T

he Iron Kingdoms abound with people both good and evil, but many others live, survive, and
even thrive in the grey shadows between heroics and villainy. Social misfits but not always
social outcasts, they make their way through the world any way they can—even if it results in
hardship for others. In the end, even scoundrels and sell-swords feel justified in doing what they must
to stay alive. These kinds of characters make excellent NPCs—whether as antagonists or allies—for
your Iron Kingdoms RPG campaign. This time you’ll meet a woman determined to experience the
tenderness of motherhood—no matter the cost.
®

Vitoria Maitlyn
byJoyce LEE • art by Andrea Uderzo
While many find great joy in raising children, others resenting and even opposing their independence. Bershonn
experience the severe emotional trauma of losing them. The raised Vitoria with these contradictions; she behaved kindly
damage of this loss has driven some to insanity’s edge. Vitoria and gently toward her ward at times, while acting the cruel
Maitlyn, known in neighboring communities as the Mad taskmistress at others. She taught Vitoria that loving others was
Mother Maitlyn, is one who has suffered such heartbreak. what made life worth living, but that those same people might
need to be brought harshly back into line.
Though her motherly gestures like feeding and tending to
those around her are meant to reflect her gentle nature and When Vitoria began to show signs of a nascent gift of magic,
maternal instinct, Vitoria has struggled for many years with a Bershonn revealed she herself had once possessed similar skills
dark secret that, though intended to ease her grief over a lost that the men in her village forced her to suppress, for fear of
child, has brought her to suffer in ways she could never have drawing Vinter’s Inquisition into their homes. Bershonn worked
imagined. This suffering, embodied in a hideous being she to nurture and hone Vitoria’s talents while teaching the girl how
keeps locked away, has the potential to lead Vitoria to noble to force the world to accept her maternal wisdom. She could not
acts of charity or heinous acts of violence. This figure is itself have known that the future loss of a child would drive Vitoria
quite powerful in its own way, and it stretches out mentally to the point of obsession over these teachings, as if her failure to
from where it is kept to cause illness among those it can reach. understand them might have somehow been responsible for the
loss of her child.
VITORIA MAITLYN: When Vitoria was seventeen, a widower, Creighton Maitlyn,
A BRIEF HISTORY passed by the homestead while Vitoria’s mistress was out
and chanced upon the girl. Soon the two became romantically
Vitoria grew up under the tutelage of Sabine Bershonn, an old involved and, in short order, were married despite Bershonn’s
midwife and Thamarite who took in the orphaned Vitoria. extreme displeasure. The young woman moved from Bershonn’s
Bershonn had long resented the mistreatment of women in home to Creighton’s, near his father’s workshop. Creighton
her small community, and she framed Vitoria’s mindset about himself had some flair in creating unusual devices, clockwork
men, children, and the strength a woman must have. With her and mechanika alike, and Vitoria learned much of his skill by
drive to care for others warped by a bitter cynicism, Bershonn working alongside him as an apprentice.
instilled Vitoria with a desire to mother and protect people while

94 scoundrels & sell-swords

Vitoria became pregnant twice, but twice miscarried. The third Most agree that she is gentle but keeps to herself. A few
time Vitoria became pregnant, Creighton encouraged her to people whisper that she possesses magical gifts, and some
return to the midwife Bershonn for aid in birthing the child. even suspect she might dabble in the shadowy side of magic,
The old woman instructed her to return on a night when there though they are careful with their choice of words. If pressed,
would be no moons, in order to conduct a ritual that would they will confess they recognize the stench of corpses around
ensure the survival of the unborn child. Vitoria complied, but her home, no matter how recently she may have settled in.
despite the ritual the midwife employed, the child she bore Those who have ventured near her house think the place may
was sickly, growing gravely ill in time. Vitoria tried clumsily to be haunted. Those same people say she works as a midwife
use her own gift to save her son, but failed. Maddened by grief once in a while, but the babies are also lost from time to time.
and lost to reason, she resorted to unorthodox mechanikal Finally, stories persist that the occasional travelers who have
designs. She slaved away on a device that could preserve the stayed with her have not continued on their way.
boy, but she could not best death. She can be placed in any city in Cygnar, Ord, or Llael. PCs
Driven by the hope of restoring her child with the machine she may encounter her while they are fleeing or retreating from
had created, she did not grieve. But by the time she was ready a pursuer or confrontation, in which case Vitoria will signal
to steal her dead child from his grave, his body was too far to them and hide them within her home until it is safe; she
gone for her to restore. Her inconsolable, isolating grief over does so with no questions asked. PCs may be approached by
her failure caused her husband to seek comfort and counsel their contact to find Vitoria, or by Creighton directly—Vitoria’s
from his family, abandoning Vitoria. husband is now desperate to find his wife. As an alternative to
a direct encounter with Victoria, someone related to a missing
In time, she sought Bershonn out again. To her shock, she
traveler can seek the PCs’ help in finding the lost loved one,
found the old midwife pregnant. As Vitoria tried to reconnect
and the trail will lead to Vitoria’s home. PCs could be in need of
with her only remaining family, the midwife cut her short and
healing and be directed by locals to Vitoria, albeit with caution.
lashed out, revealing her deep feelings of hatred and distrust.
She blamed Vitoria for abandoning her after she had poured her PCs can also hear news of a strange sickness that puts people
knowledge and wisdom into the girl, setting the girl up as her in a coma in the villages where Vitoria has stayed.
replacement and loving her as her own daughter. She accused The root of the strange sickness is, in fact, the child in Vitoria’s
Vitoria of only calling on the midwife’s ancient wisdom in the machine. Due to his unnatural state and Bershonn’s necromantic
depths of desperate need. Seeing her opportunity for vengeance, touch, the infant possesses great arcane powers, which he is
Bershonn revealed Vitoria’s last miscarriage was an unnatural subconsciously stretching and testing out. Vitoria realizes that
event; she had used her magic to steal the life essence of Vitoria’s her child, Ulrich, is “growing” and slowly expanding his powers.
unborn child. Now, what was once Vitoria’s child was growing She worries he’ll grow up and desire independence. As much
inside Bershonn. In a fury, Vitoria lost control and killed the old as she loves him, she does not want other people to be harmed
woman, smashing Bershonn’s head against the stone fireplace. by him or his powers, and he is quickly becoming impossible to
Then, she used the skills she had learned from Bershonn to steal control. Though she doesn’t linger on it, she also worries that in
her child back, cutting the infant from the dead woman’s body— the end, one of them might kill the other if they ever wrestle for
but the child was in danger. She rushed home to her machine; dominance. In meeting with the PCs, she will consider finding a
the baby’s flesh was not yet cold when she sparked the life back replacement for her evolving child from among them, and she has
into his tiny body. already begun to build new contraptions to hold them prisoner.
The next day, Vitoria put the humming machine on a carriage, She has plans for any PCs she feels might suit her needs…
threw a heavy canvas sheet over it, and left behind the life When the PCs encounter Vitoria, she will offer them room
she had once cherished. A long journey lay ahead, leading and board, as well as sanctuary, if need be. If there are injured
anywhere but back to her former home. characters, she is capable of healing them. She can also help
navigate parts of the city or village where she is encountered.
OUT IN THE WORLD All she asks is that they respect her privacy, requesting they
Vitoria now travels from place to place, making her home in do not open a locked door somewhere in her home. At the
small, isolated communities. The people in the community Game Master’s discretion, she may act especially sweet
know Vitoria as a kind and charitable woman with a strange toward males, any of whom can remind her of her son or of
touch for mending flesh and bone. They often talk about her her former life with Creighton.
as one eager to lend aid to travelers and strangers. A few During their stay, PCs discover that they “lose” small objects
people have even called her a miracle healer. Others say she’s temporarily but find them later in places not too far away,
nothing but a charlatan. though never where the PCs actually left the items. Vitoria
never acknowledges the peculiar phenomenon. At night, the
sound of an unfamiliar voice whispering nearby will startle

