A blade never jams. A gun never parries. Choose what you carry, and carry what you trust.

Every item in this chapter has a Tier column — that’s the Cost Tier from the economy system. If the tier is at or below your Station, you can own it. If it’s above your Station, you’ll need to reach for it — a patron request, a favour, or a Station Check. Gear provided by your patron through Backing bypasses cost tiers entirely, but it’s issued, not owned.

Melee Weapons

Category	Speed	Damage	Tier	Examples
Unarmed	2	1d3+BR	—	Punch, kick
Small	2	1d4	1	Knife, dagger
Light	3	1d6	1	Short sword, hatchet, club
Medium	5	1d8+1	2	Longsword, battle axe, mace
Heavy	7	1d10+1	2	Bastard sword, morning star
Great	9	2d6	3	Greatsword, halberd

Ranged Weapons (Martial)

Martial ranged weapons are immune to magic zone interference. Crossbows require reloading; bows do not. The reliable option when the Aether is thick.

Weapon	Speed	Damage	Tier	Notes
Light Ranged	5	1d6	1	Short bow, sling
Medium Ranged	7	1d8+1	2	Longbow
Light Crossbow	7	2d6	2	Reload 3
Heavy Crossbow	10	3d6	3	Reload 5

Modern Firearms

Firearms have three stats that melee weapons don't. Capacity is how many shots before you need to reload. Reload is how many counts that takes on the timing track. Reliability is how resistant the weapon is to malfunction — higher is better. A revolver at 95 has only a 5% chance of jamming on any given shot. A tommy gun at 70 has a 30% chance even in clean air. When the Aetheric balance tips against technology, that chance climbs fast.

Firing a gun is a two-step process: first check Reliability (does the weapon fire?), then roll Ranged (does the shot hit?). The weapon has to work before your aim matters. Reliability is always checked — even in a clean environment. A tommy gun jams whether or not there's magic in the air. See The Malfunction System for the full rules.

Weapon	Speed	Damage	Capacity	Reload	Reliability	Tier
Holdout Pistol	2	1d6	2	2	95	1
Revolver	3	2d6	6	3	95	2
Semi-Auto Pistol	3	2d6	8	2	85	2
Heavy Pistol	4	2d8	6	3	90	2
Rifle	6	2d10	5	4	95	2
Carbine	5	2d8	8	5	90	2
Shotgun	4	3d6	2	2	95	2
Combat Shotgun	5	3d6	5	4	85	3
Submachine Gun	5	3d6/burst	50	3	70	3

Galvanic Weapons

Galvanic weapons channel forces from the Engine — crystal capacitors, voltaic cells, resonance chambers. They hit different. They also break different. Each one has an Galvanic rating that determines how hard it pushes the balance toward tech when fired.

Unlike conventional firearms, every Galvanic weapon is unique. They are prototype-level technology — acquired through faction connections, black markets, salvage, or theft. Think of them as the tech side's answer to spells: each one has its own personality, strengths, and risks.

Galvanic Ranged

Pneumatic Flechette

Speed 3 · 1d10 · Cap 12 · Reload 2 · Rel 70 · Galvanic 1
Compressed-air needle gun. Fires a burst of razor-thin darts that shred soft tissue. Silent — no audible report. Piercing: ignores 2 points of Martial soak. Useless against plate, devastating against flesh.

Arc Gun

Speed 4 · 2d8 · Cap 6 · Reload 3 · Rel 65 · Galvanic 2
Voltaic sidearm that hurls a crackling bolt of electricity between two prongs. Arcing: on a critical hit, the bolt jumps to one adjacent target for half damage (no additional hit roll). Shocking: ignores 2 points of Ballistic soak from metal armor. Lightning finds the gaps.

Galvanic Lance

Speed 7 · 3d8 · Cap 3 · Reload 5 · Rel 55 · Galvanic 3
A shoulder-braced cannon that projects a searing beam of concentrated Galvanic energy. Lancing: the beam passes through the primary target and strikes one target directly behind for half damage. Suppressing: +1 to Aetheric rating per shot. Unstable: malfunction severity +2 instead of +1. Magnificent until it detonates.

Spark Thrower

Speed 4 · 2d6 · Cap 8 · Reload 3 · Rel 65 · Galvanic 2
Short-range weapon that belches a cone of electrical discharge. Scatter: +1d6 damage at Close range, −1d6 at Far. Arcing: on a critical hit, the discharge jumps to one adjacent target for half damage. Crowds hate this thing.

