Mechanik’s Union

It is undeniable that the demand for serricsteel, both normal and quenched, are in high demand for anti-’jack purposes. Although many Rhulic smithies are thrilled at the increase of production and sales, Glenrock Copperfist brooded long and hard in his office, thinking about a cheaper, yet equally effective way to defeat ‘Jack plating. Although technically a failure, yet still one of his favorite inventions, the old weaponsmith would often be seen twirling his Masterkey Pistol between his fingers, and it was the fiery Incinerator charges for this weapon that inspired him to create what he would proudly call the ‘Jack Cracker Explosive Device.

The components of the weapon are deceivingly simple, yet the application and results can be devastatingly brilliant. Starting with what is essentially a heavily reinforced steel bucket or bell, this canister is filled with roughly an entire rifler’s pound of blasting powder, and nearly twice that amount of incendiary powder over it. The final layer is actually a concave plate of brass, secured in place by an iron ring. The rear part of the ‘bucket’ has a small hole drilled into it for a clockwork detonator, not unlike the kind found on grenades. When complete, the whole package looks nothing less then a giant, 10 pound grenade with a shiny bottom, but the results of this device are much more sinister then its appearance.

Essentially, the ‘Jack Cracker is a shaped explosive charge that turns a copper plate into a molten projectile capable of tearing through metal as if it were rice paper. When the detonator ignites the charge, all of the explosive force of the powder is focused in one direction. With all the force of the blast, and the heat of the incendiary powder focused at the copper, all of this energy turns the plate into a superheated bolt of slag that melts its way through just about any form of fabricated material.

Due to the unwieldy nature of the weapon, its application is best suited in defensive or premeditated tactics. In other words, this device can either be used as a mine with a pressure sensitive trigger, or as a bomb with a magnetic clamp that locks onto the frame of a machine.

‘Jack Cracker Stats:

Damage- 3d10 piercing / 3d10 fire

Range- 5ft (melee touch)

Critical- 18-20 x3

Special- Ignores all hardness

Mine Configuration: The ‘Jack Cracker must be placed into the ground and covered over with dirt, foliage, or other debris with a Craft (Nature, Geography, or Tactics) check, and every success of 2 over the DC carries over to the difficulty of it being spotted (minimum DC 10). This action takes at least 2 full rounds with a DC (16), and every extra round used to hide the device lessons the check by 2 (Minimum DC10). The fuse can then be attached to either a tripwire, a lever, or other pressure sensitive device needed for the enemy ‘Jack to activate. A Craft (Demo) DC (14) can be used to arm it, or a Craft (Mechanika) DC (16) can be used to arm it with 2 Standard actions. A rogue or similar class with the trap-finding ability can arm it with a Move action. When a ‘Jack trips the fuse, it is entitled to a Reflex Save (DC16) for half damage.

Saboteur Configuration: Instead of the device needing to be hidden with a pressure sensitive fuse, the Cracker is mounted to a steel frame with 4 magnetic cylinders. This process may be slightly noisy, as the strength of the magnets needed to hold the device solidly to the target may make a loud clang, which can be noticed with a Listen check of (DC10) in a 30 ft radius. A Strength or Dexterity check (DC16) used to carefully place the device onto its target may increase the Listen Check (DC12). Once secure, a trip wire or timer may be used to arm the weapon with the same checks or DC’s as above. If the device goes off while the ‘Jack is deactivated or unaware of the Cracker, this attack is considered an automatic critical hit with no save.

Costs-

Reinforced Steel Bucket/Cast Iron Bell: 1-10GP

16oz copper Plate: 50SP-2GP

Rifler’s Pound (Blasting Powder): 25GP

Incendiary Powder: 30GP

Clockwerk Detonator: 5GP

Saboteur Mounting Frame: 10GP

Total Cost: 72-83GP

Assembly: Craft (Demo) check (DC 24)

Although the work of the Copperfists have involved keenly honed barrels, intricate reloading mechanisms and robust firepower, nothing discourages a dwarf more then trying to get through a lock with dainty little picks and prys. Granted, the deft, silent fingers of a gobber rogue or a Caspian bodger could prove useful in silently infiltrating a lair or when time is a luxury, but sometimes when impatience wins over will power or when a barricaded door blocks one’s escape, a less subtle yet equally useful tool maybe needed. The Masterkey Pistol Kit uses metal-melting firepower to blast its way through locks, door hinges, or anything else that might get in the way of an adventurer in a hurry.