scoundrels & sell-swords 95

one of the sleeping PCs. Ulrich, it turns out, can escape from wants to return to his mother. Ulrich will use any of his spells
his locked room. As he wanders, he begs to be taken away, but to protect himself.
his language is stunted, so the message is likely to come out When Vitoria is inside this room, PCs can hear her whispering
faint or jumbled. Though gifted with magic and intelligent in and occasionally crooning softly. She often talks or reads aloud
his own way, he is still a child and is just as wont to scream to the child in the machine, and she soothes him with lullabies
or cry in frustration. These tantrums will inevitably set off every night. As far as the PCs can tell without investigating the
a dangerous manifestation of his powers. He will flee and chamber, Vitoria is speaking and singing to herself.
return to his room if he thinks he is about to be discovered.
If the PCs open the door while Vitoria is away, they have a
limited time to investigate before she returns. Though there is
no audible or visible alarm, she has set an arcane warding circle
on the room and linked it to an object always on her person—a
locket given to her by Creighton on their wedding day. If PCs
attempt to open the door while she’s at home or if they have
already opened the door and she returns home, she will not be
immediately hostile. At an appropriate time, though, she will
offer a meal or a drink laced with different kinds of poisons.
Game Masters should consider how she will favor some
characters over others—to the PCs she does not want to “keep,”
she will undoubtedly attempt to feed a lethal poison. To those
she sees future use for, she is more likely to feed a paralytic
or sedative. She intends to keep them comatose until her new
machines are ready, at which point she can work on regressing
their psyches until they respond to her maternal overtures.
If the PCs see Ulrich and leave Vitoria with the intention of
ignoring what they saw, Vitoria hunts them down in order to
protect her secret. If her child is held hostage, she sets traps to
incapacitate the PCs wherever she can, or she singles out the one
PC she was closest to and tries to bribe that character to return
her child. Once her child is returned, she takes every chance for
vengeance. She begins her revenge by first spreading rumors
about the adventuring party such that locals in her area treat
them like criminals and thugs. If left unchecked, locals bent on
vigilante justice will attempt to apprehend or kill the PCs.

Behind the Door

In any home she inhabits, Vitoria keeps one door locked,
behind which her singular infant Ulrich lies encased in a
unique machine. At night, a faint blue glow emanates from a
gap between the door and the floor. If the PCs choose to open
the door, they will notice the dark room is warm and humid,
with a terrible smell of rot. In the blackness sits a large metal
chamber like a sarcophagus; the glow comes from a small
circular window in its face. If the PCs choose to look into the
contraption, they see a pale child with white eyes suspended in
a clear fluid. Dark veins pulse under his near-translucent skin,
and his head appears large compared to his emaciated body.
The faint shadow of his heart is visible by the strange glow
from within the machine and from his own frail body.
If taken from Vitoria, Ulrich draws on his own set of powers.
He is neither intentionally malicious nor sadistic but merely

96 scoundrels & sell-swords

Vitoria maitlyn
Physique PHY 5 Skills:
Speed SPD 6 Name Stat Rank Stat + Rank
Deception SOC 2 *
Strength STR 4 Hand Weapon PRW 2 6
Agility AGL 5 Mech. Engineering INT 2 7
Medicine INT 2 7
Prowess PRW 4 Sneak AGL 2 7
Poise POI 4 Spells:
Intellect INT 5 SPELL NAME COST RNG AOE POW UP OFF
Arcane aRC 4
Arcantrik Bolt 2 10 — 12 No Yes
Perception PER 4 A steamjack damaged by this attack becomes stationary for one round.

Poisoned Assassin’s Blade Ashen Cloud 2 CTRL 3 — Yes No

MAT POW P+S Place a 3˝ AOE cloud effect anywhere completely in the spellcaster’s control area. Characters without Immunity: Fire suffer –2 on
attack rolls while within the AOE.
5 4 8
Abilities: Poisoned. On a critical hit with this
Bleed 2 8 — 10 No Yes
When this spell damages a living character, the spellcaster regains d3 vitality points.
weapon against a living character, gain an
additional die to the damage roll. Polarity Shield 2 6 — — Yes No
Target character cannot be targeted by a charge made by a character in his front arc.
Initiative Init 14
Defense DEF 14 Abilities:
(Custom Armor –1) Corruptor – The character gains a feat point when she corrupts another character. Exactly what qualifies as corrupting another
Armor ARM 11 is determined by the Game Master, but in the case of Vitoria may involve convincing another character to assist her in her dark
work.
(Custom Armor +6)
Feat Points – This character starts each encounter with 2 feat points. She is allocated 1 feat point at the start of each of her
Willpower Wil 10
turns. She can only have up to 2 feat points at a time.
Imbue Weapon – The character can imbue a non-mechanikal melee weapon with her arcane energy. The weapon becomes a
2 L ITY personal focus for her power and is considered to be a magical weapon and Blessed while in her hand. (When making an attack
GI with a weapon with the Blessed ability, ignore spell effects that add to a character’s ARM or DEF.)
A

1 3 Motherly Love – The character gains boosted attack and damage rolls against targets that have damaged Ulrich or his
containment unit this round.

