Weaver
| Weaver | |
|---|---|
| Masters of brass-and-etched automated turrets | |
| Type | Class / Variant |
| Location | Primarily Starwrought Enclave and independent workshops |
Calythera Archives – Entry 69 – Weaver
Weavers are skilled operators who deploy and control networks of brass-and-etched automated turrets, turning the battlefield or workshop into a precisely managed web of mechanical suppression and control. Through careful calibration of pressurized aether flows and intricate geometric etchings, they create sustained barrages or sudden burst traps that dominate engagements. Every deployment carries inherent mechanical risk — jammed mechanisms, resonance overloads, or misfires — making the Weaver’s craft one of calculated precision and constant vigilance. This archive entry details the training, mechanics, and vital role of Weavers in Calythera’s technical and defensive systems.
Weavers are specialists who excel at deploying and commanding brass-and-etched automated turrets for ranged suppression and battlefield control.
Core Capabilities
Weavers rely on Intelligence for turret accuracy and calibration, with Dexterity supporting positioning and targeting. They choose between two primary builds at the start of their training:
- Forge Build: Focuses on sustained suppression. Turrets generate temporary shielding auras and maintain steady fire, ideal for defensive positions and prolonged engagements.
- Etch Build: Emphasizes burst traps and mobile snares. These turrets deliver sudden, high-impact strikes and can be repositioned more dynamically.
Mechanical Systems
Weavers manage a **Deployment Gauge** that builds with successful turret hits (maximum = level + proficiency bonus). Higher gauge tiers unlock enhanced effects but increase the risk of mechanical jams. They spend charges (Intelligence modifier + level per long rest) as an action to deploy a destructible turret that fires using the Weaver’s own action (1d8 piercing + Intelligence modifier, range 60/120 ft).
Higher training levels grant features such as Chain Link (connecting turrets to allies for shared effects), Suppress Echo, Automation Surge (temporary doubling of output with dangerous recoil), and Etch Plates for custom modifications. All effects remain purely mechanical — etched patterns, pressurized aether flow, brass gears, and spring-loaded mechanisms.
Risks and Limitations
Every high-tier activation carries the chance of a jam (locking a turret for a turn) or resonance overload (force damage and misfires that can endanger allies). Overuse beyond available charges triggers unavoidable resonance strain. Weavers must carefully manage positioning, gauge tiers, and team coordination to mitigate the dangers of their own devices. Solo operations in deep Wastes expeditions are particularly hazardous.
Role in Calythera
Weavers are highly valued in guild workshops, airship defense crews, relic-hunting expeditions, and festival security details. They are most common in the Starwrought Enclave, where their innovative turret designs push the boundaries of hemotech, but independent Weavers also find steady work enforcing debt cycles or protecting caravans. Their ability to turn any engagement into a controlled web of mechanical pressure makes them essential where sustained firepower or area denial is required, though their reliance on charges and risk of jams prevents them from operating effectively without support in the most unstable regions.
See also
Join the Calythera Archives Receive new Archives episodes, D&D one-shots, and behind-the-scenes notes every Wednesday.