The Town of Larsen

Dust storms. Visibility is reduced to 10m or less. Strong storms may make unaugmented travel on foot impossible. Storms last up to 3 days.

Thunderstorms. Cut visibility to 30m or less and last 1-4 hours. During the storm, exposed characters are 10% likely per hour to be struck by lightning for D6 x D6 MD.

Ley line storms. These are described in WB2 Atlantis.

Sand sinks. Like quicksand, faults under desert sands can swallow people. They usually won't affect a vehicle of crawler size or larger. Victims sink 1m per round and may not extricate themselves without a rope or tow line, jump jets or means of flying. Victims sink a total of 3D4m deep, usually suffocating in 6 melees.

Rock Slides. Any person or vehicle in the area of effect is 50% likely to suffer 1D6 hits by rocks doing 3D6x10 SDC (1 MD) each, and 25% likely to be trapped under D100 x100 kilograms (100 to 10,000 kg) of rock. Trapped characters can still breathe.

Whirlwinds. These are of strength 1-6 and last for 20-80 minutes, moving in random directions at 20-80 km/h. Strength 1 whirlwinds are 3m in diameter, and can lift or knock over things up to 25 kg in mass (loose, light objects, dust and gravel will be swept up, and can do 2D6 SDC damage to all in the area, as well as blinding them, affecting all combat rolls by -6). At the end of every round, any specific object or person caught up in the air by the whirlwind is 25% likely to be hurled out, falling to the ground for 2D6 damage.

Strength 2 whirlwinds are 4m in diameter, lifting or knocking over up to 50 kg masses. Damage from any loose objects (or from being hurled out) is 4D6 per round, and blindness is also caused.

Strength 3 whirlwinds are 6m in diameter, lifting or knocking over up to 100 kg masses (most lightly encumbered humans). Damage from loose objects (or from being hurled out) is D6x10 per round, and blindness is also caused.

Strength 4 whirlwinds are 9m in diameter, lifting or knocking over up to 200 kg masses. Damage from loose objects (or from being hurled out) is 3D6x10 SDC.

Strength 5 whirlwinds are 12m in diameter, and can lift 400 kg masses and do 1D4 MD.

Strength 6 whirlwinds are 20m (or more) in diameter, can lift masses up to a tonne, and can do 1D10 MD of damage. Such whirlwinds are effectively tornadoes.

NOTE: All ants communicate by touch (feelers) and by smell (chemical emissions). They have advanced smell (centred on their feelers). If they find food or are attacked, they emit a chemical which alerts ants of the same nest within 1,000 meters. They do not normally parry or dodge.

Giant common black ants are largely inoffensive. When encountering PCs or vehicles, they may give them a single bite to test them if unable to penetrate armour, they will lost interest. Food may be stolen, and exposed flesh or large quantities of food may attract numerous workers. Workers are 1m long, about 25 kg, have 50 SDC and can bite for 3D6 SDC. Warriors are 1.5m long, about 40 kg, have 100 SDC and can bite for D4x10 SDC. They also can squirt concentrated formic acid from their abdomens (only when in melee) at targets in front of them, doing D4x10 SDC for D4 melee rounds (treat as 1 MD to MDC structures).

Workers have 2 attacks/melee and +2 to initiative.

Warriors have 4 attacks/melee and +2 to initiative and strike.

Giant common red or green ants are wider-ranging and more aggressive than black ants, though like them they will largely ignore MDC structures. Workers are 2m long, mass 60 kg, have 2D4x100 SDC, and can bite for D6x10 SDC. Warriors are the same size and appear identical, but have 4D6x100 SDC and can bite for D6 MDC.

Workers have 2 attacks/melee and +2 to initiative.

Warriors have 4 attacks/melee and +2 to initiative and strike.

Bulldog ants are the most feared type, and are usually referred to by an obscene appellation. [Australian Army types will know what I mean.] They will confidently attack moving MDC structures, and are able to crack or dismember MD armour to reach the flesh within. Workers are 2.5m long and mass 100 kg, have 5D6 MD and bite for 2D4 MD. Warriors are 3m long, mass 200 kg, have D4x10+10 MD and bite for 4D6, though once they have bit, they often hang on (PS 40) and even death or decapitation will not release their jaws. A warrior hanging on will immobilise a normal human and impose a -4 to initiative, strike, parry and dodge, while even an augmented human or PA will be reduced to half speed and -2 to initiative, strike, parry and dodge. Multiple hangers-on inflict cumulative penalties.

