When the Sucha hunts the traveler, he forgets the Bellator that’s hunting him.
Mujinese Proverb
Summary
The Bellator (plural Bellatori) is a six-limbed humanoid created by the Warrior Ayr to protect other sapients from the panoply of cruel monster created by the One. Bellatori have four arms (two dominant and two lesser median arms), a weakly prehensile frond-tail and can reach 2.5 meters in height when standing upright. Despite their size Bellatori are not hulking creatures but lanky and surprisingly light, though certainly not frail. Sharing characteristics with both reptiles and birds they are deadly hunters and warriors with a fearsome reputation. They are also increasingly rare, victims of the fall of their creator. Most Bellatori survive in small nests or outposts in the savage wilds. Few humans ever encounter one and few Bellatori seek out human contact.
Advantages
The Bellatori body shape and additional limbs grant them incredible grace and dexterity. Bellatori have a hard epidermal layer and resilient honeycomb bones. Bellatori regenerate quickly and can survive wounds that would kill a human. Do to the structure of their vocal apparatus they are able to mimic most sounds, a talent often used to misdirect prey. Their greatest advantage is their incredible speed and natural talent in combat.
Limitations
Bellatori are highly sensitive to variations in temperature, preferring temperate climates. They can suffer degraded capacity in extreme heat and cold. They are also a less developed species, adept with weaponry, combat, and hunting but inept with technology, commerce, and other civilized skills. The most significant limitation to the Bellatori as a species is their low fecundity – Bellatori children are exceedingly rare and their population is declining. Finally, many Bellatori struggle against a creeping spiritual-mental illness that may be due to the loss of their creator, Oto, the Warrior.
Description
Legends suggest that the Bellatori were created by the Warrior Ayr by mixing the blood of grommen and human, or by granting Grommen the intelligence of humans. Whatever their origin, most stories portray the Bellatori as guardians for humanity, a bulwark against the One’s violent creations, a role they fulfilled admirably and religiously, but when the great empire fell the Bellatori fell with it.
Modern Bellatori are the diminished descendants of the great warrior species. They have lost much due to the loss of their Deva. Few Bellatori remain and fewer still who have not fallen into feral ways.
Growing to between 1.7 to 2.5m in height, these slim bipedal creatures are similar to humans in many ways, with two eyes, a mouth, fingers, toes. But there is much that distinguishes them as well. Firstly the Bellatori skin tones run the range from near jet black to a dark purple, hewing towards the blue-green side of the spectrum. They are hairless and lack most mammalian features including mammary glands. Their hide is thick and durable, harder than leather and thick in the places most vulnerable on other humanoids. Their eyes are opaque monotone orbs which makes determining where they are looking extremely difficult. They are built as though with iron cord, their muscles bundled tight and obviously capable of enormous power. They possess digitgrade legs, with the bulk of their weight borne on the toe. The Bellatori move with speed and grace well beyond most humans and are capable of leaping enormous distances by virtue of the tension stored in those muscles.
The head and mouth of the Bellatori is distinct from humans, constructed of overlapping plates of hard bony material. The size, and orientation of these plates appears to differ between various Bellatori much like human features. Some specimens sport sharpened edges on their bone plates or horn like protrusions, while others have smooth or slightly curved features.
The mouth is composed of four structures; the upper jaw attached to the skull, and three mandibles which intersect at the fore of the mouth. The Bellatori is quite capable of speech and possesses a robust resonating chamber allowing it to generate a wide range and high volume of sound. This resonating chamber, called a Syrinx, is oddly similar to that of the Grommen or ‘Growler’. In their own communication the Bellatori use a combination of diverse sounds and the positioning of mandibles and face plates to convey a complex set of meanings. When mimicking the common human tongues they clench their three lower mandibles together to mimic a human mouth structure.
Bellatori have two sets of ‘teeth’; a hard ridge for chewing vegetation and a retractable set of sharp edged meat teeth. These latter teeth are composed of an extremely hard calcified material and allow them to masticate almost any sort of meat.
