Mind Worm Locust

(Version 1.00 - Last Modified: 12/04/2003)

Description

Humans always felt that they had an edge over the mind worms and the other alien creatures that made their lives so difficult. The Mind Worms were all land locked. Once the Human factions are reclaimed the skies, they could always attack the Mind Worms from the relative safety of the air, and this had been a common tactic for years, even with the appearance of the Demon types of of the creatures. This all changed with the appearance of the Mind Worm Locusts. Clearly evolved from a single Mind Worm, the locusts are fast, deadly, airborne opponents. Although considerably slower then a Human aircraft, the locusts are incredibly maneuverable. Almost fifty years after their first appearance, the locusts are now a common sight among Mind Worm raiding groups and they can be encountered in swarms of hundreds of locusts.

A Mind Worm Locust has a long snake-like body, with two leathery wings, and a sharp, tooth-filled mouth. The creature has no apparent eyes to see with and no other appendages aside from its wings, but its eyesight and hearing is as good as an eagles. Although it looks nothing like a locust from Earth, the name stuck and has been used ever since.

Like the Mind Worm Boil, there are three different types of Mind Worm Locusts: Larva, Mature, and Demon. The Larva Mind Worm Locusts first appeared in 110 AL and devastated Human colonies prepared for attacks from the ground. The Mature Mind Worm Locusts appeared only ten years later in 120 AL as a powerful leader unit in charge of a number of Larva Locusts. Although the first two types of Mind Worm Locusts have continued to prove very deadly against the Human defenders, the Demon Mind Worm Locusts have already begun to appear, although in very small numbers. The first encounter with a Demon Mind Worm Locust occurred during a mind worm raid on factory colony under the control of Morgan Industries. Aside from video footage, there was no known survivor from that raid.

Although both the Cult of Planet and Gaia's Stepdaughters have tried to breed the locusts in captivity, neither have succeeded. So far, the exact process of evolving a regular Mind Worm into a locust is beyond the capabilities of any Human faction. However, the Cult of Planet have managed to capture and tame a number of wild locusts. While the number is too small to form a significant fighting force, they will provide anyone that attacks the Cult of Planet with a nasty surprise.

Racial Statistics

Please note that the stats provided below are for a Larva type Mind Worm Locust. Modifications for the other locust 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 5.
  • M.E.: 22 (18+1D6)
  • M.A.: 5 (2D4)
  • P.S.: 19 (12+2D6) *
  • P.P.: 23 (20+1D4)
  • P.E.: 22 (15+2D6)
  • P.B.: 2 (1D4)
  • Spd: 19 (16+1D6) on land (triple speed if traveling through Xenofungus) and 90 (60+1D4x10) in the air
  • * PS is considered supernatural
• Size: 2' (0.61 m) in diameter and 15’ (4.6 m) in length.
• Weight: 1 ton (0.91 metric tons)
• S.D.C.: 100 (2D6x10+30)
• Hit Points: 132 (Equal to PE attribute x6)
• Natural Armor Rating: 12
• Average Life Span: 20 years after hatching from an egg.
• Horror Factor: 13
• P.P.E.: 50 (2D4x10)
• Magic Powers: None
• I.S.P.: 131 (ME attribute x5 +6D6)
• Psionic Powers: Each Mind Worm Locust has the following psionic abilities: Mind Bolt, Psi-Sword (comes from the end of the tail), Pyrokinesis, Telekinetic Punch, Telekinetic Push, and Telepathy. Powers are used as a 5^th level psychic and the Mind Worm Locust counts as a master psychic.
• Natural Abilities:
  
  1. Mature Locust:
     
     Mature Locusts have the same basic appearance as Larva Locusts, but they are larger and more powerful. The creature gains the following bonuses: +2D6x10+60 S.D.C., increase hit points by +50%, +2D6 to PS, +2D4 to PP, increase flying Spd attribute by +50%, +1 to natural armor rating, horror factor increases to 15, +1 attack per melee, and +2 to strike and dodge. Psionic powers are used as a 10^th level psychic. Finally, increase the creature's size by +50% and double its weight.

     An average mature locust has the following stats that are different then a larva locust: PS is 26, PP is 28, flying Spd is 135, S.D.C. is 230, Hit Points is 198, natural armor rating is 13, and horror factor is 15. An average mature locust has the following combat bonuses: 6 attacks per melee, +3 to initiative, +12 to strike, +7 to parry, and +14 to dodge. A bite attack inflicts 8D6 points of damage and a tail slap inflicts 4D8 points of damage.

  2. Demon Locust:
     
     Demon Locusts have the same basic appearance as Larva Locusts, but they are even larger and more powerful. The creature gains the following bonuses: +4D6x10+150 S.D.C., double hit points, +4D6 to PS, +4D4 to PP, double Spd attribute, +2 to natural armor rating, horror factor increases to 17, +3 attacks per melee, +6 to strike and dodge. Psionic powers are used as a 15^th level psychic. Finally, double the creature's size and triple its weight. These bonuses are applied to the stats of the Larva Locust, not to the improved stats of a Mature Locust.

     An average demon locust has the following stats that are different then a larva locust: PS is 33, PP is 33, flying Spd is 180, S.D.C. is 390, Hit Points is 264, natural armor rating is 14, and horror factor is 17. An average demon locust has the following combat bonuses: 8 attacks per melee, +4 to initiative, +17 to strike, +8 to parry, and +19 to dodge. A bite attack inflicts 5D8 points of damage and a tail slap inflicts 1D6x10 points of damage.

  3. Extend Psionic Powers:
     
     By increasing the cost of using a psionic power by +25%, rounding all fractions up, the locust can extend the range of that psionic power by ten times. For example, if the original power had a range of 100' (31 m) and cost 10 ISP to use, then the locust could use it at a cost of 13 ISP (10 x 1.25 = 12.5 -> 13) and with a range of 1000' (305 m).
  4. Planetary Intelligence:
     
     The Semi-Sentient Intelligence on Chiron is in partial control of all Locusts and can see and experience what they experience. The intelligence often coordinates large battles of Locusts using surprisingly complex maneuvers and tactics.


• Combat Skills: 5 attacks per melee, +3 to initiative, +7 to strike, +4 to parry, and +9 to dodge. Includes bonuses from PP attribute.
• Damage: The base damage for a bite attack is 2D4 and for a tail slap is 1D6.
  • Bite Attack: 2D6
  • Tail Slap: 2D8
  • Ram: 1D6 per 10 mph (16.1 km/h), but the locust takes a quarter of the damage it inflicts from a ram attack.
• Bonuses: +8 to save vs. psionic attack, +5 to save vs. insanity, +4 to save vs. all types of magic, +4 to save vs. all types of toxins, +4 to save vs. disease, and +14% to save vs. coma / death. Includes bonuses from ME and PE attributes.
• Penalties: Locusts take double damage from any fire-based attack.
• Natural Skills:
  
  • Navigation: Air (90%)
  • Prowl (90%)
• Appearance: A long, worm-like body with two leathery wings and a tooth filled mouth. The Locust has no apparent eyes or ears.
• Allies: All other Mind Worm type lifeforms are understood to be natural allies and are never attacked by a Mind Worm Locust. 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 locusts, 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.