Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)

Sure I can cover this in the next update, though it should be said the normal case for Harry is not something we see in the novels or even the short stories. A normal case is more like 'I lost my lucky key chain at X event, can you help me find it mister wizard?' He does not actually pay the bills by playing hero.

Of course he does struggle to pay the bills because as it turns out most of his effort on long term improvement is on the daring do. So if I understand the question correctly it's more 'how does the last case compare to a normal case with dad?' Since if Michael is in on something than you know it is the 'fun' kind of case.

In one of Jim Butcher's Q&A sessions, he said that Harry spent about twenty hours a week maintaining his various enchanted items, which was why he didn't make more, and why some things were dropped, as Harry couldn't afford the up-keep.
 
[X] Offer to sit down and write down some of the stuff Usum knows which the White Council might not, that should segue into talking to Bob nicely, knowledge for knowledge but you will make sure he gets the better deal
-[X] STUNT: "Really." You draw the word out as you arch an eyebrow at him. "You remember I can look, right?" You let a beat pass, and a second as he struggles to hold his poker face, and then sigh theatrically. "This conversation isnt over, but we'll shelve it for the moment." You move to the sofa and take a seat, with one leg curled underneath you. "Anyway, magic. I find that I know a lot of......stuff now, and I have an advisor upstairs" you tap your temple meaningfully "who is an authority on esoterica that Im reasonably sure the White Council doesnt know about, but he's several centuries out of date at least." You make puppy eyes at him. "Trade?"
 
In one of Jim Butcher's Q&A sessions, he said that Harry spent about twenty hours a week maintaining his various enchanted items, which was why he didn't make more, and why some things were dropped, as Harry couldn't afford the up-keep.

That is fair, but not quite the point I was making which is that most of those enchantments are only really relevant in the sort of life and death situations that show up in the books or similar. Some stuff like the duster makes sense to keep on him at all times, but something like Little Chicago? That is way overkill for most lost and find cases
 
Kind of surprised we're not using an excellency for the meme value of inhumanly good puppy dog eyes. :V

Edit:

Forgot to vote
[X] Uju32


Really." You draw the word out as you arch an eyebrow at him. "You remember I can look, right?" You let a beat pass, and a second as he struggles to hold his poker face, and then sigh theatrically. "This conversation isnt over, but we'll shelve it for the moment."
Incidentally, this is a certified Charity moment; Harry might start having flashbacks or something if we're not careful.
 
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Ok, vote closed, looks like we are going to be offering lore over new electronic friends
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Dec 7, 2022 at 1:33 AM, finished with 64 posts and 22 votes.

  • [X] Offer to sit down and write down some of the stuff Usum knows which the White Council might not, that should segue into talking to Bob nicely, knowledge for knowledge but you will make sure he gets the better deal
    -[X] STUNT: "Really." You draw the word out as you arch an eyebrow at him. "You remember I can look, right?" You let a beat pass, and a second as he struggles to hold his poker face, and then sigh theatrically. "This conversation isnt over, but we'll shelve it for the moment." You move to the sofa and take a seat, with one leg curled underneath you. "Anyway, magic. I find that I know a lot of......stuff now, and I have an advisor upstairs" you tap your temple meaningfully "who is an authority on esoterica that Im reasonably sure the White Council doesnt know about, but he's several centuries out of date at least." You make puppy eyes at him. "Trade?"
    [X] Offer to get him a working computer/TV or any other electronic he might want by means if HMP instead
    -[X] "If you won't let me pay you with money, let's trade in trade. You used your magic and powers to help me, so it's only fair that I return the favor. A laptop and a smart phone. That's like, the minimum if you want to do modern PI work. If you don't complain I'll even throw in an overhaul of your fuse box and get the power turned back on. Think about it Dresden, electric lights, hot water in your shower...
    [X] Sit down and write down some of the stuff Usum knows which the White Council might not, that should segue into talking to Bob nicely, knowledge for knowledge but you will make sure he gets the better deal
    -[X] STUNT: "I also wanted to sit down and to compare notes as it was. I have a lot of knowledge, and can get a lot more. I think we both will benefit from comparing what we know".
    [X] Offer to get him a working computer/TV or any other electronic he might want by means if HMP instead
    -[X]"Well I'm not a fey, but by my thinking if you gave up your debt from the summer lady to save me then logically that means that debt effectively transfers to me. And not to toot my horn too much that is bargain deal on your part." Sidelong look "Or if you won't let me pay you back directly I can see about paying off your debt to Mab."
    [X] Offer to get him a working computer/TV or any other electronic he might want by means if HMP instead
    -[X] Write in Stunt:
    [X] Offer to get him a working computer/TV or any other electronic he might want by means if HMP instead
    - [X] "It's your job? Fine, well I am going into the family business, so if you see anything that deserves the attention of a Carpenter you should give me a call. On that note, I'm getting you a phone, so you can make that call. No, don't argue. You know what both of us do as our real job is too important to compromise. You being able to call me at a moment's notice could mean the difference between Chicago having another sleepy night or disaster.
 
