From: Lineage 7421 of the Wave Riders
Type: Apsaran-Compatible Grapple and Descent Rig
Form & Function:
A mechanized reel system built into a fitted side-harness plate, using miniature steam pistons and folding glide-hooks forged from compressed Luminwood struts with coral-alloy teeth. Designed specifically for quadrupedal use, it deploys dual hooked grapnels sideways rather than upward, allowing the Apsaran to anchor into ship railings, reef pillars, or coastal cliff ledges to stabilize against violent tides or storm-wind knockback.
Mode Shift:
- In Storm-Lock Mode, it drives the hooks into surfaces with steam-assisted force, securing the user against sliding storms or monster impacts.
- In Descent Mode, it pays out the line slowly under steam-brake, allowing controlled lowering down cliffsides or into coral trench shafts that cannot be swum directly due to ley turbulence.
Cultural Note:
This tool is favored by Aegean reefward engineers and cliffside courier escorts. Among Lineage 7421, it carries symbolic meaning: “Grip the stone when the tide howls,” a proverb carved into the Luminwood housing in silver-thread Aque-Script.
Lore:
Forged in the wake of the Stormbreak’s caution, reefward engineers sought a way to “argue with the wind without shouting at it.” The first steamline grapnels were crude, ripping rails and splitting coral ledges. Lineage 7421 glasswrights solved this by laminating compressed Luminwood struts with coral-alloy teeth set along a spiral bite, dispersing impact like a sea-urchin’s grip instead of a nail’s stab. Wavekeepers later traced micro vents through the side-housing so the pistons exhale with a steady chant, syncing the wearer’s breathing to the device’s pulse. Apprentices carve the proverb “Grip the stone when the tide howls” into the housing during consecration; the act is both an oath and a calibration, aligning the brake drum’s rhythm to the bearer’s heart rate. Couriers descending the Mist-Cliffs say the harness “listens to fear and spends it as steam,” turning panic into measured descent. Among reef-route escorts, a pair of crossed grapnels etched on a sash marks a veteran who has hauled others back from the brink.
Specific Slot
Harness (auxiliary side-plate), right or left flank; counts as 1 worn item slot (light armor–adjacent apparatus, not a harness-slot replacement).
Tier One Stats (modifiers at attunement)
• Agility +1 (micro-balance from piston cadence)
• Endurance +1 while anchored (vented steam offloads strain during braced holds)
• Speed: Land speed unchanged; while anchored, lateral micro-steps up to 5 feet require no check on slick or pitching surfaces; vertical descent rate up to 10 feet/round under steam-brake without slipping penalties.
• Defense: +1 vs forced movement (push/pull/knockback) when any line is set; +2 when in Storm-Lock Mode.
• Load: Negligible; no movement penalty.
• Overwhelm Threshold: After three consecutive high-tension pulls without a rest, the harness enters cooldown (vents hot mist; see drawbacks).
Skills Gained (item training imprint)
• Rigging & Anchorcraft (basic): advantage/edge on checks to set, test, or free anchors, hooks, and lines in rain, spray, or heavy wind.
• Cliff & Reef Traversal (basic): advantage/edge on balance/sure-footed movement along rails, cliff lips, and coral shelves while clipped.
• Descent Governance (basic): proficiency with steam-brake: judge friction, line-angle, and safe lowering speed by feel (no tool penalty in storms).
Passive Magics (always on while worn and damp)
- Crosswind Vectoring Lattice: Thin Aque-Script vents along the housing bleed measured puffs that counter lateral buffets. Reduce sideways drift from gusts or wave-surge by one step (GM adjudication), and ignore the first 5 feet of involuntary slide each round.
- Rail-Kind Bite: Coral-alloy teeth are glyph-etched to seat between grain rather than split it. When grapnels bite into wood, coral, or stone, treat the anchor as one grade sturdier for shearing tests; on metal rails, the bite self-seats without burring.
- Pulse-Cadence Feedback: Piston rhythm taps through the flank plate; you intuit micro-slack before it occurs. Advantage/edge on checks to prevent line snap or pendulum swing when footing shifts.
- Spray-Quiet Dampers: Steam exhaust sings below the wind; impose disadvantage on sound-based detection of the device within close range during descent or brace.
Activatable Magics
• Storm-Lock Mode (anchor stance)
Action: swift/bonus. Duration: 1 minute or until released.
Effect: Fires twin glide-hooks with steam-assisted bite (range up to 20 feet; two independent points). While at least one hook is set: gain +2 vs forced movement, cannot be automatically knocked prone by gusts/surge, and may treat slick or pitching ground as firm for bracing attacks, aiming, or spell conduction. Releasing a hook is a free action; retraction is part of switching modes.
Cooldown: 1 round of venting after deactivation.
• Descent Mode (steam-brake)
Action: move/prepare. Duration: sustained.
Effect: Pays out sanctified cable under brake. You may descend vertical or near-vertical faces up to 10 feet/round with both hands free; ignore disadvantage from rain/spray. If falling while clipped, convert the first 20 feet of fall into controlled slide; remaining fall damage is halved (minimum 1).
Safety Catch: If both anchors fail simultaneously, the brake auto-seizes, granting an immediate check with advantage/edge to arrest the slide.
• Rip-Turn Redirect (sling maneuver)
Action: reaction on enemy charge, shove, or wave impact.
Effect: Snap a pre-set line and pivot—shift up to 10 feet to an adjacent safe square or ledge without provoking opportunity effects; if the trigger was a creature’s rush, impose disadvantage on its attack this turn as it over-commits.
• Sky-Clip Traverse (gap cross)
Action: standard. Uses: 2 per long rest or equivalent.
Effect: Fire dual hooks to opposite rails/ledges and slingshot across a gap up to 15 feet. On arrival, you may choose to remain clipped (advantage to resist counter-push) or auto-retract for immediate mobility.
• Reef-Haul Assist (ally rescue)
Action: standard; requires line contact with ally within 15 feet and one solid anchor.
Effect: Steam pistons provide a short haul; pull a willing or restrained Medium-mass ally 10 feet toward you or lift them 5 feet vertically. If the ally would fall, convert their first 20 feet into controlled slide as per Descent Mode.
• Surge-Bleed Vent (pressure purge)
Action: free, once per encounter when Overwhelm triggers.
Effect: Dump superheated mist sideways, clearing kelp, netting, or rope snarls within arm’s reach and removing the current point of echo/strain; you cannot use Sky-Clip Traverse until you re-prime (1 round).
Drawbacks & Limits (tier-safe)
• Overwhelm: Three heavy pulls or arrests in rapid sequence trigger cooldown; until vent completes (1 round), you cannot fire grapnels or change modes.
• Misdirection Risk: Echo-shielded rails or illusion-slicked ledges impose disadvantage on initial bite; Rail-Kind Bite mitigates splits, not glamours.
• Consecration Bias: A harness imprinted to a basin favors that basin’s “feel.” Using it far inland without ritual rinse imposes a –1 step penalty on initial anchor tests until the first successful set.
Usage Cues (roleplay)
• Before storms, polish the Luminwood with sea-heated water, tracing the proverb; the piston cadence steadies to your pulse.
• In squalls, set hooks low and wide; let the Crosswind Vectoring Lattice do the arguing with the gusts while you act.
• During cliff courier runs, call your cadence aloud—“bite, breathe, pay”—so allies time their steps to your brake song.
