Museum: The laboratory of invention

Jack7

First Post
In ancient Greek a Museum (such as the Mouseion of Alexandria) was not defined as a storage or display house for old, collected artifacts. Rather it was a living, dynamic place in which people worked to create things as they were inspired by “their Muses.” (The Museum is therefore derived from the Home of the Muse.)

In a museum people would congregate to write music, poetry, plays, to create and invent things, to solve problems, to design, sculpt, to devise architectural plans, and so forth.

In my games I have often encouraged my players to create new things, to devise plans, to invent and innovate. And I likewise, being a DM (mostly), have often sought to invent or create new things for the games in which my players act. Many role-playing games, as well as some other games, are very well suited to the process of invention, on the part of the creator and designer, on the part of the Game Master, and on the part of the player.

This thread is designed to be such a Museum. A workplace and laboratory for creativity in devising new things for games. As well as new things for the real world.

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Below are a list of some inventions and innovations that have occurred over time in my games, (some of which have led to or served as the proto-typing idea of real inventions as well). The Window of Heaven, for instance, was a fictional idea that helped me develop the Holicon.

I’m not going to give game “stats” for these inventions and devices, that is not the point of the thread. I’m just going to generally describe these ideas. In that way these listings may give you ideas for your own inventions, or, if you like one of these inventions you can modify it or adapt it to your own milieu, game, or game genre.

Also feel free to list your own inventions and innovations so that others may make use of such ideas. It could be any kind of invention of innovation that others might make use of.


Game ArtifactCage of Lies: This artifact is a magical cage of bronze in which a subject can be placed for interrogation. Once inside a subject can be interrogated and give answers to questions asked of him. One magical advantage of the cage is that the subject can say anything he likes, including telling lies to the party interrogating him. The subject can lie and will hear what he says spoken as if it is the only thing said. On the other side of the cage however the listener(s) will hear the truthful responses to whatever question is answered. In other words the subject can lie about any and every answer and not be aware of any other answer being received, but the listener on the other side of the cage will only hear the truth, not the lies. The subject within the cage will never be aware that the cage transformed his lies into truth unless he is told that is what happened. The cage cannot compel answers but if answers are given then it magically transforms lies into truth. The cage also has several other magical functions.

Game RelicThe Window of Heaven: This relical Icon was discovered in a ruined church in Syria. No one is sure who painted it, or exactly when it was created, but it was created sometime prior to 400 AD. It is believed to show the Apostle Thomas riding upon a donkey, headed for the East, carrying in his arms several relics, as well as various documents and papers. In the background in the sky appear three doors, each partially open and Thomas gestures to the one in the middle. The icon is painted on a piece of black, shiny wood, in very bright, luminous colors and the wood serves also as a decorative frame. It is inlain with gold and silver filigree. Whenever anyone looks into the icon and concentrates upon a problem or dilemma in their mind the image in the icon changes to address the question in the mind of the observer. The entire image changes except for the doors and the image of Thomas. Thomas remains but the icon becomes a moving image involving scenes of whatever it is that troubles the observer. Often it is said that the icon will predict the future or act as a sort of “Image Oracle,” with all three doors opening in the sky and displaying different possible outcomes of the future or images of whatever problem the user is concentrating upon. At the end of the vision in the icon all three doors will shut and then Thomas will point to one of the three doors. Some believe the door Thomas points to is the door the user should choose, some that the door he points to is the outcome most likely to occur, and some that it is the door of choice that should be most avoided.