Well, if we get fivefold courts of Fate as the Kingdom (or whatever kingdom we get incorporates my SUTRA write-in idea), we could offer those to Harry so he could attune his devices to his own soul.
 
Interesting idea, but:
1) 100Mo is only 9.6% of natural isotopic content of Mo. So, add a step and make it 200$ per kg. That's not the issue, the issue is time it takes to do isotope separation. I wasn't able to find the data for Mo, and data for U is most probably classified, but that isn't a fast process.
2) 100Mo is transmuted into 101Ru, not the natural isotopic content. We need a further reaction to transform it into 102Ru, which is probably done via 101Ru(p,d)102Ru reaction (it was the only one I was able to find). This takes time, produces a lot of radiation (which would cause activation of all materials around us and probably kill our family), and most likely has separate reactions going on (i.e. the output is below 100% 102 Ru, with a lot of other nuclear products which has to be separated from the output).
3) 103Ru transmutes to 103Rh with a lifetime of 35 days. Assuming that we get a 5 time rate increase for a natural decay, where we don't actively affect the material at all (arguable), it's still 35 days of constantly running TTC to make 103 Rh non-radioctive (it is generally considered safe after 5 to 10 half-lifes to handle radioactive material).
4) The price of Rh is very non-stable. It is in fact the most unstable precious metal on Earth.
5) The amount of attention this will bring to us is much higher than diamond production. A very smart high schooler could, in principle, make a CVD installation in their parents' garage and work out a revolutionary production method. But elemental transmutation and isotopically pure rare metals is definitely nuclear stuff. Assuming that radiation detectors around Chicago won't pick it up, resellers will have a lot more questions for us.

Iridium to platinum is possible, but not very profitable. Unless we build a radiation-resistant bunker where we will store the material as it decays, we could only use 193ir. It has isotopic abundance of 62.7% sharply cutting into our profit margins.

These are interesting ideas, and nuclear-forged Rhodium would + synthetic gems would be rad materials for jewelry crafting (very small market, but very high price; probably present it to someone like Mab or someone else to demonstrate our supreme mastery of craftsmanship), but they remain much less feasible than gem making or jewelry making using normal materials.
1)Electromagnetic separation seems feasible.
The normal constraints of safety, power consumption and heat dissipation dont really apply with Exalted charmtech.

2)101Ru is a stable ruthenium isotope.
You sell that on the open market, use the proceeds to buy natural ruthenium, and extract the roughly one third that's 102Ru.
Then you turn that isotope into 103Ru, which decays via the release of beta radiation into 103Rho.

3)Halflife of 35 days just means dumping the isotopes at the bottom of a large body of water for 5-10 halflives until its done decaying. We have Boiling Sea Mastery, and we live on the shores of a lake. Alternatively, hire the services of a chronomancer to set up a ritual to accelerate the passage of time in a room/safe in Undertown, stuff it in there for a month and lock the door.

4)Rhodium's volatility would only matter if it ever dropped below the price of gold. It hasnt in the last 25 years.
Palladium prices are a decent standin for gold.
And 2006/2007 is apparently a boom market for rhodium.

5) No precious metal dealer I have heard of does assays for isotopic composition, just purity.
If we're feeling particularly paranoid about isotopic purity being an issue, we can buy refined rhodium bars on the market, mix it with ours, resmelt and resell it.

