Sparkfire and Fragscent

Kaerwyn Hod

Newbie

Gained Aura: 0
Offline

Offline

Posts: 5

Sparkfire and Fragscent

« on: 29 December 2011, 23:49:48 »

The Sparkfire is a peculiar Gnomish weapon, explosive and cruel, they are small pouches, filled with chemicals and minerals that, when ignited, explode. Related to it, the Fragsent is a more powerful, volatile version originally designed to aid mining operations.

Description

Sparkfire;
Gnomes are not a warlike people, as war entails discomfort and disruption from their research, and thus it isn't surprising that their most common weapon doesn't appear to be a weapon. Really, the Sparkfire is just a leather pouch with a fuse made of twine snaking out from one end, and filled with three substances - the igniter, a mineral that is very flammable, the propellant, which is a viscous paste that explodes violently when lit, and pure alcohol, which is shot out from the pouch upon explosion, burning any unlucky enough to be caught in the vicinity.

What, exactly, these substances are composed of is a mystery - Gnomes are very wary of allowing humans to learn the secrets, as there is no telling what monstrous weapons the big-folk might dream up with such technology - and is a closely guarded secret.

Fragscent;
The Fragscent, however, does look like a weapon (a strange, outlandish weapon) although the intentions behind its creation were quite peaceful. It is a rather thin, hollow ball of clay, about the size of a gnome's head, filled with an igniter, and a very, very large volume of propellant. This creates, when lit, a large, powerful explosion, and the shell of the ball creates the unintended side effect of shrapnel.

It must be noted, however, that the Fragscent are notoriously finicky contraptions, and must be stored in controlled conditions, lest an untimely reaction ruin one's day.

Use:
The Sparkfire, the more common of the two, is usually used by Golgnome travellers, or Daran Gnomes who've been harassed by their host population. Either way, they're much more useful as a deterrent, though more than one would-be mugger has had a... well, let's say, unique end, when targetting a Gnome.

The Fragscent, on the other, is uniquely Golgnomish, and was originally fabricated by the famous chemist, Redlaf the Noble, who had also refined the propellant jelly used in the Sparkfire into a less volatile form. Having been a trusted friend of the Thrumgolz in the Higher Fores, (and a self described Thergerimophile) Redlaf constructed the original Fragscent as a mining tool for his friends. Being a gnome, he had not comprehended the potential military use of his new gadget, nor did he anticipate the desire for such weapons by outsiders. The influx of big-folk into his homeland looking for the technology behind the Fragscent is widely believed to have been the main factor in Redlaf's suicide.

Currently, because of the demand for weaponized Fragscent, and the well founded dwarven caution around these gnomish contraptions, the number of Fragscents are very small and carefully guarded by the Golgnome Fragmen, who are charged with the production, storage, refinement and deployment of Fragscent to the dwarves. The Thrumgolz know the volatility of these devices and use them sparingly, usually to blow out new caverns or to cave in extant shafts that have become dangerous for one reason or another, and always under the supervision of a small team of Fragmen.

Fighting Style:
Both the Sparkfire and the Fragscent are used in roughly the same way. One simply lights the fuse, throws the weapon and ducks out of sight of the explosion.

Even Gnomes (especially Gnomes) recognize the limited use of these weapons. The Sparkfire is primarily a shock and awe weapon, designed to scare away would be attackers, and even if it did harm an enemy, the results are less likely to be fatal, though still quite ghastly.

Origins/History:
Sparkfires have been created by gnomes for personal use for centuries, since at least SW II, when, among other inventions, the Sparkfire was sold on the black market by humans for extraordinary prices. Until recently, however, Sparkfires were rather volatile and saw limited use by gnomes.

The Fragscent, however is more recent, using a more refined propellant that is less volatile than that which was used in the earlier Sparkfires, and thus the invention is credited to inventor Redlaf the Noble (1533 a.s - 1650 a.s) who also dreamt up the idea of using the Fragscents as mining devices.


« Last Edit: 01 January 2012, 23:23:39 by Kaerwyn Hod »	Logged

Valan Nonesuch

Moderator

Gained Aura: 105
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 1.476

Like a pudding bag full of knives

Re: Sparkfire and Fragscent

« Reply #1 on: 30 December 2011, 04:04:19 »

The Sparkfire is... interesting, to say the least, but I think we're leaning a little too far to one side of the technological line with the Fragscent.

