IRON GRIP JUMPCHAIN V.1.

In the broken lands of the world of Theia,

smoke and fire linger in the aftermath of
constant war. The small but stalwart nations
of the world find themselves squeezed on all
sides from expansionist powers: from the
imperialistic Rahmos to the zealous
Confederation of Nallum (also known as the
Fahrong), the larger nations prey on the
weaker ones in this near-dystopian vision of
a steampunk/dieselpunk world. Even here,
however, tales of heroes ring through the
skies, from brave rebels fighting for their
homelands to daring sky-pirates that swoop in
out of nowhere and vanish without a trace.

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This is where you find yourself now, Jumper,
in the world of Iron Grip. In this scattered
realm of war and chaos, you will make your
mark. On the side of liberty, no matter how
costly? Or on the side of victory, no matter
how brutal? The decision is yours. Whatever it
is, you’ll be here for ten years, so make your
choices count.

You have 1000 CP to spend here.

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Table of Contents:

4………………………………………………………………………………………………Location

7……………………………………………………………………Age and Background

10………………………………………………………………Perks and Abilities

29……………………………………………………………………………Items and Gear

46………………………………………………………………………………………Companions

53…………………………………………………………………………………………Drawbacks

59…………………………………………………………………………………………Aftermath

60……………Abridged Appendix of Military Hardware

in Theia

97……………………………About this World and Other Notes

and Changelog

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LOCATION:
Roll a 1d6 for location, or pick one of the
options for 50 CP. For a more detailed map of
the world of Theia, a world map is included at
the end of the document, at page 98. You may
also pick one of the locations on there for 50
CP instead.

1 – Atelia:

One of the smaller nations in the Kathos subcontinent,

renowned for their proud warrior heritage, even if they
do take it to the extreme sometimes. Plenty of towns
and villages dotting the snowy mountains and green
valleys, the beautiful landscapes marred by the ravages
of war. They are bordered by the Confederation and the
Rahmos, who even now encroach on their territory, while
the rest of their lands are contested by local warlords.

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2 – The Sovereign Republic of Rahmos:

A major empire and international player, and despite

the name, the atheistic and autocratic Rahmos maintain
a notorious militarist tradition, and has one of the
more effective militaries in Kathos. Despite this, the
Rahmos has regular trouble with bureaucracy and
managing post-war territories, which is always tough to
do when the people you’re occupying are stubborn as
nails. Vast forests are interspersed with large
factories and forges that churn out the Imperial war
machine, dwarfed only by their great cities, blackened
with industrial pollution.

3 – The Rahmos Protectorate States:

As the name implies, those are the formerly independent

city-states such as Garados, Mercos, Torun, and more
that have now fallen under the domain of the Rahmos.
Despite this, resistance is fomenting, and the grip of
the Rahmos, already weakened by their efforts at
conquest and pacification, seems to be slipping. These
republican mercantile provinces are defined by the
contrasting vistas of the local ostentatious cities and
the smokestack laden factories of the occupying empire.

4 – Syreden:

Picture the Alps of Switzerland combined with the green

nature fields of Burgundy, with a dash of neutrality
and religious faith, and you get Syreden. Despite its
relative distance from the chaos of the aforementioned
nations, Syreden still feels the impact of years of
war, with economic downturn, political instability, and
refugees flocking to its safe borders, and it won’t be
long before the hungry great powers turn their eyes to
this resource-rich region. Syreden is also known as the
originator of the Trithinite faith, one of the major
religions of the world and the state religion of the
Confederation of Nallum.

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5 – Fahrong Confederation of Nallum:

It was a given that, after all the Fahrong had endured

over centuries, they would steadily turn to more extreme
ideologies as a rallying point for their people. The
Confederation was founded on the basis of a fanatic
interpretation of the Trithinite religion, evident in
the vast cathedrals and iconographies that dot the
cities and landscapes. Despite this extremism, much of
the devout populace can still be a reasonable crowd;
it’s those in power that you must be wary of, and their
drive for a holy crusade to spread their beliefs to
everybody beyond their borders, whether they want it or
not.

6 – Free Choice:

Lucky you. You get to choose any of the five above

options.

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Age
Roll a 1d8 and add 21 (31 if you pick Fleet
Commodore as your background) for your age.
Your gender may remain the same, or you can
spend 50 CP to change.

Background:
Any background can be drop-in (if so, you find
yourself in the role but without the
memories/history).

- Mercenary Spy:

You were once an intelligence officer, tasked as part

of a secret agency with information gathering and
infiltration, a job you performed admirably. But that
was a while ago, and for some reason or another you
found yourself jobless, shunted aside and replaced by
a loyal yes-man. Now, you find yourself on your own,

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offering your services to the highest bidder. [You may
start in Syreden for free].

- Rebel:

Once part of an idyllic village, you saw war bring all

your hopes and dreams to a halt. With your home burned,
your neighbors murdered, and your family scattered (and
hopefully still alive), you grabbed the nearest weapon
and swore vengeance against those that wronged you.
[You may start in Atelia or the Rahmos Protectorate
States for free].

- Marauder:

The dirt-filled trenches of war are but a distant

thought to you, for you wage your war in the skies,
piloting aircraft and zeppelins against the vast sky-
navies of the great empires. Operating out of hidden
bases, the Marauders of Theia are notorious for taking
piracy to the next level – in both a figurative and
literal fashion. [You may start in Atelia or the Rahmos
Protectorate States for free].

- Army Officer:

A veteran of the militaries of the world’s great powers,

you graduated out of the academy with an idealistic
outlook, war being a chance for glory and national
unity. It didn’t take long to sully that image, but you
pressed on regardless, whether continually loyal to the
cause or defecting to the other side out of
disillusionment. Too deep into it to leave now, you
suppose… [You may start in Rahmos for free].

- Fleet Commodore:

One of the most prestigious jobs in this world, you

graduated top of the line from one of the various sky-
naval academies. You served your war with distinction,
and have taken a well-deserved leave. Despite this, war

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returns once again, and you find yourself back at the
helm of the great ships that pierce the skies above.
[You may start in Rahmos or the Fahrong Confederate of
Nallum for free].

- Fanatic Proselyte:

There is only one message to be spread, that of your

holy faith, and by heaven and thunder you will. Where
most followers of the Trithinite Faith prefer to spread
the gospel by word of mouth, you found it to be more
expedient via the barrel of a gun. And it seems to be
paying off. Sure, there will be those who resist, but
what’s a couple more heretics to purge in the name of
the one true religion? A few martyrs are worth a
thousand followers, after all. [You may start in Syreden
or the Fahrong Confederate of Nallum for free]

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Perks and Abilities:
For respective backgrounds, first perk (the 50 CP
one) is free; the rest are discounted at 50%. If
you already possess a similar ability from a
previous Jump, the chosen perk simply levels up
said ability. All perk capstones are toggleable
for future Jumps, should one choose so. In this
case, post-Jump they remain in the warehouse in a
state of stasis until used in a Jump and can spawn
at a location of your choosing, but you can only
select one capstone (no Spy Master and Supreme
Commander simultaneously, for example).

- Your Mother Needs You Home For Dinner! (free):

Even in this grim world, a bit of humor goes a long

way. But why just be snarky when you can be snarky and
gain random bonuses from it too! With this perk – free
of charge, no less – you gain a natural capacity for
snide comments at an enemy’s expense. Maybe you want to
mock their intelligence, or their manhood, or even their
mothers (whether they happen to be saints or not is
irrelevant here). Whatever it is, you know how to snap
a comment to get under their skin and get them really
pissed. And maybe with them getting pissed, they may
even make a mistake.

- Atten-Hut! (free):

This is a violent world, after all. Having you just

drop in like that, you gotta be careful. Somebody could
get hurt. Well, no need to fear: with this perk, also
complementary, you gain basic training in weapons and
unarmed combat, as well as some general knowledge of
medicine and healing and a bit in engineering and
construction. You also have a bit more understanding of
the world you’re in, possibly to avoid any potential
social faux pas you may commit. You may not be a crack
shot, but with time and practice, you’ll learn to push
to the limit and surpass your previous constraints.

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Mercenary Spy Perks and Abilities:

- Hidden Signals (-50):

There’s more to being a spy than just sneaking around

and looking at the enemy through binoculars. A lot of
it is the art of warfare in the shadows, especially
when it comes to communication. You are now adept at
deciphering codes and creating practically unbreakable
ones, which will give you a full advantage over enemies
trying to understand what you’re saying, bar the
occasional enemy genius. You also gain a knack for
comprehending hidden languages and speech much faster,
which will definitely be a boon when you’re trying to
interpret just what these secret messages are saying.

- Elementary (-100):

A spy’s mind must be sharper than that of a whetstone,

as even stones can erode over time; the former must

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not. This perk makes that much easier for you: you have
an intuitive sixth sense to detecting clues and hints
that point you in the right direction. Every once in a
while, you’ll get a lead, and with that lead is the way
forward to wherever you need to go. You’ll be able to
catch onto them much faster, and have the opportunity
to capitalize on them to your advantage. While you’ll
never have the answer handed to you outright, at the
very least, you’ll get a sense of where to go next.

- Shadow War (-200):

Let’s face it, you’re not the only spy out there. In
this world of constant conflict, everybody’s looking to
get the edge over the other. Thankfully, now, they’ll
have one major problem: you. You now excel at counter-
intelligence, with the capacity to detect enemy spies
and neutralize them, or even turn them over to your
side! With this comes the ability to sense whose
allegiance belongs to who. Of course, you’ll still have
to pull the effort for it, but you usually end up
correct in your assumptions, and successful in your
endeavors.

- Electric Eye (-400):

It’s one thing to be a spyman on the front lines,

gathering intelligence and data. It’s another to make
sense of them. You, however, take this to the next
level. You are capable of premium analysis of large-
scale events, and can detect exactly how things will
play out over a period of time. Minister got sacked?
It’s a ruse to put somebody more loyal in his place.
Some mayor got assassinated? He was the competent one,
and now the city’s going to go downhill. New president
got elected? You know how his policies will play out.
Several steps in advance, you can predict how even
smaller occurrences will snowball into larger ones, and
the role they end up playing in the grand scheme of
things, which will allow you to make your moves to both
accommodate for your enemies and further your own goals.

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Mercenary Spy Capstone Perk: Spy Master (-600;
exclusive to Mercenary Spy):

Spywork is almost never an individual affair. Sure, you

could probably pull it off, but it always pays to have
more people on your…ahem…payroll, to help. With this
perk, you gain access to your very own Spy Network,
complete with loyal agents and officials that report
directly to you from all around, constantly gathering
intelligence, forming networks, creating informants,
and updating you on the state of the world. They are
located in a hidden area of your choosing, and while
they’ll need to regularly relocate for security
reasons, you’ll always know where the headquarters are,
and you are guaranteed at least several months of safety
before the risk of revelation becomes too great.

