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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rolzup" data-source="post: 2822979" data-attributes="member: 10105">Burne’s Heremetic Destructive EngineHeretofore, my Art had saved the lives of myself and my companions on more occasions that I cared to remember.  A casual observer would perceive no flaws in my workings, and could only marvel at what I had accomplished.HE’S GONE THIS LONG WITHOUT KILLING HIMSELF.  THAT’S CERTAINLY A MARVEL.I, however, knew better.  Slight inefficiencies still nagged at me, and I could not help but think that there was a better way.Once again, I was correct.  It came to me in a flash of brilliance, and I returned to my lab on the instant, my mind bursting with plans.What plans, you ask?  Ah, let me tell you of a wonder....Imagine, if you will, a crossbow.  A large crossbow, in point of fact, perhaps even awkwardly so.  Then make it a bit bigger than that.  And there you have the heart of Burne’s Heremetic Destructive Engine.To this enormous crossbow, one should then bolt a second, slightly smaller crossbow.  And then attach a third crossbow, of rather more modest size.Next?  A series of lenses, each with a dedicated purpose.  Abd then various rods, tubes, and cylinders of varying construction -- copper, glass, steel, oricalchum -- are connected, each jutting out at a precisely calculated angle, to function as emitters, thaumic resonators, and focusing devices.Finally, a cunning arrangement of gears, ratchets, and levers is used to operate the Engine to full effect.And there you have it.  The single greatest implement of magical destruction ever created.  Using the Engine, one can create and apply Alchemical preparations with astonishing speed and efficiency, far greater than anything previously imagined.  More, it infuses the Art with an alchemical property known as "moxie", which has a value beyond stating.Consider, for example, Burne's Incandescent Arc.  Or "Burning Hands", I believe that it is more vulgarly known.  Formerly, I would have needed to produce the proper reageants from a convenient pocket, hurl them into the air and then position my hands into a fan-shape while reciting the appropriate mantra of focus.Crude, obviously.  Primitive, in fact.How does this same treatment function when employing the Heremetic Destructive Engine?  Nothing could be simpler!  The reagents are already stored within the Engine's interior, in precisely measured doses.  To deploy them, the user must lightly depress the third trigger on the left -- *lightly*, mind! -- whilst simultaneously ratcheting the octagonal brass lever exactly three degrees anti-clockwise.  The centermost trigger must then be fully depressed, while the focusing mantra is spoken aloud, taking care that the brass plate marked with the High Erisian fire-rune is in full contact with the user's flesh at all times.So simple that even a child could manage it.THIS, I THINK, SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.The Engine came together with remarkable speed, very nearly building itself.  I ran some simple tests, invoked my Arts, and found that I had succeeded beyond my wildest expectations.  Bursts of flame, globes of caustic liquid, masses of adhesive resin...all this, and more, at my fingertips.Tremble, oh world, at the power of Burne!HE DOES, SADLY, REALLY SAY THINGS LIKE THIS.  WITH A STRAIGHT FACE, TOO.When I rejoined my companions, on the day following my successful impersonation of Lucky, they were struck dumb with awe by the sight of the Engine.  I smiled a mysterious and humble smile, and left them to their wonderings while we discussed the future.Xian had already departed, leaving the monastery in our care.  We, in turn, entrusted it to King Daikon.  He had agreed, albeit reluctantly, to take up Xian’s position as protector of Little Azikhan, and could use the place as his new base of operations.  Besides, it would make a fine open-air market.It was agreed that, lacking anything better to do, we would help Delphine find her fiancé, Joachim.  Precisely how we would do this was something of a question, however.  We knew that he was aboard a naval vessel somewhere in the Straights of Narayan, but this is a distressingly large area to have to search.  Investigation, it was decided, might enable us to discover the ship’s name, and possible itinerary, and so make further plans.Secondly, there was the matter of the Kuo-Toa.  I felt a certain responsibility for them, having saved their lives as I did, and did not wish to see them starve on the streets of CITY.  Besides, as we had already seen, they had certain uses....The open waters were, Blub-Blub told us, too dangerous for them.  There are things in the CITY waters which are best left undefined; suffice to say that they were enough to frighten even these "sea-devils".  After some negotiation, King Daikon agreed to look after them, and allow them to use the tower that had once been their prison as their lair.  We agreed to purchase certain equipment for them -- weapons, and tools, and suchlike -- and they would, in turn, remain in our debt.Plans having been made, we first needed to address the practical matters of obtaining equipment, and chartering a ship.  This, we proceeded to do over the course of the next several days.As it transpired, however, Xian’s absence had not gone unnoticed....</blockquote>

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