kronos wrote:Fellmane.
Honour Hunter Axes
ALRIGHT! Post-Surge!
EcoS-K-168 Zitheron(aka ‘Mother-Fish’)
“Great Fish-Mother, She no longer c oncern with small stuff; She too busy swim Current of Life, gather Gilloc-soul, hatch many Gilloc-kin. No time chit-chat with drones, outsiders. We no bother, you no bother Great Fish-Mother. You need talk someone with aw-thor-ittie? You talk with Fin-Chief.” ---Fah’toog Garglir, Gilloc Warrior, blowshitting to a New Navy sea-scout
“When they’re looking to lay eggs, Zitheron become REAL hungry; it’s a good time to stay clear of them because they just start vacuuming up prey, and, sapient being or no, they might not pay too much attention to what gets caught up in those big jaws of theirs.”
---Captain Grimage Charkin, Lazlo University Oceanographic Research Ship Oceaneer
“Are those damn islanders STILL sacrificing virgins to their dark sea gods when we aren’t looking? I’m tempted to send one of our new Zitherons ashore to eat their high priests; the stupid murderous drylanders won’t be worth much material-wise, but at least it will be SOME small contribution to the next generation of our people, and I bet it will make us some friends ashore.” ----Fin Chief Gang’gah IronFin
Zitherons are large Warmount-like AI constructs exclusive to the Gilloc sgen of Clan Shelley. They are classed as Utility Warmounts because of their size, importance, and development history.
Though Gillocs have traditionally been ‘born’ via Trinity Modules sequestered in marine caves near Clan Shelley coastal enclaves, a group of particularly ambitious freethinking Gillocs approached their EShemar clan elders about extending the reach of their sub-clan(and thus extending the reach of the greater clan), but that would require transporting the very valuable Trinity Modules to expand the Gillocs’ numbers. Clan Shelley was enthused about the idea, but worried about the vulnerability of the very important mechano-reproductive technology, fearing what would happen if it were captured by forces hostile to the EShemar. A possible solution was floated, inspired by such mobile factory-warmounts such as the Monstriark and the Stormapod, but Clan Shelley was resource-strapped, and lacked the means of building something able to carry all the hardware for producing new Gilloc.
Fortunately, assistance came from the Wayfinders farther up the West Coast. The Wayfinders, upon learning of Clan Shelley’s need, and fully approving of the expansion of second-generation Ecotroz-mecha, offered to help out. What they came up with was the Zitheron.
Zitherons are based on the EcoS-K-62Dw ‘Wetlong’ marine variant of the EcoS-K-62 ‘Shelong’, itself a robot duplicate of the Metztla Kreelong Carapace labor caste drone. However, the Zitheron has been so substantially reworked as to be almost an entirely new machine, enough so that it was offered its own classification as a Utility Warmount. The EShemar further refined the aquatic properties of the K-62Dw, and added an internal assembly line able to produce new Gilloc from scratch. This has earned them the nickname ‘Mother-Fish’ amongst the Gilloc.
Besides designing the Zitheron to be functional, the Gillocs and Wayfinders have written a fictional narrative of the Gilloc people into the construct. Various aspects of the Zitheron have been emphasized so as to suggest a massively mutated Gilloc physiology, with an enlarged head(replacing the Shelong’s multiple arms and sub-mouths with one massive jaw and multiple mandibles/mouth tentacles), elongated forelimbs, multiple dorsal fins, massive foot-fins, and paddle-like tail. Together with observed behavior, these features have been spun to create a fictitious ‘history’ of the Zitheron and their relationship to the Gilloc people.
Both passive and active rumor-mongering about the Zitheron have led to the following being bandied amongst outsiders about the Zitherons:
-Life Cycle: Gilloc females are indistinguishable from male Gilloc until upon becoming sexually mature, when they undergo a massive growth spurt, expanding into the massive Zitheron stage. Besides the physical changes, the female Zitheron-queen undergoes profound mental changes, either becoming more inward-looking(and less concerned with mundane affairs) or else losing her intelligence altogether, becoming concerned only with reproduction. The Zitheron will also seek out potential nest caverns, or will excavate new ones if no suitable caves already exist.
