Rapt-Rex

*Laura cursed as her cybernetic legs gave out from the damage they suffered as she attacked the Minions that ambushed her squad, cutting her and the other NeShemars with her off from the rest of the Shemarrian war party. Climbing up the body of the Minion she had impaled on her spear before her legs gave out to look for any battle sisters, finding no one else still alive. In the distance she could hear the distinct sounds of Shemarrian railguns and Splugorth Minions fighting.*

*The sound of branches snapping behind her caught her attention as a group of Blind Warriors entered the clearing she was stuck in. Raising her laser and fired the last of the e-clip into one Warrior's head, dropping it, the other 3 closing in. Laura drew her knife, ready to fight to her last breathe.*

*A screech from over head called just before a mass of fur, feathers and claws landed upon the Blind Warriors, tearing into the Blind Warriors. Another figure landed beside Laura, it's majestic raptor head looking her over for a moment before stepping over her, the creature's barrel body opening up and wrapping around her before taking wing. The last thing Laura saw before losing consciousness as her repair systems were overridden by the creature was the sky filled with her winged battle sisters and Rapt-Rexs beside them.*

Rapt-Rex

The Rapt-Rex is an EShemarrian  e-nimal that is loosely based on a gryphon in style, a bit larger than the Shemarrian Kantaran (Wolf), with the head, wings and fore legs shaped like hawk with a cardinal style crest, powerful taloned legs, over sized wings, and rear quarters similar but scaled down, Monst-Rex, including prehensile tail and two of the spines, behind the wings. The torso is large and fairly barrel shaped.

The Rapt-Rex was partly inspired by the Wolf's Path Phalanx Gestalt modified Kantarans, only instead of a group of these creatures forming an exo-armour around a warrior, a single Rapt-Rex would act as armour and additional weapons and flight pack for a Shemarrian, up to the size of a War Goddess. The other purpose is to act as a form of Search and Rescue, where the Rapt-Rex could find a downed warrior, engulf them and carry the wounded away to safety.

While used in a manner similar as a Kantaran, the Rapt-Rex is usually either paired with one Shemarrian, or works in flocks of other Rapt-Rexs or other e-nimals and Warmounts, acting as scouts, flankers, and as armour for close by warriors or to rescue downed warriors, as the need rises.

The Rapt-Rex has concealed contra-grav coils and thrusters built into its back to give it respectable speed and flight, able to fly in space and atmosphere. The eyes contain the standard eye lasers, while the crest contains additional sensors, like radar. The fore-legs contain a dual shot mini missile launcher, and the wings contain feather launchers. The spines are sharp and used just like the Monst-Rex, impaling grappled targets, and the bladed tail is excellent for slashing targets on flybys. It incorporates a force field generator, while on its own, the generator provides modest protection, but when linked to a warrior, the combined power sources improves the forcefield protection value and regeneration rate.

To act as armour, the Hawkmoons studied the Phalanx closely and applied what they learned, and used many memory materials to aid in the Rapt-Rex's transformation. The chest opens and wraps around the Warrior's torso, with the head and neck resting atop the Warrior's head and protecting the back of neck. The fore legs open and wrap around the arms, with the talons around the warrior's hands to add their damage to the warrior's unarmed strike. The Rapt-Rex's forelegs are open enough to allow the Warrior's claw and laser vambraces still use their laser, but the talons are usually more powerful. The legs extend round to protect the warrior's legs, and the rear paws engulf the feet, with the toes adding stability and better grip for climbing. While acting as armour, the Rapt-Rex's nanite repair system supercharges the Warrior's own repair system, aiding in repairing and stabilizing a wounded warrior.

## Abilities

### Sensor Systems

#### PPE Sensor

This is identical to the SNARLSystem deployed as a gun sight by the Rifts Earth Japanese military. Slightly more sensitive with a PPE trigger threshold of 40 PPE. Effective range of 200 ft, with 50% margin of error beyond that out to 500 ft.