Tags
Grapnel-Rig, Steam-Piston, Coral-Alloy Teeth, Cliff Descent, Storm Brace, Anchorcraft, Rigging, Apsaran Harness, Safety Catch, Rescue Haul, Surge Vent, Storm-Lock, Descent-Mode, Glide-Hooks, Steam-Brake, Vectoring-Vents, Rail-Bite, Sky-Clip
Where to find it and how trade works in Saṃsāra:
Tidetower armories (temple workshops)
Purpose: Issue-grade rigs for reefward engineers and cliffside escorts, tuned in basin-water.
How to buy: Petition a Wavekeeper quartermaster with a work writ (escort duty, cliff courier license, or salvage charter). Expect an imprint rite so the brake cadence matches your pulse.
Typical price: 240–320 Gold for standard temple pattern; 380–450 Gold for master-tuned sets with Rail-Kind Bite glyphwork. First calibration included; additional basin reimprints 2 Silver each. Trade-in on retired temple rigs: 90–140 Gold if the housings are sound.
Cliff courier guild halls (Sky-Cliff chapters)
Purpose: Couriers’ storefronts that stock descent gear for Mist-Cliff routes and sky-bridge patrols.
How to buy: Present flightline credentials or sponsor note. Fittings are done on the guild’s descent wall; you must pass a three-bite anchor test.
Typical price: 260–340 Gold for courier pattern with light vectoring vents; 30–60 Silver extra for quick-change left/right flank plates. Guild lease-to-own: 35 Silver per week for 20 weeks; missed-week penalty 5 Silver.
Iron-Tide machinist foundries (industrial quarter)
Purpose: Heavy-duty rigs for shipyards and hullwalkers, built to survive grit and shock.
How to buy: Walk-in purchase; choose steam piston grade and line composition. Less ceremony, more steel.
Typical price: 210–280 Gold for rugged shop pattern; 330–390 Gold for shock-proof pistons and grit-seals. Maintenance kits: 12–18 Silver (seals, cord, oil). Same-day rebuild surcharge: 1 Electrum.
Reefwright ateliers (artisan luminwood houses)
Purpose: High-finish Luminwood housings with coral-alloy tooth spirals that protect rails and living coral.
How to buy: Commission only; select tooth geometry (ship-rail, cliff-lip, reef-pillar). Includes the proverb engraving in silver Aque-Script.
Typical price: 420–560 Gold artisan grade; inlaid silver vents and low-noise stacks push to 700–820 Gold. Waiting list fees: 1–3 Gold to hold a calendar slot.
Salvage chandlers (working waterfront)
Purpose: Refurbished and pieced rigs from wreck and yard surplus; good for second rigs or spares.
How to buy: Inspect the brake drum and tooth spiral; demand a three-fathom drop test behind the shop.
Typical price: 95–160 Gold depending on piston hours; temple-retired lots 180–220 Gold. Risk: unknown lineage bias—budget 2–5 Silver for a neutralizing rinse.
Sky-Guard quartermaster posts (state stores)
Purpose: Military-grade descent rigs for airship crews and storm marines; emphasis on Storm-Lock anchoring.
How to buy: Commissioned service only or surplus day sales.
Typical price: Service issue at no cost to personnel; surplus stock 300–360 Gold, often bundled with spare steam cartridges (6–10 Silver per bundle).
Itinerant rigger caravans (road and river markets)
Purpose: Traveling fitters who swap housings, lines, and vents at trade fairs and river deltas.
How to buy: Haggle; they value barter in Luminwood blanks, pearl-ash, or clean coral plates.
Typical price: 180–260 Gold for mixed-make builds; field-tuned brake upgrade 25–40 Silver. On-the-spot rescue-haul warranty: 1 Silver per month.
Services, permits, and extras
Calibration and rites
Basin imprint (home-bias rite): 2 Silver at public basins; free with temple purchase.
Storm-lock proofing (pressure bench test): 8–12 Silver.
Mist-quiet vent tuning (noise reduction): 10–16 Silver.
Consumables and spares
Steam cartridges (ten): 6–10 Silver.
Sanctified cable (50 ft): 18–24 Silver; coral-safe lattice cable 1 Electrum.
Tooth spiral replacement kit: 4–7 Gold (installation +2 Gold).
Repairs
Brake drum resurfacing: 2–3 Gold.
Piston seal pack: 14–18 Silver.
Housing crack pinning (Luminwood): 1–2 Gold.
Full rebuild after fall arrest: 9–14 Gold.
Permits and paperwork (varies by city)
Cliff-descent license (public routes): 5–12 Silver per season.
Harbor rail-bite permit (to protect city rails): 2 Silver per month; 1 Gold fine if biting without permit.
Reef-pillar anchoring tag (coral sanctuaries): 1 Electrum donation; proof of coral-safe teeth required.
Price guidance by quality tier
Workman standard
210–320 Gold depending on shop and fittings. Suitable for ship rails, pier pilings, and dry-rock cliffs.
Master-tuned or artisan
380–560 Gold; low-noise vents, balanced pistons, coral-safe bite. Preferred by couriers and temple escorts.
Prestige or ceremonial issue
700–820 Gold; silver inlay, lineage inscription, presentation sling. Often gifted to Sky-Cliff captains and reefward chiefs.
Refurbished field rig
95–220 Gold; verify brake and housing integrity, then schedule a temple rinse to clear prior bias (2 Silver).
Trade practices
Haggle bands: Most merchants will move 5–10% on price if you buy cartridges and cable with the harness. Bringing a letter of service from a Tidetower or courier guild often unlocks temple pricing at secular shops.
Proof tests: Always demand a three-bite test (wood rail, coral stub, stone lip) and a controlled two-fathom drop. Honest sellers expect this and include it.
Lineage marks: Lineage 7421 inscriptions add story value, not function; avoid paying more than +1–2 Gold unless the piece carries logged rescues.
Ethical note: In coral sanctuaries, only purchase reef-safe tooth spirals; fines and social penalties exceed the savings of common teeth.
With these channels, an Apsaran can source a reliable Steamline Grapnel Harness, tune it to local wind and spray, and keep it lawful on rails and reefs without overspending.
Roleplay in different environments:
Storm decks and rigging (rain, surge, high wind)
Defense: clip low and wide into Storm-Lock Mode before the first lurch. Call your cadence—“bite, breathe, pay”—so crew sync to your brake song. When a boarding ram hits, stay planted: the +2 vs forced movement keeps you upright while others slide. Use Pulse-Cadence Feedback to pre-load slack; you feel the deck’s next heave through the flank plate and micro-step 5 feet without tests, keeping your center over the line. If a boom scythes across, Rip-Turn Redirect to pivot around your anchor and let the spar spend its fury where you were.
Offense: anchor to a windward rail and become the hinge for your line. Sling-shot with Sky-Clip Traverse across a gap to cut boarders off from their hooks; on arrival, either stay clipped to body-block the lane or auto-retract for a swift follow-up strike. When pirates throw oil to slick the deck, the Crosswind Vectoring Lattice cancels the sideways drift; step into them, brace, and shove—your target slides; you don’t.
Cliff faces and Mist-Cliffs (waterfall spray, updrafts)
Defense: descend in Descent Mode with both hands free. The steam-brake turns panic into tempo—“bite, breathe, pay.” If a gust tries to peel you off, Storm-Lock the low hook; your stance treats the lip as firm ground and you absorb the shove without losing purchase. If the stone spalls, Safety Catch auto-seizes; narrate that foreleg jolt and the squeal of the drum as you arrest the slide before it becomes a fall.
Offense: control the vertical. Pin a harrier by setting one grapnel above and one lateral; their next push meets your fixed line and over-commits them. Use Surge-Bleed Vent to clear vine-snags and net traps within arm’s reach—hot mist hisses, the snare slackens, and you finish the move with a short swinging kick that knocks your foe off a ledge into a controlled, short drop you dictate.
