Mechanik’s Union

The properties of clockwork have fascinated many mechaniks, but often they are only derivative elements of a designed based on mechanika and the properties of the energy furnace generated by arcanodynamic accumulators. But for the less flashy, or more often, less wealthy inventor clockwork still holds a special place. In this case the Clockcoil Invigorator started life as a exercise device in the Highgate training academy, which used the efforts of the trainees to power a number of treadmills and weight lifts.

However during a routine repair, one of the more dim instructors acquired the services of some cut rate gobber bodgers to fix up the thrown springs. Later that day he discovered just how cut price they really were when the device tore itself apart, hurling several cadets some 50ft out the building, and caving in the entire east wing. It was discovered later, after they dug through the tangled mess, that a great deal of the more sophisticate work had been carefully removed and replaced with cheap parts. Since then devices like the Clockcoil Invigorator have been surfacing as finished products or cobbled together blueprints all over south-western Cygnaran and the Ordic coast.

This mechanism appears at first to be some form of steam armor, with a leather harness supporting hinged metal braces and long thin pistons which run along each arm and leg. The limb mechanisms and servos are flanged and tooled so as to allow the full ranged of moment for the limb they are attached to, and run back along each to a ball joint cam system that themselves connect into a large flat disc-shaped metal casing which is centered on the back of the harness. Within this shell is a set of clockwork sprockets which translate energy from the rotating cams into a powerful torsion spring. Above and within the oily mechanisms of the shell is a 5 speed gearbox that uses a chaindrive to select the size of the main cog that translates the energy. A small red lever emerges from the right hand side of the shell, and a larger gearstick running from 1 – 5 is set opposite on the left hand side.

The purpose of this device is simple, it translates the movements of the wearer into energy and energy into movement. In other words when the small red lever is pulled, this  machine translates the stored power back into the limbs of the wearer giving them a sudden burst of strength and speed. The gear lever selects the level of tension the wearer wishes to impart to the shell spring, and thus the level of encumbrance to the wearer while the spring is still charging. A suit which runs out of tension doesn’t impose any additional penalties if the red lever is not reset, but the device must be activated once it reaches 1 hours worth of stored tension or else it imposes a cumulative -1 to strength and dexterity per round as the servos lock up.

However if the tension coil housing is damaged directly, there is a risk that the ratchet locks holding back the springs energy releases it all at once. This sudden unwinding of the steel coil rips the device apart and deals damage to the wearer equal to 1d6 per minute of use left. The idea of being cut in half by an exploding torsion spring has put of many would be users, but there is always someone crazy enough to strap one of these devices on and charge into a scrap.

Exotic Armor – Light Clockwork Armor:

• AC – +2
• DR – -2/piercing
• Spell Failure – 25%
• Armor Check - -1
• Cost –  700gp
• Weight - 15lb.
• Activation - standard action
• Special – While charging the coil, the exoskeleton of pistons and servos imparts a minus to strength and dexterity equal to the setting of the gears (-1 to -5). When the lever is released and the spring translates power back to the wearers limbs, they gain a bonus to strength and speed equal to the setting of the gears (+1 to +5 | +5ft to +25ft). The charging takes 1min per round of use when the spring is released, so the maximum tension (1hr) would provide 10min of use when the red lever is pulled.