New Mutant Monday Series Two #102 - Voltapume

Found in any temperate location, these creatures are not in fact the descendants of big cats, instead they are the mutant offspring of generations of domesticated house cats which managed to survive in the wastelands.

It is understandable however to see why they would be mistaken for the large predatory creatures. The average member of this species of feline is about four feet in length and weigh around 90 pounds. The fur is sleek, dark blue in coloration, with blazing white stripes very similar to lightning bolts. The eyes are likewise a blazing white with no visible sign of pupil. They move with the typical agility of a great feline, and if it was not for the coloration, would probably be next to invisible in the wild.

As always, I need to send a special thanks to Clint Staples for the image which inspired this write-up. Even though he did not write up a creature to Runequest stats, he used the image for his Runequest Thursday article and I really liked it, and as such I had to write it up!

Thanks, Clint!

One of the main themes in the Clanking Ruin is exploration and discovery - often of the strange technomagical devices and creatures left behind by the inhabitants of the Machine City. Many such items are destroyed or in ruin, and only of real interest to collectors or the truly obsessed. But some number of such things have survived the intervening centuries since the destruction of Zistorwal more or less intact.

Naturally, if they are going to be found, they are going to be found by adventurers.

And just as naturally, items of utility, especially weapons, are likely to be found in the hands of creatures hostile to the adventurers - or at least hostile to the adventurers' notion that such items are "available".

Below are two such items. Both are weapons, and both have the capacity, if not carefully controlled in the game, to change the landscape of weapons and warfare in the world. Here are a couple of ideas on how to give you players a taste of such weapons, even allow them to own and use them, without starting an arms race.

1. First and foremost, control the quantity available.

OK, this seems like a no-brainer. But if you have enterprising players, who might have contacts or skills that allow replication, it can be tricky. They could find a single item, and turn around and  create dozens or hundreds, then use, or sell them, becoming powerful or rich overnight. The mind boggles as your campaign spirals out of control . . .

But you have control. Just as you controlled the number that were found in the first place, you can control how easy (or difficult) it is to reproduce something. For an item that blends Zistorite magic and technology, the folks capable of cranking out replicas are likely to be few and far between. And if items are recreated, they are probably going to be expensive to make, might not work as well or reliably as the original, might require exotic ingredients or components. In my Clanking Ruin, I have things called Manuforges, which essentially are technomagical easy bake ovens that take in raw materials, and spit out mechamagical items. But they need the raw materials, AND they need a Manufacturing Scroll - the blueprint for the item to be produced. Manuforges also tend to be very large, heavily guarded, inconveniently located, owned by someone else, sentient, or some combination of the above. All of the above argues against mass-production being an easy way to wealth and power for the PCs.

2. In the same vein as number one, make sure that the "thing" uses ammuntiion, charges, or some other resource that the players do not have constant access to. In Runequest, the attribute POWer, which every PC has, is the measure of how many spells you can cast. If you allow PCs to use POWer to use your new item, then they get to decide how often it is used.

If the ammunition is specially produced or limited in some way (see number 1 above again for ways to do this), then the the PCs will think more about how they use the item, or accept that they will run out of this resource.

If the item uses charges, make sure than the charges come in a form that you can maintain some control over. In my game, a lot of mechamagical items use "Machine Grade Crystal" an abberation created by the Zistorites in imitation of the more widely known power storage crystals. MGC is essentially a onw use power storage crystal, machine crafted and shaped to fit into many mechamagical items. This means that there is no easy way to power such items without it. And no one knows how to make MGC anymore. So you control the supply. Even if your players decide to get into the MGC manufacturing business, you are the one in charge of how that is done, and what the PCs have to do to make it happen.

