WarstridersNothing speaks of unstoppable power on the

battlefield like the towering might of a warstrider. The sight of just a single one of these nigh-indestructible colossi has been enough to rout entire armies. In the First Age, such weapons were deployed as part of every legion, in numbers that boggle the modern mind, but now only a fraction still survive, most in the hands of the Realm and Lookshy.

The Power of a WarstriderA warstrider is functionally a gigantic suit of

powered armor. As such, it provides the pilot with a massive soak matched only by the rarest of armors, the benefits of vast Strength, and greatly increased speed. When interacting with Charms, a warstrider counts as armor unless specifically noted to function differently.

A warstrider's listed soak applies to all forms of damage equally. Warstriders have Hardness equal to half their soak.

The pilot uses the warstrider's Strength score for all purposes except for determining the dice limits for Attribute-based Charms. Merely wearing a Warstrider does not allow a Lunar to get higher dice caps for his Strength Excellencies.

A warstrider's strength is indefatigable. While piloting the warstrider itself is exhausting for the pilot, the warstrider can hold any pose it assumes indefinitely, even if holding up its maximum load.

Warstriders greatly enhance their pilot's ability to cover ground. Multiply the pilot's base movement rate by 10 when he is piloting a warstrider.

In addition to these benefits, warstriders come standard with three settings for hearthstones. One of these is used to hold the powering hearthstone (see below), but the others are free for the pilot's use or for use as backup power sources as may be necessary.

Finally, a warstrider is equipped with several useful ancillary systems. Ancillary systems range from additional armor plating to stealth systems allowing the warstrider to vanish from sight.

The Disadvantages of SizeWhile a warstrider provides many useful

benefits, the sheer size of a warstrider often presents its own challenges.

Any action requiring fine motor control (assuming it is possible with fingers the width of a man's forearm) has its difficulty increased by 2 when attempted by a warstrider, as does any attempt to use weapons or tools not scaled for a giant.

A warstrider requires care in maneuvering. When a warstrider so much as brushes up against a building or object, the warstrider inflicts damage to that building as though the warstrider had exerted half its strength in an attempt to crush the object.

Small targets are particularly difficult for a warstrider to hit. When attacking any target less than ten feet tall, subtract 3 successes from the warstrider's attack.

Warstriders can not attempt to conceal their movement without the aid of Charms or other supernatural effects. With the aid of Charms, it is possible, but the difficulty of all rolls to conceal the character's movements increase by three. While stationary, a warstrider can be camouflaged and takes no particular penalty for doing so.

A warstrider's helm severely restricts vision and hearing. The pilot takes a -4 external penalty on all rolls relating to Perception or Awareness or that require a clear view of their surroundings.

A potential pilot also requires a modicum of training to be able to handle such a titanic machine with anything resembling grace. Anyone attempting to pilot a warstrider must have Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Wits 2, Athletics 2, and Lore 1. For each dot the pilot lacks, he suffers a -1 internal penalty on all movement- and combat-related rolls.

Power NeedsEach warstrider requires a hearthstone from a

three dot manse for power. The pilot derives no benefits from this hearthstone. The pilot must still attune the warstrider as normal.

In an emergency, a warstrider can be powered without a hearthstone, but at great cost: five motes of Essence and one Willpower per action, plus one mote per extra action taken as part of a flurry.

Every warstrider can be switched to low power stance to reduce the need for maintenance. While in low power stance, the normal rules of warstrider operation change as follows:

• The time spent in low power stance is counted as one third the normal rate for maintenance purposes, so nine hours of marching count as only three for maintenance purposes.

• The warstrider can be powered by a two dot hearthstone instead of a three dot hearthstone.

• The warstrider's movement rate is halved after the multiplier is applied.

• The rate for using any warstrider weapon or attack is halved, and Essence weapons powered by the warstrider itself will not function at all.

• The penalty to attack targets less than 10 feet tall increases by two (to a total -5 external penalty).

• The pilot suffers a two die internal penalty on all physical actions, including attack.

• All Defense Values decrease by one. • All physical actions are at +2 Speed (to a

maximum of 6) As long as the warstrider is powered by a three

dot hearthstone, the pilot can switch between low power and normal stance as a miscellaneous action. Without such a hearthstone, shifting takes two miscellaneous actions, in addition to the extra Essence and Willpower required to self-power the warstrider (see Power Source).

MaintenanceAs with any complex mechanism, a warstrider

requires regular maintenance. A warstrider requires one hour of maintenance every 10 hours of use. One hour of combat, heavy labor, or other heavy use counts as two hours for maintenance purposes. For common warstriders, which make use of musculature made of ordinary metals instead of one of the Five Magical Materials, each separate firing of an Essence weapon counts as one hour of use (this penalty is obviated if the Essence weapon is independently powered by its own hearthstone).

To perform the maintenance, at least one

engineer needs to have Lore 5, Occult 4, and Craft (Magitech) 4. Multiple engineers can work together to meet this requirement, so a savant with Lore 5, an thaumaturge with Occult 4, and an engineer with Craft (Magitech) 4 could together perform maintenance on a warstrider. Performing maintenance takes specialized tools (Resources 4 or Artifact 2).

For every 40 hours of routine maintenance or every individual repair roll to fix actual damage, a quantity of jade, reagents, metal parts, and other raw materials costing Resources 3 are used up.

For every 10 hours that the warstrider is in arrears on its maintenance, it suffers one of the following disabilities (or another problem, at the storyteller's discretion):

• Reduce the warstrider's soak by 2 and its hardness by 1.

• Reduce the warstrider's ground speed multiplier by one.

• Add two to the difficulty to hit targets less than 10 feet tall.

• Temporarily deactivate one of the warstrider's ancillary systems, if any.

• Impose an internal one die penalty to all physical actions performed while piloting the warstrider.

To remove these penalties, a technician must first spend twice the amount of time the warstrider is in arrears on routine maintenance. Then, each penalty the warstrider suffers must be repaired individually, requiring both one hour of work and a successful Intelligence+Craft(Magitech) roll at difficulty 3. Especially complicated repairs, such as reattaching severed limbs, require additional time, manpower, and increase the difficulty to 5, all at Storyteller discretion. Charms, especially Craft Charms, can be used to speed maintenance.

Types of WarstridersSavants in the Age of Sorrows typically

classify warstriders into four broad categories: common, noble, royal, and colossus, with some savants adding a fifth classification of "scout" (though this fifth category is only an academic distinction between models of common warstrider). These classifications are largely artificial, based on an imperfect understanding of

both the nuances of First Age design methodology and the purposes for which these wondrous artifacts were conceived. In fact, the peculiarities of warstrider design and construction ensure that each warstrider is virtually unique. While warstriders of the same design plan share a number of commonalities, both in fundamental design and surface aesthetics, no two such wonders are exactly the same.

However, the five previously noted categories are a useful tool for understanding the function and purpose of a warstrider. Regardless of whether the First Age Dawn Caste Herald of Glory was piloting his Leviathan-class aquatic warstrider, Sudden Tempest, or his Annihilator-class combat warstrider, Eternal Principle, forged half a millennium later, both would be classified as royal warstriders by the modern taxonomy.

Common Warstrider - Artifact 316 Soak, 10 Strength, -6 Mobility, Fatigue 6, Attune 10, Two ancillary systems

Noble Warstrider - Artifact 418 Soak, 12 Strength, -5 Mobility, Fatigue 5, Attune 12, Three ancillary systems

Colossus Warstrider - Artifact 524 Soak, 16 Strength, -8 Mobility, Fatigue 8, Attune 14, Three ancillary systems

Royal Warstrider - Artifact 520 Soak, 14 Strength, -4 Mobility, Fatigue 4, Attune 15, Four ancillary systems

Warstriders and the Five Magical MaterialsAs with other artifacts primarily made from

one of the magical materials, a warstrider is even more potent when piloted by the appropriate sort of Exalt.

Orichalcum: When piloted by a Solar Exalt, an orichalcum warstrider adds four to its soak and two to its Hardness.

Moonsilver: When piloted by a Lunar Exalt, a moonsilver warstrider reduces its Mobility penalty by two.

Jade: When piloted by a Terrestrial Exalt, a jade warstrider reduces its Fatigue rating by two.

Starmetal: When piloted by a Sidereal Exalt,

a starmetal warstrider adds two to its Hardness and subtracts one success from the damage rolls of attackers. This can reduce an attack's damage to 0.

Soulsteel: When piloted by an Abyssal Exalt, a soulsteel warstrider adds four to its soak and two to its Hardness.

Adamant: When attuned fully, an adamant warstrider adds two to its Soak, one to its Hardness, and reduces its Mobility penalty by one.

Warstrider WeaponsWhile warstriders are frequently equipped with

armaments designed only for use by warstriders and can mount advanced Essence weaponry, the most common weapons found in the hands of a warstrider are simply titanic versions of the same weapons a mortal or Exalt might use. Scaling such weapons up to a size appropriate for a warstrider has the following effects upon the weapon:

First, the cost of mundane warstrider weapons is at least Resources 3. Especially large weapons, such as sledges or great axes, cost Resources 4. The cost of artifact weapons is unchanged, though the materials required for their construction are much greater in quantity.

Second, the minimum strength needed to properly wield a weapon is changed as follows:

Normal Strength Requirement

Warstrider Strength Requirement

1 dot or less 8 dots2 dots 10 dots 3 dots 12 dots 4 dots 14 dots 5 dots 16 dots

Third, the weapon's base damage (the damage without Strength or extra successes applied) is doubled against structures and against creatures much smaller than the Warstrider. This does not apply to damage done to the pilots of other warstriders.

Fourth, the range increment of all ranged weapons is doubled and the maximum strength allowed for mundane bow weapons is doubled.

Fifth, artifact weapons possess two more hearthstone settings than normal.

These rules do not apply to siege weaponssuch as catapults, Implosion Bows, or Essence Cannons, only to versions of weapons normally wielded by mortals or the Exalted.

Superior Warstrider WeaponsWeapons of superior quality, such as a fine

short sword or a perfect scythe, have their benefits for being superior added before the modifications made for being of warstrider size.

Exalts Wielding Warstrider WeaponsThrough their Charms (and sometimes their

own innate prowess), some Exalts, most notably Solars with Strength Increasing Exercise, can achieve the strength necessary to wield weapons intended for use by warstriders. While wielding such weapons is possible, wielding weapons made for hands as large as a man is awkward. One-handed warstrider weapons are treated as two-handed weapons and two-handed warstrider weapons impose a -3 external penalty to attacks made with the weapon by anyone significantly smaller than a warstrider.

Mounting Warstrider WeaponsWhile the incredible strength of a warstrider

allows it to carry much, there is only so much gear that a warstrider can mount before the sheer bulk of it terribly restricts the warstrider's ability to fight. Because of this fact, a warstrider can only mount a single ranged weapon on each shoulder and on each arm.

Many ranged weapons designed for use by a warstrider, such as bolt launchers, dart throwers, and most heavy Essence weapons, must be mounted to be used. Other weapons, such as fuel bolt launchers and firewands, are often modified for mounting on the exoskeleton of a warstrider.

Some warstrider melee weapons, such as smashfists or a razor harness, can be bolted to the warstrider or otherwise integrated into the warstrider's exoskeleton. While this is not possibly with all weapons - swords and daiklaves do not function well when fixed in position - mounting melee weapons in this manner prevents the warstrider from dropping the weapon or being disarmed. Such integration can be reversed, although the labor required is difficult and time-consuming. Melee weapons hard-mounted to the warstrider do not count against the number of ranged weapons the warstrider can mount.

Special Warstrider WeaponsWhile the majority of weapons used by

warstriders are enlarged versions of ordinary weapons, engineers and savants have designed a variety of weapons usable by warstriders alone, especially in the area of ranged weapons.

