This was something I started last March, and a combination of writers block and laziness stalled the process. But considering the latest Gremlin/Slime Danger mission and the revamp of of the rescue camp, I better just dump what I got and work on it here, and let other people toss their two bits in before OOO probes my mind further and takes anything else.

Please note this was written up before the update was made to the rescue camp, so there may be inconstancies.

Chimeras: Gremlin bioweapons that are a mish mash construct and body parts from gremlins, knights and other creatures roaming the clockworks.

Story synopsis: With the defeat of Warmaster Seerus and the destruction of his Grand Arsenal, the Crimson Order has been looking for new means to prepare war against Haven and the Spiral Knights. Science Master Typhos has come forward with a bold and perverse new plan to turn the destruction wreaked by the Spiral Knights against them. Dubbed Project Chimera, Science Master Typhos has proposed creating monstrosities built from the scavenged parts of machines, gremlins, other creatures from clockworks, including the spiral knights themselves to retake contested areas of the clockworks and invade haven.

How they’d fit into Spiral Knight Lore: Considering that conventional warfare hasn’t faired well against Spiral Knights, it would be logical that the gremlins would research other means to defeat them and destroy Haven. Given their propensity to recycle parts of the clockworks, why wouldn’t that philosophy also apply to their dead comrades? It would also explain why they were capturing knights; the Crimson Order needed them for parts, both in their equipment and bodies.

The biggest selling point for the Chimeras would be the sheer variety that can be created, since you’d be able to use any inorganic or corporeal being from clockworks and combine them to create a new monster. Along with that, their attack type, defensive strength and weakness don’t have to adhere to conventional wisdom. Chimeras would be the wild card class among the established six.

Examples:
*Spiral/Retrode does Normal Damage, is strong against Piercing and is weak against Elemental (Uses sword and optic blast attack)
*Wolver/Jelly does Piercing Damage is strong against Shadow and weak against Elemental. (Uses axe for and bite attacks)
*Greaver /Scuttlebot That does shadow damage, is strong against elemental and is weak against piercing (Dive attack that shoots 3 bullets forward)

This would create a larger challenge for players since they would have armor and weapons that would be effective against certain enemies, but have to play smarter since their are other monsters they’d do less damage against. Also this would give an incentive to use weapons that use normal damage.

Finally they can have any attack from either monsters or utilize weapons that the player uses. You have a large Lumber type that not only uses a pound attack, but has an autogun attached to its other arm to shoot at players.

What would they look like: The actual designs would be body horror monstrosity using what seems like randomly selected parts from each race. Like the following

I’d attempt to draw up concept art but A. I can’t draw for my life. B. I have no idea what the squishy insides of a knight looks like for reference in adding their bones and sinew to a Chimeras

http://imageshack.us/g/37/virus0100fc.jpg/

Why Chimeras wouldn’t work: Granted, seeing knight with some of their body parts removed or a construct with muscle and bones of a knight riveted to them might not fit the art style of spiral knights or might be considered to disturbing. Also we have no idea what the squishy insides of a knight looks like and that was an area the staff didn’t want to touch, at least at this moment. (I’d like to see the mystery of where their feet are resolved though.) Finally, it would be a designing nightmare for the amount of creatures that would need to be designed.

Missions/storyline: This would also open up an entirely new mission storyline, as a part of either Rank or Expansion that starts with. For sake of coherence , I’ll note them if they were part of the Rank plotline

10-1 Return to the Beginning
Story: Agent Kora briefs you that Spiral HQ have received reports from Rescue Agents that squires who are landing at the Crash Site are not making it to the Rescue Camps, so you’re being sent to investigate.

Mission: You discover that there’s a hidden Gremlin base that’s ambushing and abduct new knights. Kora gives you orders to attack and search the base for why they the gremlins are doing this. However while you deal with the base’s garrison, the gremlins destroy all vital information regarding their activities and retreat.

Areas: Crash Site – (Special Floor) Depth ???
Note: This version of the Crash Site is separate area from the tutorial version while the Gremlin base is similar to a Spirals clockworks base that has camo netting to semi disguise the base.

10-2 Reinforce the Rescue Camp
Story: Afterwards, Agent Kora informs you that Spiral HQ has received a distress call from Guardian Virgil that the Rescue Camp is under attack from Gremlins. Since you’re in the immediate area, you’re ordered to reinforce him and his troops.

Mission Arriving on the scene you see recruits and Rescue Camp garrison fighting off the attacking gremlins After linking up with Virgil he informs you that the Gremlins have taken control of the Abandoned Depot and you have to clear out he remaining forces. you recover a data pad that is sent to Spiral Intelligence to be decoded

Areas: Rescue Camp – (Special Floor) Depth ???
Abandoned Depot – (Special Floor) Depth ???

Notes: a minor revamping of the Rescue Camp where the path to Virgil (who is still by the Final Test elevator) is blocked and you have to fight through an extended area past the camp bon fire before it’s cleared.
After go into a revamped Abandoned Depot

The Final Test elevator is deactivated for the duration of this mission and Abandoned Depot Elevator is reactivated after you talk with Virgil.

