Mechanik’s Union

This Orgoth-style longsword as a narrow fuller down the length of its blade that appears to have been stitched closed with a thick brass thread. It was originally granted to the personal bodyguard of Lord Governor Creaus’s chief vizier, and is a +2 enchanted longsword that grants Regeneration 5 to its wielder (fire and acid do normal damage). Wounds healed by Chirurgeon leave rough scars, as though the wielder had been roughly attended to by a hasty caretaker.

Strong transmutation; CL 16th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, requires the sacrifice of at least 100 otherwise-healthy Humans; Price 98,000 crowns

This Orgoth blade is consecrated in the blood of the Ordic people and imbued with arcane power by their sacrifice. Crafted during the reign of Lord Governor Creaus in 300BR, Priest-slayer is an Orgoth-style +3 enchanted longsword with a number of useful properties. This blade conferrs Spell Resistance 35 once per day (wielder may declare the use of this ability after the spell is cast, but before any damage or saving throw is rolled). When wielded, Priest-slayer grants Spell Resistance 20 versus divine magic. This SR 20 is always on, and can only be waived (to allow beneficial divine magic to affect the wielder) by sheathing the sword.

When viewing the reflection of a spellcaster in the blade of this weapon, he will appear physically-abused. Arcanists will appear battered and beaten, divine spellcasters appear nearly-dead. This is a shadow of the intentions of the weapon’s crafter, and can be used as a none-too-subtle substitute for the Witch Hound feat that also detects priests.

Moderate abjuration and necromancy; CL 15th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell resistence, crafter must sacrifice no less than fifty otherwise-healthy Humans in an Orgoth ceremony no longer known in Western Immoren; Price 48,430 crowns

There are those within the Church of Morrow who hunt out the darkness where it may lay and do so with the tools of darkness itself; they are called Illuminated Ones, and they wield the Dark Gift of Thamar in the service of Morrow and the Sanctaem. Most agents of the Order of Illumination are content with the powers their faith gives them, but others find ways to express this faith more powerfully than most. These Illuminated Ones have come before their Church to receive the blessing of a powerful priest, often a High Prelate or higher, to wield greater powers in the name of Morrow.
These Illuminated wizards become Exorcists and they bring with them the holy power of a cleric’s faith to the enemies of the light of Morrow. Often chosen for special assignments involving the cleansing of highly corrupted areas from either Infernal or undead sources, an Illuminated Exorcist’s life is anything but dull. An Illuminated Exorcist spends most of this time in the field, testing the power of his magic and faith against the legion of enemies that seek to corrupt and sway the hearts of men to evil and bring succor to those in need. These grim but faithful men and women are not unlike arcane knights to the Order, a sword of light in the darkest of nights.

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From ship-to-ship struggles on the high seas to fighting off pirate reavers on the coast of the Sea of a Thousand Souls to the battlements of Midfast and the alleys of Five Fingers, a Tordoran gentleman may often be called upon to resort to skill at arms to protect his companions, life, and precious honor. Toward that end, many a skilled fencer has earned a reputation and a livelihood teaching the manly arts of self defense. Hundreds of specific styles have developed, with a vast array of subtle theories, but to the uninitiated, a single broad approach to single combat emerges: the Tordoran Style, differentiated from the methods often employed by Rynnish or Thurian fencers by the use of the off-hand. Challenging a well-schooled Ordic sea-capitain to a duel has proven the doom of many a foolhardy brigand or fop.
Tordoran fencers nearly always begin through basic proficiency with a broadsword or single-handed longsword, followed by an immersion in defensive techniques meant to first and foremost protect the life of the fencer. Towards this end, the use of parrying daggers, swordbreakers, chains, and cloaks are introduced.
Recommended Feats:

• Martial Weapon Proficiency: Broadsword/Longsword
• Martial Weapon Proficiency: Light Chain/Swordbreaker
• Combat Expertise
• Improved Disarm
• Dodge
• Mobility
• Two-weapon Fighting
• Improved Two-weapon Fighting
• Greater Two-weapon Fighting
• Weapon Focus Broadsword/Longsword
• Weapon Specialization Broadsword/Longsword
• Greater Weapon Focus Broadsword/Longsword
• Greater Weapon Specialization Broadsword/Longsword
• Weapon Focus Dagger/Light Chain/Swordbreaker

Feats listed in bold are strongly recommended. Few fencing schools will stress the use of a variety of off-hand weapons, preferring instead an intense study of a particular pairing of weapons.

*New feats*

Tordoran Fencer [General, Fighter]

Highly skilled at parrying, with a refined guard and quick reflexes, the well-trained Tordoran-style Fencer is a difficult target to strike a blow at.

