Mechanical

Mechanical

Author	Atrus
Connections	Myst

The Mechanical Age was written by Atrus during the time that he lived on Myst.

Appearance

The Age is almost entirely covered in water, with only three small islands and a central structure remaining above the surface. The islands are positioned at the cardinal directions of north, east, and south. The southern island is the largest of the three, and contains the link-in point, a number of discarded gears, and a locked subterranean chamber with the Myst Linking book in it. The northern and eastern islands are much smaller, containing only small platforms and a pedestal illustrating one half of the combination needed to unlock the linking chamber.

The central structure is a small metal fortress that can be accessed via a gangplank. The fortress can be rotated to point in any of the four cardinal directions using a control system in the upper section of the structure. The main level of the fortress is split into two sides, connected by hallways in the front and rear. One side was used by Sirrus as a throne room, with extravagant displays of wealth and power surrounding a large marble-and-gold throne. A small access panel beside the throne provides access to an inner chamber filled with crates of precious metals and racks of wine bottles. The other side of the fortress was used by Achenar as a place to feature - and engage in - his brutality. The floor is stained with blood, hunting trophies and weapons hang on the walls, and a wooden rig with chains dangling from it sits in the center of the room. A simple wooden throne faces out into the room. Beside this throne is another access panel and hidden inner chamber. Unlike Sirrus's, however, this chamber contains an electrocution cage, an executioner's block and cleaver, and a crate with a severed head.

History

Long before Atrus visited the Age for the first time, it was a prosperous island city protected by three guard towers on the three tallest hills. One day, it was attacked by a pirate fleet of black ships that arrived with darkened skies. The island sank into the ocean, leaving only the tops of the three guard tower hills still exposed. The few who survived the attack told Atrus when he arrived that the pirates would one day return to finish their destruction of the city. In response, Atrus helped the survivors build the fortress to keep them safe. When the pirates did eventually return, they were unable to destroy the newly-fortified remains of the city, and departed again. The villagers feared that the pirates would return again, however, because the skies remained dark and cloudy, and they believed that the sun would only come out again once the pirates were totally defeated.

The fate of the survivors is currently unknown, particularly in light of Sirrus and Achenar's takeover of the fortress's main rooms. It is also unknown whether the pirates still threaten the fortress. The skies are now clear and blue, which could indicate that they were ultimately defeated, but the evidence is largely circumstantial.

Trivia

The paintings on the walls of Sirrus' chamber are copies of real-life paintings:

• Napoleon I on His Imperial Throne , by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, edited to show Sirrus' face instead of Napoleon.
• Portrait of Madame Moitessier, by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
• The Watzmann , by Caspar David Friedrich
• Ossian receiving the ghosts of the fallen French Heroes, by Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson