Looking for non-humanoids converts for the Mechanoid cause

[SolCannibal]

Have been messing around with SB2, that got me in a retro mood and now i'm tinkering out ideas to make things more dramatic, tying up bits like the rise of the Shemarrians, Naruni Enterprises' short splash in the market through Robot Control, the Space Doomtoasters trying to take over the station communities (and killsats) in preparation for orbital bombardment.

Also thinking of expanding the whole "inhuman converts of their cause" angle of the Children of Doom and similar doomsday cults.

THAT aspect in particular would be greatly helped by a list of non-humanoid (preferably psychic) races the Mechanoids might try to convert, deal with or manipulate in a number of ways for the sake of their cause. The more the merrier.

[The Beast]

Well SB2 is a good place to start, and it states neuron beasts would work with mechanoids. Cyber-centaurs are another creature they'd tolerate. Maybe the xitixix, but that likely depends on how the bugs react to the mechs, and how good of a relationship the mechs have with the bug creatures from that setting.

Basically though you'll just have to go through the books looking for non-humanoids that aren't generally aligned with either them or the Splugorth and see what stands out.

[taalismn]

The Star Hunters(those humanoid-hating spiderfolk) right off the bat...THey're big into megalomania with their city-eating giant arachnids. The Mechaniods would LOVE them.

[Axelmania]

I think I recall the quadriped monro (with tentacles) in DB3 who had a single eye and people theorized they were related to splugorth or some evil AI because they had weird-fast healing and perhaps were supernatural?

[drewkitty ~..~]

There are the Daleks in DB 128.

[SolCannibal]

Well SB2 is a good place to start, and it states neuron beasts would work with mechanoids. Cyber-centaurs are another creature they'd tolerate. Maybe the xitixix, but that likely depends on how the bugs react to the mechs, and how good of a relationship the mechs have with the bug creatures from that setting.

Actually, SB2 does cite the Xiticix as "too humanoid" for the Mechs tastes and also in the probable targets list.

Basically though you'll just have to go through the books looking for non-humanoids that aren't generally aligned with either them or the Splugorth and see what stands out.

Oh well, think i'll start with the "Children of Doom" roster as a starting sample and expand from there, i guess.

The Star Hunters(those humanoid-hating spiderfolk) right off the bat...THey're big into megalomania with their city-eating giant arachnids. The Mechaniods would LOVE them.

Where do i find them?

Hmmmm, it just crossed my mind that Daemonix are definitely non-humanoids, all around nasty and gotten a recent positive exposure to TW-implants. While the Mechs are not familiar with magic, they certainly know their psionics quite well so the possibility of them making some sort of enhancements that race might get into is definitely not out of the table.

[Warshield73]

Star Hunters are DB 12: Dimensional Outbreak, Pg. 172. Great race for the three galaxies but too advanced to worship the Mechanoids. Now if you are looking for allies for a Mechanoid Invasion of the three galaxies they would be great.

Now a race from the three galaxies that would be great for this is the Monro from DB 3: PW SB, Pg. 34. They look nasty and demonic so people of Rifts Earth would instinctively fear them, even if they are good alignment. This means that some may feel they have no choice but to join pro-mechanoid groups if you want to allow for the chance of people on the inside helping you PCs.

[SolCannibal]

Star Hunters are DB 12: Dimensional Outbreak, Pg. 172. Great race for the three galaxies but too advanced to worship the Mechanoids. Now if you are looking for allies for a Mechanoid Invasion of the three galaxies they would be great.

No need for worship, converts to the cause of humanoid extermination, not religious converts or somesuch. As long as they are ok with gear/phat loot gifts to pound the bipeds within an inch of their existence, the DoomToasters are super fine.

Now a race from the three galaxies that would be great for this is the Monro from DB 3: PW SB, Pg. 34. They look nasty and demonic so people of Rifts Earth would instinctively fear them, even if they are good alignment. This means that some may feel they have no choice but to join pro-mechanoid groups if you want to allow for the chance of people on the inside helping you PCs.

Got to look into those.

Was thinking of the Mechanoids giving some secret support to desperate/resentful Shaydor Spherians, Zembak & others in setting up some kind of slave uprising, pyramid-bombing &/or guerilla in Atlantis to facilitate the continent's attack, because let's be honest, from a resources and foreknowledge standpoint would be the hardest cookie to crack if it ever comes down to a full Mechanoid takeover of Rifts Earth.

