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huimultd-solid-state-relays · 5 years

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N1-§8 How To Select The Solid-State Relays?(2)

Load Type:

The loads can be divided into three types based on the electrical impedance: Resistive Load Type (or Pure Resistive Load), Inductive Load Type and Capacitive Load Type. There is no pure inductive load and pure capacitive load in the usual electrical appliances, because these two type loads don not do active power. In the series-parallel circuit, if the capacitive reactance is larger than the inductive reactance, the circuit is capacitive load; and vice versa.

Resistive Load:

In a nutshell, a load that operates only by then resistor-type components is called the resistive load. However, some loads have low resistance at low temperatures, which results in a larger startup current. For example, when the electric furnace is just turned on, the current is 1.3-1.4 times larger than the stable current; when the incandescent lamp is turned on, the current is 10 times larger than the steady current. Q1: What are the characteristics of the resistive load (when working)? A1: In the DC circuit, the relationship between current and voltage is in accordance with the fundamental ohm's law, I=U/R; in an AC circuit, the current phase is the same as the phase of the voltage (compared to the power supply). Q2: Which are resistive loads? A2: Heating device that is heated by electric resistance (like resistance furnace, oven, electric water heater, hot oil, etc.), and lamps that rely on resistance wire to emit light (like iodine tungsten lamp, incandescent lamp, etc.).

Inductive Load:

Generally speaking, the inductive load is the load that applies the principle of electromagnetic induction (with inductance parameters), such as high-power electrical products (like refrigerators, air conditioners, etc.). The inductive load will increase the power factor of the circuit, and the current through the inductive load cannot abrupt change. At startup, the inductive load requires a much larger starting current (approximately 3-7 times) than the current required to maintain normal operation. For example, the starting current of an asynchronous motor is 5-7 times the rated value, and the starting current of the DC motor is slightly larger than the starting current of the AC motor; some metal-halide lamps have a turn-on time of up to 10 minutes, and their pulse currents up to 100 times steady state current. Furthermore, when the power is turned on or off, the inductive load will produce a counter-electromotive force (usually 1-2 times the supply voltage), and the counter electromotive force(abbreviated counter EMF or simply CEMF) will be superimposed with the power supply voltage, and the resulting voltage is up to three times the supply voltage. So, when the load type is an inductive load, the output terminal of solid-state relay should connect a varistor with a withstand voltage of 1.6-1.9 times the load voltage. The counter EMF is an indefinite value that varies with L and di/dt, and if the current rate of change (di / dt) is too high, the SSR will be damaged. In practical applications, CEMF can be reduced by series inductance L, and the magnitude of the L inductance depends on the size and cost. Q3: What are the characteristics of the inductive load (when working)? A3: Inductive loads are lagging (current lags voltage). In the DC circuit, the inductive load allows current to flow through and energy to be stored in the inductor, and the current lags behind the voltage. In the AC circuit, the current phase lags behind the voltage phase (compared to the power supply), and the phase can lag a quarter cycle (or 90 degrees) at the maximum. Q4: Which are inductive loads? A4: Lamps that rely on energized gas to emit light (like daylight lamps, high-pressure sodium lamps or HPS lamps, mercury lamps, metal-halide lamps, etc.), and high-power electrical equipment (like motor-based equipment, compressors, relays, etc.).

Capacitive Load:

Generally, a load with a capacitance parameter is called the capacitive load, and the capacitive load will reduce the power factor of the circuit. During charging or discharging, the capacitive load is equivalent to a short circuit because the voltage across the capacitor cannot be changed abruptly. Q5: What are the characteristics of the inductive load (when working)? A5: Capacitive loads are leading (current leads voltage). In the DC circuits, capacitive loads prevent current from flowing, but can store energy. In the AC circuits, the current phase leads the voltage phase (compared to the power supply), and the phase can lead a quarter cycle (or 90 degrees) at the maximum. Q6: Which are inductive loads? A6: Device with a capacitor, such as a compensation capacitor. And power control devices such as switching power supplies, IT equipment and etc.

How to choose Solid-State Relay according to load type?

1) For inductive and capacitive loads, a solid-state relay with a higher dv/dt is recommended, if there is a biggish dv/dt (voltage exponential rise rate) applied to the relay’s output terminal during the AC solid state relay turning on/off. 2) For AC resistive loads and most AC inductive loads, zero-crossing relays are available to extend the life of load and relay, and reduce their own RF interference. 3) As a phase output controller, a random type solid state relay should be used.

