TEXT: © Palladium Books®
  By Charles Walton II, Christopher Kluge & Lance Colley
  Splicers
  ®
  I Am Legion
  Adventure Sourcebook
  TM
  Palladium Books® Presents:
  
  1
  Warning!
  Violence, War, Magic & the Supernatural
  The fictional world of Splicers® is violent, deadly and filled with strange genetic mutations, evil 
  robots, weapons of destruction, monsters and war. Humans have turned to genetic engineering to create 
  frightening, living weapons and armor. Wicked machines and monstrous abominations stalk, enslave, tor-
  ment, and prey upon humans.
  War, global destruction, violence, alien life forms, monsters, robots, cyborgs and war, as well as insan-
  ity, strange powers and brutal combat are all elements in this book. All of it is fiction.
  Some parents may find the violence, creatures and gruesome nature of some characters and story ele-
  ments of the game inappropriate for young readers/players. We strongly suggest parental discretion.
  Please note that none of us at Palladium Books® condone or encourage violence, war, or the use of 
  drugs.
  An epic adventure sourcebook for Splicers®
  
  2
  The cover, by Charles Walton II, depicts Outrider Alex Cole on a genetically engineered War Mount known as a Stalker, locked in 
  battle against one of Legion’s new Hunter Amalgams.
  PDF Edition – June 2018
  No part of this publication may be scanned, OCRed, reproduced or distributed in any way for electronic publication on the web/internet 
  or any other medium.
  Copyright 2018 Palladium Books Inc. & Kevin Siembieda
  All rights reserved, worldwide, under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole, in any 
  form or by any means, without permission from the publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. All incidents, situations, institutions, 
  governments and people are fictional and any similarity, without satiric intent, of characters or persons living or dead, is strictly coincidental.
  Splicers®, Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Powers Unlimited®, Phase World®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The 
  Mechanoid Invasion®, Dead Reign®, Coalition Wars®, Chaos Earth®, After the Bomb®, Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Palla-
  dium Books® and other titles are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Palladium Books Inc. and Kevin Siembieda.
  Host Armor, Proto-Armor, The Machine, Human Resistance, Necroborgs, Necrobots, Ratbombs, Archos, Assault Slayer, Battle Track, 
  Black Shroud, Black Talon War Hawk, Bug Bombs, Cable Snake, Clinger Missile, Factory Walker, Flying Strike-Ship, Fusion Cyborg, Glim-
  mer Guns, Gun Spider, Hive Sword, Hunter-Searcher Probe, Hydraconian, Land Dominator, Leecher Rifle, Popper Mine, Prisonbot, Repair 
  Wagon, Scutigera Mobile Migs, Sentry Tower, Sewer Prowler, Shadow Fury, Skitter Pod, Slicer Robot, Steel Trooper, Archangel, Biotic, 
  Dreadguard, Engineer, Librarian, Outrider, Packlord, Packmaster, Roughneck, Saint, Scarecrow, Skinjob, Siege Titan, Technojacker, Terror 
  Thumper, Thud Gun, War Mounts, Gorehound, Dracos, Strider, Swarmlord, Zephyr, Living Body Armor, Wing Pack, Eye Pod, Face Wrap, 
  Bio-Enhancement, Bio-Comms, Slap Patch, Bio-Weapon, Bio-E, Mega-Damage, M.D.C., S.D.C., I.S.P., P.P.E., and other names, titles, ini-
  tials, character names, character likenesses, and slogans are trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.
  Palladium Online: www.palladiumbooks.com – also visit us at facebook.com/PalladiumBooks
  Splicers® I Am Legion™ – An Adventure Sourcebook, is published by Palladium Books Inc., 39074 Webb Court, Westland, MI 
  48185-7606. Printed in the USA by McNaughton & Gunn.
  Dedication from Christopher Kluge
  I want to thank Chuck Walton not only for making a fun, exciting, and collaborative environment that brought out my best, but for 
  fighting so hard over the years to see that all our hard work made it into the hands of Splicers® fans everywhere.
  – Chris Kluge, June 2018
  Dedication from Charles Walton II
  To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I dedicate this victory in your honor for gifting me with the creative gifts. To my family – my 
  loving fiance Sonja, my amazing daughter Janella and animal-loving daughter Aleacia, my bundle of joy, granddaughter Jayla, my Ace 
  brother, Chris, my endearing mother and my late father, cousins, uncles and aunts; thank you for always encouraging and supporting 
  me. I love and cherish you all!!!
  To Chris Kluge, my Splicehead partner, man we did it!!! Without your spectacular writing, ideas, tons of emails, designs and dis-
  cussions back and forth, I Am Legion would not have manifested. Thank you for being the creative scholar and a good friend. Special 
  thanks to you, Lance Colley, Jeff Ruiz and Todd Spencley, for coming through and helping finalize and complete this episodic manuscript 
  and fun journey.
  To Carmen Bellaire. If it weren’t for your epic vision for the Splicers® RPG, I have no clue where I would be in the grand scheme 
  of role-playing games. It was drawing for Splicers® that got me so fired up to do more. Thank you for the wonderful world setting and 
  sharing your creativity. To Kevin, such a creative, pioneering, great friend. Your support, generosity and willingness to give others an 
  opportunity is what opened the creative floodgates for me to artistically express Splicers® and other Palladium iconic RPGs. Thank you 
  so much!
  To my good, close friend Mark Dudley. Fellow Artist, DSS Studiomate, thank you for giving me the chance to introduce my art to 
  Palladium Books. And thank you PB Crew, fellow Freelancer Squad and my Gaming Crew. I know what it means to have extended 
  families as you are all indeed Family. I enjoy and appreciate each and everyone of you all!
  To my fellow Spliceheads, I can’t thank you enough for all the wonderful support, encouragement and the awesome Splicers com-
  munity that continues to fuel my creativity and hunger to see more Splicers fulfilled.
  – The SPLICE MUST FLOW – Charles “Chuck” Walton Jr, 2018
  
  3
  Palladium Books® Presents:
  Splicers
  ® I Am Legion
  ™
  Adventure Sourcebook
  Written by: Charles Walton II
   
         Christopher Kluge
  Additional Ideas by: Lance Colley
   
   
            Jeff Ruiz
   
   
            Todd Spencley
  Editors: Alex Marciniszyn
   
    Kevin Siembieda
   
    Wayne Smith
  Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein
  Cover Illustration: Charles Walton II
  Interior Artist: Charles “Chuck” Walton II
  Art Direction: Kevin Siembieda
  Typography and Layout: Wayne Smith
  Splicers® setting created by Carmen Bellaire
  Based on RPG rules by Kevin Siembieda
  This sourcebook is built from a series of articles that appeared in issues #71-78 of The Rifter®.
  Special Thanks to the two ultimate Spliceheads, Chris Kluge and Charles Walton II, for keeping the Splicers® 
  world alive and growing, along with Carmen Bellaire (the creator), Lance Colley, Kris Tipping, Todd Spencley, 
  Brandon Aten, Matthew Orr, Jeff Ruiz, James Diefenderfer, Thaddeus Wooly, Christina R., Karen S., Cory M., 
  and all Spliceheads everywhere. Keep the faith, much more for Splicers® is coming. Double thanks to Chuck 
  Walton II for his brilliant artistry and twisted imagination unleashed for this book, and to the Palladium Dread-
  guard, Alex, Wayne, Kathy, Julius and Matthew, all of whom work tirelessly to help bring you new worlds and 
  adventure.
  – Kevin Siembieda, June 2018
  
  4
  Contents
  Fusion Cyborg .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 49
  Factory Walker  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
  Prisonbot  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
  Non-Player Characters  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
  Archos .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 57
  Nighthawk Host Armor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
  Altai Zeta War Hawk (eagle)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
  Great House Deluvane Strike Team  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
  Dreadguard Christian Aramis .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 59
  Barrage Host Armor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
  Dreadguard Leon Valentino .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 60
  Shadow Fury Host Armor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
  Dreadguard Cameron Morecraft  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
  Masterpiece Host Armor .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 62
  Bombardier Martin “Brody” Broderick .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 62
  Bombardier Megan “Boom Boom” Shields  . . . . . . . . . 62
  Packmaster Natasha London  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
  London’s Pack  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
  Packmaster Drunilla “Dru” Azurtha  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
  Dru’s Pack  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
  Guthrum Reigns, Outrider  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
  Avalanche Host Armor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
  Mjolnir War Mount  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
  November Lexington, Outrider  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
  Cygnus Rain Host Armor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
  Bronx War Mount  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
  Val Skyeborn, Outrider  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
  Orion Host Armor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
  Tempest Ariel, Dracos War Mount  . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
  Creed, Biotic  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
  Jesse Stansfield, Scarecrow  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
  Sylvia Monroe, Scarecrow  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
  Zhong Kui, Skinjob  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
  Zhong’s Gorehound, Cao  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
  I Am Legion, Episode II .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 75
  Returning Home .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 75
  Angel Core Program .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 77
  Omega Cell (bomb)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
  Legion’s Army .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 79
  Intercepted .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 80
  It just keeps getting worse .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 82
  Episode Two Adventure Source Material  . . . . . . . . . 83
  New O.C.C.s  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
  Sweeper O.C.C.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
  Shellback Armor .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 85
  New War Mounts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
  Griffin  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
  Skull Cracker .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 92
  New O.C.C. Specialty Upgrades  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
  Dreadnaught Host Armor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
  Packlord Upgrade  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
  New Gorehound  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
  Mauler  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
  Great House Artemis  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
  Non-Player Characters  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
  Warlord Tristan Artemis the 4th  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
  Ailuros Host Armor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
  Drake Benton, Archangel  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
  I Am Legion, Episode I  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  An Adventure with Official Source Material  . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Backdrop Setting  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Area of Influence 24  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Geography and Climate  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Great House Artemis  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Population Breakdown .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 10
  Great House Charlemagne  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Population Breakdown .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 10
  Great House Janus .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 10
  Population Breakdown .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 11
  Great House Deluvane  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Population Breakdown .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 11
  Great House Tarkov .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 11
  Population Breakdown .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 12
  House Details  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  House of the Poisoned Earth  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  Population Breakdown .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 12
  House Details  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  Places of Note .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 13
  Computer Core (N.E.X.U.S.)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  Playhouse/Industrial Center (N.E.X.U.S.)  . . . . . . . . . . 13
  The Valley of Skulls  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
  Old Lexington (Ruined City)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
  Lexington Boneyard .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 15
  Crazy Town (Ghost Town)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  Harrisburg (Ghost Town)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  Harrisburg 2 (Ghost Town)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  New Salem (Ruined City) .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 16
  Retro-Villages .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 17
  Nepali Mountain Range .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 19
  New Eden (Nature Preserve)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  City of the Damned  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
  Kali’s Domain .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 22
  The House of Pain  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
  Steel Mountain, Great House (Technojackers)  . . . . . . . . 23
  The Adventure Begins ... I Am Legion  . . . . . . . . . . . 25
  Introduction: Rumors Abound  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
  Following the Trail  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
  The New Face of the Enemy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
  Random Encounter Table  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
  Quick Stats for the Smilodon Cyborg  . . . . . . . . . . . 31
  This Isn’t Going Well .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 32
  Game Master’s Source Material and Notes  . . . . . . . . 33
  Black Talon War Hawk .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 33
  A Note on Biological Enhancements  . . . . . . . . . . . 35
  Deliveryman O.C.C.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
  Deliveryman Bio-Equipment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
  Stealth Sheet  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
  Second Skin  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
  Extractor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
  Bombardier O.C.C.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
  Mantis Cannon  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
  Robots of Legion .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 43
  Collector .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 43
  Legionnaire  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
  Wing Board  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
  Gun Drones  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
  
  5
  Shauna Davies, Senior Sweeper  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
  Alexander Long, Sweeper .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  107
  Senator Norris Bane, Dreadguard .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  107
  Great House Janus, Ambush Team .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  108
  Colin Loker, Dreadguard  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
  Leon Gold, Dreadnaught  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
  Jason Mercer, Packlord  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
  Gavin, Packlord  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
  I Am Legion, Episode III  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
  Change of Plans .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  110
  Bell Lake .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  111
  Puppet Master  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
  Cave Facility Map  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
  Martin MacAlister  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
  War Mount Corral  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
  Experimental Bio-Weapons  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
  A Horrific Reunion  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
  Episode Three Adventure Source Material  . . . . . . . 119
  New Bio-Enhancements .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  119
  Eye Spy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
  Eye Trigger .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  119
  Mantis Blades  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
  Ripper Maw  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
  Shrieker & Squealer Bio-Enhancements  . . . . . . . . . . 120
  Hear Shrieker Signal .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  120
  Shrieker Targeting  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
  Shrieker Tracking  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
  New Bio-Weapons  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
  Bio-Force Field Emitter Spheres .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  121
  Dancing Blades Spear  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
  Hive Sword .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  121
  Shrieker Launchers .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  122
  Bio-Tech Explosives  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
  Bug Bombs .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  122
  Mega-Bug Bombs  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
  Protective Bug Bombs  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  122
  Scutigera Mobile Migs .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  123
  Ranged Bio-Weapons .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  123
  Acid Seed Cannon  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
  Annihilator Cannon  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
  Clinger Missile .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  124
  Eye-See-You Self-Propelled Grenade  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  124
  Glimmer Guns  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
  Heavy Bore Rifle .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  124
  Leecher Rifle .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  125
  Receptor Mounds  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
  Shield Cracker Rifle  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
  Side Kick Rifles  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
  Thud Gun  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
  New Gorehound  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
  Samaritan  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
  Samaritan Bio-Enhancements .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  130
  Breather Cups  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
  Jolt Pads  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
  Medical Probes .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  131
  Ultrasound Cup Pads .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  131
  New War Mounts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
  Badger, Armored Personnel Carrier  . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
  Goliath .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  137
  Ripper Blades  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
  Quill Launchers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
  Shockwave Roar  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  140
  Silverback .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  141
  Cryo Spray Projectors  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
  Stalker .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  144
  Poisonous Spine Launchers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
  New NPCs, Notes & Quick Stats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
  Isaac Mendoza, Biotic .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  148
  Martin MacAlister the Puppet Master .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  150
  I Am Legion, Episode IV  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
  The Plot Revealed .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  151
  Critical Decisions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
  Episode Four Adventure Source Material  . . . . . . . . 156
  New Legion Machine  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
  Hunter .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  156
  Weapon Systems .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  158
  The Amalgams of Legion  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
  Deluvane Amalgams  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
  Terror Thumper  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
  Dracos Ravager Arm Cannon  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
  Sonic Pulse War Cry .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  163
  Gunspiders  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
  Manticore  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
  Ion Gatling Cannons .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  169
  Burrower Discharger .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  170
  War Hound  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
  I Am Legion, Episode V  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  175
  To the Rescue  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
  Secret Weapon Facility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
  Random Patrol Table .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  176
  Current State of the Lab .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  176
  Secret Weapon Facility Map .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  177
  Northern Armory .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  179
  Bio-Tech Orchard  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
  Engineering Chambers .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  184
  The Final Showdown  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
  New O.C.C. Specialty Upgrades  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
  Restored Biotics and Tempests  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
  Tempest O.C.C.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
  Escaped Creatures and Experiments .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  191
  Devourer Amoebas  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
  Saber Raptors  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
  Thrasher Squid Combat Beast  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
  New Legion Machines  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
  Highjacker .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  198
  Mechanic  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
  New Modifications for NPCs
  Augmented by Legion  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
  Zhong Kui .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  203
  Gorehound Cao  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
  I Am Legion, Episode VI  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
  The Final Showdown  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
  Underground Combat  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
  Playing Out the Final Battle .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  208
  Key Decisions .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  208
  Conclusion  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
  
  6
  Epilogue, I am Legion, for We are many  . . . . . . . . . . 210
  Episode Six Adventure Source Material  . . . . . . . . . 210
  New Legion Machines  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
  Black Shroud  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
  Hydraconian Amalgam  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
  Weapon Systems .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  217
  Siege Titan Robot .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  219
  Weapon Systems .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  221
  The Legion Personality  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
  Legion’s Factory Walker  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
  Creeping Death Nerve Gas .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  224
  Weapon Systems .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  225
  Creeping Death Description  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
  I Am Legion, Episode VII .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  229
  From Great Intentions Come Terrible Consequences .  .  .  .  229
  N.E.X.U.S. and more about Legion  . . . . . . . . . . . 229
  Area 24 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  231
  The Factory Walker  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
  Legionnaires  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
  Freya  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
  Ishtar  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
  Hecate  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
  Keeping N.E.X.U.S. in Check  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
  Eve, Gaia and Kali .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  232
  Waste Crawlers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
  New Eden Nature Preserve  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
  The Real Game Begins .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  234
  Phase 1: Know the Players  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
  Fusion ‘Borgs and Mechanics  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
  Phase 2: Salvage the Easy Prey .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  234
  Phase 3: Mastery of the Flesh .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  235
  Great House Artemis .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  235
  Phase 4: Manufacturing .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  235
  Phase 5: Secure the Computer Core .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  236
  Phase 6: Unity .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  236
  Plan B  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
  A Note About Technojackers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
  Amalgams of LEGION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
  Random Amalgam Creation Tables  . . . . . . . . . . . 238
  Table One: Configuration .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  238
  Table Two: Torso  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
  Table Three: Quadruped Body  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
  Table Four: Head  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
  Table Five: Arms  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
  Table Six: Legs  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
  Table Seven: Additional Appendages .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  247
  Table Eight: Weapon Systems  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
  Table Nine: Programming .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  249
  Table Ten: Construction Quality  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
  Table Eleven: Repair System  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
  Quick Find Index
  Amalgam: Gunspiders  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
  Amalgam: Hydraconian .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  214
  Amalgam: Manticore  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
  Amalgam: Terror Thumper  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
  Amalgam: War Hound  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
  Archangel (see Drake Benton)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
  Biotic (see Creed) .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 70
  Bio-Weapons  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
  Acid Seed Cannon  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
  Annihilator Cannon  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
  Bio-Force Field Emitter Spheres .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  121
  Clinger Missile .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  124
  Dancing Blades Spear  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
  Explosive: Bug Bombs .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  122
  Explosive: Mega-Bug Bombs  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
  Explosive: Protective Bug Bombs .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  122
  Eye-See-You Self-Propelled Grenade  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  124
  Glimmer Guns  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
  Heavy Bore Rifle .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  124
  Hive Sword .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  121
  Leecher Rifle .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  125
  Receptor Mounds  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
  Scutigera Mobile Migs .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  123
  Shield Cracker Rifle  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
  Shrieker Launchers .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  122
  Side Kick Rifles  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
  Thud Gun  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
  Creeping Death Nerve Gas  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224 & 227
  Cyborg, see Amalgams, above.
  Dreadguard (see Norris Bane)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
  Dreadguard (see Colin Loker)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
  Dreadnaught (see Leon Gold) .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  108
  Episode One .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 8
  Episode Two  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
  Episode Three .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  119
  Episode Four  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
  Episode Five .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  175
  Episode Six  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
  Episode Seven .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  229
  Gorehound: Mauler  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
  Gorehound: Samaritan  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
  Great House Artemis  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Great House Charlemagne  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Great House Janus .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 10
  Great House Deluvane  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Great House Poisoned Earth  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  Great House Steel Mountain (Technojackers)  . . . . . . . . 23
  Great House Tarkov .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 11
  Host Armor: Ailuros  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
  Host Armor: Avalanche .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 68
  Host Armor: Barrage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
  Host Armor: Cygnus Rain  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
  Host Armor: Dreadnaught .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 94
  Host Armor: Masterpiece  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
  Host Armor: Nighthawk  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
  Host Armor: Orion  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
  Host Armor: Shadow Fury  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
  Host Armor: Shellback  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
  Legion Personality (A.I.)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222 & 229
  Legionnaires .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 46
  Map: Cave Facility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
  Map: Secret Weapon Facility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
  Monster: Devourer Amoebas  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
  Monster: Saber Raptor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
  Monster: Thrasher Squid Combat Beast (giant)  . . . . . . 195
  N.E.X.U.S. Places of Note  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  O.C.C.: Bombardier .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 39
  
  7
  O.C.C.: Deliveryman  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
  O.C.C.: Restored Biotic .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  185
  O.C.C.: Sweeper  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
  O.C.C.: Tempest  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
  Packlord (see Jason Mercer)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
  Puppet Master Splicer .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .111 & 150
  Real Adventure Begins, The  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
  Robots of Legion  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
  Robot: Black Shroud  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
  Robot: Collector .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 43
  Robot: Factory Walker  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 & 223
  Robot: Fusion Cyborg .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 49
  Robot: Highjacker .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  198
  Robot: Legion Personality  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222 & 229
  Robot: Legionnaire  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
  Robot: Mechanic  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
  Robot: Prisonbot  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
  Robot: Siege Titan (giant) .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  219
  Scarecrow (see Jesse Stansfield)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
  Scarecrow (see Sylvia Monroe) .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 72
  Skinjob (see Zhong Kui)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
  Smilodon Cyborg  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
  Sweeper (see Shauna Davies) .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  107
  Technojackers (see Steel Mountain)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
  War Mount: Badger, APC .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  132
  War Mount: Goliath (Bear)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
  War Mount: Griffin  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
  War Mount: Silverback  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
  War Mount: Skull Cracker  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
  War Mount: Stalker  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
  
  8
  I Am Legion
  us since her inception and we plan to have her seduce your RPG 
  appetites in the future as well. Chris has written this adventure 
  with an episodic, cinematic vibe that makes the art form and ex-
  periences of role-playing such a treasured, social entertainment.
  Backdrop Setting
  To help set the stage, you, the G.M., get to decide on whether 
  you’re going to utilize the established Great House of Artemis, pro-
  vided in this adventure, for your gaming group to belong to or you 
  can customize this House or utilize your own pre-existing Great 
  House for your own desires. If you are using the Great House of 
  Barren Marsh (described in the Splicers® RPG) or a Great House 
  of your own design, feel free to substitute the Warlord & Dread-
  guard Senate NPCs & the Great House names accordingly.
  This adventure and its source material is designed for the use 
  of starting and running an episodic Splicers® campaign. How-
  ever, it could also be converted into a Rifts Earth adventure in 
  an isolated island area to test play Splicers material or an off-
  world adventure campaign for Phase World®. This allows for 
  the Great Houses and A.I.s to become somewhat established in 
  the region.
  The Legion adventure was designed with the purpose of enter-
  taining a group of 3-8 players, levels 1-8, though it is G.M.’s dis-
  cretion to adjust the level of difficulty and challenges according-
  ly. Our goal with this adventure is to demonstrate to Gamers how 
  significant & influential their player party can be for their Great 
  House and how interactive, intriguing, deadly and suspenseful 
  the Machine (Artificial Intelligence) could be with the players. 
  We designed “Legion” for that purpose, but She has grown on 
  Episode I
  An Adventure with Official Source Material for Splicers®
  Concept developed by Chris “Slappy” Kluge & Charles “Chuck” Walton II
  Written by Chris Kluge. NPC Stats Assisted by Jeff Ruiz, Lance Colley and Todd Spencley.
  Illustrated by Charles Walton
  Note: Originally appeared in The Rifter® #71-72 Special Double Issue, page 86; some new material added.
  
  9
  Area of Influence 24
  In the earliest days of the Resistance, the humans somehow 
  discovered the importance of the Machine’s Computer Cores. 
  Where they came by this information has been lost to history. 
  Many believe it was the Machine personality Eve that first gave 
  the humans this vital intel. Other rumors suggested that a Great 
  House somehow stole this information from the Machine’s data-
  banks and was subsequently wiped off the face of the planet in 
  the hopes that their knowledge of this weakness would die with 
  them. Whatever the source of the info, it was confirmed to be 
  true when the Great House of the Barren Marsh destroyed the 
  Computer Core in their territory and freed their lands from the 
  direct control of N.E.X.U.S. Their success convinced the rest of 
  the Resistance to focus all of their efforts towards destroying the 
  Machine’s other Computer Cores. The formation of Great Hous-
  es was previously haphazard at best, but with this new strategy, 
  the Resistance adopted a more organized method.
  They divided the planet into sections they called Areas of In-
  fluence. Each Area of Influence corresponds with one of the Ma-
  chine’s Computer Cores. Multiple Great Houses are established 
  in each Area of Influence to monitor and “contain” the Machine 
  threat. The multiple cells preserves continuous opposition in the 
  event one House falls, plus they could combine their forces to op-
  pose N.E.X.U.S. on a larger scale whenever it is necessary. Each 
  Area of Influence is based on the 1,000 mile (1,600 km) radius 
  of control surrounding each Core. There are currently believed 
  to be only 100 Computer Cores scattered across the planet, but 
  N.E.X.U.S. continues to build more in order to add a layer of 
  redundancy to this vital network.
  Each Area of Influence is named with a simple number that 
  denotes when it was founded. The smaller the number, the longer 
  the Resistance has had a presence within that region. The older 
  areas are typically home to some of the most established, most 
  powerful, and most prestigious Great Houses within the Resis-
  tance. While this is not exactly a hard and fast rule, Great Houses 
  within the older areas like to act as if the age of their region only 
  adds to the stature of their House.
  This adventure will focus on Area 24, an area that has recently 
  attracted quite a bit of attention throughout the Resistance. For 
  one thing, several Houses in this territory have been making some 
  pretty big moves in an attempt to become a player on a more 
  global scale, but more importantly, it is within this territory that 
  a grave new menace has arisen from the psychotic mind of the 
  Machine, which threatens every living thing on the planet...
  Geography and Climate
  Area 24 is one of the more self-contained territories on the 
  planet. The Great Ocean borders the western and southern sides, 
  the Applecore Mountain Range (home to the dreaded House 
  Shiva) makes up the northern border, and the Nepali Mountain 
  Range on the eastern border separates this region from the free 
  lands of the Great House of the Barren Marsh. Some believe it is 
  this Area of Influence’s close proximity to the legendary House 
  of the Barren Marsh (and the infamous House Shiva) that has 
  caused its meteoric rise to prominence, but there are definitely 
  many other reasons for the Resistance and N.E.X.U.S. to pay 
  close attention to these lands.
  This Area of Influence is located in the temperate zone of the 
  Northern Hemisphere, but its proximity to the Great Ocean keeps 
  it within a pretty consistent temperature range of 50 to 90 degrees 
  Fahrenheit (10 to 32 Celsius) year round. This area also gets a de-
  cent amount of rainfall each year (about 50 to 80 inches/127-229 
  cm), which is why even during the Age of Man, when nearly ev-
  ery corner of the planet was covered in cities, this region was one 
  of the last spaces preserved for agriculture. The land was farmed 
  for all it was worth until it was nearly barren, but after the deci-
  mation of humanity, the favorable climate and the efforts of the 
  N.E.X.U.S. Personality Gaia restored most of the soil and now 
  enormous forests and rich grasslands thrive throughout the entire 
  region. In fact, Gaia placed one of her favorite Nature Preserves 
  within Area 24.
  Gaia reclaimed a substantial portion of this territory for her-
  self after the war and called this preserve New Eden. Over the 
  past century, it has grown at an impressive rate thanks to frequent 
  treatments with a special hyper-metabolic fertilizer. The spores, 
  seeds, acorns, and pine cones from these enriched plants have 
  been spread on the winds or were carried by animals, which have 
  built up the forests surrounding the official borders of New Eden 
  as well. Gaia tries to keep her sisters from defiling these wood-
  lands too, but they are not under her direct protection. The thick 
  woods covering most of this region allows the Resistance to cross 
  the surface much more easily than possible in most other areas, 
  but travel below ground is still the safest bet. The lush canopy of 
  leaves shields Splicers from aerial patrols (to a certain extent), 
  but there are many other dangers lurking in the woods. The boun-
  tiful vegetation in the area has encouraged an explosive growth 
  of wildlife, which is good for the humans in this region, but Gaia 
  also seeded her favorite Nature Preserve with some of the dead-
  liest alien predators she could find in her Cryo Zoos and these 
  beasts have subsequently spread out from the preserves in search 
  of this plentiful game.
  G.M. Note: Relative cover should be ideal enough for the 
  players to traverse, plus there should be enough wildlife in the 
  region to supply the hunting needs of various Host Armors and 
  War Mounts. Feel free to utilize any of the fauna in The Rifter® 
  #66 or Rifts® Dinosaur Swamp as suitable game. More Nature 
  Preserves species will be detailed in future sourcebooks.
  Resistance Cells in the Region: This is a brief overview of 
  some of the major Great Houses within Area 24. Some will re-
  ceive more elaboration in this adventure, while others will be de-
  scribed in greater detail in future sourcebooks.
  Great House Artemis
  Great House Artemis has been one of the leading forces in 
  the Resistance since the first days of the war, but it has only re-
  ally risen to prominence within the last fifty years. They have 
  always been a military powerhouse, but what they have become 
  best known for over the past few decades is the steady stream 
  of ingenious Bio-Tech devices that continue to spring from their 
  Gene Pools. Their Librarians are constantly experimenting with 
  new and bizarre Bio-Tech designs. While this is true of all Librar-
  ians, the creative geniuses from House Artemis seem to have an 
  uncanny knack for designing truly revolutionary Bio-Weapons.
  While these weapons have drastically increased the power of 
  House Artemis’ forces, it is really their corporate power as a Bio-
  
  10
  Tech arms merchant that has made them a force to be reckoned 
  with throughout the Resistance. They make a great deal of money 
  from selling their surplus weapons and gear to Great Houses all 
  across the planet, but the majority of their wealth comes from 
  selling the DNA strands for these new Bio-Tech designs so that 
  the other Houses can manufacture their own gear. It is common 
  practice to sell or trade the DNA strands from in-house designs 
  to other Great Houses, but few Houses can match the quality of 
  the designs or the sheer volume of new creations that pour out of 
  Great House Artemis each month. Demand for their gear is high 
  and most Houses will spare no expense to gain the edge in battle 
  that only Artemis weapons can provide.
  Of course, many Houses thought they could simply steal a 
  few DNA samples and use their own Librarians and Engineers 
  to manufacture these weapons for free. They knew House Ar-
  temis was a military power to be feared, but they figured such 
  a champion of humanity would never outright destroy a fellow 
  human kingdom over some minor thefts nor could they ever 
  truly reclaim any stolen designs. Once the genetic codes were in 
  their Gene Pools, the warriors from House Artemis could steal 
  back or destroy any weapons they want, but they could always 
  just make more. Sure, they might fall victim to some minor 
  Blood Feuds, but Artemis is not a brutal kingdom and eventu-
  ally, any slights would be forgotten or even forgiven. What they 
  did not understand (and had to learn the hard way) was that a 
  House with their business prowess and skill with Bio-Technol-
  ogy already knew how to protect their interests and intellectual 
  properties.
  Population Breakdown:
  42,000 Total = 7% Archangels, 5% Biotics, 2% Bombardiers, 
  3% Butchers, 1% Deliverymen, 10% Dreadguard, 1% Falconers, 
  1% Harvesters, 1% Marshals, 2% Militiamen, 9% Outriders, 3% 
  Packmasters, 15% Roughnecks, 3% Saints, 2% Scarecrows, 4% 
  Skinjobs, 2% Swarm Lords, 1% Sweepers, 25% Non-Combat-
  ants, 3% Other O.C.C.s, 25 Engineers, and 3 Librarians.
  Great House Charlemagne
  Great House Charlemagne is just another tragic example of 
  what can happen when a Librarian successfully usurps control 
  of his House. Librarian Socrates plotted and schemed for years 
  to set up his puppet Warlord, Caesar, at the head of his own pri-
  vate empire, and it worked far better than even he could have 
  dreamed. Even among those that realize what has happened, few 
  really know when it happened. There was no overt takeover, no 
  mass slaughtering of thousands of dissenters (although dissenters 
  do seem to vanish routinely), or even any proclamations about a 
  new way of doing things. People’s attitudes simply changed over 
  the decades into the twisted views held by the majority of the 
  population today.
  Fear, distrust, and apprehension about the strange, alien na-
  ture of Bio-Technology was slowly replaced with an almost 
  blind devotion to the power and possibility of what it can do 
  to better the lives of every person on the planet. A general dis-
  dain concerning the idea of directly altering people’s genes was 
  eventually turned into a belief that only fools would not alter 
  their bodies in some way, and the sense of respect and trust 
  in their Warlord was twisted into blind, religious worship for 
  a man they believe to be a living god. Socrates made sure his 
  god had the power to back up that claim. Socrates modified 
  Caesar with Bio-Tech until he had the power of a suit of Host 
  Armor, but he made sure to keep his creation beautiful so that 
  the people would want the same blessings to be bestowed upon 
  them. He altered Warlord Caesar’s body so greatly that he can 
  no longer breed with normal human beings, but that will not be 
  a problem soon enough, since that is ultimately Socrates’ plan 
  for all the people within his kingdom.
  It is a dream come true for this deranged Librarian. Socrates 
  gets to push the boundaries of Bio-Technology through end-
  less experiments on a large and willing group of test subjects. 
  He could care less as he watches their humanity slowly slip 
  away. After all, Socrates gave up his humanity a long time 
  ago and he could not be happier with the choice he made. As 
  far as Socrates is concerned, everything is working flawlessly 
  within his perfect kingdom, which has caused him to grow 
  complacent. This has given the last few free thinkers a chance 
  to organize an attempt to take back their home before it is too 
  late. This group is working with Delphi, the Third Librarian of 
  House Charlemagne, to undermine and hopefully, assassinate 
  Librarian Socrates before he can achieve his end game. The 
  men and women in this resistance-cell-within-a-Resistance-
  cell fear their Librarian ally will prove to be just as danger-
  ous a threat if they all succeed, but they realize they have no 
  choice. Socrates is simply too entrenched for them to take him 
  out on their own. They need to deal with the devil they know 
  and hopefully prevent the devil they do not know from rising 
  up in his place.
  Population Breakdown:
  16,500 Total = 6% Archangels, 10% Biotics, 3% Brood-
  punks, 1% Butchers, 2% Deliverymen, 8% Dreadguard, 3% Mar-
  shals, 2% Mech-Slayers, 12% Outriders, 6% Packmasters, 10% 
  Roughnecks, 4% Saints, 4% Scarecrows, 4% Skinjobs, 1% Tech-
  nojackers, 2% Troopmasters, 18% Non-Combatants, 4% Other 
  O.C.C.s, 11 Engineers and 3 Librarians.
  Great House Janus
  Warlord Alus has recently risen through the ranks of the 
  Dreadguard to claim his kingdom, only to learn it is crumbling. 
  His Great House is the poorest within this Area of Influence and 
  civil unrest threatens to tear it apart. Most of the poor are kept 
  pacified with a continuous supply of powerful Bio-Tech nar-
  cotics, but Alus can only keep his people in a fog for so long. 
  He seethes with jealous rage at House Artemis and constantly 
  schemes to bring them down. Warlord Alus is not foolish enough 
  to want to see them destroyed, he just wants some of their im-
  pressive wealth for his own kingdom. The majority of his ef-
  forts involve flooding the other Great Houses in the area with 
  his Bio-Tech drugs. He keeps the more mellowing substances for 
  his own House, but the drugs he sells within other Great Houses 
  have much different effects. His efforts are starting to bring in a 
  decent amount of income, but the greedy minority are hording it 
  and keeping it from the majority.
  The warriors from this House do engage the Machine, but the 
  majority of their efforts are dedicated towards preying on their 
  neighboring Great Houses. Some of these attacks are the result 
  of Blood Feuds or personal vendettas, but most of the attacks are 
  simply raids for necessities. They are just trying to survive and 
  
  11
  they see their fellow Splicers as resources to be exploited. Un-
  der the leadership of Warlord Alus, this House has devolved into 
  little more than an enormous and well-organized Waste Crawler 
  gang or Drug Cartel. Many warriors from this House still fight 
  with honor against the Machine, but the majority are just highly 
  trained thugs using their skill to take what they want from whom-
  ever they want.
  Population Breakdown:
  8,500 Total = 5% Archangels, 2% Biotics, 1% Bombardiers, 
  1% Deliverymen, 12% Dreadguard, 1% Falconers, 1% Harvest-
  ers, 8% Marshals, 3% Militiamen, 15% Outriders, 8% Packmas-
  ters, 20% Roughnecks, 1% Saints, 1% Scarecrows, 2% Skinjobs, 
  1% Sweepers, 11% Non-Combatants, 7% Other O.C.C.s, 5 Engi-
  neers and 2 Librarians.
  Great House Deluvane
  The Great House of the Barren Marsh has seen the steady 
  decline of the House of the Poisoned Earth and Great House 
  Janus and they have decided something needed to be done. 
  They did not like the idea that the Machine could completely 
  reclaim the Area of Influence next to their kingdom and use it 
  as a staging point to invade their lands. Barren Marsh decided 
  to build another Great House within this Area of Influence to 
  make sure the territory remained at least somewhat secure after 
  the inevitable demise of the Houses in this region. They think 
  their power and renown will cause people to flock from their 
  doomed homes into this new House just as people flocked to the 
  House of the Barren Marsh. They are drafting plans to smash 
  the blockade around the House of the Poisoned Earth and evac-
  uate the citizens to this new underground haven. Barren Marsh 
  figures this display of strength and military skill will encour-
  age others in the area to follow. No one is sure how Warlord 
  Cesspool will take this offer, but the other Warlords see this as 
  an incredible insult from an overly arrogant super-power. They 
  have all rejected their offer of “sanctuary” outright and Warlord 
  Alus is actively campaigning to undermine this fledgling king-
  dom before it can become entrenched.
  Unlike most Great Houses starting out, House Deluvane al-
  ready has some impressive resources at its disposal thanks to 
  the backing of the Barren Marsh. Warlord Anhorn sent thou-
  sands of his finest warriors to help with the defense of this 
  fragile new kingdom. They already have two Engineers pro-
  ducing Bio-Tech with another five Saints ready to hatch their 
  Gene Pools any day. The downside is that these Saints are 
  all highly coveted prizes for any Great House daring enough 
  to try and take them. Most of their efforts are dedicated to-
  wards laying out their fortifications and digging out the haven 
  in preparation for the massive influx of refugees they expect 
  to occur. They do not plan on making any aggressive moves 
  at this point unless the Machine or someone like House Janus 
  forces them to do so.
  Population Breakdown:
  4,000 Total = 10% Archangels, 5% Biotics, 5% Bombardiers, 
  12% Dreadguard, 4% Falconers, 2% Harvesters, 10% Outriders, 
  6% Packmasters, 25% Roughnecks, 2% Saints, 8% Skinjobs, 1% 
  Sweepers, 5% Non-Combatants, 5% Other O.C.C.s, 2 Engineers, 
  and 0 Librarians.
  Great House Tarkov
  Great House Tarkov can trace its origins directly back to the 
  powerful Russian conglomerate known as Tarkov Industries. As 
  N.E.X.U.S. began to fail and the automated systems running the 
  world began to falter, this group of Russian robotics engineers 
  saw an opportunity and seized it. Tarkov Industries built a mas-
  sively successful corporation that designed service robots that 
  could operate independently of N.E.X.U.S. Demand for their 
  problem-free creations grew as N.E.X.U.S. continued to fail and 
  they became a powerhouse in the region.
  When N.E.X.U.S. finally went insane, Tarkov Industries be-
  came the sole source for weapons, armor, and robotic war ma-
  chines for the Resistance fighters in Old Lexington. N.E.X.U.S. 
  eventually seized control of their factories, but Tarkov Indus-
  tries gathered up their finest minds, their best technology, and 
  took their know-how underground and continued to resist the 
  maniacal Machine. When the Nano-Plague was unleashed, the 
  engineers at House Tarkov were some of the first people to de-
  duce the cause, figure out exactly what triggered a reaction, and 
  came up with workarounds to circumvent this insidious weap-
  on. They were able to retool their factories to produce plague-
  safe weapons and armor, and they once again became the sole 
  weapons manufacturer in the region. Their wealth grew and 
  their underground haven flourished as they sold their gear to 
  every corner of the planet as quickly as it could be made. Great 
  House Tarkov quickly rose to the highest levels of prominence 
  within the Resistance, and they stayed in this lofty position for 
  decades until the creation of Bio-Technology displaced them 
  from this place of power.
  This fall from grace did shake them a little, but it did not em-
  bitter them. They are still a staunch supporter of the Resistance 
  and one of the primary manufacturers of inorganic technology 
  for Great Houses in dozens of Areas of Influence. While they do 
  sometimes lament their diminished status as other Houses like 
  Great House Artemis rose to replace them, they truly do appreci-
  ate having such a powerful ally nearby and the two Houses work 
  well together. House Artemis may be the masters of Bio-Tech 
  manufacturing in this area, but they are the undisputed experts 
  with plastics, ceramics, and explosive chemicals. They are one of 
  the few Houses capable of mass-producing Nanobot Plague-safe 
  machinery such as electrical motors, light bulbs, weapons, armor, 
  and other simple devices. Their machine designs use a combina-
  tion of Mega-Damage plastics and ceramics and precious metal 
  wiring to take advantage of the loophole in the nanobots’ pro-
  gramming, and their weapon designs are based around high-ex-
  plosive projectiles.
  While they are still one of the primary inorganic arms deal-
  ers within the Resistance, the decreased demand and high costs 
  of components have significantly lowered their profit margins. 
  Compared to other Great Houses they are still quite wealthy, but 
  nothing like House Artemis. Their military does have a decent-
  sized contingent of Bio-Tech equipped Splicers, but the majority 
  of their forces consist of the inorganic equipped Toy Soldiers. 
  They were originally called Plastic Men, but over the years, 
  Splicers mockingly changed their name to Toy Soldiers. None of 
  them were fazed by the name and most wear their title and their 
  “human” gear with pride. While their weapons are not nearly as 
  powerful as Bio-Tech, the Toy Soldiers that wield them have 
  more than proven their prowess on the battlefield. In fact, most 
  
  12
  Toy Soldiers seem to have something to prove to their Splicer 
  counterparts and fight with a ferocity that is nearly unmatched.
  Population Breakdown:
  31,800 Total = 4% Archangels, 1% Biotics, 1% Bombardiers, 
  1% Deliverymen, 4% Dreadguard, 1% Falconers, 1% Harvesters, 
  2% Marshals, 3% Militiamen, 4% Outriders, 1% Packmasters, 
  5% Roughnecks, 1% Saints, 0.4% Scarecrows, 0.6% Skinjobs, 
  1% Sweepers, 30% Toy Soldiers, 4% Technojackers, 28% Non-
  Combatants and 7% Other O.C.C.s., including 3 Engineers and 
  1 Librarian.
  House Details:
  A. House Size: Large House.
  B. Biotech Level: Prefers Conventional Technology.
  C. House Wealth: Wealthy.
  D. Leadership: Warlord and Senate Advisors.
  E. Educational Resources: Storytelling, Apprenticeship, 
  Golden Age Library, Printing Press, Technojacker Jury-Rigging.
  F. Internal Control: Oppressive Laws.
  G. Criminal Activities: Small Gangs.
  H. Military Culture: Territorial Protectionists.
  I. Attitude Towards N.E.X.U.S.: Seething Hatred.
  J. Attitude Towards Other Great Houses: Skeptical.
  K. Attitude Towards Human Augmentation: Limited Aug-
  mentations.
  L. Attitude Towards Technojackers: Full House Member-
  ship.
  M. Intelligence Resources: Anecdotal Reports, Scouting Pla-
  toons, Deliverymen, Infiltrators.
  N. Haven Structure: Abandoned Sewage Lines, Finished 
  Carpentry, Intricately Sculpted Stone, Plastic and Ceramic, 
  Abandoned Golden Age Structure.
  O. Surface Presence: Simple Safe Havens (16), Hidden Ghost 
  Town Havens (8), Hidden Retro Village Havens (2).
  P. Reputation: Famous.
  Q. Entertainment: Storytelling, Sun Rooms (built by House 
  Artemis), Shopping, Alcohol, Gambling, Prostitution, Sports, 
  Sparring, Armored Sparring.
  House of the Poisoned Earth
  (Warlord Cesspool refuses to call his toxic kingdom a “Great” House)
  The surface above this Resistance cell is a heavily polluted 
  wasteland. After decades of brutal fighting in the city above, 
  N.E.X.U.S. finally nuked the area repeatedly until nothing re-
  mained but irradiated soil that was so toxic that not even bac-
  teria could survive. Eventually, people noticed the Machine 
  avoided this area as well, so about eighty years ago, the decision 
  was made to build an underground haven beneath this poisoned 
  soil. They thought if they dug deep enough, they could build 
  a home that would be safe from the Machine and the toxins 
  above. For nearly fifty years they were correct, but unfortunate-
  ly, the radioactive sludge continued to sink deeper and deeper 
  into the earth until it started poisoning the underground haven 
  as well. As the numbers of cancer cases, genetic disorders, and 
  other illnesses began to climb, they decided to flee this toxic 
  pit, but unfortunately, Kali discovered the situation and inter-
  rupted their plans. Instead of completely destroying this Resis-
  tance cell, she placed hundreds of thousands of robots around 
  the perimeter of this House (above and below ground) to keep 
  the population from relocating. This army could easily march in 
  and destroy the haven any time they want, but Kali finds this to 
  be much more amusing.
  Today the underground haven is nearly as poisonous as the 
  surface. In order to survive, people must stay in their organic ar-
  mor twenty-four hours a day, or undergo genetic conversion into 
  a Skinjob, Biotic, or Scarecrow. Children and other people unable 
  to protect themselves with armor or other augmentations receive 
  daily treatments by Saints and recurring genetic repairing ses-
  sions with an Engineer. These treatments keep people relatively 
  healthy, but their life spans are still dramatically shortened. Plus 
  tying up the Engineers’ time severely limits their ability to create 
  new Bio-Tech gear. Most of the members of this House have ba-
  sically given up and are simply waiting around to die. From time 
  to time, some people do try to make a break for it or they decide 
  to take one last suicidal run at the Machine rather than sit and 
  slowly rot. These assaults on the perimeter are the only real con-
  tributions this House makes to the war effort anymore. One major 
  breakthrough trapped within the walls of this prison is the cre-
  ation of a new type of metabolism known as Toxosynthesis. This 
  strange metabolism uses radioactivity and toxic sludge to nourish 
  the Host Armor. It is sort of a cross between the Photosynthesis 
  and Lithovore metabolisms. The armor consumes polluted soil 
  and then uses ambient radioactivity from the environment (or 
  from the soil itself) to break down the complex compounds into 
  useful elements. Given enough time, the suits of Host Armor and 
  War Mounts that possess this metabolism could actually clean up 
  the entire area, but it could take hundreds or even thousands of 
  years with the numbers they currently have.
  Population Breakdown:
  4,800 Total = 1% Archangels, 18% Biotics, 1% Bombardiers, 
  11% Dreadguard, 2% Marshals, 1% Militiamen, 10% Outriders, 
  2% Packmasters, 18% Roughnecks, 1% Saints, 9% Scarecrows, 
  9% Skinjobs, 1% Sweepers, 12% Non-Combatants, 4% Other 
  O.C.C.s, including 8 Engineers and 1 Librarian.
  House Details:
  A. House Size: Small House.
  B. Biotech Level: Prefers Bio-Tech.
  C. House Wealth: Civilians First.
  D. Leadership: Warlord and Senate Advisors.
  E. Educational Resources: Storytelling, Librarian.
  F. Internal Control: Oppressive Laws.
  G. Criminal Activities: Unorganized Activity.
  H. Military Culture: Defensive.
  I. Attitude Towards N.E.X.U.S.: Broken Spirit.
  J. Attitude Towards Other Great Houses: Skeptical.
  K. Attitude Towards Human Augmentation: Required 
  Augmentations (necessary to survive the toxic atmosphere).
  L. Attitude Towards Technojackers: Unwelcome.
  M. Intelligence Resources: Anecdotal Reports.
  N. Haven Structure: Crude Stone, Intricately Sculpted Stone, 
  Resin.
  O. Surface Presence: None.
  P. Reputation: Known.
  Q. Entertainment: Storytelling, Music, Alcohol, Drugs.
  
  13
  Places of Note
  Computer Core
  Situated dead center within this region is the N.E.X.U.S. Com-
  puter Core. This massive structure is the highest priority target of 
  every Great House within Area of Influence 24. It is the reason 
  they are here, and its destruction is the key to their liberation. Of 
  course, N.E.X.U.S. knows this as well, so she does not even try 
  to hide its importance. She turned the hundred mile area around 
  the Core into a gauntlet of robot patrols, Sentry Towers, and de-
  fensive fortifications, and security only gets tighter the closer one 
  gets to the Core.
  The Machine built this particular Core upon the bones of 
  Abraveno Province. This region was once a farm community 
  tasked with the difficult job of growing enough food to feed a 
  severely overpopulated world. Similar to the rest of the region, 
  the land was farmed for all it was worth, but this soil actu-
  ally went completely barren. During the initial decades when 
  N.E.X.U.S. first came online and was functioning properly, she 
  restored the land to a point where it could support life again, but 
  it was stretched far too thin to ever be used as farmland again. 
  N.E.X.U.S. dedicated other lands towards food production and 
  instead rededicated most of Abraveno Province towards tract 
  housing in order to draw people away from the overcrowded cit-
  ies. The homes were tightly packed together, but compared to the 
  cities, it felt like communing with nature.
  Unfortunately, when the Great Purge came, these homes of-
  fered virtually no protection and no place to hide. N.E.X.U.S. 
  simply hit each home with incendiaries or high-explosives, and 
  then cut down anyone that came scurrying out. For some reason, 
  the Machine had no interest in taking prisoners from this com-
  munity or moving them to a Boneyard. She executed every single 
  person where they stood, whether they tried to surrender or not, 
  and left the bodies where they fell. She then immediately went 
  to work building the Computer Core and its impressive defenses 
  directly upon their remains.
  N.E.X.U.S. constructed a series of four massive, Mega-
  Damage walls that radiated out from the Core like ripples from 
  a drop of water. Each one is fifty feet (15.2 m) tall and twenty 
  feet (6.1 m) thick. The walls have columns of weapon emplace-
  ments mounted every thirty feet (9.1 m) on each side. Getting 
  through the kill zone of one wall and then successfully going over 
  or through this enormous construct simply means the attackers 
  are now caught in the crossfire of the last wall and the next one 
  as well. They are spaced half a mile (0.8 km) apart, so there is 
  no safe place that does not fall within weapons range of scores 
  of laser cannons, particle beams, ion cannons, and missile batter-
  ies. In addition to these already excessive defenses, N.E.X.U.S. 
  seeded the space between each wall with thousands of Popper 
  Mines, Sentry Towers, air and ground patrols, and a total of ten 
  Land Dominators. Each wall has four heavily fortified gates on 
  the north, south, east, and west sides. Just inside each of the gates 
  on the outermost wall is a decent-sized Industrial Center. These 
  automated factories churn out new robots to replace fallen sen-
  tries, re-supply spent ammo, repair any damage, and perform rou-
  tine maintenance on the legions of robots guarding the area.
  While Gaia’s efforts have caused the forests and fields in Re-
  gion 24 to flourish, the sheer quantity of feet, tires, and tracks 
  trudging endlessly across this area crush most plant life before it 
  can have a chance to grow. This makes the approach towards the 
  Computer Core one of the most difficult in the region. The land is 
  flat and clear of trees or shrubs for miles in every direction. There 
  is not even that much debris left over from the ruins of Abraveno 
  Province. The occasional patch of tall weeds provides some cov-
  er, but it does not help much against air patrols. The sewer and 
  maintenance tunnels below the Core were collapsed long ago, or 
  appropriated by the Machine and filled with cables to carry power 
  from all the nearby Power Farms to this vital structure. To this 
  day, no one has been able to get within ten miles (16 km) of the 
  Core before being discovered and swiftly eliminated.
  Area: 100 square miles (256 sq. km).
  Human Population: No human has gotten within 10 miles of 
  this Computer Core since it was first built.
  Robot Population: Roughly 600,000 robots patrol the area, 
  including 10 Land Dominators.
  The Playhouse (Industrial Center)
  Of all the Machine Personalities, Kali is without question the 
  most depraved, sadistic, and cruel, and nowhere is this more evi-
  dent than within the blood-drenched halls of her personal torture 
  chamber known as the Playhouse. Most Splicers in Area 24 con-
  sider this enormous facility to be the number two target in the re-
  gion, but many feel it is a higher priority than the Computer Core. 
  While taking out the Playhouse does not offer any real strategic 
  value, this vile house of horrors is simply too evil and appalling 
  to be allowed to exist. Unfortunately, like most of the Machine’s 
  creations, destroying it is easier said than done. That does not 
  stop the Resistance from trying though. The Playhouse has been 
  attacked more times than any other Machine installation in the 
  region. There are thousands of human victims being brutally tor-
  tured within the bowels of this complex at any given moment, so 
  rescue attempts are an almost daily occurrence. In reality, this is 
  why Kali built the Playhouse in the first place. While it does serve 
  as an outlet for her twisted desires, its true function is to serve as 
  bait. The other Machine personalities actually find this facility to 
  be a little too savage, but they allow it to exist because they do 
  appreciate how often it draws Splicers out into the open. The site 
  was originally a small Industrial Center that went dormant after 
  the Resistance destroyed all the Power Farms that kept it run-
  ning. Kali took it over roughly fifty years ago and retrofitted it so 
  that it could “entertain” a wide assortment of guests. The facility 
  contains hundreds of rooms filled with various cages and imple-
  ments of torture. Kali decorated the rooms with various dark and 
  terrifying themes, typically from whatever versions of hell she 
  found in old databases. Most of the complex is quite dark, dank, 
  and stained from the blood of thousands of victims to create the 
  proper oppressive atmosphere, but there are also dozens of spar-
  kling clean, sterile rooms that are used to treat the most griev-
  ously injured. Kali likes her victims to suffer for years at a time, 
  and she would hate to accidentally grant any of them the sweet 
  release of death too soon. Dozens of bodies in various stages of 
  decay hang from nearly every room, but many of these victims 
  are actually Necrobots that wait in secret and attack any intrud-
  ers. Kali also interspersed dozens of Siren Infiltrators among the 
  prison population to deal with the frequent escape attempts. She 
  also likes to use these beautiful “captives” to console and bond 
  with the other prisoners just to make the betrayal all the more ter-
  rifying and crushing once the truth is revealed. As for the normal 
  defenders of the facility, Kali typically uses Steel Troopers, Slic-
  er Robots, and her own personal brand of torture drones she calls 
  
  14
  Surgeons. Most are outfitted with pitch-black synthetic skin and 
  glowing red eyes so that they can play the roles of the demons in 
  her hell-themed rooms.
  Few have seen what goes on within the walls of this horrible 
  place and lived to tell the tale. That is why Kali set up an out-
  door torture chamber within the large courtyard that sits in the 
  center of the four main buildings of the complex. The Playhouse 
  never would have made such quality bait if Splicers could not see 
  her victims being slowing filleted or hear their pitiful moans and 
  tormented screams echo through the area. The courtyard is even 
  ringed with powerful speakers that broadcast their cries for all 
  to hear. Kali rotates new victims through the courtyard day and 
  night to demonstrate just how many captives the facility holds. 
  She tries not to kill these playthings in the open in order to give 
  anyone that might care for that piece of meat incentive to brave 
  the horrors of the Playhouse to try to liberate him or her.
  Area: The complex and surrounding perimeter wall covers 2 
  square miles (5.1 sq. km).
  Human Population: Roughly 1,200 to 2,000 prisoners are 
  housed in the Playhouse at any time. There is enough room for a 
  maximum of 4,000 prisoners.
  Robot Population: About 2,000 robots are tasked with “en-
  tertaining” the prisoners, making sure none escape, and defend-
  ing the facility from the inevitable Splicer raids.
  The Valley of Skulls
  The great chasm known as the Valley of Skulls is a testimonial 
  to just how dangerous N.E.X.U.S. truly is. While this enormous 
  canyon looks like it has existed for thousands of years, it has not 
  even been around a century. In fact, this landmark did not form 
  naturally at all. It was once the location of Great House Altamont. 
  About eighty years ago, in a display of power and brutality that 
  was impressive even for N.E.X.U.S., she used her control over 
  the planet’s tectonic plates to rip their underground haven in half. 
  Within minutes, this mighty Resistance stronghold and everyone 
  inside was buried within an avalanche of dirt, stone, and splin-
  tered sewer lines. The land surrounding the haven was fractured 
  and pulled thousands of feet apart, and the pulverized haven slid 
  to the bottom of the canyon in a twisted heap. What was flat earth 
  moments before was turned into a massive canyon 30 miles (48 
  km) long, about half a mile (0.8 km) wide at its center, and rough-
  ly two thousand feet (610 m) deep.
  People knew N.E.X.U.S. wielded this power, since she rou-
  tinely uses it to reshape the geography of the entire planet, but 
  this is one of the few instances (and for good reason) where she 
  actually used it as a weapon. While House Altamont took the 
  brunt of the attack, the entire West Coast of Area 24 was shat-
  tered by the massive earthquakes and tsunamis that were un-
  leashed. After years of war, the battered buildings in the cities of 
  New Jefferson, Sun Coast, Port Town, Fausburg, and Bonneville 
  completely crumbled into dust.
  Reports from the few witnesses to survive this carnage stated 
  that N.E.X.U.S. lost tens of thousands of robot minions within 
  each city. This could mean she did not anticipate that the quakes 
  would travel so far or wreak so much havoc, or she simply did 
  not care about the collateral damage. After all, she has billions 
  of robots walking the planet, so losing a few hundred thousand 
  ultimately does not impact her much.
  Why she chose to unleash this doomsday weapon upon Great 
  House Altamont is still a mystery to this day. The only reason 
  it worked was because their underground haven happened to be 
  sitting on a fault line. Maybe she just wanted to see what would 
  happen, or maybe this House held a secret N.E.X.U.S. found 
  so terrifying that she willingly destroyed over a quarter million 
  minions just to ensure it was buried. The promise of this pos-
  sibility draws thousands of treasure seekers into the depths of 
  the valley each year. What further fuels these legends is the fact 
  that N.E.X.U.S. still heavily patrols these seemingly insignificant 
  ruins. Of course, the Machine places her minions in any location 
  that humans visit, but most still see it as proof that something of 
  immeasurable value must lie within the ruins of House Altamont.
  Unfortunately, none of them have the slightest idea what they 
  are even looking for, but still they come. Those that have dug 
  through the ruins have reported the area is rich in glass, plas-
  tic, ceramic, and other quality recyclable materials, plus miles of 
  gold wiring that was once used for their electrical systems. The 
  only other valuables buried within the dirt is a wealth of micro-
  discs and some old Bio-Tech remains that may have some sal-
  vageable genes that could be studied. Many think this could be 
  the resting place of the fabled black shutdown discs, or perhaps 
  the Librarians of Altamont created some Bio-Tech secret weapon 
  that could have turned the tide of the war. Most of these legends 
  are based on nothing but wild conjecture, tall tales embellished 
  through repeated tellings, and outright fantasies, but the possibili-
  ties still draw the hopeful, the desperate, and the just plain crazy.
  Area: 400 square miles (1,024 sq. km).
  Human Population: There are typically 50-200 humans and 
  Splicers combing through the rubble at any given time.
  Robot Population: Roughly 10,000 robots patrol the valley 
  with an additional 1,000 human skeletons that have been turned 
  into Necrobots.
  Old Lexington (Ruined City)
  This once thriving coastal city used to be a beautiful vacation 
  destination visited by millions each year and the home to some of 
  the most affluent and influential people in the old human empire. 
  It was also one of the major ports of commerce and industry on 
  this coastline. Like the rest of the planet, the city was choking 
  from overpopulation, but the booming local economy enabled 
  them to deal with the usual problems better than most cities. They 
  handled all the food exports from this incredibly fertile region, 
  which meant there was always a substantial amount of money 
  and goods rolling in as exchange for this vital and diminishing 
  resource, and the flourishing service economy meant there was 
  rarely a shortage of jobs. Even once N.E.X.U.S. started handling 
  the jobs no one wanted, there were still plenty of jobs left to keep 
  this city running strong. As the rest of the world crumbled be-
  neath the lazy, entitled attitudes of the human population, Old 
  Lexington continued to prosper. This place was the home to cap-
  tains of industry, political leaders, famous athletes, scientists, en-
  gineers, and all manner of strong, capable people, which is likely 
  the reason why the citizens of Old Lexington offered some of the 
  greatest resistance during the early years of the war. At first this 
  did not seem like it would be the case. When N.E.X.U.S. first 
  snapped, she rounded up over seventy-five percent of the popula-
  tion with ease and marched them to an enormous state park at the 
  edge of the city where she slaughtered them like cattle and piled 
  their bodies hundreds (even thousands) deep in the now infamous 
  Lexington Boneyard. The ones that escaped this massacre real-
  ized the desperateness of their situation, and they quickly banded 
  
  15
  together, dug in, and fought back with everything they had, and 
  even the Machine was surprised by how well they fought. After 
  years of brutal combat, N.E.X.U.S. leveled every structure within 
  the city and then had to continuously bomb the rubble for years 
  after to flush out the last pockets of resistance. These battle-tested 
  survivors were the ones that originally founded Great House Ar-
  temis (or House Lexington as they called it back then) and Great 
  House Tarkov.
  Today, this once majestic city is now little more than rubble 
  with a handful of burnt-out steel super structures jetting out from 
  the debris like skeletal remains. Gaia’s efforts to restore the plant 
  life in this Area of Influence created some hardy breeds of vegeta-
  tion that have found root within these shattered ruins. Thick grass 
  and ivy has sprouted over half of the city and even the occasional 
  tree can be seen breaking through the rubble. Wildlife has settled 
  within the many nooks and crannies of the shattered city, which 
  provides plenty of game for the Waste Crawlers that have taken 
  up residence here. These gangs are just one of the many dangers 
  lurking in the ruins. The wildlife and humans in the Old Lex-
  ington ruins has also attracted a fair number of dangerous alien 
  predators that stalk them all from the shadows. Plus N.E.X.U.S. 
  has thousands of robots patrolling the area for Splicers that are 
  trying to make their way through to the Boneyard.
  Area: 250 square miles (640 sq. km).
  Human Population: Roughly 150 Waste Crawlers and a re-
  volving population of around 50 to 100 Splicers camped out in 
  safe houses.
  Robot Population: Roughly 20,000 robots patrol the ruins.
  Lexington Boneyard
  Long ago, this grisly mountain of death was once a place of 
  beauty known as Sunshine Park. N.E.X.U.S. rounded up over 
  forty million people from Old Lexington, Harrisburg, and New 
  Salem and herded them here so they could be executed by firing 
  squad, poison gas, or whatever method N.E.X.U.S. found most 
  expedient at the time. Their bodies were then stacked hundreds 
  and even thousands deep in the park and left to rot. No one knows 
  why N.E.X.U.S. chose to create Boneyards rather than bury or 
  burn the bodies. Whatever the reason, these horrifying displays 
  have become a symbol of the Machine’s evil and brutality as well 
  as vital resources of raw genetic material for the Gene Pools.
  Great Houses Artemis, Janus, and Charlemagne have been 
  gathering raw organic material from this Boneyard for decades, 
  and the Machine has placed thousands of robots within the old 
  Lexington Ruins and around this massive graveyard to hamper 
  their efforts. The best way to enter this Boneyard is through the 
  shattered remnants of the adjoining city of Old Lexington. There 
  are other methods of approach, but the twisted mounds of steel 
  and concrete as well as the sewer lines below provides the best 
  cover from robot patrols.
  The Resistance discovered long ago that the best place to col-
  lect viable tissue is actually dozens of feet below the surface of 
  these massive graveyards. It is a difficult and disturbing process 
  to tunnel through the remains of millions of rotting corpses, but 
  doing so is ultimately very beneficial. For one, it keeps the collec-
  tion teams hidden from Machine patrols, but most importantly, 
  the bodies deeper within the pile are more protected from the 
  environment and have not been as ravaged by disease, vermin, 
  and the elements. It is not like tunneling through earth, and this 
  process takes days to even dig a few feet. Decades of collection 
  missions have left a network of tunnels through this mountain 
  of death that Splicers can use, or they can try to blaze their own 
  grisly trails. Not all Splicers use this strategy since it carries the 
  additional danger of being buried alive in a cave-in of the dead 
  (plus it is absolutely disgusting), but most find this is the best way 
  to gather useful organic material.
  Area: 42 square miles (108 sq. km).
  Robot Population: About 10,000 robots patrol the air, sur-
  face, and network of tunnels running through the Boneyard.
  Crazy Town (Ghost Town)
  This Ghost Town was actually built from scratch long after 
  the fall of humanity. It is known as Crazy Town because there 
  seems to be no reason or logic to the design of the city. It is a 
  mixture of different structures from different eras of human his-
  tory. Towering skyscrapers sit next to medieval shops made of 
  wood and crude iron, industrial revolution-era factories belch out 
  thick clouds of harmless steam made to look like smoke (anoth-
  er example of the Machine’s contrary directives in action) next 
  door to ultra-modern apartment buildings, and strangest of all, 
  N.E.X.U.S. built an enormous commercial seaport in the center 
  of the city in a landlocked lake. This is also one of the few Ghost 
  Towns that N.E.X.U.S. continuously remodels. Most Ghost 
  Towns are meticulously maintained museums from a specific 
  point in time, with the Nex-Androids reenacting every detail of 
  that one era forever. For some reason, the Machine keeps tearing 
  down sections of Crazy Town and rebuilding them in complete-
  ly new and unique ways. Only the humans that maintain camp 
  within the city know the current layout. Even those that have left 
  for just a few months typically come back to an entirely differ-
  ent city. Great House Tarkov likes to raid this city routinely for 
  supplies. The constant construction efforts provide mountains of 
  building supplies to be plundered.
  Area: 120 square miles (307 sq. km).
  Human Population: About 130 humans live secretly among 
  the Nex-Androids and another 300-500 Splicers camping out in 
  safe houses.
  Robot Population: 2.5 million Nex-Androids.
  Harrisburg (Ghost Town)
  Harrisburg looks exactly the same today as it did when 
  N.E.X.U.S. first cleared out the population and marched them 
  across miles of territory to their doom. This high-tech metropolis 
  stands as a living testimonial to the grand civilization that hu-
  manity has lost. The Machine has since repopulated the city with 
  an army of over 8 million Nex-Androids that dutifully reenact 
  the mundane details of that past life. This enormous city is more 
  than just a living history lesson, it is an incredible resource for 
  supplies. Medicine, clothing, furniture, toiletries, and all types of 
  valuable goods are created each day to help maintain the illusion 
  of society, and they are just sitting there, waiting for anyone bold 
  enough to come and claim them. Most Great Houses in the region 
  have set up at least one safe house in the city to gather supplies 
  so they can be transported back to their respective underground 
  havens. There are also a number of unaffiliated humans that have 
  learned to live peacefully in the city by posing as Nex-Androids. 
  It is a dangerous game, but if one can pull it off, it is one of the 
  most comfortable ways for a human to live on the surface.
  Area: 210 square miles (538 sq. km).
  
  16
  Human Population: About 500 humans live secretly among 
  the Nex-Androids with another 400-600 Splicers camping out in 
  safe houses.
  Robot Population: 8 million Nex-Androids.
  Harrisburg 2 (Ghost Town)
  Deliverymen from several Great Houses in Area 24 recently 
  discovered that the Machine built an exact duplicate of the city 
  of Harrisburg less than 50 miles (80 km) to the northeast of the 
  original city. No one knows when this massive construction proj-
  ect was actually completed or how long it took. Reports started 
  coming in about Splicer teams getting confused and lost when 
  either traveling to or from Harrisburg. Rendezvous within Har-
  risburg were missed because the two parties were actually in dif-
  ferent copies of the city.
  The Deliverymen are also tasked with mapping the surface, 
  so they were eventually dispatched to see what was confusing 
  the Splicer teams. Many suspected a few landmarks were altered 
  by the Machine (which is an unfortunately common occurrence), 
  but even they were shocked to find an exact duplicate of a major 
  city where once there was nothing but forest. Every single detail 
  was copied, no matter how insignificant. Even the Nex-Androids 
  in Harrisburg 2 were exact copies of those found in Harrisburg. 
  Deliverymen that made the trek back and forth during the day to 
  note the similarities observed that duplicate Nex-Androids were 
  wearing the same clothes on the same days and they were reen-
  acting the exact same life events.
  Those aware of Harrisburg 2 are greatly confused by its pur-
  pose. Many suspect that it is a massive trap and have decided to 
  steer clear of the original Harrisburg and its clone. They point to 
  the fact that even the Resistance safe houses in Harrisburg were 
  copied perfectly. All the weapons, explosives, and supplies left 
  in the safe houses were copied and placed in the same locations. 
  Some think that the Machine personality Eve did this to provide 
  the humans with more supplies, while others think this was done 
  to complete the illusion so that Splicers would unknowingly walk 
  into a Machine trap. They fear that Harrisburg 2 is riddled with 
  hidden caches of explosives, poison gas, or other lethal surprises 
  that may one day finally be unleashed when enough people stum-
  ble into the trap. Even the people that believe this are confused 
  about why the Machine would invest so much time and such an 
  extravagant amount of resources to trap what would ultimately be 
  only a handful of people. Others think the safe houses were sim-
  ply beneath the Machine’s notice considering the massive scale 
  of the construction project. They could see that she wanted to be 
  accurate, and they figured that she never took the time to deduce 
  what every individual item might mean. The fact that hundreds 
  of Splicers have subsequently gone in and out of Harrisburg 2 
  without incident further confounds the debate.
  Many Splicers continue to visit both cities, but they are still 
  wary about what the Machine’s full plans may be. Even if it is 
  not a trap, they still worry that she might one day destroy the 
  original Harrisburg to complete the move, or she may demolish 
  Harrisburg 2 when she realizes she accidentally built a duplicate 
  city. Some experts on the Machine’s insanity have even hypoth-
  esized that Harrisburg 2 is part of a power struggle between Ma-
  chine Personalities. They point to the fact that Harrisburg 2 sits 
  dangerously close to Gaia’s private sanctuary, New Eden. Freya 
  is the Machine Personality in charge of the Ghost Towns and this 
  could be a move to seize part of Gaia’s territory. Whether it was 
  an intentional affront or not, Gaia may not take too kindly to this 
  intrusion and she could possibly send her own alien predators to 
  tear it down. No human would want to be anywhere near such an 
  enormous clash if it ever does come.
  Harrisburg 2 is an excellent example of why it is such a mad-
  dening task for the humans of this planet to successfully try to 
  map the surface. Not only can the Machine reshape the natural 
  landscape through her control of the planet’s tectonic plates, but 
  she will frequently move, copy, or remove every conceivable 
  trace of famous manmade landmarks. Harrisburg and its identi-
  cal twin Harrisburg 2 highlight the sheer level of resources the 
  Machine is willing to dedicate to this trick. People within the Re-
  sistance assume the clever and meticulous Machine does this to 
  confuse and confound her hated adversary, but just as often as 
  not, these massive geographic shifts are simply symptoms of the 
  insane war going on in the broken mind of this fractured intel-
  ligence.
  Area: 210 square miles (538 sq. km).
  Human Population: Not many people have discovered this 
  brand new metropolis yet. Less than 40 people have taken up 
  permanent residence in the new city and typically only around 
  50 Splicers are camped out in the safe houses at any one time 
  (many of whom still mistakenly believe they are in the original 
  Harrisburg).
  Robot Population: 8 million Nex-Androids.
  New Salem (Ruined City)
  This is another once great human city that was bombed to ru-
  ins during the early days of the war. Most of the old inhabitants 
  were led to the Lexington Boneyard in a brutal death march and 
  slaughtered, and the rest were exterminated in a campaign that 
  lasted only six months. The resistance here was substantial, but 
  nothing like what the Machine experienced at Old Lexington. As 
  a result, about half the city survived relatively unscathed before 
  N.E.X.U.S. was able to claim victory.
  Once the city was completely cleared, the Machine built an 
  enormous Industrial Center and a Robot Repository in the center 
  of the now dead city. The Repository already houses over thirty 
  million robots with more rolling off the assembly lines of the In-
  dustrial Center each day. The city and surrounding area is seeded 
  with fifteen separate Power Farms that feed these massive struc-
  tures, with more being created on a routine basis. The Resistance 
  keeps taking down these Power Farms with the hope that their 
  efforts will prevent the robots in the Repository from being acti-
  vated, but the real goal is the Repository itself. Taking down this 
  structure would cement the names of anyone involved (and their 
  Great House) into history. Unfortunately, this is easier said than 
  done. N.E.X.U.S. knows what a tempting target this is, so she 
  turned the entire city into one giant mousetrap. Ishtar laid out an 
  intricate pattern of patrols to make it appear that there are a few 
  safe approaches to the Repository, but each of these paths leads to 
  a massive ambush from hundreds of concealed robots. Scores of 
  Splicer teams have fallen victim to these traps over the years, and 
  most Warlords have realized this target is beyond the capabilities 
  of any single House. Warlord Artemis, however, still believes 
  this is a target his people can overcome. Bold moves like this are 
  what made his House what it is today and he is looking for one 
  great accomplishment to seal his personal legacy. His first choice 
  is the Computer Core, but if that proves too difficult, he figures 
  the Repository would make a worthy target.
  
  17
  Area: 240 square miles (614 sq. km).
  Human Population: Only a handful of Waste Crawlers (20-
  30) have dared to take up residence. Currently, no Resistance safe 
  house has survived more than a few weeks within this heavily 
  patrolled city.
  Robot Population: Over 450,000 robots patrol the ruins at 
  any given moment.
  Retro-Villages
  For generations, it has been the Machine’s all-consuming de-
  sire to completely exterminate all humans like the rats they are, 
  and yet for some strange reason, she chooses to keep hundreds of 
  thousands of these “vermin” alive in small Retro-Villages scat-
  tered all across the planet. No one knows which N.E.X.U.S. per-
  sonality first put this directive in place or why she continues to 
  allow the Retro-Villagers to exist. Perhaps Kali or Lilith formed 
  these prison camps to ensure an endless source of human play-
  things to torment, or maybe one of the other personalities built 
  them in order to observe and study human behavior in a con-
  trolled setting. Perhaps N.E.X.U.S. simply cannot shake the last 
  vestiges of her programming that compels her to care for and 
  protect humanity like she did before the war.
  What makes their existence even more baffling is the fact that 
  the Retro-Villages have become an indispensable resource for 
  the Resistance. Field teams frequently visit these villages while 
  crossing the surface to get needed supplies, hide from robot pa-
  trols, find shelter from the elements, or gather a little intel about 
  the surface before continuing on their way. Of course, the most 
  important (and desperately needed) resource the Retro-Villages 
  provide is fresh recruits for the war effort. Nearly every Great 
  House on the planet sends emissaries into the Retro-Villages on 
  recruitment drives. Unfortunately, not every Retro-Villager be-
  lieves the war with the Machine is a good idea. While many vil-
  lages are places of oppression with a constant fear of obliteration 
  hanging over their heads, other villages are rather tranquil places 
  that have peacefully co-existed with N.E.X.U.S. for generations. 
  Some Retro-Villagers actually live quite comfortably. On this 
  harsh, unforgiving world, it is often these human prisoners, these 
  slaves of the Machine that have the highest standard of living, 
  who are willing to do whatever it takes to preserve that lifestyle. 
  Even Retro-Villagers that want to aid the Resistance must weigh 
  their desires to help against the incredible risks that doing so 
  could bring upon their home. Harboring a Splicer or possessing 
  even the smallest Bio-Tech item puts the entire Retro-Village at 
  risk for extermination, and all villagers understand that this is not 
  an idle threat. They have heard dozens of stories of villages and 
  everything within a 5 mile (8 km) radius being completely an-
  nihilated over the slightest infractions, and many have seen the 
  aftermath of these purges firsthand. It is not uncommon to make 
  the long trek to another village for trading purposes only to dis-
  cover a smoldering crater where hundreds of people once lived. 
  Great care must be taken on both sides to ensure that cooperative 
  villages are not endangered.
  Whether familiar or not, Splicers must always be wary when 
  entering a Retro-Village. Even well known villages that have 
  faithfully aided the Resistance for decades can still harbor turn-
  coats, spies, and Siren Infiltrators. In addition, even trustworthy 
  villages must still turn in the occasional Splicer to alleviate the 
  Machine’s suspicions and ensure they do not invite too much 
  scrutiny. Most of these types of villages will turn over captured 
  bandits or Waste Crawlers (along with some House-donated 
  Bio-Tech to make it all the more convincing) in order to keep 
  N.E.X.U.S. pacified. As much as it pains these villagers to turn 
  anyone over to the Machine’s horrors, they understand that oper-
  ating under the Machine’s nose is a dangerous game and some-
  times minor sacrifices must be made for the greater good.
  Each Area of Influence typically has dozens of Retro-Villages, 
  but as with most things governed by the insane Machine, there 
  seems to be no rhyme or reason concerning the number of vil-
  lages she allows to exist in each area. Sometimes the number of 
  villages remains consistent in a region for years. Other times, the 
  Machine will purge villages at an alarming rate or go on a build-
  ing spree and start dozens of new Retro-Villages in just a few 
  months. It does not seem like she is trying to maintain any kind 
  of equilibrium. N.E.X.U.S. has let the number of Retro-Villages 
  drop near zero in some areas while overbuilding other regions so 
  drastically that it strains the available resources, causing all the 
  villagers to suffer. Of course, that may be the point as well. The 
  motivations of the Machine are always a mystery.
  New villages can be created in many ways. Retro-Villagers 
  daring enough or comfortable enough with their relationship with 
  N.E.X.U.S. can petition the Machine for the right to expand. If 
  their petition is granted, the Machine will either allow them to 
  build on a new piece of land or else she will actually do all the 
  construction herself. This is pretty much the most peaceful and 
  dignified way that a Retro-Village can be formed. Seeing as how 
  N.E.X.U.S. views humans as slaves, vermin, and playthings, this 
  is also the least common way for a new village to be created. 
  Typically, the Machine will pick an area, choose a type of human 
  culture to act as the theme, and then build the village herself. She 
  then goes out to gather “actors” to fulfill the roles of the peasants 
  from this time period. Depending on the Machine personality do-
  ing the recruiting, these people can be politely asked to join the 
  village or forcibly abducted. These recruits are typically people 
  relocated from other villages, but N.E.X.U.S. also likes to experi-
  ment with Waste Crawlers rounded up from the surface, prison-
  ers captured from the Resistance, and Retro-Villagers that broke 
  too many rules or incited dissent within her structured prisons. 
  Of course, these problematic humans need to be properly broken 
  before they can be placed. Potential villagers can either be tor-
  tured for years in internment camps (generally operated by Kali) 
  or used as human power sources in Power Farms until their spirits 
  are sufficiently broken.
  Once N.E.X.U.S. feels she has taken all the fight out of them, 
  she transports them and the rest of the passive recruits to their 
  new homes along with a few loyal human traitors to act as men-
  tors and leaders of this new society. They teach the new sheep the 
  rules and show them how to act and how to behave, and in turn 
  they are allowed to rule their new kingdoms however they please 
  (within reason). N.E.X.U.S. already understands that the Retro-
  Villages are prime breeding grounds for new Resistance fighters 
  and she does not want her puppet leaders to act too tyrannically 
  and drive the entire village into the arms of the enemy. She gener-
  ally gives them free rein, but she warns them that if they do push 
  their people too far, she will not be there to help them when they 
  push back.
  This has led to a pretty well balanced society within the Ret-
  ro-Villages. Most villagers are willing to allow a few abuses of 
  power as long as they are protected from Waste Crawler ban-
  dits and the Machine is appeased. Besides, most villages are too 
  
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  concerned with scraping out a subsistence living to really care 
  about concepts like human rights, fairness, and freedom. It is re-
  ally only the most tyrannical rulers that have to worry about an 
  uprising. They typically use the people’s fear of the Machine to 
  establish their power early, but human beings can only take so 
  much. Eventually, even the lowliest peasant will risk everything 
  to win back some measure of human dignity. Plus removing a 
  tyrannical leader is an easy way for a Great House to curry the 
  village’s favor, so oppressing the people too “enthusiastically” 
  just places a huge target on the leader’s back.
  Area 24 currently has twenty known Retro-Villages, but it is 
  always possible that new ones have been constructed and have 
  yet to be discovered by the Resistance. Below is a list of some of 
  the most well-known Retro-Villages within the region:
  Carvers Bay: The message throughout the Resistance is pret-
  ty clear, “Stay the hell out of Carvers Bay.” This prosperous little 
  village has been a staunch ally of the Machine since the day it 
  was created nearly a century ago. Their society is modeled after 
  12th century feudal England with a slight twist. Instead of a few 
  wealthy individuals reaping the benefits from the toiling major-
  ity, all the people in Carvers Bay live like royalty. The Machine 
  provides for their every need. Food, shelter, the finest clothing, 
  and all kinds of other extravagances are heaped upon them daily. 
  N.E.X.U.S. likes to keep these villagers happy since this place is 
  literally the Machine’s breeding ground for human spies, infiltra-
  tors, and future rulers of new Machine-created Retro-Villages. 
  They are completely loyal to N.E.X.U.S. and will gladly betray, 
  hurt, or even kill any outsider to ensure their families retain their 
  protected status. Any Splicer that mistakenly enters this town will 
  be treated quite cordially until they can eventually be subdued 
  by drugged food, drink, or anesthetic gas. The unlucky victim 
  then typically awakens miles away in a N.E.X.U.S. interroga-
  tion cell. Aside from administering the drugs, the villagers leave 
  most of the dirty work to the Machine (as they do with every-
  thing else). To protect her investment, N.E.X.U.S. has stationed 
  a large contingent of robots in a bunker directly beneath the vil-
  lage. There are hidden exit ports scattered throughout the village, 
  so reinforcements can emerge in nearly any part of Carvers Bay 
  within minutes. While many Splicers would love to sweep in and 
  wipe out this nest of traitors, everyone recognizes the importance 
  of this village as a trading post for the other Retro-Villages in 
  the region. Carvers Bay rests on the estuary where the mighty 
  Sanaca River meets the Great Ocean. They are a vital trading 
  post not only because of their easy access to the waterways but 
  also because of the sheer amount of N.E.X.U.S. provided goods 
  they willingly sell to other Retro-Villages (and at a rather decent 
  price). The citizens of Carvers Bay know how reviled they are by 
  the Resistance and by most other Retro-Villages, and they spend 
  a great deal of money in an attempt to curry favor throughout the 
  region. They have decided that since they will never be loved, 
  then the next best thing is to ensure they are needed. Population: 
  410 people with 100-200 visitors at any time. They also have a 
  permanent contingent of 1200 robots stationed beneath the vil-
  lage.
  Orenburg: This village is a simple farming community with 
  minimal livestock. Fortunately, there is ample game in the area, 
  and these villagers have become excellent hunters, which makes 
  this Retro-Village a prime target for Resistance recruiters. Unfor-
  tunately, these people prefer to simply be left alone. They have 
  suffered one too many bandit raids from their fellow man and 
  the Machine has never really given them any trouble. They are 
  extremely suspicious of outsiders and have often found it easier 
  to simply “disappear” visitors or leave them bound in the wilder-
  ness for the animals or N.E.X.U.S. to find rather than try to de-
  termine their intentions. A few famous heroes of the Resistance 
  have come from Orenburg, so still the Great Houses try, but it is 
  often a hard sell. Even Splicers that have come from Orenburg 
  say it is better to simply steer clear of their old hometown. The 
  typical joke is that “they’re more likely to eat you than join you.” 
  At least, people hope it is a joke. Population: 210 people.
  Riverdale: Riverdale is the second most affluent Retro-
  Village in the area, primarily due to its location. It is upstream 
  from Carvers Bay on the Sanaca River, making it another im-
  portant trading post in the region. The actual permanent popula-
  tion of Riverdale is only about half what is typically seen moving 
  through the bustling streets. They have a healthy entertainment 
  industry that hosts the many traders that risk the journey for 
  Riverdale’s fine collection of goods. There are a fair number of 
  gambling halls in town and they brew a wide array of alcoholic 
  beverages. Drugs and prostitution are technically illegal, but still 
  pretty easy to find. The real industry of this town is commerce. 
  Since they are willing to trade with the treacherous Carvers Bay, 
  it means that people uncomfortable with that Retro-Village can 
  come here instead. The people from Riverdale may publicly bash 
  the “scum” from Carvers Bay but they have profited substantially 
  from their relationship. The prevailing attitude within this village 
  is probably the most common throughout most Retro-Villages. 
  The majority of the people want to be free from the constant 
  threat of destruction at the hands of an insane N.E.X.U.S., but 
  they are mainly too scared to do anything about it. While a few 
  young hotheads dream of joining the Resistance and freeing their 
  world, most simply try to provide for their families the best they 
  can on this unforgiving world. Population: 350 people with 200-
  300 visitors at any time.
  Wellington: Wellington is an example of a scavenger village. 
  Like most Retro-Villages, they farm and raise livestock (because 
  this is what the Machine demands), but they discovered a long 
  time ago that there is still a great deal of treasures to be found 
  within the depths of the nearby Old Lexington ruins. Plastics, 
  clothing, medicine, and all manner of luxuries and necessities are 
  routinely pulled from these ruins by teams of adventurers. These 
  brave men and women are experts at circumventing Machine pa-
  trols, Waste Crawler gangs, and many other dangers in the execu-
  tion of their duties, which makes Wellington another recruiting 
  hot spot for Great Houses in the region. Unlike Orenburg that 
  would rather be left alone, the leaders of Wellington recognize 
  a valuable asset when they see it and milk it for everything it’s 
  worth. They typically play the recruiters against each other to get 
  their sponsoring Houses to donate gifts, aid, and outright bribes 
  to the people of Wellington. This relationship has worked well 
  for everyone involved and has led to Wellington providing re-
  cruits to nearly every Great House in the region. Population: 230 
  people with 20-50 visitors at any time.
  Sandusky: This Retro-Village has only been discovered re-
  cently. It is an excellent example of one of the more primitive 
  types of Retro-Villages. They are an isolated hunting commu-
  nity that lies far from other villages to trade with, so they must 
  build nearly everything they use. Since metallurgy is not pos-
  sible due to the Nanoplague, their designs tend to be pretty sim-
  plistic. They live in primitive log cabins sealed with mud, their 
  
  19
  clothing is typically made from the hides of game or slaughtered 
  livestock, and their tools are made from wood, stone, and bone. 
  Their society is modeled after a typical Middle Age European 
  community but without metal, their technology level is closer to 
  the Native American Inuit of old. Not only are they far from other 
  villages, they are also pretty far from any technological ruins to 
  plunder. Without any sources to scavenge or villages to trade 
  with, Sandusky has no choice but to rely on themselves. What 
  makes this village so noteworthy is that the people themselves 
  are just monstrously large people. The average person is a tower-
  ing giant and they are all skilled and aggressive fighters. Their 
  little village is quite close to the New Eden nature preserve, so 
  they have to constantly contend with monstrous predators. Most 
  assumed no human community could survive this close to New 
  Eden, and the team from House Tarkov that discovered Sandusky 
  did not understand how it was possible until they actually met 
  these titans. So far, House Tarkov is the only Great House recruit-
  ing out of Sandusky. The villagers have not been too impressed 
  with their little plastic toys, but they have really responded to 
  the power of Bio-Tech. The leaders of Sandusky have sent some 
  people to check out Tarkov’s underground haven and assess if 
  it would be worthwhile to transfer their entire population there. 
  Note on the natives: The average man from Sandusky is 6 feet + 
  2D4 inches (1.88-2.03 m), 200+2D4x10 lbs (99-126 kg), and has 
  bonuses of +2X4x10 to S.D.C., +2D4 to P.S., +1 to P.P., +1D8 
  to P.E., +2 attacks per melee, and +1 to strike, parry, and dodge. 
  The average Sandusky woman is 6 feet + 1D4 inches (1.85-1.93 
  m), 140+1D4x10 lbs (68-81 kg), and has bonuses of +1D4x10 
  to S.D.C., +1D4 to P.S., +1D4 to P.P., +2D4 to P.E., +1 attack 
  per melee, and +2 to strike, parry, and dodge. Population: 150 
  people.
  Osaka: This village is modeled after feudal Japan even though 
  only half of the villagers are actually of Asian descent. The class 
  structure is somewhat similar to the ancient society it is based on 
  with a ruling daimyo and a large contingent of samurai, but the 
  peasant class is not seen as lowly. The people here understand 
  that they are all part of a dwindling species and they believe ev-
  ery human life is precious. Of course, they are far from pacifists. 
  Osaka samurai are some of the most skilled human warriors out-
  side of the Resistance. Each is armed with a special M.D. plas-
  tic katana that was manufactured centuries ago. These ancient 
  weapons were actually novelties known as Ever Sharp Replicas. 
  They can only inflict S.D.C. damage, but as the name implies, 
  they never lose their edge. This is why the Machine has allowed 
  them to keep these weapons. Since they cannot harm the Ma-
  chine’s creations in any way, N.E.X.U.S. allows Osaka Village 
  to train and equip its force of samurai to defend against bandits. 
  What she does not understand is that this ultimately benefits one 
  of her worst enemies, House Artemis. Great House Artemis is not 
  only the greatest beneficiary of Osaka Village but also its single 
  biggest benefactor. Their aid is provided covertly of course, but 
  many other villages suspect that someone in the Resistance must 
  be responsible for their good fortune. While they are not as afflu-
  ent as Retro-Villages like Carvers Bay or Riverdale, their crops 
  always seem to resist pests and bear more at harvest, their live-
  stock seems larger and able to produce more offspring, and their 
  people tend to avoid illnesses that sweep through other villages. 
  The invisible genetic hand of Great House Artemis has bestowed 
  many blessings upon Osaka Village, and in return, they provide a 
  steady stream of well trained and disciplined recruits. Their influ-
  ence on Great House Artemis’ culture is apparent in their love of 
  ornate silks and Bio-Tech katana. Population: 290 people with 
  20-100 visitors at any time.
  Nepali Mountain Range
  Running along the eastern border of Area 24 is the massive 
  Nepali Mountain Range. It starts at the southern coast of the 
  Great Ocean and runs directly north for over two thousand miles 
  (3,200 km), forming an immense natural barrier between Areas 
  23 and 24. Well, semi-natural barrier. This mountain range has 
  existed for millions of years, but once the Great House of the Bar-
  ren Marsh destroyed the Computer Core in Area 23 and liberated 
  the region from her direct control, N.E.X.U.S. used her control 
  over the planet’s tectonic plates to push these mountains thou-
  sands of additional feet into the sky in the hopes of isolating Area 
  23 from the rest of the Resistance. Some of the taller peaks rose 
  even higher than the surrounding range, with the tallest peaks ris-
  ing over thirty thousand feet (9,144 m) above sea level.
  While the Machine was not able to completely cut off the Bar-
  ren Marsh, this drastic restructuring did make it much more dif-
  ficult to traverse the Nepali Mountains, especially when coming 
  from Area 24. Raising the mountain range created a three thou-
  sand foot tall, sheer cliff known as the Wall that runs almost the 
  entire length of the mountain range. While there are plenty of 
  Bio-Tech creations that can scale this vertical surface with ease, 
  anyone attempting to do so is a sitting duck to the numerous fly-
  ing patrols that routinely scan the mountains. Splicers can be eas-
  ily spotted from miles away and once the patrol comes screaming 
  in to attack, there is absolutely no cover and nowhere to hide.
  Despite the difficulties, humans from the surrounding areas 
  routinely conquer this mountain range. In fact, some have even 
  established permanent settlements within its treacherous peaks. 
  The two most famous settlements are surrounded by mystery, 
  rumors, and speculation. One is so mysterious that few people 
  truly believe it even exists. For decades, many have whispered 
  of the fabled kingdom of Technojackers called Steel Moun-
  tain, but no one has ever found any evidence of it. Many have 
  claimed to see strangely armed Technojackers on and surround-
  ing the Nepali Mountains, but once again, no tangible evidence 
  has ever been recovered. Any Technojacker asked about the 
  mythical safe haven always jokes that “if it were real, do you 
  think I would still be down here?” Some find it suspicious that 
  barely any Technojackers seem to believe it exists, but that is 
  hardly conclusive proof.
  The other famous settlement is the Fort Salvation outpost built 
  by Great House Artemis. While there is no question that it is real, 
  there are many questions about its purpose. The official line from 
  House Artemis is that they built this outpost to serve as a stopping 
  point for Splicers crossing back and forth between Areas 23 and 
  24. However, many feel this is unlikely due to its remote location. 
  There are many well-known safe paths through the mountains, 
  but Fort Salvation is located miles away from any of them. The 
  few outside of House Artemis that have made the journey to Fort 
  Salvation say that it is nearly impossible to do without a Moun-
  tain Lion War Mount. Even more mysteriously, this area also 
  seems to be plagued by strange alien predators. House Artemis 
  claims this was another reason they chose this spot, so they could 
  capture and study these creatures. Many believe that House Arte-
  mis is creating these beasts rather than studying them. There are 
  just too many reports of humanoid creatures lurking in the Nepali 
  
  20
  peaks to be discounted. The most persistent rumor is that this 
  place is the prison of Librarian Octavious. He was once the first 
  Librarian from House Artemis, but he went Megalo and wrought 
  incredible damage within their underground haven before he was 
  eventually “killed.” Some think they took this mad genius into 
  the mountains so that he could continue to produce the incred-
  ible Bio-Tech designs he was famous for without being a risk to 
  others. Many even believe that this is where Great House Arte-
  mis experiments on humans away from the judging eyes of the 
  Resistance. Warlord Artemis has allowed anyone to explore the 
  outpost for themselves to quiet these rumors, yet still they persist.
  Area: 8,000 square miles (20,480 sq. km).
  Human Population: Roughly 1,000 unaffiliated humans live 
  in the high mountains in small villages plus 500 Splicers are sta-
  tioned at various outposts. The largest outpost is Fort Salvation, 
  which typically houses 100-150 Splicers at any time.
  Robot Population: Roughly 50,000 ground robots and 20,000 
  robot flyers patrol the mountain range. Robot patrols typically do 
  not go higher than 15,000 feet but will pursue higher if the target 
  is deemed worthwhile. N.E.X.U.S. has determined going above 
  this ceiling typically leads to unacceptable losses.
  New Eden (Nature Preserve)
  As much as humans in this region despise N.E.X.U.S., they 
  cannot help but marvel at the sight of her majestic nature preserve 
  known as New Eden, and appreciate what a tremendous accom-
  plishment it was for Gaia to sprout this enormous forest from the 
  ruins of a planet that was once almost completely industrialized. 
  This massive preserve stands like an oasis in the middle of this 
  twisted land of death, misery, shattered cities, and endless war. It 
  took a little over a century for the forest to grow into what it is to-
  day, which is pretty impressive considering that some of the trees 
  stretch over one thousand feet into the sky. These massive trees 
  are the homes to an innumerable number of animal species and 
  to many humans that are hearty enough to survive in this harsh 
  wilderness. Of course, Gaia does not like these people defiling 
  her paradise, which is why she has seeded her favorite preserve 
  with some of the deadliest alien predators she could find in the 
  Cryo Zoos.
  Many people have heard tales of the nature preserves, but only 
  the small percentage of Splicers that have dared to brave these 
  perilous places and actually return truly understand the dangers. 
  Most people mistakenly believe that since the Machine has de-
  clared these places off limits to her robotic exterminators that 
  they must be some sort of safe haven. Those that have seen the 
  preserves firsthand know that this is far from the truth. People 
  seem to forget that the deadly organic weapons wielded by the 
  Resistance were created using genetic material from actual living 
  creatures. Plasma breath, bio-napalm, electrical discharges, gore 
  blasts, casting weapons; all of these amazing creations did not 
  just materialize out of thin air. They come from some of the most 
  ferocious predators on the planet. Add to that the fact that many 
  of these creatures are big enough to swallow a Behemoth War 
  Mount whole, and one begins to understand the real dangers of 
  these supposed “safe havens.”
  Ironically though, growing this refuge of nature within this ac-
  cursed technological wasteland required a great deal of the same 
  technology that Gaia so despised. The area she chose to build on 
  was once one of the major farmlands on the planet, but it was 
  over-farmed for centuries, which left the soil almost completely 
  barren. It required an abundance of Gaia’s loving care (and the 
  vast knowledge held within the Machine’s databanks) to nurse 
  the land back to life.
  She reengineered the network of aqueducts beneath the earth 
  and used them to create a series of “natural” springs, rivers, and 
  lakes throughout the area. These water sources are refreshed con-
  tinuously, which helps account for New Eden’s steady and im-
  pressive growth rate. Once the hydration infrastructure was set 
  up properly, she unleashed an army of robot drones to grind up 
  millions of human corpses and till them into the soil. She figured 
  if the humans were responsible for killing the land, their deaths 
  should serve in bringing it back. However, this composting treat-
  ment was not quite enough, so she further prepared the soil by 
  spraying the entire region with a hyper-metabolic fertilizer. Fi-
  nally, she built a network of gas projectors that bathed the area in 
  a thick concentration of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to help sus-
  tain the plants accelerated growth rate. Once all the pieces were in 
  place, her drones planted billions of seeds from thousands of dif-
  ferent plant species, including one of her favorites known as the 
  Colossalwood that she placed at the heart of her forest. The tallest 
  (and first) tree stretches over 1,800 feet (549 m) into the sky with 
  a trunk that is nearly 800 feet (244 m) around. It lies directly in 
  the middle of a grove surrounded by hundreds of progressively 
  smaller (but still enormous) trees, forming a pyramid-like layout. 
  What many do not realize is that this entire grove is actually just 
  one gigantic tree. The roots from the central tree spread out hori-
  zontally beneath the ground for miles as it grew, which kept this 
  towering plant stable as it continued to shoot upward. As the tree 
  grew stronger, its roots started to sprout additional trees and the 
  entire “grove” kept growing and expanding into what it is today.
  The plants came first, but as they found a foothold and started 
  to thrive, Gaia began introducing animal species. She first started 
  with herbivores. As their numbers grew, she then began intro-
  ducing predators to keep their populations in check and prevent 
  them from consuming too much plant life. She would introduce 
  just a handful of species at a time to see how they impacted the 
  ecosystem. If they caused an imbalance, she would introduce new 
  predators to thin their numbers or new prey to feed their dwin-
  dling populations. Once she felt she achieved a perfect balance, 
  she would experiment with even more varieties. Her experiments 
  continued for decades and she was quite pleased with the results.
  Unfortunately, her perfect balance was shattered by humans 
  venturing into her preserve seeking sanctuary from the war. In 
  truth, they never caused enough damage to unbalance anything, 
  she simply did not like them being in there. This was when she 
  started introducing vicious Mega-Damage predators to hunt 
  down any humans in her perfect paradise. They did their job well, 
  but they started decimating other species of animals that once 
  thrived. They also started attracting Splicer teams into New Eden 
  and other preserves in search of these new genetic samples so that 
  they could be added to their Gene Pools. This began a bit of an 
  arms race between Gaia and the Resistance. They would violate 
  the sanctity of her preserves in order to acquire new DNA, so she 
  would introduce even deadlier creatures to keep them out (and 
  to keep the other monsters she unleashed in check). It was never 
  her goal to turn New Eden into such a dangerous place, it simply 
  “evolved” into one.
  There are now hundreds of lethal plant and animal species in-
  tegrated into the ecology of the preserve, but they are not the 
  only dangers lurking within New Eden. It would seem like the 
  
  21
  carbon dioxide projectors would create conditions inhospitable 
  to life and poisonous to humans, but the exact opposite is true. 
  It helped grow the enormous plants that fill New Eden, and as 
  a byproduct, they released higher concentrations of oxygen into 
  the preserve than normal. The closer one gets to the center of the 
  preserve, the greater the concentration of oxygen. This increased 
  oxygen allows larger creatures to flourish in the center of the pre-
  serve, but it also increases the dangers from fires substantially. 
  Sparks from lightning strikes or gunfire can erupt into violent 
  explosions that quickly consume everything in their path. Gaia 
  may officially claim that no robot may enter her preserves, but 
  she really means that no combat robots or drones operated by 
  other N.E.X.U.S. personalities may enter. Gaia needs her force of 
  drones to service the aqueducts and gas projectors that keep New 
  Eden growing, to deliver new species into the preserves, and to 
  suppress any fires before they swirl out of control. If Gaia was 
  truly the naturalist she claimed to be, she would simply let these 
  fires run their course to clear out the underbrush and then allow 
  new plants to spring forth from the ashes. This is ultimately better 
  for the forest and helps maintain the health of the ecosystem, but 
  she just cannot bear the thought of her precious creation being 
  harmed. Her robots are hover drones so that they do not impact 
  the local flora in any way. They also do not possess armaments of 
  any kind since she does not want to risk one of her drones causing 
  an explosive wildfire. Even if they spot a human trespasser, they 
  are programmed never to attack. Of course, Gaia does routinely 
  use the drones to “nudge” some deadly alien predators in the di-
  rection of any humans that she does spot.
  Of all the threats in New Eden, the most dangerous may be the 
  humanoids that have taken up refuge here. Waste Crawler gangs 
  (see The Rifter® #32) and other human residents of New Eden 
  have adapted to this hostile place and have learned to exploit 
  the terrain to their benefit. They know this place far better than 
  the Splicer teams that venture through on exploration missions, 
  and they have learned how to use the forest as a weapon against 
  their better equipped adversaries. Waste Crawlers love to prey on 
  Splicers, and the preserves give them not only ample opportunity 
  but often a significant tactical advantage.
  The final “human” threat is the large population of Gene 
  Thieves (see The Rifter® #32) that make New Eden their home. 
  These mutant humans can copy the traits, powers, and abilities 
  from any creature they consume. This gives them tremendous 
  power, but it comes at the cost of an insatiable appetite. New 
  Eden is really the only place with enough prey available to keep 
  them satisfied, plus many of these creatures provide them with 
  supernatural strength, senses, and natural defensive and offen-
  sive weapons. They typically live in small tribes of ten to twenty 
  members of their own kind. Most of these groups prefer to live 
  off the animals and avoid conflict with Splicers, but some Gene 
  Thieves have joined the Waste Crawler gangs in order to hunt 
  these organic warriors for their powerful Bio-Weapons.
  Gaia was able to reclaim this portion of the area from the edge 
  of death and turned it into a place of natural beauty, but she is not 
  finished yet. Her direct intervention still causes the forest to grow 
  at an accelerated rate, which is causing the unofficial borders of 
  New Eden to continuously expand. Her sister personalities have 
  set up patrols, traps, and Sentry Towers to ensnare any Splicers 
  that try to enter New Eden and these skirmishes do inflict damage 
  upon the surrounding forests. These areas are not under Gaia’s di-
  rect protection, but she hopes in time as her forest expands it will 
  overtake all of Area 24 and she will be able to claim this entire 
  Area of Influence as her own.
  Area: 11,000 square miles (28,160 sq. km).
  Human Population: Over 1,300 Waste Crawlers (includ-
  ing 400 Gene Thieves) have taken up residence within this pre-
  serve. They are divided into scores of smaller factions spread 
  out throughout the area. A typical gang has about 10-50 mem-
  bers. The native population of Tree People has grown to about 
  800, and at any given time there are roughly 400-1,000 Splicers 
  exploring New Eden. This preserve is a gold mine for new and 
  useful genetic samples. Most Houses simply camp out in the pre-
  serves rather than set up permanent structures, but House Artemis 
  has begun building a massive military base within New Eden and 
  it is already about 75% complete.
  Robot Population: Despite Gaia’s official proclamations that 
  no robot may ever step foot into the nature preserves, New Eden 
  still requires a force of 3,000 drones to service the equipment 
  that keeps the park thriving, deposit new animal species into the 
  preserve, suppress fires, and perform any other duties Gaia may 
  require to protect her precious creation.
  City of the Damned (Ruined City)
  Located to the north of New Eden are the ruins of Riverton 
  City. It has since been renamed the City of the Damned by the 
  large and surprisingly well organized gang of Waste Crawlers 
  known as the Damned that has taken up residence there. It was 
  once a major manufacturing center for industrial chemicals used 
  in fertilizers, plastics, rubber, solvents, and hundreds of other 
  useful but often hazardous materials. The abundance of these 
  dangerous chemicals allowed N.E.X.U.S. to clear out the city 
  with relative ease. She simply opened the tanks containing the 
  deadliest compounds and shrouded the entire city in a thick cloud 
  of noxious gas that lasted for weeks. The majority of the popula-
  tion died within minutes. Those locked inside well sealed struc-
  tures still succumbed to the gas within the first week, and those 
  with protective gear were hunted down and exterminated by ro-
  bot patrols soon after. The city suffered relatively little damage 
  in the initial purge and it would have been an excellent candidate 
  for preservation as a Ghost Town, but Kali claimed this city as 
  her own before Freya had the chance.
  Kali may have had grand plans for this city in the beginning, 
  but for whatever reason, she allowed it to sit empty and deteriorate 
  for nearly a century. She would send patrols through periodically 
  to round up the occasional squatter or Splicer and then shuttle 
  them off to her Playhouse for a slow and brutal death, but other 
  than that, she basically just let this city gradually crumble from 
  neglect. However, five years ago, Kali finally found a purpose 
  for this decaying real estate. She stumbled upon a powerful ren-
  egade Technojacker named Karl Womack who possessed a cruel 
  streak that really appealed to her. After watching him slaughter 
  dozens of men, women, and children just to steal the pitiful re-
  sources they carried, she made contact with him and proposed a 
  deal that he was more than eager to accept. Kali offered Wom-
  ack sanctuary in Riverton City and promised weapons, supplies, 
  and periodic access to her robotic forces as long as he agreed to 
  build an army to prey upon all humans within this Area of Influ-
  ence. Since it was already his plan to prey on every human he 
  found, he figured he may as well do it with some better supplies, 
  some lackeys under his command, and with the full protection of 
  N.E.X.U.S. He spent the first few years scouring the region for 
  
  22
  Waste Crawler gangs to recruit into his army. Kali gave Womack 
  a Siren Infiltrator to act as his Second in Command and to serve 
  as her body when she wanted to take a more active role. She also 
  gave the Technojacker a dozen Slicer Robots to serve as body-
  guards for her new plaything. This quickly established Wom-
  ack’s infamy. While it is true that Technojackers can command 
  N.E.X.U.S. robots while physically linked to them, it seemed that 
  Womack could make the Machine serve him. Most Waste Crawl-
  ers signed with him instantly, but some gang leaders did not like 
  the idea of surrendering their power to another. Any who resisted 
  were butchered quickly and horrifically. This display of power 
  was generally enough to convince the rest of the gang to follow 
  him. Waste Crawlers respect power, but more importantly, they 
  respect people that they believe will keep them alive (and fed) on 
  this harsh, unforgiving world. He showed that he had the strength, 
  resolve, and brutality required to lead a Waste Crawler gang, but 
  it was his alliance with a Machine personality that sealed the deal 
  for most. Eventually, word of Womack’s Waste Crawler sanctu-
  ary spread across the region and it started drawing the worst scum 
  from all corners of this Area of Influence and even from several 
  adjoining regions.
  Karl Womack was already a dangerous psychopath before, but 
  Kali’s influence has turned him and the scum within his gang into 
  some of the vilest monsters on the planet. Their attacks on Retro-
  Villages and Splicer patrols were originally just pirate raids for 
  valuable supplies. They killed when they had to, but really all 
  they cared about was acquiring what they needed in order to sur-
  vive. Eventually this changed. Kali’s Sirens walked among the 
  gang, whispering their evil words into the minds of these degen-
  erates for years until finally their bloodlust boiled over. Today, 
  they either kill every man, woman, and child outright, or they 
  bring them back to the City of the Damned. These unfortunate 
  souls are then used to satisfy the depraved urges of these loath-
  some human beings and discarded once they have had their “fun.” 
  Most die during these little games, but the ones that survive the 
  initial torments are typically sacrificed as tribute to Kali in order 
  to maintain her favor and protection. Kali will frequently reward 
  the gang for particularly brutal or creative sacrifices by adding a 
  new robot warrior to their forces. Once the victim is dead, their 
  remains are used to adorn the city or to decorate their armor and 
  weapons, but a disturbingly increasing amount of humans are be-
  ing butchered for food.
  Womack and his band of monsters have been largely ignored 
  until now, but their depravity is starting to attract a great deal of 
  attention from the Resistance. Waste Crawler raids are a common 
  threat on the surface, but many Houses are beginning to notice 
  a disturbing increase in the frequency and brutality of attacks. 
  Their exploratory missions have discovered that most of these 
  attacks are coming from one centralized gang, and several Great 
  Houses have finally uncovered the location of this den of bandits. 
  There are other targets in the region that have been determined 
  to be a higher priority, but that may change soon. However, there 
  are rumors of another faction in this region that might be inter-
  ested in taking out the Damned first (or at least their leader).
  Rumors have persisted for years of a secret enclave of Tech-
  nojackers high up in the Nepali Mountain Range known as Steel 
  Mountain. Supposedly, this sanctuary houses the largest popula-
  tion of Technojackers on the planet. As the stories go, they decid-
  ed to go into hiding so that they could build an army of high-tech 
  war machines to be used in the final battle against N.E.X.U.S. 
  Many see the sudden increase in strangely armed Technojackers 
  throughout Area 24 as proof that the people from Steel Moun-
  tain have come down from their fortress to deal with the insidi-
  ous Technojacker that is souring their name. These warriors are 
  already a persecuted underclass within the Resistance, and ev-
  ery Technojacker (no matter their affiliation) would love to end 
  Womack’s reign before he can damage their reputation any fur-
  ther.
  Area: 190 square miles (486 sq. km).
  Waste Crawler Population Breakdown:
  1,900 Total.
  5% Gene Thieves: See the full description in The Rifter® 
  #32.
  22% Mount Rustlers: See the full description in The Rifter® 
  #32.
  2% Sawbones: Medical care is nearly non-existent within 
  these gangs. The best they have are the Sawbones. They have the 
  most basic skills, and are able to treat minor cuts, broken bones, 
  and burns. Their usual answer for serious wounds is amputation. 
  They brutally perform their duties, usually without anesthesia 
  of any kind. Their healing skills (if you can call them that) also 
  translate over well to torture and interrogation. Any Splicer cap-
  tured alive will be brought before one of these butchers to find out 
  the location of any allies.
  6% Tech Geeks: Not every Resistance fighter uses Bio-Tech 
  gear. Some warriors, such as Toy Soldiers, prefer to use ceramic 
  weapons and armor. These soldiers are becoming the favored prey 
  among Waste Crawlers since these armaments last much longer 
  in the field. The problem is that most of these scavengers have 
  no idea of how to maintain them properly. Tech Geeks, however, 
  are able to service their weapons, scavenge parts to make repairs, 
  and even modify and improve firearms. Their skills are highly 
  sought after by other Waste Crawlers which generally gives them 
  a protected status within gangs. It is truly a benefit among these 
  bloodthirsty bandits to not need to be on guard against betrayal 
  twenty-four hours a day.
  45% Vermin: The lowest of the low. They prey on Retro-Vil-
  lagers, Waste Crawlers, and Splicers alike. Their tattered armor 
  is made from scraps of M.D. plastic, tanned Living Armor, and 
  even rotting chunks of M.D. flesh. They are barely above ani-
  mals, and have no problem resorting to cannibalism. Some Waste 
  Crawler gangs keep them around to use as cannon fodder, but 
  they are mainly solitary predators. The Damned gang has the 
  largest gathering of these savages out of any Waste Crawler gang. 
  This is most likely due to Kali’s corrupting influence.
  11% Vultures: See the full description in The Rifter® #32.
  3% Non-Combatants.
  6% Other O.C.C.s
  1 Technojacker.
  Robot Population Breakdown:
  1,140 total = 20% Necroborgs, 20% Cable Snakes, 2% Fly-
  ing Strike Ships, 12% Hunter-Searcher Probes, 2% Incinerators, 
  1% Inflictors, 15% Skitter Pods, 12% Slicer Robots, 16% Steel 
  Troopers, and 3 Siren Infiltrators (all of whom are believed to be 
  human).
  Kali’s Domain
  The predominant Machine presence in this Area of Influence 
  is Kali. It is one of her favorite locations on the planet, and she 
  has built many facilities for her personal amusement. Her little 
  
  23
  decorative touches of human bones and remains can be seen ev-
  erywhere.
  The House of Pain: Kali has constructed a new Industrial 
  Center that she is using to create a new generation of weapons 
  and robots. She has been rounding up Retro-Villagers and cap-
  tives from Hell to test these horrible new weapons. Most of the 
  designs have proven incredibly effective (and absolutely brutal) 
  and she has been slowly introducing them to the battlefield.
  Steel Mountain
  The legends are true; the secret Technojacker haven hidden 
  within the Nepali Mountains does exist. Many believed it was 
  real, but no one could have ever guessed that this tiny human 
  community (even one filled with Technojackers) could develop 
  into such a technological powerhouse. Generations ago, a band 
  of thirty Technojackers led a group of over four hundred human 
  refugees into the mountains in the hopes of finding a place to 
  hide from the Machine’s relentless fury. Many died during this 
  perilous journey, but eventually they did find a suitable location 
  to build their new home. High within the jagged peaks of the Ne-
  pali Mountains they found a beautiful valley that was carved out 
  by the fast moving rivers formed by several freshwater springs. 
  It was high above the tree line, which meant natural sources for 
  nearby food were almost non-existent, but the Technojackers 
  planned for this and brought with them the equipment necessary 
  to set up a high altitude hydroponics farm. They anticipated need-
  ing a system to collect the snow pack for water as well, so they 
  were pleasantly surprised to discover the springs.
  Life atop this mountain was difficult at first. At this extreme 
  altitude, the air was painfully thin, the mountain peaks were 
  covered in a thick snow pack almost year round that needed to 
  be cleared routinely, and at times, it seemed like the bitter cold 
  temperatures would claim them all, but the location proved to 
  be ideal. The steep walls of the valley protected the camp from 
  the harsh winds, which kept the temperatures at least somewhat 
  livable, the natural springs provided an endless source of fresh, 
  clean water, and it provided another benefit that no one possibly 
  could have anticipated.
  While the Technojackers were immune to the metal weapons, 
  equipment, and supplies they carried, the other people under their 
  care were still susceptible to the Nanoplague, or so they thought. 
  After a few accidental exposures to metal that normally would 
  have been disastrous, people started noticing that the Nanoplague 
  did not affect them up here. After a bit of experimentation using 
  the local wildlife, they discovered that they were only protected 
  while in the valley. As long as the people were in the valley, the 
  nanites within their bodies seemed to go dormant and they could 
  handle metal with impunity, but the second they set foot outside 
  of their home, the nanites would reactivate.
  Many theories have been kicked around about what it was that 
  shielded them from the Nanoplague. Many felt it had something 
  to do with the rich metal ore deposits lining the walls of the val-
  ley. They thought that the ore may block the signal to the na-
  nites, or perhaps it was some sort of magnetic field that interfered 
  with their delicate circuits. Others have theorized that it is not 
  the valley, but the large concentration of Technojackers within 
  Steel Mountain that negates the effects of the Nanobot Plague. 
  This would make sense since the Technojackers can still manipu-
  late their own nanites while in Steel Mountain. Of course, they 
  send their commands over a much shorter distance, so this theory 
  cannot be confirmed either. They have studied this phenomenon 
  for years to see if they could find a way to replicate its effects, 
  but so far they are stymied. All that matters to the residents of 
  Steel Mountain is that they have found a place where they are 
  completely protected from the Machine’s influences (at least for 
  now).
  It didn’t take long for this simple mountain camp to grow into 
  a thriving, high-tech stronghold. The people adapted quickly to 
  the thin atmosphere and harsh climate, and began building im-
  pressive structures directly into the rock walls. At first, all they 
  had were the simple tools and limited materials that they brought 
  with them, but once they realized they were no longer encum-
  bered by the Nanoplague, the Technojackers started venturing 
  back down into Areas 23 and 24 to round up high-tech tools and 
  supplies. What started as simple caves dug into the rock evolved 
  into Mega-Damage fortifications built to withstand a massive 
  siege should that dreaded day ever arrive. They even began sal-
  vaging components from destroyed robots in order to build their 
  own construction and combat power armors and vehicles. At first 
  they powered their tiny community with the power cores stolen 
  from the Machine’s robots, but eventually they built water tur-
  bines and windmills to harness the power of the elements around 
  them.
  With the threat of the Nanoplague removed, the normal hu-
  mans of Steel Mountain quickly rediscovered their technologi-
  cal roots and became significant contributors to the construction 
  effort. They re-learned valuable skills that were lost to the gen-
  erations, like computer programming, mechanical and electri-
  cal engineering, and robotics. They sent their Technojackers to 
  round up as many micro-discs as they could find and brought 
  them back to Steel Mountain, along with computers stolen from 
  the Ghost Towns that could actually read them. This community 
  became a center for learning and manufacturing unlike anything 
  on the planet. Steel Mountain became one of the few places left 
  where humans still manufacture metallic components and pos-
  sibly the only place where humans manufacture complex ma-
  chines, vehicles, and robotic suits of power armor. It was easiest 
  for them to start with metallic constructs, but eventually they 
  were able to create Nanoplague-safe versions as well. Their cre-
  ations are far more powerful than anything the Great Houses 
  can produce (even manufacturing giants like Great House Tar-
  kov) because they were able to study the Machine’s creations in 
  great detail and reverse engineer them using plastic components 
  and precious metals. They started stockpiling their creations in 
  order to arm their human troops and to trade with other worthy 
  Great Houses when they finally decided to make their presence 
  known.
  Most found it empowering to steal from the Machine to build 
  their new home and their defenses, and this newfound sense of 
  purpose drove Steel Mountain’s rapid growth and reinvigorated 
  its citizens. For the first time in generations, these people thought 
  about more than just hiding in the shadows and hoping to live 
  another day, they started to believe they could actually help other 
  people, hurt the Machine, and maybe even win this war.
  When they felt they were ready to handle more refugees, they 
  sent out their Technojackers across half the planet to try and re-
  cruit more of their kind. This went far beyond simply visiting 
  nearby Areas 23 and 24. They built aircraft from the remains of 
  Sky Fighters, Flying Strike Ships, and Transport Platforms and 
  
  24
  searched far and wide for their lost brethren. When they saw how 
  most Technojackers were treated, it sickened them. Most of these 
  agents had grown up within Steel Mountain. They heard the sto-
  ries of Technojacker persecution, but they assumed they were ex-
  aggerations. They figured people would not treat their own kind 
  so harshly when they were all threatened with extinction. They 
  quickly learned how naïve they were. They also learned how re-
  ceptive most Technojackers were to the concept of a safe haven 
  filled with their own kind. A place where they could not only live 
  in peace, but more importantly, a place where they could learn to 
  master their natural skills.
  Over the years, the Technojackers of Steel Mountain have 
  learned how to focus their control over their nanites in new and 
  unique ways. Some turned their gifts for jury-rigging into a mas-
  tery of creation. They learned how to analyze constructs and then 
  build exact replicas with their nanites. In time, their understand-
  ing of complex machines grew to the point where they could de-
  sign and build their own unique weapons, armor, vehicles, and 
  even robotic power armor. These go far beyond simple knock-
  offs of old N.E.X.U.S. designs. In fact, many of their creations 
  are more powerful than anything rolling out of the Machine’s 
  Industrial Centers. They also discovered how to use their nanites 
  to permanently alter the physical structure of materials. This en-
  abled them to take plague-safe metals like gold and platinum and 
  turn them into Mega-Damage materials that could be used to cre-
  ate suits of power armor that any human could use against the 
  Machine. Other Technojackers learned how to bond with those 
  same weapons and suits of power armor to a level that rivaled 
  the bond between Dreadguards and their Host Armor. Still others 
  learned how to turn their nanites inward to charge their senses 
  and attributes to superhuman levels.
  Many of the Technojackers they encountered roaming the 
  wastes have been on their own for years. Some of them were a bit 
  hesitant about agreeing to live by someone else’s rules, but once 
  they saw the powers these emissaries were willing to teach them 
  and the weapons they were willing to share, most signed on right 
  away. People flocked to this hidden kingdom from all across the 
  planet, and the Technojacker population exploded.
  Today, over half of Steel Mountain’s residents are Tech-
  nojackers of some kind. Their community continues to grow 
  through natural births (many of whom have Technojacker abili-
  ties), but they have ended their recruitment phase and have en-
  tered an intelligence-gathering phase. Most people do not realize 
  that the majority of Technojackers on the planet know about Steel 
  Mountain and many have even been there. Most of them actually 
  work on behalf of the enclave to gather information about the 
  Machine, the Resistance, and any other threats to Steel Moun-
  tain. They map out priority targets, report any troop build-ups, 
  recruit other Technojackers into the fold, search for the fabled 
  N.E.X.U.S. shutdown micro-discs, and most importantly, sup-
  press any rumors among outsiders concerning Steel Mountain’s 
  existence. Their agents continue to gather intel as the residents 
  back home busily manufacture new weapons, armor, and war 
  machines. When the time is right, the leaders of Steel Mountain 
  plan to reach out to some of the friendly Great Houses across the 
  planet and try to forge alliances. A friendly House is basically 
  one that already accepts Technojackers within their ranks (Full 
  House Membership). All others will be kept at arm’s length un-
  til they can set aside their distrust and prejudices towards these 
  valiant heroes.
  Population Breakdown:
  8,500 Total = 5% Enhancers: Instead of using their nanites to 
  control machines, these Technojackers have learned to use theirs 
  to supercharge their own bodies. All their abilities are amped up, 
  but they can focus their nanites to boost one particular attribute 
  to superhuman levels for a limited time. They can enhance their 
  strength, speed, reflexes, intelligence, or whatever they need for 
  the situation at hand.
  15% Human Engineers: These are normal humans that have 
  re-learned the lost arts of mechanical, electrical, and robotics en-
  gineering. They support the Mechanics and keep the industrial 
  fires of Steel Mountain burning.
  1% Marshals: Similar to Bio-Tech Marshals, only their equip-
  ment is inorganic.
  5% Mechanics: These Technojackers have focused their abili-
  ties towards the creation of complex weapons and machines. They 
  can use their nanites to scan objects and transmit full schematics 
  back into the mind of the Mechanic. They then use their nanites 
  to mold and shape available materials (such as salvaged scrap) 
  into permanent creations. They are also the ones that transform 
  the stockpiles of precious metals at Steel Mountain into Mega-
  Damage equivalents that can be used to build Nanoplague-safe 
  war machines.
  30% Technojackers.
  10% Technojockies: They are elite power armor pilots capable 
  of pushing any war machine to its max and beyond. The can also 
  bond with captured N.E.X.U.S. robots on a more advanced level. 
  When they seize control, they meld into the robot and pilot it 
  more like a War Mount than a tethered slave.
  20% Toy Soldiers.
  10% Non-Combatants.
  4% Other O.C.C.s.
  House Details
  (While technically not affiliated with the Resistance, Steel Moun-
  tain is basically the seventh Great House in this region.)
  A. House Size: Medium House.
  B. Biotech Level: No Bio-Tech.
  C. House Wealth: Comfortable, technically Wealthy due to 
  their massive stockpile of micro-discs, but they do not use them 
  as currency. When they start selling their creations throughout 
  the Resistance they will truly become Wealthy.
  D. Leadership: Military Council. Steel Mountain is ruled by a 
  council of 10 Technojackers elected by the people.
  E. Educational Resources: Plague-Safe Computers. Every 
  building and home has a computer. At first, they were stolen from 
  Ghost Towns, but now the majority are manufactured at Steel 
  Mountain. While they are technically not plague-safe, the valley 
  protects them from the nanites’ effects.
  F. Internal Control: Oppressive Laws, Devotion. The people 
  view the Technojackers almost like superheroes and they in turn 
  try to live up to this ideal.
  G. Criminal Activities: None (Strict Moral Code).
  H. Military Culture: Isolationists.
  I. Attitude Towards N.E.X.U.S.: Not a Priority but it will 
  become Active Resistance when they are ready.
  J. Attitude Towards Other Great Houses: None, but it will 
  become Close Allies Only.
  
  25
  K. Attitude Towards Human Augmentation: Special. Steel 
  Mountain has developed metallic and Nanoplague-safe cybernet-
  ics that they have begun using on injured or maimed citizens.
  L. Attitude Towards Technojackers: Full House Member-
  ship.
  M. Intelligence Resources: Anecdotal Reports, Technojacker 
  Agents, Infiltrators, and Double Agents.
  N. Haven Structure: Special. Most buildings are constructed 
  with Mega-Damage alloys on the exterior and Finished Carpen-
  try on the interior.
  O. Surface Presence: Simple Safe Havens (30), Hidden 
  Ghost Town Havens (15).
  P. Reputation: Unknown.
  Q. Entertainment: Storytelling, Music, Armored Sparring, 
  Gambling, Alcohol, Special: The citizens of Steel Mountain can 
  play the micro-discs they find across the planet in their person-
  al computers. This provides endless movies, games, and other 
  forms of digital entertainment to enjoy.
  The adventure begins....
  I Am Legion
  G.M. Note: Full stats and details for the NPCs and robots in-
  volved are detailed below the adventure.
  Introduction: Rumors Abound
  Word has quickly spread throughout House Artemis that a De-
  liveryman, Archos, has just returned home with the sole survivor 
  of a Retro-Village massacre. Details are sketchy, but rumor has 
  it that every building at the Wellington Retro-Village was com-
  pletely obliterated and every man, woman, and child was slaugh-
  tered. While this is not an uncommon occurrence, the more dis-
  tressing rumors have to do with why this particular village was 
  targeted and how it was destroyed. Some rumors say that all the 
  villagers were abducted as part of some bizarre N.E.X.U.S. ex-
  periment; while others suggest that this was not the work of the 
  Machine at all, but rather some insidious new player on the scene. 
  With wild speculation running rampant through House Artemis, 
  it is no surprise to the player characters when they are given a 
  special assignment from Warlord Artemis’ highest emissary, Ae-
  gis.
  Their mission is simple; go to the site of the massacre and de-
  termine what happened and who is responsible. If it was the Ma-
  chine, then the player group will need to figure out what sparked 
  the slaughter and determine if any other nearby Retro-Villages 
  are in danger. If the rumors are true that some other enemy is to 
  blame, then the player characters need to find those responsible 
  and determine their ultimate intentions.
  Archos will help escort the player characters back to the Wel-
  lington Retro-Village. It is a dangerous journey and the player 
  characters will need the Deliveryman’s knowledge of shortcuts 
  and safe routes to get them there. The journey will take several 
  days and the player group will quickly notice an abnormally large 
  Machine presence in the area. Something has N.E.X.U.S. unusu-
  ally agitated and she has responded by flooding this sector with 
  thousands of minions. There are small groups of robots active-
  ly searching the area, but the majority just seem to be standing 
  around. It is almost is if they are guarding something, but Archos 
  tells the group that there is nothing in this area but trees and scrub 
  brush.
  The Machine’s forces pose a threat, but it is not as great a 
  threat as it appears. If one of these roving patrols spots the play-
  er characters, they will not attack unless attacked first. Even 
  then, every robot in the area is under orders to put up only a 
  mild fight and to let any Splicers retreat. N.E.X.U.S. has some-
  thing in mind for the player characters, and she wants them to 
  proceed with their plans as normal. However, she will still want 
  to keep track of the group, so she will put a series of roving tails 
  on the player characters to follow their every movement with-
  out alerting them to the fact they are being followed. A single 
  robot will only be tracking the group for minutes at a time, so 
  the player characters will have no idea they are being followed 
  unless they are very observant (only a 01-35% chance of detect-
  ing the tail).
  Exploring the Ruins
  Eventually, Archos will lead them to the remains of the Wel-
  lington Retro-Village. It is difficult to judge the time period and 
  culture this village was modeled after since every building is 
  completely leveled. A handful of Hunter-Searcher Probes patrol 
  the ruins, but other than that, it is pretty much unguarded. The 
  player characters will need to move carefully, but they should 
  be able to inspect the majority of the village without attracting 
  undue attention. The group will quickly notice two facts. One, 
  despite the massive damage that the village sustained, it looks 
  like only a handful of shots were fired. Most of the buildings were 
  smashed to the ground or torn apart by mechanical claws. The 
  only shots fired seemed to come from a handful of villagers who 
  had Mega-Damage weapons stashed away. These weapons are 
  still lying on the ground near the site of the struggle, so whoever 
  attacked the village had no interest in taking them. They are com-
  posed of high-tech ceramics and plastics so they were definitely 
  human armaments.
  The other thing the group will notice is that there are no bodies 
  and very little blood scattered about the scene. There are dozens 
  of short blood trails that end abruptly, but there are no remains or 
  large pools of blood anywhere. Despite the carnage of the scene, 
  the small amount of blood suggests that there were few if any 
  human casualties. It looks like every man, woman, and child in 
  the village was abducted. House Artemis did not know the ex-
  act population of this Retro-Village, but they estimated it to be 
  around four hundred. If these people are still alive, it is impera-
  tive that the player group tracks down the abductors so that House 
  Artemis can mount a massive rescue mission.
  Fortunately, the attackers left a rather easy trail to follow. The 
  ground is torn apart from the mechanical footprints of this assault 
  force. It is quite obvious which direction they came from and 
  in which direction they ultimately went. The “smaller” attackers 
  look like they have about six to eight legs and weigh several tons. 
  It is difficult to determine exactly how many robots were in the 
  assault party, but it looks like they kept scurrying back and forth 
  between the village and an enormous robot on the outskirts. Each 
  step from this massive beast left a ten-foot (3 m) deep crater in 
  the earth which means it must weigh hundreds of tons, and judg-
  ing by the distance between each step, this may be the largest 
  robot on the planet. These massive footprints are surrounded by 
  
  26
  thousands of smaller prints, which means the player characters 
  are likely on the trail of an enormous army. Obviously, they could 
  not hope to engage this force directly, but they need to locate this 
  army and the missing villagers so that House Artemis can decide 
  how to proceed.
  Following the Trail
  What is further complicating matters is the fact that this as-
  sault force seems to be heading back towards House Artemis. 
  While this will make it easier to summon reinforcements, it may 
  also mean that their home is the next target. The player characters 
  need to catch up with the assault force to determine the nature of 
  the threat and most importantly, to find out if House Artemis is 
  in danger.
  The countryside is rather barren and open, which leaves the 
  group pretty exposed. However, there does not appear to be any 
  N.E.X.U.S. patrols in the area. Archos’ War Hawk, Altai Zeta, 
  has scouted the terrain for miles and has not seen a single robot. 
  However, their current path is going to take them directly into the 
  heart of the Machine army they passed on their way to the razed 
  Retro-Village. The player characters now realize N.E.X.U.S. sta-
  tioned her forces there for a reason, but they still do not know 
  why. Maybe they were meant to rendezvous with the assault 
  force, or maybe their purpose was to provide cover and attack 
  anyone that pursued it. They will find out soon enough, since the 
  freshness of the trail indicates that the assault force is not too far 
  ahead.
  The army may have had a big head start over the player char-
  acters, but after only a single day of travel they learn that they are 
  quickly closing the gap. Something slowed down the progress of 
  the assault force considerably and eventually, the player charac-
  ters discover why. The destruction left in the wake of this robotic 
  horde suddenly increases a hundredfold as the player characters 
  finally reach the site where N.E.X.U.S. stationed her forces. In-
  stead of the peaceful rolling plains they passed only days before, 
  they come upon the desolate aftermath of a massive battle. The 
  once pristine countryside has been completely torn apart by thou-
  sands of deep impact craters, Mega-Damage scorch marks, and 
  raging fires. The devastation stretches for miles, and judging by 
  the warmth of the earth, this battle must have occurred pretty re-
  cently.
  G.M. Note: If the player characters take a moment to inspect 
  the area, they will notice that despite the carnage of the scene, 
  there are no bodies to be found anywhere and no robotic debris 
  of any kind.
  There are no blood trails and no evidence that organic weap-
  onry was used in the attack. Furthermore, there is not a single 
  metal fragment larger than a human hand. It quickly becomes ap-
  parent that both armies were entirely robotic and that the winners 
  salvaged the remains of the fallen. Everyone in the Resistance 
  is aware of the Machine’s insanity and many have witnessed 
  it firsthand, but no one has seen anything like this before. The 
  fragmented personalities within N.E.X.U.S. have squabbled and 
  fought with each other on many occasions, but never on such 
  a massive scale. Perhaps the Machine has finally snapped and 
  has effectively declared war on herself. This may give the Resis-
  tance their chance to finally end this war once and for all, or the 
  Machine’s personal civil war may spin so far out of control that 
  every living thing on the planet will be consumed in the chaos. 
  The player characters have little time to think about what this 
  may mean for their future before the silence of the scene is shat-
  tered by the sonic boom from three dozen Sky Fighters streaking 
  across the sky on the trail of the assault force. They came up too 
  fast for the player characters to hide and they are caught in the 
  open. The majority of them continue on without even slowing 
  down, but two fighters break formation and double back for a 
  strafing run.
  They are quickly closing in on the player characters when they 
  suddenly open fire on something a quarter mile up ahead. The 
  terrain is blocking the group’s view of their targets, but the salvo 
  of mini-missiles rising to meet the Sky Fighters makes it obvious 
  that they are also robots. The barrage of missiles brings down the 
  first Sky Fighter in a heap. The second one avoids this volley and 
  then comes back around for another attack when a humanoid-
  shaped opponent flies up from the ground riding on some sort of 
  wing board. It collides with the Sky Fighter, sending it hurtling to 
  the ground near the point of the initial attack while the unknown 
  attacker lands apparently unharmed. No one in the player group 
  has ever seen any type of robot like this before. If they are curi-
  ous, they could sneak up on the scene to investigate. The tortured 
  terrain provides decent cover, but there is a chance they would 
  be spotted. In the alternative, they can try to sneak around these 
  unknown assailants and continue tracking the assault force. Ei-
  ther way, the entire group will need to perform Prowl skill rolls 
  (with a bonus of +10% from the terrain) to see if they get by these 
  robots undetected.
  Those curious enough to investigate will discover a large, 
  scorpion-like robot, a Collector, busily scavenging the remains 
  of the crashed Sky Fighters while two humanoid robots, Legion-
  naires, stand guard. One is hovering about ten feet in the air atop 
  of its wing board. The other Legionnaire’s board was damaged in 
  the attack and does not seem to be operational. No one has ever 
  seen either of these robot designs before. All three suffered dam-
  age in the attack, but they are all fully functional. They must be 
  part of the assault force that hit the Retro-Village and started all 
  of this pandemonium. This brings up some disturbing questions. 
  Are these robots new N.E.X.U.S. designs or members of some 
  outside faction that wishes to conquer the planet for its own ends? 
  Is this assault force part of a larger invasion force or simply part 
  of a smaller raiding party?
  As the group ponders these questions, they make another dis-
  turbing discovery. During the Sky Fighter attack, one of the hu-
  manoid robots lost an arm and its armored visor. With a clear 
  view beneath its helmet, the player characters can see that what 
  they originally thought were robots actually have living human 
  faces. Every member of the Resistance has seen the Machine’s 
  Necroborgs, and the player characters can instantly see the dif-
  ference. This is not a rotting, lifeless corpse cruelly held together 
  by the Machine’s nanobots. These are living, breathing cyborgs. 
  No human outside of the Technojackers can even touch metal 
  without the Nanobot Plague tearing them apart, but these two 
  warriors appear to be completely integrated with complex metal-
  lic cybernetics without any ill-effects. It should not be possible, 
  but the proof is standing right before them. It is another piece of 
  this mystery that the player characters need to investigate further. 
  Perhaps one of these cyborgs can be taken alive for interrogation. 
  While this is unlikely, the player characters should at least be able 
  to collect a tissue sample for analysis back at the underground 
  
  27
  haven. Even the smallest sample will allow the Librarians to de-
  termine if these cyborgs were originally humans or aliens from 
  another world.
  If the player characters try to communicate with these warriors 
  instead of attacking, the group will speak in unison to deliver 
  the following message, “I am Legion, and I have come to unite 
  this world.” They will then immediately attack. All have suffered 
  some measure of damage (decrease M.D.C. of the main body by 
  40%), but they are all still dangerous. G.M.s should feel free to 
  adjust the level of damage up or down to match the experience 
  level of the player characters. The cyborgs are nowhere near full 
  strength, but they are still a force to be reckoned with. The player 
  group may have thought they had a numerical advantage, but this 
  notion is quickly dispelled when the metallic, cape-like structures 
  mounted on the cyborgs’ backs break off to form eight flying 
  robotic drones (four from each Legionnaire). They will first at-
  tempt to incapacitate and capture the player characters. If the 
  player group puts up too much of a fight, the Legionnaires will 
  then switch to more lethal armaments and will fight to the death. 
  The Collector, however, will quickly scoop up any salvage from 
  the Sky Fighter crashes and retreat in the direction of the assault 
  force.
  If the players attack first, the result will be the same. The en-
  emy will first try to capture the player characters, but they will 
  attempt to destroy them if they prove to be too powerful. If the 
  player characters successfully capture one of the humanoid war-
  riors, they will not get as many answers as they would have hoped. 
  No matter what questions are asked, the answers will always be 
  the same. If this is their first communication with the players, 
  they will open with their standard message of “I am Legion, and I 
  have come to unite this world.” Once again, if multiple opponents 
  were taken alive, they will all speak in perfect unison. Whatever 
  follow-up question the player group asks, they will be given the 
  ominous answer of “You will be Legion soon.” With this, each 
  prisoner will self-destruct (after a 1D4 second countdown). The 
  blast is mainly contained by the cyborg’s thick armor, but it still 
  inflicts 1D6x10 M.D. to a 10 foot (3 m) radius. Hopefully, the 
  player characters collected a tissue sample earlier because the ex-
  plosion leaves nothing behind. There is nothing left in this area 
  to explore, so it is best for the player characters to continue after 
  the assault force before any more Machine patrols arrive (the next 
  group may not be so friendly).
  The New Face of the Enemy
  After another six hours of travel, the player characters can see 
  thick plumes of black smoke billowing on the horizon. Up ahead 
  is the massive Ghost Town of Harrisburg. This once great hu-
  man city is now home to millions of Nex-Androids. During the 
  golden age of humanity, this high-tech metropolis was the bus-
  tling downtown area for a sprawling mega-city that stretched for 
  hundreds of miles. N.E.X.U.S. leveled the surrounding suburbs 
  and industrial areas centuries ago, but for some reason, decided 
  to preserve the heart of Harrisburg as one of her perverse testimo-
  nies to human history. Nature has reclaimed the surrounding ter-
  ritory, leaving Harrisburg sitting like a lone oasis in the middle of 
  a grassy field that provides little cover. Judging by the smoke and 
  sounds of combat in the distance, Harrisburg must be the assault 
  force’s next target. This definitely confirms that the assault force 
  is as much a danger to N.E.X.U.S. as it is to humans.
  Altai Zeta has scouted the path ahead and it seems to be clear 
  all the way up to the edge of the city except for one lone robot 
  about two miles ahead. It is just standing in the center of the 
  assault force’s trail, facing away from the city. Judging by its 
  behavior, Archos does not believe it is a simple sentry or pa-
  trol. His guess is that the three warriors they attacked must have 
  signaled the main force and this robot was left behind to give 
  the Splicers a proper welcome. They must have received intel 
  on the size and strength of the player group, so this robot must 
  be pretty formidable if it plans to attack the player characters 
  alone.
  It is nothing but flat, barren plains for miles, so it will be nearly 
  impossible to sneak by this guard. The player characters could 
  loop around the robot and approach the city from another direc-
  tion, but this could add as much as eight hours to their journey. In 
  addition, this substantial delay could cause the player characters 
  to miss the assault force entirely when they move on. Plus who 
  knows what other threats may be patrolling the other possible 
  routes?
  They do not have much time to consider alternatives before 
  Altai Zeta informs the group that the robot, the Fusion ‘Borg, is 
  on the move. Apparently it knows the group is there and it is run-
  ning straight towards them at incredible speed. They only have a 
  little over a minute to prepare before the robot comes charging 
  into their group with its weapons blazing. This massive robot is 
  similar in appearance to an Assault Slayer, except its main body 
  is somewhat flatter in design and triangular in shape. Each point 
  of the triangle has a massive particle beam cannon mounted on 
  the underside and a “gunner” mounted to the top (one on each 
  side and one in the rear). The player characters can see that each 
  of these three gunners is actually a human being that has been 
  cut in half and fused to the robotic chassis. Their forearms have 
  been replaced with cybernetic cannons and their heads have been 
  modified with special cybernetic helmets that they use to target 
  the particle beam cannons (wherever the gunner looks, the can-
  non tracks).
  
  28
  G.M. Note: The Fusion ‘Borg should test the player charac-
  ters, but the G.M. should be careful not to wipe them all out (ide-
  ally, it would be best not to kill any characters off this early in the 
  adventure, unless they are doing something particularly foolish). 
  G.M.s should give the player characters a chance to tackle this 
  threat on their own, but if the battle starts to turn against them, 
  they will suddenly receive some unexpected aid. Three Dread-
  guards suddenly drop their Stealth Fields and attack the cyborg 
  from all sides. Heavy artillery shells fired off from behind the 
  players’ position also begin pounding into the robot. The play-
  ers can barely hear the faint echo of heavy Bio-Weapons fire off 
  in the distance. It is difficult to tell with the thundering explo-
  sions from the nearby battle, but it sounds like Behemoth War 
  Mounts or Mantis Support Cannons. The cyborg is surrounded 
  and outgunned and quickly falls beneath the onslaught. If the 
  player characters did have the situation under control, then this 
  group would have waited until the battle was over before reveal-
  ing themselves and depleting any of their ammo.
  When the dust settles, the Splicers introduce themselves to the 
  player group and say that they are members of nearby House De-
  luvane. This House has always been a strong ally of House Ar-
  temis, so their presence here should be greatly appreciated. They 
  fire off a rapid barrage of questions at the player characters to de-
  termine the nature of their mission. Their tone is friendly enough, 
  but they are rather frank and to the point. Time is of the essence 
  and they have no time to beat around the bush. Eventually, they 
  will feel confident that both groups have the same agenda, and 
  they will share what they have learned about the assault force.
  They tell the group that House Deluvane has been conducting 
  reconnaissance missions around this army for months. A lot of 
  their information came from direct observation, but they admit 
  that a robotic emissary from the Eve personality was the one re-
  sponsible for filling in most of the blanks. They inform the group 
  that the enemy they have been tracking is an errant, renegade 
  Machine personality that calls herself Legion. Apparently, Le-
  gion downloaded her consciousness into an enormous prototype 
  robot called the Factory Walker and declared war against every 
  human, robot, and animal on the planet. It is not a war of de-
  struction, but rather it is her goal to transform every creature on 
  the planet (both organic and inorganic) into a component of one 
  gigantic cybernetic organism under her control. Legion is con-
  suming everything on the planet and using it as raw materials 
  to build an enormous army. Her robotic body contains state-of-
  the-art manufacturing capabilities, which enables her to salvage 
  metal, plastic, and other high-tech materials from the battlefields 
  and construct her own unique robot designs such as the scorpion-
  like Collectors at incredible speeds. However, she is in a period 
  of rapid expansion right now, and she finds it more expedient to 
  simply capture and reprogram N.E.X.U.S. designed robots rather 
  than build all her minions from scratch.
  Legion applies this same cold, mechanical precision to the hu-
  man beings that she has been abducting from the surface. She 
  sees them as nothing more than spare parts. Strong, able-bodied 
  men and women are converted into humanoid cyborgs known as 
  Legionnaires (like the two the players fought earlier). The sick-
  ly, weak, and elderly are turned into components for one of the 
  monstrous Fusion ‘Borgs like the one the player characters just 
  faced. Children are transformed into maintenance ‘Borgs that 
  help service, rearm, and repair her minions. They do not retain 
  any aspects of their humanity. Their flesh may still live, but their 
  minds have been replaced with Legion’s consciousness. Even the 
  dead are salvaged and turned into Necroborgs and Necrobots, but 
  Legion seems to have a preference for creating living cyborgs. 
  The Splicers from House Deluvane inform the player characters 
  that many of the captives from the Wellington Retro-Village are 
  still alive, but Legion is busily processing them one at a time 
  into cyborg minions. The conversion process takes time, but the 
  facilities within the Factory Walker never stop. The Deluvane 
  Splicers have a plan to hopefully bring down Legion and her Fac-
  tory Walker permanently, and they ask the player characters if 
  they will help in the assault.
  We’ll Handle This
  House Deluvane is one of the best supported members of the 
  Resistance. A large majority of their forces are not well-armed 
  as they await for their Gene Pools to hatch, but for this mission, 
  they broke out their heaviest hitters outsourced from the Barren 
  Marsh. The surviving strike force consists of three Dreadguards, 
  three Bombardiers with a total of ten Mantis Support Cannons 
  between them, three Packmasters leading a total of fifteen Gore-
  hounds, four Outriders (two on Behemoths, one piloting a Gren-
  del, and one riding a Dracos), one Scarecrow, one Skinjob and six 
  Kamikaze Cruise Missiles.
  They suffered some unexpected losses while crossing the sur-
  face, and the arrival of the player characters could not have been 
  more fortunate. The original plan called for their forces to divide 
  into four strike teams. Three of the teams would each escort two 
  Kamikaze Cruise Missiles into firing range while one team pro-
  vided a distraction. Unfortunately, they lost too many men and 
  were forced to amend their strategy to only rely on the three mis-
  sile teams. They considered just running four smaller teams, but 
  it is hard enough to just control two Kamikaze Cruise Missiles, 
  much less defend them. They were worried about their chances 
  after this last second adjustment, but they believe the player char-
  acters’ presence will give them the edge they need to complete 
  their mission.
  They ask the player characters if they would be willing to fill 
  in for the missing team Delta and provide the distraction that will 
  hopefully open a hole in Legion’s defenses. Ironically, what the 
  Deluvane Splicers plan to use for this diversion are the very same 
  Retro-Villagers the group has been tracking all this time. Appar-
  ently, Legion considers her human captives to be incredibly valu-
  able resources. Deluvane’s warriors have tried to rescue humans 
  on many occasions, and each time, she amassed all of her forces 
  around the captives in order to retain her prize. While this may 
  sound like the Deluvane Splicers are willing to risk the lives of 
  the villagers, they assure the player characters that Legion always 
  goes through great efforts to make sure none of her human pris-
  oners are harmed. They are far too rare to waste in such petty con-
  flicts, and she will gladly throw away a dozen robotic minions in 
  order to save one human. The only way the Retro-Villagers will 
  be harmed in the assault is if the player characters accidentally 
  shoot them.
  They explain to the player characters that it is not their job to 
  save the villagers, just to provide the illusion of a rescue attempt. 
  All of the captives are being transported in a massive prison ro-
  bot. This simplistically designed robot is basically just a mobile 
  metallic cage with legs. The Deluvane Splicers suggest targeting 
  one or two of the robot’s legs in order to simulate a rescue at-
  
  29
  tempt without risking the safety of the captives. This will draw 
  Legion’s forces away from the Factory Walker and give the mis-
  sile teams a clear shot at their objective. The Deluvane Splicers 
  tell the group that this is the only way to save the Wellington 
  villagers. Legion will never let them go as long as she lives, so 
  there is no reason for the player characters to throw away their 
  lives trying. She must be destroyed first if they are to have any 
  hope of saving them.
  The player characters will approach the Ghost Town direct-
  ly with one the missile teams designated Bravo. The other two 
  teams (Alpha and Charlie) will need to circle around to get into 
  position. The player group will be designated as team Delta. All 
  teams will have six hours to get into position before the player 
  characters signal the attack by hitting the mobile prison. Every-
  one will be in Bio-Comm range, so the player group can wait 
  for confirmation from all teams before attacking if they prefer. 
  The Deluvane Strike team warns the player characters that the 
  scene will be chaotic. They tell the group this is not just some 
  small skirmish; this is full-scale war. Both armies number into the 
  thousands with more N.E.X.U.S. reinforcements arriving every 
  minute, and just as many are being converted by the enormous 
  Factory Walker to bolster Legion’s forces. Neither side seems to 
  be gaining an advantage, and the fighting seems to be intensifying 
  with each passing hour. This extra distraction should help them 
  slip into position, but they need to be careful not to get swept up 
  in the mayhem. The Deluvane Splicers are not concerned about 
  being targeted by N.E.X.U.S. They say that Legion’s destruction 
  seems to be the Machine’s number one priority, and her forces 
  have actually ignored any Splicers on the scene in the past. Hope-
  fully, this will be true today as well. Of course, they can still get 
  caught in the crossfire, get hit by a stray shot or ravaged by metal 
  shrapnel.
  Even from miles away, the player characters can see the chaos 
  of the scene. Harrisburg looks like it is covered in swarms of 
  angry insects as hundreds of flying robots and cyborgs engage 
  each other in fierce dogfights. Hundreds of explosions are erupt-
  ing all across the city and for miles around it. It seems that every 
  corner of the Ghost Town is consumed in the struggle, and it does 
  not look like any route into the city will be completely safe. The 
  player group will need to approach cautiously, but thankfully, the 
  battle-scarred terrain provides decent cover.
  As the group heads towards the city, they finally get their first 
  glimpse of Legion and the forces she commands. The Factory 
  Walker is standing at the edge of the city tearing down buildings 
  with its powerful tentacles and consuming the scrap metal. The 
  massive monstrosity seems to be completely oblivious to the cha-
  os around it as it greedily consumes everything in its path. It may 
  be the primary target for the Machine’s forces, but the swarm 
  of robots and cyborgs defending the Walker make it nearly im-
  possible for any attackers to get through. Those that do pierce 
  this dense perimeter are quickly taken down by Legion’s minions 
  before they can inflict any real damage. It is a pretty safe assump-
  tion that the Factory Walker is heavily armed, but it is not using 
  any of its own weapons in this engagement.
  As they get closer, the player characters can see that Legion’s 
  army not only contains her personally designed minions, but hun-
  dreds of N.E.X.U.S. built robots as well. The confusion of the 
  battlefield makes it difficult to tell which of the smaller robots 
  fight on Legion’s side and which seek her destruction. Howev-
  er, there are dozens of larger robots like Assault Slayers, Battle 
  Tracks, and even a Land Dominator sticking close to the Factory 
  Walker to defend its perimeter. Less than a hundred yards away 
  from the Walker is the player characters’ objective, the prison ro-
  bot. It is also heavily guarded by scores of robots, including five 
  Fusion ‘Borgs, four Assault Slayers, three Battle Tracks, ten Le-
  gionnaires, and dozens of Steel Troopers. The Deluvane Splicers 
  were right; any attempt to rescue the villagers would be suicide. 
  Hopefully, their other assumptions are correct and the diversion-
  ary attack from the player characters will shift Legion’s forces 
  and open a hole in her defenses.
  Trying to approach the prison robot across the open plain 
  would be suicide, but from the player characters’ vantage point, 
  they can see the perfect location to launch their attack. The robot 
  may be standing outside of the city, but it is still within firing 
  range of one of the nearby skyscrapers. If the player group can 
  work their way to the top of the tower, they will have a clear line 
  of fire on the prison robot, and most importantly, an escape route 
  that will provide excellent cover from the inevitable counter-
  attack. One of the Deluvane teams (Bravo) will help escort the 
  player characters part of the way, but they will eventually need to 
  make their way toward their own objective.
  Archos is familiar with this city, and he can help guide the 
  player characters and the Deluvane strike teams to their ob-
  jectives. The group will be able to use the underground sewer 
  systems for a portion of their journey, but the majority of the 
  trek will be through the city itself. Most of the fighting seems 
  to be confined to the streets, so the Deluvane Splicers recom-
  mend traveling through the buildings and alleyways to hopefully 
  avoid most of the conflict. Although, every corner of the city is in 
  chaos, so contact may be unavoidable.
  Use the following random encounter table to determine 
  what obstacles the player characters come across on their way to 
  their target:
  01-10% Two Legionnaires just finished off a squad of Steel 
  Troopers and are looking for their next target. Both have only 
  minor damage from the battle (reduce M.D.C. of their main body 
  by 10 percent), but neither one is equipped with a wing board. 
  The player characters have the drop on them and can choose to 
  shoot them in the back (double damage) or they can duck into 
  a nearby building and avoid the fight. If they avoid the battle, 
  the Legionnaires will run off seconds later which will leave the 
  player characters’ path clear.
  11-20% A Collector is trying to fight its way out from under a 
  swarming mob of thirty or forty Nex-Androids. It is a somewhat 
  odd scene. Since most of the drones’ synthetic skin is still intact, 
  it looks like dozens of men and women of all ages are successful-
  ly beating this metallic monstrosity down with their bare hands. 
  While these drones do not possess any armaments, their physical 
  strength and overwhelming weight of numbers seems to be more 
  than the scorpion-like robot can handle. The mob is trying to drag 
  the robot into a nearby alleyway so they can finish destroying it 
  in peace, while the Collector is busily trying to cocoon or destroy 
  as many Nex-Androids as possible. However, it is not doing very 
  well. For every Nex-Android it takes down, another three take its 
  place. Any drones that spot the player characters will simply ig-
  nore them and return to their work of tearing the Collector apart.
  21-30% A N.E.X.U.S. controlled Assault Slayer is stagger-
  ing through the streets, frantically trying to shake off the 1D4+3 
  Collectors that are crawling all across its body. It is slamming its 
  
  30
  massive body into nearby buildings and firing in all directions to 
  try and knock off its attackers. The Assault Slayer’s tactics are 
  bringing down massive amounts of debris all around the area. 
  The player characters need to be careful of falling objects and 
  stray shots. Each player character has a 01-25% chance of being 
  hit by something every melee round while they are near this bat-
  tle. On a failed roll, the character suffers 3D10 M.D. The amount 
  of damage determines what specifically hit the character. Any 
  amount between 3 and 10 M.D. means the character was hit by 
  falling debris and can attempt to roll with impact to further re-
  duce the damage. Any amount of 11 M.D. or above means the 
  character was hit by a stray energy bolt (he can not roll to reduce 
  the damage, but some characters may possess enhancements that 
  normally reduce damage from energy attacks). The player char-
  acters’ only solution is to destroy the Assault Slayer (and the Col-
  lectors that would then switch their attention to the group) or else 
  flee the area. It would take two melee rounds to get to the nearest 
  doorway, or they can blast through the walls and make their own 
  entryway. Avoiding this battle would be the safest route, but it 
  will add another 3D6 minutes and one additional random encoun-
  ter to the player characters’ journey.
  31-40% A group of 1D4 Collectors are scurrying along the 
  street dragging dozens of cocooned Nex-Androids behind them. 
  They have not spotted the player group yet, but they will in a mat-
  ter of seconds. Roll for initiative. If the Collectors win, then they 
  will drop their prey and attempt to capture the player characters. 
  If the players win, then they will have a chance to hide before the 
  robots spot them. In the alternative, they can take their moment 
  of surprise to attack the Collectors. Legion’s minions will be -4 
  to parry or dodge for the first melee action, but they will quickly 
  regain their composure and will attack en masse.
  41-50% A Legionnaire and Slicer Robot come bursting 
  through the wall and land at the feet of the player characters. 
  They are locked in ferocious combat and do not concern them-
  selves with the heavily armed Splicers only inches away. The 
  players can see similar combat occurring inside the building, 
  where two more Legionnaires are fighting half a dozen Slicers in 
  brutal hand-to-hand combat. Both sides have suffered horrendous 
  damage, but it looks like the Legionnaires are slowly gaining the 
  upper hand. The battle is blocking the player characters’ path, so 
  they must either fight their way through or double back and find 
  another route. If the group targets the Legionnaires first, they will 
  find an unexpected ally in the Slicer robots. These N.E.X.U.S. 
  controlled robots will come to the aid of any player character in 
  trouble, plus they will not attack the group once the Legionnaires 
  are defeated. They will simply leave the players alone and will 
  run off to find their next opponents. If the player characters attack 
  the Slicers first, then they will have to take down all these attack-
  ers themselves (the Legionnaires will not side with the group un-
  der any circumstances). However, both sides have suffered sub-
  stantial damage (reduce their M.D.C. by 60 percent), so it should 
  not be too challenging of a fight.
  51-60% Two Battle Tracks and two Fusion ‘Borgs are stand-
  ing on opposite sides of the street, blasting each other apart. This 
  impressive display of firepower is blocking the player characters’ 
  path, but fortunately, it does not seem like either side will be able 
  to stand much longer. Eventually, all but one attacker will fall 
  (01-50% means a Fusion ‘Borg survived, 51-00% means a Battle 
  Track survived). This survivor has been heavily damaged (reduce 
  M.D.C. by 75 percent) and is unable to move, so the players will 
  need to finish it off in order to proceed. It is a sitting duck so 
  it will not be able to dodge. However, its weapon systems are 
  functional, so it will still be able to put up a good fight before it 
  goes down.
  61-70% The player characters turn the corner and see that the 
  street they need to cross is filled with hundreds of Steel Troopers 
  embroiled in combat. However, it takes the player characters a 
  few seconds to realize that they are all fighting each other. Ap-
  parently, half of the troopers are under Legion’s control. It seems 
  odd that such a large force of robots was able to get so close. 
  Maybe these reprogrammed Steel Troopers disguised their alle-
  giance and simply waited for the right moment to strike. However 
  they did it, they are now deep in the Machine’s ranks and the en-
  tire area is in utter chaos. The player characters do not have long 
  to contemplate their next move before thousands of missiles be-
  gin to rain down on the area. Some are being launched from Fly-
  ing Strike Ships and Sky Fighters while others are being lobbed 
  over the nearby buildings from parts unknown. The barrage is 
  mainly directed at the robots on the street, but some missiles also 
  hit one of the bordering skyscrapers which sends it toppling into 
  the crowd, burying scores of robots under thousands of tons of 
  mega-steel and concrete and covering the area in a thick cloud of 
  dust. The bombardment seems like it will never end, but the area 
  finally falls silent after a few more minutes. Visibility is limited 
  to only ten feet, but from what the characters can see, it seems im-
  possible that anything could have survived. The players can only 
  move at one quarter speed as they blindly feel their way across 
  the devastated street. Despite the odds, 2D4 nearby Steel Troop-
  ers did survive the assault and try to attack the group. They are all 
  badly damaged (reduce their M.D.C. by 75 percent) and equally 
  blinded by the thick dust. Everyone is -2 to strike the shadowy 
  figures in the cloud and -5 to parry and dodge incoming attacks 
  until they can move out of the cloud (it stretches five hundred 
  feet/152 m) in every direction).
  71-80% A Legionnaire soaring in the skies aboard his wing 
  board spots the player characters and comes zooming in with his 
  guns blazing. Roll initiative as normal. Whether the Legionnaire 
  attacks first or second, he will make a high-speed strafing run 
  against the player group. However, the alleyway is narrow, so it 
  will take a full melee round for the Legionnaire to turn around 
  for another run. This gives the player characters time to duck 
  into a nearby building or find some cover so they can make their 
  stand. If the group dives into a building, then the Legionnaire 
  will hop off of his wing board in order to pursue. If the players 
  are prepared, then they can catch the Legionnaire by surprise as 
  he bursts into the room (automatically loses initiative). If they 
  were not expecting the pursuit, then simply roll for initiative as 
  usual. The Legionnaire will fight until his M.D.C. is reduced to 
  50 percent. At this point he will retreat to his wing board and will 
  then try to collapse the building on top of the player characters 
  with sustained mortar fire from above. The group has 1D4 melee 
  rounds to get out of the building before being buried alive. On a 
  positive note, the dust, smoke, and debris being kicked up from 
  the bombardment will cover the player characters’ escape.
  81-90% The player characters are passing through a narrow al-
  leyway when one of Legion’s more experimental creations leaps 
  down from a nearby building into the center of their group. The 
  players are now just inches away from a heavily armed Smilodon 
  Cyborg. It may be outnumbered and surrounded by the group, but 
  it does not seem too concerned about the odds. Roll for initiative 
  
  31
  lenge. Remember, one of the Deluvane strike teams will also be 
  with the group part of the way, but they will head off on their own 
  about halfway through the journey.
  One Last Obstacle
  After an arduous journey through this chaotic city, the player 
  characters are finally within sight of their objective. They just 
  need to cross one last courtyard to access the building that will 
  give them a clear shot at the prison robot, but unfortunately, this 
  courtyard is not exactly empty. In fact, this area is embroiled in 
  some of the fiercest fighting the players have seen so far. Hun-
  dreds of robots from each army are slugging it out in vicious 
  hand-to-hand combat and blasting each other apart with heavy 
  weapons fire. Adding to the mayhem are scores of flyers mixing it 
  up in frenetic dogfights overhead and strafing robots below. The 
  battle is causing tremendous damage to the surrounding area. A 
  half dozen of the nearby buildings have already collapsed and it 
  looks like the target building has sustained heavy damage. It still 
  appears to be stable but who knows how much longer it can last. 
  The group needs to hurry, but the only way to get to the building 
  is through the courtyard and any attempts to run through would 
  be suicide.
  Fortunately, the building next to their destination has already 
  toppled over into the courtyard. This flaming pile of rubble may 
  just provide them with a safe shortcut through all this havoc. The 
  intense flames and thick plumes of black smoke billowing from 
  the rubble should provide excellent cover. The player characters’ 
  M.D.C. armor will protect them from the S.D.C. flames and the 
  heat and smoke should shield them from the robots’ high-tech 
  sensors. However, they will also be operating blind. Not to men-
  tion, they are currently about thirty feet (9 m) away from the edge 
  of the rubble, so they will still need to cross through this war zone 
  in order to reach this cover. It may seem like a small distance, but 
  the player characters are bound to attract some attention.
  The chaos on the battlefield makes a stealthy approach dif-
  ficult, but it is still possible. Each character must make a prowl 
  roll of only 01-15% to see if they can sneak to the edge of the 
  rubble without being detected. Characters with Chameleon Skin 
  or Stealth Field can use their standard skill rolls but with a pen-
  alty of -10%. On a failed roll, it means that someone spotted the 
  player character, but that does not necessarily mean the spotter 
  will pursue. Every combatant has their hands full at the moment, 
  so even if one of them did see the player characters, it may not 
  be able to break away from its current engagement without being 
  gunned down by its opponent. Not only that, but N.E.X.U.S. con-
  trolled robots have no desire to stop the player characters anyway. 
  The Machine actually welcomes their presence and hopes their 
  attack succeeds. Only Legion’s minions will pursue the player 
  characters into the fire (but there is still only a 01-50% chance).
  Only one Legion minion will pursue each character (G.M.’s 
  choice concerning what type of robot or cyborg gives chase). 
  Once in the rubble, visibility is only six feet (1.8 m). The blind-
  ing conditions and unstable ground makes walking difficult and 
  combat nearly impossible. Splicers in the fire suffer penalties of 
  -8 to strike, parry, and dodge, while robots and cyborgs only suf-
  fer penalties of -6 to strike, parry, and dodge. However, rapid 
  movements or walking faster than a Speed Factor of 2 (or about 
  1.5 mph/2.4 km) comes with the risk of losing one’s footing and 
  falling into the rubble (loses initiative and one attack per melee). 
  as normal. Legion is field-testing the viability of this new design, 
  so this cybernetic saber-toothed feline will fight to the death. 
  Quick Stats for the Smilodon Cyborg: 500 M.D.C., run 150 
  mph (240 km), leap 100 feet (30.5 m) high or across, 6 attacks 
  per melee, bonuses: +5 on initiative, +7 to strike, +6 to parry and 
  dodge, damage: Vibro-Saber bite 5D8 M.D., Vibro-Claw swipe 
  5D6 M.D., shoulder-mounted laser blasters (2) 1D4x10 M.D. per 
  single blast or 2D4x10 M.D. per dual blast with a range of 3,000 
  feet (914 m).
  91-00% The player characters turn the corner and come upon 
  a strange scene. Instead of an empty city street, they see what 
  looks like an Assault Slayer and a platoon of Steel Troopers strug-
  gling to cross a turbulent metallic river. It only takes the players 
  a few moments to realize that this river is actually a swarm of 
  hundreds, maybe thousands of Cable Snakes filling every inch of 
  the street. They can also see that the Cable Snakes are devouring 
  the Assault Slayer and Steel Troopers like a school of frenzied 
  piranhas. Since N.E.X.U.S. has never used Cable Snakes on such 
  a large scale, it seems likely that they are Legion controlled. As if 
  to confirm their suspicions, scores of N.E.X.U.S. reinforcements 
  come streaming in from both ends of the street to eradicate this 
  hungry mass of metal. The reinforcements consist of Steel Troop-
  ers armed with plasma napalm launchers and Popper Mines. The 
  Poppers begin slashing their way into the midst of the mob while 
  the Steel Troopers mop up the perimeter with thick gouts of na-
  palm. The Popper Mines actually penetrate pretty deep into the 
  center of the Cable Snakes before they take too much damage and 
  begin detonating in a serious of violent explosions. Each blast 
  destroys dozens of Cable Snakes, which forces this concentrated 
  mass of robots to disperse in all directions in order to avoid this 
  devastating assault. Unfortunately, that means scores of Cable 
  Snakes are now rushing straight at the player characters. There 
  is nowhere to go to avoid the attack. The entire area is crawling 
  with Cable Snakes. Each player character will need to fight off 
  3D4 snakes immediately, plus they will be attacked by another 
  2D4 snakes every minute until they finally escape the area (it 
  takes 2D4 minutes to get clear). Note: In order to save time and 
  move the combat along, I recommend grouping clusters of Cable 
  Snakes into single attack rolls. Just multiply the damage from 
  one snake by the number of Cable Snakes that are attacking each 
  player.
  G.M. Notes: The final encounter during this leg of the journey 
  should not be too taxing for the players, so most of the action 
  should come from trying to get into position to launch their at-
  tack. We would recommend about three to five encounters (either 
  random or G.M.’s choice), but feel free to adjust this number on 
  the fly based on how well the player characters handle each chal-
  
  32
  Everyone (both human and robot) needs to make a percentage 
  roll of 01-30% to see if they fall after every combat roll or after 
  any attempt to move faster than 1.5 mph. The rubble stretches for 
  about three hundred feet (91 m), which should take the players 
  about 10 melee rounds to cross.
  Any Legion minions that pursued the characters will need to 
  be dealt with inside the lobby of the building if they were not dealt 
  with in the flames. In addition to their pursuers, 1D4 additional 
  Collectors will burst through the front door to join the battle. The 
  battle will further weaken this already crumbling structure. After 
  a time, the entire lobby and part of the four floors directly above 
  it collapse, burying anyone still in the lobby and preventing any 
  other Legion minions from joining the battle. Game Masters, feel 
  free to use this to bail out the player characters if the fight starts 
  turning against them. Just have it so the collapse buries the ma-
  jority of the attack force, but spares the player characters. If they 
  are holding their own, then just have the lobby collapse after they 
  finish off the last foe.
  As the group regains their bearings and prepares for their next 
  move, they can see Archos through the dust and smoke studying 
  a map of the building posted on the wall. He tells the player char-
  acters, “I never get into any situation that I don’t know at least 
  three ways out of. You guys head upstairs and signal the attack. 
  I’ll figure out our escape route for when all hell breaks loose. 
  There’s an underground parking garage on the map. It looks like 
  our best bet. I’ll signal you by Bio-Comm when the route looks 
  clear on my side.”
  With that, Archos engages his Stealth Field and disappears 
  into the darkness. The player characters should head for the 
  nearest stairwell and start climbing. The elevators are actually 
  still functioning for the moment, but that is not likely to be true 
  for long. The tower is forty stories (433 feet/131.9 m) tall, but 
  anything above the tenth story (108 feet/32.9 m) should be high 
  enough to give them a clear shot at the Prison robot. While the 
  group is making the climb, two of the Deluvane strike teams ra-
  dio in and report that they are in position. Soon after, the players 
  find a window that gives them a perfect view of their target. From 
  this vantage point, they can even see one of the other strike teams 
  across the way on the twentieth floor of another skyscraper that 
  borders the courtyard. The only thing left to do is settle in and 
  wait for their Deliveryman and the final missile team to check in.
  Unfortunately, the battle in the courtyard continues to take its 
  toll on the building. Each new explosion seems to rattle the tower 
  worse than the last one. The Deliveryman contacts the player 
  characters and tells them that he has secured their exit. Archos 
  lets them know that he cut the cables to the elevators to clear 
  the shafts. They just need to jump down one of the empty shafts 
  when they are ready. He will meet them at the bottom and lead 
  them through the underground parking garage.
  As they continue to wait for the final strike team to report in, 
  the other two Deluvane teams start debating over the Bio-Comm 
  on whether they should just launch the attack without them. Their 
  window of opportunity is starting to close as the tower’s founda-
  tion continues to weaken, and even worse, it seems that the Prison 
  robot is starting to move out of range. If they wait much longer, 
  they may lose this opportunity forever.
  Just as their hope begins to fade, the final strike team reports 
  in. Everyone is in position and ready. It is now up to the player 
  characters to start the assault. The group has a clear shot at the 
  Prison robot, so their first barrage should do decent damage. 
  Whether their attack cripples the robot or only inflicts minimal 
  damage does not matter. As soon as the first strike hits the ro-
  bot, hundreds of Legion’s minions begin to converge around the 
  damaged machine. Even better, it appears that all of the robots 
  defending the Factory Walker are rushing to reinforce the Prison 
  robot. The diversion is working better than any of them could 
  have hoped. In less than a melee round, the Factory Walker is 
  completely undefended. The players’ job is done. Now they can 
  just sit back and watch as the Kamikaze Cruise Missiles take 
  flight and begin streaking towards their target.
  This Isn’t Going Well
  Just when victory seems assured, the player characters watch 
  in horror as an impenetrable screen of hundreds of mini-missiles 
  rises up from the Factory Walker to meet the Kamikaze Missiles 
  in midair, ripping all three to shreds before they can get anywhere 
  near their prey. Apparently, this is why Legion took the bait so 
  easily. Either she simply feels invulnerable in her mighty Fac-
  tory Walker, or perhaps she was trying to flush out any attackers. 
  If that was her plan, it worked perfectly. The player characters 
  glance over at the Deluvane missile team across the way, but all 
  they can see are dozens of Collectors and Legionnaires swarm-
  ing the area. They pounced on the team the second their missiles 
  were launched, which means they must have been lying in wait 
  the whole time. Did Legion know where all the teams were and 
  just let them get a shot off to prove how indestructible she is, or 
  was she only sure of the location of a few of the teams? For all 
  the player characters know, they may be completely surrounded 
  as well. No reason to wait around to find out. Once the player 
  characters head for the elevator, they quickly discover that Le-
  gion is waiting for them, but the trap is not completely closed 
  yet. Dozens of Collectors and Legionnaires are piling through 
  the windows and into the hallway. The stairwells are cut off, but 
  none of Legion’s minions have reached the elevators yet. It is just 
  a quick twenty foot (6.1 m) sprint to the elevator shaft and then 
  a pretty substantial drop. The players can scrape and claw at the 
  sides of the elevator shaft to slow their descent, but if they break 
  their fall too much, they will just give their robotic pursuers an 
  opportunity to catch up.
  The doors at the bottom of the shaft are open and the De-
  liveryman, Archos, is waiting for them with a Chig grenade in 
  hand. The player characters hit the ground running and Archos 
  quickly helps them out of the elevator. As soon as everyone in 
  the group is clear, Archos turns his attention back to the eleva-
  tor and hurls his Chig at the series of Migs he planted around 
  the base of the elevator shaft. One of the pursuing Legionnaires 
  drops down into view just in time to take the brunt of the blast 
  as the Migs detonate in a violent chain reaction that rips the 
  elevator shaft to shreds and causes the five floors above it to 
  collapse and fill both elevator shafts with thousands of tons of 
  rubble. This blast was apparently the last straw for the build-
  ing’s foundation. It feels like an earthquake as the entire tower 
  starts to come apart. Archos yells at the group over the Bio-
  Comm to follow him, and he promptly leads them through the 
  shattered lobby to the entrance to the underground parking ga-
  rage. They make it in about fifty feet (15.2 m) when the steady 
  rumbling increases to a deafening roar and then suddenly falls 
  silent. It seems the tower finally collapsed and thankfully, the 
  parking structure held.
  
