Darkeel

*“’Wolves of the sea’ they called them back pre-Rifts, but those aquavermiform bastards make wolves look like obedient dogs in comparison. And the damned rifts only made them meaner. Had a pack of them come right through the bars of a shark cage once and tear apart two of my salvage crew when we tried to raise that alien wreck. Damn mystic we had with us tried to tell them to bugger off, but they nearly got her too. There’s no reasoning with animals like that, just stand off and depth charge and hope for the best.”*

## Darkeel E-animal

Darkeels are not remarkable for their concept; they are derivations of an existing e-animal, the cyberconda, but for their providence. Darkeels were created by the Darkwaters, but their lineage is clearly from the Sapphire Cobras, and the two Tribes are not particularly known for close relationships. The exact circumstances of how the Darkwaters acquired the Templates for the cyberconda from the Sapphire Cobras remains unknown; whether it was the result of a challenge, outright purchase, or some closer working alliance between the two groups is a matter of wild conjecture.

Though the Sapphire Cobras already had a number of ‘sea snake’ amphibious adaptations of their ubiquitous cybercondas, the Darkwaters wanted to develop a more hardy and durable marine e-animal along the lines of moray eels. The result of extensive modification to the cyberconda was a narrow-bodied ribbon-like robotic eel sheathed in a rubbery faux-skin covering, and armed with a generous mouthful of sharp teeth. Tough, strong, and perfectly natural-looking (and ‘smelling’, with the addition of PPE gel-packs), the Darkeel makes a perfect low-level aquatic watch animal, spy, and scout.

## Abilities

### Powerplant

Electric battery good for 14 days of continuous operation. By going dormant for prolonged periods of time, the Darkeel can extend this as much as ten days. Darkeels typically recharge by induction contact with a larger warmount, or by use of special disguised underwater ‘warrens’ linked to a concealed power grid.

### Sensors

The Darkeel has basic Robot Audio/Optics w/ Low-Lite, Thermo-Imaging, Infrared, and Passive Nightvision.

### Special Systems

#### Stealth Skin

The sound-muffling rubbery skin gives the Darkeel the ability to Prowl underwater quite effectively, and even defeat sonar (-15% to sonar rolls to detect the Darkeel).

#### PPE Gel Pack

A biopack of tailored microrganisms that help give the illusion of life, by giving the construct 1d4 PPE.

### Weapons

None standard, and their size limits what the robots can carry. The Darkeel has two slots in its head that can be fitted with the following:

#### Vibroblade Fang

 Damage

Vibro-teeth built into the mouth.

#### Drug Injector

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

A drug injector that can carry 20 doses of a single drug. Useful for capturing spying swimmers.

#### Drug Injector/Vibro-Stilleto

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

A hollow-bodied vibroblade for penetrating light armor and tough skin.

#### Buzzsaw

 Range2
 Damage
 Damage2
 Payload

A buzzsaw blade that can be launched. Once launched the blade will have to be replaced.

#### Laser Torch

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Copied from the cybernetic laser finger option. Powered by its own small power cell.

#### Short Range Pulse Laser

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Powered by its own small power cell.

Additional 12 shots can be added if the other head slot is used for a power
cell,

or a mini-e-clip is incorporated into one of the body segments.

#### Microchip Tagger

This allows the cybereel to bite a target and implant a small microchip. The microchip can be a tracer, biomonitor, surveillance device (or combination of all). Can carry up to 20 microchips ready to use in each slot

#### Tazer Bite

Save at 16 or better or be -6 to strike, parry, dodge, and roll, HALF speed and APMs, for 1d4+1 melee rounds, +1d4 if the ‘snake was able to bite soft tissues (like the neck, lips, back of the knee or inside of the elbow).

#### Micro-Grenade

 Damage
 Payload

One shot launcher.

#### Micro-Torpedo Launcher

 Damage
 Payload

One shot micro-torpedo launcher.

### Programming

* Navigation (Underwater) 80%

* Climbing 75%

* Spelunking 80%

* Prowl 88%

* Swimming 99%

Ecotroz-Awakened Darkeels also get the following:

* Tracking 70%

* Blend 60%

### Combat

 Dodge
 Parry
 Auto Dodge
 Roll
 Pull Punch
 Disarm
 Knockout/Stun
 Head Punch
 Tail Slap

The Darkeel is designed for combat, used to harasses targets, or tag them for other EShemarrian units to target with heavier weapons.

## Options

### Molecular Pads

Allow the cybereel to climb just about ANY surface without problem.

### Disguise

The Darkeel can be disguised with a false skin covering and sculpted features to resemble a real eel.

### Tail Vibroblade

 Damage

A vibroblade can be installed into the tail.

### Electric Shock Capability

On contact with the ‘eel, or at a range of up to 6 ft in water, those struck with this attack take 2d4 SDC, and victim must save at 16 or higher is -8 to strike, parry, and dodge, plus speed and actions/attacks per melee are reduced by half, for 2d4 melees, plus 2d4 melees per additional strike. After being struck four times, the victim may be stunned unconscious (42% chance) for 2d4 melees. Upon waking up, the victim continues to suffer the stun penalties for 1d4 minutes.

The Darkeel has enough power in a separate power cell for 15 such attacks before needing recharging.

### Ecotroz-Inhabited Darkeels

The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the ’eel an aura and behavior more befitting an animal than a robot; the Darkeel may complain non-verbally when overworked, scream when damaged, and react to intruders or strangers appropriately. The Darkeel entity is not terribly intelligent, but is instinctive and cunning, with an intelligence fairly high for a snake (roughly equivalent to an IQ of 3, though some of the dedicated companion beasts can have an intelligence of 5 or 6).

The Darkeel has the following Natural Psionic Abilities (no ISP Cost), all equivalent to 6th level with regards to range and proficiency.

* Presence Sense

* Sense Magic

* See Aura

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).