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Alchemical Ruin Buster Pistol 454

—

by

Dale
in

From: Lineage 713 of Qosqo Pacha Peak Forged Ascendants

Description: A heavy, single-shot firearm that epitomizes Andean steam-and-alchemy technology. The barrel is made of thick, reinforced bronze, and the firing mechanism is a complex assembly of gears and a spring-loaded hammer that strikes a percussion cap filled with a volatile alchemical paste. It does not fire a metal ball; instead, it is muzzle-loaded with a “stone-shard” cartridge—a paper-wrapped bundle of sharp obsidian fragments and a powerful gunpowder-based alchemical propellant. When fired, it produces a deafening roar and a cloud of dark smoke, unleashing a short-range cone of piercing stone shards. It is slow to reload and imprecise, but devastatingly effective at close range, especially for shattering brittle stone constructs or breaching a crumbling wall.

Lore:

This weapon is the definitive “loud solution” of Andean artisans and ruin-delvers, a far cry from the elegant, silent magic of the Stonegrowers. It was not born of military strategy but of industrial necessity and desperate defense. Its creation is attributed to the quarry-masters and deep-ruin surveyors of the Peak-Forged Ascendant lineage, who needed a portable tool that could do one of two things: instantly breach a pre-Rockfall sealed-stone door, or instantly stop a charging, mindless stone construct.

The “Ruin-Buster” is a feat of pure alchemical-steam engineering. It has no magic circuit of its own. Its “magic” is purely chemical and sympathetic. The complex gear-and-spring hammer is an adaptation of a steam-engine’s high-pressure release valve, designed to strike the percussion cap with brutal, perfect consistency.

The percussion paste is a volatile, “cold-fire” alchemical compound that explodes when struck, igniting the main propellant. The “stone-shard cartridge” is the true genius of the weapon. The propellant is a specialized, low-velocity “pushing” explosive, similar to mining-powder, designed to shatter brittle objects rather than pierce armor. The obsidian fragments are not just sharp; they are often “attuned” by being soaked in alchemical solutions that resonate with the magical-stone of ancient constructs. When this “sympathetic shrapnel” strikes a magical stone construct, it creates a dissonant, fracturing shockwave, making it devastatingly effective against the very creatures that guard the ruins.

The weapon is a last resort. It is deafeningly loud, the roar echoing through tunnels and valleys, and it produces a dense, acrid cloud of black smoke that can choke a room. It is imprecise, slow to reload, and its heavy recoil (the “buster” part of the name) can break an unprepared wielder’s wrist. For someone like Kallpa-Rumi, it is not a primary weapon, but a tool—a “key” for a stubborn door or a “stop-sign” for a charging golem.

Slot: One-Handed Ranged Weapon

Tier 1 Stats:

  • Strength: +0
  • Dexterity: -1
  • Constitution: +1
  • Intellect: +2
  • Wisdom: +0
  • Charisma: +0

Skills Gained:

  • Alchemy (Artisan): The wielder gains a bonus to crafting the volatile percussion-paste and the specialized “stone-shard” cartridges.
  • Demolitions (Knowledge): The wielder gains a bonus to checks made to assess and exploit structural weaknesses in inanimate objects using explosives.
  • Ranged (Alchemical Firearm): Proficiency with this specific, clumsy, and volatile class of weapon.

Passive Magics:

  • Lineage Resonance (Peak-Forged Ascendant): This weapon is dangerously volatile and requires a steady hand and an intimate knowledge of catastrophic failure. Only a member of the Peak-Forged Ascendant lineage can properly maintain the alchemical components and brace for the recoil. This attunement unlocks its +1 Constitution and +2 Intellect stat bonuses. To any other user, it is a non-magical, dangerous, and unreliable firearm.
  • Unwieldy & Loud: This weapon is heavy, clumsy, and deafening. It imposes the -1 Dexterity penalty. Firing it is a tactical decision, as it reveals the user’s position to everything in a large area.
  • Breaching Tool: The weapon’s specialized “pushing” charge and sympathetic-shrapnel are designed to destroy objects. It deals double damage to all inanimate, brittle objects (e.g., stone walls, crystal-wards, petrified-wood doors, statues).
  • Volatile: The alchemical components are unstable. On a critical fumble or a failed roll (GM’s discretion), the weapon jams, the percussion cap misfires, or the alchemical-paste detonates weakly, requiring a full action to clear the mechanism and reload.

Activatable Magics:

  • Alchemical Overcharge (1 use per reload): When loading the weapon, the user can choose to “overcharge” it by using a double-measure of propellant and a “hot” percussion paste. This must be declared before the attack roll. This single shot is Devastating. Its damage is maximized, and its cone-area-of-effect is doubled. However, the recoil is brutal; the wielder must make a Strength or Constitution saving throw or be knocked prone.
  • Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot (3 uses per long rest): The wielder spends an action to carefully load a single, perfectly-attuned obsidian shard and align their geomantic energy (this is a magical-alchemical, not a purely magical, act). The user can then make one, precisely-aimed shot. This is not a cone-attack; it is a single-target “slug” shot. This shot is made with a bonus to-hit and is designed to find flaws. If this shot is aimed at a structural weak point (like one identified by Focused Fracture-Tap), it is an automatic critical hit, designed to shatter a lock, break a construct’s joint, or topple a barrier.

Tags: Weapon, Ranged, One-Handed, Tier 1, Qosqo-Pacha, Peak-Forged Ascendant, Alchemical, Gunpowder, Demolitions, Volatile, Loud, Smoke, Cone-Damage, Breach, Obsidian, Lineage-Bound, Clumsy, Intellect

The Alchemical ‘Ruin-Buster’ Pistol (Weapon 454) is a specialized, dangerous, and non-magical piece of technology. It is not a common weapon. Its sale is restricted to niche markets that value its specific, brutal function (demolitions) over accuracy, speed, or stealth. The weapon itself is complex, but the real commodity is its volatile, alchemically-crafted ammunition.

