Ygdrian Compass (Ig-dree-An)
With the advent of Airship travel, and the many new frontiers this form of transportation had opened, it became imperative for these new crews to have a means of safely navigating the unfamiliar reaches of the world beyond their home shores. It was these circumstances that would lead to the creation of the Ygdrian compasses, devices made to utilize the Ygdril at the far north of the world as a navigational aid. It's thanks to these devices that exploration of far-off lands such as the Broken Band and the Shattered Lands is possible, and travel across the Cloudsea has become far safer than it was in days past.
Mechanics & Inner Workings
All Ygdrian compasses contain a needle crafted from Amber attuned to the Ygdril, or one of the Lesser Ygdrils found through the world. Due to this attunement, the Amber, and the needle it's attached to, will always be drawn towards the Ygdril tree it's attuned to, ensuring accurate navigation in any environment. This system isn't completely without its flaws, however, as especially high levels of magic an an area can interfere with the workings of the compass.
Manufacturing process
The outer shell of the compass is constructed first, before the suspended needle is inserted into the recess and covered with a glass dome.
Significance
Ygdrian compasses have been instrumental in improving safety and survivability for airship crews, as the otherwise featureless expanse of the Cloudsea between the floating continents can be difficult to navigate without them, even by the most experienced captains.
Ygdrian compasses are an uncommon sight in Altera, mostly being limited to being used by airship crews.
Ygdrian compasses are typically constructed from brass and Ironwood, with the needle being constructed from Amber. It's believed that the earliest Ygdrian compasses consisted of a piece of Amber floating in a bowl of water, which would drift towards the direction of the nearest Ygdril tree.
Ygdrian compass construction requires small, precise tools to construct.
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