It includes schema, and they seem like really cool magical things that I could weave into my campaign. I would love to have my party being approached by different people/factions and played against one another to go and retrieve them for opposing factions.
That being said, are there any other 4e adventures that include schema, or is there anywhere that I could find more info on them so I can write them into my own game?
Much appreciation!
The only place I know of where you'll find official information is in Magic of Eberron (a 3.5 Book) and perhaps some of the other sourcebooks.
Personally I've always treated them like a magical machine. You activate it in the right way using the right components and a pre-programmed effect is generated. The best example being a Cannith mage putting a schema into a Creation Forge, adding the right components, hitting the right levers and a time later a specific design of Warforged is made. Different schemas make different warforged.
For use in 4E perhaps you can think about a schema as a portable ritual. Anyone who knows how to use the schema can use it and create the effect without having training in ritual magic. Not to say that it's as easy as picking the thing up, pouring some residium on it and giving it a good shake. Each schema has it's own specific way of activation and use that may or may not be explained on the item. Special components, additional arcane machinery, unique traits of the user, etc.
Hopefully that helps.
For use in 4E perhaps you can think about a schema as a [/i]portable ritual.[i] Anyone who knows how to use the schema can use it and create the effect without having training in ritual magic. Not to say that it's as easy as picking the thing up, pouring some residuum on it and giving it a good shake. Each schema has it's own specific way of activation and use that may or may not be explained on the item. Special components, additional arcane machinery, unique traits of the user, etc.
...or, in the case of the schemata involved in the Xulo Pattern, simple proximity to one another can cause the ritual involved to activate. However, being what it is, I suspect the Pattern is the exception, not the rule.
Now, Phoeris, I like your idea here very much, and I think I'll be incorporating it into my own game. In an effort to make it somewhat easier to integrate, though, I put forth that a user would have to have the Ritual Caster feat (or an equivalent, such as a Dragonmark) in order to use a Schema, but would not need to actually know the ritual contained therein, effectively treating schemata like reusable ritual scrolls. This makes it more valuable for those with the capability to use such things -including your average Magewright and possible the PCs- but without making them conform to some arcane unique ruleset to govern their mechanics. It also fairly closely mirrors the rules for them presented in 3.5.
Now, that said, I can certainly see circumstances where Ritual Caster would not be needed for the use of schemata, but those would largely be limited to wondrous locations such as creation forges and other specific (read: plot-important) places. That, of course, being the true power of Cannith Artifice: the ability to reliably and efficiently combine raw materials and rituals into standardized finished product, regardless of operator. Aarin d'Cannith can perfect a ritual for the creation of a new self-loading crossbow, encode it onto a schema plate, and any forgehold anywhere in Khorvaire can make exactly that crossbow as long as they have a copy of that plate.
In the specific case of Enchant Magic Item, I would make each such schema able to manufacture a specific item or type of item, or a very small range of items. Once particular schema might make plate armor, but with provisions for altering it slightly for small, medium and large wearers as well as male and female versions. Another, however, might make only medium-sized +1 fiery crossbows.