A small black orb that bends light and sound around whoever holds it, making them undetectable to anyone outside the obscurer’s range.

PATHFINDER

This wand-shaped gadget has a small round crystal at the end, cut with facets to create specific paths to important locations within the Lost Cities (and, for those with special approval, to locations connected with the other species as well). Note: Given the freedom that pathfinders allow, they are restricted to those who meet the Council’s approval.

REGISTRY PENDANT

All elves in the Lost Cities are assigned one of these choker-style necklaces to wear at all times, which allows the registry to track their location (as well as numerous other details). The design occasionally varies, but most registry pendants consist of a simple band along with an etched silver loop with a small clear crystal set in the center.

RIDDLER

A pen programmed to only write the words of a riddle—until the person using it writes the correct answer. Given their cleverness and small size, riddlers are one of the most common midterms or finals gifts for prodigies at Foxfire.

SHADOWPAINTER

These softly glowing orbs reflect shadows of animals on the walls and are often used by parents to soothe children who are afraid of the dark.

SPECTRAL MIRROR

These specialty gadgets come in every size, shape, and style and appear to be normal mirrors—until someone steps within range. Then a tiny face appears in one of the corners and offers fashion and beauty advice with a surprisingly lifelike personality. No two spectral personas are the same, but they do share one common trait: unflinching honesty—which is likely why spectral mirrors fell out of popularity. Most elves weren’t fans of being insulted by their mirrors while they tried to get dressed.

SPYBALL

These small silver orbs can project someone’s location and activity without their knowledge, allowing the user (within certain limits) to view anyone, anytime, anywhere. Given the serious privacy violations that could result from such a gadget, Spyballs are severely restricted and closely monitored.

STELLARSCOPE

A device shaped like a bent, upside-down spyglass, which can be used to bottle starlight as well as to simply observe the stars.

THINKING CAP

These long, white floppy hats may not be a very fashionable accessory, but they’re made from an amalgam of metals and designed to dull telepathic abilities (and other abilities as well). Prodigies wear them during the Foxfire midterm exams and final exams to preserve the integrity of the tests—and then hang them upside down from their lockers afterward to be filled with gifts during the corresponding celebrations.

TRACKER

Tiny, disk-shaped gadgets most commonly sewn into clothing as an added safety precaution. The use of trackers is relatively new to the Lost Cities, previously used only on the Councillors (at the insistence of their goblin bodyguards). But recent challenges with the Neverseen have caused many others to begin utilizing them.

TREASURY CUBE

Every elf is assigned one of these small green cubes at birth to allow them access to the monies assigned to their birth fund.

VORTINATOR

A mechanized staircase that spins at rapid speed to quickly allow access to the upper floors of the taller buildings in the Lost Cities. Warning: Vortinators can cause dizziness and queasiness the first few times someone uses them.

DEX DIZZNEE’S GREATEST INVENTIONS

WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BE ABLE TO PUNCH EXTRA HARD—AND I’M REALLY HOPING THAT SOMEDAY I’LL GET TO WATCH SOPHIE USE THE SUCKER PUNCH ON LADY GISELA AND VESPERA!

IT MAY LOOK FUNKY, BUT THE TWIGGLER HACKED THROUGH LUMENARIA’S SECURITY AND HELPED SAVE THE GNOMES!

FIRST: THIS IS A PANIC SWITCH—NOT A BORING COGNATE RING. IT ALSO SAVED SOPHIE’S LIFE TWICE. AND IT WORKS SO WELL THAT I’VE BEEN MAKING THEM FOR EVERYONE I CARE ABOUT!

THE EVADER MAKES IT SUPER EASY TO HACK INTO THINGS LIKE THE REGISTRY—AND IT LEAVES NO TRACE THAT I WAS THERE! (WELL, UNLESS I CHANGE STUFF…) NOW I JUST NEED TO MAKE A FEW TWEAKS SO I CAN BYPASS THE SECURITY ON CERTAIN FILES.

… AND A FEW THAT WEREN’T THE BEST IDEA.

NO ONE THOUGHT THE ABILITY RESTRICTOR WOULD WORK—BUT IT DID. EXCEPT THE COUNCIL RUINED IT BY ORDERING SOPHIE TO WEAR IT AND… YEAH. I WISH I’D NEVER MADE IT. I DESTROYED IT, THOUGH—AND I’LL NEVER MAKE ANOTHER!

I MADE THESE BLOCKER BANDS TO HELP SOPHIE WITH HER ENHANCING—AND THEY DEFINITELY DID THEIR JOB. BUT USING CRUSH CUFFS KINDA GOT ME STUCK IN THE MOST AWKWARD CONVERSATION EVER.…

THE WARDEN ALSO WORKED PERFECTLY AND MONITORED ALVAR’S EVERY MOVE. BUT I WISH I’D MADE SURE IT WAS RESISTANT TO NULLS…

FOR THE RECORD, THESE SENSE BLASTERS WERE ACTUALLY WORKING REALLY WELL UNTIL COUNCILLOR ZARINA FRIED ONE WITH LIGHTNING. STILL, I SHOULD’VE PUT AN OVERRIDE BECAUSE FITZ ALMOST GOT KILLED.

ALCHEMY AND ELIXIRS

Alchemy isn’t considered a special ability in the Lost Cities—a fact that some disagree with, since certain elves are far more talented at it than others (and a few are woefully disastrous, like poor Sophie Foster).

The study of alchemy has two primary focuses:

METAL PURIFICATION AND TRANSMUTATION: Using a variety of techniques, alchemists are able to remove impurities from metals, and turn one metal into another (ideally into gold). Particularly gifted alchemists can even turn nonmetallic substances into metal.

ELIXIR-MAKING: Every elixir is different, and some are much simpler to make than others. So elixir mastery varies widely (and even experienced alchemists occasionally explode things). But only the most talented alchemists are able to invent their own formulas.

Elves who work in the Treasury regularly use metal purification for their jobs. Elvin physicians spend a great deal of time creating (or modifying) medicines. And alchemy Mentors of course focus on the subject extensively.

Beyond that, most elves treat alchemy as a hobby—or abandon the practice entirely once it’s no longer a school requirement. Still, a handful of alchemists focus on gathering alchemy ingredients, or creating (and selling) a variety of useful elixirs.

The most well-known example is Kesler Dizznee’s store in Mysterium (Slurps and Burps), which sells both elixirs and alchemy supplies. The store is frequented by nearly everyone in the Lost Cities—and for good reason. The elixirs available for sale range from essential medicines to pranks and everything in between—with new formulas being created all the time.

Some of the most popular elixirs and ingredients for sale at Slurps and Burps are:

ABRASION PERSUASION

Quickly seals and heals small scrapes to the skin

ACHEY-BREAK

A handy, all-purpose painkiller

ALKAHEST

The universal solvent, which can dissolve any material. Must be stored in a bubble of itself.

(This is the second hardest substance for an alchemist to make.)

AMARALLITINE

A highly combustible substance used in numerous elixirs

BLISTER BLAST

Shrinks and numbs blisters within minutes—and gets rid of them completely within a few hours

BROWN-EYE SOLIDARI-TEA

Temporarily turns eyes brown

(became quite popular after Sophie Foster’s arrival to the Lost Cities)