3. Control of Information: Mechamagical items are the products of another way of viewing magic, even of comprehending the cosmos. It should be difficult to wrap your head around how they function. Player characters who become interested in recreating mechamagic should expect a fairly steep learning curve to figure things out. In my game, no one made their Mechanisms check when trying to figure out how the Machine Grade Crystal could be removed from the Arc Cannon (see below) so they don't yet grasp that it is a reusable resource. You might also reduce their ability with magic that depends on their current worldview. So a cultist of Orlanth who gets into the notion of mechamagic might find it harder to cast cult spells, or similar, since she is moving away from the Orlanthi paradigm.

4. Competition: I don't mean others doing the same thing, although that is always possible. I am referring more to others wanting the same thing and what they are prepared to do about it. So in a campaign that has the Lunars as a major foe (like mine), being too open about your use of mechamagical superweapons is likely to get you a rapid and aggressive conversion pitch from the local Lunar authorities - probably one you can't refuse without serious consequences. If not the Lunars, then maybe the local Orlanthi hate the idea of people using the same technomagic that their ancestors fought a ten year war to destroy. Or a band of powerful brigands likes the idea of being supplied with the item, and extorts some, or steals them. If nothing else fits, it could be that those whacky and enigmatic dragonewts just don't like the notion of trumped up monkeys having this kind of power and decide to intervene. So the PCs cannot use these item constantly without attracting the wrong kind of attention.

By now, it should be clear that there are ways for you to retain control of things, even while you let your players have some fun with some new toys.        

And you want them to have fun with them.                                

So here are the promised items:

Arc Cannon:

This weapon can emit a targeted line of lightning up to 10 yards distant, doing 3d6 to the first target it strikes. Armor Points count, but metal armor only protects for 4 AP. The weapon is 4 ENC, so fairly bulky. and uses Machine Grade Crystal as its power source. When found, Arc Cannons often have a single stick of MGC in theiir charge port. Roll 1d8 for the number of charges.

Secondary Arc: On a special, the shooter can choose to have the arc carry on to a second target, rolling again to hit, with the same possible result for a special. An Arc Cannon is a two-handed weapon for anyone of SIZ 20 or less, and uses machine grade crystal as its energy source.

Ammunition: Machine Grade Crystal

Armour Points/ Nit Points: 4/6

Attacks      Starting Attack    Range     Damage    Specials    

Arc Cannon  STR + DEX %    10 Yards     3d6        Secondary Arc

Mostali Heavy Bolt Thrower

This is a type of crossbow developed an age ago by the Mostali. Certain of them still use it, especially those who have not continued to develop more advanced devices. Among these are the devolved clay dwarf cannibals found in the ruin of the Legion of Purification.

Ammunition: 5 Bolt Drum - specially constructed bolts and drum

AP/ HP: 4/ 8

Combat                   Starting Attack      Range   Damage  Special

Heavy Bolt Thrower     STR+DEX%        10/40      1d12       Impale

• The thrower is constructed to accept, and load from a cartridge, capable of storing 5 specially constructed bolts. It takes 1 round to fully load a cartridge with bolts. The weapon may not be shot without a cartridge – you cannot shoot a single bolt by loading it directly, there is no channel for the bolt.
• Changing out bolt cartridges takes one round, plus any time taken to stow the empty cartridge. The cartridges will not accept standard bolts – only specially constructed ammunition.
• Ratchetted Reload: the weapon must be cranked to load with up to five shots worth of mechanical energy. Loading this energy takes 1 Round per shot: to a maximum of 5 shots for 5 rounds of ratchet cranking.
• Each bolt thrower includes 20 bolts (custom-made for the weapon) and 2 Drums.
• 1 Drum is filled with 5 Sulfur bolts Doing 1d8 bonus fire damage if they penetrate armor.

If you don't like the sulphur bolts, don't use them. These should definitely be in short supply.

