Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[TricMagic]

Runic Standard
We control the weather to a degree, but we can only nudge it along. We do however, hold the ability to remedy this.

Wind Steel for the shaft, and the flag. Add the Finial Ball at the top to this, and inscribe that Finial Ball with the Powerful Runic Empowerment for Shape(Air). Tie a flag to it, and we have a Runic Standard. These can be used for most any boost to our chanters. Most importantly, Wind of Cold chanters can keep us cool in blazing heat, Wind of Flame chanters can keep us warm in the coldest conditions, and Wind of Stillness chanters can quite literally create an area so the rain or snow will not beat down upon us so heavily in battle or on the march.

Moreover, we can produce these in great enough numbers to cause the opposite effect in our opponents. Wind of Cold to subtly chill them in their camps even when they aren't fighting us. Wind of Flame can overheat them as well, forcing them to strip their cloaks off of them. Likewise, in heavy rains, Wind and sheets of Stillness can be used to put out fires and direct blizzards to pile upon their camps.

All this from a simple Runic Standard. We simply need to pick some Chanters who are experienced enough. Keeping us comfatble on the march, and ruining their conditions in the field so they do not receive rest without penalty. Slowly but surely working with the weather to kill them And these standards will never not see use, for as our own knowledge improves, we can devise new uses from them.

For example, the Gathering of Poison can rob their own poisons of their potency, turning them to harmless water given enough time and focus.

A simple thing, to give those who choose to take up this noble standard. Which is likely mostly going to come from those already practiced in Chanting.

Solid Steel
We've worked hard, and delved deep into the connection between chants and metals. Our current method for this one won't work as well as it could, but we believe we can do so.

While the normal process of removing impurities is used on the iron, this is done separately. From there, a Smith uses the Wind of Stillness on their forge area. Work continues as normal in this environment, with one exception. The Fire melting the metal is using the still air as it's fuel. This has an effect on the metal. Moreover, by folding the resulting metal, does the metal become Solid Steel. At this point, once the metal maintains a white color even when cooler, is it reheated, and quenched.

The result of this process is a bright white metal, Solid Steel. It is amazingly durable, resisting cuts and damage as easily as we breath. It doesn't break. Even a thin piece of metal, an inch thick and 6 feet long, cannot be broken by our strongest warriors working together. At worst, it bent. That's about it. As armor, it is superior to anything we've made before. As a weapon, it would mostly be good for blunt weapons, as it is fairly difficult to sharpen outside of using other pieces of Solid Steel.


Some of our people also applied the Wind of Cold Quench to it to see what happened. But that's afterward. Maybe with a particularly good roll.

[Madman198237]

Stillborn Steel
Hammered from regular steel without the taint of Wind or Fire, Stillborn Steel is hammered into weapons and equipment while a Chanter continuously uses Wind of Stillness on the piece of metal being forged. During the repeated heatings, hammerings, and the quench, the metal is constantly under the effect of an Earth-derived Chant. The precision of the work is aided by the reduced speed with which things happen to the metal, while the magic of the Chant seeps into the metal itself, producing, we hope, interesting effects based on the presence of magic.

Burned Axe: (1) Madman
Stillborn Steel: (1) Madman

[TricMagic]

Aether Steel

The Wind of Cold is Cold. Quite cold. So using it in forging would seem a bit difficult at first. But unconventional it may be, we can use it. Mostly with replacing the Wind Chant with the Wind of Cold in the steel purification process for it.

In forging it, we use a mix of Wind & Wind of Cold, feeding it into the fire directly to raise it. Through this, the fire takes on the aspect of Fate. We forge it this way, and come to grasp Aether Steel once we quench it with a fully powered Wind of Cold water Quench.

Aether Steel has a purple coloration. Or at least it should. We do not fully grasp all the aspects of Fate quite yet. Regardless, we expect it to have unique properties indeed being tied to Fate. Though most of our people expect it to give off a subtle chill, which could be paired with Air Phased Fire Steel later on. It being a cold-emitting metal would prove useful.

