The Council Archives/Jayce's Journal

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Short Story

The Council Archives

By Ty Sheedlo

The Council Archives. You'd heard stories at the Academy, of course, but words could not describe the breathtaking magnitude of its contents. The entire history of your city: its glorious achievements, its sinister secrets, painstakingly documented, waiting to be read.

Starring: Caitlyn, Jayce, Jinx, Vi

Mentioned: Benzo, Cassandra, Chross, Claggor, Deckard, Ekko, Grayson, Heimerdinger, Marcus, Mylo, Renni, Silco, Smeech, Tobias, Vander, Viktor, Ximena

Jayce's Journal

• HexCrystal Bracelet
• Heimerdinger's Keys
• Jayce's Hammer
• Far From Home
• Progress Day
• A Powerful Partnership

The crystal calls out to you with an otherwordly hum, imperceptible to the ear, yet heard deep within the caverns on the brain. Even drained of all its arcane power, the remnants of something lingers. You shake your head, freeing the thoughts from your mind. Perhaps Heimerdinger was right - nothing good can from this.

You fumble your fingers through the key ring, observing that each key appears nearly identical. Their ornate design distracts from the simplistic construction of their teeth. Heimerdinger's tardiness is now perfectly explainable. He must spend countless seconds experimenting, with each door opened warranting a celebration.

At the base of the grip of this finely crafted hammer, you notice an emblazoned "J." It seems our intrepid innovator signs more than just each page of his notebook. As powerful a makeshift weapon as it is a handy tool, a hit from this will surely leave a mark.

• I
• II
• III

Entry #1
Heat of the furnace in the Talis Forge: approx. 1250 degrees.

Heat in this dessert: immeasurable.

• Left measuring equipment in apartment…

Entry #2
The sand appears to cascade into infinity; not a hypothesis I'm willing to test

I never thought I'd find myself so far from home again. But all my research led to this:

This mineral must be the key to unlocking the secrets of the arcane.

Entry #3
Sudarian

• Attracts other metals in a short vicinity.
• Imbalanced.

Kumangium

• Stab, strong conductor.

Targonite

• Produces a burst of florescence when exposed to sunlight.

Entry #4
NO MORE DEAD ENDS!

Entry #5
The treasure hunter has assured me that the stories I've heard about this crystal are true.

• Advised not to cut or otherwise damage the crystal
• Traders avoid the sale of it—too risky?

Entry #6
Appears to possess buoyancy in the air.

Incredible internal density; fragile outer layer

Entry #1
EXPLOSION AT LOCAL DIG SITE

Man claims to have floated an inch off the ground prior to a massive burst of energy

A bluish light outshone the stars last night when contractors digging at a work site stumbled upon something something dangerous in the ground.

"We struck something. Some type of rock. Didn't even catch a glimpse of it before the wave hit me."

The wave to which this miner - who wishes to remain anonymous - refers was a blast of energy that set the carefully planned project back by months.

Entry #2
I can't afford to be wrong again. The Kirammans are counting on me. My mother thinks this is a fool's errand. But she understands that power of magic, even if she's not willing to admit it.

• She'll be proud of me. It won't be long now.

Entry #3
I have collected several theories I've discovered on my journeys on how the power of the Arcane might be harnessed: Crystals form bonds with a sole user - their power is channeled though it

• Can a device be created to manufacture such a connection?
• What determines the bond?

Entry #4
The interaction with the crystal is generated by power from ANY user.

• Does the power react with the crystal externally or internally?
• Could this power be recreated successfully and repeated?

Entry #5
Do you need an object to house the power? Some type of staff

• Too on the nose.'

Entry #6
Best practices: wind and/or water turbine? A current channeled through lightning?

Entry #7
My own theory:

• the Arcane is a field around us, invisible to the naked eye but ever-present
• with careful use of a particular source of energy (still unknown) we can crack into this field, and merge it with our own reality

Entry #1
In my travels, I have come across markings connected with the Arcane.

Entry #2
The 3 depleted crystals in my possession each bear a different mark - what I believe to be letters of a runic script:

• one from my childhood
• from a seller in Bilgewater
• from a Zaunite pawn shop

Entry #3
My attempts to decipher the language have proved largely unsuccessful.

• These MUST be the key to harnessing the crystal's power

Does the letter correspone to the word that must be spoken? Thought of?

• Or does the letter represent the end result? the very use of the arcane?
• Can this be done in unison with a mimicked power source?

Can the crystal's power be contained?

Entry #4
Is it dangerous?

• I
• II
• III

Entry #1
Hours until Progress Day: 91.

Power dampening attempt #6

• Didn't generate enough power.

Perhaps the device should vibrate at specific intervals of time?

Entry #2
I've found myself recently staying awake until morning. You know what they say... "Dreams can't come true while you're asleep."

Entry #3
Heimerdinger has noticed a decline in my school work.

• His perception, unsurprisingly, is accurate. I hope to prove him wrong for once!
• Charting grades along with my sleep schedule. I'm sure there will be a strong correlation.

Entry #4
Hours until Progress Day: 67

• I could have sworn I saw a glimpse of the gateway
• It disappeared before I could even begin to sketch

Entry #5
Perhaps my prismatic platform is constructed of too weak a material?

Gold

• Without help from the Kirammans, I can't afford this.
• Can't tell the Kirammans, they wouldn't understand.
• NEED PROOF FIRST!

Entry #6
Silver

• Highly malleable. - CONFIRMED
• Refracts light. - CONFIRMED.
• Not sure if this is positive or a negative.
  • Could lead to destabilization
  • Could generate more power
  • DESTABILIZES!

