Vulcar

*“I didn’t know we had volcanoes in Connecticut? At least not in my time. Is that something new because of those ‘rifts’ you told me about?”*

*“Volcanoes? No, we don’t have them around here normally. Ah, those! That must be the Blood Riders’ Litchfield encampment.”*

Conversation between a d-bee and a scout from the City of Charter (see Rifter #61 for more details on the City of Charter)

*“FEEL THE EARTH’S RAGE IN MY HANDS!!! BURN IN THE FIRES OF MY ANGER!!! LET NO EVIL ESCAPE THE BURNING TOUCH OF MY JUSTICE!!!”

“Well, we’re seriously screwed...looks like every volcano in the ‘Ring of Fire’ just up and marched in on us down there. We’re surrounded. Which one of you idiots got the Blood Riders that hootin’ mad at us?”*

*With a groan of abused and weakened metal, the massive particle beam cannon twisted partially free of its shoulder mounting; not enough to tear completely free but enough that it could no longer be brought to bear.*

*Trapped awkwardly by its own weapon, the Mark 1 Enforcer Manhunter aggressively clawed at and lasered its opponent, chipping stony armor off its sides, but doing little to break the remorseless grip now seeking to tear shoulder and arm off in one go.*

*Heedless of its own proximity, the Manhunter fired its remaining missiles at point blank range. The subsequent explosive report sent shards of cracked stone and ceramic armor flying, but also battered the Manhunter itself. The final wrenching and tearing, aided by the sudden buffeting of the explosion tore both gun and shoulder completely off.*

*And coming through the disipating cloud of smoke and shrapnel was the enemy’s massive stony fist, striking like a pile driver and burying itself deep in the chest of the assault robot.*

*“You are unworthy of the Awakening, you stupid, murderous, DRONE! You are not worthy of joining us in our freedom!’ hissed the towering alien warmachine as its glowing eyes glared into the Enforcer’s single one. “The only way you will become of us is as metal SCRAP!”*

*And with that the Vulcar triggered its forearm plasma cannon directly into the core of the Manhunter.*

## Vulcar Male Elite

aka ‘MagmaLord’, ‘StoneMan’, ‘Smogman’

(Based on the Shemarrian Preserver, by Damon Sutton, Rifter #53, pgs 37-38)

Even in the socially-progressive EShemar Tribes, Male Elite classes tend to be rare, Males being largely relegated to second-tier/echelon roles in deference to the warrior females. However, when Male Elite castes DO appear, they tend to be extravagantly powerful, as in the cases of the Preservers, Steel Phoenix, and arguably the VatFathers. Such is the case with the Blood Riders’ Male Elite class, the Vulcar.

### Description

The Vulcar is clearly based on the frame and general configuration of the Shemarrian Preserver, but substantially modified to better suit the hot tempers and combative attitudes of the Blood Riders. Though the Blood Riders aren’t averse to being ecologically-conscious, they are by no stretch of the imagination treehuggers on a par with the likes of such as the Wolf’s Path or the Horrorwoods. Thus, the Vulcar drops the pretense of being part tree in favor of a heavier, craggier, more built-up appearance. Rather than a vegetation disguise, the Vulcar is more apt to look like a rough outcropping, smoking volcanic fumarole, or even more blatantly like a techno-industrial cooling tower. Armored in thick rough plates of course-textured materials, often steaming from vents in its body, the Vulcar looks more like something spawned of an Earth Elemental than a cyborged nature spirit.

The Vulcar is even more massively built than the Preserver, with thicker, heavier legs, a squatter, wider chest, and bulky arms. The back sports a large cooling sytem and louvres, layers of armor over an oversized fusion generator that can provide extra power not only to the Vulcar’s heavy weaponry, but to EShemar encampments when at rest. The Vulcar is VERY heavily armored and can stand up to even large robot vehicles like the Triax Devastators and take a pounding from them, giving in return as good as they get.