6)We fabbed carbon nanotubes inside our house when we were making Ebon Scales.
We ran five diamond producing machines in an outdoor garage without special cooling to handle all the waste heat. We have TLF.
I think its safe to assume that our charms handle stuff like radiation just fine.

I expect Molly to be paranoid about it, and not to do it at home.
But I dont expect to have any radiation leak outside the fabrication process.

7)Like I said upthread?
You buy natural iridium, extract the isotopic fraction you need and resell the remainder.
Then transmute the isotope.
The important question to ask about money making is "how much money do we need and what for?".

I would argue that we don't need more than a couple of million for now, if at all. My reasoning is this:
1) We won't need money for long-range transportation once we have RVD. We would only need in-country transportation to areas which we can't reach via rivers or oceans / seas. That, at most, requires, thirty grand for a given large country, if we want private fast transportation.
2) Every stuff that can be done online is going to be done via cyberdevils, who we will likely raise to 5 dots at some point. So, we only need a lawyer on retainer. But we need a good one. Probably several actually.
3) We want our family to live a comfortable life. That shouldn't take more than 50k per month, likely significantly less.
4) Once we get our kingdom, and have a good lawyer firm on retainer, money won't be an issue at all via all the patents, and media rights we will be getting. We will likely get our kingdom within a year.

So, I think we need at most a couple of million dollars. Meaning, win the lottery goddamn, and then only do crafting for personal wonders and plot, not for money.
-We arent likely to be getting any patents or media rights from our Hell.
We have a pressing requirement to be lowkey, which is not improved by legal filings about high profile processes.
I would not bet on any such thing in the mortal world. At least not in the West.

-I believe Ive done the math before here. My estimates would be:
6 siblings x 2 mill: 12 mill
2 parents x 4 mill: 8 mill
Rosie x 3 mill: 3 mill
Dresden : 2 mill
Murphy : 2 mill
Thomas: 2 mill (may substitute with diamonds or precious metals, because he has the connections to launder them)
Tithe 5-7 mill

Expenditure <36 million
Remainder ~34 million

Im aiming at leaving Molly with around 35 million, which should translate to somewhere between Resources 4 and Resources 5.
Not sure how much its going to eventually cost in Resources to raise that Dragons Nest from 0 to 5.
Or to cater for any minions we happen to pickup in Undertown. But I assume it wont be cheap.

Kind of surprised we're not using an excellency for the meme value of inhumanly good puppy dog eyes. :V
Incidentally, this is a certified Charity moment; Harry might start having flashbacks or something if we're not careful.
Its canon that Molly reminds him of her mother in looks all the time.
If she wasnt so insistent in styling herself opposite, with dyed hair and tattoos and grungy clothing, it would be more than

And tbh I get the impression that Charity intimidated him a little when he was younger, and he's never quite grown out of it.
Canon Molly and her crush have been working against the penalties of his having known her as a kid, having trained her as an apprentice AND her looking very much like Charity. :V
 
No precious metal dealer I have heard of does assays for isotopic composition, just purity.
If we're feeling particularly paranoid about isotopic purity being an issue, we can buy refined rhodium bars on the market, mix it with ours, resmelt and resell it.
The density of an isotopically pure metal would be detectably different from natural isotope composition one. That is likely to get noticed and lead to further investigation.

Electromagnetic separation seems feasible.
The normal constraints of safety, power consumption and heat dissipation dont really apply with Exalted charmtech.
We aren't limited by those, but might be limited by size. I'll have to get my old lectures (because electromagnetic separators are part of what I was taught), and run the numbers.


6)We fabbed carbon nanotubes inside our house when we were making Ebon Scales.
We ran five diamond producing machines in an outdoor garage without special cooling to handle all the waste heat. We have TLF.
I think its safe to assume that our charms handle stuff like radiation just fine.
Sorry, but no, this is completely different. Atomic position rearrangement and transmutation ate two very different beasts. And while this is likely to be safe for Molly, I wouldn't bey on it being safe for her family.


We arent likely to be getting any patents or media rights from our Hell.
We have a pressing requirement to be lowkey, which is not improved by legal filings about high profile processes.
I would not bet on any such thing in the mortal world. At least not in the West
Suffice to say I very strongly disagree and feel that not going down this road robs js of too many benefits.
 
