At the height of the First Maelstrom, when the skies above New York City were torn apart by astral rifts, an ordinary worker named Charles toiled in a steam-powered factory in the "Cursed Apple"—an industrial hellscape powered by raw energy from portals. One misstep, and he was crushed beneath the millstones: he lost limbs, half his face, and nearly burned alive.
The factory's foreman, a greedy engineer and occultist, concealed the incident. In a secret workshop, he fashioned a steam golem from Charles's remains: he built an astral furnace into his chest, forged prosthetic legs and arms powered by steam, exhaust valves into his torso, and hissing nozzles in place of a mouth. The result was a living cauldron—a walking machine for toil. But the Maelstrom died down, the factory went bankrupt, and "Steam Charles" was sold to a traveling occult circus in South Ixia. There, he was fueled by ordinary coal: he stood up, marched, waved his hand—the crowd was terrified and delighted. But soon he became boring, and they threw him in the trash. Years later, he was found by a demon from Ixia—a petty schemer. The demon infused the furnace with ixian spirit coal (astral coal from Maelstrom rifts, burning for millennia), wove fire magic into it, and breathed life into it. Charles was revived—but now half his body was a searing machine, devouring his flesh from the inside. An automatic rifle was also developed for him, powered by steam from his hand instead of gunpowder in its cartridges.
The demon exploited him as a slave and assassin: foul rituals, assassinations of rivals. Charles's patience snapped—he revved the furnace to its limit and blew steam at the demon from Ixia: the red-hot steam vaporized the demon. By the beginning of the Second Maelstrom, Charles had come to despise magic—that cursed force that had crippled his body and soul, making him an eternal slave to steam and fire. However, to rid himself of the mechanisms and regain his human form, he must resort to it against all odds: all his power lies in the spiritual coal and the steam it generates. Now he fights to complete the ritual: destroy the enemy Patron and pray for complete healing and restoration to human form. But the Patrons are treacherous: the price could be a new transformation… or eternal slavery.
First skill:
"Steam Release":
Charles charges up and releases a cone-shaped steam cloud through a release valve in his mouth in front of him, dealing spirit damage and applying the "Scalded" debuff to the enemy, which reduces spirit resistance and bullet damage. The skill has a charge system; the maximum charge (for example, the second of two) deals 100% spirit damage from the skill, with a base range of 2 meters and a base duration of 5 seconds. With each subsequent charge, spirit damage decreases by 10%, but the skill's range and duration increase by 7%. The skill has two charges by default.
Level 1: +35 spirit damage
Level 2: +2 charges
Level 3: Reduces the target's spirit resistance by -25% and increases damage with Charles' weapons by 15%.
Second skill:
"Spirit Stoker"
Charles opens the Spirit Firebox and can throw up to 3 coals in 10 seconds. If all 3 coals are not thrown within 10 seconds, Charles takes damage equal to 15% of his maximum HP.
Level 1: +100 damage when a Spirit Coal hits
Level 2: Increases the coal capacity to 5
Level 3: +7 seconds for coal ejection, +20% spirit resistance while holding the coal
Third skill:
"Excess Pressure"
This skill recharges every 45 seconds and, when activated, provides 20% increased spirit damage for skills, 10% increased weapon damage, and additional spirit damage with weapons for 15 seconds.
Level 1: -5 seconds to recharge
Level 2: +5 seconds to duration
Level 3: Works with the ultimate
Ultimate:
"Emergency Stop"
Charles begins pressurizing the cauldron for 2.5 seconds (a temporary speed debuff of -75%). After charging, the debuff disappears and a 10-second timer appears to use the ultimate. During the timer, all skills have -80% damage from spirit. Pressing 4 again or the timer ends causes Charles to explode, emitting steam in a radius around him and applying the "Scalded" passive to those hit, which lasts for 5 seconds. When his ultimate ends, Charles gains the "Shattered and Scorched" passive: -65% HP from his level during the ultimate cast and -60% movement speed for 20 seconds, after which Charles is fully restored.
