Foci Drone

#”No, I DON’T know how they got inside our perimeter without us knowing! I DO know they took out the generators and have released the animals! I mean the animals! The gladitorial monsters! They’re in the main compound now, trampling my troops! You there, zobi! Get your men over to the slave pens! They’re likely going to go for the slaves! Stop them! Kill all the slaves if necessary! Take these damn drones with you! May as well get SOME use from these useless floaters, damn ey-what the--?! Krelgar’s claws! TREAS-(buzz of vibroblades)!!”#

Shemarrian Foci Drone[]

Aka ‘Faux Eye’

(Note: ‘PPE gel’ and magic emulation based on Damon Sutton’s article for Rifter #53)

The ‘Foci’ is an infiltration and sabotage drone that was developed by the Shemarrians for the specific purpose of further hurting Splugorth interests. The existence of the ‘Foci’ (‘Foes-Eye’) was only recently revealed as a Shemarrian construct. Prior, the drone was mistaken for a tool of the Splugorth.

Description[]

The Foci is deliberately constructed to look like one of the hundreds of variants of the ‘floating eye jar’ Eylor drones created by the Splugorth; a large liquid-filled container with a giant eyeball floating in it, suspended below a broad-rimmed cap of technology, with six robotic tentacles/weapons mounts attached to it. In reality, the Foci is a purely technological artifact, a robot drone propelled by contra-gravity, its powers technological trickery, and the fluid suspending the ‘Eylor’ in reality a quantity of the PPE gelatine originally created by ARCHIE-3 to fool psychic spies that the Shemarrians were actual living beings. The Foci is programmed to be sneaky and stealthy, to blend with the countryside and the Splugorth urban scene on its missions.

The Foci was originally believed to be associated with the so-called ‘Monster Tribe’, but in fact the drone is a creation of the Ghost Riders.

Purpose[]

Foci drones are created with misdirection in mind; the drones are often sent to Splugorth-held worlds and positions to scout them out, infiltrate enemy positions, and disrupt the Splugorth organization. To the casual observer, the Foci resembles just one of thousands of Splugorth Eylor drones going about the business of spying on the populace, and thus is not likely to attract any attention. Thus SSN forces were often able to gather important intelligence and move espionage assets quite close to enemy facilities before being detected. In many cases, the drones were able to get within Splugorth bases and communities and sabotage key targets, or at least sew confusion in support of Shemarrian attacks.

Even when it was discovered that the Foci were being used by the Shemarrians, it was simply regarded as further evidence that the Shemarrians were a former Splugorth slave-race that successfully rebelled, and now use their former slavemasters’ technologies and artifacts against them.

Note: Foci drones have NOT been Awakened; they are strictly ‘hard-tech’. While quite clever for drone intelligences, they do NOT have personalities, simulated or acquired, and are regarded as simple and expendable tools by the Shemarrians.

Abilities[]

Foci Drone
Type	EShe-R207Gr Foci
Class	Scout Drone
Crew	Robot Drone Intelligence
Original Tribe	Ghost Rider
MDC By Location
Head	Unknown
Main Body	100
Main Optical Sensor	50
Tentacles (6)	30
Physical Size
Height	6 ft
Length	6 ft diameter
Width	6 ft diameter
Weight	600-800 lbs
Physical Attributes
IQ	10
PS	30 Robotic
SPD	Unknown
Flying Speed	75 mph Hover
Maximum Altitute	1000 ft
Swim Speed	15 mph
Maximum Depth	1000 ft
Cargo	None
Power System	Nuclear
Other Attributes
PPE	1d4
Sensors
Standard Sensors	Standard Robot
Addition Sensor1	Broad-Band Radio Recording/Monitoring
Additional Sensor2	Laser Illuminator
Additional Sensor3	PPE Krillian Sensor
Special Systems
Cybernanite Repair	Unknown
Special System 1	Self Destruct
Special System 2	Fake Magic System
Weapon Systems
Primary Weapon	Pulse Lasers (6)
Secondary Weapon	Ion Shock Blaster
Third Weapon	Vibro-Blades (6)
Fourth Weapon	Chemical Sprayer

Sensor Systems[]

Full optical systems, laser targeting, passive nightvision, telescopic vision, thermal imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and polarization filters. Also has motion and heat detection, built-in radar (3 mile range) and other standard power armor-equivalent systems. Additional/special sensors may be built in as required.

