Warning! Violence and the Supernatural

The fictional Worlds of Rifts® are violent, deadly and filled with supernatural monsters.

Other-dimensional beings often referred to as "demons," torment, stalk and prey on humans. Other alien

life forms, monsters, gods and demigods, as well as magic, insanity, and war are all elements in this book.

Some parents may find the violence, magic and supernatural elements of the game inappropriate for

young readers/players. We suggest parental discretion.

Please note that none of us at Palladium Books® condone or encourage the occult, the practice of

magic, the use of drugs, or violence.

An epic world book for the Rifts® series.

Compatible with the entire Palladium Books® Megaverse®! 1

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Dedicated to the Palladium artists who fill the pages of our books with glorious action, drooling mon­

sters, alien technology and bits of wonder with their black and white illustrations - particularly Palla­

dium's current cadre of art-wizards: Ryan Beres, Wayne Breaux, Kent Burles, Mike Dubisch, Scott

Johnson, Ramon Perez, Mike Wilson and John Zeleznik - all of whom drive me a little buggy, but are

tremendous talents and all-around great people. Thanks for helping me to build my Megaverse®.

Other Rifts® Books

Rifts® Canada

Rifts® Splynn Dimensional Market™ (Atlantis 2)

Rifts® Free Quebec™

Rifts® Australia

- Kevin Siembieda, 1999

Rifts® Siege on Tolkeen™ (six book series)

Rifts® Anvil GalaxyTM (Phase World® sourcebook)

The continuing Rifter® Sourcebook series ...

Available at stores everywhere

The cover is artist, Dave Dorman 's, interpretation of Xiticix Warriors defending an egg-bloated, Elder Queen inside her chamber.

PDF Edition - March 2016

Copyright 1 999 Palladium Books Inc. & Kevin Siembieda

All rights reserved, worldwide, under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. All incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity, without satiric intent, of characters

or persons living or dead, is strictly coincidental.

Palladium Books®, Rifts®, RECON®, Phase World®, The Mechanoid Invasion® and Megaverse® are registered trade­marks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.

The slogan: Rifts®, endless possibilities limited only by the imaginationfTM is a trademark of Palladium Books Inc.

Xiticix Invasion, The Rifter, Rifts Canada, New West, Spirit West, Psyscape, Federation of Magic, Splynn Dimensional

Market, Triax & The NGR, Siege on Tolkeen, Coalition War Campaign, Coalition Navy, Coalition States, Erin Tam, Em­peror Prosek, Free Quebec, Lazlo, Northern Gun, Manistique Imperium, Chi-Town, Iron Heart, Free Quebec, Tolkeen, Pecos

Empire, Lone Star, Skelebots, Xiticix, Super-Warrior, SAMAS, Dog Boys, Dog Pack, Techno-Wizard, Ley Line Walker, Shifter, Headhunter, Cyber-Knight, Psi-Stalker, Mind Melter, Mind Bleeder, Burster, Zapper, Juicer, Crazy, 'Borg, 'Bot, 'Burb, D-Bee, Cyber-Doc, Tundra Ranger, Temporal Raider, Temporal Wizard, Splugorth, Spider Tribe, Spider Warrior, Pony Tail Tribe, Fury Beetle, Greot Hunter, Noli Bushman, and other names, titles, character names and character likenesses are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.

Palladium On-Line: www.palladiumbooks.com-al soseeusatFacebook.comlPalladiumBooks

Rifts® World Book 23: Xiticix Invasion™ is published by Palladium Books Inc., 39074 Webb Ct,

Westland, MI 48185. Printed in the USA. 2

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Palladium Books® Presents: Rifts® World Book 23:

Xiticix InvasionN Written by: Kevin Siembieda

Additional Text & Concepts: Wayne Breaux Jr.

Bill Coffin

Editors: Alex Marciniszyn

Jim Osten

Wayne Smith

Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein

Cover Painting: Dave Dorman

Interior Artists: Wayne Breaux Jr.

Kent Buries

Ryan Beres

Apollo Okamura

Ramon Perez Jr.

Michael Wilson

Maps & Floor Plans: Kevin Siembieda

Art Direction & Keylining: Kevin Siembieda

Typography: Maryann Siembieda

Based on the RPG rules, text, characters,

concepts and Megaverse® created by Kevin Siembieda.

Palladium Books On-Line: www.palladiumbooks.com

Special Thanks to Wayne Breaux whose Xiticix submission in The Rifter™ #3 provided the founda­

tion for half this book. To Bill "I'm ready, man" Coffin for pitching in. To Eric Thompson for being a

cool dude. To my cadre of artists who worked on short notice to bring this book to life. And to Maryann,

Steve, Alex, Jim, Wayne, Jules and the rest of the Palladium warriors for their support and hard work.

