The Swift Second Striker is an artifact automata that is usually seen as a component of an artifact vehicle, but it can and has been used as a larger and more offensive variant of the Ever Vigilant Guardian.

Each Swift Second resembles an oval pod that flares outwards from an array of glowing crystal lenses, giving it a manta-like look or perhaps the flared hood of a cobra. The automata is crafted out of red and white jade and has a single hearthstone slot to provide power for its essence weaponary and flight system. It is, however, larger than an Ever Vigilant Guardian, with most of its mass taken up by its flight system and weaponary.

The automata can be commanded to attack a specific target, or to attack the same target as its user is. The small essence cannon, fuelled by the power of the heartstone, is used for offense; allowing it to shoot bolts of essence at enemies on its own initiative as well as to shoot as its owner strikes an opponent in a syncronized strike.

Ordering the artifact to attack someone is a reflexive action that allows it to attack on its normal tick. Typically, it’ll only attack any given target once, up to three seperate targets. It can be ordered to attack a single target up to three times.

The array of sensors in the artifact include essence sonar, allowing it to flood an area of ten yards around it with essence, where those entering it are automatically detected as its field of essence is warped by the entry and movement of the foreign essence. Stealth charms such as Mental Invisibility Technique which require a MDV to be overcome have to overcome a mental dodge of 1/2 of (15 + user’s essence trait). Against stealth charms that require an awareness roll to defeat, the automata gets a perception + awareness pool of 10 (with a bonus of their opponent’s essence score in die).

If designed as part of a larger artifact vehicle or warstrider, one of this automata adds one artifact level to the larger artifact, and increases the committement/activation cost of the vehicle by three motes per Swift Second. Also such Swift Seconds may attach themselves to the vehicle to conserve power or take advantage of movement or stealth charms.

Each Swift Second requires a hearthstone of level two or higher to function.