Entry #7
Copper

• Highly conductive. - CONFIRMED
  • Generate formula to measure conductivity.
• Cheap—they use this in the undercity!
• Not sure if this is positive or a negative.
  • Malleable. - CONFIRMED

Entry #8

With the right resonance and material, I know I can invoke a stable connection!

Entry #1
Hours until Progress Day: 43.

Copper transistor melted.

• Need to chill area around crystal without dampening the effects.
• Some type of coolant?

Entry #2
I was walking my - failed - experiment to the scrapyard and ran into Dmitri.

• TRY TO BE MORE CAREFUL NEXT TIME! CAN'T RISK BEING FOUND OUT!
• The Academy's best and brightest...
• He wouldn't know true progress if it hit him in the face.
  • Say that next time you see him!
• Think of something better to say...
  • You will make an excellent teacher.
    • Will he get that this is an insult? Maybe he wants to be a teacher?
    • Maybe I should just stick to science...

Entry #3

• Don't compare yourself to him—his experiments may be successful, but to what end?
• They won't bring change to Piltover. Not like Hextech.

Entry #4
"Most scientists enumerate a thousand failures before they tally their first success" - Professor Heimerdinger

• I suppose I must be closing in...

Entry #5
Hours until Progress Day: 5.

• I can't see my path forward.
• Make a pros and cons list.
• ...It was an even split.

Entry #6
Pros

• The Arcane could bring the future to Piltover.
• It could unite the cities.
• Help the common peoeple.

Entry #7
Cons

• The Council disapproves of magic.
• Grades are suffering - might get kicked out of the academy.
• Working with the crystals is dangerous - could get me killed.
• (Which is worse? Killed or expelled?)

Entry #8
Spoke with my mom - she's worried about me.

• Thought that I'd find inspiration among the festivities.
• That what I need is... a break.

Entry #1
Progress Day

• Mom was right.
• All I needed was time away from my desk in the form of sweet treats and "gizmos and gadgets".
  • Progress Day Pastries > Progress Day Inventions

Entry #2

• The day wasn't without its inspirations
  • I saw dozens of inventions, if you could call them that. They were simple parlor tricks, ways to improve daily life by only a fraction.
    • A mechanical grooming kit.
    • Improved sound amplification for a phonograph.
    • A chef's range powered by natural gas.
      • THOSE WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS!
  • When I unveil hextech, it will be the talk of Progress Day!

Entry #3
It has the potential to change everything.

• I
• II

Entry #1
It's been a while since my last entry. There were a number of factors:

• Journal was confiscated by Heimerdinger and almost incinerated.
• The council expelled from the Academy.
• Continuing my research seemed impossible.

Entry #2
But... now a new set of factors.

• My journal has been returned to me.
• My hextech research, though impacted, now perhaps has a clever path forward.
• I have a partner: Viktor...
  • I don't know his last name.
    • Ask him his last name.

Entry #3
Was a fresh start what I needed?

• Or was it a fresh set of eyes? A perspective other than my own?
  • I did not predict that I would take to sharing life's work with another scientist
    • The goal is not personal glory.
    • It is shared equality.

"When you are going to change the world, don't ask for permission."

Entry #4
Viktor believes we should amplify the power instead of dampening it.

• Both are dangerous thoughts.
• Inversely: What do I have to lose?

Entry #5
Power Amplification Tests

Goal: Determine the precise output required to channel the crystal's power into a safe and sustainable source of energy.

Constants:

• Use crystal, approx .65gg in size.
• House crystal in a copper frame.
  • Stable conductivity.
• I believe that raising the oscillation frequency will generate more power and, in turn, channel the crystal's energy.

Entry #1
Test #1

• Raised oscillation to 1/5s.
• Noticed a short, erratic response from crystal.
  • Ended as soon as it began.
  • Burst of some type of kinetic energy.
• FAILURE.

Entry #2
Test #2

• Raised oscillation to 1/4s.
• Crystal responded to touch.
  • Beam of energy connected to index finger over a short distance.
• FAILURE.

Entry #3
Test #3

• 1/3s oscillations.
• Crystal vibrated with low pulse.
  • Occurred at steady intervals for short time.
• Needed to tighten constraints around gem - Viktor assisted.
• Several spider-like beams emanated from different facets of the crystal.
• FAILURE.

Entry #4
Test #4

• 1/2s oscillations.
• Crystal nearly shook the copper platform off the table.
  • Needed Viktor's help to restabilize it.
• Tendrils of iridescent light spored from the crystal.
  • Looped around the platform before diminishing in size.
• FAILURE.

Entry #5
Test #5

• 1/1s oscillations.
• Tendrils appeared again, brighter and larger in size.
• Short bursts of energy shot out - "like spots of light from a star" said Viktor.
• Attempted to shut it down as bursts grew more frequent.
  • Unable to reach control switch due to intensity.
• Beam shot out of window - shattering it.
• Pieces hovered in air for a brief moment.
• SUCCESS?

Entry #6
Results

• Viktor was right. The increased power is enough to harness the crystal's energy.
• But it must be stabilized.
  • What to change...
  • Less conductivity?
  • A large copper prism?
  • An alternate layout of the runic script?
• Our experiments created a lot of noise. If Heimerdinger hasn't discovered us yet, it's only a matter of time.

Trivia

• The note labeled "Benzo's" indicates that this was the shop Jayce visited in Zaun in Episode 1 and 2.
• The events in his journal occurred before and after Act I.

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References

Lore and Events

Universe Wiki | Arcane