-Sexual Dimorphism: Male Gilloc supposedly fight it out to mate with a mature Zitheron-queen. The winners either fuse with the female and become little more than atrophied sexual appendages of the larger female, or else they are devoured in the process of fertilization.
-Breeding Feeding Frenzy---Before laying eggs, Zitheron females go on feeding frenzies to gain egg-weight. During this time they are extremely dangerous and may even come up on dry land in search of prey. Only the male Gilloc can control the Zitheron during this period and keep the females from indiscriminate snacking on other lifeforms, so it’s a good idea to listen to them and stay clear.
-Host-Mother---Rather than being the giant fertile queen who mates with one ‘champion’, the Fish-Mother actually acts as a common incubator for the eggs of lesser females, who are visually indistinguishable from the male Gilloc. The Zitheron is either the loser of competition between females, or voluntarily sacrifices her mobility, intellect, and freedom of action to become a giant brooder.
-Cannibalism: The Gilloc routinely sacrifice criminals and dissidents to feed the Mother-Fish(in reality they’re recycling AI-dead Gilloc and parts thereof).
-Hive Mind: Zitheron-queens rule their ‘nests’ via powerful psionics or pheromones dispensed into the surrounding water.
-Super-Queens---Zitheron queens compete for dominance if more than one of them take up residence in the same area. The winner gains in power and intelligence and rules over the subservient sub-females. Females (or Queen-daughters) who do not accept this hierarchal order leave to seek new territories.
The Gilloc have enthusiastically embraced the false narrative of their ‘biology’ and love the ‘Mother-Fish’ story. Though they will not volunteer information about the Zitherons, if questioned they will spin various takes on the aforementioned rumors, or repeat ambiguous new ones.
Zitherons are rarely committed to combat; they typically stay behind to produce new Gilloc. If a Gilloc encampment or ‘breeder nest’ is attacked, however, the Zitheron will fight in self-defense.
Only occasionally will provision be made for a rider/pilot, and room for up to a dozen passengers in an attachable cockpit pod atop the large body, as with the Shelongs/Wetlongs. This is occasionally done when moving between Gilloc/EShemar enclaves, and the cockpit atop the ‘Fish Mother’ is explained by it being Gilloc priests/immature female priestesses, or a chosen consort accompanying and directing the Fish-Mother to new territories. In reality, the passengers are part of the security detail and technical support team that accompanies traveling Zitherons.
Though most Zitheron have been Awakened in part to provide their hatched Gilloc ‘offspring’ Ecotroz-awareness right from inception, Zitherons are not actually as sentient/sapient as their creations. However, it is rumored that at least one Zitheron has become an Arawa, with a transferred intelligence taking up residence in the massive body, and becoming the effective queen-mother of her sub-tribe of Gilloc.
Zitherons are EXCLUSIVE to the Gilloc sgen; no other Tribe uses them. While the Zitheron is not the only mobile platform via which new Gillocs are produced(a number of Pelaganar have been modified to carry the necessary Trinity Modules), the Zitheron is becoming the favored ‘public’ means via which the Gilloc sub-sept is expanding.
Type: EcoS-K-168 Zitheron
Class: Robotic Warmount, Utility
Crew: None; robot intelligence, Awakened with an Ecotroz essence
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 2,000
Head 1,000
Energy/Laser Organ 250
Great Mouth 300
Manipulator Mandibles(2) 180 each
Mouth-Tentacles(6 ) 45 each
Head Shields(2) 400 each
Cannon Turrets(11) 50 each
Forelimbs(2) 380 each
Leg-Fins(4) 300 each
Sensor Fin* 400
Tail 300
*Destroying the Sensor Fin deprives the Zitheron of its long range radar and terrain-mapping laser distancers. The Warmount must then rely on its head sensors.
