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Gorthak Ironworks - Version 19 vs Version 20
Jun 8, 2026, 11:52 PM
Removed duplicate in-body wikilinks
Oct 29, 2026, 11:53 AM
Distinguish institute introduction quests, historical research prices and Flight access
11Overview22Gorthak Ironworks is a research institute and industrial facility located in the Delesyia region. Situated in the northwestern part of Delesyia near the Demeniss border, the Ironworks specializes in heavy military technology and is one of three research institutes in the Delesyia territory. Its primary gameplay function is unlocking offensive ATAG mech capabilities.44The three Delesyia research institutes each focus on different aspects of ATAG technology. Gorthak Ironworks handles offensive weapons, the Delesyia Castle Institute provides mobility upgrades and the Laser Cannon Spear, and Dewhaven Keep unlocks utility and close-range ATAG systems.77Location99The Ironworks sits in the mountainous terrain of northwestern Delesyia. The facility is built into the rocky landscape, with industrial forges, testing grounds, and storage areas for raw materials spread across the compound. Smoke stacks and metal structures dominate the skyline, giving the location a distinctly industrial feel compared to the more pastoral areas of Hernand.1111Its proximity to the Demeniss border gives the Ironworks strategic military importance. The weapons and technology developed here are intended to defend Delesyia's northern frontier.1313PropertyValueRegionDelesyiaSub-RegionNorthwestern Delesyia (near Demeniss border)TypeResearch Institute / Industrial FacilitySpecializationHeavy Military Technology / Offensive ATAGAccess RequirementMain story progression + 5x Gunpowder1515Story Role: The Gorthak War1616Gorthak Ironworks is more than a research hub. It is the bastion of the Ironflame Orcs led by Valgash, and in Chapter 10 it is the front line of a defensive war that defines the chapter. The factory complex comes under sustained assault by Marni's clockwork automatons, sent at the Ironworks in waves: flying mechanical bugs first, then ground-based mechanical bugs, and finally a giant clockwork mantis dropped out of a sky-galleon airship.1818The Ironworks holds against this attack only because of a converging set of resources that meet at this single location. The orcs were already prototyping a heavy mechanised suit, the ATAG, designed to withstand exactly this kind of swarming, but had concluded it was too complicated for any of their own pilots to operate. The proposed compromise was to strip features out and weaken it; Valgash's argument was that a stripped-down ATAG might as well not have been built. Kliff's arrival resolves the deadlock: he can pilot the fully-loaded mech as designed, so the orcs do not have to compromise on its specification, and the assault is repelled at full firepower.2020Marek and the ATAG's Design2222The lead engineer behind the mech is Marek, who later runs Zargan Tankworks and gates the post-Chapter-10 ATAG crafting chain. The lore note on Marek is that his approach was to add as many features as possible to a single chassis. The result was a unit too complex for the available Ironflame pilots but a near-perfect match for a player-controlled Kliff who can manage the full ability set across machine gun, blast cannon, EMP discharge and ramming.2424This is also where the laser-cannon super-weapon featured in Chapter 10's defense sequence comes from. The Ironworks's research wing has built a heavy-power-draw cannon capable of taking down the sky-galleon airships overhead, but it consumes enormous amounts of power per shot. The chapter's set-piece is keeping Marni's bug swarms off the power plants long enough to charge it, firing the cannon once to bring down the airships, and then accepting that the cannon is now depleted and cannot be used against the larger Flying Fortress Orbian later. The unstated consequence of that depletion is what makes the dragon-bond questline necessary; without aerial support of comparable scale, the fortress is unreachable.2626Post-War Rebuilding2828In the epilogue Kliff can return to the Ironworks and find Valgash still rebuilding. The reconciliation is striking: the real Marni has returned (after H.A.L.L.'s deposition of him is reversed in Chapter 11) and is offering everything he can to help the orcs rebuild. The Ironflame have politely accepted some of that help but remain, by Valgash's preference, more comfortable relying on their own technology than on Marni's. The ATAG itself has been repurposed for civilian work out in the fields, which is the cleanest visual sign that the war