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This section surveys the categories of weaponry on Terra and offers guidance for travelers facing armed threats. Traditional weapons—swords, spears, crossbows, shields—remain in use, upgraded with modern industry. Mechanical weapons, often modified civilian tools like combat chainsaws, combine energy devices and mechanical parts. Automatic weapons self-nock, draw, and release bolts, powered by compressed gas or electricity; energy weapons injure directly through dense energy, mostly experimental.
Launchers fire anything fitting their barrel via hydraulic or pneumatic force. Originium gunpowder, an explosive compound, yields dynamite, bombs, and mines; cannons propel shells with its gases, though small-scale cannons are impractical. Older keton-and-sugar flash powder now serves fireworks and flares. Arts Units let ordinary people cast Arts; newer units contain pre-stored, easy-to-use Arts favored by armed forces.
Guns, developed by the Lateran Sankta, are integrated Arts Unit systems firing etched ammunition with extreme accuracy; Blacksteel Worldwide deploys simplified versions, while Iberia's handcannon is really a gun-shaped Arts Unit releasing shockwaves.
Combat techniques across Iberia, Columbia, and Yan underpin modern fighting styles. Materials include metals, polymers, and composites. Armor is either traditional plating or functional protective clothing; load-bearing equipment aids carrying. Travelers should observe armed militants' uniforms, insignias, and discipline, and generally keep their distance. Raythean Industries assisted the author.
Humanity has invented weapons of every shape and size, and modern military industry divides them into categories by form and function. A basic understanding of them helps one fend off wild animals or judge how dangerous an armed ruffian might be.
Traditional weapons—swords, spears, crossbows, and shields—need no external power and remain widespread today. Modern industry has upgraded them: collapsible handles on larger weapons, constantly improved shield materials and shapes, and cams atop crossbows for increased power.
Following the development of Originium technology, people combined energy devices and mechanical structures into complex weapons. These are normally heavy, noisy, and injure through their mechanical components; many are civilian tools modified for the purpose, such as the combat chainsaw, derived from an ordinary chainsaw through military retrofitting.
"Automatic weapons" are ranged weapons like crossbows that use an automatic mechanism to nock, draw, and release their arrow or bolt. Those performing the entire process automatically are "fully automatic"; those performing only part are "semi-automatic". They are normally powered by compressed gas or electricity.
Energy weapons are currently the most advanced form. Even without Originium Arts, the energy they exploit can cause direct injury. The most common are melee weapons that discharge electricity, though there are reports of long-range weapons firing beams of energy. Many remain experimental, but their power should not be underestimated.
Every place on Terra has its own school of combat technique—Iberian swordsmanship, Columbian crossbow shooting, and the martial arts of Yan. Most focus on unarmed combat or traditional weapons, and modern fighting styles are built upon these skills. Masters may perform battlefield feats that amaze the average person.
Launchers are large-bore devices firing objects via hydraulic or pneumatic systems. With enough force, they can fire anything that fits the barrel, and non-lethal ammunition has been designed for them, making them multi-functional.
Originium gunpowder is a flammable, explosive compound using Originium as a base, normally a fine powder but also liquid or crystal. Improved formulations are called "Originium Dynamite", the basis for bombs and land mines with varied detonation methods. Cannons use pressurized gases from gunpowder explosions to propel shells, usually ignited by an electric spark; the most common shells are high-explosive bullets filled with Originium dynamite. Small-scale cannons are difficult to design; some single-person models exist but are too heavy to be portable. Before Originium gunpowder, industrial keton and sugar produced flash powder, whose low energy density limits it today to fireworks, firecrackers, and signal flares.
Arts Units are necessary for the average person to cast Originium Arts. Traditional units supply casters with Originium energy, some amplifying specific Arts, and can take any form from two-handed staffs to custom-made gloves. Metal smelted with Originium can both cast Arts and serve as a blade. Newer units store a fixed Arts within; anyone with knowledge and training can cast them. These pre-installed Arts are limited but easy to use, and many armed forces carry them.
