Alchemy Experimentation (Research)

[Kite]

RED KITE HP: 100% MP: 100%

"Prey on the weak and you'll survive. Hunt the Strong and you will LIVE"

Kite looked at the workspace and sighed. Everything was cluttered and chaotic, as usual. Pushing aside a pile of papers, he sat down and began to write out his notes:

OK, so i haven't been able to sit down and do a lot of alchemy before now, but ive been reading up on some of the recent discoveries and i think that i have started to come up with a new concept.


The main components of alchemy are usually old bits and bobs of tech that we alchemists find lying around. These items seem to be powered by mana crystals, although for a few unique technological pieces, the user seems to act as a part of the circuitry ( the mana lamp and flashlight proposed by messers Tesla and Edison respectively are ideal examples of this, in which the users own MP constitutes as a power supply).


However, the reocurring theme i have noted in all of these designs is that they all use up their power supply at a consistent rate. Yet, as sorcerers clearly demonstrate, this power can also be applied in a short burst of energy, which they direct through some of their spells.


Though it may seem as if i am going of on a tangent here, i do believe that many alchemical systems can work in similar ways to an adventurers' spells. The ones we see day to day, such as the Lamps and Flashlights, are reminiscent of  skills which occur over time. Perhaps the most obvious similarity would be to a Shaman's 'Barrier Channel' spell, in which the user channels mana to sustain their barriers.


If this sustained effect can be replicated with a few bits of circuitry and a mana crystal, why not create a form of energy that releases its power in a concentrated burst?

In fact, this has already been proven by the Alchemist Vayne, who designed the Unstable Mana Core. According to his notes, the fusion of two crystals  fleads to their frequencies not balancing out, and this causes the resulting crystal to have potentially explosive effects.

I therefore assume that, by increasing the mana content, as well as adding some form of stabilizing, the resulting fragment could provide enough kinetic energy to power  some form of projectile. In simpler terms, i am thinking on how to apply this core to make a basic gun


Already i have put together a simple method of testing the theory, though the risks of failure are noteworthy. Therefore i will be increasing the mana content slowly, so as to avoid risks, such as, say, blowing myself to kingdom come.


I will commence testing tomorrow morning


Kite put down his notes. The project seemed ambitious, but it felt nice to be trying to do some research of his own. He would likely need help however: His device was literally just a bunch of random stuff he'd found lying around. The only way to improve the findings he'd make would be to get help, preferably from a blacksmith or a mechanic.....

He'd think about it later. Right now he needed rest.

OOC NOTES: This idea hasn't already been done before right? If not, and if anybody wants to help me, please send a PM.

This is my first research idea, so i do need to know: Am i doing it right, and if not, what should i change?

Made by Sifr of GS, Synesthesia and Adoxography.

[Kite]

RED KITE HP: 100% MP: 15%

"Prey on the weak and you'll survive. Hunt the Strong and you will LIVE"

"Ok,lets give this a go...."

Kite placed his hands over the transmutaion circle, freshly drawn in white chalk. Inside were two Mana fragments, which he'd recently bought from a nearby store.

The transmutation circle he'd drawn had a few differences from the regular one: He'd placed each fragment inside its own seperate circle, which ,along with the circles he was placing his hands in, formed a square within the circle. Each of these circles then linked to a fifth circle in the centre.

"If im right, adding these lines should allow me to channel my own mana into the crystals as they fuses, allowing me to stabilise the resulting crystal more... at least i hope so"

To be honest, id be perfectly happy getting a result that doesnt end up with me in a cathedral somewhere. Red thought to himself.

He let out a short sigh. No time like the present!

Red felt his body tense as he began the transmutation. The circle began to glow a vivid electric blue, and the two fragments seemed to slowly be broken down into blue matter. The matter was then drawn into the centre circle, where it began to restructure itself into a new fragment.

Focus...try to reinforce the shell.....try to contain it....

The walls of the new mana fragment were slightly more rounded than the ones it was formed from, but the overall shape remained angular.

Kite stepped up, drained: He'd wasted most of his mana on the experiment, but as a plus, he hadn't been killed

Yet. you havent been killed yet.

Getting out a set of tongs, Kite picked up the newly formed shard in his hand. It didnt seem to be explosive

"Seriously, first try? I can NOT be this lu-"

As he spoke, he noticed that the crystal was slightly decolorised near where the tongs were gripping it. The colour was spreading. Kite decided that the safest course of action in this situation would probably be to put the crystal back down and get behind some form of cover....

Ok, lets see, id say i picked the crystal up about 5 seconds ago, and judging by the rate of colour change, it should probably detonate 20 seconds after then. which should be any time n-

It was only a small explosion to be honest. not that impressive at all

"Sigh. not first try after all then. Well, id better write up about this..."

Research notes:
The first  attempt to stabilise an unstable Mana core was unsuccessful. However, the attempt was not wholly unsuccessful: the resulting fragment took approximately 25 seconds to detonate, and said detonation was (Blessedly) less forceful than that recorded by Vayne: none of the crystal fragments even left the transmutation circle.

On the other hand, the loss of force in order to form an ultimately temporary binding is something of a difficulty. If i try and restrain it too much, the resulting force will be too insignificant to launch a projectile. If i try to reduce these restraints, the Unstable mana core will remain too, well, unstable.

