[Index]
Numenera Discovery
Among those who had the bad luck to encounter Oorgolian soldiers (but the good luck to survive), most believe that the creatures were not created by human hands.
Created in aeons past (perhaps on an entirely different world), the mechanical men known as Oorgolian soldiers patrol isolated areas of the Ninth World, particularly the Plains of Kataru and Scorpion's Reach. They are almost always found in groups of 1d6 + 2. Lanky and alien in their movements, these quasi-humanoid automatons stand almost 8 feet (2.5 m) tall. In their three-fingered hands, they wield a variety of weapons.
No one knows the origin of the word "Oorgolian." It is thought to be a term from a tongue that is now long dead.
Motive: Incomprehensible
Environment: Anywhere, usually in groups of three or more
Health: 15
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (4 points)
Armor: 3
Movement: Short
Modifications: Perception as level 5. Leaps, runs, and balances as level 6
Combat: Oorgolians attack in groups using well-organized tactics. Although they can speak,
they transmit information to one another silently and instantly within a 100-mile (160 km) range via radio transmissions. Originally they were almost certainly outfitted with numenera weaponry, but about half have lost their armaments and now wield Ninth World weapons, such as spears, crossbows, or axes. The Oorgolians still armed with the numenera typically carry a weapon that can fire multiple rapid shots without reloading. The soldiers use these to
target after the first, defense rolls are eased. In addition to a ranged projectile weapon, one in four Oorgolians
People who have experience fighting these automatons have discovered that certain frequencies of sound confuse them. Some frequencies cause Oorgolians to function at 2 levels lower than normal, and others prevent them from acting at all for 1d6 + 1 rounds.
Interaction: On their own, Oorgolians act on prior orders that literally may be a million years old or more, so their actions and motives don't always make sense. Sometimes they completely ignore creatures they find. Sometimes they communicate. Sometimes they ambush and attack.
Use: At least one human warlord, with the help of skilled scholars and Nanos, has captured and repurposed a number of Oorgolian soldiers, probably using sound. These soldiers remember nothing of their former duties and work for their new human masters.
Loot: Half of all Oorgolian soldiers carry artifact weapons, such as a slug thrower—a two-handed weapon that inflicts a moderate wound (6 points) and has a range of 200 feet (60 m). The projectile ammo regenerates within the weapon until it runs out of power (depletion 1 in 1d100). In addition, each Oorgolian body contains 1d6 cyphers.
GM Intrusion: The destroyed soldier explodes, inflicting a moderate wound (6 points) to all within immediate range.