Remember last time I talked about the weapons the Elder Races used before their own personal apocalypses? Well, I'm sure you knew that there would be more, right? Good, I'm glad we see eye to eye.
The Breath of Thunder
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| Close enough! |
For long millennia, the lizardmen's marshland empire required no better ranged weapons than small bows, javelins or their favorite weapon, the blowgun. Since most of the swamp-jungle warfare that the saurials engaged in occurred at very close range, long bows and artillery weapons were illogical choices for them, but their long-darted "breath of the serpent" blowguns rained death upon the saurials' enemies for nearly two thousand years until their alchemists developed a chemical propellant and explosive called "thunder sand" and applied this discovery to the blow gun. The first "breath of thunder" weapons used thunder sand-filled pellets as ammunition that would explode upon contact, but the inevitable conflicts between the lizardmen and the elves and serpentmen required longer-range weapons and the saurials developed a version of the breath of thunder that used thunder sand for both a propellant and an explosive, effectively creating the world's first firearms. Over a millennium of innovation and invention, the breath of thunder was refined and perfected into the weapon in its most common form: a long rifle-like weapon that fires an explosive round,is accurate at ranges well over a mile. The sighting mechanisms on later breath of thunder weapons were usually powered, meaning that they've usually long since lost all ability to influence the wielder's targeting ability, but if the mechanism is powered, all penalties for firing at range are negated. A short-barreled assault version of the weapon was constructed as well, once an automatic fire mechanism was perfected, which sprays a large area (30' by 30') with breath of thunder rounds. Breath of thunder weapons hold ten attacks' worth of ammunition (whether single shots from the sniper rifle version or area bursts from the assault rifle version), after which they must be reloaded (which requires a movement action to do if a full magazine is at hand, two full rounds if no magazines are ready). Breath of Thunder Sniper Rifle: 4d6!R damage*, Range 100/200/400**. Breath of Thunder Assault Rifle: 2d6!R damage*, Range --/60/120***. *!R means that the dice expression explodes (if the maximum value of a die is rolled, that die is rolled again and added to the total) and raises (the die type is increased; thus a d6 becomes a d7). Thus, if 1d6!R is rolled and the result is a 6, 1d7 is then also rolled and added to the total. **All creatures within 10' of the target must make a Reflex save (DC = attack roll) or take half damage from the attack. If the target was missed, it must also make this Reflex save. *** The wielder may make an attack roll against all targets within a 30' by 30' area within range, who must all succeed on a Reflex save (DC = attack roll against them) or take damage. This weapon may not be used at shorter than medium range.
Reality Shredder
The serpent men of Kickassistan are well-known for their brand of super-science that borders closely on the realm of magic, if indeed these two may be separated. As the ophidians unraveled the mysteries of space and time, the Scientist Kings commissioned ever more twisted weaponry with which to fight their rivals and subjugate would-be slave races. One such device was the Mind Detonator, the devastating weapon that bridged a victim's consciousness to dark dimensions of chaotic thought that would shred not just the victim's sanity, but also his mind. Another was fiendish weapon known as the Reality Shredder, a ray projector that would unhinge the victim from reality and slowly disperse his being across multiple different dimensions, some parallel, some decidedly not. The wielder of a reality shredder makes a normal missile fire attack roll against the target, which is resisted by the target's Reflex save. On a successful hit, the target takes 1d6!R* (see above) damage and a roll must be made on the following table (1d6):
1 - Strength damage 1d4!R; -2 penalty to melee attacks for 1d4 rounds.
2 - Agility damage 1d4!R; -2 penalty to missile fire attacks for 1d4 rounds.
3 - Stamina damage 1d4!R; Fortitude save (DC = attack roll) or paralyzed for 1d4 rounds.
4 - Intelligence damage 1d4!R; unable to take actions or communicate with others for 1d4 rounds.
5 - Personality damage 1d4!R; Will save (DC = attack roll) or unable to cast spells or use spell-like effects for 1d4 rounds.
6 - Luck damage 1d4!R. What, that wasn't bad enough?
As per normal healing, all ability score damage dealt by the Reality Shredder is recovered at a rate of 1 point per day.
1 - Strength damage 1d4!R; -2 penalty to melee attacks for 1d4 rounds.
2 - Agility damage 1d4!R; -2 penalty to missile fire attacks for 1d4 rounds.
3 - Stamina damage 1d4!R; Fortitude save (DC = attack roll) or paralyzed for 1d4 rounds.
4 - Intelligence damage 1d4!R; unable to take actions or communicate with others for 1d4 rounds.
5 - Personality damage 1d4!R; Will save (DC = attack roll) or unable to cast spells or use spell-like effects for 1d4 rounds.
6 - Luck damage 1d4!R. What, that wasn't bad enough?
As per normal healing, all ability score damage dealt by the Reality Shredder is recovered at a rate of 1 point per day.