Reef pillars, coral shelves, and trench lips (surf, crosscurrents)
Defense: bite into living reef with the coral-safe tooth spiral; you won’t crack sacred structures or your anchor. Read surge rhythm on your flank—step on the exhale, pause on the inhale—and crawl a shelf no swimmer can hold in. If a reef-stalker rushes from below, Rip-Turn Redirect snaps you sideways along the shelf so the ambush spends itself in foam.
Offense: make the battlefield narrow. Double-anchor to a pillar and angle your lines to build a swing corridor; when the prey darts, you pendulum across its path and body-check it into a pocket of slack water your allies already own. If a foe tries to cut your line, the Rail-Kind Bite seating makes their blade skip; you feel the nick and re-seat the tooth with a hip twitch.
Levitating platforms and sky-bridges (steady wind, long drops)
Defense: Storm-Lock to the leeward balustrade. When a griffon stoop dives, drop into a low, two-point clip; the talons lift your mane, not your mass. The Vectoring Vents keep your body square to the gust, letting you sight, warn, and act while others fight the wind.
Offense: Sky-Clip Traverse across the gap to flank crossbow crews who think the void keeps them safe. Land clipped; that +2 vs push turns their counter-barrage into a miss as you angle the line and let the gusts spend the bolts. If a saboteur tries to throw you off with a shoulder check, you don’t give ground—they rebound into your knee and the line sings.
Harbor alleys, piers, and crowded docks (wet planks, trip lines)
Defense: clip to a piling at knee height; now every shove is a handshake you refuse. When a cutpurse jerks a hidden rope to topple crates into you, the harness soaks the momentum; you slide 5 feet along the dock face, still upright, still between civilians and chaos.
Offense: turn corners without losing speed. Fire a short-side hook into a bollard, cut the angle, and slingshot onto your target. If they try to flee over a skiff, set a second hook to the far gunnel and “close the lid”—pull both lines and bring the boat to dock hard, popping knees and plans.
Wrecks and tight interiors (nets, rigging forests)
Defense: Descent Mode pays out line slowly through ribs and spars. Narrate the piston’s lullaby as you float through a hatch that would normally pin your shoulders. If a net drops, Surge-Bleed Vent roars; fibers loosen and slip, buying you the breath to step clear.
Offense: trap by geometry. Two quick bites high and low create a mid-air fence; usher a foe into it with a shoulder feint and let the line and their momentum kiss. While they thrash in their own hurry, Reef-Haul Assist yanks your ally free of a snag out the opposite hatch.
Open surf and beachheads (breakers, rolling sand)
Defense: chest-deep in surf, Storm-Lock the seaward hook to a buried driftwood spine or rock spur. Each breaker becomes a bow that bends around you; you don’t get folded. Your stance grants firm footing for spearwork while waves strip others of leverage.
Offense: create safe approach lanes through the shore break. Clip to two posts, then step and release in rhythm to carve a moving pocket of calm water; your team advances in that pocket as if the storm forgot them. When raiders strike from the foam, Rip-Turn Redirect spins you out of their line and into theirs.
Airship moorings and sky-dock arrests (lines everywhere)
Defense: bite the mooring ring and widen your stance; you become the calm point in a web of tense ropes. If a line snaps, Pulse-Cadence Feedback telegraphs the whiplash; you duck under the lash a heartbeat before it sings.
Offense: disable boarders fast. Clip to their mooring, stamp the brake, and drag their gangplank short with Reef-Haul Assist; they spill forward in a heap, and you hold the angle while your mates boot the plank into the void.
Chases, pursuits, and tactical retreats
Defense: when the enemy has reach or numbers, you are the door that shuts. Fire left hook to a rail, right to a post, drop a taut line waist-high across the lane, then kneel; your bulk and the brake make a living barricade that a rush cannot pay through.
Offense: never run in straight lines. Traverse, retract, re-angle; your path is a series of chevrons the unanchored cannot match. If a pursuer closes, Rip-Turn Redirect around a corner and let them overshoot into a waiting ally’s arc. Should you need to break contact, Sky-Clip across a narrow street and retract mid-flight; it feels like stepping out of a story and into a better one.
Rescue, crowd control, and disaster scenes
Defense: anchor at the lip of a collapsed quay; Descent Mode lowers you in while debris knocks at your flanks. The Safety Catch arrests any sudden drop so you can shield the trapped with your body without becoming the second casualty.
Offense: move weight where it must go now. Reef-Haul Assist pulls a stunned ally ten feet out of a surge channel; on cliffs, it lifts five feet to the next handhold. When panic tangles people in lines, Surge-Bleed Vent clears the snarl without cutting the lifeline.
Roleplay language and beats to sell the feel
“Bite set.” (Storm-Lock engages; hooks seat with a damp thud.)
“Breathe on the brake.” (Descent Mode smooths your cadence; steam sighs match your lungs.)
“Pay line.” (You release; the drum purrs and the body flows instead of falls.)
“Rip-turn!” (Anchor snaps tight; your hips and the world pivot together.)
“Hauling!” (Pistons chatter; the ally rises on a ribbon of safety.)
Common pitfalls and how to play them
Overwhelm: three hard arrests in a row fog your vents. Say it in character—“Hot drum”—and spend the one-round cool-down behind cover.
Misdirection: glamoured rails feel “too smooth.” Test-bite gently before full Storm-Lock; if the tooth skates, reset to stone or pillar.
Bias drift: inland use without rinse makes first hooks stubborn. Roleplay a brief oath and dab of water on the proverb to re-center before the next set.
With the harness, defense means choosing where force goes and letting the world spend it somewhere that isn’t you. Offense means drawing straight lines across crooked weather and making everyone else move on your angles.
Perception of Activation:
User’s Perspective:
A firm cinch hugs the flank as the side-plate warms from within; then the piston cadence settles under the ribs—thrum…hiss…tick—steady as a metronome laid against bone. When Storm-Lock fires, the hooks land with a damp, convincing bite felt through the harness as two counter-pulls that cancel wobble at the hips. Balance moves from hooves to line: the deck’s bucking becomes a predictable sway mapped in your core. In Descent Mode, the brake drinks your weight; pressure lifts out of the shoulders and pours into the drum, each inch paid marked by a gentle tug on the strap. Crosswinds lose their shove—felt instead as soft, angled taps telling you how to lean before the gust fully arrives. The cable sings faintly through the housing, a low glass note that rises when tension approaches danger. If footing fails, a sharp, metallic click jumps through the plate—Safety Catch—followed by a gritty hum as the slide becomes a controlled creep. Heat from the steam vents brushes the skin in brief exhalations that time your breathing; fear tightens, then unknots to that rhythm.
Extra-Sensory Perceptions:
Vector sense: micro-vibrations along the strap indicate wind direction and surge rhythm, like a compass made of taps. Bite quality: a cool, solid “stone-cold” pressure for rock, a springy, fibrous give for wood rail, a granular buzz for coral—each footprint distinct under the ribs. Line-read: pitch of the cable’s whisper tells slack versus strain; a rising half-tone warns of impending snap well before it happens. Angle intuition: a faint tug at the sternum “points” to the safe pivot in Rip-Turn; you know which foot will land before you move. Ambient mapping: mist pressure on the cheeks feels uneven where ledges interrupt fall-lines, sketching a mental contour of the cliff face. Bias drift cue: if far from basin waters, the cadence stutters once per cycle—an irritant that urges a quick re-centering rinse when possible.