Workers have 2 attacks/melee and +2 to initiative.

Warriors have 4 attacks/melee and +2 to initiative and strike.

Giant ant-lions are solitary pouncers, usually hiding in crevices, beneath trapdoors or in sand-pits. With D6x10+20 MD, and a 2D6 MD bite, they resemble bulldog ants, but will attack and kill any man-sized or smaller creature, or any ant except bulldog ants. They emit a chemical which cancels an ant's "alarm" scent, and are sometimes hunted for this reason. Ant-lions typically attack a single target and drag it into their lair (they have a PS of 35) to be killed and eaten.

They have 4 attacks/melee, +6 to initiative and +4 to strike.

Giant wolf spiders are solitary hunters, usually nocturnal. They are excellent stalkers (prowl 75%) and when attacking leap on their prey from up to 10m distant, seeking to paralyse one target to be borne off for later consumption. They have D4x100 SDC. The spider's bite does 3D6 SDC plus a poison which paralyses for 20-80 hours.

They have 3 attacks/melee, +4 to initiative, +6 strike (+8 if leaping), and are +3 to automatic dodge.

The normal scorpion is another feared denizen of the outback. Measuring only 2-5 cm long and with but 1 SDC, these nocturnal arachnids seek warmth after hunting at night, and often take refuge in bed rolls, discarded boots or armour, effectively prowling at 90%. When attacking (even if crushed by an intruding foot), they strike at +6 and by surprise. Their sting does no damage, but will pierce SDC skin and inject poison. The victim must save at -4 or be paralysed in 1 round, then suffer 1D6 HIT POINTS per minute for 1D6 minutes. The paralysis lasts 20-80 minutes, if the victim survives.

Fury beetles. These are described in the Rifts Main Book.

Spear Grass. Resembles the common "black boy" plant (actually a fern), an irregular black trunk topped by a spray of long, flexible leaves and 1D6+1 spear-like seeds. The spears point outward from the plant's top. There are many rudimentary eyes among the leaves, and the plant is highly efficient at detecting and characterising movement to locate animals of about rabbit size and up. Given one or more targets, the plant will fire spears (silently, using compressed gas) at ranges of up to 1000m, never more than one spear per target (automatically hitting unless dodged at 18 or better).

Spears which hit do 1D4 MD. The seed is actually the very tip, no more than 5mm wide and 50mm long. After impact, it will bore toward the centre of its target, penetrating environmental body armour in 1 melee (doing a total of 2D6 damage to the armour), and power armour in 1 minute (doing D4x10 damage). If the seed can be hit, 1 MD of damage will kill it. Seeds which attempt to bore into robot vehicles or ATVs (not power armour) will die after doing a total of 5D6 damage (caught in machinery, electrocuted, etc.) Once a seed penetrates armour, it continues into the fleshy body inside, doing 2D4x10 SDC per melee to the wearer. After a seed reaches the centre of its host (when the host dies) it germinates. As a result, many Spear Grass plants have a few items of equipment hidden in the undergrowth nearby.

Spear Grass plants have 4D6 MD, and in combat have only 1 attack/melee. However, they can fire as many spears simultaneously as they have targets for, so a plant will normally only attack a group once.

They grow in semi-arid regions, usually in scrubby bushland.

Thylacoleo. Commonly called the Saber-Tooth, it is a saber-toothed pliocine marsupial resembling a maneless lion. A cunning dusk and dawn hunter, the Saber-Tooth works alone or in pairs, and most are aware of the danger posed by guns. Typical tactics are an unseen approach (prowl 90%), followed by a sprint and body slam (a hit inflicts D4x10+10 SDC, automatically knocking down man-sized targets and 50% likely to knock down FC cyborgs and oversized d-bees). The Saber-Tooth will then pin the victim and bite for gaps in non-enclosing armour. Fully armoured opponents will be abandoned after a single exploratory attack. It will flee if attacked by a second person or groups with guns. Saber-Teeth will not attack humans in power armour. HP 2D4x10, SDC 3D6x10, AR 10, 4 attacks/melee, +6 to initiative, strike and dodge, claw for 2D6+10 SDC or bite for 2D10+10.