4
T
Will Weaver – This character is a will weaver.
EC
INTELL

PH
YSIQUE

6
5
Command Range: 5
ulrich
Base Size: Small Ulrich most often remains within his mechanikal
crib and cannot physically act on the world.
Encounter Points: 13
However, he lends arcane strength to his mother.
Equipment:
Assassin’s Blade, custom armor, garrote,
Special Rules: Ulrich and his crib are represented
rune etching kit, various poisons and by a medium based object with ARM 19 and 10
toxins, 116 gc damage capacity. While Ulrich’s crib is within
Vitoria’s command range, she gains the following
spells: Influence, Inhospitable Ground, Telekinesis,
and Overmind. Ulrich and his crib act as a channeler
for Vitoria’s spells

scoundrels & sell-swords 97

 Privateer Pins for the Holidays
Privateer Pins has established a tradition of a special seasonal pin each December—Butcher Claus in 2014, Wurmwood,
Christmas Tree of Fate in 2015—and this year’s pin is snow laughing matter either.
But first, ’tis the season for launching some of the pin line’s
most collectible pieces to date, including new additions
to the cereal series. “We wanted to be sure every Faction
got its own breakfast food,” says Will Shick, Director of
Business Development, “and we’ve received quite a few
great ideas over the last year or so. It’s become something
of a game around the office to come up with the next one.”
Thus, Croakie Crisp and Raisin Rahn join the ranks of
past cereal pins, some of which have become scarce in
their limited-edition format. So, what’s left to include? A
Protectorate of Menoth cereal is still on the (breakfast) table
for consideration . . .
Additionally, as rare as any cereal pin is the Assault
Advantage pin, created in support of WARMACHINE
Weekend. It’s a long-standing partnership to create a pin
that mirrors the themed imagery of the annual convention.
“We have quite a few players and collectors who
appreciate having the weekend memorialized with a
pin,” Shick notes. “This year seemed like the right time
to do a brand-new Advantage, given where we are with
the new editions. Assault fits that bill perfectly.”

And what would a pin release be without more chibis?

Since the release of the new editions last summer, many
collectors have wondered when they’d start seeing
chibis of some of the new warcasters and warlocks, and
November marks the first two: Malekus, the Burning
Truth, and Bane Witch Agathea.
“We have more chibis to come, of course,” Shick points
out, “and that includes some of the newest characters as
well as old favorites.”
And finally, our unique holiday piece. What says peace
on Earth more than a picturesque snowman ready to tear
your arms off? The snow troll pin promises to add some
additional Yuletide joy to your collection.
So, what’s on the horizon? Early next year, as the cereal
line winds down, Privateer Pins will introduce a new line:
weapons of the Iron Kingdoms. And we’re always open
to hearing your ideas, so drop us a line at submissions@
privateerpress.com!

FOR MORE PINS

privateerpress.com/pins

98 privateer Pins
 ®

Uncharted
Part Three
By Josh Colón, Steen Comer, Matt Goetz, Zachary C. Parker, and Tim Simpson
Art by David Aravena, Saranit Klinklaykun, Daniel Landerman, Mitchell Malloy, Grzegorz Pedrycz, and Karl Richardson
“Iron Kingdoms Uncharted” is a series of articles detailing the pirate’s life on the Meredius. With in-depth information
on the history, harbors, ships, sailors, and perils of life on Immoren’s seas, this series delves into new content useful for
both Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy and Iron Kingdoms Unleashed roleplaying games. This installment looks into the
tradition of piracy emerging in the Iron Kingdoms’ smallest naval power, the Protectorate of Menoth.

99
 IRon kingdoms Uncharted

While a major military power in its own right, the
Protectorate of Menoth relies primarily on hired pirates and
non-domestic privateer mercenaries to protect its few rivers
and western shores from enemy pirates, smugglers, and
Cryxian raiders. Cygnar’s eastern fleet also provides some
protection against the latter threat, although the ruling
Synod is loath to admit such.
All pirates employed by the Protectorate must adhere to
a simple but unbendable set of rules designed to curtail
any unintended impropriety by non-Menite sailors. The
Protectorate is not unrealistic, however, and the rules allow
for some leniency in the hired privateers’ actions when
operating outside of a Protectorate city or major outpost.
Hired privateers and pirates are required to turn over to the
Temple a portion of the goods and plunder they seize as a
tax for operating near Protectorate coastlines, but this taxed
portion is relatively small, making these naval actions quite
profitable for those brave enough to work for the theocracy.
In return, the privateers are granted shelter within
Protectorate territory and receive aid from the nation.
This policy draws a disproportionate number of Cygnaran
crews to Protectorate service, particularly those who would
otherwise be tried for maritime crimes in their home
country. Hiding out in the safety of the Protectorate, these
ships dart forth to prey on Cygnaran shipping. Their success
is often due to their familiarity with the naval traditions and
shipping lanes of their former nation.
While mercenary pirates and privateers provide most of the
coastal protection, smuggling, and sanctioned plundering
for the Protectorate, some devout Menites do set sail under
the banner of the Temple, ostensibly the closest thing to
traditional privateers within the Protectorate.
For many centuries, coastal Idrian tribes dwelling along
what would become the Protectorate’s shoreline sustained
themselves as fishermen and would sail to nearby islands
to explore them, either trading with or warring with the
inhabitants. Many of these tribes were converted to the
Sul-Menite faith, and their knowledge of local waters and
islands has proven invaluable to Temple interests since their
conversion. Not all of these Idrians converted to that religion,
but even many of the unbelievers gradually transitioned
into a life of naval raiding in the Gulf of Cygnar. Plying
the waves in fast, compact ships, the Idrians pursue their
preferred prey, the slow-moving and lightly armed trade
vessels returning from Zu through the Southern Ocean.
Able to outmaneuver traders laden with treasure, tiny fleets
of Idrian boats rapidly approach and encircle their targets.
At close range, the smaller Idrian boats hide beneath the
gun ports of other ships, where they launch swift, fierce
boarding actions from multiple directions.

Protectorate privateers follow a simple set of rules referred

to as the Edict of Bearing. The regulations detailed within
include how to interact with assigned Temple agents and
representatives, how to approach designated shipping and
docking zones, and how to handle trade and repairs while
within a Protectorate port. The oversight and enforcement
of these rules, as well as the general affairs of all hired
privateers and pirate ships, falls to Potentate Ansel Colten, a
quiet, intelligent, and pragmatic priest. He reports directly
to the Synod and specifically to Visgoth Morgimer Jasrun,
who, in addition to overseeing all Protectorate mines and
quarries, comes the closest to serving as the head of all
shipping and trade for the Temple.

While he mainly sends lower-ranking priests and

intermediaries to deal with captains and their vessels,
Potentate Colten occasionally interacts personally with
notable or particularly capable captains. He keeps
communication between these vessels and the Temple
constant, in order for Menite agents to keep an eye on its
hires and monitor for any unlawful activity. Those found
breaking Temple law or attempting to circumvent the
required tithes are subject to severe and swift punishment,
which involves death by fire the vast majority of the time.
Every pirate knows the risks of working for the Protectorate,
however, and most are smart enough not to break the
rules—or are cunning and knowledgeable enough, at least,
to know when and how to bend them.

