Melcavuk

The beginnings of a timeline for the Weld:

For anyone whose been keeping an eye on the Ironweld Arsenal fantome project, or avid fans of big guns in the Age of Sigmar we've put together the version one allegiance abilities, warscrolls, batallion and playtesting points lists for the Ironweld Arsenal. Below are our initial outlays and abilities for the faction that we'd love feedback and critique on aswell as any ideas that fresh eyes can bring to the concepts. These are the gameplay mechanics of the Ironweld, though feel free to check out thread in the main forum for the Narrative elements or my twitter feed @rlrsmith88 If anyone has the models to playtest/proxy out games I've love to see photos and know the results, what needs tweaking or refining aswell as what works particularly well on the field of battle. Collated PDF: IronweldmechanicsV1.0.pdf So here we have Allegiance Abilities: Warscrolls - HEROES BATTLELINE OTHER BEHEMOTH ARTILLERY BATTALIONS POINTS COSTS

Off the top of my head The gryph hound scroll has been updated and now only benefits the Stormcast so you’ll see no use of him in the force. Whilst he’s free is also doesn’t serve a lot of purpose

Looking at the concept of relics for the Ironweld, here's some ideas around the Masterwork designs, tailored pieces crafted for the Nobles as one off designs for aspiring innovators:

Updated and corrected cannon scroll:

To be perfectly honest I’m not 100% where the mortal wound ability came from, the artillery are largely cloned from their existing scroll and condensed down to single model units. That should be runes of accuracy instead (reroll hits when near engineer). I’m assuming I was toying with concept and left a redundant one on the active scroll! Thanks for the heads up, I’ll get it sorted tonight.