Santharia is set about the renaissance technologically. Besides that, I think gnomes would be lynched if they were found to possess such things.

Not to say that it's not a workable idea, but this needs... toning back perhaps? You're developing something which can only possibly be used as a weapon. Gnomes are, from what has been written, not a violent or warlike people. They wouldn't be prone to that sort of line of thinking. I could see something like this being developed as a... side-effect of other research, but not intentionally.

Other than that, we do have an extensive section on alchemy on the main site. You'll find in the miscellaneous section, under "ALCHEMY". Miscellaneous has a bag for an icon, you can't miss it.


	Logged

Beyond the horizon where the earth and the heavens meet
lies a certain point where they are not joined together and where, by stooping,
one might pass under the roof of the heavens.

Kaerwyn Hod

Newbie

Gained Aura: 0
Offline

Offline

Posts: 5

Re: Sparkfire and Fragscent

« Reply #2 on: 30 December 2011, 08:25:09 »

Both the Sparkfire and Fragscent are mentioned in the entry for the Golgnomes, but didn't have an entry, so I figure it would be a good place to start. I assumed that, if it was mentioned on an accepted entry, it would acceptable for the world. Drawing from Earth, primitive grenades (which is what the Fragscent is) were in use in the Early Renaissance Europe, as well as in the east for a few centuries prior.

But, I digress. It is rather odd that the Gnomes would actively develop war device (which is what their mention in the Golgnome entry implied to me) but the discovery of propellants and other such chemicals seems a natural step... Shall we scrap the idea for one, or both, of them? And if we do, could we get Artimidor to remove the references to the Fragscent from the main site?


	Logged

Artimidor Federkiel

Administrator

Gained Aura: 451
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 22.101

Re: Sparkfire and Fragscent

« Reply #3 on: 30 December 2011, 09:59:08 »

Great to see you already getting into gear, Kaerwyn! thumbup

Well, first of all as for Santharian grenades: There are sort of "natural" grenades, the Burning Stones, see here. I think gnomes would be interested in working on similar things produced by gnomes, and I think that's also why this was left in the entries where it is mentioned. So I don't see that much of a problem with the Sparkfire.

As for the Fragscent: This seems to be intended as the Santharian version of dynamite. There's of course the problem here that introducing too much technology in a fantasy world could throw the world off balance (similar to what was suggested a while ago if we'd introduce cannons or shooting weapons like revolvers or the like). However, I would say that there's no harm done if we introduce the Fragscent as a rather recent invention by the gnomes, which on top of it, is still in experimental stage, so is very unstable and extremely difficult to come by. That way the honour of the gnomes is saved as they've made another great invention, but it isn't the ultimate breakthrough yet, but it's on its way. - How's that?

Also, I would recommend to make Fragscent not a primarily war-related invention - it can as well be used e.g. in mines to blast your way through. I guess - as in many such cases - the primary intention was more of a peaceful kind. Alfred Nobel e.g., co-inventor of dynamite, became aware of the fact that more people died because of his inventions, and that's why he created the Nobel prize. So if we could handle it in a similar way, that would be good I'd say.


	Logged

"Between the mind that plans and the hands that build there must be a mediator, and this must be the heart." -- Maria (Metropolis)

Valan Nonesuch

Moderator

Gained Aura: 105
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 1.476

Like a pudding bag full of knives

Re: Sparkfire and Fragscent

« Reply #4 on: 30 December 2011, 10:08:10 »

The Sparkfire seems like it could come about naturally. The Golgnomes entry is quite old by my recollection however.
I was aware about the simple clay bombs, but I don't think Caelereth, or at least Santharia would have happened across them. The Gnomes are the ones who focus on alchemy, it's their playground so to speak, and I don't think their minds have that same... human sort of drive to turn things into weapons. If you can find a use for them elsewhere (defoliant, fuel for bunsen burners?) , and I would encourage you to try, I'd be happy to help you get the development going. Art's suggestion of blasting charges isn't a bad one at all.

