Mechanik’s Union

To those familiar with the inner workings of the Cult of Cyriss, the construction of devotional temples on sites of great geological energy is nothing new. However some of the obscure devices placed in these precisely calculated locations are obtuse to all but the visionary creations; who assemble them from divine inspiration and cryptogramatical texts collated by the cult. Knowledge of the so called Weather Engine came to light amongst certain circles in Llael after reports of terrible storms wracking the upper reaches of Hellpass. One peak in particular that had (according to local mining concerns) always attracted a great deal of inclimate weather, had become the eye of a violent weather system and lashed the pass with hurricane force winds, hailstones the size of fists and occasional virulent sheet lightning.

A team assembled under Council in Merywyn and reinforced by a small assembly from the Hundred Houses in Horgenhold made their way with much loss of life to the central peak and uncovered what appeared by be a Cyriss tomb-temple devoid of life and containing a great deal of strange machinery. Exact records are mostly missing, due undoubtedly to well placed agents of the cult quietly removing them from circulation. But it seems that the core purpose of this tomb-temple was to syphon geological energies from the howling winds that made their way down the pass into a vast nexus core beneath. What scraps remained of the human acolytes seemed to verify that they were victim to some plague or fast spreading pseodo-natural malady, leaving only the metal automata to defend the sealed structure.

After the automated defences had been neutralised the team found the central device that was manipulating the weather systems had been badly damaged in a cave in, resetting many of the delicate calculating drums and alchemical fluid-logic valves and causing it to divert the energy gathered from the mountain winds to generating ever more violent storms. Realizing to late the potential disaster of a positive feedback loop, the mechaniks where forced to shut the entire structure down. The process ruined much of the technology in the tomb-temple and removing the device for study was deemed impossible without risking an eruption from the buried nexus core.

It was certainly troubling news at the time, and bodes ill for the world if the mysterious Cult of Cyriss can and have constructed such potentially devastating devices. Thankfully neither the device or copies of it have ever been recovered or put to use in the ever growing conflict in the Iron Kingdoms.

Weather Engine:-

Hardness: 10
HP: 30
Weight: 240lb.
Cost: minor artifact

Main Power:

• The device can either convert storms, gales or other violent weather systems into arcane charges. Or alter the weather around it as per a ‘control weather’ spell for a radius of 4 miles.

The device is a large metallic star-burst which meets at its central point in a crystal sphere, within which is a series of clockwork mechanisms, vales and sprockets suspended in a blue alchemical fluid. There are also four subsidiary sockets that can be used to connect nexus accumulators. When active the entire device floats a few feet from the ground. When manifesting its powers, the device revolves with increasing speed in the air until it becomes a blue glowing blur.  Separated from wind turbines and a working nexus core its powers are limited to a 4 mile radius.

Use:

DRAW:- If activated by a successful Craft: mechanika check (DC 25, 20 if possessing the Craft Cyriss Tech feat). The device by default will draw on the energy of any nearby storm systems within 4 miles:

• Natural storms are reduced in radius of effect by 1 mile per minute until they are dissipated entirely. Magically created storms are subject to a targeted dispel (CL 20). Natural storms when drawn into the engine produce 10 charges per round. Magically created storms if successfully dispelled produce a number of charges per spell level. Either way this causes the energy to arc from the spines of the device, doing 1d6 (per charge) electrical damage to anything within a 5ft radius unless channeled into an appropriate device. It can only be successfully stored if a nexus accumulator is connected, or within the especially constructed chambers of a Cyriss Temple.

PRODUCE:- If activated by a successful Craft: mechanika check (DC 30, 25 if possessing the Craft Cyriss Tech feat). The device will channel energy from either a natural storm system, magical storm or connected nexus accumulator:

• The device can manifest any wind based weather system in a radius of 4 miles (regardless of season) from the device as long as it has at least 7 arcane charges per round running through it. It can run in this manner on the storms it, itself produces as per natural storms (see above). Although it still required an initial 7 charges in to start with. However using it in the manner can cause a dangerous side-effect (see below)

Side-effects:

If the device runs both its draw and produce abilities at the same time, a dangerous charge builds up within the engine at a rate of 3 charges per round. These charges cannot be syphoned off while the produce ability is active. If removed from the sealed and monitored environment of a Cyriss Temple this charge build up causes 1 point of damage to the device per excess charge regardless of Hardness. If reduced to 0 HP, the device detonates in a coruscating sphere of thaumatic potential, vaporising everything within 100ft as per a ‘disintergate’ spell (CL 20, no saving throw, SR does not apply).

