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UNIQUE ANDUNUSUAL MECHS

The advent of mechcraft has affectedevery culture on Highpoint, not just

dwarves, elves, orcs, and humans.Though mechs appeared first on the sur-

face and have had their greatest impactthere, the hundred-odd years since theircreation have been more than enoughtime for knowledge of these new won-ders to filter to all corners of the world.In recent years, strange mechs have beenseen underground in the hands of thedrow, derro, and even aboleths - not tomention unique adaptations above-ground by orders of monks, deranged

druids, and other groups. This sectionpresents a variety of these unique andunusual mechs, oftencrafted for purposesfar removed fromthose first con-ceived by thedwarves ofDuerok.

TABLE 1-14: UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL MECHSMECH NAME FACTION SIZE POWER PRICE (GP)Avenging Blade (unique) Independent Gargantuan Animated 24,544Brine Worm Aboleth Gargantuan Clockwork 7,701Cathedral (unique) Independent Manpower Colossal II 4,032Deep Spider Drow Huge Manpower 5,201

(clockwork hybrid)Earthblood the Mighty (unique) Independent Animated Gargantuan 160,018Home Mech tribe Colossal Steam 5,673 plus weapons

(currently nonfunctional)Lactrodectus, the Drow Colossal IV Clockwork 478,912Razid Derro Colossal Animated 22,212Sand Strider Desert nomads Huge Clockwork 5,827Shrine of Oon Monks of Oon Colossal IV Steam 19,231Steel Warlord Various Colossal Clockwork 15,696Sylvan Revenger (unique) Independent Colossal V Animated 79,485Thundercloud Universal Colossal II Steam 21,245 Underbreather Various Large Manpower 1.164

(clockwork hybrid)

TABLE 1-15: ONBOARD WEAPONRY – UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL MECHSLOCATION ARC OF FIRE WEAPON (DAMAGE, RANGE IN FT., OTHER) PU CREW

AVENGING BLADE ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Right arm Melee Gargantuan +1 sword blade (2d12+10/19-20) 8 1Total 8 1BRINE WORM ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Front 90° forward Huge steam breather (2d8, 30) 4 1Front Melee Huge lobster claw (2d8/19-20) 4 2Total 8 3CATHEDRAL ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Head 360° Huge ballista (3d6/x3, 120) 4 2Total 4 2DEEP SPIDER ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Left front leg Melee Huge barbed sword blade (2d8+1/19-20/x3) 4 1Right front leg Melee Huge barbed sword blade (2d8+1/19-20/x3) 4 1Total 8 2

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EARTHBLOOD THE MIGHTY ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Head 180° forward Stone melter (special) 1 1Right arm 180* forward Huge shard launcher (3d6+3/x3, 50) 4 1Total 5 2HOME ONBOARD WEAPONRY (CURRENT)Right shoulder 180° forward Huge nonfunctional springbow (2d6/x3, 60, ignores hardness) 4 2Total 4 2HOME ONBOARD WEAPONRY (FORMER; AS HORNET)Right arm Melee Huge buzzsaw (2d8/19-20/x3, ignores hardness) 4 1Left arm 180° forward Huge springbow (2d6/x3, 60, ignores hardness) 4 2Left arm 180° forward Huge net cannon (0, 30, captures as net) 4 2Right shoulder 180° forward Huge springbow (2d6/x3, 60, ignores hardness) 4 2Total 16 7LACTRODECTUS ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Abdomen 360° Colossal II ballista (5d10/x3, 300) 32 3Abdomen 360° Colossal II ballista (5d10/x3, 300) 32 3Left mandible Melee +2 Colossal lobster claw (2d12+17/19-20) 16 2Right mandible Melee +2 Colossal lobster claw (2d12+17/19-20) 16 2Total 96 10SAND STRIDER ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Front Melee Large lance (2d6+4/x3) 2 1Total 2 1SHRINE OF OON ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Left side 180° left Colossal ballista (7d6/x3, 250) 16 3Right side 180° right Colossal ballista (7d6/x3, 250) 16 3Front 180° front Colossal ballista (7d6/x3, 250) 16 3Back 180° back Colossal ballista (7d6/x3, 250) 16 3Top 360° Colossal catapult (6d6, 250) 16 5Total 80 17STEEL WARLORD ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Left arm Melee Huge buzzsaw (1d8/19-20/x3, ignores hardness) 4 1Total 4 1SYLVAN REVENGER ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Branches 360° Colossal javelin rack (2d10 (x8), 200) 16 0Branches 360° Colossal javelin rack (2d10 (x8), 200) 16 0Branches 360° Colossal javelin rack (2d10 (x8), 200) 16 0Branches 360° Colossal javelin rack (2d10 (x8), 200) 16 0Right arm Melee Colossal III sword blade (7d12+16) 64 0Left arm Melee Colossal III sword blade (7d12+16) 64 0Total 192 0THUNDERCLOUD ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Right arm 180° forward Gargantuan steam cannon (3d10/x3, 950) 8 2Left arm 180° forward Gargantuan steam cannon (3d10/x3, 950) 8 2Right shoulder 180° forward Huge steam cannon (2d10/x3, 1000) 4 2Left shoulder 180° forward Huge steam cannon (2d10/x3, 1000) 4 2Total 24 8UNDERBREATHER ONBOARD WEAPONRY

