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Steady Gaze said:
Let’s try entering the watermill to talk to the engineer. If it’s locked ‘cause they’re attending the festival, then we might at least get a name from their “out to lunch” sign. […]
Intrigued by the river’s unusual behaviour, your party decides to visit the watermill for clues.
Sea Swirl: “Figures! Sassy and I won’t be too far; we were going to the orchard next, right?”
Sassaflash: “That’s right. The sweet smell beckons to me, and I’d like to check it out while it’s still daylight.”
Sea Swirl: “Well, you heard the mare. We’ll see you later!”
You nod, and bid farewell to the pair, before walking over the nearest bridge and around to the watermill. As you arrive, you find the top half of the door already open, and tentatively make your way inside.
By the far wall, an earth pony mare seems to be inspecting some machines. Soon enough, she takes notice of the new arrivals, and turns to greet you with an inquisitive smile.
Working mare: “Hello! Can I help you?”
You introduce yourselves to the mare, and ask her if she works here.
Working mare: “You could say that! I’m Tinker Zap, one of the Everfree Region’s energicians. I’m just here to make sure everything’s ready for the evening.”
Moonflower: “What’s an ener…magician?”
Tinker Zap: “Energicians like me are in charge of keeping power stations like this one running smoothly.”
When she is met with the bat pony’s blank stare, Tinker Zap decides to explain further.
Tinker Zap: “Not familiar with power stations? Simply put, this watermill has a big wheel that’s being pushed by water, and it feeds that kinetic energy into a big complicated box called a dynamo-magic machine. It’s in the room back there.
The machine then gives the energy over to a big ball filled with magic, called a power field emitter. You can see that just outside, on the left side of the mill.
Powered up by the energy, the magic in the emitter gains the ability to travel much faster than normal within an area, which we call a power field. Those fields can be quite large, by the way; this one extends over all of Hoofington and beyond.
Anyway! Magic items that are attuned to the power source here will receive magic as long as they stay within the power field’s range. Think of it as one big enchantment!”
Moonflower: “Ooh, I think I got’cha! S’kinda like how chaos grass gotta stay inside the forest, or it jus’ becomes normal grass.”
Tinker Zap: “… Right! And as an energician, it’s my job to build, maintain and repair these machines, and keep the power fields up and running.”
Moonflower: “Ohhh, okay! Is that how all those lights work with no bugs in ‘em? I didn’t even think o’ that.”
Tinker Zap: “Lights, heaters, appliances, you name it. Even other machines! You know, this watermill was originally supposed to be a sawmill at first, but the unpredictable waterflow made it too difficult to operate the saws reliably.
So instead, they converted it into a power station, and built a new sawmill closer to the forest that’s being powered from afar by this one. Crazy, huh!”
At the mention of the river’s waterflow, you admit that you originally came here to ask her if she knows anything about that.
Tinker Zap: “It’s a bit strange, isn’t it? The wheel generates power regardless of which way it’s turning, so it’s not a problem, but I haven’t heard of any other rivers in the region going back and forth like that.
There’s even a hydrograph back there to measure the flow over time. I hear it’s being used by Canterlot scholars to study some kind of pattern, but as far as I can tell, it looks pretty random.”
Apple Basket: “Uh, any idea why it does that?”
Tinker Zap: “Couldn’t say, but it stops at the lake to the east, so it’s gotta be related to the Everfree Forest. I’ve heard most of what I know from the local elders, so maybe they know something about it!”
The clock on the wall indicates twenty to five.
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