Leonardo Da Vinci - Lost Notebooks

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a

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INTRODUCTION

.....I3 The Theory of Harnessing Magick ....14

The Nature of Magickal Energies

Magick Through Mechanical Contrivance ....................... .I6 Miscellany and Addenda ............I8

BOOK ONE: 1495

...............20

Infundibulum Potentia (Draining Engine) ................. .21 Imagum Illusorius (Optical Illusion Engine) ............25 Imagum Melos (Auditorial Illusion Engine) .........28 Ingenum Infernus (Inferno Engine) .30

.

Ingenium Frigidus (Glacial Engine)

BOOK TWO: 1496

. .32

..............36

Ingenium Fascium (Imprisonment Engine) Ingenium Gnocereus (Intellect Embodiment Engine) .............. .39

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Ingenium Auditorius (Clairaudience Engine) ..............41 Ingenium Vedereum (ClairvoyanceEngine) .............-43

BOOK THREE: 1497

............47

Ingenium Meteoricus (Weather Engine). ..................48 Ingenium Alchymia (Alchemical Engine) ....... Ingenium Deflexus (E thereal Interference Engine) ............... -52

BOOK FOUR: 1498

.............55 ...

Imagum Somnus (Dream Engine) .56 Ingenium Insanus (Madness Engine) .58 Ingenum Vaderus (Imparted Motion Engine) ....................61

BOOKFIVE: 1499

..............66

poralis (Temporal Engine) 67 Ingenium Integrita (Integrity Engine) ..................

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Ingenium Sustentaculus (Li Sustenance Engine) " . ........... Ingenium Curareus (Healing Engine) .. Ingenium Phlogiston (Levitation Engine)

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,

.............74

BOOK SIX: 1500

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Via Peregreus (Dimensional Engine) Ingenium Perplexus (Cipher Engin

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Ingenium Ma (Magnetic Force Engine

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Censurum Veraceus Ingenium Confunderus

Ingenium Tulmultuosus (Earthshaker Engine) ....... Dissolventum Universalis

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Testudo ElementaIis (Elemental Engine) ........

I 1 I

SORCEROUS AUTOMATA IN THE GREAT GAME MAKING A SORCEROUS

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TIONS & GAME STATISTICS STAR IRO

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ONN&

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ile O Z O N ~ N N ~ O V ~

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sm a sim 31 ONYO YO ONNO? i r w i z & w w Qe s&ita?

sqib Nsd 9.cstoq NON , s v s i t s l

oi -SVO

NON

4sq s

b orurta4iCr . w s b

.&srlplla i e r u i i t l ~Hi ) olls~p s oieiq al

-siq

,0803

011Hi s

lot ib strmvorrei s ahajsqh otm'wph s ,oirkuorrie Ii nvqoe o ~ FUN mIS)^?: 01

'wp Ni imobrmpiq

sb~a4e01

3 .ail+

imotatsiv 0 1 2 9 ~ s~ aecn ONN&

S ~ N db P iNosNib , m s s c n + m mi i n s sim si

... stmaaddo sIh mdsrrst i-?

otae

im nvtesb

iezsrrcsaib iv ovtrisb 92 svkev 4sq 6'

ab 6 sNpNNbA av*sqzwq d .haei)-2svNiillsb i N p e N i ' l s t n s w o d q hiq air4 01 SLNPlsllsb oqmru ISN ,SNOPNN sNilqbaib s iNoirJJbavt SI sit& a akoqs*rq rsi.sole a1 QVONV~ie S I O N ~ afls~ ,irroisn+orcuib sllsb ibom i Ab ntwilqmneoibaq 4 9 ~ 2 9

.-is4 alisb o t t v n N p 1o3itmstnNv allsb otrmt NON Se guarderai le stelle savua raxzzi (comesi fa vederle per un piccolo fovo fatto

colla strema punta de la sottile acucchia,

e que1 post0 quasi a toccaw I'occhio),

tu vedrai esse stelle a s e r e tanto minime, &e nulla wsu pare -sere minore. veramente la lunga distanzia d A low ragionevole dimunizione, ancora &e molte vi sono, che son moltissime volte maggiore che la stella cV&l a terra colI'acqua. Ora pensa que1 che parrebbe qfiessa no* stella in tanta distanzia, e considera poi quante delle s i me+terebbe'e per longitudine e latitudime inpa seminate per esso spazio tenebvoso.

mondo, B dato per penetevuia

&e lor medesimi sivazino essa vita, e che MOM

possegghino la utilitb e bellezzza

del wondo.

the world about is in.fwed wi as my benefactor has increased his benevolence.

case has at last arrived, a n d just as

are my puvsuits,

Fov with g w t a-d pageantvs Ill\aximilian I, now the tIoly Roman &peror/

with the passing of Frederick 11, may he rest in peace, has indeed invested o u r g r a n d Lodovico Sforza with the Duchy of milano, gracious city of the Alps. At last, a duke,

and no longer a regent, to give Milano the place among the cities of the world as she s o richly d e s e r v e s . And 3 1mora, though born but a g r a n d s o n of a lowly condottiere, is how royalty, a n d 3 find p a t r o n a g e i s now greater, and also that renown for my

work among this Jtaly,

J

that his

have acquired greater

for 3 a m seen as one wo&y of being

by the illustvious House ofsforza, which is as it should be, as there i s not o n e whom 3find excels m e in any manner of avt or architecture, let

retained

alone industdous invention a n d such puvswits.

(2must also m a k e mention that he, that is, /2/la,ximilian 4 has faken for a bride B i a n c a maria Sforza. may fheir marriage be f;MiifuI a n d a joy to all. A n d speaking ofmarriages, &e sforza family has fltrher expanded their connec-

yet fail to fitlfill the intent for which 3 developed them, which, inescapablB indicates that my observations or deductions are at times found wanting.This 3 find most appalling, a n d thoroughly inexcusable. Fovtunately, the Duke is a patient man

with my dabblings.

h e covered chariot w a s the d e v i c e which most a p p e a l e d to the Duke, a n d the one upon which 3 e m b a r k e d most enthusiastically. hen at last J had completed construction of the first example of this

o p e n i n g s which allow

the opera-

o M t s i d e world.

J

my method of Orga

3

must be organized in this mannev of investigation, more so, J a d m i t , &an is my

usual wont, for J too readily allow my enthusiasm to overrun

work can suffer as J have learned anew with my invention

a n d stampede down my deliberation, a n d as a result my f k m oversights a n d ineficiency,

1I

the armored chariot. J s h a l l here, then, apply to myself an unaccustomed oPganization, that, while pursuing &is heretfore unexplored s c i e n e , J might avoid the glaring e r w r ofoverlooking significa in my haste to reach the ends. of

Tshusly shall

t

my newest

Codex be o r d e

The j v a h r e The Theory o f f l a m e s s i n /Mechanical ny

and Addenda

Tshere.POW J a m ovganized.

shall have to conduct m y researches careful

great circuma papal bull

spection, for His Holiness the Pope JnnocentV Summis Desiderantes condemning non-Church

witchcraft a n d sorcery only

ten years ago, a n d Stalians have a long memory, esp

11y &e pious ones, Jt

is tragic to see fear of the unknown impede the explo

n of same.Or pel.-

haps i t i s the abuses of s o m e self-styled practitiomers of black a&, the like of which abound in this superstitious 1 a n d . t h e s e unhallowed few bring unwarranted disgrace upon those of us who, with scientific reasonimg,

tion, a n d a clear conscience, Mnivevsal Force.2

a c M t e

percep-

seek to shed light upon

F o h n a t e l % the old goat was called ngregate Direct Superior a few years ago at the ripe old age of too long, so pevhaps this bull will not be prosecuted with as much energy as perhaps it would have befow. Jndeed J

have hopes that filexandervl will be a more curious a n d forgiving Pope. Mnfoviunatels old Rodrigo Borgia-no, he no longer exists, indeed c\e is now the pevfect filexandevVI-hhas already revised his Jnter cetera divina within by a n d large ignored a n y w a y . t h i s Pope may not have a significant impact o n history, despite appointing family membevs like his son Cesare to impovtant clergical posts. fit l e a s t so 3 hope, for 3find that those who impact histo

two months of i t s original pevfect incarnation, a n d i t w a s

in a n injurious manner. e that as it may, 3find 3have attr

the woman reputed to be a witch,

some atkention

a n d hen

inspections for the nonceu3 shall resume them wh m a d o n n a of the Rocks, a n d can move fL1l-y d

11 have to shelve these

3 have finished the madonna ofthe Rocks, a n d find now that the world i s at wa*tl?eTurkmen have invaded Hungary a n d Dalmatia.l%is

they did

long

took some time to arrive in these places. J n a similar mannev CharlesVI11 of F r a n c e has sent his h o p s against ztalia, a n d taken

since, although word

Rrenza a n d Roma. ttte

Pope is said to have

d to Castel Sant'Angelo. J a m glad for

it/ for

J

wodd not see the head ofthe church thhreatened.

TtE jVATURE OFjWAGJCK$IL E . E R G 3 E S udicious eFamination, a n d no small part of surreptitious and secre-

3

tive meetings with the woman from

the village, who at last, with s o m e plying of wine a M d gold, has condescended to share with m e some of her insights, although she has a tendency to stray +m the

swbject at hand, has demonstrated to my satisfaction that here are

indeed four facets

of the magickal powers which permeate the Gav&.Tlqis

as 3 had surmised, for the effervescence which

is

these powers eFude can b e

be offour slightly differingaspects, that i s color and vibrancy, and, for lack of a better word, taste, indicating that they indeed are separate manifes-

s e e n to

tations ofthis unknown a n d

3t is m y belief, a n d by w a t c e method with which these energies interact with the world abowt, that the best naming of these facets is &at they are hea~enl.2r, spiritual, natural, a n d mundane, this being the best eFplanation of the method by which God might cause these powers to b e apportioned among His creation.4

0, Mmxw&ly Power of t k c a w e w l y Delights eavenly power is that which flows from Heaven, borne upon

tL

angels, a n d connects the ea&

the wings

to the divine. J a m uncertain whether

or not the heavenly power may also be u s e d by the Deceiver a n d

his minions,

trapped between Heaven and Hell as though the poles of a magnet, o r whether the Lord smote S a t a n such that he and his angels m y no longer

be what divine spark remains within these paltry a n d sinfMl human shells. With the heavenly powers might one s u p e r s e d e &e limitations placed upon us by God as w e live within

touch the heavenly powevs. tleavenly powers may

His Creation, a n d perhaps even +avel to sit at +tis feet. Spiritual magicks are those which impinge directly upon

that eternal and

inviolate part

the human spirit,

of all of us, granted to us for our eternal salva-

tion by our Creator.'tt.\ehealth a n d state of our spirit i s of paramount import

to the health of o u r bodies, as c a n be demonstrated by the dilapidated position of hose most sinf..l a n d corrupt people, who then succumb to leprosy a n d other ailments. With spiritual magicks might one influence o r dominate the activities of the pevson.6

OMS

effovts of human o r

mechanical will u p o h ~e

magickal enevgies, preventing them from wnvaveling, as is their wont. Since hamans ate pc~ sessed of weukness

mechanical contvol of magickal energies

.

]MEctlfiJvJCfiL CON have studied ca~~?fLlly the manners in whi

of the manner in which Mzechanical devices might c w t e s w c k aberrations in the lines of magi&l fovce. mt e+*,

a s i t is most

illclsh.ative

-these ave some methods by which J believe we might be able to entangle &e magickal ene-ies such that they shall pvoduce unusual resulf~,for the w n t o r lines ofmagickal energy shall itself cause a contohaonofthe C m t i o n about tfieentanglement, and hence what might be termed an abnormal situation, al&ough magick is, itsel5 natwral. /Much as credting a n alchemical $re causes an abnormal heat, yet all is perfectly natural.

tion of natural

SOMI, nor COn-

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that the tireless appliccltion of the machine to the task shall be balanced discrimination, a n d that the result shall b e as efficacious as b e obtained by human will a l o n e . A n d 3 have no training in magick thvough the application ofthe will besides.

a n y as might

3do not believe that the magickal energies ave infinite in nature,

does the grass, there is never a n infinite supply of gwss for the harvesting, either. CJt is unfortunate that the in a given time. For although they may gvow,

AS

shall consume the magickal energies in the i y i m g of& o r what have you, and therefore that it shall be impossible

mechanical devices bindings, or knots,

to create a permanent magickal effect,for to have a building suppov+edaloft

all, a n d a sure construction to d r a w the curious from across the continent, and bolster trade. A n d intewst in my works shall be widespvead indeed. 11

o n ai5 by means of a magickal contrivance, would be most impressive to

jA~otherCovMlnissioM to paint a vendition of

The Last Supper.

monastery of S a n t a maria delle G r a z i e has asked, a n d

the sum he

wo.thY, especially in the service of these men ofGod. J find it somewhat amusing that they wish for me to pla painting in &e dining hall of their monasteT. Perhaps hey wish the that they dine with O u r Savior, o r pedqaps some of them prefer to think of their bvethven as 3udas. J a m certainly merely jed’ng, here. J p n d the monks most pious individuals, quite unlike h e i r spiritual leader, filexander VI. J look forward gveathas ofered is most

ly io this task,

for J s h a l l endeavor to exceed all my works gone before with

this one, for their benept a n d approbation.

they a r e suvely most

intelligent to

turn to me for such a decoration, as none is my compare.

d that the methods of powering the magickal mechanisms which all design a r e few indeed, especially when 3 co esirable that the method of power rely upon living creatures, like men, o r mules, o r the like. J have at my disposal water wheels, a n d clockwork springs, a n d muscular effovt as from a team of

ho-es.

And 3

have counterweights as well, which, with severe gearing and &e assistance of a clocksmith,

J

might be

able to g e n e r a t e a steady, though small, amount

f o r e for a lengthy period of time. Of these, only the clockspring larly suited to being moved abotct, a n d the water wh-I not at all.

of

3 shall have to create new methods of powering

is

particu-

these m a c

therance of my testing a n d experimentation.

