Tombwalkers

Wroughtsol System

(Tombwalkers)

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Tombwalkers

Forever Warriors

Are they still alive within their shells, begging for freedom, or have the cogs grown minds of their own? The clanking of their rusty feet, the clicks of their many gears, and the defeated cries of the eternal slaves… what makes these beings walk?

— Edward Geo, Wroughtsol Visionist

Entity Classification

Aggressiveness 5/5 Attacks on sight.
Frequency 3/5 Found across multiple limspaces in considerable numbers.
Intelligence 2/5 Below human intelligence in most cases.
Pritoria Index 2/5 Deadly reminders of the horrors of war.

Intro

Tombwalkers are haunting fusions of flesh and metal from a world only known through its twisted marvels. On the outside, Tombwalkers look entirely robotic, but within the caskets lie human hosts. "Tombwalker" is the designation for the machine, body, and soul put in one. The suits are, in turn, called "Tombsuits."

Tombwalkers have been found across multiple limspace systems and limspaces such as The Backrooms, Thalasso, RAIN, Nadir, and Wroughtsol. They originate from somewhere deep in one of Wroughtsol’s lost realms.1 Over millions of years, the walkers were able to spread across multiple systems, driven by the same initiative from long ago.

Most Tombwalkers have a similar structure as if mass-produced by an assembly line. The common Tombwalker resembles a rusted, heavily armored but ornate knight suit with rivets and bolts securing the pieces together. The helmets resemble armets but with sleeker ridges, no breathing holes, and slit eyes. Foldable but resilient plates under the bulk of the suit prevent anything beneath the dress from seeing the light of day. These armored suits stand imposingly against most people with their tall stature and toned physique.

However, most Tombwalker suits are missing a few pieces, as they have been in active use for thousands if not more years. A large gun barrel that connects to a system of bullets deeper into the suit is affixed to the left arm. The right arm is usually bulkier than the left and sometimes has a docked shield. These standard versions of the Tombwalker suits are slow and heavy. Their movements are either sluggish and overly exaggerated as if performing in a play.

Beneath the suit are perpetually moving cogs, gears, screws, and various machines that somehow control the Tombwalker suit. In the core of the Tombwalker suits is the corpse. The corpse is almost always wholly skeletal and battered. The remains have been found to belong mainly to adult males, but women and children have also been discovered entombed. The limbs of the dead men inside are bolted and strapped into the suit roughly, as evident in the cracks of the bones around the bolted areas. Many mysterious machines heavily cover the upper portion of the suit, including delicate optical lens systems, and static noise generators2, and breathing apparatus.

The Tombsuit's workings are a complete mystery, even after extensive studying of the Tombwalkers inside and out. After tests of dissembling the slower Tombwalkers mid-movement, the cause for the activeness of the suits was found to lie in the corpses themselves. Somehow, despite being dead, the bodies keep the suit in motion. The caskets walk even when the brain is completely missing from the skull. This has led to some believing that the secret behind the wandering armor is some kind of spiritual possession. Unravelers3 believe that the fallen within the metal die and go on to inhabit the armor spiritually and thus, can remain in control of the suit long after death.

These common Tombwalkers have been seen across several different limsystems and spaces. They wander alien to their surroundings. They react to anything they view as hostile with violence. In most cases, this means any living thing that moves. Their optical devices inform the Tombwalker when their targets are either dead or missing. They ready their gun arms at their targets and blast them full of holes… that is, if they still have bullets left in their stock. If gunning down their opposition doesn’t work, they use spring-powered systems in the arms to bludgeon and tear with incredible strength. In most cases, they are successful, as even when suffering typically fatal injuries, the Tombwalkers continue to give it their all.

To take down the common Tombwalker, you must remove the body within. This is easier said than done, as heavy plates of metal and an unquenchable rage piloting a war machine stand in the way. However, their slow movement gives ample opportunity to strategize and move around the Tombwalker though most people lack the necessary tools to crack open the caskets. The best bet to deal with a common Tombwalker is to get it distracted or have it succumb to the environment. A significant fall or body of water is an excellent way to dispose of a Tombwalker. While they will most likely survive the fall, getting back will take considerable time because of their slow movements.

Dismantled Tombwalkers are extremely valuable for their parts and metals. However, the mechanisms such as their movement and firing systems have yet to be replicated. Still, the materials in those mechanisms can be repurposed by skilled metal workers.


Variants

Tombwalkers come in hundreds of different forms. Some of them are abundant while others are entirely unique creations. Below are the variants of Tombwalkers that are most likely to be encountered.