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Rebel Perks and Abilities:

- Duct Tape and Twine (-50):

Part of being an underequipped rebel against

insurmountable odds is making the best of what you have
on hand. Fortunately, you are nothing if not
resourceful, and with this perk you can utilize it to
its best possible limit. You can now engineer and
improvise weapons and equipment out of basic tools, and
can guarantee they’ll still function almost as well as
an industrial item of the same caliber. Of course,
nothing beats factorywork, but until then, this’ll do.

- Hold the Line (-100):

A constant among all invading and colonizing forces is

their propensity to consistently underestimate their

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foes and their resilience. Thankfully, they usually are
too stubborn to accommodate for when resistance forces
throw their plans awry. You are now an expert in
creating and laying a variety of traps, from trip-wires
and poison traps to explosive barrels and punji pits,
and quickly constructing improvised defenses such as
machine gun emplacements or cannon bunkers. Your
fortification and defensive skills are now such that
only the most dedicated or suicidal of enemies will
have a hope of bypassing your work without proper
engineering or just bum-rushing you with half the
population.

- Precision Warfare (-200):

One concept that is universal – or at least supposed to

be – in warfare is the concept of min-maxing:
efficiently inputting minimal effort for maximum
output. While many armies here have somehow missed this
memo, you have not. With an understanding of your foes,
you know when and where to kill a specific officer or
soldier to make enemy formations fall apart. With a
strategic bullet or mine, well-designed plans may go
awry, morale may drop, and time may be bought, long
enough to help keep your merry band together.

- Against All Odds (-400):

Just as the enemy would do anything to pillage your

lands and steal your homes, you would do anything to
make them bleed for it. And people have picked up on
this dedication and used it to embolden themselves with
you. You can now keep people united around a cause much
easier, whether noble or otherwise, with much less
friction. This can allow your movement to potentially
snowball and grow much larger as victories – and even
occasionally defeats – will have supporters flock to
join you, inspired by your victories. No more will you
have to worry about internal conflict and strife, as
you are a perpetual reminder as to why they fight in
the first place.

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Rebel Capstone Perk: Freedom Fighter (-600; exclusive
to Rebel):

No resistance is possible without armed rebellion – at

least, not against empires as oppressive as the ones
here. With this perk, you gain access to your own Rebel
Underground Cell, based in a nondescript location that
is constantly on the move to avoid the wrath of the
subjugators. This cell comes with trained militiamen
organized and motivated to fight for freedom and the
cause you deem fit. The headquarters contains its own
supply depot of equipment, ranging from weapons and
ammunition to medical supplies and toolboxes for
improvised construction. This cell is absolutely
dedicated to you and will never defect for any reason,
as they have complete faith in you and your leadership.

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Marauder Perks and Abilities:

- Breaker (-50):

The romantic imagery of the freedom-loving

swashbuckling sky pirate aside, marauding essentially
boils down into busting into places and stealing their
stuff. With this perk, you can now easily break into
locks and secure areas much faster than the average
fellow. This will help your raiding endeavors progress
much more effectively, as you have an innate
understanding of these locks and how they function, and
can act accordingly.

- Eagle-Eyed (-100):

The Marauders of Theia wouldn’t have acquired their

reputation for brilliant blitz-style raids if they
didn’t have the capacity to read the skies as well as
they did. You now possess the same amount of skill,
capable of scanning the atmosphere around you and up
above much more clearly, which allows for greater
maneuverability and movement. With this ability, you

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also have the means to predict weather movements and
wind currents, which can be vital in planning your next
move.

- Supplies! (-200):

Hey, now, in case you’re forgetting, you’re a pirate.

One that operates in the skies, no less. This makes
acquiring supplies and working with them a lot harder,
considering the demands and constraints of an air fleet
and the piracy that comes with it. Not anymore. You are
now an expert in logistics, and can properly assign
supplies to minimize usage and maximize effectiveness,
essentially keeping you and your band afloat for much
longer. You also know how to make better use of what
you acquire, so as to keep your stock from dwindling
ever further.

- Hit and Run (-400):

As mentioned before, the Marauders are known for their

skill in quickly striking and escaping enemy forces
before they know what hit them, running off with loot
and stolen ships and ready to fight another day. But
even the luckiest of pirates can get killed, or worse,
caught. With this perk, you know how to hit the enemy
where it hurts, and are a certified expert in hit-and-
run strategies and tactics, able to weave between enemy
formations to strike with unparalleled effectiveness,
sending even the more disciplined forces into chaos and
confusion. There is no guarantee that you won’t be
hunted down and pursued, but there is the understanding
that you are just so damn good at disappearing after a
successful attack that it would practically take your
pursuers forever to find you again.

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Marauder Capstone Perk: Sky Pirate (-600; exclusive to
Marauder):

What’s better than raiding mass formations of enemy sky

ships and sending their charred remains crashing to the
ground and/or sea? Doing it with buddies! You now have
your own personal Marauder fleet, with a pirate airship
and a fleet of fighters, all well-trained and skilled
in the art of roaming the skies. The airship serves as
a personal command craft and mobile headquarters more
than anything else; although it’s not as intricate or
militarily equipped as the Reaver Pirate Airship, which
means the bulk of the damage still has to be done by
the smaller air force, it’s still fast enough to outrun
all except the most dedicated anti-piracy ships, and
comes with its own docking hold for any craft that wish
to land. These Marauders are completely dedicated to
you and will not abandon you for any reason, price, or
threat otherwise.

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Army Officer Perks and Abilities:

- Up Close and Personal (-50):

War isn’t just won by the commanders in their bunkers,

but by the boots on the ground. Ergo, leading an
effective force on the field is paramount for victory.
You have an intuitive understanding for tactics, and
can easily direct your allies to victory over these
small skirmishes. With sharp eyes and sharp ears, you
can discern enemy positions and their weaknesses and
strengths accordingly, can gain awareness of how enemy
soldiers are trained and equipped after just a few
seconds of immediate contact, and can immediately
adjust for any unexpected circumstances.

- Nerves of Steel (-100):

The pain of seeing your comrades fall before your eyes

in war never really goes away, and dealing in a
situation where your life is on the line can push your
psyche to the limit. But it doesn’t have to be this
way. Now, you can endure battle stress much more easily
than others, and can retain your cool even when under
fire. You may still endure pressure from a life-or-
death situation, but you will never have to worry about
getting paralyzed by fear mid-combat.

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- Hearts and Minds (-200):

You’ve got a cause to fight for. So do your enemies.

Everybody’s fighting for an ideal or a purpose here.
Whether your cause is more just is irrelevant, insofar
as the other side is just as willing to die for theirs.
But with this, your work becomes a little smoother.
This perk allows you to touch the hearts and minds of
your enemies much easier, which should definitely make
transitions or conquests smoother, as they won’t be
resisting with as much fervor as before. Surrenders
will be more commonplace, subjects won’t be as openly
against you as before, and some may even join your side.
This won’t work on the more fanatical or elite soldiers
or civilians, but lower ranking soldiers and people
will be more susceptible to it…as long as you give them
a reason to, and not potentially abuse or alienate them
in the process.

- The Art of War (-400):

I’m pretty sure there was a book about this a long time
ago, written by some master strategist from God knows
where doing God knows what…well, it doesn’t matter,
because at this point, you embody the principles of the
book. You become a strategic mastermind, capable of
taking strategic and operational warfare to the next
level, denying the enemy opportunities while ensuring
that your own take place. The world becomes your
chessboard. Both friends and foes will be left
scratching their heads as to how you accomplish such
feats, and you will earn a reputation that will surely
lead to other masterminds challenging you to battles of
wits.

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Army Officer Capstone Perk: Supreme Commander (-600;
exclusive to Army Officer):

What is an officer without an army? That would be a

good question, as someone has to give out the orders
here. With this, you now have your own army to lead,
approximating about 3,000 soldiers, or about the size
of a brigade. This force includes an assortment of about
a dozen military armored fighting vehicles, as well as
another dozen artillery pieces and separate companies
for engineering and logistics, alongside the officers
that direct this group. While you don’t exactly have
access to air support, you have your own countermeasures
in the form of half a dozen anti-aircraft batteries to
cover you from any threats from the skies. These
soldiers are well-trained and equipped and absolutely
dedicated to you, and will never defect or waver from
enemy attacks. They can, however, still die, so if you
value their lives (or potential victory later on), you
may want to give the retreat order now and then if
things get too hairy.

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Fleet Commodore Perks and Abilities:

- Map-Reader (-50):

Probably the first lesson ingrained in potential

recruits for the air-navies of Theia is navigation; you
do NOT want to get lost here, especially when you’re
commanding a massive floating cruiser. With this, you
can now read maps and positions exceptionally well,
able to direct exactly where you need to go and how
from a simple glance on the map. With time, you can
ascend this ability to be able to create your own maps
from scratch, after even a simple scan of the area.

- The Long, Arduous Journey (-100):

Whether a navy on water or in the skies, at its most

fundamental core, a ship is a ship: a massive steel
vessel, sailing into unknown territory with an
uncertain future. You may not know what lies ahead, but
you know what waits for you back home. With this perk,

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you can keep your crew or team motivated over long,
difficult campaigns or expeditions, and are able to
keep them from succumbing to despondence or despair.
This kind of impetus is invaluable for these extended
journeys, especially in light of what awaits them upon
return.

- He Can’t Have Survived That! (-200):

It needs not be said that air-navies can be some of the

most hideously overengineered machines in both this
world’s history and any history. We’re talking
dieselpunk flying battleships, of course something
could go wrong. Anything could go wrong, from a loose
gear overheating a boiler to a jammed gun blowing up
the ammunition storage, or even a lucky strike from an
enemy bomber crippling your propeller and sending you
adrift. Here, you possess a lot more luck than usual,
and can survive freak accidents or lucky hits that can
usually be devastating.

- Battle for Dominion (-400):

In the war of the skies, every little bit counts. You

know this more than anyone, and with this perk, your
combat efficiency is taken to the next level: you can
strike with pinpoint accuracy, hitting exactly where
you wish at the exact moment you desire. Every move you
take becomes part of a calculated scheme that drives
you onwards to victory. You can also motivate people
and crews without fear or worry of mutiny, and can
impart your knowledge to them as part of your grand
schemes, with them slowly picking up on your talents
and implementing them.