3 visit from U M old f r i e m d icardo Del Cantone, the philosophe9 is in T=i home in Milano. Good old reliable Ricardo! How often w e sat upon the cout+yard a n d practiced o u r perception of the huma pipit bz) scrutinizing

It"

e first metho

c r e a t i o n of many knots of m a g i c k a l force, tying

them together by shall b e tied to

mechanical means, in a n e n d l e s s s u p p l y . T h e s e knots

have n o p a r t i c u l a r effects;at least 3 know not yet how to e n g a g e them with effect, however, by their creation, they shall deplete the magickal potential of the region, cofisuming the m a g i c k a l e n e r g i e s in a M s e l e s s fashion, much as a fire in the d a y t i m e burns scrap wood to n o use other than for its disposal.

( O F t Y C f i L Y U W Y O f l EJVG3flG) iven that J h a v e been

able to create an 3ngenium Solaris,

although indeed a faulty a n d short-lived version, for my own metallccrgical

skills, despite m y

learnings, are less than expert,

shall create e a c h of which

it should be possible, to create an ingenium which an entire image. Comprised of a series of Jngenia Solarii, contvibutes one portion

ofthe image,

a

shape and

projecting a certain color

light, each of which pieces is seen to provide a portion of the whole i m a g e . t h a t is, by carefLI arrangement of patches of light a n d color, a n entire

of

illt-tstration might

be made.

-temptation has arisen,

that J make my rendering of The Last Supper

such ingenia, instead of a standard painting. t h i s rendering to be more

will ceriainly

detailed, to have a more smoky

Cause

of

the

aspect, &an &e normal

the vision so created shall be of threedimensional nature, i t shall better appear that O u r L o r d w e r e seated with his twelve in the very dining hall, which shall be most pvofowndly moving, J a m fresco painting method. find, since

sure.

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the entirety of the image shall require a um, far beeer than J c a n possibly create here, Furthermore, i t i s doubtful

of the Pope,

that the monks,

take much time. disposed to follow the writs

a n d would

being

will tolerate such a piece of artwovk,

being magickally created.

J a m instead working with a new a n d experimental compound, of my o w n invention, a paint which shall allow me to take my time, a n d render t h e L a s t S u p p e r in g r e a t detail a n d realism, a n d with &e smoky pavor which others have found so appealing in my work. Fresco is

Of &kxgikaI r i e s o ~ u ~ c e eratea by the that the flare of light, or iIIum unraveling of one of these magickal knots, is c a u s e d by the magickal r e s o n a n c e of friction as the magickal lines of force pu a g a i n s t e a c h other, i s my belief

3

much as among mundane ropes, s u c h friction produ

the color of light so disposed a knot shall d e p e n d upon its shape, which is to say what additional shapes are bound into the knot, beyond the basic form which produces light. A n d the aspect of paleness or deepness of the light so produced . shall d e p e n d on how much extra of the lines is pulle which is to say, how much slack is afforded the kno or intensiv, or translucence of the light so created s the tightness of the magickal knot so bound. 3 to my best observations,

3 had originally believed that it would be n e c e s s a J n g e n i a S o l a r i i to c a u s e a detailed image to b e created, linked together a n d carefully a r r a n g e d . B u t MOW 3 see that is a single device, an J m a g u m Jllusorius c a n be built to perform the work of many 3 n g e n i a Solarii, by the addition to the Jvlgeniam Solaris of several adjustments, e a c h of which shall affect the c r e a t i o n of the knots which the Jngenium produces at that moment, and,

which moving,

c a u s e their effects to wax a n d w a n e in a peri-

odic f a s h i o n . t h e adjustments ofthis, as Y shall c a l l it, J m a g u m Jllusorius, in their orbit and rotation a b o w t the central portion wherein the magickal knots a r e tied, efigender differences between the knots, and h e n c e c a n b e so calibrated, through careful a n d studious efforts, to c a u s e an image of any sort which might be imagined, a n d the more conscientious the calibration a n d alignment of these effectors, the m o r e detailed a n d pleasing the i m a g e shall be to the eye. Given a sufficient speed of operation of the J m a g u m Jllusorius, the rapidity with which the knots a r e tied shall b e of such great moment that the created illusion shall not be s e e n to flicker or pulsate, much as the wings of a hummingbird proceed with s u c h swiftmess that a p p e a r to b e a mist, a n d n o t solid. O n c e 3 have found a suitable crafisman here in Milano, p e r h a p s 3 shall pursue this for the pleasure of the Duke, for 3 could create a statue of his father far greater than a n y 3 could of metal alone. J n the meantime, 3 shall not build

Watch m a k e s frequent passes by my w

this ingenium,

for J find the City

J h a v e d e m o n s t r a t e d to my satisfaction, that a n ingenium which shall create a visual i m a g e is completely feasible, e v e n within the c u r r e n t limits of technical expertise, although preferably e n g i n e e r e d by o n e m o r e practiced t h a n 3, it shall b e likewise possible to create a n ingenium wliich shall manifest a n unreril s o u n d for the h e a r i n g a n d entertainment. ince

J most c e r t a i n l y c a n n o t test, for the presence of disemvoices or sounds which are not seen to Le c a u s e d by a n y natur-

T h i s ingenium bodied

al

resource

shall

indeed c a u s e me to

be s e i z e d by

the authorities a n d

burned a s a spiritist, my reputation for invention notwithstanding. t h e J t a l i a n s a r e a superstitious offen obtuse, tation,

lot,

especially when i t

which they

a r e at a

love them though

Jdo, but they

are

c o m e s to manifestation of experimen-

loss to explain. Jt i s

peasant w o u l d not understand, nor even

certain

wish to a

that the a v e r a g e

ept, my explanation

J to m a k e su n undertaking, the w o r d magickal, a n d the same fate should

of m a g i c k a l ingenia, a n d even w e r e

they

should s e i z e upon

befall

me a g a i n .

Desig~ of- this Y ~ g e ~ i c r m he d e s i g n of this ingenium r e q u i r e s a differing s o r t of magickal knot, which shall b e as illustrated here, with the alignment of the gears not in right angles, as with the J m a g u m JIIusorius, but instead at a n a n g l e of sixty degrees, as illustrated here, which shall create the sort of knot requived.

While the a

J m a g u m JIIusorius should

leasing device, it is

that is, that i t b e forged of pmrest metals, a n d carefully e n g i n e e r e d that the o p e r a t i o n of the ingenium shall be pleasing a n d not jarriMg to the ear. Jndeed, it must b e a well-turned ingenium, the better to s u p p o r t the noises which shall e m a n a t e from it. For myself, 3 believe that silver b e the best of

necessary

that this

be a visually

ingeniwm

be

of a

pleasing sound,

both of which are m o s t pleasing w h e n formed c a r e f d l y forged to be the stuff of tubular bells or

materials, or else brass, into

bell shapes,

or

G e r m a n i c g l o c k e n s p i e l s . t h i s also r e q u i r e s

that the pieces of the

b e of uniform thickness a n d cross-section, a n d b e tested to ring t r u e . Or else that their diminishment in size o v e r the c o u r s e of their length - b e a g- a i n d e s i -q n e d for a pleasinq effectto the ear. Glass a n d tin should not b e used, neither lead. J m a g u m /Melos

v

I

,

the careful

attention

erfumer, of great

dedication.5

such a contrivance is c a r r i e d out, a n d i t is engaged to operate, shall cr-eatea great warmth, as though A fire burned in the a i 5 but without tion of

scorching.

t h i s i s d o n e by creating

which p r o d u c e heat, and not light, as they a p e pulled apart. 3t is possible to -use this to c r e a t e a fire, just as placing a piece of wood o n the top of a very hot f u r n a c e wight c a u s e i t to ignite, though i t not be in contact with a ~ actual y flame. knots

J have in mind a method of pvoving great power, for which purpose i t is unimportant, which relies upon this Jngenium Jnfernus. J call it my Jnferno ssary to place a n Jngenium Jnfernus

the water wheel. 9 s the Jngenium Jnfernus operates, which shall have fo be for a lengthy time, a n d hence shall require a very large a n d powerflrl mainspring, i t shall cause the w a t e r within the sealed contain-

era1 version of

moving against

the paddles

of

the wheel,

it shall cause it to rotate. A n d

~

Ir

been captured at Rapallo,

?

and these prizes which have been captured

might become suitable experiments for Jnferno-empowered vessels, which shall not then b e forced to rely upon oatrsmen o r the winds for their mobility. B u t with these prizes tests may b e undertaken without removing a n y ready warships from commission.The design of s u c h a vessel will m e a n that the Jnferno jMechanism shall propel a sort of w a t e r wheel, which instead of using moving w a t e r to propel an engine, i t shall move the engine along stationary w a t q propelling the ship forward. J n this m a n n e r might a vessel run directly into the wind, without tacking, a n d escape pursuit, o r ovevtake

which i t p u r s u e s . Similavly, while a n enemy oarship ill be forced to contend with the exhaustion of those pulling strokes, the vessel powered by a n Jnferno jMechanism shall find g r e a t e r energy in the pwtrsuit, for leaving a n area w h e r e its operation had depleted the local magickal energies shall i n c r e a s e the efficacy of the ingenium.7 those sailing vessels

'

BOOM to jUaMk;Md

7?

e Znferno M e c h a n i s m c a n also

be used

for the heating of

builditself shall be

the M e c h a n i s m distributed a b o u t the building, a n d shall convey the s t e a m so p r o d u c e d by the M e c h a n i s m to the variows rooms. When inside these rooms, the s t e a m shall be m a d e to pass through a n array of thin pipes, the better with which to c a u s e the s t e a m to yield M p its heat, a n d c o n d e n s e o n c e m o r e into wate9 whereupon the water shall d r a i n of its o w n accord, a n d gravity, back to the bottom of the building, there to poMr a g a i n into the ,Mechanism, where it may be heated o n c e m o r e into s t e a m , in a continuous cycle. i n g s . t h e pipings which e m a n a t e from

%

J derive g r e a t enjoyment from the fact that A l e x a n d e r VI i s being be

&owe to

ineffective, a n d cannot even control one fiery Firenzan preacher,

Ferdinand

II is w a g i n g a very effective

w e r e not for his interference, ings ofmine, a n d g a i n

by

campaign against

J should be

better

while

the French. For

able io publish

the exchange of ideas with other

if i t

these ft'nd-

learned men.

.S

J.

heard tell that the F r e n c h h a v e been defeated utterlyj that their a r m y has capitulated at N o v a r a , a n d that CharlesV1II a n d his soldiers h a v e retreated back into F r a n c e . n i s h a s shown that Ferdinand I1 has more of God a b o u t him t h a n the entirety of the self-proclaimed Holy League, for they crumbled in battle, while Ferdinand's troops enacted the will of God by driving the French back home, a n d freeing Jtalia from their tyranny. J a v e now

J

have not h e a r d

thai the Pope h a s

made a n

omment o n

the

matte

has run its c o u r s e , a n d CJ a m devoid of new a n d interesting

this

ideas at

with much a p p r o b a t i o n on my part, as i t will give my h a n d s a better c h a n c e to heal, that 3 might not only write, but also continme t h e painting of’the Last Suppet; which J have had to postpone temporarily, d u e to the incident of which 3 h a v e a l r e a d y m a d e mention.8 moment.this i s met

J n a n y event,

the lack of great and renowned inspirations

leads m e to pursue

the

antithesis of my previous invention, to wit: a n

which i s simil a r in relation

i\;l

the J w a g u m Jllusorius is to the Jmagum

/MelOS. ‘that is, it is a simi-

lar concept, but a differing knot. J n

the knots are driven c a u s e s the area a b o u t the as

they radiate coldness, which to i n c r e a s e in the a m o u n t of c o l d n e s s

into dissolution, Jngenium

this case,

i t possesses.-this is

b e c a u s e although the knot is virtually identical to t h a t of those which emit heat, these knots a r e tied in a mannev which, stepwise, i s the opposite of t h e other; a n d thcts, they emit c o l d n e s s which infuses the s u r roctndings, e v e n to t h e point of smmmoning frost. Or so is my theory. done

Jt is to

the g r e a t c r e d i t

of

Duke

Lodovico S f o r z a ,

of

o u r city,

that

J shall e n d e a v o r to build o n e o f t h e s e for the Duke, which eforts w o u l d m a k e him the most r e n o w n e d host in all the Coniinent, for J a m c e r t a i n h e w o u l d put this t h e r e is peace o n c e more in fair Jtalia. P e r h a p s

-

~

-

-

-______

is J n g e n i u m F r i g i d u s is perhaps the most serviceable a i l e

of the magickal inventions which

haps as well of those

could aught but be carried out

by

this accomplishes a n effect which magickal influence.that is, we have

mundane, or non-magickal, inventions and methods, readily produce

light,

created, and per-

create, for the more 3 think upon it,

3 have yet to

the more it becomes obvious, that

3 have yet

by

which we can

or heat. Or paintings and sculptures.

OPbeautiful

music. And perhaps each of these methods is more easily accomplished

than the design and engineering and assemblag

of a magickal ingeni-

urn, and some have the benefits of social interaction in their accomplishment, as well. But here, with the J n g e o i u m Frigidus,

3 have created an

effect which is most difficult to obtain, and is far the lighter for the effort, which is involved in the creation.

the midst of the city, SAY in Roma, w h e r e i t i s large a n d thick, a n d dusty with the passage of many people, and, with the hut) in

J n g e n i u m Frigidus engaged, in mid-3uly or August, for

charge to the passers-by admission

the opportunity

to relax, however

briefly)

cool b r e e z e AS from early spring. J c o u l d also sell from the other side of the hut beverages of a n y sort) a n d a l l as cold as and a

from

A

mountain stream. Gven including

tea, although i t w o u l d

t h e Jngenium fa

hot

be as if iced.

