Spore Launcher

(Version 1.00 - Last Modified: 11/30/2003)

Description

First spotted only a year after the appearance of the Mind Worm Boils, the Spore Launchers are deadly creatures. Evolved directly from a single mind worm, the Spore Launchers seem to be have been developed by the planet solely for the purpose of attacking the Human colonies. The spore launchers are not very mobile and seem to only eat when the Mind Worms bring them food, leading more credance that they did not evolve naturally. In fact, the only thing the Spore Launchers seem capable of doing is launching a highly explosive spore like a natural version of an artillery piece.

A Spore Launcher appears to be a large, highly flexible tube protruding from a thick, circular base surrounded by six spherical pods. Beneath its circular base, the Spore Launcher has six insect-like legs that slowly move it from one location to another. The Spore Launchers are dark green in color, except for small patches of red near the top of each spherical pod and at the top of its launch tube.

Like the Mind Worm Boil, there are three different types of Spore Launchers: Larva, Mature, and Demon. The Larva Spore Launchers appeared in 10 AL and posed a significant threat until the Human colonies adapted to the new tactics used by the alien creatures. The introduction of the Mature Mind Worm Boils also brought about the appearance of the Mature Spore Launchers, which were devastatingly effective against the relatively primitive defenses used by most Human colonies. However, as new technologies were developed and new defense measures adopted, the Mature Spore Launchers became increasingly ineffective, leading to the introduction of the Demon Spore Launcher in 72 AL, eleven years before the first Demon Mind Worm Boil was spotted. Much larger then the previous Spore Launchers, the Demon Spore Launcher has continued to be effective against Human colonies, making them priority targets for the Human defenders.

While the Mind Worm Boils are difficult to breed in captivity, the Spore Launchers are comparatively easy, leading to a large number of then appearing in the military forces of the Cult of Planet and Gaia's Stepdaughters. In fact, both of these factions use the Spore Launchers as their only source of indirect artillery fire, although the Gaians have improvised a vehicle to quickly carry the spore launchers. Where the Demon Mind Worm Boils are next to impossible to breed in captivity, within a matter of months, all the major factions capable of breeding the alien lifeforms were able to breed the largest and most deadly version of the Spore Launchers.

Racial Statistics

Please note that the stats provided below are for a Larva type spore launcher. Modifications for the other spore launcher 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.: 19 (15+1D6)
  • M.A.: 5 (2D4)
  • P.S.: 10 (8+1D6)
  • P.P.: 8 (4+1D6)
  • P.E.: 19 (12+2D6)
  • P.B.: 3 (1D6)
  • Spd: 14 (10+1D6, triple speed if traveling through Xenofungus)
• Size: Circular base is 1' (0.3 m) thick and has a diameter of 4' (1.2 m), the creature stands a total of 7' (2.1 m) tall, including legs, circular base, and the launch tube.
• Weight: 600 lbs (272.2 metric tons)
• S.D.C.: 50 (2D4x10) for the main body, each pod has 12 S.D.C. (25% of the S.D.C. of the main body), each leg has 5 S.D.C. (10% of the S.D.C. of the main body), and the launch tube has 25 S.D.C. (50% of the S.D.C. of the main body).
• Hit Points: 57 (equal to PE attribute x3) for the main body, each pod has 14 hit points (25% of the hit points of the main body), each leg has 6 hit points (10% of the hit points of the main body), and the launch tube has 28 hit points (50% of the hit points of the main body).
• Natural Armor Rating: 10
• Average Life Span: 10 years after hatching from an egg.
• Horror Factor: 10
• P.P.E.: 30 (1D6x10)
• Magic Powers: None
• I.S.P.: 79 (ME attribute x2 +3D6)
• Psionic Powers: Each Spore Launcher has the following psionic abilities: Telekinensis (Super), Telekinetic Punch, Telekinetic Push, and Telepathy. Powers are used as a 5^th level psychic and the Spore Launcher counts as a master psychic.
• Natural Abilities:
  
  1. Mature Boil:
     
     Mature Launchers have the same basic appearance as Larva Launchers, but they are larger and more powerful. The creature gains the following bonuses: +1D4x10 S.D.C., increase hit points by +25%, +1D4 to PS, increase Spd attribute by +25%, +1 to natural armor rating, horror factor increases to 12, +2 attacks per melee, and +3 to strike. Psionic powers are used as an 8^th level psychic. Finally, increase the creature's size by +50% and double its weight.