100
Recognizing the usefulness of the Idrians, the Protectorate
outfitted some tribes with military supplies and instructed
them to protect the coast from raiders. Over time, the Idrians
honed their skills, transforming themselves from humble
fishing fleets to a force of devout corsairs. Though their
small ships stand little chance against the larger Cygnaran
vessels, the Idrians fearlessly outmaneuver their rivals
thanks to their experience and unshakable devotion.
In addition to working with the corsairs, the Protectorate
expended effort to create a formal naval structure in its
early days, with fully commissioned warships manned by
corsairs, Exemplar marines, Flameguard boarding parties,
and even naval choirs of warpriests. These ships, while
effective against pirate raids and Cryxian attacks, proved
too costly in manpower and resources, and after a few
years the Synod voted to limit these endeavors and began
utilizing the system of outsourcing naval assets. There are
limited numbers of Protectorate warships still in service,
each manned by a sizable crew of trained members of
the martial orders and outfitted with specially designed
skyhammer arrays and bellows to spray Menoth’s Fury at
the ships of the unrighteous. His Holiness’ Ship Purity, HHS
Divinity, HHS Guided Hand, and HHS Creator’s Wrath are the
largest of these vessels, and all guard the waters outside
of Ancient Icthier, providing the best possible protection
for that holy city. Smaller craft protect the river docks and
shores of Sul, though they primarily serve to keep away
smugglers and lack the firepower to seriously engage any
first-rate Cygnaran vessels.
As for the Idrian corsairs, they continue to play an integral
role in the Protectorate’s coastal defense. While not formally
organized nor numbering nearly enough to be considered a
true naval power, these corsairs are trusted to guard vital
sea routes and guide important vessels across dangerous
territories. Captains who prove themselves devout are
invested with the full faith of Potentate Colten, to the
extent that ships composed entirely of Idrian corsairs are
sometimes tasked with supervising newer or unproven
privateer mercenaries. The Idrian captains overseeing their
mercenary counterparts bear writs of minor authority to
resolve disputes in the name of the Temple and of Potentate
Colten himself.
While necessity dictates that all pirates and privateers
serving the Protectorate of Menoth follow rigid rules, all
sailors need a place to relax and spend the bounty of their
labors on the high seas. Over the last few decades, some
enterprising individuals have built secret and remote pirate
havens on minor islands just off the coast of the Protectorate
and in the sheltered coves of the Guardians, a series of
small peninsulas jutting out from the mainland. Whether
the Protectorate is unaware of these secret ports or merely
allows them as small indulgences is unknown, though the
proprietors of such establishments risk severe punishment
if they are discovered.
The danger of working for the Protectorate can pay off
very handsomely, as the Temple rewards even moderately
successful ships with diamonds and other precious gems
for a job well done. In addition, suspicious ship activity is
common in certain parts of the coast, making hard-working
and motivated crews potentially quite wealthy after
working for the Temple for some time. Still, it is not unheard
of for some brave and foolish ship captains to attempt to
smuggle illicit goods when docked in a Protectorate port.
The few active merchants making up the Protectorate’s black
market often pay an exorbitant price for such wares, but if
caught, everyone involved, including the crew and anyone
suspected of helping them, is painfully executed.
Protectorate Ports
Ancient Icthier
Ancient Icthier’s distance from the rest of the Protectorate
of Menoth, and indeed the Iron Kingdoms as a whole, left
it a relatively undesirable port for corsairs and privateers
through most of the Protectorate’s history. Recent
exploratory expeditions from Cygnar into Alchiere and Zu
have provided minor opportunities for local pirates, and
supplies from Sul sent to support the isolated city have
drawn the attention of other pirates not affiliated with the
Sul-Menites.
Thanks in large part to its isolation, Ancient Icthier is home
to some of the most well-appointed nautical facilities in
the Protectorate of Menoth. Far from the eyes of Cygnar’s
southern fleet, efforts have been made to increase the nation’s
naval power with the construction of a new generation of
Protectorate warships. Fueled by supplies carried on the
Burning Road or transported in the holds of smaller vessels,
the shipwrights of Ancient Icthier are slowly transforming
the Protectorate’s position upon the sea.
Services
While the city boasts some of the best facilities for ships in
the Protectorate of Menoth, the Temple jealously guards
these resources for its growing fleet of warships. Potentate
Colten and local leader Scrutator Sovereign Jarok Shaw
are loath to allow other vessels to make use of them and
will only permit their use if it is critical for the commission
of some important task, such as when the nearby island
Mothbell was swept clean of Cryxian influence. For those in
the service of the Temple, Ancient Icthier’s harbor provides
full dry-dock facilities, as well as numerous sailmakers,
coopers, shipwrights, and sundry other services. For those
not of the Menite faith, however, the services of Icthier are as
inaccessible and dangerous as any other part of the holy city.
Locales
Ancient Icthier lacks many locales to attract the interest of a
pirate crew. Most naval facilities are reserved for the use of
the Protectorate’s own ships, and the local scrutator keeps a
tight rein over his city.
101
 IRon kingdoms Uncharted

Individuals
Potentate Colten: Potentate Colten, the father of the
Protectorate’s modern naval aspiration, resides in Ancient
Icthier. He oversees the manufacture of new warships, helps
develop naval strategies, and coordinates with his captains
from a waterside temple. The potentate aims to double the
number of warships over the next few years in anticipation
of journeys to the southern continent of Zu. Colten envisions
a new crusade, borne across the Meredius in his warships,
bringing the word of the Creator to the men of Zu. His
aspiration seems a long ways off, but there are few in the
Protectorate who are more fanatical about seeing this goal
completed.

Colten is protective of his fledgling navy and will do anything

in his power to protect it, even going against the orders of
Sovereign Scrutator Shaw. Using lesser priests and scribes
as his proxies, Colten will negotiate with privateers and
corsairs if doing so means he can avoid damage to his fleet
or its reputation. There are rumors Colten has eliminated
fellow priests who have attempted to stand in the way of his
goals, but there is little evidence to support this.

Deadsands Harbor
Located on the northern shore of Deadsands Bay, Deadsands
Harbor began as a modest village populated by generations
of Idrian shipwrights and fishermen. In recent centuries,
these fishermen have turned to piracy in greater numbers,
emboldened by the unofficial support of the Protectorate.
Sloops and other small, agile ships frequent the port, and
the heavy flow of this water traffic along with numerous
fishing boats provides a layer of concealment for corsairs
traversing the harbor. Over the years, the village has
swelled to many times its original size, becoming a hub of
activity that attracts pirates and privateers from all corners
of western Immoren.