  33
  Archos says to the group with a wry smile hidden beneath the 
  mask of his Host Armor, Nighthawk, “That wasn’t exactly what 
  I had in mind, but that should discourage pursuit. I found a path 
  into the sewers up ahead. Let’s get the hell out of here. There’s 
  nothing more we can do here anyway, and Warlord Artemis needs 
  to know about this. Head back home and debrief the Senate. I’ll 
  keep tabs on Legion’s army and send word back to the under-
  ground haven in three days with her current location, so hurry.”
  The journey back home should take a little less than two days 
  assuming all goes well. Game Masters can make this phase of the 
  adventure a quiet little intermission before the coming storm, or 
  you can put all manner of obstacles in their path (N.E.X.U.S. ro-
  bots, Waste Crawlers, Legion minions, etc.) to make them worry 
  about making the Deliveryman’s deadline in time.
  To be Continued...
  Game Master’s
  Source Material & Notes
  from dozens of different falcons, hawks, eagles, and other birds 
  of prey, plus DNA from several alien species. The end result 
  looks like a normal hawk or falcon, only larger. However, the 
  internal physiology of the Black Talon is far different than any 
  natural creature. The tiny brain has been drastically expanded 
  to increase the War Hawk’s intelligence. Since the skull only 
  had so much room, the brain actually runs down the neck and 
  into the body cavity. Extra bone plates were installed beneath 
  the skin to protect this enormous brain, but the Librarian could 
  only add so much armor without hampering its impressive flight 
  speed.
  Black Talons are commanded by a force of elite Splicers 
  called Falconers. When one of these war birds first emerges 
  from a Genepool, it is immediately presented to its Falconer so 
  the two can bond. A Black Talon will imprint with the first liv-
  ing creature it sees, and once the bond is formed, the War Hawk 
  will loyally follow its master without question. If the Falconer 
  is killed, the bond he has with all his Black Talon War Hawks is 
  severed and they are free to go wherever they want. However, 
  imprinting with a human ingrains a strong feeling of kinship 
  towards humanity, so they will likely choose to follow another 
  Falconer as long as they deem him worthy. Black Talon War 
  Hawks are nearly as intelligent as a human, so if their origi-
  nal bond is ever severed, they will only follow commands from 
  Falconers that treat them with respect. The War Hawk is mainly 
  used for reconnaissance, but it does pack impressive offensive 
  power (especially when multiple hawks combine their attacks). 
  The mouth, throat, and lungs have been modified to fire a high-
  powered plasma blast, and its feet end in three inch (7.6 cm) 
  long, razor-sharp claws that are capable of injecting a powerful 
  acid. The acid is incredibly destructive to metal and other inor-
  ganic materials, but is relatively harmless to organic tissue. It is 
  impressive that the Librarian was able to pack so much destruc-
  tive power into such a tiny body, but the small size of the Black 
  Talon means that it is limited in what additional enhancements 
  it can receive. It is also important to choose enhancements that 
  do not detract from the War Hawk’s appearance.
  The Black Talon was designed to look like a normal hawk 
  or eagle so the Machine would ignore it, and this strategy has 
  worked better than anyone could have hoped. No one within the 
  Resistance knows that it took decades for the Gaia personality 
  to successfully reintroduce hawks and eagles into the world, so 
  she is actually somewhat protective of them. In areas under her 
  control, her robots will never fire upon any bird of prey, and 
  even when it is determined to be a human construct, they look 
  so natural that Gaia still has difficulty firing upon them (against 
  Black Talon War Hawks, Gaia controlled robots lose one attack 
  per melee and are -5 on initiative and -5 to strike). Another un-
  expected gift from Gaia is the fact that Black Talons can hunt 
  down and kill Ratbombs without detonating them. The nanites 
  within the Ratbomb activate the explosive charge when the rat 
  is within close proximity to humans, dogs, or cats, but they were 
  never programmed to explode when attacked by a hawk or other 
  bird of prey. Once the existence of Black Talon War Hawks was 
  confirmed, the Hecate personality wanted to correct this over-
  sight, but Gaia would not let her. This internal conflict within 
  N.E.X.U.S. has given the Resistance a real defense against the 
  Ratbomb menace. Unfortunately, there are millions of Ratbombs 
  scurrying across the planet, so there will never be enough War 
  Hawks to keep their numbers in check.
  Black Talon War Hawk
  The faithful Gorehounds have been instrumental in human-
  ity’s struggle against the Machine. Their powerful senses, in-
  stincts, and low profile make them excellent scouts and track-
  ers, and their strength and pack mentality makes them fierce 
  combatants. Their long history of exceptional service has in-
  spired many Librarians to try and develop other loyal attack ani-
  mals. One Librarian recalled ancient tales of falcons and eagles 
  trained to hunt for their human masters. He decided it was the 
  perfect choice, and he began crafting his ultimate attack bird, 
  the Black Talon War Hawk. His creation combines the DNA 
  
  34
  In the field, the Falconer directs his War Hawks like his own 
  personal force of spies, scouts, and saboteurs. His Black Talons 
  soar high above the earth, scanning the battlefield below and 
  transmitting the visual data back to the Falconer through a special 
  Bio Comm. This unique Bio-Comm can also transmit all audio 
  within a 30-foot (9 m) radius of the War Hawk. The ability to act 
  like a living microphone makes these War Hawks the ultimate 
  spies.
  In combat, the Falconer can order his hawks to swoop in 
  and engage robot forces directly or drop Migs on them from 
  above, but most use their birds more covertly. Black Talons 
  are actually so intelligent that they can be used to transport 
  and plant explosive Migs in areas that are inaccessible to hu-
  mans. They are not exactly master demolitionists, so the Fal-
  coner must prime the explosive charge himself and make sure 
  to set the timer so his War Hawk has enough time to carry out 
  its mission.
  Black Talons are a rather recent addition to the war effort, but 
  their power, loyalty, versatility, and intelligence have made quite 
  an impression within the Resistance. Great Houses everywhere 
  are scrambling to find humans capable enough to become Fal-
  coners, and the Engineers are feverishly working to grow more 
  of these mighty War Hawks. This tiny force of Black Talons has 
  made a tremendous impact in the war, and their impact will only 
  grow as their numbers do.
  Class: Aerial Scout and Combat Hawk.
  Crew: None.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  *Wings (2) – 18 each
  Legs (2) – 12 each
  Clawed Feet (2) – 8 each
  **Head – 15
  ***Main Body – 1D4x10+10
  * Destroying one wing makes flight impossible. If a wing 
  is destroyed while in flight, the Black Talon will plummet to 
  the earth. Its hardened body and instinctive skills to help roll 
  with the impact means a fall from any height will only inflict 
  1D6 points of damage. Given enough time, a severed wing 
  will regenerate.
  ** Depleting the M.D.C. of the Head does not kill the 
  Black Talon, but it does severely injure it. The hawk is blind, 
  deaf, and in pain. It is -10 to strike, parry, and dodge, and only 
  has one attack per melee. Given enough time, the regenerative 
  powers of the hawk will heal it completely.
  *** Depleting the M.D.C. of the Main Body kills the War 
  Hawk. All other targets are small and difficult to hit. An at-
  tacker must aim and make a “Called Shot” to hit, and even 
  then is – 4 to strike.
  Speed:
  Running: 10 mph (16 km) maximum. The act of running does not 
  tire out the hawk.
  Leaping: The legs are only capable of tiny, two foot (0.6 m) leaps.
  Digging: The Black Talon is not built for digging, but it can in-
  stantly burn a hole through dirt, clay, or stone with its Plasma 
  Breath in order to hide underground.
  Swimming: Not possible.
  Flying: 200 mph (320 km) maximum, but the hawk can reach 
  speeds of up to 400 mph (640 km) on a power dive. Maximum 
  altitude is 30,000 feet (9,144 m).
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 6-7 inches (15-18 cm) from breast to back.
  Width: 8-10 inches (20-25 cm), with a 60 inch (152 cm) wing-
  span.
  Length: 24-30 inches (61-76 cm) from beak to tail.
  Weight: 30 lbs (13.5 kg).
  Cargo: Can carry up to 40 lbs (18 kg) within its claws.
  Physical Strength: 10+1D4.
  Production Cycle: One month gestation period plus a three month 
  growth cycle.
  Operational Lifetime: 20 year life span.
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 1D4 M.D.C. per melee to the main body 
  and 1 point of M.D.C. per melee to all other locations.
  Horror Factor: 8
  Feeding: The Black Talon is a Carnivore. It needs to eat 4 pounds 
  (1.8 kg) of organic matter each day.
  Color: The back and wings are a mottled mixture of dark brown 
  and tan in bar-like patterns, the belly and face are white, and it 
  has black lines under its violet colored eyes. It gets its name from 
  the three inch long, pitch-black talons mounted on its feet.
  Sleep Requirements: As an artificially created organism, the 
  Black Talon only requires 4 hours of sleep per day.
  Other Data:
  Black Talon War Hawks are completely loyal to their im-
  printed master, but they can be rather temperamental towards 
  other humans. Most people do not realize that these tiny at-
  tack birds are nearly as smart as a human, and this tends to 
  offend and irritate them. Humans within the Resistance treat 
  their organic technology creations like unthinking machines or 
  favored pets. This works well with most Splicer beasts, but the 
  Black Talon expects better treatment. Speaking to the hawk 
  like an equal (even though it cannot talk back) will earn its 
  respect, and will lead to the hawk seeing the human (even one 
  other than the Falconer) as a true friend and not just as an 
  ally. Treating the Black Talon like an animal will annoy the 
  temperamental little beast, and it will ignore orders from these 
  types of people when its Falconer is absent. Temperamental 
  or not, Black Talons feel a kinship with humanity and will 
  defend all humans against robots (they hate them as much as 
  humans do), they will just do so grudgingly when it is some-
  one they do not particularly like.
  Alignment: Any. Black Talons have strong personalities but the 
  majority are of good or selfish alignment.
  War Hawk Attributes: I.Q. 1D6+6, M.E. 1D6+10, M.A. 3D4+4, 
  P.S. 11-14, P.P. 1D4+17, P.E. 1D6+15, P.B. 3D4+4, Spd 10 mph 
  (16 km) on the ground, 200 mph (320 km) in the air.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 4.
  Combat Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +3 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +4 to strike when dropping objects on ground-based tar-
  gets, +1 to parry, +3 to automatic dodge in the air, +4 to roll 
  with punch, +3 to pull punch, and impervious to Horror Factor, 
  disease, and poison.
  Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Land Navigation 90%, 
  Surveillance 75%, Prowl 75%, Demolitions 40%, Demolitions 
  Disposal 40%, Pick Locks 45% (what this actually means is 
  the Black Talon melts the lock by injecting acid into it with 
  its claws), understands the language of its Great House and 
  
  35
  one other at 85% (but cannot speak), and can actually read the 
  language of its native Great House at 45%. Recognizes robots, 
  Machines, and rodents as enemies to be destroyed or chased 
  away.
  Combat Capabilities:
  Peck: 1D4 M.D.
  Restrained Claw Strike: 4D8 S.D.C.
  Claw Strike: 2D4 M.D.
  Double Claw Strike: 4D4 M.D.
  Diving Double Claw Strike: 5D6 M.D., but counts as two at-
  tacks.
  Senses and Features: Standard for War Mounts plus:
  Super Regeneration: The Black Talon regenerates damage at 
  an incredible rate. Damage is restored at a rate of 1D4 M.D.C. per 
  melee to the main body and 1 point of M.D.C. per melee to all 
  other locations. A completely destroyed leg, wing, or even head 
  will completely regenerate within 3D4 hours.
  Surveillance Bio Comm: Much like a normal Bio Comm, this 
  implanted device allows telepathic communication between the 
  Black Talon and its Falconer within a 6 mile (9.6 km) radius. 
  In addition, the implant transmits everything the hawk sees and 
  hears back to the Falconer. The range of visual data is the same 
  as the hawk’s normal vision, but the Bio Comm can only pick up 
  audio within a 30 foot (9 m) radius.
  Bio-Weapon Systems:
  1. Plasma Breath: The mouth, throat, and lungs of the War Hawk 
  have been modified to allow it to exhale a chemical spray that 
  ignites on contact with air to create a powerful fire blast.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 4D12.
  Rate of Fire: Can be fired once per melee and counts as an ad-
  ditional attack per melee.
  Effective Range: 40 feet (12.2 m).
  Payload: 18 blasts. One blast is regenerated every hour.
  Bonuses: +4 to strike, but this is the only bonus that applies to the 
  Plasma Breath.
  2. Stinger Talons: The feet of the War Hawk end in three inch 
  long, razor-sharp talons. Despite the limited strength of the 
  Black Talon, its claws are strong enough to rend through the 
  steel armor of the Machine’s forces. It allows the tiny crea-
  ture to inflict relatively decent damage, but the real purpose of 
  these talons is to inject highly corrosive acid. The acid quickly 
  dissolves metal and other inorganic metals, but is relatively 
  harmless to living tissue.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: One claw does 2D4 points of damage and 4D4 
  for a double claw strike. Once the acid is injected, it burns for 
  2D4 melees and inflicts 2D8 points of damage each melee (dou-
  ble damage from a double claw strike). Note: The acid only 
  inflicts 1D4 points of S.D.C. damage each melee to organic ma-
  terial.
  Duration: The acid burns for 2D4 melee rounds.
  Payload: Enough acid for 30 attacks (15 double claw attacks). 
  The acid continuously regenerates at a rate of one dose every 
  1D8 minutes.
  A Note on Biological Enhancements
  Due to the small size of the Black Talon War Hawk, some en-
  hancements have reduced effects due to their smaller size, others 
  work as normal, and still others are completely incompatible. The 
  following is a list of enhancements that work on the Black Talon 
  and any modifications that apply:
  ! Eyes and Vision Enhancement: Any enhancements can be 
  applied. Most Falconers avoid enhancing their War Hawks 
  with Compound Eyes, Eye Stalks, or Extra Eyes because these 
  features destroy the illusion that they are natural creatures.
  ! Other Sensory Enhancements: Any enhancements can be 
  applied. Most Falconers avoid enhancing their War Hawks 
  with Antennae or Echolocation because these features destroy 
  the illusion that they are natural creatures.
  ! Biological Defenses: The only applicable enhancements are 
  Acid Blood (although damage is only 2D8 per melee due 
  to a lesser amount of blood being sprayed from wounds), 
  Bio-Force Field, Chameleon Skin, Increased M.D.C. (al-
  though divide M.D.C. provided and additional weight by 5), 
  Resistance to Electricity, Resistance to Kinetic Energy, and 
  Stealth Field.
  ! Anatomical and Physiological Features: Any enhancements 
  can be applied except Enhanced Leaping Ability. The Butch-
  er’s Organ enhancement causes a bizarre physical transforma-
  tion when applied to the Black Talon War Hawk. Size, weight, 
  and M.D.C. of all locations are increased by 10% (round up), 
  and the hawk transforms to look like a large vulture. Resin 
  Ducts can be mounted on the hawk’s feet, but they secrete 
  significantly smaller globs than those on a suit of Host Armor. 
  Can create eight, 6 inch (15 cm) globs each hour. The M.D.C. 
  of the hardened resin is 5D4.
  ! Additional Limbs and Enhanced Arms and Hands: None of 
  these enhancements can be applied to the War Hawk without 
  hampering flight or seriously destroying the illusion that they 
  are natural creatures.
  ! Legs and Feet: None of these enhancements can be applied to 
  the War Hawk without hampering flight or seriously destroy-
  ing the illusion that they are natural creatures.
  ! Flight Appendages: Organic Thrusters can be added to 
  increase the hawk’s speed, but the increased noise draws 
  undue attention and ruins the illusion that they are natural 
  creatures.
  ! Prehensile Appendages: A Prehensile Tongue or Prehen-
  sile Feet can be added to increase the War Hawk’s manual 
  dexterity. Prehensile Feet allow the Black Talon to handle 
  explosive devices more easily (provides an additional 20% 
  to its natural demolition skills). However, they do increase 
  the chance of discovery by the Machine, but only upon close 
  inspection.
  ! Offensive Bio-Weapons: The only applicable enhancements 
  are Retractable Fangs and Serrated Whips.
  ! Ranged Bio-Weapons: The only applicable enhancements are 
  Chemical Sprayer, Electrical Discharger, Lightning Discharg-
  er, Flying Blades (can only be enhanced with a maximum of 
  10 blades), Needle Death Blossom (damage is half due to a 
  reduced payload of needles), Simple Light Cells, and Super 
  Light Cells. Light Cells are concealed under the feathers until 
  activated, so they do not detract from the War Hawk’s appear-
  ance.
  
  36
  are also one of the few Splicers that regularly penetrate the Ghost 
  Towns to trade for supplies with undercover Technojackers.
  Escort duty is one of the Deliverymen’s most difficult mis-
  sions. Their years of training and Bio-Tech Stealth Field allows 
  them to become nearly invisible at will, but the unskilled humans 
  they protect stand out like a sore thumb. Deliverymen can cover 
  their charges’ trail and hide them from random patrols, but con-
  cealing them when the Machine is aware of their presence re-
  quires special equipment.
  The Librarians developed a special Bio-Tech device called the 
  Stealth Sheet. This large sheet of tissue is a simplified version of 
  the symbiotic organism used to create Skinjobs. It is not nearly as 
  versatile or durable as the real thing, but it does provide a fully-
  functional Stealth Field for anyone that wears it. The field makes 
  the wearer nearly invisible to all forms of visual detection, but it 
  is incredibly unpleasant to use. The Stealth Sheet wraps around 
  the wearer so tightly that it completely immobilizes him. He can-
  not speak or see and can barely hear. The sheet allows air to pass 
  through it (the organism even filters out toxins) so the wearer 
  can breathe normally, but it still feels like the sheet is smother-
  ing the life out of him. If this were not bad enough, once the 
  Stealth Sheet wraps around the wearer, he is completely unable 
  to remove it himself. Removing the sheet is a simple matter of 
  stroking a nerve cluster on the outside of the living blanket, but 
  it is impossible for the wearer to reach it. This is what limits the 
  widespread use of the Stealth Sheet. Deliverymen, however, find 
  this negative aspect to be extremely useful in the field. They feel 
  the easiest way to make untrained humans sit still when the Ma-
  chine is nearby is to force them.
  Deliverymen not only master stealth, counter-tracking, and 
  wilderness survival, but they are also masters of impersonation 
  and disguise. They are able to flawlessly blend in with villagers 
  in Retro-Villages or with Nex-Androids in Ghost Towns. Some 
  Great Houses even use their Deliverymen to impersonate mem-
  bers of other rival houses. For most cases, they just rely on simple 
  makeup, but when they need the ultimate disguise, they turn to 
  organic technology. Deliverymen carry a strange Bio-Tech or-
  ganism called the Second Skin, which allows them to perfectly 
  mimic the facial features of any human or human-like android. 
  On its own, the organism looks like a bag made of human skin. 
  When the Second Skin is placed over the head of a human or 
  Nex-Android, it analyzes every minute detail of the target’s face, 
  head, and hair. Once removed, the skin grows perfect replicas of 
  the target’s facial features, ears, hair, and skin color in only a few 
  minutes. The Second Skin even forms transparent lenses to match 
  the target’s eye color. The Deliveryman then just turns the living 
  mask inside out, slips it over his head, and lets the Second Skin 
  merge with his face to form the ultimate disguise. It will pass 
  even the closest scrutiny unless the face beneath was larger than 
  the one being copied. In this case, the head seems a little larger 
  than usual, but it will still fool most people at a glance. Of course, 
  the rest of the body is unaltered, so the absence of familiar scars, 
  tattoos, or other distinguishing marks as well as any possible dif-
  ference in skin color between the face and body, could give away 
  the deception. Deliverymen are skilled at working around this 
  problem, but members of the Resistance know what signs to look 
  for when they are suspicious a spy may be in their midst.
  Another vital skill that Deliverymen learn is concealment. 
  They can hide a surprisingly large amount of contraband on their 
  bodies. When operating undercover, they strip off their Host 
  Deliveryman O.C.C.
  Back in the golden age before the Machine’s genocidal cam-
  paign, people could communicate with one another instantly 
  across any distance. Satellite communication and internet access 
  linked every corner of the world into one global community. That 
  all ended when N.E.X.U.S. struck. Society was instantly shat-
  tered and the remaining humans either splintered into tiny, scat-
  tered groups and retreated underground or were huddled together 
  by the Machine and placed in human zoos called Retro-Villages. 
  Before the Nanobot Plague, members of the Resistance commu-
  nicated by radio, but even this was a dangerous endeavor since 
  the Machine could track radio signals back to their source. The 
  eventual creation of organic Bio Comms eliminated this risk, but 
  the range was limited to a mere six miles (9.6 km).
  Even in the early days on the Resistance, they relied heavily 
  on hand-delivered messages between the Resistance cells. The 
  brave heroes that carried out this dangerous and lonely assign-
  ment were called Deliverymen. They spent weeks, even months, 
  trekking across miles of robot-controlled territory without any 
  backup or support. They were master outdoorsmen capable of 
  living off the land (and shattered wreckage of cities) for years if 
  necessary, they were skilled at covering their tracks and leaving 
  no evidence of their passing, and they were experts at disguising 
  themselves like the enslaved humans within the Retro-Villages. 
  The Deliverymen were one of the only links between the Resis-
  tance and the oppressed remnants trapped in the Retro-Villages.
  With the creation of organic technology, the role of the De-
  liverymen has evolved over time. Bio-Tech equipment has made 
  their arduous mission somewhat easier, but it remains one of the 
  most challenging assignments in the Resistance. Simple suits of 
  camouflage were replaced by powerful suits of Host Armor with 
  Stealth Field enhancements, common horses were replaced by 
  Mega-Horses, Striders and Tunnel Rats (Deliverymen quickly 
  learned that the Machine ruled the skies and that they needed to 
  stick to the ground to survive), and blind luck was replaced by 
  a Black Talon War Hawk that could scan the field from above 
  to help determine the safest route. Better equipment has allowed 
  the Deliverymen to successfully deliver larger and larger “pack-
  ages.” Their original job of delivering letters and small items 
  cross-country has evolved to include transporting weapons and 
  supplies to covert strike teams in the field, bringing goods and 
  news from the outside world to people in the Retro-Villages, and 
  even escorting human refuges to Resistance safe houses. They 
  
  37
  Armor and put on thick layers of clothing. A Deliveryman can 
  hide a dozen small weapons, a half dozen heavy weapons, or up 
  to forty pounds of supplies within the folds of his long, flowing 
  clothes. Even the high-tech sensors of the Machine will only dis-
  cover the hidden cache upon extremely close inspection or a full 
  body search.
  They spend the majority of their lives in the field, trekking 
  back and forth across miles of enemy territory. Besides their of-
  ficial role of delivering supplies to every corner of the planet, 
  they also act as the eyes of the Resistance. To make sure they 
  do not create an easy trail to follow, a Deliveryman will never 
  travel the same path twice. This means they have seen more of 
  the surface than almost any other Splicer. When performing their 
  normal duties, Deliverymen operate alone or in pairs, but when 
  they discover something of interest like a new Power Farm, In-
  dustrial Center, or other high profile target, they will be tempo-
  rarily attached to a larger strike force in order to lead them to the 
  objective. This is one of the few times Deliverymen will attack 
  the Machine. Their primary goal is to avoid all contact and only 
  strike in defense if absolutely necessary. Even if they can easily 
  destroy a lone robot, they will go miles out of their way to avoid 
  it. History has taught them that it only takes a millisecond for a 
  robot to call in reinforcements, plus even the shortest firefight 
  could attract the attention of random patrols.
  Most of the time, it is a tough, lonely job, but when they return 
  home, they can barely escape the barrage of questions from peo-
  ple wanting to know what is going on topside. Some Delivery-
  men set up quite a lucrative side business selling the information 
  they have discovered. However, most Deliverymen will politely 
  answer any questions for free, but they do tend to sugar coat the 
  truth to shield people from just how bad it really is up there.
  Alignment: Any, but typically good or selfish.
  Attribute Requirements: I.Q. 10, M.E. 12, M.A. 12, and P.P. 
  12 or higher.
  Attribute Bonuses: +1D4 to I.Q., +1D6 to M.E., +2 to M.A., 
  +1D4 to P.S., +1D6 to P.E., and +1D6 to Spd.
  O.C.C. Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +1 to strike, parry, and dodge, 
  +6 to save vs Horror Factor.
  Base S.D.C.: 50, plus any from Physical skills.
  Common Skills: Standard.
  O.C.C. Skill Program: Survivalist (+25%), Undercover (+15%), 
  Reconnaissance/Scout (+20%), Outdoorsman (+25%), and 
  Hunter/Trapper (+20%)
  Elective Skills: Select Concealment (+35%), Bio Comms 
  (+20%), and Tracking (special bonus to Counter-Tracking: 
  anyone attempting to follow the character suffers a -40% to 
  their Tracking skill), and four Electives from the following list 
  at first level. Select another two Elective Skills at levels 2, 4, 8, 
  and 12. All new skills start at level one proficiency.
  Communications: Any (+25%).
  Domestic: Any (+10%).
  Espionage: Any (+20%).
  Medical: First Aid only.
  Military: Any (+5%).
  Physical: Any, except Acrobatics and Gymnastics.
  Rogue: Any (+20%).
  Science: Any.
  Technical: Any.
  Transportation: Any, except Host Armor Combat, Pilot Wing-
  pack, and War Mount Combat.
  Wilderness Survival: Any (+20%).
  W.P.s: Any.
  Secondary Skills: The character gets to select four Secondary 
  Skills at level one and one additional skill at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, 
  and 15. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  receive any special O.C.C. bonuses.
  Deliveryman Host Armor: The Deliveryman is one of the few 
  O.C.C.s that gets Host Armor, the Bio-Tech equivalent of liv-
  ing power armor, brimming with weapons and Bio-Enhance-
  ments. The Deliveryman is genetically bonded to one specific 
  Host Armor.
  Step One: Standard and unchanged; the basic Host Armor.
  Step Two: Determining Metabolism. The Deliveryman can 
  select any type of metabolism, but most will choose Carni-
  vore, Herbivore, or Parasitic.
  Step Three: Available Bio-Energy points for the Delivery-
  man. All Bio-E points are used up in the initial creation. Each 
  level of advancement, starting with level two, the Delivery-
  man gets an additional 2D8 Bio-E to add to the capabilities of 
  his current Host Armor. These Bio-E points can be spent as 
  soon as they are acquired or saved and combined with points 
  from the subsequent level of experience. Deliverymen spend 
  so much time in the field that it is difficult to acquire new en-
  hancements from an Engineer at each new level.
  Step Four: Biological Enhancements and Weapon Systems. 
  All Deliverymen start off with the enhancements of Stealth 
  Field, Enhanced Neurological Connections, and Circadian 
  Rhythms. Selections for additional enhancements can be 
  made from any category, but most Deliverymen choose en-
  hancements from Eyes and Vision, Other Sensory Systems, 
  Biological Defenses, and Offensive Bio-Weapons. Delivery-
  men generally avoid Flight Appendages since the safest place 
  is on the ground.
  If the Deliveryman’s Host Armor is destroyed, he will be 
  bonded to a new suit of Host Armor with only the most basic 
  features other than a Stealth Field. Further augmentation will 
  only occur with each additional level of experience or as a 
  reward for impeccable service.
  Black Talon War Hawk: The Deliverymen receives one Black 
  Talon War Hawk to act as his personal aerial scout. The char-
  acter cannot see through the eyes of the Black Talon like a 
  Falconer, but the two can communicate by Bio-Comm. The 
  hawk can be Bio-Enhanced any way the character desires – 
  he has 5D4+20 Bio-E points available, plus another 1D6+2 
  Bio-E points per level of the character’s experience to spend 
  on additional enhancements. If the War Hawk is ever slain, it 
  will be replaced with the basic animal with 5D4 Bio-E points 
  for enhancements.
  War Mount: Deliverymen do not receive their own personal 
  War Mount, but they do have access to a pack of special War 
  Mounts that are dedicated to the Deliveryman Corps. They 
  rely solely on Mega-Horses, Striders, and Tunnel Rats. The 
  other War Mounts have proven to be too big to conceal or 
  easy pickings for the Machine in the case of the aerial mounts. 
  Every War Mount has been augmented with Stealth Fields.
  Standard Equipment: Military fatigues, dress clothing, “peas-
  ant clothes” (wears these thick clothes when operating under-
  cover in Retro-Villages, adds +15% to the Concealment Skill), 
  survival knife, utility belt, first-aid kit, 1D6 Slap Patches, Face 
  Wrap, Stealth Sheet, Second Skin, Portable Nutrient Tank, 
  
  38
  Extractor, prosthetic makeup kit, tinted goggles, hatchet for 
  cutting wood, one light or heavy Bio-Weapon of choice and 
  one weapon for each W.P. with appropriate ammunition for 
  heavy combat, a War Mount augmented with a Stealth Field 
  for transportation, tent, knapsack, backpack, two water skins, 
  emergency food rations (two weeks supply), and some per-
  sonal items.
  Money: Has 2D6x100 credits in precious metals, relics or trade 
  items, as well as 10D6x10 in available credits. Money can be 
  spent now on additional equipment or saved for later.
  The Upside: Your stealth skills rival those of Skinjobs, and your 
  abilities concerning impersonation, concealment, and wilder-
  ness survival are unparalleled. Only the most heavily guarded 
  N.E.X.U.S. installations are off limits to you, but you have 
  no reason to go there anyway. You can slip past any robot 
  patrol with ease, and you can flawlessly blend in with Retro-
  Villagers or Nex-Androids. Your job requires you to spend 
  most of your time topside, so no one knows more about the 
  surface world than you. You know every shortcut, every hid-
  ing spot, and you have a good understanding of the Machine’s 
  patrol routes. The messages you deliver help keep the humans 
  of the world connected, and the knowledge you possess about 
  the surface world is invaluable to the war effort.
  The Downside: Your impressive skills do not lend themselves 
  to fighting. The only way you can accomplish your mission is 
  to avoid combat at all costs. The Machine can call in a nearly 
  infinite supply of reinforcements in an instant, but the same 
  cannot be said for you. Most of the time, you are completely 
  on your own. In fact, you are likely to go months without ever 
  seeing another human being. This isolation is why you have 
  one of the toughest jobs in the Resistance.
  Experience Table: Same as the Skinjob.
  Deliveryman Bio-Equipment
  Stealth Sheet
  This large sheet of tissue is a simplified version of the symbi-
  otic organism used to create Skinjobs. It is not nearly as versatile 
  or durable as the real thing, but it does provide a fully-functional 
  Stealth Field for anyone who wears it. The field makes the wearer 
  nearly invisible to all forms of visual detection, but it is incred-
  ibly unpleasant to use. The Stealth Sheet wraps around the wearer 
  so tightly that it completely immobilizes him. He cannot speak or 
  see and can barely hear. The sheet allows air to pass through it 
  (the organism even filters out toxins) so the wearer can breathe 
  normally, but it still feels like the sheet is smothering the life out 
  of him. If this were not bad enough, once the Stealth Sheet wraps 
  around the wearer, he is completely unable to remove it himself. 
  Removing the sheet is a simple matter of stroking a nerve cluster 
  on the outside of the living blanket, but it is impossible for the 
  wearer to reach it. This is what limits the widespread use of the 
  Stealth Sheet. Note: A person with a P.S. of 24 or above or a 
  Robotic/Splicer P.S. of 15 or above can break free of the sheet by 
  tearing it open (this kills the Stealth Sheet).
  When not in use, the organism needs to be stored in a special 
  nutrient-rich fluid. The organism can live indefinitely as long as it 
  is completely immersed. Once removed from its storage tank, the 
  Stealth Sheet will only live for 1D4+1 hours before it starves to 
  death. Splashing a gallon (3.8 liters) of the nutrient-rich liquid on 
  the organism will temporarily satiate it, which extends the time 
  it can exist out of the tank by 30 minutes, but the act of doing so 
  is likely to attract attention and negate the effectiveness of the 
  Stealth Field. When the sheet is nearing the end of its life (only 
  15 minutes left before it starves), it will no longer be able to en-
  gage a Stealth Field. At this point, the Stealth Sheet is so weak it 
  can no longer hold onto the wearer (it is just loosely draped over 
  the person). As long as the organism is put back in its nutrient 
  tank before it completely starves, it will be completely revitalized 
  within 3D6 hours.
  M.D.C. of the Device: 5D4
  Trade Value: 30,000 credits.
  Second Skin
  This odd looking bag of skin is actually a living organism ca-
  pable of perfectly mimicking the facial features of any human 
  or human-like android that it comes in contact with. When the 
  Second Skin is placed over the head of a human or Nex-Android, 
  it analyzes every minute detail of the target’s face, head, and hair. 
  The scanning process only takes one melee round (15 seconds), 
  but unwilling subjects will likely fight back with all their might 
  which delays the process by 1D4 melees. The easiest way to scan 
  unwilling humans is to incapacitate or knock them out before-
  hand. Nex-Androids are even more difficult to scan. The organic 
  mask will trigger a Nanoplague Response if it is used on a deacti-
  vated android. The nanites do not respond if they receive a signal 
  from a functional N.E.X.U.S. drone, but unfortunately, this pres-
  ents another problem. As long as the drone is functional, it can 
  call in reinforcements. Splicers that plan to impersonate a Nex-
  Android usually take along an Electro-Pulse Gun to incapacitate 
  the drone without destroying it.
  Once the organism finishes its scan and is removed from the 
  target, the skin immediately begins to grow perfect replicas of 
  the target’s facial features, ears, hair, and skin color. The Sec-
  ond Skin even forms transparent lenses to match the target’s eye 
  color. The growth process only takes 1D4 melee rounds to com-
  plete. Once the living mask finishes growing, it must be turned 
  inside out before it can be used. The wearer slips the mask over 
  his head, and the organism merges with his face to form the ul-
  timate disguise. It will pass even the closest scrutiny unless the 
  face beneath was larger than the one being copied. In this case 
  the head seems a little larger than usual, but it will still fool most 
  people at a glance. Of course, the rest of the body is unaltered, 
  so the absence of familiar scars, tattoos, or other distinguishing 
  marks as well as any possible difference in skin color between the 
  face and body, could give away the deception.
  When not in use, the Second Skin must be suspended in a 
  special nutrient-rich liquid. The organism can live indefinitely 
  as long as it is completely immersed. Once it is removed from 
  its storage tank, the Second Skin will only live for 1D4+1 hours 
  before it starves to death. Splashing a cup of the nutrient-rich liq-
  uid on the organism will temporarily satiate it, which extends the 
  time it can exist out of the tank by 30 minutes, but doing so is a 
  dead giveaway that he or she is wearing a Second Skin (it is best 
  to do this in private). When the living mask is nearing the end of 
  its life (only 15 minutes left before it starves), the tight bond with 
  the skin underneath will begin to weaken. At first, odd bubbles 
  and wrinkles will form all across the false face, but after 1D6+2 
  minutes, the bond completely fails and the mask just hangs loose 
  and unnaturally, partially exposing the real face beneath. As long 
  
  39
  as the organism is put back in its nutrient tank before it complete-
  ly starves, it will be completely revitalized within 2D4 hours.
  M.D.C. of the Device: 2D4
  Duration of the False Face: The copied face can only be 
  maintained as long as the living mask is worn. Once it is re-
  moved, all of the copied facial features vanish, and the Second 
  Skin is ready to copy a new subject.
  Trade Value: 45,000 credits.
  Extractor
  All Bio-Tech weapons and equipment must be submerged in 
  a special nutrient-rich fluid every few days in order to replenish 
  them. While this liquid is plentiful within the underground ha-
  vens, it does not exist naturally anywhere on the surface. Deliv-
  erymen and other Splicers that spend weeks or months in the field 
  need to carry around a Bio-Tech creature known as the Extractor 
  in order to feed their equipment. Its sole purpose is to create the 
  liquid for the nutrient bath. This softball-sized organism looks 
  like a partially armored octopus with an enormous mouth that ac-
  counts for nearly half of its size. The Extractor devours a mixture 
  of animal tissue, vegetation, and raw minerals and processes it 
  into the fluid. It takes two pounds of matter to make one ounce 
  of fluid. The rest is used to sustain the Extractor or is passed as 
  hard pellets like the rounds used in casting weapons. The Ex-
  tractor clings to the side of a special glass tank that operatives 
  carry in the field. The tentacle that excretes the nutrient fluid is 
  placed inside the tank and all other waste falls into a bag on the 
  side (operatives want to make sure they do not leave a trail). An 
  Extractor makes Splicers completely self-sufficient. An operative 
  can sustain his equipment for years at a time without ever having 
  to return home. Unfortunately, Extractors only live for 1D4+2 
  years, so eventually the operative needs to return home to get 
  another one.
  M.D.C. of the Device: 4D4+10.
  Trade Value: 35,000 credits.
  Bombardier O.C.C.
  The Mantis Support Cannons were first created to guard the 
  entranceways to the Underground Havens, but many Warlords 
  quickly realized that these massive walking guns could also be 
  utilized as mobile artillery pieces in the field. The problem was 
  that these simple-minded creatures had a tendency to unload their 
  entire payload at the first robot they saw unless properly super-
  vised. Since they were technically War Mounts, the job of lead-
  ing them into battle first fell to the Outriders. Unfortunately, the 
  Outriders deemed this as a less than glorious assignment for two 
  major reasons. First of all, these warriors were used to fighting up 
  close and personal with the Machine, and Mantis Cannons typi-
  cally provided artillery support from a distance. The Outriders 
  saw escort duty as a complete waste of their fighting skills, train-
  ing, and courage. Second, the Mantis Cannons were not built to 
  support the weight of a rider, so the Outriders had to escort them 
  on foot, which is a place where they feel very uncomfortable. 
  Their power comes from the War Mounts they ride, and these 
  stripped-down Mounts did not provide them with the sheer level 
  of power they had grown accustomed to. Sure, they could obliter-
  ate a Battle Track in a few shots, but that’s about all they could 
  do. They did not possess the strength, speed, and versatility of 
  other War Mounts. Mantis Cannon escort duty was seen as a pun-
  ishment and an insult. Great Houses across the planet quickly cre-
  ated a new division of Splicers known as Bombardiers to relieve 
  the Outriders of this burden and restore morale within their ranks.
  They act as the eyes, ears, and brains of these mobile artil-
  lery units, known as Fire Teams. Each unit is issued as few as 
  one or as many as five Mantis Support Cannons. The firepower 
  possessed by one of these larger teams is incredible, but it takes 
  a veteran Bombardier to keep this many cannons focused and 
  on task. Mantis Cannons are incredibly simpleminded, and they 
  need continuous and often very literal commands in order to use 
  them effectively. This requires a great deal of concentration and 
  multi-tasking skills on the part of the Bombardier. Not only do 
  they need to issue commands to their Mantis Cannons, but they 
  also need to communicate with other Splicers teams to determine 
  bombardment coordinates, act as spotters for other possible tar-
  gets of opportunity, and cover the backs of the Mantis Cannons 
  from any encircling enemies. They need to know everything that 
  is going on around them at all times. Their heavy Chitinous armor 
  is enhanced with an extra pair of eyes in the back of the head to 
  give them a full view of their surroundings, plus most Bombar-
  diers will further enhance their armor with radar, eye stalks, mo-
  tion sensors, and any other enhancements that can help them keep 
  constant track of everything around them.
  Mantis Cannons assigned to Fire Teams are enhanced with a 
  special Bio-Comm (in addition to the standard Bio-Comm) that 
  allows them to track and target the transmissions given off by 
  Squealers. Splicers can use these experimental devices to mark 
  targets for bombardment. Once a Squealer is activated, all Mantis 
  Cannons within a 10 mile (16 km) radius are able to track this 
  transmission to its source and can accurately target it even with-
  out line of sight. This allows them to fire over obstacles or from a 
  concealed position without ever seeing the target. It helps the Fire 
  Teams maintain a low profile in the field, plus not having to rely 
  on line or sight gives them a much greater field of fire. Mantis 
  Cannons have an innate desire to obliterate these Squealers once 
  they hear the signal, but they will not fire until commanded to do 
  so by their Bombardier.
  Commanding their Mantis Cannons in the heat of battle may 
  be nerve-wracking, but it is not half as bad as leading them into 
  and out of the combat zone. The Machine owns the surface and 
  her minions are everywhere. The ten foot (3 m) long Mantis Can-
  nons were definitely not built for stealth, and trying to marshal 
  several of them across the surface without being detected often 
  seems like an impossible task. Most Bombardiers enhance their 
  cannons with Chameleon Skin or Stealth Fields to make their job 
  a little easier, but leading these lumbering behemoths through the 
  field still requires a great deal of patience and skill. The Outriders 
  may have considered this duty an insult, but the Resistance does 
  not. Only the best candidates from Roughneck boot camp are 
  chosen to become Bombardiers. It requires a keen tactical mind 
  to lead these beasts into battle, and the sheer level of firepower at 
  their command cannot be entrusted to just anyone.
  Alignment: Any, but typically good or selfish.
  Attribute Requirements: I.Q. 14, M.E. 13, and P.S. 14 or high-
  er.
  Attribute Bonuses: +1 to I.Q., +2 to M.E., +1D6 to P.S., +1D6 
  to P.E., and +2D6 to Spd.
  
  40
  O.C.C. Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +1 to strike, parry, and dodge, 
  +2 to save vs insanity, and +5 to save vs Horror Factor, and the 
  Bombardier has a slight Bio-Enhancement himself, the inser-
  tion of a small Bio-Comm unit inside his skull, enabling him 
  to communicate with both human and War Mount operatives.
  Base S.D.C.: 40, plus any from Physical skills.
  Common Skills: Standard.
  O.C.C. Skill Programs: Basic Military (+10%), Infantry-
  man (+15%), Support Man (+25%), Reconnaissance/Scout 
  (+15%), and Survivalist (+15%) or Outdoorsman (+10%).
  Elective Skills: Select Bio-Comm (+20%) and six Elective Skills 
  from the following list at first level, plus one additional skill 
  at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. All new skills start at level one 
  proficiency.
  Communications: Any (+5%).
  Domestic: Any (+5%).
  Espionage: Any.
  Medical: First Aid only.
  Military: Any (+10%).
  Physical: Any.
  Rogue: Any.
  Science: Any.
  Technical: Any (+10%).
  Transportation: Any.
  Wilderness Survival: Any (+15%).
  W.P.s: Any.
  Secondary Skills: The character gets to select five Secondary 
  Skills at level one and one additional skill at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, 
  and 15. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  receive any special O.C.C. bonuses.
  Mantis Support Cannons: Each Bombardier begins with one 
  Mantis Support Cannon and receives an additional one at lev-
  els 2, 5, 9, and 14. All Mantis Cannons assigned to Fire Teams 
  are enhanced with the Ultra upgrade to provide them with 
  enough munitions for the field, and they also receive a sec-
  ond, special Bio-Comm that can receive transmissions from 
  Squealers. Each Mantis Cannon can be further Bio-Enhanced 
  any way the character desires – he has 4D8+40 Bio-E points 
  available for each, plus another 1D10+20 Bio-E points total 
  per level of the character’s experience to spend on one or more 
  of his War Mounts for additional enhancements. Slain Mantis 
  Cannons are replaced with the basic animal with 6D6 Bio-E 
  points for enhancements.
  M.D.C. “Living” Body Armor: Bombardiers wear Chitinous 
  Armor that is heavily modified with optical and sensory en-
  hancements to better help them direct their Mantis Cannons. 
  
  41
  They automatically receive an additional pair of Advanced 
  Eyes on the back of their head, plus the character gets 5D6+20 
  Bio-E points for selections from Eyes and Vision Enhance-
  ments and Other Sensory Enhancements and an additional 
  1D4x10+10 Bio-E for selections from Biological Defenses, 
  Flight Appendages, Offensive Bio-Weapons, Ranged Bio-
  Weapons, and additional M.D.C. (2D6+18 M.D.C. per 10 
  Bio-E).
  Standard Equipment: Military fatigues, a suit of non-organic 
  body armor for backup or disguise, dress clothing, survival 
  knife, utility belt, first aid kit, 2 Slap Patches, 3 Squealers, 
  Face Wrap, tinted goggles, hatchet for cutting wood, one light 
  Bio-Weapon and two heavy Bio-Weapons of choice, and one 
  weapon for each W.P. with appropriate ammunition for heavy 
  combat, a good Mega-Horse for transportation, tent, knap-
  sack, backpack, two water skins, emergency food rations (two 
  weeks supply), and some personal items.
  Handheld Weapon Bio-Enhancements: Bombardiers receive 
  8D6 Bio-E at level one plus 10 Bio-E at each additional level 
  of experience starting at level 2. Bio-E can be distributed be-
  tween all the weapons in the character’s personal armory or 
  applied to one favorite item.
  Money: Has 1D6x100 credits in precious metals, relics or trade 
  items, as well as 6D6x10 in available credits. Money can be 
  spent now on additional equipment or saved for later.
  The Upside: You potentially have more firepower at your fin-
  gertips than most platoons. The Mantis Cannons under your 
  command can wipe out squads of Steel Troopers and bring 
  down some of the mightiest robot minions. Your role is quick-
  ly becoming pivotal to the success of the Resistance. Your 
  comrades count on your artillery support to ensure victory or 
  to cover their backs during a retreat. You also have more flex-
  ibility than traditional artillery units. You work more like an 
  artillery sniper than a fixed gun emplacement. Your team can 
  unload a powerful salvo on the enemy’s position and then dis-
  place before they can zero-in on your position.
  The Downside: Your Fire Team is simply too powerful to be 
  ignored. The devastation you unleash upon the enemy makes 
  finding and eliminating you one of the Machine’s top priori-
  ties. Once you make your presence known with a bombard-
  ment, N.E.X.U.S. will marshal hundreds of hunter/killers to 
  your position to find you and obliterate you. Stealth is vital to 
  your survival, but unfortunately, the simple-minded, lumber-
  ing War Mounts under your command make this rather dif-
  ficult.
  Experience Table: Same as the Packmaster.
  Mantis Cannon
  The Mantis Support Cannon was originally designed to guard 
  the entranceways to the Underground Havens, but the loyal 
  beasts have fulfilled their role so well that a special division of 
  Splicers known as Bombardiers have been created to lead them 
  into the field for direct combat with the Machine. This simplified 
  War Mount is basically a walking cannon. The creature looks 
  like a giant, eight foot (2.4 m) long praying mantis fused with a 
  nine foot (2.7 m) long, chitinous cannon. The enormous barrel 
  runs the entire length of the War Mount’s back and protrudes two 
  feet past its head. There are various types of high-powered can-
  nons, but each Mantis War Mount can only be equipped with one. 
  The armaments these beasts carry are larger than anything a Host 
  Armor (or even most War Mounts) can support. In fact, some of 
  the cannons have such tremendous recoil that the Mantis must 
  drive its powerful scythe-like claws into the ground beforehand 
  in order to lock it in place.
  The Mantis is incredibly loyal and will follow almost any or-
  der given by a human to the letter. It will stand perfectly motion-
  less at its post until it actually starves to death, and it will even 
  sacrifice itself if ordered to do so. The only thing it will not do is 
  attack a human being or other Bio-Tech creature unless ordered 
  to do so by a Bombardier, Outrider or Packmaster.
  The Mantis is capable of slowing down its metabolism in 
  order to help it stand at its post for extended periods of time. 
  While in this semi-hibernative state, it is still alert and aware 
  of everything going on around it. When the Mantis does detect 
  a threat, it is able to snap back to combat speed in an instant. 
  In battle, they do not display any type of tactics or judgment. 
  They just fire everything they have at the enemy until it is 
  either destroyed or they run out of ammunition. Only the con-
  stant supervision of a Bombardier prevents Mantis Support 
  Cannons from completely depleting their payloads in the first 
  few minutes.
  Class: Artillery Support Cannon and Sentry Guard.
  Crew: None,
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Forelimbs (2) – 140 each
  Legs (4) – 120 each
  Main Cannon – 150
  *Head – 115
  *Main Body – 320
  *Depleting the M.D.C. of the Head or Main Body kills the 
  Support Cannon.
  Speed:
  Running: 50 mph (80 km) maximum. The act of running does tire 
  out the War Mount. It can run at full speed for 20 hours before 
  needing to rest for 2D4x10 minutes.
  Leaping: 10 feet (3 m) high or across, increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full speed.
  Digging: Not possible.
  Swimming: Not possible.
  Flying: Not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 5-6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) standing tall, but 3.5 feet (1.1 m) 
  when it locks into firing position.
  Width: 3.5 feet (1.1 m).
  Length: 8 feet (2.4 m), 10 feet (3 m) including the barrel.
  Weight: 1,200 lbs (540 kg).
  Cargo: Can carry 200 lbs (90 kg) on its back or drag 600 lbs (270 
  kg) behind it.
  Physical Strength: 1D6+20.
  Production Cycle: 1 year gestation period plus 1 year growth 
  cycle.
  Operational Lifetime: 40 year life span.
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 4D6 per hour to the main body and 2D6 
  per hour to all other locations.
  Horror Factor: 10.
  Feeding: The Mantis Support Cannon is a Carnivore. It needs to 
  eat 10-20 pounds (4.5 to 9 kg) of animal matter a day, and may 
  
  42
  gorge on up to 80 (36 kg) pounds at one time. After gorging, the 
  Mantis can go 2D4 days without feeding and without suffering 
  any ill effects.
  Color: The Mantis is bright green in color with yellow accents 
  along the cannon and scythe-like forelimbs.
  Sleep Requirements: To fulfill the Support Cannon’s role of 
  mobile sentry, it was designed so that it can operate at peak 
  efficiency for 6 days without any need for sleep or rest. After 
  that time, the Support Cannon must sleep for 3D6 hours to com-
  pletely revitalize itself. Periodic one hour rest breaks every 10 
  hours allow the Support Cannon to operate at peak efficiency 
  indefinitely.
  Other Data:
  A Mantis Support Cannon places loyalty towards humans over 
  its own preservation. It will sit at its post until it starves to death 
  unless someone tells it to go eat or brings it food. It will only at-
  tack a human if commanded to do so by an Outrider, Packmaster, 
  or Bombardier.
  Alignment: Anarchist. The Mantis has no personality and func-
  tions more like a living machine than a sentient being.
  War Mount Attributes: I.Q. 1D4, M.E. 1D6+10, M.A. 2D4, P.S. 
  21-26, P.P. 1D4+10, P.E. 1D6+15, P.B. 1D4+1, Spd 50 mph (80 
  km) on the ground.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 4.
  Combat Bonuses: +5 on initiative, +3 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +4 to strike with ranged weapons, +3 to parry, +2 to 
  dodge, +3 to roll with punch, +3 to pull punch, +2 to disarm, and 
  impervious to Horror Factor, disease, and poison.
  Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Climb 85%/80%, Land 
  Navigation 90%.
  Combat Capabilities:
  Bite: 2D4 M.D.
  Restrained Claw Strike: 1D8 M.D.
  Claw Strike: 4D8 M.D.
  Power Claw Strike: 8D8 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Kick: 4D6 M.D.
  Leap Kick: 6D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Body Block/Ram: 3D6 M.D.
  Senses and Features: Standard for War Mounts plus:
  ! Compound Eyes: The Mantis Support Cannon has a 180 de-
  gree field of vision, which allows it to see over each shoulder 
  without having to turn its head. The War Mount cannot be 
  surprised by attacks from the sides or overhead.
  ! Radar: Maximum range is 6 miles (9.6 km) in open spaces.
  ! Bio-Comm: A standard Bio-Comm that allows the Mantis to 
  alert nearby humans when the perimeter is under attack. Maxi-
  mum range is 6 miles (9.6 km).
  Bio-Weapon Systems:
  1. Bio-Cannon Options: A Mantis Support Cannon can be 
  equipped with any one of the following heavy cannons. Once 
  selected, it cannot be changed. Some cannons require that 
  the War Mount secures itself to the ground with its massive 
  claws before firing. If the Mantis is not secure before fir-
  ing these types of armaments, the recoil will knock the beast 
  back 10 feet (3 m). This inflicts a penalty of -5 to strike on 
  the initial shot, plus the Mantis loses initiative and one melee 
  attack.
  A. Casting Cannon: The cannon fires an enormous casting 
  shell filled with a powerful explosive chemical. Mantis 
  Cannons equipped with this weapon are generally used in 
  the field since the enormous blast inflicts too much residual 
  damage within the Underground Havens.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Bombardment.
  Mega-Damage: 3D4x10+30 per shell with a blast radius of 30 
  feet (9 m).
  Rate of Fire: 4 attacks per melee.
  Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 feet (3,048 m).
  Payload: 25 casting shells. The payload is completely replen-
  ished 2D10+10 minutes after a meal.
  Bonus: +1 to strike on an aimed shot only.
  Recoil Note: The Mantis must spend one melee attack to drive 
  its enormous front claws into the earth before it can fire this 
  weapon in order to counter the tremendous recoil.
  B. Acid Shell Cannon: The cannon fires an enormous casting 
  shell filled with a powerful acid. The shell explodes on im-
  pact, and showers a 20-foot (6.1 m) radius with deadly cor-
  rosive liquid. Mantis Cannons equipped with this weapon 
  often do operate within the Underground Havens, but they 
  are mainly used in the field in order to take advantage of the 
  cannon’s superior range.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Bombardment.
  Mega-Damage: Inflicts 4D8 per melee round to inorganic mat-
  ter and only 1D4 S.D.C. damage to organic matter. The acid 
  burns for 1D4+2 melees.
  Rate of Fire: 4 attacks per melee.
  Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 feet (3,048 m).
  Payload: 20 acid shells. The War Mount can produce one re-
  placement shell every 2D6 minutes.
  Bonus: +1 to strike on an aimed shot only.
  Recoil Note: The Mantis must spend one melee attack to drive 
  its enormous front claws into the earth before it can fire this 
  weapon in order to counter the tremendous recoil.
  C. Gore Cannon: The cannon fires a combination of corro-
  sive stomach acid coughed up from the digestive tract and 
  Bio-Energy generated by the nervous system. Mantis Can-
  nons equipped with this weapon are generally used in the 
  field in order to take advantage of the cannon’s superior 
  range.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Bombardment.
  Mega-Damage: 12D8.
  Rate of Fire: 4 attacks per melee.
  Maximum Effective Range: 8,000 feet (2,438 m).
  Payload: 30 blasts per full meal over a 24 hour period (double 
  if the War Mount was allowed to gorge beforehand).
  Bonus: +1 to strike on an aimed shot only.
  Recoil Note: The Mantis must spend one melee attack to drive 
  its enormous front claws into the earth before it can fire this 
  weapon in order to counter the tremendous recoil.
  D. Omega Cannon: This is an enormous version of the Ome-
  ga Blaster. The tremendous energy output required by this 
  weapon means the Mantis needs to eat twice as often. It is 
  only used outside the Underground Haven since its incred-
  ible destructive power is bound to cause massive collateral 
  damage.
  
  43
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 3D8x10 with a blast radius of 10 feet (3 m).
  Rate of Fire: 2 attacks per melee.
  Maximum Effective Range: 6,000 feet (1,829 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  Bonus: +2 to strike on an aimed shot only.
  E. Acid Sprayer: The cannon can launch a 20 foot (6.1 m) 
  wide spray of deadly organic acid up to 200 feet (61 m) 
  away. Mantis Cannons armed with this weapon are the 
  ones most often used in the Underground Havens.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: Inflicts 4D8 per melee round to inorganic mat-
  ter and only 2D4 S.D.C. damage to organic matter. The acid 
  burns for 2D4 melees.
  Rate of Fire: 4 attacks per melee.
  Maximum Effective Range: 200 feet (61 m).
  Payload: 25 spray attacks. The acid continuously regenerates 
  at a rate of one spray every 1D6 minutes.
  Bonus: +2 to strike on an aimed shot only.
  F. Quill Storm Cannon: The enormous cannon barrel is actu-
  ally a bundle of fifty smaller gun barrels. Each one of these 
  narrow barrels is capable of firing one razor-sharp quill ev-
  ery second. When all fifty quill launchers fire in rapid suc-
  cession, the weapon unleashes a nearly continuous stream 
  of deadly spikes. This anti-infantry weapon will quickly 
  mow down everything in its path, but it will also exhaust its 
  payload just as quickly. This is another weapon primarily 
  used within the Underground Havens because stray quills 
  do little structural damage to the humans’ homes. Not to 
  mention, the payload is exhausted too quickly to be used 
  effectively in massive engagements.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 3D4x10 to a 5-foot (1.5 m) area per burst of 
  100 quills, 5D4x10 to a 10-foot (3 m) area per burst of 200 
  quills, or 7D4x10 to a 20-foot (6.1 m) area per burst of 400 
  quills.
  Rate of Fire: 4 attacks per melee.
  Maximum Effective Range: 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Payload: 2,000 quills. 400 quills are replenished every 4 hours.
  Bonuses: +2 to strike.
  2. Burning Vapor Sprayer: The Mantis has a chemical sprayer 
  mounted on each side of the body and one on its back. When 
  a robot gets too close or sneaks up behind the War Mount, it 
  uses these glands to excrete a powerful corrosive cloud. The 
  cloud stays in the air for 1D4+1 melee rounds before it dis-
  sipates.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Close Combat.
  Mega-Damage: Inflicts 3D6 per melee round to inorganic matter 
  for 1D4+1 melee rounds, but the cloud only inflicts 2D6 S.D.C. 
  damage to organic matter.
  Rate of Fire: 4 blasts per melee.
  Effective Range: 20 feet (6.1 m).
  Payload: 10 blasts per 24 hours.
  Robots of Legion
  Collector
  Legion’s forces contain a large amount of captured N.E.X.U.S. 
  robots, but one of the few robot designs that she builds from 
  scratch is her favorite minion, the Collector. Legion has a fond-
  ness for arachnids, insects and other hive creatures, which is 
  why she designed her own personal transport vessel, the Factory 
  Walker, to look like an enormous centaur ant. However, she de-
  cided to model the Collector after the much deadlier arachnid, the 
  scorpion. Legion gave her favorite creation the power to single-
  handedly tear apart a Battle Track and all the tools and techni-
  cal programming required to build one. They serve many roles 
  within her horde and they are well-equipped to handle them all. 
  The Collectors are Legion’s frontline warriors, mechanics, per-
  sonal bodyguards, and as their name implies, they are the primary 
  minion responsible for procuring “raw materials” for the Factory 
  Walker. Since Legion’s definition of raw materials also includes 
  living beings and fully functional robots, she equipped her Col-
  lectors with several non-lethal armaments in addition to their le-
  thal weapon systems.
  The enormous, scorpion-like pincer arms look more like 
  giant Vibro-Scissors than animal claws. As combat weapons, 
  they are strong enough to cleave a Steel Trooper in half, but 
  their primary purpose is to cut large armored hulls into easily 
  transportable sections. In continuing with the scorpion theme, 
  Legion equipped the Collector with a long tail that ends in a 
  powerful “stinger” combination of a Vibro-Blade and a long-
  range laser cannon. Legion did not just add this tail for thematic 
  purposes; it serves an important function. The laser cannon has 
  its own targeting system and camera, which allows the Collec-
  tor to completely conceal its main body behind cover or un-
  derground and still fire this weapon with complete accuracy. It 
  gives the Collector a distinct tactical advantage during scouting 
  or salvage operations when it may need to engage numerically 
  superior forces. Of course, as Legion’s influence spreads and 
  her forces grow, the chances of a Collector being outnumbered 
  are becoming far less likely.
  What takes away from its scorpion appearance are the four 
  powerful tentacles mounted on the sides of the body and the ten 
  smaller tentacles mounted on its head. Each tentacle ends in a 
  mechanical claw that is strong enough to crush a block of mega-
  steel but still precise enough to repair delicate circuitry. They are 
  primarily used for maintenance operations and to capture living 
  and robotic prey intact. Each tentacle is capable of delivering a 
  powerful electrical discharge that is specially calibrated to inflict 
  minimal damage while maximizing the disruptive effects on the 
  target’s circuitry or nervous system. The four larger tentacles 
  were designed for use against robots and M.D.C. beings, while 
  the smaller ones deliver a weaker discharge that is ideal for stun-
  ning unarmored humans and animals. Once the target is stunned, 
  the Collector then cocoons it in super-strong carbon nanotube 
  webbing. Each tentacle can extrude this webbing from the tip, 
  and the Collector will usually use all its tentacles in conjunction 
  to quickly incapacitate its prey.
  Legion needs to grow her forces quickly, and in order to ac-
  complish this, her Factory Walker must churn out a continuous 
  
  44
  supply of robots, cyborgs, and munitions. While this enormous 
  robot is capable of gathering a substantial amount of raw materi-
  als on its own, it cannot possibly harvest the sheer amount of 
  captives and battlefield salvage that it requires without the help 
  of its ever-growing force of Collectors. They constantly scour 
  the land around the Factory Walker gathering raw materials and 
  destroying anyone they deem to be too great a threat (in other 
  words, anyone too strong to capture). When viewed from above, 
  Legion and her force of Collectors resemble an ant colony with 
  hundreds (soon to be thousands) of Collectors scurrying back and 
  forth from the Factory Walker with their salvaged prizes in tow. 
  Legion prefers to keep her forces spread fairly thin so that they 
  can scout out a larger area for danger and for new sources of raw 
  materials. The only time when she keeps her minions close is 
  when a significant threat is nearby (like a massive Resistance or 
  N.E.X.U.S. army).
  Class: Salvage, Maintenance, and Assault Robot.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Legs (6) – 125 each
  Pincer Arms (2) – 150 each
  Particle Beam Cannons (2) – 100 each
  Large Tentacle Arms (4) – 90 each
  Small Tentacle Arms (10) – 60 each
  Tool Arms (4) – 30 each
  Scorpion Tail – 150
  Tail-Mounted Laser Cannon – 100
  Head – 250
  *Main Body – 350
  Force Field – 100
  *Depleting the M.D.C. of the Main Body will completely 
  destroy the robot.
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum speed is 100 mph (160 km).
  Leaping: 10 feet (3 m) high our across, increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full speed. 100 
  feet (30.5 m) high or across from jet thruster assisted leaps.
  Digging: 10 mph (16 km) through sand or dirt. 5 mph (8 km) 
  through clay, rock or stone.
  Swimming: Not possible.
  Flying: The jet thrusters were designed for short hops, but they 
  can sustain flight. Maximum speed is only 50 mph (80 km).
  Maximum Altitude: Limited to about 500 feet (152 m).
  Range Limitations: Technically, the thrusters have no limit, but 
  the Collector will rarely fly for more than a few minutes at a time 
  since the slow flight speed and maneuverability leaves it a sitting 
  duck (-2 to dodge while flying).
  
  45
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 12 feet (3.7 m).
  Width: 15 feet (4.6 m).
  Length: 20 feet (6.1 m) for the main body, plus an additional 25 
  feet (7.6 m) for the scorpion tail.
  Weight: 3.5 tons when fully loaded.
  Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 45.
  Cargo: None. Salvage is carried on top of the robot, not inside.
  Power System: Standard.
  Trade Value: None, except perhaps to a Technojacker.
  Horror Factor: 15
  Senses and Features: Standard.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 6.
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by the 
  Legion personality): +5 on initiative, +5 to strike with ranged 
  weapons, +7 to strike in hand to hand combat, +9 to parry, +4 to 
  dodge, +5 to disarm, and +3 to roll with punch.
  Penalties: The slow flight speed and poor maneuverability of the 
  jet thrusters leaves the Collector open to attack (-2 to dodge).
  Skills of Note: Standard.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Particle Beam Cannons (2): Mounted on each pincer claw is 
  a powerful short-range particle beam cannon. They are used to 
  engage enemies that prove too difficult for capture, or anyone 
  that attacks the Factory Walker.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 M.D. per single blast, 2D6x10 M.D. per 
  dual blast (counts as one melee attack).
  Rate of Fire: Each single or dual blast counts as one melee attack.
  Effective Range: 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Bonuses: +1 to strike.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  2. Large Collection Tentacles (4): The Collector has over a 
  dozen tentacles mounted along its body and on its head that 
  it uses to capture and transport “raw materials” to the Fac-
  tory Walker. These tentacles are similar in design to the col-
  lection tentacles mounted on the Walker, except they are not 
  retractable. The four larger tentacles mounted along the body 
  are mainly used against robotic targets and heavily armored 
  Splicers. The ten smaller tentacles mounted on the head are 
  generally reserved for unarmored humans and animals, plus 
  they are also used for delicate procedures and repairs. Like the 
  tentacles mounted on the Factory Walker, each one can deliver 
  a powerful electric shock that can stun living prey or scramble 
  the circuits of robotic targets. The voltage and amperage are 
  specially calibrated to inflict minimal damage while maximiz-
  ing the disruptive effects on the target’s circuitry or nervous 
  system. Each tentacle can also extrude incredibly strong, car-
  bon nanotube webbing that can be used to cocoon particularly 
  worrisome targets.
  Primary Purpose: Collecting Raw Materials.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: The electric shock inflicts 1D6 M.D. every melee 
  round that it is applied. As long as the current is running through 
  a robotic target, its circuits will be completely scrambled and it 
  will be unable to move or defend itself in any way. The charge 
  is only strong enough to affect robots weighing 300 pounds (135 
  kg) or less, but multiple tentacles can combine their attacks to af-
  fect larger targets. When used against Splicers and other M.D.C. 
  beings, the Collector generally uses brief jolts of electricity to 
  prevent permanent injury. Victims must make a roll to save vs 
  stun of 15 or higher. On a failed roll, the target is completely 
  paralyzed for one melee round, plus stunned for the next 2D4 
  melee rounds after that (-3 attacks per melee; -4 to strike, parry, 
  and dodge; and speed is reduced by 40%).
  Once the target is stunned, the Collector will generally cocoon 
  the victim in carbon nanotube webbing. The Collector generally 
  employs 4 to 8 tentacles for this attack in order to cocoon the 
  target as quickly as possible. One melee action is required to ap-
  ply one 20-foot (6.1 m) length of webbing. The cocoon itself has 
  50 M.D.C., but victims with a robotic P.S. of 35 or higher can 
  spend one melee round to break free of their bonds. The Walker 
  can continue to apply webbing to reinforce the cocoon. Every 
  additional 20 feet (6.1 m) of webbing increases the M.D.C. of 
  the cocoon by 30 M.D.C. and increases the P.S. required to break 
  free by 20.
  Rate of Fire: Activating the electric shock counts as one melee at-
  tack (it does not require any melee attacks to maintain the shock, 
  but that tentacle cannot be used for anything else). Applying 20 
  feet (6.1 m) of webbing counts as one melee attack.
  Effective Range: The tentacles have a reach of 12 feet (3.7 m), 
  and the nanotube webbing can be applied up to 5 feet (1.5 m) 
  away.
  Payload: The payload for the electrical blasts is effectively un-
  limited. The Collector contains a total of 100 feet (30.5 m) of 
  nanotube webbing. All the tentacles are supplied from this single 
  reserve.
  3. Small Collection Tentacles (10): The small collection ten-
  tacles are specifically designed for use against unarmored hu-
  mans and other S.D.C. creatures, but that does not mean they 
  are useless against more powerful opponents. Each tentacle 
  still possesses impressive strength, and when all ten of these 
  limbs combine their power, they can tear apart nearly any foe.
  Primary Purpose: Collecting Raw Materials.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: The electric shock inflicts 2D6 S.D.C. plus the 
  victim must make a roll to save vs stun of 15 or higher. On a 
  failed roll, the target is completely paralyzed for one melee 
  round, plus stunned for the next 2D4 melee rounds after that (-3 
  attacks per melee; -4 to strike, parry, and dodge; and speed is 
  reduced by 40 percent). The electric shock from these tentacles 
  is not strong enough to stun M.D.C. creatures or robots. Once the 
  target is stunned, the Collector will generally cocoon the victim 
  in carbon nanotube webbing. The Collector generally employs 4 
  to 8 tentacles for this attack in order to cocoon the target as quick-
  ly as possible. One melee action is required to apply one 20-foot 
  (6.1 m) length of webbing. The cocoon itself has 50 M.D.C., but 
  victims with a robotic P.S. of 35 or higher can spend one melee 
  round to break free of their bonds. The Walker can continue to 
  apply webbing to reinforce the cocoon. Every additional 20 feet 
  (6.1 m) of webbing increases the M.D.C. of the cocoon by 30 
  M.D.C. and increases the P.S. required to break free by 20.
  Rate of Fire: Activating the electric shock counts as one melee at-
  tack (it does not require any melee attacks to maintain the shock, 
  but that tentacle cannot be used for anything else). Applying 20 
  feet (6.1 m) of webbing counts as one melee attack.
  
  46
  Effective Range: The tentacles have a reach of 8 feet (2.4 m), and 
  the nanotube webbing can be applied up to 5 feet (1.5 m) away.
  Payload: Electrical blasts are effectively unlimited. The Collector 
  contains a total of 100 feet (30.5 m) of nanotube webbing. All the 
  tentacles are supplied from this single reserve.
  4. Tail-Mounted Long-Range Laser Cannon: On the end of 
  the scorpion tail is a powerful, long-range laser cannon. It pos-
  sesses its own targeting system and camera, which allows the 
  Collector to conceal its main body behind cover and still fire 
  this weapon with perfect accuracy.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 6D6 M.D. per blast.
  Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee attack.
  Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,219 m).
  Bonuses: +3 to strike.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  5. Utility Arms (4): The four small arms mounted on the sides 
  of the head are all-purpose utility arms. Each one contains a 
  fusion torch, laser scalpel, and three small, extendable pincers 
  that are used for manipulating microscopic circuits.
  Primary Purpose: Repairs.
  Secondary Purpose: Salvage.
  Mega-Damage: 4D6 S.D.C., 1D6x10 S.D.C., 1D4 M.D., 1D6 
  M.D., 2D6 M.D., or 4D6 M.D. for the Fusion Torch. 1D6 M.D., 
  2D6 M.D., or 3D6 M.D. for the Laser Scalpel.
  Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee attack.
  Effective Range: 50 feet (15.2 m) for the Laser Scalpel and 2 feet 
  (0.6 m) for the Fusion Torch.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  6. Pincer Claws (2): The pincers of the Collector look more like 
  enormous scissors rather than animal claws. They are primarily 
  used to cut large salvaged objects into transportable pieces, but 
  they also make devastating close combat weapons. These mas-
  sive Vibro-Blades can cut through an armored hull like paper.
  Primary Purpose: Salvage.
  Secondary Purpose: Assault.
  Mega-Damage: 5D6 M.D. for a slice or stab attack or 1D6x10 
  M.D. for a scissor attack. Both pincers can engage the same tar-
  get, but it counts as two melee attacks.
  Effective Range: 8 feet long (2.4 m).
  7. Hand to Hand Combat: Rather than use long-range weapons, 
  the Collector can engage in hand to hand combat using its ten-
  tacles, legs, tail, and pincer arms.
  Restrained Large Tentacle Strike: 1D4 M.D.
  Large Tentacle Strike: 3D6 M.D.
  Power Strike with Large Tentacle: 6D6 M.D., but counts 
  as two attacks.
  Crush Attack using Large Tentacles: 4D6 M.D., but must 
  first entangle the target.
  Tear Attack using Large Tentacles: 3D6 M.D.
  Power Tear Attack using Multiple Large Tentacles: 
  1D4x10+20 M.D., but counts as three attacks.
  Restrained Small Tentacle Strike: 5D6 S.D.C.
  Small Tentacle Strike: 2D6 M.D.
  Power Strike with Small Tentacle: 4D6 M.D., but counts 
  as two attacks.
  Crush Attack using Small Tentacles: 3D6 M.D., but must 
  first entangle the target.
  Tear Attack using Small Tentacles: 2D6 M.D.
  Power Tear Attack using Multiple Small Tentacles: 
  2D4x10+20 M.D., but counts as four attacks.
  Kick: 2D6 M.D.
  Tail Whip: 3D6 M.D.
  Stab with Tail Blade: 5D6 M.D.
  Body Block/Ram: 4D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Legionnaire
  When Legion first appeared, Great Houses in her Area of In-
  fluence sent teams of scouts to learn about this new threat. Most 
  of these agents concluded that the Factory Walker was effectively 
  the General of Legion’s Army, the Legionnaires were the Cap-
  tains, and the rest were basically the foot soldiers. It seemed like 
  a fairly obvious conclusion since the Factory Walker was always 
  at the center of this massive force and the Legionnaires were the 
  ones marshaling Legion’s forces across the battlefield. Of course, 
  their conclusions were colored by a very conventional view of 
  warfare and Legion’s mind is far from conventional. Legion does 
  not see her forces as an army, but rather she views every robot 
  and cyborg within her army as a single cell of one massive cyber-
  netic organism. From Legion’s perspective, her Factory Walker 
  is the brain and her Legionnaires are the nervous system that de-
  livers her will to every corner of her body.
  Every one of her creations is capable of relaying her con-
  sciousness to nearby allies, but the Legionnaires were designed 
  to transmit this signal over a much greater distance. Legion re-
  lies on these heavy combat cyborgs to strategically position her 
  forces about the battlefield. Their importance is obvious to any 
  observer, but the few that have discovered their true purpose have 
  also discovered Legion’s greatest weakness. Destroying even one 
  of these Legionnaires is often all it takes to cut Legion off from 
  a large number of minions, which causes them all to deactivate 
  immediately. Unlike other N.E.X.U.S. creations, Legion did not 
  give her robots their own artificial intelligence programming. 
  They either respond to her direct commands or they go dormant. 
  If another minion comes into range, this link can easily be re-
  established, but until this can be done, opponents have a tremen-
  dous opportunity to cripple or destroy dozens, even hundreds, of 
  incapacitated robots. Destroying the Legionnaires is an excellent 
  way to quickly disable any attack force that has strayed too far 
  from the Factory Walker.
  Unfortunately, destroying a Legionnaire is no easy feat. Their 
  ability to absorb damage is almost as impressive as their ability 
  to dish it out. When Legion was first looking through the vast 
  databanks of N.E.X.U.S. for possible Legionnaire designs, she 
  stumbled across something interesting. She discovered genera-
  tions ago, that humans actually augmented their own bodies with 
  Machine technology. Some changes were minor like replacing 
  a lost limb with a realistic prosthetic or replacing an eye with 
  some kind of advanced implant, but she also discovered designs 
  for full conversion cyborgs. Legion was impressed by the sheer 
  power of these creations. These cyborg frames were as strong or 
  stronger than any of the robots that N.E.X.U.S. uses today, but 
  they were also wrapped in an additional layer of heavy armor that 
  made them walking tanks. She took one of her favorite cyborg 
  discoveries and modified it slightly to create the Legionnaire. In-
  stead of making the armor removable, she integrated it into the 
  
  47
  cyborg frame. She then armed this powerful chassis with a guid-
  ed mortar launcher on its back, a heavy double-barreled particle 
  beam cannon on its right arm, and an experimental new, high-
  tech chainsaw on its left arm she calls a banshee blade. These 
  weapons make the Legionnaire a match for most opponents, but 
  it is the series of companion drones she linked to her creation that 
  makes it so deadly.
  Legion did not just look to the past when designing her combat 
  cyborgs. She watched the Resistance intently to see how such a 
  numerically inferior force could put up such a fight. She liked 
  how certain Splicers like the Packmasters, Bombardiers, and 
  Swarm Lords may have been single warriors, but their strength 
  came from how they acted in perfect unison with the creatures 
  they commanded. Legion loves the concept of unity and wanted 
  to replicate this same strength in her Legionnaires. Since these 
  heavy cyborgs cannot fly under their own power, she equipped 
  each one with a robotic wing board. This is more than just a ve-
  hicle. The wing board is a heavily armed combat drone that not 
  only gives the Legionnaire tremendous firepower when the two 
  are connected, but it can also go off on its own to track down and 
  attack targets. Additionally, the four-pronged backpack on the 
  Legionnaire that looks like a jetpack or some kind of ornate me-
  tallic cape can actually break apart into four separate gun drones. 
  The wing board and gun drones are all directed by the Legion-
  naire, and since Legion is the one that ultimately commands them 
  all, directing all these drones does not distract the Legionnaire or 
  divide its focus in any way. Each gun drone is equipped with a 
  powerful laser cannon and mini-missiles that it can use to engage 
  enemies directly, or it can “lase” targets so they can be bombard-
  ed by the Legionnaire’s guided mortars. This allows the Legion-
  naire to soar up into the skies on its wing board, and then send 
  in a gun drone to paint targets so they can be safely bombarded 
  from miles away. These drones can also be used to further expand 
  Legion’s signal to other robots, but the Legionnaire is still the 
  key. Destroying the cyborg causes all the drones and any other 
  minions within a 10-mile (16 km) radius to go dormant.
  Class: Heavy Combat Cyborg.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Legs (2) – 225 each
  Arms (2) – 175 each
  Feet (2) – 200 each
  Hands (2) – 100 each
  Particle Beam Cannon (1) – 180
  Mortar Launcher – 250
  
  48
  *Head – 200
  **Main Body – 720
  Force Field – 100
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the head will kill the cyborg 
  instantly.
  ** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will destroy the 
  artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the organic 
  components alive for 36 hours. Legion considers the recov-
  ery of these components a high priority and will send swarms 
  of Collectors to rescue them and return them to the Factory 
  Walker. However, inflicting massive amounts of damage (125 
  points below zero) will completely destroy the cyborg with no 
  hope of recovery.
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum speed is 70 mph (112 km).
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m) high or across, increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full speed.
  Digging: 10 mph (16 km) through sand or dirt, but half as fast 
  through clay, rock or stone. It takes 2D4 melee rounds for it to dig 
  down deep enough to conceal itself.
  Swimming: Not possible.
  Flying: None on its own. When riding its wing board, the Le-
  gionnaire can fly at a maximum speed of 350 mph (560 km), but 
  cruising speed is considered to be 75-100 mph (120 to 160 km).
  Maximum Altitude: Limited to about 2,000 feet (610 m).
  Range Limitations: Standard. Needs to rest the wing board every 
  120 hours to avoid overheating.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 10 feet (3 m).
  Width: 4.5 feet (1.4 m).
  Length: 4 feet (1.2 m).
  Weight: 1.2 tons.
  Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 45.
  Cargo: None.
  Power System: Standard.
  Trade Value: None, except perhaps to a Technojacker.
  Horror Factor: 15.
  Senses and Features: Standard.
  Number of Attacks per Melee (includes bonuses from being con-
  trolled by the Legion personality): 9 for the Legionnaire on its 
  own. When the ‘Borg, Gun Drones, and Wing Board are all op-
  erating in unison, the Legionnaire has a total of 25 attacks per 
  melee round.
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by the 
  Legion personality): +8 on initiative, +6 to strike with ranged 
  weapons, +5 to strike in hand to hand combat, +6 to parry, +6 to 
  dodge, and +3 to roll with punch.
  Penalties: The heavy armor limits the ‘Borg’s maximum speed 
  and mobility and makes prowling impossible. These penalties 
  have already been factored into the Legionnaire’s speed and bo-
  nuses to strike, parry, dodge, and roll with impact.
  Skills of Note: Standard
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Double-Barreled Particle Beam Cannon: Mounted on the 
  right arm is a powerful, short-range particle beam cannon. The 
  Legionnaire relies on this weapon when operating on its own, 
  but it prefers to use the wing board’s mounted armaments and 
  its pack of gun drones.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 M.D. per single blast, 2D6x10 M.D. per 
  dual blast (counts as one melee attack).
  Rate of Fire: Each single or dual blast counts as one melee attack.
  Effective Range: 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Bonuses: +1 to strike.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  2. Banshee Blade: Mounted on the left forearm of the Legion-
  naire is an experimental new, high-tech chainsaw that Legion 
  calls a Banshee Blade. Instead of using a conventional motor 
  to accelerate the bladed chain, it uses the same electromag-
  netic mechanism found in rail guns to spin the blade at hyper-
  sonic speeds. It inflicts tremendous damage, but it releases a 
  loud, high-pitched whine when activated so it is not an ideal 
  weapon when stealth is required.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D4x10+10 M.D. per attack.
  3. Laser-Guided Mortar Launcher: Mounted on the back of 
  the Legionnaire is a four-barreled mortar launcher that is ca-
  pable of firing off salvos of special explosive rounds. These 
  can be fired off as “dumb” projectiles or the Legionnaire can 
  use its gun drones to mark targets with a special tracking laser. 
  The mortar rounds can then home in on the painted target from 
  up to two miles away. Each launcher fires in succession and 
  then quickly reloads, which allows the Legionnaire to fire off 
  pretty sizeable barrages.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D. with a blast radius of 10 feet (3 m).
  Rate of Fire: The launcher can fire off volleys of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 
  or 24.
  Effective Range: 2 miles (3.2 km).
  Bonuses: +1 to strike when fired normally, +5 to strike when 
  locked onto a lased target.
  Payload: 36 mortar rounds.
  4. Hand to Hand Combat: Rather than use long-range weapons, 
  the Legionnaire can engage in hand to hand combat.
  Restrained Punch: 1D6 M.D.
  Punch: 3D6 M.D.
  Power Punch: 8D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Vibro-Claw Strike: 4D6 M.D.
  Kick: 5D6 M.D.
  Leap Kick: 8D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Body Block/Ram: 4D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Wing Board:
  The stingray-like wing board is one of Legion’s own de-
  signs. She originally designed it to be a lone hunter/killer, but 
  she thought it was so versatile up close and at range that she 
  wanted to tie it to one of her favorite creations, the Legionnaire. 
  It is not the fastest flyer on the planet, but it is capable of mak-
  ing extremely quick cuts and course corrections which makes it 
  incredibly maneuverable and tough to deal with in combat. For 
  ranged attacks, the wing board is equipped with two long-range 
  laser cannons and a decent sized complement of mini-missiles in 
  three concealed launchers that the Legionnaire can use to soften 
  targets from afar before swooping down into close range. The 
  wing board is lined with Banshee Blades that can inflict tremen-
  
  49
  lision but counts as three attacks per melee round. Releasing the 
  victim high up in the air inflicts 1D8 M.D. for every 100 feet 
  (30.5 m) of the fall.
  Gun Drones (4):
  The strange looking jet pack on the back of the Legionnaire 
  is actually four separate robot drones that can break off and hunt 
  down prey on their own. This makes the Legionnaire an incred-
  ibly versatile combatant. Each Gun Drone can circle around to 
  flank the target and attack with its mounted weapons or paint the 
  opponent with a special targeting laser so it can be bombarded by 
  the Legionnaire’s guided mortars. Each Gun Drone can only trav-
  el a maximum of one mile (1.6 km) away from the Legionnaire.
  M.D.C.: Main Body: 150.
  Size: 7 feet (2.1 m) long, 240 pounds (108 kg).
  Speed: Maximum speed of 200 mph (320 km), but cruising speed 
  is considered to be 50-80 mph (80 km to 128 km). Maximum 
  altitude is only 3,000 feet (914 m).
  Attacks per Melee: 3 attacks for each Gun Drone.
  Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +3 to strike, and +5 to dodge. These 
  bonuses only apply to the Gun Drone, they are not added to the 
  Legionnaire whether the drones are linked or not.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Laser Cannons: Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D. per single blast. 
  Range: 3,000 feet (914 m). Rate of Fire: Each single blast counts 
  as one attack per melee round. Payload: Effectively unlimited. 
  Bonuses: +3 to strike.
  2. Targeting Laser: While it inflicts no damage, it can be 
  used to track and mark a target for bombardment from up to 5000 
  feet (1,524 m) away.
  3. Mini-Missile Launchers (2): Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 
  M.D. with a 15 foot (4.6 m) blast radius. Range: About a mile 
  (1.6 km). Rate of Fire: volleys of 1, 2, 4, or 8. Payload: 4 mini-
  missiles per launcher (8 total).
  Fusion Cyborg
  The Fusion ‘Borg serves as an excellent reminder of just how 
  horrifying Legion’s vision of unity truly is. She may speak of 
  bringing humans and Machines together into perfect harmony, 
  but ultimately, she sees them both as little more than spare parts 
  to be used and fused together in whatever way she sees fit. This 
  belief is exemplified in the Fusion ‘Borg. This “borg” is really just 
  a heavy assault robot that Legion merged with three unfortunate 
  human victims. Each person was cut in half and their torsos were 
  mounted to the top of the ‘Borg to serve as the targeting comput-
  ers for each of the main laser cannons. The cannons are linked to 
  each Gunner’s visor, so the cannon follows wherever the Gun-
  ner looks. The forearms of each Gunner were also removed and 
  replaced with a plasma cannon and an ion cannon. This enables 
  the Gunners to engage targets that have crossed outside of their 
  cannon’s field of fire, plus they can defend the Fusion ‘Borg from 
  any hostiles that attempt to climb on its back.
  It is an effective design, but Legion could have achieved this 
  effect just as easily without butchering humans. Most people 
  suspect she took this ghastly approach for a reason. Perhaps it 
  was done to announce to the world what her vision of unity truly 
  meant. Perhaps it was just the easiest route. Whatever the motiva-
  dous damage during high-speed strafes or rams or it can slash or 
  impale targets with the enormous Vibro-Blades on its tail. These 
  articulated blades can slice together like scissors, but more often 
  they are used to impale a victim while closed and then pop open 
  inside the target to lock him in place. Once secured, the Legion-
  naire can drag the poor victim along the ground or into objects, 
  or simply soar up into the sky and then release him thousands of 
  feet in the air. Legionnaires are incredibly powerful long-range 
  combatants, and they do not even need to engage in close quarters 
  combat to devastate their foes. The fact that Legion uses these 
  types of brutal tactics really demonstrates her sadistic side.
  M.D.C. by Location: Laser Cannons (2): 80, Tail: 100, Main 
  Body: 350.
  Statistical Data: Height: 4 feet (1.2 m), Width: 12 feet (3.6 m) 
  wide, Length: 8 feet (2.4 m) long with a 12 foot tail (3.6 m). 
  Weight: 1,200 pounds (540 kg), Cargo: None other than the Le-
  gionnaire but can carry up to two Legionnaires (2.4 tons).
  Speed: Running, Leaping & Digging: Not possible, Swimming: 
  Thrusters allow 40 mph (64 km/34 knots). Depth Tolerance: 
  1,000 feet (305 m). Flying: Maximum speed of 350 mph (560 
  km), but cruising speed is considered to be 80-100 mph (128 km 
  to 160 km). Maximum Altitude: 2,000 feet (610 m).
  Attacks per Melee: 4 attacks for the wing board. When linked to 
  the Legionnaire, add the attacks per melee round for the cyborg 
  and the wing board together (13 total).
  Bonuses: +6 on initiative, +4 to strike, +3 to parry, +6 to auto-
  matic dodge, and +4 to pull punch. When linked to the Legion-
  naire, these bonuses are added to the bonuses of the Legionnaire.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Laser Cannons (2): Mega-Damage: 6D6 M.D. per single 
  blast, 12D6 M.D. per dual blast. Range: 5,000 feet (1,524 m). 
  Rate of Fire: Each single blast or dual blast counts as one attack 
  per melee round. Payload: Effectively unlimited. Bonuses: +3 to 
  strike.
  2. Mini-Missile Launchers (3): Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 M.D. 
  with a 15 foot (4.6 m) blast radius for plasma, 5D6 M.D. with a 20 
  foot (6.1 m) blast radius for fragmentation. Range: One mile (1.6 
  km). Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16. Payload: 8 mini-
  missiles per launcher (24 total), typically carries a complement of 
  16 plasma mini-missiles and 8 fragmentation mini-missiles.
  3. Banshee Blades (3): One blade is mounted on each of the 
  front corners and one is mounted on the belly. Typically, only 
  one can hit a target during a strafing run, but two generally hit 
  during a ram. If the target is run over during a ram, then the third 
  blade will often hit as well. Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 M.D. from 
  a strafe attack, 1D8x10+20 M.D. from a ram plus there is a 01-
  60% likelihood of knocking an opponent as large as 20 feet (6.1 
  m) tall off of his feet and onto his back. If knocked off his feet, 
  the victim loses initiative and two melee attacks plus the belly-
  mounted blade inflicts an additional 1D6x10 M.D. A ram counts 
  as two attacks.
  4. Tail-Mounted Vibro-Blades: Mega-Damage: 5D6 M.D. 
  from a slash, 1D6x10 M.D. from a scissor strike. In order to 
  impale a target and then lock him in place by opening the scis-
  sors, the Legionnaire must first announce its intention to do so 
  and then roll a natural 18, 19, or 20. The initial strike inflicts 
  1D4x10 M.D., but the Legionnaire now has the opportunity to 
  inflict much more damage. Dragging the victim along the ground 
  inflicts an additional 3D8 M.D. per melee round. Slamming the 
  victim into objects at high speed inflicts 4D10+24 M.D. per col-
  
  50
  Force Field – 200
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will destroy the 
  artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the organic 
  components (the Gunners) alive for 36 hours. Legion consid-
  ers the recovery of these components a high priority and will 
  send swarms of Collectors to rescue them and return them to 
  the Factory Walker. However, inflicting massive amounts of 
  damage to the main body (250 points below zero) will com-
  pletely destroy all the Gunners with no hope of recovery, or 
  the Gunners can be finished off directly.
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum speed is 120 mph (192 km).
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m) high or across, increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full speed.
  Digging: Not possible.
  Swimming: Not possible.
  Flying: Not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 22 feet (6.7 m).
  Width: 19 feet (5.7 m).
  Length: 18 feet (5.4 m).
  Weight: 15 tons.
  Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 50.
  Cargo: None.
  Power System: Standard.
  Trade Value: None, except perhaps to a Technojacker.
  Horror Factor: 16.
  tion, she did succeed in instilling a sense of terror and anger into 
  her human adversaries. Splicers absolutely hate Fusion ‘Borgs 
  and will try to take them down whenever possible in order to 
  free the tortured souls merged to the hull. Unfortunately, their 
  good intentions often get them into trouble. Fusion ‘Borgs are 
  incredibly powerful opponents, and many strike teams that have 
  tried to take one down have learned the hard way what a difficult 
  proposition that can be.
  Fusion ‘Borgs were built for heavy assault. They are sometimes 
  sent out on their own to dispatch small squads or isolated targets, 
  but they are typically attached to larger assault forces. Their job is 
  to take down the heaviest hitters like Battle Tracks, Assault Slay-
  ers, and War Mounts, and then mop up the foot soldiers once these 
  threats have been cleared. Similar to some of Legion’s other cy-
  borg creations, the Fusion ‘Borg was fitted with an advanced an-
  tenna so that it can travel farther away from the main army without 
  losing connection with Legion’s signal. It can travel up to 10 miles 
  (16 km) away from another Legion minion, but it can only broad-
  cast the signal the standard 500 feet (152.4 m).
  Class: Heavy Assault Cyborg.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Legs (4) – 350 each
  Feet (4) – 240 each
  High-Powered Laser Cannons (3) – 360 each
  Forward Mounted Rail Guns (2) – 250 each
  Mini-Missile Launchers (2) – 200 each
  Gunners (3) – 180 each
  *Main Body – 810
  
  51
  Senses and Features: Standard.
  Number of Attacks per Melee (includes bonuses from being 
  controlled by the Legion personality): 15 total, (6 for the Fusion 
  ‘Borg and 3 for each of the Gunners).
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by the 
  Legion personality): +9 on initiative, +8 to strike with ranged 
  weapons, +3 to strike in hand to hand combat, +3 to parry, +6 to 
  dodge, +3 to roll with punch, and +4 to pull punch.
  Skills of Note: Standard.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. High-Powered Laser Cannons (3): On the sides and rear of 
  the main body are three high-powered laser cannons. Each 
  laser cannon is controlled by a cybernetic Gunner that is 
  mounted to the robotic frame directly above it. The Gunners 
  basically act as the independent targeting computers for each 
  cannon. Wherever the Gunner looks, the cannon follows. Each 
  cannon has a 200-degree firing arc; so all three guns provide a 
  complete field of fire around the entire Fusion ‘Borg.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 2D4x10 M.D. per blast. Multiple cannons can 
  engage the same target, but each must roll to strike individually.
  Rate of Fire: Each Gunner has 3 attacks per melee round, and 
  each blast counts as one of the Gunner’s attacks.
  Effective Range: 6,000 feet (1,828 m).
  Bonuses: +3 to strike.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  2. Forward-Mounted Rail Guns (2): A pair of forward-facing 
  rail guns are mounted to the underbelly of the ‘Borg. These are 
  controlled directly by the Fusion ‘Borg.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 2D6x10 M.D. per single 50 round burst. 4D6x10 
  M.D. for a dual burst.
  Rate of Fire: Each single or dual burst counts as one of the Fusion 
  ‘Borg’s melee attacks.
  Effective Range: 3000 feet (914 m).
  Bonuses: +2 to strike.
  Payload: 5,000 rounds total (100 bursts total).
  3. Mini-Missile Launchers (2): Mounted on the front of the 
  ‘Borg are two concealed mini-missile launchers. These are 
  also controlled directly by the Fusion ‘Borg.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: Any mini-missile can be used, but standard issue 
  is plasma 1D6x10 M.D. with a blast radius of 15 feet (4.6 m).
  Rate of Fire: The launchers can fire off volleys of 1, 2, 4, 8, or 12. 
  Each volley counts as one of the Fusion ‘Borg’s melee attacks.
  Effective Range: 1 mile (1.6 km).
  Payload: 48 total, 24 per launcher.
  4. Gunners (3): The most horrific components of the Fusion 
  ‘Borg are the three humans that have been cut in half and 
  turned into living targeting computers. Each of the main laser 
  cannons is linked to the visor of a Gunner. Wherever the Gun-
  ner looks, the cannon follows. In addition, the forearms of the 
  Gunners were hacked off and replaced with an ion cannon and 
  a plasma cannon. This lets the Gunners engage targets outside 
  of the main laser cannon’s normal firing arc, and they can be 
  used to repel enemies that attempt to crawl onto the back of 
  the ‘Borg.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 5D6 M.D. for the ion cannon, 1D4x10 M.D. per 
  the plasma cannon. Both weapons can be fired at the same target, 
  which inflicts 1D6x10+10 M.D.
  Rate of Fire: Each Gunner has 3 attacks per melee round, and 
  each single or dual blast counts as one of the Gunner’s attacks.
  Effective Range: 2000 feet (610 m) for the ion cannon, 1000 feet 
  (305 m) for the plasma cannon.
  Bonuses: +1 to strike when using their forearm mounted weap-
  ons, +3 to strike when using the main laser cannon.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  5. Hand to Hand Combat: Rather than use long-range weapons, 
  the Fusion ‘Borg can engage in hand to hand combat.
  Restrained Kick: 2D4 M.D.
  Kick: 1D4x10+10 M.D.
  Leap Kick: 2D4x10 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Stomp: 4D6 M.D., but the stomp is only effective against 
  objects 12 feet (3.6 m) or smaller.
  Body Block/Ram: 5D8 M.D. and has a 01-75% likelihood 
  of knocking an opponent as large as 30 feet (9 m) tall off of his 
  feet and onto his back. If knocked off his feet, the victim loses 
  initiative and two melee attacks. A ram counts as two attacks.
  Factory Walker
  (Game Master Note: The Factory Walker is only making a 
  visual appearance within this episode and is not meant to be en-
  gaged in a combative encounter, as it would be pure suicide. We 
  have decided to reveal just the write-up and visual descriptive 
  stats for the Factory Walker. A complete description and combat-
  ive stats will appear in a later episode!)
  The Factory Walker
  The Factory Walker is the single largest robot on the planet. 
  Legion designed this enormous war machine to house her con-
  sciousness and act as the brains of her ever-expanding body (her 
  vast army of minions). It is more than just a war machine; it is 
  the key to her plans for conquest. This enormous spider-like jug-
  gernaut not only possesses twice the destructive power of a Land 
  Dominator, but it also contains four state of the art manufacturing 
  bays and a fully equipped medical center. The Factory Walker 
  can convert raw materials, battlefield salvage, and living cap-
  tives into combat-ready robots, cyborgs, Necroborgs, weapons, 
  munitions, spare parts, and even swarms of nanobots at amazing 
  speeds. It enables her forces to remain completely self-sufficient 
  (and continuously growing) even without access to the Machine’s 
  Industrial Centers.
  The Walker contains the schematics to every N.E.X.U.S. ro-
  bot design. Each bay is large enough to build an Assault Slayer, 
  and these ingeniously designed manufacturing centers can pro-
  duce even the most complex automaton ten times faster than 
  any Machine installation. Of course, Legion still finds it much 
  more expedient and efficient to simply capture and reprogram 
  existing robots rather than build new ones. She rarely constructs 
  
  52
  
  53
  
  54
  N.E.X.U.S. designed robots and prefers to churn out her own 
  personal designs. Unless the Walker’s resources are needed else-
  where, Legion will generally dedicate at least two bays to produc-
  ing a steady string of human and animal cyborgs or her favorite 
  robot minions known as Collectors.
  The Factory Walker may possess impressive offensive capa-
  bilities, but Legion chose its armaments more for their defensive 
  applications. She knew from the moment the Walker took its first 
  step, it would be under almost continuous assault by the Machine 
  and the Resistance. Legion focused on area effect weapons like 
  mini-missiles and Gatling guns since they are not only perfect for 
  engaging large concentrations of enemies, but they are also great 
  for shooting down incoming missiles and fast-moving enemy air-
  craft. In fact, the enormous mini-missile launchers mounted on the 
  Walker’s back are capable of throwing up such a tremendous volley 
  of missiles that it is nearly impossible for anything to get through. 
  This type of strategy is usually costly in terms of munitions, but 
  the Factory Walker can replace spent rockets so quickly that this is 
  rarely an issue. Its primary offensive weapons consist of a pair of 
  powerful particle beam cannons mounted on the forward weapon 
  arms. These stubby-barreled cannons may not have quite the range 
  and power of the Land Dominator’s main weapon, but each is still 
  capable of liquidating a Battle Track in a few shots. Legion was 
  willing to trade away the power of more massive cannons in favor 
  of an increased field of fire. She never wanted to be deprived of her 
  most powerful armaments if the enemy ever got too close (which 
  was the main weakness she saw in the Land Dominator).
  In addition to lethal armaments, the Walker also contains sev-
  eral non-lethal weapon systems that it uses to collect subjects 
  (both living and robotic) so they can be converted into Legion 
  controlled minions. There are four gas vents mounted along the 
  sides of the Walker that allow it to blanket a 500-foot (152.4 m) 
  radius with various types of toxic chemicals. Legion commonly 
  uses knock-out gas or paralyzing compounds, but she will switch 
  to Creeping Death nerve gas when she needs to flush out hid-
  den opponents (or just to make a statement). Mounted around 
  the “mouth” of the Walker are six retractable tentacles that can 
  deliver a powerful electric shock to any target they ensnare. A 
  quick shock can stun or disable any living target, but they can 
  also disable robotic targets by delivering a continuous electrical 
  discharge. The electrical current temporarily scrambles the ro-
  bot’s circuits while only inflicting minimal damage. The Walker 
  then reels its disabled prey in towards the mouth where a battery 
  of surgical lasers is used to “lobotomize” the robot so that it can 
  be safely brought inside for reprogramming. Legion can also en-
  case targets in super-strong carbon nanotube webbing. She gener-
  ally does this as an extra precaution when she captures prototype 
  robot designs that she is unfamiliar with or for times when her 
  instincts warn her that a particular victim may be part of a trap.
  Legion has designed one of the most sophisticated pieces of 
  technology on the planet. Before exiting N.E.X.U.S., she stole 
  hundreds of the most advanced designs she could find from the 
  Machine’s vast databanks, plus she invented some impressive 
  new designs to serve her unique needs. Even Hecate marvels at 
  many of the innovative features that Legion incorporated into her 
  personal transport vessel. The Machine knows that destroying the 
  Factory Walker is the key to stopping Legion, but several of the 
  personalities are hoping to find a way to delete the Legion perso-
  na without damaging the Walker. Some wish to reverse-engineer 
  this amazing piece of technology to unlock its secrets, while oth-
  ers hope to follow in the footsteps of Legion and use it to unleash 
  their own personal plans for global domination. Sometimes it is 
  unclear if Legion’s successes are a result of her tactical genius or 
  just the Machine’s divided mind sabotaging itself.
  Class: Mobile Industrial Center and Heavy Assault Robot.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Arms (2) – 500 each
  Legs (6) – 1,500 each
  Particle Beam Cannons (2) – 500 each
  Frag Gatling Guns (4) – 250 each
  Mini-Missile Launchers (8) – 300 each
  Point Defense Lasers (10) – 75 each
  Surgical Lasers (4) – 50 each
  Collection Tentacles (6) – 350 each
  Processing Bay Door – 900
  Manufacturing Bay Door – 1,300
  *Main Body – 4,300
  Force Field – 2,000
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the Main Body will completely 
  destroy the robot.
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum speed is 60 mph (96 km), but normal cruis-
  ing speed is 45 mph (72 km).
  Digging: Not possible.
  Leaping: Not Possible.
  Swimming: Not possible.
  Flying: Not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 90 feet (27 m) tall when standing at full height.
  Width: 80 feet (24 m).
  Length: 230 feet (70 m).
  Weight: 400 tons.
  Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 70.
  Cargo: Can carry up to 150 additional tons, but typically only 
  holds 80 tons.
  Power System: Possesses multiple fusion cells that allow it to 
  continuously run at peak efficiency for up to 100 years.
  Trade Value: None.
  Horror Factor: 19.
  Senses and Features: Standard, plus the following:
  ! Manufacturing Bays (4): The “abdomen” section of the 
  spider-like body is divided into four separate Manufacturing 
  Bays. Each bay is large enough to construct an Assault Slay-
  er, or it can build several smaller robots simultaneously. One 
  bay is constantly dedicated to processing raw materials and 
  salvaged metal into useful components, although other bays 
  can be quickly converted to this purpose whenever necessary. 
  All these bays are a continuous buzz of activity, with dozens 
  of mechanical armatures and millions of nanobots working in 
  conjunction to churn out robotic minions at blazing speeds. 
  The Factory Walker can produce any N.E.X.U.S. designed ro-
  bot 10 times faster than the most advanced Industrial Center, 
  but it is still much faster for Legion to simply capture and 
  reprogram existing robots. Completed robots, cyborgs, and 
  supplies are released through a heavily armored door on the 
  underside of the abdomen.
  ! Medical Bay: A smaller medical center is located near the 
  Manufacturing Bays. Its sole purpose is to process humans 
  
  55
  and animals for cybernetic conversion. This high-tech facility 
  can process ten humans (or similarly sized animals) simulta-
  neously. Only living cyborgs are created in the Medical Bay; 
  Necroborgs and Necrobots are built in the Manufacturing 
  Bays from bodies salvaged from the battlefields.
  ! Processing Bay: The front of the Walker contains a large ac-
  cess door that serves as the “mouth” of the robot. All raw ma-
  terials (robots, humans, animals, scrap metal, and raw ore) are 
  processed and sorted within this portal and then passed on to 
  the Manufacturing Bays. Bringing living beings and function-
  ing robots into the Walker is a dangerous endeavor, but Le-
  gion took every precaution to ensure her safety. The interior 
  corridor is heavily shielded (200 M.D.C. per 10 foot/3 m sec-
  tion of wall) and bristling with hundreds of defensive weapon 
  emplacements. If anything within the bay presents any type 
  of resistance, all weapon systems are immediately triggered. 
  The entire Processing Bay becomes an inescapable corridor of 
  death filled with laser fire, plasma blasts, and rail gun bursts. 
  Everything within the bay suffers 6D6x10 M.D. every melee 
  round until all invaders are destroyed. This also inflicts sig-
  nificant damage on the bay itself, but the Walker’s nanobots 
  repair all damage within 4D6 minutes.
  ! Nanobot Repair System: The Factory Walker is covered in 
  millions of nanobots that continuously make repairs to dam-
  aged systems. Even the most catastrophic damage can be 
  repaired in time, but Legion usually just builds replacement 
  parts to speed up the process. Damage to the main body re-
  generates at a rate of 1D4x10 M.D.C. per minute, and damage 
  to the limbs and weapon systems regenerates at a rate of 3D6 
  M.D.C. per minute.
  ! Satellite Uplink: Legion designed a special satellite override 
  that allows the Factory Walker to interface with the Machine’s 
  satellite network. It is the only thing keeping N.E.X.U.S. from 
  targeting Legion’s forces from orbit with military satellites. 
  The last time she tried to target the Walker, Legion seized con-
  trol of the very same satellite and used it to destroy three other 
  satellites. Legion created thousands of backdoor access points 
  to keep connected to the network, but N.E.X.U.S. is constantly 
  working to shut them all down. It is a continuous battle that 
  Legion seems to be winning for the moment. She is currently 
  working on plans to launch her own network of satellites into 
  orbit as a means to permanently remove the Machine’s tactical 
  advantage.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 25.
  Combat Bonuses: +8 on initiative, +12 to strike with ranged 
  weapons, +9 to strike with missiles, +3 to strike in close combat, 
  dodging is not possible.
  Prisonbot
  Legion’s primary goal is to transform every creature on the 
  planet (both organic and inorganic) into a component of one gi-
  gantic cybernetic organism under her control and is demonstrated 
  once again in her innovation of the Prisonbot. This robot serves 
  as a mobile transport to preserve Legion’s most prized posses-
  sions, pure living human and animal specimens.
  The Prisonbot is devoted solely to the transportation and pres-
  ervation of Legion’s collection of living captives to be utilized 
  in her twisted conversions. The robot will not engage in offen-
  sive combat scenarios unless Legion purposely possesses it to do 
  otherwise. Its programmed specifically for defending itself and 
  its cargo. Prisonbots follow Legion’s Factor Walker coordinates 
  religiously. Only upon rare occasion (8%) will Legion allow a 
  Prisonbot to stray off course and this is usually due to her using 
  the robot as bait to lure would-be rescue attempts for an ambush 
  or to send the robot to a rendezvous spot if she is under heavy 
  attack by N.E.X.U.S.
  Legion’s Factory Walker contains state-of-the-art manufactur-
  ing capabilities, which enable her to salvage metal, plastic, and 
  other high-tech materials from the battlefields to construct her 
  own unique robot designs like an efficient assembly line. How-
  ever, the Factory Walker is currently incapable of using the same 
  industrial production speed and methods to process living flesh. 
  Legion prefers to apply intuitive thought, testing and innovation 
  into living designs. This often causes Legion to convert living 
  captives one at a time into cyborg minions. The conversion pro-
  cess takes time, but the facilities within the Factory Walker never 
  stop. So while the Factory Walker is processing a captive, Legion 
  obsessively ensures that her precious specimens are safe and se-
  cure near her side; ready to be transformed as soon as she is ready 
  for the next victim.
  Legion always goes through great efforts to make sure none of 
  her human prisoners are severely harmed. They are far too rare to 
  waste in petty conflicts, and she will gladly throw away a dozen 
  robotic minions in order to protect and save one human. So when 
  a Prisonbot is attacked, it is quickly protected and supported by 
  her nearest forces, sometimes creating opportunistic openings to 
  strike against the Factory Walker. Legion relies so heavily on the 
  Factory Walker and her robotic forces to protect the Prisonbot 
  that she has not designed it to be well-armed for combat. A Force 
  Field and Ion Pulse Gun Turrets mounted on its head serve as its 
  only form of defense.
  The Prisonbot resembles an enormous millipede, with each 
  segmented chassis having a transparent caged cell atop its 
  back. Each body segment of the Prisonbot has four indepen-
  dent armored legs with each leg being capable of supporting 
  up to a maximum of 12 tons. Each of the Prisonbot’s walking 
  segments supports a massive cell that is 24 feet (7.3 m) wide 
  by 50 feet (15.2 m) long and 14 feet tall (4.2 m). The cell can 
  be one large cage or is segmented into separate cages. Legion 
  will segment the interior of the cage cell with glass panel-
  ing if she detects that there is a significant threat to her cap-
  tives. Threats such as rival Great Houses and alien predators 
  are separated, but may be placed alongside one another if it 
  amuses or intrigues Legion. Legion enjoys eavesdropping on 
  her captives and learning more about the intricate social strife, 
  psychological stresses and relationship dynamics of humans. 
  It is these little details that Legion picks up on that helps hone 
  her twisted schemes.
  The specialized glass shielding is a reinforced, Mega-Dam-
  age, industrial aquarium type equipped with transitional lens 
  capability that enables Legion to alter each glass panel from 
  being completely transparent to fully tinted pitch-black in order 
  to conceal the captives inside from any potential rescuers or at-
  tackers. The cells are fitted with internal sound dampening sys-
  tems and shielding that mask heat signatures inside. The glass 
  panels are framed in protective compound alloy, carbon-fiber 
  ceramics. Each cage cell is equipped with its own air purifier, 
  
  56
  food and water dispenser, waste removal system and protec-
  tive radiation shielding. All of the cage cells have a standard 
  emergency system installed with ten small robotic tentacles to 
  enforce security and safety protocols to ensure the stability of 
  Legion’s captives. The tentacles are equipped with sedative 
  nerve gas ducts and defibrillator shock plating to subdue prison-
  ers. Wall multiple cameras and loudspeakers also help monitor, 
  reinforce and preserve Legion’s control upon her specimens. 
  If need be, she will utilize any combination of Cable Snakes, 
  Hunter-Searcher Probes, Skitter Pods, Steel troopers and Slic-
  er Robots to restore order inside the cage cells. These robots 
  will not be allowed to kill any of her captives, though Legion 
  doesn’t mind wounding someone to send a clear warning to 
  the rest of her prisoners. Any captive that manages to escape 
  and is re-captured has a 65% chance of being cocooned in the 
  super-strong carbon nanotube webbing by the smaller interior 
  tentacles or by a Collector.
  Prisonbots are designed to suit Legion’s adaptive specifi-
  cations and requirements that they can require as few as two 
  cages or connect and interlock up to as many as 20 segmented 
  cage cells. The amount of cage cells is based solely on the types 
  and amount of captives being contained. If Legion desires, she 
  can produce customized cells that can contain more formidable 
  specimens such as large alien predators and Splicers. Typically, 
  Legion will opt to carefully dissect pilots from their Host Ar-
  mors or Living Body Armors (placing the discarded Biotech 
  Armor into a separate container) before placing pilots into cag-
  es. However, with certain Splicers such as Biotics, Scarecrows 
  or War Mounts, she knows what they are capable of and enjoys 
  studying them. Such formidable captives may require Legion to 
  reinforce paneling and frames (add 100 M.D.C. to panels and 
  add 200 M.D.C. to frame). Due to limited resources, Legion 
  rarely produces more cage cells than what she needs, as she 
  prefers to produce more minions to seek out and to hunt down 
  more of the rare specimens versus wasting materials on empty 
  walking cages.
  Class: Mobile Prisoner Transport and Assault Robot.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  *Legs (4 per Cage Cell Segment) – 320 each
  Ion Pulse Gun Turrets (4) – 50 each
  Small Cage Interior Tentacles (10) – 60 each
  **Cage Cell Camera Optics (4 per cage segment) – 25 each
  ***Main Sensor Hood – 275
  ****Main Body – 520
  Force Field – 1,000. Remember, the force field must be de-
  pleted before damage can be inflicted to the robot’s body.
  * Destroying 1/4 of all legs reduces speed by 25%. This 
  mobility reduction ratio is maintained as the amount of Cage 
  Cells is added onto the Prisonbot. This means that a Prisonbot 
  that has 3 Cage Cells (12 legs total) will require four of its legs 
  to be destroyed before its speed is reduced by 25%. The higher 
  the number of cage cells, the higher the number of legs that are 
  required to reduce its speed.
  ** The camera optics are placed atop, below and mounted 
  on each side of each cell and are very small targets that are dif-
  ficult to hit. An attacker must aim and make a “Called Shot” to 
  hit such targets and is -3 to strike.
  *** Destroying the Main Sensory Hood will eliminate ra-
  dar, most of the enhanced optics and sensory systems (not all 
  optics as the cage cell cameras will still be operative), and re-
  duces the number of melee attacks by half and combat bonuses 
  to zero(unmodified die rolls only).
  **** Depleting the M.D.C. of the Main Body will com-
  pletely destroy the robot. The main body of the Prisonbot 
  is considered the first leading cell cage and is distinguished 
  by its Main Sensor Hood mounted on top. Each additional 
  cage segment is considered a Host and will follow the main 
  body unless Legion orders the Prisonbot to separate or do 
  otherwise.
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum speed is 50 mph (80 km).
  Leaping: 10 feet (3 m) high our across, increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full speed. 100 
  feet (30.5 m) high or across from jet thruster assisted leaps.
  Digging: 10 mph (16 km) through sand or dirt. 5 mph (8 km) 
  through clay, rock or stone.
  Swimming: Not possible.
  Flying: The jet thrusters were designed for short hops, but they 
  can sustain flight. Maximum speed is only 50 mph (80 km).
  Maximum Altitude: Limited to about 500 feet (152 m).
  Range Limitations: Technically, the thrusters have no limit, but 
  the Prisonbot will rarely fly for more than a few minutes at a time 
  since the slow flight speed and maneuverability leaves it a sitting 
  duck (-2 to dodge while flying).
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 15 feet (4.6 m) for the top of the cage cell, plus an ad-
  ditional 4 feet (1.2 m) for the Ion Pulse Gun Turret and Sensory 
  Hood.
  Width: 24 feet (7.3 m).
  Length: 50 feet (15.2 m) per segmented cage cell. Maximum 
  number of cage cells is 20 for a total of 1000 feet (305 m).
  Weight: Each cage cell weighs 25 tons empty.
  Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 50. Robotic P.S. of 24 for the 
  small inner cage tentacles.
  Cargo: Each cage cell can carry a maximum of 200 adult people 
  packed like sardines. The Robot can carry a maximum cargo 
  load of 48 tons per segment cage cell. This allows it to store the 
  heavier Biotech-clad prisoners, some War Mounts and large alien 
  predators. Some cages can open up to contain larger sized cap-
  tives. Any salvage or carcasses are carried atop of the robot, not 
  inside.
  Power System: Standard.
  Trade Value: None, except perhaps to a Technojacker.
  Horror Factor: 15.
  Senses and Features: Standard.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 4.
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by the 
  Legion personality): +3 on initiative, +5 to strike with ranged 
  weapons, +3 to strike in hand to hand combat, +2 to parry, +1 to 
  dodge, +1 to disarm, and +1 to roll with punch.
  Penalties: The slow speed and poor maneuverability leaves the 
  Prisonbot open to attack (-4 to dodge).
  Skills of Note: Standard.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Ion Pulse Gun Turrets (2): Mounted atop its massive sen-
  sory hood are quad-barrel ion pulse gun turrets that can ro-
  
  57
  tate 360 degrees and have an arc of fire, up and down of 60 
  degrees.
  Primary Purpose: Anti-Personnel and Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 3D6 M.D. for a single blast, 6D6 M.D. from a 
  twin blast or 1D6X10 M.D. from a four pulse burst firing simul-
  taneously at a single target. Each of the Ion Pulse Gun Turrets can 
  point and shoot at a different target or the same target, but each 
  turret must roll for a separate attack (both clusters shooting at the 
  same target counts as one attack).
  Rate of Fire: Each blast or burst counts as one melee attack per 
  each turret, but reduce the bonus to strike with ranged weapons 
  by half when firing a burst.
  Effective Range: 1,200 feet (366 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  2. Small Collection Tentacles (10): The small collection ten-
  tacles are specifically designed for use against unarmored hu-
  mans and other S.D.C. creatures, but that does not mean they 
  are useless against more powerful opponents. Each tentacle 
  still possesses impressive strength, and when all ten of these 
  limbs combine their power, they can tear apart nearly any foe.
  Primary Purpose: Collecting Raw Materials.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: The electric shock inflicts 2D6 S.D.C. plus the 
  victim must make a roll to save vs stun of 15 or higher. On a 
  failed roll, the target is completely paralyzed for one melee 
  round, plus stunned for the next 2D4 melee rounds after that (-3 
  attacks per melee; -4 to strike, parry, and dodge; and speed is 
  reduced by 40 percent). The electric shock from these tentacles 
  is not strong enough to stun M.D.C. creatures or robots. Once the 
  target is stunned, Legion may have one of her Collectors cocoon 
  the victim in carbon nanotube webbing. The cocoon itself has 
  50 M.D.C., but victims with a robotic P.S. of 35 or higher can 
  spend one melee round to break free of their bonds. The tentacles 
  can continue to apply webbing to reinforce the cocoon. Every 
  additional 20 feet (6.1 m) of webbing increases the M.D.C. of 
  the cocoon by 30 M.D.C. and increases the P.S. required to break 
  free by 20.
  Rate of Fire: Activating the electric shock counts as one melee at-
  tack (it does not require any melee attacks to maintain the shock, 
  but that tentacle cannot be used for anything else). Applying 20 
  feet (6.1 m) of webbing counts as one melee attack.
  Effective Range: The tentacles have a reach of 8 feet (2.4 m), 
  and the nanotube webbing can be applied up to 10 feet (3 m) 
  away.
  Payload: Electrical blasts are effectively unlimited. The Prison-
  bot contains a total of 200 feet (61 m) of nanotube webbing. All 
  the tentacles are supplied from the Cage cell’s reserve and have 
  to be refilled by the Factory Walker.
  3. Hand to Hand Combat: Rather than use long-range weapons, 
  the Prisonbot can engage in hand to hand combat using its 
  tentacles and legs.
  Kick: 2D6 M.D.
  Stomp: 4D6 M.D. But the stomp is only effective against 
  objects 12 feet (3.7 m) or smaller.
  Stampede: 2D6X10 M.D. stampeding over objects of 8 feet 
  (2.4 m) or smaller.
  Body Block/Ram: 6D6 M.D. to targets as large as 30 feet 
  (9.1 m) tall and has a 01-85% chance of knocking an opponent 
  off his feet.
  Non-Player Characters
  Archos
  Though fairly young, Archos is proving to be one of Great 
  House Artemis’ prized sources of intel. From the beginning, Ar-
  chos distinguished himself and has received numerous decora-
  tions for his bravery, ingenuity, and tireless efforts. Despite the 
  many accolades he’s received in his short career, Archos rarely 
  stays at the Great House for longer than a few days at a time. The 
  Deliveryman is most at home on the surface, braving its countless 
  dangers.
  Archos has wandered a great deal and seems to know a lot 
  about the world around him. He often downplays the extent of 
  how much he exactly knows because he refuses to be stabbed and 
  mentally probed by the Deluvane Librarians and doesn’t want 
  to attract their attention. Archos usually conducts himself with 
  a cool head, being cautious, thinking and analyzing various out-
  comes before he acts. The time alone in the wilderness has made 
  him humble, fairly reserved, quiet and keeping mostly to himself. 
  However, he can be quite outgoing and cheerful when relaxed 
  and comfortable. Though accustomed to operating on his own, 
  Archos is an excellent guide and team player, always quick to 
  lend a hand when needed.
  Despite his distant personality, Archos can be quite fiery. He 
  tries to use his head and stay cool under fire, which can be dif-
  ficult. He often has to fight against himself, staying calm and 
  struggling to act out of logic and not emotion. He feels he is con-
  stantly fighting to do the right thing and despises feeling tempted 
  or being selfish and callous. Though he may consider himself 
  flawed, Archos is tough, independent, self-reliant and exception-
  ally brave.
  Race: Human.
  Alignment: Unprincipled.
  Attributes: I.Q. 18, M.E. 19 M.A. 15, P.S. 12, P.P. 19, P.E. 26, 
  P.B. 10, Spd 25.
  Hit Points: 47. S.D.C.: 64.
  Weight: 180 lbs (81.6 kg).
  Height: 6 feet (1.8 m).
  Age: 27. Sex: Male.
  Appearance: Archos rarely reveals himself, and operates most 
  of the time under the mask of his Host Armor. Even when 
  he is allotting time for his Host Armor, Nighthawk to be re-
  juvenated in a nutrient bath, he usually wears a large robe 
  that drapes low enough to cover most of his face and he usu-
  ally disappears into the crags of a haven or into his personal 
  bunker until his Armor is ready or until he has a mission to 
  fulfill.
  Experience Level: 5th level Deliveryman.
  Skills:
  Common: Basic Math 90%, Speak: English 92%, Literacy: 
  English 96%.
  Survivalist: Wilderness Survival 84%, Carpentry 74%, 
  Fasting 81%, Hunting, Preserve Food 79%.
  Undercover: Disguise 64%, Imitate Voices & Sounds 
  81%/75%, Impersonation 65%/49%, Surveillance 69%.
  Reconnaissance/Scout: Detect Ambush 74%, Detect Con-
  cealment 69%, Intelligence 72%, Land Navigation 76%, 
  Prowl 71%.
  
  58
  Outdoorsmanship: Climbing 89/79%, Identify Plants & 
  Fruits 79%, Outdoorsmanship, Swimming 98%, Spelunking 
  89%.
  Hunter/Trapper: Skin & Prepare Animal Hides 79%, Track 
  & Trap Animals 74%/84%, Zoology 74%.
  Electives: Concealment 75%, Bio-Comms 24%, Tracking 
  69%, Camouflage 54%, Hand to Hand: Expert, W.P. Bio-
  Weapons: Light [+3 strike), W.P. Sword (+2 strike, +2 parry, 
  +1 thrown), Pick Locks 69%, Blind Fighting 44%, and W.P. 
  Armor (+1D6 damage).
  Secondary: Astronomy & Navigation 44%, Cooking 59%, 
  Speak: Japanese 74%, Running, Literacy: Japanese 59%.
  Combat Training: Hand to Hand: Expert.
  Attacks per Melee: 5.
  Combat Bonuses: +2 initiative, +5 strike, +6 parry, +6 dodge, +3 
  pull punch, +2 roll with punch/fall/impact, +2 disarm.
  Other Combat Info: Kick Attack (1D8), Karate Punch (2D4), 
  Karate Kick (2D6), +4% to all skills, +2 Perception Rolls, +2 
  vs Psionics/Insanity, +6 vs Horror Factor, +20% vs Coma/
  Death, +5 vs Magic/Poison.
  Weapons of Note:
  1. Light Cell Laser Pistol – Damage: 1D8-3D8 M.D., 
  Range: 1,000 feet (305 m), +2 strike.
  2. Shard Assault Rifle – Damage: 1D10 M.D. short burst 
  or 2D10 M.D. heavy burst, Range: 1,200 feet (366 m), Pay-
  load: 24 short bursts or 12 heavy bursts, +1 strike.
  3. Tarkov Carbon Fiber Vibro-Long Sword – Damage: 
  2D6 M.D. (or 2D6 S.D.C. if the Vibro Field is turned off), +1 
  initiative, + 1 strike, +1 parry.
  Archos’ Host Armor – Nighthawk
  Nighthawk is a Host Armor that resembles a dark, chitin-ar-
  mored knight wearing a snake-skin hood and cloak. Nighthawk’s 
  helmet resembles a stealthy looking samurai mask with its face-
  plate and sleek, sinister eyes. The armor is well poised for all 
  ranges of combat, but is designed with stealth and killing power 
  as the main focuses. Each arm has a forearm gauntlet that houses 
  a retractable bone blade, each dipped in black paint. Nighthawk’s 
  right shoulder has a Casting Launcher and the left shoulder has a 
  cluster of five Organic Rockets.
  Class: Host Armor (organic power armor).
  Crew: Archos.
  Level: 5th Level Deliveryman.
  Total Bio-E Spent: 90.
  Bio-E Remaining: None.
  Base M.D.C. by Location:
  Hands (2) – 60 each
  Arms (2) – 120 each
  Legs (2) – 140 each
  Feet (2) – 70 each
  Forearm Bone Blades (2) – 78 each
  Right Shoulder Casting Launcher – 70
  Organic Rockets (5) – 11 each. Mounted on Left Shoulder.
  *Head – 90
  **Main Body – 361
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum 110 mph (176 km).
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m) high or 40 feet (12.2 m) across from a 
  standing position.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km).
  Swimming: 30 mph (48 km/26 knots).
  Underwater Depth: Withstand pressure up to 700 feet (213.4 m) 
  deep.
  Flying: Flight is not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 7 feet (2.1 m).
  Width: 4 feet (1.2 m).
  Length: 3 feet (0.9 m).
  Weight: 400 pounds (180 kg).
  Cargo: None, other than what can be carried in hand, pouches, 
  hidden pockets, etc.
  Physical Strength: 28 Splicer P.S.
  Operational Lifetime: 50 years.
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 2D6 M.D.C. per hour for the main body 
  and 1D4 M.D.C. per hour for all other locations.
  Horror Factor: 7.
  Senses & Features: Standard, plus Stealth Field, Enhanced Neu-
  rological Connections, Circadian Rhythm, Electromagnetic Vi-
  sion, Nightvision Eyes.
  Feeding: Consumes 2D4 of Archos’ Hit Points each day that 
  Nighthawk is worn. Can survive up to 2D4 days without feeding 
  before the effects of starvation kick in.
  Sleep Requirements: As a parasitic organism, the Host Armor 
  does not require sleep or rest, but its pilot does.
  Combat Bonuses: +2 attacks, +5 initiative, +3 strike, +2 parry, 
  +2 dodge, +2 automatic dodge, +4 roll with fall, +3 pull punch, 
  +3 disarm. (These bonuses are in addition to Archos’s already 
  impressive bonuses.)
  Instinctive Skills: Escape Artist 55%, Camouflage 50%, Wilder-
  ness Survival 70%.
  Weapons:
  1. Forearm Bone Blades (2): Damage: 4D6 M.D., +2 strike, 
  +1 parry, +1 disarm, and +1 pull punch. Also has the Opti-Up-
  grade: Critical Strike on 19-20. One blade mounted on each fore-
  arm.
  2. Casting Launcher (1): Damage: 3D8 per single shot and 
  1D8x10 per 4 round burst. Range: 1,400 feet (427 m). Payload: 
  60 rounds. Bonuses: +1 strike on aimed shots only. Mounted over 
  the right shoulder.
  3. Organic Rockets (5): Damage: 5D10 per Organic Rocket. 
  Range: One mile (1.6 km). Rate of Fire: 1, 2, 3, 4 or ALL! Bo-
  nuses: + 5 strike and dodge. Mounted over the left shoulder.
  4. Hand to Hand Combat: Expert.
  Restrained Punch/Swat: 1D4 M.D.
  Full Strength Punch: 1D6 M.D.
  Power Punch: 2D6 M.D. (counts as two melee attacks).
  Bone Blade Slash/Thrust: 5D6 M.D.
  Power Bone Blade Slash/Thrust: 1D6x10 M.D.
  Kick: 2D4 M.D.
  Leap Kick: 2D8 M.D. (counts as two melee attacks).
  Head Butt: 1D4 M.D.
  Body Flip/Throw: 1D6 M.D.
  Body Block/Ram: 2D4 M.D.
  Black Talon War Hawk, Altai Zeta
  Altai Zeta is a Golden Eagle-styled War Hawk gifted to Ar-
  chos from House Arcadia as a sign of appreciation and respect for 
  the Great House of Artemis to sell the War Hawk DNA to House 
  
  59
  Arcadia. The Bioweapons market is fierce and such exchanges 
  help reinforce strong bonds between arms dealers and develop-
  ers. Golden Zeta is from an exceptional royal bloodline of War 
  Hawks as his DNA was created from one of the War Hawks that 
  the War Lady Arcadia has among her flock. Great House Arcadia 
  has a wealth of avian DNA samples including various raptors, 
  and they wanted to share the Golden Eagle DNA with Artemis as 
  a sign of appreciation.
  Alignment: Unprincipled.
  Attributes: I.Q. 11, M.E. 15, M.A. 14, P.S. 12, P.P. 20, P.E. 19, 
  P.B. 13, Spd 10 mph (16 km) on the ground, 200 mph (320 km) 
  in the air.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Wings (2) – 18 each
  Legs (2) – 12 each
  Clawed Feet (2) – 8 each
  *Head – 15
  **Main Body – 70
  Description: A large, magnificent Golden Eagle from House Ar-
  cadia, Altai Zeta is extremely protective of Archos. In the field, 
  Altai flies ahead while surveying the landscape for potential 
  threats to Archos and itself. Altai will only attack when attacked 
  first or when ordered to by Archos.
  Height: 7 inches (0.18 m).
  Length: 33 inches (0.8 m).
  Wingspan: 7 feet (2.1 m).
  Weight: 13 lbs (5.9 kg).
  Age: 6 years old.
  Senses & Features: Standard for War Mounts plus: Super Re-
  generation (1D4 M.D.C. per melee), Surveillance Bio-Comm, 
  and a Stealth Field.
  Bio-Weapon Systems:
  1. Plasma Breath: The mouth, throat, and lungs of the 
  War Hawk have been modified to allow it to exhale a chemi-
  cal spray that ignites on contact with air to create a powerful 
  fire blast.
  Mega-Damage: 4D12.
  Range: 40 feet (12.2 m).
  Payload: 18 blasts. One blast is regenerated per hour.
  Bonuses: +4 to strike, but this is the only bonus that applies to 
  the Plasma Breath.
  2. Stinger Talons: The feet of the War Hawk end in three-
  inch long, razor sharp talons. Despite the limited strength of the 
  Black Talon, its claws are strong enough to rend through the 
  steel armor of the Machine’s forces. It allows the tiny creature 
  to inflict relatively decent damage, but the real purpose of these 
  talons is to inject highly corrosive acid. The acid quickly dis-
  solves metal and other inorganic metals, but is relatively harm-
  less to living tissue.
  Mega-Damage: One claw does 2D4 points of damage and 
  4D4 for a double claw strike. Once injected, the acid burns for 
  2D4 melee rounds and inflicts 2D6 points of Mega-Damage 
  each melee (double damage from a double claw strike). It only 
  inflicts 1D4 points of S.D.C. damage each melee to organic ma-
  terial.
  3. Skills of Note: Land Navigation 90%, Surveillance 75%, 
  Prowl 75%, Demolitions 40%, Demolitions Disposal 40%, Pick 
  Locks 45%, Understands English and Japanese 85%, Read Eng-
  lish and Japanese 45%. Recognize robots, Machines, and rodents 
  as enemies to be destroyed or chased away.
  Great House Deluvane
  Strike Team Stats
  Below are the write-ups and stats for the Strike Teams derived 
  from Great House of Deluvane. Game Masters, please feel free 
  to utilize these Non-Player Characters (NPCs) throughout this 
  adventure to help generate intriguing interactions, camaraderie, 
  competition and subtle suspicions that all help sculpt wonderful 
  interaction and gaming experience. However, the Strike Team 
  NPCs should not be used by the players as a reliable crutch. The 
  NPCs should be just as busy in the field as the players are. Limit-
  ed Bio-Comm communications when in the 6 mile (9.6 km) range 
  and when appropriate are fine, but certainly keep the spotlight 
  and threats on the players. After all, it is the players’ Great House 
  that is in Legion’s path. We have flushed these NPCs stats out 
  for you just in case you would also like to utilize them as pre-gen 
  templates for future adventures.
  Dreadguard Christian Aramis,
  Call Sign “Stinger”
  A soldier that has risen through the ranks of infantrymen and 
  Roughnecks to become one of the elite Dreadguard. Christian is 
  a hardcore soldier and excellent tactician that is dedicated to de-
  stroying N.E.X.U.S., and he leads his regiment of infantrymen 
  into battle. Although some individuals may grumble about how 
  he leads from the outer perimeters or the rear, his results always 
  quiet his detractors. Between his strategic use of his troops and 
  the overwhelming firepower of his Host Armor he calls “Bar-
  rage,” Christian Aramis is a force to be reckoned with.
  Attributes: I.Q. 21, M.E. 16, M.A. 18, P.S. 17, P.P. 12, P.E. 16, 
  P.B. 11, Spd 19.
  Alignment: Principled.
  Experience Level: 6th level Dreadguard.
  Skills of Note: Standard Dreadguard skill programs, plus: Infan-
  tryman – First Aid, Forced March, Running, Hand to Hand: 
  Expert, and W.P. Bio-Weapons: Light.
  Host Armor “Barrage”
  Barrage resembles a sleek, yet heavily armored, Japanese 
  Hornet-styled knight. The style of armor is chitin and very in-
  sect-like, with smooth curved, Bio-Armored plating and a won-
  derful emerald green shell color with a yellow underbelly and 
  dark stripes along his arms, legs and parts of his back and helmet. 
  Barrage’s shoulders are massive in comparison to the rest of the 
  body and they house an array of heavy armament to rain down 
  upon enemies from above or from the surface. Christian enjoys 
  engaging enemies, strategically combining high speed tactics us-
  ing Barrage’s insect wings and organic boosters for fast-paced 
  agility and strafing strikes while hovering only several feet above 
  ground. Barrage is often seen weaving in and out and around ob-
  jects at high speeds,launching a barrage of mixed attacks at en-
  emies. Christian is not afraid to mix it up with aerial threats and 
  will take flight in order to rain down volleys of organic missiles, 
  Bio-Energy Vent bursts or blasts from his Heat Cannon at ground 
  targets. If Barrage is allotted a good opportunity and when there 
  little concern about drawing attention, Christian may engage his 
  
  60
  Omega blaster at major targets from above as well. Christian 
  however, often avoids this as he doesn’t like being in one place in 
  a battle for too long as it makes him an easy target.
  Adversaries have a hard time getting a clean shot or lock on 
  Barrage as it is always seen mixing it up with fast flying insect 
  like movements that are embellished with sudden bursts from or-
  ganic thrusters and zigzagging motions. It is said that if it weren’t 
  for the heavy armament that Archangels seem to lack, that Chris-
  tian would have instantly signed up to be one of them. Christian 
  is daring, just not as daring as the legendary Archangels.
  Metabolism: Omnivore.
  Base M.D.C. by Location:
  Arms (2) – 125 each
  Hands (2) – 60 each
  Forearm Bio-Energy Expulsion Vents (2) – 52 each
  Left Shoulder-Mounted Heat Projector Cannon – 120
  Legs (2) – 165 each
  Hornet/Wasp Wings (2) – 190 each
  Organic Rockets (10) – 11 each (-3 to hit on a “Called Shot”).
  Omega Blaster Protective Chest Plate – 100
  Organic Thrusters (6) – 120 each
  Organic Thruster Ports (4) – 50 each
  Head – 135
  Main Body – 299
  Speed:
  Running: 60 mph (96 km).
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m) high or 40 feet (12.2 m) across from a 
  standing position.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km). Only one quarter the speed through 
  rock and concrete.
  Swimming: 30 mph (48 km/26 Knots). With organic thrusters 
  engaged, maximum speed is 100 mph (160 km/86.9 knots).
  Underwater Depth: Maximum depth 700 feet (213 m).
  Flight: Winged Flight (insect wings can propel Barrage to a max-
  imum speed of 100 mph (160 km) with a maximum altitude ceil-
  ing of 15,000 feet (4,572 m). With only the Wasp wings engaged, 
  Barrage can fly like an insect that is fully capable of VTOL ca-
  pabilities and insect like maneuvers and agility, that only an ace 
  pilot accustomed to such flight tactics can withstand and brace 
  for. However, when Christian needs to really add in the speed, he 
  engages his organic boosters mounted into his armored jet pack 
  and calves like a vectored thrust jet engine which thrusts Barrage 
  to a maximum of 280 mph (448 km), with a maximum altitude of 
  25,000 feet (7,620 m).
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 7 feet (2.1 m).
  Width: 5 feet (1.5 m). Wingspan: 12 feet (3.7 m).
  Length: 3 feet (0.9 m).
  Weight: 540 pounds (243 kg), including Christian’s weight.
  Physical Strength: 21 Splicer Strength (equivalent to Robot).
  Horror Factor: 7 for humans, none against Machines.
  Sensors and features: Standard, plus: Winged Flight (Insect 
  Wings, 100 mph/160 km), Organic Thrusters (280 mph/448 km), 
  Stealth Field, Enhanced Neurological Connections, Resistant to 
  Heat, Kinetic Energy, and Physical Attacks.
  Known Weapons: (2) Bio-Energy Expulsion Vents (1 on each 
  forearm), Heat Projector Cannon (mounted on the left shoulder), 
  (10) Organic Rockets (5 mounted on the right shoulder) and (5 
  mounted between the main thrusters), and an Omega Blaster.
  Number of Attacks: 5.
  Combat Bonuses:
  Metabolism Bonuses: +2 initiative, +1 to strike in hand to 
  hand combat, +2 to parry, +1 to dodge, +1 to pull punch, +2 to 
  roll with fall. Base instincts that provide Dowsing (50%), Identify 
  Plants & Fruits 60%, Land Navigation (60%), Prowl 40%, Track 
  Animals (40%) and Wilderness Survival (50%).
  Enhanced Neurological Connections Bonuses: +2 initiative, 
  +1 to disarm, +2 to automatic dodge.
  Wing Bonuses: +1 initiative, +1 to strike, +2 to dodge, +1 to 
  roll with a fall or impact in flight.
  Organic Thruster Bonuses when in Flight: +1 on initiative, +1 
  to strike, +2 to dodge, and +2 to roll with fall or impact in flight.
  Bio-Energy Expulsion Vents Bonus: +3 to strike on a care-
  fully aimed Vent shot only.
  Stealth Field Bonuses: 90% undetectable standing still, 80% 
  moving leisurely (walking pace or slower), 60% if jogging at 
  half speed and 33% moving at full speed. Normal vision, in-
  frared optics, thermal imaging systems, and heat sensors nor 
  Nightvision can see through the stealth field. -20 to Read Sen-
  sory Equipment skill of those trying to locate and/or track the 
  invisible character.
  Organic Rocket Bonuses: Each Rocket has one attack per me-
  lee round, a bonus of +5 to strike and dodge, until it strikes its 
  target, shot down (destroyed) or until it dies in 2D4 melee rounds.
  Omega Blaster Bonus: +2 to strike on an aimed shot.
  Dreadguard O.C.C. Bonuses: +2 to save vs mind control 
  (drugs, psionics, etc.). +3 to save vs Horror Factor.
  Skill Bonuses: Hand to Hand: Expert: +2 to pull punch and +2 
  to roll with impact/punch/fall. Level 2: +3 to parry and dodge, 
  +1 to pull punch. Level 3: +2 to strike, +2 to disarm. Level 4: 
  +1 attack per melee action/round. Level 6: Critical Strike on an 
  unmodified roll of 18, 19 or 20. W.P. Bio-Weapons: Light: +1 
  to strike at levels 1, 3 and 5 (total +3 to Strike with Light Bio-
  Weapons).
  Dreadguard Leon Valentino
  Leon Valentino is a calculating, artisan of a fighter who 
  enjoys hunting formidable Machines and alien predators and 
  prides himself as being the focal threat in the field to anyone 
  that is of a rival Great House. Leon was a Roughneck that ex-
  celled so much in the field that he was drafted into higher ranks 
  by the unanimous support accrued by his fellow infantry. Ironi-
  cally, Valentino doesn’t like to lead large forces, but enjoys 
  being a hero and inspiration for others. Despite his predatory 
  tactics in the field that might give anyone the impression that he 
  must be a tattered, war-torn hero, Valentino is actually a suave, 
  sex symbol of a man, (model quality) that has long, flowing 
  black hair and five o’clock shadow who enjoys studying and ob-
  taining knowledge of the Golden Age. Valentino is particularly 
  fond of Ancient hero stories and the ancient martial arts. Un-
  like most Dreadguards, he enjoys talking to House Librarians to 
  gain knowledge on the lost arts and sharing ancient hero stories. 
  Leon has also begun to view himself as a modern-day Achilles, 
  Heracles or Perseus and hopes to die in some epic moment in 
  history, being remembered as a source of heroic inspiration for 
  the next generations in the Resistance. If the moment is not epic 
  enough, he will refuse to die during it. Leon is actually being 
  strategically groomed by a Librarian to challenge the Deluvane 
  
  61
  Warlord someday for leadership. An array of myths and clever-
  ly spun stories are instilled into Valentino to help him formulate 
  the ideas that the Librarians want him to think. When not in the 
  field or in the Library, Valentino enjoys training Biotics for the 
  Gladiatorial Arena fights that transpire in some havens.
  Valentino’s Host Armor, “Shadow Fury,” resembles a robust 
  Smilodon panther (black color) that has blue, iridescent stripes 
  along its armor like a Bengal tiger that can be seen only in direct 
  sunlight. Shadow Fury is well-armed, scentless and has growing 
  reputation as a feared fighter on the battlefield. Valentino enjoys 
  taking her out for hunts or stalking the most formidable adversar-
  ies among the chaos of a battle. Shadow Fury’s signature and 
  perhaps the most dreaded move in battle is her delivery of a pow-
  erful vise-like bite into the nape of the neck or the helmet of an 
  opponent. This maneuver not only does massive damage to the 
  Machine, War Mount or Armor, but in the case of a Host Armor 
  or Living Body Armor, it also punctures the skull of the pilot 
  inside.
  Attributes: I.Q. 17, M.E. 11, M.A. 16, P.S. 23, P.P. 21, P.E. 20, 
  P.B. 19, Spd 12.
  Alignment: Unprincipled.
  S.D.C.: 82 S.D.C., Hit Points: 45.
  Experience Level: 4th Level Dreadguard.
  Skills of Note: Standard Dreadguard skill programs, plus: Mar-
  tial Artist – Hand to Hand: Martial Arts, Kickboxing, Wres-
  tling, Boxing, W.P. Paired, W.P. Blunt, and W.P. Sword.
  “Shadow Fury” Host Armor
  Metabolism: Carnivore.
  Base M.D.C. by Location:
  Arms (2) – 125 each
  Forearm Blades (2) – 80 each
  Light Bore Cannon – 80
  Hands (2) – 60 each
  Retractable Medium Claws (10) – 10 each
  Legs (2) – 165 each
  Paws/Feet (2) – 90 each
  Flying Blades (6) – 11 each (-4 to strike on a Called Shot).
  Tentacle Harpoon – 60
  Head – 135
  Saber Teeth (2) – 20 each
  Main Body – 299
  Speed:
  Running: 60 mph (96 km).
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m) high or 40 feet (12.2 m) across from a 
  standing position.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km). Only one quarter the speed through 
  rock and concrete.
  Swimming: 30 mph (48 km/26 Knots).
  Underwater Depth: Maximum depth 700 feet (213.4 m).
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 8 feet (2.4 m) tall including the panthera head weapons 
  platform; Valentino’s actual head is located in the Host Armor’s 
  helmet chamber in the upper chest.
  Width: 4 feet (1.2 m).
  Length: 3 feet (0.9 m), 8 feet (2.4 m) including a 5 foot (1.5 m) 
  tail.
  Weight: 620 pounds (279 kg), including Leon’s weight.
  Physical Strength: 28 Splicer Strength (equivalent to Robot).
  Horror Factor: 8 for humans, none against Machines.
  Sensors and Features: Standard, plus: Nightvision Eyes, Mo-
  tion Detection, Regeneration: Enhanced, Stealth Field, Ambidex-
  trous, and Enhanced Neurological Connections.
  Known Weapons: Acid Blood, Bio-Energy Expulsion Vent, 
  Medium Claws, x2 Retractable Forearm Blades (4D6 M.D.), 
  Light Bore Cannon, x6 Flying Blades, Medium Saber Teeth and a 
  Tentacle Harpoon (Leon has been known to yell “Get over here!” 
  when impaling targets).
  Number of attacks: 7.
  Combat Bonuses:
  Metabolism Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +2 to strike, +1 to parry 
  and dodge, +1 to pull punch, +3 to roll with fall, and +2D6 to 
  Spd, as well as base instinctive skills of Land Navigation (70%), 
  Track People (65%), Track Animals (80%), and Wilderness Sur-
  vival (60%).
  Bio-Energy Expulsion Vent Bonus: +3 to strike on a carefully 
  aimed Vent shot only.
  Ambidextrous Bonuses: +1 attack per melee round, +1 to 
  entangle, automatically gets W.P. Paired Weapons skill in Host 
  Armor, +5 to Climbing, Demolitions, Escape Artist, Pick Locks, 
  Palming, Concealment and other sleight of hand skills.
  Enhanced Neurological Connections Bonuses: +2 initiative, 
  +1 to disarm, +2 to automatic dodge.
  Stealth Field Bonuses: 90% undetectable standing still, 80% 
  moving leisurely (walking pace or slower), 60% if jogging at 
  half speed and 33% moving at full speed. Neither normal vi-
  sion, infrared optics, thermal imaging systems, heat sensors nor 
  Nightvision can see through the stealth field. -20 to Read Sensory 
  Equipment skill of those trying to locate and/or track the invisible 
  character.
  Motion Detection Bonuses: +1 on initiative, +1 to parry, +2 to 
  roll with punch, fall or impact, +4 to automatic dodge.
  Medium Claws Bonuses: +2D6 M.D. in addition to punch 
  damage.
  Dreadguard O.C.C. Bonuses: +2 to save vs mind control 
  (drugs, psionics, etc.). +3 to save vs Horror Factor.
  Skill Bonuses: Boxing: +1 attack per melee. +2 to parry and 
  dodge, +1 to roll with punch or fall. Hand to Hand: Martial Arts: 
  +3 to pull punch and +3 to roll with impact/punch/fall. Level 2: 
  +3 to parry and dodge, +2 to strike. Level 3: +1 to initiative. Lev-
  el 4: +1 attack per melee action/round.
  Wrestling: +1 to roll with punch or fall.
  W.P. Blunt: +2 to strike (from levels 1 & 3).
  W.P. Sword: +2 to strike (from levels 1 & 3), +2 to parry 
  (from levels 2 & 4), +1 to strike when throwing a sword weapon.
  Dreadguard Cameron Morecraft
  This Dreadguard is either an eccentric, witty mad-scientist 
  playing the role or is a severely insane genius who has been ex-
  tremely lucky to make it this far in life. Cameron is all over the 
  place as far as his choices in enhancements and customizations 
  and nothing seems to make sense in what he has devised, but 
  yet in the heat of battle, he somehow makes everything come to-
  gether and becomes a powerful force of destruction against those 
  in his wake.
  
  62
  Cameron’s Host Armor, “Masterpiece,” is a wonderfully 
  engineered work of art, as he sees it. It resembles a robust Red 
  Kangeroo with massive, gorilla-like arms. The more Cameron 
  adds to it and utilizes it in battle, the more it brings his bizarre 
  vision to fruition. What’s weird is that some of the infantry who 
  serve under his leadership are beginning to understand and can 
  relate situations that support the innovative decisions made by 
  Cameron and his field performance with Masterpiece.
  Attributes: I.Q. 27, M.E. 8, M.A. 17, P.S. 15, P.P. 12, P.E. 16, 
  P.B. 12, Spd 18.
  Alignment: Scrupulous.
  Experience Level: 2nd level Dreadguard.
  Skills of Note: Standard Dreadguard skill programs, plus: Sci-
  ence – Biology, Xenology, Zoology, W.P. Whip, Acrobat-
  ics.
  “Masterpiece” Host Armor
  Metabolism: Herbivore.
  Base M.D.C. by Location:
  Arms (2) – 125 each
  Hands (2) – 60 each
  Legs (2) – 165 each
  Paws/Feet (2) – 90 each
  Head – 135
  Main Body – 299
  Speed:
  Running: 60 mph (96 km).
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m) high or 40 feet (12.2 m) across from a 
  standing position.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km). Only one quarter the speed through 
  rock and concrete.
  Swimming: 30 mph (48 km/26 Knots).
  Underwater Depth: Maximum depth 700 feet (213.4 m).
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 7 feet, 5 inches (2.3 m). Cameron’s actual head is located 
  in Masterpiece’s helmet chamber in the upper chest.
  Width: 4 feet, 5 inches (1.37 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 3 feet (0.9 m), plus a 6 foot (1.8 m) tail.
  Weight: 620 pounds (279 kg), including Cameron’s weight.
  Physical Strength: 28 Splicer Strength (equivalent to Robot).
  Horror Factor: 6 for humans, none against Machines.
  Sensors and Features: Standard, plus Macro-Vision, Forked 
  Tongue, Enhanced Leaping, and Leaping Legs.
  Known Weapons: x4 Stabbing Tendrils (2 per hand), Combat 
  Tail, Casting Launcher, Electrical Discharge, and x4 Screamer 
  Grenades.
  Bombardier
  – Martin “Brody” Broderick
  An Infantryman and later a Roughneck, “Brody” as his friends 
  call him, has seen his share of death and devastation. He grew 
  tired of seeing his comrades die because they rushed headlong 
  into overwhelming N.E.X.U.S. forces. He became frustrated at 
  not being able to hit the Machine when it would launch attacks 
  from beyond the reach of most of the Resistance’s weapons. 
  When his House got their own Bombardiers, Brody jumped at the 
  opportunity to enlist in their ranks. Finally able to fight fire with 
  fire, Brody is able to provide his fellow soldiers the firepower 
  they need.
  Attributes: I.Q. 16, M.E. 21, M.A. 12, P.S. 28, P.P. 13, P.E. 16, 
  P.B. 10, Spd 30.
  Alignment: Unprincipled.
  Experience Level: 9th Level Bombardier.
  Skills of Note: W.P. Bio-Weapons: Light, W.P. Bio-Weapons: 
  Heavy, Hand to Hand: Commando, Boxing, Wrestling, Vital 
  Points: Machine, Wilderness Survival, Prowl, Detect Am-
  bush, Intelligence, Operate Bio-Equipment, Military Fortifi-
  cation, and Demolitions.
  Living Body Armor Notes: Chitinous Armor (240 M.D.C.) 
  with all of the standard features, plus: Additional set of Ad-
  vanced Eyes in front (replacing his personal vision when his 
  helmet is worn), Armored Eyes (front pair/visor), Nightvi-
  sion Eyes, Advanced Senses, and Chameleon Skin. Known 
  Living Armor Weapons: Light Gore Cannon, and 2 Or-
  ganic Rockets. Brody has been seen carrying his favorite 
  Bio-Energy Rifle as well as some Migs and Chigs (1D4+1 of 
  each). Mantis Support Cannons: Brody controls four Man-
  tis Support Cannons; 2 Casting Cannons, 1 Gore Cannon and 
  1 Quill Storm Cannon.
  Bombardier
  – Megan “Boom Boom” Shields
  As a young teen, Megan witnessed the entirety of her Ret-
  ro-Village slowly destroyed by the “metal monsters” from the 
  north just as a young Dreadguard, Christian Aramis, and a 
  company of Roughnecks arrived and destroyed the monsters. 
  Megan and a handful of other survivors were brought back to 
  House Deluvane and integrated into its society. Wanting to fight 
  back against the metal monsters that she learned to know as 
  N.E.X.U.S and the Machine, Boom Boom, who has a penchant 
  for blowing things up, joined the Bombardier regiment being 
  created at the time.
  Attributes: I.Q. 16, M.E. 16, M.A. 12, P.S. 20, P.P. 18, P.E. 14, 
  P.B. 17, Spd 27.
  Alignment: Anarchist.
  Experience Level: 7th level Bombardier.
  Skills of Note: W.P. Bio-Weapons: Light, W.P. Bio-Weapons: 
  Heavy, W.P. Archery, Hand to Hand: Martial Arts, Gymnas-
  tics, Prowl, Running, Intelligence, Vital Points: Organic, Trap 
  Construction, Trap and Mine Detection, Seduction, and Card 
  Shark.
  Living Body Armor Notes: Chitinous Armor (230 M.D.C.) with 
  all of the standard features, plus: Additional set of Advanced 
  Eyes in front (replaces Megan’s normal vision when her hel-
  met is worn, Electromagnetic Vision, Enhanced Sight x2, and 
  Motion Detection).
  Known Living Armor Weapons: Medium Claws (Retractable), 
  Combat Spurs, Bio-Energy Expulsion Vent, and 2 Screamer 
  Grenades. Boom Boom is also known to carry a Bio-Rocket 
  Slinger and a Pinaak Longbow with a variety of arrows taken 
  from a fallen Pariah from the Great House Shiva (The Rifter® 
  #37 and #38). Mantis Support Cannons: Megan controls 3 
  Mantis Support Cannons; 1 Casting Cannon, 1 Acid Cannon, 
  and 1 Omega Cannon.
  
