Hercynian-Egregorian Systems & Hardware

(note: this manufacturer is designed to be run in a post No Room For A Wallflower

setting. As of the time of publishing, only Act 1 has been published, with Act 2 and 3
being rough drafts on PilotNET. As such, the lore in this third party splat may
contradict official content that comes out later)

After the Second Hercynia Crisis, many Hercynians felt that having an
in-house mech manufacturer was a necessity for their defence. After all, using old
Ranger Swallowtails, Enkidus, and Worldkillers can only get you so far. In comes a
dysfunctional duo by the names of Bart Bart and Engineer Adams. Bart, the cousin
of William William and a skilled Enkidu pilot, was a survivor of the aftershocks that hit
Hivehome when Daylight was struck with the KKR. Adams on the other hand was a
survivor of Beggar 1’s hostile takeover of Evergreen. While Adams wasn;t much of a
mech pilot, he and Bart bonded through their shared hardships and love of mech
designing. After the Second Hercynia Crisis came to an end and proper printer tech
was re-established on Hercynia, Bart and Adams volunteered to spearhead
Hercynia’s chassis production and development, forming Hercynian-Egregorian
Systems & Hardware.

HES&H licences are all about engagement and adaptability. Whilst their
frames tend to lean on the squishier side of durability, they more than make up for
this with blinding speed, horrifying ambushes, and tech that allows them to force
hostiles to obey their terms of engagement. Even on the off chance an HES&H pilot
finds themselves on the backfoot, HES&H provides more than a few options for
regaining control of a scenario. If you want frames that thrive in the heat of battle and
function at peak performance when positioned properly, HES&H may be the
manufacturer for you.

Core Bonuses:
● Tardigrade Adaptive Chassis: When you stabilize and choose to restore HP,
you may instead spend 2 Repairs to restore 1 Structure instead of HP.
○ Through a mixture of enhanced self-repair protocols and built in
printers, the Tardigrade Adaptive Chassis is designed to keep a mech
in the fight for longer, allowing the pilot to repair severe structural
trauma mid-fight.
● Apex Predator Active Defense System: When a hostile character within
Range 3 of you takes Structure Damage, you gain 5 Overshield.
○ “A gift of [ferocity/hatred], the thrill of the hunt. When those who seek
your death fall victim to you and your [comrades/friends/family], may
this shield re-invigorate you to press forward. Never [stop/die], for we
had no choice. Never show [mercy/forgiveness] to the
[destroyers/Seccom/Armory], for we were never granted any.”
● Skitter Servos: Upon taking Structure Damage or Reactor Stress, you may
immediately move up to your speed in any direction, ignoring Engagement
and reactions. Additionally, you gain Soft Cover until the start of your next
turn.
○ A series of enhancements to the legs of a chassis, the Skitter Servos
trigger when said chassis suffers severe damage. To unskilled pilots,
this more often results in the mech either running into a wall or into a
horde of enemies. But to pilots with a basic grasp on controlling their
chassis, the Skitter Servos allow them to engage or disengage at a
moment's notice. The sudden burst of speed also makes it harder for
enemies to land hits, which is always a plus.
● Redline Acceleration Boosters: 1/round, as long as you are in the Danger
Zone, you may take 2 Heat to Boost as a free action.
○ Designed for lancers who just love to treat their reactor as a ‘resource’,
the Redline Acceleration Boosters grant those insane enough to pilot
Tokugawas or Enkidus even more speed. A secondary set of boosters
are mounted to the chassis, and are activated when the mech enters a
state of intense heat generation, allowing the pilot to move even faster
across the battlefield, but at the cost of more heat buildup from the
boosters.
● Cockroach Reactive Armor: 1/round as a reaction to taking AP damage, you
may gain X Overshield after the damage is resolved, with X being your
mech’s Armor times 2.
○ Through a series of moving under-armor and hull-mounted shield
projectors, the C.R.A. is designed to give pilots breathing room upon
being attacked with armor-piercing weapons. While for lightly armored
mechs the C.R.A. doesn’t do much, frames with high amounts of armor
benefit nicely from the extra protection.
 HES&H Moss Mantis
Striker

The first mech frame designed by HES&H, the Moss Mantis is a peculiar
design. Bart-Bart, the lead designer for the company’s frames, came up with the idea
after cobbling together one of the most cursed franken-mechs to exist. They may
have claimed it was ‘just for the fun of it’, but what would later become the prototype
build of the Moss Mantis line was a terror on the battlefield.
Designed using pieces from an Enkidu and a Ranger Swallowtail, this
multi-limbed digitigrade-legged stealth mech took the Enkidu’s ability to track
weakened enemies, the Ranger Swallowtail’s knack for sneaking through dense
forestation, and some added extra hydraulics into the legs for good measure.
The result was a mech dedicated to not only assassinating squishy targets,
but also terrifyingly good at finishing off almost any weakened enemy, regardless of
size. Capable of diving enemies from across the battlefield, the only limitation to how
far you can travel and rack up kills in a Moss Mantis is entirely up to your skill as a
pilot. Use it well, and soon all enemies will fear the tall grass.

