Colmes, Azimi

[Random_White_Guy]

Warmaster, Apothar the Third,

I bring forth the fruits of recent investigation as sought by Apothar The Third Azimi. With the War Council soon to meet I present the following for your consideration:

Claiming "Authorization" from the Legate Argent to wield a titan shard, The Palatial Engineer Clockhand, by way of hiring Recluta Melody Stearword to serve as his eyes and hands in the field, has been developing... a magical coffee machine.

Yes. Re-read those last three words.

The Palatial Engineer of The Great Pyramid is utilizing wartime resources to make a magical coffee machine.

I thought at first it was a folly of a code name for a larger project to bear fruit but the more I have watched, listened, and undertaken my duties I find myself wildly confused. They are seeking to create a coffee machine... to augment soldiers. How this is any different than the brewing of a potion was never explained to me at length. I provided barebone alchemical artifice to help while monitoring the situation further, stringing along to discern if there was any actual greater sinister or militant application to the Palatial Engineer's undertaking.

As all things I have no doubt La Banda Rossa have found themselves merely hired by yet another of Sandstone's "Eccentric" graduates, so I would not place much woe upon Recluta Melody for her involvement in this matter.

However that this man sits upon the Stele of the Sultan, actively engages in defiance of two arms of the Accord, The Sultan's Warmaster, and proclaims because he has permission from not both but merely a singular Legate he may commit treason in depriving the 10th Legion of the ammunition required for the Tenth Legion's Kusatma...

For what is essentially a means to brew potions.

As an Apothar, I merely offer consultation to the Governance on matters of Magical consideration. Do with this consultation as you will. My investigative notes shall be on the additional pages of this dossier

The first suggestion I would have to the Legion would be to confirm if the Legate authorized this, or the Palatial Engineer is falsely claiming authorization.

From therein the rest may be confirmed by simple due diligence.

Celybuin Hui'nalyw
Apothar of Q'tolip

Page 1: Kanon Hray 6, 7788 - Approach

Code Select Expand

Investigation: Palatial Engineer Clockhand's Shard Project
Date: Kanon Hray 6, 7788
Overseeing: Apothar Celybuin Hu'nalyw (Primaryy, Apothar the Third Estellsie Azimi (Secondary)
Involved: Any Nadiri who wish to aid.
Location: Ephia's WellWithin the Fortress of La Banda Rossa I have been approached by Recluta Melody Stearwood. She appears to be serving as an intermediary for the Palatial Engineer Clockhand in the pursuit of putting together what is claimed an "Alternative" in the event that the Tenth Legion's terrifying Kustama fails. My services as artificer, scholar, alchemist, engineer, and more have left me in high consideration for assisting on the project.

Given the dubious nature of the undertaking and the forethought to hire La Banda Rossa to serve as middlemen I tentatively accept - for few innocent folk hire La Banda Rossa to serve as their eyes and ears. Melody and I meet and we discuss potential projects of worth. Per discussion I wished some time to germinate the thoughts as well as possible alternatives to what is already potentially the singularly most impressive war machine produced since Red Hill.

The Recluta has said she hopes it is to be a weapon as the Palatial Engineer is said to conjure many of such by Shelgarn's. If he can style a weapon for the forces of Ephia to use - provided enough shards acquired, it would not be a poor notion.

However the Sultanate, Serdar, Warmaster, and Tower alike have supported the 10th Legion's project. It is unlikely they will remove resources from their weapon in exchange for makeshift weapons of the Titan Shard - as it is a fuel it is not exactly the most stable material to use for smithing, but I shall see how far this effort goes and document accordingly.

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Page 2: Kannon Hray 8, 7788 - Missive to the Recluta

Recluta,

Per our discussion a few expanded options come to mind.

Option 1: Tipshard

Though it will require more a smith's focus than an engineer's works the notion of altering the physical balance of the Shard into a hand-held weapon should be workable. The silver composite's softness is reinforced by the Bronze allowing a relative sturdy foundation for a blade despite the innate magics within it.