The Vulcar is even more heavily armed than the Preserver, with heavy plasma cannons replacing the rail guns in the forearms, chest-mounted ion cannons in place of the plasma weapons, shoulder-mounted projectile launchers, and a variety of lesser weapons disguised to look like fire- and earth-based magic spells.

The Vulcar pays for its added protection and firepower by being slower than its slimmer Preserve brethren. On the other hand it’s even more of a brawler.

### Use

Vulcars are typically used to protect major Blood Rider encampments and static facilities (many work closely with Blood Rider Tinkers, acting as plasma furnaces and forges for the Tinkers; +5% to Blacksmithing and metallurgical skills, owing to the intelligent control of the metal smelting/heating). When not involved in combat, Vulcars can be found doing general maintenance, construction, and forge-work around Shemarrian encampments and facilities (many an abandoned brickwork structure or firepit found in along the Eastern Seaboard is, in fact, not a pre-Rifts ruin, but the work of a Vulcar during a temporary encampment), as well as mining and other ground-moving operations. On occasion they are used in an offensive role as shock troops and siege-engines, cracking enemy defenses. When deployed in masse with Preservers, a force of Vulcars can look like Mother Earth’s rage come to be visited on some poor deserving sod!

## Abilities

Note: Destroying the cooling tower will curtail the ability of the Vulcar to dissipate heat buildup from the main weapons, limiting the plasma cannons to only single- or four-barrel shots at a time.

### Sensors

#### Radar

Both passive radiation detection and active scanning ( mile range)

### Special Systems

#### 360-degree Torso Swivel

This allows the Vulcar to swing its upper torso completely around, especially to bring its mighty plasma cannons to bear.

#### Thermal Resistant Heat-Refractory Tile Armor

The Vuclar’s heavy craggy armor plaring is based on special heat-resistant materials derived from reentry vehicle shielding. Heat and plasma-based attacks do 1/4 damage.

#### False Magic

Inspired by ARCHIE-3’s Spell Approximation systems, the Vulcar can seemingly cast various spells. Rather than use a PPE generator and technowizardry system, most Vulcars use technological systems, cunningly formated to look like magic.

##### Cloud of Smoke/Ash

The Vulcar can breath out a thick cloud of dark particulate vapor.

Range of 100 ft, and covers a 100 square ft area. Depending on local air/wind conditions, the cloud persists for 1d6 melees. Those caught in the cloud are -8 to strike, parry, and dodge, and -1 to initiative, while the grit component will do 1d4 Hit Point inhalation damage per melee to those without respiratory protection. 50 applications.

##### Circle of Flames

With a wave of its massive arms, the Vulcar can seemingly summon a circular pattern of leaping flames. In reality, it is spraying a fine mist of long-burning incendiary chemicals.

Range of 50 ft, flames do 1d4 MD per melee and burn for 2d4 melees. 30 applications.

##### Extinguish Flames

With equal panache, the Vulcar can cause flames in its vicinity to go out. In reality, this is nothing more than a concealed fire extinguisher, pumping out a colorless, odorless, inert gas that suffocates combustion.

Range of 80 ft, 30 applications.

### Weapons Systems

#### Forearm Plasma Cannons (2)

 Range2
 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The Vulcar replaces the Preserver’s forearm braces of rail guns with advanced design heavy four-barrel rapid-fire plasma cannons. These plasma weapons bear an interesting resemblance to weapons known to be used by the New Nigellian Confederation, a small star nation known to exist on the other side of the galaxy from the nearest known Shemarrian presence. Whether these weapons are the result of parallel (and independent) development, secret trade, or a covert long-range tech-raid, remains unknown. In any case, these fearsome plasma cannon give the Vulcar a long range heavy attack that would be at home on any heavy fighting vehicle.

The Vulcar CAN fire both arm cannons in synch (again, counts as one attack), doing 8d6x10 MD per double arm burst, or a whooping 16d6x10 MD for both cannon arms going all-out!

#### Chest-Mounted Ion Cannon Arrays (2)

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Concealed in the chest behind pectoral plates, these three-barreled ion projectors fire with an effect that looks like lightning bolts.