Moss Mantis

HP: 6 Evasion: 12 Speed: 5 Heat Cap: 4 Sensors: 5

Armor: 0 E-Defense: Size: 1 Repair Cap: Tech Attack:

8 3 +0
Save Target:
10

TRAITS:

Spindly Frame: The Moss Mantis cannot mount Heavy or Superheavy weapons, even from
Talents, Core Bonuses, etc.
Bloodsense: The Moss Mantis always knows if characters are at or under half of their
maximum HP, but not the exact number.
Killing Intent: 1/round, When you hit a Hostile Character affected by Bloodsense with a
Weapon Attack, you deal an additional 3 AP damage.

SYSTEM POINTS: 7

MOUNTS:

Main/Aux Flex

CORE System

Executioner Mobility Suite

The core part of the Moss Mantis’ plan of attack, the EM Suite is designed to allow the frame
to ‘charge’ extra jumping power within its legs, saving it for when the perfect opportunity
arises. When said opportunity comes, the Moss Mantis quite literally leaps into action with
such speed it can start the swing of a melee attack while within a bush and still land a perfect
hit. Of course knowing when to use these jumps and when to hold back is the major learning
curve, especially amongst rookie pilots, but those who have seen an experienced Moss
Mantis pilot in action have learned to respect its position in a team comp as a dedicated
assassin.

Passive: Surprise Attack

Whilst Hidden within an area of Soft Cover, the Moss Mantis may leap to an isolated enemy
within 4+Grit Range and direct Line Of Sight as a quick action, so long as they end this
movement within Engagement. This movement may not be performed if the enemy has an
adjacent ally, or if this movement would result in the Moss Mantis becoming adjacent to two
or more enemies. If the target jumped to is affected by Bloodsense, the Moss Mantis may
immediately make a free Skirmish Action against the target.

Active(Requires 1CP): Top Of The Food Chain

As a free action, if you attack and successfully hit a target marked with Bloodsense, instead
of dealing damage you may immediately destroy their current Structure. If this does not
destroy them, their next Structure’s HP will start at half, no matter the HP of the previous
Structure. This ability is Efficient and will refund 1 Core Point at the end of any scene in
which this ability was used.

License I: Hunting Talon, Knee-Breaker Targeting System

Hunting Talon(Main Melee, Reliable 2)[Threat 1][5 Kinetic]
● Designed after the claws of Warform Egregorians, Hunting Talons are
designed to turn glancing blows into crushing punctures. Whilst not the
biggest melee weapons, they make up for it in consistency and
precision.
Knee-Breaker Targeting System(3 SP, Mod, Unique, Limited 3)
● Choose one Main or Auxiliary Melee weapon with the Reliable tag:
After making an attack with this weapon, you may expend a charge as
a free action to knock the target Prone.
● “Look kid, you don’t need all your shots to be kill shots. As long as you
cripple them long enough for you or your squad to take them down,
that’s just as good.” - Bart-Bart

License II: Moss Mantis Frame, Knife-Jumper, Stinger Daggers

Knife-Jumper(2 SP, System, Unique, Limited 3)
● 1/round as a free action, you may expend a charge from this system to
teleport to the location of a Thrown Auxiliary weapon that successfully
hit a target before you activated this system. The teleport does not
 need to be made immediately after the triggering attack, only at some
time after and before your turn ends, allowing you to perform other
actions before teleporting.
● Using miniaturized blink anchors similar to those found in Sunzis, the
Knife-Jumper system allows pilots to set up tactical repositioning via
flash printing the anchors as attachments before the knives are thrown.
Once the pilot teleports to the anchor, it will short out and detach from
the weapon, requiring a reprint.
Stinger Daggers(Aux Melee, AP, Accurate)[Threat 1, Thrown 10][1 Kinetic]
● When Thrown, you may target up to two characters with this weapon.
Additionally, whilst Thrown attacks with this weapon still leave daggers
that can be picked up, they do not need to be retrieved to use this
weapon.
● Due to Hercynia recently gaining access to more printer tech from
Union’s intervention, HES&H has begun to experiment with flash
printing technology. The newly minted Stinger Daggers are one such
experiment. Small tri-tip needle daggers, designed to be punched into
enemy mechs, are able to be flash printed directly into a mech’s hands
after usage. Pilots who tested this weapon quickly learned that they
could throw these lightweight ‘disposable’ daggers quite rapidly without
the need for retrieval, and as a result HES&H marketed them as
weapons for lancers wanting to learn the art of knife throwing.

