Common Knowledge: Journey Cart Maintenance3061-08-12

Notice

This informational pamphlet is a publication of Ascension. The facts presented here have been verified to whatever extent possible as of the publication date above. This document may be copied and distributed freely, provided that no modification is made to the content or to this notice except for personal use.

Section 1: Operational Background

A Journey Core is the powerful magical engine responsible for a Journey Cart’s locomotion. In basic models, such as the Lightcore 102, the Journey Core is easily visible due to the lack of shielding. In other, more advanced designs, the location of the core is non-obvious due to the inclusion of convenient, if inefficient, charging channels that allow mana (Common Knowledge: Mana) to be provided to the core without direct access.

Almost all Journey Cores (including all Lightcore Foundry models) operate by subtle realignment of gravity (Common Knowledge: Gravity). In other words, a Journey Core shifts the definition of ‘down’ for itself and the linked structure of the Journey Cart around it. Note that the Lightcore 102 is an exception, as structural linking runes are omitted from the design.

In this way, and with the exception above, the linked mass of a Journey Cart is irrelevant to its maximum speed. That speed is instead limited by rolling friction (Common Knowledge: Friction) and the mass (Common Knowledge: Mass) of the cargo. Note that more sophisticated models, such as those designed in West Nov, are able to extend a linking field over their cargo provided that it is stowed in specially scripted compartments. Such bespoke models are outside the scope of this guide. Also note that Lightcore Models 108 and 118 are identical to Model 128 but for the inclusion of speed governors. See Appendix A for detailed warning information related to these governors and a detailed list of connections that must not be damaged lest they cease to function.

Section 2: Basic Maintenance

First and foremost, the operation of a Journey Core is defined by the scripted surface of the lair subcore (Common Knowledge: Lairs) used as its substrate. Thus, the most basic preventative maintenance, requiring no runic ability whatsoever, is simply to keep the core compartment clean of dust, debris, and anything that may damage the Journey Core’s surface. A Journey Core may be cleaned with a soft cloth, but take care not to apply excessive pressure when cleaning and avoid the use of any strong abrasive. See the included inserts for core access procedures and environment-proofing recommendations for common Lightcore models. With improved seals and basic cleaning every one hundred kilometers (approximately 20 leagues, Common Knowledge: Metric System), the operational life of a Journey Core may be extended by as much as a factor of three.

Logically, this recommendation extends to all scripted components of a Journey Cart, as any damage to any component can compromise a Cart’s operation. Again, refer to the model inserts for specific instructions for the identification and cleaning of supporting components. Do not attempt to disassemble sealed assemblies, as these often contain highly destructive anti-tampering countermeasures. Bypass procedures for a subset of these countermeasures are included in Appendix B, though these should not be employed except by a Runesmith with the specific skills and capabilities listed in the appendix.

Did you Know?: Official maintenance by Lightcore technicians involves nothing more than basic cleaning as described above. Do it yourself, and never pay for costly and inconvenient service again!

Section 3: Safe Charging

Rapid charging of a Journey Core, while marked as a feature on several models, should be avoided except in case of emergency. Overstressed mana absorption runes are the number one cause of non-damage-related failure. Refer to Appendix B for safe charging rates for all specified models.

Certain ‘Never-Charge’ Lightcore models also include proprietary power modules, which must be replaced at great cost when depleted. Refer to Appendix C for a schematic of an adapter module that may be used to retrofit such models with traditional charging and storage components. While less convenient, traditional charging is vastly more economical, as charging may be performed by any Mage or similar class with Mana Manipulation.

Section 4: Preventative Tuning

The number one cause of runic degradation in all Lightcore models is misalignment between core runes and the scripted structure of the vehicle itself. Each core is unique, even those produced from the same lineage, and these differences result in conflict with standardized components. The following procedures describe how each standard runic sequence may be tuned by any bronze-level Runesmith to improve function and overall life. These procedures can improve the speed of most models by as much as thirty percent while decreasing operational costs by a factor of two.

Subsection 4.1: Identifying the Point of Maximum Runic Friction

Step 1: Place the Journey Cart on a flat surface and disengage all…