Frigidus can also be used in

cold voom, which 3 hereby term a"fbigidatou;"as illustrated

best to isolate it from the heat of the outside, and surrounded by thick stone or wood, and tlTe walls covered with fmrs. 3 n h i s frigidator might wine and other foodstuffs be safely stored, and for a great length of time. As no spoilage will occur when the corruption of the heat is done away with.

fi smaller chill a

ingenium) but well powered, might also be used to properly

bottle

of wine, when events unforeseen necessitate the immediate

replenishment of same when none i s to be had. Which would be a great embarrassment to any host.

of a n y t o r c h or lantern

which i s

b r o u g h t withi

irolamo Savonavola is again the talk

ofthe town,

even this far

he preaches. And, all tliings being taken into consideration, 3 a m most pleased, a n d shower my kudos upon his name, although J a m cautious to whom 3 divulge my preferc Friar S a v o n a t b l a has been quite n o t e w o h y these past months, a n d his from where

en-.

sermons are always well-attended. 3 myself would attend him speaking whenever possible, were 3 back in Ptrenze, howeve6

here in jUiIano, m y sta-

the kip to Grenze for a S a b b a t h s e w o n is too difficult. fi s h a m e i t is, for word has finally reached here that SavonarOla was actualtion is comfovtable, a n d

ly oideved to Roma, by the Pope, a n d =fused to go. tte has stated that, “3t is not the will of God that 3 leave Ptrenze,”or so it is said.The P o p e is apparently most anxious to hear of his divine revelation, with which the friar predicted dire punishment of the R o m a n Cutholic ChMrch, a n d in fact all Ztalia, for the immorality of P o p e AlexanderVI, which effects,in fact, are already being felt, in my opinion, for the corruption spreads. For me, 3 think the presence

of highwaymen is more to the tvuth, both in remoti

pa& of3talia a n d in theVatican itself, but cevtainly obedience to filexander the Borgia cannot b e said to be the will of God, not fvom what 3 have s e e n a n d heard. Other stories have been related to m e as well, but 3find them less credible. For altlqomgh 3 have it upon reliable resource that S a v o n a w l a ’ s language is at times colorfLl,there are stories attvibmted to him which 3 sincerely doubt that such a good-hearted and noble gentleman preacher would ever convey to his pious audience. 3 believe some of these stories might be deliberate slandevs engendered by those who suppovt the Pope filexanderV1, whom S a ~ o n a ~is~most l a vehement in denouncing.

these matters, 3 have imagined a new a n d creative magickal ingenium/ which could be m s e d to retain S a v o n a w l a within Firenze, Papal edicts to the contvary.this ingeniam sc\all use t h e ut in contemplating

powers of the magickal forces to prevent a person +om cwssing a certain

the power of the ingenimm, for the imprisonment. J t shall function not by creating a great steel wall, for although 3 a m certain it i s possible, 3 have m o t yet developed my theories enough to admit s u c h an invention, but instead by the impressing of a state of mind upon those subject to its influence, that they s t o m t l y a n d without reserve believe that they may not cross the barrier so presented. F r a n c e s c a is always fond of saying that only that which one believes is impossible truly is impossible, therefore this ingenium shall m a k e those people within its g r a s p believe exit is so, and it shall be so.

barrieq which is erected by

mation to thirteen.'there

shall be a gvouping of numerical

as is necessary for the calculations

arrangement plates

expected fvom the Jngenium.

tl?e method of operation ofthe Jngenium upon the numbevs given is enacted by the dial set to the right ofthe nccmerical plate, which can b e set for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, &c.

AMd

iM

Wutbevs

mostL m p o r a l

VI forbade Friar Savonarola from the pulpit earlier this year, well before Gaster. J wonder if i t might be possible to design a more complicated Jngenium Gnocereus, which shall be possessed of a capacity more akin to personal intellect. J n this fashion, might Savonarola speak with the Jngenium, and give the device homiletic coaching and explanation, and then let the Jngenium itself speak from the pdpit in his stead. while i t may be possible, J do not believe that Firenzan churchgoers will consent to being lectured by a machine, especially affer their lengthy exposure to the passionate and theatrical Savonarola. Jt is a pity, however, for the Jngenium would have no fear of excommunication, execution, or the like. Jt may, however, be said that Savonarola likewise evinces no such feaps.4 ope Alexander

13

no,

this Jngenium, it should be possible to create a n Jngenium Fatidicus, which, by means of a variety of protrusions, not unlike the antennae of insects, shall detect the present weather conditions about, and calculate the future weather conditions which shall occur. 'these calculations shall be based upon what the surroundings are currently like, for i t is evident that there is a cause for all weather. And this Jngenium shall be able to make those calculations, and predict, for example, that here shall be rain, which a human being canno6 at least not until the rain has begun to fall. 5 Jn a

similar

manner to

J~~~~~~~ AhDnoRJus ( C L f i m U D 3 E j V E EjWGYjWG) is now

the S u n d a y afterGaster, a n d while attending services this

that the Fiar Savonavola has continued to cause grief t o the Pope. the story i s that Savonarola, despite being enjoined from preaching, c o n t i n ~ e d to do so all thvough Lent, and with more passion a n d fervor

than before, as he is now quite fiwly considered to be a leading figure in the

city. Why, i t appeaw that the entire city of Rrewze shall rally unto him a n d

back upon this Pope, a n d not a moment too soon, for my opinion, for this Alexander i s so vile, that to tmrn a w a y from him is to e m b r a c e God. 3t is time that these protestevs sought to reform the church. Bcct 3 wonder what tmrn i t s

for very much longer.

-

_-___-

no o n e knows),

h a s been

of King F e r d i n a n d

find

this

and

w e d to j u a n a of Castile.t h a t is,

Queen

Jsabella

of

Spain.

so shortly after the discovery of the flew World

expedition, 3 would not

l\/taximilian a r r a n g e d tlabsburg,

s e e k s to

be

the

s u r p r i s e d if i t i s j u s t f o r

this

his family's

by the S p a n i s h

that that he, a

V~ASOM

m a r r i a g e , for it is well known

expand

the d a u g h t e r

power. tlabsburgs h a v e ruled

the tIo1y R o m a n E m p i r e since, 3 believe, 1438, a n d h a v e held t h r o n e s about the continent f o r nigh O M 300 yLars. Z J f j u a n a is to b e a r to him a son, then i t shall be'cevtain that a t l a b s b u r g shall also s i t upom the t h r o n e of S p a i n . J a m not c e r t a i n that 3 a p p r e c i a t e this effort, for c e r tainly the m o r e p o w e r the family holds the m o r e g r a v e the situation for the e n t i r e continent. For in m y opinion, no squabbles a r e so grand or vicious as those within one family, a n d a family s q u le of this nature would b e so broad in scope as could embroil all

of us.

hopes that t h e e n t i r e new d i s c o v e r i e s of Columbus, &c.,shall b e the sole purview of S p a i n , the J n t e r C e t e r a Divina notwithstanding, nor e v e n paid heed, a n d t h a t t h e r e f o r e the power of the t l a b s b u r g family will t h e n c e b e e x t e n d e d across the

P

r h a p s jVIaximilian

h t l a n t e a n Ocean.

J h a v e a l s o noted that may

Frederick

111 i s

now c

he h a v e a long a n d glorious reign well into

ing of jVaples.

the next

millennium.

the c a u s e of the a r r a n g e m e n t of t h e m a r r i a g e , i t is c e r t a i n that is was a splendid affaiu;a n d o n e which 3 had hoped to see, for the p a g e a n t r y . Perhaps 3 shall s p e n d s o m e time, MOW, as i t is raining out-

Whatever

side, and q u i t e heavily, to p o s t u l a t e a n J n g e n i u m Vedereus, which could do j u s t that, by c r e a t i n g a funnel for visions which may b e piped back from a f a q as though

Akl

they w e r e water.

Yklgekliclm

most Pleasiklg

these pages, althoctgh the materials thereof m u s t be of a most pleasing m a n n e r to the eye, which is to say a n y gold present, a n d all metals used in the construction should b e of gold, must be most highly polished, and smooth of s u r f a c e . And that the wood, which is used in a r e a s , must needs b e carefully s a n d e d as though to a mirror, a n d layered with s e v e r a l applications of lacquer, that i t b e smooth and glossy, as well as d e e p and lusterful to the eye.T&e operation a w d aiming of the Jngenium shall b e done in a m a n n e r much similar to that of the Jngenium jE\udiforius. Howevev) as the funnel brings back visual images, and not those of sound, the aiming shall be much facilitated, wi& visctal r e f e r e n c e s for assistance.t h i s also m e a n s that for those O M one side of the ingenium, they shall see in one direction, while those upon the o t h e r shall see from the opposite side. S o that it may b e n e c e s s a r y for all attending to the i m a g e s d i r e c t e d hereto by the magickal effectsshall set themselves upon the s a m e side of the inqenium, for viewinu.

t

e r e it is, as illustrated upon

-Vatican,

has happened

this yea5 it is indeed troublesome. Worst of all calamities, is the news +m Firenze a n d the w h e r e the spiritual struggle has raged, since the o much

already

L,Dominican GiroIamo S a v o n a r o l a first b e g a n to speak, in a

the last five o r ten years. find now: Rodrigo Borgia, who poses to b e n e Pope fileyanderV1, has struck a blow a g a i n s t him, that is, Savonarola, a n d all those who attend his church, a n d 3 a m certain a t t e n d a n c e has never been b e t t q n o r more regulaq than of late.n\e Pope h a s ordered S a v o n a r o l a to s u r r e n d e r to his autlqori% to a n s w e r for his continued preaching, in spite of the fact of his excommunication. Worst upon this, i s that the Pope has leveled a threat against all Firenze, which, as 3 witmess is this: that the e n t i r e city of Firenze, or p e r h a p s it i s the e n t i r e Republic, for the sins of their capital, shall b e placed a n d held

notewovthy fashion, for

under interdiction, until s M c h time as they yield up S a v o n a r o l a to b e sacri-

ficed. fis this n e w s w a s old has already suwevxdered,1

when i t

reached

my ears, i t is certain

that he

heard that h e h a s indeed given himself u p to the civil authorities in Firenze, a n d they h a v e dutifully, though 3 a m certain with great regret, turned him over to the a u s p i c e s of the R o m a n Catholic Church. 3 have heard that h e h a s been s e n t back to Roma, to face t h e old holy hog himself. M t o n top of everyihing else, 3 hnve heard that there i s also a famine in Firemze! How c a n this be? 3s there no God? Cuuld He actually invoke His wrath a g a i n s t Firenze at the behest of o n e like Rodrigo Borgia, Pope ' though he be? J t c a n n o t be so!B u t a famine there is, a n d all those 3 know in 1 Firenze are reported to b e going hungry, a n d suffering for it. find 3 know I that many f e a r the Wrath of God for the supposed sins of that Dominican. h a v e had no reliable reports on the climate in firenze, nor the wenthe* Perhaps i t has been unseasonably dry, o r hot, o r the rain has trampled down the c v o p s . Or p e r h a p s there h a v e been floods, which have killed the grains. 3 do not know, and the information 3 h a v e garmered +om travelers whom 3 h a v e met in the taverns and public shops are difJ

h a v e now

I3

3

ferent stories, all sworn t r m e . Perhaps it is that the Pope has also quietly ordered merchants to avoid selling foodstuffs to Firenze under pain of eternal damnation, or perhaps

they have enacted this oftheir i

own accord, having themselves witnessed

the impending threat of interdiction, and thence avoiding the city at all costs, so save their own sorry hides, in such case as interdiction might come. t h i s is a

logical conclusion, that the Firenzen countryside has not d, but has instead been robbed of its food by th

"-

I

A m 3 m g e m ; u W L Perma~utlAs stead, 3 shall consider a lesser version rmuiaftts,

of this, a n J n g e ~ i u m

which shall not alter the substance of the mattev; but merely

its manifestation.-this i s a different matter entirels a n d may be accomplished

with this constvuction,

where the plate which is inserted into the i ~ g e ~ i ushall m

c a u s e the material, whatever it may

be, to be altered in shape to &e new fom, according to the carving ofthe plate.ne material to be altered must be placed in the center ofthe spherical chambe3 using a support to hold it there, if such is ~CXESSAVY for small or limpid objects. With this, might a bmken sword be m a d e as new, a l a r g e block of cheese evenly divided into pevfect cubes, or s c r a p s of wood be m a d e into the best of tvays. 3 is possible, as well, 3 believe, kat a bowl ofgraiw and yeast and water be m a d e into a loa$ w d y for the baking, or possibly that a small cat b e m a d e into a large rat, though for what pctrpose 3 cannot imagine. P e r h a p s &e reverse woctld be bettecz6 v e just had word back from Ricardo Del Cantone, in Firenze.

philosopheu; although persuasive in his arguments a n d vigorous in his presentation, w a s unable to s w a y the city coctncil of Firenze. t h e y h a v e had enough of trouble with the Holy R o m a n Catholic Church, and although 3 a m there revered, t h e final decision was that, the ingeMium i s said to work through the t r a n s f e r e n c e a n d manipalation of magickal powers, which, they believe, is sorcery, which i t is not, for s o r c e r y is a black magic.yet sorcery, by p a p a l bull, has been condemned, and the city shall not avail itself of this technology for t h e mitigation of their famine, for they wish not to run afoul of the Pope again, a n d risk interdiction o n c e more.. R i c a r d o has said im his m e s s a g e that s o m e present tkoctght to fuvther appease the P o p e by revealing to him my dabblings in these experiments, blnt that he was able to d i s c o u r a g e s u c h a C O L W S of ~ action. 3 a m glad t o as, the

h a v e s u c h a friend as Del Cantone.

T OntinMe to be a w a z e d at the a r r o g a n c e of our AIexaHderVI.