No. Enc: 1d4
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 150’ (50’)
AC: 3
HD: 1d3 Hit Points
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: 1 plus toxin (see description)
Save: L2
Morale: 5
Hoard Class: N/A

No. Enc: 12d10
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 90’ (30’)
AC: 7
HD: 10
Attacks: 1 head butt, two fists
Damage: 2d6+3d6+4, 1d8+3d6+4 / 1d8+3d6+4
Save: L10
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: N/A

No. Enc: 3d4
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 120’ (40’)
AC: 4
HD: 16
Attacks: 1 charge and then 1 bite per round
Damage: 3d8+3d6+ special, 2d12+3d6
Save: L16
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: Incidental

No. Enc: 2d8
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 60’ (20’)
AC: 7
HD: 2
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: 1d6 plus poison
Save: L2
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: Incidental

No. Enc: 1d10
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 90’ (30’) or 120’ (40’) on all fours
AC: 6
HD: 10
Attacks: 1 bite and two claws
Damage: 1d8+3d6 plus acid, poison, and disease, 1d12+3d6 / 1d12+3d6
Save: L10
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: VII, (x100, 85%), VIII (x3, 70% any type of artifact)

No. Enc: 1
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 90’ (30’)
AC: 7
HD: 4
Attacks: See description
Damage: See description
Save: 4
Morale: N/A
Hoard Class: Incidental.

No. Enc: 2d3 or 10d10
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 90’ (30’)
AC: 6
HD: 3
Attacks: 2 talons or by weapon
Damage: 1d6+1 / 1d6+1 or by weapon
Save: L6
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: IV (x5), VI (copper and silver, x3), 50% chance 1d3 random artifact weapons, 25% 1 suit of artifact armor (non EMA), VIII (85% x3), X.

No. Enc: 3d6
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement: 90’ (30’)
AC: 4
HD: 6
Attacks: 1 bite (plus toxic weapon), 2 claws
Damage: 1d4+3 plus toxin (see description), 1d6+3 /  1d6+3
Save: L10
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: VII (70% 1d4 artifacts), X, XIII

No. Enc: 4d4
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 90’ (30’)
AC: 6
HD: 12
Attacks: 1 horn or1 bite
Damage: 1d12+4  or 2d4+4
Save: L12
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: N/A

No. Enc: 1d10
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 90’ (30’)
AC: 1
HD: 20
Attacks: 1 bite or tusks, 1d4 tentacles, 2 stomps or mental attack (see description)
Damage: 1d12+10 or 2d10+10 / 1d6+10 per tentacle, 5d6+10 or see description.
Save: L20
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: Incidental

CR: 7

XP: 3,200

Small Aberration

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Init: +1; Senses: Darkvision 60 ft. ; Perception: +9

AC: 20; Touch: 16; Flat-footed: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 Natural, +4 Dodge)

HP: 25 (7d8-7)

Fort: +5 ; Ref: +8 ; Will: +12

Speed: 30 ft.

Melee: 2 kicks +6 attack, (1d6+2)

Space: 5 ft. Reach: 5 ft.

Stats: Str: 6, Dex: 14, Con: 8, Int: 12, Wis: 14, Cha: 14

Base Atk: +5 CMB: +5 CMD: +15

Feats: Iron will, stealthy, weapon finesse (kick), weapon focus (kick)

Skills: diplomacy +9, knowledge (geography) +6, knowledge (history) +6 knowledge (local), +6 knowledge (nature) +6, sense motive +7, stealth +7, survival +7,

Languages: Common

Environment: Anywhere

Organization: Solitary

Treasure: Incidental

Special abilities:

Cling (EX) – This ability allows the creature to cling to any surface and move at its full speed, even upside down. Once activated, the ability is always on and can be turned on and off as a free action.  

