Steel Phoenix

*“I AM AYRON SILVERSEEKER PHOENIX! PROUD SON OF THE HAWKMOON CLAN, FALLEN IN BATTLE IN GLORIOUS SERVICE TO THE TEN-BLESSED WAR GODDESS AGHANA FIRELANCE, RAISED AND RESURRECTED AS STEEL PHOENIX IN RECOGNITION OF MY SACRIFICE! PROUD AM I TO SERVE AGAIN, TO SPREAD WINGS ACROSS THE SKY AND KEEP WATCH OVER THE LANDS UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE GODDESS SHEMAR, TEN-BLESSED AGHANA FIRELANCE, AND CLAN HAWKMOON! ENEMIES OF THE LIGHT, SERVENTS OF THE DARK ONE, BEHOLD MY FEARSOME REBIRTH AND BEWARE MY WRATHFUL GAZE!”*

## Ecotroz Shemar Steel Phoenix Aerial Warsteed

Sometimes even nanotech repair mechanisms and the best efforts of a Spinster can’t heal the damage done. If the Ecotroz Shemar hasn’t been vaporized outright in combat, the psiborg may linger for hours, even days, as its robotic components shut down and finally cease operation altogether, leaving the paranormal psyche clinging to its former body as its energies dissipate. To many Ecotroz Shemar, this is hell; to still be ‘alive’ but knowing they are dying (in game terms, this means that the Ecotroz Shemar has been taken to zero MDC; the entity can linger about the wreckage of its body for as many hours as it has M.E. points---If the robotic body has been destroyed by 50% over its main body MDC it is destroyed outright). Because the EShemar cannot yet produce new Shemarrian bodies without a ‘soul’, they cannot as yet transfer the comatose Ecotroz psionic component into a new body. At least not before. And, at least among the Ecotroz Hawkmoon tribe, there is a new option.

### History

While attempting to duplicate the alien technology of the Progen apparatus in order to spread it among the other Ecotroz tribes, the Hawkmoon Ecotroz Spinster known as Goodbones created several prototype devices to test out her understanding of the system. One of the prototype Progen chambers was rather oversized, using substitute technologies. While not inherently dangerous, this test chamber wasn’t capable of producing the ultra-fine precision tolerances needed for creating wholly new Shemarrians. It could, however, reproduce larger, less sophisticated, robots. Goodbones decided to keep the chamber, now dubbed her ‘Assembler Furnace’, and, with a little more work and some experimentation with the assistance of volunteers, retasked the device to giving mortally injured Ecotroz Shemarrians a second chance.

### Description

The Steel Phoenix is created when the remains of a Male Shemarrian, the wreckage of a Monst-Crane Warsteed, a set of bionic wings, and sundry other components are placed into the Assembler Furnace and merged. The result is an iconic beast that gives the Hawkmoons a totemic warsteed, as well as fills an important, and previously neglected, air superiority role for the Ecotroz Shemar.

The Steel Phoenix is more than the sum of its parts. It is an amalgamation and an evolved improvement on its predecessors. In place of the original Monst-Crane’s rapier-nose and canopy-style optics plate, the SP has a more angular beak, and two sharp, triangular optics on its head, like the cockpit windows of a supersonic airliner. Large folding metal-feathered wings sweep out and forward. Two powerful jet turbines emerge from the tail, on either side of the back of the saddle. The saddle itself can almost fully coccoon the rider, offering additional protection and further streamlining the Warsteed/Rider combo for sustained supersonic flight.