*Power Factor:

In electrical engineering, the power factor of an AC power system is defined as the ratio of the real power flowing to the load to the apparent power in the circuit, and is a dimensionless number in the closed interval of -1 to 1. If it is not specified the load power of the general product is the apparent power (includes both active power and reactive power). But the general specification of the inductive load often gives the magnitude of active power. For example, although a fluorescent lamp is labeled 15 to 40 watts (its active power), its ballast consumes approximately 8 watts of power, so 8W should be added to 15~40w to calculate the total power. The inductive portion of the product (i.e. the amount of reactive power) can be calculated from the given power factor.

Input Control Signal:

1) Input Control Voltage: the input control voltage has a wide range of 3~32V. 2) Input Control Current: the input current of DC SSRs and AC single-phase SSRs is generally around 10mA, and the input current of AC three-phase SSRs is generally around 30mA, which also can be customized to be less than 15mA. 3) Control Frequency: the control operating frequency of AC solid state relays generally does not exceed 10HZ, and the DC solid state relay control signal period should be greater than five times the sum of the relay's "on time" and "off time".

Mounting Method:

In many cases, the load power will limit whether the SSR is mounted on the PCB, the panel or the DIN rail.

Ambient Temperature:

When the relay is in the on state, it will withstand the dissipated power of P = V (on-state voltage drops) × I (load current), and the load capacity of the SSR is greatly affected by the ambient temperature and its own temperature. If the ambient temperature is too high, the load capacity of the SSR will inevitably decrease accordingly, moreover, the SSR switch may be out of control, or even be permanently damaged. Therefore, it is necessary to set a certain margin according to the actual working environment, and select the appropriate heat sink size to ensure the heat dissipation conditions. For load currents greater than 5A, a heat sink should be installed. For currents above 100A, the heat sink and fan should be equipped for strong cooling. If the SSR relay is operated at high temperatures (40 ° C ~ 80 ° C) for a long time, the load current can be reduced according to the maximum output current and ambient temperature curve provided by the manufacturer to ensure normal operation, and the load current is usually controlled within 1/2 of the rated value.

* Derating Factor:

The table below shows the recommended derating factor for the rated output current of solid-state relays applied on various loads at room temperature (the overload capability and the load surge current have been considered).

There are two ways to use the derating factor: 1) The rated current value of the solid state relay can be selected according to the derating factor of different environments and different load types. The rated current of the SSR relay is equal to the continuous current value of the load divided by the derating factor. 2) If the solid-state relay has been selected and the load type or environment changes, the load current should be adjusted based on the load curve and the derating factor in certain environment. The adjusted current multiplied by the derating factor must be lower than the rated value of the solid state relay. In addition, when SSRs are run in applications that require more frequent operation, longer life, and more stable reliability performance, the derating factor needs to be further multiplied by 0.6 based on the data in the table. However, the load current should not be lower than the minimum output current of the solid state relay, otherwise the relay will not be switched on or the output state will be abnormal.

#ssr switch #ssr relay #electronic relay #electric relay

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geneshaven · 7 years

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Olicity In A Nutshell

I wrote a lengthy spec a while back on Lou’s page, giving some examples on why I think Olicity is still endgame. I still stand by all of what I said in that post, but as we roll into 5B, I wanted to dig a little deeper on some of the other events going on around Olicity, and in my mind, will play key roles in their inevitable reunion.

Prometheus: Being the Big Bad, all paths are leading to him. Everyone in Team Arrow, (made obvious by their pictures hanging on a board) is going to be affected. I think Oliver was justified when he told everybody at the end of 509 to get away from him. Again, at the end of 509, I agree that Oliver telling Felicity that he killed Billy was a huge step forward in his development. He could have easily reverted back to 1.0 Oliver and lie to Felicity about what happened. But that wasn’t going to happen. His first instinct was to return to the Bunker and come clean. I think he not only told the truth, but he also showed the Team, (but especially Felicity) that he is not the man who came back from the island. Vindication? Maybe, but the agony in his eyes, knowing that Felicity was going to be hurt once again by his actions, made all that mute. Oliver was genuinely sorry for what he did. He tried to explain that it was Prometheus that set the whole thing up, but all he could think and feel at that moment was Felicity’s pain. And Felicity, despite the grief over Billy’s death, and the heartache she also felt for Oliver, put her on the edge of the precipice she had been balancing on for all of 5A. She was just as haunted by Oliver’s pain as she was her own.

