Cauteriser

Look, it's very simple.  Somebody payed us rather a lot of money to kill you in a very particular manner, and you see we're quite fond of money, and less fond of you.  In fact, there are a fair few of us who would rather have liked to be here and do the deed, but they chose me.  Funny how that works out.
You're going nowhere fast, so would you like to know how you're going to meet your end?  I'll take that as a yes.  This thing here's a cauteriser.  Inside it is a little flint, just like on a normal light.  This one, though, hits a sample of yellowgrass, and then through some monster of a spellwrit someone cooked up, magnifies it plus ten thousand and shoots it straight at you.  You don't burn to a cinder, though.  It just cauterises you, like a wound.  Like a big, old, stinky, person-shaped wound.  Which is essentially what you are.
Say bye-bye now!

Composition

Manpower

Cauteriser units typically involve between one and three members armed with cauterisers and several guards.  It's not uncommon for there to be only one cauteriser in the entire unit, as they are specialised pieces of equipment that are typically not required in large quantity.

Equipment

Cauteriser units often carry specially-designed backpacks in order to support their primary weapon.  The cauterisers are strapped to these planks, with the handles facing outward, which allows the cauterisers to move more easily to their targets.
Cauterisers also typically travel on horse or by carriage, in order to save their concentration and energy for the job that they have actually been employed to do.

Weaponry

The characteristic weaponry of a Cauteriser unit is their namesake, the cauteriser.  This is a large tube, typically about a metre and a half in barrel length with an additional solid cylinder on the end measuring half a metre.  Two handles are attached to the top, each with a trigger lever, and a hatch is built into the rear.  The cauterisers are often painted or given ensigns by their users.
Cauteriser units can also carry short-range weaponry such as daggers and shortswords in order to defend themselves in the event that their weapon breaks or a mission goes awry.  However, no more than half of the unit would carry anything larger such as a longsword or axe, despite the fact that all members will be trained in their use.

Tactics

The guard members of the unit will advance and make safe a path for the cauteriser user to go through to reach the target.  Typically, the guard members will also isolate and incapacitate their target so as to allow a clean shot, but cauteriser units can and have successfully completed a mission while their target is in motion.
In the event of hostile resistance, the guards regroup around the cauteriser user, drawing their weapons in order to beat off any attackers.  They keep a path clear around the barrel of the weapon, so as to allow its user to fire it upon any particularly threatening attackers.

Training

Prospective cauteriser users must be trained in the weapon's operation for at least two weeks before they are able to fire it accurately without assistance.  They typically also undergo intensive physical training in order to be able to carry and run with the weapon for moderate distances.
All members of a cauteriser unit are also trained in the use of most types of blade, from dagger to longsword.

Logistics

Upkeep

Cauteriser units need a constant supply of yellowgrass in order to produce the high-intensity flame required.  This means that there are often expeditions by The Cenata to The Cada Cratal Rift in order to gather this.  Other than this, they typically require little maintenance, as cauterisers themselves are relatively sturdy.  Should a cauteriser break, its replacement would be incredibly expensive and probably not worth the investment.

Recruitment

Cauterisers are part of the Cenata's assassination division, and are recruited from the members of this division.  Typically, those with a good track record within the organisation are selected for these units, as the position carries a large amount of responsibility.

History

Cauteriser units have a storied history.  First commissioned of the Cenata by an unknown actor in the early 4th century, they are believed to have been the cause of death of Lady Leena, although no evidence has ever been found due to the fact that her body was never displayed for public viewing as per her wishes.  As their existence became more widely known, there was a sudden crackdown on their use by the Guild of Spellwriters.  The fledgling city guard staged raids on several known Cenata holes in tandem with two Spellslinger Coteries, in a show of force against a non-Rift actor that has never been seen again.  At least three cauterisers were found and destroyed by the forces, but it is unknown how many were initially produced, nor how many are still in circulation.
After these initial raids, cauterisers receded into the background of the Cenata's activities, and the units were deployed only in rare circumstances.  Although unrest still simmered among groups such as the Riders and professional Spellwriters, the few cases where their use was proven to have occurred spawned no Rifts, causing most to decide that they had no potential to create these Rifts.  It's suspected that the spellwrit that enables their function must have been fabricated by an ex-Spellslinger.
Cauterisers today are used minimally, and are one of the more expensive services offered by the Cenata.  The deployment of a unit typically means a big payday for the gang, as well as a high-value and experienced target.

Type

Artillery

Overall training Level

Trained

Assumed Veterancy

Experienced

Used by

• The Cenata