[video] Prototype Launch Record

[emet_sulk]

Type: Video
Sender ID: emet-sulk
To: Public
Subject: Prototype Launch Record
Warnings: None

[ The video opens with a vision of an old, wooden ship with furled sails settled at the dock outside the Adamantine Forge. For those in the know, it's the one which has been fitted with the prototype magitech engine which has been in development for the past month. To those seeing it for the first time, there are external additions which make it clear that it's not your typical sailing ship: pipes along the outside, metal fittings which don't usually belong. There are propellers beneath the water as well, invisible to those watching the video.

Emet-Selch is the one holding the camera and so he isn't in the shot itself. However, his voice can be heard after the camera pans across the entire ship. ]

This will be the maiden launch of our prototype vessel. The high tide has come in and we will be starting the engine soon.

[ Workers are standing ready with rope and jigging to pull the ship into the open sea in case the engine isn't enough to get it out of the dock. But they shouldn't be needed. That would rather defeat the purpose. ]

Today is the start of the tenth moon, mid-- [ sigh ] --is it spring or fall here? Bah, these leviathans are always moving about...

[ There are calls between those on the ship and those on the dock. With a muted THRUM, the engine starts and water churns. People hack away at the braces which have been keeping the ship from floating away during its time in the dock. Once the braces splinter, the ship surges forward into the open sea to startled shouts from the crew on board.

The video bounces a little as Emet-Selch matches pace with the ship. One might think he'd stop at the end of the dock but no, he lifts himself into the air with a bit of magic and keeps pace with the ship from a short distance. ]

The ship has successfully launched and seems to be functioning without issue.

[ And with that, the video ends. But a few hours later, there is an image posted of the same ship back in the Forge's dock with an update: ]

Engine overheated and stalled after several hours but the design is sound. Note to self: incorporate Cid's idea into the final engine.

[ Oh, seems he didn't mean to post this publicly. Oops. ]

Comments

[ramuhs]

[There's a slight arch of the brow at the words that come, which is not something he expected. And he can tell that there is something deeper here, not just the process and failures of the engine itself.]

You're worried about potential consequences an engine like this may bring?

[His gaze shifts from Emet-Selch to the metal piece.]

[emet_sulk]

When I first arrived here, they were already beginning to try combining magic and machine together. Not even a moon later, they began building weapons. Of course I'm worried.

[ He throws his hands up before crossing them over his chest. This isn't the first time he's vented his concerns to someone and it probably won't be the last. ]

The few I've discussed this with believe 'tis better to have faith that it won't be misused. To deal with the consequences when they arise and not before. But I've seen the rise and fall of numerous kingdoms, empires, and other forms of government; I'm sure I know how this will end. And if it ends the way I believe it will, then...

[ His last words are through gritted teeth. ]

--Then I'll once again be complicit in so much death.

[ramuhs]

[And he'll listen with all due attention, understanding where he's coming from.]

I know how it's like to have something of your own and bastardized to something else. And I don't know if you heard from Mid, but I know she, too, faced that dilemma.

At the end of the day, we people are innovators, for good and for ill. And waging wars and causing violence is also part of that nature.

[He looks again at the piece.]

Yet despite knowing all that, you still continue with the project. You could, after all, just stop it now.

ALL GOOD

[emet_sulk]

[ He could. It's not as though the thought hasn't occurred to him multiple times during the project. He owes nothing to the people of these lands. But when he has those doubts, his thoughts keep turning back to Rem and her defence of the engine. ]

I advised Mid on how to handle her own circumstances. However, I have always disliked the notion that I must needs prepare for my work to be brutalised and appropriated for ill deeds. It is unnatural. What sickness persists in mortal men's minds such that they always turn to violence as a first resort? I never found an answer to that question.

[ He sighs heavily. ]

Yet despite that, I continue this, as you say. I will need to consider counter-measures for naval warfare later.

[ramuhs]

[There's just a wry grin at that.]

That's both the beauty and the evils of free will. To choose for good, or choose for ill, even if we may not agree that's our choice.