Methods to correct this: Convert more of the energy into crystal, though too much of this will still reduce the intended effects. Same problem: In the end, the main difficulty will be trying to balance power for Stability


(Kite looked up from his notes. Stable..... where had he come across that term in his notes again....

Rapidly flicking through his book, Kite came across the heading he was looking for. His eyes gleamed as his glasses flashed...)


Finishing note: Addition of  a stabilised mana fragment? Possibility of use seems hopeful....

OOC NOTES:

Made by Sifr of GS, Synesthesia and Adoxography.

[Kite]

RED KITE HP: 100% MP: 100%

"Prey on the weak and you'll survive. Hunt the Strong and you will LIVE"

"So, according to Endrins research, if i take these two fragments and place them in this circle..."

Once again, Kite was drawing a transmutation circle. However, this one looked different from the previous one he had attempted to use before: The circles containing the crystals were the only ones linked to the center circle, and the lines connecting them were more curved, more flowing. A short note lay by his side...

Additional note: Alchemist Endrin recorded that he was able to form a Stabilized mana fragment without the use of a circle, but that this required intense concentration, as well as a suitable frame of mind.
After noting this, i have begun to believe that drawing the lines of a transmutation circle helps one to improve upon the process: They allow an alchemist to visualize the flow of mana as a new crystal is formed, making the process less mentally taxing.
If i'm right, this theory may enable me to form a mana fragment with high power, but suitable stability. However, nothing is ever completely certain. I'll first see if i can make a stabilized mana fragment using a circle first, then I'll focus on trying to create a circle that i believe will work.

Kite placed his hands on the pads and felt the mana flow out of him, but at a substantially slower rate than that of his first attempt. The lines through which the essence of the fragments flowed also seemed to make the resulting crystal seem smoother.

This time, Kite was barely thinking about the process: His mind was completely absorbed on the shape of the lines he'd used: They'd just seemed like the right ones for him to use...

It was only when the light died down that he realized that the process had been going on at all. The resulting fragment was well rounded at both the base and the top, unlike the highly crystalline regular fragments.

Comparing the Stabilized mana fragment to that found in his alchemy notes, kite smiled and hurriedly put down his notes

Production of a Stabilized mana fragment using a circle was a success! Whats more, the process felt highly absorbing: it was almost as im i could see how the crystal was turning out as i worked on it! Therefore, if i design my final circle right, i just might be able to produce a new type of mana fragment.

Side note: might the shape of the circle depend upon the user? If its all in the mind, the use of specialised circles may be ultimately based on how the alchemist believes the mana should flow, meaning replication of such circles for mass production would be difficult.

OOC NOTES: [word count: 449]

Made by Sifr of GS, Synesthesia and Adoxography.

[Kite]

RED KITE HP: 100% MP: 0%

"Prey on the weak and you'll survive. Hunt the Strong and you will LIVE"

Here it was: The final attempt.

The new transmutation circle contained, at its centre, the stabilised mana fragment, with the four circles drawn around it. The circles with the mana fragments inside were connected to the Stabilised shard differently compared to where Kite was about to place his hands: They seemed to go directly to the Crystal, whereas the other 2 circles flowed around its edges.

Despite how far he'd managed to come, Kite was visibly shaking with nervousness. Doubts started plaguing his mind: It wont work, you'll fail, you'll just make an explosion.... It was a wonder he'd even managed to draw the lines correctly with how frightened of failure he was


Calm down, whatever happens, happens.

Trembling, kite put his hands on the pads for what he hoped to be the fruit of his labours.


It was slow going: In the past, he'd had to focus on only one of the two processes at a time: Now he had to make sure he was absorbed in both, which was mentally taxing, and confusing. So he played it safe and restricted the speed of the transmutation process..


For what seemed like hours he continued the process. Slowly but surely, the Stabilised mana fragment began to change, growing, altering slightly......


Suddenly the transmutation stopped. And thats when kite just blacked out.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later.....

Kite woke up from the floor, groggy with exhaustion from the transmutation.

"Did it work......."

Before him, in the centre of the circle was a single mana fragment. It was slightly larger than a regular fragment, rounded at one end, but tapering out into a more crystalline tip further along.

"Only one way to see if its stable.."

Kite picked up the fragment, and shook it like a madman, before franctically putting it down and backing off

Nothing. No explosion, no discoloration.

"Right, now to see if it will actually work how i want it to."

Kite then placed the fragment on his hand made device: It was basically a brick on a piece of string that he'd put up with a pulley, with  a round stone in a length of pipe next to the shard. It looked as if it was just a bunch of junk because it was- Kite was no mechanic. He just called it a device because that seemed much cooler than "Piece of cobbled together crap".

He cut the string holding the brick in place. The brick hurled downwards, landing on the fragment, causing a small, spiderweb fracture on the surface-

The shard exploded with a resounding 'CRACK', and the stone was forced through the piping like a bullet down a gun.


Kite smiled. He'd managed to do it, creating a stable store of energy that could be released all at once. It was probably useless for Circuitry, but that didn't matter.

Now it was time to get help, if he was to continue with the overall project

Experiment notes:

Sweet, sweet success!

OOC NOTES: Time to hand in my findings to our great and benevolent masters ;)

Made by Sifr of GS, Synesthesia and Adoxography.