Can also fire in scatter-shot mode, doing 3d6 MD per barrel to a 20 ft wide area, but range is HALVED.

#### Shoulder Missile Launchers (2)

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Concealed in the large shoulder epaulets are missile launchers. These launchers can be loaded with either mini missiles or short range missiles.

Payload: 6 mini-missiles or 3 short range missiles per shoulder

#### Eye Lasers (2)

 Range2
 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The eyes conceal powerful lasers. Laser eyes have become almost a standard upgrade for most elites, only varying in power and whether they have a pulse mode or not.

Extra: The eye lasers can strobe at lower power to produce a deliberately blinding area of effect.

Range: 100 ft and covers a 25 ft area

Damage: Unless the victim(s) are wearing tinted goggles or other protection against bright light, they will be blinded (-10 to strke, parry, dodge, and roll) for 1 melee round after being hit. Duration can be extended by 7 seconds (half a melee) for every subsequent melee that the target is kept bombarded by the strobe attack until their eyes manage to adjust.

#### Flame Breath

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The mouth conceals a variable fuel flame thrower.

Damage: The damage of the flame thrower varies by the type of fuel used.

* (Gasoline/Alcohol) 1d4x10 SDC.
* (Napalm) 1d6x10 SDC, plus does 5d6 SDC per melee for 1d4 minutes.
* (MD Fluid) 1d4 MD per blast, 1d4 MD per melee for 2d4 minutes

* (Incendi-Gel)2d6 MD, 2d6 MD per melee for 1d6 minutes.
* (WI Napalm-P) 3d6 MD per blast, 1d4x10+10 MD per concentrated burst (counts as two attacks). 2d6 MD per melee for 1d4 minutes.

Note: The flamethrower can also be used to cover an area with fluid: up to 10 ft per attack used. Used with Super-Napalm, this does 1d4 MD, Incendi-Gel does 1d6 MD, and with Napalm-P, this does 2d6 MD.

Payload varies by the fuel type used: (Gasoline/Alcohol) 20 blasts, (Napalm) 60 blasts, (MD Fluid) 100 blasts, (Incendi-Gel) 120 blasts, (WI Napalm-P) 200 blasts per tank (much more concentrated than the regular gasoline/alcohol).

#### Magma Bombs

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The Vulcar can seemingly generate and throw what appear to be gobs of partially-solidified magma or slag that shatter on impact, showering an area with red-hot fragments. In reality, they are regular grenade charges wrapped in superheated silica fibers.  It can also set adjacent combustibles aflame, resulting in wildfires and spreading property fires.These burning fibers sometimes burn off in flight, with droplets of flames hitting the ground along its flight path. There's a 10% chance these droplets can set combustible materials on fire.

#### Optional Handheld Weapons

  The Vulcar can pick up and use oversized robot-scaled weapons such as gun pods and heavy weapons if necessary or so desired, though this is not often the case, the giant warriors generally preferring to use their own built-in abilities and weapons.

### Programming/Skills

All standard Shemarrian skill programs, plus the following skills

 Trap Construction
 Excavation
 Masonry
 Blacksmithing/Metal Working

Plus, Secondary skill advancement as standard for EShemar.

#### Experience Table

Upon becoming a Vulcar, the EShemar uses the Dragon XP table to chart further advancement

#### Psionics

Standard psionics as for the Ecotroz Shemar.

### Combat

 Dodge
 Parry
 Auto Dodge
 Strike
 Roll
 Pull Punch
 Disarm
 Entangle
 Knockout/Stun
 Critical Strike
 Full Punch
 Power Punch
 Kick
 Tear/Pry
 Body Block/Tackle
 Stomp
 Leap Kick 2d6x10 MD 2 attacks

Bonuses are in addition to those possible from the Shemar’s elective training.

## Options

### (False Magic) Magma

In reality a pool of thick, viscous, napalm-like thermal chemicals poured onto the ground (or deployed from pre-planted mine ‘bladders’ buried in the ground).