Right arm Melee Large lance (2d6/x3) 2 1Total 2 1

TABLE 1-15 CONTINUED: ONBOARD WEAPONRY – UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL MECHS

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AVENGING BLADE

(UNIQUE)Size: GargantuanPower Source: Animated (dispel DC 26)Payload Units: 10Height: 25 ft.Space/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./10 ft.Crew: 1 (weapons: 1)Firing Ports: 10Hit Dice: 18Hit Points: 88Critical Thresholds: Not subject to

critical hitsBase Initiative: +3Speed: 50 ft.Maneuverability: GoodAC: 6Hardness: 14 (steel, armor plating)Base melee attack: +2Base ranged attack: +3Unarmed damage: 1d10+6Trample: largest Medium; safe Small; damage

3d6Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2, Will –Abilities: Str 22, Dex 16, Con –, Int –, Wis –,

Cha –Mechcraft DC: 36Base Planning Time: 72 daysBase Cost: 1,431 gpTotal Cost: 24,544 gpLabor Time: 2,400 man-hoursConstruction Time: 24 days (10 avg. laborers

plus 1 overseer) plus rituals (3 days)Special: Armor plating, fast legs

PAYLOAD USAGE

PU USE

1 Crew1 Sleeping quarters8 Onboard weaponry10 Total

The paladin Melina Blue has dedicated herselfto ridding the world of evil by whatever meansare available. This includes building a giantwood and metal version of herself, having acleric associate animate it, and forging one ofthe largest magical swords ever seen. Sheroams the land like her nomadic forebears,righting wrongs and slaying monsters, all thewhile using Avenging Blade as a way to startconversations about her faith.

Like the cleric Dunkan Tullerd (pilot of the

Cathedral mech described below), Melinafirmly believes that worshiping the old gods isthe only way to save Highpoint from the lunarmenace. Unfortunately for Dunkan, Melinaoften travels with him, her strident and flashystyle clashing with his more thoughtfulapproach. Melina is all hellfire and brimstone,convinced that the troubles afflicting herworld are a test from the gods. The lunardeities are no better than demons, and it's theduty of all true Highpointers to take up armsagainst them, for dying in this fight is betterthan living with a changed earth.

This kind of zeal either inspires or fright-ens. A handful of people have taken Melina'smessage to heart, fostering a small revival offaith along the path of her travels. A largernumber don't entirely agree with her, butthey're glad to see Avenging Blade marchingthrough their territory.Still others find thewoman and her mech to beas dangerous as the mon-sters they battle, for whereMelina goes, trouble fol-lows.

So does attention. Forone thing, her mech is ahuge recreation of herself,down to the details of herarmor. Many mechs looksomewhat like livingbeings, but Melina treatedAvenging Blade as a sculp-ture project. More thanone person has mistakenthe mech for a giant atfirst, especially when thelight is poor.

Avenging Blade is alsonoteworthy for being ananimated mech that didn'tcome from the elves.Melina and all of hercraftsmen were human,making this perhaps thefirst such mech created byhuman magic. WhileMelina hasn't given thisany thought, other peopleare realizing that the elvesapparently no longer havea monopoly on this sort ofenchantment.

While Melina isn't afool, her approach to com-bat is straightforward.When she sees an enemy,Avenging Blade charges

toward it and swings its mighty sword. Thismight not seem like the best use of Melina'sskills, as she is a powerful warrior, quite capa-ble of fighting battles herself. Undoubtedly,though, the mech's sheer size and strengthhave a great psychological effect on foes.Melina is a skilled pilot by now, and in battleAvenging Blade is fearsome. In fact, Melinahas found her mech to be a weapon of suchpower that she occasionally considers leavingthe way of the paladin and training as a mechjockey, a notion that always fills her withguilt.

Melina Blue, Female Human Pal8: CR8; Medium humanoid (human); HD 8d10+8;hp 83; Init +7; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 13,flat-footed 16; Base Atk +8; Mech Atk +8;Grp +11; Atk +13 melee (1d8+5, +2 longsword)or +11 ranged (1d6+3, throwing axe) or +11

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mech (mech weapons on Avenging Blade);Full Atk +13/+8 melee (1d8+5, +2 longsword)or +11/+6 ranged (1d6+3, throwing axe) or+11/+6 mech (mech weapons on AvengingBlade); SA smite evil (2/day; +2 attack, +8damage), turn undead; SQ aura of courage,aura of good, detect evil, divine grace, divinehealth, lay on hands, remove disease(2/week), special mount; AL LG; SV Fort +9,Ref +7, Will +7; Str 16, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 10,Wis 17, Cha 14.

Skills and Feats: Concentration +5, HandleAnimal +6, Heal +7, Mech Pilot +13, SpeakLanguage (Elven); Improved Initiative, MechWeapon Proficiency (Avenging Blade),Mechanized Combat Practice, Mechwalker.

Languages: Common, Elven.Possessions: +2 longsword, throwing axes

(x4), pilot’s armor, +2 light steel shieldSpells Prepared (2/1; save DC 13 + spell level;

CL 4): 1st–bless, magic weapon; 2nd–bull’sstrength.

BRINE WORMSize: GargantuanPower Source: ClockworkPayload Units: 10Height: 25 ft.Space/Reach: 20 ft. by 15 ft./10 ft.Crew: 1 (weapons: 4 or 1 aboleth; see below)Firing Ports: 10Hit Dice: 18Hit Points: 99Critical Thresholds: Green, Yellow 50,

Orange 25, Red 10Base Initiative: +0Speed: 40 ft.Maneuverability: PoorAC: 6Hardness: 8 (steel-reinforced glass)Base melee attack: +3Base ranged attack: +0Unarmed damage: 1d10+7Trample: largest Medium; safe Small; damage

3d6Saves: Fort -2, Ref +2, Will –Abilities:Str 24, Dex 10, Con –, Int –, Wis –, Cha –Mechcraft DC: 48Base Planning Time: 96 daysBase Cost: 7,342 gpTotal Cost: 7,701 gpLabor Requirements: 3,840 man-hoursConstruction Time: 48 days (10 avg. laborers

plus 1 overseer)

PAYLOAD USAGE

PU USE

1 Crew1 Open8 Onboard Weaponry10 Total

The first aboleth to discover the secrets ofmechcraft in the mind of a newly enslaveddwarf was swift to put this new technology touse. Instantly developing and planting thecommand for the creation of a mech thatwould carry it from its seas of endless night,the first brine worm was created.