1. The Professional Surveyor’s & Demolitions Guild (Utility Value)

  • Type of Shop: This is not a public shop, but a guild-hall supplier or a master-artisan’s workshop. It’s a professional business catering only to licensed surveyors, ruin-delvers, quarry-masters, and municipal demolition crews.
  • Where: In the industrial or guild-hall district of Peakhold (Qosqo-Suma), or a major guild-house in Puna-Qollas, which is a hub for expeditions to the western mountains.
  • How It Is Sold: The item is sold as a “Portable Breaching Tool, Model 454.” It is not advertised as a weapon. The sale is heavily regulated. The buyer must show a guild-license or a writ of-need. The seller, likely a master steam-mechanic or alchemist, would sell the pistol and, more importantly, a limited supply of the “stone-shard cartridges” and percussion-paste.
  • Sales Pitch: “This is not a toy, and it’s not for dueling. It is a key. It will open a Turrath-era sealed door in one shot. It will shatter a dormant stone-construct before it can animate. It is loud, it kicks like a raging griffon, and the smoke will blind you in a small room. You must prove you know how to maintain the percussion-paste, or it will detonate in your belt. The price is for the pistol. The cartridges are extra, and I sell them only by the crate of ten.”
  • Cost (Utility Value): The price is high, reflecting a complex, masterwork-grade mechanical and alchemical tool.
    • Pistol Cost: 16 Platinum (160 Gold)
    • Ammunition Cost: 2 Gold per “Stone-Shard” Cartridge (due to the rare alchemical propellant and sympathetic-obsidian).

2. The Black Market “Heavy-Arms” Dealer (Brute-Force Value)

  • Type of Shop: A clandestine, high-risk arms dealer operating out of a reinforced steam-tunnel, a hidden cave-bazaar, or a dockside warehouse. This seller deals in “final-arguments” for the criminal element.
  • Where: The deep, unregulated markets of Peakhold, or the smuggling dens of the port-city Chay-Uro.
  • How It Is Sold: The weapon is sold as a “Hand-Cannon” or a “Breacher.” It is acquired from thieves or scavengers. The seller knows nothing of its “lineage” or “lineage-bound” stats, only that it is a devastating close-range terror-weapon. The ammunition is likely “home-made” by a back-alley alchemist—unreliable, highly volatile, and cheap.
  • Sales Pitch: “You want to clear a room? You got a problem with a rival who hides behind a heavy-stone construct? This is the answer. One shot. Makes a sound like the Rockfall itself, and everything in front of you is just shrapnel. It’s slow, sure. But you won’t need a second shot. Ammo? I got a guy. His ‘thunder-packs’ are half-price. Just… don’t store ’em next to anything warm.”
  • Cost (Brute-Force Value): High, but slightly less than the guild-price, as the quality (and ammunition) is not guaranteed.
    • Pistol Cost: 13 Platinum (130 Gold)
    • Ammunition Cost: 8 Silver per “Unstable” Cartridge (buy at your own risk).

3. The Peak-Forged Ascendant Artisan (Crafted/Inheritance Value)

  • Type of Shop: This weapon is not bought by a Peak-Forged Ascendant; it is made by them, or bestowed. It is a signature piece of their unique, specialized craft, blending their knowledge of geomancy, alchemy, and steam-mechanics.
  • Where: In the small, insular, private workshops of the Peak-Forged Ascendant community in Peakhold.
  • How It Is “Sold”: A Peak-Forged Ascendant like Kallpa-Rumi, who possesses the Alchemy and Demolitions skills, would be one of the few artisans who knows the correct (and safest) way to formulate the percussion-paste and the “sympathetic shrapnel” cartridges. The pistol itself would be a “journeyman” project, crafted by an artisan to prove their mastery over these volatile components. It would then be gifted to a ruin-delver like Kallpa-Rumi upon their “graduation” into the field. It is never sold on the open market, as its secrets are proprietary and dangerous.
  • Cost (Crafted Value): The “cost” is not in coin, but in the rare alchemical materials and the weeks of dangerous, precise labor to craft it.
    • Cost: 0 Coin. (If an outsider did commission one, the price would be exorbitant, easily 25 Platinum (250 Gold), and the artisan would likely refuse the sale, as the weapon is too dangerous for the “untrained.”)

Here is a roleplaying explanation of how the Alchemical ‘Ruin-Buster’ Pistol (Weapon 454) is used for defense and offense.

Environment 1: An Ancient, Unstable Ruin (Turrath)

Offensive Application: “Construct-Cracker”

  • Scenario: Kallpa-Rumi rounds a corner and is confronted by a 7-foot-tall, pre-Rockfall stone construct. Its magical-stone hide is impervious to her pick. It grinds toward her, its heavy arms raised.
  • In-Game Roleplay: The player says, “This is what this gun was built for. I’m bracing myself, letting it get to 15 feet, aiming center-mass, and firing a standard ‘stone-shard’ cartridge.”
  • How it’s Described: The pistol explodes with a deafening, concussive BOOOOM that echoes through the ancient halls, shaking dust from the ceiling. A cone of black smoke and obsidian fragments slams into the construct. It’s not like a bullet; it’s like a focused, miniature explosion. The “sympathetic shrapnel” hits the construct’s magical-stone hide, and the effect is catastrophic. The construct shudders as a massive, dinner-plate-sized “scab” of its chest shatters and explodes outward, revealing the sparking, ruined magical-circuitry within. It freezes, permanently crippled or destroyed by a single, devastating shot.

Defensive Application: “Breaching a Dead End”

  • Scenario: Kallpa-Rumi is being pursued by a horde of smaller, skittering constructs. She finds a dead end, but her Fracture-Pick has identified a crumbling, unstable section of the ancient wall.
  • In-Game Roleplay: The player says, “I’m not fighting them. I’m running to that weak wall. I’m using my action to load an Alchemical Overcharge cartridge. I’m pressing the barrel right against the stone, looking away, and pulling the trigger.”
  • How it’s Described: The sound is indescribable, a physical, painful blow in the enclosed space. The recoil is so brutal it slams you back, knocking you prone (you failed your save). But the wall is just… gone. A cloud of choking, pulverized-stone dust fills the room, and a 5-foot, ragged hole has been blasted clear through to the next corridor. You scramble through the new, smoking exit as the constructs pile up in the dust-filled room, confused.

Environment 2: A Peakhold Steam-Tunnel

Offensive Application: “Corridor-Clearer”

  • Scenario: A group of three rival, steam-goggled scavengers is blocking a narrow, 10-foot-wide, metal-and-stone corridor. They are 20 feet away and are raising their own weapons.
  • In-Game Roleplay: The player says, “They’re too close and all in a group. I’m not aiming for any one of them. I’m hip-firing the ‘Ruin-Buster’ right into their center.”
  • How it’s Described: The BOOM is thunderous, a deafening shockwave in the enclosed metal tunnel that makes pipes rattle and your ears ring. A wall of black, acrid smoke and obsidian shards fills the entire tunnel. The front-most scavenger is blasted off his feet, his armor shredded. The other two are thrown back, screaming and choking, peppered with shrapnel. The entire tunnel is now filled with a choking, sulfurous cloud of black smoke, making it impossible to see.