The density of an isotopically pure metal would be detectably different from natural isotope composition one. That is likely to get noticed and lead to further investigation.
No it wouldnt.
Dealers test for purity, not isotopic composition. For example, see
www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com

Precious Metals Testing | The Key to Determining Precious Metal Quality

Discover a guide to precious metals testing standards, examples of how tests are performed to determine quality, including pictures and video. Learn about the color test, acid test, heft test, magnetism test, touchstone test, fire assay test, torch test, x-ray test, electronic tests, among others.

Note that spectrometers arent standard equipment, and focused on identifying elemental composition, not isotopic.
You overestimate the intellectual curioisty, and frankly the equipment available to your average precious metals dealer

We aren't limited by those, but might be limited by size. I'll have to get my old lectures (because electromagnetic separators are part of what I was taught), and run the numbers
Charmtech gives no fucks.
Its not constrained by the size and volume limits of the original gear, especially given that the charm's thematics draw on a more advanced techbase for reference material.

Sorry, but no, this is completely different. Atomic position rearrangement and transmutation ate two very different beasts. And while this is likely to be safe for Molly, I wouldn't bey on it being safe for her family.
Strongly disagree.

The process of fabbing multiple artificial gemstones would have in any halfway real scenario be dumping multiple megajoules of waste heat into an outdoor garage with no cooling.
Nevermind the process of fabbing carbon nanotubes in useful quantities indoors without murdering the household.

The fact that nothing happened is proof positive of something we've always known:
Exalted charmtech makes physics curl up and cry in a corner.

That doesnt make the end product safe.
If your endproducts are radioactive isotopes, they will still be radioactive, and its on you to put them in safe storage.
But it does mean that the fabrication process itself will be safe, and leave no lingering contaminants.
Suffice to say I very strongly disagree and feel that not going down this road robs js of too many benefits.
Agree to disagree.
The juice is very much not worth the squeeze in my opinion.
 
Winning Vote
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Dec 7, 2022 at 1:33 AM, finished with 64 posts and 22 votes.

  • [X] Offer to sit down and write down some of the stuff Usum knows which the White Council might not, that should segue into talking to Bob nicely, knowledge for knowledge but you will make sure he gets the better deal
    -[X] STUNT: "Really." You draw the word out as you arch an eyebrow at him. "You remember I can look, right?" You let a beat pass, and a second as he struggles to hold his poker face, and then sigh theatrically. "This conversation isnt over, but we'll shelve it for the moment." You move to the sofa and take a seat, with one leg curled underneath you. "Anyway, magic. I find that I know a lot of......stuff now, and I have an advisor upstairs" you tap your temple meaningfully "who is an authority on esoterica that Im reasonably sure the White Council doesnt know about, but he's several centuries out of date at least." You make puppy eyes at him. "Trade?"
    [X] Offer to get him a working computer/TV or any other electronic he might want by means if HMP instead
    -[X] "If you won't let me pay you with money, let's trade in trade. You used your magic and powers to help me, so it's only fair that I return the favor. A laptop and a smart phone. That's like, the minimum if you want to do modern PI work. If you don't complain I'll even throw in an overhaul of your fuse box and get the power turned back on. Think about it Dresden, electric lights, hot water in your shower...
    [X] Sit down and write down some of the stuff Usum knows which the White Council might not, that should segue into talking to Bob nicely, knowledge for knowledge but you will make sure he gets the better deal
    -[X] STUNT: "I also wanted to sit down and to compare notes as it was. I have a lot of knowledge, and can get a lot more. I think we both will benefit from comparing what we know".
    [X] Offer to get him a working computer/TV or any other electronic he might want by means if HMP instead
    -[X]"Well I'm not a fey, but by my thinking if you gave up your debt from the summer lady to save me then logically that means that debt effectively transfers to me. And not to toot my horn too much that is bargain deal on your part." Sidelong look "Or if you won't let me pay you back directly I can see about paying off your debt to Mab."
    [X] Offer to get him a working computer/TV or any other electronic he might want by means if HMP instead
    -[X] Write in Stunt:
    [X] Offer to get him a working computer/TV or any other electronic he might want by means if HMP instead
    - [X] "It's your job? Fine, well I am going into the family business, so if you see anything that deserves the attention of a Carpenter you should give me a call. On that note, I'm getting you a phone, so you can make that call. No, don't argue. You know what both of us do as our real job is too important to compromise. You being able to call me at a moment's notice could mean the difference between Chicago having another sleepy night or disaster.
 
