Ranged Armaments Szard'ir - "Thunderpike"

Discussion in 'Approved' started by Exon, Feb 3, 2022.

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  1. Exon

    Exon Galactic Enforcer

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    Szard'ir
    "Thunderpike", literally "Warrior's Thunder"

    [​IMG]
    A Szard'ir of a design typical to the city-state of Kalat'shal. Art by MaskedHero.

    Description/Mechanics:
    The ranged armaments of Arcoszard vary greatly in their design, but certain design elements are common to most. Given the Arcoszard propensity to use polearms, ordinarily, their less-compact ranged weapons are mounted at the end of such polearms, and, often, the entire weapon will be grown around it. Most often, they fire needles using an air "spitting" system, whereby the weapon breathes air into its lungs through a dorsal port, then exhales through a barrel system, using built pressure behind a spine or needle grown within the weapon itself to fling a projectile.

    Given the nature of this system, the resulting projectile does not fire particularly forcefully; however, most often, each of them will also carry a small venom-sac - usually matched to its user's own in the case of an Arcoszard handler - within its body, alongside a muscular injection mechanism within each spine, which allows the weapon to fire entirely-functional "stingers" at range. This is moderately effective against unarmored targets, equivalent to being hit with your little cousin's Nerf darts that he modified with sewing needles if you happen to be immune to the venom, but completely useless against any level of armor.

    Visually, most polearm Szard'ir will have what appears to be a long, fused, humanoid spine for a haft, ordinarily wrapped in leather around grip points, and will have a main "body" at its tip. This body usually has its blade and barrel in-line with each other, but offset in such a manner that the blade does not interfere with firing. The main body of a Szard'ir is ordinarily plated in either smaller, reptilian scales, or larger, osseous plates integrated into its bone structure, not unlike a turtle, designed for use as a blunt force weapon. Often, the "pelvic" end of the weapon has a smaller, secondary blade, though this is not consistent.

    Alternate, "pistol" or "dagger" designs are often carried by government officials and generals for personal defense; a dagger design will usually have a body contained entirely within its grip, and a similarly offset blade; daggers are even more subject to breaking than average as a result, simply because its usual material (bone) is so relatively fragile in small quantities. Pistols, on the other hand, have no melee weapon, ordinarily.

    Ordinarily, firing the weapon is achieved by squeezing a particular, modified vertebra, usually near to the body of the weapon, or in a natural finger-resting location on smaller designs, forcing a nervous impulse within the weapon and firing it. This may vary, and different trigger locations are not unheard of, though they are often intuitive and well-placed for general users.

    Individual "enhanced" Szard'ir can sometimes be found with blades and reinforced hafts made or augmented with offworld metals such as durasteel, usually in the hands of the richest officials and military leaders on all of Arcoszard, though they are also more common in such a state in the hands of offworlders.

    Abilities:
    Can shoot, can usually stab. Probably impressive to certain species, definitely leaves an impression on most Arcoszard if an offworlder carries one. Can heal from damage and regenerate lost body parts, though it may take some time.

    Conditional Abilities:

    Like most Arcoszard technology, is alive and thus immune to EMPs. By a practiced hand, can be put into a temporary "hibernation" state, allowing it to go without food, water or any other form of sustenance for up to two months, but preventing it from being fired within that time, and it awakens somewhat ravenous.

    Limitations:
    Like most Arcoszard technology, it is alive and must be fed, watered, generally cared for like an immobile animal and is not immune to such conditions as hypothermia, exsanguination, suffocation, drowning, depressurization and other things that would kill a terrestrial animal. Not a particularly effective weapon in any field relative to either ranged or melee weapons developed offworld. Even enhanced variants, using metal blades and reinforced spines, have difficulty competing relative to offworld answers to melee combat, and it is completely outclassed by offworld ranged weaponry and armor.

    Flavor text:
    Since time immemorial have the Arcoszard made use of organic weaponry and tools, and the greatest evolution of this is the greatly versatile Szard'ir; polearms made in the mold of this style of weapon often may slash through exposed flesh, puncture the light armor common to Arcoszard troops and bludgeon any heavier armor to turn the armor itself into a weapon in the fashion of a mace or similar. Though they have not and likely will never be adopted offworld due to their inferior materials, they are the standard among the more well-equipped Arcoszard militaries and the honor guard of most government officials.

    Attainability: Open, if only because Arcoszard tech sees a certain amount of export.

    Tags: [Military], [Genetic], [Racial]

    Category: Ranged Armaments
     
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  2. Khaos

    Khaos Purple Man Impervium Donator

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    First pass.
     
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  3. 9K

    9K Galactic Officer Staff Member Administrator Diamond Donator

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    Passed.
     
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