Modron, Octon

Strength 11x

Agility 7d

Intellect 10d

Willpower 12d

Hand Size: Edge:

3 (17) 1

Origin:

As are all other modrons, the sixty-four octons are extradimensional clockwork beings, hailing from the highly orderly plane of Mechanus. Their fantastic alien physiology is a bizarre blend of flesh and gears, and this, combined with their inherently magical nature, is the source of the octons' many and various ascendant powers.

Powers:

Modron Physique: the children of Mechanus, the infinite masses of modrons are a potent blend of organism and mechanism. Modrons seamlessly combine the two diametric designs into a seamless whole, a feat which is made possible by their highly orderly, magically charged bodies. Octons are no exception to this rule, and have access to these powerful abilities as a result:

* Agelessness (s): all modrons, regardless of rank or station, are ageless in nature. Instead of having the longevity power, which implies an eventual lifespan, modrons simply do not age whatsoever. In fact, if not slain by accident or design, a modron may effectively live on forever, adopting new and more versatile forms as it ascends the ladder of law.

* Body Armor (s): both organic and inorganic in nature, all modrons have some manner of resistance to physical attacks. Essentially, the sixty-four octons should be treated as having intensity 4 (+1) protection from attacks of a conventional sort. Of course, only a fool - or an incredibly powerful combatant - would stand up to an octon in melee combat.

* Clairsentience (w): the modron high-ups have unbelievably acute sensory apparatus, allowing them to sense anything within the plane they currently occupy. Distance isn't a factor, but simply knowing where to look / listen / taste / touch / smell is. This power functions for octons at intensity 10, allowing them an unheard of awareness of their surroundings.

* Dimensional Transit (i): an offshoot of the hierarch modron's ability to teleport, this supernatural power allows an octon to transport itself to another plane of existence altogether. However, this power only works at intensity 10, and has the risk of materializing the octon in solid matter unless it intimately knows the area it is traveling to. Thus, this power is normally used sparingly.

* Force Field (i): hierarch modrons have the ability to form a specialized force field in their immediate vicinity, in either a hemispherical or spherical form. Either way, this force field acts as an intensity 10 barrier against any incoming damage - even magical attacks! However, a determined opponent can teleport through it with ease, but then, that's what an octon's other powers are for.

* Invulnerability to Emotion Control, Illusion, Mind Control, Paralysis / Sleep, and Vampirism (s): all modrons, especially the sixty-four octons, are completely immune to these attack forms. As beings of ultimate order, they are able to shrug off such effects with ease - though they can readily perceive when such assaults are used (albeit unsuccessfully) against them.

* Mesmerism (w): though limited in scope, hierarch modrons can use this to great effect when confronted with non-modrons. Working at intensity 10, this power allows a hierarch to attempt an easy difficulty Mesmerism action (opposed by the target's Willpower score). If successful, this action lets a modron force its opponent to execute (or at least attempt) a one word command.

* Resistance to Acid, Cold, and Fire attacks (s): the modron physique is highly resistant, albeit not totally immune to, the effects of extreme cold, heat, and corrosives - this despite their partially metallic nature. They possess intensity 4 (+1) damage reduction against such attack forms, allowing them to maneuver in most hostile environs with relative ease - which comes in handy during the Modron March.

* Resistance to Magic (s): modron hierarchs are resistant to magical powers, whether damaging or otherwise, though each brand of hierarch has a different level of immunity to such power. The octon, for instance, has intensity 9 (+2) resistance to sorcery. While this does not make them immune to the use of anomalous energies against them, this power lends octons a considerable edge against most empowered combatants.

* Telepathy (w): all modron hierarchs can telepathically contact modrons they can normally converse with at all times. Octons, for instance, wield this power at intensity 6, at least where other modrons are concerned. As such, they may achieve mind to mind contact with their nonaton inferiors, their octon peers, and their septon superiors, pretty much at will.

* Teleportation (i): all hierarch modrons have the innate ability to teleport at will, transporting themselves to just about any place they know of within their current plane of existence. This essentially translates into intensity 20 teleportation, and octons using this power have no chance whatsoever of materializing in a solid object - this supernatural power is that precise!

