RUMOR WOODS PREVIEW: This year, look for the brand new Clockwerke Weapons. They have all the geared-flavor you expect and off the shelf at Tier 1, they allow you to toggle on/off the standard (Cat B) flares. Also a T1 function, set them to slash, puncture, or crush (when not in combat). There are four customizable settings a merchant can help you with, too. Look for melee, ranged, and runestaff bases. More Tiers and abilities:

Text of Discord Post follows:


GM Marstreforn
Rumor Woods 2026 – Clockwerke Weapons
on 3 Apri 2026 at 2:07 PM
from the Official GemStoneIV Discord
on #forums/paid-events channel

Clockwerke Weapons are coming to Rumor Woods in 2026! This is where we chat about it.

Tier 1/OTS – Modularity

>turn cleaver
You turn a spring-loaded dial on the haft of your clockwerke cleaver, and some tiny brass gears along its blade whir into motion. As the gears come to a stop, spiked cogs retract within a row of vents aligned with the cleaver’s edge and angled rods extend in their place.
Roundtime: 3 sec.

>turn cleaver
You turn a spring-loaded dial on the haft of your clockwerke cleaver, and some tiny brass gears along its blade whir into motion. As the gears come to a stop, angled rods retract within a row of vents aligned with the cleaver’s edge and bladed pinions extend in their place.
Roundtime: 3 sec.

>turn cleaver
You turn a spring-loaded dial on the haft of your clockwerke cleaver, and some tiny brass gears along its blade whir into motion. As the gears come to a stop, bladed pinions retract within a row of vents aligned with the cleaver’s edge and spiked cogs extend in their place.
Roundtime: 3 sec.

The flares (standard ability flares) can be switched between slash, puncture, and crush.
That is what it comes with OTS, along with some fluff.
T2 will be teased tomorrow.

For absolute clarity, the standard (Cat-B) flares can be toggled with TURN, as shown above. There are also a lot of customizations that can be done to them.
OTS you’ll be able to set them to slash, puncture, or crush. This is your own preference, and can be adjusted when outside of combat.

>analyze my cleaver
You analyze the clockwerke cleaver and sense that the creator has provided the following information:

* Clockwerke Weapon *

Available Actions
* LISTEN
* PULL
* PUSH
* TURN – selects weapon flare (puncture)

Merchants that are skilled with this type of weapon may customize the following:
* Parts: “blade”
“edge”
“haft”
* Gears: “tiny brass”
* Gizmo: “a spring-loaded dial”
* Techs: “bladed pinions”
“spiked cogs”
“angled rods”
>listen cleaver
You discreetly hold your clockwerke cleaver near your ear, listening intently…

… *Tick* … *Bzzz* … *Tock* … *Click* …

Shop space is limited, and offerings are still being finalized. But it is compatible with melee, ranged, and runestaff bases.

it will work when casting spells while using a runestaff. Just like normal flares when using a runestaff.

Tier 2 – Coiled Retrofit
>wave my staff
Tiny brass gears whir along the length of your staff as you brandish it at a tomb troll!
[SMR result: 292 (Open d100: 73)]

** A tiny spring-loaded spike launches from your clockwerke staff and strikes a tomb troll! **
… 15 points of damage!
Strike just below the jaw, nice shot to the neck!
The tomb troll is stunned!
A tiny spring-loaded spike retracts into your staff, tethered to a thin wire within one of its vents!
Roundtime: 3 sec.

And speaking of that, since tomorrow is a holiday I’ll go ahead and tease Tier 3 now since I already mentioned both Cat-B and Cat-D being used in these weapons.
>tinker my backslasher
You tinker with some tiny brass gears along the blade of your clockwerke backslasher, and plumes of steam emanate from the vents near its edge.
Roundtime: 3 sec.
>
>tinker my backslasher
You tinker with some tiny brass gears along the blade of your clockwerke backslasher, and gusts of air emanate from the vents near its edge.
Roundtime: 3 sec.

