A Song for Winter: Unknown Tech

    The annual fire fall had yielded many pieces of ancient tech and various trinkets that confused William. Eventually, he worked out how to use the data pads even if he couldn’t understand the information stored on them. Various magical weapons that could make blades and projectiles out of pure forms of elemental magic came to him like second nature. However, there was one piece of tech that confounded him to no end. It seemed so simple yet its function was not easily discerned like all the other bits of tech he had scavenged. William knew if he couldn’t sell the cursed thing if he could figure out what it was.

   

    It appeared to be a simple metal box with two openings on top with a lever of sorts on the side. Pressing the lever down on the side caused the box to radiate fire magic for a time. After a few moments, the lever would pop back up and the fire magics would cease allowing the box to cool off. The box didn’t shoot flames out of itself or explode when thrown so William figured it wasn’t a weapon of any sort. He thought for a bit that the metal box might be some sort of torture device for one’s hands but ruled it out after realizing that there wasn’t a way to keep someone’s hands in it once turned on. Also, most people’s hands were too large for the slits on top including William’s own.

 

    For the life of him, William couldn’t reason out a practical use for this metal box fire contraption. There was no one around for him to ask as he had looted this fire fall crater by himself so he wouldn’t have to share the profits. Stowing the device, William set off back towards town hoping to find someone on the road that could help him identify what the actual use of this metal box was or how much he could reasonably try to sell it for. Unfortunately, the roads were empty as most of the braver adventurers were still out chasing falling debris from ancient destroyed starships. Why was this device even on a starship if it wasn’t a weapon of sorts or had some combat usage?

 

    Upon reaching the Eventide Ring, William took all of his loot that he was able to identify as a half-dragon merchant who bought treasures from adventurers. William could make more coins if he sold the weapons and data pads himself but he didn’t have time for that. He was still trying to get off-world as quickly as he could. As William unloaded his wares the metal box tumbled out and before he could put it away the draconic merchant asked if it was also for sale.

 

    “You know what this thing is,” William asked, holding it aloft for the merchant to inspect.

 

    “It’s a toaster,” the half-dragon said, putting two pieces of bread in it and pushing the lever, “it makes toast when you put bread in it.”