Instead, it refers to 'living machines' that are separate units and in some way seems to be 'beings' to the beholder. In reality, there is no great difference between the 'living' locks, tools and more complex prosthetics commonly used by the dwarves and the mechanical montrosities referred to as a 'machinae', but it is often ignored.
Humans often use the term 'Jolanti' for these creatures, but the Jolanti are a separate, superior breed of machinae. _True_ Jolanti can no longer be created by the Mostali, since only True Mostali can make them. It still takes a Diamond Dwarf to make an inferior Jolanti. Most machinae today are made from metal and not stone anyway.
QUICKENED METAL
Metal was once alive. Humans believe it to have once been the bones
of gods. Dwarves insist that it was parts of the World Machine's
physical structure, of certain vital mechanisms that has since been
broken. If the humans prefer to refer to these mechanisms as 'gods'.
it's their business.
Metal can be returned to life today by the processes of alchemical metallurgy, but it's only a semi-life at best, the equivalent to undeath or the pale existence of the shadows of the dead. Only dwarven heroquesting or the actions of the few Mostali left can truly quicken metal. Mostali use quickened metal as much as possible anyway, since it is more useful than dead metal and can be used to create things like machinae.
Note: Quickening metal should be carefully distinguished from _purifying it_, referred to as 'enchanting' the metal by humans(1).
Quickened metal feels slightly warm to the touch and increases in warmth when it is moving. When 'activated' it retains the sturdiness of the ordinary dead metal while attaining the flexibility of living flesh. Certain metals or minerals attain special charateristics once quickened as well. For instance, gold begins to glow with a soft light. It's akhasic friction increases drastically, ie any imprint left by nearby aetheric action (magic, spirits, mental activity by living beings) is deepened, and spells such as those known by Gold Mostali or the human priesthoods of Lankhor My and Irrippi Ontor becomes more efficient. It is more easy to read text written on quickened gold, as the text seems to move in ways conducive to understanding it, naturally highlighting interesting portions.
Just like purification, quickening can only be performed on metal which is already shaped. When activated, the object can move, though limited by its shape. A copper chair, for instance, could walk about, and a chain could move like a snake. The exact way the object is able to move depends on its exact form, and almost imperceptible incisions and a porous internal structure at those places where it is supposed to be most flexible. The exception is aluminium/quicksilver, which does not have a strict shape when quickened in quicksilver form and which will move like a gorp or undine when activated. It should be noted that it is not possible to activate alloyed metals (including bronze) but nothing stops the object from having separate parts made of separate metals, or incorporate up to 37,2%(2) non-metal parts - stone being a metal in this case.
The quickening process involves placing the object in a quickening athanor and subjecting it to rythmical showers of aetherical force projected from the souls of several Brass Dwarves, or one very skilled one. Creation of a quickening athanor is a process in itself.
Iron must be purified before being quickened, since its antimagical abilities will make the process impossible. Impure, raw iron still contains enough undiesenthropified antivitalic substances to make any enchantment of it possible, at least by dwarven technology(3).
ACTIVATION OF QUICKENED METAL
To activate quickened metal, it must either be imbued with a false
mind or brought into harmonic mental domination by a suitable
formula.
The first process is permanent but has the twin disadvantages of dissipating the stable aetheric charge of the Gold Dwarf in charge of the process, and limiting the flexibility of the machina. On the other hand, a false mind-imbued machina does not need permanent supervision and a constant expenditure of magical energy. Thus, the second process might well be less cost-efficient in the long run during certain circumstances. The choice of method is made on a case-by-case basis. In any case you can always imbue a machina with a false mind later.
A machina imbued with a false mind has a limited intelligence. The exact amount of intelligence it can receive depends on it's material composition. Gold can be made to simulate a dwarf close enough that most Silver Dwarves won't notice(4). Rock is virtually mindless, and might misunderstand very simple commands. It also takes more aetheric force to create a more intelligent false mind. In any case a false mind lacks any kind of emotion and passion.
To use senses other than touch, the machina must include suitable mostali measuring instruments, like a thermometer for heat, a small pendulum for time, a gyroscope for improved balance, vibrating bells for hearing and lenses for sight. Destroying such might incapacitate or at least desorientate the machina, which is a fact known to dwarf-fighting elven archers, so the sensual organs are generally well-protected.