Unlike other Ecotroz Warsteeds, the Steel Phoenix is possessed of a fully sentient (and formerly humanoid) Ecotroz Intelligence. The Steel Phoenix can speak, has a personality, and retains most of its memories and skills from its previous incarnation. The process for the Shemarrian volunteer is something akin to what a human undergoes with a full bionic conversion; the person becomes something both more and less than what they were before, trading and sacrificing some abilities and advantages for a set of new ones. Though the Steel Phoenix cannot, in its larger and more animalistic body, do all it could do before as a humanoid, the possessing intelligence considers its new form to be a great honor (remember, the Male Shemarrian component is a volunteer, and was at death’s door). The Steel Phoenix is typically given to high-ranked Hawkmoon warriors, Chieftainesses, and War Goddesses; to be granted the chance to bond with a Steel Phoenix is considered a great honor for both the Shemarrian rider and the former Male Shemarrian. Because of their special status, Steel Phoenxi typically get first dibs on available missiles and other compatible ordnance that would otherwise in short supply among the Ecotroz Shemar.

The Steel Phoenix is unique to the Ecotroz Hawkmoon tribe.

## Abilities

The Steel Phoenix blurs the lines of elite and warmount, and was one of the few earlier means of upgrading males. Although not quite as popular as the Shemarrian production and technology advanced, it is still regarded as an honour for a male to be turned into a Steel Phoenix.

### Special Systems

#### Folding Wings

The Steel Phoenix’s wings fold for easy concealment in forest hangars and bunkers, and for dive maneuvers.

#### Advanced Electronic Systems

The Steel Phoenix retains the ‘black box’ systems and capabilities of the Male Shemarrian.

##### Full Jamming Suite

The Steel Phoenix can jam radio communications in a 50 mile radius with 65% success.

##### Missile Jamming

By making a successful Electronic Countermeasures roll, the Steel Phoenix can jam incoming missile guidance, rendering them -5 to strike. OR, the EW suite can be used to target one or two missiles in a 2,000 ft range and direct them to a new target, rendering them -7 to strike.

Bonuses From EW Suite (in addition to the regular bonuses): +2 on Initiative, +1 Parry, +2 Dodge, +1 Roll with impact, +1 Pull Punch.

#### Targeting Uplink

The Steel Phoenix can uplink targeting data to as many as 24 other EShemar units within 50 miles. All units receiving this data are +1 to Strike, and +1 on Initiative.

Note that this system has been modified by the psionic component of the Ecotroz, and thus CANNOT be tapped into by ARCHIE-3’s own ‘bots

#### Cockpit Pod

This is really a set of conformal struts and panels that close up around the rider, offering some extra protection, and streamlining the Steel Phoenix for high speed flight (anything above 500 MPH). 80 MDC, and the rider cannot sit up and perform their own attacks with hand weapons, without breaking the streamlining.

#### Cyberlinkage

A Shemarrian rider can bond, both through antennae interface and psionic link (Telemechanics), with the Steel Phoenix, essentially blending the new psionic entities. The process works something like cybernetic vehicle linkage, but is far more intimate, and gives the following bonuses:+1 to Initiative, +1 to Strike, +2 APMs, and +2 to save versus psionic attack, Exorcism and Banish spells.

Note that while the Rider and Warsteed are bonded in this fashion, the rider is limited to only TWO attacks of her own, owing to the concentration on the bond.

### Weapons Systems

#### Twin Pulse Lasers (2)

 Damage
 Damage2
 Damage3
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Mounted in the head are two pulse lasers based on Juicer rifle technology.

#### Leg Hardpoints (2)

The legs each mount a single ‘spat’ hardpoint that can be fitted with ONE of the following (note, however, that using these hardpints will reduce top speed by 20% due to increased drag):

* Shemarrian Short or Long Barrel Rail Gun
* Mini-Missiles---6 (3x2 shot tubes) per hardpoint
* Short Range Missiles----Two per hardpoint
* Medium Range Missiles---One per hardpoint

##### Lasers

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Similar to the Shemarrian gauntlet lasers

##### Machine Guns

 Damage
 Damage2
 Damage3
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Essentially the Shemarrian Assault Rifle remounted

Wing Hardpoints (4)

The wings each mount two (for a total of four) hardpoints for ordnance. Each hardpoint can accommodate ONE of the following:

##### Missiles

* Mini-Missiles---9 (3x3 shot tubes) per hardpoint
* Short Range Missiles----Three per hardpoint
* Medium Range Missiles---Two per hardpoint

##### Rotary Laser Cannon

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Identical to those available to the Monst-Rex

##### Plasma Ejector

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Identical to those available to the Monst-Rex.

