The Da Vinci Codex
"On close inspection of the codex with a mirror they see that it is written in a Italian using mirror writing, so they use a mirror to duplicate the feat. The codex contains plans for Da Vinci's greatest invention, an 'ordinator' or giant mechanical engine designed to calculate and perform all mathematical functions. The inside is planned as a great interlocking series of watch-gears, each representing a small piece of information. The outside bears turning numeral gears and a vast array of buttons and levers."
The first mechanical calculator may have been conceived by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) around 1502. Da Vinci's invention was forgotten for over 300 years. In 1967 scientists working in the National Library of Spain, Madrid stumbled upon two unknown works of Leonardo da Vinci, now know as the "Codex Madrid". One of the works contained notes on a device for calculation. In 1968 IBM hired Doctor Roberto Guatelli, a famous world expert of Leonardo da Vinci, to build a replica.
An early version of
today’s complicated calculator, Leonardo’s mechanism maintains a
constant ratio in each of its 13 digit-registering wheels.
For each complete revolution of the first handle, the unit wheel is
turned slightly to register a new digit ranging from zero to nine.
Consistent with the ten to one ratio, the tenth revolution of the first
handle causes the unit wheel to complete its first revolution and
register zero, which in turn drives the decimal wheel from zero to one.
Each additional wheel marking hundreds, thousands, etc., operates on the
same ratio. Slight refinements were made on Leonardo’s original sketch
to give the viewer a clearer picture of how each of the 13 wheels can be
independently operated and yet maintain the ten to one ratio.
Leonardo’s sketch shows weights to demonstrate the equability of the
machine."
The "lost" Madrid Codex is a McGuffin in the Flashing Blades Adventure: The Man in the Mask. The PCs are sent to obtain the notebook, which contains plans for the calculator, called an "ordinator." I particularly liked Mark Pettigrew's use of a real document for his adventure plot. After reading up a on the Madrid Codex I found Pettigrew's suggested resolution of the scenario wherein the Codex is tossed in a bonfire a clever "explanation" for the document's real world disappearance. Of course since we now know that the codex was either not destroyed or that there was a copy that ended up in Spain, the apparent destruction, may have been a ruse.
Da Vinci wrote his notebooks in a sort of code using mirror writing. He wrote everything in mirror image (probably by using a mirror). This provided a nice puzzle for the Savvy PC to solve.
"On close inspection of the codex with a mirror they see that it is written in a Italian using mirror writing, so they use a mirror to duplicate the feat. The codex contains plans for Da Vinci's greatest invention, an 'ordinator' or giant mechanical engine designed to calculate and perform all mathematical functions. The inside is planned as a great interlocking series of watch-gears, each representing a small piece of information. The outside bears turning numeral gears and a vast array of buttons and levers."
And there are many other amazing products of Da Vinci's genius to serve as McGuffins for additional adventures.
In Popular Culture
The "lost" Madrid Codex is a McGuffin in the Flashing Blades Adventure: The Man in the Mask. The PCs are sent to obtain the notebook, which contains plans for the calculator, called an "ordinator." I particularly liked Mark Pettigrew's use of a real document for his adventure plot. After reading up a on the Madrid Codex I found Pettigrew's suggested resolution of the scenario wherein the Codex is tossed in a bonfire a clever "explanation" for the document's real world disappearance. Of course since we now know that the codex was either not destroyed or that there was a copy that ended up in Spain, the apparent destruction, may have been a ruse.
Da Vinci wrote his notebooks in a sort of code using mirror writing. He wrote everything in mirror image (probably by using a mirror). This provided a nice puzzle for the Savvy PC to solve.
"On close inspection of the codex with a mirror they see that it is written in a Italian using mirror writing, so they use a mirror to duplicate the feat. The codex contains plans for Da Vinci's greatest invention, an 'ordinator' or giant mechanical engine designed to calculate and perform all mathematical functions. The inside is planned as a great interlocking series of watch-gears, each representing a small piece of information. The outside bears turning numeral gears and a vast array of buttons and levers."
And there are many other amazing products of Da Vinci's genius to serve as McGuffins for additional adventures.
In Popular Culture
- The plot of the clockpunk 2011 version of the movie The Three Musketeers uses Da Vinci's notebooks, and several of the inventions therein, as the McGuffin that sets the plot rollling. Someone who wants a gonzo clockpunk should watch this film.
- The Starz TV series Da Vinci's Demons uses working and often fantastical versions of many of Da Vinci's inventions. The series is a great source for gonzo plots and devices.
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