It's great that you're trying to start from somewhere that's already got a mention on site. We do love that!
If this doesn't turn out, or the idea strikes your fancy, try this. It's already mentioned on the site, so you could jump right in there as well.


« Last Edit: 30 December 2011, 10:10:14 by Valan Nonesuch »	Logged

Beyond the horizon where the earth and the heavens meet
lies a certain point where they are not joined together and where, by stooping,
one might pass under the roof of the heavens.

Kaerwyn Hod

Newbie

Gained Aura: 0
Offline

Offline

Posts: 5

Re: Sparkfire and Fragscent

« Reply #5 on: 30 December 2011, 22:47:30 »

Changes made - the Fragscent was developed by a chemist named Redlaf (who shall have an entry, eventually. Hopefully.) as a gift to the Higher Fore Thrumgolz for mining operations. Word about it spread to the nearby human settlements, who recognized it as a potential weapon. Is this an acceptable explanation? It makes sense to me, the High Fores have a very regular trading system with their human neighbors, and it seems natural that people, even dwarves, gossip and share news.

But the explanation for its development, which I may not have made clear enough in the entry, is that Redlaf refined the propellant jelly used in Sparkfires, making them safer to carry. Realizing that he could use larger volumes, he created the Fragscent to as a mining aid. This doesn't mean that Fragscents are stable - the propellant is just more stable in smaller quantities and the larger volumes necessary for the Fragscent remain just as volatile as the older Sparkfires were.


	Logged

Deklitch Hardin

Santh. Member

Gained Aura: 101
Online

Online

Gender: Male

Posts: 1.696

Elf friend

Re: Sparkfire and Fragscent

« Reply #6 on: 30 December 2011, 23:33:16 »

Hi Kaerwyn,

If you would be able to colour future changes to this and any other entries you work on that would make the job of people who are commenting on your entries much easier, as they'll be able to see what changes you make at a glance and comment on those directly.

The entry looks good to me, although I'll admit to having just skim-read it.

Dek


	Logged

"And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere out in space, because there's none at all down here on Earth." - Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

Athviaro Shyu-eck-Silfayr

Aspiring Member

Gained Aura: 60
Offline

Offline

Posts: 833

Re: Sparkfire and Fragscent

« Reply #7 on: 31 December 2011, 02:23:15 »

Might I suggest that the Fragscent be, rather than an intentionally more lethal version, merely the Golgnome way of making the Sparkfire? That is, they use clay rather than leather pouches and so the item is recognised as potentially more lethal?

Also, greetings.

Athviaro

EDIT: I note replies have been made. I'll post through idleness and a desire to record my thoughts. Feel free to ignore them.


	Logged

"Me, a hedge robber? You must tell me more about myself." -- Errol Flynn (The Adventures of Robin Hood, 1938)
"It needs but one foe to breed a war, and those who have not swords can still die upon them" -- JRR Tolkien
The Life and Works of Athviaro Shyu-eck-Silfayr
Kalta'hnk - My ramblings on anything to do with the Glandorians - The Glandorian Men (Proposal)

Valan Nonesuch

Moderator

Gained Aura: 105
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 1.476

Like a pudding bag full of knives

Re: Sparkfire and Fragscent

« Reply #8 on: 31 December 2011, 07:54:02 »

Athviaro makes a good point here, as does Dek. We do ask that you colour the changes that you make to the entry, just so developers can follow along and not repeat commentary.

It seems to me that if the Sparkfire is a safer way to transport things then the Dwarves, being a very sensible race, would probably stick to it, but we'll work on that detail.

A PM to Judith, our Dwarvenmistress, probably wouldn't go amiss, just so you don't start to work on a premise only to have it pulled out from under you.

So yeah, you've got a solid start now Kaerwyn, let's see what we can do with it. Expect a full rundown tomorrow.


	Logged

Beyond the horizon where the earth and the heavens meet
lies a certain point where they are not joined together and where, by stooping,
one might pass under the roof of the heavens.

Pages: [1]

Santharian Development

Forum

Santharian World Development

Miscellaneous (Moderators: Seeker, Valan Nonesuch)

Sparkfire and Fragscent