Minq Tech

  Jo Ban Jano, hands clasped behind his back, stared out the cloudscraper window, regarding his grandchild's reflection in the glass. "It begins."   "The scramble for the remaining aquatheerdaal?" Shara asked.   "Yes. The Heirs have reports that indicate within the next five years, Theyndora's supply will dwindle to nothing. This will be a problem for the Minq, as we rely on the mineral as much as the empire to fuel our weapons."   "What do you want me to do?"   "The scientists I hired have a replacement candidate. I'd like you to move their lab to Jilvayna. The Heirs are getting a bit too nosy, and I'd rather have a working prototype in hand before they demand I hand over the research."   "Alright." She raised an eyebrow at the choice. "Defiance isn't your strong suit."   He smiled. "Not until now."  

 

The Problem

  With mines depleted, the supply of aquatheerdaal, the mineral that powered tech on the continents of Pelthine, Siindernorth and Theyndora, dwindled rapidly. Governments frantically searched for a replacement, without much success. They focused on a power source that could work with extant tech because they did not want to develop replacement machines and devices. Jo Ban Jano believed that was foolish.   While other theerdaala minerals, in theory, could work in the extant tech, all created problems aquatheerdaal did not have, and tended to destroy, rather than power, devices. Jo Ban believed the solution was to look outside the theerdaala minerals for a new source, rather than harp on old ideas that did not work.  

 

Drafen

  Drafen had schooled at the most expensive Dentherion universities, but found his interest in joining the Second Council after his father retired waning. He wanted something more from life than arguing about how best to loot the puppet states.   As he held degrees in military modding techniques and advanced weaponry, he hooked up with a college mate, Sils, and helped him with his underground modding business. Sils not only modded weapons, he implanted tech in people, and Drafen expanded his hands-on education dramatically working for him.   Through happenstance, many of the humans he modded were from the Minq Syndicate, and Jo Ban became aware of him by way of mouth. The Minq terrboss was looking for someone of Drafen's education to help with a personal project he had, and Drafen accepted his offer.   With funds from Jo Ban's personal accounts, he began researching alternatives to aquatheerdaal in a secret lab found in a not-so-nice neighborhood of Trave.  

The task was more difficult than Drafen first assumed. His attempts with other theerdaala family minerals failed in aquatheerdaal-oriented tech. Needing to broaden his thinking after the unfortunate ka-boom of his lab and the building resting above it (keltaitheerdaal was not as stable as he assumed), he conducted research into other potential sources.   Several history books, Siindernorth surveys and Taangin Empire scientific studies later, Drafen thought he had a candidate. Rubaastide.  

 

Rubaastide

  Rubaastide was a red-hued mineral with many enchanting properties; it was purer, conductive, handled heat without exploding, did not stain the tech casing. The more Drafen and his ever-expanding team worked with it, the more promising it looked.   While initially upset about the move to Jilvayna, once he realized he had more freedom to experiment, he dove into more fantastic uses, including creating new tech weapons not attuned to aquatheerdaal.   In the end, Drafen and his team developed a range of weaponry that worked with rubaastide and its mineral family, aastide. As he was the first in centuries to employ it in tech, deposits were easier to find and exploit.  

 

Weapons

  Drafen and his team created four classes of weapons, with subclasses added as necessary. All the tech fell under blades, handhelds, shoulderhelds, and canons.   Blades were either unbroken beams or enhanced steel weapons (in puppet countries, as tech was outlawed, most syndicate shanks used knives, swords, and polearms. Adding to these traditional weapons helped hide the tech in plain sight).   Handhelds were firearms that fit in the palm. The range was phenomenal, but the power backing the beams dwindled the further they went, so they were considered close-range weapons.   The shoulderhelds were firearms with a longer barrel, and ranged from light rifles meant to hit one target at a time, to heavy, shoulder-mounted tech that blew everything within reach into the Pit.   Canons were any mounted weapon. The Minq attached them to carts, wagons, boats, and the tech vehicles they purchased in Dentheria.   As no one else (that they knew of) had developed a viable alternative to aquatheerdaal weapons, Jo Ban expected Drafen's work to elevate the Minq and the rebels, and make them untouchable for the near future.