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The first section of this thread is regarding your imports:

As I work on drafts for Splicers Preserve creatures/alien predators/flora/etc., (in between my other workloads that is), I have to wonder:

1.) What wildlife creatures/Flora have you all used as alien predators & for preserves wildlife to import into the Splicers settings thus far?

2.) How have they impacted your campaign, platoon, missions, etc.?

3.) How have hunting sessions gone to keep ravenous HAs & Warmounts fed?

I want to make sure that some of the madness I am conjuring is where it needs to be. I can tell you now, get ready to be usurped off of some of your fresh kills! Be prepared to be stuck up in a tree or in a pond for hours! Be prepared to cherish the abilities of a Saint! BE afraid I tell you.

Haha, actually my char group is heading into a preserve to see if they can catch and take dna sample of previously unknown animal In a preserve that is:D but the road there is hard and tough:D
I actually think preserves ar an importan part of the splicers universe, especially if new species gets retro engineered. That would push the librarian to send parties to get samples of previously unknown dna. Which could prove useful in Bio tech research?

Oh indeed the Preserves play a MAJOR role in the Splicers setting in my opinion. The very fact that Splicers is so biotechnologically oriented, places a major significance on any & every neo species or species reintroduction to the bio arms race.

I have come to view the Preserves as a new fountain of bio ideas that “if’ the Librarians biotech hasn’t created it yet, then perhaps the vast array of alien predators will. Tracking, and obtaining satisfactory DNA samples could be an intriguing challenge as well. For example, just imagine if you had to capture “useable” DNA from an Alien (Internecivus Raptus) that uses chemical acid for blood. What would you use to capture the appropriate DNA samples? With it being a new introduction, surely Gaia is also going to be very protective of her new pets in her precious gardens.

Yes, preserves have limitless potential. Since we can fairly establish that the splicers ecosystem isnt identical to our own. There can be introduced creatures exotic and exciting.
Given her ego, Could Gaia try and improve on what "evolution" has given her? Bear sized wolves, with a cats flexibility and prowess? Or somthing truly alien combined with something "domestic" `?

Todd Yoho's excellent "Dinosaur Swamp" sourcebook for Rifts may as well be alternately titled "Handbook of the Preserves". Both books are filled to the brim with magnificent beasts (dinos and others), vicisous man eating plants, barbarian tribes, and some excellent adventure ideas. The info need some tweaking in terms of MDC and damage to fit into the Splicers universe, however, both books are well worth it.

Now, for your questions:


1. I've brought in all the wildlife and flora from both the Dinosaur Swamp books, and a lot of the Rifts beasties as well (especially from the Wild West series.) In my Splicers-verse, the war has ragaing for a couple of hundred years and all these nanites, rampant genetic modifications, and natural (?) evolution has created some interesting side effects among the human population as well. My Splicers-verse has isolated pocket societies of beastmen, mutants, cannibals, titans, technology users (!) and even technology guardians.

A major recurring NPC group are "The Thunder Riders", a group of bandits and raiders mounted on stolen Warmounts, great, thunderous beasts from the Preserves and even the occassional hover cycle. I use Rifts Hover Cycles, with improved M.D.C. and weapons damage to fit into the Splicers world. For extra mounts or beasts, the Dinosaur Swamp books offer a HUGE variety to choose from; again, with some amped up M.D.C. to fit into the Splicers realm. These guys are both friend and foe, just depends on the situation.

2. A herd of well placed dinos or monsters can wreck a group's day. With some of the bio-weapons (spore launchers, bore rifles, etc.) being of limited effectiveness against organic targets, a rampaging beast or two can pose a threat to a PC group. One of the first Splicers adventures I had saw the PCs have to team up with a rival house against a horde of raptors. Great fight.

3. No storylines around this; will have to explore it.

I was toying with the idea of importing certain movie "aliens" and the "predator" like beasts that hunt them into the preserves located not too far from House Arkadian

Most certainly

1.) Great implementations to the setting! This should make hunting and traversing the surface that much more harder. If it’s not the Machine its those dang old rampant critters. I hadn’t even thought about the vast genetic mutations that would affect certain human pockets/survivors that have yet to be introduced into the setting. Dang… and I just saw the previews to Decent 2, lol. Just imagine “The Cave” or “Decent” type of mutations running around the subterranean areas of Splicers travel ways, sewer systems, caverns, outer haven regions or Great House entrances/catacombs, seeking to predate on Splicers. Mutation packs could easily be created using some of the items from the original sourcebook, Oh My! And I thought I was crazy at times, Guy you are a devious & a dangerous madman, what a combo perfect for SPLICERS!

2 Questions for ya:
A.) What are the Thunder Riders using to overcome the Hover cycle plague response or are the cycles rebuilt with some other forms of metal or plastics?
B.) What dinosaurs or flora (besides the horde of raptors) have you chosen the most and had a good time with from the Dinosaur Swamp bk.?

2.) A large pack of MDC raptors, man… that will certainly do the trick in my book.

3.) Can’t wait to hear about the platoon and a major hunt where they have to really make the kill and defend it from other serious Scavenger/predators.

I have pondered a similar idea as well, particularly “The Aliens.” I wondered what it would be like to have something similar to them having a large nest or hive located inside a Preserve. How would that affect the environment within & surrounding that Preserve? Abandon buildings, sewer tunnels, caverns, everything would be suspect after that and need to be flushed.

Then I augmented them and added 2 “Predator” like features along with some Chuckness and “if” Slappy & Kevin green-light this species, man-oh-man, all I have to say is the Preserves will never be the same again.

My apologies Premier, this slipped under my radar until now. In regards to your questions, here are some items regarding the LeDouche Splicer-verse:

A.) What are the Thunder Riders using to overcome the Hover cycle plague response or are the cycles rebuilt with some other forms of metal or plastics?
Almost all of the hovercycles/vehicles the Riders use are constructed of high-impact plastics, polymers, ceramics, and other non-metallic items (similar to Gorilla Glass type materials). The Riders are led by Tanaka, a Techno-Jacker, and their ranks include a good number of Techno-Jackers and TJ variants, so even the occassional metal vehicles are seen, but these are few and far between (too great a risk to non-TJ folks.)

Some of the vehicles are decades (or more) old, and must be carefully maintened. Others bear a striking resembelance to Road Warrior type vehicles; whatever can be salvaged and used. Got a dent in your ride; no big deal, weld a new piece of MDC plating!

The Riders have a means of replacing small numbers of vehicles and obtaining replacement parts through trade with a few (as yet) unrevealed resource(s), but they can't manufacture entirely new vehicles on their own. In the LeDouche Splicers-verse, a few OCCs can get around the nano-plauge, but a widespread "cure" is likely to never be found.

B.) What dinosaurs or flora (besides the horde of raptors) have you chosen the most and had a good time with from the Dinosaur Swamp bk.? Raptors are awesome; a beefed-up pack can be a good challenge for a group of players. I had an NPC Packmaster who used Raptors instead of Gorehounds.

I use a lot of stuff from both books, and draw heavily upon them for some flavor. First thing, I strip out any supernatural items (no Haunting Children), unless I can conceivably see its something replicated through bio-technology or advanced technology. I know it sounds a bit limiting, but for me, the supernatural and the Splicers-verse shall always remain seperate.

The dinos and monsters, of course, are a given. Most of the Dinosaur Swamp creations have very little magic/psionics, so this isn't really a problem. I'll substitute with something wherever I can. For example, Dilophosaurus have "natural" Stealth Fields instead of the Invisibility spells detailed in the book. A little bit of flexible thinking, and its no real problem weeding out the supernatural elements. I'll usually tweak the MDC and damage of the creatures to better match the power levels of Splicers.