Observer’s Perspective:
A quick, two-beat cough of steam and the twin glide-hooks blur out and seat with a muted thunk; no splinters, no sparks. The Aque-Script vents glow a soft pearl, exhaling mist sideways in tidy ribbons that flatten crosswind. The bearer’s stance changes from reactive to rooted—hips square, head level, hooves making tiny, precise half-steps as if following marks no one else can see. During descent, the line pays in smooth pulses; there’s no jerking—only a quiet purr from the brake and brief halos of vapor when gusts hit. On a sudden shove, the body pivots around the line as though hinged at the flank, ending a stride already aligned for the next action.
Positives:
• Stability under chaos: forced-movement blunts into sway you can predict and ride.
• Preemptive balance: piston cadence and vector taps cue footwork before gusts and surges fully arrive.
• Hands-free descent: load shifts to the drum, freeing arms for tools, blades, or rescue.
• Silent discipline: venting is hushed; the device stays discreet even in tight quarters.
• Safety Catch saves lives: abrupt failures convert to controlled slides instead of falls.
Negatives:
• Overwhelm cooldown: three hard arrests heat the drum; a brief venting lull denies fresh grapples.
• Glamour-slick risks: illusions or echo-shielded rails feel “too perfect,” degrading first-bite reliability.
• Inland drift: far from coastal rinse, cadence can stutter, adding hesitation to the initial set.
• Line dependency: anchored confidence can tempt overextension; if both points fail at once, recovery taxes focus.
• Heat signature: close observers may notice the brief warmth plume from vents in still air.
Title: Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591 — Masterwork Build Recipe
Materials needed
• Luminwood struts (compressed, kiln-steamed), 2 primary side-rails, 4 secondary rib braces
• Coral-alloy billets (reef-safe tooth grade), 2 grapnel heads, 1 tooth spiral ring, 2 seating washers
• Coral-steel housing plates, left/right flank, thin-gauge for vent-etching
• Bronze veinwork (capillary tubing) for steam distribution, 3 lengths with T-couplers
• Brake drum blank (pearl-ash ceramic core sleeved in brass), 1
• Piston set, miniature double-acting, matched pair with gasket kit
• Sanctified cable, 70 ft, coral-safe lattice weave with heat-stable lacquer (two 35 ft spools)
• Spring pack (tempered), 1 main recoil, 2 auxiliary tensioners
• Valve set: needle valve (fine), check valve (backflow), purge valve (surge-bleed)
• Aque-Script silver thread (fine gauge) for proverb inlay and vector vents
• Gasket leather (sea-oil cured), 2 sheets
• Fasteners: coral-safe rivets, brass screws, locking pins, 1 spare set
• Boiler tincture (low-pressure steam tonic), 2 vials for initial prime and bench tests
• Basin-water phial from a Tidetower (for imprint and rinse)
• Pearl-ash polish and lumin oil for finish
Tools required
• Steam jeweler’s rig (micro-lathe and drill) with low-pressure test manifold
• Coral-safe forge and tooth geometry dies (rail, reef, cliff profiles)
• Etcher’s kit for Aque-Script vents and glyphwork
• Rivet press and peening hammers (fine faces)
• Torque driver set (brass-safe) and feeler gauges
• Cable splicing fid, heat kettle, and lacquer brushes
• Balance scale and line-tension dynamometer (hand-crank)
• Drop tower or descent wall for proofing, with three-bite test fixtures (wood rail, coral stub, stone lip)
• Temple basin access or a traveling sanctifier’s bowl
Skill requirements
• Craft (Machinist or Rigger) journeyman or better: piston alignment, valve tuning, brake setting
• Smithing (Coral-Alloy) adept: forging reef-safe teeth, spiral seat, and bite geometry
• Etching (Aque-Script) competent: vector vents and proverb engraving without thinning the plate
• Sailmaker/Rigger proficient: splicing sanctified cable, eyelets, and heat-lacquer sealing
• Temple rite familiarity: basin imprint and home-bias calibration (may be performed under a Wavekeeper’s supervision)
Crafting steps
- Prepare the housing: Fit the coral-steel flank plates to a dummy Apsaran harness curve. Mark anchor hardpoints at mid-flank and rear quarter. Deburr edges; leave a 1-finger margin for felt lining.
- Machine the brake: Turn the pearl-ash ceramic drum true; sleeve with brass. Lap the face to a satin finish. Seat the main spring and set initial preload to medium (one full turn past neutral).
- Assemble pistons: Hone both miniature cylinders; fit double-acting pistons with sea-oil–cured leather gaskets. Test on the manifold at low pressure for even cadence (thrum…hiss…tick). Replace any gasket that wets out.
- Lay steam veins: Route bronze capillary tubing from valve block to pistons and purge vents. Install check and needle valves; keep access clear for field service.
- Forge grapnels: In the coral-safe forge, draw the coral-alloy billets. Press each head in the appropriate die (rail, reef, or cliff pattern). Cut the tooth spiral ring and seating washers; quench in basin-water, not plain brine.
- Seat the bite: Press-fit the tooth spiral to the grapnels; align the spiral so early teeth “set” without splitting grain. Test on scrap rail—no splinters, just a seated bite. Adjust if chatter lines appear.
- Build the reels: Turn two narrow reels for the twin lines; install auxiliary tensioners and pawls. Fit the sanctified cable, splice eyes with the fid, and lacquer the splice under heat until tackless.
- Marry drum and reels: Chain the brake drum to both reels through the governor linkage, allowing independent payout with shared brake. The governor should modulate without pulses; re-balance if it surges.
- Install the valve block: Mount needle valve for Descent Mode control and the purge valve for Surge-Bleed. Confirm that a full purge clears the manifold in under one heartbeat.
- Etch the vents and proverb: Cut Aque-Script vector vents along the housing; inlay with silver thread so exhaust sheets sideways, not forward. Engrave “Grip the stone when the tide howls” on the Luminwood faceplate, inlay with the same silver thread.
- Fit the Luminwood: Steam, bend, and laminate the struts for the side-rails and rib braces. Seat them to the housing with coral-safe rivets and brass screws. Apply lumin oil and pearl-ash finish.
- Align cadence to the bearer: Strap the harness to the intended wearer or a mass dummy of equal build. With the pistons idling, adjust the governor until the cadence falls into the bearer’s natural breathing cycle.
- Seal and prime: Insert boiler tincture to wet the lines. Bring the system to low pressure and check for leaks with soap film. Tighten until every joint stays dry.
- Basin imprint rite: Rinse hooks, line heads, and housing edges in Tidetower basin-water while reciting the craft-oath. This imparts home-bias and calms first-bite hesitation.
- Three-bite proof: On the descent wall, perform anchor tests into wood rail, coral stub, and stone lip. Each bite must hold rated load without splitting, spall, or creep. Reseat any grapnel that chatters.
- Descent proof: In Descent Mode, pay out 20 feet under full load. The brake should hum, not squeal. Autoseize test: trigger a simulated dual-hook failure; verify the arrest before 5 feet of free slide.
- Storm-Lock proof: Fire both hooks to 20 feet, induce side gusts, and confirm the +2 step resistance to forced movement (the bearer should stay planted while the wall shivers).
- Rescue pull: With one anchor set, haul a test mass equal to a willing ally 10 feet. Monitor piston temperatures; if the drum heats excessively, relieve spring tension by a quarter turn.
- Noise proof: In still air, measure vent hush. If the exhaust hisses loud, widen the final vent glyph by a hair’s breadth and retune the needle valve.
Tuning and options
• Cliff courier tune: lighter governor, softer spring; improves micro-placement on brittle stone, slightly reduces maximum haul.