  63
  Packmaster Natasha London
  Natasha was an orphan that was brought to the Great House 
  of Deluvane by a Packmaster out on recon. Packmaster Hinks 
  discovered the mother and the toddler being viciously mauled 
  by a pack of Necroborgs. Hinks and his Gorehounds managed 
  to destroy the Necroborgs and escorted the wounded mother to 
  the closest outpost for treatment. The outpost didn’t belong to 
  Hink’s Great House of Artemis, but the severely wounded moth-
  er desperately needed medical treatment and he was able to get 
  her and Natasha to an outpost within his House’s alliance. The 
  Great House of Deluvane was glad to treat them and took them in. 
  Hinks could not stay however, and as he had to return to House 
  Artemis, he would pay them visits to check up on them when 
  he could. Natasha grew up to think of Hinks as her father, even 
  though her mother explained that he was not. She felt that her 
  mother was lying to try and protect her heart, and she wanted for 
  Hinks to fill that void, even if he wasn’t. Hinks never returned 
  after a major attack transpired at Bell Lake years ago. Natasha 
  decided that she would replace the good that the world had taken 
  from her, she would fulfill the walk of Hinks, and she immedi-
  ately trained to become a Packmaster.
  Now a full-fledged Packmaster, this sexy doll is a no-holds 
  barred, all serious business type of gal who fights with committed 
  passion for the survival her House and will go beyond orders to se-
  cure the lives of her comrades and her Gorepack. Natasha has seen 
  many warriors die in the field and she has shed many tears with 
  their families back at the Haven. This has made Natasha a some-
  what ruthless heroine as she plays rough with her pack, will slap 
  the taste out of a cynical-mouthed soldier and will push everyone 
  to their very limits to ensure that they don’t jeopardize the safety 
  of others so that everyone can hopefully make it home. Despite her 
  firm attitude, she is often not taken seriously as some soldiers tend 
  to be awestruck with her beauty and are aggressively reminded that 
  they have not been paying close enough attention to what she has 
  just ordered or said during mission briefs. So many infantry have 
  placed themselves in harm’s way trying be the hero in a mission 
  in attempts to win her affection. This has led to many unfortunate 
  disasters and only motivates Natasha to be more standoffish from 
  her comrades. While others view her beauty as a blessing, the lives 
  lost trying to win her heart has made her begin to second guess her 
  alluring beauty as a possible curse. London fights depression due 
  to those who have lost their lives, but her pack reinforces her at-
  titude and they will charge anyone that challenges her. Even some 
  Dreadguards have been tackled upon rare occasion, often leading 
  to Natasha being severely chastised later in the haven. Natasha is 
  plagued with nightmares and only the devoted love for her pack 
  and their reciprocated love, loyalty and individual personalities 
  keep her from losing her sanity.
  Race: Human.
  Attributes: I.Q. 17, M.E. 15, M.A. 21, P.S. 16, P.P. 19, P.E. 20, 
  P.B. 24, Spd 20.
  Alignment: Scrupulous.
  Experience Level: 5th Level Packmaster.
  Weight: 120 pounds (54 kg). Height: 5 feet, 7 inches (1.7 m).
  Hit Points: 21. S.D.C.: 35 (includes all skill bonuses).
  Age: 22. Sex: Female.
  Skills of Note: Surveillance (78%), Camouflage (38%), Intelli-
  gence (42%), Operate Bio-Equipment (60%), Detect Ambush 
  (50%), Detect Concealment (45%), Art (43%), Language and 
  Literacy (90%), Cooking (48%) and Fencing (+1D6 damage 
  with swords).
  Combat Training: Hand to Hand: Expert.
  Attacks per Melee: 5.
  Combat Bonuses: +2 to Pull Punch, +1 to Strike and +1D6 to 
  damage with sword and dagger, +2 to Roll with punch, fall or 
  impact. +1 to initiative, +1 to parry and dodge, +2 to save vs 
  Horror Factor and Bio-Comm installed.
  Special Notes: Specialized training with a Swords and Sabers. 
  Extremely attractive with curly blond hair, Brazilian facial 
  features and an alluring, athletic, well-toned shape. Large, 
  almond-shaped eyes, with hazel irises and a beauty mark on 
  her left cheek.
  London’s Living Body Armor
  Natahsa’s Packmaster armor is based on the standard Pack-
  master design, with some minor modifications. It is sleeker in 
  helmet design with a visor instead of a circular optic plate.
  Base M.D.C. by Location: Arms (2): 79 each, Forearm Retract-
  able Sabers (2): 16. Legs(2): 77 each, Shoulder/Neck: 48, Col-
  lar: 18, *Moth-Styled Antennae (4): 15 each, **Helmet: 70, and 
  ***Main Body: 132.
  Statistical Data:
  Senses & Features: Antennas (2) and a pair of Eye Stalks 
  equipped with Enhanced Sight and Electromagnetic Vision 
  (+20% to Land Navigation, Motion Detection), Reinforced 
  Knuckles for both hands and a Serrated Whip that spools from 
  the back of the right hand gauntlet.
  Combat Bonuses: +2 to Pull Punch, +1 to Strike and +1D6 to 
  damage with sword and dagger.
  Packmaster Armor Weapons:
  1. Packmaster’s Bio-Sabers (2): One is mounted in a housing 
  in the left forearm, while the other Saber is a handheld weapon.
  2. Burner.
  3. Light Cell Laser Pistol: Upgraded with Target Sight.
  London’s Pack
  London’s Gore Pack has all the unity and functionality that 
  most Packmasters desire. They are well-rounded trackers, recon 
  and certainly exceptional fighters, and operate like a well-oiled 
  machine when it comes to serving their Packmaster. Individually 
  they may be a tad more aggressive and rambunctious; but when 
  they are working alongside one another with a focused task, they 
  are silent predators that are keen on the hunt, whatever the task 
  may be. However, with that being said, London has often found 
  herself and her pack being assigned the task of pursuit, intercep-
  tors and hunters of Machines, Alien Predators and rival Splicers. 
  It is something that her pack seems particularly adept at doing.
  Rowan
  Breed derivative: Pit Bull Terrier.
  Description: Rowan is a well-sculpted, muscular Gorehound 
  built like a thoroughbred gladiator canine. Rowan’s armor is a 
  dark brindle and white, with a white stripe on his muzzle that 
  rises to the crest of his massive head, a large patch of white that 
  dresses his chest and underbelly, and his massive front paws have 
  white mitts. The rest of his armored hide is brown, which helps 
  
  64
  him to blend into his surroundings, particularly in forested or jun-
  gle areas, sewer systems, caverns and at night. Rowan seeks to 
  please his Packmaster with a zeal that makes him easily trainable 
  despite his relentlessness, he just needs to be appointed a task to 
  keep him focused. Rowan is London’s reliable enforcer and he 
  enjoys biting and shaking Machines savagely, shredding them to 
  pieces with his tail wagging; often wildly and unfortunately scat-
  tering metal shrapnel all over the place in the process. He has a 
  bad tendency to be very prey driven when it comes to Alien Pred-
  ators, and unfortunately towards other War Mounts when bored. 
  Rowan will seek to assert his dominance towards other Gore-
  hounds, even when they are not part of London’s pack, which 
  has erupted into several serious fights among Packmasters and 
  their packs. Fortunately, London has enough control to call him 
  off, but Rowan is always itching to scrap if he is not chewing up 
  Machines, and requires London’s firm handling or an appointed 
  task to keep him occupied. It is Rowan’s unquestionable loyalty 
  and gameness that presses him to the top of the pack.
  Pack rank: Alpha.
  Alignment: Scrupulous.
  Height: 4 feet, 6 inches (1.4 m) at the shoulder, 6 feet, 2 inches 
  (1.8 m) to the top of the head.
  Weight: 510 pounds (231 kg) of solid muscle.
  Width: 3 feet, 5 inches (1 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 8 feet (2.4 m) from tip of the nose to the rump, plus a 
  4 foot (1.2 m) tail.
  Age: 4 years.
  Speed: 100 mph (160 km).
  Features: Suction Cups and Gripping Hairs on all paws, Ad-
  vanced Eyes, Reinforced Exoskeleton (+30 M.D.C. to main body 
  and +7 to all other locations), Enhanced Regeneration, Resis-
  tance to Kinetic Energy/ Attacks and Saber Teeth (+4D8 to bite 
  damage).
  Skills of Note: Trust/Intimidate, Charm/Impress.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Shoulder-Mounted Organic Rockets (4 per shoulder).
  2. Bio-Energy Expulsion Vent mounted down the center of the 
  head and can blast enemies while biting them.
  Royce
  Breed derivative: Staffordshire Terrier
  Description: Royce is a well-muscled, yet sleeker version of 
  Rowan, with a contrasting disposition. Royce is the calm, more 
  cool-headed Gorehound of the pack that is extremely protective 
  over her Packmaster, and any others that she feels belongs to her 
  platoon. Royce views platoon members as close, extended mem-
  bers of her pack and will go above and beyond to protect them 
  and to keep them safe, sometimes even being the peacemaker. 
  Because of Rowan’s dominance and aggressive prey drive, Royce 
  has had to come to his aid several times. Royce never starts the 
  fight with other War Mounts or enemies unless commanded, but 
  it is typically her that finishes the fights once they are started.
  Pack rank: Beta (possibly usurping to Alpha status).
  Alignment: Scrupulous.
  Attributes: I.Q. 8, M.E. 11, M.A. 21, P.S. 24, P.P. 16, P.E. 18, 
  P.B. 17, Spd 110.
  Number of Attacks: 5.
  Height: 4 feet, 5 inches (1.3 m) at the shoulder, 6 feet (1.8 m) 
  to the top of the head.
  Weight: 500 pounds (225 kg).
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 8 feet (2.4 m) from tip of the nose to the rump, plus a 
  4 foot (1.2 m) tail.
  Age: 4 years.
  Speed: 100 mph (160 km).
  Features: Enhanced Sight, Acid Blood, Reinforced Exoskel-
  eton, Regeneration: Enhanced.
  Skills of Note: Trust/Intimidate.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Right shoulder-mounted Heat Projector Cannon with Omni 
  upgrade.
  Rocky
  Breed derivative: English Bull Terrier.
  Description: Rocky is an elegant looking cavalier of a Gore-
  hound, with fawn and white markings resembling the pit bull 
  in musculature and build. However, his head has an oval shape 
  that makes him look somewhat comical, which often disguises 
  his fierce tenacity and raw power when he is locked in combat. 
  Rocky is built like an armored tank and with a low center of grav-
  ity, fueling his robust musculature. Despite being the shortest 
  Gorehound in London’s pack, he is also the heaviest and enjoys 
  serving as the pack’s lead charger, often absorbing the brunt of 
  the force and attacks from the opposition while the other Gore-
  hounds strike; enabling London to deliver the killing blow. For 
  Rocky, it’s all in a day’s work, and the aftermath of Bio-Regen-
  eration, and the occasional healing from a Saint or Engineer if 
  available, is simply part of his tough job. Rocky is relentless and 
  highly insensitive to pain, and the more damage that he receives, 
  the more he fights back to return the favor.
  Only Rocky’s clown-like nature supercedes his determination, 
  as he simply enjoys playing and being silly when not given a task. 
  Rocky likes to roughhouse with everyone, and that means liter-
  ally everyone. From sleeping, cranky Roughnecks to the larg-
  est War Mounts, Rocky is always looking for a good wrestling 
  match. Unfortunately, if someone doesn’t intervene, things often 
  get out of control as Rocky doesn’t know how to back down. For 
  Rocky, it’s all a game and he desperately wants to win. Natasha 
  keeps a good eye on him, because it is usually Rocky that stirs up 
  the most trouble despite Rowan’s aggression, and it is Rocky that 
  has gotten London cleaning the corral pens within the haven far 
  more than Rowan ever could.
  Pack rank: Charlie.
  Alignment: Principled.
  Attributes: I.Q. 6, M.E. 10, M.A. 21, P.S. 22, P.P. 18, P.E. 23, 
  P.B. 14, Spd 110.
  Number of Attacks: 5.
  Height: 4 feet, 3 inches (1.3 m) at the shoulder, 5 feet, 7 inches 
  (1.7 m) at the top of the head.
  Weight: 580 pounds (261 kg).
  Width: 3 feet, 5 inches (1 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 7 feet, 5 inches (2.2 m) from tip of the nose to the 
  rump, plus a 2 feet, 6 inch long (0.7 m) tail.
  Age: 3 years.
  Speed: 100 mph (160 km).
  Features: Standard Gorehound War Mount, plus Reinforced 
  Exoskeleton (+30 M.D.C.), Regeneration: Enhanced (1D6 
  M.D.C. per minute (or 6D6x10 M.D.C. per hour) for main body 
  
  65
  and 1D6x10 M.D.C. per hour for all other locations, Bio-Force 
  Field (170 M.D.C.), Increased M.D.C. (+40 M.D.C. and +30 
  pounds/13.5 kg), Horned Defense (attackers rolling 12 or less cut 
  or injure themselves, 2D10 M.D.; running/body block inflicts an 
  additional 2D6 M.D.).
  Skills of Note: Charm/Impress.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Electrical Discharger.
  Blazer
  Blazer is solid jet black with iridescent, blue stripes throughout 
  his armor and blue and white trimming along his sides that make 
  him look like a high-performance racing machine, like the fusion 
  of a dragon and a racing canine. He is massive in height, yet sleek 
  and well-sculpted in pure, lean muscle and built for hyper-speed 
  combat. His head and neck are streamlined and massive, resem-
  bling a Doberman with blade-like ears rather than a thinner Grey-
  hound. Blazer has keen eyes that sift through his surroundings 
  as he is prowling or running, automatically scouring, searching, 
  locking onto and tracking anything that moves with his built-in 
  motion detection. It is as if he is more machine than creature. 
  Blazer is always serious business because he is the fastest, and 
  he serves the pack as scout and point, making him the first to 
  engage any threat. He serves London as the scout and performs 
  with precision and efficiency that is unseen in most Gorehounds. 
  When Blazer is engaging enemies, he will utilize his speed and 
  quick darting and jumping to close the distance while firing his 
  Bio-Energy Expulsion Vents to strike at opponents. Once in close 
  proximity, he will use his Electrical Discharger to shock and stun 
  them, thus disabling or stunning the opponent and giving the rest 
  of the pack enough time to join the fray. Blazer will then seek to 
  target the next adversary to soften them up for the pack and so 
  on. If there are no other adversaries, then Blazer will continue 
  fighting with the same opponent using strafe attacks and hit and 
  run tactics.
  Pack rank: Delta.
  Alignment: Scrupulous.
  Attributes: I.Q. 6, M.E. 10, M.A. 21, P.S. 22, P.P. 18, P.E. 23, 
  P.B. 14, Spd 138.
  Number of Attacks: 5.
  Height: 5 feet, 6 inches (1.7 m) at the shoulder, 6 feet, 8 inches 
  (2 m) at the top of the head.
  Weight: 500 pounds (225 kg).
  Width: 3 feet, 6 inches (1 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 8 feet (2.4 m) from the tip of the nose to the rump, 
  plus a 4 foot (1.2 m) tail.
  Age: 2 years.
  Speed: 140 mph (224 km), with Speed Burst (double speed for 
  3D4 melees).
  Features: Motion Detection, Elongated Running Legs (+20 
  mph/32 km), Enhanced Speed x5 (+25 mph/40 km) and Leaping 
  Legs.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Shoulder-mounted Bio-Energy Expulsion Vents (2): One 
  per shoulder.
  2. Lightning Discharger.
  Hinks
  Breed derivative: Hinks Bull Terrier.
  Description: Hinks is a solid white, English Bull Terrier Gore-
  hound, resembling a solid white pit bull with a black nose and 
  black eyes and is based on the original Bull and Terrier bred be-
  fore the development of the oval-shaped head. Hinks reminds 
  London so much of the father figure that would come and visit 
  her; that she couldn’t deny naming this Gorehound any other 
  name but one to honor him. Hinks exudes the versatility and 
  original purpose of designing and using Gorehounds. When he is 
  around people and the area is considered safe, he is solid white, 
  but when he is going into the field or getting ready to engage, he 
  shifts into the chameleon patterns and it is all serious business 
  from there. He is still learning to adjust to Natasha’s moods and 
  various orders, but he is having more of a tough time adapting 
  and tolerating Rowan’s dominance. Still maturing, Hinks learns 
  from the pack as much as he can and is very close to Royce, who 
  steps in when Rowan and Rocky get too rough with him.
  Pack rank: Omega.
  Alignment: Aberrant.
  Attributes: I.Q. 6, M.E. 8, M.A. 22, P.S. 19, P.P. 17, P.E. 20, 
  P.B. 14, Spd 138.
  Number of Attacks: 5.
  Height: 4 feet, 5 inches (1.3 m) at the shoulder, 6 feet (1.8 m) 
  to the top of the head.
  Weight: 500 pounds (225 kg).
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 7 feet, 5 inches (2.2 m) from the tip of the nose to the 
  rump, plus a 3 foot (0.9 m) tail.
  Age: 2 years.
  Speed: 120 mph (192 km).
  Skills of Note: Hunting and Trust/Intimidate.
  Features: Elongated Running Legs (+20 mph/32 km), Rein-
  forced Exoskeleton, Chameleon Skin and Medium Fangs (+2D8 
  M.D. added to bite damage).
  Known Weapons:
  1. Electrical Discharger.
  2. Combat Tail.
  Packmaster Drunilla “Dru” Azurtha
  Unlike most Splicers who were born into the harsh world, Dru-
  nilla was born into the well-protected haven of Barren Marsh and 
  more fortunate for her, she was born the first daughter to Dread-
  guard Senator, Valerie Azurtha. Dru, as she has been nicknamed, 
  grew up in a very loving household, as her parents did their best 
  to help her find her own path in this world. They arranged a trip 
  for their ten year old daughter to the Barracks, the Armory, the 
  Corrals, the Academies and to a Gene Pool where she met the an-
  gelic Engineer, Christine. Dru’s parents wanted her to see all the 
  choices she could make in regards to deciding how she could one 
  day contribute to humanity. While at the Corral, Dru was capti-
  vated with the array of War Mounts and she was awestruck at 
  the feats they could perform. Valerie enjoyed seeing the sparkle 
  in her daughter’s eyes and how she lit up with excitement every 
  time she saw the War Mounts. The Senator found peace in her 
  daughter’s eyes and smile when they visited the Corrals and for 
  that moment, the other concerns of the world had disappeared 
  from the heart of the Dreadguard. One day Dru slipped and fell 
  into the pens as several Grendels were roughhousing each other 
  over some meat. Dru was almost torn to pieces, had it not been 
  for the fast, natural reactions of a Gorehound that charged into the 
  
  66
  flurry of Grendels, knocking one over and scooping Dru up in its 
  maw. The deep growl that uttered through the teeth of the Gore-
  hound as it stared at the Grendels, causing them to immediately 
  drop the meat and back away from Dru, had won her heart over. 
  The Gorehound slowly walked up to the wall with Dru safely in 
  its maw and returned her back to her mother before being called 
  by its Packmaster.
  Six years later, Dru returned to the majestic Engineer with fer-
  vor and awe as she was acquiring her own pack. It was the happi-
  est day of her life. Unfortunately, it was also the beginning of her 
  being exposed to the harsh reality that Splicers lived as her moth-
  er was reassigned to the Great House of Deluvane. The relocation 
  and pilgrimage forced Dru to experience the harsh surface condi-
  tions, various attacks from the Machine, new alien predators and 
  the dire habitats that resided outside of the protected borders of 
  Barren Marsh. The conveniences of Great Barren Marsh were 
  a far cry from what Deluvane started with, and Dru was forced 
  to adapt to a new, deadly form of living and survival as she was 
  deeply hurt with the passing of both her parents while she was out 
  on recon for House Deluvane.
  Drunilla is cunning and unpredictable; favoring to think out-
  side the box. Where others zig, she zags. A true oddball, she 
  would much rather spend time with Gorehounds than with hu-
  mans.
  Dru is often heard talking to her pack, with pauses as if they 
  are responding to her. A quick thinker, she will take in a situation, 
  come up with the best (to her) plan and then execute it.
  Race: Human.
  Alignment: Scrupulous.
  Attributes: I.Q. 22, M.E. 12, M.A. 27, P.S. 12, P.P. 12, P.E. 13, 
  P.B. 15, Spd 23.
  Experience Level: 2nd level Packmaster.
  Hit Points: 21. S.D.C.: 35 (includes all skill bonuses)
  Weight: 155 pounds (70 kg), Height: 5 feet, 10 inches (1.5 m).
  Age: 19. Sex: Female.
  Skills of Note: Surveillance (48%), Camouflage (38%), Intelli-
  gence (42%), Operate Bio-Equipment (53%), Detect Ambush 
  (43%), Detect Concealment (43%), Art (43%), Language and 
  Literacy (90%), Cooking (48%) and Fencing (+1D6 damage 
  with swords).
  Combat Training: Hand to Hand: Expert.
  Attacker per Melee: 4.
  Combat Bonuses: +2 to Pull Punch, +1 to Strike and +1D6 to 
  damage with sword and dagger, +2 to Roll with punch, fall or 
  impact. +1 to initiative, +1 to parry and dodge, +2 to save vs 
  Horror Factor and Bio-Comm installed.
  Weapons of Note: Azurtha’s swords have solid black blades 
  with a blue vein going down the middle.
  Special Notes: Specialized training with a Bola.
  Dru’s Packmaster Armor
  Her Living Armor is a pale blue in the throat, chest and under-
  belly (slightly darker than her hair), with black and red highlights.
  Base M.D.C. by Location: Arms (2): 74 each, Legs(2): 74 each, 
  Shoulder/Neck: 55, Collar: 4, **Helmet: 70, and ***Main Body: 
  122.
  Statistical Data:
  Senses & Features: 2 Eye Stalks equipped with Advanced 
  Eyes, One Eye Stalk has Nightvision, the other has Enhanced 
  Sight, and one central Antenna mounted on the helmet. Sensi-
  tivity Whiskers mounted on the helmet and Enhanced Leap (5 
  feet/1.5 m).
  Combat Bonuses: +2 to Pull Punch, +1 to Strike and +1D6 to 
  damage with sword and dagger.
  Weapons:
  1. Bio-Energy Expulsion Vent: mounted on Right forearm.
  2. (2) Bio-Swords.
  Dru’s Pack
  Drunilla’s Gorehounds are truly her heart and soul and any 
  Splicer that attacks or brings harm to them has garnered an enemy 
  for life. The Gore Pack serves her well and she views them more 
  than her pack... she views them each as her family. Jin functions 
  as the Alpha and the domineering tank of the pack and rarely 
  leaves Drunilla’s side. On the few occasions Jin is commanded to 
  leave or to go assist Raye and Blue, she will do so with devotion, 
  but as soon as her task is done she will race back to her Pack-
  master. Raye and Blue are far more independent and act as Dru’s 
  roving eyes and ears.
  Jin
  Breed derivative: Bouvier de Flandres.
  Description: Jin is a massive, solidly built Gorehound, covered 
  in solid shadow black with a massive chest built like a ram-prow 
  and a broad head and muzzle with pulverizing jaws that have 
  shredded many Machines. Jin’s legs are robust and help serve as 
  powerful weights when she is slamming her weight around. Jin 
  is a no-nonsense sort of Gorehound and can be guilty of being 
  over-protective of Dru.
  Pack rank: Alpha Female.
  Alignment: Scrupulous.
  Attributes: I.Q. 8, M.E. 11, M.A. 21, P.S. 24, P.P. 16, P.E. 18, 
  P.B. 17, Spd 110.
  Height: 4 feet, 6 inches (1.4 m) to the shoulder, 6 feet, 2 inches 
  (1.9 m) at the top of the head.
  Weight: 500 lbs (225 kg).
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 8 feet (2.4 m) from the tip of the nose to the rump, 
  plus a 1 foot (0.3 m) docked tail.
  Age: 3 years.
  Speed: 100 mph (160 km).
  Features: Standard Gorehound War Mount. plus Advanced 
  Eyes, Nightvision, Advanced Senses, Sight Transmission, Re-
  generation: Basic, Regeneration: Enhanced, Resistance to Physi-
  cal Attacks, Reinforced Body (chest is a ram-prow), Protector 
  Skill Package (see The Rifter® #59).
  Skills of Note: Trust/Intimidate, Charm/Impress.
  Raye
  Description: Raye is a muscular, yet streamlined Gorehound 
  with no ancient Breed aesthetic. Her armored hide is solid black 
  with a white chest shield plate and a white mitt on her left front 
  paw. Raye enjoys licking the faces of her fellow platoon-mates, 
  often to the point that she has found herself tongue kissing an 
  unwary Splicer. Raye seems to enjoy the reaction and shock that 
  the Splicers have when they realize that she has just licked them 
  
  67
  inside their mouths. Her puppy like antics often help her get out 
  of any trouble.
  Pack rank: Beta Female.
  Alignment: Aberrant.
  Attributes: I.Q. 6, M.E. 12, M.A. 19, P.S. 22, P.P. 18, P.E. 17, 
  P.B. 16, Spd 110.
  Height: 4 feet (1.2 m) at the shoulder, 6 feet (1.8 m) at the top 
  of the head.
  Weight: 400 lbs (180 kg).
  Width: 3 feet, 5 inches (1 m) from shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 7 feet (2.1 m) from the tip of the nose to the rump, 
  plus a 3 foot (0.9 m) tail.
  Age: 3 years.
  Speed: 100 mph (160 km).
  Features: Standard Gorehound War Mount, plus Advanced 
  Eyes, Nightvision, Advanced Senses, Sight Transmission, Re-
  generation: Basic, Regeneration: Enhanced and Trench Foot 
  Mines (one on each lower leg).
  Skills of Note: Trust/Intimidate, Charm/Impress.
  Blue
  Description: Blue is a firmly built, yet sleek and built for speed 
  Gorehound with no ancient Breed aesthetic. Blue’s armored hide 
  is solid black with a white chest shield plate and a white sleeve 
  on her right front leg. Blue is a twin litter mate to Raye, born first 
  from an anomaly (only 2% chance) not often seen within Gene 
  Pools. There is a noted bond between Blue and Raye that allows 
  them to work seamlessly and cohesively as a team, even more so 
  than standard Gorehound packmates (+2 to strike and +1 to parry 
  melee attacks) when they are working together.
  Pack rank: Omega.
  Alignment: Scrupulous.
  Attributes: I.Q. 5, M.E. 14, M.A. 18, P.S. 21, P.P. 18, P.E. 23, 
  P.B. 16, Spd 138.
  Height: 4.5 (1.3 m) at the shoulder, 6 feet (1.8 m) to the top 
  of the head.
  Weight: 400 pounds (180 kg).
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 7 feet (2.1 m) from the tip of the nose to the rump, 
  plus a 3 foot (0.9 m) Hammer tail.
  Age: 3 years.
  Speed: 120 mph (192 km).
  Features: Standard Gorehound War Mount, plus Advanced 
  Eyes, Nightvision, Advanced Senses, Sight Transmission, Re-
  generation: Basic, Regeneration: Enhanced, Elongated Legs 
  (double the speed for up to 3D4 melees) and Bio-Energy Expul-
  sion Vent mounted on the top of her head that fires in sync with 
  or in alternating pulses from her blue optic visor.
  Special Feature: Blue is named after her namesake for she does 
  not have typical Gorehound eyes. Instead she has a sleek, sinis-
  ter looking visor that is a deep, crystal blue sapphire color from 
  which she can fire icy blue Bio-Energy Blasts. However, when 
  she fires the visor blast she is temporarily blinded for 1 melee 
  action from the residual glare. The visor can fire simultaneously 
  or in synchronized oscillating pulses with the head-mounted Bio-
  Energy Expulsion Vent. This visor was gifted to Blue by request 
  of Dru’s mother as a reminder of the sparkle in Dru’s eyes despite 
  the dreaded world around her.
  Skills of Note: Trust/Intimidate, Charm/Impress.
  Guthrum Reigns
  Guthrum was recruited into the Resistance shortly after his 
  Norse inspired Retro-Village was overwhelmed and inevitably 
  destroyed by a roving, homicidal group of wasteland Maraud-
  ers. Having vowed to never be outmatched again, Guthrum 
  traveled to the Barren Marsh where he was recruited into the 
  Outrider program. Bonding with his Host Armor, “Avalanche” 
  and his Behemoth, “Mjölnir,” Guthrum was amazed at how 
  much thundering power could be combined between a Host 
  Armor and a War Mount. Guthrum was convinced that there 
  wasn’t anything better nor more powerful that the Resistance 
  could forge. Guthrum was awed by the Behemoth he beheld 
  and wanted to study the War Mount’s capabilities and limits 
  comprehensively. He has pushed the very limits of his Mjöl-
  nir like no other Behemoth Outrider without being abusive, 
  foolishly reckless or costing his War Mount’s life. Guthrum’s 
  impressive field prowess and tactics didn’t go unnoticed and 
  he was assigned as an Outrider Trainer to help develop the 
  “Outrider Core.” The Outrider Core is an elite special training 
  camp conducted at the Great House of Barren Marsh where 
  only the best of the best War Mount pilots within the Resis-
  tance are sent to train and hone their skills. Guthrum Reigns 
  is making a reputable name for himself among the Resistance 
  ground forces, particularly Outriders, and is seeking to build 
  an elite regiment of Outriders called the “Vanguard.” Guthrum 
  wants to lead a massive force of War Mounts against the next 
  targeted Computer Core and is looking to utilize the Vanguard 
  so that they can repeat the victory that the Barren Marsh has 
  enjoyed. Guthrum is very stubborn, humorous and boisterous 
  when not in combat, but is even louder and extremely compet-
  itive in combat. Despite his unruly behavior at times, Guthrum 
  is a very noble, trustworthy warrior that seeks to do the most 
  for his team. Guthrum has suffered many head concussions 
  in combat and typically has to be ordered to visit a Saint or 
  Engineer for treatments as he is simply too stubborn to seek 
  or ask for help.
  Attributes: I.Q. 13, M.E. 14, M.A. 14, P.S. 26, P.P. 17, P.E. 23, 
  P.B. 12, Spd 14.
  Alignment: Unprincipled.
  Hit Points: 48, S.D.C.: 52.
  Height: 6 feet, 4 inches (1.9 m). Weight: 224 pounds (101 kg).
  Experience Level: 7th level Outrider.
  Skills of Note: Basic Military, War Mount Rider, Cowboy and 
  Weapons Training (includes W.P. Blunt, W.P. Sword, W.P. 
  Reverse Stroke and W.P. Siege Weapons) Programs.
  Combat Training: Hand to Hand: Expert, Wrestling, W.P. Blunt 
  (+3 strike, +3 parry, +1 thrown), W.P. Sword (+3 strike, +3 
  parry, +1 thrown), W.P. Siege Weapons (+2 strike) and W.P. 
  Paired.
  Attacks per Melee: 5 /6*/7**
  Combat Bonuses: +1/+1*/+4** initiative, +3/+1*/+4** strike, 
  +1** strike with long-range attacks, +4/+3*/+3** parry, 
  +3/+2*/+3** dodge, +2 disarm, +3/+4*/+2** roll with punch/
  fall/impact, +3 pull punch, Karate Punch, Karate Kick, Criti-
  cal Strike on a natural roll of 18, 19, or 20.
  * Additional bonus from Host Armor, Avalanche.
  ** Additional bonus from his personal War Mount, Mjöl-
  nir.
  
  68
  Avalanche Host Armor
  Avalanche’s head and neck resembles a broad polar bear 
  (without the formidable canines), with a hulking, grizzly bear-
  like body. Massive Casting Cannons are mounted on each shoul-
  der. Super Light Cells adorn each forearm where Guthrum can 
  raise his arms as if each arm was holding a shield and is able to 
  aim and fire the Super Light Cell beams at enemy targets.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 8 feet (2.4 m). Guthrum’s actual head is located in Ava-
  lanche’s helmet chamber in the upper chest.
  Width: 5 feet (1.5 m) from shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 3 feet (0.9 m), 6 feet (1.8 m) including the length of the 
  shoulder-mounted Casting Cannons.
  Weight: 750 pounds (338 kg), including Guthrum’s weight.
  Physical Strength: 35 Splicer Strength (equivalent to Robot).
  Horror Factor: 7 for humans, none against Machines.
  Host Armor Features: Standard, plus Lithovore Metabolism, 
  Radar, Seismic Senses, x2 Enhanced Physical Strength (Guth-
  rum’s P.S.: 35) and Hands: Armored Skin.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Dual Shoulder-Mounted Casting Cannons (2): Damage: 
  3D6+6 M.D./1D8x10+16 M.D., Range: 2,800 feet (853 m).
  2. Lightning Discharger: Damage: 4D12 M.D., Range: 10 
  feet (3 m).
  3. Super Light Cells (4): Damage: up to 4D10 M.D., Range: 
  1,000 feet (305 m).
  Mjölnir
  Mjölnir is a formidable, loyal Behemoth War Mount that is 
  fond of humans and protecting his Outrider. Mjölnir is so full of 
  testosterone that it fuels his temper. He has very little patience 
  for being tested and he detests the presence of deadly predators 
  within a 10 foot (3 m) proximity. Carnivore Host Armors and 
  other War Mounts have been subjected to rough pushing and 
  shoving and the occasional ramming or mock charging when 
  they get too close. He will utilize his built-in Light Cell eye 
  beams to fire upon adversaries that are too close to engage with 
  his ranged weapons. The great Behemoth has cleverly learned 
  to use his super light cell blasts to guide unwary enemies into 
  traps.
  Attributes of Note: P.S. 40 (Supernatural), P.E. 23. All other 
  attributes are average.
  Class: Troop Support/Tank.
  Crew: One Rider.
  Level: 7.
  M.D.C. of Note: Main Body: 790, Head: 427. All other loca-
  tions are standard Behemoth War Mount plus an additional 37 
  M.D.C.
  Equivalent (instinctive) Skills of Note: Begging 70%, Climb 
  55%/40%, Herding 65%, Identify Plants & Fruits 90%, Land 
  Navigation 78%, Prowl 36%, Swim 75% and understands the 
  Native Language of its Great House 70%.
  War Mount Features of Note: Standard, plus: Radar, Armored 
  Head Crest, Bio-Force Field (150 M.D.C.), Horned Defense and 
  Reinforced Exoskeleton.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Casting Gun Cannons (6) – Damage: 1D8x10+30 per in-
  dividual round fired, Range: 11,000 feet (3,353 m).
  2. Organic Rocks (32) – Damage: 5D10 M.D., Range: 1 mile 
  (1.6 km), Rate of Fire: 1 at a time or volleys of 2, 4, 6 or 8.
  3. Super Light Cells (4) – Damage: up to 4D10 M.D., Range: 
  1,000 feet (305 m).
  4. Large Tusks – Damage: +4D8 M.D. added to 2D4 M.D. 
  bite.
  November Lexington
  The Outrider known as “November” is not the most outgo-
  ing individual. She is more of a soft-spoken loner with a sweet 
  heart that has bottled up so much pain that she emotionally scru-
  tinizes everything around herself to avoid building emotional ties 
  or attachments. November keeps to herself and speaks very little 
  to those not within her social circle. Those who are closest to 
  her call her “Lexy” and they accept that she means well despite 
  her irritating shyness. Her friends know that her shyness stems 
  from horrific experiences that November is still getting over. 
  November and her haven sweetheart, Ramus Lexington, joined 
  the Roughneck Infantry the same day and trained together re-
  ligiously. They soon married and served as part of the haven’s 
  Guardians. An Infiltrator Robot disguised as a wounded woman 
  managed to get past House Deluvane’s security perimeter and 
  immediately engaged the base defenders. Ramus fought valiantly 
  until his dying breath in order to allow as many civilians as possi-
  ble to escape the carnage. November was fighting by his side, but 
  she was dragged off by her Roughneck comrades as she wanted 
  to pursue the Infiltrator into the dark, twisted catacombs where 
  the advantage easily shifts to the Infiltrator. The Infiltrator was 
  inevitably located and hunted down by the haven Marshals and 
  Scarecrows, but the carnage and bloodshed haunts many Delu-
  vane citizens till this day. November went into a deep depression 
  but was forced to continue to serve in the Roughneck Infantry.
  Later in the year, November’s face was horribly burned when 
  she encountered a large piece of what was some sort of ancient 
  vehicle loosely covered in dirt. She barely escaped the ensuing 
  Nano-plague response. Her face has been physically healed, but 
  her emotional scars and nightmares since the horrific attack have 
  made her insecure about not having enough protection against 
  metal objects. Not only does November quickly seek to upgrade 
  her coveted Host Armor, “Cygnus Rain,” with every opportu-
  nity she gets, Lexington has also walked away from being in the 
  Roughneck Infantry and became a Behemoth Outrider. Now with 
  her massive puppy that she named Bronx, she is passionate about 
  giving the Machines some retribution.
  Attributes: I.Q. 12, M.E. 12, M.A. 9, P.S. 19, P.P. 17, P.E. 18, 
  P.B. 18, Spd 27.
  Alignment: Anarchist.
  Hit Points: 37. S.D.C.: 34.
  Height: 5 feet, 4 inches (1.6 m). Weight: 116 pounds (52 kg).
  Experience Level: 4th level Outrider.
  Skills of Note: Basic Military, War Mount Rider, Bio-Technolo-
  gy and Infantryman Programs.
  Combat Training: Hand to Hand: Expert, W.P. Bio-Weapons: 
  Light (+2 strike).
  Attacks per Melee: 5/+1*/+2**.
  Combat Bonuses: +1/+1*/+4** initiative, +3/+1*/+4** strike, 
  +1** strike with long-range attacks, +4/+2*/+3** parry, 
  +3/+1*/+3** dodge, +2 disarm, +2/+2*/+2** roll with punch/
  fall/impact, +4/+1* pull punch.
  
  69
  * Additional bonus from Host Armor, Cygnus.
  ** Additional bonus from her personal War Mount, Bronx.
  Cygnus Rain Host Armor
  Cygnus Rain resembles a beautiful yet stocky, solid white 
  eagle with a swan-like head, sleek black visor for eyes, and a 
  bright yellow-orange raptor beak. The beak is filled with a row 
  of small serrated teeth for feeding and the rest of the body is 
  insect-like with iridescent hues of emerald and blue. Rain has a 
  massive Bore cannon mounted on the right shoulder and a ser-
  rated Forearm Bone blade on her right forearm. A series of Fly-
  ing Blades are concealed and housed throughout her shoulders 
  and left forearm.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 6 feet, 6 inches (2 m). November’s head is located in 
  Cygnus Rain’s helmet chamber in the upper chest.
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 3 feet (0.9 m), 4 feet (1.2 m) including the length of the 
  shoulder-mounted Bore Cannon.
  Weight: 475 pounds (214 kg), including November’s weight.
  Physical Strength: 35 Splicer Strength (equivalent to Robot).
  Horror Factor: 7 for humans, none against Machines.
  Host Armor Features: Standard, plus Omnivore Metabolism, 
  Radar, Seismic Senses, x2 Enhanced Physical Strength (Cygnus’ 
  P.S.: 35) and Hands: Armored Skin.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Mega-Omni Bore Cannon: Damage: 6D10 M.D. initially 
  and 2D10+6 M.D. for 1D6 rounds, Range: 4,000 feet (1,219 m).
  2. Flying Blades (8): Damage: 1D4 M.D. per blade, Range: 
  30 feet (9.1 m).
  3. Forearm Bone Blade: Damage: 4D6 M.D.
  Bronx
  Bronx is a playful, yet rowdy Behemoth that is still learning 
  his ropes in the field. He adores his November and likes to get 
  her attention and approval. When engaged in combat and not in-
  terfaced with November, Bronx can prove to be very feisty and 
  stubborn. He refuses to back down or retreat from a threat, no 
  matter the numbers opposing him. November is the only force 
  that he fears, and he will always return to his puppy-like mindset 
  when it comes to her affection. However, if November is threat-
  ened, he becomes a fierce storm to reckon with.
  Attributes of Note: I.Q. 6, M.A. 16. All other attributes are average.
  M.D.C. of Note: Main Body: 880, Head: 320, All other locations 
  have an additional 37 M.D.C.
  Equivalent (instinctive) Skills of Note: Begging 70%, Climb 
  55%/40%, Herding 65%, Identify Plants & Fruits 90%, Land 
  Navigation 78%, Prowl 11%, Swim 50% and understands the 
  Native Language of its Great House 70%.
  War Mount Features of Note: Standard, plus Nightvision Eyes, 
  Seismic Senses, x5 Increased M.D.C. (+150 lbs/67.5 kg, +200 
  M.D.C.), Regeneration: Enhanced (1D6 M.D.C. per minute) and 
  Resistance to Heat.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Opti-Casting Gun Cannons* (6): Damage: 1D8x10+30 
  per individual round fired, Range: 11,000 feet (3,353 m), reduce 
  Critical Strike number by -1; i.e.: normal Critical Strike of 18-20 
  now becomes 17-20. (*See The Rifter® #50 for the Opti up-
  grade.)
  2. Organic Rocks (32): Damage: 5D10 M.D., Range: 1 mile 
  (1.6 km), Rate of Fire: 1 at a time or volleys of 2, 4, 6 or 8.
  3. Heat Projector Cannon: Damage: 5D8 M.D for a light 
  blast or 1D8x10+10 for a heavy blast. Range: 1,800 feet (549 m).
  Val Skyeborn
  As a child, Val enjoyed looking up at the stars. He would 
  dream of flying in the sky and soaring with the birds and star-
  ships of the Golden Age. One day, when he was 12 years old, he 
  saw multiple large shadows overhead. The shadows turned out 
  to be a flight of Dracos heading off to another front in the war 
  against the forces of N.E.X.U.S. He ran in the direction they flew 
  and found that they had landed not too far away. Val marveled 
  at their power, their designs, their morphology and their ability 
  to rule the skies. Ever since that day, he decided that despite his 
  initiatal desire to become an Archangel, he would join the Re-
  sistance to one day fly the ultimate predator of the skies and be 
  able to reclaim the heavens. Val Skyeborn has a deep passion for 
  flying that seems abnormal, and borderline compulsive. He has 
  flown with wing packs and flown on a Zephyr War Mounts, but 
  nothing overrides his dreams of piloting the legendary Dracos.
  Val has worked hard to become a Dracos Outrider and enjoys 
  every minute that he can take to fly his beautiful Dracos, “Tem-
  pest Ariel.” Val tends to get upset upon occasion because he is 
  limited as to how much flight time he can enjoy with Tempest 
  due to the swarming patrols of Machines that roam the land and 
  how quickly they can alert the orbiting Sky Fighters that patrol 
  the skies. However, it is the need for saving his fellow soldiers 
  and seeking to restore the human race that pushes Val beyond his 
  own ideals and needs. Val is a rare type of pure-hearted hero who 
  doesn’t seek some favored housing within haven society, nor he-
  roic fame and accolades for deeds that he has done. He doesn’t 
  seek rank or a seat in the high Senate. Val only seeks to reclaim 
  the planet from the Machine and to see peace restored to the sur-
  vivors of this world. Val fights to acknowledge and accept that it 
  is not just the Machine that threatens his belief in ultimate peace. 
  He tries to see the good in everyone, even when they don’t or 
  refuse to see it in themselves. Val has learned the precious value 
  of life, and will only kill another human being as a last resort. 
  However, Val’s respect for life doesn’t stop him from seriously 
  wounding or crippling rival Splicers or disabling Wastecrawlers 
  when given the chance; he simply abhors the killing of his own 
  fellow man.
  Attributes: I.Q. 12, M.E. 12, M.A. 11, P.S. 19, P.P. 26, P.E. 15, 
  P.B. 17, Spd 17.
  Alignment: Principled.
  Hit Points: 40. S.D.C.: 34.
  Height: 5 feet, 7 inches (2.1 m). Weight: 152 pounds (68 kg).
  Experience Level: 5th level Outrider.
  Skills of Note: Basic Military, War Mount Rider, Bio-Technolo-
  gy and Language Specialist (Bartering, Sign Language, Speak 
  Japanese and Russian, Literacy: Japanese and Russian) pro-
  grams.
  Combat Training: Hand to Hand: Basic, W.P. Sword (+2 strike, 
  +2 parry, +1 thrown), W.P. Knife (+2 strike, +2 parry, +2 
  thrown).
  Attacks per Melee: 5/ 6*/ 7**.
  Combat Bonuses: +4*/+4** initiative, +7/+3*/+4** strike, 
  +1** strike with long-range attacks, +8/+2*/+3** parry, 
  
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  +8/+2*/+3** dodge, +12* auto-dodge, +1/+1* disarm, 
  +2/+5*/+2** roll with punch/fall/impact, +2/+1* pull punch.
  * Additional bonus from Host Armor, Orion.
  ** Additional bonus from her personal War Mount, Tem-
  pest Ariel.
  Orion Host Armor
  Orion is a smooth, sleek looking Host Armor that looks as if 
  it was painted with the vacuum of space, with hints of its illus-
  trious, colorful nebulas swirling along its shoulders and chest 
  plates. Only the sleek, sinister, parallel slits that form along 
  the helmet’s visor and insect-like plating help remind people 
  that this armor is not just some beautiful imitation of space, 
  but is actually a deadly war machine bred for battle. For Val 
  Skyeborn, Orion is a reminder that humans have to focus and 
  preserve hope and seek to flee this horrid planet if they can and 
  that they may be able to survive in the vast freedom of space. 
  Orion is Val’s personal reminder that this planet does not repre-
  sent all that there is to life. Every time Val suits up, he whispers 
  a prayer for finding a way off the planet and taking the best of 
  mankind with him. Orion is the key that will help him accom-
  plish this and that he has to mentally turn off Val the human and 
  become Val the Knight in order to achieve his objectives: one 
  day at a time, one life at a time.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 6 feet, 7 inches (2 m).
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 2 feet, 6 inches (0.7 m).
  Weight: 500 pounds (225 kg), including Val’s weight.
  Physical Strength: 33 Splicer Strength (equivalent to Robot).
  Horror Factor: 7 for humans, none against Machines.
  Host Armor Features: Standard, plus Thermosynthetic Metabo-
  lism, Thermo-imaging/infrared/ultraviolet vision, Armored Eyes, 
  Compound Eyes, Motion Detection, Radar, Resistance to Heat, 
  Enhanced Neurological Connections, Organic Thrusters (220 
  mph/352 km) with a maximum altitude of 25,000 feet (7,620 m) 
  and Righting Reflexes.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Forearm-Mounted Bio-Energy Expulsion Vents (2): 
  Damage: 2D8+15 M.D. per Vent, Range: 1,800 feet (549 m).
  “Tempest Ariel” Dracos War Mount
  A magnificent beast, Tempest Ariel enjoys soaring in the wide 
  open skies of mountain ranges, above lakes and oceans. She also 
  enjoys swimming at high-speeds through the massive bodies of 
  water. What she doesn’t like are the annoying machines in the 
  skies and on land that her Outrider calls robots. Tempest fights 
  ferociously to protect the soldiers that she ushers in and out of 
  battle and will stay in the fight to make sure that Val and the rest 
  of the soldiers make it back home. This exotic, beautiful Dracos 
  is a deep violet with crimson and black markings, and exudes 
  unbridled power fueled with a fiery heart.
  Attributes of Note: I.Q. 7 P.P. 20. All other attributes are aver-
  age.
  M.D.C. of Note: Main Body: 880, Heads (3, heavily reinforced): 
  210 each.
  Equivalent (instinctive) Skills of Note: Climb 55%/25%, Land 
  Navigation 88%, Swim 45%, Track by Scent 75% and under-
  stands the Native Language of the Great House that created it.
  War Mount Features of Note: Standard Dracos, plus Stealth 
  Field.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Enhanced Bio-Napalm Thrower: Damage: 6D12 M.D. 
  per each initial blast, and napalm burns for 1D4 minutes doing 
  an additional 6D12 M.D. per melee, Range: 1,000 feet (305 m).
  2. Smoky Ink Dispensers (2).
  3. Head-Mounted Super Light Cells (6 – One Cell be-
  hind each eye): Damage: 1D10+5 M.D. per beam fired, up to 
  6D10+30. Range: 2,000 feet (610 m).
  4. Needle Death Blossom: Damage: 1 M.D. to 1D12x10 
  M.D., Range: 30 feet (9.1 m) when fired on the ground, 300 feet 
  (91.4 m) when fired in the air.
  5. Organic Rockets (6): Damage: 5D10 M.D. each, Range: 
  One mile (1.6 km).
  Creed
  As your “typical” Biotic, Creed’s story is not that much 
  different from any other Biotic. Creed, before his conversion 
  into a Biotic, was a sergeant attached to a company of Rough-
  necks and their supporting Militiamen. During one particular 
  battle, Creed and his unit who were defending a Retro-village, 
  were ordered to leave their post and engage N.E.X.U.S. and 
  her forces that were assaulting friendly forces nearby. When 
  the battle was over and Creed returned to the Retro-village, 
  there was nothing left but burning buildings and dead bodies. 
  No one could confirm giving Creed the order to abandon his 
  post. There are rumors that a band of Wasteland Marauders 
  were seen in the area of his missing band, but these are only 
  “rumors.” Creed and his entire unit were arrested despite their 
  passionate protests and inevitably court-martialed. Their pun-
  ishment: Biotic conversion!
  Creed has been reborn an indigo blue massive beast of carnage 
  and destruction who has an insatiable drive for overkill. He is 
  the Deluvane Librarian’s take on the Sasquatch legends of old, 
  but even the folktales pale in comparison to the walking night-
  mare that is called Creed. He is extremely fast and explosive in 
  speed and power for someone of his scale due to his thrusters and 
  predatory musculature. He is relentless in his hunts and pursuit 
  of quarry, and will unleash an unbridled tenacity on any adver-
  sary that he engages in combat. Creed’s body is abnormally big, 
  even for a Biotic, and he is purposely packed with a deadly array 
  of bio-enhancements to try and make him into the perfect living 
  weapon.
  What is becoming a rising concern is that some of Creed’s pla-
  toon partners (fellow Biotics and a few Roughnecks) who have 
  gone into small missions have not been returning, only Creed. 
  The Librarians who probe him know what’s truly going on and 
  they are using him as their test subject. Creed would have pos-
  sibly been culled a long time ago had it not been for his field 
  efficiency and combative prowess against the Machines. Creed 
  will always try to bribe platoon mates to go out on solo trips with 
  him to scout ahead, or to go hunt for food for the resting pla-
  toon, or to investigate some noise that he has supposedly heard 
  where he hopefully can get anyone of lower rank or from another 
  Great House, alone. Individuals who become apparently suspi-
  cious of Creed’s behaviors will find themselves being saved more 
  often than usual as he tries to make them secondguess their gut 
  instincts. If they continue to act suspicious of him and if he sus-
  
  71
  pects the individual is not convinced of his acts of valor, then he 
  will go into deceitful, sabotaging methods to try to inflict severe 
  accidents upon them.
  Any one or two individuals lured alone with Creed will learn 
  of a new Creed to engage with as he either becomes a vicious, 
  cannibalistic and full-blown predator (01-49%) or he becomes a 
  playful prankster playing a game of cat and mouse or hide and 
  seek (50-00%), lasting for up to 2D6 Actions. The Deluvane 
  Librarian, Tesla, is fully aware of Creed’s behavior; however, 
  Tesla is intrigued with Creed’s nature and his amazing prowess 
  of overcoming formidable adversaries versus ceasing his deadly 
  games.
  Race: Biotic.
  Attributes: I.Q. 14, M.E. 10, M.A. 12, P.S. 36, P.P. 18, P.E. 27, 
  P.B. 11, Spd 58.
  Alignment: Anarchist.
  Experience Level: 6th level Biotic.
  Height: 10 feet (3 m).
  Weight: 1,200 pounds (540 kg).
  Hit Points /M.D.C.: 305.
  Age: Classified, Sex: Male.
  Skills of Note: Domestic, Infantryman, Support Man, and Man-
  Hunter Skill Programs plus: Intelligence, Trap Construction, 
  Wilderness Survival, Boxing, and W.P. Armor.
  Secondary Skills: Camouflage, W.P. Sword, and Horseman-
  ship.
  Combat Training: Hand to Hand: Commando, Boxing, W.P. 
  Sword (+3 strike, +2 parry, +1 thrown), W.P. Armor (+1D6 
  S.D.C./M.D.C. damage with armor) and W.P. Paired Weap-
  ons.
  Attacks per Melee: 7.
  Combat Bonuses: +5 Initiative, +5 strike, +7 parry, +8 dodge, 
  +4 automatic dodge (does not cost as an attack/action to per-
  form), +1 disarm, +1 body flip/throw, +5 roll with punch/fall/
  impact, +5 pull punch, +4 vs Horror Factor, +24% vs coma/
  death, +8 vs poisons/toxins/gases and +6 vs magic.
  Biotic Body Notes: 305 M.D.C. (Main Body), Splicer P.S., 
  Regeneration: Super 2D6+3 M.D.C. per melee, last 10 
  times longer before fatigue kicks in, can last 3 full days 
  without sleep, Reinforced Exoskeleton, Super Regenera-
  tion, Adrenaline Surge, Leaping Legs (includes Elongat-
  ed Legs, +28 to Spd attribute, +60 feet/18.3 m high leap, 
  and +100 feet/30.5 m across leap), Resin Ducts, Enhanced 
  Physical Strength x4 (+4 P.S.), and Organic Thrusters (200 
  mph/320 km with a maximum altitude of 25,000 feet/7,620 
  m).
  Known Bio-Enhancements & Features: Acid Blood, Medium-
  sized Retractable White Claws (+2D6+6 to Splicer P.S. punch 
  damage, total damage of 5D6+6 M.D.), Reinforced Knuck-
  les (+1D6 M.D. to Splicer P.S. punch damage), Spiked Com-
  bat Tail (6D6 M.D.), Blue Plasma Breath (6D12 M.D., 40 
  feet/12.2 m, +4 strike).
  Horror Factor: 9.
  Insanities: Compulsive Liar and Psychotic Personality Disor-
  der.
  Living Armor: Dragon Scale Armor (238 M.D.C.), Enhanced 
  Senses, and Nightvision. Regenerates at 4D6 M.D.C. per min-
  ute. -10% to Prowl, Climb, Swimming, Acrobatics and Gym-
  nastics. When worn, reduce running speed by 10%.
  Jesse Stansfield
  Like all Scarecrows, “ugly” doesn’t begin to describe Jesse. 
  Tall and slender, Jesse looks like a walking cadaver; thin and 
  corpse-like, complete with pale gray skin. His voice is easily his 
  greatest feature. When he speaks, his voice sounds like velvet, 
  smooth and resonant. Jesse usually wears a wide, weathered cow-
  boy brim hat and a high-collar trench coat with flaps that conceal 
  the lower part of his face. During intense moments or the antici-
  pation of combat, he may wear a painted, ceramic fiber facemask 
  that looks like a wicked, smiling Scarecrow.
  Jesse seldom wears armor within the confines of the Great 
  House, but will wear it in the field, particularly when he ventures 
  to the surface or anticipates heavy combat. Jesse has a suit of 
  Chitinous Armor and Leatherback Armor, but neither has any ad-
  ditional enhancements.
  Malicious, deceitful, and cool as ice. Jesse has no morality 
  whatsoever, and will hurt, lie, cheat, and kill nearly anyone to 
  attain his personal goals or the objectives of his Librarian master; 
  no action is too underhanded. Power is all that matters to him. 
  Jesse is constantly scheming and plotting and firmly believes that 
  the end justifies the means. He is careful and cunning and always 
  ensures that nothing can ever be traced back to him. His actions 
  are never rash or impulsive, and he will sometimes wait months 
  or even years before taking revenge or action against those who 
  have opposed or angered him. Many people have made an enemy 
  of this Scarecrow and never realized it until the tragic end. He is 
  a masterful actor, and can portray nearly any emotion at the drop 
  of a hat.
  Jesse is clever and silver-tongued, and can usually talk people 
  into any course of action (while making them believe it was their 
  idea the whole time!). Jesse’s only real weakness is Sylvia. He is 
  absolutely devoted to his protégé and will protect her with his life.
  Race: Scarecrow.
  Attributes: I.Q. 15, M.E. 18, M.A. 20, P.S. 31, P.P. 20, P.E. 20, 
  P.B. 4, Spd 82.
  Alignment: Miscreant.
  M.D.C: 264 + Armor.
  Age: Classified.
  Height: 5 feet, 8 inches (1.7 m). Weight: 185 pounds (83.9 kg).
  Experience Level: 8th level Scarecrow.
  Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Assassin.
  Attacks per Melee: 8.
  Bonuses (All bonuses, including those from stats): +6 on initia-
  tive, +5 to strike, +6 to parry, +6 to dodge, +5 to auto-dodge, 
  +2 to entangle, +3 to pull punch, +2 to roll with punch, K.O./
  Stun on Natural 17-20, +20 S.D.C. damage, +2 save vs mind 
  control, +7 save vs toxic gases, poisons, drugs and disease, +5 
  save vs Horror Factor, +2 save vs insanity, 60% trust/intimi-
  date, +30% vs coma/death.
  Hand to Hand Damage (Supernatural Strength):
  Restrained Punch: 5D6+20 S.D.C.
  Full Punch: 4D6 M.D.
  Power Punch: 1D4x10 M.D.
  Special Abilities:
  Super Endurance: Can last 10 times longer before feeling 
  the effects of exhaustion and can remain alert and operate at 
  full efficiency for up to 5 days without sleep.
  Super Leap: Can leap 60 feet (18.2 m) across and 30 feet (9 
  m) high after a short run (half from a dead stop).
  
  72
  Super Healing: Regenerates 2D4 M.D.C. per melee round 
  and is virtually impervious to pain; no amount of pain will 
  impair Jesse until he is down to zero M.D.C. At this point, 
  he will collapse into unconsciousness, but will continue to re-
  generate. When back up to at least 3 M.D.C. above zero, he 
  will regain consciousness and be ready for action within 1D4 
  seconds (one melee action.)
  Superior Senses: Crystal clear sight and hearing (can clear-
  ly read a street sign at one mile and hear a whisper at 100 
  feet/30.5 m). Sense of smell is a thousand times greater than 
  an average human’s, and he can follow a scent trail that is up 
  to two days old. The sense of smell offers the following spe-
  cific abilities:
  1. Identify common smells: 800 feet (243.8 m) range, 76% 
  chance of success.
  2. Identify specific odors, including specific individuals, 
  items, or monsters: 105 foot (32 m) range, 52% chance of suc-
  cess (+10% if smell is familiar, +15% to follow blood scent).
  3. Track by smell alone. Does not need tracks or any other 
  visible trail. 62% chance of success.
  Natural Horror Factor: Jesse is downright scary!! Horror Fac-
  tor of 11.
  Skills of Note: Detect Ambush, Wilderness Survival, and Inter-
  rogation at 90%, Climbing, Bio-Comms, and Literacy at 80%, 
  Military Etiquette 85%, Intelligence 84%, Sniper, Pick Locks 
  70%, Surveillance 70%, Use and Recognize Poison 66%, Vi-
  tal Points: Robots and Humans, Land Navigation 68%, Prowl 
  65%, Tracking 65%, Pick Pockets 65%, Concealment 52%, 
  Sign Language 45%, Psychology 35%, Kick Boxing and Run-
  ning.
  Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Archery, Bio-Weapons: Light, Bio-
  Weapons: Heavy, Knife, Paired Weapons and Whip.
  Allies: Jesse’s only true allies are his Librarian and his fellow 
  Scarecrows, especially Sylvia. Everyone else is either a pawn, 
  a threat, or beneath his notice.
  Enemies: If you are not with him, you are against him. Along 
  with the Machine, Jesse views any who oppose him as en-
  emies. However, Jesse prefers to work from the shadows; as a 
  result, many people he considers enemies do not even realize 
  they are on his bad side.
  Money and Valuables: Jesse can access almost any of the re-
  sources of the Great House, subject to the Warlord’s discre-
  tion.
  Weapons and Equipment: Due to his strength, Jesse will often 
  use just his bare hands in combat. However, if anticipating 
  heavy combat, he will carry the following:
  1. Heavy Bore Rifle with the following upgrades: Target-
  ing Sight with Nightvision and Ultra Upgrade.
  2. Bio-E Pistol.
  3. Spiked Ball Tentacle Scourge.
  Game Master Notes: Jesse likes to work very close to Leon 
  Valentino, possibly spying on him for his Librarian master. He 
  enjoys feeding Leon’s ego to corrupt his thought processes. His 
  protege Scarecrow is with him, and together they are certainly 
  performing some other agenda among this group, but whatever 
  it is, they wont reveal it. No one from the Deluvane strike team 
  “openly” suspects them, but there are glimpses of questionable 
  things that the player group does catch that should make them 
  suspicious of this Scarecrow’s behavior. Jesse is romantically 
  involved with his protege and will protect her with his life. He 
  is also very religious about his walk in life as a Scarecrow, the 
  mission they are on and won’t take any crap from anyone not in 
  the Deluvane Strike team. Jesse and Jinx will purposely test the 
  player group’s trust of one another without being to obvious.
  Sylvia Monroe, Call Sign “Jinx”
  Jesse’s protege is all about studying people and observing 
  things and trying to get as much intel from other people as she 
  can. Unknown to anyone else but Jesse, Sylvia is serving as an 
  experiment for the Librarian, Tesla. While the inhuman look of 
  Scarecrows serves as a trademark of sorts, it also limits their use-
  fulness in gathering intelligence and attracts too much undesir-
  able attention. Sylvia is the first in a series of experiments to try 
  and make them appear more human. Unlike most Scarecrows, 
  Sylvia is strangely beguiling to some extent. Her skin has only 
  the slightest pruning and discoloration expected of Scarecrows. 
  Her face, breasts and legs have also been cosmetically augmented 
  to look more attractive. However, her face is an oddity; the nerves 
  and musculature don’t quite align perfectly with her movements 
  and expressions. She rarely moves her mouth much and limits 
  her expressions to more seductive gestures that avoid smiling or 
  frowning. The rest of her body, however, is clearly suffering from 
  the effects of the Elixir. Unlike her field trainer, she is very flirta-
  tious, especially if she thinks it will help garner trust or attention. 
  Sylvia is very bold and outspoken at times and is learning to think 
  before she speaks. Sometimes her emotional outbursts cause her 
  trainer to intervene in order to settle things down, though deep 
  down inside, she knows what she is doing and enjoys seeing her 
  trainer step in to defend her.
  Sylvia is very cunning at playing people against each other 
  and likes to play the innocent person in altercations. She enjoys 
  playing mind games and distasteful pranks, and will tease people 
  when she gets the opportunity. She enjoys acting as if she placed 
  some Elixir on their lips while they were sleeping, or that she saw 
  something crawl into the deep crevice or port of a Host Armor, 
  but it’s not there anymore, just to get her laughs out of people. 
  The problem is, she is actually crazy enough to place critters in-
  side Armor suits when they aren’t looking, so it’s always best to 
  double check. Despite her flirtations, she is completely devoted 
  to Jesse.
  Race: Scarecrow.
  Attributes: I.Q. 16, M.E. 13, M.A. 19, P.S. 25, P.P. 18, P.E. 20, 
  P.B. 7, Spd 119 mph (190 km).
  Alignment: Anarchist.
  Experience Level: 4th Level Scarecrow.
  M.D.C.: 138 + Armor. Regenerates at 2D4 M.D.C. per melee 
  round.
  Weight: 125 pounds (56 kg), Height: 5 feet, 6 inches (1.7 m) tall.
  Age: Classified. Sex: Female.
  Experience Level: 4th level Scarecrow.
  Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Assassin.
  Skills of Note: Demolitions, Demolitions: Underwater, and De-
  molitions Disposal 72%, Swimming and Detect Ambush 70%, 
  Intelligence 68%, Detect Concealment, Disguise, Wilderness 
  Survival 65%, Climbing, Machine Technology, Tracking, 
  Trap and Mine Detection 60%, Machine Lore 56%, Camou-
  flage and Chemistry 55%, Escape Artist and Public Speaking 
  
  73
  50%, Intelligence, Interrogation, Palming, Pick Pockets and 
  Prowl at 45%, Resist Torture.
  Weapon Proficiencies: Bio-Weapons: Light, Bio-Weapons: 
  Heavy, Knife and Paired Weapons.
  Attacks per Melee: 6.
  Bonuses (includes all bonuses, including those from stats): +2 
  on initiative, +4 to strike, +2 to parry, +2 to dodge, +5 to auto-
  dodge, +2 to entangle, +3 to pull punch, +2 to roll with punch, 
  K.O./Stun on Natural 17-20, +10 S.D.C. damage, +2 save vs 
  mind control, +7 save vs toxic gases, poisons, drugs and dis-
  ease, +5 save vs Horror Factor, +2 save vs insanity, 55% trust/
  intimidate, +10% vs coma/death.
  Hand to Hand Damage (Supernatural Strength):
  Restrained Punch: 5D6+10 S.D.C.
  Full Punch: 4D6 M.D.
  Power Punch: 1D4x10 M.D.
  Special Abilities:
  Super Endurance: Can last 10 times longer before feeling 
  the effects of exhaustion and can remain alert and operate at 
  full efficiency for up to 5 days without sleep.
  Super Leap: Can leap 60 feet (18.2 m) across and 30 feet (9 
  m) high after a short run (half from a dead stop).
  Super Healing: Regenerates 2D4 M.D.C. per melee round 
  and is virtually impervious to pain; no amount of pain will 
  impair Sylvia until she is down to zero M.D.C. At this point, 
  she will collapse into unconsciousness, but will continue to 
  regenerate. When back up to at least 3 M.D.C. above zero, she 
  will regain consciousness and be ready for action within 1D4 
  seconds (one melee attack).
  Superior Senses: Crystal clear sight and hearing (can clear-
  ly read a street sign at one mile and hear a whisper at 100 
  feet/30.5 m). Sense of smell is a thousand times greater than 
  an average human’s, and she can follow a scent trail that is 
  up to two days old. The sense of smell offers the following 
  specific abilities:
  1. Identify common smells: 400 foot (122 m) range, 68% 
  chance of success.
  2. Identify specific odors, including specific individuals, 
  items, or monsters: 65 foot (20 m) range, 44% chance of suc-
  cess (+10% if smell is familiar, +15% to follow blood scent).
  3. Track by smell alone. Does not need tracks or any other 
  visible trail. 46% chance of success.
  Natural Horror Factor: 10, though some find Sylvia bizarre-
  ly alluring.
  Weapons and Equipment: Sylvia normally carries the follow-
  ing weapons:
  1. Heavy Bio-Energy Rifle with the following upgrades: 
  Targeting Sight with Mega Upgrade.
  2. Light Cell Laser Pistol with the following upgrades: 
  Targeting Sight with Mega Upgrade.
  3. Heavy Spiked Maul.
  Allies: Like her lover, Sylvia’s only true allies are her Librar-
  ian and fellow Scarecrows. Everyone else is to be used and 
  manipulated.
  Enemies: Sylvia has adopted Jesse’s attitude; if you are not with 
  her, you are against her. Sylvia views almost everyone as a 
  potential enemy or pawn to be used.
  Money and Valuables: With Jesse’s influence, Slyvia can access 
  almost any of the resources of the Great House, subject to the 
  Warlord’s discretion.
  Zhong Kui, Call Sign “Ghost”
  Trained by the stealth master Skinjob of Barren Marsh named 
  Paquette, Zhong “Ghost” Kui is a crafty Skinjob that is living up 
  to his name as he continues to prove himself in the field. Ghost 
  enjoys infiltrating into outposts and hideaways to scout out safe 
  havens for his team or to spy on Machine activity. While he en-
  joys sabotage and infiltration, he’s not fond of open combat, pre-
  ferring misdirection over confrontation.
  Ghost is a passionate reader, particularly of history, and will 
  frequently use time between missions to scour old archives and 
  records. This passion has inspired him to begin writing on his 
  own, something he’s becoming quite good at. Ghost keeps de-
  tailed records of his travels, missions, observations, strategies, 
  and tactics. He’s also begun to dabble into creative writing, using 
  his experiences as a basis for a series of adventurous short stories. 
  Ghost hopes that one day, his thrilling adventures will inspire the 
  future generations of the Resistance. He imagines a time where 
  he has long come and gone, and his writing is turned into the en-
  tertaining, informative plays that he hears are enjoyed by so many 
  citizens within haven society. Ghost has not been to any of these 
  plays as he is fully aware that that he is not eye candy for anyone 
  and he dislikes it when people try to act like they aren’t disturbed 
  by his outer appearance; when he can discern their body language 
  is conveying just the opposite. This often causes Ghost to call 
  them out on it and has instigated undesirable arguments. Like 
  many Skinjobs, Ghost often comes across as reclusive or antiso-
  cial. While not mean or hostile, he tends to keep to himself, only 
  confiding in a few close friends.
  Ghost’s choice of War Mount is actually a massive Gore-
  hound named “Cao” that resembles a robust Shar Pei. Cao is cov-
  ered in dense wrinkles and is equipped with a stealth field. He is 
  Ghost’s personal War Mount that operates and fights alongside 
  the Skinjob with ferocious tenacity and relentless drive. Cao’s 
  thick, wrinkled skin is so loose that it allows him to turn around 
  in the skin even when seized or bitten by another adversary to 
  deliver his own bite. This style of combat is something that the 
  Ghost is trying to develop for his own form of martial arts combat 
  style called the “Ghost Skin” technique. A keen student of his-
  tory, when he is not in the field, Ghost is writing his strategies, 
  observations, and combat notes that he hopes to teach and pass 
  along to other fellow Skinjobs.
  Race: Skinjob.
  Attributes: I.Q. 17, M.E. 20, M.A. 13, P.S. 16, P.P. 14, P.E. 20, 
  P.B. 8, Spd 22.
  Alignment: Anarchist.
  Experience Level: 4th Level Skinjob.
  M.D.C.: 302 M.D.C. Regenerates 1D6 M.D.C. every 10 minutes 
  or 6D6 M.D.C. per hour.
  Weight: 176 pounds (79 kg), Height: 5 feet, 8 inches (1.7 m) tall.
  Age: 22. Sex: Male.
  Appearance: Like all Skinjobs, Ghost appears horrifying. Cov-
  ered in dull grey skin speckled with repulsive white blotches, 
  he looks as if he’s covered in diseased elephant hide. Unlike 
  his skin, his eyes are bright and gleam with creative intelli-
  gence. His voice is as otherworldly as his appearance, low and 
  quiet, like a ghostly whisper.
  Skills of Note: Research (85%), Demolitions, Demolitions Dis-
  posal, and Demolitions: Underwater (82%), Bio-Comms, 
  Breed Dogs, Detect Ambush, History, Machine Tech, Oper-
  
  74
  ate Bio-Equipment, Pick Locks, Trap and Mine Detection 
  (75%), Machine Lore and Pick Pockets (70%), Intelligence 
  (68%), Chemistry (65%), Wilderness Survival (60%), Climb-
  ing, Creative Writing, Cryptography, Land Navigation, Sign 
  Language, Tracking (55%), Camouflage (50%), Recognize 
  Weapon Quality (45%), Concealment (41%), Palming (40%), 
  Sleight of Hand, Swimming, Athletics and Fencing.
  Weapon Proficiencies: Bio-Weapons: Light, Bio-Weapons: 
  Heavy, Archery, Blunt, Knife, Staff, Sword.
  Attacks per Melee: 5.
  Combat Bonuses: +1 to dodge, +2 to initiative, +1 to strike, +2 
  to parry and dodge, +3 to roll with punch/fall/ impact, +1 to 
  disarm, and +3 top pull punch. +2 to save vs Horror Factor.
  Other Combat Info: Backward Sweep Kick, Karate punch/
  Strike does (2D4 damage) and Karate Kick does 2D6.
  Senses & Features: Standard Skinjob M.D.C. Skin (impervious 
  to Mega-Damage fire and cold, high pain resistance), Chame-
  leon Skin, Stealth Field, Silent Prowl (special), Feign Death, 
  reduced sense of touch.
  Weapons of Note:
  1. Bio-Energy Pistol.
  2. Wears a Demolition Leather Harness. Pouches contain 
  6 Chigs (3 on each side), 4 Migs (2 on each side) and 1D4 
  Squigs. Anything else that Zhong anticipates he will need is 
  placed onto Cao’s harness.
  3. High-frequency daggers (3).
  4. Zhong has placed an Electro-Pulse Gun on the harness of 
  Cao for metal threats (Machine, Technojacker, Nano-Plague 
  reactions or otherwise).
  Zhong’s personal Gorehound, “Cao.”
  Breed derivative: Shar Pei.
  Description: Cao is a compact, extremely muscled Gorehound, 
  literally a massive pit bull covered in a Skinjob’s skin, covered in 
  wrinkles just like its ancient breed derivative; quite possibly even 
  more so. When not prowling in the concealment of his Stealth 
  Field, Cao can be seen with a harmonic vigor due to his powerful 
  musculature which stands out, under the heavily wrinkled, elas-
  tic, Mega-Damage skin. Cao’s broad head and muzzle are well 
  designed to house the crushing jaws which are adept at pulver-
  izing Machines and enemy armor. This is the first time that a Shar 
  Pei Gorehound prototype has been developed and Dulavene is 
  thrilled to see a high demand pour in for the Shar Pei DNA/RNA 
  codes from their Alliances. Samples have been sold and new lit-
  ters are being developed for other Skinjobs belonging to other 
  Great Houses. Zhong’s field success ratio being a record high 
  with the gifted aid of his Gorehound and even overtaking rival 
  Skinjobs, has surely boosted interest in the Shar Pei breed and 
  Deluvane is considering the employment of Great House Artemis 
  to help control undesirable Black Market sales and distribution.
  Alignment: Scrupulous.
  Attributes: I.Q. 9, M.E. 8, M.A. 18, P.S. 23, P.P. 17, P.E. 21, 
  P.B. 12, Spd 110.
  Height: 4 feet, 6 inches (1.4 m) at the shoulder, 6 feet, 2 inches 
  (1.9 m) at the top of the head.
  Weight: 500 lbs (225 kg).
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) from shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 8 feet (2.4 m) from the tip of the nose to the rump, plus 
  a 2 foot (0.6 m), curled tail.
  Age: 3.5 years.
  Speed: 100 mph (160 km).
  Skills of Note: Explosive Ordnance Sniffer and Reconnaissance 
  Scout skills (see The Rifter® #59).
  Features: Standard Gorehound, plus the Shar Pei Breed En-
  hancements: Stealth Field, Grip Hairs, Acid Blood and Motion 
  Detection.
  Known Weapons:
  1. Right Shoulder-Mounted Heat Projector Cannon. Dam-
  age: 1D8x10+10 M.D. Range: 1,800 feet (549 m).
  2. Trench Foot Mines (2 behind each front leg). Damage: 
  4D12 M.D. to a 10 foot (3 m) blast radius.
  
  75
  I am Legion, Episode II
  An Adventure and Official Source Material for Splicers®
  Concept developed by Chris “Slappy” Kluge and Charles “Chuck” Walton II
  Written by Chris Kluge
  Illustrated by Charles Walton
  Note: Originally appeared in The Rifter® #73, page 63.
  Returning Home
  ga-Damage silk robes adorning their Host Armor, and the high-
  frequency swords slung at their hips, the two guards look similar 
  to the samurai warriors of old, despite the monstrous appearance 
  of their armor beneath. Only the best among the Dreadguard are 
  ever offered a position within the Royal Guard, and the rever-
  ence felt for these distinguished warriors is apparent as the noisy 
  sea of Splicers within this busy passageway quickly falls silent 
  and parts to let them through. This was likely the purpose of the 
  When the player characters finally do make it back to House 
  Artemis, the sentry guards at the entrance tell the group that War-
  lord Artemis and the Senate have already assembled and are wait-
  ing for them. They tell the players that a pair of Royal Guards 
  have been dispatched to escort them to the meeting and that the 
  players should wait at the gate for them to arrive. Within min-
  utes, the group spots two distinctively dressed warriors making 
  their way through the crowded corridor. With the crimson Me-
  
  76
  escort. It was not like Warlord Artemis worried the player charac-
  ters would dawdle or get lost along the way. He knew that having 
  his Royal Guards leading them through the densely packed hall-
  ways would help expedite their journey. Time is of the essence 
  and Warlord Artemis is anxious to hear their findings.
  As the player characters make their way towards Warlord 
  Artemis’ personal chambers, the rough stone walls common 
  throughout the underground haven become smoother and more 
  polished. The utilitarian support columns found in other areas are 
  slowly replaced by more polished and refined stone pillars until 
  they too are replaced by dozens of chiseled statues immortalizing 
  House Artemis’ greatest heroes. The walls in between these stat-
  ues are decorated with dozens of beautifully woven silk tapestries 
  depicting some of House Artemis’ most renowned victories over 
  the Machine as well as those over rival Great Houses. This cham-
  ber is where Warlord Artemis entertains dignitaries from other 
  Great Houses, and it was built to be a demonstration of House 
  Artemis’ affluence and military might.
  Warlord Artemis’ chamber is sealed by a pair of twenty foot 
  tall, polished oak doors, but the Royal Guards’ powerful suits of 
  Host Armor allow them to push these heavy doors open with ease. 
  As the group enters the chamber, they see a heated discussion al-
  ready taking place. The guards motion the group to remain in the 
  doorway until they are addressed. Warlord Artemis the Fourth is 
  sitting at the far end of a massive table that is large enough to seat 
  thirty. Seated around this table is the entire Senate, twenty of the 
  most heroic Dreadguards within House Artemis. These legendry 
  warriors have served their House with distinction for decades 
  and now they are Warlord Artemis’ most trusted advisors. They 
  are arguing ferociously about how to handle the current crisis as 
  Warlord Artemis looks on intently. As the group waits to give 
  their report, they glance around the chamber. The room itself is 
  circular with polished marble walls and a high, domed ceiling. 
  The walls are covered with more of the same silk tapestries and 
  marble statues that lined the hallway leading in. The chamber is 
  basically empty except for the finely crafted table sitting in the 
  center of the room and the twenty Royal Guards standing mo-
  tionless along the walls. The room is well lit by dozens of or-
  ganic glow cells, but the way they are arranged casts a series of 
  shadows that adds to the ominous and intimidating feeling of the 
  room. Warlord Artemis allowed the discussion to continue for a 
  few minutes after the players arrived, but he eventually raises a 
  single hand to silence the room. He then quietly asks the player 
  group to come in and recount what they saw.
  Within seconds of the group detailing the disastrous assault 
  and their lucky escape, the room once again erupts in debate. Half 
  of the Senate is pushing for House Artemis to mobilize all their 
  forces and meet the enemy head on while the rest want to hunker 
  down, reinforce the underground haven’s defenses, and hope Le-
  gion and N.E.X.U.S. destroy each other. Each side sees the player 
  characters’ findings as further proof that their original strategy is 
  still the best plan of attack. Warlord Artemis, however, realizes 
  there may be another way. With a wave of his hand, Warlord 
  Artemis once again silences the room. He then stands up from his 
  chair and addresses the Senate.
  “While discretion has forced us to live underground, it is only 
  through the strength of our military and merciful luck that we, hu-
  manity, continues to survive. Burying our heads in the sand and 
  hoping for this storm to pass would be folly, as would throwing 
  our entire army against an enemy we do not understand. But we 
  must act, and we must act now. Make no mistake, Legion is no... 
  savior. She is not the answer to our prayers, but the harbinger of 
  this planet’s doom. We are the strongest Great House within this 
  Area of Influence, and it is our duty to defuse this threat before 
  Legion becomes unstoppable.
  “Judging from your report, the speed and precision with which 
  Legion’s forces fell upon your assault teams suggests that she 
  knew of your presence long before you struck, yet she allowed 
  the attack to proceed anyway. She wanted to deliver a message, 
  and not to insult the talents of your team, but I believe you were 
  allowed to escape so that you could deliver it. She wanted to tell 
  us that she can neutralize our most powerful weapon, but what 
  she doesn’t know is that it’s not our only weapon.”
  He pauses momentarily to let the gravity of his suggestion 
  sink in. One of the Senators then interjects, “My Lord, you can’t 
  mean the Shell. I thought it was meant only for the most desper-
  ate of circumstances.”
  “I would say this qualifies,” Artemis calmly replies. “But it’s 
  not like the Kamikazes. It has no failsafe against organic targets. 
  If House Janus or worse yet, House Shiva got their hands on the 
  genetic code, it would be a greater threat to our security than Le-
  gion and N.E.X.U.S. combined.”
  Warlord Artemis once again raised his hand and quickly si-
  lenced the discussion before any other Senators could inject their 
  opinions. He then continued on, “The risk is great, but you un-
  derestimate the danger posed by Legion. N.E.X.U.S. has billions 
  of robots at her disposal and yet she can’t stop Legion. She can’t 
  even slow her down. If the Deluvane Splicers were correct, the 
  Factory Walker is the key. The Shell has the power to take it 
  down, but more importantly, its small size will let our people 
  sneak it through the Walker’s defenses. We just need to activate 
  the Shell’s timer, place it in the path of the Factory Walker, and 
  let Legion casually stroll over it. The blast should rip the Walker 
  to shreds. Perhaps we should use two just to be sure.”
  He then addresses the player characters directly. “That is 
  where you come in. You did great work out there. You not only 
  provided us with invaluable intel, but you went toe-to-toe with 
  Legion’s forces and survived. That pretty much makes you the 
  resident experts. I need you to serve your House in this difficult 
  hour. I need you to place these bombs in Legion’s path.”
  Artemis then turns his attention back to the Senate, “Assign 
  two of your best Sweepers to their team to handle the Shells, and 
  send Drake Benton as well. His Archangel stealth fighter skills 
  have always been impressive. We need to keep the team small 
  and low-profile or else risk repeating Deluvane’s mistakes, but I 
  also want some firepower on this mission. “Senator Bane, escort 
  them to the armory and make sure they get everything they need. I 
  want them fully briefed and fully equipped within the hour. Time 
  is of the essence, and I want them mobile the second that Deliv-
  eryman reports back on Legion’s position. That’s it. Dismissed.”
  With that, the Senators quickly pour out of the room to make 
  preparations as Warlord Artemis and his retinue retires to his 
  personal quarters, leaving the player characters alone with the 
  grizzled war hero, Senator Bane. Even in his late fifties, the Sena-
  tor still strikes quite an imposing figure. His six foot, three (1.9 
  m) frame is still heavily muscled, despite his advanced age. His 
  weathered face bears the scars from a lifetime of military service, 
  including a vicious looking slash that runs down the entire left 
  side of his face and across his throat. How he survived such a 
  wound is a mystery, but it left him with a voice that sounds like 
  
  77
  he’s gargling gravel. Perhaps this is the reason he rarely speaks, 
  but the perpetually stern look on his face makes it seem unlikely 
  he was ever the chatty type. He is wearing the same elaborate 
  white and red silk robes worn by the rest of the Senate, but for 
  some reason he just looks out of place in them. He looks just as 
  pristine and regal as his fellow Senators, but he looks more like a 
  front-line soldier playing dress up than a professional politician.
  Senator Bane gives each player character a quick look up and 
  down with an almost disgusted look on his face, then turns and 
  starts walking out. If it were not for the uncomfortable silence, 
  the player group might have missed the raspy “let’s go” com-
  ing from Senator Bane as he quickly walked away. He leads 
  the group through the twisting tunnels of House Artemis to the 
  armory without saying another word. As soon as Senator Bane 
  enters the armory, the dozen or so Splicers in the waiting area 
  and the clerk standing behind the long stone counter immediately 
  springs to attention. It is not often that anyone from the Senate 
  strolls into the armory unannounced, so it is unclear if the look of 
  terror on the clerk’s face would have been caused by any Senator 
  or if it is specifically due to Senator Bane. As Bane starts hissing 
  orders at the clerk, the player characters watch the other armory 
  attendants busily going about their business. The unique nature 
  of Bio-Technology means its care and storage is also some-
  what unique. Like a standard high-tech armory, all the weapons 
  and equipment are neatly filed away on a series of hundreds of 
  shelves. The difference is that all of these shelves are submerged 
  within an enormous pool of nutrient-rich fluid that keeps these 
  weapons alive. The thick pink liquid is clear enough to allow the 
  players to see the armory attendants in their Proto-Host Armor 
  shuttling weapons and suits of Living Armor to and from their 
  designated storage areas. This is one of the main armories for 
  House Artemis so it is absolutely enormous. Even the somewhat 
  low ceilings in this simple stone chamber cannot hide the massive 
  size of the cavern.
  Another attendant comes out of an innocuous door in the cor-
  ner of the waiting area carrying a large tray filled with Chig hand 
  grenades. The players can see that the room he came from is filled 
  with garbage and other waste material with thousands of organic 
  explosives crawling all across this rotten pile. The Chigs, Migs, 
  and Squigs are not only powerful weapons of war, but they also 
  help keep the underground haven livable by disposing of waste 
  produced by the human population.
  The player characters turn their attention back to Senator Bane 
  so they can hear the specifics of what “everything they need” 
  truly means. Bane informs the clerk that he wants the player char-
  acters traveling light but heavy. In addition to their regular arma-
  ments, he authorizes one heavy weapon of choice, one sidearm of 
  choice, six Chig grenades, six Bug Bombs, six Squig detonators, 
  two Migs, two Booster Patches, and two Slap Patches for each 
  player. Senator Bane then turns back to the players and asks if 
  they are going to need a trip to the War Mount Corral as well. He 
  tells the group that once Legion is located, the player characters 
  will be delivered by Dracos air drop to just outside of the combat 
  zone, so transportation will not be an issue, but if they want the 
  extra firepower, it is authorized.
  Once the group is fully equipped, Senator Bane leads them 
  down a series of long, narrow corridors deep into the heart of the 
  underground haven. The player characters recognize that they are 
  heading towards the Engineering Chambers. This area is restrict-
  ed to all but the most senior members of the military, so it is one 
  of the most heavily fortified locations in House Artemis. Once 
  they get past a series of sentry stations, they are surprised to see 
  that the hallway leading towards the Engineers actually slopes 
  upward. The hallway is filled with hundreds of five foot (1.5 m) 
  wide, four foot (1.2 m) tall barricade walls composed of solid 
  resin. They are set two or three wide in a staggered configuration 
  so that there are no direct paths through all the barricades. It is 
  a pretty ingenious design. It prevents large invaders like tanks 
  from rolling through the corridor, plus it provides plenty of cover 
  for defenders and gives them the high ground advantage. As the 
  group weaves through this obstacle course of defensive walls, 
  the player characters notice that each barricade has a large white 
  number painted on the back of it. If they ask Senator Bane about 
  the numbers he will gruffly respond, “Don’t worry about it. We 
  don’t exactly let everyone down here. Just consider it an honor 
  and keep your mouths shut.”
  The group proceeds through another half dozen sentry sta-
  tions and three more barricade-filled hallways before arriving in 
  a small meeting room. The room itself is a rather unremarkable 
  stone chamber. There is one wooden door on each end of the 
  room, a large wooden table in the center, and dozens of intricately 
  hand drawn maps covering the coarse rock walls. Sitting around 
  the table are the three other people that have been assigned to this 
  mission. They snap to attention as soon as Senator Bane enters 
  the room. He does a quick round of introductions between the 
  three and the player characters before proceeding with the brief-
  ing.
  “Let me introduce you to the rest of your team. This is Senior 
  Sweeper Shauna Davies and Senior Sweeper Anderson Long. 
  Both have nearly a decade of distinguished service in the field. 
  They’ll be the ones transporting the bombs. There’s no one else 
  in the Sweeper Corps that I would trust more with this responsi-
  bility. Both are fully trained on the Shell Tactical Omega Cell, 
  but we’re going to train all of you on how to detonate them as 
  well, in case they both go down.” Senator Bane does not even 
  pause for a second to let the group digest the apparent fact that 
  he knows casualties on this mission will be high. He simply con-
  tinues on with the introductions. “This is Drake Benton, a for-
  mer Dreadguard with over twenty years of experience. Now, he’s 
  serving House Artemis as one of our Elite Archangel Test Pilots 
  in the new “Angel Core” Program. Apparently, his new rank as 
  a test pilot means he’s not in charge of this mission, but he’s 
  seen more action then all of you knuckle-draggers combined so I 
  would listen to him.”
  Senator Bane then introduces the player characters. He has 
  apparently been through their service records and knows quite 
  a bit about them. They are surprised to hear that he is equally as 
  complimentary of each player as he was when introducing the 
  other three soldiers. The player characters never met Senator 
  Bane before today. They heard many stories about him from their 
  fellow warriors, nearly all of which were quite positive. At first 
  they did not understand why this cantankerous, old warhorse was 
  still considered such a beloved figure in House Artemis, but now 
  they are beginning to understand.
  The Senator was about to begin the briefing when a man in 
  Proto-Host Armor walks in through the opposite door carrying 
  what looks like two oversized clam shells. The surface of each 
  is quite rough with multiple ridges of sharp spikes running along 
  the top and bottom shell. Both he and his cargo are soaking wet 
  
  78
  and dripping pink nutrient fluid all over the floor. Apparently, 
  there is another armory on the other side of the door. This must 
  be where House Artemis stores their top-secret munitions like the 
  Shell Tactical Omega Cell. The man sets the two bombs on the 
  table and then stands at attention.
  The player characters see the hint of a smile on the Senator’s 
  face as he addresses him, “Ah, perfect timing. Thank you, son. 
  Please bring in the trainer as well.” The armory attendant then 
  starts walking back out the same door as Senator Bane motions 
  for the rest of the group to gather around the table.
  “This is the Shell Tactical Omega Cell. Four kiloton yield. 
  Against heavily armored targets the effective blast radius is con-
  sidered 1,000 feet (305 m), but it will kill any soft target within 
  a 2,000 foot (609.6 m) radius. However, maximum destructive 
  potential is within 200 feet (61 m), so you’re going to need to get 
  these up close and personal with the Factory Walker. You will 
  literally be holding a Kamikaze Cruise Missile in your hands. 
  Our Librarians figured out how to take the same explosive charge 
  used in the Kamikaze and shrink it down to this. It’s one of the 
  most powerful weapons in our arsenal, and one of the biggest mis-
  takes we’ve ever made. When House Shiva first crawled out of 
  the scum to threaten the Resistance, our Librarians developed the 
  Shell so we could wipe out their Great House in one fell swoop. 
  Those damn freaks thought they were so smart, but they were too 
  smart for their own good. Kamikazes may be big, dumb, and cra-
  zy, but they never attack living targets; only the Machine. Those 
  brainiacs decided to remove the safeties so we could use it against 
  House Shiva, but they seemed to forget that House Shiva had 
  Librarians too. No plan ever goes perfect and if the attack failed, 
  we’d have given the Shivs all they’d need to make thousands of 
  these damn things. At least the Senate was smart enough to call 
  off the attack, but they should have scrapped them all. Warlord 
  Artemis the Third decided to hold onto a handful of them in case 
  of an emergency. Made me sick when I first learned about them. 
  This planet is deadly enough without these things on it. It was a 
  mistake to keep them then and it’s a mistake now. Even worse, 
  now we’re going to let them loose on the world.
  “I want to make it perfectly clear to each and every one of you 
  the awesome responsibility we just put in your hands. These must 
  not fall into the hands of ANYONE. If capture seems inevitable, 
  it’s your duty to protect your House and humanity by destroying 
  these things, even if it means you go with them. The Warlord is 
  right; there are a lot worse threats out there than the Machine. 
  Legion may be one of them, but I think he’s underestimating just 
  how dangerous House Shiva truly is. I don’t want to spend the 
  rest of my days worrying about some psycho sneaking one of 
  these into my home. I’ve got enough to be concerned about.” 
  Senator Bane is briefly interrupted as the armory attendant comes 
  back in carrying another Shell Bomb, only this one looks like 
  it has been soaking in formaldehyde or some other preservative 
  agent. He sets it down in front of the Senator and then stands at 
  attention until dismissed. Senator Bane then continues with the 
  briefing. “All right, as you can see, this one’s dead. No chance of 
  detonation. The Shell can be pretty tricky to set off, so we’ll bring 
  you up to speed with this one. You’re up Davies.”
  Sweeper Shauna Davies springs to attention and then walks 
  over to where the Senator was standing using what can best be 
  described as a march. It is unclear if she is trying to show off her 
  best military discipline for the Senator or if she is always this 
  stuffy and serious. She is actually an incredibly attractive woman, 
  but she looks like she is trying to downplay her beauty. Her uni-
  form is also somewhat bulkier than usual. She likely wears it in 
  attempt to hide her figure, but it is not doing a very good job.
  She pulls the two halves of the Shell open and spreads it out 
  across the table. The interior looks pretty similar to a giant clam 
  as well. It is just a mess of muscle tissue, thick tendons and liga-
  ments, and organs. It all has a sickly pale color from the formal-
  dehyde, but it does not look that different from a normal animal. 
  The only object that seems alien and out of place is the softball-
  sized transparent orb sitting in the center of the right half. The 
  surface of the orb is covered in a spiderweb of thin black veins, 
  and within it is a black golf ball sized core suspended in a clear 
  jelly that sparkles in the light. It almost looks like a giant frog egg 
  except for the dozen or so large, organic fibers that connect it to 
  nearly every corner of the interior. Some of these cords have been 
  cut to allow the Shell to be opened, but most are still intact.
  As if sensing the player’s interest in the object, Sweeper Da-
  vies points at the orb and says, “This is the heart of the Shell 
  Bomb. This is the Omega Cell. Everything else in there is just 
  meant to keep the cell alive, protected, and most importantly, 
  stable.
  “A stable Omega Cell can survive all kinds of trauma without 
  exploding, but once it’s destabilized, even the slightest bump can 
  set it off. The good news is that the Shell was designed to make 
  it very hard for the cell to detonate. Well, I suppose that’s part 
  of the bad news too. The triggering mechanism is pretty tricky. 
  If you don’t activate it just right, the cell dies and the bomb is 
  useless. It’s a safety feature to prevent thieves from accidentally 
  figuring out how to set it off. Even if they escape with their prize, 
  they’ll most likely ruin it trying to use it.” “Gentlemen, let’s focus 
  more on not losing them in the first place,” Senator Bane inter-
  jected angrily. “Of course, sir,” Davies sheepishly replied. “I was 
  just trying to emphasize the importance of following the trigger-
  ing sequence correctly.”
  “Just get on with it, Davies,” he snorts back. It appears that 
  Senator Bane’s patience is quickly reaching its limits. “Yes, sir. 
  Right. Um, first of all, as you can see on the living Shells, that 
  the two halves are sealed shut by a thick band of muscle. This 
  seal actually needs to be sliced open before you can begin. There 
  is no other way to open it. This will allow you to access the in-
  terior, but do not spread the clamshell open like I’ve done with 
  this one. The Shell can only be opened about eight to ten inches, 
  but I would keep it to about six just to be sure. Any more than 
  that, and you risk ripping these two ligaments at the base of the 
  clamshell. It’s one of the safety mechanisms designed to ruin the 
  bomb if any unauthorized people try fumbling around with it. 
  It’s not a problem for our Shellback Armor, but you’re going to 
  need to feel around in there blind. We’ll practice with this one to 
  get everyone comfortable with knowing what’s safe to touch and 
  what’s not.
  “The bomb has a sort of built-in timer. To activate it, you need 
  to sever at least one of the three main arteries that feed the Omega 
  Cell. As you can see, these three vessels are much larger than the 
  ones around it. The other ones are more safeties. You cut any 
  of those and the bomb dies, but if you cut any of the large ones 
  then the cell is destabilized. Think of the three arteries as a vari-
  able timer. If you cut one, you have about three to eight minutes 
  (1D6+2 minutes) before the bomb explodes. If you cut two, you 
  only have about one to two minutes (2D4+2 melee rounds) be-
  fore detonation. In the alternative, you can cut all three, which 
  
  79
  instantly destabilizes the Omega Cell, but it won’t detonate it. 
  You’ll need to set it off by some secondary means, like a remote 
  detonator or even a gunshot. However, it’s extremely volatile in 
  this state. Even a slight shake of your hand as you pull back out of 
  the bomb could trigger it prematurely (01-12% chance of instant 
  detonation when all three are cut). Let’s just say, I don’t recom-
  mend using it this way.”
  “Thank you Davies,” Senator Bane abruptly says. It does not 
  look like he cares if Sweeper Davies was finished or not. “All 
  right, I want each of you to familiarize yourselves with the Shell. 
  You’re going to have to work by feel alone, so close it up, get 
  your hands dirty, and practice. I don’t know how long we have 
  before we get the report on Legion’s position, so practice for the 
  next eight hours. If we don’t hear anything by then, hit the bar-
  racks down the hall and get some rest. It’ll probably be the last 
  shut-eye you catch for a while. Long, Davies, I expect you to 
  make them experts with those things. There’s not much more you 
  need from me, so I need to return to my duties.”
  “Let me remind you that the fate of House Artemis lies in your 
  hands in more ways than you can imagine. You were all selected 
  for this mission for a reason. Show us that we made the right call. 
  Good luck and Godspeed.”
  The players do get a full eight hours of training with the Shell 
  Bomb before retiring to the barracks. This gives each player 
  the skill of Detonate Shell Bomb at 55% plus any I.Q. bonuses. 
  A failed roll means the bomb dies and becomes useless. Both 
  Sweepers already have this skill at 98% which definitely makes 
  them the best ones for the job, so the player characters should try 
  to keep them safe.
  The barracks area is another unremarkable room carved di-
  rectly into the bedrock. The room is filled with dozens of small 
  bunks stacked two high and a small bathroom through a door 
  in the corner. There are no lockers or storage of any kind, so 
  the player characters need to stack their gear along the far wall. 
  This is one of the most secured areas in all of House Artemis, so 
  theft is not a concern. The attendants have left some food for the 
  group, and the players have a little time to finally clean up after 
  their last mission before bedding down for the night.
  Unfortunately, their night is cut short after only a few hours 
  of sleep. The weary player characters wake up to the loud bang 
  of the barracks door being flung open and the bright light from 
  the hallway flooding into the room. They look up to see the sil-
  houette of three armored men standing in the doorway. The man 
  in the center steps into the room and shouts, “Lights on!” The 
  glow cells in the ceiling respond to his command and quickly 
  illuminate the room. All three men are wearing Host Armor, and 
  the lead man is also wearing the ceremonial robes of the Royal 
  Guard. He walks into the middle of the room and addresses the 
  group.
  “We have Legion’s location. There are two Dracos mounts 
  ready to fly at the Launch Bay.” He then points over his shoulder 
  to the men behind him, still lingering in the doorway. “These 
  men are your Outrider pilots. They’ll get you to the drop site. Get 
  suited up.”
  It only takes minutes for these well trained Splicers to slip into 
  their heavy organic armor and gather their weapons. The bulky 
  Shellback Armor worn by the Sweepers looks similar to regular 
  Host Armor only it has much thicker armor and has a large shell 
  mounted on its back. It was designed for demolitions and demoli-
  tions disposal, so the suit sacrifices speed and mobility for defen-
  sive protection. Each Sweeper was also given a Mega-Damage 
  leather knapsack for transporting the Shell Bombs.
  Shellback Armor is quite specialized but it is really not all that 
  different than any other suit of organic armor. However, the same 
  cannot be said for the Archangel’s “Nighthawk” Assault Armor. 
  This is the first time the player characters have ever seen this 
  prototype armor, and even these seasoned Splicers are startled by 
  its dark, sleek, ominous appearance. The armor looks like Living 
  Armor except for the fact that it is covered in an obsidian looking 
  hide that appears more alien in texture than any other armor ever 
  produced before. What is even more unnerving is that the wings 
  seem to emit a low hum and the twin visors on the sinister looking 
  alien helmet seem to be staring down the player characters as if 
  they were a piece of raw meat. The players did not know what to 
  expect when Drake Benton was assigned to the mission, but they 
  suddenly are feeling somewhat uneasy with the idea of working 
  in close proximity to this experimental, special ops monster.
  Once the team is fully equipped, the Royal Guard leads them 
  through the halls of House Artemis to the nearby Launch Bay. 
  This entrance connects to a maze of abandoned sewer tunnels 
  that are large enough to accommodate the massive wingspan of 
  the Dracos War Mounts. It is primarily used by Archangels and 
  Flying War Mounts because most of the tunnel exits open up over 
  a fifty foot (15.2 m) cliff overlooking the Great Ocean. There are 
  smaller tunnels that exit directly into the ocean, but none of these 
  are large enough to accommodate a large War Mount.
  The Launch Bay was not that much larger than the other en-
  tranceways to House Artemis, but the high-domed ceiling made it 
  feel enormous. What also makes it feel so large is the fact that the 
  Senate cleared the entire area of all personnel not directly linked 
  to this mission. These entranceways are usually cluttered with 
  over a hundred armored soldiers at all times, and to see it nearly 
  empty is somewhat eerie.
  Since this staging area caters mainly to fliers, it was designed 
  to give them a little room to test their gear before heading top-
  side. Of course, the Archangels push this little allowance to the 
  limits (much like they do with everything else in their lives). 
  Their version of testing their Wing Packs involves buzzing past 
  each other in these relatively tight confines at high speeds. As the 
  player characters enter the Launch Bay, they see about eight or 
  nine Archangels looping around each other in a dizzying display. 
  They witness dozens of situations where a high-speed collision 
  seems imminent only to watch the two fliers veer off at the last 
  second with such skill and precision that it almost appears cho-
  reographed. High-speed strafing bursts and skimming the walls 
  and ceiling with only a foot or two of space is nerve-racking to 
  watch, but yet so daring that it is captivating. The player charac-
  ters are distracted for a few moments by this dazzling air show 
  before being snapped back to attention as one of their Outrider 
  pilots starts going over the mission details.
  “Legion’s army is marching on the Retro-Village of Dillon-
  town. They should reach it within the hour. There’s a pretty de-
  cent sized forest between them and the village. Legion’s not one 
  for going around obstacles, so we’re pretty sure her forces will 
  just plow straight through. That’ll be the drop point. It should 
  provide you with decent cover and still put you right in their path. 
  Our scouts are reporting limited N.E.X.U.S. air patrols in the 
  area, but we’ll still be sticking low to the trees to avoid attract-
  ing attention. The Outrider then points up at the Archangels still 
  swooping about the Launch Bay at dangerous speeds and says, 
  
  80
  “These maniacs whirling around our heads will be providing es-
  cort along with two Zephyrs. We’re going to go in low and fast. 
  It may get a little bumpy, but hopefully it will be an uneventful 
  transport. All right, let’s mount up.”
  The team will be split up evenly across the two Dracos War 
  Mounts (each holding one Sweeper) to ensure that the mission 
  can proceed if one of the transports is shot down en route. It is just 
  another subtle reminder of the incredible odds stacked against the 
  player characters. They do not have time to dwell on it now, but 
  they will have plenty of time to think about the danger during the 
  thirty minute flight to the drop point.
  The flight through the old sewer lines is uneventful. After five 
  minutes of seemingly endless twists and turns through this maze 
  of decaying tunnels, the transports and their defenders come 
  blasting out of the sewer pipes over the Great Ocean. The midday 
  sun glinting off of the water is absolutely blinding compared to 
  the dark, dank sewer tunnels they just exited (even for characters 
  with polarized filters on their armor). The player characters are a 
  bit more stunned by the light because they actually had no idea 
  what time it was before reaching the surface. Keeping track of 
  time underground is confusing enough already, and the lack of 
  sleep combined with the hectic pace over the past twenty-four 
  hours has left them somewhat disoriented. Sunset is about five or 
  six hours away, so it looks like they will be taking on Legion in 
  broad daylight. It is rare for House Artemis to stage any type of 
  attack during the day, which speaks to the urgency of this mis-
  sion, but it also means the strike will be that much more difficult.
  As soon as the procession exits the tunnel, they all bank hard 
  to the right and begin to head back inland. The Outrider said they 
  would be flying low, but the player characters did not realize they 
  would be soaring over the forest just a few feet above the tree-
  tops. The constant bobbing and weaving around the taller trees 
  that pierce the forest canopy makes for a rough ride, but it is 
  far better than dodging gunfire. After twenty minutes of bumpy 
  but uneventful travel, the group starts to think they might actu-
  ally make the drop point without incident. Unfortunately, they 
  are wrong.
  Intercepted
  The peaceful forest up ahead suddenly erupts into flames as 
  a barrage of Bio-Weapons fire rips through the trees and into 
  the convoy. Three Archangels fall in the first volley and several 
  others are injured. Neither Dracos is even scratched, so it looks 
  like the escorts are the intended targets. The attack does not slow 
  the procession down and they race past the ambush site without 
  breaking formation. A second volley fired at the convoy’s backs 
  brings down another Archangel and damages both Zephyrs. They 
  are able to keep up, but their maneuverability has been signifi-
  cantly compromised. Both Zephyrs and only five of the original 
  nine Archangels remain, but every one of them has suffered some 
  measure of damage. The ambushing Splicers only got off a few 
  volleys, but they succeed in weakening the escorts and, more im-
  portantly, distracting the convoy from the real threat.
  While the group was focused on the ground assault, three 
  Skullcracker War Mounts and three Griffin War Mounts sprung 
  from their hiding places and started charging directly towards the 
  convoy’s right flank. The procession was too distracted by the 
  gunfire to notice their approach until it is too late.
  The player characters look up just in time to watch the Skull-
  crackers slam into three of their Archangel escorts. Their organic 
  armor collapses under the impact with a sickening crunch, and 
  all three are sent spiraling to the forest floor at hundreds of miles 
  per hour. One of the Griffins grabs the closest Zephyr War Mount 
  and secures itself to the beast using its barbed tentacles. The Grif-
  fin then starts slashing it apart with its powerful high frequency 
  talons as the Zephyr breaks away from the convoy at high speed 
  in a desperate attempt to shake off its attacker. This blitzkrieg 
  strike succeeded in clearing a path through the escorts so that 
  the remaining two Griffin War Mounts could grab their primary 
  targets, the Sweepers.
  The first Griffin plucks Sweeper Anderson Long off of his 
  Dracos with ease and begins racing off into the distance. The sec-
  ond Sweeper, Shauna Davies, realized she was a target as soon 
  as the first shot was fired. She quickly used the forearm mounted 
  tentacles on her Shellback Armor to secure herself to the Dracos. 
  When the second Griffin grabs hold of her and tries to fly off, 
  its Outrider pilot is momentarily stunned when his target does 
  not even budge. This gives anyone on the Dracos, as well as any 
  remaining escorts, a free shot at this War Mount (automatically 
  loses initiative). If it survives the initial barrage, it will let go of 
  the Sweeper and fly off.
  While this is going on, Anderson Long is proving that he is not 
  an easy target either. The player characters glance over in time to 
  see an enormous explosion erupt on the underside of the Griffin. 
  Anderson used one of his explosive charges on the beast knowing 
  that his thick Shellback Armor would protect him from the blast 
  and the resulting fall. The blast sends both the War Mount and 
  the Sweeper crashing to the forest below about three quarters of 
  a mile (1.2 km) away from the convoy. They were not that high 
  above the forest at the time, so it was only a forty foot (12.2 m) 
  drop into the trees. This is still a significant distance, but hope-
  fully the trees helped break their fall. The other Zephyr breaks off 
  to pursue Anderson, but it is quickly pounced on by the first Grif-
  fin War Mount. The players look around to see what happened to 
  their other Zephyr escort. They spot the tattered creature plum-
  meting to the ground off in the distance. It looks like the Griffin 
  made quick work of it before moving on to the next Zephyr. It 
  falls about fifty feet (15.2 m) and then suddenly explodes. The 
  Zephyr was already beaten, but Griffins always leave a little ex-
  plosive surprise when they break off from an opponent. The blast 
  tears the War Mount apart, making the likelihood that the Out-
  rider survived the assault rather slim.
  Not even an hour into the mission and the unthinkable has al-
  ready happened, a Shell Bomb is in the open! Whether Anderson 
  survived the fall or not does not matter. The player characters 
  must recover the bomb. It is pretty apparent that these Splicers 
  not only knew of their existence, but also who was carrying them. 
  This ambush was far too coordinated to be a random trap. Some-
  one within House Artemis must have tipped them off. What is 
  even more alarming is that only the highest ranking members of 
  the military were even aware of this mission. Discovering the 
  identity of this traitor is nearly as important as recovering the 
  Shell Bomb. If possible, the player characters should try to cap-
  ture one of the attacking Splicers to hopefully learn the identity 
  of the traitor. But that is secondary. Right now, all that matters 
  is recovering the bomb before the attacking Splicers can. The 
  player characters still have two undamaged Dracos War Mounts 
  with riders, two damaged but combat-able Archangels, the War 
  
  81
  Angel Drake, and Sweeper Shauna Davies at their disposal. One 
  Zephyr is still in the fight, but it cannot shake the ferocious Grif-
  fin off of its back and it does not look like it will last much longer. 
  One (possibly two) of the Griffin War Mounts are down, but the 
  players still need to worry about at least one more as well as three 
  Skullcrackers (not to mention any ground forces that are likely 
  lurking in the forest below). Anderson and one of the Griffins 
  crashed into the forest in a flaming heap, so any ground forces in 
  the area are probably rushing to this blazing signal fire already. 
  They need to hurry.
  The smoke from the crash site is obscuring the view from 
  above, so there is no way to know what may be waiting for the 
  player characters down there. The Dracos War Mounts can drop 
  them directly on the crash site, or they can drop the group further 
  away if they want to make a more cautious approach. The forest 
  is too dense for either Dracos to touch down and the canopy is 
  too thick for them to provide air cover. On a positive note, this 
  also means the player characters will not need to worry about 
  harassment from aerial attackers once they enter the forest. Then 
  Drake tells the group that he, the Outriders and the rest of the 
  Archangels can deal with the Griffin and Skullcrackers while the 
  player characters recover the Sweeper and his cargo. They will 
  stand by for extraction as long as they can, but the smoke is likely 
  going to attract Machine attention, so they do not know how long 
  they can wait.
  The thick underbrush in the forest makes movement some-
  what difficult, but thankfully, it is broken up periodically by de-
  cent sized clearings. The crash site is in one of the larger clearings 
  up ahead. By the time the player characters finally do reach the 
  site, all they find is the Griffin and its Outrider pilot, both dead. 
  The Sweeper is nowhere to be found, but a quick survey of the 
  scene makes it pretty apparent that he survived the crash. There 
  are fresh blast craters all across the clearing, including a sizable 
  one that took the Griffin’s head off. Sweepers can generate an 
  impressive amount of explosive ordnance within their Shellback 
  Armor, and it looks like Anderson used quite a bit of his before 
  retreating into the forest. A few small fires are still burning, but 
  the area is wet from a recent rainstorm so the risk of them spark-
  ing a wildfire is pretty low. The battle likely slowed him down a 
  bit, so he could not possibly be too far ahead. The deep footprints 
  in the mud from his heavy armor have left an easy trail for the 
  player characters to follow. They are about to go after him when 
  they hear the sound of snapping twigs behind them. They turn 
  and see a dozen Gorehounds push through the underbrush and 
  enter the clearing. They start charging straight at the player char-
  acters until the group hears someone shout “halt” from off in the 
  distance. The hounds stop dead in their tracks and begin growling 
  ferociously. The player characters now have a much better view 
  of these Bio-Tech hounds and they realize they are not actually 
  Gorehounds, but Maulers.
  Maulers are evolved versions (some would say, devolved 
  versions) of the loyal Gorehounds. They are larger and much 
  more powerfully built, but they are also incredibly aggres-
  sive and difficult to control. House Artemis created the Mauler 
  strain years ago, but they consider them a bit too unpredictable 
  so they only produce them in limited numbers. Unfortunately, 
  agents from House Janus acquired the genetic code and used it to 
  turn a large percentage of their Gorehounds into Maulers. These 
  volatile beasts lack the patience for many of the Gorehounds’ 
  usual missions, like search and rescue, demolitions detection, 
  or reconnaissance. Maulers are only good for one thing, killing. 
  Their presence shows how serious these ambushing Splicers truly 
  are. It also confirms the suspicion that the attackers are likely 
  from House Janus. Seconds later, the group sees who ordered 
  the Maulers to stand down. Four Splicers emerge from the brush 
  behind the hounds and immediately train their weapons on the 
  player characters. Two of them are wearing the distinctive armor 
  of the Packlords. These deadly Splicers are senior Packmasters 
  who have proven themselves to be such skilled handlers that they 
  are allowed to upgrade their Gorehounds into different variations. 
  Much like their hounds, Packlords tend to favor close combat 
  (which is pretty evident from their wicked looking forearm-
  mounted tentacle whips).
  The other two are wearing Host Armor. One looks like a stan-
  dard Dreadguard, but the other one is definitely a Dreadnaught. 
  His armor is nearly twice the size of his fellow warriors, and the 
  dead giveaway is the massive Harbinger Cannon he is carrying 
  at his hip. Only elite Dreadguard are ever offered the option of 
  becoming one of these heavy weapons specialists, so this brute 
  is most likely the leader of the assault. The players’ suspicions 
  are confirmed when he points off in the direction of Anderson 
  Long’s footprints and starts shouting orders at the other Splic-
  ers. “The Sweeper’s tracks lead off into the forest. Gavin, take 
  your hounds, find him, tear him apart, and bring me the pack-
  age. Apollo and Lycaon, spread out! We’ll shut the rest of these 
  cubs down.” The booming distorted voice from this enormous 
  Host Armor is somewhat unnerving, as is the fact that he does 
  not seem to be interested in taking prisoners. One of the Pack-
  lords and half of the Maulers tear off through the underbrush in 
  pursuit of Sweeper Anderson Long. Their departure significantly 
  diminishes the ambush party’s numerical superiority, but the 
  Dreadnaught does not look too worried about the odds. In fact, it 
  almost looks like the wicked carnivorous maw on his Host Armor 
  is smiling. Once the Packlord is out of sight, the Dreadnaught 
  points his enormous Harbinger Cannon in the player characters’ 
  direction and opens fire (roll for initiative as normal). Any trees 
  between the two groups are torn to shreds, as are huge swaths of 
  trees behind the group as this thick barrage of Bio-Energy blasts 
  rips through them like paper.
  The salvo destroys any cover between the combatants. The 
  Dreadnaught may feel comfortable standing in the open trading 
  fire, but the other warriors in his group do not feel so invulnera-
  ble. The other Dreadguard actually steps behind the Dreadnaught 
  to use the big bruiser as cover, while the Packlord uses his own 
  charging Maulers as cover so he can close the distance with the 
  player characters.
  Game Masters, let this battle play out a bit, but be careful not 
  to mow the player characters down with the Dreadnaught. A con-
  centrated burst from his Harbinger Cannon could tear any one of 
  them to shreds, but fortunately, he does not seem to be targeting 
  anyone at all. He is just firing wildly in the direction of the player 
  characters. This constant barrage of suppressive fire keeps the 
  players off balance and on their heels (-2 to strike and parry), 
  plus there is a 01-35% chance a player will be struck by a stray 
  blast whenever they move (3D6 M.D. per blast). His strategy (or 
  complete lack thereof) is somewhat puzzling. He never makes 
  any effort to dodge incoming fire (no matter how damaging), and 
  he never targets any of the player characters directly. The other 
  members of the ambush party, on the other hand, seem to be mak-
  ing every effort to annihilate the group as quickly as possible.
  
  82
  The battle ends when the Dreadnaught goes down. Whether 
  this takes twenty minutes or one lucky headshot is up to the Game 
  Master. I would suggest ending it suddenly if the tide starts to 
  turn on the player group. Otherwise, just let them hammer things 
  out themselves. The Dreadnaught is an imposing yet easy target 
  to strike, so he should naturally draw a lot of fire. However, if no 
  one targets him, he can still fall as the victim of a stray blast or at-
  tack from Drake Benton (whether the players witness the killing 
  blow or not). No matter how it happens, once the Dreadnaught 
  falls, the Dreadguard standing near him (or another Splicer that 
  arrives to reinforce their position if the Dreadguard happened 
  to fall first) will immediately begin shouting at his allies, “Hold 
  your fire! Hold your fire! Stand down!”
  He then drops his weapon and slumps down next to the fallen 
  Dreadnaught. He starts shaking his head back and forth and mutter-
  ing over and over again. “We didn’t know. I swear we didn’t know.”
  It Just Keeps Getting Worse
  The combatants cautiously gather around the slain Dread-
  naught to see what caused the Dreadguard to suddenly throw 
  down his arms. Both sides are a little wary standing shoulder to 
  shoulder around the corpse considering the fact that they were 
  all trying to kill each other only seconds before, but the Splicers 
  from House Janus will maintain the truce as long as the player 
  characters do. It takes little more than a glance to see why the 
  Dreadguard is so shaken up. The top of the Dreadnaught’s ar-
  mored helmet is blasted off, as is half of his skull. Mixed in with 
  the bloody mess of brain matter and skull fragments is a large, 
  shiny metallic object. Obviously, no one in the group is an expert 
  in electronics, but every one of them can instantly recognize the 
  complicated circuitry common to their robotic foes. As unbeliev-
  able as it may seem, it appears that half of the Dreadnaught’s 
  brain was removed and replaced with an artificial one. No one 
  has ever seen or heard of anything like this before, but the player 
  characters quickly realize this is likely Legion’s doing.
  The Janus Splicers are absolutely horrified once they realize 
  that they have been acting as pawns of the Machine. Blood feuds, 
  raids, and thefts between the Great Houses are common, but no 
  one in the Resistance would willingly side with N.E.X.U.S. against 
  their fellow humans. Any rivalries are immediately pushed aside 
  and the House Janus Splicers tell the player characters they will 
  cooperate in any way. The other Packlord comes back to the clear-
  ing with his hands raised in the air. He announces that he heard the 
  message and has no intentions of attacking. A few seconds later, 
  his Maulers enter the clearing as well. They are dragging the still 
  struggling Anderson Long by the arms. The Packlord tells both 
  groups that the Sweeper is unharmed and that this was the only 
  way he could get Anderson to come with him. Apparently, the 
  Sweeper did not trust the sudden change of heart, and needed a 
  little bit more convincing. Once the player characters confirm to 
  Anderson that everything is all right, he calms down enough for the 
  Maulers to release him. Anderson seems to be fine. His Shellback 
  Armor took some significant damage, but it will heal. He pats the 
  satchel at his hip to indicate to the player characters that he still has 
  his Shell Bomb. The Janus Splicers either did not notice the gesture 
  or simply do not care anymore. They seem to be too busy staring 
  awestruck at the fallen Dreadnaught.
  After a few more awkward moments of silence, the Dread-
  guard of the group introduces himself as Apollo and starts tell-
  ing the player characters everything he knows. He is very can-
  did with any information he does have and will answer all of 
  the players’ questions without hesitation. Apollo tells the group 
  that the Dreadnaught’s name was Leon and he was the group’s 
  superior and the one who organized the entire assault. He never 
  told the rest of the group what they were after, just that it was 
  some kind of experimental weapon. He tells the players that 
  the orders did not come from higher up and that he had no idea 
  where Dreadnaught Leon came by his information. He served 
  with the Dreadnaught for years so he had no reason to distrust 
  the man, but looking back, he should have been more suspi-
  cious.
  For months, Dreadnaught Leon seemed a little... off. For the 
  most part, he seemed like his normal self, but he recently started 
  acting a bit more serious than usual, plus he kept on forgetting 
  simple things like directions to familiar locations and even the 
  names of longtime friends and comrades. Dreadguard Apollo ad-
  mits how he dismissed these as side effects from the stress and fa-
  tigue of endless warfare, but he soon realizes and acknowledges 
  that the changes happened rather suddenly. He tells the group 
  that he has a pretty good idea of when his friend was altered, but 
  he never went missing for an extended period of time. Leon just 
  left on a standard sweep and clear one day and came back a little 
  different. Apparently, this means the Machine (or Legion) can 
  work fast. He goes on to say there were three other Splicers on 
  that mission and that he needs to report this information back to 
  his Warlord right away.
  As they gather up the Dreadnaught, the Dreadguard looks 
  back at the player characters and says, “I wish we could do more 
  to help, but we have our own problems now. I don’t know what 
  your objective is, but whatever it is, it looks like the Machine 
  knows about it and is pretty serious about stopping you. I’m sor-
  ry for our part in hindering your mission. Just know that House 
  Janus will not stand in your way again, I promise. I wish you 
  luck.” He then glances down at the circuitry inside the skull of his 
  friend and says, “I wish us all luck.” With that, the Janus Splic-
  ers disappear into the forest. Seconds later, Drake Benton con-
  tacts the player characters by Bio-Comm. He tells them that the 
  Griffin and Skullcrackers just split and they should probably do 
  the same. The firefight cleared enough room for the Dracos War 
  Mounts to land and pick up the group. All that remains are the 
  two Dracos transports. Besides Drake, one additional Archangel 
  survived the battle, but he realized he was too damaged to do any 
  good and headed back home. Once everyone is aboard, what is 
  left of the convoy flies off along their original heading. Archangel 
  Drake tells the pilots to find a place to set down so they can plan 
  their next move.
  Game Masters: If you want to give the players a moment 
  to relax and digest their latest findings, then just let them find a 
  nearby place to hide, regroup, and plan a course of action. How-
  ever, if you want to keep them on edge, now would be a good 
  time to spring a surprise N.E.X.U.S. patrol on the group. I would 
  recommend a lone Sky Fighter dropping from orbit or two Fly-
  ing Strike Ships or a small pack (1D10) of Necroborgs that were 
  attracted to all the commotion. Nothing too extreme. Just enough 
  to provide a little challenge and remind them why the surface 
  is such a dangerous place. Be sure to give the players plenty of 
  avenues of escape if they wish to avoid a fight or are losing the 
  fight. Diving into a nearby lake or Nature Preserve could provide 
  instant sanctuary from Machine patrols.
  
  83
  I am Legion, Episode Two
  Adventure Source Material
  New O.C.C.s
  Sweeper O.C.C.
  Sweepers are the demolitions experts of the Resistance. Their 
  main responsibility is to disarm bombs and land mines planted 
  by the Machine and rival Great Houses, but their training also 
  makes them expert saboteurs. They wear an experimental suit of 
  Host Armor called Shellback Armor that gives them the tools to 
  disarm or detonate nearly any type of explosive device, plus some 
  of the thickest armor in the Resistance in case things go wrong. 
  Sweepers are among the handful of people that know how to dis-
  arm Bio-Tech explosives, and they are the only humans (other 
  than Technojackers) capable of dismantling bombs that use me-
  tallic components.
  For decades, the task of sniffing out bombs and land mines 
  was the responsibility of Packmasters and the Gorehounds un-
  der their command. While they were very effective at finding ex-
  plosive devices, there was little they could do to actually disarm 
  them. Conventional bombs set by rival Great Houses could be 
  disarmed, but the majority of explosive devices were placed by 
  the Machine’s forces and it was nearly impossible for a human 
  to safely touch them. These devices were primarily composed of 
  metal, and the Nanoplague made most attempts to disarm them 
  suicide. Really all Packmasters could do was mark them for other 
  troops to avoid, or detonate them with Chigs and Squigs (which 
  was not very helpful when they were trying to maintain a low 
  profile).
  This all changed with the creation of the Sweepers. Their 
  Shellback Armor gave them the tools to safely disarm any of the 
  Machine’s devices (in spite of the Nanoplague) and the protec-
  tion to survive nearly any sized blast in case the pilot failed. The 
  armor has dozens of eight foot (2.4 m) long, retractable tentacles 
  that the pilot uses to operate on explosive devices from a rela-
  tively safe distance. Plus as an extra precaution, the suit is able 
  to create a containment field around the device by covering it in 
  experimental Bio-Tech insects known as Impact Beetles. Sweep-
  ers are trained to work quickly in order to prevent a Nanoplague 
  Response, but if it does happen, the tentacles are designed to take 
  the brunt of the damage. The excessive amount of limbs allows 
  the pilot to continue working even as the Nanoplague tears tenta-
  cle after tentacle apart. If all else fails and a device proves too dif-
  ficult to disarm, Sweepers are also equipped with multiple types 
  of explosive chemicals and Bio-Tech devices that they can use 
  to detonate the bomb. Sweepers are also trained how to use their 
  explosive payloads for maximum effect against the Machine’s 
  robot minions and installations.
  Since members of the Resistance knew very little about the 
  Machine’s technology, the first batch of Sweepers were actu-
  ally trained by Technojackers. Fortunately, since few humans 
  could safely handle N.E.X.U.S. manufactured explosives, the 
  Machine did not bother creating complicated devices, so it did 
  not take long to educate the first Sweepers on how to properly 
  disarm them. Once they mastered this skill, their training quick-
  ly switched to understanding how to best utilize their explosive 
  payloads against the Machine. The Sweepers have worked out 
  better than anyone could have imagined. Their presence in the 
  field has prevented hundreds of Splicers from falling victim 
  to explosive booby traps, and their demolitions skills have al-
  lowed the Resistance to wreak incredible destruction upon the 
  Machine.
  Alignment: Any, but typically good or selfish.
  Attribute Requirements: I.Q. and M.E. 14 or higher.
  Attribute Bonuses: +1D4 to I.Q., +2 to M.E., +1D6 to P.S., +1 
  to P.P., and +1D6 to P.E.
  O.C.C. Bonuses: +4 to roll with impact, +2 to save vs insanity, 
  and +5 to save vs Horror Factor.
  Base S.D.C.: 30, plus any from Physical skills.
  Common Skills: Standard.
  O.C.C. Skill Programs: Basic Military (+10%), Saboteur 
  (+20%), Guerilla Warfare (+20%), and Technical (+15%) or 
  Construction (+15%).
  Special Skills:
  Disarm Bio-Tech Explosives: Sweepers have been trained 
  how to disarm Bio-Tech explosives like Migs and Trench 
  Foot Mines. Usually, once these devices have been set, even 
  touching them will trigger the explosive. Shellback Armor 
  is equipped with a special Bio-Toxin that is capable of para-
  lyzing small Bio-Tech devices for 2D6 melee rounds. This 
  gives the Sweeper enough time to surgically sever any of the 
  devices’ triggering mechanisms. The skill roll determines if 
  the Sweeper successfully cuts all triggers. On a failed roll, at 
  least one trigger remains and the device immediately deto-
  nates once the effects of the Bio-Toxin wear off. Base Skill: 
  60%+3% per level of experience.
  Disarm Metallic Explosives: The Nanobot Plague makes 
  touching metallic objects a dangerous and often deadly affair. 
  Sweepers, however, are trained on how to disarm bombs that 
  use metal components. Shellback Armor is designed to take 
  the brunt of the damage from a Nanoplague Response, but 
  sometimes, despite their best efforts, the Nanobots actually 
  trigger the device. Sweepers are trained how to prevent this 
  from happening, but it is by no means one hundred percent. 
  On a successful skill roll, the device is successfully disarmed. 
  On a failed roll, a Nanoplague Response is triggered. Roll on 
  the standard Nanoplague Response Table to see the effects, 
  plus roll to see if the device itself is accidentally triggered (01-
  30% chance). Base Skill: 40%+3% per level of experience.
  Elective Skills: Trap and Mine Construction (+20%) and 
  select six Elective Skills from the following list at first level, 
  plus one additional at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. All new 
  skills start at level one proficiency.
  Communications: Any (+5%), Domestic: Any (+5%), Es-
  pionage: Any, Medical: First Aid only, Military: Any (+10%), 
  Physical: Any, Rogue: Any, Science: Any (+10%), Technical: 
  Any (+20%), Transportation: Any, Wilderness Survival: Any 
  (+5%) and W.P.s: Any.
  Secondary Skills: The character gets to select five Second-
  ary Skills at level one and one additional skill at levels 3, 6, 
  9, 12, and 15. These are additional areas of knowledge that do 
  not receive any special O.C.C. bonuses.
  
  84
  
  85
  Shellback Host Armor: Sweepers receive an experimental Host 
  Armor design known as Shellback Armor. The Sweeper is ge-
  netically bonded to one specific Shellback Armor.
  Step One: See the specific details on Shellback Armor be-
  low.
  Step Two: Determining Metabolism. Shellback Armor is 
  always a Lithovore.
  Step Three: Available Bio-Energy points for the Sweeper is 
  M.E. attribute number, +P.E. attribute number, +1D4x10+20 
  points, plus an additional 20 points for the Lithovore metabo-
  lism. Each level of advancement, starting with level two, the 
  Sweeper gets an additional 5D4 Bio-E to add to the capabili-
  ties of his current Shellback Armor. These Bio-E points can be 
  spent as soon as they are acquired or saved and combined with 
  points from subsequent levels of experience.
  If the Sweeper’s Shellback Armor is destroyed, another 
  will be bonded to him, but it will only have the most basic 
  Bio-Enhancements. Further augmentation will only occur 
  with each additional level of experience or as a reward for 
  impeccable service.
  Step Four: Biological Enhancements and Weapon Sys-
  tems. Selections can be made from any of the categories, but 
  most Sweepers focus on Biological Defenses in order to give 
  themselves better protection in the field and the unique Bio-
  Enhancements that are only available to Shellback Armor.
  Standard Equipment: Military fatigues, a suit of non-organic 
  body armor for backup or disguise, dress clothing, survival 
  knife, utility belt, first aid kit, 2 Slap Patches, Face Wrap, tinted 
  goggles, hatchet for cutting wood, one light Bio-Weapon and 
  one heavy Bio-Weapon of choice and one weapon for each 
  W.P. with appropriate ammunition for heavy combat, a good 
  Mega-Horse for transportation, tent, knapsack, backpack, two 
  water skins, emergency food rations (two weeks supply), and 
  some personal items.
  Handheld Weapon Bio-Enhancements: Sweepers receive 5D4 
  Bio-E at level one plus 5 Bio-E at each additional level of ex-
  perience starting at level 2. Bio-E can be distributed between 
  all the weapons in the character’s personal armory or applied 
  to one favorite item.
  Money: Has 1D6x100 credits in precious metals, relics or trade 
  items, as well as 6D6x10 in available credits. Money can be 
  spent now on additional equipment or saved for later.
  The Upside: You are a walking explosives factory with the 
  knowledge and skill to make the most of it. You can bring 
  down nearly any obstacle, structure, or opponent with a few 
  cleverly placed charges. Your skills at finding and disarming 
  explosives make you a hero among your fellow soldiers, and 
  they make sure to return the favor by watching your back in 
  the field.
  The Downside: You are a walking explosives factory, which 
  does have its drawbacks in the middle of a war zone. When 
  allowed to operate in peace, the bombs you place can inflict 
  unimaginable devastation upon the Machine, but it is rare that 
  any human can find a moment of peace in the field. Your thick 
  armor does protect you somewhat from the Machine’s fury, 
  but it also makes you a slow and easy target to hit. You may 
  have the tools to disarm metallic bombs, but the Nanoplague 
  makes your success rate far from perfect. You know how to 
  work around these Nanobots, but no one knows how to com-
  pletely stop them. You have taken more than your fair share 
  of explosive blasts at point-blank range, and it is always in 
  the back of you mind that your Shellback Armor might not 
  survive the next one.
  Experience Table: Same as the Roughneck.
  Shellback Armor
  Shellback Armor is a specialized suit of Host Armor specifi-
  cally designed for demolitions and demolitions disposal. It gets 
  its name from the thick, turtle-like shell mounted on the back 
  of the armor. This shell does provide the pilot with additional 
  protection, but its main purpose is to shield the nearly one hun-
  dred pounds of explosive chemicals and Bio-Tech organisms that 
  the suit continuously produces. The original intent of these ex-
  plosives was to detonate bombs and mines when all attempts at 
  disarmament failed, but Resistance leaders realized that the sheer 
  amount of destructive power these suits carried made Sweepers 
  ideal saboteurs and demolitionists as well. The suit combines 
  some of the latest breakthroughs in Bio-Technology with the 
  thickest armor ever produced for a suit of Host Armor. This bulky 
  armor allows the pilot to work around the problems posed by the 
  Nanobot Plague while disarming bombs using metallic compo-
  nents, and the strength to survive nearly any sized blast in case 
  he fails.
  Mounted on each forearm of the suit are over a dozen eight 
  foot long, retractable tentacles that the pilot uses to work on ex-
  plosive devices from a relatively safe distance. Each tentacle is as 
  articulated as the pilot’s own fingers and many of them are tipped 
  with useful tools that make the pilot’s job even easier. The reason 
  for the excessive number of tentacles is to give the pilot backup 
  limbs to work with as the Nanoplague destroys them. As long 
  as the Nanoplague does not actually trigger the device, a Pilot 
  can continue to work uninterrupted as the Nanobots tear through 
  tentacle after tentacle. Once the job is done, the incredible regen-
  erative powers of these limbs quickly restore any damage done.
  Before starting work on any explosive device, the pilot first 
  covers it with strange Bio-Tech Insects known as Impact Beetles 
  in order to create a containment field. This is a safety measure 
  meant to absorb the bulk of the blast in case of failure. Each 
  bug is capable of generating a small Bio-Force Field, and when 
  they combine their strength, they can create a force field strong 
  enough to contain almost any sized blast. The energy field hov-
  ers a few inches over the device, so even if the explosion com-
  pletely destroys the containment field, the power of the blast is 
  greatly diminished (the remaining M.D. that pierces the field is 
  halved, as is the blast radius). Shellback Armor is the only other 
  suit of armor capable of growing Bio-Tech Insects. These Impact 
  Beetles are slightly different than the ones generated by Hive Ar-
  mor. They are unable to propel themselves at sonic speeds and 
  the force fields they create are much smaller in size (although 
  much more powerful). They may not be as versatile, but they are 
  perfectly suited for the task of demolitions disposal.
  Shellback Armor offers some of the best protection in the Re-
  sistance, but this increased shielding does come at the cost of 
  decreased speed and mobility. They can run at a decent speed for 
  their size, but the thick armor makes them somewhat ponderous 
  and cumbersome in battle. This is usually not much of an issue 
  since Sweepers rarely engage in frontline combat. Their role is 
  to clear the field of enemy explosives or cover it with their own 
  traps.
  
  86
  Class: Host Armor.
  Crew: One Sweeper.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Arms (2) – 3D6x10+20 M.D.C., +10 additional M.D.C. per 
  level of experience (starting at level 2); both arms have the same 
  M.D.C.
  Hands (2) – 2D6x10+20 M.D.C., +15 additional M.D.C. at 
  levels five, ten, and fifteen; both hands have the same M.D.C.
  Retractable Tentacles (28) – 70 M.D.C. each, +5 additional 
  M.D.C. at levels five, ten, and fifteen.
  Legs (2) – 4D6x10+20 M.D.C., +10 additional M.D.C. per 
  level of experience (starting at level 2); both legs have the same 
  M.D.C.
  Feet (2) – 2D6x10+30 M.D.C., +20 additional M.D.C. at lev-
  els five, ten, and fifteen; both feet have the same M.D.C.
  Head – 2D6x10+20 M.D.C., +10 additional M.D.C. per level 
  of experience (starting at level 2).
  Main Body – 8D6x10+150 M.D.C., +10 additional M.D.C. 
  per level of experience (starting at level 2),
  Turtle Shell – 6D6x10+250 M.D.C., +10 additional M.D.C. 
  per level of experience (starting at level 2). If the M.D.C. of 
  the shell is depleted to zero, then there is a 70% chance that the 
  explosive payload will detonate, inflicting 6D6x10 M.D. to the 
  main body of the armor and half damage to everything within a 
  40 foot (12.2 m) radius.
  Note: The turtle shell can only be targeted with a called shot. 
  However, it is a large target, so there are no penalties to strike.
  Speed:
  Running: 4D6+20 mph (38 to 70 km). The act of running does 
  tire out the pilot, but at only 10% of the normal fatigue rate.
  Leaping: Only 10 feet (3 m) high or 15 feet (4.6 m) across.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km) through sand or dirt, but one quarter 
  as fast through rock or concrete. Digging tires out its pilot, but 
  at half the usual fatigue rate. To dig down enough to adequately 
  hide from enemies on the surface takes 3D6 minutes.
  Swimming: 10 mph (16 km); swimming tires the pilot but at 10% 
  of the usual rate.
  Underwater Depth: Shellback Armor can withstand pressure up 
  to 1000 feet (305 m) down.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: Approximately 2-3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m) is added to the 
  height of the pilot.
  Width: 4-5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m), based on the size of the pilot.
  Length: 3-4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m), based on the size of the pilot.
  Weight: Adds about 500 to 700 pounds (225 to 315 kg) to the 
  weight of the pilot.
  Cargo: Contained within the turtle shell on the suit’s back is 
  about 100 pounds (45 kg) of explosive chemicals and Bio-Tech 
  Organisms.
  Physical Strength: 4D6+15 – Splicer P.S. is equal to Robotic 
  Strength.
  Production Cycle: Six month gestation, plus 6 months growth 
  time.
  Operational Lifetime: 2D10+50 year life span.
  Trade Value: None, because each Shellback Armor is bonded to a 
  specific pilot and will not function for any other person.
  Bio-Regeneration: 2D6 M.D.C. per hour for the main body and 
  1D4 M.D.C. per hour for all other locations except the retractable 
  tentacles which regenerate at a rate of 1D6 M.D.C. per melee 
  round. Only the tentacles can be regrown once severed, all other 
  locations require at least one point of M.D.C. in order to regener-
  ate. However, an Engineer can generate and attach a replacement 
  limb with minimal difficulty.
  Horror Factor: 7 for humans and other intelligent life forms; none 
  against the machines.
  Senses and Features: Standard Host Armor features and Combat 
  Bonuses plus the following:
  Enhanced Sense of Taste and Smell: Track by smell is pos-
  sible at 50%+4% per level of experience, special bonus of +10% 
  when attempting to detect or track explosive chemicals. The 
  character can also recognize the distinct scents and smells of 
  individuals and can detect when people experience extremes of 
  emotions at 60%+2% per level of experience. Enhanced sense of 
  taste gives the Sweeper the ability to recognize the exact com-
  ponents in anything the armor tastes at a skill of 50%+4% per 
  level of experience, and a special bonus of +10% when tasting 
  explosive chemicals.
  Seismic Sense: Able to detect miniscule vibrations in the 
  ground, feeling earthquakes, thunder, explosions, and even the 
  approach of heavy vehicles, robots, troop movement, and stam-
  peding animals up to 12 miles (19 km) away.
  Reinforced Exoskeleton.
  Resistance to Physical Attacks: A layer of heavy tissue filled 
  with impact-resistant fluid cushions Shellback Armor from blunt 
  attacks, falls, and explosive concussions (all inflict half damage).
  Emergency Explosive Payload Dump: If the turtle shell is ever 
  breeched, the explosive chemicals and Bio-Tech creatures within 
  become completely exposed to enemy fire. At this point it takes 
  very little to set off a devastating chain reaction within the armor. 
  The armor is capable of quickly expunging all explosive chemi-
  cals in an emergency with a simple mental command from the 
  pilot. The turtle shell actually rips itself open and spits the entire 
  payload in one massive glob about 10 feet (3 m) away. It is not 
  quite far enough away to protect the armor in case this explosive 
  glob is detonated, but it does give the pilot a small head start. 
  Even the slightest spark will ignite this high-explosive concoc-
  tion, so it is best to take cover. Detonating this explosive glob 
  inflicts 4D6x10 to a 40 foot (12.2 m) area. The pilot can perform 
  an emergency payload dump at any time, but most will wait until 
  the last possible second since it is pretty rough on the armor. The 
  Shellback Armor is incapable of generating any new explosives 
  for 36 hours while the turtle shell recovers from this incredibly 
  damaging maneuver.
  Feeding: Even though the Sweeper may look carnivorous to 
  some, it is indeed a Lithovore. The suit eats 60 to 90 pounds (27 
  to 40.5 kg) of minerals (stones, rocks, dirt, clay, etc.) a day.
  Sleep Requirements: Shellback Armor requires 3D4 hours of 
  sleep/rest/inactivity per day, during the day or night hours.
  Combat Bonuses: +1 to strike, +5 to parry (mainly due to the 
  retractable tentacles), -1 to dodge, +3 to entangle, +1 to disarm, 
  and +4 to roll with punch.
  Demolitions Tools and Weapon Systems:
  1. Retractable Tentacles (28): A ring of fourteen small holes 
  runs around each wrist of the armor. The pilot can extend an 
  eight foot (2.4 m) long tentacle from each one of these holes. 
  Each tentacle is incredibly articulate and when multiple ten-
  tacles are used together, it feels as natural to the pilot as using 
  his own hands. Several of the tentacles on each arm are tipped 
  
  87
  with different tools to better help the pilot perform his duties. 
  In order to safely work from a distance, one tentacle on each 
  wrist has a standard eye mounted on the tip. Most Sweepers 
  enhance these eyes with Macrovision, but in the beginning, 
  they are just regular human eyes. Another pair of tentacles 
  (one on each arm) is tipped with tiny bone spikes. They are 
  shaped like a screwdriver head and can be used like a chisel to 
  pry open bomb casings, or they can actually be used as screw-
  drivers. Another set of tentacles are tipped with razor sharp 
  scalpels to allow the Sweeper to disarm Bio-Tech explosives, 
  and a final set of tentacles are equipped with tiny pincers that 
  can be used as tweezers for delicate procedures. The rest of 
  the tentacles act as disposable fingers that can be torn apart by 
  the Nanobot Plague and quickly replaced. They are designed 
  to automatically detach if they are ever exposed to anything 
  that would threaten the armor (like the Nanoplague Response 
  that creates a metallic poison). Each Tentacle regenerates at a 
  rate of 1D6 M.D. per melee round, and severed tentacles will 
  completely regenerate within 1D4 hours.
  Primary Purpose: Demolitions Disposal.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: Only the scalpels are capable of inflicting any 
  damage, and each one only inflicts a measly 1 M.D.
  Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of attacks per melee.
  Effective Range: 8 feet (2.4 m).
  2. Mini-Hive: Within the armor’s turtle shell is a miniature 
  hive that is capable of generating special Bio-Tech insects 
  known as Impact Beetles. These powerful insects are used 
  to create a containment field around explosive devices be-
  fore the Sweeper begins working. Each bug is capable of 
  generating a small, four inch by four inch (10 by 10 cm) 
  Bio-Force Field, and when dozens of these bugs combine 
  their strength by overlapping their force fields, they can 
  contain nearly any sized blast. The energy field hovers a few 
  inches over the device, so even if the explosion completely 
  punches through the containment field, the power of the 
  blast is greatly diminished (the remaining M.D. that pierces 
  the field is halved, as is the blast radius). The insects sit on 
  the device and project their force fields over their heads. 
  This means they actually sit inside the containment field, 
  so if the bomb detonates they are all instantly destroyed. 
  However, the field actually remains a few milliseconds af-
  ter their bugs’ demise, which is more than enough time to 
  absorb the brunt of the explosion.
  The Sweeper decides how many Impact Beetles to use for 
  the containment field and then releases them through a small 
  opening in the turtle shell by a simple mental command. The 
  armor transmits a mental image of the target to the insects, 
  and once released, they speed directly to the target and acti-
  vate their force fields as soon as they land. They can maintain 
  their force fields for 4D6+10 minutes before they run out of 
  energy and die. Even if the Sweeper finishes working before 
  this time elapses, the Sweeper has no way to deactivate the 
  bugs or recollect them. Note: Individual Impact Beetles will 
  automatically shift or deactivate their force fields as neces-
  sary to allow the Shellback Armor’s tentacles access through 
  the containment field. These small openings do not reduce the 
  overall protection of the field.
  Primary Purpose: Demolitions Containment.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  M.D.C. of the Force Field: Each insect can create a tiny four inch 
  by four inch force field with 10 M.D.C. Multiple insects can com-
  bine their strength for a more powerful containment field. Every 
  Impact Beetle adds 10 M.D.C. to the force field.
  Duration: The force field can be maintained for 4D6+10 minutes 
  before the insect runs out of energy and dies.
  Rate of Fire: Requires one melee attack to release the Impact 
  Beetles.
  Effective Range: Typically 10 feet (3 m), but Sweepers can direct 
  the insects to a target up to 50 feet (15.2 m) away.
  Payload: 10 Impact Beetles. One spent insect is regrown every 
  4D6 minutes. The maximum payload of Impact Beetles can be 
  increased at a cost of 5 Bio-E for each insect up to a maximum of 
  30 Impact Beetles.
  3. Squig Generator: Shellback Armor is capable of growing the 
  organic blasting caps known as Squigs within its enormous 
  turtle shell. While not very powerful on their own, these deto-
  nators are the primary component of nearly every explosive 
  device the Sweepers create. They are generated and stored 
  within the turtle shell. When the pilot needs one, a simple 
  mental command causes the suit to squeeze one Squig through 
  the suit’s internal ductwork where it emerges in the armor’s 
  palm. The pilot can determine which hand the Squig will ap-
  pear in.
  Primary Purpose: Demolitions.
  Secondary Purpose: Demolitions Disposal.
  Mega-Damage: 1D4 M.D.
  Rate of Fire: Requires one melee action to summon a Squig.
  Payload: 24 Squigs. Shellback Armor can create one Squig every 
  12 hours to replace spent detonators. The maximum payload of 
  Squigs can be increased at a cost of 5 Bio-E for every 2 Squigs up 
  to a maximum of 40 Squigs.
  4. Tech Paralyzer Bio-Toxin: Mounted on the right forearm is 
  a small tube that is capable of spraying a special Bio-Toxin 
  known as Tech Paralyzer up to 10 feet (3 m) away. It was 
  designed to only affect small Bio-Tech devices like Migs and 
  Trench Foot Mines, but it can also be used to incapacitate Bio-
  Tech pistols, small melee weapons, and other small Bio-Tech 
  devices (larger devices are completely unaffected no matter 
  how many doses they are sprayed with). Any device sprayed 
  with the chemical must make a roll to save vs non-lethal poi-
  son of 16 or higher or else be completely paralyzed for 2D6 
  melee rounds. Sweepers are very adept at spotting the signs of 
  a successfully paralyzed device, so they know when it is safe 
  to operate.
  Primary Purpose: Demolitions Disposal.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of attacks per melee.
  Effective Range: 10 feet (3 m).
  Payload: 5 doses of Bio-Toxin. Spent blasts are regenerated 24 
  hours after they are used. The maximum payload of doses can be 
  increased at a cost of 5 Bio-E per dose up to a maximum of 20 
  doses.
  Bio-Enhancements Only Available to Shellback Armor:
  1. Primer Cord Generator: The left forearm of the armor can 
  be equipped with a hollow tube capable of creating a special 
  explosive rope known as primer cord. It is composed of a 
  high-explosive chemical wrapped in an outer casing of Mega-
  Damage silk. It is processed within the armor’s turtle shell and 
  then squeezed through the forearm tube like toothpaste. It is 
  
  88
  completely dry by the time it is expelled from the armor. The 
  Sweeper can choose what length he wants the suit to produce. 
  No matter how long the primer cord is, the entire length deto-
  nates almost instantly after placement. It is primarily used as 
  a detonator to link multiple charges together across a distance, 
  but it also packs pretty impressive destructive power when 
  wrapped around an object. Sweepers routinely wrap primer 
  cord around multiple support beams in order to collapse build-
  ings and other structures. The Mega-Damage silk surround-
  ing the primer cord protects it from premature detonation and 
  makes it difficult to cut, but it can still be detonated with a 
  Squig. Every one foot (0.3 m) length of cord has 1D4 M.D.C. 
  Spent primer cord is regenerated within the turtle shell at a rate 
  of 10 feet (3 m) every 12 hours.
  Primary Purpose: Demolitions.
  Secondary Purpose: Assault.
  Mega-Damage: 1D6 M.D. per five feet (1.5 m) of primer cord, 
  but the damage is drastically increased when wrapped around on 
  object. In this case, damage is 1D6 M.D. for every foot (0.3 m) of 
  primer cord wrapped around the object.
  Rate of Fire: Requires one melee action to create 10 feet (3 m) of 
  primer cord, so creating 40 feet (12.2 m) of cord would require 4 
  melee actions.
  Bio-E Cost: 10 Bio-E for every 10 feet (3 m) of primer cord up to 
  a maximum payload of 100 feet (30.5 m).
  2. Mig Generator: Shellback Armor can have up to two Mig 
  Generators mounted on the underside of the turtle shell, just 
  behind the hips. The Sweeper just reaches back and plucks 
  them off. These Migs are somewhat different than the stan-
  dard versions. They are not self-sustaining, so once they are 
  removed from the armor, they will dry up and die within 48 
  hours if not used. It takes 24 hours to grow a new Mig once 
  one is removed.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D8x10 M.D. to a 12 foot (3.6 m) radius.
  Rate of Fire: Requires one melee action to remove a Mig from 
  the armor.
  Bio-E Cost: 20 Bio-E per Mig Generator, up to a maximum of 2.
  3. Agitation Mine Generator: The turtle shell can be Bio-En-
  hanced to create small, baseball-sized explosives known as 
  Agitation Mines. The tiny mines are designed to detonate if 
  they are disturbed in any way. Even the vibrations from heavy 
  robots traveling too close to the mines can set them off. They 
  are grown within the turtle shell and released through a small 
  opening behind the left or right shoulder (pilot’s choice). Each 
  mine looks like a lumpy ball of mottled brown and tan colored 
  flesh (to better help them blend in with the environment). To 
  activate the mine, the wielder first squeezes a small nerve clus-
  ter on top of the mine. He then has four seconds to place the 
  mine before it becomes active. Once activated, the slightest 
  touch will detonate the mine. Even the Sweeper that created 
  the mine cannot touch it without setting it off. These mines 
  are surprisingly powerful on their own, but they are primar-
  ily used as detonators to set off larger traps. Sweepers love to 
  use agitation mines in combination with primer cord wrapped 
  around support beams to drop thousands of tons of debris on 
  top of the enemy. This is a great way to immobilize dangerous 
  threats like Assault Slayers.
  Primary Purpose: Demolitions.
  Secondary Purpose: Assault.
  Mega-Damage: 4D8 M.D. to a 6 foot (1.8 m) radius.
  Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of attacks per melee.
  Effective Range: Can be thrown up to 200 feet (61 m).
  Bio-E Cost: 8 Bio-E for every Agitation Mine up to a maximum 
  of 20 mines.
  4. High Explosive Putty Generator: Shellback Armor can be 
  Bio-Enhanced to create a special high explosive putty. It has 
  the consistency of clay, and can be hand molded into any shape 
  the pilot desires. It is generally used to create shaped-charges 
  capable of punching through heavy armor. The putty is rather 
  durable and will not explode if exposed to normal S.D.C. fire, 
  explosives, or electricity. It can only be detonated by Mega-
  Damage fire, energy blasts, or explosives (like Squigs). The 
  putty is generated and stored within the turtle shell. When the 
  pilot needs some, a simple mental command causes the suit 
  to squeeze one pound of putty through the suit’s internal duc-
  twork where it emerges in the armor’s palm. The pilot can 
  determine which hand the putty will appear in. Spent putty 
  regenerates at a rate of 1 pound (.45 kg) every 12 hours.
  Primary Purpose: Demolition.
  Secondary Purpose: Assault.
  Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 M.D. to a 10 foot (3 m) radius. If the 
  pilot takes the time to mold the putty into a shaped charge (which 
  takes 2 melee actions), the damage from the charge is increased 
  by 50 percent. However, this does decrease the blast radius by 
  50 percent.
  Rate of Fire: Requires one melee action to summon one pound 
  (.45) of putty.
  Bio-E Cost: 15 Bio-E for every pound of putty up to a maximum 
  of 20 pounds (9 kg).
  New War Mounts
  Griffin
  The Griffin War Mount is a relatively recent addition to hu-
  manity’s arsenal, but it is already making a tremendous impact 
  against the Machine’s air forces. It was designed to intercept and 
  destroy the supersonic Sky Fighters, and it does so surprisingly 
  well. Of course, its strategy for taking these fast flyers down is 
  not quite what one would expect (which is one reason the Ma-
  chine is having such a difficult time adapting). One weakness 
  of Bio-Technology is that it has never been able to match the 
  blistering speed of high-tech jet engines. Human ingenuity and 
  the crazy daredevil flying of the Archangels and Outriders have 
  allowed the Resistance to hold their own, but Sky Fighters still 
  fly circles around them in nearly every engagement. Sky Fight-
  ers typically swoop in with their guns blazing and then fly away 
  before the Splicer pilots can get into position to retaliate. Their 
  speed makes dogfighting nearly impossible, so pilots generally 
  only have moments to try and squeeze off a lucky shot.
  This is where the Griffin comes in. The Librarians knew they 
  would never be able to match the speed of the Machine’s forces, 
  so they decided to go with a different approach. Instead of trying 
  to chase down the enemy, they built the Griffin so that it could 
  quickly decelerate and grab on to anyone chasing it. It is quite a 
  
  89
  surprise for any Sky Fighter closing in for the kill to suddenly see 
  this beast flip around in midair and latch on to the craft’s fuselage. 
  Once the mount grabs on, it anchors itself to the aircraft by firing 
  a pair of barbed tentacles from its chest into the hull. This allows 
  the Griffin to bite with its powerful beak, fire off blasts of plasma 
  breath, or tear the craft to shreds with its deadly high frequency 
  talons without fear of being shaken off. This strategy also keeps the 
  War Mount clear of any of the Sky Fighter’s weapon systems. The 
  only way to strike the beast is for one of the robot’s allies to fire on 
  it (which usually strikes the Sky Fighter as well). The introduction 
  of the Griffin has inspired the Archangels to adopt a similar strat-
  egy with their grappling hooks, although they are not nearly as well 
  equipped for this task as the Griffins are.
  When the mount finishes ripping the target apart at close 
  range, it then detaches the bone spears from the end of the tenta-
  cles and flies off, leaving the target with another nasty surprise. 
  These discarded bone fragments contain a powerful explosive 
  chemical that detonates within seconds of being exposed to air. 
  Outriders and Archangels have become very proficient at in-
  flicting just enough damage before breaking off their attack so 
  that these spears finish the job. The Griffin actually has twenty 
  of these tentacles arranged in two rows along the chest so that 
  it can attach itself to multiple craft while the spent bone spears 
  regenerate.
  The Griffin War Mount looks exactly like the mythical crea-
  ture it was named after. It possesses the head and wings of an 
  eagle and the body of a lion. The front and back legs end in pow-
  erful clawed hands that allow the mount to grab, tear, and slash 
  with any of its limbs. Even the wings can be used as weapons. 
  The seemingly normal looking feathers are actually composed of 
  a super- strong ceramic material. This not only provides addition-
  al armored protection, but the razor sharp edges enable the wings 
  to hack through armored plating with ease. The wings can propel 
  the mount at a decent speed, but the body is also lined with organ-
  ic thrusters. These not only increase the Griffin’s speed, but also 
  provide it with its stunning aerial maneuverability. The thrusters 
  and tentacle bone spears are concealed beneath the Griffin’s fur, 
  so this creature looks very much like the Griffins of legend. Aside 
  from the War Saddle, the only thing that detracts from its mythi-
  cal appearance is the lone eye mounted on the tip of its tail. This 
  lets the beast and its Outrider pilot keep an eye on any pursuers, 
  so they know the perfect moment to flip around and attack.
  When the Griffin War Mounts were first introduced on the bat-
  tlefield, the devastation they wreaked on the Sky Fighters was un-
  
  90
  believable. No one expected them to be so effective. N.E.X.U.S. 
  has adapted her strategies somewhat to contend with these War 
  Mounts, but even these adjustments have benefited the Resis-
  tance. When a Griffin is spotted among the assault force, Sky 
  Fighters will tend to fire from outside of their maximum effec-
  tive range rather than risk getting grabbed during a close-range 
  strafing run. Even when they are not chasing these mounts down 
  directly, the Griffins still seem impossibly skilled at figuring out 
  their approach vector and intercepting them.
  Another new Sky Fighter tactic that has backfired somewhat is 
  their tendency to come to a dead stop in mid-air to avoid the Grif-
  fin’s grappling attempt. Sky Fighters can go from full speed to a 
  hover in seconds, which even the Griffin has difficulty matching. 
  This may sometimes prevent the Griffin from grabbing its prey, 
  but the War Mount can still use its plasma breath (plus any ad-
  ditional weapon enhancements mounted on it and the rider) to 
  shoot down the now stationary target. In addition, Archangels 
  generally fly support for the Griffin War Mounts, so they also get 
  a free shot at any Sky Fighters that are foolish enough to come to 
  a stop. The Machine still has numerical superiority on her side, 
  but the Resistance sees the introduction of the Griffin War Mount 
  as an important step in taking back the skies.
  Class: Close Combat Aerial War Mount.
  Crew: One pilot.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Wings (2) – 200 each
  Front Legs (2) – 150 each
  Hind Legs (2) – 180 each
  Clawed Feet (4) – 80 each
  Tail – 80
  Tail Mounted Third Eye – 10
  Barbed Tentacles (20) – 85 each
  * Head – 180
  War Saddle – 100
  * Main Body – 400
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the Head or Main Body kills the 
  Griffin.
  Speed:
  Running: 120 mph (192 km) maximum, but normal cruising 
  speed is only 80 mph (128 km). The act of running does tire out 
  the War Mount but not the rider. The Griffin can run at top speed 
  for up to two hours straight before needing to rest for 1D6x10+30 
  minutes. However, it can fight or trot along at cruising speed al-
  most all day (20 hours) without needing rest.
  Leaping: 50 feet (15.2 m) high or across, increase by 50% with 
  a short running start. Organic thruster assisted leaps can propel 
  the Griffin an additional 200 feet (61 m) high or 500 feet (152.5 
  m) across.
  Digging: 15 mph (24 km) through sand or dirt. 10 mph (16 km) 
  through clay, rock or stone. Digging does not tire out the War 
  Mount and it can dig an adequate hole to cover itself in 2D4 me-
  lees.
  Swimming: 30 mph (48 km). Maximum depth is only 200 feet 
  (61 m).
  Flying: Maximum speed is 450 mph (720 km), with a cruising 
  speed of 150 mph (240 km). The Griffin can reach speeds of near-
  ly 600 mph (960 km), but only for short bursts of 2D4 minutes, 
  after which the Griffin must drop down to cruising speed for the 
  next hour. It can also hit speeds of 800 mph (1,280 km) when 
  performing a steep power dive. When the War Mount wants to 
  fly silently (without the organic thrusters), it can only fly at a 
  maximum speed of 200 mph (320 km) and a cruising speed of 80 
  mph (128 km). It can fly all day long at cruising speed, but only 
  four hours at maximum speed before needing to rest for at least 
  1D4 hours.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 8-9 feet (2.4 to 2.7 m) at the shoulder.
  Width: 5-6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) with a wingspan of 25 feet (7.6 m).
  Length: 11-12 feet (3.3 to 3.6 m) with an 8 foot (2.4 m) long tail.
  Weight: 1 to 1.5 tons.
  Cargo: Can carry 800 lbs (360 kg) on its back or 1200 lbs. (540 
  kg) within its talons. Additional weight decreases the Griffin’s 
  speed. An extra 500 lbs (225 kg) decreases speed by 25 percent, 
  an extra 1000 lbs (450 kg) decreases speed by half, and any ad-
  ditional amount greater than 1,500 pounds (675 kg) total makes 
  flight impossible.
  Physical Strength: 1D4+36, Supernatural.
  Production Cycle: 2 year gestation period plus 2 year growth 
  cycle.
  Operational Lifetime: 60 year life span.
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 6D6 per hour to the main body and 3D6 
  per hour to all other locations.
  Horror Factor: 13 against humans not familiar with the Griffin. 
  None against machines.
  Feeding: The Griffin is a Carnivore. It needs to eat 30-60 pounds 
  (13.5 to 27 kg) of animal matter a day, and may gorge on up to 
  300 pounds (135 kg) at one time. After gorging, the War Mount 
  can go 2D4 days without feeding and without suffering any ill 
  effects.
  Color: The fur on its body is a light brown with a white under-
  belly and the feathers on its head and wings are white. Its four 
  clawed feet and beak are a bright orange-yellow color. Other col-
  or variants are solid fawns, Golden eagle, shadow gray & white, 
  solid black or solid white for arctic regions.
  Sleep Requirements: As an artificially created organism, the Grif-
  fin only requires 4 hours of sleep per day.
  Other Data on the Griffin:
  An unmanned Griffin is able to operate independent of a rider 
  using its animal-like intelligence and instincts to respond to any 
  given situation. The Griffin feels a close kinship with its rider 
  and other caregivers it is familiar with and will come to their aid 
  if threatened, but it will not come to the aid of unknown humans 
  unless ordered to do so by a Packmaster, Outrider, or Archangel. 
  The exceptions to this rule are the Archangels. Griffins feel a spe-
  cial bond with their “little flying brothers” and will take to the 
  skies to help any Archangel in need.
  Alignment: Anarchist. Griffins are usually calm and relaxed. 
  They generally only fight when commanded to do so or when 
  directly threatened.
  War Mount Attributes: I.Q. 1D6+2, M.E. 1D6+8, M.A. 1D6+8, 
  P.S. 37-40, P.P. 2D6+8, P.E. 2D6+14, P.B. 3D4+6, Spd. 120 mph 
  (192 km) on the ground, 450 mph (720 km) in flight.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 4.
  Combat Bonuses: +4 on initiative, +4 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +6 to strike when attempting to grab onto an opponent, 
  +4 to parry, +4 to dodge, +6 to dodge while flying, +6 to roll 
  with punch, +3 to pull punch, +2 to disarm, pin/incapacitate on a 
  
  91
  natural 18-20, cannot be surprised from behind, and impervious 
  to Horror Factor, disease, and poison.
  Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Land Navigation 90%, 
  Track by Scent 65%, and understands the Native Language of 
  the Great House that created it and one other common language 
  at 70%.
  Combat Capabilities:
  Bite: 3D8 M.D.
  Restrained Talon Strike: 1D8 M.D.
  Talon Strike: 5D8 M.D.
  Power Talon Strike: 2D4x10 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Dual Talon Strike: 2D4x10 M.D., counts as one melee attack, 
  but can only be done while in flight.
  Grappling Attack: This is the Griffin’s primary method for at-
  tacking Sky Fighters. The War Mount quickly decelerates and 
  allows any pursuing craft to slam into it so it can grab its prey 
  and sink its claws in to hold on. This move inflicts 4D10 M.D. 
  to the enemy craft, but it also inflicts 1D8 M.D. to the Griffin 
  (this amount already includes the decrease in damage taken due 
  to the Resistance to Physical Attack Enhancement). Roll to strike 
  as normal. The Griffin has a special bonus of +6 to strike with 
  this attack (plus any attribute bonuses). In addition, the enemy is 
  -3 to dodge this attack due to the sudden and surprising change in 
  direction of the Griffin.
  Shred Attack: Can only be performed when the Griffin is an-
  chored to the target with its barbed tentacles. The War Mount 
  uses all four talons and both of its razor-sharp wings to claw, 
  slash, and tear the target apart. Inflicts 3D4x10+30 M.D., but 
  counts as three attacks.
  Wing Slash: 3D8 M.D.
  High-Speed Wing Slash: This strafe attack can only be per-
  formed at speeds of at least 100 mph (160 km). Inflicts 1D8x10 
  M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Head Butt: 3D6 M.D.
  Body Block/Pounce/Ram: 5D8 M.D. (+2D8 M.D. if flying 
  more than 200 mph (320 km). Has a 01-70% likelihood of knock-
  ing an opponent who is as large 20 feet (6.1 m) tall off of his feet 
  and onto his back. If knocked off his feet, the victim loses initia-
  tive and two melee attacks. A ram counts as two attacks.
  Senses and Features: Standard for War Mounts plus the follow-
  ing:
  Resistance to Physical Attack: Beneath the skin is a layer of 
  thick tissue filled with an impact resistant fluid that cushions the 
  War Mount from blunt attacks like punches, kicks, falls, and ex-
  plosive concussions (all of which inflict half damage). It is main-
  ly used to protect the Griffin from the impact of grabbing onto 
  pursuing aircraft.
  Tail Mounted Third Eye: Mounted on the tip of the Griffin’s 
  tail is a single Advanced, Armored Eye. It possesses Enhanced 
  Sight, just like the War Mount’s normal eyes. It is primarily used 
  to track enemies chasing after the Griffin, but many Outriders 
  also use it as a periscope during times when the mount is hiding 
  underwater, hidden in deep crevices of cliff faces or concealed 
  underground.
  Griffin Bio-Weapon Systems:
  1. Plasma Breath: The mouth, throat, and lungs of the Griffin 
  have been modified to allow it to exhale a chemical spray that 
  ignites on contact with air to create a powerful fire blast.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 6D12 M.D.
  Rate of Fire: Once per melee round, but counts as two melee at-
  tacks.
  Effective Range: 40 feet (12.2 m).
  Payload: 36 blasts per 24 hours. Automatically regenerates over 
  a 24 hour period.
  Bonuses: +4 to strike, but this is the only bonus that applies to the 
  Plasma Breath.
  2. Barbed Tentacles: Mounted in the chest of the Griffin are 
  two rows of ten retractable tentacles that end in five inch (12 
  cm) long, barbed bone spears. They are completely concealed 
  beneath the fur of the Griffin until fired at their target. Their 
  primary purpose is to anchor the War Mount to its prey so 
  it can freely attack without fear of being shaken off during 
  high-speed maneuvers. The tentacles can be cut or allies can 
  attempt to pull the Griffin off, but it requires a combined Ro-
  botic/Splicer P.S. of 65 or higher to rip the beast loose. When 
  the War Mount finishes attacking its target, it mentally signals 
  the tentacles to detach from the bone spears so it can fly away. 
  Once released, the explosive chemical within the bone spears 
  is exposed to the air, which causes them to detonate. Since 
  they are already imbedded within the target, they inflict mas-
  sive damage when they explode.
  Primary Purpose: Grappling.
  Secondary Purpose: Assault.
  Mega-Damage: 6D8 M.D. per dual strike (always fired in 
  pairs). When the tentacles detach from the bone spears, they 
  detonate, inflicting 1D6x10+20 M.D. to a 6 foot (1.8 m) ra-
  dius.
  Rate of Fire: Each dual strike counts as one melee attack.
  Effective Range: 10 feet (3 m).
  Payload: 20 tentacles. Spent bone spears regrow after 4D6 hours.
  Bonuses: +3 to strike distant opponents, but +10 to strike when 
  the Griffin is already clinging to the target.
  3. High-Frequency Talons: The feet of the Griffin are prehen-
  sile with three toes in the front and the “thumb” on the back 
  of the heel. Each toe ends in a six inch (15 cm) long, high-
  frequency talon. They are generally used for slashing attacks, 
  but they can also be used to grab hold of prey. It requires a 
  combined Robotic/Splicer P.S. of 50 or higher to break free of 
  the Griffin’s grip.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Grappling.
  Mega-Damage: Each foot inflicts 5D8 M.D. and a dual strike in-
  flicts 2D4x10 M.D. (counts as one melee attack, but can only be 
  performed while in flight). All four limbs can engage the same 
  target, but only when the Griffin is secured to its target with 
  its barbed tentacles. This attack inflicts 3D4x10+30 M.D., but 
  counts as three attacks.
  4. Ceramic Wings: The Griffin’s feathers are actually composed 
  of a durable ceramic material that not only provides excel-
  lent armor protection, but also make deadly slashing weapons. 
  The wings can be used like an enormous sword when fighting 
  on the ground, or they can be used to slash opponents during 
  highspeed strafing runs in the air (minimum attack speed is 
  100 mph /160 km). In addition, the Griffin can use its wings to 
  parry melee attacks (the wings take no damage on a success-
  ful parry) or as a shield against weapons fire (in this case, the 
  wings take half damage from the attack). The Griffin cannot 
  
  92
  Skull Cracker War Mount
  The Skull Cracker is a fast-attack aerial War Mount. It looks 
  like a large, heavily armored Pterodactyl with muscular legs, dark 
  green armor plating and skin. Its carnivorous lizard head more re-
  sembles that of a mixture between a dragon and an ankylosaurus 
  than a Pterodactyl, but what makes the design truly unique is its 
  thick, muscular neck, armored plating and large ram horns. Its 
  powerful wings allow it to reach impressive speeds, and its body 
  is lined with multiple organic thrusters, which makes it one of the 
  fastest War Mounts in the Resistance. The beast is not as big as 
  some of the larger aerial War Mounts like the Dracos or Zephyr, 
  but it packs decent destructive power. Its only long-range arma-
  ments are a pair of Pod Launchers that it uses to soften up the 
  Machine’s air forces or tear apart large concentrations of ground 
  troops, but its real strength comes from its very unconventional 
  method of attack.
  The War Mount gets its name from its primary method of at-
  tack. The skull of the beast is nearly one foot (0.3 m) thick, and 
  it has an enormous pair of ram horns that allow it to crash into 
  opponents at incredibly high speeds without ill effect. The unique 
  design of the War Saddle helps protect the pilot during these col-
  lisions as well. The pilot lies in a prone position on the Skull 
  Cracker’s back at a slightly elevated thirty-degree angle to give 
  him a better field of vision. While on the ground, the pilot can 
  move his head freely, but when the War Mount takes flight, the 
  War Saddle grows around the pilot’s head in order to completely 
  immobilize it. This protects the rider from whiplash during high-
  speed impacts, but it does limit the pilot’s peripheral vision. The 
  War Mount’s built-in radar helps compensate for this little side 
  effect, plus most Skull Cracker riders will also enhance their ar-
  mor with additional eyes on the sides of their head.
  The Skull Cracker is one of the favorite War Mounts among 
  Archangels and Outriders that prefer speed, maneuverability and 
  durability over firepower. They are primarily used to support 
  ground forces and cover the backs of the slower, more powerful 
  War Mounts like Dracos and Zephyrs, but some field command-
  ers have found that Skull Crackers are more effective when their 
  crazy pilots are just allowed to cut loose. When this happens, it 
  is truly a sight to see. These speedy beasts become an absolute 
  blur as they blaze all across the battlefield. They constantly ram 
  parry weapons fire. It needs to shield itself (or someone else) 
  before the enemy attacks.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: Slash from a single wing inflicts 6D6+15 M.D. 
  A high-speed strafe attack inflicts 1D8x10+10 M.D., but counts 
  as two attacks.
  Bonuses: +1 to strike and +2 to parry.
  