Sticking with the dino theme, I had my PCs get caught in a massive sauropod stampade a'la King Kong. An unaltered saurpod already has 900+ MDC and a stomp that does 3D6x10; a stampeding herd of these is a nightmare.

I tend to stay away from the big, popular dinos (T-Rex, Spinosaurus, etc.) and throw in a few others (Anklyos, Stegos, the giant crocodile whose name escapes me.)

I also make use of the plants, poisons, toxins, etc. Ironwood is a great resource and one I could see exsisting in the Splicers world.

Yoho did a brillant job of outlining survivalists, barbarians and mutant tribes; these can come over almost unaltered. Its about I would have imagined non-House OCC evolving.

Living in Charlotte, NC for 5 years, I have a soft spot for the city of Char. The description and write up are great and sound like the type of natural, organic settlement that might escape N.E.X.U.S. notice. While it hasn't come up in any adventures, I hope to use an altered version of it at some point.

Yoho also does a good job of detailing the effects a harsh environment can have; starvation, dehydration, wounds getting infected, etc. All of that simply adds a flavor to an adventure. With Host Armors being organic constructs and weapons sometimes require full meals to regenerate ammo, provisions are an important aspect of a Splicers game.

A large pack of MDC raptors, man… that will certainly do the trick in my book. Try it sometime. Mod their stats a bit, play them smart and they can be a real challenge. They aren't the best in a stand up fight, but clever use of coordinated attacks, hit-and-runs, pursuing PCs for DAYS, herding PCs into more dangerous areas, singling out a weak opponent, hamstringing war mounts. Lots of fun. And frustrating for PCs accustomed to more "hack and slash" type play. Raptors are theorised to be pretty intelligent to begin with; in the Splicers-verse, even more so. Perhaps genetically tweaked by a certain evil AI?

I'll be happy to provide more info, just let me know.

I'm interested.

Sure thing. What would you like to hear about?

Funny.
I Treat Dino-Swamp in ROFTS as a SPLICER Preserve for my Rifts games. Its the Only way I can accept the MD Dinsaurs, etc. for my games.

I use various Aliens, Monsters, creatures from all the game books in the Preserves.
Wooly Dragons, Mega-sharks, Mega-crocs, Raptor great and Small. V-Raptors remain SDC since they are so small and do not need MD to be a meance. They would use their intelligence to wait for someone to remove their Host-Armor, Prot-Armor, Living Armor before attacking ... They have learned. Utah Raptors (Jurassic Park Height) are around. Some are SDC and some MDC. They MD one were altered by Splicers themselves for a failed War-Mount experiment. The Mega-Raptors (12ft-18ft tall) are all MD.

I have a Good Plot Device for getting DNA for things in the Preserves. The Splicer Team must capture the creature ALIVE and bring them back to the House Alive. You may ask Why Alive. This allows the Genetists and Engineers to examine the creature in detail, while supplying them with Fresh DNA to experiment with.

It's been a GOOD minute since I posted in this thread and with the current topic of Hogzilla surfacing in a recent Packmaster thread I thought it would be wise for me to go ahead and post this for you GREAT SPLICEHEADS to play test with and give us feedback.

VIRE BOAR
http://madjaguar.deviantart.com/art/Vire-Boar-209553383

The Vire boar is a species of the pig genus belonging to the historic suids of the olden days that have managed to thrive and evolved into the menacing tanks of today. Vire boars are native across many habitats and environments across the planet and have been introduced by Gaia successfully to nearly every piece of habital land on the planet. It is speculated that Gaia is utilizing the Vire boar to be a stable mainstay of a prey item for numerous predators as she expands her Preserves and to some how unconsiously provide meat for Splicers. The Resistance continues to hunt these powerful pigs and some Great Houses have even attempted to successfully farm them upon rare occasion. This has established additional populations after some Vire Boar escape from captivity.

The body of the Vire boar is compact; the head exceptionally large resembling a cross between a historic wild boar and a wart hog. The legs are relatively stocky and powerful with sharp hooves built for running and charging. One of the extraordinary features is that the fur over the years of adaptation and Gaia’s influence has become a hardened bone cartilage casing that is highly durable yet flexible like fur, that covers the entire exterior of the Vire boar and making them solid as tanks. Only the under part of the neck/throat and center of the underbelly and genital area have the less dense cartilage casing but these areas are very hard to target and reach (-6 to strike). Male stallions have additional layers of cartilage that develops from numerous battles and scar tissue healing during the mating seasons and territorial battles that form into protective shoulder armored plates, called “shields.” These shield plates add to the Vire boar’s endoskeleton cartilage casing making Vire boars a very tough adversaries. Their high testosterone levels backed by quick fuse tempers as they will charge and relentlessly fight any predator or anyone that comes within 50 feet (15.2 m) of their awareness is a reason why they are avoided unless specialized hunters like Packmasters are seeking them. Many Splicers have witnessed alien predators that have attempted to predate a Vire boar and seen the Vire boar turn around and gore or slash the would-be assailant, delivering fatal wounds in return. Vire Boars often foam at the mouth and drips along the tusks when excited or frustrated and this froth is toxic and infectious quickly spreading throughout blood streams through open wounds or gashes inflicted upon other animals, causing severe pain, nervous system and muscle deterioration. Perhaps the more disturbing accounts were when the boars began to stalk the wounded predators until the predators bled to death and the boars actually consumed the carcass. The Vire boar color usually varies from dark grey to black or brown, but there are great regional differences in color; even solid white animals are known in the Arctic regions of the planet. It is important to note that Arctic Vire boars are often much larger in scale with long white manes flowing over the neck and shoulders and going down the center of the back and also having thick tuffs of fur on the bottom of the legs near the hoofs. Vire boar piglets are colored differently from adults, having ochre, chocolate and cream colored stripes lengthwise over their bodies. The stripes fade by the time the piglet is about 6 months old, when the animal takes on the adult's grizzled grey or brown color. Litter size of Vire boars may vary depending on their location where the warmer the habitat the more piglets in the litter and vice versa.

Adult male Vire boars are known as “Stallions” and they develop 3 major pair of tusks, which continuously grow that protrude from the upper and lower canine teeth and from the huge jaw bones. These serve as formidable weapons and rooting tools. The 3 pairs of upper tusks are bent upwards in males, and are regularly ground against the lower ones or against hard surfaces such as rocks or trees to produce sharp edges. The two largest pair of tusks normally measure about 4-5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m), in exceptional cases even 6-7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m) cutters. The mid-pair are not as long and normally grow to only half the length of the larger pairs. Females called “Sows” also have sharp canines, but their tusks are smaller, also lacking the mid and upper jaw pair of tusks and the sows tusk don’t protrude out as long as the males' tusks, usually only reaching 2-3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m).

Vire Boars are situationally crepuscular or nocturnal, foraging in early morning and late afternoon or at night, but resting for periods during both night and day. If surprised or cornered, a Vire Boar (particularly a sow with her piglets or a threatened Stallion male) can and will defend itself with intense vigor. The male stallions defend themselves by lowering its head, charges, and then slashes upward with his tusks. The sows, whose tusks are not as pronounced, charges with her head up, mouth wide, and bites. Such attacks are often fatal to humans, or at the very least may result in severe trauma, dismemberment, or severe blood loss.

Sexual activity and testosterone production in males is triggered by decreasing day length, reaching a peak in mid-autumn. The normally solitary males then move into female groups, and rival males fight for dominance, whereupon the largest and most dominant males achieve the most matings.