Height: 20 ft
Width: 22 ft
Length: 50 ft
Weight: 145 tons
Cargo: Has an internal material reserve able to hold 50 tons(typically of refined ores and synthetics).
Physical Strength: Equivalent to Robotic P.S. of 55
Powerplant: Nuclear
Speed: (Running) Awkward on dry land; can crawl along at 13 MPH
(Tunneling) Varies according to the depth and composition of the material being tunneled through. The Zitheron can tunnel through loose sand and clay at about 2d6x10 ft per minute, or 3d6 ft per minute through dense rock(granite, regolith).
(Flying) Not possible
(Space) Not possible, limited to running along planetary surfaces.
(Underwater) The Zitheron is neutrally buoyant and can ‘swim’, paddling along at a rough 50 MPH. It can also crawl along the bottom at 13 MPH. Maximum depth tolerance of 3 miles.
Market Cost: Exclusive to the Ecotroz-Shemar
Systems of Note:
Full optical systems, laser targeting, passive nightvision, telescopic vision, thermal imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and polarization filters. Also has motion and heat detection, built-in radar( 60 mile range) and other standard power armor-equivalent systems. Additional/special sensors may be built in by the creating Spinsters or at the behest of individual riders/owners.
*Bionic Cybernanite Repair Systems---ALL Zitherons have the same bionic nanotech repair system that the Ecotroz Shemar have refitted themselves with, and which is becoming the standard among NeShemar as well. These systems repair 4d6 MD per hour, and can repair 500 MDC before needing material stocks to convert to MD repair material.
*MDC Concrete/Resin Manufactory----The Zitheron retains the internal mobile factory for creating megadamage concrete that can be poured or troweled in place onsite. Fed with enough of the proper materials, the Zitheron can lay down a ton of this material every hour. Depending on the job requirements and available supplies, the Zitheron can vary the composition and strength of the deposited material, from 1d6 MD per cubic foot, to 3d4x10 MD per cubic foot.
*Gilloc Manufactory----The bulk of the internal space of the Zitheron is devoted to an assembly line for producing new Gilloc. Fed enough materials, the Zitheron can ‘hatch’ a new Gilloc every 12 hours. A Gilloc requires 750 MDC to complete/produce.
*Sonar--- 60 mile range.
*Magnetometer/Magnetic Anomaly Detector---Detects anomalies in the local magnetic field, such as metallic objects and EM currents.
Range: The magnetometer has a range of 4,000 ft and can detect vehicles and other metallic structures with 80% accuracy. Active electromagnetic sources such as powered-up rail guns and electromagnetic fusion containment systems can be detected at TWICE that range.
*Scanning Sonar/Lidar---Mounted in the humpbacked ‘fin’, these sensors are constantly scanning the water around the Zitheron, and providing a three-dimensional map of its immediate surroundings. This makes it nearly impossible to sneak up on the giant War Mount.
Weapons Systems:
1) Ion Shock Mounts(11)---The Zitheron is studded with small concealed ion projectors, giving it a good all-around defensive capability. These ion blasters have been modified to be also capable of producing a shock effect in the surrounding water, similar to a giant electric eel’s electrical discharge.
Range: (Ion Blast) 4,000 ft in air and underwater
(Shock Field) 50 ft in air, 100 ft in water
Damage: (Ion Blast) 1d6x10+10 MD per blast
(Shock Field) 4d6 MD per melee caught in the zone of effect
Against organics, including natural megadamage creatures, the electrical shock can stun; targets must save versus non-lethal poison(16 or higher) or be -4 to strike, parry, and dodge for 1d4 melees. Even on a successful roll, MD victims lose 1 APM and initiative for 1 melee round. SDC beings, unless protected by full EBA, are -8 for 2d4 melees and do not get a saving roll.
Rate of Fire: (Ion Blast) ECHH
(Shock Field) Takes up all ion cannon shots each melee in operation.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
2) Head Laser---What looks like a luminescent lure-organ on a tendril protruding from the forehead is actually a multipurpose laser-organ.
