Mechanik’s Union

Since some of the ‘deeper’ research and development labs of the Strangelight Workshop got a’hold of the new raw materials being shipped in from Zu a number of new experimental mixtures have been cautiously placed on sale in some of the more trusted shopfronts under the Strangelight name. This bright orange and faintly luminous gel was developed from the properties of rubber. The elastic qualities of polyisoprene are mores suitable than the common gutta-percha used in the Kingdoms for insulation and waterproof seals.

Commonly found in its stabilized liquid form, this gel is kept in a pressurized metal cylinder with a single solid crystal porthole at the mid-point. A simple release valve at the top can be manipulated to spray a surface or object with the gel. A single full cylinder contains enough gel to cover around 20ft of surface area. After contacting the air, the gel takes 1d4 rounds to destabilize and form a solid rubberized seal (this does not function underwater or in airless environments). Removing an object stuck down in the gel after it hardens takes a strength check [DC20]. Doors sealed over with this hardened gel have a similar strength check requirement in addition to whatever else is necessary to open them in the first place. They are also considered airtight.

However the truly miraculous properties of this alchemical is found when force is applied to a surface covered with the hardened gel:

• Throwing an object at a surface coated with this gel, or an object coated with this gel for that matter, causes it to rebound with increased force. (eg. a rock thrown 10ft would rebound and travel 20ft, but would be treated as a falling object rather than as a ranged attack) Its ballistic trajectory after impact is determined as a random grenade-like effect.

• Making a single running jump check using a coated surface as a springboard doubles the distance jumped.

• Landing on a coated surface negates half of the falling damage as well as propelling the object twice the distance in the opposite direction from impact. Landing repeatedly on the same spot has a similar effect, doubling the height of each jump. However a balance check [DC10 + jump check] must be made after using this method of locomotion to resist falling prone when landing on solid ground once more.*

• A surface coated with the gel provides illumination similar to a candle. Impacts on the gel cause a small increase in this effulgence from the point of impact, which soon fades back to the background glow.

• Bludgeoning weapons coated with this gel do only half damage and require a balance check be made by both the wielder and the target [DC10 + attack roll] to resist being knocked prone.

However bullets, arrows and other objects dealing slashing or piercing damage are not effected by the gel. These projectiles simply pierce the hardened gel and shatter against or stick into the surface it is coating.  The gel remains chemically viable until 1d4 hours after application, at which point it loses its glow and becomes extremely brittle. In liquid form, the gel is highly flammable and will burn for 1 round dealing 1d6 fire damage to whatever it is in contact with (sticking to it much like alchemical fire). Once hardened it will melt only if put in contact with open flames, not heated metal or other indirect sources. After losing its properties, the gel is completely inert. The rebounding properties of the gel can also be suppressed by dispel magic as if it were a magical effect.

*caution advised by the Strangelight workshops do not combine two coated surfaces in your endeavours, increasing positive returns deemed hazardous to your health.

Cost: 2000gp+

Craft: alchemy DC 30 / Brew Potion [jump, spider climb, levitate]