Aliens and Technology

[Messiah]

This is a brief synopsis of the aliens, and the technology in the world. The list of aliens will likely be added to once player characters come into contact with more types.

Aliens:

Warriors

Warriors are the bulk of the Invader ground force. They're bipedal beings that normally stand over 7 feet and use digitigrade locomotion. Both hands end in four fingers and both feet end in three toes. Their skin is scaled. The color varies from individual to individual, but it's dark, most commonly brown or gray. Due to their physiological make-up, possessing no fat (much like Earth's reptiles) and all muscle, they are incredibly strong, despite not being very bulky. Most of the Warrior's body is covered in protective armor that also generates a shield, making just one a challenge for several well-armed humans. They're armed with a special staff that functions as both a hand-to-hand weapon and a ranged weapon that makes use of a small plasma generator at the top of it. Warriors are fanatical to their cause and when faced with defeat (which is relatively rare), they will end their lives, rather than face capture.

Stalkers

Stalkers function primarily as scouts and ambush units. They're quadrupedal and stand at just over five feet at the shoulder and are normally around twelve feet long from their head to the tip of their tail. (Seven feet from head to tailbone, five foot long tail) Each of their legs has four clawed digits. Like Warriors, Stalkers have dark scaled skin, normally brown or gray. They have four eyes in order to better see both in front of them and to the sides. They do have armor like Warriors, but unlike them, it doesn't cover them fully and doesn't provide a protective shield. However, it does generate a stealth field, which is where they get their name. Their armor, particularly along the tail, is also lined with blades, making it an incredibly dangerous close range foe.

Stingers

Stingers are small creatures that somewhat resemble Earth's arthropods; more specifically, they resemble a four-legged scorpion with vicious mandibles and without claws. They only rise less than a foot off the ground and are less than two feet long, and they are far more weak than most of the other aliens, their strength relies on their sheer numbers. Their main purpose is to pass on a parasite to enemies. First, a stinger latches onto a human host with its mandibles, and then stings them with its tail. The tail possesses a parasitic life-form that then enters the victim. Once a host has been made, the stinger dies, much like Earth's honey bees.

Parasites

Parasites live inside a Stinger until a victim has been stung. Once inside the body, they lie dormant until such a point they are "activated" by unknown means (See below). The only known cure for parasites is a bullet.

Sleepers

When a person has been infected by parasites, they become a sleeper. A sleeper thinks and acts as the host normally would until they are "activated", at which point the parasite hijacks the nervous system and motor functions of the host, putting it under the control of the aliens. After being activated, aliens use Sleepers as both a labor force and a combat force, as shock troops, cannon fodder, and a way to demoralize human enemies. Hosts are capable of using some types of alien technology, as well as human technology, such as firearms. Once activated, they do not act like humans, being very robotic and
deliberate in their movements, as well as lacking any form of self-preservation. Sleepers are rarely seen outside larger cities.

Alien Technology:

Plasma

Plasma is the term given to both the aliens' energy source and their primary form of attack. As an energy source, it appears to be more powerful and more stable than nuclear power. Although, vehicles that use plasma as an energy source are vulnerable to attack (compromising the integrity of a plasma generator will result in an explosion, but nowhere near the magnitude of a nuclear explosion). As a way of attack, it has a burning, acidic effect, and is capable of burning through flesh and metal alike. Plasma projectiles act as a solid until they strike a target, at which point they act as a liquid. The plasma itself is a light turquoise color with a slight glow to it.

Plasma Staff

The weapon of choice for Warriors. A staff is nearly as tall as a Warrior itself, and ends in a plasma projector and a blade. Not only can it fire plasma projectiles, but the plasma augments the blade, helping it to cut more easily.

Warrior Armor

Armor that covers most of a warrior. The armor possesses small plasma generators all over, and they help generate an energy shield that can absorb a few shots before failing. When faced with capture, Warriors activate a failsafe that activates all the plasma generators, to burn through their bodies and kill them. The failsafe is also activated if the wearer flatlines. This manner of death makes it difficult for people to study deceased specimens, as it burns through their skin and much of their internal body structure.

Stalker Armor

Unlike Warrior armor, Stalker armor uses minimal plasma power for camoflage. The camoflage isn't foolproof, however. As it is only camoflage, it doesn't prevent the stalker from affecting the real world, such as bumping into objects, or making prints. Also, when a stalker moves, it creates a slight glimmer, and a faint outline of the stalker.

Partisan Weapons/Armor

Partisans have pieced together weapons and armor from fallen enemies. Partisan weapons and armor made from alien technology are usually pieced together, and they are much more rudimentary than what you see the aliens with. Their appearance and sometimes its function varies from person to person. Not every Partisan makes use of alien technology. Usually the more veteran Partisans have the most alien technology.

Human Technology

Any technology available to humans in 2013 is still available. However, due to the current lack of an electrical grid, very little of it is usable, thus no cell phones, laptops, etc. Fuel is still available, but significantly more scarce than in the "old world". As such, motor vehicles aren't commonly used. Instead, humans are much more commonly seen making use of horses.Raiders and Partisans have more access to motor vehicles and fuel than Pilgrims do. However, Partisans often trade fuel to Pilgrims in exchange for supplies.