Portable Sundials

Portable sundials are a time mesuring instrument that are very popular with travelers, particulary Mage mercenaries and Merchants

Components

Composed of a flat disc, no more than an inch thick, made of various metals or hard woods and engraved with 12-18 notches spaced out in the form of a semi-circle along the edge of the disc. Each engraving is about 1cm appart from each other and only a couple mm deep. A gnomon -Stylised metal or wooden poll- instaled in the centre of the disc and attached to it by hinges rotating around a pin fixed to the disc.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The poll can be lifted up or brought down around a hinge fixed on the disc. It can be lifted up by pushing a small nub protubing out of the disc's radius. When put down, it rests inside the noon noch, which is deeper than the others. When the poll is put up and the disc is placed on an horizontal surface and under the sunlight, the poll's shadow aligns with one of the other notches, which determines what time of day it is.

History

Portable sundials are nearly as old as normal fixed ones, that is to say, very very old. The oldest ones were probably crafted during the earlier years of the first age, either in Darnia, Khartia or Nan-Tao, thousands of years ago.

Item type

Tool

Rarity

While the Item isn't rare per say, most people won't have one. people in cities can rely on larger, fixed sundials in market squares and other public places, while farmers in the country side simple do not need to keep track of time by the hour or half-hour.

Weight

Around 2 Kg

Dimensions

About 8cm in diametre

Base Price

Varies depending on size, material and quality