License III: Tiger In The Grass, Enhanced_Vitals_Targeting.exe

Tiger In The Grass(3 SP, System, Unique)
● At the start of your turn, you have a pool of movement equal to Grit
times 2. When moving through an area of soft cover, you may spend
movement from this pool instead of your basic movement, Boost, or
any other movement abilities. You regain all spent points at the start of
each of your turns.
● “Stealth isn’t just for offense, it’s also good for repositioning. Never
strike from the same bush twice, lest the enemy start learning your
patterns.” - Excerpt from Bart-Bart’s ‘Guide To Hercynian Warfare
Enhanced_Vitals_Targeting.exe(3 SP, System, Unique, Limited 2)
● 1/round, when attacking with a Main or Auxiliary Melee weapon, you
may consume a charge as a free action to gain an additional 3 AP
bonus damage to the attack for each Condition the target is affected by,
including Burn.
● Having to deal with the armies of O/K for untold amounts of time,
Hercynian pilots have grown adept at figuring out how to find the weak
points in enemy chassis that don’t rely on pilots to function. This
program has compiled these centuries of guerilla fighting into a
targeting program designed to perform swift executions against
weakened enemies.
 HES&H Hirudo
Support/Controller

The first dedicated support frame designed for the HES&H line, the Hirudo
was originally built to be a walking heat sink, until Bart-Bart decided to mess around
with hard-light shielding and decided to mix the two. The result is a frame capable of
absorbing heat that allies would take from either their own reckless actions(ex.
Tokugawa pilots) or from hostile electronic warfare systems, followed by using this
stored heat to power its ‘Hirudotherapy’ Defense Matrix: a hard-light shield projection
system that creates more powerful shields depending on how much heat the
Hirudo’s pilot is willing to hold at any given time.
The Hirudo’s goal as a mech is to run as hot as possible without melting
down, gorging itself on as much heat as possible to push ‘Hirudotherapy’ into
overdrive, as well as using the heat to enhance its speed and evasive potential. Side
effects of wearing what equates to a ½ sized miniature sun for extended periods
includes deep tanning at minimum, and several degree burns in case of reactor
meltdowns, but considering that surveys have shown a link between Hirudo pilots
having also piloted Enkidus, Tokugawas, and in a few niche cases Manticores, it's
not surprising that those who pilot this frame aren’t afraid of ‘a little sunburn’.

Hirudo

HP: 9 Evasion: 8 Speed: 4 Heat Cap: 8 Sensors: 8

Armor: 1 E-Defense: Size: 1/2 Repair Cap: Tech Attack:

8 3 +1
Save Target:
11

TRAITS:

Bloodsucker: As a reaction to an Allied Character within Sensors taking Heat from any
source, you may take the Heat instead. This reaction cannot absorb more heat than the
Hirudo’s heat cap, and cannot absorb more than its remaining heat capacity at a time.
Sanguine Vigor: Whenever the Hirudo enters the Danger Zone, it gains the benefit of Soft
Cover and its base speed becomes 6.
Fragile: The Hirudo receives +1 Difficulty on Hull checks and saves.

SYSTEM POINTS: 7

MOUNTS:

Main/Aux

CORE System
 “Hirudotherapy” Defense Matrix

Passive: Bloodletting
1/round as a quick action, you may grant one Ally an Overshield equal to half your current
Heat.

Active(Requires 1CP): Emergency Transfusion

1/scene as a Reaction, whenever an Allied character suffers Heat that would cause them to
suffer Reactor Stress, you may instead set their current heat back to 0 before the incoming
Heat affects them. However, in doing so you also suffer the same amount of heat as them.
This ability is Efficient and will refund 1 Core Point at the end of any scene in which this
ability was used.

License I: “Little Fly” SMG, Bile Surge

“Little Fly” SMG(Aux Rifle, Smart, Seeking, 1 Heat(self))[Range 8][2 Kinetic]
● Whilst the Hirudo will mostly spend its time in battle performing
electronic warfare and heat management, having weapons is still a
necessity. So the 'Little Fly’ was made, an SMG with smart bullets
designed to loop around corners and plink away at squishier targets.
The targeting systems built into the gun do cause it to run on the hotter
side, but for a Hirudo this is just another bonus.
Bile Surge(2SP, Unique, Quick Tech, Invade)
● Gain the following options for Invade:
○ Black Bile: Your target becomes Slowed until the end of their
next turn, and must succeed on an Agility save or be knocked
Prone.
○ Yellow Bile: Your target now treats its Allies as Hostile, and if it
is capable of performing hostile Reactions against them, such as
Overwatch, it must. This effect lasts until the end of the target’s
next turn, and may only be used 1/scene on each character.
● This suite of offensive malware was designed with the intent of
sabotaging a target’s mobility and reflexes. Targeting synthetic muscles
and actuators alike, the Bile Surge e-warfare suite induces ‘spasms’
within the target, causing them to either stumble over their own feet, or
become a twitchy mess with a fragged IFF-system that will reactively
shoot anything that approaches.