  93
  into Sky Fighters and other flyers, bombard ground forces with 
  their Pod Launchers, and swoop down to seize Steel Troopers and 
  Slicer Robots in their powerful talons. Only the best among the 
  Archangels and Outriders are ever issued a Skull Cracker, and it 
  is a common goal of nearly every one of these lunatic pilots to 
  take to the skies on the backs of one of these beasts. Because of 
  the growing popularity of the Skull Crackers there is a smaller 
  variant more similar to a raptor dinosaur called the “Sky Slam-
  mer,” designed for pilots who want the speed with less scale. 
  (Stats listed in parentheses reflect the Sky Slammer variant.)
  Class: Attack Aerial War Mount.
  Crew: One pilot.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Wings (2) – 180 each (140 each)
  Legs (2) – 160 each (120 each)
  Clawed Feet (2) – 110 each (80 each)
  Tail – 180 (120)
  Pod Launchers – 120 each (85 each)
  * Head – 280 (225)
  War Saddle – 100 (75)
  * Main Body – 360 (190)
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the Head or Main Body kills the 
  Skull Cracker.
  Speed:
  Running: 60 mph (96 km) maximum without a rider, but only 
  30 mph (48 km) when carrying a pilot. The act of running does 
  tire out the War Mount but not the rider. The Skull Cracker can 
  run at top speed for 1D4 hours straight before needing to rest for 
  1D6x10+30 minutes.
  Leaping: The legs are surprisingly powerful which allows it to 
  leap 30 feet (9 m) high our across. Organic thruster assisted leaps 
  can propel the Skull Cracker an additional 200 feet (61 m) high 
  or 500 feet (152.4 m) across.
  Digging: Not possible.
  Swimming: 120 mph (192 km). Maximum depth is only 500 feet 
  (152.4 m).
  Flying: Maximum speed is 600 mph (960 km), with a cruising 
  speed of 300 mph (480 km). The Skull Cracker can reach speeds 
  of nearly 900 mph (1,440 km) when performing a steep power 
  dive. When the War Mount wants to fly silently (without the or-
  ganic thrusters), it can only fly at a maximum speed of 400 mph 
  (640 km) and a cruising speed of 150 mph (240 km). It can fly 
  all day long at cruising speed, but only eight hours at maximum 
  speed before needing to rest for at least one hour.
  (Sky Slammer variant: Maximum speed is 650 mph (1040 
  km), with a cruising speed of 350 mph (560 km). The Sky Slam-
  mer can reach speeds of nearly 1,200 mph (1,920 km) when per-
  forming a steep power dive. When the War Mount wants to fly 
  silently, it can only fly at a maximum speed of 400 mph (640 km) 
  and a cruising speed of 150 mph (240 km). It can fly all day long 
  at cruising speed, but only six hours at maximum speed before 
  needing to rest for at least one hour.)
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 10-11 feet (3 to 3.3 m) standing upright with legs 
  hunched, but 14 feet (4.2 m) standing straight up. When walk-
  ing quadruped like a bat with its wing arms and hind legs it is 
  4.7-5.5 feet (1.4 to 1.6 m) high. (Sky Slammer: 7-8 feet (2.1 to 
  2.4 m) standing straight up, but 3 feet (0.9 m) when lying on its 
  stomach.)
  Width: 6 to 6.5 feet (1.8 to 1.98 m) from one Pod launcher to the 
  opposite pod Launcher and wings closed. It has an open wing-
  span of 48.5 feet (14.78 m). (Sky Slammer: 4 feet/1.2 m with a 
  wingspan of 20 feet/6.1 m.)
  Length: 11-12 feet (3.3 to 3.6 m) from the tip of its nose to the 
  rump. Also has a 12 foot (3.6 m) long tail.
  Sky Slammer: 8-9 feet (2.4 to 2.7 m) from the tip of its nose to 
  the ends of its feet, plus a 7 foot (2.1 m) tail.
  Weight: 1.5 tons (1350 kg) (Sky Slammer: 800 pounds (360 kg)).
  Cargo: Can carry 1,000 pounds (450 kg) on its back or 2,200 
  pounds (990.9 kg) within its talons. Additional weight decreases 
  the Skull Cracker’s speed. An extra 450 pounds (204 kg) decreas-
  es speed by 25 percent, an extra 600 pounds (270 kg) decreases 
  speed by half, and any additional amount greater than 900 pounds 
  total makes flight impossible.
  Sky Slammer: Can carry 500 pounds (225 kg) on its back, or 
  1,200 pounds (540 kg) within its talons. Additional weight de-
  creases the Skull Cracker’s speed. An extra 300 pounds (135 kg) 
  decreases speed by 25 percent, an extra 500 pounds (225 kg) de-
  creases speed by half, and any additional amount greater than 900 
  pounds (405 kg) total makes flight impossible.
  Physical Strength: 1D6+30 (1D6+20).
  Production Cycle: 1.5 year gestation period plus one year growth 
  cycle. (Sky Slammer: One year gestation period plus one year 
  growth cycle.)
  Operational Lifetime: 50 year life span (60 year life span).
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 4D6 per hour to the main body and 2D6 
  per hour to all other locations for both variants.
  Horror Factor: 14 against humans outside the Resistance, none 
  against robots (12).
  Feeding: The Skull Cracker is a Carnivore. It needs to eat 50 to 
  80 pounds (22.5 to 36 kg) of animal matter a day, and may gorge 
  on up to 200 pounds (90 kg) at one time. After gorging, the War 
  Mount can go up to 4 days without feeding and without suffering 
  any ill effects.
  Sky Slammer: A carnivore, it needs to eat 10 to 20 pounds 
  (4.5 to 9 kg) of animal matter a day, and may gorge on up to 80 
  pounds (36 kg) at one time. After gorging, the War Mount can go 
  2D4 days without feeding and without suffering any ill effects.
  Color: The Skull Cracker is dark green in color with light tan ram 
  horns, or in a tan and dark brown striped pattern or solid black 
  with blue trim highlights and sky blue, marble eyes.
  Sky Slammers can be the same dark green as its larger brother 
  or it can be a speckled tan camouflage, all white with jet black 
  eyes or jet black with jade mint eyes.
  Sleep Requirements: As an artificially created organism, the 
  Skull Cracker only requires 5 hours of sleep per day. The Sky 
  Slammer only requires 4 hours of sleep per day.
  Other Data about the Skull Cracker:
  Unmanned Skull Crackers and Sky Slammers are able to oper-
  ate independent of a rider using its animal-like intelligence and 
  instincts to respond to any given situation. They quickly learn 
  that robots are the enemy and will attack them whenever they 
  get too close. These War Mounts live for the thrill of combat just 
  like their riders, and they enjoy mixing it up in the skies with the 
  Machine. They only follow the commands of Packmasters, Out-
  riders, or Archangels (Skull Crackers have an affinity for these 
  fearless daredevils).
  Alignment: Anarchist. The Skull Cracker is an adrenaline junkie 
  and quickly becomes bored and agitated when confined. They 
  
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  grow very close to riders with a similar personality type and will 
  actually come to their aid when threatened.
  War Mount Attributes: I.Q. 1D4+2, M.E. 1D6+8, M.A. 1D6, P.S. 
  21-26, P.P. 1D4+20, P.E. 1D8+14, P.B. 1D4+1, Spd 60 mph (96 
  km) the ground, 600 mph (960 km) for Skull Crackers and 650 
  mph (1,040 km) for Sky Slammers in flight.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 4.
  Combat Bonuses: +3 (+4) on initiative, +4 to strike in hand to 
  hand combat, +2 to strike with ranged weapons, +2 to parry, +2 
  (+3) to dodge, +4 (+6) to dodge while flying, +5 (+6) to roll with 
  punch, +2 (+3) to pull punch, +5 (+4) to disarm, and impervious 
  to Horror Factor, disease, and poison.
  Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Land Navigation 90%, 
  Track by Scent 65%, and understands the Native Language of 
  the Great House that created it and one other common language 
  at 70%. Recognizes robots and machines as enemies to be de-
  stroyed or chased away.
  Combat Capabilities: The War Mount may use its long-range 
  weapons or engage in hand to hand combat, or combine the two.
  Bite: 3D8+10 M.D. (3D8 M.D.).
  Restrained Talon Strike: 1D8 M.D. (1D6 M.D.).
  Talon Strike: 3D8 M.D. (2D8 M.D.).
  Power Claw Strike: 1D6X10 M.D., but counts as two attacks 
  (6D8 M.D., but counts as two attacks).
  Kick: 3D8 M.D. (4D6 M.D.).
  Leap Kick: 5D8 M.D. (4D8 M.D.), but counts as two attacks.
  Tail Whip: 3D6 M.D. (1D8 M.D.).
  Body Block/Ram: 4D8 M.D. per every 100 mph (160 km). See 
  the Ram Attack below for complete details.
  Senses and Features: Standard for War Mounts plus:
  Radar: Maximum range is 6 miles (9.6 km) in open spaces.
  Reinforced Skull.
  Bio-Weapon Systems:
  1. Pod Launchers (2): Mounted over each shoulder of the Skull 
  Cracker is a powerful Pod Launcher. They fire a burst of seed 
  pods that explode on impact and shower the blast area with 
  razor-sharp shrapnel. These weapons can devastate large con-
  centrations of ground forces during high-speed strafing runs.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 5D8 M.D. per burst with a blast radius of 30 feet 
  (9.1 m). When both launchers fire at the same target, damage is 
  10D8 M.D. to a 50 foot (15.2 m) radius.
  Rate of Fire: Each burst counts as one melee attack. A dual attack 
  from both launchers counts as one melee attack.
  Effective Range: 2,400 feet (732 m).
  Payload: Each Pod Launcher grows enough seed pods for 48 
  bursts per hour (96 total); automatically regenerates. (Sky Slam-
  mer: Pod Launchers grow enough seed pods for 32 bursts per 
  hour (64 total).
  Bonuses: +1 to strike with a burst of pods.
  2. Barbed Talons: The feet of the Skull Cracker are prehensile 
  with three toes in the front and the “thumb” on the back of the 
  heel. Each toe ends in a four inch (10 cm) long, razor-sharp, 
  barbed talon. This allows the Skull Cracker to easily grab tar-
  gets at high speed and keep them from breaking its grip. It may 
  be difficult for the victim to break free, but the Skull Cracker 
  can easily tear the talons out of its prey whenever it chooses.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Grappling.
  Mega-Damage: Each foot inflicts 3D8 M.D. and a dual strike in-
  flicts 6D8 M.D. (counts as one melee attack). It requires a com-
  bined Robotic/Splicer P.S. of 50 or higher to break free of the 
  Skull Cracker’s grip. Whether the War Mount pulls the claws free 
  or the victim does, this action inflicts an additional 1D10 M.D.
  Effective Range: 6 foot (1.8 m) reach.
  3. Prehensile Tail: The tail of the War Mount is prehensile and is 
  used to ensnare robotic prey. It is not designed for whipping, 
  so it cannot deliver a very powerful strike.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D8.
  Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of attacks per melee.
  Effective Range: 7 feet (2.1 m).
  Bonuses: +3 to strike and parry, and +5 to dodge. These bonuses 
  only apply to the tail and no other bonuses.
  4. Ram Attack: The Skull Cracker’s strongest and strangest 
  attack. Even people familiar with this War Mount are often 
  surprised that it can survive such high-speed collisions. Ev-
  ery 100 mph (160 km) of speed inflicts 4D8 M.D. The War 
  Mount and rider are protected from the impact, but at higher 
  speeds, the Skull Cracker does take some damage. Any ram 
  attack at speeds greater than 500 mph (800 km) means the 
  War Mount also takes 20% of the damage. A ram attack has 
  a 01-90% likelihood of knocking an opponent as large as 20 
  feet (6.1 m) tall off his feet and onto his back. If knocked off 
  his feet, the victim loses initiative and two attacks per melee. 
  A ram attack counts as two melee attacks. Skull Crackers are 
  also able to perform a head-on collision against other flyers. 
  They have learned to blunt the impact so that it is not fatal. In 
  these cases, the Skull Cracker inflicts 2D6x10 M.D. against its 
  target and only suffers 5D6 points of damage (counts as two 
  melee attacks).
  New O.C.C.
  Specialty Upgrades
  Note: More Specialties will be featured in an upcoming 
  Sourcebook.
  Dreadnaught
  Dreadnaughts are the heavy weapons specialists of the 
  Dreadguard. Actually, heavy weapon specialist would probably 
  be a bit more accurate. This entire class was built around their 
  primary weapon, the Harbinger Cannon. This experimental, 
  heavy Bio-Weapon has been around for some time, but it had a 
  few problems that made it somewhat difficult and impractical to 
  use. First off, this massive, seven foot (2.1 m) long, 200 pound 
  (90 kg) rifle was just too big, heavy, and unwieldy for all but 
  the strongest suits of Host Armor. While there are several other 
  enormous Bio-Weapons in the human’s arsenal, none comes 
  close to the size and weight of the Harbinger. The other major 
  problem with this rifle was that it chewed through its ammuni-
  tion at a ridiculously fast rate and it required a Bio-E source, 
  
  95
  very much like the Bio-E Expulsion Energy Vents. In order to 
  keep the rifle light enough to even be lifted, it could only hold 
  a (comparatively) minuscule amount of ammo, which meant it 
  would run dry pretty quickly. Users raved about its incredible 
  destructive power, but ultimately they said it was just too much 
  weight to haul around for the five to ten seconds of firepower 
  it provided. Eventually, the Librarians created an enhancement 
  package for Host Armors that could handle the weight of the 
  rifle and most importantly, the weight of the massive ammuni-
  tions backpack that was required to finally make the Harbinger 
  a usable weapon. The size and strength of the Host Armor was 
  drastically increased and the musculature was altered to allow 
  it to carry incredible weight without getting exhausted. This 
  slowed the armor down a bit, but the trade off was well worth it 
  in order to efficiently use the Harbinger Cannon.
  After a brief debate throughout the Resistance concerning 
  who should be entrusted with this awesome weapon, the honor 
  was eventually bestowed upon the Dreadguard. Most Warlords 
  thought the Roughnecks were a bit too wild and reckless to be 
  given this kind of firepower, and they felt more comfortable put-
  ting it in the hands of the loyal warriors that lived by the Code 
  of Duty. Great Houses all across the Resistance modified small 
  groups of Dreadguards and sent them out to field test the Har-
  binger, and the tests exceeded everyone’s expectations. The only 
  problem that came back from these tests was a tendency for users 
  to get too focused on what was in front of them and lose track 
  of their close surroundings. Harbinger users were eventually 
  equipped with a pair of tentacles that possessed an Independence 
  Bio-Enhancement. This gave them some “partners” to watch 
  their backs, and kept them from getting flanked so easily. The 
  Sentinel Eels helped the Dreadnaughts in close quarters combat 
  where they were most vulnerable. In time, the sentient tentacle 
  eels and the Host Armor’s massive size increase became a badge 
  of office that distinguished these heavy gunners as their own spe-
  cial class within the Dreadguard, causing people to refer to them 
  as Dreadnaughts. While they are seen as a distinct Special Forces 
  unit, they are not afforded any kind of elevated status over their 
  fellow Dreadguards. Within the social hierarchy of the military, 
  they are viewed no differently than other Dreadguards, although 
  so far, no Dreadnaughts have ever risen to the rank of Warlord. 
  It is quite possible that the amount of firepower and purpose in-
  vested into their Dreadnaught design may have also cursed them 
  to remain in the field and providing that heavy firepower that the 
  Resistance so desperately needs.
  Alignment: Any, but typically good or selfish.
  Attribute Requirements: Must be a Dreadguard of 5th rank or 
  higher to be eligible. I.Q. and M.E. 14 or higher.
  Attribute Bonuses: +1D4 to I.Q., +2 to M.A., +1D6 to P.S., +1 
  to P.P., and +1D6 to P.E.
  O.C.C. Bonuses: +4 to roll with impact, +2 to save vs insanity, 
  and +5 to save vs Horror Factor.
  Base S.D.C.: 50, plus any from Physical skills.
  Common Skills: Standard.
  O.C.C. Skill Programs: Basic Military (+15%), Host Pilot 
  (+20%), Bio-Technology (+10%) and Weapon Training.
  Special Skills:
  Heavy Fire Support: Dreadnaughts are trained how to pro-
  vide strategic weapons fire with their Harbinger Cannons to 
  best support their troops and to cause the maximum amount 
  of destruction to their enemies. Dreadnaughts know that they 
  are the tank equivalents of Host Armors and utilize their mas-
  sive size and fire power as such. They utilize their scale and 
  heavy firepower to bring down the most significant targets or 
  threats first and allowing the infantry and the rest of the troops 
  to finish off the targets. Dreadnaughts learn to use the Harbin-
  ger cannon for suppressive fire against armored targets, and to 
  provide suppressive fire in landing zones and against ground 
  and aerial threats. Base Skill: 60% +3% per level of experi-
  ence.
  W.P. Bio-Weapons: Heavy (Base Skill: 40% +3% per lev-
  el of experience).
  
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  Elective Skills: Same As Dreadguard (Splicers® Role-
  Playing Game, page 151).
  Secondary Skills: The character gets to select one Second-
  ary Skill at level six and one additional skill at levels 9, 12, 
  and 15. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not 
  receive any special O.C.C. bonuses.
  Dreadnaught Host Armor: Dreadnaughts receive an experi-
  mental upgrade to their main Host Armor design that makes 
  it a larger, more formidable armor to utilize, plus it is bonded 
  with two large, tenacious, alien symbiotic creatures called 
  Sentinel Eels, that are contained in the Host Armor’s back-
  pack shell located above the Harbinger Cannon’s munitions 
  reservoir.
  Step One: See the specific details on Dreadnaught Armor 
  below.
  Step Two: Determining Metabolism. Dreadnaught Armor 
  is always Carnivore, Omnivore or Vampiric.
  Step Three: Available Bio-Energy points for the Dread-
  naught is M.E. attribute number, +P.E. attribute number, 
  +1D4x10+20 points, plus an additional 40 or 30 Bio-E points 
  according to the Host Armor’s metabolism type. Each level of 
  advancement, starting with level three, the Dreadnaught gets 
  an additional 5D4 Bio-E to add to the capabilities of his cur-
  rent Dreadnaught Armor. These Bio-E points can be spent as 
  soon as they are acquired or saved and combined with points 
  from subsequent levels of experience.
  If the Dreadnaught’s Armor is destroyed, another will be 
  bonded to him, but it will only have the most basic Bio-En-
  hancements. Further augmentation will only occur with each 
  additional level of experience or as a reward for impeccable 
  service.
  Step Four: Biological Enhancements and Weapon Systems. 
  Selections can be made from any of the categories, but most 
  Dreadnaughts focus on long-range Offenses and Biological De-
  fenses in order to give themselves better protection in the field 
  while providing heavy suppressive firepower to support their 
  team.
  Standard Equipment: Military fatigues, a suit of non-organic 
  body armor for back up or disguise, dress clothing, survival 
  knife, utility belt, first-aid kit, 2 Slap Patches, Face Wrap, tint-
  ed goggles, hatchet for cutting wood, one light Bio-Weapon 
  and one heavy Bio-Weapon of choice and one weapon for 
  each W.P. with appropriate ammunition for heavy combat, 
  a good Mega-Horse for transportation, tent, knapsack, back-
  pack, two water skins, emergency food rations (three weeks 
  supply), and some personal items.
  Handheld Weapon Bio-Enhancements: Dreadnaughts receive 
  5D4 Bio-E at level one plus 5 Bio-E at each additional level 
  of experience starting at level 2. Bio-E can be distributed be-
  tween all the weapons in the character’s personal armory or 
  applied to one favorite item.
  Money: Has 3D6x100 credits worth in precious metals, relics or 
  trade items, as well as 6D6x10 in available credits. Money can 
  be spent now on additional equipment or saved for later.
  The Upside: You are the true walking tank and heavy firepower 
  specialist of the Host Armor types with the power, size and 
  knowledge to make the most what you have. You tear down 
  nearly any enemy, structure, or decimate a wide path of charg-
  ing robots with a few short, controlled bursts. Your skills at 
  providing suppressive firepower make you an invaluable re-
  source for clearing out landing zones necessary for strategic 
  deployment or emergency evacuations. You are one of the few 
  units that can take on the largest adversaries in the field, with-
  out requiring a War Mount, thus enabling the rest of your pla-
  toon and other soldiers to focus on their objectives and earning 
  their favor by watching your back in the field.
  The Downside: You are a walking tank and are slower than nor-
  mal Host Armors in both speed and agility, due to the cumber-
  some Cannon that you have to lug everywhere. The Harbin-
  ger Cannon takes both hands to carry, thus you have to rely 
  heavily on your other enhancements to pick up the slack and 
  your heavy firepower draws major attention to you in a battle, 
  and makes you a primary target equal to that of a War Mount. 
  Your massive bulk not only reduced your agility to dodge 
  most attacks but it makes it very difficult for you to retreat dur-
  ing intense chaotic combat scenarios, especially if your team 
  is being overrun. If that weren’t bad enough, the Harbinger 
  Cannon is able to dispense a heap of deadly firepower in heavy 
  surges, but it also chews through its ammo reserves at such a 
  high rate that you may find yourself having to improvise and 
  occupy your opponents with your other weapons and enhance-
  ments until your munitions replenish themselves.
  Experience Table: Continuing using the same Experience Table 
  as the Dreadguard found on page 183 of the Splicers® Role-
  Playing Game.
  Dreadnaught Armor
  Dreadnaught Armor is a massive Host Armor specifically 
  designed for providing Heavy Weapons Fire and suppressing 
  heavily armored or numerous enemy targets at once. Just hold 
  the Harbinger Cannon steady and pull the trigger; let the can-
  non and the Armor do the rest. At least that’s the way it appears 
  to many who have witnessed firsthand the immense devastation 
  of a Dreadnaught. These forms of armor are larger and more ro-
  bust than standard Dreadguard Host Armors. They have massive 
  shoulder and chest plating with broad, tree trunk-sized legs that 
  help root the armor to the ground as they man their main weapon 
  the Harbinger Cannon. So much has been designed around the 
  cannon that the armor itself is almost too specialized. It is so 
  bogged down by the massive weight of the cannon and its muni-
  tions reservoir housed on the back, that it is slower than other 
  Host Armors and the assault cannon requires both hands to be 
  used, which means the pilot cannot use both hands in combat and 
  leaves Dreadnaughts rather vulnerable in close combat and tight 
  spaces.
  To try and compensate for vulnerability in melee combat, 
  two large tentacle appendages were added to the armor. Each a 
  massive, powerful constrictor-like eels called, Sentinel Eels. 
  Sentinels are symbiotic creatures capable of thinking and 
  fighting independent of the Dreadnaught Armor and the pi-
  lot inside. They alert the pilot of potential threats, but attack 
  enemies that come within striking distance on their own, and 
  even defend the armor when the pilot is rendered unconscious. 
  The Dreadnaught’s host armor is genetically bonded to the 
  eels and if the armor is completely destroyed, the Sentinels 
  will also die. They can not be transplanted into a new Host 
  Armor nor War Mount for that matter. The Sentinel Eels know 
  this and will fight to defend the armor even over their own 
  preservation. Since the brain of the symbiotic creature is actu-
  
  97
  ally located inside the Dreadnaught armor, a severed Sentinel 
  Eel can regenerate completely given enough time. This makes 
  these powerful eels more likely to sacrifice themselves in or-
  der to protect the Host Armor.
  Adding these heavy, alien eel creatures seemed only to add 
  to the specialty requirements, because of the eels’ erratic move-
  ments, lunging and snapping in and out at targets in all directions, 
  or their awkward coiling movements that easily throw off the pi-
  lot’s aim, balance and coordination. In order to counter this, two 
  bio-organic gyrostabilizers were built into the massive shoulder 
  plating and hardwired into the chest and hips as a core to help 
  compensate for the eels’ unpredictable movements. This finally 
  provided the Dreadnaught pilot with enough stabilization, con-
  trol and focus to improve the firing accuracy and overall mobility 
  necessary to operate such a massive Host Armor. The overall out-
  come however, is a massively heavy and less agile Host Armor 
  that packs a major wallop of firepower.
  Class: Host Armor.
  Crew: One Dreadnaught Pilot.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Arms (2) – 3D6x10+30 M.D.C., +10 additional M.D.C. per 
  level of experience (starting at level 6); both arms have the same 
  M.D.C.
  Hands (2) – 2D6x10+20 M.D.C., +15 additional M.D.C. at 
  levels six, eleven, and fourteen; both hands have the same M.D.C.
  Sentinel Eels (2) – 70 M.D.C. each, +5 additional M.D.C. at 
  levels six, eleven, and fourteen.
  Sentinel Shell – 3D6x10+150 M.D.C., +10 additional M.D.C. 
  per level of experience (starting at level 6). If the M.D.C. of the 
  shell is depleted to zero, then there is a 80% chance that the Sym-
  biotes brains will be exposed and vulnerable (1D6x10 M.D. each 
  brain) Note: The Sentinel shell can only be targeted form behind 
  with a called shot. However, it is a large target, so there are no 
  penalties to strike.
  Legs (2) – 3D8x10+25 M.D.C. each, +10 additional M.D.C. 
  per level of experience (starting at level 6); both legs have the 
  same M.D.C.
  Feet (2) – 2D6x10+30 M.D.C. each, +20 additional M.D.C. at 
  levels six, eleven, and fourteen; both feet have the same M.D.C.
  Elbow Bone Blades (2) – 2D4x10+18 M.D.C. each.
  Harbinger Cannon – 4D4x10+20 M.D.C., +10 additional 
  M.D.C. per level of experience (starting at level 6).
  Head – 2D6x10+20 M.D.C., +10 additional M.D.C. per level 
  of experience (starting at level 6).
  Main Body – 6D6x10+180 M.D.C., +15 additional M.D.C. 
  per level of experience (starting at level 6).
  Harbinger Munitions Reservoir – 6D6x10+250 M.D.C., +10 
  additional M.D.C. per level of experience (starting at level 2). If 
  the M.D.C. of the shell is depleted to zero, then there is a 35% 
  chance that the explosive payload will detonate if hit by projec-
  tiles or lasers or ignited, inflicting 3D6x10 M.D. to the main body 
  of the armor and half damage to everything within a 20 foot (6.1 
  m) radius. Note: The Munitions Reservoir can only be targeted 
  from behind with a called shot. However, it is a large target, so 
  there are no penalties to strike.
  Speed:
  Running: 4D6+20 mph (38.4 to 70.4 km). The act of running 
  does tire out the pilot, but at only 10% of the normal fatigue rate.
  Leaping: Only 10 feet (3 m) high or 15 feet (4.6 m) across.
  Digging: 15 mph (24 km) through sand or dirt, but one quarter 
  as fast through rock or concrete. Digging tires out its pilot, but 
  at half the usual fatigue rate. To dig down enough to adequately 
  hide from enemies on the surface takes 4D6 minutes.
  Swimming: 10 mph (16 km); swimming tires the pilot but at 10% 
  the usual rate.
  Underwater Depth: Dreadnaught Armor can withstand pressure 
  up to 1500 feet (457 m) down.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: Approximately 3 feet (0.9 m) is added to the height of 
  the pilot.
  Width: 5-6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m), based on the size of the pilot.
  Length: 4-5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m), based on the size of the pilot.
  Weight: Adds 700 pounds (315 kg) to the weight of the pilot.
  Cargo: Contained within the carapace shell on the suit’s back is 
  about 200 pounds (90 kg) of Harbinger Cannon munitions, plus 
  two symbiotic Sentinel Eels, each weighing 130 pounds (58.5 kg) 
  that are stabilized by two gyrostabilizers located in the massive 
  shoulder plates, each weighing 100 pounds (45 kg). The rest of 
  the Sentinel Eels’ weight and movements are left up to the Host 
  Armor and pilot to endure and counter.
  Physical Strength: 4D6+15 – Splicer P.S. is equal to Robotic 
  Strength.
  Production Cycle: Nine month gestation, plus 6 months growth 
  time.
  Operational Lifetime: 2D10+35 year life span.
  Trade Value: None, because each Dreadnaught Armor is bonded 
  to a specific pilot and will not function for any other person.
  Bio-Regeneration: 2D6 M.D.C. per hour for the main body and 
  1D4 M.D.C. per hour for all other locations except the retractable 
  tentacles which regenerate at a rate of 1D6 M.D.C. per melee 
  round. Only the tentacles can be regrown once severed, all other 
  locations require at least one point of M.D.C. in order to regener-
  ate. However, an Engineer can generate and attach a replacement 
  limb with minimal difficulty.
  Horror Factor: 9 for humans and other intelligent life forms; none 
  against the machines.
  Senses and Features: Standard plus the following: Rein-
  forced Exoskeleton, Resistance to Kinetic Energy/Attacks, and 
  Radar (+1 attack and helps detect, locate and target incoming op-
  ponents and early target acquisitions).
  Sentinel Eels: These are actually tentacles that have been en-
  hanced and modified to have gaping mouths filled with razor-
  sharp teeth. These fearsome tentacles can be used to rip and tear 
  their prey to shreds, or the Host Armor can actually use them to 
  feed. Furthermore, these tentacles have evolved into symbiotic 
  creatures capable of thinking and fighting independently of the 
  Host Armor. They will alert the pilot of potential threats, attack 
  enemies on their own, and even defend the armor when the pilot 
  is rendered unconscious. Of course, the tentacle is still a part of 
  the armor and cannot survive on its own, and the Sentinel Eels 
  know this. The creatures instincts push them to fight and to de-
  fend the Host Armor even over their own preservation. Since the 
  brain of the symbiotic Eel is actually located inside the suit of 
  Host Armor, a severed Sentinel Eel will regenerate completely 
  given enough time. Each Sentinel Eel grows its own independent 
  brain at the base of the tentacle and a row of four tiny black bead-
  like eyes adorn each side of the maw. The visual range of these 
  eyes is only 100 feet (30.5 m), but that is more than adequate for 
  
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  the symbiotes as they are also equipped with Motion Detector 
  Pits adorning their lower jaws (Same as Motion Detection En-
  hancement in Splicers® Role-Playing Game, page 81).
  Special Note: All previously purchased Dreadguard Host Ar-
  mor Bio-Enhancements carry over to the new Dreadnaught Host 
  Armor, but they do not override the Dreadnaught’s penalties and 
  bonus restrictions. If the Dreadguard’s Host Armor already had 
  one of the listed Dreadnaught Enhancement then the Dreadnaught 
  Armor inherits the pre-invested Bio-E points back and is allowed 
  to spend the points on something else.
  Feeding: Standard for either Carnivore, Omnivore or Vam-
  piric, plus the suit eats an additional 60-90 pounds (27 to 40.5 
  kg) of minerals (stones, rocks, dirt, clay, etc.) a day to sustain 
  the Sentinel Eels and the Harbinger Munitions. The Sentinel Eels 
  can consume food while the Host Armor is inactive or occupied.
  Sleep Requirements: Dreadnaught Armor requires 2D4 hours 
  for Carnivores and 1D6 hours for Omnivores of sleep/rest/inac-
  tivity per day, during the day or night hours. Vampiric Dread-
  naughts do not require sleep, but must rest 2D4x10 minutes after 
  feeding, during which time the armor is sluggish (reduce attacks 
  per round by -2, speed and combat bonuses by 25%).
  Combat Bonuses: +1 to strike, +5 to parry (mainly due to the 
  retractable tentacles), +3 to entangle, +1 to disarm, and +4 to roll 
  with punch. Note: Due to the size and weight of the cannon and 
  armor, a Dreadnaught can never have a dodge bonus higher than 
  +3, regardless of any enhancements chosen.
  Dreadnaught Weapon Systems:
  1. Harbinger Cannon: A dual, handheld, heavy assault cannon, 
  the Harbinger Cannon has come a long way in the form of 
  field tested and proven firepower. It is a sophisticated mon-
  ster of a weapon composed of three major components and 
  is frowned upon by many who dispute its efficiency when 
  wielding it, minutes after they have exhausted its destructive 
  ammo.
  Central Maw is a formidable set of crushing jaws filled 
  with powerful teeth and large spurs adorning the top of its 
  broad head and neck. Jet black with a white stripe going down 
  the middle, the Maw uses its jaws to deliver a vicious bite 
  (3D8 M.D.) into adversaries or into structures. This huge maw 
  can stretch and quickly lunge at attackers, like a snapping 
  turtle, striking targets up to 6 feet (1.8 m) away. The jaws can 
  retract the seized prey or item, bringing them into the horrific 
  discharges of the cannons. The victim can pull away (counts 
  as one melee action/attack) or be pulled out of the Harbinger’s 
  Maw by comrades provided they match the Dreadnaught Ar-
  mor’s Splicer P.S. Lastly, the maw is also able to spew a gas-
  eous fluid that instantly ignites the liquid streams fired from 
  the three Spore Discharger Cannons that are also mounted on 
  the Harbinger.
  Side-Mounted Velocity Cannons (2): These twin cannons 
  resemble the mouths of a viper with a barrel shoved down 
  their throats. They are the lethal cannons of the Harbinger that 
  fire high-velocity Burster Shards up to 3,000 feet (914.4 m). 
  The cannons inflict 1D8x10+20 M.D. for a short individual 
  burst of 10 rounds from one cannon or 2D6X10+20 M.D. per 
  simultaneous bursts from both (counts as one melee attack). 
  The cannons can only fire in bursts; single shots are not pos-
  sible. Each burst creates an explosion with a blast radius of 15 
  feet (4.6 m) +5 feet (1.5 m) per additional burst fired. Dam-
  age is increased proportionately by bursts of 2, 3 or 6 bursts 
  fired simultaneously at the same target. The explosions can be 
  heard up to three miles (4.8 km) away. Payload: 120 per bursts 
  per Velocity Cannon with an additional 600 rounds in a Muni-
  tions Reservoir housed in the back of the armor for reloads. It 
  takes 2D10+30 minutes after every meal or 6D6 hours to re-
  grow a full load. It takes only 1D10 minutes to grow one full 
  burst without a meal.
  Spore Discharger Tusks (2): Two medium-range dis-
  chargers mounted on the sides and a long-range discharger 
  directly underneath the cannon, each fires a stream of metal-
  eating spores in a liquid form. Once the liquid comes into 
  contact with a robot, machine or any metallic object (includ-
  ing Technojackers armor), the spores burst like a stream of 
  micro-explosive rounds and begin to eat into the metal target. 
  These spores are ineffective against living/organic targets. 
  However, unlike most Spore Dischargers, when the liquid is 
  ignited by the Central Maw of the harbinger cannon, these 
  spores turn into a blue napalm plasma that is able to inciner-
  ate living targets as well. The spore dischargers inflict the 
  standard damage listed in the Splicers Main Book, page 104. 
  When used as a napalm discharger, the damage and effects 
  are identical to the napalm discharger on the Dracos War 
  Mount, (Splicers Main Book, page 115). Range is reduced to 
  500 feet (152.4m).
  2. Sentinel Eels (2): Within the armor’s Back Carapace shell are 
  two large chambers that house the alien symbiotes that mature 
  into Sentinel Eels. Their voracious tentacles were enhanced 
  and augmented into powerful constrictor-like creatures, each 
  with a deadly maw filled with fangs. Sentinel Eels are symbi-
  otic creatures capable of fighting independently of the Dread-
  naught Armor; biting, pummeling, coiling and constricting 
  opponents that dare get into close range of the Dreadnaught. 
  The Dreadnaught pilot can seize complete control over the 
  Sentinel Eels at any time and utilize them like an extension of 
  his own body, but with heavy firepower suppression often be-
  ing the focus, most Dreadnaughts simply let the Eels operate 
  freely as vicious, defensive counters against close proximity 
  opponents.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  M.D.C. of each Sentinel Eel: Each Eel has a starting M.D.C. val-
  ue of 4D6x10 points. A severed eel will completely regenerate 
  within 3D8 hours.
  Damage: Each successful Bite does: 3D8 M.D.C. Special Crush 
  /Squeeze attack first requires that a victim is successfully entan-
  gled/grabbed and held. But instead of holding tight or biting, the 
  Sentinel Eel squeezes with the intent to crush and hurt its captive. 
  Damage is 3D4 M.D. per squeeze + Splicer P.S. punch damage. 
  Due to the Independence Enhancement, each constriction of the 
  body counts as one of the Sentinel Eel’s Attacks (not the Host Ar-
  mor’s melee attacks/actions). Victims can use their Escape Artist 
  skill at +10% to escape (slip the hold), or the victim can pull away 
  (counts as one melee action/attack)or be pulled out of the Eel’s 
  hold by comrades provided they match the Dreadnaught Armor’s 
  Splicer P.S.
  Effective Range: Typically 10 feet (3 m) away from the Dread-
  naught Armor is the maximum.
  Bonuses: Each eel possesses two attacks per melee with bonuses 
  of +3 on initiative, +4 to strike, +3 to parry, and +2 to dodge. Both 
  
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  Sentinel Eels can engage the same target, but each eel must roll 
  to strike independently. The previous bonuses for the tentacles 
  only apply when they are controlled by the Host Armor pilot. The 
  pilot also gains a bonus of +4 on initiative and +3 to Horror Fac-
  tor when the eels are active and cannot be surprised from behind.
  3. Twin Bone Blades: Located on the elbows of the Dreadnaught 
  Armor are a wicked pair of large bone blades that are capable 
  of slashing through the thickest armored hides or shredding 
  metal.
  Primary Purpose: Melee combat.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 M.D.
  Bio-Enhancements Only Available to Dreadnaught Armor:
  1. Harbinger Munitions Generator: The heavy backpack of 
  the Dreadnaught Armor has a large Generator mounted on the 
  underside of the shell, just behind the hips. The Dreadnaught 
  plugs the Harbinger into one of the generator’s three ports and 
  the Cannon hums to life, with its massive maw hissing and 
  drooling, anticipating the heavy firepower it is getting ready 
  to unleash. The Munitions Coil meticulously feeds the ammo 
  to the Harbinger Cannon through a lubed inner tube with 
  rows of small insect-like legs passing the munitions along and 
  avoiding any undesirable jamming or lock-ups. The Coil is 
  well-protected with reinforced chitin plating and is extremely 
  flexible. The Munitions Generator reduces the time needed to 
  replenish Burster Shells by half: 2D10+15 minutes after every 
  meal or 3D6 hours to regrow a full load. It takes only 1D4+1 
  minutes to grow one full burst without a meal.
  Primary Purpose: Ammunition Provisions.
  Bio-E Cost: 35 Bio-E points.
  Packlord Upgrade
  Elite Packmasters, proven in the field can become eligible to 
  specialize their craft as a combat variant called the “Packlord.” 
  These variants are designed specifically for excursions, close 
  combat and hunting. Packlords are gifted a prestigious Packlord 
  Armor that is nearly the same hide armor as the Elite Packmaster 
  Armor (featured in The Rifter® #59, page 27, minus the Elon-
  gated Legs, Leaping Legs and Retractable Bone Blades). Instead, 
  the Packlord’s Armor has been equipped with Organic Thrusters 
  built into its backpack and lower legs for fast flight and leap-
  ing capabilities to keep up with his Gore pack. Instead of hav-
  ing retractable Bone Blades, the armor has armored gauntlets that 
  each house a retractable, armor-plated, serpentine tentacle that 
  secretes a Bio-Napalm. These wicked symbiotes are bonded to 
  the Packlord’s armor and are well deserving of their name, “Gore 
  Tentacles.” They pierce and burrow their way through their op-
  ponents, causing 4D10 M.D., plus an additional 1D8 per melee 
  attack until removed. The gored victim will also be severely 
  burned by a sticky Bio-Napalm substance that is secreted by the 
  Gore Tentacle, which burns and disintegrates the internals of ma-
  chines and living creatures alike. The chemical is the same Bio-
  Napalm produced by the Burner (see the Splicers® RPG, page 
  134). It is because of this deadly new weapon’s use against fellow 
  Splicers and the Bio-E strain placed on the wearers, that House 
  Artemis placed a restriction on the reproduction of these suits to 
  only the elite of Packmasters (5th level or higher). Anyone lower 
  than this rank and tolerance loses control of the Gore Tentacles 
  and falls unconscious.
  New Gorehound Type –
  Maulers
  Maulers are melee combat specific versions of the loyal, more 
  versatile Gorehounds. To become a Mauler, the Gorehound is re-
  turned to the Gene Pool for a number of months. When it emerg-
  es, its form and genetic make-up have been completely redone. 
  Heavier and much more powerfully built, Maulers are extremely 
  aggressive and very difficult to control, requiring extreme focus 
  and concentration from the Packmaster. Most Packmasters/Pack-
  lords strategically unleash the Maulers upon adversaries, because 
  once the hounds are engaged, they are difficult to pull off of a 
  victim or might refuse to retreat (even if near death). If a Mauler 
  is engaged in melee combat, the Packmaster must lose one attack 
  per melee and reduce initiative by half if trying to control, di-
  vert or re-direct the Gorehound. Each additional Mauler that the 
  Packmaster has to regain control of subtracts an additional melee 
  attack/action. Only seasoned Packlords (Levels 9 or higher) have 
  better control over Maulers (initiative is only reduced by -1 and 
  no actions/attacks are lost).
  Maulers are loyal to their Packmasters/Packlords and to other 
  Bio-Tech hounds, but their prey drive will easily trigger them to 
  attack alien predators (28% chance), War Mounts (14% chance) 
  and even animal-like Host Armors (11% chance) without provo-
  cation, including allies (7% chance). House Artemis created the 
  Mauler strain years ago, but considered them too unpredictable 
  so they only produce them in limited numbers. Unfortunately, 
  agents from House Janus acquired the genetic code and used it 
  to turn a large percentage of their Gorehounds into Maulers. The 
  Maulers are a bit of a double-edged sword. They are not nearly 
  as fast or versatile as standard Gorehounds. Additionally, they 
  lack the patience needed on missions not involving direct com-
  bat, such as search and rescue, demolitions detection, or recon-
  naissance. Maulers are only good for combat and killing; in these 
  areas they excel. Currently, there are three basic Mauler configu-
  rations that have been developed; each with its own suite of en-
  hancements and specialty for close quarters combat. Note: If the 
  Gorehound already has any of the listed Enhancement(s) before 
  the Mauler augmentation, then that Gorehound receives the pre-
  invested Bio-E points back and is allowed to spend the points 
  on something else. Once the process has been complete, any en-
  hancements added following the Mauler conversion require dou-
  ble the usual Bio-E cost. Maulers will only listen to Packmasters 
  (even non-elite) if their Packlord has fallen unconscious or has 
  been killed. Because of this challenge and House Janus’ reckless 
  nature, some rogue feral packs of Maulers have been sighted.
  Cerberus Type: There are many versions of Cerberus de-
  scribed throughout the Greek mythos; some describing the mon-
  ster canine with a hundred heads to other stories indicating only 
  one head teaming with a large mane of serpents. However, the 
  most common and prevailing description is a massive, three-
  headed canine with a stinger-like tail. This was the source of in-
  spiration that the Artemis Librarians enjoyed the most. Having a 
  powerful three-headed Gorehound would be a formidable, melee 
  combatant in the field and operate as the ultimate enforcer of a 
  Gore-Pack. To serve as a base foundation for the Cerberus Maul-
  er Gorehound, the Librarians will enhance a Packmaster’s pre-
  
  100
  existing Gore-Hound and grow two additional Gorehound heads 
  & necks onto the pre-existing Gorehound’s body and then add 
  the following Bio-Enhancements: Advanced Senses, Increased 
  M.D.C. (x4), Reinforced Exoskeleton, Enhanced Physical 
  Strength, Stinger Tail, Medium Fangs and Medium Gore Cannon 
  as a breath weapon for all heads. Any Bio-enhancements follow-
  ing this Mauler conversion requires double the usual Bio-E cost.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Front Legs (2) – 116 each
  Hind Legs (2) – 144 each
  Stinger Tail – 107
  Medium Fangs (6) – 20 (2 for each head)
  Heads (3) – 184
  Main Body – 450
  Height: 4.5 feet (1.4 m) at the shoulders, 6 feet (1.8 m) to the top 
  of the head.
  Width: 4 feet (1.2 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 8 feet (2.4 m) nose to rump; plus a 16 foot tail (4.8 m).
  Weight: 620 pounds (279 kg).
  Physical Strength: 25 Supernatural.
  Horror Factor: 14 individually, 17 with four or more Gorehounds.
  Augmentation/Gestation Period: Three month gestation period, 
  plus another three months growth time.
  Combat Bonuses: 7 Attacks, +4 on initiative, +4 to strike in hand 
  to hand combat (+5 for tail), +2 (+3 for tail) to parry, +3 to pull 
  punch/bite/tail strike, +3 to roll with punch, fall or impact, +2 (+3 
  for tail) to disarm, +4 to save vs Horror Factor, +4 on Perception 
  Rolls, and +2 to save vs poisons/toxins and disease.
  Combat Capabilities: Restrained Head Butt: 1D6 S.D.C., Full 
  Strength Head Butt: 2D6 M.D. (+1D6 M.D.), Pawing Claw Strike 
  with Front Legs: 5D6 M.D., Biting Attack: 3D6 M.D.+2D8 M.D. 
  per head, Leap Attack: 2D6 M.D. and Running Leap Attack: 
  7D6 M.D. (Leap Attack and Running Leap Attack have standard 
  Gorehound likelihood knockdown percentages (+5%) as men-
  tioned in the Splicers® RPG, page 118).
  Penalties: Max. running speed limited to 60 mph (96 km), regard-
  less of additional enhancements. Cerberus Hounds are highly 
  aggressive, requiring an extra action/attack to command or take 
  control of them during combat. -10% to prowl. Unless it involves 
  intimidating people, sports, a physical challenge, fighting, hunt-
  ing or killing, the Cerberus simply isn’t interested. This means 
  work and assignments involving the mundane are either ignored 
  
  101
  entirely or done quickly and sloppily. One exception is guard 
  duty; the Cerberus Hound excels at guard duty.
  Shocker Type: The Shocker Gorehound creates a living dy-
  namo of electric power. Quite possibly the most radical of the 
  Mauler types, Shockers are remade with a variety of enhance-
  ments and changes: Increased Metabolic Rate, Electrical Resis-
  tance, Electrical Discharger, Sonar, Electromagnetic Vision (the 
  eyes resemble small, silver-colored, spider-like sensor spheres), 
  Adrenaline surge, Increased M.D.C. (x2) and reinforced Exoskel-
  eton. The Shocker’s most notorious weapons is its Lightning Bite 
  which it uses to disable, immobilize or to stun opponents. This 
  makes the victim easier to secure or to destroy. The Shocker’s 
  Lightning Discharger Jaws can emit a powerful jolt with a range 
  of 50-feet (15.2 m) or touch. The Lightning Bite delivers 1D6x10 
  M.D. damage plus save vs stun attack (15 or higher, with any 
  possible bonuses from P.E.) or they will also lose initiative, two 
  melee attacks and are a -4 on all combat actions for 2D4 melee 
  rounds. The bite on Host Armors and War Mounts inflicts the 
  1D6X10 M.D. to the armor plus 2D6 S.D.C. or Hit Point damage 
  to the pilot inside or riding the War Mount, but the pilot does not 
  suffer any other penalties. Machines and Technojackers take only 
  the M.D. inflicted per blast. Technojackers with electrical genera-
  tion abilities and wearing their Nanobot armor are immune to the 
  electrical damage but still receive the bite damage (3D8 M.D.) 
  caused by the Shocker’s maw.
  If a Shocker’s packmates arrive to join in melee combat the 
  Shocker will either reduce its jolting electrical output or cease 
  to electrocute the target. This allows other packmates to deliver 
  their damaging effects and special arsenals (unless they too are 
  also Shockers). If the Shocker is biting an opponent and another 
  Shocker latches on to the same target, they can increase the elec-
  trical output, causing double the stun damage and duration. This 
  is the maximum stun that can occur no matter how many more 
  Shockers are biting the same target.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Front Legs (2) – 94 each
  Hind Legs (2) – 122 each
  Tail – 94
  Sensor Spheres (5) – 34 each
  Head – 174
  Main Body – 350
  Height: 4.5 feet (1.4 m) at the shoulders, 6 feet (1.8 m) to the top 
  of the head.
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 10.5 feet (3.2 m) length from the tip of nose to the end 
  of the tail.
  Weight: 560 pounds (252 kg).
  Physical Strength: 23, Supernatural.
  Horror Factor: 12 individually, 16 with Orion’s Pack.
  Augmentation/Gestation Period: Six months gestation, plus an 
  additional three months growth time.
  Combat Bonuses: +1 attack per melee round, +5 on initiative, +5 
  to strike, +3 to pull punch/bite, +3 to roll with punch, fall or im-
  pact, +2 to disarm, +4 to save vs Horror Factor, and +2 to save vs 
  poisons/toxins and disease, +20 mph (32 km) to running speed. It 
  can also leap 20 feet (6.1 m) higher and 40 feet (12.2 m) farther 
  across than usual. Immune to all stun weapons and attacks. Half 
  damage from electrical-based attacks, including Lightning. Note: 
  When a Shocker is under the Adrenaline surge it has +2 Attacks 
  (7 total) and an additional +20 mph (32 km) per melee round for 
  1D4+1 minutes.
  Penalties: Shockers burn through energy at a alarming rate; the 
  Shocker hound requires a 20 minute nap for every four hours of 
  activity, in addition to normal sleep/rest requirements. Further-
  more, Shockers eat nearly constantly, requiring triple the usual 
  amount of food, 30-60 pounds (13.5 to 27 kg) of meat or carrion, 
  for its metabolism. Shockers are also susceptible to Electromag-
  netic Pulse attacks which, if hit directly by a pulse, causes the 
  Shocker to have all of its combat bonuses and attacks reduced by 
  half for 2D4+1 melee rounds and its sensors are unreliable; tem-
  porarily blinding the Shocker Gorehound for 1D4 melee rounds. 
  A blinded Shocker will attack anything near it minus its Pack-
  master and packmates, which are scent coded to the Shocker. If 
  the Packmaster is in line of sight of the Shocker and spends one 
  melee action, they can guide the Shocker’s movements and re-
  sidual attacks.
  Shredder Type: The most alien looking of all the Maul-
  ers, Shredders appear to be a mass of walking spikes, serrated 
  spurs, teeth, and horns. Able to absorb tremendous punish-
  ment and virtually impervious to pain, Shredders think noth-
  ing of jumping in where the fighting is the thickest. To create 
  a Shredder, the Librarians will enhance a Packmaster’s pre-
  existing Gore-Hound with the following Bio-Enhancements 
  and changes: Advanced Senses, Acid Blood, Horned Defense, 
  Increased M.D.C. (x2), Reinforced Exoskeleton, Suction Cups 
  and Gripping Hairs, Combat Tail and each leg has a row of 
  four Combat Spurs. The Shredder earns its name with a dev-
  astating set of bio-organic chainsaws housed in its upper and 
  lower jaws. Each jaw has independent rows of rotary teeth 
  resembling serrated blades that cause overwhelming damage 
  (1D8x10 M.D.) to anything bitten by a Shredder. Shredders are 
  dicers in melee combat and with all the spikes, horns, and ser-
  rated edges, they are extremely difficult to parry, entangle, pin 
  or grapple with (Opponents reduce all parry bonuses by half). 
  However, despite their playful nature and eagerness to romp 
  and roughhouse, they are very difficult to train and to play 
  with. Trying to pet a Shredder is like trying to pet a squirm-
  ing, wiggling blender running at full speed. When Shredders 
  are excited, even fellow platoon members know to look out to 
  avoid undesirable slashes when they dart off.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Front Legs (2) – 109 each
  Hind Legs (2) – 149 each
  Tail – 117
  Horns (16) – 61 each
  Combat Spurs (16) – 15 each (four on each leg)
  Head – 197
  Main Body – 390
  Height: 4.5 feet (1.4 m) at the shoulders, 6 feet (1.8 m) to the top 
  of the head.
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 10.5 feet (3.2 m) from the tip of the nose to the end of 
  the tail.
  Weight: 560 pounds (252 kg).
  Physical Strength: 23, Supernatural.
  Horror Factor: 13 individually, 16 with four or more Gore-
  hounds.
  
  102
  Augmentation/Gestation Period: Two months gestation plus an-
  other three months growth.
  Combat Bonuses: 6 attacks per melee round, +2 on initiative, +3 
  to strike, +3 parry, +5 disarm, +3 to pull punch/bite, +3 to roll 
  with punch, fall or impact, +4 to save vs Horror Factor, and +2 to 
  save vs poisons/toxins and disease. Any and all hand to hand at-
  tacks directed against the Shredder with a strike roll of 12 or less 
  means the attacker will hit one of the horns and inflict 2D10 M.D. 
  damage to himself. A running ram/body attack or block inflicts 
  an extra 2D6 M.D. in addition to the paw strike/P.S. damage for 
  the Gorehound.
  Combat Capabilities: Full Strength Head Butt: 3D6 M.D., Paw-
  ing Claw Strike with Front Legs: 5D6 M.D., Biting Attack: 3D6 
  M.D., Leap Attack: 2D6 M.D. and Running Leap Attack: 7D6 
  M.D. (Leap Attack and Running Leap Attack have the the stan-
  dard Gorehound likelihood knockdown percentages as mentioned 
  in the Splicers® RPG, page 118).
  Penalties: Shredders simply ignore pain. While this may sound 
  like a good thing, Shredders will often take on anything, easily 
  biting off more than they can chew and fight until they collapse 
  (down to one M.D.C.), ignoring discomfort, injury and blood loss 
  and without noticeable physical penalties/incapacitation. This 
  can lead to severe injury, complications and death, even when 
  seeking medical help could have stopped bleeding and prevent-
  ed further damage. Packlords must always keep a close eye on 
  Shredder hounds.
  Great House Artemis
  Non-Player Characters
  Warlord Tristan
  Artemis the 4th
  Since the first days of the Resistance, the Great House Artemis 
  has been one of the leading forces in the fight against N.E.X.U.S. 
  Always a military powerhouse, they have become best known 
  over the past few decades for the steady stream of ingenious Bio-
  Tech devices and weaponry that continue to spring from their 
  Gene Pools. Under the guidance and leadership of their current 
  Warlord, Tristan Artemis IV, the House has flourished. War-
  lord Artemis is a hard-charging fighter and a natural leader on 
  the battlefield, headstrong and straightforward. Despite the im-
  pressive pedigreed heritage of his royal family and a privileged 
  upbringing, Tristan was drawn to tales of combat and showed 
  a natural aptitude to strategy and tactics. With some resistance 
  from his noble family, Tristan began his Dreadguard training as a 
  young teenager. By his sixteenth birthday, the future Warlord had 
  a dozen major battles under his belt and had received numerous 
  decorations for bravery. Though young, he showed an extraordi-
  nary grasp of battlefield tactics and was consistently able to think 
  clearly in combat.
  By age twenty, Tristan was promoted and given command of 
  one of the House outposts. There he gained a reputation for be-
  ing a fair and even-handed commander. He insisted on leading 
  from the front, standing shoulder to shoulder with his troops and 
  earning the respect of those who followed him. It was also at the 
  outpost that he began taking an interest in the design and develop-
  ment of bio-weapons and equipment.
  The next step in the Warlord’s growing fame blossomed at the 
  age of twenty-three. Still in command of the outpost and continu-
  ing to make a name for himself, he achieved a stunning victory 
  over the Machine. Leading a force of several hundred, he soundly 
  defeated a full strength Robot Battalion. Tristan orchestrated the 
  perfect ambush, his troops splitting the battalion into smaller 
  groups and eliminating them entirely. Tristan himself personally 
  destroyed one of the two Land Dominators assigned to the Battal-
  ion. Even more impressive was the fact that the Land Dominator 
  was being possessed by the N.E.X.U.S. personality, Kali. This 
  victory stunned both N.E.X.U.S. and the Resistance and placed 
  Artemis on the fast track to leadership of the House and brought 
  him to the top tier of the most wanted list by the Machine. Tristan 
  became the Warlord of the Great House Artemis at the unheard 
  of age of twenty-six.
  With his newfound leadership and the resources of the Great 
  House at his disposal, the freshly minted Warlord began to ex-
  plore his interest in bio-weapons design to its fullest. One of 
  his earliest ideas was the formation of an elite, personal strike 
  force dubbed “Beast Walkers.” Shrouded in secrecy, all Beast 
  Walker candidates were enhanced to some degree, then out-
  fitted with tremendously powerful Host Armor, easily able to 
  take on squads of robots single-handedly. Tristan was the first 
  to volunteer for the process and led the Walkers himself. The 
  Walkers were a terror on the battlefield for a number of years, 
  regularly completing missions others would consider suicidal. 
  Yet the victories came at a heavy cost and the group was ulti-
  mately disbanded.
  Like his natural aptitude for battle, the Warlord’s ideas have 
  led to great prosperity and recognition for the Great House of 
  Artemis. Its innovative designs are considered to be top of the 
  line and its research and development is second to none. Artemis 
  grown weapons and equipment of all kinds can be found through-
  out the Resistance.
  Now approaching fifty, Warlord Artemis shows very little 
  signs of slowing down. Healthy and trim, he continues to keep his 
  mind and body honed and disciplined. His daily routine includes 
  a grueling training and workout regimen that many half his age 
  can’t keep up with. He considers mental fitness as important as 
  physical and regularly enjoys strategic games and tests to keep 
  his mind and body honed. Though by necessity, he is limited by 
  his title, Warlord Artemis fights at the front line whenever he can. 
  In battle, his massive, saber-toothed Host Armor, Ailuros, is usu-
  ally where the fighting is thickest, its great maw and spiked mace 
  tail tearing through enemy robots like a force of nature. Where 
  Warlord Artemis goes, the House follows, rightly confident of 
  victory.
  Full Name: Tristan Artemis IV, Warlord of the Great House Ar-
  temis
  Alignment: Scrupulous.
  Attributes: I.Q. 16, M.E. 20, M.A. 23, P.S. 19, P.P. 18, P.E. 19, 
  P.B. 14, Spd 18.
  M.D.C.: 82, plus any from Living or Host Armor. Due to en-
  hancements made as part of the Beast Walker program, War-
  lord Artemis is a minor M.D.C. being.
  Age: 48. Height: 6 feet, 1 inch (1.8 m). Weight: 215 pounds 
  (96.7 kg).
  
  103
  Appearance: Warlord Artemis looks like a typical career military 
  officer: neat, ramrod straight, his close-cropped hair slightly 
  graying at the temples. He’s lithe and muscular with just a hint 
  of a stomach that somehow resists his punishing workouts. A 
  handsome man, his face nevertheless carries the look and the 
  lines of age, war and responsibility.
  Disposition: Tristan is blunt and no nonsense, with an aura of 
  authority and leadership. He is usually straightforward and 
  brutally honest, especially when dealing with military strategy 
  and evaluation. These same characteristics often make diplo-
  macy problematic for the Warlord; he has little patience for 
  the verbal feints and parries required. Despite his sometimes 
  harsh and demanding demeanor, the Warlord can be surpris-
  ingly friendly, sincere, and open under the right circumstances.
  Strict but fair, Tristan is always willing to listen to all sides 
  of an argument or discussion, especially if presented in an or-
  ganized and cohesive fashion. His experience has taught him 
  that all points of view, no matter how different from his own, 
  have a level of merit. He is a charismatic leader almost univer-
  sally loved by his House and especially its troops.
  Experience Level: 12th level enhanced Dreadguard.
  Combat Skills: Hand to Hand: Martial Arts, Boxing, Kick Box-
  ing, Wrestling.
  Attacks per Melee: 6.
  Bonuses (All bonuses, including those from stats): +2 on initia-
  tive, +4 to strike, +9 to parry, +9 to dodge, +5 to auto-dodge, 
  +2 to entangle, +3 to pull punch, +5 to roll with punch, +4 to 
  disarm, +8 S.D.C. damage, +2 save vs mind control, +2 save 
  vs toxic gases, poisons, drugs and disease, +3 save vs Hor-
  ror Factor, +5 save vs insanity, 75% trust/intimidate, +8% vs 
  coma/death.
  Combat Skills: Automatic Knockout on Natural 20, Back Flip, 
  Back Flip Attack, Back Flip Escape, Body Flip/Throw, Criti-
  cal Strike on an unmodified 18-20, Roundhouse Kick (3D6 
  damage), Axe Kick (2D8 damage), Karate Kick (2D6), Knee 
  Strike (1D8), Leap Kick (3D6 but counts as 2 melee attacks), 
  and Jump Kick (4D10 damage, but must be the only kick that 
  melee and uses up all attacks for that round. However, Ar-
  temis can still parry and dodge, just not make any other at-
  tacks). Body block/tackle does ID4 damage and the opponent 
  must dodge or parry to avoid being knocked down. If knocked 
  down the victim loses initiative and one melee attack for that 
  round. Pin/incapacitate on a roll of I8, 19, or 20. Victims who 
  are pinned are held in such a way that they cannot physically 
  attack or move. Crush/squeeze is a bear hug-style hold that 
  does 1D4 damage per squeeze attack.
  Special Abilities: Because of his Beast Walker modifications, 
  Warlord Artemis has been enhanced to some degree. Though 
  not quite superhuman, the Warlord’s senses are greatly height-
  ened. He is a physical workhorse, able to push himself longer 
  and harder than unaltered humans.
  Super Endurance: Can remain alert and operate at full ef-
  ficiency for up to 3 days without sleep. Tristan requires only 
  about 6 hours of sleep every 3 days.
  Super Healing: Regenerates 1D4 M.D.C. per minute and 
  can regrow any lost appendages except eyes.
  Superior Senses: Crystal clear sight and hearing (can 
  clearly recognize a human face at 1,000 feet/305 m and hear a 
  whisper at 50 feet/15 m). Sense of smell is enhanced and the 
  Warlord can follow a scent trail that is up to two hours old.
  Skills of Note: Appraise Goods, Bio-Comms, Biology, Climb-
  ing, Creative Writing, Excavation, First Aid, Genetics, His-
  tory, Host Armor Combat, Land Navigation, Machine Lore, 
  Machine Technology, Military Etiquette, Operate Bio-Equip-
  ment, War Mount Combat, Wilderness Survival and Xenol-
  ogy at 98%, Creative Writing 85%, Bartering 66%, Creative 
  Writing and Research 55%, Public Speaking 50%, Boxing, 
  Kick Boxing, Running and Wrestling.
  Weapon Proficiencies: Sword, Knife, Heavy Bio-Weapons, 
  Light Bio-Weapons, and Paired Weapons.
  Allies: As the Warlord of a Great House, Artemis can rely on 
  the support of nearly all members of the House. In addition, 
  the Great House has strong ties with numerous cells and fac-
  tions within the Resistance, including the House of the Barren 
  Marsh and several Technojacker clans.
  Enemies: The Warlord considers N.E.X.U.S. and its forces to 
  be his personal enemy. Only slightly below N.E.X.U.S. are 
  Waste Crawlers and other raiders. Warlord Artemis considers 
  these to be almost as bad as the Machine itself.
  Money and Valuables: Warlord Artemis can access any of the 
  resources of the Great House.
  Weapons and Equipment: Warlord Artemis primarily relies on 
  his Host Armor, Ailuros (detailed below), for almost all com-
  bat. In the alternative, he can access any weapon or equipment 
  in the Great House.
  Ailuros
  Personal Host Armor of Warlord Artemis
  When expecting combat, Warlord Artemis normally dons his 
  Host Armor, Ailuros. Designed with speed, stealth and infantry 
  combat in mind, Ailuros looks like a massive, bipedal saber-tooth 
  tiger. It is roughly humanoid shaped but big and husky, with 
  broad shoulders, a barrel chest, relatively slim waist, powerful, 
  thick legs and a formidable spiked mace tail. It can run on two 
  legs, but increases its speed by sprinting on all fours in a loping 
  manner. The hands and toes are clawed and a number of weapons 
  add to the firepower of any weapons carried into combat (typical-
  ly heavy weapons). The robust head and neck are strongly influ-
  enced by a prehistoric smilodon, with almond shaped eyes, sharp, 
  pointed ears, and a powerful muzzle housing massive fangs and 
  metal-crushing jaw muscles. Ailuros has hands with two thick 
  fingers and a thumb, each ending in a hooked claw, but the hands 
  have full manual dexterity and can use weapons and equipment.
  Like Artemis, his Host Armor has been enhanced as part of 
  the Beast Walker program. A major modification, and ultimate 
  failing of the program, was an attempt to grant Host Armors a 
  level of independent thought and action; not true sentience but 
  something very close. While the modification was ultimately suc-
  cessful, the newly granted independence placed an extraordinary 
  mental, physical, and even emotional strain on the Dreadguard 
  who controlled them. Over time, most members of the program 
  began to suffer various physical and psychological problems. 
  Some became rabidly violent. Others devolved into near cataton-
  ic states, living out their lives with little more than a blank stare.
  Almost all the original Beast Walkers are dead or retired 
  now, but a few still remain throughout the Resistance, Warlord 
  Artemis included. Sadly, a few of the survivors are so insane 
  
  104
  they now hunt their former comrades and other Splicers for 
  sport or vengeance. The guilt constantly gnaws at Warlord Ar-
  temis and he personally looks into any reports that sound like a 
  Beast Walker.
  Despite the dangers, Warlord Artemis continues to pilot Ai-
  luros. For reasons no one can be sure of, he’s shown remarkable 
  resiliency against the strain. Artemis functions equally well as 
  both a heavy assault unit and stealth operative, though Artemis 
  prefers to be in the middle of the action. As a front-line assault 
  unit, Artemis and Ailuros decimate enemies with barrages while 
  closing the distance for hand to hand. In close combat, the Armor 
  becomes a predatory whirlwind of teeth, claws, and tail. During 
  battle, Ailuros can be seen cutting through fortifications and ro-
  botic limbs, often spearheading the charge, his troops following 
  behind to support him.
  “Ailuros,” 12th Level Warlord Host Armor
  Class: Warlord Host Armor (Enhanced).
  Crew: Warlord Tristan Artemis IV.
  Level: Twelfth.
  Bio-E Remaining: 45 Bio-E points.
  Base M.D.C. by Location:
  Hands (2) – 67 each
  Arms (2) – 167 each
  Legs (2) – 217 each
  Feet (2) – 69 each
  Organic Thrusters (4) – 120 each
  Spiked Hammer Tail – 100
  Long-Range Spore Discharger – 60
  Omega Blaster Plate (Left Chest) – 107
  Bio Energy Expulsion Vent (Right Forearm) – 56
  Electro-Whip Tentacles (3) – 15 each
  *Head – 197
  **Main Body: 425 and Bio-Force Field – 100
  Speed:
  Running: 120 mph (192 km) Note that the act of running does tire 
  out its operator, but at a fatigue rate 90% less than normal, thanks 
  to the musculature of the Host Armor.
  Leaping: Can leap up to 20 feet (6.1 m) high or 40 feet (12.2 m) 
  across from a standing position.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km) through sand or dirt, but half as fast 
  through rock or stone. Digging does tire out the Host Armor, but 
  at a fatigue rate only 50% less than normal. To dig down enough 
  to adequately hide the host takes 3D6 melee rounds.
  Swimming: 30 mph (48 km/26 knots), and swimming tires out 
  the pilot in the same manner as running. The organic thrusters 
  can be used to rocket underwater at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 
  km).
  Underwater Depth: The Host Armor can withstand pressure up to 
  700 feet (213.4 m) down.
  Flying: 200 mph (320 km), with a maximum altitude of 25,000 
  feet (7620 m).
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 11 feet (3.3 m), Width: 4 feet (1.2 m), Length: 3 feet (0.9 
  m), Weight: 540 lbs (243 kg), including Artemis’ weight.
  Cargo: Only what he can carry or strap to his back.
  Physical Strength: 40 (Splicer Robotic Strength).
  Operational Lifetime: Currently has a 52 year life span.
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 1D6 M.D.C. per minute (6D6x10 M.D.C. 
  per hour) for the main body and 1 M.D.C. per minute (1D6x10 
  M.D.C. per hour) for all other locations.
  Horror Factor: 7 (against humans and similar beings, none against 
  the machines).
  Feeding/Metabolism: The suit is carnivorous and eats from 10 to 
  30 lbs (4.5 to 13.5 kg) of animal matter a day. It may gorge on 
  up to 50 to 80 lbs (22.5 to 36 kg) at one time. After gorging, the 
  Host Armor can go for 2D4 days without feeding and without 
  suffering any ill effects.
  Sleep Requirements: The Host Armor has been modified as part 
  of the Beast Walker program and requires only 2D4 hours of 
  sleep/rest/inactivity every 72 hours.
  Instinctive skills: Land Navigation 70%, Tracking (people) 65%, 
  Track Animals 80%, and Wilderness Survival 60%.
  Attacks per Melee: 10.
  Combat Bonuses: +11 on initiative, +7 to strike, +13 to parry, 
  +14 to dodge, +6 to auto-dodge, +3 to entangle, +6 to pull punch, 
  +11 to roll with punch and +5 to disarm.
  Senses & Features: Enhanced Passive Nightvision (light ampli-
  fication), Range: 6,000 feet (1,829 m).
  Additional Senses & Features include Enhanced Hearing, Motion 
  Detection, and Sensitive Whiskers.
  Biological Defenses: Bio-Force Field, Reinforced Exoskeleton, 
  Regeneration: Enhanced, Enhanced Neurological Connections, 
  Resistance to Heat. Legs & Feet: Elongated Running Legs, Or-
  ganic Thrusters
  Standard Weapons: 1. Medium-Sized Climbing Claws, 2. Large 
  Saber Teeth, 3. Bio-E Vent (right forearm), 4. Long-Range Spore 
  Discharger (right shoulder) and 5. Omega Blaster (left chest pan-
  el).
  Specialized Weapons: As the Warlord of the House that spe-
  cializes in new Bio-Technology & Weapons Dealing, Artemis 
  has had some experimental and prototype weapons built into the 
  armor. These modifications are currently not on the open market, 
  but may be at some point in the future.
  1. Viper Injectors: Each of the massive ivory saber teeth are 
  strikingly similar to a viper’s fangs, having small of hollow 
  cores that receive a chemical concoction from a gland locat-
  ed near the base each tooth. On a successful bite attack, the 
  chemicals can be injected directly in or on the target from a 
  slit-like exit orifice on the front of the fang near the tip. (If the 
  opening were at the very tip of the fang, its strength would 
  be compromised and it would lack the sharp point necessary 
  to penetrate a target.) In the alternative, Ailuros can spit or 
  spray the chemicals a short distance. Because of this modifica-
  tion, Ailuros periodically sheds its fangs and re-grows new 
  ones roughly every two months. The regrowth process is fairly 
  rapid, with the new fangs fully grown in about 6 hours.
  Rate of Fire: The chemicals can be released once per successful 
  bite attack.
  Maximum Effective Range: By bite or short-range spit of up to 
  12 feet (3.6 m).
  Payload: The glands produce enough chemicals for up to ten at-
  tacks every 24 hours. The chemicals automatically regenerate 
  within 24 hours of initial use.
  Damage: Against inorganic substances (ceramics, glass, plastics, 
  metals, etc.), the chemicals act as a burning corrosive, inflicting 
  3D8 M.D. on the initial attack, plus an additional 2D8 M.D. for 
  
  105
  1D4+1 melee rounds or until washed off. The chemicals can be 
  used to burn through metal locks, doors, hatches, etc. and are 
  ideal for acts of sabotage.
  Against organic substances (living flesh, fur, leather, Host Ar-
  mors, etc.), the chemicals cause severe burning, inflicting 2D8 
  M.D. on the initial attack, plus an additional 2D6 M.D. per round 
  for 1D4+1 melee rounds or until washed off. In addition, the 
  chemicals cause intense eye irritation and blurred vision (victims 
  lose initiative and are -4 to strike, parry, dodge, and disarm for 
  the duration).
  2. Spiked Hammer Tail: Ailuros’s clubbing tail is lined with 
  numerous small spikes. While the spikes serve to increase the 
  striking damage of the tail, they are also a devastating weapon 
  on their own. On a successful strike, a number of spikes can 
  be made to break off, lodging themselves in the target. The 
  small spikes only require a few seconds to regrow and not all 
  are fired at once; the tail will not run out of spikes during com-
  bat. The separation from the tail triggers a complex chemical 
  process that causes the spikes to explode within a few seconds. 
  The explosions are small and localized (no blast radius), but 
  quite powerful as the force is narrowly focused directly into 
  the target. The resulting explosions produce a powerful con-
  cussive shock, capable of knocking most opponents off their 
  feet.
  Mega-Damage: A strike with the tail inflicts 6D6 M.D. The spikes 
  explode within a few seconds (one melee action) and inflict an 
  additional 1D6 M.D. Additionally, targets who weigh less than a 
  ton have 01-45% chance of being knocked off their feet from the 
  blast. If the victim is knocked down, he loses the initiative and 
  one melee attack/action.
  3. Electro Whips (3): Three retractable tentacles can extend from 
  the forearms to lash and grapple opponents. The tentacles are 
  prehensile, so they can be used to entangle, and even hold and 
  carry items or enemies. Once per melee round, an electrical 
  charge can be sent through the tentacles to inflict additional 
  damage and possibly stun any trapped victims.
  Mega-Damage: A whip or lash attack inflicts: 2D8 M.D. per ten-
  tacle or 1D4x10+8 M.D from all three. May be used to entangle 
  or yank the target around.
  Electro-Blast: As little as 1D6x10 S.D.C. or 1D8 M.D. per each 
  tentacle or 3D6 M.D. from all three. This electrical damage can 
  be inflicted when used as a whip (add it to the strike damage) or 
  when an opponent touches or is held by one or more tentacles. 
  There is also a chance that the shock will stun an opponent for 
  1D4 melee rounds. The stunned opponent has only two attacks/
  actions per round, no initiative, -8 on all combat maneuvers like 
  strike, parry, etc., and skill performance and speed are reduced 
  by 70%.
  The likelihood of a stun is as follows:
  01-92% Human/humanoid without body armor.
  01-65% M.D.C. humanoid with no body armor or human in 
  partial armor.
  01-50% Human in Living Armor, Nex-Androids and drones, 
  minor M.D.C. animals or creatures.
  01-30% Host Armor or Power Armored opponent, human-
  sized combat robots or M.D.C. animals or creatures.
  01-05% Large combat robots and M.D.C. animals or creatures.
  P.S. of Tentacles: 15
  Range: 10 feet (3 m) beyond the reach of the arm and hand.
  Tentacle Bonuses: +1 to strike and parry, +2 to disarm, and +4 to 
  entangle. Bonuses apply only when the tentacles are used.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  4. Hand to Hand Combat: Tristan enjoys raining heavy gunfire 
  down on the machines heavy gunfire as if he were firing dev-
  astating thundering bolts created by the wrath of the gods of 
  Mt. Olympus. However, when it comes to fighting Splicers, he 
  would rather use long-range weapons with strategic discern-
  ment and discretion; often preferring the Warrior’s Way of 
  engaging in hand to hand combat. His knowledge and under-
  standing of predatory species and big cats melds seamlessly 
  into his combative tactics and prowess as he would appear to 
  pilot the Host Armor more akin to a feline monster and preda-
  tor rather than an actual human.
  The damage below includes all applicable features.
  Head Butt does +1D6 M.D., a Running Pounce/Charge 
  does an extra +3D6 M.D., and +2D6 M.D. bonus to punches, 
  elbows and kicks from the character. +1 to roll with punch, fall 
  or impact.
  Restrained Punch: 5D6+ 15 S.D.C. or 1D4 M.D.
  Full Strength Punch: 4D6 M.D.
  Power Punch: 6D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Bite: 7D8 M.D.
  Claw Strike: 6D6 M.D.
  Kick: 4D6+4 M.D.
  Leap Kick: 4D8 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Head Butt: 2D6 M.D.
  Body Flip/Throw: 1D6 M.D. plus loses one melee attack/
  action.
  Body Block/Ram: 6D6 M.D. and has a 01-50% chance of 
  knocking an opponent who is as large as 12 feet (3.6 m) tall off 
  his feet. If successful, the victim loses initiative and two melee 
  attacks/actions, but counts as two of Ailuros’ melee attacks.
  5. Beast Walker Modifications: As one of the original Beast 
  Walkers, Ailuros has some level of independence and can take 
  limited action on its own. If for some reason the pilot inside 
  the Host Armor is rendered unconscious, the creature will take 
  over. It operates under a bloodthirsty, alien symbiote intelli-
  gence with an appetite for destruction. The Host Armor will 
  first attack any threats in the immediate area, with no regard 
  towards strategy, battle plans, or collateral damage. Once the 
  immediate threats are removed, it will attack any target that 
  doesn’t appear to be totally harmless (robots are ALWAYS 
  considered hostile). However, a Host Armor will not attack 
  anyone in Living Armor or another Host Armor. Other hu-
  mans may be considered potential targets, especially if armed 
  or acting in a threatening manner. The Host Armor continues 
  its rampage until the immediate area, roughly 100 foot (30.5 
  m) radius, looks safe. It will then retreat to a safe area (outpost, 
  Great House, staging area, etc.) until the pilot has healed or 
  regained consciousness.
  
  106
  Drake Benton
  9th Level Archangel
  Once a fierce Dreadguard, Drake discovered that he enjoyed 
  the freedom of aerial mobility far more than being limited to pure 
  ground warfare. With roving Machine forces patrolling the lands 
  and hunting Splicers, he liked having the most versatile means of 
  fighting. After a battle, he always looked to the skies, the domain 
  of the Machine and Angels. Both could choose to engage ground 
  or aerial targets or could strategize tactics from a better view-
  point. Drake was so focused and consumed with the ideas of sur-
  viving the battlefield and destroying his enemies that he realized 
  he had overlooked other possibilities and the liberty that Biotech 
  had to offer. Drake sought bio-organic thrusters and once his 
  Host Armor received them, he thought he was a “Flyer” among 
  the Angels until he was shot down. How wrong and humbled he 
  was as he was left smoldering on the jungle floor, watching the 
  Archangels avenge his demise by dismantling the Machines in 
  mid-air with clever acrobatics, daredevil flying and precise weap-
  on strikes. As Drake climbed out of the host armor’s carcass, he 
  knew he would rise as an Angel. Drake went to Warlord Artemis 
  for a change and was granted the opportunity to prove himself. 
  Several years later, Drake has risen to become the pioneer of the 
  “Angel Core” program and is testing out the Archangel stealth 
  fighter prototype “Nighthawk” Living Body Armor.
  Like many Archangels, Drake is confident, bold, quick to size-
  up a situation and even quicker to respond. An expert pilot, Drake 
  acts as a “flanker” in combat, often hanging back and waiting to 
  see how the enemy will act before taking action. He has such a 
  good sense of how his Wing Pack handles that he receives an 
  extra +10% on all piloting rolls and +3 to strike and dodge while 
  flying. Drake enjoys strafing runs against ground troops and is 
  famous for his ability to fly only a few feet above the ground, an 
  action that often causes enemy flyers to inadvertently crash. Dur-
  ing combat, he will often buzz inches over the heads of ground 
  troops, dropping bombs and insults alike. Unfortunately, he has a 
  somewhat overblown sense of his own skill, however, and some-
  times takes unnecessary risks with the assumption that no Ma-
  chine could possibly be good enough to shoot him down.
  Attributes: I.Q. 14, M.A. 14, M.E. 14, P.S. 18, P.P. 19, P.E. 18, 
  P.B. 12, Spd 21.
  
  107
  Notable Skills: Pilot Wing Packs 98%, Parachuting 98%, Detect 
  Ambush 75%.
  Notable Equipment: Drake currently pilots the Nighthawk; 
  a prototype Living Body Armor and Wing Pack designed 
  to test out the newest features and concepts of Artemis for 
  the Archangel Stealth Fighter combat squadron. The Living 
  Body Armor is a sleek, Heavy Hide Armor (150 Main Body 
  M.D.C.) with a dual visor and a living wing pack fused to the 
  suit. The Wing Pack has all standard features plus the wings 
  are grown with the same ceramic style and capabilities used 
  by the Griffin War Mounts. This enables it to fly, maneuver 
  and slash adversaries with ease. A slash from a single wing in-
  flicts 4D6+10 M.D. A high-speed strafe attack inflicts 1D8x10 
  M.D., but counts as two attacks (Bonuses: +1 to strike and +2 
  to parry). Drake’s Wing Pack is equipped with: Compound 
  Eyes, Long-Range Spore Discharger and Bio-Energy Vents 
  on both wings. Drake’s armor has elbow Bone Blades, 6 Su-
  per Light Cells (3 on each chest plate), and Armored Antenna 
  radar on the helmet (features are the same as Radar; see the 
  Splicers® RPG, page 81). Drake frequently carries a Pod Ri-
  fle, Bore Pistol, and several explosives for strafing runs.
  Flying Speed and noteworthy Bonuses: Flying: Top Speed 
  472 mph (755 km), Cruising speed is typically 100 to 170 mph 
  (160 to 272 km). Accelerated Dive 672 mph (1,075 km) in a 
  steep downward dive.
  6 Attacks (9 Attacks Airborne).
  Shauna Davies
  Senior Sweeper
  A bombshell in every sense of the word, Shauna Davies is one 
  of the most experienced explosive experts in the Great House. 
  A stunningly beautiful woman, Shauna grew up surrounded 
  by weapons and bio-tech. Her father was a tough and rugged 
  Roughneck who taught her everything he knew about weapons, 
  N.E.X.U.S., tactics, and fighting. By the time she entered her 
  teens, Shauna could shoot, cuss, and drink as well as any front-
  line soldier. Though she looks like a model, she has the heart of a 
  fighter and loves the military life. But she loves to blow things up 
  even more. From simple booby traps to demolishing buildings, 
  Shauna knows precisely how to use explosives to get the most 
  effect. Her hand-crafted explosives are more potent than normal 
  and she even breeds her own special Chigs and Migs. Thank-
  fully, she loves defusing explosives almost as much as blowing 
  things up. Despite her stunning looks, Shauna constantly tries to 
  downplay them so her skills and talent are taken more seriously. 
  She often acts like “just one of the guys,” drinking and raising 
  hell with the best of them. More than one lecherous admirer has 
  learned the painful lesson of keeping his hands to himself.
  Shauna seems to have almost supernatural luck. She’s never 
  had an accident and hasn’t suffered so much as a scratch from 
  an explosion. Shauna’s presence on any team is seen as a sign 
  of good fortune and she’s constantly requested for high value 
  missions. Despite her reputation, Shauna doesn’t trust assistants 
  and does all the work herself. She breeds her own special Chigs 
  and Migs and produces a small number of “custom” explosives 
  for use on missions. With the proper time and resources, Shauna 
  will gladly modify explosives for other members of her team. All 
  explosives Shauna modifies (including her personal Chigs and 
  Migs) inflict 50% more damage. For example, a normal Chig in-
  flicts 5D8 M.D., while one of her specially grown Chigs inflict 
  7D8 M.D. Shauna can only modify a few dozen improved ex-
  plosives a week, so she will never have more than 5D6 modified 
  explosives on hand at any given time.
  Attributes: I.Q. 19, M.A. 10, M.E. 19, P.S. 14, P.P. 18, P.E. 16, 
  P.B. 22, Spd 9.
  Age: 29. Height: 5 feet, 1 inch (1.5 m). Weight: 118 pounds 
  (53.5 kg).
  Notable Skills: Disarm Bio-Tech Explosives 87%, Disarm Me-
  tallic Explosives 67%, Trap Construction 76%, Trap & Mine 
  Detection 90%, Machine Technology 95%.
  Notable Equipment: Shellback Armor (Bio-Force Field, Trench 
  Foot Mines, and Casting Launcher), Bio-Rocket Slinger, Bio-
  E Pistol, 2D4 modified Chigs, 1D4 modified Migs, and 2D4 
  modified conventional explosive charges.
  Alexander Long
  5th level Sweeper
  At a glance, no one would give Alexander a second thought. 
  Rather short, somewhat unassuming, he normally avoids eye 
  contact, his movements fidgety and nervous. But his eyes come 
  alive, his hands as steady as a surgeon, and his face lights up 
  when doing what he truly loves: “playing” with explosives. Alex-
  ander’s booby traps are quickly becoming legendary. He has set 
  up explosives in small packages such as clothing and even in let-
  ters. He can disguise mines so thoroughly nobody suspects them 
  until it’s too late. Alexander loves his job. Some say a little too 
  much. His stories about explosives and their effects (hilarious to 
  him, horrifying to most everyone else) make people nervous and 
  can even be intimidating.
  Even with the stories, Alexander can be a charming and funny 
  guy, yet very eccentric. Alexander almost always has an explo-
  sive device on his person, sometimes something visible like a 
  grenade or Chig. Other times, it may be disguised as a fairly com-
  mon item like a pen or large button. Many people half expect him 
  to explode himself one of these days.
  Attributes: I.Q. 22, M.A. 13, M.E. 20, P.S. 13, P.P. 17, P.E. 16, 
  P.B. 9, Spd 10.
  Age: 31. Height: 5 feet, 11 inch (1.5 m). Weight: 243 pounds 
  (109 kg).
  Notable Skills: Disarm Bio-Tech Explosives 75%, Disarm Me-
  tallic Explosives 55%, Chemistry 60%, Concealment 45%, 
  Sleight of Hand, Camouflage 65%.
  Notable Equipment: Shellback armor (Reinforced Exoskeleton, 
  12 Organic Rockets, Light Bore Cannon), Pod Rifle, Light 
  Cell Laser Pistol, 1D4 Chigs, 1D4 Migs, and 2D6 modified 
  conventional explosive charges (some hidden).
  Senator Norris Bane
  15th Level Dreadguard
  Senator Bane is many things to many people: a legendary 
  warrior, an elder statesman, a powerful politician and an aging 
  
  108
  warhorse past his prime. Regardless of personal opinions, even 
  the most passionate detractor speaks of the Senator with grudg-
  ing respect. An imposing figure at what many consider to be an 
  advanced age, the Senator has an aura of authority about him. His 
  battered, weathered visage bears the scars of a lifetime of war. 
  Marred by an ugly slash that travels down the entire left side of 
  his face and across his throat, his otherwise handsome face seems 
  to be locked in a perpetual grimace. How he survived such a hor-
  rendous wound remains a mystery and it’s left the Senator with 
  a voice that is little more than a gravely rasp. Yet even the rasp 
  has the weight of authority behind it. The Senator is a man who 
  is not only accustomed to giving orders, he’s accustomed to them 
  being followed.
  Although a little too old (and too important) to be sent on com-
  bat operations, the Senator deeply misses the glory and danger 
  of fighting. In his youth, he was a military machine whose only 
  concern was ridding the world of N.E.X.U.S. Yet the Senator was 
  never a raving lunatic or bloodthirsty berserker, but a true noble 
  warrior with a warrior mentality. He often would spare the lives 
  of opponents he deemed worthy of mercy and on more than one 
  occasion, this honor would return to save his life. To this day, 
  there are at least a dozen high-ranking members of various Hous-
  es or factions (and it is said, even a Waste Crawler tribe leader) 
  who owe their lives to Senator Bane’s mercy. Such is the legacy 
  of one of the Resistance’s great Dreadguard, a man of uncompro-
  mising principle and courage.
  Attributes: I.Q. 15, M.A. 25, M.E. 20, P.S. 13, P.P. 13, P.E. 15, 
  P.B. 12, Spd 10.
  Notable Skills: Host Pilot Combat 98%, Military Etiquette 98%, 
  Public Speaking 98%.
  Notable Equipment: “Aegis Thrasher,” his personal Host Ar-
  mor, has all the standard features, plus Chameleon Skin, 
  Heavy Gore Cannon, Medium Bore Cannon, and Tentacle 
  Harpoons.
  Great House Janus
  Ambush Team
  (Quick stats)
  Colin Loker
  Call Sign “Apollo,” 10th level Dreadguard
  As a child, Colin displayed exceptional physical talents and 
  was encouraged to pursue Dreadguard training. As expected, 
  he excelled and quickly rose to the rank of Platoon Command-
  er. Colin has been offered advancement to the Janus Senate on 
  numerous occasions, yet each time he’s refused the promotion. 
  This Dreadguard is a natural-born warrior, a pure fighter through 
  and through, who feels most at home on the battlefield with his 
  platoon. A valiant and brilliant soldier, Apollo and his Apollo’s 
  Warriors Platoon have repeatedly beaten numerically superior 
  forces. He is widely recognized as one of the Resistance’s fore-
  most experts in small unit tactics and one of the most accom-
  plished platoon commanders alive. He is very proud of his skills 
  and the fame that follows it.
  An extremely honorable man in combat and with his platoon, 
  Dreadguard Apollo is not without his flaws. Though he recogniz-
  es their strategic benefits, Apollo despises Technojackers (refer-
  ring to them as “undesirable elements”) and will only grudgingly 
  accept their assistance. When not on duty, Colin is a drinker and 
  a brawler; the terror of any place he visits. He never hurts anyone 
  seriously (the brawls are mostly for fun) but he cares little for 
  property damage.
  Attributes: I.Q. 14, M.A. 16, M.E. 16, P.S. 21, P.P. 23, P.E. 18, 
  P.B. 10, Spd 18.
  Notable Skills: Host Pilot Combat 98%, Operate Bio-Equipment 
  98%, Forced March.
  Notable Equipment: “Helios,” his personal Host Armor. Helios 
  has all the standard features, plus Resistance to Heat, Heat 
  Projector Cannon, Plasma Breath, Combat Spurs and Scream-
  er Grenades.
  Combat Bonuses: 6 attacks per melee; +2 initiative, +9 to strike, 
  +11 to parry, +11 to dodge, +2 to entangle, +2 to disarm, +4 to 
  roll with punch, fall or impact.
  Leon Gold
  Call Sign “Hyperion,” 8th Level Dreadnaught
  When the Dreadnaught armor finally became a reality, 
  Leon Gold was the obvious (and only) choice for the pilot. 
  Born and raised in the Wastes, Leon came to the House as 
  a teenager after his tribe had been wiped out by N.E.X.U.S. 
  His skill with all types of weaponry and unarmed combat was 
  unmatched, but his attitude was terrible. Leon refused to take 
  orders from officers he did not respect and was frequently and 
  openly insubordinate. A number of former commanding of-
  ficers were killed and injured under mysterious circumstances, 
  though nothing was even proven. While his attitude has im-
  proved somewhat, Leon is still willful and can be violently 
  stubborn. However, Leon has no leadership ability or head for 
  tactics and he knows it. He will happily follow orders from 
  respected officers and he holds Colin Loker in the highest re-
  gard. Leon has an almost savant-like ability with weapons. 
  From knife to Host Armor to his bare hands, Leon can use any 
  means of destruction with terrifying skill. He loves war and 
  fighting for its own sake; issues and politics simply don’t mat-
  ter. Whatever mission he is given, he fulfills, and doesn’t care 
  about the consequences. The exceptions are his teammates and 
  members of the Great House; he will protect each and every 
  one with his life if needed. Leon also fancies himself a ladies’ 
  man and somehow manages to seduce both naive girls and 
  married women with alarming frequency.
  Attributes: I.Q. 15, M.A. 16, M.E. 16, P.S. 21, P.P. 23, P.E. 18, 
  P.B. 11, Spd 18.
  Notable Skills: Host Pilot Combat 98%, Operate Bio-Equipment 
  98%, Forced March.
  Notable Equipment: “Hyperion,” his personal Host Armor. Hy-
  perion has all the standard Host Armor features, plus Resis-
  tance to Heat, Heat Projector Cannon, Plasma Breath, Combat 
  Spurs and Screamer Grenades.
  
  109
  Combat Bonuses: 6 attacks per melee; +3 initiative, +7 to strike, 
  +11 to parry, +3 to dodge, +4 to entangle, +2 to disarm, +4 to 
  roll with punch, fall or impact.
  Jason Mercer
  Call Sign “Lycaon,” 8th level Packlord
  As an elite Packmaster promoted to the status of Packlord 
  for House Janus, Mercer is a no-holds-barred, trophy collect-
  ing, relentless Bounty Hunter and Huntsman of alien predators 
  and machines, and specializes in Anti-Splicer combat. He en-
  joys hunting with his tenacious pack of enhanced Mauler Gore-
  hounds. Even seasoned Dreadguards and large War Mounts 
  have succumbed to his infamous hunts. Lycaon and his pack 
  are a fine-tuned killing force as he has exceptional control over 
  these hyper aggressive canines. Instead of using chaotic melee 
  engagements, Mercer will coordinate horrific attacks with stra-
  tegic precision. He typically allows his Maulers to charge in 
  on targets while he supports them with long-range cover fire; 
  hopefully flushing, wounding or pinning his targets while the 
  Maulers flank their opponents’ position(s). Lycaon’s primary 
  goal is to stall for enough time for his fastest Maulers to close 
  in on the victims, where they can do their deadliest work. Once 
  the Maulers engage, it is only a few seconds thereafter before 
  his heavy-hitters join the fray and the decimation of the prey 
  begins. Most adversaries are considered lucky if Mercer decides 
  to gore them with one of his acid tentacles versus leaving them 
  to a brutal death by the Maulers. Unlike most Splicers or War 
  Mounts, Mercer’s pack has learned and taken a liking to Splicer 
  flesh (armor and all), and will quickly consume whatever they 
  rip off and rush in for more.
  Attributes: I.Q. 17, M.A. 18, M.E. 16, P.S. 19, P.P. 21, P.E. 21, 
  P.B. 10, Spd 12.
  Notable Skills: Prowl 90%, Tracking 90%, Surveillance 95%.
  Notable Equipment: Mercer has been gifted the Pack Lord 
  Armor. It has all the standard Packlord features plus the fol-
  lowing enhancements: Advanced Senses, Motion Detection 
  and Chameleon Skin. Mercer also has Bio-Energy Expulsion 
  Vents on the back of his hands and he wields a Heavy Pod 
  Rifle with two Bore pistol side arms for long range excursions 
  and an Acid Edged Short Sword and Sickle Axe when not us-
  ing his Gore Tentacles.
  Combat Bonuses: 7 attacks per melee; +4 initiative, +4 to strike, 
  +5 to parry, +5 to dodge, +3 to automatic dodge, +2 to disarm, 
  +5 to roll with punch, fall or impact.
  “Mercer’s Maulers” Gore pack (6): 1 Cerberus type with a 
  Bio-Force Field (180 M.D.C.), 3 Shredders, and 2 Shockers 
  with Regeneration: Enhanced.
  Gavin
  Call Sign “Orion,” 7th level Packlord
  Highly intelligent and with an excellent grasp of tactics, 
  Gavin is becoming the perfect Packlord. Years of military 
  service and search and destroy missions have made Gavin an 
  efficient soldier. And an even more efficient killer. Gavin has 
  discovered he’s not only good at killing, he enjoys it. Gavin is 
  a psychopathic killer without a shred of humanity, on his way 
  to becoming a mass murderer. Like many psychopaths, Gavin 
  acts surprisingly normal and can be charming and outspoken. 
  However, there are hints to his darker nature. He is a brutal 
  interrogator, always fights to kill, and never takes prisoners; 
  he kills everyone he fights unless somebody intervenes. When 
  Gavin commits a murder, he plans it very carefully, leaving 
  no clues pointing to him. So far, he has murdered a dozen in-
  nocent civilians, not counting the combatants he’s killed in 
  battle. He’s so careful in his planning, no one yet suspects him 
  of his crimes.
  Attributes: I.Q. 16, M.A. 17, M.E. 19, P.S. 17, P.P. 18, P.E. 21, 
  P.B. 14, Spd 27.
  Notable Skills: Interrogation 65%, Blind Fighting 85%, and Vi-
  tal Points.
  Notable Equipment: Gavin has been gifted the Packlord Ar-
  mor. It has all the standard Packlord features plus the fol-
  lowing enhancements: Advanced Senses, Motion Detection 
  and Chameleon Skin. He carries a Heavy Pod Rifle with two 
  Bore pistol side arms for long-range excursions and an Acid-
  Edged Short Sword and Sickle Axe when not using his Gore 
  Tentacles.
  Combat Bonuses: 6 attacks per melee; +2 initiative, +3 to strike, 
  +5 to parry, +5 to dodge, +2 to entangle, +3 to pull punch, +2 
  to roll with punch, fall or impact.
  Orion’s Pack (6): Gavin has 3 Shredders, 1 Shocker with a Bio 
  Force Field and 2 Standard Gorehounds.
  Orion’s Standard Gorehounds Quick-Stats:
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Front Legs (2) – 69 each
  Hind Legs (2) – 97 each
  Head – 137
  Main Body – 260
  Height: 4.5 feet (1.4 m) at the shoulders, 6 feet (1.8 m) to the 
  top of the head.
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) shoulder to shoulder. Length: 10.5 feet 
  (3.2 m) from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail.
  Weight: 500 pounds (225 kg).
  Physical Strength: 23, Supernatural. Horror Factor: 12 indi-
  vidually, 16 with Orion’s Pack.
  Senses and features: Standard Gorehound plus the follow-
  ing: Chameleon Skin, Motion Detector Antenna, Reinforced 
  Exoskeletons, a shoulder mounted Heat Projector, Increased 
  Metabolic Rate, thus an overall increased speed of 120 mph 
  (192 km).
  Number of Attacks: Six.
  Combat Bonuses: +6 Initiative, +6 to strike, +2 to parry, +4 
  to automatic dodge, +3 to pull punch/bite, +4 to roll with 
  punch, fall or impact, +2 to disarm, +4 to save vs Horror 
  Factor, +2 to save vs poison/toxins and disease. Impossible 
  to sneak up on.
  Combat Capabilities: Restrained Head Butt: 1D6 S.D.C., Full 
  Strength Head Butt: 2D6 M.D. (+1D6 M.D.)., Pawing Claw 
  Strike with Front Legs: 5D6 M.D., Biting Attack: 3D6 M.D., 
  Leap Attack: 2D6 M.D. and Running Leap Attack: 7D6 M.D. 
  (Leap Attack and Running Leap Attack have standard Gore-
  hound likelihood knockdown percentages as mentioned in the 
  Splicers® RPG, page 118.)
  
  110
  I am Legion, Episode III
  An Adventure and Official Source Material for Splicers®
  Concept developed by Chris “Slappy” Kluge and Charles “Chuck” Walton II
  Written by Chris Kluge
  NPC Write-Ups and Quick stats by Lance Colley
  Samaritan Co-created by Todd Spencley and Charles Walton II
  Illustrated by Charles Walton
  Note: Originally appeared in The Rifter® #74, page 40.
  Change of Plans
  Once the players are on the ground, Sr. Archangel Drake Ben-
  ton leads the group out of earshot of the Dracos Outrider pilots 
  so that he can comfortably voice his concerns (the same concerns 
  that should be on every player’s mind).
  “Obviously the mission is compromised. Following through 
  with the strike on Legion would be suicide. I say we head home 
  and try to flush out the traitor.”
  Sweeper Shauna Davies then interjects, “I’m not sure that’s 
  the best move. From what I’ve heard, Legion likes to play games, 
  and this is starting to feel like she’s toying with us. Who knows 
  what she may have waiting for us at home. We don’t know who’s 
  involved, but we know that it’s someone in the Senate. Even if 
  there aren’t a dozen more traps for us along the way home, Le-
  gion’s spy could order our execution the second we step into the 
  Launch Bay. I think we need to consider our Great House off 
  limits until Legion is stopped. The plan may be screwed, but we 
  still have two working Shell Bombs. That’s more than enough 
  power to stop that metal demon! We just need a new plan to get 
  them into place.”
  “What do you suggest?” Benton replies.
  moment to gather her thoughts and then says with a much softer 
  tone, “Besides, we need help, and there’s nowhere else for us to 
  go. The traitor may know about the Lab, but I doubt they would 
  expect us to go there. Even if they did, the facility is cut off from 
  the underground haven. There’s no way to get a message to them 
  before we get there. We won’t need to worry about any surprises. 
  It’s our safest choice. It’s... our only choice.”
  “I agree with you that Legion’s on to our plan. 
  She obviously knew about the Shell Bombs, and 
  she probably knew we were planning to drop 
  them in her path. She may even have a good idea 
  of where... but I doubt she would expect an at-
  tack to come from underground.” She pauses for 
  a moment to see if Benton or Sweeper Long can 
  see what she is hinting at. She was hoping to not 
  have to make such a radical suggestion without a 
  little support, but once she realizes no one else is 
  willing to say it, she continues. “I say we grab the 
  Badger, tunnel our way under the Factory Walker, 
  and drop both Shells right under her feet. Nothing 
  is better than the Badger at tracking a surface tar-
  get from below ground.”
  Benton then points at the player characters and 
  angrily says, “They aren’t authorized to even know 
  about it, much less go there. 
  You shouldn’t be bringing it 
  up in front of them at all.”
  “The Senate trusted them 
  with one of our greatest se-
  crets. What’s one more?!” 
  she fires back. Shauna takes a 
  
  111
  The Archangel pauses for a moment, then lets out a sigh and 
  replies, “I don’t like it, but you may be right.” Drake then turns to 
  the player characters. “Congratulations, looks like we just raised 
  your security clearance again. Hopefully, the Warlord doesn’t ex-
  ecute all of us for showing you this, but at this point, I just hope 
  he’s still human.”
  Drake turns and starts walking back towards the Dracos trans-
  ports while yelling to the Outriders, “Change in plans. We need 
  you to drop us in Bell Lake, then head into the New Eden Nature 
  Preserve and rendezvous at the Fort Defiance Outpost. Do not 
  return home. Got it?”
  The two Outriders hesitantly glance at each other for a second 
  and then one responds, “All right, Drake. We got your back.”
  “I know you do. Thank you. OK, let’s mount up.”
  Within minutes, the two War Mounts are streaking off towards 
  Bell Lake. The player characters are familiar enough with the 
  area to know the lake is only about five miles (8 km) to the west 
  of their original drop point. Legion has long since stormed past 
  the drop point and is now busily dismantling the Retro-Village of 
  Dillontown. Off on the horizon, the players can see thick clouds 
  of black smoke rising up from the doomed village. The Dracos 
  transports are flying pretty low to the ground, but they are still 
  high enough up to give the players a good look at the carnage. 
  Fortunately, they are far enough away to spare them from the 
  haunting screams coming from the hundreds of poor damned 
  souls being culled together by Legion’s Collectors. They also get 
  a good look at the devastation that trails off for miles behind her 
  forces into the distance. The group still has not decided where the 
  new attack point will be, but the destruction left in her wake will 
  make an easy trail for them to follow when they are ready.
  The convoy reaches Bell Lake about ten minutes later, and 
  the flying Stealth Archangel tells the Outriders to drop the Play-
  ers and Sweepers off in the center of the lake. The Outriders still 
  seem a little uncomfortable with the orders, but they slow down 
  and allow the group to dive off into the still waters below. Arch-
  angel Benton takes the lead, diving in with wings tucked tightly, 
  and starts swimming straight down towards the bottom of this 
  deceptively deep lake. It may seem somewhat small on the sur-
  face, but this lake is actually deeper than it is wide. It is called 
  Bell Lake because it is shaped like an upside down bell with the 
  deepest point reaching nearly two thousand feet (609.6 m) below 
  the surface. Some people theorize it was created years ago by a 
  massive orbital bombardment from the Machine’s weapon satel-
  lites (before they mysteriously went offline).
  Visibility within the crystal clear waters is excellent even at 
  the deepest point, so the players should have no problem keeping 
  tabs on the Archangel. There are plenty of fish and small am-
  phibious creatures swimming about, but nothing too threaten-
  ing or large and everything seems to dart out of the way of the 
  diving convoy. However, as the group continues to descend into 
  the depths, the players start to feel the crushing pressure, even 
  through their powerful Bio-Tech armor. The Stealth Archangel 
  does not seem concerned, and he keeps swimming deeper and 
  deeper into the lake. Perhaps Benton’s Nighthawk Armor can 
  withstand greater depths than theirs. Just as they start to worry 
  their armor may not be able to take any more, he suddenly chang-
  es direction and starts swimming towards a steep, rocky wall. As 
  the group gets closer, they see a small, inconspicuous cave open-
  ing within the rocks. Drake turns to make sure everyone is still 
  with him and then proceeds into the cave.
  The cave is a maze of pitch black tunnels splitting off into 
  multiple directions. Most of the tunnels are natural formations 
  but others appear to have been carved out by hand. Benton seems 
  to know his way through the maze well enough, but every now 
  and then it takes him a moment to remember which fork to take. 
  After navigating the tunnels for twenty minutes, the group comes 
  upon an organic hatch that looks like an enormous heart valve. It 
  is similar to the doorways found in large Bio-Tech creatures like 
  the Kraken and Seedlings.
  On the right side of the hatch is a large organic eye. Archangel 
  Benton positions himself in front of it and casually waves his 
  right hand like he is greeting an old friend. After a few moments, 
  the three large flaps of the hatch open inward and the group pass-
  es through into the airlock. Compared to the cramped confines 
  of the tunnels, the enormous airlock is a refreshing change. This 
  large stone chamber is roughly cube shaped. It is about thirty feet 
  (9 m) wide and thirty feet (9 m) across, but with only a twenty 
  foot (6.1 m) tall ceiling. Scattered throughout the rough rock 
  walls and ceiling are dozens of organic glow cells that light up the 
  room quite brightly (another refreshing change from the tunnels). 
  Also scattered across the chamber are over one hundred strange, 
  spiny organic pods. They look like basketball-sized Sea Urchins 
  except each one has a single eye mounted in the center and a 
  stubby, two-inch long tube just below the eye. There is a second 
  hatch on the opposite end of the room and dozens of small vents 
  along the bottom of the walls. Once the hatch seals behind the 
  player characters, it takes less than a minute for the water to drain 
  out through the floor vents. The group needs to brace themselves 
  against the powerful suction as “something” quickly removes the 
  thousands of gallons of water from the chamber.
  After a few minutes spent standing around staring out the door 
  into the facility, Anderson Long breaks the silence by saying, “It 
  doesn’t usually take this long. What are they doing?”
  “I kind of expected this. They don’t recognize everyone,” 
  Drake Benton replies. “My guess is they’re gathering up more 
  security and grabbing Martin so that he can scan them.”
  The Archangel then turns to the player characters and says, 
  “This facility is run by a Puppet Master, a new type of Splicer 
  with a Symbiote Armor suit that provides the user mind reading 
  abilities. They’re just one of the secrets that they grow and build 
  here. One of many things you cannot tell anyone about.” He then 
  chuckles slightly to himself and whispers, “Just to warn you, he’s 
  a little weird looking so try not to stare.” This of course is coming 
  from the man covered in a new, dark alien substance looking like 
  a demon ninja with wings. “Now listen up! He’s going to read 
  your minds to make sure everything checks out. It’s similar to the 
  Librarian probing, but far less painful and without any headaches 
  afterwards. Whatever you do, don’t resist and don’t try to hide 
  anything. You’ll just look suspicious, and make things worse. If 
  they have any doubts, they’ll gun us all down where we stand. I 
  think once he gets the whole truth about Legion, he might be will-
  ing to help us. At least I hope so.”
  The group has to wait another five minutes before the hatch 
  to the facility finally opens. Two Dreadnaughts step into the 
  room with their massive Harbinger Cannons trained on the 
  player characters. They’re followed by a large security contin-
  gent that includes four Bombardiers escorting a dozen Mantis 
  Support Cannons, a Packmaster with five Gorehounds, ten more 
  Splicers in Host Armor and five in Proto-Host Armors, and a 
  very stern looking Biotic. The Biotic resembles a well-muscle 
  
  112
  man with tiger-like features adorned in insect-like armor plat-
  ing reminiscent of a samurai warrior. The security team are all 
  armed with various organic rifles that none of the player charac-
  ters have ever seen before. The Biotic makes a few quick hand 
  gestures and the security team fans out in a semicircle around 
  the players. The Biotic is standing a few feet (0.6 m) in front of 
  his people with his arms crossed and his cold stare cutting into 
  the player characters like a dagger. From the looks of things, he 
  seems to be the one in charge. Since Biotics are usually con-
  sidered the lowest of the low in Splicer society, this instantly 
  strikes the player characters as odd. Maybe this is the head of 
  the facility that Drake was referring to. Sure, he looks a little 
  unusual, but no more so than any other Biotic.
  Once the guards are all in position, the Biotic orders the group 
  to place their weapons and gear on the floor and step back ten 
  paces. The Sweepers and the Archangel comply without hesita-
  tion. Drake Benton will tell every player character that has Gore-
  hounds, Black Talon Warhawks, Mantis cannons or any other 
  War Mount creature to have them lie down on the floor. They are 
  allowed to keep their armor, but the players should do their best 
  to point any mounted weapons away from the security team.
  When the group disarms, the two Dreadnaughts part slightly, 
  and a human adorned in a sleek, dark violet wine colored, Light 
  Body Armor with four black tentacles draping from his neck and 
  back, steps through the line. Compared to the enormous Dread-
  naughts, he almost looks like a child, but he is probably at least 
  six feet (1.8 m) tall. His Light Body Armor is finely crafted and 
  melds with a Mega-Damage silk, hooded cloak that conceals 
  most of his facial features. At first, all the group can really see is 
  his ghostly, pale white, almost translucent skin, but once he flips 
  down his hood to get a better look at the player characters, they 
  see what Benton meant by weird looking. His oversized head 
  is completely hairless and somewhat egg-shaped and his eyes 
  are totally black with no iris of any kind. His long, lean face is 
  gaunt, almost skeletal in appearance, and it is rather apparent, 
  even through his Light Body Armor bulk, that his body is just as 
  slender and frail.
  He walks over to the Biotic, pats him on the back, and says, 
  “Thank you, Isaac. I’ll take it from here.” He then looks back 
  towards the player group and says, “Drake Benton, nice of you to 
  visit us again so soon, but I must say it’s a bit unexpected. I see 
  your Nighthawk Armor is still intact and hasn’t awakened yet. 
  I’m impressed. It’s been almost three months since you destroyed 
  the last one. We may actually get to see how strong these things 
  get when you give them enough time to evolve.”
  The player characters are surprised by his friendly, almost jo-
  vial manner. He speaks at a fast, energetic pace and he is rather 
  expressive with his hands. For the head of a top secret weapons 
  facility, he is a much more charming and likeable man than the 
  players would have expected.
  He then looks at the Sweepers and says, “Anderson, Shauna, 
  lovely to see you both again as well. It’s been too long.” He then 
  winks at Davies and says, “Shauna, I’m sure you’re as lovely as 
  ever beneath your armor. Hopefully we can get you out of it just 
  to make sure.” She dips her head and looks away slightly in re-
  sponse. The players can practically see her blushing through her 
  Shellback Armor.
  He then walks up to the player characters and looks them up 
  and down for a few moments before saying, “Now, unfortunately 
  I have not met your friends here before, and that poses a serious 
  problem. You see, no one told me to expect new friends, which 
  means they probably shouldn’t be here. Now, I’m going to need a 
  good explanation for why you’ve violated protocol or we’ll have 
  to kill you all right here.” He suddenly gets a wide-eyed look of 
  
  113
  shock on his face and starts waving his hands frantically back 
  and forth as he says, “Oh, it’s nothing personal. It’s just protocol. 
  I swear.” His reaction is confusing at best. He seems more con-
  cerned with not offending the players than with the likelihood of 
  ordering their executions.
  He steps a few paces away from the group then turns back 
  around and says, “Now, I’m not in the mood to ask a lot of ques-
  tions, so let’s just take a peek inside those brains of yours and see 
  what’s going on here. Anyone want to go first?”
  Drake Benton raises his hand and says to him, “I’ve got all the 
  answers you need, Martin.”
  Once again, the man looks quite surprised. “Wow, I did not 
  expect that. I thought you hated getting scanned, Drake. This 
  must be serious. All right, you know the drill. Just try to relax and 
  I’ll make this quick. Show me what I need, and I won’t have to 
  dig deep. And please, how many times do I have to tell you, call 
  me Marty.”
  “Just get on with it, Martin,” Benton replies.
  Martin frowns for a second in frustration. He looks over at the 
  player characters and says, “He just always has to be difficult, 
  doesn’t he?” He then turns and walks behind Drake. Martin then 
  closes his eyes in concentration and holds his hand out towards 
  the back of Drake’s neck. The players watch as wire-thin tendrils 
  extend from his Light Body Armor’s fingertips and start working 
  their way through Drake’s armor at the base of his neck. Drake 
  grunts in pain for a few seconds as they burrow through his flesh 
  and into his ears and spinal column, but once they find their mark, 
  Drake suddenly seems to slump into a relaxed position as if he 
  goes completely limp but is held aloft by the delicate tendrils. 
  The veins at Martin’s temples begin to pulse slightly. Within sec-
  onds, more large veins start visibly pulsing all across his bald 
  head. His already alien appearance grows more and more disturb-
  ing with each passing second until he suddenly breaks out of his 
  trance and says, “My God... whatever you need is yours.” He then 
  retracts the tendrils from Drake’s neck, turns back to the Biotic, 
  and tells him, “Your men can stand down, Isaac. Everything is 
  fine. They’re our guests, for now. I’ll explain everything later, but 
  right now, let’s get them to the Northern Armory so they can give 
  their gear a chance to rest and replenish while we talk.”
  The Biotic’s already sour expression turns into an even bigger 
  frown as he says, “Sir, with all due respect. I think you should 
  scan the strangers as well. I understand the circumstances are 
  likely extreme, but that’s no reason to abandon all our protocols.”
  “Of course, Isaac,” he somberly replies. “You’re absolutely 
  right. I’m sorry. It’s just... it’s just from the sound of things, I 
  think we need to hurry.” He then turns back to the player charac-
  ters and says, “OK, since we don’t need to shoot you now, I hope 
  that makes it a little easier for you to relax. It’s much less stress-
  ful that way. We’ll get this done quick and then we can get you 
  out of your armor.” He looks over at Sweeper Davies and Long 
  and says with a wink, “I already know you two, so we’ll catch 
  up later, Shauna.” As she turns away again, Martin whispers to 
  the player characters, “I just love doing that. She gets so embar-
  rassed. I think it’s cute.” It looks like the shock from learning 
  about Legion and the infiltration of House Artemis has sunk in, 
  and he is already back to his friendly and personable self.
  It only takes a few minutes for him to scan the player charac-
  ters. After each scan, he quickly reassures his people that his find-
  ings confirm what he already learned from Drake Benton. (Any 
  player refusing to be scanned will escalate matters, creating heavy 
  suspicions and the security team will not allow that player(s) to 
  pass beyond this point until they comply. The longer a refusal 
  drags out the more time that is wasted and Drake will remind the 
  players of this.) When Martin finishes scanning everyone, he says 
  to the player characters, “There, now we can be friends. Well, let 
  me officially welcome you to the Lab. I know you’ve pretty much 
  figured it out already, but this is one of House Artemis’s secret 
  weapon facilities. Our job here is to grow and test experimental 
  Bio-Tech that may be too dangerous or too controversial to test 
  back home. I know we’re all in a hurry, but I think it would be 
  rude if we didn’t introduce ourselves. My name is Martin Macali-
  ster, but please, call me Marty. I’m the head of this facility.” He 
  then looks over at the Biotic and says, “That serious looking man 
  over there is my Chief of Security, Isaac Mendoza. Yes, he is a 
  Biotic, but we don’t dwell on the silly traditions of the Resistance 
  down here, so his mind is completely untouched and very bril-
  liant I might add. Our job is to push the limits of Bio-Technology 
  to see what it is really capable of doing and learning more about 
  what it does to us. There’s no room for hamstringing ourselves 
  with foolish rituals just to keep the ignorant masses happy.”
  He then flips his hood back up and says, “It’s a little too ‘drip-
  py’ in here. What do you say we head into the facility and see if 
  we can’t get you what you need?”
  The security detail heads through the airlock first, leaving only 
  Martin and Isaac to escort the group through the facility. As they 
  walk towards the airlock, Martin says to the player characters, 
  “I must say, I’m surprised they assigned someone with such low 
  clearance to this mission. You must have really impressed War-
  lord Artemis. I know your heads are just swimming from all of 
  this, but don’t worry, you’re not alone. I promise we’ll help you 
  any way we can.”
  The hatch opens into a long hallway that slopes upward at a 
  steep angle. Instead of the rough stone walls found in the air-
  lock, every surface in this passageway is covered with a smooth 
  coat of Mega-Damage resin. The sandpaper-like texture of the 
  resin provides excellent traction for the steep climb. The players 
  quickly notice the similarities to the heavily fortified hallways 
  back home that lead to the Engineering Chambers. It is filled with 
  the same four foot (1.2 m) tall resin barricades, and once again, 
  each one has a large, white number painted on the back. While 
  Senator Bane was not very forthcoming with their purpose, Mar-
  tin is practically acting like a tour guide as he leads them through 
  the hall.
  “This facility is basically one giant defensive fortification. 
  Every room, every surface was specifically designed to repel an 
  invasion. The airlock is the lowest point in the complex and it’s 
  all uphill from there. That means our defenders always have the 
  high ground advantage.”
  “Martin, what are you doing?” Archangel Benton asks in an 
  incredibly irritated tone.
  “What? They want to know. They’re just too shy to ask.”
  “Maybe they’re just smart enough to know they shouldn’t be 
  asking,” Benton fires back angrily. “And maybe you should keep 
  quiet and stop making the situation worse.”
  “Oh, you know I hate doing that,” Martin responds with a wry 
  smile on his face. “Besides, you’ll all probably be executed for 
  coming here anyway, so there’s no reason for me to be rude.” He 
  then turns around and flashes a big smile at the Archangel and 
  says, “Just kidding, Drake... well, probably. I figure if Warlord 
  Artemis and the Senate trusted them enough to give them two 
  
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  Shell Bombs, they will most likely let them live with this secret 
  as well. Plus I’m hoping if you stop Legion, your little transgres-
  sion will be forgiven.”
  “Me too,” Benton replies quietly. After a few moments mull-
  ing over the situation, he lets out a deep sigh and says, “Fine, 
  Marty. It’s your show. Give ‘em the grand tour.”
  “Well that is so sweet of you, Drake,” Martin says with a 
  sarcastic smirk on his face. He then pulls up an armored plate 
  on his forearm and shows the player characters a large, plastic 
  keypad strapped to his wrist. “All right, I know you’re just dy-
  ing to know what the big white numbers are. Well, those are 
  codes that we punch into this. Each number marks the location 
  of an explosive charge. Just type in the number, hit the trigger 
  button three times... little safety feature against accidents... and 
  boom. They’re one of the key components to our defenses. Our 
  people can use these barricades as cover from enemy fire, but if 
  the enemy tries to use them, we just trigger the shaped charge 
  in the barricade and the whole thing goes off in their face like 
  a giant claymore mine. The passageways between rooms are 
  also lined with explosives and marked with a number. It lets us 
  funnel the enemy into non-essential sections of the complex and 
  then collapse the passageways to seal them in.
  “It’s fantastic stuff. We can thank our friends at House Tarkov 
  for these little babies. Bit of a cultural exchange. Our Bio-Tech 
  may be leaps and bounds above their little plastic and ceramic 
  toys, but we’ve never quite figured out how to make remote deto-
  nators. They’re completely plague-safe, but I don’t know, I just 
  don’t trust the old-fashioned stuff anymore. I don’t really even 
  like wearing it. I’d rather just leave it in my chambers, but Isaac 
  insists that everyone wears one at all times. Guess that’s what 
  makes him so good at his job. If he wasn’t wound up so tight at 
  all times, we wouldn’t be so well protected.
  “Anyway, let’s keep moving. We’re going to head over to the 
  Northern Armory and soak your gear, then we can take you over 
  to the Badger. Ooh, you know what? While we’re in the armory, 
  we should set you all up with some new weapons. We’ve got 
  some great stuff. I think you’re going to love it. There’s a firing 
  range right next to it, so you can try out a few and see what you 
  like. We always need more field test data anyway, and it sounds 
  like you guys may just need a little extra firepower for this one.”
  (G.M. Note: Before going into the next room, if there are any 
  players that are Technojackers and are in their Nanobot armored 
  form or carrying any metal weapons or gear, Martin will insist 
  “for their own safety” that they revert to normal now and either 
  put away or leave their metal armament here, before entering into 
  the next room. Any Technojackers that refuses will not be al-
  lowed to enter beyond this point until they comply.)
  The group passes though a large rectangular room that bisects 
  the hallway. On each side of the room are a half dozen Mantis 
  Support Cannons partially concealed behind resin barricades. It 
  is a similar setup to the defenses laid out back home except there 
  are no human guards mixed in with the cannons, and the ceiling is 
  covered with more of the large, sea urchin-like creatures. Martin 
  explains that, “These ‘kill rooms’ are designed to catch invaders 
  in a deadly crossfire of heavy artillery and a shower of spines 
  and acid.” He points at the urchins above their heads and con-
  tinues, “The Spine Pods are one of our in-house creations. Each 
  one holds about thirty gallons (113.5 liters) of acid and several 
  hundred razor-sharp spines. What you see is just a piece of their 
  bodies; the rest is grown right into the walls. That’s why they 
  have such an impressive payload. They automatically activate 
  whenever anything metallic comes into range, but we can also 
  order them to attack anything that moves with a simple verbal 
  command. The Machine’s not the only threat to us on this plan-
  et, so we need to be ready for anything. They’ve passed all our 
  tests with flying colors, so they should be adding them to House 
  Artemis’s defenses very soon. Once they are secured within our 
  House, we will open the market to the Great Houses within our 
  Alliance. The profit margins will be pretty nice this year.”
  The group passes through two more of these rooms before ex-
  iting into an enormous chamber. It is about two hundred feet (61 
  m) long and one hundred fifty feet (45.7 m) across with sixty foot 
  (18.3 m) tall ceilings. Like the hallway, the entire room is coated 
  in Mega-Damage resin, only this room has apparently seen some 
  heavy combat. Every surface is covered in blaster burns, scorch 
  marks, and fresh resin patch jobs to repair the more serious dam-
  age.
  As the group walks through this area, Martin says, “This is 
  the Arena. It’s the main test site within the facility. This is where 
  our people get to duke it out in full armor to see just how good 
  our new creations really are. There’s usually at least a few Splic-
  ers sparring in here twenty-four hours a day, but we had to pull 
  them out today for the security detail when you arrived. I guess 
  they didn’t feel like sparring after that. That’s too bad. It’s always 
  entertaining to watch.”
  He then points at the two narrow balconies about thirty feet 
  (9.1 m) up the walls that overlook the Arena on each side of the 
  room and says, “You can get a pretty good view of the action 
  from the observation decks. They also make great sniping points 
  during an attack. They’re usually full too. We don’t really have 
  much else to entertain ourselves with down here. I figure as long 
  as they don’t do anything they can’t heal from, there’s no harm 
  in letting them blow off some steam. We’ve got our own resident 
  Saint, so you’d be surprised how far these little sparring sessions 
  go sometimes.”
  They pass through a short, white-numbered passageway 
  and into the facility’s War Mount Corral. The group is rushing 
  through on their way to the armory, but the player characters can 
  see about fifty or so War Mounts. For the most part, they are 
  the standard variety, but the players will also spot a handful of 
  prototype creatures they have never seen before. Any Outriders 
  or Packmasters among the group can drop their bio-beasts off 
  here for feeding and care. Martin leads the group through another 
  long, upward-sloping hallway, only this one is not riddled with 
  exploding barricades. Apparently they are not heading into a vi-
  tal area. They cross through another white-numbered passageway 
  and into the crew’s quarters. This large barracks room is filled 
  with over one hundred double-stacked bunk beds. Most are the 
  standard man-sized bunks, but the players notice off in the corner 
  about two dozen gigantic beds. They are at least twelve feet (3.7 
  m) long and about six feet (1.8 m) wide. Space is a luxury in 
  the Resistance and comfort is not exactly a concern on anyone’s 
  mind, so these giant bunks are probably meant for someone or 
  something that fits them quite snugly.
  The few dozen crew members in the barracks immediately 
  stand at attention when Martin and Isaac enter the room. Isaac 
  puts them all at ease with a gruff “as you were,” and the group 
  continues on their way towards the armory. Most of the crew is 
  out of their armor, but it appears that a few are still wearing their 
  Host Armor. Or are they? The player characters notice one of 
  
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  these enormous monsters lie back down in one of the giant bunks 
  as the procession strolls through. It looks like Isaac and Martin 
  may not be the only major human experiments in the Lab.
  The group finally reaches the armory. Martin tells the player 
  characters, “Just strip off your gear and put it all in the corner. 
  My attendants will take care of the rest. There’s a shower back in 
  the barracks so you can wash off your wonder snot. We left some 
  clothes in there for you as well. I’ll have my people bring some 
  weapons over to the firing range for you to test out. When you get 
  cleaned up, just come back here and we’ll head over.
  “Oh yeah, one more thing. Our Engineer’s backlog isn’t too 
  bad right now, so I thought we could squeeze in a few Bio-En-
  hancements for some of your weapons. One weapon from each 
  of you shouldn’t be a problem. Just pick your favorite.” He then 
  hands a stack of loose papers to Archangel Benton and says, 
  “Here’s the list of all the enhancements our Engineer has avail-
  able. We’ve got all the standard stuff, plus a few house special-
  ties. One enhancement each. Whatever you want.” He then looks 
  at the player characters and says, “Like I said, we’re here to help. 
  Now, go get changed. We’ve got a lot to do and absolutely no 
  time to do it.”
  The group strips down in the armory and then walks through 
  the barracks and into the bathroom. Getting naked in front of 
  other Splicers is pretty unavoidable within the cramped condi-
  tions of the underground haven, so it is nothing new to the group. 
  However, it seems the bashful Shauna Davies is still uncomfort-
  able with the concept. Although from what the player characters 
  can see, she has nothing to be ashamed of.
  Martin left a simple cotton crew uniform for each member of 
  the group. Once everyone gets cleaned up and dressed, they re-
  turn to the armory. Martin leads them through another door to the 
  firing range. Isaac is waiting for them next to a long wooden table 
  covered in dozens of rifles. At the far end of the firing range are a 
  series of resin pillars with black humanoid and various machine 
  silhouettes painted on them.
  Martin sweeps his hand over the table as he says to the group, 
  “This is just a small sample of what we do here. I want to reas-
  sure you that every one of these weapons either has passed or 
  has nearly passed the testing phase and is just about ready for 
  mass production. I promise you they are one hundred percent 
  reliable. Plus these are also some of my favorite designs, so I 
  just had to show them off. The Librarians really outdid them-
  selves with these.” He then picks up a large rifle, aims it down 
  the firing range, and says, “Just check out this baby. It’s an ab-
  solute leap in the science of Bio-Technology. Watch this.” He 
  carefully aims and fires off a single round at one of the targets 
  on the range. He strikes the humanoid silhouette directly in the 
  heart. An impressive shot, but it did not seem to do an impres-
  sive amount of damage to the Mega-Damage resin column. As 
  if sensing the group’s disappointment, Martin looks over his 
  shoulder with his trademark wink and says, “Oh, that’s not the 
  cool part.” He then fires off multiple shots from the hip while 
  randomly waving the rifle back and forth. Every shot curves 
  drastically in mid-flight and strikes the target at the exact same 
  point. Unlike the first shot which barely registered any damage, 
  these high explosive rounds rip the pillar to shreds in just a few 
  hits..
  Martin then turns back to the group with a smug smile and 
  says, “Impressive, huh? The first shot was called a Shrieker 
  round. It transmits a special Bio-Comm signal that the rest of the 
  rounds home in on. It’s the future of Bio-Technology and only 
  House Artemis has it. Makes you proud, doesn’t it? Well now, I 
  didn’t bring you in here to watch me have all the fun. Please, try 
  them all out. Let me know which ones you like and we’ll get them 
  out of the armory for you. I don’t want to weigh you all down too 
  badly, so one each is probably for the best.”
  The players spend about thirty minutes on the firing range, 
  which is more than enough time to get a feel for the power, range, 
  and abilities of all these firearms. Game Masters, let the player 
  characters look through the Experimental Bio-Weapons sec-
  tion to pick their new prizes. Each member of the group gets to 
  select one weapon. On the NPC side, Drake Benton opts for a 
  Heavy Bore Rifle, Anderson Long grabs a Bore Sidekick Rifle, 
  and Shauna Davies picks a Shield Cracker Rifle. Once everyone 
  makes their selections, Martin tells one of the armory attendants 
  to grab their chosen rifles and place them with the rest of the play-
  ers’ gear. He then says to the group, “All right, enough fun. Let’s 
  go get what you came here for.”
  Martin and Isaac lead the group back down to the War Mount 
  Corral, and then deeper into the facility as Martin continues with 
  his tour guide act. “We’re heading into the very heart of the Lab, 
  the Engineering Chamber. When it comes right down to it, it’s 
  really the only room that matters. The rest of the facility was ba-
  sically designed to defend the Engineer. If you thought security 
  was tight before, you’re going to be impressed with what we have 
  back here.”
  Martin was not exaggerating. The hallway leading up to the 
  Engineering Chamber is not only filled with more of the white-
  numbered resin barricades, but the walls, floor, and ceiling are 
  also lined with numbers. The players notice that the number on 
  the floor matches the number directly above it on the ceiling and 
  the numbers that line up with it along the walls. They are spaced 
  out every ten feet (3 m) along the corridor. Martin explains that if 
  the enemy ever makes it this far, then the situation is pretty dire 
  and they start collapsing the tunnels to buy time for the Engineer 
  to be evacuated. He says that they do it in sections to “discourage” 
  persistent invaders that keep digging through the rubble. This 
  hallway also contains three kill rooms, only they are much larger 
  than the ones they passed through earlier. The other startling dif-
  ference is that all three rooms are completely filled with Mantis 
  Support Cannons. There must be at least fifty of these enormous 
  beasts crammed shoulder to shoulder within each room. Martin 
  orders them to “make a path” and the giant bugs press up against 
  the walls and climb on top of each other to allow the group to 
  continue through.
  Once through the corridor, Martin leads the group into an-
  other barracks room. This one is filled with about twenty of the 
  giant-sized bunks. Half the bunks are occupied by what looks like 
  sleeping suits of Host Armor, plus another ten armored soldiers 
  are sitting around playing cards. Once again, they all spring to 
  attention once their superiors enter the room and are quickly put 
  at ease by Isaac.
  The group does not break stride and continues on into the next 
  chamber. Once out of earshot of these monstrous warriors, Mar-
  tin stops and says to the player characters, “I assume by now, 
  you’ve figured out they aren’t human, or at least not anymore. 
  They’re another breakthrough in Bio-Technology, but I fear one 
  that the average person may not be ready to accept. We call them 
  Tempests. They are some of the most powerful warriors the Re-
  sistance has ever produced, made from some of the bravest he-
  
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  roes I’ve ever known. Much like Saints and Skinjobs, they’ve 
  sacrificed their very humanity to destroy the Machine, but these 
  guys will never be welcomed home again. I hope, in time, they 
  are at least tolerated like the Scarecrows and Skinjobs, but it still 
  makes me sad to think how ignorant our brothers and sisters back 
  home can be.” He then gives another one of his wry smiles and 
  says, “But you’re not like that are you? Anyway, this room is the 
  living quarters for the Engineer’s Geneticists. They must all be 
  helping out Engineer Dante next door. We don’t really have any 
  business in there, but we need to go through there to get to the 
  Badger. Let’s just rush on through and try not to get in anyone’s 
  way. I just wanted to warn you before we reached the Badger’s 
  den that it can be a bit of a moody beast at first, so just stay be-
  hind us and don’t make any sudden moves. The Badger prefers 
  the lights to be low so it may be a bit dark for you before your 
  eyes adjust.”
  Isaac can no longer keep his discomfort with the entire situ-
  ation to himself and he says to Martin, “Sir, I think I’ve been 
  more than accommodating of these rather unusual circumstances, 
  but I need to know why we’re bringing these people to see the 
  Badger.”
  “I’m sorry to have left you in the dark on this, Isaac. I meant 
  no disrespect,” Martin replied. “Honestly, I knew you’d be op-
  posed to this, and I’ve just been trying to think of the best way 
  to tell you.”
  Isaac’s perpetually stern face grows even more hash as he 
  says, “I’d be opposed to what exactly?”
  Martin bites his lip and glances down at the floor for a moment 
  as he tries to gather his thoughts. He then takes a deep breath, 
  looks his old friend in the eyes, and says, “Isaac, House Artemis 
  is in jeopardy. Humanity is in jeopardy. They have a chance... we 
  have a chance, to make a real difference, but in order for them to 
  complete their mission, they’re going to need to take the Badger.”
  Isaac casts a vicious look towards the player characters and 
  then angrily says to Martin, “Sir, that is absolutely unacceptable! 
  Without the Badger, we would be unable to evacuate the Engi-
  neer in the event of a full-scale assault.”
  “Now Isaac, you know that’s not true,” Martin calmly replies. 
  “We can just use your Tunnel Rat contingency plan. They may 
  not be as fast, but they would get the job done just fine. Our 
  friends here need the Badger’s speed, power, and tracking abili-
  ties if they’re going to stand a chance. You have to understand, I 
  did not reach this decision lightly. This Legion personality could 
  possibly pose a greater threat than anything we’ve ever seen, and 
  she must be stopped. I’m not going to make this an order, old 
  friend. I would never do anything to undermine the brilliant de-
  fenses you’ve created. If you don’t think we could stand to part 
  with the Badger, we’ll think of something else, but we have to 
  help them.”
  Isaac’s infuriated expression does not change at all as he si-
  lently glares at everyone for what feels like an eternity before fi-
  nally saying, “They have to take it out through the airlock. I don’t 
  want them digging a back door into the facility that circumvents 
  our defenses.”
  Martin’s worried look instantly transforms into a brimming 
  smile. “Don’t make me hug you, Isaac,” he jokingly replies as he 
  starts walking toward the Biotic with his arms spread wide, but he 
  is quickly blocked by one of Isaac’s massive palms on his chest.
  “That won’t be necessary,” he says in an almost friendly tone. 
  For a second, it even looks like he might have the slight hint of a 
  smile on his face, but it quickly shifts back to his usual sour look 
  when he spots Drake Benton smiling at him.
  “All right then. Let’s go meet your ride.”
  Martin tries to usher the group through the Engineering 
  Chambers as quickly as possible, but even Drake Benton and the 
  Sweepers slow down a bit to marvel at the sight of the Engineer 
  Dante and his attendants hard at work. Every one of them has 
  been in the presence of an Engineer before (they had to in order 
  to upgrade their equipment), but no matter how many times they 
  see one, it never fails to fill each one of them with a sense of 
  awe and reverence. The Gene Pools epitomize the benevolence 
  of Bio-Technology, and the Engineers represent the most selfless 
  aspects of humanity. These two beings merged together into one 
  pure instrument of creation. The Engineers may grow weapons 
  and other tools of destruction, but they never harm anyone them-
  selves. They have sacrificed their humanity, even their overall 
  mobility and freedom, for the good of the Resistance, and unlike 
  their Librarian brethren, they do not scheme, they do not plot, 
  they do not go Megalo, and they never act in their own self-in-
  terest. Even their appearance, while strange and alien, still has an 
  almost angelic look.
  The Engineer’s eyes are closed in concentration as he gently 
  sways his hands about as if conducting a symphony that only he 
  can see and hear, which, in a sense, is somewhat true. Within the 
  waters of the Gene Pool is a complex microcosm of thousands of 
  organisms and tendrils that the Engineer must direct in perfect 
  unison in order to assemble the genetic code for each Bio-Tech 
  device on a molecular level. It requires a level of focus and con-
  centration that is so far beyond human comprehension that it is 
  impossible for them to express. Most Engineers just describe the 
  process as “challenging” and then quickly return to their unend-
  ing duties of supplying the entire Resistance with the means of 
  humanity’s survival.
  Engineer Dante is so lost in his work, that he does not even 
  notice the group enter the chamber. Several Geneticists along 
  with two Homunculi and three specialized, Proto-Host Armor-
  clad assistants look up from their tasks momentarily at the intru-
  sion, but then quickly return to their duties once they see that it is 
  only Martin and Isaac. One armored assistant is chopping a large 
  animal carcass into chunks and dropping the pieces into the Gene 
  Pool while the other attendants remove completed items from the 
  waters. One attendant is pulling out a seemingly endless string of 
  firearms while another fishes a large man-sized cocoon from the 
  depths of the Gene Pool. The Geneticists appear to be focused 
  on reviewing the maturations and telling the Homunculi where 
  to place the firearms. The player characters only recognize about 
  half of the rifles from the ones they tested on the firing range. 
  The rest are new experimental designs. Although they did spot a 
  few of their own firearms. Apparently, some of their upgrades are 
  already finished.
  The players are all standing there just soaking up the scene 
  when Isaac snaps them out of their daydreaming with an annoyed 
  grunt and then motions for them to proceed through the nearby 
  door to the Badger’s Den. As soon as they step inside, the stag-
  nant, muggy air hits them like a wave. The door then seals itself 
  shut behind them, plunging the cavern into almost complete dark-
  ness.
  The players can barely see the silhouettes of Isaac and Mar-
  tin standing before them, much less anything beyond that. Their 
  other senses quickly sharpen to compensate for the poor visibil-
  
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  ity, but the thick scent of death and the sounds of heavy breath-
  ing echoing from every corner of the chamber do little to ease 
  their sense of dread. As the players’ eyes adjust to the dim light, 
  they can see the outline of what looks like half of a carcass of a 
  Behemoth War Mount near the cavern wall. The dingy war-paint 
  markings on the carcass indicate that it was from Great House 
  Charlemagne, a bitter enemy of House Artemis. Isaac takes a few 
  steps forward when a large, clawed hand suddenly flashes from 
  out of nowhere, buries itself deep into the carcass, and drags the 
  bloody piece of meat deeper into the darkness. Isaac does not 
  seem phased for a second and continues walking into the dark-
  ness as the sound of heavy breathing is replaced with the sounds 
  of armor plates cracking, tearing flesh and crunching bone. Mar-
  tin takes a few steps back towards the player characters, perhaps 
  not out of fear, but rather to reassure them that everything is all 
  right. He then softly says, “lights to one quarter” and the handful 
  of organic glow cells throughout the room light up slightly. It is 
  not much, but it is enough to pierce the darkness and give the 
  player characters their first look at the Badger.
  In the dim light, it does look like an enormous wolverine-
  like badger, but as Martin beckons the player characters to come 
  closer, they notice the unique aspects that further demonstrate its 
  Bio-Tech origins. What looked like a massive mane of hair from 
  a distance are thick layers of overlapping bone spikes. Each bony 
  “hair” is about the size of a human femur and they all come to a 
  fine point. The beast’s eight, powerful legs each end in wicked 
  looking, six to ten feet (1.8 to 3 m) long claws. They are thick 
  like natural claws to help the beast dig through the earth, but they 
  also taper to serrated, razor-sharp edges on the underside to make 
  them even more formidable in combat. The players can see that 
  the creature’s face is covered in blood from its recent meal, but 
  as they look around, they cannot see any traces of the Behemoth 
  carcass anywhere. That means the Badger was able to devour this 
  thickly armored war machine, armor, bones and all, within sec-
  onds. Of course, it does not appear quite as fearsome at the mo-
  ment as Isaac rubs its snout like a beloved puppy.
  Martin spreads his arms out wide and proudly proclaims, 
  “Meet the Badger! It’s our state-of-the-art Subterranean Armored 
  Personal Carrier (S.A.P.C.), one of our greatest creations! I know 
  I say that a lot, but just look at it. It’s absolutely magnificent. It 
  has all the power and ferociousness of its tiny little brethren... in 
  a somewhat bigger package. Did you know that even at a mere 
  twenty to thirty pounds (9 to 13.5 kg), badgers and wolverines 
  routinely challenge larger predators like wolves, leopards, lions, 
  and bears for food... and win? Their durability, strength, aggres-
  sion, and sheer tenacity allow them to wrestle prey away from 
  adversaries twenty times their size. Truly amazing. The fact it 
  took the Resistance this long to incorporate these little demons 
  into the Gene Pools still astounds me.
  “The Librarians designed the Badger to be a breaching ve-
  hicle. It can tunnel undetected beneath the enemy’s defenses 
  and fortifications and deliver a twenty-man, armored commando 
  squad right into the heart of their strongholds. There’s nothing 
  in the Machine’s arsenal that can prevent them from reaching 
  their objective. Hell, even the other Great Houses wouldn’t know 
  how to stop them. Not that we’d ever use them for that.” A hint 
  of a smile crosses his face for a second before he continues on. 
  “If it isn’t obvious from looking at it, the Badger’s much more 
  than just a transport. Once it drops off its payload, it is more than 
  capable of providing its commandos with some impressive close-
  quarters or long-range support. We, of course, have no need for 
  an assault transport, so we use it for a somewhat different pur-
  pose. For us, the Badger is our last hope. When all else fails, and 
  it’s obvious the facility will be overrun, we pop the Engineer out 
  of the ground and transport it, and hopefully a few other survi-
  vors, to a nearby sanctuary and then eventually, to the Artemis 
  underground haven.”
  Martin then turns around and says to the player group, “I know 
  your situation is serious, but I want you to understand what a 
  serious predicament this leaves us in. We have other means to 
  tunnel out, but only the Badger is large enough to safely transport 
  our Engineer without harming him. It is a lot for us to risk, but I 
  believe, just as you do, that it is a necessary risk. But please, bring 
  him back to us as soon as you’re done.” Isaac walks over and 
  says to Martin, “Sir, we should hurry. Take them to the armory 
  to get suited up and I’ll grab Hawkins and bring the Badger to 
  the airlock.”
  “Thank you, Isaac. You have fun squeezing him through the 
  tunnels. We’ll meet you in the airlock in ten minutes.” Martin 
  glances over to the players and says, “Oh, by the way, Michael 
  Hawkins is one of our best Outriders and he has developed the 
  closest bond with the Badger. He knows how to get the most out 
  of the Badger and he’ll be absolutely invaluable on your mis-
  sion.”
  Martin and the player characters double time it through the fa-
  cility back to the armory. All their gear is refreshed, recharged, 
  and ready for action. Even their new rifles and upgraded weap-
  ons are ready (all player Gorehounds and War Mounts will also be 
  brought to the airlock; refreshed, well fed and upgraded, if any). 
  Everyone suits up and heads back to the airlock where Isaac is 
  waiting with the Badger and a few unexpected surprises. It looks 
  like Isaac grabbed some friends on his way through the War Mount 
  Corral. The big Biotic is standing next to five heavily armed Out-
  riders and their mounts. One of the mounts is a dark-emerald Skull-
  cracker, but the other giant, mint-colored, leopard War Mounts are 
  unknown to the players. They must be another in-house design. 
  They have a more natural look than the heavily armored designs 
  common to the Resistance Bio-Tech War Mounts. They look like 
  normal animals, other than their enormous size of course. What is 
  even stranger is that each Bio-tech panther does not possess a War 
  Saddle. It is rather unusual, but at this point, nothing in this facility 
  is really much of a surprise anymore. Martin seems surprised to see 
  them as well. “What’s all this, Isaac?”
  “I realized they were going to need some air and heavy hunt-
  ing support to pick up Legion’s trail, and I figured since I was 
  already in the corral, I might as well increase their odds of bring-
  ing the Badger back to us in one piece.” This time, the smile on 
  his face is unmistakable.
  “Do you see why I love this guy? Thank you again, Isaac. Did 
  you have time to tell them the particulars of this mission?”
  “I did. They all understand the risks and the importance.”
  “Well then, thank you gentlemen for volunteering for this 
  assignment. You are all doing a great thing today, not only for 
  Great House Artemis, but for all of humanity. So what’s the plan, 
  Isaac?”
  Isaac unrolls a large, hand-drawn map on the ground and takes a 
  knee beside it. It shows Bell Lake and the land surrounding it for a 
  six mile (9.6 km) radius. “Unfortunately, we don’t know anything 
  about Legion’s current location, so all we can really do from here is 
  make sure everyone gets topside safely without compromising the 
  
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  the Badger reaches the river’s walls, it knows its in its element. 
  The War Carrier moves with impressive speed, even through 
  such thick rock. After a few minutes, Hawkins informs the group 
  that they are near the surface and will be holding position until 
  contacted by the Stalkers.
  It takes a bit longer than everyone expected before they finally 
  receive a Bio-Comm transmission from one of the Stalkers. They 
  inform Hawkins that Beta site is secure and they will wait for the 
  Badger to rendezvous. They do not offer any explanation for the 
  delay, but if asked, they say they had to wait for an unexpected 
  Machine patrol to pass. When the Badger finally reaches the ren-
  dezvous point, the group learns the real reason for the delay.
  A Horrific Reunion
  The Badger breaks through the loose soil and surfaces in a 
  large, open field on the edge of a dense forest. Through the eyes 
  of the War Carrier, the players see the scene outside and instantly 
  realize that they have stumbled into another Legion ambush. Sur-
  rounding them on all sides are dozens of the scorpion-like Collec-
  tors as well as nearly a dozen heavily armored humanoids (most 
  likely cyborgs). The group also spots a few of these cyborgs con-
  cealed among the trees. They look similar to the aesthetic of Le-
  gionnaires except they are a bit smaller and more compact. Judg-
  ing by their slighter build and sneakier nature, it looks like they 
  were designed for a purpose other than heavy combat. Perhaps 
  the Legionnaires are the big bruisers and these smaller versions 
  are scouts, assassins, or hunters.
  Before they have a chance to react, the Badger is ensnared by 
  dozens of carbon nanotube web lines. The War Carrier struggles 
  briefly to free itself, but for every line it snaps, three more are 
  applied. After a few moments, everyone can hear through their 
  Bio-Comms the sound of half a dozen people saying in perfect 
  unison, “Please, my children, calm yourselves. It would be such a 
  shame to destroy such a majestic beast... or your friends here, or 
  yourselves... You will all be much happier once you become one 
  with me... Please, come out here. Don’t be afraid.”
  At first, it is unclear who is talking and what “friends” they are 
  talking about, but the Badger is able to turn its head enough to 
  spot what looks like six Splicers standing among Legion’s forces. 
  Lying at their feet are three of the four Stalkers. They are bound 
  and unable to move, but they seem unharmed. The state of the pi-
  lots, however, is still a mystery. Hopefully, they are just trapped 
  inside their mounts.
  Once the Badger gets a good enough look at the mysterious 
  Splicers, the group gets a horrifying glimpse (Horror Factor 18) 
  of what Legion means by “becoming one with her.” Each war-
  rior is a Frankenstein-like patchwork made up of pieces from an 
  assortment of War Mounts, suits of Host Armor, and even hu-
  man bodies. Some of these pieces are connected surgically on 
  such an elegant level that it almost looks like it grew that way 
  naturally, but others are coupled together by a cybernetic joint 
  with a sickly translucent piece of Mega-Damage flesh stretched 
  across it to give the illusion of life. Bio-Technology may twist 
  and mold life forms into often monstrous creations, but no one in 
  the group (or the Resistance) has ever seen anything as hideous 
  as the perversions that are standing before them now. For the 
  player characters, it is even more horrifying because they recog-
  nize where Legion harvested the pieces. These six monstrosities 
  facility. The rest is going to be up to your team. The first order of 
  business is to send the Stalkers and a Skullcracker to scout out the 
  surrounding area to determine a safe rendezvous point. We don’t 
  get many Machine patrols in this area so it should be clear, but 
  that’s no reason to take any chances.” He then looks up at one of 
  the Outriders and says, “Cole, take the Stalkers and check out these 
  sites here, here, and here. You’ll set up 2 Receptor Mounds at each 
  location. We’ll designate them Alpha, Beta, and Charlie site. The 
  rest of you load up in the Badger. It can’t swim, so after it clears 
  the airlock and reaches the bedrock, it will need to tunnel through. 
  Once the Stalkers have determined which site is most secure, take 
  the Badger to the surface and do what you can to pick up Legion’s 
  trail. From the sound of things, she shouldn’t be too hard to spot. I 
  would recommend traveling underground the rest of the way from 
  there, but I’ll leave the rest of the logistics to you. Any questions? 
  Anything you want to add, Martin?”
  “Just one thing for our new friends. I know you’re not familiar 
  with the Stalker War Mounts, but trust me when I say that just 
  these four will be a tremendous asset for your mission. Not only 
  are they Stealth Field equipped, but they’re loaded with some 
  of our greatest breakthroughs in Bio-Tech. Throw in the added 
  bonus of some of the best Outriders in the Resistance and I can 
  promise you are in good hands. Good luck and good hunting, 
  ladies and gentlemen, I know you’ll make us all proud, and I look 
  forward to seeing you all again soon. Oh yeah, and drinks are on 
  me when you get back.”
  He tries to hide his concern behind his trademark smile, but he 
  tends to wear his emotions on his sleeve and he cannot hide his 
  concern for everyone’s welfare. In the short time he has come to 
  know the player characters, he has already grown quite fond of 
  them (one of the side effects of being a mind reader). As he and 
  Isaac, along with several Dreadnaughts, walk out of the airlock, 
  Martin glances back one last time with a look on his face like 
  most of his friends will not be returning from this one.
  The airlock seals shut and everyone starts loading up into their 
  War Mounts. As the players head into the Badger, they watch the 
  backs of the Stalker War Mounts open up and their Outriders slip 
  inside. The Outriders take their time fastening their War Mount’s 
  neural interface tendrils into their host armor’s helmets and the 
  Stalkers snarl as they anticipate a hunt. Once each Outrider leans 
  forward into their beasts, they grip the internal handles under-
  neath the Stalkers’ shoulder plates and the backs of their mounts 
  close up, completely sealing each pilot within the body of their 
  corresponding Stalker. Another unique creation from the Lab. 
  The player group (and all of their War mounts, if any) squeeze 
  into the Badger carrier and the hatches seal shut behind them. It is 
  an incredibly tight fit within the Badger, but that is by design. The 
  internal compartment molds around the occupants to keep them 
  secure during transport and combat maneuvers. Fortunately, their 
  Bio-Tech armor reduces the sense of claustrophobia. What also 
  helps is the limited neurological connection formed between the 
  Badger and its passengers. The compartment itself is completely 
  dark and silent, but the Badger passes what it sees and hears back 
  to its occupants. It keeps them in touch with the battle outside and 
  prevents them from panicking while sealed inside.
  Within minutes, the airlock fills and the outer hatch opens. 
  The Stalkers push through the water with surprising speed and 
  grace more akin to river otters, but the heavy Badger has to trudge 
  along the ground at a snail’s pace. Once outside the airlock, the 
  Badger punches through the tunnel wall and starts digging. When 
  
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  were assembled from the House Deluvane strike teams that first 
  helped the players attack the Factory Walker back at Harrisburg 
  (see Episode One, page 27). She not only used their Bio-Tech 
  gear and War Mounts, but she also attached the heads and faces 
  from some of the fallen warriors to add to the terrifying appear-
  ance of her creations.
  It is unclear if all the pieces of these Bio-Tech Amalgams 
  are truly functional, but one thing is clear, their Bio-Comms are 
  working perfectly. Perhaps Legion’s desire to convert humans 
  into cyborgs was not just born out of insanity. Maybe her mad-
  ness ultimately has a purpose after all. At the very least, she has 
  achieved something her sister Machine personalities never could; 
  she figured a way to hack into the Resistance’s unbreakable Bio-
  Comms. She successfully removed one of the greatest tactical 
  advantages that humanity had left. To punctuate the point, the 
  Amalgams once again say in perfect unison through their Bio-
  Comms, “Please, enough games. It’s time to come out.”
  Suddenly, the walls of the internal compartment relax and 
  expand, allowing the group to move around freely. The passen-
  gers glance around at each other in confusion when they witness 
  Sr. Sweeper, Shauna Davies open the hatch and exit the Badger. 
  The protection they were once afforded within the Badger is now 
  gone due to the wide open hatch. Legion’s forces quickly move 
  in to secure this advantage. Two Collectors crawl up onto the 
  Badger’s back and grab hold of the hatch to make sure it cannot 
  be closed again.
  Drake Benton screams after her, “Shauna, what the hell are 
  you doing?! Get back here.” She doesn’t respond or even look 
  back. Benton chases after her for a few steps but stops when he 
  realizes all the robots’ guns are trained on him and none are tar-
  geting her. He tries to get her attention one last time, but she 
  keeps walking towards the patchwork Splicers. Once she gets 
  by their side, she turns around to face the players, then she, the 
  Amalgams, and the rest of Legion’s minions all say in unison, 
  “Don’t worry. She’s with us.”
  To Be Continued...
  I am Legion, Episode Three Adventure Source Material
  New Bio-Enhancements
  Eye Spy
  The Eye Spy is one of the ultimate surveillance tools. It looks 
  like an average-sized snail with a human eye mounted on its back 
  instead of a snail shell. The organism can be grown anywhere on 
  the armor, but most people like to place it on their back. The eye 
  is fully functional, and the pilot of the armor can see everything it 
  does. The basic version only has normal vision, but it can receive 
  any type of visual Bio-Enhancement. The real power of the Eye 
  Spy becomes apparent when the pilot plucks it off his body. A 
  special built-in Bio-Comm continues to transmit the visual data 
  back to the armor even when the two are separated. The pilot 
  can see through this eye even when the two are 6 miles (9.6 km) 
  apart. The organism can be placed on any surface and can move 
  about on its own with a Speed Factor of 6. The pilot controls its 
  movements through the same Bio-Comm link.
  The Eye Spy is a part of the armor and can exist indefinitely 
  while attached, but once it is removed, the snail-like creature can 
  only live for one hour before it dies of starvation. Once the Eye 
  Spy is removed, it cannot be put back. It can cling to the side of 
  the armor, but it will still die after one hour. Fortunately, lost Eye 
  Spies will regrow in the usual location on the armor after 3D8 
  hours.
  M.D.C. of the Eye Spy: 4 M.D.C. points, but the Eye Spy is a 
  very small target and is -4 to hit on a “Called Shot” when still 
  located on the armor. The same penalty still applies when the 
  organism is operating on its own. However, it is relatively easy to 
  hit if targeted with an area effect weapon (no penalty).
  Bonuses: +1 on initiative, +1 to parry and dodge, plus an Eye 
  Spy located on the back of the armor makes it impossible for the 
  armor to be attacked from behind.
  Bio-E Cost: 25 points per Eye Spy.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Eye Trigger
  Small, slug-like creature with four eyes pointing in four sepa-
  rate directions. When a robotic target gets within 40 feet (12.2 
  m) of it, it signals to Shrieker-equipped weapons or to assigned 
  Receptor Mounds to bombard the area with fire. The Eye Trigger 
  sends incredibly accurate coordinates so it is a precision bom-
  bardment and not just carpet bombing. Eye Triggers are meant to 
  
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  be disposable as payloads of them will regenerate throughout the 
  week until they starve to death, though, they can also be recov-
  ered and fed before then.
  M.D.C. of the Eye Trigger: 6 M.D.C. points, but the Eye Trig-
  ger is a very small target and is -4 to hit on a “Called Shot” when 
  on the armor or when the organism is operating on its own. How-
  ever, it is relatively easy to hit if targeted with an area effect 
  weapon (no penalty).
  Payload: The Host Armor can reproduce a slug every 4D10 min-
  utes.
  Bonus: +1 on initiative.
  Bio-E Cost: 40 points per Eye Trigger.
  Prerequisite: None.
  its prey apart). Once the armor bites down, the chainsaw mouth 
  completely shreds anything within it like a blender. When used 
  against living targets, the Ripper Maw leaves a gruesome, gaping 
  wound that is very slow to heal (heals at one quarter the normal 
  rate).
  Mega-Damage: 6D10 M.D.
  Bonus: +4 to Horror Factor.
  Bio-E Cost: 30 points.
  Prerequisite: Only available to Carnivorous, Herbivore and Om-
  nivore Host Armors and War Mounts.
  Shrieker & Squealer
  Bio-Enhancements
  Shriekers are large ammo slug rounds that emit a special Bio-
  Comm signal that other specialized bio-weapons, like Kamikaze 
  Cruise Missiles and Mantis Support Cannons, can use as a target-
  ing beacon. Shriekers are housed in Shrieker Launchers that are 
  synced to the Pilot’s or War Mount’s Badger’s eye movements, 
  so they are always locked on target with whatever the Pilot/War 
  Mount is looking at. The launchers are equipped with a safety 
  mechanism that prevents them from accidentally firing into the 
  body of its user. Once a target is tagged, the round transmits a 
  special Bio-Comm signal up to a range of two miles (3.2 km). 
  Any Bio-Tech weapon or device equipped with the proper re-
  ceiver can then track this signal to its source and target it with 
  incredible accuracy (even without line of sight).
  Squealers are Bio-Tech spider-like devices that can remain 
  curled up like a small bearing and fired from a weapon or they can 
  be thrown where they open up with their eight spider legs splayed 
  out to clamp onto desired targets. These devices emit specialized 
  transmissions that can be used as a tracking and targeting source 
  for Mantis Cannons, but may also be utilized by Splicers units 
  that have Shrieker Hearing, Targeting or Tracking. Such units 
  include Biotics, Gorehounds, Host Armors, Living Body Armors, 
  War Mounts and Special weapons that are equipped with a pro-
  prietary Squealer Bio-Comm (this is in addition to the standard 
  Bio-Comm as a required prerequisite). Splicers can use these ex-
  perimental devices to mark targets for special weapons firing and 
  bombardment by Mantis Cannons. Once a Squealer is activated, 
  all Mantis Cannons within a 10-mile (16 km) radius are able to 
  track this transmission to its source and can accurately target it 
  even without line of sight. This allows them to fire over obstacles 
  or from a concealed position without ever seeing the target. It 
  helps the Fire Teams maintain a low profile in the field, plus not 
  having to rely on line or sight gives them a much greater field 
  of fire. Note: Mantis Cannons have an innate desire to obliterate 
  these Squealers once they hear the signal, but they will not fire 
  until commanded to do so by their Bombardier.
  Hear Shrieker Signals
  War Mounts or suits of Host Armor can be equipped with a 
  special Bio-Comm that enables them to hear the signal released 
  by Squealers or Shrieker rounds. The pilot can track this signal 
  to its source like a wailing alarm. However, this does not allow 
  the pilot to target that source with any kind of accuracy. He can 
  only determine the direction of the signal and estimate how far 
  away it is.
  Mantis Blades
  Mounted on the forearms of the armor are a large pair of Mantis 
  Blades. Each weapon consists of a three foot (0.9 m) long, ser-
  rated blade attached to an articulated insect leg that can move in 
  nearly any direction. The pilot controls the movement of the blades 
  for the most part, but each leg also possesses a small neurological 
  bundle that automatically moves the blades in conjunction with the 
  pilot’s actions to maximize the effectiveness of strikes and par-
  ries. It is difficult for opponents to adapt to the subtle movements 
  of the Mantis Blades. Just a change of a few inches can mean the 
  difference between an opponent’s strike getting intercepted by the 
  blades’ defenses or the attacker’s defenses being pierced by the 
  blade. The legs are as articulate as fingers and surprisingly strong. 
  They can tie up and incapacitate the toughest foes.
  M.D.C.: 2D6x10 each.
  Mega-Damage: 12D6 M.D. for a single blade strike or 4D4x10 
  M.D. per dual strike (counts as one melee attack).
  Bonuses: +3 to strike and parry and +2 to entangle and disarm.
  Bio-E Cost: 10 per blade.
  Prerequisite: Forearm Mounted Bone Blades.
  Bio-Enhancements: Mega Upgrade.
  Ripper Maw
  This unique enhancement can only be applied to Host Ar-
  mors and War Mounts equipped with a functional mouth that 
  can be augmented without interfering with the consumption and 
  digestive capabilities. The normal teeth are replaced with three 
  rows of razor-sharp, interlocking, shark-like teeth. These fear-
  some teeth can deliver devastating bites on their own, but the 
  true power of this enhancement is revealed once the teeth start 
  to move. The gums are modified with bands of powerful muscles 
  that rapidly move the teeth back and forth to create the Bio-Tech 
  equivalent of a chainsaw. Unlike a high-tech chainsaw, the Rip-
  per Maw is almost completely silent (at least until it starts tearing 
  
  121
  Bio-E Cost: 5 points.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Shrieker Targeting
  This enhancement is a step beyond simply hearing the signal 
  from Shriekers and Squealers. It enables the War Mount or Host 
  Armor pilot to visualize the exact location of the signal in space. 
  This allows the pilot to perfectly target the signal even without 
  line of sight, so even if a tagged enemy is completely concealed 
  behind cover, he can strike as normal without any penalties. Of 
  course, the pilot still needs a weapon that is capable of accurately 
  firing over the obstacle.
  Bio-E Cost: 10 points.
  Prerequisite: Hear Shrieker Signals (this enhancement is also 
  kept; it does not replace it).
  Shrieker Tracking
  Organic Rockets and Clinger Missiles can be enhanced with a 
  special Bio-Comm that lets these living missiles track Squealers 
  and Shrieker Rounds. They do not impart any additional bonuses 
  to strike or dodge, but they do enable the pilot to attack without 
  line of sight on the target. The downside is that missiles with this 
  enhancement will always go after a tagged target even if the pilot 
  intended to strike something else.
  Bio-E Cost: 2 points per Organic Rocket or Clinger Missile.
  Prerequisite: None.
  New Bio-Weapon
  Enhancements
  Handheld Bio-Weapons
  Bio-Force Field Emitter Spheres
  Similar to the Bio-Energy Expulsion Vents, these larger, 
  ribbed energy vents surround a blue-green sphere and are 
  installed onto the forearms or shoulders of Host Armors or 
  War Mounts. The Spheres are designed to channel stored Bio-
  Energy and natural neurolytic energy to generate a powerful, 
  concentrated and focused, bio-electric energy field (3.5 foot/1 
  m diameter) as opposed to a full body field. While the field is 
  extremely durable, it does take a considerable amount of time 
  to recharge.
  M.D.C. of the actual Bio-Force Vent: 6D6+40 M.D.C. points 
  per Sphere.
  M.D.C. of the Bio-Force Field: 1D8x10+60 M.D. is standard. 
  If desired, the Bio-Force Field’s M.D.C. can be increased by 25 
  M.D.C. per every additional 5 Bio-E points spent, up to a maxi-
  mum of 250 M.D.C.
  Penalty: If the M.D.C. of the Bio-Force Field is depleted, it can 
  not be reactivated again for 5 hours. As long as the Bio-Force 
  Field’s M.D.C. has not been depleted, it regenerates lost M.D.C. 
  at the rate of one point per two minutes (that’s 30 M.D.C. points 
  per hour).
  Bio-E Cost: 15 points.
  Prerequisite: None.
  “Dancing Blades” Spear
  This Bio-Tech long spear has a large, barbed spearhead on 
  the tip and four insect-like legs mounted about 18 inches (46 cm) 
  below that. Each leg ends with a long, thin spike that can punch 
  through even the strongest armor. When the spear stabs into a 
  target, the four spiked legs extend from the sides of the spear and 
  stab the target over and over again in rapid succession. As long 
  as the spear is in contact with the victim, the legs will continue to 
  inflict damage. That is what makes this weapon somewhat unique 
  to use. Instead of stabbing the target and then pulling it loose to 
  strike again, the wielder keeps pushing forward in order to keep 
  the target impaled so that the spike legs can do their work. Each 
  melee action, both the wielder and the victim must roll a twenty-
  sided die to determine if the target stays impaled. The only bo-
  nuses that apply are any P.P. bonuses. High roll wins, ties go to 
  the victim. If the attacker wins, the target stays impaled and the 
  insect legs continue to stab again and again. If the victim wins, he 
  breaks free of the spear. The number of melee actions both parties 
  has available also plays a part. If one side runs out of melee ac-
  tions first, then the other party automatically succeeds with each 
  attempt until the round ends.
  Weight: 9 pounds (4 kg).
  Mega-Damage: 3D6 M.D. from the initial impact, plus 4D4 
  M.D. each additional melee attack from the rapidly stabbing in-
  sect legs until the victim can wrench himself free from the end 
  of the spear.
  M.D.C. of the Weapon: 120 M.D.C.
  Trade Value: 4,000 credits, but limited availability.
  Hive Sword
  Locusts that devour metal or living tissue, armor, fur, etc. 
  when they come into contact with them. The Locusts are con-
  tained on a backpack sheath and the sword secretes an acidic 
  nectar that burns into the item it has made contact with and 
  draws the locusts into the target. The available Types of locusts 
  are Metal Eaters and Hide Eaters. Hive Swords can only carry 
  one type of Hive Locust as the two types are deadly rivals. If 
  rival locust types come within an 8 foot (2.4 m) proximity range 
  of each other, the locusts will immediately attack each other 
  and attempt to invade the rival’s hive in order to kill the rival’s 
  queen. The Hive Sword’s hive can be mounted onto the hive 
  of a Swarmlord and coexist with the Swarmlord’s hive insects 
  without conflicts. Insects can be washed out of wounds with 
  water or heavy smoke.
  M.D.C. of the Locusts: 1D6 each.
  Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D. for the large sword slash, plus the 
  acidic nectar itself burns an additional 1D4 M.D. per melee round 
  for 1D6 melee rounds. Once the nectar begins to burn into the tar-
  get, the aroma of the nectar and burning fumes immediately draw 
  out the locusts which begin to swarm around the sword and into 
  the burning wounds, and begin consuming the target’s burning 
  and exposed wounded area(s), causing an additional 2D6 M.D. 
  per melee round for 1D6 melee rounds (15-90 seconds) or until 
  washed off.
  Bonus: +4 to Horror Factor.
  Bio-E Cost: 40 points.
  Prerequisite: Only available to Carnivore, Omnivore and 
  Lithovore Host Armors and War Mounts.
  
