The Bat Network
In warfare, communications are essential, and it is important that those communications networks be both reliable, and secure. Recognizing this need early in The Second Word War, Queen Siobhan the Writer of House Chiroptera hit on an ingenious solution.
The Bat Queen adapted and enhanced the natural echolocation communications of bats by incorporating it into a crystal matrix, making use of the vast network of crystals in the Chiropteran Secret Library. This allows their communications to resonate magically over great distances, utilizing any simple crystal that might be in a Werebat's possession (such as the Chiropteran crystal crown, for example.) However, these communications are mostly inaudible without electronic enhancement, and even if they were to be audible, they are unintelligible, since they are perceived as only high-pitched noises.
However, the Bat Queen recognized that not all of her citizens, or even all of her Literomancers or Tome Knights, were bats. So in order to make this system practical for the non-bats to use, there had to be a way to adapt it.
THIS SECTION HAS BEEN REDACTED BY THE CHIROPTERA PROTECTORATE FOR SECURITY REASONS BY ORDER OF THE KNIGHTWINGSHow it works
For a bat or a werebat, literomantic runes inscribed on any crystal will transmit echolocation noises across vast distances, looping them through a crystal matrix that is ultimately focused on the vast crystal caves in the Chiropteran Secret Library.
For a non-bat, a relatively simple computer chip and speaker is attached to a crystal, usually incorporated into a piece of jewelry, that uses Literomancy to translate verbal messages into bat-like supersonic echolocation signals, which are then looped through the crystal matrix. Likewise, the same device translates the supersonic language of the bats back into audible English.
This works, in practice, something like a securely-encoded radio system. However, it does not need to bounce radio waves over distances. Instead, supersonic signals are vibrated through water and air, or are transmitted further whenever it hits crystal. This might include even silicone crystals in computer chips.
The main limitation of this system is that it is impossible to send personal communications. Any Bat, or anyone with a Bat Network sensor device that has been encoded with the appropriate literomancy, can hear any message sent through the Network, anywhere in the world. However, without being a bat or a werebat, one requires a device to access it.
Utility
For a bat or werebat, using the Bat Network simply requires actively using supersonic communication, as long as they are in proximity to an appropriately literomantically-encoded crystal; which is why they tend to wear such crystals as jewelry.
For a non-bat, one must specifically activate the crystal in their device, usually by the speaking of a command word, or by physically tapping the crystal with their finger.
Once activated, a Bat Network crystal emits a sonar-like ping, which is audible to anyone else using such a device. One can direct the message by using supersonic signals, or English translated into supersonic signals, to ask for a specific being by name; much like using an old telephone party line.
To someone using vocal communication, the conversation is relayed either through the attached speaker, or can be cued to work through a personal radio transmitter or other device with remote signals, even simple ones such as Bluetooth technology or wifi. For example, Bodyguards could have the device transmit through their security earpieces, and this is something Queen Sable tends to do.
The vocal signals thus relayed are somewhat distorted, and tend to have an electronic vibration to them, but they are comprehensible.
When a message is relayed, it is preceeded by a quiet, crystaline ping. This may be a side effect of the crystal in the device resonating when it receives such a supersonic signal, but either way, it serves as a useful indicator that one is about to receive a message.
The system also filters out random supersonic signals from electronic devices or non-sentient bats; although rumour has it that devices that don't filter out electronic signals are used by the Knightwings for intelligence-gathering.
Manufacturing
Bat Network devices can only be created by literomancers, since literomantic runes and Literomantic Power are required to make then work.
Queen Sable contacts Queen Tara through the Bat Network during the Battle of Zafforza City by Moonflower with HeroForge
This article is a work in progress, and may be subject to changes.
This article is part of a series related to streaming the Game of Tomes. For more information, see Streaming Game of Tomes.
Parent Technologies
Access & Availability
Because devices that access the Bat Network have to be specifically created through literomancy, and because they rely on Chiropteran echolocation, the Bat Network is almost exclusively used by House Chiroptera's Tome Knights.
However, at least two devices created for non-bats do exist. Queen Siobhan gave Queen Sable Aradia of House Lapin a bracelet that serves as such a device, and also gave a Bat Network device to Owsla Commander DM Stretch in the form of an attachment to his security earpiece, in return for cooperation between the Owsla and the Knightwings to share intelligence. This is what allowed Queen Siobhan to catch his signal when she was staying at The Warren in the July Tourney of Tales of 2022.
Queen Sable used her bracelet to contact Queen TaraFaeBelle to warn the Chiropterans that the Woodlanders , the Sauropodans and the Molluscans would have to evacuate during The Battle of Zafforza City, as well as to request air support.
Discovery
Queen Siobhan wrote in her journal that she was inspired to create the Bat Network by the need to have a secure communications system, and by the discovery of the resonating crystals in the depths of The Cavern, where the secret library of House Chiroptera is located.
Related Species
Nice use of bats, and a u ique way to use an existing resourse.
Thank you! :)