Guns were first developed by the Lateran Sankta, their primary users. A gun is an extremely accurate, complex integrated Arts Unit system firing etched ammunition, with Originium circuits built into both gun and ammunition. The user must cast Arts to control both simultaneously, rewarded with extreme accuracy, long range, and continuous firepower that overshadow crossbows. Decades of analysis by other powers have slowed to a crawl, though the findings upgraded other weapons and inspired new Arts Units. "Etched ammunition" is the general term for gun ammunition, displaying myriad forms. The Lateran mercenary "Clip", a Blacksteel Worldwide founder, helped its Department of Equipment and Applied Technologies simplify and fabricate guns; performance is significantly reduced, but Blacksteel legally deploys guns as a strength. Iberia's handcannon emulates a gun in appearance and operation but releases shockwaves from Originium propellant—really a new Arts Unit shaped like a gun.
Modern materials include metals such as Oriron and D32 steel; polymers made from plant resins or chitin from beast shells; and composites like glass-fiber-reinforced compound resin, used in only a few regions.
Armor splits into traditional large-plate protection and functional protective clothing of high-strength fabric reinforced with advanced materials; many forces forgo armor for mobility. Load-bearing equipment carries other gear.
When encountering armed militants, observe uniforms, insignias, standardized equipment, races, and discipline to judge their danger—though it is best to stay far from armed individuals. Travelers should bring self-defense equipment and mentally prepare for danger. Finally, thanks are due to Raythean Industries for materials aiding this section.
CHAPTER 2.3
EPIGRAPH
After I had settled on the themes of my writing, a friend wrote to me, proposing that I include in my book some reminders for my readers regarding the threat of violent encounters on the road. Indeed, not all places are as safe as the core plate of a nomadic city or the main roads of Yan. Those who have never set foot in the barrens must prepare for any eventuality, but there exist more than enough travelers' manuals and guidebooks on the market. Therefore, I have decided to instruct our readers on the various weapons and equipment that an individual may carry. With this knowledge, I hope to aid them in their preparation against any dangers that may arise.
Many city folk have already forgotten the perils that lurk on the surface of this land. They bring sleeping bags and kettles, and all sorts of gewgaws that merchant foist upon them to the barrenlands, but they do not have anything to handle starving beasts or ruthless bandits. In this environment, the very least one must do is to acquaint oneself with violence and the means to exact it.
—Excerpt from a letter by a friend who did not wish to be named
From the past to the present, humanity has invented all manner of weapon, in every shape and size. Within the realm of modern military industry, they can be divided into several categories based on form and function. A basic understanding of these weapons will, at the very least, allow one to proffer a method to fend off a pack of wild animals, or to determine just how dangerous a ruffian swinging a lethal looking weapon might be.
Swords, spears, crossbows, and shields. These traditional weapons, free from the need for external sources of power, are still in widespread use today. Many of these weapons still retain their classic forms, but with the progress of modern industry, they, too, have seen many upgrades: Larger weapons have collapsible handles for ease of carrying; the materials and shapes of shields are constantly improved for higher performance; the cams atop crossbows have been developed for increased power. These ever-faithful weapons continue to show their worth into the modern era.
Weapon Showcase
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Following the development of Originium technology, people began to combine energy devices and mechanical structures to form complex weapons. This type of weapon is normally rather heavy in comparison to others, very noisy in operation, and uses its mechanical components to cause injury. Many mechanical weapons are simply civilian tools modified for this purpose. For example, the popular combat chainsaw is actually derived from an ordinary chainsaw that has undergone military retrofitting.
Weapon Showcase
“Automatic weapons” is a collective term that refers to ranged weapons such as crossbows that utilize some form of automatic mechanism to nock, draw and release their arrow or bolt. Among these, those that can perform the entire process automatically are called “fully automatic weapons”, while those that only perform part of the process are called “semi-automatic weapons”. Standard automatic weapons are normally powered by compressed gas or by electricity.