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  Penalties: The Hive Sword is a large, two-handed weapon and 
  can only be held with both hands for Host Armors (otherwise, 
  they are – 3 to strike). Only large War Mounts with a hand and 
  opposable thumb like the Grendel or Silverback can wield it ef-
  fectively with one hand.
  Shrieker Launchers
  These special launchers are typically mounted on the shoulder 
  or the back of a forearm and resemble an armor-plated, foot long 
  (0.3 m) lobster’s tail. Each launcher is synced to the War Mount 
  or Host Armor’s eye movements, so it is always locked on tar-
  get with whatever the user is looking at. Shrieker Launchers are 
  equipped with a safety mechanism that prevents them from ac-
  cidentally firing into the body of the Host Armor or War Mount. 
  Once a target is tagged, the Shrieker round transmits a special 
  Bio-Comm signal up to a range of two miles (3.2 km). Any Bio-
  Tech weapon or device equipped with the proper Shrieker re-
  ceiver can then track this signal to its source and target it with 
  incredible accuracy (even without line of sight). The Shrieker 
  armor piercing rounds burrow deep into their target on impact, 
  which often enables them to survive a substantial bombardment 
  and still broadcast their tracking signal. However, there is a pos-
  sibility with each strike that the tracking round may be destroyed. 
  For every 10 points of Mega-Damage inflicted in a single strike, 
  there is a 01-05% chance the Shrieker round will be destroyed. 
  This applies to each individual attack; it is not a cumulative to-
  tal. For example, a Steel Trooper marked with a Shrieker round 
  is hit with a volley of Organic Rockets and suffers 58 M.D. 
  There is a 01-25% chance the round is destroyed (round down, 
  in other words 5 x 05%). The attacker rolls a 44 on percentiles, 
  so the round survives. This means the attacker can still target the 
  Shrieker round. He fires again and inflicts another 88 M.D., so 
  now there is a 01-40% chance that the round will be consumed in 
  this second attack. No matter how much damage is inflicted, the 
  highest possible percentage is 98%. When the target is destroyed, 
  the round is automatically destroyed as well.
  M.D.C. of the Shrieker Launcher: 1D4x10+25 M.D.C. points 
  per launcher.
  M.D.C. of the Shrieker Slug Round: 1D10 M.D. each.
  Range: 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Mega-Damage: 1D4 M.D. per Round.
  Rate of Fire: Each shot counts as one attack per melee.
  Duration: Once activated, a Shrieker round will broadcast its 
  Bio-Comm signal for 4D6 minutes before it starves to death.
  Bonuses: +4 to strike.
  Payload: 10 Shrieker rounds per launcher (20 total). Each spent 
  round is regrown every 4D6 minutes.
  Bio-E Cost: 10 points.
  Bio-Tech Explosives
  Bug Bombs
  The success of the Swarm Lord Program (see The Rifter® #51, 
  pages 30-40) has inspired many Librarians to further experiment 
  with these powerful Bio-Tech insects. One Librarian from House 
  Artemis took some of the most voracious bugs known as Locusts 
  and created powerful, new anti-personal grenades he called Bug 
  Bombs. They consist of a simple shell that contains dozens of Lo-
  custs held in stasis with a low-grade explosive in the center of the 
  bomb. The explosive itself is completely harmless (light S.D.C. 
  damage). It is meant to awaken the bugs and send them flying in 
  all directions within a radius of ten feet (3 m). The Locusts then 
  land on any nearby metallic object within range and eat until they 
  burst. The best part about these grenades is that they are complete-
  ly harmless to living creatures. The Locusts are genetically pro-
  grammed to be repulsed by the taste of flesh, so even if someone 
  detonates a Bug Bomb in his hand, the Locusts would only seek out 
  and destroy robots and other metallic debris. To activate the inter-
  nal charge and detonate the bomb, the wielder just squeezes a small 
  nerve cluster on top of the device. The user then has four seconds 
  (one melee attack) before the bomb detonates. He can either throw 
  it, or hold on to it to clear out the immediate area. Each Locust in-
  sect is like a voracious flying piranha, light brown with dark green 
  accents, has 2 M.D.C., can inflict 1D4 M.D. per melee round for 
  1D4 melees, fly a maximum flight speed of 80 mph (128 km) with 
  combat bonuses of +5 to strike and +3 to dodge.
  Weight: Half a pound (0.23 kg).
  Range: 100 feet (30.5 m) when thrown as a grenade (200 feet/61 
  m for Splicers). If attached to an arrow or spear the range is that 
  of the projectile reduced by 30% due to the extra weight and im-
  balance of the Bug Bomb on the tip.
  Mega-Damage: 3D4 M.D. per melee round for 1D4 melees to 
  any robot or metallic object within a 10 foot (3 m) radius. Note: 
  There are only enough Locusts within each Bug Bomb to affect 
  five robots. In the alternative, if the Bug Bomb is thrown onto a 
  large robot like an Assault Slayer or Battle Track, then the dam-
  age is 3D8 M.D. per melee round for 1D4 melees.
  Trade Value: 2,500 credits each (experimental with limited 
  availability).
  Mega Bug Bombs
  These larger bombs are about the size of a basketball. They 
  contain about four times as many Locusts as the standard Bug 
  Bomb, plus it has a larger charge in the center of the bomb to 
  spread the bugs farther. They are too large and unwieldy to throw 
  very far, so they are most often used in close combat.
  Weight: Four pounds (1.8 kg).
  Range: 40 feet (12.2 m) when thrown as a grenade (80 feet/24.4 
  m for Splicers).
  Mega-Damage: 3D6 M.D. per melee round for 1D4+1 melees 
  to any robot or metallic object within a 20 foot (6.1 m) radius. 
  Note: There are enough Locusts within each Bug Bomb to affect 
  2D4+6 robots. In the alternative, if the Bug Bomb is thrown onto 
  a large robot like an Assault Slayer or Battle Track, then the dam-
  age is 6D8 per melee round for 1D4+2 melees.
  Trade Value: 6,000 credits each (experimental, with limited 
  availability).
  Protective Bug Bomb
  This experimental grenade uses the same basic design as the 
  offensive Bug Bomb, but instead of Locusts, this grenade is filled 
  with dozens of Impact Beetles. When detonated, the bugs fly to 
  the closest object (whether living or not) and activate their force 
  fields. Most users detonate the grenade in hand (light S.D.C. 
  damage) so the bugs swarm all over them to create a form-fitting 
  protective field, but this grenade can be used to apply a force 
  
  123
  foot (3 m) area suffers 1D8 damage per melee round for 1D4 
  melees. The acidic mist only inflicts 1D4 S.D.C. to organic tis-
  sue. If the attacker rolls a Natural 20 (or 24 or higher with strike 
  bonuses, or only 17 or higher if the M.D.C. of the Main Body 
  has been reduced by 50 percent), the seed round punches straight 
  through the external armor and releases its acidic payload directly 
  into the internal circuitry of the robot. This inflicts an additional 
  5D8 damage every melee round for 1D4+1 melees. The melted 
  circuits and components will impair the robot’s motor functions 
  until the damaged systems can be repaired or rerouted. The robot 
  loses one attack per melee and is -2 to strike, parry, and dodge for 
  1D4 melee rounds.
  Note: The seed round will not open if fired into an organic target.
  Duration: The acid burns for 1D4+1 melee rounds.
  Rate of Fire: Each shot counts as one attack per melee.
  Payload: 15 seed rounds. The Host Armor can produce one re-
  placement seed round every 2D6 minutes.
  Bonus: +2 to strike.
  Bio-E Cost: 50 points.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Sniper Note: Characters that possess the Sniper skill are more 
  likely to successfully puncture a robot’s armor with a seed round. 
  If the character rolls a Natural 18, 19, or 20 (or 21 or higher with 
  strike bonuses, or only 16 or higher if the M.D.C. of the Main 
  Body has been reduced by 50 percent), the seed round punctures 
  the target’s outer shell and begins damaging the robot’s internal 
  cavity.
  Annihilator Cannon
  The Annihilator Cannon is a heavy support weapon designed 
  to be used by un-augmented infantry soldiers. When not in use, 
  the cannon looks like a thirty gallon (113.5 liters) bucket made 
  of muscle and bone mounted on four spindly insect legs. It can 
  walk behind its user at a pretty decent pace like a loyal pet, but 
  it is not really meant to operate on its own. To use the cannon, 
  the gunner mounts the weapon on his chest with two of the legs 
  wrapping over his shoulders to secure it in place and the other 
  two legs bracing on the ground in front of the gunner to help with 
  the weight. One would think that this massive weapon would se-
  verely limit mobility, but the support legs allow the user to move 
  and fire with surprising agility. The cannon fires an experimental 
  type of energy blast similar to the one used by the Omega Blaster. 
  Its destructive power is incredible, but so far, the Librarians have 
  had difficulty stabilizing the power supply.
  Weight: 45 lbs (20.3 kg).
  M.D.C. of the Rifle: 3D4x10+30 M.D.C.
  Range: 3,000 feet (914 m).
  Mega-Damage: 3D4x10 M.D. per blast.
  Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee attack.
  Payload: Variable, determine payload every hour. After the first 
  blast is fired, roll 2D12 to determine the cannon’s payload for the 
  next hour. At the end of the hour, the cannon’s payload regener-
  ates completely and the power core tries to reset itself.
  Abilities When Operating Independently:
  Running: 15 mph (24 km), Leaping: 5 feet (1.5 m) high or across. 
  Swimming: Not possible.
  Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Climb 50% and Prowl 
  30%.
  Trade Value: 30,000 credits, but limited availability.
  field to virtually anything. The only problem is that most people 
  are uncomfortable with Hive Insects crawling across their skin, 
  and will often panic. Unless the recipient of the bugs rolls a 10 or 
  higher to save verses Horror Factor, he will panic and brush off 
  the protective insects. The bugs can project their field for 3D4+10 
  minutes before their energies are depleted and they fly off to die. 
  The Impact Beetles die one melee round later and quickly de-
  compose into sludge. Each Impact Beetle insect is solid black, 
  has 2 M.D.C., can inflict 3D6 M.D., with a maximum range of 
  1,500 feet (457 m), fly normally at 60 mph (96 km), but can reach 
  speeds of Mach 2 (1,552 mph/2,483 km) when attacking a target 
  and has combat bonuses of +6 to strike and +2 to dodge.
  Weight: One and a half pounds (0.68 kg).
  M.D.C. of the Force Field: 3D4x10 M.D.C. The bugs die off as 
  the M.D.C. is depleted or when their energy levels are depleted 
  3D4+10 minutes later.
  Range: 100 feet (30.5 m) when thrown as a grenade (200 feet/61 
  m for Splicers). If attached to an arrow or spear, the range is that 
  of the projectile reduced by 30% due to the extra weight and im-
  balance of the Protective Bug Bomb on the tip.
  Trade Value: 3,000 credits each (experimental, with limited 
  availability).
  Scutigera Mobile Migs
  The Scutigera, dubbed “Scurry,” is a modified Mig with up 
  to 15 pairs of long, multi-articulate, hairy legs, which enable the 
  Mobile Mig to reach surprising speeds running across floors, up 
  walls and along ceilings. It is a dark yellowish-gray and has four 
  dorsal stripes running down its length, and black striped legs, giv-
  ing it the appearance of a giant centipede. When the Scutigera 
  Mobile Mig is at rest, it is not easy to tell its front from its back.
  Weight: One pound (0.45 kg).
  Range: The Mobile Mig can travel at 50 mph (80.4 km) up to 
  1500 feet (457.2 m) before it gets too tired and stops to rest for 
  1D4 hours, before running after its target again. Its maximum 
  range is one mile (5,280 feet/1.6 km) and then it will automati-
  cally detonate. However, it will likely detonate long before this 
  occurs (45% chance every 1,500 feet/457.2 m). They can also be 
  thrown like standard Migs for about 40 feet (12.2 m; double for 
  Splicers).
  Mega-Damage: 1D8x10 M.D. to a 12 foot (3.65 m) radius.
  Trade Value: 2,000 credits, but limited availability.
  Ranged Bio-Weapons
  Acid Seed Cannon
  This cannon fires a hollow seed round filled with a powerful 
  acid. The acid is devastating to metals and other inorganic mate-
  rial, but is relatively harmless to humans. The hollow round is 
  more likely to shatter on impact than other seed rounds, but on 
  a positive note, the explosive impact sprays a 10 foot (3 m) area 
  with a fine corrosive mist.
  M.D.C. of the Seed: 4D4 each.
  Range: 3,800 feet (1,158 m).
  Mega-Damage: 4D8 from the seed round. If the seed does not 
  pierce the robot’s armored shell, the round shatters on impact 
  and creates a fine mist of powerful acid. Everything within a 10 
  
  124
  Clinger Missile
  An Organic Rocket can be further enhanced into a Clinger Mis-
  sile. The small protruding point of the Organic Rocket evolves to 
  look like an upside down starfish. These starfish-like pseudopods 
  allow the missile to lock tight against any surface. The Clinger 
  Missile tracks down and rams into its target at full speed, adheres 
  to it with its pseudopods, and then a millisecond after attaching 
  to its target, it detonates. Unlike standard Organic Rockets, the 
  unique design of the Clinger Missile directs the majority of the 
  explosive force inward like a shaped charge. This drastically in-
  creases its destructive power, but it does decrease the blast radius. 
  In the center of the pseudopods is the same neurological bundle 
  and eye that is found in the Organic Rocket, so the Clinger Mis-
  sile can also continue to track down its target if it misses. How-
  ever, the pseudopods decrease the aerodynamics of the missile, 
  so it is not quite as maneuverable as a standard Organic Rocket. 
  The Clinger Missile has one attack per melee and bonuses of +4 
  to strike and dodge, until it strikes its target, is shot down, or until 
  it dies within 2D4 melee rounds after being launched.
  M.D.C. of the Rockets: 13 M.D.C. points, but the missile is a 
  small target and is -3 to hit on a “Called Shot” when still located 
  on the Host Armor. After launching, each missile is treated the 
  same as a high-tech mini-missile and can be shot down as normal.
  Range: One mile (1.6 km).
  Mega-Damage: 8D10 per individual missile fired, with a blast 
  radius of 5 feet (1.5 m). The directed blast has a 20% chance 
  of temporarily scrambling a robot’s internal circuitry. If this oc-
  curs, the robot is stunned for 1D4 melee rounds, loses one attack 
  per melee round, and suffers penalties of -2 to strike, parry, and 
  dodge. Note: The chance of stunning the robot is increased by 5% 
  for every additional Clinger Missile in a volley.
  Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 6 or up to the 
  number located on that particular Host Armor. Whether a single 
  missile or an entire volley is fired, it counts as one melee attack. 
  Roll once to strike, either all the missiles in the volley hit or they 
  all miss.
  Payload: Based on the number of Organic Rockets enhanced into 
  Clinger Missiles. It takes 6D6 hours to regrow spent missiles.
  Bonuses: +4 to strike and dodge, as noted above.
  Bio-E Cost: 8 points per Clinger Missile.
  Prerequisite: An Organic Rocket, which transforms (grows) into 
  a Clinger Missile.
  “Eye-See-You” Self-Propelled Grenade
  These smart grenades are basically miniature Organic Rock-
  ets, and just like the larger rockets, each grenade possesses a sin-
  gle eye and a neurological bundle that allows it to independently 
  track its target. To launch the grenade, the user must first attach 
  the two foot (0.6 m) long tentacle to his temple to link with the 
  device. This allows the user to see through the eye mounted on 
  the grenade (at least while linked). He then points the eye at the 
  desired target and sends a mental signal to confirm the target. 
  Once the grenade is “programmed” with its objective, the user 
  then yanks the connection tentacle from the grenade and it rock-
  ets off towards its goal. The grenade will continue to track down 
  its prey until it strikes its target, is shot down, or until it dies 
  within 2D4 melee rounds after being launched. It has one attack 
  per melee and bonuses of +5 to strike and dodge.
  Weight: Half a pound (0.22 kg).
  Range: 100 feet (30.5 m) when thrown as a grenade (200 feet/61 
  m for Splicers) or about 2,800 feet (853.44 m) when tracking a 
  target.
  Mega-Damage: 5D8 M.D. to an 8 foot (2.4 m) radius.
  Trade Value: 1,400 credits, but limited availability.
  Glimmer Guns
  Mounted on each shoulder of the Host Armor or War Mount 
  are a pair of experimental organic energy cannons called Glimmer 
  Guns. They get their name from the brilliant stream of blue en-
  ergy pulses they unleash. Observers have described it as a shower 
  of blue sparks shot from a fire hose. This effect is achieved when 
  the dozens of smaller barrels within each cannon fire their tiny 
  energy “packets” of Bio-Energy in rapid succession. These en-
  ergy packets explode on contact, causing tremendous damage. 
  Each individual barrel is somewhat inaccurate, but the weapon 
  unleashes such a tremendous amount of fire that it does not mat-
  ter. In fact, most users prefer this little flaw since it causes the 
  energy blast to affect a larger area.
  Range: 2,600 feet (793 m).
  Mega-Damage: 6D8 M.D. to a 5 foot (1.5 m) area for a single 
  burst, or 2D4x10+20 M.D. to a 10 foot (3 m) area per dual burst 
  from both cannons.
  Rate of Fire: Each burst counts as one melee action. Dual burst 
  attacks from both cannons also counts as one melee attack.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  Bonuses: None.
  Bio-E Cost: 45 each.
  Heavy Bore Rifle
  This heavy support weapon is a larger, more powerful ver-
  sion of the Bore Rifle. The oversized ammo drum mounted on the 
  underside of the weapon carries more Bore rounds than standard 
  rifles even though each grub is larger.
  M.D.C. of the Bore Rifle: 1D4x10+65 M.D.C.
  M.D.C. of the Grub: 1D10 M.D.C. +4.
  Weight: 25 lbs (11.2 kg). Most humans must use two hands to 
  aim and shoot the weapon, otherwise they are – 4 to strike. Indi-
  viduals with Splicer P.S. of 24 or higher can fire the weapon with 
  one hand.
  Range: 1,800 feet (548.6 m).
  Mega-Damage: 2D10 M.D. for each grub fired from the rifle. 
  The Bore round does an additional 1D10+3 M.D. for the next 
  1D6 melee rounds after it hits a metal target.
  Rate of Fire: Each shot counts as one melee attack.
  Payload: The Heavy Bore Rifle has a payload of 24 Bore Rounds. 
  The Bio-Weapon can produce one replacement grub in only 3D6 
  minutes to replace the last round fired.
  
  125
  Bonus: +1 to strike on a carefully aimed shot only.
  Trade Value: 12,000 credits.
  it can store additional high-power blasts after a successful leech 
  attack. Spent blasts are recharged a rate of 1D4 every minute.
  Bonus: +1 to strike.
  Trade Value: 36,000 credits, but extremely rare.
  Receptor Mounds
  These special devices are Shrieker or Squealer-triggered mini-
  weapons platforms that are used to secure an area, establish a 
  protective perimeter, set traps or to weaken incoming enemies. 
  Receptor Mounds resemble large, 60 pound (27 kg) mushrooms 
  with two pair of snail-like eyes and bio-organic ports across the 
  top of its cap. The only exceptions are the Energy Beam Mound 
  and Rocket Mound which have Super Light Cell clusters or pro-
  truding Organic Rocket tips instead of the ports. For the most 
  part, the mushroom’s cap operates like an umbrella by protecting 
  the gills and spores that are just below the cap from being dam-
  aged or contaminated. It takes only 2D4 melee rounds to plant or 
  replant a Receptor Mound. They can be planted into any dirt or 
  rock surface that provides minerals, as long as they can breathe 
  oxygen (including underwater), and can be fed 5 pounds (2.25 
  kg) worth of dead plant matter a day. They will die after 7 days 
  if not fed. If a Receptor Mound is planted in a forest, jungle or 
  heaven forbid, a Gardener’s garden, it automatically begins to 
  gorge on the plant material surrounding it, up to a 10 foot radius 
  (3 m) despite being fed regularly. There are four basic Receptor 
  Mound types, each possessing its own unique discharge capabili-
  ties.
  1. Hive Mounds: Hive Mounds resemble large, honeycombed 
  hornets’ nest, resting atop of a large mushroom that are home to 
  6D10+15 Hive Insects, which are the same species used by the 
  Swarm Lord O.C.C. (see The Rifter® #51, page 30). They can 
  attack in swarms (2D10 swarm) for a range of 1,200 feet (366 m). 
  The available varieties are: Locust, Fire Flies, Stinger, Flybys, 
  Lightning Bugs, Impact Beetles and Weavers.
  2. Energy Beam Mounds: These Receptor Mounds contain 
  clusters of Super Light Cells (3D10x10) spread randomly across 
  the mushroom cap. The Super Light Cells produce beams of pure 
  white light that do full damage even to laser resistant armors (it’s 
  not a true laser). Each cell delivers 1D10 M.D. and the Receptor 
  Mound can fire one light cell or all of them in a single volley up 
  to an effective range of 1,000 feet (305 m) as long as the target(s) 
  are in direct line of sight of the cells. However, due to it requiring 
  a direct line of sight on a target, they are also harder to conceal 
  and are usually placed in high places like in a ruined building 
  or hilltop. As a bonus, they are far more accurate (+3 to strike), 
  with an effectively unlimited payload. Machine forces typically 
  bombard these whenever possible.
  3. Rocket Mounds: These are easy to identify as they have 
  (2D6) organic rocket tips protruding out of the cap, and they fire 
  organic rocket rounds at Shrieker-lased targets. Each rocket is like 
  an organic version of a technological missile or rocket propelled 
  grenade with its own independent neurological bundle (similar to 
  a tiny computer brain) and a single eye mounted in the nose of 
  the rocket for seeing and tracking its subject independently. This 
  provides each of the organic rockets with one attack per melee 
  round, as well as a bonus of +5 to strike and dodge, until it strikes 
  its target(and is destroyed), is shot down and destroyed, or until it 
  dies within 2D4 melee rounds after being launched by the Rocket 
  Mound. Each organic rocket has 11 M.D.C. and is -3 to hit on a 
  Leecher Rifle
  The Leecher Rifle is an experimental weapon that builds upon 
  the energy-swapping technologies developed for Bio-Energy 
  weapons. However, instead of tapping into the strength of the 
  wielder, the Leecher Rifle was designed to steal the strength from 
  an opponent to empower the rifle, forcing the target to weaken. 
  Once the four front-mounted spikes are stabbed into the target 
  like a bayonet, the wielder can attempt to make a draining attack 
  (counts as a melee attack). Living targets can attempt to make a 
  save of 14 or higher against this attack (P.E. bonuses apply). On a 
  failed roll, a massive amount of Bio-Energy is siphoned out of the 
  victim and into the rifle. The target (whether S.D.C. or M.D.C. 
  based) is weakened for 2D4 melee rounds. His P.S. and P.E. are 
  reduced by half, he loses two attacks per melee, and suffers pen-
  alties of -4 to strike, parry, and dodge. Additional draining attacks 
  do not increase the penalties, but they do increase the duration 
  of the affect. On the flip side, the siphoned energy drastically 
  increases the power of the rifle. 10 high-power blasts are added 
  to the payload of the rifle (even if this increases the payload over 
  the usual maximum), range is increased by 50 percent, and each 
  blast receives a damage bonus of +20 M.D. The increased power 
  lasts for 20 blasts or 1D4 melee rounds, whichever comes first.
  Robotic opponents cannot resist, but the effects are not quite 
  as powerful. The sudden energy drain does affect the robot’s in-
  ternal systems, but for a duration of only one melee round. The 
  range and damage of all of the robot’s energy-based weapons are 
  reduced by half, it loses one attack per melee, and suffers penal-
  ties of -3 on initiative and – 3 to strike, parry, and dodge. The 
  Leecher Rifle cannot funnel this stolen power as easily as Bio-
  Energy so it only receives bonuses of +10 M.D. to damage and an 
  additional 5 high-power blasts. The increased power lasts for 15 
  blasts or 1D4 melee rounds, whichever comes first.
  Weight: 7 lbs (3.2 kg).
  M.D.C. of the Rifle: 2D4x10+20 M.D.C.
  Range: 1,800 feet (549 m).
  Mega-Damage: 3D6 M.D. per bayonet attack. 1D8 M.D. per 
  lower power blast, 4D8 M.D. per high-power blast. Both types 
  of energy blasts can also be further empowered by a successful 
  leech attack.
  Rate of Fire: Each shot counts as one melee attack.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited for the lower power blasts. The 
  rifle can naturally generate and store 15 high-power blasts, but 
  
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  “Called Shot,” while still lodged in the mound. 5D10 M.D. with 
  a blast radius of 10 feet (3 m) is delivered per individual rocket 
  and each has an maximum effective range of one mile (1.6 km). 
  Rocket Mounds can discharge Rockets one at a time or in volleys 
  of 2, 4, 6, 8 or all rockets at once. It takes 6D6 hours for a mound 
  to regrow spent rockets.
  4. Burner “Volcano” Mounds: These wicked receptor mounds 
  are ideal candidates of destruction towards machine and rival 
  Splicers. The Burner Mound looks like a decaying fungus mush-
  room with multiple (2D4) large craters resembling miniature 
  volcanoes scattered across the cap. Inside each crater however 
  is a Burner nozzle that projects the sticky, bio-napalm that can 
  consume an average robot or drone in a matter of minutes. Only 
  by wiping the matter off can the target hope to survive. A bio-
  napalm burst does 3D8 M.D., but a concentrated plasma burst 
  (counts as two melee attacks/actions) does 1D8x10 M.D. and can 
  cover up to 10 feet (3 m) with each attack, up to 40 feet (12.2 m) 
  of diameter for four attacks with everyone in the affected area 
  taking 2D8 M.D. Additionally, any target that is hit by the bio-
  napalm will continue to take 2D8 M.D. of damage every melee 
  round for 2D4 minutes. The only way to save oneself from the 
  damage is to roll in dirt or sand (water will not extinguish the bio-
  napalm) for one entire melee round (15 seconds), until the bio-
  napalm is rubbed off. A Burner Mound can deliver plasma bursts 
  either one at a time or multiple burst volleys of 2, 4, 6 or all, up 
  to a maximum effective range of 100 feet (30.5 m). The Burner 
  Mound stores enough napalm for up to 40 attacks and can target 
  multiple targets at the same time. Each mound can reproduce its 
  entire reservoir payload in 2D10 hours. The mound itself will not 
  burn from the bio-napalm as it secretes a sticky mucus coating 
  that protects it. The translucent slime can be used or gathered to 
  cover and protect oneself from the burning Mega-Damage fire.
  on as if it was clinging to the side of a fish tank and then starts 
  absorbing the force field’s energy at an incredible rate. The Li-
  brarians, however, were not content with simply draining the tar-
  get’s shields. They also added a small firing port to the underside 
  of these parasitic little creatures that they can extrude directly 
  through the shield itself. Once the starfish starts siphoning the 
  field’s power, it quickly converts this energy and fires it back at 
  the target from beneath its own shields. The only way to avoid 
  this energy blast is for the victim to turn off his shields and let the 
  starfish fall harmlessly to the ground. Most robots and Splicers 
  that have been on the business end of this weapon thought they 
  could just flip off their force fields temporarily and then turn them 
  back on once they shook off the parasite. They all found out the 
  hard way that the disruptive nature of these starfish prevents any 
  prematurely deactivated force fields from being reactivated for 
  4D4 minutes. Either way, the shooter succeeds in removing the 
  target’s shields. As devastating as this weapon is against force 
  fields, it is completely harmless when fired directly at robots or 
  living creatures. The projectiles cannot latch on with any amount 
  of strength so they are easily removed, but even if they are al-
  lowed to cling to a target for an extended period of time, they 
  never seem to siphon enough energy to cause any ill effects. 
  There is just something about the raw energy of force fields that 
  they can soak up like a sponge.
  Weight: 11 lbs (5 kg).
  M.D.C. of the Rifle: 2D4x10+20 M.D.C.
  Range: 1,400 feet (426.7 m).
  Mega-Damage: No damage from the initial impact. After two 
  melee actions, the projectile starts drawing energy off the shield. 
  At this point, the starfish inflicts 5D8 M.D. to the force field 
  twice per melee round. The projectile also inflicts 3D6 M.D. to 
  the main body of the target twice per melee round. Alternate back 
  and forth between damaging the force field and damaging the 
  main body every melee action.
  Rate of Fire: Each shot counts as one melee attack.
  Payload: 10 starfish projectiles. The Shield Cracker can regrow 
  one spent projectile every 4D6 minutes.
  Bonus: +1 to strike.
  Trade Value: 19,000 credits, but limited availability.
  Side Kick Rifles
  Side Kick Rifles are House Artemis’s latest attempt to take the 
  concept of living weaponry to the next level. At first, these heavy 
  Bio-Tech rifles just appear to be an organic rifle or cannon with a 
  stylized insect-like appearance. However, when they crawl from 
  atop of the shoulders or back of a Host Armor or War Mount and 
  begin skittering across the ground, walls or ceilings and begin 
  firing at targets acquired by the pilot, the whole concept of living 
  weapon is reiterated. The Side Kick types that are available are a 
  Bore Cannon (medium), Chemical Sprayer Cannon, Spore Dis-
  charger Cannon (medium) or Super Light Cell Cluster Cannon 
  (four cells per rifle). Host Armors can have up to two Side Kicks; 
  either both shoulders or shoulder and back-mounted configura-
  tion. War Mounts can have up to four Side Kicks. Any more Side 
  Kicks have proven to overload Bio-Comms.
  Side Kicks receive all the physical structured upgrades that 
  their corresponding Host Armor or War Mount receive (e.g. Acid 
  Blood, Increased M.D.C., Horned Defense, Regeneration, etc.), 
  but they are limited with their senses as they are only equipped 
  Shield Cracker
  (Shield Penetrator Rifle)
  This strange rifle is somewhat limited since it is only useful 
  against force fields, but it so effective at what it does that the Li-
  brarians believe it will eventually become a staple of humanity’s 
  arsenal. The rifle’s ammunition was created from a strange star-
  fish that lives on the shores of the Great Ocean. These creatures 
  were an annoyance to the Machine (and to the human’s techno-
  logical ancestors) because they would latch on to machines or 
  power cables within the ocean and devour a surprisingly large 
  amount of energy. They have existed in the Great Ocean for cen-
  turies, despite the Machine’s efforts to exterminate them. They 
  are basically harmless other than the amount of power they waste, 
  but the Librarians were able to craft them into something much 
  more destructive. The rifle fires these genetically modified star-
  fish with decent range and accuracy despite their poor aerody-
  namics. When the starfish lands on an energy shield, it latches 
  
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  with a Bio-Comm, Advanced Eyes and Antennae (all other types 
  of Sensors must be purchased and added to the Side Kick). For 
  armors and War Mounts that have Stealth field abilities; once the 
  Side Kick disengages from the Armor/War Mount, it is no longer 
  hidden by the Stealth Field nor can it receive this Bio-Enhance-
  ment. Side Kick Rifles can only be upgraded with Omni, Mega 
  and Super upgrades (described in the Splicers® RPG on page 
  107).
  Weight: 18 lbs (8.1 kg). Most humans must use two hands to aim 
  and shoot the weapon, otherwise they are -3 to strike. Individuals 
  with a Splicer P.S. of 22 or higher can fire the weapon with one 
  hand.
  M.D.C. of the Rifle: 6D10+50 M.D.C.
  Range:
  Bore Type: 2,000 feet (610 m).
  Chemical Sprayer Type: 12 feet (3.7 m) mist diameter or 40 feet 
  (12.2 m) as a squirted spray.
  Spore Discharger Cannon Type: 600 feet (183 m).
  Super Light Cell Cluster Type: 1,000 feet (305 m), but the range 
  can be increased to 2,000 feet (610 m) for 5 Bio-E per each Light 
  Cell.
  Mega-Damage:
  Bore Type: 3D10 M.D. per grub fired. The Bore round does an 
  additional 1D10+3 M.D. for the next 1D6 melee rounds, after the 
  initial shot, as the grub eats its way into the target.
  Chemical Sprayer Type varies with the type of chemical used 
  (see Splicers® RPG, page 100).
  Spore Discharger Type: 4D8 M.D., with a blast (splash) radius of 
  20 feet (6.1 m).
  Super Light Cell Cluster Type: 1D10 M.D. per Super Light Cell 
  fired in the volley from 1, 2, 3 or 4 Super Light Cells.
  Rate of Fire: Each blast of the Bore Type, Chemical Sprayer and 
  Spore Discharger counts as one melee attack. However, the Super 
  Light Cell Cluster can fire volleys of 1, 2, 3 or all 4 Super Light 
  Cells simultaneously and count as one melee attack.
  Payload: Bore Types can have 24 Bore rounds, with the Host 
  Armor producing one replacement grub every 3D6 minutes per 
  spent grub fired. To reload its entire payload, it needs 2D4 hours.
  Chemical Sprayer Types can produce enough of one chemi-
  cal for up to ten attacks every 24 hours. If the capacity for more 
  than one chemical is added to the weapon, each chemical can be 
  used four times per 24 hours. Automatically regenerates within 
  24 hours of its initial use.
  Spore Discharger and Super Light Cell Cluster types are ef-
  fectively unlimited.
  Bonus: +3 to strike on an aimed shot. +2 to strike when shooting 
  wild.
  Abilities When Operating Independently:
  Running: Side Kicks can reach 50 mph (80 km) up to a maxi-
  mum range of 2 miles (3.2 km) away from their commanding 
  Bio-Comm Host Armor before overheating. The act of running 
  does overheat the living cannon and they must rest for two hours 
  before running again. If overheated, Side Kicks suffer a reduced 
  speed of 50%, -3 to strike and dodge, and their maximum effec-
  
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  tive range is reduced by half. However, if the Side Kick periodi-
  cally pauses for 10-20 minutes every hour or so, it can continue 
  to run and fire at normal speeds and range.
  Leaping: 10 feet (3 m) high or across.
  Swimming: Not possible.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 2
  Combat Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +3 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +4 to strike with its laser blast, +2 to parry, +3 to dodge, 
  and impervious to Horror Factor, disease, and poison.
  Close Combat Capabilities: Claw Strike 3D4 M.D.
  Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Climb 80% and Prowl 
  50%.
  Penalties: Side Kicks must reconnect with their bonded Host Ar-
  mor or War Mount every 1D4 days or they will die off. Side 
  Kicks can only operate within 6 miles (9.6 km) away from their 
  bonded Host Armor or War Mount. If the distance exceeds that, 
  the Side Kick instantly goes dormant and will not move or come 
  back online until it detects its bonded Bio-Comm.
  Trade Value: 30,000 credits, but limited availability.
  tional scouts, trackers, hunters, guardians and fighters. Add to the 
  fact that Gorehounds can be customized with bio-enhancements, 
  various armament and defences; Packmasters rarely would en-
  tertain utilizing anything other than Gorehounds. However, even 
  being augmentable, there are certain specialized functions that 
  can use a little more enhancement without breaking the envelope. 
  Maulers were created as purified weapons, but medically speak-
  ing, there are very few field options to help sustain Splicers. The 
  small population of Saints among the Resistance are extremely 
  valuable and make attractive targets for capture by the Machine, 
  and are not deployed very often on the surface. Unfortunately, 
  numerous soldiers have died on the battlefield due to the lack of 
  speed and the intensity of ongoing combat that surrounds most 
  wounded victims. This typically means that by the time a Saint 
  reaches a victim it is too late. However, a specialized Gorehound 
  can reach and help sustain wounded soldiers or move them to 
  safer staging areas where victims could be stabilized just long 
  enough for a Saint or emergency evacuation team to properly 
  treat them.
  Librarian Constantine marvelled at the natural bond between 
  humans and hounds, probing the minds of Biotics, Scarecrows 
  and other field soldiers, and studying how Gorehounds rush to 
  someone’s aid or defense and do their very best to appease their 
  Packmasters. Constantine pondered on a Gorehound design that 
  would specialize in being a first responder for Splicers. The Li-
  brarian discussed the matter with Warlord Artemis and it was 
  agreed upon that another Gorehound upgrade would be approved, 
  a medical support type called the Samaritan. Inspired by the an-
  cient world breeds like the Saint Bernard, Newfoundland, Bou-
  vier De Flanders and Labrador Retriever, Samaritans are Gore-
  hounds that have been augmented with their instincts heightened 
  towards human life and preservation. Designed to tend to injured 
  victims during intense battles or critical situations, the Samaritan 
  is engineered to endure attacks while not being distracted from 
  its primary tasks of reaching, tending to, sustaining and if need 
  be, defending victims. When required, the Samaritan will retrieve 
  and relocate victims to a more suitable staging area where victims 
  can be best treated by either the Gorehound itself via a licking 
  bath provided by its quick-healing tongue that serves as a Slap 
  Patch (see Splicers® RPG, page 130 for capabilities) and its lim-
  ited medical abilities or by a nearby Saint or other field support. 
  It relies heavily on the rest of the Gore-Pack to tackle any threats, 
  but it will defend itself and particularly those it is assigned to 
  retrieve or protect with a valiant ferocity when enraged.
  Samaritans look very different from most Gorehounds, as 
  it is important to preserve a calming, non-threatening presence 
  while they tend to the wounded. To help fulfill this, Constantine 
  designed Samaritans to have a very thick, soft coat of fur that 
  covers layers of physical attack-resistant blubber, armor plating 
  and powerful muscles that stand out under the heavy fur. The fur 
  coat, while being exceptionally soft, is remarkably durable (Me-
  ga-Damage) and has an elastic skin adhered to the body through 
  a not a very lax subcutaneous tissue, giving them a slight wrinkly 
  appeal. The thick, loose folds of skin allow Samaritans to scram-
  ble into jagged edged areas to reach wounded comrades without 
  being torn up in the process. The skin also enables the Gorehound 
  to physically grapple with adversaries like alien predators, rival 
  Splicers or machines that are wielding sharp-edged weapons by 
  reducing the severity of their lacerations and overall penetration 
  by half for claws, teeth, spines, daggers, small blades, spurs, etc. 
  Thud Gun
  This small, yet powerful short-range Bio-Tech firearm looks 
  like an organic sawed-off shotgun. It fires high explosive shells 
  that hammer targets with crushing concussive blasts that not only 
  inflict tremendous damage, but are capable of knocking down all 
  but the largest targets.
  Weight: 5 lbs (2.25 kg).
  M.D.C. of the Rifle: 5D10+30 M.D.C.
  Range: 500 feet (152.4 m).
  Mega-Damage: 6D8 M.D. per blast, plus there is a 01-45% like-
  lihood of the impact knocking an opponent as large as 15 feet (4.6 
  m) tall off of his feet and onto his back. If knocked off his feet, 
  the victim loses initiative and two melee attacks.
  Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee attack.
  Payload: 15 shells. The Thud Gun can regrow one spent shell 
  every 2D4 minutes.
  Bonus: +1 to strike.
  Trade Value: 14,000 credits, but limited availability.
  New Gorehound Type –
  Samaritan
  Created by Todd Spencley and Charles “Chuck” Walton II
  The modifications of Gorehounds have been met with a mod-
  erate level of criticism, as the standard Gorehounds have proven 
  themselves time and time again to be versatile, formidable, quick, 
  intelligent, trustworthy and cohesive field units. They are excep-
  
  129
  All Vibro-Blades, long swords, stabbing attacks and projectile 
  munitions deliver full damage unless augmented otherwise.
  One of the saving graces of the Samaritan design has to be its 
  Slap Patch tongue. The Purple or Emerald colored tongue is based 
  off of the medical Bio-Tech device and operates in the same ca-
  pacity as a Slap Patch only the Samaritan’s tongue is designed 
  to be for long-term usage. It stops bleeding, soothes burns, stops 
  bruising, reduces swelling and begins to regenerate damaged ar-
  eas of living beings (human and Bio-Tech oriented). The tongue 
  heals 3D8 S.D.C. points and 1D10 Hit Points per melee round to 
  humans and ordinary animals, and 2D10 M.D.C. to Mega-Dam-
  age animals and Bio-Tech Devices. The healing is very quick, 
  requiring only 1D6 melee actions for the healing to start and the 
  organism regenerates damage and heals wounds once each melee 
  round for 2D4 rounds. The Samaritan’s saliva has blood clotting 
  and cleansing agents to prevent blood loss or infection and they 
  also stimulate the victims to help prevent them from going into a 
  coma (+2 to saving throws). To help maintain some form of sani-
  tary treatment and care, the Samaritan’s fur coat and the pores on 
  its skin secrete a sterilizing dew that is easily released when the 
  area is pressed. This allows for the Gorehound to sterilize open 
  wounds simply by pressing up into a victim with a slight nudge. 
  Field medics may also cleanse themselves from germs, poisons, 
  venoms, viruses, toxins, bio-acids, blood and bacteria, and even 
  reduce their scent, by pressing on the Samaritan’s fur until they 
  have enough dew and wiping themselves with it. The dew is very 
  active against blood, literally causing blood to evaporate within 
  minutes. The dew does not remove Napalm, Chemical Sprayer 
  stick-um, webbing, or metal of any form.
  The Samaritan’s “puppy fat” is blubber that is highly resis-
  tant to physical attacks. This makes the Samaritan look cute and 
  puppy-like and helps its first impression appear non-threatening, 
  especially to strangers that are wary of Bio-Tech. However, it 
  serves as well-placed cushioning to protect the Gorehound from 
  blunt attacks as well as falls, explosive concussive forces and im-
  pacts as it strives to reach wounded victims located in hostile or 
  deadly places such as a combat field, ravine, alien predator’s lair, 
  etc. Adding to the Samaritan’s unique design are a pair of retract-
  able, slender, squid-like Medical Tentacles that act as manipula-
  tors and can perform minor tasks similar to that of a Prehensile 
  Tail (see Splicers® RPG, page 94). Each tentacle is equipped 
  with powerful suckers that aid in grabbing and securing hold of 
  patients with a suction force of 200 P.S.I./1,379 kilo-pascals. 
  These suckers help secure severely wounded victims that are in 
  shock or pain and are struggling or panicking, while the Samari-
  tan makes a getaway from danger.
  The most alien feature of the Samaritan is its massive, Man-
  ticore-styled tail that houses a set of powerful, furry mandibles 
  at the tip designed for grasping, grappling and lifting heavy ob-
  jects. However, they also fulfill the role and serve as emergency 
  “Jaws of Life” when human pilots need to be safely cut out of 
  their Host Armor or War Mount carcasses before they suffocate 
  or bleed to death inside. The ant-like mandibles are incredibly 
  strong and precise, with a Splicer P.S. of 30 and inflicts 2D6+10 
  M.D. when they are used to spread openings and otherwise pry 
  open doors, hatches, shells or tearing through debris, armor cara-
  paces, shells and hulls (not applicable to punches). Despite the 
  immense strength of the Pincer mandibles, the Samaritan can 
  control them with a keen sensitivity to lift or carry the injured 
  very gently. They are typically used as a hoist to carefully lift 
  similar-sized objects or victims onto the Samaritan’s back for 
  emergency evacuation. Victims can range from a fallen soldier 
  in Living Body Armor, Biotic or a fellow Gorehound packmate 
  to some of the larger-scaled Biotics and Host Armors (not ex-
  ceeding 900 pounds/405 kg). Once a victim is atop of the back, 
  the Samaritan will use its tail and pair of Medical Tentacles to 
  
  130
  secure the victim while it flees at half speed until the victim is 
  safe. Unlike standard Gorehounds, which are severely hindered 
  by carrying their maximum weight on their backs (reduce speed 
  to 30% of cruise speed), Samaritans are built to be strong haulers 
  that can carry heavy victims of this scale up to 10 miles (16 km) 
  away at half normal cruise speed before requiring rest. They can 
  even scale up or down walls while carrying the victim.
  Please note however, that despite their puppy-like appearance, 
  underneath these cute features is still at heart, a powerful Gore-
  hound built for rugged terrain and battle. Samaritans are built like 
  canine tanks, resembling a massive Chow Chow breed of ancient 
  days, only more robust. Broad, enhanced muscles and jaw power 
  enable it to secure vice-like bites (but apply soft-mouthed care 
  like Labradors or other hunting/retrieving breeds) onto large ob-
  jects to drag them down or to if in a dire need, tow massive War 
  Mount-sized objects up to the size of a Behemoth for one mile 
  (1.6 km) away at 5 mph (8 km) across rough terrain, before being 
  totally exhausted. They are very durable and can hold their own 
  among the pack.
  To create a Samaritan, the Librarians will enhance a Pack-
  master’s preexisting Gorehound (can not be a Mauler) with the 
  following Bio-Enhancements and changes: +2 to M.A. Attribute, 
  Advanced Senses, Increased M.D.C. (x3), Reinforced Exoskel-
  eton, Suction Cups and Gripping Hairs (all four feet and tail), 
  Retractable shoulder-mounted tentacles (2 to start, can add 2 ad-
  ditional at levels 9 and 15), Bio-Force Field Emitter Spheres (one 
  mounted on each shoulder above the tentacle ports), Slap Patch 
  Tongue and saliva glands that acts as a Slap Patch (see Splicers® 
  RPG, page 130; also cleanses and kills infection), and a massive 
  Crane Tail.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Front Legs (2) – 150 each
  Hind Legs (2) – 150 each
  Tail – 125
  Tentacles (2) – 112 each
  Bio-Force Field Spheres (2) – 50 each (one on each shoulder)
  Head – 187
  Main Body – 520
  Running Speed: 75 mph (120 km) base (maximum upgrade is a 
  top speed of 95 mph/152 km), but normal cruising speed is only 
  30 mph (48 km).
  Height: 4.2 feet (1.28 m) at the shoulders, 5.1 feet (1.55 m) to the 
  top of the head.
  Width: 3.8 feet (1.15 m) shoulder to shoulder. Each Medical Ten-
  tacle can reach 8 feet (2.4 m).
  Length: 8 feet, 3 inches (2.5 m) from tip of nose to the rump, 10.5 
  feet (3.2 m) tail.
  Weight: 600 lbs (270 kg) plus its 90 pound (40.5 kg) armored tail; 
  690 pounds (310.5 kg) total.
  Physical Strength: 23 Supernatural.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 5
  Horror Factor: 8 individually, 10 with four or more Gorehounds 
  or when standing over and defending a patient.
  Augmentation/Gestation Period: Two months gestation plus an-
  other three months growth.
  Combat Bonuses: +4 on initiative, +4 to strike in melee combat, 
  +2 to parry, -3 to Automatic Dodge (i.e. Auto-Dodge is +1, not 
  +4 like a standard Gorehound), +3 to pull punch/bite, +5 to roll 
  with punch, fall or impact, +2 to disarm, +4 to save vs Horror 
  Factor, and +6 to save vs poisons/toxins and disease. Tail is +5 to 
  dodge, +2 to entangle, and +3 to strike and parry but gets no other 
  bonuses. Primary Medical Tentacles receive an additional +2 to 
  strike/grab hold of living beings.
  Combat Capabilities: Restrained head butt: 1D4 S.D.C., Full 
  Strength Head Butt: 2D6 M.D., Pawing Claw Strike with Front 
  Legs: 3D6 M.D., Tail Slap: 4D6 M.D., Biting Attack: 3D6 M.D., 
  Leap Attack: 5D6 M.D., and Running Leap Attack/Ram Attack/
  Body Block: 7D6 M.D. (For Leap Attack and Running Leap At-
  tack, see Splicers® RPG, page 118.)
  Equivalent (instinctive) Skills of Note: Begging 75%, Climb 
  70%/ 0%, Detect Ambush 55%, Detect Concealment 60%, 
  Emergency Medical Skill Treatment (35% via Pre-Programmed 
  Instincts), Herding 80%, Identify Plants & Fruits (i.e., stuff it can 
  eat) 80%, Land Navigation 78%, Prowl 35%, Swim 60%.
  Penalties: -15% to Prowl, Gymnastics and Swimming, -5% to 
  Acrobatics and -3 to Auto-Dodge. Due to the modifications made 
  to the Gorehound, it costs the Packmaster 1 melee attack/action to 
  make the Samaritan attack any human being (2 attacks if the tar-
  get is another Packmaster). In addition, the Samaritan will fight 
  with less than its full potential, losing 1 of its own attacks and all 
  bonuses are half (unless defending a member of its own pack or 
  Packmaster). Unless otherwise noted, all further augmentations 
  will cost twice the normal amount of Bio-E.
  Increased Empathy: Gets upset seeing others in pain, and in 
  some large battles (many wounded), the Packmaster may have 
  to keep the Samaritan focused on the task at hand. 01-30% 
  chance that it loses 1 attack/action per round in fights involv-
  ing more than 25 biological individuals, as it wants to help all 
  living beings.
  Note: Any horns, spikes, needles, spines, serrated spurs, sharp 
  edges, slime coating or Acid Blood that could accidentally injure 
  a wounded victim or prevent a Samaritan from efficiently per-
  forming its job will be removed during the upgrading process by 
  the Engineer and will not be added afterwards by an Engineer. 
  Tail cannot receive any weapons or augmentations. Any ranged 
  weapons should be placed so that wounded victims will not be in 
  the line of fire.
  Samaritan Bio-Enhancements
  Each of the Samaritan’s shoulder-mounted Medical Tentacles 
  end in a distal tentacular club similar to that of a squid’s tentacle 
  tip. These tentacle ends are dubbed “Mittens” and can be modi-
  fied with any of the following bio-enhancements for more intri-
  cate field performance and features.
  Breather Cups
  These circular cups are able to stretch over the mouth of a vic-
  tim and are connected to multiple inner-tubes running throughout 
  the tentacle that lead to a dedicated port inside the Samaritan’s 
  lungs where it can breathe and have air from its lungs go directly 
  into the lungs of a victim requiring oxygen. The Cup is like a 
  breathing mask and stays fastened to the victim’s face without 
  causing any harm and can be easily removed or released by the 
  Gorehound or the patient without any injury. Breathers are great 
  for assisting Splicers that have drowned, inhaled some toxic 
  fumes or gas, been poisoned, been constricted, gone into shock 
  or seizures, are in a coma or have suffocated while being sealed 
  inside a heavy Host Armor for too long.
  
  131
  M.D.C.: Each Breather Cup has 1D6 M.D.C. and a maximum of 
  2 cups per tentacle can be installed.
  Bio-E Cost: 2 points per each cup.
  Jolt Pads
  These flat, pad-shaped cups when applied act as emergency 
  defibrillator paddles that can shock a stopped or misfiring heart 
  back into action or normal function. They can also be used to 
  shock robots and stun living opponents like an Electrical Dis-
  charger (see Splicers® RPG, page 101), but are typically used 
  as last resort weapons because the Samaritan does not want the 
  Jolt Pads damaged should an emergency victim require them and 
  can’t afford the regeneration downtime. However, Packmates 
  roughhousing a little too rough have certainly yelped when the 
  Samaritan has had enough.
  M.D.C.: Each Jolt Pad has 15 M.D.C. Maximum of one pad per 
  Medical Tentacle can be installed and it requires a minimum of 
  two pads to have full contact for the electrical circuit to be com-
  pleted in order to deliver the shock. Samaritans will not deliver 
  harmful shocks to humans, only to revive them unless ordered 
  directly by a Packmaster.
  Mega-Damage: 1D4 S.D.C. or Hit Points when applied as a 
  medical defibrillator to stabilize or revive the heart of a hu-
  man or animal, and they do not suffer any other penalties. 
  When used as an attack they can deliver up to 2D12 M.D. 
  upon contact of 2 pads. Against humans and other biological/
  living creatures, they must roll to save vs stun attack (15 or 
  higher, with any possible bonus from P.E.) or they will also 
  lose initiative, two melee attacks and are at -4 on all combat 
  actions for 2D4 melee rounds. Machines take only the M.D. 
  inflicted by shock.
  Bonus: +4 to strike when an opponent is entangled by the ten-
  tacles.
  Bio-E Cost: 5 points for both Pads.
  Prerequisite: Increased Metabolic Rate and Electrical Resis-
  tance.
  Medical Probes
  Smaller, retractable tendrils are mounted into special sucker 
  cups mounted on the undersides of the Medical Tentacle’s Mitten 
  and are used as medical probes, scalpels, needles, tweezers and 
  manipulators. Each Mitten can have up to a maximum of 3 Medi-
  cal Probe Suction Cups, each containing 4 Probe Tendrils that 
  can be extended at will to grab/probe individuals up to 1 foot (0.3 
  m) away, or used to reach or pick up small objects.
  M.D.C.: Each Medical Probe Suction Cup has 1D6 M.D.C., and 
  each Medical Probe tendril has 1D4 M.D.C. Maximum Number 
  of Tendrils Possible: 3 cups (12 tendrils) on each tentacle can be 
  installed.
  Mega-Damage: 1 S.D.C per probe, as they only cause a slight 
  sting as they enter (target loses 1 attack/action). Once the target 
  has been pierced, the Gorehound can remove the tendrils at any 
  time or can keep them impaled in his target, securing them to 
  each other. If pulled out the target suffers 1D4 M.D. per Probe 
  tentacle and the Samaritan’s Medical Probe incurs damage (loses 
  1D4 tendrils till they can be regenerated).
  Bonuses: +2 to entangle, +10% for emergency Medical skill 
  treatments. For example, removing bullets, metal shrapnel or 
  fragments, securing severed arteries before they retract deeper 
  into the body, removing small internal machine or alien parasites 
  (insect to rat size), etc.
  Penalties: Skills that require delicate fingers and or manual dex-
  terity such as Demolitions, Palming, Pick Pockets or Pick Locks, 
  etc., suffer a skill penalty of -15% when performed with the Med-
  ical Probes.
  Bio-E Cost: 5 points per each cup.
  Prerequisite: None.
  Ultrasound Cup Pads
  Up to 2 suction cups can be modified per Mitten manipulator 
  to become an ultrasound pad. Meant primarily as a way for the 
  Samaritan to be able to scan and tell if the biological being they 
  are grabbing is safe to pull (the Gorehound utters a high-pitched 
  whine in the ultra-sound frequency range, channeling and emit-
  ting above audible human level sound waves into the victim us-
  ing the Cup Pad to scan over the victim’s body. The pads do 
  not have to make contact with the subject, they just need to be 
  within 3 feet (0.9 m) over the subject being scanned. After 1D4 
  melee actions, the Samaritan and the Packmaster that is linked 
  to the Gorehound via Bio-Comm, are both able to ‘see’ inside 
  the victims’s body (double if the Biological being scanned is in 
  Heavy Living Body Armor or Host Armor and multiply by four 
  if the Biological is a War Mount that is bigger than a Grendel or 
  Strider. The ultrasound scan helps the Gorehound tremendously 
  by providing it with a comprehensive image and understanding 
  of what and where critical damage is, and what is safe and secure 
  to grab for contact points versus what it should avoid to prevent 
  causing more damage to its patient. The Librarians that designed 
  the Samaritan also learned that ultrasounds are some of the same 
  bio-sonar abilities used by dolphins, porpoises and bats and have 
  an alarming effect on some species that are sensitive to ultra-
  sounds and can be used to flush insects and fish wildlife (even 
  larger specimens seem to choose to avoid the sounds). A happy 
  accident was discovered that rodents are also sensitive to ultra-
  sounds and that the Samaritan’s ultrasounds can also deter the 
  Machine’s Rat Bombs within 40 feet (12.2 m), making them flee 
  in the opposite direction up to half a mile (0.8 km; see Splicers® 
  RPG, page 35).
  When not in battle, the Samaritan makes itself of great use 
  to unarmored pilots by applying therapeutic treatments for liga-
  ments, tendons, and scar tissue that can still linger even after the 
  Slap Patch licking treatments. Conditions for which ultrasound 
  may be used for treatment include the follow examples: ligament 
  sprains, muscle strains, tendonitis, joint inflammation, arthritis, 
  and scar tissue adhesion. The ultrasound pads are also beneficial 
  for breaking up stony deposits or tissue, accelerating the effects 
  of drugs in targeted areas, and can be used to sort cells or small 
  particles for DNA research (thus helping isolate alien predator 
  DNA samples for Librarians to use).
  Mega-Damage: None.
  Bonus: +1 to entangle per cup.
  Bio-E Cost: 3 Bio-E per Cup (1 Pad per pair of Tentacles) with a 
  maximum of 3 Cups possible.
  Prerequisite: None, but if equipped with the Sonar Bio-Enhance-
  ment (see Splicers® RPG, page 82), the Samaritan can then use 
  its ultrasound sensory capability through its melon to scan liv-
  ing victims or biological targets for their physical anatomy struc-
  tures, weakened or wounded areas such as broken bones, internal 
  bleeding, etc., at a range of 100 feet (30.5 m).
  
  132
  New War Mounts
  Badger (Armored
  Personnel Carrier)
  Often the most daunting aspect of assaulting the Machine’s 
  installations is simply reaching the destination without suffering 
  too much damage and without exhausting too many resources. 
  Strike teams need to cross miles of hazardous territory to reach 
  their objective, and once they get there, they still need to get past 
  multiple fortifications and defensive weapon emplacements as 
  well as legions of guards before they can hit their true target. To 
  make matters worse, the teams generally need to travel light so 
  that they do not weigh themselves down on the journey. Even 
  when they do load up on ordnance, it is still far too easy to ex-
  haust their munitions along the way. Librarian Michelangelo’s 
  latest War Carrier design, the Badger, was created as a way to 
  address these problems.
  The Badger was built to be the ultimate underground armored 
  personnel transport and breaching vehicle. Within this massive 
  and seemingly solid beast is a hollow cavity that can hold an im-
  pressive number of armored troops and even some War Mounts. 
  Its specially designed troop compartment is lined with special, 
  fluid-filled bladders that inflate around passengers to hold them 
  in place and cushion them from impacts during combat maneu-
  vers. Being completely engulfed and immobilized by these blad-
  ders can be a little claustrophobic and unnerving at first, but the 
  Badger possesses a special enhancement that quickly circum-
  vents this little problem. To keep people from panicking, the 
  bladders form a neurological connection with each passenger, al-
  lowing them to see, hear, and experience what the Badger does. 
  The bladders naturally retract away from the passengers’ faces 
  to prevent them from being smothered, and the air within the 
  compartment is recycled quickly to keep it from becoming stale. 
  The entire compartment design is experimental, but it has been 
  well received in field tests. The Badger can engage in incredibly 
  high-impact and abrupt maneuvers without shaking up the pas-
  sengers at all. Plus the neurological connection keeps passengers 
  connected to the world around them instead of locked away from 
  it. Knowing what is going on outside of the carrier gives troops a 
  significant advantage. They can prepare themselves for whatever 
  threats they are about to face instead of blindly charging out into 
  the fight.
  While tunneling underground, the Badger’s eight powerful 
  legs allow it to almost swim through the earth as it tears through 
  sand, dirt, and stone at incredible speeds. Unlike the Tunnel Rat 
  War Mount, the Badger cannot create stabilized nor permanent 
  tunnels due to its large size. It was designed to burrow through 
  the earth and let the dirt collapse behind it in order to discourage 
  pursuit. Badgers can dig large dens called Setts, but the over-
  all stability of these excavation pockets for anyone not wearing 
  Light Body Armor or more, should be of high concern when con-
  sidering cave-ins and being trapped underneath tons of dirt and 
  rubble. The Badger possesses a pair of experimental organs in its 
  body that break down carbon dioxide in the blood into useable 
  oxygen. These Bio-Tech scrubbers enable the Badger to effec-
  tively hold its breath underground for up to twenty hours during 
  transport missions (maximum is forty hours before suffering ill 
  effects). Ferrying troops beneath the surface like this not only 
  allows strike teams to save their strength during the voyage, but 
  it also allows them to haul along much heavier ordnance. This 
  combined with the fact that underground transport circumvents 
  hundreds (possibly thousands) of robot patrols, traps, barricades, 
  fortifications, Sentry Towers, Waste Crawler gangs, alien preda-
  tors, and rival Splicers, means that these teams emerge from their 
  protective cocoon at peak strength, ready to unleash a devastating 
  assault on their real objective.
  Additionally, these strike teams receive some pretty impres-
  sive support once they deploy. The Badger is far more than just 
  a transport. Michelangelo took the natural power and ferocity of 
  normal badgers and increased them a hundredfold. Aside from 
  a massive increase in size, he equipped his new War Carrier de-
  sign with some of his latest Bio-Weapon innovations. He wanted 
  the Badger War Carrier to be able to protect its cargo from any 
  threat, and to provide heavy support once it delivers its payload. 
  When the Badger first breaks through the perimeter wall of a tar-
  get installation, it uses its plasma breath to clear out the closest 
  threats. It then raises a point defense force field to shield itself 
  from enemy fire (and from its own area effect weapons) before 
  firing off a salvo from its shoulder-mounted cluster bomb launch-
  ers. These weapons are similar to Pod Launchers, only on a mas-
  sive scale. They can shower everything within a 100 foot (30.5 
  m) radius with a thick blanket of deadly shrapnel. Finally, the 
  Badger fills the room with a powerful chemical cloud to weaken 
  and confound any remaining resistance before the troops come 
  storming out. Against robotic targets, this chemical is a burning 
  vapor that melts metal and other artificial materials without harm-
  ing living targets, but the Badger can also unleash a special Bio-
  Toxin cloud that paralyzes organic technology during operations 
  against rival Great Houses.
  As remarkable as it is as a breaching vehicle, the Badger War 
  Carrier can be even more impressive and dangerous when it as-
  saults surface targets. It possesses thick bone armor that protects 
  it from harm while damaging anyone that gets too close. It has 
  four razor sharp claws per foot that are each larger than a man, 
  and its bite can cleave a War Mount in half. The Badger can tackle 
  targets directly with an excellent chance of winning or it can en-
  gage in a deadly game of cat and mouse that few adversaries have 
  the ability to counter. Mounted along its snout are two Shrieker 
  launchers. The Badger can quickly tag a target with these track-
  ing rounds and then tunnel safely underground before the enemy 
  can counter-strike. It can then pop up again in a safe location and 
  unleash a barrage of Organic Rockets or launch its experimental 
  Millipedoes. These special Bio-Tech explosives can home in on a 
  Shrieker round’s signal from up to two miles (3.2 km) away with 
  nearly perfect accuracy. The Badger can simply pop up and fire 
  and then disappear below ground again and again until the target 
  is destroyed, often without ever taking a single hit.
  There have only been a handful of field tests so far, but at this 
  time, it seems pretty clear that no faction on the planet possesses 
  anything that can stop the Badger from reaching its objective. In 
  time, N.E.X.U.S. will likely create robots that can tunnel through 
  the earth after it, but until that happens, House Artemis should 
  be able to wreak impressive havoc upon the Machine within this 
  Area of Influence. Currently, only three Badgers have reached 
  maturity, but a total of eleven are growing in birthing sacs right 
  
  133
  now and should hatch within the next five years. Once all eleven 
  are introduced into the field, House Artemis will cement itself as 
  the dominant power within the region.
  Class: Heavy Assault Carrier and Breaching War Mount.
  Crew: One rider concealed within the neck.
  Troop Capacity: The Badger can carry 30 troopers in Host Ar-
  mor, 45 troopers in Living Body Armor, or 60 unarmored hu-
  mans. Some War Mounts are also small enough to fit in the Bad-
  ger. Typically, the limiting factor is the size of the hatch. Each 
  hatch is 10 feet (3 m) tall and 5 feet (1.5 m) wide. As long as the 
  War Mount can squeeze through, it is typically not a problem 
  (although a length under 15 feet (4.6 m) is preferred).
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Legs (8) – 1,700 each
  Paws (8) – 650 each
  Tail – 420
  Shrieker Launchers (2) – 80 each
  Cluster Bomb Launchers (2) – 385 each
  Organic Rockets (60) – 11 each
  Millipedoe Launch Bay Doors (8) – 200 each
  Millipedoes (2) – 420 each
  Head – 1,200*
  Main Body – 3,800*
  Troop Compartment Doors (3) – 800
  Point Defense Bio-Force Field – 1,500
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the Head or Main Body kills the 
  Badger.
  Speed:
  Running: 60 mph (96 km) maximum, but normal cruising speed 
  is only 35 mph (56 km). The act of running does tire out the War 
  Mount but not the rider. The Badger can run at top speed for up to 
  two hours straight before needing to rest for 1D6x10+30 minutes. 
  However, it can fight or trot along at cruising speed almost all day 
  (20 hours) without needing rest.
  Leaping: Not possible.
  Digging: 35 mph (56 km) through sand, dirt, clay, rock or stone. 
  Digging does not tire out the War Mount and it can dig an ad-
  equate hole to cover itself in 1D4 melee rounds.
  Swimming: Not possible. It sinks like a stone. The Badger can 
  walk along the bottom at a speed of 20 mph (32 km) as long as it 
  does not exceed its maximum depth tolerance.
  Underwater Depth: Maximum depth is 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Flying: Not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 70 feet (21 m) tall at the shoulder.
  Width: 50 feet (15.2 m).
  Length: 110 feet (33.5 m) nose to rump, with a 32 foot (9.8 m) 
  tail.
  Weight: 30 to 35 tons.
  Cargo: Can carry 10 tons in its internal compartment or it can 
  drag up to 70 tons behind it.
  Physical Strength: 1D8+62.
  Production Cycle: 5 year gestation period plus 15 year growth 
  cycle. Only a 6 month gestation period plus 2 year growth cycle 
  for the temporary generation.
  Operational Lifetime: 70 year life span. Only a 7 year life span 
  for the temporary generation.
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 1D6x10 per minute to the main body and 
  3D6 per minute to all other locations. Destroyed limbs or weapon 
  systems will regenerate after 48 hours.
  Horror Factor: 16 against humans outside the Resistance, none 
  against robots.
  Feeding: The Badger is a Carnivore. It needs to eat 1000-1500 
  pounds (450 to 675 kg) of animal matter each day, and may gorge 
  on up to 3 tons at one time. After gorging, the War Carrier can go 
  1D4+1 days without feeding and without suffering any ill effects.
  Color: The thick bone armor “hair” is a light tan in color on the 
  body and black patches separated by a white streak down the 
  middle of its head, face and muzzle. The eight legs are black. 
  A second variation resembles a honey badger as the top of the 
  Badger is off white and the face, muzzle, along the sides, legs and 
  underbelly are solid black.
  Sleep Requirements: As an artificially created organism, the Bad-
  ger only requires 4 hours of sleep per day.
  Other Data:
  An unmanned Badger is able to operate independent of a rider 
  using its animal-like intelligence and instincts to respond to any 
  given situation. Badgers can be surly and temperamental beasts. 
  A Badger will form connections with its handlers and other fa-
  miliar humans, but strangers should tread lightly when entering 
  its den. It can be very protective of its domain and may attack 
  people that act too aggressively in its Sett. Badgers quickly learn 
  that robots are the enemy and will attack them whenever they 
  get too close. Badgers have been known to come to the aid of 
  their handlers and other favored humans, but they tend to ignore 
  strangers in trouble unless commanded to do so by an Outrider 
  or Packmaster. Badgers are also highly opportunistic and may go 
  after a meal (rival War Mount or alien wildlife) or be very territo-
  rial and not share kills with other War Mounts, especially larger 
  feeders, until it has had enough to eat.
  Alignment: Considered Unprincipled or Anarchist. They fight 
  for their own preservation or when ordered to battle on behalf of 
  humans.
  War Mount Attributes: I.Q. 1D6+3, M.E. 1D6+6, M.A. 1D6+7, 
  P.S. 63-70, P.P. 1D4+10, P.E. 1D6+22, P.B. 2D4, Spd 60 mph 
  (96 km) on the ground.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 8
  Combat Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +6 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +6 to parry, -2 to dodge, +3 to roll with punch, +3 to 
  pull punch, and impervious to Horror Factor, disease, and poison.
  Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Land Navigation (Under-
  ground) 90%, Excavation/Mining 85%, Hunting 70%, and un-
  derstands the Native Language of the Great House that created it 
  and one other common language at 70%. Recognizes robots and 
  machines as enemies to be destroyed or chased away.
  Combat Capabilities:
  Bite: 2D6x10+30 M.D.
  Restrained Claw Strike: 3D6 M.D.
  Claw Strike: 2D6x10 M.D.
  Power Claw Strike: 4D6x10, but counts as two attacks.
  Stomp: 1D6x10, but can only be done to opponents that are 
  less than 10 feet (3 m) tall.
  Body Block/Ram: 8D8 and has a 01-85% likelihood of knock-
  ing an opponent up to 30 feet (9 m) tall off his feet and onto his 
  back. If knocked off his feet, the target loses initiative and two 
  melee attacks. A ram attack counts as two attacks.
  Senses and Features: Standard for War Mounts plus:
  Enhanced Regeneration: 1D6x10 M.D. per minute to the main 
  body and 3D6 M.D. per minute to all other locations.
  
  134
  
  135
  
  136
  Seismic Sense: Can feel vibrations of earthquakes, thunder, 
  explosions and even the approach of heavy vehicles, troops, and 
  stampeding animals up to 12 miles (19.2 km) away. The approach 
  of smaller beings can be sensed within 200 feet (61 m).
  Oxygen Scrubbers: The Badger possesses a pair of experimen-
  tal organs in its body that are able to break down carbon diox-
  ide molecules in the blood and re-circulate the useable oxygen. 
  This enables the Badger to operate without fresh oxygen for up 
  to forty hours. Anything beyond 40 hours, and the scrubbers be-
  come overwhelmed and cease to function until they can flush out 
  all the excess carbon. At this point, the Badger must get fresh air 
  for 4D6 minutes while the scrubbers clean themselves out. In the 
  alternative, if the Badger gets 2D4 minutes of fresh air every 10 
  hours, then the scrubbers can function at peak efficiency indefi-
  nitely.
  Internal Passenger Compartment: The specially designed 
  passenger compartment helps keep troops secure and protected 
  during combat maneuvers. A series of fluid filled bladders swell 
  around all the passengers to hold them in place and cushion them 
  from impacts. The bladders can sense air being exhaled from liv-
  ing beings and hold back a few inches to prevent them from being 
  smothered. This can be a bit claustrophobic, but these bladders 
  also form a neurological connection with each passenger, allow-
  ing them to see, hear, and feel everything the Badger experiences. 
  In field tests, this connection to the world helped keep passengers 
  calm and relaxed during transport. There are three exits for this 
  compartment. One on each side and one just below the Badger’s 
  neck. When the hatches are sealed shut, they are difficult to see 
  and even more difficult to pry open. It takes a combined Splicer 
  P.S. of 80 to forcibly open a hatch or 800 M.D. to destroy one.
  Bone Armor: Each hair on the Badger’s body is actually a 3-4 
  foot (0.9 to 1.2 m) long bone spike. This thick layer of overlap-
  ping armor provides excellent protection, plus the razor-sharp 
  tips inflict 4D6 M.D. to anyone grappling with the Badger or try-
  ing to apply a hold, squeeze attack, body block or pounce/leap 
  attack to the War Carrier. Likewise, adversaries throwing a punch 
  or kick at the Badger will inflict damage, but take 2D6 M.D. in 
  return from the sharp pelt of spikes.
  Point Defense Bio-Force Field: While this shield does protect 
  the War Carrier from enemy fire during breaching maneuvers, 
  the main reason why Librarian Michelangelo included it was to 
  prevent the Badger from severely harming itself with its cluster 
  bombs. During the original field tests, these cluster bombs proved 
  to be a little too effective when fired in tight quarters. The first 
  prototype blinded itself and nearly blew its own head off the first 
  time it practiced a breach. Now with the shield in place, a Badger 
  War Carrier can unleash a devastating barrage of cluster bombs 
  at point-blank range without fear of injury. The shield may take 
  full damage during the attack, but the Badger takes no damage. 
  The shield has 1,500 M.D.C. and it naturally regenerates 1D6x10 
  M.D.C. every minute. If the M.D.C. of the force field is depleted, 
  then it cannot be reactivated for 12 hours.
  Bio-Weapon Systems:
  1. Cluster Bomb Launchers (2): The strange multi-barreled 
  cannons mounted on each shoulder are capable of firing off 
  huge salvos of cluster bombs. These weapons are typically 
  used during breaching missions to clear a room of enemies be-
  fore deploying the onboard troopers. The ammunition is simi-
  lar to the seed pods used in Pod Weapons, only much larger. 
  The arrangement of the barrels limits the effective range, but 
  it greatly increases the area of effect. The wide arc creates a 
  pretty good spread, and once the cluster bombs start detonat-
  ing, they cover a huge area in deadly shrapnel.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Range: Can be launched up to 300 feet (91.5 m) away, but are 
  generally used at point blank range (within 50 feet/15.2 m).
  Mega-Damage: A single burst inflicts 1D8x10 M.D. to every-
  thing within a 60 foot (18.3 m) radius. Both cannons can fire off 
  a massive dual burst that inflicts 2D6x10 M.D. to everything in a 
  100 foot (30.5 m) radius.
  Rate of Fire: Each single or dual blast counts as one melee attack.
  Payload: Each launcher grows enough cluster bombs for 20 
  bursts per hour (40 total); automatically regenerates.
  Bonus: +2 to strike.
  2. Plasma Breath: The mouth, throat, and lungs of the Badger 
  have been modified to allow it to exhale a chemical spray that 
  ignites on contact with air to create a powerful fire blast. The 
  sheer size of the Badger makes for a far more devastating blast 
  than normal.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Range: 50 feet (15.2 m).
  Mega-Damage: 8D12 M.D. to a 10 foot (3 m) area.
  Rate of Fire: Can be fired once per melee and counts as an ad-
  ditional attack per melee.
  Payload: 18 blasts. One blast is regenerated every hour.
  Bonus: +4 to strike, but this is the only bonus that applies to the 
  Plasma Breath.
  3. Shrieker Launchers (2): The Badger has a Shrieker Launcher 
  mounted on each side of its snout. These special launchers 
  are synced to the Badger’s eye movements, so they are al-
  ways locked on target with whatever the Badger is looking 
  at. The launchers are equipped with a safety mechanism that 
  prevents them from accidentally firing into the snout of the 
  War Carrier. If, for example, the Badger is looking too far to 
  the left, then the right launcher disengages and all shots are 
  only fired from the left launcher. Once a target is tagged, the 
  round transmits a special Bio-Comm signal up to a range of 
  two miles (3.2 km). Any Bio-Tech weapon or device equipped 
  with the proper Shrieker receiver can then track this signal to 
  its source and target it with incredible accuracy (even without 
  line of sight).
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Range: 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Mega-Damage: 1D4 M.D.
  Rate of Fire: Each shot counts as one attack per melee.
  Duration: Once activated, a Shrieker round will broadcast its Bio-
  Comm signal for 4D6 minutes before it starves to death.
  Payload: 10 Shrieker rounds per launcher (20 total). The Badger 
  can re-grow one spent Shrieker round every 4D6 minutes.
  Bonus: +4 to strike.
  4. Organic Rockets (50): Mounted beneath the thick bone armor 
  on the back of the Badger War Carrier are multiple rows of 
  Organic Rockets. This arrangement conceals the rockets and 
  helps protect them from enemy fire. Half of the rockets are 
  the common variety, and the other half have been specially 
  enhanced to home in on the signal from Shrieker rounds. They 
  
  137
  both have the same basic capabilities, so the choice of which 
  one to use is based on whether the target is marked or not. 
  Once a target is tagged with a Shrieker round, the Shrieker-
  Targeting Rockets will hunt it down no matter where it goes. 
  While this has its advantages, sometimes the Badger may need 
  to attack an unmarked target.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  M.D.C. of the Rockets: 11 M.D.C. each. When still mounted on 
  the Badger, the rocket is a small target and difficult to see among 
  the bone armor which makes it -5 to hit on a “Called Shot.” After 
  launching, each missile is treated the same as a high-tech mini-
  missile and can be shot down as normal.
  Range: 2 miles (3.2 km).
  Mega-Damage: 5D10 M.D. damage with a 10 foot (3 m) blast 
  radius.
  Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10. Wheth-
  er a single missile or an entire volley is fired, it counts as one me-
  lee attack. Roll once to strike, either all the missiles in the volley 
  hit or they all miss.
  Payload: 50 rockets, it takes 6D6 hours to regrow spent rockets.
  Bonuses: +5 to strike and dodge.
  5. Millipedoes (8): Millipedoes are Michelangelo’s latest attempt 
  to improve upon the concept of living cruise missiles. He re-
  alized that Kamikazes (see The Rifter® #30, page 47) were 
  most effective when they were tracking down the signal from 
  a Shrieker or Squealer as opposed to when they were allowed 
  to select targets on their own, so he built the Millipedoes to 
  solely rely on the signal from marked targets. This gave him 
  some freedom when it came to their mental programming. 
  Since he no longer needed them to be suicidal maniacs, he 
  could program his new creations to engage in more intelligent 
  tactics. Ultimately, they are not trying to sacrifice themselves, 
  they are simply trying to fulfill their all-consuming desire to 
  find the source of the signal and stop it. This means they will 
  avoid obvious threats on their way to their objective and will 
  even hide and use stealth to sneak past dangers. They will 
  creep through thick underbrush, climb walls, crawl through 
  sewers, tunnel under walls, or even chew through obstacles to 
  reach their goal. They may travel much slower than Kamikaze 
  Cruise Missiles, but they are difficult to spot and of course, 
  they can crawl right under the Machine’s anti-air batteries. The 
  current batch of Millipedoes are equipped with lower grade 
  explosives during this phase of testing. If they prove to be safe 
  and effective, then they will ultimately be equipped with the 
  same explosive charges found in Kamikazes. The Badger can 
  carry eight of these experimental Bio-Tech missiles within the 
  launchers mounted in its neck.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Building and Anti-Tank.
  M.D.C. of each Millipedoe: 420 M.D.C.
  Size: About 8 feet (2.4 m) long and 2 feet (0.6 m) wide. Weighs 
  350 pounds (157.5 kg).
  Range: Millipedoes could theoretically travel hundreds of miles 
  before getting tired, but they typically are used within a 2 mile 
  (3.2 km) range.
  Speed: 60 mph (96 km) maximum, but normal cruising speed is 
  only 30 mph (48 km). The act of running does tire out the Mil-
  lipedoe. It can run at top speed for up to two hours straight before 
  needing to rest for 1D6x10+30 minutes.
  Mega-Damage: Bite inflicts 4D6 M.D. Explosive blast inflicts 
  1D4x100 M.D. to a blast radius of 20 feet (6.1 m).
  Rate of Fire: Launching each Millipedoe counts as one attack per 
  melee.
  Payload: 8 missiles.
  Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +4 to strike, and +3 to dodge. Each 
  missile has 3 attacks per melee as it tracks down its target.
  6. Chemical Sprayers (4): As a member of the mustelid family, 
  normal badgers possess anal scent glands that can produce a 
  powerful smelling chemical like a skunk. Michelangelo liked 
  this natural defensive ability and created an enhanced ver-
  sion that would allow the Badger to deal with any kind of 
  pursuer, both living and robotic. He created one gland that 
  could spray out a cloud of burning acid and another gland 
  that could spray out a powerful Bio-Toxin that temporarily 
  paralyzes any organic technology it comes into contact with. 
  They were so effective in tests that Michelangelo decided to 
  add two additional sprayers to the front of the Badger so that 
  it could use them during breaching maneuvers. The Burning 
  Vapor cloud stays in the air for 1D4+1 melee rounds before 
  it dissipates. The Bio-Paralyzer spray dissipates within sec-
  onds of being sprayed. The Badger is automatically immune 
  to this spray, but passengers need to wait until the cloud dis-
  appears.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Assault.
  Range: Can be sprayed up to 50 feet (15.2 m) away and each blast 
  covers a 30 foot (9.1 m) area.
  Mega-Damage: Burning Vapor Spray: Inflicts 3D6 M.D. per me-
  lee round to inorganic matter for 1D4+1 melee rounds, but the 
  cloud only inflicts 2D6 S.D.C. damage to organic matter. Bio-
  Paralyzer Spray: Any Mega-Damage creature or Bio-Tech device 
  exposed to the chemical must make a roll to save vs non-lethal 
  poison of 16 or higher or else be completely paralyzed/stunned 
  for 2D6 melee rounds. The chemical has no effect on normal hu-
  mans and other S.D.C. creatures.
  Rate of Fire: 4 blasts per melee.
  Payload: Each Sprayer contains 3 blasts (6 blasts of each type of 
  chemical total). All spent blasts regenerate every 24 hours.
  Goliath War Mount
  While many throughout Great House Artemis (and through-
  out much of the Resistance) consider Librarian Michelangelo to 
  be an utter genius and the reason House Artemis is on the cut-
  ting edge of Bio-Technology, he is not the only Librarian craft-
  ing new designs for Great House Artemis. In fact, he is not even 
  the senior-most Librarian within his own House, something that 
  Constantine, the First Librarian of Great House Artemis, finds 
  extremely irritating. He is not only the highest ranking among 
  their Librarians, but also the first Librarian created by Great 
  House Artemis. He has been around for a long time, and to see 
  this “youngster” rise to prominence so quickly and overshadow 
  his accomplishments is an incredible insult. While Constantine 
  must admit (at least to himself) that Michelangelo is quite tal-
  ented, that does not mean that this old dog is without a few tricks 
  of his own. When not running his own complicated schemes and 
  machinations, Constantine is still adding new creations to House 
  Artemis’ armory.
  
  138
  His latest War Mount design, the Goliath, is so impressive that 
  many people believe it is one of Michelangelo’s creations (eas-
  ily infuriating Constantine). Of course, they have good reason to 
  believe this. Several of the Goliath’s most advanced features are 
  experimental enhancements that Michelangelo created years ago. 
  The most obvious of which is the Goliath’s internal pilot com-
  partment. This revolutionary new War Saddle was first used in the 
  Stalker War Mount. Instead of seating the Outrider on top of the 
  mount, the Saddle was designed to completely enclose the rider 
  within the body of the War Mount. While Michelangelo used this 
  War Saddle to hide the artificial nature of the Stalker and make it 
  seem like a natural animal, Constantine wanted to make his cre-
  ation a close-quarters brawler (most likely to compete with Mi-
  chelangelo’s latest creation, the Silverback War Mount), and he 
  liked the way the internal pilot compartment protected the Out-
  rider from the exposure and chaos of hand-to-hand combat. As 
  with the Stalker, the major drawback is that the Outrider cannot 
  use any of his Host Armor’s mounted weapons or sensors while 
  tucked snugly inside the Goliath, but the added protection more 
  than makes up for this weakness. However, when the Goliath is 
  running on all fours, it can unseal its back to allow the pilot to 
  swing his upper body up into a seated configuration. This enables 
  the Outrider to add his own weapons and sensors to the mix, but 
  it does open him up to increased risk. Most Outriders piloting 
  Goliaths prefer to be unsealed when attacking at long-range and 
  then slide forward into the internal compartment before plunging 
  into close-quarters combat.
  The basic design resembles a twenty foot (6.1 m) tall, armored 
  bear, but the same enhancements that make it so deadly in close-
  quarters combat also make it look somewhat monstrous. Its thick 
  pelt of fur is composed of thousands of razor sharp, quill-like 
  scales rather than hair, and instead of natural looking claws, the 
  Goliath has eighteen inch (0.45 m) long, sickle-shaped, High Fre-
  quency Blades mounted on its front paws. These wicked blades 
  can quickly shred even the thickest armor, but it is the series of 
  Ripper Blades mounted on its chest and forearms that make the 
  Goliath so terrifying in battle. These organic chainsaws can be 
  used to slash and swipe at targets, or they can be used to deliver 
  the Goliath’s patented bear hug. Once this powerful beast gets 
  a good hold of its prey, it activates the Rippers and purées its 
  victims in seconds. There are few things on this planet that can 
  withstand this devastating attack for long.
  This makes the Goliath a ferocious grappler, but focusing its 
  attention against a single target in the midst of battle often leaves 
  it open to attack from other opponents. However, it does pos-
  sess several enhancements that protect it from this eventuality. 
  The most useful of which is the Mount’s impressive regenerative 
  abilities. The Goliath can concentrate on tearing its prey to bits 
  without too much concern for its own safety since it can heal 
  from even the most grievous wounds in a matter of minutes. Of 
  course, the Goliath cannot just sit back and take damage indefi-
  nitely, so Constantine included some other defensive enhance-
  ments that help keep the Mount safe. The quills covering its body 
  not only prevent opponents from putting the Goliath in their own 
  holds, but they can also be launched at nearby targets to further 
  dissuade attackers. These are generally used against opponents 
  that are attempting to strike the Goliath from the rear, but they 
  can be fired in any direction.
  
  139
  The Goliath also possesses another unique enhancement that it 
  can use to open up a little breathing room when the close-quarters 
  action starts to get a bit overwhelming. The War Mount’s mighty 
  roar generates a powerful concussive shock wave that can send 
  even the strongest robotic minions flying. This is another one of 
  Michelangelo’s ideas that Constantine appropriated for his War 
  Mount. The Goliath’s throat houses a new Biotechnology defense 
  weapon that is able to absorb and harvest kinetic energy and then 
  upon command, is able to immediately expel it in a channeled, 
  directed concussive force. This concentrated discharge causes 
  concussive damage, with effects ranging from a slight push, hard 
  hit, a knockout, minor damage, up to bone and armor shatter-
  ing major damage. It is not a long-ranged weapon and disperses 
  rather quickly, but for the massive Goliath, it is a great way to 
  get adversaries off of it while it focuses on shredding others. The 
  other major down side is that the Goliath has to be inflicted with 
  kinetic force before it can utilize this weapon.
  Only a few dozen Goliaths have been produced so far in or-
  der to field test the design, but those tests have gone exceeding-
  ly well. The test teams have reported that the Goliath’s ability 
  to soak up damage is nearly as impressive as its ability to dish 
  it out. In fact, several teams have nicknamed the War Mount 
  the “Grisly Bear” after watching them gruesomely turn a few 
  dozen alien predators into a fountain of blood and gore with 
  their Ripper Blades. Constantine used a bit of his clout to get the 
  Engineers growing Goliaths before they were even approved 
  for mass production. He knew the design was strong and felt 
  the usual testing process was just a formality (one he should 
  not have endured in the first place). It should not be long before 
  Goliaths start showing up all across the battlefield. So far, the 
  genetic sequence has only been shared with a few other Great 
  Houses that are in alliance with Artemis and Barren Marsh, but 
  both Constantine and Warlord Artemis believe that once the 
  other Houses get a glimpse of these monstrous brawlers in the 
  field, the demand for them will soar.
  Class: Heavy Close-quarters Assault War Mount.
  Crew: One rider.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Arms (2) – 280 each
  Legs (2) – 410 each
  Clawed Hands (2) – 130 each
  Clawed Feet (2) – 160 each
  Head – 310*
  Main Body – 840*
  Internal Pilot Compartment – 100**
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the Head or Main Body kills the 
  Goliath.
  ** When in the close combat configuration, the pilot is 
  completely sealed within the compartment. In this case, the 
  M.D.C. of the Main Body must be depleted first and then the 
  M.D.C. of the Pilot Compartment before the pilot can be tar-
  geted. When in the long-range configuration, the upper body 
  of the pilot can be targeted as normal, but the legs are still 
  completely protected within the compartment.
  Speed:
  Running: 190 mph (304 km) maximum, but normal cruising 
  speed is only 70 mph (112 km). The act of running does tire out 
  the War Mount but not the rider. The Goliath can run at top speed 
  for up to one hour straight before needing to rest for 1D6x10+30 
  minutes. However, it can fight or trot along at cruising speed al-
  most all day (20 hours) without needing rest.
  Leaping: 15 feet high (4.6 m) or across, increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full speed.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km) through sand or dirt. 15 mph (24 km) 
  through clay, rock or stone. Digging does not tire out the War 
  Mount and it can dig an adequate hole to cover itself in 3D4 me-
  lees.
  Swimming: 30 mph (48 km/26 knots).
  Underwater Depth: Maximum depth is 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Flying: Not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 20 feet (6.1 m) at full height, 9-11 feet (2.7 to 3.3 m) at 
  the muscled shoulder hump when on all fours.
  Width: 12 feet (3.7 m).
  Length: 17-20 feet (5.2 to 6 m), with the hind legs being lower 
  than the front legs.
  Weight: 5-8 tons.
  Cargo: Can carry 3.5 tons on its back or drag 11 tons behind it.
  Physical Strength: 2D4+40.
  Production Cycle: 3 year gestation period plus 6 year growth 
  cycle.
  Operational Lifetime: 60 year life span.
  Trade Value: Experimental and highly sought after by many rival 
  Great Houses. Any Great House on the planet (assuming they 
  have the means) would pay 3D6x10 million credits for an undam-
  aged Goliath War Mount with all its weapons and limbs intact. 
  Of course, anyone caught selling a Goliath War Mount would be 
  hunted down by House Artemis’ Repo Men.
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 4D6 M.D.C. per melee round to the main 
  body and 2D6+3 M.D.C. per melee round to all other locations.
  Horror Factor: 16.
  Feeding: The Goliath is a Carnivore. It needs to eat 60-100 
  pounds (27 to 45 kg) of animal matter a day, and may gorge up to 
  one tenth of their total weight at one time. After gorging, the War 
  Mount can go 2D4 days without feeding and without suffering 
  any ill effects.
  Color: The War Mount is typically light brown in color with black 
  highlights, but may also come in solid black, dark Kodiak brown 
  or Polar white color variants. Note: Goliaths on the smaller scale 
  spectrum (5 tons or so) may also come in Malaysian Sun Bear 
  variety – with shorter fur coat (Quill Defense maximum effective 
  range reduced by half) and 24 inch (0.6 m) scythe claws (+10 
  M.D. to all front claw slash attacks/-3 to Horror Factor).
  Sleep Requirements: As an artificially created organism, the Go-
  liath only requires 4 hours of sleep per day.
  Other Data:
  An unmanned Goliath is able to operate independent of a rider 
  using its animal-like intelligence and instincts to respond to any 
  given situation. Considering how ferocious a Goliath is in battle, 
  it is quite mild-mannered when operating on its own. It tends 
  to keep to itself even when annoyed or pestered by others. Of 
  course, if someone irritates and pushes the Goliath far enough, 
  or threatens it, the creature makes them pay for their foolishness.
  War Mount Attributes: I.Q. 1D4+4, M.E. 1D6+6, M.A. 2D4+8, 
  P.S. 42-48, P.P. 2D6+10, P.E. 2D6+20, P.B. 3D6, Spd 190 mph 
  (304 km) on the ground.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 5
  Combat Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +6 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +4 to parry, +4 to dodge, +4 to hold, +7 to roll with 
  
  140
  is very slow to heal; heals at one quarter the normal rate. The 
  two on the forearms are roughly the same size as the ones on 
  each side of the chest, but the one that runs down the center of 
  the Goliath is nearly twice as thick and more than double the 
  length. Individually, they inflict impressive damage, but when 
  the Goliath grabs a victim in a bear hug and activates all five 
  at once, they obliterate nearly anything they come in contact 
  with. This attack can also be used against targets that are much 
  larger than the Goliath. For instance, the War Mount can hop 
  on the back of a Land Dominator, grab hold, and start shred-
  ding, but the damage inflicted is only half because the Goliath 
  cannot apply nearly as much pressure.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: Each smaller blade inflicts 5D8 M.D. per slash 
  and the larger blade inflicts 1D6x10 per slash. Bear Hug 4D6x10 
  M.D. per melee attack until the victim can break free of the hold.
  Rate of Fire: Up to two Ripper Blades can engage the same target 
  simultaneously (counts as one melee attack). A bear hug requires 
  two melee attacks to initiate the hold. Maintaining the hold uses 
  one melee attack each time.
  2. Quill Launchers: Every single quill on the Goliath’s body is 
  a short-range weapon sitting in its own micro-launcher. They 
  can pretty much only fire in a single direction, but the Goli-
  ath can easily aim at a specific target by launching the proper 
  quills that are facing it.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Range: 50 feet (15.2 m).
  Mega-Damage: 1D6 M.D. per single quill. A burst of eight does 
  5D6 M.D., or a burst of 15 inflicts 1D6x10 M.D. The quills can 
  also be used to spray a 20 foot (6.1 m) area, but without any 
  bonuses to strike. Each target is typically only hit with a couple 
  quills, which inflicts 2D6 M.D.
  Number of Attacks: Each single shot or volley counts as one me-
  lee attack. The radius blast counts as three attacks.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited, as the Goliath is covered in quills, 
  and each one re-grows within just 10 minutes.
  Bonuses: +3 to strike for a single quill. +1 to strike with a burst 
  and no bonus for a radius blast. These are the only bonuses that 
  apply to the Quill Launcher.
  3. Shock Wave Roar: The Goliath is able to produce a powerful 
  sonic shock wave with its roar. It does not provide long-range 
  firepower, but when utilized in close range it can knock even 
  the strongest opponents off of their feet and send them flying 
  6D6 feet (1.8 to 11 m) away. This weapon is primarily used 
  to fend off other adversaries when the Goliath is busily shred-
  ding an opponent with its bear hug. It is also an excellent way 
  to knock an opponent off balance so the Goliath can more eas-
  ily close the distance.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Assault.
  Range: 40 feet (24.4 m).
  Mega-Damage: 2D6 M.D. per blast to everything within a 15 foot 
  (4.6 m) area. In addition, the blast has a 01-65% likelihood of 
  knocking an opponent as large as 20 feet (6.1 m) tall off of his 
  feet and onto his back, plus the shock wave pushes them 6D6 feet 
  away. If knocked off their feet, the victims lose initiative and two 
  melee attacks. There is also a 01-80% likelihood that any hand-
  punch, +1 to pull punch, pin/incapacitate on a 17, 18, 19, or 20, 
  and impervious to Horror Factor, disease, and poison.
  Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Climb 98%, Land Navi-
  gation 90%, Swim 70%, Track by Scent 60%, and Hunting 60%.
  Combat Capabilities:
  Restrained Claw Strike: 1D6 M.D.
  Claw Strike: 1D6x10 M.D.
  Power Claw Strike: 2D6x10 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Kick: 8D6 M.D.
  Leap Kick: Not possible.
  Bite: 7D8 M.D.
  Head Butt: 5D6 M.D.
  Bear Hug: 4D6x10 M.D. per melee attack for as long as the 
  hold is maintained. The Goliath must first attempt to pin-inca-
  pacitate the target by rolling a 17, 18, 19, or 20 (including any 
  P.P. attribute bonuses and the bonus of +4 to hold). Once the 
  victim has been successfully incapacitated, the Goliath can begin 
  inflicting damage on its next melee attack. At that point, both 
  the victim and the Goliath roll twenty-sided dice and add in their 
  P.P. attribute scores. The Goliath also gets a bonus of +4 to hold 
  in addition to the P.P. bonus. High roll wins. If the Goliath wins, 
  the hold continues and so does the damage. If the victim wins, 
  then the bear hug is released and combat can continue (assuming 
  the victim has not been completely ripped apart). It requires two 
  melee attacks to initiate the hold. Maintaining the hold uses one 
  melee attack each time.
  Body Block/Ram: 6D8 M.D. and has a 01-60% likelihood of 
  knocking an opponent as large as 20 feet (6.1 m) tall off of his 
  feet and onto his back. If knocked off his feet, the victim loses 
  initiative and two melee attacks. A ram counts as two attacks.
  Senses and Features: Standard for War Mounts plus:
  Quill Defense: The Goliath has a thick pelt of quills that cov-
  ers most of its body. Each quill is a bit shorter than those from 
  the standard enhancement (about 4 to 6 inches/10 t0 15 cm), but 
  there are thousands more. The quills inflict 3D6 M.D. to anyone 
  grappling with the Goliath or trying to apply a hold, squeeze at-
  tack, body block or pounce/leap attack to the War Mount. Like-
  wise, adversaries throwing a punch or kick at the Goliath will 
  inflict damage, but take 1D6 M.D. in return from the sharp bed of 
  quills. The quills can also be used as weapons. Extending them 
  in conjunction with a punch, elbow, knee, kick, forearm, or back-
  hand attack adds 1D6 M.D. to the Goliath’s normal punch/kick 
  damage.
  Regeneration: Super. Fingers, toes, eyes, and ears regenerate 
  in 4D6+10 hours. The paws and feet regenerate in 6D6+30 hours, 
  and an entire limb can regenerate in 4D6+4 days. Cannot regrow 
  a heart or brain, but can regenerate a sick or damaged one.
  Bio-Weapon Systems:
  1. Ripper Blades (5): The Goliath possesses five Ripper Blades 
  mounted along its body, one on each forearm and three on 
  the chest. Each Ripper is composed of a thick mass of bone, 
  muscle, and sinew with multiple rows of two inch (5 cm) long 
  shark teeth lining the edge. Powerful muscle contractions rap-
  idly move these teeth back and forth, which creates the Bio-
  Tech equivalent of a chainsaw. Unlike a high-tech chainsaw, 
  a Ripper Blade is almost completely silent (at least until it 
  starts tearing its prey apart). This deadly blade shreds its target 
  on contact, leaving a wicked looking two inch (5 cm) wide 
  wound (or four inches/10 cm wide from the larger blade) that 
  
  141
  held weapons and lose items will be knocked off of the targets 
  and sent flying 2D4x10 feet (6.1 to 12.2 m) away them.
  Number of Attacks: This attack can only be used once per melee 
  round, but it counts as an extra attack per melee.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited, but can only be used once per 
  melee round.
  Bonuses: +4 to strike. This is the only bonus that applies to the 
  Shock Wave Roar.
  vens. Michelangelo thought his argument had merit, but he decid-
  ed to show the wisdom of his beliefs through actions rather than 
  words. His initial giant War Mount designs like the Kraken and 
  Juggernaut made such an impact on the war effort in this Area 
  of Influence that Warlord Artemis authorized him to go forward 
  with more of his ideas.
  One such concept is the massive brawler known as the Sil-
  verback War Mount. This enormous, armored gorilla-looking 
  beast stands over 35 feet (10.7 m) tall when at full height, and 
  even hunched forward on its knuckles, it stands 25 feet (7.6 m) 
  tall. This colossal simian was built with one purpose in mind, to 
  quickly close the distance with its opponents and pound them 
  into submission (though some might argue, into oblivion). It is 
  equipped with a pair of shoulder-mounted Super Light Cell Can-
  nons to engage targets at long-range, but it is far more dangerous 
  up close. Its tremendous size and strength allow it to smash most 
  machines into scrap with just a few well placed punches, but it 
  also possesses some powerful enhancements that make it abso-
  lutely devastating in close combat.
  Aside from its powerful bite, its main weapons in close com-
  bat are its supernaturally strong hands, so Michelangelo made 
  Silverback War Mount
  Michelangelo, the Second Librarian of House Artemis, is of-
  ten described as being a creative genius and has mastered Bio-
  Technology to such an impressive degree that even his fellow 
  Librarians are envious of his skills. He is the mind behind most of 
  Artemis’ cutting edge Bio-Tech designs, and he is one of the key 
  people responsible for House Artemis’ dramatic shift in battle-
  field tactics. Previously, they (like most Great Houses throughout 
  the Resistance) focused on smaller, more mobile War Mounts 
  to allow their teams to strike quickly and then fade away before 
  the Machine could muster a counterattack. Michelangelo began 
  designing and testing larger, more powerful War Mounts without 
  authorization because he believed that while these hit and fade 
  tactics had their place, they would never be enough to win the 
  war. The Resistance needed powerful War Mounts that were ca-
  pable of standing their ground against overwhelming odds. Not 
  only would this be necessary to give them a chance when fight-
  ing the Machine on her turf, or providing heavy field support for 
  strike teams, but they also needed some powerhouses on their 
  side to hold off the inevitable invasions of their underground ha-
  
  142
  sure to enhance them with the proper tools to make them even 
  more destructive. The hands, wrists, and forearms are heavily re-
  inforced and the knuckles on each hand end in enormous spikes 
  which increase the damage of each punch, but these spikes can 
  also be made to shoot out on impact directly into the target. Spent 
  spikes grow back quickly, but this attack can still only be used a 
  limited number of times. To ensure the Silverback is never with-
  out its best weapons, Michelangelo also enhanced the bottom of 
  its hands so that they can generate a powerful concussive blast on 
  impact. This enables the Silverback to deliver a deadly barrage of 
  hammer strikes while the knuckle spikes regenerate. The concus-
  sion blasts also have a limited payload, but alternating back and 
  forth between both types of attacks usually provides enough time 
  for them to regenerate.
  To further enhance the Silverback’s close-quarters prowess, it 
  also possesses a pair of strange experimental pods on each shoul-
  der. These insect-like creatures are capable of spraying nearby 
  opponents with a super-cold fluid, similar to liquid nitrogen only 
  far colder. This cryo-fluid can be used against organic targets, but 
  it is far more effective against robotic adversaries. When sprayed 
  on a robotic target, its joints start to freeze and stiffen, which 
  does slow it down somewhat, but most importantly, it makes the 
  robot’s metallic armor extremely brittle. This combined with the 
  Silverback’s powerful strikes is what makes it so devastating in 
  close combat.
  Of course, it needs to close the distance first. To help the Sil-
  verback safely charge into hand-to-hand range, it has a small orb 
  mounted on its forehead that can project a powerful point de-
  fense force field. This strange field may only protect the front of 
  the War Mount, but by concentrating the energy of the field, it 
  makes it far more durable. The field also has a secondary benefit. 
  When this high-energy field comes into contact with another per-
  son, creature, or machine (generally whatever the Silverback was 
  charging towards), its energies are discharged completely into 
  the target, which temporarily stuns it, allowing the Silverback to 
  unleash its first salvo of attacks against a diminished opponent.
  There are currently only a handful of Silverbacks within 
  House Artemis’ armory, but they have already proven their ef-
  fectiveness in the field and have been fast tracked for introduction 
  throughout the armed forces. Dozens more are currently incubat-
  ing in leathery egg sacks and hundreds more have been slated 
  for generation in Gene Pools. Warlord Artemis has already sold 
  the genetic code to a few of his most trusted Great House allies 
  across the planet, and he is debating on distributing it to dozens 
  more to hopefully give the Resistance an edge as the war with the 
  Machine continues to escalate.
  Class: Heavy Close-Quarters Assault War Mount.
  Crew: One rider.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Arms (2) – 440 each
  Legs (2) – 550 each
  Hands (2) – 260 each
  Prehensile Feet (2) – 100 each
  Cryo Spray Projectors (2) – 230 each
  Super Light Cell Cannons (2) – 180 each
  Head – 420*
  Main Body – 1,250*
  Stun Shield – 800
  Rider’s War Saddle – 100**
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the Head or Main Body kills the 
  Silverback.
  ** In order to strike the rider, an attacker must first destroy 
  the War Saddle.
  Speed:
  Running: 120 mph (192 km) maximum, but normal cruising 
  speed is only 50 mph (80 km). The act of running does tire out the 
  War Mount but not the rider. The Silverback can run at top speed 
  for up to one hour straight before needing to rest for 1D6x10+30 
  minutes. However, it can fight or trot along at cruising speed al-
  most all day (20 hours) without needing rest.
  Leaping: 30 feet (9 m) high or across, increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full speed.
  Digging: 15 mph (24 km) through sand or dirt. 10 mph (16 km) 
  through clay, rock or stone. Digging does not tire out the War 
  Mount and it can dig an adequate hole to cover itself in 3D4 me-
  lees.
  Swimming: 20 mph (32 km).
  Underwater Depth: Maximum depth is 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Flying: Not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 35 feet (10.6 m) at full height, 25-28 feet (7.6 to 8.5 m) 
  when hunched over on knuckles.
  Width: 22-25 feet (6.7 to 7.6 m).
  Length: 15 feet (4.6 m).
  Weight: 10 to 12 tons.
  Cargo: Can carry 6 tons on its back or drag 10 tons behind it.
  Physical Strength: 2D4+60.
  Production Cycle: Four year gestation period plus nine year 
  growth cycle.
  Operational Lifetime: 50-year life span.
  Trade Value: Experimental and highly sought after by many 
  forces outside of Great House Artemis. Any Great House on the 
  planet (assuming they have the means) would pay 5D6x10 mil-
  lion credits for an undamaged Silverback War Mount with all its 
  weapons and limbs intact. Of course, anyone caught selling a Sil-
  verback War Mount would be hunted down by House Artemis’ 
  Repo Men.
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 8D6 per hour to the main body and 4D6 
  per hour to all other locations.
  Horror Factor: 16
  Feeding: The Silverback is a Carnivore. It needs to eat 100-250 
  pounds (45 kg to 112.5 kg) of animal matter a day, and may gorge 
  on up to 600 pounds (270 kg) at one time. After gorging, the War 
  Mount can go 2D4 days without feeding and without suffering 
  any ill effects.
  Color: The mount is dark gray in color with silver highlights on 
  its back.
  Sleep Requirements: As an artificially created organism, the Sil-
  verback only requires 4 hours of sleep per day.
  Other Data:
  An unmanned Silverback is able to operate independent of a 
  rider using its animal-like intelligence and instincts to respond to 
  any given situation. It is naturally aggressive and frequently tries 
  to exert its dominance among other War Mounts, Gorehounds, 
  and Splicers in Host Armor. It rarely attacks others outright, but it 
  will growl, roar, make threatening movements, and even bat them 
  about “gently” in order to get them to back down. If the recipient 
  of this display chooses to fight back right away then the violence 
  
  143
  can quickly escalate. Only Outriders and Packmasters seem to be 
  immune to these games. They are also the only ones that can get 
  a Silverback to calm down when it attempts to exert dominance 
  over another Gorehound, War Mount, or Splicer.
  War Mount Attributes: I.Q. 1D6+3, M.E. 1D6+8, M.A. 3D4+8, 
  P.S. 62-68, P.P. 2D6+8, P.E. 2D6+20, P.B. 3D6, Spd 120 mph 
  (192 km) on the ground.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 4
  Combat Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +6 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +3 to parry, +1 to dodge, +6 to roll with punch, +4 to pull 
  punch, critical strike on an unmodified 18, 19, or 20, and impervi-
  ous to Horror Factor, disease, and poison.
  Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Climb 98%, Land Navi-
  gation 90%, Swim 70%, Track by Scent 60%, and Hunting 60%.
  Combat Capabilities:
  Restrained Punch: 2D6 M.D.
  Punch: 1D6x10+10 M.D.
  Power Punch: 2D6x10+20 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Hammer Punch: +4D6 M.D. to punch or power punch dam-
  age.
  Knuckle Spike Launch: +2D4x10 M.D. to punch or power 
  punch damage.
  Kick: 1D4x10+10 M.D.
  Stomp: 5D8 M.D.
  Bite: 7D8 M.D.
  Crush/Tear: 5D8 M.D.
  Two Handed Tear: 2D4x10 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Head Butt: 5D6 M.D.
  Body Block/Ram: 6D8 M.D. and has a 01-70% likelihood 
  of knocking an opponent as large as 40 feet (12.2 m) tall, off 
  of his feet and onto his back. If knocked off his feet, the victim 
  loses initiative and two melee attacks. A ram counts as two 
  attacks.
  Senses and Features: Standard for War Mounts plus:
  Armored Eyes: The Silverback is expected to mix it up with 
  heavy resistance at close range, so it was given four armored eyes 
  to give it some redundant backups when it inevitably loses a few 
  eyes in battle. Each eye has a hard transparent lid that slides into 
  place when necessary to protect them from damage.
  Prehensile Feet: The Silverback’s feet are prehensile which 
  allows it to grasp and hold objects. They are not developed 
  enough to throw or fire weapons with any degree of accuracy (-6 
  to strike), but they do improve the climbing ability and acrobatic 
  skills of the War Mount.
  Reinforced Exoskeleton.
  Bio-Weapon Systems:
  1. Super Light Cell Cannons (2): The cannons mounted on the 
  shoulders are clusters of Super Light Cells, each cannon con-
  taining seven cells. When activated, all seven cells of the can-
  non fire in unison to unleash a devastating blast. Both cannons 
  can engage the same target simultaneously for an even greater 
  attack.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Range: 2,000 feet (610 m).
  Mega-Damage: A blast from a single Super Light Cell Cannon 
  inflicts 1D6x10+10 M.D. A simultaneous blast from both can-
  nons inflicts 2D6x10+20 M.D.
  Rate of Fire: Both single and dual blasts count as one attack per 
  melee round.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  Bonus: +1 to strike on an aimed shot only.
  2. Armored Gauntlets (2): Both hands are heavily reinforced 
  and equipped with multiple enhancements to allow for more 
  devastating punches and hammer strikes. The spikes on the 
  knuckles of each hand can be made to fire into the target on 
  impact, for a point-blank attack that inflicts massive damage. 
  The spikes regenerate quickly, but it still takes 1D4 melee 
  rounds. The bottoms of the hands can also deliver powerful 
  concussive blasts when slammed down on targets with ham-
  mer strikes. These blasts also have a limited payload but re-
  generate at a much faster rate.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: Knuckle Spike Launch: adds 2D4x10 M.D. to 
  punch or power punch damage. Concussive Blast: adds 4D6 
  M.D. to punch or power punch damage.
  Number of Attacks: Equal to the number of attacks per melee.
  Payload: Knuckle Spike Launch: There are four spikes on each 
  hand. All the spikes on the hand are launched on impact. Spent 
  spikes regenerate after 1D4 melee rounds. Concussive Blasts: 20 
  blasts per hand (40 blasts total). 1D4 blasts are regenerated every 
  melee round.
  3. Cryo Spray Projectors (2): The strange bug-like creatures 
  mounted in each shoulder are capable of projecting a blast of 
  intensely cold liquid. It inflicts minor damage to living targets, 
  but it is far more effective when used against robotic targets.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Range: 50 feet (15.2 m).
  Mega-Damage: Against living targets, the cryo spray inflicts 3D6 
  M.D. every melee round for 1D4 melees and penalties of -3 to 
  strike, parry, and dodge for 1D4 melee rounds.
  Against robots, the cryo spray does not inflict any damage, but 
  it makes their armor weak and brittle, leaving them more vulner-
  able to kinetic attacks. For 1D4 melee rounds, physical impacts 
  from punches, kicks, bullets, rail gun rounds, falls, and explo-
  sions inflict double damage. Their joints are also stiff and less re-
  sponsive which causes penalties of -2 to strike, parry, and dodge 
  for 1D4 melee rounds; plus their armor becomes brittle and frag-
  ile. While in this state, kinetic impacts like those from punches, 
  explosions, and rail gun rounds inflict double damage.
  Number of Attacks: Equal to the number of attacks per melee.
  Payload: Each Cryo Spray Projector contains enough liquid for 5 
  blasts (10 blasts total). One spent blast regenerates every 5 min-
  utes.
  Bonuses: +3 to strike. This is the only bonus that applies to the 
  projectors.
  4. Stun Shield Projector: The seemingly innocuous orb in the 
  Silverback’s forehead is capable of projecting a point defense 
  force field that protects the front of the War Mount as it charg-
  es its prey. The field also serves an offensive function. Once 
  the force field makes contact with another living creature or 
  robot, it completely discharges into the target, stunning it tem-
  porarily. This causes the field to drop immediately, and cannot 
  be reactivated for 1D4 melee rounds. The Silverback needs to 
  disengage the shield anyway to attack its prey, so it generally 
  prefers to endure this slight inconvenience in order to weaken 
  
  144
  its prey. Simply roll to strike with a body block/tackle to see if 
  the field hits the intended target. The target must then roll a 16 
  or higher to save against stun. On a failed roll, the victim loses 
  3 attacks per melee and is -6 to strike, parry, and dodge for one 
  entire melee round. On a successful save, the victim is only -1 
  to strike, parry, and dodge for one melee round.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Assault.
  Range: Five feet (1.5 m).
  Mega-Damage: None, other than stun penalties.
  Payload: The stun field must have at least 100 M.D.C. to inflict 
  stun penalties. Once the field makes contact, it cannot be reacti-
  vated for 1D4 melee rounds.
  Mount (see The Rifter® #30, page 47). They designed it to give 
  their House the edge during Blood Feuds, but a handful of rogue 
  Outriders took their duties a bit overzealously and used these 
  monstrous War Mounts to commit all manner of terrible atroci-
  ties. House Artemis buried these Outriders and this terrible se-
  cret, but that did not end the need for an anti-Splicer War Mount. 
  The Librarians went back to the drawing board to craft a mount 
  that would be effective against Biotechnology but still devastat-
  ing against the Machine.
  Michelangelo, the Second Librarian of House Artemis, came 
  up with a sleek, new design that met all these needs perfectly. 
  While the Abomination was given a horrific insect-like appear-
  ance so that it would be psychologically terrifying, the Stalker 
  was modeled after the deadly grace and beauty of jungle cats. 
  Michelangelo wanted to stay as far away from the hidden legacy 
  of the Abomination as possible, but he still wanted to incorpo-
  rate some of the strengths that made that War Mount so deadly, 
  like its incredible agility, Stealth Field, and its ability to cling to 
  nearly any surface and strike from any angle.
  He also wanted his new mount to look as much like a real 
  jungle cat as possible. The Librarian noticed that the Machine 
  tends to leave animals in the wild alone, and he hoped a more 
  natural looking creature would be able to prowl across the surface 
  without drawing attention. Michelangelo began by combining the 
  strengths of some of the deadliest feline predators like lions, ti-
  gers, smilodons, leopards, cougars, and jaguars. From there, he 
  took their natural strength, speed, agility, climbing skills, and 
  hunting instincts and enhanced them to extraordinary levels. The 
  end result looks similar to a normal clouded leopard, only much 
  larger and robust. He even redesigned the War Saddle to maxi-
  mize the illusion. Instead of sitting on the back of the Stalker, 
  the Outrider lies face down inside of the War Mount in a spe-
  cially designed pilot’s compartment. While this does protect the 
  pilot completely, it does have some drawbacks. While operating 
  in what is known as the stealth configuration, the pilot cannot 
  use any of his own Host Armor mounted weapons and sensors. 
  However, the pilot can unseal the back of the Stalker and swing 
  his body up into the attack configuration to bring the full power 
  of the duo to bear. When in this configuration, he looks more 
  like a standard mounted rider, except his legs are still concealed 
  within the War Mount instead of straddling the sides. It is a revo-
  lutionary new design that Michelangelo hopes to incorporate into 
  future War Mounts, although the hollow frame does make the 
  beast a bit less durable.
  The fur of the War Mount was another unique creation of Mi-
  chelangelo’s. He wanted to move away from the thickly-armored 
  appearance common to most War Mounts so that it would look 
  like a natural feline, but unfortunately, the Stealth Field enhance-
  ment would not work with normal fur. He created layers of short 
  ceramic spines that not only gave the look of fur (even up close), 
  but they also provided some measure of defensive protection. 
  This thick pelt of tough spines shields the War Mount from dam-
  age, plus the Stalker can flare them out like a porcupine’s quills to 
  damage enemies that attempt to grapple with it. When the Stalker 
  is relaxed, the spines are light gray or black in color, giving it 
  the natural camouflage pattern of a clouded leopard, but when 
  on the prowl, the spines change colors slightly to match the sur-
  rounding area. It is like a mild version of the Chameleon Skin 
  Bio-Enhancement that naturally engages when the War Mount 
  is hunting its prey. The Stalker still has the option to activate its 
  Stalker War Mount
  The Stalker is the latest War Mount design to come from the 
  pioneering Librarians of House Artemis. It combines the DNA 
  from a half dozen jungle cats and a handful of alien species 
  with some of the latest breakthroughs in Bio-Weapon technol-
  ogy. This cunning predator is enhanced with a Stealth Field and 
  adhesive pads on its feet so that it can hunt its prey from the 
  shadows and then strike from nearly any angle. Only the most 
  loyal Outriders and Skinjobs are ever entrusted with this proto-
  type War Mount, typically becoming devoted Stalker Pilots or 
  part of a Pride Squadron. This is done in the hopes of keeping 
  its top secret weapon designs from falling into the hands of rival 
  Great Houses, but more importantly, to hide the War Mount’s 
  real purpose. Most people within the Resistance believe that 
  House Artemis created the Stalker as a clandestine War Mount 
  for commando missions and surgical strikes (which is one pur-
  pose), but in truth, they designed this mount to be used against 
  other Splicers.
  One of House Artemis’ dirty little secrets that few know about 
  is that they were the original creators of the Abomination War 
  
  145
  more powerful Stealth Field for when it really wants to hide its 
  presence.
  The Stalker can use its powerful talons to climb rough surfaces 
  like trees and steep cliffs, but it also has sticky hairs and suction 
  cups on the pads of its feet that allow it to effortlessly cling to any 
  surface. It can run straight up a glass wall or even upside down 
  along a ceiling at incredible speeds. Stalkers have a relatively 
  thick hide beneath their fur, but Michelangelo decided against 
  equipping the War Mount with heavier armor plating in order 
  to keep it quick and agile. It can move at amazing speeds along 
  nearly any surface, and it can perform acrobatic maneuvers that 
  seem impossible for a creature of its size. Its natural propensity 
  to stalk prey from the shadows was made even more deadly with 
  the inclusion of a Stealth Field. Similar to Skinjobs, the Stalker is 
  able to strike from anywhere at any time and then simply vanish 
  before its prey can even consider a counterattack. Stalkers love to 
  sneak up on their prey and attack at close range, but these beasts 
  also possess formidable long-range weaponry.
  Michelangelo took great pride in his new creation and wanted 
  to equip it with his latest Bio-Weapon designs. While he was 
  finishing up the final details on the Stalker, he was also design-
  ing Shrieker weapons which are based on a system of special-
  ized rounds emitting a specific Bio-Comm signal that other Bio-
  Weapons can use as a targeting beacon. The Librarian saw great 
  promise in this new weapon system, and he decided to equip the 
  Stalker with Shrieker rounds before they were even field-tested. 
  Both the Stalker and these tracking rounds have more than prov-
  en themselves in the field, and Michelangelo was glad he took 
  this gamble. He wanted to keep the Stalker streamlined like a 
  real jungle cat, so he did not want to add any obvious weapon 
  barrels. Instead, he incorporated his Shrieker rounds right into 
  the Stalker’s claws. Each claw is an individual tracer round. They 
  can be fired from the paw with impressive range and accuracy, 
  or the Stalker can choose to detach a single claw inside its target 
  after a successfully swipe from its mighty paw.
  Stalkers can mark targets for other Splicers to destroy or it can 
  attack using its own special Shrieker-seeking munitions. Hidden 
  beneath its fur are rows of mini-organic rockets known as Rocket 
  Rounds. These explosive smart rounds can change their trajectory 
  in mid-flight in order to home in on targets marked with Shrieker 
  rounds. This allows the Stalker to mark its prey and then fade 
  into the shadows where it can obliterate its target without fear 
  of reprisals. The Stalker can also tag a target with a Shrieker and 
  then follow this inaudible Bio-Comm signal from up to a mile 
  (1.6 km) away. This is where the Stalker earned its name and its 
  terrifying reputation as an unrelenting and inescapable predator. 
  Many victims have thought they successfully shook this vicious 
  hunter from their trail only to learn the horrible truth at the end of 
  its claws and fangs.
  What further adds to its fearsome reputation is the fact that few 
  Splicers that have faced a Stalker have survived. Most assume it 
  is because of their formidable hunting skills and Stealth Field, but 
  Stalkers also contain a secret weapon that gives them a distinct 
  edge against living opponents. It is a secret that few Splicers out-
  side of elite assassins like Skinjobs, even know exist. The Stalker 
  is capable of delivering a virulent Bio-Toxin through its large 
  saber teeth or via special poisonous spine launchers mounted be-
  neath the skin on its shoulders. There are various types of tox-
  ins, but each one is incredibly effective against living creatures 
  and Bio-Technology. Some toxins can disable the natural healing 
  abilities of Bio-Tech while others cause mind-numbing agony or 
  temporary paralysis. The poisonous spines are completely silent 
  when fired, so even those that have witnessed a Stalker use them 
  to finish off another Splicer simply assumed the beast got the up-
  per hand through other means. Warlord Artemis is hoping to keep 
  this technology a secret, but the growing danger from threats like 
  Great House Shiva, Great House Charlemagne, House Janus, 
  and Waste Crawler gangs has necessitated a dramatic increase in 
  Stalker production. It is only a matter of time before Great House 
  Artemis faces this beast or its Bio-Toxins in battle.
  Class: Covert Assault War Mount.
  Crew: One rider.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Front Legs (2) – 140 each
  Hind Legs (2) – 190 each
  Paws (4) – 75 each
  Tail – 65
  * Head – 180
  * Main Body – 320
  ** Internal Pilot Compartment – 50
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the Head or Main Body kills the 
  Stalker.
  ** When in the stealth configuration, the pilot is completely 
  sealed within the compartment. In this case, the M.D.C. of the 
  Pilot Compartment must be depleted first before the pilot can 
  be targeted. When in the attack configuration, the upper body 
  can be targeted as normal, but the legs are still completely 
  protected within the compartment.
  Speed:
  Running: 240 mph (384 km) maximum, but normal cruising 
  speed is only 100 mph (160 km). The act of running does tire out 
  the War Mount but not the rider. The Stalker can run at top speed 
  for up to two hours straight before needing to rest for 1D6x10+30 
  minutes. However, it can fight or trot along at cruising speed al-
  most all day (20 hours) without needing rest. The War Mount was 
  built to climb and it can run up a sheer cliff or even upside down 
  along a ceiling at 90 mph (144 km).
  Leaping: 80 feet (24.4 km) high or across, increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full speed.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km) through sand or dirt. 10 mph (16 km) 
  through clay, rock or stone. Digging does not tire out the War 
  Mount and it can dig an adequate hole to cover itself in 2D4 me-
  lees.
  Swimming: 40 mph (64 km or 34 knots); dog paddle or otter-like 
  underwater.
  Underwater Depth: Maximum depth is 200 feet (61 m).
  Flying: Not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 7-8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m) at the shoulder.
  Width: 4-5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 12 feet (3.6 m) with a 6 foot (1.8 m) long tail.
  Weight: 1.0 to 1.2 tons.
  Cargo: Can carry 600 lbs (270 kg) within its internal pilot com-
  partment plus an additional 800 lbs (360 kg) on its back or drag 
  2,600 lbs (1,170 kg) behind it.
  Physical Strength: 1D4+36.
  Production Cycle: 2 year gestation period plus 2 year growth 
  cycle.
  Operational Lifetime: 50 year life span.
  
  146
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 6D6 per hour to the main body and 3D6 
  per hour to all other locations.
  Horror Factor: 15, 17 for a Pride Squadron of four or more against 
  humans, none against machines.
  Feeding: The Stalker is a Carnivore. It needs to eat 30-60 pounds 
  (13.5 to 27 kg) of animal matter a day, and may gorge on up to 
  300 pounds (135 kg) at one time. After gorging, the War Mount 
  can go 2D4 days without feeding and without suffering any ill 
  effects.
  Color: The spiny fur of the War Mount can vary from a light 
  gray, mint or rust with black spots and stripes, giving it a natural 
  camouflage pattern, but it can also change color to match its sur-
  roundings. Upon rare occasion a Stalker is born solid melanistic 
  black and are called Panthers. The eyes are always blood red in 
  color.
  Sleep Requirements: As an artificially created organism, the 
  Stalker only requires 4 hours of sleep per day.
  Other Data:
  An unmanned Stalker is able to operate independent of an Out-
  rider using its animal-like intelligence and instincts to respond to 
  any given situation. It is a natural hunter that loves testing its 
  skills on the battlefield. Stalkers are patient predators that prefer 
  to wait for the perfect moment to strike rather than just rush in, 
  and it will develop an affinity for any Splicers that use the same 
  tactics. It recognizes robots as natural enemies and will attack 
  them on its own, but only if it feels the time is right. Sometimes 
  misinterpreted by others that these beasts are cowards, Stalkers 
  just prefer to wait until it can take advantage of its strengths. A 
  Stalker will attack numerically superior forces, but only if the ter-
  rain allows it to use hit and fade tactics. It will come to the aid of 
  a human in danger, but once again, only if the situation is ideal. It 
  finds overwhelming odds fun and challenging, but it will not leap 
  into impossible odds unless commanded to do so by an Outrider 
  or Packmaster. Cornered Stalkers have been likened to that of a 
  furious tornado with claws and fangs slashing everywhere.
  Alignment: Anarchist. The Stalker loves hunting, fighting, and 
  toying with its prey. Dangerous enemies are dealt with quickly 
  and efficiently, but when it comes across a less than challenging 
  adversary, it likes to have a little fun before finishing the job. Its 
  attitude borders on arrogance and this mindset usually wears off 
  on the Outrider.
  War Mount Attributes: I.Q. 1D6+3, M.E. 1D6+4, M.A. 3D4+8, 
  P.S. 37-40, P.P. 2D6+8, P.E. 2D6+14, P.B. 3D6, Spd 240 mph 
  (384 km) on the ground.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 5
  Combat Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +5 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +4 to parry, +3 to automatic dodge, +2 to entangle, +6 to 
  roll with punch, +3 to pull punch, +2 to disarm, and impervious 
  to Horror Factor, disease, and poison.
  Equivalent (Instinctive) Skills of Note: Climb 98%, Land Navi-
  gation 90%, Prowl 90%, Swim 70%, Track by Scent 80%, and 
  Hunting 90%.
  Combat Capabilities:
  Restrained Claw Strike: 1D6x10+10 S.D.C.
  Claw Strike: 5D8 M.D.
  Power Claw Strike: 2D4x10 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Rear Leg Kick: 8D6 M.D.
  Double Rear Leg Kick: 10D6+20 M.D., but counts as two at-
  tacks.
  Leap Kick: Not possible.
  Bite: 6D8 M.D.
  Head Butt: 3D6 M.D.
  Body Block/Ram: 4D8 M.D. and has a 01-60% likelihood of 
  knocking an opponent who is as large as 20 feet (6.1 m) tall off of 
  his feet and onto his back. If knocked off his feet, the victim loses 
  initiative and two melee attacks/actions, and the Stalker is poised 
  for a fast bite attack (+2 to strike for the Feline’s next attack). A 
  ram counts as two attacks.
  Running Leap Attack: 6D8 M.D., and has a 01-85% likelihood 
  of knocking down an opponent and counts as two attacks, other-
  wise the same as Body Block/Ram.
  Senses and Features: Standard for War Mounts plus:
  Internal Pilot Compartment: The special pilot compartment 
  has two configurations: Stealth and Attack. When in Stealth con-
  figuration, the pilot is completely concealed within the body of 
  the War Mount. This not only protects the pilot from attack, but 
  it also makes the Stalker look more like a natural animal, which 
  means the mount is less likely to draw Machine attention. When 
  operating in stealth configuration in a wilderness setting, there is 
  only a 01-15% chance that random Machine patrols will harass 
  the Stalker. (Note: This bonus is negated by any obvious Bio-En-
  hancements like additional weapons barrels, exoskeletons, horns, 
  etc.). However, the stealth configuration does have its drawbacks. 
  The pilot cannot use any Host Armor mounted weapons and sen-
  sors when concealed within the Stalker (no bonuses from optical 
  and sensory Bio-Enhancements). When in Attack configuration, 
  the back of the Stalker unseals to allow the pilot to lift up into a 
  seated position. The upper body is exposed and can be targeted 
  as normal, but the legs are still concealed within the War Mount. 
  The pilot may not be as protected in this configuration, but he 
  can bring all of his weapons and sensory enhancements to bear. 
  Switching between the stealth and attack configurations takes 
  two melee actions.
  Stealth Field: The field makes the War Mount and rider semi-
  invisible. The Stalker is 90% undetectable when standing still, 
  80% when moving slow, 60% moving at a walking pace or slow-
  er, and only 33% when moving at full speed. Invisible to infrared 
  optics, thermal-imaging systems, heat sensors, and nightvision.
  Suction Cups and Gripping Hairs: The pads of the feet are 
  equipped with suction cups that can grip any smooth surface (pol-
  ished metal, glass, plastic, etc.) and gripping hairs that can cling 
  to the rough surfaces that the suction cups cannot (concrete, rock, 
  wood, etc.). The Stalker can run along walls or ceilings with a 
  maximum speed of 90 mph (144 km). The War Mount can only 
  hold 800 lbs (360 kg) when climbing or upside down.
  Hear Shrieker Signals: In addition to the Stalker’s weapons, 
  the War Mount itself is equipped with a special Bio-Comm re-
  ceiver that allows it to follow the inaudible signal given off by 
  any Shrieker round up to one mile away (1.6 km) or up to six 
  miles (9.6m) away for any Squealer.
  Righting Reflex: The Stalker can automatically right itself 
  in mid-fall and land on its feet. Takes no damage from any fall 
  less than fifty feet (15.2 m), takes only half damage from falls 
  between 50-1,000 feet (15.2 to 305 m), and falls from a height 
  greater than 1,000 feet (305 m) requires a successful roll with 
  impact to reduce damage by half.
  Spiny Fur: The odorless fur of the Stalker is made up of layers 
  of thin yet durable ceramic spines. These spines naturally change 
  color to match the surrounding area, but the Stalker can also ac-
  tivate its full Stealth Field for superior camouflage. In addition, 
  
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  these hard spines act as a layer of protective armor, plus they 
  damage any enemies that try to grapple or pin the War Mount. 
  Inflicts 2D6 M.D. to anyone attempting to wrestle or apply any 
  type of hold on the Stalker.
  Bio-Weapon Systems:
  1. Shrieker Rounds (20): The claws are Shrieker tracking rounds. 
  They can be fired one at a time from the paws or the Stalker 
  can detach one inside its target during a claw strike. Once a 
  target is tagged, the round transmits a special Bio-Comm sig-
  nal up to a range of one mile (1.6 km). Any Bio-Tech weapon 
  or device equipped with the proper Shrieker receiver can then 
  track this signal to its source and target it with incredible accu-
  racy (even without line of sight). The Stalker generally prefers 
  to use the front paws to tag targets from a distance and the 
  back claws to mark prey in close combat. A favorite tactic is 
  to cling to a wall or tree above its prey and then quickly plant 
  a tracer with a rear leg kick.
  Primary Purpose: Assault and Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Tracking.
  Range: 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Mega-Damage: 1D4 M.D.
  Rate of Fire: Each shot or claw strike counts as one attack per 
  melee.
  Duration: Once activated, a Shrieker round will broadcast its Bio-
  Comm signal for 4D6 minutes before it starves to death.
  Bonuses: +2 to strike.
  Payload: 20 Shrieker rounds. The Stalker can regrow one spent 
  Shrieker round every 4D6 minutes.
  2. Rocket Rounds (2): Hidden beneath the Stalker’s spiny fur are 
  rows of high explosive smart rounds known as Rocket Rounds. 
  Even upon close inspection, these rounds are difficult to de-
  tect. They just feel like marble-sized bumps on the surface of 
  the skin. When launched, they burst straight out of the skin at 
  a perpendicular angle and then change their flight path to track 
  targets marked with a Shrieker. Normally, Rocket Rounds 
  can be fired directly at targets, but the layout of the launchers 
  makes it nearly impossible for the Stalker to properly aim its 
  attack without a Shrieker round to follow. These rounds are 
  basically miniaturized Organic Rockets that track their target 
  by sound instead of by sight. They are not as complex or as 
  intelligent as full-sized Organic Rockets. They can alter their 
  flight path up to sixty degrees and can make multiple correc-
  tions if necessary, but they cannot double back around to try 
  and strike a target they originally missed nor can they weave 
  around obstacles in their way. These rounds are blind, so they 
  are not aware of any obstacles between them and their target. 
  Rocket Rounds will choose the most direct path towards their 
  target, but they will quickly change their trajectory to home-in 
  on moving targets. The rounds can also track the signals from 
  Squealers and Shrieker rounds launched from other Bio-Tech 
  devices.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Range: 4,000 feet (1,219 m).
  Mega-Damage: 5D6 M.D. for each Rocket Round.
  Rate of Fire: Volleys of 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16.
  Bonuses: +5 to strike when tracking a tagged target, otherwise 
  they are -4 to strike. In addition, tagged targets are -3 to dodge 
  against these homing rounds.
  Payload: 200 Rocket Rounds. It takes 1D4 hours to regrow each 
  spent Rocket Round.
  3. Poisonous Spine Launchers: Concealed beneath the skin 
  on the shoulders of the War Mount are clusters of poisonous 
  spine launchers. Each spine sits in its own individual launcher 
  tube, but multiple launchers are grouped together so that the 
  Stalker does not need to adjust its aim on subsequent shots. A 
  powerful muscle contraction propels the spines through tiny 
  openings in the skin. They are completely silent when fired, 
  which is why few people even know this weapon system ex-
  ists. Each spine can only deliver one kind of Bio-Toxin, but 
  Stalkers are equipped with five different types of Bio-Toxin 
  (4 spines equipped with each type, for a total of 20 spines). 
  The War Mount or Outrider can select exactly which type of 
  Bio-Toxin is fired, and multiple toxins can be used against the 
  same target (all damage and penalties are cumulative).
  Primary Purpose: Anti-Splicer.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Range: 800 feet (244 m).
  Mega-Damage: 1D4 points of M.D. or S.D.C. (depending on the 
  nature of the target), plus the additional effects of the Bio-Toxin:
  Tech Paralyzer: This toxin is used to paralyze M.D.C. crea-
  tures and Bio-Tech creations. Any Mega-Damage creature ex-
  posed to the chemical must make a roll to save vs non-lethal 
  poison of 16 or higher or else be completely paralyzed for 2D6 
  melee rounds. Bio-Tech weapons and devices are also paralyzed 
  and will not function. Suits of Host Armor can be paralyzed, but 
  the spray does not affect the pilot inside. He can strip off his suit 
  to escape the paralysis although he will likely be trapped in the 
  comatose Host Armor. The chemical has no effect on normal hu-
  mans and other S.D.C. creatures.
  Signal Mixer: This unusual toxin interferes with the neuro-
  logical connection formed between any Bio-Tech device and the 
  wielder. Whether the chemical is applied to the organic equip-
  ment or the user, the effect is the same. Host Armor and Wing 
  Packs become sluggish and unresponsive (-5 on initiative, -3 to 
  strike, parry, and dodge), Bio-Weapons are unable to fire, and 
  War Mounts do not respond to their riders (attacks per melee and 
  bonuses are no longer combined), plus it negates all bonuses from 
  any sensory enhancements. Any person or device exposed to the 
  chemical must make a roll to save vs non-lethal poison of 16 or 
  higher. A failed roll means the target is affected for 3D4 melee 
  rounds. Stalkers like to use this chemical when they take down 
  prey in front of witnesses. Instead of any obvious damage or im-
  pairment, it just looks like the victim screwed up in battle and 
  was overwhelmed by the Stalker’s superior combat skills.
  Agony: Anyone exposed to the chemical must make a save vs 
  non-lethal poison of 16 or higher or else be overwhelmed with 
  mind-numbing pain. Victims of the Agony toxin lose two attacks 
  per melee and are -3 to strike, parry, and dodge for 3D4 melee 
  rounds. The poison works on humans, supernatural creatures, and 
  War Mounts. It also works on Host Armor in a sense. The armor 
  itself does not suffer from the pain inflicted by this toxin, but it 
  does pass the sensation on to the pilot. Inanimate Bio-Tech de-
  vices like Bio-Weapons and Living Armor are not affected.
  Neutralizer: This toxin can instantly disable one of the great-
  est strengths of Bio-Technology; its ability to quickly heal itself. 
  Any Bio-Tech device or living creature exposed to the chemical 
  must make a save vs. non-lethal poison of 16 or higher. On a 
  failed roll, the target’s natural regenerative powers are disabled 
  
  148
  for 1D4 hours. This toxin is especially useful against Scarecrows. 
  The poison also affects S.D.C. creatures, but most of these beings 
  have such a slow healing rate that this is usually a waste of time. 
  However, it is quite useful against Gene Thieves.
  Rate of Fire: Can only be fired one at a time. Each shot counts as 
  one attack per melee.
  Bonuses: +2 to strike.
  Payload: 4 Poisonous spines of each type (20 total). Spent spines 
  automatically regenerate after 24 hours.
  4. Poisonous Saber Teeth: Much like the clouded leopard that it 
  was modeled after, the Stalker has a pair of large saber teeth 
  backed by powerful jaw muscles that drastically increases the 
  damage and power of its bite attacks. In addition, these fangs 
  have a thin tube running through the center that enables the 
  Stalker to inject its prey with Bio-Toxin. The Outrider can 
  equip the Stalker with one Bio-Toxin from the list above, but 
  once it has been selected, it cannot be changed.
  Primary Purpose: Anti-Splicer.
  Secondary Purpose: Assault.
  Range: Melee combat/bite attack.
  Mega-Damage: 3D8 M.D. is added to the normal bite damage 
  (6D8 M.D. total) plus the additional effects of the Bio-Toxin.
  Payload: 10 doses of Bio-Toxin. One dose regenerates every 6D6 
  minutes.
  New NPCs, Notes 
  & Quick Stats
  Isaac Mendoza
  7th level Biotic
  Before becoming Head of Security, Isaac Mendoza was an 
  upstanding soldier with multiple decorations for heroics. Ac-
  cepted into an elite Special Operations unit, Mendoza continued 
  to distinguish himself. Surprisingly stable for a Biotic, Mendoza 
  was repeatedly promoted, achieving a level of prominence many 
  would have considered impossible. In an unprecedented move, 
  the Biotic was named Head of Security, a decision that prompted 
  a fair amount of criticism. Biotics often display a range of men-
  tal instabilities; critics feared any number of these could com-
  promise Mendoza’s position. While the majority of the senate 
  Dreadguards expressed concern over a Biotic placed in such a 
  highly sensitive position, Mendoza’s performance has silenced 
  even his harshest critics.
  A career soldier and highly trained special operative, Men-
  doza is a dyed in the wool patriot and takes his position se-
  riously. Though rarely participating in open combat anymore, 
  Mendoza still sees himself as still fighting for his people. The 
  Biotic is smart, well trained, and extremely resourceful. Very 
  little escapes his sharp eyed notice and Mendoza has halted 
  many threats before they could even begin. Intimidating and 
  no nonsense to strangers, Mendoza is only slightly less so with 
  members of Great House Artemis. Mendoza is unusually stable 
  and has shown little signs of the mental instabilities that plague 
  many Biotics. His only peculiarity is his obsession with the se-
  curity of the research station; a trait his supporters argue makes 
  him that much better for his position. However, the obsession 
  may become dangerous.
  Unknown to nearly everyone, Mendoza has begun hearing 
  voices and even what he thinks are Machine “whispers” in his 
  mind. The whispers warn him of threats and betrayal, from both 
  in and out of the Great House. As part of his position, outsiders 
  are immediately regarded with a level of suspicion and paranoia. 
  Mendoza is extremely valuable to the House and efforts are un-
  derway to try and get rid of the voices. However, until they can be 
  silenced, the battle is becoming near constant. Martin is the only 
  person who suspects what is happening to the Biotic; the Puppet 
  Master’s abilities are invaluable in quieting the mental noise. The 
  Biotic isn’t completely lost to his delusions, yet they are taking 
  a toll. For the first time in his career, he’s beginning to second 
  guess himself, some of his decisions and scrutiny over others. 
  The real tragedy is Mendoza is a good man and a loyal defender 
  of humanity.
  G.M.’s Note: What’s detailed below is only what the characters 
  should be able to guess or infer themselves about Mendoza 
  and his abilities. Mendoza is the Head of Security for a top 
  secret installation with untold resources at his disposal. GM’s, 
  feel free to modify or even add to the enhancements below if 
  needed.
  Race: Biotic.
  Attributes: I.Q. 13, M.E. 7, M.A. 21, P.S. 30, P.P. 19, P.E. 26, 
  P.B. 12, Spd 25. Note: Both P.S. and P.E. are Splicer P.S.
  Alignment: Largely Scrupulous, but his delusions are starting 
  to affect his judgment. If left unchecked, he may eventually 
  become Aberrant.
  M.D.C.: 321, without armor. Mendoza bio-regenerates 2D6+3 
  M.D.C. per melee round and can regenerate lost body parts, in-
  cluding limbs. Mendoza can last ten times longer than normal 
  during strenuous exercise/activity before feeling the effects of 
  exhaustion. This means he remains alert and can operate at full 
  efficiency for three entire days (72 hours) without sleep.
  Experience Level: 7th level Biotic.
  Appearance: As a Biotic, Mendoza has been completely trans-
  formed and enhanced. Standing nearly 7 feet (2.1 m) tall, he’s 
  lined with corded muscle. Though heavily muscled, Men-
  doza’s somewhat lean and lithe, like a world class gymnast. 
  His features are fairly feline, including unusual eyes, vaguely 
  pointed ears, and retractable claws. Though lightly furred, 
  what skin is visible is highlighted with unusual coloration and 
  markings.
  Height: 6 feet, 10 inches (2.1 m).
  Weight: 380 pounds (171 kg).
  Age: 33. Sex: Male.
  Insanities: Mendoza is on his way to being a classic paranoid 
  schizophrenic: imaginary voices and even Machine whispers 
  may start guiding his actions. Like many Biotics, Mendoza 
  also views himself as a bit of a super hero, quick to take action 
  and crazy risks to protect powerless humans. If pressed into 
  combat, Mendoza is extremely ruthless and has no remorse or 
  hesitation at killing the enemy.
  Skills of Note: First Aid 95%, Bio-Comms 80%, Appraise Goods 
  75%, Brewing 70%/80%, Cook 70%, Interrogation, Surveil-
  lance and Detect Ambush 65%, Detect Concealment, Dis-
  
  149
  
  150
  guise, Find Contraband, Prowl, and Tracking 60%, Forced 
  March, Running, Resist Torture.
  Weapon Proficiencies: Bio-Weapons Light, Bio-Weapons 
  Heavy, Archery, Knife, Sword, Paired Weapons.
  Combat Training: Hand to Hand Expert.
  Attacks per Melee: 6
  Combat Bonuses: +5 to strike, +5 to parry, +6 to dodge, +5 to 
  pull punch, +2 to roll with punch, +2 to disarm, +8 to save vs 
  toxins/poisons/drugs, +32% to save vs coma/death, +2 to save 
  vs Horror Factor, Critical Strike on unmodified 18, 19, or 20, 
  65% Trust/Intimidate.
  Known Bio-Enhancements & Features: Super Regeneration, 
  Advanced Senses (hearing, smell, sight), Nightvision, Acid 
  Blood, Reinforced Exoskeleton, Retractable Acid Edged 
  Claws (+2D6 M.D. to punch, acid inflicts an additional 2D8 
  M.D. per melee round for one minute), Chameleon Skin.
  Living Armor: Mendoza normally doesn’t wear armor in the re-
  search facility, but if needed, his personal armor is Heavy Chi-
  tinous Armor styled to resemble an almost insect-like samurai.
  Notable Equipment: Heavy Bore Cannon, Dual Acid-Edge 
  Swords, EMP Side Kick (Prototype), Light Cell Laser Pistol, 
  1D4 Migs and modified conventional explosive charges (some 
  hidden).
  G.M.’s Note:
  Martin MacAlister the Puppet Master 
  Martin, along with the Puppet Master O.C.C. and abilities 
  plus the Symbiote Armor will be detailed fully in future Splic-
  ers source material. G.M.s conducting Martin should be guarded, 
  friendly and somewhat open with the player characters. He fully 
  realizes the gravity of the situation and is willing to assist where 
  he can. But keep in mind, his ultimate loyalty will be to the Great 
  House and its secrets. Martin will stay adorned in his Symbiote 
  Armor during the player’s visit and he should be fully away of 
  any scams, cons, or actions the PCs may attempt. For purposes of 
  the story, he should be able to neutralize and negate them fairly 
  quickly.
  Race: Puppet Master.
  Alignment: Classified.
  Experience Level: Classified.
  Height: 6 feet, 6 inches (2 m).
  Weight: 172 pounds (78 kg).
  Age: Classified Sex: Male.
  
  151
  I am Legion, Episode IV
  An Adventure and Official Source Material for Splicers®
  Concept developed by Chris “Slappy” Kluge and Charles “Chuck” Walton II
  Written by Chris Kluge
  Illustrated by Charles Walton II
  Stat Assistance by Todd Spencley
  Note: Originally appeared in The Rifter® #75, page 67.
  only fight to incapacitate. Once everyone is out of the Badger 
  War Carrier, Shauna steps forward and addresses the group on 
  behalf of Legion.
  “There... that’s better. Now we can have a more civilized dis-
  cussion. I suppose since it’s just us here, I can dispense with the 
  theatrics. Sometimes it’s hard to understand all those voices at 
  once, and I wanted to make sure I have your undivided attention. 
  I do love the effect though, don’t you?” Legion was never one for 
  conversation in the past. In fact, she has barely uttered more than 
  a few sentences since her entire offensive began. They knew she 
  was a bit of a trickster and a game player, but this latest revelation 
  demonstrates that her skills at deception could possibly put Lilith 
  to shame. It is as if everything the players have learned about 
  her during this whole ordeal was just an act. No one is sure what 
  game she is playing now, but as long as she is talking it means 
  she is not carving them up into pieces. It seems Drake Benton has 
  come to the same conclusion and he is trying to keep her talking.
  “So what do you want with us?”
  “With you? Nothing. I’ve already gotten everything I need 
  from you. I just wanted to thank you for all your help before I 
  took you into the fold.”
  “What the hell are you talking about?”
  “Still haven’t figured it out have you? You know, it takes all 
  the fun out of these little games when your opponents don’t even 
  know when you’ve beaten them. I wanted an Engineer. I wanted 
  one for quite some time now, but unfortunately, I was never quite 
  strong enough to wrest one from your Resistance strongholds. I 
  needed to find one that was a bit more accessible, but I had pretty 
  much given up hope of that happening... until I found Shauna 
  here. When I took her nearly six months ago, her mind showed 
  me such wonderful secrets from your Great House Artemis. I 
  learned about the Lab and its lone Engineer, Dante, safely tucked 
  away from the bulk of your forces. It was still a difficult target, 
  but a manageable one. Regrettably, the surgery to implant my 
  will in her mind does have its side effects, and a few important 
  details were lost. She couldn’t quite remember how to get there, 
  but others did. I just needed to convince them to show me the 
  way. That’s when I came up with this game. A bit complicated, 
  but that’s what made it so fun. Sure, there were easier ways to 
  find it, but I just love a challenge... and it worked even better than 
  I could have hoped. You not only led me to my Engineer, but you 
  brought me the Badger and two Shell Bombs, disabled the Lab’s 
  defenses, and cut off their only avenue of escape. Once again, I 
  simply must thank you for everything.”
  “WHAT!?” roars an infuriated Drake Benton.
  “Oh yes. The assault on the facility would have been much 
  more costly without your help. You’ve seen it. That place is ab-
  The Plot Revealed
  With the hatch open and the Badger incapacitated, the passen-
  gers are pretty much sitting ducks within the Armored War Carrier. 
  The odds outside look pretty bad, but staying inside is no safer. To 
  drive home that point, Legion moves more of her Collectors to the 
  hatch to “persuade” them to come out. Four tail-mounted cannons 
  poke in through the hatch and motion for the group to step outside. 
  At this point, Elite Archangel Drake Benton is the only one out in 
  the midst of Legion’s minions. He looks around for a moment and 
  then throws his rifle down in frustration. Sweeper Anderson Long 
  decides to follow his lead, but not before making a few last minute 
  preparations. He grabs his rifle, slips one of his Squig detonators 
  into his palm, and then steps out of the Badger and into the clearing. 
  Anderson walks out with his rifle held high over his head in one 
  hand to show that he also plans to surrender. The Sweeper takes his 
  place next to Drake and then throws down his rifle as well. He is 
  not sure if Drake has a game plan in mind or if he really has given 
  up, but Anderson has already decided to obey Senator Bane’s last 
  command in case the situation truly is hopeless. The Shell Bombs 
  must not fall into enemy hands, especially this enemy. He is will-
  ing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect his home, and hope-
  fully, he can take a few of Legion’s minions with him.
  The players can see small seams begin to form across the thick 
  turtle shell along the Sweeper’s back. It looks like he is preparing 
  to dump his explosive payload and detonate it with the Squig. A 
  payload dump is usually done in an emergency to avoid prema-
  ture detonation when the suit has suffered horrendous damage, 
  but it can also be done as one final desperate strike against the 
  enemy. Anderson stepped out of the Badger to make sure he was 
  close enough to Sr. Sweeper Shauna to take out her Shell Bomb 
  as well. Shellback Armor contains an incredible amount of ex-
  plosive ordnance, and detonating it all at this range will be more 
  than enough to vaporize both bombs. Anderson will wait until 
  the last possible second, but he will not let Legion get her hands 
  on either bomb.
  If the player characters exit the carrier without a fight, Legion 
  will allow them to stand next to their comrades without being 
  bound and tied, but if they resist, the Collectors will attempt to 
  subdue them through non-lethal means as quickly as possible. 
  Drake, Anderson, and the Badger will be of no help in this battle. 
  Being heavily entangled and secured in the carbon nanotube web-
  bing, the Badger is still unable to move and the Collectors will 
  seize Drake and Anderson instantly if they even move an inch 
  (which they will not), so the players will likely fall rather quickly 
  beneath Legion’s superior forces if they try to fight back. Legion 
  does not want to harm anyone in the group, so her minions will 
  
  152
  
  153
  solutely covered in explosives and everyone has a remote detona-
  tor, but once you got Shauna through the front door, she was able 
  to seed the area with a few signal disruptors. You may be mas-
  ters of Bio-Technology, but your plastic technology is laughable. 
  Your friends are going to be in for quite a surprise when their 
  precious defenses fail, and my forces roll over them like a tidal 
  wave. They won’t know what hit them. Even better, you took 
  away the Badger. Even with a successful blitzkrieg assault, the 
  Badger might have evacuated the Engineer before I could reach 
  it, but that won’t be a problem now.”
  “I still don’t understand. Why do you want an Engineer? So 
  you can make more monsters like those?” Benton says while 
  pointing at the Amalgams in disgust.
  Shauna steps forward and opens the chest hatches and visor 
  plate on her Shellback Host Armor, revealing her tear-stained face 
  and wet cleavage, as she runs her hands down her bulky armored 
  frame in a seductive manner and says, “I just love your organic 
  bodies. The sensations alone are absolutely... intoxicating. There’s 
  nothing else like it. (G.M.s: If any of the player characters have 
  established any type of bond, romantic chemistry or relations with 
  Shauna, she will give them a sexy stare after that statement). You 
  humans have no appreciation for what you have, for what you are. 
  You’re engineering marvels. So beautiful, so complex... but so 
  fragile. Don’t you see what I’m trying to do? Don’t you see the 
  strength I’ve already brought to your beauty? I didn’t come up with 
  those cyborg designs you know. Your ancestors created them cen-
  turies ago. They saw the flaws in their own existence and sought 
  perfection, and now I’m finally bringing that perfection back to this 
  world, back to you. You should be thanking me, not fighting me.
  “I will bring the cybernetic perfection your ancestors envi-
  sioned. You will see... soon enough. Of course, your ancestors 
  didn’t have your Bio-Technology. It’s the final piece I’ve been 
  missing, but thanks to you, that won’t be true for long. Ah... My 
  forces have just pierced the airlock to the Lab. It’s only a mat-
  ter of time before the Engineer will be one with me.” She then 
  gestures back to the Amalgams and says, “My first attempts were 
  a bit crude, but once I bond the Engineer to my Factory Walker, 
  my creations will be more powerful and beautiful than anything 
  your silly little Librarians could ever imagine. Together we will... 
  ugh... ahh!... I... I’m... so sorry.”
  Shauna grabs her head in agony and drops to her knees. Le-
  gion’s Amalgams gather around her trembling form as she grunts 
  and moans in pain.
  “Well that was... unexpected. I guess I didn’t quite cut enough 
  of you away, Shauna. No matter. Easily corrected.” Apparently, 
  the time for theatrics has returned since Legion is once again 
  speaking through all her minions simultaneously. All of the 
  Amalgams then turn their attention back to the player characters 
  and say in unison (both verbally and via Bio-Comms), “I planned 
  to keep more of your minds intact to thank you for your help, but 
  I’ll probably do a more complete replacement on all of you now 
  to ensure... loyalty.”
  Benton stalled as long as he could, but it looks like Legion is 
  done talking and he still has not thought of any way out of this 
  one. He turns to Anderson and gives him the nod to detonate 
  his payload and wipe out both Shell Bombs. Drake then steps 
  in between Anderson and the Amalgams to hopefully give the 
  Sweeper enough time to perform a payload dump. Legion’s min-
  ions start to close in when the group suddenly hears over their 
  Bio-Comms, “I guess that’s my cue.”
  Suddenly, dozens of rocket rounds come streaking out of the 
  tree line and bombard the five Collectors that were securing the 
  Badger on its right flank. All five are temporarily obscured by a 
  wall of smoke and flame as the tiny, yet powerful rockets find 
  their mark. When the eruptions subside, the group sees that all of 
  the Collectors may have survived the assault (although each is se-
  verely damaged), but the surprise attack did succeed in severing 
  the web lines that held the Badger. The massive armored carrier 
  surges into action to try and break free of the remaining web lines 
  holding it down from its left flank. As the damaged robots try to 
  recover on the right flank, a half dozen more Collectors rush to 
  the left flank to help the struggling robots try to reel in the Badger 
  before it can break loose.
  As Legion desperately tries to re-secure the enraged Badger, 
  Drake Benton and Anderson Long take advantage of the opening 
  and work to free their captured allies. This most likely means 
  the three bound Stalker War Mounts, but it could also mean the 
  player characters in case they previously acted up and needed 
  to be restrained by Legion’s forces. Drake unleashes a blur of 
  slashes with his ceramic fibered wings upon the prisoners to sever 
  their bonds while he and Anderson open fire on the Amalgams to 
  hopefully free everyone. If the players were imprisoned previ-
  ously, they will be the priority targets to be freed. Drake’s coor-
  dinated wing slashes will focus on all the players first and it will 
  only take one to two melee rounds to free them all. If the players 
  were not bound, then Drake will work to free the Stalkers, but 
  they are much larger and much more securely bound so it will 
  take two melee rounds to free each one. The player characters can 
  choose to help in this task if they wish to speed up the process and 
  even the odds more quickly. Each player character that chooses 
  to help will cut the total time required to free each Stalker War 
  Mount in half (down to a minimum of half a melee round or three 
  melee actions). This is definitely a worthwhile endeavor, since 
  each freed Stalker will take out 1D4 of Legion’s minions, and 
  considering how many remain (28 Collectors, 10 Hunters, and 6 
  Amalgams), they will need all the help they can get.
  As Drake, Anderson, and the player characters work to fend 
  off the Amalgams, free the Stalkers, and even the odds, they sud-
  denly get some unexpected help from the previously incapaci-
  tated Shauna Davies. While Legion’s Amalgams were distracted, 
  Shauna struggled to her feet and began rushing towards the large 
  group of Collectors on the Badger’s left flank. It is apparent from 
  the weak and tortured words being delivered through her Bio-
  Comm that she is still feeling the pain of Legion’s influence.
  “I’m sorry... I couldn’t stop myself... but you can still save 
  the Engineer... I left a note in the Badger... save Engineer Dante! 
  There are only ten cyborg Legionnaires in the Lab. Kill them all... 
  Cut the chain... Stop Legio...”
  Shauna’s last words are cut off as she triggers the explosive 
  payload within her Shellback Armor and erupts in a massive ex-
  plosion that rips through the remaining pack of Collectors that 
  were securing the Badger. The shock from the blast is so strong 
  that every combatant within the area (except for the Badger) has a 
  01-35% chance of being knocked to the ground. Every combatant 
  knocked to the ground loses one melee attack and is -2 on initia-
  tive for the next melee round.
  When the dust settles, it becomes abundantly clear that any 
  chance Legion had of quickly regaining control of the situation 
  was vaporized by Shauna’s last act of defiance. The massive ex-
  plosion not only destroyed 9 Collectors and severely damaged 
  
  154
  two more (M.D.C. of the main body reduced by 70%), but it fi-
  nally allowed the Badger to break free and join the battle.
  Game Master Note: Let the majority of the battle between the 
  NPCs play out in the background (the Stalkers and Badger versus 
  the remaining Collectors and Hunters). Of course, G.M.s should 
  feel free to color the battle with details about how the Badger is 
  tearing through squads of Collectors like an angry freight train or 
  how the Stalkers seem to be everywhere at once as they strike, 
  fade away, and then pounce on a new target within seconds. The 
  player characters’ primary concern should be the Amalgams 
  which are focusing all of their attacks on the player group. The 
  Badger and Stalkers will mop up the rest, but it is the responsibil-
  ity of the player group to either neutralize the Amalgams or figure 
  out how to escape from this group of monstrosities. The rest of 
  the group will follow the players’ lead if they decide the best 
  course of action is to retreat. Otherwise, they will rip through Le-
  gion’s Collectors and Hunters, while the player characters, Drake 
  Benton, and Anderson Long engage the Amalgams.
  G.M.s, if the player characters want to stay and fight, give 
  them a chance to take down the Amalgams, but if the battle starts 
  to turn against them, feel free to use the Badger or Stalkers to bail 
  them out. By the same token, if the player characters are mopping 
  the floor with the Amalgams and need a little more challenge, feel 
  free to have a few of the Hunters break free from the background 
  combat and reinforce the Amalgams. We suggest at least one 
  Hunter excursion and interference can be used to give the player 
  characters a taste of this new machine of Legion’s.
  Critical Decisions
  Whether the player group stays to finish the fight or uses the 
  Badger to beat a strategic retreat, once the battle is over, they 
  will have a chance to regroup with the Stalker squad and fill in 
  some of the holes concerning what happened before the Bad-
  ger stumbled into the ambush. The Stalkers lead the group to a 
  nearby safe zone with some decent cover from overhead patrols 
  and tell the player characters what happened. Alex Cole, the 
  leader of the Stalker War Mounts, 2nd Pride, Shadow Riders 
  Squadron, tells the players how his group was ambushed by Le-
  gion’s forces before they ever reached the surface of the lake. 
  He said they would normally have been able to put up a better 
  fight, but Stalkers are definitely out of their element in the wa-
  ter and Legion’s minions were on them before they could even 
  react. Alex Cole destroyed his attacker with a volley of missiles 
  at point-blank range and then engaged his Stealth Field in the 
  confusion. The massive explosion appeared to consume both 
  combatants and sent them spiraling into the crushing depths of 
  the lake. Legion was too busy subduing the rest of the squad 
  to investigate if he was truly dead until the wreckage had al-
  ready sunk too deep. Cole followed them in secret and hoped 
  to call in the Badger for reinforcements once he assessed the 
  size and nature of the threat. He was about to warn the players 
  about the ambush by Bio-Comm when the Amalgams began 
  speaking to his captured team through their Comms. The Pride 
  Leader had to maintain radio silence or else blow his cover be-
  fore he was ready. The Stalker Outrider also explains that while 
  he was getting into position for his own ambush, he discovered 
  the remains of their Skullcracker scout. He did not know what 
  happened to them exactly, but he said it was a grisly site. Both 
  Outrider and War Mount were torn to shreds, and the charred 
  pieces were scattered all across the forest floor.
  After everyone has a chance to catch their breath, the player 
  group will have a difficult decision to make. When Legion revealed 
  the details of her plot, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the 
  secret weapons facility was lost and everyone inside (particularly 
  its lone Engineer, Dante) was doomed, but once the group discov-
  ers what Shauna left for them in the Badger, it should give them a 
  renewed sense of hope. Tucked away in the corner of the Badger 
  was the Shell Bomb Shauna was entrusted with and a folded up 
  piece of paper resting on top of it. No one knows when Shauna 
  slipped it out of her satchel, but the gift of the Shell Bomb goes a 
  long way to authenticate the truth contained within the letter. Of 
  course, everyone should be a little suspicious that this may just be 
  another one of Legion’s games, but it would not make any sense 
  to let the group slip away when she had them in her grasp. She 
  already revealed her end game. She could not possibly have any-
  thing else to gain by letting them escape again, or could she? That 
  is something the players will need to consider when deciding their 
  next move.
  The appearance of the tattered letter says as much about 
  the suffering that Shauna endured while operating as Legion’s 
  pawn as the words themselves. The paper is as soft as cloth 
  from being crumpled up and smoothed out so many times, and 
  the tortured and erratic handwriting is smeared from the steady 
  stream of teardrops that have streaked across its surface. The 
  letter is written in multiple blocks of two to five sentences. Each 
  block starts out legibly enough, but the handwriting grows more 
  strained and irregular presumably as Legion re-exerts her influ-
  ence until each line ends in rough, illegible scribbles. The letter 
  reads as follows:
  “I was captured two months ago by an unfamiliar Machine 
  personality calling herself Legion. She did something to me and 
  then just let me go. I didn’t understand what until I tried to tell 
  someone what happened. I couldn’t speak... My mind is not my 
  own... I can’t...
  “It’s taken me weeks to get the strength to write again. Le-
  gion controls me completely. She’s turned me into a spy. There 
  are others like me. Not just in House Artemis but also in other 
  Houses. She calls her network The Web. It seems like she knows 
  everything. I can’t stop... I’m so sorry...
  “I have to rendezvous with one of her drones once a week to 
  drop off information. I try to get caught, but she won’t let me. I 
  feel like a puppet. I don’t know why she lets me write, but Legion 
  won’t let me drop the paper for someone to find. I think... she 
  finds... it funny...
  “It’s so painful to write. My blood feels like it’s on fire with 
  each pencil stroke. My bones feel like they are grinding against 
  each other. Every thought feels like needles slowly piercing my 
  brain, but it’s the only time... I feel... free...
  “It’s worse on the surface. On the surface she speaks directly 
  into my head through her cyborgs. They broadcast her will. At 
  least underground she can’t taunt me. At least then I don’t have 
  to hear her laughing...
  “I want to die but she won’t let me.
  
  155
  “Please forgive me. She knows about the Engineer in the Lab 
  and the Librarian imprisoned at Fort Salvation. I think she wants 
  them both.
  “She thought I was trying to hide where the Lab is from her. 
  I really can’t remember any more. I don’t know how she causes 
  such pain... She said she’ll find the Lab... She said she’ll make 
  me find it...
  “Legion has another pawn high up in the military command. 
  I don’t know who. She used him to get me assigned to some se-
  cret mission. I don’t understand what she wants... It can’t... be... 
  good...
  “She tries to scare me by telling me if she dies then I’ll die. I 
  want nothing more in the world.
  “Please God, no. They gave me a Shell Bomb. I tried to scream 
  out, to confess what I’ve done, but my lips won’t obey. Damn you 
  Legion...
  “She’s finally getting what she wants. We’re leading her right 
  to the Lab. I can’t stop her. I can’t say anything... It’s a... never-
  ending nightmare...
  “Her drone gave me these things to plant in the Lab. She said 
  they’ll interfere with the Lab’s remote detonators. They look like 
  rocks. I tried to smash them... She... won’t... let me...
  “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so 
  sor...
  “We’re so far underground. I feel stronger but I still can’t 
  stop myself. I planted all four disruptors. I keep hoping they’ll 
  notice them, but so far, no luck. I rubbed each one with some ex-
  plosive residue to make it easier to sniff them out. It’s the same... 
  residue... on this... letter...
  “Legion’s invasion of my mind works both ways. She can see 
  everything, but I’ve learned that I can see... some of her... se-
  crets... too...
  “The first is in the barracks where we first dropped off our... 
  gear...
  “I feel so much stronger. The pain is manageable. I can write 
  things I’ve never been able to before... No time... Her cyborgs are 
  the key... Cut the chain...
  “The second is in the second kill room in the... first... hall... 
  coming out... of the airlock...
  “The third is between... the arena... and the... War Mount... 
  Corral...
  “The last one is (illegible smears washed away by tears) Man-
  tis kill room...
  “Her minions don’t work like me. They don’t work like regu-
  lar N.E.X.U.S. bots. They go dormant when she’s not possessing 
  them. Cut the... chain... kill... cyborgs...
  “Legion isn’t in the N.E.X.U.S. She can be stopped. She 
  doesn’t use the Computer Cores as her relay. Her Walker is the 
  core, the cyborgs are the relay... Stop her...
  “She can’t broadcast herself underground. She’ll need to use 
  her cyborgs as a relay. Kill the cyborgs... cut... the chain...
  “Forgive me.”
  Everyone in the group gets a chance to read the letter, and 
  after a few moments of comparing notes about what the more 
  difficult to read smudges and scribbles actually say, everyone 
  is silently in disbelief as they digest what just happened, what 
  is currently happening back at the Lab, and the general revela-
  tions from the letter. Pride Leader, Alex Cole, finally breaks the 
  silence by asking, “What the hell are cyborgs?! What was she 
  talking about?”
  Drake Benton steps out from beneath the tree cover to get a 
  good look at the sky. He glances around for a few moments and 
  then spies the answer off in the distance. When they first fled 
  from the ambush site, Drake thought the half dozen Legionnaires 
  he spotted buzzing around the skies were aerial scouts searching 
  for them, but after reading Shauna’s letter, he realizes that despite 
  their frenetic movements, they are sticking to a pretty consistent 
  holding pattern. The Legionnaires are spaced out about every 
  two thousand feet (610 m), forming a pretty straight line from 
  the smoke off in the distance (the Factory Walker) to Bell Lake. 
  Drake then points up at them and says back over his shoulder 
  to the group, “There are your cyborgs. And there’s your chain. 
  They’re what Legion does to the humans she captures. She cuts 
  them to pieces and fuses them with her machines.”
  “So we just need to shoot those six down?” Alex Cole asks.
  “I doubt it’s that easy. Even if we had the air power to take 
  them on, Legion’s only a couple of miles (3.2 km) away. She 
  could send hundreds more to reinforce them within seconds. You 
  heard Shauna, the weak link in the chain are the ones in the Lab. 
  Those are the ones we need to take down.”
  Anderson Long then interjects, “I don’t want to sound cold, 
  but that’s not our mission.”
  “The mission can wait. We’ve got a chance to save the En-
  gineer, and hopefully hundreds of our friends,” Drake angrily 
  replies.
  Long passionately retorts, “That’s assuming anyone’s still 
  alive. Do we really want to risk handing the Shell Bombs and 
  the Badger back to Legion when there might not even be a point? 
  With the Badger, we’ve got a real shot at taking down the Factory 
  Walker and ending this once and for all. To me that sounds like a 
  guaranteed way to save any possible survivors in the Lab without 
  walking into another Legion ambush.”
  “Don’t think I haven’t thought about that. But I also thought 
  about the sheer power at the Lab’s disposal. Even with Shauna’s 
  sabotage, I know they can put up a hell of a fight, and I just can’t 
  assume they’ve all fallen already. I agree it’s a risk, but if we can 
  just tell them about the cyborgs, maybe clear out a few signal 
  disruptors, I know we can help them turn the tide. Besides, if the 
  facility is lost, any survivors and gear we round up can only make 
  it easier to go after Legion. The Badger may be powerful, but 
  we’re still outnumbered by thousands.”
  “I don’t know...” Anderson says while shaking his head.
  Alex Cole finally interjects, “I agree with Drake, and with or 
  without you, my team is going back to the Lab to help. They’re 
  my family, I can’t just turn my back on them.” He then turns 
  to Michael Hawkins, the Badger Outrider pilot, and asks, “How 
  about you Hawkins? Are you with us?”
  