A spear would be my suggestion, allowing the most metal to volume capability. Simple wooden shafts with fragments of the shard fitter upon the head. A bit primitive of make but it would allow, if my measurements not mistaken, a number of them to be made and used as needed.

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Option 2: Manasorptive Shield

Inlaying the Shard within a wooden shield would potentially allow the mimicing of the absorption magics utilized by the Titans based upon the magical composition of the shard as a fueling source. The Orc'ah are no strangers to the utilization of a robust collection of magics, and in such it may allow the wielder of said shield to absorb their forces' works.

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Option 3: Arcanocamoflauge

As we discussed it would be a more magically-focused project but the design of a small, portable generator - ideally personally mounted within a leather harness of armor. The shifting of absorption of magic to the absorption of light would lend in essence a means of magical camouflage for the non-magical wielder. Volatile but not without its uses.

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Option 4: Lockflint Charge

Utilizing the barest schematics of a Flintlock a means by which smaller but more propelled shards may be utilized. Either as barebone ammunition of the pellets or if one wished to move beyond such towards a direct use of the shard as fuel, a small fragment embedded within the handle of the contraption allowing a magical-blast. It has been said raw magic is one of the most effective means to combat the Titan. Food for thought.

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Dependent upon which path chosen, differing options available. A more magically focused matter such as the Second or Third would require alchemical reagents. The Fourth, Engineering Schematic and bundle. The First, merely smithworks.

Celybuin Hui'nalyw
Apothar of Q'tolip

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Page 3: Kanon Hray 11, 7788 - Investigative Notes

The Recluta serving as middleman for the Palatial Engineer seems nonplussed as reports of treason circulate on the bellows, for the Palatial Engineer holds Legantine approval. I am uncertain if this merely refugee misunderstanding of the legal ramifications of the actions or complicit works. Further investigation into the ties between Clockhand and the Recluta will become subsection of my investigation.

Primary focus remains upon Cogsworth Clockhand.

The man in question has a robust history in Ephia's Well. He began during my time at Sandstone ever adorning a tophat. Popular of style among the Brooking though its providence I had never investigated. An evoker by trade it seemed unlikely he would serve as a conjurative focus unless it is a means by which he may circumvent his forbidden school. Furthermore we keep hours opposite - I more adjusted to the Ashfolk Hours while he attends the waking humans. In this he was a relative non-entity.

His engineering acclaims seems to have been primarily involvement in building a workshop, decimating La Banda Rossa during the Siege of Arslan manning the cannon that obliterated their rank, and producing a number of esoteric volumetrics regarding arcanomagical examination of various half-finished projects.

As a Wizard he is capable of high circle craft, showing he is not ungifted of his works, furthermore he has secured the title of Palatial Engineer upon the Stele. The proclamations being that it allows him to assist the governance in projects beyond the purview of the Tower of Q'tolip, whatever such a thing means. To date I have yet to hear any creation made that would even compare to the works of a Nadiri, furthermore I have not seen any justification as to why upon the stele he sits, why he holds wage from the government, and further.

Of Recluta Melody

The Recluta is a clever woman - and like many clever women they find themselves far more interested in a project than the implication. The notion that the works of the Pyramid with permission allow the bypass of Warmaster Command and edict of the Tower seems a novice level savvy of criminality, which leads to the thought she is simply hired on to aid in this endeavor. That the Palatial Engineer has spun her a yarn of the grand splendor of his project.  I can only assume these justifications from the Engineer came with a sizeable mountain of dinar to solidify her so ardently to this project. As such she is something I would consider merely a hired hand.

In this matter I shall continue investigating, but the writing on the wall becomes increasingly clear and does not need even a Nadiri-level understanding of Low Caliphal Script to understand where the fruits of this investigation are heading.

I have heard of no others engaged in the project, as well as no other sponsors and support be it for resource funding, or otherwise. Presumably the recluta's payment and project resources are coming from the Wage of the Stele held by the Palatial Engineer or his personal fortune as Wizard.

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Page 4: Kanon Hray 12, 7788 - Investigative Notes II

Despite my offerings of war materials, and the Recluta's request to see a shard forged into a physical weapon - not a poor notion, but somewhat limited if the wielder perishes. The Palatial Engineer has decided...