Tiger. The tiger, a feared night hunter, is a striped marsupial resembling a medium-sized wolf with distinct black tiger stripes on its red-brown fur. It is theorised that this species is a mutant descendant of the Tasmanian Tiger, thought to have become extinct before the time of Rifts, but others hold that it is an identical species. It has an IQ approaching human, and can understand human speech (Australian 60). It has the psionic powers of Hypnosis and Telepathic Transmission, and hunts by luring single humans out into the night where they are rendered defenceless (taking off armour, discarding weapons etc.) before being attacked. Tigers hunt alone or in pairs. Individuals have D4x10 HP, 2D4x10 SDC, and D4x10+40 ISP. 4 attacks/melee, +3 to strike and automatic dodge, bite for 2D6+3 SDC.

Stomper Beast. Encountered in family groups of 1D8, where the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th are young. They are ill-tempered marsupial omnivores the size and shape of a hornless woolly rhino. They prefer forested and scrub areas where they can close on prey and can reach 60 km/h for a sprint of up to a minute. They have 4D6 MDC each, 3 attacks/melee, attack at +2 strike and can dodge at no bonus. A bite does 1D6 MD, a trample 3D6 MD. They are only 40% likely to attack humans on foot, but loud or large targets (giants and vehicles) are 90% likely to be attacked by all the adults in a family group, who will see such intruders as threats.

Monitor. A giant lizard resembling a goanna. They tend to hunt alone, lying motionless half-buried in the dirt for hours (prowl 75%) and leaping forth to attack prey. They have 1D6 MD each, 3 attacks/melee, +6 to initiative, +4 to strike, and can dodge at no bonus. A bite does 1D3 MD. They are stupid and will attack anything not larger than themselves (they grow up to 20' long, 1/3 of which is tail), but will ignore anything that does not bleed after one bite.

Oubliette. An animal predator of the pouncer sort. Slug-shaped, adults measure up to 8m in length and may mass 600 kg. Their elastic jaws can stretch to 2m in diameter. These creatures dig into sand or earth so as to leave only their mouths (a flat, fleshy disk when wide open) exposed. Their mouths are quickly covered by blowing sand, leaf litter etc. and the creature may retain this position for weeks

Oubliettes are psionic, and can distort the terrain as sensed by minds within 2D6x100m (roll once per monster). Creatures entering this range and failing a save vs. psionics will head toward the creature, while thinking they're going the way they want to go. When they approach to within 2-5m of the monster (which is 90% concealed) it snaps its jaws forward in attack.

In combat they have 3 attacks/melee, +4 to initiative, +5 to strike, and are unable to parry or dodge. Damage is 1D4 MD, but up to 1D4 human-sized targets in a close group or a single borg or power armour suit may be pinned in the jaws. Pinned victims may only attack if they have a short (i.e. pistol or knife) weapon in hand, and damage done is halved (due to "blow-through" and inability to aim). Pulling free requires a PS of 50+. Once a victim has been pinned, the monster will secrete a powerful acid (its mouth is also its stomach) which does 5D6 MD per melee. Once joint seals and air filters fail, the victim is digested inside his own armour (this takes 1D6 minutes). Empty remains are then spat out and dirt scratched over them (an adult individual will have 1D10-1 suits of damaged armour, equipment etc. shallowly buried nearby).

Oubliettes are capable of rapid sprints (SPD 2D4x10 up to 200m), but are otherwise slow movers (SPD 10). They will stay put unless food grows scarce or repeatedly badly hurt. They are sometimes sought out as guards. Their eyesight is poor, but their hearing and tactile senses are excellent. They detect the approach of prey through vibrations in the earth. They tend to live in densely vegetated or broken terrain, where lines of sight are short and there is soil or leaf litter that can cover their jaws.

Strongly alkaline substances, such as chlorine, dissolve the creature's flesh. This causes extreme pain and does D4x10 MD per kilogram of alkaline applied. Such an attack will cause the creature to release any currently pinned victims and recoil if an individual is repeatedly attacked in this manner, it will flee. Adults have 3D6x10 MD, and bio-regenerate 4D6 MD every 5 minutes. The gelatinous nature of the Oubliette's body reduces damage done by kinetic trauma (i.e. railguns, explosives, vibroblades) to 1/4. Plasma missiles and fusion blocks do full damage.

