Ancient Artifacts & Irreplaceable Resources

Cadence Engines are not mere echoes of a bygone era; they are the living heart of Sayarii's lost technomagical civilization, a vivid remnant from before the Karithat ul'Qadima cataclysm, the Great Fall. Crafted during the zenith of the Fallen Age, these engines are a seamless fusion of arcane magic and advanced technology, a blend so perfect that it defies the boundaries of both disciplines.

Today, these engine cores are shrouded in an aura of awe, reverence, and enigma. They are irreplaceable—no existing thaumaturgic or scientific knowledge can replicate them. This scarcity has turned them into geopolitical linchpins, coveted relics that nations and factions fiercely compete for. Composed of Black Platinum and Mineral Glass, each engine is not just an engineering marvel but a magical artifact, a complex interplay of material science and arcane energy.

Their role in society transcends mere utility. They are deeply woven into the cultural fabric of Sayarii, touching upon legal norms, spiritual beliefs, and even folklore. In the Eastern Sultanate, they are venerated as divine gifts left behind by ancient sages. While, in the Bara Kusini, their very existence sparks debates that touch upon ethics, ownership, and the collective distrust of machines and technomagic and the cultural memory of a world forever changed by the Karithat ul'Qadima.

The limitations of Cadence Engines have led to ingenious adaptations that have shaped life in Sayarii. While they don't provide propulsive force, their lift and stabilization capabilities have revolutionized transportation. Land vehicles, powered by sails, glide effortlessly across vast deserts, thanks to the stabilizing force of these engines. Ships are equipped with Cadence Engines for buoyancy assist, allowing them to carry previously unimaginable loads. Even low-flying air vessels are made possible, their sails catching the wind while the engines provide the necessary lift and stability.

How it Works

Structure and Gearing

The Cadence Engine Core is a spherical marvel, encircled by three sets of black platinum gears aligned with the Cartesian coordinate axes: X, Y, and Z.

• The Z-axis gears run horizontally around the sphere, dividing it into top and bottom hemispheres.
• The Y-axis gears encircle the sphere on the Z-X plane, further splitting it into left and right halves.
• The X-axis gears run vertically from the sphere's south pole to its north pole on the Z-Y plane, segregating it into front and back halves.

When viewed from above, the gears form a complex three-dimensional grid around the sphere, allowing for intricate movement and interaction along multiple planes.

Activation and Operational State

The Core is activated or deactivated by rotating it 180 degrees along the Z-Y plane using the X-axis gear. When the "North" pole faces downward, the Core is off; flipping it so the North pole faces upward brings the Core to life.

Once activated, the Core is slightly warm to the touch and grows hotter as it supports more weight. It self-aligns with its "Keel Axis" and stabilizes at ground level (Z=0).

Movement and Control

When "on," the Core can move along the Z-X plane but is immovable along the Y-axis. By rotating the Core using the Z-axis gear, its direction along the Z-X plane can be changed, allowing it to align with a new Y-axis, known as the "Keel Axis." This axis controls the angle of travel and defines the Core's "Stern Position."

The Core's lift-off and altitude are controlled by rotating it on the Y-axis gear. The maximum altitude varies widely between devices and is determined by the magical charm within the glass sphere.

Safety and Failsafes

Gimbals, the mechanical interfaces for the Core, are engineered to only allow activation or deactivation when the Core is at its lowest elevation (Z=0). When deactivated, the Core can move freely in all directions and stabilizes itself in an inverted position for easy transport.

Sizes and Capacities

These engines come in a variety of sizes, from 10-centimeter versions to spheres that are 2 meters in diameter. The size is directly proportional to the carrying capacity of the engine; a 10-centimeter engine core can lift about 2500 pounds. The largest of these engines can lift enormous weights, engineered in some cases to lift enormous loads. The largest lifting a gross weight of 20,000,000 Kg.

