Simon Wentworth (order #1132857) 9alternative character concepts . . . . . . . . . . .50or hormonal cause for asocial behavior is unknown. A recentjoint study by the Charles University (Prague) and the AtaturkPolytechnic Institute (Istanbul), points to high levels of corticoidsteroid hormones in biochemical blood-testing as a potential biologicalreason for their innate aggressiveness and asocial behavior.> At least you get to blame your personality on your genes, ehClockwork?> NetcatHailing from the Middle East, the Balkans, Transcaucasia,and Turkestan, contemporary hobgoblins share prevalencedominance in the region with baseline orks. The local hobgoblinpopulation has endured decades of social marginalization, activerepression, prosecution, and even death. Hobgoblins who choseto remain in these regions tend to gather in insular neighborhoods,ghettos, and villages. They often share a dislike for fundamentalistsects or hardcore Islamists. When combined with a hobgoblin’sstereotypical quick temper, this has lead to religious and familiarschisms and serves as ammunition for anti-metahuman factionsand hate groups, especially on the Arabian Peninsula.> Hobgoblins had it even worse than other metahumans whenGoblinization hit the Middle East. Many were strung up as demonsby Sharia and tribal courts. Others didn’t even get a trial. Childrenwere smothered in their sleep by their parents. In one instance, anentire village of Iranian hobgoblins were put to death by religiouszealots while the government turned a blind eye. Lots of them hadto flee, which is why you see so many in Europe and beyond. I for onethink their “sunny” disposition is more than warranted.> Goat Foot> No surprise then that many hobgoblins throw in with moderategroups like the Islamic Renaissance Movement and are drawn tothe more open-minded Islamic sprawls such as Istanbul, Cairo,Damascus, or Sarajevo. Places where they don’t have to fear beingstoned to death because of what they are.> FianchettoOgresThe ogre is a common and widespread ork metavariant inEurope. Like hobgoblins, ogres are not the prevalent ork type inEurope (which would be the baseline robustus) but do represent asignificant portion of the population (>30%).The European ogre is on average shorter and squatter thanmost orks and has smoother skin and less body hair. They possesspronounced jawlines and larger mouths, which early on fueled inflammatoryclaims that they might be cannibalistic—accusationswith no basis whatsoever in fact. Ogres do, however, possess theextraordinary ability to metabolize a greater spectrum of ediblesin their stomachs to generate energy, as several studies with volunteershave shown. Since this often generates more energy thanogres actually need, ogres have the tendency to be corpulent, oftendisplaying large bellies and a flabby build.Runner’s <strong>Companion</strong>
Simon Wentworth (order #1132857) 9Though the area of origin has been blurred due to the lackof geophysical restrictions in Central Europe (except for the Alpsand the British Isles) and a lot of transnational migration in thepast, genetic heritage studies indicate that ogres originate fromareas of France and Germany. A female ogre is often called anogress, despite the derogatory undertone.OniThe native ork metavariant of the Japanese archipelago—named oni by their compatriots, after their resemblance todemonic creatures of Japanese folklore—possesses a fearsomeappearance. Oni boast bright red, blue, or orange skin colors,slightly protuberant eyes, enlarged pointed ears, curving horns,and the large builds associated with the robustus metatype. Asidefrom making them highly visible, these traits are also seen asnaturally intimidating by many of those who come into contactwith them, especially among the Japanese, who actively avoid theircompany—which in turn has led to widespread social and workplacesegregation in Japan. Portrayed as treacherous and hostile inJapanese folklore and modern media until very recently, oni havehad to endure decades of ostracism and even exile quarantined onthe island of Yomi.Things have only just begun to change with Emperor Yasuhitoelevating a number of oni to the Imperial Household Guard. Infact, the changing dynamics of Japanese society and the popularityof changelings in youth pop culture (worldwide), have worked inthe onis’ favor.Oni are the dominant prevalent form of robustus in Japan(>75%), with other expressions likely the effects of immigrationon the insular genepool. Outside the archipelago, oni are presentin many Japanese ethnic communities