Brine worms are essentially enormoustanks, filled with murky green-brown waterstaken from the depths of underground seas.Aboleths can comfortably fit within thesetanks and manipulate a variety of controls setwithin the glass to move the mech at their will.The immense, usually rectangular tanks aresupported by hundreds of tiny, centipede-likemechanical feet that allow the water-boundpassenger a freedom of movement and speedon dry land like they could previously onlyimagine.

Marking the front of the creation is a singlelarge claw, with four evenly spaced, pinchingfingers. This appendage allows the creatureinside to either manipulate things outside themech or crush enemies in its way. Just abovethe claw is a steam breather nozzle that caneasily scour the land before the mech. In addi-

tion to these basic weapons, several brineworms also have watertight orifices at thefront of their tanks. These openings can allowthe creature inside to either be heard by thoseoutside the tank or reach a tentacle outside toattack or draw something within.

Possibly the most important creation of thelast dozen centuries for water-bound crea-tures, brine worms are simple and fragile cre-ations compared to other mechs. Small with aform that is mostly constructed of glass, brineworms are encountered without a sizable con-tingent of guards only under the most dire cir-cumstances. Being that their major form oftransportation is so vulnerable, it's rare that anaboleth will take its mech into battle, prefer-ring to use their considerable psionic powersor subtler methods of manipulation and per-suasion.

Since the first appearance of brine wormsand their strange passengers, larger variationshave appeared in and around coastal areas. It'srumored that some aboleths were quick tomake deals with kraken and intelligent racesof the surface seas with which they mightshare similar goals.

SSPPEECCIIAALL RRUULLEESSShattering the Walls: A brine worm is a lot likea walking aquarium. It is quite vulnerable tobeing shattered. The glass walls are reinforcedwith steel, and there are nested inner walls toprevent a hull breach from draining the entire

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tank, but nonetheless it's a fragile creation.Any critical hit against a brine worm causes

the tank to begin leaking. A tank drains com-pletely in 40 rounds. A second leak cuts thedrain time in half, and a third leak cuts it fur-ther in half. A brine worm reduced to 0 hitpoints shatters in an explosion of glass, drain-ing the tank completely in 1 round.

An aboleth stranded in a drained tank canstill move per its usual land speed, but beginsto "drown" in the air per the usual rules.

Aboleth Pilots: A single aboleth is treatedas being 4 crew members for the purposes ofpiloting a brine worm and operating itsweapons.

AABBOOLLEETTHHSS,, MMEERRCCHHAANNTTSS OOFFLLIIVVEESS

The creation of mechs has proven to be arevolution in survival, but not just for thosecreatures that live above the earth. Deepwithin the deepest of lightless undergroundseas lurk creatures as alien as any lunar crea-ture. Aboleths are timeless beings, ancientand nearly immortal. Each one bears thememories of every generation that has comebefore it, all the way back to a chaotic para-dise of endless briny oceans electrified withstrange life. Highpoint thus holds more ter-ror in its depths than its lunar invaders couldever realize. And, though few realize it yet,the beginning of the lunar rain sparked theevents that have lead to the aboleths'reawakening into a bold new age, as the cre-ation of mechs has freed these nightmarishthings from their murky confines.

With incredible powers over the mind andthe ability to mutate those they touch intogrotesque slaves, aboleths are insidious ter-rors. But what makes them most deadly arenot their natural abilities, but their aliengenius and their boundless ambitions. Whenthe first aboleth encountered a creaturewith knowledge of mechs, it was intriguedand immediately put the creature to use. Asknowledge of mechs spread, their enormouspotential became clear to the dwellers in thedeep seas. Soon, using the fruits of theirslaves' labors and their own genius, the firstaboleth crawled from the sea of its under-ground prison, into a new kind of mech thatoffered it a freedom unknown for hundredsof centuries. These mechs, known as brineworms, have allowed many aboleths to beginan exodus to the surface.

The world they found above was one theyhad previously only seen in the minds oftheir slaves. Knowing from creatures they

had encountered before that their formswould cause only fear and distrust, theybegan to act through intermediaries, hidingthemselves within their strange mechs,offering untold knowledge and aid. Thosethat first allied with these curious benefac-tors, almost exclusively underground racessuch as deep gnomes, derro, and dwarves,were made into slaves en masse. With wholetowns falling to their influence, eitherbecoming monstrous slaves or serving theaboleths' wills through a corrupted leader,the ancient creatures began expanding theirinfluence deep within the earth. As theymoved closer and closer to the surface, theygained slaves, but worked more subtly, pos-ing as merchants of ancient secrets, lootedtreasures, and slaves. Knowing that manymechs rely on manpower to run, their offerof completely subservient, mindless,uncomplaining workers has caused many tooverlook their disdain for such dealings.Thus, aboleths have become known for theircorrupt but profitable dealings and aregreatly sought after as allies.

