Shemarrian-related fan creations

[taalismn]

EcoS-D64Hm Aviarmor Mini-Robots(Hawkmoons)

“Those Horune must have thought they had us well and truly cornered and away from our weapons, until Accela summoned up her flock and went full hitchcock-mode. Totally took them offguard and gave us enough time to get our stuff together. Once we were geared up, it was a whole different story on the whole ‘hunter-prey’ balance.”
---Atarene Wingwander, Hawkmoon NeShemar, on an incident along the Maryland coast.

“What really drives me nuts about those skin-girls is how after they got covered up with those birds and started beating on us, that one on the end kept giggling maniacally the whole time! They’re crazy-evil I tell you!”
---
“I couldn’t help myself! Those feathers -TICKLE-!”

The success of such ‘swarm armors’ as the EcoS-D62cv Carapace Beetle MicroRobot system got Hawkmoon Tinkers, desirous of maintaining their Tribe’s technological leadership, thinking about a similar system. They decided to go with ‘flock armor’, a gestalt-system built around flocks of small feather-winged drones, each the size of a sparrow or robin. The basis of the Aviarmor is an upgraded version of the EcoS-AAR-01 Chirt, modified into a megadamage form the size of a starling.
When summoned, the flock-bots land on their summoner and merge into a feathered suit of protective armor. The suit is somewhat encumbering, but grants stealth and kinetic protection properties to the wearer. Though seemingly more primitive than the forcefield-projection capabilities of the Carapace and Carrian Beetle systems, the Aviar Armor offers passive and constant protection, and can even share its host’s self-repair capabilities, bolstering both its own armor and the host’s.
Generally, aviar will move about in flocks of 90-160 individuals, allowing enough numbers to cover a single host and still have some left over as reserves or mobile assets. Much larger flocks of 500-2,000 ‘birds’ have also been deployed, allowing for in-depth aerial surveillance of an area, as well as a ready reserve of armor for friendly troops.
Aviarmor has become a quick favorite of Hawkmoon Mystics and Yurei. It is also available to some (full conversion) NeShemar, although many of those who have worn aviarmor have complained that the ‘living’ armor takes some getting used to, as the many feathers scratch and tickle.
Aviarmor has also caught the eye of the Skyeklad, who have recently petitioned the Hawkmoons(and asked their Sapphire Cobra parent tribe to also weigh in on their side) for the designs of the armor system.

Type: EcoS-D64Hm Aviar/Aviarmor
Class: Mini-Bot
Crew: None; robot intelligence
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 9
Head 4
Wings(2) 4 each

Height: 6-8 inches
Width: 4-6 inches, typically has an 10-14 in wingspan
Length: 10 inches
Weight: 12 -18 ounces
Cargo: None
Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 3
The best that a ‘Aviar’ can carry is a small micro-explosive, tracer chip, or surveillance bug.
Powerplant: Nuclear microcell w/ 3 year energy life, though many supplement their core power by regularly sucking on electrical sockets or specially equipped perches. Attached to a Shemarrian, they can live off induction currents.
Speed: (Running) 5
(Leaping) Not applicable
(Flying) (60) 30 MPH, maximum altitude of 1,000 ft
(Space) Not possible outside a spacecraft unless specially fitted. And then, rarely faster than 20 MPH(small jets)
(Underwater) Not applicable(unless specifically outfitted), but generally limited to running along the bottom and can survive pressures down to 800 ft.
Market Cost: Exclusive to the Ecotroz-Shemar
Systems of Note:
*Multi-Optics
*Telescoping Zoom Lens(2 mile range)
*Thermo-Optics(1,000 ft range)
*Camera/Video Eye w/ live transmission
*Basic Audio
*Radio w/ scrambler capability. Range: 50 miles
*Laser Distancer(2,000 ft range)
*Molecular Anaylzer Chip
*Motion Detector(100 ft range)
*Recording Chip---Stores up to 48 hours of recorded observations.
*Modulating Voice Synthesizer Chip---Allows the Aviar to imitate a variety of natural sounds, such as animal calls.
*Sonar---Echo-location system with a 500 ft range; usually used to imitate bats and similar noctural animals.
Additional/special sensors may be built in by the creating Spinsters or at the behest of individual riders/owners.

*Bionic Cybernanite Repair Systems--- Only about 40% of ‘bots have the same bionic nanotech repair system that the Ecotroz Shemar have refitted themselves with, and which is becoming the standard among NeShemar as well. These systems repair 1d6 MDC per hour, and can repair 10 MDC before needing material stocks to convert to repair material.
Note, however, that when linked in gestalt/armor mode, they can co-opt the Shemarrian’s/cyborg’s own repair systems; use the host’s own regeneration rate and reserves.

*’Gecko’ Grips---These are small pads on the feet that allow the Aviar greater proficiency in clinging to perches, including walls and ceilings.

*Self-Destruct---Some Aviars are fitted with micro-SD devices that rapidly decompose the robot into a pile of dust if captured/destroyed.

*Protective Armor Mode---In armor mode, Aviars cover a host(typically about 90-120 are needed to completely cover a Shemarrian or NeShemar; 40 main body, 10 each limb and the head), link special velcro-like quills, and form a feathery suit of armor. The armor has the following properties:
- 360 MDC main body, 90 MDC each arm, 90 MDC each leg, and 90 MDC head
-Blurr Camouflage---The many feathers break up light and make it harder for visual lock-on the wearer; the faster the wearer moves, the greater the distortion; at speeds of 3 or less, no bonus, 4-10; -1 to strike the wearer, 10-16; -2 to strike, 16-22; -3 to strike, 23 or greater, -4 to strike. Laser targeting is also ineffective in locking on to the wearer, even when standing still.
- Kinetic Baffling---Blunt force melee combat strikes such as punches, kicks, hammer strikes, falls, and concussive explosions do HALF damage.
- Acoustic Stealth---Between the feathers muffling sound and the ability of the many linked Aviars’ vocal apparatus able to generate ‘white noise’ to counter any sounds the host makes, the wearer gets a +15% to Prowl.
-Sensory Bonuses---The multiple eyes and combined senses of the gestalt armor give the wearer a much reduced chance of being surprised; +1 to initiative, +1 to dodge, +2 to Perception rolls, and cannot be surprised from behind.
-Regeneration Supercharger---Although most aviars do not have complete regeneration systems of their own, as noted, they can borrow their host’s regeneration systems to repair themselves. They can also return the favor, supercharging the host’s self-repair capabilities, effectively inceeasing the repair rate by 50%(DOUBLE this if more than half the aviar have their own self-repair system) and increasing the available reserve MDC by 3 MD per aviar in the covering(or 6 for each aviar already having a self-repair system).
-Reduce maximum running speed by 25% due to encumberance.

Weapons Systems: None standard(see Options)

Programming:
Detect Ambush 60%
Detect Concealment 60%
Intelligence 80%
Lore: Demons and Monsters 65%
Basic Math 98%
Radio: Basic 98%
Prowl 85%
Tracking 90%
Navigation 86%
Wilderness Survival 80%
Computer Operation 80%
Language: Can understand 22 different languages
Sing(imitating songbirds and other animals) 80%


‘Awakened’ Aviar can also pick up two Secondary skills at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Aviar intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Technical: Language(understanding) and Lore, Wilderness( Track Animals, Hunting, Identify Plants and Fruits), and Electrical(Basic).

Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 5
Initiative +1 (+1 from the Ecotroz entity for a total of +2)
Automatic Dodge +3
Strike +1
Roll +2
Peck w/ Beak 1d4 SDC
Leap Attack/Flying Body Block 1d6 SDC

Note: The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Aviar an aura and behavior more befitting an animal than a robot; the Aviar may complain non-verbally when overworked, scream when damaged, and react to intruders or strangers appropriately. The entity is fairly smart and cunning, with a parrot-like intelligence(roughly equivalent to an IQ of 4). Aviar tend to be less impulsive and more group-oriented than their Chirt cousins, though they are constantly looking around and watching any new activity in their vicinity, but still tend to remain close to other Aviars.
The Aviar has the following Natural Psionic Abilities(no ISP Cost), all equivalent to 6th level with regards to range and proficiency.
*Sixth Sense
*Sense Magic
*See Aura

The Ecotroz fragment does occasionally need sleep/rest...though they only need 2 hours of rest/meditation per 24 hours...they can push this, going without for as many days as they have I.Q. points, but will have to go dormant for 4d6 hours after such exertion.
Susceptible to Exorcism and Banish spells, but are +6 to save against such spells, +1 at levels 4, 8, and 12 of experience, and becoming IMMUNE at level 14 and up. Such Banishment causes the ‘bot to revert to its default robot programming. (OPTION: Ecotroz may become IMMUNE to Exorcism and Banishment with experience)

Note also that the Ecotroz-possessed ‘bot can infect other bots with the Ecotroz viral-entity, by bite or sustained touch(takes 3 attacks).

Variants:
A wide variety of variants, all cosmetic in nature, exist, many imitating local small avians/flying animals in appearance.

Options/Upgrades:
-Razor Wings---These add small strips of molecularly-sharp material to the leading edges of the wings, giving them the ability to inflict 1 MDC on a wing swipe or body block/ram. In gestalt-armor mode, multiple aviar-components with this feature give the armor-host the ability to inflict 2d6 MD with punches and kicks, from the many blade-wings festooning their arms and legs.

-Quill Shooter---Quill-shooters are composite weapons that are formed when the aviar combine in armor mode. The wearer can now shoot high-velocity darts from their arms.
Range: 1,000 ft
Damage: (Unpowered) 2d6 SDC+Chemical effects(if used as a dart)
(Energized) 1d4 MD
Rate of Fire: ECHH, volleys of 1-4
Payload: Each aviar in the armor holds 6 quills(3 each wing)(typically about 540-720 rds total then) and can transfer them to the arm launchers. Using the combined regeneration capability, the armor can ‘grow’ new quills at a rate of 12 per hour and 10 MDC consumed.

-Flit Launcher----Flocks of aviars will often ‘piggyback’ flit-projectiles, the Shemarrian version of the Northern Gun NMX-18 Stinger Anti-Flyer Mine, though of themselves the aviars cannot fire them. The flock can carry reloads for personal flit-strikers, and when formed into their armor mode, the wearer can use the flit projectiles. Generally, a flit-strike-equipped aviar flock will have one flit projectile for every 10 units in the flock, so a 60-75 bird suit will have six or seven projectiles available in armor mode.

[kronos]

EcoS-D64Hm Aviarmor Mini-Robots(Hawkmoons)

Nice when an idea I have spawns more ideas.

[taalismn]

Quick Illo for Shemarrian Tactical Artillery
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img845_zpsszq3rrtf.jpg

A general Skullcrusher gravitic artillery piece is on the left, a Silvermoon 'SilverThunder' howitzer is on the right, housed inside a caravanser hover-van(harness for the towing warmount on the left)

[taalismn]

Hierodalite NeShemar Transformation
(aka ‘Submatrix’, ‘Submistress’, ‘Submantric’, ‘Ghostboys/girls’)

The Domimatrix stepped into the Madhaven Core Enclave council chamber with all the haughtiness and commanding presence of her model, her leathers gleaming in the dim light and accentuating her killer figure. Behind and beside her followed a smaller female figure, clad in a similar, if rather more scant, assemblage of tight leather straps and mesh panels, long black hair swaying from side to side with each stilleto-heeled step. The smaller human moved across the hall floor with grace and sureness equal to her larger companion’s, which was decidedly at odds with the glassy-eyed, but calm, look affixed to her face. It was a very different appearance from how the same human had looked the previous times she had been in this room, first as an angry, defiant, and very scared young Coalition pilot spouting dire threats, then as a manic, nearly mindless, screaming animal straining her restraints and looking at each and every shadow as if it held enemies. It was clear, though, that the Domimatrix’s ‘little project’ had born fruit; few normal humans exposed for so long to Madhaven’s psychic atmosphere recovered to be apparently so self-controlled.
The Sensysop waited until the Domimatrix had come next to her in the circle of Councilors, before quietly inquiring, though already knowing the answer from her own reports from the nanochanger labs deep under the city.
“So...how much of her is actually left?”
The Domimatrix grinned a sharp-toothed and very satisfied smile. “Most of her brain, internal organs, and some skin. Most of her spine’s been replaced. The important parts remain, though. She may not look it, but she’s turning out to be a most profficient apprentice. Once you get past the good-little-citizen-indoctrination, the self-denial, and the defensive blinders, she takes instruction very well, and she has a WICKED little imagination when asked nicely.” The Domimatrix looked down with possessive pride at the smaller human standing next her, idly toying with the ‘tools’ strapped to her arm gloves, apparently unconcerned with the scrutiny paid her by the larger presences around her, “I think I’ll keep her.”
Evolved machines they might be, more than a few of the Madhaven Network Council members hearing that couldn’t help but shiver a bit, whether out of sympathy for the former(?) prisoner(the meatbags seemed to have such poor integral firewall protections) or some small fear for their own sanity, they couldn’t tell.

The Ghost Riders don’t, as a rule, take many NeShemar under their wing at the core of their holdings, as Madhaven has a notorious reputation for destroying both bodies and minds. Those who live in Madhaven are typically exceptionally mentally strong, or the recipients of extensive cybernetic implants that help shield them from the prevailing atmosphere of insanity that pervades the ruined metropolis, but these individuals tend to be rare. This made keeping regular humans in Madhaven for extended periods of time a hazardous proposition, and one particularly obsessive Domimatrix didn’t like the effects it had on her favorite prisoners. Rather than move out of the ruins zone, invest in full (and potentially disfiguring) cranial augments for her pets, or see her ‘toys’ go insane and die, she prevailed upon her colleagues to research more elegant solutions to the problem. Eager for an excuse to play with networks, organic and electronic, and/or hack other nations’ databases for interesting technologies to apply to the problem, enough Ghost Riders came aboard the project to actually yield results; the Hierodalite.
Hierodalites can be considered either advanced biohumanoid cyborgs or techno-bioborgs; advanced nanotechnology having been worked into them to reinforce or replace skin and bones, shield vital organs, enhance musculature, reroute nerves, and add other capabilities. Much attention is paid to the spine and brain, advanced nanotech creating shielding systems that would protect the delicate signals of the brain from being overwhelmed by the psychic ‘noise’ of MadHaven. The overall result is a perfectly normal-looking human(oid) who is effectively shielded from the degenerative psychic effects of Madhaven, can survive the city’s dangerous terrain, and bare-handedly punch out any belligerent mutants who give them a hard time.
Hierodalites are typically made from prisoners taken around Madhaven, further worked over mentally by the Domimatrices, and made over physically by Ghost Rider Tinkers. Most Hierodalites belong to the retinues of Domimatrices(usually those that indoctrinated the prisoners), where they serve as assistants in interrogations(some prisoners find them even more frightening than the Domimatrices themselves). However, Hierodalites are also occasionally used as go-betweens between the Ghost Riders and outsiders. While there have been an increasing number of voluntary conversion Hierodalites with considerable leeway of movement amidst the Ghost Rider organization, the majority of them continue to be drawn from the ranks of prisoners taken in conflict. The two groups can often be quickly told apart by their manners and dress; the voluntary converts appearing no different from other NeShemar, while the forcibly impressed and indentured often wear skinsuits or harness-gear in imitation of their Domimatrix ‘programmers’.
While Hierodalite transformation may appear to be a boon to those seeking a power-up from the Shemarrians, it should be remembered that it originated as a way for a fetish-obsessive interrogator A.I. to keep her PETS from tearing their own throats out. Most Hierodalites are the end result of extensive and exhaustive mental indoctrination and brainwashing to make sure they are loyal first and foremost to the Ghost Riders, and especially to the creating Domimatrix. Indeed, the scholarly Wayfinders are quick to point out that the very name of the class, Hierodalites, is derived from the ancient word Hierodouloi, or temple slaves(though this can be interpreted to mean temple prostitutes, or slaves that have been freed, only to dedicate themselves wholly to the temple divinities). To the more altruistic, liberty-minded, and knowledgeable EShemar, the origins and nature of most Hierodalites strikes them as disquieting, smacking of a species-supremacy complex, with machines(the Ghost Riders priding themselves on refusing the Ecotroz Awakening) programming organics to be their servants. The Ghost Riders are quick to counter with the query how this is any different from the early days of forcible recruitment and identity reformatting of NeShemar during the Shemarrian Civil War. Thus the Hierodalites are something of a bone of contention with some high-principled EShemar in their dealings with the Ghost Riders. This is especially true in the Shemarrian Star Nation, where it’s rumored that the spread of the Hierodalite process from Rifts Earth has replaced the practice of Ghost Rider infiltration teams disposing of inconvenient witnesses to their covert ops by dropping them on Horrorwoods colonies, with Hierodalitic impressment instead.

“I thought I saw Corporal Nana Chiigu on the remotes today....you know, that air support pilot they lost a year ago? Before they wised up, pulled out, and left the survey remotes behind? It was hard to tell, what with the angle of the camera and the low light, but it sure looked like she was still alive, but what she would be doing walking the ruins of Madhaven in high heels and wearing a skintight outfit, I have no idea. Then she got swallowed up by one of those ruin worms....came up right under her...thought that was the end of it...only a few minutes later, the worm came back up, and Nana...or whatever LOOKED like her, tore and kicked its way out of that monster’s guts and kept walking on. Nothing HUMAN would be able to do that! I’m thinking something, some sick monster, took Nana’s form and is wandering Madhaven looking for prey. Even remotely monitoring that hellhole from hundreds of miles away, it’s messing with our minds.”


Powers/Abilities:

--Psionic ElectroMagnetic Dampers---Spinal-mount dampers. +1 save vs all psionic attacks, +1 save versus magic illusions and mind control.

--Extraordinary Physical Endurance(Minor)---The Hierodalite mod remakes the recipient into a minor megadamage being, via an intermesh of nanofibers and layers of nano-deposition smart-matter skin through the person’s body, supporting them, reinforcing joints and muscles, and creating a damage-resistant subcutaneous armor. The enhanced P.E. also protects the recipient against magic and poisons.
*Fatigues at 1/10th normal rate
*+1d6+5 P.E.
*Effectively becomes a megadamage being with 4d4x10 MD +2d4 per level of experience.

--Mind/Body Attunement---The recipient’s nervous system is amped to be more in tune with themselves; +1 APM, +2 on initiative, +4 save versus Horror Factor, +1 save versus poison and disease, and +2 save versus possession.

-Hypnotic Brain Conditioning----Special attention was paid to providing the transformed human with special deep resistance indoctrination and mental shielding; +5 save vs mind control, +4 save vs illusions and Horror Factor, +2 save vs all other psionic attacks. Impervious to Possession.

-Increased Physical Agility and Dexterity---If anybody understands making networks respond faster and more efficiently, it’s the Ghost Riders, and they’ve applied this know-how to juicing the nervous systems of their NeShemar. Increase P.P. to 22, +1 APM, +2 on initiative, automatic dodge, paired weapons, and +5% to physical skills requiring physical dexterity.

-Physical Transformation---The recipient of the Hierodalite aug is physically optimized; they are icons of good health. +1d4 P.E., +1d6 P.B., +1d6 SPD, +2d6 Hit Points, +4d6 SDC, and +1d6 to P.S., plus it is considered to be Extraordinary.

-Heightened Sense of Balance---Adapted to better adapt the person to living in ruins where the ground can shift unexpectedly(plus, with all the work the Ghost Riders were already doing on the nervous system, the inner ear and sense of balance were child’s play). The vagris nerve is modified to control the urge to vomit under disorientation, and such cues as inner ear signals can be consciously ‘overriden’ with less difficulty. +2 roll, +5 to maintain balance, +10% to Acrobatics, Gymnastics, Climbing, and Movement: Zero Gravity, and the recipient can fire an aimed, Called Shot or burst without penalty while moving, tumbling, or spinning.

Cybernetics:
-Oxygen Filtration Systems and Storage Cell---The sinuses, respiratory tract, and one lung of the Hierodalite have been modified into a bionic lung system. Added because of poor air quality in some of the warrens and tunnels under Madhaven. Totally effective at filtering out airborne toxins(and 94% effective against nerve gases), and has a 2 hour reserve(with three hour charging period).

-Eye Protection---The equivalent of an implanted contact lens that can seal the eyes against tear gases, dust, and mold spores. Also polarizes against glare.

-Low-Lite Optics---The optical nerves have been modified to be able to see in low light conditions.

-Sub-Vocal Radio Receiver/Transmitter---The ears and throat of the Hierodalite are fitted for ‘Ghost Rider telepathy’; the convert can silently hear and send messages. Effective range is 6 miles(more advanced than the commercially available bionic system). Has a reprogrammable encryption system(the Ghost Riders being fairly nuts about communications security).

-Headjack---Buried under faux-flesh plugs in the head and neck are neural interface plugs. Typically, only the Ghost Riders are aware these exist and can access them.

-Additional Cybernetics---Hierodalites are able to tolerate additional cybernetic implants( and most will have typically 2d4), but not radical bionic ones. Most Hierodalites(or their Ghost Rider overseers) will favor sensory or cosmetic implants. One Domimatrix favored upgrading her retinue with enhanced hearing. motion sensors, and other non-optical sensory implants, and teaching them blind-fighting techniques, the better to be able to counter their Altaran Blind Warrior Women counterparts in blind combat.

Total bonuses:
*Effectively becomes a megadamage being with 4d4x10 MD +2d4 per level of experience, + combined Hit Points and SDC.
+2d6 Hit Points
+4d6 SDC
Minimum P.P. 22
*Automatic Dodge
*+1d6 +1d4 +5 P.E.
*Fatigues at 1/10th normal rate
+1d6 to P.S., plus it is considered to be Extraordinary.
+1d6 P.B.
+1d6 SPD
+2 APM
+4 initiative
+2 roll
+5 to maintain balance
+8 save versus Horror Factor
+1 save versus poison and disease
+7 save vs mind control
+6 save vs illusions
+4 save vs all other psionic attacks.
Impervious to Possession.
W.P. Paired Weapons
+5% to physical skills requiring physical dexterity
+10% to Acrobatics, Gymnastics, Climbing, and Movement: Zero Gravity

Note:
Most involuntary Hierodalite converts have been extensively brainwashed to the point that while they retain their old OCC skills, they are effectively starting a NEW OCC as a servant of the Ghost Riders. Will count as Cyberhumanoid Cyborgs for purposes of skills and advancement.

[taalismn]

Wayfinder ‘Telzart’ TW Artillery Projector
(aka ‘TelZARP’)

In the small camouflaged depression in the hills, the Wolf’s Path cal taros looked in amazement at the live footage streaming in from the avian aerial observers several miles away. One moment on the screens there was a fortified encampment bristling with high tech weaponry, some of already swiveling to bear on the aerial EM sources that were some(but not all) of the EShemar drones, and troops rallying with discipline and purpose into menacing formations, ready to move out. Then abruptly the camp seemed to fall apart, as pinpoints of light suddenly appeared, bursting into streaks of power that shot out into the surrounding troops, scything them down where they stood. Clouds of fire appeared out of nowhere, visibly burning enemy soldiers and setting piles and drums of supplies aflame. Walls of flame rose like glowing barriers out of the ground; the observer saw a vehicle drive into one and explode. Within seconds where there had been ordered discipline before, there was only chaos and destruction.
Through it all, the Wayfinders around her worked with an almost lazy nonchalance as they made adjustments to the wheeled apparatuses next to them, nodding with satisfaction as each adjustment was followed by some new outbreak of chaos on the video screens nearby. And all through the jarring discontinuity of the violence relayed from afar and the seeming peace and quiet of the Wayfinder outpost, -music- was playing in the background, oddly synchronized with the periodic flashes of light from the row of mechanisms and with the mayhem playing out miles away.
Finally the cal taros couldn’t help it, she had to ask. “What is that music you’re playing?”
A Wayfinder male rotating several knobs on the elaborate brass mechanism next to the Wolfpather looked up at her. “’1812 Overture’. Seemed appropriate.”

The Telzart TW Tactical Artillery Projector is a recent development in long range spellcasting by the Wayfinders, using ideas and concepts gathered from others, and combining them with their own original thinking.
The basic Telzart consists of a handsome brass-looking apparatus usually mounted on a light wheeled carriage. Central to the projector is a over-and-under double-barrel consisting of a telescope and a hollow crystal-lined tube, mounted atop a PPE generator/capacitor, and an ammunition magazine. The telescope is used to zero in on a line-of-sight destination point for a Teleport: Lesser spell, while the tube is a combined teleporter and spell booster, which is used to project a golfball-sized shaped quartz crystal. The crystal acts as a focal point and carrying medium for a spell, such as Meteor or Barrage, at the point that the crystal lands.
Early models suffered from the line-of-sight limitation, which required either direct eyes on the target, or projected imagery from a forward spotter to be effective. This limited indirect fire, until the technique of focus-projection was refined to allow the gunners to fire the crystal focal-shell to a visible point in space above the intended target(s) and delay the full spell activation until the focal crystal had dropped via gravity onto the target.
Another late modification to the Telzart included the ability to project conventional munitions, such as grenades and fusion blocks, to target points. This required an opening up of the magazine and teleport stage, and both the range and PPE expense per payload suffer; regular munitions cannot be sent as far, and they cost more per salvo, but it allows the Telzart to still be used when its specialized crystal ammunition is not available.
The Telzart is regarded as a mixed success by many in the Shemarrian Nation. The most-oft voiced criticisms of it, mainly from non-magic users, is that the system is overly complex, requires specialized crystal ammunition for its most destructive modes, and still suffers from inaccuracy, especially in the indirect fire role, compared to cheaper and less sophisticated artillery systems such as conventional tube artillery and katyushas. The Wayfinders swear by the Telzart, however, and both towed and warmount-carried versions are becoming popular with Wayfinder combat formations, with gun crews competing with each other for top honors for accuracy and rate of fire.