Deadsands Harbor can prove unwelcoming to those

unfamiliar with its customs. The murder or disappearance
of unwary crewmembers is not uncommon nor is the
willingness of authorities to pin such acts on innocent parties
in exchange for bribes. Although there is coin to be made
here, the settlement has earned a cutthroat reputation for a
reason. Like the barren landscape at its back, the port city
does not suffer fools, and self-reliance is the law of the land.

Services
Deadsands Harbor’s black market and access to goods from
within the Protectorate make it a valuable port for those
looking to turn a profit on the open ocean. Many travelers
call the port “The Gate of the East,” as it serves as the point of
ingress and egress for most trade goods. The port also makes
use of a robust currency exchange, allowing merchants and
sailors to swap the coin of any nation for that of another, or
trade gold and silver for gems of all cuts and qualities, making
Deadsands Harbor an ideal place to offload stolen coinage. The
slave trade flourishes in Deadsands Harbor, particularly for
captured arcanists, who fetch a high price from Protectorate
forces that seek to put such individuals to work as vassals.

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Locales
The Relic Market: The black market of Deadsands Harbor
offers goods that can be found in few other places in western
Immoren. Chief among them is the volatile substance
known as Menoth’s Fury. The highly flammable liquid is a
staple among Protectorate forces in the practice of engulfing
foes in the fires of their wrathful god, and in recent years it
has become popular among pirates and privateers, who lob
casks of the liquid onto other vessels before setting them
alight. Religious artifacts are likewise highly prized and are
both smuggled out of the Protectorate and brought into the
country from elsewhere, though demand for such items has
created a secondary market for counterfeit relics.
Individuals
Gosaf Maz-Nazira: Known simply as “The Gem Cutter” in
Deadsands Harbor, Maz-Nazira is a ruthless moneylender
and crime boss. His organization has its fingers in all illegal
activity in the port, and everyone who conducts business
on the black market pays him a share of their earnings. The
Gem Cutter always has need of unscrupulous hired blades,
but the risks of such work often outweigh the rewards, and
dead sailors cannot collect their due.
Special
If the characters have not visited Deadsands Harbor before,
it is likely Gosaf Maz-Nazira’s agents will follow them
during their time in the port. This could result in robbery
or the kidnapping of one or more characters. There is also
a chance the characters will return to their ship to find the
contents ransacked after the Gem Cutter’s people search it
for valuables or information about the characters.
Mothbell
As recently as two years ago, this island off the shores
of the Protectorate was a hotbed of Cryxian activity. A
small incursion army established operations on Mothbell
to launch intermittent raids on the mainland, building
necrofactoriums and dry docks to support its endeavors.
A dedicated effort from the Protectorate led by the head of
the cleansers, the warcaster Malekus, scoured this blight-
stained island in 606 AR.
After reducing the Cryxian presence to ash, the Protectorate
set about to hold the island. Mothbell is now home to a large
temple garrisoned by a force of Temple Flameguard, housed
in a cluster of modest stone buildings. A small village is
slowly being established around the temple, populated by a
mixture of Sulese and Idrians. Much of the rest of island is
undeveloped or covered with half-complete structures and
a thicket of scaffolding. The Protectorate does not consider
Mothbell a high priority, so resource shipments from the
mainland arrive infrequently.
Idrians and privateer ships both use the island as a safe
harbor, though some tension exists between the local
Flameguard and raucous sailors. The dry docks offer a safe
haven for crews who need to repair after battle or to use the
island to weather storms. Less pious corsairs are prone to
occupying the half-complete structures for weeks at a time
and picking through the rubble of Mothbell’s previous
inhabitants, looking for valuable baubles and weapons, an
act the devout Temple Flameguard residents resent.
Services
Mothbell’s dry docks are one of the most important features
on the islands. Originally built by the Cryxians, these dry
docks were restored by the Protectorate under the oversight of
Sea-Chief Malah Sek-Rash. Spacious enough to accommodate
a dozen vessels, the docks allow damaged craft to undergo
extensive repairs without needing to be beached or heeled over.
The docks also offer modest supplies and spare parts, though
limited access to replacements results in an above-average cost.
Sea-Chief Malah can also provide rutters to crews to help
them avoid the sandbars and reefs of the Protectorate
coastline. These rutters tend to give accurate navigational
information from the Sithney River in the south to Acrennia
in the north. Beyond that range, they are based on rumor
and cannot always be relied upon.
Locales
Idrian Encampments: The northern shore of Mothbell hosts
several small Idrian camps overseen by Sea-Chief Malah. When
not raiding the Gulf of Cygnar, these Idrians fish the waters
around Mothbell and provide the majority of the island’s
provisions once its modest farming efforts are established.
Temple of the Lawgiver’s Wrath: A temple and stronghold
built to weather tropical storms, the Temple of the Lawgiver’s
Wrath is the largest and single most important structure
on Mothbell. In addition to its normal function, the temple
is used to stockpile supplies and arms to defend against
potential Cryxian reprisal.
Constructed from local stone quarried from the island’s
interior, the keystone of the temple’s central great arch is
a relic of Ancient Icthier. Inscribed with ancient religious
text, this relic protects Mothbell from the ghostly banes and
spectral pistol wraiths employed by Cryx, the inhabitants
believe, making the temple fortress impermeable to their ilk.
Windward Shore: Wracked by storms from the south, the
southern shore of Mothbell is home to the greatest amount
of Cryxian wreckage on the island. It once held numerous
structures, including a warjack foundry that churned out
bonejacks to assault the mainland. Pockets of concentrated
blight and the blackened ruins of necrotech workshops
still exist here, and some believe Cryxians still lurk among
them—survivors who evaded the island’s fiery cleansing.
Individuals
Preceptor Nocior Jaia: Preceptor Jaia commands the Temple
Flameguard of Mothbell. The preceptor fought in the initial
cleansing of the island and distinguished himself in combat
against the Cryxians. In recognition, he was placed in
command of its defense. Jaia initially viewed this position
as the acknowledgement his superiors intended it to be,
but over the last few years he has begun to resent his role.
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The struggles of living on Mothbell, including the limited
resources and frequent dangerous storms, have worn away
his resolve.
Jaia’s demeanor is surly, and he is outwardly hostile to
anyone visiting the island. He is quick to take offense and
will belittle anyone of lower station, particularly the corsairs
on the northern shore. He and Obrius often conspire how
they might punish the Idrian sea-chief who leads the
corsairs. While Obrius would never actually harm Malah,
Jaia will give his full support to anyone willing to fabricate
evidence that the sea-chief has stepped outside the bounds
of his pledge to the precepts of Potentate Colten.
Sea-Chief Malah Sek-Rash: This elderly corsair is the eminent
chief of Mothbell’s Idrian population. While Senior Priest
Obrius has oversight of the Sul-Menite population, in practice
Sea-Chief Malah maintains firm control over his tribe. He
and the senior priest do not always see eye to eye, and Malah
strongly prefers to parlay and trade with pirate captains.
Malah has a long-standing grudge against Captain John
Hulme of the Prosperous. A captain of the Cygnaran Southern
Fleet, Hulme captured Malah’s eldest son during a failed raid
and had him hanged as a pirate. Malah offers a substantial
reward of diamonds and plunder to anyone who brings him
Hulme alive to face punishment, as well as lesser bounties for
trophies claimed from other Cygnaran naval officers.
Senior Priest Obrius: Senior Priest Obrius of the Incendium
oversees the Temple of the Lawgiver’s Wrath and has been
charged with maintaining the Protectorate’s hold on the
island and increasing its defensibility.
Obrius, though proud of his temple, does not desire to
remain on Mothbell, feeling the post is beneath his station.
This causes him to resent fellow Protectorate citizens with
greater liberty to seek glory for the Creator of Man. Obrius
stonewalls such individuals when given the opportunity,
particularly those who come seeking supplies from his
meager stores. He particularly resents Sea-Chief Malah Sek-
Rash for the Idrian’s perceived liberty.
Scuttlebutt:
Previous Tenants
Some say the Cryxians resent the loss of Mothbell
and are hatching plans to reclaim their island
redoubt. Rumors abound of privateer ships with
Cryxian spies hidden aboard, who reconnoiter the
island for their secret masters in order to facilitate
plans for its reclamation. Others whisper about
powerful necrotech artifacts hidden in the charred
rubble on the windward shore—objects of power
that a lich lord himself wishes returned to the
Dragonfather’s arsenal.
104
Sul
Sitting at the mouth of the Black River and on the shore
of Cygnar’s gulf, Sul is the port city in the Protectorate of
Menoth best positioned to exploit the sea—and the one least
able to do so. Nearby Caspia is the home of Cygnar’s Eastern
Fleet, and the Cygnarans vastly outmatch the Protectorate in
naval power and advancement.
The docks of Sul are largely given over to civilian vessels
ferrying down the Black River. Affiliates of the Sul-Menites
have no trouble securing their vessels here, nor do smugglers