Unarmed FightingA warstrider's hands and feet are heavily

reinforced, allowing them to be used as dangerous weapons, even against other warstriders.Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy +1, Damage +2B, Rate 3, Defense +2, Tags: NKick: Speed 5, Accuracy +0, Damage +5B, Rate 2, Defense -2, Tags: NClinch: Speed 5, Accuracy +0, Damage +2B, Rate 1, Defense -, Tags: C, N, P

Unlike other weapons with the "N" tag, warstriders can parry attacks barehanded without need of a stunt or Charm. A warstrider piloted by a fully attuned Exalt receives the bonus of its magical material to all its unarmed attacks.

Bolt LauncherA bolt launcher is a spring-loaded projectile

weapon that fires heavy, three-foot-long metal harpoons. The launcher is usually mounted onto one arm and contains a magazine of four bolts.

After each shot, the pilot must mechanically rewind the spring mechanism before he can fire again. Doing so takes six ticks, but they need not be consecutive, as the mechanism locks at the present point of wind if the pilot stops rewinding. Therefore, the pilot can begin rewinding, abort to some other action, and then resume winding the mechanism from where he left off. Loading a new harpoon into the magazine is a miscellaneous action.Bolt Launcher: Speed 5, Accuracy +0, Damage 8L, Rate 1, Range 250, Ammo: 4, Tags: P, A

Dart ThrowerMuch like a bolt launcher, a dart thrower is a

spring-loaded projectile weapon. However, it is designed for use as an anti-personnel weapon. A dart thrower fires canisters which break apart after firing to send dozens of arrows at the target.

Rewinding and reloading a dart thrower functions identically to a bolt launcher.Dart Thrower: Speed 5, Accuracy +2, Damage 5L, Rate 1, Range 200, Ammo: 4, Tags: A

A dart thrower's attack affects a 3 yard-diameter circular area. Make one attack roll and apply the result to the DV of everyone in the targeted area.

Unlike other warstrider weapons, a warstrider does not take a penalty when attacking targets smaller than 10ft with a dart thrower, nor is the damage of a dart-thrower doubled when used against structures or non-warstriders.

Bolt Caster (Artifact 2, Repair 2)The artifact equivalent of a bolt launcher, the

bolt caster is made almost entirely from one of the magical materials. While it is more dangerous than its mundane counterpart, what sets the bolt caster apart is its ability to self-reload. By spending 1 mote, the pilot can reflexively re-cock the firing mechanism. By spending 2 motes, the pilot can store an entire magazine's worth of ammunition Elsewhere, where it can be reflexively retrieved for another 2 motes. A bolt caster can have up to two magazine's worth of ammunition stored this way at any given time. Should the pilot run out of motes or simply choose not to spend motes to re-cock the weapon, a bolt caster can be re-cocked and reloaded in exactly the same manner as a bolt launcher.Bolt Caster: Speed 5, Accuracy +1, Damage 10L, Rate 1, Range 350, Ammo: 4, Attune 4, Tags: P, A

Dart Hailstorm (Artifact 2, Repair 2)A dart thrower made mostly of one of the

magical materials, the Dart Hailstorm operates much like its sister design, the bolt caster. It can automatically re-cock itself for the cost of one mote and can store or retrieve magazines of ammunition from Elsewhere for 2 motes. A dart hailstorm can have up to two magazines stored Elsewhere at any given time.Dart Hailstorm: Speed 5, Accuracy +4, Damage 7L, Rate 1, Range 300, Ammo: 4, Attune 4, Tags: A

Like its lesser cousin, the dart thrower, attacks with a dart hailstorm affect a circular area three yards in diameter. Make a single attack roll and apply the results to everyone in the targeted area.

Also like its lesser cousin, the dart hailstorm takes no penalty for attacking targets smaller than 10 feet and does not deal double damage to structures and non-warstriders.

Chain Dagger (Artifact 3)A chain dagger is a fighting knife forged from

one of the magical materials and attached to the warstrider by 75 feet of retractable, unbreakable chain. Firing the chain dagger costs 1 mote. It automatically retracts if desired, but can be left extended to serve as a dire chain. A chain dagger can be targeted using either Archery or Thrown.Chain Dagger (Fired): Speed 4, Accuracy +2, Damage +2L, Rate 1, Range 75 (Maximum), Attune 2, Tags: A

Shock Ram (Artifact 2)This piece of warstrider equipment is a

massive gauntlet of steel alloyed with green and blue jade. When attuned for 5 motes, it allows the warstrider to make unarmed attacks at a range of (wielder's Essence x 50) yards. Each "phantom" punch delivered this way costs the wielder 2 motes of Essence. Some more advanced models, which are Artifact 3, have a built in reservoir of Essence that can be used to fuel attacks. This reservoir contains 20 motes and can be recharged by the pilot on a 1 for 1 basis at any time. A shock ram is fully compatible with all Martial Arts Charms.

Warstrider Fire Lance (Artifact 3)Like its smaller cousin, the Warstrider Fire

Lance was once a standard weapon equipped to many common warstriders during the First Age. Thee weapons were mainly used to attack entrenched fortifications or massed troops.

The lance, at its most basic, is simply a warstrider-sized spear and can be used as such. Integrated into the shaft is an Essence battery capable of storing 40 motes. These motes can only be used to fuel the lance's special abilities. The battery can be recharged reflexively by anyone capable of channeling Essence on a 1 for 1 basis, but once stored the motes cannot be retrieved.

For 2 motes of Essence, the wielder can reflexively cause the lance's head to glow a bright red. Whenever it next strikes a target, the head erupts in a burst of flame, increasing the strike's raw damage by +4L and setting any flammable inanimate target alight.

For 4 motes of Essence per shot, the head of the lance can be caused to open like a four-petaled flower and send a burning jet of Essence at a target. While firing a streamer, the fire lance is considered a firewand for the purpose of Archery

Charms.Finally, the fire lance can spray an arc of

Essence flame across a circular area six yards in diameter for the cost of 10 motes.

Because the Essence to power the weapon is drawn from internal batteries instead of directly from the pilot, a warstrider fire lance does not count as an Essence weapon for the purpose of determining when a common warstrider requires maintenance.Fire Lance: Speed 5, Accuracy +1, Damage +4L/+7L, Defense +2, Rate 2, Tags: 2, L, RFire Lance (Charged): Speed 5, Accuracy +1, Damage +8L/+11L, Defense +2, Rate 2, Tags: 2, L, RFire Lance (Streamer): Speed 5, Accuracy +2, Damage 10L, Rate 2, Range 300, Tags: 2, FFire Lance (Fan): Speed 5, Accuracy +5, Damage 7L, Rate 1, Range 200, Tags: 2, F

When using the fire lance in fan mode, roll once and apply the result to everyone in the targeted area.

Essence WeaponsWarstriders can mount a variety of Essence

weapons, including those normally mounted in stationary gun emplacements or on the greatest of battleships.

Any Warstrider can mount Light Implosion Bows, Small Essence Cannon, or Medium Essence Cannon. Warstriders with a Strength of 16 or more can mount Heavy Essence Cannon or a Medium Implosion Bow, but they cannot move or dodge in the same action as firing these massive weapons.

While it is also possible to mount an Essence Twister on a warstrider, this is rarely done, as the device has a much reduced effect on the Exalted and other common opponents of warstriders.

Those with access to the infernal wonders of helltech sometimes field warstriders (or hellstriders) that mount Small Infernal Cannon, Medium Infernal Cannon, Small Marmoreal Cannon, or Medium Marmoreal Cannon. Warstriders with a Strength score of 16 or more can mount Large Infernal Cannon or Large Marmoreal Cannon, but cannot move or dodge in the same action as firing such weapons.

Any weapon larger than a Large Essence Cannon or a Medium Implosion Bow are usually

too bulky or too heavy for a warstrider to carry.

Ancillary SystemsBecause each warstrider is a unique artifact,

each has its own set of ancillary systems. During the First Age, warstriders intended for use by any of the Celestial Exalted or for honored Terrestrial servants were customized to each Exalt's personal taste, resulting in an incredible variety of different noble, colossus, and royal warstrider designs. Only warstriders intended for use by rank-and-file Terrestrials were mass produced along common design specifications, resulting in the vast majority of common warstriders sharing an ancillary system load-out with other warstriders of the same "model".

In mechanical terms, each type of warstrider comes with a number of ancillary systems built into the warstrider's massive frame, ranging from additional armor plating to complex flight systems. A player may choose all the ancillary systems of a warstrider taken at character creation or constructed in the course of play. If a player wishes to have more ancillary systems than the base number for his chosen warstrider model, he has a few options available.

Most commonly, incorporating an additional ancillary system forces the designer to cut corners somewhere else in the design, resulting in some part of the warstrider being flawed. Perhaps armor was sacrificed to conserve weight or the use of advanced magitech requires additional maintenance. Such flaws are more often seen on common warstriders, as flawed designs were seen as unfitting for use by the Celestial Exalted.

Alternatively, occasional breakthroughs were made in integrating various systems with no flaws. Such designs, however, were rare and so much harder to find in the modern era. Advanced designs incorporate three additional ancillary systems, but have their cost increased by one dot. An advanced Royal Warstrider is an Artifact N/A purchase.

Finally, additional ancillary systems may be purchased as separate artifacts, but these are less efficient. Each ancillary system is a two dot artifact and is fully modular, but each such modular system increases the attunement cost of the warstrider by three motes. Adding or removing such a system requires six hours of work. An ancillary system that normally counts as two

system choices is instead a four dot artifact and increases the warstrider's attunement cost by five motes.

Unless otherwise noted, each of the following systems can only be installed once by any given warstrider.

General SystemsAdditional Plating: The warstrider mounts

more armor than typical models of its class. Its Soak (against all types of damage) is increased by 4, which increases the warstrider's Hardness as normal. This ancillary system can be taken twice.

Improved Mobility: The warstrider does not hamper the pilot's movements as badly as a typical model of its class. Its Mobility penalty is decreased by 2, to a minimum of 0. This ancillary system can be taken as many times as desired.

Reduced Weight: Through either ingenious design or the incorporation of judicious amounts of blue jade in the construction, the warstrider is much lighter than is typical. Its Fatigue is reduced by 2, to a minimum of 0. This ancillary system can be taken as many times as desired.

Enhanced Strength: The musculature of the warstrider is stronger than standard designs. The warstrider's Strength is increased by 2. This ancillary system can be taken twice.

Increased Speed: The warstrider covers ground more quickly that typical models. Its speed multiplier is increased by 5. This ancillary system can be taken twice.

Durable: The warstrider's design resists wear better than is typical. The warstrider can go an additional five hours before requiring an hour of maintenance. This ancillary system can be taken as many times as desired.

Reduced Power Requirement: The warstrider draws less power from the hearthstone than normal. The warstrider requires only a two dot hearthstone for power instead of the normal three dot hearthstone.

Additional Hearthstone Settings: The warstrider's design incorporates additional settings for hearthstones. The warstrider has two additional hearthstone settings. This ancillary system may be taken twice.

Harmonic Attunement: The warstrider is either motonicly efficient or includes copious amounts of

yellow jade in its construction. The warstrider's attunement cost is reduced by 2 motes. This ancillary system can be taken twice. This ancillary system is only available on warstriders of noble class or better and cannot be taken as a separate artifact.

Essence Reserves: The warstrider has built in Essence batteries. The warstrider can store up to 10 motes of Essence. This Essence can only be used to power the warstrider's Essence weapons or ancillary systems. Recharging these Essence batteries is done on a 1-for-1 basis by any attuned pilot as a reflexive action. This ancillary system can be taken twice.

Conducting Conduits: The warstrider has Essence-conducting circuits, usually of orichalcum or blue jade, threaded throughout its musculature. Such circuits prevent the damage normally associated with a common warstrider firing Essence weapons and thus negating the normal maintenance penalty such actions incur. This system is only of benefit to common warstriders.