The heart of the kit is a modified incendiary round called an ‘Incinerator’ charge.  By mixing the usual blasting powder mix of a a bullet with metal shavings and a liberal dose of the alchemical component used for incendiary ammunition. The result is an intense blast of flame and superheated slag which can very quickly melt through various thicknesses of metal or similar materials. When used with a gun, the resulting blast looks more like a sparkling, crackling  gout of flame exiting the business end of the weapon. Originally, this design was made to be used as a way to melt through armor much like a bodger with a blowtorch, but with the volatile nature of the charge, combined with the extremely short effective range, and the immense strain and wear it put in the weapon’s barrel proved the risks unworthy of the rewards. However, the ability for these charges to melt and shear metal clean through saw other uses instead.

The pistol is a shortened, thick barreled military pistol with a side-by-side double barrel configuration.  Designed specifically for the use of the Incinerator charge, there are two noticeable details on the weapon. First, the barrels are 2-3 times thicker in diameter then a normal pistol; the interior lining of the barrel is made of alchemicaly heat tempered steel, enshrouded in copper  heat shield. Secondly, this shield flares, extends and wraps around the handle of the pistol, much like the basket guard hilt. This helps dissipate the heat of the charge as well as protects the user from burning himself from any back blast. The firing mechanism, the trigger, and even the handle themselves are also thickened and heat tempered to maintain durability. Due to the specific design and craft of the weapon, it is considered a Masterwork Military Pistol and incurs the usual +1 attack bonus. If desired, the weapon may be used as a normal military pistol.

When used together, this combination of charge and weapon can blast away door hinges, locks, shackles, or any other mundane metallic device that so happens to be in the way. Statistically, the Masterkey Pistol ignores Hardness up to 8, deals 2d8 fire damage to metallic or similar objects, and instantly lights any other easily flammable material as per a flare gun. Metallic objects with a Hardness greater then 8 are instantly weakened to half it’s hardness for 3 rounds, where it gains 1 point of Hardness back for every 2 rounds of it cooling. An Exotic Proficiency is needed to operate and fire the weapon without taking 1d6 fire damage to the user, and a Craft (Small Arms) check (DC12) is needed to reload the weapon (1 standard action each barrel).

Because of  the extreme nature of the weapon and the ammunition, the Masterkey Pistol deserves alot of maintenance, so the Kit comes with all the necessary tools and solvents to clean the weapon properly.  After 3 consecutive shots fired from each barrel, a special metal tempering solvent must be applied to the lining of the barrel to prevent warping, and requires a Craft (Small Arms) check (DC 16) to apply properly.  Also, a separate compound must also be applied to the trigger and firing assembly to keep it from jamming and requires a Craft (Small Arms) check (DC14) to apply properly. When used with the Kit, the user receives a +4 equipment bonus to maintaining the weapon. Failure to maintain the weapon after 3 consecutive shots may include replacing the barrel, the firing mechanism, or even worse, causing the firearm to explode, dealing full fire damage to its user and anyone in a 5 foot radius.

Statistics:

Masterkey Pistol-

Damage: 2d8 Fire

Range: 5ft (Melee)

Critical: x4

Reload: 1 Standard (Each Barrel), Craft (Small Arms) check (DC12)

Special: Ignores Hardness up to 8

Costs-

Masterkey Pistol: 1025G

Incinerator Charge: 20G Each

Gun Solvents and Maintenance: 50G

Masterkey Pistol Kit: 1200G (Includes Pistol, 10 charges, and 3 applications of solvents)

As the use of technology rises throughout the Iron Kingdoms, it is undeniable that armor is not only thickening, but becoming tougher and tougher to get through. Steam Armor, Warcasters, and even ‘Jacks are becoming more frequently seen prowling through Immoren searching for fortune and mischief, and with such daunting targets, sometimes it takes alittle more power behind a bullet to take the enemy down.