Broad-band Radio Recording/Monitoring[]

The Foci is constantly monitoring local communications, recording communications traffic for later re-transmission and analysis, and parsing through the chatter for key words that may indicate stepped-up activity.

Laser Illuminator[]

Range of 7 miles.

PPE Kirillian Sensor[]

Range: 5,000 ft

Special Systems[]

Self-Destruct[]

Does 4d6x10 MD to a 50 ft radius.

‘Magic’ Weaponry[]

To continue the deception that the ‘bots are actually Eyes of Eylor, the Foci have a number of simulated ‘magic’ weapons.

Blinding Flash[]

Nothing but a high-powered strobe light; effective range of 60 ft, and a 10 ft area of effect. Effectively flash-blinds unprotected eyes for 1d4 melees.

Magic Net[]

Really a fine spray of ultra-fine high-strength adhesive plastic fibers that hold with a P.S. of 40. Holds for 1d6 minutes before the adhesive begins to break down.

Chameleon[]

Really an adaptation of Naruni adaptive camouflage. The drone’s surfacing can quickly change color and pattern to adapt to its surroundings. This is only truly effective if the drone is standing still against a solid background (rockface, building, forest, etc.). Takes 1d4 melees to adjust, and results in -20% to others to detect ambush/concealment.

Weapons Systems[]

Pulse Lasers (6)[]


Range	2000
Damage	3d6 MD
Damage2	9d6 MD 3 shot burst
Rate of Fire	ECHH
Payload	Unlimited

Each of the six tentacles has an energy blaster built into it, typically a laser, but other types can be substituted.

Alternatively, the Foci can be fitted with the following (all or individual tentacles)

Plasma[]


Range	1500 ft
Range2	500 ft spray
Damage	5d6 MD
Damage2	3d6 MD 20 ft area Spray
Rate of Fire	ECHH
Payload	Unlimited

The plasma bolts can often be mistaken for magic fire balls.

‘Spray’ Mode Range drops to 500 ft, but the bolts do 3d6 MD to a 20 ft wide area.

Ion[]


Range	1800 ft
Damage	4d6 MD
Rate of Fire	ECHH
Payload	Unlimited

The ion beams can often be mistaken for magic lightning bolts.

Particle Beam[]


Range	1500 ft
Damage	5d6 MD
Damage2	1d6x10+20 MD triple shot burst
Rate of Fire	ECHH
Payload	Unlimited

The beams can often be mistaken for magic lightning bolts.

Range: 1,500 ft

Ion Shock Blaster[]


Range	2000 ft
Damage	5d6 MD
Rate of Fire	ECHH
Payload	Unlimited

Mounted atop the drone in a small turret is a powerful electrical blaster.

Victims must make a save of 14 or better, or be -8 to strike, parry, and dodge for 2d6 melees. A savings throw versus non-lethal poison means the person is unimpaired. 25% chance of knocking out unshielded cybernetics for 1d4 melees, and a 75% chance of permanently frying nanotech devices (like Armor-dissolving nanites or RMK/IRMSS systems).

Vibro-Blades (6)[]


Range	Melee
Damage	2d6 MD

Each of the tentacles sports a retractable vibroblade

Chemical Sprayer[]


Range	300 ft
Range2	Cover 300 ft x 50 ft area
Damage	Varies by chemical
Rate of Fire	1 / melee
Payload	50 blasts/applications

Smoke Screen Lasts 1d4+3 melee rounds.

