• Solo • The Principles of Go: Volatility 0.1

[Lorogh]

56th of Ashan 722

Lorogh had to go!

It was time for class, and it was no less important that he attend now than of any day. The campaign would commence in just a few days. They'd be marching him straight back toward Winter Reach to deal with the raiding remnants of the former government there, so he had to take advantage of his presence in Cahryst NOW! This was the center of educational excellence in the entire Empire, which really meant something significant to Lorogh. Considering himslef a proud Imperial, he saw that Raskalarn's principles of advancement of society and cultivation of the human condition trickled down to her people. And that optimism toward things that were useful were no less evident than in Cahryst.

He presently walked on his way toward the laboratory, which would be the site of the current day's lessons. There were students of all types on the grounds. A few younger women gave him eyes, giggling at him. Probably hadn't seen a cadouri before. He just shot a wink at them, and kept marching along on his way toward the laboratory, a spring in his step. It wasn't all that bad to be different!

Under his arm, he carried a few scrollcases full of his schematics, including the beginnings of what would someday be what Lorogh called a functioning 'gearbox'. Something so simple, constructed of springs, gears, and other energy containing bits. Under the other arm, he held the prototype. Well, not yet even a prototype, but some bits of string and steel springs, and wooden bits that would hopefully be constructed and made into a working model of what he wished to accomplish. They were all stuffed into a small box.

Thus, as he arrived at the doors to the laboratory, he found himself unable to get inside. He had to wait for someone to come inside or else leave, before he could slip through. So wait was what he did. As he waited, he considered all of the progress he'd made up to this point, in his innovations, and cast his eyes toward where his research was going. He wanted to make things better, to make things 'go'. This was the place to do it, and though he was eager to join his comrades in their fight against the ignorant ex-government of Winter Reach, he relished every moment he had to indulge in his curiosities in Cahryst.

Presently, a flock of people came out of the Laboratory, in a slow stream. Lorogh attempted to get in between them, but they were coming out in such regular intervals that he couldn't quite do it without being rude or pushing. "Excuse me! Pardon! May I...?"

Eventually he did get a foot in the door as the last to exit departed, and from there he leveraged his foot's position to fling the door open.

Once inside, he set his prototype to the side, and shut the door behind him. Once it was secure, he picked back up his prototype, and headed down to the facilities. Today, they'd be working with chemistry, and Lorogh hoped to explore how a volatile chemical combination could result in EXPLOSIVE physical force.

[Lorogh]

Boomology 101

Although the subject of the day's lecture wasn't focused on engineering per say, the principles learned could easily be applied to various contraptions by a dozen methods, half of which Lorogh had already filed away in his mind for future consideration. Right now, he had to make time to lab, in order to work upon those chemicals mentioned. The idea that a chemical that was purely innocuous for most other purposes, could have such an outsized reaction to such a chemical as pure water? It was mind-boggling, and very interesting to one such as Lorogh. He often found things interesting that fell outside the ordinary expected result. It was this in part that drove him to learn more about science, in the furtherance of his engineering degree.

He arrived at lab, and there were thankfully few people there after the lecture. Many of the students, he expected, wished to blow off some steam after a long and what they'd often refer to as 'boring' lecture. But Lorogh was inspired. He gathered the materials he'd need. Dasher of table salt? Check. A small wafer of raw potassium? Check. He rummaged (neatly mind!) through the cabinet of the laboratory, looking for all he'd need. He then took a waterskin, and uncorked and poured it into the beaker he was using for his little experiment. It was often said to learn about something, one must conduct their observation of that phenomenon in a controlled setting. But Lorogh disagreed! He believed there were all manner of things to learn, in all kinds of weird places! One didn't need to be stuck in a padded white cell with a beaker and a handful of chemicals to know that potassium and salty water did NOT mix. At least not without an explosion.

