FrivYeti/Oakstriders
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Oakstrider
Artifact 3
In the First Age, many forms of technology were designed that were superior, or at least different, from those used in modern times. One of these was the design of vegetative warstriders. Originally created by Lunar Exalts working hand-in-hand with the Dragon Kings, these strange warstriders were particularly valuable to those who were not of normal size or shape. In addition, their unique natures gave their users an extra degree of notice in the individuality-oriented nature of the First Age.
After the Usurpation, development of oakstriders faded. Without either the unique reagents of the Dragon Kings or the wyld-shaping power of the Solar Exalted, the Shogunate had little ability to maintain or create these strange warstriders. A few were saved by Lunars fleeing into the Wyld, but few of those survived the days of the Lunar Exile. And those still under the control of the Dragon Kings were gradually broken as the people descended into savagery.
In modern times, the return of the Solars may herald the return of these living warstriders onto the battlefield. Solars might also find old trees in the edges of manses that herald a greater power...
Mechanics
Oakstriders
|| Soak || Strength || Mobility || Fatigue || Attune || || 16 || 12 || -8 || 2 || 10 ||
Oakstriders function according to ordinary warstrider rules, with two exceptions. First, and most importantly, oakstriders are vegetative warstriders. As such, all of their repair and maintenance rolls replace Craft (Magitech) with Craft (Genesis). The Resources requirements for this is identical to that for normal warstriders, but uses plant-based reagents.
Secondly, when at rest, oakstriders are not in the shape of warstriders. Instead, they transform into trees when not attuned. This makes them impossible to transport, but also serves to partially hide them from those who don't know what to look for. In order to attune to an oakstrider, an Exalt simply holds the Hearthstone to attune in one hand, and places the other hand on the tree. Over the course of five minutes, bark and wood flows over the character, taking the shape of a warstrider that will fit them, regardless of their size and shape. The warstrider remains roughly humanoid even if its pilot is not.