#### Integral Laser Designators

The Rapt-Rex has optically-integrated laser-illumination systems built into its eyes for ‘painting’ targets for attack with laser-guided weaponry. Effective range of the eye-laser designators is 4 miles.

### Special Systems

#### Kinetic Baffling

The fur and feathers on the Rapt-Rex provide some protection from blunt force melee combat strikes such as punches, kicks, hammer strikes, falls, and concussive explosions do HALF damage.

#### Acoustic Stealth

The feathers and fur muffle sound and the ability of the Rapt-Rex vocal apparatus able to generate ‘white noise’ to counter any sounds the Rapt-Rex makes, granting  +10% to Prowl.

#### Armour Mode

The Rapt-Rex is able to function as a type of power armour for a warrior, up to the size of a standard War Goddess, granting additional armour protection, sensor awareness, weapons and flight capabilities. The armour provides the following bonuses.

##### MDC

Add the Rapt-Rex's MDC to the wearer's, which is reduced first (head to head, forelegs to arms, rear legs to legs, main body to warrior's body).

##### 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 Rapt-Rex vocal apparatus able to generate ‘white noise’ to counter any sounds the host makes, the wearer gets a +10% to Prowl.

##### Sensory Bonuses

The Rapt-Rex's own eyes and sensors give the wearer a much reduced chance of being surprised; +1 to initiative, +1 to dodge, +2 to Perception rolls. Gains access to all the Rapt-Rex's sensors, including radar detection, radar, etc.

##### Regeneration Supercharger

Lifted from the aviars armour system the Rapt-Rex 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 75%.

##### Strength

If the wearer has lower strength than the Rapt-Rex, use the Rapt-Rex score, if higher, adds +2 to the user's strength.

##### Attacks

Adds 2 additional attacks, the tail and spines to the user's attacks, Or the Rapt-Rex can use the tail and spines itself to fend off attacks or attack enemies within reach, but only has 3 attacks per melee.

##### Flight

The wearer can use the Rapt-Rex's flight systems to fly, however top speed is only 450 mph, speed unaffected in space.

##### Enhanced Forcefield

The forcefield has improved protection and regeneration rate once the Rapt-Rex is joined with a wearer, providing 250 MDC, and regenerates at 30 MDC per melee.

##### Autonomous Mode

If the wearer is unconscious, or unable to move under their own power, the Rapt-Rex is able to move on its own, but at 3/4 land speed, and 450 mph flight, using its own combat bonuses. In this mode, the Rapt-Rex will try to take the quickest, and safest escape route to take its charge to safety.

### Weapons Systems

#### Beak

 Damage
 Damage2

The beak of the Rapt-Rex is well suited for tearing apart creatures and aircraft alike, based on the BattleHawk's.

#### Eye Lasers (2)

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The Rapt-Rex is fitted with powerful lasers in its eyes, giving it a stare of death.

#### Wing Blades

 Damage
 Damage2
Max +30 MD at full speed

Concealed among the flaps and pinions of the wings are a set of wing blades that can be used to deliver a flying slash. Rapt-Rex use the wing blades as part of flying tackles or rams, adding their damage when attacking aerial targets.

#### Mini Missiles

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Concealed on the forelegs are a set of two mini missiles each, giving the Rapt-Rex a little heavier punch.

#### Feather Launcher

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The Rapt-Rex has a series of feather shaped blades in its wings that it can launch through the use of artificial muscles. The blades can be replenished at a rate of 4 blades per hour using 8 MDC.

#### Talons (2)

 Damage

The talons on the forelegs are powerful, able to rend armour with ease.

#### Spines (2)

 Damage
 Damage2

The Rapt-Rex has two spines similar to the Monst-Rex, only smaller, used to stab targets as it grapples, also aid in climbing.