AI Capability: The warstrider is manufactured to exacting ritual requirements and contains banks of memory crystals and delicate Essence conducting circuitry, intended to awaken the least god of the warstrider into a fully sentient being capable of assisting the pilot in battle. While a warstrider with this system may have an AI, installing the system does not automatically provide the AI. Creating a functioning AI is an exacting process covered below. Because of the space and power requirements of such a system, AI Capability can only be installed in a warstrider of Colossus or Royal class and counts as two ancillary system choices.

Aquatic SystemsAquatic Mobility: The warstrider has black

jade interwoven with the musculature, making the warstrider extremely buoyant in the water. The warstrider's mobility penalty does not apply on rolls to swim or maneuver in the water and the warstrider can swim at its normal movement rate. The warstrider also does not suffer any penalties for using melee weapons underwater, even those too awkward to use underwater normally. However, the warstrider is not watertight, so the pilot will need to hold his breath while underwater.

Aquatic Propulsion System: The warstrider is equipped with an assembly of blue and black jade built into its feet and back which draws in seawater and magically converts it to air, which is expelled to propel the warstrider at high speed through the water. This doubles the warstrider's movement rate and adds two dice to any Dexterity-related roll (including the pools used to calculate DV) while active. These benefits only apply while under water. Activating an aquatic propulsion system for one hour costs three motes. An aquatic propulsion system can only be mounted on a warstrider equipped with an aquatic mobility ancillary system. A warstrider that has the thruster jets ancillary system installed cannot install an aquatic propulsion system.

Liquid Tread: Consisting of black jade "shoes" integrated into the warstrider's feet, this ancillary system allows a warstrider to move across water, lava, or any other liquid as though it were solid ground. This system does not protect the warstrider from any harmful environmental hazards, such as the heat of lava or the corrosive nature of vitriol, and still suffers penalties for attempting to act on rough seas (although these penalties can be negated through Athletics or Sail Charms). Activating liquid tread for a scene costs five motes.

Filtration Baffles: The warstrider is fitted with filters over any air intakes and sealed against outside influence. This adds two dice to any Resistance rolls against poison or disease made by the pilot. The warstrider also has an on-board air supply that lasts up to five hours. Refilling the air supply in fresh air takes one minute for every five minutes of air added to the tank. Alternatively, the pilot can commit five motes to the system and the blue jade filters will provide an unlimited supply of fresh air.

Aerial SystemsFlight System: Essence thrusters and

retractable wings are added to the warstrider, allowing it to fly. The wings are usually made of the same material as the exoskeleton, but sometimes are made of the orichalcum or starmetal regardless of the rest of the warstrider's construction. The wings do not actually flap or function in any way like those of a bird (except

perhaps on some moonsilver models), but instead function as Essence accumulators, drawing in ambient Essence to channel through the thrusters to provide propulsion. A warstrider with a flight system can fly at the same rate as its ground speed. A flight system mounted on a common warstrider requires a dedicated three dot hearthstone for power. No flight system is capable of lifting a colossus warstrider. Activating a flight system for an hour costs five motes.

Thruster Jets: Large Essence turbines installed in the warstrider's back and within its feet greatly increase the thrust generated by the warstrider's flight system, propelling it to greater speeds than before. While active, this ancillary system doubles the warstrider's flight speed and adds two dice to any Dexterity-related roll made while airborne (including the pools used to calculate DVs). Activating thruster jets for one hour costs three motes (in addition to the cost to activate the warstrider's flight system). Thruster jets can only be installed in a warstrider with a flight system and can only be used while the flight system is active.

Stealth SystemsDirectional Camoflage System: Specially

treated jade icons are affixed to the exoskeleton of the warstrider. When Essence is channeled through these icons, it causes the exterior of the warstrider to blur to match its surroundings. This effect add four dice to all Stealth-related rolls and to Survival rolls made to camouflage the warstrider. However, this system is limited by the elemental association of the warstrider. The system's bonuses apply only in areas associated with the type of jade used in the warstrider. Therefore, a white jade warstrider would gain improved stealth in mountainous areas but not in a desert, while a red jade warstrider would blend into the sandy climes of the South but not a forest or an ocean. Because of its reliance on the jade used in the warstrider's exoskeleton, this ancillary system functions only when installed in a jade warstrider. Activating a directional camouflage system for a scene costs two motes. Essence Cloak: This sophisticated system, once integrated into the warstrider's musculature, duplicates the effect of the Solar Charm Mental Invisibility Technique. While the system is active, the pilot rolls [(Dexterity or Manipulation) +

Stealth], adding the warstrider's artifact rating as automatic successes. If the pilot's successes exceed an observer's Dodge MDV, that onlooker is compelled to ignore the warstrider's presence. The effect fails if the pilot joins battle with any target. Otherwise, an onlooker must spend four Willpower to resist the compulsion or one Willpower if someone who can see the warstrider points out its location. Activating an Essence cloak for a scene costs five motes. An Essence cloak can be installed on any warstrider, but installing it on a common warstrider requires the addition of a dedicated two dot Air or Lunar aspected hearthstone to power it.

Chameleon Shell: This ancillary system grants the warstrider the ability to conceal itself with actual shapeshifting powers. The ancillary system consists of a specially prepared coating of moonsilver applied to the exterior of each individual exoskeletal plate. The shell has two distinct properties. First, it can duplicate the blending powers of any version of the Directional Camoflage System, granting the warstrider four dice on any Stealth-related roll and on Survival rolls to camouflage the warstrider, regardless of terrain. Second, the chameleon shell permits the pilot to alter the exterior shape and coloration of the exoskeleton. The interior workings remain intact and unaffected, but from the outside the warstrider might become indistinguishable from a boulder, a large tree, a stone column, or anything else of approximately the same size. Even the texture of the exterior changes to match the desired form, making it impossible even by touch to tell that the warstrider is not what it appears to be. While the exterior form is altered, the warstrider is immobile, but the pilot can exit and enter through a special hatch that only he can detect. The warstrider can assume its normal form reflexively at a single command from an attuned pilot, often giving the warstrider the element of complete surprise. A chameleon shell can only be installed on a moonsilver warstrider and counts as two ancillary system choices. Duplicating the effects of a direction camouflage system costs two motes per scene and transforming the warstrider's shape costs four motes.

Material Specific SystemsWarform Accommodations: The warstrider can

shift its shape to accommodate a Lunar in warform. The shift extends to the warstrider's exterior, shaping claws and fangs to match the Lunar's own. this allows the pilot to make attacks using his own natural weapons but with the warstrider's massive Strength, magical material bonus, and the benefits and penalties of warstrider-sized weapons. Activating warform accommodations requires the pilot to reflexively commit five motes to the warstrider as he transforms. Warform accommodations remain active for as long as the Essence remains committed and the pilot remains in warform. Warform accommodations can only be installed on a moonsilver warstrider.

Destiny Interdiction Field: The warstrider and its pilot are Outside Fate. As such, neither the future of the pilot, the warstrider, or its AI (if it has one) can be divined by any means, nor can they be the target of Sidereal astrology. This also shields both the warstrider, the pilot, and its AI from the effects of some Sidereal Charms. A Sidereal piloting a warstrider with a destiny interdiction field loses access to his astrology and his resplendent destinies recede. Even the Sidereal's Arcane Fate does not apply so long as the Sidereal pilots the warstrider. A destiny interdiction field can only be installed in a starmetal warstrider.

Spiritual Refinement Engine: The warstrider and its pilot can dematerialize at will. Doing so costs the pilot 15 motes and one Willpower. Because being immaterial is not the warstrider's natural state, it costs nothing to rematerialize. A spiritual refinement engine can only be installed in a starmetal warstrider.

Elemental Lens: The warstrider is equipped with a large elemental lens built into the palm of one hand. Charms that cause direct damage using projected elemental energy double their base damage and triple their range. Charms that create non-permanent weapons out of elemental energy have their Damage modifier doubled and receive all the benefits of warstrider weapons. An elemental lens can only be installed in a jade warstrider.

Oblivion's Avatar: The warstrider's plating is inlaid with necromanticly enchanted bone,

empowering it with the might of the Void. The warstrider gains one of the benefits of the Void Circle spell Oblivion's Avatar as a permanent enhancement, despite not normally qualifying as a target for the spell. This ancillary system can only be installed in a soulsteel warstrider.

Holy Radiance: The warstrider has been sanctified as a weapon against Creatures of Darkness. Any such entity within 100 yards of the warstrider suffers a -2 external penalty as they suffer wracking pain from the judgment of the Unconquered Sun. This ancillary system can only be installed in an orichalcum warstrider.

FlawsA warstrider may have as many flaws as the

designer wishes, but each flaw can only be taken once. A warstrider can integrate one additional ancillary system per flaw it has.

Light Plating: Armor was sacrificed to save weight or make room. The warstrider's soak is decreased by 4, which reduces its Hardness as normal.

Slow: Speed was sacrificed to meet power needs. The warstrider's movement speed multiplier is reduced by 5.

Clumsy: The additional equipment interferes with the warstrider's movements. The Mobility penalty of the warstrider increases by 2.

Heavy: The extra systems weight down the warstrider, making it more tiring to pilot. The Fatigue rating of the warstrider increases by 2.

Weak: Power was diverted from the musculature to accommodate the new systems, reducing its strength. The warstrider's Strength is reduced by 2.

Increased Power Needs: The additional systems require more power than a normal warstrider uses. The warstrider requires a four dot hearthstone for power instead of the normal three dot hearthstone.

High Maintenance: The strain of extra equipment causes the warstrider to break down more often. The warstrider requires one hour of maintenance for every five hours of activity instead of the normal one hour of maintenance for every ten hours of activity.

Warstrider Specific BackgroundsWhile most weapons and equipment for a

warstrider fall under the purview of the Resources and Artifact Backgrounds, a warstrider in possession of an awakened least god or a bound ghost servitor requires special attention.

Awakened Warstrider AllyDuring the First Age, the Solars continued to

push the boundaries of what magitech could accomplish and with it the power of the warstrider. The single greatest advance in the utility of these titans of battle was the Essence-powered systems that raised the warstrider's least god from a quiescent entity without name or ability into an active, guiding force, a companion and ally for the warstrider's pilot.

Known as Animating Intelligences, or AIs, these awakened gods are not as puissant as those that sometimes survive within manses or the more massive artifact vessels, but they are nonetheless a potent asset upon the battlefield. Even the least among them can provide power to Essence weapons and alert the pilot to danger, while the greatest can take physical form and fight beside their pilots.

Players wishing to begin play with a warstrider with an awakened AI must first possess either a colossus or royal warstrider with the AI Capability ancillary system installed. They can then purchase the AI as an Ally (per the Background).

Basic Traits of a Warstrider AIAs the least gods of massive war machines,

warstrider AIs all share a number of traits in common.

• An AI is a separate, free-willed entity from the warstrider itself. The AI is naturally immaterial and invisible, but may manifest visually by spending one mote.

• An AI has one free dot in each Attribute and receives a number of additional Attribute dots to distribute between them.

• Any AI can have no more than five dots in any Attribute or Ability.

• The AI has one free dot in each Virtue and an initial Willpower score of 5. An AI receives a number of additional dots to

distribute to its Virtues. The AI can also add any number of these dots to its Willpower instead of to its Virtues, but cannot have a Willpower greater than (AI's highest Virtue + 5).

• An AI has an Essence pool equal to its [(Essence x 10) + (Willpower x 5)]. The pilot can use the AI's Essence pool to power any Essence weapons or ancillary systems the warstrider has mounted.

• An AI regains Essence as normal for a supernatural being. Additionally, the AI recovers a number of motes per hour equal to the number of levels of hearthstones socketed in the warstrider.

