Scourge

(Version 1.00 - Last Modified: 07/15/2002)

History

Knowing that its units were not truly capable of fighting dedicated airborne attackers, such as space ships or fighters, the Overmind began looking for a suitable solution to its latest problem. What it found on a small planet in a far way star system was a flying creature that lived in a hive society. The society had a rigid hierarchy: there was the queen, the drones, and the defenders. What intrigued the Overmind was the method that the defenders used to defend the hive from danger. The creatures would fly at an enemy and cause a massive chemical reaction in their bodies and explode on the target, hopefully killing it. Humans would recognize this tactic as similar to the defense tactics of Earth bees, but it was the first time the Overmind had encountered such a mechanism.

The hive defenders had all of the basics of everything that the Overmind was looking for: they had speed and a method of devastating those they attacked, even if the intruders were much more powerful than the defenders. When the Zerg Swarm was finished with the planet, the entire hive society was assimilated and the creature known as the Scourge was born.

Genetically, the Scourge creatures are very simple creatures and two can be produced from a single larva, and their tactics are limited to closing with a target and detonating, but they had great potential. The Scourge creatures were never fully tested by the Overmind against a dedicated airborne military, but all tests against Zerg creatures proved that the Scourge held great potential. The Overmind was not disappointed when the Scourge were used first against the Terran Confederacy and later against the remains of the Protoss Grand Fleet.

A Scourge’s body contains several chemicals and acids that it keeps separated into special internal organs until it is ready to attack a target. When the Scourge acquires a target, the chemicals begin to mix, but several key ingredients are kept separate to prevent a premature explosion. The Overmind laced small Khaydarin Crystals into a Scourges body to enhance the explosion and make it even more powerful.

Racial Statistics

• Alignment: None, considered to be an evil animal.
• Attributes:
  
  • I.Q.: Low Animal Intelligence, considered an IQ of 2.
  • M.E.: 10 (8+1D4)
  • M.A.: 3 (1D6)
  • P.S.: 8 (6+1D4)
  • P.P.: 24 (20+1D6)
  • P.E.: 12 * (10+1D4)
  • P.B.: 4 (1D6)
  • Spd: 200 mph (321.9 km/h)
  • * PS and PE are considered supernatural
• Size: 3’ (0.9 m) long and 1’ (30.5 cm) wide, with a wingspan of 4’ (1.2 m).
• Weight: 90 lbs (40.8 kg)
• M.D.C.: 38 in magic rich areas (PE attribute x2 +4D6)
• M.D.C. Armor Rating: See ability number 3, Armor, under the Natural Abilities section.
• S.D.C.: 30 in non-magic rich areas (1D4x10)
• Hit Points: 31 in non-magic rich areas (PE attribute x2 +2D6)
• Armor Rating: See ability number 3, Armor, under the Natural Abilities section.
• Average Life Span: 40 years after transforming from a Larva.
• Horror Factor: 8
• P.P.E.: 32 (4D6+18)
• Magic Powers: The creature has magical abilities that have been built into its genetic code by the Overmind. For an initial cost of 5 PPE and 1 PPE for every ten minutes thereafter, the creature can magically fly in space, and for an initial cost of 7 PPE and 2 PPE for every ten minutes thereafter, the creature can fly at ten times its original speed.
• I.S.P.: None
• Psionic Powers: None
• Natural Abilities:
  
  1. Chemical Detonation:
     
     Normally the volatile chemicals within the Scourge remain dormant, but when the creature begins chasing a target, its base speed increase by ten times, which can be increased again by using its magical abilities. Once the Scourge is within 100' (30.5 m) of its target in an atmosphere or 10 miles (16.1 km) in space, the final chemicals will begin mixing, doubling its increased speed. At that time the creature will travel towards its target in at maximum speed and the only other action it will perform will be to dodge incoming attacks. When it physically hits the target, the Scourge, an Overlord, a Cerebrate, or the Overmind must expend 12 PPE to achieve detonation. Since the detonation is not just chemical but magical in nature, it will damage targets that are immune to chemical reactions but vulnerable to magic, and vice versa. The detonation will inflict 4D6x100 M.D. to the target and 3D6x10 M.D. to everything within a 30' (9.1 m) radius. The chemical detonation has a Weapon Rating of 25. Once the creature detonates, it is destroyed, there is no chance of survival.
  2. Armor:
     
     All Zerg creatures have incredibly tough exoskeletons that reduce the damage that they receive from any incoming attacks. Reduce all damage, either from normal or magical attacks, by 2 points. For example, if a volley of mini-missiles inflicted 66 points of damage, it would be reduced to 64 points of damage. Damage cannot be reduced below zero. The creature has an M.D.C. Armor Rating of 5 in magic-rich environments.
  3. Regeneration:
     
     A feature from the original Zerg creature, the Scourge can regenerate at an amazing rate, and can regenerate whole limbs and body parts. The creature regenerates at a rate of 3 M.D.C. per melee. It will take two minutes to regenerate each foot length of its body (3’ long in total), ten minutes to regenerate an eye, and ten minutes to regenerate a wing (needs both wings to fly in an atmosphere).
  4. Hive Mind Immunities:
     
     From the fact that at a basic level all Zerg share the same mind as the Overmind, individual Zerg creatures are very resilient to mental attacks. Any mind altering or mind affecting spells or psionic powers such as sleep, possession, or hypnotic suggestion will not work on a Zerg creature. This also functions as a permanent Mind Block on all Zerg creatures.
  5. Survival Instincts and Immunities:
     
     From the ingrained survival instincts that were developed by evolution and the Xel’Naga, and incorporated by the Overmind, all Zerg creatures are immune to diseases, toxins, poisons, and gases, both normal and supernatural. The Zerg are also unaffected by Horror Factor and Awe Factor and any attempts to intimidate them. With the assimilation of several space borne creatures, all Zerg can function completely normally in space, in an atmosphere, or underwater, with no maximum depth, with no penalties. Zerg creatures can survive temperatures between -200 to 500 degrees Celsius. Land based Zerg creatures have no way of propelling themselves in space besides pushing off from solid structures.


• Combat Skills: 3 attacks per melee, +5 to strike, and +3 to dodge.
• Damage: A Bite inflicts 1D6 M.D. with a W.R. of 6 and a Ram Attack inflicts 1D4 M.D. with a W.R. of 6. Increase W.R. of all attacks by +1 for every four points of supernatural PS above 10 (at values 14, 18, 22, etc.). In non magic-rich environments, attacks inflict S.D.C. damage, but normal PS damage bonuses apply.
• Bonuses: +1 to save vs. all types of magic and +1 to save vs. psionics (counts as a non-psychic).
• Penalties: Most fighters and spaceships can easily outmatch the Scourge. They also have no real defense against missile attacks.
• Natural Skills:
  
  • Prowl (80%)
• Allies: The Zerg have no real allies, but since the death of the Overmind, several independent Cerebrates have banded together and given each other aid.
• Enemies: The Zerg have made many enemies over the millennia that they have been traveling throughout the galaxy.