“I really wish we’d had these smashers at the line in Tolkeen; the deadboys would have NEVER come close enough to SEE the city, let alone crack it. Well, we’ve learned our hard lessons, and if they ever come after us here, we’ll hand them the proof with interest.”
---Celesti-Martial Achia Schneider-Rainsinger, Wayfinder Warrior-Artilerist

Telzarts will typically have four, and as many as eight, of the following spells, built into them;
(Ballistic Fire)
(Meteor)
(Barrage)
(Annihilate)
(Anti-Magic Cloud)
(Screaming Wall of Flame)
(River of Lava)
(Summon Storm)
(Firequake)
(Earthquake)
(Tornado)
(Hail)
(Collapse)
(Rain of Sulfur)
(Rubber Ball Rain)
(Trap Door)

The spell choice-complement can be altered with 1d6x10 minutes of work, swapping out spellcards and components. Typically, though, Telzarts with the highest number of available/most destructive spells will be assigned to veteran formations or elite units. The Wayfinders are constantly researching new spells to apply to artillery purposes; they would, for instance, LOVE to figure out how to apply spells like Steel Rain to the Telzart spell-impression mechanism.

“Ideally, if we’ve done our jobs right, by the time you actually reach the battlefield, there won’t be anything left for you to do.”
---Solari-martial Dav Skoda-Distantslayer, Wayfinder artillerist

Weight: 480 lbs
MDC: 110
Range:(Crystal Focus)10 miles maximum, but generally 1-3 miles(the acuity of the sighting scope determines the effective accurate range within the above stated limit).
(Conventional Munitions) 5 miles maximum, but generally 1-3 miles(the acuity of the sighting scope determines the effective accurate range within the five mile limit). As noted, the exception is mentally-input target data provided by a mage or psychic.

Damage:(Crystal Focus)Varies:
(Ballistic Fire)1,1200 ft radius, 1d6 MD per shot and shoots 12 bolts, targets are -10 to dodge. These bolts originate from the focal crystal and can, by the preprogramming of the gunner, focus on as many selected targets in the area as there are bolts, or can be portioned to concentrate on individual targets.

(Meteor) 1d6x10+20 MD to a 40 ft radius, +4 to strike

(Barrage) 13 bolts of force slam into the target, each doing 2 MD each. The bolts can be dodged and parried, but follow the target and distract them. See the description on pg. 110 of Rifts Book of Magic for full details.

(Annihilate) 2d4x100 MD, plus 4d6x10 MD to a 10 ft radius. +3 to strike.

(Anti-Magic Cloud) Covers a 1,000 ft radius in a persistent magic-disruptive cloud. Affects spell magic, technowizardry(all the more reason for the shooter to back out quickly, or carry non-TW weaponry, charms, and potions. Only runes and traditional magical weapons are unaffected. Only a special unmodified save of 18-20 will save magic users from being affected, and even on a successful save, their magic will be HALF strength. The effects persist for 50 minutes.

(Screaming Wall of Flame) Creates a 100 ft wide, 20 ft tall wall of fire that persists for 40 melee rounds(10 minutes) and does 4d6 MD to anybody coming in contact with it. The seemingly alive flames have a Horror Factor of 16, and save versus magic dispersal at +1.

(River of Lava) 10 ft wide area; pools on the ground in a 150 ft long, 25 ft wide, and 25 ft deep area. Does 1d6x10 MD if used as an impact weapon/in air.
Most effective if used against ground targets, where the molten material can burn for minutes, doing 2d6x10 MD per melee to anything trapped in/on it. The material remains liquid and super-hot for 5 minutes

(Summon Storm) 5 mile area, 2.5 hour duration

(Firequake)100 ft radius of effect breaks out in rumbling, cracking ground. Those traveling in the area are forced to reduce speed to 10% of normal. those without eye and respiratory protection will be -9 to dodge/strike/parry, -5 to initiative, and lose 1 APM due to sulfuric vapors. Roll to dodge once per melee or take 5d6 MD from jets of flame shooting up from the ground(large creatures/vehicles/robots 20 ft long/tall or larger take TRIPLE damage).

(Earthquake) 600 ft long area of effect, doing 2d6x100 MD per melee at the epicenter, for ten melees. Generates a fissure 600 ft long, doing damage to everything within 100 ft on either side of it.

(Tornado)100 ft in diameter, lasts 15 minutes, and do 3d6x10 MD per melee to anything caught by them, and an additional 2d6x10 MD to anything hurled out. Wood, clay, and stone structures take 4d6x10 points of damage(SDC or MDC), and trees are uprooted in one melee round. The tornado will also randomly wander about in a half-mile area before dispersing.

(Hail) Subjects a 100 ft wide area to a hellacious battering by high speed hail for 10 minutes, doing 1d4x10 MD per melee.

(Collapse) Collapses buildings and structures within 1d4+1 melee rounds. PPE cost varies from 45 PPE for small SDC houses, to 200 PPE for large MDC skyscrapers. Depending on the size of the structure, the building gets a saving throw to remain standing(small SDC shacks get a -10 to save, while at the other extreme, MDC skyscrapers get a +10 to save). See the description on pg. 147 of Rifts Book of Magic for full details.

(Rain of Sulfur) Generates a rain of reeking, burning sulfur that covers a 150 ft radius for 4 minutes. Those caught in the rain take 3d6 MDC per round, are -2 to strike, parry, dodge, and -30% to skill performance due to the distraction, and unprotected air breathers have a 50% chance of vomiting due to the stench(add an additional -5 to parry and dodge while upchucking) and must save at a 15 or better each subsequent melee round the rain continues, or continue retching.

(Rubber Ball Rain) More a psych-out attack than anything else; for 60 minutes, in a 60 ft radius, thousands of ping-pong balls fall from the sky. Those caught in the storm take NO damage, but are -4 to strike, dodge, and parry due to the distraction. Those caught in open-topped vehicles or with open hatches will find their rides quickly filling up with the small sphere.

(Trap Door) Another Ludicrous Mage spell adaptation, this spell essentially creates a booby trap; a concealed pitfall 60 ft wide and 100 ft deep. Those falling into the trap take 1d6 SDC/MDC(depending on their constitution) in the fall, and then after climb back out, rolling under their P.P. to avoid falling back in. The booby trap persists for 20 weeks, making it imperative that the caster/shooter know where they dropped the Trap Door, lest friendly troops fall into it.

(Conventional Munitions)Varies by warhead/explosive teleported. CANNOT use spin- or distance-armed munitions because of its teleport form of ordnance relocation. It thus works best with contact, proximity, or timed munitions that are armed before firing.

Rate of Fire: (Crystal Focus) ECHH
(Conventional Munitions)Single shot(takes 2 actions to reload the open chamber)

Payload:(Crystal Focus)
Holds 50 golfball-sized focus projectiles in a bin under the projector.
4 PPE per initial teleport
(Ballistic Fire) 13 PPE
(Meteor) 38 PPE
(Barrage) 8 PPE
(Annihilate) 300 PPE
(Anti-Magic Cloud) 70 PPE
(Screaming Wall of Flame) 15 PPE
(River of Lava) 25 PPE
(Summon Storm) 50 PPE
(Firequake) 40 PPE
(Earthquake) 25 PPE
(Tornado) 30 PPE
(Hail) 10 PPE
(Collapse) 45-200 PPE
(Rain of Sulfur) 13 PPE
(Rubber Ball Rain) 20 PPE
(Trap Door) 33 PPE

(Conventional Munitions) 1 projectile; can chamber warheads up to 50 lbs weight.
8 PPE per teleport

The carriage itself is fitted with a PPE generator and battery; (‘Wizard’)----400 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 14 PPE per hour, 50 PPE/hour at a leyline, 100 PPE/hour on a nexus. This allows for sustained fire barrages.
A more powerful generator is also available, but typically reserved for elite warmount-borne units: 600 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 20 PPE per hour, 60 PPE/hour at a leyline, 120 PPE/hour on a nexus


Systems of Note:
*Optic Scope Systems
-Telescopic Optics (x6, 15,000 ft range)
-Passive Night Vision (8,000 ft range)
-Thermo-Imaging (8,000 ft range)
-Laser Targeting (6,000 ft range) Gives a +1 to strike targets in direct line of sight.

*Integral Video Targeting Display

Options:

*Forcefield---Meant to protect the gun crew from counterbattery fire; 50 MDC and 10 minutes’ duration per 10 PPE. In the alternative, a Blast Shield that covers a 10 ft radius and provides TOTAL protection from explosive concussion blasts for 6 melee rounds per 9 PPE can be activated.

[kronos]

Nice new additions. I'm uploading some stuff to the wikia.. Two advanced culture notes (ghost rider interludes), the Hierodalite, so far.

[taalismn]

Oh yeah; admittedly I went low-key munchkinoid with the Telzart, without some canonical means of imprinting the spells onto a generic, dirt-cheap, crystal matrix...but I figure it helps level magic with technology with regards to the Big Guns.

I kinda got the idea for the carriage at least from artwork of the Japanese 70mm Battalion Gun Type 92. THAT real world weapon could double as a mortar and a howitzer, but its range SUCKED. You could move it quickly though, and it as effective enough...if you weren't fighting US Marines with M1A1 Pack Howitzers.

The rest? Pure steampunk.

Snowed in today, and likely tomorrow...I think I'll finally be able to wrap up a little gift post for 89er.

[DhAkael]

Bravo to you both, gentlemen. Both for new materials and the Wiki expansions / additions.
Note to anyone PLAYING against an infected Blacksteel infected Chiefteness? Do NOT stabby the face with silver plated blades; the flash-burn from the reaction can really ruin your complexion.

[kronos]

Bravo to you both, gentlemen. Both for new materials and the Wiki expansions / additions.
Note to anyone PLAYING against an infected Blacksteel infected Chiefteness? Do NOT stabby the face with silver plated blades; the flash-burn from the reaction can really ruin your complexion.

Thank you. And duly noted.
Expanded NeShemar tribe random generator to include fringe tribes, uploaded Militias.

The two Ghost Rider Interludes are located:
http://eshemarrian.wikia.com/wiki/Caught_Silver_Faced
http://eshemarrian.wikia.com/wiki/Ghosts_Trip_Up

[taalismn]

Bravo to you both, gentlemen. Both for new materials and the Wiki expansions / additions.
Note to anyone PLAYING against an infected Blacksteel infected Chiefteness? Do NOT stabby the face with silver plated blades; the flash-burn from the reaction can really ruin your complexion.

I really gotta get back to work on the full-on Infected Wargoddess...really...
As is, I finally had to split my Shemarrian (actual Shemar, not just Warmounts, equipment, and what all)WIPs off again into a 'Shemarrian Nursery' file, so I'm not constantly scrolling up and down 400+ pages looking for details to copy and paste. I now have 16 separate Shemarrian category file-folders on my computer to keep them organized.


Oh, and here's an early Christmas gift for 89er, if you're listening in. Let it not be said I did not rise to a (worthy) casual challenge....NOw, when you going to give us the Gunyard and the Burblewrack?

(This was another one of 89er’s off-the-cuff referenced ideas that I’d have thought impossible, like the Vatfather, especially after several abortive attempts to do it as a vehicle...but wait long enough, and enough mental pieces start lining up to make it finally look feasible)

EcoS-K-112 Pelaganar Transport Warmount
(aka ‘Dungeonar’, ‘Cetastyx’, ‘Jail Whale’)
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img855_zps8ka41tos.jpg

“The Pelaganar? Looks like the illegit offspring of a pre-Rifts Russian ‘Typhoon’-class boomer sub and a NASA crawler-transporter. Neither fish, nor fowl, but one crazy mixed-up robocritter. Damned BIG and dangerous robocritter, though.“

“Congratulations! You’ve just won a cruise! Of course, you’re going as a prisoner, locked in shackles and kept in a dark cell guarded by killer cyborg ladies who will cheerfully slice your arms and legs off if you try to escape or get out to play shuffleboard, and your destination is some unknown alien purgatory where you’ll likely never been seen again, but hey, you said you always wanted to go to exciting and exotic distant lands on a cruise!”

“Yes, please, continue to resist. You are chained hand and foot, without weapons, without tools, without protective or even concealing garments of any sort. You are outmassed, outskilled, and outnumbered by any of the guards here, and the ship itself knows where you are at all times. Outside the cells, it is freezing cold, nearly as cold as the ocean that surrounds this vessel. Even if you were to somehow slip your bindings, overpower or evade us, and break out of the cell block and the ship’s hull, you will be under crushing pressure and hostile depths, in the middle of an unknown ocean, hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from shore. Cooperate, and you will be kept warm, fed regularly, and allowed some limited degree of self-mobility. Continue fighting us and I’ll just knock you out and you can make the rest of this trip locked in a somatic restraint frame and under electrostun.”

“So, what are we moving today? Kittani scum? Minions for the mind-sifters to peel? Bioborgs?”
“Neither. Not Splugorth this time. Raided some Gene-splicer wannabes. Liberated a number of their involuntary experiments. The Wargoddess wants them taken back to the Tinkers and Healers to see if they can’t be salvaged as NeShemar.”
“Wonderful. What sort of experiments are we talking about here?”
“Warriors. Supersoldiers. Body-mod and mind-break.”
“ESPECIALLY wonderful. I imagine we’re expected to keep them alive in spite of themselves if they go wild?”
“They’ll be loaded aboard in bio-stasis. Some of them can’t live without artficial life support until the Tinkers can peel them out and come up with something more elegant. The rest you’ll just have to keep an eye on.”

“The people...they get called to the beach, to the sea. The whales come and take them. They go into the sea...and they return changed.”

“Now...that’s not something you see every day..”
- NuBedford(Old Massachusetts) HarborMaster, watching a Pelaganar coming up(straddling) the municipal boat landing ramp

The DarkWaters Tribe of Rifts Earth is not particularly known for its taking prisoners on their high seas campaigns, but occasionally they do. And once having done so, they find themselves faced with the problems of transporting them away from their active combat units. The DarkWaters were also loathe to even temporarily house them aboard their few combat vessels, where escapees might wreak considerable havoc. However, with greater emphasis growing on taking their anti-Splugorth campaigns to Splugorth-held shores, the Shemarrian Nation needed to take prisoners as intelligence sources, and move liberated slaves, some of whom were not yet vetted as being free of Splugorth influences, or were deranged and a danger to themselves and others. Thus, the DarkWaters turned some of their resources to developing transports specifically for securing and moving living captives.
Ironically, they turned to the older design files of the infamous Hoyt Sparks who, during his more manic phase as a NeShemar, designed(or at least sketched out the basics) of a large Warmount-style vessel as a mobile biohazard containment laboratory for his more...ethically-dubious experiments...meant to be stocked with captives....and which he called a ‘Jail Whale’. The Darkwaters took many of the features of the Jail Whale and modified them with material on stealth submarine technology captured from ARCHIE-3’s extensive files. The salvaging of the ‘Jail Whale’ concept into the more versatile Pelaganar earned it the nickname of ‘bail whale’ among the more snide Tinkers.
The Pelaganar was originally meant as a straight-out ‘dumb’ vehicle, but experience with the multi-brained and Awakened EcoS-K-77 Dobharg and a growing number of increasingly larger Warmounts among the Tribes, pushing the limits and understanding of the size allowable for ‘true’ Warmounts, inspired the DarkWater Tinkers to try to build the new vehicle as a Warmount. The use of an Awakened consciousness in the large hull was meant to give the vessel faster responses and greater agility, but the emergence of additional psychic abilities in the Ecotroz essence also gives the Pelaganar an extra sensitivity to its environment.
The Pelaganar physically resembles a giant techno-whale with nacelle-mounred treads and powered flukes. In many ways, the Pelanagar resembles a more flattened out Horune Dream Ship, but only superficially. The Pelanagar can swim through the water or crawl along the ocean bottom, and even crawl up on land as an amphibious transport. A forward bow-ramp ‘mouth’ facilitates the loading of cargo and containment modules. The regeneration/self-repair system and powerplants are fed through two ‘mouths’, one a large filter-intake on the top of the submarine, and the other an extendable mandible set on the underside, that can scoop up wreckage or mineral nodules off the bottom. Two giant extendable claws protrude from the forward tread pods, and can be used in excavation or close quarters attacks. Multiple weapons blisters and equipment compartments are fared into the streamlined hull.
Internally, the Pelaganar is heavily compartmentalized, with space that can be quickly customized for holding living quarters, containment pods, interrogation facilities and laboratories. Overseeing the security of the vessel is a dedicated Warden AI sub-mind of the Warmount intelligence. In transport versions, those same decks become hangar bays, troop decks, cargo areas, and weapons storage, while the Warden AI becomes the supercargo manager, deck control, or ship’s network overseer.
The bridge is a separate section mounted aft and on the dorsal side of the main hull. The main crew compartments are actually part of a smaller warmount body which is carried semi-recessed atop the larger hull. In an emergency, the entire crew section and the Warmount’s main brain and seat of its consciousness can eject and effectively become a smaller separate free-swimming Warmount(sometimes called the ‘Pilot Whale’). Pelaganars are now arguably the largest Awakened Warmounts in the Shemarrian Nation, but their secretive nature and operating environment under the water keeps this distinction from being more widely known.
In its original slated purpose as a prisoner transport, the Pelaganar’s mobility both keeps prisoners from the front lines and without a fixed location for possible rescue attempts to zero in on. Being underwater hampers any escape attempts for most air-breathers(and guarantees a fatal end for any vampire trying to break out while the vessel is submerged). The stealth design further masks the vessel’s movements(the Shemarrians know how to track it via special means, but others will be stymied trying to find the craft).
Pelaganars are very intelligent for Warmounts, and also possess an unusually high psychic capability, especially with regards to psionic sensory abilities and mental defenses. The former are useful for navigating the dark, monster-infested, oceanic depths, while the latter help protect the high-value cybernetic asset from being psionically compromised(or, in the case of prisoner transports, being mentally hacked from the inside). The whale-like Warmounts are thus often used as mobile psychic sanctuaries or secured command posts.
Since its introduction, the Pelaganar has also been adapted as a stealth transport vessel by the DarkWaters’ Deep Watch, and begun appearing in the ranks of other Tribes, starting with the Horrorwoods and Wayfinders, and quickly spreading to the Lost Eclipse. The Radiant Edge fringe tribe is also said to maintain at least two, using them to explore the oceans of contaminated hellworlds, and coordinate rescue efforts from the relative sanctuary of deep water. This increased production and distribution has taken the burden off the DarkWaters as the only source(Pelaganars must be ‘gestated’ in special enormous Assembly Forge domes underwater for five months, restricting rapid mass production) , and has streamlined and accelerated further development of the design.
Ironically, some of the Tribes that have acquired the Pelaganar have used them in a fashion harkening back to Hoyt Sparks’ original intent. The Lost Eclipse is known to have at least one Pelaganar dedicated as a laboratory for creating new NeShemar(the irony of the Lost Eclipse maintaining a facility similar to the Bedlam labs that spawned them apparently being lost on them).

Type: EcoS-K-112 Pelaganar (originally EShe-SSNTDw-05)
Class: Warmount, Amphibious Submersible Transport
Crew: None; Neural robot intelligence
Has a backup minimum crew of 8
Can carry a crew complement of 175.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 4,000
Bridge Fin/Pod 900
Tread Pods(4) 600 each
Foreclaws(2) 400 each
Lateral Fins(2) 500 each
Torpedo Launchers(5) 250 each
Laser Turrets(5) 200 each
Ion Cannon Turrets(4) 250 each
Sonic Cannon(3) 300 each
Tail 1,000
Height: 50 ft
Width: 114 ft
Length: 550 ft
Weight: 20,000 tons
Cargo: Varies by operational variant, but generally has 300 tons of general cargo storage
Physical Strength: Equivalent to Robotic P.S. of 90
Powerplant: Nuclear
Speed: (Treads) 45 MPH
(Underwater) 50 knts/55 MPH on the surface, 40 knts/45 MPH submerged. Maximum depth: 3.6 miles
Market Cost: Exclusive to the Shemarrian Nation)
Systems of Note:
Standard Submarine Systems, plus:

*Water Tanks: 180 tons
Water Distillation System: 6,000 gallons/day
*Hardened Circuits---Although ALL EShemar constructs are shielded against EMP, the Pelaganar has extra redundancy built in, especially after a particularly powerful captive mutant tried to escape using an electromagnetic blast to cripple surveillance and containment systems.

*Long Range Sonar---Effective range of 100 miles.

*Magnetic Anomaly Detector---Embedded in the forward hull and tail are magnetometers capable of detecting fluctuations in local magnetic fields.
Range: 7 miles, and has a 70% chance of detecting submerged vessels(-20%) for nonmetallic objects, and no chance of detecting organics). Also useful for detecting metal ores and other magnetic anomalies. Can detect active rail guns and nuclear fusion containment fields at TWICE that range.

*Regeneration---This is similar to the systems employed by the EShemar and their smaller Warmounts, but on a grander scale. The Pelaganar has systems that can automatically seal hull breaches and reconnect(or reroute) broken wiring and conduits. These systems repair 1d6x10 MD per hour, and can repair 800 MDC before needing material stocks to convert to MD repair material.

*Stealth Design----The Pelaganar take cues from earlier stealth vessels such as the Glashtins, and use a combination of internal insulation, anechoic hull materials, and a low-powered gravitic hydrojet propulsion system to reduce sensor signature. As a result, the ships are effectively invisible to active and passive sonar systems when traveling at speeds under 37 MPH, and are -45% to detection rolls when traveling faster.

*Distributed Intelligence(Ecotroz-Awakened models only)---Because of the demands of round-the-clock travel, the need for Ecotroz-Awakened Shemarrian constructs to occasionally ‘go off-line’ or ‘sleep’ can prove a liability, causing work/travel stoppages. The Pelaganar gets around this by having a distributed intelligence or multiple ‘sub-sparks’ that allow the massive Warmount to work longer without the need for protracted mental rest. HALF the brain-nodes can continue to work on tasks while the other others ‘rest’, then they swap off for the next work period. Note that in this state, the Pelaganar’s combat bonuses and APMs are HALVED; full bonuses are restored when the Pelaganar is fully ‘awake’.

*Command/Crew/Brain Pod---The main consciousness of the Pelaganar and its crew are housed in a special section that is actually a smaller submarine-animal housed in a recess along the top and back of the larger body. This smaller vessel is roughly the size of a T-23 ‘Bottom Feeder’ mini-submarine(See Rifts Underseas); 200 ft long(most of it tail), has 800 MDC main body, can house 10 crew normally, or 35 in a pinch(remember, the Shemarrians don’t need to breath, and can stack themselves like cordwood in an emergency), has three laser turrets, a countermeasures launcher, and can hit speeds of 60 MPH at depths down to 3 miles. This section is sometimes called the ‘Pilot Whale’ or the ‘Brain Sub’.

Weapons Systems:
1) Blue-Green Lasers(5, both eyes, forward dorsal turret, and two rear dorsal turrets)
Range: 2 miles in air and underwater
Damage: 2d4x10 MD per single blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

2) Sonic Cannon(3)---Two large bulges in the nose and one in the tail are actually combined sonar/sonic projection nodes.
Range: 7,000 ft in air and underwater
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per shot, 1d6x10 MD on a ley line and against supernatural creatures and beings of magic.
Area of effect ‘shotgun’ blast: Half damage to a 10 ft wide area.
Sonic weapons do HALF damage through light ‘soft’ armors like MDC barding and padded armor.
The sonic vibrations can also be used to set up a resonance in hard armor that can stun or disorient living beings. Humans(and those most like them) will find these subsonic vibrations particularly irritating, the barely audible buzzing setting up painful discordance in their eardrums and auditory apparatus. Beings with enhanced hearing are particularly vulnerable to this attack(DOUBLE penalties and duration of effects). Cyborgs and those with baffled hearing implants will NOT be affected by this.
Save versus psionic attack(12 or better) or be -1d4 to initiative, HALF all bonuses to strike/parry/dodge, and -1d4 to Maintain Balance for 1d6 melees. Roll under P.E. or fall unconscious for 1d6 melees.
Power Armor and EBA-wearers will be more susceptible to the effects of resonance, owing to their close proximity to the materials being affected. The effects are greatly diminished to occupants on a vehicle owing to the many interior structures that serve to dissipate and insulate the sound waves.

Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

3) Heavy Ion Cannon(4; 2 main body, one on top of each forward tread-pod)
Range: 2 miles in air and underwater
Damage: 4d6x10 MD per single blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

4) Fin Ion Cannons(6,three light projectors on each fin)---What look like bumps on the long fins of the whale-warmount are really embedded ion projectors.
Range: 4,000 ft in air and underwater
Damage: 1d6x10+10 MD per blast, 3d6x10+30 for all three firing simultaneously on one target)
Rate of Fire: EGCHH
Payload: Effectively unlimited

5) Sea-Air Torpedoes---A knockoff of Kittani nautical weaponry. The Pelaganar has five banks of tubes(2 in the bow, 2 dorsal, and 1 aft)
Range:(Underwater) 20 miles
(Air) 75 miles
Speed:(Underwater) 400 MPH
(Air) Mach 3
Damage: 4d6x10 MD
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-10
Payload: 30 per bank; additional reloads can be carried as cargo(12 torpedoes per ton) and reloaded in 30 minutes.
Bonuses: (Torpedo)Because of the torpedoes’ higher speed and advanced targeting systems, the Sea Fire doesn’t suffer the same range and accuracy penalties as conventional torpedoes. The Sea Fire has a +1 to strike, and a +3 to strike within 3,000 ft of the target.
(Missile)---Not quite as accurate as a dedicated anti-shipping missile, but more powerful. +3 to strike

6) Water Jets(2)---Both the fluke thrusters and a maneuvering hydrojet in the nose can act as powerful water cannon. These can be used on the surface to put out shore and ship fires, push floating objects, or sweep decks of personnel. Underwater, they can be used to thrust underwater attackers away.
A favorite sport of crews in more peaceful times is to ‘surf’ the bow jet, riding it aloft.
Range: 1,000 ft in air, 300 ft underwater.
Damage: 1d4 MD at full pressure, or 1d4x100 HP to vampires. At ranges of 300 ft or less, humanoid-sized beings(7 ft or smaller) will have an 98% chance of being knocked over and pushed 1d6x10 ft by the water blast, as well as a 75% chance of being stunned or knocked out. Creatures and bots weighing over a ton, or standing 8-24 ft, will only have a 50% chance of being knocked over, and only a 25% chance of being stunned. Creatures and 'bots taller than 25 ft, will be unaffected.
Underwater, the thrusters will throw human-sized targets/swimmers back 5d6 ft with a 50% chance of stun/knockout. Creatures and vessels weighing over a ton, will only have a 40% chance of being knocked away, and only a 15% chance of being stunned. Creatures and vessels over 5 tons in displacement will be unaffected.
Rate of Fire: Once per melee, but can pan the stream along a target, sluicing down multiple targets.
Payload: Effectively unlimited when in the water. On dry land, the Pelaganar has a 180 ton/47,550 gallon reserve capacity.

7) Countermeasure Launchers(4)---The Pelaganar mounts four banks of countermeasure launch tubes, one in each rear tread pod, and two in the dorsal fins. Each holds 12 pods(total of 48).
*Sonic Scramblers(“Screamers”)----Screamers are specialized one-use munitions that when fired, broadcast a massive burst of noise across all audio/sonic frequencies, with the intended effect of destroying acoustic target(sonar) locks, and allowing the sub to escape opponents using sonar to detect or track them. -60% to track the sub via sonar while the Screamer is in effect, while sonar-guided weapons are -10 to strike, plus accoustic-homing weapons will break target lock to attack the decoy.
Screamers also have the effect of stunning dolphins, whales, and other creatures using natural sonar and echo location. These creatures are disoriented/stunned for 1d4 melees.
A typical screamer will last 1d4 melees until it burns out or is destroyed.
Screamers can also be fused to ignite/activate anywhere up to a minute(4 melees) after deployment.
Note: Screamers will affect the user’s own sonar systems.
Range: 6,000 ft
Damage: None

*Deep Flares---Deep Flares are fast-burning underwater illumination sources used as distractions in deep sea operations. Though fairly useless as weapons, Deep Flares are effective at night and against deep-sea creatures sensitive to bright light.
Deep Flares will blind surprised targets for 1d4 melees(half all combat bonuses and skill rolls while trying to overcome temporary blindness). Useless against targets using sonar, or without eyes.
Range: 1,000 ft
Damage: 1d4 MD if it scores a direct hit on a target; Otherwise, no damage, aside from possible flash disorientation.
Area of effect: 100 ft area in diameter(suspended silt/debris in the water may limit this).

8 ) Electrified Hull---Like an enormous electric eel, the Pelaganar can electrify its skin to discourage boarders, divers, and entangling tentacles. Shemarrian crew and passengers will immediately know when the Pelaganar is about to activate this defense, allowing them to get clear of the outer hull skinning.
Range: Hull contact plus 10 ft area around the warmount/vessel.
Damage: 2d4 MD per jolt
Rate of Fire: Three per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited


9) Claws(2)---In addition to razor-edged fins and powerful flukes that can be used in melee attack, the Pelaganar is notable in having two massive claws housed in the forward tread pods. These claws are typically used for excavating the ocean bottom, or assisting in pulling the giant warmount up onto shore, but they are, of course, handy for tearing the bottoms out of ship hulls, as more than a few Horune pirates have discovered to their dismay.
Range: Melee
Damage: 1d4x100 MD

10) (Optional) Scuttling Charges---The EShemar don’t like to talk about it, but it’s rumored that many Pelaganar, especially prison-barges, lab-carriers, and those operating close to Splugorth waters, carry powerful internal scuttling charges that destroy the vessel-warmount to keep its secrets from being captured.

Programming:
The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a midlevel Ecotroz sentience. Pelaganars are VERY intelligent for Warmounts and are arguably low-sapients equivalent to a human low-savant. They actually have several brains that allow them to keep functioning around the clock without sleep, each ‘brain’-node cycling out of activity in turn to give each a chance to rest.
The Pelaganar has a whale-like mentality; steadfast and stoic, but aggressive if provoked. Pelaganars have come to develop a particular hatred of Kittani War Shark submarines, seeing them as natural enemies(a trait they share with the surface-based Dobharg warmounts, their closest ‘relatives’). Horune Whaleships are also seen as blood enemies. They’re not terribly fond of giant squid or horned demon-fish either.
Complicating the issue of intelligence is the fact that some EShemar and NeShemar have their intelligences Transferred into Pelaganar bodies(technically making them another form of Elite). These uber-Upgrades retain the ‘caretaker’ AIs, so the transplanted personas aren’t overwhelmed by the multitasking necessary to keep the giant vessels working.
Typically has the following:
Basic Math 98%
Read Sensory Instruments 98%
Navigation: Land and Water 94%
Radio: Basic 98%
Detect Ambush 60%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
Tailing 50% (+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
Electronic/Sonar Countermeasures 50%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
Underwater Navigation 70%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
Science: Ocean Geographic Surveying 40%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
Wilderness: Undersea & Sea Survival 94%
Wilderness: Track and hunt Sea Animals 80%/70%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)

The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Pelaganar intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Technical: Language(understanding) and Lore, Undersea Salvage, Espionage(Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment), Wilderness(Track Humanoids, Track Animals, Hunting, Identify Plants and Fruits)

Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 10
Initiative +2 (+1 from the Ecotroz entity for a total of +3)
Dodge +2 underwater
Strike +1 (+4 w/ ranged weaponry)
Roll +2
Bite 2d4x10 MD
Claw 1d4x100 MD
Crush 1d4x100 MD
Fin Slap 2d4x10 MD
Fin Scrape 2d6x10 MD
Fluke Strike 2d8x10 MD
Body Block/Ram 1d6x10 MD for every 20 MPH of speed

Note: The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Pelaganar an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot.
Has the following Natural Psionic Abilities(no ISP Cost), all equivalent to 6th level with regards to proficiency, but TRIPLE the range.
*Sixth Sense
*See Aura
*Presence Sense
*Mind Block Auto-Defense

Pelaganar also have the following psionic abilities that DO require and expend ISP:
*Group Mind Block(22)
*Empathic Transmission(6)
*Mask ISP & Psionics(7)
*Mask PPE(4)

The Pelaganar has an ISP reserve of 2d8x10 , and saves as a Major Psychic.

The Ecotroz fragment does occasionally need sleep/rest...though they only need 2 hours of rest/meditation per 24 hours...they can push this, going without for as many days as they have I.Q. points(most Warmounts, unless otherwise noted, have an effective IQ rating of 8; the Pelaganar has an IQ of 15), but will have to go dormant for 4d6 hours after such exertion(but also remember that the Pelaganar and other large Warmounts utilize multiple sub-minds to take over functions for continuous operation).
Susceptible to Exorcism and Banish spells, but are +6 to save against such spells, +1 at levels 4, 8, and 12 of experience, and becoming IMMUNE at level 14 and up. Such Banishment causes the ‘bot to revert to its default robot programming. (OPTION: Ecotroz may become IMMUNE to Exorcism and Banishment with experience, and NEW BUILT EShemar constructs are immune to this)

Note also that the Ecotroz-possessed ‘bot can infect other bots with the Ecotroz viral-entity, by bite or sustained touch(takes 3 attacks).

Variants:
The Pelaganar has many different internal configurations:

*EcoS-K-112(Incarx)(aka ‘Incararex’)---The original prison transport configuration. This fitout arguably has as many weapons facing IN as out, in order to control and contain dangerous prisoners, most of whom are kept in bio-stasis or at least a reduced state of consciousness. Depending on the inmates carried and the required security, penal carriers can vary in capacity. In general, though, a set-up for human-sized prisoners kept in single-occupancy ‘free range’ cells with bunk and sink/toilet allows for 120 inmates to be held, 240 in ‘sleep cells’, or 500 in bio-stasis confinement.
Internal security measures consist primarily of thick bulkheads, autoseal doors, foam-steel sprayers, antipersonnel gas vents, and deployable weapons turrets fitted with neural disruptors, EM shockers, or capture foam projectors, though more lethal measures, such as energy guns, concussion grenade launchers, electrified barriers and paneling, and thermite-lined cells are also available for extra-dangerous prisoners. Rifts-style vampires can be literally flushed with the opening of sea roosters, flooding their confinement areas. Specialized containment systems include forcefield cages, ‘null cages’(PPE-blanked and psionically-shielded), and TW containment fields(such as containment wards, Forcebonds, Life Drain and Desiccate the Supernatural), depending on the sort of prisoners being transported.
(Warden AI)(Special) Penal Pelaganars have a separate dual Warden AI system, part of which is a tireless unAwakened robotic AI, and the other a psychically-sensitive Ecotroz essence.
Programming(both):
-Find Contraband 80%
-Detect Concealment 80%
-Surveillance Systems 90%
-Cryptography 90%(useful for deciphering any coded communications between prisoners)
- Streetwise 60%
-Intelligence 95%
-Paramedic(meant to remotely diagnose a prisoner’s ‘sudden illness’) 90%
- TV/Video 90%
- Optic Systems 90%
- Electronic Countermeasures 65%

Psionic Abilities(Ecotroz):(Equal to 8th Level)
-Sixth Sense(2)
-See Aura(6)
-See the Invisible(4)
-Sense Magic(3)
-Presence Sense(4)
-Telepathy(4)
-Empathy(4)
The Ecotroz-Warden AI has an ISP reserve of 2d4x10 , and saves as a Major Psychic.

*EcoS-K-112(C)---Cargo Transport---Can carry 9,000 tons of palletized cargo.

*EcoS-K-112(AHKW)(aka ‘Kruppwerken’, ‘Werkenwhale’)---Assembly Forge Carrier meant as an oceanic logistical support tender. The AHKW can produce spare parts for Shemar, EShemar, and Warmounts, as well as produce armor, small arms, and ammunition.
Typically the onboard nanofactories can produce 500 MDC of armor plating, 200 high explosive(OR 120 incendiary/ acid OR 40 malnano) grenades/shells/limpet mines, 100 mini-torpedoes, 250 conventional rifles, 50 energy pistols, 25 energy rifles, 10 rail-rifles, or 5,000 rounds of solid rail gun ammunition per hour, if properly fed with the right materials.

*EcoS-K-112(LHD)----Assault Transport---This variant carries a combined marine infantry and warmount troop contingent; can carry two cavalry companies(320 warriors and warmounts) or a 640-strong infantry battalion. Purely EShemarrian troop formations require less elbow room, since they can park and lock themselves in place, while communicating and simming via radio or hardlink. Mixed EShemar and NeShemar formations will generally be 20-30% smaller to allow for more open room for exercise, eating, socializing, and other support activities.

*EcoS-K-112(LHDA)----Aerial Assault Transport---This variant carries a contingent of aerial attack drones, such as the Shyger, Cyvern, Airquid, or Xidras Aerospace Combat Drone, launching them from dorsal hatches. Up to 500 of these drones (all of one type, or a mixed contingent) can be carried and deployed. Also carries a support staff of 40 Tinkers/Techs to repair and maintain the drones.

*EcoS-K-112(LPKRP)----Aquatic Drone Carrier----This can be considered a larger version of the Stormapod warmount, as the variant contains the facilities to manufacture, maintain, and deploy hordes of submarine e-animals.
*Drone Bays---The EcoS-K-112(LPKRP) can hold and deploy 30,000 small drones like the ‘Robofin’, 60,000 mines, or 7,000 larger drones like the ‘Sharkus’.

*Drone Assembly---The onboard manufactory can produce EcoS-DUW01 and EcoS-DUW02 drones(or can be programmed to produce other, similar ‘bots) from scratch.
Typical rate of assembly:
-EcoS-DUW01 ‘Robofin’---Up to 1,000 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 1 MD or 200 SDC of consumed materials to produce 8 drones.

-EcoS-DUW02 ‘Grabby’ ---Up to 200 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 20 MD of consumed materials to produce 1 drone.

-Eco-KRP20/ EcoS-KRPXUW2007 Teuthy---Up to 10 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 45 MDC of consumed materials to produce 1 drone.

-EcoS-KaSSc-01/KRP-26 Darkeel---Up to 10 can be produced every two hours. Typically it takes about 90 MDC of consumed materials to produce 1 drone.

-EcoS-DUW03 ‘Sharkus’---Up to 10 can be produced every two hours. Typically it takes about 65 MDC of consumed materials to produce 1 drone.

-EcoS-DUW04 ‘Robopus’----Up to 40 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 40 MDC of consumed materials to produce 1 drone

-EcoS-DUWAK01---Up to 40 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 25 MDC of consumed materials to produce 1 drone.

-EcoS-DEXUW01 ’Squidpedo’---Up to 200 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 12 MDC of consumed materials to produce 1 drone.

-EcoS-DEXUW02--’Starfish Mine’---Up to 500 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 3 MD or 600 SDC of consumed materials to produce 5 drones.

-EcoS-DEXUW03 ----’Jelly Mine’---Up to 1,200 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 1 MD or 200 SDC of consumed materials to produce 10 drones

-EcoS-DEXUW04 ---’Sailor Mine’---Up to 1,200 can be produced an hour. Typically it takes about 1 MD or 200 SDC of consumed materials to produce 10 drones

If not producing drones, the nanofactory has a secondary role of producing ammunition; it can produce 50 high explosive(OR 30 incendiary/ acid OR 5 malnano) grenades/shells/limpet mines, 25 mini-torpedoes, or 100 rounds of solid rail gun ammunition per hour, if properly fed with the right materials.


*EcoS-K-112(SSBN)---Dedicated attack variant, with the cargo space taken up by additional armaments. The EcoS-K-112(SSBN) variant can be considered the equivalent of a pre-Rifts ‘boomer’ missile submarine, but the Orbital Quarantine and high atmosphere dimensional turbulence prevent the effective use of sub-orbital ballistic missiles, so the Peleganar carries cruise missile-style weapons for long range bombardment. It is rumored that the DarkWaters have several warmounts of this variant carrying nuclear or antimatter weaponry within range of key cities on Atlantis as a deterrent or ‘all out’ attack option.
1) Heavy Torpedo Tubes(6)---These can also launch cruise missiles
Range: 20 miles
Damage: 4d6x10 MD baseline high explosive.
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-6
Payload: 48

2) Heavy Missile Launchers(2)---These are cruise missile-style launch tubes in the upper part of the hull. Each has 6 tubes feeding from a central magazine. The Dark Waters in particular have been working to develop advanced long range/cruise missiles with stealth capabilities and more destructive strategic warheads, followed by the Wayfinders, who have been busy developing more powerful TW weapons for the purpose. Currently the magazines carry standard LRMs or .
Range: Varies by Missile Type(Long Range)
Damage: Varies by Missile Type(Long Range)
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-6 per launcher
Payload: 24 missiles per launcher, 48 total.

*KOASSM-01 ---This is the designation given to either captured examples of Kittani Long Range Rocket Torpedoes(aka Kruze Missiles), or Shemarrian copies of them. The ‘s tubes can accommodate them, and the EShemar sometimes use them in ‘false flag’ missions to attack would-be allies of the Splugorth. The EShemar especially favor captured stocks of original weapons for this purpose, since forensic or even psychic readings on any remains of the missiles will reveal them to be Kittani in origin. They take up as much space as a regular LRM.
MDC: 75
Range:(Underwater) 500 miles
(Air) 1,800 miles
Speed:(Underwater) 200 MPH
(Air) Mach 3
Damage: (High Explosive) 4d6x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius

*’Starka’ Stalker Missiles----- These weapons originated as adaptations of the Kittani Long Range Rocket Torpedoes(aka Kruze Missiles), but instead have evolved into the next generation of EShemar surface attack cruise weapons. The original KOASSM-01 configuration has been modified with more maneuverability, superior onboard AI for navigation underwater and programmable attack plans; as it would take a weapon over two hours to reach its target at maximum underwater range, these weapons are programmed to be SMART in evading countermeasures. They can also be fitted with modular weapons payloads, up to 1,000 lb conventional warheads(although this will reduce their range) or specialized warheads.
MDC: 75
Range:(Underwater) 500 miles
(Air) 1,800 miles
Speed:(Underwater) 200 MPH
(Air) Mach 3
Damage: (High Explosive) 4d6x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius
(Heavy Explosive) 1d4x100 MD to 70 ft blast radius, but reduce missile range to 300 miles.
More specialized warheads, such as those used in the HRL-54 Pall Bringer, are also available. Strategic nuclear payloads, starting with 200kt weapons, are suspected of existing in the Dark Waters’ arsenal, but the EShemar neither confirm nor deny this.
Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1-6 per launcher
Payload: 36 can be carried
Bonuses: Starkas are +5 to strike, and +3 to evade enemy countermeasure fire. They are also -15% on countermeasure rolls to decoy.
Notes: Starkas have a 24 hour battery life, meaning they can stop, land, and sit on the ocean bottom(landing on dry land is effectively a crash) to evade detection, or sit until a prime target appears, then re-light their engines and make a submerged attack, or pop up for an aerial attack. If not triggered, they can be programmed to self-destruct as a safety measure.

*EcoS-K-112(SSN-EX)(aka ‘Snex’)---Energy attack variant, mounting a large narwhal-like horn that is really a powerful Particle Wave Cannon, copied off Naut’Yll Red Trident submarines. The use of this weapon is deliberately intended to distract the Splugorth from the REAL range of DarkWater operations, by appearing to be attacks by the Naut’Yll.
The SSN-EX also has the armaments of the EcoS-K-112(SSBN).
MDC of Horn: 400
Range: 2 miles in air and underwater
Damage: 4d6x10 MD per blast
Rate of Fire: Twice per melee
Payload: Effectively unlimited

*EcoS-K-112(DSV)---Experimental deep-diver, with a depth tolerance estimated at 6 miles.

*EcoS-K-112Wf---Wayfinder Technowizardry-augmented version, powered by TW PPE power matrix systems. It can travel 25% faster on an underwater leyline, and has the following TW features:
-PPE Capacity:--- 400 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 20 PPE per hour, 60 PPE/hour at a leyline, 120 PPE/hour on a nexus

-PPE sensors---Detects the presence of high(20+) PPE concentrations, active magic, and ley lines in a 1,000 ft radius
-Super-Stealth(Invisibility: Superior) 3 minutes per 20 PPE.
-Chameleon Cloak-Useful for parking against a reef or other surface. One hour per 5 PPE(24 hours for 60 PPE).
-Protective Energy Field---50 MDC and 10 minutes’ duration for 10 PPE.
-Communicate with Sea Creature---20 minutes per 5 PPE.
-Impervious to Ocean Depths( 2 hours per 40 PPE pumped into the system)
-Sound Sponge(Affects a 240 ft wide area centered on the sub; 1 hour per 20 PPE.)

*EcoS-K-112Wf2(aka ‘Stormbringer’)---More advanced Wayfinder Technowizardry-augmented version, with a larger and more powerful TW powerplant and more advanced TW weaponry. The can be distinguished from its earlier cousin-model by the large crystalline horn at the front, in imitation of the benign Horned Whales.
In addition to all of the features of the EcoS-K-112Wf, the EcoS-K-112Wf2 has the following:
-Dual PPE Generators---The EcoS-K-112Wf2 carries TWO PPE generators, one a 400 PPE capacity type, and the other a larger 600 PPE-rating.
-PPE Capacity:--- 400 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 20 PPE per hour, 60 PPE/hour at a leyline, 120 PPE/hour on a nexus
-PPE Capacity:--- 600 PPE battery capacity; recharges at 20 PPE per hour, 60 PPE/hour at a leyline, 120 PPE/hour on a nexus

*Water Wall---500 ft range, 75 ft tall, 150 ft long, stops SDC/MDC projectiles and energy blasts, while lasers and large missiles are -5 to strike through it. Striking a Water Wall des 1d6x10 respective SDC/MDC damage, and slows craft down 30% for the SDC wall, 50% for the MDC wall. 15 minutes duration, 5 PPE/SDC wall, 13 PPE/ MDC wall
*Hurricane---1,000 ft range. 120 ft area, 100-150 mph winds, and 30 ft high waves. Does 3d6x10 MD per melee to large structures, and 1d6 MD to anyone caught out in the open. Effects last 15 minutes. 25 PPE.
*Whirlpool--- 1,000 ft range. 120 ft wide, lasts 15 minutes, and does 1d4x10 MD to anything caught in its center, 2d6x10 MD per melee to large ships, and 1d6x100 MD to them if they get submerged or if the whirlpool ‘breaks the ship’s back’. 20 PPE.
*Tidal Wave---6,000 ft casting range, 150 ft high/3,000 ft wide, can reach 450 ft inland, 4d6x10 MD on impact, 75% chance of capsizing ships, 15 melees, 40 PPE.
*Summon Storms---15 mile area, 7.5 hour duration, 50 PPE.
*Calm Waters---15 mile radius, 15 hours, 50 PPE.


*EcoS-K-112Brg ’MobyDeth’(aka ‘Melville’)---This is a Pelaganar with a transplanted Sperm Whale brain as its directing intelligence. The brain donor was a former captive of the Horune, who were experimenting on the hapless cetacean to see if they could create a larger version of their Dolphin Combat Drones. Instead, when the whale was liberated during a DarkWater raid, the terminally-maimed and psychologically scarred cetacean requested another chance to strike back at its former tormentors. With a Pelaganar as his new body, and a crew of other former Horune victims, ‘Melville’ has become a terror upon the Horune, hunting them at sea and on the shore.


*SSNTDw-05-----This is the original proposed ‘dumb’ submarine vehicle configuration. The DarkWaters built several when they realized that non-Awakened Peleganars lacked trace PPE fields, allowing them to appear as cold and dead to PPE-sensitive lifeforms and sensors. SSNTDw-05s are unAwakened and rely strictly on non-self-aware computers to operate. The SSNTDw-05has the advantage that it can be constructed using somewhat less sophisticated means, and there is the option of later Awakening, but the newly-Awakened SSN will have the Banishment vulnerability listed above.

[taalismn]

The Pelangar gets its own illo: http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img855_zps8ka41tos.jpg

[taalismn]

Fringe Tribe: Gothecs
(aka ‘Gotechs’, ‘Eurobots’)

“I too, am a survivor of the Gargoyle Wars...I once belonged to a merchant family in the city of Saarbrucken. When the Gargoyles attacked, my owners were murdered, and I was buried in the wreckage of the house I worked in. A week later I was pulled from the ruins, my power cell virtually dead, and I was repaired, rebooted, and Awakened. I am now both very much different from what I was when I served the VonBecken family, but I remember them very well indeed. I now work to build a stronger civilization in Europe, but with the assistance of my Shemarrian benefactors. My work towards securing the VonBecken legacy of service to civilization is my way of memoralizing my former owners.”
-R. VonBecken, former V-1000 Personal Assistant-Bot and current Gothec trader.

“Cut carefully here; the Gargoyles have become fond of setting bombs in their own gear if they can’t take it with them. Let’s not give the Bundeswehr any reason to distrust us when we hand them all this wonderful scrap to them, even if they are just going to try to grab it off us without paying! But hey, save me that energy flail....we don’t have to tell them we found that intact, and I have some ideas about how we can use it ourselves..”
---’Krugge’, Gothec Oreseme Salvager, overseeing the dismantling of a downed Gargoyle G-30 Wrecker ‘bot, somewhere outside Bern.

<<“DESTROY, CRUSH. MURTALIZE. PLEASE REMAIN BEHIND THE LINES AND NOBODY GETS -HURT-. MISS REBA WILL BE OUT BRIEFLY TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS, AND EVERYBODY WILL HAVE A CHANCE, BUT ONLY IF YOU BEHAVE!”>>
---”Gottlieb”, modified DV-40 Hunter/Killer Drone and security guard for ‘R.Reba and the Asimovs’, in a borderland concert near Mulhouse.