• Reef-safe tune: tooth geometry optimized for living coral; mandatory in sanctuaries.
• Storm marine tune: heavier spring, reinforced reels; built for repeated arrests and boarding shocks.
Quality checks and acceptance
• Visual: no burrs on teeth; vents clean and even; silver inlay flush.
• Functional: cadence stable for three minutes continuous; no valve drift.
• Load: holds rated mass plus safety margin; brake transitions smoothly from hold to pay.
• Ethical: reef-safe certification stamp on grapnel shanks.
Common faults and remedies
• Bite chatter on rails: reseat tooth spiral two degrees; increase initial bite angle; check cable twist.
• Brake squeal: glaze on drum—resurface with fine grit and re-bed the shoes.
• Hot drum after two arrests: governor too tight—back off one-eighth turn; inspect spring pack.
• Vent whistle: vent glyph too narrow—shave a hair’s breadth and polish the channel.
Maintenance and rites
• After each salt run: rinse in basin-water, oil cable heads, check pawls.
• Every ten arrests: replace leather gaskets; re-lap drum face.
• After inland use: perform a brief home-bias rinse before critical climbs to restore cadence regularity.
Approximate build time and cost guidance
• Workshop time: 4–6 full days for an experienced team (machinist, smith, rigger, etcher).
• Material outlay: roughly 140–190 Gold in parts depending on tooth geometry and cable grade; temple fees for basin access vary by city.
Book of Two Bites and Howl-Edge
It is told in salt-sayings and cliff-songs that there was once a bearer whose name is written crooked by time, whether Lys-Var or Leth-Vyr or perhaps only “The One Who Hung Between.” In those days the winds were many and the stones were few, and sea-thunder walked on the air like a great beast with iron feet. Lineage 7421 kept the paths along the Mist-Cliffs, where the water climbs upward in thin ghosts and the gulls argue with the sky. They kept them poorly then, for the old tools were only nails with anger, biting the wood and breaking it, and ropes that knew nothing except to burn the hands.
Now the tale says the bearer was apprentice to a glasswright who bent Luminwood into moon-curves and to a smith who sang coral into teeth, but served neither master rightly, for the bearer loved not the shop but the cliff-lip, and listened to wind more than to words. The bearer said: “Grip the stone when the tide howls,” but the elders answered: “We grip our fear and call it enough.” And fear was heavy, and enough was not enough.
Then came the Night of Seven Pulls. A storm was born sideways, and it did not fall out of the sky like proper rain; it came claw-first along the face of the world. A sky-ship, high with lamps, forgot the grammar of the gusts and wrote itself against the cliff. Sparks flew and were snuffed by wet air. Voices went up and down like loose cargo. The paths were tight as the spaces between teeth. Some said, “Wait for the lesser anger.” But the lesser anger had no feet in it, only delay, and delay is a knife with no handle.
The bearer took the side-plate, which then was not called Steamline and not called Grapnel and certainly not numbered as folk number goats; it had only the name of its breath. The plate’s breath went thrum…hiss…tick, like a small animal that has learned to sleep while running. Hooks were made from coral that remembered it had once been cloud, and teeth were set in a spiral so they would step into wood without breaking it, as a guest steps into a house without breaking the door. The bearer carved the proverb into the Luminwood face with silver thread that knew the shape of waves: Grip the stone when the tide howls. And the elders grumbled for the sound of steam in a quiet hall makes their tea taste like iron, but the bearer bowed in every direction and went to the cliff.
At the Howl-Edge the storm was already telling lies to the air. The sea stood up taller than honesty and the sky stooped down lower than good manners. The bearer looked and saw that up and down were cousins and not strangers. The first hook went left and the second hook went not-left, and the lines made a letter that no scholar could read, but the cliff could. The hooks did not shout when they bit; they said “Now,” and the stone answered “If.” The brake drank fear and returned it as breathing. The bearer stepped into the storm as if into an old coat.
And there was a sailor on the broken ship who had a son on his back and a rope at his waist and the rope was tied to nothing that wished him well. The plank under them had a hinge of rotten idea and a nail of quick betrayal. The bearer paid line in the way that a wise lender pays only coin that will come back: bite, breathe, pay. The piston sang soft, the brake purred like a stove-cat, and the wind took a smaller voice because it had been answered.
But the storm is a teacher that fails its own exams. It reached long with a white arm and pushed the bearer hard, and the bearer remembered the old tools that broke wood and broke faith, and so the bearer did not use them. With the lines crossed like a warning and the teeth seated like a promise, the bearer turned not away but around, and the body became a hinge and the gust became a door swinging elsewhere. Thus the first saving. The sailor and the son crossed the breath between ship and cliff and learned to stand again.
Word ran along the paths like mercury runs in a glass: a running mirror. More came trapped on the wreck—two caught in net, three under a mast that had decided to be a bridge where no road asked, and another whose eyes were full of old storms and could not see the new ones. The bearer’s reel spoke, thrum…hiss…tick, and the hooks spoke, now…now…now, and the cliff spoke, if…if…if. It was a strange council, but it agreed.
Then the story breaks and continues, as old stories do, with the same words that mean different things. Some versions tell of Descent, which is a soft word for falling that behaves itself. They say the bearer walked down the vertical as if it were a kind of flat, paying out the self like a ribbon that does not tangle. Others say there was a Surge-Bleed, which is when a thing that keeps its heat gives it away for the sake of quieter moments; the steam rushed sideways and the nets loosened as if embarrassed to have been so tight in public. Others still say there was Rip-Turn, which is when you ask a line to be a spine for a heartbeat and then you become a new animal around it.
But always the storm keeps a mouth for spite. The mast tore free, and the wreck tried to leave all at once. The bearer felt a music in the line that was the wrong song, a rising half-tone that meant “soon break” instead of “now hold.” The Safety Catch spoke its single syllable—click—and the slide that began as foolish became a lesson performed slowly enough to watch. The bearer kissed the cliff with hooves and did not apologize for the noise.
All were saved except the captain, who had tied his name to the ship in a knot that would not untie in life. He would not come because he thought leaving was a smaller pride than staying. Pride is a wall with no doors, and the sea likes doors. The bearer set both hooks far, making a wide letter of courage, and slung across the howl-space to the captain’s stubbornness. The captain said, “I am the last rope,” and the bearer said, “No, you are the last knot,” which is not the same thing even in good weather. They argued the polite way—by action. The harness drank fear again and paid it as breath again, and when the captain finally moved, the ship sighed as if relieved to be done with him.
When it was done there were seven saved for the seven pulls of the night. The storm, having been listened to correctly, forgot its purpose and went down to the sea to remember. The dawn came in on careful feet. The bearer sat with the harness across the lap and heard the pistons slow, thrum…hiss…tick…tick…tick, and then only the heart was keeping time. Some say a gull landed on the hook and pecked at the proverb as if to taste it. Some say the coral teeth steamed a little in pride, which is a very small vanity and forgiven.
The elders who had said “enough” came to see what enough had done. They touched the vent-glyphs and did not burn. They looked at the bite-spiral and the rail that had not split, and the coral stub that had not bled, and the stone lip that had not cracked, and they counted these mercies as numbers keepers can count. They renamed the breath and gave it a birth-mark of digits so that lesser minds would remember it: 5591. And they taught apprentices to carve the proverb as part of the tuning, because sometimes a sentence can be a tool if you cut it thin enough and lay it where pressure lives.
After this night the cliff-paths were less lonely. The harness was fitted to flanks the way a song is fitted to a throat. Couriers went down where up had been, and guards held their ground where ground had forgotten to stay still. Ship rails no longer feared their own saving. Coral sanctuaries learned the bite that does not bruise. When storms came with the old arrogance, the wind found in the harness a stranger who knew its language and answered with grammar better than shouting.