Deinonychus. 1.5m tall, 3m long, 100 kg. MD 3D6, PS 18, PP 19, SPD 50, 3 attacks/melee, bite D4 MD or jump kick (costs 1 attack) 3D6 MD, +3 to initiative, +4 to strike and automatic dodge, knockdown man-sized targets on kick rolling a 13+. Pack hunters similar to Velociraptor as seen in Jurassic Park. Packs are typically 1D10 in number. They like relatively flat ground, either open or wooded, where they can either ambush or run down prey.

Allosaurus. 3m tall, 6m long, 350 kg. MD 6D6, PS 24, PP 17, SPD 40, 3 attacks/melee, bite or shake a bitten opponent or tear with foot at a bitten opponent or hurl a bitten opponent for 2D6 MD, +3 to strike, +1 to dodge, bitten opponents hit with a 13+ are pinned and may be shaken, torn with foot claws, or hurled next action. A typical big carnivore which hunts alone or in pairs.

Parasopholus. 4m tall, 5m long, 500 kg. MD 6D6, PS 30, SPD 30, 1 attack/melee, kick, butt or stomp for D6 MD, +1 to strike or dodge. A herd animal, 1D20 in number. Capable of calls audible for miles, which can deafen listeners within 6m (save negates).

Demonic predators are the feared Rift Demons and come in an almost infinite variety. However, some types are well known to those who wander the outback. These include the Xiticix, Sphinxes, and those described below.

Hell Hounds. Doglike creatures, with leathery metallic black hides, deeply hooded eyes which glow faintly red and no lips (their interlocking fangs permanently exposed). They have four-toed feet with no claws or nails, but they provide good traction and can clumsily hold things (though they don't use weapons). Feed on both meat and life energy (using their life drain power), even carrion. They enjoy playing with helpless prey, much like cats, often delaying the final kill by an hour or more.

2m tall, 150 kg. MD 100, PS 24, PP 19, SPD 40, PPE 30, 4 attacks/melee, +4 to initiative, +3 to strike and parry, +2 to dodge, bite for 2D6 MD, breathe fire for 3D6 MD to 3m. They have the spell-like powers of life drain and see the invisible, have keen hearing, and can track by smell (58%). A pack animal, usually numbering 4D6, their weakness is to silver. They are sought after by magicians as guards, and are used in numbers by the feared Dire Riders of the Salt Kingdom.

Kassar. Ugly, short-snouted, short-tailed giant lizards with stumpy limbs and small, ridiculous wings. Bred by the Morden from something smaller and less deadly to provide aggressive steeds. Meat eaters, though they also require quite large amount of volatiles, such as petroleum products in their diet. Feral Kassar form small family groups around a single adult male and hunt by air at night.

They fly magically at up to 50 mph (+2 dodge in flight), have 2D4x10+20 MDC and those ridden by Morden sometimes wear MDC barding. 6m long and 2.5m high at the shoulder, their blunt jaws crush for 6D6 MD. They have nightvision, and can sense psychic and magic energy (cf. Dog Boy, Rifts Main Book). They have D6x10 PPE and can use an Energy Field as a natural power. Most fearsome of all, Kassar are totally unaffected by energy weapons, fire or magical energy. Explosions do half damage (only the blast hurts them). However, they are vulnerable to iron. This makes them especially vulnerable to railguns, which do double damage.

3 attacks/melee, +1 to initiative, +3 to strike. Their PS is 31 and supernatural.

Malice. A lone hunter, humanoid though obviously not human. Malice are able to alter their appearance to resemble any humanoid between 1.5m and 2m tall, including mimicking clothes, armour, and even ID papers. Unable to speak, and not truly sentient, they are nonetheless cunning and deadly killers. Devour any humanoid flesh. Usually adopt an apparently helpless or attractive form, they prefer to ambush single, unarmoured targets while at close quarters, often in or around small towns. MD 80, IQ 8, PS 24, PP 22, PE 20, SPD 50, Horror Factor 12, PPE 10. 5 attacks/melee, +4 to initiative, +1 to strike. Claws do 3D6 MD, bite 2D6. They have nightvision, keen hearing, and can employ magical effects mimicking the spells shadow meld and speed of the snail at will. Vulnerable to silver.

