A Beginner’s Guide to Drucraft #33: Sigl Recycling (III)

General summary:

• A sigl or piece of aurum can be ‘recycled’ into essentia, and from there converted into another sigl.
• This process always involves a certain efficiency loss.

Factors that affect this efficiency:

Positive

• High shaping skill:  Although attempts have been made to standardise the process, an experienced shaper will always waste less essentia than an inexperienced one.
• Using pure aurum instead of a sigl:  Sigls are typically not designed to be reshaped.  A good shaper can turn them back into essentia anyway, but a lump of pure aurum is easier to work with.
• Using a permanent Well and a sigl created at that same Well (ideal)
• Using a permanent Well and a sigl of the same branch and of compatible essentia (still good)
• Using a shaping chamber (not ideal, but often the only option available)

Negative

• No Well or shaping chamber:  Almost always leads to a failed shaping.
• Inexperienced shaper:  Commonly leads to a failed shaping.  However, a bad shaper with a Well or shaping chamber can do more than a good shaper with nothing.
• Old sigl or aurum:  Very old sigls can be difficult to reshape, though sufficient skill/familiarity can compensate for this.
• Cross-contamination from mixed essentia:  Mixing essentia sources with poor compatibility usually harms the sigl’s attunement, and may cause it to fail entirely.

Note 1:  Efficiency can never reach 100%.  There is always at least some loss.

Note 2:  Negative factors have a greater impact than positive ones.  One strong negative will usually outweigh any number of positives.