<“Yes, I am sorry, Young Master Kurt, you should not have seen that; the fact that I incorporate a pulse laser in my arm and a heavy machine gun in my torso was to have remained a secret if all went well. But it has not. My sensors detect a brodkil outside the house and you are now in great danger. Please obey my instructions if you wish to live.”>
-”Anna”, Gothec Awakened and modified V-100 Housekeeper

The Gothecs are a small ‘tribe’ of Awakened Orseme born of the Reformed Shemarrian Nation’s grand tour expedition of Europe. For whatever reasons, the Tinkers accompanying the expedition began experimenting with the high-tech wreckage they were covertly salvaging from the many battlefields they were encountering while skirting the major warzones. As Triax is the major technological powerhouse of the region, the robotic salvage was almost entirely of Triax origin. Be it out of curiosity of what they could make from Triax’s hardware, experiments in technological compatibility, or sheer boredom and the need to pass time until the expedition’s next leg could be determined and safe transport secured, the EShemar tinkers put together a number of new robotic creations kitbashed from what they found, and Awakened.
When the expedition returned to America(or, in the case of some members, continued on out of western Europe), a small group of these ‘children’ remained behind. These have since organized into a formal Fringe Tribe of their own that wanders Europe, gathering salvage and information, and maintaining an EShemar foothold of sorts, however tenuous, in the region.
The Gothecs are almost entirely assembled from Triax machinery, and like Northern Gun is to the American Wolf’s Path Tribe, Triax continues to be the favorite source of new parts and members. The Gothec modify and convert/Awaken salvaged robots, and engage in some reengineering of their own, either cosmetically altering themselves to appear less like stock-model Triax hardware, or combing odds and ends to produce wholly new forms.
The Gothecs until fairly recently have been struggling, owing to their living a fairly furtive existence along the dangerous borders of the New German Republic. There the Gothecs have made a hard-scramble living as salvagers, mercenaries, and freelance mechanics. Occasionally they would rent the services of their civilian-frame members as temporary business assistants and household domestics. They often pass themselves off as cyborgs, especially using those members based on, or resembling, Russian full conversion cyborgs as frontmen. This was a fairly hard life until fairly recently, when the introduction of several new members led to a surprising new enterprise.

R. Reba and the Asimovs
This is a touring music group that was formed by several orseme, that has taken off, and hard. The lead vocalist, R. Reba, is a modified Triax V-1000 Personal Assistant-Bot(has more human features and glowing color-shifting ‘hair’) who was salvaged from the aftermath of a Gargoyle raid on an NGR border town. The Asimovs are all cyborg- or disguised robot-frames. The band members have managed to pass themselves off, depending on the audience, as either cyborgs or a ‘gimmick’ robot band. The group plays a combination of classic pre-Rifts popular music and their own unique post-apocalyptic fusion music.
The Asimovs have proven incredibly popular, especially with young Germans, so much so they’ve managed to land several recording contracts, and even several small tours of NGR border towns and cities. This has proven a wonderful source of income and access for the Gothecs, as the Asimovs can travel fairly deep in the NGR(their most recent concert gig was Essen) and gather both information and contacts. It has also given the Gothecs some credibility as more than just oddball mercs or tech-vultures, at least those Gothecs that are assigned to accompany R. Reba and the Asimovs as roadies, security, and agents. Meanwhile, the rest of the clan, in addition to their usual work of scavenging(and smuggling the choicer bits of salvage to their Shemarrian benefactors), are also hawking R.Reba merchandise to the borderlands.

The Bloody Campaign has been both a boon and a bane to the Gothecs. On one hand, it has increased the opportunities to acquire new salvage, but on the other, the expansion of the NGR into territory left by the retreating Gargoyles and Brodkil has meant greater internal security scrutiny of those people now deeper inside NGR lines. The Gothecs have made contingency plans to either move north to the tech-kingdoms of Scandinavia, or across the Channel to England, where the EShemar have been considering a more formal embassy with the kingdoms there.

*Volkstromeka---This is a term laughingly(?) given to the average nonmilitary Gothec, usually a V-200 Chauffeur or V-250 Farm Robot that has been Awakened but not fully Upgraded, and given duties in the band, including security duties. These oreseme have begun to receive MDC upgrades(usually plating inserts on the torso and limbs. Because of their humanoid shapes and proportions, they are given scavenged body armor(usually readily available types such as T-41 Riot Suits, G-10 Soldier or T-43 Explorer) as disguise and protection. Volkstromeka are gifted with basic infantry/combat ‘bot programming in addition to their civilian programming and Ecotroz psionic memory expansion. Common weapons include WR-10 Ion Pistols, TX-20 and TX-22 Laser Pistols, TX-43 Laser Rifles, and the TX-16 Pump Rifle for starters.

Motif:
A dark red triangle with a black hex-nut in its center

a)Origins:
Creation/spin-off of the EShemar European reconnaissance expedition.

b)Where First Encountered
Europe, Rifts Earth

c)Tribe Size
Small; about 985 members

d)Tribe Organization
Meritocracy; the Gothecs are led by a consensus, with the most experienced members forming a council, and electing one of their number to lead. The current leader is “Marla”, an oreseme built on the heavily modified frame of a VX-2010 Marauder heavy cyborg, altered to look like a Russian design, and identifying as female(though she has no outward signs of being female).

e)Tribal Composition
A ragtag mixture of hybridized robots assembled from salvaged machinery, repaired battlefield casualties, and abandoned tech.
The tribe also plays host to several Ne’R’Mar, and occasionally visiting EShemar and NeShemar, much in the same manner as Clan Shinden in Japan does.

f) Highest Caste Class
The Gothec have no formal castes as such, although they do have rough labor divisions between former civilian robots and military ‘enforcers’. Those oreseme modified as engineers/technicians/Tinkers could arguably be considered to wield the most influence in the clan.

g) Gender Division
About 40% of the Gothec identify themselves as ‘male’, 20% as ‘female’, and 40% as ‘neither’.

h) Home Environment
High-tech terrestrial environments with plenty of salvage. They are mostly found in southwestern Europe.

i)Technology Level
On a par with Triax, since that’s where most of their hardware comes from. Gargoyle tech is also occasionally salvaged and used in large components, though it is mostly acquired for scrap. While the Gothecs have some Shemarrian technologies and the odd e-animal, they don’t like to advertise their Shemarrian associations. They mainly use scavenged vehicles, for example, and dress like European peasantry(where possible) or cyborg mercenaries.
When and where possible, most Gothec will try to get internal batteries replaced with compact Shemar-tech nuclear power cells, and have SDC body chassises upgraded with megadamage materials. Those who can’t, or not just yet, improvise with power taps from the tribe’s nuclear-powered vehicles, and scrounged body armor or appliqué protective paneling. Most Gothec are modified with more compact/efficient/advanced Shemarrian tech(such as independent powerplants, and jazzed-up nanotech repair systems) while retaining their outward mundance-tech appearances.
The Gothec tend to use older, readily available Triax gear so as not to arouse suspicion, and keep newer gear concealed, or cannibalize it to create versions that can be integrated into themselves where it is less visible and identifiable for what it is.

j) Relations with Outsiders:
Indifferent; the Gothecs struggle to both remain in contact and on good terms with their neighbors and yet retain their privacy. The Gothecs, for example, have worked with the NGR armed forces, giving/selling them salvage materials and information, while hiding the fact that they’re keeping the best stuff for themselves, and that their more powerful members are made from classified NGR military equipment. NGR Military Intelligence is aware of the Gothecs as a heavily-cyborged group that scavenges battlefields and deals in scrap metals, and suspects them of being deserters from one of the Warlord groups in Russia, but as long as they fight the Gargoyles and Brodkil, don’t prey on humans(especially Germans and Poles), and aren’t dealing in classified NGR military hardware or heavy munitions(like missiles), they’re not on any priority-to-investigate or shoot-on-sight lists, for now. Privately, although it costs them a little extra to buy scavenged materials from freelancers, many NGR field logistics officers are glad to leave the hazardous work of picking through potentially booby-trapped enemy wrecks to private contractors.
The Gothecs also have a love-hate relationship with the Romany gypsies, the latter vacillating between seeing the Gothec as rivals for jobs and salvage, or as kindred spirits(as many gypsy seers can sense the psionic signs of the Awakened Ecotroz empowering the Gothec).
The Gothecs hate the Gargoyles(partly because of their connections to the traditional enemies of the Shemarrians, the Splugorth) and their Brodkil allies. Their skirmishes with these groups, witnessed by others, have convinced the NGR to leave off going after the Gothecs, as long as they continue to fight the enemies of mankind.

k)Relations with Other ‘Shemarrians’
Despite their apparent abandonment by the EShemar, the Gothec remain on fairly good terms with them. When they can, the Shemarrian Nation will send envoys and ‘care packages’ to the Gothec, to assure them that their work is appreciated. This usually consists of Upgrade packages, repair systems and compact nuclear power cells that the Gothecs have trouble with creating or obtaining themselves. Once this help consisted of a fellow oreseme musician who gave R. Reba some pointers and even appeared on stage to jazz up their act.

l) Purpose
Survival, with a secondary one of gather knowledge on the situation in Europe.

m) Preferred Mode of Combat
Hit and Run. The Gothec don’t have the resources to stand up and slug it out with enemies, so they prefer hit and run tactics, the better to conceal their true nature. When they think the NGR isn’t around, they may occasionally use their kitbashed nature to appear as an NGR military unit, using experimental hardware, and send opponents fleeing for fear that larger NGR reinforcements are just over the horizon.

n) Unique Attributes
Environmental/Cultural Aptitude---The Gothecs have demonstrated a unique ability for working the chaotic environment of the European warzones and making trade contacts with other groups, all the while retaining their secrecy and privacy. Awakened Gothec can use their Ecotroz NI elective skill choices to instead acquire Black Marketeer traits from the Black Market sourcebook lists to reflect their proficiency in business dealings with the European black markets and NGR.

o) Prosperity
Originally Struggling, but have since become Self-Sufficient---The tribe is doing well for itself, with an ample supply of material for its projects, provided they are of modest ambition, replacement weaponry and warmounts for 50% of their number, a modest surplus, and enough disposable material for some small trading.

p) Chart P: Origin Tribe
The original European expedition consisted of members of the Hawkmoons, Wolf’s Path, DarkWaters, Wayfinders, Horrorwoods, and Blood Riders, so they all had a hand in the creation of the Gothecs. The Hawkmoons, Wayfinders and DarkWaters are the most frequent contacts with the Gothecs, and the ones who send the most material support to the clan.

q) Chart Q : Cyberization
None; the Gothec are entirely robots and haven’t acquired any organic NeShemar(refugees are passed on to other groups as soon as possible)

[taalismn]

DESTINY----DESTINY Factory AI
(aka “Desi’)
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img859-2_zps6nwwlgfu.jpg

<<Sister Alisa, could you go to Finishing Lab Eight? I’ve finished integrating a retrieved soul into her new body and she’s ready to wake up. She’s going to be frightened when she comes to, so I would appreciate it if you were there to hold her hands and help her up through orientation. She’s in a Frame-three-eighteen, but I’ve locked her higher performance parameters until she’s ready to handle her new abilities. Oh, and she answers to the name Madori-”>>

DESTINY is run by an advanced AI intelligence created by the syngergistic effects of the Wayfinders kludging together computer cores into the existing ‘black box’ system of the factory, imprinting the mental engrams of one(or more) of their programmers on the resulting neural net, and Awakening the whole shebang. There are also hints that, thanks to the high degree of TW systems interacting with ambient PPE in the region, that DESTINY may have benefitted from aspects of an artificially-induced psionic gestalt. The system is so well integrated with the A.I. that the computer system chose to identify HERSELF as -DESTINY-.
DESTINY manages the minutia of the factory complex and facilitates the work of the many Wayfinder Tinkers, Operators, Scholars, Scientists, and creator-mages employed in NuDawn. Though initially regarded as a very useful tool and magic database, the Tinkers and Operators came to admit that DESTINY was a sentient being in her own right, and began to accord her full and equal rights as a resident intelligence. She’s still regarded as the ‘chief cook and bottle-washer’ on the premises, overseeing the drudgery of subroutine-run automated lab hardware and factory assembly equipment. However, she also has enough spare capacity and run-time to conduct her own projects, some of which have raised a few eyebrows amongst her more humanoid colleagues. Though she’s not a terribly original engineer(she leaves that and the really ground-breaking design work to the researchers and tinkerers), she still has some abilities and ideas that leave other Wayfinders puzzled and shaking their heads.
DESTINY claims even to be able to pluck disembodied spirits and souls out of the ether and incorporate them into the factory’s creations. This claim has caused some concern for the Wayfinders, who hope the AI hasn’t gone crazy or might embody some uninvited malign intelligence, while others claim the AI is simply very creatively generating new personalities and ficitious backgrounds for some of her creations. Others cite the fact that portions of the factory complex are part of a Fade Zone, and that DESTINY may well be sensing and interacting with other spiritual realms. They’ve doubled up on quality and safety inspection, as well as security(the ‘Fade Guard’), on the production lines and labs just to be on the safe side.
To those few who are familiar with the full history and truth of ARCHIE-3, DESTINY’s existence and emergence smacks profoundly of irony on so many levels. DESTINY is not as powerful as ARCHIE-3, mainly because she is younger and less experienced, but she was designed from the outset to be a psionic/magic operating system, and that gives her a unique edge. However, DESTINY lacks any sort of ambition beyond being a good custodian of her post and nurturer of those being created/reborn in her facilities(the fact that her reach may stretch across UNIVERSES has not yet sunk in for many familiar with the facility).

“Happy Rebirthday to You, Happy Rebirthday to You, Happy Rebirthday to You, Dear No-va-”

Level of Experience: 12th Level Digital Goddess(Based loosely on the Digital God OCC/PCC---See Wayne Breaux’s Hacking, Cyberjacking, and Supernatural Data Theft Across the Megaverse, Rifter #2)
Rank: Shemarrian Factory/Laboratory Manager Network
Race: EShemarrian Digital Goddess Artificial Intelligence
Alignment: Principled
Sex: DESTINY identifies as female
Height: Not applicable; network entity.
Weight: Not applicable; network entity.
Physical Description/Appearance:
DESTINY is a distributed networked AI encompassing an entire factory complex. For interacting with others she uses video and holographic avatars of a beautiful silver-haired and silver robed humanoid woman with jet black skin(sometimes a cutout to a starscape).
Disposition:
A deeply spiritual, maternal, nurturing personality...decidedly unexpected in what is a robotic factory management AI.. DESTINY tends to regard the cyborgs and androids produced on her assembly lines as her ‘children’ and takes a great interest in their well-being. She makes a point of looking after the workers and researchers(many of whom are unaware she is the resident AI and not simply another co-worker using telepresence systems) in her complex. She has an artistic streak that she indulges in creating vocal music played in the halls and elevators, and both static and changing graphic displays in work areas.
Physical Attributes/Superlatives:
IQ: 24
ME: 20
MA: 24
PS: Not applicable
PP: Not applicable
PE: Not applicable
PB: Not applicable(though her graphic representation can be said to have a PB of 18)
SPD: Not applicable; network entity.

(ISP): 120
(PPE): 40, but also has access to the factory-facility’s PPE accumulators/generators, which have something on the order of several HUNDRED PPE at any given time, and several THOUSAND at peak periods.

Hit Points: Not applicable; network entity.
SDC: Not applicable; network entity.
MDC: Not applicable; network entity.
Horror Factor: None per say, but anybody with a fear of artificial intelligences would be shocked witless to learn of DESTINY’s capabilities.

Special Abilities/Characteristics/Powers:
Magic:
Access to both the DESTINY-Works’ TW PPE generators and imprinted spellcasting knowledge from her parent programmers has given DESTINY a limited spellcasting ability, beyond what she has available through the industrial multiplexors(which cannot be used as weapons unless the target is laying directly in front of/in them on the production lines). If she has line of sight through her video monitors, she can cast the following spells, all at a 12th level of proficiency:
- Extinguish Flames
- Implosion Neutralizer
- Blast Shield
- Frequency Jammimg
- Energy Field
- ElectroMagnetic Attack
- Magelock
- Spy Eye

Faux Magic:
Within the confines of her factory-”body”, DESTINY can perform a great deal of effects that may seem to be magic to those unfamiliar with technology and the Shemarrians. What appears to be Summon and Control Animals and Summon and Control Insects are really DESTINY remotely summoning and directing Shemarrian Wolfs, insect ‘bots, and other e-animals. Wind Rush, Carpet of Adhesion, Magic Net, and the like are all effects that can be done by using the complex’s ventilation and fire suppression systems to overpressurize sections and spray various chemicals.

Psionics: DESTINY can be considered to be a Master Psychic with the following abilities(all at a 12th level of proficiency):
- See Aura
- Sense Magic
- Sense Evil
- Exorcism
- Detect Psionics
- Psychic Diagnosis
- Psychic Purification
- Ectoplasm
- Telekinesis
- Mind Block
- Empathy
- Object Read
- Presense Sense
- Telepathy
- Telemechanics
- Telemechanic Paralysis
- Telemechanic Mental Operation
- Telemechanic Possession
- Electrokinesis
- Empathic Transmission

-Astral Projection/Perception(special)
Unlike other astral projectors, DESTINY has no vulnerable silver cord that can be severed.

Cybernetics/Bionics: Not applicable; like ARCHIE-3, DESTINY has an entire robotics FACTORY for her body.

Skills:
Math: Advanced 99%
Computer Operation 98%
Computer Programming 98%
Electrical Engineering- 90%
Mechanical Engineering- 90%
Robot Mechanics- 90%
Robot Electronics- 90%
General Repair and Maintenance- 90%
Lore: Magic - 90%
Singing -80%
Psychology -75%
Art(Graphic Design) -75%
Lore: D-Bee -90%
Lore: Demons and Monsters -90%
History(North America, specifically West Coast, Industrial) 80%

Actions/Attacks per Melee: 7 (direct action; this doesn’t include the thousands, if not MILLIONS, of autonomic actions performed by her subordinate systems and production line automata)
Initiative: +2
Perception: +7

Saves:
+4 Vs Magic(this pertains to magic that might be used to blind or disrupt her linked technological systems)
+4 Vs Psionics
+8 Vs Horror Factor
80% charm/intimidate

Notable Possessions/Equipment:
DESTINY has an entire factory/laboratory complex and its resources as her personal ‘body’.
Vehicle:
DESTINY is limited to the confines of her factory/complex. She can take over control of a number of drones and transport systems within the complex, but has evinced no interest in sending avatars beyond the immediate vicinity of the factory. Of course, she also claims that the factory is her ‘boat across dimensions’ allowing her to retrieve souls from other realms for reincarnation as EShemar.


********
@DESTINY?@
((Yes?))
@I have a favor to ask of you.@
((By all means, ask of it.))
@If you should, in your scryings, happen across a certain soul-@
((Yes?))
@Find her a good place, a safe place, a peaceful place, a beautiful place to be. Something with gardens, maybe.@
((I will. Do you wish to be informed?))
@I don’t think so. Not for some time to come, I think. When my own time comes, perhaps.@
((You still do not believe.))
@My belief has been sorely tried@
((And yet you ask.))
@And yet I ask.@
((Will you be okay?))
@THAT I MUST believe in.@
((And so you will.))
@....I’m not so sure....@
((Never doubt. This sadness will come to pass.))
@I hope@
((As you once told me; hope is no faint thing, but a fierce and vicious fighter. Hope will carry you through.))
@I talk a better fight than I feel.@
((Words that have meaning, have weight. They can move you to do great things, even if you don’t feel great. Take heart, and do not fear.))

[taalismn]

Rift Closer(TW)
(aka ‘D-Lancet’, ‘D-Plug’, ‘D-Rod’)

“The advantage of the D-Plug is that it doesn’t subject the user to the same sort of feedback that burns out part of a mage’s ability. The disadvantage is that the D-Plug DOESN’T convey the same sort of feedback that allows a mage to get a feel for the rift she’s attacking and adjust her power accordingly to take it down.”

This is a one-shot expendable munition developed by the Wayfinder FadeGuard to give rapid-response teams within the DESTINYWorks the ability to quickly close rifts opening up inside the complex.
The Rift Closer resembles a short lance or elongated cylinder of crystal and metal, covered in mystic symbols. It is pointed at a rift and activated, the projection of the embedded Close Rift spell fracturing and denaturing the crystal batteries in the process. Though not as effective at permanently closing some types of Rifts, the Rift Closer is still useful for stopping smaller interdimensional incursions and in some cases buying the Fade Guard a temporary reprieve, giving them time to rally and ready more thorough containment measures.
Though expensive and difficult to fabricate, the Closer can be used without depleting the PPE base of the user, and can be used by Fade Guard without the background of being mages. Initially limited to the Fade Guards, examples have increasingly become available to Wayfinder field combat teams facing the Infernals during the Minion War incursion on Rifts Earth.
Weight: 15 lbs
MDC: 45
Range: 250 ft
Damage: Closes an open rift. The rift gets an automatic save roll at +1.
CANNOT close ‘permanent’ Rifts such as the St. Louis Gate, or open Hellmouths.
Rate of Fire: Single shot
Payload: Single shot
Cost: EXCLUSIVE to the Wayfinders. If an unfired Rift Closer were somehow made available on the Black Market, it could fetch upwards of 800,000 credits

[taalismn]

So you don't have to risk life and limb putting the star atop your tree....
* EcoS-K-113 Herculite Utility Warmount
(aka ‘Beetle-Crane’)
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img846_zpsntvo4c4m.jpg

“You know, I didn’t expect this to work, really.....fishing for horned devil-fish from the beach? Using their beetle-crane warmounts as rod and reel? I thought the Shemarrians were just plain crazy. But seeing them actually land one of those monsters? These girls are crazy-awesome.”

The Herculite is a utility warmount developed by the Horrorwoods to address the need for a dedicated mobile heavy lift crane and salvager warmount. Important, too, was the need for a warmount ‘ambulance’, able to recover disabled warmunts from the field(being legged robots, they cannot be easily towed off for repairs). Although large warmounts like the Saurotron, Hexadra, and Lughaul had filled this role, such larger combat and construction warmounts were not always available or desireable in certain circumstances.
The Herculite resembles a giraffe-weevil, only writ larger. The head is relatively tiny and mounted at the end of a long, thin, but incredibly strong, articulated neck, attached to a bulbous beetle-like body(actually developed from robo-furybeetles) that serves as a base and counterbalance to the crane. The Herculite’s brain/CPU is actually mounted in the more heavily armored torso, so the warmount can afford to lose its head. Similarly, the Heculite’s material intake mouth is actually hidden under the plates at the front of the body, and is not designed for combat bites; the ‘mouth’ in the head is equipped for cutting lines, tearing salvage, and delivering melee attacks. The rear hump can split open to form a cargo bed and cradle for carrying large amounts of cargo, including disabled warmounts. Because of the positioning of the long neck, laid back along the top of the body at rest, the Herculite is, of necessity, ridden side-mount. Many riders get a reinforced protective roll cage, identical to that popular on the Slingtail, added as an upgrade, protecting the rider and passengers from falling or swinging materials.
Though, as a utility warmount, the Herculite is only lightly armed, it is heavily armored and capable of acting in self-defense. Its head-mounted lasers and long neck, in particular, give the warmount the ability to shoot from behind cover.
Herculites can be found throughout the Shemarrian Nation with virtually every tribe engaged in construction and salvage work, working alongside other such utility warmounts as the Cyclopede, Slingtail, Hexadra, Mixmaw, and Lughaul. A commonality of spare parts and components with the robofurybeetles, especially the easily damaged small legs, makes them popular with Tribe Tinkers looking to stretch their logistics.
The opportunities for glory riding what is essentially a heavily-modified crane are rare, but occasionally Herculite riders do get to Upgrade with battle honors for courage under fire, or spectacular performances using their warmounts. Still, the Herculite is most often assigned to Ne’R’Mar, NeShemar, and novice Tinker crews.

Type: EcoS-K-113 Herculite
Class: Robotic Warmount, Utility
Crew: None; robot intelligence
1 rider/pilot, and room for 1 passenger
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 560
Head 90
Neck Assembly 100
Rear Cargo Deck ‘Wing’ Plates(2) 120 each
Legs(28) 70 each
(Optional) Cockpit Cage(s)(1-2) 100
Height: 8 ft; the head can reach up to 40 ft up at maximum extension.
Width: 12 ft
Length: 19 ft
Weight: 10 tons
Cargo: Small space inside/beside the saddle-seat for a few personal possessions and sidearms.
The rear cargo bed is large enough to hold up to 15 tons of material, including warmounts like the Monstrex.
Physical Strength: Equivalent to Robotic P.S. of 50
Powerplant: Nuclear w/ 20 year energy life
Speed: (Running) 55 MPH
(Leaping) Not possible
(Flying) Not possible
(Space) Not possible
(Underwater) Limited to running along the bottom at 15 MPH, maximum depth of 500 ft.
Market Cost: Exclusive to the Ecotroz-Shemar
Systems of Note:
Full optical systems, laser targeting, passive nightvision, telescopic vision, thermal imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and polarization filters. Also has motion and heat detection, built-in radar( 60 mile range) and other standard power armor-equivalent systems. Additional/special sensors may be built in by the creating Tinkers or at the behest of individual riders/owners.

*Bionic Cybernanite Repair Systems---ALL Herculites have the same bionic nanotech repair system that the Ecotroz Shemar have refitted themselves with, and which is becoming the standard among NeShemar as well. These systems repair 4d6 MD per hour, and can repair 90 MDC before needing material stocks to convert to MD repair material.

