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[written] folkloristic May 19 2011, 08:15:53 UTC
[ What in the name of all the gods is that thing? Helios is just...staring in awe and partially like he's in over his head. He's laptops and the like, he's students do have them after all but it certainly doesn't look anything like that. ]

That...that's a nanocomputer then?

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[written] semper_cogitans May 19 2011, 08:24:27 UTC
[Robert doesn't know whether he should be mildly amused by Helios' look, mildly irritated by it, or both.

He goes with neither right now.]

It is a kind of nanocomputer, yes. Standard-issue by the Head Institute of Terra.

[After he writes the last letter, he lets his fingers glide over the keys with a smooth, practised typing motion that is probably just as intimidating for Helios to watch as it would be intimidating for Robert to watch him draw sigils.

A simple holophotograph - just a picture of a stand of trees in Luceti - flickers to life above the screen. To Helios' eyes, it's as if a tiny miniaturized forest is suspended in the air above the nanocomputer.

Then Robert picks up his pen again.]

Though this is relatively low-resolution, it is a decent holophotograph.

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[written] folkloristic May 19 2011, 22:45:17 UTC
[ It is a bit daunting. Did he say he wanted to learn more about this thing? Maybe he should rethink that because this totally foreign to him. All the same he's still also mildly curious. ]

That's fascinating. It's like a...a projection or cloaking spell. Making something appear out of thin air.

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[written] semper_cogitans May 19 2011, 23:05:46 UTC
It is not quite out of thin air. Rather, it is a complex set of holographic projectors that essentially record the patterns of scattered light in the image to be taken as a recorded light field, and then project them as visible data.

Do projection spells work similarly? [As if Helios would know, but Robert is asking anyway.

He still thinks you can learn this, for the record.]

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[written] folkloristic May 20 2011, 15:50:24 UTC
[ What did you just even say, Robert. Derp well he might get some of it...just not all of it. Give him a few moments while he tries to figure this out. ]

Well...something like that. It's usually just the manipulation of light coupled with what the caster or, in the mirage ring's case the wearer, might want the image produced by the spell to look like.

[ He totally cannot learn this. ]

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[written] semper_cogitans May 20 2011, 16:37:12 UTC
[Sorry, Helios. Robert is in full-on Technobabble Mode at this point. You'll have to excuse him.]

That seems fascinating - your spells can directly manipulate photons then? Wouldn't that require a significant amount of energy?

[Robert is totally going to attempt to teach Helios anyway. In fact, in a rather demonstrative fashion, Robert taps his fingers against the keys again to cut the projected image and instead bring up a holovideo - which is much the same thing, but animated.]

And here is the non-static counterpart to holophotography, holovideo. Is there an equivalent with projection spells?

[Anything your magic can do, Robert's technology can! ... Well, okay, no. Robert's technology can't break the laws of physics.]

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[written] folkloristic May 21 2011, 04:09:48 UTC
[ It's scary! He understands Latin better than this, and you're speaking English! ] Yes. All magic in my world does require energy, usually from the caster. However if you use too many spell consecutively you run the risk of becoming unconscious...or worse.

Now that you mention it, there isn't really. At least not that I have encountered. It might be interesting to try to come up with something to that effect though. [ You're giving him ideas Robert...which might be a bad thing. ]

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[written] semper_cogitans May 21 2011, 04:27:10 UTC
[Well, that's what happens when you talk to a scientist. And to be fair, it uses a lot of Latin bases!]

Ah, I see - spells draw from one's own energy reserves then, I suppose? Do they use something like ATP as an energy storage mechanism, or do they rely on cell electricity, or is there some other property that they utilize?

[Thoughtfully:] I would be curious to see the results if you did, Helios. [Ideas are always a good thing. At least to Robert...]

It would be easier to demonstrate the full functionality of my nanocomputer in person - would you be adverse to attending the eventual demonstration? [Helios can bring Giles! ... Who would probably have a heart attack.]

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[written] folkloristic May 23 2011, 20:04:37 UTC
Yes and no. They draw from the planet's magical energy as well and the casters. So in a sense you could say it uses ATP but, well, it's still a bit of a mystery to even us.

You would? I'd be glad to show then!

[ That...that gets a pause. On one hand he might go just to see this thing in person. On the other it's pretty daunting and he probably wouldn't get much, if any, of it anyway. He also did say he would go. ] Perhaps...perhaps I might come.

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[written] semper_cogitans May 23 2011, 21:57:23 UTC
Hrm. Perhaps one day the mystery will be solved with proper research and analysis? Though by that description it sounds like there are several factors at work powering magic.

And I would be most enthusiastic to see.

[Robert is gladdened to hear that there's at least a possibility that his mildly-technophobic friend will show up.] I would definitely appreciate the effort on my behalf. I know you are uncomfortable with computers and the like, but I truly do think it might be fascinating for you. That, and I think there is a potential for you to learn. You are a very intelligent person, Helios.

[He definitely sees Helios' intellect behind all that derp.]

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