Messages

Taking some time off.

Legate,

If important dignitaries of foreign lands are to be properly protected by the law of Ephia's Well, there will need to be clear indication that emissaries and ambassadors are to be considered 'citizens' while in our citadel and its outskirts. Without such a distinction, even the Prince- our ally in war- may freely be murdered by anyone without penalty under the current Penal Code. This is clearly a gross oversight in the Code, which I strongly recommend you remedy before Yiti kills him, which he still can.

As you may have heard, Yiti was not executed after being found guilty of capital crimes. Your Accorded Magistrate, Apothar Mae Stern, instead used her power to play a political games with the Priory by conscripting Yiti to them. She wasted no time in abusing her position to 'win' something against the Rose. Or, worse, the Priory exerted influence over her the get what they wished. She does tend to roll over when they command her.


I warned you about Accorded Magistrates, Legate, and I hope you correct the error of appointing one. They will never be unbiased. Do not sell the position of Magistrate for Purple support or any other empty promises.



- Sergeant Daoud al-Maaz

Samton was easily one of the most human and believable characters I've had the pleasure to roleplay with. The Janissaries won't be the same without him. I'll miss Samton, but I look forward to whatever you play next, Karp. You're a legend. :)

Honored Hakem,

A week's time will be agreeable to my schedule. My on-duty shift is reduced on the 7th.



- Sergeant Daoud al-Maaz

[Before you make further suggestions or decisions on matters of the Well at large, I highly encourage you to review recent history and familiarize yourself with the state of affairs within the Satrapy you are now charged to govern by authority of the Sultan.]

Legate Saenus,

I say this directly: You were not a popular choice for the seat. You will need to work thrice as hard as any other Legate to secure support from the people.

Before you make further suggestions or decisions on matters of the Well at large, I highly encourage you to review recent history and familiarize yourself with the state of affairs within the Satrapy you are now charged to govern by authority of the Sultan.

Mere days ago, mass deaths, unilateral exile, and a nearly a civil war took place entirely due to conscription now being rejected by the majority of Voiced and two thirds of the Accord. Your co-Legate had a tense standoff in the Chamber of Rule with Grandmaster Elizabetha d'Avergne to ensure conscription would not touch the stele.

You now suggest conscription.

Legate, we cannot afford political blunders or for uninformed decisions to cause setbacks in our Citadel's unity or in our war efforts.

Please meet with your advisors in the Pyramid, absorb the many citizen bellows, palatial announcements, and bloodshed of past weeks, and then work to formulate a logical plan of action based on available resources, political climate, and the state of the war with Iakmes.



Balstan said that all funding for the new district was provided by Gohari Heavy Industries, something in the area of over a million dinar. If this is true, the entirety of the district fund Ephians have been working to save is effectively spare capital. Using it to reinforce defense or pay to hire, equip, house, and feed refugees is perhaps something the Priory would not object to.



I pray to Father Izdu for wisdom's return to leadership and the citadel at large. We need it more than an Axe.



-Sergeant Daoud al-Maaz

Honored Legate,

As requested, here are the war proposals gathered, including those lacking information or already completed. My own notes are added where relevant.



1) Refugee Recluta.
Proposer Name: Mirielle Rosseau.
Summary: Refugee Recruits.
Timetable: Short-term. Two weeks.
Cost:  2,500 per person. 15 men with a drill sergeant, 5 without. 12,500 to 37,500
Specifics:  The Commander will train and outfit 5 refugees as Recluta. If she secures a drill sergeant, she will do this for up to 15 refugees.
Note: This is made redundant with after conscription was raised.


2) Aerial Armaments.
Proposer Name: Apothar Mae Stern
Summary: None. Refused to provide.
Timetable: None. Refused to provide.
Cost: None. Refused to provide.
Specifics: None. Refused to provide.


3) Spidersilk Farming.
Proposer Name: Nonon Minakami.
Summary: Breeding and harvesting of spider silk, tailoring the silk into protective clothing.
Timetable: Mid-term. Potentially a month or two. Cost: 50,000 estimated, but the Acolyte is completely unsure.
Specifics: The Acolyte would capture, breed, and shelter spiders. Their silk would be harvested and given to tailors to use for the creation of protective garments for soldiers. This was something she came up with on the spot, and therefore lacks specifics.
Note: Mass production of protective clothing for the full body would be cost- or time-prohibitive. Recommend simple garb like bands around the neck, or patches for gaps in armor, to protect vitals.


4) Hive Spider Reinforcements.
Proposer Name: Welly Wormswill.
Summary: Capture the Hive Spider Queen, control her to wield her linked spiders as a weapon.
Timetable: Unclear. Short-term, potentially.
Cost:  Unstated. Letter to be sent to Legate Argent by Wormswill.
Specifics: Details to be sent to Legate Argent by Wormswill.
Note: Possibly already completed, or made redundant by another project under the Warmaster.