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Fleet Commodore Capstone Perk: Grand Admiral (-600;
exclusive to Fleet Commodore):

One of the most iconic visages of this world is the

scenery of massive floating battleships that dot the
sky, an eternal reminder of the might of the greater
empires. Serving as the leader of one of these
detachments is considered a position of great honor and
prestige. And envy. With this perk, you now have your
own air-navy task force, a complement of one Dreadnaught
Mark IV classes, two Indomitable-Class Armored Cruiser
with modernization packages, and an Aircraft Carrier
capable of holding a complement of fighters and bombers.
This may seem like a logistical nightmare, but rest
assured, all supplies are taken care of, as well as all
ships crewed by skilled and loyal officers incapable of
mutinying against you.

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Fanatic Proselyte Perks and Abilities:

- Heresy! (-50):

Even in the most pious of people, a heretic waits to

fester in their souls. No one is immune from sin. In a
scenario such as this, it would behoove of the devout
to keep their wits about, and with this perk, it can be
accomplished. You have the capacity to read people’s
“hearts”, in a manner of speaking, and can use it to
sniff out such heresy with ease. By reading them, you
can discern exactly where their real loyalties and
motives lie, and can use it to gauge exactly what kind
of person you’re dealing with.

- Herald of the Heavens (-100):

Sometimes, truth isn’t about what is, it’s about what’s

perceivable. A lot of people happen to be quite the
impressionable crowd, and why not use it to your
advantage? With this perk, you can convince and convert
people to your cause much more easily, allowing your
influence to grow almost exponentially. Be it a few
words or an act of goodwill (or otherwise), they will
see the truth in your words and rally themselves around

26
you, a few at a time. But a few can snowball into many
faster than you’d expect.

- Divine Right (-200):

All the prophets of old were known to have a direct

communique with the heavens above, in some manner or
form. Maybe there’s no way to directly confirm this,
but who were we to judge these special people? And now,
you’re one of them. Occasionally, you can stumble across
dreams, almost prophetic ones, that give you
inspiration and can foreshadow events to come. Of
course, it’s up to you to interpret them, but they will
definitely be symbolic enough as to be recognizable. No
tapdancing rubber snakes as a metaphor for overcoming
the odds, for example. Although that would be pretty
funny.

- My Will Be Done (-400):

A religion without followers is a single-man delusion.

A religion without dedicated followers is just waiting
to fail. A religion without absolute, fanatical,
suicidal devotion? You could do better. With this, you
can inspire yourself and your allies to fight with the
aforementioned dedication, so hard that you will
literally dig into the ground and refuse to surrender
or retreat in the face of even the worst of odds. Far
from sealing defeat, however, this inspiration will
allow to overcome the odds at best, and inflict Pyrrhic
victories at worst upon the poor bastard who decided to
pick a fight with you. These acts will soon echo in
their legendary status, and will simultaneously
continue to affect you and your cohorts further down
the line, emboldening yourselves with even further
commitments and, subsequently, victories. Or near-
victories.

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Fanatic Proselyte Capstone Perk: Holy Crusader (-600;
exclusive to Fanatic Proselyte):

There is an ancient joke, its origins lost to time,

about the followers of a religion: put two adherents in
the same room, and you come out with three different
opinions. With all the various interpretations,
commentaries, critiques, and the odd nutjob who thought
s/he was the correct prophet and all the others were
frauds, it was inevitable that all the various sects
would strike out on their own, to prove their version
of the story correctly. So, here’s your own sect. You
have your own following now, centered around you and
your interpretation of whatever belief or cause you
have on hand, religious or secular. You have with you
a cohort of followers ranging from high-ranking members
(such as priests, if you happen to be religious), to
lower-ranking staff who operate a variety of tasks, all
connected to you and your movement, ranging from
preaching the cause to the nonbelievers to organizing
meetings and groups to further their understanding of
your ideas. This may not seem like much, but greater
religions have started from smaller gatherings; it is
how you apply them that will end up being the key to
victory. All these followers are, of course, completely
committed to you and your ideals and will never defect
or betray any of them for any reason whatsoever. It is
literally beyond their comprehension.

28
Items and Gear:

Items and Gear: All weapons and vehicles have

fiat restocking ammunition, fuel, and
maintenance. The usual rules for discounts
apply. Personal Vehicles can be stored in a
separate section of your Warehouse dedicated
to them specifically.

- Steampunk-Dieselpunk Aesthetic (free):

Seeing as you’re in this fancy new world, you may

as well dress the part. This perk provides you
with clothes appropriate to the setting: a
trenchcoat, gloves, armor, heavy boots, and a
snazzy hat or helmet. You also become familiar
with steampunk-dieselpunk aesthetics and can
accurately design clothes, items, vehicles,
uniforms, cosplays, whatever you fancy with this
aesthetic. However, keep in mind that it’s just
that: purely aesthetic. Whether it’ll actually
work effectively is a different matter entirely.

29
- Basic Equipment (free, -100):

As the title says, here you have a small portable

box filled with basic goodies for the trip ahead.
In all of them, you can find rations for several
weeks, as well as an emergency medkit. All
consumables (such as the grenades or the tea) have
fiat backing, and thus renew daily. Within them,
the contents can also alter based on your
background, and each respective background gets
their equipment for free, although you can pay an
extra 100 CP each to gain the equipment of any
other background:

• Mercenary Spy: You start with a listening

device effective for fifty square meters as
well as a dossier of high-value enemy targets
of note that changes per Jump.
• Rebel: You get a couple of Molotov Cocktails
and an Atelian Hunting Knife.
• Marauder: You get a toolbox for basic repairs
and maintenance and a monocular spyglass.
• Army Officer: You get a gas mask and a few
smoke grenades.
• Fleet Commodore: You get a pair of binoculars
and a pouch of invigorating tea.
• Fanatic Proselyte: You get an ornate sword
and some prayer beads, which can help soothe
the nerves when used.

30
Mercenary Spy Items and Gear:
- Gamonev Autofiring Handgun (-50):

One of the oldest handgun designs in Kathos, this ornate

semi-automatic handgun retains a complex design that
makes it quite inaccurate compared to other pistols.
However, its compact design offsets any range issues it
may have, as it makes it much easier to carry around
hidden. Good in a pinch, but at the end of the day,
it’s still a pistol, so don’t expect much more.

- Drum SMG (-100):

A classic submachine gun that seems to come out of the

old crime movies. A fitting weapon, but no less
effective. Just be careful: it seems to be a bit heavier
than you’d expect, and the constant rattling of the
bullets within the drum magazine whenever you lug it
around is bound to grate at some point.

- Satchel Charge (-200):

Simple is sometimes best, a concept explosively

embodied in the form of the satchel charge. Basically,
a bag stuffed to the brim with explosives, excellent
against armored targets and clusters of soldiers. Be
sure to keep your distance, though.

- Propaganda Radio (-400):

A special weapon for special occasions, the Propaganda

Radio isn’t really a weapon per-se, but it certainly
behaves like one. Once activated, it sends out a stream
of propaganda that not only boosts your own morale and
effectiveness greatly (as well as those of your allies),
but also sends out a strange signal that drives enemies
into an indiscriminate killing frenzy, often times
turning on each other! Don’t forget, though, that you’re
still an optimal target for them.

31
- Mercenary Spy Personal Vehicle: Upgraded VTOL-7
Ornithopter (-600):

Ah, the legacy of Frank Herbert continues into the

dieselpunk world of Theia. But this isn’t your ordinary
ornithopter. Putting aside the powerful rocket pods and
automatic cannon mantled onto this aircraft, this
specialized ornithopter is also equipped with high-tech
radio equipment capable of listening in on enemy chatter
while on the fly over a twenty square-kilometer radius,
while also able to transmit messages securely towards
any intended target at the same range. This ornithopter
is also fixed with new wing and engine technology that
slightly muffles its sound and movement. Of course,
being an ornithopter, it’s still gonna be loud, but not
as much as before, which allows certain stealth missions
to be carried out with ease. Fast, maneuverable, and no
less effective in a fight, your secret endeavors will
definitely be taking a new turn with this.

32
Rebel Items and Gear:
- Kham Hunting Rifle (-50):

Being a mostly rural-based population, the Atelians

have honed their hunting skills to the edge, and their
Kham Hunting Rifle represents the apex of this.
Accurate, powerful, and reliable, it is, nonetheless,
a hunting rifle and not much more, which means this
single-shot musket must constantly be reloaded after
every discharge. Very good at medium-range engagements,
but you run the risk of getting caught flat-footed if
combat starts getting closer.

- Chimera Scattergun (-100):

Commissioned by the Atelian warlord Sahrab himself, the

Chimera is an absolute beast at close-quarters and urban
warfare, and has acquired a fearful reputation. By
default, it’s your standard scattershot shotgun,
capable of easily dispatching enemies close by, but it
is its secondary fire that truly cements this as a
weapon of terror: after all, launching a blast of
chemical fire potent enough to set entire squads on
fire will do that to a gun.

- Landmines (-200):

As rebels specialize in hit-and-run warfare on the

ground level, a lot of their weaponry reflects this.
While they must make do with improvised and sometimes
experimental weapons, there is usually a call for more
mundane solutions, on occasion. Landmines are just
that: explosive landmines that trigger whenever an
enemy walks onto them. Powerful enough to de-track tanks
and blow armored cars to pieces, and enough to turn any
hapless soldier into pink mist. Unfortunately, this
landmine doesn’t differentiate between what kind of
enemy walks onto it, so place it carefully if you want
to neutralize that valuable spider walker rather than
a run-of-the-mill conscript.

33
- Salamander Flamethrower (-400):

A pyromaniac’s wet dream, the Salamander flamethrower

combines the need for an effective anti-infantry weapon
with the necessities of urban guerilla warfare. Primary
fire ignites a stream of napalm that burns enemies to
cinders, but the secondary fire sprays a liquid puddle
onto the ground that can be ignited when needed, perfect
for setting traps. Best not to wait too long for it to
lose its potency, however. Also, this is still a
flamethrower: try not to burn yourself.

34
- Rebel Personal Vehicle: Retrofitted Hellfire Ontos
Tank (-600):

During their war of resistance against the hordes of

the Confederation, the Atelians managed to capture much
of the enemy equipment and turn it onto them. One of
them was the Ontos main battle tank, of which several
variants were used during the Atelian war. You now gain
possession of a retrofitted version of one of those
Ontos, specifically the Hellfire Ontos, named for its
multi-barreled cannon that can fire shots rapidly
towards an enemy without care for recoil owing to its
effective stabilizers. While reloading this is normally
a nightmare, you don’t have to worry about it with this
version, as reloading is much more streamlined. To guard
against nearby infantry, the Hellfire Ontos also has
several inbuilt machine guns on each side, granting it
effective anti-ambush countermeasures. This special
version has also been outfitted with armor skirts and
reinforced plating to help it withstand enemy counter
attacks, as well as an upgraded engine to help it move
faster and a reorganized interior that can allow you to
either pilot it solo, or with a companion or two should
you want to operate more effectively.