Fantasy Game InventionThe Pendulum of Philoandros: This is actually a spell devised to assist with combat. It creates a push-back wall that starts from the place at which the Wizard employing it stands and extends outwards according to range and level of the spell caster in a cone towards the target. The spell is focused at a target that is moving towards the Wizard. The closer the target moves towards the Wizard the stronger the spell becomes until a “breakage point” is reached. At that point the target or targets are transferred back to the point at which they first encountered the spell effect. As long as the spell remains in effect and the target fails their saving throw they can continuously move towards the spell caster but once they reach the breaking point they are transferred back to their starting point along their movement path. This has several advantages. It gives other party members time to safely react and take whatever actions they desire. Further more it allows those employing ranged weapons several opportunities to shoot such targets because the target creatures cannot effectively close the distance between themselves and the Wizard and his party. Also any ranged weapon thrown or shot into the cone towards the target is accelerated through time towards the target and if a score is hit then damage is multiplied according to the range within the cone’s area of effect. If the spell works at peak advantage then often a target can be killed or at least severely wounded before he even becomes aware of the fact that he has encountered any magical force. The spell can also have other beneficial effects such as pushing back avalanches or rockslides, pushing back animal attacks, and allowing time advantage variances to escape dangerous traps. If the spell caster is of three or more levels higher than a competing spell caster then the Pendulum can even push-back other spells or forms of magic so that they cannot reach the Wizard using the Pendulum. It is a high level spell, but can be quickly employed.

Modern Game InventionThe Environmental Encoder: Working upon the principle of environmental encoding this device can encode and read signature massages, crypts, codes, and steganographic images in practically any environment, at microscopic, molecular, and even the nano scale. It can render and leave chemical message sin cups of coffee, in the paint molecules on walls, in graffiti, on sheets of paper, and can even create nanite crawl machines that will create subscopic images on sheets of paper that can only be read by special laser magnification decoders. Designed to look like a standard commercial MP3 player this device can be openly carried without arousing suspicion, and can actually play recordings as a disguise function. The circuitry is shared, dual-function, the display reader for encoding/decoding being triggered by the end data stream of a preprogrammed recording. Atomic level pattern encoders are being tested on the same basic design principles.

Sci-Fi InventionMosk Wear: This is a suit that you get others to wear. It appears to have functions such as advanced adaptive camouflage, as well as other advantages, such as noise suppression and “interwoven intuitive danger awareness.” What it actually does is trick the user into disclosing their location at all times (the suit is traceable due to molecular radiation signatures built in and released by atomic decay that are triggered by cellular interaction between suit and skin), and the fibers of the suit allow it to transmit visual, infra-red, and ultraviolet images to a studied observer. The suit is also lined with special exotic matter fibers that will transmit a stunning shock, similar to a phaser blast set at stun, to the wearer from over 200 kilometers by remote signal. Federation Intelligence sometimes gets subjects who they suspect of treason or of being a mole to wear Mosk Wear suits, telling the wearer of the suit security advantages but not disclosing the secret functions of the suit. In this way Federation Intelligence can secretly keep such subjects under surveillance or apprehend them whenever needed.

Ancient Invention (Real World) – Decoder

Medieval Invention (Real World) – Astrolabe

Modern Invention (Real World) – Difference Engine


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Jack7

First Post
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Game ArtifactThe Press: The Press is actually a large box of dark, very hard wood, bound by bands of silver, and intricately carven with mysterious symbols and designs. In volume it will hold about 1000 pieces of silver. Along the length of the inner lid is a silvered mirror. That mirror is said to reflect, or look upon, the face of an unknown and ancient statue or monument. The figure of the monument points to his lap and upon his lap sits the Press. Inside the press sits the head of an unknown creature apparently speaking to whoever is using the Press, though no words can be heard. Any object that will fit inside can be placed within, and when the lid is shut and the object is left inside overnight then a strange process of weird force begins. All night long the box will hum and odd noises can be heard from inside it. The next morning if the box is opened, and whatever was placed inside it extracted, and the lid then reshut and reopened then within will appear an exact, useable replica of whatever was left in it overnight. The replica will be as fully functional as the original object for 12 hours. Thereafter the replica will disintegrate and fall to a fine, silvery powder. The silvery residue is poisonous if rubbed on the skin, or ingested. However if the silvery residue is placed back into the box, and it is resealed and the powder allowed to stay in the box overnight then the next morning a grayish sludge or goo will appear, and if that goo is taken and eaten then the person ingesting the goo will be completely healed of all prior injuries, and even of previous scars. Furthermore for the next year the “eater of goo” will be completely immune to toxins and poisons of all kinds, and may even go several weeks during this year without water without apparent ill-effect. At the end of that one-year period however the person who ingested the goo will undergo a serious illness that may even claim his life. It is also rumored that the Press has three secret compartments, and that one of these compartments contains a map or document describing who made it, and why, and how to use the silver powder to treat a suit of armor so that it becomes practically invulnerable to any normal attack. What the other compartments contain no one knows.