Burned Axe: (1) Madman
Stillborn Steel: (2) Madman, TricMagic
Aether Steel: (1) TricMagic

[Atomic Chicken]

Dreki Fangs

Crossbow bolts made entirely of Fire Steel, with razor-sharp heads and no fletching, bearing the Air Phasing inscription. Activating the inscription just before firing prevents the bolt from subsequently interacting with air. Such bolts are hence guaranteed to fly without deviating from their expected course, vastly increasing the accuracy of shots, and the absolute lack of air resistance enables them to fly much further than conventional bolts. One could, in fact, fire straight through a headwind or a turbulent storm and still expect to strike true. In addition, Air Phasing will cause the heat generated by the bolt to rapidly build up, delivering a searing bite to struck targets. Wicked barbs lining the shaft (placed with a blatant disregard for aerodynamics) make the bolt incredibly difficult to remove once it has penetrated its victim.

Crossbowmen armed with Dreki Fangs are provided with an insulating leather glove to protect their flesh whilst handling the hot metal.

Here's a possible write-up for the bolts discussed previously. We may or may not want to also upgrade our crossbows in the same revision, so feel free to modify as desired.

Burned Axe: (1) Madman
Stillborn Steel: (3) Madman, TricMagic, AC
Aether Steel: (1) TricMagic
Dreki Fangs: (1) AC

[TricMagic]

I'll point out a few things. One, using Fire Iron is a really bad idea for something our archers have to handle. Two, Fire Steel is hot, and would melt most other metals if they were all placed in a single quiver most times.

Aether Steel might give us a cold aligned steel, which means working with Fire Iron should be easier. Fairly Likely
Might be potent for magical channeling, which would make it useful for inscriptions. Fate Alignment doing something weird
Or it could be a stronger version of Windforged steel, somehow. From Windforged Steel being able to be made... Wait...

Um.. What if the order of the chants is actually somewhat important? Wind is the only one to vary from the other chants used for forging Imbued Metals..

[Atomic Chicken]

I'll point out a few things. One, using Fire Iron is a really bad idea for something our archers have to handle. Two, Fire Steel is hot, and would melt most other metals if they were all placed in a single quiver most times.

The first issue can be circumvented by having the archer wear an insulating leather glove, which shouldn't be problematic as crossbow handling doesn't require much manual dexterity. Note that the use of Fire Steel in armour has been described as being possible so long as it does not make direct contact with skin. I'm not sure I understand the second issue (destroying other bolts in the quiver / destroying the quiver itself?), but Fire Steel cannot possibly melt the metal in question if it doesn't consistently exist above said metal's melting point (which I doubt).

[Madman198237]

I'll point out a few things. One, using Fire Iron is a really bad idea for something our archers have to handle. Two, Fire Steel is hot, and would melt most other metals if they were all placed in a single quiver most times.

Fire Steel or Fire Iron are not hot enough to melt other metals. When Air Phased they will turn molten eventually---certainly not fast enough to threaten our crossbowmen, who don't touch the bolt while firing and thus won't be exposed to the heating.

We may wish to add a metal protective layer to our crossbows, but then again they shouldn't be very harmed by the enchantment given that you should phase the bolt immediately before firing.

I'd make the whole bolt out of Fire Steel, it's a very small thing and that allows just one enchantment to be used for the whole thing..

[TricMagic]

I'll note one additional thing to add to the list of things to revise, like when we have the Imbued Metals.

Elemental Forges
The Windforges have progressed far enough that we now see things beginning to become cramped. Moreover, the need for the more controlled forges is also necessary. The Elemental Forges are an outreach, dedicated to the production of Imbued Metals. This takes some of the strain off the main forges, while still being close enough to allow networking to learn even more about this technique.

Effectively, it creates another piece of infrastructure we can select. This means we can have them produce the Improved Scale Armour in place of the Windforges, which means the Windforges can discount another piece of gear. Which we don't have right now, so it's not really a revision for this turn. It might even be useful as a design if we decide to do Water, Wood, and Fate Imbued Metals in a single Design.

[Jilladilla]

Burned Axe: (1) Madman
Stillborn Steel: (3) Madman, TricMagic, AC
Aether Steel: (1) TricMagic
Dreki Fangs: (2) AC, Jilladilla

[Doomblade187]

Burned Axe: (1) Madman
Stillborn Steel: (3) Madman, TricMagic, AC
Aether Steel: (1) TricMagic
Dreki Fangs: (3) AC, Jilladilla, Doomblade

[Talion]

Revision

Stillborn Steel

Hammered from regular steel without the taint of Wind or Fire, Stillborn Steel is hammered into weapons and equipment while a Chanter continuously uses Wind of Stillness on the piece of metal being forged. During the repeated heatings, hammerings, and the quench, the metal is constantly under the effect of an Earth-derived Chant. The precision of the work is aided by the reduced speed with which things happen to the metal, while the magic of the Chant seeps into the metal itself, producing, we hope, interesting effects based on the presence of magic.

