Development Log Of L. Sullas

[Mithradites 1168]

((Keep in mind that this is a log written by Lucion Sullas, and you can't exactly RP reply to it.))

Deep within the various coats of Lucion Sullas, sits a vast number of pockets. In each pocket he holds important Haelun'or-related documents, notebooks, money, and so-on. One pocket contains a book different to the others. It is leather-bound with bone-white paper within it, and a golden L.S. inscribed on the cover. Penned in golden ink is the following:

Development Log of Lucion Sullas, Okarir’i Tilruir’ma <- irrelevent.

Subject purpose: Designing and implementing projectile-weapons for use on ocean-going vessels.

Secondary purpose: designing anti-vessel projectiles

Reasoning: The mainlander’s ability to field and support an array of highly effective “cannon” (ridiculous name; like a dwarven grunt) brings the city’s defense into question. That said, the mainlander’s continuous and illogical bouts of violence against one-another makes the possibility of the Emerald Peninsular becoming embroiled within mainlander conflicts statistically unavoidable; compounded by the recent diplomatic missions performed by Malinor Princedom. Making use of our ships for sea-defence appears to be a logical course of action. Should the designs be successful, distribution of technology to Emerald-Peninsular political entities considered, with the possible exception of the mali’barbu fungi-munchers fruit-faces mali’ker-latrine-dwellers Moriquessir, depending on their current political standpoint, and what mood I am in.

Unsure what purpose last paragraph served; quite aware of my reasoning. Why am I writing this sentence? <- Irrelevent

Log Entry One:

Unlike Bortu and Valah contemporaries, Haelun’or does not have access to ironworking facilities and resources to construct own cannon. Projectile weapon must therefore be based on conventional technologies.

Catapult-esque weapons briefly considered as initial base design, but rejected due to heavy weight of projectiles, and the relatively large size of an effective catapult. May consider it for a waste/goblin removal system for the city’s farms. Perhaps even as a mail delivery device <- implausible.

Considering other options, and settled on a bow-and-arrow design as a base. Obviously needs to be much larger. Will have to work on a prototype before considering secondary objective. Will have a very large bow made for this purpose.

Entry feels slightly short. Will write this last sentence before returning to other matters <- Daft.

[nppeck 601]

((Is your character insane or is this being edited by someone?))

[Mithradites 1168]

((Just a notebook. He'll cross out and edit his own words occasionally. It is in ink, after all :P ))

[Yuln 265]

((Very intresting... though its just teasing to make RP posts you cannot reply on.))

[Samler 1565]

((This way he can prove there has been RP behind comming weapons, also fun to get a insider look on Lucion, now let Mith/Lucion be the only one to post on this.))

[Mithradites 1168]

The page is covered with crude sketchings before the writing.

http://imgur.com/Nr3LJ

Log Entry 2: Initial experiments

Results: Dismal dreadful abhorrant Unacceptable

Blacksmith unavailable to create bow, therefore had to do it myself. Used an unidentified plank of wood birch wood as the base, and attached the bow to it with nails. Easier for me to pull it back. Bow was almost a meter in length. Wanted it to be bigger, unfortunately. Attached bow to the plank with a few nails. Simple, but reasonably efficient. Allowed for a longer draw on the string. Ammunition consisted of a wooden pole, around one meter in length.

Only three attempts were made to use the weapon. On the third attempt, the bow itself snapped in two. The first attempt was by myself. Pole managed to travel a few meters. Soundly pathetic. Recruited two other citizens to pull the string back in tandem. Managed six meters in total between them. Distinct improvement, but laughable. Perhaps some variety of deplorably useless weapon that will make target laugh long enough to be distracted

A.L. explained that bows power lies in tension of the wood. Not string. A.L. Had an idea about static pieces of wood independant from each other would get best effect. Also suggested using stronger materials to get the most tension, such as hard-wood or metal. Words duly noted, and partially ignored. Prefer the idea of a single-piece design for faster creation, but will attempt a metal "bow" in the next test. Possibly attach it to a smaller piece of wood for better aiming and handling.

[Amorphbutt 199]

((Or we could buy a caste for one, and the metal))

[Mithradites 1168]

((Or we could buy a caste for one, and the metal))

((Well where's the fun in that? :P))

[Yuln 265]

((Yuln knows how to work with force and make something heavy to lift, easy as pie. example: The crane at the college))

[Amorphbutt 199]

((Or the caste for the caste, and not the metal. Anyways, we have deep, DEEP pockets (I think) so we could spend the money))

[Mercury199 86]

(( Erm becareful not to stub your finger on how deep our pockets aren't, it also doesn't fit us greatly to be very rick not a great deal of trade with the outside world leads to economic stagnancy. ))

[Mithradites 1168]

Log Entry 3.

Finally conceived a method of releasing the arrow without using one's hand directly. Will write whole method.