bringing contraband or stolen hardware into the city. Criminals
fleeing Cygnaran justice also sometimes use the docks, as they
can shelter here without fear of Caspian authorities pursuing
them into the Sul-Menite nation. Those who do often regret
their choice, however, as the scrutators of Sul are far crueler
judges than any found within Caspian walls.
Sul’s past as a part of Caspia has left it with outdated but
expansive port facilities and docks. After the civil war and
formation of the Protectorate, these facilities were allowed
to fall into disrepair, but recent restoration efforts have
improved their antiquated and shabby condition.
Services
Sul offers ample services, though those with a connection
to the Sul-Menite faith will find negotiations easier and
prices more reasonable than will other independent crews.
Naturally, the restrictive Sul-Menite Temple limits some of
the debaucheries that can be found in other Immorese ports,
but even in Sul there exists a black market. With enough time
and dedicated effort, one will find the city holds everything
a ship could require.
Locales
River Docks: On the northern edge of Sul, the river docks
receive ships traveling down the Black River. Once, they were
the primary place that smuggled Khadoran cortexes entered
Sul-Menite hands, which led to several improvements being
made to the aging docks.
Ocean Docks: Broken into a larger public dock outside Sul’s
walls and a smaller sheltered one within, the ocean docks
of Sul have a deep draft and can accommodate large ocean-
going vessels. The sheltered dock is reserved for Temple
use and is patrolled by diligent warriors of the Flameguard
order, while the larger civilian waterfront is home to the
majority of Sul’s more traditional services. The slums south
of Sul’s walls provide many of the dockworkers here.
The ocean docks are where the Protectorate builds a large
number of “fishing” boats based on Cygnaran clipper ship
designs. Smaller and less well-armed than the vessels built
in Ancient Icthier, these vessels are often crewed by a mix
of Idrian and Sulese sailors. Aspiring Protectorate captains
who wish to acquire their own vessels are wise to check the
inner dock; with enough resources and the ability to prove
their merit, such captains will find that the harbormasters
of Sul are able to provide swift and aggressive vessels at a
relatively low cost.
Individuals
Priest Alvus Ecan: Priest Alvus Ecan has profited greatly
from the steady stream of smugglers, pirates, and other
ne’er-do-wells that come to Sul by river and sea. Greedy
and corrupt, Ecan uses his position as a priest to pressure
faithful Sul-Menites into acting as his assistants in his
criminal enterprise. Those who refuse to do so, or any who
threaten to undermine Ecan’s extralegal activities, have
evidence of heresy fabricated against them and are given
over to the scrutators.
Ecan often purchases the ill-gotten cargos of pirate vessels
in order to sell them again in cloistered black markets in Sul.
Through his proxies, he is willing to purchase virtually any
cargo, though he tries to keep the prices as low as possible.
The priest will also sell from his storehouses of contraband
and will even go so far as to plunder the city of its caches of
firebombs, swords, and other weapons intended for mobs of
holy zealots.
Protectorate
Waters
The Protectorate of Menoth shares its access to the Meredius,
the Gulf of Cygnar, with Cygnar. Its waters are thick with
trade ships, Cygnaran patrols, and elements of the Cryxian
pirate fleet. The Protectorate’s control is limited to only a
short distance from its own shores, beyond which the more
powerful navies hold sway.
While most of the gulf is shielded from powerful storms, the
southwestern coast of the Protectorate is more exposed to the
temperamental weather of Caen’s seas. Tropical winds from
the Southern Ocean blow in occasional hurricanes that churn
the gulf beyond Bloodshore Island. The winds here are fickle,
and during the hot season, doldrums can rob all the wind
from a ship’s sails—not a problem for Cygnaran steam and
sail hybrids but deadly to the simpler craft of the Protectorate.
Deadsands Bay
The Deadsands Bay is an oddity within the Gulf of Cygnar.
While the lands surrounding the gulf, specifically along
the Cygnaran coast, are vibrant and lush with vegetation,
the coastline of the Protectorate forms a vast horizon of
desert, and the Deadsands Bay is no exception. The sandy,
cracked, clay of the shore is a ruddy, reddish-brown color,
in contrast to the Protectorate’s typical yellow and white
sandy shores. Some academics believe the coloration is due
to underground vents of Menoth’s Fury along the coastline,
while more superstitious sailors call it a stain on the land left
by innocent blood spilled by the Protectorate.
The Deadsands Bay is also a graveyard of wrecked ships.
Frequent storms and treacherous reefs cause ships to sink
off the coast of the Deadsands Bay all year round. Any time
a storm or accident wrecks and sinks a ship, within days
its cracked and weathered shell washes up on the shores of
the bay.
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Optional: Sickened Sea
Characters who spend time in Menoth’s Chalice can
become afflicted by their time in the cursed waters of
Acrennia.
If the Game Master chooses to use this rule, for each day
or portion of a day a character spends in the bay, roll a
d6 and consult the following table. Add +1 to the roll for
each day spent in the bay after the first. The Game Master
can choose to roll once to determine the effects on a whole
crew or roll individually for each PC.
Each of these effects fade with time spent away from
Menoth’s Chalice. When a number of days greater than
what the character spent in Menoth’s Chalice passes, the
character is no longer under the effects of Sickened Sea.
Sickened Sea Table
2D6 Roll Weather
1–5 No effect
6–7 Paranoia
8–9 Delusional
10+ Cursed
Cursed: Some black stain lingers on the character. The
taint of Acrennia’s accursed bay seems to foul the weather,
spoil food and drink, turn friends hostile, and unravel
even the best-laid plans. Until the curse lifts, once per
day the Game Master can choose to force the character to
reroll one or more dice from any roll. Reroll this result if
the character is already Cursed.
Delusional: The character experiences sights and sounds
that do not exist and is convinced they are real. These
delusions can take many forms, from hearing the voices
of unseen people night and day to seeing ships that do not
exist on the waves. The character is utterly convinced these
delusions are real and perceives attempts to dissuade him
as insulting at best. At worst, the character may believe
his “friends” are conspiring against him or are even mad
themselves. Reroll this result if the character is already
Delusional.
Paranoid: The character becomes paranoid and
suspicious of others. When the character attempts to
use non-Intimidation social skills, the character must
first make a successful Willpower roll against a target
number of 15. If the Willpower roll fails, the character
rolls one fewer die on social rolls. Reroll this result if the
character is already Paranoid.
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Idrians living in villages farther inland haul the vessels
up from the beach to strip them of goods and disassemble
them for their timbers, a rare commodity in the area. A
graveyard of disassembled wrecks— some of them many
centuries old—lines the shore. Some sailors have claimed
to see specters haunting these ships and wandering the
shoreline, but these are often considered exhaustion-
induced hallucinations.
Menoth’s Chalice
Better known as Acrennia Bay outside the Protectorate,
Menoth’s Chalice is a deeply sheltered bay. A high coastal bar
to the south protects it from the worst tropical storms, and
steep rock walls flank the bay’s narrow mouth. The Gadrah
River flows into the bay from the north. In antiquity, this fresh
water was used to feed Acrennia’s aqueducts and farmland.
Before the fall of Acrennia, the bay hosted a vast fleet of
ships and burgeoned with marine life, providing ample food
for the local populace. Since the ancient city’s destruction,
however, the bay is considered as accursed as the ruins on its
shores. The once-abundant sea life has vanished, and a pale
bed of silt has filled the bottom of the bay. Bones of old ships
hide in that silt, marked only by the jagged splinters of their
masts protruding from it. The shells of long-dead barnacles
cover the wreckage, making them hazardous obstacles to
any vessel brave enough to enter the Chalice. That these
wrecks have neither rotted away entirely nor been claimed
by hungry sea worms speaks of some unknown dark power
that holds sway over the dead bay.
Crews who seek to defy the laws of the Protectorate have
sometimes used Menoth’s Chalice as a hiding place. No
devout crews would sail into its waters, and the land
surrounding the ruined city is abandoned for leagues in
every direction. Despite being hidden from the eyes of the
scrutators, those who anchor in Menoth’s Chalice often sense
that they are being watched and that the spirits haunting the
ruined city nearby hunger for their destruction.
Harber & Sithney Rivers
Other than the Black River at Sul, the Harber and Sithney
Rivers are the two major waterways in the Protectorate
that carry goods and people. The Harber River lies near
Ancient Icthier and reaches to the booming mining industry
surrounding the city, while the Sithney River in the north
stretches to the Lion’s Teeth Mountains and the mining
operations there. Diamonds and ore are carried downstream
either to waypoints on the Burning Road or to Icthier and, less
often, out to sea. Monks from the Monastery of the Order of
the Fist sometimes use the Sithney River for transportation,
slipping aboard ships hauling ore to Sul or Imer.
Protectorate
Career Options
New careers options available to Iron Kingdoms Full Metal
Fantasy characters are described below. A player can choose
to use as many career options as he wishes during character
creation and can take some or all of the options for which his
character meets the requirements.

