Gadgets

Some thoughts on interesting things for use in the Covenant.
= Mundane things made better by magic =
==Bilge pump==
(Constructed third season 1220 and as needed)
Based on an "Archimedes screw" and a ring duration Rego Terram effect placed on the bottom of the pipe to keep the screw turning. (Max lvl 5, simple spont for Phaedrus.)
This should keep any basement dry, we will probably build covered pipes into a corner of the stairs or something.
We will probably use one of these to fetch fresh water too, or a similar contraption based on a wheel and "buckets" if we need to use a well. But that might need more careful construction of the materials, and probably some time for the coven folk to get used to...
== Saw mill ==
(Constructed as soon as we have a smith and a carpenter during 1220)
Our carpenter will have access to one or more saws that move by themself and (if Longinius helps) stay excelently sharp (as sharp as you could expect a saw to get, Creo). They will also be impossible to cut onself on. (Protected by a "Ward against the curious sculion", Mages watch out, with the edge of the ward less than an inch from the cutting part of the blade.) All magic is anchored in a circle in a stone below the saw.
The concept of a saw mill was probably not thought of yet but I guess our carpenter will come up with the idea rather quickly.
(Probably a lvl 5 spont for Phaedrus. Harder for Longinius, "Edge of the razor" p154 is 20 but we want a natural sharpnes, should be atleast 5 lvl's easier.)
== Mill ==
(Constructed while building our houses, during 1220)
Mill-stones from some basement digging, 1'thick ~5' diameter, with ring duration Rego Terram effects to keep one moving and the other still. 
Do we need a ward to keep people from hurting themselves?
(It will be hard to stop it if someone gets stuck.)
(Max lvl 5, simple spont for Phaedrus.)
== Bellows ==
(Constructed during 1220, when needed.)
Creo Ignem for smithing and glass working is probably out of our league, but an automated bellows should save some work.
Standard bellows is (at least in the movable smithy I have seen) basicly made like a large sack with boards as top and bottom and a bunch of stones on top to make it close with a constant speed.
A wheel with a Rego Terram (or Herbam) effect to keep it turning and pegs/hooks/sprockets that lifts the upper board should keep that bellows working.
Heat regulation can be handled by diverting the air flow between the bellows and the forge.
== Storage ==
(Constructed while building the base-camp, 1220.)
We will have one storage location that is permanently at a cool night temperature, dry and free of vermin.
(ReIg 10 Controll how heat spreads, Circle of beastwarding lvl 5, Ward variant of Cloak of ducks feathers lvl 5. These are all fatiguing sponts for Phaedrus, unless we put the storage on the higher regio level or the lower level has aura 3, i do not remember and am to tired to dig it out.)
==Building Blocks==
(Constructed Season 3)
A basic wooden ramp running through a stone ring. The ring is a duration ring for a spontaneous spell that changes rock to runny mud. The workers drop stone at the top of the ramp, it runs into the ring. Once the entire stone is within the ring's area of effect, it turns to a runny mud and flows into a mold placed at the bottom of the ramp. The mold can be any shape form able, but presumable will be that of bricks, arc stones or tower wall stones. Once the mold is filled, a worker removes the mold from the ring, the spell effect fades and the mud reverts to stone in the shape of the mold.
 Muto Terram (pgs 152, 154)
 Base: 3 (change dirt to liquid or gas), + 1 (affect stone)
 Range: Voice (+2)
 Duration Ring (+2)
 Target: Individual (+0)
 Total Casting Difficulty: 20
(Spell casting specifics are will the ST)
== more ? ==
The smith could probably use an automated (big) sledge hamer for basic preparation of things, but I do not know enough (period) metalworking to say exactly what.
=Planned invested devices =
== Ambrosius's Mole [Concept]==
Ambrosius's Mole is 1 stone weight sledge hammer with a Perdo Terram effect that is used primarily for tunneling and digging through earth and stone. It is about one cubit long, with a heavy inscribed iron head on a polished oak shaft. Kept with a oiled leather pouch over the head when not in use, it is activated by the user's uttering the command word, "tochail". The hammer's effect will last until the next sunrise or sunset, and can be activated twice a day.
