Mage-locks

Summary

Most military technology is kept at a lower level than most related technologies by the will of the gods. This is achieved partially because god and magic-enchanted weapons create a high bar for new military technologies and partially because the gods are known to punish certain non-magical technologies as being too dangerous for mortal society as a whole.

Mage-locks are a sudden invention that remains controversial, but may represent the best way forward for new inventions. Instead of attempting to replicate a lost technology, it instead attempts to leverage what is known about the technologies we have and apply them in a new and very dangerous direction

What is a Mage-Lock

Ancient writings sometimes refer to a common pre-Iatrus technology called a 'rifle' or 'handgun', which was a weapon that propelled a sling-like bullet at high speeds using a compressed explosion inside a barrel pointed at ones enemies. This weapon was apparently quite dangerous for the user, their target, and nearby bystanders alike. Most explosive powders of sufficient quality and force needed for such a weapon are disapproved of by the god-machines, so even recreating such reckless weapons would take multiple steps past what is likely to earn you a curse from the god of the Iatrus.

The mage-lock was originally an attempt to create a magically power crossbow by a Baalkin named Simon Spiketail. He was trying to create something that could deliver a sudden ranged strike like a crossbow, but without the awkwardness of the crossbar that provides the critical tension to launch the bolt. Apparently, Simon was able to obtain at least some inherited knowledge of his people's ancient weapons and found he was trying to solve a lot of the same problems. After converting the stock to match pictures of these ancient weapons and using a full pipe like the riles had, he was able to create the first functional Mage-locks.

The result is not unlike the ancient rifles of yore, except that the shot follows a controlled, constant path that puts even crossbow bolts to shame. The strength of the impact is less than might be expected, but the nearly straight travel path makes for an awe-inspiring accuracy.

How it works

A mage-lock is a combination of two magical components; a pre-inscribed bolt head and a mana-charging 'striker' that the user provides mana to at the moment of reading the shot. When a trigger is pulled, the striker hits the bolthead directly, transferring the mana charge and activating the bolthead's runes. These runes provide a constant 'thrust' throughout the bolthead's travel, creating a surprisingly level path of travel compared to an arrow or crossbow bolt, which only receive thrust at the start of their launch and then bleed the speed and accuracy gradually until the end. Eventually the magic will run out and the bolthead will drop sharply, but at only a fraction of the drop-off other weapons experience.

To use a Mage-lock weapon, the user will have created or purchased a number of pre-inscribed and charged boltheads. These roughly conical bits of metal require a magical charge and physical force to activate, so they are relatively safe to transport - although bad luck and just the right spell could set one off. They are usually loaded into the magelock via an open-breech or sliding breech design, which sits the bolthead in the back of the chamber. The mage then cocks back the Striker (also sometimes called a Hammer) and provides a charge of mana, usually by rubbing their thumb along the length of the striker. Once primed, the weapon is considered live and will fire whenever the trigger is pulled.

Development

Simon Spiketail of Grees (the planet) is the inventor. Normally the planets don't interact much outside of the gods, but examples of his engineering and designs have spread to Dia and potentially, to several other worlds. Whether this is a extremely rare case of smuggling or some plan of the machine-gods it is not clear.

Simon's original prototype is very simple and contains little beyond a wooden stock mated to a simple barrel and trigger. A simple iron sight is welded onto the trigger, which a shooter can sight down to make certain they are aiming the barrel directly at the target.

Reproductions are hand-forged and often feature a lot of delicate artwork to help justify their high price. A Baalkin Magelock may have a striker in the shape of a hammer or Baalkin's clawed hand, with the family name added to the side of the barrel. By contrast, an Elvish noble may have paid for delicate etch work of ivy and symbols of empire added to all the metalwork and may even go for a metal stock.

The Kor have made a habit of adding a sliding level in place of the rear ironsights, allowing some crude calculation for distance and Sea-Dwarves generally add there's to elaborate water-proof scabbards when not in active use.

One area that is seeing exciting development is the boltheads. While most of the bolthead's power and runic space is taken up for propulsion, delicate casters have been able to find enough power and room to add some magical effects, such as flaming or poisoned effects to those struck by the bolts.

Use of the Technology

Mage-locks have slowly spread to every corner of Dia, but their adoption has been somewhat slow. Baalkin see it as a cultural mark of a soldier, and elves and gnomes alike see it as a great equalizer for shorter and less brawny races. Humanii, however, have largely rejected the weapons, comfortably in their traditional weapons and held back by opinions literally built over centuries. Sea-Dwarves initially rejected the weapons, whose moving parts don't do easily in the salt air, but some commando units have come to see it as a great asset in the massive and flat terrain of naval warfare.

It should be noted that adoption of the Mage-lock is much higher amongst soldiers than wardens or hired blades. Militia and soldiery have learned to appreciate the accuracy of the weapon in less-trained hands as well as the advantage of volley fire. Adventurers on the other hand tend to find keeping supplied in boltheads and the risk of running out of mana to be a poor quality in a weapon.