Additional Limbs / Tentacles (a): an octon has eight powerful, whip-thin tentacles, which it can readily bring to bear on its foes in battle. Thanks to an inherent skill with multiple attacks, octons can make up to four melee attacks in one exchange, the last three of which will occur as contingent actions - albeit at a highly reduced action score.

Flight (a): thanks to a peculiar, circular collar resting at shoulder level on every octon's body, they can all fly about by sucking air (or water, if it is under water) into the collar and then ejecting it out the other side, almost like a built-in propeller. This flight (or super-swimming, depending) works at intensity 2 (approximately 60 miles per hour).

Philosophical Awareness (w): when looking at any sentient being, an octon has the ability to determine, if said being fails an easy difficulty Willpower (philosophical awareness) action against this intensity 12 power, whether he or she leans towards an orderly, chaotic, good, evil, or balanced mindset. The octons' role as the administrators of Regulus' sixty-four cogs is greatly aided by this power.

Super Speed (a): octons all possess this power at intensity 2, which basically allows them to double their operating speed (they can move about at around 45 miles per hour if necessary). Furthermore, an octon can use this power to achieve even more multiple attacks than they already wield, but again, this butchers their total action score.

Telekinesis (i): octons have the ability to manipulate objects in their environment without even touching them. Using this power at intensity 12, octons can lift and move an object at up to far missile distance with similar strength. Octons can also use this power to support their heavy bodies on water; this isn't flight, or even levitation, but just water walking.

Schooling: Disciple - Clerical Magic / Order

Octons are competent users of magic, evincing a priestly devotion to order itself. In addition to their considerable innate magical powers, octons may wield anywhere between five and eight magic spells of this type, all functioning at intensity 13. Most of these should be determined before a given octon enters play, though one or two spell 'slots' may be kept in reserve for surprise's sake.

Hindrances / Augmentations:

(none)

Equipment

(none)

Skills:

Law (i): more than anything else, the modrons are ultimate masters of law, knowing their own clockwork plane in and out. They extend this basic knowledge of What Should Be to all aspects of existence, and should make any Intellect action based on the knowledge of orderly systems at one difficulty level lower than normal, using either Intellect or Willpower if regarding Mechanus, and with an autotrump concerning Regulus.

Leadership (w): knowing how to spread resources around and delegate tasks like no other beings alive, all hierarchs have this skill as a general matter of course. If they can pass an average difficulty Willpower action, these modrons can add a +1 to the action scores of anybody they lead. If the modron loses its ability to lead, however, this bonus turns into a -1 penalty.

Repair / Tinkering (a): furthermore, in their capacity as the caretakers of Mechanus (as far as they are concerned, at least), modrons have a preternatural knowledge of mechanical systems. In addition to allowing them to keep the gears of their home plane running smoothly, this skill doubles as an effective first aid skill for modrons, letting them utilize basic medicinal skills on their brethren.

Calling:

Soldier: more so than any other beings in the multiverse, modrons live to further the influence of law and order. They follow the orders of their superiors instinctively, for to do otherwise is incomprehensible. While this calling sounds more militant than modrons really are, it should be noted that they are virtual exemplars of the soldier mindset.

Characteristics:

Lordly and majestic (as most hierarch modrons are), the octons feel great responsibility for the individual cogs that they oversee. The odd creatures do everything they can to maintain the proper order on their small portion of Mechanus, and are more than willing to send vast forces of modrons against anything the nonatons tell them is a serious threat.

Appearance:

The octon primarily appears as a rectangular steel block, eight feet tall, that walks on two mechanical legs and is wrapped within a large steel collar. This collar has bulges on the corners, each of which hold two of the octon's tentacles. Octons have the standard modron 'fleshy' face (but with two eyes) on the front side of their bodies.

Ecological Niche:

Though the decatons manage the various base modrons that inhabit each of Regulus' 64 cogs, it is the 64 octons who actually rule each piece of the modrons' realm. Via nonaton messengers, the octons make directives to the various base modrons, which (though the decatons see to them directly) the octons perceive to be their charges.

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