• The AI does not need a Combo to use more than one Warstrider AI Charm during the same action. However, they still follow the normal type and keyword restrictions. In effect, the AI has access to every valid Combo that could be constructed from every Charm it knows and need not spend Willpower to use them.

• The AI can perceive anything taking place in or around the warstrider as though present, regardless of the spirit's actual location.

• The AI can speak from the warstrider's mouth and may extend the same ability to its pilot. An AI's native tongue is Old Realm.

• The AI may speak with any creature currently occupying the warstrider's fuselage. The AI can verbally alert the pilot to pertinent features of his surroundings, reducing the penalty imposed by the warstrider on Perception and Awareness rolls to only -2.

• An AI cannot naturally travel more than 30 yards from the warstrider.

• A newly awakened AI has the Motivation "Serve my pilot loyally." Older AIs often develop more varied Motivations, usually during their first decade of service.

• An AI has a number of health levels equal to its (Willpower + Essence), not counting the Incapacitated health level. It has one -0 health level, one -4 health level, and the

rest are evenly split between -1 and -2 health levels (resolve odd numbers of health levels in favor of the -1 health levels).

• If the AI is destroyed in some way, it reforms after one lunar month within the warstrider. If the warstrider is destroyed, the AI is destroyed with it, gone forever.

One Dot: The AI is barely self-aware. It has an Essence score of 1, no Abilities, and no Charms. It has 5 additional dots of Attributes and 3 additional dots of Virtues. It can have an Intelligence of no more than 1.

Two Dots: The AI is a fully functioning little god, fully aware but still relatively weak. It has an Essence score of 1, 10 dots of Abilities, and 8 additional dots of Attributes. It has 5 additional dots of Virtues and two Warstrider AI Charms.

Three Dots: The AI was well-made, allowing it a greater state of enlightenment than a common least god. The AI has an Essence score of 2, 20 dots of Abilities, and 12 additional dots of Attributes. It has 7 additional dots of Virtues and four Warstrider AI Charms.

Four Dots: The AI is one of surpassing excellence. The AI has an Essence score of 2, 20 dots of Abilities, and 16 additional dots of Attributes. It has 10 additional dots of Virtues and six Warstrider AI Charms. The AI also has a one dot Sanctum in which to rest, which can be entered by appropriate means using the entry to the warstrider's fuselage.

Five Dots: The AI is extremely powerful for one of its kind. It has an Essence score of 3, 30 dots of Abilities, and 20 additional dots of Attributes. It has 14 additional dots of Virtues and eight Warstrider AI Charms. The AI also has a two dot Sanctum in which to rest, which can be entered by appropriate means using the entry to the warstrider's fuselage.

Autochthonian Warstrider AIsUnlike Creation, the development of magitech

has not been dormant for over a millennium in Autochthonia. Further, the Essence of Autochthonian exmachina is different from that of Creation's spirits - a step closer to the potent Essence of a Primordial. Because of this,

Autochthonian Warstrider AIs can take almost any Alchemical Charm (or two sub-modules) in place of a Warstrider AI Charm. The AI must meet any prerequisites for the Charm (including prerequisite Charms) and the Charms are always obviously mounted on the warstrider itself. Mounted Alchemical Charms cannot be removed or swapped for other Charms, so once configured they are permanently set. Installed Charms can be used by either the AI or the pilot.

The only Charms the AI explicitly cannot mount are Weaving Engines and the Perfected Lotus Matrix.

Bound Ghost ServitorA more recent innovation and one with a more

sinister bent, is the creation of ghostly servitors to act in place of a warstrider's AI. Because the creation of an AI requires the consent of Heaven, the Deathlords are unable to create AIs to empower their greatest warstriders and so have turned to new avenues of experimentation in order to fill their needs. The result was the birth of the first ghost servitor.

Each ghost servitor was once a free-willed ghost. Each was captured and then stripped of much of what gave it form, distilled down to just an intelligent pattern of Essence before being infused into the circuitry of a warstrider. Needless to say, this process is not pleasant for the ghost in question. Many are rendered near catatonic by the procedure. The resulting servitor can perform most of the functions of a Warstrider AI, even surpassing them in some areas. The process cannot be performed on ghosts with an Essence score of 4 dots or more, leaving only the younger ghosts to worry about suffering this particular torment.

Players wishing to begin play with a warstrider with a ghost servitor must first possess a warstrider of either colossus or royal class with the AI Capability ancillary system installed. They can then purchase the servitor as a Background.

Basic Traits of a Ghost ServitorA ghost servitor has the same traits as a normal

heroic ghost (see the Roll of Glorious Divinity II), with the following exceptions:

• The servitor receives no Background dots

or bonus points to spend. • The warstrider becomes the servitor's only

Fetter, rated at five dots. • The servitor's Essence rating is determined

by its Servitor rating. • The servitor receives only as many

Attribute, Ability, and Virtue dots to distribute as noted. The servitor also only has as many Charms as listed.

• A servitor may use his additional dots of Virtues to raise his Virtues to five dots, if desired.

• The servitor's starting Willpower is 5, regardless of his Virtues. Any of the additional dots of Virtues that the servitor receives may be added instead to Willpower. A servitor may not start with a Willpower higher than (servitor's highest Virtue + 5).

• The warstrider's pilot may spend the servitor's Essence to power any Essence weapons or ancillary systems the warstrider has installed.

• As a ghost, a servitor regains Essence only while the warstrider is in the Underworld or inside a shadowland. However, in addition to whatever Essence it may naturally respire, the servitor recovers a number of motes equal to the number of levels of hearthstones socketed in the warstrider, regardless of the warstrider's location.

• The servitor's natural state is that of being merged with the warstrider. Charms can remove the servitor from within the warstrider, but as soon as the Charm's duration ends, the servitor is instantly drawn back within the warstrider. While merged with the warstrider, the servitor cannot be attacked or damaged.

• When residing within the warstrider, the servitor can perceive anything taking place in or around the warstrider as though present.

• When residing within the warstrider, the servitor may cause its spectral likeness to appear on any part of the warstrider's soulsteel plating at will. While so

manifested, it can speak normally to anyone nearby.

• The servitor can verbally alert the pilot to pertinent features of his surroundings, reducing the penalty imposed by the warstrider on Perception and Awareness rolls to only -2.

• The servitor is under a compulsion to serve its current pilot loyally. Taking any action against the last person to attune to the warstrider or disobeying their orders requires the servitor to spend one Willpower each action.

• Destroying the warstrider destroys the servitor. The servitor may reform after a lunar month as a normal ghost if it succeeds on a Willpower roll against difficulty 3. If it fails, it passes into Lethe. If it botches, it passes into Oblivion instead. If the servitor is slain separately from the warstrider, it reforms after (Essence) days automatically.

One Dot: The binding left the servitor mentally traumatized, with little memory of its former life. It has 3 dots to assign to its Primary Attributes, 3 dots to assign to its Secondary Attributes, and 2 dots to assign to its Tertiary Attributes. It has an Essence score of 1, 3 dots of Virtues, no Charms, and no Abilities.

Two Dots: The binding has weakened the servitor greatly, but has not stripped it completely of useful skills. It has 4 dots to assign to its Primary Attributes, 3 dots to assign to its Secondary Attributes, and 3 dots to assign to its Tertiary Attributes. The servitor has an Essence score of 1, 5 dots of Virtues, three Servitor Arcanoi, and 15 dots of Abilities.

Three Dots: The ghost within your warstrider managed to survive the binding process relatively unscathed. It has 6 dots to assign to its Primary Attributes, 4 dots to assign to its Secondary Attributes, and 3 dots to assign to its Tertiary Attributes. The servitor has an Essence score of 2, 7 dots of Virtues, six Servitor Arcanoi, and 25 dots of Abilities.

Four Dots: An experienced ghost inhabits your warstrider. It has 8 dots to assign to its Primary

Attributes, 6 dots to assign to its Secondary Attributes, and 4 dots to assign to its Tertiary Attributes. The servitor has an Essence score of 2, 10 dots of Virtues, nine Servitor Arcanoi, and 30 dots of Abilities.

Five Dots: The ghost bound to your warstrider is one of the most potent ghosts still possible to bind to a warstrider. It has 10 dots to assign to its Primary Attributes, 8 dots to assign to its Secondary Attributes, and 6 dots to assign to its Tertiary Attributes. The servitor has an Essence score of 3, 14 dots of Virtues, twelve Servitor Arcanoi, and 35 dots of Abilities.

Warstriders, AIs, Servitors, and CultAs with other supernatural beings, a

warstrider's AI or servitor benefits from worship, perhaps more than some. In addition to the Essence and Willpower recovery granted by a Cult rating, an AI or servitor gains one additional Charm or Arcanoi per dot it has in the Cult Background. In the First Age, Solars would start small cults to worship their warstriders to enhance their AIs.

A player who wishes to start play with a warstrider that has a cult may purchase his warstrider's cult with his own bonus points.

Constructing a Warstrider AI or Ghostly Servitor

While the actual process involved in the creation of a Warstrider AI is vastly different from that used to bind a ghost into a servitor, the mechanical requirements for both to succeed is largely the same.

First and most obvious is that a character attempting to create one of these magitech marvels must have access to a colossus or royal warstrider with the AI Capability ancillary system installed. If the character is seeking to create a ghost servitor, the warstrider must be soulsteel.

To properly ready the warstrider to receive the spirit requires the character have at least Craft 5, Lore 5, and Occult 5 and posses at least a set of tools suitable for making fine repairs on the magical materials (themselves worth Artifact 3). Facilities suitable for refitting First Age magitech vehicles, such as an atelier manse or factory-

cathedral, are preferred but not absolutely required.

The actual process of readying the warstrider involves the character accumulating 100 successes on an extended Craft[Magitech] roll, difficulty 4. A single botch on this roll destroys all of the character's progress and he must begin again. Each roll represents one day of work.

Finally, a priest must assist in the actual awakening or binding. In the First Age, Zenith Caste Solars or one of the Chosen of Mars would typically perform this duty. The priest must offer a prayer and score at least nine successes on the prayer roll. To create an AI, the priest must offer his prayer to the Unconquered Sun on the first day of the year. To bind a servitor, the priest must offer a prayer to the Neverborn on one of the nights of Calibration as he ritually sacrifices the ghost intended to become the servitor.

If the prayer roll is successful, the AI awakens or the servitor congeals within the warstrider. The degree of success determines the rating of the AI or servitor. If the roll garnered nine or more successes, but less than twelve successes, the spirit is rated at only one dot. If the roll garnered at least twelve successes, the spirit is rated at two dots. If the roll garnered at least fifteen successes, the spirit is rated at three dots. If the roll garnered at least eighteen successes, the spirit is rated at four dots. If the roll garnered at twenty-one successes or more, the resulting spirit is rated at five dots. A ghost sacrificed to become a servitor must have an Essence score of at least 3 to become a five dot servitor.

If the prayer roll fails, the priest can try again in one year's time (though a ghost sacrificed to become a servitor may succumb to Lethe or Oblivion). If the botches, however, all the work is wasted and the warstrider is damaged in the process, inflicting penalties as though the warstrider had accumulated forty hours of excess activity. Once the warstrider is repaired, it must be readied again before another attempt to infuse the warstrider with a spirit can be made again and a year must still pass before the attempt can be made again.

Warstrider AI CharmsThe Charms possessed by warstrider AIs are,

like the Charms of other spirits, focused heavily upon their domain - in this case, the warstrider itself.

Charm Concept: PilotThe pilot of a warstrider is the last character to

successfully attune the warstrider.

TITAN'S PUISIANCECost: 4m; Mins: Essence 1; Type: ReflexiveKeywords: Combo-OK, StackableDuration: Indefinite

This Charm allows the AI to temporarily raise one of the warstrider's traits. A version of this Charm exists for Strength, Mobility, Fatigue, and Soak. While the appropriate version is active, the warstrider's Strength is increased by 2, its Mobility penalty is reduced by 2, its Fatigue rating is reduced by 2, or its Soak is increased by 4.

