Signal Wheel

The signal wheel, along with its beacon and receiver, is the main method of long distance communication in the Achean empire (and for some distance outside of it). It requires a mage with both the Sight and the Touch to operate the signal wheel, though one who was only possessed of the sight could receive messages and not send them. Messages sent by the signal wheel are sent in a runic "alphabet" devised by the mage guilds of Acheos, and are impressed as text on a wax tablet, either in that alphabet or transliterated into the local one by the impression mechanism of the machine. The method of sending messages relies on a very focused runic signal passing from one spire to another, as well as a system of amplification that allows the message to be perceived by the receiving mage. Because it relies on focus rather than strength, the spires must be in line with each other (one might say "within line of sight" but they can be far enough apart that the eyes couldn't resolve the tower on say, a distant mountain range, and still operate).

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The signal wheel consists of a wheel of runes with a free spinning bar or pointer in the center. While receiving a message, the mage places one hand on the receiver plate and one finger of the other hand through the loop of the spinning bar. They are then able to record the impressions by pressing the rune keys on the dial as each impression comes through the receiver plate. Pressing the keys as the message comes causes an impression of the message to be pressed into a wax tablet. When sending a message, a bar in the front of the machine is slid across, engaging the amplification system instead of the wax tablet recording system. The mage then spins the dial and focuses through the wheel on the proper runes as they send them through the amplification system and out from the message wand at the top of the spire.

Significance

The signal wheel, and the signal spires that they operate, are the only method of near instant communication over long distances currently available in the world. It was supposedly possible in ancient times to send messages over distances without spires or signal wheels, but doing so would take a dangerous amount of raw magic and so it has not been attempted.

Rarity

There is only one signal wheel for each signal tower in the Empire, numbering somewhere in the low four digits.