Bellatori seem to possess an innate talent for hunting and fighting. A newly walking Bellatori can pick up a sword and within minutes show prowess equal to a trained soldier. This talent seems to extend to most weapons and is believed to be one of the gifts of the Warrior. Few humans can equal even an untrained feral Bellatori. Legends of trained, armed, and massed Bellatori suggest an unparalleled lethality. Most Bellatori eschew advanced weaponry and are confounded by Clatterjacks and Canna, but they are skilled at virtually all other forms of combat.
Bellatori have been recorded as being able to run up to 75km/hr on flat terrain, far faster than humans.
Bellatori have acute senses of sight and hearing and a dull sense of smell. They lack a nose and use their mouth for scenting.
Bellatori lifespans can reach up to seven centuries, but relatively few survive to such venerable ages, in no small part due to their dangerous lifestyles.
While much of the culture of the Bellatori has been lost to the ages, some record remains and even the feral Bellatori seem to instinctively mimic old behaviours. One example is in ornamentation. It is common for Bellatori to seek out or create some sort of clothing. This usually takes the form of hide or rough tanned leather to cover their torso, along with a variety of salvage and wood ornamentation which is impractical but highly reminiscent of older technological equipment. Epidermal decoration via scarification, tattooing, or paint is also common, with the most common visual motifs bearing similarities to Bellatori language, even amongst illiterate feral Bellatori. One common trait of Bellatori, feral and otherwise, is the valuation of cooperation over competition.
The historical record regarding Bellatori is spotty at best but the few stories that remain suggest that at one time they were an advanced species, on par with humanity in many ways. Some suggest they were tasked as guardians of other wise species by the Warrior, directed to defend the physically weaker human species from the various threats of Aeldos. In this task they seem to have been quite proficient. The cause of their decline is less clear. Current theories regarding the Bellatori decline suggest that the injury or death of their creator may have greatly diminished the whole species. Either their internal cohesion diminished and they fell to civil war or subjugation. This may have been paired with a decline in fertility. Modern ‘feral Bellatori certainly possess a low fecundity which has led to the species near extinction.
Despite their creator and their considerable gifts with combat, Bellatori temperament is not intrinsically aggressive. Bellatori are also not suicidally driven to combat and will flee if outnumbered or severely injured. The only record of Bellatori religious history indicates that the species had a unified religious structure based on the worship of the Warrior.
As with other Syrinals Bellatori are immune to most diseases and parasites due to their unique biology.
Bellatori are omnivorous, with the bulk of their diet composed of vegetation in most cases. Some feral Bellatori convert to a predatory diet and are adept at game hunting. Their natural constitution means they have little fear of poison or toxin. They appear to be immune to virtually all diseases and possess robust regenerative abilities allowing them to heal from grievous wounds.
Bellatori do possess a few exploitable weaknesses. They are crepuscular, with a hew towards the nocturnal and prefer to spend their days sleeping. During this daytime period they fall into deep slumber and display diminished reflexes and capacities making them vulnerable to predators and enemies. For this reason they often seek out extremely secure locations for nesting, constructing nests at the top of high, thick trees, burrowing deep and using immovable barriers, or claiming first age ruins with considerable advantages offered to their particular abilities. Bellatori are also vulnerable to certain materials and substances to which they display severe allergic reactions.
Records of the first age indicate that the Bellatori Warriors preferred to use a weapon known as a Angar, a curved single edged staff-blade approximately 2 meters in length with half of the weapon blade and the other half handle. The Agnar was entirely made of metal, with no hand wrap. As Bellatori do not sweat and the structure of their hand was matched to the weapon the Angar is very difficult for humans to wield comfortably.
Bellator language is extremely difficult for humans to replicate, consisting of both complex verbal features such as trills, clicks, supersonic and subsonic components as well as non-verbal features such as posture and limb, facial plate, and tail-frond positioning. Significant portions of Bellatori language rely on mimicry of arboreal sounds such as animal calls, making it possible for the Bellatori to communicate covertly while hunting prey. Bellatori language determines identity by a means imperceptible to humans, in the form of a signature subsound common to the entire utterance known as a Whistleshape. Most Bellatori who interact with humans craft a human audible and pronounceable Whistleshape as a Name.