This Charm can be taken more than once and their effects stack with each other. The AI may not activate this Charm for a particular trait more times than he has copies of the Charm to boost that particular trait. For example, an AI with the version of this Charm for Strength twice could spend 8 motes to raise the warstrider's Strength by 4, but an AI with a version for Strength and one for Fatigue could only spend 4 motes to raise Strength by 2.

BARRING THE THRONECost: -; Mins: Essence 3; Type: PermanentKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: One day

Exceptionally powerful AIs sometimes have the ability to choose who can and cannot pilot their warstriders. Whenever anyone attempts to attune to the warstrider, the AI may reflexively activate this Charm. The would-be pilot and the AI make opposed Willpower rolls, adding their Essence in automatic successes. If the AI is successful, the would-be pilot becomes incapable of piloting the warstrider for one day. If the would-be pilot is successful, the AI fails to prevent his attunement.

This Charm does not work on the current pilot. Should the current pilot be a Celestial Exalt, this

Charm will also not work on his next incarnation, provided no others successfully attune to the warstrider in the intervening time.

MENDING THE WOUNDS OF WARCost: 3m per hour of maintenance; Mins: Essence 2; Type: SimpleKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: Instant

A warstrider unable to move due to lack of maintenance serves no one well, but an AI with this Charm ensures that its warstrider will never fall into disrepair. By spending 3 motes per hour of maintenance required, the AI can instantly bring the warstrider back to a full state of repair. The only catch with this Charm is that the AI cannot choose to partially repair the warstrider (for example leaving three hours of maintenance to be completed by others) and so must pay to fully repair the warstrider whenever this Charm is activated.

WALKING THE WORLDCost: 5m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: ReflexiveKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: Indefinite

Some AIs can throw off the ties that hold them tightly to their charge. While this Charm is active, the AI need not stay within 30 yards of the warstrider. It can travel the world as it sees fit so long as the Essence remains committed to this Charm. Uncommiting the Essence causes the AI to be immediately transported back to the warstrider.

MEASURE THE WINDCost: 1m; Mins: Essence 1; Type: ReflexiveKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: Instant

This Charm determines the Essence trait of all living creatures within (Willpower) yards of the warstrider. This Charm also allows the AI to make a (Wits + Awareness) roll to find hidden creatures within this range and adds its Essence in automatic successes to the roll. The AI immediately recognizes which type of being each creature detected by this Charm is - Exalt, spirit, ghost, etc. Finally, this Charm detects whether any creature the AI examines is capable of killing a god permanently, as with Ghost-Eating Technique.

AWAKEN THE WAR GODCost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: SimpleKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: One scene

With this Charm, the AI merges with its domain and wills it into motion, animating the warstrider with no need of a pilot. This Charm can only be activated in the warstrider's presence, a restriction that is largely meaningless to most AIs.

While this Charm is active, the AI is physically a part of the warstrider and can take no separate action. Instead, the AI can move the warstrider as though it was his own body, without need to attune to the warstrider. The AI suffers no Fatigue or Mobility penalties from animating the warstrider this way. Actions taken by the animated warstrider use the warstrider's Strength, but otherwise use the Attributes and Abilities of the AI.

Any successful attacks directed at the unpiloted warstrider do not inflict damage upon the AI. Instead, the AI must spend one Willpower for each level of damage that would otherwise be inflicted or the Charm terminates. Each such level of damage received also adds one hour to the maintenance time of the warstrider.

This Charm can also be used while the AI is currently being piloted. In such a case, the AI can not possess any portion of the the warstrider that the pilot is currently using. For example, if the pilot moves the warstrider forward and attacks with a daiklave, the AI would be unable to possess the warstrider's legs or its sword arm for that action, but could possess the warstrider's other arm and any weapons mounted upon the warstrider's chassis. While this Charm is active, the pilot can use the better of his own DVs and the AI's DVs.

While working with a pilot, the AI does not need to expend Willpower in response to damage, nor does the warstrider accumulate additional maintenance, although such will resume if the pilot is killed.

If there the warstrider does not have an appropriate hearthstone to draw power from, this Charm costs an additional 10 motes and one Willpower.

During the First Age, many AIs who knew this Charm were destroyed by paranoid Solars, for fear they might turn the great might of a warstrider against their creators.

UNION OF PURPOSECost: -; Mins: Essence 1; Type: PermanentKeywords: -Duration: Permanent

When the pilot and the warstrider act as one, their prowess is unmatched. This Charm allows the AI to share its awareness with the pilot whenever the pilot is within the fuselage of the warstrider. While so doing, the pilot experiences the warstrider as though it was his own body. This negates any penalties imposed by the warstrider on all of the following: Perception and Awareness rolls, activities requiring fine motor control, or rolls to attack targets less than 10 feet in size. It further waives all trait minimums for piloting the warstrider. The effect also ensures that the pilot is aware of anything the AI is also aware of. Extending or terminating this awareness to the pilot is a reflexive action for the AI.

ESSENCE PLETHORACost: -; Mins: Essence 1; Type: PermanentKeywords: NoneDuration: Permanent

The AI's Essence Pool increases by 10 motes. An AI can take this Charm multiple times, once for each dot of Essence it possesses.

RESERVE OF WILLCost: -; Mins: Essence 1; Type: PermanentKeywords: NoneDuration: Permanent

The AI's maximum temporary Willpower increases by one point. This has no effect on the value of its actual Willpower trait. An AI can take this Charm multiple times, once for each dot of Essence it possesses.

SPIRIT-CUTTINGCost: 2m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: SupplementalKeywords: Combo-OK, ObviousDuration: Instant

This Charm can be used to supplement any attack made by the AI or the warstrider. Such attacks affect the immaterial as easily as the material.

ESSENCE BITECost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Supplemental

Keywords: Combo-OKDuration: Instant

The fire of courage adds force to the warstrider's blows. This Charm adds the AI's Valor to the raw damage of any attack made by the warstrider or the AI.

DIVINE AEGISCost: 1m per die; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 8)Keywords: Combo-OKDuration: Instant

Through discipline, the warstrider is protected from harm. Whenever the warstrider or the AI is struck in combat, the AI may spend up to (Temperance) motes. Each mote spent on this Charm reduces the post-soak damage of the attack by one die. This Charm can reduce the damage of the attack to zero.

BANECost: 5m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: SupplementalKeywords: Combo-OK, ObviousDuration: Instant

The AI was made to fight one of Creation's many enemies. When attacking such enemies, the AI can channel its purpose and hate into a blazing fire with which to burn them from the face of the world. When selecting this Charm, choose one of the following groups: Natives of Malfeas, Creatures of the Wyld, or Creatures of Death. Attacks supplemented by this Charm deal aggravated damage to creatures belonging to the chosen group.

STRIKE OF SURETYCost: 2m per die; Mins: Essence 2; Type: SupplementalKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: Instant

Those that are foolish enough to stand between a titan and its goal deserve their fate. The AI can use this Charm to add dice to any attack roll made by it or by the warstrider. The AI can purchase up to (Conviction) dice at a cost of two motes per die.

GUARDIAN'S DEFENSECost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)

Keywords: Combo-OKDuration: Instant

Those that a colossus desires to protect are shielded from the greatest storm. The AI can use this Charm in response to an attack upon itself, the warstrider, or upon any target that it or the warstrider is currently defending. When activated, it increases the AI's or the warstrider's Parry DV by the AI's Compassion.

ACKNOWLEDGING THE WORTHY ADVERSARYCost: 5m; Mins: Essence 1; Type: ReflexiveKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: One scene.

Even across great battlefields, a titan knows its worthy foes. This Charm makes the AI instantly aware of all warstriders, hellstriders, bonestriders, behemoths, and other similarly large foes that are within (Essence) miles and not hidden by magic of some kind.

MATERIALIZECost: Varies; Mins: Essence 3; Type: SimpleKeywords: ObviousDuration: One scene

With this Charm, the AI temporarily becomes a material being. Materializing costs (Essence x 5) motes.

ESSENCE HARMONYCost: - (2m); Mins: Essence 2; Type: PermanentKeywords: NoneDuration: Permanent

Those that fight side by side must trust one another if they are to prevail. An AI with this Charm can draw upon the pilot's Essence pool to power its own Charms. The pilot must be within the fuselage of the warstrider and willing to cooperate or any attempt to tap the pilot's Essence fails. The process, however, is inefficient. The pilot pays a two mote surcharge whenever the AI uses his Essence to power its Charms.

Alternatively, the AI can donate motes to the pilot. By paying a two mote surcharge, the AI can transfer (Essence x 3) mote to the pilot as a reflexive action once per action. The pilot must be in contact with the warstrider to receive this donation of Essence.

SPIRIT HANDCost: 3m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: SimpleKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: Instant

While spiritually weak, some AI can muster the strength to reach across the Chasm of the Immaterial and touch the physical world for a moment. This Charm allows the AI to take only one physical action per activation, though that action can include any necessary and minor preliminary effect, such as picking up a quill before writing a quick sentence on a page or picking up a dagger before hurling it at an enemy. The AI must still succeed on any required rolls to accomplish the action and the AI must be present wherever he wishes the action to take place.

BOND OF THE TRUSTED COMPANIONCost: -; Mins: Essence 1; Type: PermanentKeywords: NoneDuration: Permanent

The bonds of friendship can extend any distance. An AI with this Charm is always aware of the direction and distance to the pilot. The AI is also aware of the greatest wound penalty the pilot suffers and whether the pilot is poisoned or afflicted with disease.

TRACKINGCost: 5m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: ReflexiveKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: Instant

No one can escape the vengeance of a wrathful titan. This Charm allows the AI to instantly know the distance and direction to one creature that the warstrider has attacked within the past month. If the creature is hidden by some form of supernatural stealth, the AI rolls (Perception + Awareness) for the opposed roll and adds its Essence in automatic successes to the roll.

CAMOFLAGECost: 10m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: SimpleKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: One scene

This Charm allows the AI to hide itself or the warstrider from view. This Charm adds (Essence) successes to any Stealth roll made by the AI or the warstrider for the duration of the scene and allows

both to conceal themselves without need for any sort of cover.

CALLCost: 1m; Mins: Essence 1; Type: SimpleKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: Instant

This Charm allows the AI to send a short message (no more than a few sentences) to its current pilot, the pilot of another warstrider, or to another warstrider's AI. The AI can send this message no more than (Essence) miles.

SUMMONING THE HERALD OF WARCost: 20m, 2wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: SimpleKeywords: Combo-OKDuration: Instant

Consecrated to endless battle, the AI shall always heed the call to war and with it the warstrider. Upon activating this Charm, the AI causes the warstrider to teleport instantly to either its own location or the location of the pilot. If the location is not large enough to contain the warstrider, the warstrider makes room. Extensive property damage usually results.

INDOMITABLE BULWARKCost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 7)Keywords: Combo-OKDuration: One actionPrerequisite: Orichalcum Warstrider

Drawing upon the superlative resilience of orichalcum, the AI causes the warstrider to become all but invulnerable. For one action, the warstrider's soak is infinite. This means that regardless of how much raw damage an attack has, it only deals minimum damage to the warstrider and its pilot.

QUICKSILVER MOTIONCost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)Keywords: Combo-OKDuration: One actionPrerequisite: Moonsilver Warstrider

Channeling the protean fluidity of raw moonsilver into the motions of the warstrider, the AI turns the warstrider into an extension of the

pilot's thoughts. For one action, the warstrider reduces multiple action penalties by the AI's Essence and also reduces DV penalties caused by the warstrider's own actions by the AI's Essence.

CRYSTALINE PURITYCost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)Keywords: Combo-OKDuration: One actionPrerequisite: Adamant Warstrider

Bestowing the pristine and changeless nature of crystal upon the warstrider, the AI renders the warstrider immune to the treachery of its enemies. For one action, the warstrider and its pilot are immune to Shaping, Crippling, Poison, and Sickness effects.

