The leading expert on the comparative technological styles of sparks is Baron Klaus Wulfenbach. The Baron has made an extensive study ✣ of what makes a spark a spark and how different sparks invent. This research has lead the Baron to certain conclusions about the identity of The Other.
Until the Baron publishes his research, students of Transylvania Polygnostic University must draw their own inferences concerning styles from the publicly-known creations of the sparks. Unfortunately, few sparks have enough known creations to demonstrate a theme. Agatha Heterodyne's signature creation appears to be miniature self-replicating ✣ clanks called Dingbots. Direct evidence is scarce, but Lucrezia Mongfish seems to have favored swarms of miniature creations ✣ as well. Gilgamesh Wulfenbach has produced at least two lightning-based devices. Aside from the bewildering array of military technology he has accumulated, the Baron's first love appears to be study of the spark itself.
Other styles are easier to imagine than to document, such as:
- One Great Big Clank[1] v. Many Small Clanks
- Uses Mind Control
- Specializes in Light/Invisibility v. Growing/Shrinking v. Flight
- Everything Has a Mustache[2][3]
- Likes to Work with Rabbits[4], or Fish[5], or Crabs[6][7]
Sparky Fields of Study
If the fields of mad science were ever clearly divided, the sparks have spent centuries trying to break through every wall they could find. For example, students of TPU still hotly debate what is and is not a construct. Still, it is possible to compare some similar sparky creations. This section primarily compares creations having known makers (or, in some instances, owners).
Clanks
Almost all sparks at least dabble with mechanical automata. The acknowledged master in the field was Van Rijn, whose muses seem not only to have sophisticated bodies, but perhaps emotions and other qualities as well. Honorable mentions go to Tarvek Sturmvoraus for clank brains and voiceboxes ✣ , Faustus Heterodyne for building Castle Heterodyne's sadistic AI, and to Agatha Heterodyne for self-replication and the creation of the first artificial spark, as well as to the author of the many, many clanks in the Wulfenbach armed forces (presumably Klaus-modified designs). In a broad sense, a clank is anything that goes "clank", though sticklers cite the ability to act without an operator as the difference between a clank and other machines.
- Tarsus Beetle (Mr. Tock, The Watch)
- Agatha Heterodyne (Search Engine, Dingbot Prime, Dingbots, Fencing Clank (modified), Baba Yaga, Battle Circus)
- Faustus Heterodyne (Castle Heterodyne AI, Throne of Faustus Heterodyne)
- Tarvek Sturmvoraus (Anevka Sturmvoraus, the "Lunevka" head and brain ✣ , clank voices)
- Van Rijn (Moxana, Tinka, Otilia, Prende, and five other Muses)
- Gilgamesh Wulfenbach (original Fencing Clank, repairs to various wild clanks ✣ , automatic trap cage thing ✣ )
- Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (Wulfenbach clank (presumably))
- Von Bode (Spider Clank)
- Inventor(s) unknown (mustached clank in the woods)
Weapons
Leaders in the field of rays, guns, bombs, and other portable combat tools include Agatha Heterodyne for always ✣ having ✣ her ✣ priorities ✣ straight ✣ and the author of the multitude Wulfenbach armaments (presumably Klaus). Gil rather fell behind ✣ in this discipline, but seems to be catching up rapidly ✣ .
- Music Master André (Sonic Gun)
- Theopholous DuMedd (stalagmite gun ✣ , hot pipes ✣ (presumably))
- Agatha Heterodyne (Electric foils, Death ray)
- Gilgamesh Wulfenbach (Runcible Gun, lightning staff)
- Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (Clank gun (presumably), stun bullets (presumably))
- Yeti (Gravity engine)
Devices and Vehicles
Leaders in the field of non-autonomous mechanisms include the Baron for sheer size and Agatha Heterodyne for once achieving ✣ perfection. It is unclear whether reproducing a device (e.g., vehicles like Vienna 707 or an airship) is a spark-level task or whether it is merely the work of a skilled mechanic. Note that clanks and weapons, while often mechanical in nature, are numerous enough to have separate categories.
- Prometheus Bunbury (Jolly Fun Oxidation Enhancer, Wacky Weave Destabilizer)
- Agatha Heterodyne (signal projector, Coffee engine, Silverodeon)
- Barry Heterodyne (Agatha's Locket)
- The Other (Holy Machine, hive engines)
- Gilgamesh Wulfenbach (Infamous Falling Machine, Mechanical Orchestra)
- Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (Castle Wulfenbach, Dihoxulator, Medical Transport Clank)
- Inventor(s) unknown (Pink Airship, Vienna 707, Jovian battle clanks ✣ )
Constructs
Leaders in the field of living creations include Lucrezia Mongfish for unnecessary roughness ✣ in the game of child care and The Other for basic wasp technology. The Baron and Gil earn honorable mentions for carrying off ✣ some tricky procedures ✣ .
- The Heterodyne Boys (Punch, Judy)
- Vlad "the Blasphemous" Heterodyne (Jägermonsters)
- Lucrezia Mongfish (Von Pinn, butterflies ✣ , my beautiful frogs ✣ )
- Professor Moonsock (Sky Wyrms)
- The Other (Slaver wasps, warrior wasps, hive queens)
- Unknown, possibly Aaronev Wilhelm Sturmvoraus (Green glowy things)
- Dimitri Vapnoople (Krosp I, da bears ✣ , possibly the wasp eaters)
- Gilgamesh Wulfenbach (Zoing, repairs to Punch and Judy)
- Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (revived Zulenna Luzhakna, regrown Madame Olga)
- Martellus von Blitzengaard (His Sparkhounds and little singing bear things ✣ )
Medicine and Chemistry
(This section is a stub. You can help by expanding it.)
Relatively few sparks dip into the messy mix of chemistry and most of those who do concentrate on concoctions for use in the body. Relatively little is known about other aspects of spark-level medicine. Sun Jen-djieh is probably one of the leading living spark physicians. (See also Category:Pharmaceuticals.)
- Augie (Relativistic Pain Theory ✣ )
- Chef (Calming Pie)
- Mamma Gkika (a practitioner, but not a spark)
- Agatha Heterodyne (perfect Spark Roast Coffee)
- Vlad "the Blasphemous" Heterodyne (Jägerbräu)
- Countess Marie (hallucinogenic gas, soothing tonics)
- Aaronev Wilhelm Sturmvoraus (truth serum)
- Sun Jen-djieh
- Tarvek Sturmvoraus (anti-wasp serum)
- Martellus von Blitzengaard (modification to his and Agatha's bodies)
- Gilgamesh Wulfenbach (smelly fuel additive for Infamous Falling Machine)
- Inventor(s) unknown (Battle-Draught, Jäger pocket surgeon ✣ , MoveIt #6 or #11)
Pure Theory
One of the leaders in the investigation of fundamental mysteries is the Baron, for his extensive study of the spark itself. In the apocryphal The Dragon from Mars, the storyteller suggests that Lucifer Mongfish studied teleportation portals. Agatha will be known to have used ✣ a portal, as Enigma and the "Eternal Lady" ✣ have.