Time, a slow salt, ate the exact name of the first bearer; let it, for names are hooks that rust. What remained was the cadence and the carving. In every consecration afterward the apprentice traced the letters in silver and spoke them softly so the drum would learn the breath it must keep: Grip the stone when the tide howls. If the basin-water was far, the harness stuttered once in longing; if the basin-water was near, it purred in welcome. Thus the tool learned home and carried it into places where home is thin.
People argue about the last journey of the original device. Some say it was unbraided like a grief and made into thread to wrap the dead of a cliff-fall who chose to live first and die afterward. Others say it hangs in a Tidetower with its vents still warm to the hand, though there is no boiler in it anymore, which is a riddle for those who like riddles. Others say it walked away on four legs because it had learned the step of the bearer too well to stop. These are all true enough for story-work.
But there is one ending the reefward engineers teach to the young, in words worn smooth by many tongues and cracked again by others: The harness listens to fear and spends it as steam; the bearer listens to wind and spends it as steps; the cliff listens to both and grants a place to put the next hoof. A tool is an argument with danger that uses quiet grammar. If you must shout, let the storm be the one that shouts.
The moral of the story: Hold fast before you are thrown, and make your courage into a machine that breathes.
Suggested conversions to other systems:
CALL OF CTHULHU (latest edition)
Item: Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591 of the Sky-Cliff Descent
Type: Wearable descent/grapnel rig (mechanical with subtle occult etching)
Requisites: Works best in rain/spray/wind; belt or flank mount
Base Benefits: While clipped or descending, gain +10% to Climb and +10% to Navigate (when plotting lines/anchors); on vessels gain +10% to Pilot (Boat) to hold position against surge.
Storm-Lock Mode (1/round; no cost): As an action, set one or two anchor hooks up to 6 m away into wood/stone/coral. While at least one hook is set you gain +20% to tests to resist knockback/being knocked prone; you count as braced for firearm recoil and melee shoves. Releasing a hook is free.
Descent Mode (sustained): Controlled lowering at 1–3 m/round with both hands free. If you fall while clipped, convert the first 6 m to a controlled slide (no damage); remaining falling damage halves (round up).
Rip-Turn Redirect (reaction; 2/scene): When hit by a shove/charge/wave or a fumbled footing result, make a DEX×5 test. Success: pivot 2 m to a safe square and negate the knockdown; Extreme: also impose –20% on the attacker’s next action (over-commit).
Sky-Clip Traverse (1/scene): Fire twin hooks to opposite points ≤6 m and sling across a gap; gain +20% to the next Jump/Climb during the traverse; on failure you still reach the midpoint and may test Climb (Hard) to stick.
Reef-Haul Assist (1/scene): With one anchor set, haul a willing ally 3 m toward you or 1 m vertically (STR×5 test with bonus die if on ship rails).
Surge-Bleed Vent (safety; 1/scene): Clear nets/kelp/loose rigging within 1 m; gain advantage (bonus die) on the immediate Escape/Climb.
Complications: Overwhelm—after three heavy arrests in one scene, the drum heats (–10% to further harness tests until 1 round of rest); Glamour-slick—illusory/slick surfaces impose –20% on initial bite; Fumble—brief steam chime can reveal position. Rarity: uncommon temple/engineer issue.
BLADES IN THE DARK
Item: Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591 (Fine Climbing Gear, Apsaran Pattern)
Load: 1 (counts as Fine tool)
Baseline: Increased effect when you Traverse, Finesse, or Prowl across cliffs/rails/rigging using anchors; you may perform vertical movement while keeping hands free.
Storm-Lock (toggle, free): While locked to at least one point you resist environmental knockback/knockdown with +1d and gain Potency to hold position on storm decks.
Descent Mode (action): Controlled lowering; treat perilous vertical movement as Risky (not Desperate) and gain +1d.
Rip-Turn Redirect (reaction, 1 stress): On a shove/charge/wave, step into the thin lane; avoid or reduce the consequence by one level and reposition a few feet.
Sky-Clip Traverse (2 stress or 1 gear use): Create a line across a gap; gain Great effect and +1d on the crossing. On a consequence 4/5, start a 4-tick “Echo Fatigue” clock (–1d to further harness uses until you Take a Breath).
Reef-Haul Assist (1 stress): Pull an ally Close toward you or up; counts as Setup granting them +1d or Improved Position.
Surge-Bleed Vent (flashback 0–1 stress): Reveal you tuned the vents for quiet; reduce heat/noise consequences from the action by one level.
Devil’s Bargain Ideas: Anchor bites a holy coral face (you offend a faction); line sings—alerts a rival crew.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (latest core)
Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591 of the Sky-Cliff Descent
Wondrous item, uncommon, requires attunement
Properties (while worn and attuned):
• Braced Set. As a bonus action, fire a grapnel to a point you can see within 20 feet (wood/stone/coral/metal rail). While anchored, you have advantage on ability checks and saving throws made to resist being moved or knocked prone. You can release the line as a free action.
• Controlled Descent. While anchored you can descend up to 10 feet per turn with both hands free. If you would fall while clipped, reduce the fall by 20 feet and take half damage from the remainder.
• Rip-Turn. When a creature or effect would push or knock you prone, you can use your reaction to pivot around the line: move up to 10 feet to an unoccupied space you can see and gain +2 AC against the triggering attack or advantage on the related saving throw. Uses: 2, regain on a short or long rest.
• Sky-Clip Traverse. As an action, fire two grapnels to opposed points within 15 feet and sling across. You ignore difficult terrain during this movement and do not provoke opportunity attacks from creatures you can see. Uses: 2, regain on a short or long rest.
• Reef-Haul Assist. As an action while anchored, pull a willing creature you can see within 15 feet up to 10 feet toward you, or lift it 5 feet vertically. The creature must be your size or smaller.
• Surge-Bleed Vent. When you fail a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check caused by entangling debris, nets, or kelp within 5 feet, you can succeed instead. Once used, this feature can’t be used again until you finish a short or long rest.
Limitations: If both your anchors are unattached, the harness features provide no benefits. On a natural 1 with an activation, a noisy vent chime reveals your position (DM’s call). Optional Rule (Setting): in sacred coral zones, improper anchoring may incur social/legal penalties.
KNAVE (latest edition)
Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591 (Apparatus, 1 slot, worn)
Passive: While anchored, you have Advantage on checks to resist push/knockdown and to keep footing on slick or pitching ground. You can descend 10 ft/Turn with both hands free.
Set Anchor (Turn): Fire a hook to a point within Near (20 ft). Releasing is free.
Rip-Turn (Reaction; 2 uses/Rest): When shoved/charged or footing fails, move Near (up to 10 ft) to a safe spot and gain Advantage on the related check/save.
Sky-Clip (Action; 2 uses/Rest): Fire two hooks to opposite points within Near and sling across a gap; ignore difficult terrain and avoid free attacks during this movement.
Reef-Haul (Action): Pull a willing creature within Near 10 ft toward you or 5 ft up, if you are anchored.
Surge-Bleed (Free; 1 use/Rest): Instantly clear nets/kelp/loose rigging in Arm’s Reach; gain Advantage on the immediate Escape/Balance.
Mishap: On a roll of 1 when using a harness feature, you enter Cooldown—no harness features until you spend a Turn venting and resetting.
FATE (Core/Accelerated, latest)
Item: Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591 of the Sky-Cliff Descent
Item Aspect: “Grip the Stone When the Tide Howls”
Permissions: Worn harness; needs anchorable surfaces or rigging nearby.
