Shemarrian-brand Vorpal Bunny Slippershttp://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img311.jpg It was the night before Tinselsagan, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for the supernatural predator.
A pinch of purloined fairie dust, and the household ‘security’, the two watchdogs, were out in slumberland. Mere metal locks and closures were no deterrent to an experienced home invader.
Briefly the invader stopped before the door to the adults’ bedroom, sensing the sleepers inside. Briefly it considered murdering the occupants in their sleep, against the chance of their waking and interrupting its hunt. But it decided not to; confident in its abilities and already relishing in absentia the anguish the grownups would experience when it discovered its handiwork in the morning. Instead it continued on, to the door at the end of the hall, the one with the colorful animal drawings on it.
Slipping in the door with oily speed and silence, the creature finally sighted its prey and moved in.
The boogieman crept upto the bedside, sack in hand, his leering eye not leaving the softly snoring form sleeping all tucked in snug and comfly under the blankets.
So cute...so sweet...so young...so succulent....
So....
red?! The boogieman didn’t even have enough time to scream as faint red beams swept across its throat from under the bed, and the monster was pulled down as if sucked into the floor itself.
(crunchmunchcrunchslurpchewgulplicksucklipsmack )
Cindy Lou slept the undisturbed sleep of angels. These bizarre ‘Warmounts’ are not normally associated with the Shemarrians, and most people who hear of them mistake them for a product of mages or technowizards. In reality, they’re a product of the twisted minds of the Lost Eclipse, possibly with input from eccentric Wayfinders. Not (normally) seen operationally inside the Tribes, the VBSes are typically used as gifts to those outsiders who have benefitted the Tribes in some way, and who are considered to be under the Tribes’ protection.
VBSes resemble large, rather heavy, angora-pattern fluffy bunny slippers, complete with large ears, cottonball tall, and, if one looks under the thick fur, four short but muscular legs. A warm foot-hole in the top allows a person’s foot to be inserted atop the slipper. In reality, the slippers are refinements of the NEMA RX-3036 ‘Pup Scout’, and are fully functional mini-robots...with a few extra twists thrown in.
VBSes count as Warmounts in as much as they can be ‘ridden’; when their rider is secured, feet slipped into a pair of them, the robots can stand up on their own small legs and scurry at high speed, carrying their rider between them, effectively ‘ground surfing’. Incredibly strong for their size, VBSes can carry their wearer at high speed and even perform power leaps(though these tend to be rather terrifying for the rider). To those able to appreciate the ride, the experience is somewhat akin to high speed roller-skating or snowboarding...only with the skates or snowboard calling the shots.
The ‘war’ part of Warmount comes into play with the fact that the VBSes are fully programmed for combat, jumping, pouncing, and biting, typically at weak points in the legs and feet, but going for targets of opportunity such as exposed hands, wrists, throats and faces. They are all the more dangerous for their mini-arsenal; small, but surprisingly powerful lasers in the eyes and armor-slicing vibroteeth can pose a hazard to even megadamage-protected opponents.
VBSes always work in pairs, and they are programmed and interlinked to coordinate their movements. This is especially important when carrying their wearer, so that they don’t hare off in different directions and scoot out from under their wearer, leaving them in the dust, or accidentally tear their owner’s legs apart. If one VBS is lost, the other will attempt to continue with its bodyguard duties as best it can(and will attempt to alert its creators that a replacement is needed). And VBSes ALWAYS manage to be under their masters’ feet in the morning, negating ‘cold floor shock’.
Even when not being worn, VBSes serve their owners, acting as burglar alarms, smoke detectors, watchdogs, and household vacuums. They are among the smallest ‘bots equipped with a nanotech regeneration system, and they will frequently graze on dirt and scrap(and the odd luckless home invader) to feed their self-repair systems. They also serve as communications links and monitors, updating passing Shemarrians on the status of their ‘owners’ and alerting any Shemarrian units in their area if danger threatens.
