Piratecrawl: Guns of Alabasque

In the Free City of Alabasque there are no church bells. Gun crack is the sound of religion here. This small town on the isle de Carcosa has the best gunsmiths in the world, but you'll have to sail to the Maelstrom Islands to buy their handiwork. Inspired by this beautiful map by Micaholism.

Blogger ate the original version of this post, so here goes, from memory...

THE FREE CITY OF ALABASQUE

Population 8750 including the outlying farms, give or take a death by duel. Alabasque is self-sufficient and sober to a fault: proof of its Ranstead roots. The few things it cannot grow or create itself are bought from scared-stiff traders. The town could grow rich if it produced its advanced firearms en masse, but the gunsmiths of Alabasque are artists, not factory workers.

In Alabasque, everyone, everyone carries a firearm. Every Alabascan has an opinion on guns. How to care for them, what rites to appease them with. Store rifles with the barrels down, or over the door. Waft your bullets with incense in an airtight cupboard or keep a light shining on them at all times. Speech is peppered with proverbs about shooting straight, having a steady hand, the eye guiding the shot. Unflinching sharpshooters rise to high office as a Leaden Brother. Those too afraid to challenge deserve whatever happens to them.

Staggered design with four charges in a row.

Duels and whips
The Alabasque are unfailingly polite, especially for people of Ranstead stock. Understandably, because the only law in Alabasque is the law of the gun. Offend someone, cut in line, disparage their wares, and you'll hear the ritual phrase: "I take high offense at that and challenge you to a duel". Nine times out of ten, the affair is settled with an apology. The remainder, well that's when you find out how much lead you're worth.

Children under the age of 12 are immune to duels but mock-duel amongst themselves. The heady feeling of their first pistol turns some into Whips when they come of age: eager to duel at the drop of a pin, they'll blurt out the challenge as fast as they can whip out their first weapon. Some grow out of it. Others are buried with their firearms. A Leaden Brother assures the gathered that "tempers kill, not firearms". Then, a three-shot salute. Look suitably berieved, or surviving Whips may challenge you for your impertinence.

Origins
Alabasque was founded by twelve Ranstead tinkers fleeing a failed rebellion in their hometown of Slivau. They built their own firearms to fend off bandit raids when the Freiherr wouldn't send help. And when the tax collectors came, they refused to pay their dues to a useless lord. The army came, faced unexpected resistance but won through sheer manpower. The gunsmiths fled and took their advanced designs with them.

On the Valois-claimed Isle de Carcosa, the Alabasque carved out a place of their own near pockmarked ruins. Schemata found in the ancient workshop-cellars hinted at even more intricate modifications than the gunsmiths had already developed. Strongboxes contained small caches of strange bullets that cannot be replicated. Yet. The Leaden Brothers have faced more difficult challenges.

ALABASQUE FIREARMS

The twelve master gunsmiths that fled Slivau have perfected bullet-loading designs when the rest of the world is still using muzzle-loaded flintlocks. Some whisper that these weapons are demon-haunted, and using them imperils your soul. Nonetheless, agents of the Old Country armories would kill (or worse) to get their hands on Alabasque schematics. So far, they have failed to replicate them.

All major gunsmiths will sell Alabasque bullets by the box (5 sp per bullet, 220 sp per box of 48).

Regular flintlocks (and cannons) misfire on a 1-in-20, Alabasque firearms on a 0-in-20 (I include this because some special ammunition ups the misfire chance.)