5) Zain's Projects.
Proposer Name: Zain al-Saiba.
Summary: Multiple, unspecified.
Timetable: To be announced.
Cost: To be announced.
Specifics: Zain has many projects needing funding, but will present them to the Council. Refused to provide.


6) Standard Potion Pack
Proposer Name: Daoud al-Maaz.

Summary: Potions deemed to be critical for survival should be brewed, packaged, and stockpiled to avoid delays during battle. This will additionally inject war funds into the local economy.

Timetable: Short-term, dependent largely on number of brewers and the swift access to funds.

Cost: Approximately 7,645 per person per mission at market value, 5,543 at-cost.
Typical Cost Scenarios:
8-man mission: 44,341 – 61,160.
12-man mission: 66,512 – 91,740.
20-man mission: 110,853 – 152,900

Specifics:
After interviewing soldiers and adventurers, it is found that the following types and numbers of portions are considered a must-have for a typical 3 to 5 hour excursion: 20 blur. 8 each of Endurance, Grace, Strength, Barkskin, and Shell. 5 Greater Insulation. 10 Clarity. 20 Serious Curing.

Preparing kits of typical potions to provide on missions, either at market value or through collaboration with brewers, will allow us to quickly respond to emergencies without the need for soldiers to run for the Souk or for brewers to be summoned.

Supplies will be brewed and stockpiled in advance. The cost includes simple packaging to allow each pack to be handed out quickly and easily. All packs are to be secured in the Janissary armory, used only for specific war missions, distributed prior to mass battles, or accessed during attacks on the citadel.

Note: Costs may be further reduced with mass-production agreements or mechanical automation of some steps. Perhaps Baz'eeli brewers might be enticed to come here for this project and courted to open a business in the new district?
While foraging for potions in the wilds is possible, there is no guarantee that the suitable volume and types of potions will be found. It also requires adventurers or soldiers to be sent out to find these supplies, expending their own supplies in the process while keeping them from other tasks.




- Sergeant Daoud al-Maaz

[or other any other actions[/u]]

Honored Makhyoon,

As promised, enclosed is a copy of the letter which was previously sent to Legate Gloamingdaith regarding his legal reform. I have not yet had a response.



Sincerely,

Daoud al-Maaz





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Honored Legate,


I have reviewed your planned changes to the Penal Code and have the following to present as recommendations, concerns and revisions.

Vandalism: A person found guilty of destroying, attempting to destroy, or diminishing the value of the effects or property of another person or organization has committed Vandalism. Minor to Capital.

Minor: Under 250gp of damage. (Includes spitting)
Serious: Above 250gp of damage.
Capital: Above 2500gp of damage.

Vandalism lacks the language to specify willful actions or intent. Were you to accidentally trip (or be tripped by another) and break a vase valued at 2,600 dinar, you would be guilty of a capital crime. Perhaps the owner of this vase tosses it to you suddenly, and you fumble the catch, allowing it to shatter upon the ground. Have they made you guilty of the destruction? If another person claims the vase is cursed by an evil djinn and must be destroyed, tricking a second person to smash it for reasons they believe good, would manipulator be guilty, or would the victim of the deception?

I feel it is critically important that this law be written in a way that we do not penalize citizens for genuine ignorance, malicious coercion by another, or accidental damage. Proving intent should be necessary for any fair trial, and may be attributed to the motivating party who caused the vandalism (through their own willful act, their deception of another, or their manipulation of events to bring forth vandalism.)

Treason: A person found guilty of doing or conspiring to do treasonous acts has committed Treason. Treasonous acts include waging war or conspiring to wage war against Ephia's Well, or participating in attempts to undermine or harm the Legates. Capital.

I am sure you will receive many letters with great concern about your intended change. The listed examples of treasonous act are to either wage an entire war against the whole of the Citadel, or to attempt to undermine or punch you. They do not even have to actively do the latter, as they can merely be a participant. The vast gulf between these two examples leaves all manner of treason to be unpunished or to be invented to punish, while allowing Legates to wield far too much power.

How does one undermine a Legate in a treasonous manner compared to one in which they merely disagree politically? If they campaign against you and speak ill of your policies, are they undermining you? If your co-Legate goes back on your promise in favor of a better one, have they committed treason? There is far too much room for abuse in this, and it is clearly designed in a way to allow Legates to control those of the Well they ought serve instead.

Treason is an act against the state entire, not against one man. This language specifying Legates should be removed before it can be exploited for tyrannical ends.