Mana Shark. Vaguely sharklike animals 1.5m long, 50 kg in mass. They have a cruciform tail and their dorsal and pectoral fins are identical. Brightly coloured, from scarlet to azure, emerald or violet. MD 20, PS 20, PP 19, SPD 90 (flying), IQ 5, Horror Factor 12, PPE 30. 3 attacks/melee, +2 to initiative, +3 to strike, +2 to automatic dodge, razor fins slash for 3D6 MD on a pass, a bite does D6 MD. Mana sharks can sense PPE, magic and psychic energy (as dog pack), and become invisible at will. Vulnerable to iron. Pack animals, usually numbering 3D6. Considered a pest by magicians, as they frequently fly along ley lines and around nexuses.

Vitious. A feared creature of the waterless desert. Resembling a long-legged, fast-moving camel with a shaggy back which almost forms a shell, the Vitious survives by stealing water with its psychic powers. These enable it to absorb water from a distance, by dehydrating victims. Water can be stolen from sealed containers automatically (at a rate of 10 litres per melee), but when this power is employed on living creatures, a save vs. psychic attack is applicable. If this is failed, the character loses 10% of their body's water, and this dehydration immediately causes dizziness and weakness (-10% to PS, -3 to initiative, strike, parry and dodge). These penalties are cumulative. After losing 20% (and every 10% thereafter) the victim must save vs. poison or pass out. After 90% losses, the character automatically passes out. Unconscious, dehydrated characters can drink (if treated carefully), but will die in PE x10 minutes if not aided.

The range of a Vitious' psychic power is 100m, and it costs 4 ISP per attack. Vitious also have sixth sense, resist thirst, resist heat, and resist fatigue, and their ISP is 2D4x10. The Vitious has 2D4x10 MD, can physically attack only by biting for 3D6 SDC, but can run at up to 90 km/h. Vitious normally are encountered in family groups of 3D4. If a Vitious can be brought down, water-bearing organs in its body can be used to recover up to 50% of any stolen water, +2D10 litres. The water found in this way is brackish and disgusting to taste, but veteran wasteland-wanderers learn to ignore the flavour.

Morden. Also called Dire Riders, Morden are humanoid demons a little smaller than human. Despite this, they are fearsome in aspect: skeletal, crimson-hued, long-limbed, large-handed and -footed, with a gruesome sphincter for a mouth, and penetrating eyes in deep, bony orbits. Averaging a PS of 22, they can inflict 3D6 MD with a blow of their bony fists, though they prefer techno-wizardry weapons, which they can use well, for they are both psychics and mages. MDC D4x10+20, ISP 2D4x10, PPE 2D4x10. They have 2 powers from each of the four psionics categories, and know 2 spells of each level 1-4. Typically they wear RA body armour, knock-offs of which are manufactured in the Salt Kingdom cities. The average Morden warrior has 3 attacks/melee, +4 to initiative, and +1 to strike, in addition to any bonuses from skills.

Dire Rider society is baroque and violent. To a human eye it is nothing more than anarchy, but there are subtle structures which prevent chaos, and this society is at least 3,000 years old. They consider humans (and most SDC creatures) to be "lower forms", which have no rights. A few humans have managed to gain "person" status in their eyes, which limits the circumstances under which they can be killed (i.e. in a fighting circle, with hand-held weapons or personal powers).

Dreamtime spirits may be encountered either physically or in dreams. They are equally real and equally dangerous in both places. As spirits, they are not compassionate, but they are rarely immediately hostile. Their intentions in an encounter are usually veiled: sometimes they desire only conversation, but they may intend a competition, test, or ask PCs for aid. If they offer information to PCs to whom they owe no debt, the information is usually intended to provoke a specific response. Dreamtime spirits rarely attack to kill, unless angered, and a spirit who owes a PC a debt (for instance, one who loses a contest to a PC, or for whom a PC performs a service) will usually repay the debt with information, a minor gift of power, or by teaching spell magic.

Dreamtime spirits may appear as anything, from an aboriginal or animal or mixture, but do not appear as d-bees (like elves), monsters (like dragons) or white humans. The form they take has D6x100 MDC, and all physical attributes are generated with 5D6. Strength is supernatural, of course. They know all aboriginal spell magic, and usually have all psychic sensitive powers as well. Individual spirits may have additional powers.

