^^ It would appear that the Carbon Plague isn't done changing yet. This is another sport forwarded to us by an unnamed source. If you are of this type, get ready for a wild ride.^^ Alt

Source: Dr. Margaret Tuere, CDC [NSecA@FtGGMeade.R&D_DBioP..TC1
Destination: Lt. Gen. Chris Lacolucci DoD@Pent..NSec_Tac..JH1
(EYES ONLY -- READ and DESTROY)

Message Reads:
        General, I feel that I have some distressing news. It appears that the Scouts were only the first "blended" creature. The Hydras, as a mythology minded lab technician calls them, are another Tinman and Bolter hybrid with a touch of Wizard. I'm terrified of what could happen with other pairings; just imagine some of the possibilities with a Tinman and Alchemist combination.
        Luckily, there is much these creatures can't do. They have no increased senses; they cannot create an electrical charge; and they cannot extrude armor. Even with these limitations, their abilities are frightening. First of all, the nannites have created extensive hexite wiring in their brain. This effectively makes them a level above ambidextrous. This is an intruiging change, but when combined with the second, it is far more dangerous. Like their Bolter cousins, they can send out a cable of hexite. Their cable, however, is much thicker, shorter, and composed of a tremendously intricate system of fibers. Using these fibers to transfer and force as tension, the Hydras can use the cable as an extra arm, capable of lifting, typing, or even firing a gun. This means that we now have children with built-in whips and garrotes. While the cables, individually, are not as strong as their wielder, they are still useful for many tasks. Our subject learned to use his as means of transport, using them as extended legs and for swinging from handhold to handhold. All the modification to their arms has resulted in a moderate increase in both strength and speed, but it is the cables that are the largest problem.
        As for identification, it is difficult, but not impossible. On their forearms, each Hydra has a slit about 5 centimeters long, from which the cables extrude. They may not seem as dangerous as most of the other creatures, but don't let that impression fool you. Imagine a mutant like this becoming a solo capable of using four weapons at once and able to scale buildings or swing away. Do not underestimate them or they will kill you.

Hydra Skill: Cable Control (Ref)
        This is the Hydra's ability to use their cables effectively. Use the complexity of the task (Table 1) and add in any modifiers (Table 2) to figure out the difficulty.

Table 1: Task Complexity
 

Type	Definition	Example	Difficulty
Basic	Gripping a large object	Grabbing a railing	Easy (10)
Simple	Gross movements, gripping a small objects	Using a hammer, gripping a coin	Average (15)
Complex	Delicate movements	Using a screwdriver	Diff. (20)
Very Complex	Making fine movements	Using a keypad	Vry Diff. (25)
Intricate	Making fine precise movements	Assembling a gun, surgery	Nr. Imp. (30)

Table 2: Modifiers
 

Using both cables on same task	-5/10
Using past 10m	+1 per 5m

Notes

• Skill: Cable Control (Ref)
• +2 Body
• +2 Ref when desired
• Can have up to four actions a round (with GM's discretion)
• Cable AR: 5
• Cable SDP: 10 SDP
• Individual Cable Strength: 1/2 Bod
• AP attacks to the cable do double damage
• Crushing attacks do 1/2 damage
• Can heal .5m of Cable per hour
• Must eat 1% Body every 8 hr. or arms become useless