And just as someone will use it as a weapon, another will use it for innovation and save those threatened by the same machine.

[A small shrug.]

So long as you prepare for the worst, that's the best you can do. However—

[He'll just pat Emet-Selch on the shoulder.]

—it's not a burden you have to bear alone.

[emet_sulk]

[ He jolts in surprise, glancing over briefly. A burden he need not bear alone? The thought had never crossed his mind. It's a burden he took upon himself to carry, why should he expect others to help? He certainly hadn't been able to rely on any of the other Ascians.

With that sombre realisation comes another: he has isolated himself this whole time, hasn't he? He has had minions. He has had pawns. Expendable lackeys. But never really anyone he could consider an equal.

He looks away, staring not at the forge but elsewhere. He's suddenly filled with an incredible homesickness. ]

Fine. But either way, I refuse to build warheads in this forge. The defences will have to be magical.

[ramuhs]

[Although he couldn't fathom Emet-Selch's thoughts, he senses that something has stirred. So he just leaves it at that and nods.]

I see no issue with that. Now.

[As if attempting to move way from the topic, he lifts his bag a bit.]

How about we talk about those heat sinks?

[emet_sulk]

[ That elicits a sidelong look and a grudging smile. A rare one untouched by any form of cynicism. ]

Aye. Come here and see if you approve of your daughter's ideas.

[ He leads the way to his own workbench, where pages of various, annotated ideas are arrayed neatly. It will be nice to lose himself in engineering work and forget the outside world. Just for a little while. ]

[ramuhs]

[He chuckles at that as he follows.]

Rare that I don't. Really I'd say she should be one approving mine these days.

[Slight exaggeration? Perhaps, but he is always ready to boast his daughter's genius and fully believe in her.

And he won't be too rude and nosy, but he will glance curiously and with some admiration at the work that is on display.]

[emet_sulk]

Ahh, but there is merit to age and experience, even if the youth oft ignore it.

[ That line delivered with a little theatrical flair. He pulls over the designs relating to ideas for the heat sink. The other pages are copied sections from the original schematic for the magitech engine but with annotations in his hand.

Cid doesn't have to know that he has bespelled the documents to incinerate themselves if they leave the bounds of the workshop without him. ]

I've largely settled on this one. A hybrid of our better ideas. The crystal you used in yours--

[ And off he goes, explaining how this improved heat sink would work. It uses some principles from Cid-s design together with what Emet-Selch already knows and improvements based on Mid's input. ]

[ramuhs]

Hah, there is truth to that as well.

[He grins at Emet-Selch's words before he focuses on the pages, brows furrowing as his gaze turns more serious as he looks over the notes. It's honestly impressive, especially upon seeing where they took his work and expanded and modified it to fit the use of the engine. He could also follow it easily enough, even grinning a bit when he recognizes Mid's work. Of course she had told him a few things before, but he would have known even without it.

After Emet-Selch gives his explanation, Cid nods and agrees to a lot of what they've done. He then pulls out the newer version of what he's made, explaining the changes that mostly run towards better efficiency to allow the use of lesser crystals. He also discusses a special paste created through some coral and shells commonly found around many islands of hotter climes, especially volcanic (so Avaleci for example) that has proven to be conducive for thermal magic. Even better, not much is needed. With this the heat can be transferred even more safely throughout the components, which may help with their larger engine.

And then there's other technobabble and suggestions he'll try to offer. Whether or not they can find use for it here doesn't matter much to him, as he's sure they could find use for it elsewhere.]

[emet_sulk]

Yes... I think that could work.

[ Towards the conclusion of their discussion, he straightens, satisfied. His pressing concerns about the heat sink have been resolved. Even if the first ship isn't perfect, the next will surely be an improvement.

Realising that he's already thinking of the next ship catches him by surprise. Perhaps he really does wish to see progress happen. Progress untainted by his or his brethren's machinations. ]

I would not have thought of that paste you mentioned.

[ He has accumulated millennia of knowledge but, in the end, he is not strictly creative. ]

[ramuhs]

It was a bit of an accident born from different applications. There had been another time when there was a request for researching in materials that would help the magic conductivity in devices. That's where I found the coral, albeit different kind.