Interference with Jurisprudence: A person found guilty of intentionally and directly disrupting the process of Jurisprudence has committed Interference with Jurisprudence. This may include knowingly presenting false evidence or testimony; assault during an active trial; egregious mishandling of prosecution or advocacy; --or other any other actions[/u]-- that will directly hinder the process of an investigation or a trial or the punishment the accused was sentenced to. Minor to Capital, matching the severity of the accused trial, or punishment they have interfered with.

Noting a minor error.

I would also like to see "fair trial" return to language, as this is what all citizens should be promised. Are the judges who oversee the trials to be accountable for their decisions, were they found to be egregiously mishandled? We have had quite a number of corrupt men and women oversee what should be fair trials. I am sure all of us agree that those controlling the courtroom should be held accountable for abuse of power, if such is found.

Laches: A person who prosecutes a crime more than two months after the discovery of the crime has committed Laches. The prosecution against the accused person is prohibited or to be discontinued by virtue of the unreasonable delay in prosecution. The count of two months is suspended if the accused person flees Ephia's Well or is unavailable for prosecution. Serious.

Am I to understand that if a guilty person escapes discovery as the culprit for two months and one day, they may proudly declare their guilt to the Well and be immune from prosecution? This is a farce, Honored Legate. There is no reason to protect the guilty from prosecution no matter how long it takes for justice to find them.

I have several cold cases which demand satisfaction, including one regarding the assassination of a Legate. Dead men and women whose killers were not found swiftly will be buried by time, even if new evidence or witnesses come forward, because you wish to make it illegal for the Fourth to investigate further?

You do not shield the innocent citizens with this; you enable criminals and encourage them to be more cautious for a finite, arbitrary period of time. You deny Urazzir, the Wroth. I can only hope that this 'law' was recommended to you by a criminal of whom you may now be more wary. Strike this from the reform and toss the ash. The Makhyoon who advises you certainly must not have reviewed this.

Accord Governance: A person who is a member of an Accord Signatory found guilty of putting their name forth in an election to obtain the seat of a Legate has committed Accord Governance. Furthermore, a member of an Accord Signatory may not hold the position of a Prelate or a Magistrate, with an exception provided for each Legate to appoint a maximum of one Magistrate from either the Cinquefoil Rose or the Astronomers of Q'tolip. Capital.

As I have for half a year, I continue to object to having the Accord involved in the government in any capacity. They should not oversee trials nor be in any position where they can be involved in the criminal justice system. The Accord is meant as a three-part balance, which you upset by ensuring one-third is excluded from deciding trials while being the one who must prosecute. Of all people, you know that the Accord is a group of petty children who are ever eager to take the most minor of victories over one another. Deny them the opportunity to do this in the courtroom. Magistrates must remain as impartial and unbiased as possible.

We have already had Legates sell the Magistrate seat for votes, dishonoring their seat. Do not allow this in the future. As well, I implore you to return the 30 day period for Accorded individuals leaving or joining the Accord prior to or after having any involvement in government. We must not allow the Accord to cheat their way into the government, abuse it, and then happily return to service. Without these restrictions on time, a Soldier of the Fourth could quit, be made magistrate by a corrupt Legate, oversee a trial (with obvious bias), have their Magistrate position removed by the Legate, and then return to the Fourth as a Soldier. This could take place in the span of mere hours. All Accord would have this power to collude. It must not be.

Criminal Association: A person found guilty of knowingly and willfully empowering or arming criminal elements against Ephia's Well has committed Criminal Association. Serious.

You have stricken this from the penal code. This tells me that I may freely pay another person to steal, kidnap, vandalize, trespass, conduct unlicensed activities, brook djinn, desecrate a shrine, or animate the dead. I would not be guilty in any way. Given you have added 'conspiring to' language to much of the penal code, you understand that the parties who involve themselves as puppet-masters ought be held accountable.

Rather than include planning and conspiring language to all laws, I believe it would be more useful to create a law specific to Conspiracy, allowing it to be attached to each of the other crimes and match their penalties. Someone who conspires to have a necromancer raise up the contents of our graveyard and see them destroy holy temples through their hired help should be just as culpable as the direct parties.

Reckless Endangerment: A person found guilty of recklessly bleeding or causing another to bleed upon the ground of the Citadel has committed Reckless Endangerment. Minor to Serious.

Minor: Accidental.
Serious: Intentional.

Reckless endangerment is something which needs to be in place to protect citizens. I agree that the specifics of 'bleeding' is a distraction from what the law should address. Perhaps, "a person found guilty of acting dangerously or negligently, putting others' lives at risk, has committed Reckless Endangerment."

Consider a cook who decides to use a large number of spoiled ingredients in order to save dinar. Their goal is not to harm others, but their knowing negligence towards safety could cause a child to become so sickly that they may die. We have many fools in the Well, Honored Legate. We must shield people from them.

