The Royal Artificery Society - OOC II: electric boogaloo

[DeTess]

Alright. I'm not sure what else I need to have Shandara do...

I believe I have written out everything I can for her regarding the violin. So the mockup violin could in theory be worked by her and enchanted, however, she has essentially made it only a template without spending any magical reagents. All the runes and gems would need to be placed on the real violin made of Tundra Wood...

Which I believe starts off with base hardness 8, immune to cold, and with 25 fire resistance. Shandara would enchant it with a field similar to her wooden disk, but it protects from sonic, acid, and lightning. It can be expanded to the wielder by expending a 1st level spell slot (for a minute?) or be expanded to protect a 10' radius area by expending a charge from one of the rechargeable gems (thinking 2 gems, and this also lasts a minute?).

Also, the hardness of the violin would be magically increased by +10, or maybe +12? Which would cost 5000 gp or 7200 gp respectively. I think that would be the end price for the buyer, correct? So maybe +12 is too much, but it would be kinda nice to make it immune to admantine attacks.

This all seems about right. Of course, if you want to add more features to the violin, you could...

[WindStruck]

We are on a budget though, and I'm not sure how much we'll be spending at the moment..

[MrAbdiel]

It feels perhaps excessive to make it immune to adamantine attacks! I'd thought immunity to incidental combat damage was sort of the gold standard here. But then, I guess having the world's most permanent violin is saying something too!

[WindStruck]

So anyway, I believe I've got all my ducks in a row for Shandara. I've probably gone ahead a day or two temporally, just waiting on Aiden to finish experimenting with his wood? And then make the violin? Although, I suppose he would want to see the marking and stuff Shandara has put on the mock-up violin first.

If it will be a while until MrAbdiel is caught up, should we do something relevant with the paper Shandara was working on publishing?

[DeTess]

So anyway, I believe I've got all my ducks in a row for Shandara. I've probably gone ahead a day or two temporally, just waiting on Aiden to finish experimenting with his wood? And then make the violin? Although, I suppose he would want to see the marking and stuff Shandara has put on the mock-up violin first.

If it will be a while until MrAbdiel is caught up, should we do something relevant with the paper Shandara was working on publishing?

It might be a bit? Sorry, health is still full of ups and downs. I'll try to post again sometime this weekend or early next week to move things along a bit again.

[MrAbdiel]

It might be a bit? Sorry, health is still full of ups and downs. I'll try to post again sometime this weekend or early next week to move things along a bit again.

No worries. As always, RL>RP; get your rest and whatever you need, and our magical violin will be there when you are free again.

[WindStruck]

It's okay if you're feeling down!

It's just good to check in every now and then, to make sure we aren't waiting on someone who is waiting on us.

[DeTess]

@mrabdiel, what were your plans for the tools?

@windstruck, I think there's some time yet before Aiden catches up with Shandara, so if you want to do something else in the meantime, feel free to do so.

@prehysterical, if you look closely at the letter plate you'll see that the 'd' in question is ever so slightly shallower than the other letters. It was no issue when you tested it, but Thomas seems to use a bit less force than you do while operating the machine, making the issue come out.

[WindStruck]

We could go down the thread of Shandara finishing up publishing that paper I've been mentioning, if you think that could yield something interesting.

[Prehysterical]

I'll have Bolten make a Knowledge (Engineering) check before he answers: (1d20+12)[26]

[DeTess]

I'll have Bolten make a Knowledge (Engineering) check before he answers: [roll0]

So, in addition to what I listed above, you reckon the following measures could help mitigate such imperfections. First of all, for the letters, you'd need to make certain that they all get as close to a uniform height as possible. making molds and casting the letters could help get that uniformity without having to spend more time making them by han, though it does mean more up-front effort if some new symbol is required. The other area, the pressure exerted during the printing could be helped by including a spring-loaded mechanism or similar to ensure that the pressure is always the same, and is not dependent on the operator.

Another option could be to have the plate be applied twice rather than once to increase the chances of one of the two applications being 'correct', though you would have to ensure the paper does not move at all between applications.

edit: @windstruck, you could continue with that, yes, though you're close to done with preparing the paper.

[WindStruck]

I'd say it should be finished by now. Where would Shandara bring such a thing?

[DeTess]

I'd say it should be finished by now. Where would Shandara bring such a thing?

Depends on what Shandara wants to do with it exactly. You could submit it to the archives to share it with others that look into the topic, but you could also try and get it published through one of the society departments to gain wider recognition for it, though that would take some more work in tracking down the right department and talking to the right people.

[WindStruck]

Perhaps there is a famous journal that makes publications monthly or such? I know I must be thinking of a magazine in real life that people might keep up with....

Well I don't think I should be posting links, but something like one of those AAAS journals or the Scientific American might be a good equivalent. We just need a good name for such a journal in this setting...

Artificery Advances
The Truenamer
Tarian Thaumaturgy
Wizardry Monthly

I don't know. They're getting lamer by the second! But yes, in addition to trying to get it published in something more well-known and prestigious, I guess she'll also officially file her findings into the archives as well.

