or "receivers" based on their function.

The Touchstone network in the Empire is a relatively new innovation, established after the Nightingale's Eye (a group of Magi based in Alea'Zhim) set up a mutual defence and trade treaty with the Empire in 126IC. At present there is one "dispatcher" and one "receiver" touchstone at each of these locations:

• Anstruth (Academia)
• Zakharr (Alea'Zhim)
• Almanae (Erganth)
• Bervoshe (Chundria)
• Cinnibar (Dominus)
• Merebia (Dominus)
• Specularum (Dominus)
• Broogen (Thorast)
• Hammer Hold (Thorast)
• Nirvem (Thorast)

Access to these touchstones is given to the public via a franchise known as "Teleport Hut®", and although the high cost of travel (usually about 10 centari) places this outside of the means of most people, it is now a vital asset to merchants and adventurers.

Note: although travel seems instantaneous to the traveler, there is a variable travel time of a few hours between the touchstones. So if someone was to take a dispatcher to Dominus and then immediately return to their start point they would find most of the day had passed.