The Baron of chaos wrote:I found some free time to work on my Splicer ideas. Very dark ideas.
Epitaph O.C.C.HASTEO ERGO SUM An Epitaph is when an
The Heretic become old enough to evolve into something else at all. In Their pure cousins, the Saint, this means becoming an engineer or librarian symbiote. Fort he heretic is worse. To say the truth only 10% of all Heretic undergoes such drastic biological evolution. Possibly they subconsciously suppress this, in order to prevent becoming this murderous monster. But no one know for sure.
The Epitaph appearance is that a quite attractive humanoid, androgynous but oddly charming, with pale white skin, and curious body marking reminding tattoos. What mark this creature in very scary way is the mass of spiky tentacles that are their "hairs". The head does indeed have distinctive medusa outlook, with dozens of long thing tentacles ending in a sharp thin spike. The epitaph retain very little of the shapechanging power of the Heretic , but they develop more and deadly powers. In few words their body become a living bacteria and virus factory, able to synthesize any form of deadly micro organism they need. Dangerous, aint it, and vicious too. Because you see, whatever humankind they had left as Heretic, disappear completely as Epitaph. In this new form they crave only for using their powers in new and often cruel for others way, they also developed and insane hatred for Engineers and Librarian and all bio-tech in general. Nothing give the Epitaph more pleasure than spreading a deadly plague into a Great House and watching all of them die vomiting out their intestines reduced to liquid from a viruses they created. Is better than sex for them.
As noted before , thank heavens, Epitaph are rare, it was theorized that in existence there less than 12 of them around. But those twelve are more than enough to menace the existence of Splicers, not only for their powers, but for what they embody: the failure of the biotech, the living proof that also the Splicer Technology that will in theory save humankind is as flawed as non bio-tech and is able to create monsters as dangerous as NEXUS. Is not surprise that the existence of Epitaph is classified material that only Warlords, Librarians, engineers and few trusted Dreadguard advisor know.
Alignment: Diabolic or Miscreant only, they have become completely sadistic inhuman monsters.
Attribute Requirements: Beng an Heretic of at least 50+ years old is the only requirements
Attribute Bonuses: +2d6 to IQ(min 20), +1d8+2 to ME and PB, but reduce MA by 2(alien and intimidating), Bonus: +2 attack per melee, + 4 to strike , + 4 to parry only when using the tentacles in combat
Epitaph O.C.C. Bonuses: Splicer PS, +4 initiative, +6 pull punch, Immune to poison, toxins, & drugs, +30% to save vs coma & death, +4 to save vs Horror Factor.
Base M.D.C: The Epitaph sturcutre change so much that almost nothing oftheir previous being is left, M.D.C. is 2d6x10+P.E.., plus 1d10 M.D.C. per level of experience, starting at level two. The Epitaph regenerative powers are the best in Splicer earth , healing 1d6+10 M.D.C. per melee round , or 1d20+30 per minute and does not fatigue at all nor need to sleep .
Epitaph powers: The Epitaph posesse some devasting powers who allow them to be the deadliest life forms around.
Bio-E Pool: Like the heretic the Epitaph posses a pool of regenerating Bio-E Points that they could use triggering their powers : Bio-E Pool is P.E.x10, regenerate completely after 24 hours or draing from other living being
Human mimic: The only one Shapechanging power left, assuming whatever human and humanoid shape cost only 25 Bio-E plus 1 bio-e for additional PB point They need a successful roll vs. disguise to copy an existing person HF can also be increase by 1 bio-e, if one does not increase PB at the same time.
Genetic Drainage: Stabbing a victing with on of their tentacles does no damage, at first, but allow them to drain all the genetic materials they need at rate of 1d6 Bio-E per hit point or 1d4 bio-E per MDC point, each drain attack count as 2 ApM and the Drain is 1d8 hit point/MDC +2 per level of experience
Bio-Factory: The Epitaph can use his Bio-E to create a series of devastating bacteria and viruses delivered with its tentacles follwiongare just the most common, GM are suggested to create their own batch, as each Epitaph have their own personal trademark batch.
Note that a saint could attempt to heal such infection, but at risk of being infected himself! In addition such healing act could result in battle of will between the saint and the Epitaph.
Pestilence: The most devastating bacteriological attack in the hand of the Epitaph, these bacteria attack any living organism, causing any sort of symptoms, is like getting all the worst sickenss of human history, skin start decaying and cover in blisters, blood vessel breaks,involutnary muscular spasm, bloody diarrhea . The good thins is that is NOT deadly, albeit you wish for death if you’re struck, and heal back with time and rest for 1d4 week for Epitaph level. Victims have no combat bonus whatsoever, speed is reduced by 2/3 and Strength is a 5 until healed, also all body weapons don’t work(the casting gun with diarreha…eeeww) Saving throw: 16 vs. poison toxins, -2 if being a product of Splicer technology. Cost: 15 Bio-E, plus 10 to make it pandemic and highly transmissible(with breath, fluid exchange …)
Rot: One of the few biological attack with inorganic in minds. These bacteria, released as a purple mist by tentacles, cause the metal and plastic to rust and weaken. Any metallic substance infected, lose 1d6x10 % of their SDC/MDC , plus in case of robots and machines their speed and reaction times are slowed and make screeching sound when moving. Oddly enough this bacteria resulted DEADLY to Techno Jackers who suffer the same effect except they lose from their SDC and Hit Points!. Saving Throw: none for metallic object, 16 for Machine’s Robots and Techno Jackers
Cost: 20 Bio-E
Fever: This Virus cause a mental instability and feverish state that make the victims susceptible to subliminal suggestion and mind control. A failed saving throw means gaining one insanity(roll on biotic table or on any Palladium books table for insanity, all core books have them) and drop ME by half. Duration: 2d4 weeks Saving Throw: 14 vs. Poison/Toxins Cost: 15 Bio-E
Cleaner: The cleaner bacteria purpose is to clean , as the name suggest, but not in the way you could think. It deteriorate dead organism at 10 times the normal speed, consume all the dirt, and make everything clean and polished. On side effect cause paralysis in Host armors and Warmounts.