Damn, also thinking of a little funky crossing of streams with a remnant group of mechanoids drones ending in Africa and being suborned by War. That could lead into fun places.....

[Warshield73]

Star Hunters are DB 12: Dimensional Outbreak, Pg. 172. Great race for the three galaxies but too advanced to worship the Mechanoids. Now if you are looking for allies for a Mechanoid Invasion of the three galaxies they would be great.

No need for worship, converts to the cause of humanoid extermination, not religious converts or somesuch. As long as they are ok with gear/phat loot gifts to pound the bipeds within an inch of their existence, the DoomToasters are super fine.

No, I was unclear. I don't think they would fit in a cult like the Children of Doom, the leaders wouldn't tolerate them, but the Mechanoids would LOVE allies like this.

[SolCannibal]

Checked the Monro and Star Hunters. The Star Hunters are spot-on Mechanoid ally material, pretty similar temper, both psychic. Yes, they might go together even better than with Dyvaal.

The Monro have the look and tech, but the temper is quite different and i guess only quite wicked or desperate individuals of the race would work with the Mechanoids knowing what their deal is. But then Monro are no psychics and the Toasters may be crazy but don't have to be honest or stupid. Unwitting dupes are quite possible.

Mindolar and Goqua are kind of promising too, but many of them much prefer domination or manipulation to extermination, so i'm guessing alliances are possible, but betrayal potential should be pretty high overall (not that the Toasters know, and cagier beings have been tricked by Goqua).

As an aside, considering the Mechs and Star Hunters are both master psychic races, i'm now considering the possiblity of either or both of them having funny tricks of a sort similar to the stuff one may find in either Mindwerks or Psyscape books. Hmmmm.

[taalismn]

Neuron Beasts? THey're psychic and utterly nasty pieces of work. They might make good temporary accomplices, and would join in a human extermination campaign just for the giggles. Though some of them might want to keep some humans alive to lord over them (and demanding loyalty for 'protecting'' them from the Mechaniods).

[SolCannibal]

Neuron Beasts? THey're psychic and utterly nasty pieces of work. They might make good temporary accomplices, and would join in a human extermination campaign just for the giggles. Though some of them might want to keep some humans alive to lord over them (and demanding loyalty for 'protecting'' them from the Mechaniods).

Oh yeah, i'm definitely counting Neuron Beasts from the get-go, since the sample "betrayer of Earth" monster doomsday cult we get in SB2 is led by one. In fact, let me do a quick roll call of those bastards.

Children of Doom
Leader: Nrrii (Neuron Beast, 3rd level Magic User & Psychic)
Lieutenants: Garnak (Beast Dragon, 5th level Warrior); Nigel (Nightstalker Dragon, 8th level Magic User, 3rd level Shifter)
Others (all level 1-4): 12 Black Faeries; 12 Toadstools; 8 Loogaroo; 5 Manticore; 4 Malignous; 2 Chimera; 2 Death Weaver Spider Demons; 2 Witchlings; 1 Basilisk (3rd level)

So, mostly fantasy critters out of the Palladium section of CB1, but it's a start for certain.

[ShadowLogan]

Non-Humanoid Races (just a general listing, most likely won't associate with Mechanoids, but that would not rule out rogue groups/off-shoots or "look a likes"):
Monro (DB3 pg34)
Nixie (DB6 pg90-1)
Paratee (DB6 pg91-2)
Zebuloid (DB5 pg62-4
Sinestrain (DB5 pg42-3)
Skaa (DB6 pg92-3, Centaur-ish)
Zembahk (WB2 pg82-3)
Shaydor Spherians (WB2 pg77-9)
Metzla (WB2 pg54-63)
Psymibiote (WB12 pg105-8)
Pythonan (WB21 pg85-7)
Octoman (WB21 pg80-2, WB21 also mentions the Octil which may or may not be the Octoman)
Dirari Ecoto-man (WB30 pg66-71)
Amorph (WB12/WB30)
Vernulians (WB301 pg 210-2/WB1o)
Lyvorrk (WB30 pg130-3/WB1o, possibly questionable in terms of humanoid, there is another look-a-like race in the second Dinoswamp book IIRC but I don't own that book and in WB9 pg137-8 the Blood Lizard)
Ganka (WB30 pg93-5)
Soul Worms (WB6 pg128-9)
Dolphins, Whales, and probably a few other water-races in WB7
Emirin (CB1r pg149-50, might not work per say but they are non-humanoid)

Though I wonder if the Mechaoids might be willing to ally themselves with (or manipulate/use) the In'Valians (DB3 pg12-5), as these humanoids are trapped in robot bodies.