35
Marauder Items and Gear:
- Are14 Heavy Pistol (-50):

Being a Marauder isn’t just about piracy, it’s about

piracy with style. So, here’s a stylish pistol for you:
the Are14 Heavy Pistol is notorious for its peculiar
design of a six-barreled pistol, with two firing modes:
either single-fire, or all at once, almost like a pistol
shotgun. Incredibly powerful, but hopefully the recoil
doesn’t break your wrist.

- Dynamite (-100):

Easy to carry and easier to use, this bundle of dynamite

is about as straightforward as you can get with
explosives: light the fuse, then let your imagination
– and the bundle – fly. You can use it to blow open
doors or passageways by setting it on the ground. Or
throw it against vehicles as an anti-vehicle weapon. Or
just tossing it against a bunch of soldiers and letting
the rest do the work. Not aerodynamic, but effective.

- Falcon Heavy Sniper Rifle (-200):

What says hit-and-run better than a long-range weapon

that your foes can’t react to in time? The Falcon is
your typical bolt-action, magazine-fed sniper rifle.
Very effective, very accurate, especially in longer
engagements and where surprise is on your side. However,
it is slow to reload and borderline useless in closer
combat, unless you can no-scope with it, in which
case…good on you.

- 40 RTE (-400):

This shaped-charge rocket launcher is the go-to weapon

for frontline warfare against enemy armored and
mechanized divisions, and has acquired a legitimate
reputation for stopping entire columns in their tracks.
While not as effective against infantry (although it
does serve in a pinch), this armor-piercing weapon is

36
ridiculously good against armored foes and targets,
ranging from main battle tanks to even mundane doors.
Just watch the backblast.

- Marauder Personal Vehicle: Reaver Pirate Airship (-

600):

The Marauders of Theia are infamous for their talents

in sky-reaving, to the point that air navies are on
perpetual lookout for even the slightest chance of an
enemy raid. Operating out of huge Pirate Airships, these
raiders strike fast, strike hard, and disappear without
a trace. Now, you’re ready to join the fray personally
with your very own version of a Reaver Pirate Airship.
Outfitted with several upgraded anti-air cannons for
those pesky counter-piracy air forces, as well as
smaller side cannons and docking ports for two pirate
aircraft and a transport ornithopter that are provided
as well, this vessel comes with a crew that can handle
all the basic functions of the ship, from engineering
and sailing to even boarding enemy ships and convoys.
Fast enough to outrun enemy pursuing battlecruisers and
tough enough to hold out against fighter attacks, it’s
still vulnerable to the heavier cannons found on the
larger dreadnoughts or concentrated anti-aircraft
artillery. But then again, this is a raiding ship, and
it excels at just that.

37
Army Officer Items and Gear:
- Rahmos Revolver (-50):

When it comes to war, sometimes bigger can be better,

and the military of Rahmos understood it just as much
as anyone else. To that end, here is your own Rahmos
Revolver gun. Quite heavy, with terrifying punching
power and just as terrifying recoil, this thing can be
heard from neighborhoods away. Probably useless for
stealth, but it’s not like you were going to use it for
that, anyway.

- Bretan Machine Gun (-100):

The designers of this gun wanted to create a weapon

that simultaneously met the needs of firepower,
reliability, mobility, and urban warfare. With this,
the Bretan Machine Gun was born. With the weight of a
rifle and the punching power of a light machine gun,
this weapon is unique in its secondary fire, that of a
grenade launcher. The grenade must be affixed to the
front of the weapon and triggered to fire, but is still
effective at clearing out clusters of entrenched
infantry.

- Portable Mortar (-200):

Have you ever called for artillery support, only to

find out that the idiots in the rear lines have either
been slacking off or firing in the wrong direction?
Maybe you’d like to take charge yourself, up close and
personal? This mobile, magazine-fed (you read that
right; a special version, just for you) mortar launcher
is yours to carry and use against those pesky enemy
hard points for that purpose. Usually, these things
need a team, but you have the capacity to operate this
one solo.

38
- Single Shot Napalm Rocket Launcher (-400):

If you absolutely, positively need everybody in a

certain place burned to ashes, accept few substitutes.
This launcher fires a rocket that explodes into a
firestorm upon impact, and is absolutely terrifying
against soldiers. However, it’s not as effective
against armored targets, and reloading it can be a
hassle. While the original versions were disposable
single-shot launchers, this modified version can still
be reloaded, but it’s clunky and time-consuming. Hope
you nailed the enemy with that first shot.

39
- Army Officer Personal Vehicle: Modified Rahmos Siege
Mortar: (-600):

There’s a recurring theme with the armies of this world:

larger forces constantly throwing their might against
fortified positions, usually winning by sheer numbers
or firepower, or mostly both. Here’s your chance to
alter the odds slightly in your favor with this special
version of the Rahmos Siege Mortar. First, the bad:
it’s slow, reload time is ungodly, and it’s not that
maneuverable, meant best for shelling enemies from
afar. But when it shells, hoo boy…this baby can turn
even the hardiest bunker into a smoking crater with a
single well-placed shot. On top of that, this special
version of the mortar is reinforced with more armor at
its weak points in order to protect the crew, as well
as machine-gun positions to ward off any potential
raiders. Plus, with an upgraded engine, this version
still ends up being faster than the baseline version,
so at least you can fire and relocate before enemy air
support rains bombs on you. Like the Ontos, this thing
can be piloted solo if need be, although a team of
companions alongside would probably make your life
easier.

40
Fleet Commodore Items and Gear:
- Persian semi-automatic (-50):

This Rahmos semi-automatic pistol has been mass

produced by many nations in a variety of models and
designs, but still retains the same basic concept of a
sidearm. While not as small and easily-hidden as the
Gamonev, its rudimentary design means its more
reliable, and also more accurate at longer distances.

- Vikhir LMG (-100):

Based on the same principle that drove the design of

the Bretan LMG, the Vikhir retains a more simplistic
approach to weapon design. Much smaller, and without
the grenade launcher the former had, but no less
effective at its job. It even comes with a deployable
stock, which can definitely help with its recoil.

- Grenade Launcher (-200):

About as straightforward as a grenade launcher could

get, this is essentially the steampunk version of an
M79 Thumper. Quite powerful, with leaf-type sights that
can be folded to help with arcing your shots, it still
has to be reloaded after every shot. Score that hit
right, though, and you won’t have to worry about doing
that while under fire.

- Praetorian HMG (-400):

This heavy machine gun has a reputation for being

incredibly effective against infantry forces, and is
usually the go-to weapon for fortifying defensive
positions, as well as distributed regularly to air-navy
crewmen to guard against those pesky pirate boarders.
However, due to its weight and recoil, it needs to be
deployed in order to fire effectively, which can become
an issue if you end up outflanked. Despite this, turning
the enemy into stromboli with this gun can sometimes be
worth the extra workaround.

41
- Fleet Commodore Personal Vehicle: Super Dreadnought
Mark IV Class (-600):

With this perk, you’ve been granted one of your very

own Dreadnought Mark IV Class skyships, modified to
make it stand out from the usual design. This top-of-
the-line vessel is staffed with a crew capable of
carrying out all its functions, as well as a complement
of sky marines for boarding other ships or enacting
quick ground strikes. Even with its tremendous arsenal
of cannon batteries pointed all around, as well as anti-
aircraft weapons for defense and torpedo launchers for
alternate firepower, and even a docking line for any
smaller personal craft you may use, this ship is faster
than it lets on, capable of gaining altitude and
reaching top speed faster than most other ships of its
class. This modified version comes with advanced
detection equipment and better armor in its weaker
spots, as well as more effective placement of its
weapons for maximum effect. Even then, this is still a
floating battlecruiser, so don’t expect this to be
hitting Mach speeds anytime soon. But even then, it’s
a floating battlecruiser. What more could you ask for?

42
Fanatic Proselyte Items and Gear:
- Flagellating whip (-50):

Devotion to the heavens takes precedence over all

worldly matters, and repentance is a must for the
flawed. And what better way to express said devotion
and repentance than by flagellating yourself with such
fervor that your speed, strength, and morale take an
upturn? Sure, it’s painful and can damage you; sure, if
you overdo it, you can accidentally kill yourself; sure,
it’s weak on enemies. But are you not loyal to the Lord
above? And loyalty is always rewarded…

- Vampire (-100):

The Confederation of Nallum has always prioritized

massed charges of fanatic worshippers over smaller,
more elite detachments of infantry, and their military
industry reflects this. The Vampire SMG is about as
basic a submachine gun as you can get, manufactured
with numbers in mind rather than anything special. The
good news is, due to this, the gun is incredibly durable
and still gets the job done.

- Suicide Vest (-200):

Fanaticism can sometimes drive the fervent into a final

act of sacrifice, be it for a cause based in religion
or in liberation. Both the Confederation and Atelia are
notorious for utilizing suicide bomb vests to blow
themselves up, taking their enemies with them.
Obviously, suicide isn’t something a Jumper like you
would want to accomplish, so here’s a specialized
version instead: this one explodes outwards, damaging
and dizzying yourself a bit but basically
indiscriminately gibbing everyone nearby. Try not to
overuse it.

43
- Fahrong Minigun (-400):

An absolute beast of a weapon, this Confederation

minigun can mow down infantry faster than they can send
them at you, and can wipe out entire squads and even
companies in a flash. Terrifyingly powerful against
soldiers, this weapon is practically useless against
armor and burns through ammo about as fast as it can
kill the enemy. But hey, who’s gonna argue with you?
You have a goddamn dieselpunk minigun!

44
- Fanatic Proselyte Personal Vehicle: Specialized ST-
38 “Warweaver” Medium Arach Spider Walker (-600):

One of the more feared weapons to make its presence

known in the Atelian wars, the bane of even the hardiest
rebel fighters or enemy battalions, the Arach Spider
Walkers represented a deviation from standard industry
procedures for the Confederation, with an emphasis on
both tanking and dishing out truly terrifying damage.
And now you have one. This massive spider walker is
slow, but makes up for it with reinforced joints which
allow it to withstand concentrated attack, embedded
machine guns which allow it to take on attackers from
all sides, a double-mortar launcher that strikes fast
and strikes hard, a forward-mounted cannon to take on
the harder targets such as trucks and APCs, and enough
armor to make the enemy run out of rockets before you
run out of time. This version comes equipped with
propaganda speakers that simultaneously raise the
effectiveness of nearby allies while lowering that of
nearby enemies, as well as better communication systems
and a more efficient engine. Performance is peaked with
a crew of companions to help manage the different
components, but it’s entirely possible to utilize this
monstrosity on your own.