Galvanic Melee

Force Blade

Speed 3 · 1d8+BR · 10 charges · Rel 60 · Galvanic 1 per charge
A short sword with a voltaic edge that hums when activated. Each swing expends a charge. Armor Breaker: reduce the target's Martial soak by 3. The resonant edge finds seams in plate and shears through chain. Recharges overnight or at a power source. Uses Melee skill.

Shock Gauntlet

Speed 2 · 1d6+BR · 10 charges · Rel 60 · Galvanic 1 per charge
A brass-knuckle frame laced with capacitor wire. Each punch delivers a jolt. Stun: on a hit, the target's next action costs +2 speed as their muscles seize. Shocking: ignores 2 points of Ballistic soak from metal armor. Getting punched by lightning is as bad as it sounds. Uses Brawl skill.

Voltaic Whip

Speed 4 · 1d6+BR · 10 charges · Rel 55 · Galvanic 1 per charge
A segmented metal cord that crackles with stored energy. Long reach, hard to control. Reach: strikes at Near range, not just Close. Entangling: on hit, the target's next action costs +2 speed. Arcing: on a critical hit, the discharge jumps to one adjacent target for half damage. Uses Melee skill.

Weapon Tags

Tags describe what a weapon does beyond raw numbers. A longsword with Parrying plays differently than one without. A sawn-off shotgun is a different animal than the full-length version.

Melee Tags

Tag	Effect
Concealable	Can be hidden on your person without detection.
Throwable	Can be thrown at Near range using Ranged skill. +2 speed, one die step lower damage.
Reach	Can strike targets one step farther than normal melee — useful for holding doorways.
Piercing	Ignores 2 points of Martial soak.
Crushing	Armor degradation chance is 50% instead of 25%. Armor hates this.
Parrying	+10% to active defense when using Melee to defend.
Entangling	On hit, the target's next action costs +2 speed. Whips, chains, nets.
Two-Handed	Requires both hands. Cannot use a shield.
Versatile	Can be wielded one-handed (normal damage) or two-handed (one die step up).

Firearm Tags

Tag	Effect
Reliable	+5 effective Reliability in magic zones. Built tough.
Quick Reload	Reload time is halved (round down).
Loud	Audible for a great distance. Draws attention.
Quiet	Suppressed or inherently silent. Won't alert distant enemies.
Scatter	+1d6 damage at Close range, -1d6 at Far. Devastating up close, weak at distance.
Burst	Consumes 3 ammo per shot. Already factored into damage.
Accurate	No penalty at Far range. +5% on aimed shots.
Sawn-Off	-1 speed, -1 die step on damage, gains Concealable. A hacksaw's bargain.

Galvanic Keyword Reference

Galvanic weapons use the following keywords. Each weapon's description lists which ones apply.

Keyword	Effect
Arcing	On critical hit, discharge jumps to one adjacent target for half damage.
Armor Breaker	Reduce target's Martial soak by 3 for this attack.
Lancing	Beam passes through primary target to one target directly behind for half damage.
Shocking	Ignores 2 points of Ballistic soak from metal armor. Lightning finds the gaps.
Silent	No audible report whatsoever. The target drops and nobody hears why.
Stun	On hit, target's next action costs +2 speed as muscles seize.
Suppressing	+1 to weapon's Galvanic rating per shot. Pushes the balance harder.
Unstable	On malfunction, severity roll gets +2 instead of +1. Handle with care.

Armor

The best armor is the kind you never need. The second best is whatever stands between you and the thing trying to kill you.

Armor has two soak ratings. Ballistic absorbs damage from firearms and high-velocity projectiles. Martial absorbs damage from blades, clubs, claws, and other melee attacks. A ballistic vest stops bullets but a knife slides right through. A suit of plate turns a sword but a rifle round punches clean through. Use whichever rating matches the attack.

Degradation rule: if raw damage exceeds the relevant soak rating, there's a 25% chance the armor loses 1 point from that rating permanently. Crushing weapons raise this to 50%. Armor wears down. Every fight costs something.

Medieval Armor

Armor	Ballistic	Martial	Hinder	Tier	Notes
Cloth	0	0	—	0	Better than nothing. Barely.
Heavy Cloth	0	1	—	1	Padded gambeson
Leather	0	2	—	1	Boiled and hardened
Scale	1	3	—	2	Overlapping plates
Chainmail	2	5	—	2	Rings stop blades, not bullets
Half Plate	3	8	1	3	Serious protection, serious weight
Full Plate	4	12	2	4	Walking fortress — against swords

Modern Armor

Armor	Ballistic	Martial	Hinder	Tier	Notes
Leather Jacket	0	1	—	1	Fashionable. Marginally protective.
Trench Coat	1	2	—	1	The adventurer's uniform
Ballistic Vest	8	2	—	3	Stops bullets, not blades
Steel Breastplate	5	6	1	3	Old meets new

Shields

Shield	Ballistic	Martial	Hinder	Notes
Wood Buckler	0	2	—	Light, one-handed
Steel Buckler	1	3	—	Sturdier
Wood Shield	0	5	—	A bullet goes right through
Infantry Shield	2	7	—	Full arm coverage
Kite Shield	3	9	1	Leg-to-shoulder protection
Knight Shield	4	10	2	Tower of steel

Hinder

Heavy armor keeps you alive. It also slows you down. Hinder represents the weight and bulk of what you're wearing. It affects your body, not your mind or your aim.