- Kevin Siembieda, 1999 3

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Content

The shape of things to come· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Xiticix: An Overview' • • • • • • • • • • • • . . . . • • 8 The Devouring Horde · . . . . . . . . 9 Xiticix wars against other life forms . 1 0 Challenges· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1

Travelers through a Hive Network· I I Food · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 Hive Cities . . • . • • • • • • • • . . • • • . • • . • • • 1 2

Defenses· . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 Typical Tower & M.D.C. 1 4

Other Defenses of the Hive . 14 Scent Identification . . . 1 6 Xiticix Instincts, Combat & Tactics . 1 7

Growth & Life Cycle of the Xiticix ' . . . . • • • • • • 20

Xiticix Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Sludge · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1

Life Span & Growth of the Colony . . . 22

Life on the Xiticix Homeworld . . . . . 23 The Xiticix Hives' . • • • • • • . • . • • • . • . . . • . 25 Map of Xiticix Territory & Surrounding Areas· . 27 Typical Xiticix Tower· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Typical Xiticix Tunnel Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Xiticix ' • • . • • • . • • • • • . • • . • • • • • • . . • . 36 Special Powers & Abilities . . 36

Antennae· . . . . . . . . . . 36 Xiticix Chemical Abilities . . 38

Sludge (described) · . . . . . 4 1 Limited Powers of Regeneration· . 4 1

Other Physical Features of Note . . 43 Larva Stage Xiticix' • • . . . . . . • • . • • • • • . • . 43

Nits ......... . ........ . ....... . . 43 Grubs · ....................... . .. 44 Adult Xiticix R.C.C.s· . . • • • • • • . . • • • • . • . . 45

Xiticix Hierarchy· . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Typical Xiticix Colony's Population· . 45 Fighting Classes of Xiticix· . 45 Alphabetical Listing . . . . . 45

Xiticix Digger · . . . . . . . . . 45 Abilities Unique to Diggers . 49 M.D.C. Bonding Resin· . 49

Xiticix Hunter · . . . . . . . . 52 Marking Targets . . . . . . 53 Abilities Unique to Hunters 55

Xiticix Leaper · . . . . . . . . 5 5 Abilities Unique to Leapers 58

Xiticix Nanny . . . . . . . . . 59 Abilities Unique to Nannies . 6 1

The Xiticix Queens 6 1 Young Queens . 6 1 Elder Queen . . 64

Xiticix Warrior . . 66 Abilities Unique to the Warrior . . 68

Xiticix Super-Warrior· . . . . . . . . 70 Abilities Unique to the Super-Warrior· . 72

Xiticix Worker· ...... . .. . . . ....... . . . 74

4

Xiticix Weapons • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • . • • • 77 Xiticix Spear· . . . . . . 79 Resin Spike Gun · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1

Resin Spitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Prelude to War' • • • . • • • • . • • • . . • • • • • • • 85

The Coalition States· . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

New & Reformulated Data on the Xiticix . 85

Xiticix Killer· . 88

Laz10's War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Lazlo's Plan A . . . . . 94

Lazlo's Plan B . . . . . . . . . 95

The opposing view· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Possible Allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Consequences & Issues of Concern . . . . . . 97

Psi-Stalkers - A Private War· . 1 00

The Spider Tribe· . . . 1 0 1

Pony-Tail Tribe . . . . . . . 1 03

Deathbringer Warriors· . . . . 1 04

Quiwan Li, Necromancer . . . . . . 1 05

Brok Magnil, Evil Necromancer· . 1 07

Psi-Stalker R.C.C.· . . . . . . 1 08

Special Powers & Abilities 1 09

Coalition Psi-Stalker· 1 10

Wild Psi-Stalker . . . . . . 1 1 1

Northern Tribes . . . . . . 1 12

Adventures ' • . • • . • • . . • • • • • • • • • • • • • . 1 1 4

Lazlo v s the Xiticix' . • • • . • • • • . • • • • • • • • . 1 18

Typical Breakdown of Lazlo Troops . 1 18

Plan of Attack . . 1 20

The start of the War . 1 2 1

Military Raids . . 1 2 1

Rescue Missions · 1 22

More Hook, Line & Sinker™ Adventures 1 23

The Legacy of the Xiticix Fighter· . . . . 1 26

A Hiveland Adventure' • • • • • . . . . • • • • • . • . 127

The Results· . . . . . . . . . 1 33

Hiveland Dramatis Personae· . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

CS Strike Force Durango . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 CS Operations in Xiticix Territory ' . • • • • • • . . • 141

CS SpecialOps· 1 4 1

Hearts & Minds . 1 4 1

Fort Barron . . . . . 1 43

Troop Breakdown 1 43

Notable Weapons & Vehicle Consignment · . 1 43

Major Samuel Haim . 1 44

Orion Greenfeld . . 1 45

Layout of Fort Barron· 147

Surface Level· . . . 1 47

Underground Level 1 48

Fort Perrion . . . . . . 1 52

Heroes & Hardcases (NPCs)' • • • . • • • • . . • • • • 153

The Wild Pack · . . . . 1 53

Manitoba & Company · 1 55

The Lazlo Triad · . . . 1 59

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Quick Find --------------------------

Buzzed by a lone Warrior'

Clamp and Destroy Strategy· . .

CS Commander Jess Helgeland·

CS Commando (Typical) . . .