When the rest of the team surrounded Oliver in that symbolic hug, it was a turning point for Team Arrow, and I believe, for Olicity.

Prometheus was the catalyst for this. The unity he created by his manipulations is going to come back on him and ultimately be his undoing. So thanks for that, Promy.

Billy Malone: This guy was your quintessential plot point. We got no background on him, who he was outside of his Detective persona, where he came from, how he and Felicity met. He was in place for Felicity to have somewhere to go when she wasn’t still goggling over Oliver or having to deal with Havenrock. Sometimes people use such vices, like sex in this case, to deny to themselves the pain and suffering they are going through; aka, Oliver and Havenrock. I am willing to entertain that maybe Billy did love Felicity. He would have to be blind not to see the kind of beautiful, intelligent, funny, compassionate woman she is. But the thing is, he just did not have the kind of history that Oliver and Felicity shared. Not in just a handful of months. I kind of felt sorry for him. There was no doubt in my mind that Felicity did not have the deep, soul-wrenching feelings for Billy that she has for Oliver. The writing was on the wall, where Billy is, uh, was concerned. He was just another tool the writers used to propel Felicity toward her “dark arc” and eventual happily ever after with Oliver. Sorry you had to leave the party, Billy. But you really had no chance or choice.

Susan Williams: Yeah, she kind of slithered into the story. I’ve written before that there is just something not right about her. And my biggest disenchantment is that Oliver has not grasped it yet. The woman got off to a bad start, screwing over Thea, (that is going to fun watching Thea step up to the plate and make good on her promise to destroy Susan) outing Lance as a drunk, and most importantly, going on air and trying to cause doubt in the minds of Star City’s voters that they elected the wrong man for the job.

And then all of a sudden, she was flirty and a shoulder to lean on. Oliver had told Felicity that he owed it to himself to find out what’s next for him. (It’s not Susan, dude.) Felicity practically pushed him in Susan’s arms by denying him and herself any possibly that they could work through their problems and just get back together already.

So Oliver was bewitched by Susan’s charms and went to her at the end of 509. I did not see the calculating look in his eyes when he is thinking of how to make a bleak situation better. He went to her, was drawn to her, because Felicity made it clear (at least to him if not to herself) that it was time to move on.

Man, love can be so frigging complicated at times.

Bravta: This is going to be a huge factor for Olicity. They stepped away from it in the last 2 or three episodes of 5A, but there is a main story arc here when it comes to Oliver learning from his mistakes. And with both Oliver and Felicity returning to Russia, she is going to get Oliver’s perspective on why he was such a mess when he came back from the island 5 years ago. And I believe that the reason why she is going to get that clarity is because she is a mess herself right now. It’s darkness on the edge of town, (shout out to Mr. Springsteen) and she should fit right in with Bravta, because they are about taking people’s darkness and making them stronger from it. Felicity needs that strength, and she can’t currently get it from Oliver. He is not taking the lead right now, not in the way she mentioned in 410 when she said she is strong because of him.

So, I think there is going to be some good stuff coming our way in the next 13 episodes. Oliver and Felicity, and Team Arrow, are heading for a triumph that will change all their lives.

One phrase comes to mind---Hope springs Eternal. That is Olicity in a nutshell.

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24hourchampagnediet-blog1 · 5 years

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Bean Me Up: How the "Slow Carb Diet" Might Help With Weight Loss

New Post has been published on https://bestrawfoodrecipes.com/bean-me-up-how-the-slow-carb-diet-might-help-with-weight-loss/

Bean Me Up: How the "Slow Carb Diet" Might Help With Weight Loss

The truth about weight loss is that it almost entirely comes down to calories. Sure, there are hormones you might be able to affect that might influence the outcome, and you lose a little more weight if you’re exercising… but only if it puts you in a calorie deficit.

But since practically nobody enjoys weighing their food, there are a lot of diets that might help you lose weight without logging calories. Many do so by limiting foods that will probably make you hungrier and increasing foods that are satiating. There’s also the tactic of simply removing entire food groups (no grains, no carbs, no fat) which will likely result in weight loss. (You know, because you wind up eating less.)

Both these tactics are key to the Slow Carb Diet, created and launched by entrepreneur and self help guru Tim Ferriss in his 2010 bestseller The 4-Hour Body. So how does it work? Here’s what we’re covering.

Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it shouldn’t take the place of advice and/or supervision from a medical professional. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. Speak with your physician if you have any concerns or before beginning any new dietary regimen.