Lore update: Grendat Coalition background pages finished Armies of Rok descriptions added Morgrash Armies description added Initial factional introduction fleshed out furhter. Lore Extract: Grendat Coalition The bustling labourers rabble of the Grendat coalition are an odd sight amongst the forces of the Weld, rippling tides of men and women in mud stained earthen hues carrying repaired and salvaged equipment to war, they make up in numbers of resilience of spirit what they lack in coin or status. Whilst many of the Houses of the Ironweld are formed of bloodlines that can be traced back to the first families of Azyr, the Grendat are something entirely unlike their brothers in arms. Formed not of legend and noble bloodline rather than simply prospering from war they are the result of it, they are the displaced refugees from the broken and scarred townships of the Realms that fell victim to the ever growing conflicts between Azyr and the Realms of Chaos. When the Weld marched out to meet the tides of Chaos they brought with them the means to utterly destroy their foes, with little regard given to the collateral damage they would inflict upon the World around them, it would seem as though they sought to save the Realms without ever noticing the damage they did to what they had saved. Dozens of villages and townships found themselves caught between the armies of the Ironweld and Chaos, either forced to evacuate or given no warning save the screeching of rockets over head and the clamour of war that had arrived on their doorsteps. And just as suddenly, as the battles were done and the victors left to rejoice in the harm they had inflicted on the foe, those displaced by the war and yet who took no part in it found themselves the victims. Their homes destroyed, their farms salted by the powder scars of the Ironweld Arsenal and the blood of far too many bodies to count, they were left to face the elements alone and without coin to rebuild. It was out of desperation that the refugees of the Grendat Township saw opportunity, absent pride and robbed of dignity these refugees plunged their hands amidsts the fallen bodies and mud, scavenging what they could from both sides of the conflict as they filled what few wagons had endured with arms and armaments that had been abandoned on the field. It was a tragic fault of the Ironweld in the early days that they discarded those weapons carried by their fallen soldiers, marching ever onwards they left a veritable goldmine of abandoned weaponry behind them. It was this that in the early days those refugees recovered, bartering them away for coin and food if only to sustain themselves, yet with every village they travelled through seeking new home the devastation grew ever worse. As the ranks of refugees swelled so did the need for coin, the scavengers took to picking clean every battlefield they encountered, yet the more armaments they recovered the harder they found it to sell or trade. Many of the more established militias would not buy from those lacking the credentials of the Ironweld lest they lose favour with the Factory Cities, and thus those of Grendat were driven to use uniforms and insignia stolen from the battlefields, each township they visited they sold under the guise of a different house that their activities might nor earn the ire of any of the houses collectors. THE PEOPLES ARMY With time the numbers of Refugees had swollen to a veritable army, hundreds of thousands forming a travelling caravan that marched always in the shadow of war that they might recover not only the wealth left behind but bring salvation to those that the war had robbed of home and dignity. It was in this manner that they first discovered the fallen Cogforts of the lost house of Vilinius, savaged and left for the elements it was perhaps not the most luxurious of strategic positions but with time the blacksmiths and artisans of the Grendat encampments managed to bring it back from the brink of total destruction. This ushered in the new Age of the Grendat, no longer mere travelling caravan they could for the first time seek to develop weaponry of their own, stoking the forges of the long abandoned Cogfort back into life. The strength of the Grendat came from their lack of pride, they took any contract that they might be awarded, from lumber axes through to ironbark cudgels for town guards, those contracts that lacked the coin to draw interest from the weld all found their way to the Coalition. As the numbers of the Grendat grew, with lesser guilds flocking to their peoples banner they managed to salvage nearly a dozen additional cogforts, always travelling together that they might never be found in one place and try to move in the blindspots of the Weld to continue to prey off of lesser contracts. Yet such an expansive caravan of Cogforts and lesser wagons could not remain hidden forever, and after near two centuries of avoiding the collectors of the Ironweld the Coalition found their presence demanded by the Council of Iron. As the cogforts of the Weld began to surround the caravan, an ever closing net bearing the Cannonades of artisans far exceeding the Grendats capabilities the request of the council could not be ignored. It was with heavy heart that the elders of the Coalition, along with a ramshackle guard left their encampment to begin the long journey to Cor Temporis. IN THE PRESENCE OF BETTERS… The Halls of the Iron Council have rarely been less accommodating, the Grendat Coalition were barely more than commoners who sought to live the lives of their betters, preying off of the Noble Houses who sought to provide for the armies of Azyr. They lived in the mud, fought in it and it was in their very blood, in the pristine halls of Cor Temporis, surrounded by those clad in the most artisan of workmanship they were out of their element. Yet to think the resentment came only from the Nobles would be an imprecise calculation, to the Grendat elders they were surrounded by those who were at least partly responsible for the butchery of their friends and kin, for the demolition of their homes and destruction of their livelihoods. What ensued was a fraught debate, raging over the days that followed with barely a moment passing without bitter comment or snide recrimination, yet with the outrage on both sides it came to a point that neither side could refute. For centuries the Grendat had traded bearing the seals of the Ironweld, every coin they had garnered belonged in the coffers of the Weld, yet now they had grown so large they could not simply be removed without embarrassment to the Council itself, the Grendat highlighted the callous disregard that had been displayed for the lesser townships and their ignorance to the deeds performed in their name. Unable to destroy the Coalition, nor allow it to trade as it had been an uneasy accord was struck, the Grendat would integrate into the company of those that they had for so long sought to imitate. Their funds would fuel the coffers of the Weld, they their place in society would remain unchanged outside of the chamber, their vote on contracts would always remain an afterthought, instead they would be left to scavenge those that fell below the notice of their more Noble kin, what little they could make would be tithed back to the Weld that they might repay those they had spent decades robbing of property. The accord was not to the tastes of either side, the Nobles giving up a seat at the table to Commoners was an unsettling sight, and for the Coalition to pay the tithe simply for wanting to exist within the Realms was hard to swallow. Yet the Grendat elders swore to it, they had entered the chamber all too aware of the Hangmans noose tightening around their necks, that they might leave not only escaping the Gallows but with a future for their Coalition secured was more than any of them had dared to dream of. ARMIES OF THE COALITION When the Coalition march to war it is often absent the flair and colour of the distinguished houses of the Weld. Their ranks are made up of refugees, farmers and blacksmiths who have taken up the blade out of necessity rather than affiliation, hundreds upon thousands of soldiers fighting for their kin. Whilst lacking in noble blood they have been seen utilising some of their village leaders in much the same roles as Ironsworn, though their armament is more functional than ornate, often showing the wear of time and entirely too many repairs to be considered proper. The Coalition lack Steam Tanks in any real capacity, too often they share components needed to keep the army of Cogforts employed by the ever moving army in function. Often broken down as soon as they are salvaged those that are maintained often do so as makeshift carriers to convey the wounded to relative safety and outside of the theatre of war. There is a unison in the armies of the Coalition that is a sheer contrast to the divide between Nobility and Commoner in the other houses, a common blood that courses their veins that no weight of coin could replace.