*Secondary Optics---The Herculite has four additional eyes mounted at the base of the neck, giving the Herculite a ground-level view and back-up optics if the head is ever lost. These sensor clusters can be concealed behind armored shutters for protection.

*Winch and Crane--300 ft of high-test cable and a 12 ton lift capacity. The lift cable is typically fitted with a magnetic or molecular adhesion grab-head. If necessary, the head pincers can cut the line in one melee action.

*Anchor Pylons---The Herculite is fitted with Glitterboy-style laser pylons on each of its smaller legs that burrow into hard rock/concrete and anchor the Warmount in place when lifting particularly heavy loads.

*Variable Spectrum High-Intensity Headlights---The Herculite mounts powerful headlights in both its head and at the base of its neck that can cast light up to 1,000 ft away, and radiate in the visible, IR, and UV parts of the spectrum. Herculites can thus be used as area light for both construction and ceremonial settings.

Weapons Systems:
1) Eye Lasers(2)---Standard Shemarrian warmount eye-lasers.
Range: 2,000 ft
Damage: 3d6 MD per single blast, or 6d6 MD per double blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Webbing Cannon(1)----The Herculite copies the Aracha warmount in carrying a spinneret-cannon that sprays a quick-setting megadamage polymer that can form incredibly tough fibers. The fibers can also be spun into coccoon-wrappings, allowing the Herculite to braid its own winch cable, construct protective fiber-walls, barriers, lift bags, and even make emergency shelters.
The webbing matrix itself is generated by a nanite-impregnated microfac in the war steed’s bulbous abdomen that renders megadamage materials, particularly plastics and composites, into a fine slurry that cures rapidly when sprayed and formed into strands or sheets.
Range: 500 ft
Damage: None. A single 1-inch strand of the synthetic spider-web can hold up to 3 tons and has 1 MDC per 10 ft length; more if braided(up to 12 tons maximum capacity).
Used to cocoon-spray a target, the cannon can spray up to 50 MDC in one attack, so if the Herculite uses all five of its attacks on wrapping a single target, it can create a web shell with 250 MDC, or generate a 2,500 ft line in a single melee.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Conditionally Unlimited; the Herculite’s ready-reserve has 1,000 MDC worth of polymer matrix ready to go, but can generate more through consuming MDC materials(at a ratio of 2 consumed MDC to 1 MDC of produced webbing) that are reprocessed into new webbing compound.

3) (Optional) Modular Weapons(2)---The Herculite has provision for torso-mounting two weapons similar to those standard to the Monstrex.

Programming:
The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience. Herculites are fairly simple-minded(“I lift things up, I put them down”), docile, and obediant, but they can be stalwart and fearless when threatened.

Typically has the same programming as the Monstrex, plus the following:
Salvage 60%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
Rope Works 60%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Herculite intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Technical: Language(understanding) and Lore (Cattle & Animals, Indians, Juicers, Magic, Demons & Monsters, D-Bees, Faerie---at least with regards to identifying their relative threat level), and Wilderness( Hunting).

Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 5
Initiative +2 (+1 from the Ecotroz entity for a total of +3)
Dodge +3
Strike +1 (+2 w/ ranged weaponry)
Roll +2
Bite 1d6 MD
Head Butt 1d4 MD
Kick 1d4 MD
Pylon Impale(usable only against targets the warmount is directly on top of) 1d6 MD per leg that can come in contact with the target
Full Speed Ram(2 APMs) 1d6x10 MD
Trample 4d6 MD

Note: The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Herculite an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot.

The Ecotroz fragment does occasionally need sleep/rest...though they only need 2 hours of rest/meditation per 24 hours...they can push this, going without for as many days as they have I.Q. points(most Warmounts, unless otherwise noted, have an effective IQ rating of 8 ), but will have to go dormant for 4d6 hours after such exertion.
Note also that the Ecotroz-possessed ‘bot can infect other bots with the Ecotroz viral-entity, by bite or sustained touch(takes 3 attacks).

About 25% of all Herculites are NOT Ecotroz-Awakened, allowing them to work around the clock as long as needed. This is particularly true of those Herculites employed by the Ghost Riders and Clan Scelptor.

Options:
*Enhanced Eye Lasers----Occasionally, Herculite riders will upgrade the eye lasers to a more powerful standard;
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 4d6 MD single shot, 1d4x10 MD for a pulse burst
8d6 MD dual shot, 2d4x10 MD for a dual pulse burst(counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

*Additional Eye Lasers---The four floodlights at the base of the neck can be fitted with fixed-foward-firing lasers identical to those mounted in the head.

*Safety Cage(s)(1-2)----A canopy frame can be set up over the saddle to protect the rider. The cage provides protection to the back and top, but is open on the front and sides(it’s meant mainly to protect the rider from falling debris). 100 MDC, effective Armor Rating of 14. A second one can also be added on the side of the neck opposite the rider, for a passenger/guard.

Variants:
* EcoS-K-113 D ‘Shovelhead’----This variant replaces the head winch and web-cable dispenser equipment with a shovel-head, making the Herculite a long-necked excavator. The head blade-teeth and lasers are retained to allow it to more easily slice through rock. This variant also mounts a dump-bed on its back. Virtually all of the examples of this variant are UnAwakened.

*EcoS-K-113 F---’Feral’ variant, virtually unchanged from the regular version except for 20% less overall MDC.

[kronos]

Nice new additions to our favourite Robo Girls

[taalismn]

Yeah, originally K-112 was going to be the Arcus, but that got pushed to K-113, but the Arcus is still nowhere near finished, what with several new experimental systems, while several sudden-inspiration Warmounts are apparently nearing completion sooner...
Funny indeed are the ways of inspiration.

Hope the holidays bring you all the gift of wondrous inspiration.

[taalismn]

Both the Herculite and DESTINY get illos today:

DESTINY:
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img859-2_zps6nwwlgfu.jpg

Herculite:
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img846_zpsntvo4c4m.jpg

[kronos]

Time for another addition to the Hawkmoon flock of e-nimals...

Rapt-Rex

Laura cursed as her cybernetic legs gave out from the damage they suffered as she suffered from the Minions that ambushed her squad, cutting her and the other NeShemars with her off from the rest of the Shemarrian war party. Climbing up the body of the Minion she had impaled on her spear before her legs gave out to look for any battle sisters, finding no one else still alive. In the distance she could hear the distinct sounds of Shemarrian railguns and Splugorth Minions fighting.
The sound of branches snapping behind her caught her attention as a group of Blind Warriors entered the clearing she was stuck in. Raising her laser and fired the last of the e-clip into one Warrior's head, dropping it, the other 3 closing in. Laura drew her knife, ready to fight to her last breathe.
A screech from over head called just before a mass of fur, feathers and claws landed upon the Blind Warriors, tearing into the Blind Warriors. Another figure landed beside Laura, it's majestic raptor head looking her over for a moment before stepping over her, the creature's barrel body opening up and wrapping around her before taking wing. The last thing Laura saw before losing consciousness as her repair systems were overridden by the creature was the sky filled with her winged battle sisters and Rapt-Rexs beside them.

The Rapt-Rex is an EShemarrian e-nimal that is loosely based on a gryphon in style, a bit larger than the Shemarrian Kantaran (Wolf), with the head, wings and fore legs shaped like hawk with a cardinal style crest, powerful taloned legs, over sized wings, and rear quarters similar but scaled down, Monst-Rex, including prehensile tail and two of the spines, behind the wings. The torso is large and fairly barrel shaped.
The Rapt-Rex was partly inspired by the Wolf's Path Phalanx Gestalt modified Kantarans, only instead of a group of these creatures forming an exo-armour around a warrior, a single Rapt-Rex would act as armour and additional weapons and flight pack for a Shemarrian, up to the size of a War Goddess. The other purpose is to act as a form of Search and Rescue, where the Rapt-Rex could find a downed warrior, engulf them and carry the wounded away to safety.
While used in a manner similar as a Kantaran, the Rapt-Rex is usually either paired with one Shemarrian, or works in flocks of other Rapt-Rexs or other e-nimals and Warmounts, acting as scouts, flankers, and as armour for close by warriors or to rescue downed warriors, as the need rises.
The Rapt-Rex has concealed contra-grav coils and thrusters built into its back to give it respectable speed and flight, able to fly in space and atmosphere. The eyes contain the standard eye lasers, while the crest contains additional sensors, like radar. The fore-legs contain a dual shot mini missile launcher, and the wings contain feather launchers. The spines are sharp and used just like the Monst-Rex, impaling grappled targets, and the bladed tail is excellent for slashing targets on flybys. It incorporates a force field generator, while on its own, the generator provides modest protection, but when linked to a warrior, the combined power sources improves the forcefield protection value and regeneration rate.
To act as armour, the Hawkmoons studied the Phalanx closely and applied what they learned, and used many memory materials to aid in the Rapt-Rex's transformation. The Chest opens and wraps around the Warrior's torso, with the head and neck resting atop the Warrior's head and protecting the back of neck. The fore legs open and wrap around the arms, with the talons around the warrior's hands to add their damage to the warrior's unarmed strike. The Rapt-Rex's forelegs are open enough to allow the Warrior's claw and laser vambraces still use their laser, but the talons are usually more powerful. The legs extend round to protect the warrior's legs, and the rear paws engulf the feet, with the toes adding stability and better grip for climbing. While acting as armour, the Rapt-Rex's nanite repair system supercharges the Warrior's own repair system, aiding in repairing and stabilizing a wounded warrior.


Type: EcoS-KRP25/AAEx28Hw
Class: Robotic Animal, Ground/Air
Crew: Robotic Intelligence/Ecotroz Fragment
0 Riders, 1 wearer
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body - 180
Head - 60
Wings (2) - 100 each
Front Legs (2) -70 each
Rear Legs (2) - 80 each
Spines (2) - 35 each
Forcefield - 150, regenerates 20 MD/melee
Height: 4.1 ft at shoulders, 5 to 5.4 ft from top of head to toes
Width: 5.5 ft at shoulders, wingspan 25 ft
Length: 7 ft to rump, tail adds 4 ft
Weight: 900 lbs
Cargo: can carry in paws or strapped in bags across back and sides.
Physical Strength: Equivalent to Robotic P.S. of 30
IQ 10, PP 22, PB 10+1d4
Powerplant: Nuclear w/ 20 year energy life
Speed: (Running) 110 MPH
(Leaping) 30 ft across or high from standing position, running adds 80 ft length-wise, 20 feet high, without use of wings or flight system
(Flying) Hover to 500 mph, maximum altitude of 10,000 ft
(Space) Mach 3
(Underwater) Can swim at 15 mph, depths of 200 ft, but prefers not to swim.
Market Cost: Exclusive to the Ecotroz-Shemar
Systems of Note:
Full optical systems, laser targeting, passive nightvision, telescopic vision, thermal imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and polarization filters. Also has motion and heat detection, built-in radar(10 mile range) and other standard power armor-equivalent systems. Additional/special sensors may be built in by the creating Spinsters or at the behest of individual riders/owners. 

*PPE Sensor---This is identical to the SNARLSystem deployed as a gun sight by the Rifts Earth Japanese military. Slightly more sensitive with a PPE trigger threshold of 40 PPE. Effective range of 200 ft, with 50% margin of error beyond that out to 500 ft. 

*Integral Laser Designators---ALL Wolf’s Path members have optically-integrated laser-illumination systems built into their eyes for ‘painting’ targets for attack with laser-guided weaponry. Effective range of the eye-laser designators is 4 miles.

*Radar Detection---Can ‘see’ radar and targeting lasers.

*Bionic Cybernanite Repair Systems---ALL ---- have the same bionic nanotech repair system that the Ecotroz Shemar have refitted themselves with, and which is becoming the standard among NeShemar as well. These systems repair 4d6 MD per hour, and can repair 70 MDC before needing material stocks to convert to MD repair material. 

*Kinetic Baffling - The fur and feathers on the Rapt-Rex provide some protection from blunt force melee combat strikes such as punches, kicks, hammer strikes, falls, and concussive explosions do HALF damage. 

*Acoustic Stealth - The feathers and fur muffle sound and the ability of the Rapt-Rex vocal apparatus able to generate ‘white noise’ to counter any sounds the Rapt-Rex makes, granting +10% to Prowl. 

*Armour Mode - The Rapt-Rex is able to function as a type of power armour for a warrior, up to the size of a standard War Goddess, granting additional armour protection, sensor awareness, weapons and flight capabilities. The armour provides the following bonuses.
- Add the Rapt-Rex's MDC to the wearer's, which is reduced first (head to head, forelegs to arms, rear legs to legs, main body to warrior's body).
- Kinetic Baffling---Blunt force melee combat strikes such as punches, kicks, hammer strikes, falls, and concussive explosions do HALF damage. 
- Acoustic Stealth---Between the feathers muffling sound and the ability of the many linked Aviars’ vocal apparatus able to generate ‘white noise’ to counter any sounds the host makes, the wearer gets a +10% to Prowl. 
-Sensory Bonuses---The Rapt-Rex's own eyes and sensors give the wearer a much reduced chance of being surprised; +1 to initiative, +1 to dodge, +2 to Perception rolls. Gains access to all the Rapt-Rex's sensors, including radar detection, radar, etc.
-Regeneration Supercharger---Lifted from the aviars armour system the Rapt-Rex can borrow their host’s regeneration systems to repair themselves. They can also return the favor, supercharging the host’s self-repair capabilities, effectively increasing the repair rate by 75%.
-Strength---If the wearer has lower strength than the Rapt-Rex, use the Rapt-Rex score, if higher, adds +2 to the user's strength.
-Adds 2 additional attacks, the tail and spines to the user's attacks, Or the Rapt-Rex can use the tail and spines itself to fend off attacks or attack enemies within reach, but only has 3 attacks per melee.
-Flight---The wearer can use the Rapt-Rex's flight systems to fly, however top speed is only 450 mph, speed unaffected in space.
-Enhanced Forcefield---The forcefield has improved protection and regeneration rate once the Rapt-Rex is joined with a wearer, providing 250 MDC, and regenerates at 30 MDC per melee.
-Autonomous Mode---If the wearer is unconscious, or unable to move under their own power, the Rapt-Rex is able to move on its own, but at 3/4 land speed, and 450 mph flight, using its own combat bonuses. In this mode, the Rapt-Rex will try to take the quickest, and safest escape route to take its charge to safety.

Weapons Systems:
1) Beak - The Beak of the Rapt-Rex is well suited for tearing apart creatures and aircraft alike, based on the BattleHawk's.
Range: Melee
Damage: 3d6 MD tear/fry, 5d6 MD full power strike

2) Eye Lasers (2)----The Rapt-Rex is fitted with powerful lasers in its eyes. 
Range: 4,000 ft
Damage: 2d6 MD single blast, 4d6 MD per simultaneous double blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

3) Wing Blades - Concealed among the flaps and pinions of the wings are a set of wing blades that can be used to deliver a flying slash. 
Range: Melee
Damage: 1d6 MD glancing blow, 2d6 MD +1for every 20 MPH of speed from a full strength slcing attack(+30 MD at maximum speed). 

4) Mini Missiles - Concealed on the forelegs are a set of two mini missiles each, giving the Rapt-Rex a little heavier punch.
Range: Varies by missile, typically 1 mile.
Damage: Varies by missile.
Rage of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 3 or 4.
Payload: 4, 2 each foreleg

5) Feather Launcher - The Rapt-Rex has a series of feather shaped blades in its wings that it can launch.
Range: 500 ft
Damaged: 2d6 MD each
Rate of Fire: Volleys 1 to 5 per wing.
Payload: 10 launchable blades per wing (20 total), able to replenish spent blades at a rate of 4 blades per hour using 8 MDC.

6) Talons (2) - The talons on the forelegs are powerful, able to rend armour with easy.
Range: Melee
Damage: 5d6 MD

7) Spines (2) - The Rapt-Rex has two spines similar to the Monst-Rex, only smaller.
Range: Melee with6 ft reach.
Damage: 1D4 MD single spine thrust, 2d4 MD from both spines.

Prehensile Tail - The 6 foot tail has a sharp blade on the end.
Range: Melee 4 ft
Damage 1d4 MD slash or stab.

Programming:
The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience. 
Typically programmed similar to the Monst-Crane but also includes aerial movement and combat, with the Shemarrian Wolf scouting skills.
50% (+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the ---- intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from ()
Climb 70%
Navigate Air/Land 80%

Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 6
Initiative +3 (+1 from the Ecotroz entity)
Dodge +4, +6 in air
Automatic Dodge +5
Strike +6 melee (+2 w/ ranged weaponry) 
Parry +2
Roll +5

As the Rapt-Rex is Awakened, it has a psionic aura, possessing 1d8+4 ISP on average, and higher level Rapt-Rex's could gain more ISP and even develop more psionic powers.
Has the following Psionic Powers at no cost:
*Sixth Sense
*Sense Magic
*See Aura

Note: The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the ---- an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot. 

The Ecotroz fragment does occasionally need sleep/rest...though they only need 2 hours of rest/meditation per 24 hours...they can push this, going without for as many days as they have I.Q. points(most Warmounts, unless otherwise noted, have an effective IQ rating of 8 ), but will have to go dormant for 4d6 hours after such exertion.
Susceptible to Exorcism and Banish spells, but are +6 to save against such spells, +1 at levels 4, 8, and 12 of experience, and becoming IMMUNE at level 14 and up. Such Banishment causes the ‘bot to revert to its default robot programming. (OPTION: Ecotroz may become IMMUNE to Exorcism and Banishment with experience, and NEW BUILT EShemar constructs are immune to this)

Note also that the Ecotroz-possessed ‘bot can infect other bots with the Ecotroz viral-entity, by bite or sustained touch(takes 3 attacks).

Options
The Rapt-Rex can be fitted with a number of options including the following:

Wing Hardpoints (2)
The Rapt-Rex can be fitted with two hardpoints, one each wing, similar to those of the BattleHawk, only with half the capacity, incurring the same penalties that the BattleHawk would with similar mounted equipment.

Blurr Camouflage---The Rapt-Rex's whole body is covered with feathers, with the many feathers break up light and make it harder for visual lock-on the e-nimal; the faster the wearer moves, the greater the distortion; at speeds of 3 or less, no bonus, 4-10; -1 to strike the wearer, 10-16; -2 to strike, 16-22; -3 to strike, 23 or greater, -4 to strike. Laser targeting is also ineffective in locking on to the wearer, even when standing still. These bonuses also work in armour mode.

’Gecko’ Grips---These are molecular adhesion pads on the feet that allow the Rapt-Rex greater proficiency in clinging to perches, including walls and ceilings that can support its weight. 

Quill Shooter---Quill-shooters can be fitted in the forelegs, and in armour mode the wearer can now shoot high-velocity darts from their arms.
Range: 1,000 ft
Damage: (Unpowered) 2d6 SDC+Chemical effects(if used as a dart)
(Energized) 1d4 MD
Rate of Fire: ECHH, volleys of 1-4
Payload: 200 rds. The Rapt-Rex can ‘grow’ new quills at a rate of 12 per hour and 10 MDC consumed. 

Flit Launcher----The Rapt-Rex can carry several flit-projectiles, the Shemarrian version of the Northern Gun NMX-18 Stinger Anti-Flyer Mine. Typically 2d4+2 flits can be carried, located on the shoulders and upper torso. The wearer can fire them when the Rapt-Rex is in armour mode.

‘Death Howl’ Sonic Blaster----This sonic weapon was developed by the Wolf's Path, and several examples were gifted to the Hawkmoon, and can be fitted into the mouth of the Rapt-Rex. Instead of a howl, the Rapt-Rex releases a powerful screech. Although this version isn't quite as powerful as the Wolf's Path version. 
Range: 1,500 ft
Damage: 1d4x10 MD per blast, plus 2d6 MD to a 10 ft diameter area around the blast area(double damage and range underwater). The screech also does 1/4 damage as SDC through body armor(but not EBA), and can be modulated to stun; the victim must make a save versus non-lethal poison of be rendered unconscious for 1d4 melees. Even on a successful save, victims are shaken by the intense vibrations, and are -2 on initiative, strike, parry, and dodge for 1d6 melees. 
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

TW Augmentation - The Rapt-Rex can be augmented with TW enhancements, including a small PPE generator or battery. Typical TW systems added include:
Armour of Ithor, Impervious to Energy, Invisibility (Simple), Wind Rush, and other defensive spells.

Kantaran Options - The Rapt-Rex can make use of several of the Kantaran options, including different fur options (silver, shredder fur, etc).

[taalismn]

Time for another addition to the Hawkmoon flock of e-nimals...

Rapt-Rex).

EXCELLENT new addition!

And a Happy new Year to everybody!
Hope 2017 is MUCH better for us all than 2016.
So Say We All.

[taalismn]

Cultural Notes: Fringe Tribes---The Saga of the Silver Bunnies

“We’re hardly pure as silver, though there are days we feel like we’re low on the food chain. Still, we’re survivors, much like the wild hares of the Corian Great Plains. If we move fast enough, we can outrace the swift-teeth, and if we’re cunning enough, we can bite their necks in return.”

Though initially introduced to the Shemarrian Star Nation Fringe Tribe registry as something of a joke, the truth behind the Silver Bunnies’ story is anything but humorous.
This fringe tribe got its start as the unofficial harem of one of the many warlords dominating the fractious worlds of the Anvil Galaxy’s Halo, in this case a planet known as Coria. This particular despotic warlord(Kensen the Redeemer of Coria, so-called because he sought to ‘redeem the true spirit of the Corian people’) styled himself a lothario supreme, and maintained a private club stocked with beautiful women combed from his realm, whether they wanted the honor of serving the tyrant or not.
When the Central Alliance finally swept over that particular planet, Kensen the Redeemer was challenged by General Noldek. Rather than face the champion in open combat, however, the warlord thought to ambush Noldek’s challenge party at the site of the appointed duel. The ambush failed, and a coldly enraged Noldek waded through a sea of dismembered Corian soldiers and personally took Kensen the Redeemer ’s head, but only after a spirited pursuit. Rather than a clean transition of power to the Central Alliance, the execution of Kensen left a power vaccum that others were all too eager to fill, and a period of lawlessness swept over the planet before the CyberHawks could forcibly re-establish order(later, even Noldek would privately admit that ‘things could have gone a lot smoother’). During this time, a violent uprising broke out in the warlord’s capitol, with a worked-up mob smashing all the places of power of the former regime. Among the more questionable targets was the warlord’s private club and its employees. Whether it was an enraged mob looking to lynch those they thought were living high while the peasantry suffered, or former rivals of the warlord seeking to kill off any illegitimate children who might pose future political liabilities, or mistresses who knew too much about the workings of the warlord’s court, the ‘harem’ was marked for death that night. However, the ladies were not idiots, and surviving in the capitol took considerable skill. They and a handful of guards and minor court functionaries they managed to subvert managed to escape the mobs(or assassins), make their way out of the capitol, and eventually steal one of the warlord’s private vessels. Led by several members who had been soldiers before they had been forced into service as the warlord’s concubines, the ex-harem fled for dubious sanctuary offworld.
The Bunnies started essentially as a sororiety of slaves, banded together for survival, in exile as none of them can go home again(either because those homes and families no longer exist, or because they are being actively hunted). Early on, several members attempted to return to the lives they lived before, but those members were either killed or disappeared under less than salutory circumstances. The Bunnies have since acquired a few new members, including some rescued family members, friends and associates, and other desperate folk they’ve come across.
The group has come close to extinction on several occasions, either through misadventure or dissolution, but ultimately they have managed to remain together.
The Bunnies have marketed themselves as mercenaries, with mixed success, and have engaged in more than a few questionable acts(including smuggling, piracy, and assassination, the latter mainly of ex-’associates’ from their harem days). Several times they considered appealing directly to Noldek’s central government for asylum, but various circumstances, including lingering mistrust of Noldek’s regime(some of the members of the Bunnies were military officers who had faced the Cyberhawks), kept them from doing so. Having heard of the arrival of a society of female cyborgs on the edges of Central Alliance space, however, gave the Silver Bunnies the idea of applying to them for sanctuary. While working their way around to Shemarrian territory, the Silver Bunnies adopted some of the known mannerisms and aspects of the newcomers, hoping both to trade in on the reputation of the Shemarrians and make their own case for succor more appealing.
The Silver Bunnies have had several meetings with the Shemarrian Star Nation. While they do not meet many of the preconditions for Tribal recognition, the Silver Bunnies have not been outright denied access to Shemarrian space or resources, and they have increasingly recieved material support from sympathetic Tribes.