Slow Carb Diet Foods

Emphasizes meat, legumes, and vegetables

The diet is known for legumes, but there’s more to it than that.

In a nutshell, it’s “Paleo, minus fruit, plus legumes, plus a weekly cheat day.”

You can eat whatever you want on the cheat day but for the rest of the week, here’s what the diet emphasizes.

On the Menu

Meat and eggs

Legumes, all kinds

Most vegetables (no potatoes or sweet potatoes)

Cottage cheese

Nuts, in limited quantities (one or two handfuls per day)

Herbs and spices

Dry red wine, one or two glasses per night(completely optional)

That’s pretty much it. Here’s what’s off the menu.

Off the Menu

Fruit, with the exceptions of avocados and tomatoes

Grains, no rice or bread of any kind (he sometimes makes an exception for the 30-minute period after you’ve lifted weights)

Dairy, except for cottage cheese

Sugar

Any liquids that aren’t water, tea, or coffee (besides the red wine)

There’s some debate as to whether or not soy is allowed. Ferriss doesn’t favor it, but it seems that tofu and tempeh are permitted. Generally, though, if you’re asking “Is x allowed on Slow Carb?” the answer is no.

[Compare with cavemen in our guide to the Paleo diet.]

baibaz/Shutterstock

How Does the Slow Carb Diet Work?

There’s more direction than this, though. Ferriss offers the following tips on his Slow Carb Diet guide

Stick to a template of protein + legumes + vegetables

Eat the same few meals over and over again

Eat 3 or 4 meals per day

If you get really hungry, open a can of lentils

It’s a weight loss diet, and there are a few reasons it can be useful.

Meat or eggs plus legumes at every meal will give you big hits of protein and fiber, which are very filling. It avoids some of the pitfalls of a standard low carb diet by emphasizing the carb- and fiber-heavy legumes to help with energy levels and to prevent calories from going too low.

Repeating the same few meals is meant to help reduce the stress of planning your meals and overthinking your diet.

The Cheat Day

And the cheat day? You can eat and drink whatever you want, alcohol included. As we just mentioned, the mental component is really important: most people fail on their diets because it’s too rigid or they miss their favorite foods too much. A cheat day can give your willpower a much needed break.

But Ferriss also espouses some physiological benefits of a cheat. Spiking calorie intake once a week may improve fat loss by making sure your metabolism and thyroid function don’t downshift too much from the extended caloric restriction. There’s some evidence for these claims, with a few studies suggesting that strategically increasing your calories and carbs can help to stimulate metabolic rate and increase the hormone leptin, which might reduce hunger.(1)(2)(3)

You’re still advised to start your cheat day with at least 30 grams of protein, though. This helps with body composition and might keep you from overdoing it too much on the croissants.

[Learn more: The Benefits and Drawbacks of Cheat Meals for Athletes.]

What About Fruit?

If you know much about healthy eating, the forbidden fruit might be surprising to you. Ferriss says you should just get your Vitamin C from vegetables, pointing out in a famous Gizmodo article,

Humans don’t need fruit six days a week, and they certainly don’t need it year-round. If your ancestors were from Europe, for example, how much fruit did they eat in the winter 500 years ago? Think they had Florida oranges in December? Not a chance.

The main argument is that it contains fructose, which he insists will increase fat storage because it converts quickly to glycerol phosphate. This is pretty debatable: when calories are controlled, a lot of data shows that fructose doesn’t seem to increase body weight — but then again the average person doesn’t count calories and neither does the Slow Carb Diet.(4)

Perhaps a better reason to avoid fruit is that it’s delicious. If you’re following a diet that doesn’t tell you to limit calories then it’ll be tempting to eat a lot of the foods they do allow, and while fruit does contain fiber, it’s a lot easier to “accidentally” eat a pound of bananas than it is to eat a pound of broccoli. The fruit limitation helps keep calories down, and shouldn’t result in nutrient deficiencies if you’re getting plenty of veggies.

[Learn more: 7 Micronutrients That Are Important for Athletes.]

nadianb/Shutterstock

Aren’t Beans Full of Anti-nutrients?

Beans and whole grains sometimes get demonized, usually from the Paleo crowd, for containing phytic acid, which helps store energy. The criticism is that phytic acid binds to minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc, making it harder to absorb them.(5)(6)(7) This has earned it the unflattering moniker of “anti-nutrient.”