REAPER'S SCYTHECost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 10)Keywords: Combo-OKDuration: One actionPrerequisite: Soulsteel Warstrider

Infusing the pain and agony of tortured souls into the warstrider, the AI makes the warstrider into the specter of death. For one action, the Warstrider converts (Essence) dice of damage into automatic successes in Step 10 of damage resolution with all attacks.

BEND FATECost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)Keywords: Combo-OKDuration: One actionPrerequisite: Starmetal Warstrider

Drawing upon the sheer force of potential destinies represented by the starmetal that makes up its warstrider, the AI spins a future of victory for itself and its pilot. For one action, all attacks that target the warstrider have their target number raised by 1. This usually means that only a result of 8 or better counts as a success for attacking opponents.

RELENTLESS DEFENSECost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)

Keywords: Combo-OKDuration: One actionPrerequisite: Jade Warstrider

Jade, at its heart, is elemental energy bound into solid form. Harnessing the boundless life of Wood, the endless endurance of Earth, the raging fury of Fire, the tireless grace of Water, or the dauntless hurricane-force of Air, the AI pushes the warstrider to its limits, reacting to every blow without tiring or slowing. For one action, the warstrider adds (Essence) to its Dodge and Parry DVs and ignores up to (Essence) in onslaught or coordination penalties.

Servitor ArcanoiGenerally, a servitor uses Arcanoi Charms in

the same manner as a normal ghost. However, the servitor suffers from a few special restrictions.

• If the servitor currently resides within the warstrider, activating any Arcanoi with the Touch keyword requires that the warstrider be in physical contact with the target.

• Any of the servitor's Arcanoi that affects only the ghost himself can not be used on the warstrider it has been bound to unless otherwise noted.

• An Arcanos that would transfer the servitor into another vessel, such as an object or a mortal, still functions, but the pilot can recall the servitor to the warstrider at any time as a reflexive action. The servitor can resist this call by spending one Willpower per action, but once the servitor succumbs to the call whatever Charm it is using to separate itself from the warstrider immediately ends.

Charm Modifications for ServitorsWhile most existing Arcanoi function

identically for servitors and ghosts, the binding process alters how some Charms work for servitors.

Assassin's Subtle Escape: This Charm gains the Touch keyword.

Moon's Cold Glow: Whenever the servitor activates this Charm while residing within the warstrider, the pilot also benefits from the effect.

Pyre Smoke Form: By spending an additional 5 motes, the servitor can render the warstrider and its pilot incorporeal for the duration of the Charm. The servitor must reside within the warstrider to do so.

Breeze-Carried Ash Form: Whenever the warstrider is incorporeal and the servitor resides within the warstrider, the servitor can activate this Charm and pay an additional 5 motes to allow the warstrider to fly, as per the Charm's normal effect.

Essence Binding & Essence Lasso Form: When used from within the warstrider, the servitor can pay an additional 5 motes to draw upon the strength of the warstrider's soulsteel frame to enhance the chains produced by the Charm. Doing

so increases the (Strength + Athletics) total needed to shatter the chains by 10. Note: the servitor always counts as corporeal whenever within the warstrider.

Yielding Spirit Form: This Charm may be used to increase the warstrider's soak. The servitor must reside within the warstrider to do so.

Weighted with the Anchor of Flesh: Activating this Charm manifests the ghost as a separate, corporeal entity from the warstrider for the scene. The servitor may step out of any part of the warstrider as he enters the corporeal world. The servitor may activate this Charm even in the Underworld.

Broken Mold Strike: This Charm can supplement the warstrider's attack. The servitor must reside within the warstrider to do so.

Six Demon Bag: A servitor cannot use this Charm.

Nemissary's Ride: This Charm gains the Touch keyword.

The Embalmer's Art: This Charm gains the Touch keyword.

Dead Fur Cloak Method: This Charm gains the Touch keyword.

Hand of the Wind: Instead of functioning only when incorporeal, this Charm only functions when the servitor resides within the warstrider. When used, it allows the servitor to take a physical action (as described in the normal Charm text) anywhere within (Essence x 10) yards of the warstrider.

Ebon Grasp of Oblivion: When used from within the warstrider, the servitor can channel this Charm's power through the soulsteel frame by paying an additional two Willpower. Doing so allows the servitor to use the warstrider's Strength instead of his own for the Charm's attacks and adds the bonus Soak and Hardness granted by the Charm to the warstrider's own. Further, the attack range of the tentacles is doubled. The pilot is not hampered by use of this Charm and is ignored by the attacks made by the Charm's effects.

Tinker's Body: The servitor may manifest within the created body anywhere within (Essence x 10) yards of the warstrider. The servitor may activate this Charm even in the Underworld.

Sleeper's Caul: The servitor can create the shell anywhere within (Essence x 10) yards of the warstrider. The servitor may activate this Charm

even in the Underworld.Manifest the Dark Steed: This Charm loses the

Touch keyword. Instead, the servitor may use it on any ghostly steed within (Valor x 10) yards. As long as the steed is within that range when the servitor manifests, the steed becomes corporeal as well.

Birth the Perfected Master: Activating this Charm manifests the ghost as a separate, corporeal entity from the warstrider for the duration. The servitor may step out of any part of the warstrider as he enters the corporeal world. The servitor may activate this Charm even in the Underworld.

Birth the Warrior Form: Activating this Charm manifests the ghost as a separate, corporeal entity from the warstrider for the duration. The servitor may step out of any part of the warstrider as he enters the corporeal world. The servitor may activate this Charm even in the Underworld. If the servitor activates this Charm while residing within the warstrider, he may pay an additional 5 motes and 1 Willpower to manifest two dots worth of soulsteel artifacts as part of his form's panoply. The artifacts chosen must be some form of armor or weapon and may not have a repair rating.

Servitor Only CharmsShackled as they are to a warstrider, some

servitors have used their time spent in imprisonment to develop several Arcanoi that make use of their unique predicament.

VEIL-CROSSING WIND TOUCHCost: 5m; Mins: Conviction 4, Essence 3; Type: SupplementalKeywords: NoneDuration: InstantPrerequisites: Pyre Smoke Form, Hand of the Wind

This Charm supplements an action taken by the Warstrider. That action becomes equally capable of affecting both the material and the immaterial. This Charm only functions while the servitor resides within the warstrider.

BARBED EBON DEVIL FORMCost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Compassion 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple

Keywords: Obvious, ShapingDuration: One scenePrerequisites: Ghost-Devil Form, Soulsteel Shaper

This Charm allows the servitor to reshape the substance of the warstrider in much the same way as it can shape its own corpus. To use this Charm, the servitor must first have designed a form using Ghost-Devil Form. Once he has a form designed, he may then activate this Charm to apply any of the forms he has designed to the warstrider. Shaping the warstrider successfully into a particular form for the first time requires a (Dexterity + Craft[Fire]) roll, with a difficulty of (2 + one half the number of special features the form has). Once the servitor has successfully shaped the warstrider once, future transformations are automatically successful.

All special features appropriate for Ghost-Devil Form remain appropriate for Barbed Ebon Devil Form except for Additional Eyes, which do not function when applied to the warstrider. Any natural weapons that are part of a form gain all the benefits of being a warstrider weapon and also gain the magical material bonuses of soulsteel if the pilot is appropriately attuned. The Armored Hide special feature grants +4L/+4B soak instead of only +2L/+2B soak.

The servitor must reside within the warstrider to activate this Charm. The warstrider returns to normal at the end of the scene.

GATHERING THE HARVESTCost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Temperance 3, Essence 3; Type: SimpleKeywords: NoneDuration: One scenePrerequisites: Ride the Mystic Vessel, Soulsteel Shaper, Feeding the Lamprey's Appetite

Whenever the servitor resides within the warstrider or within a melee weapon made of soulsteel, the servitor can activate this Charm to channel the motes stripped away by its vessel's attacks into its own Essence pool. For the remainder of the scene, any motes drained by attacks made with the servitor's vessel are added to the servitor's Essence pool. Any motes in excess of the servitor's maximum are lost.

SHELTER THE LOYAL HOUNDCost: 2m; Mins: Valor 3, Essence 3; Type: ReflexiveKeywords: Touch, Obvious, StackableDuration: IndefinitePrerequisites: Assassin's Subtle Escape, Ghostly Harness Exercise

Hungry Ghosts caught outside the shelter of their corpse by the light of Creation's sun are destroyed. This Charm allows a servitor to kennel any hungry ghosts he has trained within the form of the warstrider, safe from the searing light of day. To use this Charm, a hungry ghost the servitor has tamed using Ghostly Harness Exercise or has been given using Spirit-Handling Leash must be in contact with the warstrider. Upon activating this Charm, the hungry ghost is absorbed into the soulsteel exoskeleton and exists as merely one more spectral image upon the black metal. While so absorbed, the hungry ghost is not harmed by sunlight. The servitor can absorb as many hungry ghosts into the warstrider with this Charm as he can sustain with his Essence pool. Ending the Essence commitment immediately frees the hungry ghost from the warstrider.

The servitor must reside within the warstrider to activate this Charm. If the servitor leaves the warstrider at any time, all current activations of this Charm end immediately.

SUDDEN DUSKCost: 10m, 1wp; Mins: Conviction 3, Essence 3; Type: SimpleKeywords: ObviousDuration: One scenePrerequisites: Black Breath of the Abyss

The light of the Unconquered Sun is baleful to ghosts and things of the Underworld. This Charm allows the servitor to provide a measure of protection against such effects. While this Charm is active, the sun has no harmful effect upon anything within 100 yards of the warstrider. Grave goods do not disintegrate, hungry ghosts are not destroyed, soul-fire crystals are not damaged, and so on. If activated inside the borders of a shadowland, all ghosts within range are solid and corporeal as though it were night.

This Charm causes all light within the area it affects to dim, not enough to hamper vision in any

way, but enough to make obvious the Charm's effect. Ghosts, hungry ghosts, and Abyssal Exalted instinctively sense the full extent of this Charm's effect, so hungry ghosts cannot be tricked beyond the Charm's reach.

The servitor must reside within the warstrider to activate this Charm. Leaving the warstrider at any time causes this Charm to end.

Example WarstridersBelow are provided a number of warstriders

for ease of use in your own games.

Common WarstridersUnlike other warstriders, common warstriders

were close to mass-produced during the First Age. While the individual surface aesthetics of an individual warstrider might vary greatly one to the next, the internal workings usually conformed to one of a number of standardized designs.

AriesJade Common Warstrider

One of the early flight capable warstrider designs, the Aries line was designed for sustained aerial combat. While not as fast or as maneuverable as later designs, the Aries remained a workhorse for several centuries due to its ability to stay in the air long after faster models have had to head in for repair and refit.Strength: 10Soak: 16Fatigue: 4 (2 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -8Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Flight System, Durable, Reduced WeightFlaws: Clumsy

TaurusJade Common Warstrider

A later model flight capable warstrider, the Taurus line was extremely fast, maneuverable, and notorious for breaking down regularly. Nevertheless, the Taurus saw extensive front-line use during the later First Age.Strength: 10Soak: 16Fatigue: 6 (4 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -4Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Flight System, Thruster Jets, Improved MobilityFlaws: High Maintenance

LeoJade Common Warstrider

Without a doubt the single most manufactured model still surviving from the First Age, the Leo is synonymous with the phrase "common warstrider." The Leo proved to be an excellent front-line model, with heavier armor and more power than other designs of its time.Strength: 12Soak: 20Fatigue: 6 (4 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -6Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Additional Plating, Enhanced Strength

SagittariusJade Common Warstrider

Designed for rapid reconnaissance, the Sagittarius has been nicknamed the "scout" warstrider. It's high level of mobility and the ability to spend a long time in the field made it ideal for extended periods of scouting, although such missions are often followed by a lengthy refit.Strength: 8Soak: 16Fatigue: 6 (4 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -4Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Increased Speed, Durable, Improved MobilityFlaws: Weak

LibraJade Common Warstrider

A late First Age model, the Libra was made to be a mobile platform for a variety of Essence weapons. Typically mounting a Medium Essence Cannon or a Light Implosion Bow, a fang of Libra warstriders could put forth an incredible barrage of fire, making them a favored model in the armies of the Solar Deliberative. However, they never eclipsed the numbers of the Leos, mostly due to the Usurpation putting an end to Libra production.Strength: 8Soak: 16Fatigue: 6 (4 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -6

Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Conducting Conduits, Essence Reserves x2Flaws: Weak

GeminiJade Common Warstrider

A brief experiment in truly mass produced warstriders, the Gemini showed the value of quality over quantity. While the Gemini could be produced in only 75% of the time required for a Leo and fielded in greater numbers, its light plating and tendency to break down rapidly made them unsuited for serious combat duty. Because of this, the Gemini only saw extensive use in the decade following the Usurpation.Strength: 10Soak: 12Fatigue: 4 (2 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -4Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Reduced Power Requirement, Reduced Weight, Improved MobilityFlaws: Light Plating, High Maintenance

ScorpioJade Common Warstrider

The Scorpio was designed as an ambush fighter, sacrificing speed for stealth and close-in fighting power. Mostly deployed in the South, the Scorpio never saw major manufacture, as hiding even a stealth-equipped warstrider is not the easiest of tasks.Strength: 12Soak: 16Fatigue: 6 (4 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -4Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Directional Camoflage System, Improved Mobility, Enhanced StrengthFlaws: Slow

VirgoJade Common Warstrider

Created before the advent of the colossus warstrider, the Virgo was made as a siege breaker. Its incredible resilience, massive strength, and relatively low cost continued to see small numbers deployed even after the more powerful colossi

began to take the field.Strength: 14Soak: 24Fatigue: 8 (6 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -8Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Additional Plating x2, Enhanced Strength x2Flaws: Heavy, Reduced Mobility

CancerJade Common Warstrider

One of the few warstrider lines made for deployment in the West, the Cancer was intended for use in naval battles. Correctly deployed, a fang of Cancer warstriders could make short work of most warships, given their maneuverability advantage over even First Age vessels.Strength: 10Soak: 20Fatigue: 6 (4 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -6Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Liquid Tread, Additional Plating

PiscesJade Common Warstrider

Perhaps the most common warstrider model used in the West, the Pisces is equipped for extended action underwater.Strength: 10Soak: 16Fatigue: 6 (4 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -6Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Aquatic Mobility, Filtration Baffles

AquariusJade Common Warstrider

Only made of black jade, the Aquarius was intended to be piloted exclusively by Water Aspected Terrestrials. Made for deployment in the furthest depths of the ocean, the Aquarius primarily saw action against deep sea behemoths and Fair Folk incursions.Strength: 10Soak: 16

Fatigue: 6 (4 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -6Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Aquatic Mobility, Aquatic Propulsion System

CapricornJade Common Warstrider

The only other reconnaissance warstrider to see a fair amount of use, the Capricorn was made for stealth over speed. However, the Capricorn never quite earned the same fame the Sagittarius did, perhaps because it was so often unnoticed.Strength: 8Soak: 16Fatigue: 6 (4 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -2Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Directional Camoflage System, Improved Mobility x2Flaws: Weak

InvictusOrichalcum Common Warstrider (Artifact 5)

One of the oldest surviving warstriders, the Invictus dates back to the Primordial War, forged by Autochthon himself. The Invictus was created for only one purpose: to turn aside the charge of mighty Isidoros, the Black Boar that Twists the Skies.Strength: 14Soak: 24 (28 for Solars)Fatigue: 6Mobility: -4Attunement: 10 motesAncillary Systems: Enhanced Strength x2, Additional Plating x2, Improved MobilitySpecial: By spending 5 motes and 1 Willpower, the pilot can cause the Strength of the Invictus to become functionally infinite for one action. For that one action, the Warstrider adds its Strength in automatic successes to all damage rolls involving weapons that have their damage based upon the warstrider's Strength (such as a sword or the warstrider's fist, but not a bolt launcher). Further, all Strength-based actions automatically succeed. If the warstrider attempts a Feat of Strength, its (Strength + Athletics) is always considered sufficient for the task.

Noble WarstridersFirst made to match the might of Wyld-

spawned behemoths, noble warstriders later became the signature sign of a Celestial Exalt upon the battlefield. Each noble warstrider is a truly unique creation, built and customized for a specific Exalt.

Indraghast's BaneMoonsilver Noble Warstrider

History has forgotten Indraghast, whoever or whatever it was, as well as why this moonsilver noble warstrider was its bane. The warstrider has the external features of a wolfman of pure moonsilver. Indraghast's Bane has all the normal characteristics of a noble warstrider, but with one extra modification. If the pilot is capable of shapeshifting into a wolf or another quadruped of similar build and does so, he can activate the warstrider's warform accommodations to cause the warstrider to transform into the form of a giant wolf.

Indraghast's Bane is currently in the possession of Ma-Ha-Suchi, although he has not carried it into battle yet, knowing that the sight of the terrifying First Age relic might frighten Lookshy into moving against him before he is fully prepared. Soon, however, Indraghast's Bane will taste blood once again.Strength: 14Soak: 18Fatigue: 5Mobility: -3 (-1 for Lunars)Attunement: 12 motesAncillary Systems: Warform Accommodations, Improved Mobility, Enhanced StrengthSpecial: While in wolf form, the warstrider retains moves at twice its normal rate and has a bite attack with the following traits: Speed 5, Accuracy +1, Damage +3L, Rate 1, Defense +0, Tags: N. This bite attack gains the magical material bonus of moonsilver if piloted by a Lunar or another fully attuned pilot. While in wolf shape, the warstrider loses the use of its hands but otherwise retains all other traits.

Prism of DestinyStarmetal Noble Warstrider

This warstrider is a stunning example of

Sidereal minimalist aesthetics and efficiency. While the musculature of the warstrider is made entirely of starmetal, the exoskeleton is not. Instead, the armored plating is formed from quartz crystal, magically hardened and reinforced with a filigree of starmetal wire, laid out in an auspicious geomantic pattern of swirling curlicue lines.

Prism of Destiny is currently in the possession of the Bronze Faction and has been deployed with increasing frequency as part of Wyld Hunts throughout the Scavenger Lands.Strength: 12Soak: 18Fatigue: 5Mobility: -5Attunement: 12 motesAncillary Systems: Spiritual Refinement Engine, Essence Cloak, Essence Reserves

Colossus WarstridersCreated to be the definitive element of siege

warfare, a colossus warstrider can tear down anything less durable than jade-steel with only a single blow. Heavy, ponderous, and unstoppable, colossi were never fielded in any large numbers, due in part to the expense of their construction but more because the design was seen as lacking in grace by the Solar Deliberative and so was relegated to being piloted by their Dragon-Blooded lieutenants. Because of this, the overwhelming majority of colossus warstriders are made of jade.

Pasiap's Mighty FistJade Colossus Warstrider

Pasiap's Mighty Fist might be considered an object lesson in the dangers of shoddy warstrider construction if any savants were aware of exactly why this white jade colossus has been followed by tragedy since its construction. In Realm Year 634, a foolish young apprentice to one of the savant-artisans assigned to the manufacture of this warstrider snuck a barmaid into the factory-cathedral late one night in hopes of impressing her with his status and perhaps getting under her skirts.

Whether he succeeded is lost to history, but the presence of an unpurified mortal in the factory-cathedral fatally contaminated the construction

process. The first person to pilot the Mighty Fist lost control as he was walking out of the factory-cathedral due to a defective coil in the musculature, and the lumbering beast fell onto the crowd of well-wishers, killing six mortals and crippling a Dragon-Blooded observer. The second pilot was murdered by a jealous lover. The third had her leg amputated when the warstrider's arm slipped as she was exiting the fuselage. The most recent pilot drowned when the Bull of the North tricked him into a concealed mud pit. Now, the Bull of the North has a new warstrider for his collection. And perhaps Pasiap's Mighty Fist has a fresh victim for the curse that hangs over it.

The Mighty Fist's last known equipment load-out included a shock ram mounted on the right hand, a jade bolt caster mounted to the left forearm, and a jade goremaul in a case mounted on the warstrider's back.Strength: 20Soak: 32Fatigue: 8 (6 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -8Attunement: 14 motesAncillary Systems: Additional Plating x2, Enhanced Strength x2, DurableSpecial: Any current pilot of Pasiap's Mighty Fist is cursed. While the original design for Pasiap's Mighty Fist was based upon one of the wondrous designs of the First Age, this curse is a unique flaw in the warstrider's construction and accounts for its higher than normal amount of ancillary systems without raising its Artifact rating. While a pilot operates under this curse, the pilot botches whenever he fails to get at least one success on any roll. He no longer needs any dice to show a 1 for the botch to occur.

Weight of JudgmentSoulsteel Colossus Warstrider

Forged in Autochthonia five hundred years ago, Weight of Judgment is a much decorated warstrider, having successfully fought off an attack by the Palladium Wurm with only a relatively new-made pilot.

In appearance, Weight of Judgment is slightly taller than most colossus warstriders, standing twenty-two feet tall. Its forearms are massive, containing twin Piston-Driven Megaton Hammer

Charms, an integrated pair of soulsteel smashfists, and additional heavy plating. The pilot looks out on the world from a helm shaped into a stoic visage of black metal, the only major ornamentation on the entire warstrider.Strength: 18Soak: 28 (32 for Abyssals)Fatigue: 8Mobility: -8Attunement: 14 motesAncillary Systems: AI Capability, Extra Plating, Enhanced StrengthFlaws: Slow

Weight of Judgment's AI: Dorothy (5 dot AI)While the Weight of Judgment is a decorated

war machine, many of its pilots find its AI to be endlessly frustrating. The AI manifests as a pale-skinned red-haired young girl in an old fashioned black dress. She speaks little and her voice never betrays a hint of emotion, yet what she does speak often shows a very active and dry wit.Motivation: To understand human emotions.Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 5, Perception 2, Charisma 2, Appearance 4, Manipulation 1Virtues: Valor 3, Temperance 4, Compassion 5, Conviction 4Abilities: Martial Arts 5, Resistance 2, Integrity 4, Presence 2, Lore 3, Investigation 2, Occult 1, Athletics 4, Awareness 2, Dodge 4, Linguistics 1 (Languages Known: Old Realm, Autochthonian)Backgrounds: Sanctum 2, Cult 1Charms:Barring The ThroneAwakening The War GodUnion of PurposeSecond Strength AugmentationPiston-Driven Megaton Hammer x2 (with Optimized Demolition Vibration)Paramagnetic Tether Beam (with Psychokinetic Reinforcement Array)Essence: 3Willpower: 7Essence Pool: 61/65 (4 committed)

Royal WarstridersAt the end of the First Age, the royal

warstrider was the current pinnacle of warstrider

technology. Only about as tiring and restrictive as a suit of ordinary super-heavy plate, yet their strength and resilience is only slightly eclipsed by that of a colossus warstrider. However, the exorbitant cost of a royal warstrider, combined with the prestige associated with owning such a potent artifact, served to keep the numbers of royal warstriders low.

The vast majority of royal warstriders are forged of orichalcum, owing to the great status of the Solar Exalted during the First Age, with the greatest portion of the remainder being of moonsilver. Both starmetal and soulsteel were considered too scarce for use in major warstrider production and rare was the Terrestrial honored enough to be gifted with a royal warstrider.