Errant Marine (Exemplar/Marine)

Exemplar marines are a special order of errants whose
members serve aboard the few warships in the Protectorate
fleet. Theirs is a fledgling order, and those who feel the
calling are eager to prove their usefulness and proficiency.
Trained to defend against enemy boarders and protect
their valuable ships with the same fervency they serve the
priesthood, Exemplar marines are an invaluable element of
any Protectorate crew.

Exemplar marines are proficient with the weapons of the

errants, such as the blessed crossbow, but the conditions
under which they serve sometimes require a different set
of skills. The seas of Caen are filled with great predatory
beasts that can damage a vessel, and traditional weapons
are less effective at dealing with them. For that reason, some
Exemplar marines train rigorously to fight with larger and
more powerful bows, effectively a cross between a crossbow
and a harpoon gun similar to the arcus used by skorne
Cataphracts. After first encountering the skorne weapon,
the pattern was adapted to grant the marines a new and
effective weapon.

On occasion, Exemplar marines are tasked to serve aboard

other vessels, such as the ships of the Idrian corsairs or
privateers. This is almost always done to ensure that some
critical mission is completed to the satisfaction of the priest
caste. The Exemplar code and the strict discipline of the
marines sometimes causes friction with the crewmen they
serve alongside, but they are resolute in their commitment
to see their tasks completed.

Only a character who begins the game with the Exemplar

and Marine careers can be an Exemplar Marine.

A character taking this option:

• Starts the game with the Sanguine Bond and Specialization

(Lawbringer Crossbow) or Specialization (Hand Arbalest)
abilities but does not start with the Righteous Anger Mighty
archetype benefit.

• Adds the Repel Boarders! and Fast Rearm (Hand Arbalest)

abilities to the character’s career list of potential abilities.

• Starts the game with the Crossbow 1, Hand Weapon 2, and

Shield 1 skills but does not start with any other military skills.

• Begins with a Lawbringer Crossbow (with ten blessed

bolts) or Hand Arbalest, a shield, and a sword but does not
begin with a relic blade.

