Entry in the Spelljammer Creature Challenge.
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:
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:
(same on top and bottom) - 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.
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.)
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.
