Species Briefing (Weren)

Nature and Society

Although described by the more ignorant Coke citizens as monkeys and puppies, weren are highly intelligent and have a complex history and society. (See "World of the Weren" in the Alternity Races download.)

Weren in Coca-Cola's service are found as security forces, labourers, mechanics and spacehands throughout the Oasis system. Many have settled alongside humans on Oasis III, especially in the cooler sub-polar regions. Weren are much less common in Old Sol, but some have even hired on with other corporations or set out as independent traders.

Coming from an advanced militaristic society, weren are polite and self-controlled. They are reserved, especially towards humans, and do not advertise their skills and motivations.

Most humans have great difficulty in recognising female weren. The ignorant assume that all off-world weren are male due to their muscle tone, large tusks and physical competence. Many female weren do not correct this impression.

Modern History and Goals

Large numbers of weren have entered Coca-Cola's service off Kurg through the indenture system. Young weren are contracted to serve for seven years for a fixed rate of pay in Coca-Cola requisition points. The candidates are supplied by the Noble Houses of Kurg, who receive a large finder's fee. Indentured weren can either return to Kurg, or sign on as full employees on expiry of their indenture.

Coca-Cola management regard this system as a polite form of slave trading. The weren see it somewhat differently, since it allows legions of hand-picked youths to learn advanced engineering, space combat and other useful arts, while observing the whole of Coca-Cola's organisation and contacting other human powers. Even the paltry Coca-Cola company scrip can be exchanged for honest e-cash.

With the help of loyal Coke-trained weren and the devious human Microsoft corporation, the Noble Houses have begun a crash program of modernisation and military buildup. The clouds and snowbanks of Kurg now conceal many things that would surprise the complacent managers of Coca-Cola.

You are not privileged to know the mind of the great warlords. But you know that skinny zoot-suited alien juiceheads will never get the better of the weren Noble Houses.

Choose Mutations

Spacer Adaptation: This is not a mutation, but the effect of growing up and spending your life in low gravity. The effects are identical to the adaptation, gravity, low Ordinary mutant advantage. The Spacer suffers no penalty in zero or low gravity, has a temporary +1 Dex increase in low gravity (0.1g - 0.7g), but suffers a +2 penalty to actions involving physical movement in high gravity. Spacers also receive Acrobatics-zero G training as a free broad and specific skill.

Any weren Spacer can also be a mutant. Weren Mutants are either Natural Unique mutants or Weren Emergent mutants.
A Unique mutant is generated by rolling d4+3 for Advantageous Mutations and d4+2 for Mutant Drawbacks. The player specifies how these points are allocated: Ordinary/Slight 1 point, Good/Moderate 2 points, Amazing/Extreme 4 points. The player randomly determines two sets of mutations from the Gamma World Physical Mutations Table GW35 and Drawbacks Table GW37, rerolling incompatible results subject to GM's approval, and may select one. The Energy Reflection mutation is not permitted.

Altered Mutations – Energy Absorption, Energy Metamorphosis: The mutant character selects one of these damage forms, or rolls randomly:

1	Acid
2	Heat (1 point Ordinary laser/maser)
3-4	Electrical
5	Electromagnetic (1 point Ordinary heat)
6	Particle (1 point maser)

The character can absorb 2d4 points of primary and secondary Ordinary damage of the listed type, 1d4 points of Good damage, but suffers full damage from Amazing weaponry.

Minor/Major Physical Change:Most mutants have some form of physical change, and do not gain any Mutation Points for it. The Major Physical Change mutation is reclassified as a Moderate Drawback. Replace all rolls of Minor Physical Change with Major Physical Change.

Weren Emergent: Those whom Coca-Cola Lockheed regards as its client species have begun to suffer the effects of raising hatchlings in deep space. All weren mutants (whether of the Emergent genotype or not) are Spacers.
Background: Coca-Cola, UN or any corporation
Spacer: Spacer only
Mutations: Susceptible to Damage (LI), Environmental Sensitivity (Arid, Slight), Major Physical Change, Environmental Adaptation (Low Gravity), Enhanced Metabolism, Increased Precision

Determine Ability Scores

Determine ability scores in order by the following rolls: Str 10+d6, Dex 4+d6, Con 9+d6, Int 4+d8, Wil 4+d8, Per 6+d6.

Modify ability scores by any Spacer or mutant advantages and disadvantages.

Choose a Profession and career. A weren Free Agent may have a Dexterity of 10. A weren Diplomat must have a Willpower of 10, and may have a Personality of 10.

Species Abilities

Weren have these advantages from the Player's Handbook: increased durability, natural attack, natural camouflage.

Spacer weren do not suffer any penalty for skill checks when using high-tech items. Groundling weren suffer a penalty of +1 on skill checks when using items of PL 5 or above. This can be eliminated by paying 4 skill points.

Purchase Skills

See Chapter 4: Skills, with the following changes:

Free Skills (Weren)

Groundling: Athletics, Unarmed Attack, Melee Weapons, Stamina, Tactics, Tactics-infantry, Awareness, Interaction, Interaction-weren language. Note that Knowledge is no longer a free broad skill for groundling weren.

