SPLICERS Patrol of the Akhluts

Hey DA Fam & SpliceHeads!
Here’s another SPLICERS: Unleashed Entry to be posted. This is the 3rd Runner up and the 1st of the final 3 to be revealed and painted! It is also the debut of my collaboration with the re-known famous Deviant Artist & Creature Artist Extraordinaire She is an awesome and very creative Artist and I strongly suggest everyone who hasn’t seen her work take a look at her page and gallery to see for yourself why we are now teaming up on some future projects!
For those of you who are new to the Splicers RPG, this is an illustration that was done for a online forum contest based on the Palladiumbook’s RPG title: SPLICERS. All SPLICERS RPG content & visuals here of are copyright protected to Palladiumbooks. The contest was conducted on the Palladiumbooks Forums where posters were allotted a chance to create/write their own designs based off of a given storyline and the winners were voted accordingly.
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The Top 5 voted Winners received the prize of each having their written entry being illustrated.
This Ravenous and ferocious amphibious Warmount is called an “Akhlut” and was created and written by the poster known as “89er.” It is a voracious amphibious assault War Mount armed with some advanced senses & raw power features for enhanced endurance, power and powerful jaws and talons to excel in melee combat, along with a devastating Gut Geyser discharge cannon for long range. It’s deadly as a lone killer, but even far more deadly when hunting as a pack hunter with it’s coordinated pod.
Once again I had fun with this one and working with Allison was long overdue! It’s been a minute since the last SPLICERS: Unleashed entry was revealed so I am thrilled to be able to ontinue releasing the winners, building up for that final countdown to number 1! Each Entry just makes this contest that more fun and enhances the SPLICERS RPG momentum! I am just getting more excited with the growing possibilities and potential that Splicers continues to reveal. 89er thanks for this one and MAJOR Congrats!

Illustration Features: A pair of Akhlut Warmounts returning from patrol, one with Outrider and one without. Depicted are the two fur pattern varieties that Akhlut can shift their fur coloration into: Commonly Orca for most swimming and underwater activities and Leopard seal when on land most often used as camouflage, but orcas can be seen on land as well.

Oh some of you might want to see some stats so here they are. For a complete list and the story (Written by me actually) please see the following link on Palladiumbook’s forum:

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I may or may not post the pencils up on this one, it all depends I suppose. Allison also did an incredible creature draft design sheet on this Warmount that helped sculpt & define it’s final look. Maybe if you ask her nicely, hopefully she can post it up for us, smile. We both took part on both the pencils and painting for this illustration, I wonder if you can tell who did what, smile? I think the delivery was seamless.
“These things are creepy, even for bio-tech. Fins and fur just shouldn’t go together; especially in something with an attitude this bad.”

Named after an ancient Inuit spirit, the Akhlut appears to be a strange fusion of small orca and monstrous wolf. Traveling in packs, the Akhlut and their riders continue to defend the areas attacked by the violet Krakens. These amphibious War Mounts average about 6 feet (1.8m) at the shoulder and 17-20 feet (5.1 to 6.1 m) in length. The War Mount’s body is sleek and somewhat torpedo shaped, complete with dorsal and pectoral fins, tail flukes and four legs. When on land, the dorsal and pectoral fins can be pulled tight against the body; though many riders will leave the dorsal fin standing erect. Likewise, the legs are tucked snug against the body to reduce drag when in the water. Like all cetaceans, the body is smooth, flexible, and streamlined. The entire creature is covered in a fine fur that offers excellent protection from the cold. When glimpsed or felt underneath the fur, the skin is rubbery, warm and smooth, rather like an inner tube.

Despite the aquatic nature of the body, the head is definitely canine, though somewhat rounder than a natural wolf. The Mount has a large toothy mouth, pronounced muzzle, and small, raised ears. The Rider sits in a comfortable, armored saddle just in front of the dorsal fin and behind the blowhole. Aside from the fearsome jaws, the Akhlut is equipped with a variant of the Gore Cannon dubbed the “Gut Geyser”. While it retains the corrosive aspect of the Gore Cannon, the globs launched by the Gut Geyser are also extremely sticky, slowing and hindering the movement of the target.

Attacking alongside “The Indigo Wave”, packs of these strange War Mounts and their riders have continued to roam the shores, ferociously defending the beaches and surrounding areas. The Akhlut and their riders normally congregate in groups of six to seven; they seem to act in a combination role of fast attack, border patrol and coast guard.