Each point of Hinder applies -5% to: PC, Athletics, Stealth, and Swimming rolls. It also adds +1 casting speed per point — try weaving a spell in full plate.

Hinder does not affect: Melee, Brawl, Ranged, BR-based rolls, or any mental/social checks. You can still swing a sword in plate. You just can't dodge in it.

Hinder from armor and shields stacks.

Source	Hinder
Half Plate	1
Full Plate	2
Kite Shield	1
Knight Shield	2

Galvanic Oddities

Not every piece of Galvanic technology is a weapon. The Engine powers devices that investigate, protect, communicate, and manipulate the environment.

These are prototype-level technology — rare, expensive, and temperamental. The devices below are representative examples, not an exhaustive catalog. They establish patterns so GMs can create new devices that feel consistent with the world.

Aetheric Compass

Galvanic 0 (passive) · Rel 80 · Always on
Measures local Aetheric balance. The needle swings toward disturbances — stronger magic pulls harder. Investigators use these to trace magical activity to its source, mapping gradients to find the fire from the smoke.

Force Generator

Galvanic −2 per pulse (every 3 counts) · Rel 65 · Sustained
A brass cylinder packed with resonance coils. When activated, it pulses Galvanic force at regular intervals, pushing the Aetheric balance toward tech. Doesn't deal damage or target anyone — it changes the rules of the environment. Destroying it is a valid tactical objective. HP: 8. About 5 lbs.

Resonance Damper

Galvanic 1 (sustained) · Rel 60 · 10 charges (~10 min each)
A harness worn under clothing that generates a tight Galvanic field around the wearer. Reduces incoming magical effects by roughly −15% to their effectiveness. Cult hunters swear by these.

Voltaic Lantern

Galvanic 1 per use · Rel 70 · 10 charges
Projects a beam of tuned Galvanic light that causes magical residue to fluoresce. Hidden wards glow blue. Enchanted objects shimmer. Magical traps become visible as faint outlines. Unlike the spell Reveal, this only shows magical residue — not hidden mundane objects or disguised people.

Galvanic Brace

Galvanic 1 (sustained) · Rel 65 · Sustained (~1 hour before overheat)
An exoskeletal frame of brass rods and voltaic muscle-wire. While active, provides the equivalent of +1 BR for lifting, carrying, and feats of brute strength (not combat damage). Hums loudly — no stealth while wearing one.

Signal Caster

Galvanic 1 per transmission · Rel 70 · 10 transmissions
Sends encoded pulses through Galvanic frequencies. Two paired devices can transmit short messages (a sentence or two) at ranges up to a few city blocks. Works in Wild Zones where conventional radios fail — the Engine signal punches through Aetheric interference.

Vehicles & Conveyance

A horse doesn't care about magic zones. An engine does. Plan your ride home before you enter the Wild Zone.

Vehicles are narrative categories, not stat blocks. How fast is “fast”? Fast enough to outrun someone on foot. The interesting question is always: what's the Aetheric situation where you're going, and will your vehicle work when you get there?

Category	Examples	Speed	Capacity	Zone Vulnerability
Beast	Horse, mule, war dog	Moderate	1–2	None — animals don't have engines
Bicycle/Cart	Bicycle, wagon, rickshaw	Slow–Moderate	1–6	None
Automobile	Touring car, truck, taxi	Fast	2–6	Moderate — engines stall
Motorcycle	Standard, sidecar	Very Fast	1–2	Moderate
Motorboat	Launch, speedboat	Fast	2–8	Moderate — stalling on open water is dangerous
Sailing Vessel	Sailboat, yacht	Slow–Moderate	2–12	None — wind-powered
Personal Airship	Dirigible, gyrocopter	Moderate	1–2	High — a malfunction means a crash
Transport Airship	Passenger, cargo hauler	Slow	10–50	High — very vulnerable at altitude
Military Airship	Gunship, cruiser	Moderate	20–100	High — better engines, still vulnerable
Train	Passenger, freight	Fast	Dozens–hundreds	Moderate — robust but locked to rails