Terms of Note
Ototrina: Legendary First Age capital of Bellatori power
Taket: Means throne and refers to the ancient ruler of the Bellatori. Now refers to any Bellator leader.
Takey Das: Ruler Servant/Slave and the name of the last ruler of the Bellatori.
Agility
Bellatori possess 6 digits on both their hands and feet with two strong opposable digits that enable them to grip weapons and terrain. They also possess two smaller medial arms with an additional flexible joint and hands possessing three three equilaterally opposing digits. While the medial arms always weaker than the dominant, these limbs are still as strong as an average human, and often armed with lethal piercing daggers. Add to this the weakly prehensile frond-tail that Bellatori possess and it becomes incredibly difficult to defend against the many avenues of attack a Bellatori can employ, or match their agility and ability to locomote through difficult environments.
Stealth
Bellatori are adept at creating their own camouflage, often painting their skin and constructing clothing that better enables them to hide in their natural environments. Add to this their low average weight, high flexibility, incredible speed, and ability to remain perfectly motionless for long periods of time and the Bellatori are the ideal abmush predator.
Misdirection
As members of the Syrinal family, Bellatori are capable of nearly perfect mimicry of any sound they have heard and to some degree also modifying that sound. This advantage allows the Bellatori to lure or direct targets and prey towards the disired point of ambush.
Skin and Bones
In addition to the above the Bellatori possess a hard epidermis and even harder bones. As a result even when an opponent lands a blow they are often less damaging and it can be very difficult to inflict a wound that reduces their mobility or capacity.
Natural Weapons
Grip strength, fingers, hardened tail-fronds, claw-nails, and the sheer power behind their kicking and punching all make them exceedingly dangerous to enter into melee combat with.
Regeneration
Finally, the Bellatori heal quickly and can regenerate wounds that other species would find lethal. A Bellator that is not killed outright but allowed to escape can return to combat effectiveness within days rather than weeks.
Bellator advantages do not come without some amount of cost.
Nesh
Bellatori are sensitive to temperature variations and are forced migrate or hibernate in cold climates. Hibernation can last for 2-3 weeks at a time, with the Bellator awakening to consume foodstuffs prepared in advance. A hibernating Bellator is extremely vulnerable and as a result they often select extremely difficult to access dens and reinforce them with traps. It is possible, though exceptionally difficult, for Bellatori to resist the hibernation urge. Doing so reduces the Bellatori capacity and increases their appetite substantially. Some larger groups will designate one or two Bellatori who guard a group den, though only after ensuring they are well supplied.
Guardian Urge
Bellatori are driven by an innate urge to protect sapients against threats. This urge, believed to be instilled by the Warrior Ayr, can make it difficult for a Bellator to harm a Sapient unless they are a direct threat. However the urge itself has diminished and mutated over the ages, possibly as a result of the loss of the Warrior. In some cases the urge can get inverted and several groups of Bellatori Fiends hunt Sapients for pleasure and food. These groups are the origin of many of the negative stereotypes relating to the Bellatori.
Warrior Specialists
Bellatori are gifted with an innate intelligence when it comes to weaponry, combat, and tactics, but uniquely limited in other facets.
Infertile
Bellatori children are exceedingly rare and opportunites to breed sucessfully may only occur once or twice in a Bellatori lifespan. As a result Bellatori population is essentially stagnant and children are protected fiercely.
Factions
The loss of their patron Ayr, the Warrior, severely diminished the Bellatori, fracturing the once unified species into three distinct cultural groups.