The Akhlut jealously guard the beached areas under the Indigo Wave’s dominance from attacks from land or sea. A few brave souls have acquired the DNA for the Akhlut, but many more are wondering: are they remaining vigil for a withdrawal of the Indigo Wave or, worse a return?

Class: Amphibious Assault War Mount.
Crew: One rider.
Speed:
Running: 80 mph (128 km) maximum, but normal cruising speed is only 30 mph (48 km). The Akhlut can run nonstop for four hours at full speed before needing 1D6x10+60 minutes of rest to go for another two hours before needing rest. The Akhlut can run at a leisurely pace of 50 mph (80km) without pause for up to eight hours straight before requiring rest or 10 hours if it periodically pauses for 10-20 minutes every hour or so. Note: Reduce speed by 30% in forests and rocky and other difficult, obstacle-filled terrain.
Leaping: 20 feet (6.1 m) high or across, increase by 50% with a short running start and double when running at full speed.
Digging: 20 mph (32 km) through sand or dirt, but half that speed through clay, rock or stone. Digging does not tire the War Mount. To dig down enough to adequately bury itself and hide takes 2 D8 minutes.
Swimming: The War Mount can maintain a steady speed of 60 mph (96 km/51.8 knots) on the surface or underwater for up to 12 hours before requiring 2 hours rest.
Underwater Depth: The War Mount can withstand depths of one mile (1.6 km) unaided, but the rider may need specialized equipment.
Flying: Not possible.

Statistical Data:
Height: 6-7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m) at the shoulder. The upright angular dorsal fin adds an additional 4 feet (1.2 m).
Width: 4 feet (1.2 m) from shoulder to shoulder; Pectoral fin wingspan is 10 feet (3 m) with the tail flukes roughly 6 feet (1.8 m) wide.
Length: 12-14 feet (3.6 to 4.2 m) from nose to rump; the tail adds an additional 5-6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m).
Weight: 1200-2000lbs.
Senses & Features: Standard for War Mounts, plus the following additions:
Hold Breath: The Akhlut can hold its breath for 2D10+60 minutes (roll once to determine at War Mount creation.)
Sense Magnetic North: The Akhlut can always tell where magnetic north is precisely located. Damage to the head will temporarily (3D4 minutes) disrupt this ability, however, it will eventually return.
Underwater Sense: The Akhlut can instinctively sense the direction of ocean currents, changes in the current, approximate current speed, and have an accurate idea of depth, even in total darkness.
Sonar: Like a dolphin, the Akhlut can emit high pitched clicks or whines that bounce off of the underwater surroundings and return to the War Mount where a special organ in the bulbous, forehead (called the melon) translates the signals into an awareness of its environment. This system is not highly precise and will not allow the Akhlut to pick out details such as facial features or whether the sonar image is holding a gun or a flashlight (01-40% chance to recognize the difference between such small objects, +3% per level of experience), but it will allow the Akhlut (& the linked Outrider) to operate in complete darkness underwater by “seeing” sonar images, shapes and movement in the water where the sonar is directed (typically below or in front of the War Mount). Sonar is not constantly going, but as it is used it emits high-pitched sound waves that can be heard and traced by those with the right senses, equipment or also using Sonar and passive means of underwater detection.
Akhlut Bio-Weapons Systems & Defenses:
1. Gut Geyser: The Akhlut can expel a repulsive blast of energized slime from its blowhole. These blasts can be fired at targets directly or lobbed like mortar round to strike targets at extreme ranges. The globs splatter on impact, making the weapon excellent against massed troops. In addition to causing damage, the sticky slime hinders the movement and mobility of the target.
Primary Purpose: Tactical Bombardment.
Secondary Purpose: Infantry Support.
Maximum Effective Range: 2000 feet (610 m) for direct attack. However, the globs can arched to hit targets up to 6000 feet (1830 m) away. The energized slime is like oily lava in the water and slips though the water with ease, allotting underwater projections to reach 1000 feet (305 m) before cooling dissipation.
Payload: 50 blasts per full meal over a 24-hour period.
2. Resistance to Cold: The Akhlut’s layers of fur and blubber provide excellent protection from the cold. Temperatures as low as -20 below zero Fahrenheit have no adverse effect. Magic cold and super-cold attacks do half damage.
3. Resistance to Physical Attacks: The Akhlut posses a layer of fatty tissue filled with impact resistant fluid. This cushions the War Mount from blunt attacks (punches, kicks, bludgeons, etc.), as well as falls, explosive concussion and impacts. These attacks all inflict half damage. Note: Bullets, arrows, and cutting and stabbing attacks (knives, swords, spears, etc.) do full damage, as do energy blasts and fire.