Defensive Application: “The Smoke-Screen”

  • Scenario: Kallpa-Rumi is fleeing, but the scavengers (from the previous scenario) are gaining on her. She needs to block the path and escape.
  • In-Game Roleplay: The player says, “I’m ducking into a small side-alcove, waiting for them to pass. The moment they’re in the main corridor, I’m firing the pistol at the floor in front of them, then ducking back.”
  • How it’s Described: She doesn’t even aim at them. The shot detonates, posing no real danger, but the consequence is the desired one. The narrow, enclosed steam-tunnel is instantly and completely filled with a choking, blinding, sulfurous cloud of black smoke. The scavengers are forced to stop, coughing and blind, allowing her to escape in the confusion.

Environment 3: A Treacherous Mountain Cliff-Face

Offensive Application: “The Key Shot”

  • Scenario: Rival explorers are on a ledge above, shooting at Kallpa-Rumi. The ledge is supported by a single, ancient stone pillar.
  • In-Game Roleplay: The player says, “I can’t hit them from here. I’m using my Fracture-Pick to Focused Fracture-Tap the support pillar. [GM: “You find its keystone, a cracked, unstable block.”] Perfect. I’m loading the Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot. I’m taking my time, bracing, and aiming for that exact weak-point.”
  • How it’s Described: This isn’t a “cone” attack. You describe her carefully loading the single, attuned shard. She braces. The roar echoes through the pass. The ‘Key’ shot flies true, striking the weak-point. The alchemical charge detonates inside the crack. The pillar doesn’t just chip; it shatters. The entire ledge, and the explorers on it, collapse. (This shows its tool function).

Defensive Application: “The Warning Shot”

  • Scenario: Kallpa-Rumi is being stalked by a pack of large, territorial mountain predators (griffons, wolves, etc.). They are wary but closing in.
  • In-Game Roleplay: “These are animals. They won’t like this. I’m not aiming at them; I’m firing the ‘Ruin-Buster’ straight up into the air.”
  • How it’s Described: The BOOM is unnatural. It’s not a magical crack; it’s a chemical explosion. The sound echoes off a dozen peaks, sounding like a rockslide. The flash of fire, the cloud of acrid smoke, and the sheer percussive force of the sound is terrifying to the animals. You describe them halting, yelping in confusion, and scattering back into the rocks, more afraid of this unnatural thunder than they are of her.

Perception of Activation:

User’s Perspective

The activation of this weapon is a violent, purely physical, and chemical event, a stark contrast to the cold, magical hum of Kallpa-Rumi’s other gear.

  • Tactile (Primary): The moment the user pulls the trigger, the complex gear-mechanism slams the hammer home. This is followed by a brutal, bone-jarring, concussive kick. The recoil is not a magical push but a raw, physical shove that travels up the user’s arm and slams into their shoulder. The heavy bronze barrel and mechanism become instantly, painfully hot to the touch, and the user’s hand aches from the impact.
    • On Alchemical Overcharge: This sensation is magnified tenfold. The recoil is a catastrophic jolt, threatening to tear the weapon from their grip or break their wrist, and the heat is intense enough to sizzle moisture.
  • Auditory (Primary): The activation is a deafening, skull-rattling, concussive BOOOOM. It is not a magical crack or hiss, but a physical explosion. The sound is so loud it momentarily deafens the user, leaving their ears ringing with a high-pitched, painful whine for several seconds.
  • Olfactory: The activation is accompanied by a dense, acrid, and choking cloud of black smoke. The user is immediately enveloped in the smell of sulfur, ozone, and burnt-stone, a chemical stench that stings the eyes and throat.
  • Visual: The user sees a blinding, brilliant-orange flash of fire that erupts from the barrel, followed immediately by a billowing, opaque wall of black-and-grey smoke, which completely obscures their vision of the target.
  • Extra-Sensory (Mind’s Eye): This is the most distinct perception. Unlike her other gear, this weapon is not magical. When it fires, her Mind’s Eye, which is used to the clean “thrum” of magic, is suddenly blinded by a “scream” of pure, chaotic, non-magical energy. It is a “dumb” explosion. It feels like a blast of psychic static or “white noise” that momentarily overwhelms her magical senses, leaving her feeling “deaf” and “blind” in that spectrum.
    • On Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot: This is the only exception. The “static” of the explosion feels different—it feels focused. The user’s geomantic intent, channeled into the alchemical shard, makes the psychic-static feel narrow and purposeful, like a “shaped-charge” rather than a chaotic blast.

Observer’s Perspective

  • Visual (Primary): An observer sees a massive, bright-orange blossom of fire (like a modern shotgun-blast) erupt from the user’s hand. This is immediately followed by a huge, expanding, and totally opaque cloud of black smoke that completely envelops the user and the area in front of them, lingering in the air.
  • Auditory (Primary): The sound is thunderous. It is a single, deafening, percussive BOOM that echoes off every surface, sounding like a cannon-shot or a quarry-blasting-charge. It is loud enough to be physically startling, even to those expecting it.
  • Tactile (Vibration): Any observer within 30-40 feet feels the concussion of the shot as a physical “thump” in their chest. The ground visibly vibrates, and dust may shake loose from a ceiling.
  • Olfactory: The dense, rolling cloud of smoke carries the heavy, chemical smell of sulfur and burnt minerals to everyone in the area.
  • Extra-Sensory (Observer): A magical observer (using a Mind’s Eye) would see the user’s magical aura, and then see that aura completely vanish for a split-second, “eclipsed” by the massive, chaotic, non-magical explosion of raw, physical force. It would be like trying to spot a candle-flame in the middle of a collapsing building.

Positives

  • Psychological Intimidation: The activation is an act of “shock and awe.” The deafening sound, the flash of fire, the concussive blast, and the cloud of smoke are terrifying to most living creatures.
  • Tactical Obscurement: The massive cloud of smoke is an immediate tactical benefit, creating a large area of total visual concealment that can be used to escape, reload, or reposition.
  • Non-Magical: The activation is purely chemical and mechanical. It cannot be counterspelled, dispelled, or stopped by an anti-magic field. It is raw physics and alchemy.
  • Unambiguous: There is absolutely no doubt that the weapon has been fired and what its immediate, devastating effect is.

