Aviarmor

*“Those Horune must have thought they had us well and truly cornered and away from our weapons, until Accela summoned up her flock and went full hitchcock-mode. Totally took them offguard and gave us enough time to get our stuff together. Once we were geared up, it was a whole different story on the whole ‘hunter-prey’ balance.”*

 *Atarene Wingwander, Hawkmoon NeShemar, on an incident along the Maryland coast.*

*“What really drives me nuts about those skin-girls is how after they got covered up with those birds and started beating on us, that one on the end kept giggling maniacally the whole time! They’re crazy-evil I tell you!”*

*“I couldn’t help myself! Those feathers -TICKLE-!”*

## EcoS-D64Hm Aviarmor Mini-Robots

The success of such ‘swarm armors’ as the EcoS-D62cv Carapace Beetle MicroRobot system got Hawkmoon Tinkers, desirous of maintaining their Tribe’s technological leadership, thinking about a similar system. They decided to go with ‘flock armor’, a gestalt-system built around flocks of small feather-winged drones, each the size of a sparrow or robin. The basis of the Aviarmor is an upgraded version of the EcoS-AAR-01 Chirt, modified into a megadamage form the size of a starling.

When summoned, the flock-bots land on their summoner and merge into a feathered suit of protective armor. The suit is somewhat encumbering, but grants stealth and kinetic protection properties to the wearer. Though seemingly more primitive than the forcefield-projection capabilities of the Carapace and Carrion Fly systems, the Aviar Armor offers passive and constant protection, and can even share its host’s self-repair capabilities, bolstering both its own armor and the host’s.

Generally, aviar will move about in flocks of 90-160 individuals, allowing enough numbers to cover a single host and still have some left over as reserves or mobile assets. Much larger flocks of 500-2,000 ‘birds’ have also been deployed, allowing for in-depth aerial surveillance of an area, as well as a ready reserve of armor for friendly troops.

Aviarmor has become a quick favorite of Hawkmoon Mystics and Yurei. It is also available to some (full conversion) NeShemar, although many of those who have worn aviarmor have complained that the ‘living’ armor takes some getting used to, as the many feathers scratch and tickle.

Aviarmor has also caught the eye of the Skyeklad, who have recently petitioned the Hawkmoons (and asked their Sapphire Cobra parent tribe to also weigh in on their side) for the designs of the armor system.

## Abilities

The Aviar/Aviarmor is very similar to the Chirt, possessing similar systems, but also includes additional systems in its role to act as a set of armour.

### Sensor Systems

* Multi-Optics
* Telescoping Zoom Lens 2 mile range
* Thermo-Optics1,000

ft range

* Camera/Video Eye w/ live transmission
* Basic Audio
* Radio w/ scrambler capability. Range: 50 miles
* Laser Distancer 2,000 ft range
* Molecular Anaylzer Chip
* Motion Detector 100 ft range
* Recording Chip - Stores up to 48 hours of recorded observations.
* Modulating Voice Synthesizer Chip - Allows the Aviar to imitate a variety of natural sounds, such as animal calls.

#### Sonar

Echo-location system with a 500 ft range; usually used to imitate bats and similar noctural animals.

### Special Systems

#### Bionic Cybernanite Repair Systems

Only about 40% of ‘bots have the same bionic nanotech repair system that the Ecotroz Shemar have refitted themselves with, and which is becoming the standard among NeShemar as well. These systems repair 1d6 MDC per hour, and can repair 10 MDC before needing material stocks to convert to repair material.

Note, however, that when linked in gestalt/armor mode, they can co-opt the Shemarrian’s/cyborg’s own repair systems; use the host’s own regeneration rate and reserves.

#### ’Gecko’ Grips

These are small pads on the feet that allow the Aviar greater proficiency in clinging to perches, including walls and ceilings.

#### Self-Destruct

Some Aviars are fitted with micro-SD devices that rapidly decompose the robot into a pile of dust if captured/destroyed.