#### Vibro-Talons

 Damage

The legs/landing gear of the Steel Phoenix are fitted with extendable vibroclaws/blades useful in slashing.

#### Optional Centerline Hardpoint

The Steel Phoenix can carry a bomb between its legs, but the extra drag will cut the Warsteed’s maximum speed by 1/3 until the ordnance is deployed/ejected.

Damage: Varies by
weapon carried;

* 250-lb Bomb----2d4x10 MD to 50 ft blast radius
* 500-lb Bomb----4d4x10 MD to 60 ft blast radius
* 750-lb Bomb----4d6x10 MD to 65 ft blast radius
* 1,000-lb Bomb----1d4x100 MD to 70 ft blast radius
* Heavy Torpedo----4d6x10 MD

Payload: One bomb (up to 2,000 lbs) or a single torpedo (up to Heavy class)

Note: The Steel Phoenix can engage in divebombing maneuvers; doing so means that the Warsteed approaches the target in a dive (45-degrees or better), releases its bomb (at 5,000 ft or less distance from the target), and then pulls out. A successful dive-bombing attack requires a Piloting roll at -10%, but the dropped ordnance is +2 to strike, and gets a +2d4 MD for the extra speed assist in penetration.

Optional Spear Rack

The saddle can be fitted with a spear rack with 20 MDC and holding 4-6 spears. Thrown from the air, the spears get an extra +1 to damage, +1d4 if thrown as part of a dive-bomb, due to the extra speed behind the throw.

#### Optional Accessory Systems

Steel Phoenixi are pretty well maxed out already, but some Spinsters find enough leeway to add their own flourishes for deserving heroines and Male volunteers, or have found ways to accommodate requests from SP Riders. These include tweeks to the radar and sensor systems, installed PPE sensors, flare/chaff launchers, improved radio communications, and other electronics. At least two Hawkmoon Steel Phoenixi have been created plated in laser-reflective Glitterchrome scavenged from wrecked Glitterboys and the unearthed wreckage of Silver Eagle SAMAS.

### Programming

The Steel Phoenix differs from other Warsteeds in that it has an actual Ecotroz Shemarrian Intelligence in charge, rather than programming and an ‘animal’ overlay.

* IQ: 4d6

* ME: 5d6

* MA: 3d6

* Hit Points: (Energy

Form) 1d6x10+M.E.

* P.P.E.: 8

### Psionic Abilities

Object Read, Telemechanics, Telemechanical Possession, Telemechanic Mental Operation at no ISP cost

### Skills

* Detect Ambush 75%
* Detect Concealment 75%
* Electronic Countermeasures 92%
* Computer Operation 98%
* Cryptography 90%
* Computer Hacking 75%
* Computer Programming 90%
* Navigation 80%
* Recognize Weapons Quality 75%
* Sensory Equipment 90%
* Surveillance 90%
* Tracking (People/Monsters) 85%
* Trap/Mine Detection 70%
* Lore: Demons and Monsters 80%
* Hunting
* Identify Plants and Fruits 90%
* Wilderness Survival 80%

Retains the basic programming/knowledge common to all Shemarrians, but, lacking hands and a humanoid form, cannot use much of it (can still offer advice and talk others through it, or try teaching them).

The Ecotroz entity can also pick up two Secondary skills at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience

### Combat

See also bonuses

from EW Suite and Cyber-Bonding

## Ecotroz Fragment

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

The fragment inhabiting the Steel Phoenix is transferred from another Shemarrian, and will usually be of an experienced warrior or scout.

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, 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)

Note also that the Ecotroz-possessed ‘bot can infect other bots with the Ecotroz viral-entity, by bite or sustained touch (takes 3 attacks).