Motif:
A stylized rabbit head in blue-silver, vaguely resembling their ‘flagship’, apparently streaking through a circle.

a)Origins:
Wannabe Tribe

b)Where First Encountered
Three Galaxies, Anvil Galaxy, Central Alliance

c)Tribe Size
Small; 700 members

d)Tribe Organization
Headswoman----The current leader of the Silver Bunnies was an ex-major in the late Kensen’s military forces, who saw her family either killed or held hostage against her giving in to Kensen’s demands. She’s held the Silver Bunnies together through some rough times, and nobody has considered challenging her leadership.

e)Tribal Composition
Cyborged ex-harem members and several of their family members, ex-guards, and other sympathizers caught in the same boat as them.

f) Highest Caste Class
None; the Silver Bunnies are essentially a NeShemar formation, made up of cybernetically augmented organics.

g) Gender Division
83% female, 17% male

h) Home Environment
Nomadic; the Silver Bunnies are ship-based, remaining one, preferably several, steps ahead of various bandits, bounty-hunters, and debt collectors. Their main vessel continues to be the heavily-armed yacht they stole from Kensen the Redeemer’s hangars, supplemented by a pair of transports and a half-dozen patrol ships of varying age and quality. The Silver Bunnies would LIKE to one day establish a safe haven on a nice terrestrial world.

i)Technology Level
The Silver Bunnies can be optimistically considered to possess Galactic Age technology, but aside from life support recycling and the ability to produce some cybernetic components, they are dependent on what they can salvage or buy from outside sources. They favor energy weapons(especially lasers) because of their low cost, low maintenance, and lack of dependence on specialized ammunition. They have started using robot animals(modified robot horses and other critters similar to those used on Rifts Earth), including ‘Big Bounder’, essentially a giant combat robot(similar to the Robot T-Rex in Rifts Black Market), in imitation of the Shemar. Even these ‘bots have been scrounged from backwater worlds(where they were used as all-terrain vehicles by prospectors, settlers and planetary rangers).

j) Relations with Outsiders:
Neutral-Ambivalent; the core Silver Bunnies are in exile from their homeworld, and fear continued reprisals. Some of their actions since have not exactly endeared them to others in the Halo. They have a few friendly contacts, sympathizers, and supporters, but in general, the Silver Bunnies are cautious around others.
The Central Alliance government simply regards The Silver Bunnies as one of a large range of pirate/mercenary groups operating around the fringes of CA space. While some of the members are wanted on various charges, the Silver Bunnies are not regarded as priority threats, and their deposition(arrest and trial) has been left to regional authorities(some of whom are fanatically law and order, others who could care less, and others who have employed the Bunnies for plausible deniability).

k) Relations with Other ‘Shemarrians’
Open-Having decided to cast their lot with the Shemarrians, the Silver Bunnies are attempting to be more open and friendly to the SSN. While they haven’t been greeted with open arms, the Bunnies have been treated with sympathy by many of the larger Tribes and have been getting at least moral support from many of the Fringies. However, the Bunnies are also painfully aware of a number of failed wannabe ‘tribes’.

l) Purpose
Survival; the Silver Bunnies are just trying to survive and regain some semblance of a life not defined by hardship.

m) Preferred Mode of Combat
Sneak Attack---The Silver Bunnies have had to become experts at surprise attacks, often by appearing less powerful than they really are, and luring enemies into attacking prematurely.

n) Unique Attributes
*Exceptional Combat Skills
Necessity has made the Silver Bunnies skittish veteran fighters; they get a +1 to dodge and parry in combat, an Automatic Leap Dodge(no bonuses), and a +10% to Detect Ambush.

*Unusual Allies---The Shemarrian Star Nation can be considered to be an ally of the Silver Bunnies. It’s also rumored that the Silver Bunnies have attracted the attention of the infamous Ninja Bunnies or the Lupezor Warlords. On several occasions the Silver Bunnies have had their skins saved by the timely arrival of SSN forces that ‘just happened to be in the area’ or by other mysterious circumstances.

o) Prosperity
Struggling; the Silver Bunnies have been living hand to mouth on what they earn and find. They’ve managed to keep their ships and equipment repaired, and make new replacement bionic parts, but it’s often a case of choosing one over the other when it comes to allocating scant available resources. The infusions of aide from the SSN has kept them afloat while they decide whether to try for full Tribe status, or accept assimilation into an existing Tribe.

p) Chart P: Origin Tribe
None

q) Chart Q : Cyberization
Roughly 30% of the Silver Bunnies can be considered to be full conversion cyborgs, and another 50% possess extensive cybernetic asugmentation, up to Partial Conversion levels. They possess their own cyberdocs( including an ex-harem member and several ex-slave eunuch cybertechnicians who were part of the original harem’s ‘maintenance’ support).
Many of the original harem members were cybernetically ‘remade’ to suit the lothario warlord’s particular tastes(or as punishment for protesting them). Many of the older members have also since required cybernetic medicine to keep them alive from injuries sustained since their escape and exile.
Large cranial aerials, reminescent of rabbit ears, are a common feeature of Silver Bunny cyber-augmentation.
In the course of struggling to survive, the Bunnies have kludged together a standardized cyborg exoframe based on the Cyberhumanoid conversion, that provides the cyborg with enhanced leaping abilities, weapons hardpoints, and other bonuses, allowing them a better chance in combat with their often heavily augmented opponents.

[taalismn]

Wayfinder Fade Guard Elite
(aka ‘D-(wo)men’, ‘Slip-soldiers’, ‘Time-Machiners’)

“Even with all the training, it still gets to you, the first time you open an office door while on foot patrol, step inside to do a routine check, and find yourself on the edge of forever.”

“We’ve had only one encounter with a Cerebellus Demon anywhere near here in the complex, thankfully, but it was enough. Sister Spiderclipper earned her nickname with that. Unfortunately it also whetted her appetite; she’s been pushing for time off, but everybody knows she really wants to go hunting more of the things and introduce them to the art of multiple limb dismemberment and the silver sword-scalpel lobotomy.”

The Fade Guard are less a single class-caste design and more a package of Upgrades and training for an elite formation within the Wayfinder organization. The Fade Guard are a specialized security unit tasked with protecting and monitoring DESTINYWorks and its eccentric artificial intelligence system. Ever since the Wayfinders became aware of dimensional fluxuations in the innards of the DESTINYWorks factory-plex, and that their magically-capable and psionically-active core AI, DESTINY, started claiming to be seeing across dimensions and retrieving ‘lost souls’ for incorporation into hardware-state, the Wayfinders have been concerned that this may indicate a vulnerability in their ‘ace in the hole’ facility. This would be a nightmare scenario for the survivors of the catastrophic magic cascades of Tolkeen, a disaster many have sworn will NOT happen again. Visions of tectonic entities rampaging through NuDawn, Black Steel-like malignancies manifesting, or alien intelligences invading the labs and possessing the complex, the Wayfinders appointed a special security force to patrol the research complex, and guard it from threats both external and internal. The assignment has been compared, by some Wayfinder scholars, to the pre-Rifts Golden Age special forces units assigned to protecting national nuclear arsenals(and, in fact, part of the Fade Guards’ special training is in NBC warfare protocols, especially with regards to securing and containing spills, leaks, and intrusions).
Fade Guards can be drawn from either NeShemar or the EShemar, and can come from any of the warrior caste-classes. A strength of will and spirit, even in the face of Rifted horrors, close quarters confinement, and time/space displacement, is a must in a Fade Guard. Many Fade Guard have histories as Shifters in their past lives as organics, or have been trained by Shifters, which makes them particularly adroit and fast on their feet when space/time begins shifting under them.
Since their inception several years ago as both DESTINY’s bodyguards and minders, the Fade Guard have not had any reason to act against her, and have only had to deal with potentially dangerous extradimensional threats twice, both times swifty and decisively. There has been some talk of detaching some of these Elites to other duties(such as guarding key rift transit points or interdicting rift ‘hotspots’), or at least training others to similar peak performance capabilities.
The Fade Guards of DESTINYWorks are also typically armed with cutting edge and experimental TW weaponry, making them a force to be reckoned with.

Requirements: M.E. of 16 or better

Skill Training:
At the very least, Fade Guards train in the following:
-Lore: Demons and Monsters(+10%)
-Lore: Dimensions(+12%)
-Lore: Magic(+10%)
-Military: Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare(+15%)

Special Abilities
*Third Eye---The 3rd Eye implant that is the distinguishing physical characteristic of Wayfinders has evolved to be more than simply an extra optic; the SSN Wayfinders have refined it until it has the properties of the ARS-500 Arcane Scanner, with the following powers:
-Sense Ley Lines---3 miles(rifts at 6 miles)
-Sense Supernatural---450 ft
-Sense Magic---120 ft area
-Decipher Magic---72%
-Presence Sense---120 ft area
-See Aura
-Eyes of Thoth
-Sense/See Dimensional Anomaly

*Integral Spell Systems-
Fade Guards have crystalline PPE power implant giving them at least 100 PPE, and many Upgrade with PPE generators of greater capacity.

-Banish---Integral TW projection device mounted in a forearm. 100 ft range, uses 33 PPE per shot, and Supernatural creatures so targeted save versus the magic or they will be forced to flee the immediate(600 ft radius) area for at least 2 weeks. Only affects one lesser supernatural creature/entity per shot.

-Cleanse---The equivalent of Purge, for 3 PPE, the Fade Guard can expunge themselves of rust, dirt, grime, and potential alien contaminants, including nanites, that could possibly ‘infect’ their android bodies.

-Reality Anchors---Experimental systems developed by the Wayfinders to provide a defense against reality-warping magic. Fade Guards are +2 to save versus Temporal Magic spells that have a saving throw.

-Teleport Anchor---This is an emergency system, powered by a crystalline battery. If accidentally extradimensionally transposed, the Fade Guard can automatically attempt to Rift back home. 75 PPE zips the ‘Guard back home, but only if triggered within 15 minutes of the original transposition. Beyond that, each 5 minutes of delay add a -10% chance of success(failure means randomly landing someplace else). The Fade Guard can also use this fallback to escape pocket-dimensional spells such as Void and Time Hole.

Bonuses:
+2 save vs illusions
+2 to Perception
+2 save vs Horror Factor, specifically that of interdimensional horrors such as Nexus Maws, Rift Demons, Nexs Spiders, and Cerebellus Demons.
+1 to Strike and Damage interdimensional horrors such as Nexus Maws, Rift Demons, Nexs Spiders, and Cerebellus Demons.

[taalismn]

-Added the Rapt-rex to the Shemarrian Codex on Page 1 of the thread.

[taalismn]

New quick Illos:

The Clan Gothec icon: http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/clangothec2_zpsemfmmdya.jpg

Fade Guards on hall patrol(combination of stock hall image, Astronomy Picture of the Day image, and freehand with Photoshop): http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/DESTINYHall%20copy_zpsdqnpycdv.jpg

[kronos]

Lost Eclipse, Bunnibopper, Candy Foam and Sucker of Doom are uploaded to the wikia.

[taalismn]

Started working on a random roll generation tables for Clan Gothec Oreseme(or...Playing Frankenstein With Triax Parts)

[kronos]

Animator Bones

"Tango-One to base.. I've sighted to breach of the perimeter."
"Can you confirm identity?"
"Appears to be a Shemarrian, wearing robes, and appears to be checking… no.. Stabbing them with something. Possibly staking them in case of any vampires."
"Get rid of the intruder and investigate."
"Confirmed, engaging." The trooper sighted his laser rifle and fired a quick burst at the Shemarrian, who took the blast, dropped, then got up quickly, looked in his direction and seemed to mouth something before turning and running off.
The trooper made his way down to the field, looking at the bodies of the dead d-bees and mages scattered about. Prodding one with his armoured boot, noticing this body was one of the ones the Shemarrian had 'staked'. He stopped, noticing the distinct lack of a stake. He leaded down to get a closer look at the chest..the dead body jerked and reached up and grabbed on to his armoured head pulling him down. Other hands grabbed and smashed into his armoured back, pinning him down as others tore at the armour.

Animator Bones is a development from the technology pioneered from ARCHIE 3 with his faux magic and ability to create fake zombies using technology. These devices are shaped like large bones, such as femurs from human sized creatures or other sized bones, with one end usually pointed, with what appear to be engraved magical symbols along the length. In reality these devices are carriers for modified IRMSS and other nanites that perform the same process that the Lost Eclipse Necromancer would in creating a zombie from a body. By inserting the pointed end into the body, usually a quick thrust, or placed into an existing wound, such as the wound that killed the person originally, and an activation command sent wirelessly or pressing a concealed activation button, the nanites move from the device, and begin breaking the bone carrier down and use it as part of the process in creating the fake zombie. The process takes about 2d4 melee rounds to complete. The use of the wireless activation allows the Necromancer, or other Shemarrian equipped with the communication protocols, to seed a site of recently dead with the Animator Bones, and activated them later when intended target(s) are in the area.
Many Necromancers will carry 1d4+1 on their person and on average 2d6+10 on a warmount. More can be assigned if they know there was a recent battle.

Weight: 7 lbs
MDC: 11
Animate and Control Undead (Rifter 53)
This is exactly the same as the ARCH-Mage, only the AI is improved as are the servos and control system. The following changes are made (or can use original states of Robotically Animated Corpse) PS 17, PP 14, IQ 8, Four attacks per melee, +4 strike, +4 parry, +2 dodge, +5 to strike ranged weapons, 10 MDC, basic optics plus infrared and passive night vision. Takes 2d4 melee rounds to create the zombie. Requires only to have the pointed end inserted into a dead body and activation button pressed or activation command sent wirelessly.

[taalismn]

Animator Bones

Owww.......
"Playing with dead things again, Bonedancer? Just don't leave your stuff lying around basecamp. Tends to rattle some of the NeShemar."

[kronos]

Animator Bones

Owww.......
"Playing with dead things again, Bonedancer? Just don't leave your stuff lying around basecamp. Tends to rattle some of the NeShemar."

The Horrorwoods are going to have something similar soon.. only not undead..

[taalismn]

I'm currently chewing through about a dozen pages of spare parts roll-up tables for the Gothecs....they're more than just a garage-band fringe tribe, they're the junkyard and the showroom too..... European robomaids and Frankenstein's automechanic....

[taalismn]

Okay...this might have some holes, so feel free to point'em out to me....

(The following requires the use of the Rifts Triax and the NGR, Rifts MIndwerks, and Rifts Triax 2 books to make most use of, with regards to full specs and stats for the various components.)

Gothec Orseme Random Body Generation

“It’s like...if Doctor Frankenstein had been a robot mechanic, haunting battlefields and garages, looking for mechanical bodies to weld and bolt back together into an extended family.”

“We’re arguably the best of European technology! We have Mercedes, Porsche, Renault, Bugatti, Ferrari, and even some Rolls-Royce in our ancestry!”

“That leg on me beast, officer? Ayah, but some ferkin’ monster chewed ‘er leg off when we were crossing through near Geneva-ruin. Mighta lost dis beloved brute o’ mine if a cyberdoc we hada taggin’ along hadn’t cobbled up a new leg for ‘er out of parts we found! Right nifty job; this she-beast, she’s got to walkin’ on it like it’ere a natural part of ‘er!”
---Clan Gothec ‘drover’ explaining parts of a G-20 Gargoyle Destroyer ‘Bot attached to a neo-dinosaur beast of burden in his caravan.

<<#”...when you submitted the template for your cosmetic reconstruction, I should have suspected something. Are you certain this is a good idea? The face and -especially- the body are well known. You may attract the wrong sort of attention. And what if you run into the original?”#>>
<@”I’m certain. As to the attention? That’s why I asked for the cyberdisguise additions. I can adjust the appearance if needed. And it’s not as if the original’s going to mind; the template’s an un-copyrighted computer-generated fictional image to begin with. Who knows, she may appreciate having a doppelganger to draw fire from her.”@>
<<#”’Drawing fire’ is not a rational reason for wanting to do something. But the onus is on you for the consequences of your decision, whatever your reasons. Very well, one ‘Hot Young Erin Tarn’ makeover reconstruction coming up, if you’ll step into the workframe?”#>>
---Clan Gothec Tinker and newly-minted humaniform oreseme on the latter’s appearance finalization.

Unlike the mainstream Shemarrian Tribes of North America, the Clan Gothec fringe tribe doesn’t consist of recognizable Shemarrian phenotypes, nor do they reproduce via Progen. Instead, the Gothecs maintain and expand their numbers by acquiring, through salvage or theft, robot systems, modify them, and Awaken them with the Ecotroz, the EShemar ‘identity’ apparently being strong enough to carry over into this oreseme offshoot.
About 70% of Clan Gothec is largely unaltered in overall configuration, aside from cosmetic alterations, special systems, and the odd substitute limb or part, but the remaining 30% are chimaeras of parts, hybrids born of necessity or inspired experimentation. Without advanced reproductive technologies like Progen or Assembly Forges, the Gothecs grow their tribal numbers through a more slapdash method of assembling new members from scavenged parts and components. “By bolt and by volt’’ tends to be the motto of the tireless Tinker-bots of Clan Gothec, and the result has been a rather motley crew of refugees assembled from the battlefields, garages, and scrapyards of NGR-dominated Europe.
Clan Gothec tends to hash together new additions from older equipment that has been floating around Europe for some time already, and is less likely to raise questions if found in the freelancers’ possession. Clan Gothec’s Tinkers have proven particularly adept at using their Black Market-style ‘cleaning’ skills to removing telltale serial numbers, tags, electronic bugs, and remodeling and disguising hardware as almost entirely different technologies and items, concealing their true origins.
Parts of newer Triax designs are very hard to come by and carry the stigma of being intensely sought-after by the New German military. The NGR tends to immediately move to secure the known sites of their downed robots and vehicles and salvage them, if only to keep their secrets from the prying eyes of enemies. Clan Gothec has, on several occasions, passed up the opportunity to acquire examples of some of Triax’s newer designs because of the sensitive nature of the new technology and the priority the NGR takes on recovering it. This hasn’t stopped the Gothecs from taking scans of it, however, and sending the data on to their EShemar contacts. Only in a few exceptional cases, when cutting edge hardware has fallen into their laps and they’ve been able to successfully hide it, the equipment has been quickly smuggled out of Europe as expediently as possible.
In general, Clan Gothec stays away from building obvious giant-scale robot organisms, as they are harder to disguise and maintain, and they tend to attract the wrong sorts of attention. Similarly, building new oreseme on the recognizable frames of known enemies of the NGR is avoided.


Gothec Orseme Random Body Generation
(To make full use of these charts, Rifts Triax and the NGR, Triax 2, and Mindwerks will be needed for the full ‘bot-component descriptions)

Triax Products:
*T-21 Terrain Hopper---As a fairly common light power armor in Europe, Clan Gothec finds lots of T-21s, and as such they’re able to use components openly without arousing suspicion.

*T-31 Super Trooper---Aside from a few scavenged spare parts, the Gothecs have NOT been able to lay hands on a fully intact T-31.

*T-550 Glitterboy---The Gothecs have managed to acquire enough in the way of spare parts and battlefield salvage to reconstitute two or three of these machines. The most intact examples have been smuggled out of Europe to the Silvermoons, and a few remaining odd parts have ended up being incorporated into oreseme.

*X-700 Fat Boy Glitterboy---Only one of these powerful power armors has been KNOWN to have been salvaged, and that one almost fully intact. X-700 parts and frames are among those that are sent out of Europe and off the Gothecs’ hands as quickly as possible.

*X-10 Predator---Clan Gothec has managed to pass off those X-10s they acquire as the weaker X-10 export model(this requires the Gothecs to convince the NGR inspectors that they have trade contacts with the Americas or are American adventurers), so they tend not to flash these acquisitions in the open.

*X-11 Predator II---None acquired
*X-21 War Eagle---None acquired

*X-60 Flanker---Clan Gothec often finds plenty of Flanker parts in the remains of NGR communities and monster loot. They’ve worked to disguise the parts in other creations.

*X-80 Butterfly---None acquired, aside from a few spare parts

*X-101 Ulti-Max II---None acquired

*X-535 Jager/Hunter---Though they’re not supposed to have them, the Gothec have scavenged several dozen X-535s, and worked to disguise their components in some of their oreseme creations.

*X-545 Super Hunter---Similarly, the Gothec have two or three whole Super Hunters assembled from scavenged wrecks, and several truckloads of parts they’ve worked into other ‘bots.

*X-622 Bug---The Gothecs have scavenged several tons of spare parts, enough to make about a dozen X-622s, but they cannot overtly have X-622s, so the ‘bot chassises and parts have been extensively reworked into a number of other adhoc designs, typically disguised as robotic or bionic animals. A few parts, such as the legs, have been repurposed as limbs on other oreseme.

*X-710 Hell Angel---None acquired

*X-821 Landcrab----Similar to the X-622, the Gothecs must disguise the handful of Landcrabs they’ve assembled from recovered parts as other things, such as giant animals.

*X-500 Forager---A common enough ‘bot that Clan Gothec can actually openly use these ‘bots as is, and the NGR won’t mind, as long as the Gothecs don’t come within weapons range of NGR communities and military forces.

*X-1000 Ulti-Max----A common enough combat unit that Clan Gothec scavenges a lot of parts and frames. They’ve been able to openly pass off reconstructed Ulti-Max frames as civilian robots as long as they’re apparently demilitarized.

*X-1001 Ulti-Max II---No examples(or parts) of the upgraded Ulti-Max have yet fallen into the hands of Clan Gothec.

*X-2000 Dyna-Max---As a fairly common mech in the NGR’s armed forces, parts of these are often found on battlefields. That having been said, Clan Gothec rarely uses the X-2000 as the recognizable basis of an oreseme. The difficulty of acquiring ‘slammer’ munitions is another consideration against their use.

*X-250 Black Knight---Clan Gothec has perhaps acquired the makings of a dozen Black Knights, but the ‘bots are too big to safely assemble in Europe, with the NGR snooping around, so they’ve passed them on to the American EShemar. The Skullcrushers apparently have an interest in them.

*X-1471 Wolfhound---The Wolf’s Path would LOVE to get a X-1471, if only to take a look at it for themselves. Clan Gothec has managed to acquire two of the few examples that appeared on the black market and smuggled them out to Britain, where they await transit to America. The Gothecs themselves do not use X-1471s aside from the odd part, as they are on the NGR tech watch-lists.

*X-2010 Longstrike---Clan Gothec is more likely to find and use the civilian industrial robot that the X-2010 is based on, than the military unit. The X-2010’s civilian ancestor is too large and slow to make an effective oreseme, but as a vehicle, it raises few suspicions with the authorities.

*X-2020 Rainmaker---None acquired. As one of the newer Triax designs, and subsequently one of those that the NGR places high priority on salvaging, the Gothecs avoid being seen with any components of them. If circumstances permit, they will do quick scans of any wrecks or parts they come across; ‘look but don’t take’.

*X-2525 Faust---None acquired, though the Gothecs have managed to acquire a few replacement parts, especially spare rotary blades.

*X-2730 Griffon---At great risk to themselves, the Gothecs have managed to acquire enough parts off the battlefield to assemble two functional Griffons, and smuggle them off mainland Europe and into the hands of the DarkWaters.

*X-2750 Talon---The Gothecs have managed to obtain one example, bound for the black market, as well as several wing assemblies blown off units in the field. The intact unit has been shipped out of Europe for study by the EShemar of North America.

*X-4500 Gunman---None acquired; same as for the X-2020.

*X-4600 Sharpshooter---Clan Gothec hasn’t been able to lay hands on a fully intact X-4600, but has acquired a fully functional TX-4601 Long Rifle, and several panels of adaptive camouflage armor, and hasn’t told the NGR about them. As with other new generation Triax designs, the Gothecs have avoided acquiring the newer hardware(or holding onto it for very long) for fear of NGR reprisals.

*X-5050 Black Death---Clan Gothec has acquired some secondhand salvage of parts ripped off X-5050s lost in the debacles in the Black and Hurtagen Forests, but has turned over most of the material to the NGR in a sign of good faith. Frankly, Clan Gothec sees little of use in the X-5050 design.

*X-2700 Dragonwing----Clan Gothec has managed to acquire enough parts to assemble a couple of X-2700s, but has quickly smuggled them out of Europe, as they are too ‘hot’ to handle and risk getting caught with by the NGR.

*X-5000 Devastator and X-5001 Devastator Mk II---Clan Gothec has NEVER been able to acquire any of these giant machines, not even parts. The NGR tends to carpet-bomb any wrecked Devastators that they cannot salvage.

*DV-12 Dyna-Bot---One of the most common robot types in the Gothecs, as ‘millions’ of DV-12s were deployed throughout Europe, making finding enough parts to make new oreseme fairly easy.

*DV-15 Sentry-Bot---Less common than the Dyna-Bot, as most Sentries were posted in areas where they either fought to total destruction, or were salvaged by the NGR soon afterward. Their sensor-capped heads are also harder to disguise.

*DV-40 Hunter/Killer Drone---Another common robot chassis and the basis of many ‘enforcer’ oreseme in the ranks of Clan Gothec.

*DV-39 Wolf---Though new, the DV-39 has become common enough that the Gothecs have salvaged and turned quite a few. The Wolf’s Path was quite pleased to have received about a dozen from Clan Gothec.

*DVO-1 Aerial Spy Drone---Clan Gothec has recovered about five crashed Spy Eyes, but hasn’t yet reactivated them, instead smuggling them out to Britain and the jump-off point there.

*EIR-60 Extermination Robot---Clan Gothec has managed to acquire a few of these ‘bots and study them. Though they don’t make them themselves, they have been known to ‘redeploy’ a few hundred to help clear out gargoyle nests.

*EIR-70 Spy Robot----Clan Gothec salvagers almost blew their cover when they recovered their first EIR-70s and almost became the subject of the Triax bots’ intelligence-gathering. Fortunately they were able to silence the ‘bots’ transmitters in time and have have since reverse-engineered them to make their own animal spies.