As for the paste... [A wry grin.] That's the accident. In my early days of trying to weld, I melted some on accident. But I noticed how quick it was to cool even in that paste-like form and knowing how mortars and other similar substances can be used to bind things, I went from there.

[emet_sulk]

An accident... It seems that all good ideas and innovations come from fortuitous accidents.

[ He shakes his head but there's a sense of wry humour to him. ]

It was a long time ago now, but I remember a certain concept... The griffin. Someone had been attempting to make a lion when an eagle surprised them. The result of that lapse in focus was the griffin.

[ramuhs]

Someone made the gryphon in your world?

[emet_sulk]

Yes. My people made many things. Creatures of the land, sky, and sea. Art. Music. Architecture. Machina, and so on.

[ Said matter-of-factly. ]

I would demonstrate but my creation magicks seem not to work as they ought to here.

[ramuhs]

[He's just...going to stare at him...

...]

Were you akin to gods where you are from?

[emet_sulk]

[ He throws up his hands in exasperation. ]

Why is that always the first assumption mortals make when I describe our society? No, we were not gods. If you took a knife to my heart right this very moment, I would die like any other man.

[ A pause. He drops his hands and scowls. ]

Fine, mayhap I wouldn't die from something so banal but I do prefer living.

[ramuhs]

[A wry chuckle.]

I did say akin. But you'll have to forgive me as we might have had something similar in my world.

[Said with a not that pleased face.]

However, I don't have the full information nor do I care for it, so I don't really have much aside from the typical myths and legends, all of which are likely made up to begin with.

[Well, Emet-Selch can probably guess what Cid is thinking of having been working with Joshua on their own little "god" problem.]

But that durable, eh?

[emet_sulk]

[ He gives a one-shouldered shrug. His face is carefully devoid of expression but Emet-Selch seems tense. ]

All the peoples of our star were the same long, long ago. But not any longer, and never will be again. 'Tis quite a stroke of fortune, really, that I am around to help your little lordling with his unwanted passenger.

But yes - I've lived for almost fifteen millennia. As far as I can tell, the durability of my people's souls and our physical aether allows for indefinite life.

[ramuhs]

[There's a slight raise of his brows.]

That's quite a long time. You always did seem to be rather knowledgeable, now I better understand why.

[A few questions come to mind, but... He doesn't want to pry into the man's very long life, especially when there does seem to be a little tension from his last question. So he just nods, leaving it at that.]

[emet_sulk]

Yes, well... Knowledge is useless when it cannot be shared, don't you think?

[ Putting aside the fact that sometimes he had to deliberately withhold knowledge from the mortal races in order to set up calamities, et cetera, one really couldn't just appear in front of a crowd and suddenly announce core, intrinsic truths about the star without getting rocks (literal or metaphorical) thrown at them.

He may or may not have tried it before. ]

[ramuhs]

And we always appreciate when you do.

[He also means that genuinely, even if he does smile as he says that.]

Do you ever find yourself often having to readjust and change what you know to what is developing in the present?

[emet_sulk]

[ He starts to reply that no, mortal men don't really make discoveries that his brethren hadn't already discovered themselves. But he hesitates. ]

Very, very rarely, someone may stumble upon a discovery my people did not. Whether they're able to utilise it with their meagre aether is quite another matter.

[ He seems to be thinking of something as he says this. ]

But the fundamental principles of our star are unchanged. Every time a scholar claims to have unlocked some hitherto unknown fact about the world, 'twas something we had already known long ago.

[ramuhs]

[He nods a bit at that.]

And what about new innovations or development, ideas that are based on known facts or methods but changed to a new way? Or has it been so long that it reaches a point where it cycles back around?

[He also wonders, because he's of the belief that the human mind and individual has unlimited capabilities, it's just a matter of being able to utilize what they have and push forward with it. However, there might also be a practical limit, a rise and fall of civilizations as he himself is able to witness through the remnants of the Fallen.]