I've editted them back from the two page spread I've been using for formatting to single file, hopefully that makes it more readable. Otherwise I can rip the text from the file.

House Morgrash Fleshed out, Industry and progress that is unhindered by Morality

Mine were in the destruction subforums. Only after the job application had closed and I was unsuccessful.

Here's where Morgrash are currently, a bit to finish off (second page is for how their armies typically fight, its mostly advisory as any can use any units)

Cheers for the feedback, and yeah I really struggled with the wording for Grendat that I didnt want people to think they were halving wounds taken, adding the roudning up clarifier should made it more specific though. Morgrash background is being worked on my @S133arcanite but is most of the way there, they are a grim and pragmatic house to a point that transcends morality. The Artificer Cogwork move bonus was ripped straight from the Stormcast version, my concern with +2 is that when an Templar/Paladin double it they've then got a movr of +4 from it which makes them ridiculously fast.

Logic update: Adding in the last of the existing Artillery of the Ironweld into my new updated scrolls I couldnt help but see that the Organ Gun and Helblaster Volleygun were near identical in function. Rather than risk duplicating I have combined these into a single scroll with two potential modelling options as it seemed the most prudent way of keeping both relevant without duplicating scrolls across the Tome. Would this seem like the most logical step or for nostalgias sake should both be kept as they are within the tome?

Command Traits and "Mount" Artificer Cogwork added, struggling on Relics (Masterwork Designs) currently but I can always loop back around to them, reformatted Allegiance Page. In terms of book formatting do people prefer subfaction allegiances in the narrative subfaction descriptions, or seperated in the allegiance abilities part of the book. I've been going back and forth alot on these and can see strong arguements for both. Also newlook warscroll now with backdrop

Fixed the Rok allegiance Added the beginning of House Morgrash allegiance from @S133arcanite Added prospective Grendat Coalition Added the overarching Aspirant House allegiance (For those wanting to forge their own noble houses)

One of my favourite concepts for the Ironweld is that it’s not one unified faction but titans of industry manufacturing armaments. Each bringing a unique approach, skill set and culture and having to work together. Human and Duardin might be equal but that doesn’t necessarily mean they always see eye to eye, much like the old houses may look down upon the new aspirating ones

I did indeed, was weirder is I saw I hadn’t, thought I had fixed it and posted it still wrong. they reroll charges, I’ll get it fixed again when I get in.

Better Formatting for ease of reading:

