When watching recordings of fights, Merlin realised that there are a number of battlefield geniuses among the ranks of Avalon‘s finest. One thing was keeping them back, though: they lacked weaponry that could adapt to their knack for improvisation. With them in mind, he toiled away at an adaptable weapon, a technological chimera. Like the legendary beast, it would have it all: lion‘s paws, ram‘s head and hind legs, serpent‘s body, claws, fangs, horns, hooves, and venom, all in one package.

Covering the Knight‘s entire forearm, the chimera gauntlet is fixed to the rest of their armour by two tubes going down their back to a thick belt. The belt contains a supply of liquid enriched with metal particles capable of solidifying on demand. The gauntlet itself contains a magnetic and kinetic field manipulator, and is protected by sharp steel scales enhanced with alpha element inlays.

While the simplest applications of this weapon are obvious, they only scratch the surface of its capabilities. Its first uses in the field have shown great promise. Melee fighters use its kinetic field‘s laceration and perforation qualities to add devastating strength to their punches or to chop through thick hides and solid plating. Claws, shields, swords, and lances appear on their forearm in the blink of an eye, answering their needs as a fight goes on. Sharp blades tipped with alpha element scales split into dozens of flying daggers held in magnetic levitation above the wielder‘s gauntlet, ready to be propelled at their foe.

Some Knights shape the glove into improvised bolt throwers capable of launching steel blades or alpha element scales with a strong kinetic impulse. Those that do, however, must take care to replenish their diminishing supply of liquid metal. This means getting close to their enemy, alive or dead, and magnetically summoning their projectiles to return. This may lead to additional punctures and lacerations on their way back, of course.

Special: Rather than one weapon with its own statistics, the chimera gauntlet can change into one or several of a number of other weapons, with all their effects and abilities. For a single energy point and at no action cost, the Knight can change their gauntlet into one of the following weapons from the arsenal: magnetic mace, sonic blade, or radiant sword. They can instead get the combined effects of the following pairs of weapons: a kinetic sword and detachable buckler, two kinetic swords, or two fracture cesti (in order to get the most out of these weapons, they still have to use the Ambidextrous or Akimbo combat styles). All these weapons come with their usual weapon effects, apart from two-handed and heavy which are simply ignored when used this way. The wielder can therefore use a magnetic mace one-handed with no drawbacks.

When this weapon is used as an alpha element bolt thrower, it can be considered the equivalent of a heavy automatic shotgun.

Finally, at no action cost and at will, the Knight can make their weapon (or weapons, see above) change back into a harmless gauntlet once more.