I'm resisting the temptation to add 7 different calibers and making players track those. I just don't think it's worth the hassle. The difference between regular and Alabasque weapons will do.

flintlocks	damage	misfire	range	max range	reload	slots	urban cost
holdout pistol	d6	1/20	10	20	3 rds	0	150 sp
pistol	d8	1/20	20	40	2 rds	1/2	50 sp
musket	d8+2	1/20	60	120	2 rds	1	100 sp
blunderbuss	3d4	1/20	20	40	3 rds	1	100 sp
charge + shot	-	-	-	-	-	1/6	1 sp

Alabasque	damage	misfire	range	max range	reload	slots	urban cost
pistol	d8+2	0/20	30	60	1/bullet	1/2	100 sp
rifle	d10+2	0/20	80	160	1/bullet	1	200 sp
shotgun	3d6	0/20	30	60	1/bullet	1	300 sp
bullet	-	-	-	-	-	1/12	5 sp

(I once thought nothing could be a worse layout programme than Word. Then I tried copying tables to Blogger. Ah well.)

Duck's foot pistol. For when you're fighting multiple duels at once.

 

Gunsmiths of Alabasque

Each master gunsmith has multiple apprentices and specializes in one modification. Firearms with this modification cost 10% less than usual in their shop. Roll 3d12 if for some reason want to randomize names, specialties and quirks.


Names are lifted from real world firearms history (i.e., I skimmed wikipedia), quirks and specialties are completely made-up. 

d12	Master	specialty	quirk
1	Alex Seidel	Concealed	right hand replaced with metal tool
2	Carl Walther	Long barrel	lost both legs
3	Edmund Heckler	Luxury	blind
4	Ernst Thalmann	Magazine	bandages seep green blood
5	Fredrick Mossberg	Melee	sword dueling scars
6	Gaston Glock	Multibarrel	metal plate replaces top of skull
7	Johann Brueger	Quick mechanism	intense pauses while speaking
8	Leopold Werndl	Rotating barrels	collects miniature vehicles
9	Lorenz Sauer	Silencer	extra paranoid about spies
10	Luzern Thomet	Unmodified*	deaf, extremely twitchy
11	Theodor Koch	Well-balanced	will not help women
12	William Ruger	Advanced bullets**	will challenge you to a duel

* i.e., Alabasque weapons without any modifications

** see special bullets, below

And I bet you can also pick a lock with it.

Firearms modifications
Only available for firearms, not for cannons. Add static costs first, then apply factors. Example: a well-balanced, quickfire Alabesque pistol (50) would cost (100+75) x2 = 350 sp.

Concealed
A hidden version of the weapon, concealed in for instance a belt buckle, on a wrist holster, in a wooden leg, in a cello. Advantage to shoot someone with surprise. Holds one shot, takes 2x the usual time to load. Half range and max range.
cost: x2

Long barrel
Extends both range and max range by 1.5
cost: +50 gp

Luxury
A specially decorated version of the weapon; these are issued to both decorated officers and arrogant fops. Gives advantage in social situations like establishing status, intimidation, building reputation.
cost: x2

Magazine
Insert an entire magazine of 6 bullets in 1 round. Alabasque weapons only.
cost: x2

Melee
Weapon is reinforced and outfitted with a blade. Deals slashing/piercing damage in a melee attack. *: two-handed use
cost: +15 sp for d6, +60 sp for d6/d8*, +150sp for d10*

Multibarrel
Fires its barrels in pairs. +1 to hit and damage per extra barrel fired. The weapon's reload time is per barrel, and it takes powder and shot rather than modern bullets. Cannot be applied to Alabesque weapons.
cost: x [barrels], up to 6

Quickfire
Can fire as many shots in a round as the clip allows. This does not give extra attacks, but a +1 to attack and damage for every bullet fired. Alabasque weapons only.
cost: x2


Rotating barrels
Fires one barrel per shot, then rotates in another loaded barrel.
The weapon's reload time is per barrel, and it takes powder and shot rather than modern bullets. Cannot be applied to Alabesque weapons.
cost: x [barrels], up to 6

Silencer
Dims the sound of the gunshot and hides the muzzle flash to that of a loud or a fizzled firecracker. Alabasque weapons only.
cost: 25 to 250 gp

Well balanced
+1 to hit with this weapon
cost: +75 sp

Firearm hidden in a fake watch.