#### Protective Armor Mode

In armor mode, Aviars cover a host (typically about 90-120 are needed to completely cover a Shemarrian or NeShemar; 40 main body, 10 each limb and the head), link special velcro-like quills, and form a feathery suit of armor. The armor has the following properties:

##### MDC

360 MDC main body, 90 MDC each arm, 90 MDC each leg, and 90 MDC head.

##### Blurr Camouflage

The many feathers break up light and make it harder for visual lock-on the wearer; the faster the wearer moves, the greater the distortion; at speeds of 3 or less, no bonus, 4-10; -1 to strike the wearer, 10-16; -2 to strike, 16-22; -3 to strike, 23 or greater, -4 to strike. Laser targeting is also ineffective in locking on to the wearer, even when standing still.

##### Kinetic Baffling

Blunt force melee combat strikes such as punches, kicks, hammer strikes, falls, and concussive explosions do HALF damage.

##### Acoustic Stealth

Between the feathers muffling sound and the ability of the many linked Aviars’ vocal apparatus able to generate ‘white noise’ to counter any sounds the host makes, the wearer gets a +15% to Prowl.

##### Sensory Bonuses

The multiple eyes and combined senses of the gestalt armor give the wearer a much reduced chance of being surprised; +1 to initiative, +1 to dodge, +2 to Perception rolls, and cannot be surprised from behind.

##### Regeneration Supercharger

Although most aviars do not have complete regeneration systems of their own, as noted, they can borrow their host’s regeneration systems to repair themselves. They can also return the favor, supercharging the host’s self-repair capabilities, effectively increasing the repair rate by 50% (DOUBLE this if more than half the aviar have their own self-repair system) and increasing the available reserve MDC by 3 MD per aviar in the covering (or 6 for each aviar already having a self-repair system).

Reduce maximum running speed by 25% due to encumbrance.

### Programming

* Detect Ambush 60%
* Detect Concealment 60%
* Intelligence 80%
* Lore: Demons and Monsters 65%
* Basic Math 98%
* Radio: Basic 98%
* Prowl 85%
* Tracking 90%
* Navigation 86%
* Wilderness Survival 80%
* Computer Operation 80%
* Language: Can understand 22 different languages
* Sing (imitating songbirds and other animals) 80%

‘Awakened’ Aviar can also pick up two Secondary skills at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Aviar intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Technical: Language (understanding) and Lore, Wilderness (Track Animals, Hunting, Identify Plants and Fruits), and Electrical (Basic).

Note: The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Aviar an aura and behavior more befitting an animal than a robot; the Aviar may complain non-verbally when overworked, scream when damaged, and react to intruders or strangers appropriately. The entity is fairly smart and cunning, with a parrot-like intelligence (roughly equivalent to an IQ of 4). Aviar tend to be less impulsive and more group-oriented than their Chirt cousins, though they are constantly looking around and watching any new activity in their vicinity, but still tend to remain close to other Aviars.

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

* Sixth 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).

### Combat

 Dodge
 Strike
 Roll
 Pull Punch
 Leap Attack/Flying Body Block

Aviar/Aviarmor are not designed for fighting on their own, but can attempt to defend themselves, similar to the original Chirt.

## Variants

A wide variety of variants, all cosmetic in nature, exist, many imitating local small avians/flying animals in appearance.

## Options/Upgrades

### Razor Wings

These add small strips of molecularly-sharp material to the leading edges of the wings, giving them the ability to inflict 1 MDC on a wing swipe or body block/ram. In gestalt-armor mode, multiple aviar-components with this feature give the armor-host the ability to inflict 2d6 MD with punches and kicks, from the many blade-wings festooning their arms and legs.

### Quill Shooter

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Quill-shooters are composite weapons that are formed when the aviar combine in armor mode. The wearer can now shoot high-velocity darts from their arms.

Each aviar in the armor holds 6 quills (3 each wing) (typically about 540-720 rds total then) and can transfer them to the arm launchers. Using the combined regeneration capability, the armor can ‘grow’ new quills at a rate of 12 per hour and 10 MDC consumed.

### Flit Launcher

Flocks of aviars will often ‘piggyback’ flit-projectiles, the Shemarrian version of the Northern Gun NMX-18 Stinger Anti-Flyer Mine, though of themselves the aviars cannot fire them. The flock can carry reloads for personal flit-strikers, and when formed into their armor mode, the wearer can use the flit projectiles. Generally, a flit-strike equipped aviar flock will have one flit projectile for every 10 units in the flock, so a 60-75 bird suit will have six or seven projectiles available in armor mode.