The thought of [constructing] him, the perpetual motion machine, is using lengths of wood, a fine equal to four spears [unknown length], copper plating to fill the three warriors in armor [Scholars debate what sort of armour he meant], cable and fiber length and strength of rock draw to three times its weight of a mountain [something about pulleys?], Sisyphus[=neverending mountain???], and the detail of the air and land [Details of air and land= probably bronze and ceramic].
Cold water [ice], oil, and the fire of her remain a virgin [he probably meant palm trees?], it is required resorting to flight, which can be taken from the north and south of the island [Possibly meant that palm oil was grown in the north, and that ice could be found in the south].
-Ptathuos Starbound, inventor of the Ptathuon Drive. (Poorly translated)
Once, we were bound to the earth, and unbalanced. The elements raged against us; the gods looked down on us; wild men from the north and south attacked our lands and took our women.
Then came the Philosophers. None know from whence they came; some say from the stars; others claim that they are mere mortals, touched by the gods.
The Philosophers brought wisdom. And with that wisdom, we were reborn. We turned wisdom into knowledge, and knowledge into weapons. We forced back the barbarians; we mastered the elements, we revoked the gods, and defeated them in a great battle.
We prospered. Peace reigned.
During this age of prosperity, a philosopher named Ptathuos was born. He was obsessed with flying machines, and his writings helped build ever larger balloons, ever faster gyrothopters, and gliders that could cross the seas- but never was Ptathuos satisfied. He wanted to fly not across the world, but between them! Up into the heavens, where once the gods ruled!
But no device in the world had the power to reach such heights. One would require endless power to fly that high.
So Ptathuos took an old idea- perpetual motion- and thought about it long and hard. And one day, with a cry of 'Eureka!', he emerged from his workshop, holding in his hands a blurred ball of wires and machinery; which spun and spun and would not stop- until it burst into flame.
Unperturbed, Ptathuos returned to his workshop- this time summoning the greatest engineers in the land, calling in every favour owed to him by merchants, politicians, and soldiers, to provide him with the resources he required.
For years, Ptathuos and his disciples worked in utmost secrecy. And then, on a dark night- the darknest night of the coldest winter- the workshop came to life. And from it rose... the first. A sphere of wood and copper, spinning wildly. And attached by some eldritch means, what appeared to be a small fishing vessel, upon whose deck stood Ptathuos, pulling on ropes and levers, directing the craft. He flew around the city, drawing out crowds of awed onlookers- and then, with an elaborate bow, he turned his prow skywards, and vanished into the night sky- never to be seen again.
We looked through his workshop. We found blueprints, instructions- scattered, muddled, confusing- but we deciphered them, and soon we built our own 'spacecraft'. We named the engine that drove the craft the Ptathuon Drive, in honour of its creator. And then we set out for the stars. We found that the wandering stars were planets like our own, which teemed with life. We discovered dangers in space, as well. Solar winds blow harshly, and sink many unprepared vessels. Strange beasts call the heavens their own- and the gods, who we once thought dead, turned out to have been naught but another race, who travelled from world to world enslaving its occupants- and for our mutiny, they wanted revenge.
Many trials were faced by us and our Ptathuon Drive. But we are only here to tell one story. And which one would that be?
The Pioneers: In the early years, little was known about space, and our ships were poorly made, ill-suited to the ether. There are many tales of brave men who went out and made contact with other worlds, and the dangers they faced.
The Colonists: When we met strange new people on strange new worlds, we were eager to trade with them, to educate them- we called them noble savages. In some instances, they were more noble than we were. In others, they were more savage than expected. And building a new home is dangerous on familiar ground... on another planet, it is a titanic effort.
The First Wars: Our colonies grew; the noble savages learnt, became 'uplifted'. They began to catch up. Surpass us, even. It was not long before they struck against our colonies, and we sent our troops to repel them. These wars were long and bloody- but many heroes arose in them, and many tales can be told of what occurred.
The Independance Wars: Eventually, agreements were reached with the locals. On some worlds, they joined our colonies. On others, we abandoned our colonies. We began to treat the locals as equals, and all was well. Until some colonies decided to stop paying taxes to the motherworld, and demanded independance. These wars were as long and as bloody as the first- and if anything, had more heroes to talk of.
The Great War: The independence wars ended with our people splintered into 'planet-states', like the city-states of old. Tensions between planets remained high; occasional wars were fought. Philosophy declined in favour of more militant outlooks. The gods of old, who we had all but forgotten- thought the time ripe to return. A great empire, with advanced technology, massive numbers, and a single despotic ruler descended upon us, determined on conquering us all. What happened next I cannot say... for if that is the story you wish to hear, you will have to join me on my ship as I go fight it.
So, children. Which story should I tell? I'm getting old, you understand- you might have to remind me what happened next at points.
Author
Topic: The Ptathuon Drive (Read 7744 times)