Brooking: A person found guilty of conjuring or binding djinns, otherworldly spirits, monstrosities, or horrors, has committed the crime of Brooking. Capital.

Negotiating was removed. This must be returned to the Code to prevent people from making deals with djinn they encounter absent binding and conjuring on their own. The trade of names is a danger you may not be as familiar with as one born in the desert. Djinn who are already able to come to this world can do many evils with a willing mortal. Do not allow those who deal with monsters to be free of justice.

Desecration: A person found guilty of animating the dead or desecrating a corpse has committed Desecration. Minor to Capital.

Minor: Robbing a grave or possessing items that may animate the dead.
Serious: Desecrating a corpse, or intentionally impeding a corpse's delivery to the Maqbara, or causing irreparable damage to a grave.
Capital: Animating the dead, or trading or purchasing the remains of a sainted martyr, Sultan, Caliph, or Legate.

Exemptions need to be in place to allow for autopsy. We have already had far too many people abuse this to steal away evidence of their crimes. If the Astronomers cannot be trusted to do this, limit it to the Legion and allow oversight by a Preparator if they request it. The Fourth conducts autopsies with great respect for the dead. I have led the autopsy of several individuals in the Well, allowing for their killers to be identified more swiftly and accurately. I ensure the remains are returned to their proper state, and do not perform an invasive autopsy when an external one is sufficient. As above, criminals will want this law to silence the dead from their body's final opportunity to speak. I ask that you not rob victims of potential justice.

Offense against the Mother: A person found guilty of recklessly bleeding or causing another to bleed upon the ground of the Citadel has committed an Offense against the Mother. Minor to Serious.

Minor: Accidental.
Serious: Intentional.

The Uzzarii bleed themselves upon the ground of the Citadel every week as part of the Letting. They 'bleed another' during this holy day, all of whom are willing. The language here could be read to believe that intentionally bleeding another without recklessness is a Serious crime. I do not feel this law does anything but raise the potential to interfere in a holy act of the Wheel even as you attempt to protect a different spoke. This is likely best removed. If you wish to punish people for reckless behavior, I recommend returning the law of that name.





Respectfully,

Sergeant Daoud al-Maaz
Fourth Legion

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[or other any other actions[/u]]

Honored Legate,


I have reviewed your planned changes to the Penal Code and have the following to present as recommendations, concerns and revisions.

Vandalism: A person found guilty of destroying, attempting to destroy, or diminishing the value of the effects or property of another person or organization has committed Vandalism. Minor to Capital.

Minor: Under 250gp of damage. (Includes spitting)
Serious: Above 250gp of damage.
Capital: Above 2500gp of damage.

Vandalism lacks the language to specify willful actions or intent. Were you to accidentally trip (or be tripped by another) and break a vase valued at 2,600 dinar, you would be guilty of a capital crime. Perhaps the owner of this vase tosses it to you suddenly, and you fumble the catch, allowing it to shatter upon the ground. Have they made you guilty of the destruction? If another person claims the vase is cursed by an evil djinn and must be destroyed, tricking a second person to smash it for reasons they believe good, would manipulator be guilty, or would the victim of the deception?

I feel it is critically important that this law be written in a way that we do not penalize citizens for genuine ignorance, malicious coercion by another, or accidental damage. Proving intent should be necessary for any fair trial, and may be attributed to the motivating party who caused the vandalism (through their own willful act, their deception of another, or their manipulation of events to bring forth vandalism.)

Treason: A person found guilty of doing or conspiring to do treasonous acts has committed Treason. Treasonous acts include waging war or conspiring to wage war against Ephia's Well, or participating in attempts to undermine or harm the Legates. Capital.

I am sure you will receive many letters with great concern about your intended change. The listed examples of treasonous act are to either wage an entire war against the whole of the Citadel, or to attempt to undermine or punch you. They do not even have to actively do the latter, as they can merely be a participant. The vast gulf between these two examples leaves all manner of treason to be unpunished or to be invented to punish, while allowing Legates to wield far too much power.

How does one undermine a Legate in a treasonous manner compared to one in which they merely disagree politically? If they campaign against you and speak ill of your policies, are they undermining you? If your co-Legate goes back on your promise in favor of a better one, have they committed treason? There is far too much room for abuse in this, and it is clearly designed in a way to allow Legates to control those of the Well they ought serve instead.

Treason is an act against the state entire, not against one man. This language specifying Legates should be removed before it can be exploited for tyrannical ends.

