SJCC : The Borg

Here is the first draft of the Borg adapted for SJ.  What does everyone
think?

Scott M.
---------------------

The Borg

Alarming reports have been filtering in from beyond the edges of known
space.  A new and powerful species has been encountered.  This race,
based on reports, seems to be a combination of living being and golem-like
magic items.

In the Spelljammer universe, the Borg are actually a combination of organic
beings and magical constructs.  They are a hive-mind, telepathically
linked to the Queen Borg.  It is a matter of debate if the Queen is actually
an individual, or a being created out of the collective will of the rest
of the Borg.

The Borg hive-mind cannot penetrate the walls of a Crystal Shell, so
expansion for them has been slow.  When they do expand, several Cube
ships (see below) are sent with orders to establish what the Borg call
a Communications Nexus.  There is one Nexus (at least) for every sphere
the Borg have controlled (currently they have dominance over 4, and a
presence in another half-dozen).  This means that the Borg will almost
always avoid conflict in the Flow, since they are effectively much weaker
there.

Borg are divided into differant types of drones, based on the needs of
the collective.  There is no such thing as a Borg individual, so each
drone has all the knowledge of all the other drones to which it is linked.
 The specialization of drones is done because it is inefficient to try
to have 1 type of drone be prepared for every eventuality.

Standard Borg Package:
AC: 0
HD: 5+3
# attacks: 1
Damage: by weapon (ST 20)
Special Attacks: Assimilation (see below), equipment
Special Defenses: Complete immunity to all mind-affecting spells while
linked to the collective, equipment.
Magic Resistance: 45%
Alignment: Lawful Evil (Collective) (drone alignment can vary outside
of the Collective)
Intelligence: Super-Genius (Collective) (same as alignment)

Assimilation: One of the Borg's arms will be a golem-arm equipped with
injecting tubiles connected to a reserve of assimilation venom.  If injected,
the victim must save vs. Poison at -4 or be affected.  Stage one leaves
the victim paralyzed on the ground.  Stage two (which happens within
2-4 hours) strips the victim of free will and plugs their brain into
the collective.

Equipment: Each Borg will be equipped with 3-5 magic items that will
be built into the drone.  Normally, each drone will be given some form
of attack and defense magic, with 1-3 miscellaneous items designed to
aid in its mission.  These items are specially designed to function for
the Borg, and may have unpredictable results if non-Borg attempt to use
them.  Use some common sense in deciding which items they will have (ie.
Rings of wishes and Decks of Many Things or similarly powerful items
should not be included without a very specific plot-related reason and
rationale.)

While the Queen is effectively on the order of being a 25th level magic
user, individual drones will only range from 2-7th level in their magic-use
capability.  The Collective has a cadre of higher-level drones that are
in the 15th+ range of magic use that it uses to construct necessary magical
equipment.  When a being is assimilated, if it is not a mage, it will
immediately become a 2nd level mage.  Borg drones do not gain experience
for gaining levels, hence high-level mages are in great demand by the
collective.  If it becomes aware of any in the area, immediate steps
will be taken to assimilate them.

The Collective has every imaginable proficiency and skill at high levels,
assume they have a skill of 18 (out of 20) should it matter (this also
applies to spells, Borg in the Collective will have access to every imaginable
spell, limited only by the individual drone's ability to cast spells.)
 This does not apply to thief skills and bardic abilities, or other supernatural
powers.  The process of becoming Borg is somewhat analogous to becoming
a "living" undead, previous skills and knowledge are lost/absorbed by
the Collective.

The Collective does have some significant weaknesses.  They are as follows:
        No member of the Collective can advance in experience levels.
 The Queen may do so, but at an incredibly slow pace, as the experiences
of individual drones do her no good.
        Individual drones, if cut off from the Collective, may start
to remember their previous lives and existances.  This will happen 10%
of the time, and is another reason for why the Borg avoid conflict in
the Flow, the remaining loyal Borg are almost always busy controlling
the resurgent individuality of some of their crewmates.
        The Borg do not have any priests or clerics among their number,
nor any psionicists.  Even wild talents are crushed under the weight
of assimilation by the Collective.  They do, however, have remarkably
advanced surgical techniques courtesy of assimilated Xixchil.  Borg drones
will retrieve the magical equipment from fallen brethren if given the
opportunity, but show no other regard for the deceased.
        Tinker Gnomes are so-far immune to the Assimilation Potion used
by the Borg in creating new drones.  Perhaps even the Borg have standards...