Ferals
Feral Bellatori lives are more akin to those of animals than other sapients. Ferals choose to dwell in the deep wilderness alone or in small groups, living simple lives, hunting and foraging, constructing primitive dens and generally avoiding contact with humanity and other sapients. Typically, only dangerous when threatened the Ferals are driven to avoid conflict with sapients by the Urge. Feral Bellatori eschew advanced crafts, restricting themselves to simple weapons, tools, and shelter. As a result, literate ferals are extremely rare, though some do bother to learn human languages, if only to eavesdrop on locals. Most ferals possess simple vocabularies, only what is needed to survive and little more. While some ferals eschew clothing entirely others construct simple coverings from furs and foliage. Armour, if any, is often wood or scavenged and piecemeal.
Relics
The rarer form of Bellatori are those who have retained the legacy of their once great culture. Relic Bellatori gather in small villages almost exclusively amongst the ancient ruined cities of their society, acting as guardians. Relics retain the complex language of the old culture as well as some portion of the craftsmanship. Most Relic Bellatori are both literate and fluent in the common human languages and many groups maintain libraries of Bellator books that would make a Lorekeeper blush. Some groups avoid contact with humans while others enjoy open trade. Relic Bellatori adorn themselves in the remnants of their civilization; beautiful silken and cloth garments woven with complex patterns and a variety of jewelry made from metals and gemstones. Relic armaments are often even more advanced than humans, consisting of advanced alloys forged with high precision. A skilled and armoured Relic Bellatori can easily outmatch a dozen trained human soldiers.
Fiends
Bellatori who suffer from a corrupted urge are known as Fiends and are driven by some basic bio-psychological impulse to hunt and eat humans and other quasi-humans. Thankfully Fiends represent the smallest portion of Bellatori and they typically operate individually or in small groups of 3-5. Fiends often seek out human outposts and settlements to conduct grisly raids, sometimes over the course of months, eventually causing a mass flight or emptying the settlement out entirely. Fiends are often better able to endure varying climates and seem to require much less rest than other Bellatori though it’s unclear why. Their behaviour does make them a target for both humans and other Bellatori driven by the urge to protect them.
Species Calling: Oto’s Chosen
Features
Calling Specialties
Bellatori excel at the following callings:
Bellatori Soldier: Combat = New Level x2
Bellatori Hunter: Stealth = New Level x2
Bellatori Explorer: Survival = New Level x2
Syrinal Grace: +2 starting Grace, maximum of 7
Hunter’s Senses: +1 starting Intuition, maximum of 6
Additional Limbs: Median arms and semi-prehensile frond-tail
Warrior’s Resilience: +3 to Health and Stress, 2 Stress Soak”
Regeneration: Bellatori can heal from wounds that would be lethal to others and heal at a higher rate than other species. They regenerate an additional 2 points of health per week. Bellatori regenerative abilities allow them to automatically self-stabilize when Fallen or Dying even without medical intervention. Bellatori can stabilize by succeeding in a Fortitude check at difficulty 16 for Fallen or 16 + Excess Damage for Dying.
Claws: Bellatori can use their clawed hands and feet as natural weapons. They inflict 2 damage as base.
Alien Appearance: -2 starting appearance, maximum of 3
Climate Sensitivity: -4 climate penalty
Fragile Mind: Increased chance of madness on stress breaks
Outsiders: Bellatori are considered aberrations in many cultures, limiting where they can go and who they can deal with.
Skill Purchase Modifiers
Bellatori have modified XP costs for purchasing the following skills.
Medicine +1 multiplier
Mercantile +1 multiplier
Technology +1 multiplier
Combat -1 multiplier
Stealth -1 multiplier
Survival -1 multiplier
Bellatori Core – Hunter’s Heart: The Bellatori are the chosen of the Ayr of Battle and possess an innate knowledge and capacity for warfare. Each point in Hunter’s Heart acts as armour against the stress of combat. E.g. If the character has 2 points in Warrior Heart and would normally suffer 3 stress from an attack this is reduced to 1. The Hunter’s Heart also enables the Bellator to take on advanced abilities. Ability levels cannot exceed the characters level in Hunter’s heart.