Lorogh's lips curled into a maniacal smile, almost allowing himself a sense of mischievous glee as he set the beaker of fluid on the table top. He then shook some salt in, and began stirring the solution. Once it was fully dissolved in the luke warm liquid, he held the potassium ore in his hand. It was merely a small chip, and he wasn't sure what to expect. Would the glass break? Would he get in trouble with the professors and faculty? With the janitor!?

Who cares? It was time for science! Science and Alchemy! His noble pursuit of knowledge wouldnotbedenied.

He added the potassium ore. For a moment, his eyes watched as the water fizzed. Bubbled, and then blew its contents as hydrogen gasses were released from the mixture with a wonderfully reactive explosion of chemical force. Thankfully none of the lab equipment was damaged. But he did have to clean up after himself.

[Lorogh]

Lorogh thought about how he would clear up the mess he'd made. And it never occurred to him that he wouldn't help with the clean-up of his experimentations. What if someone slipped? He wouldn't want that on his conscience. That said, he wasn't quite sure if there was a specific way one cleaned up an explosion of fizzy water and hydrogen fumes that sprung up from the droplets. So he took a dry mop, and began absorbing the fluids he'd released into the room. He swept all around, clearing the moisture from the floorboards, until they were as dry or near as dry as he could expect after such a display.

He set down a warning note to the door, warning anyone entering of slick floors. Once that was done, he began putting away all of the materials he hadn't used, and placed them back where he found them. On inspecting the beaker he used, he was pleased to find no real damage to it. The explosion of course had been exothermic, and didn't actually cause or risk causing shrapnel to fly. Lorogh would worry about making that sort of reaction later, when he had a proper venue to test his designs and ideas.

For now, once everything was away and in its place, he left the laboratory. He walked down the halls, and made his way out the door and back to the barracks where his company was preparing for their long march back toward Winter's Reach. It'd be quite some time before he would have a chance to further his education, but he did feel with a certain amount of pride that he'd earned his letter with what work he had accomplished thus far.

Once he was back in the barracks, he took to writing in his notebook again, jotting down all the sundry and various ideas that his experimentation had birthed in the back of his mind. He had a plan to make things move, with the power of explosions! He had just the idea to make it work, and it all began with making one brick turn over. Such was the case with engineering. Everything began with one brick moving.

[Doran]

Lorogh:

Knowledge:
Alchemy: Gathering ingredients for an experiment
Alchemy: Gasses are released upon contact between unrefined potassium and salt water.
Engineering: Devising the concept of a primitive engine, a 'gearbox' made of springs gears, and other parts moved by energy of various kinds
Engineering: Principles of other sciences could increase one's awareness and knowledge of Engineering
Logistics: Cleaning up the materials and messes made during experimentation
Science: Certain chemicals reaction upon contact with one another under certain conditions.

Loot: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: 10, for earning your Letter.
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 10

- - -

Comments: Lorogh is such a joy to read!

He’s a proud Imperial, and he’s enthusiastic and full of life – and highly creative on top of it - and you convey that very well through your posts.

I didn’t know that he was also getting an education! I couldn’t help but smirk when the young women giggled at him, and he winked at them.

That was such an entertaining scene!

I also found his time in the laboratory quite entertaining. I especially loved the following paragraph:

He added the potassium ore. For a moment, his eyes watched as the water fizzed. Bubbled, and then blew its contents as hydrogen gasses were released from the mixture with a wonderfully reactive explosion of chemical force. Thankfully none of the lab equipment was damaged. But he did have to clean up after himself.

That was great!

It was very nice of Lorogh to set down a warning note to the door, warning anyone of entering slick floors.

I look forward to reading more about Lorogh’s experiments and his (future) inventions!

There was just one small issue with this thread. I found the reddish brown text on a darker background that you used in the first post rather hard to read.

With that being said, enjoy your rewards!

P.S.: You can also find the XP and the Renown for this thread in your UCP. Furthermore, this constitutes a local language thread for Atvian.