Interference with Jurisprudence: A person found guilty of intentionally and directly disrupting the process of Jurisprudence has committed Interference with Jurisprudence. This may include knowingly presenting false evidence or testimony; assault during an active trial; egregious mishandling of prosecution or advocacy; --or other any other actions[/u]-- that will directly hinder the process of an investigation or a trial or the punishment the accused was sentenced to. Minor to Capital, matching the severity of the accused trial, or punishment they have interfered with.

Noting a minor error.

I would also like to see "fair trial" return to language, as this is what all citizens should be promised. Are the judges who oversee the trials to be accountable for their decisions, were they found to be egregiously mishandled? We have had quite a number of corrupt men and women oversee what should be fair trials. I am sure all of us agree that those controlling the courtroom should be held accountable for abuse of power, if such is found.

Laches: A person who prosecutes a crime more than two months after the discovery of the crime has committed Laches. The prosecution against the accused person is prohibited or to be discontinued by virtue of the unreasonable delay in prosecution. The count of two months is suspended if the accused person flees Ephia's Well or is unavailable for prosecution. Serious.

Am I to understand that if a guilty person escapes discovery as the culprit for two months and one day, they may proudly declare their guilt to the Well and be immune from prosecution? This is a farce, Honored Legate. There is no reason to protect the guilty from prosecution no matter how long it takes for justice to find them.

I have several cold cases which demand satisfaction, including one regarding the assassination of a Legate. Dead men and women whose killers were not found swiftly will be buried by time, even if new evidence or witnesses come forward, because you wish to make it illegal for the Fourth to investigate further?

You do not shield the innocent citizens with this; you enable criminals and encourage them to be more cautious for a finite, arbitrary period of time. You deny Urazzir, the Wroth. I can only hope that this 'law' was recommended to you by a criminal of whom you may now be more wary. Strike this from the reform and toss the ash. The Makhyoon who advises you certainly must not have reviewed this.

Accord Governance: A person who is a member of an Accord Signatory found guilty of putting their name forth in an election to obtain the seat of a Legate has committed Accord Governance. Furthermore, a member of an Accord Signatory may not hold the position of a Prelate or a Magistrate, with an exception provided for each Legate to appoint a maximum of one Magistrate from either the Cinquefoil Rose or the Astronomers of Q'tolip. Capital.

As I have for half a year, I continue to object to having the Accord involved in the government in any capacity. They should not oversee trials nor be in any position where they can be involved in the criminal justice system. The Accord is meant as a three-part balance, which you upset by ensuring one-third is excluded from deciding trials while being the one who must prosecute. Of all people, you know that the Accord is a group of petty children who are ever eager to take the most minor of victories over one another. Deny them the opportunity to do this in the courtroom. Magistrates must remain as impartial and unbiased as possible.

We have already had Legates sell the Magistrate seat for votes, dishonoring their seat. Do not allow this in the future. As well, I implore you to return the 30 day period for Accorded individuals leaving or joining the Accord prior to or after having any involvement in government. We must not allow the Accord to cheat their way into the government, abuse it, and then happily return to service. Without these restrictions on time, a Soldier of the Fourth could quit, be made magistrate by a corrupt Legate, oversee a trial (with obvious bias), have their Magistrate position removed by the Legate, and then return to the Fourth as a Soldier. This could take place in the span of mere hours. All Accord would have this power to collude. It must not be.

Criminal Association: A person found guilty of knowingly and willfully empowering or arming criminal elements against Ephia's Well has committed Criminal Association. Serious.

You have stricken this from the penal code. This tells me that I may freely pay another person to steal, kidnap, vandalize, trespass, conduct unlicensed activities, brook djinn, desecrate a shrine, or animate the dead. I would not be guilty in any way. Given you have added 'conspiring to' language to much of the penal code, you understand that the parties who involve themselves as puppet-masters ought be held accountable.

Rather than include planning and conspiring language to all laws, I believe it would be more useful to create a law specific to Conspiracy, allowing it to be attached to each of the other crimes and match their penalties. Someone who conspires to have a necromancer raise up the contents of our graveyard and see them destroy holy temples through their hired help should be just as culpable as the direct parties.

Reckless Endangerment: A person found guilty of recklessly bleeding or causing another to bleed upon the ground of the Citadel has committed Reckless Endangerment. Minor to Serious.

Minor: Accidental.
Serious: Intentional.

Reckless endangerment is something which needs to be in place to protect citizens. I agree that the specifics of 'bleeding' is a distraction from what the law should address. Perhaps, "a person found guilty of acting dangerously or negligently, putting others' lives at risk, has committed Reckless Endangerment."

Consider a cook who decides to use a large number of spoiled ingredients in order to save dinar. Their goal is not to harm others, but their knowing negligence towards safety could cause a child to become so sickly that they may die. We have many fools in the Well, Honored Legate. We must shield people from them.

