Potential Energy (in-setting definition):
Potential Energy is the measure of stored motion inside a mechanical device — wound springs, tensioned coils, and regulated gear trains. It is the city’s usable currency of motion: what you can spend to move limbs, turn gears, rewind mechanisms, or drive workshops.
Kinetic (primary): Motion is the basic usable form. Springs and gear trains store it; machines consume it directly by unwinding and driving transmissions.
Thermal (secondary): Heat is used as a source to generate kinetic energy (for example, via Stirling-style engines or small thermal columns). Thermal energy is almost always converted into stored motion before use.
Minor / occasional forms: Pneumatic pressure and pressurized steam are used locally to drive mechanisms, but are converted into wound Potential Energy for long-term use.
Important: Electricity is not used in Haven XVII — all systems are mechanical, thermal, or pneumatic. Any electrical conduction is absent from the setting.
Tick: Finger-sized tempered brass coil. Keeps one automaton running ~1 day. Sensitive; leaks if mishandled. Rewound with proper tools.
Chime: Stout copper/steel spring in tubular housing (thermos-sized). Powers one automaton ~2 weeks. More robust than a Tick, but efficiency can drop if poorly stored.
Strike: Large horological core (cabinet-sized). Drives an automaton for ~6 months. Fragile; catastrophic release is possible if mishandled.
All three are portable, mechanical spring stores that supply Potential Energy directly when wound into a mechanism.
The city contains room- to building-scale reservoirs: massive wound cores, flywheel banks, belt/shaft accumulators, and turbine-linked storage assemblies.
These assemblies feed districts or industrial halls via belts, shafts, and mechanical transmissions.
Most major reservoirs are nearly empty, making energy scarce and fiercely contested. Their failure is still a hazard, but the biggest problem is the lack of usable motion rather than an excess.
Conversion: Thermal → mechanical (via Stirling engines, boilers driving winders, turbines). Energy is always converted to mechanical motion before storage. Conversions are efficient but not lossless.
Transfer: Energy moves by direct winding or through mechanical links: belts, shafts, gear trains, and turbines. Two machines can share energy if designed or modified with compatible interfaces.
Storage devices hold Potential Energy for extremely long periods if undamaged — centuries in ideal conditions.
Loss occurs if mechanisms leak (poor seals, broken regulators), if springs slip, or if devices are mishandled. Handling errors can release huge amounts of energy suddenly.
Conversion incurs small losses; mechanical systems are relatively efficient but never perfect.
Catastrophic release: Large wound cores or flywheels that degrade or fail can violently discharge energy — tearing structures, projecting shrapnel, and causing concussive damage.
Thermal danger: High-temperature conversion devices and geothermal work pose burning, venting, and containment risks.
Mechanical resonance / imbalance: Poorly balanced counterweights or brake vanes can amplify motion locally, damaging linked arrays or fracturing supports.
Contamination / corrosion: Metal fatigue and grit build-up can jam regulators, causing sudden release or complete failure.
Upkeep matters: Regular maintenance, calibrated regulators, and cautious winding are crucial. Small errors can waste energy or cause disaster.
Accessibility: Small stores (Ticks/Chimes) are common; large stores are rare, heavily guarded, or hard to reach.
Interchangeability: Most automata use energy at similar base rates; specialized machinery may consume much more. Energy can be moved between devices and automata when interfaces allow.
Operational etiquette: Winding, rewinding, and energy transfer require proper implements and trained operators; reckless handling risks loss or explosion.