Stunts/Extras:
• Storm-Lock Anchor: While clipped to at least one point, gain +2 to Defend with Athletics against knockback, shoves, or being knocked prone; on success you may also reposition a few feet by pivoting around the line.
• Descent Governor: When you Create an Advantage with Crafts or Athletics to traverse cliffs, rigging, or wrecks, gain +2 and two free invokes on the Aspect “Controlled Descent.”
• Sky-Clip Traverse: Spend 1 Fate Point to instantly establish a taut line across a gap you can feasibly shoot; take +2 to the Overcome that crosses it and treat the action as if in a safer position.
Drawbacks/Compels: Overwhelm Cooldown (after three hard arrests the drum vents; next harness action is –2), Glamour-Slick Surfaces (illusory or grease-slicked bite points impose –2 unless you first test), Ring-Chime Tell (a compel may reveal your position at a tense moment).
Notes: Counts as Fine gear for climbing/rigging scenes; invokes justify advantage when rescuing allies or bracing in storms.
NUMENERA & CYPHER SYSTEM (latest)
Item: Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591 (Artifact, Level 5)
Form: Side-mounted, twin-grapnel steam rig with brake drum and purge vents.
Effect (attuned/worn):
• Storm-Lock: Action; fire one or two grapnels up to Long range (narrative limits apply). While at least one is set, you have an Asset on Speed defense against forced movement and knockdown, and an Asset on balance/footing tasks in storms or surf.
• Controlled Descent: Action to begin, then Enabler; descend up to Short per round hands-free. If you fall while clipped, convert the first 20 feet to a slide and halve remaining damage.
• Rip-Turn Redirect: Reaction, 1/scene; when shoved/charged, immediately move Immediate distance around your line and gain an Asset on the triggering defense.
• Sky-Clip Traverse: Action, 2/short rest; cast two lines across a gap up to Immediate width. Treat the crossing as trained; if already trained, treat as specialized.
• Reef-Haul Assist: Action; with one anchor set, pull a willing creature your size or smaller 10 feet toward you or raise it 5 feet.
• Surge-Bleed Vent: Free, 1/scene; purge superheated mist to clear nets/kelp/loose rigging at Close range, granting an Asset to the immediate Escape/Speed task.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (on depletion, only mundane climbing benefits remain until repaired).
GM Intrusions: Line sings (reveals position), Tooth skips on sacred coral (social fallout), Brake glaze (temporary hindered on further coil uses).
Craft/Repair: Intellect task of level 5 with appropriate tools or temple access; success restores depletion or upgrades a single mode for one session.
PATHFINDER SECOND EDITION (latest)
Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591 of the Sky-Cliff Descent
Item Level 7 • Price 320 gp • Rarity Uncommon
Traits: Invested, Mechanical, Exploration, Move, Manipulate • Usage worn on flank/harness • Bulk L
Attunement: Invest; functions best with anchorable surfaces (rails, stone lips, coral pillars).
Passive Benefits: While anchored to at least one point, you gain a +1 item bonus to Reflex saves and checks to Resist being Shoved, Tripped, or otherwise forced to move, and you ignore the first 5 feet of difficult terrain from slick or pitching ground each round.
Activate—Storm-Lock (single action): Fire a grapnel to a point within 20 feet. While at least one grapnel is set, increase the item bonus above to +2 and you can Treat the anchored surface as firm footing for Aim/Brace actions. Releasing a line is a free action.
Activate—Controlled Descent (two actions, concentrate, sustained): You descend up to 10 feet and can perform Interact actions with your hands. If you fall while clipped, reduce the fall distance by 20 feet and halve remaining damage.
Reaction—Rip-Turn Redirect (once per 10 minutes): Trigger you would be pushed or knocked prone while anchored; Effect Step up to 10 feet around the line and gain a +2 circumstance bonus to AC or to the saving throw against the triggering effect.
Activate—Sky-Clip Traverse (two actions): Fire two grapnels to opposed points within 15 feet and sling across; you ignore reactions triggered by movement from creatures you can see and ignore difficult terrain during this movement. Uses 2, recharge after 10 minutes.
Activate—Reef-Haul Assist (two actions): With one anchor set, pull a willing creature within 15 feet up to 10 feet toward you or lift it 5 feet.
Activate—Surge-Bleed Vent (free action, once per hour): Clear adjacent nets/kelp/loose rigging; you gain a +2 item bonus to the immediate Escape or Acrobatics check.
Drawbacks: Overwhelm Cooldown—after making three arrests or redirects in a single encounter, the harness vents; you can’t use Storm-Lock or Sky-Clip for 1 round. On a critical failure to set a grapnel, a brief chime may reveal your position (GM’s discretion).
Crafting: Formula uncommon; requires expert Crafting, coral-alloy teeth, sanctified cable, and Aque-Script vent etching.
SAVAGE WORLDS ADVENTURE EDITION (latest)
Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591 (Relic; Harness-Mounted)
Requirements: Worn; accessible anchor points.
Passive: While anchored, +1 to Athletics (balance/climb) and +1 to resist Push/Shove or Knockdown; ignore Difficult Ground from slick surfaces for your first 1” of movement each round.
Relic Powers (no Power Points; each power is a distinct action unless noted):
• Storm-Lock (Action): Fire one or two hooks up to 4”; while at least one is set, gain +2 to resist Push/Shove/Knockdown and count as Braced for recoil.
• Controlled Descent (Action to begin, then free to sustain): Descend up to 2”/round hands-free. If you fall while clipped, treat the first 4” as a slide; halve damage from the remainder.
• Rip-Turn Redirect (Free, Interrupt, 1/encounter): When shoved/charged, pivot around your line, move 1”, and gain +1 Parry or +1 to an Agility roll to avoid the trigger.
• Sky-Clip Traverse (Action, 2/encounter): Cast two lines to opposed points within 3” and sling across; ignore Difficult Ground and free attacks during this movement.
• Reef-Haul Assist (Action): With one anchor set, pull a willing adjacent ally 2” toward you or lift them 1” vertically; counts as a Support action granting +1 if appropriate.
• Surge-Bleed Vent (Free, 1/encounter): Clear adjacent nets/kelp/loose rigging; gain +1 to the immediate Escape/Agility roll.
Hindrances/Limitations: Overwhelm (after three hard arrests in a scene, the drum vents—no Storm-Lock or Sky-Clip next round), Glamour-Slick (greased/illusory anchor points impose –2 to set), Ring-Chime (Critical Failure when firing emits a faint chime; foes gain +1 to Notice you this round).
Gear Notes: Treat as Fine climbing/rigging gear; Maintenance after harsh use restores benefits with a short downtime scene.
SHADOWRUN (Sixth World, latest edition)
Item: Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591 of the Sky-Cliff Descent
Type: Wearable Mobility Rig (Exotic Climbing/Grapple) • Availability: 8R • Cost: ¥3,800 • Device Rating: 3 (no wireless bonuses) • Slots: Worn (torso/flank)
Power Source: Low-pressure steam canisters (10 charges per canister; swapping is a Major Action).
Prereqs: Anchorable surfaces or rigging; works best in rain/spray/high wind.
Game Effects:
• Storm-Lock Anchor (Minor Action, sustain as Free while anchored): Fire 1–2 grapnels up to 6 m. While ≥1 is set, you gain +2 dice to tests resisting Knockdown/Push/Prone and +1 Defense Rating vs forced-movement attacks. Treat surface as “braced” for recoil. Release a line as a Free Action.
