Mechanik’s Union

From the cutting edge of Cygnaran ballistics technology comes a self-propelled ammunition charge the likes of which have yet to be perfected by any other nation on Immoren. Originally created to the design specification of Captain Kara Sloan soon after her promotion, it remains a military secret and only select gunworks, including the Steelwater Armory have been in trusted with the blueprints. The basic layout utilizes the thermal lance produced by an unfettered accumulator as a propellant to circumvent the laws of ballistic velocity. This allows a relatively small rifle to fire a round with the same momentum and impact values as a small cannon. However this requires the re-tooling of the weapon in question to accommodate the higher caliber round, and resist the initial flare of raw magic, as well as initiating a controlled rupture in the first place. The designs so far have not been successfully tested on anything smaller than a long rifle and with no lesser metals than magelock steel, alloyed serricsteel, or pure serricsteel. The first because magelock metal channels the initial arcane backwash, and the second and third due to the strength and ductility of the material.

The rounds are based around a standard accumulator, with its screw valve release replaced with a circular iris shutter. When fired the round does not explode from the gun, but rather accelerates towards its target after leaving the barrel. This increases the damage die used by the weapon up by one (such as 2d8 becomes 2d10, or 2d6 becomes 2d8). The accumulator sheds one charge per 100ft until expended, at which point it rapidly loses velocity, traveling an additional 10ft per 100ft traveled before its trajectory buries it in the ground. If the shell impacts on a solid surface before all the charges are expended, the remaining charges are expended as per an accumulator explosion detailed in the IKCG (p376) in a 5ft radius. The rounds are treated as quenched serricsteel for the purposes of overcoming damage resistance & hardness.

Due to the extreme temperatures it is subjected to, a serricsteel or serricsteel alloy barrel suffers a -2 penalty to accuracy after 3 consecutive shots and a cumulative 10% chance the weapon will jam.  If a jam occurs the barrel of the gun is ruined, and must be replaced. A magelock barrel being used by a gunmage does not suffer these penalties for firing, as the gunmage can channel the excess arcane bleed off away from the gun with a concentration check (DC  15). A failed concentration check causes 1 point of non-lethal damage per charge in the accumulator round when fired.

Gun Customization, accumulator round firing mechanism:-

• Cost: triple base firearm cost for retooling and the new firing mechanism
• Ammunition: 600gp per round
• Restrictions: rifles or larger, blueprints a cygnaran military secret, rounds must be created using an accumulator.
• Craft DC: 30