Jailor's Key pistol.

Do you have something special in stock?
Regular Alabasque bullets already pack a punch. If you need an even bigger advantage, ask for advanced or eldritch ammunition.

bullet type	cost per bullet	available
regular	5 sp*	2 boxes + 1/day
advanced	10-25 sp	2d6
eldritch	50 sp	d4 -2d8**

* or 220 sp for a box of 48 bullets

** negative numbers are the number of days until one is brought in, which resets the count

Gyrostabilized multi-stage rocket bullet (from Wanted)

Advanced bullets are little works of art, crafted for maximum penetration, to splinter inside the body, to deliver a poison or to knock out without killing.

Armor piercing

Ignore up to 3 points of physical armor.

cost: 15 sp

Blackeye

A low weight slug that broadens in flight to deal non-lethal damage. Range and max range halved.

cost: 10 sp

Burning bullet

Deals d6 extra fire damage. Shoots sparks from the wound for as many rounds as the original fire damage. Increases the weapon's misfire range by 1 until thoroughly cleaned.

cost: 15 sp

Dragon's breath

Unleashes a 15ft long, 10 ft wide cone of fire when fired. Damage 2d6 per round used, Dex save -2 per extra round for half damage. Increase the weapon's misfire range by 2 until thoroughly cleaned.

cost: 25 sp

Gyrostabilized
Self-stabilizing bullet with ailerons that allow you to ignore shooting penalties at a target between normal range and max range. Can be combined with a Rocket bullet for 40 sp.
cost: 18 sp

Poison capsule

Riddled with tiny holes that release poison from an internal reservoir. Muscle spasms: Con 13 for 6 rounds or take -1 Dexterity. Respitory distress: d6 non-lethal damage (no save) for every round of physical exertion, 1 minute. Light weight gives -2 to hit against armored opponents.

cost: 10 sp for the bullet, 10 sp for the poison

Rocket bullet
Consists of several stages that provide thrust and gyrostability during flight. Double the weapon's range and max range, but fire at targets within 20 feet with disadvantage because the bullet isn't up to speed yet. Can be combined with a gyro-stabilized design for .. sp total.
cost: 18 sp

Scattershot

Shrapnel blasts everything in front of the weapon. Range 10 / max range 20, apply the attack to every target in the 90 degree arc in front of the weapon.

cost: 15 sp

Silent bullet

Slow and with an internal dampener to hide the muzzle flash and boom, this bullet doesn't give the shooter's position away.

cost: 15 sp

Splintering

Shatters inside the body for 2d6 extra damage, but -2 to hit against armored targets.

cost: 17 sp

Eldritch bullets are only for those willing to tolerate the outright strange and unnatural. These weird shells are sometimes found in strongboxes buried in the old ruins. From Goblin Punch, with some of the types on his table removed and the calibers filed off. Numbers behind a bullet's name are the index on Goblin Punch's table - see there for the bullets' effects.

Lothrop, Brigham, and Dark Deluxe (2)

Gold jacketed.

Lothrop, Brigham, and Dark Blackjacket (4)

Translucent casing, dephases slightly in bright light.

Lothrop, Brigham, and Dark Scotch (6)

Reflection in the casing does not show animals or people.

Kiowa Elk (7)

Bone casing, smells musky.

Kiowa Wendigo (8)

Tusk casing, scrimshawed. Smells of blood.

Opponent Orange (10)

Black casings with wax slugs and a weird sort of space bee inside it.

Opponent Yellow (11)

Black casings with some sort of sulfurous metal slug.

Unquiet (12)

Ultrahard glass in a bone casing. Slick with blood. Whispers.

Skethriman Scolex (14)

Amber-like slug in silver casing filigreed with a sign for Empire.

Delivery (17)

Shimmer and shift in the hand.

Mindglare (18)

Glint with purple light like a migraine.

Devilbone (20)

Bone slug, warped and slowly grinding in its jacket.