Mechanical Ravens and Ancestral Bones

[Guthheimr]

     Within Guthheimr, the people were proud of their heritage and sought to emulate the gods that walked among them. In order to curry the favor of Odin, many sought fields in robotics and the tech industry, as such feats were esoterically and jokingly lauded as magic inside the scientific community. For Odin above all in the old stories sought knowledge. Dr. Marcus Valtorius was one of the many scientists who worked tirelessly in the development of new technologies for the nation. For his latest technology, he obsessively worked to bring the mythology to life. Huginn and Muninn, the eyes and ears of Odin.

     Dr. Valtorius had been working on a project that would revolutionize warfare for the nation. He was working on drone technology. Dr. Valtorius had envisioned the drones being used in battles, where they could help the army without risking the lives of soldiers, or spy on their enemies and neighbors. 

    The first drone was ready for testing, and Dr. Valtorius had chosen a remote location for the test. He arrived at the testing site with his team and set up the drone. He was about to launch the drone when a group of soldiers arrived. They had heard about the project and were eager to see what Dr. Valtorius had created.

    “Valtorius!” A bearded man wrapped in a ceremonial fur cloak and fatigues stomped to the scientist, trailed by ten armed men.

     “Dr. Valtorius,”

     “You should know better than to play with new tech like this without Odin and the council taking notice,” The man wore a patch that read B. Bjorn, “You should have gone through the proper channels and I wouldn’t have to chase you all over the f*cking Yetis Mountains,”

     “Why should I waste my doing that when the all-seeing eye of Odin himself will send me to you? I have no time to waste with politics, I am here to make history for Guthheimr and Aesir and Vanir Council.”

     Dr. Valtorius knew that the soldiers' presence could jeopardize the test, but he also knew that he could not deny them the chance to witness history in the making. He briefed the soldiers on the drone's capabilities and activated it. The drone took off, and the soldiers watched in awe as it flew around, a small camera taking in its surroundings. Using this drone, Dr. Valtorius spotted a cave high atop a mountain in the Yetis. The military witnessing the even would decide to explore this cave.  

     In the chamber, they found old artifacts dating from the Iron Age. Dr. Valtorius knew this from the blacksmith soapstone molds that were scattered about the floor of the cave. At the entrance, there were the remains of what looked like a broken forge. It was scattered with leftover fragments of iron and silver, and what looked like fragmented human bone, “I want everyone out, no one is to touch this site!” Dr. Valtorius forced Bjorn and his men out of the cave and radioed to Jotunheimr to send their scientists to study the site. 

 

     Dr. Valtorius' lab was quiet as he selflessly and tirelessly worked to prove the concept of his drone worthy enough for Asgard to invest in. Dr. Valtorius’s fingers bled slightly as he connected wire after wire, sometimes opting to use a bent coat hanger heated on a Bunsen burner in order to save resources. The doctor pressed a button, and a small clamp on the drone released with a click. He couldn’t help but grin. Dr. Valtorius took his small drone and its remote out behind his lab and affixed a new device to the bottom, shaped like a pipe. But the drone was not powerful enough to lift off. Dr. Valtorius cursed loudly and set his design back on his bench, forced to order new parts and wait for them to arrive. 

     Several days later, his drone had stronger motors to lift it and its care package. Dr. Valtorius sent the drone high into the air and pressed the newly wired button on his controller. The pipe dropped onto a tree, and exploded in a small and fiery flash that knocked a branch loose. Dr. Valtorius began to cackle excitedly. What more could he do with the funding for lighter materials and new mechanisms to tinker with? Only Odin and the council could say. Doubtless Tyr and Thor would hear of this too, and Freya as well. Dr. Valtorius busied himself with something he hadn’t done in quite some time, a professional letter to the council seeking funds.

[Guthheimr]

     In his letter to the council, Dr. Valtorius outlined the success of his drone technology and the potential it held for the nation's military. He also mentioned the discovery of the Iron Age artifacts in the cave that his drone had helped to uncover. Dr. Valtorius believed that these artifacts could hold valuable information about Guthheimr's history and hoped that the council would allocate funds for further research.

     As he waited for a response from the council, Dr. Valtorius continued to work on improving his drone technology. He experimented with different materials and designs, hoping to make his drones faster, more durable, and more versatile.

     Months passed, and Dr. Valtorius received a response from the council. They commended him for his work and agreed to allocate funds for further research and development of his drone technology. They also agreed to provide funding for the study of the Iron Age artifacts that had been discovered in the cave.

     Dr. Valtorius was thrilled. With the council's support, he knew that he could take his drone technology to new heights. He worked tirelessly, constantly tinkering and experimenting with new ideas. Dr. Valtorius commissioned for several design analysts and 3-d modelers to bring his idea to reality. he couldn't learn how to code a vector mesh to save his life. Valtorius learned in a few previous trial runs that the sharp edges of a frame could easily de-laminate key wires on the drone upon impact. So, when he received the x-shaped carbon fiber frame, he sanded the edges and washed off the conductive particles. Due to another learning lesson and a missing motor, Valtorius installed the four rotor motors with threadlock applied screws so they couldn't wiggle free. Then came the painstaking process of wiring the flight controller to the reciever and video transmitter. He would dry fit everything and spend the next hour or so soldering everything carefully. While he tested this design succesfully in an enclosed environment, Valtorius wanted to solve the chassis question for a standardized drone, the question was what material to use?

Edited March 12, 2023 by Guthheimr (see edit history)