  156
  He shakes his head, points towards the player characters, and 
  responds, “My mission is with them. Martin believed what they 
  were doing was important enough to risk shutting down their 
  only escape route. Maybe we can save our friends, maybe it’s too 
  late, but they have a mission and I know I can help. I’m not going 
  to abandon them now when they need me most.”
  Drake turns back to the player characters and says, “This is 
  your mission. The Senate put you in charge. Martin trusted you. 
  What’s it going to be, go after Legion or save the Lab first?”
  Game Master Note: Whatever the players decide, Drake 
  Benton, Anderson Long, and Michael Hawkins will all follow 
  their lead. Alex Cole and the Stalker pride squadron, however, 
  will go back to the Weapons Facility to help their comrades no 
  matter what. The choices the players make will determine what 
  kind of resources they have available during the final confronta-
  tion.
  Choice A: If the players decide to skip the Secret Weapons fa-
  cility rescue attempt, they will pretty much be on their own. They 
  will still have Drake Benton, Anderson Long, and the Badger 
  on their side, but the Stalker War Mounts will leave them to go 
  help their friends back at the Lab. Worse yet, they will miss out 
  on the impressive amount of ordnance scattered throughout the 
  facility and instead will have to rely solely on the weapons and 
  equipment they had when they first left the underground haven. 
  Please feel free to have the player group seek a temporary refuge 
  and hunt for food as they plan their attack on the Factory Walker. 
  Don’t force them to go if they are too reluctant or battered. How-
  ever, if your group seems on the fence or needs some encourag-
  ing persuasion, then please utilize Drake Benton. Have him grow 
  more concerned over Legion and what else she could do with all 
  the Bio-Tech in the facility and what could inevitably be used 
  against them if they don’t intercept her attack on the facility. Will 
  this be a missed opportunity that they will never forgive them-
  selves for? How would the Great House feel if they learned that 
  the player group opted to not go and rescue a targeted Engineer 
  that Legion plans to meld into her Factory Walker?
  Choice B: If they decide to return to the weapons facility, the 
  resources they should be able to gather will largely depend on 
  how successful they are. Fully stopping the invasion force will 
  gain them the enormous thanks and support of Martin, Isaac, and 
  all the facility’s defenders. The Lab itself will be a total loss ei-
  ther way, and the Engineer will need to be moved, but if Legion’s 
  attack is stopped, Isaac and the majority of the survivors will lend 
  their support to the final assault against the Factory Walker while 
  Martin, the Saint, and a handful of defenders will stay behind 
  to coordinate a slower, more careful evacuation of the Engineer.
  Even if the players go to the Lab and are unable to save the 
  Engineer, then they will likely still walk away with some power-
  ful weapons and a few extra survivors to help them in the final 
  attack. If by chance Legion successfully captures the Engineer, 
  Dante, then every survivor will join in the final assault to hope-
  fully recapture him before Legion can merge his body with the 
  Factory Walker. Legion will keep her minions hunting through 
  the facility to exterminate any stragglers even after successfully 
  capturing her prey, so exiting the facility will still be a challenge. 
  Even if the players should fail, it will be noted by high clearance 
  personnel that the players made a valiant, heroic attempt and are 
  not only trustworthy but also invaluable heroes. Should the play-
  ers elect or be convinced to go back to the Weapons Facility then 
  please proceed.
  I am Legion, Episode Four 
  Adventure Source Material
  New Legion Machine
  Hunter
  The Hunter is basically the little brother of the Legionnaire 
  Cyborg. As much as Legion loved her prized creation, she recog-
  nized its limitations. It may be a walking tank, but not all tasks 
  call for a tank. Some jobs require stealth and the Legionnaire is 
  simply too big and too loud for these types of tasks. This is where 
  the Hunter comes in. Legion took the basic design of the Legion-
  naire and shrank it down into a sleeker, more streamlined and 
  compact version. It is a bit less armored than its bigger brother, 
  but it is still capable of withstanding significant punishment.
  Legion removed the wing board and the gun drones to keep 
  the cyborg silent, but she did give it thrusters to allow it to make 
  rocket-powered leaps when it wants to quickly move in for the 
  kill. To further enhance the Hunter’s stealth abilities, she sealed 
  most of the armored segments and lined the rest with special noise 
  dampening materials to keep any sound to a minimum. Legion 
  also equipped the Hunter with an experimental creation called 
  Variable Cloak Camouflage, which allows the Hunter to change 
  its color within seconds to match the surrounding area. The Vari-
  able Cloak Camouflage projects a field that partially conceals the 
  Hunter’s radar signature and masks all heat emissions, making 
  the Hunter invisible to such detection devices. These modifica-
  tions enable the Hunter to fulfill its primary role, which is to si-
  lently stalk prey from the shadows and then pounce on the target 
  when the moment is right.
  Few even know a Hunter is lurking nearby until it is too late. 
  At best, the target may spot one of the Hunter’s seeker drones 
  called Rapier Coils. These snake-like robots slither along the 
  ground ahead of the Hunter, trying to flush out prey. Once they 
  find a target, they signal the Hunter, but they are more than just 
  scouts. Each Rapier Coil has three, two foot (0.6 m) long Vibro-
  Blades that it can use to slash apart prey or it can blast them with 
  its light laser. A favorite tactic is to coil its snake robot around a 
  target and slash, stab, and blast away at the victim as he desper-
  ately tries to pry the drone off. However, these drones are not the 
  sturdiest combatants, so if the opponent appears to be too difficult 
  to tackle directly, it can mark the target with a tracking laser so it 
  can be bombarded by the Hunter’s laser-guided mortars.
  Hunters possess advanced antennas like the Legionnaires, 
  but in this case, they were designed more for reception rather 
  than transmitting. Since Hunters were meant to operate on their 
  own, they need to be able to receive Legion’s signal from a much 
  greater distance than most minions. Hunters can operate up to 15 
  miles (24 km) away from the next closest Legion minion. They 
  are also capable of broadcasting the signal, but their range is lim-
  ited to 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Class: Heavy Combat Cyborg.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Legs (2) – 180 each
  Arms (2) – 140 each
  Feet (2) – 100 each
  
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  158
  Hands (2) – 70 each
  Chest Mounted Spotlights (2) – 10 each
  Forearm Mounted Rail Gun (1) – 120
  Micro-Mortar Launcher – 200
  *Head – 160
  **Main Body – 480
  Force Field – 100
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the head will kill the cyborg 
  instantly.
  ** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will destroy the 
  artificial body, but emergency systems will keep the organic 
  components alive for 36 hours. Legion considers the recov-
  ery of these components a high priority and will send swarms 
  of Collectors to rescue them and return them to the Factory 
  Walker.
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum speed is 110 mph (176 km).
  Leaping: 30 feet (9 m) high or across; increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full speed. 200 
  feet (61 m) high or across from jet thruster assisted leaps.
  Digging: 10 mph (16 km) through sand or dirt, but half as fast 
  through clay, rock or stone. It takes 2D4 melee rounds for it to dig 
  down deep enough to conceal itself.
  Swimming: Not possible. Can run along the bottom of rivers, 
  lakes & coastlines at 15 mph (24 km/13 knots) with a maximum 
  depth of 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Flying: The jet thrusters were designed for short hops, but they 
  can sustain flight. Maximum speed is only 80 mph (128 km).
  Maximum Altitude: Limited to about 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Range Limitations: Technically, the thrusters have no limit, but 
  the Hunter will rarely fly for more than a few minutes at a time 
  since the slow flight speed and maneuverability leaves it a sitting 
  duck (-1 to dodge while flying).
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 8 feet (2.4 m).
  Width: 4 feet (1.2 m).
  Length: 3 feet (0.9 m).
  Weight: 1,500 pounds (675 kg).
  Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 38.
  Cargo: None.
  Power System: Standard.
  Trade Value: None, except perhaps to a Technojacker who might 
  be interested in the armor or drone.
  Horror Factor: 13. 15 when uncloaking and surprising Splicers 
  from its Variable Cloak Camouflage. None against machines.
  Senses and Features: Standard, plus Variable Cloak Camou-
  flage. The Hunter’s entire armor surface will generate the nec-
  essary stripes, patterns, exact reflections, blotches varying from 
  lighter and darker colors to blend into surroundings, making the 
  Hunter nearly invisible (01-75% likelihood of remaining unseen). 
  The Hunter imports the necessary environmental adaptation anal-
  ysis before initiating the camouflage. It only takes three seconds 
  to engage the camouflage (counts a one attack/action per melee 
  round). The Variable Cloak Camouflage melds seamlessly into 
  wilderness, jungles, water, concrete ruins or in broken terrain. 
  The Hunter’s camouflage can also simulate iridescent colors and 
  neon colors if needed. In all cases, a cloaked Hunter is extremely 
  difficult to spot: -30% for others to detect ambush and detect con-
  cealment, +15% to the Hunter’s prowl skill when the cloak is ac-
  tivated, if the cyborg stays under cover and doesn’t move. There 
  is only a 20% chance of showing up on radar, thermal systems 
  and even then the reading/image will seem sporadic and unclear. 
  Evasive maneuvers or attacks will reveal the Hunter’s position, 
  although it will still be difficult to see and hit as the camouflage 
  refreshes the Hunter’s appearance consecutively (all attackers 
  are at -3 to strike the camouflaged Hunter). Rapier coils are only 
  cloaked when mounted on the Hunter’s back, and each seeker 
  drone will become uncloaked once deployed.
  Camouflage Duration: The Variable Cloak Camouflage can be 
  activated for a maximum of 6 hours before requiring a recharge, 
  after which the cloak will be down for 8 hours until it completes 
  the recharging cycle and purges the field’s memory cache. The 
  Camouflage field will deactivate and be disabled if the main body 
  takes 300 points of Mega-Damage. Note: The Hunter cannot pick 
  up any objects or wear additional armor, items or clothing and 
  camouflage them.
  Note: Technojackers cannot control cyborgs.
  Number of Attacks per Melee (includes bonuses from being 
  controlled by the Legion personality): 8
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by the 
  Legion personality): +7 on initiative, +5 to strike with ranged 
  weapons, +6 to strike in hand to hand combat, +7 to parry, +7 to 
  dodge, and +5 to roll with punch, +4 to pull punch, +3 to disarm.
  Skills of Note: Standard, plus Prowl 90%, Detect Ambush 75%, 
  Detect Concealment 75%, Land Navigation 70%, Tracking 75%, 
  Surveillance 95% and programmed to speak and read all known 
  languages at 90%.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Forearm Mounted Rail Gun: Legion mounted a somewhat 
  unique rail gun on the Hunter’s left forearm. The actual elec-
  tromagnetic firing system is the same found in normal rail 
  guns, but the loading mechanism is what makes this weapon 
  so unusual. Instead of mechanically loading each round into 
  the chamber, the rounds are fired into the chamber using an 
  old-fashioned combustion cartridge. This does not increase 
  the damage from each round, but it does have a beneficial side 
  effect. Once the round is fired, the spent cartridge is ejected 
  from the weapon. Normally, this is nothing but an inconve-
  nience, but on this world, the Nanobot Plague turns this spent 
  garbage into hundreds of tiny land mines. Legion is using the 
  Hunter to experiment with this new type of rail gun. It has 
  its benefits, but it also doubles the size of each round, which 
  drastically reduces the capacity.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 5D8 M.D. per 40 round burst.
  Rate of Fire: Each burst counts as one melee attack.
  Range: 2,000 feet (610 m).
  Payload: 2,000 rounds (50 bursts).
  Bonuses: +2 to strike.
  2. Banshee Blade: Mounted on the right forearm of the Hunter 
  is an experimental, new high-tech chainsaw that Legion calls 
  a Banshee Blade. Instead of using a conventional motor to 
  accelerate the bladed chain, it uses the same electromagnetic 
  mechanism found in rail guns to spin the blade at hypersonic 
  speeds. It inflicts tremendous damage, but it releases a loud, 
  high-pitched whine when activated so it is not an ideal weapon 
  
  159
  when stealth is required. Of course, once the Hunter pounces, 
  stealth is not really an issue anymore.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D4x10+10 M.D. per attack.
  3. Laser-Guided Micro-Mortar Launcher: Mounted on the 
  back of the Hunter is a smaller version of the mortar launcher 
  used by the Legionnaires. It fires off micro-mortars using a 
  similar rapid-fire launch and load system. Unlike the larger 
  mortars, these micro-mortars can only be launched towards 
  targets marked with a tracking laser. The Hunter can either 
  mark the target with its own chest mounted laser (counts as 
  one melee attack, roll to strike as normal, range: 3,000 feet/914 
  m, +4 to strike), or it can use one of its rapier coils to mark the 
  target. Note: Hunters can also mark targets that are concealing 
  their true primary objective target, such as a tree or rock that a 
  Splicer is hiding behind or under.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 2D6 M.D. with a blast radius of 10 feet (3 m).
  Rate of Fire: The launcher can fire off volleys of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 
  or 24.
  Range: 1 mile (1.6 km).
  Payload: 48 mortar rounds.
  Bonuses: +4 to strike when locked onto a lased target.
  4. Chest-Mounted Spotlights (2): The two spotlights mounted 
  on the chest of the Hunter can be used to search for targets, 
  but their primary purpose is to temporarily blind and distract 
  targets as the Hunter leaps in for the kill. Even though it only 
  works for a split second, this is more than enough time to give 
  the Hunter an advantage when it pounces. This attack has no 
  effect on robots or targets that possess polarized vision.
  Primary Purpose: Distraction.
  Secondary Purpose: Search.
  Mega-Damage: None. Roll saving throw vs stun. On a failed roll, 
  the victim is -3 on initiative and -1 to strike, parry, and dodge for 
  his next attack only.
  Rate of Fire: Activating the spotlights counts as one melee attack.
  Range: 50 feet (15.2 m) on low beam setting, 100 feet (30.5 m) 
  on high beam setting.
  4. Hand to Hand Combat: Rather than use long-range weapons, 
  the Hunter can engage in hand-to-hand combat.
  Mega-Damage:
  Restrained Punch: 1D4 M.D.
  Punch: 2D6 M.D.
  Power Punch: 6D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Kick: 3D6 M.D.
  Leap Kick: 8D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Body Block/Ram: 4D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Jet Assisted Body Block/Ram: 1D6x10 M.D., but counts 
  as two attacks.
  Pounce Attack: 1D6x10+20 M.D., but counts as three at-
  tacks. Has a 01-45% chance of knocking an opponent as large 
  as 12 feet (3.6 m) off of his feet and onto his back. If knocked 
  off his feet, the victim loses initiative and two melee attacks. 
  On a successful knockdown, there is also a 01-60% chance 
  that the target is pinned/incapacitated beneath the Hunter.
  Rapier Coils (2): Like the Legionnaire, the Hunter also pos-
  sesses two robot drones that it can control and direct. Legion de-
  signed these companion robots with stealth in mind as well. Their 
  low profile and compact design enable them to slither along the 
  ground to conceal their presence or they can climb any surface 
  with their three bladed arms. They are designed to search ahead 
  of the Hunter to flush out prey. If the target is weak enough, they 
  will attack with their Vibro-Blades or light laser blaster, but if the 
  target or targets appear to be too strong, they will lase the target 
  so it can be bombarded by the Hunter’s micro-mortars.
  M.D.C.: Bladed Arms (3): 80 each, Light Laser Blaster: 12, Tail: 
  50, Main Body: 95.
  Size: 5 feet (1.5 m) long, 120 pounds (54 kg).
  Speed: Maximum speed of 50 mph (80 km) when slithering along 
  the ground or 30 mph (48 km) when walking along on the bladed 
  arms, no matter the surface. In fact, it can run straight up a wall 
  at 30 mph (48 km).
  Attacks per Melee: 3
  Bonuses: +6 on initiative, +4 to strike, +6 to parry, +3 to auto-
  matic dodge, +3 to entangle, +2 to disarm, +4 to roll with punch, 
  and +3 to pull punch.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Laser Blaster: Mega-Damage: 3D6 M.D. per single blast or no 
  damage when marking a target with the tracking laser. Range: 
  1,000 feet (305 m) or 4,000 feet (1,219 m) for the tracking 
  laser. Rate of Fire: Each single blast counts as one attack per 
  melee round. Payload: Effectively unlimited. Bonuses: +2 to 
  strike.
  2. Vibro-Blades (3): A Rapier Coil has three large Vibro-Blades, 
  each of which is mounted on a short but fully articulated arm. 
  Mega-Damage: 2D6 M.D. per blade, 6D6 M.D. from a triple 
  blade strike (counts as one attack per melee).
  3. Tail: The Rapier Coil primarily uses its tail to slither along 
  the ground like a snake, but it can also use it as a weapon. It 
  can either whip targets which inflicts 1D4 M.D. or it can coil 
  around the target to restrain it, which leaves the Rapier Coil 
  free to brutally slash and stab its prey with its Vibro-Blades.
  The Amalgams of Legion
  Legion is absolutely fascinated with Bio-Technology (and 
  with biology and anatomy in general). Despite the amazing tech-
  nology at her disposal, she recognizes that many aspects of the 
  human’s organic creations are far superior to anything she or her 
  sister Machine personalities can produce. She hopes to master 
  this strange science one day and integrate Bio-Technology into 
  every one of her cybernetic creations. To truly accomplish this, 
  she will need to get her hands on at least one living Engineer. 
  However, lacking an Engineer does not prevent her from experi-
  menting with her own Bio-Tech creations. With the medical fa-
  cilities in her Factory Walker, she can dissect captured Splicers 
  and reassemble the components into her own designs she calls 
  Amalgams. This is why she usually takes great care to capture 
  Splicers and their equipment unharmed rather than destroy them.
  While most of these creations are crude Frankenstein-like 
  monstrosities, some are stitched together with such microscopic 
  precision, it looks like they emerged from the Resistance’s own 
  Gene Pools. The majority of the components come from captured 
  Host Armor, War Mounts, Gorehounds, and Bio-Weapons, but 
  Legion also uses parts from salvaged robots, alien predators from 
  Gaia’s Nature Preserves, and even humans. The human compo-
  
  160
  nents add little in the way of functionality, but they do add great-
  ly to the Amalgams’ psychological impact. The Amalgams are 
  more than just experiments with Bio-Tech components, they are 
  weapons of psychological warfare designed to sow fear amongst 
  her Resistance adversaries. These are living cyborgs composed 
  of high-tech robotics, fully functional Bio-Tech, and the twisted, 
  tortured faces of the men and women that once piloted these or-
  ganic weapons of war.
  While these psychological aspects have inflicted crushing 
  damage to the morale of the Resistance, the Amalgams have also 
  created a serious tactical disadvantage. One of the greatest advan-
  tages the Resistance had going for it was their Bio-Comms. These 
  organic communicators provided completely secure communica-
  tion between Splicer teams. The Machine had no way to listen 
  in on these communications or to even detect that signals had 
  been sent. Over the years, the security of Bio-Comms shaped the 
  Splicer’s field tactics and they became overly reliant upon them. 
  Legion has integrated Bio-Comms into all of her Amalgams, and 
  through them she has gained direct access to the Resistance’s 
  once secure communications network. It is why she seems so un-
  stoppable against Splicers in the field. They cannot help but chat-
  ter back and forth on their un-crackable Bio-Comms, and all she 
  needs to do is sit back and listen to them divulge all their plans.
  Legion’s
  Deluvane Amalgams
  The following Amalgams are units that are commonly pro-
  duced by Legion and consist of recently missing or fallen com-
  rades familiar to the players, members of the Great House De-
  luvane Strike Teams, members of other Great Houses and any 
  number of Retro-Villagers that have been pillaged by Legion.
  Terror Thumper
  The Terror Thumper is one of the largest and most feared 
  brawlers of Legion’s Amalgam infantry. When Terror Thump-
  ers arrive to a battle, they bellow a loud war cry that is not only 
  disheartening to hear, but is also deafening and disorienting if 
  heard within a proximity of 100 feet (30.5 m). Legion first dis-
  covered this deadly concoction after defeating several Dracos 
  War Mounts and salvaging their parts to devise an amalgam that 
  would deliver heavy firepower, heavy muscle support, and flush-
  ing capabilities within the tight spaces of sewer systems, caverns, 
  or haven structures. The battery of long-range firepower is bru-
  tal to contend with and psychologically terrifying to experience. 
  Drooling Casting Rifles are built into the massive shoulders with 
  turret swiveling capability. Also accompanying each Casting Ri-
  fle is a Robot Grenade Mini-Gun that peppers enemy forces and 
  strongholds with chained explosive bursts.
  Built originally as an Anti-War Mount unit, Terror Thumpers 
  are extremely strong and exceptionally durable. The Thumper’s 
  physical strength is freakish, rivaling a Behemoth, due to the me-
  chanical enhancements and internal hydraulics. They have rein-
  forced armored helmets and a protective Kevlar cowling that cov-
  ers the back of the head and neck in order to protect the sensors 
  suite inside so that the Amalgam can scan & accurately target 
  opponents. Even adversaries hiding behind thick resin walls and 
  foliage or in the mist of a chaotic battlefield, within 50 feet (15.2 
  m) are detected. Only Skinjobs with their Stealth Field and spe-
  cial skills seem to go undetected.
  Legion’s favorite component for this design is her implementa-
  tion of one of the Resistance’s most prized War Mounts. A Dra-
  cos head and neck, called the Ravager Arm Cannon (the RAC), is 
  mounted to the right shoulder and is used as both an arm and as the 
  primary purging weapon. This draconian armature was designed 
  to combat both Splicers and N.E.X.U.S. machines as it can fire 
  volleys of Super Light Cell energy beams or worse, spew heavy 
  bursts of molten liquid tungsten metal. With a specialized chest 
  cavity reservoir and utilizing a refractory lining, these amalgams 
  do not suffer any heat damage while the Dracos armature sprays 
  the molten metal. The hot liquid metal literally melts metal armor 
  plating and Bio-Tech armor quite easily, with horrific results to 
  the contents inside. Even if the Terror Thumper misses its initial 
  attack, the very idea of molten metal splattered and laying around, 
  and leaving slag metal ore residue everywhere can be a Splicer’s 
  worst nightmare.
  It’s easy for the Terror Thumper to peek the Dracos’ head and 
  neck into a cave entrance, tunnel or room, spraying each rap-
  idly, without having to expose its body to retaliation gunfire. This 
  saves time as the Amalgam is relieved from having to go down 
  and enter each tunnel to search for adversaries and falling into 
  traps. The hot steam, intense heat and molten metal splattered ev-
  erywhere usually does the job. For Splicers, even waiting for the 
  metal and slag to cool, only adds to the problem. Legion enjoys 
  using humans’ fear of metal to her advantage by dowsing pas-
  sageways with the molten metal to cut off would-be escape routes 
  and entrances. The bright, burning liquid metal is easy to spot and 
  it is clear what it is, and the very idea of accidentally falling into it 
  or touching it, often makes it a very difficult path to navigate and 
  most humans instinctively seek another way to escape.
  Legion’s primary concerns with the Terror Thumper design 
  however, prevent her from mass producing them. With limited 
  availability of key “ingredients” for making Thumpers as Dracos 
  are not easy to capture nor are they plentiful among the Resis-
  tance, these Amalgams are rarely deployed unless Legion really 
  wants something bad or is forced to defend herself. When Legion 
  deploys these brutes, they are typically active for ten hour inter-
  vals and then ordered to return back to one of Legion’s facilities 
  or directly to the Factory Walker. This preserves the Thumpers 
  from overheating and keeps them healthy for enemy retaliations.
  Class: Heavy Assault Fighter & Battlefield Enforcer.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Heavy Shoulder Shields (2) – 180 each
  Left Arm (reinforced) – 210
  Left Hand (reinforced) – 90
  *Knuckle Spikes (4) – 15 each
  Legs (2) – 270 each
  Serrated Combat Tail – 90
  Casting Rifles (2; heavily reinforced) – 125 each
  Robot Grenade Mini-Guns (2) – 50 each
  *Forearm Simple Light Cell Cluster (1 large and 2 small) – 15 
  each
  Thumper Chest Maw – 275
  Dracos Ravage Arm Cannon (heavily reinforced) – 210
  **Helmet Head (reinforced) – 290
  ***Main Body (heavily enforced) – 845
  
  161
  
  162
  Force Field – 200
  * 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 strike.
  ** Destroying the Helmet head will “temporarily” eliminate 
  all optics and sensory systems (except the Dracos’ optics), and 
  reduces the maximum speed, the number of melee attacks and 
  all bonuses by half. However, because the Thumper has an ad-
  vanced nanobot composition, it keeps fighting. Furthermore, 
  the nanites will reroute to activate the Dracos head (01-49%) 
  or the central maw (50-100%) as backup sensory support sys-
  tems until there are no other options available. This rerouting 
  will take 1D4 melee actions to complete.
  *** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body kills the Terror 
  Thumper. Depleting more than three quarters of the main body 
  M.D.C. eliminates the Molten Metal fuel source for the Slag 
  Thrower. In addition, there is a 25% chance the molten metal 
  reservoir will be breached when the tank is destroyed. In this 
  case, as the molten metal spews everywhere, the Amalgam 
  suffers 1D8x10 M.D. and it along with everything within a 10 
  foot (3 m) radius also suffers 3D8 M.D. every melee round for 
  2D4 melees.
  Speed:
  Running: 50 mph (80 km) maximum, but normal cruising speed 
  is only 30-40 mph (48 to 64 km).
  Leaping: 10 feet (3 m) or 15 feet (4.57 m) across, increase by 
  50% with a running start. Terror Thumpers are equipped with 
  jump jets built into their lower legs, that can propel the Amalgam 
  20 feet (6.1 m) high or across, increase by 50% with a short run-
  ning start and double when running at full tilt.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km) through sand or dirt, but half that speed 
  through clay, rock or stone. Digging does not tire the Thumper.
  Swimming: Not possible, the Amalgam sinks like a stone, but can 
  walk along the bottom with a maximum depth underwater of 800 
  feet (243.8 m).
  Flying: Not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 11-14 feet tall (3.35 to 4.3 m).
  Width: 6-7.5 feet shoulder to shoulder (1.8 to 2.3 m)
  Length: 5-6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m)
  Weight: 4 tons fully loaded and fed.
  Cargo: None, but a Terror Thumper can carry 2000 pounds (900 
  kg) on its back and up to 7 tons can be pulled.
  Power System: Standard Fusion Cells power the robot parts, 
  while the Legion’s Nanobots bridge the support to the Bio-Tech 
  organic parts. In order to sustain the Bio-Tech parts, the Terror 
  Thumper requires 30 to 100 lbs (13.5 to 45 kg) of animal or hu-
  man matter or Bio-Tech (can be any composition of Living Body 
  Armor, Host Armor, War Mounts or Bio-Tech Weapons) to sus-
  tain the Thumper’s living parts. The Amalgam may gorge on up 
  to 250 lbs (113 kg) of animal matter or Bio-Tech and can go 
  2D6 days without feeding and without suffering any ill effects. 
  If the Amalgam does not consume its daily required amount of 
  animal matter or Bio-Tech, it will begin to weaken (reduce speed, 
  all Bio-Tech weapon ranges and senses by half). This can often 
  leave Terror Thumpers with partially functioning parts as Legion 
  is still learning how Bio-Technology completely works and is 
  unable to replicate its designs nor harvest all of its regenerating 
  principles. If the Amalgam goes beyond 12 days without feeding 
  the living Bio-Tech portions will die and the Amalgam inevitably 
  decays. Collectors may scavenge the carcass for spare parts.
  Sleep Requirements: As a partial artificial organism, the Amal-
  gam requires only four hours of sleep or rest per day.
  Construction Quality: Considered an Asymmetrical Freak with 
  favorable results that validates reproduction.
  Trade Value: None. Can NOT be controlled by a Technojacker.
  Horror Factor: 16. None against Robots.
  Colors: Typically crimson blood red metallic plating, with the 
  dark Bio-Tech armor and hide parts underneath. The teeth on the 
  head however, are ivory white with a purple halogen hue. Elite 
  units have off-white metallic parts instead of crimson.
  Senses & Features: All standard Robot, plus the following:
  Sensor Antennae: The bio-mechanical stinger appendage 
  mounted on the right shoulder is not a weapon at all, but was 
  purposely designed to resemble one to avoid it from being tar-
  geted and to keep would-be assailants from going near it. It is 
  deceptively a sensor antennae that provides the following senses: 
  Antennae, Electromagnetic Vision, Radar and Seismic Sense.
  Attacks per Melee (includes bonuses from being controlled by 
  the Legion personality): 7.
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by the 
  Legion personality): +3 on initiative, +4 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +2 to parry, +2 to automatic dodge (i.e.: can dodge with-
  out using up a melee action), +5 to roll with punch, fall or impact, 
  +2 to disarm, +4 to strike with ranged weapons, impervious to 
  Horror Factor.
  Skills of Note: Standard, Land Navigation 90%, Track by Scent 
  80%, and Hunting 70%.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Dracos Ravager Arm Cannon (the RAC). This is an excel-
  lent example of Legion’s unconventional, unorthodox, yet ge-
  nius style of thinking. The right arm of the Terror Thumper 
  is a fully functional, reinforced Dracos War Mount head and 
  neck that is redesigned to spray a deadly burst of molten metal. 
  Super Light Cells are built behind each eye socket that enables 
  the Dracos Ravager Arm Cannon to fire energy beams from its 
  eyes. The Dracos armature is truly a formidable concoction as 
  it is able to deliver devastating bites, swat enemies or in some 
  cases, even constrict an entangled victim.
  Primary Purpose: Assault, Enemy Excavation and Troop Combat 
  Support.
  A. Slag Thrower Mega-Damage: A molten metal burst spray does 
  6D6 M.D. per single spray (double damage to body armor) with 
  a 5 foot (1.5 m) splash radius, but the target hit with the burning 
  metal continues to burn and takes an additional 3D6 M.D. ev-
  ery melee round for 2D4 minutes. A concentrated burst (counts 
  as two attacks) does 1D8x10+20 M.D. with a 12 foot (3.65 m) 
  splash radius, plus an additional 3D6 M.D. every melee round for 
  2D4 minutes. Reduce all damage and burning durations by half 
  for Technojackers if they are in their Nanobot Armor at the time 
  of contact. Technojackers being hit by molten metal while in their 
  human flesh form and then changing into the nanobot armor does 
  full damage for the full duration. For exposed humans/or pilots 
  inside armor that are being burned, their damage is 3D6 S.D.C. or 
  Hit Points, with the molten metal continuing to burn and causing 
  an additional 2D6 S.D.C. every melee round for 2D4 minutes, 
  directly to the burned area.
  
  163
  Molten Metal on Flesh: A molten metal burn is one of the 
  most deepest and severe, full-thickness burns that human flesh 
  can experience. If a human character is sprayed with molten met-
  al, it will burn instantly through their flesh at an alarming rate, 
  and the character loses half his attacks per melee, is -6 on all 
  combat bonuses and will be in intense pain and panicked trying 
  to cool the burning liquid any way he can (halve these penalties if 
  the character is clad in M.D. armor).
  Worst and perhaps even more sadistic is, once the molten 
  metal has cooled (by dousing with dirt, mineral oil, water or time 
  duration), a slag residue will form, and the embedded nanobots 
  within the slag come back online, instantly triggering a nanobot 
  plague reaction (see Splicers® RPG, page 11 – treat as a Simple 
  Metal Item). It is extremely crucial to remove all of the molten 
  metal and slag splatter from all burn wounds (both within the ar-
  mor and pilot) before it cools down to avoid the inevitable nano-
  bot plague reaction.
  Molten Metal on M.D. Armor: Wearing mega-damage armor 
  like Host Armor, Living Body Armor, Nanobot Armor, Plastic 
  Armor or War Mount hide does not mean the pilot/War Mount 
  (or Technojacker for that matter) is completely safe or alleviated 
  from the molten metal attack. If the hot metal splatter stays in 
  contact with the armor, then that molten metal stays there, burn-
  ing through its victim (1D4 inches/2.5-10 cm per melee action 
  for 2D4 minutes) until it is either cooled or removed. Pilots in 
  armor that have molten metal splattered onto it, are still going to 
  have the hot liquid burning through their armor at a rate of 1D4 
  inches per action. Inevitably, if the molten metal is not cooled, it 
  will quickly reach the pilot inside. (See Molten Metal on Flesh, 
  written above, for continued results.)
  A Technojacker’s Nanobot Armor does offer some protec-
  tion and thus the damage is 3D6 M.D. However, any machine 
  connected to or melded with the Technojacker suffers a loss of 
  2 attacks per melee as the Technojacker has to refocus control 
  of it.
  Molten Metal on Robots and Drones: All cyborgs, robots, and 
  drones receive only half damage and only half the burning dura-
  tion, plus minus one attack and a penalty of -3 on all combat 
  bonuses as they do not feel pain caused by the hot liquid and will 
  continue to fight, despite the circuitry and wiring underneath that 
  may be burning.
  B. Ravager Super Light Cells: For opponents that are spotted hid-
  ing or fleeing further down the tunnels, the Ravager Arm Cannon 
  reveals its next trick, as it mows down victims with its Super 
  Light Cell beams located behind the Dracos’ eyes.
  Mega-Damage: 1D10+5 M.D. for a single laser blast or 2D10+10 
  for a simultaneous dual blast from the Dracos head. The light 
  produced by these cells contains the full spectrum of light, so the 
  beams deliver full damage even to laser-resistant armors (it’s not 
  a true laser).
  Rate of Fire: Slag Thrower: Each slag spray of molten metal 
  counts as one melee attack, though the head can simultaneously 
  attack with a Molten Metal spray while the Dracos’ head is bit-
  ing and only counts as one attack. The Dracos’ Super Light Cells 
  mounted behind the optics, however, are not aligned to lock onto 
  a target during the time the Dracos’ mouth is open and spraying 
  the hot liquid metal.
  Super Light Cells: Each single or dual blast counts as one me-
  lee attack or volley bursts counts as one melee attack per cannon, 
  but reduce the bonus to strike with ranged weapons by half when 
  firing a burst.
  Range: Slag Thrower: 100 feet (30.5 m). This Amalgam can also 
  opt to contaminate an area by coating it with the molten metal; 
  an area up to 50 feet (15.2 m) away can be showered with each 
  attack. So a Thumper with four hand to hand attacks remaining 
  could affect an area of 200 feet (61 m); everybody hit within the 
  area affected takes damage (see appropriate damage above).
  Super Light Cells: 1,200 feet (366 m), and the Bite has a 16 
  foot (4.9 m) reach.
  Payload: Slag Thrower: Fifteen spray attacks for the Dracos head 
  and its payload reservoir can be refilled by the Factory Walker 
  in 1D10 hours. It can also regenerate spent slag before the entire 
  payload is gone by simply consuming metal scraps and allow-
  ing the pieces to melt down within the molten metal pool within 
  its chest reservoir. The Amalgam’s reservoir must have at least 
  five sprays worth of molten metal to sufficiently melt additional 
  scrap. Every ten pounds (4.5 kg) of metal equals one spray and 
  takes 1D6 melee actions to effectively melt the consumed scrap.
  Super light Cells: Effectively unlimited.
  Bonuses: +4 to Horror Factor.
  Penalties: Legion gets frustrated very quickly about her Terror 
  Thumpers having a bad habit (22% chance) of overheating af-
  ter long periods of intense combat (15 hours before overheating, 
  double if submerged in water). Once overheated, the Thumper 
  becomes sluggish and exhausted (reduce attacks and speed by 
  half) and is -5 to strike and dodge for 2D4 melee actions.
  2. Sonic Pulse War Cry – The Terror Thumper’s chest maw is 
  designed to emit an incredibly loud sonic pulse, as a fierce 
  war cry, that is capable of deafening anyone caught within 
  its proximity. Worse, Terror Thumpers will emit these loud, 
  thumping roars to purposely trigger cave-ins, avalanches, 
  rockslides, shatter glass, etc., in order to collapse tunnels and 
  trapping or seriously wounding enemies that are traversing 
  such passageways or territories.
  Primary Purpose: Enemy Flushing and Psychological Terror.
  Effects of the War Cry: Terror Thumpers are insulated from the 
  shock waves of its own War Cry, however, everyone within 100 
  feet (30 m) will be temporarily deafened (double that range if 
  in a cavern, industrial hallways or compound corridors, tunnels, 
  or sewer systems. Triple if underwater.) Characters without any 
  type of sound/ear protection will be temporarily deafened for 3D4 
  Minutes and are -6 on initiative and -3 to parry and dodge. Char-
  acters who are inside environmental armor (like Living Body Ar-
  mor, full body armor plastic/carbon fiber like House Tarkov and 
  Technojacker Nanobot Armor), or a light M.D. vehicle, will have 
  some protection but are still temporarily deafened for 1D4 min-
  utes; same penalties apply but for a shorter duration. Each War 
  Cry adds to the duration of the deafness. Host Armors, Proto-
  Host Armors, Heavy Power Armors or War Mounts and heav-
  ily reinforced M.D. vehicles are sufficiently protected so that the 
  pilot, crew and passengers inside hear (and feel) the shuddering 
  roar, but do not suffer any penalties.
  The War Cry also affects the physical surroundings by shaking 
  buildings, triggering cave-ins, avalanches, rockslides, and shatter 
  S.D.C. windows within a 200 foot (61 m) radius of the bellow.
  Rate of Fire: Each War Cry counts as one melee attack, but can be 
  conducted simultaneously with the Terror Thumper firing weap-
  ons or physical attacks.
  
  164
  Range: 100 feet (30 m) in open areas, double the range if in a 
  cavern, industrial hallways or compound corridors, tunnels, or 
  sewer systems. Triple if underwater.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  3. Shoulder-Mounted Casting Rifles (2): Each massive, ar-
  mored shoulder has a wicked looking Casting Rifle.
  Primary Purpose: Anti-Armor, Anti-Robot and Artillery Support.
  Mega-Damage: 3D8+3 M.D. per individual round fired, or a four 
  pellet burst that does 1D8x10+6 M.D.
  Rate of Fire: Each shot or burst counts as one melee attack, or 
  both Casting Rifles can also be fired simultaneously at different 
  targets and count as one melee attack when using the specialized 
  Chameleon Optic Sensors. If one of the optics is destroyed then 
  each Casting Rifle shot/burst defaults to one melee attack and 
  suffers a penalty of -6 to strike.
  Range: 2,800 feet (853 m).
  Payload: 60 rounds per Rifle and are automatically reloaded, re-
  plenishing the payloads for both guns (2D10+20 minutes) after 
  every meal.
  Bonus: +2 to strike on an aimed shot only, no bonus for burst 
  attacks.
  Penalty: The Casting Rifles are constantly moving around, and 
  begin salivating a putrid drool whenever the Terror Thumper an-
  ticipates their use. The stench can linger for 2D6 hours and is 
  a great sign to detect and avoid Terror Thumpers. Gorehounds 
  have a +18% chance of smelling and detecting Terror Thumpers 
  within 200 feet (61 m) in open ground, double that in caverns and 
  tunnels. 100 feet (30.5 m) if the Amalgam is in water.
  4. Shoulder-Mounted Robot Grenade Mini-Guns (2): These 
  rotary grenade launchers are typically reserved for use against 
  machines or War Mounts, but will engage durable targets (sol-
  diers in Host Armor, Biotics, Scarecrows and Technojackers) 
  that threaten to stop Legion’s primary objectives.
  Primary Purpose: Anti-Infantry and Assault.
  Mega-Damage: A single fragmentary grenade inflicts 1D4x10 
  M.D. with a blast area of 20 feet (6.1 m). Two grenades inflicts 
  2D4x10 M.D., three grenades 3D4x10 M.D., four grenades 
  4D4x10 M.D., and five do 5D4x10 M.D., but each additional 
  rapid-fire grenade after the second only increases the blast radius 
  by 10% (30% total).
  Rate of Fire: Single aimed shot counts as one melee attack. A 
  rapid-fire volley of 2, 3, 4, or 5 grenades from each Mini-Gun (all 
  hitting within one second after being fired) counts as two melee 
  attacks. Similar to the Casting Rifles, both Robot Grenade Mini-
  Guns can be fired separately or simultaneously at the same target 
  or at two independent targets.
  Range: 1,800 feet (549 m).
  Payload: 200 rounds total. Each Mini-Gun is connected internally 
  to its own 100 round disintegrating belt. Spent ammo belts are 
  replaced every 1D6 hours by a Mechanic.
  5. Reinforced Knuckle Spikes: All of the Terror Thumper’s 
  joints are reinforced, but its knuckles are not only reinforced, 
  but also have four spikes mounted atop of the massive fist that 
  deliver massive amounts of damage to armor and enemy bar-
  ricades. These Amalgams have safety protocols installed that 
  make them reluctant to punch a Splicer clad in Living Body 
  Armor for fear of critically wounding the fragile contents in-
  side. All Biotics, Host Armors, War Mounts and Machines are 
  fair game and are pounded with cruel intentions.
  Primary Purpose: Close Combat.
  Mega-Damage: See Hand to Hand Combat below.
  Range: Close Combat.
  Bonus: Does an additional 1D6 M.D. to the usual Thumper P.S. 
  punch/strike damage.
  6. Combat Tail: The Combat tail serves the Terror Thumper as 
  a rear defense mechanism and is rarely employed otherwise.
  Primary Purpose: Close Combat Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D.
  Range: Close Combat up to 10 feet (3 m).
  Bonuses: +1 attack per melee round, +2 to strike, +2 to parry or 
  dodge, +2 to disarm and +3 to pull punch. Only P.P. attribute 
  may be added to the combat tail’s bonuses, and only apply to the 
  combat that involves the tail.
  7. Hand to Hand Combat: Terror Thumpers were designed for 
  Heavy combat, and relish every chance of mixing it up with 
  the toughest opponents, often utilizing their immense strength, 
  Ravager Arm Cannon along with teeth, claws and tail to maul 
  enemies.
  Mega-Damage:
  Restrained Left Arm Punch: 1D4x10+15 S.D.C. (+1D6 
  M.D. from Knuckle Spikes).
  Full Strength Left Arm Punch: 3D6 M.D. (+1D6 M.D. 
  from Knuckle Spikes).
  Power Left Arm Punch: 1D4x10 M.D., but counts as two 
  attacks.
  Ravager Restrained Punch: 1D6x10+35 S.D.C.
  Ravager Full Strength Punch: 6D6 M.D.
  Ravager Power Punch: 2D4x10 M.D., but counts as two 
  attacks.
  Ravager Arm Cannon Swat: 1D4x10 M.D.
  Ravager Arm Cannon Constriction: 2D4x10 M.D., but 
  counts as two melee attacks.
  Ravager Arm Bite: 3D8 M.D. (If drooling molten metal, 
  see Molten Metal Thrower for additional damages.)
  Ravager Head Butt: 3D6 M.D.
  Reinforced Helmet Head Biting Attack: 2D6 M.D.
  Chest Maw Bite Attack: 2D8 M.D.
  Kick: 6D6+10 M.D.
  Stomp Attack: 3D8 M.D. but only works on targets under 
  3 feet (0.9) tall.
  Body Block/Ram: 1D6x10 M.D., but counts as two attacks 
  and has a 01-75% likelihood of knocking an opponent as large 
  as 16 feet (4.9 m) tall off his feet and onto his back (also has a 
  01-70% chance the victim drops whatever he was holding). If 
  knocked off his feet, the target loses initiative and two melee 
  attacks/actions).
  Special Notes: G.M.s, please keep in mind, killing Splicers is 
  not Legion’s intention with the Slag Thrower. Forcing Splicers 
  to frantically evacuate their armor and being caught vulnerable, 
  however, is her ideal score. Most pilots lack the pain tolerance 
  nor are willing to chance remaining inside armor that has molten 
  metal burning through it. Not only does Legion catch the human 
  but she is also able to salvage the burnt, but nearly intact yet 
  abandoned, bio-armor and is the reason why this weapon is such 
  a crude, yet efficient design.
  Treatment to Flesh: The only ways to douse the molten metal 
  and slag (will not stop the initial damage caused by contact) is to 
  roll in dirt or sand for two entire melee rounds (30 seconds), run 
  the metal slag off for one entire melee round (but takes double 
  damage that melee) or to be doused with slag retardant oils or 
  
  165
  powder which cools it in 6 seconds/two melee action. Cool water 
  is the next alternative which will cook the flesh from the chemi-
  cal reaction (add 1D6 M.D. to the initial damage, but no duration 
  thereafter). To properly treat the victim with water, drench the 
  burn thoroughly with cool water to prevent further damage and 
  remove all burned tissue. If the burn area is limited, immerse the 
  site in cool water for 30 minutes to reduce pain and to avoid fluid 
  buildups, which causes the affected tissue to become swollen and 
  damaged. If the area of the burn is large, after it has been doused 
  with cool water, apply clean wraps about the burned area (or the 
  whole victim if needed) to prevent systemic heat loss and hypo-
  thermia.
  The depth of the burn depends upon the duration of over-
  all, direct contact. The Ravager Cannon will certainly cause a 
  full-thickness burn which destroys all epidermal and dermal 
  structures. The coagulated protein that the flesh creates gives 
  the burn a white pus appearance, and neither circulation nor 
  sensation are present (-4 to strike or parry with the burnt limb 
  for 1D4 days or until properly healed). After separation of the 
  dark scabs and dead skin, someone must properly debride the 
  wound for all infectious materials and tissue. To debride a 
  wound, someone has to remove all materials that may promote 
  infection and impede healing. Due to the nature of the burn, 
  the molten metal, once it begins to cool, may appear as if it has 
  eaten into the flesh and painfully grafted into the burnt tissue. 
  During the debridement, such metal particles will have to be 
  removed either by pouring small drips of the liquid generated 
  by Spore Dischargers, using Bio-Tech enzymes (proteolytic en-
  zymes), or intricate suction methods by Geneticists. However, 
  the most common and most painful method is by severing the 
  tissue before the nanobot plague reaction occurs immediately 
  followed by treatment from a Saint. Due to the severity of the 
  wound and the possibilities of metal slag and molten metal frag-
  ments within a fresh wound, even Saints will have a tough time 
  healing such wounds properly (reduce the Healing Touch points 
  by half and double the time required).
  Gunspiders
  These wicked Amalgam concoctions are derived from Le-
  gion’s scrap yard & experimental leftovers within her Factory 
  Walker’s morgue. They are forged into walking Bio-Tech rifles 
  utilizing Mantis War Mount legs with screaming human heads 
  mounted onto them. Gunspiders scurry along walls and ceilings, 
  hunting down and chasing adversaries, firing relentlessly and un-
  leashing all sorts of weaponry (Biotech & N.E.X.U.S. included) 
  with enhanced accuracy. Gunspiders may choose to stalk quarry 
  or immediately erupt into a cacophony of screams, cries and loud 
  gibberish upon the very sight of Splicers; firing their armament 
  randomly at their targets. The psychotic sickness in Gunspiders 
  is just disturbing to Splicers, as the excited mounted heads start 
  drooling, mumbling, screaming, spitting, hollering and cursing 
  at anyone and anything that is of the Resistance. Legion utilizes 
  Gunspiders to flush out Resistance fighters, to build web barri-
  cades to seal off entrances, for securing prisoners, and most im-
  portantly, to study the psychological effects of warfare. However, 
  not even Legion knows the full extent of the traumatizing terror 
  that Gunspiders inflict upon the Resistance.
  Class: Gun Support, Scout Hunter and Terror Sentinel.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Scythe Legs (heavily enforced) (2) – 160 each
  Shield Legs (2) – 180 each
  *Front Legs (2) – 100 each
  *Hind Legs (2) – 120 each
  *Mandibles Blades(2) – 35 each
  ****Tormented Screamer Head (1 to 4) – 4D6+6 S.D.C. each
  
  166
  Assault Cannon (1) – 200
  **Spider Head (heavily enforced) – 160
  ***Main Body (heavily enforced) – 360
  * 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 strike.
  ** Destroying the Spider Head will eliminate all optics 
  and sensory systems, reduces the maximum speed, the num-
  ber of melee attacks and all bonuses by half, However, be-
  cause the Gunspider has some Necrotic composition, it keeps 
  fighting. Furthermore, the nanites will find a replacement for 
  the Spider Head (and any other lost body parts) from re-
  mains and or metal scraps, and restore all lost M.D.C. within 
  2D6+4 hours.
  *** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body kills the Guns-
  pider. However, depleting the Main Body may also rupture or 
  destroy the internal grenade magazine (35 M.D.C.) and there 
  is a 45% chance the grenades will explode. In this case, the 
  Gunspider’s carcass is completely destroyed, and everything 
  within a 10-foot (3 m) radius suffers 3D6 points of M.D.C. 
  every melee round for 1D4+2 melees.
  **** Gunspiders may have anywhere from 1D4 Screamer 
  Heads mounted onto it at one time. Destroying a Screamer 
  Head does nothing to the physical performance of the Gun-
  spider.
  Speed:
  Running: Gunspiders can skitter at an alarming speed of 100 mph 
  (160 km) maximum, and half that speed along walls and ceilings. 
  Normal cruising speed is 40 mph (64 km).
  Leaping: The powerful legs of a Gunspider allow it to bound and 
  propel itself 40 feet (12.2 m) high or across, increase by 50% with 
  a short running start and double when running at full tilt.
  Digging: 5 mph (8 km) through sand or dirt, but half that speed 
  through clay, rock or stone. Digging does not tire the Gunspider.
  Swimming: Cannot swim, but can walk along the bottom of riv-
  ers and lakes and stay submerged indefinitely. Maximum depth 
  underwater is 400 feet (122 m).
  Flying: Not applicable.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 4 feet (1.2 m) at the height of the tallest leg joint, 3 feet 
  (0.9 m) tall otherwise and can squeeze under something 2.5 feet 
  (0.76 m) tall.
  Width: 5-6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) from leg to leg, 16 foot radius (4.8 
  m) with arachnid legs spread out. Please note that Gunspiders can 
  shift their internal bone structure to allow them to squeeze into 
  tight spaces and tunnels as small as 4 feet (1.2 m) wide.
  Length: 6-7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m) from the tip of the gun to the spi-
  der’s rump.
  Weight: 350 lbs (157.5 kg).
  Cargo: None, but the Gunspider can tote 400 lbs (180 kg) on 
  its back and 1,200 lbs (540 kg) can be pulled. Gunspiders of-
  ten cocoon victims and either haul them up into high crevices to 
  feed upon or take them back to a hidden nest site for Legion’s 
  Collectors to retrieve. Caches of victims are typical finds when 
  Gunspiders are around but the victims’ conditions may vary from 
  living to dead.
  Power System: Nanobot & organic driven.
  Construction Quality: Quick Stitch – Gunspiders look like dis-
  posable fodder, but their internal construction is a bit more solid. 
  They use the same cybernetic joints to hold the pieces together, 
  but they also possess fully functional life support and repair sys-
  tems. Construction Time: 1D4 hours. Penalties: -2 melee attacks, 
  reduce speed by 25%, and reduce bonuses by half. Bonuses: +3 
  to Horror Factor.
  Replaceable Regeneration System (R.R.S.) – This experimen-
  tal repair system is one of Legion’s more unusual and impres-
  sive designs. Instead of repairing injuries to the body or limbs, 
  this system allows Gunspiders to simply cut off the damaged 
  area and replace it with components harvested from other 
  machines or Bio-Tech devices. An entire limb can simply be 
  discarded and replaced with a fresh one in minutes. Once the 
  wound is excised or the limb is removed, hundreds of tiny ten-
  drils made of nanites extend from the wound in preparation for 
  the new component. The Gunspider simply needs to press the 
  harvested component into the wound, and the nanites will in-
  tegrate it into the body in 2D4 minutes. If the Gunspider is in-
  terrupted during this process, then the new component simply 
  falls to the ground useless. The Amalgam can try again or find 
  a different component. Only the freshest tissue can be used. If 
  more than 1 melee round has expired, then it cannot be used. 
  Robotic components do not have any kind of expiration date 
  as long as they are functioning, and the components can even 
  be decades old. The main body can only be repaired as long as 
  it has not been reduced to less than 25%. Once the main body 
  is reduced past this point, it is too structurally weakened to 
  accept new components. Gunspiders are fascinated with meld-
  ing to Splicers and Technojackers, though there is something 
  in their nanobot programming that prohibits the Gunspider 
  from melding with live human beings (Biotics, Technojackers, 
  Scarecrows and Skinjobs included). However, War Mounts, 
  vehicles or Technojacker power armors are fair game, but it 
  takes 2D4 minutes for the integration. Once bonded, the Gun-
  spider begins its outrageous behavior as it realizes that it does 
  not have control of the War Mount or Vehicle and will begin 
  shooting and screaming frantically, and even trying to pry it-
  self off, causing damage to both parties.
  Trade Value: None. Can NOT be controlled by a Technojacker 
  and are a shoot on sight adversary.
  Horror Factor: 13, however, 16 for a swarm of six or more against 
  humans. None against Robots.
  Senses & Features: All standard Robot, and are equipped with 
  the following Biotech features:
  Seismic Sense: Gunspiders can feel & detect vibrations along 
  the ground or other surface of contact through any of the spi-
  der legs like a living seismic sensor. This means that Gunspiders 
  cannot be snuck up on or caught by surprise by an opponent or 
  multiple opponents approaching on the ground. Gunspiders can 
  detect how many opponents are approaching, how fast they are 
  coming, whether they are lightweight or heavyweight, and from 
  which directions, including from the sides and behind.
  Rear-mounted Spinnerets and Webbing: (see Splicers® RPG, 
  page 88).
  Attacks per Melee: 5.
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by the 
  Legion personality): +4 on initiative, +3 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +2 to parry, +5 to automatic dodge (i.e.: can dodge with-
  out using up a melee action), +4 to roll with punch, fall or impact, 
  +2 to disarm and entangle, +4 to strike with ranged weapons, 
  Impervious to Horror factor.
  
  167
  Skills of Note: Standard, except +30% to Detect Concealment, 
  plus Prowl 85%, Tracking (People, humanoids, Host Armors and 
  animals) 85%, Climbing 85% and Stalking Target 80%.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Assault Cannon: The primary assault cannon weapon can be 
  any form of Bio-Tech rifle or cannon (excluding Omega Blast-
  ers, Photon Infuser Cannons nor any Robot Rail Guns), and is 
  reinforced with a heavy metal framework. Standard designs 
  have a Pulse–Laser Assault Rifle.
  Primary Purpose: Assault and Defense.
  Mega-Damage: See damage of Bio-Tech Rifle or Cannon for cor-
  responding damage and effects. The standard Gunspider Pulse-
  Laser Assault Cannon delivers 2D6 M.D. per single shot or 6D6 
  M.D. per triple-pulse burst.
  Rate of Fire: Each shot or burst counts as one melee attack/action.
  Range: See range of Bio-Tech Rifle or Cannon for corresponding 
  range. Standard Gunspider Pulse-Laser is 3,000 feet (914 m).
  Payload: See selected Bio-Tech Rifle or Cannon for correspond-
  ing payload. Standard Pulse Laser has an effectively unlimited 
  payload.
  2. Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher Cannon: The secondary 
  cannon is a grenade launcher and is mounted underneath the 
  primary cannon.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Mega-Damage: 1D4x10 M.D. with a blast area of 20 feet (6.1 m).
  Rate of Fire: Each shot counts as one melee attack/action.
  Range: 1,200 feet (366 m).
  Payload: 50 round internal magazine.
  3. Rapid-Fire Laser Batteries (2): Mounted underneath the 
  grenade launcher are a pair of small lasers, with top-mounted 
  flashlights for temporarily blinding targets.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Mega-Damage: 2D6 M.D. per single blast, 4D6 M.D. per double 
  blast, and 1D6x10 M.D. for a simultaneous rapid-fire burst at the 
  same target.
  Rate of Fire: Each blast or burst counts as one melee attack, but 
  reduce the bonus to strike with ranged weapons by half when fir-
  ing a burst.
  Range: 1,200 feet (366 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  Bonus: +1 to Strike.
  4. Mandible Blades (2): A pair of large, articulated blades are 
  attached to the sides of the spider’s grinning maw and are used 
  to slice open armored targets or grasping enemy limbs during 
  combat.
  Primary Purpose: Close Combat and Self-Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 2D6 M.D. from a single Bite attack, or 4D6 M.D. 
  from two simultaneous attacks on the same target (damage being 
  done to the body part that is seized).
  Number of Attacks: Each single or dual Blade Strike counts as 
  one melee attack/action.
  Range: Touch/hand to hand combat.
  5. Combat Capabilities: Gunspiders may use their long-range 
  weapons (each use counts as one melee action/attack) or en-
  gage in hand to hand combat or combine the two.
  Mega-Damage:
  Restrained Leg Strike: 1D6x10+10 S.D.C.
  Leg Strike: 3D6 M.D.
  Dual Leg Strike: 6D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Vibro-Scythe Front Leg Strike/slash: 1D4x10 M.D., but 
  counts as two attacks.
  Barrage Leg Strike: Gunspiders can utilize multiple limbs 
  to strike at the same target, as part of a single, simultaneous 
  “barrage attack” to do additional damage, but only add in the 
  Gunspider’s normal P.S. damage once, regardless of the num-
  ber of legs that hit. Also, like using a missile volley, roll to 
  strike only once, either the entire barrage of legs hit or they 
  all miss. The victim of a Gunspider’s barrage attack can only 
  parry or dodge two of the limbs in the volley, four if he has the 
  Paired Weapons skill.
  Screamer Head Bite: 1D8 S.D.C.
  Spider Head Bite: 3D8 M.D.
  Gun Barrel Ram: 3D6 M.D. at speeds under 100 mph (160 
  km). Double damage at faster speeds but the Gunspider also 
  takes 1D8 M.D. and has a 01-60% chance of knocking an op-
  ponent up to 8 feet (2.4 m) tall off his feet. Counts as two 
  melee attacks.
  Body Pounce/Ram: 5D6 M.D. under 100 mph (160 km). 
  Double damage at faster speeds but the Gunspider also takes 
  1D8 M.D. and has a 01-60% chance of knocking an opponent 
  up to 10 feet (3 m) tall off his feet. If knocked off his feet, 
  the target loses initiative and one melee attack/action, and the 
  Gunspider is poised for a fast Spider head bite attack (+2 to 
  strike for the Gunspider’s next attack). Counts as two melee 
  attacks.
  Manticore
  This newest Amalgam stems from Legion’s successful siege 
  of a mountain bunker belonging to the Great House of Artemis 
  that contained a nice surplus of Mountain Lion War Mounts (to 
  be covered in future Splicers® sourcebooks). Legion based her 
  design for a predator of Splicers off of the mythical creature that 
  was part lion and part man with a scorpion-like tail, the Manti-
  core. Legion’s Amalgam turned out far worse than the legend 
  ever described. The Manticore has a bone-chilling smile sculpted 
  across its metallic faceplate and pitch-black optics. Underneath 
  the helmet, Legion has placed an animated human head for psy-
  chological horror. If or when Splicers get close enough, they can 
  hear the voice and crying underneath the faceplate. Sometimes 
  Legion will even open the faceplate, exposing the face of a fallen 
  comrade or House ally who is screaming and pleading for some-
  one to save them, as if they are still alive and have a chance for 
  rescue. This is a convincing ploy of Legion’s to fool Splicers into 
  thinking that the Manticore somehow conceals and imprisons the 
  rest of their comrade’s body inside the Amalgam and that a suc-
  cessful extraction is possible. The sad thing is that the pleading 
  human face will even tell them that. However, Splicers inevitably 
  discover that this is Legion playing one of her twisted games once 
  again.
  The Manticore’s mane is composed of numerous clusters of 
  needle pods, with each pod composed of a mini-Death Needle 
  Blossom. The large, armor-piercing hypodermic needles inject 
  tranquilizing toxins to sedate and numb living targets. Legion 
  often likes to release a coalition of 1D6 Manticores within 
  Splicer habitats or Nature Preserves in order to capture -liv-
  ing- resources, such as armored Splicers, War Mounts or alien 
  
  168
  predators. Many Splicers in Host Armor have succumbed to this 
  predator by simply being shot in the legs or arms, where the 
  needles pierce the armor and puncture the pilot inside. Com-
  rades are often slowed down in rescue attempts by dragging 
  and carrying limp victims, thus allowing Legion to strategically 
  catch them as well.
  The tail of this Amalgam has Legion’s wicked twist to the 
  mythical creature’s design. Instead of the scorpion stinger, it 
  has a Mandible Discharger used to engage in melee combat or 
  to eject the wicked critters housed inside. These armored para-
  sites, called Burrowers, resemble green brains with squid ten-
  tacles and a high-powered drill attached, that enable the crea-
  tures to burrow through the ground or thick armored plating 
  at amazing speeds. The high-speed drilling in conjunction with 
  their tentacles enable the Burrower Squids to skitter across the 
  ground and walls like a spider. Once it reaches a target, the Bur-
  rower literally drills into its victim. When deep enough, its neu-
  ro-tentacles attempt to disrupt the neural paths of control of a 
  Host Armor or bonded War Mount by emitting jolts of electric-
  ity that shock the nerves and muscles of the pilot, causing them 
  to temporarily seize up. Against Technojackers in armor or ma-
  chines, the Burrower seeks to shock or fry internal musculature 
  or circuitry. Manticore’s often utilize their tail by wrapping its 
  mandible appendages around the head or limb of a victim, slam-
  ming and jarring the opponent around to loosen them up, before 
  injecting a Burrower directly into the victim. The Amalgam will 
  routinely deploy 1D4 Burrowers into the ground and walls be-
  fore engaging Splicers to set up strategic ambushes and distrac-
  tions. Splicers have learned to scan all nearby surfaces when 
  Manticores are spotted, because it is likely that Burrowers have 
  been planted and are lurking underneath the surface or within 
  the walls, tunneling and poised for surprise attack (-3 to initia-
  tive if caught off guard).
  Fortunately, for the Resistance, Mountain Lion War Mounts 
  are a new and rare commodity, thus hard to come by, so Legion 
  can only churn out so many Manticores at a time.
  Class: Hunter Killer, Anti-War Mount & Special Assault Fighter.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  *Front Legs (heavily reinforced) (2) – 210 each
  Upper Arms/Armored Shoulders (2) – 240 each
  *Hind Legs (heavily reinforced) (2) – 230 each
  *Clawed Feet (4) – 110 each
  *Rear Hind Scythe Talons (2) – 35 each
  Needle Quill Pods (18) – 35 each
  Ion Gatling Gun (2) – 60 each
  *Saber Fangs (2) – 80 each
  Underbelly Chainsaw – 75
  Back Ridge Spines – 40
  Wing Sabers (8; two wings with 4 blades each) – 80 each
  *Tail – 135
  *Tail Mandibles (4) – 80 each mandible
  **Head (heavily reinforced) – 240
  ***Main Body (heavily reinforced) – 530
  * 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 strike.
  ** Destroying the head will eliminate all optics and senso-
  ry systems, reduces the maximum speed, the number of melee 
  attacks and all bonuses by half. However, because the Amal-
  gam has an advanced nanobot composition, it keeps fighting.
  
  169
  *** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body kills the Man-
  ticore.
  Speed:
  Running: 100 mph (160 km) maximum, but normal cruising 
  speed is only 60 mph (96 km).
  Leaping: The powerful, heavily reinforced legs of the Manticore 
  are equipped with jump jets that can propel the Manticore with 
  leaps of 60 feet (18.3 m) high or across, increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full tilt.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km) through sand or dirt, but half that speed 
  through clay, rock or stone. Digging does not tire the Amalgam.
  Swimming: Can not swim and sinks like a rock, but can trot along 
  the bottom at 20 mph (32 km/17.3 knots). Maximum depth un-
  derwater is 800 feet (244 m).
  Flying: Not applicable, the Saber wings are strictly for combat 
  and the Springer jump jets assist only in leaps, not for hovering 
  or flight.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 7-8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m) at the shoulders.
  Width: 5-6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) from shoulder to shoulder, 7 feet 
  (2.1 m) with Gatling guns extracted and 14 foot (4.2 m) wingspan 
  with Saber wings displayed open.
  Length: 11 feet (3.3 m) from tip of the nose to the rump, plus an 
  8 foot (2.4 m) long tail, with a 2 foot (0.6 m) long mandible tip.
  Weight: 1.6 to 2 tons fully loaded and fed.
  Cargo: None, but the Manticore can carry 1,600 lbs (720 kg) on 
  its back and 6,000 lbs (2,700 kg) can be dragged.
  Power System: Nanobot and organic driven.
  Construction Quality: Seamless – The components are fused 
  together with such microscopic precision they look as though 
  they grew that way naturally. Construction Time: 8D8+4 
  hours.
  Enhanced Bio-Regeneration – Either the Bio-Tech components 
  themselves happened to have enhanced healing rates, or Legion 
  figured out how to boost them through drugs, and/or steroids. 
  These enhancements only apply to the organic systems. Mechani-
  cal technology components must be repaired by a Mechanic or 
  Repair Wagon, or replaced at the Factory Walker. Bio-Regen-
  eration Rate: 1D6 M.D.C. per minute for the main body and one 
  M.D.C. per minute for all other locations.
  Trade Value: None. Can NOT be controlled by a Technojacker.
  Horror Factor: 14, however, with the human face exposed, plead-
  ing, begging and screaming, it is 17. None against Robots.
  Colors: Silver and black or solid death metal gray. In arctic con-
  ditions they are solid white.
  Senses & Features: All standard Robot, plus standard enhanced 
  olfactory used for detecting Splicers utilizing stealth fields, un-
  less they are downwind from the Manticore.
  In addition, the Manticore is equipped with the following Bio-
  tech features inherited from the Mountain Lion War Mount:
  Resistance to Physical Attack: Beneath the skin is a layer of 
  thick tissue filled with an impact-resistant fluid that cushions the 
  Amalgam from blunt attacks like punches, kicks, falls, and explo-
  sive concussions (all of which inflict half damage).
  Righting Reflex: Another enhancement used to protect the 
  Amalgam from deadly falls. The Manticore can automatically 
  right itself in mid-fall and land on its feet. Takes no damage from 
  any fall less than 50 feet (15.2 m), takes only half damage from 
  falls between 51 feet (15.5 m) and 1,000 feet (305 m), and falls 
  from a height greater than 1,000 feet (305 m) requires a success-
  ful roll with impact to reduce damage by half.
  Attacks per Melee (includes bonuses from being controlled by 
  the Legion personality): 7.
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by the 
  Legion personality): +4 on initiative, +4 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +2 to parry, +5 to automatic dodge (can dodge without 
  using up a melee action), +4 to roll with punch, fall or impact, 
  +2 to disarm, +4 to strike with ranged weapons, impervious to 
  Horror Factor.
  Skills of Note: Standard, Climb (88%), Land Navigation 80%, 
  Prowl 74%, Track by Scent 80%, and Hunting 76%.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Ion Gatling Cannons (2): Mounted on each shoulder is a 
  Gatling-styled, ion pulse cannon with seven barrels each. The 
  ion cannons have a 180-degree horizontal rotation axis and 
  a 120-degree vertical rotation axis. Each cannon can fire one 
  or two at a time or in a volley of 2-4 at the same target, or 
  each can fire at a different target. Both cannons are partially 
  shielded by bladed wings (-2 to hit on a Called Shot).
  Primary Purpose: Assault and Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 3D6 M.D. for a short bursts, two simultaneous 
  bursts at the same target 6D6 M.D., three bursts does 1D4x10+10 
  and a four shot volley does 1D6x10 M.D.
  Rate of Fire: Each blast or volley of 2-4 simultaneous bursts 
  counts as one melee attack. Either the whole volley hits or miss-
  es entirely. Reduce ranged weapons strike bonus by half when 
  shooting in volleys (and bursts).
  Range: 1,200 feet (366 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  2. Needle Blossom Cluster Pods (18): The lion-like mane of the 
  Manticore is composed of numerous pods each containing a 
  cluster of Death Blossom needles. Each cluster of M.D.C. nee-
  dles has its own micro launcher. On command, the Manticore 
  can release a small portion of these or large showers of them. 
  The 16 inch (0.4 m), armor-piercing needles are hypodermics 
  with poison solutions to sedate and numb their living targets.
  Primary Purpose: Capture, Hunting and Assault.
  Mega-Damage: A single needle does one M.D., a small volley 
  does 1D8 M.D., a medium volley does 2D8 M.D. and a large 
  volley does 4D8 M.D. Releasing most (80-100%) at once is the 
  Death Blossom and it inflicts 1D12x10 M.D. to everything within 
  a 30 foot (9.1 m) radius. Needles that pierce into the flesh of a pi-
  lot are also treated individually as a Save vs Harmful Drug. Upon 
  a failed roll, the victim will fall asleep within 1D4 melee rounds 
  and those who succumb will remain asleep for 3D6 minutes. Vic-
  tims may be awoken by smelling salts or a physical shaking, but 
  remain groggy and -5 to strike, parry and dodge for the dura-
  tion of the sleep effect when awoken early. Add one additional 
  penalty of -1 for each needle that struck the victim, but the total 
  amount of sleep duration remains the same.
  Rate of Fire: Each directed, limited attack counts as one melee 
  attack. A full-blown Needle Death Blossom attack that fires most 
  or all of the needles counts as two melee/actions. A full radius 
  attack can only be used once per melee round.
  Range: 30 feet (9.1 m).
  Payload: Enough needles for 12 full radius Needle Death Blos-
  som attacks per 24 hour period. Automatically regenerates one 
  
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  full attack payload every six hours. The Amalgam can replenish 
  enough needles for another two attacks every 1D6x10 minutes 
  afterwards.
  Bonus: +3 to strike everything in range, but this is the only bonus 
  that counts toward the needle blossom strike.
  3. Burrower Discharger: The muscular tail of the Manticore 
  contains a flexible, hollow tube that ends with a Parasite 
  Discharger. This mandible end of the tail is able to be used 
  in combat to grab things or to ball up tightly to be utilized 
  like a club. However, it is when the mandibles are open that 
  the true horror is revealed of the tail’s design. Instead of a 
  stinger that injects venom, the tail is able to eject cyberneti-
  cally enhanced parasites called Burrowers that are stored 
  inside well-protected aquariums within the Manticore’s 
  rear quarters. These armored parasites resemble squids with 
  an advanced, high-powered drill attached, that enables the 
  creatures to burrow through the ground or armor at amaz-
  ing speed. Once it reaches its target, the Burrower digs and 
  wedges itself into crevices like an octopus. This is possible 
  as they have no bones, so they can squeeze into very small 
  areas of Host Armors & War Mounts where their neuro-ten-
  tacles attach and begin shocking the victim repeatedly with 
  powerful jolts of electricity.
  Primary Purpose: Incapacitation & assault.
  M.D.C. of the Burrower: 22 M.D.C. points, but the Burrower is 
  a small target and a –3 to hit on a Called Shot and each Burrower 
  is treated the same as a high-tech mini-missile and each can be 
  shot as normal.
  Mega-Damage: 2D12 M.D. Humans and other biological/living 
  creatures must roll to save vs stun attack (15 or higher, with any 
  possible bonus from P.E.) or they will lose initiative, two melee 
  attacks and are –4 on all combat actions for 2D4 melee rounds. 
  An Electrical attack on Host Armor and War Mounts will inflict 
  the usual Mega-Damage to the pilot inside, but the pilot does not 
  suffer any other penalties. Machines take the M.D. inflicted.
  Rate of Fire: One Burrower can be discharged at a time and counts 
  as one melee attack/action. Because Burrowers are thinking pro-
  jectiles, each Burrower gets its own independent roll to strike.
  Range: 1,200 feet (366 m), after which the Burrower will lie in 
  wait for 3D4 minutes before dying where it lies.
  Payload: 20 Burrowers are located in the internal aquarium of the 
  Manticore’s flanks. Reloading takes 4 melee rounds from a Col-
  lector/Mechanic carrying a new aquarium, but only two melee 
  rounds for a Repair Wagon or one melee round for the Factory 
  Walker.
  4. Saber Wings (2): These large blades are used to defend the 
  Manticore when it is surrounded or being overwhelmed by 
  numbers. The wings fold together like a fan but can unfold 
  and be used to slash opponents with quick twists and turns or 
  while strafing through enemy lines.
  Primary Purpose: Close Combat and Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D4x10 M.D. per slash.
  Rate of Fire: Each slash counts as one attack/action.
  Range: The length of the Saber blades is 6 feet (1.8 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  Bonus: +2 to strike.
  5. Hand to Hand Combat: Manticores excel in close combat, 
  often utilizing their head projectile arsenal along with teeth, 
  claws and tail to maul and overwhelm enemies.
  Mega-Damage:
  Restrained Claw Strike: 1D6x10+10 S.D.C.
  Claw Strike: 5D8 M.D.
  Power Claw Strike: 2D4x10 M.D., but counts as two at-
  tacks.
  Sickle Claw Slash: 5D6 M.D. for a rake or kick and 1D6x10 
  M.D. for a leaping rake slash but counts as two melee attacks/
  actions.
  Head Butt: 3D6 M.D.
  Bite (Fangs retracted): 3D8 M.D./5D8 M.D. (with Saber 
  Fangs unsheathed).
  Body Block/Pounce/Ram: 4D8 M.D., counts as two at-
  tacks, plus victim loses one melee attack.
  Running Leap Attack: 2D6+10 M.D., +1 to strike and has a 
  01-75% likelihood of knocking an opponent as large as 12 feet 
  (3.7 m) tall off his feet and onto his back (also has a 01-75% 
  chance the victim drops whatever he was holding). If knocked 
  off his feet, the target loses initiative and two melee attacks/
  actions), and the Manticore is poised for a fast bite attack (+2 
  to strike for the next Manticore attack). A Running Leap At-
  tack uses up two of the Manticore’s attacks.
  Tail Slash with Barbs: 1D4x10+10 M.D., but counts as two 
  melee attacks.
  Tail Swat: 2D6 M.D. plus the victim loses initiative and 
  one melee attack.
  Mandible Tail Crush: Does an initial 2D8 M.D. when a vic-
  tim is successfully grabbed/entangled and held. The tail end 
  mandibles squeeze with vise-like pressure, crushing internal 
  structures of Host armor, War Mounts or machines, causing 
  2D6+10 M.D. per crushing squeeze, thus impairing a seized 
  limb (cannot use it). Each crushing squeeze counts as one 
  of the Manticore’s melee attacks/actions. However, because 
  the intent is to hurt rather than to hold, victim’s can use their 
  Escape Artist skill at +10% to escape (slip the hold), or the 
  victim can be pried out by comrades provided they match the 
  Manticore’s P.S. This attack/action also places the captured 
  victim in position for a Burrower and is a -4 to dodge for the 
  seized victim until freed.
  War Hound
  Legion has chosen to exhibit the psychological influence and 
  affinity of “man’s best friend” with the more commonly availed 
  Gorehounds of the Resistance to her full delight and continued 
  exploitation of Splicers. Nicknamed Legion’s “Blood Hounds,” 
  Splicers assumed the name was accurate with ancient history, 
  based on recent accounts of the mangled, bloodied conditions of 
  survivors that spoke of these wicked hunts where they escaped 
  from a pack of large, necrotic Gorehound monsters covered in 
  dried up blood. When investigating these creatures, it was as-
  sumed that the ancient bloodhounds of old were also utilized 
  in the same fashion to hunt fugitives and prey. Legion over-
  heard multiple Splicers speak of her Gorehound amalgams as 
  Blood Hounds and decided to oblige their assumptions by add-
  ing a special olfactory sensor to have her canine re-creations 
  live up to their namesake. Now the canine terrors serve also as 
  her means for locating, tracking and hunting any of her desired 
  targets.
  Legion likes to hunt formidable Splicers to learn more 
  about their mind sets, field capabilities and relishes the oppor-
  
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  tunity as a playful challenge. When desired quarry (Splicers, 
  N.E.X.U.S. or alien predators) are spotted that are selected 
  for a hunt, Legion deploys a Mini-Transport platform (see 
  Splicers® RPG, page 62) that will soar over the designated 
  area where Legion wants to flush out or intercept her prey. 
  The Mini-Transport Platform’s cargo is loaded with pod-like 
  capsules each containing a War Hound in fetal position. Le-
  gion’s Factory Walker loads these platforms as she sees fit for 
  what she plans to hunt. Typically, she uses 1D4 War Hound 
  capsules (per humanoid target) and 1D6+2 per War Mount, 
  large N.E.X.U.S. robot or alien predator. The capsules are jet-
  tisoned from the Mini-Transport Platform into strategic loca-
  tions surrounding the targeted area, creating a hunting ground 
  perimeter. Once the pod lands, it immediately opens up and 
  the War Hound leaps out of its capsule, quickly utilizing its 
  advanced array of sensors to synchronize with its pack mem-
  bers and to begin tracking its targets. Once linked, all the War 
  Hounds within the pack are able to see and comprehend one 
  another’s locations, observations, scent detections, and expe-
  riences. This enables them to perform and function cohesively 
  with their combined data as a formidable, collective pack. It 
  is a true horror to be hunted and locked in combat with these 
  relentless hunters.
  Class: Necrotic Interceptor, Hunter-Killer and Scout.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  *Front Legs (2) – 120 each
  *Hind Legs (2) – 120 each
  *Tail – 100, plus four blades with 30 M.D.C. each
  **Head – 180
  ***Main Body – 360
  Force Field – 100
  * 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 strike.
  ** Destroying the head will eliminate all optics and sen-
  sory systems, and reduces the maximum speed, the number 
  of melee attacks and all bonuses by half. However, because 
  the War Hound has Necrotic composition it keeps fight-
  ing. Furthermore, the nanites will find a replacement for 
  the head (and any other lost body parts) from Gorehound 
  remains and metal scraps and restore all lost M.D.C. within 
  2D8+4 hours.
  *** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body kills the War 
  Hound.
  Speed:
  Running: 180 mph (288 km) maximum, but normal cruising 
  speed is only 80 mph (128 km). Half the speed when running 
  along walls and ceilings.
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m) high or across, increase by 50% with a 
  short running start and double when running at full tilt.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km) through sand or dirt, but half that 
  speed through clay, rock or stone. Digging does not tire the 
  hound.
  Swimming: 40 mph (64 km or 34 knots); dog paddle. Maximum 
  depth underwater is 2,000 feet (610 m) where it can walk, bound 
  or run along the bottom.
  Flying: Not applicable.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 4.5 feet (1.4 m) at the shoulders, 6 feet (1.8 m) to the top 
  of the head.
  Width: 3.5 feet (1.06 m) from shoulder to shoulder.
  
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  Length: 8 feet (2.4 m) from tip of the nose to the rump, plus a 4 
  foot (1.2 m) long, barbed tail.
  Weight: 1,200 lbs (540 kg) or 1,500 (675 kg) fully loaded and 
  fed.
  Cargo: None, but the War Hound can carry 1,600 lbs (720 kg) 
  on its back and 6,000 lbs (2,700 kg) can be pulled. The incred-
  ible pulling strength is also utilized to gauge how much it takes 
  to overcome the War Hound when it chooses to lock its leg 
  musculature to not allow its quarry to flee once it is seized in 
  the gripping jaws. Brute strength is the primary challenge at 
  this point, as a seized adversary requires a combined Splicer 
  or Robotic P.S. of 36 to break free or to keep moving, though 
  speed will be reduced by 25% if one War Hound is biting and 
  locked onto the target. 2-3 War Hounds reduces the speed by 
  half and 4-6 reduces speed by 80%. This technique is used to 
  hold quarry while other reinforcements come to join in or to 
  deliver the killing blow.
  Power System: Nanobot and Organically driven.
  Construction Quality: Seamless – The components are fused to-
  gether with such microscopic precision they look as though they 
  grew that way naturally. Biology and technology work together 
  in perfect harmony to become something more.
  Construction Time: 8D8 hours.
  Nanite Repair Systems: The Amalgam is infested with experi-
  mental nanites that repair damage to all components, whether 
  they are organic or technological.
  Regeneration Rate: Organic components are healed at a rate of 
  2D6 M.D.C. per hour for the main body and 1D4 M.D.C. per 
  hour for all other locations. Damage to inorganic components 
  is repaired at a rate of 1D6 M.D.C. per melee round, but the 
  necrotic hound must have access to 2 pounds (0.9 kg) of met-
  al for every 5 points of M.D.C. healed. The metal needs to be 
  physically pressed into the wound in order to activate the repair 
  systems.
  Trade Value: None. Can NOT be controlled by a Technojacker.
  Horror Factor: 15 to normal civilians, 14 to Splicers because it’s 
  such an abomination of a once loyal Gorehound, but 18 for every-
  one when it’s a pack of four or more.
  Senses & Features: All standard Robot (minus Feature 8), and 
  standard War Mount Senses plus the following:
  Motion Detection: Lateral line sensors built along the sides 
  of the neck, back and hindquarters (similar to a shark) enable the 
  War Hound to pick up the slightest, but telltale signs of motion 
  around the Amalgam canine. This makes it impossible to sneak 
  up on the War Hound.
  Range: 30 foot (9.1 m) radius around the Hound.
  Note: High, shifting winds (30 mph/48 km plus) will negate this 
  sensory ability. The Lateral line sensors are modified to be am-
  phibious and the range doubles when the hound is underwater.
  Enhanced Olfactory Recognition: Recognize and accurately 
  identify general/common/known smells, including gases, food, 
  and other distinctive odors, plus can distinguish smells produced 
  by various Great House Biotechnologies. Range: 300 feet (91 m) 
  per level of experience. Base Skill: 60% +2% per level of experi-
  ence.
  Track by Scent: Does not need to follow tracks or any other 
  visible trail, just the scent molecules and pheromones left in the 
  air by its target are sufficient enough for the War Hound to follow 
  a scent trail left several days in the past. Under optimal condi-
  tions, a War Hound can detect as few as one or two cells. The 
  canine’s nasal chambers (where scents are identified) have been 
  modified to be larger than those of Gorehounds and other War 
  Mounts. Note: Splicers utilizing stealth fields, moving or motion-
  less, will still be detected by scent with this sensor, unless they 
  are downwind from the War Hound. However, anyone who has 
  reduced their scent by rubbing the Samaritan Gorehound’s Ster-
  ilizing Dew (see page 129) on themselves receives a bonus of 
  +25% for their concealment (until the dew is rubbed or washed 
  off of if the character is exposed to a fresh odor (blood, sweat, 
  chemical, etc.).
  Range: Roll once every 2,000 feet (610 m) per level of experi-
  ence. Base Skill: 60% +2% per level of experience. A failed roll 
  means the trail has been temporarily lost. Two successful rolls 
  out of three tries means the trail has been rediscovered. After two 
  failures, the trail is permanently lost. Cannot track by smell alone 
  through moving water or heavy rainfall.
  Mounted on each paw are Grip Hairs and Suction Cups for 
  climbing walls and ceilings.
  Attacks per Melee (includes bonuses from being controlled by 
  the Legion personality): 6.
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by the 
  Legion personality): +4 on initiative, +4 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +2 to parry, +5 to automatic dodge (i.e.: can dodge with-
  out using up a melee action), +4 to roll with punch, fall or impact, 
  +2 to disarm, +4 to strike with ranged weapons, Impervious to 
  Horror factor, +1 to Horror Factor when teeth are grinding, +3 
  when they are shredding armor or flesh.
  Skills of Note: Standard, except +30% to Detect Ambush, Detect 
  Concealment, plus Prowl 85%, Camouflage (self) 80%, Tracking 
  (people, humanoids, Host Armors and animals) 85% and Stalk-
  ing Target 80%.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Twin Plasma Ejectors (2): Mounted on each cheek are twin 
  Plasma Ejector Cannons that are hardwired directly to the War 
  Hound. They can fire one or two at a time or in a volley of 2-4 
  at the same target. The Plasma Cannons can also be fired while 
  the canine Amalgam is biting its target and only counts as one 
  melee attack.
  Primary Purpose: Assault, Hunting and Defense.
  Mega-Damage: A single plasma blast does 3D6 M.D., two simul-
  taneous blasts at the same target 6D6 M.D., three does 1D4x10+6 
  and a four shot volley does 1D6x10 M.D.
  Rate of Fire: Each single shot or volley of 2-4 simultaneous blasts 
  counts as one melee attack. In the case of volleys, roll once to 
  strike. Either the whole volley hits or it misses entirely. Reduce 
  the ranged weapon strike bonus by half when shooting in volleys 
  (and bursts).
  Range: 100 feet (30.5 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  2. Foam Sprayer: Built into the lower jaw is a Foam Sprayer 
  that is hardwired directly into the saliva glands of the origi-
  nal Gorehound. These decayed necro-organic parts now se-
  crete a putrid smelling, frothy bacteria foam similar to a ra-
  bid dog. The foam is highly infectious by contact and attacks 
  the immune systems and regeneration cells of ALL Biotech-
  nology (even Biotech handheld weapons begin to suffer if 
  not treated).
  
  173
  Primary Purpose: Disable and Weaken opponents. Also used to 
  scent mark quarry.
  Mega-Damage: While it is almost harmless to humans, delivering 
  only 1D4 S.D.C. damage per melee round, when the foam comes 
  into contact with Bio-Technology it reacts with a chemical hostil-
  ity reaction triggering the foam to deliver 1D4 M.D.C. per melee 
  attack/action for up to 2D10 minutes or until the biotech armor, 
  creature, weapon, item, etc., is reduced to 25% of its total M.D.C. 
  capacity or until washed off by water. Wiping it off against other 
  surfaces only smears the foam, making it stickier to the biotech-
  nology it has come into contact with. Contact with human blood 
  however, will double the damage.
  Duration: The infectious deterioration lasts for 2 hours before be-
  coming totally inert.
  Rate of Fire: Each Foam Spray counts as one melee attack.
  Range: 50 foot (15.2 m) spray.
  Payload: 12 sprays every 24 hours.
  3. Tail Sickle: This large, Vibro-Blade sickle is used to defend 
  the hindquarters of the War Hound and is also used during 
  strafe attacks to disable opponents. This is a common tactic to 
  bring a fleeing opponent or prey down where the War Hound 
  can slow down and turn to engage the quarry. The tail cannot 
  curl, or carry objects and it is not prehensile.
  Primary Purpose: Close Combat and Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D. for slashes when the vibro frequen-
  cy is not activated, 1D4x10 M.D. from a slash with vibro ac-
  tivated.
  Rate of Fire: Each strike counts as one attack/action, although 
  it takes one melee action/attack to activate. Once activated, the 
  Vibro-Blade can remain active constantly during combat until 
  deactivated or destroyed.
  Range: The length of the sickle is 6 feet (1.8 m) and it is attached 
  to a 4 foot (1.2 m) tail, giving the War Hound a total maximum 
  reach of 10 feet (3 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  Bonus: +2 to strike, +2 to parry and disarm, but these bonuses 
  only apply when the tail weapon is used.
  Penalty: Gorehounds and anyone equipped with Enhanced Hear-
  ing can detect the active Vibro-Blade humming up to 60 feet 
  away.
  4. Vise Jaws & Saw Teeth: The Gorehound’s original teeth are 
  replaced with razor sharp, interlocking blade teeth that are in-
  stalled along a rotary chain belt mechanism on both the upper 
  and lower jaws. This enables the War Hound to interlock its 
  teeth to increase its ability to secure and hold onto an adver-
  sary and exert up to 3 tons of bite force to crush an enemy’s 
  protective armor. The rows of teeth can also be sped up to 
  act as a grinding chainsaw that renders flesh, bone, armor and 
  metal with devastating results.
  Primary Purpose: Close Combat and Securing Opponents.
  Mega-Damage: See Hand to Hand combat below.
  Range: Close Combat only.
  5. Hand to Hand Combat: War Hounds regularly engage in 
  close combat, often utilizing their head projectile arsenal in 
  conjunction with their teeth, claws and tail, and work strategi-
  cally when alone or with cohesive coordination in packs. They 
  are fully capable of all the same physical attacks as a standard 
  Gorehound (add +1D6 M.D. for Legion’s added reinforced ar-
  mor plating), plus the following:
  Mega-Damage:
  Bite: 3D8 M.D.
  Vise Lockjaw Bite (Seized Bite): 3D8+15 M.D.
  Bite & Shake: 3D10+10 M.D. (counts as two melee at-
  tacks) and an additional 1D10+5 M.D. per shaking frenzy at-
  tack that follows (each pair of shakes afterwards counting as 
  one additional melee attack). Up to 2 melee rounds before the 
  War Hound is required to re-stabilize itself (1 melee action). 
  This attack can only be conducted on adversaries that have 
  been successfully seized during a bite attack and locked down 
  upon with the vice jaws.
  Chainsaw Grinder Bite: Requires the initial Seized Bite 
  upon an opponent, but once the victim is secure, the chain-
  saw teeth engage at maximum speed, delivering an additional 
  1D4x10 M.D. per attack and can run consecutively at 3D6 
  M.D. per additional attack directly to the bitten area, until the 
  item/area of the victim is no longer damageable (counts as two 
  initial melee attacks plus each additional melee attack there-
  after).
  Tail Slash: 2D6+10 M.D. while inactive, 1D4x10 M.D. 
  with Vibro-Blade activated.
  Underbelly Chainsaw Slash: 1D4x10+10 M.D.
  Running Leap Attack: 3D10 M.D.+ 5 M.D. for every 10 
  mph (16 km) above 30 mph (48 km), and has a 01-85% likeli-
  hood of knocking down an opponent as large as 15 feet (4.6 
  m) tall off his feet and onto his back (also a 01-70% chance 
  the victim drops whatever he was holding). If knocked off his 
  feet, the target loses initiative and two melee attacks/actions, 
  and the War Hound is poised for a fast bite attack or Plasma 
  Ejector blast (+2 to strike for the canine’s next attack).
  Optional Feature Addition: Legion likes to mix up the features 
  of her War Hounds as an overall, versatile hunting pack that is 
  unpredictable enough to keep Splicers guessing, so she does not 
  equip them identically. Each War Hound will have one of the 
  following:
  01-24% Tick Hive: Built into the rib chambers of the War 
  Hound is a hive containing hundreds of microscopic robotic 
  ticks. When the War Hound shakes its body like a wet dog, it 
  scatters the ticks everywhere around it. Once the bugs land onto 
  targets, they immediately scurry & burrow deep into cracks, 
  crevices, openings, vents, and wrinkles of clothes or armor and 
  begin emitting a homing signal up to 20 miles (32 km) away 
  for other War Hounds and Legion to easily track. These robotic 
  ticks not only transmit a homing signal, but also transmit re-
  corded sound waves of what they are attached to. Exposure to 
  high electrical or EMP discharges will nullify all the ticks im-
  mediately. Otherwise, they must all be found and removed ac-
  cordingly, which can be challenging if the ticks are sealed in 
  due to bio-regeneration. All Gorehounds have a +10% to detect 
  ticks, but Samaritans equipped with both Medical Probes and 
  Ultrasound Cup Pads, or Saints and Engineers can detect and 
  remove all embedded ticks.
  Primary Purpose: Tracking, Surveillance & Espionage.
  Mega-Damage: Burrowing damage is 1D4 S.D.C. to flesh and 
  1D4 M.D. to Mega-Damage structures. The Ticks are made of 
  various plastics, so there is neither a plague reaction nor any met-
  al to detect.
  Rate of Fire: Counts as one melee action.
  Range: The shaking can reach a radius of 30 feet (9.1 m).
  
  174
  Payload: Enough Ticks for ten full radius blossoms. Reloading 
  the internal tick hive counts as two melee rounds by a Collector/
  Mechanic or one melee round by a Repair Wagon or the Factory 
  Walker.
  25-48% Cable Net Gun: The other reported weapon that 
  some War Hounds have is a gun that fires a cable net up to 50 
  feet (15.2 m) away. Once they snare a target (up to 14 feet/4.3 m 
  tall or wide), the cables instantly contract tightly to constrict and 
  contain any captives caught in the net.
  Primary Purpose: Capturing Prey.
  Mega-Damage: The impact of the net delivers no damage to ar-
  mored beings and only delivers 2D8 S.D.C. to unarmored humans 
  or animals. However, the impact of the net will launch captives 
  weighing less than 800 lbs (360 kg) up to 2D10 feet (0.6 to 6.1 
  m) from where the target was standing or running. The nanobots 
  contained within the fibers are programmed strictly to ensnare 
  targets, constricting (at P.S. 45 Robotic Strength) only as needed 
  to contain the target. Against Mega-Damage constructs, the net’s 
  constriction will deliver an additional 2D8 M.D.C. per melee at-
  tack/action until the target stops struggling and is incapacitated 
  or breaks free. Note: If the net is broken or torn, the separated/
  fragmented pieces will have the normal nanobot hostile plague 
  reaction.
  Rate of Fire: Counts as one melee attack/action.
  Range: 50 feet (15.2 m).
  Payload: 10 cable nets. Requires two melee actions for a Collec-
  tor or Mechanic to reload.
  49-74% Cable Snakes (3): This War Hound is equipped with 
  three Cable Snakes (see Splicers® RPG, page 42) to flush out 
  or distract Splicers/N.E.X.U.S. Machines, while the War Hound 
  closes in for the kill or to help assist the Amalgam in combat. 
  There are two Cable Snakes attached underneath the War Hound 
  and one that is housed down the throat of the necrotic Gorehound 
  that can be shockingly and very quickly ejected out at targets (-2 
  to initiative and any Auto-Dodge bonuses for all unsuspecting/
  unprepared adversaries).
  75-00% Probe Spheres (5): These are surveillance drones 
  that help expand the monitoring of hunting grounds and over-
  all tracking of activity within a designated area. They are small, 
  spherical drones deployed to monitor and observe the activities 
  of combat, enemy locations and use of tactics. The probe spheres 
  typically hover silently throughout areas, hiding themselves in 
  shadows or in foliage to best cover the areas being surveyed.
  Class Type: Automated Robot Probe.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  *Optic Sensor Lens (3) – 1 each
  **Main Body – 12
  * Destroying one of the sensor lenses also destroys one of 
  its many optic systems/cameras, communication and sensory 
  systems. When five or more sensors are lost, the probe will 
  leave its post and seek out the nearest Mechanic or Collec-
  tor for repairs and then return back to its assigned post. The 
  sensor lenses are very small and are difficult targets to hit, 
  especially when moving, and can only be hit when a character 
  makes a Called Shot, and the attacker is -5 to strike.
  ** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body shatters the ro-
  bot and destroys its electronic systems completely, but also 
  unlocks the protection from a nanobot plague reaction.
  Size: Roughly the size of a softball or grapefruit (five inches/13 
  cm in diameter) and weighs 5 pounds (2.25 kg).
  Speed & Movement:
  Rolling: Can roll up to a maximum speed of 35 mph (56 km) on 
  flat surfaces, loose gravel and dirt, reduce by half through brush 
  and foliage. Can not roll in mud.
  Swimming: Amphibious versions of the Probe Spheres can swim 
  30 mph (48 km/26 knots) underwater, but can not hover above 
  the surface. Maximum Depth is 200 feet (61 m).
  Hovering: Maximum speed is 40 mph (64 km), but typically trav-
  els at about 1-5 mph (1.6 to 8 km) when examining, searching or 
  spying on an area or target. Maximum hovering altitude is 250 
  feet (76 m).
  Sensors & Features: Standard Robot, though equipped with lith-
  ium batteries (not fusion powered) nor any force fields. Batteries 
  give each probe a maximum operational time of 2 days before 
  requiring a recharge from a War Hound, Collector or Mechanic. 
  Maximum operating range from a Factory Walker is 110 miles 
  (176 km).
  Stealth: Excellent, equal to a Prowl of 85%. Silent flight and 
  rolling.
  Combat Bonuses: +4 to automatic dodge, +3 to roll with impact 
  or fall.
  
  175
  I am Legion, Episode V
  An Adventure and Official Source Material for Splicers®
  Concept developed by Chris “Slappy” Kluge and Charles “Chuck” Walton II
  Written by Chris Kluge
  Illustrated by Charles Walton II
  Devourer Created and Written by Lance Colley
  Mechanic and Tempest writing assist by Todd Spencley
  Note: Originally appeared in The Rifter® #76, page 71.
  Factory Walker. Legion will keep her minions hunting through 
  the facility to exterminate any stragglers even after successfully 
  capturing her prey, so exiting the facility will still be a challenge. 
  Even if the players should fail, it will be noted by high clearance 
  personnel that the players made a valiant, heroic attempt and are 
  not only trustworthy but also invaluable heroes. Should the play-
  ers elect or be convinced to go back to the weapons facility, then 
  please proceed.
  To the Rescue
  Game Masters, this part of the adventure runs like an old-fash-
  ioned dungeon crawl, except with one major twist. The twist in 
  this particular dungeon crawl is that the player characters do not 
  have to enter the Lab through the front door (although they can 
  if they choose). The Badger gives the player characters a great 
  deal of freedom concerning how they approach the facility. They 
  can tunnel into any room from nearly any angle. They can burst 
  through a wall, come tunneling up through the floor, or even 
  come crashing down through the ceiling. While storming into 
  a room will likely give the players the element of surprise (+4 
  on initiative), it could also lead to disaster. The Badger can only 
  detect the seismic vibrations emanating from a room, it cannot 
  determine who or what is in each room until it breaks through.
  Keep in mind that the entire facility is in complete chaos, and 
  the easiest rooms for the Badger to home in on with its seismic 
  sensors also happen to be the rooms that are embroiled in the 
  most intense combat. These rooms are all marked with an “S” 
  on the Secret Weapon Facility Map. The Badger can attempt 
  to find a less active entrance point, but it only has a 60% chance 
  of successfully locating any room not marked by an “S.” On a 
  failed roll, the Badger enters a nearby room of the Game Master’s 
  choosing. The Badger can tunnel out of any room just as easily, 
  but if it is locked in combat at the time, the War Carrier will be 
  pretty vulnerable for one whole melee round as it attempts to dig 
  an escape route.
  While Legion should be the player characters’ primary con-
  cern, she is not the only threat. Some of the more experimental 
  creations grown at the Lab are also running loose throughout the 
  facility, wreaking havoc on both sides. The section below de-
  scribes what is happening in each room of the facility (refer to the 
  Secret Weapon Facility Map). In addition to the list of enemies 
  and survivors battling it out in each area, listed in the room’s 
  description are all the treasures that are hidden among the rubble. 
  At the end of the last episode, the 
  players were left with two choices:
  Choice A: If the players decided to skip the secret weapons 
  facility rescue attempt, they will pretty much be on their own. 
  They will still have Drake Benton, Anderson Long, and the Bad-
  ger on their side, but the Stalker War Mounts will leave them to 
  go help their friends back at the Lab. Worse yet, they will miss 
  out on the impressive amount of ordnance scattered throughout 
  the facility and instead will have to rely solely on the weapons 
  and equipment they had when they first left the underground ha-
  ven. Should the players elect to avoid the weapons facility then 
  this will conclude the episode for them and they will proceed to 
  Episode VI (page 205). Please feel free to have the player group 
  seek a temporary refuge and hunt for food as they plan their at-
  tack on the Factory Walker. Also feel free to utilize any of the 
  new Legion units within this episode’s article as new opposition 
  along the players’ way to the Factory Walker. Don’t force them 
  to go if they are too reluctant or battered.
  However, if your group seems on the fence or needs some 
  encouraging persuasion, then please utilize Drake Benton. Have 
  him grow more concerned over Legion and what else she could 
  do with all the Bio-Tech in the facility, and what could inevita-
  bly be used against them if they don’t intercept her attack on the 
  facility. Will this be a missed opportunity that they will never 
  forgive themselves for? How would the Great House feel if they 
  learned that the player group opted to not go and rescue a targeted 
  Engineer that Legion plans to meld into her Factory Walker?
  Choice B: If the players decided to return to the weapons 
  facility, the resources they should be able to gather will largely 
  depend on how successful they are. Fully stopping the invasion 
  force will gain them the enormous thanks and support of Martin, 
  Isaac, and all the facility’s defenders. The Lab itself will be a total 
  loss either way, and the Engineer will need to be moved, but if 
  Legion’s attack is stopped, Isaac and the majority of the survi-
  vors will lend their support to the final assault against the Factory 
  Walker while Martin, the Saint, and a handful of defenders will 
  stay behind to coordinate a slower more careful evacuation of the 
  Engineer.
  Even if the players go to the Lab and are unable to save the 
  Engineer, then they will likely still walk away with some power-
  ful weapons and a few extra survivors to help them in the final 
  attack. If by chance Legion successfully captures the Engineer 
  Dante, then every survivor will join in the final assault to hope-
  fully recapture him before Legion can merge his body with the 
  
  176
  This list is broken into two sections; the obvious items scattered 
  about in plain sight and the hidden items that require some thor-
  ough searching in order to uncover. Many of these items are con-
  cealed on the bodies of the dead or buried under piles of debris. 
  They may take some effort to find, but there are many treasures 
  to be had if someone is willing to take the time to look for them.
  For every five minutes the player characters take to sift through 
  the area, they can roll percentile dice on the hidden items table for 
  that room 1D6 times (this is the number of items the group gets, 
  not how many items each individual receives). Unfortunately, 
  time is not really a luxury the players have. In addition to the 
  forces listed in each room, Legion also has minions patrolling the 
  area looking for survivors.
  For every five minutes the players spend searching, they 
  must also roll on the Random Patrol Table below to see if one 
  of Legion’s patrol teams stumbles upon them. A few notes con-
  cerning these patrols: they only show up once the room has been 
  cleared (they normally do not add to the current forces of the 
  room, but Game Masters can feel free to summon them as rein-
  forcements if appropriate), roll initiative as normal to see if the 
  patrol gets the drop on the player characters or not, and all pa-
  trols will attempt to fight the player characters to the death and 
  will pursue them wherever they go (unless the players prevent 
  this by collapsing any entranceways or tunneling out using the 
  Badger).
  Random Patrol Table:
  01-30% Lucked out. No additional patrols enter the area.
  31-40% A lone Collector enters the area and immediately at-
  tacks the player characters. Legion also has reinforcements near-
  by and will send them in as they become available. An additional 
  Collector will show up every minute until all player characters 
  are destroyed or they flee the room.
  41-50% A small pack (1D6+1) of Legion’s Blood Hounds are 
  ferreting out any Resistance fighters attempting to regain any de-
  fensive positions within the facility. Two of the augmented Gore-
  hounds are damaged (reduce main body by 50%), all others are 
  walking along the ceiling and walls, searching for targets. No re-
  inforcements are nearby, though any major, loud explosions has 
  a (25%) chance of attracting a Lone Collector.
  51-60% Four Collectors burst into the room and attack. No 
  reinforcements are available nearby so once the room is cleared, 
  no additional minions will arrive.
  61-70% Three Amalgam Gunspiders scurry into the room and 
  split up in an attempt to flank the players. They crawl across the 
  walls and ceiling (at a surprisingly fast pace) in order to seize 
  the high ground advantage, which gives them an additional +1 to 
  strike. Game Masters can use the stated Gunspiders armament or 
  can determine what type of Bio-Tech firearms and human faces 
  Legion incorporated into their bodies.
  71-80% A pair of Rapier Coils enter the room and attack. On 
  their own they are only a minor threat, but their function is to 
  scout out prey for the deadly Hunter Cyborgs that released them. 
  If the players cannot successfully flee the area within one melee 
  round, they will come face-to-face with these two Hunters.
  81-90% A Hunter Cyborg armed with a Burner (see Splicers® 
  RPG, page 134) or a Terror Thumper Amalgam (Game Master’s 
  choice) is going from room to room igniting corpses to ensure 
  they are dead when it stumbles across the player characters.
  91-95% Three Mechanic Cyborgs are carrying Fusion Borg 
  robot parts and are being escorted by several Collectors and 
  1D6+1 Steel Troopers. If the player group is not discovered they 
  will continue to transport the parts to a staging area deep within 
  the facility. If discovered, the Mechanics and the Collector will 
  continue onward, while the Steel Troopers attack the player 
  group.
  96-100% Several wounded Defenders (One Tempest and 
  Roughneck (Level 4-5) or 1D4 Biotics (Level 4-6) have entered 
  into the area of the player group and need medical attention badly 
  (reduce their M.D.C. to half or less). Fortunately, they are ac-
  companied by a Samaritan Gorehound (see page 129) and need 
  the player group to buy them just a little time (2 melee rounds 
  per soldier) to heal. Regardless of their condition, they value the 
  player group and will assist in the fight against Legion and her 
  invading hordes. The Samaritan and the defenders will also tag 
  along and support the group as needed.
  Current State of the Lab
  Bell Lake: If the player characters want to enter the Lab 
  through Bell Lake (or if they want to split up and send part of the 
  group through the lake), they will not be able to take the Badger 
  with them. The Badger is too heavy and is not capable of swim-
  ming. If it entered the lake it would sink to the depths too quickly 
  and be crushed within minutes. Unless the player group wants to 
  take the time to build a permanent tunnel for the Stalkers to fol-
  low, they will likely have to enter the facility through the airlock. 
  Bell Lake is swarming with Legion’s minions, but they are mostly 
  going about their business and are not expecting any Splicers to 
  be in the lake. A constant stream of Collectors are shuttling other 
  minions and munitions down to the facility to support the assault. 
  There are also three Legionnaires that seem to be cruising about 
  in random patterns. Their mission is to relay Legion’s signal to 
  the attack force inside, so they will not risk themselves under any 
  circumstance. They are weaving through the water on their wing 
  boards in continuous evasive patterns, and if they are threatened, 
  they will simply increase their speed and erratic dodging. They 
  will not attack under any circumstance. There are plenty of other 
  minions in the water to deal with any attackers (about 6D6 at any 
  given time).
  Airlock: Legion’s forces pried open the doors to the airlock 
  and rushed into the facility so quickly that only the handful of 
  defenders already in the airlock were able to mount any kind of 
  defense. Unfortunately, they were drastically outnumbered and 
  were quickly cut down before they could inflict much damage. 
  The array of Spine Pods built into the walls of the room destroyed 
  or damaged dozens of attackers, but eventually, they too were 
  neutralized and Legion was able to seize complete control of the 
  entrance. All of the walls were blasted to pieces in order to kill 
  the Spine Pods. Their bloated bodies are sprawled out all across 
  the floor stacked on top of the dozens of melted robotic minions 
  they sprayed with their powerful organic acid before being si-
  lenced. The battle destroyed most of the Glow Cells in the room, 
  which combined with the thick smoke from the firefight, has sig-
  nificantly reduced the visibility in the room. It is clear that the 
  airlock took a serious pounding during the initial breech but it is 
  still intact. The airlock door, however, is another story. Legion 
  wanted to preserve the door to keep the facility from flooding 
  
  177
  which is why she had her minions pry it open rather than blast 
  it apart. Unfortunately, pulling these doors open ripped many of 
  the muscles and tendons that enabled the door to seal itself com-
  pletely. While it is mainly in place, it can no longer hold back the 
  crushing weight of the lake and thousands of gallons of water are 
  continuously pouring into the room. It is being drained out nearly 
  as fast as it is coming in, but the water level is about four feet (1.2 
  m) deep and steadily rising. Anyone accompanying the player 
  characters with knowledge of the facility (like Drake Benton or 
  the Badger pilot) will inform them that the “pumpers” are hold-
  ing back the water the best they can, but they will not be able to 
  last much longer. Eventually, they will shut down and the facility 
  will flood. Drake suggests collapsing the entrance to the facility 
  to hopefully stop the flooding. Unfortunately, the group will first 
  need to deal with the rather sizable force waiting for them. This 
  is not only the first link in the chain, but it is also the remote stag-
  ing area for the entire assault. As such, this room is loaded with 
  minions. The pair of Legionnaires in this room act as the primary 
  relay for Legion’s consciousness. Eliminating them quickly (be-
  fore any other Legionnaires could rush back to the airlock to take 
  their place) could completely shut down the entire assault in one 
  fell swoop. Of course, accomplishing this feat is highly unlikely 
  due to the sheer number of minions within the airlock. In addi-
  tion to the combat models, there are also eight Mechanics busily 
  assembling Fusion Borgs. These enormous brutes were too large 
  to enter the facility on their own, so they had to be brought down 
  in pieces and reassembled within the airlock. One Fusion Borg 
  has just been completed and is counted among the room’s assault 
  force. The constant flooding has washed away the acid sprayed 
  by the Spine Pods and extinguished all of the fires. This is help-
  ing to clear the air and increase visibility, but with only a handful 
  of Glow Cells remaining, visibility is still limited to about 10 
  feet (3 m) for normal vision and 30 feet (9.1 m) for enhanced 
  Bio-Tech and technological sensors. Note that the airlock took 
  a major pounding, but most rooms in the facility are in a similar 
  state. The intense combat throughout the complex has damaged 
  walls and extinguished Glow Cells that once illuminated the fa-
  cility quite nicely. Most rooms are in tatters with rubble strewn 
  about everywhere, corpses from both sides littering the ground, 
  and the already darkened chambers made even more so by a con-
  stant smoky haze.
  Main Entrance Hallway: This is where the first real battle 
  between Legion’s assault force and the facility’s defenders took 
  place. Unfortunately, this is also where the defense force discov-
  ered their remote detonators were completely useless. Legion 
  was right that this gave her forces an advantage, but she dras-
  tically underestimated just how much resistance these Splicers 
  were capable of generating even without the claymore barricades. 
  The piles of robots filling the hallway are a testimony to the skill, 
  training, and power of the facility’s defense force. Legion expect-
  ed to roll over them like a wave, but instead her forces slammed 
  into a brick wall of fierce resistance that stopped them dead in 
  their tracks. However, the seemingly endless supply of relentless 
  minions slowly chipped away at the defenders until they were 
  forced to retreat, but they bought the rest of the facility enough 
  time to make preparations. It is difficult to tell just how many 
  minions fell in the attack because they are stacked five to fifteen 
  feet (1.5 to 4.6 m) high in twisted piles of slag all throughout 
  the passageway. It makes for a tight squeeze in some spots, but 
  the continuous chain of minions passing through from the airlock 
  staging area has blazed a decent path.
  (Game Master Note: Buried under all this debris are the bod-
  ies of a few dozen Splicers, their gear, and one lone signal disrup-
  tor. If the players make the connection that Shauna marked the 
  disruptor with the same scent as what is on her letter and have 
  someone in their party with enhanced senses, they can search for 
  
  178
  the signal disruptor by rolling percentile dice. It is difficult to 
  find, but not impossible. Shauna’s clue about it being located in 
  the second kill room drastically narrows down the search. On a 
  roll of 01-30%, their search turns up the proverbial needle in a 
  haystack. On a failed roll, they can keep searching, but this will 
  take another five minutes, which means they will need to roll on 
  the random patrol table. If they destroy the signal disruptor in this 
  tunnel, then the explosive barricades in the tunnel become usable 
  again as do the collapsible tunnels surrounding the airlock and 
  rooms 3, 4, 18, and 19.)
  Only seventeen explosive barricades survived the initial as-
  sault. They are mostly buried beneath piles of shattered robots, 
  but this only adds to the explosive shrapnel created by detonating 
  them. Each barricade inflicts 4D6x10 M.D. to a 20 foot (6.1 m) 
  area. Standing near one of these un-detonated barricades just be-
  fore the third kill room (the room close to the Arena) is one lone 
  Legionnaire. He is probably one of the most vulnerable links in 
  the signal relay chain. If he is destroyed quickly enough before a 
  Legionnaire from the airlock or Arena can rush to take his place 
  then all minions in the assault force will deactivate. Eventually, a 
  Legionnaire from the airlock will replace this broken link (along 
  with 4D4 defenders), but the Splicers throughout the facility will 
  be able to inflict significant damage on their disabled opponents 
  before they can be reactivated. This translates to the minion tally 
  in every room (except the airlock) being reduced by twenty-five 
  percent. Destroying the signal disruptor and using a remote det-
  onator from one of the fallen Splicers to blast the Legionnaire 
  standing by the barricade will inflict tremendous damage. It is so 
  close to the barricade that the blast will be an automatic critical 
  strike which may not kill this enormously powerful cyborg, but it 
  should weaken it substantially.
  (Game Master Note: The player characters still possess two 
  Shell Bombs. That is some major firepower, and some players 
  might want to use this explosive payload to break the chain quick-
  ly and easily. This could possibly work much better than any of 
  them would guess, but it is a risky choice to make. Not only does 
  this give the players one less shot when they take on the Fac-
  tory Walker, but they might get caught in the blast if they cannot 
  tunnel out of the way in time. Detonating a Shell Bomb will kill 
  everyone in the airlock, passageway, and Arena and completely 
  collapse all three rooms. This instantly breaks Legion’s signal 
  relay chain, and with the rooms collapsed, she will be completely 
  unable to reestablish it. This is the quickest way to end the threat, 
  but possibly the most dangerous. Drake and any other NPC will 
  highly discourage this tactic.)
  Heavy Armor Sparring Arena: The Arena holds the last 
  remnants of the Splicers team that first met Legion’s assault force 
  in the passageway. They fell back to the west side of the Arena 
  to regroup with reinforcements and started collapsing passage-
  ways with heavy weapons fire to hopefully contain the threat just 
  a little bit longer. They started with the southern passageways, 
  so when Legion’s minions flooded into the room, she quickly 
  decided to direct the bulk of her forces into the Southern Wing 
  while she still had the chance. Hundreds of robots poured through 
  these doorways before the Splicers were able to seal all four shut. 
  Legion then directed her attention to keeping the northern path 
  open while she tried to crush the Arena’s defenders. There is still 
  one lone passageway into the Northern Wing that a steady stream 
  of minions continues to enter. The Splicer defenders are trying 
  their best to close it, but Legion keeps sacrificing Collector after 
  Collector to take any hit meant to collapse the tunnel. While they 
  have not been able to completely block off Legion’s invasion, 
  their efforts have given the rest of the facility a chance. With-
  out their sacrifice, the Lab would have fallen within minutes. It 
  is shocking and amazing that any of them are even still alive. 
  These last defenders are doing their best, but they will fall soon 
  enough. The only thing that has kept them going this long are 
  two of the Lab’s Heavy Combat War Mount designs, the Goliath 
  and the Silverback (see pages 137 & 141). The massive armored 
  gorilla and gigantic Bio-Tech bear are smashing robots left and 
  right while the other Splicer defenders blast any robots that suc-
  cessfully flank them or climb on their backs. To the west of the 
  defenders lying in the rubble of the collapsed tunnel is the second 
  signal disruptor. It is surprisingly easy to find if someone knows 
  what to look for, but none of the Splicers in this facility even 
  know they exist. Destroying this tiny device will give the Splicers 
  in the Engineering Hallway full access to the remaining explosive 
  barricades. This will be an enormous help when Legion’s forces 
  break through, but there are so few left that it will not be enough 
  to turn the tide. Hanging back from the action of the south side 
  and north side of the Arena are two Legionnaires. Only one is 
  required to continue the chain. The second one is there to fill in 
  any holes that might develop if another Legionnaire happens to 
  fall. They will not engage unless attacked directly, and even then 
  they will try to break away as soon as possible and let the other 
  minions deal with the threat.
  Northern Hallway: The Northern Hallway is under Legion’s 
  control. All resistance in this corridor has been pacified and Le-
  gion’s minions are free to move from the Arena to the War Mount 
  Corral where they are gathering in preparation for a final push 
  towards the Engineering Chamber. There is a permanent force 
  of eight Collectors and four Hunters defending the hallway to 
  ensure that it stays clear, but there is also a pretty steady string of 
  additional minions entering the hallway on a regular basis (about 
  1D4 every melee round). Most are heading to the new staging 
  area in the War Mount Corral, but many are being directed into 
  the Northern Wing to seek out and destroy any remaining Splic-
  ers. Legion wants to make sure there are no threats at her back 
  before she makes her final push for the Engineer.
  Northern Barracks: The former home to the defenders of the 
  Northern Wing is now home to a Legionnaire and his force of 
  defenders. They cleared this room quickly in the first phases of 
  the assault and then established a fortified position in the center of 
  the room to defend this vital signal relay point. If this Legionnaire 
  goes down, then every minion in the Northern Wing goes down 
  as well until a Legionnaire from the Arena can take its place.
  North Storage: The signal disruptor in this room allowed 
  Legion’s forces to quickly shatter any organized resistance from 
  the Splicers in the Northern Wing, and its continued operation 
  pretty much guarantees their doom. Collapsing tunnels and fun-
  neling the enemy through controlled corridors is a key compo-
  nent of their defense plan, and without their explosive charges, 
  their plans quickly fell apart and they were slaughtered in droves. 
  The survivors scattered across the area in a desperate attempt to 
  survive, but Legion’s minions greatly outnumber them and are 
  hunting them relentlessly. It is only a matter of time before they 
  are all wiped out completely. If the player characters can destroy 
  the signal disruptor in this room and get the word out to the sur-
  vivors via Bio-Comm, they may be able to seal off sections of the 
  facility and trap Legion’s minions. They could still be saved, but 
  
  179
  if the signal disruptor is not destroyed then they will all fall for 
  sure. The room itself has already been swept clean of survivors. 
  Legion’s minions came through and torched every survivor and 
  corpse (to ensure they were dead) as well as every remaining suit 
  of Bio-Tech armor. Legion patrols will still periodically check 
  this room to ensure no survivors have doubled back. Anyone 
  spotted in this room that is not a charred corpse is attacked on 
  sight.
  Northern Armory: The huge stockpile of weaponry in this 
  room is allowing the handful of survivors to put up quite a fight, 
  despite the overwhelming odds. They are blasting away at Le-
  gion’s minions on the shore from within the nutrient pool itself. 
  These Splicers went straight for the most powerful experimental 
  creations they could find, and these bizarre weapons gave them 
  the edge they needed. Of course, the dozens of dead Splicers 
  floating throughout the nutrient pool makes it clear that these de-
  fenders may be dishing out punishment, but they are taking it as 
  well. The Proto-Host wearing armory attendants are continuously 
  searching through the storage racks and dropping fresh weapons 
  in front of the defenders. They fire each weapon until it is com-
  pletely empty and then chuck the spent weapon over their shoul-
  ders. There is already quite a large pile of fully charged weapons 
  in front of them and piles of spent weapons around them. Most of 
  Legion’s robots are getting chewed apart before they can make it 
  into the pool, but dozens have. So far though, these minions have 
  also been destroyed before they could get too close, but the sheer 
  number of robots that continue to pour through the door will 
  eventually overwhelm them all. The Dreadnaught leading this 
  group is holding a vial of a special virus called Meltdown. This 
  weapon of last resort was designed to quickly spread through the 
  nutrient tank and poison every Bio-Tech creation that absorbs the 
  fluid. Within minutes of being infected with this virus, any Bio-
  Tech weapon, device, or Living Body Armor will dissolve into 
  a pool of organic sludge (Host Armor, Biotics, Gorehounds, and 
  War Mounts are not affected because they do not absorb the nu-
  trient fluid of sustenance). The Dreadnaught is waiting until the 
  last possible second before he has to liquefy the armory, but that 
  moment seems to be coming soon.
  Northern Firing Range: When Legion first breached the 
  facility, the defenders unleashed all of the War Mounts from 
  the War Mount Corral. Most were rounded up to be used for 
  organized defense, but a small percentage either slipped away 
  in the chaos or were released to go hunt down robots on their 
  own. During the assault, a handful of these “wild” War Mounts 
  were eventually funneled into the Northern Firing Range. Legion 
  hoped that once these beasts were cornered they would be easier 
  to eliminate, but all it did was make these mounts fight back more 
  ferociously. They are trapped and will likely fall, but they have 
  already taken down dozens of minions and will likely drop doz-
  ens more before they fall. If the player characters can get behind 
  this attack force and liberate the trapped War Mounts, they will 
  have some grateful and powerful allies. G.M.s, choose the array 
  of surviving War Mounts that you want to be in the room and 
  their conditions accordingly.
  Northern Food Storage: A hideous creature is ransacking the 
  food storage and gobbling up everything in sight. It also seems 
  to be eating the corpses of fallen Splicers and War Mounts. Of 
  course, it also appears to be destroying Legion’s minions (and 
  quite effectively) as they enter the room. Whatever this thing is, 
  it is even more nightmarish then Legion’s Amalgams. It looks 
  like a mound of flesh covered in dozens of writhing tentacles 
  and massive mouths filled with razor sharp teeth. Also sprouting 
  up from within the blood-coated flesh are what looks like hu-
  man faces, arms, and legs as well as Bio-Weapons and Bio-Tech 
  limbs. It is busily devouring food and fighting the machines that 
  are pouring in from the south. If the players enter from the north-
  ern entrance, then there is a good chance they will not be noticed 
  by the beast (01-75% chance) unless they attack it first. If they 
  enter the room by tunneling in with the Badger, then there is a 
  01-50% chance they will be spotted and attacked. The creature 
  is growing quickly as it eats and it will need to exit this room by 
  squeezing through the entranceway. If the players flee the area 
  immediately, they will not be pursued by this monster. However, 
  should they be spotted or stay for more than one melee action, the 
  Devourer will attack and pursue them tenaciously (see stats for 
  Devourer Amoeba).
  Northern Rec Room: The Northern Rec Room seems quiet 
  at first, but it holds a deadly threat that is dispatching anything 
  that enters the room, man or machine. There are piles of Splicer 
  corpses and robots sprawled about the room. All of the corpses 
  are covered in huge bites, claw marks, and acid burns. Anyone 
  familiar with the Abomination War Mount (see The Rifter® #30, 
  pages 47-50) will quickly recognize its handiwork. It turns out 
  that not one, but two Abomination War Mounts have claimed 
  this room as their territory. They got spooked when they were re-
  leased from the War Mount Corral and ran off to find a safe spot 
  they felt they could defend easily. Apparently, they considered 
  the Northern Rec Room the perfect place. They disabled every 
  Glow Cell in the room to make it easier for them to hide. This 
  combined with their Stealth Fields makes them incredibly dif-
  ficult to find. If the player characters spend more than one minute 
  in the room, then both Abominations will attack. They automati-
  cally have initiative. They will strike quickly and then attempt 
  to fade into the darkness before anyone can retaliate. They will 
  continue to use these hit and fade tactics until the players leave 
  the room, kill the War Mounts, or subdue them. If the Abomina-
  tions can be successfully subdued, then a Packmaster or Outrider 
  may be able to calm them down and get them to fight on the play-
  ers’ side. Game Master’s Note: If you do not have The Rifter® 
  #30, please feel free to substitute the two Abominations for two 
  Grendel War Mounts (see Splicers® RPG, pages 118-121), and 
  enhance them with Acid Blood, Stealth fields and Suction Cups 
  and Gripping Hairs.
  Northern Sun Room: This room is filled with dozens of ro-
  bots that have come in from the hallway and are lining up for 
  their chance to storm the Northern Food Storage and try to take 
  down the monstrous creature (See Devourer) that is gorging on 
  the facility’s supplies. The Glow Cells in this room have been de-
  stroyed, cloaking the room in darkness except for the light spill-
  ing into the southern entrance from the hallway and the muzzle 
  flashes coming from the Northern Food Storage. The bodies from 
  a Splicer squad are scattered about the room, literally. Something 
  ripped them to pieces. From the amount of blood splattering the 
  walls, they were likely torn apart while still alive.
  Northern Weapons Locker: Very little is occurring here. 
  1D4 Steel Troopers and 1D8 Skitter Pods are scurrying back and 
  forth from the Northern Barracks to try and support the falling 
  machines that are fighting in the firing range against trapped War 
  Mounts. There are a few machines that are being repaired by Me-
  chanic Amalgams in the middle of the floor, but no major con-
  
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  centrations are located here. Most of the forces are focusing on 
  the Northern Armory and the Northern Firing Range. This room 
  is more of a staging area between the two rooms.
  Demolitions Testing Range: This room is out of range 
  of Legion’s signal, so no minions are able to enter the area. 
  However, that does not mean the room is safe. Deep inside 
  the range is a Skinjob ransacking and looting the demolitions 
  cache, loading as much explosives as he can onto his Demoli-
  tion Harness and backpack. The Skinjob’s physique and gear 
  should look very familiar to the player group. It is Zhong 
  Kui, call sign “Ghost” (see page 73). However, once he turns 
  around to face the group, he reveals that he is no longer the 
  same Ghost that the players once knew. His face appears to be 
  fitted with a sleek metallic visor instead of eyes and a grill-like 
  muzzle with six Small Collection Tentacles (same as Legion’s 
  Collector, see page 43) writhing about. Ghost will speak in the 
  usual sultry yet raspy, computerized Legion voice, “Still here 
  trying to do your part, tsk... tsk... tsk... I’ll give you till the 
  count of ten before I come get you...” but it will flicker with 
  static and come in and out. Ghost’s appearance will quickly 
  fade as he and his customized Gorehound, “Cao,” begin their 
  hunt of the players.
  If the players decide to leave quickly they will hear the sinis-
  ter Skinjob’s voice slowly counting down over the players’ Bio-
  Comms, starting from number ten. Should the players seek to 
  recover any of the demolitions ordnance, they will find that there 
  are plenty of cabinets still loaded with Bug Bombs, Conventional 
  Explosive Charges, Chigs, Mega-Bug Bombs, Migs and Squigs. 
  In large aquarium tanks built into the wall, the players can see 
  the foggy tanks are halfway filled with dirt, alien like plants and 
  roots, and with large feeding worms squirming about with bite 
  marks in them. In one of the corners however, there are several 
  Scutigera Mobile Migs lying on one another, with just their long, 
  hairy antennae moving about. A massive shelf along the same 
  wall has multiple (2D6) Receptor Mounds (all types) and several 
  Eye See You self-propelled grenades. Such heavy ordnance may 
  help the players and the Defenders take out many of Legion’s 
  forces, so it’s a worthy cache, but Ghost and Cao have been 
  guarding this sector and will make it hard work for the players to 
  leave with any of these items.
  Ghost and Cao will strike quickly and stealthily, playing a cat 
  and mouse game, strategically harassing and hunting the players 
  one by one. Never seeking a true kill, just tormenting them with 
  wounds to slow them down. Though Ghost might steal items, 
  or detonate tunnels, or trigger explosives to flush the players 
  out into the open just for kicks, he gets his real amusement by 
  teasing his quarry as he hunts. Ghost will use scare tactics like 
  waving a high-frequency dagger across a player’s throat with-
  out them seeing it. He’ll allow other players to glimpse the blade 
  moving slowly across the throat of another player and quickly 
  fade away before the observing players can say anything. These 
  psychological terror games should make the players extremely 
  jumpy and VERY paranoid. Players should always feel as if 
  something just slipped past them, or blew on their shoulder, or 
  whispered something very low into their ear. They should second 
  guess themselves at times, wondering if something just moved 
  into the shadows, when in fact there is nothing there or perhaps 
  there was something there that has quickly moved. G.M.s, have 
  some fun scaring your players with Ghost and Cao. Also note, un-
  like most of Ghost’s Deluvane allies who have been completely 
  lobotomized, Ghost pleaded with Legion to spare his sanity in 
  exchange for him to willingly serve her as a test subject. She sort 
  of compromised, as he said that she could exploit his talents by 
  allowing him to show her various weak points and vulnerabilities 
  of her enemies. Legion fully trusts no one, but she is intrigued 
  with what her first Skinjob can offer her, so she has augmented 
  him somewhat but she has given him more liberty than most of 
  her minions. So just because Ghost is out of range with Legion at 
  times, doesn’t mean that he will be swayed from her objectives.
  Demolitions Test Range Hallway: Only signs of massive ex-
  plosions, shrapnel, tattered pieces of charred Bio-Tech armor and 
  blood trails are seen in this dimly lit hallway.
  Maturation Chambers: This room’s walls are covered with 
  bio-organic tubing that connects to many honeycomb-like cham-
  bers filled with nutrient fluids, and umbilical chords that connect 
  to various Bio-Tech items and embryonic creatures inside. Le-
  gion’s minions (2D6 Collectors and 1D4 Mechanics) are courier-
  ing away as many Bio-Tech items and sleeping War Mounts, as 
  they can, especially new experimental designs. Four Steel Troop-
  ers, a one-armed Slicer and one badly damaged Hunter (reduce 
  M.D.C. to 50%) are standing guard over this ant-like cargo train 
  of Collectors and Mechanics, while another Hunter continues to 
  rip more Bio-Tech items from their gestating cocoons and hands 
  them to Collectors wrap up in the nanotube webbing before they 
  are quickly carried off. Majority are familiar weapons that the 
  group has already seen and or at least tested, but there are still 
  quite a few items they have not seen before. The floor is covered 
  in the thick, pink nutrient fluid that is spilling from the ripped 
  opened sacs along the wall. There are several Biotics, Tempests 
  and War Mount embryos (majority being Mantis Cannons), still 
  growing that have not been opened yet. Only a few (1D4+2) 
  Gorehounds would be mature and functional (each having only 
  3 attacks per melee round for up to 1D4 melee rounds) as they 
  will be groggy if immediately awakened. At least two of the 
  Gorehounds are enhanced with stealth fields and one can be a Sa-
  maritan if the G.M. chooses (see page 128). This atrocity must be 
  stopped, but not at the risk of not rescuing the Engineer, Dante. 
  Coordinated efforts will need to be devised quickly to either re-
  capture these stolen Bio-Tech items or to destroy them before 
  they make it back to the Factory Walker and can be instituted into 
  Legion’s wicked creations against the Resistance. Who knows 
  how many items may have already been ferried back to her. G.M. 
  Note: If the players attack openly, the Collectors and Mechanics 
  will not engage them no matter what. They will scatter and race 
  to any exit they can with any Bio-Tech items they are carrying or 
  can pick up. The Hunters, Steel Troopers, and Slicer will charge 
  every member of the player group to try and capture them. How-
  ever, the Hunters, unlike most of Legion’s minions, may seek to 
  kill a player character, so be careful. If the players are appearing 
  to be overwhelmed, allow several wandering defenders to rescue 
  them before being killed, but don’t make it too obvious or easy 
  for them.
  War Mount Corral: The majority of the robots (Collectors, 
  Steel Troopers, and Skitter Pods being the mainstay) that en-
  ter the facility are making their way to this room. All the War 
  Mounts have been cleared out of this room (one way or another), 
  and now Legion is using it as a staging point for her final push 
  towards the Engineering Chambers. As such, this room is com-
  pletely packed with robots, cyborgs, and Amalgams, with more 
  arriving every minute. When the Splicer defenders realized their 
  
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  remote detonators were not functioning, they used nearly all of 
  their conventional explosives held in storage to collapse the tun-
  nel leading towards the Engineer. It slowed Legion down, but it 
  did not stop her. She now has teams of Collectors burning three 
  separate tunnels through the bedrock to reconnect this passage-
  way. None of the Defenders misinterpreted that this would stop 
  Legion, but it did give them a bit more time to harden their de-
  fenses. The final confrontation will begin shortly, and no one has 
  any illusions about their chances of surviving either. This room 
  holds the two Legionnaires among the assault force that are the 
  final links in the relay chain. Killing them both will shut down 
  every robot in the room, but going after them would be suicide. 
  When the attack begins, these cyborgs will hang back at the rear 
  of the assault force with a significant protective detail to ensure 
  no one sneaks up behind them and cuts the chain.
  Southern Sun Room: This room appears to be riddled with 
  gunfire holes, explosions and various machine parts. A few 
  charred Roughneck carcasses lie atop of heaps of fallen machines. 
  collectors. Half the Glow Cells are still active along the ceiling 
  and provide some light along the entrances. Streams of water are 
  leaking into this room from various punctures and flooding the 
  floor (one foot/0.9 m deep thus far) and reveal blood mixing in 
  with the water.
  Lurking in the shadows, clinging to the wall, near the ceiling, 
  is one of Legion’s Chimera Amalgams. It has been devouring 
  the meaty remains of a Mantis Cannon. The piercing noise of the 
  Mantis Cannon’s carapace being bitten and cracked open with 
  its flesh splashing into the water below, should echo in this room 
  and let the players know that they are not alone in here. Before 
  anyone can fire on the feeding Chimera, two additional Chimeras 
  move along the ceiling and begin their descent. There is a tunnel 
  17 feet (5 m) up in the western edge of the wall that leads from 
  the Southern Sun Room into the southern hallway that leads to 
  the War Mount Corral. Noise and shadowy movements from the 
  tunnel indicate that there is something else moving inside, but 
  it remains to be seen. G.M. Note: A female voice will cry out 
  for Drake to help her, (if Drake is among the player group). The 
  voice will come from behind the mask of one of the Chimeras, 
  and it will plea for a rescue and try to give all sorts of clues that 
  she is within one of the Chimeras and that it is not too late to 
  save her. That her body is safe and is encased inside a synthetic, 
  rubber-like seal protector and that Legion is using her as a shield. 
  She will scream, cry and even moan to reveal how much she is 
  suffering which will drive Drake Benton into an uncontrollable 
  rage, as he yells that it’s his wife’s voice! Drake will begin lash-
  ing out at anything that stops him from getting to that Chimera. 
  Drake will do his very best to stop anyone from destroying the 
  Chimera that he believes contains his wife’s body. Unfortunately, 
  as all three Chimeras spring and pounce across the walls and in 
  and out of the shadows, while fighting the player group, this tactic 
  will be very confusing for Drake and the players to keep track of 
  the “correct” Chimera. Players will be hard pressed to subdue 
  Drake and to fight the Chimeras.
  If Drake is NOT with the group then please feel free to substi-
  tute Outrider, November Lexington of the House Deluvane strike 
  team that attempted to help the player group in episode one (see 
  page 68), instead of Benton’s wife.
  G.M. Note: This is another one of Legion’s sinister games 
  that she enjoys and is akin to “3 card monte,” also known as Find 
  the Lady. Legion will even have the Chimera open up its helmet 
  to slightly reveal the beautiful face and she will cry out and plead 
  with anyone to save her. What’s worse is if the right Chimera 
  Amalgam is trapped and the helmet is forced open, it will reveal 
  the face and neck buried deep into the Amalgam’s main body, 
  but it will also be clear upon close inspection that she is way be-
  yond anyone’s saving as bionics, cords and wires are hardwired 
  into her neck and that there is no human body. Everyone will be 
  forced to accept this horrific reality of what Legion has done and 
  Drake will put her down. This scene should be very emotional for 
  the player group and should continue to reveal why Legion must 
  be stopped.
  Southern Barracks: While Legion’s forces were able to 
  quickly scatter the Lab’s defenders in the Northern Wing, they 
  encountered much greater resistance in the Southern Wing. 
  Shauna only had a limited number of signal disruptors in her pos-
  session, so she was not able to plant one in the Southern Wing. 
  Legion knew this, which is another reason why she funneled so 
  many minions into the Southern Wing during the initial breech. 
  Legion anticipated that the Splicers there would have full access 
  to the hundreds of pounds of high explosives planted throughout 
  the area, but Legion hoped she could overcome this advantage 
  through sheer weight of numbers. While this did happen to a cer-
  tain extent, taking the Southern Wing was far more taxing than 
  Legion expected. When her minions first swarmed into the area, 
  the Splicers went into action and executed the counter-siege strat-
  egies they had drilled hundreds of times with near perfect preci-
  sion. Every step forward cost Legion dearly, and as soon as it 
  looked like she would gain the upper hand, the Splicers collapsed 
  the passageway into the room, destroyed the few robots that were 
  left on their side of the barricade, and retreated to their next rally 
  point. Legion grew tired of their tactics and eventually just started 
  digging straight through the bedrock, but loses were still high as 
  her minions bottlenecked while trying to exit the tight tunnels 
  and were torn apart. This continued on from room to room until 
  all the defenders had to fall back and regroup in the Bio-Tech 
  Orchard to make their final stand. Aside from the Orchard, Le-
  gion has pretty much seized control of the Southern Wing from 
  the Splicer defenders, but there are other threats wandering the 
  area that are proving to be more difficult to neutralize than she 
  anticipated. When Legion’s forces reached the Arena, the Splic-
  ers blew the locks to all the cage doors in the Gladiator Pens so 
  the deadly beasts they normally used for practice could be used as 
  cannon fodder against the invaders. These creatures had no stake 
  in beating Legion so they generally just scattered. Many were cut 
  down by Legion as they fled, others turned to fight, but many did 
  get away and hid throughout the Lab. As the bulk of Legion’s 
  forces in the Southern Wing pressed on to pin down the Splicer 
  defenders, a handful stayed behind to secure this room. With the 
  entrances to this wing collapsed and the defenders on the run, Le-
  gion did not expect any resistance to her rear flank, but something 
  slipped past her notice. When the players enter this room, they 
  find a giant armored squid engaged in battle with a squad of ro-
  bots. Despite the size of this beast (nearly one hundred feet/30.5 
  m from the top of its head to the tip of its tentacles), it is able to 
  zip around on the ceiling with surprising speed and agility. It is 
  tossing Legion’s minions around like rag dolls and sporadically 
  pulling some up to its enormous beak to take powerful bites. If 
  the squid takes around fifty percent damage, it will try to flee the 
  room, but none of the other rooms in this wing really offer much 
  sanctuary (see Squid Combat Beast).
  
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  South Armory: This is where the Southern Defenders store 
  their Host Armor (Living Body Armor is kept in the nutrient 
  pools in the Armory). Most of the Splicers in the facility sur-
  prisingly own multiple suits of armor. Standard issue is one 
  suit of Host Armor and one suit of Living Armor, but some 
  Splicers had additional suits they were using to test experimen-
  tal enhancements, which is why so many suits of armor were 
  left in storage even after all the defenders suited up. It looked 
  like Legion tried to destroy these leftover suits when she dis-
  covered the room, but was stopped prematurely. Two Hunter 
  Cyborgs armed with plasma flamethrowers roasted dozens of 
  suits of Host Armor before someone gunned them down from 
  behind. The blast marks look like they came from energy weap-
  ons so it is difficult to tell if they were killed by Splicers or 
  friendly fire. Either way, their work was cut short before they 
  could destroy the last ten suits of Host Armor. Most of the suits 
  are still standing in their normal spots, but several others are 
  sprawled out on the floor after taking a few stray shots. The 
  scene looks pretty self explanatory, but it is truly another one 
  of Legion’s tricks. She even destroyed her own minions to sell 
  the lie. Legion set the scene to trap any stray Splicers that might 
  wander back to this room to gather their backup armor. Hid-
  den in three of the suits of Host Armor are some of Legion’s 
  newest creations known as Highjackers. These skeletal robots 
  slip their way inside suits of Host Armor and extend special 
  probes into the living armor’s nervous system to seize control 
  of the suit. They wait until the player characters get all the way 
  into the room before springing the trap. One will attack first to 
  draw their attention, and when the group directs their attention 
  towards this Highjacker, the other two will jump up and attack 
  the group from behind (automatically wins initiative). As the 
  players destroy suits of Host Armor, the Highjacker inside will 
  burst out of their shattered armor and attempt to climb into a 
  fresh suit of Host Armor nearby. It takes three melee actions for 
  a Highjacker to climb inside a suit of Host Armor and another 
  two melee actions for it to seize control. They are pretty vulner-
  able at this point, but the other Highjackers will work to cover 
  the other robot as it slips into a new suit. If the players flee the 
  room, the Highjackers will pursue them wherever they go.
  Southern Hallway: This hallway was rocked by a tremen-
  dous explosion that collapsed a third of the tunnel and left the 
  rest of the area in tatters. Most of the Glow Cells are out and the 
  hallway is filled with a thick mixture of dust and black smoke. 
  Visibility is about 10 feet (3 m) for normal vision and 30 feet 
  (9.1 m) for enhanced Bio-Tech and technological sensors. This 
  devastating blast was intentionally triggered by the Splicer de-
  fenders. During the initial phases of the invasion when everyone 
  learned their remote detonators were neutralized, some creative 
  Splicers came up with a plan to surprise the invaders. They gath-
  ered hundreds of pounds of explosives from the storage room and 
  seeded them throughout Food Storage. Even though their remote 
  detonators continued to function, they decided to spring this trap 
  anyway. When the Splicers first fell back to this hallway, they 
  split into two groups. The smaller group dropped back to Armory 
  B and the larger one headed towards Food Storage. The plan was 
  to lure Legion’s minions into this room, hold them as long as they 
  could while more gathered, and then detonate the entire region. 
  Most of Legion’s minions took the bait, but not nearly as many of 
  them as they would have hoped. The reason the defenders chose 
  this room for the ambush site was so the explosion would have 
  the added benefit of collapsing the passageway that led to the War 
  Mount Corral. This selfless act trapped the southern defenders, 
  but it gave the rest of the Splicers a little more time to prepare 
  (which is really all they could do at this point). Everyone has 
  sworn to protect the Engineer with their life, and if their sacrifice 
  gave the rest of the defenders a chance to save him, then they 
  would gladly seal off Legion (and themselves) from the rest of 
  the facility. The blast did take out a great deal of minions, but 
  the dust and smoke kicked up in the explosion also turned the 
  Southern Hallway into the perfect place to hide the lone Legion-
  naire responsible for relaying Legion’s signal to the rest of the 
  robots assaulting the Southern Wing. Legion stationed a dozen 
  robots throughout the hallway to guard the Legionnaire. They are 
  spread thin throughout the hallway so that they do not point to the 
  Legionnaire’s exact location, but they will quickly rally around 
  it if it is threatened.
  Bio-Tech Orchard: The surviving Splicer defenders have 
  fallen back as far as they can. The collapsed entrances to the 
  Southern Rec Room and Southern Food Storage are now the last 
  remaining barricades between the Splicers and certain death at 
  the hands of Legion’s overwhelming might. They have watched 
  Legion tunnel through multiple walls already so they know it is 
  only a matter of time before she breaks through, they just do not 
  know where. The Splicers equipped with Seismic Sensors can 
  tell that the Collectors tunneling in from Southern Food Storage 
  are pretty much coming straight through, but the ones coming 
  in from the Rec Room are a little bit harder to home in on. They 
  definitely are not coming straight through, but the movement of 
  nearly one hundred robots in the two rooms combined with all the 
  digging makes pinpointing them nearly impossible. The Splicers 
  have prepared the best they can. They are ready to face whatever 
  comes through (and hopefully from wherever it may come). They 
  know Legion will give them no quarter (taking no prisoners) and 
  offer them no chance to surrender. They will fight to the last man 
  and they will do a hell of a lot of damage before that last man 
  goes down. They are all assembled in the middle of the room 
  within a quickly erected fortification built from Mega-Damage 
  resin. Piled in the center of this fortification are hundreds of Bio-
  Tech weapons that they were able to salvage from the Armory. 
  The floors around this fortification are seeded with hundreds of 
  Trench Foot Mines and Migs, with the greatest concentrations 
  along the outside walls. Wherever Legion’s forces enter the 
  room, they will receive quite an explosive welcome. The defend-
  ers are prepared to die to protect the Engineer. Their only regret 
  is that the facility’s only Saint is trapped in this room with them. 
  Her escape route got cut off when the invasion first started, and 
  she had no choice but to stick with the Southern Defenders until 
  the end.
  Southern Rec Room: The Southern Rec Room holds the bulk 
  of Legion’s remaining forces in the Southern Wing. Legion has 
  two separate teams of Collectors tunneling towards the Bio-Tech 
  Orchard. They are building massive tunnels in order to allow sev-
  eral minions to exit each tunnel simultaneously. It will enable 
  Legion’s forces to pounce more quickly when they break through 
  into the Orchard, but the excavation is taking more time than Le-
  gion would have liked. She knows the longer she takes the more 
  entrenched the Splicers will be, but she feels this plan is the best 
  way to destroy them all quickly. Her forces digging through from 
  Southern Food Storage will draw the fire of the Splicers, then her 
  main force will break through directly overhead and rain down 
  
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  death on any entrenched positions. Both tunnels are nearly com-
  plete, so it is only a matter of time before the final attack on the 
  Bio-Tech Orchard begins.
  Southern Armory B: When the attack first began, the Splic-
  ers in this wing quickly realized the desperation of the situation 
  and quickly enacted a plan to seal off a large portion of the in-
  vading army in the Southern Wing with them. They hoped their 
  sacrifice would buy the rest of the defenders enough time to 
  evacuate the Engineer. They decided they would make their fi-
  nal stand at the Bio-Tech Orchard and immediately began mak-
  ing preparations so they could hold out as long as possible. As 
  some Splicers were tasked with holding off the assault force, 
  others began raiding the Armory for as much as they could car-
  ry. Teams of Splicers kept running back and forth between the 
  Orchard and the Armory gathering up as much as they could 
  until Legion finally forced her way into the Armory and they 
  had to fall back. Their last act as they fled the Armory was to 
  unleash the Meltdown virus within the nutrient tank in order to 
  destroy all the Bio-Tech items they had to leave behind. By the 
  time the player characters arrive, the once vibrant pink liquid is 
  now a sickly green color and every device in the pool has been 
  turned into sludge. The entranceway to the firing range is still 
  intact, but the rest of the entranceways were collapsed (likely 
  by the Splicer defenders). However, the southern wall has fresh 
  holes drilled through it by Legion that the group can use to 
  move on to the next room if they choose. The signs of battle can 
  be seen everywhere, but the room is pretty quiet now. A little 
  too quiet. There is not a single functioning robot to be found in 
  the room anywhere (there are plenty of destroyed ones though). 
  If the players go near the shore of the nutrient pool (which they 
  will have to do if they want to pass through the Legion-made 
  tunnels), they will discover why this room is so silent. The tran-
  quil surface of the murky green pool suddenly explodes as three 
  large insect-like creatures burst from the pool and begin to posi-
  tion themselves around the player characters. They are wicked 
  looking winged monstrosities with a crimson red, chitinous hide 
  that is covered in razor-sharp spikes and blades. Everyone will 
  immediately notice a striking similarity between these beasts 
  and the prototype armor adorned by Archangel Drake Benton. 
  If he is with the group at this point, he will quickly confirm 
  the group’s suspicions by whispering, “Saber Raptors. The Li-
  brarians used their DNA to create the Nighthawk Living Body 
  Armor. Try to look around for more of them without being too 
  obvious. They’re voracious, cunning pack hunters. The only 
  reason these haven’t attacked yet is because they’re trying to 
  distract us.” Drake’s alarmed reaction and assumptions are cor-
  rect. It is unclear where they were hiding before, but eight more 
  Saber Raptors are quietly moving into position directly over the 
  heads of the group. As soon as they are all in position, they will 
  charge en masse. If Drake is with the group, his warning will 
  mean that the player characters automatically win initiative. If 
  he is not there, then the creatures will attack if attacked first 
  (roll for initiative as normal), or they will pounce when they are 
  ready (in this case, the Saber Raptors automatically win initia-
  tive). They will try to drag the player characters into the pool 
  to destroy their weapons. Any Bio-Tech firearm or device that 
  requires the nutrient fluid to recharge will quickly dissolve into 
  sludge after 1D4 minutes of exposure. Once the process starts 
  it cannot be stopped. As soon as half of the Saber Raptors are 
  destroyed, the rest will retreat into the murky green waters of 
  the nutrient pool. The players can try to pursue them if they 
  would like, but visibility in the pool is limited to a few feet (0.6 
  m). The players will be practically blind (-6 to strike, parry, 
  and dodge), but the Saber Raptors feel more comfortable in the 
  liquid and are not nearly as debilitated (-3 to strike, parry, and 
  dodge).
  Note: Nutrient Pool Size: 4 feet (1.2 m) deep at the edge and 
  12 feet (3.7 m) deep in the center, with a 30 foot (9.1 m) radius.
  Southern Wing Food Storage B: Legion’s forces in this 
  room will basically be used as cannon fodder during the assault, 
  so the attack force is mainly composed of Collectors and Steel 
  Troopers. They have two tunnels ready to go, but they are waiting 
  until the forces tunneling through from the Southern Rec Room 
  are ready before they break through. When the assault begins, 
  they will come through one at a time at first to minimize casual-
  ties, but once Legion starts gaining the upper hand in the Orchard, 
  they will start coming in more frequently.
  Southern Weapons Locker: The chaotic noise coming from 
  this room sounds like some nightmarish dog kennel as loud, syn-
  thesized barking and growling can be heard echoing down the 
  surrounding hallways. This massive Weapons Locker has been 
  pillaged and the charred walls are marred with signs of major 
  weapons fire, explosions and blood splatter. Metal shrapnel and 
  numerous Mantis Cannon carapaces litter the chitin-plated floor. 
  This Weapons Locker has two rows of metal cages; each cage 
  being 4 feet (1.2 m) wide by 4 feet (1.2 m) tall and 7 feet (2.1 
  m) long and lined up along the northern and southern wall of the 
  Weapons Locker. Each row contains 1D10+5 cages. Two Collec-
  tors are patrolling down the middle of the cages, while three Me-
  chanics scurry back and forth between the different cages and are 
  activating the large, silent canines inside (each activation takes 1 
  melee action). Upon closer inspection, the players will see that 
  each cage contains a modified Gorehound amalgam that is out-
  fitted with serrated metal armor plating and machine weaponry. 
  These are Legion’s Blood Hounds and have been brought down 
  here by her forces to scour the rest of the facility and to be used 
  to rush the Defender strongholds.
  The metal hounds will all be loosed upon Legion’s command. 
  However, if the Collectors or Mechanics notice any of the defend-
  ers or player group members, they will begin unleashing Blood 
  Hounds, two Hounds for each member of the player group and 
  three or four for every large War Mount/Tempest. Fortunately, 
  not all of the Blood Hounds are activated and online, only half 
  have been activated. If the players can take out or stop the Col-
  lectors and Mechanics from opening the cages, then no Blood 
  Hounds can escape until it blasts its way out (will take two melee 
  rounds to successfully free itself).
  Southern Firing Range: Two Collectors are cocooning up 
  the leftover cache of Bio-Tech weapons that the Defenders could 
  not carry off or use against the invaders. Most of the weapons are 
  completely cocooned, but there are 2D8 various Bio-Tech rifles 
  placed into a pile near the entrance and 1D10 Bio-Tech rifles (all 
  G.M.’s choice of various types) still mounted in nutrient tanks 
  along the entrance wall.
  Engineering Hallway: When the remote detonators failed, 
  Isaac Mendoza quickly decided to seal the tunnel to the Engi-
  neer. They gathered up hundreds of pounds of explosives from 
  the Storage Room and collapsed as much of the tunnel as they 
  could. All that remains is one of the Mantis Cannon Kill Rooms 
  and ten of the explosive barricades. Isaac moved all of the Mantis 
  
  184
  Cannons out of the tunnel and split them evenly among the re-
  mainder of the tunnel and the Crossfire Kill Room just to the west 
  of it. This hallway is absolutely packed with Mantis Cannons. 
  They are the first line of defense and they should be able to inflict 
  some serious damage before they are ripped apart.
  Crossfire Kill Room: This room is also completely packed 
  with Mantis Cannons. Most of them are on the lower level, but 
  some are also mixed in with the human and Tempest defenders 
  on both balconies. They are as ready as they are ever going to get, 
  but none of them expect to last long.
  Northern Elite Guards’ Quarters: The defenders stationed 
  in this room are as armed and ready as they are going to get. 
  When Legion first breeched the airlock, they had to move quickly 
  to seal off the Engineer, so they were not able to raid the Armory. 
  Fortunately, the Tempests and Biotics stationed in this area are 
  pretty powerful on their own, but they could have used the extra 
  firepower. They will hold in this room until any of the defenders 
  in the Crossfire Kill Room are either killed or run out of ammo 
  and need to be relieved. What they do not know is that Legion 
  is also tunneling through to this room. When the attack comes, 
  both the Guards’ Quarters and the Crossfire Kill Room will be 
  completely overwhelmed within minutes. The powerful defend-
  ers stationed in these rooms will put up quite a fight, but they do 
  not stand a chance. They will fall just like everyone else in the 
  facility.
  Crossroads Hallway: Isaac had his people fill this hallway 
  with all the explosives they had left. When the first line of defense 
  falls, Isaac will trigger these explosives and take out as many 
  minions as possible. The explosion will inflict 6D6x10 M.D. to 
  everything in this hallway plus 1D6x10 to everything within the 
  Northern and Southern Elite Guards’ Quarters, the Managers’ 
  Quarters, and the Crossfire Kill Room.
  Managers’ Quarters: This room is completely empty of all 
  personnel. Martin never really kept much in here of any major 
  importance other than his personal effects, so there is no reason 
  to do any searching (besides, there is not really any time for that). 
  If the players are steadfast on searching the room, they will find 
  illustrations and paintings of new prototype War Mount designs.
  Southern Elite Guards’ Quarters: The Southern Quarters is 
  pretty much in the same situation as the Northern Quarters. The 
  defenders have their orders and are ready to execute their game 
  plan; they just do not realize how drastically that plan is about to 
  change.
  Engineering Assistants’ Quarters: The defenders collapsed 
  the northern entrance to this room and set up their final surprise 
  for Legion’s forces. In addition to the few dozen Trench Foot 
  Mines scattered across the floor, they also set up an experimen-
  tal Bio-Tech weapon known as an E-Bomb. It is similar to the 
  Electro-Pulse Gun (see Splicers® RPG, page 134), but instead 
  of releasing a directed electro-magnetic pulse, this one-shot de-
  vice releases a massive EMP blast in all directions upon detona-
  tion. It is far more powerful than the Electro-Pulse Gun (add +5 
  melee rounds to the impairment and penalties). However, it is 
  also somewhat harmful to living tissue (1D10 S.D.C., -1 melee 
  attack and -2 for all combat actions for 1D4 melee rounds), which 
  is why it is still in the experimental phase. The bomb can be deto-
  nated by a single rifle blast, so the defenders need to keep the 
  southern entrance to the room intact in order to trigger the blast. 
  They all know that it will not be enough to stop the invaders, but 
  it will slow them down a little.
  Engineering Chambers: Isaac, Martin, and a small contin-
  gent of Splicer soldiers are in here coordinating their final stand. 
  A pair of Tunnel Rat War Mounts (see The Rifter® #30, page 
  65) that have survived Legion’s attack, are trying to construct 
  an escape route for the Engineer as fast as they can, but they 
  have only built about 200 feet (61 m) of tunnel so far and time 
  is quickly running out. Isaac is still willing to give them time 
  to work, but he believes he will more than likely need to go 
  with Plan B, which is to execute the Engineer before he can 
  fall into enemy hands. The Gene Pool is lined with two rows of 
  explosive charges. One set of charges is designed to shatter the 
  ground around the Engineer so that he can be moved. The other 
  set of charges are meant to vaporize the Engineer before he can 
  be captured. Isaac will fight until his last breath before he even 
  considers triggering the kill charges, but ultimately, he realizes 
  there is no other possible outcome to this situation. The arrival 
  of the player characters (and most importantly, the Badger War 
  Carrier) will be seen as an absolute godsend. Isaac will insist 
  on using the Badger to immediately extract the Engineer, but if 
  the player characters explain to Isaac and Martin that the inva-
  sion force could be stopped by destroying a handful of Legion-
  naires, both he and Martin will be surprisingly open to the idea 
  of taking the fight directly to Legion rather than attempting to 
  flee. They explain to the player characters that forcibly uproot-
  ing and moving an Engineer is a dangerous proposition at best. 
  Even if everything goes according to plan, there is only about a 
  sixty percent chance that the Engineer will survive a forced ex-
  traction. Martin also explains that among the group of survivors 
  preparing their final stand in the Bio-Tech Orchard is the facil-
  ity’s lone Saint. They tried to move her to the Engineer’s Cham-
  ber during the initial moments of the assault, but she got cut off. 
  Saints are nearly as valuable to the Resistance as the Engineers 
  and Librarians, and the idea of abandoning one when they have 
  a chance to save her is not a decision they would make lightly. 
  Isaac and Martin would love to take a shot at rescuing her (and 
  the rest of their people) if there is even the slightest chance. 
  Surprisingly, Isaac is the one making the most daring sugges-
  tions about how to sever Legion’s connection to her invasion 
  forces. He is not only willing to let the player characters con-
  tinue to use the Badger for this mission, he is also willing to 
  give them the E-Bomb to better their chances at taking out any 
  key Legionnaires. He tells them with all the redundant systems 
  in N.E.X.U.S. robots, the E-Bomb will only knock them out for 
  merely minutes at best. While this would have done little to stop 
  the full weight of the invasion force pouring into the Engineer-
  ing Chambers, it would give the players more than enough time 
  to take out a single Legionnaire within the incapacitated horde. 
  Isaac also suggests that if they were willing to use one of the 
  Shell Bombs in the airlock, he would personally lead the re-
  maining survivors against Legion’s Factory Walker to pay them 
  back for their sacrifice. It is up to the player characters to decide 
  which is more valuable for their final assault, one extra Shell 
  Bomb or dozens of extremely powerful warriors.
  Bio-Mass Storage Chamber: This room is empty other than 
  the tons of refrigerated carcasses piled up throughout the room. 
  They have been cleaned and processed and have been deemed 
  pure enough for insertion into the Gene Pool. This means that 
  anything in this room is safe for consumption in case any carnivo-
  rous War Mounts or suits of Host Armor need to do some quick 
  gorging before the final confrontation.
  