Negatives

  • TOTAL Loss of Stealth: This is the loudest, most conspicuous action a user can take. Firing it instantly announces the user’s exact position to everyone in a (likely) one-mile radius.
  • User Obscurement: The smoke cloud also blinds the user, making it impossible for them to see if their shot hit or to take an immediate follow-up action.
  • User Overload: The user is also a victim of the activation. Their ears are ringing, their hand/arm aches from the recoil, and their own vision is obscured.
  • Slow Follow-up: The description states it is “slow to reload.” The activation is a single, final event, with no chance for a quick second shot.
  • Volatile: The alchemical components mean that a “bad activation” (a misfire) is a very real and dangerous possibility for the user.

Recipe: Andean ‘Ruin-Buster’ Alchemical Pistol

Description: A masterwork recipe for the construction of a heavy, single-shot, alchemical firearm. This weapon is not magical; it is a complex piece of steam-age technology designed for close-quarters demolition and breaching. Its ammunition is a specialized, hand-crafted alchemical cartridge. This recipe is considered dangerous, and the crafting of its ammunition is volatile.

Phase 1: Materials for the Pistol (The Weapon)

  • Barrel: 1x Billet of High-Grade, Reinforced Bronze (must be able to withstand high pressure).
  • Frame: 1x Forged Iron Pistol-Frame (heavy, to absorb recoil).
  • Handle: 1x Block of Dense, Heavy Wood (e.g., Mountain Mahogany, to help absorb recoil).
  • Firing Mechanism (The “Lock”):
    • 1x Set of Masterwork-Quality Steel Gears (miniaturized).
    • 1x High-Tension, Tempered Steel Spring (mainspring).
    • 1x Hardened-Steel Hammer.
    • 1x Set of Brass Pins and Screws.
  • Ignition System: 1x Hardened-Steel Percussion-Nipple (to hold the cap).
  • Finishes: 1x Bottle of Gun-Oil and Polishing-Paste.

Phase 2: Materials for the Ammunition (Per Shot)

  • Propellant (The “Powder”):
    • 1x Measure of Sulfur.
    • 1x Measure of Charcoal (from petrified wood, for a ‘colder’ burn).
    • 2x Measures of Alchemical Oxidizer (e.g., ground “Fire-Moss” saltpeter).
    • Note: This creates the “Breaching-Powder,” known for its “pushing” explosion, not a sharp “crack.”
  • Shrapnel (The “Shot”):
    • 1x Handful of Sifted, Sharp-Edged Obsidian Fragments.
    • (Optional, for Key-Shot): 1x Single, Flawless, Attuned Obsidian Shard.
  • Ignition (The “Paste”):
    • 1x Drop of Fulminating Mercury (or a similar, highly-volatile alchemical compound).
    • 1x Pinch of Ground-Glass Powder.
  • Hardware:
    • 1x Small, Soft-Copper Percussion Cap.
    • 1x Square of Nitrated, Flash-Paper (for the cartridge).
    • 1x String-tie.

Tools Required

  • Blacksmith’s Forge: For forging the frame and reinforcing the barrel.
  • Gunsmith’s Toolkit / Steam-Mechanic’s Toolkit: (Includes files, calipers, tiny hammers, and gear-setters for the complex firing mechanism).
  • Lathe (Steam-Powered or Treadle): To bore the barrel (it is a smooth-bore).
  • Alchemist’s Lab: (Crucial for the ammunition. Must include a blast-shield, a scale, a non-sparking mortar & pestle, and ceramic mixing-bowls).
  • Woodcarver’s Kit: For shaping the heavy grip.

Skill Requirements

  • Artisan (Blacksmithing/Gunsmithing): Journeyman Level. Required to forge a barrel and frame that will not explode upon firing.
  • Artisan (Steam-Mechanics/Tinkering): Journeyman Level. This is critical. Required to build the complex, gear-and-spring-based “lock” (firing mechanism) that must strike the cap with precise, massive force.
  • Artisan (Alchemy): Journeyman Level. This is the most dangerous skill. Required to safely compound the “Breaching-Powder” and the extremely volatile “Fulminating Percussion-Paste.”
  • Demolitions (Knowledge): Apprentice Level. Helpful for correctly formulating the “pushing” propellant for its breaching qualities.

Crafting Steps

Phase 1: Crafting the Pistol

  1. Forging: The crafter forges the heavy iron frame and the thick, reinforced bronze barrel. The barrel is then lathed to create a smooth, clean bore.
  2. Mechanism: This is the most complex step. The crafter uses the Steam-Mechanic’s Toolkit to meticulously assemble the firing mechanism. This is not a simple flintlock. It is a complex, gear-driven, spring-loaded hammer, designed to strike with immense, consistent force (like a steam-valve releasing).
  3. Assembly: The barrel, mechanism, and the percussion-nipple are fitted into the iron frame. The heavy wooden grip is carved and securely bolted to the frame.
  4. Finishing: The weapon is oiled and test-fired remotely (e.g., in a “proving box” with a string-pull) to ensure the mechanism works and the barrel holds.

Phase 2: Crafting the Ammunition (The “Stone-Shard” Cartridge)

  1. Compounding the Propellant: In the Alchemist’s Lab, the crafter carefully mixes the sulfur, petrified-charcoal, and alchemical-oxidizer to create the “Breaching-Powder.” This is a low-velocity, high-push explosive.
  2. Compounding the Paste (DANGER): With a blast-shield, the crafter mixes the Fulminating Mercury and ground-glass. This paste is highly sensitive to shock and friction. A tiny “dab” is placed inside a copper percussion-cap and left to dry.
  3. Making the Cartridge: The crafter lays out the flash-paper, pours a measure of the Breaching-Powder, and then adds the handful of Obsidian Fragments. The paper is then rolled and tied shut with the string, creating a single “stone-shard” cartridge.

Phase 3: Loading and Firing (Explains the “Slow Reload”)

  1. Load: The user tears open a cartridge and pours the Breaching-Powder and Obsidian Fragments down the muzzle.
  2. Ram: The user must use a ramrod to pack the charge and shot down the barrel.
  3. Prime: The user must manually cock the (very heavy) gear-driven hammer.
  4. Cap: The user presses a Percussion Cap (crafted in Phase 2) onto the steel nipple.
  5. The weapon is now ready to fire one shot. This entire process must be repeated to reload.

Thunder-Key of Ruin-Eater Rumi
(A tale told by a Steam-Tinker, who heard it from a Ruin-Rat, who found it scratched on a bronze plate. The words are… bent.)

