On the Manipulation of the Vibrational State of the Metallic Elements
Source: Edited slightly from fantastic source material by Derek D. Bass
Author: Vapor Ascendant from the Copper Vessel
Description: This rare text, found within the archives of the Heptagram and in the hands of a few magitechnicians within the Realm, is said to date from times long past, exploring new theories on the states and manipulation of metals. Amongst the more conservative savants of the present age, the work is considered foolish, related experiments condemned as foolish fantasy, for who can doubt that it is heat that melts metal?
EXCERPT:
Throughout history, metal has not given itself up easily to our benign direction. The same strength that makes it desirable for our needs also makes it difficult to manipulate. For example, Iron, a staple element in civilized life, has a melting point of sixteen-hundred Ghatarian Steps. As a result, our foundries expend large amounts of capital, fuel and labor in their efforts to mold iron into products for our use. Alloying iron with other elements (such as Coal or Jade) often results in substances with much higher melting points, making an easier, more cost-effective method of liquefying metal even more necessary. Therefore, I now propose a Theory that will give us the power to alter the state of metal at our merest whim, then re-solidify it again later, at our convenience.
Any engineer worth acknowledging will tell you that heat melts metal. What is not as apparent, however, is how this occurs. Each object has a pattern, an internal network of essence flows, divine responsibilities, and (most importantly) shinmaic correspondences which define every aspect of its nature. I assert the possibility of affecting an object’s pattern, and thus, its very existence, through the manipulation of the resonant vibrational frequencies inherent to it. With this Theory, I intend to show that not only can a given material’s properties be applied over a distance, but that they can also be brought forth at a distance by the manipulation of the material’s inherent frequencies. But, to my previous question, ‘how does heat melt metal?’ The answer is as simple and elegant as one can craft: it doesn’t. Let me restate that: increasing a metal’s temperature has absolutely no effect upon its state. Any object will burn, if a high enough temperature is applied to it for a sufficient period of time. But when heat is applied to metal, more takes place than a simple change in temperature. Heat also acts as a carrier, bringing with it a similar measure of resonant vibrational frequencies. The exact frequencies carried are directly related to the precise temperature applied. Metal melts when heated to a certain temperature because the resonant frequencies transmitted at and above that temperature set up a sympathetic vibration within the metal, a vibration that correlates positively with a similar frequency signature unique to the molten form of the particular metal. The vibration’s energy enables the iron particles to break the bonds holding them together, resulting in a change of state. An iron bar heated to sixteen-hundred Ghatarians would remain solid, if heat of that temperature did not also transmit a specific set of resonant frequencies to the iron that “told” it to melt. Thus, if specific frequencies carried by heat (and not the heat itself) melt metal, it is therefore possible that other sources of the same frequencies exist. Seemingly random mechanical and structural failures may, in fact, be attributable to unidentified sources of these resonant frequencies momentarily liquefying critical parts or load-bearing members.
Although heat is a reliable carrier of resonant vibrational energy, it does have its limitations. It is conducted unequally and inefficiently by physical matter, giving it a limited and uncertain range in most situations, and does have the tendency to damage, if not immolate outright, nearby objects that are vulnerable to high temperatures. An alternate method of transmission is needed if knowledge of these inherent frequencies is to be of use to the average engineer. What if we instead tie the desired resonant frequencies from a pure sample of the metal to a carrier sound wave? By using sound as a vehicle, we gain its advantages as a high speed medium whose application is less destructive and more easily regulated. The sublimation of metal is also possible, although the process requires the amplitude of the resonant frequencies to be much greater than that required for the liquescence of the same metal, in order to convert the solid metal directly into a gaseous state. Except when deemed necessary, we will concern ourselves primarily with conversions into the liquid state. By melting a small sample of the metal the engineer wants to affect, he can draw forth the required frequencies and project them in any direction he wishes. All items of the same element as the ingot that are within range of the produced vibrational waves will instantly change into a liquid state, retaining their former volume but losing their defined shape. This includes the ingot itself, which will promptly run off if uncontained. The ingot must be open to the air in any direction the engineer wants the vibrations to travel, as obstructing matter will muddy the pure frequencies required for effect. This extends to intervening materials surrounding the target metal as well. Tests performed using a steel ingot on a gold-plated necklace revealed two things: first, that the necklace’s gold plating insulated the steel core inside from the effect, and second, much to my chagrin, that the brooch chain was not made of gold after all, but was instead gold-colored steel. Very importantly, any metal used in the creation of an ingot must be of the utmost purity. The slightest random mixture of elements may corrupt the resonant vibrations produced, expending the ingot without further effect. Alloys, however, are acceptable and will affect objects constructed from the same alloy as the ingot, so long as the alloys are identical in chemical composition and close in chemical proportions to one another. The magical materials have so far proven difficult to define in terms of frequency, but this is likely due to the complexity of their underlying patterns. Before proceeding further, I must take a moment to caution the reader that, as with any good Theory, this one comes with a caveat.
Changing the state of metal without changing its temperature may well bring about situations which the acting engineer would never otherwise encounter. All metals, [[[Quicksilver]] excepted, melt at temperatures far above that required to burn human flesh. Therefore, I am certain that none of the possible adverse effects brought about by the inhalation, ingestion or absorption of pure liquid or gaseous metal have been sufficiently researched to allow for laxity on the part of the acting engineer. The discipline of Medicine has already seen how breathing quicksilver fumes affects those miners and artisans tasked with its preparation for advanced uses. Those afflicted with quicksilver poisoning suffer from such symptoms as nervousness, irritability and changes in personality, as well as muscle tremors and slurred speech. With such knowledge in hand, it is safe to assume that similar health risks exist from prolonged exposure to the liquid or gaseous forms of other metals, as well. Depending upon the severity and length of the exposure, a metal-poisoned individual may be identified by symptoms similar to that of quicksilver poisoning, along with an additional symptom caused by the body’s attempt to expel the foreign matter from it. An observer may notice a change in hue in the victim, coinciding with the absorbed metal. In these cases, the victim may literally be ‘sweating gold’, or silver, steel, or other metal. Another hazard that engineers using this Theory might encounter is the possibility of liquid or gaseous metal re-solidifying while still in the body. One can, thus far, only imagine what effect a thin layer of solid gold coating the interior of the lungs would have on an assistant’s respiration. A pool of ingested steel hardening inside the stomach also provides another interesting, if most likely fatal, example of what could happen without proper precautions. Additionally, should a part of the body be covered with liquid metal when it solidifies, it would be rendered immobile as it became encased in now-hardened metal. As always, the acting engineer should be especially cautious when applying an unfamiliar Theory, and subjects suitable for testing ought be obtained to establish safety parameters before true work begins.