 (Base Lab Total 6
 +2 (Aura) 
 -3 (Basic Lab)
 for an adjusted total of 5; 
 Effect is Base 4 (destroy stone) 
 + 1 (range: touch) 
 + 2 (duration: sun) 
 + 0 (target: individual [1 cubic pace stone])
 + 1 (effect frequency: two uses / day)
 + 0 (effect trigger: command word) 
 for a total effect rating of 8 (Currently out of my range, 
 but I haven’t applied any XP yet, so it might be doable).
 Cost: 1 pawn of terram vis, 1 hammer
----
== Equus quietis [Produced for Mons Obscurus in 1220] == 
A strange looking plow, it has been outfitted with outrunner skids, jutting out a full pace to either side of the centerline, with mounted adjustable depth ski like runners with steel edging. Otherwise rather plain looking, when hitched to a horse, and the command word, "tarraingthe" is spoken, the enchanted blade will easily overturn even the hardest earth, turning dirt and stone almost as quickly as the horse can pull the blade.
 (Base Lab Total 16
 +2 (Aura)
 -3 (Basic Lab)
 for an adjusted total of 15; 
 Effect is Base 1 (Move earth in a natural fashion)
 + 1 (range: touch) 
 + 2 (duration: sun)
 + 0 (target: individual [10 cubic paces dirt, 1 cubic pace stone])
 + 0 (effect frequency: one use / day)
 + 0 (effect trigger: command word) 
 for a total effect rating of 4. 
 Cost: 1 pawn of terram vis, 1 plow
----
== Ambrosius's Shepherding Staff [Concept]==
This thick yew staff with a bulbous, hooking end is polished to a dull sheen and trimmed with brass. An effect that is always on, the holder of the staff can more esily encourage a flock of livestock to one direction or the other.
 Enchantment Bonuses
 +4 (Shape Bonus: Staff [Control Things at a Distance])
 Effect is Base 2 (Plant a single suggestion in the mind of an animal)
 + 2 (range: voice) 
 + 2 (duration: sun)
 + 0 (target: group [flock])
 + 0 (effect frequency: two uses / day)
 + 3 (effect trigger: environmental [Sunrise, Sunset]) 
 for a total effect rating of 9. 
 Cost: 1 pawn of animal vis, 1 shepherd's crook
----
== Phaedrus stone cutter ==
A simple steel chisel for cutting stone, enchanted to cut blocks with a single tap by the hammer.
Activated by tracing an outline of the block with a coal and then placing the chisel against the coal line and tapping it with an hammer.
 Phaedrus labtotal:
 Rego 15
 Terram 5
 Int 3
 MT 3
 Inventive genious 3
 Aura 4
 Basic lab -3
 Sum: 30
 Effect:
 Base 1+1 (Controll an amount of stone in a natural way, make it split)
 + 1 range touch
 + 1 Part
 +5 24 times per day.
 for a total level of 10.
 Cost: 1 pawn of Rego or terram Vis and one chisel.
== The everfull woodsheed ==
Three slightly different ideas on making firewood.
The actuall device would be a piece of stone or metal able to support the largest reasonable piece of firewood.
Moon duration is needed to keep fires alive across the sunrize/sunset and avoid queues at the wood store.
Creo Herbam.
* Base 1 (Create a piece of wood.)
* Moon duration +3
* Touch +1
* +10 Unlimited effect frequency.
Trigger: duplicates the piece of wood that is removed from on top of the device.
Final level: 15
Creo Herbam.
* Base 1 (Create a piece of wood.)
* Moon duration +3
* Touch +1
* Group target + 2
* One activation each day.
Trigger: multiplies the piece of wood that is removed from on top of the device.
Final level: 15
I don't think any of us is capable of making either of these so lets try a device with 70 years expiery:
Creo Herbam.
* Base 1 (Create a piece of wood.)
* Moon duration +3
* Touch +1
* Group target + 2
* +x more activations.
Trigger: multiplies the piece of wood that is removed from on top of the device.
Final level: 15 + x
Either of these could actually act as a minor source of income if we send kids to sell firewood in church stretton.
"Hi, I have some firewood to sell if you promise to burn it before any other fuel." I can see a kid saying something like that...