Weapon Showcase
Energy weapons are currently the most advanced form of weaponry. Even without Originium Arts, the energy exploited by these weapons can cause direct injury. They are normally powered by electricity, or more specifically, by the damaging power inherent in energy of a high enough density. The most commonly seen of these weapons are melee weapons capable of discharging electricity, but there are also reports of long-range weapons that may fire beams of energy. Many energy weapons are still in their experimental stages, but their power should not be underestimated.
Weapon Showcase
Every place on the face of Terra boasts its own school of combat technique, though they may go by different names. Whether the swordsmanship of Iberia, or the crossbow shooting of Columbia, or even the myriad schools of martial arts that spread across the lands of Yan, these combat skills have been long honed by the efforts of their practitioners. The vast majority of them focus on the use of unarmed combat or traditional weapons. The various modern fighting styles that use advanced weaponry are almost all built upon these traditional skills. Masters of these techniques may perform battlefield feats that leave the average person wide-eyed in amazement.
Launchers are actually just devices with a large-bore barrel that fires objects, generally using a hydraulic or pneumatic system to do so. So long as enough force is applied, a launcher can fire anything that fits into its barrel. This is its advantage over other weapons. With this in mind, people have designed all sorts of non-lethal ammunition for launchers, making them a rather multi-functional weapon.
Weapon Showcase
Originium gunpowder refers to flammable and explosive chemical compounds that use Originium as a base. While normally in the form of a fine powder, it can be fashioned into other forms, such as a liquid or a crystal. There are all sorts of formulations and manufacturing methods for gunpowder, and thus its functions are also quite varied.
Those Originium gunpowder with improved explosive power are called “Originium Dynamite”. Based on Originium dynamite, people have manufactured varied explosives, such as bombs and land mines, and have designed many detonation methods to match.
Weapon Showcase
The cannon is a form of weapon that uses the force of pressurized gases generated from Originium gunpowder explosions to propel shells. An electric spark is typically used to ignite the gunpowder for most artillery. There are many types of bullets for artillery shells. The most common are high-explosive bullets filled with Originium dynamite. Due to technical issues, designing small-scale cannons is considerably difficult. Although there are some models that can be used by a single layperson, their weight still renders them unportable.
Before the invention of Originium gunpowder, people used industrial keton and sugar to manufacture this fine powder. Although it can ignite and explode, its energy density is quite low, leaving it with limited applications. In modern times, flash powder is generally used in the creation of fireworks, firecrackers, and signal flares.
Festival goods made from flash powder.
Arts Units are necessary for the average person to cast Originium Arts. In many situations, these units are regarded as weapons. Traditional units are the most commonly seen. Their main function is to supply casters with Originium energy, while some can also amplify specific types of Arts by a certain amount. Arts Units can be fashioned into any sort of form, from two-handed staffs to custom-made gloves. There are even units made from metal that has been smelted together with Originium. Not only can the final product be used to cast Arts, it can also be wielded as a blade.
With the development of modern industrial Arts comes a new form of Arts Unit. These units have a fixed form of Arts stored within, and anyone with a certain amount of knowledge and training can use them to cast those Arts. These pre-installed Arts have relatively limited forms and power, but in return they are very easy to use. Many armed forces are equipped with these new, fast-casting Arts Units.
Weapon Showcase
Guns were first developed by the Lateran Sankta, and they are also the primary users of these weapons. In modern terms, guns are a form of extremely accurate and complex integrated Arts Unit system, used to fire etched ammunition. Originium circuits are built into both the gun and the ammunition. To fire, the user must cast Originium Arts to control both the gun and its ammunition at the same time, performing a series of minute operations upon them. This incredible difficulty in use is rewarded with extreme accuracy, long range, and continuous firepower. These strengths completely overshadow what few drawbacks guns possess in comparison to traditional crossbows.