     An average mature launcher has the following stats that are different then a larva launcher: PS is 10+3, Spd is 17, S.D.C. is 80 for the main body, Hit Points is 71 for the main body, natural armor rating is 11, and horror factor is 12. An average mature launcher has the following combat bonuses: 5 attacks per melee and +4 to strike.

  2. Demon Boil:
     
     Demon Launchers have the same basic appearance as Larva Launchers, but they are even larger and more powerful. The creature gains the following bonuses: +2D4x10 S.D.C., increase hit points by +50%, +2D4 to PS, increase Spd attribute by +50%, +4 to natural armor rating, horror factor increases to 14, +4 attacks per melee, and +6 to strike. Psionic powers are used as a 12^th level psychic. Finally, double the creature's size and triple its weight. These bonuses are applied to the stats of the Larva Launcher, not to the improved stats of a Mature Launcher.

     An average demon launcher has the following stats that are different then a larva launcher: PS is 15, Spd is 21, S.D.C. is 100 for the main body, Hit Points is 85 for the main body, natural armor rating is 14, and horror factor is 14. An average demon launcher has the following combat bonuses: 7 attacks per melee and +7 to strike.

  3. Spore Cannon:
     
     The main weapon of a Spore Launcher is the large launch tube that takes up most of its body. The launcher fires a highly explosive spore that is grown in the pods that surround the launch tube. Each of its six pods holds a number of spores and take one minute to create another spore. The Spore Launcher fires indirectly, so it can fire over objects and often uses Mind Worms to spot enemy targets. A Larva Spore Launcher inflicts 1D6x10 points of damage per spore, has a range of 3 miles (4.8 km), has +4 to strike, and each pod holds a maximum of two spores. A Mature Spore Launcher inflicts 2D6x10 points of damage per spore, has a range of 6 miles (9.7 km), has +6 to strike, and each pod holds a maximum of four spores. A Demon Spore Launcher inflicts 4D6x10 points of damage per spore, has a range of 15 miles (24.1 km), has +10 to strike, and each pod holds a maximum of eight spores. The spore cannon has a minimum range of 100' (30.5 m).
  4. Planetary Intelligence:
     
     The Semi-Sentient Intelligence on Chiron is in partial control of all Spore Launchers and can see and experience what they experience. The intelligence often coordinates large battles of Spore Launchers using surprisingly complex maneuvers and tactics.
  5. 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 Spore Launchers in captivity. These Mind Worms are controlled by powerful psychics that use psionic powers like Mental Suggestion to coerce large numbers of Spore Launchers to follow the instructions of the Humans. Spore Launchers bred in captivity cannot be controlled by the planetary intelligence on Chiron and have double the life span of normal Spore Launchers bred in the wild.


• Combat Skills: 3 attacks per melee, -2 to initiative, +1 to strike.
• Damage:
  • Leg Strike: 1D6
• Bonuses: +5 to save vs. psionic attack, +2 to save vs. insanity, +2 to save vs. all types of magic, +2 to save vs. all types of toxins, +2 to save vs. disease, and +8% to save vs. coma / death. Includes bonuses from ME and PE attributes.
• Penalties: Spore Launchers take double damage from any fire-based attack.
• Natural Skills:
  
  • Land Navigation (50%)
  • Prowl (30%)
• Appearance: A flat, circular disk supported by six insect-like legs. On top of the disk is six spherical pods surrounding a long, flexible tube. A spore launcher 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 Spore Launcher. 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 Spore Launcher, 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.