Lore: The Iron Council - The Overarching Hierarchy of the Ironweld Sharing little in common with the first Iron Council beyond the name there are few rooms more heated than a gathering of the Iron Council of the Ironweld. Each of the seven major Noble houses of the Weld lay stake to a seat at the table whilst hundreds more hanger’ons and would be aspirants line the walls of the chamber hoping to get their voices heard at what is considered to be the largest strategic negotiation about the movement of weaponry and resources within any of the cities that comprise Sigmars grand alliance. It falls to the Iron Council to assign contracts to supply the freecities and the guard across the Realms, to negotiate the movements and deployment of Cogforts at key locations on the map and to secure mining rights to ensure they can meet the ever growing demand of the factories of the Ironweld. Such endeavours would be challenging enough of a united council, however ever Noble House desperately seeks to gain position over their rivals, each vying for their most recent innovation to comprise the bulk of the arms caravans flowing from the great factories of the Ironweld that a greater portion of the gold flowing back to the Weld might arrive in their Coffers. Any gathering of such potent titans of industry and war in the same room is bound to be fraught with conflict and seething tensions, not least of all due to the level of innovation each House is capable of noticeable in the number of increasingly hard to detect smuggled weapons that make it into the chamber. To draw a weapon during Council sessions is not uncommon, often a matter of negotiations to exemplify just how far a noble house is willing to go to secure contract, but to discharge a weapon or strike a rival would be seen a grievous offense. History is littered with foolhardy hotheads who sought to strike down their foes only to marvel at how swiftly the Matriarchs Clockwork Sentinels can cleave head from body, even for those who stand at Duardin stature. Whichever House hold the Crown of Innovation at the time session is called hosts the Iron Council in their factory complex, and it falls to the head of household to preside over the meeting acting at once as Judge and Mediator between the egotistical ramblings over their various counterparts. Every House and Guild bring with them their own history rich with distaste for one another, Duardin Overseers often sneering at their comparatively short lived Human equivalents as one Duardin might in their time have to deal with three generations of a Human “nobility” with derision and snide growing with the passing of each noble. Likewise those noble houses that can trade their lineage back to the first council hold little value for the younger houses who have since earned their seat, possibly the most contentious being the Grendat Coallition, a house comprised near entirely of Labourers who often dirty the chamber with their soot stained rags passing as finery. When one house falls from favour, either from contract unfulfilled or innovation not forthcoming, or is destroyed in calamity beyond redemption their seat at the table becomes Vacant for one of the many eager minor houses and guilds that lurk within the chamber. Such was the fate that befell the House of Midnight so long ago when their city was abandoned, it was their loss of status that allowed the Grendat to claim a seat at the high table. With an Aspirant from the Clockwork city of Midnight having emerged now after so long the tensions within the Iron Circle have only been raised as all eyes turn to the young Grendat Coalition to see if they will relinquish status for one of the fallen Originals. Whilst sessions of Council can last for months on end they tend to end with atleast reasonable unity, the Ironweld discuss every facet of their buisness during session even going so far as to negotiate the going cost for city governers to offer bribe for orders in excess of Sigmars divine allocations. Along with the enigmatic City of Midnight THE CITY OF MIDNIGHT – THE COGWRAITHS Midnight was to be the crowning accomplishment of its Age, though the name of its architect have been lost of the echoes of time all speak of his creation even long after his passing. They say that it was on an expedition through the shifting mists of Ulgu that a small group of Weld excavators discovered the Mirrored canyon, seemingly naturally forming the reflective nature of the rocks that walled in this corridor channelled the light of Hysh when it was in ascendancy, a rippling cascade of light dancing across the quilted mists of Ulgu in an ever shifting dance of light and shadow, as though moving to some unseen music whose silene echoed louder in the hearts of onlooker than any note ever could. It is said that so entranced was the architect, that he declared at once that this was where he would make his finest creation, though miles from any point of strategic value it would appear that something had stirred within his aging heart. What followed was perhaps the most costly endeavour the Weld has ever sought to complete, a life well lived has granted the Architect a wealth beyond the knowledge of most of the populace of the Realms, and so they came the engineers, metal shapers, labourers and with them the finest of cogwork creations ever bestowed upon the realm. As time dragged on and the construction of the great city began the Architects obsessions seemingly instilled paranoia within his aged soul. Midnight was to be created to his exact specifications, jealously guarded at all times he imparted only what each engineer must know to perform their role, he himself spent most of his days locked within a chamber at the far end of the mirrored canyon scribbling a constantly shifting series of changes to the increasingly elaborate city. It is