Game RelicThe Eye of God, or the Prism of Damnation: This relic is a prism of unknown design and make. It was discovered in a series of catacombs under a first century church in Africa. When looked through it can have several different effects or functions. 1. One can see over the horizon line, to distances of up to 50 miles. 2. When one looks at a person one can “perceive their intentions” through it. 3. One can apparently look backwards through time, up to thirty days in the past. 4. One can see at night as if in daylight. 5. One can see in the infrared and ultra-violet spectrums of light. 6. One can see things that would normally be invisible. 7. The prism can see known or unknown disease, injury, and illness, even those long passed, or yet to occur. 8. One can see into the hearts and minds of other individuals. 9. That the prism will magnify and translate any script it is passed over into the user’s native language. 10. One is supposed to be able to see into another world with the prism. There may also be other capabilities of the prism, no one is really sure. Many consider it a holy relic, others consider it an heretical or even cursed relic. It is said that looking through the prism for a long period of time can result in permanent blindness, and to prolonged madness. It is also said that either much ill-fortune is attached to the object, or that it is simply too powerful and dangerous for mortals to use. Finally it is said that the prism may be part of a much larger composite relic.

Fantasy Game InventionHumishc: When one takes the ground seeds of the Humis plant of Ghantik and makes a strong, bitter tea of it to drink it is said to be able to dilute even the strongest toxin, if the patient is not already too close to death. It also speeds healing and is said to be very efficacious in the treating of several diseases. If however one drinks three or more cups of the tea at a single setting then one is said to suffer for a time from bizarre or even prophetic dreams. Individuals who regularly overindulge in humishc (some saying that it gives them immunity to being poisoned) eventually develop a chronic sheen condition to their skin, and a slight luminescence that makes them glow faintly in the dark.

Modern Game InventionSharpin: Sharpin is a modern chemical pheromone which when sprayed on the body will make one chemically appear friendly and even attractive to most any dog. Even well trained, intent, and vicious guard-dogs will often become friendly or at least passive towards one covered in Sharpin, and so will allow unmolested passage by their post, usually without even barking, though whining is common in close proximity to a dog.

Sci-Fi InventionTime Mines: (This same concept can be used in any sci-fi game that has space or star ships.) These weapons are a type of device designed and used by an alien race in my Spheres of Influence game. No-one is really sure who these aliens are, where they are from, or exactly what they want but they have been hitting and raiding along the fringes of Federation Space for about two years now. At first Federation Intel thought the mines were Borg weapons, but now believe otherwise.

Apparently the alien ship deploys time-mines in a specific shipping route, then almost immediately after being deployed the mines disappear. They reappear when a ship or ships pass by, completely surrounding the vessel on reappearance. The vessel may become damaged by an exploding mine, or forced to come to a stop whereupon all of the mines continually close distance until they are actually attached to the target ship’s hull. At this time an alien vessel appears and either absconds with the entire vessel or pirates and strips it of anything of value. Ships have even been stripped of engine parts and life support systems and left with no means of propulsion and with no life support entire crews have perished. Either through acts of mine damage or piracy or abandonment hundreds of lives have been lost and three ships have entirely disappeared without trace. After a seizure operation the mines either disappear again or disintegrate almost entirely. Anything recovered is microscopic and of molecular traces of unknown materials. It is now believed by Federation Intel that these devices are actually time-mines. Once deployed the mines move to another time, then reappear through some unknown trigger, sensoring device, or simply because they are timed to do so. Nothing concrete is known of the science involved in the creation or operation of these devices, nor of the true motives of their alien creators.

