“What do you make of that up there, sergeant, landslide?”
“That’s not a landslide coming down at us, that’s Clan Immensis, and they have the upper ground! First they’ll roll artillery over us, then they’ll roll down on us!”
“Which is worse?”
“We’ll have a better chance with the artillery; at least we can take cover from artillery! The Immensians, up close, they’ll tear down cover to get at us, and stomp us flat! My recommendation, sir, is that we bugger out while we still hold the pass behind us and let them have the valley!”
---Torsian Lieutenant wisely listening to his Trensik mercenary sergeant during a ‘border dispute’ with the Shemarrian Star Nation on the world of Gestan IV.
“We’re just big-boned.”
“With what? Steel i-beams?”
Fringe Tribe: Clan Immensis[]
| Clan Immensis | ||
|---|---|---|
| Parent Tribe(s) | Unknown | |
| Where First Encountered | Other Universie | |
| Tribe Size | Modest | |
| Tribe Organization | Matriarchy | |
Tribe Composition
| ||
| Female % | 75% | |
| Male % | 25%
| |
| Highest Caste Class | Warchief | |
Tribe Facts
| ||
| Home Environment | Temperate Earth-Like | |
| Technology Level | Megadamage Age | |
| Relations With Outsiders | Indifferent | |
| Relations With Other Shemarrians | Open | |
| Prefered Mode of Combat | Artillery | |
| Prosperity | Self-Sufficient | |
aka ‘Clan Massus’, ‘Panzerskirts’
Clan Immensis seems to be a Fringe Tribe based on an aesthetic philosophy. While most Shemarrians seem engineered for robust athletic good looks, Clan Immensis goes the other way; virtually all members of the tribe appear to be immensely overweight, corpulent, thick-limbed and decidedly pear-shaped. These cyborgs make VatFathers look lean and sleek in comparison. ‘Wider is better’ seems to be the unofficial motto of these NeShemar-candidates; that, and ‘bring the thunder!’.
The extra mass is not without its advantages and disadvantages; while slower and slightly less agile than their contemporaries in other tribes, Clan Immensis members also tend to be more durable and able to soak up greater amounts of damage. They also tend to be stronger, an asset they use to tote around correspondingly heavier amounts of firepower and armor protection.
The Immensians follow the Shemarrian social organization, including the establishment of distinctive physical classes, but the clan has taken such distinctive classes as Males, Warriors, Tinkers, WarChiefs, and Wargoddesses, and blown up the proportions of these models accordingly.
It’s been argued that many of the members of Clan Immensis already suffered from serious (terminal) weight-related health problems and simply chose full bionic conversion to simply stay alive, but wanted to make a statement about body shape and consciousness. The fact they they have received technical assistance from the Nightmare Tribe, which has always swayed towards a decidedly eccentric aesthetic, suggests a tweak to the cosmetic sensibilities of the other Tribes.
The Immensians have become involved in the Shemarrian Star Nation, claiming representation rights in the Lower Council, and sending company-sized combat elements to take part in several SSN actions. Typically, these companies act as artillery support units, adding their heavy firepower to engagements.
Statistics[]
Motif[]
A crimson double-bladed ax (sometimes on a black shield), with a male and female facial silhouette facing outwards on each blade.
Origins[]
Wannabes. Essentially a cyborg cult, patterning themselves after the Shemarrians. Little is known of the history of the Immensians, save that they may have originated from medical cyborg conversions in a more affluent corner of the Megaverse, and an ultimate counter-statement against ‘vanity bionics’ and the ‘cult of bionic supermodels’. Others blame the Lost Eclipse for deliberately creating Clan Immensis as a prank, one that has taken on a life of its own.
Where First Encountered[]
Other Universe. The Lost Eclipse found them there (this immediately sets off alarms amongst those who believe the tribe to be a Lost Eclipse scheme), and introduced them to the Three Galaxies Shemarrian Star Nation.
It seems likely, however, that at least some of the tribe’s members hail from a 20th-century Earth-analogue; after one Wayfinder loudly referred to them as ‘House Harkonen’, he was promptly punched into orbit of the academy-moon he was standing on.
Tribe Size[]
Modest, at 40,000 members.
Tribe Organization[]
Matriarchy with a Headswoman in charge of the clan. The Warchiefs select one of their number to be overall headswoman for the entire tribe.