Named after a now non-existent mining village in the Borokuhn Mountains, this ancient machine defies much of what modern science can bring to bear to analyse it. What little of it is known comes from a small treatise on it the few copies of which were published by a little known Cyriss acolyte in Horgenhold. It is believed he was one of the party that originally recovered the device from the Mountains, although his work is notably close mouthed about how precisely this came about. It appeared to be a machine of complexity rivaling that of some of the more impressive Cyriss-tech, and the author seemed in some awe of its construction which may have tempered his account somewhat. The short of his conclusions being that the device was an extremely advanced form of arcantrik relay.

From a sketch of the device, it appears to resemble a small metallic sphere, although breakdown sketches later on show it in its activated state, splaying out like a jagged petaled flower to reveal what appeared to be a form of  matrix, accumulators and conduiting of unrecognizable design. In many drawings you can see some of the damage this device sustained in some long forgotten disaster, most of it internal fusing. Although the sketch is imprecise, the notes appear to make a great deal out its casing, which appeared in all particulars to be identical to the arcano-conductive alloy used for magelock pistols. Something for which the author could not rational account for in his work, as magelock steel was developed recently (recently in rhulish terms anyway, being some few decades).

The precise method activation is speculated on, but due to an unfortunate cave-in this question was rendered moot. Upon being pressed against the chest of a living humanoid, it embeds into the flesh and bone. Through some manner of biothaumaturgy, the device melts and reforms the ribcage, although thankful it not the organs beneath, to accommodate it. From the authors own witness accounts, this process was fairly painful and the subject took several days of care to recover fully. The Cyrisst takes several pages accounting the subtle changes he perceived during the week it took to return to the southern gateway to Rhul. Although the drawings appear identical, he states that a number of key components rearranged themselves around the more damaged and fused sections, as if the device itself was attempting to repair its flaws (or, as is more darkly hinted; imprinting itself with its hosts arcane talents).

However the story of the Cleftrock device doesn’t end there, and it is the gruesome culmination of the tale that draws a larger audience. A month or so after its discovery the captain of the Militant order of the Arcane Tempest (with whom the device had accidentally bonded) was returning from the dig in Rhul with his squad. According to a missive sent ahead by his second in command, he suffered a sudden convulsion and fell into a coma on route back to Caspia in the village of Meldstead. Despite tending by the local healers he remained insensate. Tales vary as to what occurred a day later, but all agree that about a day after the mans shocking lapse, he awoke and fell into a violent psychotic fit killing his entire squad and everyone in the boarding house. When the local constables broke down the doors they were met with a hail of arcane gunfire and all were killed.

Witnesses after that point are among the few survivors of what occurred next, for the Gunmage is said to have appeared from the boarding house and begun slaughtering the townsfolk with cold systematic precision. The strangest thing about this was not the act itself, but that his tools where no less than eight magelock pistols, which floated several feet above the ground and surrounded him like a school of metal fish. Of the few able to give this account at the nearby town some miles away, all are very clear that the Cleftrock device was still on the mans chest, blazing with a terrible golden light. How far these accounts are to be believed remains in conjecture, but it is a fact that when a body of militia aided by a number of inquisitors entered the town several days later, not a living soul was left alive. What remained of the bodies were riddled with bullets or torn apart by incantations. Of the squad none remained alive, and all nine of them were missing their firearms. Where the device rests today is anyone’s guess, although most who are familiar with the tale will point out any number of missing gunmages on their way to and from war-zones as proof of a dark insidious stalker. But then, many will  claim the depredations of pistol wraiths or Khadoran man-hunters in the same breath.

