richardc_at_sypte.co.uk:
>What do we think the Mostali would use for long distance comm-
>unications with a submarine? I thought of lowering a large bell
>into the water back at base and bashing out slow morse code
>messages Any other thoughts? Spirits? Special sorcery? I'd
>like communications to be slow and difficult
Wrong question! Spirits are the obvious solution, but that's far too fast and easy. So the first question is why don't spirits work? Have this particular bunch of mostali done something to offend the local sea god, for example?
As for the solution, sonics by all means, but I think the clever Mostali can do a little better than terrestrial morse. All they need is a tonal system so they can encode messages. Say they have a code based upon 256 or 512 separate sounds. Maybe more, though the keyboard starts getting huge. If you're using steam propulsion, the a seriesof pipes with compressed air channelled though them could probably provide the required tonal range with adequate precision.
Of course, this would allow the sub to send fast efficient messages, which is defeating the object of the exercise, so let's assume that the angry sea god (when are the dwarves going to get that fixed anyway?) is making a fair bit of noise as well. Thus the dwarves have to invent error detection protocols, which means introducing a degree of redundnacy into the original signal, and re-sending if the receiver detects an error. The whole thing would have to be manually operated; a higly skilled job, I imagine, and probably stressful, what with the high error rate and the constant resending of bits of the message.
There is a slight drawback in that, since the sub's hull is used as a resonance chamber, the transmissions can be heard from anywhere on board. This is not a major problem with only mostali on board, and even if they had a couple of human prisoners for some reason, it wouldn't much matter, since what ever the message being sent, to human ears they're all going to sound like Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor. Think about it...
Oh, come on! It's GOT to be done! ;-)
Nick Fortune "Call me Nemo" nick_at_nymar.demon.co.uk ==========================================================================+++ Sense Of Humour Down For Maintenance +++ Witticism Unavailable +++
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