It is known. In the ash-time, after the great-mountain-fell (the RockBuster… no, the Rockfall), the world was full of doors-that-were-not-doors. The old city (Turrath) was full of stone-guardians, and sealed-walls, and lies-of-stone.

And there was a man. His name is Rumi, a name of walking (Kallpa-Rumi?). He was a Peak-Forged, a child of the crack. He was a flaw-finder. He had the pick (the Fracture-Pick) that sang the song of the lie. He would tap-tap-tap and know the hollow-heart.

But Rumi was… not-patient.

He came to a great stone-door. It was a door-of-old-magic. He tapped it with his seeing-pick. The pick sang to him. It sang: “FLAW. FLAW. FLAW. IN-THE-CENTER.” Rumi knew the weak-spot. But the stone was too-thick. His pick was a song, not a hammer. He was small, and the lie was big. He could not open the door. He sat. He was angry. He said, “What good is to know the flaw, if you cannot make-it-so?”

Rumi, he was not just a magic-man. He was a steam-thinker (a mechanic?). He knew gears. He knew pressure. He knew the anger of the steam-engine. He said, “Magic is a whisper. I need… a shout.”

He went to the Alchemist. The “Soot-Man.” He said, “I need a hammer made of fire. I need a shout I can hold in my hand.” The Alchemist laughed, a coughing-smoke-laugh. “Fire is loud,” said the Soot-Man. “And it is hot. And it will eat your hand.” Rumi said, “My hand is cold. Build it.”

So they built. Rumi built the body. He took a big, heavy iron-frame, to eat the kick. He took a fat bronze-pipe, to hold the shout. He did not use magic-circuits. He used gears. He used springs. He made a steam-hammer for the hand. A lock-of-gears (the mechanism?). The Soot-Man made the soul. He took sulfur. He took coal-dust. He took the fire-salt (saltpeter?). He made the black-powder, the pushing-fire. “This is the shout,” said the Soot-Man. Then he took the shaking-paste (fulminate?). He put it in a copper-hat (percussion cap). “This is the spark,” he said. Then Rumi looked. “It needs teeth,” he said. He took his seeing-pick and tapped a black-glass-rock (obsidian). The pick sang: “FLAWED. EASY-TO-BREAK.” Rumi broke the rock. He took the shards. “This is the teeth,” he said.

They made the cartridge. The pushing-fire. The teeth. They made the spark-hat. They made… the Ruin-Buster. The Thunder-Key.

Rumi went back to the door-of-old-magic. He poured the shout down the pipe. He pushed the teeth down. He cocked the gear-hammer. He put the spark-hat on the nipple. He pointed the Thunder-Key at the flaw his pick had sung to him. He closed his eyes. He pulled the trigger.

It was not a song. It was the Rockfall-come-again. It was BOOOOM. A fist-of-fire hit his arm. The kick. It hurt. A cloud-of-smoke, black and stinking, ate the world. He was blind. He was deaf. His ears were screaming. But… the door… The door-was-not. Where the door was, there was a hole. A smoking-hole. The lie-of-stone was broken.

Rumi smiled, in the dark, in the stink, with his arm-of-pain. He had his shout. It was slow. It was loud. It was blind. It was pain. But it worked.

The Moral of the Story: It is good to find the flaw with a whisper. But it is better to open the flaw with a shout.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Ruin-Buster Hand-Cannon Firearm (alchemical firearm), rare (requires attunement by a creature of the Peak-Forged Ascendant lineage)

This heavy, single-shot pistol is a marvel of bronze and iron, with a complex gear-and-spring hammer. It is designed to fire alchemical cartridges, not bullets.

  • Attunement: While attuned to this weapon, you gain a +1 bonus to your Constitution score and a +2 bonus to your Intelligence score (to a maximum of 20 for each). You are considered proficient with this weapon.
  • Ammunition: The weapon uses special, alchemical “Stone-Shard Cartridges” as ammunition. Crafting one cartridge requires 10 minutes of work with Alchemist’s Supplies and 5 gp of materials.
  • Reload: This weapon is Reload (1). It takes one action to reload this one-handed weapon.
  • Loud & Smoky: Firing this weapon is deafeningly loud, audible out to 300 feet. The 15-foot cone of the attack, and the 10-foot cube in front of the wielder, are heavily obscured by thick, acrid smoke until the end of your next turn.
  • Breaching Tool: The weapon deals double damage to objects and structures.
  • Special Attack: When you take the Attack action, you do not make an attack roll. Instead, you fire the weapon in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 3d8 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
  • Alchemical Overcharge (1/Reload): When you load the weapon, you can declare you are overcharging it. The next attack’s cone deals 6d8 piercing damage instead of 3d8. After firing, you must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be knocked prone by the recoil.
  • Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot (3/Day): As an action, you can load a special “key” shard. The weapon’s next attack is not a cone, but a single ranged attack roll (using your Dexterity) with a range of 20/60. On a hit, the attack deals 4d10 piercing damage. If this attack targets an object or construct (especially one whose flaw you have identified), it is an automatic critical hit.

Blades in the Dark

The Alchemical Breacher Heavy Firearm (2 Load), Volatile, Alchemical

A heavy, complex bronze-and-iron pistol. It fires a single, devastating charge of obsidian shards, creating a cloud of smoke and a deafening roar.

  • Properties: Firearm, Heavy, Volatile, Alchemical.
  • Standard Use (Attack/Wreck): When you fire this weapon at a close-range target (or group), you make an Attack (likely with Skirmish) or Wreck roll. It has Potency against a group and affects all targets in a small cone.
  • Loud & Smoky: Firing it is Loud and creates a Thick, Choking Smoke; tick a relevant Alert clock and create a new Situation Aspect (Blinding Smoke) in your area.
  • Slow Reload: Reloading the weapon is a complex, alchemical process that cannot be done in combat. It requires a Tinker roll during Downtime (or as a Long-Term Project) to prepare new cartridges. You may carry 1-3 pre-made cartridges.
  • Breaching Tool: When you use this weapon to Wreck a structure (wall, door, safe), you gain +1 Effect.
  • Overcharge: You can push yourself or suffer 2 Stress to overcharge the alchemical load. Your action is Desperate, but you gain Extreme Effect and Potency (if you didn’t already have it).
  • Lineage-Bound: If you are of the Peak-Forged Ascendant heritage, this weapon is not Volatile for you; you have mastered its kick and chemical balance.

