If I've got demented, psychotic factory A.I.s making killer robots, there's really no reason for there not to be the occasional bioweapon, too. Sure, there can be lethal bioweapons like black flake, but would those really satisfy an insane A.I.?
I'd assume that the vast majority of vat-grown monsters would die out, often without even a second generation, but you could get the occasional "success". Screechers, Leucrottas, Wraiths... these things [i]may[/i] predate the fall of Man, or they might be relatively recent creations.
One possibility was the old "Brainweaver" critter I had in the first version of Nuclear Beasts. A fairly stupid idea that really doesn't work in anything short of a "wacky nonsense is encouraged!" Gamma World style. But I could see some sort of parasite that takes over the host, a la the brainslugs in Futurama. Just not as silly.
It might not even be intelligent as such... just a festering, bulbous infection that grows through the host's body and drives it towards infecting others... probably by biting them with a mouth filled with gooey paste instead of proper saliva. Remember the zombie-crewmen in System Shock II who would get lines like "Hurry! Run!" and "I'm sorry!" as they rushed up to kill you? I could see an infected Beast with a mammoth, pus-filled swelling on his back telling you to run away, if you get any closer he'll be compelled to attack you.
Posted by Kiz at April 28, 2004 01:12 PMComments