Where is it? What’s on it? And why?

The Doctors have a new boxed set on pre-order at the moment, and it’s a bit different to usual!

Rather than physically weak magic-users siphoning magical energy from poor, helpless Madmen, you have some crazy people throwing bombs and shooting you! And of course, some poor, slightly-less-helpless Madmen.

These are the La Grazia researchers, and are a core part of the Doctors Ospedale. Rather than treating patients though, they’re more interested in the use of magic for energy. More specifically: weapons.

With these even more crazy than usual Doctors on the loose, we thought we’d take a look at them in a bit more detail.

Where is La Grazia?

This is an easy one! La Grazia is a small island just south of Venice, off from Giudecca.

La Grazia is a sleepy little island, completely uninhabited by regular folk. Rather, it is owned by the Doctors. The island wasn’t gifted to Dr Nifo with the rest of San Servolo to open the Ospedale. However, since Faust van der Kaine took over, it has been used by the Doctors exclusively.

What’s on it?

The short answer is: not much.

The longer answer is: less than there used to be – because of all the explosions!

The island is rather empty save for a few buildings maintained by the Doctors. They’re not clinics, but research facilities. The Doctors have become increasingly interested with other uses for magic and ways to harness the power of the Rent in the Sky. La Grazia is manned by those Doctors, led by the Master of Arcane Security. This enviable position – like many in the Doctors’ roster – often changes hands, since only the most foolhardy doctors are particularly interested in the dangerous ways magic can be manipulated.

Among others, the Doctors have found a way to turn magic into energy. Not quite electricity and not quite spellcraft, their experiments toe the line between the two. Initial tests were explosive (literally), but over time the La Grazia Researchers have honed their craft into a deadly science. A science which now only backfires about a third of the time!

Why?

Well, that’s pretty obvious: for weaponry! The Master of Arcane Security and crew are most interested in weapons. Ranged weapons to replace simple blackpowder affairs are being trialled on La Grazia in the shooting ranges. When they reach stable builds (again, about 33% success rate is “stable”) the Doctors will perform field tests, most often on the inhabitants of Venice at night.

We have so far seen three different types of weapon from the team at La Grazia.

The Doctor of the Arsenal’s Spirit Cannon was the first, a bizarre weapon which literally turns madness into death. Sucking the power of Madmen nearby and funnelling it through the instrument, the Doctor of the Arsenal can explode large areas or vent it in a steady stream of crackling blue fire.

The Alchemist Doctors choose to use something a bit less stable, refining magical energy down to its raw and most volatile form and sealing it into throwable bombs. Only the most reckless individuals become Alchemist Doctors, since if their lab doesn’t blow up, the chance of their bombs containing the magical energy for long enough is fairly small anyway!

Finally – and new to the Doctors gang – we have the Electron Cannoneer. The individuals tasked with bringing these weird weapons to bear are not Doctors in their own rights, but faithful lab assistants hoping to prove themselves and be promoted. It’s a pretty good bet for them, since a Doctor won’t trust such valuable equipment with just anyone, and if they make a mistake, there won’t be much to promote anyway!

The Electron Cannon is the latest in Doctors technological development, casting arcing magical energy from person to person. If it grounds in an enemy it will burn and blister their skin before leaping to the next target. The cannon is not a very stable weapon though (you’re probably not surprised at that by now), and the arc energy can just as easily travel backwards, frying the Cannoneer instead. With massive batteries on their backs, the crackling fire leaps around, which is great for deterring attackers or zapping crossbow bolts heading their way, but tends to play havoc with your complexion. It’s no wonder a Doctor won’t carry the weapon themselves!

The weapons are just the first step in Faust’s plan though. Harnessing the most dangerous energy in the world is the long-term goal. The La Grazia Researchers have already had (sort of) good luck with that – they’re certainly good at pointing it in the right direction! From there, Faust is more interested in using magic for more things, potentially turning it into a more stable energy source. After all, if an Electron Cannon can light up the night sky, think what else the magic could do!

If you’re interested in a Doctors gang that can shoot plenty of enemies and come out most unscathed, check out the La Grazia boxed set, available in the TTCombat webstore now!