In recent months, aboleth brine wormshave made their first appearances on the sur-face. Bringing with them the fortunes theyhave earned thus far, treasures from thedepths, and armies of strange slaves for sale,they have been met with the same suspicionthey have always expected. Currently, theyserve merely as benevolent slave merchants,offering great manpower at ridiculously lowcosts, spreading their slaves onto the mechsof any who will buy them. With the moneythey gain, the aboleths buy influence andsecrets, augmenting their knowledge of thedepths and ancient lore with current rumorsand secrets of modern power struggles.

However, the aboleths have remainedsecretive of their dealings in recent years.They have no intention of allowing their cur-rent business partners to know of the wholeraces they've conquered underground andturned into slaves or the vast breeding proj-ects they've implemented in the depths toassure that they have wares to sell for yearsto come. An inquisitive creature that learnsanything of the aboleths' secrets or seems tosuspect greater evils either swiftly disap-pears or becomes a slave on a departingmech.

The aboleths' goals vary, and they have nocoherent purpose and rarely ally with eachother. But all seem to be using the samemethods. Spreading their influence throughtheir slaves and their works within the townsand city-mechs of Highpoint, there will soon

be no point on the planet's surface thesealiens from the depths cannot reach.

CATHEDRAL (UNIQUE)Size: Colossal IIPower Source: ManpoweredPayload Units: 32Height: 50 ft.Space/Reach: 25 ft. by 25 ft.Crew: 16 (weapons: 2)Firing Ports: 21Hit Dice: 80Hit Points: 440Critical Thresholds: Green, Yellow 264,

Orange 154, Red 88Base Initiative: -2Speed: 40 ft.Maneuverability: PoorAC: 2Hardness: 10 (stone, Colossal II)Base melee attack: +0Base ranged attack: -2Unarmed damage: 3d6+8Trample: largest Huge; safe Medium; damage

5d6Saves: Fort -2, Ref -4, Will –Abilities: Str 26, Dex 6, Con –, Int –, Wis –,

Cha –Mechcraft DC: 41Base Planning Time: 82 daysBase Cost: 2,782 gpTotal Cost: 4,032 gpLabor Time: 3,840 man-hoursConstruction Time: 24 days (20 avg. laborers

plus 2 overseers)

PAYLOAD USAGE

PU USEE

17 Crew4 Onboard weaponry11 Chapel32 Total

Dunkan Tullerd is a cleric in a time when fewstill have faith in the old gods. Apprenticed toa coglayer as a child, he found the mechanisticlife unfulfilling and instead turned to spiritualmatters. He has grown to see steam technolo-gy as a threat almost on a par with the lunarrain.

Using his early training and funds donated

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by a handful of believers, he has constructed alarge man-powered mech that serves as amobile temple. He and his faithful crew arealways traveling, preaching the word of salva-tion through old faith and new self-reliance.He often finds the mech Avenging Blade trav-eling alongside him, to his chagrin. Dunkan isan educated and philosophical man, but hispreaching pales next to Melina Blue's charis-ma and fighting spirit.

Cathedral is not a combat mech. It doeshave a ballista mounted atop its head, but theweapon is used as a deterrent, and then onlywhen absolutely necessary. If faced with hos-tile mechs or other large foes, the crew simplyrows harder and hopes they can outrun what-ever chases them.

The mech takes its name from its intendedpurpose. Troubled by the dwindling faithamong the people of Highpoint, Dunkan builta church on legs. The workings of his mech arecrowded together, even by the standards ofother manpowered mechs. Cathedral's crewwork cheek to jowl with each other in thelimbs so that most of the torso is free for aworship space.

Cathedral looks like a stubby barrel on legs,with two short arms and a cylindrical headtopped by the ballista. The legs are designedwith special knee joints allowing the mech tolower its body to ground level while not inmotion. This process takes several minutesand requires a level surface, but the torso isflat at the bottom, permitting it to rest with-out being rocked by wind. Two large panels onthe torso's front swing open like doors toshow the worship area.

The chapel itself isn't large, accommodat-ing at most two dozen worshipers in moderatediscomfort. But Dunkan has outfitted it asbest he can. The altar is at the back of thetorso, and a tier of walkways circling the innerbody 10 feet up allows a few extra souls to bepresent. If a large crowd gathers, Dunkan per-forms his rites on the ground just outside thedoorway. When in the wild, the crew also usesthis area as sleeping quarters, resting in shiftsto maximize space.

Dunkan hopes that Cathedral will inspirethe denizens of Highpoint to return to theirtraditional ways. He chose to make it a man-powered mech because he feels that peopleare turning their backs on faith and magic infavor of steam. This has troubled him more ashe gets older, and he has a particular distastefor steamborgs and the assimilated.Worshipers of Dotrak also bother him, andafter services he will often engage in longarguments with them about the nature ofdivinity.

Dunkan Tullerd, Male Human Clr8:CR 8; Medium humanoid (human); HD 8d8;hp 52; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 10,flat-footed 13; Base Atk +6; Mech Atk +6;Grp +7; Atk +8 melee (1d8+2 plus 2d6 vs.evil, +1 holy heavy mace) or +2 mech (anymech weapon; non-proficient); Full Atk+8/+3 melee (1d8+2 plus 2d6 vs. evil, +1 holyheavy mace) +2/–3 mech (any mech weapon;non-proficient); SA turn undead; AL NG; SVFort +6, Ref +2, Will +9; Str 13, Con 10, Dex11, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 12.

Skills and Feats: Concentration +3,Diplomacy +9, Heal +9, Knowledge (reli-gion) +6, Mech Pilot +3, Sense Motive +5,Spellcraft +3, Speak Language (Dwarven,Halfling, Elven); Combat Casting, Improved

Turning, Mechanized Combat Practice,Negotiator.