But phytic acid, first of all, is an antioxidant that’s been linked to lower risks of cancer and kidney stones — some people take it in supplement form for this reason.(8)(9)(10)

If you’re concerned, though, you’ll be glad to learn that the Slow Carb diet always pairs your legumes with vegetables. Why? Research suggests Vitamin C largely negates the negative effects.(11)(12)

Wrapping Up

These days Tim Ferriss is known for being a huge proponent of the keto diet, but his site includes a ton of stories from people who have lost over a hundred pounds following the Slow Carb Diet.

It’s nutrient dense, simple, doesn’t require calorie counting, and you only have to go 6 days at a time without your favorite junk food.

It’s restrictive, sure, but that’s in the eye of the beholder: some prefer having a strict calorie count they can fill with whatever they want, others prefer the simplicity of sticking to the same meals and not tracking calories at all.

Without tracking calories (and without much research on this diet), benefits aren’t really guaranteed. But it does a good job of managing hunger and might help you keep food stress at bay.

Featured image via @timferriss on Instagram and nadianb/Shutterstock

References

1. Trexler ET, et al. Metabolic adaptation to weight loss: implications for the athlete. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2014 Feb 27;11(1):7. 2. Dirlewanger M, et al. Effects of short-term carbohydrate or fat overfeeding on energy expenditure and plasma leptin concentrations in healthy female subjects. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 Nov;24(11):1413-8. 3. Jenkins AB, et al. Carbohydrate intake and short-term regulation of leptin in humans. Diabetologia. 1997 Mar;40(3):348-51. 4. Sievenpiper JL, et al. Effect of fructose on body weight in controlled feeding trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2012 Feb 21;156(4):291-304. 5. Schuchardt JP, et al. Intestinal Absorption and Factors Influencing Bioavailability of Magnesium-An Update. Curr Nutr Food Sci. 2017 Nov;13(4):260-278. 6. Petry N, et al. In Rwandese Women with Low Iron Status, Iron Absorption from Low-Phytic Acid Beans and Biofortified Beans Is Comparable, but Low-Phytic Acid Beans Cause Adverse Gastrointestinal Symptoms. J Nutr. 2016 May;146(5):970-5. 7. Lönnerdal B. Dietary factors influencing zinc absorption. J Nutr. 2000 May;130(5S Suppl):1378S-83S. 8. Schlemmer U, et al. Phytate in foods and significance for humans: food sources, intake, processing, bioavailability, protective role and analysis. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009 Sep;53 Suppl 2:S330-75. 9. Omoruyi FO, et al. The potential benefits and adverse effects of phytic Acid supplement in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Adv Pharmacol Sci. 2013;2013:172494. 10. Grases F, et al. Phytate (IP6) is a powerful agent for preventing calcifications in biological fluids: usefulness in renal lithiasis treatment. Anticancer Res. 1999 Sep-Oct;19(5A):3717-22. 11. Davidsson L. Approaches to improve iron bioavailability from complementary foods. J Nutr. 2003 May;133(5 Suppl 1):1560S-2S. 12. Siegenberg D, et al. Ascorbic acid prevents the dose-dependent inhibitory effects of polyphenols and phytates on nonheme-iron absorption. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991 Feb;53(2):537-41.

Source link Keto Diet Effects

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fuckyeahtattoogirls-blog1 · 5 years

Text

Bean Me Up: How the "Slow Carb Diet" Might Help With Weight Loss

New Post has been published on https://bestrawfoodrecipes.com/bean-me-up-how-the-slow-carb-diet-might-help-with-weight-loss/

Bean Me Up: How the "Slow Carb Diet" Might Help With Weight Loss

Slow Carb Diet Foods

Emphasizes meat, legumes, and vegetables

The diet is known for legumes, but there’s more to it than that.

In a nutshell, it’s “Paleo, minus fruit, plus legumes, plus a weekly cheat day.”

You can eat whatever you want on the cheat day but for the rest of the week, here’s what the diet emphasizes.

On the Menu

Meat and eggs

Legumes, all kinds

Most vegetables (no potatoes or sweet potatoes)

Cottage cheese

Nuts, in limited quantities (one or two handfuls per day)

Herbs and spices

Dry red wine, one or two glasses per night(completely optional)

That’s pretty much it. Here’s what’s off the menu.

