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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11690 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Apr 2020 : 11:03:51
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So, I've been working on one 3d model of a high level view of a city, got tired and decided to go back to doing easier stuff. I find doing that challenges me and makes me open to figuring out how things work. So, since I've been doing ships, I thought "why not do another realmsian ship of note, like the Red Scourge ?". That then turned into "what if the Red Scourge went to Abeir?" and also "What I someone mounted a helm on the Red Scourge that can lift a LOT of weight?". So, in thinking about if it went to Abeir.... well, it has 24 Thayan light bombards... essentially cannons that use "bombard oil" to fire stone containers filled with "alchemical presents". Then I thought "wow, hit a dragon with several shots from those...".
So, I present to you the idea that Thayvian bombard oil might have been useful in Abeir (assuming that the physics of the mirrored world are the same). I then present the question to you... are there any other alchemical items that we kind of disregard BECAUSE magic is better that would be highly useful in a lower magic world.
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11690 Posts |
Posted - 09 Apr 2020 : 12:14:06
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BTW, this isn't the first time I'm proposing that technology and alchemy might have helped save and adapt societies while in Abeir. For instance, this from "Lands of Intrigue", spurred me to thinking "why wouldn't a Thayan trade enclave open in Balduran Bay in exchange or vast swathes of land... or essentially they piggy back on the Flaming Fist's expansion and help each other... especially with a lot of displaced Thayans. After all, Calishite Fire as an alchemical creation should be something Thayans would know how to create."
From Lands of Intrigue
Through the effort of the Flaming Fists, Fort Flame, the sole settlement of Balduran, survives despite frequent attacks by the wild elves in these northern jungles. The fort's inhabitants have few resources to spare for trade, but their plan to gain Calishite fire (a nonmagical, alchemical incendiary) should allow them to bum away the surrounding jungle, giving them both agricultural land and a buffer zone against the elves. Strangely, elves who arrive here from Faerūn cannot communicate with the wild elves of this land, who show no willingness to talk with anyone.
Also, while Thayans and Untheric and Mulhorandi cultures on Faerun had their issues with one another, when faced with a greater threat, they are all Mulan. Towards that end, we know that the Mulhorandi followers of Thoth, who were themselves often wizards, had been involved with a lot of study of technology. They'd developed studies of using steam energy and dams. For instance, if one really looks at it, they may have developed something that COULD lead with more study towards something like nuclear power. For instance, the "stones of everburning" last for thousands of years and might be similar to radioactive material like uranium (but with less of a killing effect), and for all we know, portions of a "dawn titans" or "primordials" body could serve to similar effect.... as could a captured dragon.
from Old Empires
The most interesting of the technical innovations, though, was the invention of the pressure engine. The priests of Thoth devised a way to use dams and engines to harness the power of Mulhorand's rivers, which they used to grind grain and pump water into far reaches of the desert, fertilizing the desert soil. A period of desert settlement followed. It ended when the pharaoh disapproved of a plan to build a huge dam on the River of Spears, feeling that technological innovation had gone too far. He
ordered all development on river and steam technology ended.
Eventually the engines fell into disrepair, though a few steam engines, powered by stones of everburning, yet pump water into isolated areas. There has recently been a rebirth of interest among a small faction of Thoth priests, known as the Technologists. They are defying the ancient order against working with steam technology and are trying to rediscover the secrets of the ancients, master them, then see what else can be done with this weird form of magic
Stone of Everburning: This stone is unremarkable, except that it radiates searing heat at all times. If a stone of everburning contacts exposed flesh, it inflicts 1d3 points of damage for each round of contact. The stone#146;s most remarkable property is its longevity; some have stayed hot over 3,000 years, even when continuously immersed in water. These items are used in the steam engines of Mulhorand.
XP Value: 500 |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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LordofBones
Master of Realmslore
1477 Posts |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7968 Posts |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11690 Posts |
Posted - 10 Apr 2020 : 03:44:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
Bombards (and their ammo) tend to be ridiculously huge. Hard to install on ships.
https://efisoul63.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/bombard1.jpg
The original ones were huge. They were adapted into light and heavy bombards in 2nd edition. The heavy ones were described as "the size of a manor house" in Pirates of the fallen stars and basically did only arcing fire and couldn't fire short range. The light ones were more like cannons, with more straight line fire that could work at short range. The red scourge canonically had 24 of them on it. Basically, I look at it as "the heavy ones were designed maybe in the 1200's or earlier. The light ones are newer and have vastly improved the aim, etc... at cost of power". Probably by the time 1385 rolls around they will have perfected it more with some knowledge learned from the people working with smokepowder weapons (possibly better range, aim, or speed of use, etc..), though that's not critical. However, it occurred to me as I started this topic that there just may be other uses for bombard fluid when magic isn't as trustworthy. I guess we might be able to compare it to jet fuel/rocket fuel. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11690 Posts |
Posted - 10 Apr 2020 : 03:47:51
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quote:
Originally posted by LordofBones
https://aonprd.com/ClassDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Alchemist
Have fun.
Was much ever done with them besides giving them bombs and maybe bombs that do a certain type of damage? I was kind of hoping to look at what technology already exists in Toril, but is kind of suppressed because of magic, that might have turned around and really flowered on Abeir. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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LordofBones
Master of Realmslore
1477 Posts |
Posted - 10 Apr 2020 : 04:34:11
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| It's easily one of PFs most beloved classes. I personally don't play alchemists, why not have a look at the archetypes section? The alchemical sapper could work. |
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Alchemy in Abeir - Bombard Fire Fluid
