Hand-held Pylon

Hand Pylons were first released at the Duskruin pay event in August 2020 at the Essencetials shop.

Overview

Hand pylons are damaging tools which can be loaded with essences of [[::Essence_of_fire|fire]], [[::Essence_of_air|air]], [[::Essence_of_earth|earth]], or [[::Essence_of_water|water]], where each essence is worth 25 charges that can be discharged into a blast dealing damage of the applicable type. (Greater essences can also be used for 250 charges.)

This is a four-tiered item where each tier adds new verbs and allows an additional essence to be loaded at once; when fired, the pylon will simultaneously fire off one blast of each element. (If the enemy dies before the last shot, it will only take a charge from as many essences as were used.)

After being fired, a cooldown of 2 minutes applies to the character and item. The pylon requires Magic Item Use to be activated, with the more ranks the better. Tier 4 enables the pylon to be worn on the arm.

Analyze

You analyze your hand-held pylon and sense that the creator has provided the following information:

A deep red hand-held pylon is a type of handheld magical device that will discharge energy blasts at opponents.  To use it, PUT either an essence of air, earth, fire, or water into it.  To discharge the energy, simply point it at your opponent.

The pylon is tier 4 of 4.  This means that it has access to the following verbs:

Drop, Exhale, Point, Raise, Remove, Tilt, Touch, Turn, Wave, and Wear

It can also store four elemental types.

The hand-held pylon contains 1364 charges of the element of air.
The hand-held pylon contains 1344 charges of the element of earth.
The hand-held pylon contains 1097 charges of the element of fire.
The hand-held pylon contains 1375 charges of the element of water.

Examples

>point pylon at tegu
[SMR result: 183 (Open d100: 89)]
You steady your hand-held pylon and take aim at a spotted tri-toed tegu!

** It sparks with a pale light before firing a blast of light blue energy, which snakes through the air and strikes a spotted tri-toed tegu! **

  ... 25 points of damage!
  Massive strike of icy shards shatters the tri-toed tegu's skull!
  The tri-toed tegu is stunned!

** Immediately, another blast of light green energy hurls from the pylon and slams into a spotted tri-toed tegu! **

  ... 20 points of damage!
  Good blow to chest!

** Immediately, another blast of pale silver energy hurls from the pylon and slams into a spotted tri-toed tegu! **

  ... 25 points of damage!
  Ribs shatter and blood fills lungs!

** Immediately, another blast of bright orange energy hurls from the pylon and slams into a spotted tri-toed tegu! **

  ... 30 points of damage!
  Flames cook a spotted tri-toed tegu's chest.  Looks about medium well.
The tri-toed tegu stumbles and falls to the ground, twitches and dies.

The shots fire off in the order of the essences loaded in; the above example is water, earth, air, and fire used by a 202 Magic Item Use cleric against an unharmed first round Duskruin enemy (so slightly underleveled).

[SMR result: 111 (Open d100: 23)]
You steady your hand-held pylon and take aim at a horned kobold servant!

** It sparks with a pale light before firing a blast of light blue energy, which snakes through the air and strikes a horned kobold servant! **

  ... 30 points of damage!
  The kobold servant gets a glassy look in her eyes as blast connects solidly... or is that an icy stare?
The kobold servant crumples to the floor motionless.

In the above case, the first shot was a lethal crit immediately, so no charges would be used from the subsequent essences that didn't actually fire. This example is against an unharmed 24th round Duskruin enemy (so slightly overleveled).

Verb Traps

(Note: Where you see <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue>, this refers to the color of air, earth, fire, and water essences respectively. The DROP verb refers to DROPping or PUTting essences into the pylon.)

Verb	Viewpoint	Messaging
DROP (Tier 1; can be done while worn)	First Person	You open a small panel on the side of your hand-held pylon and gently place your essence of <air/earth/fire/water> inside and securely fasten it. You close the side panel, and the pylon pulses with a <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue> light.
	Third Person	<Character> opens a small panel on the side of <his/her> hand-held pylon and gently places her essence of <air/earth/fire/water> inside and securely fastens it. <Character> closes the side panel, and the pylon pulses with a <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue> light.
TOUCH (Tier 2; can be done while worn)	First Person	You run your fingers along your hand-held pylon, and it crackles with a <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue> light, the tiny arcs of energy briefly dancing about.
	Third Person	<Character> runs <his/her> fingers along <his/her> hand-held pylon, and it cracks with a <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue> light, the tiny arcs of energy briefly dancing about.
TURN (Tier 2; only when held)	First Person	You deftly spin the pylon in your grip, twirling it once before it comes to a stop and points outward.
	Third Person	<Character> deftly spins the pylon in <his/her> grip, twirling it once before it comes to a stop and points outward.
EXHALE (Tier 3; can be done while worn)	First Person	You raise the pylon up, and it sparks with a <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue> light before emitting wisps of pale smoke. You bring the pylon to your mouth and exhale, blowing the smoke away.
	Third Person	<Character> raises <his/her> hand-held pylon up, and it sparks with a <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue> light before emitting wisps of pale smoke. <She/He> brings the pylon to <his/her> mouth and exhales, blowing the smoke away.
WAVE (Tier 3; only when held)	First Person	You wave your hand-held pylon around menacingly.
	Third Person	<Character> waves <his/her> hand-held pylon around menacingly.
RAISE (Tier 4; can be done while worn)	First Person	You raise your hand-held pylon up into the air, and it emits a bright flare of <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue> light as a warning!
	Third Person	<Character> raises <his/her> hand-held pylon up into the air, and it emits a bright flare of <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue> light as a warning!
REMOVE (Tier 4)	First Person	You press a small rune on the back of the pylon, causing the hardened metal band to retract from your forearm. The pylon drops into your waiting hand.
	Third Person	<Character> presses a small rune on the back of <his/her> hand-held pylon, causing the hardened metal band to retract from <her/his> forearm. The pylon drops into <his/her> waiting hand.
TILT (Tier 4; only when held)	First Person	You give the pylon a whirl around your finger. Motes of <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue> light trail behind it spinning three times before you catch it with a firm grip.
	Third Person	<Character> gives <his/her> the pylon a whirl around <his/her> finger. Motes of <pale silver/bright green/bright orange/light blue> light trail behind it spinning three times before <she/he> catches it.
WEAR (Tier 4)	First Person	You press a small rune on the back of the pylon, and a hardened metal band extends outward. You slip your arm through the band, which instantly clamps down on your forearm.
	Third Person	<Character> presses a small rune on the back of <his/her> hand-held pylon, and a hardened metal band extends outward. <She/He> slips <his/her> arm through the band, which instantly clamps down on <her/his> forearm.