The mysterious creatures that venture out from the toxic arcology of Gamvor.
Gamvor is an arcology located on the eastern fringe of the old United Empire, and served as the main trading hub with Rodnoveria and beyond. Befitting its importance, it was perhaps the most advanced and reinforced arcology in the eastern half of the Empire, widely believed to be impervious to most thermonuclear weapons. When the world erupted into Armageddon, its sturdiness went unchallenged, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a target. Rather than attempt a direct nuclear strike against such a hardened city, Gamvor was instead hit by a highly penetrative missile that carried a specialised payload; a very dirty bomb.
When the weapon detonated inside the protective dome, it dispersed the radioactive equivalent of napalm, clinging to walls, floors, objects, and people within a large radius. While most nuclear devices prioritise explosive power, this one was built to be as corruptive and toxic as possible. The vile substances overwhelmed the arcology’s filtering systems, resulting in the radiation being pumped throughout the entire contained city. Gamvor fell silent.
Years later, when people had found enough stability to look beyond their immediate surroundings, it was noticed that the puncture in Gamvor’s dome had been fixed. Like countless other arcologies, the interior of the globe was a swirling vortex of hazardous gasses, but unlike those others, this was...intended. Figures were see milling around the exterior walls, going in and out of the toxic mist. The Gamvorites were alive and well.
As for what a Gamvorite is...that is very difficult to answer. They are only ever seen sealed within pre-poc hazmat suits, breathing tubes connected to empty tanks, their viewing port or eye holes glowing with an unhealthy luminescence. Theories abound as to their true nature. Are they humans on the extreme end of the mutant scale, deformed beyond recognition? Are they sentient radioactive waste, somehow operating a suit? Are they Viechkind insects, thriving in the glowing aftermath of Gamvor? Or are they extra-terrestrial lifeforms, using scavenged pre-poc suits to disguise their otherworldly forms? No one knows for sure. Whatever they are, and however they reproduce, a steady stream of them seem to venture out from the toxic arcology of Gamvor... And no one has ever returned from going in to find out.
If Thalborn and Viechkind are disliked and distrusted among human society, Gamvorites are outright hated. A lot of people seem to find them fundamentally unsettling, encased as they are in expressionless suits, a modulated voice emanating as communication. Yet despite this intense hatred aimed at them, most Gamvorites seem either oblivious or uncaring about it. As they are known to be capable and enigmatic, most people choose to avoid them rather than attack. If left alone, Gamvorites seem to contentedly go about whatever it is they do.
The only way to reliably antagonise a Gamvorite is to attempt to open the hazmat suit in which they’re contained. With all obvious clasps and seals welded shut, gaining access is no easy task. Whether it’s out of shame of discovery, fear of death, or anger at the disrespect, Gamvorites will fight to the death before they allow their true form to be exposed. In the event that their suit is breached, by accident or hostile activity, they are very adept at patching the damage and restoring suit integrity.
+2 and a +1 to different stats, one of which must be OBS.
Gamvorites are unique in being both a genus and a species unto themselves. There is nothing quite like a Gamvorite (we assume), and Gamvorites are all largely similar (again, we assume).
You automatically pass any Body Checks related to mutation, poison, or radiation. In addition, you never need to eat, drink, or breathe. You are immune to Toxic, and Radiation damage, and you cannot mutate or gain Mutation Slots. Cybernetics may be installed as normal, but they serve to improve the functionality of your suit. Mechanics checks replace any use Medicine checks would normally have on you, but can only ascertain things related to your suit.
Gamvorites don’t seem to interact normally with damage or healing, able to quickly shake off what should be fatal shots, while treating the slightest suit breach as vitally important.
You cannot be healed by compounds, repairing, or any other active method. You can only recover health by Passive Healing, but regen 50% of your maximum health per hour of non-strenuous activity.
If on 0 health you can be stabilised by an Emergency Patch Kit, which restores 1 health as normal; this is the only exception.
After receiving damage of any kind, you are considered to automatically patch any breaches in your suit. If unable to do so (such as being on 0 health, restrained, or some other reason), and no one else patches it for you, then you cannot Passively Heal, and instead take 1d20 damage every hour the suit remains unpatched.
Gamvorites are unusual, even by post-apocalyptic standards. They share a lot of mechanics with robots, such as some resistances and immunities, but are...presumably biological. Their specialised healing can be quite different from everyone else, encouraging more reckless behaviour than other genera can afford. That said, it comes with its own concerns, and Gamvorites are certainly not invincible. It can be a helpful wild card in planning team strategies.