Are "Mechanized Carriages" Too Advanced for a Flintlock Fantasy?

[Finchbearer]

If you bring ‘gnome engineers’ into the fray then it kind of does a lot of explaining away for a question that you already knew the answer to. That this technology would have been too advanced for a flintlock setting.

 

[_Michael_]

For dwarves, that would be brilliant--use the temperature differential between an underground lake and a magma chamber, or a radioactive thermopyle and colder rock surrounding a lake bed. Hello, Aetherium Forge...

Makes one wonder about underwater societies like elves or merfolk using OTEC-like generators to turn large cogs on differentials.

 

[ThinkerX]

So, what I’m getting from this is I just need a Gnome engineer to come up with a way to connect a Stirling engine to a flywheel and a bicycle chain in order to get a mechanized carriage to be a bit more viable.

Or just build an electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery.

 

[Patrick-Leigh]

Or just build an electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery.

I want to hold off on electric motors for a bit. They will come into my setting eventually, but I’m avoiding them until I can come up with a character with a reason to invent one.

 

[Patrick-Leigh]

For dwarves, that would be brilliant--use the temperature differential between an underground lake and a magma chamber, or a radioactive thermopyle and colder rock surrounding a lake bed. Hello, Aetherium Forge...

Makes one wonder about underwater societies like elves or merfolk using OTEC-like generators to turn large cogs on differentials.

That’s actually something I should consider, given my current story is focused on a Mermaid. I’ve been developing ideas for how their houses and buildings can switch from water filled to air filled, but I had not thought of a mechanical pump being involved, only Hydromancy Matrices. But a mechanical pump using temperature differentials could be utilized in locations with lower ambient Aethyr.

 

[_Michael_]

If crystals can power radio sets without any need for plugs, crystals can power an ac motor with upstep transformers.

 

[Patrick-Leigh]

If crystals can power radio sets without any need for plugs, crystals can power an ac motor with upstep transformers.

Interesting you should say that. The Aethyr Core that would power all the Arcane Systems of these vehicles is made from a type of crystal. If it doesn’t feature a Source Gem (a gemstone with a tiny Leyline inside it) to recharge itself, then Aethyr Crystals will have to be inserted and absorbed into the Core to replenish its reserves.

 

[_Michael_]

Piezoelectric effects are, in fact, a known quantity, even as far back as Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians were obsessed with magnets and electricity, and the priests used it to wow the masses and control the pharaoh. So, with large enough quartz crystals, one could, in theory, line them up in parallel get huge amounts of charge. Other ideas:

Earth batteries that tap into telluric currents.
There are also earth capacitors that can be made by layering slag and pea gravel or dirt with an electrode passing between the alternating planes.
Chemical electricity was also known about, and given that Egypt was obsessed with both electricity and magnetism, and knew of the piezoelectric effect, it's highly likely they also understood chemically-induced electrical reactions like using vinegar and zinc, or hydrochloric acid and zinc to produce pure hydrogen gas (see Giza Power – The Official Christopher Dunn Website Chris Dunn is one of the most underrated researchers on the subject of Ancient Egypt and their anachronistically-advanced technology).

Therefore, it is no stretch to say that enterprising dwarven or gnomish engineers may have already utilized some of these very same technologies in novel ways. Elves are also master artificers, but they do not really advertise about it.

 

[Patrick-Leigh]

All right, so, after doing a little more research, I'm definitely thinking that I can make these vehicles work, not just in terms of their mechanics, but also the level of luxury they can feature for the well-to-do. I've found some solid examples of historical vehicles that were a strong blend of carriage/coach and automobile that I believe would not seem out of place in a more 18th Century style setting.

As for the interiors, I don't think those would change all that much from what was used during the 18th Century, either.

So, ultimately, it comes down to making sure that their inclusion doesn't cause any big issues. Most of these vehicles are made for the sake of conspicuous consumption, as they Power Cores they require are not something that can be massed produced at this time, and their use is largely limited to urban areas and major highways, which are smoother and better maintained. And, of course, you need to know how to actually operate one. Most nobles are just going to hire a driver if they purchase a mechanized coach, but if they buy a runabout, they will learn to operate it themselves. However, the runabouts are not as much of a status flex, as they're less complicated and have less space for heated seats and other luxury features. Mechanized coaches are for traveling in style, runabouts are for getting from Point A to Point B in a short amount of time, so the more indolent elite are less inclined to purchase them.

One other thing I've realized as a result of this distinction is that most of the luxurious mechanized carriages are not designed with long-distance travel in mind. You can't really flaunt your wealth visually if the high-capacity Power Core is hidden inside the vehicle and looks similar to a low-capacity Power Core. Sure, you can brag about that, but pedestrians aren't going to be able to understand the nuances of the mechanics watching the vehicle pass them, are they? No, the only thing they can tell, visually, is how luxurious the vehicle is. So, unless you're a noble who travels long distances on a regular basis, the Power Core's capacity is one area where you can cut down on the cost, especially since major cities are always built over a Nexus (an intersection of two or more Leylines) and thus the Power Core can draw in more Aethyr from ambient sources to avoid running out of juice.

Conversely, runabouts are for nobles who have a strong wanderlust and desire for adventure. Thus, while smaller and less luxurious, by comparison, they're more sophisticated in terms of their Power Cores and mechanics. In other words, runabouts are for younger noblemen (usually bachelors) who want to have races with their rivals and take their mistresses for a ride through the country, not for nobles who are members of the legislature who spend all their time in an urban environment and just want to travel between their townhouses and the capital building in an opulent vehicle that ultimately is just for show. The two types of mechanized carriages reflect the different segments of the elite.