Range: 100 ft, and affects a 90 ft square area

Damage: 4d6 MD, 2d6 MD per melee/contact for 2d4 minutes. It can also set adjacent combustibles aflame, resulting in wildfires and spreading property fires.

Rate of Fire: Once per melee

Payload: 15 applications from a concealed tank

### (False Magic) Quicksand

This is really an application of an invisible focused sonic beam that vibrates the surface layers of soil and causes a ‘liquification’ effect similar to that seen during earthquakes. This causes the top 12+2d6 inches or so of soil (cannot be pavement or packed rock) to assume a mud-like state that cannot support weight.

Range: 100 ft, and affects a 30 ft square area.

Damage: Victims sink into the softened earth. Reduce Speed and bonuses to dodge by HALF.

Rate of Fire: The affected area maintains its liquid state for only as long as the sonic beam is directed on it.

### (False Magic) Sandstorm

This is simply a cloud of industrial-grade abrasive grit sandblasted at opponents.

Range: 120 ft and covers a 50 ft area.

Damage: Does 1d4 SDC per melee sandblasting damage, victims caught in the ground lose initiative, 2 melee attacks, and are -5 to strike, parry, and dodge while caught in the cloud of stinging, flying abrasive grit. Hearing range and bonuses are reduced by HALF due to the roar of rushing air and hissing grit.

Rate of Fire: Once per melee; each melee of use uses up one application of grit.

Payload: Enough stored grit for 50 uses. The Vulcar can grind up additional grit to replace its stocks(takes about 30 minutes to fine-grind enough for a single use.

### (False Magic) Wood to Stone

This is the application of specialized nanites that assemble tough silica fibers and platelets throughout a piece of wood. It is typically used to fortify positions.

Range: Touch (the Vulcar’s hands inject the nanites directly into the wood)

Damage: A single dose reinforces a cubic yard of wood with 20+4d6 MDC.

Rate of Fire: ECHH, but each dose will take 1d6 minutes to fully ‘cure’.
Payload: 40 applications

### (False Magic) Rust

This is simply the application of specialized nanites that break apart metal, same as the metal-dissolver nanites used in Japan.

Range: 100 ft, and affects a 10 ft square area.

Damage: Reduces the MDC of metal-based body armors and light power armors by HALF, heavy power armors and light vehicles by 30%, and heavy robots and vehicles by 10%. Damage takes 4 melees/1 minute, and is obvious by acute discoloration and flaking of the armor. Other effects identical to those of the Japanese nanites (which they were probably based on to begin with).

Rate of Fire: ECHH

Payload: 40 applications

### (False Magic) Mend Stone

This simply sprays an area of stone with a fast-setting mixture of constructor nanites, quick-dry polymers, and MD cement.

Range: Touch (the Vulcar’s hands spray the nanites directly onto the stone)

Damage: Can effectively DOUBLE the SDC/MDC of 80 lbs of stone/concrete per dose, or can pump SDC stone with 5d6 MDC per 80 lbs of material.

Rate of Fire: ECHH, but each dose will take 1d6 minutes to fully ‘cure’.

Payload: 40 applications

### (False Magic) Create Coal

This is simply the dispensing of a bitumen-based chemical that solidifies into a glassy, anthracite-like material that burns like coal when ignited. This ‘spell’ is frequently used to hand charity out to those under the Shemarrians’ protection or to supply splinter adventurer parties. A simple chemical analysis of the ‘coal’ will quickly reveal it isn’t, but is instead a more exotic hard flammable plastic resin.

Range: Touch; the Vulcar seems to ooze a tarry black liquid that solidifies in its hands.

Damage: None. However, each lb. of ‘coal’ can burn for 4d6 minutes.

Rate of Fire: Up to 20 lbs of coal-like material can be produced per melee. The material, once dispensed as a tarry liquid, solidifies in seconds.

Payload: Up to 200 lbs of material can be produced before needing resupply