The Juggernaut, called "destroyer of nations" and a "doomsday machine", was a powerful living construct built by the mad inventor Wormskull the Artificer and brought to life by the Pearl of Power in Konigheim in the Utter East[1] during the time of the Bloodforge Wars (648–657 DR).[2][note 1]
Description[]
It looks the same from the other side too.
It was a large tank-like machine constructed of wood and steel that moved along a single massive wooden roller studded with spikes. One arm was a fully functioning flame thrower, and the other was an extendable spinning three-bladed disc that cut like a buzz-saw. Its top and back were covered with spiked armor plating, colored tan with brown spikes on one side (with the flame-thrower) and blue with tan spikes on the other side (with buzz-saw), with steel plates down the spine. A fanged skull-face on the front completed the fearsome aspect, and occasionally belched smoke.[1]
Behavior[]
Close-up of the Juggernaut's face, displaying user-friendly design.
The Juggernaut was described as both device and beast, and it was relentless. It attacked everything around it, creatures and structures alike.[1]
Combat & Powers[]
It was a powerful and robust combatant. While it moved slowly, its flamethrower could hurl balls of flame that ignited spaces ahead of it. Its buzz-saw sliced through anything that had to get close, and it could simply roll over and crush what couldn't fly away. It was immune to spells and fire, and damage to it could be repaired. The Pearl of Power was installed within its innards.[1]
History[]
Wormskull designing the Juggernaut. The roller and other components appear in the background.
Wormskull shows off his new action figure to Garrulos. Juggernaut buzz-saw shown in silhouette with schematics on the wall.
The Juggernaut proved to be better at demolition than construction.
Wormskull and Garrulos, a pair of feuding, treasure-hunting brothers, delved into an ancient barrow tomb and uncovered the Pearl of Power. Legend held that it could make arcane inventions come alive, but that it had a curse that greed would give rise to war and disaster. Garrulos immediately snatched it for himself, cheating his artificer brother of the glory, and took it to Konigheim to present it to the king. This act triggered the Nuts and !Bolts (sic) conflict.[1][note 2]
- Wormskull
- Secretly, Wormskull stole the Pearl and returned to his workshop in the Hall of Wonder, planning to use it in his inventions. Garrulos found him there and they fought a bloodforge battle, but Wormskull was victorious. Making plans for his grand invention and revenge against society, Wormskull hunted for three components hidden inside statues within the Puzzle Palace; though Garrulos tried to stop him in another bloodforge battle, Wormskull was successful. With these components, Wormskull finished construction of the Juggernaut and animated it with the Pearl of Power. Riding it at the head of his bloodforge army, he assaulted and burned Konigheim, defeating his brother's bloodforged defenders. Humiliating his brother and reigning over the ruins, Wormskull had his victory and vengeance. However, he realized he'd forgotten to include a way to turn off the still-rampaging Juggernaut...[1]
- Garrulos
- To seize the Pearl, Wormskull led a bloodforge army against Konigheim, and Garrulos was forced to battle his brother with a bloodforge army of his own. In the chaos, Wormskull pinched the Pearl and carried it away to the Puzzle Palace for his own plans. Garrulos followed to find his brother and battled him there in another bloodforge battle. Finally, Garrulos confronted Wormskull in his workshop in the Hall of Wonder, where the artificer revealed he'd installed the Pearl inside a great machine, creating the Juggernaut. In a third bloodforge battle, Garrulos was forced to destroy the machine. Afterward, he reclaimed the Pearl of Power and returned it to its resting place in the tomb.[1]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ In Blood & Magic, it is said that the Pearl of Power can "bring life to arcane inventions" and the Juggernaut is described as coming alive. It is also described as a "beast" with "innards" as well as a "machine" and "device". While this may just be descriptiveness, it also seems to fit the terms of a living construct, like the basal golems in the same game, though this classification was invented several years later for other creatures in D&D. Therefore, this article assumes the Juggernaut is a living construct.
- ↑ In the Blood & Magic game, two alternate campaigns are provided, one for Garrulos and one for Wormskull. These appear to be mutually exclusive and an official history is unknown.
Appearances[]
- Video Games
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Tachyon Studios (November 1996). Designed by Brian Fargo. Blood & Magic. Interplay.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 94, 95. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.