American Alchemy- An ASB 'disappears' all the gold and silver of the Americas in 1292 AD
Nov 11, 2023 22:09:23 GMT
Post by raharris1973 on Nov 11, 2023 22:09:23 GMT
An ASB by the name of Mama Killa Metztli Kukulkan, MKMK for short, who can observe multiple earth times simultaneously, decides she really hates Spanish conquistadors, she just really does. But she also kind of dislikes treasure-hoarding/displaying ostentatious rulers, priests and nobility in American western hemispheric societies.
So the punishment she inflicts on them both is to convert all the gold and silver in the Americas, both that already worked by the human hand, lying as dust or nuggets on the surface or riverbeds, or underground and diggable by any technology invented by humans before 1950, into another material.
She does this in 1992 AD by simply 'sliding' each of these elements, wherever they appear, 'down' the periodic table of elements by however many protons (and other atomic particles) needed, for them to become another, non-monetizeable element.
Accordingly, all the gold in the Americas, in any form, loses two protons, and as many neutrons and electrons needed, to become iridium. To avoid disastrous nuclear reactions and energy releases from gold atomic nuclei, all protons, other atomic particles, and energy generated in the conversion process is instantly teleported to outer space to disperse harmlessly. Gold had to lose two protons to become iridium, because losing just one would make it platinum, and, although humans did not yet recognize platinum as precious, Mama Killa Metztli Kukulkan, MKMK for short, know that in a matter of centuries Europeans will see it as precious, and she ain't taking no chances.
In a similar way, all the silver in the Americas, in any form, loses one proton, and as many neutrons and electrons needed, to become palladium. The same teleportation safeguards apply.
To avoid harm including poisoning or accidents to humans or animals, anyone wearing gold or silver jewelry as a piercing, or against the skin, has the precious metal objects disattach and fly off their body safely before transforming. If the resulting iridium or palladium metallic object would be poisonous to the touch, it reacts to human or animal attempts at contact by moving further away and dispersing into a dust that no creature inhales. The same with any serving ware or eating utensils.
Anyone on gold or silver furniture is deposited to safe, balanced, sitting, standing, or kneeling position, to avoid injury if their furniture breaks or disappears with the elemental change.
MKMK does *not* protect against social harms, or knock on cultural disruption. So I do suspect that in more than one society, some priests and kings will lose their heads or hearts, or both, at the hands of their elite classes, elite warriors, or capital populace, in reaction to the sudden universal disappearance of all silver and gold that represents wealth, displays power, and has ceremonial significance. This is a big supernatural shock, and some people will inevitably conclude regarding their priests or kings, while pondering lost objects, wealth or status, 'ya done pissed off the gods'.
That should lead to some regime changes in the Americas between 1292 and 1492, and American societies will find different ways to decorate, make ceremonial and practical items, display power, and measure wealth, besides gold and silver over that time.
Come 1492 and European contact, and the decades after, no native Americans will have living memory of gold or silver, and oral or written memory of it will be an increasingly distant legend.
European explorers won't see natives wearing any. Natives won't think of any neighbors who have any. Europeans won't find any in riverbeds. The Americas are going to be disappointing as can be. Pretty much no spices, at least none anybody has heard of, and no precious metal.
The European, and global, bullion famine will continue. No rapid wealth for Spain. No rapid influx of Spanish stolen precious metals to China. No Chinese ability to switch the monetary and tax collection system to a silver only one. No rapid Spanish inflation.
How do global economics and geopolitics play out?
How does the Franco-Spanish rivalry play out?
How much is new world exploration and colonization slowed down.
Does European enterprise via the Indian Ocean and spice trade go just as fast?
What about European enterprise via the Atlantic Ocean and sugar plantation economies?
So the punishment she inflicts on them both is to convert all the gold and silver in the Americas, both that already worked by the human hand, lying as dust or nuggets on the surface or riverbeds, or underground and diggable by any technology invented by humans before 1950, into another material.
She does this in 1992 AD by simply 'sliding' each of these elements, wherever they appear, 'down' the periodic table of elements by however many protons (and other atomic particles) needed, for them to become another, non-monetizeable element.
Accordingly, all the gold in the Americas, in any form, loses two protons, and as many neutrons and electrons needed, to become iridium. To avoid disastrous nuclear reactions and energy releases from gold atomic nuclei, all protons, other atomic particles, and energy generated in the conversion process is instantly teleported to outer space to disperse harmlessly. Gold had to lose two protons to become iridium, because losing just one would make it platinum, and, although humans did not yet recognize platinum as precious, Mama Killa Metztli Kukulkan, MKMK for short, know that in a matter of centuries Europeans will see it as precious, and she ain't taking no chances.
In a similar way, all the silver in the Americas, in any form, loses one proton, and as many neutrons and electrons needed, to become palladium. The same teleportation safeguards apply.
To avoid harm including poisoning or accidents to humans or animals, anyone wearing gold or silver jewelry as a piercing, or against the skin, has the precious metal objects disattach and fly off their body safely before transforming. If the resulting iridium or palladium metallic object would be poisonous to the touch, it reacts to human or animal attempts at contact by moving further away and dispersing into a dust that no creature inhales. The same with any serving ware or eating utensils.
Anyone on gold or silver furniture is deposited to safe, balanced, sitting, standing, or kneeling position, to avoid injury if their furniture breaks or disappears with the elemental change.
MKMK does *not* protect against social harms, or knock on cultural disruption. So I do suspect that in more than one society, some priests and kings will lose their heads or hearts, or both, at the hands of their elite classes, elite warriors, or capital populace, in reaction to the sudden universal disappearance of all silver and gold that represents wealth, displays power, and has ceremonial significance. This is a big supernatural shock, and some people will inevitably conclude regarding their priests or kings, while pondering lost objects, wealth or status, 'ya done pissed off the gods'.
That should lead to some regime changes in the Americas between 1292 and 1492, and American societies will find different ways to decorate, make ceremonial and practical items, display power, and measure wealth, besides gold and silver over that time.
Come 1492 and European contact, and the decades after, no native Americans will have living memory of gold or silver, and oral or written memory of it will be an increasingly distant legend.
European explorers won't see natives wearing any. Natives won't think of any neighbors who have any. Europeans won't find any in riverbeds. The Americas are going to be disappointing as can be. Pretty much no spices, at least none anybody has heard of, and no precious metal.
The European, and global, bullion famine will continue. No rapid wealth for Spain. No rapid influx of Spanish stolen precious metals to China. No Chinese ability to switch the monetary and tax collection system to a silver only one. No rapid Spanish inflation.
How do global economics and geopolitics play out?
How does the Franco-Spanish rivalry play out?
How much is new world exploration and colonization slowed down.
Does European enterprise via the Indian Ocean and spice trade go just as fast?
What about European enterprise via the Atlantic Ocean and sugar plantation economies?