No,he i s not ours really, he i s a S p a n i a r d , for no Jtalian that 3 could act with shch an unashamed abandon, and so flagrantly violate the laws of ethics. Here 3 h a v e had news that the know

has annulled the m a r r i a g e of Lctcrezia of the Borgias, to Giovanni S f o r z a . t h a t which the Pope himself a r r a n g e d is now annulled! H e has, with a Pick of his ringed hand, declared that all that has h a p p e n e d between Ciiovanni a n d Lucrezia has never occurred! As if he had the Pope

power to rewrite history.

-they w e r e only married fow years ago.3 witnessed the c e r e m o n y . t h e y e n t e r e d togethev t h e bridal suite, after much E.,,elry of course, a n d have

been together since. And

MOW

the Pope is going to pretend for all time that

these events never occurred. 3 must wondeu; what of their consummation? Does this annulment of the marriage make Lucrezia into a n adulteress? O r has that been swept away by divine license as well? Perhaps she is a virgin anew. Next, the Pope may annul the fact that the wind blows. What then? And at all this, he still has the audacity to have Savonarola arrested. 3 hear he is to stand trial, but 3 have no hopes that right will win out, for he is indeed a devilish Pope. 3t may be blasphemy to say it, for the Pope is held to be infallible'by the grace of God, but it is true, and 3 shall say it. 3 shall not, however; repeat it to others. now the plot is s e e n to thicken, and the plans of the Pope to bear fruit. For no s o o n e r is Lctcrezia's marriage annulled, than she is

Ah'

betrothed to Alfonso of Napoli. Her father and brothers kick a ball on

her about like

the street! And with as much concern for her happiness,

being. Or

her respect,

for

J

a m certain that in the upper circle of society

she is now looked upon as a doing o r a prize horse, the Pope. Ah, 3 am incensed.

Of the F'mi-e

or well-

to be had for favors to

figaim

have been wondering of late ofthis famine in Firenze.Therehas been a

3

papal bull against sovcery, which is now in its thirteenth offourteenth

year. And who better to know about sorcery

than the Pope, who is the great

leader in the war against deviltry? And they say a man must know his enemy All of this has caused m e to wonder at the fortuitous

timing of

this famine

which tortures my people. Jt cannot be the will of God, and the possibility of

a coincidence of this sort is far to remote. 3 believe, himself, who has caused &ere to be a famine,

then, that it is the Pope

by exercise of black arts.

Small indeed the chance he would be caught, when all other practicing sorcerers have abandoned their craft or

find

fled across the Mediterranean.

none would dare question him, at least not in the publ'IC square.

3- eHgiure f i g a i m s t S o r c e ~ y o contest this,

T

which

3 shall here illwstrate the construction of an

ingenium

shall detect and destroy any such evil spells which are cast into

its protective encirclement.The diffcul*

of this creation is that it must be of

the aspects of magick, that is, a fundamental ingevrimm cannot be designed, for both the aspect of magick against which

a different construction of

one seeks protection must by its very nature be itself employed in the defense, and because the knots which are produced of

the ingevrimm must

be constrmcted of a manner in which best to employ the auspices of each

the withstanding of assaults. For example, the knots prodmced by the forces of nature must be stout and inflexible, while those which seek to mitigate the magicks of the mind are more slippery, like unto slipknots, and aspect in

malleable.therefore, you need to build a different ingevrium to defend against each different sphere of magick.7

h a v e not b e e n recent

weeks,

a b l e to apply much effortto this Codex, in

the completion of mighiy task i t is.

as J h a v e b e e n embroiled in

The Last Supper in the monastety,

and a

G q x x i a l l y s i n c e 3 a m assailed by the most effervescent a n d odors o f t h e monks’culinary skills all the day, while J a m at work.

J

cookery. t h e kind a n d g r a c i o u s hosts, a n d Godly men, a n d 3

a m most definitively f a v o r e d of plain a n d simple

monks h e r e a r e most

believe 3 h a v e put o n a

hearty girth in the

months,

which J h a v e b e e n at w o r k upon this project. At last J c a n see the completion of he pai-tin a month more or so to see it throccgh, so 3sha aside to finish this employment. 3t is cx bea

shall fake m e but a n d other works

efthe composition of he entire O u r Lord Himself, J a m most pleased.

have ever done. 3 am most pavticularly praud assemblage of disciples. A n d of

J humbly believe hat even H e would find the vended J t is finished. J a m going back out to the plaza, for Giovanni, bless his doughty heart, i s relieved to see me completed at %e m o n a s t e r 3 that J might design fuvther buildings, in jVIilano, for to challenge his skills, a n d has vowed to drink me u n d e r the table this evening, in celebration. all people. t h i s is a h o r r e n d o u s o c c u r r e n c e . no s o o n e r h a v e J completed my m a s t e r p i e c e at the monastery, t h a n 3

J

a m cursed a b o v e

that my most inventive experimental compound, that with which J coated the walls of the monastevy, the beiter to hold the paiat, a n d allow m e to w o r k in light a n d shadow, in m y smoky technique, which i s MOW famous, for the betterment of realism, that this compound is a fail-

discover

ure!

Ah! maria

incarnate!

the walls,

What

ignominy!

z t has b e g u n to peel itself

flakes as a d a m a g e d insect, a n d c a r r y i n g a w a y my w o r k of these past three years upon its feckless b a c k to the floor.Why, dear God in Heaven, why? 3t worsens, every day, 3 c a n see it. Others cannot, they tain that 3 am envisioning the worst, that i t i s but the slightest bit worse, a n d shall a w a y from

curling itself up into

s o o n stop, for certain, but J c a n see it. 3 see students of art, a n d monks, s t a n d about, a n d r e n d e r my w o r k for themselves, for their own experie n c e and stwdy, and

3 know that s o o n theirs

of my m a s t e r p i e c e left upon

this E a r t h . J

&a

a m torn

hurry, to complete their studies of my art, befor instead asking them to b e patient, a n d copy i t preserve

the i m a g e a n d color for postdty. 3

e only executions e e n a s k i n g them to

eye poked asunder, for carelessness. J n m y b r o w n

~

moods,

ing to

J a m

likely

the labels

to

be

careless.

given, of durationj pace o r swiftness of

color o r in shades ofgrayj and t e m p o r a l basis,

'

or w h e n in

including fear, love, a n d enjoyment, a n d

J have

'

not

the funds

at this tim

e patience, to cre-

potentially, neither shall w o r k .

( j V W D f l E S S EflGYNE) at 3 were not

forced to endure all that has transpired! J

h a v e just now l e a r n e d of

the fate which h a s

Dominican friar GiroIamo S a v o n a r o l a , a n d of Pope A l e x a n d e r VI, a n d to f o r e v e r s i l e n c e

called him to t a s k for his e)ccesses, a n d his sins! 3 a m c e r t a i n that this ecclesiastical

which

court, which

has

convicted

S a u o n a r o l a , must to a m a n poisoned of

the

Borgia Pope,

mind by

OIL

be

the

else b e

w r a c k e d with guilt for having m a n as S a u o n a r o l a . But, no,

they shall surely mollify their c o n s c i e n c e s with the fact that lie did i n d e e d preach, despite beiwg b a n n e d from so d o i n g by the

befallen

the

3 am outraged! 3t

the voice,

of S a u o n a r o l a ,

the brain

the subject with incoheent thought, in compensation for which, will be forced to rely upon those instinctive behaviors, which, given

the sinful

naiiire of man, a n d &e Pope

Jt shall render

especially, shall be akin to madness.

3f the operator of the d e v i c e w e r e to mount it upon a c e n t r a l axle, which should spin t h e ingenimm a b o u t as it operated, t h e n the ingenium shall h a v e effectsupon all who s t a n d about it, s u c h that it might s t r i k e a n e n t i r e c r o w d with the frenzy. P e r h a p s 3 should build many of these, a n d secret them inside crates a n d wagons a b o u t Roma, a n d d r i v e e n t i r e city into the m a d n e s s which lives i n c a r n a t e in t h e v a t i c a n . 3

if3

erhaps

J am

being too cruel. Better still, instead of inflicting chaos

upon the recipient, to implant more coherent though$

controlling

the

the subject.

t h e n J c o u l d have

the Pope fall

by

means of

upon his o w n

sword.

t h e settings

be m a d e rehand, or else carefully a l i g n e d d u r i n g operation. t h i s J do not recommend, for if the alignment i s careless, the this shall never work, for subject may be able to c a s t off the efects. the Pope does not c a r r y a sword, c u r s e d be his c l e r i c a l restrictions.4 must

no,

( Y j W P A R t E D ]\/207JOjVEjVGYjVE) o w many months now,

has

it been, s i n c e 3 h a v e b r o w s e d

the

through

this Codex? 3 a m

habit

d a t i n g my thoughts, but i n s t e a d of returning to past

of

not certain, for 3 a m n o t in

pages a n d inscribing additional ideas or illustrations as

od. 3 do not therefore know. J t has i n d e e d b e e n a long time, however., judging by the last e n t r i e s which 3 m a d e upon these p a g e s , a n d by the dust which h a s accumulated, upon these pages, betwixt that d a r k time a n d now. 3 h a v e healed myself of my grief, and despaiu; a n d self-reproach for the loss of

shall,

t h e L a s t S u p p e r , for lose it 3

eventually, but for the nonce, it s t a n d s still, a n d elicits much inter-

est a n d excitement, a m o n g

the peoples of&lilano,

and

all those w h o

good painting, a n d m o r e poignant still that it fades, e v e n before o u r eyes. 3 t i s in that fashion, much like a summer., ain, as i t fades to autumn. which w e shall never se

travel to view it. 3 t is a very

A11 m u s t eventually p a s this C a r t h , and it i s simply my i l l fortune, that 3 shall s e e this p a s s , or at least begin to do so.f l o w 3 c a n better u n d e r s t a n d the grief of those who, t h r o u g h calamitous accident, lose o n e of their children, b e f o r e they a r e g r o w n .

JRnew Conazption shall

3

move

ahead

which to h a r n e s s

upon

these theories, and build new ingenia, with 1 forces which envelop the globe in

with spikes, for

the impaling

of

m a d e of a s i z e large enough to s c a l e city w a l l s without assistance of l a d d e r s o r siege towers, a n d w o u l d

be stout

enough to resist everything

s h o r t of a direct s t r i k e with a cannonball, a n d then only if the artillerists used a n increased charge of p o w d e r . 6

be able to move

properly a r r a n g e d ,

the c a n n o n

b a r r e l of ould

the

be

elevated to angles far

higher

p r o p e l explosive shells, as rain, over

the battlements

a n d d o w n upon

the heads of the enemy. U p o n the defensive, in the resistance of a siege, the J n g e n i u m V a d e r u s c a n be used to deceive the enemy, a s to the strength of the city g a r r i s o n . t h e by tortuous linkages, to a plethora of spears placed a b o u t the w a l l s for the city, a n d set to

ingenium shall be connected a n d pikes a n d other arms,

the sun by the action

the ingenium. n this fashion shall the garrison a p p e a r to b e doable o r more its si and the enemy, set to inaction for f e a r of the g r e a t garrison which appears apon the walls, may b e s e t ctpon by sarprise by the trcte garrison w a v i n g in

of

of

the city, and destroyed.

' t h e r e a r e less s a v a g e applications of this J n g e n i u m Vaderus, as

Jt may

be set

to a n y task r e q u i r e d . Jt m a y

land, for example, when

applied t9 a n

be

the p l o w i n g of similar to this design:

used in

automaton

well.

(TejU-POTIJ\LEjVG3jVE) the Duchy of M i l a n o a n d F r a n c e are strained, a n d J fear that Lodovico El Moro, despite all that h e h a s d o n e for his people, will head into yet a n o t h e r fruitless w a r much to the dilapidation of the Duchy in g e n e r a l . c o u r s e of r e c e n t events. Relations between

3 h a v e taken my leave, to p u r s u e a sabbatical in my home city of Firenze,

Most JIIustrious D u k e himself, to r e n d e r his wife, Jsabella d’Este, for the purpose of posterity, a n d presumably so that h e might be a b l e to rem-

the pyramids, though they s t a n d yet, s h o w the deleterious effectsof time, as does t h e most r e g a l profile of the all

b e n e a t h its feet, for even

along

with

it, as though d o w n a stream, o r instead a n a q u e d u c t , which

shall o v e r c o m e t h e n a t u r a l c u r r e n t of time, which is to s a y s t a n d fast a g a i n s t i t s flow, s u c h that it might be s e e n to c a u s e time within its effectto s t a n d s t i l l . 3 cor\struct a n ingenium which

O f c o u r s e , it

i s obvious

that a n

ingenium

which is

to

be used for the

withalso

stoppage of the flow of time must of c o u r s e constrain the operator

shaN encompass all a r o u n d . However, it is r e a d i l y seen that the interior of the ingenium i t s e l f m a y n o t be affected by the rnagickal bindings upon the times, but instead be allowed to operate freely, for if the ingenium d o e s not experience the passage of time, i t may not operate, hence time will n o t be stopped, a n d a conund r u m or paradox becomes evident. t h e w o r k i n g s of the interior mechanism ofthe ingenium must thus be shielded a g a i n s t the m a g i c k a l

o u t exception, for i t

t

-. .

sure,

and

the magickal

nts thereunto would

re

be

c e r t a i n to pre-

the employment of my 3 n f e r n o mechanism to the g e n e r a t i o n of sucl strengths, as the J n f e r n o mechanism itself has n e e d of magickal p o w e r s u c h as shall b e consumed in the reversal of time. 3 find 3 h a v e n o theoretical or observational basis upon which to d e d u c e the effectsof s u c h a temporal treversal, except p e r h a p s to believe that the i m a g e s s e e n through s u c h a portal would themselves b e m e r e images, the stuff of d r e a m s , in much t h e same m a n n e r that when w e r e m e m b e r events, the people whom are seen to o c c u p y o u r memories are not the true flesh a n d blood relations w e know. J n a like manner, J hope that by reversing time, w e do not c a u s e p e o p l e to exist in a n y real m a n n e r within the field, for s u c h would be a n impossibility, they clude

being e x t a n t elsewhere, a n d very much alive.

