Telegraph

Communication of the Dwarves

Coils beneath the cobblestone of the Old Dwarven Road hum with electricity, a quiet sound that is barely heard by those just passing through. To the trained ear, one may be able to hear the series of taps that sometimes pass by, pulses of current being directed to the next place, dictated a message through a mixture of magic and technology. If one listens closely while traveling, one may hear the signature series of taps that defines Echo Call, but to the layman, these small sounds may be nothing more than an animal walking or the hammering of some tunnel down the way.
Developed by the Dwarves, the Telegraph is a device that allows one to send messages over long distances without the need for a spell or other high-level magic. Combining technology and magic, the Telegraph is meant to send pulses of electricity through coils of wire that are often inlaid into the ground beneath roadways. These pulses reflect the letters of Echo Call, a simplified language using a series of short and long taps to create letters and words that can be easily transmitted through these electrical pulses. A translator is required on each end to receive and translate the message before relaying the information to the proper people.
While mostly technical, the Telegraph does have some magical components. The electrical pulses are created through the use of some of the special metals of Isekai. Zap Steel is the most common, used in extremely small doses to not be volatile. Magic is also imbued into the Telegraphs themselves to allow the sender to select the location to send a message without the need to send a message through a variety of nodes along the route. The Dwarves have been quite open with this technology, but the combination of mechanical and magic has led to many races deciding that this technology was too complex to be practical in most instances.

Invention

While magic is commonly used in the Dwarven Kingdom, the usage of magical messages was never something the Dwarves delved into as it was said that the large amount of stone between the caster and the receiver could slow or even weaken the magic. Those who lived in Káto often reported similar occurrences, but had found new ways, often using more magic, to get around this limitation.
The Dwarves sought a mechanical answer to their problem, viewing the Old Dwarven Road as the center of their communications. As the road was being built, coils of Zap Steel and other metals were placed in measured increments beneath the road. A language, much like Mine Ticks, would be developed by Scholars to relay short messages through pulses in the coils. With this in place, it was only a matter of time before the perfect machine was created to receive and send the pulses.

Social Impact

Communication through the tunnels of the Dwarven Kingdom could sometimes take days as a mixture of magic and travel was used to relay information through the labyrinth beneath the mountains. The invention of the Telegraph and Echo Call allowed messages to travel from one end of the Kingdom to the other in mere minutes, raising response times to critical issues that might arise.
While the Telegraph is mostly utilized by those who serve the Kingdom or tradesmen, the common people have access to send personal messages at various locations throughout the Kingdom for a small fee. This has kept loved ones apprised of situations, including the status of their loved ones during times such as the Eldritch War. During that time in particular, the Telegraph gave much peace of mind when the world was tumultuous and the Dwarves attempted to protect their homes.

Using the Telegraph

Using the Telegraph by Image via Midjourney, created by Riverfang

A technical wonder, the Telegraph requires a great deal of training to use as well as fluency in Echo Call. An operator may spend decades learning the craft at various academies before being allowed to truly send messages.

Related Species

• Dwarves

Related Language

Echo Call

Related Location

Old Dwarven Road