Languages: Common, Dwarven, Halfling, Elven.Possessions: +1 holy heavy mace, leather

armor.Domains: Good, Sun.Spells Prepared (6/5+1/4+1/4+1/2+1; save

DC 13 + spell level; domain spells marked by*): 0–create water, detect poison, mending, purifyfood and drink, resistance, virtue; 1st–bless water,command, detect evil, obscuring mist, protectionfrom evil*, remove fear; 2nd–aid*, align weapon,augury, gentle repose, zone of truth; 3rd–continualflame, create food and water, dispel magic, searinglight*, wind wall; 4th–divination, holy smite*,restoration.

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DEEP SPIDERSSiizzee:: HugePower Source: Manpower

(clockwork hybrid; see below)Payload Units: 9HHeeiigghhtt:: 15 ft.Space/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./10 ft.Crew: 1 (weapons: 2) (see below)Firing Ports: 5Hit Dice: Same as pilot (use 10 HD if

targeted separately)Hit Points: Same as pilot (use 55 hp if

targeted separately)Critical Thresholds: Green, Yellow 33,

Orange 19, Red 11Base Initiative: +4*Speed: +10 ft.*, climb +20 ft.*Maneuverability: AverageAC: +2*Hardness: 15 (mithral)Base melee attack: +1*Base ranged attack: +4*Unarmed damage: 1d8 + pilot’s adjusted

Strength modifierTrample: largest Small; safe Small; damage

2d6Saves: Fort +0, Ref -4*, Will –Abilities: Str +2*, Dex +8*, Con –, Int –, Wis

–, Cha –Mechcraft DC: 28Base Planning Time: 56 daysBase Cost: 3,981 gpTotal Cost: 5,201 gpLabor Requirements: 480 man-hoursConstruction Time: 6 days (10 avg. laborers

plus 1 overseer)* These mechs use and augment the pilot’sown initiative, AC, attacks, damage, savingthrows, and abilities.

PAYLOAD USAGE

PU USE

1 Crew8 Onboard Weaponry9 Total

While the Lactrodectus was by far the first andmost impressive attempt by dark elves to cre-ate mechs, it was not their last. Since theirgreat mechanical spider has been sent to laysiege to the world above, the drow haverefined their engineering skills and havesought to apply them to their everyday life inthe underdeep. As a result, they have created

deep spiders: personal mechanized suits ofarmor useful for battle, traveling through thetreacherous underground depths, and count-less other utilities.

The shape of deep spiders was inspired bytheir namesake arachnids and as cruel paro-dies of the cursed drow cast-outs known asdriders. Appearing as a monstrous, headlessspider with a wide opening on top, a piloteddeep spider looks like nothing so much as adrider with a metallic abdomen and legs. Touse a deep spider, a single pilot kneels withinthe opened area and operates an exposed setof controls at the front of the mech. Thelower half of the pilot's body is covered by themech, but from the waist up he is exposed,except for a series of harnesses and restraintsthat hold him in place. While using the mech,the pilot has the full range of movement that agreat spider would, allowing him to pickacross the most broken terrain and even trav-el up walls with ease. The front two legs ofthese mechs bristle with barbs that have beenfiled to wicked points, allowing the pilot torear on his back six legs and operate the fronttwo in battle. Being that the pilot's upperbody is exposed while in these mech armors,the pilot can forgo use of the deep spider'sweapons and use his own (though he cannotcontrol the mech and make use of his ownweapons in the same turn). Thus, many deepspider pilots also arm themselves with spears,crossbows, and the other deadly weaponscommonly used by their people.

Since the creation of deep spiders, theguards of most drow temples and noble hous-

es have been equipped with these mechanizedarmors. Their increased defensiveness andmobility has made them, already some of themost feared warriors in the underdeep, all themore deadly. Deep spiders have also beenused with great success in drow raids on otherunderground communities, crawling up verti-cal crevices and along walls and ceilings enmasse. This has already caused many of thedrow's neighboring races to become cautiousto the point of paranoia as these new mechsare allowing the dark elves to expand theirrealms as an unprecedented rate.

For non-drow races, there has been onebenefit to the creation of deep spiders.Taking some kind of great racial affront to thecreation of these mechs that so clearly mocktheir twisted forms, drider attacks on drowholdings have risen ten-fold. Banding togeth-er in groups and in numbers never beforeseen, the driders have worked to oppose drowexpansion and engineering efforts at everyturn.

SSPPEECCIIAALL RRUULLEESSDeep spiders augment the wearer's own abili-ties through a miniaturized clockworkengine, but still require the user to use hisown strength to move the mech. Normally aHuge manpowered mech would require threecrew members, but thanks to this clockworkengine providing partial power, deep spiderscan be used with only one crew member.

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MMEECCHHSS AANNDD TTHHEE WWIILLLL OOFF TTHHEESSPPIIDDEERR QQUUEEEENN

The Spider Queen, the seductive and cruelgoddess of the drow, has always been a deity offlesh and the countless debaucheries and per-versions it holds. Her chosen people are lesserreflections of her will, delighting in tormentsand excesses of pain and lust, and have basedmuch of their society on these vices. Even theSpider Queen's greatest blessings and cursescome as physical sensations, whether it be theanointment of favored servants into herseductive embrace, or her surgical warping ofthose that have affronted her into driders andother monstrosities. In both extremes, theSpider Queen's touch is extremely personal, ifoften cruel, and no tool or intermediary isever used to dilute the touch of her favor orfury upon her people. Currently, her servants'growing favor for and reliance on mechs andconstructs of steel has piqued both her inter-est and distaste.