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Idrian Corsair (Pirate)

The Protectorate’s true sea power is the fearless Idrians who
ride the waves. Sailing swift fleets of small ships, the corsairs
acquire vast amounts of wealth from treasure-heavy trade
vessels, wage fierce battles against Cryxian raider ships,
and help to defend the Protectorate’s vulnerable coastline.
Organized into small flotillas the Idrians treat as tribes, the
corsairs make their lives on the sea.

Because they are constantly outgunned by the enemies they

face, Idrian corsairs have adopted a fearless—and, some would
argue, foolhardy—approach to battle. They sail in small fleets
of a half-dozen or more boats, and use speed, numbers, and
maneuverability to close with the enemy. Weathering cannon
and rifle fire, corsairs are known to launch fierce boarding
actions as multiple vessels gang up on a single target. Howling
corsairs flood over the gunwale of their prey at a dozen
different points, each man or woman a terrifying and deadly
threat. Idrian corsairs have adapted traditional Idrian fighting
styles to better suit the conditions of fighting on an enemy ship.
Each is a whirling dervish who fights with a kopis in hand,
using the quick blade in close quarters to cut down squads of
better-disciplined and trained marines.

Experienced corsairs can become sea-chiefs, the leaders of

their own sailing “tribes.” Only respected captains can hope to
draw enough other corsairs together under the same banner,
and competition for leadership is fierce. A sea-chief can be
challenged at any time by the captain of another vessel. A sea-
chief who refuses to meet the challenge, be it a bloody kopis
duel or a test of nautical prowess, loses his station. Worse, if a
former sea-chief is seen as a coward, his crew may leave him
marooned on one of the inhospitable desert islands that speckle
the coastline, dooming him to a slow and maddening death.

Only Idrian characters can be Idrian Corsairs.

A character taking this option:

• Starts the game with the Specialization (Kopis) but does

not start with Specialization (Cutlass).

• Adds the Dervish ability to the character’s career list of

potential abilities.

New Abilities
Dervish
Prerequisite: Hand Weapon 2, AGL 5

If there are more enemy characters than friendly characters

within 2˝ of this character, this character gains an additional
attack on turns he chooses to attack.

Repel Boarders!
Prerequisite: Hand Weapon or Great Weapon 2

Enemy characters within this character’s melee range roll 1

fewer die on Climbing and Jumping skill rolls. An enemy
character cannot be placed in this character’s melee range
by the Jumping skill.

108
New Gear
Hand Arbalest
Cost: 125 gc
Ammo: 1
Effective Range: 48 feet (8˝)
Extreme Range: —
Skill: Crossbow
Attack Modifier: –2
POW: 12
AOE: —
Description: A weapon exclusive to the Exemplar marines, the
hand arbalest was created after Knights Exemplar encountered
the skorne in battle. Some errants, impressed by the unusual
weapon of the Arcuarii, recovered their armament from the
battlefield and experimented with versions forged by Sul-
Menite weaponsmiths. Though the weapon did not experience
wide appeal among the errants, it was the perfect solution for
the nascent order of Exemplar marines.
Similar in design to a crossbow, the hand arbalest hurls a
tempered harpoon nearly fifty feet. A lightweight but strong
chain attached to the harpoon allows the user to wrench his
target forward, often into the crushing space between ships
locked in a boarding action or into the sea. A marine can also
use the arbalest to wrench a target close enough to strike
down with the weapon’s blade.
Special Rules: A hand arbalest requires two hands and
takes a full action to rearm.
If this weapon damages an enemy with a base size equal to
or smaller than the attacker’s, immediately after the attack is
resolved, the damaged character can be pushed any distance
directly toward the attacker.
After pushing the target, the character can spend 1 feat
point to immediately make a melee attack with the weapon.
When used as a melee weapon, this weapon has reach,
requires STR 6, has an attack modifier of –1, is POW 5, and
uses the Great Weapon skill.
Menoth’s Rebuke
Cost: 450 gc
Ammo: 6
Effective Range: SP 10
Extreme Range: —
Skill: Heavy Artillery
Attack Modifier: –2
POW: 14
AOE: —
Description: While short-ranged compared to most naval
artillery, the weapon called Menoth’s Rebuke is nonetheless
devastating. Able to spray pressurized gouts of flaming
Menoth’s Fury, the weapon is equally effective at destroying
a ship’s sails and rigging, eliminating its crew, or simply
setting the vessel ablaze to burn down to its waterline.
Menoth’s Rebuke is exclusive to the Protectorate’s own ships.
Potentate Colten zealously protects this weapon and does
not permit it to be used aboard privateer or Idrian vessels,
as it is viewed as a major tactical advantage. Should it be
necessary for one of His Holiness’ ships to bring a privateer
or corsair vessel to heel, it will be the curtains of blazing
flame that perform the task.
Special Rules: This weapon causes fire damage. Targets hit
suffer the Fire continuous effect.
Due to the slow rate of its fuel-pump mechanism, this
weapon can be fired only once per round.
It costs 60 gc for each canister of fuel.
Skyhammer Deck Gun
Cost: 150 gc
Ammo: 3
Effective Range: 96 feet (16˝)
Extreme Range: —
Skill: Heavy Artillery
Attack Modifier: –4
POW: 12
AOE: 3
Description: Able to launch a volley of skyhammer
rockets at an enemy ship, the skyhammer deck gun
replaces traditional cannons on most warships of
Protectorate manufacture. The skyhammer deck gun uses a
simultaneous ignition to propel several skyhammer rockets
at once, relying on a wide dispersion to make up for the
rockets’ wild inaccuracy.
Due to the great amount of fire produced by a volley,
crewmen must stand by to douse flames on the deck of
the ship. Failure to do so can be catastrophic, particularly
in prolonged engagements when whole broadsides of
rockets are fired time and again. This duty is so important,
dereliction of it is punishable by death.
As with all skyhammer weapons, the unpredictable rockets
are sometimes a greater danger to those who wield them
than to their intended targets, but that does not stop the
brave maritime deliverers who operate the weapons.
Special Rules: On an attack roll of all 1s, one or more
rockets explode in the weapon, destroying the weapon and
likely seriously injuring the character trying to fire it. If a
rocket explodes in the weapon, center a 3˝ AOE on the firing
character. The firing character suffers a POW 12 damage
roll. Anyone else caught in the blast suffers a POW 6 blast
damage roll.
A ship firing a skyhammer deck gun without a crewman
standing by to douse the flames suffers d3 damage points
each time the skyhammer deck gun is fired.
After determining the point of impact of the attack, roll
deviation for two additional 3˝ AOEs centered on that point.
Characters in an AOE are hit and suffer a POW 6 blast
damage roll.
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