Saturday, July 11, 2009

Cthulhutech: Shoggoths

Continuing with the reposting of material from the Cthulhutech forums, here's my answer to the burning question "where are the shoggoths?".



NEG TRANSMISSION 11235813
CLASSIFICATION TOP SECRET / PARADISE COIL JINX
CIRCULATION WITHIN RESTRICTED CHANNELS ONLY
DO NOT COPY

1. (S / ORCON) PARADISE COIL JINX are a construct species that, according to information derived from the 1930-31 Miskatonic University Pabodie Expedition Report, were created by PARADISE COIL no later than the end of the Devonian Period (approximately 375 mya) and possibly as early as the Eoarchean Era (approximately 3800 mya). PARADISE COIL JINX were used primarily as construction equipment, although PARADISE COIL records dating to the Permian Period indicate that they could serve adequately as war machinery.

2. (TS / ORCON / WNINTEL) RAINBOW HELIX, RAINBOW WHISPER, and VICTOR HANDSHAKE all deny that PARADISE COIL JINX ever existed.

3. (TS / ORCON) There is no reliable information to suggest that BLUE HADES or the Migou are able to command or control PARADISE COIL JINX.

4. (C / ORCON) PARADISE COIL JINX takes the form of "a viscous jelly which [looks] like an agglutination of bubbles... each of which [averages] about fifteen feet in diameter when a sphere. They [have], however, a constantly shifting shape and volume; throwing out temporary developments or forming apparent organs of sight, hearing, and speech in imitation of their masters, either spontaneously or according to suggestion." They were designed to be primarily aquatic, but are fully capable of functioning on land. Although a diameter of fifteen feet is mentioned as an average, there is no reason to assume that PARADISE COIL JINX is limited to this size.

5. (TS / ORCON / SCI) Analysis of PARADISE COIL JINX tissue samples reveals double helix DNA composed of adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine bases, possessing a structure resembling the human mitochondrial genome. The cells function superficially like totipotent stem cells; they are able to differentiate into any other form of cell, but possess the unique ability to dedifferentiate back into their original state once the cell has performed its function. Field observation and laboratory analysis indicate that PARADISE COIL JINX possess no discrete organ systems. PARADISE COIL JINX is capable of metabolizing any known terrestrial biological matter.

6. (C) PARADISE COIL JINX lack of a defined anatomy makes it functionally immune to conventional weapons. Kinetic weapons and poisons are useless. Gross tissue damage from burning (chemical or thermal) is effective, but the target must be burned entirely to ash in order to kill it. PARADISE COIL JINX is capable of recovering from any amount of damage in time, particularly with access to food.

7. (C) If PARADISE COIL JINX is encountered during a field operation, all units are ordered to not initiate an engagement. Keep PARADISE COIL JINX under observation and contact your superior officer.

Average Shoggoth
(aka PARADISE COIL JINX)
Allegiance: None.
Scale: Integrity
Size: Small (typically 15' in diameter)
Attributes: Agility 5, Intellect 0, Perception 6, Presence 4, Strength 10, Tenacity 10, Variable Pool 5[note 1]
Secondary Attributes: Actions 1, Orgone 10, Reflex 3
General Skills: Observation: Adept (3), Performance - Mimicry: Focused Novice (1/2), Stealth: Novice (2)
Combat Skills: Dodge: Student (1), Fighting: Expert (4) Weapons: Pseudopod Slam (+0 plus entangle), Suck and Assimilate (+2)
Damage Bonus: +2
Integrity: 15
Armor: 2/2 vs burning or caustic attacks (fire, acid, electricity, mystic blast, etc), suffers no damage from physical attacks (punches, kicks, bullets, many explosions, etc)
Assimilate: A shoggoth grows by feeding. Every 100 wound points (10 Integrity points) of damage inflicted by the "suck and assimilate" attack on an organic target allows a shoggoth to permanently add 1 Integrity point, and also increase its Strength or Tenacity by 1. Every 400 wound points (40 Integrity) assimilated also increases the shoggoth's Variable Pool by 1. Two hours of rest and digestion are required to gain the increase.
Slough Flesh: A shoggoth may restore itself to full health by permanently sacrificing one point of Integrity for every two wound levels it heals. Healing in this fashion places the shoggoth at the minimum number of Integrity points for that wound level. Each time a shoggoth sloughs flesh, it must also reduce its Strength or Tenacity by 1. For every 4 points of Strength and/or Tenacity lost to soughing flesh, reduce the shoggoth's Variable Pool by 1. (For example, a standard shoggoth at Death's Door may heal itself to Flesh Wounds by reducing it's Integrity from 15 to 13. It would then have 1 point of damage, and a new Strength and Tenacity score of 9 each) Sloughing flesh also reduces the shoggoth's diameter by 6 inches.
Fear Factor: 20
Temperament: Predatory and Aggressive
Senses: Acute Hearing, Acute Touch, Nightvision, Sonar
Movement & Speed: Land [19 mph, 47/11 ypt], Swimming [25 mph, 62/14 ypt]

[1] Variable Pool: As a standard action, a shoggoth may distribute these 6 points into any attribute desired. A shoggoth may also spend 2 points from the variable pool to gain one extra action at no penalty.

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