Arc 4 Post 9: On Paths Arcane
On Paths Arcane

1st of August 2006 A.D.

"Really." You draw the word out as you arch an eyebrow at him. "You remember I can look, right?"

For a moment he struggles to hold his poker face, then he lets it slip looking not the least sheepish for the whole thing. "You won't, there's only so many questions you can ask and I don't think Warden salaries are the most interesting thing you could look for are they?" Harry fires back, leaning a little on the wall behind him. He sounds way more confident than you would be in his place. Truth be told if you knew someone could ask those kind of questions about you whenever they wanted you would be more than a little creeped out. Does that mean Harry is more trusting than me or just that he trusts me specifically?

Hopefully that trust will hold to other things as well. You take a seat on the sofa, one leg curled beneath you, in a position that has been called catlike. If Harry has any objection to you commandeering his furniture he does not show it of course he also does not show any particular interest either in spite of all the people who called it catlike having been boys.

Maybe because he's not a boy Molly. Stupid lack of confidence, shut up.

"Anyway, magic. I find that I know a lot of... stuff now, and I have an advisor upstairs" you tap your temple meaningfully "who is an authority on esoterica that I'm reasonably sure the White Council doesn't know about, but he's several centuries out of date at least." You try for your best puppy dog eyes, maybe those would work. "Trade?"

"Molly you can't just... Bob knows a lot of dangerous things, not just to use, but even to know. Even I don't ask Bob for asnwers unless I have an actual problem that needs solving, I don't just sit down with him and ask for the firehose of enlightenment."

"The firehose of enlightenment?" There is no way not to laugh at the mental image. "I know some things that are probably dangerous to know as well. Like that thing in Cleveland. I could probably summon one of those if I sat down enough and dredged up the right name. I know the names of a thousand accursed shen, the spirit-folk of the Middle Kingdom and beyond, I know the true names of the Yama Kings, enough to conjure by at least, I know how to tap the blood of the world-dragon that flows through its many veins for power. I have seen with dreaming eyes what dwells beneath the sea where the light of sun and moon does not reach and I know the dark secrets buried under the roots of mountains, never meant to be woken."

By the end you are not sure if it it you or Usum that is speaking, in truth you do not think it matters. You know that which you know.

Harry does not look like he is in a joking mood anymore and there is a part of you that regrets that, that wants to laugh along with him at the silly similes and pop culture references, but if he will ever take you seriously he has to understand.

"Remember those glyphs I used to help Arawn?" you ask softly.

"I'd rather not." He looks away as if not seeing you would banish the memory, but you get up and walk around him.

"Harry this is what I am now, Molly Carpenter yes, still by father's daughter and my mother's, dad says I got the stubbornness from her." A small smile slits across your face. "But I am also the girl who can make diamonds and breathe at the bottom of the sea who can see the mind of the Queen of Air and Darkness with a glance, who remembers things I have never done from a time before there were fey or Yama Kings. I want to help, but I can only be in one place at one time so getting this knowledge out is my way to leverage the gift I have been given while also gaining tools to touch the magic of the world with a finesse than a hurricane."

You are not quite sure when you had started floating, but you are definitely hovering a few inches off the floor by the time you are done. You are about to open your mouth to apologize when Harry says: "You know that is very hard to do, practically impossible with the magic I'm familiar with, pretty subtle if you ask me. There is no way to tell how much Bob can teach you, how much would be useful given the way your magic has changed. I mean you've already found one kind that you can definitely use with Brother Divsimar, that is more than most people cal learn all on its own."

That's... a lot more persuasive than talking about the danger you have to admit. You still remember with faint dread that time in junior high you tried to take ballet, volleyball and piano all at the same time, not even because your parents made you like some kids, but just because you had not internalized what 'time management' was yet and you wanted to prove that you could do it all. Turns out you couldn't.