Range:(Laser) 6,000 ft in air, 4,000 ft underwater
(Blinding/Strobe Flash) 100 ft area of effect
Damage:(Laser) 2d4x10 MD per blast
(Blinding/Strobe Flash) None physical, but similar to a Blinding Flash spell; those caught in the area of effect without optical protection are -10 to strike, parry, dodge for 1d4 melees. This can be particularly effective against deep water creatures and those with inherent nightvision, who may be blinded for DOUBLE the normal duration.
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
3) Chemical Dispenser---The Zitheron can flush various chemicals into the water to create underwater ‘smokescreens’ or to repel attackers. Flushes out of various vents a water-absorbent powder that quickly gels into a thick suspension that blocks light, clogs gills, and fouls sonar. Though not as potent as the Kittani gill-clog material, it’s still fairly effective at choking off gill-breathing pursuit.
Range: Covers a 500 ft area. Depending on water conditions, the cloud can persist for 1d10 minutes.
Damage: Those caught in the cloud are effectively BLINDED; -5 to strike, parry, dodge, and entangle The particulate nature of the material makes sonar systems less effective as well; -60% to attempts to use sonar reading through the cloud. Gill-breathers must roll a 16 or better or be -6 on initiative, -6 to strike, parry, and dodge, and reduce Speed, melee attacks, and skill performance by -50%. Upon exiting the cloud, penalties are reduced by HALF, but persist for 1d6 minutes.
Rate of Fire: Once per melee
Payload: Generally carries enough chemicals for 25 flushes. Can regenerate new batches of the chemical at one per hour.
Programming:
The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience. The Zitheron is fairly smart, with an effective IQ of 14 for purposes of planning and mining, but its focus is on the work of acquiring rsourcs and producing new Gilloc.
Has the standard Monstrex base programming, plus the following:
General Repair and Maintenance 90%
Excavation 90%
Mining 90%
Salvage 80%
Underseas Salvage 85%
Fortification 50%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
Trap/Mine Detection 80%
Underwater Demolitions
Underwater Navigation 80%
Track and Hunt Sea Animals 70%
Undersea and Sea Survival 94%
The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Zitheron intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Technical: Language(understanding) and Lore, Espionage(Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment), Wilderness(Track Humanoids, Track Animals, Hunting, Identify Plants and Fruits), Carpentry, Recycling, and Masonry.
Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 12(!)
Initiative +3 (+1 from the Ecotroz entity for a total of +4)
Dodge +2 underwater
Strike +1 (+2 w/ ranged weaponry)
Roll +3 underwater
Parry +2
Pull Punch +4
Bite 2d4x100 MD
Punch with Mandible Arms 6d6 MD
Mouth-Tentacle Restrained Slap 1d6 SDC
Tentacle Lash 1d4 MD
Tentacles Crush/Squeeze/Pry 2d4 MD
Forelimb Punch 1d6x10 MD
Forelimb Power Punch (2 attacks) 2d6x10 MD
Body Block/Ram 2d4x10 MD(it’s like getting hit with a locomotive)
Kick 4d6 MD
Stomp 4d6 MD
Tail Lash 3d6 MD
Note: The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Zitheron an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot. The Zitheron is a patient excavator, but has a mean temper when provoked, is extremely territorial(especially once settled in a cave or burrow) and it will readily tear apart and devour(and recycle) any enemy fool enough to get close enough.
The Ecotroz fragment does occasionally need sleep/rest...though they only need 2 hours of rest/meditation per 24 hours...they can push this, going without for as many days as they have I.Q. points(most Warmounts, unless otherwise noted, have an effective IQ rating of 8 ), but will have to go dormant for 4d6 hours after such exertion.
Note also that the Ecotroz-possessed ‘bot can infect other bots with the Ecotroz viral-entity, by bite or sustained touch(takes 3 attacks). Ecotroz-Awakened Zitheron thus produce Awakened Gilloc as a matter of course.