Vire boars are a main food source for a vast array of predators (alien, natural and Splicer types) in the regions where they coexist. Wild predators typically follow boar groups, and pick them off one by one, preferring piglets as the easier catch. Some predators have been noted to chase boars for longer distances than with other prey, though they will usually avoid tackling mature male stallion boars. In many cases, Vire boars have gored many formidable and reputable predators (including Splicers & Warmounts) to death in self defense. Also noted is the ocassional predation of Vire boars by some Necroborgs when they are encountered outside of a Preserve. It is speculated that the massive amounts of agricultural destruction caused by Vire Boars and their rapid reproduction will inevitably place them on the N.E.X.U.S. pest & extermination list “if” their growing populations aren’t kept in check. It is suggested that the growing amount of reports Necroborgs predating Vires or the oddly, a Strike Fighter coming down to pick off a few boars is proof that Gaia has lifted machine killing restrictions on this species inorder to cull their numbers.

In the end it is said that Gorehounds are considered to be the major predator of Vire boars. Gorehounds will rarely attack Adult male stallions alone in a head on excursion, preferring to tear at the perineum, causing loss of coordination and massive blood loss with safety of a pack to work the vire boar. Gorehound packs are often trained in packs of at least 3-6 to secure a Vire Boar by biting and holding the boar by its large ears, snout and rear legs, holding it and allowing a seasoned Packmaster to close in and deliver the killing blow via a saber thrust to the throat or heart. This traditional hunting method known as the “Monteria” where no guns or long range weapons are used, preserves the meat and condition of the pelt for later use as food and trade components and helps hone the pack as a unit. The extent to which Vire Boars are preyed upon by Gorehounds has led to them developing a more aggressive behaviour toward both Gorehounds and Splicers, and any predator that resembles a large canid or human, sometimes targetting humanoid machines such as Nex-Androids, Drones, Steel Troopers, Slicers and Necroborgs/bots in the process.

Alignment: Animal
MDC by location:
Cartilage Endoskeleton – 400 M.D.C.
Larger Tusks (4) – 100 M.D. each
* Smaller Mid-Tusks (2) – 60 M.D. each
**** Shoulder Shields Plates (2) – 80 M.D. each
Back Spine Shields (Central Larger Row)-
* Back Spine Shields (2 Minor Rows) -
Front legs (2) – 200 M.D. each
Thigh shields (2) – 80 M.D. each
Hind Legs (2) – 180 M.D. each
* Hoofs (4) – 60 M.D. each
* Tail – 80 SDC
** Head – 280 M.D.
** Main Body – 500 M.D. for a Stallion male, 320 M.D. for a Sow

* A single asterisk indicates a target that is difficult to hit. An attacker must aim and make a “Called Shot” to hit it, and even then is –3 to strike.
** Destroying the head kills the Vire Boar, Period.
*** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body kills the Boar.
**** Shoulder shield plates are only found on male stallion Vire boars.

Speed
Running: 70 mph (112 km) for an hour at a time, but needs periods of rest or slow speed. Increase speed by 10 mph (16 km) for sows, but only in short sprints that last 1D6 minutes at a time. Reduce speed by 20% for the larger older stallions of 8 years and older.
Leaping: 5 feet (1.5 m) high and 10 feet (3 m) across, increase by half with a running start.
Digging: 10 mp (16 km) through sand or dirt, but half that speed through clay, rock or stone. They dig to uproot and search for any food and to make nesting sites and excavate abandoned animal burrows for their own nesting sites.
Swimming: 2 mph (3.2 km or 1.72 knots) on the water’s surface. They can also swim underneath the water by running along the bottom of river beds and lakes like hippos at 6 mph (9.6 km or 5.86 knots) and they can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes when submerged.
Flying: Not possible

Statistical Data:
Height: 6-7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m) at the shoulder, adult male stallions are larger measuring 8-9 foot (2.4 to 2.7 m) tall at the shoulders, but 11 foot (3.3) specimens have been recorded but are rare. The serrated jagged spine plates that adorn the spine and ridge of the Vire boars adds an additional 1-3 feet (0.3 to 0.9 m) to the overall height with males having the largest plates.
Width: 4 feet (1.2 m) shoulder to shoulder, though robust 5 footer (1.5 m) stallions have been recorded.
Length: 7-12 feet (2.1 to 3.6 m), plus a 2-foot (0.6 m) tail.
Weight: Boar stallion 2200 lbs (990 kg), Sow 1400 lbs (630 kg).
Physical Strength: PS 33 (Supernatural).
Sexual Maturity: 8-10 months, Females breed at 18 months, males about 5 years.
Production Cycle & Breeding Season: Gestation period 100-140 days; 1 year birth intervals. Mating season is throughout the year in the tropics, October to December in temperate areas.
Number of Brood: 1-12 (typically 4-8 piglets).
Average Lifespan: 15-20 years.
Number Encountered: Adult male stallions are usually solitary outside of the breeding season, but sows and their offspring (both sub-adult males and females) live in groups called “sounders”. Sounders typically number around 20 animals, although groups of over 50 have been seen, and will consist of 2 to 3 sows; one of which will be the dominant female. Group structure changes with the coming and going of farrowing females, the migration of maturing males (usually when they reach around 20 months) and the arrival of unrelated sexually active males. Also note that Vire Boars wallow in and create nasty infectious putrid water holes and mud holes that have numerous diseases, parasites and stench that warrant serious concern to anyone exposed and should be avoided at all cost.
Trade Value:
Vire Boar under belly and throat hair is used in the manufacture of boar-bristle hairbrushes, which are considered to be gentler on hair—and much more expensive—than common plastic-bristle hairbrushes. Boar hair is also used in the manufacture of paint brushes, especially those used for oil painting. Boar bristle paintbrushes are stiff enough to spread thick paint well, and the naturally split or "flagged" tip of the untrimmed bristle helps hold more paint. Because data is either stored in CDs where computer resources are limited, or the few books that can be salvaged; painting and calligraphy have become a growing trade and boar bristles are used by these Scribes to notate everything and help provide data to Librarians for those who aren’t able to be directly stabbed for the information or helps in communications between Great House senates and other clerical written needs that are utilized though human society. Several hand fulls of underbelly Vire boar hair can fetch 500 credits to the right market exchange.