The Cleftrock Device:-

Weight: 1lb.
Cost: minor artifact

Bullets fired from a Magelock under the Devices control gain:

1. The properties of Rune bullets (they still need to be bullets that fit the firearm)
2. The benefit of the Quickened Channeling Feat
3. the benefit of the Imbued Runes special ability (see: Arcane Tempest PrC, No Quarter Magazine #16 p69)

Main Power:

• Any object forged of magelock steel within 10ft (+10ft per point of charisma modifier) of a creature implanted with the Cleftrock device can be animated as per the spell ‘animate objects‘ (CL 20) under the creatures control.

This includes objects worn by other creatures, magical objects that are currently held get a Will saving throw to resist animation. Bonded items, item families and magelock pistols which are animated become bonded to the implanted creature regardless of the limited number of times that creature could normal bond with said items. This bond remains as long as the items in question remain within the radius of effect, terminating when they exit the radius with no ill effect to the implanted creature (spells can be channeled through these objects regardless of distance as long as they are within the radius). All objects remain under the implanted creature direct control unless they leave the radius of the effect at which point they return to their original state. These objects also gain a fly speed of 30ft per round (perfect). The implanted creature cant order a number of animated objects to attack, move or otherwise follow a course of action up to his Charisma modifier per round as a move action.

Use:

Implanting the Cleftrock device deals 2d6 points of constitution damage to the target and takes up the amulet slot, removing the device once implanted requires a Heal check (DC 25) and causes 1d6 points of constitution drain. Without a successful Heal check, removing the device kills the implanted creature, causing their brain to rupture inside the skull from empathic feedback.

Side-effects:

Every day after implanting the Cleftrock device there is a percentage chance the side-effects kick in. This percentage begins at 5% and increased by 5% every day it remains attached. If the side-effects come into play the implanted creature must make a Will save (DC 20) or become confused as per the ‘confusion‘  spell for 10 rounds save for the following differences (see below). After 5 failed checks the implanted creature becomes permanently insane and seeks only to gain possession of more magelock forged items and return with them to the hidden location in the Borokuhn Mountains, coldly eliminating anything that threatens that goal.  Removing the device after this point automatically kills the implanted creature, however the entire device can be suppressed by a successful Dispell check or ‘antimagic‘ effect (which is likely the last refuge for a victim of this terrible device).

The machinations of the cult of cyriss are inscrutable to much of the outside world and the marvelous devices that make it into the market are rarely obvious, save to the more observant. The cults ability to manipulate ambient magical energy into an unpolluted power source is but one of many they possess. The Pulse Disruptor is a device that embodies the more destructive capacity of that energy manipulation, warping the ambient arcane energy within an area with roiling static interference. This is device is found in cult meetings outside the great temples, or in safehouses around Immoren, frustrating potential snoopers at the cost of a few aching heads.

This device appears to be two steel plated cylinders, covered with glyph circles sacred to the Maiden of Gears, and enclosing two tightly wound glass coils of magically active alchemical fluid. To the knowledgeable, these appear to be smaller versions of the Stele Clocks which draw in arcane energy to power the vast nexus cores of Cyriss Temples. These cylinders are connected to a devotional engine at their bases but instead of filtering into a storage device, the energy is channeled through a device which looks like a giant tuning fork made entirely of crystal. The ambient magical energy of an area is drawn into the device and expelled in a agitated wave-form which is almost impossible to draw coherent power flows from. Magus Circles flicker and warp in the area of effect like a candle in a strong breeze, powerful abilities fizzle and die before coming to effect, and closer into the center even mechanika begins to fail. The entire device is held within a large upright steamer trunk, allowing it to be moved around from location to location. This device can only be activated by someone with the Craft Cyriss Tech feat, and takes a full round to power up with a Craft: Mechanika check [DC18]. After it is shut down it takes 2 rounds for the magical energy of the area to return to normal flow.

This acts as a antimagic field effect within 10ft of the engine, and a mana flux effect within 30ft. Within 10ft of the engine no arcane magic can function, within 30ft all spell like abilities, supernatural abilities, spells and spell effects suffer a 20% spell failure chance. Arcane spell-casters of all types can hear a high pitched buzzing when near an active engine, and a painful headache when within the fields of effect for more than a few minutes.

Pulse Disruptor

• Range- 30ft (radius)
• Weight- 30 lbs.
• Activation – full round action
• Cost- 30000gp