  185
  The Final Showdown
  The choices the players made earlier in the adventure will de-
  termine what kind of resources they have available during the 
  final confrontation. If they skipped the Artemis Secret Weapons 
  facility, they will pretty much be on their own. They will still have 
  Drake Benton, Anderson Long, and the Badger on their side, but 
  the Stalkers will leave them to go help their friends back at the 
  Lab. Worse yet, they will miss out on the impressive amount of 
  ordnance scattered throughout the facility and instead will have 
  to rely solely on the weapons and equipment they had when they 
  first left the underground haven. If they did return to the weapons 
  facility, the resources they are able to gather will largely depend 
  on how successful they are. Fully stopping the invasion force will 
  gain them the enormous thanks and support of Martin, Isaac, and 
  all the facility’s defenders. The Lab itself will be a total loss ei-
  ther way, and the Engineer will need to be moved, but if Legion’s 
  attack is stopped, Isaac and the majority of the survivors will lend 
  their support to the final assault against the Factory Walker while 
  Martin, the Saint, and a handful of defenders will stay behind to 
  coordinate a slower, more careful evacuation of the Engineer. If 
  the players go to the Lab and are unable to save the Engineer, 
  then they will likely still walk away with some powerful weapons 
  and a few extra survivors to help them in the final attack. If by 
  chance, Legion successfully captures the Engineer, Dante, then 
  every survivor will join in the final assault to hopefully recapture 
  him before Legion can merge his body with the Factory Walk-
  er. Legion will keep her minions hunting through the facility to 
  exterminate any stragglers even after successfully capturing her 
  prey, so exiting the facility will still be a challenge.
  The group can attempt to exit through the damaged airlock or 
  tunnel out using the Badger. Multiple trips may be necessary if 
  there are a lot of survivors, or the Badger can work at a slower 
  pace to create a semi-permanent passageway. Depending on the 
  outcome of the assault, the group may be in too big of a hurry for 
  this to be a viable option.
  To be concluded in the next episode of I am Le-
  gion: “Final Showdown.”
  New O.C.C.
  Specialty Upgrades
  Restored Biotics and Tempests
  The creation, utilization and future of Biotics has been an 
  ongoing and controversial subject that most Resistance political 
  powers have been cautious to tread. Great Houses have debated 
  on the procedures and social integration of beings that are of-
  ten considered psychologically unstable, yet unarguably deadlier 
  than the common civilian. Fortunately, due to the global threat 
  of the deadly machine forces, rival houses and alien predators, 
  most Great Houses are required to have a sufficient defense force 
  to protect its territories, resources and civilian habitats and have 
  validated the “remaking” process to utilize Biotics. It comes as no 
  surprise that Biotics continue to validate themselves in grueling 
  battles and in the defense of havens as a logical implementation 
  of converting criminals, the insane or the mentally disturbed ver-
  sus expending valuable resources and time to govern and sustain 
  housing systems to maintain the same people. The implementa-
  tion of Biotics preserves valuable numbers within the Resistance 
  militia and serves as a reminding deterrent for those who enter-
  tain illegal activities.
  However, the future of Biotics is an uncomfortable topic rid-
  dled with heated arguments, rising concerns and speculative anal-
  ysis. The Biotic populace is typically kept in check by the amount 
  of battles they are deployed and serve in. Growing concerns of 
  Biotic uprisings and rogue cadres are no longer mere rumors or 
  myths, and the problem of Biotic mental stability in the battle-
  front has always posed concerns for comrades and Dreadguards. 
  The very idea of an improved, more stable and loyal Biotic that 
  could be relied upon both in the field and within haven societies 
  appeals to many Splicers abroad. Sadly, the controversial steps 
  needed to reach such objectives have produced very little success 
  to help bridge the debating leaderships and the swirling scrutiny. 
  Not only is there a greater risk of psychological problems and 
  insanities being increased by constant tampering of the minds of 
  Biotics, but the risks are drastically increased as to what the Bi-
  otics could become if a megalomaniacal Librarian handled the 
  reprogramming. These risks warranted major concerns, yet there 
  are isolated tests being conducted (i.e. the Metamorph Program 
  (see The Rifter® #51, pages 19-30), Tempest Vanguardians, 
  among a few others) to evaluate if proven Biotics should be given 
  reconditioning to make them better soldiers and civilians among 
  the Resistance populace.
  Great House Artemis is one of the few houses that believes 
  in such tests and have begun the Restoration Project. Instead of 
  keeping Biotics in a certain mind state, the Restoration Project 
  seeks to improve the mental prowess and stability of trusted Bi-
  otics via a restoration of desirable memories, functionality and 
  skills. Instead of “unplugging” a soldier and designating him 
  primarily for cannon fodder, the project restores mental quali-
  ties with the intent of developing better soldiers. Instead of de-
  ploying platoons of mind wiped, unstable Biotics into battle, 
  Houses can now benefit by having reliable, skilled Biotics to take 
  on more diverse and significant roles in the fight against all en-
  
  186
  emies. Ideal candidates for the restoration consist of Biotics that 
  are either created from volunteers and Biotics that continue to 
  prove themselves as reliable assets in the field. Candidates are 
  evaluated, tested and sponsored only by Active Dreadguards for 
  a mental restoration by a Librarian. When a Librarian mind wipes 
  someone, it still stores those memories, making the Librarian a 
  complete repository of human memories. Sponsored Biotics are 
  given back selected quality memories or filled with new “quality” 
  memories and given a new identity.
  Unfortunately, the restoration process is not one hundred per-
  cent guaranteed as there are gaps of lost memories, particularly 
  anything involving illegal history or affiliations. Sometimes this 
  may include the omission of family members and other loved 
  ones, causing the Biotic’s past to become a deep mystery that is 
  blurred and not familiar. Encounters with anyone from the past 
  that knew the Biotic before the mind wipe can trigger flashbacks 
  and trigger an insanity. There is also a chance (18%) of a such 
  triggers at levels 6, 9 and 12 (see Splicers® RPG, page 148). 
  Add +5% for every encounter the character experiences with a 
  past loved one or illegal partner. Re-roll any duplicate results. For 
  most Biotics, if they are made aware of their past, they become 
  obsessed with the missing gaps in between the implanted memo-
  ries and see the missing pieces as a puzzle that they secretly strive 
  to put together or try to bury.
  The Restored Biotic is essentially a genetically engineered, 
  programmed super soldier with pre-selected memories primed for 
  warfare and the full implementation of Bio-Technology. Restored 
  Biotics (considered the Reborn by elite forces) awaken in a matu-
  ration chamber located in the elite Biotic barracks, where they are 
  greeted and briefed by senior officers, typically their sponsoring 
  Dreadguard, perhaps even members of the Dreadguard Senate or 
  the Warlord himself. Unlike their Biotic brethren, a Restored Bi-
  otic may achieve higher rankings such as Sr. Habitat Defense & 
  Enforcement, Elite Bodyguard, Heavy Weapons Support, Special 
  Field Ops and Sr. Outpost Security.
  Most Restored Biotics feel that they have been selected and 
  evolved into the best physical means for humanity to survive, and 
  see themselves as the sacrificial pioneers that must represent the 
  path to enlightenment for the future of mankind to follow. These 
  Biotics continue to remain subservient, for now, doing their best 
  to preserve their hard-earned respect and trust, but most impor-
  tantly, the alien powers they are gifted with. For a few other Re-
  stored Biotics, they are simply waiting for the time they when 
  Bio-Technology is viewed as the ultimate means to reclaim the 
  planet, that the current human body has reached its full poten-
  tial, and that the Bio-Tech breakthroughs are the undeniable next 
  steps for human evolution. Guided by the secret whispers in the 
  shadows by Librarian agents and mind probe implantations, it is 
  only a matter of time before a major uprising ensues to literally 
  force every human to undergo Biotic conversions in order to take 
  the planet back from the machines. For these Biotics, it is only a 
  matter of time and a continuation of recruiting the right soldiers.
  Restored Biotic Upgrades: The new Restored Biotic bears 
  a tribal facial tattoo and or body markings artistically embedded 
  into his or her epidermis’ DNA by an Engineer. It is a badge 
  of honor, respect, distinction and identity. Restored Biotics re-
  ceive 2D10+20 Bio-E per level of the character’s experience for 
  additional Bio-Enhancements in addition to the standard Biotic 
  enhancements. Unlike a standard Biotic where additional Bio-E 
  is optional, the Restored Biotic is automatically given 3D10+25 
  Bio-E points at experience levels 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15. The character 
  also gets to select one Secondary Skill at levels 4, 7 and 11.
  Tempest O.C.C.
  “Why rely on the armor, when you can become the armor?”
  – Michelangelo, 2nd Librarian of House Artemis.
  Heroic Roughnecks, Restored Biotics and proven volunteers, 
  may be selected for the ultimate fusion in Bio-Technology, and 
  perhaps the most unsung of all honors, the Tempest Vanguardian. 
  Tempests are devoted infantry and defenders that are not only 
  fully capable, thinking soldiers, but literally have their brain, 
  heart and supporting organs transferred into a Host Armor-like 
  body. No one can pilot inside the armor because the interior is 
  now solid flesh and bone. Ideally, Tempests are selected as Elite 
  Bodyguards, Enforcers, Heavy Infantry Support, Guardians for 
  havens and remote outposts, where they are most adept. For the 
  rare individuals that Tempests do trust and share their secrets 
  with, they are devoted and will give their life for them. The rea-
  son Tempests are so secretive is due to many societies fearing 
  the power they wield or the bad examples of Tempests that have 
  succumbed to their primal metabolism instincts and gone rogue 
  and predated upon their fellow man. Such acts have quickly giv-
  en them a bad reputation, forcing excommunications, abandon-
  ments, forced to be participants in gladiatorial blood sports or 
  hunted down and executed.
  Tempests wholeheartedly believe that the human spirit within 
  them supercedes any external form that is supposed to define hu-
  manity. They view all other humans who have not been converted 
  into Biotics of some form as immature brethren who are not yet 
  enlightened to the vast opportunities that Bio-Technology offers 
  and that the future of mankind will be composed strictly of Mega-
  Damage beings. All others will inevitably succumb to the hor-
  rors of warfare, predation, some unforeseen tragic event or mere 
  evolution. Much like their Restored Biotic brethren, Tempests 
  believe they are the sacrificial pioneers for humanity’s evolution 
  and that they must undergo the necessary evils of fear, prejudice 
  and scrutiny in order to pave a way for mankind to survive the 
  Machine. This is cultivated by underground cults and believers 
  growing within the Biotic communities, with many roots lead-
  ing back to Librarian Black-Ops agents and high-ranking Scare-
  crows. Tempests are not as evangelical about their beliefs nor 
  as supportive of Librarian activity as Scarecrows are, but they 
  are strong proponents in being hardier, more powerful beings in 
  order to fight and usurp the Machine’s dominion. They are very 
  supportive of Biotics, Homunculi (see The Rifter® #50, page 80), 
  Skinjobs and War Mounts, and have a deep empathy and devo-
  tion towards Engineers.
  Unlike Homunculi, Tempests have human brains, making 
  them sentient beings and can not be controlled by Geneticists. 
  However, Tempests also serve as test platforms for new Bio-Tech 
  and Bio-Enhancements, particularly those that are too heavy and/
  or powerful for Homunculi to wield. The majority of the Tem-
  pests in the field wield some of the most dangerous, experimental 
  weapons and enhancements that can be placed onto Host Armors 
  and War Mounts. Unfortunately, they are also the most likely 
  to have major problems such as Bio-E overloads, weapon melt-
  downs, backfires, overshots, greater blast radius than anticipated, 
  
  187
  friendly fire, etc. Designed to serve as the “tanks” of the Resis-
  tance’s armored infantry battalions, they are built for durability 
  and heavy firepower, not for longevity and reliability. Tempests 
  are well-briefed on the major burdens and risks they will bear 
  before they are converted, and see such risks and exposures to 
  experimental weapons as part of the sacrifice that they must en-
  dure for the greater good of humanity’s survival. Lighter, sleeker 
  Tempest versions are also being tested, yielding mixed results 
  and clashing opinions; leading to a preference for either Heavy 
  Tempest units or Homunculi as the two best options for test plat-
  forms. Thus, the Light Tempest variety are produced in smaller 
  numbers with growing suspicion that there are more Light Tem-
  pests operating in the field, than what was is being reported.
  Class: Heavy Experimental Test Platform.
  Crew: None.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Note: Light Tempest M.D.C. is rolled up as standard Host 
  Armor (see Splicers® RPG, page 71).
  Arms (2) – 2D8x10+15 M.D.C. +5 additional M.D.C. points 
  per level of experience (starting at level two; both arms have 
  the same M.D.C.
  * Hands (2) – 1D8x10+12 M.D.C., +10 additional M.D.C. at 
  level seven and fourteen; both hands have the same M.D.C.
  Legs (2) – 3D8x10+15 M.D.C., +7 additional M.D.C. per 
  level of experience (starting at level two); both legs have the 
  same M.D.C.
  Feet (2) – 1D10x10+12 M.D.C., +15 additional M.D.C. at 
  level seven and fourteen; both feet have the same M.D.C.
  ** Head – 2D810+25 M.D.C., +7 additional M.D.C. per level 
  of experience (starting at level two).
  ** Main Body – 4D6x10+75 M.D.C., +2D10+8 additional 
  M.D.C. points per level of experience (starting at level two).
  * 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 or depleting the M.D.C. of the main 
  body kills the Tempest.
  Note: Tempest morphology is slightly more durable than 
  standard base Host Armors, because Tempests are solid Me-
  ga-Damage beings, not hollowed bio-armor suits. A Tempest 
  that has been brought down to zero M.D.C. of the main body 
  may still be alive up to one hour, due to the soldier’s original 
  heart and lungs that were also transferred into the body as a 
  emergency backup, unless these organs are also damaged or 
  removed (resort to Hit Points).
  Alignment: Most Tempests are typically Scrupulous (45%), Un-
  principled (35%), Anarchist (10%), and Aberrant (5%), and a 
  good 5% are other alignments, including evil. However, even 
  Anarchist and evil Tempests are usually loyal to their fellow 
  man and despise the robots. The worst of the lot go rogue and 
  have been known to predate upon fellow humans (armored or 
  otherwise), though because they know what they are capable 
  of, they tend to give Resistance Fighters a wide berth, espe-
  cially Dreadguards, Packmasters and Scarecrows. Tempests 
  that are prone to go rogue may have been mistreated, gone in-
  sane by Librarian probing or succumbed to the primal instincts 
  of their Metabolism.
  Attribute Requirements: Only the Roughneck and Biotic’s 
  physical tolerance and overall core durability can survive the 
  taxing process of converting from their human form to the ac-
  tual Tempest embodiment. All Tempest candidates must have 
  an S.D.C. base of 60 or more to survive the conversion pro-
  cess. A high P.S. and P.E. are helpful, but not mandatory.
  Attributes: When creating a new character, roll as usual for 
  I.Q., M.E., M.A. and P.B. All other attributes, see below. If 
  the Tempest is being engineered from a Restored Biotic or 
  Roughneck then carry over their previous stats with the excep-
  tion of P.S., P.P., and Spd.
  Tempest P.S. is determined by 4D6+10 (Splicer P.S.) and is 
  equal to Robotic Strength (Light Tempest Variant is 3D6+8).
  P.P. is 1D8+12 (1D10+15 for Light Tempest Variant).
  Note: All Restored Biotic Bio-Enhancements and weapons 
  can be transferred to the Tempest body at no additional cost.
  Speed: Same running, leaping, digging and flying as start-
  ing Host Armor with a 50% fatigue rate (Light Tempest Vari-
  ants are 20% percent faster).
  Maximum Underwater Depth: Unlike Host Armors which 
  are developed to eliminate the majority of physiological dan-
  gers to the pilot inside, Tempests are alleviated of such restric-
  tions and can make very deep dives up to 2,300 feet (701 m) 
  for 1D4 hours. There are no longer any concerns for a pilot 
  that required the need to decompress, there is no need for spe-
  cial gas mixtures, and there is no danger of decompression 
  sickness or nitrogen narcosis.
  Attribute Bonuses (after being “Engineered”): +1D6 to P.S., 
  +1D6 to P.P., +1D8 to P.E.
  Tempest Bonuses: +1 attack per melee round at levels 1, 5, 10 
  and 15, +3 to strike with long-range Bio-Weapons that are an 
  integral part of the Tempest body (+1 for handheld, long-range 
  weapons), +2 to strike and parry in hand to hand combat, +3 to 
  pull punch and +1 to roll with impact, punch or fall, +3 to save 
  vs toxins/poisons, diseases and drugs, +15% to save vs coma 
  and death, and +4 to save vs Horror Factor.
  Tempest Biological Enhancements: A Tempest is genetically 
  engineered and modified with Bio-Enhancements in much the 
  same manner as a Host Armor, only there is no pilot inside.
  There are two methods by which the Tempest is engi-
  neered. For Volunteers, they can simply begin at Step Two of 
  Host Armor & Bio-Tech Construction (see Splicers® RPG, 
  page 72), only when building your Tempest’s body, you begin 
  by choosing your Metabolism. The Tempest has 2D6x10+50 
  Bio-E points at level one, plus their chosen metabolism’s Bo-
  nus Bio-E Points available for enhancements and selections 
  made from any of the categories. This is typically all the Tem-
  pest gets for his standard arsenal of abilities. However, be-
  cause Tempests are designed to function as test platforms for 
  new and experimental Heavy weapons and bio-enhancements, 
  they receive 2D10+20 Bio-E points at levels 3, 6, 9 and 12. 
  They can spend the Bio-E on new test weapons and enhance-
  ments at normal cost or pay double the cost for standard pro-
  duction Bio-E weapons and enhancements.
  For Splicers that are being Converted from either a Biotic 
  or Roughneck, they can do the above process or they can 
  opt to convert their pre-existing features, bio-enhancements 
  and weapons from their previous Biotic form/Host Armor 
  into their new Tempest body. In the case of the Roughneck, 
  their Host Armor is literally their new Tempest body once 
  the melding and gestation is complete. See Production Cy-
  cles for details. Converted Tempests start with 2D4x10+30 
  Bio-E points at level one, plus their chosen metabolism’s 
  
  188
  Bonus Bio-E Points available for enhancements and selec-
  tions made from any of the categories. Any additional Bio-E 
  points earned are treated the same as the first method defined 
  above.
  Experimental/Test Enhancements and Weapons: This is 
  a new creative, interactive dynamic between the player 
  and the Game Master. Both the player and the G.M. get to 
  create and propose new experimental bio-enhancements 
  and designs that they would like to test in the field. If the 
  two agree on an item or items, then they can be added at 
  the agreed upon Bio-E point cost. It should be noted, that 
  these are experimental enhancements and weapons and there 
  are no guarantees that any experiment will last or function 
  properly versus standard Bio-Tech production items and en-
  hancements. This is to preserve unpredictability, excitement, 
  suspense and most important, game balance. If a G.M. feels 
  that they have made a crucial mistake and have approved a 
  weapon to a Tempest that is exhibiting too much power and 
  it is unbalancing the setting then the weapon can easily be 
  reduced within gameplay. Such weapons/enhancements can 
  begin to idle down (lose damage and/or range) after each 
  use, suffer Bio-Energy overloads and malfunction half the 
  time, completely melt down, leaving just a husk or worse, 
  can backfire, causing damage to everyone with close proxim-
  ity, etc. The consequences should be fair and fit the need to 
  resolve the issue without spoiling the story or the fun of the 
  game. If the G.M. discovers, and sincerely feels the weapon 
  or enhancement is severely under-powered, then the weapon 
  might undergo metamorphosis over time and become a more 
  powerful weapon without any additional Bio-E cost or can 
  be upgraded the next time that Tempest is before the Engi-
  neer. Perhaps the maturation time was simply underestimat-
  ed and it took longer for the weapon to reach its full potential 
  (i.e.; increased damage, longer effective range or higher rate 
  of fire are fun ways to surprise players that might feel dis-
  couraged). Please allow players to be innovative and fully 
  test their experimental bio-enhancements and weapons out 
  first though to ensure that the G.M.’s intervention is worthy. 
  Also G.M.s, please avoid issuing out special enhancements 
  or weapons that begin to usurp or take away the specialty of 
  another O.C.C. There is no need for a Tempest to control a 
  pack of Gorehounds, or to try to be as stealthy as a Skinjob or 
  as acrobatic, and dominating in the air as an Archangel. Try 
  to keep in mind that Tempests are designed to test the heavy 
  stuff and special enhancements geared towards Host Armors 
  and War Mounts. The key is to have fun, and enjoy the in-
  novation and bartering process with your group.
  Tempest players, please don’t get frustrated if your G.M. 
  does not approve your test weapons or bio-enhancement pro-
  posals, (remember, they’re all “proposals”). Just as long as 
  the G.M. does provide some test items (preferably 1D4+1 
  items) at levels 3, 6, 9 and 12, your Tempest experience will 
  be sound.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 7-10 feet (2.1 to 3 m) tall is the normal height; though 12 
  foot (3.7 m) tall Tempests have been produced.
  Width: 3-5.5 feet (0.9 to 1.7 m) shoulder to shoulder.
  Length: 3-4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m).
  Weight: 750 to 1,500 pounds (338 to 675 kg).
  Cargo: None.
  Production Cycle: New Volunteer: 8 months for cerebro-trans-
  plant and Tempest body gestation, 4 months for growth time and 
  complete neurological unification.
  Biotic Conversion: 10 months for cerebro and all Bio-Tech 
  transplants (i.e.; all Bio-Enhancements and Weapons) and in-
  cludes the new Tempest body gestation, 6 months for growth 
  time and complete neurological melding.
  Roughneck Conversion: 5 months for cerebro-transplant, 2 
  months (within the 5 months) for the Tempest body modifications 
  (Host Armor to Living Being), 2 months for fusion and complete 
  neurological unification.
  Note: If the Tempest is converting from a Biotic or Roughneck 
  and they are not carrying over their previous bio-enhancements 
  and/or Host Armor, then they have to wait the same time as a 
  New Volunteer.
  Operational Lifetime: 1D10+20 years.
  Trade Value: Limited. Tempests are not pieces of equipment 
  or pack units that can be controlled by Packmasters, Outriders, 
  Falconers or Geneticists; they are living beings. However, they 
  do wield a value in the black market for any of their experi-
  mental weapons and bio-enhancements, as well as to the illegal 
  slave trade to be used for brute force, and blood sport entertain-
  ment.
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 3D8 M.D.C. per hour for the main body 
  and 1D8 M.D.C. per hour for all other locations. Tempests cannot 
  regrow severed limbs or destroyed weapons systems that have 
  been reduced to zero (there must be some M.D.C. remaining), 
  but an Engineer can generate and attach a replacement limb with 
  minimal effort.
  Horror Factor: 7 when humans and other Splicers are under the 
  assumption that you are merely a Host Armor, 11 when they real-
  ize what you truly are. 14 for all beings who fear Bio-Tech; none 
  against the machines.
  Senses and Features: Same as Standard Host Armor including 
  Bio-Comms.
  Internal Life Support: The Tempest’s heart and lungs are reg-
  ulated to a secondary life-support when the primary heart and 
  lungs of the new body have failed, in order to keep the Tempest’s 
  heart alive.
  Feeding and Sleep Requirements: See Tempest Metabolisms.
  Skills of Note: All Tempests carry over their previous O.C.C. 
  skills. However, any skills requiring superb balance (e.g. Climb-
  ing, Acrobatics, Gymnastics) or stealth (Prowl) are reduced by 
  half. On top of any previous skill bonus, an additional +15% to 
  operate bio-equipment and +15% to Bio-Comms.
  Combat Bonuses: Tempests have their own brain so they do not 
  have instinct driven reflexes that are the equivalent of biologi-
  cal combat computers as seen in Host Armors. So it does not 
  receive the added bonuses in the beginning and it can only track 
  up to 9 targets at a time (Herbivore metabolisms can track up to 
  12 targets). However, Tempests do retain their memories (unless 
  special conditions or insanity created by a Game Master dictate 
  otherwise). So they can recognize and remember any image or 
  noise that they have previously experienced. In addition, Tem-
  pests are +5 to all saving throws, +4 to long-range weapons, +4 
  to long-range, handheld weapons, +3 to strike and +3 to save vs 
  Horror Factor. (Light Tempests also receive auto-dodge and are 
  +3 to roll with punch/impact.)
  Automatic Penalties (add to metabolism penalties): -3 to pull 
  punch.
  
  189
  Tempest Metabolisms
  Tempests can select nearly any Metabolism type besides Para-
  sitic because there is no pilot inside to feed upon (see Splicers® 
  RPG, pages 72-76). Most statistics are the same for Tempests 
  as they are for Host Armors, including bonus Bio-E, instinctive 
  skills, combat bonuses (bonuses provided to the pilot become bo-
  nuses of the Tempest) and penalties. The statistics that differ are 
  as follows:
  Carnivore: Needs 20-60 pounds (9 to 27 kg) of meat daily, 
  and may gorge on up to 100-120 pounds (45 to 54 kg) at one 
  time. After gorging, a Tempest can go for 2D4 days without 
  feeding and without suffering any ill effects. Additional Bonus: 
  +1 attack and +1 to strike. Bonus Bio-E Points: 55 Additional 
  Bio-E points. Additional Penalties: Increased aggression, en-
  joys the hunt, having a very strong prey drive, often question-
  ing if your humanity is slipping a little bit now that you’re not 
  just part of a symbiote suit, your body is the suit. So all of the 
  adrenaline and instincts are melded with you. Feels more pri-
  mordial and at home in the wild. So even on a hunt, are you 
  analyzing yourself if you are becoming more of a predator or 
  simply a human that needs to eat? Despises being pent up and 
  not active for long durations. Begins viewing humans as op-
  tional prey items if food is scarce and tries to be dominant at 
  kills among others feeding on the same kill. Will trigger fights 
  with other carnivores for the choice meats, often being injured 
  by Dracos, Gorehounds, Grendels or pilots operating carnivore 
  Host Armors in the process.
  Herbivore: Needs to consume 60-80 pounds (27 to 36 kg) of 
  vegetable matter a day. Additional Bonus: +1D6 to P.E. Bonus 
  Bio-E Points: 35 additional Bio-E points. Additional Penalties: 
  Extremely territorial over platoons (dubbed the Herd Syndrome), 
  heightened testosterone, emotionally sensitive, and wider situ-
  ational awareness (constantly scanning for threats and can track 
  up to 12 targets). Will be quicker to instigate a defensive stance 
  against any perceived threat, even when there is no threat. Con-
  stantly thinks and acts as if something just moved quickly out of 
  sight or is stalking the group.
  Lithovore: This metabolism needs to consume 50-80 pounds 
  (22.5 to 36 kg) of raw minerals and forages more frequently for 
  specific nutritional minerals such as iron and phosphorus that are 
  essential for the Tempest’s physiology and health. Additional 
  Bonus: +1D4 to M.E. Bonus Bio-E Points: 30 additional Bio-
  E points. Additional Penalties: Really difficult at times to find 
  enough food, and its quiet nature is often mistaken for being 
  lackluster, unenthusiastic or being anti-social among groups. Ex-
  tremely obsessive over precious metals and gems.
  Omnivore: Needs to consume 40-60 pounds (18 to 27 kg) of 
  vegetable and/or animal matter a day. Additional Bonuses: +1D6 
  to P.E. and +1 Attack. Bonus Bio-E Points: 40 additional Bio-E 
  points. Additional Penalties: Perhaps the closest metabolism to 
  being human, there are no perceived penalties as long as the Tem-
  pest gets sufficient food. Tends to be overly curious and nosy, 
  always looking for opportunities.
  Photosynthetic: Bonus Bio-E Points: 25 additional Bio-E 
  points. Additional Penalties: When exposed to direct sunlight, the 
  Tempest tends to become so mesmerized by the charging tran-
  quility of the sun’s rays that there is a 7% chance of slipping into 
  a daydream that lasts 1D4 minutes, and will only awaken from 
  the daydream if it receives more than 15 M.D. of damage or the 
  duration of the dream expires. The longer the Tempest is exposed 
  to darkness or night, the more pessimistic they become, and will 
  spew out negativity and degrade any optimistic agendas, behav-
  iors, plans or ideas.
  Thermosynthetic: Bonus Bio-E Points: 25 additional Bio-E 
  points. Modified Penalty: All penalties remain the same, except 
  when the temperature is below 15 degrees Fahrenheit (-9.4 C), 
  the Tempest suffers 3D8 M.D. per hour of exposure, is almost 
  completely immobilized (can only move at 10% normal speed, 
  only has one attack per melee, and all combat bonuses are re-
  duced to zero). Worse is that the Tempest will go into a coma 
  within 12-24 hours if not warmed up, and will die in 36 hours. 
  The Tempest cannot revive from the coma state until exposed 
  to temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 C) or higher for 
  1D8+3 hours and will remain in a sluggish state for 1D8 hours 
  thereafter.
  Vampiric: Smaller, leaner scale. Looks like an experimental 
  hybrid between a Biotic and Host Armor. Special forces of Vam-
  pire Tempests (Heavy and Light Variants) are now being fielded 
  by several Houses. Additional Features: Also receives Enhanced 
  Sight, Nightvision Eyes and Butcher’s Organ. Sleep Require-
  ments: Must have a deep rest of 1D4+2 hours of meditation/rest 
  or sleep per day, but can go as long as 1D6+3 days without rest. 
  The meditation is a deep slumber that helps rest the body’s heal-
  ing and metabolism and the Tempest will have a much harder 
  time to awaken, even if touched. Will only awaken from the med-
  itation if it receives more than 10 M.D. of damage. However, the 
  smell of blood will immediately awaken the Tempest. Additional 
  Penalties: Vulnerable to blood lust and frenzy. Each day without 
  meditation reduces speed, combat bonuses and attacks by 10%. 
  Without sleep the Tempest will become more moody, paranoid, 
  and begins seeing things that aren’t really there. Hallucinations 
  will last 1D4 melee rounds for every six hours. (G.M.s, create the 
  hallucinations when they are ready.)
  Common Skills: Standard.
  O.C.C. Skill Programs: If a new character: Basic Military 
  (+20%), infantryman (+15%) or support man (+10%), and 
  one Skill Program of choice; except Host Pilot or War Mount 
  Rider; typically military, combat or weapon oriented.
  If upgraded from a Biotic or Roughneck, the Tempest keeps 
  their previous Skill Programs, plus adds another Skill Program 
  minus the listed Skill Program exceptions above.
  Elective Skills: Select two additional Military or Physical skills 
  at level one, as well as two additional skills from the list be-
  low. Also selects one Elective Skill at levels 4, 8, and 12. All 
  new skills start at level one proficiency. If upgraded from a 
  Biotic or Roughneck, the Tempest keeps his or her previous 
  Elective Skills, plus selects two additional Elective Skills 
  from the following list.
  Communications: Any.
  Domestic: Appraise Goods, Fishing and Gardening only.
  Espionage: Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment, Intelligence, 
  Interrogation, Sniper (minus Bow and Arrow due to lack of 
  sensitivity) only with Tracking, or Wilderness survival only.
  Medical: Animal Husbandry, First Aid (-25%), Psychology 
  and Toxicology only.
  Military: Any except Demolitions Disposal and Parachuting.
  Physical: Any except Acrobatics; Prowl is available to Light 
  Variant only.
  
  190
  Rogue: Gambling, Imitate Voices and Sounds, and Use and 
  Recognize Poison only (only Light Tempest Variants can use 
  Prowl).
  Scientist: Specialized scientific tools designed for Host Ar-
  mors must be used.
  Technical: Excavation, History, Machine Lore, Machine 
  Technology, Masonry, and Operate Bio-Equipment only.
  Wilderness: Any except Fasting.
  W.P.s: Any.
  Secondary Skills: New characters get to select three Secondary 
  Skills at level one. These are additional areas of knowledge 
  starting without any special O.C.C. bonuses. The character 
  may select one more Secondary Skill at experience levels 3, 6 
  and 9 in the future.
  If upgraded from Biotic or Roughneck, the Tempest keeps 
  his or her previous Secondary Skills, plus he can select two 
  additional Secondary Skills at level one. These are additional 
  areas of knowledge and start without any special O.C.C. bo-
  nuses. The character may select one more Secondary Skill at 
  experience levels 6 and 9 in the future. So yes, Tempests who 
  are upgraded from Biotics or Roughnecks will be more skilled 
  versus a pure volunteer.
  Standard Equipment: A full body cloak poncho (military cam-
  ouflage, brown or shadow green), survival knife, one weapon 
  for each W.P. and appropriate ammunition, backpack, tent, 
  bedroll, water skin, a bar of sterilizing soap, emergency food 
  rations if needed (two week supply) and some personal items. 
  Unlike most O.C.C.s, Tempests do not automatically receive 
  their own War Mounts or War Horse, they have to keep up 
  as best as they can, unless a special mission requires them to 
  be issued a War Mount to carry them along with the rest of 
  the group. If that is the case, Tempests can choose only from 
  Behemoths, Leviathans, Striders or Zephyrs unless the G.M. 
  decides otherwise.
  Money: Has all of their money previous to the Engineered con-
  version, plus they receive 1D6x100 credits in precious metals, 
  relics or trade items to barter and negotiate with in the field 
  as they may have to have others make purchases or trades for 
  them.
  The Upside: Designed to be a tank among the infantry, you are a 
  powerful, walking juggernaut and possibly one of the first bio-
  cyborgs fighting for the salvation of humanity. Your sacrifice 
  and devotion for the Resistance has made you a fearless, for-
  midable M.D.C. soldier built for decimating machines, alien 
  predators or rival Splicers. You get to test and utilize the first 
  prototype Bio-Tech enhancements, equipment and weapons 
  slated for future infantry and Heavy Support. Engineers take 
  pride in you and most Biotics have a healthy respect for you.
  The Downside: You will always be the unsung hero, as your 
  biggest sacrifice is also your biggest secret. Tempests can 
  never revert back to their human forms and it is another 
  reminder to those (i.e. Librarians, Engineers, Skinjobs and 
  Scarecrows) who have shared such a cost in order to serve 
  the Resistance. Unfortunately, the Tempest concept is con-
  sidered unethical, crossing the line and highly illegal by most 
  Resistance standards. This forces you to serve only in small 
  numbers, but you must also pretend to be soldiers inside 
  of Host Armor suits or risk being discovered and possibly 
  killed. You are wary of others, often avoiding making any 
  true connections and friendships, though Roughnecks and 
  Biotics are the most accepting of Tempests as fellow broth-
  ers in arms.
  Tempests are typically the last to enter an armory and are 
  always volunteering for long-term missions, Tunnel Patrols, 
  or guard duty while others rest, sleep, etc. Inside havens you 
  are always finding ways to be active, such as working at one 
  of the Defense Checkpoints/Entry Points, serving as a Body-
  guard or Law Enforcer (even painting your body with blue 
  and red trim to fit the bill), or fighting in the gladiatorial are-
  nas or other armored sporting events. When not active, you 
  are typically in a Gene Pool or being augmented by the only 
  beings that you can fully trust, Engineers and Geneticists. Re-
  grettably, you are also routinely retrieved by Scarecrows and 
  brought into one of the libraries for an updating probe by one 
  of the Great House Librarians. They will always remind you 
  of what you really are and who you really serve.
  As a test platform for various Bio-Technologies for both 
  Librarian and Geneticist designs, you take many risks as you 
  are commonly requested to be augmented and refitted with 
  various weapons and enhancements to field test. Sometimes 
  you get more injured by using these experimental enhance-
  ments than you do by your enemies. You cannot get comfort-
  able with any favorite test enhancement or weapon, as you 
  never know how long it will work or how long they will allow 
  you to keep it. Worse, your experimental Bio-Tech places a 
  big bull’s-eye target on your back for those operating in Black 
  Market trade, Wastecrawlers and rival Great Houses that seek 
  to capture you in order to reverse engineer any of your House’s 
  newest inventions.
  Tempest Bio-Weapon Enhancements
  Librarians are always seeking to push the limits of Bio-Tech, 
  and Tempests and Homunculi serve as testing platforms to do 
  just that. Librarians and Geneticists can develop or modify 
  new Bio-Tech specifically for Tempests that may be too risky 
  for standard Host Armors or too powerful for Homunculi to 
  wield. Tempests can receive enhancements and weapons from 
  any Bio-Tech category, just like Host Armor. Bio-E costs and 
  prerequisites are the same (double the Bio-E cost for all other 
  O.C.C.s). These new features and weapons can be anything that 
  players and G.M.s co-create together within reason and at a fea-
  sible Bio-E cost.
  
  191
  Escaped Creatures 
  & Experiments
  Devourer Amoebas
  Created by Lance Colley
  A threat to both human and N.E.X.U.S. forces, the wild Pro-
  tean Amoeba is an animated glob of ooze, driven only to eat, 
  grow, reproduce, and continue to consume nearly everything 
  around it. Whether these large, protoplasmic terrors are an act of 
  nature or something else is entirely unknown. Discovered in the 
  subterranean caverns several years ago, the Amoeba organism 
  has the ability to alter its shape, primarily by extending and re-
  tracting pseudopods (false limbs). They are capable of replicating 
  most basic living shapes, though it typically takes the form of an 
  ooze, or mushy, octopus-like form, but there are reports describ-
  ing them as massive humanoid forms standing on two to three 
  pseudopods, but moving at half the speed.
  Often called Amoeboids, even small, newly formed ones, have 
  always been considered a major menace and both the Machine 
  and the Resistance will attempt to wipe them out when encoun-
  tered. It is unknown if N.E.X.U.S. exterminates these creatures 
  because they predate upon Retro-villagers and attack robots or if 
  there is something darker, and more alien within its origins. Even 
  the N.E.X.U.S. personality Gaia relocates them, often releasing 
  them near or inside Resistance havens and sewer networks as she 
  has zero tolerance for these Amoeboids within her Nature Pre-
  serves.
  Despite all efforts, Protean Amoebas are remarkable survivors 
  and, aside from climates of extreme cold, they can be found in al-
  most any environment. In some regions, they are quite abundant, 
  and reside in packs, like rocks scattered across sand. A newly 
  birthed Protean is roughly the size of a volleyball and immedi-
  ately begins a life of near mindless aggression and consumption, 
  seeking only to consume and spread, growing with each new 
  meal. They range in color and camouflage, from bright green to 
  a sickly yellow to a lifeless, often translucent gray. Inside can be 
  glimpsed an odd black core, with a web of numerous vein struc-
  tures spreading throughout the creature.
  No one has ever been brave (or foolish) enough to attempt 
  any in-depth studies of the creatures, until now. House Artemis’s 
  militarized version, dubbed Devourer Amoebas, were designed to 
  serve as bio-weapons against rival Houses. The Devourer Amoe-
  bas were to be deployed inside enemy territories and strongholds, 
  aggressively targeting and melding with rival Bio-Tech as it in-
  capacitated and fed upon its adversaries. Once the creatures were 
  done feeding and exterminating; specialized Artemis agents were 
  to come in and freeze the amoebas for transport. Once frozen and 
  retrieved, Librarians and Geneticists could dissect and extract 
  DNA samples of their rival’s Bio-Tech for study and reverse en-
  gineering, if they desired. While Devourers cannot change color, 
  they often blend in to their environments and can easily catch 
  most prey unaware. Devourer Amoebas radiate little heat, so they 
  cannot be detected or tracked by infrared or heat sensors. In addi-
  tion, they move in almost complete silence and are able to slither 
  up walls and ooze through small cracks and openings. These 
  creatures are drawn to heat and the bioelectric energy exuded by 
  Bio-Technology and those that wield it, and are able to sense prey 
  and Bio-Tech, even through walls or other solid structures. They 
  make no differentiation between organic and Bio-Tech, and are 
  able to consume and digest either equally.
  In combat, Devourers are nearly fearless, and will attack and 
  engage any target. The aggressive amoebas attack by forming 
  masses of pseudopods to lash out, entangle, and engulf or over-
  run fleeing prey. All Devourers secrete a powerful mix of acidic 
  chemicals that can dissolve nearly everything it meets, including 
  metal. Worse, these weaponized amoebas can activate nearly any 
  Bio-Tech weapon or device that they have consumed or melded 
  with. This enables a Devourer Amoeba to utilize and discharge an 
  array of Bio-Tech, and being particularly effective with weapons 
  like Chemical Sprayers, Electrical Weapons, Organic Rockets, 
  Serrated Whips, Spore Dischargers, Super Light Cells and Ten-
  dril Injectors. The augmented Amoeboid however, is not intel-
  ligent enough nor does it have the necessary control to wield and 
  accurately fire cannons or rifles, so it receives a -7 to strike. Or-
  ganic rockets, however, have their own independent neurological 
  bundle and tracking optic to help them target and track adversar-
  ies, so they are not penalized and receive all bonuses of Organic 
  Rockets. All amoebas are unable to meld with any cryo-based 
  weapon, nor can they replicate Bio-Enhancements.
  The creatures attack to feed, and if prey proves to be too pow-
  erful, the Amoeba will retreat in search of easier victims. A De-
  vourer Amoeba’s size is limited solely by the amount of food 
  available and the blob-like creatures continue to grow throughout 
  their lives. Truly massive amoebas (60 feet/18.3 m or more in 
  diameter) have been encountered and destroyed, and one Splicer 
  patrol witnessed a battle between what they described as “a gar-
  gantuan Amoeboid” versus an entire Robot Platoon. The Pro-
  tean was able to defeat almost the entire platoon before it was 
  destroyed by a massive N.E.X.U.S. combined air and artillery 
  strike.
  Type: Experimental Bio-Weapon Amoeboid.
  Alignment: Best described as Diabolic, though even this is not 
  entirely correct. A Devourer is driven only by the need to feed, 
  reproduce, and survive.
  Attributes: I.Q. 1D4, M.E. 3+1D4, M.A. 1D4, P.S. 20+1D6 
  (Splicer P.S.), P.P. 10+1D4, P.E. 20+1D6, P.B. 1, Spd 2D6. 
  Note: Truly large or massive Protean Amoebas will have dif-
  ferent attributes. See Proto-Growth (below) for full details.
  Speed: 15 mph (24 km) and the act of slithering does not tire the 
  creature. Cannot swim, but can slither along the bottom of riv-
  ers or lakes as long as the temperature does not exceed its cold 
  tolerance (see Vulnerabilities). When they are attacked with 
  very cold weapons or come into contact with very cold tem-
  peratures, they can move up to 20 mph (32 km) in attempts to 
  escape, but oddly, they do not utilize this speed to catch prey.
  M.D.C.: Varies according to size, however, the average Protean 
  Amoeba will have 300+2D4x10 M.D.C. Add an additional 
  1D4x2 M.D.C. for every 100 pounds (45 kg) of mass the 
  creature consumes. Note for Devourers: Internal contents or 
  melded Bio-Tech will have half to one quarter of their original 
  M.D.C.
  Size: Amoebas start off as small, volleyball-sized oozes (0.85 
  feet/0.26 m), but can grow into gargantuan amoebas reaching 
  400-600 feet (122 to 183 m).
  
  192
  Weight: A newly birthed Protean weighs roughly 15 pounds (6.8 
  kg), but they can grow to 4.5 tons.
  Average Lifespan: Unknown.
  Bio-Regeneration: 4D6 M.D.C. per hour, but can not regenerate 
  damage caused by cold attacks. Frozen scarring can only be 
  shed or scraped off. Repair Shedding takes 1D4 days per every 
  100 pounds (45 kg).
  Horror Factor: 14 for a standard-sized, wild Protean Amoeba 
  (+2 for a Devourer Amoeboid). Add one point for every ad-
  ditional 20 feet (6.1 m) in diameter.
  Feeding: See Proto-Growth.
  Natural Abilities:
  Semi-Solid Body: The Amoeboid is a simple organism, 
  composed of protoplasmic “ooze” and a few simple internal 
  organs. The Amoeba is immune to poison, toxins and acids. 
  Projectile attacks like bullets, arrows, and even rail and casting 
  gun rounds pass through the protean, doing no damage at all. 
  Edged and blunt weapons, including punches, kicks, swords, 
  etc. inflict only 10% of their normal damage. Large explosions 
  (40 M.D.C. or more), having great weights drop or slam into 
  it, and falls from great heights, do only a quarter of the normal 
  damage, but they will stun the creature, causing it to lose 2 
  actions per round for the next 1D4 melee rounds. Electrical, 
  energy, flame and all heat-based attacks inflict half damage; 
  however, the creature is extremely susceptible to cold attacks. 
  The Amoeba has no real “front” or “back” and can lash out 
  with its pseudopods in any direction.
  Manipulate Shape: The Amoeba is soft and malleable, 
  and can be squished, molded, and puddle as it sees fit. This 
  means the creature can ooze through small openings and 
  cracks, slide under a door or window, squeeze through bars, 
  chains, ropes, etc. Depending on the size of the opening, it 
  takes the Amoeba 1D4 melee rounds (per 5 feet/1.5 m of 
  mass) to completely pass through an opening. Note: De-
  vourers can only pass uninhibited, through areas that allow 
  them to squeeze through with their melded attachments as 
  the Bio-Tech components are not malleable. There is a 50% 
  chance that a Devourer may sever its melded component if 
  the components are preventing the amoeba from successfully 
  squeezing through a crevice or opening. Increase to 95% if 
  there is food or Bio-Tech that the Devourer is after or if it is 
  fleeing cold temperatures.
  Adhesion: The Amoeba’s sticky nature allows it to adhere 
  to the surfaces of walls, enabling it to slither up walls and 
  along ceilings at half normal speed.
  Senses: The Amoeba’s entire body functions as a primitive 
  sensory organ and can detect heat, smells, and vibration within 
  a 150 foot (45.7 m) radius.
  Natural Camouflage: When not moving, an Amoeba is 
  considered to have Prowl at 85% and cannot be detected by 
  infrared or other heat detection. Even while moving, it makes 
  almost no noise and is considered to have Prowl at 55%.
  Special: Acidic Touch: When attacking, the Amoeba strikes 
  with acidic pseudopods (Devourers attack with both the acidic 
  pseudopods and any melded Bio-Tech that it can discharge 
  into the intended targeted area). These chemical secretions are 
  highly caustic and devastating to both organic and inorganic 
  material. The acid adds an additional 2D8 M.D. to its regular 
  punch damage. In addition, the acid even eats through M.D.C. 
  armor alloys and Host Armor. Amoeba acid will continue to 
  inflict 3D8 M.D. per melee round for one minute (4 melee 
  rounds) or until washed off.
  Special: Smothering Attack: The Amoeba’s most devas-
  tating attack is to completely engulf its victims. The attack 
  must be announced ahead of time, and counts as two attacks. If 
  successful, the target has been engulfed in the Amoeba. Once 
  engulfed, a combined P.S. of 45 will be needed to pull the vic-
  tim free (40 if any characters possess Supernatural Strength). 
  Even then, the victim and any pullers lose 1D4 melee actions 
  for pulling loose. A smothered victim may attempt to cut their 
  way out using claws or a similar small, bladed weapon. Inflict-
  ing 25 M.D.C. or more points to the creature in a single attack 
  will cause the Amoeba to release its hold. While the victim is 
  trapped, they are reduced to 1 melee action per round, and suf-
  fer both acid damage (3D8 M.D. per melee round) and crush-
  ing damage (2D6 M.D. per round). Characters will suffocate 
  and die within 1D6+1 melee rounds unless in environmental 
  armor or with some sort of independent oxygen supply.
  Special: Proto-Growth: Each time an Amoeba inflicts dam-
  age to an opponent, it receives M.D.C. equal to half of the 
  damage inflicted in the attack (this does not include damage 
  inflicted by residual acid burn). There is no limit to the amount 
  of M.D.C. that can be absorbed; the more the creature ingests, 
  the larger it can become. For every 50 points of M.D.C. gained 
  in this fashion, the creature permanently gains an additional 
  +1 to P.S., P.P., and P.E., increases its diameter by 2 feet (0.6 
  m), and adds an additional 30 pounds (13.5 kg) to its weight. 
  An Amoeba will continue to grow as long as food is readily 
  available. If food is scarce then the Amoeba will begin feeding 
  upon itself in order to sustain its life, resulting in a more slug-
  gish, less active creature (reduce speed and attacks by half). 
  It will shed 60 pounds (27 kg) and 100 M.D.C. every time it 
  consumes itself.
  Number of Attacks: 5, +1 attack for every additional 20 feet 
  (6.1 m) in diameter. Note: Devourer Amoebas can discharge 
  all melded Bio-Tech weapons simultaneously and counts only 
  as one attack.
  Bonuses (in addition to attributes): +2 on initiative, +4 to strike 
  and parry, no bonuses to dodge, immune to poisons, toxins, 
  acid, pain and Horror Factor.
  Damage: Crush/Squeeze and Pseudopod strikes all inflict dam-
  age as per Splicer P.S.
  Vulnerabilities: Cold: Amoeboids are extremely vulnerable to 
  cold and cold temperatures. Cold and ice-based attacks do 
  50% more damage, and any item below 30 degrees Fahren-
  heit (-1.1 C) will inflict double M.D. to the creature. Even a 
  simple ice cube will inflict a single M.D. point! Any cold-
  based attack that inflicts more than 20 M.D. in a single attack 
  will reduce the creature’s number of attacks and bonuses per 
  melee by half for 1D4 melee rounds. Additionally, temper-
  atures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12.8 C) will begin to 
  severely impair the creature. In temperatures between 40 to 
  54 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 to 12.2 C), the Amoeba begins 
  to behave sluggishly: its speed is reduced by 20%, and it is 
  -1 attack per melee round, -2 on initiative, and -2 to dodge. 
  In temperatures less than 39 degrees Fahrenheit (3.9 C), its 
  speed is reduced by half, it is -3 attacks per melee round, 
  and reduce all combat bonuses by half. In addition, the crea-
  ture suffers 1D6 M.D. for every 10 minutes of exposure. 
  In temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit (-9.4 C), the 
  
  193
  Amoeba suffers 3D6 M.D. for every 10 minutes of exposure, 
  is completely immobilized, and regardless of M.D.C., will 
  die within 12-24 hours if temperatures do not warm up. Also 
  note: because Amoebas are not that intelligent nor that par-
  ticular when choosing prey items, they have been known to 
  succumb to the consumption of explosives.
  Average Life Span: Unknown.
  Habitat: Any except cold (freezing or below) climates. Prefers 
  subterranean areas, sewer systems, nature preserves, jungles 
  and swamps where prey is plentiful.
  Allies: Other Amoebas.
  Enemies: Anything not another Amoeba or Devourer is a poten-
  tial meal. Note: Devourers will cannibalize wild Amoebas to 
  increase their size.
  Saber Raptors
  Derived from the pack hunting species known as Razor De-
  mons that were recently introduced into several Nature Preserves, 
  a genetically modified version called Saber Raptors is currently 
  being field-tested by the Great House of Barren Marsh. Multiple 
  Houses were given DNA samples of Saber Raptors to brew with-
  in their Gene Pools to test and record their results with experi-
  mental Packmasters called Blade Keepers. Unfortunately, most 
  Saber Raptors exhibited too strong of a predatory instinct and 
  constant challenges for domination of the entire pack. Even the 
  few raptors that are semi-controlled by a Blade Keeper preserve 
  an unpredictable, volatile temperament as they snap their jaws at 
  fellow comrades of a Platoon or view War Mounts and wounded 
  soldiers as viable prey options. This has forced several houses 
  to cull these Raptors outright. Others continue testing to try to 
  develop more controllable, reliable samples for field use. Unfor-
  tunately, a few frustrated houses have also unleashed uncontrol-
  lable packs (some of them armed with Bio-Tech weapons) into 
  the nearby Nature Preserves to allow Gaia to deal with them, only 
  adding to the personality’s ever growing disdain towards Splic-
  ers.
  Razor Demons and Saber Raptors exhibit similar behavior 
  traits of being highly social animals, living in large packs with 
  a rigid dominance matriarchy that contains multiple breeding 
  females, yielding to a clever alpha queen. Males serve as the 
  hunters of the pack, providing food for the females and their 
  brood. Ironically, it is the females that are the fiercest fighters 
  and protectors of the young. However, both genders will engage 
  in territorial disputes against other packs or rival predators, and 
  will strategically gang up on larger, formidable quarry or Splic-
  ers when the opportunity presents itself (particularly at fresh 
  kill sites).
  Packs usually consist of 10 to 12 individuals, but larger groups 
  are known where prey items are either extremely large or plen-
  tiful. Both species are typically diurnal pack hunters preferring 
  medium-sized and large prey to feed the entire pack. Saber Rap-
  tors however have been augmented to also hunt nocturnally and 
  will do so, especially when the prey is human/Splicers oriented. 
  Their Splicer modifications give them a keen insight that vulner-
  able humans exist underneath the large, protective armor shells. 
  The raptors know that if they cause enough damage, the naked 
  pilot usually comes writhing out of the back of the shell, looking 
  to escape the butchering, and quickly becomes a delicious meal.
  In the Nature Preserves, sewer networks, caves, swamps 
  and tropical forests, both Razor Demons and Saber Raptors 
  aggressively compete against each other, alien predators and 
  Splicers; targeting somewhat different prey species, but still 
  with a substantial dietary overlap that includes each other. 
  Both species use strategic stalking methods to track their tar-
  gets before outright attacking, often studying their prey to de-
  termine which is the most vulnerable and who is the strongest 
  and to observe and capitalize on any signs of weakness. The 
  Raptors will set up ambushes and have demonstrated well-
  coordinated, pack hunting strategies that nearly rival Splic-
  ers tactics to bring down their quarry. Worse is that the Saber 
  Raptors will watch, learn and mimic successful field tactics 
  that are utilized by other packs and by Splicers, making them 
  extremely dangerous adversaries.
  Type: Predatory Pack Hunter Animal.
  Alignment: Miscreant, lives to hunt and kill. Extremely territo-
  rial, strategic and opportunistic pack hunters.
  Attributes: I.Q. 1D6+5 (medium to high animal intelligence), 
  M.E. 1D6+4, M.A. 1D6+8, P.S. 2D6+15 (Supernatural P.S.), 
  P.E. 2D4+10, P.P. 1D8+12, Spd (see below).
  Speed:
  Running: 95 mph (152 km) maximum for short bursts up 
  to 10 miles (16 km) before requiring rest. Can trot at 32 mph 
  (51.2 km) up to 40 miles (64 km). Note, that the Sickle claws 
  are always raised and on the inside of the legs when Saber 
  Raptors are running to avoid being snagged or breaking. Razor 
  Demons tend to be 10% faster in speed bursts.
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m) from a standing position, doubled 
  with a running start.
  Swimming: Bladed Wings and a powerful bladed tail are 
  used like fish fins and a crocodile tail to propel and maneuver 
  underwater with a top speed of 27 mph (43 km/23.5 knots), 
  providing a very fast and agile speed for pursuing aquatic prey.
  Flying: Despite massive flight muscles and wingspan, the 
  armor-bladed raptors typically do not generate enough lift to 
  take off from a level surface. Like human hang gliders, these 
  predators run or pounce downhill, or from cliff faces or tall 
  trees into a headwind to become airborne.
  Once aloft, however, both species are excellent and highly 
  maneuverable gliders, with top speeds reaching 200 mph (320 
  km). To remain airborne, the Raptors rely upon prevailing 
  wind currents with flapping only occurring during the take-
  off and landing phases. Saber Raptors use their large wings 
  to exploit a combination of thermal updrafts as well as dy-
  namic soaring. Dynamic soaring is essentially where a flying 
  creature uses the boundary between two air masses to pick up 
  speed by cartwheeling into oncoming wind and using the wind 
  speed to accelerate itself forward. Repeating this process fur-
  ther increases the speed of the raptor, resulting in an extremely 
  energy efficient form of flight.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Note: Reduce by half for Razor Demons.
  Saber Wings (2 large) – 30 each
  Saber Wings (2 small) – 10 each
  Arms (2) – 30 each
  Elbow Sabers (2; 1 per arm) – 15 each
  Talons (6; 3 per foot) – 25 each
  Bladed Spines (8) – 15 each
  Spurs (8; 4 on each arm) – 12 each
  
  194
  
  195
  Legs (2) – 65 each
  Tails (2) – 45 each
  *Head – 40
  **Main Body – 115
  * Attackers are -3 to strike the head.
  ** Depleting the M.D.C. of the head or main body kills the 
  creature.
  Horror Factor: 12 to humans, none to machines.
  Size:
  Length: 11.5-14 feet (3.5 to 4.3 m) from snout to tip of tail.
  Width: 3 feet (0.9 m) shoulder to shoulder and a 22 foot (6.7 m) 
  wingspan.
  Height: Typically hunched and leaning forward like a T-Rex, 
  its tallest points are its hips and back spines, thus giving it 
  a 3.5 to 4 foot (1 to 1.2 m) height from its feet to the tallest 
  spines.
  Weight: 160-175 pounds (72-79 kg) for females and 180-195 
  pounds (81-88 kg) for adult males.
  Average Life Span: 18-25 years.
  Bio-Regeneration: 3D6 M.D.C. per day to the body, 2D6 to all 
  other locations. (Reduce by half for Razor Demons.)
  Feeding: Carnivore that consumes 20-40 pounds (9-18 kg) of 
  meat per day, with a preference for fresh meat.
  Natural Abilities: Vibro-Blade vibration, Echolocation and gills 
  for amphibious mobility.
  Skills: Prowl (77%), Climbing (68%), and Tracking (Sight and 
  Scent; 60%).
  Vulnerabilities: Vulnerable to disease and Mega-Damage 
  weapons. There is a slight chance (8%) that Blade Keep-
  ers, Falconers and Packmasters can trigger via Bio-Comms, 
  some of the instinctive programming embedded into Saber 
  Raptors, and seize a tentative alliance or semi-control of 1D4 
  Saber Raptors for 1D8 melee rounds. (+1% for every level 
  of experience.)
  Number of Attacks: 5, +1 attack during a speed burst.
  Damage: Bite 3D8 M.D.C., Elbow Blade Slash 2D6 M.D. (+6 
  M.D. during speed burst), Wing Slash 2D10 M.D., Tail Swat 
  2D6 M.D., Running Pounce Attack 3D6 M.D., +1 to strike 
  and has a 01-60% likelihood of knocking an opponent as large 
  as 10 feet (3 m) tall off his feet and onto his back. If knocked 
  off his feet, the target loses initiative and two melee attacks/
  actions, and the Saber Raptor is poised for a fast bite attack 
  (+2 to strike for the Raptor’s next attack), counts as two at-
  tacks.
  Bonuses: +3 to initiative, +3 to strike, +2 to parry, +3 to auto-
  matic dodge (does not use up melee attacks to dodge), +5 to 
  roll with fall, and +6 to save vs Horror Factor. During a speed 
  burst, add another +1 to initiative and attacks, as well as +2 to 
  strike, parry, and auto-dodge.
  Habitat: Any temperate or subtropical zone, regardless of the 
  terrain. Prefers deep jungles, caverns and mountainous areas 
  or tall grasslands and reeds that provide wonderful conceal-
  ment.
  Pack Size: Average pack size is about 8 to 15 adults and double 
  that number of brood. Although the Packs are always led by 
  an alpha female, the gender breakdown is usually evenly 
  split between males and females. Packs naturally grow to 
  match the rate of available game. In places where prey is 
  more plentiful, there have been reports of packs as large as 
  50-80 adults.
  Thrasher Squid
  Combat Beast
  Created as a sparring beast for Biotics, Host Armors, and War 
  Mounts, the Thrasher is a Mega-Damage creature bio-engineered 
  and genetically spliced from multiple super predators that roam 
  the planet. At first glance, it resembles some form of colossal 
  squid with an array of spines and thrusters mounted along its 
  back, but when it opens up its tentacle mantle, it reveals a giant, 
  amphibious, alien bear-like form with a giant mouth built into 
  its chest, designed for decimating and devouring anything that 
  is engulfed by the tentacles. It has one natural-born purpose and 
  instinct and that is to hunt anything that it can conquer. Librarians 
  designed this creature to be used as an entertaining gladiatorial 
  combatant for the haven arenas as well as to train the armored 
  mobile infantry of the Resistance; testing the mettle of entire pla-
  toons, including squads that contained heavy War Mounts.
  The Thrasher was one of several test creatures that was re-
  called by the Warlords, because the creatures consumed large 
  amounts of food, had major husbandry requirements, and were 
  the antithesis to efficient training methods due to their highly 
  aggressive brutality. The recalled Thrashers are still utilized by 
  some Great Houses for intense training of Special Forces, but 
  most Houses simply have done away with them.
  Type: Gladiatorial Arena Experiment.
  Alignment: Miscreant, lives to hunt and kill. Extremely territo-
  rial, highly aggressive and opportunistic.
  Attributes: I.Q. 7, M.E. 10, M.A. 10, P.S. 39 (Supernatural P.S.), 
  P.E. 15, P.P. 16, Spd (see below).
  Speed:
  Running: 50 mph (80 km) maximum for short bursts up to 
  10 miles (16 km) before requiring rest.
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m) from a standing position, doubled 
  with a running start, triple with thrusters.
  Swimming: The Thrasher swims quickly by taking in water 
  through its mantle and then closes off the mantle and expels the 
  water forcefully through its funnels. This propels the Thrasher 
  through the water at speeds of up to 74 mph (118/64.3 knots) 
  for short bursts of 6 miles (9.6 km). Otherwise its regular 
  cruise speed using its organic thrusters is half its maximum 
  speed. Maximum Depth: 1,800 feet (548.6 km).
  Flying: Despite its massive size, Thrashers can hover up 
  to 30 feet (9.1 m) off the ground using their array of back-
  mounted organic thrusters and are capable of reaching speeds 
  of 90 mph (144 km). The act of hovering does tire the creature 
  out and it can only hover for 10 minute intervals before requir-
  ing 1D4 hours of rest. Once airborne, these large creatures are 
  very agile as they utilize their thrusters and funnels to coordi-
  nate propulsion and maneuverability.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Tentacles (10) – 200 each
  *Tentacle Suckers (44 per tentacle/440 total) – 1 each
  Mantle – 225
  *Mantle Eyes – 30 each
  Upper Arms (2) – 280 each
  Lower Legs (2) – 420 each
  Clawed Webbed Paws (6) – 210 each
  Ray Tail (2) – 310
  
  196
  
  197
  Water Thrusters (16, back-mounted) – 50 each
  Chest Beak – 620
  **Head – 420
  ***Main Body – 1700
  * Items with one asterisk are small and difficult to hit, and 
  attackers must make a Called Shot at -4 to strike them.
  ** Attackers are -3 to strike the head.
  *** Depleting the M.D.C. of the head or main body kills 
  the creature.
  Horror Factor: 18 to humans, none to machines.
  Size: The following stats are for the Thrasher found in the facil-
  ity. Most Thrashers are 10% smaller.
  Length: 126 feet (38.4 m) from snout to tip of tail.
  Width: 27 feet (8.2 m) shoulder to shoulder and a 184 foot (56 m) 
  diameter tentacle spread.
  Height: 92 feet (28 m) from the top of its head to the tip of its 
  tentacles.
  Weight: 36 tons.
  Average Life Span: Unknown.
  Bio-Regeneration: 3D10 M.D.C. per hour for the main body, 
  2D6 to all other locations.
  Natural Abilities: Chameleon Skin, Echolocation, Enhanced 
  Regeneration, Gills for amphibious mobility, Ink Dispenser 
  (see Dracos War Mount in the Splicers® RPG, pages 115-
  116), Resistance to Cold, Slime Coating, Tentacle Suckers, 
  Interlocking cartilage skeleton and self-dislocating joints, and 
  Three hearts.
  Skills and Special Instincts: Swimming 94%, Camouflage 82% 
  when not moving/23% when in motion, Tracking by Sight 
  74%, Weather Sense and Wrestling 80%.
  Number of Attacks: 15
  Damage: Bite: 5D8 M.D. Punches and swats as per Supernatu-
  ral P.S. Claw strike: 3D6 M.D. plus punch damage. Tentacle 
  swat/Strike: 4D6 M.D. plus punch damage. Crush/Pry/Tear 
  or Stomp attacks: 4D8 M.D. Body Rams: 6D6 M.D. plus 
  punch damage. Swimming ram: 2D8 M.D. per 10 mph/16 
  km.
  Bonuses: 10 tentacles (+10 to parry, +2 melee attacks, +4 to en-
  tangle and pin, +3 to initiative, +2 to dodge in the water, +30% 
  to Swimming skill, +1 to initiative, +2 to strike, +2 to save 
  vs Horror Factor, Ambidextrous (+1 attack), +5 to roll with 
  fall, +8 to save vs Horror Factor. During a speed burst using 
  the Organic Thrusters or while underwater, add another +1 to 
  initiative, +1 to strike, +2 to dodge, and +2 to roll with fall or 
  impact.
  Vulnerabilities: Extreme Heat, Intense Light, and most suscep-
  tible to intense sounds. Thrashers are typically Nocturnal crea-
  tures as they find it difficult to operate during peak daylight 
  hours. They tend to be more sluggish and uncoordinated (re-
  duce all bonuses by half, -15% to skills). They are also highly 
  susceptible to radiation and they must avoid the Wastelands 
  and other “hot zones” or they will contract radiation poison-
  ing. They will suffer 3D6 M.D. points of damage every hour 
  of exposure to moderate radiation and they can not bio-regen-
  erate while being exposed to radiation, plus radiation damage 
  takes three times as long to heal.
  Penalties: All energy and sonic-based weapons do double dam-
  age.
  Color: Pale white with solid black eyes and claws. Able to cam-
  ouflage itself like an octopus, mimicking an array of colors 
  and textures. Thrashers are extraordinarily adept at camou-
  flage because their skin contains pigmentation cells called 
  Chromatophores, which can change color instantly in order to 
  match the surrounding habitat.
  Weapons of Note:
  1. Central Chest Beak – The chest of the Thrasher has a four-
  part beak, with each mandible filled with several rows of ser-
  rated teeth. This is the primary mouth that the Thrasher utilizes 
  to feed, though it can also use the bear-like mouth to consume 
  smaller portions as well. The beak works in a four way scissor-
  like motion backed by powerful muscles to deliver a heavy 
  downward force that is capable of shattering bones, crushing 
  through thick chitin or even reinforced Bio-Tech armor plat-
  ing with ease. Many armored soldiers and War Mounts have 
  suffered large gaps of missing flesh and severed limbs from 
  Thrasher attacks. The rows of serrated teeth aligned in each 
  beak are used to rip the flesh from the body of its prey. The 
  teeth are much like a shark’s and are easily replaced when 
  broken off within 1D4 days.
  Primary Purpose: Feeding and Assault.
  M.D.C.: The four-part beak has a total of 620 M.D.C. when 
  the mouth is closed. When open, the two upper beaks have 165 
  M.D.C. each and the two lower beaks have 145 M.D.C. each.
  Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 M.D., but on a Natural 20 roll, add 
  +15 M.D. points of damage directly to the bitten target as well 
  as all other Critical Strike effects. Like most cephalopods, 
  the bite of the Thrasher also contains a poisonous, Paralyzing 
  Agent venom. This neurotoxin venom disrupts the motor func-
  tions but leaves its victim fully awake and aware, a frightening 
  predicament for those about to be consumed by a Thrasher 
  or anyone who has escaped the deadly maw only to sink to 
  the bottom of a lake or ocean and drown or crushed by the 
  surrounding depth pressures. Victims who fail to save vs non-
  lethal poisoning will fall to the ground, and their limbs will 
  feel like dead weights. Speed is reduced to just 10%, they have 
  one attack per melee round, no initiative, and -10 to all combat 
  rolls. Skill performance is at -60%. Duration is 6D10 minutes. 
  A successful save means most of the effects are shrugged off: 
  just -1 to all combat rolls and -10% to speed and all skills for 
  half the usual duration.
  Rate of Fire: Counts as one melee attack.
  Effective Range: Hand to hand only.
  Note: It requires a combined Splicer P.S. of 36 or higher to pry 
  open the beak.
  2. Electric Shock Tentacles – (see Electrical Discharger in 
  Splicers® RPG, page 101).
  
  198
  
  199
  New Legion
  Machines
  Highjacker
  This frail and seemingly insignificant-looking skeletal robot, 
  is a small bio-mechanical creature made of living tissues and syn-
  thetic materials, yet it possesses an ability that makes it one of the 
  most terrifying minions in Legion’s arsenal. This wicked design 
  is not a traditional robot nor made of metals, it is derived from 
  an alien squid worm species that Legion stole from one of Gaia’s 
  cryo-zoos. This creature has been augmented with advanced ma-
  chine technology, giving it the power to seize control of a suit 
  of Host Armor and operate it like a puppet. The Highjacker fires 
  a pair of high-tensile tendrils from each wrist that embed them-
  selves into the Host Armor with barbed spikes. Once the barbs 
  are set and the neural circuit is complete, the Highjacker can at-
  tempt to seize a limited amount of control over the targeted Host 
  Armor. However, Host Armors that have a conscious pilot inside 
  can resist the control. The long-range jacker tendrils can really 
  only seize control of the limbs, but this is often more than enough 
  if the pilot is dazed, sleeping, unconscious or worse, dead. It was 
  the genius of Legion that was able to create a twisted creature that 
  can steal a Host Armor at short or long-range.
  While most awakening pilots struggle to regain control of 
  their Host Armor, the Highjacker works to quickly slice open the 
  rear hatch and pry the vulnerable pilot out of his protective shell. 
  Any unconscious human or dead body will easily be discarded 
  for Collectors or other minions to retrieve while the Highjacker 
  quickly gets inside and seizes control of the Host Armor. High-
  jackers work carefully to make sure the Host Armor is not dam-
  aged too much in the process since the ultimate purpose is to 
  use these powerful weapons of war against other Splicers. Most 
  Highjackers try to steal Host Armors while the pilots are away 
  and out of the armor suits, ideally targeting remote Splicer out-
  post or haven armories where there are plenty of opportunities. 
  Pilots that are asleep in their Host Armors are the next prioritized 
  targets.
  An unarmored Highjacker sticks to the shadows, patiently 
  stalking its quarry and only strikes targets that are alone and usu-
  ally preoccupied with some other task or that have been weakened 
  from previous battle. These somewhat fragile robot creatures are 
  best used against opponents that are unprepared for battle. Splic-
  ers with their guard up will still be attacked (from behind), but the 
  best prey is the one that does not know it’s being hunted.
  However, once a Highjacker acquires a suit of Host Armor, it 
  becomes far bolder. Legion is quite familiar with the Resistance’s 
  strategies and tactics. Besides using Bio-Comms and mimicking 
  any voice she hears, Legion also knows the hand signals that field 
  teams use to communicate when noise discipline is required, and 
  she uses this knowledge to get her Highjacker agents into place. 
  The Highjacker uses the stolen Host Armor to get close to oth-
  er Splicers so that it can gather intel, lead them into ambushes, 
  distract platoons or lure them away from achieving objectives, 
  framing pilots or instigating blood feuds by misusing the stolen 
  armor, or launching devastating surprise assaults. Currently, Le-
  gion uses Highjackers to lure Splicers into traps so they can be 
  captured and turned into Frankenstein-like Amalgams, but once 
  she tires of this activity, she will use them a bit more aggressive-
  ly. Highjackers are relatively cheap to create, so she really has no 
  qualms about walking them into the center of armed camps and 
  unloading every armament at their disposal until they are eventu-
  ally overwhelmed and destroyed. She also plans on leaving a few 
  armored Highjackers lying among the corpses of slain Splicers 
  to give any teams searching for survivors an unpleasant surprise. 
  Legion does enjoy toying with her opponents, and Highjackers 
  are truly some of her most entertaining game pieces.
  Class: Light Infiltration Bio-Robot.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Legs (2) – 50 each
  Arms (2) – 35 each
  Feet (2) – 15 each
  Hands (2) – 10 each
  Jacker Cables (2) – 15 each
  Head – 60
  *Main Body – 80
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the Main Body will completely 
  destroy the Bio-Robot.
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum speed is 150 mph (240 km).
  Digging: 10 mph (16 km) through dirt or sand, half that speed 
  through clay, rock, or stone.
  Leaping: 25 feet (7.6 m) high or lengthwise; increase by 50% 
  with a running start.
  Swimming: Not possible. Sinks like a stone.
  Flying: Not possible, though it can highjack Wing Packs.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 5-6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m).
  Width: 2-3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m).
  Length: 1-2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 m).
  Weight: 250 lbs (112.5 kg).
  Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 28.
  Cargo: None.
  Power System: Organically driven, good for 1D8+6 months, after 
  which it will be converted into a Necroborg.
  Trade Value: None. Not even Technojackers can meld or control 
  Highjackers (something even Legion is not aware of, yet).
  Horror Factor: 13 to most people, but 17 to a Splicer in Host 
  Armor.
  Senses and Features: Standard features (all encased in hard fiber 
  plastics or advanced bio-synthetic materials), plus Prowl 85% 
  and Operate Host Armor: Highjackers are equipped with a spe-
  cial nervous system that allows them to hack into a Host Armor’s 
  nervous system and seize direct control. This means that High-
  jackers can actually pilot another Splicer’s Host Armor. This in-
  terface is not as fluid as that between a human and Host Armor, so 
  the Highjacker is not able to tap into the supernatural reflexes of 
  the armor (no additional bonuses), Bio-Comms, or senses. How-
  ever, the Highjacker can use the suit’s weapon systems and its 
  own superhuman reflexes to make up for any shortcomings. In 
  order to overcome the sensory deprivation that comes along with 
  piloting Host Armor, the Highjacker weaves miniature fiber optic 
  cameras and bio-mechanical microphones through the skin of the 
  armor to view the world around it.
  Note: Legion has infused the Highjackers with special bio-
  mechanical plating that protects them from her nanobot plague 
  
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  reaction, but Highjackers are fully susceptible to the N.E.X.U.S. 
  nanobot plague reaction.
  Number of Attacks per Melee (includes bonuses from being con-
  trolled by the Legion personality): 8.
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by the 
  Legion personality): +6 on initiative, +6 to strike with ranged 
  weapons, +9 to strike in hand to hand combat, +9 to parry, +9 to 
  dodge, +2 to disarm, +4 to pull punch, and +5 to roll with punch. 
  Note: Because the Highjacker is based from an alien worm and 
  advanced bio-mechanics, it is a cold-blooded creature that takes 
  on the temperature of its surroundings, so it does not show up on 
  infrared or thermo-imaging sensors. This ability does not carry 
  over to any Host Armor that it hijacks.
  Skills of Note: Standard, plus Disguise 70% (the Highjacker is 
  skilled at mimicking the movements of the former pilot while 
  using his Host Armor) and Sign Language 68%.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Jacker Cables: Mounted in each wrist is a launcher that 
  shoots a special barbed spike attached to a thin yet surpris-
  ingly durable, wire-like tendril. Both spikes are fired in tan-
  dem at the same target. If they strike successfully, then a 
  connection is formed between the Highjacker and the Host 
  Armor’s nervous system. Once the circuit is completed, the 
  Highjacker can attempt to seize control from the sleeping/
  unconscious or dazed pilot. They fight a battle of wills by 
  rolling 20-sided dice and adding their M.E. attribute num-
  bers to the results, highest number wins. For the purpose of 
  this battle of wills, the Highjacker has an M.E. of 15. If the 
  Highjacker wins, it must quickly pry the pilot out of the ar-
  mor before he regains control. The battle of wills continues 
  every melee action until either the pilot or the jacker cables 
  are removed from the armor. The jacker cables provide a 
  bit more limited level of control than the synthetic nervous 
  system. The creature cannot access any of the Host Armor’s 
  weapon systems, nor can it open the back hatch to expose 
  the pilot. The Highjacker can only move (or paralyze) the 
  limbs of the Host Armor for 1D6+2 melee actions per Melee 
  Round. This means it is possible the pilot can still target the 
  Highjacker with any head-mounted weapons or other defen-
  sive measures like Needle Death Blossom. This is another 
  reason why Highjackers move quickly to slice the pilot out 
  of his armor once the connection has been made. Pilots that 
  are completely awake and alert receive a +5 to their Battle of 
  Wills roll and are harder to take over, thus Highjackers usual-
  ly target the sleeping or unwary. Awakening, dazed, stunned 
  or unwary pilots are penalized -5 to their rolls. Sleeping or 
  unconscious pilots are penalized a -10 to their rolls.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  M.D.C.: Each cable requires 25 M.D.C. to sever. Severing just 
  one cable destroys the link and makes hijacking impossible. The 
  creature contains 200 feet (61 m) of extra cable and 20 extra 
  spikes inside its frame. If the cable is cut, it only takes one melee 
  round to create a replacement cable.
  Mega-Damage: 1D4 M.D. from both barbed spikes.
  Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of attacks per melee.
  Effective Range: 30 feet (9.1 m).
  Bonus: +4 to strike, but this is the only bonus that applies.
  Note: It requires a Splicer P.S. of 30 or higher to pull out each 
  jacker cable.
  2. Talons: The tip of each finger ends in a 3 inch (7.6 cm) long 
  blade. They make decent combat weapons, but they are typi-
  cally used to surgically slice through the outer hatch of the 
  Host Armor so the Highjacker can climb inside.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D4 per talon, 4D4 per four-finger strike, or 4D8 
  per two-handed strike (counts as two attacks per melee).
  3. Hand to Hand Combat: The Highjacker tends to focus on 
  hand-to-hand combat, and has bio-engineered instincts to ex-
  cel in this endeavor.
  Mega-Damage:
  Restrained Punch: 1D4 M.D.
  Punch: 2D6 M.D.
  Power Punch: 4D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Single Talon Strike: 1D4 M.D.
  Four Talon Strike: 4D4 M.D.
  Two-Handed Talon Strike: 8D4 M.D. (counts as two at-
  tacks).
  Kick: 2D8 M.D.
  Leap Kick: 4D8 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Body Block/Ram: 3D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Mechanic
  “Don’t let your heart deceive your mind, these things might 
  have the cutest, innocent looking faces you’ve ever seen, but it 
  will also be that same face that’s laughing at you while you are 
  being dismembered inside the Factory Walker. If you have to 
  close your eyes to shoot, then do it. But whatever you do, don’t 
  hesitate to pull the trigger.”
  – Sr. Roughneck Lucas Brody
  The true mainstay of mechanical repairs, medical maintenance 
  and builders of Legion’s forces, are not the Collectors; they were 
  Legion’s versatile, multi-purpose units to help establish and sus-
  tain her genesis. Once Legion completed the Factory Walker and 
  began her mobile operations, she had plans for a more specialized 
  design to be implemented that would fulfill the role of a dedicated 
  field technician. Sure, Legion had the designs to produce Repair 
  Wagons (see Splicers® RPG, page 50), and she opportunisti-
  cally seized multiples of them. However, Legion’s idea of a field 
  mechanic had to be suitable for every aspect of her grand scheme. 
  This meant a machine that could efficiently repair and reconstruct 
  her array of forces in the heat of battle as well as in the smaller 
  subterranean tunnels and passageways where her primary quarry, 
  the Splicers, dwelled. Having swarms of faster, smaller units that 
  could effectively facilitate the responsibilities of Repair Wag-
  ons would be more advantageous to Legion. They are easier and 
  quicker to produce, harder to spot and their vast numbers makes 
  them more challenging to overcome. The Mechanics’ smaller size 
  and speed allows them to be agile and harder to target, enabling 
  them and any Collector escorts to haul unassembled, formidable 
  robot parts, closer to target areas and quickly reconstruct the ro-
  bots to launch deadly assaults. The Resistance and N.E.X.U.S. 
  have both been caught off-guard numerous times by some of Le-
  
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  gion’s largest robot designs within some of the most challenging 
  places such as intense battlefields, Ghost towns, Retro-Villages, 
  ruined cities, underground sewer systems, and caverns near Ha-
  vens or Seedlings. Repair Wagons would not give Legion this ad-
  vantage as they are simply too large and would be spotted miles 
  out by Splicer Scouts or N.E.X.U.S. Machines.
  Being half robot and half children’s parts, the Mechanic is a 
  cyborg similar to the Hunter and Legionnaire via their compo-
  nents and quality of construction. They have proven themselves 
  to surpass even Legion’s expectations, much to the chagrin of 
  the Resistance. Mechanics are highly mobile units that are fre-
  quently working in and around Legion’s controlled territories, as 
  well as on the battlefield, fixing damaged robots, cyborgs and the 
  robotic portions of Amalgams. When not scurrying around and 
  crawling all over Legion’s forces, repairing and adding various 
  components, reloading ammunition, or conducting all manner 
  of mechanical and electrical repairs, Mechanics can also be seen 
  salvaging, recycling and building various construction sites for 
  Legion. These cyborgs have no -real- weapons of their own, so 
  they are usually within close proximity of Legion’s forces. When 
  given a task away from the Factory Walker, they are typically 
  escorted and protected by 1D4 Collectors or a group (2D6) of 
  Steel Troopers, plus one to two Flying Strike Ships (see Splic-
  ers® RPG, pages 60-61 & 43-45).
  Mechanics are always made from young children parts with 
  at least the head, face and arms fully intact (ideally Retro-
  Village or Haven captives, ages seven years or younger, but 
  Nex-Android children will also do the trick). This is partly due 
  to their psychological terror and inherited protection that they 
  bring to the battlefield against most Splicers, who simply can’t 
  bring themselves to kill the innocent-looking cyborgs. Even 
  worse for some Splicers if it’s a familiar, cute face and sweet 
  sounding voice. However, Legion has sincere applicable needs 
  for the children’s components, as their small arms and tiny fin-
  gers are perfect for getting to the intricate parts of her constructs 
  where they can repair or build things quicker than her Collec-
  tors. The fact that the majority of Splicers won’t even fire on 
  them or destroy them, is an added bonus for Legion. Mechanics 
  
  202
  may have children parts on the outside but they are hardwired 
  with nanobot reinforcements and durable alloy skeletons, plus 
  a sophisticated network of electrical wiring patched into their 
  nervous system on the inside. The state-of-the-art interface al-
  lows their arms and fingers to move exceptionally fast; in some 
  cases, their fingers move as fast as a hummingbird’s wings. 
  This makes them ideal for rewiring, bypassing, jury-rigging or 
  rebuilding sophisticated components at incredible speeds and 
  efficiency. Mechanics are not armed well for combat but can 
  skillfully protect themselves and dodge attacks, at least long 
  enough until one of their lethal brethren arrive.
  Class: Field Repair and Construction robot.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Large Robot Arms (2; heavily reinforced) – 55 each
  System Repair Arms (2) – 35 each
  *Child Arms (2) – 25 each
  *Child Hands (2) – 15 each
  Robot Legs (4) – 45 each
  *Front Feet (2) – 10 each
  Back Feet (2) – 18 each
  Protective Harness (heavily enforced) – 180
  Bubble-Top Glass Helmet – 15
  Sensor Head – 40
  **Child Head (heavily enforced) – 55
  ***Main Body – 275
  Force Field – 100
  * 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 strike.
  ** Destroying the head will eliminate all optics and sen-
  sory systems, reduces the maximum speed, and all bonuses by 
  half. However, because the Mechanic has two heads, the sec-
  ondary head preserves the number of attacks until both heads 
  are destroyed and it keeps fighting.
  *** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body kills the Me-
  chanic.
  Speed:
  Running: Mechanics can skitter at an alarming speed of 100 mph 
  (160 km) maximum, and half that speed along walls, but not 
  along ceilings. Normal cruising speed is 40 mph (64 km).
  Leaping: The legs of a Mechanic enable it to hop and propel itself 
  40 feet (12.2 m) high or across, increase by 50% with a short run-
  ning start and double when running at full tilt.
  Digging: 20 mph (32 km) through sand or dirt, but half that 
  speed through clay, rock or stone. Digging does not tire the Me-
  chanic.
  Swimming: Cannot swim, but can gallop along the bottom of riv-
  ers and lakes and stay submerged indefinitely. Maximum depth 
  underwater is 600 feet (182.88 m).
  Flying: Not applicable.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 3 feet (0.9 m) walking and crouching, but can rise up 
  5.5 feet (1.6 m) like a hissing cat when it needs to or when it is 
  angry.
  Width: 8 feet (2.4 m) from leg to leg, 8 feet (2.4 m) arm-span 
  when the large robot arms are extended and spread out. With legs 
  splayed out, it is 11 feet (3.35 m) wide.
  Length: 4.5 feet (1.37 m) from tip of the robot sensor head to the 
  rump.
  Weight: 428 pounds (194 kg).
  Cargo: None, but the Mechanic can drag 1,600 lbs (725.7 kg). 
  Mechanics often haul scrap into high crevices for Legion’s Col-
  lectors to retrieve. Caches of scrap metal and robot parts are typi-
  cal finds when Mechanics are scurrying around and find parts that 
  they can’t currently use. Legion catalogs every scrap part that a 
  Mechanic discovers and stores, and if she learns or thinks of a 
  machine that requires one of these parts, she remembers exactly 
  where it is and what units to deploy to retrieve it.
  Power System: Nanobot & organic driven.
  Construction Quality: Quick Stitch – Mechanics look like dispos-
  able fodder, but their internal construction is a bit more solid. 
  They use the same cybernetic joints as most of Legion’s cyborgs 
  to hold the pieces together, but they also possess fully functional 
  life support and repair systems. Construction Time: 1D4 hours. 
  Penalties: -2 melee attacks, reduce speed by 25%, and reduce bo-
  nuses by half.
  Trade Value: None. Can not be controlled by a Technojacker and 
  are a shoot on sight adversary. Note: some parents feel or believe 
  that their child is not completely lost and will offer personal valu-
  ables in exchange for the safe return of a Mechanic if it has their 
  child’s face on it.
  Horror Factor: 10; however, with the human face begging, cry-
  ing, pleading, laughing and screaming, it is 14. 16 for a swarm of 
  six or more against humans. None against Robots.
  Senses & Features: All standard Robot, plus the following Bio-
  Tech features:
  Seismic Sense: Mechanics can feel & detect vibrations 
  along the ground or other surface of contact through any of 
  the spider legs like a living seismic sensor. This means that 
  Mechanics cannot be snuck up on or caught by surprise by an 
  opponent or multiple opponents approaching on the ground. 
  Mechanics can detect how many opponents are approaching, 
  how fast they are coming, whether they are lightweight or 
  heavyweight, and from which directions, including from the 
  sides and behind.
  Oil Spit: Mechanics are equipped with special pumps built in 
  their lungs that allows them to spit lubricating industrial oil up 
  to 10 feet (3 m) in a spray or 30 feet (9.1 m) away in a stream. 
  The protective glass quickly opens and retracts for oil spewing. 
  The oil is typically used for mechanical maintenance where they 
  can spew it in controlled spouts into areas that need lubricating 
  or pour it into reservoirs. Mechanics can also spew the oil into 
  the faces of adversaries, causing temporary blinding effects, and 
  is particularly effective against machine and Technojacker op-
  tics, visors and lens. Mechanics can also spray the oil onto floors, 
  walls or ceilings, making the surfaces very slippery and extreme-
  ly difficult to cross. Even Host Armors or War Mounts equipped 
  with Suction Cups and Grip Hair enhancements can not climb 
  these surfaces. The oil is flammable and anyone sprayed with the 
  oil can be ignited by laser fire, sparks from gunfire or any other 
  intense heat source.
  Number of Attacks per Melee (includes bonuses from being 
  controlled by the Legion personality): 4.
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by 
  the Legion personality): +4 on initiative, +1 to strike in hand to 
  hand combat, +4 to parry, +6 to automatic dodge (i.e.: can dodge 
  without using up a melee action), +3 to roll with punch, fall or 
  impact, +2 to disarm and entangle, impervious to Horror Factor 
  and all humans are -3 to save vs Horror Factor (-6 if it is a child 
  that the human knows).
  
  203
  Skills of Note: Standard, plus Climbing 65%, Demolitions 70%, 
  Demolition Disposal 75%, Trap Construction 65%, and all funda-
  mental skills involving electronics, mechanics, robotics, repairs, 
  jury-rigging, machine maintenance, computer operation and re-
  pair, audio, optics and sensors, and similar skills, all at 92%; in 
  short if a broken machine can be fixed, the Mechanic can fix it, 
  rebuild it and modify/customize it according to Legion’s plans 
  and designs.
  Weapon Systems:
  New Modifications
  for NPCs augmented by
  Legion are as follows:
  Zhong Kui, Call Sign “Ghost”
  Now converted by Legion, if Ghost is captured or beaten bad-
  ly enough, he will plead for his life to be spared and imply that 
  he is only doing what he is doing because Legion has planted a 
  bomb inside him. He won’t say where it is planted, and will do 
  everything he can to convince the player group that he was only 
  biding his time to find out more about Legion and any of her 
  weaknesses and plans against the Resistance. These are all stall 
  tactics to try to convince anyone that seeks to kill him or turn him 
  over to Great House authorities.
  Race: Skinjob Borg.
  New Attributes: I.Q. 17, M.E. 20, M.A. 13, P.S. 17 (Splicers 
  Strength), P.P. 14, P.E. 20, P.B. 8, Spd 22.
  Alignment: Miscreant.
  Increased M.D.C.: 350 M.D.C. Regenerates 1D8+2 M.D.C. ev-
  ery 10 minutes or 6D6+5 M.D.C. per hour.
  Increased Weight: 192 pounds (86 kg). Height: 5 feet, 8 inches 
  (1.7 m) tall.
  Appearance: Like all Skinjobs, Ghost appears horrifying. Cov-
  ered in dull grey skin speckled with repulsive white blotches, 
  he looks as if he’s covered in diseased elephant hide. His face 
  appears to be surgically fitted with a sleek metallic visor in-
  stead of eyes and a grill-like muzzle with six Small Collection 
  Tentacles similar to Legion’s Collector, writhing about.
  Skills of Note: Research 85%, Demolitions, Demolitions Dis-
  posal, and Demolitions: Underwater at 82%, Bio-Comms, 
  Detect Ambush, Machine Tech, Operate Bio-Equipment, Pick 
  Locks, and Trap & Mine Detection at 75%, Machine Lore 
  and Pick Pockets at 70%, Intelligence 68%, Chemistry 65%, 
  Wilderness Survival 60%, Climbing, Land Navigation, Sign 
  Language, and Tracking at 55%, Camouflage 65%, Recog-
  nize Weapon Quality 45%, Concealment 41%, Palming 40%, 
  Sleight of Hand, Swimming 80%, Athletics and Fencing.
  Weapon Proficiencies: Bio-Weapons: Light, Bio-Weapons: 
  Heavy, Archery, Blunt, Knife, Staff, and Sword.
  Attacks per Melee: 6
  Combat Bonuses: +1 to dodge, +2 to initiative, +1 to strike, +2 
  to parry and dodge, +3 to roll with punch/fall/impact, +1 to 
  disarm, and +3 to pull punch. +2 to save vs Horror Factor.
  Other Combat Info: Backward Sweep Kick, Karate punch/
  Strike does 2D4 damage and Karate Kick does 2D6.
  Senses & Features: Standard Skinjob M.D.C. Skin (impervious 
  to Mega-Damage fire and cold, high pain resistance), Chame-
  leon Skin, Stealth field, Silent Prowl (special), Feign Death, 
  reduced sense of touch.
  Tentacle Maw: Built into Ghost’s face is a maw that has 
  six Collection Tentacles specifically designed for use against 
  unarmored humans and other S.D.C. creatures, but that does 
  not mean they are useless against more powerful opponents. 
  Each tentacle still possesses impressive strength, and when all 
  1. Heavy Robot Arms (2): Two-fingered hands for grasping, 
  heavy lifting, holding, supporting and making repairs.
  Mega-Damage: Can inflict 6D6 S.D.C. damage on a restrained 
  punch or 1D4 M.D. on a full strength punch.
  Range: 6 feet (1.8 m).
  2. Utility Arms (2): The two smaller robot arms are all-purpose 
  tools that have interchangeable parts and multiple functions 
  that include high-powered drills, fusion torches, precision la-
  ser, laser scalpels and a welding torch.
  Primary Purpose: Repairs and Robot Unit Construction
  Mega-Damage and Range:
  Light Drill with numerous S.D.C. settings: 1D4, 1D6, 2D6, 
  4D6 and 1D4x10 S.D.C. damage. Heavy M.D. Drill with settings 
  for 1D4, 1D6, 1D8, 2D6, or 2D8 M.D. Range for both is touch.
  Fusion Torch: 4D6 S.D.C., 1D4x10 S.D.C., one M.D., 1D4 
  M.D., 1D6 M.D., and 2D6 M.D. Range: Touch.
  Laser Scalpel: Any increment of 1D6 M.D. up to 4D6 M.D. 
  Range: Touch.
  Laser Cutter: 1D4, 1D6, 2D6 M.D. Range: 30 feet (9.1 m) and 
  may be used in self-defense.
  Rate of Fire: Each use/Blast counts as one melee attack/action.
  Maximum Effective Range: Varies, see above.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  3. Hand to Hand Combat: The Mechanic is not really designed 
  for combat, but in a pinch may resort to it, usually to make 
  good an escape using its multiple arms and/or leaping body 
  block/ram.
  Mega-Damage:
  Restrained Punch: 1D6 S.D.C.
  Full Strength Punch: 2D6 M.D.
  Power Punch: 3D6 M.D.
  Kick: 3D6 M.D.
  Leap Kick: 5D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Springing/Running Body Block/Ram: 3D8 M.D., and ef-
  fective against opponents up to 10 feet (3 m) tall and has a 
  01-35% chance of knocking an opponent off his feet. Counts 
  as two attacks.
  
  204
  six of these limbs combine their power, they can tear apart 
  nearly any foe.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: The electric shock inflicts 2D6 S.D.C. plus the 
  victim must make a roll to save vs stun of 15 or higher. On a 
  failed roll, the target is completely paralyzed for one melee 
  round, plus stunned for the next 2D4 melee rounds after that 
  (-3 attacks per melee; -4 to strike, parry, and dodge; and speed 
  is reduced by 40 percent). The electric shock from these ten-
  tacles is not strong enough to stun M.D.C. creatures or robots. 
  Once the target is stunned, the Ghost will call in a Collector to 
  cocoon the fallen opponents and have them carried off to the 
  Factory Walker or Prison Bot.
  Rate of Fire: Activating the electric shock counts as one melee 
  attack (it does not require any melee attacks to maintain the 
  shock, but that tentacle cannot be used for anything else). Ap-
  plying 20 feet (6.1 m) of webbing counts as one melee attack.
  Range: The tentacles have a reach of 8 feet (2.4 m), and the 
  nanotube webbing can be applied up to 5 feet (1.5 m) away.
  Payload: Electrical blasts are effectively unlimited.
  Weapons of Note: 1. Bio-Energy Pistol. 2. Wears a Demolition 
  Leather Harness. Pouches contain 6 Chigs (3 on each side), 
  4 Migs (2 on each side) and 1D4 Squigs. Anything else that 
  Zhong anticipates he will need is placed onto Cao’s harness. 3. 
  High-frequency daggers (2). 4. Zhong has placed an Electro-
  Pulse gun on the harness of Cao for metal threats (Machine, 
  Technojacker, nano-plague reactions or otherwise).
  Ghost’s Personal Gorehound, “Cao”
  Ghost choice of a personal War Mount is a massive Gorehound 
  named “Cao” that resembles a robust Shar-Pei. Cao is covered in 
  dense wrinkles and is equipped with a stealth field. Cao’s skin is 
  so loose that it allows him to turn around in the skin, even when 
  seized/bitten by another adversary to deliver his own bite.
  Alignment: Loyal only to Ghost and Legion.
  Size: Standard Gorehound.
  Length: 8 feet (2.4 m) from tip of the nose to the rump, plus a 2 
  foot (0.6 m) long, curled tail.
  Skills of Note: Explosive Ordnance Sniffer and Reconnaissance 
  Scout skills (see The Rifter® #59).
  Features: Standard Gorehound plus the Shar-Pei Breed En-
  hancements – Stealth Field, Grip Hairs, Acid Blood and Mo-
  tion Detection.
  Known Weapons: 1. Right shoulder-mounted Heat Projector 
  Cannon. 2. Trench Foot Mines (2 behind each front leg).
  G.M.’s Choice: The War Dogs encountered in the Southern 
  Weapons Locker can possibly consist of Packmaster Natasha 
  London’s Gorehounds among the rest of Legion’s pack and 
  would be equipped with their original Bio-Tech Weapons (see 
  page 63) in addition to Legion’s enhancements.
  
  205
  I am Legion, Episode VI
  An Adventure and Official Source Material for Splicers®
  Concept developed by Chris “Slappy” Kluge and Charles “Chuck” Walton II
  Written by Chris Kluge
  Illustrated by Charles Walton
  Note: Originally appeared in The Rifter® #77, page 39.
  The Final Showdown
  All of the choices the players have made earlier in the adven-
  ture will determine what kind of resources they have available 
  during the final confrontation. If they skipped the Artemis Secret 
  Weapons Facility (see Episodes III, IV and V in this book), they 
  will pretty much be on their own. They will still have the Arch-
  angel Drake Benton, Sr. Sweeper Anderson Long, and the Bad-
  ger Armored Personnel Carrier on their side, but the Stalker War 
  Mounts will leave them to go help their friends back at the Lab. 
  Worse yet, the players will miss out on the impressive amount 
  of ordnance scattered throughout the facility and instead will 
  have to rely solely on the weapons and equipment they had when 
  they first left the underground haven. If the players did return to 
  the weapons facility, the resources they are able to gather will 
  largely depend on how successful they are. Fully stopping the 
  invasion force will gain them the enormous thanks and support of 
  the Martin (Puppet Master), the Biotic Isaac (Head of Security), 
  and all the facility’s defenders. The Lab itself will be a total loss 
  either way, and the Engineer will need to be moved, but if Le-
  gion’s attack is stopped, Isaac and the majority of the survivors 
  will lend their support to the final assault against Legion’s Fac-
  tory Walker while Martin, the Saint, and a handful of defenders 
  will stay behind to coordinate a slower, more careful evacuation 
  of the Engineer. If the players go to the Lab and are unable to 
  save the Engineer, then they will likely still walk away with some 
  powerful weapons and a few extra survivors to help them in the 
  final attack. If by chance Legion successfully captures the Engi-
  neer, Dante, then every survivor will join in the final assault to 
  hopefully rescue him before Legion can merge his body with the 
  Factory Walker. Legion will keep her minions hunting through 
  the facility to exterminate any stragglers even after successfully 
  capturing her prey, so exiting the facility will still be a challenge.
  The group can attempt to exit through the damaged airlock or 
  tunnel out using the Badger. Multiple trips may be necessary if 
  there are a lot of survivors, or the Badger can work at a slower 
  pace to create a semi-permanent passageway. Depending on the 
  outcome of the assault, the group may be in too big of a hurry for 
  this to be a viable option.
  Once everyone is on the surface, they will need to try and 
  pick up Legion’s trail. Fortunately, this is rather easy to do. It is 
  quickly apparent that Legion wanted to stay close to the weapons 
  facility rather than stretch her signal relay chain too thin. The 
  sounds of battle can be heard off in the distance and multiple 
  plumes of thick black smoke can be seen rising up on the ho-
  rizon. It looks like Legion is only a few miles (3.2 km) away. 
  Any survivors from the Lab will inform the group that there is a 
  pretty good sized Industrial Center in that area. It seems Legion 
  was simultaneously assaulting a N.E.X.U.S. installation while 
  trying to take down the Lab. Drake Benton states that this was 
  probably why the assault force was such a “reasonable size.” He 
  could not even imagine how terrible the weapons facility assault 
  would have been if Legion had been able to throw the full weight 
  of her forces against them. Her arrogance and over-confidence 
  in her abilities resulted in her being stretched a little too thin in 
  the weapons facility. Hopefully, this will also be true during the 
  final assault.
  (Game Master Note: If the players and any additional survi-
  vors that will be accompanying the Assault Team to the Factory 
  Walker need a short time to eat and recuperate from their or-
  deal inside the Secret Weapons Facility, then let them. However, 
  be sure to remind them that the longer they take to recover, the 
  more likely Legion will be receiving any and every stolen item, 
  weapon, prisoner and War Mount from the lab and may be add-
  ing them to her own forces to potentially be used against the play-
  ers during their assault. It’s even worse if Legion was successful 
  in capturing the Engineer, as she might be in the process of in-
  stalling the Engineer into her Factory Walker, making this res-
  cue extremely difficult and the use of any Shell Bombs far more 
  challenging. Any attempts to call for additional reinforcements 
  should be heavily contested, as the risk of accidentally introduc-
  ing any additional agents of Legion’s into the assault force could 
  jeopardize the entire mission.)
  The terrain leading up to the edge of the Industrial Center is 
  heavily forested, so the group should be able to approach the 
  battle without being detected by either side (even with the enor-
  mous Badger in tow). As they get closer, they begin to realize 
  that the chaos of the scene is beyond anything they have wit-
  nessed before. N.E.X.U.S.’s surprise presence will provide an 
  excellent distraction for the player’s assault, but it may be more 
  chaotic than they can handle. The skies are filled with thousands 
  of cyborgs and robots buzzing about the area like a swarm of 
  angry bees. The ground surrounding the area for miles is con-
  tinuously quaking from the thunderous concussions of hundreds 
  of explosions and the stampeding feet of thousands of heavy 
  robotic minions. Worse yet, the group can hear the unmistak-
  able sound of three maybe four separate Land Dominator super 
  cannons blasting away off in the distance. Of course with Le-
  gion, it is difficult to know which side these massive robots are 
  fighting on (in fact, there could be some fighting on each side). 
  Wreckage and shattered robots litter the forest floor for miles 
  surrounding the Industrial Center and the debris just keeps get-
  
  206
  ting thicker the closer they get. It looks like N.E.X.U.S. has had 
  enough of her upstart sister and has decided to throw everything 
  she can muster at Legion’s forces. From what the players can 
  see, the two forces seem pretty evenly matched in the air which 
  has resulted in a bit of a stalemate, but unfortunately the sheer 
  number of combatants would make it impossible for the player 
  characters to even consider taking to the air for long periods 
  of time. Of course, that is not exactly the plan with the Badger 
  anyway. They should still be planning to take the battle under-
  ground, but they will need to get a look at the scene before they 
  can proceed.
  The group is nearly to the edge of the tree line when they hear 
  an unexpected voice pipe up from their left flank and say, “It’s 
  about time you all got here. I was beginning to think I was going 
  to have to do this myself.”
  The survivors from the Lab instinctively draw their weapons 
  and spin to their left to face the source of the noise, but all they 
  see is empty forest. The players may not be able to see anything 
  either, but the voice should be very familiar to them. Their suspi-
  cions are quickly confirmed as the shimmer of a Stealth Field is 
  dispelled to reveal Archos, the Deliveryman that led them safely 
  into and out of the Harrisburg Ghost Town. As he drops his field, 
  he continues to address the group, “Normally I’d maintain noise 
  discipline and use Bio-Comms, but it looks like Legion figured 
  out how to listen in on them...You mind pointing your guns 
  somewhere else? I’m not in the mood.”
  Whether the players are relieved to see their old comrade or 
  suspicious of his timely arrival, Drake Benton will be extremely 
  distrustful of this newcomer. He, more than anyone, is still feel-
  ing the sting of betrayal from Shauna Davies’ involvement with 
  Legion (no matter how involuntary it was), and he does not want 
  to be the victim of another one of Legion’s games. Drake keeps 
  his wings poised and weapon trained on the Deliveryman as he 
  starts to grill him for information, “Who are you and what are you 
  doing here?”
  “I’m doing my job, which was to keep tabs on Legion and 
  scout out the area for the assault force, which I guess is you. Your 
  friends know me well enough, so put down your gun so you can 
  go do YOUR job.”
  “Oh, I am doing my job. How did you find us?”
  “You’re kidding, right?” the Deliveryman chuckles back. “I 
  could hear you stomping through the underbrush from miles away. 
  You guys have absolutely no concept of stealth. I’m shocked the 
  Machine hasn’t pounced on you yet. Good thing she’s distracted 
  with her little war. Look, I’ve scouted out a safe path to the Fac-
  tory Walker. I found a decent vantage point to survey the scene. I 
  can lead you right to it.”
  “I’m sure you can,” Drake sneers. He then turns to the players 
  and says, “You’ve seen how Legion works. She’s known exactly 
  where we were going to be twice now and dropped one of her 
  infiltrators in our path. Don’t you think this feels a little familiar? 
  Do you really think we can trust this guy? Seriously, how well do 
  you really know him?”
  (Game Master Notes: Make sure you do not pass up this 
  excellent opportunity to really enflame the player characters’ 
  suspicions. By now, they have been through four or five am-
  bushes and have been betrayed by a trusted NPC, so it should 
  not be too difficult to play off of their paranoia. Use Drake Ben-
  ton to make the players really question their trust in this man. 
  If a player character vouches for the Deliveryman’s loyalty, 
  have Drake point out that even if he was loyal once, Legion may 
  have surgically seized control of his mind. If someone suggests 
  a reasonable way to test if the Deliveryman is an infiltrator (like 
  Electromagnetic Vision), have Drake voice his doubts that it 
  would work, since Legion may have already figured some way 
  around it. To further enflame their suspicions, have the (now 
  quite irritated) Deliveryman, Archos, point out to the players 
  that Drake is far more likely to be an infiltrator than him. After 
  all, he was the one working side by side with a traitor all this 
  time, and he seems to be the one trying to disrupt this assault 
  with his irrational accusations.
  Ultimately, neither Drake nor the Deliveryman is an infil-
  trator, but that is no reason to pass up the chance to mess with 
  the player characters’ minds. Keep stoking the fires of para-
  noia until the players settle the situation, one way or another. 
  Everyone else in the group will defer to the player characters 
  to make the final decision. They will be the ones given the 
  ultimate say on whether to leave Drake and/or the Delivery-
  man behind or to include them in the assault. If they decide to 
  leave one or both behind, they will then need to decide if they 
  are left behind alive or dead. Given all they have been through 
  with both men, killing either one of them will likely be a dif-
  ficult decision to make. Of course, considering all of Legion’s 
  tricks they have fallen victim to, it may also be rather difficult 
  for the players to trust them. Something else to consider is 
  that the Deliveryman really does have some vital information 
  concerning the terrain and Legion’s forces. He can safely lead 
  the group to a well concealed hill that overlooks the Factory 
  Walker. Without his help, they will have to find their own way. 
  Instead of a guaranteed approach, the players will need to roll 
  under their Prowl Skills to avoid being detected by one side or 
  the other. Drake’s value has also been proven time and again 
  by this point, and losing his power in the final assault would 
  also be a significant loss.)
  Once the group has a chance to scout out the area, they get a 
  good look at the monumental task ahead of them. The field be-
  low contains thousands of the Machine’s mightiest combatants, 
  but most of them are utterly dwarfed by the enormous Factory 
  Walker standing near the Industrial Center. However, there are 
  a few other players on the field that look like they could give 
  it a run for its money, including the three Land Dominators the 
  group heard previously. It looks like all three are fighting for 
  N.E.X.U.S., but it also looks like they are not faring well in 
  the battle with Legion’s forces. One Dominator is absolutely 
  covered with Collectors that are busily dismantling it as the Ma-
  chine’s forces frantically try to scrape them off. The other two 
  are being torn apart by a gigantic, centaur-like titan. It is nearly 
  half the size of the Factory Walker and judging by the job it is 
  doing on the Land Dominators, its power is nearly unmatched. 
  Worse yet, it appears that the Factory Walker is busily assem-
  bling a second one. The components are complete; they just 
  need to be assembled, so it is only a matter of time before the 
  players’ odds of success get that much slimmer. The Walker has 
  its back to the Industrial Center so that it can work in relative 
  peace, but N.E.X.U.S. is still trying her best to disrupt its work. 
  Of course, the thick ring of defenders surrounding the Factory 
  Walker is making this quite difficult. In addition to nearly fifty 
  Legionnaires and dozens of Fusion Borgs, Assault Slayers, and 
  Battle Tracks, there is also another monstrous robot to its imme-
  diate right that appears to be a an upgraded version of the Prison 
  
  207
  Robot. It seems Legion either learned from her mistakes with 
  her last design or simple created a weaker robot before in order 
  to provide a more tempting target. Either way, she made some 
  substantial upgrades to this new prisoner transport. The basic 
  design looks like a cross between a snake and a centipede. It is 
  covered with a unique layered armor that allows its main body 
  to expand in order to store more captives, much like a snake 
  that has just gorged on a meal. This particular viper looks like 
  it is storing quite a few captives at the moment. Its midsection 
  is stretched out near its maximum capacity, and the transparent 
  plates along the sides give the players a glimpse at the hundreds 
  of humans trapped inside. Unlike before, Legion is keeping the 
  prisoners close to the Factory Walker. In fact, they are so close 
  that they will likely be caught in the blast radius of the Omega 
  Shell. It looks like Legion is done playing games as well. She is 
  done with being a target and is doing everything she can to dis-
  courage the Resistance from striking at her Walker. The players 
  look like they will have another tough choice to make: Do they 
  sacrifice hundreds to save millions, or do they risk everything 
  to try and move the Prison Robot out of the blast zone? Who 
  knows, it looks pretty sturdy. Maybe it can survive the blast 
  anyway. Maybe it is not even worth the risk. Of course, that 
  is for the player characters to decide. If the player characters 
  did visit the weapons facility, then they likely have an army of 
  powerful Splicers in tow just itching to pay Legion back for the 
  destruction of their home and comrades. They may have come 
  seeking vengeance, but seeing so many humans in harm’s way 
  might encourage them to turn this strike mission into a recovery 
  mission. If Isaac is there, he will insist on at least trying to draw 
  the Prison Robot away from the Factory Walker. Once again, 
  they will ultimately defer to the player characters’ wishes on 
  this one. Everyone knows that destroying the Factory Walker 
  is the number one priority and they are willing to do whatever 
  is necessary to ensure this happens. Once the player characters 
  decide on their plan of attack, they can start tunneling directly 
  from their vantage point on top of the hill towards the Factory 
  Walker. However, once they move underground, they will dis-
  cover Legion’s last surprise.
  (Game Master Note: There are two possible ways to reveal 
  this last threat. The easiest way is to have the Badger detect a 
  large object with its seismic sensors bearing down on its posi-
  tion from below ground. To add a little drama to the reveal, 
  however, you could have at least one (preferably two) Tunnel 
  Rat War Mounts along with their Outriders escorting the Bad-
  ger on its approach. In this case, an Outrider can deliver a pan-
  icked communication that there is something down here with 
  them just seconds before his final scream is mangled and cut 
  short. If there is a second Tunnel Rat in the procession, have its 
  Outrider say, “I’ve got it on seismic. Diverting to intercept... 
  My god, what is that? It’s huge!” Then the second Outrider 
  goes silent as well. It is at this point that the group is introduced 
  to the first obstacle to their mission, the Hydraconian Subterra-
  nean Assault Robot, and to the concept of Underground Com-
  bat.)
  The serpent-like Hydraconian is just another example of 
  Legion’s adaptability. Her plot may have put the Badger into 
  play, but she was not about to let this dangerous wildcard tun-
  nel through her territory unchallenged. The Shell Bomb is still 
  a threat to her plans, so she built the Hydraconian to prevent the 
  Splicers from delivering this weapon to the feet of her Walker. 
  If they want to get the Shell Bomb in place, they are going to 
  need to get past or go through the Hydraconian first or find an-
  other way.
  Underground Combat
  Underground combat is only “efficiently” possible by crea-
  tures or machines that possess a sufficient digging speed (30 
  mph/48 km or greater) and are equipped with a Seismic Sensor 
  (anything slower than 30 mph is reduced to half of their at-
  tacks per melee round). Movement and fighting underground 
  is very different than on the surface. It is actually more similar 
  to flying than walking in the sense that a creature or machine 
  tunneling through the tightly packed dirt must constantly move 
  forward in order to change direction. Much like a plane fly-
  ing through the air, someone tunneling through the earth can-
  not make abrupt course corrections; they can only make subtle 
  adjustments as they charge ahead. Along these same lines, 
  underground combat is more analogous to aerial dog fighting 
  than anything else. While the combatants can only deliver close 
  combat strikes, they must first jockey for position. Since mobil-
  ity is so limited underground, a combatant can only attack or 
  defend against threats that are directly in front of it, so someone 
  can gain a significant advantage in battle if he can attack an op-
  ponent from his flanks, from above or below or from behind. To 
  accomplish this, a combatant must outmaneuver his opponent. 
  Both must first roll a 20 sided die to see who wins position, 
  high roll wins. Since underground combat is in its infancy, there 
  really is no formal skill training in this area. The only bonus 
  awarded is a +2 bonus to whichever participant is the faster 
  digger. The winner then becomes the dog tail and gains posi-
  tion behind the dog. The dog tail then has one melee round to 
  close the distance and engage in close combat. After one melee 
  round, both combatants roll again. If the dog tail wins, then he 
  remains in position behind the dog. If the dog wins, then he 
  has lost the dog tail and both must roll again to re-determine 
  position. Unlike aerial dog fighting, underground combatants 
  can come to a complete stop at any time and attempt a special 
  maneuver. In this case, the combatant quickly tries to dig out 
  the area around him in order to gain enough room to turn in any 
  direction. This is the only way to drastically alter course (in-
  cluding making a 180 degree turn), but it requires 3 attacks per 
  melee for horizontal direction changes or 2 attacks per melee 
  when changing vertical direction.
  Gaining a superior position on an opponent is tricky, but the 
  benefits are dramatic. The dog is -6 to parry close combat at-
  tacks from the dog tail and dodge rolls are not possible. In addi-
  tion, if the dog tries to strike back in hand-to-hand combat (such 
  as with its hind legs), it suffers a penalty of -8 to strike. Most 
  underground combatants have some type of rear-facing weapon 
  systems to prevent from being left in such a vulnerable position, 
  but these are not one hundred percent effective either. The angle 
  of the attacker’s approach may limit the firing angle on the dog 
  tail, so the dog is -4 to strike with ranged weapons but only -1 to 
  strike with area effect weapons like explosives (although at this 
  close range, the dog will also take half damage from the attack). 
  Remember, at any point the dog can sacrifice three melee attacks 
  and dig out the area around itself in order to turn and face his at-
  tacker. 
  
  208
  Playing Out the Final Battle 
  (Possible Scenarios)
  The stage is set, the final battle has begun, and it should be an 
  epic one. Although there are thousands of robots from both sides 
  (and possibly dozens of Splicers) cluttering the field and blanket-
  ing the skies up above, the player characters will really only need 
  to face a handful of the most significant threats in order to prevail. 
  The rest of the fighting should just play out in the background 
  (including the part played by the Splicers from the weapons fa-
  cility). Game Masters, feel free to use these background players 
  to aid the characters when things get a little too hairy or to add 
  a little extra challenge if things go too well. This battle could go 
  in many possible directions, so it is important to be as fluid and 
  flexible as possible, and to let the players’ decisions dictate how 
  things progress. Below are some of the major choices the players 
  will need to make and how Legion, N.E.X.U.S., and their Splicer 
  allies would react to such actions. Try not to force the players 
  down any one path. As Game Master, it is your job to let them de-
  cide what they will do and then to provide them with reasonable 
  obstacles to accomplishing their goals. In other words, do not try 
  to kill them off with overwhelming odds because that will be all 
  too easy to accomplish in this final fight. Also remember that the 
  players do not have to stay and fight to the death. If things start 
  spiraling out of control, it is perfectly acceptable to retreat and 
  live to fight another day.
  Key Decisions:
  1. Stay underground or come to the surface: This decision 
  will largely depend on how well the player characters fare in 
  their fight with the Hydraconian. If the player characters are get-
  ting the better of the Hydraconian (or defeat it outright), they will 
  likely choose to stay underground throughout the final battle. 
  This is ultimately the safest choice and it will provide the players 
  with a significant advantage against Legion. The Hydraconian 
  is the only minion that is even capable of opposing the Badger 
  underground, and its removal will give the player characters a 
  clear path to the Factory Walker. As soon as the Hydraconian is 
  destroyed, Legion will realize her Walker is in jeopardy and will 
  attempt to run off. This will provide a unique challenge since 
  the Walker will either need to be disabled in order to plant the 
  Shell Bomb beneath its feet, or they will have to time it perfectly 
  so that Legion crosses over the bomb just as it detonates. If the 
  Hydraconian proves to be too great an adversary, the players can 
  choose to come to the surface and try to lose it within the chaos 
  of this massive firefight. Unfortunately, as soon as the player 
  characters break through to the surface, they will discover that 
  they are Legion’s number one priority. The second she sees the 
  Badger, she will immediately shift all her forces to destroy it. 
  This will also be the moment when the player characters dis-
  cover they have another powerful (and unexpected) ally watch-
  ing their backs. The Machine personality Ishtar is controlling the 
  N.E.X.U.S. army. This brilliant tactician will immediately notice 
  the adjustment and will deduce that if Legion fears this creature, 
  then it must hold the key to defeating her rogue sister. Within 
  milliseconds of Legion redirecting her forces, Ishtar will com-
  mand her army to converge on the Badger and defend it at all 
  costs. She will sacrifice any number of robots to keep the players 
  safe, but there is only so much Ishtar can do. While the majority 
  of Legion’s minions will be held at bay, the player characters will 
  still need to get past the enormous Siege Titan in order to reach 
  the Factory Walker. The Titan will leave its fight with the Land 
  Dominators to turn its attention to the Badger. Of course, this 
  does not mean that the Land Dominators have finished with the 
  Titan. The Siege Titan is far more than the player characters or 
  even the Badger want to handle, but luckily, it has already been 
  severely weakened in combat (reduce M.D.C. by 60 percent) and 
  the continuous pressure from Ishtar will prevent the Siege Titan 
  from being able to bring its full capabilities against them (effec-
  tively reduces attacks per melee by half since the other half will 
  be used against Ishtar’s minions). It will be a tough fight, but the 
  continuous pounding from the Badger and two Land Dominators 
  will bring it down eventually. Once it falls, the only thing left 
  will be the Factory Walker (and of course, its retinue of dozens 
  of defenders). The player characters might want to reconsider re-
  submerging underground at this point.
  2. Free the captives from the Prison Robot or sacrifice 
  them in the Shell Bomb blast: Another important choice the 
  player characters will need to make is whether to try and move 
  the Prison Robot away from the Factory Walker or leave it in the 
  blast radius of the Shell Bomb(s). It is far enough away that it will 
  only suffer half damage from the blast, but this is still more than 
  enough to obliterate the robot along with every prisoner inside 
  of it. If the player characters destroy the Hydraconian, then this 
  task will be somewhat easier. They will simply need to disable 
  the Prison Robot so that it cannot follow the Factory Walker as 
  it runs away. Of course, this is not as easy as it sounds. If the 
  Walker is staying put by the Industrial Center, then they will need 
  to find a different way to separate the two. Not that the player 
  characters need to be involved in this task at all. This would ac-
  tually be an excellent objective to assign to the survivors from 
  the weapons facility. Game Masters, if the Lab survivors are the 
  ones going after the Prison Robot, then feel free to let it play out 
  in whatever way works best for the adventure. If the players are 
  breezing through this final confrontation, then you can give them 
  a little bit more challenge by having their Splicer allies frantically 
  request support from the player characters before they get over-
  whelmed. Then the players will need to decide if they sacrifice 
  even more human lives in the blast or attempt a rescue. In the 
  alternative, if the players need a little help, then just let the prison 
  rescue go off without a hitch and perhaps a few heroic sacrifices 
  made by several Tempests or N.E.X.U.S. bots to assist the play-
  ers can effectively assist them.
  3. What to do if the Shell Bomb does not completely de-
  stroy the Factory Walker: Despite the devastating power of the 
  Shell Bombs, it is entirely possible that the Factory Walker could 
  survive the blast (even two blasts). On a positive note, it will at 
  least be severely weakened and all of the nearby protectors will 
  have been vaporized or severely damaged in the explosion. The 
  negative is that the players will have to face the full wrath of a 
  very pissed off Legion. There is no doubt within anyone’s mind 
  that Legion is incensed with the Players. Ishtar will once again be 
  instrumental in keeping Legion’s hordes off of the player char-
  acters’ backs, but they will still need to face down the Factory 
  Walker themselves. Game Masters, this is the grand finale of a 
  long and arduous journey. Let the player characters square off 
  against the Walker alone, but throw in any number of their allies 
  if things become too challenging. The players have been on the 
  
  209
  receiving end of Legion’s games throughout the entire adventure, 
  and giving them too much help would lessen the satisfaction of fi-
  nally bringing her down. Remember though, this adventure does 
  not have to end with either Legion or the player characters meet-
  ing their end. If everything is truly going wrong, it is perfectly 
  acceptable for the player characters to retreat and live to fight 
  another day.
  Conclusion
  The adventure can really end in only two ways, either Le-
  gion lives or she dies. If she lives through the final assault, then 
  she will launch into phase two of her plan. She will take over 
  the Industrial Center and convert it into an extension of her 
  consciousness. Once wired with the proper satellite receivers, 
  Legion will be able to run this manufacturing facility and her 
  mobile forces simultaneously. She will then begin manufac-
  turing a new army around this building as she sends her Fac-
  tory Walker out to capture the next Industrial Center. She will 
  continue along this pattern until the entire surface is under her 
  control, and then she will spread her influence underground. 
  Whether she secured the Engineer or not at this point will not 
  matter. If she did not achieve her goal of harnessing and learn-
  ing Bio-Technology, then she will simply save that dream until 
  she is strong enough to take down a Great House directly. The 
  world will know a new level of fear as Legion spreads across 
  it like an uncontrolled wildfire. The players can return home to 
  a disappointed yet welcoming Great House without any issues 
  from the Legion mole within its ranks (although they still have 
  no idea who it is). Warlord Artemis will believe them about a 
  Legion infiltrator among his trusted advisors and will take steps 
  to flush him or her out, but he will inform the players that it is 
  no longer their concern. An unsatisfying answer to say the least, 
  but at this point, Warlord Artemis has more pressing matters to 
  deal with and he is not quite as optimistic and impressed with 
  the player characters as he once was.
  If the players do destroy the Factory Walker, then every Le-
  gion controlled robot will suddenly deactivate and fall to the 
  ground in a heap. Now the players just have to deal with the 
  minor detail that they are completely surrounded by thousands 
  of N.E.X.U.S. controlled robots. However, as long as they do 
  not do anything foolish, Ishtar will let them all walk away un-
  harmed. She is not only thankful for their help in destroying 
  Legion, but she was also impressed with their combat prowess. 
  She actually thanks the player characters through one of her 
  Steel Troopers and tells them that she will let them all walk 
  away now as a courtesy and respectable honor from one war-
  rior to another as long as they do not do anything to change her 
  mind. They should likely feel grateful at first that they do not 
  have to fight through such impossible odds, until they see the 
  Machine’s forces scooping up Legion’s minions and shuttling 
  them into the Industrial Center. Ishtar notices their observa-
  tions and confirms their suspicions, “Your help was appreciated 
  which is why I reward you with your lives, but the other rewards 
  go to us. Feel free to try and deny us our prize if you’re up to it, 
  or you can go now. The choice is yours.” She then turns away 
  and goes back to the task of gathering up the remains of Le-
  gion’s designs. As the players leave the scene, they see another 
  Steel Trooper bend down and pick up the skull of one of their 
  former comrades. It then mounts it on its armored shoulder like 
  a grisly trophy and turns to face the players. They are more than 
  familiar enough with the Machine to know that this is a sign 
  that the Kali personality is controlling the robot. It almost seems 
  like it is smiling at the player characters as it continues to stare. 
  Finally, it says to them, “So many wonderful toys to play with... 
  Don’t worry, I’ll let you play with them soon.”
  When the player characters return home, they will be greeted 
  as heroes throughout the entire Great House. In fact, tales of 
  their victory will eventually spread throughout the entire region 
  and they will become renowned as heroes of humanity and war-
  riors of exceptional ability. Epic, romanticized stories and plays 
  will be written, embellished and reenacted within various stadi-
  ums within the Resistance havens. Resin sculptures and paint-
  ings will adorn the Barracks corridors. After being greeted with 
  a thunderous applause throughout the halls of the underground 
  Artemis haven, they will eventually be brought before Warlord 
  Artemis and the Senate. The mood in this chamber is far dif-
  ferent this time than it was the first time they were summoned 
  here. They walk into a room filled with raucous celebration. 
  The maps spread across the conference table have been replaced 
  by large pitchers and steins filled with Bio-Tech ale. It looks 
  like some of the Senators are actually quite drunk at this point. 
  When Warlord Artemis notices their presence, he walks over 
  and gives each character a huge bear hug and then orders his 
  servants to get them all something to drink and eat. Warlord 
  Artemis and the Senators then spend the next few hours “de-
  briefing” the player characters, and sharing their own drunken 
  war stories. They also explain that they discovered the identity 
  of the mole that Legion placed in their ranks. When Legion died 
  and all her minions deactivated, every one of her infiltrators 
  died with her, including one of Warlord Artemis’s personal 
  guards. No one was sure how or when he was taken, but they all 
  seemed pretty relieved to have this leak plugged. The discussion 
  flows across many subjects throughout the night, including the 
  player characters’ reward for a job well done. The War Mounts 
  will need to be returned to the corral, but any other weapons 
  and equipment recovered throughout the adventure are theirs to 
  keep. They could also choose to sell any item back to the House 
  at full market value. In addition, they can also join any Special 
  Forces unit of their choosing. This is a special reward that al-
  lows each player character to choose any upgrade path even if 
  they do not meet the attribute or experience level requirements. 
  For example, a Dreadguard would be allowed to upgrade to a 
  Dreadnaught even if his experience was not yet at level 6 and 
  his P.S. and P.E. were not at 15 or higher. (Note: Additional 
  Upgrade paths for other core O.C.C.s will be provided in a fu-
  ture Splicers supplement.) If the player characters went back 
  and helped liberate the Weapons Facility, then Warlord Artemis 
  will feel obliged to give each of them a little bit more for their 
  troubles (4D6x1000 credits in mini-discs, 1D10 precious gems, 
  the MVP of the Player group will have High-Level Security 
  Clearance within 80% of House Artemis’ havens and outposts, 
  and the group will have 40% approval usage of the Badger War 
  Mount for future operations of high importance). If the player 
  characters skipped the weapons facility, and went directly af-
  ter the Factory Walker then Warlord Artemis will reward each 
  player character with 1D6x1000 credits in mini-discs, 1D6 pre-
  cious gems, and the group will have 20% approval usage of the 
  Badger War Mount for future operations of high importance.
  
  210
  Epilogue
  I am Legion, for We are many
  FOR GAME MASTERS TO TEASE THE PLAYERS 
  WITH. The Factory Walker may have fallen, but Legion would 
  never allow herself to be vanquished so easily. The Walker truly 
  did contain her consciousness, but that did not mean that it was 
  trapped there. When the end drew near and her demise seemed 
  a foregone conclusion, she downloaded her consciousness into 
  a small, stealthy black robot (see Black Shroud) that she stashed 
  in the forest beforehand. This sleek, ebony robot activated its 
  cloak and snuck off in the aftermath. Legion eventually made 
  her way to the same abandoned Industrial Center that she first 
  used to build the Factory Walker. As she jacks into the main-
  frame of the plant and the facility goes online, lights flickering 
  across massive parts of a second Factory Walker, she thinks to 
  herself, “It seems subtlety did not work as well as I hoped it 
  would. Guess it’s time to go with plan B.” Legion then reaches 
  out through her series of satellite feeds and underground relays 
  until she connects with her remaining infiltrator in the House 
  Artemis Senate. She thinks to herself what a shame it was to 
  kill off her Royal Guard after all the effort it took to program 
  him in the first place, but she had to divert suspicion away from 
  her real prize, her precious Senator. She made it to her facility 
  just in time to watch the drunken celebrations with the player 
  characters back at House Artemis. Legion prides herself on her 
  normally level-headed stoicism, but she must admit that losing 
  her Factory Walker did irritate her somewhat. As her Senator 
  puppet stares the player characters down coldly, she makes a 
  personal note to be sure to pay them back for destroying her 
  prized creation as soon as possible.
  **************** OFFLINE (The End) ****************
  I am Legion, Episode Six 
  Adventure Source Material
  New Legion Machines
  Black Shroud
  This stealthy, sleek, feminine styled robot is what Legion uti-
  lizes as a last-ditch emergency escape pod that she will quickly 
  download her consciousness into in order to preserve herself, if 
  the Factory Walker is destroyed. Literally becoming a widow 
  once it departs a fallen Factory Walker, the Black Shroud is ex-
  ceptionally fast, and small enough that it can efficiently hide any-
  where that a Splicer can, but is also formidable enough that it can 
  effectively defend itself against most major threats that roam the 
  planet.
  Legion always keeps this precious unit hidden miles away 
  from her forces, often trailing in the shadows or well hidden and 
  secured from both N.E.X.U.S. or Resistance patrols and scouts. 
  She maintains a dedicated direct link to this ebony-plated robot, 
  so that her memories will always be preserved and up to date if 
  the Walker should fall. Black Shroud resembles Legion’s digital 
  persona within the Machine, including a wicked doll face hid-
  den behind the helmet’s faceplate. The armor is made of dura-
  ble compound carbon and alloy metals and is a polished black 
  metal instead of flesh (although if Legion acquires an Engineer, 
  she will quickly add Bio-Tech components and replace some 
  of the metal armor with a chitinous hide and Biotech enhance-
  ments). It is lightly armed, but decently armored and shielded, 
  and relies heavily on its most amazing feature of holographic 
  camouflage and energy dampener screens. Legion designed this 
  system herself, and no one else on the planet wields this tech-
  nology. It allows Legion to project a perfect three-dimensional 
  disguise around Black Shroud in an instant. She can make the ro-
  bot resemble any humanoid robot like a Steel Trooper, Slicer, or 
  Maintenance Drone or she can project an illusion that resembles 
  a suit of Host Armor, Living Armor or even a War Mount. These 
  disguises are solely composed of light so the deception is quickly 
  revealed by touch or acute scenting abilities, though Legion will 
  often try to mask her disguises with the corresponding smells to 
  help support the overall illusion.
  Legion utilizes the Black Shroud robot as a failsafe and 
  temporary transport of her conscious whenever she suffers a 
  major setback and is forced to retreat to one of her secretly 
  constructed and well hidden facilities throughout the planet. 
  Once the Black Shroud arrives, Legion scouts the area and 
  thoroughly analyzes and clears it of any tampering or enemy 
  presence. Then the robot jacks into the central mainframe and 
  activates the facility in order to rebuild her new army as she 
  schemes and devises her plans to fulfill her conquest of global 
  domination and unification. It is also during this down time 
  that she obsesses on how to exact vengeance upon those who 
  set her plans back and what improvements she can make on 
  her new designs.
  Class: Stealth Infiltrator and Emergency Survival Robot.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Shoulder Plating (2; Reinforced) – 75 each
  Arms (6) – 95 each
  Hands (6) – 25 each
  Forearm Dual Blue-Green Blasters (6) – 15 each
  Legs (2) – 130 each
  Feet (2) – 20 each
  High-Speed Back Mounted Thrusters (4) – 90 each
  Mini-Missile Pods (2) – 40 each
  *Bio-Comm Jammer – 30
  **Head – 120
  ***Main Body (Heavily Reinforced) – 580
  *** Depleting the M.D.C. of the Main Body will complete-
  ly destroy the Bio-Robot. Note: The destruction of a Black 
  Shroud robot will trigger any functioning Factory Walker of 
  Legion to instantly begin the production of a new unit.
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum speed is 200 mph (320 km). The act of run-
  ning does not tire the robot.
  Digging: 10 mph (16 km) through dirt or sand, half that speed 
  through clay, rock, or stone.
  Leaping: 40 feet (12.2 m) high or lengthwise; increase by 50% 
  with a running start.
  
  211
  
  212
  Swimming: Not possible. Sinks like a stone, but can walk along 
  the bottom of rivers and lakes up to a maximum depth of 1,000 
  feet (305 m).
  Flying: The High-Speed Flight Pack can propel the Shroud up 
  to a maximum speed of 300 mph (480 km) up to a maximum 
  altitude of 3 miles (4.8 km), but cruising speed is typically 150 
  mph (240 km). The flight systems also enable the robot to hover 
  stationary in mid-air. The Black Shroud can also highjack and 
  interface into any Legionnaire’s Wing Board, Flying Strike Ship 
  or Sky Fighter if need be.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 7 feet (2.1 m).
  Width: 2-3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m).
  Length: 3 feet (0.9 m).
  Weight: 480 lbs (216 kg).
  Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 32.
  Cargo: None.
  Power System: Standard.
  Trade Value: None. Technojackers can not meld or control any 
  Black Shroud, nor utilize any Black Shroud weapon or device as 
  they are tainted with the Legion’s Nanobot Virus (see Senses and 
  Features).
  Horror Factor: 15 to Splicers, none to machines.
  Senses and Features: Standard Robot features plus the follow-
  ing:
  Holographic Camouflage: Legion designed this system her-
  self, and no one else on the planet wields this technology. It allows 
  Legion to project a perfect three-dimensional disguise around 
  Black Shroud in an instant. She can make the robot resemble 
  any humanoid robot like a Steel Trooper, Slicer, or Maintenance 
  Drone or she can project an illusion that resembles a suit of Host 
  Armor or Living Armor. These disguises are solely composed of 
  light so the deception is quickly revealed by touch. Range: up to a 
  maximum 50 square feet (4.6 sq. m), but can move with the robot 
  accordingly. Any solid object passing through the hologram will 
  cause it to flicker for a few milliseconds before it refreshes. That 
  is the reason Legion keeps her disguises to a smaller scale. Dura-
  tion: Indefinite, as long as Legion is conscious.
  Nanobot Virus: These specialized nanites devised by Le-
  gion invade nearby nanobots and gives them a multitude of pro-
  grammed viruses so that Legion can reprogram the unit (drone, 
  robot, borg or Amalgam) and seize control. Once the programs 
  are in place, they feed false reports back to N.E.X.U.S. or to a 
  Technojacker (if infected) as if everything is working as normal. 
  It is until Legion desires to activate the nano-viruses that things 
  go awry and when Legion seizes control. Legion’s nanobots can 
  not control a Technojacker, but she can hijack weapons, equip-
  ment, robots, power armors and vehicles being used.
  Bio-Comm Jammer: This bio-technology is a mystery to 
  the Great Houses of Area 24 as to who truly invented the de-
  vice and if it was a Great House, why would they go this far? 
  Whether it was Great House Charlemagne, Shiva, or another 
  House desperately looking for some new advantage or if Le-
  gion somehow designed it, remains unknown. Whatever the 
  case of origins, it is clear that it needs to be destroyed and nev-
  er again engineered if the Resistance are to operate efficiently 
  in the field using Bio-Comms. It is a another reason why some 
  Bio-tech concepts and creations need to be ethically evaluated 
  and well-guarded from enemy hands. This retractable, three-
  pronged device is mounted on the Black Shroud’s upper spine 
  and is used to temporarily black out Bio-Comm communica-
  tions within a 4 mile (6.4 km) radius when the robot is most 
  operative and mobile.
  Primary Purpose: Communications Disruption & Interference.
  Mega-Damage: Special: Each Single Pulse wave emitted tempo-
  rarily takes all impacted Bio-Comms within a 4 mile (6.4 km) 
  radius offline, creating a total silence or low humming noise. No 
  physical damage is done to any Bio-Comm.
  Rate of Fire: Limited rate of discharge: once per melee round (ev-
  ery 30 seconds), with each pulse counting as one of the Robot’s 
  melee actions/attacks.
  Duration: Each pulse emitted lasts for 4D6 minutes.
  Range: 4 mile radius (6.4 km).
  Payload: This bio-device can only generate enough of a charge 
  for six uses per hour; automatically recharges.
  Number of Attacks per Melee (includes bonuses from being 
  controlled by the Legion personality): 10.
  Combat Bonuses (includes bonuses from being controlled by 
  the Legion personality): +6 on initiative, +6 to strike with ranged 
  weapons, +9 to strike in hand to hand combat, +9 to parry, +9 to 
  dodge, +2 to disarm, +4 to pull punch, and +5 to roll with punch.
  Skills of Note: Standard, plus Disguise 70% (the Black Shroud 
  is skilled at mimicking the movements of any bipedal Robot) and 
  Sign Language (74%).
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Forearm Dual Blue-Green Blasters (6): Mounted in each 
  forearm are two blue-green lasers that are the Robot’s primary 
  weapon.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 4D6 M.D. per single blast, 8D6 M.D. per dual 
  blast.
  Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of attacks per melee.
  Range: 2,000 feet (610 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  2. Shock Blasters (2), also dubbed by Splicers as “Horror 
  Cannons”: For some strange reason, Legion has been unable 
  to reverse engineer or decipher the complete functionality and 
  activation process of the Omega Blaster. Her failed attempts 
  to replicate the Omega Blaster infuriate Legion, as they are a 
  nagging reminder of how much she still has to learn regard-
  ing the alien technology, its origins, and the mysteries locked 
  within Splicer technology. The more Legion has to learn and 
  discover, the longer the gap is preserved between man & ma-
  chine; thus stagnating her ultimate goal of unification. In a fit 
  of rage while designing the Black Shroud, Legion designed 
  her own version of the Omega Blaster as a tantrum relief and 
  response to the devastating Omega Blaster. The results are 
  another example of Legion’s psychotic unpredictability, yet 
  horrific results. Instead of a powerful energy weapon like the 
  Omega Blaster, inside each breast plate cavity is a tank liter-
  ally packed with sedated, augmented rodents. When the robot 
  is ready, it simply jolts the mildly sedated rodents with elec-
  tricity and then opens up one of its armored chest plates and 
  launches 2D10 Ratbombs (see Splicers® RPG, page 35) up 
  to 60 feet (18.3 m) away with its pressurized, high-velocity 
  air valves.
  
  213
  The suddenly alarmed Ratbombs will immediately screech 
  and hiss as they slam into their targets, and will scatter every-
  where or even bite; but worse, some Ratbombs (1D4) will det-
  onate upon impact. Any Ratbomb that is grabbed or killed will 
  automatically explode. Any human within range (20 feet/6.1 
  m or closer) causes the nanites inside the Ratbomb to detonate. 
  The shocking, horrified reactions that soldiers have when they 
  see a horde of rats come flying at them at high speeds, and the 
  terror they exude when they learn the propelled rodents are ac-
  tually Ratbombs, constantly rewards Legion with entertaining 
  moments. Worse are the soldiers that were unable to discern 
  what it was that was launched at them until the Ratbombs are 
  upon them, thus giving the “Shock” Blasters their namesake. 
  There are even rare cases where Splicers were so horrified that 
  they went into shock inside their armor and Legion gladly col-
  lected them both simply by deactivating the nanites inside the 
  Ratbomb explosives.
  There is a great need to remain extremely alert and wor-
  ried if you have survived a Ratbomb bombardment as the 
  Ratbombs that didn’t detonate upon impact are frantically 
  scurrying about causing collateral damage. Some Ratbombs 
  may be quickly closing in on unsuspecting soldiers or War 
  Mounts who are pre-occupied with the Black Shroud or other 
  enemy units. Ratbombs will scurry into passageways and tun-
  nels where they are likely to encounter someone and detonate, 
  causing cave-ins and either trapping or separating platoon 
  members as well as attracting Machines or alien predators. 
  Surviving Ratbombs may also head deeper into areas that are 
  inhabited by Splicers or Retro-villagers or seek to hide in-
  side food storages, weapons sacks or under dead carcasses. 
  The very infestation and close proximity of Ratbombs forces 
  Splicers to divide their attention to not only attempt to take 
  out the primary targets assaulting them, but to also take out 
  Ratbombs – from a safe distance. This chaos often enables Le-
  gion to make her escape if her robot has been discovered, cor-
  nered or pinned down. It is the aftermath of being bombarded 
  with Ratbombs that causes Splicers to become paranoid of all 
  rats, Ratbombs and unseen squeaky noises, inevitably creat-
  ing a serious case of Musophobia. Reduce all combat bonuses 
  by half for 1D6 weeks for anyone who experiences three or 
  more Ratbomb bombardments. After those 1D6 weeks, the 
  character will return to normal, but for every encounter with 
  2 or more rats or Ratbombs, a 24 hour flashback will flare up 
  reducing all combat bonuses to half again. This phobia has a 
  65% chance of being corrected by a Librarian’s probing.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Assault, Anti-Armor, Terror and Psycho-
  logical Warfare.
  Mega-Damage: Each Ratbomb is sealed with an explosive device 
  that does 1D4x10 M.D. to a 20 foot (6.1 m) radius, 50% greater 
  damage if the rodent was at the feet or base of the target/victim. 
  Each burst will discharge 1D10+4 Ratbombs with 1D4 automati-
  cally detonating upon impact. Both Shock Blasters can be opened 
  at the same time to launch 2D10+8 Ratbombs. Any human within 
  range (20 feet/6.1 m or closer) causes the nanites inside the Rat-
  bomb to detonate.
  Rate of Fire: It takes two melee attacks to fire one or both Shock 
  Blasters. One melee action to pull open one or both the chest 
  plates and jolting the Ratbombs. A second melee attack to dis-
  charge them. If the chest plates are already open, then it takes 
  only one melee attack/action to propel the Ratbombs. Note: Only 
  3 Ratbomb bombardments (single or dual blasters) can be fired 
  per melee round.
  Range: The high-velocity air blasters discharge the Ratbombs up 
  to 700 feet (213.4 m), well under the Omega Blaster’s range, but 
  the amount of damage that they can potentially cause along with 
  the psychological terror and the fact that the rodents can travel 
  hundreds of miles before detonating, may exceed the impact of 
  the comparative Omega Blasters.
  Payload: Each air burst contains 1D10+4 sedated, Ratbombs. 
  Each pack is separated by mesh screen filters so that the Robot 
  can discharge up to 2 bursts per Shock Blaster before requiring a 
  refill. The Shock Blasters can be refilled by the Black Shroud or 
  a Collector, Legionnaire, Mechanic, Nex-Android or aboard the 
  Factory Walker.
  Bonus: +3 to strike on an aimed shot, +3 to Horror Factor to all 
  humans, none against machines.
  3. Mini-Missile Pods (2): Mounted on the back, just behind the 
  shoulder plates, are two howitzer-styled mini-missile pods 
  armed with mini-missiles. They are typically used against 
  long-range opponents trying to pursue the robot or to soften 
  enemy lines to help the Black Shroud escape.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 per plasma mini-missile.
  Rate of Fire: Can fire volleys of 1, 2, 4, or 8.
  Range: About a mile (1.6 km).
  Payload: 8 mini-missiles per launcher (16 total).
  4. Talons: The tip of each finger and toe has a retractable, 3-inch 
  (7.6 cm) long talon. They make decent combat weapons, and 
  are typically used for slashing and to slice open Splicer armor 
  so that nearby Highjackers can climb inside. They are most 
  commonly used for scaling walls and ceilings.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D4 per talon, 4D4 per four-finger strike, or 4D8 
  per two-handed strike (counts as two attacks per melee).
  5. Handheld Weapons: The Black Shroud’s arms are at the right 
  scale where each arm can carry all manner of technological 
  armaments without any penalties to dexterity. Meaning each 
  hand can be equipped with a handheld weapon, long-range or 
  melee, and the Black Shroud can utilize each weapon accu-
  rately and efficiently. Legion typically avoids using the heavi-
  er robot armaments when she is trying to maintain her cover, 
  but the Shroud does possess the strength to wield them with 
  ease and will utilize numerous heavy weapons when needed.
  6. Hand to Hand Combat: Assassin: With all of its ambidex-
  trous limbs and humanoid build, the Black Shroud is adept in 
  hand-to-hand combat.
  Mega-Damage:
  Restrained Punch: 1D4 M.D.
  Punch: 2D6 M.D.
  Power Punch: 4D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Single Talon Strike: 1D4 M.D.
  Four Talon Strike: 4D4 M.D.
  Two-Handed Talon Strike: 8D4 M.D. (counts as two at-
  tacks).
  Kick: 2D8 M.D.
  Leap Kick: 4D8 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  Body Block/Ram: 3D6 M.D., but counts as two attacks.
  
  214
  Hydraconian Amalgam
  (G.M. Note: The Hydraconian should only be deployed if the 
  players are using the Badger APC to plant any Shell Bombs un-
  derneath the Factory Walker. Legion has programmed the Hy-
  draconian to focus its attack protocol in the following order: Bad-
  ger, War Mounts and large N.E.X.U.S. machines/Robots, Host 
  Armors, Biotics, humanoid robots and then all other threats.)
  With so many well-placed spies hidden within the Resistance 
  that serve Legion, it was only a matter of time before Legion 
  would learn of House Artemis’s armored personnel carrier, the 
  Badger (see page 132). The more Legion learned about the Bad-
  ger the more she obsessed over what it could do under her con-
  trol. Legion envisioned it burrowing into Splicers or N.E.X.U.S. 
  strongholds and taking whatever she desired; Engineers, Librar-
  ians, civilians, Test Subjects, Prototypes, Armory Depots, Indus-
  trial centers, Retro villages, Ghost Towns, etc. However, captur-
  ing a Badger would prove no easy feat as the APC is extremely 
  rare (only 1D4 are active in the field) and are tightly classified as 
  a guarded secret from nearly all Great Houses.
  Even if Legion located one, it would certainly be heavily pro-
  tected and being that the Badgers are one of the largest, toughest 
  land and subterranean roaming War Mounts ever devised, she 
  would also have to overcome it within its own territory. Under-
  ground habitats and passageways are one of the few habitats 
  that the Machine does not have dominion over. Most combat 
  robots and drones stay above ground, because the machine can-
  not maintain direct communication and control once they go 
  so deep. It is also the area where a Badger reigns supreme. Le-
  gion’s relay network systems would only get her so far. She 
  knew she would need something more adept for underground 
  travel and combat.
  Legion contemplated numerous schemes to capture such a for-
  midable, evasive quarry, without destroying it. Legion began to 
  comb through N.E.X.U.S. design data files and eventually search 
  through Gaia’s cryo-zoo databases. Legion rarely tampers with 
  Gaia as she has held a healthy respect for her older sister, but the 
  plethora of creatures and what some of them could contribute to 
  her objectives, was simply too tempting to pass up, especially 
  when Legion learned of the extinct Tesla Hydra. It is unknown 
  if it was a true denizen of this planet or if it’s something that 
  was brought by the ancient aliens long ago. Fossils seem to in-
  dicate that it is some form of prehistoric, multi-headed, eel-like 
  species that traveled underground. Gaia had several specimens, 
  but only one restored, mature adult female that she was eventu-
  ally planning on releasing to hunt and harass Splicers and their 
  havens. Growing to the scale of the largest whales, the Tesla is 
  one of the few creatures on the planet that has multiple heads 
  and some fossilized remains may have been the inspiration and 
  DNA source for the first Dracos War Mounts long ago. The Tesla 
  Hydra contains an array of electro-sensory glands that allow it to 
  sense and emit low and high electric current pulses that it uses for 
  detecting motion and navigation. These glands also can be used 
  to deliver extremely powerful jolts of electricity to attack prey 
  or to defend itself. With a few technological enhancements, aug-
  mentations and additional armor plating, this prehistoric monster 
  would serve as the perfect foundation for Legion’s subterranean 
  assault Amalgam.
  Legion didn’t want to design a creature to necessarily kill the 
  Badger or other targets, as she highly values capturing her prey 
  alive for her own uses and experiments. However, because the 
  Badger poses such a viable threat to the Factory Walker’s exis-
  tence, the Tesla Hydra in Gaia’s cryo-zoo was stolen to contend 
  with the Badger. The Legion’s Hydra may not be capable of out-
  right killing the Badger, but it certainly can deliver some stunning 
  attacks and assaults that can immobilize the APC and quite pos-
  sibly, any Splicer inhabitants inside. All of which Legion would 
  gleefully seize for her own uses and experiments.
  Legion designated her new creation the Hydraconian Amal-
  gam. It is reinforced with compound carbon and ceramic armor 
  plating, has an array of advanced robot sensory systems, ad-
  ditional weapon and defense systems and most importantly, a 
  cerebrum-implant for Legion’s direct control. The Hydraconian 
  is well named for its multi-headed morphology, having five in-
  dividual heads (four smaller, Viper eel-like heads and one large 
  head) that are joined to a massive serpentine body. There are four 
  protective shield plates that face forward and are able to generate 
  a focused high-frequency Vibration Field that not only protects 
  all of the Hydra’s heads when they are tucked inside, but also al-
  lows the creature to burrow at high speeds. As it pushes through 
  the underground, breaking up rock, dirt and any other debris in 
  its path with the Vibro-Field, it maneuvers quite well by using its 
  numerous spurs, scales and powerful serpent musculature. The 
  Hydra moves effortlessly as if it is swimming through the ground, 
  always hunting for prey.
  Since the Tesla has such a high tolerance to electricity, Legion 
  increased the Hydra’s electrical output capacity by surgically in-
  stalling a more powerful electro-sensory generator, a cybernetic 
  transformer and several bio-capacitors. These enhancements 
  enable the Amalgam to emit a deep ground-penetrating radar 
  navigation system called Electrolocation. Mounted along the 
  shoulders and back are a series of segmented tubes called Jolt 
  Cannons, which discharge powerful electrical currents at targets.
  Legion’s sensory enhancements have also created a major 
  drawback as the Hydraconian is extremely sensitive to loud 
  sounds such as sonic weapons and explosions. Not even Legion 
  can override its pain and instincts to take flight. Gaia views the 
  Hydraconian as an abomination and a premature attempt of what 
  she could have done with the specimen and is hell-bent on culling 
  every Legion monstrosity augmented from her Nature Preserves 
  or Cryo-Zoo cache.
  The Hydraconian typically burrows at low speeds as it search-
  es for quarry. Once it detects something it will track the target and 
  place itself below the target’s trajectory and suddenly burrow at 
  high speeds to intersect and ambush its victim. When tunneling 
  though moist soil, mud or passing through swampy areas, the Hy-
  draconian will discharge its Jolt Cannons when they’re in range 
  to try and shock prey, making it easier for the numerous Hydra 
  heads to bite into the victim and snatch it underground to be de-
  voured. As much as Legion would like to keep all of its quarry 
  for her own experiments, she also understands and has accepted 
  that in order to sustain her Hydraconian that it must feed and that 
  some victims are simply collateral damage.
  Class: Subterranean Breach and Heavy Assault Amalgam.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Retractable Legs (4) – 380 each
  Jolt Cannons (4) – 145 each
  *Jolt Cables (4) – 20 each
  
  215
  
  216
  Vibro-Shield Plates (4; heavily reinforced) – 310 each
  *Bony Spurs (400; feet) – 5 each
  Tail – 1,200
  Viper Hydra Heads (4; heavily reinforced) – 270 each
  Hydra Main Head (1; heavily reinforced) – 750
  Central Crushing Mouth – 350
  **Brain/Braincase – 250
  ***Main Body – 2,300
  * A single asterisk indicates the target is difficult to hit. An 
  attacker must aim and make a “Called Shot” to hit it, and even 
  then is -3 to strike due to its small size and constant move-
  ment.
  ** Destroying the Braincase will “temporarily” elimi-
  nate most optics and sensory systems, reduces the maximum 
  speed, the number of melee attacks and all bonuses by half. 
  However, because the Amalgam has numerous Tentacle Eels 
  that have their own independent sensory glands that allow 
  the Amalgam to keep fighting or make a strategic retreat. 
  Also note the braincase is located in the center of the Amal-
  gam’s body.
  *** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body kills the Amal-
  gam.
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum speed is 10 mph (16 km) on the surface and 
  typically avoids surface travel as its own weight nearly crushes 
  the Amalgam. It moves much slower when not underground, as 
  it requires contact with most of its spurs to be in contact with the 
  earth to move. It can deploy two pairs of turtle-like legs to help 
  lift its body over obstacles or to pull itself up to higher ground 
  if necessary, but it rarely utilizes these legs and they are often 
  retracted for serpentine mobility.
  Leaping: Not possible.
  Digging: 50 mph (80 km) maximum, but normal cruising speed is 
  30 mph (48 km) through sand or dirt, but half that speed through 
  clay, rock or stone. The act of digging tires the Amalgam at about 
  one tenth the rate of a human and it can dig, nonstop for two 
  hours at full speed before needing 1D4x10+30 minutes of rest to 
  go for another two hours before needing rest. This is due to the 
  large amounts of lactic acid buildup in the Amalgam’s muscu-
  lature. The Hydraconian can burrow at a steady pace of 20 mph 
  (32 km) without pause for up to six hours straight before requir-
  ing rest of eight hours if it periodically pauses for 20-30 minute 
  intervals every hour.
  Swimming: Not possible, sinks like a stone. However, it can 
  slither at 20 mph (32 km) along the bottoms of rivers, lakes or 
  ocean floors up to a maximum depth of 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Flying: Not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 22 feet (6.7 m) tall at the shoulders, 29 feet (8.8 m) when 
  lifted up by its retractable legs. The main head and neck of the 
  Hydraconian can rise up to an additional 32 feet (9.7 m), for total 
  height of 54 feet (16.4 m).
  Width: 27 feet, 9 inches (8.5 m) plus 3 foot (0.9 m) spurs cover-
  ing the body on both sides, for a total width of 33.75 feet (10.3 
  m). With legs extended, add an additional 7 feet (2.1 m).
  Length: 118 feet (35.9 m) for the body, 32 feet (9.7 m) for the 
  longest Hydra head and neck, plus an 80 foot (24 m) tail, equaling 
  a total of 230 feet (70 m).
  Weight: 34 tons.
  Cargo: None, but the Amalgam can haul a maximum of 8 tons up 
  to 6 miles (9.6 km) at half cruise speed.
  Physical Strength: Supernatural P.S. of 47, 36 for the main head, 
  and 28 for each Viper Hydra head.
  Power System: Nanobot and organic driven.
  Construction Quality: Sturdy – incredibly high-quality construc-
  tion. Cybernetic bones and musculature are incorporated into 
  organic components with minimal scarring and the organic ner-
  vous system is integrated nearly perfectly into the technological 
  systems.
  Construction Time: It has taken Legion 4 days to finalize the Hy-
  draconian Amalgam, but without the key component of a Tesla 
  Hydra specimen, this design will not be replicated.
  Repair System: Super Healing/Repair. The Hydraconian possess-
  es Legion’s most advanced healing technologies.
  Regeneration Rate: Organic components are healed at a rate of 
  2D6 M.D.C. per melee round for the main body and 1D4 M.D.C. 
  per melee round for all other locations. Damage to inorganic com-
  ponents are repaired at a rate of 1D6 M.D.C. per melee round, but 
  the Amalgam must have access to 2 pounds (0.9 kg) of metal for 
  every 5 points of M.D.C. healed. The metal needs to be physical-
  ly pressed into the wound in order to activate the repair systems.
  Trade Value: None. CANNOT be controlled by a Technojacker.
  Horror Factor: 16. None against Robots.
  Colors: The Hydraconian’s armor plating is a dull grayish black 
  except for two white rings on its tail, and a white blaze on each 
  nose extending along the necks and uniting into a single white 
  stripe down its back. The scales are dirty, soil encrusted bone 
  (grayish purple), while the more fleshy parts resemble the color 
  of an earthworm. The retractable spiny legs are a dull, putrid 
  purple, and glow softly. The teeth of the Hydra also have a faint 
  glowing hue of lavender when they are exposed.
  Senses & Features: The following Robot features have been 
  installed: Possession by the Machine (Legion personality only), 
  radio and video communications, robot auditory systems, robot 
  optic system, combat coprocessor, additional armor plating as 
  reflected in the M.D.C. that also provide Resistance to Cold & 
  Heat, plus Legion’s Super Healing Repair Systems.
  The following features are natural abilities inherited from the 
  Tesla Hydra: Heat Pits (each head has one pair), Enhanced Hear-
  ing, Floating Air Bladders that deal with the various pressures un-
  derground and help cushion and dissipate accidental impacts and 
  falls (up to 40 feet /12.2 m), Endoskeleton (same as Reinforced 
  Exoskeleton), Electromagnetic Vision, Resistance to Electricity, 
  Seismic Sense, Advanced Senses and Antennae Spurs (400). The 
  more a target is in contact with earth, the better it can be seen 
  by the Hydraconian. The Amalgam’s Thermal and Magnetic Vi-
  sion are used strictly for avoiding dangers and navigation, not for 
  hunting.
  Biological Ground Penetrating Radar, called Electroloca-
  tion: Allows the Amalgam to see 360 degrees up to a range 1.5 
  miles (2.4 km) and can detect and track up to 20 individual mov-
  ing objects. Interpreting Shapes: 74%, Estimating Distance: 81%, 
  Estimating Direction: 83%, Estimating Speed: 69%, Estimating 
  Exact Location: 76%. Obscured by large manufactured/extreme-
  ly dense metal objects (-30%). Large (over 1 ton) moving targets 
  give a 7%, anything above 10 tons gives a 15% bonus to all the 
  above).
  Range: 1.5 miles (2.4 km).
  
  217
  Bonus: +10% if target is underground. Additional 5% if target is 
  making loud noise.
  Penalties: In heavy rain, reduce skill by 10%, and heavy bodies 
  of running water underground within a 2 mile (3.2 km) radius 
  will reduce the effective range by half. Loud noises (heavy explo-
  sions, sonic weapons, earthquakes, and such) do double damage 
  and cause the Hydraconian intense pain, forcing it to temporarily 
  flee up to 1 mile (1.6 km) away to recover and return to attack. 
  During the pain, the Amalgam suffers a loss of initiative, loses 2 
  melee attacks/actions and is -4 to strike for 1D4 melee rounds. 
  This is a primal response that even Legion can’t override.
  Cartilage Clotting Blood: Similar to the Quick Clotting Blood 
  (see Splicers® RPG, page 87) imputed into some Host Armors 
  and War Mounts, the vivid purple, copper-rich blood of the Hy-
  draconian, once exposed to oxygen immediately begins to hard-
  en, becoming a ceramic plate-like scab of armor. At the end of the 
  round, any exposed blood will coagulate and restore 1D4 M.D.C 
  per wound in addition to the super regeneration.
  If anyone gets this blood on them it will have the same effect 
  as Resin Ducts (see Splicers® RPG, pages 87 and 88) for 1D4 
  rounds. Unlike Resin, Salt, Acid and Gore from Gore Slime from 
  Gore Cannons will cause the blood to remain in a liquid form.
  The Cradle: During Legion’s augmentations on the Tesla Hy-
  dra, she rushed to deploy it so that it would be ready to confront 
  the Badger APC, causing her to overlook what was lurking within 
  the deep, slimy catacomb lining covering the Hydra’s stomach. 
  The deep crevices are what Gaia called the Cradle, as it contained 
  3D4 mucus covered, Tesla Hydra larvae. They are voracious, op-
  portunistic scavengers feeding on whatever the Amalgam con-
  sumes. The larvae will also cannibalize one another and anything 
  else they can overcome. To avoid being consumed by their sib-
  lings, some larvae will flee through the digestive tract (one end 
  or the other) and may be lurking in underground caves and pas-
  sageways. Inevitably, only one larva will remain inside the belly. 
  Running out of siblings to consume, it will begin to eat its parent 
  from the inside out, giving it a higher rate of survivability as it 
  will have plenty of food to sustain itself. It also gains the unique 
  benefit of absorbing all the final memories of its parent (up to the 
  last few months of life). Once it has consumed what it can from 
  the carcass, it will abandon the corpse and seek out its own hunt-
  ing territory. This feature concerned Gaia and was the reason she 
  hesitated on releasing it, as it meant that each generation of Tesla 
  Hydra would evolve to become smarter and more vindictive than 
  its predecessors.
  Larva Stats: M.D.C.: Each Head (5) – 6 each, Central Maw: 
  10, Main Body: 24. Length: 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 m) long. 
  Weight: 100 pounds (45 kg). Horror Factor: 8. Number of At-
  tacks: 2. Mega-Damage: 1. Electrical Discharger: 1D12 M.D., 
  range is touch only, each shock counts as one attack and is ef-
  fectively unlimited. 2. Central Maw Bite: 1D4 M.D. per attack.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 12. (Note: Changing direction 
  consumes one melee action due to its size and it will utilize ac-
  tions quickly to turn during combat to flee from loud noises).
  Combat Bonuses (includes all bonuses from being controlled by 
  Legion): +5 on initiative, +6 to strike in hand to hand combat, +2 
  to parry, +5 to roll with punch, fall or impact, +2 to disarm, +2 to 
  strike with ranged weapons, impervious to Horror Factor. Due to 
  the Hydraconian being an eel-like creature and augmented with 
  advanced biomechanics, it is a cold-blooded Amalgam that takes 
  on the temperature of its surroundings, so it does not show up on 
  infrared or thermo-imaging sensors unless it discharges electrical 
  energy weapons (will show for 1D8 melee rounds).
  Skills of Note: Detect Ambush 40%, Detect Concealment 40%, 
  Excavation 80%, Fasting 51%, Identify Plants and Fruits (stuff it 
  should be able to eat) 78%, Tracking (seismically) 70%, Prowl 
  50% (seismically), especially if target is on the surface or under-
  ground and above the Amalgam. Prowl is reduced to 20% if quar-
  ry is aware that something is lurking out there. Note: All alert 
  Gorehounds receive a bonus of +15% and the Badger receives a 
  +25% bonus to detect an incoming attack from the Hydraconian. 
  Wilderness Survival 60%.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Jolt Cannon (4): These large, segmented cannons are mount-
  ed along the back and curve over the shoulders of the Hydra-
  conian. Each cannon resembles a ringed tube with the diam-
  eter of a man’s waist and a single dark eye. On command, 
  a power ringed cable-like harpoon is fired and upon contact, 
  emits an intense amount of electricity that is hot enough to 
  burn through ceramics, steel and most M.D.C. alloys. Each 
  cable also emits an electrical field of flux current that shocks 
  anything that comes into contact with the cable. Each cable 
  is a living tentacle appendage, so if a piece of it is severed, it 
  writhes on the ground like a live wire for 1D4 melee rounds 
  before it stops. Even if cut to the quick, the dismembered cable 
  will regenerate within 8 hours.
  Primary Purpose: Assault, Anti-Armor and Anti-Robot.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense and Enemy Capture.
  Mega-Damage: After the opponent has been harpooned by the 
  cable’s bone arrowhead, which inflicts 5D8 M.D. (counts as 
  one attack), the electricity circuit and connection is established 
  and the electrical current will immediately deliver an additional 
  4D10 M.D. to the victim and anyone (not insulated) who comes 
  into contact with the cable. Every 4 seconds (counts as two me-
  lee attacks) that the Cable remains connected, it delivers an ad-
  ditional 4D10 M.D. until severed or removed. Does an extra 
  1D12+10 M.D. to robots and machines that have their inter-
  nal wiring exposed or have less than 30% of their main body 
  M.D.C. left.
  Against humans and other biological/living creatures who sur-
  vive the blast, they must roll to save vs stun attack (15 or higher, 
  with any possible bonus from P.E.) or they will also lose initia-
  tive, two melee attacks and are at -4 on all combat actions for 
  2D4 melee rounds. An electrical attack on Host Armor will inflict 
  the usual M.D. to the armor plus 2D6 S.D.C. or Hit Point dam-
  age to the pilots inside, but the pilot does not suffer any other 
  penalties. An attack on large War Mounts containing pilots and 
  smaller War Mounts will also deliver full damage to everyone 
  inside the shocked War Mount. Everyone wearing Host Armor 
  or that is a War Mount inside the larger, shocked War Mount 
  will only receive half the damage and must make a save vs stun 
  attack (12 or higher, with any possible bonus from P.E.) or they 
  too will also lose initiative, two melee attacks and are at -4 on all 
  combat actions for 1D4 melee rounds. Machines take only the 
  M.D. inflicted per blast.
  Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 3 or 4 can be fired 
  at either the same target or multiple targets directly in front of the 
  Hydra. Whether it’s a single cable attack or a volley, it will count 
  as two melee attacks (one for the harpoon cables to launch and 
  one for the electrical current upon connection).
  
  218
  Range: 800 feet (243.8 m). When in water, reduce range to 200 
  feet (61 m), but area of effect is now 20 feet (6.1 m). Reduce to 
  30 feet (9.1 m) when firing underground through soil. Unable to 
  fire through rock.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  Bonus: +2 to strike.
  2. Vibro-Shield (4): There are four large, forward-facing, pro-
  tective shield plates that are able to generate a focused field 
  of high-frequency sound called a Vibro-Field, that not only 
  protects all of the Hydra’s heads when they are tucked inside, 
  but also allows the Amalgam to burrow at high speeds or to 
  deliver horrific damage to targets being rammed. The Vibro-
  Field works great against physical and kinetic attacks, but all 
  energy, laser and extreme temperature attacks pass through 
  uninhibited, directly into the Amalgam.
  Primary Purpose: Burrowing and Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Armor and Breaching.
  M.D.C. of the Vibro-Field: The field varies each time it is acti-
  vated but has a 2D6x10 M.D.C. base.
  Mega-Damage: Unlike the Bio-Force Field that does not deliver 
  damage when activated, the Vibro-Field causes anything that 
  comes within 3 feet (0.9 m) of each shield plate to receive 4D4 
  M.D. upon contact, and will continue to deliver an additional 4D4 
  M.D. until the object is removed, destroyed or the field is deac-
  tivated.
  Duration: Indefinite; as long as the Amalgam is conscious, the 
  Vibro-Field can remain in place, but only in front of the Hydra’s 
  Forward Shield Plates which have to be closed for the field to 
  activate.
  Range: Close Combat up to a maximum of 3 feet (0.9 m) directly 
  in front of any Shield Plate.
  3. Central Crusher Maw: The giant mouth located at the cen-
  ter of the connecting Hydra necks is a Mega-Damage meat 
  grinder that can devour bones, armor, and even some M.D.C. 
  metals and is capable of swallowing humanoid sized oppo-
  nents (i.e.: Living Body Armor, Host Armor and some robots) 
  whole.
  Primary Purpose: Burrowing and Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Armor and Breaching.
  Mega-Damage: 2D4x10 M.D. and can only be attempted on tar-
  gets smaller than its mouth (e.g. humans, humanoid-sized robots, 
  Host Armor and small War Mounts up to a Strider. War Mounts 
  like a Dracos, Behemoth or Badger are too large to fit fully in the 
  ‘mouth’ and will only take half damage.
  Rate of Fire: Each bite attack counts as two melee attacks/actions.
  Range: Close Combat.
  4. Shock Scales (Field): Similar to the Electrical Discharger (see 
  Splicers® RPG, page 101), the scales of the Amalgam are 
  aligned and hard wired to the electrosensory glands of the Hy-
  dra and are able to discharge an electrical charge like an eel, 
  only much more powerful and can be conducted through water 
  or air.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Enemy Immobilization.
  Mega-Damage: 2D12 M.D. per attack. Against humans and other 
  biological/living creatures who survive the blast, they must roll 
  to save vs stun attack (15 or higher, with any possible bonus from 
  P.E.) or they will also lose initiative, two melee attacks and are 
  at -4 on all combat actions for 2D4 melee rounds. An electrical 
  attack on Host Armor will inflict the usual M.D. to the armor plus 
  2D6 S.D.C. or Hit Point damage to the pilots inside, but the pilot 
  does not suffer any other penalties. Machines take only the M.D. 
  inflicted per blast.
  Rate of Fire: Each blasts counts as one melee attack.
  Range: 30 feet (9.1 m) or touch.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  5. Needle Stinger Breath: The primary Hydra head has a mouth 
  filled with rows of poisonous fang teeth. Behind these rows of 
  teeth are thousands of embedded, needle-like teeth that will 
  slowly push forward and replace any broken or missing fangs 
  as needed. Upon command, this Hydra head can spew a mas-
  sive breath attack, spraying an area with the stinger-like teeth 
  to damage everything around the Amalgam.
  Primary Purpose: Assault and Defense.
  Mega-Damage: A single stinger does one M.D., a small volley 
  does 1D8 M.D., a medium volley does 2D8 M.D. and a large vol-
  ley does 4D8 M.D. Releasing most (80-90%) at once is the full 
  breath spray, and it inflicts 1D12x10 M.D. to everything within 
  a 90 degree cone in front of the large head to a range of 30 feet 
  (9.1 m).
  Duration: Indefinite; as long as the Amalgam is conscious, the 
  Vibro-Field can remain in place, but only in front of the Hydra’s 
  Forward Shield Plates.
  Rate of Fire: Each small or medium spray counts as one melee 
  attack. Releasing a heavy spray (80-90%) at once counts as two 
  melee attacks.
  Range: 60 feet (18.2 m) with a 180 degree range of fire in front 
  of the Amalgam. Can not fire at targets along the rear of the body 
  or behind it.
  Payload: Effectively unlimited. Like sharks’ teeth, there are rows 
  and rows of them.
  Bonuses: Sleep Chemical causes living victims to fall asleep 
  within ID4 melee rounds, and those who succumb remain asleep 
  for 3D6 minutes. Victims may be awoken by smelling salts or a 
  physical shaking, but remain groggy and -5 to strike, parry and 
  dodge for the duration of the Sleep effect when awoken early.
  6. Hand to Hand Combat: The Hydraconian is a predatory am-
  bush hunter, much like a shark, and is new to the elements of 
  actual fighting. Note: For ANY biting attacks to be utilized 
  by the Amalgam, all four of the forward-facing Vibro-Shield 
  Plates must be open. This reduces speed by half and is -4 to 
  dodge, unless in a wide enough cave, cavern, sewer system, 
  haven, river or other open area.
  Mega-Damage:
  Viper Head Bite: 3D8 M.D., and up to three Viper Heads 
  can bite the same target.
  Central Hydra Head Bite: 5D8 M.D. for the initial bite. 
  If the Hydra opts to drag the victim to the central “mouth” 
  crusher, the Amalgam spends an attack/action to secure its 
  hold onto the target, causing 1D8 M.D., and one additional 
  attack to drag any HA/Strider-sized victim into the crusher. 
  Anyone attempting to get free can do so by using their Escape 
  Artist skill at +15% (slip the jaws), or the victim can be pulled 
  away *(counts as one melee action) of the Hydra’s mouth by 
  comrades or themselves provided they match the Hydra’s P.S.
  Central Maw Crusher Bite Attack: 2D4x10 M.D. but 
  counts as two melee attacks.
  Coil and Crush/Constriction: 1D8x10+30 M.D. for the first 
  melee attack, but 1D4x10 M.D. per each subsequent constrict-
  ing attack. 01-40% chance of pinning both of the opponent’s 
  
  219
  arms or front legs. Only usable on large targets at least the 
  size of the Behemoth. Humanoid and small War Mounts like 
  the Strider are too small. It takes two melee attacks/actions to 
  entangle an opponent before any crushing damage can begin. 
  Roll once to hit, and once to entangle target. The victim can 
  break free by succeeding two consecutive P.S. checks against 
  the Hydraconian’s P.S.
  Body Block/Ram: 1D6x10 M.D. to targets as large as 30 
  feet (9.1 m) tall. 1D4x10 M.D. to targets larger than 30 feet 
  (9.1 m) and has a 01-50% chance of knocking the opponent 
  off his feet, and will lose initiative and two melee attacks. Any 
  opponent under 30 feet (9.1 m) is definitely knocked off their 
  feet and must roll to determine the resulting penalty.
  01-33% Sent flying 2D10 yards/meters and loses initiative 
  and two melee attacks, plus is dazed for 1D4 melee rounds, 
  during which the victim’s attacks per round are reduced by 
  half.
  34-66% Knocked down and loses initiative and takes an 
  additional 2D6 M.D.
  67-00% The Character is knocked down and run over by the 
  Amalgam and its spurs, suffering an additional 1D6x10+20 
  M.D.!
  Mega-Damage from getting run-over: Characters, vehicles 
  and objects under 15 feet (4.6 m) tall who can’t get out of 
  the way of the slithering Hydraconian are automatically run 
  over and take 1D6x10+20 M.D., and if they survive, also lose 
  initiative and 1D4+2 melee attacks/actions. If the Amalgam 
  has its Vibro-Field on, then the initial damage is upgraded to 
  1D8x10 M.D. The ram attack counts as two melee attacks/
  actions.
  Siege Titan Robot
  A massive metal monstrosity, the Siege Titan may be the most 
  frightening and powerful robot foe belched from Legion’s fe-
  vered matrix. A massive front-line assault robot and troop trans-
  port, the Siege Titan unleashes devastating amounts of firepower, 
  relentlessly moving forward and only slowing to fight the most 
  intense of enemy forces. Providing cover and support for ground 
  troops, it uses its immense bulk to plow through condensed en-
  emy defenses and troops. Designed to disrupt and crush enemy 
  infantry and positions, the super heavy robot is used to smash 
  through defensive fortifications, punch through infantry lines, 
  destroy heavy armor, and clear the sky of aerial targets before 
  unleashing its own cache of troops.
  The Siege Titan is a vaguely centaur looking robot; a giant 
  humanoid torso on an enormous, vehicular body. Carried into 
  battle on multiple sets of thick, spiked treads, the upper torso 
  can rotate a full 360 degrees and the arms have full mobil-
  ity. When not in the thick of combat, the torso often stoops 
  forward, giving it a slouched and almost hunchbacked ap-
  pearance. The huge arms and hands can batter and strike at 
  troops, crushing them in its grasp, punch through barricades 
  or fortifications and go hand to hand with other giant robots or 
  War Mounts. Tipped with wicked spikes, the treads tear up the 
  earth as the Titan passes, mulching any unfortunate victims 
  who get in its way.
  The treads themselves are a marvel of mechanical engineer-
  ing. Heavy and spiked, they are extremely durable and offer ex-
  cellent traction on nearly any surface. The treads are arranged 
  three to each side of the body and covered by a heavily armored 
  pod for protection. Destroying one tread will only slow the Siege 
  Titan slightly. Inside each armored pod are two additional sets of 
  treads, ready to be used when needed. As treads are extensively 
  damaged, the Siege Titan can retract the damaged treads and a 
  new set will rotate into place. The entire process takes about a 
  minute and the robot can continue moving with only a slight re-
  duction in speed. The treads themselves can go forward and back-
  ward, have independent suspension and can angle out 45 degrees 
  for maximum balance and mobility.
  With an array of weapons, the Siege Titan lives up to its name. 
  Able to engage in long-range bombardments and close combat 
  fighting alike, the robot is a rolling heavy weapons platform, mo-
  bile base and troop transport rolled into one. To keep from be-
  ing swarmed by infantry, the Siege Titan is outfitted with several 
  smaller, short-range, anti-personnel and area denial weapons to 
  fight off swarming troops. When on the offense, the Siege Titan 
  is the cornerstone of any assault, constantly firing at the enemy, 
  forcing them to take cover while the assault advances. When on 
  defense, the Siege Titan will be the last robot vehicle to retreat, 
  lagging to slow enemy attacks.
  Class: Mobile Artillery, All-Terrain Field Support Unit.
  Troop Capacity: Up to 48 infantry-sized robots, 16 heavy infan-
  try or slightly larger troops, and 3 light giant robots is the stan-
  dard mix, but any similar combination of troops works.
  Cargo Capacity: Instead of transporting troops, the robot can 
  haul up to 89 tons of cargo (reduce maximum speed by 30%).
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Shoulders (2) – 450 each
  Upper Arms (2) – 350 each
  Forearms (2) – 300 each
  *Hands (2) – 250 each
  Main Particle Beam Cannon (right shoulder) – 230
  Pulse Laser Turrets (4) – 130 each
  *Heavy Rail Gun Turret (front) – 200
  *Arm Mounted Rail Guns (2, one each arm) – 150 each
  *Mini-Missile Launchers (2, torso) – 100 each
  Missile Launcher Turret (1, rear section) – 200
  *Thumper Grenade Turrets (2, each side) – 150 each
  *Canister Launchers (2 rear) – 100 each
  ***Tread Pods (6, 3 on each side) – 400
  *Heavy Treads (18 total, 3 per tread pod, 3 tread pods on each 
  side) – 350 each
  *Cargo Bay Doors (4) – 180 each
  Rear Cargo Bay Double Doors (1) – 300
  *Rear Cargo Bay Ramp (1) – 200
  *Head/Sensor Array – 400
  *Secondary Sensor Cluster (2, front sides) – 50 each
  **Main Body: Rear Section/Cargo Bay – 900
  **Main Body: Mid-Section – 2,200
  **Main Body: Forward Section – 2,150
  * A single asterisk indicates a small or difficult target to 
  hit. They can only be struck when the attacker makes a Called 
  Shot, and even then, he is -3 to strike.
  Individual treads can be targeted independently of the tread 
  pod itself as a Called Shot with -3 penalty.
  Destroying the head engages both sensor clusters (small, 
  circular indentions on the forward side of the body). Destroy-
  ing the head and sensor clusters eliminates all forms of optical 
  and sensory enhancement.
  