Built a new base for the bow out of a thinner, single log. Shaved the bark off and smoothed the log's shape until reasonably straight. Cut the log in half, and scraped a straight groove into the new flat base. Attached the metal of the bow in the usual method. Hammered a nail at the opposite end of the groove, and used it as a holding device for the string.

Required one to rest the bow on a fence to push the string over the nail. The pulling of the string to the nail is difficult enough without the added difficulty of trying to get the string over the nail afterwards. Whole process left one's hands sore. Not useful for larger models.

Had a spark of inspiration when trying to lever the string off the nail with a fork at dinner table. Easier on the weilder for one to design a system where one never has to touch the string at all. Drawing method is still in development, but simple mechanism has been created with relative ease.

A scratchy drawing appears under the words. They appear to drawn with a rough pencil.

http://imgur.com/wWIoA

Carved a simple "dip" into the wood and placed the device within. Carved two holes from the outside of the wood into the dip. Placed the "fork" into the dip, and pushed a small, wooden stick through the holes and through the "fork"s hole. The contraption operates simply:

1. Pull the string back over the potruding nub while holding the handle of the "fork" in place.

2. Aim the fork-bow at the intended uruk mori valah warhawke filth.

3. Push the handle upwards, and release the arrow.

Unfortunately, the system still requires two mali to operate. Hand-power still required to pull the string back to acceptable lengths; singular elves lack the number of dexterous limb to do this. Furthermore, constantly having to hold the fork's handle during the string's placement makes it difficult to operate quickly. Must come up with a new method of pulling back the string, and holding the handle in place.

[Mithradites 1168]

Apparently I did pack this notebook. Marvelous. I was worried I left it in Asulon. It appears I take greater delight in writing within this log like the narrator of frivolous fiction. Purposeless, but amusing. One finds it much more pleasant to read whilst referencing my previous work. Almost like speaking with myself--truly the only way one can reliably find intelligent conversation.

 

I am still confounded of how simplistic my original designs for a ballistae were. Who knew that there would be innumerable numbers of the dreadful machine around Anthos for me to observe? An effective model now stands in the laboratory. Somewhere. I think. I have no interest in furthering its development. Waste of time. I shall use this to record my newer works instead. Particularly my latest delving into the unknown.

 

The theory I was exploring was simple--the large-scale implementation of an upturned cup being pressed against the surface of the water. 

 

If one might recall, pressing a cup upturned into a body of water creates a "pocket" of space beneath it, where one would, theoretically, be able to breathe freely without requirement of dampening one's coat (I am thankful for that particularly grungy teacup that inspired this idea). Since I lacked small animals to test this idea, I opted to create a full-sized device, so that I myself would be able to observe the effects. My curiosity of underwater observations greatly interest me, now that sub-lightning experiments have become too labourious and monotonous to continue. 

 

Thusly, I created this model. 

 

Beneath is a crude, coloured drawing of an odd bell-like structure. It hangs over the lake attached to a large crane.

 

 

It took much convincing have Silir use iron in its design. The weight was required, and I preferred the safety of a fully iron vessel to that of wood. Furthermore, I did not have the amount of tar requires to shore-up the hull of a fully-wooden vessel--my time building that failed battleship taught me this. Silir was surprisingly quick with its construction, and his usual master-craftsmanship was thankfully avoiding in favour for efficiency and speed. The crane took longer. A week to design, and a few days to construct properly. Shifting the bell itself was a task I'd rather not repeat--being as one of our own died during its descent down our mountain. Then again, I am writing this for myself, thus I have reminded myself. Curse my thoroughness. 

 

I pulled myself within the craft, and had my lliran lower me into the water. The craft, thanks to the weighted balance-baubles, found its way downwards to the bottom of the lake. It happened manage to waver as it descended, allowing in more water than I'd hoped, but overall the bottomless craft remained stable.

 

Sensations felt while descending:

-Odd pressure within my ears--similar to being high upon a mountain, or perhaps swimming in a deep ocean. 

-Distinct fear and excitement--I did not expect myself to breathe so heavily. 

-Innate fascination--I observed a few of the lake-squid swimming about the water around my vessel. To think they barely took notice of me, even after all the times I practiced my lightning evocation upon them.

 

Momentarily after these, however, I noticed a distinct thinning of the air in my lungs. It quickly became hard to breathe. Ms Azorella had the mind to pull the bell back up to the surface--may Larihei's wisdom  enlighten her. As my craft was pulled back to the surface, my breathing was far easier. A strange thing, this was. I certainly feared for my life, and I'll be even more certain to obtain animals for my next experiment. I was far to rash in my conclusions.

 

Overall, my findings were--

 

-Breathing is possible beneath the water within a dry "pocket."

-Breathing quickly becomes difficult within this pocket (reasons unknown--requires further study)

 

Further research will be conducted. Perhaps Lelien shall lend me her cat? 

[Lawrna 440]

((No. You keep your hands off of my Fi >.>))

[Birdwhisperer 1174]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.