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Andean “Ruin-Buster” Pistol Firearm (Alchemical)

This is a heavy, single-shot, muzzle-loading bronze pistol with a complex gear-based percussion-cap lock. It fires a cone of obsidian shards.

  • Skill: Firearm (Alchemical) (a new, specialized skill, defaulting to 10%) or Firearm (Handgun) at a -20% penalty.
  • Damage (Cone): 3d8 (within 10 yards).
  • Range: 10 yards (fires a cone, see below).
  • Attacks: 1
  • Ammo: 1
  • Malf: 98-00 (Highly volatile).
  • Reload: Reloading this weapon takes 3 full combat rounds (one to clear the barrel, one to load powder/shot, one to prime and cap).
  • Loud & Smoky: Firing the pistol is deafening. All characters within 10 yards (including the firer) must make a CON roll or be deafened for 1d10 rounds. The 10-yard cone is filled with thick, black smoke, imposing a Penalty Die on all visual rolls within it for 1d4 rounds.
  • Cone Attack: All targets within a 10-yard cone must make a Dodge roll. If they fail, they take full 3d8 damage. If they succeed, they take half (1d8+1).
  • Breaching Tool: The weapon deals double damage (6d8) to inanimate objects, walls, or stone constructs.
  • Volatility (Malf): On a Malf roll (98-00), the alchemical paste detonates in the breech. The wielder takes 3d8 damage (no Dodge) and the weapon is destroyed.
  • ‘Key’ Shot: The user can load an alchemical ‘slug’. This changes the attack to a single Firearm (Alchemical) roll (range 30 yards, damage 3d6, Impale on an Extreme success).

Knave (2nd Edition)

Alchemical ‘Buster’ Pistol Ranged Weapon (Relic)

  • Inventory Slots: 2 (Heavy, bulky)
  • Damage: 1d12
  • Qualities: Close, Reload (Slow), Messy, Loud, Volatile, Breaching
  • Reload (Slow): This weapon takes one full action to reload.
  • Messy: On a hit, this weapon’s cone of shrapnel also hits one additional target adjacent to the primary target (wielder’s choice).
  • Loud: Firing this weapon is deafening and alerts all intelligent creatures in the area.
  • Volatile: On a critical failure (1), the alchemical load detonates. The wielder takes the weapon’s damage (1d12) and the weapon is broken.
  • Breaching: This weapon’s damage dice “explode” (roll again and add) when damaging inanimate, brittle objects (stone, crystal, wood).
  • Lineage-Bound (Peak-Forged Ascendant Virtue): If you are of this lineage, you have mastered the weapon’s eccentricities. You gain a +1 bonus to your CON defense. The Volatile quality only triggers on a 1 (not a 1-2).
  • Special Ammunition (Toggled):
    • Alchemical Overcharge: You can declare you are overcharging before you roll. The attack gains Brutal (damage dice explode) and Messy hits two adjacent targets. However, Volatile now triggers on a 1-3.
    • Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot: You can use your action to load this shot. The next attack does not have the Close or Messy qualities, but gains Armor Piercing (ignores 2 Armor Points).

Fate (Fate Core)

Alchemical ‘Ruin-Buster’ Pistol A heavy, volatile, single-shot hand-cannon of bronze and iron.

This is a powerful, dangerous item. It is represented by a core Item Aspect and several Stunts, which are only fully available to a character with a related Lineage Aspect.

Item Aspect: Deafening, Smoky, ‘Ruin-Buster’ Pistol You can Invoke this Aspect for a +2 or a reroll when:

  • You are Attacking a group of targets in a single, tight zone.
  • You are using the pistol’s roar and flash to Create an Advantage (e.g., Intimidating, Terrifying Presence).
  • You are trying to Overcome a structural obstacle (like a stone wall or locked door) with brute force.

An enemy can Compel this Aspect (for a Fate Point) when:

  • Its Deafening roar alerts everyone in the district to your exact location.
  • It is Slow to Reload, meaning you cannot fire it when you desperately need to.
  • It is Volatile, and a misfire or jam happens at the worst possible moment.
  • It is Unwieldy, causing you to stumble or act clumsily (representing the -1 DEX).

Stunts:

  • Breaching Tool: Because the pistol fires a specialized demolition-charge, you gain a +2 bonus to Overcome actions when using the pistol to destroy an inanimate, brittle object (like a stone wall, a locked door, or a dormant construct).
  • Cone of Shrapnel: (Requires Peak-Forged Ascendant Aspect) Once per scene, as an action, you can fire the pistol. You make a single Shoot Attack roll against all targets in your current zone or an adjacent, nearby zone. Immediately after, you automatically create the Situation Aspect Blinding, Choking Smoke with one free invocation.
  • Alchemical Overcharge: (Requires Peak-Forged Ascendant Aspect) When you use the Cone of Shrapnel stunt, you can declare you are Overcharging the shot before you roll. Your attack automatically gains +2 shifts of damage. However, you must immediately take a 2-shift physical hit from the brutal recoil, or choose to gain the Knocked Prone Consequence.
  • ‘Key’ Shot: (Requires Peak-Forged Ascendant Aspect) Three times per session, you can load a special ‘key’ shard. This changes your next Shoot attack from a cone to a single target. This attack ignores all physical armor (Stunts or Aspects) the target possesses. If you have an Aspect on the target (like Identified Weak Point), this attack deals +2 shifts of damage.

Numenera & Cypher System

Ruin-Buster Alchemical Pistol Level: 5 (Volatile Artifact) Form: A heavy, one-handed, bronze-and-iron firearm with a complex gear-and-spring hammer. Ammunition: Specialized, single-use, alchemical “stone-shard” cartridges.

Effect (Passive): Unwieldy. The pistol is heavy and clumsy. All Speed-based tasks (including Speed-based attacks) are hindered by one step.

Effect (Passive): Breaching Tool. The pistol’s specialized charge deals 6 points of damage to inanimate, brittle objects (stone, crystal, etc.).

Effect (Action, Cone Attack): The wielder fires the pistol. This is an Intellect-based task (due to the complex alchemical/demolition knowledge required) targeting all creatures in a short-range cone. On success, it deals 4 points of damage to all targets. The area is immediately filled with a cloud of thick, black smoke, which hinders all vision-based tasks within a short distance for 1 minute. Firing is deafening.

Effect (Action, Alchemical Overcharge): The wielder can choose to overcharge the shot (this must be declared before the roll). The Cone Attack task is eased by one step, and it deals 6 points of damage. However, immediately after firing, the wielder must make a Might-based task (Difficulty 4) to resist the recoil or be knocked prone and lose their next action.