Brooking: A person found guilty of conjuring or binding djinns, otherworldly spirits, monstrosities, or horrors, has committed the crime of Brooking. Capital.

Negotiating was removed. This must be returned to the Code to prevent people from making deals with djinn they encounter absent binding and conjuring on their own. The trade of names is a danger you may not be as familiar with as one born in the desert. Djinn who are already able to come to this world can do many evils with a willing mortal. Do not allow those who deal with monsters to be free of justice.

Desecration: A person found guilty of animating the dead or desecrating a corpse has committed Desecration. Minor to Capital.

Minor: Robbing a grave or possessing items that may animate the dead.
Serious: Desecrating a corpse, or intentionally impeding a corpse's delivery to the Maqbara, or causing irreparable damage to a grave.
Capital: Animating the dead, or trading or purchasing the remains of a sainted martyr, Sultan, Caliph, or Legate.

Exemptions need to be in place to allow for autopsy. We have already had far too many people abuse this to steal away evidence of their crimes. If the Astronomers cannot be trusted to do this, limit it to the Legion and allow oversight by a Preparator if they request it. The Fourth conducts autopsies with great respect for the dead. I have led the autopsy of several individuals in the Well, allowing for their killers to be identified more swiftly and accurately. I ensure the remains are returned to their proper state, and do not perform an invasive autopsy when an external one is sufficient. As above, criminals will want this law to silence the dead from their body's final opportunity to speak. I ask that you not rob victims of potential justice.

Offense against the Mother: A person found guilty of recklessly bleeding or causing another to bleed upon the ground of the Citadel has committed an Offense against the Mother. Minor to Serious.

Minor: Accidental.
Serious: Intentional.

The Uzzarii bleed themselves upon the ground of the Citadel every week as part of the Letting. They 'bleed another' during this holy day, all of whom are willing. The language here could be read to believe that intentionally bleeding another without recklessness is a Serious crime. I do not feel this law does anything but raise the potential to interfere in a holy act of the Wheel even as you attempt to protect a different spoke. This is likely best removed. If you wish to punish people for reckless behavior, I recommend returning the law of that name.





Respectfully,

Sergeant Daoud al-Maaz
Fourth Legion

Student-Librarian Azaghal Gemspell,

As we discussed last evening, please find here an updated copy of "The Science of Magic." This work is meant to be collaborative and is not yet completed, but I shall certainly send you a final version upon resolution. Should I manage to design and construct an arcane energy harvester capable of producing baublium, however crude, that shall be the final entry.



[An enclosed booklet joins the letter.]



Fare thee as well as I fare,

[On Wands]

On Wands

It is commonly believed that wands are a mysterious tool which only those arcanists may wield, but this is not so. It is merely the obfuscated activation process of these items which causes them to be held to such a lofty standard. They simply do not come with instructions. With time and experimentation, I have come to reliably utilize any wand I have come across, even without having seen it function previously. By breaking them down and re-envisioning the fundamentals of these tools, we can begin to see how a machine could eventually replicate the same results with none of the ambiguity.

Wands, in their most basic structure, are entirely arcane devices which convert ambient Arcane Energy into directed and focused implementation, resulting in effects identical to spells cast by traditional practitioners. The complex process of conversion takes place within the structure of the wand rather than through formulation by, say, a wizard evoking. The specific way a wand is crafted imbues a template for how the energy should be utilized, as if the metal itself is traced through with each step.

Figure 1 – Basic wand functionality

The above simplification leads to the misconception that all wands interact with their environment the same way. A more critical analysis of wands allows for an engineer's approach to the functionality.

Where (Ue), the universal constant of energy available, overcomes Arcane Energy resistance (r) of a material, (Uw) represents this energy doing work (w) in the given system. A material's resistance seems  directly inverse to its magnetic permeability. I have previously written about this interaction, and I highly recommend seeking out more information on magnetic principals better researched at the Lamp of Learning in Il Modo.

Figure 2 – A comparison of wand types

In a charge wand, we see that the work is entirely expended from the system, resulting in a finite amount of uses for whichever application of Arcane Energy is intended. The energy can only diffuse away from the wand. Overcoming (r) required application of focused energy outside the system itself, entirely from its manufacturing process.

Conversely, in a passive draw wand, the Arcane Energy is constantly brought back into the system, allowing portions of its work to be used to ready future applications of the energy. This is accomplished by using previously stored energy to overcome (r) without a repeated external force. This allows for the wand to gradually refuel itself, but requires time to reach capacity of its maximum potential.

Due to the amount of work being done to facilitate the recharging process, these wands have a drastically lower frequency of use compared to charge wands of similar mass. I have often observed charged wands holding 50 expenditures, while passive draw wands of the same classification have a capacity, on average, of 5. Nine-tenths of the work being done in a passive draw wand goes to the complex process of gathering and compressing Arcane Energy!