Borg Ships
Cube Ship
Tonnage: 100
Built By: Borg
Used By: Borg
Maneuverability: E
SR: d4+4
AC: 2
Magic Resistance: 20%
Special: Regenerate 1 hull point of damage per 3 rounds.
Crew: 2-3 hundred drones and equipment.
Cargo: 30 tons.
Weapons: (per side of the cube) - all weapons are turreted.
        3 heavy weapons
        5 medium weapons
        2 light weapons

By ramming "corner-edge" on, treat as a blunt ram.

Magical Equipment: (standard)
        Planetary Display
        Portal Detector
        3 Air Purifiers (regenerates 1d6 "man-days" of air per day)
        Decanter of Endless Water.
        Create Food cabinet (produces a tasteless, though highly nuitritious
mush)
        Several Portable Holes and Bags of Holding.

Cargo capacity is largely devoted to storing food and water for inter-sphere
journeys.  The nature of Borg physiology makes them less dependent on
food and water, so its typically enough.  The portable holes and bags
of holding are used to carry additional equipment that is expected to
be needed upon entering a new sphere.  Occasionally, the cargo capacity
of a Cube Ship is filled by a Sphere Ship.

The gravity plane of the Cube cuts through the middle of the cube.

Sphere Ship
Tonnage: 30
Built By: Borg
Used By: Borg
Maneuverability: B
SR: d4
AC: 2
Magic Resistance: 20%
Special: Regenerate 1 hull point of damage per 3 rounds.
Crew: 40-60 drones and equipment.
Cargo: 10 tons.
Weapons:
        2 heavy weapons (turreted - 1 at top the other at the bottom)
        At 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees will be 2 medium weapons. (90
degree firing arcs.)

Magical Equipment: (standard)
        Planetary Display
        Portal Detector
        2 Air Purifiers (regenerates 1d6 "man-days" of air per day)
        Decanter of Endless Water.
        Create Food cabinet (produces a tasteless, though highly nuitritious
mush)
        Several Portable Holes and Bags of Holding.

Note on Borg magical equipment: It is widely believed that Borg enchantments
radiate a "Borg signature" that the Collective can home in on, making
the owners of said items "Borg Magnets."  Whether or not this is true,
or if it can be blocked if it is, is a matter for the GM to decide.

Freedom from the Collective
        It is theoretically possible for a drone to be freed from the
Collective.  As mentioned above, sometimes random Borg start recalling
their previous existances when seperated by the Collective in the Flow.
 In general, this is squashed by their brethren, but if such a Borg were
to fall overboard into the Flow, it is conceivable they might be rescued
by another species.  The problem here is that as soon as they are exposed
to a Nexus, they will immediately be re-assumed into the Collective and
seek to assimilate their would-be rescuers.
        The only other method for a drone to be freed would be via a
Heal spell combined with a Remove Curse and Neutralize Poison (all within
5 rounds) which serves to neutralize the effects of the Assimilation
Potion.  However, this will also result in the body of the drone starting
to reject the Borg magical implants and grafts.  The hapless individual
will be left a cripple as a result.
        A wish spell will allow a drone to remain an individual, even
in the presence of a Nexus, but the Collective will automatically know
where they are, and will still be able to see and hear through the former
drone.  A second wish will alleviate this problem, but this knowledge
is not widely known (in any sense of the word.)

Reaction by other species
        The Borg are only just appearing at the edges of Known Space.
 However, their reputation is spreading like wildfire, and most races
that are familiar with them are likely to band together to fight them
off (yes, even Elves and Scro are likely to band together in the face
of this foe, and then start at each other as soon as they are gone...).
 In a word, they are despised on a level that makes the Neogi look like
they have graduated with honors from a Dale Carnegie course.

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