Disintegrate (SP) - A thin, green ray springs from the creature’s eye. A successful ranged touch attack is required to hit. Any creature struck by the ray takes 14d6 points of damage. Any creature reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by this ability is entirely disintegrated, leaving behind only a trace of fine dust. A disintegrated creature's equipment is unaffected. When used against an object, the ray simply disintegrates as much as a 10-foot cube of nonliving matter. Thus, the spell disintegrates only part of any very large object or structure targeted. The ray affects even objects constructed entirely of force, such as forceful hand or a wall of force, but not magical effects such as a globe of invulnerability or an antimagic field. A creature or object that makes a successful Fortitude save is partially affected, taking only 5d6 points of damage. If this damage reduces the creature or object to 0 or fewer hit points, it is entirely disintegrated. The DC for this ability is 18. Only the first creature or object struck can be affected; that is, the ray affects only one target per use. The creature can only use this ability once per 24 hours.

Force Screen (SP) - This ability allows the creature to create an invisible field of energy that is difficult to penetrate. The screen can withstand up to 50 points of damage before failing. Once all the hit-points have been exhausted, the screen collapses, leaving the mutant unprotected. Finally the creature can shut the screen down at any time, before the duration expires. It can generate one shield per 4 hours

Killing Sphere (SP) - This powerful ability allows the creature to generate a sphere of deadly mental energy centered on the creature. Within this sphere of energy all creatures except the creature (friend or foe!) are allowed a Will save (DC 16) or have their hit points reduced to 1 point, and must make a second Will save (DC 18) or be knocked unconscious for 1d10 rounds. After using this ability, the creature is exhausted from the force of the mental exertion. The creature is considered fully fatigued. It can use this ability once per day.

Mind Thrust (SU) – The creature is able to mentally lash out at a target, inflicting damage. The target is allowed a Will save with a DC of 14 and if it fails the target suffers 3d6 points of damage. This will bypass all types of damage reduction and such conditions as insubstantial and cover. All that is required is a line of sight. The creature can use this up to seven times per day.

Teleport (SU) - If the creature encounter something their psionics have little or no effect upon, they will retreat, using their teleport ability to take them out of harm’s way. This will always take them 1d10 miles in a random direction, and will never place them in any sort of physical danger. This can be used once every 8 hours.

Possession (SP) - The creature may wrest control over another’s body, subjecting himself to all of the sensations the possessed creature experiences. This is accomplished through a successful ranged touch attack.  The target is allowed a Will save (DC 18) to avoid the effects. The original inhabitant of the body is still there, but it is incapable of acting or doing anything, although it can be reached through the use of telepathy. During the time he possesses another body, the body of the possessing creature is unconscious and vulnerable to attack. He may relinquish control of the body at any time, and will return instantly to his own body. If the creature dies while possessed, the creature dies as well. The creature can remain inside the new body for as long as it desires, and during this period it will retain its own memories, Wisdom, Intelligence and Charisma scores. It will only retain this ability – all others are lost. The creature’s body is subject to dehydration and starvation, and if it dies, the creature is trapped in its new body, sharing it with the original inhabitant. It can switch bodies again, but it will end up living the life of a ghost, jumping from body to body. It can use this ability once per day.

Telepathy (EX) - Using this ability, the creature can connect his mind with another’s mind and communicate directly, even if the two creatures speak completely different languages or are of different species. If someone does not wish to communicate, they are allowed a Will save with a DC of 14 to resist.  The range is 125 feet and can be used at will.

Temperature Control (SU) – This ability allows the creature to raise or lower the temperature of a visible object. The type of temperature is determined during creation, being either thermal or cold. The ability requires the creature to concentrate on the object. If at any time the concentration is broken, then the mutation will end the process. Each round the object will either heat up or cool down, inflicting 1d6 of the appropriate type of damage, accumulating 1d6 per round. So on the second round the target will suffer 2d6, the third 3d6 and so forth, up to a maximum of 10d6 points of damage, at which time the ability ends. This ability can be used once per day, and there is no saving throw.