Ancient Invention (Real World) – Tumbler Lock

Medieval Invention (Real World) – Parachute

Modern Invention (Real World) – Pin Tumbler Lock


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Jack7

First Post
Note: This artefact is a new one. I only designed it recently but then retrofitted it (in a game and setting sense) as a secret artefact into my setting in Ghantik. It also in my opinion well conveys my personal theory that in-game magic should be difficult, dangerous, and wondrous. As expressed in this thread. However it can also be argued that the Silkârjen is a form of magical-technology. And it is to a degree. Or it has the function of magic-tech to a certain extent, I wouldn’t argue that. But it does not operate like technology, it is very unreliable and inconsistent for instance, and no one is really even sure how it functions or the full range of its capabilities. And it has other capabilities and functions that I have not described here, because I am still working on developing it.

For background on how the Silkârjen developed see the World's Apart.


Game Artifact – The Silkârjen, or the Kithverdünn (The Listening Posts, or the Collar of Kitharia). The Silkârjen (the Listening Posts), or as they are known among those who operate them, the Kithverdünn (the Collar of Kitharia) is the most recent artifact in the arsenal of devices used by the Kingdom of Kitharia to maintain the defense of the Realm and of many of the Eldeven peoples. The Silkârjen was initially invented and created by the Samareül after visiting the Kardġ fields and then sitting upon the Samarälear (Seat of Sacred Sight). The next morning upon arising he had shaped Kardġ brought to him and after striking it and pointing it in various directions he realized he could hear the conversations of others through the walls of the palace by touching the vibrating crystal to his ear. He then gave instructions to his best court inventors who set about experimenting with it and they discovered that when it was wrapped in a net or thin sheet of Cimmœlyn that the listening properties of the Kardġ were greatly amplified and clarified. In time it was found that if the Kardġ was shaped into Silkârj of various sizes, and then pointed and attuned correctly and emplaced in strategic locations that this allowed sounds to be heard from hundreds and even possibly thousands of leagues away. No one knows the real range of the devices.

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Construction of the Silkârj – A large block of Kardġ is cut and then polished down into a three-sided obelisk of various heights and dimensions, usually varying from three meters to twenty meters in height. Some Silkârj weigh many tonnes. The obelisk is then fitted with a close woven, tight net of Cimmœlyn, usually in a lattice like or fishnet pattern. For the net to properly amplify the perceived sound the net must be complete, intact, and surface taut. The obelisk is then mounted onto a platform that allows it to be pointed at various angles and to be moved or repositioned as desired. A large and complicated network of these devices have now been built at strategic locations throughout the Kingdom of Kitharia and in allied lands and in some isolated and remote frontier areas.

How the Silkârj Works – No one is absolutely sure how the Silkârj works. It is the newest artefact of Kitharia. Many theories abound as to how it functions. Some think the crystal itself contains all the properties needed for proper function. Some that there are lines of Elturgical force in the atmosphere which trap and hold sound indefinitely which can then be later intercepted by the Silkârj. Still others that it amplifies and controls sound magically. Regardless of the exact means it can be used to “listen in” on sounds, noises, and even conversations from a great distance. What sounds are detected, and how clearly seem to depend upon which direction the Silkârj is pointed. Weather seems to have no effect upon the functioning of the artefact.

To operate a Silkârj one taps it vigorously with a large flat headed mallet of placoynn wood until it can be heard to ring (though no one is very sure if this is really necessary, for instance it can also be activated by elturgy, the mallet is thought by some to be simply a left over habit of tradition from when the Samareül first tested the Kardġ). Then one places one’s ear and hand to the vibrating Silkârj and one can hear things. With a good and new net of Cimmœlyn one can hear clearly and truly from a great distance. Various Elturgical and Eldarikan devices and techniques can also amplify and clarify the sound heard. However intercepted sounds are often muffled or incomplete, especially as regards overheard conversations, and without a clear and firm understanding of exactly what the Silkârj is pointed at or attuned to it is very difficult to know exactly what one is hearing, what it means, or from where it arises. To make matters even more complex and confusing if the Silkârj is pointed at the sky then at various times one can supposedly hear things occurring in the past, even the distant past. At night if the device is pointed outwards then sometimes weird and uncanny noises can be heard, and occasionally even apparent conversations can be heard in no language familiar to any of the Eldeven peoples. It is not known from where these conversations originate, if indeed they are actual conversations. Some think they are overheard sounds from other worlds, some that they are the lost speech of the Nephýařla who long ago seem to have abandoned Ghantik. Still others think that they may be overhearing the left over speech of an ancient and unknown race of beings.