CS Data ' .......... .

CS Elite RP A Pilot (Typical) .

CS Forts ' ...

CS Fort Barron . . . . . . .

11

16

153

l37

85

l37

143 143

CS Fort Perrion . . . . . . . 152 CS Lieutenant Thomas Kent 136 CS Major Haim 144 CS Operations · 141 CS Plan A · . . 86 CS Plan B . . . 87 CS Response to empty hives 99 CS Scout, Orion Greenfeld 145 CS Strike Force Durango . . 136 CS Wild Pack · . . . . . . . 153 CS Power Armor & Robots Vehicles (condensed) . 138 CS Xiticix Killer' . 88 Cyber-Knights· . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Elder Queen (stats) . . . . . . . . . . 64 Elder Queen: Growth of the Colony· . 22

Free Thinkers (Hivelands Adventure)· 127

Free Thinker: Cristobal . 134 Free Thinker: Copeland ' 135 Free Thinker: Illyana . . 134 Free Thinker: Summers ' 135 Free Thinker: Raskin . . 133 Fungus (Xiticix Food)· . . 11 Growth Acceleration: Sludge . 11 Leaper Poison . . . . . . . . 58 Insect Powers & Abilities ' . . . 36 Identification Scent . . . . . . . 40 Notable NP C: Brok Magnil (evil Necromancer) 107 Notable NPC: Free Thinkers . . . . . . . . . l33 Notable NPC: Corp. Chase ( Dog Boy) . . . . 154 Notable NP C: Corp. Chesterfield ( Dog Boy) . 154 Notable NP C: Lazlo Triad' . . . . . . . . . . 159 Notable NP C: Lieutenant Thomas Kent ( CS) . 136

Notable NP C: Major Samuel Haim ( CS) . . 144

Notable NPC: Necromancers (in General) . 107 Notable NP C: Omicron (Ley Line Walker)' 160 Notable NP C: Orion Greenfeld ( CS Scout) . 145

Notable NPC: Quiwan Li (Necromancer) ' 105

Notable NPC: Sgt. Samuel ( Dog Boy) . . . 154 Notable NP C: Serian Skeld (Fire Dragon) . 159 Notable NP C: Sir Jericho Camlann (knight) 159 Notable NP C: Wild Pack . . . 153 Queen Check (Lazlo's Plan A) . . . . . . . 94 Resin· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Scent Gland Disguise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 & 40 Sludge · . . . . . . . . . . 21 Sludge: Full description' . 41 Splugorth . . . . . 97 Tower: Defenses' 14 Tower: Inside . . . 19

5

Tower: M.D.C. . . . .

Tower: Typical Layout

Tundra Rangers . . . .

Tunnel Network: Typical Layout .

Tunnel MaplFloor Plan . . . . . .

Villain: CS Strike Force Durango'

Villain: Dekker Trons'stedaal ( CS RPA) .

Villain: Hidechek Gezenske (Burster)· ..

Villain: Manitoba & Company ' .....

Villain: Manitoba Saskatchewan (Greot) .

Villain: Mighty Cassandra (Juicer) . .

Warrior: S.D.C. Poison . . . . . . . . .

Warrior: Special Combat Moves . . . .

Warrior, Super: Special Combat Moves'

Xiticix Airspace' . . . . .

Xiticix Descriptions Begin .

Xiticix Food · ....... .

Xiticix Groups (in the City) .

Xiticix Instincts, Combat & Tactics'

Xiticix Special Powers & Abilities .

Xiticix Raiding Swarm . . . .

Xiticix Response to Travelers .

Xiticix Squads/Squadrons' . .

Xiticix Territory (range)' ...

Xiticix Virus (Hivelands Adventure) .

Xiticix Hive: Geographic Locations & Maps .

Xiticix Hive: Travelers through a Hive Network .

Xiticix Hive: Hive City Defenses .

Xiticix Hive: Tower'

Xiticix Hive: Tunnel' . . . . . . .

Maps Manitoba' ........... .

Fort Barron: Surface Level .. .

Fort Barron: Underground Level

Hive: Big Falls· . . . . . .

Hive: Crookston· . . . . .

Hive: Duluth (Main Hive) ·

Hive: Fargo . . . . . .

Hive: Rolla-Morden· . . .

Hive: Winnipeg . . . . . .

Psi-Stalker & Simvan Ranges'

Tower CutawaylLayout . . . .

Tunnel CutawaylLayout· . . .

Xiticix Territory (Manitoba, N.D., S.D. MN) .

Xiticix Territory (all Hives indicated)·

Xiticix Territory (blank)· . . . . . . . . . . .

· 14

· 29

· 97

· 30

· 32

136

158

156

155

156 155

· 68

· 68 · . 72

· . 11 · · 43

11 · . 10 · . 17

· 36 19

· 11

· 18

· 20 · 128 · 25 · 11

· 12

· 29

· 30

· 26

· 148 · 151

· 26

· 25

· 25

· 25

· 26

· 26

· 112

· 29

· 32

· 27 · . 35

· . 26

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