Vampiric Field (SP) - This allows the creature to absorb the life essence (hit points) from all creatures (friend or foe) within range. This power absorbs 2d4 hit points per round from all creatures in the radius (60 ft.). Those in the area of effect are allowed a Will save with a DC of 14 to ignore the effects.  These absorbed points go into a separate reserve for the creature. All damage inflicted to the creature is taken from these reserved points until they are gone; after this point the creature’s regular hit points begins to be affected. Stored hp will disappear after 24 hours. This mutation will be active for exactly 5 rounds at which point it automatically shuts off and cannot be used again for 1 hour.

CR 5

XP:1,600

Medium Outsider (Fire, elemental, extraplanar)

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Init: +7; Senses: darkvision 60’ ; Perception: +4

AC: 21; Touch: 16; Flat-footed:18

Hp: 27 (5d10)

Fort:+7; Ref:+11; Will:+3

Immunity: elemental traits, fire, radiation

Weaknesses: vulnerability to cold

Speed: 40 ft.

Melee: +7 (two fists, 1d4+2 impact +3 fire-based damage)

Ranged: +8 (Flame Missile, 1d6+3 fire-based damage)

Space: 5 ft., Reach 5 ft.

Spell-like abilities: Cone of flame, fireball, flame wall.

Stats: Str: 14, Dex: 16, Con: 10, Int: 6, Wis: 8, Cha: 18

Base Atk: +5 CMB: +7 CMD: 21

Feats: Combat Reflexes, improved initiative, point blank shot

Skills: Acrobatics +8, intimidate +9, Knowledge (geography) +3, stealth +8

Languages: Common

Environment: Tropical

Organization: Solitary

Treasure: Incidental

Special abilities:

Cone of Flame (SP) - The being can create a cone of fire, which is 5’ at the beginning and increases by 5’ for every 20 feet traveled. The maximum range is 100’ and anything caught in the range will suffer 5d6+5 damage. Reflex (DC 19). This can be used up to five times per day.

Fireball (SP) -  This being is able to create a ball of fire, which will explode in a radius equal to 40 feet. All targets within the radius will suffer 9d6 fire damage. Reflex (DC 17) save for half. This can be used up to five times per day.

Flame Missile (SU) – The creature can use a piece of its own essence and hurl a small arrow of flame using a ranged touch attack. There is no saving throw for this attack and it inflicts 1d6+3 points of fire damage.

Flame Wall (SP) - Creates a wall of flame up to 50 feet in length and ten feet in height. Lasts for 2d3 rounds and anyone passing through it will suffer 2d6+5 damage, and has the same thermal radius as their bodies. This can be used twice per day.

Heat Aura (SU) - Anyone approaching within 30 feet of these creatures can feel the heat radiating from them. If anyone approaches closer than 15 feet, they begin to take thermal damage at the rate of 1d6 per five feet. So between 15-10 feet, they will suffer 1d6, then between 9-5 they will suffer 2d6 and finally 3d6 if closer than five feet. There is no saving throw for this, although damage reduction will reduce the amount of damage sustained.

Thermal Regeneration (EX) - If an attacker uses flame-based weapons on these beings, they will discover any damage inflicted will instead heal the beings, and if they are fully healed, the creatures will gain any damage as additional hit points. These additional hit points will vanish after 24 hours. Trying to fight one of these creatures while it is in a thermally active zone such as a volcano, forest fire, and so forth is an exercise in futility, as it is constantly healed by the flames it is surrounded by!

Thermal Teleport (SU) – This is the ability to detect powerful thermal plumes anywhere across the globe, and as such are able to teleport into such locations without fail. They can use this ability only once per day. As such they will typically wait several days before using this ability to jump, to ensure it will not disappear within a few hours of their arrival.

