89er, in some of the original Lost Eclipse snippets, mentioned toad-like critters in an ambush. Well, here they are...
Ecotroz Shemar ‘Bursk’ Guard-Animal(aka ‘Pog’)
SMASH! SCHLAP! “EEEE(mfpht!)”
TWWWAAAAANNNGGGGGG “(
MMMFFFPPPHHH!!!)”
!GULP! “Good boyyyyy.....”
“You know, we could have captured her BEFORE she went into her apartment unit? Waiting until she was in the shower, THEN smashing through the wall with the Bursk tongue, grabbing her, then hauling her screaming back outside, that’s just plain mean-spirited.”
“Yes, but at any other time she might have been armed. She’s one of the CS’s acknowledged experts on psychochemical warfare agents; she surely has personal protection, especially when she’s visiting an outpost like this place.”
“That’s your story and you’re sticking to it?”
“Yes.”
“Very well. I’ll scoff at your thinly-disguised sadosexual tendancies later. Now let’s get out of here before her security detail wakes up.”
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img308.jpg Seen only in nightmarish glimpses in encounters with the Lost Eclipse, the Bursk has been described as a ‘giant demonic burrowing toad’ by those who have survived the experience. In reality, the Bursk is a robotic watch beast created by the Nightmares.
The Bursk bears an uncanny resemblance to an otherworldly creature known on the Palladium Fantasy World as the Gullikin(see Land of the Damned One Chaos Lands pg. 35-37, the better illustration on pg. 110), so much so that it must be that members of the Lost Eclipse had either encountered the species(which should raise concerns, seeing as the creatures are not KNOWN to live on Rifts Earth) or acquired detailed accounts of the Gullikan from somebody else. In either case, the Lost Eclipse has adapted the traits and body form of the Gullikin to a robotic watch beast, making a few (mainly cosmetic) changes to the creatures’ appearance.
The Bursk resembles a massive walking frog or toad head with stubby arms, short thick legs, a tadpole tail, and a giant mouth, the whole covered in a slick, slimy amphibian’s skin.
The Bursk’s main weapon is its prehensile tongue, a retractable telescoping appendage as strong and dexterous as an elephant trunk, only a lot more dangerous. The tongue can lash, punch, entangle and constrict, or can pull skin off with its adhesive pads on its end.
Because of the Lost Eclipse’s love of messing with the minds of live prisoners(since dead ones aren’t nearly as fun), the Bursk has the ability to take prisoners, using its tongue to entangle enemies, inject them with powerful sedative chemicals, then reel them in to trap them in a stomach-like capture pouch for later leisurely interrogation by the Nightmares. The entire process can prove particularly disturbing and unhinging for the prisoners, especially if they think they’re being devoured alive. The Lost Eclipse typically uses this tactic to mentally soften up prisoners before interrogation and/or mindwipe to cover the exact nature of the attack and its perpetrators.
The Bursk fills many of the same roles as the Shemarrian Wolf with regards to defensive operations. It is typically deployed in areas where the presence of Shemarrian Wolves might present an unwelcome tip-off to outsiders that there are Shemarrians in the region. Bursks often hide along approaches to a Lost Eclipse enclave or cache, typically in concealed burrows, waiting for intruders to pass by, whereupon they will spring out in ambush. Bursk are also used like giant mechanical beavers for making crude field fortifications, digging hideouts, and damming or bridging waterways. Thus far, it has been encountered ONLY with the Lost Eclipse; no other Tribe is known to make use of them.
No blatantly robotic versions of the Bursk are deployed by the Lost Eclipse; all examples are disguised in fake skin as live organic creatures.
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/taalismn/img307.jpgType: EcoS-KRP07LE ‘Bursk’
Class: Robotic Warbeast/Watchbeast
Crew: None; robot intelligence
A rider MIGHT be able to hang on to the back of the Bursk, but this is really uncomfortable and precarious seating, and the Bursk is rarely used as a riding animal.
MDC/Armor by Location:
Main Body 120
Throat Pouch 120
Tongue 100
Eyes() 30 each
Arms(2) 80 each
Legs(2) 90 each
Height: 8-10 ft
Width: 5-6 ft
Length: 5-7 ft
Weight: 750 lbs
Cargo: Can hold up to 300 lbs of gear inside its enormous mouth.
Physical Strength: Equivalent to Robotic P.S. of 30
Powerplant: Nuclear w/ 20 year energy life
Speed: (Running) Not terribly fast as Shemarrian robots go; 25 MPH
(Leaping) The Bursk’s deceptively short legs can bounce the ‘bot up to 12 ft up and 15 ft across.
(Climbing) The Bursk is a poor climber, only able to climb at 35%
(Burrowing) The Bursk is expert at quickly burrowing through soft earth, able to dig at a rate of 6 ft per melee.
(Flying) Not possible
(Space) Not possible
(Underwater) Can swim at 13 MPH, or run along the bottom at 6 MPH. Maximum depth of 3,000 ft.
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( 20 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.
*Faux Looks----The Bursk is meant to look like a flesh and blood creature with a fack skin and musculature. It’s as ugly as its inspiration, though, with a P.B. of only 1d6.
*Bionic Cybernanite Repair Systems---ALL Bursk 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 90 MDC before needing material stocks to convert to MD repair material.
*Throat Pouch---The Bursk’s mouth is fitted with an elastic pouch of elastic megadamage fabric, lined with memory-mode fibers, similar to that mounted on another Lost Eclipse robobeast, the EcoS-K-33 Arzach. The pouch can expand to hold oversized payloads, then tighten up to enclose them securely for safekeeping against water, mud, and other damage. This also serves as an effective restraint for involuntary passengers in the pouch, the fabric holding them like a straitjacket with a P.S. of 30. If the prisoner(s) has a weapon ready to hand, they can cut or blast their way out(the fabric has an MDC of 120), but will likely have to deal with an angry BUrsk on the way out.