License II: Hirudo Frame, Entropic Siphon, Ixodes Affliction

Entropic Siphon(Main Rifle, Smart, 2SP, Unique, 1 Heat(self))[Range
10][1d6+2 Energy]
● On Crit: You may gain 4 Overshield.
● Designed as a way to generate heat, shields, and attack all at once,
the Entropic Siphon is a tricky weapon to work with. The complicated
 internals mean that a mechanized chassis is only capable of mounting
one at a time, but the results of the weapon are worth it. This weapon
fires bolts of disruptive energy towards a target, causing the systems of
the victim to short out and fry. If enough damage is caused, the
Entropic Siphon is then capable of re-absorbing this discharge and
using it to generate hard-light shielding for the frame it’s equipped to.
Ixodes Affliction(2SP, Reaction, Unique)
● Gain the access to the Armor/Joint Emergency Lock Reaction:
○ Armor/Joint Emergency Lock
○ Frequency: 2/round
○ Trigger: An Ally within Sensors that has either already used
Brace or is unable to Brace is attacked, or a Hostile Character
attempts to use a Reaction against you or an Ally within
Sensors.
○ Effect: When used on an Ally, you grant them the ability to
Brace against the incoming attack. Additionally, if you have
Systems or Traits that buff your own Brace reactions, you may
grant your Ally access to these effects, however it costs 3 Heat
per effect granted this way.
When used on a Hostile Character, you instead force them to
make a Hull save. On a fail, they immediately use their reaction
to Brace instead of their planned reaction. This effect can only
be used 1/scene for each Hostile Character.
● Based on the Bile Surge suite, Ixodes Affliction is capable of being
used for the benefit of allies, but also to the detriment of foes.
Regardless of use on friend or foe, the primary effect of this system is
to induce a forced armor-lock in the target, even overriding the systems
of the target when they themselves are incapable of this. Your allies will
always be appreciative of you having their backs, whilst your enemies
will despise you for forcefully locking their chassis in place.

License III: Flayer-Maw Munitions, Bleed It Out

Flayer-Maw Munitions(3SP, Mod, Unique, Limited 3)
● Choose a Main Rifle or CQB: 1/round when you hit with this weapon,
you may force the target to roll a Hull save or become Shredded until
the end of their next turn.
● Despite its primary support features being buff based, the license of the
Hirudo frame gives it a slew of options for crippling its enemies as well;
Flayer-Maw Munitions being a prime example. With the modularity to
be used with a variety of rifles, shotguns, and even more exotic
weapons, these munitions enhance a weapon’s ability to shred through
armor, temporarily opening up a target’s weak points for further assault.
Bleed It Out(4SP, Full Tech, Unique, Limited 1)
● Force a target within Sensors to make an Engineering Save. If the
target fails, you may consume a charge and mark them as a Blood Bag
for the rest of the scene. 1/round, a successful attack from an allied
character against a Blood Bag will grant the attacker an Overshield
equal to 4+Grit. Bleed It Out cannot be used against targets with
multiple activations, such as Elites, Ultras, and Eidolons.
● “Bart, I’m not gonna question how you made this system, I’ve learned
that any answer you give me will just further harm my mental health.
My only question is why did you name it Bleed It Out?”
“Weeeellllll, let’s just say my cousin William-William found some old
human music through a [trustworthy source/sketchy motherfucker] and
I felt inspired.”
“Goddamnit Bart…”
 HES&H Hawk Wasp
Striker/Support

>// Transcript: Excerpt of a text conversation between Bart-Bart and Engineer

Adams.
theoneandonlyBART: It needs more.
PunishedAdams: Wtf are you talking about Bart? Srsly you strapped a hover
system to a smaller Enkidu frame, I think this thing is lethal enough.
theoneandonlyBART: I took out all the heat-based stuff. gonna use it in another
frame.
PunishedAdams: Then what was the point of basing this off of an Enkidu frame?
theoneandonlyBART: I was thinking of taking those sparky claws it has an well I
figured I may as well use em.
theoneandonlyBART: [hawkwasp.jpeg]
PunishedAdams: …Bart what the actual fuck is that.
theoneandonlyBART: I made the claws into wreathing for the mountable melee
weapons, and made custom ammo and internals to be added to ranged weapons.
This thing can halt about anythin from movin if you hit the internals juuuust right. It’s
a real masterpiece.
PunishedAdams: Bart that Enkidu frame has compound eyes and is pulsating with
electricity. I feel like it's staring into my soul.
theoneandonlyBART: Yeah but you know lancers are gonna darn love it wont they?
PunishedAdams: I… y’know what someone’s just gonna slap a Sekhmet on this
thing, why do I even bother trying safe ideas anymore…

Hawk Wasp

HP: 8 Evasion: 12 Speed: 6 Heat Cap: 4 Sensors: 8

Armor: 0 E-Defense: Size: 1 Repair Cap: Tech Attack:

6 3 0
Save Target:
12

TRAITS:

The Bigger They Are: The Hawk Wasp gains +1 Accuracy on all attacks against characters
with a size larger than itself.
Maneuverability Jets: The Hawk Wasp can hover when it moves.
Fragile: The Hawk Wasp receives +1 Difficulty on Hull checks and saves.