0

ne conceivable u s e for

the J n g e n i u m t e m p o r a l i s

c r e a t i o n of a means of preserving the life of one

w o u l d be in the

ill

o r mortally

be found to administer a upon a table, beneath which

w o u n d e d until such time a s a c h i r u r g e o n might remedy. J n this fashion,

the ingenium

the patient

is lain

the c h i r u r g e o n be halted, a n d the

processes its m a g i c k a l knots. Then, when

appears, a n d

all

is in readiness,

the J n g e n i u m

may

healing commence.

Jt becomes obvious ing

the unit

this ingenium, a t i m e d method of empower-

else that a shielded line of c o n t r o l from the J n g e n i u m , be extended through the time-stopping

is r e q u i ~ e d ,o r

o p e r a t o r of efects,

that for

the

the fundamental s o u r c e of operation. d s e w i s e , i t will be to c o n t r o l the function of the machine, but merely to allow i t

a n d to

impossible

to run its course, until at last i t w i n d s down, spent of power,

fop

any

who e n d e a v o r e d to penetrate the m a g i c k a l restraints w o u l d f i n d their time, too, had been halted in its flow, a n d they w o u l d be unable to halt the 3ngenium's progress. 5

(3IVTGGR3Ty C N G Y N E ) am now visiting Venezia,

3

the city of the canals,

a n d have

passed

many a n enjoyable hour tomring at the whim of t h e gondoliers,

the ballets. 3t is a beautifml city, and 3 enjoy my recreation here greatly, but the days are soured with the talk of the w a r which has broken out between theturkmen of the Ottoman a n d attending

Empire a n d fairvenezia. t h i s darkening of my relaxation i s

fleetat S a p i e n z a , although 3 h a v e h e a r d so m a n y u n s u r e which are true. Verily

story, for J h a v e heard

the defeat of the varied stories that 3 ai

doubled by word

of

do these common J t a l i a n s embellish every

the s a m e person

inflate the d r a m a of his discoutrst

the short s p a n of one day, and he s w o r e that w a s struck upon the fleet at S a p i e n z a ! A4ayhap h e w a s t h e r e indeed, head, that h e has gone silly. J t i s painful to m e to hear of the defeat of the fleet, with so being upon the coast, w h e r e any barbarous i n may put ashore. With this concern in mind, 3 went to the shipyard to speak with the shipwrights, a n d to e n d e a v o r to find the truth of the matter. As it befell, when 3 arrived, they were in the process of keeling a vessel for th ke of repairing her, a n d they were putting about the task in a most un ly a n d inefficient manner, that 3 had to exclaim, as though to children, my astonishment. to which exclamation, m o r e t h a n one of the w o r k e r s at the d over

great offense, and brandished a boathook with which extort a n apology out of me, or

blood,

or p e r h a p s

bot

by a learned man, who c 3 must remind myself to hold to my tongue the future with seamen, for they are roguish rapscall' nately recognized

After speaking

J

with the shipwright, for such my defender turned

designed for them a system of lines a n d pulleys

out to

be,

will m o r e effective-

ly tvansfer the forces of their strength against the s which effovtsthey w e r e most gratefi.1, a n d tveated inner, at the most rancid establishment 3 have ever had the displeas b r e a d was quite coa-ely ground, a n d the beef wa though i t had been hacked off the cow with a halberd. And the wine is best left without description, especially the way 3 feel this morn.

hile inspecting the damage to the vessel,

of which 3 knew little, as 3 m a d e no serious study of n a ~ t i c a sciences, l i t occ thut a magickal ingenium emplaced upon a vessel could be used to e n h a n c e its durability in battle, most specifically against the power of an enemy vessel stviking i t in the side, below the waterline, with a vam. A different ingenium would have to b e used to protect the vessel, a g a i n s t attack by Greek fire, o r other pyrotechnical assaults, b m t J shall here work upon an Jngenium Jfitegritas, which will b e employed in the d e f e n s e a g a i n s t raws, collisions, and bombardments, a n d would also b e useful w e r e the vessel to b e plying t w c h e r o u s waters, w h e r e t h e r e might be rocky s

have

sctrface of the water, invisible reefs, 8tc.

t h e method by which the ingenium sC\all work will into a webwork, l i k e undoing a net or fabric, the gleaned by watch those skilled at knitting, a n d in webworks, one contained completely within

the

(of which 3 h a v e one h e r e before me) has a n inn

glass, and i s hollow, yet the inner a n d outer

SM

like manner shall the webworks of magickal

the otheu; yet be separ the hull of the vessel, which they in turn shall press upon, the better with which it shall keep its shape, as a n y a t t a c k by bombardment or ram shall have to overcome the durability of the magickal net as well as the stvength of the hull of the ship. Agaiurst

the 'timkmeur

T

o afford any efect,

this

ingenimm must

as to protect a vessel against

rock,

by m e a n s be very well powered,

the hostiliiy of theTurkmen

or

the irve-

be woefully inadeqmate. any vessel upon which this ingenimm might be employed, is necessarily a larger vessel, and therefore may admit to a larger s o u r c e of power for this ingenicrm, for its increased efects, of which 3 believe a mundane revision of my previous Jvlferno mechanism for empowerment might well be sistibiliiy of a n underwater

half-measures will

adequate, for although s u c h a motivator is unforgiving of damages inflicted

upon it, i t shall be protected within

the interio9

reinforced hull of a n Jtalian-built warship, a n d

below

decks, of a magickally

there is no place more safe

that. Previous incidents at S a p i e n z a notwithstanding. This will require that a f i v e or s o m e alchemical s o u r c e of heat b e employed below decks, but as 3 understand that fire is likewise used by a ship's cook, 3 cannot see that here would be a n y objection to such an e q u i p p a g e . t h e than

only difficulty arises in that if it w e r e necessary, d M e to the great length of a protvacted naval battle, to buvn for consumption unimpovtant portions of the

ship itself, the stvength of the

ingen;crm's magick would prevent even hardy

sai1ov.s+om prying ornamental planks or woodwork from the

hull to b e

burned. Mpon the other hand, i t should

be noted that should the ingenium run completely out of fuel a n d cease to function, i t is likely that the vessel in

shall take d a m a g e from the enemy,

shall c a u s e here to be an immediate supply of scrap a n d flammable woodstmffs.6 sHch a g r a v e position

which

c ( L X E SMS'tEflllr\lVCE E f l G Z f l E ) per 3 had completed the design of my Jngeniuwr Jmtegritas, 3 r e t ~ ~ n etodthe docks to display m y invention to the shipwright

J fret visit& that place. Sad13 he w a s not receptive to my ideas fov the impmvement ofthe s, a n d in fact was appalled at the idea of employing a five-powered version of my Jnferno mechanism below decks of a warship e n g a g e d in battle. H e could not see that the Jngenimm Jntegritas would protect itself, a n d with itself also &e c w w a m d the ship herself, +om enemy activities as who favowd my c a u s e when

well as the mechanism's fire. J t i s perhaps as well; here are significantly

warships now, a n d a given one which were to employ my Jmgenimm JMtegritas has a greater chance of being caphtred by theTurkmen, at which time w e should see all &e vessels of the Ottoman &+re invincible.

fewervenezian

The Lost

734s ingenium = l i e s upon the technique of infising additional lifeenergies into he subject even as these energies ave extinguished by whatever means.The heat+ being the mmcle which pumps these enevgies abomt the bo& it is most necessavy

that the ingenium be held within close pvoximify to the heat+,or else that the ingenium b e of lavge design.7 Swll ingenia exceedingly

be safely opemted by clockwork, with a mainspring of

stiff steel, and pvotected against water o r whatever elements might

impede i t s fCcnction.So made, the ingenium shall allow the weclrev being the peec son affeded by i t s mgickal infctsions, to opemte in places under water, o r wheve

there m a i n s but only bad ai9 as in a mine shap OF in a building ablaze. tIew 3 must tell that the ingenium only pvotecis the vital ovgans from beiy destv0ye.d by suffocation or poisons; it shall not provide any pvotection against the inferno, which hall dive+ axme the weaver's flesh to be roasted until it no longer fctnctions, althowh the weare? by the g r a c e of my ingenium, shall not be ovecow\e by the smoke before the fire. a

larger version, this

ingenium might be

dto power a ship which would

fish.Pockets of air must be m i n t a i d in cases ofmevgen- and to allow forthe maintenance ofthe ingeuium itself,as well as any smaller ingenia which might be used for personal depavtuves from the vessel for explomtion, &c. Such a ves-

h ~ v e under l the waves as do whales

and &er

the C W o m a n Empire, and thence sewe to launch mines, which shall goat up, a d axbrecldes to the keel 'this undersea vessel has a n

advantage ovev my pevious

design for a non-magickal submersible cr~lfi, wheve&is vessel is not vul-

erable to having its WCkSOPother

the sea, as its m a g i c k a l effects p r e c l u d e ti$ inside the c r a f f . 8

yf

S t a t i o n a r y edifices m a y a Is0 sion of

the

ne vepc

constmcted,

the lowlands by using the force

w i n d m i l l common in

/vetherlands,

which

upon it, m i g h t

afford a

depleting IuXury. 9

be

mill,

comfortable living environment without

the area of m a g i c k a l potential,

ith this

ingenium, it might also

and

b e pos

great heights, where the air become normal human endt-trance, and thence to e

ing

unduly

the occupants

in

inventions. This

modification of my previous JngeniMm

which, by inuerting the ratios a n d realigning the mechathe r e v e r s e o r d e q would from those surrounding, c a u s e the vital force to be depleted, instead of held buoyant. J n this fashion, tlqe c r o w d s would g r o w w e a r y before they colnld bombard m e with their praise, a n d 3 should h a v e a moment’s peace. 10 Sustentaculus,

nisms to w o r k in

New Work to C o m m e m c e better day, now, a n d my t e m p e r a m e n t is less stormy t h a n i t w a s in the previous days, for surely MOW 3 reap the benefits of my is a

this town. F i r e n z e is building a new hall to h o u s e her city council, a n d the government has retained m e to decorate the walls of the new edifice with my works, representing the many F i r e n z e n victories on the field of battle. 3 n light of r e c e n t events, 3 c a n n o t resist but to b a s e my first work upon the Battle of Anghiari, wherein F i r e n z e n f o r c e s defeated the M i l a n e s e a r m y s o m e sixty y e a r s previous. 3 h a v e c a r t o o n e d this f a m e in

pleased by my initial resfilts, of t e n s e a n d fervent soldiers, hovses rampant, a n d c l o u d s ofdlnst kicked u p by the tumult. 3 shall h a v e work, a n d a m

to revise

the plans,

howeveu; a n d find a Letter method of working t h a n

fresco. 3 h a v e in mind a new paint which should s u f f i c e my n e e d s .

/My

high

repute has also attracted the attentions of several young and

aspiring gentlemen, each of whom shows promise, but have a/%

hopes to paint as J do. Raffaelo Santi

J find that Andrea

del Sarto is yet too young.

that one ,Michelangelo Buonarroti is interested in

J my

I

heard complimentary reports a b o u t his statues of Bacchus, a n d Pie+&at St. P e t e r ’ s . J myself shall withhold j u d g m e n t until J c a n see his work personally, which J shall be able to do, since J a m told he also has been commissioned to help to d e c o r a t e the hall of the city council. led m e to think of warfare, a n d what J c a n perhaps accomplish for the betterment of the welfare of the soldiers of Firenze, a n d J h a v e devised a n o t h e r variation upon the t h e m e elucidated by my Jngenium Sustentaculus, which, by infusion of vital enevgies into the body of one wounded or ill, as from battle or plague, a n d focused in the m a n n e r by which the Jngenium J n t e g r i t a s effectsits works, shall c a u s e the d e c r e p i t u d e to b e flushed from the patient’s system, that they might spring whole a n d hale from their beds anew. u t my w o r k o n this painting has

J t is

J

fear a most difficult ifigenium to d e s i g n a n d calibrate, for insuf-

the desired effect, while J will c a u s e the i l l p e r s o n to evoke s u c h a

ficient infusion of vitality will not h a v e believe a n e x c e s s i v e infusion

f e v e r as might p r o v e fatal, or else to feel c u r e d of all i l l s while yet uuhealthy,

that

that he arise from walk away, with his arm yet d a n g l i n g from the

is, a w o u n d e d man might feel so vital

the chirurgical table a n d socket, a n d bleeding, which would b e most unseemly. r the most accurate imparting of the effectsinto the ailing person, the effectsof the ingenium must b e conveyed with a wrapping woven skillfully of gold a n d silken threads, which may c o v e r the patient all around, as though a cocoon or a s h r o u d . t h e silk should b e of the brightest a n d most cheerful colors available, that the patient may not believe a shroud it i s indeed, a n d thereby p a n i c a n d d a m a g e the ingenium, which is very delicate by n a t u r e a n d design, a n d poorly-disposed to a b r u p t shocks or motions. t h i s is b e c a u s e of the fact that the ingenium itself must b e blown of glass, so as to afford itself to b e perfectly unreceptive of the e n e r g i e s it produces, for a n y build-up, w h e t h e r in the ivrgenium or of the surroundings themselves, c a n c a u s e a wave, which, suddenly imparted upon the patient by w h a t e v e r circumstance, c a n b e deleterious in effects.6 s yet

J

know of no J t a l i a n s so well-versed in

d e e m them

skilled

the art of

glass blowi-g

that 3

e n o u g h to u n d e r t a k e t h e prodcrction of e c c e n t r i c

gears a n d precision-cast meclqanicat contrivances.