Across the globe, Vire Boar are famous for their meat, and in some Great Houses the meat may often be found for sale in butcher shops or offered in restaurants, though the meat ranks among the highest priced types of meat and is mush a part of high standard cuisine as venison. The salty yet sweet meat of the Vire Boar, when cooked and prepared correctly, is a delicacy to say the least as it is said to taste far better than bacon or pork chops of the olden colonial days and is borderline addictive to many who consume it. This has created major job security mainstay and source of additional income for Packmasters who know & successfully hunt Vire boar. The fresh meat from an adult can easily fetch 10,000-12,000 credits or 100 credits per pound depending on the Great Houses bartering & exchange rates. The armored hide is also a great source for the pelt trade and good condition adult pelts can fetch 1500 – 4000 credits each. Eradication of Vire boars where they plague lands and do millions of credits worth of damage to the agriculture land and crops also fetches a bounty of 2,500 credits for every adult head brought in. Other than that Vire boar have no additional value as they don’t make good domesticated pliable livestock as they are ravenous and eat more than they are worth and only the most successful and larger Great Houses have facilitated successfully in captive breeding programs for livestock via Methane foundry and butcher meat purposes.
Horror Factor: 13 against humans, 8 against seasoned Packmasters, none against machines.
Senses & Features: Cartilage Endoskeleton & Bacteria Froth venom.
Coloration: Solid black, gray, dark brown. Liver brown, spotted pigmentation of white and gray, dull gray. Piglets have white spots and stripes that adorn the sides of their necks, back and legs. As they reach maturity these stripes fade away.
Feeding: Vire Boars are opportunistic voracious omnivore scavengers, eating almost anything they come across, including grass, fruits, nuts, berries, carrion, roots, tubers, fungi, weeds, herbs, refuse such as rotting meat and spoiled foods. Vires are also known to be opportunistic predators of young deer, antelope, sheep and lambs or any other animal they can over power individually or as a herd. Invertebrates, birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish and verterbrates including humans. Vire Boars will consume almost anything organic or human refuse (garbage or fecal matter), though they have a strong instinctive discernment of unfamiliar objects and food sources which makes them very difficult to eradicate. Vire boars have been known to be cannibalistic, particularly over the wounded, elder or weak and infanticide is common when food is scarce and rivals injured in interguild fighting will be consumed. The digestive system of Vire Boars is so powerful that they can even devour Biotechnology and biotech sludge or poisons and venoms with no ill effects. Adults usually consume 50-80 lbs (22.5 to 36 kg) of matter a day but can gorge up to 160 pounds (72 kg) if the opportunity presents itself.
Vocalization & Communication: Snorts, grunts, squealing, teeth gritting and tusks clacking. Foot stomping and digging are also signs of aggression. Roaring is done during the mating season to warn or challenge other males in a given territory.
Sleep Requirements: 1D6 Hours of sleep/rest/ inactivity per day, generally resting in nest sites or wallowing holes concealed by deep bush or foliage and coming out in sounders at nocturnal times to feed, though they can also be encountered during the day in a sounder grazing and rooting up food.
Attributes: I.Q. 2D4+3 (high animal intelligence), M.E. 1D6+4, M.A. 1D6+4, P.S. 3D6+14, P.P. 1D8+10, P.E.2D8+8, Spd 80 mph.
Number of attacks: 5
Combat Bonuses (In addition to attribute bonuses): +2 on initiative, +4 to strike with head butts, tusks slash and charges in melee combat, +2 to dodge (+3 for sows), +4 to roll with punch, impact or fall, -6 to strike weak spots of endoskeleton and totally immune to poisons, bacteria & toxins.
Instinctive Skills of Note: Detect Ambush 60%, Detect Concealment 65%, Identify Plants & Fruit (i.e. stuff it can eat) 90%, Land Navigation 80%, Swimming 65 %, Prowl 65%, Track by Scent 75%, Recognizes predators, machines and Splicers to be avoided.
Combat Capabilities: Vire boars may engage in combat using any combination of tusks, biting, head butting/ramming and kicking in melee combat:
Restrained Head Butt: 1D6 M.D.C.
Full Strength Head Butt: 4D8 M.D.
Power Head Butt: 1D6X10+10 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
Standing Stomp: 2D6 M.D.
Kick with Rear Legs: 4D6 M.D.
Tusks Slash: 5D6 M.D
Tusks Gore: 3D8 M.D.
Multiple Tusk Gore: 3D8+30 M.D.
Vibro Tusks Slash: 1D6X10+15 M.D.
Bite: 3D6 M.D.+ Froth bacteria affect
Head Toss/Flip: 2D6 M.D. plus victim loses initiative and one melee attack/action.
Body Ram: 5D6 M.D. and has a 01-85% likelihood of knocking an opponent up to 18 feet tall off his feet and onto his back. A charged/rammed target also has a 01-30% chance of being slashed by a tusk. If knocked off his feet, the target loses initiative and two melee attacks/actions. A Ram Attack counts as two melee attacks/actions for the Vire boar.
Trample: 1D6X10+10 M.D. plus victim loses initiative and two melee attacks/action. Counts as two melee attacks/actions for the Vire boar.

Noted Weapons & Defenses
1. Tusks (actually 10 total): 5 on each side (3 upper and 2 lower) that mesh into three solid tusks when the mouth is closed. Two major protruding Tusk and the middle is smaller about mid way the length of the larger sets. Mounted on the massive head of Vire boars are 3 pairs of large razor sharp carnassial tusks used to uproot food and more importantly to defend and attack adversaries. They are use to slash and gore opponents with upward or strafing charging motions.
Primary Purpose: Close Combat, Assault & Defense
Secondary Purpose: Rooting and foraging for buried food.
Mega Damage: 5D6 M.D. from individual large tusk and 2D6 M.D from a smaller mid tusk slash. 3D8 from a large single tusk gore and 3D8+30 M.D. from being gored by multiple tusks. See also bacteria saliva below.
Number of Attacks: Each strike counts as one attack
Maximum Effective Range: Hand to Hand.
Payload: Not applicable.

2. Bite (bacteria Saliva): Vire Boars secret an infectious bacteria foam toxin at the mouth that drips along the tusks when excited or frustrated that upon contact quickly spreading throughout blood streams of open wounds or gashes inflicted to other animals, causing severe pain, nervous system and muscle deterioration. The infection creates a putrid smell that Vire boars will utilize to trail and stalk wounded victims until the target collaspes by the excruciated pain or goes into shock or simply bleeds to death, allowing the boars to consume the carcass.
Primary Purpose: Defense and hunting method
Mega Damage: The venom once it penetrates into the bloodstream does 1D8 M.D. per melee round and an additional 1D6 S.D.C. or Hit Points for the first two melee rounds. Exposed or punctured victims must roll to save vs poison (bacteria) Attack (15 or higher, with any possible bonuses from P.E.) or they will also lose initiative, 1 melee attack and are –4 on all combat actions for 1D4+2 Melee rounds.
Duration: 1D4+2 Melee rounds.
Number of Attacks: counts one attack.
Maximum Effective Range: hand to hand.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

Vire Boar Hunting:
Currently Vire Boars are most often hunted both for their meat and to mitigate any damage they may cause to crops and forests. A charging boar is considered exceptionally dangerous quarry, due to its thick hide, rasor sharp tusks and dense bones, making anything less than a kill shot a potentially deadly mistake. Hunters have reported being butted up into trees by boars that have already taken a numerous shots. The Traditional hunting of Boars with dogs, Now Gorehounds:
Vire boars are a known animal that represents ferocity and some Great Houses import them and use them for traditional hunting and training for Packmasters & Gorehounds. This training is very deadly, as no long range weapons are utilized and many Gorehounds & Packmasters have lost their lives in such grueling practices of attrition and tenacity. Hunting dogs have been used to hunt boar since ancient times, and now the Gorehounds have risen to fill the niche. Vire Boar hunting Gorehounds are loosely divided into two categories, bay dogs and catch dogs. The Bay Gorehounds are oftne the sleeker and faster of the Gorehounds and are used to scent, find, chase, course, harass and harry the boar, keeping it cornered in one place, while intensely vocalizing. This behaviour is known as "baying" or keeping the boar "at bay". The bay Gorehounds alert the Packmaster(s) to the bay, and the dogs maintain a slight distance from the boar allowing the hunter(s), once caught up, to dispatch the boar with a well placed shot from a powerful firearm or allow the Catch gorehounds to enter the fray so the hog can be secured for the clean kill. ed and cleaned later as the meat from a boar goes bad very quickly.
Catch Gorehounds physically enage and fight big game quarry, taking hold of the Vire boar, typically seizing the base of the boar's ear, or sid eof the snout or a rear leg. Once the catch dogs have physical control of the boar, they will hold it down by the head indefinitely until the Packmaster arrives. The Packmaster unsheathes his saber, then comes in from behind the boar, and dispatches the boar with a deep thrust to the throat severing an artery or a thrust into the heart, instantly killing the Vire Boar. Catch dogs are typically the larger more robust specimens of Gorehounds resembling thebuild of the old molosser breeds known as the "Bully" breeds such as American bulldogs, Pit Bull teriers, Dogo Argentinos, Cane Corso and other Mastiff crosses. It is not unusual for Packmasters to utilize both bay and catch dogs on the same huntor quarry. Bay dogs are used to find the boar, initiate the chase, and pursue the quarry. Sometimes the boar will run from the bay gorehounds at first, but at some point during the chase either stop to fight or become cornered. At this point catch dogs are released to keep the boar stationary for the Packmaster. Vire boars have been known to strategically stretch a pack to chase it so when it turns around to fight the closest gorehound or two, it inflicts severe injuries and quickly turns to run again before the entire pack can catch up to it. Vire Boars that have been unsuccessfully hunted and have gained experience fighting gorehounds will repeat this pattern, literally dicing up a pack of gorehounds in one chase if allotted. Packmasters must be wary of a seasoned “dogged” Vire Boar as they are the most experienced in fighting Gorehounds and quite easily meanest “dog killers” there are.
Catch dogs and Bay dogs are both still pure Gorehounds and closely resemble each other and the physical distinctions are slight, unlike the days of old where specific pheno type breeds were established soley for conformation aesthetics & pedigree lineage. In the field where function begets form, however, these slight differences mold the Gorehound into its role in the pack and if it will be a bay dog or catch dog, or both. Most Packmasters shun from the breed distinction ideology and prefer the performance dictating the form approach over a specific look of a Gorehound. Pack efficiency and survival are simply more important to the Packmasters versus if a Gorehound has a pink nose or not or if they exceed normal standards by a few inches or afew pounds. There are other Great Houses throughout the Resistance however that have Librarians who treasure the breed distinctions of old such as the Great Houses of Warsaw (classical breeds), Glacius (utilizing Dire wolves in their Gorewolves strains in the Arctic regions), Janus (modified gorehound types & classifications), Nores (totally Dogo Argentino gorehound producer), Fei Lin (Asiatic aesthetic influenced gorehounds resembling the legendary Fu Lions or Fu Dogs), and a few other smaller Houses where breeds or varying pheno types play a significant role in their Gorehound specimens.