SYSTEM POINTS: 5

MOUNTS:
Heavy Flex

CORE System

Predator Nullifying Stun Wreaths/Munitions

Passive: Joint-Lock
1/round, after landing a Critical Hit against a target within Sensors, you may force the target
to make a SYSTEMS save. On a failure, the target becomes Immobilized.

Active(Requires 1CP): Preparation For Decimation

You may activate this Core Power as a Reaction after causing a target to become
Immobilized. Upon activation, that target will instead become Stunned until the end of their
next turn. This ability is Efficient and will refund 1 Core Point at the end of any scene in
which this ability was used.

License I: ‘Fire Ant’ Nexus, Parasitic-Ovipositor Explosive Payloads

‘Fire Ant’ Incendiary Nexus(Auxiliary Nexus, Smart, 1 Heat(self))[Range 5][2
Burn]
● On Hit: If the target of this weapon is currently affected by Burn, they
become Slowed until the end of their next turn.
● “It’s not enough to just chip away at a mech’s internals with fire and
nanite swarms. Ya gotta use those [gaps/openings] to your advantage.
Strike while the iron is hot; mechs are squishiest when exposed to
constant decay.”
Parasitic-Ovipositor Explosive Payloads(2SP, System, Unique)
● When you land a hit with a Nexus Weapon against a target that has the
Lock On condition, and you didn’t consume the Lock On during the
attack, you may instead consume the Lock On after the attack. If you
do, the target takes 3 AP Explosive bonus damage.
● “Bart, why did you have to make the drone look like a bug and
forcefully inject bombs into the targets?” “To scare the anthrochauvs.”
“...did you watch Aliens again?” “Yes.”

License II: Hawk Wasp Frame, ‘Bullet Ant’ Piercer Nexus, Neurotoxin Extender
‘Bullet Ant’ Piercer Nexus(Main Nexus, Smart, AP)[Range 8][1d3+2 Kinetic
Damage]
● If the target is Shredded or Immobilized, this weapon’s damage
becomes 1d6+4 Kinetic Damage.
● A swarm-type nexus designed by Bart-Bart to complement the
Hawk-Wasps innate joint-locking attacks, this weapon is average until
used against a weakened target. When used against a target that has
had its internals exposed or is immobile, the swarms will enter into a
 ‘frenzy’, targeting every exposed point on the target until all that is left
is a bored-out husk of a chassis.
Neurotoxin Extender(2SP, System, Unique, 3 Heat(self), Quick Action)
● As a Quick Action, select a target within Sensors that is suffering from
one or more of the following conditions: Impaired, Slowed, Shredded,
Immobilized. You may gain 3 heat to cause one of the conditions to last
until the end of their following turn, but you may only affect a target with
this system 1/scene.
● An upgrade for electronic warfare suites that mechs typically use, the
Neurotoxin Extender allows its pilots to brute force into an enemy
chassis rebooting systems and delay them. This system has been
noted by users to make their mech run quite hot, but the ability to keep
a priority target vulnerable for longer outweighs the cost of a ‘spicy
cockpit’.

License III: ‘Leafcutter’ Segmented Nexus Blade, ‘Botfly’ Markerlight Drone

‘Leafcutter’ Segmented Nexus Blade(Heavy Melee/Nexus, Smart,
2SP)[Threat 3][3d3+2 Kinetic]
● This weapon counts as both Melee and Nexus for the purpose of
Talents, Traits, and Core Bonuses, but makes attacks like a Melee
weapon. When attacking a target with this weapon, you may gain +1
Accuracy for each Condition the target is currently affected by, to a max
of +3 Accuracy from this feature.
● “Adams wouldn’t stop giving me [shit/valid criticism] about how
“[weird/gross]” this mech is, so I made an ahn-ee-may sword for those
SSC lovers to use. It’s one part nexus, one part sword, all parts deadly!
Aaand to fit the theme of this license, I buffed the targeting against
targets suffering from [instabilities/critical damage]. Now hopefully
Adams doesn’t find out I raided his ahn-ee-may collection for
inspiration.”
‘Botfly’ Markerlight Drone(2SP, Mod, Unique, Limited 2)
● Choose one Nexus weapon: Whenever you hit a target with this
weapon you may expend a charge to make the target roll a Hull save.
On a failure, the target immediately gains the Lock On and Shredded
conditions, as well as being marked as a Botfly Host. Whilst the target
is a Botfly Host, any time a Nexus weapon consumes Lock On against
them, the attacker rolls 1d6. On a 5+, the target immediately re-gains
Lock On. Botfly Host and Shredded last as long as the Botfly is
attached, but it can be removed as a Quick Action with a successful
Hull save.
● Using similar schematics to the Parasitic-Ovipositor Explosive
Payloads, instead of injecting bombs under the armor plates of its
targets, the Botfly burrows itself deep into the chassis of its victim.
Using a special repeater system for targeting systems, it allows allied
mechs to rapidly re-target the host multiple times between volleys of
attacks, as well as pointing out weak points for said lock-on systems.
The only way to truly be rid of these horrors is to manually purge it,
which is easier said than done when you're being ripped to shreds by
deathly accurate artillery.
 HES&H Jorogumo
Controller/Support

