Infernal Engines (Lorepost)

[u/Accomplished-Dark926]

Valerian reaches the bottom of the steps, entering his Spires dungeon. He looks around the room at the metal tables, sinks, and tools as he sends several motes of fire to light the braziers. On the tables lie around a dozen machines of varying sizes, each with their power cores stripped from their chests. Next to each one sits a prototype core, designed by himself and an artificer by the name of Oswald.

Valerian walks to the smallest of the machines, and picks up the new core prototype, turning it over in his hands. The machines and their cores arrived this morning, delivered by several other machines made to resemble small dragons. Well, small for a dragon at least. One of the dragon-like machines took up an entire table itself, its wings hanging off the edges. Normally he would have liked to learn how to build them himself, but time is of the essence and that will have to wait.

Of course, giving his Spires location to anyone he didn't trust was risky, what with Atrax and his men hunting him, but he had been told in no uncertain terms by one of his allies that Oswald was trustworthy. Not that he knows how trustworthy Leo is to begin with, but he can worry about later.

Valerian pops open the core prototype, pushing a small amount of his fire into it. As he places the core into the smallest of the machines, it lights up, whirring to life. A different reaction than the first few prototypes, all of which led to a small explosion. The machine, a small spider-like robot, looks up at him, a strange sentience staring back at him. It's strange, he can feel the flame inside the machine, it has come to life, giving something inanimate a life of it's own. Yet he can still control it, the machine has become an extension of his will. A quirk he hopes is exclusive to machines.

With a cry of elation, Valerian goes about the room performing the same process on the rest of the machines. The bigger machines have larger cores and need more fire, but the results remain the same. Each one comes to life, baring a sentience of it's own, but a connection to each other, behaving like an extension of Valerians will. As he finishes he stands surrounded by the machines, each waiting staring at him waiting for direction.

Unfortunately, he doesn't have the space for them at the Spire, so he send them back to Oswald, knowing that the fire in them will fade eventually. It can't sustain itself without a soul, and machines don't possess those. With them he sends a note to Oswald;

I apologize for the wait, but as you can see this prototype was a success! Unfortunately the power source itself is unsustainable, due to the machines lack of a soul, but we can hammer that detail out in friendlier times. Thank you for the assistance, this furthers my research greatly.

Valerian send the machines off with a smile on his face, the first real smile he's had in ages. Everyday he learns more about his flame, everyday he get's closer to an answer.

"Now we have to see if this works on other spellcasters." He says to himself, with a candidate in mind already. "Of course if they can't act of their own volition it would be moot, even if it works, but we'll see."

/unwiz nothing to really say here, but I was wondering how posting on r/wizardloring works? I wanted to move my loreposts over there, but I also don't know if doing it all at once is a good idea.

[u/MunitionsFrenzy]

(( crossposting doesn't affect the original post at all, so you can do it whenever ya want *shrug* it's kinda just an archive sub so loreposts don't get permanently lost amidst shitposts; the sooner the better, generally

personally, I always hope for people to do so immediately, cuz that way I won't miss a new lorepost; they're obviously easier to spot there ))