Off the Menu

Fruit, with the exceptions of avocados and tomatoes

Grains, no rice or bread of any kind (he sometimes makes an exception for the 30-minute period after you’ve lifted weights)

Dairy, except for cottage cheese

Sugar

Any liquids that aren’t water, tea, or coffee (besides the red wine)

[Compare with cavemen in our guide to the Paleo diet.]

baibaz/Shutterstock

How Does the Slow Carb Diet Work?

There’s more direction than this, though. Ferriss offers the following tips on his Slow Carb Diet guide

Stick to a template of protein + legumes + vegetables

Eat the same few meals over and over again

Eat 3 or 4 meals per day

If you get really hungry, open a can of lentils

It’s a weight loss diet, and there are a few reasons it can be useful.

Repeating the same few meals is meant to help reduce the stress of planning your meals and overthinking your diet.

The Cheat Day

You’re still advised to start your cheat day with at least 30 grams of protein, though. This helps with body composition and might keep you from overdoing it too much on the croissants.

[Learn more: The Benefits and Drawbacks of Cheat Meals for Athletes.]

What About Fruit?

If you know much about healthy eating, the forbidden fruit might be surprising to you. Ferriss says you should just get your Vitamin C from vegetables, pointing out in a famous Gizmodo article,

[Learn more: 7 Micronutrients That Are Important for Athletes.]

nadianb/Shutterstock

Aren’t Beans Full of Anti-nutrients?

But phytic acid, first of all, is an antioxidant that’s been linked to lower risks of cancer and kidney stones — some people take it in supplement form for this reason.(8)(9)(10)

Wrapping Up

These days Tim Ferriss is known for being a huge proponent of the keto diet, but his site includes a ton of stories from people who have lost over a hundred pounds following the Slow Carb Diet.

It’s nutrient dense, simple, doesn’t require calorie counting, and you only have to go 6 days at a time without your favorite junk food.

Without tracking calories (and without much research on this diet), benefits aren’t really guaranteed. But it does a good job of managing hunger and might help you keep food stress at bay.

Featured image via @timferriss on Instagram and nadianb/Shutterstock

References

Source link Keto Diet Effects

0 notes

jotawakening-blog · 7 years

Text

12 Septober, 5A 169: Above and Below

So after spending all that time in the library, I think it’s high time I completed my tour of the city… and gave Wadud his trinket back. So I go down to the docks, which have the sheen of prosperity about them still, even with the pall that’s settled on Menaphos. I spend some time walking around the waterfront, admiring the sleek Menaphite craft— they’re quite a bit more advanced than the ones used by the sailors of Sarim, or so they seem at least— I’m not worth much as a sailor— and observe the curious spectacle of a staring match between a crab and a scarab. I also talk to some of the local, including a fishmonger who’s got some interesting catches endemic to the region on display, and someone busy herding… plovers? But why? It seems like such a random thing to do! She tells me I could go down to Sophanem to learn the art myself, but the suggestion somehow doesn’t strike my fancy. Still, next time I am in Sophanem, I’ll keep my ears open.

Once I’ve seen the waterfront to my satisfaction, I turn inland and go into the maze of modest homes that make up the harbour district. The trades represented here are workaday ones connected with the sea traffic: weavers, blacksmiths, and the like. The guy manning the smithy is more communicative than most of the close-lipped locals, and lets me in on a secret: in his view at least, the master blacksmith is going crazy, talking about anvils disappearing when they’re clearly still there. Hm, that’s strange. Wonder if there’s any truth to it— maybe Ozan has a hand in the vanishing anvils? Or Wadud’s thieves?

Out behind some warehouses, near Wadud’s tavern, I run into a guy with the tongue-twisting name of Henutemipet. He strikes me as a bit suspicious (not that it’s really my business), but he turns out to be quite friendly (which is why I know his name). He tells me he’s in charge of laying the dead to rest in their tombs: a responsible position, and a contemplative one. Rather like a gravedigger-cum-pallbearer, but the customs around death are much different here, of course.

Having wandered around the district to my satisfaction, I turn toward Wadud’s inn, the Golden Scarab. It’s still early in the day, so there aren’t many drunks around— just one, really, who troubles to tell me that the wheat beer and imported spirits from the Eastern Lands served here are without compare. To my surprise, there’s already a musician performing inside— or, more likely, just practicing, since her song has seriously subversive undertones. On the face of it, it is a religious hymn, telling of the two children of Elidinis and Tumeken, Amascut and Icthlarin. Icthlarin, of course, was and is tasked with guiding the dead to the underworld. (One wonders: all dead— or just the Menaphite dead?) The tale of Amascut, at least in this telling, is more complex. Apparently, her role was protecting the living, or ‘delivering them from death to life with prayer’, whatever that means. According to the song, she was corrupted by the Mahjarrat (!) and turned by them to madness and destruction. The song blames her for Menaphos’ recent misfortunes, and calls out for a liberator to come forth and free the city from her influence… which is consistent with what I know of her and her plans, but for it to be said openly, like this? That musician has got an incredible amount of guts.

