In order not to contaminate the amazing Non-hermetic Grimoire of Gremlin44 (https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/non-hermetic-grimoire/4290/1), here i come with some question on what should be possible with heron's Mechanica
The Mechanica deals with stuff that seems to look mundane as far as I can see. this "magic" is about making magical stuff out of what was pure physics work. So, I am not sure if I can miniaturize some stuff. let's see....
Assume a dude that is already a Mechanic: he possesses the supernatural virtue that grants the power to build Mechanica and Puissant Mechanica (for example). You could include inventive genius and puissant Artes Liberales or Puissant Philosophiae to have the "complete pack". Intelligence +3 to cap it all. A lab total of +20 would be relatively easy to achieve for this guy. we will call him Igneus, and he has a penchant for fire and heat effects. he would make good friends with a "classical" flambeau.
Looking at the fire effects that Igneus favors, let's see if you consider the following stuff to be kosher.
- Igneus is somewhat called to arms by his patron. Being a total useless toad in close combat, he decides to build himself some artifacts to make himself useful in dire situations. something that is both effective and will inspire fear and awe in his enemies and allies alike, making him look MUCH more powerful than he really is up close and personal.
He builds a richly carved metal (brass) staff. It is hollow and has a dragon head at the top. It contains a reservoir of greek fire and a mechanism that shots it through the mouth of the dragon when you level the staff and trigger it, igniting it in the process (easy enough with a piece of metal and firestone). Could it contain a mechanism that upon triggering shots a jet of Greek fire out of the dragon mouth to Voice range? A PoF staff with several uses per day by any other name. Would that be a possible item to be made with heron's mechanica? The mechanism uses a pressure mechanism that squeezes the greek fire out of the staff. The staff is not usable as a weapon and is bulky, but also spectacular when in use.
STATS: CrIg33. (base 12 +3 portable item, +4 12 uses/day, +9 Penetration 18). he experimented and rolled a 5+3 in the roll. He attracts attention for Diameter duration each time he uses the device (minor flaw)
- Now, Igneus is not always in massed combat, and he wants to build some stuff to be more at home in his Alexandrian villa (you need to be rich to be a Mechanicus). So he builds up the following items (are they kosher?)
-
FLAMES OF ALEXANDRIA: A brazier that has eternal flame with no fuel
STATS: CrIg14. (base 6, +1 2 uses/day, +3 enviromental trigger) -
RIDE ON HELIOS' CHARIOT: A ring that casts a Touch version of BOAF. It injects a highly concentrated ruby powder into your veins that totally imbalance the humors in your body, making you burn up from within.
-
CROWN OF LIGHT: A crown that sheds light around the wearer by projecting the light of a small candle using a system of mirrors. Makes the wearer look impressive, as per Aura of Ennobled Presence.
STATS: MuIm17 (base 6, +2 3 uses/day, +5 penetration 10) -
DISK OF ARCHIMEDES. A Sight range version of BOAF, designed to be used against ships. Only works in sunny days and takes some time to recalibrate after each usage.
STATS: CrIg45 (base 14, -3 cart-sized, -3 recalibration, +5 24 uses/day, +6 penetration 12 -
BATHTUB OF RELAXATION: is bathtub heats the water to a nice warm state. The amount of heat can be regulated by a canalizations system and a few shutters that can be opened or closed fom within the tube. ReIg
-
FIREPLACE OF WONDERS: A fireplace that can change the color and shape of the flames in it by an ingenious system of wind pipes and powders that can be blown into the stready fire.
Are those possible?
After a while, Igneus feels lonely, in his insula of Alexandria, so he decides to build himself a companion, an Anima. Having a penchant for fire, he decides to build himself a small drake, a kind of small wing-less dragon.
He constructs a body of flexible brass plates and give them the appearance of a dragon (you have seen those in wood in IKEA or their equivalent IKEA place). Something kile this, just in EXPENSIVE materials and better articulations.
He gives it amber eyes (or whatever) and places a ruby in his mouth. The creature is small (size -4 or -5, whatever you prefer). He also builds a resonance box in his chest with brass strings to act as a voice box and a small container for greek fire in the creature's stomach.
After some seasons of work accumulating build points, he has a friend in the form of Belcher the Anima. In the following seasons he grants Belcher the folllowing powers:
- Move (ReTe20). Belcher can also climb walls since he has sharp (steel) claws.
- Talk (CrIm20?). Belcher can talk using a small resonance case inside his abdomen with small strings of brass (thanks to the nightingale for that)
- Belch flame (CrIg15) for +10 damage to individual target at voice range. Several uses per day (depending on available lab total). After that, needs to be recharged with a small dose of Greek Fire, something that takes a while since you need to be careful, but that it is not overly complicated. Until he is recharged and cleaned properly, he also develops a much rougher voice due to soot in his resonance box.
- Knowledge of the Self. Belcher learns Mechanica and can act as a lab assistant to Igneus
Would those be possible powers and effects? I think some of those might be overboard, but I have no idea if those would be considered to be kosher by the rules. I took an extreme "fire magus" as an example, but other powers are possible, of course
Cheers,
Xavi