As Originium technology becomes ever more developed by the day, there are many powers and organizations that have found a keen interest in guns, alongside many attempts to analyze them. But over the past few decades, these studies have slowed to a crawl. The technical threshold for manufacturing guns far exceeded the expectations of the researchers. Despite this, the research was not a complete failure, as its various findings during the process were put to use in the development of upgrades for other weapons, alongside inspiring new forms of Arts Unit.
“Etched ammunition” is the general term for gun ammunition. Considering the various calibers and types of guns, etched ammunition likewise displays myriad forms in turn.
Gun expert and Lateran mercenary, “Clip”, is one of the founders of Blacksteel Worldwide. With his assistance, Blacksteel’s Department of Equipment and Applied Technologies was able to simplify and fabricate guns. These guns are equipped with a relatively limited range of Arts Units, and their ammunition has been structurally simplified. Overall, their performance is significantly reduced compared to the original models, and their operation method also differs somewhat. In any case, as one of the few organizations to legitimately and legally deploy guns, Blacksteel Worldwide promotes its simplified guns as one of its greatest strengths.
Iberia developed the handcannon based on their studies on Lateran guns. Its appearance and operation both emulate the gun, but rather than launching etched ammunition, it releases shockwaves generated by Originium propellant to batter the enemy. The principles behind the Arts in use are different to guns. In truth, it is a new form of specialist Arts Unit that is simply shaped like a gun.
In modern times, developments in material science have been applied to the manufacture of both arms and armor. In military industries, the most commonly seen materials include the following. Metals: The most classic of raw materials. When modern metallurgy had been fully developed, people began to use complex alloys in the manufacturing of weapons, such as Oriron and D32 steel. Polymers: Nowadays plastics, rubber, and synthetic fibers are in widespread use across Terra. These polymers are created from organic materials. The manufacturing process includes extracting resins or other substances from plants, or chitin from beast shells, then processing and mixing them with other materials. Composites: There are many different types of composite materials, a majority of them only developed in the later stages of technological advancement. Even recently, only a few regions have begun using them. A compound resin reinforced with glass fibers is a typical composite.
Apart from weapons, armor and load-bearing equipment are also very important in combat. When observing and identifying armed forces, noting the details of the equipment they use is crucial.
In modern times, armor can be split into two basic categories: The first type is traditional armor, which is designed to protect the entire body with large plates of hard material. The other type appeared later, in the form of protective clothing that emphasizes functionality. It uses high-strength fabric as a base, then reinforce the areas that require specific protection with advanced materials. Of course, many armed forces do not use armor at all, for the sake of maintaining mobility.
Load-bearing equipment refers to the variety of gear that is used to carry other equipment or any items in general. The load-bearers used by armed forces are usually specially designed, and are frequently worn alongside armor. In truth, these military load-bearers are rather useful in long-distance travels, too.
When you come across armed militants in unfamiliar territory, it is crucial for you to be able to get a basic idea of their character as fast as possible. Are they dressed in uniform? Are they wearing distinct insignias or logos? Is their equipment standardized? What races make up their group? Are they well-trained or do they lack discipline? In these circumstances, for safety's sake, you must be capable of making such basic observations to determine how dangerous the militants are, allowing you to respond appropriately. Most of the time, however, it is a good idea to stay far away from any armed individuals.
■ Requires vigilance
■ Trustworthy
Generally, having a basic understanding of the tools of violence will be helpful when faced with unavoidable violence. So, my friends who are on their travels, it would be wise for you all to bring some equipment for self-defense and mentally prepare yourselves for danger. Such preparations can significantly increase the safety of your journey.
Finally, thank you to Raythean Industries for their assistance. With their enthusiastic support, I was able to acquire suitable materials to aid in the writing of this section of the book.