>// Transcript: Excerpt of a text conversation between Bart-Bart and Engineer

Adams.
theoneandonlyBART: I fucked up. I have fucked up bad.
PunishedAdams: …
PunishedAdams: What did you do?
theoneandonlyBART: OK
theoneandonlyBART: SO
theoneandonlyBART: Remember how I tried making that e-warfare grappler mech?
theoneandonlyBART: Welllllll when I was working on the IFF hardware I borrowed
some stuff from Elise, only to find out that the parts I borrowed were infected with
Cynosure because she was trying to make it less spread-y and harmful to the user.
theoneandonlyBART: Long story short, I’ve got good news and bad news.
theoneandonlyBART: GOOD NEWS: The mech is finished!
theoneandonlyBART: BAD NEWS: Elise is mad at me, the entire chassis is infected
with a goddamn mil-spec virus, and the IFF may or may not be alive with a thirst for
the blood of innocent people.
PunishedAdams: Y’know, I can work with this.
theoneandonlyBART: wat.omif
theoneandonlyBART: Normally this is the part where you get mad and tell me I’m
insane.
PunishedAdams: Oh no I’m dying inside rn, buuuut what if we make the Cynosure
play nice with the chassis you built?
theoneandonlyBART: …who are you and what did you do with the real
Adams????!!!
PunishedAdams: Look I’m just glad you’ve finally stopped making frames that look
like Frankenstein’s Enkidu.
PunishedAdams: Btw, what does it look like?
theoneandonlyBART: jorogumo.omif
theoneandonlyBART: Ain’t she pretty?
PunishedAdams: I take it back this is worse.

Jorogumo

HP: 8 Evasion: 10 Speed: 4 Heat Cap: 5 Sensors: 10

Armor: 0 E-Defense: Size: 1 Repair Cap: Tech Attack:

10 3 +1
Save Target:
11

TRAITS:
 Alluring Advance: 1/round: Before or after you make a Tech Attack, you may move 3
spaces. This movement ignores engagement and does not provoke reactions.
Caught In The Snare: The Jorogumo gains +1 Accuracy on attacks against Slowed or
Immobilized characters.

SYSTEM POINTS: 8

MOUNTS:

Flex Flex

CORE System

Psionic Lull
I heard her voice again. She was so close, I just had to walk a bit closer and I could see her
again. Then her jaws opened like a bear trap, and I knew I was a fool. - Excerpt from a test
Opfor pilot who displayed a severe reaction to the frame’s psionic effects.

Passive: Be Mine.
1/round as part of a Tech Attack, the Jorogumo may use an additional Quick Action to mark
the target as Prey. Characters with a Prey Mark take +2 Difficulty to any hostile actions
against the Jorogumo. Only one character may have a Prey Mark at a time, and marking a
new character removes the previous Mark. Prey Marks last until the end of the Scene, or
until the character is destroyed.

Active(Requires 1CP): I Plant My Teeth Into Thine Flesh; You Are Mine Forever.
As a Full Action, if a character with a Prey Mark is adjacent to you, you may force them to
make a Hull save. On a failure, the target becomes Shredded, can only draw line of sight to
adjacent spaces, and becomes Grappled by you; they remain Shredded and cannot draw
line of sight past adjacent spaces until they Stabilize. On a successful Save, the target is
only Impaired until the end of their next turn This ability is Efficient and will refund 1 Core
Point at the end of any scene in which this ability was used.

License I: Web Snare, Moth Trap

Web Snare(2SP, Unique, Quick Tech)
● Create a Blast 1 patch of synthetic webbing within Sensors and Line Of
Sight. If a hostile character starts their turn inside or enters this area ,
they must make an Agility save. On a failure, they are knocked Prone.
Regardless of whether the character failed or passed, the web
vanishes after triggering. Otherwise, the web remains active until the
scene ends, or you activate this ability again.
● “I figured this thing would need some area denial systems to back up
its movement hindering hacks, so I finished up something I’ve been
putting off due to keeping Bart in check. This synth-web launcher is
 basic for now, but it’s reliable and good and makes enemies think twice
before attempting a flank. God knows this license needs some
simplicity to balance out the insane shit Bart has made.”
Moth Trap(2SP, Unique, Protocol, 2 Heat(self))
● Upon activating this system as a Protocol, until the Start of your next
turn, any Hostile characters that attempt to Disengage or move out of
Engagement will automatically take 2 Burn.
● [Why the rush [friend/lover/victim]? Stay a while, I’m quite warm.]