said that Hyish is the land of inspiration, but others say that crown belongs to the realm of Ulgu, it whispers to the souls of men… calls to them to reach for ever distant dreams, it spurs them to abandon all in search of their obsession. It was this whispering that took ahold of the Architect, as the spires of midnight grew ever taller, the complex array of shifting tunnels and ever moving platforms becoming a dizzying puzzlebox as though guarding the city even from those who sought to build it. At its heart rose the massive cogwork tower that would become the city palace, a jutting monolith of cog rising up out of the mists to watch the dancing lights that had birthed the finest city in the Weld. The Birth of Nobility News of the cities creation spread far and wide, increasingly distant relatives seemingly spurred to honour bonds of blood or pursue their own agendas sought out the Architect, and from a lifetime of lonliness in his final days a noble house was birthed by those who had spent their years forsaking him. With such kin came their own myriad of household staff, and before long the lonely city of midnight had become a bustling cogwork metropolis, its workshops following a whole litany of the architects cogwork designs seemingly pulled from the mists and his obsessions, producing the finest in Cog innovations across the scope of the Weld. Yet the will of Ulgu is hard to resist, such Kinsmen did not come to laud praise on their ancestor, nor did they seek to spend life on bended knee to the old man. The whispering mists called to them to claim the throne of midnight as their own, uniting them only in conspiracy and paranoia that they might subvert the architects will and claim the city as their own. Whether it was his kin, or simply the hand of Nagash simply greeting him as Aged friend that finally claimed the architect is unknown, but those who once resided in Midnight remember the moment ever so well. It is said that with the last beat of his wearied heart the Architect slipped from this world and into the next, and at that same moment the cities clocktower let out the piercing toll of Midnight, and then as life left the architects beaten body so too did it drain from the Cogs of Midnight. In a single moment the city died, every cog freezing in place, the great clock ticking no more for its populace, the ever shifting platforms freezing in place. Days turned into months as the engineers tried every conceivable trick to spur the great cog engine into life once more, yet the city could not be roused, the pained silence of which resonates louder than any bell chime ever could have. With winter fast approaching and unable to revive their city or stoke the furnaces without the great clock the populace have no choice but to abandon their homes, the great caravans streaming from its many gates until shadow is its only occupant. Midnight Ascends Many throughout the centuries that have followed have sought to enter the Clockwork City, clambouring over frozen platform or attempting to force their way through half rotated tunnels, and yet they have found themselves rebuffed… some speak of Cogwork shadows flitting above them, ever watching sentinels of the cities sleeping heart. Others claim a platform just within reach seemingly shifting beyond them as they reached out, denying them access to their prize. So much has this legend grown that Aspirants to the Weld Throne actively climb the city, the Aspirant to reach its hidden heart claiming one of the Architects much rumoured trove of designs and the throne for the next generation. With the Oran Matriarch nearing her final days aspirants from all the great houses once more compete for rule of the Weld. In fierce competition all aspirants are laid low either through injury, desertion or death save for a young Aspirant bearing the colours of the Midnight City, flanked by a royal guard of Cogwork unlike any seen before. With nobility in uproar as to the eligibility of an entrant from the abandoned city let alone handing the rule of an empire to the outsider the Matriarch retains the crown for the time being. Such an act strains already tense relationships between the noble houses, some voicing that she has overstepped her bounds. As the Gates of Midnight open once more, its Cogwork populace seemingly spurred to life in the presence of the Midnight aspirant, questions begun to be asked, who is this Noble, and what of the city of wonders that has been locked for so long… And finally the Subfaction bonuses for Midnight MIDNIGHT ALLEGIANCE Another Cog in the Machine– The Cogwork Nobility of midnight harbour no aspiration or ambition beyond that which their Heir Aspirant has instilled upon them. All good machines have replacable parts. Houses that have the Midnight allegiance may select a second HERO to take a Command Trait, this Command trait cannot be the same as the first. No model may have two command traits. Heraldry of Midnight – Who knows how much remains beneath the robes of the Midnight Cogguard, in the presence of their Nobility many have been seen to fight on beyond grievous wounds that would fell a mortal man. Replace the Weld Heraldry rule on all IRONSWORN units in a Midnight City army with this rule. Friendly WELDGUARD units wholly within 12 inches of a model with this rule that suffer a wound or mortal wound may roll a D6, on a roll of a 6 that wound is ignored. MASTERWORK DESIGN (MIDNIGHT CITY) The Clockwork Heart - It is said that at the centre of every creation of Midnight lay a clockwork heart, the Architect having built each one to deliver a set number of ticks and not a single one less. The first time this model is slain in battle roll a D6, on a roll of 2 or more that model is restored to the battlefield with D3 wound. Any remaining damage from the attack that had killed this model is ignored.