Ever an opportunist, the Spider Queen hasno intention of allowing a potent new form ofweapon go to waste, and mechs are indeedpotent weapons, especially when shaped bythe genius of the drow. However, she also hasno patience for the blunt toils of the forge andengineering and will destroy her chosen peo-ple before she sees them become a new breedof exceptionally tall dwarves. The mechs herpeople have crafted, as strong and impressiveas they have been, even to her, lack the per-sonal nature of an assassin's envenomed bladeor a torturer's needles. Thus, the goddess ofthe drow finds herself in divine conflict andhas chosen a bloody path of patience beforeshe makes a decision on her people's use ofmechs.

To this end, she has appeared in the dreamsof hundreds of driders, showing them theLactrodectus and deep spiders her worship-pers now craft. Inspiring these accursed crea-tures with hatred, she promises that any whowork to destroy these metal abominations andplease her will be redeemed and regain theirpast drow forms. The vast majority of dridersprofess to hate the Spider Queen, yet few ofthem can resist the opportunity to beredeemed by her hand. Putting aside theirloathing of their goddess and one another,driders throughout the underdeep haveassembled to disrupt and put an end to thedrow's mechanized efforts.

Though the Spider Queen has no intentionof redeeming a single one of her accused drid-er servants, she sees them as expendable testsubjects. Should they ruin her people's

devices of gears and steel, she will have proofof what she already suspects: that a cruel handor bite can be far more deadly than any thingof forged steel. However, if the drow's newconstructs can turn back her abominations,there may be potential for these weapons afterall. She may then seek to impose her will upona new age of sinisterly elegant mechs. But fornow, the Spider Queen watches and waits,testing her traditions against the new innova-tions of her own vicious people.

EARTHBLOOD THE

MIGHTY (UNIQUE)Size: GargantuanPower Source: AnimatedPayload Units: 6Height: 25 ft.Space/Reach: 10 ft. by 10 ft./10 ft.Crew: 1 (weapons: 2)Firing Ports: 6Hit Dice: 32Hit Points: 176Critical Thresholds: Not subject to critical

hitsBase Initiative: +3Speed: 40 ft.Maneuverability: AverageAC: 6Hardness: 10 (enchanted crystal)Base melee attack: +4Base ranged attack: +3Unarmed damage: 1d10+1d6+8Trample: largest Medium; safe Small; damage

3d6Saves: Fort 0, Ref +2, Will –Abilities: Str 26, Dex 16, Con –, Int –, Wis –,

Cha –Mechcraft DC: 36Base Planning Time: 72 daysBase Cost: 3,632 gpTotal Cost: 160,018 gpLabor Time: 2,240 man-hoursConstruction Time: 28 days (10 avg. laborers

plus 1 overseer) plus rituals (3 days)Special: Combat spikes

PAYLOAD USAGE

PU USE

1 Crew5 Onboard weaponry6 Total

Nobody in Highpoint, from the humblestworm farmer to the best-traveled dusk runner,has seen another mech like Earthblood theMighty. Started by an ambitious psionicist andfinished by a maverick conjurer/geomancer,Earthblood is the only crystalline mech knownto exist. Several elemental spirits of earth arebound into its shell, giving it unusual strengthand durability for an animated mech.

Earthblood looks unfinished but imposing.The entire mech is composed of rough blocksof crystal fused together, leaving many sharpspikes and jagged edges. Each block is a darkcrimson hue. Its legs are thick and stumpy andits arms are powerful. The left arm ends in ahammerlike fist, while the right one termi-nates in a strange conical protrusion.Although crystal spires jut from every othersurface of its form, Earthblood's head is per-fectly flat on top, as if the peak were cut offwith an axe. It has no face to speak of,although several of the panels that composethe head are thin enough for the pilot to seethrough readily.

The hammering fist is put to good use incombat, as Earthblood's strength compareswell with mechs and creatures of its size. Theother arm carries a shard launcher, one of thestrange devices created by pilot KinjaDelmaak, a conjurer with an active imagina-tion. He summons and binds spirits of earth topower his mech and its devices. The shardlauncher shoots a stream of sharp crystalspikes, and Kinja uses this to soften up his ene-mies before closing in to batter them to pulp.

Another unique device, the stone melter,was installed in Earthblood's head. It allowsKinja to manipulate earth and rock in a varietyof ways. He usually uses these abilities to trapfoes, allowing him to either rain spikes onthem or make his escape. Kinja is rather soft-hearted, and he has been known to use hismech and its unusual powers to help those hethinks are in need, whether they asked or not.

Nobody knows the beginning ofEarthblood's story. Its outer shell, all joinedtogether except for the head, was found byKinja while he was escaping from a misadven-ture underground. Several human and dwarvencorpses were also present in this cave, none ofthem showing external injuries but all havingbled from the nose and ears. Kinja originallyhad no desire to linger, but the first thing hefound when ascending to the surface was anangry lunar dragon. Wisely, he elected toinvestigate the mech.

In the days it took the dragon to leave thearea, Kinja deduced several things. It wasn'thard to figure that the massive crystalline form

85«1»

was intended to be a mech - all of the corpseshad tools for carving rock, and a jumble ofpapers proved to be the thing's constructionplans. The crew was obviously almost donewith its labors, judging by the plans as well asthe small supply of provisions left in a nearbycave. Ever practical, Kinja hauled the bodiesto a different cave and helped himself to therations while settling in with the plans.

He puzzled over the mech's power sourcefor some time. Although he was no coglayer,Kinja had been inside several mechs, and hecould tell that this one was unusual. None ofthe apparatus needed for a mechanical ormanpowered mech could be found in thecaves, and the design left little room for themanyway. At the same time, the usual ritualparaphernalia for animating a mech wasn'tpresent. Finally, the fact that the mech wasmade of thick crystal rather than the availablegranite made it clear: The operator of thismech would need psionic powers.