10-3 The Lost Battalion
Story: Agent Kora informs you that Spiral Intelligences is still decoding data pad. But more pressing matters have come forward. Spiral HQ has lost contact with the base serves as their garrison for Emberlight. It was under the command of Lieutenant Everton, one of the best field officers of the Spiral Order. They fear they’ve been lost to a Gremlin assault similar to the one that occurred at the Rescue Camp and order you to reach the base, find out what happened, and if necessary, rescue any survivors.

Mission: After clearing the first two depths the player comes across a completely empty encampment, proceeding to a boss room (Similar to Arkus’ room), the player finds Lieutenant Everton, a knight dressed in the classical spiral warden garb (Azure Armor and Shield + Leviathan) The follow cut scene takes place with him facing the player in the middle of the room.

• “Ah, Spiral HQ finally sent reinforcements, we weren’t sure that our distress call made it through the Gremlin’s jamming device.”
• *He turns his back to the player
• “We have to hurry. If we don’t, we won’t be able to get to the factory where the others were taken and saved.”
• *He looks back at the player
• “Yes, saved. We’ve been shown a new way, a better way. To serve Master Tyhpos.”
• *He approaches the player
• “You disagree? It does not matter, you will join us.”
• *He pulls his helm up revealing his disfigured face, half of his skin stripped away showing mechanical parts.
• “We don’t need your mind, just your body. I promise to make this as quick and painless as possible.”
• *He unsheaves his sword and shield and several gremlins appear from hiding spots
• Battle starts

As the battle goes on Everton is felled several times but energy revives. Each time portions of his armor is damaged and falls off showing his disfigured body which has mechanical parts bolted to him. Each time he says something.
“I’m still your superior officer, you must treat me with respect!”

After he falls for the third and final time he lies still with his life draining from him, but he’s come back to his senses.
“Well met… I thank you for saving me from this fate… Worse than death… If you see any of my men… Strike them down… You’ll be doing them… A favor… Please… Avenge… Us… All…”

Mission Stages
Clockworks Passage: Gremlin Grounds (random status) Depth 24
Deconstruction Zone: (random status) Depth 25
Empty large scenario room base.

Boss: Lieutenant Everton

10-4 Factory of Fear
Story: Agent Kora shows distress over the loss of Lieutenant Everton and informs you that his body was taken to Spiral HQ to investigate what happened to him. Meanwhile the data pad was hacked and gave the location of a factory producing ‘Chimera’. Kora conjectures that this must be the factory that Everton referred to. Intel theorizes this factory had something to do with Everton’s transformation and is the key to the recent Gremlin attacks.

Mission: Being sent to investigate, you fight their way through the guard house area and upon reaching the inside of the factory, you find a factory where bodies of knights and other creatures of the Cradle are hung up like butchers meat over a conveyor belt as articulated robots pick pieces from them to build monstrosities, the Chimera appear. While searching for the battlepod that controls the factory in order to shut down and destroy the factory.

Mission Stages
Clockworks Passage: Gremlin Grounds (Random Status) Depth 24
Factory Stage [Battlepod mini boss at end] (Random Status) Depth 25
Chimera Factory – (Special Stage) Depth 26
Chimera Factory – (Special Stage) Depth 27

10-5 Emberlight Flickers
Story: While the destruction of the Chimera Factory has been confirmed and Kora doesn’t believe the threat is over, this is proven true with alarming fashion when forces stationed at Emberlight report a large-scale Gremlin invasion force attacking the town and they need immediate reinforcements.

10-6 The Big Push
Story: With the attack on Emberlight repelled, the remaining gremlin forces are regrouping with a second attack force to form a second strike team to attack the weakened Emberlights colony. You’re tasked with attacking their rally point while they’re reforming in order to cripple the new attack force.

Mission Stages
Clockworks Passage: Gremlin Grounds (Random Status) Depth 24
Arena: Wrench Warfare (Random Status) Depth 25
Arena: Chimera Combat (Special Stage) Depth 26

10-7 Anomalous Abnormalities
Story: After the defeat of the Emberlight attack force, Agent Kora and Spiral Intelligence attempt to extract any meaningful information from the robotic remains of the chimera units to see if they can locate the main Chimera Research Facility, while you are to terminate the remaining remnant forces before they manage to retreat.

10-8 Hallway of Horrors
Story: The main Chimera Research Facility has been located by Spiral Intelligence and Recon Knights, and Lieutenant Feron is leading an attack on the site and requests your support. This will also be where you face off against Science Master Typhos crown jewel creation.

Mission Stages
Special stages in line with Operation Crimson Hammer or the Ironclaw Munition Factory.

Boss: Golem
Giant Chimera approximately the size of Vanaduke. It's main gimmick would be to have the ability to alternate its weakness.

Or to increase replay value of the mission you fight a randomly selected goliath out of 3-4 and each one has their own unique boss token.

Still trying to finish, fine tune. I'll take any praise, criticisms, suggestions, love letters, hate mail, death threats here.

Also, if you want to fill in the blanks, go ahead, I'll add it and give you credit.