[DeTess]

Perhaps there is a famous journal that makes publications monthly or such? I know I must be thinking of a magazine in real life that people might keep up with....

Well I don't think I should be posting links, but something like one of those AAAS journals or the Scientific American might be a good equivalent. We just need a good name for such a journal in this setting...

Artificery Advances
The Truenamer
Tarian Thaumaturgy
Wizardry Monthly

I don't know. They're getting lamer by the second! But yes, in addition to trying to get it published in something more well-known and prestigious, I guess she'll also officially file her findings into the archives as well.

Yeah, that's basically what i meant when I said 'you could also try and get it published through one of the society departments to gain wider recognition for it', but I could have been clearer about it.

[WindStruck]

I have homebrewed up a spell. Let me know if I should make any adjustments to it.

[WindStruck]

Oh, I should probably roll, but I think this succeeds anyway.

Spellcraft: (1d20+16)[19]

[DeTess]

I have homebrewed up a spell. Let me know if I should make any adjustments to it.

Looks fine at first glance. Damage might need to drop a little I think to d4's for a 2nd level spell, but the rest checks out.

I presume you're heading out to the midnight guard compound next?

[MrAbdiel]

@mrabdiel, what were your plans for the tools?

There! Posted. Sorry for the slow response. I'm working and studying now so my time is shrinking but I'm still keen!

Aiden's plan is to try to convince the Archduchess to finance a project that includes work for Bolten and Shandara, and supplying him Adamantine tools. Everything dovetails nicely! Presuming she goes for it.

[WindStruck]

Looks fine at first glance. Damage might need to drop a little I think to d4's for a 2nd level spell, but the rest checks out.

I presume you're heading out to the midnight guard compound next?

Yeah, I'll see if Jay is around, or maybe I can just drop off a scroll for her to look at.

As for the damage numbers, yeaa maybe I could drop it, but I was also comparing it to stuff like scorching ray or flaming sphere. Compared to lightning bolt, much shorter line length and a possibility that not all the damage goes through.

It only really could do a huge amount of damage if a target chooses to let it, essentially. Though they will be prone as a tradeoff.

Not sure, should I bump up the maximum to 10d4/20d4? But we are still E6, so not like the caster level will ever reach that high.

[DeTess]

Yeah, I'll see if Jay is around, or maybe I can just drop off a scroll for her to look at.

As for the damage numbers, yeaa maybe I could drop it, but I was also comparing it to stuff like scorching ray or flaming sphere. Compared to lightning bolt, much shorter line length and a possibility that not all the damage goes through.

It only really could do a huge amount of damage if a target chooses to let it, essentially. Though they will be prone as a tradeoff.

Not sure, should I bump up the maximum to 10d4/20d4? But we are still E6, so not like the caster level will ever reach that high.

scorching ray ahs some other trade-offs though. Let's keep ti at d6's, but cap it at 8d6. probably won't matter that much in e6, but keeps it from being too strong compared to some other options.

[WindStruck]

Well I thought about it more, and given other utility (knocking prone, breaking barriers, pushing back) I think it is more fair to have 1d4 damage per caster level.

So anyway, I'll spend 150 GP to create two scrolls. And I'll take one copy of the scroll over to the Midnight Guard.

Edit: I like Aiden's proposal, by the way. It reminds me of those christmas trees you you set up and take down every year.. but oh, so much more grand and frivolous!

[MrAbdiel]

Well I thought about it more, and given other utility (knocking prone, breaking barriers, pushing back) I think it is more fair to have 1d4 damage per caster level.

So anyway, I'll spend 150 GP to create two scrolls. And I'll take one copy of the scroll over to the Midnight Guard.

Edit: I like Aiden's proposal, by the way. It reminds me of those christmas trees you you set up and take down every year.. but oh, so much more grand and frivolous!

Indeed! And it also throws a little more enchanting work Shandara’s way, and gives a compelling reason for Bolten to invent the Cogturner adamantine ringsaw, or something like it! :) and perhaps take our flimsy artisans on a dangerous field trip.

[WindStruck]

I think Bolten and Shandara have had enough for field trips, seeing as we went out on a "picnic" one day and nearly got eaten by a bear!

As friendly and unassuming (or technically, making assumptions?) as Aiden is, I just hope he does not get into hot water effectively promising the expertise of others.

[DeTess]

Jay trying to get her head around the scroll: (1d20+13)[28]

[WindStruck]

Sounds like she might have an idea of what the spell does.

[DeTess]

@mrabdiel, your pricing for the parts looks fine.

[Prehysterical]

Yeah, Bolten has had enough of field trips for a bit, but I'm up for an opportunity for Bolten and Aiden to actually work together to combine their expertise. I feel like once Bolten gets to know Aiden (and become accustomed to his chaotic energy), he will be one of the more genuinely warm artificers that Bolten knows.

[DeTess]

Just letting you all know my health has been pretty bad again for the last few days. I'll try to catch back up again as soon as I feel a little better.

[WindStruck]

Again? Sorry to hear that.

I hope you can be nice and healthy again.