#### Prehensile Tail

 Damage

The 6 foot tail has a sharp blade on the end. A favourite tactic while grappling is to use the tail to slash at lower appendages such as legs to further hamper a target.

### Programming

The Ecotroz have installed robotic AIs, then infected the matrix with a low-level Ecotroz sentience.

Typically programmed similar to the Monst-Crane but also includes aerial movement and combat, with the Shemarrian Wolf scouting skills.

50% (+5% per leve of experience for Ecotroz entity)

The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the ---- intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Lores and Technical Languages.

* Climb 70%

* Navigate Air/Land 80%

### Combat

 Dodge
 Parry
 Auto Dodge
 Strike
 Roll
 Pull Punch

The Rapt-Rex is well suited to melee combat, both on the ground and the air, preferring to strike from above before engaging in melee combat on the ground.

### Ecotroz

As the Rapt-Rex is Awakened, it has a psionic aura, possessing 1d8+4 ISP on average, and higher level Rapt-Rex's could gain more ISP and even develop more psionic powers.

Has the following Psionic Powers at no cost:

* \*Sixth Sense

* \*Sense Magic

* \*See Aura

The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the ---- an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot. The Rapt-Rex acts similar to the Shemarrian Wolves, protective of its Shemarrian companions, working well in groups, eager to please and fight along side warriors and warmounts alike. They are quick to rush to the rescue of a downed warrior. When not engaged in combat, they can be playful, but also enjoy lounging like cats, watching everything that is going on around them.

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 (most Warmounts, unless otherwise noted, have an effective IQ rating of 8), 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, and NEW BUILT EShemar constructs are immune to this)

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

## Options

The Rapt-Rex can be fitted with a number of options including the following:

### Wing Hardpoints (2)

The Rapt-Rex can be fitted with two hardpoints, one each wing, similar to those of the BattleHawk, only with half the capacity, incurring the same penalties that the BattleHawk would with similar mounted equipment.

### Blurr Camouflage

The Rapt-Rex's whole body is covered with feathers, with the many feathers breaking up light and make it harder for visual lock-on the e-nimal; the faster the Rapt-Rex 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. These bonuses also work in armour mode.

### Gecko’ Grips

These are molecular adhesion pads on the feet that allow the Rapt-Rex greater proficiency in clinging to perches, including walls and ceilings that can support its weight.

### Quill Shooter

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Quill-shooters can be fitted in the forelegs, and in armour mode the wearer can now shoot high-velocity darts from their arms.

The Rapt-Rex can ‘grow’ new quills at a rate of 12 per hour and 10 MDC consumed.

### Flit Launcher

The Rapt-Rex can carry several flit-projectiles, the Shemarrian version of the Northern Gun NMX-18 Stinger Anti-Flyer Mine. Typically 2d4+2 flits can be carried, located on the shoulders and upper torso. The wearer can fire them when the Rapt-Rex is in armour mode.

### ‘Death Screech’ Sonic Blaster

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

This sonic weapon was developed by the Wolf's Path, and several examples were gifted to the Hawkmoon, and can be fitted into the mouth of the Rapt-Rex. Instead of a howl, the Rapt-Rex releases a powerful screech. Although this version isn't quite as powerful as the Wolf's Path version.

The screech also does 1/4 damage as SDC through body armor (but not EBA), and can be modulated to stun; the victim must make a save versus non-lethal poison of be rendered unconscious for 1d4 melees. Even on a successful save, victims are shaken by the intense vibrations, and are -2 on initiative, strike, parry, and dodge for 1d6 melees.

### TW Augmentation

The Rapt-Rex can be augmented with TW enhancements, including a small PPE generator or battery. Typical TW systems added include:

Armour of Ithor,
Impervious to Energy, Invisibility (Simple), Wind Rush, and other defensive
spells.

### Kantaran Options

The Rapt-Rex can make use of several of the Kantaran options, including different fur options (silver, shredder fur, etc).