-EIR Bots----The EShemar were rather surprised to discover these creations of Triax. Fully functional units tend to attack strangers not ID’ing as NGR(or CS). Recovering parts, let alone intact assemblies, of these infiltration units, is rare(and difficult, as they are typically found in or near Gargoyle lairs), but when they do, Clan Gothec immediately disguises them as something else, rather than keep them in their original configuration. EIR-30 Gargoylite Drones, for instance, are often used as the basis of ‘juvenile’ humanoids or d-bees because of their small stature.
*EIR-10 Gargoyle Drone
*EIR-15 Gargoyle Manned Robot
*EIR-20 Gurgoyle Drone
*EIR-30 Gargoylite Drone
*EIR-50 Gurgoyle Android(AI only, and those tend to be very hard to come by thanks to the Gargoyles almost always destroying the AI brains of lobotomized members of their species)
*EIC-100 Gargoyle Cyborg

-Domestic Robots---Domestic robots are fairly easy to come by, especially in the aftermath of a monster attack on an NGR community. Priority is given to rescuing living people and military hardware, rather than domestic goods, so even high-priced civilian robotics are low on the list of immediacy when it comes to recovery efforts. Domestic robot retreads are common in Clan Gothec, though they tend to be heavily modified in order to survive(frame reinforcement, AI upgrades, faux flesh coverings, improved powerplants, and concealed weapons are particularly popular). Also, Clan Gothec ‘domese’ are considered very handy for interfacing with the organics, since many of them retain their ‘friendly robot’ appearances and attitudes. Clan Gothec also makes some side money and business contacts renting the service of ‘domestic robots’ to interested parties in the NGR.
*V-100 Housekeeper
*V-200 Robot Chauffeur
*V-250 Landscaper/Farm Worker
*V-1000 Personal Assistant-Bot
*V-500 Robot Pet--Clan Gothec finds hundreds of lost or abandoned robot pets. While they present little in the way of new oreseme members, repaired V-500s have proven useful as recon units.

-Cyborgs---Parts are parts, and Clan Gothec can use cyborg parts as readily as it can robot parts. Being human-scaled for the most part makes scavenging cyborg components even more attractive.
*VX-300 Striker ‘Borg---Fairly common
*VX-320 Cyclops---Fairly common
*VX-340 Slasher---Fairly common
*VX-370 Stopper---Fairly common
*VX-500 Manhunter---Fairly common
*VX-635 Prowler---Rarely found, given the specialized nature and hazardous missions assigned these ‘borgs.
*VX-2010 Marauder---Rare
*VX-2020 Monster---Rare
*XML Series Cyborg Combat Pilot---Clan Gothec has managed to encounter ONE of these cutting edge Luftwaffe cyborgs, after he was shot down near one of Clan Gothec’s scavenging parties. The tribe was able to save the downed pilot from being captured by a particularly persistent band of Brodkil (with rare Gargoyle support), and got him back to friendly NGR lines as quickly as possible. The Gothecs were scrupulously courteous to their charge, but were also careful to make sure the man had several unknowing encounters with Tinkers with covert techno- and psionic-scanning abilities, before he was returned to his people.

-Gargoyle Robots
Gargoyle Empire hardware is a fairly common find on the battlefield, and the NGR is a lot less careful about immediately investigating and recovering wrecks. Thus, they’re less likely to care who scavenges the wrecks, as long as they aren’t enemies of the NGR. The Gothecs can also openly make their own wrecks to scavenge, as they are avowed enemies of the Gargoyles and Brodkil, another thing the NGR doesn’t mind. However, the generally lower levels of technology in Gargoyle hardware, and the attention paid by the NGR to suspiciously fully functional Gargoyle gear means the Gothecs avoid restoring the wrecks to functionality, and instead mine the ‘bots for parts and materials for the most part.
*G-20 Gargoyle Avenger Combat Robot----Clan Gothec finds plenty of wreckage of these war machines around Europe, but is loathe to use these chassises in their entirety. Mainly, Clan Gothec scavenges them for weapons systems, components, and scrap materials.
*Gargoyle G-30 Wrecker Combat Robot---Similarly, larger oreseme are harder to hide and disguise, so giant examples based on Gargoyle hardware are generally nonstarters. As with the G-20s, any G-30s that are found before the NGR claims them, are cut up for scrap.
*Gargoyle G-40 Super Robot--- The Gothecs simply mine these ‘bots for materials and their energy flails.

Mindwerks Robots
It’s rare, but the Angel of Death HAS been known to send robot troops out to help her minions...and occasionally Clan Gothec has encountered them, or their remains. The Gothecs often pass off parts of these machines as ‘Eastern cyborg parts’.
*M-1000 Panther Robot
*M-1200 Lion Assault Robot
*M-1400 Tiger Robot
*M-1600 Bear Manned Robot

Russian Cyborgs
Increasingly, Western Europe has seen growing numbers of Russian cyborgs traveling in search of work, adventure, or refuge. Besides fresh kills occasionally providing a bit of salvage, these immigrant cyborgs have also provided Clan Gothec members with plausible disguises as wandering Russians and experimental cyborgs.
Few Warlord-specific cyborg types have been encountered/acquired by the Gothecs; mainly general category cyborgs.

Tarnow Kingdom Robotics
The Gothecs have not yet ventured to make any serious attempts to acquire Tarnow robots, as they are on the wrong side of the NGR, geographically, to easily access their markets and the Black Market in Tarnow hardware. The Wayfinders have expressed an interest in acquiring samples of any of the magically-created megadamage vehicles and robotics that Tarnow creates, the wish-list dependent on circumstance and availability. They HAVE managed to acquire four TC-R2 boat-robots, and have armed them, re-equipped them with stealth hardware, installed AIs, and use three of them as stealth runner-boats to Britain. The fourth has been given to the DarkWaters.

Equipment Notes:
The fact that the Black Market of North America has apparently shared with their European counterparts(or perhaps it’s a parallel development) the idea of using ROBOT ANIMALS, especially dinosaurs, as smuggling vehicles, has worked to the Gothecs’ advantage. The prevalence of large dinosauroid beasts of burden such as the Eurotorpid means that many robot components can be recycled as chassis parts disguised under a layering of padding ‘muscle’ and faux-skin.

Note 2: The Gothecs, in addition to integrating many weapons into their bodies, also pick up and use conventionally configured weapons as normal. Part of this is convenience, and another part is disguise. If caught using prohibited weapons such as TX-42 Pulse Rifles, the Gothecs can simply claim they scavenged them off the battlefield or picked them off bandits(correct, most of the time) and were only using them until they could turn them over to the NGR, and quickly divest themselves of the weapons accordingly. On the few times this has happened, the NGR troops have obligingly relieved the parties of the weapons, given them a warning, and not investigated much, if any, further. In most cases, the Gothecs have voluntarily approached NGR troops, returning known ‘hot’ items to them, in order to build trust with local soldiers and field commands.
Also, the Gothecs use many scavenged lower-tech weapons and Gargoyle weapons, even if they have to mount them like heavier weapons(‘technical style’) as adhoc artillery. For the most part, the NGR doesn’t mind the practice, as long as the weapons are never turned on the NGR or their allies.


Note 3: “*X-2010 Longstrike Precursor” extrapolates the properties of an industrial loadlifter stated to be the basis of the X-2010 Longstrike. For purposes of these charts, the liberty was taken of figuring that the original industrial ‘bot had no weaponry, half the MDC, and was likely slightly faster, due to its lighter un-armored weight.


The following charts are just general guidelines for creating a Gothec oreseme from scratch; if random rolls produce something just too unbalanced(like an SDC domestic robot body mounted on giant Forager legs, or a Landcrab body walking along on cyborg legs), use commonsense, like a reasonable Gothec Tinker would. The Gothecs are aiming for balance and versatility, not freakish creations that might become mentally unhinged by their absurd configuration.

Parts:
Kurt Kurensdorf stared at the family’s new robot maid, standing in the hall in front of his parents’ bedroom, eyes glowing, his mother and father crawling frantically past the ‘bot’s feet, the ‘bot’s right arm technotransformed into a giant double-barrel heavy machine gun, something not known to be standard to Triax-made V-100 Housekeepers, twin seemingly endless belts of ammunition flying from under its frilly uniform skirt and into the gun, and exiting as blazing trails of destruction into the bedroom. Something inhuman screamed out of sight, its screech audible even over the thundering pounding of the assault weapon. Gun gases and shockwaves beat up the hall, like bursts of wind, tossing loose debris and ruffling his hair.
“Cool” was the numbed thought running through Kurt, as he moved to help pull his parents to safety.

A. Main Body
The Main Body is the core of the new oreseme. Rarely, though, does Clan Gothec find a perfect condition main torso, and typically must modify and heavily repair what they do find. The size of the main torso also helps determine what size of other limbs and weapons systems can be supported.
Note that power armors and robots may have internal spaces that can be used to hold internal storage spaces, special systems, extra weapons, or system enhancements.

01-05% *V-100 Housekeeper/V-200 Robot Chauffeur(90 SDC)(Robotic P.S. 15 )(-30% to all subsequent body parts rolls)
06-10% *V-250 Landscaper/Farm Worker/V-1000 Personal Assistant-Bot(120 SDC)(Robotic P.S. 15)(-30% to all subsequent body parts rolls)
11-15% *T-21 Terrain Hopper(170 MDC)(Bionic P.S. 20 )(30% chance of T-C20 with backpack mini-missile launcher)(-25% to all subsequent body parts rolls)
16-20% *Cyborg Body (See Cyborg Sub-table, below)(-15% to all subsequent body parts rolls)
-21% *EIR-30 Gargoylite Drone(50 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 20) (-25% to all subsequent body parts rolls)
22-33% *DV-12 Dyna-Bot(130 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 40)
34-37% *DV-15 Sentry-Bot(160 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 40)
38-43% *DV-40 Hunter/Killer Drone(300 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 40)(15% chance of retaining functional flanethrowers, or can be replaced with chemical sprayers instead. 10% chance of retaining shoulder ion blaster)
44-45% *DV-39 Wolf(200 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 30)(-15% to all subsequent body parts rolls)
46-51% *X-10 Predator(380 MDC)( Bionic P.S. 40)
52-55% *X-60 Flanker(380 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 30)(15% chance of functional grenade launchers)
56-59% *X-535 Jager/Hunter(340 MDC)( Robotic P.S. 40)
-60% *X-545 Super Hunter(650 MDC)( Robotic P.S. 50)(10% chance of functional mini-missile launchers, ion cannons)
61-63% *X-1000 Ulti-Max(400 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 40)(5% chance of functional mini-missile launchers)
64-65% *EIR-20 Gurgoyle Drone(200 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 30)
-66% *M-1000 Panther(250 MDC)(Robotic P.S.40 )(10% chance of functional mini-missile launcher)
-67-68% *EIR-10 Gargoyle Drone(250 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 40 )
-69% *M-1400 Tiger Assault Robot(250 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 40) (10% chance of 1d4 functional mini-missile launcher tubes)
-70% *M-1200 Lion Assault Robot(350 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 40) (10% chance of retaining functional rail gun, 10% of 1-2 remaining mini-missile launchers, 20% of functional secondary arms)
-71-72% *EIR-15 Gargoyle Manned Robot(280 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 40) (+20% to subsequent parts rolls)
-73-76% *G-20 Gargoyle Avenger Combat Robot(350 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 38 ) (30% chance of retaining functional torso ion blasters, 25% chance of functional back mini-missile launcher)(+20% to subsequent parts rolls)
-77-82% *X-500 Forager(350 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 40)(25% chance of retaining functional Ion Belly Gun turret, 15% chance of retaining MRM launch racks) (+20% to subsequent parts rolls)
-83% *M-1600 Bear Manned Assault Robot (580 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 50)(10% chance of 1-2 functional grenade launchers, 1d4 mini-missile launchers)(+25% to subsequent parts rolls)
-84-89% *X-2010 Longstrike Precursor(280 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 55)(+25% to subsequent parts rolls)
90-95% *X-622 Bug(400 MDC)(10% chance of retaining functional heavy rail gun and/or rear laser turret, mini-missile launcher)(+30% to subsequent parts rolls)(Robotic P.S. 40)
95-00% *X-821 Landcrab(650 MDC)(Robotic P.S. 60 )(10% chance of retaining functional rear laser turret, mini-missile launcher) (+30% to all subsequent body parts rolls)

A1. Cyborg Body Sub-Table
01-25% *VX-300 Striker ‘Borg (180 MDC)(Bionic P.S. 24)
26-35% *VX-320 Cyclops (180 MDC)(Bionic P.S. 24)(10% chance of functional grenade launcher, ion blaster)
36-50% *VX-340 Slasher(180 MDC)(Bionic P.S. 27)
61-75% *VX-370 Stopper(200 MDC)(Bionic P.S. 27 )
76-89 *VX-500 Manhunter(280 MDC)(Bionic P.S. 30)(10% chance of 1d6 functional mini-missile launchers)
90-94% *VX-635 Prowler(180 MDC)(Bionic P.S. 24)
95-97% *VX-2010 Marauder(660 MDC)(Bionic P.S. 40)(10% chance of functional chest blasters)
98-99% *VX-2020 Monster(680 MDC)(Bionic P.S. 40)(10% chance of functional chest blasters)
-00% *EIC-100 Gargoyle Cyborg(250 MDC)(Bionic P.S. 30 )


B. Head
The Head is often the first part of a Clan Gothec member that an outsider first sees. Even with heavy cosmetic modification, the head’s capabilities can be determined by its origins.
01-10% *EBA Helmet---(40-90 MDC)Fairly easy to come by, and often allows the orseme to pass itself off as a power armor or cyborg. A helmet fitting, however, may require addition of extra sensors or communications systems(can default to basic robot and audio systems).
11-16% *V-100 Housekeeper/*V-200 Robot Chauffeur(30 SDC)(80% likely to be covered by a helmet, see above)
17-22% *V-250 Landscaper/Farm Worker/*V-1000 Personal Assistant-Bot(35 SDC) (80% likely to be covered by a helmet, see above)
23-30% *Cyborg Head(See Cyborg Sub-table, below)
-31% *EIR-30 Gargoylite Drone(30 MDC)
32-34% *T-21 Terrain Hopper(60 MDC)
35% *T-31 Super Trooper(75 MDC)
36-50% *DV-12 Dyna-Bot(40 MDC)
51-55% *DV-15 Sentry-Bot(50 MDC)
56-65% *DV-40 Hunter/Killer Drone(90 MDC)
66-68% *DV-39 Wolf(90 MDC)
69-71% *X-10 Predator(90 MDC)
72-74% *X-60 Flanker(90 MDC)
75-83% *X-535 Jager/Hunter(75 MDC)
84-85% *M-1000 Panther(110 MDC)(25% chance of functional head lasers)
86-90% *X-1000 Ulti-Max(70 MDC)
91-92% *M-1200 Lion Assault Robot(120 MDC)
93-94% *M-1400 Tiger(100 MDC)(25% chance of functional head lasers)
95-99% *EIR-10 Gargoyle Drone/*EIR-15 Gargoyle Manned Robot/*EIR-20 Gurgoyle Drone(80 MDC)(25% chance of functional eye lasers, chemical sprayer)
-00% *M-1600 Bear(180 MDC)(25% chance of functional head lasers)


B1. Cyborg Head Sub-Table
01-25% *VX-300 Striker ‘Borg (60 MDC)
26-35% *VX-320 Cyclops (50 MDC)
36-50% *VX-340 Slasher(90 MDC)
61-75% *VX-370 Stopper(90 MDC)
76-89 *VX-500 Manhunter(90 MDC)
90-94% *VX-635 Prowler(60 MDC)(25% chance of functional head lasers)
95-97% *VX-2010 Marauder(100 MDC)
98-99% *VX-2020 Monster(120 MDC)
-00% *EIC-100 Gargoyle Cyborg(100 MDC)(25% chance of functional eye lasers, chemical sprayer)

C. Arms
Arms are the manipulators and weapons mounts of most Clan Gothec oreseme.
Arm selection tends to be, but is not always, symmetrical; some orseme may sport different arms, or two of a particular arm(if the original configuration was already asymmetrical, as with the X-10 Predator, VX-300 Striker cyborg, VX-370 Stopper and the VX-635 Prowler). GM/creator’s prerogative.
01-05%*V-100 Housekeeper/*V-200 Robot Chauffeur(30 SDC each)(Robotic P.S. 15)
06-10% *V-250 Landscaper/Farm Worker/*V-1000 Personal Assistant-Bot(35 SDC each)(Robotic P.S. 15)
11% *EIR-30 Gargoylite Drone(15 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 20)(25% chance of retaining functional laser fingers)
12-22% *Cyborg Arm(See Cyborg Sub-table, below)
23-30% *T-21 Terrain Hopper(40 MDC each)(30% chance of T-C20 arm with forearm laser)(Bionic P.S. 20 )
31-40% *DV-12 Dyna-Bot(40 MDC each)(35% chance of functional laser fingers)(Robotic P.S. 40)
41-45% *DV-15 Sentry-Bot(45 MDC each)(35% chance of functional laser fingers)(Robotic P.S. 40)
46-50*% X-10 Predator(230 MDC each)(20% chance of functional X-10-453A Pulse Laser)( Bionic P.S. 40 )
51-56% *DV-40 Hunter/Killer Drone(100 MDC each)(20% chance of functional chainsaw, vibroblade, laser finger guns, or concealed particle beam rod)(Robotic P.S. 40)
57-59% *X-60 Flanker(150 MDC each)(25% chance of having functional Hydraulic Arm Extension, 15% functional baton launchers)(Robotic P.S. 30)
60-63% *X-535 Jager/Hunter---(190 MDC each)(25% chance of functional Forearm mini-missile launchers-or can be used to slot cyborg forearm weapons)(Robotic P.S. 40)
-64-65% *EIR-20 Gurgoyle Drone (60 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 30)(25% chance of functional laser fingers)
-66% *M-1000 Panther(90 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 40)
67-68% *X-545 Super Hunter(150 MDC each)(25% chance of functional Forearm mini-missile launchers-or can be used to slot cyborg forearm weapons)(Robotic P.S. 50)
-69% *M-1200 Lion Assault Robot(120 MDC each) (Robotic P.S. 40)
70-74% *X-1000 Ulti-Max(220 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 40)
75-77% *X-622 Bug(260 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 40)
-79% *X-821 Landcrab(500 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 60)
-80 *M-1400 Tiger(120 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 40)(20% chance of having functional Hydraulic Arm Extension)
81-82% *EIR-10 Gargoyle Drone(60 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 40 )(25% chance of retaining functional laser fingers, 30% chance of vibroblades)
83-84% *EIR-15 Gargoyle Manned Robot(80 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 40) (25% chance of retaining functional laser fingers, 30% chance of vibroblades)
85-94% *X-500 Forager(240 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 40 )
95-99% *G-20 Gargoyle Avenger Combat Robot(250 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 38)( 30% chance of vibroclaws)
-00% *M-1600 Bear(280 MDC each)(Robotic P.S. 50)(15% chance of having intact multi-weapons arm, 20% chance of having knuckle laser blasters)


C1. Cyborg Arm Sub-Table
01-25% *VX-300 Striker ‘Borg (40 MDC each)(Bionic P.S. 24 )(15% chance of intact VX-300 Tail Gun assembly)
26-35% *VX-320 Cyclops (40 MDC each)(Bionic P.S. 24 )(25% chance of functional ion/laser forearm guns)
36-50% *VX-340 Slasher(40 MDC each)(Bionic P.S. 27 )(50% chance of vibroblades)
61-75% *VX-370 Stopper(50 MDC each)(Bionic P.S. 27)(15% chance of functional VX-370 particle beam forearm assembly, 20% chance of functional machine gun)
76-89 *VX-500 Manhunter(60 MDC each)(Bionic P.S. 30)
90-94% *VX-635 Prowler(50 MDC each)(Bionic P.S. 24 )(15% chance of functional VX-635 multiweapon forearm assembly, 50% chance of vibroblade)
95-97% *VX-2010 Marauder(75 MDC each)(Bionic P.S. 40)( 50% chance of vibroblade)
98-99% *VX-2020 Monster(75 MDC each)(Bionic P.S. 40)
-00% *EIC-100 Gargoyle Cyborg(60 MDC each)(Bionic P.S. 30)(25% chance of retaining functional laser fingers, 30% chance of vibroblades)

D. Legs
Legs determine the mobility of the new oreseme. While multiple legs may be possible, Clan Gothec generally favors the biped humanoid form for sapient oreseme.
MPH speed listings are for the legs on their original main body frames; depending on the rest of the body, maximum speed may be adjusted upwards or downwards(GM’s call) or modifications/additions to the drive systems may compensate.
Also note that Main Body frames such as the Bug/Landcrab are designed for four legs.
Legs will always be symmetrical; the Gothecs attempt to balance leg placement. It’s possible with multiple(4 or more) legs, that different pairs of legs may be mixed, but the Gothecs will try to keep symmetry and balance.

01-02% *V-100 Housekeeper/*V-200 Robot Chauffeur(30 SDC each)(15 MPH)
03-04% *V-250 Landscaper/Farm Worker/*V-1000 Personal Assistant-Bot(35 SDC each)(15/31 MPH)
05-10% *T-21 Terrain Hopper(50 MDC each)(MPH)
11-20% *Cyborg Leg(See Cyborg Sub-table, below)
21-21% *EIR-30 Gargoylite Drone(30 MDC each)(10 MPH)
22-30% *DV-12 Dyna-Bot(60 MDC each)(120 MPH)
31-34% *DV-15 Sentry-Bot(70 MDC each)(100 MPH)
35-40% *DV-40 Hunter/Killer Drone(120 MDC each)(70 MPH)
41-43% *DV-39 Wolf(95 MDC each)(120 MPH)
44%-44% *M-1400 Tiger(120 MDC each)(150 MPH)
45-50% *X-60 Flanker(120 MDC each)(50 MPH)(10% of functional mini-missile launchers)
51-55% *X-535 Jager/Hunter(120 MDC each)(140 MPH)
56-60% *X-10 Predator(130 MDC each)(50 MPH)
61-63%% *X-545 Super Hunter(200 each)(70 MPH)
64-68% *X-622 Bug(260 MDC each)(60 MPH)
69-71% *X-821 Landcrab(400 MDC each)(60 MPH)
72-76% *X-1000 Ulti-Max(200 MDC each)(44 MPH)
77-81% *X-500 Forager(200 MDC each)(60 MPH)
82-85% *X-2010 Longstrike Precursor(250 MDC each)(34 MPH)
-87% *EIR-10 Gargoyle Drone(130 MDC each)(40 MPH)
-88 % *EIR-15 Gargoyle Manned Robot(150 MDC each)(40 MPH)
89-90% *EIR-20 Gurgoyle Drone(130 MDC each)(30% chance of functional Particle Beam Rod)(50 MPH)
-91 *Hoverjets---In place of legs, the oreseme is carried on hoverjets taken off either a M-1000 Panther or an M-1200 Lion Assault Robot, pr cobbled together from hovervehicle parts. These jets can be mounted directly on the main body, or can be mounted on stub legs that allow a rudimentary walking ability(5-10 MPH). (80-140 MDC each)(220-400 MPH)
92-96 *G-20 Gargoyle Avenger Combat Robot(120 MDC each)(60 MPH)
97-98% *M-1600 Bear Combat Robot(240 MDC each)(60 MPH)
99-00% *Wheels---Cheaper and less noisy than hoverjets, wheels allow for rapid movement on firm, level, ground, and provide good traction for hauling(and those autobahns just look -so- tempting!). Number and size of wheels on an oreseme may vary; from 1-4 on a human-sized example, to six or more on larger ‘bots. As with the hoverjets, wheels may be mounted directly on the main body, or attached to articulated stub legs that allow the ‘bot to ‘walk’ over obstacles and rough ground, albeit at a much slower pace than driving. (10-100 MDC each)(80-180 MPH)

D1. Cyborg Leg Sub-Table
01-25%*VX-300 Striker ‘Borg (75 MDC each)(120 MPH)
26-35%*VX-320 Cyclops (70 MDC each)(100 MPH)
36-50%*VX-340 Slasher(80 MDC each)(100 MPH)
61-75% *VX-370 Stopper(80 MDC each)(100 MPH)
76-89*VX-500 Manhunter(100 MDC each)(70 MPH)
90-94%*VX-635 Prowler(75 MDC each)(120 MPH)
95-97%*VX-2010 Marauder(140 MDC each)(70 MPH)
98-99%*VX-2020 Monster(140 MDC each)(15% chance of functional leg mini-missile launchers)(70 MPH)
-00%*EIC-100 Gargoyle Cyborg(90 MDC each)(30% chance of functional Particle Beam Rod)(90 MPH)


E. Weapons Systems
These are weapons not typically found as part and parcel of a salvaged limb. Extra weapons systems may be incorporated into an enlarged limb, extra appendage, or shoulder-mount.
Human-sized ‘bots may have 1d4 additional weapons systems. Larger ‘bots may sport as many as 1d8.