VBSes are typically given as gifts to those considered ‘Friends of the Tribes’. This quirky gift is also apparently also given out in the worlds of the Shemarrian Star Nation, with one such gift’s subsequent experiences including the loyal VBSes tracking down and rescuing their kidnapped owner, resulting in a Three Galaxies story book ‘The Brave Little Slippers’ making rounds of spaceport bookshops/databases.
Only rarely are VBSes ‘Awakened’, as they are MEANT to appear as inanimate pieces of apparel(until they rear up and tear the throat out of some shocked home invader), but occasionally they are infused with an Ecotroz fragment. Such ‘living’ slippers become family heirlooms, part of the families they serve.
Type: EcoS-KRP3036 VBS
Class: Robotic Warmount
Crew: None; robot intelligence
1 rider per pair
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 40
Head 25
Ears(2) 4 each
Legs(4) 20 each
Height: 8 inches lying down, 1.2 ft standing up on all fours.
Width: 1 ft
Length: 1.4 ft
Weight: 25 lbs each. When being worn normally, their weight is offset in everyday movement by their robotic legs working under all that fur.
Cargo: Can carry a ‘rider’ up to 150 lbs in weight.
Physical Strength: Equivalent to Robotic P.S. of 20
Powerplant: Micro-Nuclear Ionic Power Cell with 2 year energy life under continuous use. However, the Slippers can save this power reserve and extend their operational life by supplementing it with recharging from a convenient electrical socket(typically one will recharge while the other will stand watch)
Speed: (Running) 45 MPH
(Leaping) 3 ft up, 6 ft across from a standing position, increase distance by 50% with a running start. Note, this is even when fully ‘loaded’.
(Climbing) 60%
(Prowl) 80%
(Flying) Not possible
(Space) Not possible
(Underwater) Not possible
Market Cost: Exclusive to the Ecotroz-Shemar(not that they advertise this)
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, Additional/special sensors may be built in by the creating Spinsters or at the behest of individual riders/owners. Other options, such as ‘gecko grip’ foot pads, can also be added.
-Advanced Hearing---Yes, those big floppy ears aren’t just for show. Has all the capabilities and bonuses of the robotic Advanced Audio System.
-Air Thermometer
-Atmospheric Sampler----VBSes can monitor the air for dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, smoke, and other toxins, and sound an alert if safe thresholds are breached.
-Radiation Detector
-Motion Detector----100 ft range
-Radio---15 mile range
-Foot Warmers---Electric footwarmer coils keep the wearer’s feet toasty-warm on cold days and on cold floors.
-Restraint Harness---In order to insure that their wearer doesn’t fall out during high speed maneuvers, or gets dragged fatally behind them, the VBSes can quickly spray-spin a very fine polymer mesh over their wearer, similar to the ‘Magic Net’ spell emulation that ARCHIE-3 devised for his mage-simulations(see Rifter #53, Damon Sutton’s article for more details on this). The ultra-fine, but tough, mesh is virtually invisible to casual observation, but serves as a safety harness for the slippers’ wearer, tensing to haul the rider upright and ideally centered over the two Vorpal Bunnies, or at least not dragging behind, banging on the ground. The mesh also allows for real-time hard-link communication between the two units of the slipper pair. Anybody attempting to break the net will find it tough going; the mesh has roughly 12 MDC; but a signal or code phrase from either the VBSes or the rider will immediately disengage it.
*Bionic Cybernanite Repair Systems---ALL VBSes 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 2d4 MD per hour, and can repair 25 MDC before needing material stocks to convert to MD repair material.
*Superior Teamwork---Copied from Wolf’s Path software, Vorpal Slipper pairs are synched such that they enjoy a +2 to Initiative, +2 to strike, and +3 to Perception as long as they are in line of sight of each other.
*Speech---VBSes CANNOT normally speak, but can communicate data downloads over their radio links. They typically rely on a coded set of purrs, buzzes, growls, and screeches to communicate general ideas(such as ‘Danger!’, ‘Fire!’, or ‘All Clear!”) to their owners.
