Nuts and !Bolts

Nuts And !Bolts (sic) was the story of a conflict fought in Konigheim in the Utter East^[2] during the time of the Bloodforge Wars (648–657 DR),^[1] between two rival brothers, Wormskull the Artificer and Garrulos the Occasionally Good, over the Pearl of Power, an artifact that could animate constructs. Notably, it was fought using basal golems mass-produced by bloodforges.^{[2][note 1][note 2]}

LocationEdit

The battles were fought in the streets of the city of Konigheim; in the Hall of Wonder, which was home to many inventors; and in the legendary Puzzle Palace that adjoined it.^[2]

HistoryEdit

BackgroundEdit

Garrulos and Wormskull were a pair of feuding, treasure-hunting brothers who delved into an ancient barrow tomb, heedless of a curse said to bring grief and misfortune. They uncovered an artifact known as 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. However, Garrulos immediately snatched it for himself, cheating his artificer brother of the glory. "For safekeeping", he claimed, Garrulos took it to Konigheim to present it to the king.^{[2][note 3][note 4]}

CampaignsEdit

Garrulos

To seize the stolen Pearl, Wormskull led a bloodforge army against Konigheim, starting fires in the city and interrupting Garrulos's audience with the king. Missing out on his reward, Garrulos was forced to battle his brother with a bloodforge army of his own, and to get to and breach the city's aqueduct in order to flood the city and extinguish the fires. This just caused a different kind of disaster.^[2]

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 get justice, and battled him there in another bloodforge battle.^[2]

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.^[2]

Afterward, he reclaimed the Pearl of Power and returned it to its resting place in the tomb, for safekeeping.^[2]

Wormskull

Secretly, Wormskull stole back the Pearl, embarrassing his brother before the king when he presented an empty chest. Wormskull returned to his workshop in the Hall of Wonder, planning to use the Pearl in his inventions. Garrulos found him there and they fought a bloodforge battle, but Wormskull was victorious.^[2]

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.^[2]

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...^[2]

CombatantsEdit

The armies on both sides of the conflict were almost entirely basal golems, mass-produced using bloodforges and transformed into specific units as required. In general, Garrulos mainly used Temple and Barracks units of all types, while Wormskull focused on Runestone units of all types, and later including Arbor Lodge and Barracks units of all types.^[2]

AppendixEdit

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