Behemoths

Behemoth Tombwalkers are much bulkier variants of Tombwalkers that are more monstrous in design than human with their bull-like horns, mono-eyed helmets, and muscular designed armor. Standing twice as tall as other Tombwalkers, Behemoths can hardly fit in most closed spaces. They seemed to have been made as high-strength lifters and tanks. Besides their appearance, the Behemoth suits also have different weapons, additional internal workings, and more brutish behaviors.

Rather than an attached gun system and shield, Behemoth Tombwalkers are equipped with high-powered piston arms. These powerful arms can easily crush through stone and bone alike. Though, they are just as able to knock down most walls with their immense size and armor. Anyone caught off guard by a Behemoth is as good as dead. However, the nimble and the wise can easily evade these giants. The added equipment and size make Behemoths much easier to evade than other Tombwalkers.

Behemoths do not have the same optics as the common Tombwalker. They are incapable of determining when a living creature has been killed. So, Behemoths continue to brutally pound their targets until their optics are incapable of detecting the creature at all.

The few destroyed Behemoths have revealed similar mysterious machinery and gadgets to the other Tombwalkers. However, the suits also possessed impact bracing ribs, IV cables linked to empty canisters, and attachable cable hooks. The corpses within the Behemoths were all bulkier men.

Prowlers

A strange variant of Tombsuit, the Prowlers resemble some kind of big cat mixed with a wolf. They are slightly smaller than average-height wanderers. These Tombwalkers are much lighter and faster than the others. Another interesting point of difference is how Prowlers can open their mouths to reveal a gun barrel and dozens of terrible teeth. Though, no encountered Prowler has shot any bullets4. Instead, they mauled their prey with their deadly claws and fangs.

Inside the suits, the bodies were found to be forced into all fours to mimic the animal the Tombsuit was based on. Notably, Prowlers have less machinery than most other Tombsuits. They also lacked any head devices such as optical lenses. Instead, a trigger attached to the mouth gun was in the head.

Prowlers act much more feral than other Tombwalkers. Rather than mindlessly wandering and enacting ancient orders, Prowlers live in packs as animals. They hunt down prey to eat, sleep, and play with one another as if made of flesh. This interesting contrast in behavior has puzzled many researchers of Wroughtsol. The most accepted answer is that this is an error in the design of the Tombsuit that failed to capture the soul in a way that would preserve some sense of humanity.

Stouts

Spherical and with stubby legs, Stouts are considerably comical to behold. They stand at half the height of most wanders. But, beyond their appearance, grotesque horrors lie. Seemingly designed for underwater navigation, Stouts are outfitted with devices for aquatic environments, such as air canisters, pressure gates, and powerful propellers. Stowed on the small suits are blades and peculiar devices. These devices periodically emit radio waves to be picked up by other Tombsuits.

The interior of the Stout Tombsuits shows cracked and crushed skeletons from a distant age. The bodies are primarily children but adults have also been found crammed within the small suits. It is hard to believe these suits could be used by anyone living because the melding of the body to the Tombsuit looks quite gruesome.

Stouts move slowly on land but quickly in underwater environments. They dart through the water, cutting up anything in their path. As they move in squads, wherever they end up becomes a torrent of slashing.

Carriers

Carriers are similar to Behemoths in size but fulfill a different purpose. Carriers, rather than being bulky tanks, act as transport for dozens of Stouts at a time. The Carrier Tombsuit has large pockets within to house the Stouts. Even with these gaps in the suit, Carriers are still considerably durable. This variant of the Tombsuit also more closely resembles a machine with rigid parts rather than the ornate designs of the other suits.

Like the Stouts, Carriers are designed for aquatic surroundings. Their large build does not hinder their mobility in the water as they have buoyancy measures. Through a complex process of whirring metal, Carriers can switch from their humanoid forms into small boats or submarines. From the looks of it, this kills the pilot, and the process is irreversible. While in their vehicular form, they are exceedingly dangerous with new weaponry and better ability to transport Stouts.

Carriers are more common in aquatic limspaces but are rarely found elsewhere. In Thalasso, there was an era where Carriers ran rampant throughout many of Horizon’s seas, but that era ended after many extensive efforts to kill the invaders were made. There are even some people who have held onto the Tombsuits as trophies or ships.

Kings

King Tombwalkers are larger, more ornate, and golden compared to other common Tombwalkers. Often, they have torn flags, capes, and emblems of long-gone kingdoms5. The rusted gold shines under dust in the light as if holding out hope for regaining lost glory.