Some Basic XP questions.

1.) I want to know how hunting them goes and how many if any were taken out on average?

2.) Were any hunts done traditionally monteria style with Packmasters and Gorehounds and no long range weapons?

3.) What did you like and dislike the most about dealing with the Vire Boars?

Premier, you continue to excel mate, contributing so much to this great game & this latest contribution is no different
your artistic skill is amazing and your imagination and attention to detail is impressive (makes me want to finish off all my work)

keep it up mate

Thank you Krispy and I will load this one up for everyone to test as well.

CARNIFEX THYLACO RAT
aka Packrats
http://madjaguar.deviantart.com/art/Car ... -209569035

““If” there was one… species that WE could plead to Gaia to convince her to help us exterminate, it would have to be those freaking Carnifex Thylaco’s” – Sr. Roughneck Frost

One of the deadliest predators that derive from the Preserves found on many Great Houses’ extermination list is the killing artist known as Carnifex Thylaco (“Carnifex” meaning murderer, butcher, tormentor, “Thylako” -pouch, and rat meaning rodent) or dubbed “Butcher Rats” by Roughnecks. These pack-hunting marsupials are cunning and highly adaptive predators that utilize a quick killing bite, sheer numbers, pack coordination, and biological warfare to thrive in nearly any habitat. They thrive in so many habitats including plague environments like Wastelands, battlefields, ruins, Bone-yards & Sewers, as well as swamps, jungles, highlands, forest and deep subterranean areas. Particular and alarming regions such as outskirt caves & tunnels underneath havens, seedlings and catacombs/ cemeteries potentially exposes Splicers to all kinds of bacteria, chemical waste, radioactivity, micro-agents and various other germs. This means that Carnifex rats will quite commonly expose & spread fatal diseases to human communities. Some packs have been known to unconsciously expose havens to radioactivity and contaminating Splicer water/crop sources.

The Carnifex Thylaco rat is a species of carnivorous marsupial that is extremely muscular, yet lithe in its back and hindquarters with powerfully built jaws and very strong forelimbs. It’s hide resembles that of an orca in that is smooth and oily, seemingly wet, well designed for flexibility and durability. The Orbis hide keeps the Thylaco well insulated in extreme temperatures and offers a good deal of protection against its quarry’s natural defense, such as horns, antlers, claws, teeth and thorns. It possesses retractable claws that allow the talons to remain sharp and protected from being worn down. The claws are well suited to secure prey, digging through hard surfaces and for climbing. The first digits on each paw are semi-opposable and bare an enlarged claw used to grapple and slash intended prey as well as providing secure footing on tree trunks and branches. Unnerving is its double pair of sleek jade eye slits, which have an eerie milky jade color, that shows no emotion, intent or pupil, similar to the solid black eyes of great white sharks. These eyes have a translucent protective membrane that allows the Carnifex Thylaco to see clearly underwater or in dusty underground habitats. One pair provides Infrared & thermal vision (both up to 1000 feet (305 m) while the second pair provides effective nightvision up to 200 feet (61 m). The Carnifex Thylaco has exceptional olfactory that allow it to sift air molecules giving it a sense of the environment surrounding it. If the scent is carried on the wind or via a draft (if in a tunnel or cave) the beast can track by scent alone, identify specific scents, identify odors, locate & track an odor to its source up to 3000 feet (914 m). To assist its sense of smell, particular when burrowing underground, the Carnifex Thylaco has seismic sensitive pads built into it’s long scaly rat like tail that it drags along the ground allowing it to feel vibrations up to a quarter of a mile. This assist the cunning predator to tell which direction quarry or adversaries are approaching or fleeing, if they are in numbers or alone. The pads also can detect earthquakes, mining, explosions, digging and the epicenter of where it derived (up to 25 miles away). Weakened ground structures also give an echo refraction that alert the Carnifex Thylaco, reducing hidden pit falls traps to only a mere 10% success rate. The combination of these senses also gives the marsupials a good heads up of underground gases and stored pressures that might be lying in weight and allow the marsupials to avoid disrupting them while digging.

Perhaps one of the most unique features of the Carnifex Thylaco is its powerful and deadly maw. The Carnifex possesses enlarged incisors on both the upper and lower jaws, shaped for stabbing and piercing flesh, separating vertebrate, severing spinal cords, lacerating major blood vessels such as carotid artery & jugular veins. The most unusual and unique feature of the Thylaco's dentition is the huge blade-like carnassial premolars on either side of its jaws. The top and bottom carnassials work together like shears and are very effective in slicing off chunks of flesh and cutting through bone. Carnifex Thylaco dispatch their prey faster and more efficiently than most other mammalian predators. The large rats manage the feat by using the enormous slicing cheek teeth (the biggest known of any animal in the Preserves) to rip out the throats of their quarry. When the Carnifex Thylaco’s jaws close, it bites with one side of the mouth, slicing into the flesh of its prey, thus opening up massive wounds that bleed out very quickly or they suffocate the prey by collapsing windpipes. Death often occurs in less than a minute for large prey where as predators of similar scale may take up to 15 minutes to kill prey of the same scale. This is believed to be some form of adaptation to feed the large numbers that abound in their packs. The jaw muscles are exceptionally large for its size, giving it an extremely powerful bite. Its broad head and powerful armor crushing jaws are supported with a thick muscular neck. Biometric calculations estimated by Librarians have speculated that, pound for pound, it might have one of the strongest bites of any known mammal.

Because Carnifex Thylaco rats forage through carrion, decay and waste; their jaws have numerous bacteria and germs that can easily infect open wounds. The fact that their saliva contains anticoagulants, which stop the wounds from clotting and healing, often result in death to bitten quarry because of severe infections and blood loss. This combined with the rabies virus also found in the Carnifex Thylaco’s saliva have in some cases, turned Gorehounds, Warmounts, and even Host Armors (Carnivore, Omnivore, Vampiric and Parasitic metabolisms are most susceptible) against humans, warrants major concern when excursions have taken place and ALL wounds should be properly treated. There is a rising concern that Thylaco Rats have begun to make a habit of creating dens and nest near human habitats, particular near havens & seedlings, is alarming to many Great Houses and serious infestations have been known to uproot Havens and outposts. It is suspected by many Librarians that the powerful marsupial has some morphological features that have yet to be identified as typical “rodentia”, and is the only way Carnifex Thylaco-rats have not been exterminated by NEXUS, solely due to the Gaia Personality, refusing to classify them as “rats” or “pest.” It so confusing at times as to how Thylacos made the cut on the protected species list and not us humans.

