Primordial Bastionland - IRON

The thing with Deep Country is you can always go deeper.

Beyond the knotted vastness of Massiff Country.

Who knows what lies even further than the Old Country of Auldskunterroy.

Forever deeper in both distance and time. 

A sort of Primordial Bastionland.

Past the point where people haven't heard of Bastion, but to a place where Bastion cannot exist, because it's already a dream.

The promise of Baztium. A beacon of civilisation that will rise from this bleak existence. 

But it doesn't exist. This place isn't there yet. It's stuck in the past. 

Pinned in place with heavy iron.

The Way and the Word

The Way is the world as it is, a natural order of things. Fire, Stone, and Sky into Iron, Trees, and Stars. 

Demons are manifestations of the Way, sent to deliver a message or challenge. We have Iron to strengthen us, Trees to protect us, and Stars to warn us.

The Word are the tricks we use to survive. Small crimes against the Way. Stories that hide lessons and lost knowledge. Secrets that put us above the horses and hounds, the thuzzards and leozards. 

Charms, Curses, Callings.

Of all the interweaving threads of the Way, some say we'd be dead if not for Iron alone. 

IRON

In Bastion, weapons can feel obsolete when you're competing with bureaucrats, journalists, and politicians. Of course there are innovations and variations but it's as much about fashion as function.

Out here you don't have that luxury. 

The tools you carry are your means of both survival and staking a place in society. 

You already know the general tools. The sword, the axe, the bow. 

There are more specialist options if you can find those that know the right methods of fire and stone.

Specialist Weapons

Back in Bastion, a small group of niche scholars have spent much time piecing together their limited knowledge of the weapons of the deep Deep Country. Complex categorisations and sub-categorisations are debated and bickered-about. The below is considered a fraction of an outdated taxonomy, but nobody has completed their proposed alternatives yet.

These weapons all have the following in common:

• They can be used as a normal weapon, typically equivalent to a Crude or Hand Weapon.
• They receive a Bonus when used in a specific situation. 
• They tell you something about the sort of person that is carrying one.

Murder Arms - For enemies unworthy.

• Rods: Simple weapons designed to concuss and break bones.
• Bellrod (d6, +d8 when at least one Monk is chanting alongside you)
• Marshersrod (d6, +d8 vs unmounted opponents while you are mounted)
• Bullsrod (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs a target with a lower STR than you)
• Stakes: Weapons designed to stab with a single piercing wound.
• Kannecstake (d6, +d8 vs a disarmed target)
• Chaserstake (Thrown, d6, +d8 vs a fleeing target)
  
• Witchiestake (d6, +d8 in a tunnel or other cramped environment)
  
• Biters: Weapons designed to deliver wide, slashing wounds.
• Muttbiter (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs doglike enemies)
• Cloffbiter (Bulky, d6, can attack two unarmed humanoid opponents)
• Vagabiter (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs humanoid opponents that are fighting unarmed or with a small improvised weapon)

Battle Arms - For enemies with iron.

• Hooks: Weapons designed to hook or drag opponents.
• Catahook (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs mounted opponents)
• Lunderhook (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs opponents wielding a shield)
• Torniehook (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs opponents with STR lower than your DEX)
• Mauls: Weapons designed to apply heavy impact to burst through armour.
• Splittermaul (d6, +d8 vs opponents with Armour 2 or higher)
• Buldersmaul (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs targets with DEX lower than your STR)
• Brekermaul (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs targets without a fully-metal shield or weapon to parry)
• Forks: Weapons with a split blade or spike to trap incoming attacks.
• Brotesfork (d6, +d8 vs opponents wielding a one-handed weapon)
• Shafferfork (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs opponents wielding two-handed weapons)
• Mekenfork (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs opponents that attacked you on their last turn)

Slaying Arms - For inhuman enemies.

• Hurlers: Weighted spears and javelins designed for launching forcefully. 
• Shuckerhurler (Ranged, d6, +d8 vs opponents with a shell or other natural armour)
• Underhurler (Ranged, d6, +d8 vs an opponent that is charging you)
• Palleyhurler (Ranged, d6, +d8 vs opponents with 0hp)
• Poles: Weapons mounted on long poles.
• Heftpole (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs opponents that cannot move next to you)
• Braccenpole (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs opponents taller than you)
• Thistlepole (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs opponents you attacked last turn)
• Chains: Weapons that whip or ensnare opponents.
• Sherdchain (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs opponents that are trying to fight on the move)
• Duffschain (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs opponents with wings)
• Mawchain (Bulky, d6, +d10 vs opponents with jaws large enough to crush a person)