Pyronauts are heavily armored defenders trained to act as living barriers between danger and civilians. They wield massive mechanized shields integrated with controlled fire systems, allowing them to absorb punishment, hold ground, and shape enemy movement while protecting those behind them.
They are not fast, subtle, or elegant. Pyronauts exist to endure, to stand firm, and to ensure that when something goes wrong in Raverie, people survive it.
A Pyronaut is a mobile wall.
Their role is not to chase enemies, but to interpose themselves between threats and vulnerable targets. When a Pyronaut plants their shield, the flow of battle changes. Civilians instinctively gather behind them, and allied forces reposition around their protection.
Their presence signals containment rather than escalation.
Pyronaut fire is not wild or explosive.
Heat is used to push enemies back, disrupt advances, and punish those who press too close. Bursts of flame, heated shield surfaces, and controlled emissions serve to deny space rather than obliterate targets.
Fire is a tool of pressure and control, not spectacle.
The Pyronaut’s shield is a complex mechanical construct, not merely a defensive slab.
It integrates:
Reinforced structural plating
Internal fuel reserves
Heat channels and emission vents
Expandable segments for extended coverage
The shield is both weapon and defense. Its sharpened edges allow for piercing attacks and shield strikes, while its mass enables forceful pushes that break formations.
Everything a Pyronaut does originates from the shield.
Pyronauts can temporarily expand their shields to cover wider areas, protecting multiple people at once.
When deployed in groups, Pyronauts are trained to stand shoulder to shoulder, forming a continuous defensive wall. This allows a small number of Pyronauts to hold positions that would otherwise require dozens of guards.
These formations are used during evacuations, riots, automaton malfunctions, and large-scale threats.
Pyronauts are a specialized division within the Clockguard.
They are deployed in high-risk situations involving large or unstable threats, particularly when civilian protection is the priority. Their role is defensive containment rather than pursuit.
Pyronauts are trained and stationed within the Clockguard District.
In major incidents, elven fast-response units often arrive first to assess and contain immediate dangers.
Pyronauts follow to establish defensive lines, secure evacuation corridors, and shield civilians. Once the situation is stabilized, elves, human officers, and automatons coordinate behind the Pyronaut line to neutralize remaining threats.
This division of labor is well-practiced and highly effective.
Pyronaut training focuses on endurance, awareness, and restraint.
They are drilled in:
Holding position under sustained pressure
Managing shield fuel reserves
Protecting others without overextending
Operating effectively while slowed by heavy equipment
They are taught when to advance and, more importantly, when not to.
Pyronaut shields rely on finite fuel reserves to power fire emissions and shield expansion.
Fuel must be managed carefully during extended engagements. Once depleted, fire-based abilities become unavailable until the shield is recharged and serviced.
This limitation reinforces the Pyronaut’s defensive role and discourages reckless aggression.
Pyronauts fight from behind their shield.
They advance slowly, attack safely, and absorb punishment that would overwhelm others. Shield bashes, edge strikes, and controlled fire bursts allow them to pressure enemies while remaining protected.
Their greatest strength is survivability. Their greatest weakness is speed.
Among civilians, Pyronauts are strongly associated with safety.
They are not feared or idolized, but trusted. When Pyronauts are present, panic tends to subside. People know where to stand and whom to follow.
They are seen less as enforcers and more as protectors.
Within the Clockguard, Pyronauts occupy a clear and respected role.
They are relied upon as defenders of the population during catastrophic events. Other units maneuver, pursue, and investigate; Pyronauts hold the line.
Their value lies not in versatility, but in reliability.
Precision Mechanics respect the engineering of Pyronaut shields but underestimate the physical endurance required to wield them.
Chronomechanists coordinate closely with Pyronauts in high-risk zones, using temporal control to support defensive holds.
Frostglobe Channelers value Pyronauts as anchors around which environmental control can be safely applied.
Glacier Gliders often rely on Pyronaut protection during high-speed engagements.
Unicorn Emissaries are instinctively shielded by Pyronauts when present.
Pyronauts are not chosen for brilliance or creativity.
They are chosen for resilience, loyalty, and willingness to protect others at personal cost. Many come from backgrounds where endurance mattered more than ambition.
Becoming a Pyronaut is a commitment to standing still when others run.
Pyronauts train in a fortified Clockguard facility designed for sustained defensive drills and simulated large-scale threats.
The structure is reinforced, heat-scarred, and built to withstand repeated impact.
Its formal name is classified. Informally, it is known as the Shieldhall.