Saving Throw: 14 vs. Poison/Toxins Cost: 15 Bio-E
Pro-Biotic: this batch of retro-viruses does a simple thing, turn a normal human or animal into a monstrous biotic. Dislike normal biotic their starting Bio-E depend upon how much energy the Epitaph pump into it. The Biotic so created are slavish loyal to the Epitaph who created them and will jump in nuclear fire for him. Saving Throw: 14 or better vs. poison/toxins , Biotic , Scarecrow and Saints are immune Bio-E cost: 25 Bio-E for the base biotic plus the Bio-E for further enhancements. This retro viruse can used to further mutate bio-technology, like living body armor or bio-weapons
Unifier: This grotesque Virus cause the Splicer Technology, be it weapons, host armor or small warmounts, to merge , physically and permanently with whatever organic substance. In case of host armors they painfully meld with the wearer. This is not deadly, but the victim is stuck in a monstrous form and the resulting merging cause madness and mental degeneration (reduce I.Q. By 1d4+2 per lever of the host armor) Saving throw: only if merging with sentient being 14 or better vs. poison cost: 15 Bio-E
Golgotha: aka. Burning death. The organic life forms infected turn into biological bombs, literally. Their metabolism activity increase by thousand time, granting them a significant increase in strength, speed and stamina, but is secondary comparing to what else happen to their body. It burst into flames! And will explode like true bomb in matter of hours. Victims get +2d6 PS(splicer), see their speed doubled and don’t feel nor pain or fatigue. Fall into an uncontrollable homicidal fury, the bio fire does 1d4 MDC to everything they touch. After 1d6 hours they explode doing 2d8x10 megadamage to a radius of 35 ft from them
Saving throw: 16 vs. poison/toxins, but only splicer can roll to save Cost: 20 Bio-E
Tentacles: The hair of epitaph are thin tentacles with sharp spike on edges. They are used to deliver mos tof their biological attacks, and are damn useful in combat. Damage: 1d8+ PS MegaDamage/Hit point . M.D.C of tentacles: 30+PE, regenerate completely in 1d4 minutes if severed. Number of tentacles : 8-16 Length: 12ft often coiled around the body.
Bio manipulation: Stabbing with their tentacles the Epitaph can take complete control ove rsomoen else body. As long as the tentacle is in place the Epitaph can slow, increase or completely stop any biological function be it sight, bio-weapons, movement , speech or else. The effect are not permanent(unless some bacteria or retro viruses is used). Saving throw: 14 vs. poison/toxins Cost: none. Note this can be used to “hack” into Host armors and Warmounts in order to pilot them
Common Skills: Standard
O.C.C. Skill Programs: Medical Doctor(+20%), Bio-Technology(20%), and Assassin(15%), and any twoe Skill Program of choice(Included Host Pilot or War Mount Rider).
Elective Skills: Select 6 Elective Skills from the following list at first level. Plus select another one Elective Skill at levels 4, 8, and 12. All new skills start at level one proficiency.
-Communications: Any(+10%)
-Domestic: Any.
-Espionage: Any(+10%).
-Medical: Any(+5%).
-Military: Any.
-Physical: Any.
-Rogue: Any(+10%).
-Science: Any(+10%).
-Technical: Any.
-Transportation: Any
-Wilderness: Any.
-W.P.s: Any.
Secondary Skills: The character gets to select three Secondary Skills at level one and one additional at levels 3, 6, 9, and 12. Secondary Skills are additional areas of knowledge starting without any special O.C.C. bonuses.
M.D.C Living Body Armor: The Epitaph does have suit of grotesquely modified of living body armor. The armor is modified with 5d6+10 Bio-E point worth of modification of any type, but is so horrible to see that does have an HF of 14!(thing like Nighbane stigmata at nth power).
Standard Equipment: a couple sets of dress clothing, a large black cloack, survival knife, utility belt, first-aid kit(with 1D4 Slap Patches), Ceramic Mask, tinted goggles, hatchet, one light and one heavy Bio-Weapon of choice, set of surgical and medical items , tent, knapsack, backpack, two water skins, emergency food rations(4 weeks), personal items, one secret lair hidden dangerously close to a great house.
Minions: The Epitaph are natural leaders and love surround them of cronies, generally low level scum or losers not accepted in great houses, who crave more power. Had always 1d10 of them at his/her direct order that will do everything they will be ordered. Could and could not be modified
Money: Has 2D8x1000 credits worth of precious metals or trade items, as well as 6D6x10 credits. As always, money can be spent now on additional equipment or saved for later.
The Upside: As long as you exist no Splicer is safe. You know and they know that soon or later you will succeed into slaughtering all the engineers and librarians and feast on their poor misshapen remains. Till then you get some fun playing with humans and their hypocrysis.
The Downside: You’re an abomination. A living blasphemy of everything good the bio-technology brought. Everyone hate you and you know well. And you know also that even if you could win your endless war against your “parents” you’ll sign the doom of humankind. The fact that you don’t care disturb you more than the actual thought of thousand of humans perishing under the claws of the Machine.