Flight and Ground Use

It's important to note that not all Cadence Engines are created for the same purpose. The smaller cores, which are more abundant, were primarily designed for ground-based applications, vehicles, transport or machinery, or for low-altitude flight. Full-fledged flight model cores, capable of lifting vessels to significant altitudes, are relatively rare and are almost exclusively in the possession of recognized city-states. This distribution explains why most Cadence Engine-powered traffic is observed on or close to the ground.

Lift Distance Maximum

The lift distance maximum is defined by the charm trapped in the glass sphere. Different engines can vary vastly in the lift distance, from just a few feet to tens of kilometers above the surface.

Limitations

While the Core provides lift, it does not offer propulsive movement. In the past, an unknown form of propulsion was used in tandem with the Core, but this knowledge has been lost to time.

The Nyuki ka Djinn - a 14 meter, cross-rigged Yalubo skiff fitted with with an oil cooled 25cm duster core. An exceptionally fast sailcraft used as a contraband smuggler.  Reported to have been destroyed by the Kathira'an guard in the sand flats outside the capitol.

Heat Management

The Core isn't just a static object; it's a dynamic system that responds to the weight it supports. When at rest and supporting no weight, the Core maintains a temperature of around 40 degrees Celsius. However, as the Core takes on more weight, its temperature rises proportionally. This isn't merely a byproduct; it's an integral part of the Core's operation, serving as a real-time gauge for operators to monitor the engine's load. Managing the heat generated by a Cadence Engine Core is a critical aspect of its operation. The Core's temperature is directly proportional to the weight it supports, with the heat increasing significantly during active lifting phases compared to maintaining a set altitude. This makes the cooling system not just a supplementary feature but an essential component for the engine's safe and efficient function.

Cooling Mechanisms

Various cooling mechanisms exist, ranging from sophisticated systems using water or oil reservoirs to rudimentary open-air setups. In more advanced gimbals, water or oil circulates around the Core, absorbing the heat and dissipating it through external radiators. However, in many modern, improvised gimbals, the cooling system is often a simple open-air reservoir containing the Core. Here, whatever water is available is used, making these systems highly susceptible to overheating if the coolant is insufficient or runs out.

The Tale of Aamadu Chikondi

The precarious balance of heat management comes to life in the story of Qāāzami pirate Aamadu Chikondi. His infamous vessel featured a daring setup where sailors operated the gimbal up to their waists directly within the reservoir, using their own senses as a real-time temperature gauge. This high-risk approach made his command the stuff of legend, but also underscored the life-or-death importance of effective heat management in an age without sensors.

Consequences of Overheating

Overheating a Cadence Engine Core is not just a mechanical failure; it's a catastrophic event. When the Core's temperature rises beyond its safe operating limit—or when the load exceeds 100% of its lift capability—the mineral glass begins to melt. This compromises the integrity of the magical charm within, leading to a violent release of energy. The result is an explosion that scales geometrically with the size of the Core, posing a grave risk to both the vessel and its surroundings.

To prevent such disasters, modern gimbals often incorporate some safety features like manual emergency coolant release systems. However, without sensors, these are hardly foolproof, especially given the ingenuity of Sayarii's pirates and their penchant for jury-rigged gimbals, which are notorious for overheating and causing spectacular, if tragic, failures.

Classifying Cadence: The Different Types of Engines

1. Skimmer Drives: These cores can lift a vehicle up to around 5 feet. Originally designed for ground-based vehicles that needed to traverse difficult terrains, they are now commonly found in small boats and personal transports. Very drives are also occasionally found in this size. 

2. Duster Cores: Capable of lifting a vehicle up to approximately 50 feet, these were likely designed for agricultural use that required hovering over crops, low-level surveillance crafts, and public transport.

3. Cloudchaser Cores: These engines can lift a vehicle up to 500 feet. Initially intended for higher-altitude surveillance and possibly weather manipulation, they are now often used in larger ships and specialized vehicles.

4. Stratolifters: These engines can lift a vehicle up to 5,000 feet. Originally engineered for military crafts and high-altitude research, they are now a rarity, mostly found in the possession of powerful city-states.