Kinja didn't (and doesn't) possess psionics,but he recognized a good thing when he sawit. As soon as it was safe to emerge, he boltedfor his home. Years of adventuring had lefthim with enough treasure to follow throughon his latest plan. Three months later, he anda small team returned to the now rather fetid

cave complex. After giving the bodies a moredignified burial, Kinja led his crew in aligningthe crystal shell so it could be animated byarcane means instead of psionic powers. Thuswas born Earthblood the Mighty.

Since then, Kinja has adventured all overHighpoint. His great interest is exotic magic,especially new conjurations and summonings,and whatever else he acquires is usuallyshared with those who dwell nearby. Both theLegion and the Stenians have invited him tojoin them and share his knowledge, but so farhe prefers to keep his exotic mech to himself.Although his hirelings understand theprocess that animated Earthblood, Kinja haskept the original plans in his possession, mak-ing it very difficult for anyone to duplicate hisfeat.

Two things trouble Kinja as he pilots hiscrimson creation across the land. First, he hasno idea what became of the individual whofirst planned and built Earthblood. His bestguess is that this unknown psionicist some-how came into contact with the mind of anearby lunar dragon, sending that person intomadness (and enraging the dragon). Thiswould help explain how the constructioncrew died without struggle or injury. If thatindividual is still alive and at large, Kinja is

prepared for an intense discussion about whoproperly owns this mech now.

The other problem is that spirits of elemen-tal earth are increasingly hostile to Kinja. Heuses them to animate Earthblood and providepower to its unusual weapon systems. Kinjaalways believed that while this process mightbe exhausting for them, it didn't cause anylasting harm. Lately, however, he has had diffi-culty summoning anything related to earth,and he hopes to find a solution before some-thing bad happens to him and Earthblood.

SSPPEECCIIAALL RRUULLEESSCrystalline Mech: Earthblood's unique con-struction makes it strong and durable, but alsoslow and awkward. A crystalline mech'sStrength and hit dice are increased as if themech were one sizecategory larger. Italso has aHardness of10. The ani-mated crystalis capable ofreforming afterit suffers dam-age, granting themech fast healing 1.

However, the bulky construction reducesthe mech's Speed by 10 feet if smaller thanColossal, and 20 feet if Colossal or larger. ItsManeuverability is the next category lower.The mech's outer frame must be very thick tosupport its own mass, which reduces the start-ing PU by 40%, to a minimum of 1. The mech'sbase material cost is tripled.

It is possible for a psionically gifted charac-ter to use such a mech as an enormous focus.The details are intentionally left for the GM todetermine, based on the role of psionics in thecampaign (if any).

Weaponry: Kinja created two unusualweapons for his mech. Both draw power fromelemental earth spirits that he summons. Theshard launcher sprays needles of diamond-hard rock at targets, while the stone melterallows him to reshape earth and rock likeputty. For each item to function, Kinja mustsummon 12 HD worth of creatures from theelemental plane of earth and bind them intoEarthblood. If this ritual is not performed, theitems won't work.

Damage done by the shard launcher is con-sidered earth-based for the purpose of damageresistance and the like; therefore, lunar crea-tures are vulnerable to its attacks. One burstfrom it is similar to the effect of three castings

86 «1»

of magic stone, although the spiky shards arebetter at penetrating armor. Creating it costKinja 15,000 gp.

The stone melter, which cost 120,000 gp, issimilar to a staff in that it has 50 charges thatcan be used to cast various spells. Each timeKinja binds new elemental spirits intoEarthblood, the stone melter is fullyrecharged. Kinja hadn't expected this to hap-pen, and he suspects it is connected to theincreasing difficulty he has with earth spirits.The stone melter's powers are:

Move earth (2 charges)Passwall (3 charges)Stone to flesh (uses all remaining charges;

minimum 20)Transmute rock to mud (1 charge)Elemental Powers: Earthblood has a strong

connection to the elemental plane of earth,and it is considered to have the earth subtype.All of its attacks are considered earth attacks.If the mech and its opponent are both touch-ing the ground, Earthblood gains a +1 bonus toits attack and damage rolls. If the foe is water-borne or airborne, Earthblood has a -1 penaltyto attack and damage.

HOME, FORMERLY

HORNET (UNIQUE)Size: ColossalPower Source: Steam (not functioning at

present)Payload Units: 20Height: 35 ft.Space/Reach: 15 ft. by 15 ft./15 ft.Crew: 0 (weapons: 0; formerly crew 4,

weapons: 7)Firing Ports: 16Hit Dice: 48Hit Points: 80 (maximum 264; currently

damaged)Critical Thresholds: Green, Yellow 119,Orange 53, Red 13Base Initiative: -1Speed: 50 ft. (currently not mobile)Maneuverability: AverageAC: 2Hardness: 9 (stone, Colossal)Base melee attack: +2Base ranged attack: -1Unarmed damage: 1d12+10Trample: largest Large; safe Medium; damage

4d6

Saves: Fort 0, Ref -4, Will –Abilities: Str 30, Dex 8, Con –, Int –, Wis –, Cha –Mechcraft DC: 39Base Planning Time: 78 daysBase Cost: 2,623 gpTToottaall CCoosstt:: 5,673 gp plus weaponsLabor Time: 3,840 man-hoursConstruction Time: 48 days (10 avg. laborers

plus 1 overseer)Special: Extra weapon mounts (4 PU),

Gearwright maintenance

PAAYYLLOOAADD USSAAGGEE (CUURRRREENNTT)PU USEE

16 Living quarters and storage4 Broken onboard weaponry20 Total

PAYLOAD USAAGGE (FORMER; AS HOORRNET)PU USE

4 Crew16 Onboard weaponry20 Total

87«1»

The mech now called Home by its inhabitantsis little more than an empty hull. It standssilently near the bluffs of the western plateauon the endless plains, a monument to thefailed genius of its creator. It also has a morepractical function, providing shelter anddefense to a nomad clan that might otherwiseperish in the lunar rain. And in the near future,it may well become the subject of intenseinterest in Glatek and beyond.