With this in mind, it is no great surprise that the construction of an arcane energy harvester-generator has eluded general engineering. Having seen the Shade's massive primary generator, converting something ten times its size in order to fuel it would result in an entire cityscape dedicated to protecting a fraction of the same terrain. The draw on ambient arcane energy would undoubtedly cripple arcanists and other potential machinery using the same resource. It is additionally prohibitive for materials due to the square–cube law, as scaling up a generator by that much would exponentially increase costs while also threatening collapse of the device under its own mass.

It is probable that the ratios for wands are not directly comparable to devices properly designed for the scientific application of the same energy. Wizardy has often lent itself to form over function and does not always seek efficiency. It is also evident that advancements in technology by the loathsome Qa'immi people allow for miniaturization of what would normally require large amounts of complex gearing, external propulsion and the fuel sources demanded of such effort. They may have already unlocked the secrets of the technology I am researching.

For the past month, I have experimented with engineering a solution to adapt passive draw wand fundamentals and apply them to charge wands. My theory on arcane energy has thus far held up to testing, though not without many drawbacks and limitations. I have successfully built a device which allows for any common charge wand to benefit from utilizing ambient arcane energy: the Charge Extender.

Figure 3 – Charge Extender

The device is essentially a prototype harvester-generator with extremely limited application and unreliable frequency of overcoming resistance. It draws ambient arcane energy into it, directs it into the attached wand, and allows for a portion of its own work to prevent the need to expend a charge.

Similar to the problem of scaling up the Shade, the wand attachment is unwieldy in size and weight compared to an average wand, requiring both hands to operate. In its current state, charges are retained only 25% of the time when activated. I expect that much of this is due to forcing a mundane mechanical device to interact with an object of pure arcane artifice.

Even with these poor results, the object serves as a proof of concept for my theory. I hope that my limited success might one day inspire the more gifted and talented engineers of the world to refine, adapt and perfect the meager thoughts I have penned.

[Baublium]

Baublium

As we work to unlock the mysteries of arcane energy, it is prudent to seek understanding of the components evidenced to power the ancient machines which astound us. My current theory is that those ancient civilizations, long since vanished, had already found the solutions to the problems I have outlined thus far.

Harnessing arcane energy, these ancient peoples had mastered the use of technology for seemingly boundless feats, all brought to the hands of the common people. Of course, the problem with a machine capable of pushing the laws of our reality to their very limits, is that you need a fuel source to facilitate it. As discussed earlier, energy cannot be truly removed or created. Following this same logic, arcane energy would need to either be actively harvested from the ambient field while a machine is active, or would need to be stored for use later.

While I do not know if the overall levels of arcane energy were greatly more dense in the past, I will work under the assumption that they have not changed wildly over these many generations. Those who practice spellcraft do not appear to have reduced in population enough to suggest a limitation to access for their own resources. From my own tests, ambient arcane energy is far too diffuse to make it practical to absorb it from the same area for extended periods of time. It may be possible for small and mobile machinery to function with ambient energy draw, but certainly not something as large and powerful as the Shade of Ephia's Well. Both practical arcanists and machines operating on active-harness arcane energy would be unable to perform as they consumed all passive resources.

To solve this problem, arcane energy was most likely harvested from numerous areas in smaller-scale operations, condensed into a stable form, and then converted back to pure arcane energy within the machines when necessary for them to function. I believe baublium to be this very substance.

Figure 1 - A typical sample of baublium

It is used by many in the desert to bring life back to ancient devices, though few understand why it is so critical or what it truly is. I have no knowledge of any individuals capable of creating baublium. To us, it is a seemingly finite resource which must be pried from the depths beneath our feet. In Ephia's Well, where the machinery below us has not been heavily explored, baublium is rare enough that not insignificant sums of dinar change hands to secure it.

On my recent journey to Tlonsiyya, I witnessed extensive mining and exploration pursuits made into the machine-lands twisting under the settlement. Near their lift to the depths, crates upon crates full of baublium were stacked almost haphazardly. They had found an abundance of it, likely aiding them in their use of impressive construct guards and labor. I truly envied them for their ability to study and work with these fantastic mechanisms, and hope Ephia's Well shares such bounty in the future. Given Tlonsiyya's unusually high volume of baublium, there may be an arcane energy condenser in the area. Finding such a machine could potentially allow us to extend the Shade far and wide, no longer limited by its fuel.

Should baublium be manufacturable, or found in great enough supply that it need not be urgently applied to the Shade, we may see more scholars dedicated to puzzling out its secrets. For now, baublium in Ephia's Well, like the priceless relics found by archaeologists, remains a precious and mysterious substance that is, sadly, treated like a log in a campfire.