• Controlled Descent (Major Action to begin; sustain Free): Hands-free lowering up to 3 m/Action. If falling while clipped, reduce effective fall by 6 m and halve remaining damage.
• Rip-Turn Redirect (Interrupt, 1/encounter): When shoved/charged or a wave/deck heave would knock you down, roll Gymnastics + Reaction; on success, move 1 m to a safe square and negate Prone; 2+ net hits impose –2 dice on the attacker’s next test this Round (over-commit).
• Sky-Clip Traverse (Major Action; 2/encounter): Dual-fire to opposed points ≤5 m and sling across; treat movement as not provoking Interception; gain +2 dice to the next Athletics or Melee test taken this Round.
• Reef-Haul Assist (Major Action): With one anchor set, pull a willing ally (Body ≤ yours) 2 m toward you or 1 m vertically.
• Surge-Bleed Vent (Free, 1/encounter): Purge superheated mist to clear nets/loose rigging in Close range; gain +2 dice to Escape/Acrobatics immediately.
Limits & Glitches: Overwhelm—after three arrests/redirects in a Scene, enter Cooldown (cannot fire grapnels next Round). Glamour-Slick surfaces impose –2 dice to set the first bite. On a glitch when firing, a faint chime grants +1 dice to nearby enemies’ Perception against you for 1 Round.
STARFINDER (latest edition)
Item: Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591
Level: 5 • Price: 3,100 credits • Bulk: L • Slot: Worn (armored harness/flank) • Category: Technological (environmental mobility)
Traits: Tech, Move, Climbing, Water/Air
Activation & Benefits:
• Storm-Lock (action; at-will): Fire one or two grapnels to anchor points within 20 ft. While at least one is set, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Acrobatics or Athletics checks to resist being pushed, knocked prone, or moved by wind/wave, and you count as braced for ranged recoil.
• Controlled Descent (move; sustained): Descend up to 10 ft with hands free; if you fall while clipped, reduce the fall by 20 ft and halve the damage from the remainder.
• Rip-Turn Redirect (reaction; 1/hour): Trigger a shove/charge/wave would move you or make you prone; you Step 5 ft and gain a +1 circumstance bonus to AC or Reflex against the trigger.
• Sky-Clip Traverse (move; 2/day): Fire to opposed points within 15 ft and sling across; ignore difficult terrain and reactions from creatures you can see during this movement.
• Reef-Haul Assist (standard): With one anchor set, pull a willing creature within 15 ft up to 10 ft toward you or lift it 5 ft.
• Surge-Bleed Vent (free; 1/hour): Clear adjacent nets/rigging; gain a +2 circumstance bonus to the immediate Escape/Acrobatics.
Complications: Dry Quiet—no bonus against forced movement in still, arid air; Cooldown—after three arrests/redirects in a combat, you can’t use Storm-Lock or Sky-Clip until you spend a move to vent. On a natural 1 with an activation, a quiet chime may reveal your square (GM’s discretion).
TRAVELLER (Mongoose 2e, latest)
Item: Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591
TL: 9 • Mass: 1.2 kg • Cost: Cr2,800 • Traits: Wearable, Climb/Traverse Assist
Operating Conditions: Anchor points required; excels in rain/spray/high wind.
Rules:
• Storm-Lock Anchor (Significant Action): Fire 1–2 hooks up to 6 m. While any is set, gain DM+2 to resist being knocked prone/moved by environmental force, and DM+1 to ranged attacks from braced stability. Release is Free.
• Controlled Descent (Significant to begin; Free to sustain): Descend up to 3 m per Round, hands free. If falling while clipped, reduce effective fall by 6 m and halve damage from the remainder.
• Rip-Turn Redirect (Reaction; 1/encounter): When shoved/charged, make Athletics (DEX) or Acrobatics 8+. Success: move 1 m to safety and negate Prone; Effect 2+ inflicts –1 DM on the attacker’s next action.
• Sky-Clip Traverse (Significant; 2/encounter): Dual-hook opposed points ≤5 m and cross; treat movement as not provoking reactions; gain DM+1 to the next Athletics or Melee test this Round.
• Reef-Haul Assist (Significant): With one anchor set, pull a willing adjacent ally 2 m or lift 1 m vertically (counts as Assist).
• Surge-Bleed Vent (Free; 1/encounter): Clear nets/rigging in Close; gain DM+1 to immediate Escape/Athletics.
Maintenance & Faults: Overwhelm—after three hard arrests, Cooldown (no grapnel fire next Round). Illusory/greased anchor points impose –2 DM to initial bite. A mishap when firing may emit a chime (Recon to detect +1 DM for foes this Round).
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4e, latest)
Item: Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591
Rarity: Rare • Encumbrance: Negligible • Type: Worn Apparatus (Climb/Traverse)
Use: Anchorable surfaces; excels in storm decks, cliffs, rigs.
Effects:
• Storm-Lock (Action): Fire 1–2 hooks up to 6 yards. While anchored, gain +20 to Tests to resist being Pushed/Knocked Prone by wind/wave and count as Braced; ranged tests to steady a shot gain +10 if appropriate.
• Controlled Descent (Action to begin; sustain Free): Lower up to 3 yards/Turn hands free. If falling while clipped, the first 6 yards do not count toward damage and remaining fall damage is halved.
• Rip-Turn Redirect (Reaction; 1/Encounter): When a Shove/Charge/Wave would move or knock you down, move 1 yard and gain +10 to Dodge or +1 SL on the opposed Test.
• Sky-Clip Traverse (Action; 2/Session): Dual-hook opposed points ≤5 yards, cross without provoking Free Attacks from those you can see; ignore Difficult Terrain during the move.
• Reef-Haul Assist (Action): With one anchor set, pull a willing ally within 5 yards up to 3 yards toward you or lift them 1 yard.
• Surge-Bleed Vent (Free; 1/Encounter): Clear adjacent nets/rigging; gain +10 to the immediate Athletics (Escape) Test.
Complications: Overwhelm—after three arrests/redirects in one scene, the drum vents; no Storm-Lock/Sky-Clip next Turn. On a Fumble when firing, a faint chime imposes –10 to Stealth for 1 Round.
Warhammer 40,000 (Narrative/Roleplay adaptation—Wrath & Glory–style)
Item: Steamline Grapnel Harness 5591, Reefward Pattern
Availability: Rare • Weight: Minimal • Type: Worn Auspex-Climber Rig
Effects:
• Storm-Lock (Half Action): Fire 1–2 hooks up to 6 m. While anchored, gain +2 dice (or +10) to resist Knockdown/Push and count as Braced for heavy weapons.
• Controlled Descent (Half Action to start; Free sustain): Lower 3 m/Action; if you fall while clipped, ignore the first 6 m and halve the rest.
• Rip-Turn Redirect (Reaction; 1/Mission): On a Shove/Charge ambush, move 1 m and gain +1 to Defense or +1 die to the Avoid/Dodge Test.
• Sky-Clip Traverse (Half Action; 2/Mission): Dual-hook cross a gap ≤5 m; movement does not trigger Reactions from enemies you can see; ignore Difficult Terrain during the crossing.
• Reef-Haul Assist (Half Action): With one anchor set, pull a willing ally 2 m or lift 1 m; counts as Assist granting +1 die to their immediate Test.
• Surge-Bleed Vent (Free; 1/Mission): Vent to clear nets/rigging at Close; gain +1 die to the immediate Escape.
Complications: Overwhelm Cooldown (no grapnel fire next Round after three arrests/redirects), Glamour/grease imposes –1 die to initial anchor. Critical failure when firing: soft chime reveals your position (GM may award Complication).
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