The War of Blood and Rust
Through September Attronarch of Attronarch's Athenaeum is hosting September 2024's RPG Blog Carnival! The theme is Wondrous Weapons and Damning Dweomers. I planned on making a post about this topic before even starting the blog so seeing as this month's theme seems to line up with it perfectly I've decided to use it as the push to write it!
My entry is about a war between two magic items and their wielders. It is also a small glance into a part of my setting Cordelia. I'm not certain how useful it will be to others, but I hope it gives you some ideas for your own games and settings. At the moment I've made everything withing without any mechanical details, I'm currently somewhat uncertain what system I plan to actually use for this stuff, so for now it's entirely ideas and descriptions. If that's not your thing I understand and I appreciate you checking in!
The Rozsda Crusade
The name Rozsda refers to quite a few things. It is the name of a group fighting for what they believe in, against tyranny and injustice, a monstrous consuming swarm, a condition which infects and consumes all metal it touches, and the source of it all, a weapon of unimaginable power which has found its way into the hands of one willing to wield it to their ends, damning the consequences.
Rozsda
A rather unassuming weapon in appearance. Rusted, old, and uncared for. Most commonly in the shape of a large sword or spear, but it has been recorded to appear in different forms across history.
The origin of rust, Rozsda is a single-minded sentient weapon. It wants one thing only, to rust everything. Furthering this simple goal is the only thing it truly cares about, but it will rarely recognize that aligning itself with the causes of others can help it achieve its purpose indirectly. Due to this, across history occasionally Rozsda would appear, in the hands of someone with a burning passion for a cause, willing to unleash the uncontrollable brood of Rozsda. The weapon is capable of rusting all metals and rapidly corrode anything man-made it comes into contact with. Be it armor, weapons, constructs, buildings or vehicles the touch of Rozsda consumes them all. From those consumed Rozsda's spawn are born, thousands of maws just as hungry as their creator. The only things capable of withstanding this effect are organic materials which are unaffected. It seems to have a particular taste for objects enchanted with magic.
The Knights of Rozsda
At first a gathering of disgruntled factory workers, escaped slaves and disgraced traders from the nations of the Velebis Alliance, whose call for aid went ignored in foreign lands and found their peaceful protests broken up by an iron fist. The group quickly found themselves forced into a fight for survival when it became clear their former superiors decided to turn their protest into a demonstration of what happens to those who question the authority and power of the Alliance. For years they were prosecuted, sold out, and used as pawns by political figures against their opponents. Despite this their numbers grew and in time they would find the tool of their salvation. One night, somewhere among the many spires of Letvin, an individual whose name has been forgotten to time found Rozsda, locked away in some dusty storage room where unfruitful targets of research were tossed away and forgotten. Over the following years the protestors would organize themselves in the shadows of the three nations and bit by bit flee to a land yet undiscovered in a region believed to be uninhabitable. Lead by the person who would simply become known as The Wielder they would abandon their frail bodies and become Inheritors of Rozsda. Flesh bound to rusted suits of armor, oozing with blood and dark ichor they would forge themselves into machines of war, numb to pain, with a thirst for vengeance and destruction. By the time the Alliance realized they were at war the protesters they spent years treating as a mere nuisance were honed into an order of knights with a single goal. Destroy everything the Alliance have built, no matter the cost.
The Rust Brood
Creatures untouched by the light of Cordelia, filled with a hollow darkness and hunger these creatures are the children of Rozsda. When the consumes metal and magic these beings are formed as a result. Loyal and obedient to their sire, they follow its wielder's commands for a time, until their hunger overwhelms them, at which point they scurry off into the darkness searching to consume anything made of metal.
Basic Spawn
The most common type of Rust Spawn, usually simply referred to as "Spawn" is a small insect-like creature with a hunger for metal. They use their antennae to brush metal they wish to consume rapidly rusting it. If the object was of substantial enough size on occasion it undergoes a transformation, falling into itself in a pile of rust shavings containing a small brownish metal egg. This process is still not understood terribly well by academics, but besides Rozsda only the basic Spawn appear capable of reproducing in such a way, unlike their progenitor however, they seem incapable of eroding anything other than metallic objects, though they appear to have a particular hunger for magical items.
Rust Mantis
One of the many types of Rust Spawn that have been discovered over the years. Adaptable to whatever terrain it inhabits, it is capable of shifting to color of its chitinous shell in order to blend in with its surroundings. The creature pairs this with calculated, precise movement and long dagger-like claws to create an incredible ambush predator. Once they slink their claws into their targets it is incredibly difficult to get them off while the Mantis rusts arms and armor with its whisker-like antennae and chews through flesh with its sharp mandibles. They are most commonly solitary creatures and seem to rarely involve themselves in direct conflict on the battlefield. However there have been battlefield reports claiming to have seen them accompany knights on occasion, in such cases reports claimed them to fight to the death protecting their knight companion.
Uniquely the Mantis seems to not simply destroy magical items, but instead consumes and refines them. Occasionally strange stones containing what can only be described as a strange dark light within them. These objects are still poorly understood as is the purpose for which the Mantis produces them. Nonetheless researchers and collectors will pay handsomely for any such stone of significant enough size.
Horned Rust Beast
Juggernauts of the battlefield and mounts to some of the greatest knights within the Rozsda armies, these creatures can take on entire squads of enemies by themselves consuming all their equipment and taking their lives in the process. What they lack in complexity they make up for in brute strength and size. The origin of these creatures is a mystery, but they appear to be rather rare.
Their carapace can be harvested and used to produce armor. This process requires a master craftsman with specialized tools which can withstand the rust, but produces high quality armor which is immune to rust and can spread rust to metal weaponry when struck.