Especially since ‘Admiral’ Wadud, pirate and flunky of the Pharaoh, is right there. But he doesn’t seem to mind. Perhaps he likes the feeling of power that defying the Pharaoh by having the singer in his establishment gives him; I don’t know. Anyway, he’s looking at me mighty sourly, so I go ahead and return the precious trinket the Jack of Spades lifted off of him. Though the pirate is none too pleased that the Jack got away, he does thank me for returning his property, then goes back to business, making it clear he’s willing to give me no more of his time. Oh, very well, then.

Rather than report straight back to Grand Vizier Hassan, I spend some time dallying around the harbour area, especially around the far side, where I haven’t yet been. The buildings there turn out to be all warehouses and wharves; the people, workmen and sailors, including an inept carpenter who keeps hitting this thumb with his hammer and a scarred captain who lets me know that all but two of the old wounds on his body were inflicted by his wife! What does he do to piss her off, I wonder? And then, of course, there are the sailors, who hail from all over the world. There’s the crew of a massive junk from the Eastern Isles, dressed in splendid local garb, who even have a siren as their travelling companion! I ask her if she knew Remora, but she doesn’t seem to. On the other hand, there are also folk from the three western kingdoms, who have docked hoping to gain entry to the city but have been denied further passage by the guards. I talk to three of them: a hunter of strykewyrms who has a side gig going hunting Kalphites; an entomologist from the Varrock museum; and a nondescript but slightly shady guy whose name escapes me.

The docks slightly further along have a more reputable air around them, and are lined by what look to be the homes of sailor-folk. Most of them are busily going about their lives, but there is one who stands out by dint of being a talented singer. The song he sings is a shanty, boastfully telling the tale of voyages to the east, and criticising Admiral Wadud for his increasing loss of authority among his sailors and crews, as well as the dishonourable ways of some of the more recent captains. The ships sailing from this area are all Menaphite craft, and include a river-boat crewed by a man named Kags who is happy to offer me free transportation up the Elid (maybe Ozan told him I could use some free transport, I don’t know!), as well as a merchant liner that takes passengers, too… albeit for a steep price.

Okay, so now I’ve really been all over Menaphos. I think it’s time I checked in with Hassan and made sure the diplomatic talks are going along OK. But it turns out I needn’t have worried: Hassan is happy that I’ve managed to make a bit of a name for myself around the city in clearing up some of the Jack of Spades’ chaos, and assures me that the negotiations have gotten off to a good start. If I’m needed, he says, he will send for me. Ehsan adds that she would like me to feel at home in Menaphos, and sends an aide down to the city’s market hall to ensure that I get full access to the trading facilities. Sounds good!

Up in my room, I find a note, addressed to me, and signed, not unexpectedly J. It reads: ‘Meet me at the previous place when you get this. Have got something to show you.’ There’s only one place it can mean, really, the Workers’ District entrance to the tombs beneath the city. Sure enough, I find Ozan waiting for me there. It seems that his purpose in bringing me here was to tell me a bit more about the tombs under the city, now that I’m more at liberty to be sneaking around. So, in a nutshell: Menaphos is situated atop the tombs of the long-dead pharaohs, courtiers and ordinary people who have lived and died here throughout the Ages. These tombs contain much gold and riches that could be used to aid the Menaphites in their struggle against Amascut, but these are, of course, protected by traps, by combination locks, by ancient magic, and less obviously by some mysterious corruption that Amascut has brought into the place. As such, one needs to be quick about one’s business in the tombs (there is a spell that teleports would-be raiders out if they stay too long) and always mindful of danger and death. There is an extra complication: some of the magic down there makes tunnels and chambers connect and re-connect at random as a further deterrent to thieves, making it nearly impossible to predict where one will end up.

There is some good news, though: the corruption can be warded off by breaking into the urns of ancient Menaphites and drawing on the magical energies contained within the burial vessels. That sounds… unethical, but Ozan is the Kharidian here, so if he thinks it’s okay, I guess I can give it a try as well. Also, fighting the corruption will gain me favour with one of the lesser Menaphite gods, if I commune with them before venturing down, and the gods are known to impart their wisdom to those who do so consecrate themselves.