is over for the region.3030From a worldbuilding perspective, the rebuild closes a loop that the chapter set up explicitly. Marni had originally been described as building machines to help people, for cooking, for farming, before he started building weapons. The post-war ATAG-in-the-fields is the strongest single image in the epilogue that the technology has reverted to that original purpose, at least at Gorthak.3232Access Requirements3434To use the research facilities at Gorthak Ironworks, players must first reach the Delesyia region through main story progression. Once at the facility, the lead researcher requires 5x Gunpowder to initiate the first research project (Basic Smelting). Gunpowder can be crafted or purchased from vendors in the Delesyia region.35+To use the research facilities at Gorthak Ironworks, players must first reach the Delesyia region through main story progression. Once at the facility, the lead researcher requires 5x Gunpowder for the Blazing Steel introduction quest. The older Basic Smelting project entry below is not the name of that introduction quest. Gunpowder can be crafted or purchased from vendors in the Delesyia region.3636The Gorthak Ironworks Research Institute quest series opens with Blazing Steel: talk to the research director, obtain Gunpowder and hand over five. Its recorded rewards include institute knowledge, Delesyian contribution and a Medium Bag. Four subsequent knowledge missions ask you to observe the key facility, furnace, gunpowder weapons and flowing molten metal, then report each observation. These quest missions are separate from a complete census of research projects and their current prices.38+Research Projects3840Gorthak Ironworks offers a tree of research projects organized into three tiers. Each project costs Silver, takes real time to complete, and unlocks new capabilities ranging from crafting recipes to ATAG weapon systems.41+The older project list below is organized into three tiers and quotes costs in Silver. Patch 1.18 changed research payments to Camp Funds. Earlier durations are retained without certifying real-time or in-game timer units. Research unlocks capabilities ranging from crafting recipes to ATAG weapon systems.4042Initial Project4244Gorthak Ironworks: Basic Smelting is the entry-level project unlocked by providing 5x Gunpowder. It grants a Flame Spear Blueprint and a Sustained Supply Cannon Shell, and produces 1.30x Silver over 2 hours.45+Gorthak Ironworks: Basic Smelting is retained as an unverified earlier project entry, distinct from the Blazing Steel introduction quest. That earlier entry described a 5x Gunpowder requirement and a Flame Spear Blueprint and Sustained Supply Cannon Shell reward, with an unverified production quote of 1.30x Silver over 2 hours.4446Tier 1 Research4648ProjectEffectCostDurationSkilled Workflow Optimization ResearchReduces crafting waste11 Silver9 hoursTaro ResearchEnables large-scale dispatch missions90 Silver18 hours50+ProjectEffectEarlier Silver costDurationSkilled Workflow Optimization ResearchReduces crafting waste11 Silver9 hoursTaro ResearchEnables large-scale dispatch missions90 Silver18 hours4951Tier 2 Research5052ProjectEffectCostDurationWeapon Heat-Treatment ResearchUnlocks Flame Spear, Electromagnetic Flame Spitter, and Shotgun Shield for dispatch crafting12 Silver7 hoursMachine Parts ResearchUnlocks ATAG Cannon, ATAG Laser, ATAG Pincers; grants Oongka's Rocket Pack the Vertical Flight ability130 Silver23 hours53+ProjectEffectEarlier Silver costDurationWeapon Heat-Treatment ResearchUnlocks Flame Spear, Electromagnetic Flame Spitter, and Shotgun Shield for dispatch crafting12 Silver7 hoursMachine Parts ResearchUnlocks ATAG Cannon, ATAG Laser, ATAG Pincers; grants Oongka's Rocket Pack the Vertical Flight ability130 Silver23 hours5254Tier 3 Research5355ProjectEffectCostDurationBrimstone ResearchIncreases Sustained Supply Cannon Shell quantities9 Silver6 hoursMineral Excavation Efficiency ResearchYields additional minerals while mining120 Silver20 hours56+ProjectEffectEarlier Silver costDurationBrimstone ResearchIncreases Sustained Supply Cannon Shell quantities9 Silver6 hoursMineral Excavation Efficiency ResearchYields additional minerals while mining120 Silver20 hours5557ATAG Weapons Unlocked5658The Machine Parts Research project at Gorthak Ironworks is the key unlock for three offensive ATAG weapons:5860WeaponDescriptionATAG CannonA heavy projectile weapon mounted on the mech, effective at medium range against large targets.ATAG LaserA focused energy beam weapon with sustained damage output. Effective against armored enemies.ATAG PincersMelee grappling arms for close-range