License II: Jorogumo Frame, Lover’s Embrace, Assassin’s Kiss

Lover’s Embrace(2SP, Unique)
● When you declare a Grapple, you may treat the attack roll as Smart for
the duration of the attack. Additionally, if the target attempts to break
free, instead of a Hull check they must make a Systems check.
● A unique hacking suite designed for tech-oriented melee fighters,
Lover’s Embrace sets out to level the playing field when initiating
grapples with stronger foes. Whilst fighting and getting out of the
grapple are beyond this system’s design, it’s ability to hinder an
enemy’s servos within close proximity allow it to make the first move
and prevent their escape.
Assassin’s Kiss(2SP, Protocol, 2 Heat(self), Unique)
● At the start of your turn, if you are grappling a character you may
activate this system as a Protocol. Upon activation, you take 2 Heat
and force your target to make a System save. On a failure, they
become Jammed until the end of their next turn. Characters can only
be affected by this 1/scene.
● [I never want you to leave.]

License III: [Consummation/Consumption], One Last Gift

[Consummation/Consumption](2SP, Full Action, Unique)
● 1/scene as a Full action against a Grappled target that is also
Immobilized, you may force them to make a Hull save. On a failure, the
target takes 3d3+Grit AP Kinetic damage, and you may gain half the
damage dealt as Overshield. If the target succeeds, you only deal half
damage, but still gain the Overshield. If this system would destroy the
target, you are instead granted Overshield for the full damage dealt.
● [Your taste is unforgettable. I’ll take my time picking you from my teeth.]
One Last Gift(3SP, Unique, Full Tech, Limited 2)
● Target a Wreck within Sensors and line of sight. All characters within
Burst 2 of the Wreck must make an Agility save, as a blast of synthetic
webbing erupts from the wreckage. On a failure, they become
Immobilized until the end of their next turn.
● “I’m not entirely sure how Bart managed to make a system capable of
turning scrap heaps into rapid-printed synth web explosions, but at
least this system isn’t like, spraying acid or something.”
 HES&H Vinegaroon
Defender/Controller

While the HES&H series of licenses tend to focus very heavily on single target
damage and aggressive support mechs, it still never hurts to have a front-line
bruiser. With Bart’s experience as an Enkidu pilot and Adams being a proud
Sagarmatha pilot, they came together to make the Vinegaroon.
Following the traditional HES&H design of singling out priority targets, the
Vinegaroon’s battle plan is simple: rush up the field, grapple an important target, then
make life hell for them and anyone nearby. Assisting this is arrays of built-in
dismantling saws and plasma cutters stored within the torso of the chassis, designed
to take apart any enemies the Vinegaroon manages to get its claws on. And if the
Vinegaroon finds itself getting overwhelmed, it deploys Eyebite, a specialised smog
and chaff mixture designed to interfere with enemy sensors and vision. If the
situation is truly dire, Vinegaroon pilots have discovered the option of releasing a
large cloud of Eyebite, either to make a getaway or to engage those trapped within
the smog. To those who have fought a Vinegaroon, the sound of rock-saws becomes
a sound to flee from.

Vinegaroon

HP: 8 Evasion: 8 Speed: 4 Heat Cap: 6 Sensors: 8

Armor: 2 E-Defense: Size: 2 Repair Cap: Tech Attack:

8 4 -1
Save Target:
10

TRAITS:

Brute Strength: The Vinegaroon gets +1 Accuracy on Hull checks and saves.
Crush Claws: When a hostile character grappling with the Vinegaroon moves/is moved out
of adjacency to break the grapple, ends the grapple, or attempts a contested Hull check
regardless of success or failure, they will take 3AP Kinetic damage.

SYSTEM POINTS: 6

MOUNTS:

Heavy Flex

CORE System

Eyebite Vision Disruptor Array

Passive: Sensor Fragged
1/Round as a Free Action, the Vinegaroon may force an adjacent hostile character to make
an Engineering save. On a failure, the target may only draw line of sight to adjacent spaces
until the end of their next turn.

Active(Requires 1CP): See No Evil

As a Full Action, the Vinegaroon may force all hostile characters within Burst 2 to make an
Engineering save. On a failure, the target may only draw line of sight to adjacent spaces until
the end of their next turn. This ability is Efficient and will refund 1 Core Point at the end of
any scene in which this ability was used.

License I: Vivisection Saws, Punisher Spikes

Vivisection Saws(Main Melee, Reliable 1, 1 Heat(self))[Threat 1][3 Kinetic]
● If this weapon is used against a character you are grappling, this
weapon’s base damage becomes 5 Kinetic and gains the AP tag.
● Originally made for industrial salvage mechs, the Vivisection Saws
specialized in dismantling downed combat mechs after large battles.
Composed of large cutting saws mounted to multi-jointed sub-limbs,
many lancers on Hercynia discovered they were quite proficient in
shredding through the hulls of the Machine Horde, especially in the
hands of pilots who excelled in grappling their targets before letting
loose the saws.
Punisher Spikes(2SP, 2 Heat(Self), System, Reaction, Unique)
● You gain the Death Grip Reaction:
○ Death Grip
■ Frequency: 1/Round
■ Trigger: This reaction can be used when you are in a
Grapple. A hostile character you are grappling with
attempts to attack you.
■ Effect: You take 2 Heat and deal 1d6 Kinetic damage to
the triggering character.
● Designed to compliment the grappling prowess of the Vinegaroon, the
Punisher Spikes are spiked pistons mounted to the hull of the chassis.
When a grappled victim attempts to retaliate against the Vinegaroon’s
pilot, the pistons rapidly extend, puncturing through the enemy chassis
as punishment for attempting to free themselves.