Tribal Composition[]
Warrior-Equivalents constitute 59% of the tribe, followed by Males at 25%. The rest is fairly evenly divided between Warchiefs, Berserkers, Tinkers, Acolites, and Undecideds/Unassigned.
Highest Caste Class[]
Warchiefs, who preside over sub-clans of 1,000-2,000 members each.
Gender Division[]
75% Female, 25% Male
Home Environment[]
Temperate, Earth-like Worlds. The Immensians have, as yet, not selected a specific enclave world, but do tend to spend more time camped out on terrestrial worlds than they do in space aboard their transports.
Technology Level[]
Megadamage Age; roughly equivalent to Rifts Earth. They favor heavy weaponry, and the heavier/sturdier Warmounts, such as the RoboRhino-Buffalo, Tusker, Tuin, Apetaur, Saurotron, Hekatonheires and Thunderbeetle. They also use vehicles, especially hovercraft, to move about quickly.
Clan Immensis has enough spacecraft to transport the entire clan; these are secondhand craft, primarily transports, that have been modified to accommodate girthy crew, and have been fitted with heavy weaponry and shields.
Relations with Outsiders[]
Indifferent, unless called ‘fat’ or discriminated against on the basis of size, in which case the Immensians have made object lessons (i.e. grease-stains) of their detractors.
Relations with Other ‘Shemarrians’[]
Open; Immensis has received considerable technological assistance from the Lost Eclipse Tribe, the Wayfinders find them an interesting social statement writ large in cybertech. The Skullcrushers have gained a grudging respect for the Immensis after seeing them DESTROY a Gun Brotherhood ‘army’ involved in planetary piracy. The Wolf’s Path and Blood Riders are frankly appalled by them, seeing them as a bad joke perpetuated by the Lost Eclipse. The other Tribes give them points for tenacity. Clan Armarand in particular has taken a liking to the fellow Fringe Tribe, thanks to the support Immensis artillery gave them during one of their expeditionary campaigns. It is rumored that the remnants of the ill-fated ‘Tribe Prada’ met with extinction at the hands of the Immensians after a few ill-chosen remarks about the latter’s sense of style and circus tents.
Purpose[]
Survival; the Immensians mean to prove they can survive, and ‘bigger is better’ in their case.
Preferred Mode of Combat[]
Artillery, and lots of it. Besides favoring the heavier Warmount types, Immensians, in addition to the standard Shemarrian rail guns, like large-bore dual-mode mortar-guns in the 60-120mm range. 35mm and 40mm handguns are also favorites. Their hand melee weapons include claymores, poleaxes, battle axes, maces, flails, and morningstars.
Clan Immensis favors coordinated group tactics over individual heroics. Their troop movements are well-drilled to give each other mutual cover. Their relative lack of mobility speed-wise, however, means that they are often reliant on drones and mounted scouts to provide reconnaissance.
Unique Attributes[]
Cyborg Bodies[]
Clan Immensis has invested most of their tech and resources into their distinctively large-porportioned bodies.
- TRIPLE average weight of Shemarrian standard/Rifts standard cyborg frames.
- Height remains the same, but DOUBLE to TRIPLE width and length.
- DOUBLE average MDC.
- Increase Strength and Hand to Hand Damage by 25%.
- Reduce Speed and Hand to Hand Bonuses by 50%.
- PB remains the same, but is considered a Ruebenesque (fleshy and earthy) beauty rather than a supermodel or exotic beauty.
- Increase internal payload of implanted weaponry by 200%.
- Increase size and number of possible internal compartments by 50%.
- Increase repair capacity of nanite repair mechanisms by 150%, due to greater available reserves of repair material.
- Physical Resistance. Heavy padding of psuedo-flesh means that physical blows such as punches, kicks, blunt force strikes, and concussive explosions do HALF damage to the Immensians.
Body Armor[]
Immensians can carry a greater weight of body armor; DOUBLE MDC of available body armors. Their body armor frequently incorporates mounting points for heavy weaponry (such as missile launchers in the shoulders).
Prosperity[]
Self-Sufficient, but still receiving assistance from the Lost Eclipse. The Silvermoons have also indicated a willingness to supply Clan Immensis with equipment and material.
Cyberization[]
100%. Every member of Clan Immensis is a full-conversion cyborg.