Perhaps J

c a n per-

the government to a n n o u n c e a reward for whichever a r t i s t c a n p r o d u c e the best blown-glass clockworks, a n d t h e n employ that p e r s o n . in the production of this most merciful J n g e n i u m C u r a r e ~ s11 suade

O n e final w o r d of warning: t

he

m a c h i n e itself must not only b e of glass,

b e k e p t fastidiously c l e a n . t h i s cleanliness i s not for the p l e a s u r e of the patient, for certainly his a w a r e n e s s will likely not proceed past the w r a p p i n g s in which he is laid, but for the prevention but it

m M s t

also necessarily

of a n y build-up of m a g i c k a l potential upon

the e n g i n e itself 12

invention, a n enced and

skilled

in a r t i f i c e . t h e r e was q u i t e s o m e a r g u m e n t a m o n g

those p r e s e n t upon which of these worthies stood i n d e e d a b o v e t h e others, a n d while the debate gvew m o r e heated, J quietly e x c u s e d myself a n d paid a call u p o n o n e of the gentlemen whose n a m e h a d a r i s e n fre-

e p p o n e 3 fouiZd a most interesting a n d e n e r g e t i c character., a n d

73

a g r e e d at o n c e to

build

he

a m a c h i n e to my specifications. H e s e e m e d

ceased moving t h e e n t i r e time w e spoke, not even to partake of wine, which h e did while working ~ p o his n lathe, a custom which J found mildly alarming. 3 g a v e him a n a d v a n c e sum, a most curious man, a n d never

h a v e n o d o u b t s but

this

is

the evening

that he shall c o m p l e t e the project in the stated time. of the d a y M p o n which h e b e g a n his labors, s o 3 shall

m y hands.

the combination to bear a great rock aloft. T h e kite shall cause the assemblage to drift in a downwind direction, while t h e J n g e n i u m shall

hold the missile aloft. B y manipulating the kite from the ground, i t shall be possible to aim the rock most accurately. B y a calculation employing the triangle formed by the string of the kite, the elevation of the kite, and the angle of elevation of the kite string itsel5 the true distance from the holder of the string to the city may be readily calculated, and the rock sighted along the string to drop where i t will.

Great calamity Befulls has resmlted from Camillo’s engineering my ingenium. t h e technician has taken the presumption of testing his skills by powering the ingenium, befove informing m e of the completion of his labors. 3 c a n only a s s u m e that he had the device

3

is a most calamitous effect which

switched to

maximum effect, s i n c e that w a s the position in which J

each kind, each with a f o r w a r d s a n d b a c k w a r d s mechanism, J c a n ensure that rival inventors shall not be able to steal each ofhers' letters, saving only by theft of the competitor's J n g e n i u m P e r p l e x us. 2 a n d o n l y two of

shall be equipped with s e v e r a l quills, e a c h welle q u i p p e d with ink, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e d e s i g n for a n improved quill, which J h a v e in a n o t h e r C o d e x around, though 3 c a n n o t find i t at this moment.3 t h e s e quills shall b e set in a free-floating manne9 b a l a n c e d as illustrated here, to be manipulated by the magickal e n e r g i e s c a u s e d by the written p a r c h m e n t passing into the c e n t e r of the ingenium. t h e s e quills must b e most finely balanced, as to r e a c t to the slightest pressure, for surely the pressLtres e n g e n d e r e d by the magickal field of the ingenium shall b e delicate indeed. A n d the ingenium must b e operated o n a solid s t o n e flooq in a sealed room free from drafts, o r insects, a n d the o p e r a t o r mtmt remain perfectly still, lest h e also reduce the ingenium's w o r k to nonsense by j a r r i n g o n e o r m o r e of the quills. A n d a n Jngenium S o l a i r s must be built inside, to illuminate the pages as they are encrypted. Jt is also possible to send d r a w i n g s encoded, as the m a g i c k a l operation of the J n g e n i u m o n l y encodes the pvesence of lines; the J n g e n i u m

't"

e Jngenium

Perplexus k n o w s n o t a line

of a letter from a line of a d r a w i n g , hence

d r a w i n g s a n d illustrations shall likewise

be

r e d u c e d to nonsense.

c

t h e sheets of p a r c h m e n t upon m a d e must

the e n c i p h e r e d m a r k s shall be however. For items which are of utmost

which

b e fed individually,

importance, s u c h as m e s s a g e s s e n t to c l e v e r a g e n t s o p e r a t i n g in for-

there

b e attached s e v e r a l thin blades, which shall reduce the original p a r c h m e n t to ribbons. B u t 3 n e e d not this m e of security, for 3 intend to m a k e several copies of my Codex, twenty or more, for the selling, although e a c h shall also be given with a n J n g e n i ~ mPerplexMs, which shall at o n c e pro a n d p r o v e my work. e i g n cities,

can

No, this 3 c a n n o t do, for i t would break me, o e the fees which 3 would b e forced to levy upon those, w h o are interested in my book, to pay, would d r i v e them away, a n d again 3 shall h a to s h a r e my enthusiasm. 3 shall h a v e to publish thi course, c e r t a i n comments edited out, to avoid the f i n d also, 3 shall l e a v e c e r t a i n ingenia o u t of thi the Viu P e r e g r e u s . t h e copies shall be ready in

the effectsof magnetic axes o f f o v c curved across the l a n d s c a p e from one e n d of the earth to other. ;In this 3 recalled my visit t o v e n e z i a , w h e r e the ca are plied by boatsmen, a n d where 3 saw gondoliers at work, a n d also provided technical aid in the shipwrights in keeling a vessel for repairs. 3 n this, the magnetic forces J believe a r e as invisible a n d h a v e thought a g a i n upon

unbreakable ropes, bmt deformed not by stresses in a down

but actually buoyed in a graceful a r c a b o v e the l a n d s from Earth to the other, w h e r e each line of magnetic force is rooted or attached.

fi g o n d o l i e r pulling a likewise manner,

a

boat with

do men pull

a pole propels at a

his

craft forward, a n d in

boat with ropes. W e v e the ropes to

the work of the shipwrights, a n d w e r e t h e gondolier’s pole to e x t e n d from the e n d of the earth to the e n d of the earth, h e could still ply his craft by pulling his body a l o n g its length. J n this manner, i t c a n be readily s e e n that the

be

1

g r o u n d e d miles away, it would m a k e no difference to

lines of m a g n e t i c force, being of themselves inviolate a n d permanent, may

b e used, with a n

a craft across

gears c a n

the smrface of the

p l a n e t in much

be u s e d to propel links

n essence,

3

ingenium d e s i g n e d for s u c h a purpose, to propel

the

o f a chain.

ingenium will act as though i t were a

system, which, using lines of m a g n e t i c force

hi&

a r e intangible

a n d invisible, yet a p p r o a c h i n g t h e infinite in number a n d of exquisite fine r y of detail, m a y b e passed t h r o u g h its system repeatedly a n d without loss of efficacy, e x c e p t i n g by which the ingeni

t h e orientation of the d e v i c e is most easily accomplished, being merely the d i r e c t i o n of the pulleys with respect to the ingenium, that is, the ingenium perform

will be

the eforts

um c a n n o t

be

the magnetic effect,

d r a w n irresistibly t o w a r d s the magnetic pulleys a s

by

o n the magnetic lines. J\s designed here,

w o r k e d in reverse, for the pulleys

rely

they

the ingeni-

upon the tension of

lines to d r a w themselves t o w a r d s them, a n d in reversed

pushing a g a i n s t the ethereal rope, the magnetic lines w o u l d

become hopelessly snarled, magnetizing

Arise, 0 , M e c k a w i s m ! uch a n ingenium would necessarily

S

the ingenium require

the

beyond u s e .

5

u s e of some sort of

elevating mechanism, in a v o i d a n c e of having to ovel*come t h e

that which is to be t r a n s p o r t e d . J t i s far easier to propel a craft t h r o u g h the ai5 which is frictionless, t h a n t h r o u g h the ground, which i s filled with r e s i s t a n c e . t h u s , employing the J a g e n i u m forces of friction

M p o n

jMagneticLts into a s u s p e n s i b l e craft of my o w n design, we find

suited to

the comveyance of people rapidly

A

over g r e a t d i s t a n c e s .

vehicle

3

ind

that the

b a l a n c e of su

that used in be thrust into the grounc

d e v i c e is no+ in ordeq

J might rotate forward, a n d by t h e rocket as t h e Jngemium /\/lagneticMs pulls m e f o r w a r d . Truly walking the earth should be far easier on the constitution t h a n it. P e r h a p s this shall b e m o r e b a l a n c e d . such a m a n n e r

No,this would be a

most undignified m a n n e r of transport.

to counterweight a n d b a l a n c e

the

J shall

have

initial d e s i g n . fib, but i f 3 w e r e to7

C (COflFG5SYOflGflGYflG) ve

had

plenty e n o u g h of the B o r g i a family! 3 a m furious!

the s o r t - h a v e m a d e a c o m p l e t e m o c k e r y of all that is tloly, let a l o n e all that is Jtalian. We h a v e heard tell that the h u s b a n d of L u c r e z i a a n d this is her first hwsband, s i n c e the other m a r r i a g e s w e r e h e s e v a l e n c i a n nobles-they

Borgia,

annulled, a n d h e n c e never w e a k e n i n g of the

heart,

are mothing of

existed, h a s died. P r e s u m a b l y he died

of a

hearts h a v e b e e n w e a k e n e d w h e n Cesare s k e w e r s them with a stiletto. With Cesare’s bloody hands, he should t a k e the n a m e C a r d i n a l S i n . tt a m which is n o t a s u r p r i s e s i n c e m a n y

fuvious!

that he shall d e M y any w r o n g doing, a n d a s h e is a n ordained m e m b e r of the clergy, he is incapable of lying, thus w e shall all h a v e to accept his i n n o c e n c e in the matter. tle is as innocent as a mongrel dog, or a plague-ridden rat! What this country needs, in fact w h a t the e n t i r e Catholic Church a r o u n d th Of course, Cesare being a Cardinal, it is c e r t a i n

gears being the ratio of five to seven, tion that which will

this

being according to my calcula-

r i m g from the imperative field

the opportunity for

untruth, without the loss of the imperative to speak, for it does no good to force someone to speak the truth, if he will not answer the questions put to them.

Of course, tr

is as pure a ma

r as possible, so it is required that

the ingenium be created of the purest materials possible, however ver

shall

sil-

be of n o use. Better much that it be made of beaten gold or

perhaps platinum, and lubricated with pure oil or perhaps holy water, if significamt amount can be had withoHt complaimt from the local

t o make thi

geniuw powevful in aspect and irresistible in dominance,

it is my intention to imstall it in a room o f a tower built among the banks of a fast-flowing

stream, therewith to build a water wheel with which to

provide the i n g e d u w a constant and unwavering source of motivation, which

shall be seen to invest most thoroughly the area with the impera-

tive for veracity.

3t will be necessary to admit a disengagement mecha-

nism to allow the imgenium to rest while the magickal energies of

the

area are being restored.

Anotlqer Ydea 0 OM

must know, of course, &at to interrogate a n y of the

Borgia fam-

ing ingenium would c a u s e

g r e a t c a l a m i t y to in

the matter.

befall all who

dertook

the pursuit

who questioned

E s p e c i a l l y if those

of

the L o r d ’ s

truth

the B o r g i a (whichever

o n e i t w a s ) w e r e themselves u n d e r the influence of my Censurum

their o w n disposiTo that end, i t is ingenium which shall w o r k a n d which shall have a

Veraceus, a n d thence s p o k e freely a n d honestly of

tions towards this most powerful a n d c o r r u p t family. but a simple endeavor to m a k e a s e c o n d a r y

at

the same

time as the C e n s u r u m V e r a c e u s ,

similar i m p a c t upon t i o n of

the person’s

wagickal enkrgies

psyche,

to influence

by

using a different construc-

the mental

processes o f t h e per-

son. T h i s 3 n g e n i u m O b f u s c a r u s w o u l d c a u s e those so affected to forget

all which had

occurred

e n g a g e d . Jt w o u l d n o t to cause

be

while the

mechanism of

r e q u i r e d to

the police

to forget

be

the engine

were

of smaller i m p a c t in radius,

the confession

inclusion of a l a r g e g l a s s lens w o u l d the effect to be focused in nature. 8

be

as

well,

although

so a s

the

ea) assistance in causing

3 a m d i s m a y e d by the slow pace with which bad n e w s

-day

through - Jtalia. J t i s suvprising - to me, as are fain to talk at great a n d exhausting

c a n sometimes travel

well,

for J t a l i a n s

length about all m a n n e r of subjects,

and to g e s t i c u l a t e with

s u c h force that just s u c h a

they cause your inkwell to spill upon yomr p a p e r s . 3t is in m a n n e r that 3 h a v e received this latest a n d most ~ n w e l c o m e

bit of tidings. 3 h a v e b e e n given word that the F r e n c h have r e t a k e n the City ofIl/\ilano from t h e forces of the Duke Sforza of Milano, my f o r m e r p a t r o n , J t is

said that Lodovico now languishes in prison, awaiting the pleasture of L o u i s FII. S u c h are the forttunes of w a r a n d politicking, but 3 had better hopes for 3 1 Moro, a n d n o w i t is a p p a r e n t that 3 shall n e v e r be g r a n t e d the p l e a s u r e of completing the s t a t u e he wished of his father. A n d a magnificent statue it would be, with not its e q u a l in all the world! 3 will not return to that city of M i l a n o a g a i n , for 3 a m c e r t a i n that should 3 appear, the F r e n c h will force m e into making s o m e a r c h w a y commemorating their trimmph at the city gates, a n d 3 h a v e no desire to bring their t r e a c h e r y to qlory. Or p e r h a p s they would press me into devisinq a new m e a n s of interrogating

the Duke. Bah!

bear t h e thought of the S

r z a s imprisoned by the French. 3 t h a s s o u r e d m y stomach, a n d now 3 must a b s t a i n from w i n e a n d spicy dishes, a n d r e s t r a i n myself to p a s t a s . J shall h a v e to find a means of purging myself of this phlegmatism, a n d so shall p u r s u e the invention

cannot

shall affect but a can arrange for

small portion o f t

the effects

of

the i M g e M i u m to b

cords, so as to erase more evenly t which distribution was designed and tested by constructing a manm e q u i n of cantaloupes, Necessarily, large people might r e q u i v e a different distribution. Fdditionally, a n independent sot,wce of motivation i s not pe-d on the blowing of the wind, feasible, as a n escapee cann ium shall have to especially o n a dark Nedite be empowered by a*small but vigor of metallic

s shown in drawing ith the distribution of the tra Z, shown here, the small effects of the imgefiium will be distributed in a n arrangement such that it shall conceal the entirety of the

hile meeting with Albert0 Rizzutto again, over dinner this day, he c h a n c e d to bring to m e s o m e ill tidings, which is that thetmrkmen have at last wrested the city of D u r a z z o f r o m v e n e z i a n presence, therewith robbing their army of its strongest hold upon the lands of Asia Mino9 south of Dalmatia, which could b e said to be m o r e o f t h e B a l k a n s than Asia M i n o r propenthis a l a r m s m e greatly, for i t is a possibility now that t h e t u r k m e n will launch a great fleet, with the intent and purpose of landing upon t h e v e n e z i a n coast, striking at that fair city, a n d conquering her at once for subjugation into the Ottoman Empire. Or else that they may m a r c h along the Adriatic

A

Coast, moving a g a i n s t Zara, a n d dismemberVenezian holdings piece-

by Constantinople.this is worrisome to me, for the effectsof the M o h a m m e d a n zealots linger s t i l l in S p a i n , a n d J wodd ill meal for consumption

see that h a p p e n to f a i r v e n e z i a .