Effect (Action, Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot): (Lineage-Bound) A Peak-Forged Ascendant can use this. It is a single-target Intellect-based attack (range: short). On a success, it deals 8 points of damage, ignoring 2 points of Armor.

Lineage-Bound: A wielder with the Peak-Forged Ascendant Descriptor gains the item’s full benefits. This includes a +1 bonus to their Might Pool (from the +1 CON) and a +1 bonus to their Intellect Edge (from the +2 INT).

Depletion: 1 on a d20. (This represents the ammunition. Each shot—Cone Attack or ‘Key’ Shot—requires a depletion roll. A 1 means the wielder is out of their hand-made, volatile cartridges).

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Alchemical Ruin-Buster Item 4 [Rare] [Alchemical] [Evocation] [Firearm] [Qosqo-Pacha] Prerequisites: You must have the Peak-Forged Ascendant heritage to invest this item. Usage: Held in 1 hand; Bulk: 1

This heavy, single-shot bronze pistol has a complex gear-based hammer. It is a specialized firearm that fires alchemical cartridges.

Invested (Passive): The pistol’s unwieldy nature and the focus it requires attunes you. You gain a +1 item bonus to your Constitution ability score and a +2 item bonus to your Intelligence ability score. You take a -1 item penalty to your Dexterity ability score (and all associated DCs and modifiers). Invested (Passive): You are proficient with this weapon. It fires Alchemical Stone-Shard Cartridges (see below) and has the Fatal d12 trait. Invested (Passive): Breaching Tool. The pistol deals double damage to inanimate, brittle objects (structures, stone, etc.).

Activation [one-action] (Attack, Evocation, Manipulate)

  • Ammunition: Alchemical Stone-Shard Cartridge
  • Effect: The weapon fires a cone of shrapnel in a 15-foot cone. All creatures in the cone must attempt a DC 19 Reflex save. This is a Loud and Smoky action; the cone and the 5-foot space in front of you become Concealed for 1 minute or until dispersed.
  • Critical Success: The creature is unaffected.
  • Success: The creature takes 1d10 piercing damage.
  • Failure: The creature takes 2d10 piercing damage and 1d4 persistent bleed damage.

Activation [one-action] (Alchemical, Manipulate)

  • Frequency: Once per 10 minutes (represents carefully overcharging the breech)
  • Effect: Alchemical Overcharge. The next time you fire the pistol (within 1 minute), the save DC is 21 and the damage is 4d10 piercing damage. After the shot, you must succeed on a DC 20 Fortitude save or be knocked Prone by the recoil.

Activation [one-action] (Alchemical, Manipulate)

  • Frequency: Three times per day
  • Effect: Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot. You load a special ‘key’ shard. The next attack is not a cone but a single-target Strike (range increment 30 feet). This Strike deals 3d10 piercing damage and is an automatic critical hit if the target is an object or construct whose Weak Point (Hardness) you have identified.

Ammunition: Alchemical Stone-Shard Cartridge (Level 1, Consumable, Alchemical)

  • Price: 4 gp (for 10)
  • Craft: Requires Specialized Crafter (Alchemy) and the formula.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Ruin-Buster Hand-Cannon Ranged Weapon (Alchemical Firearm)

Range: Cone (Small Burst Template) Damage: 3d6 AP: 1 RoF: 1 Shots: 1 Weight: 6 Notes: Heavy Weapon, Reload (2), Volatile, Loud, Lineage-Bound

  • Reload (2): This weapon takes 2 full actions to reload (clear, load powder, load shot, prime, cap).
  • Volatile: On a Critical Failure on the Shooting roll, the weapon explodes. The wielder and everyone in a Small Burst Template centered on the wielder suffers 3d6 damage.
  • Loud: Firing is deafening and alerts everyone in the area. It also creates a Medium Burst Template of thick smoke centered on the wielder, which blocks vision (-4 penalty) for 3 rounds.
  • Breaching Tool: Deals Mega-Damage to inanimate, brittle objects (stone walls, constructs, etc.).
  • Lineage-Bound (Peak-Forged Ascendant Edge):
    • The wielder has mastered this weapon. The Volatile quality is negated (they still fail, but it doesn’t explode).
    • Attunement: The wielder gains a +1 bonus to Vigor (max d12) and a one-die increase to their Smarts (max d12). They suffer a -1 penalty to all Agility-based rolls (e.g., Athletics, Stealth, Shooting).
  • Special Abilities (Lineage-Bound):
    • Alchemical Overcharge: As an action, the wielder can overcharge the shot (this is part of the 2-action reload). The next shot’s Cone template is upgraded to the Medium Burst Template and gains AP 2. However, the wielder must make a Vigor roll (-2) or be knocked Prone and Shaken.
    • Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot: (3/Day) As an action (this is part of the 2-action reload), the wielder loads a ‘key’ shard. This changes the next attack from a Cone to a standard Shooting roll with a Range of 12/24/48. This shot deals 3d8 damage, AP 3. If the target is an object or construct with a known Weak Point (e.g., from a successful Repair or Notice roll), the attack gains the Heavy Weapon quality.

Shadowrun (6th Edition)

Andean ‘Ruin-Buster’ H-P (Alchemical) Heavy Pistol

This is a heavy, single-shot firearm that epitomizes Andean steam-and-alchemy technology. It is a complex assembly of gears and a spring-loaded hammer, firing a paper-wrapped alchemical cartridge.

  • Damage: 9P
  • AP: -3
  • Mode: SS
  • Ammo: 1(m)
  • Qualities: Alchemical, Area-Effect (Cone, 5m), Loud (-4), Reload (2 Complex), Smoky, Volatile
  • Availability: 16F
  • Cost: 3,500 Nuyen
  • Special Rules:
    • Alchemical: This weapon uses specialized “Stone-Shard Cartridges” (10 nuyen/shot, Availability 8R) which must be crafted with the Alchemy skill.
    • Area-Effect (Cone, 5m): The weapon fires a cone of shrapnel 5 meters long. Make one attack test and compare it to the defense of all targets in the cone.
    • Loud (-4): Deafening. All sound-based Perception tests in the area suffer a -4 penalty.
    • Reload (2 Complex): Reloading this muzzle-loader is a slow, complex alchemical and mechanical process.
    • Smoky: Creates a Smoke (Light) effect in a 5-meter radius centered on the wielder after firing, which persists for 3 rounds.
    • Volatile: On a Critical Glitch, the alchemical cartridge detonates. The attack fails, and the wielder must resist the weapon’s base damage (9P) as feedback.
  • Lineage-Bound (Peak-Forged Ascendant Quality):
    • A bonded wearer gains a +1 bonus to their Body and a +1 bonus to their Logic attributes. They suffer a -1 penalty to their Agility attribute.
    • The Volatile quality is negated for a bonded user (a Critical Glitch is just a jam).
  • Special Ammunition (Select when reloading):
    • Alchemical Overcharge: The next shot’s Area-Effect (Cone) becomes 10m. The wielder must immediately make a Body + Strength (3) test or be knocked Prone.
    • Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot (3/Day): The next shot is not a cone. It is a single-target attack with AP -8. If the target is a construct or structure with a known flaw, this attack gains the Potency (Critical Hit) quality.

