[Balor]

Applicable BYOND Key - Drezdongle
Character Name - Kitari, Arashi/Leonidas Rom Philopator
Request Type - General Invention for public use.
Request Details -  Considering current lore and a general lack of understanding as to how Void is detected I wish to have my character with use of resources at hand as a Minor Noble. Develop a device that measures the presence of Void.  Specifically two versions of the same device. 

Details are as follows, they are two devices made up of conduiz, and other alloys that facilitate casting. Powered by a focus tuning crystal that acts like a battery, it puts out small pulses of focus that increase when Void Pollution is present.  The more void pollution, the more focus is drained from the focus tuning crystal at a rapid rate. A ticking sound will ramp up with a meter measuring Void Pollution in Voightgins.  

1. The standard Handheld Device is the R.V.D-HD.  Meant for measuring surface level pollution and Sentient Creatures exposed to void. It can be attached to the belt, and or held in the hand. Its focus crystals can last up to an hour in a non-void polluted zone.  And up to fifteen minutes in a heavily compromised one. Typically has a range of 10 meters. 

2. The Heavier Version meant to be attached to ships or Wagons is called the R.V.D-MD.  Typically mounted to the bow of shipping vessels. The expensive crystals and focus sources that power the device can last up to a month per charge in unpolluted zones.  Meant to detect residual pollution as a means to redirect ships from Dark Zones on the high seas, it can detect Void Pollution from three kilometers away.  

Devices can be prone to tampering by talented mages, and can have varying effects on rune-casting. 

Reason why you are making this request (if applicable) - I want to develop a device that people can use in their fluff, or apply when in void related situations. Scientists, Archeologists, etc. It would also mean that my character could have a patent and a regular source of income from the use of said device. 
Roleplay & Lore supporting your request - Arashi as a minor noble runs a trading company that uses the profits from leasing out their shipping lanes, and customs works in Port Alpha to run Archaeological sites and operations in Gold. With the risk of some of these ancient ruins and locales having been exposed to Void Pollution after the curse, or having turned into Dark Zones over the last few decades. 

Arashi and his associates set upon developing a device that could detect Void Pollution, allowing their research and Preservation of Onigan Culture to go forward unhindered. The development would also make sense for their since it allows his shipping vessels to travel between Gold and the other continents at a significantly lower risk of accidentally running into a Dark Zone on the high seas, and allows them to sell the device to others who could use it for a profit. 

Lorewise considering devices like the Railgan shooting bots being able to exert that much focus, and that Void eats focus.  The logic for such a device to exist is there within what lore is available.

[Slydria]

Hmm, certainly an interesting idea. Though I guess with how it functions, it comes off more like a "Focus Interference" detector than a Void Pollution detector strictly, since it should logically work on anything that would disturb the focus pulses it emits.


I have a few things to ask or note though:

- How would it work on detecting Dark Zones in particular, could you elaborate on that?

- I'm not entirely sure how useful it would be for seafaring vessels in particular given this:

In the same vein of questions, we know of at least one Dark Zone that's evidently out at sea. Is it noticeable at all, or are they just invisible/undetectable until you're in it?

It's pretty noticeable when you're out at sea, because the entire thing is covered in a sphere of thick dark air.

Certainly it could be sold to the superstitious but I imagine a spyglass would be useful enough in seeing it before you got close.

- You also mention that your character would hold a patent on it, honestly I'm not sure whether the concept of patents is a thing that's established in the world of Sigrogana. Of course, that doesn't stop your character being recognized as the inventor of the device or selling it or the idea for profit but you may want to ask lore questions on whether patents exist or not.


Other than those things though, I think the overall concept makes sense and could work.

[Balor]

It should, and definitely would. I was trying to work within the constraints of the lore and our understanding of the Void, with it basically being something that devours focus. For the Dark Zone explanation is based more off the lack of clear lore regarding them from the Wiki.

- My understanding of Dark Zones is that they possess some sort of void presence, or consume focus in a radius around them. I imagine that focus is present in the air all around us, and stays at a equilibrium of sorts. The device is designed to add to that equilibrium. In practice when the area is being drained of focus and natural life as we understand it, then it will attempt to expel more focus. Thus draining the crystal and providing a reading depending on the rapidness of the focus being drained.

- Secondly for seafearing vessels. The sea isn't always clear and visible. Storms, fog, other natural occurrences can obscure vision at great lengths. A device like this would ONE allow a crew to know if they were dealing a natural storm. It would also allow them an emergency device should they not have been able to spot a dark zone on the open waters prior. Ships IRL tend to have several instruments aboard to provide themselves safety. It is not meant to be an end all be all device, but one of many tools available to the sailors.

I can and will ask if Patents exist however my original lore question in the discord regarding devices like this also went unanswered. So I will rather justify my logic here. The first recorded patent was dated back to 1421. Karatyn has a database recording every legally created Mechanation in existence, or at least that were logged in Kysei. I believe that while patents may not be recognized in the Empire, Karatyn and Kysei would definitely be in a position intellectually to understand the buying and selling of an idea in the same manner as we were in the Industrial Revolution. However this is not a hill I am willing to die on, more so an explanation of my logic.

[Slydria]

- Okay, I'm not sure if it really has anything to do with the void but I suppose it could make sense that the Dark Zone traps focus within, much like it does people, which could cause the device to exert itself more to make up for the lost focus.

- That's fair, I didn't consider low visibility conditions like bad weather.

- Huh, thought that'd be a bit more recent than the 15th century. Could be more believable then, though I do have a bit of reservation when it comes to... I guess how patents work in a world filled with magical items if they did exist? 

I think it may still be worth asking about that but ultimately this shouldn't stop the idea itself, so consider it approved.