Tier 3 – Arcane Pneumatics
>attack
You swing a brass-runed clockwerke backslasher at a tomb troll!
AS: +325 vs DS: +224 with AvD: +24 + d100 roll: +13 = +138
… and hit for 11 points of damage!
Minor puncture to the right arm.

** Your clockwerke backslasher releases a small spring-loaded spike! **
… 25 points of damage!
Elbow punctured, oh what pain!

** Tiny brass gears whir chaotically along the blade of your clockwerke backslasher as plumes of steam surge from an array of vents near its edge and strike a tomb troll! **
… 20 points of damage!
Scalding steam blisters right arm with painful splotches.
Roundtime: 3 sec.

Tier 3 is Arcane Pneumatics which is a Cat-D flare that can be toggled between Air and Steam damage types via TINKER.

it varies a bit but this might provide some insight…
PART1 = blade/length (adjective optional + noun)
PART2 = edge/tip/head (adjective optional + noun)
PART3 = hilt/haft/grip (adjective optional + noun)

Also as a fun little extra. If you aren’t in an aggressive stance, WAVE (Tier 2) will be your own private noise maker.
>wave backslasher
The gears along your clockwerke backslasher spin wildly as you wave it around!
… *Click* … *Tick* … *Tock* … *Whirr* …

>listen backslasher
You discreetly hold your clockwerke backslasher near your ear, listening intently…

… *Tick* … *Bzzz* … *Whirr* … *Click* …

The rhythm and tempo of the mechanisms within your backslasher allow you to determine…

Coiled Retrofit is ready!
Usage: WAVE <my> backslasher [AT {target}]
LISTEN shows you cooldown info as those abilities are unlocked.

Cat B flare also hit an arm, although messaging isn’t clear which one.

>analyze my backslasher
You analyze the clockwerke backslasher and sense that the creator has provided the following information:

* Clockwerke Weapon *

Available Actions
* LISTEN
* PULL
* PUSH
* TURN – selects weapon flare (puncture)
** WAVE – maneuver ability
– Usage: WAVE <my> backslasher [AT {TARGET}]
*** TINKER – toggles Arcane Pneumatics flare
**** POINT – maneuver ability
– Usage: POINT <my> backslasher [AT {TARGET}]

Merchants that are skilled with this type of weapon may customize the following:
* Parts: “blade”
“edge”
“hilt”
* Gears: “tiny brass”
* Gizmo: “a spring-loaded dial”
* Techs: “bladed pinions”
“spiked cogs”
“angled rods”

Unlocks:
** Coiled Retrofit (WAVE – spike): UNLOCKED!
– Maneuver ability that deals damage equivalent to a weapon flare if it hits.
– Coiled Retrofit has a 60-second cooldown.
*** Arcane Pneumatics (flares – steam): UNLOCKED!
– Chance for extra flares when you hit a target with an attack.
– TINKER to toggle between air or steam.
**** Ensigiled Cylinder (POINT – steam): UNLOCKED!
– Maneuver ability that deals damage equivalent to Arcane Pneumatics if it hits.
– Target is Slowed if air is selected, or Vulnerable if steam is selected.
– Ensigiled Cylinder has a 60-second cooldown.
Tier 4 – Ensigiled Cylinder
>point my backslasher
There is a *whoosh* of air around your clockwerke backslasher as you brandish it at a tomb troll!
… *Click* … *Tock* … *Tick* … *Bzzz* …
[SMR result: 298 (Open d100: 45)]

** Tiny brass gears whir chaotically along the blade of your clockwerke backslasher as plumes of steam surge from an array of vents near its edge and strike a tomb troll! **
… 15 points of damage!
The tomb troll jerks her right arm away from the hot steam.
The tomb troll is stunned!
Your attack exposes a vulnerability in a tomb troll’s defenses!
Roundtime: 3 sec.