Abilities
Medial Arm Mutations
The Bellatori medial arms are typically far less powerful than the dominant arms. As a result, there are numerous limitations on the use of these limbs. Through a combination of genetic fortune and focused training the Bellatori is able to enhance these limbs, increasing their power and grace. The medial arms can only grow as powerful as the primary limbs, no stronger.
| Rank | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0 Penalty |
| 2 | +1 |
| 3 | +2 |
| 4 | +3 |
| 5 | +4 |
Unparalleled Hunter
The Bellatori’s keen senses enable them to track most targets with terrifying efficiency, but for those with this trait it is even more pronounced. For each point in this trait the Bellatori can choose a penalty type for tracking/stalking checks to ignore. Types of tracking penalties include; terrain, weather, time, deception, unfamiliar target.
Mobility
The Bellatori are gifted at running and leaping. With this ability they are able to climb up and down surfaces at full speed with preternatural speed and grace and even engage in standard actions while suspended from sheer surfaces or upside down.
| Rank | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | -2 Penalty |
| 2 | -1 Penalty |
| 3 | 0 Penalty |
| 4 | Full Speed |
| 5 | Full Actions |
Bellator Tech Attunement
One of the largest obstacles to Bellatori recovery as a species is their primitive technology. This was not always the case. During the golden age of humanity, the Bellatori were highly advanced and the species developed special technologies in cooperation with the Sige of the Urul empire. The fall of the Bellatori was, in part, caused by the failure of this technology as it ceased to operate properly for the Bellatori. By advancing this trait the character sheds the affliction that blocks their access to technology, enabling them to utilize more technology at greater levels of efficiency. For each point taken in this ability the Bellator is able to equip an additional item from the technology list below in order to gain its full benefits.
Hunter’s Sight
The chosen Bellatori are able to develop advanced forms of perception. For each level in Hunter’s sight the Bellatori can see in a new portion of the electromagnetic spectrum: In Order – Ultraviolet, Infrared, Microwave, Radio Wave
Reckoning Tone
The Bellatori ability to mimic and manipulate sound is notable, but with practice it can be turned to deadly purpose. The Reckoning Tone is a rare ability practiced by only a few. The Bellator rapidly modulates their syrinx to create a terrifying pitch that induces a primal stress and panic response in most living beings. It is a difficult act, requiring a combination of precision and force to generate the desired pitch. Legends speak of enemies driven mad by the sound and even millenia from their last great age the sound is remembered by humans on a nearly genetic level. Grace + Power / 2 + Reckoning Tone against targets Will. Targets suffer stress equal to 1/2 the spread.
Truestrike
The Bellatori possess an innate talent for combat; most yearlings are able to wield a sword or spear with the greater precision than a seasoned human soldier. The evolution of this trait is Truestrike which allows a Bellatori to discern the perfect point to hit a target. Once per combat the Bellatori can make a truestrike; on a success, the target automatically takes an amount of unsoakable damage equal to the Bellatori’s rating in truestrike in addition to any normal damage they might take.
Perfect Reflexes
The Bellatori are gifted with incredible reflexes. The best amongst them can achieve response times no unmodified human can match. The character can add points in perfect reflex to their grace for the purposes of defense. This ability also allows the Bellatori to activate a grace defense against any ranged attack they are aware of.
Thermal Resilience
Through training and will the Bellator is able to develop a resistance to the normal penalties Bellator suffer for operating in extreme temperatures.
| Rank | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Penalty reduced by 1 |
| 2 | Penalty reduced by 2 |
| 3 | Penalty reduced by 3 |
| 4 | Penalty reduced by 4 |
| 5 | Penalty reduced by 5 |
Coordinated Strike
A single Bellator is a difficult opponent, but many Bellatori are certain doom. The Bellatori are able to coordinate to make a single deadly strike against an opponent. This skill works best amongst groups of Bellatori who are able to coordinate their attack via subsonic and ultrasonic communication, but can also work with individuals of other species with whom the Bellator has trained or fought. For each level in Coordinated strike the Bellatori gains a +1 to hit a target for each ally also engaged with that opponent and +2 for each Bellatori ally.