Once this mech was called the Hornet, andit was a unique design created by a dwarfnamed Hudie Toothless. Hudie, who got hislast name from a revolutionary magnetic gearhe designed, was a mercenary inventor. Hisspecialty was weapons, and the Hornet washow he tested them in the field. Weaponscould be added and removed fairly easily fromits mounting brackets, and the Hornet wasotherwise kept in top condition.

Or so Hudie thought. However, the relent-less use of this field-testing mech caused sev-eral key boiler components to wear down.One day, while he was testing his new spring-bow and net cannon (see page 102), the entiresecondary boiler array exploded. Hudie andhis chief assistant were both killed instantly,and the Hornet was rendered inoperative. Theother two technicians on board survived theexplosion, but unwisely elected to head forGlatek on foot. The noise of the blast drewpredators, who attacked them.

A nomad clan, also following the explosion,came upon the technicians. They drove thebeasts away, but one technician was alreadydead and the other moments away from expir-ing. The latter one managed to gurgle a fewwords and point in the Hornet's directionbefore breathing her last. Believing that shehad indicated where she wished to be buried,the nomads took both bodies and headedtoward what they had considered a hauntedvalley (thanks in part to Hudie Toothless'occasional weapon tests).

Their first sight confirmed their supersti-tions - a massive humanoid figure, smoke andflames pouring from within as if it were ademon. But reason overtook their initialpanic, and the more worldly of them realizedthat they were looking at a mech. Once thesteam-driven cataclysm wound down, theytook possession of it, making such repairs asthey could to make it habitable. Getting themech back in operating condition was beyondtheir knowledge, to say nothing of piloting it,but they managed to stabilize the inner frame-work. In a short time, what was once a cutting-edge research mech became a reasonablycomfortable tower, complete with a small

sheepfold.Turning Hornet into Home required the

nomads to remove much of its advanced gear.Hudie's experimental weapons were designedto be easy to take out, as was the buzzsaw, andfor a time the nomads simply stored them out-side under a large sheet made of animal skins.The saw's blade they turned into a shrine ofsorts, marking the spot where they buriedtheir benefactors (the technicians, plus Hudieand his assistant). In time, much of the equip-ment was taken to Glatek to trade for practicalgoods. Even after the explosion and the fol-lowing period of neglect, many of the compo-nents were valuable enough to interesttraders.

In fact, the sharper minds who visit Glatekrealize that these components can be puttogether to create unusual weapons. Someeven recognize the work of Hudie Toothless,whose mysterious disappearance was noticedby his clients. Questions are being askedabout these formerly humble nomads whohave come into possession of such interestingtechnology.

And while the nomads are not skilled withmachines, they aren't fools either. They knowthat these things scavenged from Home arestarting to draw attention. While they are will-ing to sell what they have found, they believeHome was a gift to them for trying to save thetechnicians' lives, and they will fight to defendit.

This mech makes a good tower. Hudiedesigned it to be sturdy and dwarfish, and itsarmor is stone. When it was the Hornet, it waspainted in alternating black and yellowstripes. After taking it over, the nomads haveused it to tan hides, and the traveler who visitsHome today sees what looks like a threadbaregiant, its patchwork robe flapping in the wind.The broken springbow on its shoulder - whichwould fetch a handsome sum in Glatek orEdge, if it arrived intact - is the mount for acrude banner depicting a flaming humanoidfigure, a symbol adopted by the clan after theyfound Home.

LACTRODECTUS, THESSiizzee:: Colossal IVPower Source: ClockworkPayload Units: 256 (heavy payload; 128

reserved for cargo)HHeeiigghhtt:: 150 ft.Space/Reach: 80 ft. by 80 ft./50 ft.Crew: 13 (weapons: 10)Firing Ports: 51Hit Dice: 192Hit Points: 1,056Critical Thresholds: Green, Yellow 528,

Orange 264, Red 106Base Initiative: +4Speed: 100 ft.Maneuverability: AverageAC: 2Hardness: 21 (mithral, Colossal IV)Base melee attack: +7Base ranged attack: +4Unarmed damage: 5d6+15Trample: largest Colossal; safe Gargantuan;

damage 7d6Saves: Fort -4, Ref +0, Will –Abilities: Str 40, Dex 18, Con –, Int –, Wis –,Cha –Mechcraft DC: 60Base Planning Time: 120 daysBase Cost: 201,537 gpTotal Cost: 478,912 gp Labor Requirements: 61,440 man-hours

(plus magic items)Construction Time: 110 days (70 avg.

laborers plus 7 overseers)Special: Fast legs, heavy payload, magical

effects (see below), poison vents, spell resistance 20, steady feet

PAYLOAD USAGE

PU USEE

13 Crew19 Open128 Cargo96 Onboard Weaponry256 Total

The Lactrodectus is one of the greatest elvenfears come to realization: the return of thedrow to the surface world.

The first confirmed sighting of theLactrodectus occurred two years ago, but evenbefore that, tales of a spider of impossible sizepicking among the ruins of the elven forestswere reported with shocking regularity. Only