Kings also possess more significant weaponry in the form of larger guns and vicious chainsaw swords. These powerful weapons and the King Tombsuits' better mobility make for a lethal combatant. Thankfully, the Kings are much rarer than regular Tombwalkers.

Kings are also one of the only Tombwalkers that speak. While the Kings are not known to be sapient, they have a few words they are known to say. In each case of a King speaking, the same kind of harsh and loud voice rang from around the head area of the Tombsuit. The Kings repeated the same three words, “kneel,” “die,” and “more,” over and over. Kings say "kneel" when encountering any living creature. If the creature does not kneel, the King says "die" before attacking the target. After slaying their target, the King says "more" several times while looking around the environment.

Commandants

Barking commands across the battlefield, Commandant Tombwalkers are nightmarish tacticians who have preserved some sense of intellect in their eternal entombment. As the Commandant is usually hidden behind a legion of other Tombwalkers or in a vantage point, few have seen this variant of Tombsuit. Commandant Tombsuits are not designed for combat but emphasize gathering information, commanding others, and support. Their lankier thinner black plates let the Commandant get to higher positions to survey the battlefield. While in an advantageous position, the Commandant utilizes powerful telescopic devices to find targets and guide their troops.

The real danger of Commandant Tombsuits is their ability to guide Tombwalkers. Utilizing radio waves, Commandants can send out orders through the static noise generators of the Tombsuits. These signals travel far and wide without interruption—sometimes being picked up by wanderer transceivers. The orders given by Commandants are like those of a general. Orders to charge, flank, and focus on targets are frequent. Interestingly, there has not been an instance of a Commandant issuing a retreat order.

Commandants are not defenseless on their own. If needing to defend themselves, Commandants utilize extendable blades and a powerful detachable cannon. Sometimes, they use this detachable gun to blast through obstacles for their forces to pass through.


Unique

Over the years, millions of Tombwalkers have been encountered. The above-listed Tombsuits are the most commonly encountered and documented. However, many other variants of Tombsuits exist, such as the Scorched6, Ratkings7, Barracks8, Shambles9, and Earthcrackers10. These suits are much rarer and more specialized for their surroundings than the other Tombsuits but have been seen enough to be well-documented.

However, these suits are nowhere near as rare as the unique Tombsuits. These exceptionally rare Tombsuits are believed to be one of a kind as there has only been one sighting of them, or the instance discovered is the only one of its design encountered.

The Speaker

The Speaker was a Tombwalker encountered on the outskirts of RAIN rummaging through a graveyard of metal that was the site of a battle between RAIN and a horde of Tombwalkers. The Speaker looked to be in better condition without any rust and wore a heavy cloak. As it scavenged the bodies of its fallen comrades, it spoke in complex sentences with a distorted voice. It mumbled about not finding the right parts and a few goodbyes to Tombwalkers it supposedly knew once upon a time.

"Wilsku, s-sad to… see you-u-u-u in this s-state. I knew… stick to y-y-your pacif-f-fism… to t-the end. I will… y-your ammo s-s-stock to good use… for everyone."

— The Speaker

When The Speaker found out it was being watched, rather than attack, it simply waved farewell before disappearing into the shadows. The Speaker has occasionally been seen salvaging materials from fallen Tombwalkers across multiple systems over hundreds of years. It is believed to be the same individual due to markings on the body11 and the same tears in the cloak.

This mysterious Tombwalker may hold the key to finding out the origin of the Tombwalkers and their Tombsuits. Efforts to find and communicate with The Speaker have all been in vain.

The Maiden

The Maiden is a peculiarly designed Tombsuit modeled after a woman, whereas the other Tombsuits are gender-neutral or masculine. The Tombsuit had a dress of metal that resembled a fancy Victorian garb. The Maiden also had an intricately designed feminine face, unlike any other Tombsuit. The Tombsuit did not possess any weapons on the surface.12

The Maiden was only spotted once while traversing a destroyed castle within Wroughtsol. Because The Maiden did not attack the wanderers who encountered it, they attempted to communicate. As they spoke, The Maiden's Tombsuit started to crack open perfectly down the middle like a door however before the inside of the suit was revealed, the castle ruins began to crumble in on itself. The wanderers escaped quickly but were unable to investigate The Maiden further.

The Maiden is believed to be a Tombwalker because the area it was found was surrounded by many discarded Tombsuits, and The Maiden made clicking noises like that of other Tombsuits as it walked.