Honored Legate Marcellus Saenus,

I write to you to request formal documentation granting permission to inspect the furniture and effects removed from Mari Blacke's temple. These were moved by the Janissaries and have been placed in the hands of the Consulate. While I have every bit of faith that both groups are capable and dedicated to truth, I have been tasked by the Sergeant to lend my support as an investigator to the matter in question. I would be remiss to ignore an opportunity to gather information for the Sergeant's eventual trials to come. I have received a writ from the Sergeant confirming my task, but it would not hold any weight with the Consulate. Your inked words, however, would.

Additionally, the drone found in Mari Blacke's temple has yet to be given over to the Consulate. Apothar Mevura has exhausted his ability to gather useful information from it, and Apothar Stern appears to have reached a point where she is translating recorded data rather than physically inspecting the object. As the Astronomers have potential to be involved as suspects or culprits, I believe it prudent to see the drone ordered to be delivered to the Consulate was was required by the Secretary. Should the drone be available with the Consulate, I would like to conduct my own study of it to send to the Janissaries separately, offering a second or third set of information which can be compared against others for possible missing details or falsehoods.

During inspection of the materials listed above, I would be more than happy to be supervised by the Janissaries, the Consulate, or both, as well as any other interested parties you deem fit. If you would like to further discuss this before issuing a decision, please do let me know. Though our schedules often conflict, I am ever blessed to know that our goals do not.




Fare thee as well as I fare,

[Magnets and Magicks]

Magnets and Magicks

Magnetite, that curious mineral commonly known as 'lodestone,' gives us a unique insight into a force we cannot perceive through eyes alone. Magnetic fields exist in all matter, though the power of such is so small in most matter that it goes undetected. It is only when an object such as a lodestone is uncovered and applied to the world around it that we begin to recognize what has been there the whole time.

As magnetism can be granted to other materials through sufficient contact with lodestones, it seems most probable that there is potential magnetic energy within all matter, much as there is potential kinetic energy. Magnetic polarity displays an alignment of these fields, North and South, such that a general understanding of a weak magnetic force in a portion of matter could be considered "unaligned," while lodestones and similarly powerful magnetic objects are "aligned."

If an object is unaligned, the magnetic potential within it is disorderly, tugging the matter in multiple directions in such a way that it presents as non-magnetic entirely. A lodestone, conversely, is completely magnetically aligned, with the majority or entirety of its matter all arranged in an orderly fashion to emit a strong magnetic force.

This force can be visualized through the use of magnetically reactive materials. Iron shavings scattered across paper, then placed atop a bar magnet, clearly displays the magnetic field with the poles visible at the North and South of the magnet. I would like to highlight the area between the two poles, where the magnetic force is at its weakest despite the object itself being entirely magnetic.

Figure 1 - Magnetic Polarity (bar)

This can be visualized as well with ring magnets, having their own polarity. Depending on the process by which the magnet is fashioned, the entire outer periphery of the ring could be South polarity while the inner could be North. It is just as possible for the ring magnet to have polarity on its top and bottom rather than the inner and outer faces.

Figure 2 - Magnetic Polarity (ring and disc)

Temperature appears to have a significant impact on magnetic forces, with heat  weakening a magnetic force while cold strengthens it. This interesting property of magnetism results in varying levels of magnetic force in matter as it undergoes fluctuations due to weather, proximity to heat sources, and even the minute ambient thermal energy output of a person nearby.

With all of these variables and conflicting or supporting magnetic forces battling to decide polar alignment in all matter, why does a compass function? It is because, absent any closer magnetic force, the compass is reacting to the largest magnetic force detectable to it- our Disc. The grouping of the Disc's matter in totality has a polarity which is measurable but remains not felt by us in regular daily life.

Figure 3 - Universal Magnetic Force

Magic, I suspect, shares similar and possibly diametric field properties.

Consider the materials used in magical artifice. Gold, glass, silver, brass, bronze, and other similar materials. In general, they have have low magnetic susceptibility, even as some possess high electrical or thermal conductivity. Magnetic fields may have a negative effect on arcane energy, potentially nullifying them. In a room built of lodestone, could spells still function absent a constant arcane energy source?

Is this inverse field detectable by instrument? If so, the construction of an arcane compass could be possible, allowing for the detection of arcane fields and our disc's arcane polarity. It may allow for reliable recording of the types of arcane energy found, as well, varying by "school" as it is often divided. My next set of experiments will be on seeking these background energy fields in order to further expand upon my theory that arcane energy exists all around us, merely waiting for orderly alignment to unfold its force as energy.

Signed on a sheet below Alecto's: