In the gritty, corporate-horror worlds of Orbital 2100 and HOSTILE, a "Hyper-Zolonoid" (inspired by the bio-engineered warriors of the Guyver series) would likely be a classified project by a megacorp like Weyland-Yutani or Arasaka.
The "Seeker-Killer" Variant is a specialized bio-weapon designed for one purpose: to track down and neutralize "rogue" biological assets. It is faster, more perceptive, and possesses a "Bio-Resonance" organ that lets it sense the neural signatures of other Zolonoids through bulkheads or vacuum.
1. Orbital 2100 (Cepheus Universal / 2D6 SF)
Orbital 2100 focuses on near-future hard SF. In this setting, the Zolonoid is a "Black Lab" experiment, likely hidden in a secret lunar facility.
Model: HZ-09 "Apex" Hunter
Characteristics
STR: 14 (+2)
DEX: 12 (+2)
END: 13 (+2)
INT: 8 (+0)
INSTINCT: 12 (+2)
Lifeblood: 27
Combat
Armor: 8 (Sub-dermal chitinous plating)
Attacks: * Vibratory Forearm Blades: 3D6+2 damage (AP 4)
Bio-Acid Spit: 2D6 damage (Range 5m, ignore 2 points of Armor)
Special Abilities:
Vacuum Sealed: Can survive in a vacuum for up to 2 hours without a suit.
Bio-Resonance (Sensors): Acts as a high-end thermal and motion sensor. In Orbital 2100 terms, it receives a +4 DM to any check made to track or find biological lifeforms within 100 meters.
2. HOSTILE (Gritty 2D6 Retro-Future)
In the HOSTILE setting, this creature is a "Predatory Exomorph"—a bio-engineered nightmare deployed to clean up industrial accidents or "retire" expensive corporate experiments.
Entity: The Cronos-Pattern Hunter
Stats
DEX: 11
END: 14
INT: 6
INSTINCT: 13
Hits: 35 / 15 (Wounds/Stun)
Abilities & Traits
Armor: 6 (Hardened shell)
Melee (Claws/Blades): 3D6 damage. On a "6" for any die, the target's armor is degraded by 1 point permanently.
Bio-Tracker: The Hunter never suffers penalties for darkness or smoke. It "smells" the adrenaline and bio-electricity of its kin.
Aggressive Pursuit: The Hunter can move two range bands in a single turn if it is moving toward a target it has "marked" via Bio-Resonance.
GM Note: If a player character is a Zolonoid, the Hunter will ignore all other targets to kill them first. It treats the PC as a "Priority One" biological hazard.
Physical Description
The Hyper-Zolonoid stands nearly 7 feet tall. Its skin is a matte-black, non-reflective organic polymer. Unlike standard models, the Hunter variant has elongated "sensor horns" on its head and two additional vestigial arms that house high-frequency vibration emitters used to shatter the armor of its prey.
Encounter Hook: "The Silence of Sector 4"
This scenario is designed to fit perfectly into a Hostile or Orbital 2100 campaign. It works best if the players are already transporting a "package" (an NPC or an experimental vial) or if one of the crew members has secret bio-augmentations.
The Setup
The players receive a distress signal from Outpost Echo, a privately owned research hab orbiting a gas giant. The signal isn't a voice—it’s a high-frequency rhythmic pulse, the "Bio-Resonance" ping of an HZ-09 "Apex" Hunter.
The Scene
Upon docking, the players find the station in Emergency Power mode (dim red lighting, flickering consoles).
The Carnage: They find the remains of "Standard" Zolonoid guards. Unlike typical combat deaths, these bodies haven't been shot; they've been surgically dismantled. The armor plating has been sheared off by high-frequency blades.
The Twist: The station’s AI is locked in a loop. It keeps announcing: "Sanitation Protocol in progress. Please remain in your hab-units. The Company thanks you for your cooperation."
The Hunter’s Tactics
The Apex Hunter isn't a mindless beast; it's a tactical predator. It will not attack the full party at once.
Isolation: It will use its Bio-Resonance to identify the strongest member of the party. It will then use the station's vent system to create a distraction (exploding a steam pipe or cutting power) to isolate that individual.
The Mimicry: In Hostile, the Hunter can use its vocal membranes to mimic a distorted version of a crew member's voice to lure others into a kill zone.
The Trophy: If it kills a "target" (another Zolonoid), it will attempt to extract the Control Medal or primary organ to bring back to its corporate handlers.
Key Complication
The Hunter has placed Bio-Acid traps on the airlock controls. If the players try to flee before the "Sanitation" is complete, they’ll have to bypass a localized corrosive spray that can melt through Vacc-suits in seconds.
Reward / Loot
If the players manage to kill the Apex Hunter, they can salvage:
Vibratory Blade Shard: Can be fashioned into a combat knife that ignores 2 points of Armor.
Neural Link Data: A damaged memory core that contains the location of the "Black Lab" where these creatures are birthed.
Encounter Hook: "The Silence of Sector 4"
This scenario is designed to fit perfectly into a Hostile or Orbital 2100 campaign. It works best if the players are already transporting a "package" (an NPC or an experimental vial) or if one of the crew members has secret bio-augmentations.
The Setup
The players receive a distress signal from Outpost Echo, a privately owned research hab orbiting a gas giant. The signal isn't a voice—it’s a high-frequency rhythmic pulse, the "Bio-Resonance" ping of an HZ-09 "Apex" Hunter.
The Scene
Upon docking, the players find the station in Emergency Power mode (dim red lighting, flickering consoles).
The Carnage: They find the remains of "Standard" Zolonoid guards. Unlike typical combat deaths, these bodies haven't been shot; they've been surgically dismantled. The armor plating has been sheared off by high-frequency blades.
The Twist: The station’s AI is locked in a loop. It keeps announcing: "Sanitation Protocol in progress. Please remain in your hab-units. The Company thanks you for your cooperation."
The Hunter’s Tactics
The Apex Hunter isn't a mindless beast; it's a tactical predator. It will not attack the full party at once.
Isolation: It will use its Bio-Resonance to identify the strongest member of the party. It will then use the station's vent system to create a distraction (exploding a steam pipe or cutting power) to isolate that individual.
The Mimicry: In Hostile, the Hunter can use its vocal membranes to mimic a distorted version of a crew member's voice to lure others into a kill zone.
The Trophy: If it kills a "target" (another Zolonoid), it will attempt to extract the Control Medal or primary organ to bring back to its corporate handlers.
Key Complication
The Hunter has placed Bio-Acid traps on the airlock controls. If the players try to flee before the "Sanitation" is complete, they’ll have to bypass a localized corrosive spray that can melt through Vacc-suits in seconds.
Reward / Loot
If the players manage to kill the Apex Hunter, they can salvage:
Vibratory Blade Shard: Can be fashioned into a combat knife that ignores 2 points of Armor.
Neural Link Data: A damaged memory core that contains the location of the "Black Lab" where these creatures are birthed.
To help build that suffocating atmosphere of dread in Orbital 2100 or Hostile, use these sensory clues as the players explore the derelict station.
As the players roll their Recon or Observation checks, feed them these details to signal that they aren't just hunting an animal—they are being tracked by a predator designed to kill their own kind.
The Hunter’s Trail: d10 Sensory Details
| d10 | Sense | The Clue |
| 1 | Smell | A sharp, metallic scent like ozone and burnt copper, indicating the high-frequency blades have recently been active. |
| 2 | Sound | A low-frequency thrumming that vibrates in the players' teeth—the Hunter's bio-resonance organ "pinging" the area. |
| 3 | Sight | A trail of bioluminescent "blood" (cyan/green) that isn't the Hunter's, but the processed remains of a standard Zolonoid it consumed. |
| 4 | Feel | A sudden drop in ambient temperature. The Hunter is absorbing heat from the environment to power its internal biopower cells. |
| 5 | Sight | Deep, surgical score marks in the bulkheads. These aren't scratches; they are perfectly straight cuts through 2-inch steel. |
| 6 | Sound | The sound of a distorted comms-chatter. The Hunter is mimicking the radio static of a dead security guard to confuse sensors. |
| 7 | Smell | The sickly-sweet odor of industrial solvent. This is the Apex Hunter's bio-acid, currently dissolving a pressurized door lock. |
| 8 | Sight | A "Standard" Zolonoid corpse pinned to the ceiling. Its Control Medal or cranial nerve cluster has been ripped out with precision. |
| 9 | Feel | Static electricity raising the hair on the players' arms. The Hunter is nearby, and its organic armor is building a kinetic charge. |
| 10 | Sight | Motion tracker ghosting. The Hunter's stealth skin creates a "smear" on digital scanners, appearing as three targets instead of one. |
This final confrontation should feel less like a standard firefight and more like a desperate struggle for survival. By the time the players reach the Reactor Core, the Hunter is likely "Marked" and agitated, its blades glowing at maximum frequency.
