ANDERS MAGE PAGE 2.0

The destructive force embodied by paradox is one little understood and disastrously exploited. However, under the proper conditions, this energy may be harnessed and even brought to bear on our enemies. Of all things, paradox is that to which no mage is immune, even the Technocracy cannot escape its wrath. Why, then, do we run from its power? In our constant battle, it seems to me only logical to exploit this amazing energy in any way possible. Thus, I wish to introduce the Paradox Bomb to the prestigious interests of Paradigma and its readers. Although full testing has yet to be completed, the prototypes work much better than ever expected and have saved myself and my colleagues from death a number of times already.

The original prototype was designed and built by a yet unknown predecessor, now deceased. I purchased the materials, research, and experimental data from his widow long after his passage and managed to continue his work. The basis for his design was to build a device that would siphon ethereal energies from its surroundings and perform a task so impossible that the paradoxical backlash would destroy it. It was a very simple device, merely an old toaster that, when activated, excited surplus nitrogen gases into a plasma state. This obvious impossibility would cause a plasma-fueled explosion of appreciable magnitude, destroying most anything within its range. As efficient as this may sound, numerous problems were revealed in time.

Primarily, the device was rather useless as anything but a method of committing arson due to the difficulty of locating an outlet in emergency situations. Secondly, the amount of time allotted between the activation and destruction of the device was barely sufficient to escape the blast radius. Any delay would prove quite deadly. Finally, the latter incarnations of the Technocracy’s Hit Marks proved too resilient to the device. The plasma assuredly revealed the endoskeleton but was quite useless beyond that. Fortunately, the mere impossibility of the mechanical monster caused a paradox reaction that sufficiently disabled it.

With the disappointment of the first prototype, I began to design a better, more reliable method of producing similar effects. After a number of disappointments, I began to rethink my strategy. Following in the old man’s footsteps, I had attempted to create a mechanism or electronic device that would defy the accepted laws of the universe so blatantly that it could not possibly be allowed to exist after activation. I tried numerous power sources: batteries, solar cells, springs, flywheels and motion generators. Only after I had expended a number of options did I realize my flaw.

With some assistance, I managed to imbue a substance with the ability to siphon ethereal energies, called quintessence by some, from whatever it struck. It then converted that energy to kinetic and amplified the energy with which it struck the object. I had inadvertently created "flubber." My associate managed to stumble across the necessary next step in the design as he was exploring the field of universal gravitation on his own. Through some complex equations, he managed to derive a formula that allowed an object to ignore all but the gravitational force of one object in the universe. I believe he had been attempting the creation of dark matter or perhaps even a miniature black hole at the time, but upon showing me the principle that he had discovered, I realized instantly the connection between his work and mine.

To produce the desired effects, we added a thick coat of flubber to the exterior of a super high bouncy ball and applied the gravitational cancellation, or free-body, equations to the apparatus. Our initial tests were a success. The device fell straight towards the intended target, now the only source of gravity in its universe. Unfortunately, since the target was an empty paint can, the trip was quite long. Over the period of two weeks, our device managed to beat several small dimples into the target before the paradox reaction caused it to vaporize. It was obvious that something more was needed.

The realm of forces is a bit of a specialty for me, so the solution to this problem was immensely obvious. Our second test device had a spherical steel core with a small electromagnetic gyroscope. This served two purposes. First, the sphere acted as a storage device for the ethereal energies required by both the flubber and the free-body theory. The gyro would reorient the device so that its kinetic energy would be directed back towards the target. A mixture of the rubbery plastic used for the super high bouncy balls and the uncharged flubber was shaped into a sphere around the steel core. This homogenous mixture ensured that the kinetic and ethereal energies would be uniformly distributed throughout the device. Replicas of this model were made before testing. We were very pleased with the results.

Every good mage knows that in order to exist, an object must contain appreciable quanta of ethereal energy: everything has or contains quintessence. The Order of Hermes is particularly fond of removing that energy and allowing the object's pattern to degrade into chaos. Said object then becomes little more than dust. The Paradox Bomb has a similar effect. The flubber automatically removes quintessence from the object struck, and that energy is used to fuel the device. The device then directs itself back towards the target, defying the natural laws of gravitation and conservation of energy in the process. Paradox begins to mount against the device, even as it destabilizes the pattern of its target. In certain instances, like those involving inanimate objects as the target, the quintessence of the target is absorbed before the paradox reaction destroys the device. Once the pattern of the target dissipates, the target acquisition protocols are unable to locate the assigned target, and the device becomes inert.

Initially, twenty copies of the working device were made and a second master copy was built according to the original specifications. Currently, there are fewer than ten in existence. A number of impromptu tests have been conducted with the spheres, with subjects ranging from iron doors to hostile Sleepers to even more hostile magi. The device has even been brought to bear against a Series Four Hit Mark, although a number of the devices were necessary to defeat the machine.

It will be only a matter of time before my complete findings and testing information will be available for publication. Until that time, my colleagues and I will continue to debug and improve the existing design. My hope is to one day make this item available to all of the Sons of Ether and eventually, to all those oppressed by the Technocracy. My associate has even suggested a "catchier" name than the Paradox Bomb, for marketing purposes: the Paradox Death Orb. I think it a bit much.

My Best to the Committee,
Thomas A. Morris