Traditional aboriginal tribes are rarely encountered except on their own terms. Tribes may be isolationist (in which case they'll never be seen), friendly or neutral and possibly interested in trade (in which case they will permit themselves to be seen and await a response, though warriors will remain hidden nearby), or hostile (the warriors will lay an ambush, the rest of the tribe hide a fair distance away). Tribes number 20-120 persons, where 1 in 4 is a Land-Walker and 1 in 10 is a Mabarn or Wendy. Armament is typically a few energy rifles, rather more SDC rifles, and sufficient magic wooden weapons for all the Land-Walkers. Most tribes have a few suits of MD armour buried in a marked spot which they'll bring out for an ambush.

Aborigines interested in trade will typically seek rifles (preferably MD), ammunition, medical supplies, portable electronics, personal MD armour and other light gear. They are not interested in computers, vehicles, or heavy weapons. In exchange, they may offer information on locations of heavier gear, for salvage (i.e. RA patrols they've ambushed), food, water, animal skins, gold nuggets (worth $2,500/kg), or uncut gemstones (usually opals).

Other tribes exist in the outback besides traditional aborigines. Unlike the interior aborigines, they are not usually nomads. Most of these "other" tribes are mutant animals, in particular kangaroos, rabbits, goats, and rats. Only the kangaroos are not descended from genetically engineered stock. The rabbits, goats, and rats tend to be warrior societies, and are usually hostile (they will flee very large or powerful groups). They conform to the norms for such animals. Kangaroo tribes of several different kinds exist, including:

1. Humanlike mutants, tool-users, with villages, mining, trade, and weapons may be hostile, or may be interested in trade, but will be wary.

2. Somewhat humanlike mutants, capable of speech, who have mastered traditional aboriginal magic and are on good terms with one or more aboriginal tribes will have the attitude toward travellers of that tribe. They will use only crude shelters and tools.

3. Apparently unmutated kangaroos, but sentient and psychic some will be equivalent to mind melters in power unafraid of travellers, and may converse with them if encountered, sometimes offering useful information in exchange for stories.

In addition, herds of unmutated kangaroos are common everywhere in Australia. There are dozens of different species, though the most common are the man-sized Red, the rather smaller Eastern Grey, and the once-extinct Giant Short-Nosed (standing 2m to 2.5m tall).

In general, mutant animal tribes will have some light MD armour, a mixture of MD rifles for armament, and a good understanding of the local ground, as well as (possibly) a few vehicles or heavy weapons. They rarely include augmented individuals, though super-powered individuals and psychics are possible.

Patrols may be encountered either from the UAR, the Eastern Region (Norseman), or the Republic.

UAR patrols will comprise either 6 soldiers in LRP armour, or a Skyranger and 3 Strider robots carrying 3 HSC and 6 LRP armour. They will stop adventurers, attempt to identify any known outlaws, spies or renegades, ask for information on the local area, and may warn of local hazards.

Norseman patrols will normally be a pair of armed crawlers carrying a dozen troops, including 4-6 augmented humans and at least one ley line walker. They will be suspicious of adventurers, but not openly hostile. They will close to see if PCs are demons or RA troops in disguise. Another possibility is aircraft of the Lawless Air Force, such as a Canberra escorted by 1D3 Skyhawks, or an armed Huey. They will not attack, but the chopper may fly close to investigate.

Republican patrols this far east will likely be only a single zeppelin, either blown off course or doing a photorecce mission. It will not attack. A less likely and more dangerous proposition is an overlander vehicle accompanied by a pair of King Leopard tanks and 6 soldiers in RA battle armour. Such groups will likely take adventurers prisoner, if possible, or kill them otherwise.

Easily confused with patrols are bandits or salvage teams. These are often not seen until close up, since they watch carefully for anything approaching and go to ground (for ambush or safety) when something is seen. A typical such group includes 1D3 crawlers, 1D4 ATVs or hover trucks (rare), a Strider or Webley A-1 robot, and 1D4 LRP power armour. Such groups usually number D4x10 persons, including 2-3 borgs or augmented humans, at least one psychic and mage, and 2-5 d-bees.