8U-13-773

**8U-13-773** is one of the 8U-13 Class of hunter robots used by the Ionian Defense Forces. Large shark-like constructs capable of being deployed from the air and through the earth, these constructs are used to track down fugitives of the law and bring them to justice. This unit was tasked to locate the rogue detective Logan Horn and his associates in Southern Ishtar.

## Description

### Appearance

The 8U-13-773 was a large construct that resembles a bulette. It is quadrupedal and heavily armored, with a large viscous jaw and red glowing eyes.

### Personality

As a construct, the 8U-13-773 does not so much have a personality as it does programming. The hunter robot does whatever task it is assigned without stipulation.

## History

### Background

The 8U-13 class of Hunter Robots were created as autonomous law enforcement robots that could track down and apprehend criminals. The 8U-13-773 unit in particular was given to the Jotun Defense Force on Southern Ishtar to assist with their operations in their jurisdiction. Equipped with a Spine Cannon and three support units, a 8U-10, a 8U-11 and a U8-12, it was likely used extensively to track down fugitives in the wilds outside of Jotun.

## Phase 3 Story

### Target Acquired

A few weeks after the Façade killing in Jotun, Logan Horn and his team arrived illegally into the city to investigate the murder. Within a few days, their presence had become known not only to the Lamantos Crime Family, but also to the JDF. From their counterparts in Xiros, they learned of Logan's investigation and sent the U8-13-773 unit to arrest the renegade detective to prevent further interference. However, an unknown individual was able to alter the construct's directives expressly to kill Logan Horn.

The 8U-13-773 unit located Logan and his team as they were traveling through the Prialor region to a JDF black-ops site. Arriving via aerial deployment, it intercepted them and began to attack. The cops and cons managed to fend off its attacks and get in some good hits of their own, knocking off pieces of the construct's armor. Though initially socked into inaction, Eliphet Price managed to hack the hunter robot via his shard terminal and disable its Spine Cannon. After taking considerable damage, 8U-13-773 changed tactics and deployed its three support units. As the party dealt with them, it burrowed underground in an attempt to wrongfoot them. Destroying all but one of its support units, which Eli hacked to join their side, the hunter robot resurfaced and engaged its execution protocol. Dash Whiskers valiantly held off the construct's viscous attacks as Eli and Hellebore dealt a devastating blow to the robot by igniting grease sprayed inside the creature to burn out its internal components. With the construct severely weakened, Keres Creed went in for the kill, ripping the metallic jaw off the robot and shutting it down.

### Legacy

The attack from 8U-13-773 was a pivotal moment for Logan's team. It confirmed that possibly the JDF or someone pressuring them did not want the Façade case to be investigated further. Eli's analysis of the construct's memory banks also informed them that its orders had been changed to eliminate Logan in order to silence him. These revelations also force Logan to come clean with the illicit nature of the mission, causing Dash to have a crisis of faith and inciting Eli to punch Logan in the face at being manipulated this way. Despite the anger and misgivings of the group, reason prevailed in the form of Victor Von Cicero, and the team agreed begrudgingly to see their mission through to the end. In addition to the new companion that Eli had made of its 8U-10 support unit, now dubbed "Maggie", the party also scavenged parts from the construct to utilize in their subsequent exploits.

## Powers and Abilities

* **Slam**: +4 to hit, 1d8 bludgeoning damage.
* **Stomp**: +3 to hit, 1d8 bludgeoning damage.
* **Legendary Actions**
	+ **Bite**:
	+ **Fortify Armor**: Raises Armor Class by 2. Cannot be raised above 20.
	+ **Spine Missile**: +2 to hit. 1d8 piercing damage.
* **Drive-By**
* **Burrowing**: 8U-13-773 burrows underground and cannot be targeted.
* **Deploy Support Units**: 8U-13-773 deploys three small 8U class robots to aid it.

## Loot Drops

* *Spine Cannon*: Martial Ranged Weapon. Deals 1d8 piercing damage. Use 5 units of ammo at once to perform Spine Spread, a 10ft radius attack that requires a Dexterity Saving Throw from targets.
* *Synthetic Ruby Eye*: Adds +1 to hit for Cantrips.
* *Brilliant Emblem*: While Unarmored, you may add your Dexterity and Intelligence modifiers to your AC
* *Brilliant Artificer Font Scrapblade*: 1d6 slashing damage. When making an attack with a weapon containing this property, you can choose either your Strength or Intelligence modifier for the Attack and Damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls. In place of casting a Cantrip, you may make a magical ranged attack with this weapon if you are an Artificer, dealing this weapon's Damage roll as Force damage.
* *Light Pugilist Taunting Claws:* 1d4 Slashing damage. Counts as a Monk Weapon. The first creature hit with this attack gets Disadvantage on any Attack rolls towards targets that aren't the original attacker, until the start of that attacker's next turn.

## Achievements

* **Achievement I**: Drop 8U-13-773's Armor Class to 10.
* **Achievement II**: Unearth 8U-13-773 (during its burrowing phase).
* **Achievement III**: Successfully defeat 8U-13-773 without anyone knocked unconscious.

## Etymology

8U-13-773 is supposed to be a serial code, a unique number assigned to an item to identify it. In this instance, the construct is an 8U-13 Class robot with the identifier 773.

In leetspeak, this serial code spells out "bulette", the name of the classic Dungeons and Dragons monster this construct was modelled after.

## Trivia

* The 8U-13-773 unit is designed to resemble a bulette, a type of burrowing creature in Dungeon and Dragons.
* 8U-13-773 is the first official boss fight in the Ioverse. It is also the first instance of the new Achievement system being used as a core mechanic.

## Images

### Official art

An 8U-10 unit deployed by 8U-13-773. Adopted by its targets under the name "Maggie".An 8U-11 unit deployed by 8U-13-773.An 8U-12 unit deployed by 8U-13-773.