Prerequisites: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Two-weapon fighting, Weapon Focus (Broadsword or Longsword), Base Attack Bonus +4
Benefit: When simultaneously wielding a Broadsword or Longsword for which he has the Weapon Focus feat and a light weapon, the character receives a +2 competance bonus to AC versus melee attacks from the subject of his Dodge feat. This bonus explicitly stacks with the bonus granted by the Dodge feat, resulting in a total improvement of +3.

Master Tordoran Fencer [General, Fighter]

A true master of the defensive sword, the master of a Tordoran fencing style’s impeccable footwork leaves no opening and makes him difficult for even multiple opponents to box in.

Prerequisites: Tordoran Fencer, Greater Weapon Focus (Broadsword or Longsword), Improved Two-weapon Fighting, Mobility, 5 ranks Sense Motive, 5 ranks Bluff
Benefit: When simultaneously wielding a Broadsword or Longsword with which he has the Greater Weapon Focus feat and a light weapon, the subject of the character’s Dodge feat is not treated as threatening the character for purposes of flanking or attacks of opportunity.

A simple, light, bludgeoning weapon intended for use in the off-hand in the Tordoran fencing style (other off-hand weapons include light chains, fencing cloaks, and a variety of daggers). It is typically a strong steel rod with heavy notches and ring guard that are well-suited to fouling, trapping, or even breaking an opponent’s weapon.

The Tordoran style of swordbreaker confers a +2 circumstance bonus on opposed attack rolls when attempting to disarm an opponent wielding a weapon in one hand (a light or medium weapon). This bonus explicitly stacks with the bonus provided by the Improved Disarm feat.

Not actually meant to be affixed to structures to draw away the dangers of nature, but rather intended to inflict them upon one’s foes, the Lightning Rod is a swordbreaker with a Lightning Bolt runeplate and offensive spell trigger incorporated.

The base item is a light bludgeoning weapon intended for use in the off-hand in the Tordoran fencing style. It is typically a strong steel rod with heavy notches and ring guard that are well-suited to trapping and breaking an opponent’s weapon. The Lightning Rod is a particularly-fine specimen of this this traditional Ordic weapon, crafted in rare Serricsteel.

Lightning Rod
(+1 Mechanika Serricsteel Swordbreaker with CL 5 Lightning Bolt incorporated)

Assigned to officers at the Midfast and Scarswall garrisons, Murio Broadswords are functional things, not the jewelled and inlaid showthings gifted to those who have purchased commisions in less perilous or prestigious posts. The Murio Broadswords crafted for officers of Boarsgate are, unlike their counterparts, gifted permanently to their recipients. The sole embellishment on a Murio Broadsword is the name of the position it is associated with. Over the years, many of these weapons have been lost or destroyed in battle, while others have been enchanted or mechanikally-augmented by their owners.
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Armorsmiths throughout history have always strived to create a perfect protection from harm on the fields of war. Towards this end, the warriors of the Iron Kingdoms have progressed from the loincloths and skins of barbarity through to the refined processes of producing fine linked-chain coats and hauberks, and even the renown Warcaster Armor that carries Immoren’s greatest heroes through the thick of pitched battle. At every turn, new weapons and techniques have foiled these protective coats; but the armorsmith’s ingenuity continues even into the modern period.

Custom-tailored to each suit of armor and its wearer, the Reinforced Undercoat is worn underneath a suit of heavier armor to bolster its defensive properties. Thick layers of wool batting, specially-treated by a little-known alchemical process, sit beneath exterior metal plates, mitigating the trauma of blunt force. Flexible but tear-resistant patches of silk from the elusive and monsterous Crypt Spider are used to protect joints and other exposed areas from cuts and scrapes. These undercoats often include a wool undercap for helmets, also custom-fit.

Continued »

An invention of the Order of the Golden Crucible that has been the subject of a great deal of industrial espionage in the past two decades has been a peculiar metalurgical process that resulted from attempts to reverse-engineer Rhulic magelock alloys. Called “Ward Iron” by those lucky or cunning enough to learn its secrets, this metal is the result of a careful alchemical process and confers special properties onto items crafted primarily from it:

• Ward Iron has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and a hardness of 10.
• Ward Iron items receive saving throws as if benefitting from a +3 enhancement bonus.
• Any enhanted weapon used to attempt to damage a Ward Iron item (e.g. attacking an unattended object or the Sunder maneuver in combat) is subjected to a Dispel Magic check as if cast by a 15th level Wizard.
• Armor crafted primarily from Ward Iron confers Spell Resistance on its wearer. Light Armor convers SR 11, Medium Armor confers SR 16, Heavy Armor confers SR 21.
• Shields crafted from Ward Iron confer an enhancement bonus to any existing Spell Resistance on its bearer equal to the AC bonus of the shield (e.g. a character bearing a medium Ward Iron shield, wearing Ward Iron Breastplate armor would have Spell Resistance 18, 16 from the armor, 2 for the shield).
• XP costs for attempting to enchant a Ward Iron item is increased by 20%. For Mechanikal augmentation, this penalty applies to the conduiting price.

