ArCorps Arms

### **Stonehearth's Adoption of Weaponized Magic**

The modern ArCorps Arms has two primary divisions: Arcane Tactical (combat mages) and Arcane Support. The combat mages are famous as a unit, and for some of them, individually. In pure numbers, though, the arcane support far outweigh the battle mages and regularly perform logistical miracles, from field repairs on the cannons' actuators, to creating arcane crystals in the field, to opening portals for traveling units to auxiliary medical support.

This modern division is an evolution of the applied magic started in the very beginning of Stonehearth's "Group." The family history included roots from Cormyr, and working with the Purple Dragons was influential on early best practices and lessons learned.

Another portion of the family, the scholar-rebel from Candlekeep, dove deep into history to glean all there was to know from mighty Netheril, from the Imaskar and every martial group that left its mark. From pure academics to applied military science, Stonehearth was paying attention to five thousand years of hard lessons.

### **The** **Hardcore ArCorps**

It takes a very particular personality to want to conjure a fireball, and an evolution of that personality to want to do that within range of a bloodcrazed enemy that will do their best to tear the caster limb from limb before they can finish the spell. Stonehearth casters, even the support wizards, fit that brave description.

## The Place of the ArCorps Arms

The ArCorps itself is too dynamic, too powerful to be locked into one administrative role. Just as Prime serves both the House and the Company, the ArCorps arms has autonomy in certain decisions but operationally, is effectively a division of the Stonehearth Arms. Whether soldier, marine or mage – they are brothers.

Assuming they enter Stonehearth service a complete neophyte, as the majority do, arcane training covers the basics of magical theory, from the weave to the raw magic beneath and the Primal technique that works through them. Once they've proven their mastery of the basics, and revealed something of their own personalities in the process, do they separate into either the Prime or the Arms.

For those entering the ArCorps Arms, there is usually some momentum toward either Tactical or Support, but the separation doesn't happen right away. Even the support crew need to know tactical basics, and the tactical mages need to know a few logistical basics. Once preference and disposition further crystalize, then the final sorting is made and the mages head to their future unit.

#### **The Arcane Corps – Arms / Support**

* The Support group is removed from first-contact fighting by a measure of *yards*. They may not be in the initial line of fire, but they're definitely *in range*.
* These wizards live in the logistics portions of the battalions and may come from any path, but one of the usual routes into the Arms regarding the Arcane transfer over from ArCorps Prime. This group can produce high-quality arcane crystals from roadside rock, float a fallen cannon out of a ditch, and produce mobile portals to transport a battalion halfway across Faerûn and back again. This group often cross-trains in non-divine healing magic as backup medics.

#### **The Arcane Corps – Arms / Tactical**

* There mages who can bring Area of Effect damage onto a crowd that rivals the power of cannon. This is particularly potent when cannons and cannon-fire can't reach a certain target, such as within confined spaces in the Underdark (and similar). Even if they exhaust their personal spells, they are equipped with channeling-crystal *Wands of Casting* (or larger), allowing precision arcane munitions to be delivered on target to augment the Fire Companies.

* Defensively, all combat mages have the possibility of detecting and countering charm, mind control, mass illusion spells and other counter-magic tactics.

* There are defensive specialists who are experts at anti-lich, anti-phaerimm, and anti-aboleth, employing techniques and procedures that even the playing field enough to allow the regular Arms to exercise their firepower.

#### **The Arcane Corps – Arms / Auxiliary***or* **Temporary Duty**

* For certain special missions, the ArCorps Arms have recruited *exceptional* soldiers into their ranks. Most of *those* are Sergeants-at-Arms, but the ArCorps has indoctrinated and trained from just about every path possible, including fresh off-the-boat foreign expatriates.

* The Sergeants-at-Arms who were trained into casting roles were either trained to be instruments of mass destruction or special-use agents. They are rarely used for force protection unless it was in conjunction with another special mission. More often, if there is a special protection detail who will focus on keeping a team safe from mind control, a high-level caster would be trained into an operations (rogue or ranger) role. This happens a surprising amount.

## Where to From Here?

* Let's Build an **ArCorps Arms Wizard****!**
* I need to glance at the overall **Character construction** page...
* I'm not sure I can handle the power. What are the other directions in the **Crucible**?