A coffee machine. A magical coffee machine. Capable of turning the caliphal drink into - what I can best assume... is potions?

As Scholar I suppose I can appreciate the ingenuity but as I tried to listen further my eyes glazed over. This sounds either a bad jest or a wholly misguided attempt. Further notes will be forthcoming but this is clearly not the threat I had thought it was.

I have informed the Recluta I shall, if she brings me the appropriate reagents, deliver her artifice to bring to the Engineer for his... "Vaunted" works.

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Page 5: Kanon Hray 15, 7788 - Missive II to the Recluta

Recluta

As discussed the pieces given should lend of aid:

The Ioun Stones - Red and Green, countering of polarity and divergent energies. One of drawing in, one of repulsion. Forced into close proximity this friction creates heat. Necessary for artifice to spark the fuel of the shard.

The Alchemic Metals - Iron and Silver, one for stability of the outer shell in Iron, one for the interior workings of Mage Silver, allowing transference of magic along the more traditional wires and iron bands and whatever is provided by your engineer.

The Magical Bag - Caliphal Coffee is traditionally filtered, mimicking the process allowing the device to see it poured into the bag, inevitably filling it, but the seepings dripping through will leave a metaphysical planar-twinge to the concoction.

Hook Horror Powder - Lacing the magical bag with the Hook Horror Powder will lend a further metaphysical aspect enhanced by the latent cosmic energies, facilitating the desired transmutative effect in smallest quantities.

Best of luck in your engineerworks.

Celybuin Hui'nalyw
Apothar of Q'tolip

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Page 6: Kannon Hray 19, 7788 - Investigative Conclusion

While the Recluta has secured me a lion's share of the resources required for the project I have delivered the artifice to her. During the Trial of the assassin attempting to execute the Izduan Clergyman I made inquiry into any headway and she said that the last reagents are still being pursued.

However at this time begins to echo a larger sentiment among the populace - Namely the efforts of the Balladeers to acquire their own shards, potentially even the Sisters the same. That the Recluta may have spread word of this project to the other petals of the Rose seems a likely reason they have now begun to come forward making their own demands of the Legates of their own "Pet Projects", rather than the preparation of the Kusatma for travel.

As such I will be formally concluding the investigation and seeing the consultation delivered to the Warmaster per Apothar the Third Azimi's request. Copy of my notes from these records shall be raised from our files for deliver and she shall have issued a copy as well to confirm the validity therein.

That it may be nipped in the proverbial bud. My consultation shall suggest the firmness by which a man holding position upon the Stele, with one-legate Authorization, endeavors to squander wartime resources on a parody of arcanoscientific research is a matter that cannot be abided.

Celybuin Hui'nalyw
Apothar of Q'tolip

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[cmenden]

Dear Lieutenant Colmes,

I cannot make myself more clear here.

The Legates do not have the authority to see a Titan Shard taken from the Tenth Legion's promised resources and granted to random citizens for their foolish nonsense. They do not have more authority than the Bey of the Tenth Legion or the Sultanate from whence their power comes.

You obviously seem to have made some kind of bargain with the Dragon, as Marcellus before you. Fine. Despite my extreme distaste for "bromance", I can hardly force you to go against your masculine nature. I only hope that whatever you have gained in return is worth it. Furthermore, I can only hope that you DID gain something in return.

Nonetheless, I would implore you to seek charges against each of these individuals who begged for and received Shards, whether they are Sister, Palatial Engineer, Shard Master, or whatever ludicrous new title is invented to justify this flagrant act of thievery from your counterpart organization.

Regards,
Apothar Estellise Azimi

[Blue41]

Apothar,

In no way and in no world would the theft of a shard be something that I could overlook. Any resource that does not go towards the Tenth and their weapon of war will mean blood on the sands, unnecessary casualties for the sake of someone's vanity project. I don't care how wild a theory that might have been concocted to rationalize this.

If this is true, heads will roll.

Lt. R. Colmes
Warmaster