Normal: 5

This light blue metal has a strange weight to it. An invincible momentum, as though things made of Stillborn Steel were much heavier than they are. Weapons made of Stillborn Steel can be unwieldy to get moving but strike with great power. Armour enhanced with Stillborn Steel is any more resilient than normal steel, but will resist being moved by the blows of an enemy. In spars, our soldiers report finding normal blows easier to endure when wearing Stillborn Steel and weapons made of the stuff seem harder to parry and deflect.

Dreki Fangs

Crossbow bolts made entirely of Fire Steel, with razor-sharp heads and no fletching, bearing the Air Phasing inscription. Activating the inscription just before firing prevents the bolt from subsequently interacting with air. Such bolts are hence guaranteed to fly without deviating from their expected course, vastly increasing the accuracy of shots, and the absolute lack of air resistance enables them to fly much further than conventional bolts. One could, in fact, fire straight through a headwind or a turbulent storm and still expect to strike true. In addition, Air Phasing will cause the heat generated by the bolt to rapidly build up, delivering a searing bite to struck targets. Wicked barbs lining the shaft (placed with a blatant disregard for aerodynamics) make the bolt incredibly difficult to remove once it has penetrated its victim.

Crossbowmen armed with Dreki Fangs are provided with an insulating leather glove to protect their flesh whilst handling the hot metal.

Normal: 4

The Dreki Fangs function largely within our expectations. Once the Air Phasing inscription has been activated the crossbowman needs to discharge the bolt before enough heat builds up in the crossbow frame but this is largely still plenty of time. Activation does require the crossbowman to make contact with the bolt, so a lot of wielders naturally prefer to reload and fire immediately rather than waiting to synchronise their shots. The barbs along the shaft are on one side to ensure a clean release from the crossbow. In flight, this can cause the bolts to roll and swing. Extended tests of a bolt indicate that eventually the Steel melts disrupting the inscription at which point the bolt will shatter or perhaps splash is the correct term. The time needed to achieve these temperatures means that this phenomenon will not occur during the flight time of the bolt. Tests on animals indicate that the correct response to being struck by a Fang is to cut the bolt out as rapidly as possible and then worry about patient survival. A quick death would be merciful.

The main limitation is the ability of our crossbowmen to aim accurately at distant targets and the pull of the earth as all things must return to it. Arcing the shot can extend the range further of course, but that further increases the difficulty of judging the correct point to aim at.
Cost: Cheap (Land 1, Ore 1, Mana 1)

It is now Spring, Turn 4 Battle Phase
Clouds gather at the direction of your Stormcrown Tongues, filling the skies of our enemies with water. Select two lanes to push.

Spoiler: Equipment (click to show/hide)

Mundane Equipment
Longsword: A double-edged blade and a cruciform hilt. A versatile weapon capable of cuts, slices and thrusts. Requires training to wield, can be used one or two handed.
Expensive (Land 2, Ore 2)

War Axe: Can be used as a tool in a pinch, this is a single-handed weapon that does well against heavily armoured foes. Can be used with minimal training.
Cheap (Land 1, Ore 1)

Pavise Shields: Metal reinforced, wooden shields designed to be worn on the back to protect a crossbowman while they reload their crossbow.
Cheap (Land 1, Ore 1)

Northman’s Shield: A round wooden shield with a metal spiked boss. This shield is reinforced with metal around the edges. These shields are carefully painted with unique designs to help identify the hero who wields it.
Cheap (Land 2, Ore 1)

Brigandine Armour: Strips of Windforged Steel cushioned by wool and linen on both sides. Only the vital organs are protected with Steel in order to keep costs low. Cloth gloves and hood help to ensure that every part of the body has at least some protection.
Cheap (Land 2, Ore 1)

Improved Scale Armour
An expansion of the traditional armour of our officers, this armour includes a conical helmet with cheek guards, greaves and bracers. The scaled shirt is lengthened to cover the upper arms and the knees.
Expensive (Land 2, Ore 2) | Discounted: Cheap

