Moranth munition

Moranth munitions are a type of fictional explosive from Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen. They are one of the main advantages that the Malazan Army holds over its rivals and play a major role in their battle tactics. The Malazan world’s technology base does not include gunpowder or any modern artillery, with the exception of those munitions provided by the Moranth. They are used exclusively by sappers in the Malazan Army. There are several varieties of explosive, each used for specific purposes.

History

The Malazan Army discovered the Moranth living in an area of the continent of Genebackis known as the Cloud Forest. It was later revealed that the Cloud Forest contained a fragment of the elder warren of shadow, Kurald Emurlahn. The Morath were a forest-dwelling people who rode giant dragonflies into battle. After their surrender to the Malazan Empire, they provided them with their main asset, explosive weaponry. The Moranth dropped the munitions from the backs of their dragonflies, but the Malazan Army modified them into projectiles. The first Munitions the Malazans had access to were delivered to Whiskeyjack, who in turn passed them on to Hedge and Fiddler, both of whom were sappers. They perfected the techniques involved in deploying munitions and remained the best sappers in the army.

There was once an entire company of sappers until a sapper dropped a munition and blew the entire company to pieces.

Structure

Moranth munitions are composed of clay or glass, built to exact standards with no room for variation. They are filled with unidentified powders which explode upon contact with air. The various types of explosives have different shapes ranging from cylinders and cones to spheres. The Malazan Army had already perfected a crossbow for its marines and modified it into an extra-large version for use with munitions.

Types

There are a multitude of varieties of munition, each with their own purpose and structure.

Sharpers

These are the most commonly used type of explosive by the Malazan Army, due to their versatility. They are small cones composed of fired clay and contain shards of metal designed to act as shrapnel. They are small and light enough to throw without causing damage to the thrower. Sharpers were so named because when they are thrown too closely the loud noise causes the ears to ring and shrapnel to string the face. They are also commonly loaded onto oversized crossbows to be fired at distant targets.

Crackers

Crackers are a very specific variety of explosive used for the demolition of buildings. They are the most durable form of Moranth Munition, able to be hammered without detonation. They are composed of fired clay and are shaped like cones or wedges. The Malazan sappers hammer them into stone walls and use them to demolish enemy fortifications. They are loaded onto crossbows less frequently than Sharpers and Burners. They received their name due to the fact that they explode with a load cracking noise, and because they made cracks in walls.

Burners

Burners are composed of glass cylinders filled a different type of explosive than other Moranth Munitions. Upon detonation, Burners create a fireball designed to burn enemy troops and supplies. They are less deadly than Sharpers but can be used more strategically to create havoc among the enemy. They are frequently loaded onto crossbows to allow for more range, and are often used in conjunction with Crackers to demolish fortifications.

Cussers

Filled with a yellow powder and shards of iron, cussers are the largest, most volatile and most deadly of the munitions; their name comes from the only adequate reaction to their effects - cussing. Cussers require much more delicate handling than other munitions as they are extremely difficult to use on an enemy without also affecting the user. Attempts to launch them using catapults cause them to detonate, as does using a conventional crossbow to deliver them, and they can not be thrown by hand as the blast radius would injure the thrower. Due to their limitations, several alternative methods of delivery and detonation have been developed:

Modified crossbow - the most common use is launching with a modified crossbows. The crossbow is much larger than a conventional bow, and uses special cradle to hold the munition.
Remote detonation - a Cusser or group of Cussers is planted near the target. The sapper then retreats out of range and fires a crossbow loaded with a Sharper of Burner into the region. This causes the Cussers to explode.
Fuse - a Cusser is rigged with a drop of acid that slowly dissolves the clay coating while the sapper retreats out of range. The amount and placement of acid affects the timing of the explosion and is a rare art with little room for error.
Trip wire: This is used in ambushes and traps for enemy troops. A tripwire is stretched across a path tied to a Cusser on each end. The Cussers are balanced on a nearby object. When an enemy springs the tripwire, the Cussers fall and detonate. This is not practical in open areas or during daylight.
The Drum: A legendary method of deploying Cussers used solely by the Bridgeburners Fiddler and Hedge, which mimics a land mine. Holes are first dug in a chosen pattern, depending on the area. Cussers are then shaved down on one side until the clay is paper thin. A sharp stone is placed on the thin area and the Cusser is buried. When the enemy approached, their footfalls resonate the ground and the stone punctures the clay.

Smokers

As the name suggests, smokers release large clouds of smoke, akin to a modern smoke bomb. They are used tactically to create confusion.