Souseiki Transportation and Communication Tech
Introduction
Transportation and Communication is usually the most limiting factor in trade and complicated production chains. With bottlenecks able cause entire economic sectors to collapse if access to a resource is interrupted. Communication is similar, with it determining how fast merchants and governments can react to global economic and geopolitical changes.
Land Transportation and Communication
The oldest transportation, foot travel, has always been overland, and while sea travel has overtaken in recent centuries. Land travel is still critical for inland trade and the migration from rural areas to the cities.
Souseiki Trains
Souseiki Railroads were built upon industrial railroads with better trains, carriages, and tracks. Souseiki Trains utilize Dual Enrai engines to control powerful Lighting Magic which accelerates the train’s wheels along the special Raiko made tracks at high speeds. A cheaper option is Fire Magic trains which are able to operate on traditional steel tracks, but at normal speeds.
Souseiki carriages are mostly similar, reinforced with Metal Magic to endure the speeds. For comfort a combination of fire and Ice Magic is used keep them temperature control, while Metal Magic reduces the vibrations felt by passengers by stabilizing the shacking. Souseiki Storage Carriages will also use Ice Magic to keep food preserved, while using Lighting Magic to prevent static build up. Souseiki Military Carriages have occasionally been used as a armored movable firing platform, heavily armored with the largest land artillery.
Souseiki dedicated tracks are made from a combination of Kurogane strength to resist friction and Raiko to better conduct the Lighting Magic, and Earth Magic to prevent the rails from deforming. Since the frequent use of magic has a tendency to attract or create hostile Yokai which could endanger trains, as well as plenty of anti magic and anti Yokai magic to protect them from sabotage.
Traditional Transportation Augmented
Souseiki Constructs are metallic machines shaped in the shape of existing animals, usually horses, which are controlled using metal puppet magic. Souseiki Constructs have become a favorite as a mount for many, due its inability to tire, lack of requirement for food, and only requires Seikitan or a mage. They are able to take commands from their rider, and are generally resist to damage, but cannot act on their own with orders. They are usually preferred by some due to their replaceability, and lack of fear, but with downside of being emotionless machine.
Souseiki Augmented Creatures are animals which have been changed with Wood Magic to experimentally strengthen their organs and muscles by manipulating the animal directly with advanced magic. Boosted by Metal Magic bones which are able to support themselves and Metal Magic dermal armor. Many animals do tragically die doing this process, but it has also greatly decreased the amount deaths by work and military animals. They generally are more favored, able to form relationships with their riders to improve morale, and to be able to act independently.
Souseiki Wagons
Souseiki Wagons are pulled vehicles which use Souseiki Tech devices in their design. Usually pulled either by constructs or Augmented Creatures, never normal horses. Souseiki Wagons are usually metal sealed carriages which utilize Metal Magic for smooth ride for the passengers or cargo. In conjunction with earth and Water Magic wheels to increase traction, preventing Sliding on ice by melting it and preventing sinking into mud by solidifying it back into dirt. Fire and Ice Magic for high end passenger wagons, and for food wagons.
Civilian wagons may be large enough for sleeping spots, while military wagons are usually armored with Kurogane, equipped with closable openings which allow firing weapons. In a few versions, military wagons have a heavily mobile artillery mounted on top.
Land Messages
Aside from physical transportation of letters, Souseiki Tech has been able to co opt the telegram network which was emerging from traditional rails. Using Lighting Magic Souseiki Telegrams are able to send messages rapidly using a typewriter equivalent Souseiki machine which is then auto decoded by a machine on the other end. This removed the character limit and slow speed, but still requires physical stations to send and receive.
Souseiki Communicators are devices which use magic to send simple verbal messages over a short distance. They use a complex combination of lighting and Light Magic to send short simple messages over a short distance of less than a few hundred meters. Lighting Magic is able to do faster and clearer, but Light Magic can go as far as line of sight allows. Utilized by many organizations in urban environments, and favored by militaries.
Sea Transportation and Communication
Historically before Souseiki Tech travel by sea was a dangerous Journey which relied on wind patterns and ocean currents. Dangerous even more so due to the various sea based Yokai, and lack of reliable navigation and maps. Most ships would have a section of mage marines to deal with Yokai, civilian and military. While navigation by stars and maps were developed overtime. Steamships largely solved the reliance on wind and ocean currents, but would require a consistent supply of coal along routes which may be unavailable, and were slower the sailing ships.
Souseiki Ships by comparison were able to utilize Dual Enrai Engines to power mechanical propellers aided by Water Magic, enabling the fast speed of sail ships and the consistency of steamships. Souseiki Ships require mages or resupply of Seikitan to power its engines, exchanging crew for fuel and vice versa depending on requirements. Formed usually a central metallic hull of Sorakon or steel, most Souseiki ships are made of pure metal, although hybrid wooden and iron ships do exist.
Variety of supplemental things are used to aid in travel, including anything which can reasonably fit into a ship without affecting balance. But ship specific things include air magic to ventilate deeper parts of ships and to prevent mold in storage. Water Magic sonar sensors to detect ships, and Metal Magic compass for navigation by the cardinal direction, alternatively by using light and Shadow Magic navigation devices utilizing star positions. Souseiki Ships also utilize a variety of anti-magic and purification magic to protect itself against supernatural threats by encouraging hostile Yokai to think twice before attacking.
Souseiki Submarines are a more recent and relatively rare kind of Souseiki ship. Utilizing air magic machines to maintain a pressurized cabin, and Water Magic machines to extract oxygen from sea water to create a ship capable of operating below the water line.
Souseiki Ships are mainly cargo vessels, able to protect cargo from the elements and for efficiency, and reliable delivery on time. With dedicated passenger ships being rare, as passengers will typically still buy passage on a cargo ship.
Air Transportation and Communication
Souseiki Tech Airships are usually V-shaped hulls with a deck but not necessarily. They are able to fly due to being equipped with air magic floatation machines which enable it to maintain basic hovering ability. Airships have two main propulsion methods, using sails to catch high winds, and utilizing Fire Magic thrusters. They are relatively rare, only owned and operated by Militaries, governments, and corporations. Only the richest of the rich can afford them as personal transports, with less than 10 of such in existence. The large expense is mainly due to advanced skill required to craft its floatation machines , and the exorbitant Seikitan consumption needed to maintain the magic within.
Airships are used by both military and civilian organizations, with civilian uses focusing on the bulk delivery of express mail. Mail Airships are able to make up the cost of the airship by transporting letters and packages in bulk with specific high demand routes. The sheer size of mail airships cargo space, will typically make it be affordable to even much of the middle class.
Dedicated passenger airships are exceptionally rare, with most wealthy passengers having to book with mail airships if they can tolerate conditions and cost. While diplomats and political leaders will occasionally be transported by military airships.
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