Weapons Systems:
1)Combat Tongue---Actually an incredibly long and strong bionic tentacle, tipped with a molecular adhesion pad for grappling onto objects and people. It can narrow to a spear-like point, or spread out to a wide flat surface, the better to stick objects(and people) to like a stick’um board.
Range: 18 ft
Damage:(Punch) 2d4 MD
(Lash) 1d6 MD
(Constrict) 2d4 MD
(Adhesive Tear) 1d6 SDC
2) Bite---The Bursk has a massive mouth with powerful jaws, meant to lock and enclose prisoners, but also capable of snipping off a limb or biting through a wall in one action.
Range: Melee
Damage: 5d6 MD on a bite
3)Claws----The crude hand-paws of the Bursk are fitted with retractable vibroclaws for cutting debris, shoveling dirt and rock, and slashing opponents at close range.
Range: Melee
Damage: 3d6 MD on a slash
4) Eye Lasers(2)---The Bursk’s eyes can project laser beams. This is typically used as a weapon of last resort, however, as the Nightmares do not wish to reveal the true robotic nature of the Bursks.
Range: 500 ft
Damage: 1d6 MD per single blast, 2d6 MD for both eyes firing simultaneously
Rate of Fire: ECHH
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Bonus: + 2 to strike(+4 to strike total)
5)(Optional) Poison Bite---Some Bursks are fitted to deliver a nematocyst-like sting with their tongue, delivering a chemical venom directly into an entangled target. This is typically a paralytic agent or hallucinogenic toxin.
Damage: 1d4 SDC, plus chemical effects.
Payload: Up to 40 doses of up to 5 different chemicals.
6)(Optional) Adhesive Spit---Taking a cue from such Warmounts as the Aracha and the Cyclopede, the Bursk can be fitted to generate a sticky, quick-setting polymer adhesive that it can exude as a milky-white spit. This can be used to glue together masses of wood, stone, and other debris as part of field fortifications or dams, or it be used to encase prisoners and glue them to trees and boulders. These so-called ‘glue pots’ or ‘glue-pogs’ can be distinguished by multiple blisters along their backs(actually the nanopacs synthesizing the adhesive).
Range: Can spit up to 25 ft. A spit-glob covers roughly 3 ft of surface in icky, sticky, mess.
Damage: None. Anyone caught in the goo must have a supernatural or robotic PS of 30 or better to break free; otherwise they are stuck until the goo is somehow removed. To completely cover a human-sized target, the attacker must roll a 12 or better on the strike roll, otherwise only a limb is glommed.
The epoxy sets within seconds, and can be used underwater. However, the sprayed epoxy needs 1d4 hours to properly cure, at which point it attains its maximum strength.
Epoxy has 2d4 MDC per application, but hardens to 2d6 +1 MDC after curing for 1d4 hours.
Rate of Fire: Can spit a one pound glob of adhesive goo in a single attack, ECHH
Payload: Can generate about twenty-five pounds of resin per hour.
7)(Optional)Smog Breath---Called ‘Fog-Pogs’, Bursks outfitted thusly can generate a dense obscuring chemical fog similar in composition to pre-Rifts theatrical ‘fog’. Though not toxic under normal conditions, the chemical fumes DO obstruct vision, and can provide quite the distraction, especially if multiple Bursks are pumping out the fog.
Range: Can cover a 90 ft area
Damage: None. Those caught in the fog are -4 to strike, parry, dodge, disarm, and entangle while caught in the cloud. Depending on local air current conditions, the cloud disipates in 2d6 minutes.
Rate of Fire: Can pump out a 90 cubic ft of vapor cloud per melee
Payload: Can generate 1,000 cubic feet of fog-mix per hour.
Programming:
The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience. The Bursk has a chimpanzee-like intelligence and attitude; roughly playful and curious, but capable of lapsing into berserker-like fury in combat.
Typically has the following:
Basic Math 98%
Radio: Basic 98%
Prowl 72%
Tracking 60%
Land Navigation 86%
Wilderness Survival 88%
Camouflage 78%
Language: Can understand 22 different languages
Excavation 60%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
Military Fortification 60%(+5% per level of experience for Ecotroz entity)
The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Bursk 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)
Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 5
Initiative +2 (+1 from the Ecotroz entity for a total of +3)
Dodge +3 , +3 underwater
Strike +2 (+2 w/ ranged weaponry)
Parry +2
Pull Punch +2
Roll +2
Disarm +2
Bite 5d6 MD
Restrained Claw/Punch 1d4 MD
Punch 1d6 MD
Claw 3d6 MD
Kick 2d4 MD
Body Block/Tackle 1d4 MD
Leap Attack(2 attacks) 2d4 MD
Note: The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Bursk an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot. The Bursk entity is fairly smart and cunning, with a monkey-like intelligence(roughly equivalent to an IQ of 7). Its speech is limited to grunts, belches, beeps, growls and hoots.
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, but will have to go dormant for 4d6 hours after such exertion.
Susceptible to Exorcism and Banish spells, but are +6 to save against such spells, +1 at levels 4, 8, and 12 of experience, and becoming IMMUNE at level 14 and up. Such Banishment causes the ‘bot to revert to its default robot programming. (OPTION: Ecotroz may become IMMUNE to Exorcism and Banishment with experience, and NEW BUILT EShemar constructs are immune to this)
Note also that the Ecotroz-possessed ‘bot can infect other bots with the Ecotroz viral-entity, by bite or sustained touch(takes 3 attacks).