and in some countries asa genetic legacy of historical Japanese occupation (among themKorea, China, and Indonesia).SatyrsThe occurrence of the satyr metavariant seems to be nativeto the Mediterranean region (particularly Greece, where theyare the dominant ork metatype). A number of unusual traitsdistinguish satyrs from common orks: a slender physique, hairylower bodies, goat-like legs with cloven hooves, and small hornswhich are often, though not always, curled. While they tend toappear smaller due to the shape of their legs, they can be quiteimpressive in stature. Their outward appearance aside, biologicallysatyrs share many of the metatype traits of robustus: shortgestations, numerous children per gestation, light sensitive eyes,and a diminished life-expectancy.Their unique traits and the obvious similarities to mythologicalrepresentations have baffled scholars for decades but seem tovalidate the theory that goblinization events have taken place inthe past in the region. While common public belief and mediacoverage have fallen prey to the stereotypes of satyrs as “childrenof Bacchus,” rabid hedonists, and artistic freewills, actual demographicstudies on satyr career paths have not shown any higheraffinity for artistic professions than for any other metatypes.The Greek immigrant diaspora during the twentieth centuryis believed to be behind the occasional appearance of satyrs inAustralia, North America, and several European nations.Runner’s <strong>Companion</strong>ELVESMetahuman demographics show that the elven metatype isthe third most widespread globally, with genetic studies hintingthat elven expression occurs in all, even the most isolated, anthropospheres.In terms of geographic distribution, the elven metatypeis evenly present in one form or another on all continents andamong all ethnic phenotypes. Additionally, its metavariants showthe least variation of all metatypes. While some, like the nightones, stand out more than others, the actual physiological deviationfrom the baseline elf is usually minimal.Elven expression dates back to UGE and, in rare instances,even before 2011. The elven metagenome is one of most studiedin modern genetics, given the particularly desirable classic elvenmetatraits of lithe and tall physiques, enhanced night vision, and,of course, envious longevity.Of the known elven metavariants, three are commonly known,and one has been recently recognized: dryads, night ones, wakyambi,and the xapiri thëpë. In all cases, known total populations of elvenmetavariants are rarely more than a fraction of the nobilis metatype,and there are no dominant regional metavariants.DryadsThe dryad is an uncommon elven metavariant that does notseem to be geographically native to any one region, but rathera genetic “quirk” of the elven genome. Members have been encounteredwithin all populations on all continents, with a slightlyhigher expression registered in non-urban environments.Although they resemble normal nobilis in most physicalregards (albeit shorter in build), dryads seem to possess a preternaturalquality that effects all those around them. Though studieshave failed to identify a physiological origin to this effect (ie. noenhanced phermone signatures, no active paranatural ability) oreven record any evidence of the ability, individuals who comeinto contact with dryads seem enthralled by their “obvious charisma,”“radiant beauty,” “fey-like grace,” and “innocence”—evenwhen, objectively, the dryad is aesthetically unremarkable (quotesfrom Mikos and Laurean, Glamour and the Dryad Expression,Université de Paris, 2065).Another peculiar somatic trait unique to dryads—like themythological entities that inspired their name—is a form of attunementwith their environment. Their biorhythms and even healthseem bound to and respond to environmental changes in their immediatearea. The nature of this enhanced sensitivity is not fullyunderstood, but is being studied by several institutes, however, theparticular rarity of this metavariant restricts the study of such aphenomenon outside “controlled” environments.> It is believed that this symbiosis occurs even when the dryad isnot Awakened. Some sort of weird empathic resonance betweenthe metagenes in the body and the ambient mana. The DunkelzahnInstitute for Magical Research and the Astral Preservation Societyare two parties looking into this, but mostly the eggheads are justthrowing out ideas and waiting for something to stick…> Winterhawk51alternative character concepts . . . . . . . . . . .
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