##The Velebis Alliance
A coalition of the strongest trade powers in the world the Alliance have a vested interest in preventing the spread of rust as it threatens to consume all their trade empire is built upon. Their wealth and manpower are near endless, but their opponents prove to be a special thorn in their side they can't simply overcome by throwing money at.
Member Nations
The Alliance consists of mainly three nations, though some smaller groups are aligned with them as well, the bulk of their influence lies with the core three, and whatever mercenaries their money can buy.
Velis
The trade capital of the world, the birthing bed of the Inheritors and the many nations they would go onto found. Most trades that happens within the world flows through Velis one way or another, and much of it directly done by its people. A crafty people ruled by a council of merchant princes and ancient guilds. Considered by most the leader of the Alliance they sell what Pribis and Velis produce to other nations and handle diplomacy on behalf of the other two.
Letvin
The home of enchantment and magical research, Letvin is an isolated city-state which only interacts with the rest of the world when necessary. Thanks to common ancestry they have a close relationship with Velis who is their main trading partner, connecting them to the rest of the world somewhat indirectly. Letvin provides their prowess with magic, extensive knowledge and the facilities needed for further discoveries, and unparalleled expertise in the production of enchanted items. A cutthroat society of slaver arcane scholars whose unethical experiments have made them an enemy to much of the world.
Pribis
Smiths and engineers, Pribis is a nation of industry and military. Founded within a land flowing with molten metal rivers and earth rich in ore. Pribis mines and processes most of the metal used across the whole world and their marvels of engineering are known everywhere, along with the terrors of their tools of war. They were the first to come into conflict with the Crusaders and are the ones most heavily threatened by the growing number of rust spreading monstrosities.
Juran
Juran is the grand achievement forged as a collaboration between the powers of the Alliance through great effort and the sacrifice of many lives and resources. The resulting weapon, although no match for Rozsda, when paired with the substantial resources and manpower fielded by the three states it has proven to be a more than worthy investment.
The weapon itself consists of two parts. A dark blade made of an unknown metal, and a crystal orb filled with the blood of Velis and Letvin, though this is merely the blade in its inert state. Juran's true shape is revealed only when its wielder offers their blood to the sword, it becomes animated and forms into a large blade. In the sword constantly hungers for more blood, offered by the wielder, allies, or enemies slain, but offers powers capable of turning the tides of battle. The wielder is protected from the touch of rust, and can extend this protection to any on their side so long as a soldier is willing to let their own blood as an offering. Their blood forms a coating for their arms and armor, infusing it with the ability to heal like a living being would. Unfortunately this protection doesn't last long, and needs a constant supply of blood and seems to offer no protection from Rozsda directly, only from its spawn, except for Juran itself which is protected by the blood of gods from within. In desperate situations the wielder may also drain their allies of life to send them into a desperate frenzy or even puppeteer the dead.
Velis Troops
Velis has a well funded and excellently trained army. It was one field that went ignored for generations, seen as an undesirable trade for one to choose for themselves, only picked out of desperation. This notion took a rapid turn once the war started and Velis got hit initially rather hard with wide-scale attacks their hired mercenaries couldn't meaningfully protect them from, no matter how deep their pockets were. Thus the Council of Guilds elevated the guild of Blades, turning it from a minor guild into a cornerstone of government. This has resulted in a rapid improvement to the military at the expense at all other trades and social services which were given less importance and representation within the council.
Nowadays the Velis military have perfected using their natural abilities as Merto to their fullest potential on the battlefield. Storing expertly crafted bombs, protective balms, deployable grease and glue traps, even ladders within their personal Pocket Space, to be pulled out and utilized on the battlefield at a moment's notice. This makes their troops incredibly versatily and difficult to deal with. They lack in individual strength compared to others, but make up for it with teamwork, training, and their ability to adapt to any situation.
Pribis Warmachines
The Pribis military had always been a powerful one. Their forges and knack for engineering marvels made them a force to be reckoned with in situations where they could bring their full might to bear effectively. Well organized powerful troops fighting alongside domineering golems and operated machines of war. Rumor has it that before the war had begun, Pribis was preparing for war already, though against a very different enemy, some even suspect their eyes were set on Velis itself, their at the time militarily weak, but rich trade-partners. These are only rumors and hearsay of course. Something attested by the Forgemaster himself, who maintains that the Alliance is vital to the success of Pribis. In the war against Rozsda Pribis have been hit particularly hard. Most their military rellies on the metal from their forges which makes them rather vulnerable to the effects of the weapon and its spawn. The creation of Juran has helped them continue fighting, but it still remains costly for them, leaving the Alliance without the full might of their most powerful member.
Letvin Mages
The smallest force of the alliance, but nonetheless vital to their success. Letvin only fields mages in their military. Though calling it a military is perhaps the incorrect term. The Albertson Support and Artillery Research Group (ASARG) considers themselves a group of scholars first and a fighting force second. They research magic with application for use on the battlefield and although they are few in number, counting only a few hundred members, they are a force to be reckoned with. Their destructive magic can lay ruin to entire swarms of Rust Spawn and their healing magic is necessary for extended use of Juran. Despite this Letvin's greatest contribution to the war effort isn't their military, but their knowledge in enchantment, supplying both Pribis and Velis with much of the magical equipment their armies rely on.
Closing Words
So there you have it. The war between an alliance of superpowers and the rebellion they seem unable to put down. A stalemate between two powerful weapons and the groups who try wielding them to their own ends. This is more of an overview of the conflict and lacks quite a lot of detail. I'm personally okay with that, I hope to offer more glimpses into my world rather than give intricate histories and geographies for it. Hopefully it gives somebody some ideas for their own games.