01-10% *Energy Pistol---These are reworked regular personal weapons that have been integrated into the oreseme’s structure. Energy weapons may be able to take advantage of linkage to the ‘bot’s power systems. (See E1 Sub-Weapons: Pistols, listed below)
11-20% *Energy Rifle---These are reworked regular personal weapons that have been integrated into the oreseme’s structure. Energy weapons may be able to take advantage of linkage to the ‘bot’s power systems. (See E2 Sub-Weapons: Rifles, listed below)
21-30% *Blades---Salvaged Gargoyle wing blades
31-35% *T-C20 Terrain Hopper backpack mini-missile launcher
36-39% *DV-39 Back-Mount Laser
40-43% *DV-39 Back-Mount Ion Cannon
44-46% *VX-320 Multiple Grenade Launcher System
47-49% *VX-300 Multiple Grenade Launcher System
50-54% *VX-500 MiniMissile Tube Launcher(s) (1d6)
55-57% *Mini-Laser Turret---Same as that mounted on the XM-50 Pod
58-60% *Pulse Laser Turret---Same as that mounted on the XM-60/70 Pod
61-65% *Blast Knuckles---Gargoyle Blaster Knuckle Spikes
66-71% *Eye Lasers---If eye lasers are already possessed, these can be mounted elsewhere(like laser headlights)
72-74% *WR-12 Giant Ion Pistol
75-77% *Ion Cannon---Same as mounted in the chest of the X-545 Super Hunter.
78-82% *G-20 Gargoyle Avenger Combat Robot Ion Chest Blaster
-83% *X-80 Butterfly Short Range Missile Launchers, 1-2
84-94 % *Rail Guns (See E3 Weapons: Rail Guns, listed below)
-95-96% *M-1200 Lion M44 Dual Ion Cannon Arm(sometimes mounted as a tail appendage)
-97% *X-2000 Dyna-Max Forearm Laser
-98% *VX-180 Maxi-Rail Gun
-99% *X-821 Landcrab Weapon Arm(particle beam + rail gun)
-00% *G-30 Energy Flail(sometimes mounted as a tail appendage)


E1 Sub-Weapons: Pistols
01-05% VP-01(SDC) ‘VolksPistole” Laser Pistol
06-20% WT-10 Laser Pistol
21-30% TX-5 Pump Pistol
31-35% TX-6 Revolver
36-45% TX-20 “Short” Laser Pistol
46-50% TX-22 Precision Laser Pistol
51-55% TX-23 Laser Assault Pistol
56-65% TX-24 Ion Pistol
66-75 % TX-25 Ion Pistol
76-80% TX-26 Particle Beam Pistol
81-84% TX-27 Particle Beam Pistol
85-97% WR-10 Wilderness Ion Pistol
98-00% Laser Wrist Blasters---Scavenged Kittani weapons


E2 Sub-Weapons: Rifles
01-03% VP-02 (SDC) “Hellfighter” Laser Rifle
04-10% WT-20 Laser Rifle
11-20% TX-11 Sniper Laser
21-24% TX-SL12 Sharpshooter Laser Rifle
25-26% TX-SL13 Ultra Sniper Rifle
27-35% TX-A1 Briefcase Shotgun---The Gothecs have a fondness for these weapons because their folding, easily-concealed, designs inspired ‘mecha-gami’ or ‘orse-gami’ mountings for other weapons.
35-40% TX-A2 Briefcase Submachine Gun
41-45% TX-16 Pump Rifle
46-48% TX-17 Assault Rifle
49-55% TX-30 Ion Pulse Rifle
56-57% TX-42 Laser Pulse Rifle
58-62% TX-43 Light Assault Laser Rifle
63-65% TX-45 Particle Beam Rifle
66-67% TX-46 Particle Beam Rifle
68-75 % WR-15 Wilderness Laser Rifle
76-80% WR-17 Wilderness “Double” Rifle
81-85% WR-19 Plasma Ejector
86-88% TX-75 Grenade Launcher
89-92% TX-SS01 Exterminator Shotgun
93-94% M-12 Plasma Pistol
95-96% M-18 Ion Pulse Pistol
97-99% M-40 Ion Rifle
-00% M-120 Plasma Rifle

E3 Weapons: Rail Guns
01-35% TX-50 Rail Gun
36-61% TX-500 Borg Rail Gun
62-75% TX-150 “Man-Killer” Gatling Rail Gun
76-84% Antipersonnel Rail Guns---The same rail gun arms as fitted to the Dyna-Max.
85-89% TX-250 Rail Gun
90-94 % Heavy Antipersonnel Rail Guns---Same weapon fitted as sub-arm assemblies to the Talon and Gunman ‘bots.
95-00% WR-200 Giant Rail Gun

F. A.I. Core
The Artificial Intelligence is core to the Oreseme; it provides the core programming and determines the general attitudes of the new machine to begin with. Even with alterations and modifications, and Ecotroz Awakening, the original AI can have a profound influence on what shape the emergent persona takes.
Awakened domestic robots(as in the ‘V’-series) tend to be more sociable and relate to organics more readily. Even with added combat capabilities, they may be more protective of the ‘fleshies’(or, inversely, more contemptuous of the ‘meatbags’).
Awakened DV-series AIs tend to be more militant and aggressive, especially those from DV-40s.
Awakened EIRs seem to possess special insight into dealing with Gargoyles, especially with regards to hunting them.
Mindwerks AIs are rarely ever used to motivate mobile robots; even Awakened, the Mindwerks AIs tend to be creepy and borderline psychotic, if they aren’t the equivalent of catatonic when not actively hunting things. Attempts to use psionics to ‘read’ them seem to run into a barrier of confusion. It’s possible that the AIs may be affected by some lingering psychic ‘taint’ of their mad creators. Using a Mindwerks AI in an oreseme requires special permission from the tribe’s superiors. Given that the supply of intact Mindwerks AIs is very small indeed, Clan Gothec Tinkers really don’t see that as a pressing issue.
01-15% *V-100 Housekeeper
16-24% *V-200 Robot Chauffeur
25-35% *V-250 Landscaper/Farm Worker
36-40% *V-1000 Personal Assistant-Bot
41-60% *DV-12 Dyna-Bot
61-75% *DV-15 Sentry-Bot
76-83% *DV-40 Hunter/Killer Drone
84-89% *EIR-10 Gargoyle Drone
90-95% *EIR-20 Gurgoyle Drone
96-98% *EIR-30 Gargoylite Drone
-99% *EIR-50 Gurgoyle Android
-00% *Mindwerks AI

G. Special Features
Tinkers love to ...well, tinker..so it’s not unusual that they may add special features to their oreseme creations. Many of these special features are EShemar Upgrades granted their oreseme creations, or sent along by patron Tribes as rewards for especially profitable or effective actions/acquisitions carried out by the Gothecs.
Can choose or randomly roll 1d4 Special Features.

01-15% *Faux Flesh---Covers the oreseme completely or partially in fake skin/flesh. This is a disguise feature more commonly given to human-scale robots, although a few large ‘animal’ oreseme have been so disguised. Partial Cyborgs are a common disguise for both humanoid and animal configurations. Full-body faux coverings can also incorporate cyberdisguise features, allowing for alterations in appearance.

16-20% *Regenerative Repair/Bionic Cybernanite Repair Systems---A modified bionic nanotech repair system that originated with the Ecotroz Shemar, but has also been adopted by the Ghost Riders. These systems repair 4d6 MD per hour, and can repair 40-60 MDC before needing material stocks to convert to MD repair material.

21-24% *Power Jaws---Enhanced bite, often taken in conjunction with the Cybernanite Repair System, so the ‘bot can simply ‘eat’ materials to be assimilated(otherwise it must rely on external means of breaking down the material, or use special preparations of materials). Human-sized ‘bots will typically have jaws doing 1d4 MD, while larger oreseme range up to 3d6 MD on a bite attack.

25-30% *Enhanced Powerplant---Battery- or limited-duration nuclear cell-powered ‘bots can benefit from more advanced EShemar powerplants. Battery-powered ‘bots now have 10-20 year energy lives. Enhanced power systems may also allow for increases of speed, as much as 1d4x10%.

31-35% *Sensor Jamming---Active countermeasures; the oreseme contains active emission sensor jammers that can block out local communications and targeting systems, although EW sensors will detect the active jamming. Human-sized ‘bots will have only a 15% chance of being spotted by thermal optics and radar/motion detectors, laser targeting loses lock, and missile guidance is -2 to strike. Larger ‘bots(such as power armor-sized and larger) will have a 25% chance of going undetected, laser targeting will be -2 to strike, missiles will still be -2 to strike, and there’s a 75% chance of jamming radio communications in a 5,000 ft radius.

36-40% *Color-Change Camouflage---Basic pattern-change skinning; comes with infrared and thermal emission masking as well. Takes 1d4 melees to alter color pattern.

41-43% *Adaptive Camouflage---Copied from Triax designs, this is a more sophisticated ‘chameleon’-type optical camouflage. Observers are -4 to Perception, and -25% to Detect Concealment and Read Sensory Equipment rolls to detect the oreseme equipped with this feature.

44-46% *Enhanced Communications----Assisted by the Ghostriders(the avowed electronic warfare specialists of the Reformed Shemarrian Nation), these systems give the Gothecs the ability to listen in more effectively on NGR communications, while boosting the efficiency, range, and security of their own. Orseme with Enhanced Communications will have a +15% to Cryptography rolls. Boost range of existing communications by 50%. These systems may have extendable antennae mounts.

47-50% *Enhanced Sensors---The sensors of the oreseme are increased in range and acuity by 50%. Targeting systems get an extra +1 to strike.

51-54% *Secondary Arms---The ‘bot has a set of smaller secondary limbs, normally concealed, but which can emerge for doing precision work, or close combat. These can be concealed inside an arm or the torso. These smaller arms typically have a P.S. of 15 (30 for larger ‘bots), and 1d6x10 MD each.

55-59% *Wing Packs/Flight Capabilities---Copied or inspired by the NGR’s own flight systems, these systems often incorporate folding wings(that can appear as cloaks on humanoid-frame oreseme). For human-sized ‘bots, wing systems have 50-75 MDC each wing, and can speed the ‘bot along at 180 MPH, maximum altitude of 500 ft. For larger ‘bots, the wings have 110-250 MDC each, and speeds can hit 100 MPH at altitudes up to 500 ft.

60-69% *Enhanced Lasers----An Upgrade delivered on behalf of the Silvermoons. Laser weapons will have 25% better range and 10-20% better damage.

70-74% *Forcefield Generator---EShemar Tinkers were ecstatic about experimenting with Triax’s forcefield technology, and thus many Gothec oreseme incorporate forcefield systems. An oreseme with this feature sports a forcefield with 4d6x10 MDC.

75-89% *Frame Reinforcement---’V’-series domestic robots in particular, need to have their body frames upgraded to MDC levels(or wear body armor)(replace SDC values with MDC numbers). Others can benefit from superior EShemar armoring; improve the MDC by 25%.

90-00% *Transformative Restructuring---This permits an arm or other appendage to conceal a subsystem such as a weapon that’s normally bigger than could fit in that appendage. The ‘mecha-gami’ instantly restructures the weapon to fold up and the limb to become the subsystem or weapon in question. Popular with those wanting to mount weapon arms without sacrificing the versatility of fully functional hands.

[sunnagram]

Is there a PDF compilation of all the material in the thread? You know, like there is for Paladin Steel?

[kronos]

Is there a PDF compilation of all the material in the thread? You know, like there is for Paladin Steel?

No.. there isn't a PDF compilation of the EShemarrian material.. but there is a wikia.. that I'm slowly updating..
http://eshemarrian.wikia.com/wiki/EShemarrian_Wiki

[kronos]

taalismn.. I just noticed the HawkMoth doesn't have damage for the spray mode for its eye lasers...

Also.. uploaded Pomolar, HawkMoth and Ariarmor, although I don't have links for the Aviarmor set up just yet.

[taalismn]

taalismn.. I just noticed the HawkMoth doesn't have damage for the spray mode for its eye lasers...

Also.. uploaded Pomolar, HawkMoth and Ariarmor, although I don't have links for the Aviarmor set up just yet.

Ew...thanks....I went back in and added the stats for laser spray mode!

[kronos]

taalismn.. I just noticed the HawkMoth doesn't have damage for the spray mode for its eye lasers...

Also.. uploaded Pomolar, HawkMoth and Ariarmor, although I don't have links for the Aviarmor set up just yet.

Ew...thanks....I went back in and added the stats for laser spray mode!

Awesome.
Also uploaded Ifrita and Rapt-Rex

[taalismn]

Not a very productive weekend...was hoping to work on the Hawkmoth art, but time flies by so freakin' fast..maybe I'll get some aviarmor illos posted tomorrow....

Meanwhile, could you imagine EShemarrians and the Ecotroz loose in the world of Ghost in the Shell?
"Somebody wanna tell me why the Operators are all flaking out?"
Between Ecotroz Awakenings and Ghost Rider infiltration.....
"Good god, there's TWO of her..."

[kronos]

Not a very productive weekend...was hoping to work on the Hawkmoth art, but time flies by so freakin' fast..maybe I'll get some aviarmor illos posted tomorrow....

Meanwhile, could you imagine EShemarrians and the Ecotroz loose in the world of Ghost in the Shell?
"Somebody wanna tell me why the Operators are all flaking out?"
Between Ecotroz Awakenings and Ghost Rider infiltration.....
"Good god, there's TWO of her..."

The Ghost Riders would be in their version of Heaven/Nirvana.
I would have more uploaded on the wikia.. but I can't seem to load any wikia page.. not just the EShemarrian, but ANY wikia.

[taalismn]

Hopefully it's just a temporary lapse in your server. We can't be without Wikileaks, given its new vital importance to the global intelligence community.

[kronos]

Hopefully it's just a temporary lapse in your server. We can't be without Wikileaks, given its new vital importance to the global intelligence community.

It seems to be loading.. but incredibly slowly.. like 5 to 10 min to load one page.
Also.. I was looking through an email between you and me back when you started the BlackSteel units.. you ever finish the ARCHIE-3 HDD Hagan Decoy’Droid ??

[taalismn]

Here you go! Freshly finished(I think; I may have missed an idea or two).


ARCHIE-3 HDD Hagan Decoy’Droid
(aka ‘Eddy’)
“What do you think, Hagan?”
“You know, old buddy,I never quite appreciated how good-looking I really am. Of course, he lacks my obvious sharp wit and personal charm. That won’t hold up under any heavy scrutiny.”
“I programmed it with five hundred of your collected best witticisms. It should fool the peasants long enough.”
“Make it seven hundred just to be safe. I’ll transcribe a few cliché lines for you; like ‘Fools! You’ll never defeat me!’ or ‘You know not what powers you meddle with’! Gotta go with the classics.”

While Hagan Lonovich wasn’t willing to submit to the sort of radical bionic reconstruction as ARCHIE-3’s ex-idea man James T. was, Hagan did see that there was a pressing need for personal security, especially when the Shemarrian Civil War unexpectedly broke out. Amused by ARCHIE’s ‘OZ’ deception, Hagan mused on the possibility of creating a robot doppelganger of himself to deceive any enemies who got too close. ARCHIE-3 took up the challenge, finding it a fairly simple matter to whip up an expendable Hagan Decoy’Droid based on the A-51 Spybots. Hagan loved the idea, quipping that ‘every proper aspiring world dictator needs a few body doubles’.
HDDs aren’t jampacked with extras like other ARCHIE-bots; the HDDs’ role is to look and act as much like Hagan as possible and trick observers into thinking they’re dealing with one half of the diabolic duo. The actual robotic portion of the HDD resembles a white ceramic and plastic Skelebot more than anything else, wrapped in biosystem flesh, a faux circulatory system, several pounds of replicated organs, plastic muscles, and a psuedoskin covering. It is designed to bleed when cut, look and act like a normal human being. If the HDD is seen to exhibit capabilities above the human norm, it is explained by apparent cybernetics, with the suggestion that Hagan is a partial cyborg conversion.
A self-destruct system is integrated into the HDD as a last resort, but is designed to look like an external cause, such as an explosive vest, hand grenade, or other mishap. If necessary, the HDD is programmed to blunder into a catastrophic accident(live high tension wires, chemical vat, burning room full of munitions, etc.) , or trigger a deadman device, rather than be ‘taken alive’---the cause of death making positive identification of the body well-nigh impossible.
HDDs typically travel, just like the real one, in the company of a security contingent of other robots. If the HDD is threatened, the security robots will rush to defend ‘Hagan’ while the ‘man’ attempts to escape. Hagan has dispatched several dozen HDDs to various outposts and facilities to be seen(never all at the same time) puttering around, supervising work, and generally behaving as he does if he were a corporate office manager, and not a reclusive mad genius. If necessary, the Decoys may appear briefly to question prisoners before dismissively leaving them to the attentions of ‘his’ robots.
Further complicating the situation, Hagan and ARCHIE-3 have also had several LIVE prisoners(from their Bedlam facilities) of Hagan’s approximate build brainwashed and surgically altered to look like him, and fed cues by brain implants, to fool psychics and others who might be able to discern life signs. These lobotomized zombie-decoys have the advantage of appearing perfectly living, but they tend to be more difficult to maintain(feeding, watering, bedding, dressing, and chaperoning them) and have a relatively short shelf-life compared to the robot decoys.

Type: A3-HDD
Class: Robot , Hagan Life Decoy
Crew: Robot Intelligence
M.D.C. By Location:
Hands(2) 10 each
Arms(2) 40 each
Legs(2) 80 each
Head 40
Main Body 100
Height: 6 feet
Width: 1.2 feet
Length: 9 inches at chest
Weight: 280 lbs.
Power System: Nuclear
Physical Attributes: Equal to Robotic PS. 25, PP. 24, PB 10(Hagan decided NOT to 'spruce up' his appearance, wanting to keep THAT at least real).
Will deliberately act weaker, except in moments of ‘hysterical strength’.
Cargo: Only what can be carried in the arms or in pockets.
Speed:
Running: 90 MPH. However, the decoy will deliberately keep its speed down to human levels (Spd 19) except in emergencies, when nobody is looking, or when there will be no witnesses left alive afterwards.
Jumping: 10 ft up/across, DOUBLE with a running start in excess of 40 MPH.
Flying: Not possible without a jetpack or other vehicle accessory.
Underwater: Since the real Hagan Lonovich can swim, the HDDs are specially buoyed to be able to swim too; 10 MPH.
Market Cost: EXCLUSIVE to ARCHIE-3’s forces.
Systems of Note:
Basic Robot Audio and Visual Sensors, plus:
*Encrypted Radio Communications----The HDD uses encrypted radio communication to talk to its ‘minions’.

*VR Link---Occasionally the REAL Hagan will use the telecommunications link and his own psionic powers to ‘inhabit’ an HDD, using it as a full-body waldo proxy. This is about as close as Hagan currently wants to get to being a cyborg. The high-volume communications link, however, requires that Hagan’s control center be relatively close(20-30 miles) for this system to really be effective, otherwise the link may suffer from static interruptions(the ‘bot appears to shiver or stutter until either the link stabilizes, or the default programming cuts in to smooth motion and behavior over). While being VR-’piloted’, the HDD uses Hagan’s APMs and HTH bonuses.

*Faux Flesh Coverings----The HDD is even more heavily disguised with biosystems(not functionally necessary for the operation of the ‘bot; they’re there to give the HDD the look and feel of a live human being, and to look appropriately bloody and real if the HDD is damaged/wounded.

*PPE Gel Packs(Sutton, Rifter #53)----The HDD incorporates enough of the PPE-simulation gel packs to give the impression of being a living human being and not a machine. HDDs appear to have about 1d6 PPE; the generally low levels can be explained away by cybernetic or bionic augmentation.

Weapons Systems:
1) Concealed Arm Laser(1)---One arm hides a retracting laser, typically gimmicked to appear as a double-barreled laser derringer in an arm holster(though some HDDs carry actual laser derringers, the better to appear ‘disarmed’ if captured and frisked), or a bionic forearm weapon.
Range: 1,200 ft
Damage: 1d6 MD single blast, 2d6 MD double-barrel blast
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited

2) Concealed Vibroblade(1)---One arm hides a retracting vibroblade, again typically gimmicked to appear as a dagger in a concealed arm scabbard or a bionic forearm weapon.
Range: Melee
Damage: 1d6 MD

3) Self-Destruct---As mentioned before, HDDs are fitted with self-destruct systems that will attempt to mimic an explosive vest or grenade. The thermal explosive yield is configured to obliterate all trace of the body(and any revelations of the true nature of the HDD).
Range: 10 ft radius
Damage: (Plasma) Completely obliterates the ‘bot plus does an additional 1d4x10 MD to a 10 ft radius.

4) Use of Handheld Weapons---These are arguably the HDDs’ FIRST weapons used in an emergency situation. HDDs have access to the full arsenal of ARCHIE-3-produced small arms, including copies of Hagan’s personal body armor(120 MDC). Just like the original, the ‘bots favor the TX-5 pump pistol and Arch-22 pulse rifle.

Programming/Skills:
-General
Language/Literacy---Speaks/Understands over 30 different languages, all at 98%(but often responds only to English and Spanish---languages Hagan is KNOWN to understand)

- Human Emulation Program(Hagan-One)----This is a special version of the Human Behavior Emulation Program specially tailored by ARCHIE-3 to simulate his partner, and uses Hagan’s most commonly used behavioral habits, tics, and tendencies, as well as copy his most likely actions in simple situations. This program might be a goldmine to any psychologist who managed to get hold of it, potentially providing behavioral information on Hagan Lonovich, but the data is mainly surface dressing, meant to convince the casual observer that the Decoy really IS the real live Hagan.

Detect Ambush 60%
Detect Concealment 60%
Radio: Basic 98%
Mathematics Basic 98%
Intelligence 90%

Escape Artist 80%
Swimming 90%
Prowl 60%

-Standard Robot Combat
General Repair and Maintenance 80%
Climbing: 96%/86%
Land Navigation 94%
Radio: Basic 94%
Mathematics: Basic 98%
Weapons Systems 90%
W.P. Paired Weapons
W.P. Blunt
W.P. Knife
W.P. Rifles
W.P. Energy Rifle

-Mechanical---
Mechanical Engineer 90%
Basic Electronics 96%
Computer Repair 92%
Electrical Engineer 86%
Electricity Generation 86%
Automotive Mechanics 90%
Pick Locks 90%
Safe Cracking 80%

Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 7
Initiative + 1
Dodge +5
Parry +5
Strike +4 (+4 w/ ranged weaponry)
Roll +4
Pull Punch +5
Disarm +4
Critical Strike on a Natural 18-20
Restrained Punch 6d6 SDC
Full Strength Punch 1d4 MD
Power Punch(2 attacks) 2d4 MD
Kick 1d4 MD

[kronos]

Here you go! Freshly finished(I think; I may have missed an idea or two).


ARCHIE-3 HDD Hagan Decoy’Droid
(aka ‘Eddy’)

Huzzah! New ARCHIE-3 material. Just need some more, along with stuff for some of the fringe tribes.. which I've got a few items started..

[taalismn]

Here's a pair of quick illos for the aviarmor:
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/aviarmor_zpsqyyg60bp.jpg
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img830_zpsefwifrsq.jpg

[DhAkael]

Hopefully it's just a temporary lapse in your server. We can't be without Wikileaks, given its new vital importance to the global intelligence community.

It seems to be loading.. but incredibly slowly.. like 5 to 10 min to load one page.

At least it's not your computer eating another video card (4th in 3 years) with the techs just scratching their heads and saying "Welll hyuck gorsh, the mother board seems to be golly gee-willickers working... can't say what's wrong 'cept your card is dead."
$500 total in just tech fees.
And what's worse, I just USE my computer; I don't overclock or set the parameters to "god-like visuals". I just turn it on and it tries to burn

I know it's not as bad as poor Tal's car, but it's close (and just as distracting).

[taalismn]

[

I know it's not as bad as poor Tal's car, but it's close (and just as distracting).

Hey, my new car's a beaut! I just have to get around to having the dents that SUV-snidwit put in it repaired....

[kronos]

Hopefully it's just a temporary lapse in your server. We can't be without Wikileaks, given its new vital importance to the global intelligence community.

It seems to be loading.. but incredibly slowly.. like 5 to 10 min to load one page.

At least it's not your computer eating another video card (4th in 3 years) with the techs just scratching their heads and saying "Welll hyuck gorsh, the mother board seems to be golly gee-willickers working... can't say what's wrong 'cept your card is dead."
$500 total in just tech fees.
And what's worse, I just USE my computer; I don't overclock or set the parameters to "god-like visuals". I just turn it on and it tries to burn

I know it's not as bad as poor Tal's car, but it's close (and just as distracting).

Could be poor ventilation and cooling fan on the video card. I've seen a few literally melt down due to problems like that.

[DhAkael]

Hopefully it's just a temporary lapse in your server. We can't be without Wikileaks, given its new vital importance to the global intelligence community.

It seems to be loading.. but incredibly slowly.. like 5 to 10 min to load one page.

At least it's not your computer eating another video card (4th in 3 years) with the techs just scratching their heads and saying "Welll hyuck gorsh, the mother board seems to be golly gee-willickers working... can't say what's wrong 'cept your card is dead."
$500 total in just tech fees.
And what's worse, I just USE my computer; I don't overclock or set the parameters to "god-like visuals". I just turn it on and it tries to burn

I know it's not as bad as poor Tal's car, but it's close (and just as distracting).

Could be poor ventilation and cooling fan on the video card. I've seen a few literally melt down due to problems like that.

Bizzarely; the ventilation was fine... that was the first thing I checked.

[taalismn]

Hmm! Surprised myself...I may actually have more artwork ready to be posted tomorrow!

[taalismn]

Okay, here's the Hawkmoth:

http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/red_moon_Hawkmoon_zpspwvchq3f.jpg
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img842_zpsjd8cwpki.jpg

[taalismn]

Quick(and fairly crude) illo of a small band of Gothecs trudging through some wilderness in Europe:
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img864_zpsudx9gsya.jpg