[Index]
Numenera Destiny
Mech shamblers are machines that have become unmoored and begun to wander. As they wander, they scavenge other machines and devices they come upon, sometimes integrating that material into themselves at random, other times installing parts of themselves back into the machines they find. Change seems to be the primary motivation for this continual movement and rearrangement, though some wrights believe a deeper imperative is at play and that mech shamblers are actually attempting to complete some ancient, half-forgotten program or ritual.
Following in the wake of a mech shambler's rearrangements sometimes increases the odds of salvaging iotum or finding plan seeds, so despite the danger associated with getting in a shambler's way, numenera scholars are always glad to hear of such activity.
No two mech shamblers look the same, but they're roughly about 15 feet (5 m) in diameter, move on multiple legs, and have a jumbled, somewhat confused surface composed of partial devices.
Motive: Searching for something
Environment: Anywhere other machines are found
Health: 30
Damage Inflicted: Major wound (8 points)
Armor: 3
Movement: Short
Modifications: Speed defense as level 4 due to size. Tasks related to salvaging, repairing, and understanding numenera as level 8.
Combat: Most mech shamblers can emit multiple energy rays (usually three) at different targets they can see within long range. Depending on the shambler in question, other offensive and defensive devices may also be available, including devices that can alter local gravity, slow or speed time, take control of nearby devices or machines, or even allow the mech shambler to instantly transfer itself (or foes) to some other location.
If a mech shambler is within an immediate distance of other machines, it can regain health at a rate of 4 points per round even as it takes other actions.
Interaction: Mech shamblers aren't interested in communicating, though they will respond favorably to those who provide them with more mech to swap components with. They may even leave a unit or two of iotum behind to repay the favor.
Use: Something strange has happened to an installation the community depends on, and it is no longer functioning. It also looks like about half its insides have been swapped out with random machine parts.
Large, shambling prints lead away from the malfunctioning installation.
Loot: A defeated mech shambler can be salvaged for a few cyphers, 2d20 shins, and a couple of rolls on the Iotum Result Table.
GM Intrusion: The mech shambler's attack affects the character's artifact, causing it to begin transforming and rearranging itself over the course of one round, during which time it can't be used. It seems to work normally again afterward, but it looks different.