thin, palm-size crystal squares with a silver sheen—and users should be careful, since it’s now known that Imparters can be tampered with.
LEAPMASTER
Since pathfinders are limited to those with the Council’s approval, most residences in the Lost Cities are equipped with some form of Leapmaster—a ceiling-mounted device comprising numerous dangling crystals, which raise or lower on command and create a path to the requested location. Leapmasters are often named for the number of locations they include. (For instance, the Leapmaster 500 has 500 locations.)
LUFTERATOR
A T-shaped mouthpiece that allows the user to safely breathe underwater for an unlimited amount of time.
MELDER
As one of the rare weapons used in the Lost Cities, melders are meant to incapacitate—not cause permanent harm (though repeated blasts, particularly at close range, can be highly dangerous). Melders have a sleek curved handle that connects to a triangle of silver with a single button in the center, and they can cause instant, painful paralysis.
NEXUS
These bracelet-style gadgets put a force field around the wearer during light leaps as an extra layer of safety. Nexuses cannot be removed unless the meter on the underside (which measures the strength of the wearer’s concentration) becomes full, proving their mind is now strong enough to leap unassisted. Their signal can also be tracked.
NULL
A device designed to block the signals from any technology near the wearer—but nulls can also be adjusted to block only certain frequencies.
OBSCURER
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