As the Dawnless Brotherhood navigated the treacherous currents of diplomacy and the ever-present threat of warlord aggression, Anya, the brilliant and often eccentric engineer, dedicated herself to providing them with a technological edge. Driven by her resentment for the Iron Dominion’s rigid and often inefficient designs, she saw the Brotherhood as an opportunity to unleash her innovative spirit and create weaponry tailored to their unique fighting style.
Working tirelessly in makeshift workshops established in liberated territories and hidden wilderness havens, Anya and her growing team of mechanically inclined outcasts began to adapt and modify discarded Dominion technology. They salvaged energy conduits, repurposed aura focusing crystals, and experimented with unconventional materials, pushing the boundaries of what was considered possible.
One of her most significant innovations was the development of compact, aura-charged kinetic gauntlets. These devices, worn on the forearms, allowed Brotherhood fighters to channel their personal aura into powerful concussive blasts, offering a versatile close-to-mid-range offensive capability that didn’t rely on traditional weaponry. The gauntlets were relatively easy to produce and could be adapted to different aura types, making them a valuable asset for the diverse skill sets within the Brotherhood.
Another of Anya’s projects focused on enhancing their mobility and reconnaissance capabilities. Utilizing salvaged Dominion hover-technology, she and her team developed lightweight, single-person “skimmers” – small, agile platforms that allowed for rapid traversal of difficult terrain and silent scouting missions. These skimmers gave the Brotherhood a significant advantage in intelligence gathering and hit-and-run tactics, perfectly complementing Roric’s expertise in wilderness navigation.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Lyra, recognizing the strategic value of Anya’s innovations, ensured that her network prioritized the acquisition of rare components and materials needed for their production. She also established secure supply lines to distribute the new weaponry and skimmers to Brotherhood units operating in different regions.
The first major field test of Anya’s innovations came during a series of escalating border skirmishes with Warlord Karras. Emboldened by his initial defeat, Karras had regrouped and launched renewed attacks, probing the defenses of both the Brotherhood and their newly forged allies.
Brotherhood units equipped with Anya’s kinetic gauntlets proved highly effective in repelling Karras’s raiding parties. The concussive blasts disrupted enemy formations and provided a powerful counter to their more conventional weaponry. The skimmers allowed Brotherhood scouts to track Karras’s movements and provide early warnings, enabling them to anticipate and counter his attacks.
During one particularly intense engagement, a small Brotherhood patrol was ambushed by a larger force of Karras’s elite mercenaries. Outnumbered and facing heavy fire, the patrol utilized their kinetic gauntlets to create a mobile defensive perimeter, unleashing focused blasts that kept the mercenaries at bay. Simultaneously, skimmer-mounted reinforcements, guided by Roric’s expert navigation, arrived swiftly, flanking the enemy and turning the tide of the battle.
The successful deployment of Anya’s innovations not only secured a crucial victory against Karras but also further solidified the Dawnless Brotherhood’s reputation as a force to be reckoned with. Their unconventional tactics and technologically advanced weaponry caught their enemies off guard and demonstrated their adaptability and resourcefulness. The edge of battle had been sharpened by the engineer’s ingenuity, giving the Brotherhood a significant advantage in the increasingly complex and dangerous landscape of the fractured Iron Dominion. The price of their continued growth and influence was now being paid in innovation and the strategic application of their unique strengths.