Starfinder (1st Edition)

‘Ruin-Buster’ Alchemical Pistol Hybrid Item (Small Arm)

Level: 5 Price: 2,900 credits Category: Small Arm Range: 15 ft. Damage: 1d12 P Critical: Knockdown Capacity: 1 Usage: 1 (Alchemical Stone-Shard Cartridge) Bulk: 1 Special: Analog, Blast (15-ft. cone), Breaching, Loud, Reload (1 full action), Smoky

  • Special Properties:
    • Breaching: This weapon deals double damage to objects, structures, and constructs made of stone or earth.
    • Loud: Firing is deafening, as per the weapon special property.
    • Smoky: Creates a 15-foot-radius cloud of smoke centered on the wielder, providing Concealment for 1d4 rounds or until dispersed.
  • Ammunition: Alchemical Stone-Shard Cartridges (25 credits for 5, Level 1).
  • Lineage-Bound (Peak-Forged Ascendant Species):
    • An attuned wielder gains a +1 insight bonus to their Constitution score and a +2 insight bonus to their Intelligence score. They suffer a -1 penalty to their Dexterity score.
  • Special Ammunition Modes (Select when reloading):
    • Alchemical Overcharge (1/Reload): The wielder can overcharge the shot. The next Blast is a 20-ft. cone and deals 2d12 P. Immediately after firing, the wielder must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be knocked Prone.
    • Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot (3/Day): As a full action, the wielder can load and fire a ‘key’ shard. This is a single-target ranged attack (not a cone) with a Range of 30 ft. On a hit, it deals 3d10 P and ignores 10 points of Hardness.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Andean ‘Breacher’ Pistol (Artifact) Alchemical Firearm (Artifact)

This heavy, single-shot bronze firearm uses a complex gear-and-spring mechanism to ignite a volatile, muzzle-loaded alchemical cartridge.

  • Tech Level: 5 (Artifact)
  • Skill: Gun Combat (Alchemical) or Gun Combat (Slug) at DM-2.
  • Range: 10m
  • Damage: 3d6
  • Ammo: 1
  • Mass: 2 kg
  • Cost: Cr 18,000 (Artifact Price)
  • Qualities: Cone (10m), Reload (2 Significant), Loud, Smoky, Volatile, Breaching
  • Special Rules:
    • Cone (10m): Fires a cone of shrapnel 10m long. All targets in the cone must make an Athletics (Dodge) check (Difficulty 8+) or take the damage.
    • Reload (2 Significant): Reloading this muzzle-loader is a complex, 2-action process.
    • Loud & Smoky: Firing is deafening, alerting all nearby. It creates a 10m-radius smoke cloud, imposing DM-4 on all vision-based checks within it for 1d4 rounds.
    • Volatile: On an attack roll of 2 (snake-eyes), the alchemical charge detonates. The wielder takes 3d6 damage and the weapon is destroyed.
    • Breaching: Deals Mega-Damage (x10 damage) to inanimate, brittle objects (stone, crystal, old constructs).
  • Lineage-Bound (Peak-Forged Ascendant Trait):
    • An attuned wielder gains DM+1 to their END Characteristic and DM+1 to their INT Characteristic. They suffer DM-1 to their DEX Characteristic.
    • The Volatile quality is negated.
  • Special Ammunition Modes (Select when reloading):
    • Alchemical Overcharge: The next shot’s Cone becomes 15m and deals 4d6 damage. The wielder must immediately make an Athletics (Strength) check (Difficulty 10+) or be knocked prone.
    • Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot (3/Day): The next shot is not a cone. It is a single-target attack with Range 40m, Damage 4d6, and AP 5.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

‘Ruin-Buster’ Alchemical Handgun Gunpowder Weapon

A heavy, complex, bronze-and-iron pistol. It uses a gear-and-spring-driven hammer to ignite a paper cartridge of alchemical powder and obsidian shards.

  • Type: Gunpowder
  • ENC: 50 (Heavy)
  • Group: Gunpowder, Alchemical, Engineering
  • Range: 10 yards (Cone)
  • Damage: +10
  • Qualities: Alchemical (Cone), Reload (4), Volatile, Loud, Smoky, Breaching
  • Special Rules:
    • Alchemical (Cone): This new quality means the weapon fires in a 10-yard cone. All targets in the cone must make an Opposed Agility Test. Those who fail suffer a hit with +10 Damage.
    • Reload (4): This weapon takes 4 full Actions to reload.
    • Volatile: On a Fumble, the alchemical cartridge explodes. The wielder takes a +10 Damage hit, and the weapon is destroyed.
    • Loud & Smoky: Firing is Dangerous (deafening). It creates a cloud of Obscuring Smoke in a 10-yard radius for 3 rounds.
    • Breaching: Deals an additional +SL (to a maximum of +5) to Damage when attacking inanimate, brittle objects (stone, walls, etc.).
  • Lineage-Bound (Peak-Forged Ascendant Bloodline):
    • An attuned wielder gains +5 to their Toughness and +10 to their Intelligence Characteristics. They suffer a -10 penalty to their Agility Characteristic.
    • The Volatile quality is negated (on a Fumble, it simply jams and must be cleared with a Trade (Engineer) Test).
  • Special Ammunition Modes (Select when reloading):
    • Alchemical Overcharge: The next shot’s Alchemical (Cone) becomes 15 yards and deals +12 Damage. The wielder must make an Opposed Strength Test against the recoil (Difficulty Hard (-20)) or gain the Prone Condition.
    • Geomantic ‘Key’ Shot (3/Day): The next shot is not a cone. It is a single-target attack with Range 20. It gains the Penetrating (4) and Impale Qualities.

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