No. Enc: 1
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 60’ (20’)
AC: 8
HD: 5
Attacks: Psionics (see description), 2 kicks
Damage: 1d4+2 / 1d4+2
Save: L5
Morale: 7
Hoard Class: Incidental

No. Enc: 1
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement: 120’ (40’)
AC: 6
HD: 6
Attacks: Thermal radius (see description), two punches, and flame attack. 
Damage: See description, 1d4+3d6 / 1d4+3d6 and by attack type.
Save: 6
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: N/A

No. Enc: 1
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:90’ (30’)
AC: 6
HD: 10
Attacks: 1 ram, 2 tusks, 1 bite, and 2 paws
Damage: 4d6+6, 1d12+6 / 1d12+6 & special, 2d8+6 and 2d12+6 / 2d12+6
Save: L10
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: Incidental

Hippopotamus (Size 2)

B4 A2 M1


100 Hits/30 Soak

Attack -2x2, Defend -2x2

Powers:

• Size 2 (+10 Brawn rolls, Damage, Soak; -2 Dice Penalty to hit, defend, Agility)

• Thick Hide and Blubber: +20 Soak
• Fearsome Bite: +2 Damage Multiple (x6+10 dmg, extra effect on smaller targets x8+10 dmg)
• 
Aquatic 2: 12 Squares per panel
• Trample (Only on Land): X7+10 dmg to an area 2 Sq. wide x 4 Sq. long (Energy: 3)
• Reckless Attack: On any turn the Hippo bites it has a +2 Dice Bonus to hit, but suffers a -2 Dice penalty to Defense.

Advantages:

Non-Sentience: Mind 0 for Reasoning, 3 for animal behaviors and senses.

Underwater Lurking: Hippos gain a +2 Dice Bonus to Stealth Checks when submerged.

Disadvantages:

Belligerent: Hippos are naturally very territorial and often attack anything unusual that comes near. This belligerence makes them vulnerable to powerful or well-prepared foes.

Poor Vision: Hippos do not rely on sight for their perception of their surroundings. They suffer a -2 to Sight Perceptions checks.

24 pts

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Giant Hippopotamus (Size 3)

B5 A2 M1


100 Hits/45 Soak

Attack -3x2, Defend -3x2

Powers:

• Size 3 (+15 Brawn rolls, Damage, Soak; -3 Dice Penalty to hit, defend, Agility)

• Thick Hide and Blubber: +30 Soak
• Fearsome Bite: +2 Damage Multiple (x7+15 dmg, extra effect on smaller targets x9+15 dmg)
• 
Aquatic 2: 12 Squares per panel
• Trample (Only on Land): X8+15 dmg to an area 2 Sq. wide x 4 Sq. long (Energy: 3)
• Reckless Attack: On any turn the Hippo bites it has a +2 Dice Bonus to hit, but suffers a -2 Dice penalty to Defense.

Advantages:

Non-Sentience: Mind 0 for Reasoning, 3 for animal behaviors and senses.

Underwater Lurking: Hippos gain a +2 Dice Bonus to Stealth Checks when submerged.

Disadvantages:

Belligerent: Hippos are naturally very territorial and often attack anything unusual that comes near. This belligerence makes them vulnerable to powerful or well-prepared foes.

Poor Vision: Hippos do not rely on sight for their perception of their surroundings. They suffer a -2 to Sight Perceptions checks.

27 points

No. Enc: 1d8 or 40d10 in communities
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 150’ (50’)
AC: 6 or by armor)
HD: 9
Attacks: By weapon, or 1 bite, 2 claws, and constriction (see description)
Damage: 1d8+11, 1d6+11 / 1d6+11 (see description)
Save: L9
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: V (x50), 75% artifact armor (non EMA, modified to fit their body structure), 1d4 non artifact melee weapons, 50% 1 artifact melee weapon, 80% chance 1d2 primitive firearms, 25% chance 1d2 high-tech firearm, VIII (85% x 3), X, XII (75%)

No. Enc: 2d3
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement: 120’ (40’)
AC: 4
HD: 5
Attacks: 1 bite and 2 claws
Damage: 1d6+3 plus electrical, 3d4+3 plus electrical / 3d4+3 plus electrical
Save: L5
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: Incidental