Mind Worm Boil
(Version 1.00 - Last Modified: 11/28/2003)
Description
Although Mind Worms form the basis of the alien creatures
controlled by the semi-sentient intelligence on Chiron, they are far from the only
creature. In fact, there are a total of six other life forms on Chiron that share a
connection with the planetary intelligence. All of these creatures are related to the
mind worm in some way, but the Mind Worm Boil is actually formed from a large number
of mind worms working together. Using their impressive psychic abilities, a huge
number of mind worms can band together and create a much larger creature, which is
composed of thousands of individual mind worms using telekinesis, bodily fluids, and
piece of Xenofungus to stick together. Although seldom encountered in the wild, the
Mind Worm Boils are often formed just before an attack on a Human convoy or
colony.
After the initial encounters with the mind worms, the Human colonies quickly discovered
methods to deal with the small creatures, so acting entirely by instinct, the planetary
intelligence developed the means to create the Mind Worm Boil, which would quickly
become a much more serious danger to the Humans. With its psychicly enhanced strength,
its high capacity for damage, and its ability to unleash an army of mind worms, the
mind worm boil is a dangerous opponent.
Mind Worm Boils have a definite worm-like appearance, although their bodies are
obviously composed of a large number of smaller worms. The rear half of a Mind Worm
Boil is composed of a long worm-like body that tapers off like a regular Mind Worm,
but the front half of the boil is quite different. Instead of consisting of a single
body, the front of the worm is split into three different tentacle-like bodies. The
Mind Worm uses all three tentacles in battle and to move itself.
Mind Worm Boils come in three different types: Larva, Mature, and Demon. Although
these types do not actually represent stages in the life cycle of a mind worm boil,
they do closely mirror their appearance on Chiron. The first type of boil
encountered by the Human factions was the relatively small Large Boil, although
deadly in its own way, new defense measures adopted by most factions could easily
defeat an attack by Larva Boils. The planet responded by creating the Mature Boils,
which started appearing in 34 AL, but by this time, the Human colonies attacked the
most by the aliens had grown more powerful and it was not long until the Mature
Boil was mostly irrelevant. The final type, the Demon Boil, began to appear in 83
AL and it richly deserved its name. Much larger and more powerful then the previous
boil types, the Demon Boil is easily capable of smashing through most colony
defenses, the only saving grace is that very few of these monster attack at any one
time. The most common tactic adopted by the mind worms is to swarm a base with
several hundred Larva and Mature Boils spearheaded by as little as five to ten Demon
Boils.
Although Mind Worms can be grown in captivity, due to their small size, they do not
make effective combat units, but with the introduction of the Mind Worm Boils, the
Human factions now know how to form a real combat unit out of the mind worms. That
being said, only two factions currently rely on mind worms to form a significant
portion of the military forces: the Cult of Planet and Gaia's Stepdaughters. All
other factions that have even experimented in this area only do so for research
purposes, not to create combat troops. The most common mind worm boil among the
Human controlled boils is the Larva Boil and so far only the Cult of Planet has
been able to recreate a functional Demon Boil, and even then only a handful are
known to exist.
Racial Statistics
Please note that the stats provided below are for a Larva type mind worm boil.
Modifications for the other boil types are provided in the Natural Abilities
section.
- Racial Type: Mind Worm
- Alignment: None, considered to be an animal.
- Attributes:
- I.Q.: Animal Intelligence, considered an IQ of 4.
- M.E.: 25 (18+2D6)
- M.A.: 5 (2D4)
- P.S.: 15 (10+2D4) *
- P.P.: 14 (10+1D6)
- P.E.: 17 (12+2D4)
- P.B.: 3 (1D6)
- Spd: 22 (15+2D6, triple speed if traveling through Xenofungus)
- * PS is considered supernatural
- Size: 2' (0.6 m) in diameter and 10’ (3 m) in length. Each tentacle is
also 2' (0.6 m) in diameter.
- Weight: 2 tons (1.8 metric tons)
- S.D.C.: 70 (2D6x10)
- Hit Points: 85 (Equal to PE attribute x5)
- Natural Armor Rating: 8
- Average Life Span: Same as the Mind Worms that make up its body.
- Horror Factor: 12
- P.P.E.: 50 (2D4x10)
- Magic Powers: None
- I.S.P.: 118 (ME attribute x4 +5D6)
- Psionic Powers: Each Mind Worm Boil has the following psionic abilities:
Bio-Manipulation, Deaden Pain, Mind Bolt, Telekinetic Leap, and Telepathy. Powers
are used as a 5th level psychic and the Mind Worm Boil counts as a
master psychic. Because the mind worm boil is composed of tens of thousands of
smaller mind worms, it is immune to all mind affecting spells and psionic powers
that only affect a single creature, such as Mind Wipe and Induce Sleep.