45
Companions:
Import: For 100 CP, you can import a companion of your
choice, with said companion getting 600 CP as well as
their own Background. Companions, however, cannot
purchase capstone perks or capstone items, so keep that
in mind. You can also spend 300 CP to import up to eight
in bulk, with the aforementioned CP boons as well.

Export: You can recruit any companion found on this

journey, for a price of 100 CP each, canon or otherwise.
Other options include the following (also at 100 CP
each):

Cookie:

Steampunk kitty! This loyal animal comes equipped with

small kitty-sized armor and a flintlock that may as
well be a hand-cannon to this animal. But equipment
aside, it’s incredibly well-skilled and possesses
above-average intelligence, able to interpret and
understand exactly what you’re saying. It’s also well-
versed in stealth and blending in, despite the gun on
its back, but when push comes to shove, it also
possesses quick reflexes and sharp claws, which will
definitely help in the fight up ahead. Steampunk
litterbox not included.

46
Victoria:

Born and raised in the Syreden mountains, Victoria chose

a path in the art of courtesanship, eventually rising
through the social ranks to become known as a beautiful,
witty, and intelligent woman. Almost too intelligent,
in fact: what passes most people is her exceptional
ability in intelligence gathering, and her house of
courtesans is rumored to be as much a spy ring as it is
a place of relaxation. This is all due to her talent at
knowing how to talk to people and get them to confess,
as well as reading all the hidden signs with subtlety.
She’s also quite headstrong and independent, so I
wouldn’t advise laying the moves unless you know she’d
reciprocate. In the event that you take her as a
companion, you get only her and not her house, although
she has the capacity to create one on her own in the
future, should the need arise.

47
Tim and Vince:

Two brothers who barely survived a terrible attack on

their home village, Tim and Vince went on the run,
eventually enlisting in a local rebel force to fight
against their invaders. Despite their shared history
and close bond as brothers, the two are quite different:
Tim is a pursuer of the arts and music in particular,
always carrying around a mandolin and strumming it
whenever there is a lull in the fighting, while Vince
is more of a technical man, skilled in engineering and
mechanics. This doesn’t undermine either of their
skills as fighters, however, and they are well trained
in the ways of warfare, particularly guerilla warfare,
to the extent that they are referred to as “The Two
Ghosts” by their enemies, out of both derision and fear.
Mostly fear.

48
Flynn:

This man is one of the more notorious Marauder pirates

out there, having clashed with many a sky-navy and
getting away by the skin of his teeth. He is a lover of
adventure, having been inspired by the swashbuckling
stories of youth and aimed to emulate them ever since
he was a young’un. He’s just a bottle of rum and a
parrot away from spouting nonsense about “landlubbers”
and what have you, but under all that goofy exterior is
a man hardened by years of war. Not only can he shoot
a fly off your head at six meters, he can do barrel
rolls in a pirate airship without upsetting all over
the upholstery, and can determine twenty different ways
of breaking into a place just by looking at it. Quite
the skilled character, if you can get past the
eccentricities.

49
Mikkel:

Mikkel is a classic case of the potency of

disillusionment. Once an enthusiastic volunteer in a
war, he enrolled as an officer and distinguished himself
across the various fronts of warfare as a father to his
men and a soldier to the cause. But it didn’t take long
to shatter his illusions. The dismissive nature of his
superiors, the stress of battle, and coming face-to-
face with the results of his war led him down a dark
path, and now he’s earned a well-deserved “retirement”.
Well, his superiors call it retirement. He, on the other
hand, considered it a chance to leave, abandoning the
place he called home to find some kind of repentance.
This “retirement” is only in name, however: he is still
exceptionally talented at leading and directing the
course of battle, as well as examining the environment
to determine the best course of action forward. He is
also well-versed in a variety of languages and knows
how to pick up on new ones, and is skilled enough with
a gun to boot. He just suffers from a bit of a minor
depression. Perhaps a push in the right direction is
all he really needs…

50
Andreas:

Andreas lives and breathes engines like no tomorrow.

Even as a kid, she would surprise her family and
neighbors, outdoing other older and more experienced
members of the profession with her unique and creative
approaches to machines and design. This caught the eye
of the higher-ups, and upon passing her teen years, she
was eventually recruited aboard the Majestic, one of
the greatest sky vessels to grace the world. With her
able hands, the Majestic was kept shipshape, and she
concurrently acquired an innate understanding of even
the largest, more comprehensive engines. With even the
most basic tools, such as a spanner or wrench, she can
restore a malfunctioning turbine to top form by knowing
exactly where to work what, at record time. Despite not
being enthusiastic about warfare to begin with, she
always found her space among the great, smoke-spouting
machines of this world, and it being a dieselpunk world,
she couldn’t have been happier.

51
Nikos:

Not all devotees are made equal. While some wish to

spread the gospel by way of the sword, just as many
wish to enlighten their peers by word of mouth, and
impart no judgement on them regardless of their
decision. For it is, at the end of the day, their choice
and their choice alone, and one’s actions surpasses
one’s words. Nikos was fully aware of this, and after
seeing the horrors of the Confederation’s war, swore
upon his life and his Lord to never shed blood anymore,
of the guilty or not, as he wouldn’t be able to live
with himself otherwise. This pacifistic approach to the
Trithinite faith has led to the acquisition of a new,
holistic view on the value of life, and he freely
imparts his wisdom upon any and all compatriots he
stumbles across. He can see opportunities for victory
through peace and dialogue where others would see via
warfare and violence, a peaceful and yet creative
approach that is a welcome respite considering
everything that occurs in this world. Hopefully you
don’t get too violent here, although he’s usually
willing to work with it: after all, you’re the one
getting violent, not him. And there’s nothing in the
good book against kneecapping…

52
Drawbacks:

Any number can be taken. Drawbacks nullify

related perks from this Jump or any previous
Jump for the duration of this Jump only.

- Tis The Season To…What? (+0):

Okay, how did this happen? This is supposed to be Theia,

a different world from Earth. Where did all these
Christmas lights come from? And all those gift-wrapped
presents? And is that Santa Clause totting a freakin’
minigun? Looks like the Christmas spirit is here, and
this has fundamentally changed the way the world looks.
Trees are decorated with lights, mistletoe adorns every
door, reindeer are trotting in the streets as if it’s
another Sunday, the works. Even your tools and weapons
have somehow changed to carry this Christmas cheer,
which may make things seem a bit disconcerting/off when
you remember that this world at the core has not
changed. Seeing all these dead bodies with a Christmas
theme about them may dampen the spirit a little.

53
- Where’s The Asbestos When You Need It? (+100):

I have no idea what they put in those clothes of yours,

but for some reason, you’ve become about as flammable
as tinder. The smallest spark can set the affected part
of you on fire, while a lighter can have you running
around like a fancy candle. And flamethrowers? Please
stay away, for your own sake. Unless you want to end up
looking like a bootleg barbecue gone wrong.

- We’ll Have To Make Do (+100):

In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s a lot of machinery

in this world. All those machines require maintenance
and upkeep in order to have them working at top form.
Well, forget it: with this drawback the machines you
work with will constantly be having issues. Missing a
screw here, not processing fuel properly there, all the
machines, all the time. Most of the time, they’re
extremely minor, but minor issues add up to big ones,
especially when it comes to machines, and especially
especially machines in warfare. Oh, and this will apply
to your tools too: guns will jam more often, bombs will
end up duding on the regular, and even the wrench you
decided to improvise as a melee weapon will somehow
rust and break at some point. Even with expert engineers
or companions on hand, they’ll just last a bit before
falling apart. Hopefully your patience can last longer.

- Praise The Lord and Pass The Ammunition (+100):

You’re in a world constantly at war, so there comes a

point where, inevitably, you’ll need to shoot at
somebody in order to survive. However…we have a small
supply issue here. You seem to be perpetually low on
ammunition these days. Your pouches seem lighter, you
always end up having less magazines or clips than you
think, and you tend to run out at the most inopportune
times, such as in the middle of a firefight. Looks like
you’ll need to keep restocking in order to keep on
surviving.

54
- With Friends Like These… (+200):

Teamwork makes the dream work, supposedly. If this is

the case, then these numbnuts seem to dream of nothing.
Your allies have somehow magnified in terms of
stupidity. Where they should be taking cover, they’re
instead running out into the open. Against a tank, they
resort to throwing Molotovs onto the armored parts
instead of the exposed engine. And they always end up
holding the screwdriver from the wrong side. Here’s to
hoping they don’t end up throwing the pin instead of
the grenade, but considering what you have to work with,
it’s little to hope for.

- To The End (+200):

The conflicts in this world have evolved into a form of

a zero-sum game, where a victory for one, no matter how
small, can be perceived as a defeat for another, no
matter how insignificant. With this perk, this concept
is ingrained into everybody’s mind, and it becomes more
than a hassle for you. It’s now much, much harder to
truly root out an enemy or clear them from a place, as
they will fight to their last breath. Even if you chop
off their arms, they’ll still charge at you, kicking
and screaming and carrying on. Get ready for a grueling
slog ahead of you.

- Charge! (+200):

You seem a bit too…enthused about your current

situation. Maybe your history as a Jumper has gotten
into your head a bit. Or maybe you seem overconfident
in your current situation. Or maybe you just like
breathing the fresh, polluted air. Whatever it is, you
have a habit of charging out into the open and putting
yourself at unnecessary risk whenever a fight breaks
out, no matter how small or how big, which doesn’t bode
well for either your cover or your body safety. Or for
that of anyone who happens to be tagging along, as they
pursue you in vain to try and reel you in.

55
- Meeting a Cannon Eye to Eye (+400):

With dieselpunk and war comes lots of explosions. And,

logically, you’d want a way to alleviate damage from
said explosions, right? Well, never mind: this perk
makes you more vulnerable to explosive damage. Even a
grenade in the next room can make you dizzy from the
aftershock, and mortar shots seem to have almost double
the explosive yield. Getting a direct hit from a rocket
could very well mean the end of your journey, so take
extra care.

- Chains of Command (+400):

Sometimes, what hamstrings a war isn’t necessarily lack

of training or equipment, but lack of initiative from
people who are supposed to be managing this stuff.
You’ll find that superiors and subordinates happen to
be a lot more hardheaded, obtuse, and stubborn. and no
amount of logical reasoning or argumentation will deter
them otherwise. This makes your progress much more
frustrating, as opportunities and occasions for easy
victories can be snatched away because some officer got
it into his head that he’d rather keep his guys in
reserve than send them to help you, or goodness knows
what other reason. Or maybe even the reverse: maybe you
wanted to save that tank for later, only to have someone
else supersede your orders and “appropriate” your
equipment. You’ll find no shortage of people who decide
to follow their own thoughts rather than your advice,
even if it ends up screwing them later. And they will
never admit any fault of their own, which somehow makes
it worse, just like in real life wars.

