Excerpts From Nonexistent Books

In the category of spirits without bodies, we also find the zaar and the abdar. The words come to us from the Horn of Africa, where they are comparatively common, but zaar and abdar (while rare) occur across all nations and ethnic groups. Lacking a physical form, they most often possess inanimate objects of humanoid shape–mannikins, statuary, and such–or assemble a body out of possessed parts like a suit of clothing. They have also been known to expel human souls in order to possess their bodies, and this is the subject of a number of folk traditions. However, it is relatively rare, as inanimate objects are much easier to possess.

Zaar are created when a soul expires in a particularly lonely and bleak way, cut off from kith and kin. Rather than ascending to the next life, it instead acts as a magnet for malevolent spirit energy, concentrating it in an enormously potent form. Due to the circumstances of their genesis, zaar are often drawn to powerfully wicked creatures like daemons, who will employ them as high-ranking servants. It’s unclear what a zaar gets out of such an arrangement other than a kind of twisted surrogate family…and perhaps that is the point. They are universally mischievous, malicious, and deeply ensconced in most dire affairs.

Abdar represent the other side of the coin, with the same powers but rising from the expiration of a soul in a state of extraordinary peace. They draw in positive spirit energy by the same mechanism, but lack the same need for companionship, order, and structure that so often leads zaar to serve more powerful masters. Abdar instead tend to be fiercely independent, offering aid or advice to those in need. They do tend to be somewhat mercurial, and often prefer to guide those in need toward finding their own solutions rather than intervening directly.

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The Old Empire had still been in the midst of experimentation with directed-energy weaponry when the last president was overthrown and the Anarchy began. His successors–presidents, president-emperors, and emperors alike–did not have the funds or the technology base to pursue the research and development involved, especially given how badly the polity had splintered. A number of weapons were fielded, but the incredibly complex nature of their ammunition–portable power cells, mostly–limited their use, as emperors and tinhorn despots held their meager stockpiles back.

As such, the only directed-energy weapon to see major use during the Anarchy and the post-Anarchy was the Palomino Model 70, commonly known as the Sunmaker. Produced by Palomino Arms for the civilian marketplace, the Sunmaker was unique in that it could accept power from an outstanding variety of sources. A wall adaptor plug-in allowed places with a functioning electrical grid to simply connect their Sunmakers to the mains to defend strong points. It would accept almost any portable battery on the market with the proper and easily-swappable adaptor; one popular adaptor allowed it to use commercial alkaline batteries, though six such batteries were only good for one or two low-power shots at best.

The form factor of the Palomino Sunmaker was also important. Oh, there was a lot to like about the integrated optic sight which doubled as an accessory rail, or the big triggerguard/handguard that could accomodate users wearing heavy gloves. But the sleekness of the design, its sharklike profile in black plastic and ceramic composites…unnecessary from a design standpoint, but brilliant from a marketing one. Hefting the weapon made someone used to guns that shot bullets feel like they were on the cutting edge…and starting down the lens of one was intimidating.

Sheriff Stevens had agreed to bend the law of his ditchwater burg in exchange for a Palomino Sunmaker still in its box. It seemed like a good idea at the time…

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