Unyielding Fury of RighteousnessJade Royal Warstrider

A gift from Chejop Kejak to the Empress on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of her ascension to the Scarlet Throne, Unyielding Fury of Righteousness is a royal warstrider of solid red jade, one of the few jade warstriders in existence and part of a subtle ploy to learn the Scarlet Empress's secrets and plans. Unfortunately, to Chejop's great consternation, the Empress thanked him warmly for his priceless gift... and then promptly had the warstrider shipped to her winter palace in Arjuf where it has remained, still sealed in an enormous crate, to the present day.

Unyielding Fury of Righteousness is currently equipped with a shoulder-mounted medium Essence cannon, a red jade reaver daiklave, and a jade short powerbow.Strength: 14Soak: 20Fatigue: 4 (2 for Terrestrials)Mobility: -4Attunement: 15 motesAncillary Systems: AI Capability, Flight System, Thruster Jets

Unyielding Fury of Righteousness' AI: Slave-1 (5 dot AI)

Slave-1 has not manifested visually in centuries, mostly because her warstrider is currently gathering dust in a crate in the middle of nowhere. Possessed of a pleasant and subservient

personality and quite aware of the purpose behind her creation, Slave-1 can only wait until someone might just open up the crate and at least park her in the sunshine. Were it not for her connection to her sister AI, Slave-2, she may well have gone mad already. She amuses herself by spending much of her time rearranging her sanctum, adding and removing rooms and furnishings at whim.Motivation: Discover the Scarlet Empress's darkest secrets. Slave-1 has Intimacies towards Chejop Kejak (duty), Slave-2 (sisterhood), and Getting Out Of This Damned Box.Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 1, Stamina 1, Intelligence 4, Wits 3, Perception 4, Charisma 5, Appearance 5, Manipulation 5Virtues: Valor 2, Temperance 4, Compassion 3, Conviction 4Abilities: Integrity 5, Presence 3, Lore 3, Investigation 5, Occult 2, Awareness 3, Socialize 5, Bureaucracy 2, Linguistics 2 (Languages Known: Old Realm, High Realm, Low Realm)Backgrounds: Sanctum 2Charms:Essence BiteMeasure The WindCamouflageSpirit-CuttingStrike Of SuretyDivine AegisAssumption of Memory (Cost: 5m, 1wp; Type: Simple; Duration: Instant; Using Assumption of Memory perfectly copies all of the pilot's memories into Slave-1's memory.)Memory Transfer (Cost: 3m; Type: Simple; Duration: Instant; Memory Transfer perfectly copies all of Slave-1's memories into the memory of Slave-2, which is installed in a crystalline matrix in Chejop Kejak's office.)Essence: 3Willpower: 10Essence Pool: 80/80

Ascending Flame of ConflictOrichalcum Royal Warstrider

Brought into its home manse for extended repair and refit shortly before the execution of the Usurpation, Ascending Flame of Conflict's Solar owner was slain during that first feast and so was lost to the world, much to the despair of its AI.

Housed in a hidden Fire-aspected manse on a once uninhabited island in the West, it wasn't until recent centuries that islanders took up residence on the island.

Now, due to the machinations of its AI, Ascending Flame of Conflict is currently worshiped as a god of fire and battle and believed to hold dominion over the volcano wherein its home manse is hidden.

Ascending Flame of Conflict's appearance is that of a golden giant, limbs wreathed in flames made of rubies and red jade. It currently is armed with a shoulder-mounted Essence cannon and a grand goremaul.Strength: 16Soak: 20 (24 for Solars)Fatigue: 4Mobility: -4Attunement: 15 motesAncillary Systems: AI Capability, Enhanced Strength, Increased Speed

Ascending Flame of Conflict's AI: Jarkan(5 dot AI)

Appearing to be a young, tan-skinned man with roguish good looks whenever he manifests, Jarkan is easily bored. His latest ploy to entertain himself has been to lead the villagers of the island where the warstrider rests to believe that the warstrider is the god of the volcano.

So far, the villagers have bought into his deception, offering prayers and sacrifices to the warstrider (and, by extension, to Jarkan). Jarkan periodically manifests himself to the villagers, claims to be a messenger from the volcano god, and proclaims to them some taboo meant to appease the wrath of the volcano. Occasional demonstrations of actual wrath has been necessitated when the villagers failed to play along.

Occasional raids by other islands, Fair Folk, and pirates have earned the warstrider a reputation as a protector of the island. After all, thinks Jarkan, if someone kills all of his villagers, who will be there to entertain him?Motivation: Amuse himself. He has an intimacy of amusement towards the local villagers.Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 4, Perception 3, Charisma 2,

Appearance 4, Manipulation 4Virtues: Valor 5, Temperance 1, Compassion 2, Conviction 5Abilities: Melee 5, War 5, Resistance 3, Performance 5, Athletics 4, Awareness 4, Larceny 3, Linguistics 1 (Languages Known: Old Realm, Sea Tongue)Backgrounds: Sanctum 2, Manse 3, Cult 2Charms:Awaken The War GodWalking The WorldMending the Wounds of WarMeasure The WindEssence BiteStrike Of SuretyTitan's Pussiance (Strength)MaterializeEssence: 3Willpower: 10Essence Pool: 80/80

Insidious Ebon XoanonSoulsteel Royal Warstrider

Framed from ebony, overlaid with human skin and bone, and magically reinforced to a durability comparable to that of the magical materials, the Insidious Ebon Xoanon contains only minimal soulsteel components.

The Insidious Ebon Xoanon is one of the most physically impressive royal warstriders ever produced, more powerful even than some colossus warstriders. Such is the might of the First and Forsaken Lion's personal warstrider. Currently equipped with a soulsteel grand daiklave, a soulsteel dart hailstorm, and a heavy Essence cannon and cloaked with a perpetual pall of darkness, the Insidious Ebon Xoanon is an absolute terror to behold upon the battlefield.Strength: 18Soak: 28 (32 for an Abyssal)Mobility: -6Fatigue: 6Attune: 15Ancillary Systems: Oblivion's Avatar(The Dread Black Beacon), AI Capability, Enhanced Strength x2, Additional Plating x2Flaws: Heavy, Increased Power Needs, Reduced Mobility

Insidious Ebon Xoanon's Bound Servitor: Agron (5 dot Servitor)

In life, Agron was a respected warrior and general in the coastal states of the South. He lead his country's army to victory in several campaigns against neighboring countries until his death upon the battlefield. He was known as a brave and honorable, if austere, man and lauded for his fairness and equity. When he died a hero, the state-held funeral in his honor lasted for a week and he was buried with every honor the kingdom could bestow upon him.

In death, he was not so fortunate. Taken by a press gang of slavers while still disoriented by his death to feed the First and Forsaken Lion's soulsteel refineries, his noble demeanor in the cages caused him to be singled out for special treatment, receiving the dubious honor of becoming the servitor for the Insidious Ebon Xoanon. Now, he serves the First and Forsaken Lion ably, if not willingly.

Agron manifests as a middle-aged gentleman, traces of silver just beginning to streak his dark hair, but the battle-wounds that ended his life obvious for all to see. His captivity has made him gloomy, with little hope of escaping his new master's service. He has long since stopped struggling against the Lion's orders and has resigned himself to his fate, carrying out orders without complaint or enthusiasm.

His will may not yet be fully broken, however. Agron's reason for clinging to existence after death was to continue to safeguard the country he loved in life. It is not beyond imagining that if the Lion were to deploy the Xoanon against Agron's homeland that Agron might muster some shred of defiance at a crucial moment and cripple his own prison.Motivation: Protect his homeland.Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 3, Perception 4, Charisma 5, Appearance 3, Manipulation 1Virtues: Valor 5, Temperance 3, Compassion 2, Conviction 3Abilities: Melee 5, War 5, Martial Arts 3,Occult 3, Integrity 2, Presence 2, Resistance 2, Athletics 2, Awareness 3, Lore 2, Bureaucracy 3, Linguistics 1 (Languages Known: Flametongue, Old Realm), Socialize 2, Ride 2

Backgrounds: Cult 2Fetters: Insidious Ebon Xoanon 5Passions: His Family 2, Keeping His Word 3, Bravery in Battle 5, Obeying His King 3Arcanoi:Pyre Smoke FormSoul AnchorEssence BindingEssence Lasso FormCorpse-Fed RadianceBlack Breath of the AbyssHand of the WindStrike of Dead HandsEbon Grasp of OblivionWhisperMarsh LightSleeper's CaulEmbodyBirth the Warrior FormEssence: 3Willpower: 10Essence Pool: 86/86

Joy in the Suffering of OthersSoulsteel Royal Warstrider

Made as a gift for the Princess Magnificent with Lips of Coral and Robes of Black Feathers by the First and Forsaken Lion, Joy in the Suffering of Others has never once been used. Rejected by the Princess, this soulsteel royal warstrider sits idle in an empty cavern beneath the Thousand, haunted by its bound servitor.

In appearance, Joy in the Suffering of Others is a magnificent piece of magical engineering. Graceful where the Insidious Ebon Xoanon is brutish, the warstrider has been as elegantly proportioned as any mortal sculpture could dream of being, made as beautiful as it is terrible in its glory. Inlaid with bone ivory and rubies the color of fresh blood, Joy in the Suffering of Others would bring a gothic grace to the battlefield should she ever be deployed. With the warstrider rests its intended panoply: a soulsteel monofilament scourge and soulsteel long powerbow.Strength: 18Soak: 24 (28 for an Abyssal)Mobility: -0Fatigue: 4Attune: 20

Ancillary Systems: Oblivion's Avatar (Fortune's Inauspicious Nadir), AI Capability*, Improved Mobility x2, Enhanced Strength x2, Additional PlatingFlaws: Increased Power Needs, High Maintenance*Installed as a separate artifact

Joy in the Suffering of Others' Bound Servitor: Gloria, the Weeping Maiden (5 dot Servitor)

The servitor of Joy in the Suffering of Others, Gloria has much reason to curse her good looks. In life, she was just a peasant girl, the prettiest girl in her village. She was kidnapped by Yozi cultists before her wedding day to be a human sacrifice to their demonic patron, chosen specifically because of her beauty. She clung to existence as a ghost out of the terror of never seeing her family and friends again, only to be taken by one of the First and Forsaken Lion's soulforging gangs.

Her looks betrayed her again, bringing her to the personal attention of the First and Forsaken Lion just as he was searching for a suitable candidate for the servitor of his twisted love gift. Now, she is trapped in a cold metal prison, alone and forgotten in the darkness beneath the Underworld. Gloria's sobs often go unheard in the vast caverns of the Lion's fortress.

Interestingly, as Joy in the Suffering of Others has never known a pilot, Gloria retains complete freedom of action. No master can yet command her to cease her struggles, so perhaps she might find some way to reach out for help from within the bowels of Merciless.

Gloria manifests as a young girl, her deeply sad eyes and slit throat the only things marring her otherwise flawless looks. Tears stain her cheeks, but no one sees, alone as she is.Motivation: Find my way home.Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Perception 4, Charisma 5, Appearance 5, Manipulation 3Virtues: Valor 1, Temperance 4, Compassion 5, Conviction 3Abilities: Craft[Moliation] 5, Craft[Fire] 3, Presence 5, Performance 3, Integrity 5,Resistance 1, Survival 2, Lore 1, Medicine 2, Awareness 3, Athletics 1, Socialize 4(Languages Known: Flametongue)Fetters: Joy in the Suffering of Others 5

Passions: Her Family 5, Escaping 3, Kindness 4, Alone in the Dark 1Arcanoi:Moon's Cold GlowPyre Smoke FormBreeze-Carried Ash FormSoulsteel ScreamSoulsteel ShaperWaxen Ghostly FleshNine Terrors VisageYielding Spirit FormSteeling the SpiritGhost-Devil FormBarbed Ebon Devil FormWeighted with the Anchor of FleshEssence: 3Willpower: 10Essence Pool: 86/86