- Natural Abilities:
- Mature Boil:
Mature Boils have the same basic appearance as Larva Boils, but they
are larger and stronger. The creature gains the following bonuses:
+2D6x10 S.D.C., increase hit points by +50%, +2D6 to PS, +1D6 to PP,
increase Spd attribute by +50%, horror factor increases to 14, ram
damage increases to 3D6 points of damage, +2 attacks per melee, +1 to
initiative, +2 to strike, and +2 to dodge. Psionic powers are used as
an 8th level psychic. Finally, increase the creature's size
by +50% and double its weight.
An average mature boil has the following stats that are different then
a larva boil: PS is 22, PP is 19, Spd is 33, S.D.C. is 140, Hit Points
is 85, and horror factor is 14. An average mature boil has the following
combat bonuses: 6 attacks per melee, +2 to initiative, +6 to strike, +2
to parry, and +7 to dodge. A ram attack inflicts 3D6+7 points of damage
and a tentacle slap inflicts 4D6 points of damage.
- Demon Boil:
Demon Boils have the same basic appearance as Larva Boils, but they
are much larger and stronger. The creature gains the following
bonuses: +4D6x10 S.D.C., double hit points, +4D6 to PS, +2D6 to PP,
double Spd attribute, horror factor increases to 16, ram damage
increases to 4D6 points of damage, +4 attacks per melee, +3 to
initiative, +6 to strike, and +4 to dodge. Psionic powers are used as
a 12th level psychic. Finally, double the creature's size
and triple its weight. These bonuses are applied to the stats of the
Larva Boil, not to the improved stats of a Mature Boil.
An average demon boil has the following stats that are different then
a larva boil: PS is 29, PP is 21, Spd is 44, S.D.C. is 210, Hit Points
is 85, and horror factor is 16. An average demon boil has the following
combat bonuses: 8 attacks per melee, +4 to initiative, +11 to strike, +3
to parry, and +10 to dodge. A ram attack inflicts 4D6+14 points of
damage and a tentacle slap inflicts 4D8 points of damage.
- Excrete Acid:
Each time a Mind Worm Boil hits a target there is a 25% chance that
it will excrete its acid on the target. The acid does 1D6 points of
damage per melee for a Larva Boil, 2D6 points of damage per melee for
a Mature Boil, and 3D6 points of damage per melee for a Demon Boil.
With all boil types, the acid lasts for 1D4+1 melee rounds and each
time the Mind Worm Boil excretes the acid, the damage is cumulative.
- Release Mind Worms:
Each time a Mind Worm Boil hits a target there is a 10% chance that
it will release mind worms onto the target. A Larva Boil will release
only one Mind Worm per attack, a Mature Boil will release 1D4 Mind
Worms per attack, and a Demon Boil will release 1D6 Mind Worms per
attack. The boil will not release a mind worm if it has already
excreted acid; roll for the acid first before determining whether a
mind worm is released.
- Planetary Intelligence:
The Semi-Sentient Intelligence on Chiron is in partial control of all
Mind Worm Boils and can see and experience what they experience. The
intelligence often coordinates large battles of Mind Worm Boils using
surprisingly complex maneuvers and tactics.
- Bred in Captivity:
A few factions, namely the Spartan Federation, Gaia's Stepdaughters,
the Cult of Planet, and the University of Planet, have discovered a
means to grow Mind Worm Boils in captivity. These boils are controlled
by powerful psychics that use psionic powers like Mental Suggestion to
coerce the Mind Worm Boils to follow the instructions of the Humans.
Mind Worm Boils bred in captivity cannot be controlled by the
planetary intelligence on Chiron.
- Combat Skills: 4 attacks per melee, +1 to initiative, +2 to strike, +3
to dodge.
- Damage: The base damage for a tentacle slap is 1D6.
- Tentacle Slap: 1D8
- Ram: 2D6
- Bonuses: +9 to save vs. psionic attack, +8 to save vs. insanity, +1 to
save vs. all types of magic, +1 to save vs. all types of toxins, +1 to save vs.
disease, and +5% to save vs. coma / death. Includes bonuses from ME and PE
attributes.
- Penalties: Mind Worm Boils take double damage from any fire-based attack.
- Natural Skills:
- Land Navigation (60%)
- Prowl (90%)
- Appearance: A worm shaped mass of squirming worms. Long worm-like body,
that ends in a single tail, but the front consists of three large tentacles. A
mind worm boil has no apparent head, eyes, or sensory organs.
- Allies: All other Mind Worm type lifeforms are understood to be natural
allies and are never attacked by a Mind Worm Boil. In addition, the
semi-sentient intelligence recognizes the Spartan Federation, Gaia's
Stepdaughters, the Cult of Planet, and the United Nations Peacekeepers factions
to be friends and will avoid attacking them, preferring to withdraw when it
encounters members of that faction. However, all Mind Worm lifeforms will
attack anything that attacks them.
- Enemies: All other living creatures are considered to be potential prey
for the Mind Worms, but the semi-sentient intelligence recognizes the Cybernetic
Consciousness, the Free Drones, the Human Hive, and Morgan Industries factions
as being its mortal enemies and will attack them on sight.