Paralysis Gas Save versus lethal poison, or this nerve agent causes muscle lock of the polunary muscle functions for 1d6 minutes.

Fuel Air Explosive This is a combustible gas that is sprayed to fuel flames. In confined spaces, it can also have an explosive effect. A single full-melee spray of aerosol fuel can fill a 20 ft x20ft x10 ft room, with a resulting explosion that does 5d6 MD to everything in it when ignited.

Programming[]

Foci have robotic intelligences, but they are not given simulated personalities and never Awaken.

Skill	%
Basic Military (modified)
Land Navigation	94
Intelligence	85
Weapon Systems	90
Sensory Equipment	90
Radio: Basic	94
Optics Systems	90
Laser Communications	94
Surveillance	90
TV/Video	94
Cryptography	80
Electronic Countermeasures	94
Photography	94
Camouflage	80
Prowl	80
Demolitions	94
Demolitions: Underwater	90

Combat[]

Bonuses
Attacks Per Melee	7
Initiative	+1
Dodge	+6
Parry	+8
Auto Dodge	Unknown
Strike	+5
Roll	+2
Pull Punch	+2
Disarm	+3
Entangle	+4
Knockout/Stun	Unknown
Critical Strike	Unknown
Attacks
Restrained Punch	1d4 MD
Full Punch	1d6 MD
Tentacle Crush/Squeeze	4d6 MD (full melee)
Body Block/Ram	1d6 MD

Designed for infiltration and not combat, the Foci can defend itself if it needs to.

Variants[]

Depending on the anticipated mission profile, the Foci can be customized to carry out specific tasks with special payloads, such as specialized sensors or munitions.

Jamming Platform[]

Dual purpose radio jammer, that can pump out enough multi-wavelength white noise to jam civilian band communications with 90% effectiveness, and military comms with 70% effectiveness, over a 20 mile radius. Or it can be used offensively, to foil ALL radar-guided weaponry in a 15 mile radius (-2 to strike).

EMP Bomber[]

This kamikaze fires off an intense area of effect electromagnetic pulse that can knock out electrical systems.

Damage: 1d6x10 MD to 40 ft blast radius

EM effects: Used against unshielded power grids (such as cities and towns), the particle blast has a 99% chance of knocking down electrical systems, including vehicles, in an 10-mile radius of the point of detonation. Unprotected computers and other hardware not protected by surge protectors, and hooked into the common power grid, may still be affected up to a hundred miles or more away by power surges through the power lines.
The EMP is less effective against shielded systems such as those on space structures (25%) and military systems (10% for surface military vehicles), which are hardened against radiation.

Kamikaze[]

This type is tasked with one-way missions to deliver a warhead (typically a tactical nuclear/plasma weapon) to a target. The warhead generally falls into the Long Range Missile warhead range (or may substitute the nuclear cruise missile/torpedo warheads from Coalition Navy for ‘city-buster’ missions).

Nanite Sprayer[]

This type of drone has been fitted to spray delayed-action nanites. Typically the drone has enough nanite solution to cover a square mile of ground, and the typical dissolver nanites do 3d6 MD per melee for 2d4 melees. The activation of the nanites can be delayed to go off as much as 30 minutes.

Magic Disruptor[]

This type, developed in a rare bit of intense cooperation with the Wayfinders, uses special biological components (actually tailored transgenic bacteria) to generate a temporary disruption in local magic flows. Effect covers a 100 ft radius and lasts 1d4 minutes per activation. When activated, the disruption field causes the following:

Duration of active spells is HALVED.
Spells cast in the area of effect will cost TWICE as much PPE, and have HALF duration, range, and effect (including damage).
Sensory spells, including those used by magical constructs, will be effectively blinded within the area of effect.
Purely magical constructs, such as Automatons, animated statuary, and animated skeletons/corpses will find their speed reduced to 25% of normal, and their normal actions/attacks per melee HALVED.

The tailored bacteria can be activated up to 25 times before needing replacement.