License II: Vinegaroon Frame, Anchoring Chains, Shrapnel Cannon

Anchoring Chains(2SP, System, 2 Heat(self), Quick Action, Unique)
● This system may only be used when you are grappling a single hostile
character of equal or smaller size. As a Quick Action, you may take 2
Heat to Immobilize yourself and the character you’re grappling. While
in this state, both you and the character you are grappling become
 immune to Knockback and other forms of involuntary movement. This
effect ends at the end of your next turn, but you may repeat this Quick
Action to continue the effect, still taking 2 Heat on subsequent
activations. This effect also ends if you become Jammed, Stunned, or
suffer Structure Damage/Reactor Stress.
● Despite grappling mechs typically using enhanced servos and synthetic
muscles to allow them to grapple targets larger than themselves,
sometimes an enemy chassis is simply too strong to keep hold of. To
counteract this scenario, the Anchoring Chains were born. Composed
of a series of harpoon launchers mounted across the entirety of the
mech, the Anchoring chains fire not only into a grappled target, but also
into the ground, preventing either party from moving away and
guaranteeing that the enemy’s teammates cannot assist in freeing
them.
Shrapnel Cannon(Heavy Cannon, Heat 2, Inaccurate)[Cone 3, Threat 3][3d3
Kinetic]
● On Hit: Your target becomes Impaired until the end of their next turn.
● An unholy mixture of a drum-fed shotgun and an assault cannon, the
Shrapnel Cannon is designed to throw as much hot metal down range
as fast as possible. Whilst hard to use due to the ridiculous recoil, there
is an upside; the sheer amount of metal fragments being fired causes
the moving parts of enemy chassis to be clogged up, causing their
servos to lock and their guns to potentially misfire.

License III: ‘Grand Slam’ Suplex Actuator Suite, Nidhogg-Class NHP

‘Grand Slam’ Suplex Actuator Suite(3SP, System, Unique, 3 Heat(self) Full
Action)
● As a Full Action, you may take 3 Heat to perform a ‘grand slam’ against
a hostile character you are grappling, dealing Xd6 Kinetic Damage with
X equaling the size of the hostile character. Additionally, the character
becomes Shredded until the end of their next turn. This can only be
used 1/scene on each character.
● “I’ll be blunt, I was inspired to make this after I beat Bart 50-0 in Street
Fighter 500. I’m a Zangief player, what do you want from me? Beating
that fucker in fighting games is my one way of gaining back my sanity
after he makes yet another eldritch abomination!”
Nidhogg-Class NHP(3SP, AI, Unique, 2 Heat(self), Quick Action)
● 1/round as a Quick Action, you may destroy a Wreck and take 2 Heat.
Additionally, you gain Overshield equal to the Size of the Wreck(min. 1)
+ Grit.
● Originally encountered during after the events Second Hercynia Crisis,
Nidhogg Prime’s original form was that of a ramshackle Seccom
chassis roaming the battle scarred lands of Hercynia looking for
scrapped mechs. Upon first contact, Nidhogg Prime showed no interest
in the HUC scouts that had discovered it, until mechanized chassis
showed up to reinforce them.
This resulted in Nidhogg Prime becoming hostile and eviscerating the
HUC mechs, ripping limbs and armor plates from the mechs and
seemingly integrating them into itself as a form of self-repair. The fight
was swift and ended with surprisingly no casualties, as once Nidhogg
Prime had sufficiently ‘repaired’ itself, it entered into a state of
non-hostility. Subsequent Balwinder Bolano tests by USB ontologicians
were able to determine Nidhogg Prime as a candidate for NHP status,
and a suitable subjectivity was eventually determined.
Whilst the origins of Nidhogg Prime are still a mystery, its clones have
proven a valuable asset to Hercynian pilots and lancers of varying
types. In terms of personality, Nidhogg clones are often described as
“antsy” or “hungry”, constantly needing to be doing something. When in
combat, they excel at keeping their pilot’s mech in optimal condition
and have still retained Nidhogg Prime’s ability to ‘integrate’ scraps and
use them as temporary armor and quick fixes. When not in a combat
environment however, it is highly advised to give Nidhogg clones a
subaltern body and a long list of chores to complete, lest they get
restless and risk accelerating into cascade.
Acknowledgements & Credits:

Hercynian-Egregorian Systems & Hardware is not an official Lancer product; it is a

third party work, and is not affiliated with Massif Press. Hercynian-Egregorian
Systems & Hardware is published via the Lancer Third Party License.

Lancer is copyright Massif Press

Thanks to TerkMC for the artwork of my slightly unhinged chassis.

Thanks to Lefarsi for helping me with my COMP/CON art and adjustments.
Many thanks to the folks on PilotNET for giving feedback to my work.