Level 1: +350 spirit damage
Level 2: +2 meters to explosion radius
Level 3: -30% self-damage after ult, -15% slow, +2 seconds to the "Scalded" passive.
The factory's foreman, a greedy engineer and occultist, concealed the incident. In a secret workshop, he fashioned a steam golem from Charles's remains: he built an astral furnace into his chest, forged prosthetic legs and arms powered by steam, exhaust valves into his torso, and hissing nozzles in place of a mouth. The result was a living cauldron—a walking machine for toil. But the Maelstrom died down, the factory went bankrupt, and "Steam Charles" was sold to a traveling occult circus in South Ixia. There, he was fueled by ordinary coal: he stood up, marched, waved his hand—the crowd was terrified and delighted. But soon he became boring, and they threw him in the trash. Years later, he was found by a demon from Ixia—a petty schemer. The demon infused the furnace with ixian spirit coal (astral coal from Maelstrom rifts, burning for millennia), wove fire magic into it, and breathed life into it. Charles was revived—but now half his body was a searing machine, devouring his flesh from the inside. An automatic rifle was also developed for him, powered by steam from his hand instead of gunpowder in its cartridges.
The demon exploited him as a slave and assassin: foul rituals, assassinations of rivals. Charles's patience snapped—he revved the furnace to its limit and blew steam at the demon from Ixia: the red-hot steam vaporized the demon. By the beginning of the Second Maelstrom, Charles had come to despise magic—that cursed force that had crippled his body and soul, making him an eternal slave to steam and fire. However, to rid himself of the mechanisms and regain his human form, he must resort to it against all odds: all his power lies in the spiritual coal and the steam it generates. Now he fights to complete the ritual: destroy the enemy Patron and pray for complete healing and restoration to human form. But the Patrons are treacherous: the price could be a new transformation… or eternal slavery.
First skill:
"Steam Release":
Charles charges up and releases a cone-shaped steam cloud through a release valve in his mouth in front of him, dealing spirit damage and applying the "Scalded" debuff to the enemy, which reduces spirit resistance and bullet damage. The skill has a charge system; the maximum charge (for example, the second of two) deals 100% spirit damage from the skill, with a base range of 2 meters and a base duration of 5 seconds. With each subsequent charge, spirit damage decreases by 10%, but the skill's range and duration increase by 7%. The skill has two charges by default.
Level 1: +35 spirit damage
Level 2: +2 charges
Level 3: Reduces the target's spirit resistance by -25% and increases damage with Charles' weapons by 15%.
Second skill:
"Spirit Stoker"
Charles opens the Spirit Firebox and can throw up to 3 coals in 10 seconds. If all 3 coals are not thrown within 10 seconds, Charles takes damage equal to 15% of his maximum HP.
Level 1: +100 damage when a Spirit Coal hits
Level 2: Increases the coal capacity to 5
Level 3: +7 seconds for coal ejection, +20% spirit resistance while holding the coal
Third skill:
"Excess Pressure"
This skill recharges every 45 seconds and, when activated, provides 20% increased spirit damage for skills, 10% increased weapon damage, and additional spirit damage with weapons for 15 seconds.
Level 1: -5 seconds to recharge
Level 2: +5 seconds to duration
Level 3: Works with the ultimate
Ultimate:
"Emergency Stop"
Charles begins pressurizing the cauldron for 2.5 seconds (a temporary speed debuff of -75%). After charging, the debuff disappears and a 10-second timer appears to use the ultimate. During the timer, all skills have -80% damage from spirit. Pressing 4 again or the timer ends causes Charles to explode, emitting steam in a radius around him and applying the "Scalded" passive to those hit, which lasts for 5 seconds. When his ultimate ends, Charles gains the "Shattered and Scorched" passive: -65% HP from his level during the ultimate cast and -60% movement speed for 20 seconds, after which Charles is fully restored.
Level 1: +350 spirit damage
Level 2: +2 meters to explosion radius
Level 3: -30% self-damage after ult, -15% slow, +2 seconds to the "Scalded" passive.