Stalker
The stalking Bellator is able to pass through the world without being seen, even over long distances and at traveling speeds. If the Bellator travels alone (or with another with this ability) they move in stealth at full speed and leave few tracks sufficient to follow them. For each point in this ability the Bellator can move a full day’s travel on a stealth check and leave no trace in their wake. They do not need to sacrifice speed for stealth and any enemy seeking to track them must take a full day per level just to locate the trail.
Predatory Initiative
The Bellator has learned to trust their innate martial instinct and gains a permanent bonus to initiative equal to the rank in this ability.
Ambush Predator
Sometimes the victor isn’t the strongest or the fastest, but the one who strikes first and without warning. This is a lesson any can learn, but the Oto’s Chosen are particularly adept at employing. For each level in this ability the Bellator gains a bonus when attacking from stealth or concealment.
- +1 to the enemies defense penalty when attacking from concealment
- +1 to damage on attacks from full stealth
The Missing Scale
The Bellator is able to identify a fault in a target’s armour, natural or otherwise, that allows them to bypass an amount of armour value equal to his level in this ability. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to their level in Hunter’s Heart.
Sidestep
The Bellator knows the rhythm of combat and is skilled at avoiding consecutive attacks from the same creature. If the Bellator is successful at dodging the first attack in a flurry, they dodge a number of additional attacks equal to their level in this ability. The Bellator can use this ability a number of times per day equal to their level in Hunter’s Heart.
Oto’s Fortune
The Bellator is able to roll with an attack, reducing the amount of damage they take. For each point in this ability the Bellator reduces the damage taken from an attack by 1. This ability can be used only once per day.
Physical Adaptations
The Chosen of Oto often develop physiologies to match their martial skills…
Spines
The Bellator’s tail-quills grow hard and sharp and can be used as a weapon that inflicts 1 damage as a base and an additional 1/2 level of damage for each subsequent point put in this ability.
Sting
The Bellator develops a hollow reservoir attached to glands in their tail-quills. This gland secretes an anti-coagulant that inhibits regeneration in targets, reducing the targets healing rate by their level in this ability.
Talon
The claws on the Bellator’s dominant limbs grow harder and sharper, inflicting an additional 1 damage as a base and an additional 1/2 level of damage for each subsequent point put in this ability.
Leaf Scales
The scales on Bellator’s dominant forearms grow thick and durable, able to endure blows from even forged steel. The first point in this ability allows the Bellator to parry using their arms and grants +1 to parry. Each subsequent point adds an additional 1/2 point to parry checks.
Bellatori Technology
Bellator technology is both exceedingly rare and little understood in the modern age. Unlike human technologies which were generalized and aimed at improving human survival in a variety of ways, Bellator technology was highly specialized to enhance the species already prodigious natural gifts in combat. Many Sige craftsmen and Shifter allies saw the unique physiology of the Bellator and their general aversion to traditional human technologies as a challenge worth solving and the resulting efforts drove a variety of innovations, from biomechanical materials which enhanced comfort and coped better with the stresses of Bellator usage, to unique biological power systems rather than helion
Stalker Armours
Bellatori need specialized care in armouring due to their unique body layout and most modern Bellatori choose light and flexible armours or avoid armour altogether for this reason. This is a post-cataclysm behaviour as the Bellatori were once in possession of suits of advanced armours responsive to the unique traits of the Warriors Chosen. As with most other Bellatori tech many of these suits ceased operating correctly at some point in the past, causing wearers more difficulty than advantage. By taking the Attunement ability the modern Bellatori can utilize these advanced armours once more… though they still need to find them.