E w g q i w e to Smite v

the earth!

n preparation for such a n event, 3 must c a l c m l a t e &e n e c e s s a r y engineering of a device of magnificent destructive capabilities, with which 3

b e a b l e to bring to a s u d d e n demise any Ottoman aspirations to J t a l i a n lands, whether by invasion of fleeto v m a r c h of army. t h e brightest inspivation J have had is to create a n engine which acts upon the ground as does

might

itself,that is, a n ingenium which shall, by its nature, c a u s e a great trembling among the elemental forces of the earth, a n d thereby the tangible earth propeu; for the disarray a n d disruption of the enemy. Also for the destruction of his fortifications a n d siege engines. J n w i h e s s of which, the terror of his people would b e g r e a t s u c h that they would b r e a k at the sight of the approach of the Venezian army, a n d the new magickal engines of w a r employed by same. J n this manneu; i t is n e c e s s a r y to c a u s e oscillations among the lines of elemental force. Or perhaps random vacillations would be better. yes, that i s the solution, for although cyclic forces c a n indeed create l a r g e disruptions, as evidenced by the method by which children disrupt a piece of rope in a the wind

a g a i n s t ao ill-rigged sail, which c a u s e s it to whip

regular fashion to play at jumping it (3can see them doing so outside my window, a n d 3 hope that they will cease their squealing, m e concentrate),

the better to help

but in a similar fashion, it is possible that s u c h a disruption

will result in a minou; o r even a pleasing effect,much as a violin string is set to vibrating for o u r ammsement. Furthermore, r e g u l a r disrmptions depend in

large p a r t on the regularity of the medium tyss

&&

of

battlefield a r e likely to be very poorly homogenous, dirt a n d s a n d . 3 r r e g u l a r stimulation i t must be.

of a

the grounds a mix of stone and

transmission, a n d

inner suvface of the ingenum.

J

cCZose s e v e n t e e n g r a p n e l s , s i n c e s e v e n -

t e e n is a p r i m e numbeq a n d n o t divisible by a n y of the m a n y c a m s is s u c h

that the g r a p n e l s will

other. A n d the

gearing

not a l i g n themselves in

the s a m e s e q u e n c e for some several thousand revolutions of the main drive shaft, which shall require several houvs of continuous effort, o n &e part of he ivlgeniuuur. the beatings ofthe grapnels causes the sphere to vibrate (these vibrations also facilitatethe continuing revolutions of the cams). Fu&emore, be stable in aspect, a n d in fact is detachable from i t s stand.O n c e the correct vibratory fequency is acheived, &e b r a c e s holding the ingenum in place are =leased, a n d the sphere set f&e to bounce about the engine is not created to

the landsdcape, transmitting its vibrations into the very ground, a n d causing it to convulse with tremovs AS the suvface of the sea i s convcllsed with waves, the compete cycle of i t is impossible that the ingenium shall be seen to be

until s u c h time as its c a m s cease mtating. j+er s e q u e n c e s is played out,

standing in the s a m e position as when i t w a s fbst begun to operate, and his as shall continue to cause the machine to have a n irregular effect. when a violinist bows the s a m e notes but holds his wrists at a different angle, he plays a different string, so shall the Jngenium-tumuliuosus provide a nevev-ending s e q u e n c e of random a n d a b e r r a n t pluckings of he elemental forces. A n d m u s i n g tvemovs as a result.

fter great thought a n d meditation upon

the

ect, J find +ha+J now

a m unable to s e c u r e a suitable testing location for my J n g e n i u m

that a n y n e a r b y would suffer a n d doubtless c a u s e the full force of the law to fall upon my

Ifuosus.

needlessly, balding

Jts effectwould b e so great,

head. Furthermore,

after great concentration,

J

a m Mnable to elu-

cidate the m a n n e r in which 3 might t r a n s p o r t the effectof my ingenium to a location m o r e r e m o t e than that of the device, for it would be a n ill-advised e n d e a v o r to c a u s e a t r e m o r of the

eav-th at a n y location within twenty miles of the ingenium, to s a y nothing of the ingenium being the very c e n t e r of the trembling. 3 shall h a v e to shelve this d e s i g n Mntil J have a better patron, funding, a n d s o m e o n e m o r e reliable than Camillo to do my engineering. 1

-

DYSSOLUTYOJV EJVG

ince 3 a m unable to test m y Jngenium tt,tmulfuosus, 3 have

r

-a

instead

decided to undevtake a different approach to creating AM

effective ingenium for making w a r upon theTurkmen.n\is device,

properly deployed a n d employed byVene2ian or Firenzan tvoops Id, will hold inviolate J t a l i a n fvontievs against &e most ingenious inventions a n d stvongest forces which &e m o m a n E m p i r e

array agaiMst

thing that theturkmen have so as to bring them to a peaceable and favorable resolution of this war

With that 3 thought of endeavoring to create

the direct destruction of their fortifications, instead of employing the indirect method of shaking their uery foundations through a quaking earth.

Of course, poor Rizwtto may have been taken somewhat aback, as he did not understand whereof J ejaculated my excitement of inspivation, and 3 left him abandoned in the plaza without explanation. Jt is unfortunate, at times, that 3 must write my inspirations immediately, lest 3 forget them. Perhaps the remainder of my biscotti and the bottle of wine which 3 fovgot

by the side of the table both will

have served to solace my effrontevy.

this device has a smaller radius of invocation,

and is thereby consum-

mately easier to aim and set off without Mndue effects upon the user of the device or the device mechanism pvoper

For its effect itself, it is best

described, that it imparts to the affected material an acute lack of cohesion ofthe stuffs of which it is made, causing it to fall into disarray, or powdeu;

as though eaten

by termites or

rusted through completely, although even if

the item affected were not iron or wood, even were it stone or glass.'the Greeks might say the targeted material were rendered into atoms.

t h e dewice

is a i m e d

by the

dishes mounted o n top of

which, being g e a r e d together that

the contraption,

they a l w a y s move in tandem, a n d by

e q u a l a m o u n t of tlqe radius, a n d being properly a l i g n e d a s to

be

syn-

I -

chronous, p r o d u c e a n isosceles t r i a n g l e of projection,

the focus

which point, being

of aiiack, is r e n d e r e d dissolute.

X’ime Pvesses ince the

days are pressing upon the w e l f a r e o f v e n e z i a , 3 h a v e

that J must m a k e every effort to create and d e m o n s t r a t e this d e v i c e for the benefit of the city, a n d theveby a l l Jtalia. For the p u r p o s e of the demonstration, i t would b e most seemly were the d e v i c e to be selfmotivated, to which e n d 3 shall u s e a tightly wound spring of metal, as a mainspring, the tensile power of which shall be e n o u g h to motivate the m . Of course, for the winding of the spring, 3 shall h a v e to u s e a lever a r m of sufficient moment, but J believe 3 c a n borrow a w r e n c h to determined

<

suit my n e e d s from Ciniffa, w h o m a k e s carriages outside of town. Despite been

the

able

r e c e n t results o b t a i n e d

to r e t a i n

by that

the services of o n e

c a r e l e s s Camillo,

flernani

Bellizzi,

a very

lent m e t a l smith a n d m a k e r of clocks. Jt is most important entire a s s e m b l a g e of this Dissolventum Universalis closely- fitted a n d studiously c a l i b r a t e d metals, for t o l e r a n t of nothing in

the

line of deviation; e v e n

be

J have excel-

that the

m a d e entirely of

the d e v i c e

the flexibility

itself

is

of w o o d e n

boxes is too g r e a t for its admission.2

O n c e the d e v i c e i s tightly w o u n d upon set u p

iM

the

mains

the dishes and into o p e r a t i o n . T h e aiming of the dishes involves

a s u i t a b l e location, it is only n e c e s s a r y to a i m

engage t h e m e c h a n i s m determining

tiie d i s t a n c e of the height of the t r i a n g l e f o r m e d by their foci,

the estimation of which

is difficult for e v e n experienced artillerists.

H e n c e 3 h a v e also desigMed

A

s y s t e m of reflecting m i r r o r s a n d lenses,

which l e n s e s are mounted a b o v e the

dishes, but s o close in aspect to their position as to be nearly identical, a n d which t r a n s m i t the f o c u s of the dishes to their v a r i o u s reflecting mirrors, which g u i d e the light to a single plate, thusly g e n e r a t i n g a d o u b l e image, which c a n therefore

be

the device. For w h e n t h e i m a g e o n the viewing plate i s least distorted by the twin images, then the operator of the Dissolventum Universalis knows that the d e v i c e is properly a i m e d upon that spot.

u s e d for aiming a

E ~ o r t iRobbery! ~ ~ ! y mother! t

h e p r i c e s which that t l e r n a n i Bellizzi has levied a g a i n s t m e for this project are exorbitant! Gvidently h e has had a m that r a s c a l Camillo, who J c a n only a s s u m e g a v e him a heavilye m b r o i d e r e d version of the incident, and though being disposed of a b a n doning the job thromgh Camillo’s detractions, nonetheless found himself unable to r e n e g e upon his word, a n d in p u r p o s e of forcing m e to a b a n d o n his services, raised his prices to levels which he thought J w a s unable to afford. He has underestimated me, howeve6 for 3 h a v e s e q u e s t e r e d quite a fair r e s e r v e in my years, a n d paid his inflated prices, in surprise of which he vowed to perform for m e his finest craftsmanship.

L--.l--.ll

- c -

-.

1___cI_----

-"I^.

bloody hands. Perhaps h e thinks Louis will n o t remember his resistance to his cousin Charles. 3 do not pretend to understaMd tlqat man's mind.There is no telling to what depths A l e x a n d e r the Borgia will MOW stoop.

that he aspires to paint a fresco next to those of Botticelli, Signorelli, et al; in the S i s t i n e Chapel. tle is a dreamer, and J myself w o u l d distance my work from that ofthe church. t h e n e e d for this Testudo €lementalis is now greater than eve5 for w e find

/Michelangelo

Buoncxrroti confides to me

omvselves SurroMnded with enemies, from thetctrkmen to the French to &e

Church. With B i a n c a maria Sforza's m a r r i a g e to &Iaximilian I, the tIoly R o m a n E m p i r e i s s t i l l on o u r side, although even h e i r valme is qmestioned at this time, with S w i t z e r l a n d MOW standing in sovereign testimony to the tloly R o m a n Gmpire's ineffectuality in enforcing their will t h m u g h military means. With these notifications in mind h a v e 3 constructed the design for Yur Fmurctiour s

illustrated

in drawing a, the transmission

surround my invention. J n

pod

of

the

this, the circumscription of the rod must Ly its

the c r e a t i v e impediments io the motion

that through

t e s t u d o €lementalis c a n without needless w a s t e

lication of

be

of

the rod,

derived,

of

a tvammel o r other such e l a b o r a t e

that a n elliptical perimeter to the

the b e i t e v io protect a

which a body of

the e x p a n in front of the soldiers, a n d cause havoc.3

m a g i c k a l enevgy a n d abrogating

sion of the protection to incorporate empty space into

line of men

b r a v e enemies might breach

t h e central mechanism of this ingenium is, as illustrated here, the crucible, which c o n t a i n s the material to be c o n s u m e d by the ingenium, which in turn, shall be sekn to affectthe elemental manifestation of the output of the device, thereby determining w h a t m a n n e r of wall shall be erected, for

the protection. 3 must consult with those v e r s e d in the alchemical arts to u n d e r s t a n d exactly which materials a r e best suited to the c o n s e c r a t i o n of the ingenium to c e r t a i n elements, although from conversations with a chirurgeon, 3 a m led to believe that bile, blood, phlegm, a n d urine are the materials associated most efficaciously.4

3ts Msuges e ingenium, being designed foe a n d e m i n e d y suited to, the pvotection of

T

k a body of soldievy, in maneuvevs against the foe, i t

shall be obvious that i t is

which are most readily obtained by soldiery. J n this fashion, the ingenium MM be carried upon the back of one of the soldievs to allow for maXimal povtability, or else, should the size afthe device be prohibitive, as might be the case for a device large enough to protect a fLll regiment, it best powered by

manual eyevtions,

a n be povted about in a small wagon designed for that purpose, with a modi-

fied c r a n k m a d e expressly fov the use by two or four men,

or possibly mules.