- War is Hell (+400):

Only the dead have seen the end of war. And seeing as
you’re not supposed to die…that doesn’t bode well for
you. Seeing the constant suffering and chaos of war has
worn you down quite a bit, reducing you into a
depressive state that seems to affect how you take
decisions or behave. You may be able to keep the people
around you together, but your own psyche is a different

56
story, and this pessimism will extent to whatever pep-
talk can be given to you: just shrugged off in the face
of the inevitability of war. It’s a tiring affair, to
be sure. But maybe there’s a light at the end of the
tunnel…assuming it’s not that of an oncoming diesel
train.

- Tug of War (+600):

Just because you got it into your head to go to war

doesn’t mean things will go swimmingly. Quite the
contrary: there are plenty of situations where a victory
could just as easily translate to a defeat. But here,
it’ll be more obvious: you’ll be having constant
setbacks with every victory you have. Taken a strongly
fortified city? You overextended yourself and have to
reorganize or withdraw. Found some incriminating
evidence you can use to blackmail? Well, the guy came
out and admitted it, so now you have to work with
something else. Just managed to scrape by defeating
that pirate fleet? Your own fleet is in tatters now.
It’ll take a lot of wits – and potentially luck – to
make it through this situation intact.

- High Priority Target (+600):

Aren’t you a special person? Look at you, jumping

through all these worlds and universes, it would be
silly to say otherwise. Well, seems the major powers of
this world have concurred, although they may not know
why. You have a mark on your head by…well…everybody, be
they great nations or smaller bands, politicians or
marauders, missionaries or diplomats. Your name is
uttered not with reverence, but with suspicion and
perhaps a dash of worry. Some may see you as an
opportunity, others as a threat, but one way or another,
you’ll constantly be hunted, barely given enough
breathing room to maneuver, and you’ll inevitably
always be found somehow, which will necessitate yet
another escape. This’ll be your situation for ten years:
constantly hounded by everybody for reasons that’ll
differ from circumstance to circumstance, but which

57
inevitably boils down to “There’s something fishy about
this guy, and we want to find out what.” Hope you don’t
get caught.

- Lord of War (+600):

This one is straightforward, but no less challenging:

you lose all perks, gear, powers, and properties from
previous Jumps except for your Body Mod. Even your
warehouse is locked out until completion, and you can’t
use any companion you haven’t imported or bought from
the Companion section, who will also be unable to access
the warehouse. Let’s see if you’ve got what it takes.

58
 Aftermath:
You’ve seen what this world has to offer.
Now comes the time for the ultimate
decision.

Warlord: Stay here. Freedom: Return home. Adventurer: Continue.

This world carries All this Jumping and The future offers so
with it a great many war and what not…you much more than what
dangers and trials. just want to rest, for this place has, plenty
But with it comes God’s sake. With this, though it may be. With
much more experiences you decide to return this, you continue on
to be had, friends to home. Your chain ends to the next Jump.
be made, and here, with all your Uncertain though the
dieselpunk. Oh, so perks and items future may be, it
much more of that. alongside. Hopefully promises to be as
You decide to stay that Dreadnought of adventurous as this
here. Besides, you’re yours doesn’t catch one.
already used to it any eyes.
all. Might as well.

59
Abridged Appendix of Military Hardware
in Theia:

The following section briefly details some of

the military hardware, such as tanks and
aircraft, used by the various factions in the
world of Theia. They have been included here
for reference. If you wish, you can nab any
one of these while you explore this
Jump…assuming, of course, you have the
Warehouse space for it and can keep it intact
in the process. However, while they’re
technically free, they are NOT backed by fiat,
which means if you lose them, you lose them
for good, so try not to [lose them]. They are
also considered separate from the personal
vehicles above, said personal vehicles being
upgraded versions and backed by fiat.

60
Ground Vehicles:

Atelian Technical:

With the surprise invasion of the Fahrong, the Atelians

found themselves at a loss when it came to military
hardware, and were forced to improvise. Essentially,
this is a truck with an armored machine gun turret on
top. As tends to be the case with most rebel vehicles,
this is easily assembled and just as easily destroyed,
but still worth its weight in intense urban combat.
However, it is too heavy and unwieldy for off-road
usage, and better confined to cities and towns.

61
Atelian Light Tank:

Resembling less an actual battle tank and more of a

halftrack with a turret and armor bolted on, the Atelian
Light Tank was an impromptu attempt at some kind of
hard firepower in the face of the overwhelming Fahrong
forces, despite their limited industries. It sports a
turreted light-caliber gun on top with machine guns
forward and aft, capable of dealing quick damage to
softer targets, although it falters in the face of
heavier tanks and walkers. Its wheels add to
maneuverability, and its treads can manage rough
terrain relatively well, but it's still lightly
armored.

62
PM-04 Trike:

The Trike is yet another vehicle in a long line of

retrofitted civilian vehicles pressed into service
against foreign invaders. This armored car carries a
recoilless rifle on top, as well as steel armor plates
and a modified engine to carry all the extra weight.
While it can't stand up to the likes of a modern tank,
particularly due to the awkward manner in which the gun
reloads, its size and speed makes it vital in urban
hit-and-run campaigns.

63
Atelian HQ Vehicle:

Due to their nature as a guerilla fighting force, the

Atelians relied on improvised mobile headquarters to
keep their officers and commanders on the move, away
from enemy fire. Armed with an unguided rocket launcher,
what this vehicle lacks in firepower, it makes up for
in speed and armor. Three different variants exist: the
original HQ version, a command-and-control center; a
supply variant, used for logistical purposes; and a
troop transport version, meant for ferrying soldiers to
and from the front.

64
Pirate Assault Vehicle:

One of the more unique designs of armored fighting

vehicles in this world, the PAV accurately represents
the Marauder fighting philosophy: bolted down from
spare parts, improvised to function reliably,
unorthodoxly designed and yet still effective enough to
be a thorn in the side of their enemies. The PAV is
mostly armored with machine guns, but its unique
structure and combination of wheels and treads allows
it to navigate most rough terrain, allowing it to
outmaneuver their enemies with speed and surprise. To
date, no two PAVs are alike, and the surprising
resilience and innovative nature of pirates shows in
how easily built and maintained this vehicle can be.

65
Pirate Tank:

Pirate tanks are usually scavenged from the field or

outright robbed from factories or storage warehouses of
the greater empires before being pressed into service
after a few modifications. That being said, their design
is still rather straightforward: armed with a cannon
and machine gun, with two or three treads for speed and
mobility. It's not expected to last too long in a direct
battle with other tanks, but as Marauders rarely engage
in such skirmishes anyway, this is less of an issue for
them. Occasionally, pirates experiment with their
captured equipment in accordance with the situation
they face, so like the PAV, every tank is unique in its
own way.

66
Pirate Mobile Artillery:

Despite being a primarily air-based power, the

Marauders have also invested in ground military
applications for occasions such as large-scale raids or
defense of their hidden sanctuaries in the mountains of
Theia. Their Artillery units, having been appropriated
from much of the greater powers and bolstered with more
armor and up-gunned engines, retain the same fierceness
of its firepower, with its greatest strength - its range
- also being its weakness. Particularly experienced
marauders have been known to cover their artillery with
foliage and bark, disguising their weapons and making
them much more difficult to spot by enemy air forces.

67
Rahmos Assault Vehicle:

Despite being an industrial superpower, the Rahmos have

never shied away from using lighter equipment and
vehicles for smaller tasks. The Assault Vehicle is meant
as a screening armored car, designed to pepper enemy
defensive positions with machine guns to allow their
infantry to move forward, as well as a reconnaissance
vehicle meant to gather data from the front and powerful
radios to transmit such information. It being a wheeled
vehicle, the Assault Vehicle works better in urban areas
than it does rural, with its lighter-than-usual armor
being a point of consternation for its crew members, as
even obsolete anti-tank rifles are capable of dealing
devastating damage. With this in mind, the Rahmos have
taken to assigning at least three Assault Vehicles to
a single squad, to allow them to cover each other if
they are ambushed or attacked.

68
Rahmos Dingo Tank:

The Dingo Tank served as a more armored version of the

Rahmos Assault Vehicle, it being a tank rather than an
armored car. With this comes a caveat: despite it
capable of taking on more punishment than usual, with
the exception of dedicated anti-armor weaponry, the
Dingo is more mechanically intensive and possesses less
situational visibility, and as such is not as suited to
reconnaissance like the Assault Vehicle is. This
relegates it to the role of an attack tank, heavier
than the Assault Vehicle but lighter than the rest of
the Rahmos ground forces equipment. Regardless, its
twin autocannons make it more ideal for direct infantry
support and even armored combat, to an extent, and this
usefulness sees it continually utilized in the front
lines by experienced Rahmos commanders.

69
Rahmos Devastator Tank:

During the Rahmos war, there arose a dual demand: the

need for an effective yet easily utilizable direct-fire
artillery piece for urban combat, and the simultaneous
urgency to protect them from guerilla fighters. The
Devastator was incepted out of those needs, and
performed well enough for it to become a mainstay of
the Rahmos military from that point on. Its cannon is
tucked and protected within its hardened hull, and
although it needs to deploy to fire, it does so with
enough speed that it is used as a rapid-response piece
to any developing situation. Regardless, the
Devastators worth and vulnerability still see to it
that it is regularly escorted by at least several squads
of infantry.

70
Rahmos Raccoon Assault Vehicle:

With the heavy infantry-focused combat of the Rahmos

war, the Rahmos military developed the Raccoon as a way
to provide adequate cover for infantry, as well as a
means to transport them to and from the frontlines with
some degree of safety. The Raccoon maintains an
effective high-caliber machine gun for suppression and
covering fire, as well as potential neutralization of
softer targets like trucks and technicals, and side
doors to allow for loading or offloading infantry or
other supplies. Its sleek design and relatively smaller
size also give it an advantage in urban combat, allowing
it to maneuver through tight spots much more smoothly.
However, the APC's visibility is heavily hampered by
its armor, and the side doors are vulnerable to anti-
armor weaponry, which means it rarely sees direct combat
unless used in a lightning offensive.