Bellator armour technologies are collectively known as ‘Stalker armour’ and were crafted by Bellator artisans in cooperation with the Sige and Shifters of the First Empire. The creators of these armours utilized a unique biomechanical technology that blended elements of other advanced first age armours such in addition to implementing adaptive environmental systems. The result was armours which accommodated the Bellator physiology while emphasizing simple, resilient, and highly adaptable designs, compensating for the species intrinsic weaknesses to environmental conditions, and making them easy to operate or maintain. Stalker armours also utilized a unique power system, harvesting ambient thermal, chemical, and electromagnetic energy for power and removing the need for Helion. These armours also incoroprated regenerative systems which enabled them to be ‘self healing’ within certain constraints.
Stalker armour comes in three variants, each designed to fulfill a specific combat role.
Corvid
Light scouting armour designed to enhance mobility, Corvid armour incorporates a thermoregulating subsuit under an adaptive bio-mechanical micro-plate system providing modest protection but excellent agility. The suit itself can be augmented with ranged grapples, claws, a helmet with advanced aural and optic sensors, and a flexible aileron system for guided falls and recovery. Corvid armour sacrifices offensive capabilities for mobility and has only a single shoulder mounted caster for ranged combat. Aiming and operating the shoulder mount is done using one of the median limbs. Corvid wearers typically equipped specialized or folding melee weapons as their primary armarment
Mechanics: B4-S4-P4, 1 Shoulder Caster Slot
Striges
A variant of Corvid armour engineered for stealth that sacrifices defenses to incorporate a layer of adaptive thermaphores and chromatophores that create a thermal and optic camoflauge system. The net result is an armour system that allows the wearer to become nearly invisible. The Bellator Warbow was a favored armament of Striges wearers, able to be deployed to brutal effect against enemies.
Mechanics: B4-S3-P3, Stealth +10 for up to 1 hour per day, 1 Shoulder Caster Slot
Raptor
The assault variant, Raptor armour is a far cry from a warsuit, but in the possession of a skilled Bellator, potentially far more deadly. Raptor armour is an interlocking set of layered armour with a thermoregulating subsuit at the base, a bio-mechanical microplate layer in the middle and an interlocking folding plate shell, paired with a point-barrier system to create a highly resilient defensive system. This protection is supplemented with a variety of offensive loadouts, only one of which can be equipped at a time:
- Harrower: The armour is equipped with a single shoulder mounted caster operable via the median limbs, leaving the limbs free for other implements.
- Reaper: The armour is equipped with a pair of folding blades embedded in the forearms of the median limbs, making the Bellator a devastating threat in close combat.
- Devastator: The armour is equipped with a heavy weapons mount made possible by a pair of articulated secondary limbs equipped with a Helion weapon line. This mount and power source allow the Bellator to sacrifice the use of two dominant and one median arm in order to wield weaponry that would otherwise be too large or require too much power, in particular the Carry Unit Casters listed in the ranged weapons section below.
Mechanics
| Armour Type | Soak | Armament | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corvid | B4-S4-P4 | 1 Shoulder Caster Slot | |
| Striges | B4-S3-P3 | 1 Shoulder Caster Slot, +10 Stealth | |
| Raptor, Harrower | B5-S5-P5 | 2 Shoulder Caster Slots | |
| Raptor, Reaper | B5-S5-P5 | 1 Shoulder Caster Slot, 4 Integrated Folding Blades (5d) | |
| Raptor, Devastator | B6-S6-P6 | Heavy Weapon Mount | -3 to all Grace Checks |
Weapons
Bellator weapon technology heavily emphasizes the species innate preference for highly mobile combat tactics and strategies as well as preference for close quarters engagement. Bellator ranged weapons were uncommon and secondary and served primarily to cover or facilitate a rapid approach to an enemy for melee where their innate martial prowess could be leveraged.
Melee Weapons
Angar
One of the preferred weapons of the ancient Bellatori was the Angar, a curved single edged staff-blade approximately 2 meters in length with half of the weapon blade and the other half handle. The Agnar was entirely made of metal, with no hand wrap. As Bellatori do not sweat and the structure of their hand was matched to the weapon the Angar is very difficult for humans to wield comfortably but a Bellatori who dedicates themselves to the weapon can become a terrifying force.
