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UFO: AI Chryssalid Successor? Alien Concept: Hydra

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Surrealistik:
Appearance:

Grotesque and nightmarish. It resembles a bloated, bulbous sack of pulsating flesh, with masses of long, thick, flailing tentacles protruding from it. The tentacles are clearly powerful, muscular, and are riddled with multitudes of thorny growths, ultimately terminating in a large hooked blade. These are extremely sharp, and taper to an ultra fine end. Vaguely eyelike objects seem to adorn the central mass of the creature. Its colouration is that of necrotic skin.

Capabilities:

The Hydra is extremely swift and its many tentacles propel it at incredible speeds, rendering it easily capable of outrunning even the fastest soldier. It is also able to harness their vast muscular prowess to leap great distances, both vertical (allowing it to potentially infect even the flight capable) and horizontal. Finally, the sharp bladed ends of its tentacles enable it to grip and climb virtually any surface effortlessly, permitting it to move on walls and ceilings.

When engaging PHALANX troops and civilians, this alien resorts to its many bladed appendages. Because the blades are monomolecular, and applied with great strength, they are capable of penetrating even the heaviest powered armour. This creature does not aim to kill its target through lacerations and trauma however, despite its obvious ability to do so. Instead, it injects a penetrated target with a potent retroviral pathogen.

The injected virus immediately attacks the brain of the subject, corrupting and subverting countless cells in an exponentially accelerating cycle. This has the sum effect of reducing the intelligence and disposition of the victim to that of a predatory beast within seconds. In the meanwhile, the remainder of his body is metabolized and hijacked by the pathogen, rapidly transmuting the innards into Hydra lifeforms, while causing it to secrete and produce more of the viral agent. After the developing Hydras inside have gestated sufficiently, they will violently emerge from their host in search of new hosts.

The appearance of a victim is about as pleasant as the symptoms; as the skeletal structure is metabolized, its form often becomes misshapen, lopsided and/or hunchbacked, while the skin secretes large amounts of green/black viral agent as it is broken down, giving it a disturbingly necrotic appearance. Large bulges and growths may be observed; these are new Hydras coiled within their host, waiting to fatally burst forth from its unwilling progenitor as they develop. Occasionally, the bladed tentacles of fledging Hydras may penetrate what skin and sinew remains. The ultimate result is a truly horrific fusion of alien and man.

The living wombs Hydra victims are subsequently transformed into are instinctually compelled by the subversion and transmutation of their brain matter to find and infect new human hosts. While their bodies largely deteorate as a consequence of the Hydra's parasitic consumption, the strength of these "zombies" is increased to almost superhuman levels. This is due to the biochemical impact of the pathogen on the muscles of the host; it acts as a sort of fast acting, ultrapowerful anabolic steroid, rapidly executing signifigant mutations in the tissue. The virus is typically spread from these vectors via contact or injury, often from a bite.
The deteoration of brain matter however has made the victims slow and clumsy, so while physically powerful, they are relatively easy to outrun. When slain, depending on how long it has been permitted to gestate spawn, several Hydras are likely to evacuate the destroyed host, and seek new ones.

Upon destruction, Zombies and Hydras alike will birth a miasma of airborne pathogen due to their rupturing. While it remains viable and dangerous for only a short period of time (lasts a couple of turns before dissipating), any human who steps through it without an atmospherically sealed body suit is likely to become infected.  

Because they have no vitals or organs, the effectiveness of armor piercing and laser weaponry is considerably reduced. Further, their flexible, yielding bodies are capable of weathering concussive shocks very well. However, they cannot tolerate extreme temperatures. Plasma and incendiary weaponry can easily destroy them.

Finally Hydras feature incredible metamobilisms that permit them to regenerate damage and injury extremely quickly.

Backstory:

Hydras are in actuality engineered macroviruses, bioweapons and warfare of the worst kind. They are organisms that have been specifically engineered, tailored and designed to hunt, hijack and metabolize human tissue. As such, their pathogen has absolutely no effect on the aliens. The virus is also sufficiently variable to prevent the development or effectiveness of any sort of vaccine. They have managed to develop such a creature through their extensive analysis and examination of human tissue and anatomy. The knowledge they have derived from this research, combined with their advanced understanding of biochemistry, has permitted them to author these self-perpetuating horrors.

Summary/Notes:

-Between their innate monomolecular blades and unmatched strength, Hydras are capable of penetrating any armour type.

-Humans injured by a Hydra or Zombie immediately become Zombies.

-Zombies count as members of the alien team.

-A new Hydra is created within a Zombie every couple of turns. When 2 Hydras are created, the Zombie is split open and destroyed by its progeny.

-If a Zombie is killed before it "gives birth" it will spawn as many Hydras as have been created within it. These Hydras may be partially damaged.

-Zombies and Hydras that are slain (including when a Zombie "gives birth") will emit a miasma of airborne pathogen. Humans entering this viral cloud that lack airtight protection will become Zombies. As an aside, you might consider implimenting a "viral/pathogen grenade" which has a similar effect as an exclusive alien weapon, with hand and launcher discharged variants.

Strengths:

-Extremely fast, capable of movement along walls and ceilings, capable of leaping long distances vertical and horizontal.

-Self-replicating; one Hydra can easily become many in the presence of civilians.

-Resistant to concussive, armor piercing and laser damages.

-Discharges viral miasma on death.

-Regenerates health with each turn.

Weaknesses:

-Possesses only a melee attack. Has no ranged weaponry.

-Weak to flame and plasma based weapons.

 Questions? Comments? A worthy successor to the Chryssalid?

Wanderer:
Worthy... yes... but dear gods I don't want to find one of these things during a terror mission.  The old version was only half as mean and those were nasty enough.

You used to be able to knock out your own guys when they got zombied if I remember right (it's been a while), and while perhaps at first this wouldn't be available, I'd like to be able to save my team members eventually with a couple of well placed gas grenades and a good medical team.

Alex:
Some kind of antidote would be a good research thread...

Surrealistik:

--- Quote ---You used to be able to knock out your own guys when they got zombied if I remember right (it's been a while), and while perhaps at first this wouldn't be available, I'd like to be able to save my team members eventually with a couple of well placed gas grenades and a good medical team
--- End quote ---



--- Quote ---Some kind of antidote would be a good research thread...
--- End quote ---


I definitely agree with an antidote to the pathogen being availible as a research topic, *especially* if the aliens employ it in projectile delivery systems, such as grenades and missiles. It could be administered via medikit once it has been successfully researched.

In X-Com,  Zombies actually had complete immunity to stun weapons. It was the only alien lifeform that couldn't be captured. You're probably thinking about mind control.

As for curing the afflicted teammate, you'd have to do so pretty quickly (within a turn or two), before permanent damage was done by the pathogen converting the victim's innards into more Hydras. That said, it would take a hell of an opposing retrovirus to somehow undo the brain damage (maybe Nanobots could deal with that better though). Perhaps the brain might simply be affected by a psychoactive biotoxin instead of cellular conversion.  This would make recovery to combat readiness more plausible.

Alex:
I would imagine the soldier, even if an antidote was administered quickly enough, would be unconscious for the rest of the round and possibly in hospital for a good couple of weeks.

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