Athanasius Kircher is a historical figure – an inventor, theologian, expert in oriental languages, and a Jesuit. He aspired to become a missionary in China, and in the world of Anno Domini 1666, we decided to make his dream come true.

In our version of history, he spent many years in China, working alongside local inventors and clergymen… while also practicing kung fu.

However, he remains much more of a thinker than a warrior. His multi-shot, repeating crossbow is highly effective in defense, as are his melee combat skills and ability to dodge. But his greatest weapon is knowledge… along with a few gadgets he can distribute among his allies.

He arrived in Vienna at the request of Octavia Piccolomini, the daughter of his late friend.

Let’s take a closer look at what Kircher has to offer! As mentioned before, he is primarily a thinker, which is why he possesses a solid set of non-combat skills. With Intelligence 3 and Charisma 2, he also has Faith and Inventor skill, which we will examine later when discussing his various inventions.

And how will our Jesuit fare in combat?

A Brawl skill of 2 combined with Kung Fu doesn’t make him the greatest warrior on the board, but when you add Uncanny Dodge, he becomes a tough character to take down. However, melee combat is a last resort for Athanasius—his primary weapon is a repeating crossbow brought from China.

This weapon can be fired every turn as it does not require reloading. It is primarily used for defense, excelling in this role thanks to its ability to perform a “defensive shot” despite being a two-handed weapon. Moreover, Kircher firmly believes that “the end justifies the means,” which means that his crossbow bolts can be poisoned (he ignores alignment restrictions when assigning and using equipment).

It’s time to take a look at the inventions that Athanasius can distribute to his teammates!

First up is the Silk Caftan. This is another secret armor in the game, and it’s always worth equipping someone with it, especially if you don’t have a specific plan for using the other gadgets.

The Weapon Telescope is an invaluable aid for a sniper. With it, hitting targets at long range becomes much easier.

The Rapier with combined Pistol can replace a regular rapier, which is already a very good weapon in itself. Additionally, once per game, you can use it to perform a defensive shot. What’s more, the opponent will be completely caught off guard!

Smoke Grenade – thrown in the right spot, it will prevent the enemy from making an effective distance attack and make it harder for them to reach our characters. The tactical possibilities are invaluable!

And finally, a true marvel – the Automaton Puppet. A movable machine that from a distance resembles one of the team members.