There are alarming rumors that some Great Houses have began to convert Carnifex Thylaco-Rats into Gore creatures, (similar to Gorehounds) and are some how supposed to be controlled by an elite team of dark Packmaster type specialty class, though it is unlikely that such a voracious and prolific species will be held under containment or control for long durations. As the anecdotal reports continue to surge in, supposedly, packs of these creatures are being used to infiltrate rival Great Houses and even compromise seedlings & resources. This is considered highly illegal if so by the Resistance and should such frowned upon biotechnology be discovered, it is to be reported, contained then destroyed with the culprits being brought to harsh justice by that governing Great House(s) or Area of Influence.

Alignment: Animal
MDC by location:
* Front Legs (2) – 30 each
* Hind Legs (2) – 50 each
* Claws (4) – 50 each
* Scaly Tail – 20
* Teeth – 80
**Head – 110
*** Main Body - 170

* A single asterisk indicates a target that is difficult to hit. An attacker must aim and make a “Called Shot” to hit it, and even then is –3 to strike.
** Destroying the head kills the Carnifex Thylaco-Rat, Period.
*** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body kills the Carnifex-Thylaco Rat.

Speed:
Running: 80 mph (128 km) maximum, but normal coursing pace is only 50 mph (80 km). The exceptional pulmonary stamina allows the Carnifex to run down & exhaust prey at high speeds for long periods of time (1D4x10+20 minutes) before needing rest. Most often, a pack is tactical, isolating the weakest quarry and runs in relay to exhaust the prey. As one Carnifex Thylaco tires, a stronger, fresher one will join in and keep the pressure on the quarry, until the prey is exhausted and vulnerable for attack(s). Cornered quarry that are very formidable are also conducted in this manner as the Thylaco pack will corner and bay prey until the prey is exhausted trying to defend itself. The pack will harass the quarry, dipping in and out taking massive quick bites out of the quarry, bleeding it out to death, or until the killing bite can be delivered (often to the neck). Thylaco-Rats are constantly combing the vast landscapes, relentlessly looking for food and can romp at 25 mph (40 km) without pause for up to six hours before requiring rests or eight hours if it periodically takes 10-30 minute rest stops.
Leaping: 20 feet (6.1m) high or across, increase by 25% with a short running start and double when running at full tilt.
Digging: 20 mph (32km) through sand or dirt, but half that speed through clay, rock or stone. To dig down enough to adequately bury itself and hide only takes 1D4 minutes. These marsupials are such exceptional diggers that they often live deep underground (2D6X10+40 feet (12.2 m) below) in very large colonies with numerous caverns and pathways to traverse their labyrinths (some have been discovered to be as large as 4 miles (6.4 km)) with at least 12 escape tunnels. The Colony pathways are layered and very sturdy in construct and in some rare cases have made emergency safe spots and outposts for Splicers on the run.
Swimming: 5 mph; dog paddle, 10 mph under water; otter style
Flying: Not possible

Statistical Data:
Height: 4 feet (1.2 m) at the shoulder (males and females are the same size)
Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) across the chest, shoulder-to-shoulder
Length: 7-10 feet (2.1 to 3 m) head to rump and a 4-foot (1.2 m) long rat-tail
Weight: 350 lbs (157.5 kg)
Physical Strength: 20 (Supernatural)
Sexual Maturity: 4-6 months
Production Cycle & Breeding Season: Gestation period 50-65 days; 3-4 month birth intervals. Mating season is throughout the year.
Number of Brood: 4-12 (typically 6-8 kits)
Average Lifespan: Up to 12 years
Typical Diet: Anything they can overpower individually or as a pack, vertebrates, invertebrates, birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish, carrion, root crops, fruits, almost anything organic of human refuse (garbage), though they have a strong instinctive mistrust & discernment of unfamiliar objects and food sources makes them very difficult to eradicate. They have been known to be cannibalistic, particularly over the wounded, elder or weak and infanticide is common when food is scarce and rivals injured in interguild fighting will be consumed.
Number Encountered: Above ground 2D6 for a small pack, 4D6 for a medium pack and 3D10+30 Rats for a large pack. Below ground, 2D10+25 for a small pack. 4D10+75 Rats, for a medium pack and a large colony can consist of 6D6x10+200 pack members. Please note Super packs are rare but they have been encountered ranging in the hundreds to several thousands have been found in bone yard, underground or sewer colonies.
Trade Value: None whatsoever to most Great Houses of the Resistance and are a kill on site species, unless otherwise instructed by a Great House. Some new comers can make a living trying to eradicate or drive away nuisance packs, but payment is often paid after sufficient proof has been provided of 4-7 days having gone by without “any” signs or encounters. There are rumored underground black markets that may purchase “healthy” living specimens for illegal animal fights, baiting and criminal personal pets. These fetch a price ranging from 500-1500 credits “if” a buyer is found. Other rumors suggest that there area few Librarians working to devise some new gore species and they will pay up to 4000 credits for a healthy living specimen and 15,000 credits for a healthy mating pair. Should such transactions take place, all buyers will deny any involvement should they receive any hassle or accusations regarding the purchase.
Horror Factor: 11, but 14 for a pack of five to nine, and 15 for packs of ten to 25. 16 for packs larger than 26.
Senses & Features: Infra-red, nightvision, thermal vision and underwater prey membrane. Air tasting olfactory (same senses as Forked tongue), seismic sense and enhanced senses (see page 81 of Splicers sourcebook). Orbis hide gives Carnifex rats a durable and yet elastic hide that protects them through various habitat conditions and extremes. Bacteria & Rabies saliva.
Coloration: Their Orbis hide is a shiny oily Black, Liver Brown, Grey, or Arctic White (during winter habitats), always with sleek jade colored eyes.
Feeding: Omnivore, though in some cases they are majority carnivores; 10-20 pounds (4.5 to 9 kg) of organic, animal matter, carrion, waste or vegetable matter a day. Habitat and or opportunity dictate their diet.
Vocalization & Communication: Hissing when agitated or frightened, squeals when startled or in pain, snarls and spitting when cornered or fighting, and low chattering and growling when rounding up the pack. Loud teeth clicking when food/prey is located or to request help to take on adversaries, long breath blowing when ready to mate or being submissive, and deep snorts to warn pack members of danger. Scat and scent marking are also clear signs of chemical communication between packs and rival competition that this is their territory. Each pack has its own signature scent. Splicers wearing the “correct“ scent may go undetected by that specific pack until visually recognized, in which the scent masking will no longer be effective.
Sleep Requirements: requires 2D4 hours of sleep, rest, inactivity per day
Attributes: I.Q. 1D4+4 (medium to high animal intelligence), M.E. 1D6+5, M.A. 2D6+8, P.S. 21-23 (supernatural), P.P.1D6+10, P.E.2D6+15, P.B.1D6, Spd. 80mph (128km)
Number of attacks: 4
Combat Bonuses (In addition to attribute bonuses): +6 on initiative, +4 to strike hand to hand combat, + 4 to parry, +5 to automatic dodge (i.e., can dodge without using up a melee action), +5 to roll with punch, fall or impact, +7 to save vs. poisons/toxins and disease.
Instinctive Skills of Note: Climb 70%, Detect Ambush 80%, Detect concealment 65%, Track by Scent 80%, Pack coordination to herd or drive prey 80%, Identify plants & Fruit (i.e., stuff it can eat) 85%, Land/underground navigation 78%, Prowl 60%, Recognize Splicers as enemies and or food sources to be stalked 65%.
Combat Capabilities:
Full strength head butt: 1D6 M.D.
Pawing claw strike/slash with front legs: 6D6+10 M.D.
Biting Attack: 3D8 M.D.+6 M.D.
Leap Attack: 2D6 M.D., +2 to strike and has a 01-60% likelihood of knocking an opponent as large as 12 feet (3.6m) tall off his feet and onto his back (also a 01.-65% chance the victim drops whatever he was holding). If knocked off his feet, the target loses initiative and two melee attacks/actions, and the Carnifex Thylaco-Rat(s) is poised for a fast bite attack (+2 to strike for the marsupial’s next attack). A leap attack uses up one melee attack for the marsupial.
Running Leap Attack: 4D6 M.D., has a 01-75% likelihood of knocking down an opponent and counts as two attacks, otherwise the same as the Leap Attack


