Dread Destroyer

"If there's a more horrific sight in the Ninth World than seeing a dread destroyer coming at you, I don't know what it is. Heavy, metallic,and monstrous, these unstoppable things are like giant insects outfitted to go to war with the entire world at once."

- Jennis Falon, explorer



Dread Destroyers are massive, mechanical creatures that protect ancient ruins.

Background
Called dread destroyers by the few people who are aware of their existence, these giant war machines have organic brains and internal organs protected by a self-repairing metal shell. With their twelve legs, they lumber over any surface - even clinging to a vertical surface like an insect if need be - but if they enter water, their raised abdomen lowers and a propeller engine moves them alng efficiently. Although a single dread destroyer has the capability to launch an attack on an entire city, it's far more likely that you'll find one defending an important, ancient site.

Motive:
Defense

Environment:
Only one of these automatons has been seen at a time, but holographic imagery have shown scenes from the distant past when hundreds of dread destroyers once crawled across a battlefield together. They can be encountered on land or even underwater.

Health:
100

Damage Inflicted:
Usually 10 points

Armor:
5

Movement:
Short

Modifications:
Speed defense as level 8 due to both size and speed

Combat:
Dread destroyers can attack foes up to one mile away - and possibly much farther - with missiles that can kill hundreds of people at once, inflicting 20 points of damage on all targets within long range of the detonation. If any targets caught within the blast make a successful Speed defense roll, they only suffer 8 points of damage.

Up close,dread destroyers can make melee attacks with their limbs or "mandibles," which can drag a struck creature into the war machine's interior. There, it's held immobile and jolted with electricity until deceased (each round, it will take 6 points of damage that ignores Armor). A might task can allow the creature to break free.

More likely, however, a dread destroyer will emit a surge of electricity that deals 10 points of damage to everyone within immediate range. Dread destroyers also will fight to the death.

Interaction:
If communication can possibly be established with the organic brain, a PC can, in fact, reason with a dread destroyer, but convincing it to do something will be very difficult.

Use:
A dread destroyer is likely the most horrific thing on a Ninth World battlefield. Unless you hold an army at your side and are willing to lose a large portion of it, battle would prove unwise. Still, the greatest of guardians often protect the greatest of treasures.

Loot:
The remains of a dread destroyer are a scavenger's dream, yielding at least 1d100 + 1000 shins, 1d20 oddities, 1d0 cyphers, and 1d6 artifacts.