5. Skydancer Cores: Capable of lifting a vehicle beyond 5,000 feet, these were the pinnacle of Cadence Engine technology, likely used in exploration crafts that ventured into the upper atmosphere. These are extremely rare and are considered national treasures when found..

6. Celestial Cores: These are the stuff of legends, engines said to reach the edge of the atmosphere. They're more myth than reality, but every once in a while, a story circulates about an ancient airship wreckage discovered with a Celestial Drive, fueling the dreams of adventurers and scholars alike.

Shape and Structure:

Spherical with Gears

The Core is essentially a solid sphere of Mineral Glass, encased in a complex arrangement of Black Platinum gears. These gears are aligned along the Cartesian coordinate axes: X, Y, and Z, creating a three-dimensional grid around the sphere. This allows for intricate control and movement along multiple planes

Material: Black Platinum and Mineral Glass

The Core of a Cadence Engine is a masterful blend of two primary materials: Black Platinum and Mineral Glass. Black Platinum, a non-reactive and incredibly hard yet malleable material, forms the gears that encircle the Core. The Mineral Glass, on the other hand, forms the spherical center where the engine's magical properties are housed.

The Properties of Black Platinum: Hard yet Malleable, Non-reactive, Non-magnetic at normal temperatures, but a Superconductor Below -220°C,

Black Platinum is a unique material with several key properties. It is non-reactive, meaning it does not oxidize and is resistant to corrosion. Black Platinum has a unique temperature-sensitive property.  Above -200°C, it is as non-magnetic as crystal minerals like ruby or diamond. Below -220°C, it becomes a powerfully magnetic superconductor, allowing for efficient magnetic imprint on the cores gravity logic. This property is exploited during the Core's crafting process, where the gears are fitted onto the still-cold Mineral Glass sphere, seating them perfectly in place as they warm up. Despite black platinum's hardness (9.7 on the MOHS scale), it is not a brittle material and becomes malleable at high temperatures, making it ideal for the fabrication of incredibly tough machine parts.

Gravity Magic

The true magic of the Core lies in the Gravity magic encapsulated within the Mineral Glass sphere. This magical element provides the lift and stability that make the Cadence Engines so invaluable. The charm is focused and crystallized during the Core's crafting process, making it a permanent fixture of the engine.

Heat Generation: Warms Up with Use, Requires Cooling

A Core at rest, floating under no load, maintains a temperature of about 40°C. As it takes on weight, it heats up, requiring cooling mechanisms similar to those in combustion engines. However, if the load exceeds the Core's lift capability, it overheats rapidly, leaving only moments to prevent a catastrophic explosion.

Cadence Core Weight / Specifications

Anatomy and Function

The Gimbal serves as a mechanical interface and cradle for the Cadence Core, allowing functional control over the Core, while structurally transferring the Core's lift to the vehicle frame, and providing the Core with crucial cooling.

In terms of control, the Gimbal offers three main mechanisms:

1. Activation Control: Specifically engineered to permit the Core's activation or deactivation only when the vessel is grounded at its lowest elevation. This is a vital safety feature, ensuring that the Core is in a stable state before any changes in its operational status.

2. Lift Control: Upon activation, the Gimbal provides the means to adjust the Core for controlling the vessel's altitude. This leverages the Core's unique lift capabilities, allowing the vessel to ascend or descend according to need.

3. Keel Axis Control: Beyond lift, the Gimbal also facilitates steering by adjusting the Core's Keel Axis. This allows the vessel to navigate along the Core's magical ley lines, effectively steering the vessel while maintaining its current altitude.

By combining these control features with its structural and cooling functions, the Gimbal becomes an indispensable component in any Cadence Engine-equipped vehicle, ensuring both its mobility and stability.

The Pirate's Ingenuity

In the fringes of Sayarii society, pirates and other resourceful individuals have crafted makeshift Gimbals. While often ingenious, these are equally notorious for their unreliability and tendency to overheat, making them ticking time bombs.

The Unspoken Risk

The volatile nature of the Cores is not common knowledge in modern Sayarii. This makes each Gimbal not just an engineering necessity but also an unwitting vessel of potential devastation.