Tulip series

The Tulip series is a line of technological devices and weapons invented by the mechanics genius Maria Custard. With her rare Mechanics Lv 2 skill, Maria's inventions are some of the most advanced currently used by Humans of the Continent, making their place of origin the city of Kathtom among the most technologically advanced cities in the world. Unlike most devices found on the Continent, they do not even slightly rely on Magic and are instead based on purely physical and chemical principles.

The Tulip series are all mostly made of metal, their firing mechanisms use the Hirara Alloy and they all bear the symbol of a red Tulip somewhere on them. They are mostly made on the principles of Ballistics, which seems to be Maria's area of expertise.

Tulip #0


When Maria was a child learning magic as Ragishss' cram school, she created the Tulip #0, a device made only with a milk carton, a straw and a few odds and ends that were turned into a high-pressure water gun, with its blast being as powerful as that of the elementary level water magic spells Maria could cast. Furious that she was interested in something not based on magic, Ragishss forbid her any dessert for a week. However Maria's interest would not fade, and she kept studying mechanical principles in secret.

Tulip #1
After years of progress and research, Maria managed to develop the Tulip #1 even as she was studying magic, and was completed shortly after her graduation from the school and the Four Witches of Kathtom incident. It is a large cylinder object similar to an RPG, and it is a powerful handheld cannon weapon fueled by the somewhat uncommon Hirara Alloy. In Rance IV, she upgraded the fire power of the Tulip #1 by using heated glass and more Hirara Alloy. A number of Tulip #1 have been produced in Kathtom, making the local defense army a force to be reckoned with. As her only portable offensive device, it is Maria's main weapon during her adventures with Rance.

The original prototype was stolen by Copandon Dott and sold to the Tanegashima House in JAPAN. The Tanegashima then reverse engineered the design and the basic firing mechanism to create muskets, where the Hirara Alloy was replaced with gun powder due to the rarity of Hirara Alloy in JAPAN. Though easier to mass-produce and actually much more powerful in close combat, the musket has a much shorter range than the Tulip, can easily clog up in the rain, and has a much longer reload time. Still, its massive firepower made it quickly become an integral part of some JAPANese armies, with Yuzuhara Yuzumi becoming the world's first great gun marksman.

Tulip #2
The Tulip #2 is an extremely large and powerful cannon. It was created only shortly afterwards the Tulip #1 and could best be described as a much larger and powerful but stationary Tulip #1. It possesses decent range and according to Maria is powerful enough to destroy even castle walls. It was created with the intent to destroy the then extremely powerful Ragishss and managed to substantially injure him despite his magical defenses.

Tulip #2 Maresuke
Tulip #2 Maresuke is an enhanced version of the Tulip #2. With more time to optimize the weapon, the Maresuke is bigger, more powerful and has a longer range than its predecessor, while also managing to be extremely precise. It is also dividable into different parts that allowed it to be transported all the way from Kathtom to Zeth despite its size, but is still a stationary weapon once set up.

During the events of Rance VI, it was used to destroy the lightning-discharging sentry towers near the Maginot Line.

Trivia: "Maresuke" is the name of a famous Japanese general (see Nogi Maresuke / 乃木希典).

Tulip #3
The Tulip #3 is a mobile armored vehicle with a cannon based on the Tulip #2. The powerful tank was created as a secret weapon of the Leazas Liberation Army during the Helman Invasion on the Free Cities. It was destroyed in the Battle of The O by the then strongest warrior of the Continent, the Helman general Thoma Lipton. Despite its amazing destructive abilities, durability, and mobility, Rance made the obnoxious complaint that it was unable to fly.

Tulip #4
Fittingly enough, The Tulip #4 is an aircraft created shortly after the events of Rance 03. It was created for the purpose of finding Rance who had recently disappeared. On its inaugural flight, it managed to reach the altitude of a Toushin Toshi, but ended up having the engine break down when they approached for landing, causing Maria, Rick, Leila, Shizuka and Julia to be stranded on the floating island.

Non-Canon: Tulip #100
The #100 is a space rocket, developed in the non-canonical story of Kichikuou Rance.