Notes: MTP experiments


First, I attempted--with appropriate safety controls in place--to ignite three bags of powder using blasts from each elemental staff: Ice, Fire, and Lightning.

I conducted these experiments on the beach south of Dundee. I placed each MTP on top of a sand dune and stood upwind in a mild breeze that would take any smoke out to sea.

Findings:

Ice: I had expected that the impact of the piercing ice-shards would burst the MTP apart in a great cloud of dust without igniting it. This did not happen: The bag actually exploded!
Possible explanation: intrinsic magic within the ice-blasts--or within the ice itself?--reacts with the magic powder, causing it to explode.

As the breeze carried the residue off to sea, I thought I saw it glittering in 'rifter-light. A magical explosion that created no heat, perhaps?
Several glittering bits fell to the sand. They were very small bits of the bag that had contained the magic powder.

(Note: future inquiry into this hypothesis might be in order)

Fire: Like the description of the MTP explosion in the Nexus: When the staff fire-ball struck the MTP, it exploded in a large ball of fire.

Just before the breeze carried the curling black smoke off to sea, I saw small bits of flame begin to fall to the sand. Upon examination, I found a few ashes caught in sand ridges. I believe they, too, were burnt remnants of the bag that had contained the magic powder.

(Note: Unfortunately, I was not present when the MTP explosion took place in the Nexus. Therefore I cannot compare the size of the two explosions. It's very possible that, since the dark fog or mist seemed to be decreasing the air in the Nexus, the explosion there would have been smaller, having less fuel)

Lightning: The MTP disappeared in a sudden ZAP! of blinding white-hot light. I was forced to cover my eyes, but when I lowered my hands I could see no smoke at all drifting off to sea. Also, I couldn't find any bits or ashes that might have been the bag that had contained the magic powder.

(Note: A repeat of this experiment is obviously in order, using a pair of strongly tinted monocles to protect my eyes. My impression was that the lightning-blast consumed powder and bag within a fraction of the times of the Fire and Ice blasts, though I have no cause to think the blast was any larger or more powerful. )


Further experiments may include using different containers for the Magic Powder, to try to gauge how they might effect the power and range of the explosions.