Did it really just hit the right arm again?
At Tier 4 you get another maneuver ability that uses the setting of TINKER (air or steam), and applies a debuff based on that setting.
both maneuver abilities have a 60-seconds cooldown

>point my backslasher
There is a *whoosh* of air around your clockwerke backslasher as you brandish it at a tomb troll!
… *Tick* … *Tock* … *Tick* … *Tock* …
[SMR result: 258 (Open d100: 6)]

** Tiny brass gears whir chaotically along the blade of your clockwerke backslasher as blasts of air surge from an array of vents near its edge and strike a tomb troll! **
… 15 points of damage!
Large gash to the left arm, several muscles torn.
The tomb troll is stunned!
The tomb troll’s movements slow to a crawl!
Roundtime: 3 sec.
Air applies a Slowed effect instead of Vulnerable. Durations are based on the success of the SMR check.

>incant 502
You intone a phrase of elemental power while raising your hands, invoking Chromatic Circle…
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at a tomb troll.
A tomb troll is suddenly surrounded by a small whirlwind.
CS: +320 – TD: +212 + CvA: +20 + d100: +27 == +155
Warding failed!
The whirlwind quickly swirls around the troll, causing 26 points of damage!
… 25 points of damage!
Internal organs strain and burst under decompression!
Tiny brass gears whir along the length of your clockwerke staff.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
>incant 502
You intone a phrase of elemental power while raising your hands, invoking Chromatic Circle…
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at a tomb troll.
A tomb troll is suddenly surrounded by a small whirlwind.
CS: +320 – TD: +203 + CvA: +20 + d100: +4 == +141
Warding failed!
The whirlwind quickly swirls around the troll, causing 22 points of damage!
… 20 points of damage!
Elbow shatters under sudden decompression!

** Tiny brass gears whir chaotically along the length of your clockwerke staff as blasts of air surge from an array of vents near its tip and strike a tomb troll! **
… 20 points of damage!
Left elbow smashed into a thousand pieces.
The troll’s wooden shield falls to the ground.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
>point my staff
There is a *whoosh* of air around your clockwerke staff as you brandish it at a tomb troll!
… *Click* … *Bzzz* … *Tick* … *Whirr* …
[SMR result: 280 (Open d100: 41)]

** Tiny brass gears whir chaotically along the length of your clockwerke staff as blasts of air surge from an array of vents near its tip and strike a tomb troll! **
… 20 points of damage!
Skull cracks in several places.
The tomb troll is stunned!
The tomb troll’s movements slow to a crawl!
Roundtime: 3 sec.

>incant 502
You intone a phrase of elemental power while raising your hands, invoking Chromatic Circle…
Your spell is ready.
You gesture at a tomb troll.
A tomb troll is suddenly surrounded by a small whirlwind.
CS: +320 – TD: +209 + CvA: +20 + d100: +82 == +213
Warding failed!
The whirlwind quickly swirls around the troll, causing 35 points of damage!
… 35 points of damage!
Bones in right hand shatter violently leaving behind a bloody stump!
The troll’s iron morning star falls to the ground.

** Tiny brass gears whir chaotically along the length of your clockwerke staff as blasts of air surge from an array of vents near its tip and strike a tomb troll! **
… 10 points of damage!
Smash to the kneecap.

** Your clockwerke staff releases a small spring-loaded spike! **
… 25 points of damage!
Beautiful shot pierces skull! Amazing the tomb troll wasn’t killed outright!
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
Runestaff sample.

The standard ability flare damage for “Air” on weapons has always been Crush. I think the confusion is that some spells/abilities that are air-themed (e.g. Hand of Tonis) use a different damage type such as Unbalance. The Cat-B version of Air flares has always done Crush, however, so that is what is being emulated in this script.

However, specifically for the “standard ability flares” (Cat-B) it is Crush damage when of the “Air” variety.

(GM Marstreforn is still revealing info and answering questions, please see the Discord thread for all the rest o the information)

Direct Discord Link (Right click, copy link, and paste into Discord App if you don’t want to use the Discord web interface.)

Newsby

Newsby is the main anchor for the TownCrier channel over ESP and Lnet. She does not adventure, she is a townsperson and completed her apprenticeship for the news desk in 2017.