The Set Piece: The Heart of Outpost Echo
The Reactor Core is a multi-level chamber filled with humming turbines, walkways, and thick coolant fog. The gravity is fluctuating, making every movement precarious.
Phase 1: The Stalking (Rounds 1–2)
The Hunter uses the verticality of the room. It doesn't charge; it leaps between the hanging cables and coolant pipes.
The Script: "The red emergency strobes catch a silhouette above you. There is a high-pitched whine—like a dental drill amplified a thousand times. The Apex isn't running; it’s choosing which one of you dies first."
Mechanic: For the first two rounds, the Hunter stays at Long Range. It uses its Bio-Acid Spit to disable the players' weapons or melt the floor beneath them to force DEX checks to avoid falling.
Phase 2: The Sonic Screech (Round 3)
Once the players have wasted a few shots, the Hunter drops into the center of the group and releases a bio-resonance burst.
The Script: "The creature lands with a heavy, wet thud. It unhinges its jaw, but no sound comes out—only a pressure wave that makes your ears bleed and your HUDs flicker into static. For a second, the world is nothing but white noise."
Mechanic: Every player must make an END (Hostile) or Stamina (Orbital) check. Failure results in being Stunned for 1 round or suffering a -2 DM to all actions due to vertigo.
Phase 3: The Frenzy (Round 4+)
The Hunter engages in melee. It uses its Vibratory Blades with terrifying precision.
The Script: "It moves in a blur of black chitin and blue light. Its blades don't just cut; they vibrate so fast they turn your armor into dust upon contact. It’s no longer a predator—it’s a meat grinder."
Mechanic: The Hunter uses its Aggressive Pursuit ability. If it reduces a player to 0 Lifeblood/Hits, it doesn't move on; it stays to "finish" the kill unless another player deals more than 5 damage in a single hit to draw its aggro.
The "Kill Switch" Strategy
If the players are losing, remind them of the environment. The Reactor Core has Coolant Flanges.
The Tactic: A player can shoot a coolant pipe (requiring an Average Firepower roll).
The Result: A blast of super-cooled liquid hits the Hunter. Because its armor is "Bio-Polymer," the sudden thermal shock causes its chitinous shell to become brittle. Reduce its Armor by half (to 3 or 4) for the remainder of the fight.
Ending the Encounter
When the Hunter is finally defeated, don't have it just fall over.
"The Hunter staggers, its vibration blades flickering out like a dying lightbulb. It looks at the nearest Zolonoid player—not with rage, but with a strange, programmed recognition—before its internal 'Sanitation Protocol' triggers a thermal self-destruct. You have five seconds to clear the blast radius."
This handout is designed to be printed or shared as a "found digital file." It uses the cold, detached language typical of the HOSTILE or Orbital 2100 corporate overloads.
INTERNAL MEMORANDUM: EYES ONLY
TO: Director of Bio-Weapons Division (Sector 7)
FROM: Project ‘CLEANSWEEP’ Oversight
SUBJECT: Post-Action Report: HZ-09 Apex Asset Deployment (Outpost Echo)
CLASSIFICATION: LEVEL 5 (ULTRA-BLACK)
1. MISSION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On [DATE REDACTED], the HZ-09 "Apex" Hunter was successfully deployed to Outpost Echo to resolve the containment breach involving rogue Zolonoid Units 01 through 04. The objective was the total reclamation of proprietary biological data and the "retirement" of compromised assets.
2. ASSET PERFORMANCE METRICS
Tracking Efficiency: The HZ-09 unit utilized its Bio-Resonance Organ to locate all four targets within 18 minutes of ingress. Target 02 was neutralized while attempting to access an escape pod; the HZ-09 utilized high-frequency blades to bypass the pod’s reinforced hull.
