Skyfall Ballista
Pharastone-Reinforced Anti-Air Ballista
“Skyfall Ballista”
Type: Siege Weapon / Anti-Air Defense
Origin: Vellandros, Empire of Lestriel
Manufacturer: Vellandros Artificery Corps, with design oversight by the Imperial Arsenal
Magical Enhancement: Pharastone-infused trajectory correction enchantment
Primary Use: Defense against airships, flying constructs, and large aerial threats
Overview
The Pharastone-Reinforced Anti-Air Ballista, colloquially known as the Skybane Ballista, is a cutting-edge siege weapon developed in the capital city of Vellandros under Emperor Kaztr’s directive. Designed to defend against the rising threat of rogue airships and airborne invaders, the Skybane represents the pinnacle of Lestrieli war engineering—fusing traditional craftsmanship with powerful arcane enhancements.
Design and Capabilities
At its core, the Skybane Ballista resembles a traditional large ballista, mounted on a rotating platform with high-angle firing capabilities. Its primary innovation lies in the pharastone-enchanted flight stabilizers embedded within each bolt.
These enchantments allow the bolt to subtly adjust its trajectory mid-flight, enabling it to track large, moving targets with far greater accuracy than any conventional siege weapon. While not intelligent or self-guided like a modern missile, the bolt can respond to magical signals emitted from the firing platform, correcting its path to account for shifts in altitude, wind, and enemy evasion.
Tactical Application
- Most commonly deployed atop fortified towers in Vellandros and along key outposts guarding imperial airspace.
- Often fired in synchronized barrage formations to saturate the skies and increase the chance of impact.
- Can be loaded with specialty bolts, including shrapnel heads, chainshot for entangling wings or sails, and bolts tipped with alchemical fire.
Due to the rarity and value of Pharastone, each bolt is costly to produce, and thus the Skybane Ballista is primarily reserved for high-priority targets such as invading warships or rogue constructs.
Development History
Commissioned shortly after the eruption of Mount Pharamor, when Lestriel's skies began to fill with increasing threats, the weapon was born from a collaboration between Imperial artificers and military engineers. Its creation was accelerated under fears of aerial rebellion, and its early prototypes were tested during classified skirmishes over the Ash Veil.
Known Weaknesses
- Ineffective against small, fast-moving aerial targets such as scout gliders or trained wyverns.
- Requires a trained arcane operator to activate the pharastone enhancements.
- The enchantments can be disrupted by powerful anti-magic fields or certain types of magical interference.
Current Deployment
- Heavily stationed around Premouth Sky Yard and Fort Highgate.
- At least three are rumored to guard the Imperial Palace airspace directly.
- A specialized portable version is said to be under development, but not yet field-tested.
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