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Message no. 1
From: "Jason Carter, Nightstalker" <CARTER@***.EDU>
Subject: Expanded Metahumantiy Chart & Intro
Date: Fri, 5 Nov 1993 13:51:22 -0800
SUBMISSION: Expanded Metahumanity Chart
DESIGNER: Jason J Carter
E-Mail: Carter@***.EDU

DESCRIPTION:

METAHUMAN RACES

Contrary to the opinion of the majority of the scientific community, there is
substanual evidence that there are more than the five accepted metahuman races.
Through sophisticated and detailed studies of the physical, mental, and genetic
attributes of humanity this scientist has been able to confirm the existance of
eight distinct metahuman races. The first five are the commonly accepted ones
dwarfs (homo sapiens pumilionis), elves (homo sapiens nobilis), humans (homo
sapiens sapiens), orks (homo sapiens robustus), and trolls (homo sapiens
ingentis). The other three are ogres (homo sapiens ??) and minotaurs (homo
sapiens ??), considered to be orks and trolls that "look different" by most
scientist, and halflings (homo sapiens ??).

Overview of metahumanity:

Humans are the most common of the metahuman races. While not common, it is not
unheard of for humans to bear members of the other metaspieces or to be born to
members of the other metaspieces. This happens most commonly for ogres, orks,
trolls and minotaurs. It has occured only in isolated insidences for dwarfs,
elves and halflings since the end of UGE in the second decade of the century.
Humans are used as the physical and mental benchwork for the other metahuman
races.

Elves are probably the closest of the metaspeices to humans. All attributes
except dexertiy and socialization skills are the same as humans. Dexterity is
greater, surpassed only by halflings. Socialization skills are the highest
among the metahuman speices. Elves posess low light vision.

Dwarfs are one of the least common metaspieces. They are short and stocky.
This gives them physical strength and endurance suprieor to those of humans.
This also gives them lower than standard dexterity and running speeds. Dwarfs
also exhibit increased mental strength equal to that of their endurance and a
resistance to toxins and pathogens. Dwarfs possess thermographic vision.

Halflings were generally considered to be unsual dwarfs. However the testing
process proved them to have very different attributes than dwarfs. Halfling
physical and mental endurance are the same as humans. Physical dexterity is
much faster than human, making them the quickest of the metahuman races.
Physical strength is lower than that of humans. Intelligence and socialization
test on halflings yeild higher than human scores. They also show a strong
tendency towards communication skills. The most startling difference between
dwarfs and halflings is the fact that halfling possess low light vision, not
thermographic like dwarfs.

Orks are much larger and bulkier than humans. Their physical endurance and
strength are significantly higher than human, but pale strength pales when
compared to Ogres or Trolls. Dexterity and mental endurance are equal to human
norms. Intelligence and socialization skills are lesser than those possessed by
humans. Orks have low light vision.

Ogres are physical similar to orks. Their physical endurance and dexterity are
equal, but they are much stronger. In fact their strength, caused by much
denser muscles than orks, is equal to that of trolls. Mental capablities are
similar with intelligence and willpower being significantly lower than human.
Socialization skills are equal to those of orks. Ogres have low light vision,
just like orks.

Trolls are the most impressive metaspeices physically. Endurance and strength
are the highest amoung metahumanity. Long lanky arms give them far greater
reach than human, but reduces both dexterity and running speed. While trolls
have suprieor physical characteristic their mental faculities are the lowest of
any metaspeices. Socialization and intelligence are much lower than average and
mental endurance is also below the norm. Due to extensive dermal bone growths,
trolls have an built-in armor-like defense system. Trolls possess
thermographic vision.

Minotaurs attributes fall between those of orks and trolls. Physcial strength,
endurance, and quickness fall right between those of orks and trolls.
Intelligence is equal to orks while mental endurance and socialization skills
are equal to those of trolls. Minotaurs have the same long arms as trolls, but
instead of body-wide dermal growths, minotaurs possess long pointed horns on
their heads which are strong enough to function as weapons. Minotaurs possess
the same thermographic vision of trolls.

Table of Attributes
Human Dwarf Elf Halfling Minotaur Ogre Ork Troll
-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
BODY 6 7 (+1) 6 6 10 (+4) 9 (+3) 9 (+3) 11 (+5)
QUICK 6 5 (-1) 7 (+1) 8 (+2) 6 6 6 5 (-1)
STR 6 8 (+2) 6 5 (-1) 9 (+3) 10 (+4) 8 (+2) 10 (+4)
CHAR 6 6 8 (+2) 7 (+1) 4 (-2) 5 (-1) 5 (-1) 4 (-2)
INT 6 6 6 7 (+1) 5 (-1) 4 (-2) 5 (-1) 4 (-2)
WILL 6 7 (+1) 6 6 5 (-1) 5 (-1) 6 5 (-1)
ESS 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
REACT 6 5 6 7 5 5 5 4
EYES --- Thermo Low Lt Low Lt Thermo Low Lt Low Lt Thermo
SPEC 1 --- *1 -- *2 *3 -- -- *3
SPEC 2 --- -- -- -- *4 -- -- *5
RUN x4 x3 x4 x3 x3 x4 x4 x3

*1 == Dwarves receive a +2 die bonus to resisting diseases.
*2 == Halflings recieve a +1 die bonus when using Social Skills.
*3 == Trolls and Minotaurs have a +1 Reach for Armed/Unarmed Combat.
*4 == Minotaurs have a pair of horns that will do (Str)M physical damage.
This attack does not benefit from the +1 reach, though.
*5 == Trolls have dermal armor, gaining one Body die.

Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.