Some Factional trait for selecting the Duardin House Rok for your army, the aim here is to emphasis the resilience of this particular house and the drive of their new Patriarch to take the ground no matter what (hence the heraldry effects): HOUSE ROK ALLEGIANCE Steamforged Pioneers – The Coghaulers of the Rok Factories still follow the original design, no corners cut or new innovations to optimise speed have been made instead they remain enduring and lasting Duardin masterpieces, able to continue long past the more recent generations. When consulting the Damage Character for a ROK Coghauler, halve the number of wounds they have taken rounding upwards. Heraldry of Esoteris – Those born of Esoteris know that it is not honeyed word nor etiquette that solves the problems of the weld but a swift and unanswerable display of force. Replace the Weld Heraldry rule on all IRONSWORN units in a House Rok army with this rule. Friendly WELDGUARD units wholly within 12 inches of any models with this rule at the beginning of the charge phase ARTIFICER COGWORK (HOUSE ROK) The Steamforged Titan (IRONSWORN PALADIN ONLY) – The generals of House Rok march to war in robust armour mirroring that of their Patriarch, steam belching goliaths of steel and wood that raise their Duardin generals to monsterous size. Each bears the visage of the God of Forge to war, the runes carved into their armoured harness glowing with the heat of their Volcanic home. If this model is selected as the target of, or comes into contact with, a spell or endless spell roll a D6. On a roll of 5 or more that spell (or endless spell) is dispelled. If any spells are dispelled in this manner this model immediately heals one wound suffered earlier in the battle. HOUSE ORAN ALLEGIANCE Studious Obsession– The Nobles of Oran study all things with an obsession that put others to shame, every battle plan, every ploy, every strategy become reflexive. Roll a dice whenever a HERO from this army uses a command ability. On a roll of a 6 the command point used is refunded, to be added to the controlling players command pool. Heraldry of Oran – Though her line may well soon come to an end the Matriach of Oran still hold control over the Weld, the weight of her words able to inspire newfound resolve in even the most broken of souls. Replace the Weld Heraldry rule on all IRONSWORN units in a House Oran army with this rule. Friendly WELDGUARD units wholly within 12 inches of a model with this rule may still complete Shooting attacks in the shooting phase even if they retreated in the same turn. MASTERWORK DESIGN (HOUSE ORAN) The Cogwork Curiass– A Masterpiece of armour design this rippling plated metal can shift to concentrate protection against repeated blows, often proving the difference between life and death Subtract 1 from the Damage Characteristics of all attacks that target this model, to a minimum of one. My aim with the variable Weld Heraldry rule and Artificer cogworks like the Steamforged titan is to allow as much variation in colour schemes and modelling as possible within the confines. The Steamforged titan would likely be wider but slightly shorter than the normal Paladin suit, it is afterall mimicking a giant dwarf not a giant human. The relics for the army will be known as Masterwork Designs to represent that the most unique parts of the Weld are the thing looking forward, not those buried in the past. The Mount trait equivalents are Artificer Cogworks.