[SolCannibal]

Non-Humanoid Races (just a general listing, most likely won't associate with Mechanoids, but that would not rule out rogue groups/off-shoots or "look a likes"):
Monro (DB3 pg34)
Nixie (DB6 pg90-1)
Paratee (DB6 pg91-2)
Zebuloid (DB5 pg62-4
Sinestrain (DB5 pg42-3)
Skaa (DB6 pg92-3, Centaur-ish)
Zembahk (WB2 pg82-3)
Shaydor Spherians (WB2 pg77-9)
Metzla (WB2 pg54-63)
Psymibiote (WB12 pg105-8)
Pythonan (WB21 pg85-7)
Octoman (WB21 pg80-2, WB21 also mentions the Octil which may or may not be the Octoman)
Dirari Ecoto-man (WB30 pg66-71)
Amorph (WB12/WB30)
Vernulians (WB301 pg 210-2/WB1o)
Lyvorrk (WB30 pg130-3/WB1o, possibly questionable in terms of humanoid, there is another look-a-like race in the second Dinoswamp book IIRC but I don't own that book and in WB9 pg137-8 the Blood Lizard)
Ganka (WB30 pg93-5)
Soul Worms (WB6 pg128-9)
Dolphins, Whales, and probably a few other water-races in WB7
Emirin (CB1r pg149-50, might not work per say but they are non-humanoid)

True. Any one of those races could have a sort of equivalent to the CS or True FoM leadership among other possibilities, depending on their societies' complexity.

Though I wonder if the Mechanoids might be willing to ally themselves with (or manipulate/use) the In'Valians (DB3 pg12-5), as these humanoids are trapped in robot bodies.

Truth be told, i ask myself the same. While the Mechanoids seem to be quite obsessive about conformity - or at least absolute loyalty to the cause of humanoid extermination - they are not exactly a hive mind or the Borg, individuality and factions with differing points of view, methodology and dedication to certain aspects of their agenda could add some interesting variety of theme. I know for a fact there's some text on "Mechanoid Clans/Guilds" i sketched out a bunch of years ago and is lost somewhere among my old files waiting for some finish & polish.

One of the clans was dedicated to "purifying" humanoid life by finding promising individuals (psychics with transhuman leanings, violent power/revenge fantasies and so on) to turn into mouthpieces of infiltrator cells/cults to prepare for the coming of the Mechanoids by softening up target civilizations with the terrorist actions of "cyberfetishist revolutionaries" empowered with Mechanoid guidance and know-how. Something like this could certainly fit for the In'Valians, i guess.

[SolCannibal]

Zembahk, Shaydor Spherians, Pythonans, Octomans and others among the thronging slave masses of Atlantis could make a sort of base for a uprising in Atlantis. Though i suspect there's already a much larger number of "agents of light" already setting up exactly that among human & inhuman slaves, hidden escapee communities and disgruntled minions at the base of Splugorth hierarchy like Blind Warrior Women and Tattooed humans or ogres slave-troops, for example.

Souls Worms, if memory tricks me not, are on the Alien Intelligence tier, so interactions with them would more like "eldritch overlord with a kingdom of varied monsters under it" in the vein of Atlantis (or more precisely, Cibola), a power of darkness than any collective such as a clique, faction or race.

Hmmmm, no, no, wait. Something like Freehold in Tolkeen or Dragcona in Atlantis, that could make for a cool middle ground.
*Back to the drawing board.*

[Axelmania]

Actually, SB2 does cite the Xiticix as "too humanoid" for the Mechs tastes and also in the probable targets list.

That rubs me the wrong way so I like to assume it only refers to the 2-armed variants introduced in Invasion.

[SolCannibal]

Actually, SB2 does cite the Xiticix as "too humanoid" for the Mechs tastes and also in the probable targets list.

That rubs me the wrong way so I like to assume it only refers to the 2-armed variants introduced in Invasion.

Actually, SB2 came out in '90, much before WB23, that was first printed in '99, so your assumption would be quite off the mark by almost a decade.

[Axelmania]

SB2 came out in '90, much before WB23, that was first printed in '99, so your assumption would be quite off the mark by almost a decade.

KS could have known he was going to make them since inception though.