Light Crossbow: Based on the bow and mounted horizontally on a frame. Powerful, but reloading is slow and dangerous. Each crossbow has been standardised, allowing even lesser skilled crafters to build a functional weapon of war.
Cheap (Land 2)

Medium Crossbow: A larger, steel reinforced crossbow. This crossbow has a metal stirrup and claw reloading method. Improved bolts allow for greater effectiveness against armour. It also has a superior range compared to the light crossbow.
Cheap (Land 2, Ore 1)

Standard: A flag used to identify units and maintain order in battle.
Cheap (Land 1)

War Cart: A four wheeled cart used to carry crossbowmen to battle. Unfortunately the lack of horses on the island leaves it unusable at the moment.
Expensive (Land 3)

Magical Equipment
Cone of Chill: A chant designed for the many; allowing them to chill the enemy, sapping them of their strength.
Cheap (Land 0, Mana 1)

Dreki Fangs: A barbed bolt of Fire Steel inscribed with Air Phasing. These crossbow bolts heat up in flight to deliver dangerously accurate and lethal strikes out to long range.
Cheap (Land 1, Ore 1, Mana 1)

Wind Cart: A four wheeled cart with a hollow cylinder in the back. This cart is designed to be crewed by a Chanter who is capable of propelling the cart at walking speed using a variant of the Wind Chant.
Expensive (Land 3, Mana 1)

Windforged Steel: All metal equipment has been improved with access to Windforged Steel. It has a blue colouration.
Fire Steel: This red coloured steel gives off constant heat.
Stillborn Steel: This light blue coloured steel seems to carry an unnatural weight.
National Expense - Infrastructure

Windforges - Development: 2, Investment: 0/4
Built around the smelteries for Windforged Steel, the Windforges house blacksmiths and apprentices of the Voiceguard to learn together how to produce the finest equipment in large quantities.
Provides a discount to the cost of one design.
Current Design: Improved Scale Armour
National Expense - Selectable Infrastructure (Takes x turns to increase Development where x is present Development level multiplied by 2)

Temple of the Voiceguard: A training ground for the Voiceguard, Chanters trained to use simple cantrips to support our troops in battle.
March: A cooling wind to make an army’s journey easier. (Wind)
Smoke: Obscures the battlefield with smoke. (Spike of Smoke)
Poison: Gathers poison from the local area to douse our weapons. (Gathering of Poison)
Ember: To set fires. (Wind of Embers)
Hellfire: Pillars of flame descend on the enemy. (Wind of Flame)
National Expense - Infrastructure

Stormcrown Fortress: A defensive location positioned to defend the route to the mountains. The Stormcrown Tongues train and work their magic there to change the weather. Should it be besieged they shall instead turn their powerful magic upon their attackers.
National Expense - Infrastructure

[Atomic Chicken]

Mountain: (0)
Central: (1) AC
  - Focus Xi Shan: (0)
  - Focus Iqua: (1) AC
Jungle: (1) AC

[TricMagic]

Is it heavy snows, or floodwaters that block the mountains?

[Madman198237]

Lanes
Mountain: (0)
Central: (2) AC, Madman
  - Focus Xi Shan: (0)
  - Focus Iqua: (2) AC, Madman
Jungle: (2) AC, Madman
Weather
Mountain:
 - Freeze it: (1) Madman
 - ?
Central:
 - Thunderstorms: (1) Madman
 - ?
Jungle:
 - Massive heat wave (Allows flames to burn through the jungle): (1) Madman

I guess we ought to get moving?

[TricMagic]

Lanes
Mountain: (0)
Central: (2) AC, Madman, TricMagic
  - Focus Xi Shan: (0)
  - Focus Iqua: (2) AC, Madman, TricMagic
Jungle: (2) AC, Madman
Weather
Mountain:
 - Freeze it: (1) Madman
 - Warm Flooding Rains to prevent passage: (1) TricMagic
Central:
 - Thunderstorms: (1) Madman
 - Freezing Heavy Rainstorms: (1) TricMagic
Jungle:
 - Massive heat wave (Allows flames to burn through the jungle): (1) Madman
- Dry Heat Wave: (1) TricMagic
(Saps away most moisture, leaving the Jungle extremely dry and susceptible to fires starting. Allows us to make use of Fires and Wind to direct the flames to burn our way through our enemies.)