71
Rahmos Mastiff Heavy Tank:

With its emphasis on forward-aiming firepower, and with

most of their enemies being irregular militias, the
Rahmos intended the Mastiff Heavy Tank to be used as a
direct-fire support weapon first, and as a main battle
tank second. It is decently sized and can deliver
punishing and accurate rounds with its cannon, and it
sports an effective machine gun on its dorsal side to
fend off enemy infantry. Its simple design also allows
it to be mass-produced, but the fixed nature of its gun
can be a detriment if it finds itself flanked or
detracked, and it tends to suffer in the face of heavier
tanks and anti-vehicle weaponry. Its exposed engine
also makes it a sweet target for Molotov cocktails and
improvised thrown explosives.

72
Rahmos Main Battle Tank:

A continuation of the design philosophy that sponsored

the Mastiff Heavy Tank, the Rahmos MBT retains its focus
on firepower, with a fixed-forward high-caliber cannon.
Its unorthodox design limits its deployment capacity
due to its extreme over-engineering (to the point that
some of the operating manuals for this tank were written
up by the crew members themselves, rather than the
manufacturing plant), and its short barrel doesn't help
with accuracy, which makes it more of an assault gun
than a tank. However, the power of its gun, as well as
its heavily armored turret which all but guarantees
crew safety, ensures that it delivers tremendous
damage, and it sports an enclosed machine gun turret on
top for help against infantry ambushers, as well as a
smaller ball turret in the front for offensive
operations. In the event that the tank is disabled, a
rear door can be used for crew evacuations, although
the same door makes for a very vulnerable and dangerous
weak point, necessitating support from the rear at all
times.

73
Rahmos Armored Train:

Being an industrial nation, the Rahmos developed a

military doctrine that incorporated trains as part of
their strategies. Their Armored Trains allowed the
Rahmos to quickly relocate their forces from area to
area, allowing for unprecedented speed in large-scale
military operations. They are utilized for a variety of
tasks, from troop transports and logistics to mobile
headquarters and ironclad forts sporting cannons and
machine guns for holding positions. Despite this
incredible versatility, it is also highly situational:
if you find yourself in an area without any train
tracks, its maneuverability becomes at risk.
Thankfully, most Armored Trains retain at least one
carriage carrying engineering and construction
supplies, particularly in establishing short but robust
tracks for just such an occasion, but it is less a
permanent solution and more of a temporary fix until
the engineering corps can move in.

74
Rahmos Siege Mortar:

Faced with increasingly stiff resistance from partisans

during the Rahmos war, top Rahmos officials elected to
simply blast the enemy out of their positions rather
than risk the lives of more soldiers in an endless meat
grinder. The Siege Mortar, having been designed for
this purpose, was so effective at it that the rebels
were forced to switch to a more guerilla-oriented
strategy of war. Despite its firepower almost single-
handedly changing the way the war was fought, the Siege
Mortar has only ever been used as artillery, barely
possessing even machine guns to protect itself, relying
on nearby infantry to cover it instead, which makes it
very vulnerable to organized partisan strikes. Its
heavy weight also makes it terribly slow, and thus only
emphasizes its nature as a support weapon.

75
Confederate Scarab:

The S54 Scarab is intended for use by the Confederates

primarily as a scout vehicle and infantry support. It
is very fast and mobile, but easily destroyed by
hardened rebels with heavier equipment if not used
carefully. Three variants exist: the base version with
an autocannon that is effective against infantry and
soft targets out of cover; the flamethrower variant
that is used to root out entrenched soldiers and clear
bunkers; and the command variant, for officers to use
in the field to boost coordination during battles.

76
Confederate Ontos Tank:

The main armored fighting vehicle of the Confederation

is the S75 Ontos, intended for straight-up engagements
against enemy armored targets and urban support and
combat. They come in three flavors: the original Ontos,
used in armored offensives and carrying a single barrel;
the troop transport variant utilized as an APC, with a
lighter gun but more space for infantry carrying
capabilities; and the infamous Hellfire, called so for
its multi-barreled cannon that can fire several shots
in quick succession, making it particularly deadly
against infantry groups as well as enemy vehicles.

77
ST-35 “Recluse” Light Arach Walker:

In their drive to revolutionize armored warfare, the

Confederation developed the Arach series of spider
walkers, with the intent to inflict as much
psychological as physical damage during their
offensives. The Recluse Arach was their first
development, armed with machine guns and a large mortar
launcher on its back that can fire a massive cluster
bomb. The mortar arcs slowly and bounces several times
before exploding, with the size of the resulting blast
about as much as the width of a street. Unlike most
wheeled and tracked vehicles, the Recluse is slow, but
compensates with its steadier speed and heavy armor,
enough for it to withstand at least several direct hits
from hand-held rocket launchers, and can take on entire
enemy squads single-handedly. It's more lightly armored
than most Arachs, but more numerous as a result,
although its complicated mechanisms make it a headache
for engineers to repair and maintain.

78
ST-38 “Warweaver” Medium Arach Walker:

Probably one of the biggest threats to enemy soldiers

on the ground, the Warweaver represented the next stage
of the Confederate Arach program, capable of dealing
about as much damage as it can take. It is armed with
half a dozen machine guns for infantry combat, a light-
caliber cannon for vehicular targets such as halftracks
and APCs, and rapid-fire dual mortars on its back for
siege capabilities. Said mortars are fired via
specialized launchers that launch its warheads like
rockets, allowing the shells to reach high and hit its
target fast, often before the opponent can respond. The
Warweaver is an absolute terror on the ground, even if
it happens to be slower than most vehicles of its size
or type, and its complicated design means that they are
only fielded as a last resort, delegating first-strike
offensive operations to their lighter vehicles and
massed infantry groups.

79
ST-40 “Widow” Heavy Artillery Arach Walker:

Facing heavily dug-in soldiers and partisans during the

Atelian War, the Confederation were quick to devise a
counter that could properly pummel their targets, the
Widow. This Arach variant was immense enough to
necessitate a completely different approach: while
previous Arachs were deployed to directly combat enemy
forces within the many towns and cities, the Widow was
utilized to blow said enemies out of their positions
entirely. It is so massive that it must be deployed and
immobile before it can bring it gun to bear, and sports
only scant machine guns for emergency defense.
Regardless, the Widow artillery quickly became the bane
of most Atelian defenders, capable of cratering entire
buildings with a single well-placed shot, and making it
a first-priority target for any Atelian defending
commander in the midst of an operation.

80
ST-42 Battle Arach Walker:

Another example of a mobile fortress designed due to

the nature of warfare on Theia, the Confederate Battle
Arach was created with the intention to be used in
future armored engagements against other empires or
larger nations, rather than the limited guerilla
warfare the Atelians subjected them to. Immensely slow
yet armored, this arach carries many guns on all sides
in order to respond appropriately to any given
situation. Despite their cannons' shortened barrels and
thus less-than-stellar accuracy, as well as its limited
maneuverability due to its weight, the Battle Arach can
still take enough hits to properly respond in kind, as
well as keep itself going for days at a time due to its
specialized internal engine.

81
Steel Legion Mk.9 Tank:

An experimental tank designed as both an armored

fighting vehicle and mobile headquarters, the Steel
Legion tank is terribly slow, but makes up for it by
being a veritable fortress. Bolstering six cannons,
three on each side, as well as two machine gun ball
turrets in the front and another on top, this vehicle
has proven to be able to both dish out damage and take
it, and sports surprising visibility with its many sight
ports to boot. Its size and design make it more
conducive to operations restrained to fields and
cities, rather than mountainous regions or swamps, and
its weight makes it less of a weapon for lightning
strikes and more of one intended for slower, grindier
battles.

82
Air Vehicles:

Sea Serpent Mercantile Vessel:

While most merchant fleets have standardized ship

designs in order to maximize efficiency, some merchants
have taken to utilizing nature as an alternate form of
transportation. To that end, giant flying Serpents were
tamed and attached to the vessels to help guide them
through even the harshest of weathers. Despite
dismissals from the more industrial nations as a quaint
alternative, and outcries from organizations concerned
about the welfare of the creatures, more and more
traders and convoys have adopted the method of using
these Serpents to sail the world. Merchants have been
known to establish special relationships with these
Serpents, taking care of them in exchange for their
services, as they know that an upset Serpent is not one
you want to use carrying your cargo. However, due to
their sensitive nature, there are barely any weapons on
these vessels, as larger-caliber guns have a tendency
to startle the creatures and send them out of control,
which means most of these vessels are only lightly armed
at best. This also makes it a mixed bag for pirates
targeting them, as acquiring your loot from a crazed
beast is a difficult endeavor in itself.

83
VTOL-7 Ornithopter:

Ornithopters were created out of experimentation with

flying craft to develop a new generation of aircraft
that carried vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)
capabilities. While successful, having proved their
worth in terms of flexibility and mobility, they are
mechanically intensive and thus only used by special
forces, elite armadas, or the obscenely rich. The
Ornithopters in this world are used as a smaller
personal craft, intended more for lighter support or
strafing than outright battle, where they can easily
fall to coordinated or concentrated firepower. While
occasionally used for combat, civilian ornithopters are
a common sight in Theia, used for recreational or
official purposes.

84
Confederate Fighter:

Tying in with the Confederation's philosophy of

"quantity over quality", their fighters are simply
designed and very straightforward, relying more on
overwhelming their enemies than with skillful
destruction. This doesn't negate the effectiveness of
this fighter, though, as it is still a very capable
aircraft, with twin engines giving it higher than
average speed, and dual machine guns mounted under the
barrel for dogfighting engagements. Certain variants
have been retrofitted to gain access to dropped
explosive ordinance, which allow them to engage ground
targets and provide support for offensives. Despite
this, the craft is still more lightly armored than most
planes of its type, which means concentrated anti-
aircraft fire can bring them down easily.

85
Rahmos Fighter:

In stark contrast to Confederate fighter planes, the

Rahmos have emphasized superior firepower and
survivability, which manifests itself in this fighter.
It is capable of equally serving roles as an air fighter
and ground support craft, brandishing a wide variety of
weapons from machine guns to rocket pods and even
cannons, depending on the variant, with a powerful
engine and dual propellors to compensate for the heavier
equipment and armor. It even retains a rear gunner to
help with enemy pursuers, although its large rear
section can make targeting a bit awkward. With all that
in mind, the Rahmos fighter is still much slower than
its counterparts, but has the protection and firepower
to make up for it, and they are a staple of Rahmos air
force squadrons in the skies.

86
Sedales Fighter:

Between the speedier Confederate Figher and the hardier

Rahmos counterpart, the Sedales Fighter is a unique
aircraft that serves as the middle ground between them,
boasting above-average maneuverability – courtesy of
its twin tails – at the slight cost of speed, as well
as firepower in the form of two ball turrets, one
forward and one aft, and railings on either side for
air torpedoes or ground bombs to be fitted on. Despite
its bulky middle, which makes it an easier target for
even the greenest of pilots, its armor ensures that it
can last a surprise attack, and its rear guns make it
a dangerous plane to pursue. It takes a lot of focused
firepower to bring one of them down, but its complicated
design means they are usually utilized by more
experienced pilots. More streamlined versions have been
developed to allow burgeoning fliers an opportunity to
use them, and they are slowly seeing increased usage
among air forces in Theia.