Mechanics: 6d, For each level the Bellatori takes in this ability they acquire a new trait for the blade from the following list: Brutal, Tripping, Disarming, Stunning Blow, Distracting, Piercing
Ghollu
A set of four curved single edged blades made with a convex edges between 25 and 50cm in length and made from high quality alloys, Ghollu were designed and weighted to be usable in any of the Bellator’s four hands. Accordingly a Bellator with a full set of Ghollu could become a whirlwind of deadly blades, inflicting a staggering array of mortal wounds on an opponent.
Mechanics: 5d
Talar
Also known as arm-blades, Talar are long curved blades with a locking rail system on the spine. The Talar is both attached to a Bellator’s bracers and held using a perpendicular handle attached a third of way down the length of the blade. This makes them superficially similar to Tong fa or a side handled baton. Talar are wielded in one of two configurations; the natural configuration places the blade against the Bellator’s forearm, allowing them to block attacks from weaponry with their arms while striking with backfists, elbow strikes, or thrusts using the shorter foreblade. The secondary configuration, triggered via the handle, extends the length of the blade forward past the hand, allowing for deadly sweeping and thrusting blows.
Mechanics: 5d
Ranged Weapons
Warbow
A unique bow designed to leverage both the dominant and median limbs of the Bellator, these weapons were known for their considerable size and immense draw weight. A warbow is capable of casting arrows further and faster than a normal bow and even boasts some ability to pierce armour.
Mechanics: 8d, Brutal, Piercing 1
Casters
Based on an advanced Sige weapon wielded by the Selenian [[Umbral]]s, Casters are ranged weapons that come in two types:
- Shoulder Units can be mounted on the shoulder of a suit of Stalker armour and operated using the median limbs without hindering the Bellator’s agility or ability to use their dominant limbs.
- Carry Units, as the name suggests require both dominant limbs to carry and a median limb to operate. These heavier versions are considerably more deadly but significantly hinder a Bellator’s agility. Carry units are typically only equipped with Raptor armour to provide the needed protection to the Bellator.
Casters come in several variations, each designed for specific combat uses.
Mechanics: Caster reloading differs depending on the type. Ammunition is rare but durable and can be recovered after combat. Shoulder units cannot be reloaded in combat; reload times below are for carry units with the exception of the Sting-caster which does not require reloading, only sufficient time to recharge.
| Variant | Description | Shoulder | Carry | Special Traits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spei-caster | This weapon utilizes Canna technology to launch short spikes that can do considerable damage to a target | 8d, C8 | 10d, C24 | 1 Round Reload |
| Disc-caster | This brutal variant launches sharp metal disks between 15 and 60cm in diameter and can easily remove limbs. The Carry Unit variant goes further, heating discs to both maim targets and cauterize wound | 10d, C4 | 12d, C12 | Brutal, 2 Round Reload |
| Ter-caster | An anti-armour weapon that utilizes ammunition which bores its way through heavy armour such as that found on Tombs, Varsits, and Clatterjacks | 8d, C5 | 0d, C15 | Armour Piercing 6, 3 Round Reload |
| Lance-caster | A carry-unit specific variation which launches 60cm long ‘lances’ which can pierce or pin soft or lightly armoured targets | N/A | 12d, C9 | On a roll of 19+ attack pierces target, pinning them or hitting a target behind them, 3 Round Reload |
| Sting-caster | This weapon requires no ammunition as it launches a missile of pure kinetic force used to stun, disable, or kill an enemy | 0-6d, C12 | 10d, C24 | Can be set to Stun rather than kill. 3 Rounds to Recharge |
| Knot-caster | This weapon launches an expanding net of weighted high tensile filaments to restrain a target or small group of targets | 0d, C1 | 0d, C3 | 0 damage but entangles enemies. Cannot be reloaded in combat |
| Kem-caster | A non-lethal weapon designed to cast globs of adhesive to immobilize or hinder targets from acting | 0d, C3 | 0d, C9 | 0 damage but entangles enemies. Works on Machines. 2 Round Reload |