A n d now 3 have indeed o n c e more, at great personal expense a n d consid-

erable diff;culty, obtained the materials needed for the constvuction of this ingenium, for with it 3 c a n prove o n c e a n d for all time that indeed my designs are sound. No more will the craftsmen here build of these engines in

their completeness, but instead 3 w a s forced to dispevse the pieces of the ingenium among several craftsmen,a n d undevtake the completion of the

the a s s e m b l a g e of the ingenium myself. 3t appeavs that word of GmiIIo’s roof a n d Bellizzi’s workshop has spvead rapidly about the city, a n d none othevs will risk their o w n houses. parts a n d

jh&er

Fu;!mve.

..

e experiment is a failure. After cranking the handle

T

‘ 3 m ya r m s

ached,

ofthe ingenium until

no ctwtain of fire arose in testament to my

labors. 3

moved about a n d felt the g r a s s at the radius ofthe t e s t u d o Elementalis which should h a v e arisen, according to my calcuIations, a n d felt about w i h my

hands.-e

grass was most cevtainly parched a n d withered, a n d a rev-

fect ring of browned grass

stood about me, but unfovtunately this is not

enomgl/tto forestall a n enemy. J endeavored to w a k e another s h n g e r spring

with wlqiclq to wind the inaeMium, but durinq the crankinq the linchpin split d u e v

to inferior constvuction.

L

v

~

this day that JV(aximiIian I, the E s t e e m e d Holy o m a n €mperor, has, in w h a t is now known as the Peace of Trent, r e c o g n i z e d the F r e n c h o c c u p a t i o n of her c o n q u e s t s in our f a i r 3talia as legitimate. 3 t i s now obvious that tttalia is a b r o k e n and d i v i d e d - l a n d , which both a n g e r s a n d s a d d e n s me, a n d m o r e so that s h e shall not h a v e the b e n e f i t o f f o r e i g a s s i s t a n c e to d e f e a t F r a n c e . Jtalia shall h a v e to d r i v e out the Fre h herself, e v e n if i t t a k e s received word

twenty y e a r s , but d r i v e t h e m out w e shall!

Ordinarily 3 do not like to lose my temper,

the

n e w s f r o m Ciiovanni while b r e a k i n g fa

er, e v e n as

3 did so, 3 was able to draw

that w h i c h routing the F r e n ch from the field. explosion of rage a n d

indeed

shall b e

most p r o d u c t i v e in

3 t is s u c h a s i m p l e variation of my o w n previo a n d less d e s t r u c t i v e to h o m e s t h a n wonder find

that

that 3 had

the J n g e M i

that

y y I ~ I ~ ~ . L ( o s ~ s ,3

not previously invented its mechanism. However,

my t h o u g h t s a n d s u c c e s s e s both flow m o r e readily w h e n the contemplation of m a t t e r s martial in nature. 5

J

3 am

OM

b e c o n s t r u c t e d of p u r e s t iron, the better to focus the destructive forces which this shall unleash, a n d aiming may be effected through the manipulation of the scope mounted O M top of the device. 3 1 2 keeping with the necessity of military ingenia to be p o r t a b l e a n d i n d e p e n d e n t of water, wind, &c, a n d other s o u r c e s of exte n a l power, it is n e c e s s a r y to turn the c e n t r a l axle of the ingenium manuallyj however, wiih a proper series of gears, this method of empowering the d e v i c e c a n b e calibrated to a n y s t r e n g t h or rapidity of fire desired. J estim a t e that in o r d e r to bombard a n d destroy a city wall, with a series of fiery projectiles like unto a storm, that a t e a m of twenty horses or m o r e e ingenium should

and amplik

might be required, but although a lesser a m o u n t might not

strike d o w n t h e

the conflagration would cause great fear a n d c o n sion a m o n g +he d e f e n d e r s . J m u s t also someday test this device, however, to e n s w e that i t does not heat u p as a result of g e n e r a t i n g s u c h temperatures itself.6 rock,

t last the w o r s t e v e n t which 3 h a v e s t a n d i n g only

feared has c o m e

that of being b

as c r u e l a n d unseemly a f a s h i o n a

A l e x a n d e r VI,

that vile

and the C h u r c h , h a s now ordered, by papal are said to b e set a g a i n s

noble of mortal m a n

all books

which

s c h e m i n g uswper of the bull, for

-

---

the C h u r c h ,

".. t h r o u g h fiat of

burned, as t h o u g h in which a r e to

his

o w n p e r s o n a l distastes J a m c e r t a i n , to

the fires of Hell

b e c o n s u m e d by

itself. F o r e m o s t of these

flamesa r e

my o w n latest n o t e b o o k which

J have

books

the m e r e two dozen copies of

published, a n d at my o w n e x p e n s e

book h a s c a u s e d is so great, a n d e n g e n d e r s s u c h tremulous feelings in t h e hearts of the c h u r c h , that the pope has o r d e r e d , as well, with g r e a t solemnity of p u r p o s e , that no written r e c o r d of my n o t e b o o k s having existed is to be m a d e , and all kr\owledge of this Cudex having been created is to b e smitten from the

a n d great t r a v a i 1 . t h e offense

which

be

my

minds of m e n for all time, u n d e r penalty of excommunication, e t e r n a l

be struck from the pages of history, destroyed utterly as w e r e the untold volumes of the Library of A l e x a n d r i a . A l t h o u g h J myself face charges of heresy, this 3 c a n n o t damnation, purgatory, &c. my Cudex is to

the uncovering of m u c h k n o w l e d g e to the b e t t e r m e n t a n d enjoyment of the common man, a n d to tMrn my b a c k so upon my own d i s c o v e r i e s into this

allow to h a p p e n , for J h a v e s p e n t my y e a r s in a tireless q u e s t for

most mystical of p o w e r s i s a b u r d e n m o r e heinous and w e a r y i n g to m e

than any

other. 3 c a n n o t let it b e

so.

h a v e items of s u c h great p o w e r as

this

ingeMium of f i r e a n d

the h a n d s of the u n s c r u p ~ l o u sBorgias would c a u s e g r e a t calamity, upon the rest of Jtalia, a n d perhaps all of E u r o p e . A g a i n s t those w h o would c o n s i g n k n o w l e d g e to oblivion, as though i t brimstone in

tion.

The objective is to s n a v e a line of magickal force r a w it towards the

iMgeMiMm

itself, but without consmming

in the act of capturing it, much a s a drawn in to

and

fish is captured and

the fisher’s vessel, by m e a n s of a barbed hook

line itself, p r e s e n t i n g a t a n g e n t i a l line to urn, with a

the

ingeni-

great amount of additional power d u e to

the stresses i m p a r t e d upon the elasticity of the force, a n d h e r e shall b e illustrated that i n g e ~ i u m . which c a n d r a w m a g i c k a l p o w e r s into the area f r o m l a n d s far beyond.

o f a s FUMCtiOM

UMd Jvu.tcrwe

ne b e g i n s with s n a r e s , w h i c h

hooks,

but f o r m e d in c o m p l e t e circles, a n d

turned o n c e around

back

fashioned of

upon t h e m s e l v e s a n d

gold, to afford the greatest

the

shall b e as

protection to

m a n n e r s o illustrated, in d r a w i n g s

the

purest

u s e r . t h e s e are w o u n d in

b t h r o u g h e, for the making

of the

s p o o l -itself is intricate, a l t h o u g h s c h e m a t i c a l l y i t is difficult to illumi-

lawdl

so,3

jUUSt

Close

v e n thowgh my burning of wy notebook was seen, a l t h o u g h

rough papal edict not r e c o r d e d , a n d even deliberately remembered to b e f o r g o t t e n by t h e m o s t f e a r i n g of the pious, i n d e e d the suspia i n e d h e n c h m e n is c i o u s a n d untrfisting m a n n e r of the Pope a n d his e v i d e n t s t i l l . 3 r e t u r n e d to my domicile last w e e k , a n d upon entering, found that the s a n c t i t y of m y d o m a i n had i n d e e d b e e n violated, a n d many of my w o r k s in p r o g r e s s

had

b e e n t a k e n a n d r e m o v e d . Fortunately,

J

that s u c h a n e v e n t might t a k e place, a n d had taken care to hide this manus c r i p t b e n e a t h the a s h e s in the fireplace, which is a b o v e all the last place

practiced foresight, for i n d e e d 3 had o b s e r v e d

one might *

expect A stu-

dious a n d careful man s u c h as 3 to s e q u e s t e r invaluable d o c u m e n t s . my

stolefi w o r k s h a v e

bee@n o w

u n n a m e d priest, but as obnoxiofis Pope, they

their

r e t u r n e d to me, peremptorily,

the v a n d a l s acted

offered, a-d

upon

by a n

the g u i d a n c e of the most

in fact r e q u i r e d , no e x p l a n a t i o n of

activities.

3 c a n n o t a b i d e this t y p e of hounding, to be trea

Without respect, a n d

to h a v e my p r o p r i e t y a n d p r i v a c y violated, a n d with s u c h a c a s u a l disregard for m o r a l i t y . t r u l y n o w do 3 u n d e r s t a n d better the w o r d s of the

Christ w h e n +le s p o k e to the P h a r i s e e s of his time, althowgh 3 c a n n o t r e m e m b e r exactly w h a t they w e r e , a n d 3 do n o t wish to m i s q u o t e Him in these p a g e s , s o 3 shall h a v e to look u p the passage in qmestion this evening. But s u f f i c e i t to s a y that J agree with t l i m that the holy men of

the day

were, a n d for

m e yet are, c o r r u p t

individuals w h o

not

God

hold

sacred,

but

instead revere more

their

their and their

poweq a n d

privilege,

that the P o p e has s i r e d a n o t h e r child. B y i m m a c u l a t e conception, 3 a m s w r e , s i n c e h e is u n w a r r i e d . 3 c a n only p r a y t h a t this Pope A l e x a n d e r V I and his s c h e m i n g offspring r e c e i v e their j u s t rewards both in this world a n d in the I~ereafteu; for the sooner they r e a p the t r e a c h e r y a n d c o r r u p t i o n they h a v e sown, the sooner 3 shall b e a b l e to c o n t i n u e these studies. J n fact, w e r e the Pope to die next position. Why,

the word

y e a 6 3 couldn’t

J

is

b e m o r e elated.

these illegal and affronting s e a r c h e s w e r e house. J h a v e had w o r d that a n f i r a b m e r c h a n t h a s

m a y perhaps know why m a d e upon my

c a u s e d one copy of my m a n u s c r i p t to d i s a p p e a r . H e c l a i m s to h a v e

the papers u p o n h e a r i n g of the edict, bat the c h u r c h a u t h o r i t i e s d o u b t his word as he is merely A h e a t h e n and not at all a C h r i s t i a n . T h e y s e a r c h e d his h o u s e a n d those items which he w a s shipping back to his homelands, but they found not my book. H e c l a i m s that it c a n n o t b e r e c l a i m e d from the fires which c o n s u m e d it, a n d so is held in prison at this time at the Pope’s 1eiswre.There are those w h o s a y he c o n s o r t s with burned

supernatwral forces, a n d m a y h a v e u s e d d a r k arts to secrete my Codex

the trath

of that sfory,

3 will l e a v e these m a g i c k a l researches to l i e fallow for t h e p r e s e n t time, until the Papal f i r e s nation are cooled. p e r h a p s 3 c a n d i v e r t my o w n attention from

hatever

3 g h i a r i yet awaits m y brush. 3 have also r e c e i v e d n o t i c e from the merc h a n t Ciiacondo that he would like m e to r e n d e r his wife, Lisa, for posterity. 3 hope this will help d i v e r t me, although t h e f a s h i o n of s h a v i n g one’s eyebrows does not e n d e a r f i r e n z a n w o m e n to m e . P e r h a p s w e r e 3 to include m o r e of her in the d r a w i n g , this farcical depilation will not b e as noticeable, a n d the painting will also look less like a d e c a p i t a t i o n as do so many portraits. B u t these are t h o u g h t s for a n o t h e r day. 3 m u s t MOLL,

this Codex among upon i t no more. 10

sequester

think a g a i n

my m o s t p e r s o n a l belongings, a n d

e),, Mike. You’re probably wondering all this stuff is stLlcli at the back ofthis book. well, there’s two reasons.

there, though not many. 1 ended up malung a bunch of little slips of paper, each with the name of one engine, and sorting the list that way, and then copving it over by hand again. Sigh. Well,

stuff to write down all the game mechanics Have funfor these things, wondrous as they are. HOW SORCEROUS EflCiJflES Second, when you’re playing a role-playing game, especially the Great Game (which is WORK Jfl REAL LXE really getting popular over here), you realnpredictably No, wait, that’s not what I ly shouldn’t worry about petty things like meant to say. Actually, sorcerous engines are pretty predictable, difficulty numbers. although I can tell you that We don’t in real life, 8 they are not all alike. Not right? We just make a even the engines we use for reckoning of the odds 1 our aerodreadnoughts, all ! made to the same plans, are PVOPeV e M e V So, when someone I alike. That’s because of the in the Great Game way they are built and q i e s are wants to make a magv tuned and maintained; harickal engine, o r if he monics can be different for finds a copy of the each one. Furthermore, Codex, or just a page, utkenfions there is some unpredictabilor whatever, you can hand him the book, f ity in a magickal engine, E because the energies it conand use a heavy-duty create [, sumes to do its work can clip to hold these pages shut. That way, cause some strange effects. 8 1 Unlike gasoline back there, he’ll deal with the info I which is pretty much unias he would in real energies t life, without suits and 1 form, magickal power varies greatly. feat difficulty numbers and required Anyway, there are two skills. It’ll make suspension of disbelief eas- types of sorcerous automata: spontaneous and ier, role-playing more realistic, and what continuous. Spontaneous engines gather up the heck, it lets you, the Host, fiidge all the enough power to fire off an instant spell, and numbers if you have to for the sake of dra- when they have it, the spell gets cast. An exammatic interest. Speaking of dramatic inter- ple of a spontaneous magickal engine is the est, I have a dinner date with Marianne destruction engine o n page 104: Crank it up, tonight, and-well, never mind. and a few moments later a blazing fireball vomits forth to smite the enemy, as Morrolan would I’ve taken the time to alphabetize the list of engines described in this book, and put it. I