Noted Weapons & Defenses
1. Infectious Saliva – The saliva of the Carnifex Thylaco Rat contains numerous bacteria, germs and anticoagulant that promote a putrid stench that make it easy for the rats to track (as well as other scent trackers) and it reduces the regeneration/healing process of natural animals and Biotechnology (reduce by 50%). All sutured cuts, abrasions or minor cuts within the past 8 hours will re-open within 4D6 seconds until treated again. All major wounds that have occurred within the past 1D4 days will reopen within 1D4 melee rounds/actions. The infectious venom will continue to circulate throughout the nerve circuit increasing exponentially in excruciating pain sensations throughout the body until treated.
Primary Purpose: Close Combat, Assault and Defense
Mega-Damage: The Infection does 2D4 S.D.C to humans per melee round & does 1D6 M.D. per melee round to M.D.C. structures (Host Armors, Warmounts, Biotics, Biotech armament and similar biotech).
Duration: The infection burns throughout the victim for 2D10 melee rounds or until treated and healed.
Number of Attacks: Each bite infliction counts as one melee attack. Bare in mind, the more the quarry is bitten, the more accumulative the damage of the infection.
Maximum Effective Range: Hand to hand
Payload: Not applicable

2. Waste Exposure – Carnifex Thylaco Rats thrive in numerous habitats including harsh environments like Wastelands, battlefields, ruins, Bone-yards & Sewers, as well as swamps, jungles, and deep subterranean areas that exposes them to all sorts of bacteria, chemical waste, radioactivity, micro-agents and various other hazards. This means that Carnifex rats may commonly expose & spread fatal diseases to human platoons & communities when encountered. Role once for the first encounter and then once for every additional 10 Rats that join the encounter. Additional pack members joining an existing combat, continues the rolling process up to a maximum of 12 rolls. Each new encounter begins with new roles:

01-15% Lucked Out! These Butcher Rats are clear from any contagious/harmful exposures
16-20% Pest repellant vapors: This exposure reveals that the Rat was sprayed or has come into contact of a pest repellant that has a tear gas fume remnant along its fur, burning the eyes of all exposed victim’s eyes within 20 feet (6.1m), temporarily blinding them for 2D4+1 melee rounds
21-30% Fallout Radiation (minor):
31-40% Remnant Sedation fumes: This exposure reveals that the Rat was sprayed or subjected to some sort of poison and the rat has survived the exposure. All senses of exposed humans & Warmounts are reduced by 50% for 2D4 melee actions
41-50% Sticky: This exposure reveals that this rat has been scurrying around in or near some highly flamboyant chemical substance and is still flammable. Igniting this rat will engulf the rat and anyone or any organic structure within 8 feet (2.4m) into a ball of flames, delivering 3D12 M.D. and an additional 1D8 per melee action until it is put out.
51-60% Fallout Radiation (major):
61-70% Critters on critters: This exposure reveals that each rat has numerous (3D8 per rat) fleas, ticks and mites (some a half inch in size) covering its hide that will easily jump onto anyone within 20-foot radius (6.1 m) where they will cause serious unrest, and try to burrow deep into any exposed flesh or availed crevices of ANY Biotech (Host Armors, Living Body Armor, Warmounts, weaponry, etc.). These parasites will consume 1D6 S.D.C. points each day from the pilot or any exposed human until they are ALL removed.
71-80% NEXUS Disagreement; Some of the Personalities have debated with Gaia about her protected listing of this species and have begun to implement some of them into the “Ratbomb” program. The larger sized critters allow for larger bombs to be surgically implanted and sense the species often dwell near human habitats; they are a guaranteed way of causing Splicer misfortune. These bombs will not go off in a nature Preserve or within 2 miles (3.2 km) of a Preserve. Gaia attempts to surgically disarm detected Thylaco Ratbombs.
>Stats for Internal Explosive:
Primary Purpose: genocide/Terror/Psychological Warfare
Mega-Damage: 2D8X10 M.D., to a 40-foot (12.2m) radius, 50% greater if the marsupial was upon, at the feet or base of the victim/target.
Rate of fire: One, destroying the delivery Rat with it.
Maximum Effective Range: Blast area of 40 feet (12.2m), but the marsupial can travel thousands of miles before the bomb is detonated.
Payload: One.
81-90% Cists infection; This exposure means that the marsupial has been exposed to some serious collections of bacteria that will contaminate all exposed food and water, forcing food caches to even mold within 2D4 melee actions. The smell of this infection will force all consuming biotechnology and exposed humans to vomit their stomach contents until they are emptied. Nutrition & Water cannot be consumed and held down until 2D4+8 hours..
91-00% Lucked Out! These Butcher Rats are clear from any contagious/harmful exposures

3. Teeth - Perhaps one of the most unique features of the Carnifex Thylaco Rat is its powerful and deadly maw. The Carnifex possesses enlarged incisors on both the upper and lower jaws, shaped for stabbing and piercing flesh, separating vertebrate, severing spinal cords, lacerating major blood vessels such as carotid artery & jugular veins. The most unusual and unique feature of the Thylaco's dentition is the huge blade-like carnassial premolars on either side of its jaws. The top and bottom cheek carnassials work together like shears and are very effective in slicing off chunks of flesh and cutting through bone. When the Carnifex Thylaco’s jaws close, it bites with one side of the mouth, slicing into the flesh of its prey, thus opening up massive wounds that bleed out very quickly or they suffocate the prey by collapsing windpipes.
Primary Purpose: Close Combat, Assault.
Mega-Damage: 3D8 M.D.+6 M.D.
Number of Attacks: Each strike counts as one melee attack.
Maximum Effective Range: Hand to hand.
Payload: Not applicable.

4. Claws (4) – Similar to the claws of a badger, are strong powerful claws that are kept razor, but are retractable into their sheaths like that of a tiger.
Primary Purpose: Close Combat, Assault and Defense.
Secondary Purpose: Digging and excavation.
Mega-Damage: 6D6+10 M.D.
Number of Attacks: Each strike counts as one melee attack.
Maximum Effective Range: Hand to hand.
Payload: Not applicable.

Krispy, I thank you tremendously for such great support. You, Kevarin, Slappy, Galactus, NMI, Guy Ledouche and many others have really kept me pumped with your feedback. I just feel that I had to give back the best way I can to the best RPG players and the best setting there is IMHO. By all means get your work done ASAP! We are wrapping up the first book and I plan to dive into the second wrap up as well.

you are more than welcome mate. i have already had a look at your recent pics on deviantart....MOST impressive

Wow, Premier, those are awesome Spliced animals........

