TheGatesOfCreation/AlchemicalShot

Alchemical Shot

The unusual properties of firedust have been known since long before the Primordial War. It wasn’t until after that great conflict had concluded that deeper research into this incredibly flammable material was able to reveal its true usefulness. The Essence trapped within the strange, golden-black dust is fierce and undirected, but when treated with the proper alchemical reagents it can be transmuted into a bewildering array of materials. Unfortunately, this knowledge remained unapplied until an artificer whose name is long since lost invented the plasma tongue repeater (and later the fuel bolt launcher), a weapon specifically designed to channel the transformed Essence of alchemically-treated firedust. The following types of alchemical shot are just some of the many types that have been created – all of them use the same basic thaumaturgical ritual and have the same costs.

Air

Ghost-Killing Shot – this shot has tiny fragments of bone and crystalised prayer mixed in with the transmuted firedust, rendering it capable of striking spirits and other immaterial beings but the power of the almost invisible blast of flame is significantly weakened by this. This shot allows the user to attack dematerialised creatures, although it grants no power to perceive them, at the cost of reducing the weapon’s Damage caused by half (round up).

Rushing Wind Shot – particles of air harvested from the tops of the highest peaks are blended with the alchemical mixture of this shot, and the white flame that it produces bursts from the barrel at a much higher speed, increasing the distance at which the target can be struck, at the expense of being far harder to aim beyond the normal distance. Attacks made with this shot the gain medium and long ranges (complete with concomitant penalties) enjoyed by other ranged weapons.

Earth

Grounding Shot – made with cold iron shavings and rock fragments from the side of the Imperial Mountain, this steel-grey of flame from the barrel that this shot causes is inimical to the creatures of chaos that dwell in the Deep Wyld, but the flame is heavy and slow, thus losing range. This shot causes the attack to be treated as if it were made with cold iron, at the cost of halving its Range.

Razorglass Shot – using shards of obsidian harvested from the volcanoes around Gem or fragments of Chiaroscuro glass this alchemical compound causes the needle-fine blast of silver fire that erupts from the barrel to punch through most armour as if it were no more than paper, but it requires far greater precision on the part of its wielder. Razorglass shot causes the weapon to inflict Piercing damage, but reduces the Accuracy of the attack by 2.

Fire

Conflagration Shot – the first type of alchemical shot created, this treatment concentrates the Essence within the firedust, causing it to burn hotter and brighter when finally unleashed, giving a +4L bonus to the damage inflicted by the weapon. This type of shot is similar enough to normal firedust that it can be used in a mundane flamepiece, although this reduces the damage bonus to +2L.

Thunderflash Shot – the treated firedust is infused with dust from diamonds and other precious gemstones, giving the pellet a glimmer in direct light. When fired it detonates with a tremendous flash of light and a crack of thunder, throwing the target off-balance. The shot causes normal damage to the target and inflicts a -1 external penalty to all actions and DVs that lasts to the end of the target’s next pass. The effect of multiple thunderflash shots is cumulative.

Water

Stormwave Shot – made with sand taken from beaches that are regularly wracked by storms, this shot creates a rush of cool, blue-black fire from the weapon, striking its target with tremendous but dispersed force, almost ensuring that they are sent flying backwards. This alchemical shot increases the difficulty to resist knockback to 4 and doubles the distance the target is thrown if they fail, but the blast only inflicts Bashing damage against animate targets.

Arctic Wave Shot – made with ice seaspray taken from ships that sail the far Northwest, the frozen flame leaves the barrel coated with rime and renders its targets shivering and chilled to the bone, but those with a strong constitution can resist its effect. A target struck with this shot suffers from a cumulative -1 internal penalty on all actions unless they spend a miscellaneous action (5/-1) to warm themselves. Should the penalty equal or exceed the target’s Stamina he must spend his next action warming himself to the exclusion of all else. Warm and/or thick clothing can mitigate the effect, and allows the shot’s damage to be soaked to 0.

Wood

Lifebloom Shot – mixed with fresh shoots from the Uttermost East and sprinkled with the first tears shed by a newborn baby, the green flame this shot creates is filled with the very essence of life, rendering it deadly against the forces of the Underworld. The weapon loaded with lifebloom shot inflicts Aggravated damage on the Dead (with the exception of Deathlords and Abyssal Exalted), but will not harm the living.

Nightshade Shot – the most dangerous type of alchemical shot to make, the pellet is infused with poisons from all across Creation and even the slightest whiff of it can render a mortal sick for days. Its flame is a murky purple and it lingers around those struck, inflicting three levels of Lethal damage at the start of the target’s next pass unless he can make a reflexive (Stamina + Resistance) test against a difficulty of 3, but halves the weapon’s normal Damage (round up). A flurry used against a single target increases the number of levels inflicted by 1 for each extra hit, but does not change the difficulty to resist.