In any case, over time, there has developed a complex network of listening posts and Kitharia uses this network to “overhear and spy upon” anyone they think might be a threat. The network of the Silkârjen is a closely guarded, though somewhat open secret of and about Kitharia. It is well known of by many of the Eldeven peoples because on several occasions the small yet superb Kitharian Army (perhaps the best in the world) and Navy has intercepted enemy armies on the march in surprise or ambush encounters, and because Kitharia often seems to possess valuable and secret diplomatic and political information which no-one can fully understand how they possess. This gives Kitharia, the Samareül, and the Court at Samarkand enormous military, political, diplomatic, economic, and in some cases even social advantage over their competitors and enemies alike. A large part of the advantages such as are enjoyed by Samarkand are derived from artefacts (inherited or newly created) and devices such as the Silkârjen network.

Still successfully operating and maintaining the Silkârjen network is a difficult, complex, confusing, and time and resource draining endeavour. Specially trained Sidelhin who are masters of numerous languages, some even dead or arcane languages, Sidelh who have exceptionally good hearing, and who are good at discerning exactly what it is they are hearing are used to listen to and monitor the Silkârj. But without a correspondingly complex web of advisors, analysts, interpreters, spies, and counselors to make sense of the overheard sounds and to fit what is heard to some useful or definite situation in the world, then the Silkârjen network would be of little use. It is at best still only partially effective and it can be very dangerous to employ. Sometimes operators go temporarily mad or suffer exhaustion and mental disorientation, troubled dreams, or waking hallucinations. This is especially true when tuning in to strange, alien, or weird sounds or conversations. The level of secrecy required to work on these artifacts is also straining and difficult for most individuals. Because of these dangers the Silkârjen is often called the Kithverdünn by those who use and operate it. Kithverdünn translates as the “Collar of Kitharia” and has a double meaning. It is a collar identifying and marking the Kitharians as being surrounded by the network of the Silkârjen, which helps to keep them safe, but it may also be a collar or a kind of constricting trap around the throats of those who operate it. Yet as time progresses the Kitharians get better and better at using this network which helps them to maintain an advantage of power over their enemies, and to defend their kingdom even when badly outnumbered in a strictly military sense.

Some of the Silkârj obelisks are now also being used to monitor for, and to help intercept the monsters or Korruhn that are becoming a more and more frequent occurrence in Ghantik. Because of this many monsters are now actively avoiding Samarkand and the inner parts of Kitharia, preferring either to inhabit the concealed frontiers, or other lands.


Explanation of Terms:

Kardġ – the translucent crystal of Ghantik that cannot be spliced or split evenly but which can be polished into various shapes such as the Silkârj.

Silkârj – the three-sided obelisks of various sizes that form the Silkârjen.

Silkârjen – the network of the Silkârj obelisks used to hear things from a great distance.

Sym – Ghantikan Quicksilver, drinkable like water at cold temperatures, a green metal used in variety of medicines and for treating wounds and burns, said to increase longevity and virility. When exposed to Elturgy it becomes purple in color at room temperature and can then be melted in intense heat at which time it becomes yellowish, then finally afterwards hardens into a silver metal (thus transforming it into Cimmœlyn) than can be spun like cloth but is very hard and tough to break.

Cimmœlyn – Elturgical Quicksilver. Deep purple in cold or room temperatures. After heating it eventually hardens to become silver in appearance. Unlike Sym all forms of Cimmœlyn are toxic to most creatures.
 


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