The Slayer

A beast of metal, The Slayer is the most deadly Tombwalker ever encountered. The first time The Slayer was met, it was covered in blood and flesh, its chainsaw blades still revving. It had just brutally slashed through an entire pack of predatory sheep. The wanderer who survived the encounter to tell the tale puts great emphasis on the Tombwalker's glowing crimson eyes that pierced him through. Before The Slayer could finish the job, a massive wolf knocked the Tombwalker back and occupied it long enough for the wanderer to escape. Most people who cross paths with The Slayer end up in pieces as The Slayer is the most well-equipped Tombwalker discovered. The Slayer has an entire arsenal of weapons built into the suit from guns and blades to explosives and chemicals. In addition to these weapons, the suit has many systems that allow it to navigate any space with ease such as grappling hooks, propulsion technology, and bladed legs. All of The Slayer's advanced technologies in unison with its murderous mind make for one deadly beast of metal.

The Slayer screeches horrifically as it hunts like a monster. There is no way that what lies beneath was once a human. However, there is no doubt The Slayer is a Tombwalker. It has all the traits of a Tombwalker but brought to a hundred. It has been made to maximize its killing potential. It is the pinnacle of Tombsuits.

The Slayer was last seen falling into Nadir after slaying a Cosmic Eel within The Hallowed Emptiness. This has eased many minds, but some believe that if anyone or anything could escape the maw of eventuality, it would be The Slayer. Its unconquerable mind and vast technology could lead it out of Nadir to continue its endless hunt. However, Nadir has beasts of its own that could put an end to The Slayer. Only time will tell if an unstoppable force could break through an unbreakable shield.

The Verdant One

The Verdant One is the largest Tombsuit ever encountered.13 The Verdant One sits in the middle of Wroughtsol’s Emerald Escape. It towers over even the largest of Hyrdatrees as a landmark for the space. The Tombsuit has sat for millions of years overgrown with foliage and life. Its ancient and catastrophic weaponry now harbors abundant life. Some even wander the interior of the suit for weeks on end.

The colossal inner workings of the suit have been too overgrown to continue working at total efficiency, but still, they continue to tick. Over millions of years, the Tombsuit has slowly moved its position and pose to suit the life around it better. Climbing up the suit to reach the head is an endeavor, but the view from the top is reported to be stunning. A skeleton sits within the dome, atop a throne of machinery covered in foliage.14

While inside the head, wanderers feel a calming ease and a steady feeling of joy. They set up camp in front of the throne and tell stories even when they are alone. What about The Verdant One causes this enigma is unknown. The Tombsuit is a relief from the doom and gloom of the world.


Survival Guide

If encountering a Tombwalker, quickly discern what kind of Tombsuit it is wearing. Depending on the suit, either escape or if possessing the right tools, free the corpse within. Every Tombwalker is stronger than you but not every walker is able to pursue you or counter your attacks.

The slower Tombwalkers like the Behemoth can be led into tight spots or drops to incapacitate the suit. This will allow escape or if able, the ability to pry the body out of the suit.

Most Tombwalkers are to be evaded unless you have considerable weaponry, defenses, and allies to help fend them off. Guns are ineffective but with enough fired rounds, the Tombwalkers will fall. However, there are usually multiple Tombwalkers together. Thus, guns are not to be wasted on them.

If in a closed environment such as a hallway with a Tombwalker, death is a likely outcome. However, if you have the drive to survive, challenge the deathless soldier of metal to a battle. If any attack from the Tombwalker lands, you will die. So, evade being hit and strike only when you know your hit will land. Continue this until you are able to crack the casket and tear the bones out.

If the Tombwalker has working guns, wait out the gunfire until it runs out of ammo or escape without engaging. Their guns are powerful and can pierce through most defenses.

Conclusion

Tombwalkers are believed to be from within Wroughtsol, but no one knows where exactly. They are spread throughout Wroughtsol in large numbers, alive and dead, on massive battlefields. Some believe them to be from a once great empire that needed advanced weapons to combat their foes. Others believe the Tombwalkers to be an attempt at preserving life for eternity that failed.

What is known is that Tombwalkers are a remnant of a bygone age of horrific technology and humanity. The more Tombwalkers that are dissected, the more mysteries arise. Just when, where, and how the Tombwalkers and the Tombsuits came to be, is among the questions thought to be answerable by finding the origin in Wroughtsol. Until then, the Tombwalkers are a rampant threat of steel and bone.

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