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Wow, this article is giving me all sorts of adventure ideas... Thought I'd share. To summarize- a 2,000-year-old mechanical computer salvaged from a Roman shipwreck has been found to be an astronomical calendar capable of tracking with remarkable precision the position of the sun, several heavenly bodies, and the phases of the moon. The device uses a differential gear, which was previously believed to have been invented in the 16th century. The level of miniaturization and complexity of its parts is comparable to that of 18th century clocks.
The Antikythera mechanism?
Great-my PCs have just liberated the Sea Wyvern in the Bullywug Gambit scenario-and my hardcore Traveller veteran player will surely want to put a gizmo like that on board...
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The Antikythera mechanism?
Yep, that's the one. :)
My first thought was "Hmmm... That device could be Thassilonian! And... perhaps it's directly, or indirectly, responsible for the cataclysm that ravaged the world..." Or, better yet- it can be used to predict the next one that's coming... It fits in with the history of Ptolus, too, if that's more your style. Lots of ideas immediately came to mind.
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The Antikythera mechanism?Yep, that's the one. :)
My first thought was "Hmmm... That device could be Thassilonian! And... perhaps it's directly, or indirectly, responsible for the cataclysm that ravaged the world..." Or, better yet- it can be used to predict the next one that's coming... It fits in with the history of Ptolus, too, if that's more your style. Lots of ideas immediately came to mind.
It was Sloth's alarm clock. ;)
Reading about things like that is amazing, but at the same time a little depressing. The ancients kept stuff like that secret presumably for the purposes of controlling knowledge and thereby wealth, but in the end they lost it and the human race had to start from scratch all over agin.
It probably would have been nice if the Crusaders hadn't burnt down the Library of Alexandria too. That probably had a detrimental effect.
Reading about things like that is amazing, but at the same time a little depressing. The ancients kept stuff like that secret presumably for the purposes of controlling knowledge and thereby wealth, but in the end they lost it and the human race had to start from scratch all over agin.It probably would have been nice if the Crusaders hadn't burnt down the Library of Alexandria too. That probably had a detrimental effect.
There were witches in there........plus the dang sprinkler system subcontractor was drunk on mead and 45 days late.
It probably would have been nice if the Crusaders hadn't burnt down the Library of Alexandria too.
I just wanted to point out that I love the Library of Alexandria so much that I totally wrote a song about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN8dtZFBT7o
:)
This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed !
It probably would have been nice if the Crusaders hadn't burnt down the Library of Alexandria too.I just wanted to point out that I love the Library of Alexandria so much that I totally wrote a song about it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN8dtZFBT7o
:)
I'd love to sing along but I am definitely going to need a lyric sheet for this one.
I'd love to sing along but I am definitely going to need a lyric sheet for this one.Sutter's band is all about the burp-singing.
--Erik
They definitely go to 11.