The ores and reagents used in the creation of Ward Iron are rare, and supplies are exceptionally limited. The following modifiers should be used for Ward Iron items:

Five pairs of this enhanted footwear were created, two of a cut suitable for a Human female, the rest for Human males. They were commissioned by King Dermidahn of Morrdh some two hundred years before that country’s ultimate ruin. Their original recepients were gifted these fine boots as reward for meritorious service against their king’s enemies; each was a noted and strongly-admired general that fled the field of battle. Careful study of the history of these items leads most scholars of such items to beleive that there was some infernal influence in their crafting. Each set is an impeccable pair of richly-lined dark leather boots with the house symbols of the original recipient tooled across the top and sides.

Once donned, a pair of Coward’s Boots will bond to the wearer until death. Should the afflicted owner attempt to don another pair of shoes, boots, or sandals, the replacement footware will begin to smolder and burn (treat the progression of this burning as if the footware were affected by a heat metal spell). If the replacement footwear is magical, it is entitled to a Fortitude save against DC 20 to avoid destruction; the wearer still takes the damage as normal.

Aside from this accursed behavior, the Cowards’ Boots can actually be of great benefit to their owners while worn. The wearer of a pair gains a +5 competence bonus to any Escape Artist checks and a +5 luck bonus to Spot or Listen checks to detect an ambush. Upon being struck by a critical hit, the wearer is simultaneously affected by Invisibility, Expeditious Retreat, and Nondetection as a Programmed Image triggers depicting the wearer as falling dead in a manner appropriate to the attack method. The wearer must immediately make a willpower save against DC 25 or withdraw from combat immediately. Any round during which the bearer attempts to remain in or re-enter combat within an hour of sustaining a critical blow forces this check again.

Faint abjuration; CL 15th; Craft Wonderous Item, Invisibility, Expeditious Retreat, Nondetection, Programmed Image, crafter must be an Infernal or have assistance from an Infernal; Price 76,000 crowns

This simple mechanikal weapon was popularized by Alric Kiel, a Khardic warrior, in the heavily-Kossite Scarsfell region of Khador in 593 AR. Combining a traditional Scarsfell Composite Longbow hand-crafted from a laminate of local woods, the Scarsfell Warder’s Bow is further augmented by a Frost rune plate. The accumulator housing is mounted in front of the grip, and typically bears the mark of the item’s crafter prominently.

The Scarsfell Warder’s Bow is a Mechanikal Composite Longbow of Frost that requires a 16 STR to properly operate. Uses one standard accumulator @ one charge per day, does 1d8+3 physical damage, 1d6 frost damage. Price 2450 talons.

The fourth Arcantrik Convergence Engine created by Magziev Padorin builds upon the MkII model by incorporating a kinetic damping field generated through the use of a Protection from Arrows rune plate. Doing so dramatically increases the production costs involved, and as such the MkIV is normally only produced for Greylord field agents attached to the 5th Border Legion.
The appearance of the MkIV is nearly identical to that of the MkII, save for the two additional charge sockets. On activation, wearer gains benefits of Mage Armor, Shield, and Protection from Arrows (Caster Level 3) for 3 minutes. Uses 3 standard accumulators @ 3 charges per activation. Price 11,700 talons.

*Note that the Protection from Arrows runeplate used in the construction of the MkIV is crafted at caster level 3. This uses a somewhat liberal interpretation of the Convergence Engine construction rules from the IKCG.

This Arcantrik Convergence Engine is produced by Greylord Arcane Mechaniks in Ohk as part of an effort to reduce battlefield casualties amongst their Wizardly Order. The Combat Harness consists of a two-ply Raevan-leather belt and suspenders. The Rune Plate housing is sewn under the leather exterior for protection against rugged conditions, and the accumulator housing is seated on the left hip to accomodate easy replacement, and has a built-in frog to facilitate this Convergence Engine as a swordbelt. The trigger is located on the right suspender.

To activate the Combat Harness, a hinged cover must be opened, and a small dial turned hard counter-clockwise. The dial returns to its original position over the course of the item’s spell effect, and makes a low clicking sound during the last combat round of activation, alerting its user to the need to reactivate if appropriate. A Craft (Mechanika) check of DC 15 is adequate to determine the activation process for characters unfamiliar with Magziev Padorin’s design aesthetic.

On activation, wearer gains benefits of Mage Armor and Shield for 1 minute. Uses 1 standard accumulator @ 2 charges per activation. Price 4,950 Talons (generally not available outside the Greylords Covenant, though no Khadoran law outlaws ownership or use by civilians)

*note: this item was created prior to the publication of the Liber Mechanika.