Combat Viability: The unit sustained significant small-arms fire from station security but maintained 94% combat effectiveness. The integrated Chitinous Plating performed within expected parameters against standard-issue AP rounds.
Data Reclamation: The HZ-09 successfully harvested the Control Medals from three rogue units.
3. UNANTICIPATED VARIABLES
The intervention of a third-party "Contractor Group" (The Players) resulted in a Grade-C tactical complication. The HZ-09 correctly identified these individuals as witnesses to Classified Bio-Weaponry and initiated Sanitation Protocol 88.
DIRECTOR’S NOTE: The loss of the HZ-09 unit during the Reactor Core engagement is regrettable. However, the data transmitted during its "Frenzy Phase" provides invaluable telemetry on how the bio-polymer armor reacts to rapid thermal cooling. This data will be integrated into the HZ-10 "Tyrant" prototype.
4. REMEDIATION REQUIREMENTS
Cleanup: Dispatch a "Liquidator" team to Outpost Echo to recover the HZ-09’s scorched remains.
Silencing: Locate the surviving Contractors. If they have possession of any biological shards or memory cores, they are to be labeled Priority One Targets.
Deniability: Publicly attribute the Outpost Echo disaster to a "Micro-meteoroid impact leading to reactor instability."
[FOOTER: PROPERTY OF WEYLAND-YUTANI / ARASAKA BIOTECH DIVISION. UNAUTHORIZED VIEWING PUNISHABLE BY TERMINATION OF CONTRACT AND LIFE.]
How to use this in your game:
Give this to your players if they hack a terminal or loot a high-ranking corporate corpse. It lets them know that:
They weren't supposed to survive.
There is a "Tyrant" model coming next.
They are now officially "variables" the company wants to erase.
If the Apex Hunter was a surgical blade, the HZ-10 "Tyrant" Prototype is a siege engine. It is larger, heavier, and designed not just to hunt, but to dominate a battlefield.
Project Name: "MALPHAS"
Classification: Heavy Bio-Mechanical Suppression Unit (HZ-10 Tyrant)
Special Ability 1: Kinetic Displacement Field (Passive)
The Tyrant’s armor is woven with microscopic cilia that vibrate at a frequency capable of refracting light and dissipating kinetic energy.
The Effect: Any ranged attack made against the Malphas from beyond Short Range suffers a -4 DM (Orbital 2100) or a -2 Penalty (Hostile). Additionally, the unit is effectively invisible to radar and thermal imaging while stationary.
Narrative: "The air around the creature seems to ripple and blur like a heat haze on a tarmac, making it nearly impossible to land a clean shot on its vitals."
Special Ability 2: Hyper-Core Overload (Active)
The Malphas can temporarily overclock its metabolic rate, pumping bio-adrenal stimulants through its system at lethal pressures.
The Effect: For 1D6 rounds, the Tyrant gains 2 Actions per turn and its movement speed triples. However, at the end of this duration, the creature suffers 1D6 damage as its own muscles tear from the sheer force of its movements.
Narrative: "The glowing vents on its chest flare from a dull cyan to a blinding, angry white. It moves with such violent velocity that the sound of its footsteps becomes a continuous, deafening roar."
Special Ability 3: Bio-Mechanical "Wasp" Drones
Unlike previous models, the Malphas acts as a hive. It can shed "parasitic" segments of its own armor that take flight as autonomous drones.
The Effect: The Tyrant releases 1D3 small flying drones. These drones have only 1 Hit/Lifeblood but act as spotters. While a drone is active, the Tyrant ignores all cover bonuses for its targets as the drones relay real-time 3D telemetry.
Narrative: "Plates of its back-armor detach and unfold into jagged, buzzing insects that circle the room, their red ocular sensors locking onto your positions behind the crates."
Stats for the HZ-10 Malphas (Quick Reference)
Armor: 12 (Heavy Ablative Chitin)
Strength: 18 (+4)
Weaponry: Dual Shoulder-Mounted Bio-Plasma Casters (4D6 Damage, ignores half Armor).
Weakness: The "Vents" on its chest. A Called Shot (-4 penalty) to the vents bypasses all armor, but if the shot misses, the Tyrant immediately triggers Hyper-Core Overload out of pure aggression.
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