ValenthWiki: Mutants as Characters

Mutants as Characters

Mutants are former members of other races that have been altered, either intentionally or accidentally, by some external power, usually scientific in origin.
Some of these may have only been changed in trivial ways-- like a human woman who has been given claws and cat's eyes by an SRO doc, for example-- while others may have suffered more extreme transformations-- a silisk who has been distorted into a mess of muscle, extra limbs and claws by exposure to miraplasm, for example.
The former case-- type 1-- is treated as its base race by most societies, while the latter-- type 2-- may be regarded as a monster by civilized people, and fled from or hunted down on sight.

Humans, Aeneski, silisk, and chimaera may all become mutants; leupaks, due to their already fluid and chaotic nature, are typically resistant to the processes necessary for such alterations.

Warning! All mutants, regardless of type, are considered abominations by members of the Firestarters and associated factions and groups.
While it is not impossible to canonically play a mutant under the Firestarter banner, it would most definitely be an uphill battle for respect and even a right to live, even for type 1 mutants!

Example Names: Refer to base race.

Class: Refer to base race.

Common Birthplaces: Refer to base race, or Chimre.

Life Stages:
Refer to base race.

Appearance:
Type 1 Mutants very closely resemble their original race, save some minor or cosmetic alterations. Skin, hair, and/or eyes may be an unusual color for the race; physical features such as ears, fingers, teeth, tails or faces may be abnormally shaped for the race in question. Body type may be slightly abnormal for the race or even gender in question.
Tails may be present on species that do not normally have them, or absent on species that do (along with wings or horns, in the case of chimaera). Type 1 Mutants cannot have functional wings of any kind.

Type 2 Mutants only display fleeting resemblances to their original race, or appear as grossly distorted versions. Bestial hybrids, winged mutants, monstrous humanoids, ethereal forms, extra limbs, grotesque bodily distortion, scaly, furry, warty, sticky, stony, cracked or bubbly skin, or melting/decaying bodies are all acceptable type 2 mutants.
These mutants either have extreme body type abnormalities, or make up for the retained racial body type with an excessive number of other mutations.
Type 2 mutants can have functional wings, but will never resemble a normal humanoid-- winged humans, aeneski or silisks with no other bodily disfiguration are impossible.

Type 2 Mutants make up for their new forms and any benefit they might offer with crippling disabilities, explained in detail below.

Attire: Mutant dress tends to mimic their original race or culture, with modifications made based upon their personal mutations. Type 1 mutants can usually continue wearing their day to day clothing with minor changes, if any, while type 2 mutants are often left to make do with the ragged remains of what clothing they owned prior to their transformation, unless they can secure the assistance of a tailor willing to work with them.

Personality: Mutant personality often depends upon life experiences up to their transformation, as well as the circumstances of the change in question. Voluntary type 1 mutants rarely experience any difference in personality beyond emotions brought on from reactions, if any. Involuntary type 1 and type 2 mutants may become depressed or hostile as a result of their transformations.
Type 2 mutants are also prone to mental instability or damage, especially in the case of mirajin mutants, which may cause the character to be considered a danger to others even before its appearance comes into play.

Abilities: Mutant abilities depend upon the character's racial abilities prior to the transformation, as well as any new traits brought about due to the mutation.

Type 1 mutants may only gain one special ability per character due to their mutant status; night vision, razor claws or sensitive hearing are all good, fair examples of a type 1 ability. These abilities bring no penalties with them.

Type 2 mutants may take up to four special abilities related to their mutations-- but each ability must have a matching penalty. For example, a monstrous mutant silisk may possess incredible strength, two heads, thick, armored scales and huge, rakelike claws-- but it is large and easily seen, moves stiffly and clumsily, suffers from sudden fits of violence due to mental instability, and cannot manipulate objects with its hands.

Type 2 mutants trade the inherent "uniqueness" of a potentially powerful, dangerous or intimidating character for a marked increase in the difficulty of play. For this reason, Type 2 mutants are best reserved for players with an intermediate understanding of canonical Valenth and fair interaction with other players.

A final note about flying and type 2 mutants: Remember that mutants are not inherently the creatures they have become. All flying species on Valenth were born with the parts and instincts necessary for flight, and are typically taught to do so by other members of their species at an early age.
A mutant given functional wings is not magically granted the knowledge necessary to fly-- if you include wings as a detail for your type 2 mutant, keep this in mind!

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