"Recall your own advice Majesty, you are not what you were, exceptional as the life of your First Breath doubtless was," Usum whispers in the back of your mind.

You shake your head. "If it does not work that's on me, long talks about theoretical allocations of magic sound like a fun way to spend my time anyway."

Even had your eyes been less sharpened by otherworldly insight there is no way you could have missed the the resignation in Harry's sigh, a disappointing as attitudes go, at least until you look more closely into his eyes and see in there the gleam of curiosity that mirrors your own. You do not become a wizard without some appreciation for the weirder side of existence you reason and you are really, really weird, proud of it too.

"What do you want to learn?"

[] Alchemy, you already have a start on it of a sort thanks to the unwilling donations of Rhys and the Fomori

[] Divination, the last month has given you a very sharp understanding of the value of information, bu there are still limitations on how much you can learn about any given subject and learning more about it could also help you teach Rosie

[] Enchantment, as skilled as you may be in mundane crafting you will eventually strike the limits of what matter alone can provide so why not learn the weaving of spirit into substance?

[] Healing, one of the most demanding and complex fields of magic as well as one in which Bob has limited experience, but if you can master this it might be a boon beyond price in battle alongside allies less tough than yourself

[] Oneiromancy, the the art of shaping dreams could be of the most direct use in helping Rosie with her nightmares and even help with your own.

[] Shadowcasting, you already have an affinity for shadows, drawn as it might be from a fell place, being able to invoke the dark more readily would be of use in battle and out of it

[] Summoning, warding and binding, selling this one to Harry will probably be the hardest...but if you can though. You remember all too well the fear and awe saw reflected in the gaze of the Pathfinder 'nurse' and of vampires subtle and overt, a useful thing in negotiating even with dark spirits more powerful than your electronic friends (Requires additional Persuasion rolls)


OOC: The Path of Hellfire is technically something Bob can teach, but it is just not a option right now, Harry would not allow it no matter how good your arguments are. Also since I know it's going to be asked, you cannot really teach warding without teaching summoning and binding at least not to Molly, she knows too much about demons already. Shapeshifting is something Bob knows about but cannot teach, it's too physical and in opposition to his nature. I have not forgotten that conversation about how cases compared, but it did not fit into the flow of the conversation, I'll have it done next update.
 
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[X] Enchantment, as skilled as you may be in mundane crafting you will eventually strike the limits of what matter alone can provide so why not learn the weaving of spirit into substance?

This or Alchemy, but I prefer this because it synergises with our data demon buddies.
 
[X] Alchemy, you already have a start on it of a sort thanks to the unwilling donations of Rhys and the Fomori
 
Charmtech gives no fucks.
Its not constrained by the size and volume limits of the original gear, especially given that the charm's thematics draw on a more advanced techbase for reference material.
This is very much untrue. TTC is "the best technologically possible, but 5-10 times faster". Even if it was, it's a matter of physics, not technology (I'll write it out later).


No it wouldnt.
Dealers test for purity, not isotopic composition. For example, see
Isotopically pure metals will fail heft test. Or, rather, it would fail the weighting test. The density of the material is going to be different than normal. Normally this would be due to impurities. This would be tested for, and those tests would return "chemically pure" result. Which would prompt further questions
 
[] Summoning, warding and binding, selling this one to Harry will probably be the hardest...but if you can though. You remember all too well the fear and awe saw reflected in the gaze of the Pathfinder 'nurse' and of vampires subtle and overt, a useful thing in negotiating even with dark spirits more powerful than your electronic friends (Requires additional Persuasion rolls)
This one that would allow us to open portals into and out of the Nevernever, right?
 
[X] Alchemy, you already have a start on it of a sort thanks to the unwilling donations of Rhys and the Fomori

Magical materials for crafting is alchemy. Potion of "only need 1 hour of sleep per night" is alchemy (and only 2 dots at that). Stat bonus potions is alchemy.

We definitely want alchemy.
 
[X] Enchantment, as skilled as you may be in mundane crafting you will eventually strike the limits of what matter alone can provide so why not learn the weaving of spirit into substance?
 
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