Plate Puncher Ammunition is a highly specialized type of ammp designed to do just as it says, punch its way through plate armor, steel, and even ‘Jacks. Physically, the ammunition is a serricsteel projectile in a brass sabot casing, which means it must be paired with a breechlock mechanism. The round its self is shaped in an odd fashion, the tip a long, thin, tapered point, which ends in a broad, flat surface, much like a thumbtack. This shape makes an initial, concentrated point of impact against a hard target, then follows it up with a full punch of blunt force, inverting the material and forcing a puncture. Because of the immense amount of force needed to punch through steel, and the tremendous amount of pressure needed to fire the round effectively, this ammunition can only be fired from a long rifle, military rifle, or similar rifled firearm with a length of more then 3 feet.

When attacking a living target with an Armor Bonus of +7 more, or a mechanical construct, increase the Critical Multiplier of the weapon by 2 and the Threat Range by 1, on top of the additional +3 equipment damage bonus the round gives to the damage dice of the weapon it’s fired from. For example, a Cygnaran ranger rolls a 18 for attack against a Menite light warjack with a Military Rifle. Not only does he roll 2d8+3 for damage, but he increases his Critical Multiplier from x3 to x5.

There are two drawbacks to the great advantages of this specialized ammunition. Because of the unique, yet un-aerodynamic shape of the round, users incur a -2 penalty to attack.  Secondly, these rounds are very expensive; not only does the serricsteel material require the secret, Rhulic knowledge to forge it, but the added requirement of using sabot shells multiplies the original cost of the round by 10. Because of this, this ammunition is very rare, and is recommended for more experienced adventures, fighting very high priority targets.

Ammunition Cost:

Initial Weapon Ammo: 8-12 G

Serricsteel Plate Puncher Ammo: +10 G

Sabot Casing: x10

Projected cost per round: 180-280 G

*Note:  Because of the nature of the materials, these rounds also ignore hardness up to 15/Serricsteel.

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:

Type of Ward Iron	Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition	+60 crowns
Light armor	+5,000 crowns
Medium armor	+10,000 crowns
Heavy armor	+15,000 crowns
Weapon	+3,000 crowns
Shield	+2,000 crowns

“Ladies and gentle folk I give you to the newest miracle in Dr. Bedard’s fine line of elixirs and poultices, the long-lost Wasa-Tusa! Yes folks, this marvelous medecine not only works wonders on people and Elves, but remarkably, it is know to boost ‘Jacks of all kinds! But do not take my word for it, listen to this testimonial from Mechaniks from all over the kingdom!”

Pour a good dose of Dr. Bedard’s Wasa-Tusa ‘Jack juice into your ‘jack’s boiler and watch the flames fan! Guarrenteed to produce a quicker and happier ‘Jack!

Pour a bottle of Dr. Bedard’s Wasa-Tusa Jack Juice into the boiler of a ‘jack has the following effects for 1d4 minutes:
* Increases the speed by 1 (5 feet)
* +1 to hit and damage

It also has the following less fortunate effects:
* An extra 1/2 hour of fuel is burned up.
* At the end of the effect, the ‘Jack takes 2d4 points of damage (Fort save for half damage)

Flesh and blood beings who quaff this potent juice need to make a fort save or lose 1d4 dex and 1d4 wis for 1d6 hours. Hell, they are lucky they don’t go blind. On the plus side it works great on athlete’s foot’

When quaffed by the character, the character will feel as if he or she had had 2d4 hours of rest. This will automatically move an exhausted character into fatigued, and a double dose (4d4 hours of rest) will move fatigued character into rested.

The effects last 2d10 hours, then the crash hits. The body stress of all this will result in 2 points of Con damage, plus 1 con point per 2 hours of duration. The con damage will never lower a character’s constitution lower than 1

From the SRD:

Exhausted
An exhausted character moves at half speed and takes a -6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued. A fatigued character becomes exhausted by doing something else that would normally cause fatigue.

Fatigued
A fatigued character can neither run nor charge and takes a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.

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• One (1) phial Bolsens Release Agent

Approved Usage:
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Cost:
1 1/2 Crowns per kit, containing between 3-20 Applications dependant on hair length.

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