*Faux Fur Covering---True to their disguise, VBSes are covered in fluffy, silky fake fur that those few outsiders who KNOW the slippers originated with the Shemarrians just assume comes from some wilderness animal.
Weapons Systems:
1) Eye Lasers(2)---Those beady little eyes double as both laser range finders and, with the power stepped up, short range laser weapons.
Range: 300 ft
Damage: 1d6 MD single eye blast, 2d6 MD double eye blast.
Can also be ‘stepped down’ to do SDC damage instead.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
2) VibroStiletto Teeth---Good for cutting through doors, gnawing through ankles, and slicing through other obstructions.
Range: Melee
Damage: 1d4 MD on a bite
Programming:
Typically has the following:
Basic Math 98%
Radio: Basic 98%
TV/Video(Internal system) 98%
Prowl 80%
Detect Ambush 60%
Camouflage 50%
Tracking 60%
Track Animals 50%
Intelligence 76%
Land Navigation 86%
Lore: Demons and Monsters 70%
Find Contraband(lost keys, teddybears, other household items) 50%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity if Awakened)
Language/Literacy: Can understand 22 different languages
Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 5
Initiative +3 (+1 from the Ecotroz entity for a total of +4)
Automatic Dodge +7(+4 with rider attached)
Strike +3 (+4 w/ ranged weaponry)
Roll +2
Parry +2
Bite 1d4 MD
Restrained Pounce Attack 2d6 +2 SDC
Full Strength Pounce Attack 4d6+5 SDC
Paw Strike 1d6+5 SDC
Power Paw Punch-Strike(2 attacks) 3d6+2 SDC
Body Block 2d6 SDC
Note: Remember; Vorpal Bunny Slippers typically attack as a pair.
Bonuses for Awakened VBSes:
It’s not unknown, but sometimes the VBSes are infused with an Ecotroz essence-fragment(especially among the Wayfinders).
Note: The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the VBS an aura and behavior more befitting an animal than a robot. The VBS entity is fairly smart and cunning, with a dog-like intelligence(roughly equivalent to an IQ of 13), and a patient, loyal disposition that turns to vicious bloody mayhem when roused for combat. Older Awakened VBSes may exhibit dog-like playfulness, especially around small children.
The VBSes have the following Natural Psionic Abilities(no ISP Cost), all equivalent to 4th level with regards to range and proficiency.
*Sense Evil
*Sense Magic
*See the Invisible
*Sixth Sense/Danger Sense
Skills:
‘Awakened’ VBSes can also pick up two Secondary skills at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the VBS intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Technical: Language/Literacy(understanding) and Lore, Wilderness( Hunting, Identify Plants and Fruits), and Electrical(Basic).
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, and new construction/birthed Ecotroz creations that are instilled in production are IMMUNE to Banishment)
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:
*EcoS-KRP3036B---These are simply the VBSes reformatted to look like normal rabbits, and deployed to the field as ‘feral’ scout recon units. The Lost Eclipse has traded this unit with the Horrorwoods and Wolf’s Path Tribes who use them as pickets and watch-animals, the ‘rabbits’ sometimes retreating to fake trees and underground burrow ‘hutches’ to recharge and download their patrol logs.
*EcoS-KRP3036WfTW----Wayfinder variant, modified with TW amulets and integral spells, making these arguably the most expensive bunny slippers ever made. Each half of the VBS pair is fitted with a TW Amulet with 50 PPE(100 PPE total between them) and the ability to cast the following spells(at a 6th level of proficiency) :
-Armor of Ithan(5 PPE, 6 minutes duration, 60 MDC)
-Invisibility: Simple(3 PPE,6 minutes duration)
-Breath Without Air(3 PPE, 7 minutes duration)
-Fly(8 PPE, 12 minutes duration)
“Okay, I did NOT just see a miniature anthropoid mouse sitting in the back of a fluffy bunny slipper and wielding a mini-machine gun just come bounding down the hall screaming ‘Death to the Pod People!’, did I? And the bunny slipper had glowing red eyes?”
”You did, it did, but don’t worry about it; the mouse and the slipper are on our side.”