Yeah mixed units did seem the ideal but it does give the question of whether or not the movement value of 5 is too high considering half of the unit are duardin so its swift for little legs to move so far. Rok is designed to constantly be having to be aggressive to cover the shame of being the SECOND son of Rok, every introduction, every meeting would start with that introduction and the constant chiding of his elder brothers lack of faith in the Weld. Their Patriarch is forced to be overtly aggressive to mask the weakness of Kin who fled the cause in pursuit of the legacy of the ancient Karaks.

A few tweaks and a new balcony added to the Cogfort, most of the work is below the surface adding structural stability. Size comparison models added.

So now as to the question: Human or Duardin - As you might be able to see the majority of the scrolls so far SEEM human but have no racial keyword attached to the scroll, when reading them the inclination is naturally to assume they are human but I have attempted to leave off racial keywords to allow either human or duardin counterparts for each and every section. However I have (to my mind) maybe one or two unit slots left, if the current feel is that the human side of the Weld is over represented I could use one of this to specifically add a "Insert duardin word here" Weapons Team - for more experimental weapons like the wizard hunting massive crossbows or the horde control man portable steam cannons. Or I could leave the whole faction as "model as human or duardin, or mixed" in a designers note and instead add a 3 man unit of clockwork melee, proper unmanned cog unit all blades and lack of feeling essentially becoming a whirlwind of death unleashed on a foe. And subfaction number two House Rok – The Steamforged Titans - Cor Esoteris The Duardin houses of the Ironweld are perhaps those that still cling closest to the old ways, which the impetuous youth of their human counterparts ever rush blindly into progress for the sake of progress is it the steady and dependable nature of the Duardin who provide a sense of stability in an otherwise tremulous world. House Rok is distinguished as one of the original Houses of the Weld, named they claim for one of the mighty Six Smiths of the God of Forge they carry with them no small amount of pride in this, though it has been on occasion been mistaken for ego. It is from the workshops of Esoteris that the first Coghaulers came forth, truly a Duardin invention whilst small and compact they were capable of enduring immense weight and strain without buckling. It was on the back of these Cog Haulers that the empire of the Ironweld has grown, able to form arms caravans able to travel massive distances over terrain organic mounts would have been ill inclined to traverse, it was the might of these that allowed the construction of the titanic factory cities now seen in the strongholds of the weld. It was then only natural that the coffers of House Rok swelled, whole chambers allegedly hidden in Cor Esoteris that they might secret away their gold that interlopers would spend a lifetime searching never to find it. Those Nobles of House Rok are not immune to the vanity that has seeped into the nobility across the bredths of the Weld, many adorning themselves with clunky steam belching adornments from the Titanfist gauntlet that harnesses steam powered pistons to deliver a blow that would stagger even a god to the less glorious “Inclination Regulator” that frequently pumps questionably imbued steam directly into the wearers resipiratory system to allow them to go long periods without sleep. These Nobles are considered gruff, paranoid (even for a Duardin) and seem to constantly be seeking to live upto the legacy that they so proudly proclaim, in recent generations none have topped the invention of the first Coghauler, and the embarrassment of living off of the legacy of their elders has spurred those children of Rok to become all the more brutal in their pursuit of arms contracts that they might swell the treasury further. Cor Esoteris, the Field of Glass All cities and Cogforts of the Weld boast defenses personal to the craftsman who designed them, personal signature pieces that boast their prowess. Perhaps the most impressive is the city of Cor Esoteris, built over the Esoteris Volcano in the realm of metal it channels the devastating power through a labyrinth of tunnels beneath its bustling factory complexes, where others had sought to build a city and simply add defenses the first Duardin Architects of Esoteris made a Volcanic cannon, and then decided to live on it. There is a saying the Weld that only a Duardin would find the most dangerous point in the realm and sit on it and claim safety, though Esoteris is made on this very principle. The heart of the city is formed of a series of massive Steam Boilers ever heated from the volcano buried below, a constant flow of energy that powers everything form the first Ironclad gates of the city right down to the much desires Esoteris Bathhouses (sought the Realm over for their volcanic mineral enriched waters and pleasant water temperatures). The rumours of the sheer wealth of gold buried in the myriad of disused magma tunnels beneath the city has made it a target for many a greedy general since its inception, perhaps none more so than the Bloodgold Tyrant As the armies of the Bloodgold Tyrant, champion of Khorne, lay siege to its walls it fell to the first Marshall of the city to finally put their great works to the test. Sounding the ancient horn at the cities summit the grinding of gears across the city rang out, one by one ancient runic valves were raised, sending the magma glows of Esoteris racing eagerly through the warren of tunnels beneath its street. Their unrelenting heat erupts through hidden firing ports in the cities walls, everything living in the vicinity, not shielded by the immense city walls is rendered instantly to shattered glass by the unrelenting explosive heat. In days that have passed many have marvelled at the beauty of the fields of glinting glass now surrounding the city, ignorant to their true nature. Second Son of Rok Whilst plentiful still the coffers of the House of Rok have dwindled as innovation began to stall out, with every passing generation the competition for contracts has become that much more fierce, not only amongst the major Houses of the Weld but with every minor guild seeking to pick off any scraps or lesser contracts that the Houses do not feel is worth their time. Such flaws weigh heavily on the Sons and Daughters of Rok, the legacy they have so long sought to live up to becoming ever further out of their reach. In recent generations their reputation has suffered perhaps an even more dire wound, Korvik Son of Rok, the first born of the house destined to become Patriarch with his fathers passing abandoned his kin, no longer able to simply hold faith in the ways of the Weld he took his own personal Ironsworn guard and abandoned his post in the search for the Karaks of old. Whispers of discontent in the house had lingered for many a generation, those who felt the old ways of the Karaks would restore their coffers in a manner that the Weld had not, but to lose not only a Noble but the Heir Aspirant of the House has only stoked such fires in the populace further As the Patriarch passes unto his final rest is falls to his second son Korvar to take control of the House, thrust into a position that he had never been meant for and with a discontent to quell his reign is ushered in with brutal efficiency. Across the Realms the cogforts of Rok push forward rapidly into contested land, annexing any mining rights currently under territorial dispute in the name of Rok, his pursuit of contract becoming typified as a ruthless, often violent negotiator made all the more intimidating by his Steamforged Armour crafted in the likeness of Grungi to raise his stature to that of a Steam Belching Ogor. Though his methods make the house few friends in the Iron Council, none can dispute their effectiveness as for the first time in centuries the Coffers of Esoteris begin to refill.

The Exo is mostly the Forgeworld Iron Circle robot with a dremel used to bore out a pilot station inside, the top armour is left off and the steam engine from the empire steam tank had a segment cut out to slot over the rear of the torso. Added in the coal bucket and lantern from the Steamengine and used Kharadon Overlord speartip and steamtanks steam gun on the lance.

That comment was made before the rumour was revised to be both keywords. At the time I responded the rumour was the Duardin were getting their artillery back, implying Ironweld were losing them. I find the Gutbusters rumour most convincing, anyone who applied for the AoS Games Designed position last year would have undertaken a writing task around designing the Gutbusters Allegiance, whoever then got the job may have been allowed to run with a refine their concept