ATAG combat, capable of grabbing and throwing enemies.6062In addition, Machine Parts Research grants the Oongka's Rocket Pack the Vertical Flight ability, expanding aerial combat options.6163Oongka initially gains Flight through the Fire Breathing Pack quest during Chapter 8, by reading Grimnir's letter and receiving the jetpack. Do not treat the older Machine Parts Research note as the sole unlock for basic Flight. Its precise relationship to later Rocket Pack upgrades remains unverified here.66+Comparison with Other Delesyia Institutes6468InstituteLocationATAG UnlocksGorthak IronworksNW DelesyiaATAG Cannon, Laser, Pincers; Vertical FlightDelesyia Castle InstituteRegional capitalATAG Boots (mobility), Laser Cannon SpearDewhaven KeepSW DelesyiaATAG Machine Gun, Fist, Welder, Flamespitter6670Facility Layout6771Main Forge: The central building where heavy weapons and ATAG components are manufactured.Testing Grounds: An open area outside the forge where new weapon prototypes and ATAG systems are tested.Storage Areas: Warehouses containing raw materials, refined metals, and finished components.Research Wing: Where scientists and engineers work on new military technologies and ATAG upgrades.6973Dispatch Mission Rewards7175The dispatch comparisons and church donation figures below are retained as older, unverified guidance. Current unlock conditions, church coverage, per-level rates, the 200% cap, the roughly 500k donation quote and any claim that this is the best-yield dispatch have not been independently established here. Check the displayed regional bonus and dispatch rewards before spending camp resources; a research currency change does not establish a dispatch or church cost conversion.77+Gorthak Ironworks also functions as one of the most valuable dispatch unlocks in the entire game for players chasing armory and weapon resources. The ironworks is added to the dispatch menu automatically after completing Chapter 10 of the main story, so there is no additional side-quest or liberation requirement once the story flag has been triggered.7379Highest Armory and Weapon Yields7581Community testing and community dispatch comparisons agree that the Gorthak Ironworks mission yields among the highest amounts of armory and weapon resources of any dispatch available, including late-game options. For players whose camps are struggling with armory consumption rates on high-tier gear crafting, this is usually the single biggest upgrade to your resource pipeline that you can make right after the Chapter 10 unlock.7783Doubling Rewards with the Conversion Bonus84+Earlier conversion bonus figures7985The Gorthak Ironworks dispatch benefits directly from church donations through the Conversion Bonus system. Donate camp money to the Church of Hernand (or whichever regional church covers the Gorthak dispatch on the world map hover tooltip) to stack blessing levels, each of which adds a 2% reward bonus up to a total cap of 200%. Fully maxed out, the bonus doubles or even triples your per-run armory output, which makes Gorthak Ironworks the single best dispatch to invest donation money into.8187A fully max-level church in Hernand costs roughly 500k camp money to build out (less in smaller regions), but the diminishing returns curve means you can pick up most of the reward boost for a much smaller initial donation. If budget is tight, get the church to the first few blessing levels before triggering your Gorthak dispatch rotations and scale up donations over time.8389Tips8591Bring 5x Gunpowder when you first visit to unlock the Basic Smelting project immediately.Prioritize Machine Parts Research (130 Silver, 23 hours) if you want to unlock all three ATAG weapons as quickly as possible.The Mineral Excavation Efficiency Research is valuable for resource gathering throughout the endgame.Visit all three Delesyia institutes to unlock the full ATAG arsenal. No single institute provides everything.92+Bring 5x Gunpowder for the Blazing Steel introduction hand-in. Treat the older Basic Smelting label and quoted project production as unverified; do not assume that delivering the quest items instantly completes every research project.Consider Machine Parts Research for the listed ATAG weapon unlocks, but check its current Camp Funds price and timer. The earlier 130 Silver and 23-hour quote is not a verified current cost or completion time.The Mineral Excavation Efficiency Research is valuable for resource gathering throughout the endgame.Visit all three Delesyia institutes to unlock the full ATAG arsenal. No single institute provides everything.8793See Also8995Research InstitutesATAGDelesyiaDemenissCompanion Dispatch Guide