Aslander

“Ever see a pride of really BIG cats play with a hovertank like it was a mouse? Bad news; you’re about to see it, and we’re the mouse!”

-Corporal Rennie ‘Monsterbait’ Moralez, Coalition States Army, in yet ANOTHER encounter with Shemarrian forces in the Unexplored Regions

“I swear, Sister Pattypaws, if you scream ‘Go Voltron Lion Force!’ ever again, I will punch your central processing core out of your chest.”

EcoS-K-60 ‘Aslander’ Warmount

The massive ‘Aslander’ is a land transport warmount used by the large Fringe Tribe known as Clan Pantheron.

The ‘Aslander’ is essentially a heavily modified ‘roboRhino-Buffalo’ chassis with a reworked head and feet, to better resemble a massive lion. It is generally regarded as a ‘quick and dirty’ effort to provide the fringe tribe with its own distinctive Warmounts, but is none the less effective for its arguably rushed conception. Large and powerful, the Aslander is a capable combatant and strong utility hauler, and has the added benefit of an unusual and exceptional greater degree of psychic abilities. Ecotroz-Awakened Aslanders can channel TK energies into additional protection and physical damage amplification, making them potentially even more dangerous against supernatural foes.

Aslanders are typically used as transport Warmounts, but are equally capable of serving in the front line cavalry capacity. 

The ‘Aslander’ is used primarily by Clan Pantheron but has also been adopted by the mainstream Horrorwoods Tribe (which, as the ‘Animal Tribe’, seems to make a point of trying to collect examples of most Warmount ‘species’ in the Shemarrian clade).

Abilities

Aslander
Type	EcoS-K-60
Class	Warmount, Cavalry
Crew	Robotic AI/Ecotroz Fragment
Number of Riders	1
Number of Passengers	1
Original Tribe	Clan Pantheron
MDC By Location
Head	150
Main Body	260
Legs	200 (4)
Tail	72
Optional Shield Mane	180
Physical Size
Height	25 ft
Length	40 ft
Width	10 ft at shoulders
Weight	8 tons
Physical Attributes
IQ	8
PS	40 Robotic
SPD	100 mph
Leaping	30 ft up/60 ft across +30 ft >40 mph
Swim Speed	15 mph run
Maximum Depth	800 ft
Cargo	Small space in saddle
Power System	Nuclear 20 year
Other Attributes
ISP	9d6 +(1d6+1/lvl)
Sensors
Standard Sensors	Yes
Special Systems
Cybernanite Repair	4d6 MD/hr 100 MDC
Weapon Systems
Primary Weapon	Eye Lasers (2)
Secondary Weapon	Sonic Roar Cannon
Third Weapon	VibroClaws
Fourth Weapon	Optional Modular Weapons (4)

The Aslander is a fairly straightforward warmount with few special systems, which helps keep it cheap and easy to maintain.

Weapons Systems

Eye Lasers (2)

Range	2000 ft
Damage	3d6 MD
Damage2	6d6 MD double blast
Rate of Fire	ECHH
Payload	Unlimited

Standard robotic eye lasers, common in the Shemarrian arsenal. 

Sonic ‘Roar’ Cannon

Range	2000 ft
Range2	Doubled underwater
Damage	1d6x10 MD
Damage2	+3d6 MD 10 ft area
Damage3	Double damage under water
Rate of Fire	ECHH
Payload	Unlimited

Mounted in the Aslander’s mouth is a powerful sonic cannon, apparently inspired by Wolf’s Path warmounts mounting similar sonic attacks. Unlike the Wolf’s Path Hypersonic Howl, however, the Pantheron Roar doesn’t stun; it PULVERIZES. 

VibroClaws

Range	Melee
Damage	3d6 MD

Each foot is fitted with an array of retractable vibroclaws

Optional Modular Weapons (4)

The Aslander has provision for torso-mounting FOUR weapons similar to those standard to the Monstrex.

Programming

The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience. 

Typically has the same programming as the Monstrex.

The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Aslander 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)

Combat

Attacks Per Melee	5
Bonuses
Initiative	+3 (+2, +1 Ecotroz fragment)
Dodge	+4
Parry	Unknown
Auto Dodge	Unknown
Strike	+1, +2 w/ranged
Roll	+4
Pull Punch	+4
Disarm	Unknown
Entangle	Unknown
Knockout/Stun	Unknown
Critical Strike	Unknown
Attacks
Bite	4d6 MD
Power Claw (2 attacks)	6d6 MD
Leap/Pounce (2 attacks)	2d4x10 MD
Body Block/Tackle	5d6 MD
Tail Lash	1d4 MD

The Aslander enjoys melee combat, leading a charge with its ranged weapons if any are equipped and pulverizing with it's roar before leaping into melee and rending with its claws.

Ecotroz Fragment

The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Aslander an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot. 

For purposes of abilities that advance in experience, EShemarrian Warmounts ALL count as Full Conversion Cyborgs with regards to Exp. Tables.

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 (most Warmounts, unless otherwise noted, have an effective IQ rating of 8 ), 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).

Psionics

Has the following Natural Psionic Abilities (no ISP Cost), all equivalent to 6th level with regards to proficiency, but TRIPLE the range.

• Sixth Sense
• See Aura

Physical TK Abilities

The Aslander is unusual for an Awakened Warmount animal in that it possesses an ISP pool and certain Physical psionics. Saves as a MAJOR psychic. 

ISP: 9d6 +(1d6+1) per level of experience. Regains it at a rate of 6 ISP per hour. 

Telekinetic Leap

8 ISP, +2 ft to leap distance up, +3 ft across

Psychic Body Field

30 ISP, 2 minutes per level of experience, 10 MDC per level of experience. 

Telekinetic Claw Strike

The Aslander can use a modified version of the Telekinetic Acceleration Power to perform a psionically-boosted high speed claw strike that sheaths the claws in glowing ectoplasmic fire, pushed by telekinesis, in a supersonic powerpunch. Uses up 15 ISP per strike, but does an additional 3d6+4 MD, and DOES affect supernatural beings vulnerable to magic and psionics. 

Options

Mirror-Chrome

About 60% of all Aslanders sighted thus far have been fitted with gold-tint mirror armor (lasers do HALF damage). 

PPE Sensor

Usually in the form of a third eye or gemstone in the middle of the forehead. 

Shield Mane

The mane can be extended out to DOUBLE its normal size, affording dismounted infantry partial cover (-6 to strike).

Manticore Tail

A prehensile combat tail with 100 MDC, and ending in a heavy bludgeoning tip (3d6 MD). In addition, the tail has integrated into it three directional claymore mines. When fired off, they unleash a directed cone of high speed shrapnel (40 ft range, 4d6 MD to a 30 ft wide area, 3 shots). 

Fader-Cloak

(based on a stealth system from the original ‘Mechanoid Invasion’ RPG) This device generates a field that renders the Warmount INVISIBLE to all electronic sensors (radar, laser, EM, electronic cameras, etc.). The downside is that it also causes the Warmount to assume a glowing translucent appearance that is nearly visually invisible in bright daylight (-3 to enemy Perception rolls), but which is readily visible at night.

Variants

EcoS-K-60f

’Feral’ variant, with a realistic skin/fur overlay to the body, no externally mounted weapons, and 30% less armor.