Such a creature will obey spoken and mind-projected commands from anyone attuned to it. It has the disadvantage of dissipating it's magical energy slowly, even while not active, and going dormant when it is completely out of it. The amount of energy a machina has is A, proportionate to it's size and B, dependent on it's material composition in a reversed way compared to it's intelligence - rock is the most powerful, gold the least.
As a result many machina imbued with false minds are also imbued with a false divinity. This useful enchantment enables it to receive magical energy from the minds of special Nilmergs taught to worship it(5). These also polish it, oil it etc. Usually the strongest emerges as a leader. It _has_ happened thirteen times that when it died, such a 's mind has been absorbed by the machina, and in two recorded cases the machina didn't either break down or went berserk. The process of imbuing a machina with a false divinity requires the use of a pure godsblood crystal.
Activation by a formula of harmonic mental domination requires less power and skill. It allows a Tin Dwarf to control the machina as if it was his own body. Unlike the possession abilities of certain human mages, the dwarf doesn't leave his body during the process, though he cannot use his senses and the body will move as much as possible in turn with the movements of the machina. If it's makeup is very different from that of a dwarf, bodily damage might be the result.
A short formula similar to such is used to operate mechanisms like locks which open on mental command, mechanical tools which run by themselves or self-loading crossbows. The formula needs mental attunement and the expenditure of primal aetheric force on each item the dwarf wishes to affect, however.
When a dwarf (or in rare cases, a human dwarf-tool) has a mechanical prothesis installed, a relatively simple enchantment which allows him to activate it is included, so it can be used as the limb it is copying. Not all prosthetic limbs are quickened, however. Some are just carefully made mechanical protheses, others are driven by clockwork.
SPIN-OFFS FROM THE TECHNIQUE OF QUICKENING It is known that _clay_ can be quickened, which facilitates the reanimation of dead dwarves (though not resurrection), and Dwarf-made creatures like s. Such a process has very few non-experimental uses, however.
Something similar was employed by the single Vivamortian Dwarf recorded, D'Enost the Enthropist, which terrorized Dragon Pass during the late Third Age and was thought exterminated by Richard the Crippler, the famous Humakti swordsman. D'Enost created 'living' pieces of bone and mummified flesh, like the table which moved on four human skeleton legs or a doorknob placed within a fanged jaw which snapped shut when unauthorized people tried to touch it. It might be possible for human Vivamortians to copy this deed.
It is rumored that the Vegetarians of Pamaltela has perfected a process which allows them to quicken _dead wood_, though most Dwarves wouldn't use the term 'perfect' in the same sentence as 'vegetarian'. It is supposed to enable the creation of completely complacent vegetative slaves, quicker than the brain-washing-by-torture of Aldryami prisoners or raising of heritage-warped Aldryami which is normally employed(6).
1, Dwarves consider the term 'enchantment' most unsatisfying and imprecise in this context. _Any_ metal changed by magic permanently is enchanted. On the other hand, sloppiness is an inherent trait in humans, as is the lack of any kind of focus on what really matters.
2, The Brass Diamonds of Nida has checked this. Honestly.
3, 'Magic at a sufficiently advanced level is not indistinguishable from true technology, but it's growin'* _difficult_ to distinguish 'em' Nakontor Double-sifter, Silver Reconaissance Expert employed against humans by the 45th expeditionary force of the Nidan Army.
*'Grow' is the dwarven equivalent of the four-letter word. It is not used in polite dwarven company, but most Silvers aren't that polite, and Nakontor was extremely foul-mouthed, using words like 'procreate', 'fertilize' and 'ferment' on a regular basis.
4, Which doesn't say much, really.
5, The similarity between this and the relationship between humans and their 'gods' is a common source of amusement to Dwarves. 'Yes, the trick is an old one, the Primal Mostali knew it', they say.
6, Besides, walking trees with light cannon-sized blunderbusses
scares the hell out the Muri, and causes them to attack their Embyli
allies.
"The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea, in a beautiful pea-green boat..."
>From "The Owl and the Pussycat" by Edward Lear
Erik Sieurin
bv9521_at_bhs.utb.hb.se
Bodagatan 39, 2 tr
50742 Bor=E5s
Sweden
033/141731
End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #412
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