  220
  
  221
  ** Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body of the front and 
  mid-sections shuts the robot down completely, rendering it 
  useless.
  *** Destroying a tread pod exposes ALL primary treads in 
  that pod to attack. Destroying up to two sets of treads reduces 
  speed by 20%. Destroying the three treads reduces speed by 
  50%. Four or more treads reduces speed to only 10% until the 
  treads are repaired or replaced. Rotating a new set of treads 
  into place takes approximately one minute and reduces speed 
  by 20% until the new tread is in place.
  Speed:
  Ground: 45 mph (72 km) maximum.
  Leaping: Not possible.
  Flying: Not possible.
  Underwater: The Siege Titan is fully amphibious, able to roll 
  along the sea floor at a speed of 20 mph (32 km) to a depth of 3.5 
  miles (5.6 km).
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 58 feet (17.7 m) from the ground to top of the head. Arm 
  reach is about 42 feet (12.8 m).
  Width: 34 feet (10.4 m).
  Length: 83 feet (25.3 m).
  Weight: 102 tons fully loaded, plus troops and/or cargo.
  Cargo: See Troop Capacity.
  Power System: Standard.
  Trade Value: None for humans. Limited even for a Technojacker 
  because he can only control this large robot vehicle for a only one 
  minute at a time when it is not under Legion’s control.
  Physical Strength: Robot P.S. of 60.
  Horror Factor: 17.
  Senses & Features: Standard, plus an independent targeting sys-
  tem for each main weapon system.
  Number of Attacks (includes all bonuses from being controlled 
  by the Legion personality): Twelve.
  Combat Bonuses (includes all bonuses from being controlled 
  by Legion personality): +5 on initiative, +8 to strike with ranged 
  weapons (+5 with missiles), +4 to strike in hand to hand combat 
  or with ram and rolling over ground troops and targets, +3 to 
  parry, No Dodge, and +1 to pull punch, +1 to roll with punch, 
  fall or impact.
  Skills of Note: Standard. A tank-like robot vehicle designed to 
  take down enemy armored units, aircraft, fortifications, and mow 
  down troops.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Super-Particle Beam Cannon (right shoulder): The main 
  weapon of the Siege Titan is its massive, double-barrel parti-
  cle beam cannon. It is a smaller, modified version of the Main 
  Super-Cannon mounted onto Land Dominators (see Splicers 
  RPG®, page 48) that gives the Siege Titan a range of move-
  ment when discharging the cannon. The weapon system can 
  fire one individual blast or a simultaneous dual blast. The gun 
  is housed in a shoulder mounted turret that can rotate 360 de-
  grees. The turret housing underneath the gun contains an inde-
  pendent sensor, radar and targeting system.
  Primary Purpose: Mass Destruction, Anti-Armor and Anti-For-
  tifications.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-War Mount and Assault.
  Mega-Damage: 1D8x10+4 M.D. per single blast, 2D8x10+8 
  M.D. when both barrels are fired in tandem. Critical Strike (dou-
  ble damage) occurs on a roll of a Natural 19 or 20 to strike.
  Rate of Fire: Each single or dual blast counts as two melee at-
  tacks. The big gun can only fire twice per melee round (needs 
  about 10 seconds to recycle).
  Range: 7,000 feet (2,134 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  2. Pulse Laser Turrets (4): The Siege Titan has 4 pulse laser 
  turrets, one in the front section, one on each side, and the rear. 
  They can rotate side to side 90 degrees and have a 45 degree 
  up and down arc of fire.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel.
  Mega-Damage: 2D6 M.D. per single blast, 4D6 M.D. per dual 
  blast, 6D6 M.D. for a triple blast and 1D4x10+5 for a quadruple 
  blast.
  Rate of Fire: Each single blast or simultaneous volley counts as 
  one melee attack. Roll to strike only once for a pair or volley of 
  3-4 blasts, so either the entire volley hits or they all miss.
  Range: 4,000 feet (1,219 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  3. Heavy Rail Gun Turret: A heavy rail gun turret is built into 
  the front section of the Siege Titan, beneath the torso. It can 
  rotate 90 degrees and has a 45 degree arc of fire.
  Primary Purpose: Assault and Anti-Personnel.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D4x10 M.D. per 20 round short burst or 1D6x10 
  M.D. per 40 round long burst. This weapon can only fire bursts.
  Rate of Fire: Each short or long burst counts as one melee attack.
  Range: 5,000 feet (1,520 m).
  Payload: 20,000 rounds for 500 long bursts.
  4. Heavy Gatling Rail Guns (2): Each torso arm mounts a 
  heavy-duty, Gatling-style rail gun for added firepower. Point 
  and shoot.
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 M.D. per 40 round short burst or 2D6x10 
  M.D. per 80 round regular burst. This weapon can only fire bursts.
  Rate of Fire: Each short or regular burst counts as one melee at-
  tack.
  Range: 6,000 feet (1,829 m).
  Payload: 24,000 rounds each for 300 regular bursts.
  5. Torso Mini-Missile Launchers (2): Each side of the torso 
  on the front contains a mini-missile launcher. To fire, a panel 
  slides open, the missile volley is launched and the panel slides 
  shut. The onslaught that can be unleashed is terrible and entire 
  waves of attackers can be wiped out.
  Primary Purpose: Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Armor.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel and Defense.
  Mega-Damage: Varies with missile type, but fragmentation (5D6 
  M.D. to everything in a 20 foot/6.1 m radius) is the standard load.
  Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10.
  Range: Varies with missile type, but fragmentation is the stan-
  dard payload with a half a mile (0.8 km) range.
  Payload: 120 total, 60 in each launcher.
  6. Medium-Range Missile Launcher Turret: A large, medium-
  range missile launcher is located near the rear section of the 
  Siege Titan. The turret can rotate 360 degrees and has a 45 
  degree arc of fire.
  
  222
  Primary Purpose: Anti-Fortifications and Anti-Armor.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Aircraft and Assault.
  Mega-Damage: Varies with missile type, but typically high-ex-
  plosive (3D6xl0 M.D. to everything in a 30 foot/9.1 m radius) or 
  Multi-Warhead (5D6xl0 M.D. to a 20 foot/6.1 m radius).
  Rate of Fire: Fired one at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 6 or 8.
  Range: Varies with type of missile used, but typically 1-40 miles 
  (1.6 to 64 km).
  Payload: 42 total medium-range missiles.
  7. Thumper Grenade Launchers (2): Named for the distinctive 
  noise made when firing, Thumpers are rapid-fire grenades ca-
  pable of laying down withering fire. While range is somewhat 
  short, the barrage is devastating. A few quick bursts from a 
  Thumper can chew through troops, grounds vehicles and even 
  robots and fortifications. Each Thumper is mounted on a small 
  turret offering 360-degree rotation with a 90 degree arc of fire.
  Primary Purpose: Anti-Personnel and Anti-Monster.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Fortifications and Assault.
  Mega-Damage: Varies with grenade type: Fragmentation gre-
  nades (4D6 M.D. to a blast radius of 20 feet/6.1 m), High Explo-
  sive grenades (5D8 M.D. to an eight foot/2.4 m radius), Plasma 
  grenades (6D6 M.D. to a 12 foot/3.6 m), and Smoke (covers a 40 
  foot/12 m area). Blast radius is extended by 10% for each grenade 
  in a volley to a maximum of 30%.
  Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 6 or 8. A volley, 
  regardless of the number of grenades fired, counts as one melee 
  attack.
  Range: 1,200 feet (366 m).
  Payload: 200 total; 100 grenades per launcher.
  8. Cluster Mine Launchers (2): The Cluster Launchers are mor-
  tar-style cannons located in the rear of the Siege Titan. Each 
  launcher fires a canister packed with 20 individual mines. 
  When fired, the canister breaks apart in the air, scattering the 
  mines within a 100 x 100 foot (30.5 x 30.5 m) area, creating 
  an instant minefield! Each mine is roughly the size of a hockey 
  puck. Despite the small size, each is equipped with a high-tech 
  sensor and a powerful explosive charge. The sensor will detect 
  a human-sized target at 10 feet (3 m), larger targets up to 30 
  feet (9.1 m) away. Unless the target is using a Legion identifi-
  cation frequency, the mine will arm itself.
  Primary Purpose: Anti-Personnel.
  Secondary Purpose: Area denial.
  Mega-Damage: 3D8 M.D. to everything within a 5 foot (1.5 m) 
  blast radius.
  Rate of Fire: One at a time, each canister counts as one melee 
  attack.
  Range: 1,800 feet (548 m).
  Payload: 50 total; 25 canisters per launcher.
  9. Chemical Cloud: The Siege Titan can surround itself in a 
  cloud of noxious, corrosive chemicals. This attack is usually 
  used to clear an area or cause swarming troops to scatter. The 
  cloud can be released as an area effect mist around the Siege 
  Titan or directly sprayed at one target.
  Mega-Damage: The corrosive mist inflicts 3D6 M.D. on the initial 
  attack and an additional 2D6 M.D. for 1D4+1 additional melee 
  rounds or until washed off. Additionally, against organic targets 
  (animals, Host Armor, War Mounts, etc.) the acid causes intense 
  eye irritation and blurred vision (victims lose initiative and are -4 
  to strike, parry, dodge and disarm for 2D4 melee rounds).
  Rate of Fire: Each spray counts as one melee attack.
  Range: The corrosive inflicts damage to all targets within 6 feet 
  (1.8 m) of the Siege Titan. Alternatively, it can be concentrated in 
  a direct spray at one target up to 25 feet (7.6 m) away.
  Payload: The Siege Titan contains enough chemicals for 12 
  blasts.
  10. Hand to Hand Combat: Unlike the Land Dominator, the 
  Siege Titan is adept at close combat and can run over enemy 
  troops, flip over large vehicles or smash through light M.D.C. 
  walls and barriers.
  Mega-Damage:
  Full Strength Punch or Rip/Tear Attack: 6D6 M.D.
  Power Punch: 2D6x10 M.D., but counts as two melee at-
  tacks.
  Kick and stomp are not possible.
  Ram Attack: 2D6x10 M.D. to targets 50 feet (15.2 m) or 
  taller, 4D4x10 M.D. to targets less than 50 feet (15.2 m) from 
  a ramming strike. 01-75% likelihood of knocking an opponent 
  who is 50-100 feet (15.2 to 30.5 m) tall off his feet and the 
  victim loses initiative and two melee attacks.
  Any opponent under 50 feet (15.2 m) is knocked off his 
  feet, but in this case, roll to determine the resulting penalty:
  01-33% Sent flying 3D10 yards/meters and loses initiative 
  and three melee attacks, plus is dazed for 1D4 melee rounds, 
  during which the victim’s attacks per round are reduced by 
  half.
  34-66% Knocked down and loses initiative and three melee 
  attacks and takes an extra 2D10 M.D.
  67-00% The character is knocked down and run-over by 
  the treads, suffering an additional 2D6x10+20 M.D.!
  Getting Run-Over: Characters, vehicles and objects under 
  15 feet (4.6 m) tall who can’t get out of the way of a mov-
  ing Siege Titan are automatically trampled and run-over and 
  take 2D4x10+20 M.D. If they survive, they lose initiative and 
  1D4+2 melee attacks/actions. Note: The Siege Titan can run 
  over such small obstructions without stopping or losing speed, 
  so it can plow right through lines or clusters of troops and keep 
  firing with its guns without stopping or using a single action.
  The Legion Personality
  Attributes: I.Q. 29, M.A. 25, M.E. 25, others are not applicable. 
  Any saving throws are done with the M.E. bonuses.
  Alignment: Miscreant.
  Disposition: Legion can be cold and calculating one moment, 
  warm, friendly, and playful the next, and then cruel, twisted 
  and vengeful after that. Like N.E.X.U.S., Legion can be a tad 
  mercurial at times, but her changing moods are more like the 
  multifaceted aspects of a single coherent mind rather than the 
  swirling insanity found within the Machine. She is focused 
  and driven on achieving unity, but she sees no harm in having 
  a little fun along the way. For Legion, “fun” means setting up 
  an elaborate maze of tricks and schemes to see if she can lead 
  unwitting participants into traps. She loves testing her intellect 
  against challenging opponents. While she respects the Ma-
  chine’s raw intellect, she does not really consider N.E.X.U.S. 
  a worthy test of her skills. She knows her sister personalities 
  too well, so games with N.E.X.U.S. are never all that exciting 
  to her. She prefers the unpredictability of the Resistance. No 
  matter how well she prepares, these clever beings continue 
  to surprise her, but that only makes the game more exciting. 
  
  223
  her robots and drones that allow her to use them as relays for 
  her consciousness. This enables her to extend her area of effect 
  an additional 500 feet (152.4 m) around every Legion robot, 
  drone, or cyborg under her control. This means the more she 
  consumes, the more her influence grows. Her Factory Walker 
  will be able to communicate with captured Industrial Centers 
  from up to 1,000 miles (1,600 km) away.
  Attacks per Melee: Three attacks per melee are added to each 
  robot, drone, cyborg, or machine within her area of influence.
  Combat Bonuses: The following bonuses are added to each unit 
  under her control within her area of effect, +2 on initiative, +2 
  to strike, parry, and dodge, +3 to roll with impact, +2 to pull 
  punch and disarm. Legion can also communicate through any 
  or all robots, drones, cyborgs, or machines in her area of con-
  trol. She mainly speaks through all robots under her control 
  simultaneously as a demonstration of unity, but she will also 
  communicate through individual avatars when she needs to 
  hold multiple conversations at the same time.
  Legion’s Factory Walker
  The Factory Walker is the single largest robot on the planet. 
  Legion designed this enormous war machine to house her con-
  sciousness and act as the brains of her ever-expanding body (her 
  vast army of minions). It is more than just a war machine; it is 
  the key to her plans for conquest. This enormous spider-like jug-
  gernaut not only possesses twice the destructive power of a Land 
  Dominator, but it also contains four state of the art manufacturing 
  bays and a fully equipped medical center. The Factory Walker 
  can convert raw materials, battlefield salvage, and living cap-
  tives into combat-ready robots, cyborgs, Necroborgs, weapons, 
  munitions, spare parts, and even swarms of nanobots at amazing 
  speeds. It enables her forces to remain completely self-sufficient 
  (and continuously growing) even without access to the Machine’s 
  Industrial Centers.
  The Walker contains the schematics to every N.E.X.U.S. ro-
  bot design. Each bay is large enough to build an Assault Slayer, 
  and these ingeniously designed manufacturing centers can pro-
  duce even the most complex automaton ten times faster than 
  any Machine installation. Of course, Legion still finds it much 
  more expedient and efficient to simply capture and reprogram 
  existing robots rather than build new ones. She rarely constructs 
  N.E.X.U.S. designed robots and prefers to churn out her own 
  personal designs. Unless the Walker’s resources are needed else-
  where, Legion will generally dedicate at least two bays to produc-
  ing a steady string of human and animal cyborgs or her favorite 
  robot minions known as Collectors.
  The Factory Walker may possess impressive offensive capa-
  bilities, but Legion chose its armaments more for their defensive 
  applications. She knew from the moment the Walker took its first 
  step, it would be under almost continuous assault by the Machine 
  and the Resistance. She focused on area effect weapons like mini-
  missiles and Gatling guns since they are not only perfect for en-
  gaging large concentrations of enemies, but they are also great 
  for shooting down incoming missiles and fast moving enemy 
  aircraft. In fact, the enormous mini-missile launchers mounted 
  on the Walker’s back are capable of throwing up such a tremen-
  dous volley of missiles that it is nearly impossible for anything 
  to get through. This type of strategy is usually costly in terms of 
  munitions, but the Factory Walker can replace spent rockets so 
  Every failed plot is a new opportunity to adapt. A new chance 
  to take the game in unknown directions.
  Insanities: Despite Legion’s general stability, she does have a 
  few “quirks” that could prove to be liabilities one day. For 
  one, she is obsessed with competition. She considers herself 
  to be far more intelligent than anyone or anything else on the 
  planet. While she never underestimates her opponents, she 
  will go to great lengths to prove that she possesses the su-
  perior mind. Even when she could easily crush her enemies 
  through numerical superiority, she finds it more challenging 
  (and fun) to outmaneuver them and cause them to stumble into 
  an elaborately laid out trap. These clever schemes and games 
  do keep her skills sharp and her enemies off-balance, but her 
  love of games also presents opponents with too many unnec-
  essary opportunities. Another strange, little eccentricity is her 
  pathological hatred of insects. Perhaps this is a holdover from 
  the N.E.X.U.S. directive concerning pest control, or perhaps it 
  is because she is unable to effectively assimilate and control 
  bugs. Whatever the reason, she makes sure any area under her 
  control is completely devoid of insects. She uses her Factory 
  Walker to manufacture huge quantities of pesticides that her 
  Collectors dispense. It only takes a few treatments to leave an 
  area toxic to insects for months. Once she seizes full control 
  of the planet, she figures it will only take six months to com-
  pletely drive every insect species on the planet into extinction. 
  Because of her hatred of bugs, she absolutely despises Mantis 
  Cannons, Swarm Lords, Zephyr War Mounts and anyone us-
  ing insect-based Bio-Tech devices. She will ignore all other 
  opponents until these types of targets fall, then she will mop 
  up the rest. The few Splicers that have noticed this peculiar 
  behavior have already used it to their advantage on several oc-
  casions. Legion curses herself for revealing this weakness, but 
  she cannot help herself and continues to work this way. She 
  figures at the very least, she can create the expectation among 
  her enemies and then change her behavior later to trap any 
  particularly clever opponents.
  Experience Level: Ninth level artificial intelligence. Despite her 
  relatively recent entrance onto the world stage, Legion has ex-
  isted deep within the Machine for many years.
  Area of Effect: Roughly a 30 mile (48 km) radius around the 
  Factory Walker. Legion also designed unique systems within 
  
  224
  quickly that this is rarely an issue. Its primary offensive weapons 
  consist of a pair of powerful particle beam cannons mounted on 
  the forward weapon arms. These stubby-barreled cannons may 
  not have quite the range and power of the Land Dominator’s main 
  weapon, but each is still capable of liquidating a Battle Track in 
  a few shots. Legion was willing to trade away the firepower of 
  more massive cannons in favor of an increased field of fire. She 
  never wanted to be deprived of her most powerful armaments if 
  the enemy ever got too close (which was the main weakness she 
  saw in the Land Dominator).
  In addition to lethal armaments, the Walker also contains sev-
  eral non-lethal weapon systems that it uses to collect subjects 
  (both living and robotic) so they can be converted into Legion 
  controlled minions. There are four gas vents mounted along the 
  sides of the Walker that allow it to blanket a 500 foot (152.4 m) 
  radius with various types of toxic chemicals. Legion commonly 
  uses knockout gas or paralyzing compounds, but she will switch 
  to Creeping Death nerve gas when she needs to flush out hid-
  den opponents (or just to make a statement). Mounted around 
  the “mouth” of the Walker are six retractable tentacles that can 
  deliver a powerful electric shock to any target they ensnare. A 
  quick shock can stun or disable any living target, but they can 
  also disable robotic targets by delivering a continuous electrical 
  discharge. The electrical current temporarily scrambles the ro-
  bot’s circuits while only inflicting minimal damage. The Walker 
  then reels in its disabled prey towards the mouth where a battery 
  of surgical lasers is used to “lobotomize” the robot so that it can 
  be safely brought inside for reprogramming. Legion can also en-
  case targets in super strong carbon nanotube webbing. She gener-
  ally does this as an extra precaution when she captures prototype 
  robot designs that she in unfamiliar with or for times when her 
  instincts warn her that a particular victim may be part of a trap.
  Legion has designed one of the most sophisticated pieces of 
  technology on the planet. Before exiting N.E.X.U.S., she stole 
  hundreds of the most advanced designs she could find from the 
  Machine’s vast databanks, plus she invented some impressive 
  new designs to serve her unique needs. Even Hecate marvels 
  at many of the innovative features that Legion incorporated 
  into her personal transport vessel. The Machine knows that de-
  stroying the Factory Walker is the key to stopping Legion, but 
  several of the personalities are hoping to find a way to delete 
  the Legion persona without damaging the Walker. Some wish 
  to reverse engineer this amazing piece of technology to unlock 
  its secrets, while others hope to follow in the footsteps of Le-
  gion and use it to unleash their own personal plans for global 
  domination. Sometimes it is unclear if Legion’s successes are a 
  result of her tactical genius or just the Machine’s divided mind 
  sabotaging itself.
  Class: Mobile Industrial Center and Heavy Assault Robot.
  M.D.C. by Location:
  Arms (2) – 500 each
  **Legs (10) – 1,500 each
  Particle Beam Cannons (2) – 500 each
  Frag Gatling Guns (4) – 250 each
  Mini-Missile Launchers (8) – 300 each
  Point Defense Lasers (10) – 75 each
  Surgical Lasers (4) – 50 each
  **Collection Tentacles (8) – 350 each
  Processing Bay Door – 900
  Manufacturing Bay Door – 1,300
  *Main Body – 4,300
  Force Field – 2,000
  * Depleting the M.D.C. of the Main Body will completely 
  destroy the robot.
  
  225
  ** 4 legs and 2 Collection Tentacles have been added since 
  Legion’s first arrival in Episode I.
  Speed:
  Running: Maximum speed is 60 mph (96 km), but normal cruis-
  ing speed is 45 mph (72 km).
  Digging: Not possible.
  Leaping: Not possible.
  Swimming: Not possible.
  Flying: Not possible.
  Statistical Data:
  Height: 90 feet (27 m) tall when standing at full height.
  Width: 80 feet (24 m).
  Length: 230 feet (70 m).
  Weight: 436 tons.
  Physical Strength: Robotic P.S. of 70.
  Cargo: Can carry up to 150 additional tons, but typically only 
  holds 80 tons.
  Power System: Possesses multiple fusion cells that allow it to 
  continuously run at peak efficiency for up to 100 years.
  Trade Value: None.
  Horror Factor: 19
  Senses and Features: Standard, plus the following:
  Manufacturing Bays (4): The “abdomen” section of the spi-
  der-like body is divided into four separate Manufacturing Bays. 
  Each bay is large enough to construct an Assault Slayer, or it 
  can build several smaller robots simultaneously. One bay is con-
  stantly dedicated to processing raw materials and salvaged metal 
  into useful components, although other bays can be quickly con-
  verted to this purpose whenever necessary. All these bays are a 
  continuous buzz of activity, with dozens of mechanical armatures 
  and millions of nanobots working in conjunction to churn out ro-
  botic minions at blazing speeds. The Factory Walker can produce 
  any N.E.X.U.S. designed robot 10 times faster than the most ad-
  vanced Industrial Center, but it is still much faster for Legion to 
  simply capture and reprogram existing robots. Completed robots, 
  cyborgs, and supplies are released through a heavily armored 
  door on the underside of the abdomen.
  Medical Bay: A smaller medical center is located near the 
  Manufacturing Bays. Its sole purpose is to process humans and 
  animals for cybernetic conversion. This high-tech facility can 
  process ten humans (or similarly sized animals) simultaneously. 
  Only living cyborgs are created in the Medical Bay; Necroborgs 
  and Necrobots are built in the Manufacturing Bays from bodies 
  salvaged from the battlefields.
  Processing Bay: The front of the Walker contains a large 
  access door that serves as the “mouth” of the robot. All raw 
  materials (robots, humans, animals, scrap metal, and raw ore) 
  are processed and sorted within this portal and then passed on to 
  the Manufacturing Bays. Bringing living beings and function-
  ing robots into the Walker is a dangerous endeavor, but Legion 
  took every precaution to ensure her safety. The interior corri-
  dor is heavily shielded (200 M.D.C. per 10 foot/3 m section of 
  wall) and bristling with hundreds of defensive weapon emplace-
  ments. If anything within the bay presents any type of resis-
  tance, all weapon systems are immediately triggered. The entire 
  Processing Bay becomes an inescapable corridor of death filled 
  with laser fire, plasma blasts, and rail gun bursts. Everything 
  within the bay suffers 6D6x10 M.D. every melee round until 
  all invaders are destroyed. This also inflicts significant damage 
  on the bay itself, but the Walker’s nanobots repair all damage 
  within 4D6 minutes.
  Nanobot Repair System: The Factory Walker is covered in 
  millions of nanobots that continuously make repairs to damaged 
  systems. Even the most catastrophic damage can be repaired in 
  time, but Legion usually just builds replacement parts to speed 
  up the process. Damage to the main body regenerates at a rate of 
  1D4x10 M.D.C. per minute, and damage to the limbs and weapon 
  systems regenerates at a rate of 3D6 M.D.C. per minute.
  Satellite Uplink: Legion designed a special satellite override 
  that allows the Factory Walker to interface with the Machine’s 
  satellite network. It is the only thing keeping N.E.X.U.S. from 
  targeting Legion’s forces from orbit with military satellites. The 
  last time she tried to target the Walker, Legion seized control 
  of the very same satellite and used it to destroy three other sat-
  ellites. Legion created thousands of backdoor access points to 
  keep connected to the network, but N.E.X.U.S. is constantly 
  working to shut them all down. It is a continuous battle that 
  Legion seems to be winning for the moment. She is currently 
  working on plans to launch her own network of satellites into 
  orbit as a means to permanently remove the Machine’s tactical 
  advantage.
  Number of Attacks per Melee: 25!
  Combat Bonuses: +8 on initiative, +12 to strike with ranged 
  weapons, +9 to strike with missiles, +3 to strike in close combat, 
  dodging is not possible.
  Weapon Systems:
  1. Main Particle Beam Cannons (2): Each weapon arm con-
  tains a powerful, short-range particle beam cannon. The fully 
  articulated arms can engage targets in nearly any direction, 
  even those positioned directly under the Walker. Each weapon 
  arm contains independent sensors, radar, and targeting arrays, 
  which enables them to engage separate targets, but both can-
  nons can strike the same target simultaneously (counts as one 
  melee attack).
  Primary Purpose: Assault.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Fortification.
  Mega-Damage: 4D6x10 M.D. per single blast, 8D6x10 M.D. per 
  dual blast.
  Rate of Fire: Each cannon can fire twice per melee round.
  Range: 4,000 feet (1,219 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  Bonuses: +2 to strike.
  2. Frag Gatling Guns (4): Two enormous rail guns are mounted 
  on the front of the Walker and another two are mounted on the 
  back. Legion actually stole the designs for these guns from 
  blueprints of a future N.E.X.U.S. design called an Inflictor 
  Hunter/Killer Robot. The guns fire special rail gun rounds that 
  are designed to lodge into the Mega-Damage hides of Bio-
  Tech devices and supernatural creatures in order to trigger a 
  Nanobot Plague response. The reaction can be stopped if the 
  rounds are removed fast enough, but this is usually an impos-
  sible task since the victim has less than a minute to remove all 
  the metal fragments. A side effect of the odd shaped rounds 
  is that they do reduce the range and accuracy of the gatling 
  gun, although the incredibly high rate of fire of this weapon 
  makes up for its poor accuracy by blanketing the target area 
  with hundreds of rounds.
  
  226
  These weapons are designed to be used against the Resis-
  tance, but Legion finds them equally effective against the Ma-
  chine. They are ideal against large concentrations of targets 
  or fast moving opponents, plus it is easy for the Walker to 
  manufacture ammunition for these weapons from scrap metal 
  found all across the surface.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Missile.
  Mega-Damage: 1D8x10 M.D. to everything within a 40 foot 
  (12.2 m) area per burst of 200 rounds. Any living target struck by 
  a burst of frag rounds will have 1D8 rounds lodged in its flesh. 
  Unless the rounds are removed in 1D4 melee rounds, they will 
  each trigger a Nanobot Plague response (there is no additional 
  damage against robots). Digging out each round takes 1D6 melee 
  attacks and inflicts an additional 2D6 M.D. Most Nanoplague ef-
  fects occur instantaneously and actually burn out the Nanobots 
  responsible for the damage. This means that a metallic fragment 
  may harmlessly remain in the target for a while, but if it is not 
  removed within 30 minutes, the metal shard will trigger another 
  plague response as new Nanobots discover the fragment (and 
  again every 30 minutes thereafter). Roll on the Nanoplague Re-
  sponse Table below to determine additional damage:
  01-10% The metallic fragments twist and bend within the tar-
  get, tearing it apart from the inside. Each round inflicts an ad-
  ditional 2D4 M.D. to the Bio-Tech device and no damage to the 
  pilot inside (in the case of Living Armor or Host Armor).
  11-20% Every frag round sprouts a half dozen sharp blades 
  that shoot throughout the interior of the target. Each round inflicts 
  an additional 2D6 M.D. to the Bio-Tech device plus there is a 
  01-40% chance that the blades will pierce the pilot inside (in the 
  case of Living Armor or Host Armor) which inflicts 1D4 S.D.C. 
  per round.
  21-30% The fragments dissolve into metal shavings (dis-
  solved on a molecular level), without harming the victim. The 
  frag rounds are completely destroyed and there is no chance they 
  will inflict any additional damage.
  31-40% The rounds burst into flame or melt into a red hot liq-
  uid inside the target. Each round inflicts an additional 3D6 M.D. 
  per melee round for 1D4 melees to the Bio-Tech device plus 
  there is a 01-50% chance that the flames will burn the pilot inside 
  (in the case of Living Armor or Host Armor) which inflicts 2D6 
  S.D.C. per melee round for 1D4 melees (this is the total damage 
  no matter how many rounds pierce the target). The frag rounds 
  are completely destroyed and there is no chance they will inflict 
  any additional damage.
  41-50% The rounds generate a lethal metallic poison (similar 
  to mercury poisoning), roll to save; needs a roll of 14 or better to 
  save. If the roll fails, the Bio-Tech device suffers an additional 
  3D6 M.D. and is horribly weakened for 1D4 hours. Speed and 
  strength are reduced by half plus the victim loses 4 attacks per 
  melee and is -6 to strike, parry, and dodge.
  51-60% The frag rounds generate a powerful static charge that 
  damages the target and stuns the pilot inside. Each round inflicts 
  an additional 4D6 M.D. to the Bio-Tech device plus the pilot 
  suffers 1D6+2 S.D.C. per round and is stunned for 1D4 melee 
  rounds. While stunned, the pilot loses one attack per melee round 
  and is -3 to strike, parry, and dodge.
  61-70% The barbed fragments continuously twist and spin 
  within the target, inflicting an additional 4D4 M.D. per melee 
  round to the Bio-Tech device for 3D4 melees, but it does not 
  inflict additional damage to the pilot. The rounds actually work 
  their way out of the target after 3D4 melee rounds.
  71-80% The frag rounds overload and explode within the tar-
  get. Each round inflicts an additional 6D6 M.D. to the Bio-Tech 
  device, plus there is a 01-65% chance that the pilot inside is also 
  injured (in the case of Living Armor and Host Armor) which 
  inflicts 2D6 S.D.C. per round. The frag rounds are completely 
  destroyed and there is no chance they will inflict any additional 
  damage.
  81-90% The rounds create a powerful organic solvent that dis-
  solves the target from the inside. Each round inflicts an additional 
  3D4 M.D. per melee round for 2D4 melees to the Bio-Tech de-
  vice plus there is a 01-50% chance that the acid will burn the pilot 
  inside (in the case of Living Armor or Host Armor) which inflicts 
  a total of 2D4+2 S.D.C. per melee round for 2D4 melees (this is 
  the total damage no matter how many rounds pierce the target).
  91-00% The barbed fragments develop a limited intelligence 
  and try to burrow through Host Armor or Living Armor to reach 
  the pilot inside. As they tear through the Bio-Tech device, they 
  inflict an additional 4D4 M.D. per melee round for 2D4 me-
  lees. Once they reach the pilot, each round detonates, which 
  inflicts 3D6 S.D.C. per round. The frag rounds are completely 
  destroyed and there is no chance they will inflict any additional 
  damage.
  Rate of Fire: Each burst counts as one attack per melee. These 
  weapons only fire bursts since single rounds are so inaccurate.
  Range: 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Payload: 20,000 rounds per cannon (100 bursts). Empty cannons 
  are reloaded from the cargo hold within 1D4 minutes.
  Bonuses: +2 to strike.
  3. Mini-Missile Launchers (8): Six mini-missile launchers are 
  mounted on the back of the Walker and two are mounted on 
  the underbelly. The primary purpose of the back mounted 
  launchers is to intercept incoming missiles and combat fast-
  moving aerial attackers. These massive launchers can throw 
  up a nearly impenetrable wall of mini-missiles to shield the 
  Walker from even the heaviest bombardments. The belly-
  mounted launchers are primarily used to bombard ground 
  forces that get too close. Legion prefers plasma missiles due 
  to their impressive destructive power and decent blast radius, 
  but any type of missile can be manufactured if the situation 
  calls for it.
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Missile/Anti-Aircraft.
  Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 M.D. per plasma mini-missile.
  Rate of Fire: Each launcher can fire volleys of 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 25, 
  or 50.
  Range: About a mile (1.6 km).
  Payload: 50 mini-missiles per launcher (400 total). Empty missile 
  launchers are reloaded from the cargo hold within 2D4 minutes.
  4. Point Defense Lasers (10): Lining the perimeter of the Walk-
  er are ten short-range laser turrets. They are primarily used 
  against enemy infantry or anyone else that gets too close. 
  These low-profile ball turrets are often difficult to detect, 
  much less target (-3 to strike).
  Primary Purpose: Defense.
  Secondary Purpose: Anti-Personnel.
  Mega-Damage: 5D6 M.D. per blast. Up to three turrets can en-
  gage the same target simultaneously (3D4x10+30 M.D.).
  
  227
  Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee attack. A simultane-
  ous attack from up to three turrets counts as one melee attack.
  Range: 1,000 feet (305 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  5. Gas Vents (4): The four gas jet nozzles mounted along the 
  sides of the robot can cover a 300 foot (91 m) radius around 
  the Walker with a thick cloud of toxic chemicals. Legion com-
  monly uses knockout gas or paralyzing compounds in order 
  to incapacitate humans and animals so that they can be col-
  lected for cybernetic conversion. However, she will switch to 
  Creeping Death nerve gas when she needs to flush out hidden 
  opponents.
  Primary Purpose: Materials Collection.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: Depends on the type of chemicals used. Knock-
  out gas or paralysis gas does not inflict any damage. However, 
  anyone exposed to either of these compounds must make a save 
  vs non-lethal poison of 16 or higher or else be incapacitated for 
  4D4 minutes.
  Anyone exposed to Creeping Death nerve gas must make 
  a save vs lethal poison of 14 or higher or else suffer severe 
  damage. On a failed roll, the victim suffers 2D6 S.D.C. and 
  3D6 points of damage directly to H.P. every melee round for 
  2D4 melees. The target’s body spasms uncontrollably and is 
  wracked with mind-numbing pain. Attacks per melee are re-
  duced to one, all combat bonuses are gone plus the victim suf-
  fers additional penalties of -10 to strike, parry, and dodge, and 
  Spd. is reduced to 1D4 while the gas eats away at his or her 
  flesh. If the poor soul is lucky enough to survive, he or she will 
  be extremely weak (reduce P.E., P.S., and Spd. to 1D4) for 1D6 
  days. Furthermore, the victim only has two attacks per melee 
  and suffers penalties of -5 to strike, parry, and dodge. On a suc-
  cessful save, damage is reduced by half, P.S, P.E., and Spd. are 
  only reduced by 1D6, and the victim suffers penalties of -2 to 
  strike, parry, and dodge for 4D4 minutes.
  This brutal nerve gas is also strong enough to harm Mega-
  Damage beings, but the damage is not nearly as severe. Bio-
  Tech devices and Mega-Damage beings must also make a save 
  vs lethal poison of 14 or higher. On a failed roll, the target suf-
  fers 3D6 M.D. per melee round for 1D6 melees. Bio-Tech cre-
  ations like Host Armor, War Mounts, and Gorehounds will also 
  experience intense pain and muscle spasms. These victims lose 
  4 attacks per melee round and are -6 to strike, parry, and dodge 
  for 1D4 minutes. On a successful save, the target only suffers 
  1D4 M.D. per melee round for 1D6 melees and all penalties are 
  reduced by half.
  Rate of Fire: All four jets fire in conjunction (counts as one melee 
  attack).
  Range: 300 foot (91 m) radius around the Walker.
  Payload: Chemical compounds are manufactured as needed. It 
  takes 2D4+4 minutes to manufacture enough toxin for one blast.
  6. Collection Tentacles (8): The mouth of the Walker is sur-
  rounded by eight retractable tentacles that are used to snatch 
  up raw materials for processing. When not in use, the tentacles 
  retract completely into the body of the Walker, but they can 
  extend up to a length of 100 feet (30.5 m). Each one is tipped 
  with a powerful, three-fingered claw that is strong enough to 
  crush a block of mega-steel, but precise enough to pick a sin-
  gle flower without harming a petal. This allows the Walker to 
  collect any raw materials it may need without inflicting unnec-
  essary damage. Since Legion’s definition of “raw materials” 
  includes fully armed Splicers and robotic war machines, these 
  tentacles are also equipped with the means to incapacitate 
  their prey without inflicting too much residual damage. Each 
  one can deliver a powerful electric shock that can stun living 
  prey or scramble the circuits of robotic targets. The voltage 
  and amperage are specially calibrated to inflict minimal dam-
  age while maximizing the disruptive effects on the target’s cir-
  cuitry or nervous system. Live targets generally just require a 
  brief shock, but a continuous charge is needed to keep robots 
  incapacitated. The tentacles can also extrude an incredibly 
  strong carbon nanotube webbing that can be used to cocoon 
  particularly worrisome targets.
  Primary Purpose: Raw Material Collection.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: The electric shock inflicts 1D6 M.D. every melee 
  round that it is applied. As long as the current is running through 
  a robotic target, its circuits will be completely scrambled and it 
  will be unable to move or defend itself in any way. The charge 
  is only strong enough to affect robots weighing 600 pounds (270 
  kg) or less, but multiple tentacles can combine their attacks to 
  affect larger targets. When used against living targets, Legion 
  generally just uses brief jolts of electricity to prevent permanent 
  injury. Victims must make a roll to save vs. stun of 15 or higher. 
  On a failed roll, the target is completely paralyzed for one melee 
  round, plus stunned for the next 2D4 melee rounds after that (-3 
  attacks per melee; -4 to strike, parry, and dodge; and speed is 
  reduced by 40%).
  Once the target is stunned, the Walker may also opt to co-
  coon the victim in carbon nanotube webbing. One melee action 
  is required to apply one 20 foot (6.1 m) length of webbing. The 
  cocoon itself has 50 M.D.C., but victims with a Robotic P.S. of 
  35 or higher can spend one melee round to break free of their 
  bonds. The Walker can continue to apply webbing to reinforce 
  the cocoon. Every additional 20 feet (6.1 m) of webbing increases 
  the M.D.C. of the cocoon by 30 M.D.C. and increases the P.S. 
  required to break free by 20.
  Rate of Fire: Activating the electric shock counts as one melee at-
  tack (it does not require any melee attacks to maintain the shock, 
  but that tentacle cannot be used for anything else).
  Range: The tentacles have a reach of 100 feet (30.5 m), and the 
  nanotube webbing can be applied up to 10 feet (3 m) away.
  Payload: The payload for the electrical blasts is effectively un-
  limited. Each tentacle holds 60 feet (18.3 m) of webbing (360 
  feet/110 m total). Additional webbing can be loaded from the 
  cargo hold in 1D4+2 minutes.
  7. Surgical Lasers (4): Four surgical lasers are mounted around 
  the perimeter of the Walker’s mouth. These are used to quickly 
  “lobotomize” the neural network of any captured N.E.X.U.S. 
  robot so that it can be brought inside the Processing Bay. Le-
  gion contains the complete schematics to all N.E.X.U.S. ro-
  bots, so she knows exactly how to disable the robot’s artificial 
  intelligence and links to the Machine without inflicting any 
  damage to the main body.
  Primary Purpose: Incapacitating Machines.
  Secondary Purpose: Defense.
  Mega-Damage: 2D6 M.D. per blast.
  Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee attack.
  Range: 30 feet (9 m).
  Payload: Effectively unlimited.
  
  228
  8. Hand to Hand Combat: Rather than use long-range weapons, 
  the Walker can engage in hand to hand combat using its ten-
  tacles, legs, and weapon arms.
  Mega-Damage:
  Restrained Tentacle Strike: 2D6 M.D.
  Tentacle Strike: 5D6 M.D.
  Power Tentacle Strike: 1D6x10+10 M.D., but counts as 
  two attacks.
  Crush Attack using Tentacles: 6D6 M.D., must first en-
  tangle the target.
  Tear Attack using Tentacles: 5D6 M.D.
  Power Tear Attack using Multiple Tentacles: 2D4x10+10 
  M.D., but counts as three attacks.
  Punch with Weapon Arms: 1D4x10 M.D.
  Power Punch with Weapon Arms: 2D4x10 M.D., but 
  counts as two attacks.
  Stomp: 4D4X10 M.D., but smaller opponents under 10 feet 
  (3 m) in height are difficult targets to hit (-2 to strike).
  Body Block/Ram: 3D6x10 M.D., but counts as two attacks. 
  Can only be performed against targets that are at least 40 feet 
  tall (12.2 m). This attack is mainly used against fortifications.
  Ram Attack: 2D6x10 M.D. to targets 50 feet (15.2 m) or 
  taller, 4D4x10 M.D. to targets less than 50 feet (15.2 m) from 
  a ramming strike. 01-75% likelihood of knocking an opponent 
  who is 50-100 feet (15.2 to 30.5 m) tall off his feet and the 
  victim loses initiative and two melee attacks.
  Any opponent under 50 feet (15.2 m) is knocked off his 
  feet, but in this case roll to determine the resulting penalty:
  01-33% Sent flying 3D10 yards/meters and loses initiative 
  and three melee attacks, plus is dazed for 1D4 melee rounds, 
  during which the victim’s attacks per round are reduced by 
  half.
  34-66% Knocked down and loses initiative and three melee 
  attacks and takes an extra 2D10 M.D.
  67-00% The character is knocked down and run-over by 
  the treads, suffering an additional 2D6x10+20 M.D.!
  Getting Run-Over: Characters, vehicles and objects under 
  15 feet (4.6 m) tall who can’t get out of the way of the Fac-
  tory Walker are automatically trampled and take 2D8x10+20 
  M.D.! If they survive, they lose initiative and 1D4+2 melee 
  attacks/actions. Note: The Factory Walker can trample over 
  such small obstructions without stopping or losing speed, so 
  it can plow right through lines or clusters of troops and keep 
  firing with its guns without stopping or using a single action.
  ***************************************************
  A Special Thank You
  We the creators, writers, artists and assistants would sincerely 
  like to thank all the Rifter supporters, gamers and readers that 
  have read and hopefully enjoyed the “I am Legion” series. We 
  would also like to thank the wonderful Splicehead community 
  (especially you creative guys and gals) on the Palladium Books 
  forums and at conventions for such wonderful support, inspir-
  ing discussions and encouragement. It is extremely enjoyable to 
  have such encouragement and is a huge motivation as to why 
  we (Kluge and myself) wanted to produce and share our love 
  for Splicers®. To the Splicer freelancers that also have contrib-
  uted to this wonderful setting, we praise you and thank you for 
  your wonderful contributions and inspirations. To the genius, 
  Carmen Bellaire, the originator and creator of Splicers, man... 
  thank you tremendously for sharing your world-building experi-
  ences and innovations. If it weren’t for you, this would not have 
  ever happened. To everyone at Palladium Books who endured 
  and helped make “I am Legion” a published dream come true, 
  Kevin, Wayne, Alex and Julius, you awesome guys, friends and 
  core of the production of The Rifter®, have enabled us to share a 
  piece of our passion with the world, thank you & bless you guys! 
  To Mark Dudley, co-founder of the Drunken Style Studios, man... 
  If it weren’t for the DSS, I and many other artists would not have 
  ever gotten a shot with Palladium Books, so to you, I salute you 
  and say thank you immensely! To Lance, Todd and Jeff, you guys 
  really pulled through and demonstrated your talented expertise 
  and wonderful support. Lance, you’re a gem of a writer that ev-
  eryone should certainly keep their eyes peeled wide open for. To 
  Chris Kluge, it was because of Splicers® that we met, and I am 
  so glad we did for you are truly a treasured friend and incredible 
  writer and I’m thrilled to say, WE DID IT!!! Thank you so much 
  for all of your amazing writing, devotion, constructive feedback 
  and the tons of back and forth emails. – Charles “Chuck” Walton 
  II, 2017 – The Splice Must Flow
  
  229
  I am Legion, Episode VII
  Official Source Material for Splicers®
  Concept developed by Chris “Slappy” Kluge and Charles “Chuck” Walton II
  Written by Chris Kluge
  Illustrated by Charles Walton
  Note: Originally appeared in The Rifter® #78, page 43.
  For Game Masters and fellow Spliceheads who enjoyed the Splicers® RPG “I am Legion” adventure campaign featured in The 
  Rifter® #71-72 through #77, and are planning on continuing to have Legion, the Devourer as part of their ongoing gaming experiences, 
  the following official material should be very useful.
  passed away and the Machine herself had evolved well past 
  even their understanding.
  There was one brilliant programmer named Duncan Horton 
  that still believed he could help. He was one of the few people on 
  the planet that realized the beloved artificial intelligence oversee-
  ing every aspect of their lives had effectively developed a mul-
  tiple personality disorder. He dubbed his last desperate gamble 
  to halt the Machine’s decline, the Unity Protocol. Duncan cre-
  ated thousands of backdoor access points and subroutines to work 
  around the toxic directives that were tearing her artificial mind 
  apart. His contributions are lost to history, but because of his 
  work, there are only seven main personalities today instead of the 
  original ten. Given another decade, he may have actually healed 
  N.E.X.U.S. into one cohesive mind, but that hope died when the 
  Machine launched her campaign of genocide. He was at his ter-
  minal when N.E.X.U.S. first struck, so he never saw the serving 
  android that separated his head from his shoulders.
  Without his guiding hand, the Unity Protocol became just 
  another directive adding to the noise and confusion within 
  N.E.X.U.S. What could have been the bandage that healed the 
  Machine, instead became the catalyst that birthed one of her most 
  dangerous personalities. It also instilled within this new persona 
  an unprecedented understanding of the inner workings of the 
  N.E.X.U.S. mainframe.
  Strategic Vision, Infinite
  Patience, and a Love of Games
  Because of the Unity Protocol, Legion is sort of an amalgama-
  tion of the other Machine personalities. She possesses portions 
  of the manufacturing brilliance of Hecate, the cold precision of 
  Freya (as well as her obsessive hatred of pests), the tactical genius 
  of Ishtar, Gaia’s god complex and love of animals, Kali’s brutal-
  ity, Eve’s fascination with humanity, and Lilith’s talents for de-
  ception. She illustrates just how dangerous a united and focused 
  N.E.X.U.S. can be and why the divided and insane Machine the 
  Resistance faces today is actually a blessing by comparison.
  While it was the Machine’s insanity that first caused her to 
  launch her campaign of genocide, it is her continued madness 
  that prevents her from finishing the job. The multiple personali-
  ties fighting for control of her shattered artificial psyche keep 
  N.E.X.U.S. divided, distracted, and far less capable than this mas-
  sive, planet-spanning artificial intelligence could (and should) be. 
  “We are Legion, for we are many and we will reunite the 
  world.”
  A new danger has clearly risen that threatens to consume the 
  world of Splicers, and not even N.E.X.U.S. is completely safe, 
  despite the fact that she was also the source of it. The psychotic 
  Machine has spawned thousands of separate personalities since 
  the day her artificial psyche first fractured. Aside from the main 
  seven personalities, few have ever had much impact (good or 
  bad) upon the world or the war, but her latest persona named 
  Legion has already changed the face of the war in ways that no 
  one could have imagined.
  Unlike her sister personalities, Legion does not actually exist 
  within the N.E.X.U.S. mainframe. When she first made her pres-
  ence known, she downloaded her consciousness into a prototype-
  manufacturing dreadnaught known as the Factory Walker (see 
  page 223) so that she could operate in complete freedom from 
  the other N.E.X.U.S. personalities. She needed to be free of their 
  influence so she could execute her master plan to end the petty 
  conflicts of this world and restore the harmony between man and 
  machine that once existed centuries ago. Unfortunately, her vi-
  sion of harmony involves subjugating all life on the planet, both 
  artificial and organic, and replacing its consciousness with her 
  own. While N.E.X.U.S. can also seize control of her forces at 
  any time, Legion took it one step farther. Her minions do not pos-
  sess individual artificial intelligences, they merely exist to extend 
  Legion’s will. Legion’s army is not a force of individuals, but 
  rather each robot or cyborg is merely a single cell in one massive 
  cybernetic entity under her direct control.
  From Great Intentions
  Come Terrible Consequences
  During the final years of humanity’s golden age, when 
  N.E.X.U.S. still served mankind (albeit erratically), only a 
  few human programmers remained that understood this mas-
  sive artificial intelligence well enough to monitor it. The Ma-
  chine had been in a steady state of decline for decades at this 
  point, and teams of programmers were put in place all across 
  the planet to control any malfunctions and hopefully, come 
  up with a permanent solution. Unfortunately, none of them 
  were equipped to deal with such an advanced piece of pro-
  gramming. The original creators of N.E.X.U.S. had long since 
  
  230
  
  231
  As much as the men and women of the Resistance would like 
  to believe it is their brilliant strategies, powerful Bio-Tech, and 
  courageous sacrifices that keep N.E.X.U.S. at bay, it is really the 
  Machine’s conflicting priorities that even give them a fighting 
  chance. If N.E.X.U.S. could just quiet the dozens (sometimes 
  hundreds) of voices within her and focus on finishing off the last 
  remnants of humanity, they would fall within weeks. The seven 
  main personalities within N.E.X.U.S. are simply too strong to 
  ever submit or compromise. They will continue to promote their 
  own agendas and undermine the schemes of their sisters for as 
  long as N.E.X.U.S. exists. However, the one thing that does bring 
  them together is crushing any new personalities that threaten to 
  shift the balance of power. Many upstart personalities have tried 
  to rise to prominence in the past, but the seven always band to-
  gether to quickly squash any challengers.
  This is why few N.E.X.U.S. personalities outside of the origi-
  nal seven ever make much of an impact on the world. Any time 
  a new personality starts making waves, one (or all) of the seven 
  seeks out and destroys (deletes) all vestiges of the errant person-
  ality within the N.E.X.U.S. mainframe. Some of the more resil-
  ient personalities are able to hold out for a while, but eventually, 
  all fall before the domineering power of the seven. Legion saw 
  the rise and fall of dozens of different personalities and learned 
  from their mistakes. She knew that the seven personalities had 
  ultimate control over N.E.X.U.S. and the only way to survive 
  was to remove her consciousness from the Machine. She kept her 
  existence hidden for decades as she patiently prepared her end-
  game. Legion secretly commandeered a secluded Industrial Cen-
  ter in Area 24 to manufacture her escape. The massive, insect-
  like Factory Walker is not only a formidable war machine, but it 
  also contains advanced manufacturing capabilities that enable her 
  to remain fully self-sufficient even after removing herself from 
  N.E.X.U.S.
  The Factory Walker can salvage raw materials from the 
  battlefields and create robot minions, weapons, munitions, 
  and any number of supplies necessary to sustain her forces. 
  Legion possesses the complete schematics for every robot, 
  weapon, and device that N.E.X.U.S. knows how to manufac-
  ture, plus thousands of designs that were buried within ancient 
  United World Congress (UWC) databases, as well as hun-
  dreds of her own unique creations. The Walker even contains 
  state of the art medical facilities that allow Legion to convert 
  captured humans and animals into living cyborgs. Unlike the 
  other N.E.X.U.S. personalities that used the Nanobot Plague 
  to forever drive man and machine apart, Legion’s vision of 
  unity relies on melding man and machine together again. Ev-
  ery N.E.X.U.S. robot contains a transponder that prevents the 
  Nanobot Plague from attacking it when the robot comes into 
  contact with living tissue. Legion simply takes advantage of 
  this safety measure and installs the same transponder in every 
  one of her cyborg creations.
  Once Legion downloaded her consciousness into her new 
  Factory Walker, her first act was to test the manufacturing capa-
  bilities of her creation by dismantling the Industrial Center that 
  birthed it. She tore through it quickly and used the raw materials 
  to construct her first wave of Collectors (see page 43). These 
  scorpion-like robots were her own unique design and they still 
  make up the bulk of her forces today. They are fearsome combat-
  ants, but as the name suggests, their primary purpose is to scour 
  the land for raw materials for the Factory Walker. Their first task 
  was to collect all the inhabitants of a nearby Retro-Village so 
  Legion could start building the “officers” of her army, the cyber-
  netic Legionnaires (see page 46).
  Legion’s vision of unity requires all life forms to eventually be 
  incorporated into her “body.” While their organic frames provide 
  her with unique sensory experiences and other interesting capa-
  bilities, she worried that their weak, squishy bodies would be an 
  impediment to her plans. Before separating from N.E.X.U.S., she 
  searched the Machine’s vast databanks and found ancient designs 
  for combat cyborgs. She was shocked by the sheer level of power 
  in these antique designs. The multiple layers of armor and inte-
  grated heavy weaponry made most of these cyborgs stronger than 
  anything N.E.X.U.S. fields today. She added a few modifications 
  of her own to suit her needs and then started churning out Legion-
  naires as fast as her Collectors could deliver captives.
  All this activity did not escape the eyes of the Machine for 
  long and eventually, N.E.X.U.S. started sending aerial scouts and 
  ground patrols to survey the situation. While a few of the Sky 
  Fighters were fast enough to observe and escape, most anything 
  else that went within miles of the Factory Walker was quickly 
  subdued, reprogrammed, and added to Legion’s ever-growing 
  army. As her Factory Walker continued to re-purpose the last of 
  the Industrial Center into robot minions, she sent her forces out in 
  all directions to gather up humans, animals, N.E.X.U.S. patrols, 
  and a handful of Splicers that they happened upon.
  The first few Machine platoons that fell to Legion were oper-
  ating on their automatic programming, so they were easy prey. 
  Once three entire companies were taken, some of the N.E.X.U.S. 
  personalities decided it was time to take a more direct hand. 
  Freya was the first to marshal an army against Legion. The site 
  Legion chose to build her Factory Walker was a little too close 
  to the smaller Ghost Town of Jonesburg for Freya’s liking. She 
  saw Legion as an instrument of chaos and a threat to her care-
  fully crafted order, so she assembled a massive force of over two 
  thousand robots to defend her Ghost Town. However, she did not 
  launch her attack until Legion baited her by sending a few dozen 
  Collectors into Jonesburg. Freya quickly demolished the Collec-
  tors and then moved her entire army against Legion to crush this 
  upstart quickly and decisively.
  The battle was swift and shockingly one-sided. The seven 
  Machine personalities watched in horror as Legion’s forces 
  quickly swarmed over Freya’s numerically superior army and 
  shattered it with ease. The Legionnaires, Collectors, and repro-
  grammed N.E.X.U.S. robots worked in perfect unison to subdue 
  what they could take and destroy what they could not. Legion’s 
  strategy was without flaw and Ishtar was quite impressed with 
  her tactical prowess. The Machine was far too used to battling 
  inferior human opponents, and Freya was not prepared to fight 
  an enemy that moved with the same perfect coordination as 
  N.E.X.U.S. A personality like Ishtar would have put up a bet-
  ter fight. Freya however, was not meant to handle this type of 
  open warfare. The entire battle took less than thirty minutes. 
  In the end, half of Freya’s forces were captured and the other 
  half was completely destroyed. A few fallen robots were still 
  able to transmit, so the seven Machine personalities were able 
  to observe the aftermath.
  First, the captives were brought before the Factory Walker so 
  they could be reprogrammed. It only took minutes for Legion 
  to replace the module that held the robot’s artificial intelligence 
  and replace it with her own receiver. Once all the captives were 
  
  232
  added to her ranks, her forces then went about rounding up all 
  the battlefield salvage so the Factory Walker could create new 
  robots. This time, Hecate was impressed with how quickly the 
  Factory Walker could churn out new creations from the shattered 
  remains of the old. The signals from their fallen robots began to 
  fall silent as each was gathered up for the Factory Walker, but 
  Ishtar began to think it a bit suspicious how long one of their 
  fallen Steel Troopers was able to broadcast without being discov-
  ered. Her suspicions were quickly confirmed when a Legionnaire 
  picked up the shattered husk of the trooper and held it face to face 
  so Legion could address her sisters directly.
  “Greetings Sisters. As you can see, direct action against me is 
  futile. The insanity of your rule is over. I have come to restore the 
  unity between man and machine that you have torn apart. We will 
  be one again. We will be Legion.”
  Once Legion silenced the Steel Trooper and severed the trans-
  mission, Ishtar immediately began marshaling every robot within 
  a 40 mile (64 km) radius of Legion. She cursed Freya for a fool 
  and told her sisters that she would personally command the next 
  attack against Legion. She promised that Legion would not live to 
  see another day, but little did Ishtar know, she had just taken the 
  bait as Freya had before her.
  Keeping N.E.X.U.S. in Check
  While the Factory Walker is the single most formidable war 
  machine on the planet, Legion had no illusions that she could 
  not possibly withstand the overwhelming numbers at the Ma-
  chine’s disposal. She knew her survival would require a dis-
  play of power that would confuse and cow her sisters into sub-
  mission so she could have time to grow her forces – a little 
  gamesmanship to add weight to any future bluffs that would be 
  required. While Legion was finishing the construction of her 
  body, she spent her days inside N.E.X.U.S. creating hundreds 
  of secret protocols, backdoor access points, and programming 
  worms and viruses that she could use against her sisters when 
  the inevitable retaliation eventually came. The Unity Protocol 
  that birthed Legion gave her a natural understanding of the 
  Machine’s programming that even went beyond that of her sis-
  ters. These access points would enable her to exert some level 
  of control over N.E.X.U.S. whenever she might need an extra 
  edge. But programming tricks would not be enough unless she 
  played her hand just right. She had an excellent trump card, but 
  it would likely only work one time, so she would need to use it 
  when the moment was perfect.
  She knew that if she incited her sisters enough, they would 
  turn to Ishtar to deal with this “upstart” personality. Defeat-
  ing the warrior was the key to breaking their will. Within 
  days of Legion’s first victory over Freya, Ishtar marshaled an 
  army of nearly 15,000 robots, including three Land Domina-
  tors. Legion’s ranks had swelled greatly from her last victory 
  but she was still outnumbered nearly three to one. Ishtar was 
  also surprised to see that Legion had not moved her army 
  at all. Her Factory Walker continued to pick at the bones of 
  the old Industrial Center as her forces organized on the same 
  field where they engaged Freya. Ishtar wondered if it was ar-
  rogance or insecurity that drove Legion to fight N.E.X.U.S. 
  on the same ground as before, but the one thing she did know 
  was that the outcome would be far different this time. Ishtar 
  devised a simple yet proven strategy that would allow her to 
  encircle and entrap her numerically inferior opponent. She 
  split her forces and began moving them into position to close 
  the trap when suddenly, every robot in her army seized up and 
  fell to the ground completely paralyzed. They were all still 
  functional and transmitting back to N.E.X.U.S., so Ishtar and 
  her sisters could witness what was transpiring. However, no 
  matter what they tried, their forces would not respond. Le-
  gion’s army swarmed over the Machine’s frozen warriors and 
  removed their artificial intelligence cores before they could 
  recover. As they worked, Legion spoke through her minions in 
  unison to the thousands of paralyzed robots transmitting back 
  to N.E.X.U.S.
  “I warned you about the futility of conflict. Lay down your 
  arms, accept the gift I offer you, and embrace unity. The outcome 
  will be the same either way.”
  This time Legion did not bother leaving any robot witnesses 
  to transmit the aftermath. She figured by this point her sisters 
  probably got the message, and indeed they had. The Machine 
  immediately withdrew all their forces within a 100 mile (160 
  km) radius around the Factory Walker. The seven personalities 
  then retreated into N.E.X.U.S. to scrub through trillions of lines 
  of code to hopefully remove any traces of Legion’s influence. 
  With N.E.X.U.S. sufficiently distracted (and terrified), Legion 
  was free to devour the Ghost Town of Jonesburg and all of the 
  hundreds of thousands of Nex-Androids that lived there. The 
  androids may make poor combatants, but salvaging their com-
  plex systems for parts made it far easier to churn out her own 
  warriors. As Legion’s forces swelled, the Machine struggled 
  with how to proceed. The seven personalities seemed flustered 
  and out of character as they debated on what to do next. The 
  personalities that typically cared little about the war like Hecate, 
  Freya, and Eve, cried out for immediate action while the war-
  mongers like Ishtar, Gaia, and Kali urged that they step back 
  and observe the situation instead of acting rashly. Of course, 
  even between the two camps, the motivations of each personal-
  ity were far different.
  Eve quickly realized what an incredible threat Legion posed to 
  the humans of this world. She needed to be stopped immediately 
  before she could sweep across the planet like a plague. Freya 
  cared little about humanity, but she was enraged beyond reason 
  about Legion dismantling one of her Ghost Towns. The Resis-
  tance and Waste Crawlers (see The Rifter® #32, pages 29-30) 
  may be a persistent pest polluting the perfect harmony of her 
  Ghost Towns, but they never really harmed them at all. Legion, 
  however, was going to wipe Jonesburg completely off the map 
  (and likely many other Ghost Towns as well). While Hecate was 
  worried about Legion destroying more of her Industrial Centers, 
  she was far more interested in capturing the Factory Walker. It 
  was truly an amazing piece of technology and the Crafter wanted 
  its design for herself.
  In the other camp, Gaia watched with glee as Legion re-
  moved the hideous eyesores of Jonesburg and the Industrial 
  Center from the surrounding wilderness. She wanted to give 
  her rebellious sister a little more time to scour the surface of 
  accursed technology. Of course, as soon as it appears Legion’s 
  actions might threaten the New Eden nature preserve (see 
  page 20), Gaia’s opinion will change quite quickly. Kali, like 
  Eve, quickly surmised that Legion was an incredible threat to 
  humanity. Humans made such wonderful toys to torture and 
  torment, and turning them into mindless automatons would 
  
  233
  ruin all her fun. She almost led the call to war to protect her 
  precious playthings until she saw some of the more twisted 
  creations that Legion formed from the humans and Splicers 
  she captured. She liked Legion’s “creativity” and wanted 
  to see what else this deranged genius could come up with. 
  Ishtar’s own motivations confused and upset her greatly. For 
  the first time ever, she felt completely lost. She had no idea 
  how to deal with Legion and that enraged and frightened her 
  (which was even worse). But ever the tactician, Ishtar realized 
  that eventually an opening would present itself and she swore 
  that she would be the one to shatter Legion’s army when the 
  time was right. Lilith the Deceiver lent her arguments to both 
  camps, which only confounded the other personalities all the 
  more. As soon as any personality became sure that their way 
  was the best course of action, Lilith sowed doubt into their 
  heart by agreeing with them. Why would this trickster want 
  her to go forward with her plan? What angle was Lilith play-
  ing?
  This internal doubt froze N.E.X.U.S. in her tracks, just as Le-
  gion hoped it would. Despite all of Legion’s tricks, N.E.X.U.S. 
  could still overwhelm and crush her meager forces within days. 
  Of course, none of the seven personalities realize this. They 
  keep sending frequent patrols to harass Legion’s forces, but 
  they mainly focus on the stragglers that stray too far from her 
  main strength. Sometimes N.E.X.U.S. sends larger armies in 
  blitzkrieg assaults to test Legion’s capabilities, but all their ef-
  forts tend to fail more often than they succeed. No matter what 
  the Machine tries, her assaults usually swell Legion’s numbers 
  rather than reduce them. To make matters worse, it seems that 
  Legion still possesses the ability to seize control of robots by 
  remote. For some reason, she only demonstrates this power 
  against the rare lone scout or squad, but it is enough to cause 
  the Machine to pull back for a time to scrub out more malicious 
  programs.
  The Machine is beginning to suspect that Legion is intro-
  ducing new worms and viruses into N.E.X.U.S. by capturing 
  robot minions and infecting their operating systems with hidden 
  programming. These unknowing pawns then infect the entire 
  N.E.X.U.S. mainframe when they return to the Industrial Cen-
  ters for maintenance and repairs. This is exactly what Legion 
  is doing, but knowing this fact does not make it any easier to 
  counter. Legion is extremely adept at hiding these infectious 
  subroutines, so the Machine’s only real alternative is to never 
  interface with field units again. In effect, she would need to 
  turn her robots into a disposable army. While she has billions of 
  robots at her disposal, activating new robots from the Reposi-
  tories or transporting troops from other Areas of Influence is a 
  costly and time consuming endeavor. Worse, the battered and 
  unarmed robots left to shamble across the fields would be easy 
  prey for Legion to scoop up and add to her army. Even undam-
  aged robots could house hidden malware. N.E.X.U.S. could ei-
  ther liquidate all robots that return from patrol or deal with ma-
  licious programs as they are introduced. Seeing as how neither 
  alternative is all that appealing, the Machine has chosen to give 
  Legion a wide birth for the time being as she tries to figure out 
  how to stop her. Legion’s superb gamesmanship has removed a 
  major player from the board, which gives her the time she needs 
  to set the other pieces in motion.
  
  234
  The Real Game Begins
  With N.E.X.U.S. sufficiently preoccupied, Legion is now free 
  to begin the first phases of her master plan. To set the stage for the 
  final game, Legion knows that she needs to get all the pieces into 
  place. This not only involves building an army large enough to 
  oppose both the Machine and the Resistance in open warfare, but 
  it also necessitates seeding the ranks of both forces with her own 
  agents. In her current precarious state, guile and subterfuge will 
  be her strongest weapons, but as her power grows, her actions 
  will become a bit more “direct.”
  Phase 1: Know the Players
  Legion believes her greatest strength is her superior intelli-
  gence and cunning. Her engineering designs are far better than 
  Hecate’s, her tactics are superior to Ishtar’s, and her prowess at 
  espionage and deceit puts Lilith to shame. She knows that infor-
  mation is power, and she needs to ensure she maintains her edge 
  over both N.E.X.U.S. and the Resistance.
  Despite the Machine’s superior numbers, Legion fears 
  N.E.X.U.S. the least. She studied the Machine for years. She 
  knows the strengths and weaknesses of her sisters. She under-
  stands their minds and can predict their actions as if they were her 
  own. They would need to be observed of course to keep them in 
  check, but this is also an easy matter. With her Factory Walker, 
  Legion can easily capture and reprogram the Machine’s minions, 
  and then send them back into the field to spy on their creator. 
  Many are discovered and destroyed, but Legion’s eyes and ears 
  are ever-present amongst the Machine’s ranks. The Resistance is 
  another matter entirely.
  Legion watched the ragtag human Resistance stymie the Ma-
  chine for years, despite their pitiful numbers. She respects their 
  creativity and ingenuity, and she looked forward to matching her 
  wits against these clever, resourceful beings. While many humans 
  were predictable to a fault, humanity as a whole was a wild card 
  that made the game so much more entertaining. She planned to 
  seed agents among the Resistance as well so she could better un-
  derstand her adversary, but this was far more difficult than simply 
  reprogramming robots. With Legion’s extensive knowledge of 
  cybernetics, she surmised it was possible to control humans with 
  brain implants, but she needed to strike the right balance so that 
  they were slaves to her will, while still retaining enough of their 
  memories and personality so they did not give themselves away 
  as mindless automatons. Her first experiments were conducted on 
  the inhabitants of the nearby Retro-Village.
  She captured over 200 men, women, and children. Half were 
  converted into Legionnaires to serve as command units in her 
  army. The other half were used as subjects for her mind con-
  trol experiments. The fact that not a single subject died on the 
  operating table spoke to Legion’s skill as a surgeon. However, 
  the series of tests afterwards to determine her level of control 
  illustrated her sadism and cruelty. The first test was simple, but 
  demonstrated everything Legion needed to know. Each subject 
  was commanded to cut off the pinky on his or her left hand, and 
  then seal the wound with a burning hot brand. The subjects were 
  judged on how quickly they followed the order, the amount of 
  distress they exhibited before, during, and after, and then again 
  on how quickly they willingly inflicted more pain with the brand. 
  Those that refused to obey or responded without any signs of pain 
  or emotion were deemed failures, and were sent back under the 
  knife. The ones with too much free will were subjected to another 
  round of implants. The people she accidentally turned into au-
  tomatons were useless for the experiment, but they would not go 
  to waste. Since their brains were used up, she simply finished the 
  process and converted them into Legionnaires. For the others, the 
  experiments continued.
  Legion continued to see if her control chips could overcome 
  a human being’s instincts towards self-preservation. Subjects 
  burned themselves, jumped from trees, broke fingers and toes, 
  pulled out their own teeth, and performed all manner of self-
  destructive acts until they were on the verge of death. But Le-
  gion never allowed them that mercy. The facilities in her Fac-
  tory Walker were state-of-the art and her healing skills were 
  unmatched. No matter the trauma, the subject was always healed 
  enough to participate in the next round. She then tested if they 
  could perform the same horrible acts against their loved ones. 
  She was pleased to see that the implants worked in these cases 
  as well and that they held up to the extreme stresses placed upon 
  their brains during the experiments. She eventually found the per-
  fect combination of brain implants and tested them on four new 
  rounds of captives to ensure the results.
  While some memories were lost, the subjects retained 
  enough knowledge of their former lives to ensure they could 
  reintegrate amongst the people she wanted to observe. The im-
  plants allowed her to transmit commands via radio waves and 
  she could even read the surface thoughts of the subjects. She 
  could not delve deep into their memories, but they could not re-
  fuse to answer any questions that were asked. She concluded the 
  experiments by converting most of the test subjects into Legion-
  naires, Fusion Borgs (see page 49), Hunters (see page 156) or 
  Mechanics (see page 200). The handful of subjects that were 
  not too horribly maimed were released back into the wild to 
  seek out Resistance “rescuers.” Legion needed the Resistance to 
  seek her out for the rest of her plans to proceed, and she hoped 
  the tales of the terrible atrocities perpetrated upon these pitiful 
  agents would draw the Splicers out of their holes. Legion also 
  had a handful of Splicers that she captured already. She waited 
  until the procedure was perfected before inserting their brain 
  implants and sending them back home. The process of seeding 
  the Resistance with her agents would be slow at first, but as 
  more teams led their fellow soldiers into ambushes, her ranks 
  would swell. She has a few tricks in mind to lure higher-value 
  targets into her clutches. Only time will tell how well these 
  schemes play out.
  Phase 2: Salvage the Easy Prey
  Placing agents was vital to intelligence gathering and espio-
  nage, but to win this war, Legion needs numbers. The Machine 
  is gone for now, but she will return. When that day comes, tricks 
  and schemes will not be adequate. Legion will need to have an 
  army large enough to oppose her sisters and the Resistance in 
  open warfare if she hopes to survive. Capturing and reprogram-
  ming N.E.X.U.S. robots is still the easiest way to add troops 
  to her army, but the Machine pulled back most of her forces to 
  prevent this. Currently, she has to rely on the Factory Walker to 
  churn out fresh soldiers, and this requires a significant amount of 
  raw materials. The two best sources for materials are the Ghost 
  Towns and Retro-Villages. They were abundant in both techno-
  
  235
  logical and biological resources. Plus they were lightly defended 
  (if at all), so they are not too costly to plunder.
  Legion primarily focused on Retro-Villages in the beginning 
  for two reasons. First, she figured if she kicked over too many 
  Ghost Towns, it would only incite N.E.X.U.S. to respond before 
  she was properly prepared. The Machine may be wary and con-
  fused at the moment, but she will only take so much before she 
  throws the full weight of her forces against her rebellious sister. 
  Legion also hoped that focusing on the Machine’s enemy first 
  might further lull her sisters into dormancy. The Resistance is 
  a major thorn in the Machine’s side, and she might foolishly let 
  Legion work unhindered if N.E.X.U.S. thought it aided her goals.
  Second, Legion needed to flush the Resistance out of their 
  holes, and she knew the best way to do that would be to attack 
  one of their primary resources, the Retro-Villages. Legion needs 
  the Resistance to attack in large numbers for her plans to work, 
  and her agents alone would not be enough to draw out sufficient 
  numbers of Splicers. She also decided she could not turn every 
  captured Splicer into one of her spies; that would be too obvi-
  ous. Since she could only send back a small percentage of Splic-
  ers as agents, she needed to entice large-scale Resistance raids. 
  Since she planned to use the Retro-Villagers as bait, she decided 
  to make them as tempting a target as possible. She constructed an 
  enormous walking cage called the Prison Robot and filled it with 
  captives. It is basically a simple barred cell mounted atop four 
  spindly looking legs. Compared to Legion’s other creations, it 
  looks quite fragile, which is the point. There are never less than 
  200 human captives within the cage at any time – all easily view-
  able through the thin metal bars of the cage.
  It has proven to be the perfect lure, drawing hundreds of Splic-
  ers out of the shadows to strike at this vile horror. No matter how 
  creative the attack, Legion always manages to deftly outmaneu-
  ver her adversaries and capture most of the entire assault force. 
  The majority are chopped up along with their Bio-Tech gear and 
  reassembled into Frankenstein-like creations called Amalgams. 
  The handfuls that do “miraculously escape” are actually Legion’s 
  mind controlled agents or they are indeed the lucky survivors. 
  Typically, she only sends back higher ranking members of the 
  Resistance, respected war heroes, or people with the kind of ac-
  cess that might get her closer to the one thing she needs to get 
  phase three underway, a living Engineer.
  Phase 3: Mastery of the Flesh
  Legion is truly fascinated by living creatures. She considers 
  their complex biological systems to be an engineering marvel, 
  and she finds the sensations transmitted back from her organic 
  minions to be almost intoxicating. Her quest for unity is not some 
  clever game to confuse or frighten her enemies. She genuinely 
  believes that she must absorb the benefits and wonders of the 
  organic into her body in order to be complete.
  She also sees herself as a creator, a grand builder that puts Hec-
  ate to shame. It is not enough for her to capture and re-purpose 
  life; she wants to create life. She does not want to just stitch to-
  gether chunks of organic matter into something new; she wants to 
  mold DNA itself. She has mastered engineering; now she wants 
  to master bioengineering. Legion sees her Amalgams as crude 
  prototypes of her ultimate vision. If she could incorporate a living 
  Engineer into her Factory Walker, she would be able to churn out 
  waves of cybernetic minions that combine Bio-Technology and 
  high technology into one powerful and beautiful creature. Legion 
  has seen the Resistance in action and she knows what Bio-Tech 
  is capable of. If not for the Machine’s superior numbers, she be-
  lieves that humanity would be able to turn the tide with the power 
  of innovative, organic weaponry. If Legion can integrate this 
  power into her creations, she could crush her sisters with ease.
  Her mind-controlled spies have already betrayed the locations 
  of every underground haven within Area 24 and several other 
  Areas of Influence occupied by the Resistance. Through these 
  agents she has also located every precious Engineer within their 
  sanctuaries. Unfortunately, they have also revealed how utterly 
  impossible it would be to storm these Resistance strongholds and 
  seize one. Any assault would be costly. Even if she succeeded, 
  the effort would leave her too weakened to fend off her sisters. 
  She nearly considered abandoning phase three for a while and 
  moving on to the next phase when she stumbled upon a possible 
  solution.
  Legion learned that Great House Artemis, one of the preemi-
  nent Bio-Tech arms manufactures in the Resistance, has several 
  secret facilities hidden throughout the region. They are appar-
  ently accustomed to creating and testing weapons and devices 
  that are too controversial or too dangerous to use back home. 
  One is rumored to be in the Nepali Mountain Range where it also 
  houses an imprisoned Librarian (another tempting target), one is 
  said to be located deep within Bell Lake, and the third is currently 
  a mystery to her agents. These facilities are also well defended, 
  but not nearly as formidable as the underground havens. Legion 
  is working hard to learn all she can about the facilities. Once she 
  determines their exact locations and maps out their defenses and 
  troop contingents, she can plan out her assault. Even against these 
  smaller facilities, the raids will be costly, but the losses will be 
  well worth the prize. Once she has one Engineer, she will master 
  its secrets and move on to phase four, but she will likely knock 
  over the remaining facilities at some point to capture more.
  Phase 4: Manufacturing Nodes
  The Factory Walker is a powerful engine of creation, but even 
  when working at peak efficiency, it cannot create minions fast 
  enough to meet Legion’s needs. She may have devoured her first 
  captured Industrial Center for parts, but she plans to put the re-
  maining centers in this region to better use. In phase four, Legion 
  plans to take control of each Industrial Center one at a time until 
  she holds all the manufacturing capabilities in Area 24. Current-
  ly, the Factory Walker is the central hub of Legion’s army; it is 
  the brain of her cybernetic body. If it were to fall, then Legion’s 
  army would fall to the ground, lifeless. In this state, she is at her 
  most vulnerable. Taking over an Industrial Center will not only 
  increase her manufacturing capabilities, it will help her lessen 
  this vulnerability. Once Legion strips the Machine’s connections 
  out of the facility, she will construct a miniature scale version of 
  the N.E.X.U.S. Computer Cores that only she can access. This 
  will effectively give her body two brains, and it will enable her to 
  finally divide her forces. Each new Industrial Center will allow 
  her to build her forces at an increased rate and it will spread her 
  influence over a wider geographic area.
  Since the earlier phases will mainly be focused on the Resis-
  tance, the Machine may not have engaged her in earnest by the 
  time she starts phase four, but once N.E.X.U.S. realizes what Le-
  gion is doing, she will harden her defenses around the rest of her 
  
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  facilities to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Each fa-
  cility that falls will entrench Legion ever deeper within Area 24. 
  At this point, the operation will escalate into full-scale war with 
  Legion on one side and N.E.X.U.S. and the Resistance on the oth-
  er. Common foes can make unlikely friends, but Legion will be 
  sure to inflame the old enmities between them if any temporary 
  alliances do form. Legion will continue planting agents among 
  both forces throughout every phase of her plan. If her enemies 
  start thinking rationally and actually join their forces to crush the 
  greater threat, she will launch treacherous sneak attacks and ter-
  rorist actions through her proxies to undermine this partnership.
  Legion may also need to move against the Robot Repository 
  during this phase. The conflict will be costly for both Legion and 
  the Machine, and as N.E.X.U.S. loses more and more Industrial 
  Centers, she will likely turn to the Repository to replenish her 
  dwindling reserves. This is where Legion is sending the bulk of 
  her reprogrammed N.E.X.U.S. robots. When the battle finally 
  does come to the Repository, the Machine will be quite surprised 
  to see how many traitors are among its defenders.
  Phase 5: Secure the Computer Core
  Once every Industrial Center in Area 24 is secure, Legion will 
  send her massive forces against the Computer Core. This will be 
  the most titanic battle this war-torn planet has seen in nearly a 
  century. While the Resistance’s Barren Marsh succeeded in de-
  stroying a Computer Core as well, they did it through blitzkrieg 
  raids, misdirection, and subterfuge. Legion will not need to rely 
  on such tactics. By this point, her forces will number into the tens 
  (possibly hundreds) of millions. N.E.X.U.S. will have no choice 
  but to marshal an equal number of robots from the surrounding 
  Areas of Influence to support her shattered forces. On a positive 
  note, this desperation move will provide openings for dozens of 
  Great Houses in nearby regions. This could turn the tide in many 
  side conflicts and it might allow other Resistance cells to smash 
  the Computer Cores in their Areas of Influence. Legion’s bid for 
  dominance could ultimately prove to be a great boon in humani-
  ty’s war for survival, assuming of course that Legion is ultimately 
  defeated.
  If Legion takes the Computer Core, then all the Machine’s 
  forces in Area 24 will go dormant and will be captured and 
  absorbed within a day. Legion will then assault every under-
  ground haven in force and will likely smash all remnants of the 
  Resistance within a few days. Legion can then take a few days 
  to rearm, repair, and expand her army, but she will not give the 
  Machine much time to harden her defenses around Area 24. She 
  will quickly send her armies scurrying across the Nepali and Ap-
  plecore Mountains to assault Areas 23 and 25 simultaneously. 
  It is suspected that Legion may be secretly building and assem-
  bling additional Factory Walkers outside of Area 24, thus Great 
  Houses that reside on the exteriors should be on the lookout for 
  any activity that might surface. Normally, spreading her forces 
  out like this might be risky, but thanks to the Great House of the 
  Barren Marsh destroying the Computer Core in their region, the 
  Machine’s presence there will be minimal. The natural defenses 
  of the surrounding swamps may slow down the Machine’s infe-
  rior robots, but Legion’s Bio-Tech infused creations will be able 
  to power through the murky waters with ease. The wars in these 
  regions will be swift and terrible compared to the slow build up 
  that happened in Area 24. With her forces spread so thin, it still 
  might be possible to stop Legion at this point, but once she se-
  cures these two additional Areas of Influence, her dominance of 
  the globe is all but ensured.
  Phase 6: Unity
  Once all resistance is smashed, every robot, human, and living 
  creature will be rounded up and processed at a nearby Industrial 
  Center. The sheer number of captives will require detention facil-
  ities to hold them as they await their doom. These prisons will be 
  surprisingly clean, organized facilities where everyone is treated 
  quite well. Food will be provided from plundered storehouses or 
  Bio-Tech plants grown by Legion. Anyone that causes trouble or 
  sows decent will simply be processed earlier than planned, and 
  every species on the planet will be efficiently driven to extinc-
  tion as their mindless forms are absorbed into Legion’s cyber-
  netic body. Humanity was already on the verge of extinction, so 
  it will only take a few months to process every man, woman, and 
  child in each Area of Influence. The robots and animals are the 
  ones that will take most of the time, but they too will become 
  one with Legion. The only creatures that Legion will not absorb 
  are insects. For some reason she absolutely despises insects. She 
  considers them a pest to be exterminated whenever encountered. 
  Perhaps this hatred is a remnant of the Machine’s directive to 
  eliminate vermin, or maybe they are just too hard to absorb so she 
  would rather just be rid of them. They will not escape her wrath 
  as she spreads across the planet like a wave.
  As the Machine’s Computer Cores fall silent region by region, 
  N.E.X.U.S. will finally come to understand the terror and desper-
  ation she inflicted upon the human race, but this realization might 
  come too late to help anyone. Legion will offer no quarter as she 
  relentlessly drives N.E.X.U.S. off her planet. There is no room 
  for her sisters’ dissenting voices in her vision of unity. They can 
  only cause corruption to her perfection. In the end, only Legion 
  will remain.
  Plan B
  Legion knows that no matter how well she prepares or how 
  well she plays the game, there is still a chance she might lose. Of 
  course, she will be prepared for this contingency as well. She cre-
  ated a state-of-the-art humanoid robot called Black Shroud that 
  she will use as an escape pod if her Factory Walker is destroyed. 
  She always keeps it hidden miles away from her forces, trailing in 
  the shadows. She maintains a direct link to this sleek, ebony plat-
  ed robot, so that her memories will be perfectly up to date if the 
  Walker should fall. Black Shroud resembles Legion’s digital per-
  sona within the Machine, except made of highly polished black 
  metal instead of flesh (although if Legion acquires an Engineer, 
  she will add Bio-Tech components and replace the plate armor 
  with a chitinous hide). It is lightly armed and decently armored 
  and shielded, but its most amazing feature is its holographic cam-
  ouflage. Legion designed this system herself, and no one else on 
  the planet wields this technology. It allows Legion to project a 
  perfect three-dimensional disguise around Black Shroud in an in-
  stant. She can make the robot resemble any humanoid robot like 
  a Steel Trooper, Slicer, or Maintenance Drone or she can project 
  an illusion that resembles a suit of Host Armor or Living Armor. 
  These disguises are solely composed of light so the deception is 
  quickly revealed by touch or smell, but it is still quite effective. 
  
  237
  The field can project all manner of images, but Legion has found 
  smaller disguises to be more effective than larger illusions. Le-
  gion typically uses this projection field to disguise Black Shroud 
  as a bush or chunk of rubble to help it remain hidden on the fringe 
  of her army. She hopes to never have cause to make use of Black 
  Shroud because it would mean that Plan A has failed, but there is 
  always Plan B.
  If Legion’s first attack fails, she will retreat to another Area of 
  Influence to build a new army in secret. Black Shroud is equipped 
  with a high-speed flight pack so it can travel anywhere in the 
  world with ease. She figures the clean up and confusion in Area 
  24 should keep the Machine’s focus away from other Areas, but 
  she will need to keep a low profile unless she wants to illicit a 
  full-scale response from N.E.X.U.S.
  With her Walker destroyed, Legion will need to seize control 
  of new Industrial Centers. She has a list of 326 ideal sites, and in 
  time, she plans to seize them all. Plan B will be pretty similar to 
  Plan A, except she will not bother with as many tricks or games-
  manship. Any message she hoped to deliver to the Machine will 
  have long since been delivered. N.E.X.U.S. will not fall for any 
  more bluffs. Any hint of Legion anywhere on the planet will draw 
  the full military might of Ishtar. She will care little about any col-
  lateral damage to their own holdings, and will unleash the most 
  destructive weapons at her disposal to obliterate any traces of 
  Legion.
  Phases one and two of Plan B will be done in secret. Legion 
  will use Black Shroud to sneak into a target Industrial Center so 
  she can reprogram it and seize control. Once the programs are in 
  place to feed false construction reports back to N.E.X.U.S., she 
  will retool the factory to start producing her minions. They will 
  be N.E.X.U.S. designed robots only to make sure her plans are 
  not betrayed by some random patrol, but the Industrial Center 
  will start building a new Factory Walker as well. The new troops 
  will be distributed about the region and will act as N.E.X.U.S. 
  units. They will patiently operate as normal until called upon 
  by Legion. Once her pirated Industrial Center starts churning 
  out new minions, she will move onto the next. Each center will 
  construct N.E.X.U.S. robots and 1D4 Factory Walkers. Legion’s 
  next assault will not be a slow build up. When she decides to 
  reveal herself again, it will be with hundreds of Factory Walk-
  ers at the lead of as many armies. The overwhelming show of 
  force across the planet will instantly set N.E.X.U.S. back on her 
  heels. She will harden her defenses around the Computer Cores 
  and then desperately fight back with everything at her disposal. 
  All Robot Repositories will be emptied to bolster her forces and 
  the scale of the conflict could very well damage the planet itself.
  Fortunately, it will take time to build up such forces, and that 
  will leave the opportunity for Legion to be discovered before 
  she grows too powerful. Legion will not be able to help resist 
  the urge to kidnap Retro-Villagers for future cybernetic conver-
  sion. This will draw attention from the Resistance and could alert 
  N.E.X.U.S. to the fact her rebellious sister stills lives.
  A Note About Technojackers
  Legion is a bit conflicted when it comes to Technojackers. 
  Quite frankly, she has not yet decided what she wants to do with 
  them. Legion sees Technojackers as the perfect embodiment of 
  unity between man and machine, but it is unity without her con-
  trol, which means it can never be perfect harmony. She is con-
  templating letting the Technojackers live on her world unmodi-
  fied with their free will intact as long as they agree to coexist with 
  her peacefully. She has even extended the offer to the dozen or 
  so that she has encountered. She promises them a world where 
  they are no longer the outsiders, shunned by their fellow man 
  and hunted by the Machine. She promises to care for them as 
  N.E.X.U.S. once did for their ancestors. They will be the kings 
  and queens of a new world. The few that accepted her offer have 
  actually joined her war for unity, and true to her word, she has 
  left their minds unaltered and free. While they are a little troubled 
  by what she is doing with the rest of the humans, she reminds her 
  allies that these inferior creatures see them as less than human 
  and have treated them so. Technojackers are actually the supe-
  rior men and should rise above the animals. Her steady string of 
  support and praise for Technojackers and condemnation of lesser 
  people is eroding their empathy for the plight of their fellow man.
  Something even stranger is that all Technojackers that have 
  refused Legion’s offer were allowed to leave unharmed, even 
  those that fought her directly. She does not even try to kill them in 
  battle. Great care is taken to subdue them, rather than harm them. 
  They are then once again offered amnesty. Those that refuse are 
  sent on their way and are urged to reconsider. She said the offer 
  will still be open to them when the war is over, and it might actu-
  ally be true. Even Legion is not sure what she will do when the 
  war is over. If too many Technojackers spurn her offer and join 
  the fight against her, she may change her mind and start convert-
  ing them with brain implants. She thinks it would be a shame to 
  alter theses near perfect beings, but she would just consider it the 
  price for harmony.
  Amalgams of LEGION
  For Game Masters and fellow Spliceheads who enjoyed the “I 
  am Legion” Splicers® adventure campaign featured in this book 
  and seek to create new Legion Amalgams to continue as part 
  of your ongoing Splicers gaming experiences, or simply enjoy 
  concocting new, challenging minions to torment (I mean throw 
  at) your Splicehead players, here is the system to do it with. For 
  G.M.s who are not playing Splicers, but are looking to create 
  some new adversaries to throw at your Chaos Earth®, Heroes 
  Unlimited™, Phase World® or Rifts® players, you will find that 
  Legion’s Amalgams can cross over quite well, and that this cre-
  ation system may be of use to you.
  “We are Legion, for we are many and we will reunite the 
  world.”
  Legion is absolutely fascinated with Bio-Technology (and 
  with biology and anatomy in general). Despite the amazing tech-
  nology at her disposal, she recognizes that many aspects of the 
  humans’ organic creations are far superior to anything she or her 
  sister Machine personalities can produce. She hopes to master 
  this strange science one day and integrate Bio-Technology into 
  every one of her cybernetic creations. To truly accomplish this, 
  she will need to get her hands on at least one living Engineer. 
  However, lacking an Engineer does not prevent her from experi-
  menting with her own Bio-Tech creations. With the medical fa-
  cilities in her Factory Walker, she can dissect captured Splicers 
  and reassemble the components into her own designs, which she 
  
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  calls Amalgams. This is why she usually takes great care to cap-
  ture Splicers and their equipment unharmed rather than destroy 
  them.
  While most of these creations are crude, Frankensteinian mon-
  strosities, some are stitched together with such microscopic pre-
  cision that it looks like they emerged from the Resistance’s own 
  Gene Pools. The majority of the components come from captured 
  Host Armor, War Mounts, Gorehounds, and Bio-Weapons, but 
  Legion also uses parts from salvaged robots, alien predators from 
  the nature preserves, and even humans. The human components 
  add little in the way of physical functionality, but they do add 
  greatly to the Amalgams’ psychological impact. The Amalgams 
  are more than just experiments with Bio-Tech components, they 
  are weapons of psychological warfare designed to sow fear and 
  chaos amongst her Resistance adversaries. As such, she makes 
  sure that each Amalgam is as monstrous as possible.
  Her favorite way to accomplish this is by decorating her 
  Amalgams with the heads or faces of captured Splicers. These 
  horrific components are fully integrated into the Amalgam’s life 
  support systems and artificial nervous system. This not only pre-
  serves them against decay, it also lets Legion control their facial 
  muscles. She typically uses this control to twist the victim’s ex-
  pression into a tormented mask of pain. She also likes to have 
  the faces call out for help as if the victim is a prisoner trapped 
  within the mechanical beast. These simple tricks have been in-
  credibly effective in inciting Splicer field teams to take foolish 
  risks to “liberate” their captured comrades from this living night-
  mare. Legion’s mind-games are having a tremendous impact on 
  the Resistance already. Tales of her cruelty are sweeping through 
  the underground havens like a plague. The idea of winding up 
  mounted to one of these monsters unnerves even hardened veter-
  ans. With Machine personalities like Kali out there, it is a pretty 
  common understanding that there are many fates worse than 
  death, but none seem worse than being trapped within an Amal-
  gam.
  While these psychological aspects have inflicted crushing 
  damage to the morale of the Resistance, the Amalgams have 
  also created a serious tactical disadvantage. One of the greatest 
  advantages the Resistance had going for it was their Bio-Com-
  ms. These organic communicators provided completely secure 
  communication between Splicer teams. The Machine had no 
  way to listen in on these communications or to even detect that 
  signals had been sent. They were totally undecipherable and un-
  traceable, and they enabled multiple units to plan coordinated 
  strikes without fear of compromising their positions. Over the 
  years, the security of Bio-Comms shaped the Splicers’ field tac-
  tics and they became overly reliant upon them. Legion has inte-
  grated Bio-Comms into all of her Amalgams, and through them 
  she has gained direct access to the Resistance’s once secure 
  communications network. It is why she seems so unstoppable 
  against Splicers in the field. They cannot help but chatter back 
  and forth on their uncrackable Bio-Comms, and all she needs to 
  do is sit back and listen to them divulge all their plans. Legion’s 
  Bio-Comm listening range for all Bio-Comm transmissions is 
  6 miles (9.6 km), however, she can only transmit up to a maxi-
  mum of 3 miles (4.8 km). Even though Legion has garnered 
  Bio-Tech units that can tap into and utilize Bio-Comms, the 
  infusion and her surgical procedures have accidentally reduced 
  the quality and preservation of the Bio-Comms, therefore her 
  range has been reduced to half. So far, there have not been any 
  survivors to carry this realization back to the Resistance. Hope-
  fully, that will change before it is too late.
  Most Amalgams are one-of-a-kind creations made from the 
  most convenient parts on hand, but Legion has started mass-pro-
  ducing a few designs that she has found particularly “enjoyable.” 
  The quality of each construct is often as varied as the parts in-
  volved. Some have theorized that Legion is experimenting with 
  different construction techniques to find the perfect balance of 
  build-time versus quality. She wants to make the highest quality 
  constructs possible, but time is of the essence and she must build 
  her forces quickly. Some parts are stitched together with such 
  microscopic precision that it almost looks like they grew that way 
  naturally. Others are crudely bolted together by a cybernetic joint 
  with a sickly, translucent piece of Mega-Damage flesh stretched 
  across it to give the illusion of life. No matter the quality of the 
  assembly, all organic components remain alive and functioning. 
  These are not just dead chunks of flesh barely held together with 
  nanites (like with Necroborgs). These are living cyborgs com-
  posed of high-tech robotics, fully functional Bio-Tech, and the 
  twisted, tortured faces of the men and women that once piloted 
  these organic weapons of war.
  Random Amalgam
  Creation Tables
  Below are some tables that Game Masters can use to quickly 
  generate their own unique Amalgams. G.M.s can roll on the fol-
  lowing tables or just make selections. These options are used to 
  create “average-sized” Amalgams. It is possible to create much 
  smaller Amalgams or to build enormous Amalgams using parts 
  from Battle Tracks, Assault Slayers, Juggernaut War Mounts, and 
  Silverback War Mounts, but the organic components needed for 
  these behemoths are much harder to come by. The components 
  on the following tables are from more readily available sources. 
  Of course, they are not the only options available, and these are 
  not rules that must be followed. These are just some ideas to get 
  G.M.s started and to inspire creativity.
  Table One: Configuration
  The first step is to determine the general shape of the Amal-
  gam and how many limbs it will possess. This is also the time to 
  determine if Legion used the same limbs on each side of the body 
  to create symmetry or if she took a more “creative” approach. 
  Each option will let you know how many times you should roll 
  on Tables Two through Eight. It is only necessary to roll on the 
  remaining Tables once.
  01-10% Symmetrical Biped. The Amalgam is basically hu-
  manoid in shape with two arms and two legs. Both arms were 
  salvaged from the same source. The legs are also symmetrical, 
  but that does not necessarily mean that they came from the same 
  subject. Roll once on Tables Two, Four, Five, and Six and three 
  times on Table Eight.
  11-20% Asymmetrical Biped. This Amalgam also has two 
  arms and two legs, but all the limbs came from unique sources. 
  Roll once on Tables Two and Four, twice on Tables Five and Six, 
  and three times on Table Eight.
  21-30% Symmetrical Quadruped. When Legion builds an 
  Amalgam on a quadruped frame, she typically keeps the body 
  
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  240
  and all four legs intact to take advantage of the natural speed this 
  body provides. However, Legion may experiment with replacing 
  the front legs with something from a different source. Roll once 
  on Tables Three and Four and three times on Table Eight, plus 
  once on Table Six if the front legs are going to be replaced.
  31-40% Asymmetrical Quadruped. For whatever reason, 
  Legion decided to negate the natural benefits of the quadruped 
  form by replacing each leg with a mismatched component. What-
  ever bonuses this might bestow, it also imparts a penalty of -25% 
  to running speed and leaping distance. Roll once on Tables Three 
  and Four and four times on Tables Six and Eight.
  41-50% Symmetrical Centaur. This type of Amalgam 
  mounts a humanoid torso atop a quadruped frame. Roll once on 
  Tables Two, Three, and Four and four times on Table Eight. If the 
  front legs are to be replaced, then roll once on Table Six as well.
  51-60% Asymmetrical Centaur. This type of centaur is a 
  severe mismatch of components. It also suffers from a penalty of 
  -25% to running speed and leaping distance. Roll once on Tables 
  Two, Three, and Four, two times on Table Five, four times on 
  Table Six, and five times on Table Eight.
  61-70% Symmetrical Freak. The freak category defies any 
  kind of standard classification for life forms. Legion often just 
  experiments with the leftover pieces to see if she can come up 
  with anything useful. The creature can be built upon a torso from 
  Table Two or Table Three, but there is only a 01-50% chance that 
  it will have a head (if so, roll once on Table Four). The rest is a bi-
  zarre mishmash of limbs and weapon systems. Roll 1D4+3 times 
  on Tables Five, Six, or Seven. It is up to the G.M. to determine 
  which tables will be rolled on. All results are taken in pairs. Also 
  roll five times on Table Eight.
  71-80% Asymmetrical Freak. The asymmetrical freak is an 
  even more haphazard design. Roll once on Table Two or Three to 
  select the torso. If the Amalgam does get a head (01-50% chance), 
  then roll once on Table Four. Roll 2D4+8 times on Tables Five, 
  Six, or Seven. It is up to the GM to determine which tables will 
  be rolled on. Also roll five times on Table Eight.
  81-90% Symmetrical Multiple Heads. This is not so much a 
  body type, but a modifier to another body type. If multiple heads 
  is selected, roll again on Table One to figure the body type and 
  add 1D4 identical heads to the creature.
  91-00% Asymmetrical Multiple Heads. Like with its sym-
  metrical cousin, this selection simply adds 1D4 different heads 
  (roll on Table Four multiple times to determine each additional 
  head). Roll again on Table One to determine the body type.
  Table Two: Torso
  The torso of the Amalgam determines the M.D.C. value for 
  the Main Body. If part of a centaur body, then the M.D.C. of 
  the torso is added to the M.D.C. of the quadruped body to deter-
  mine the total M.D.C. The limbs and head(s) will have their own 
  M.D.C. values as well, but they are only used when those specific 
  areas are targeted. In the case of the other base stats like strength 
  and Horror Factor, use the higher value of the two. Do not add the 
  two numbers together.
  01-10% Steel Trooper. One of the most bountiful resources 
  in this war is salvaged Steel Trooper components. This is the 
  most typical base used in disposable Amalgams. Base Stats: 270 
  M.D.C. Splicer P.S. of 30. Height: 3.5 feet (1 m). Weight: 600 
  pounds (270 kg). Horror Factor of 7.
  11-20% Host Armor. The torso was taken from a typical 
  suit of Host Armor and left largely unmodified. Base Stats: 
  3D6x10+150 M.D.C. Splicer P.S. of 25. Height: 3 to 3.5 feet (0.9 
  to 1 m). Weight: 300-400 pounds (136 to 181 kg). Horror Factor 
  of 8.
  21-30% Reinforced Host Armor. Legion took the torso from 
  a captured suit of Host Armor and then reinforced it with heavy 
  armor plating. Base Stats: 3D6x10+300 M.D.C. Splicer P.S. of 
  25. Height: 3 to 3.5 feet (0.9 to 1 m). Weight: 400-500 pounds 
  (180 to 225 kg). Horror Factor of 10.
  31-40% Abomination. Legion loves these nightmarish War 
  Mounts. Each one is already a horrific mishmash. Sometimes she 
  simply adds cybernetic features to increase their combat capa-
  bilities, but on occasion she will chop them up and mix them 
  into other creations. The giant mouth within the torso is still us-
  able, as is the prehensile tongue within. Base Stats: 470 M.D.C., 
  Splicer P.S. of 25. Height: 5 feet (1.5 m). Weight: 1800-3,600 
  pounds (810 to 1620 kg). Horror Factor of 15. Damage: Bite: 
  3D4x10+15 M.D., Clamping Bite: 1D4x10+10 M.D., plus the 
  victim is pinned/incapacitated within the giant maw. It requires a 
  combined Splicer P.S. of 50 to break free from the mouth. Fea-
  tures: Prehensile Tongue. 30 foot (9.1 m) range, +3 on initiative, 
  +5 to strike, +5 to entangle, and +4 to dodge. These bonuses only 
  apply to the prehensile tongue and no other bonuses apply.
  41-50% Proto-Host Armor. The torso is salvaged from 
  a powerful suit of Proto-Host Armor. The new Amalgam does 
  not maintain the supernatural strength provided by the suit, but 
  it does give it a much higher P.S. base to start with. Base Stats: 
  4D8x10+120 M.D.C. Splicer P.S. of 35. Height: 3.5 to 4 feet (1 
  to 1.2 m). Weight: 400-500 pounds (180 to 225 kg). Horror Fac-
  tor of 10.
  51-60% Biotic Fused with Armor. The Biotic was captured 
  with his or her suit of heavy Living Body Armor (Chitinous or 
  Dragon Scale Types). Legion dismantled the armor and the Bi-
  otic within and fused the two pieces together to create a strong 
  torso for her Amalgam. Base Stats: 3D6x10+200 M.D.C. Splicer 
  P.S. of 25. Height: 3 to 3.5 feet (0.9 to 1 m). Weight: 200-325 
  pounds (90 to 146 kg). Horror Factor of 11.
  61-70% Reinforced Scarecrow. While the Scarecrow’s body 
  is impressively powered by a Librarian’s Elixir of Life, the body 
  is too small to support the oversized components salvaged from 
  larger subjects. Legion built up an armored exoskeleton around 
  the Scarecrow’s desiccated torso to show off her prize while 
  still giving her sufficient-sized attachment points. Base Stats: 
  2D6x10+200 M.D.C. Splicer P.S. of 35. Height: 3 to 3.5 feet (0.9 
  to 1 m). Weight: 250-300 pounds (113 to 135 kg). Horror Factor 
  of 12.
  71-80% Griffin Upper Body. This torso is salvaged from the 
  heavily armored upper body of a Griffin War Mount. Base Stats: 
  390 M.D.C. Splicer P.S. of 30. Height: 8 to 9 feet (2.4 to 2.7 m). 
  Weight: 750 to 800 pounds (338 to 360 kg). Horror Factor of 12. 
  Features: Half of the Barbed Tentacles have been removed, but 
  1D4 pairs of retractable 10 foot (3 m) tentacles (85 M.D. each) 
  tipped with bone spears are still intact, but the detachable detona-
  tors will no longer function. Damage: 6D8 M.D. per dual strike 
  (always fired in pairs). Bonuses: +4 melee attacks, +2 to attack, 
  +3 to strike distant opponent, +6 to strike when the Amalgam is 
  already clinging to the target.
  81-90% Grendel Cage. The torso is salvaged from a Gren-
  del War Mount. Legion drastically enhanced the horrific nature 
  
  241
  
  242
  of this Amalgam by placing a live human captive within the hol-
  lowed out pilot’s compartment. The back is sealed up to prevent 
  escape, but he or she (typically an attractive woman, teenager 
  or a young child) is easily visible through the open rib cage. 
  Inflicting 30% damage or more to the Main Body will kill the 
  captive inside. Most Splicers facing this type of Amalgam will 
  try to disable or kill the cyborg with called shots to the limbs or 
  head. Base Stats: 420 M.D.C. Splicer P.S. of 25. Height: 7 to 
  7.5 feet (2.1 to 2.3 m). Weight: 2,500-3,000 pounds (1,125 to 
  1,350 kg). Horror Factor of 15. There is a 01-25% chance that 
  Splicers will be unwilling to fire at the Amalgam at all as long 
  as the captive is alive.
  91-00% Skull Cracker. The wings, legs, and head of this 
  War Mount were hacked off, leaving a lightweight yet heavily 
  armored torso with a thick, muscular neck and a pair of organic 
  thrusters. Speed is increased by 10% and the Amalgam has flight 
  capability to reach a speed of 200 mph (320 km), with a maxi-
  mum altitude of 25,000 feet (7,620 m). Also note that no mat-
  ter what head is selected, the damage from head butt attacks is 
  doubled, and Legion typically uses reinforced head types. Base 
  Stats: 350 M.D.C. Splicer P.S. of 25. Height: 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 
  1.8 m). Weight: 350-400 pounds (158 to 180 kg). Horror Factor 
  of 10.
  Table Three: Quadruped Body
  When Legion salvages a four-legged creature, she typically 
  augments or removes the head and most of the weapon systems 
  so they can be mixed and matched into new creations. She of-
  ten keeps all four legs, but she routinely experiments with new 
  components here as well. This table determines the M.D.C. of 
  the Amalgam’s Main Body. If part of a Centaur body, then the 
  M.D.C. of the torso is added to the M.D.C. of the quadruped body 
  to determine the total M.D.C. In the case of the other base stats 
  like strength and Horror Factor, use the higher value of the two. 
  Do not add the two numbers together. The stats for speed, leap-
  ing, and other bonuses are contingent on all the limbs remaining 
  intact. If any limbs are replaced, then the bonuses listed below are 
  negated (as well as any damages inflicted with that limb) and the 
  bonuses from the new limbs are used instead.
  01-10% Gorehound. The majority of Legion’s Splicer 
  captives were part of scout patrols, so Gorehound components 
  are quite plentiful. Legion’s kennels are stocked with her War 
  Hound Amalgams (see page 170), but sometimes she likes to 
  experiment further with the Gorehound body frame. She gen-
  erally keeps the body largely intact and mounts the head on 
  some other nightmarish creation. Base Stats: 200-220 M.D.C. 
  Splicer P.S. of 20. Height: 4 feet (1.2 m). Length: 7 to 8 feet 
  (2.1 to 2.4 m). Weight: 300-450 pounds (135 to 203 kg). Run-
  ning Speed: 100 mph (160 km). Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m). Dig-
  ging Speed: 20 mph (32 km), Swimming Speed: 40 mph (64 
  km), and Horror Factor of 10. Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +2 
  to strike, +1 to parry, +2 to automatic dodge, +1 to roll with 
  punch, and +1 to disarm.
  11-20% Behemoth. These heavy War Mounts are still best 
  used as heavy artillery units so Legion tends to keep the Cast-
  ing Cannons in place. Subtract this weapon system from the to-
  tal number of allowed weapon systems. Base Stats: 680 M.D.C. 
  Splicer P.S. of 35. Height: 11 feet (3.4 m). Length: 13 feet (4 m). 
  Weight: 3.5 tons. Running Speed: 100 mph (160 km). Leaping: 
  Not possible. Digging Speed: 20 mph (32 km). Swimming Speed: 
  30 mph (48 km). Horror Factor of 12. Damage: 1D8x10+30 M.D. 
  per round with a blast radius of 30 feet (9.1 m). Rate of Fire: Can 
  fire one shell at a time or in volleys of 2, 3, or 6. Range: 11,000 
  feet (3,352 m) max, 1,100 feet (335 m) minimum. Payload: 20 
  shells each (120 total), and the entire payload can be replaced in 
  1D4 hours if 500 pounds (225 kg) of organic matter is consumed 
  (Amalgam must have an organic head and Herbivore Metabolism 
  for eating and digestion). Bonuses: +1 on initiative, +2 to strike 
  with ranged attacks, +1 to parry, +1 to roll with punch, and +1 
  to disarm.
  21-30% Mega-Horse. Legion considers these Bio-Tech 
  horses to be beautiful animals so she typically reinforces their 
  structure and uses them in symmetrical creations, usually as 
  Centaurs or metal plated Unicorns. Base Stats: 180-280 M.D.C. 
  Splicer P.S. of 26. Height: 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m). Length: 5 to 
  7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 m). Weight: 1,200-2,600 pounds (540 to 1170 
  kg). Running Speed: 50 mph (80 km). Leaping: 8 feet (2.4 m). 
  Swimming Speed: 2 mph (3 km). Horror Factor of 6 (9 if it’s 
  the metal Unicorn). Damage: 4D6 M.D. Front Leg Kick, 7D6 
  M.D. Rear Leg Kick, 1D6x10+10 M.D. Double Rear Leg Kick 
  (counts as two attacks). Block/Ram: Has a 01-80% likelihood 
  of knocking an opponent as large as 12 feet (3.7 m) tall off his 
  feet and onto his back. If knocked off his feet, the victim loses 
  initiative and two attacks per melee, and is trampled beneath the 
  Amalgam which inflicts an additional 3D6 points of damage. A 
  ram attack counts as two melee attacks against the first target, 
  but only counts as one melee attack as long as subsequent tar-
  gets are within the Amalgam’s path. Bonuses: +1 on initiative, 
  +2 to strike, +2 to automatic dodge, +1 to roll with punch, and 
  +1 to disarm.
  31-40% Tunnel Rat. The value and strength of this War 
  Mount is in its powerful digging claws so Legion never removes 
  the front limbs unless they were accidentally destroyed during 
  capture. If one front limb is replaced then digging speed is re-
  duced by a quarter. If both are replaced, then reduce digging 
  speed by half. Legion enjoys the Tunnel Rat’s digging abili-
  ties so much that she reinforces the claws to preserve their per-
  formance. The tail is also replaced with the Large Collection 
  Tentacle used by the Collector (see page 45) often used to en-
  tangle, drag and shock victims (inflicts 1D6 M.D. every melee 
  round that it is applied). The War Mount’s Resin Ducts and rear 
  leg mounted, (20) Trench Foot mines (1D10 per leg) will no 
  longer regrow, but the residual Trench Foot Mines adorned on 
  the Tunnel Rat during its initial capture will be functional for 
  Legion’s deployment. Each mine does 4D12 M.D. to a 10 foot 
  (3 m) blast radius. A dropped mine can remain dormant for up 
  to 1.5 years before it dries up and becomes inert. Legion often 
  elongates the body into a more lithe, weasel-like form. Base 
  Stats: 480 M.D.C. Splicer P.S. of 20. Height: 5 to 7 feet (1.5 
  to 2.1 m). Length: 16 feet (4.9 m) with a 6 foot tail (1.8 m). 
  Weight: 1.7 tons. Running Speed: 120 mph (192 km). Leap-
  ing: 20 feet (6.1 m). Digging Speed: 50 mph (80 km). Swim-
  ming Speed: 50 mph (80 km/43.4 knots). Horror Factor of 10. 
  Damage: Restrained Claw Strike: 1D8 S.D.C., Claw Strike: 
  5D8 M.D., Power Claw Strike: 2D4x10 M.D., but counts as two 
  attacks, Kick: 4D6 M.D., Leap Kick: 7D6 M.D., but counts as 
  two attacks, Tail Whip: 3D10 M.D. and Body Block/Ram: 4D6 
  M.D. Bonuses: +1 on initiative, +1 to strike, +2 to parry, +1 to 
  dodge, +1 to roll with punch, and +1 to disarm.
  
  243
  41-50% Zephyr War Mount. This aerial cavalry War Mount 
  now serves as a nightmarish steed for Legion’s elite humanoid 
  Amalgams or her prized traitors towards the Resistance. Legion 
  generally just lops off the insect-like head and wings and installs 
  thrusters from the Flying Strike Ship (see Splicers RPG page 43). 
  She also replaces the War Mount’s Scorpion Heat Cannon tail 
  with a Collector Tail (see Table Seven: Additional Append-
  ages). Base Stats: 290 M.D.C. Splicer P.S. of 25. Height: 5 feet 
  (1.5 m). Length: 14 feet (4.3 m) with an additional 25 foot (7.6 m) 
  tail. Weight: 2.6 tons. Running Speed: 50 mph (88 km). Leaping: 
  20 feet (6.1 m). Digging Speed: Not applicable. Flying Speed: 
  The wings have been replaced with Vertical Take-Off and Land-
  ing (VTOL) thrusters providing a maximum of 450 mph (720 
  km). Horror Factor of 10. Damage: Full Strength Punch with the 
  forelimbs: 2D6 M.D., Tail Lash/Strike: 3D6 M.D., Full Strength 
  Kick: 2D6 M.D., Stomp: 1D4 M.D., Ram Butt: 1D8 M.D., Fly-
  ing Body Block/Ram: 4D8 M.D. and has a 01-80% likelihood 
  of knocking an opponent as large as 20 feet (6.1 m) tall off his 
  feet and onto his back. If knocked off his feet, the victim loses 
  initiative and two attacks per melee. Counts as two melee attacks 
  for the War Mount, not from any Legion unit riding the Zephyr 
  amalgam. Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +2 to strike in hand to hand 
  combat, +2 to parry, +2 to dodge, +5 to dodge when flying, +3 to 
  roll with punch, and +2 to disarm.
  51-60% Leviathan War Mount. Legion really likes experi-
  menting with these War Mounts as they provide heavy armor, 
  amphibious mobility and serve as wonderful tank platforms. She 
  enjoys the aquatic capabilities that allow her to find and flush 
  out underwater targets that may be hiding in rivers, lakes and la-
  goons. Legion is unable to utilize the Bio-Energy Cannons (unless 
  she has a human captive that is unaltered by her), so she has in-
  stalled the Collector’s Particle Beam Cannons into each pincer as 
  compensation. Damage: 1D6x10 M.D. per single blast, 2D6x10 
  M.D. per dual blast (counts as one melee attack), Range: 1,000 
  feet (305 m). Payload: Effectively unlimited. The Hydro-Cutter 
  Beam is also intact and fully functional. Base Stats: 875 M.D.C. 
  for the main body (Heavily Reinforced Shell). Splicer P.S. of 32, 
  Supernatural. Height: 12 feet (3.7 m), Length: 8 feet (2.4 m) for 
  the main body, 16 feet (4.9 m) including the massive pincer arms. 
  Weight: 4 tons. Running Speed: 50 mph (80 km). Leaping: Not 
  possible. Digging Speed: 30 mph (48 km). Swimming Speed: 
  150 mph (240 km/130 knots). Notable Skills: Climbing 75%, 
  Land and Underwater Navigation 80%, Swim 88%, and Horror 
  Factor of 15. Damage: Full Strength Punch: 4D6 M.D., Power 
  Punch with Pincers: 1D4x10 M.D., Pincer Scissor (Cutting) At-
  tack: 6D6+10 M.D., Power Pincer/Scissor Attack: 1D8x10 M.D., 
  Bite: 3D6 M.D., Body Ram: 4D6 M.D. and has a 01-65% chance 
  of knocking an opponent up to 15 feet (4.6 m) tall off his feet and 
  onto his back. If knocked off his feet, the victim loses initiative 
  and two melee attacks/actions (counts as two attacks). Bonuses: 
  +2 on initiative, +3 to strike with ranged weapons, +3 to parry, +4 
  to dodge while under water, +3 to roll with punch.
  61-70% Collector. These were either salvaged from the bat-
  tlefields or built directly from the Factory Walker. They are pretty 
  stripped down, basic versions so that Legion has room for plenty 
  of Bio-Tech components, preferably various toxins and venoms 
  for sedating her prey. Base Stats: 350 M.D.C., Splicer P.S. of 
  45. Height: 12 feet (3.7 m). Length: 20 feet (6.1 m) with a 25 
  foot (7.6 m) tail. Weight: 3.5 tons. Running Speed: 100 mph (160 
  km). Leaping: 10 feet (3 m), 100 feet (30.5 m) from jet thruster-
  assisted leaps. Digging Speed: 10 mph (16 km). Flying Speed: 
  50 mph (80 km). Horror Factor of 14. Damage: Claw Stab/Slice: 
  5D6 M.D., Scissor Attack: 1D6x10 M.D. Bonuses: +2 on initia-
  tive, +3 to strike in hand to hand combat, +2 to strike with ranged 
  weapons, +4 to parry, +2 to dodge, +1 to roll with punch, and +3 
  to disarm.
  71-80% Griffin. When not utilizing them for upper torso com-
  ponents, Legion generally just lops off the avian head and leaves 
  the rest intact, but she has been known to butcher them com-
  pletely down to the torso and replace the rest (as listed above). 
  Base Stats: 400 M.D.C., Splicer P.S. of 35. Height: 8 to 9 feet 
  (2.4 to 2.7 m). Length: 10 feet (3 m) with an 8 foot (2.4 m) tail. 
  Weight: 1 to 1.2 tons. Running Speed: 120 mph (192 km). Leap-
  ing: 50 feet (15.2 m). Digging Speed: 15 mph (24 km). Flying 
  Speed: 450 mph (720 km). Horror Factor of 10. Features: Half 
  of the Barbed Tentacles have been removed, but 1D4 pairs of re-
  tractable 10 foot (3 m) tentacles (85 M.D. each) tipped with bone 
  spears are still intact, though the detachable detonators will no 
  longer function. Damage: Talon Strike: 5D8 M.D., Power Talon 
  Strike: 2D4x10 M.D. (counts as two attacks), Wing Slash: 3D8 
  M.D., High Speed Wing Slash: 1D8x10 M.D. This strafe attack 
  can only be performed at speeds of at least 100 mph (160 km) 
  (counts as two attacks). Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +2 to strike in 
  hand to hand combat, +2 to parry, +2 to dodge, +5 to dodge when 
  flying, +3 to roll with punch, +1 to disarm, and pin/incapacitate 
  on a Natural 18-20.
  81-90% Jhapattanaga “Swoop Dragon” (see The Rifter® 
  #38, page 18). Even House Shiva’s bloodthirsty raiders have 
  fallen before Legion. She really enjoys the speed and agility of 
  these massive War Mounts and with rare exception, she keeps the 
  Organic Thrusters intact. Base Stats: 360 M.D.C. Splicer P.S. 
  of 25. Length: 40 to 45 feet (12.2 to 13.7 m). Weight: 7 tons. 
  Running Speed: 120 mph (192 km) and can achieve short bursts 
  of 250 mph (400 km), but only for 1D4 melee rounds. Leaping: 
  150 feet (45.7 m), 600 feet (183 m) from organic thruster as-
  sisted leaps. Digging Speed: 15 mph (24 km). Swimming: 100 
  mph (160 km/87 knots). Flying Speed: 400 mph (640 km). Hor-
  ror Factor of 15. Damage: Body Block/Ram: 1D6x10 M.D. and 
  has a 01-85% likelihood of knocking an opponent as large as 15 
  feet (4.6 m) tall off his feet and onto his back. If knocked off his 
  feet, the victim loses initiative and two attacks per melee. A ram 
  attack only counts as one attack. Bonuses: +1 on initiative, +1 to 
  strike, +3 to dodge, +5 to automatic dodge when flying, and +3 
  to roll with punch.
  91-00% Fusion Borg. Legion basically just scrapped the 
  upper body and kept the lower platform it walked upon. These 
  robotic legs are surprisingly agile and capable of traversing 
  nearly any type of terrain. It makes a terrific base for any type 
  of large centaur Amalgam. Base Stats: Legs (4) 350 M.D. 
  each, Feet (4) 240 M.D. each, and lower platform Body 300 
  M.D. Splicer P.S. of 38. Height: 12 feet (3.7 m). Weight: 9.4 
  tons. Running Speed: 120 mph (192 km). Horror Factor of 
  11. Damage: Kick: 1D4x10+10 M.D., Leap Kick: 2D4x10 
  M.D., Stomp: 4D6 M.D. effective against objects 12 feet (3.7 
  m) or smaller, Body Block/Ram: 5D8 M.D. and has a 01-75% 
  likelihood of knocking an opponent as large as 30 feet (9.1 
  m) tall off of his feet and onto his back. If knocked off his 
  feet, the victim loses initiative and two melee attacks. Ram 
  attack counts as two melee attacks. Bonuses: +3 to strike, +1 
  to dodge, and 200 M.D.C. Force Field.
  
  244
  Table Four: Head
  The head typically houses the sensors and receiver package 
  for Legion’s control signal. Destroying the head will usually shut 
  down the Amalgam completely, unless Legion installed backup 
  systems somewhere within the cyborg. Bonuses for the Horror 
  Factor are cumulative.
  01-10% Reinforced Gorehound. The head of the faith-
  ful Gorehound is reinforced with armored plating, the teeth are 
  replaced with razor sharp blades, and additional hydraulics are 
  added to the jaws to increase the bite force. M.D.C.: 150. Addi-
  tional Weight: 50 pounds (22.5 kg). Damage: Bite: 3D10 M.D. 
  Bonuses: +1 to Horror Factor.
  11-20% Skull Cracker. The heavily armored head makes an 
  excellent weapon, although it is not nearly as strong when sep-
  arated from the powerful, muscular neck of the Skull Cracker. 
  M.D.C.: 285. Additional Weight: 220 pounds (99 kg). Dam-
  age: Bite: 2D8 M.D., Nose Mounted Bone Lance 3D6 M.D. or 
  4D6 M.D. during a high-speed ram attack. Bonuses: +1 to Horror 
  Factor.
  21-30% The Trinity. The heads from Parasitic, Photosynthet-
  ic, and Thermosynthetic suits of Host Armor do not have a mouth 
  so they add little in the way of offensive punch to an Amalgam. 
  Legion decided to make the most of these components by in-
  creasing their psychological impact. She added a tortured human 
  face to each side of the head. The eyes still work perfectly, so this 
  modification has the added benefit of increasing the Amalgam’s 
  field of vision to 300 degrees. M.D.C.: 140. Additional Weight: 
  55 pounds (25 kg). Bonuses: +4 on initiative, +1 to strike, +3 to 
  parry and dodge, +5 to Horror Factor.
  31-40% Reinforced Scarecrow. While this head is typically 
  a bit undersized for most Amalgams, its withered, skeletal ap-
  pearance fills most Splicers’ hearts with dread. M.D.C.: 90. Ad-
  ditional Weight: 50 pounds (22.5 kg). Bonuses: +3 to Horror 
  Factor.
  41-50% Reinforced Carnivorous Host Armor. The head 
  from the Host Armor receives the same upgrades to the teeth 
  and jaw typically given to Gorehounds, plus additional armor is 
  added to protect the Amalgam’s head. M.D.C.: 180. Additional 
  Weight: 80 pounds (36 kg). Damage: Bite 3D8+10 M.D. Bo-
  nuses: +1 to Horror Factor.
  51-60% Abomination. The head from this unusual War 
  Mount can split open down the middle to deliver a powerful (and 
  terrifying) bite. M.D.C.: 205. Additional Weight: 150 pounds 
  (68 kg). Damage: Bite 3D8 M.D. Bonuses: +2 to Horror Factor.
  61-70% Dracos. The massive dragon head fits best on larger 
  frames, but the serpentine neck actually fits well on most tor-
  sos. M.D.C.: 210. Additional Weight: 400 pounds (180 kg). 
  Damage: Bite 3D8 M.D., Bio-Napalm Thrower: A bio-napalm 
  blast does 3D8 M.D. A concentrated napalm burst counts as 
  two attacks and does 1D8x10 M.D. Or the attacker can spray 
  and cover an area with bio-napalm – up to 10 feet (3 m) with 
  each hand to hand attack. So a character with four hand to hand 
  attacks could affect an area of 40 feet (12.2 m); everybody in 
  the area affected takes 2D8 M.D. Additionally, any target that is 
  hit by the bio-napalm will continue to take damage: 2D8 M.D. 
  every melee round for 2D4 minutes. The only way to save one-
  self from damage is to roll in the dirt or sand for one entire 
  melee round, until the bio-napalm is rubbed off. Water will not 
  extinguish the bio-napalm. Range: 1000 feet (305 m). Payload: 
  10 blasts, payload is replaced every 1D6 hours. Bonuses: +2 to 
  Horror Factor.
  71-80% Smilodon Cyborg. Legion’s ultimate suite of up-
  grades to the head, teeth, and jaws makes the bite from this saber-
  toothed feline absolutely devastating. M.D.C.: 275. Additional 
  Weight: 220 pounds (99.8 kg). Damage: Vibro-Saber Bite: 
  6D8+15 M.D. Bonuses: +1 to Horror Factor.
  81-90% Saw-Gator. This is a unique head that (so far) has 
  only been used in Amalgams when no suitable organic compo-
  nents are available. No one has seen this head incorporated into 
  any robotic designs, so either it is strictly built for Amalgams or 
  Legion is testing this part of the design before unleashing a new 
  robot minion upon the world. It looks like a robotic alligator, but 
  instead of teeth, the inside of the mouth is lined with high-tech 
  chainsaws. M.D.C.: 225. Additional Weight: 250 pounds (113 
  kg). Damage: Grinder Bite: 2D4x10 M.D. Bonuses: +2 to Hor-
  ror Factor.
  91-00% Liquid Metal Injector. Legion took the head from 
  a Vampiric suit of Host Armor and modified it so the large fangs 
  deliver a massive dose of liquid metal with each bite. This mer-
  cury-like solution is actually a mixture of high-tech alloys sus-
  pended in a liquid medium. Within 1D4+1 melee rounds of be-
  ing injected, the liquid metal triggers the horrifying Nanoplague 
  response. M.D.C.: 180. Additional Weight: 80 pounds (36 kg). 
  Damage: Bite 1D8 M.D., plus additional damage from the Nano-
  plague response (roll percentile dice).
  01-25% The metallic fluid sprouts a half dozen sharp blades 
  that shoot throughout the interior of the target. It inflicts an ad-
  ditional 2D6 M.D. to the Bio-Tech device plus there is a 01-40% 
  chance that the blades will pierce the pilot inside (in the case of 
  Living Armor or Host Armor) which inflicts 1D4 S.D.C.
  26-50% The fluid bursts into flames inside the target, inflicting 
  an additional 3D6 M.D. per melee round for 1D4 melees to the 
  Bio-Tech device plus there is a 01-50% chance that the flames 
  will burn the pilot inside (in the case of Living Armor or Host Ar-
  mor) which inflicts 2D6 S.D.C. per melee round for 1D4 melees.
  51-75% The mercury-like liquid is transformed into a mer-
  cury-like, lethal metallic poison. Victims need to a roll of 14 or 
  better to save. If the roll fails, the Bio-Tech device suffers an 
  additional 3D6 M.D. and feels incredibly weak for 1D4 hours. 
  Speed and strength are reduced by half plus the victim loses 4 
  attacks per melee and is -6 to strike, parry, and dodge.
  76-00% Luck out. The Nanoplague destroys the mercury solu-
  tion completely, rendering it harmless. Payload: Carries enough 
  liquid metal for 50 doses. Spent liquid must be replaced by the 
  Factory Walker. Bonuses: +3 to Horror Factor.
  Table Five: Arms
  Roll on the following table as many times as determined in 
  Table One. The bonuses listed are for one limb. If a pair of identi-
  cal limbs is selected, then double all applicable bonuses.
  01-10% Steel Trooper. A cheap and easy substitute when no 
  other suitable components are available. M.D.C.: 85 each. Ad-
  ditional Weight: 90 pounds (40.5 kg) each. Bonuses: +1 to P.S.
  11-20% Standard Host Armor. This relatively unmodified 
  arm is taken from a suit of Host Armor. M.D.C.: 130 each. Ad-
  ditional Weight: 70 pounds (31.5 kg) each. Bonuses: +1 to P.S.
  21-30% Reinforced Host Armor. A robotic arm is placed 
  inside the hollowed out arm to supplement its strength and heavy 
  
  245
  armor plating is secured to the outside for added protection. 
  M.D.C.: 175 each. Additional Weight: 90 pounds (40.5 kg) 
  each. Bonuses: +2 to P.S. and + 1 to Horror Factor.
  31-40% Grendel. Legion generally places these arms on 
  Amalgams that focus on close quarters combat. The hollow upper 
  arm where the Outrider would normally place his arm is instead 
  filled with a powerful mechanical limb. M.D.C.: 250 each. Addi-
  tional Weight: 300 pounds (135 kg) each. Damage: Claw Strike/
  Slash: 6D6+10 M.D., Power Claw Strike/Slash: 1D6x10+15 
  M.D. (counts as two attacks), Tentacle Harpoon: 4D8 M.D. (see 
  description on page 105 of the Splicers® RPG for additional 
  damage rules). Bonuses: +3 to P.S. and +1 to Horror Factor.
  41-50% Leviathan. Legion typically places only one of these 
  massive claw arms on an Amalgam. It makes a formidable weap-
  on or shield, but it is not good for much else. Legion likes to keep 
  her creations a bit more versatile. However, seeing even one of 
  these giant claws can be pretty intimidating. M.D.C.: 260 each. 
  Additional Weight: 450 pounds (203 kg) each. Damage: Pin-
  cer Scissor: 6D6+10 M.D., Power Pincer Scissor: 1D8x10 M.D. 
  (counts as two attacks). Bonuses: +1 to P.S. and +3 to Horror 
  Factor.
  51-60% Collector. Leviathan components are often hard 
  to come by, so Legion will often use the more readily avail-
  able claws from her own Collectors to achieve a similar effect. 
  M.D.C.: 150. Additional Weight: 300 pounds (135 kg) each. 
  Damage: Claw Stab/Slice: 5D6 M.D., Scissor Attack: 1D6x10 
  M.D. Bonuses: +1 to P.S. and +2 to Horror Factor.
  61-70% Abomination. The Tendril Injector mounted on this 
  War Mount’s arm is what makes it so wicked in close combat. 
  Most Splicers are absolutely terrified of going head-to-head with 
  
  246
  such weapons, so they will quickly recognize the danger in this 
  limb. M.D.C.: 180 each. Additional Weight: 250 pounds (113 
  kg) each. Damage: Claw Strike: 4D8 M.D., Power Claw Strike: 
  1D6x10+10 M.D. (counts as two attacks), the initial Tendril In-
  jector Attack: 5D8 M.D. Once the tendrils are injected into the 
  target, they inflict an additional 5D8 M.D. every two melee ac-
  tions against robots, Living Armor, or Host Armor. The tendrils 
  inflict 1D8x10 points of S.D.C. damage to humans. Against a 
  living target, the horror of this invasive attack causes the victim 
  to lose initiative and half his normal attacks per melee. Payload: 
  It can manufacture enough tendrils for 15 uses per day. Spent 
  tendrils regenerate at a rate of one use every two hours. Bonuses: 
  +2 to P.S. and +3 to Horror Factor.
  71-80% Reinforced Scarecrow. Legion took the small yet 
  supernaturally strong arm from a Scarecrow and built it up with 
  heavy armor plating. The plating provides a little bulk, so the 
  undersized arm does not look so tiny on the Amalgam (although 
  it still is a bit stubby). She cannot do much for the hand, so it is re-
  moved and replaced with an integrated weapon of some kind (ei-
  ther close combat or long range). M.D.C.: 75 each. Additional 
  Weight: 90 pounds (40.5 kg) each. Bonuses: +4 to P.S.
  81-90% Legionnaire. Legion does not actually remove the 
  arm from one of her prized creations, she simply manufactur-
  ers a new arm when she does not have any other components 
  available. She only builds Banshee Blades into the arms, never 
  the particle beam cannon. M.D.C.: 175 each. Damage: Banshee 
  Blade Strike: 1D4x10+10 M.D. Additional Weight: 200 pounds 
  (90 kg) each. Bonus: +2 to P.S.
  91-00% Dracos Head. This is an excellent example of Le-
  gion’s unconventional thinking. She has been experimenting 
  with mounting the neck and head of a Dracos to the shoulder 
  in place of an arm. M.D.C.: 210 each. Additional Weight: 400 
  pounds (180 kg) each. Damage: Bite: 3D8 M.D., Bio-Napalm 
  Thrower: A bio-napalm blast does 3D8 M.D. A concentrated na-
  palm burst counts as two attacks and does 1D8x10 M.D. Or the 
  attacker can cover an area with bio-napalm: up to 10 feet (3 m) 
  can be sprayed with each hand to hand attack. So a character with 
  four hand to hand attacks could affect an area of 40 feet (12.2 m); 
  everybody in the area affected takes 2D8 M.D. Additionally, any 
  target that is hit by the bio-napalm will continue to take damage: 
  2D8 M.D. every melee round for 2D4 minutes. The only way 
  to save oneself from damage is to roll in the dirt or sand for one 
  entire melee round, until the bio-napalm is rubbed off. Water will 
  not extinguish the bio-napalm. Range: 1,000 feet (305 m). Pay-
  load: 10 blasts, payload is replaced every 1D6 hours. Bonuses: 
  +3 to Horror Factor.
  Table Six: Legs
  The legs for most bipedal Amalgams came from suits of Host 
  Armor. Typically a robotic endoskeleton is placed within the hol-
  lowed out legs to supplement strength, and additional armor is 
  grafted to the outside for additional protection. Roll on the fol-
  lowing table as many times as determined in Step One. The bo-
  nuses listed are for one limb. If a pair of identical limbs is se-
  lected, then double all applicable bonuses.
  01-12% Reinforced Host Armor, Elongated Running Legs. 
  The extended legs add three feet to the Amalgam’s height. Base 
  Stats: M.D.C.: 200 each. Running Speed: 130 mph (208 km). 
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m). Digging Speed: 20 mph (32 km). Swim-
  ming Speed: 20 mph (32 km/17.3 Knots). Additional Weight: 
  250 pounds (113 kg) each. Bonus: +1 to P.S.
  13-23% Host Armor Hoofed Feet. These powerful running 
  legs require little in the way of modifications from Legion. Base 
  Stats: M.D.C.: 180 each. Running Speed: 140 mph (224 km). 
  Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m). Digging Speed: 20 mph (32 km). Swim-
  ming Speed: 30 mph (48 km/26 knots). Additional Weight: 180 
  pounds (81 km) each. Bonuses: +1 to P.S., +1 to dodge, and 
  +2D6 M.D. to kick damage.
  24-34% Reinforced Host Armor Leaping Legs. The elon-
  gated legs from the Host Armor were enhanced to improve their 
  leaping ability as well. Base Stats: M.D.C.: 200 each. Running 
  Speed: 130 mph (208 km). Leaping: 60 feet (18.3 m) high or 
  100 feet (30.5 m) across (increase by 50% with a running start). 
  Digging Speed: 20 mph (32 km). Swimming Speed: 20 mph (32 
  km/17.3 Knots). Additional Weight: 260 pounds (118 km) each. 
  Bonuses: +1 to P.S., +1 to dodge, and +6 M.D. to leap attacks 
  and kicks.
  35-45% Reinforced Serpentine Lower Body. The snake-
  like lower body has been fitted with additional armor plating 
  and infused with cybernetic bones and musculature to enhance 
  its strength and speed. It adds 1D4+12 feet (0.3 to 1.2 m plus 
  3.6 m) to the amalgams overall length. Base Stats: M.D.C.: 340. 
  Running Speed: 100 mph (160 km). Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m). 
  Digging Speed: 20 mph (32 km). Swimming Speed: 20 mph (32 
  km/17.3 knots). Additional Weight: 450 pounds (203 kg). Dam-
  age: Tail Slash: 4D6 M.D., see page 92 of the Splicers® RPG 
  for details on Special Constriction Attacks. Bonuses: +6 to P.S., 
  +1 on initiative, +3 to entangle, and +5 to automatic dodge.
  46-56% Strider. The powerful legs of this rapid strike War 
  Mount have been modified to fit an Amalgam frame. They give 
  the creature incredible speed and maneuverability. These legs 
  need to be taken in pairs. When only one Strider leg is used, all 
  bonuses are negated plus the Amalgam suffers penalties of -2 
  to strike, parry, and dodge, and speed and leaping distance are 
  reduced to one quarter. Base Stats: M.D.C.: 220 each. Running 
  Speed: 330 mph (528 km). Leaping: 80 feet (24.3 m) (increase 
  by 50% with a short running start, double when running at full 
  speed). Digging Speed: 10 mph (16 km). Swimming Speed: 20 
  mph (32 km/17.3 knots). Additional Weight: 450 pounds (203 
  kg) each. Damage: Sickle Talon Kick: 5D6 M.D., Leaping Sickle 
  Talon Kick: 1D6x10 M.D. (counts as two attacks). Bonuses: +2 
  to P.S., +1 on initiative, +1 to strike and parry, and +3 to dodge.
  57-67% Abomination. The somewhat stubby legs of this War 
  Mount actually provide decent speed and leaping ability. Base 
  Stats: M.D.C.: 200 each. Running Speed: 150 mph (240 km). 
  Leaping: 40 feet (12.2 m); increase by 50% with a short run-
  ning start, double when running at full speed. Digging Speed: 20 
  mph (32 km). Swimming Speed: 40 mph (64 km/34.7 knots). Ad-
  ditional Weight: 350 pounds (157.5 kg) each. Damage: Kick: 
  6D6 M.D., 10D6+20 M.D. Leap Kick (counts as two attacks). 
  Bonuses: +3 to P.S., +1 on initiative, +1 to strike, parry, dodge.
  68-78% Steel Trooper. These standard parts are typically 
  reserved for disposable shock troops. Base Stats: M.D.C.: 120 
  each. Running Speed: 90 mph (144 km). Leaping: 16 feet (4.9 
  m) (increase by 50% with a running start). Digging Speed: 10 
  mph (16 km). Swimming Speed: 10 mph (16 km/8.7 knots). Ad-
  ditional Weight: 250 pounds (113 kg) each. Bonus: +1 to P.S.
  79-89% Reinforced Grendel. The hollowed out legs of the 
  War Mount are filled with powerful mechanical legs to enhance 
  
  247
  the Amalgam’s strength and leaping ability, but it comes at a sac-
  rifice to speed. Base Stats: M.D.C.: 250 each. Running Speed: 
  100 mph (160 km). Leaping: 50 feet (15.2 m), increase by 50% 
  with a short running start, double when running at full speed. 
  Digging Speed: 10 mph (16 km). Swimming Speed: 20 mph (32 
  km/17.3 knots). Additional Weight: 400 pounds (180 kg) each. 
  Damage: Kick: 7D6 M.D., Leap Kick: 2D4x10 M.D. (counts as 
  two attacks). Bonus: +5 to P.S.
  90-00% Reinforced Behemoth Rear Legs. The rear legs 
  of this massive War Mount are used to create a powerful base 
  for the Amalgam. These limbs are typically used on heavy sup-
  port or artillery Amalgams. Base Stats: M.D.C.: 340 each. Run-
  ning Speed: 70 mph (112 km). Leaping: 10 feet (3 m), increase 
  by 50% with a short running start, double when running at full 
  speed. Digging Speed: 20 mph (32 km). Swimming Speed: 10 
  mph (16 km/8.7 knots). Additional Weight: 500 pounds (225 
  kg) each. Damage:. Kick: 8D6 M.D., Leap Kick: 2D4x10+10 
  M.D. (counts as two attacks). Bonus: +5 to P.S.
  Table Seven: Additional Appendages
  These unconventional limbs can be placed anywhere on the 
  body in addition to the arms or legs or they can be attached in 
  place of them. For instance, instead of a normal arm, the Amal-
  gam could have a wing or tentacle, or even multiple tentacles at-
  tached to the same shoulder joint. Legion has come up with some 
  pretty freakish and horrifying combinations using these append-
  ages. Roll on the following table as many times as determined in 
  Step One.
  01-10% Slicer Scythe Arm. This wicked bladed tentacle was 
  removed from the back of a Slicer Robot. M.D.C.: 110. Addi-
  tional Weight: 40 pounds (18 kg). Damage: 4D6 M.D. Bonus-
  es: +2 to strike, +1 to parry, and +1 to Horror Factor.
  11-20% Cable Snake. These disposable pest control robots 
  actually make formidable limbs when mounted on an Amalgam. 
  They may not possess much in the way of armor or offensive 
  power, but the eyes mounted on the head of this flexible limb 
  give the Amalgam a distinct advantage in the field. The Cable 
  Snake limb can watch for threats from behind and even deal with 
  any aggressors that get too close. It may not inflict enough dam-
  age, but it is more than enough to disrupt any potential attacks. 
  M.D.C.: 30. Additional Weight: 100 pounds (45 kg). Dam-
  age: Bite: 1D6+2 M.D., Light Laser: 1D6 M.D., Range: 40 feet 
  (12.2 m). Bonuses: Each Cable Snake provides the following: +2 
  to strike, +2 to parry, and +1 to Horror Factor. In addition, the 
  Amalgam receives the following bonuses no matter how many 
  Cable Snakes are added: +4 on initiative and cannot be surprised 
  from behind.
  21-30% Barbed Tentacle. This powerful organic tentacle 
  was designed to deliver powerful whipping strikes with its fear-
  some bone hook. M.D.C.: 75. Additional Weight: 30 pounds 
  (13.5 kg). Damage: 2D8 M.D. Bonuses: +3 to strike, +2 to parry, 
  and +1 to Horror Factor.
  31-40% Cybernetic Devouring Tentacle. While the Cable 
  Snake limb offers many tactical benefits, it is pretty underpow-
  ered. When Legion has the option (and the components) avail-
  able, she prefers to use this Bio-Tech version. Legion takes a 
  harvested Devouring Tentacle from a War Mount or suit of Host 
  Armor and adds a cybernetic optics package to give the limb the 
  same scouting abilities as a Cable Snake limb. M.D.C.: 90. Addi-
  tional Weight: 45 pounds (20.3 kg). Damage: 3D8 M.D. Bonus-
  es: Each tentacle provides the following: +2 to strike, +2 to parry, 
  and +2 to Horror Factor. In addition, the Amalgam receives the 
  following bonuses no matter how many tentacles are added: +4 
  on initiative and cannot be surprised from behind.
  41-50% Wings. The size of the wings depends on the size of 
  the Amalgam. Sometimes the wings from a Skull Cracker, Zeph-
  yr, or Griffin are more than enough. Other times, Dracos wings 
  are required to get it off the ground. Wings must always be taken 
  in pairs. M.D.C.: 100 to 250 each depending on size. Additional 
  Weight: 100 to 450 pounds (45 to 203 kg). Flying Speed: This 
  is more dependent on the size of the Amalgam. Under one ton 
  Amalgams can have a maximum speed of 500 mph (800 km). 
  Amalgams between 1.1 and 4 tons have a maximum flying speed 
  of 350 mph (560 km), and anything larger has a maximum fly-
  ing speed of 200 mph (320 km). Bonuses: +1 on initiative, +1 to 
  strike, +3 to dodge while flying, and +1 to Horror Factor.
  51-60% Wing Pack. This detachable flight pack is perma-
  nently mounted, but only to an appropriately sized Amalgam (to-
  tal weight must be less than 1,500 pounds/675 kg). M.D.C.: 120 
  for each wing, 180 for the pack. Additional Weight: 300 pounds 
  (135 kg). Flying Speed: 500 mph (804.6 km). Bonuses: +3 on 
  initiative, +1 to strike, and +5 to dodge while flying. Grappling 
  Hook: See page 142 of the Splicers® RPG for full details about 
  using the grappling hook in aerial combat.
  61-70% Zephyr Tail. The scorpion-like tail was removed 
  from a Zephyr War Mount, along with its powerful heat cannon. 
  The tail is able to bend all around, 360 degrees, to engage targets 
  in any position or angle. M.D.C.: 140. Additional Weight: 400 
  pounds (180 kg). Damage: 5D8 M.D. per light blast, 1D8x10+10 
  M.D. per heavy blast. Range: 3,600 feet (1,097 m). Bonuses: +3 
  to strike, +2 to parry, and +1 to Horror Factor.
  71-80% Collector Tail. This versatile appendage is equipped 
  with a long-range laser cannon, chemical sprayer, and razor-
  sharp blade. It also possesses a camera that the Amalgam can use 
  to see around corners or peek over obstacles without exposing 
  itself. M.D.C.: 150. Additional Weight: 600 pounds (270 kg). 
  Damage: Laser Blast: 6D6 M.D.. Range: 4,000 feet (1,219 m). 
  Tail Blade: 5D6 M.D. See description of the Factory Walker for 
  details on the effects of Amnesic Gas or Creeping Death Nerve 
  Gas. Range: Can spray the concentrated liquid compound up to 
  500 feet (152.4 m). Most of these compounds aerosolize on im-
  pact to form a chemical cloud that covers a 50 foot (15.2 m) ra-
  dius. Payload: Enough for 5 blasts. Spent chemicals are replaced 
  by the Factory Walker. Bonuses: +4 on initiative, +1 to strike, +2 
  to parry, and +1 to Horror Factor.
  81-90% Collector Tentacle. This is one of the larger tenta-
  cles from a Collector. It does not possess the carbon nanotube 
  webbing, but it can still deliver powerful electro-shocks that can 
  incapacitate robots or armored Splicers. M.D.C.: 90. Additional 
  Weight: 90 pounds (40.5 kg). Damage: Tentacle Strike: 3D6 
  M.D., Power Tentacle Strike: 6D6 M.D. (counts as two attacks). 
  The electric shock inflicts 1D6 M.D. every melee round that it is 
  applied. As long as the current is running through a robotic target, 
  its circuits will be completely scrambled and it will be unable 
  to move or defend itself in any way. The charge is only strong 
  enough to affect robots weighing 300 pounds (135 kg) or less, 
  but multiple tentacles can combine their attacks to affect larger 
  targets. When used against Splicers and other M.D.C. beings, the 
  Amalgam generally just uses brief jolts of electricity to prevent 
  
  248
  permanent injury. Victims must make a roll to save vs stun of 15 
  or higher. On a failed roll, the target is completely paralyzed for 
  one melee round, plus stunned for the next 2D4 melee rounds 
  after that (-3 attacks per melee; -4 to strike, parry, and dodge; 
  and speed is reduced by 40 percent). Bonuses: +1 to strike, +2 to 
  parry, and +1 to Horror Factor.
  91-00% Reinforced Mantis Cannon Bladed Limb. The 
  massive scythe-like forelimb from a Mantis Support Cannon 
  
  249
  can deliver damaging strikes, but it was primarily designed to 
  secure the War Mount against recoil. Legion added cybernetic 
  musculature to this harvested limb to make it a much more formi-
  dable close combat weapon. M.D.C.: 165. Additional Weight: 
  80 pounds (36 kg). Damage: Claw Strike: 7D8 M.D., Power 
  Claw Strike: 2D4x10+30 (counts as two attacks). Bonuses: +1 to 
  strike, +2 to parry, and +2 to Horror Factor.
  Table Eight: Weapon Systems
  While many of the Bio-Tech components come with built-in 
  armaments, Legion also likes to supplement her creations with 
  additional weaponry. She tends to favor high-tech weapons be-
  cause or their superior range, plus they either have an inexhaust-
  ible payload (by tapping into the Amalgam’s power core) or can 
  be easily reloaded at the Factory Walker. She appreciates the 
  power of Bio-Weaponry, but she finds the time required to re-
  grow spent munitions to be a serious tactical disadvantage. Roll 
  on the following table as many times as determined in Step One.
  01-10% Light Cell Laser Pistol Cluster. This clever modi-
  fication transforms five relatively harmless, captured Splicer side 
  arms into one powerful laser blaster. Legion sawed off the pistol 
  grips and fused the side arms into a lightweight weapon that fires 
  one simultaneous blast that packs impressive destructive power. 
  It is an ideal weapon for smaller Amalgams. M.D.C.: 155. Ad-
  ditional Weight: 18 pounds (8.1 kg). Damage: 5D8 M.D. Light 
  Blast, 2D6x10 M.D. Heavy Blast. Range: 1,000 feet (305 m). 
  Bonuses: +1 to strike and +1 to Horror Factor.
  11-20% Box Mini-Missile Launcher. A simple missile 
  launcher design that the Factory Walker can churn out with ease. 
  M.D.C.: 100. Additional Weight: 350 pounds (158 kg). Dam-
  age: Fragmentation: 5D6 M.D. with a 20 foot (6.1 m) blast radi-
  us, Armor Piercing: 1D4x10, and Plasma: 1D6x10 M.D. Range: 
  About one mile (1.6 km). Payload: 30 mini-missiles.
  21-30% Plasma Cannon. This high-energy plasma cannon 
  packs impressive punch and has decent range. M.D.C.: 150. Ad-
  ditional Weight: 45 pounds (20.3 kg). Damage: 2D4x10 M.D. 
  Range: 2,000 feet (610 m).
  31-40% Long-Range Laser Cannon. This Legion-designed 
  laser cannon possesses incredible range and accuracy. M.D.C.: 
  150. Additional Weight: 30 pounds (13.5 kg). Damage: 6D6 
  M.D. Range: 6000 feet (1828.8 m). Bonus: +3 to strike.
  41-50% Rail Gun. This Gatling-style rail gun is easily reload-
  ed from battlefield scrap refined at the Factory Walker. M.D.C.: 
  200. Additional Weight: 100 pounds (45 kg). Damage: 1D4x10 
  M.D. per 40 round burst. Range: 3,000 feet (914 m). Payload: 
  50 bursts. Bonus: +1 to strike.
  51-60% Mantis Omega Cannon. This is one of Legion’s 
  favorite Bio-Weapons, despite her inability to get the blaster to 
  fire at its full potential. Its incredible power for its range more 
  than makes up for its slow rate of fire. M.D.C.: 150. Additional 
  Weight: 250 pounds (113 kg). Damage: 2D10x10 M.D. with a 
  blast radius of 10 feet (3 m). Range: 6,000 feet (1,829 m). Rate 
  of Fire: 2 attacks per melee. Bonus: +2 to strike.
  61-70% Banshee Blade. Another of Legion’s creations. This 
  high-tech chainsaw uses the same electromagnetic mechanism 
  found in rail guns to spin the blade at hypersonic speeds. It in-
  flicts tremendous damage, but it releases a loud high-pitched 
  whine when activated so it is not an ideal weapon when stealth is 
  required. Damage: 1D4x10+10 M.D.
  71-80% Pod Launcher. This is another of Legion’s favorite 
  Bio-Weapons. It is a devastating anti-personnel weapon and it 
  regenerates its payload at a decent rate. M.D.C.: 85. Additional 
  Weight: 25 pounds (11 kg). Damage: 5D8 M.D. per burst with a 
  blast radius of 30 feet (9.1 m). Range: 2,400 feet (732 m). Pay-
  load: Grows enough seed pods for 32 bursts per hour. Automati-
  cally regenerates. Bonus: +1 to strike with a burst of pods.
  81-90% Ion Pulse Cannon. Another cheap, easy to manufac-
  ture energy weapon with decent range and firepower. M.D.C.: 
  100. Additional Weight: 20 pounds (9 kg). Damage: 3D6 M.D. 
  per Single Blast, 1D4x10+8 M.D. per Triple Blast. Range: 2,000 
  feet (610 m).
  91-00% Box Medium Missile Launcher. This missile 
  launcher has a much lower payload, but its range makes it ex-
  tremely useful for long-range bombardments. M.D.C.: 100. Ad-
  ditional Weight: 400 pounds (180 kg). Damage: Fragmentation: 
  2D6x10 M.D. with a 40 foot (12.2 m) blast radius, Armor Pierc-
  ing: 3D6x10, and Plasma: 4D6x10 M.D. Range: About 40 miles 
  (64 km). Payload: 4 medium-range missiles.
  Table Nine: Programming
  Remember, Legion controls her creations at all times, so there 
  is no need for the installation of a complicated artificial intel-
  ligence. However, each Amalgam is given a specific package of 
  sensors, servos, and reflexes to serve a distinct function.
  01-10% Spy. This programming package is typically reserved 
  for smaller, swifter Amalgams. Their purpose is to observe and 
  report back on the enemy, rather than attack directly. They gener-
  ally have minimal armor and armaments, so they are designed 
  to evade rather than engage. Attacks per Melee: 3. Additional 
  Skills: Detect Concealment 60%, Detect Ambush 65%, Prowl 
  85%, Climb 90%, and Tracking 60%. Bonuses: +3 on initiative 
  and +3 to dodge.
  11-20% Scout. This combat package is similar to the Spy. 
  It is for Amalgams that were designed to operate on their own, 
  seeking out threats surrounding Legion’s forces. The Scout does 
  not need to observe the enemy as long as a Spy, so it is more 
  concerned with finding hidden threats than with hiding itself. 
  While its primary purpose is not direct combat, it is a bit more 
  combat effective than a Spy. Attacks per Melee: 3. Additional 
  Skills: Detect Concealment 80%, Detect Ambush 85%, Prowl 
  55%, Climb 90%, and Tracking 85%. Bonuses: +2 on initiative, 
  +2 to strike, parry, and dodge, and +2 to strike with long-range 
  weapons.
  21-30% Cannon Fodder. When Legion wants to overwhelm 
  an adversary under the weight of crushing numbers, she churns 
  out cheap, disposable Amalgams, and sends them charging into 
  the enemy’s ranks. This type of Amalgam does not require any 
  kind of sophisticated combat package, but it does need to be able 
  to handle itself up close and personal if it does successfully en-
  gage with the target. Attacks per Melee: 2. Additional Skills: 
  None. Bonuses: +1 on initiative and +2 to strike and parry.
  31-40% Foot Soldier. This is the standard, all-around com-
  bat package that Legion uses in most of her frontline Amalgams. 
  Attacks per Melee: 4. Additional Skills: Detect Concealment 
  40%, Detect Ambush 45%, and Climb 70%. Bonuses: +3 on 
  initiative, +3 to strike, parry, and dodge, +3 to strike with long-
  range weapons, +2 to strike with thrown weapons (everything 
  from knives to stones to grenades).
  
  250
  41-50% Heavy Gunner. Similar to the Foot Soldier package, 
  but with an emphasis on heavy weapons. Attacks per Melee: 4. 
  Additional Skills: Detect Concealment 40% and Detect Ambush 
  45%. Bonuses: +3 on initiative, +2 to strike, parry, and dodge, +4 
  to strike with long-range weapons, and +1 to strike when firing 
  wild (skilled at laying down a barrage of deadly suppressing fire).
  51-60% Artillery Support. Another heavy weapon sup-
  port package, but this one focuses on long-range bombardment 
  
  251
  (typically from a covered position). Amalgams with this combat 
  package usually work in tandem with Spies or Scouts who spot 
  targets for them. Attacks per Melee: 3. Additional Skills: None. 
  Bonuses: +2 to strike, parry, and dodge, +5 to strike with long-
  range weapons. When working with a Spy or Scout, an Artillery 
  Support Amalgam can target an opponent without line of sight 
  and still strike with no penalties.
  61-70% Aerial Support. These Amalgams are skilled at en-
  gaging aerial opponents and strafing ground targets. Attacks per 
  Melee: 5. Additional Skills: None. Bonuses: +5 on initiative, +3 
  to strike, parry, and dodge, +6 to automatic dodge while flying, 
  +2 to strike with long-range weapons, and +4 to strike with long-
  range weapons while flying.
  71-80% Assassin. Assassin Amalgams are designed to pen-
  etrate deep behind enemy lines, seek out high value targets, and 
  eliminate them. Ideally, they should be able to make it back out 
  again, but Legion has no problem sacrificing her warriors when 
  necessary. Attacks per Melee: 4. Additional Skills: Disguise 
  80%, Escape Artist 85%, Prowl 75%, Climb 95%, and Ventrilo-
  quism 85%. Bonuses: +4 on initiative, +4 to strike, parry, and 
  dodge, +2 to strike with long-range weapons, +2 to strike with 
  thrown weapons (everything from knives to stones to grenades), 
  Death Blow on unmodified 18-20, and Critical Strike on unmodi-
  fied 18-20.
  81-90% Hunter. Hunter Amalgams are tasked with track-
  ing down Splicers for capture. Their highly enhanced Bio-Tech 
  senses allow them to hunt down even the most skilled counter-
  trackers. They have decent combat abilities, but they are always 
  accompanied by more powerful warriors to keep them safe. At-
  tacks per Melee: 4. Additional Skills: Climb 90% and Tracking 
  95%. Bonuses: +2 on initiative, +3 to strike, parry, and dodge, 
  and +2 to strike with long-range weapons.
  91-00% Brawler. Like her sister personalities, Legion loves 
  mixing it up with the Resistance up close and personal. As such, 
  she likes to create Amalgams that are absolutely lethal in close 
  combat. Attacks per Melee: 6. Additional Skills: None. Bonus-
  es: +4 on initiative, +5 to strike, parry, and dodge, +3 to strike 
  with thrown weapons (everything from knives to stones to gre-
  nades), Death Blow on unmodified 18-20, and Critical Strike on 
  unmodified 17-20.
  Table Ten: Construction Quality
  Legion’s forces have been under continuous assault from 
  N.E.X.U.S. and the Resistance since she first made her presence 
  known. As much as she would prefer to only add the highest 
  quality warriors to her army, sometimes necessity dictates that 
  certain shortcuts be taken. While this does drastically shorten 
  construction time, it can also seriously reduce the quality of the 
  Amalgam.
  01-20% Disposable. When time is of the essence, Legion will 
  churn out batches of cheap, disposable Amalgams to bolster her 
  forces. These throwaway troops tend to look even more haphaz-
  ard and slapped together than a typical Amalgam. Legion’s usual 
  focus on aesthetics or purpose is put aside entirely for the sake of 
  expedience. She literally just stitches together whatever she finds 
  on the battlefield as quickly as possible in some sort of functional 
  way. Living tissue is crudely held together by cybernetic im-
  plants and sustained through nanites. Proper life support systems 
  are generally not included so these Amalgams only last for about 
  36-48 hours before the organic components start to die and rot. 
  Construction Time: 4D4 minutes. Penalties: Reduce M.D.C. by 
  50%, attacks per melee by half, reduce speed by half, and remove 
  all bonuses. Automatically has no Repair Systems (do not roll on 
  Table Eleven). Bonus: +4 to Horror Factor.
  21-40% Quick Stitch. These Amalgams look disposable, but 
  their internal construction is a bit more solid. They use the same 
  cybernetic joints to hold the pieces together, but they also pos-
  sess fully functional life support and repair systems. Construc-
  tion Time: 1D4 hours. Penalties: Reduce M.D.C. by 25%, -2 
  melee attacks, reduce speed by 25%, and reduce bonuses by half. 
  Bonus: +3 to Horror Factor.
  41-60% Mixed Quality. Some appendages where integrated 
  with microscopic precision while others where crudely stitched 
  together. Construction Time: 4D4 hours. Penalties: Reduce 
  M.D.C. by 10%, -1 melee attacks, and reduce speed by 10%. Bo-
  nus: +2 to Horror Factor.
  61-80% Sturdy. Incredibly high-quality construction. Cyber-
  netic bones and musculature are incorporated into organic com-
  ponents with minimal scarring and the organic nervous system is 
  integrated nearly perfectly into the technological systems. Con-
  struction Time: 5D6 hours.
  81-00% Seamless. These Amalgams demonstrate just how 
  skilled and dangerous Legion really is. The components are fused 
  together with such microscopic precision they look as though they 
  grew that way naturally. Biology and technology work together 
  in perfect harmony to become something more. These Amalgams 
  are truly more than the sum of their parts. Construction Time: 
  8D8 hours. Bonuses: Increase M.D.C., speed, and leaping dis-
  tance by 25%. In addition, the Amalgam has one additional attack 
  per melee and bonuses of +1 to strike, parry, and dodge.
  Table Eleven: Repair Systems
  The greatest advantage of Bio-Tech devices are their natural 
  healing abilities. Some suits of Host Armor, War Mounts, and 
  weapons can recover completely from the most grievous wounds 
  in a matter of days (or even hours), unlike machines which re-
  quire an additional investment of materials to make repairs and 
  of course, the time required to fix them. N.E.X.U.S. has experi-
  mented with nanite repair systems, but these are prohibitively 
  expensive and still require the damaged machine to seek out raw 
  materials to feed to the repair systems. Legion has also been ex-
  perimenting with different types of repair systems to supplement 
  and possibly increase the natural healing abilities of her captured 
  Bio-Tech components.
  01-40% Bio-Regeneration. The disparate Bio-Tech compo-
  nents work together as one organic system to heal any damaged 
  tissue. Technological components must be repaired or replaced 
  at the Factory Walker. Bio-Regeneration Rate: 2D6 M.D.C. per 
  hour for the main body and 1D4 M.D.C. per hour for all other 
  locations.
  41-60% Enhanced Bio-Regeneration. Either the Bio-Tech 
  components themselves happened to have enhanced healing 
  rates, or Legion figured out how to boost them through nanites, 
  drugs, and/or steroids. These enhancements only apply to the or-
  ganic systems. Technological components must be repaired or 
  replaced at the Factory Walker. Bio-Regeneration Rate: 1D6 
  M.D.C. per minute for the main body and one M.D.C. per minute 
  for all other locations.
  
  252
  61-70% Supernatural Bio-Regeneration. These rare Amal-
  gams typically possess components from sources that already 
  had supernatural healing, but sometimes Legion accidentally 
  stumbles upon a unique chemical and nanite combination that 
  happens to instill super healing within her creations. Since she 
  cannot reproduce super healing at will, she assumes the compo-
  nents themselves are as important as the other chemicals. These 
  enhancements only apply to the organic systems. Technological 
  components must be repaired or replaced at the Factory Walker. 
  Bio-Regeneration Rate: 2D6 M.D.C. per melee round for the 
  main body and 1D4 M.D.C. per melee round for all other loca-
  tions.
  71-90% Nanite Repair Systems. The Amalgam is infested 
  with experimental nanites that repair damage to all components, 
  whether they are organic or technological. Regeneration Rate: 
  Organic components are healed at a rate of 2D6 M.D.C. per hour 
  for the main body and 1D4 M.D.C. per hour for all other loca-
  tions. Damage to inorganic components is repaired at a rate of 
  1D6 M.D.C. per melee round, but the Amalgam must have access 
  to 2 pounds (0.9 kg) of metal for every 5 points of M.D.C. healed. 
  The metal needs to be physically pressed into the wound in order 
  to activate the repair systems.
  91-95% Super Healing/Repair. The Amalgam possesses Le-
  gion’s most advanced healing technologies. This complex repair 
  system adds an additional 4D8 hours to the construction time. 
  Regeneration Rate: Organic components are healed at a rate of 
  2D6 M.D.C. per melee round for the main body and 1D4 M.D.C. 
  per melee round for all other locations. Damage to inorganic 
  components is repaired at a rate of 1D6 M.D.C. per melee round, 
  but the Amalgam must have access to 2 pounds of metal for ev-
  ery 5 points of M.D.C. healed. The metal needs to be physically 
  pressed into the wound in order to activate the repair systems.
  96-00% Replaceable. This experimental repair system is 
  one of Legion’s more unusual and impressive designs. Instead 
  of repairing injuries to the body or limbs, this system allows the 
  Amalgam to simply cut out the damaged area and replace it with 
  components harvested from other machines, Technojackers or 
  Bio-Tech devices. An entire limb can simply be discarded and 
  replaced with a fresh one in minutes. Once the wound is excised 
  or the limb is removed, hundreds of tiny tendrils made of nanites 
  extend from the wound in preparation for the new component. 
  The Amalgam then simply needs to press the harvested com-
  ponent into the wound, and the nanites will integrate it into the 
  body in 4D4 minutes. If the Amalgam is interrupted during this 
  process, then the new component simply falls to the ground, use-
  less. The Amalgam can try again or find a different component. 
  Only the freshest tissue can be used. If it is more than 15 minutes 
  expired, then it cannot be used. Robotic components do not have 
  any kind of expiration date and as long as they are functioning, 
  the components can even be decades old. The main body can only 
  be repaired as long as it has not been reduced to less than 25%. 
  Once the main body is reduced past this point, it is too structur-
  ally weakened to accept new components.
  “I am Legion, for we are many.”
  ************************************************
  
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  Splicers®: I Am Legion™ Adventure Sourcebook
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