87
Pirate Gunship:

The Pirate Gunship is essentially a heavily-armored but

highly essential component of corsair air forces, and
is less of a fighter and more of an advanced attack
craft. It is slower and more armored and armed than
their fighter counterparts, but not as big as their
airships, which gives it a special status among flying
craft. They are primarily used as more robust raiding
and boarding ships, and can sometimes be used as supply
craft in a pinch. This means they are designed to be
maneuverable enough to sport hovering capabilities and
speedy enough to land, disembark their soldiers, and
leave once their crew and captured loot is onboard,
quick enough to avoid pursuit from larger ships. Because
of this, their weaponry is limited, as it is not
designed with aircraft engagement in mind, but their
guns are still useful in providing assistance for
corsair soldiers mounting attacks on either enemy
installations or flying ships. Like most pirate
vehicles, no two Gunships are alike, and every single
one has its own design history and experience.

88
Pirate Airship:

Being the stereotypical sky-pirates of Theia, the

Marauders have nevertheless never had the capacity to
capture one of the various nations’ greater
dreadnoughts or cruisers, due to the enemy’s superior
firepower and the complicated nature of the ships
necessitating larger crew forces. To make up for this,
marauders use giant airships to keep their forces on
the move, away from vengeful pursuers or rival
privateers. It's armed with enough cannons to keep
fighter squads off its tail, and has enough engine power
and wind sailing capacity to use the weather to its
advantage, but it has always been intended as a mobile
headquarters more than anything else. In the face of
dedicated pursuit naval task forces or battle fleets,
the only thing an airship can do is escape and hope
they make it far enough away from enemy guns, but they
are still the bane of merchant vessels and smaller
patrol squadrons.

89
Sedales Serpent:

The Sedales Serpent was designed with the need for

lighter anti-aircraft vessels in mind to prop up the
heavier zeppelins and battleships of sky-naval combat,
serving as a type of sky-corvette. It's quite small,
but more armored than a pirate airship and sporting
just as much weaponry, as well as enough speed to
navigate the battlefield and provide support where
needed. It is not designed for direct engagements with
larger cruisers, however, and even an outdated
Indomitable-class cruiser can quickly liquidate
Serpents with ease. They are occasionally used as patrol
craft and even scouts, although more often in the former
role.

90
War Zeppelin:

With the advent of sky-naval war, War Zeppelins became

a regular sight in the world's sky-navies, serving a
variety of purposes from aircraft screening to ground
bombardment and even ship-to-ship fighting. Many of
them have technologically advanced to the point of them
being flying naval battleships, but the more primitive
versions were essentially large airships stocked with
weapons and armor. Particularly vulnerable, but cheap
and easy to build, they still see action in the skies
in a more support-oriented role, and many different
variants exist for specified purposes, depending on the
requirements of the admiral in charge. Some are more
adept at engaging fighters, while others serve as anti-
ground sky artillery. The versatility of the concept
remains the War Zeppelin’s greater strength, as nations
devise all manners of designs for any number of given
situations.

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Aircraft Carrier:

Unlike all sky-navy vessels, the Aircraft Carrier lacks

the characteristic firepower that defines the line-o-
battle warships, with only scant anti-aircraft defenses
in event of an ambush. This makes them particularly
vulnerable to attack by pirates and dedicated naval
vessels, and so necessitates them be protected by their
allies at all times. However, their role as massive
mobile airbases grants them an edge in strategic warfare
that cannot be understated, and it has become so vital
that each standard naval task force possesses at least
one carrier for support or offensive operations.
Capable of refueling and rearming aircraft even in the
middle of a fight, the Carrier quickly became another
showcase in the technological potential for where line-
o-battle warships could go.

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Dreadnought Mark I Class:

The development of the Dreadnought Mark I Class by the

Rahmos military sparked a massive arms race, as this
new technology that dominated the skies was seen as a
game-changer by many a nation and empire. That being
said, this version is still very much representative of
what it was in its infancy: an idea still seeking
development. Today, the Mark Is are a rare sight, having
been phased out in favor of more advanced and versatile
vessels, but the influence of this ship still cannot be
understated, and even today they are occasionally used
as a last resort or with certain reservist fleets.

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Indomitable-Class Armored Cruiser:

Quote from Admiral Dorsin's radio call to the T6 Fleet:

"If the encirclement fails, just use up the Cruisers to
ram and bail out."

One of the oldest cruiser designs in use by Rahmos,

Indomitables are still very formidable vessels compared
to most airship types employed by other nations. In
addition to being among the largest vessels yet
commissioned at the time of their introduction several
decades ago, they featured lots of experimental
technology for their day, such as advanced
Stormreapers, stereoscopic rangefinders for the main
armament, ducted lift fans to help keep the vessel
aloft, bow and stern thrusters to aid maneuvering, and
much more. Many of these technologies are now standard

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on Rahmos warships, though some of the innovations are
already obsolete. In contemporary times, the
Indomitable is badly under-gunned compared to modern
armored cruisers, and comparatively slow due to the
small-diameter thrust propellers which, due to
driveshaft positioning, can’t be economically upgraded.
Most of the Indomitables have been refitted with triple
30mm antiaircraft turrets as pirates and rival nations
have developed heavier-than-air flying machines. During
times of peace, General Marshals often use these as
flagships of “civil defense fleets” primarily composed
of destroyers and unarmored patrol vessels. Against
smugglers and pirates, the Indomitable is a very
persuasive force. During wartime, squadrons of these
old cruisers are often used as diversions and decoys
and other high-risk jobs due to their depreciated value
as compared to more modern and expensive ships.

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Dreadnought Mark IV Class:

“Raked prow and cannons proud, she plies the skies,

great majesty endowed. Propellers spin, machinery loud
as the Dreadnought soars and conquers the clouds” –
from Ode to the Dreadnought

One of the most powerful and dangerous classes of

airship in the world is the massive Dreadnought class.
Built from the ground up to be the most effective
battlewagon available, the Dreadnought Mk IV is only
outsized by the brand-new Carrier and a few individual
vessels such as the Majestic. The pinnacle of line-o-
battle warship technology, the Dreadnought Mk IV lies
on the verge of a naval revolution. While it keeps its
main armament in its broadside batteries of 8” and 10”
guns, its effective firepower is multiplied several
times over by the addition of newer, larger guns in
higher mobility mounts – eight 12” guns, four per side,
are housed in armored wide-angle casemates, and two 14”

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guns are contained in an armored gun turret amidships,
facing forward. Powerful and accurate, these larger
guns are capable of dealing devastating damage at long
range, often before enemy ships can close within
broadside range. With the advent of more powerful
heavier-than-air planes, the Dreadnought was built with
antiaircraft protection in mind, and the ship is studded
with 5”, 3”, 40mm and 20mm rapid-fire cannons. The
firepower unleashed by the antiaircraft battery makes
it almost immune to enemy fighters, and extremely
dangerous to larger bombers. Two aerial torpedo
launchers give the ship some very heavy alternative
firepower in medium range encounters. Triple drive
screws give the airship a respectable top speed, and
the huge numbers of ducted lift fans make it capable of
gaining altitude more quickly than any other large ship
of its type. No other single warship from any rival
nation can match the Dreadnought in combat capability.

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World Map of Theia:

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 About this World and Other Notes:
The Iron Grip series is set in a dieselpunk world with
dashes of steampunk aesthetic that is best described as
a merger of Napoleonic-era politics and World War II
technology (don’t let that confuse you; it’s still
primarily diesepunk. Oil is what powers this world, not
steam). Developed by ISOTX and starting with a mod for
Half-Life 2 called ‘The Oppression’, their next major
work in the franchise would be ‘Warlord’, a standalone
game with elements of first-person shooter and tower
defense. Eventually, they would continue on to create
several web browser MMO games set in the Iron Grip
universe, until the company officially closed in the
early 2010s, sealing the fate of the franchise.

Notes:
- Contradictions and clarifications:

o If the Jumper (i.e. you) ends up rejoining the army

that the Officer Defector companion abandoned, they
will still tag along, but for other reasons.

o “War is Hell” drawback doesn’t contradict “Nerves of

Steel” or any other similar perk such as “The Long
Arduous Journey”; you just end up being more
depressive yourself, which may end up impacting your
performance in other ways.

o “Chains of Command” drawback doesn’t necessarily

nullify “Against All Odds” perk, as the people under
your leadership will still be loyal to you; there’ll
just be a lot of miscommunication and decisions taken
behind your back “for the greater good” or what have
you. The combination of both will make things harder,
however, as you’ll have to deal with loyalists
unwittingly throwing wrenches into your plan
constantly.

o Companion Andreas does not nullify the “We’ll Have

to Make Do” drawback; you’ll still be having
maintenance issues even with a genius companion on
hand. It’ll probably give her a migraine, though.

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 o Any vehicle attained in this Jump will not upgrade
or downgrade in future Jumps, but they can be modified
if you have the capability for it (a.k.a. your
Dreadnought won’t upgrade itself to fire lasers in a
sci-fi Jump, but there’s no stopping you from doing
the modifications yourself).

- This Jumpdoc is purely nonprofit and is meant for

entertainment purposes.

- Due to limited canon information and the unenviable fate

of the Iron Grip IP, use of headcanon for a lot of lore
is encouraged. This Jump can even be treated as a generic
Dieselpunk Jump if you wish.

- The map used in the Location section was the best I

could find, and even then it was heavily pixelated and
I had to remove a watermark on it to make it legible.
If a better quality version of it exists, I’d love to
know of it, and I’ll update the document accordingly,
but until then, it’ll have to do.

- Most of the artwork was found online, and implemented

for further context. Credit goes to the artists, such
as the concept artists at ISOTX, Keith Thompson, and
Monkey-Paw on DeviantArt, for them.

- Thanks to Paul for the help with edits and advice. And
to Isotx for developing this IP to begin with.

Changelog:

v.1:

• Added the pictures and new design rather than it

being a straightforward Word document.

• Syntax and grammar edits, as well as typos.

• Removed some of the sillier parts.

• Clarified some points, further additions to the

“Other Notes” section.

• Added a Vehicle Appendix section at the end for

further reference; had to create a lot of it from

100
 scratch due to lack of present information, so
hopefully it’s not too inaccurate (seeing as a
lot of the websites have been shuttered and the
IP is practically dead [rest in peace], this Jump
is operating out of limited information here).

This Jumpchain was created by btbassaj.

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