SCREAMERS, Lesser Independent Race. "He paused, glancing back down the corridor. Shadows flickered in the dense forest of girders, pipes, and power conduits, begrimed lights painting the scene with shades of amber and brown. He consoled himself that the shadows always appeared thus, shifting patterns of dark and less-dark. Then frowned, as it sunk in how ... short the corridor looked. The furthest pair of lights flickered and went out, the corridor suddenly shorter still. He stared into the blackness beyond, eyes wide in the senseless conviction that it would help pierce the gloom. There was a hint of motion, of something coiling unseen, perhaps a glint on curved, glistening surfaces. It seemed to sense the attention, then, and the darkness advanced with increasing speed. He turned to run..."
Screamers are protoplasmic entities originating from Mothmothers in the asteroid belt. Screamers, known as 'moths' when in space, are generally inimical to human life. They were called Screamers for the characteristic sound they make in an atmosphere, typically moving at hypersonic speeds. On the ground, they are generally silent, except for a slight crackling and slithering sound when they move. It is likely that they communicate to each other via radio or other bands.
Screamers thrive on electrical energy, and have a field of inductance to do so. This field drains electrical activity around them. In addition, they feed on magic points and other forces within lifeforms. The Screamers had taken to swarming toward the Earth by the middle part of the 21st century. Many of the USO's activities concerned the Screamer invasions.
In the air, Screamers seem to utilize some form of Domain-based movement, capable of accelerating without any visible means of propulsion.
SCREAMERS, Swarming Evil
Str: Age x D6, Avg 42
Con: Age x D4, Avg 30
Siz: Age x D8, Avg 55
Int: Age x .5, Avg 6
Pow: Age x D3 x .5, Avg 12
Dex: Age x D3, Avg 24
Move 10 ground/30 air/100+ jet-space
Screamer size varies wildly, based on life cycle. Generate an 'age' by multiplying two D6s. Some are, obviously, potentially huge.
Av. Damage Bonus: +5D6
Weapons: Laser* Int x 5%, damage special
Pseudopod** 30%, damage db
Drain*** Pow test, damage special
* May divide up to Str/5 (round up) D10 dice of damage between any number of targets with same chance to hit each target, range is Siz x 5 meters. Subject to laser rules (1/2 damage per multiple of range in an atmosphere, armor of targets is doubled vs lasers).
** Range is Siz/2 meters
*** Range is Siz/5 meters (round up), see Spells for details
Armor: 5 pts of plastic resiliency, +5 per round spent adapting form (up to 3 times, each time halves movement rate)
Not affected by vacuum or pressure up to 100 or so atmospheres, area attack damage is 1/2 before armor
Aversion to water, but no ill effects other than 1/2 Move rate
1/2 Dex when not airborne
Screamers are affected by Elder Signs
Spells: None, but have the following powers:
1) Can drain energy within Siz/5 meters (round up). Systems using a wide variety of energies are interfered with. Lights fade out, batteries discharge, and other effects accompany them. Effective rating of most gear drops by ten at furthest range, dropping another ten per meter within the effect. Weapons based on or utilizing energy (lasers, railguns, etc) will fail completely within range.
Screamers have not been observed shutting off this ability, which often alerts humans to their presence. They do not seem suffer from power overload, somehow dispersing excess energy.
2) Energy drain also drains MP from all living beings within range after a successful Pow test, 1 point at furthest range plus 1 per full meter within range. The Pow test is made per round, with the Pow of the Screamer is divided among applicable targets. The Screamer may choose to focus its Pow on specific targets.
If targets have no MP, HP are drained. At 0 HP, Siz is drained, until target is a charred corpse. These points are converted to MP within the Screamer, though only 2x Pow can be stored. The Screamer's drain will continue even if it is 'full', the excess being dispersed somehow. Electrical systems provide 1-5 MP per round, depending on circumstances.
3) A Screamer can convert up to 'Pow' magic points per round into HP to repair itself.
4) A Screamer may move at full speed while taking any other action. They may take one attack and one nonattack action per round.
Drain is automatic, but it uses up a nonattack action to distribute Pow to specific targets rather than dividing Pow equally.
Healing is automatic.
Converting to faster/less armored or slower/more armored form requires the Screamer's full attention, no other actions allowed.
Skills: Dodge 30%/90% (ground vs airborne), Spot Hidden 50%, Hide 30%, Sneak 30%
Sanity Loss: 1D3/1D10 Sanity points if seen clearly, possibly 0/1D6 if only glimpsed