Wonder what Spliced pork tastes like

like i have said in another thread i have imagined the Xiticix in the Splicerverse

i dont have Dinosaur Swamp yet (im waiting for the delivery) but i have tried to bring a myriad of creatures from other Palladium settings and from the vast array of creatures from all the TV series, movies & games from over the past 3 decades of viewing or playing

i have thought about the preserves since Splicers was released & i cant wait to see what Premier and Slappy have install

some, not all of my preserves have machine Totems placed around their borders as a warning to stay out (maybe even some wolf in sheeps clothing robots that put a bit of doubt in the minds of any who wish to hunt Gaia's animals)

i have giant inland lake nature preserves (fresh & salt) Gaia has also gone to the extent of building off shore preserves (imagine something like an off shore mining rig with a completely enclosed fence/netting perimeter to keep everything in)
Also, Gaia has preserved Atolls and a few Bays (imagine Port Phillip Bay in Victoria Australia being sealed at its mouth becoming a enclosure for marine animals)

my Splicers have noticed that some preserves are set up like nature intended while others are like an open range zoos where all the different animals are kept in specific regions of the preserve and never mix

I finally got Dinosaur Swamp a couple of weeks ago….cool book

I can easily see dinosaurs (land, air & aquatic) in Splicers (like your recent pic)

I, like all of you have brought stuff from Rifts WBs, like R. England….and from games and books

I brought it up in my post just above this one. But I am curious, has anyone else made aquatic reserves?? (Both fresh and salt and both inland and off shore)

I can see giant fire ants as big as footballs that can take down a HA or WM

I can see prehistoric size insects

I love Toruk Makto from Avatar…..it would have been awesome if they showed some aquatic wildlife

I can see the most bizarre combinations, such as: reptile with insect

I can see Gaia making plant animal Symbiotic creations where a variety of parasitic plants are modified to create a symbiotic relationship with an animal

I could see Gaia following the same path as my crystal exoskeleton concept and make mineral plants and animals….or making animals that live in the extreme environments such as 11 km deep in the ocean next to Black Smokers, ones that live in volcanoes,
Ones that live in the Thermosphere

Maybe Gaia creates reserves with mythological themes and makes creature like the Hippocamp, Chimera etc……..or creates an underground reserve called Hades where she fills it with demons where she sends those who enter her reserves………..or she even captures humans and turns them into mermaids or satyr/faun ,minotaur etc as a twisted form of punishment for entering her reserves

A Pterodactyl-Shark combo

So I have been watching several documentaries, and I realized, what kinds of habitats will the predators live in?

Could some be in deserts or swamps, heck even in volcanic areas (walking volcanoes anyone?)

EVERYWHERE!!! All joking aside, there are predators of some sort in pretty much every environment on the planet. In the world of Splicers, with its high tech and high bio-engineering, organisms could be found everywhere. If you can genetically engineer and grow a three headed dragon in 12 or so years, the possibilities are endless.

In the LeDouche-verse, the Preserves are just as (if not more) dangerous than most other parts of the world. Since no robots are permitted in the Preserves, Gaia has jam packed them full of some of the most lethal creatures on the planet; its a verdant hell filled with all sorts of ungodly creatures. I started using the Preservers as a setting earlier this year, and its been fantastic.

So far, my PCs have encountered isolated pocket societies of Neanderthals, beastment, mutants beasts, technology users and even technology guardians. I've even added a few gillmen, a tribe of "titans" and at least one hive of insect-like humanoids. Realistically, with all the rampant bio-tech, there has got to be all sorts of intersting stuff lurking in any of the Preserves.

In my game, the Preserves weren't just placed there randomly; their locations are on purpose. There's all sorts of ancient (and for TJ's) possibly salvageable technology hidden deep within the Preserves. To the untrained eye, they appear as little more than ruins of sorts. But, they must be of some importance to be buried so far away from prying eyes.

when it comes to the insect humanoids, have you chosen one of the races out of Aliens Unlimited or from another source?

if you havent already read it, i recommend Frank Herbert's novel 'Hellstrom's Hive'

ive got tech users as well that arent TJs they are in an isolated (island) retro-village

I like your new creations. I am looking forward to the new Splicer book hopefully due out this coming year!

bumping for ease of reviewing.

BTW, I am hoping to dive back into the Splicers: Preserves book after I know what is actually going forth in the pipeline after Rifts: NG 1 & 2, Rifts: Megaverse in Flames & Robotech: Marines. Hopefully we will see something from the Splicers manuscript(s) turned in and then some.

Looking forward to it, Chuck!!! P.S. I sent you an e-mail. would love to chat sometime soon.

Thank You GK! Will check email ASAP as we need to crank!

what if gia made something like Godzilla?

As I understand it... Gia can't make anything. She can only recreate pre-existing species. She lacks the understanding that Librarians, Geneticists and Engineers have for creating new organisms.

Now that that's out of my system... some house(s) would try to harvest it. Some would succeed and others wouldn't... seems fairly straightforward.

Not disagree with a fellow poster and/or Palladium Books Artist/Writer, but Gaia's text seems to strongly indicate that she is far more of an "Evolutionary Watcher" than she is an "Evolutionary Celestial."

As I recall, she doesn't even want to use Splicer "technology" for herself, believing them to be abominations and perversions of nature, so it wouldn't seem as if she'd want to 'unnaturally' splice together the lifeforms on her planet.

But, as a God, what would stop her from helping that evolution move a little faster. Not really going as far as the Splicers, but helping the Alien creatures along a bit.

No Problem as its healthy to respectfully disagree and I agree with your assessment, to a degree. Yes, Gaia's major focus is to preserve a balanced ecosystem and the optimistic conservation of the various flora and fauna within these preserves. However, with the invasive species that Splicers represent and impose, I resort to:

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The very introduction of one or several most deadly species towards Splicers are major game changers in trying to balance and stabilize an ecosystem that can harvest such alien predators and wildlife. We are talking apex species being introduced here. We can see how drastic such effects are with the accidental introduction of large constrictors in Florida, United States, North America or the reintroduction of Wolves into Yellowstone National Park and its affects on other apex species (cougars, bears, etc.) Not to mention, it doesn't always have to be apex "predators". It can be the introduction of an invasive prey species that can also upset the balance of an ecosystem. Just take a look at the feral hog and European wild boar species into South America, North America and Australia. This species destroys land, crops, poses physical threats to native inhabitants & species and reproduces rapidly, even in the presence of apex predators. Rodents have proven to be an epidemic in Australia. I could list other invasive species or introductions, but I think you understand my points.

All of these are SDC examples, not MDC alien predators released to wihe purpose of deterring, usurping, predating or simply killing, Mega Damage, Advanced Biotechnological wielding Splicers. The more Gaia would logically try to stabilize such a deadly array of mega damage fauna and flora with these purposes, the more she will find herself in an endless spiral of reintroductions, relocations and new releases for balance. Such predators require stable food sources, population numbers, rival species to ensure balance, territories, refuge, etc. Every time a new deadly species is added to the fray the entire preserve ecosystem balancing may be restarted all over again. This can get even more extreme if we are talking accidental reproductions or micro-evolutions/adaptations within a species. Let alone if a species has the capability or requires the ecology to fly into other preserves or travel waterways into other lakes, seas or oceans.

Example: Just imagine trying to "balance" an ecosystem that had Giger's xenomorphs roaming around as one of many species designed to predate Splicers. Now fathom if they weren't the apex predator, but possibly part of the food chain. Then trying to balance whatever predates them with some other form of predators/opportunistic scavengers or other method for ecosystem balancing. Now imagine an array of flora and fauna within these Preserve parks. See how crazy and deadly such preserves could become?

So IMHO, Gaia will never be sane enough is my point to truly balance or harvest a Preserves filled with a wide array of species as long as she is factoring the presence of Splicers into the mix.

^^^^^^^^^^^What Chuck Said^^^^^^^^^^^

We both know its what you were already thinking