Well, the tombs sound like a pretty dangerous place, and I’m not at all feeling up to exploring them right this instant, but Ozan’s lecture, coming as it did from an expert tomb raider, was very instructive all the same. There are so many aspects of dungeon design, trap avoidance, and so forth that I’ve never even thought of, really, until now!

But that’s not all Ozan wanted to tell me. There is one more thing, and it is that some friends of his are holding a bit of a subversive concert at the Golden Scarab, under the protection of Admiral Wadud. It’s starting pretty soon, actually, taking advantage of the lessened guard presence before evening, so I hustle through the upper passages of the tombs to the port district and settle in at the pub with a glass of wheat beer for what promises to be an exciting show.

Two songs in particular stand out. One, sung by the same musician I saw practicing earlier in the day, is a variant on the song of Amascut she sang for me, but with the words changed to honour the Jack of Spades, whom she deems the future liberator of Menaphos— and it’s definitely a role I can see Ozan pulling off. The other one is sung by a woman dressed in the garb of the workers’ district, and is placid on the surface but simmers with rage just beneath at the Pharaoh’s misrule and alienation from the common folk of the city. She is especially livid at the current Pharaoh’s usurpation of his predecessor and his fomenting of war with Al-Kharid during the last outbreak of hostilities ten years ago, and also hopes that a hero will come to deliver the city from the tyrant. A decided counterpoint to these stirring songs is the drink that’s also served at the pub, alongside regular beer. It’s called ‘squeck juice’, or ’squecks on the beach’, and is an inky black substance that tastes just as bad as it looks. I take a sip and spit out the rest, because it sure as hell isn’t worth the ten coins I paid for it!

On that note (pardon the pun), the concert ends, and with it my last reason for sticking around Menaphos for much longer. The myriad of other strands of intrigue I’ve gotten myself tangled in cry out for my attention, which means I should return to Al-Kharid and debrief. The fastest way to do that would be to use my broomstick (which I still have on me, in fact!) to teleport there through the Sorceress’ Garden, so I do that and, once there, go to the palace to speak with Osman and the Emir. Both are glad that negotiations are going well (though Osman is a good deal more cynical about their prospects for success than the young Emir!), and Osman thanks me for the information I give him about the state of affairs in the southern capital.

But since there’s nothing to be done now but wait for negotiations to run their course, I’ve got nothing further detaining me in the desert and decide it’s time to move on. Not so fast, though: my way out of the city takes me past Ali Morrisane’s stall, and I stop by to see how the merchant is doing. Expecting maybe a sales pitch at most, I’m surprised when he offers me another job! He tells me he’s been trying to corner even more of the local market, but has gotten pushback from the local merchants, who, he thinks, are working together to block his efforts. Or they don’t trust a Pollnivnean— the upshot is that he can’t get the new suppliers he wants. Which is where I come in: my mission, should I choose to accept it, would be to travel down to Sophanem and negotiate a contract with a merchant named Siamun for local goods that Ali could resell to the people of Al-Kharid at a profit. Hm— well, since I’m one of the only people let in or out of Sophanem at present, and since getting their goods out of the plague zone would benefit the locals even more than it would Ali, I think I can help with that, detour though it is. In addition, there’s a guy in Pollnivneach selling blackjacks that Ali sees a market for up here in the north supposing we could improve the quality of the product, so if I could arrange something with him, he would appreciate that as well. Finally, Ali wants in on a market nobody in the desert has managed to successfully manage yet: runestones. He suggests that I approach Aubury, in Varrock, with a proposal to form a rune cartel, splitting the market in the Misthalin-Desert region at the expense of competitors further afield.

There’s one question that’s unanswered: what do I get out of this? Ali isn’t forthcoming with any promised rewards at first, so it takes a fair bit of haggling. But. Eventually, he does agree to give me a deep discount on his magic carpet service in exchange for my help, and, to sweeten the deal, even hands me a pouch of some 600 coins right now. I guess that means we’re in agreement. I can get started as soon as I’ve gotten some rest.

I spend the rest of the day— which isn’t much of it, really— organising the books I spirited out of the Menaphos library and getting my supplies in order for this next, unexpected venture into the desert. I don’t know what it is about this place, but it’s really sucked me in!

#runescape #journal #roleplay #shifting tombs #menaphos

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