Spacer: Athletics, Unarmed Attack, Acrobatics, Acrobatics-zero G training, Stamina, Knowledge, Awareness, Interaction.

Modified Skills

Armor Operation-powered: Not available.
Acrobatics-zero G training: Open skill

Vehicle Operation-land: The character can drive two of the following: bikes (including skybikes), cars (including skycars), heavy vehicles (including grav-trucks and grav-armour), tracked vehicles.

Vehicle Operation-space: The character is skilled in piloting one type of spacecraft: orbital (planetary thrusters only), light commercial (up to Light Freighter), heavy commercial, gunships (up to Scout), light naval (up to Attack/Sloop), heavy naval.

Knowledge-language: English language is cost 1 Open. Weren may not begin play with other alien languages.

Medical science-xenomedicine: Human: cost 3 Tech Op.
Navigation-drivespace astrogation: Not available.

Tech Science-repair: Divided into the following:
mechanic Combustion engines, electric motors and transformers, any purely mechanical device. Cost 3 Open.
electrogravitic tech Includes computers, interphones, graviton detectors, skycars, PL 6 and 7 personal weapons; requires replacement parts. Cost 3 Tech Op.
heavy engineering Spaceship engines, vehicle weapons, disarm nuclear weapons. Cost 4 Tech Op.

New Skills

Melee Weapons-staff: Cost 3 Combat Spec. Staff weapons are the quarterstaff, spear, polearm and pulse staff. Opponents with shorter weapons are treated as if under suppressive fire (+2 to skill checks to attack, unless the opponent ignores the staff weapon and automatically takes damage)

Melee Weapons-thrown blade: Cost 3 CF. Requires blade. Covers the dagger, spear, hand axe, combat knife, javelin, shuriken.

Modern Ranged Weapons-grenade: Cost 3 Combat Spec. Base ability Strength. Gives the equivalent of broad skill check to throw other objects.

Labour: Broad skill (Str). Cost 3 Open. Specialty skills: unskilled vocation (eg. excavation) 1, semi-skilled (eg. construction) 2.

Craft: Broad skill (Dex). Cost 3 Open. Specialty skills (eg. carpentry) 2, except PL 2 or lower specialties (GM's discretion) 3.

Awareness-detect evil: Cost 4 Diplomat. See also Equipment: Graviton detector.

Resolve-disbelieve: Cost 4 FD.

Resolve-resist drugs: Cost 4 CF.

Resolve-contest of will: Cost 3 CD. This is a near-mystical struggle for mental superiority in preparation for battle. A proficient character can force a contest of will on a single opponent, or the commander of an opposing force, providing the two are in sight of each other and within weapon range.
The contest always takes at least one spiritual encounter, but this first clash may last only an instant (does not require an action). Both combatants make a contest of will check. If both are successful, the contest continues at a rate of one encounter per phase. If one contestant makes a mental assault, but the other takes any other action, the contest is forfeited to the aggressor. Of course, the character can be attacked by others not involved in the contest of will, since he/she must remain in sight of the other contestant.
The loser of a contest of will suffers a +1 to action checks and may not use any Tactics or Leadership skill for the remainder of the scene. The victor gains a –1 bonus to all action checks, and –1 per degree of success to attacks and Tactics checks against the loser or forces under his command.

Buying Specific Skills at Higher Ranks

PCs can increase a skill by one rank per level (maximum rank 2 at 1st level, 4 at 2nd level etc.) Rank 3 cannot be purchased at 1st level.

Select Perks and Flaws

Modified Perks and Flaws

Alien Artifact: Not available
Filthy Rich: Not available.

Noble House: 2 skill points cost. The weren is descended from a ruling clan. As well as increased respect from weren of Feudal motivation, Noble characters gain a permanent –1 bonus to Leadership skills.

Powerful Ally/Powerful Enemy: Replace with Noble House Involvement or Corporate Involvement (no cost). The character has done secret and sensitive work for his/her Noble House, Coca-Cola or Microsoft. While he/she can call on favors and assistance, the character is also marked by human intelligence services as an agent of that bloc.

Reckoner: 2 skill points cost. The implications of this faith within weren society are described in World of the Weren. Reckoners gain one extra Wound point.

Psionic Awareness: Not available.
Clueless: This flaw always provides 6 bonus skill points.

Code of Honor: For weren, this is some unusual code banning the use of certain weapons or tactics, or requiring the defence of a specific target, as agreed by the Gamemaster.

Dirt Poor: Starting cash is R100-2000. A Dirt Poor weren has one debt of E10-25x1000 (5+5d4).

Phobia: Provides 3/5/7 skill points. See AD&D: Spells and Magic and Skills and Powers for appropriate phobias.

Choose Motivation

Choose from the following, or some other suggested motivation:

Idealist
Moralist
Feudal
Corporate
Individualist
Opportunist
Hedonist
Psychotic (no PCs)
Demoniac (PCs may not begin with this motivation)

Moral Attitude and Character Traits: As desired

Complete Character

Action check (M/O/G/A), actions per round, combat movement, durability, unarmed attack damage, encumbrance (see p56), throwing distance (see p57), skill check (M/O/G/A)

Starting Cash

Unless stated under the Dirt Poor flaw, each weren character has R2000-110000 (1+d10x1000) and E0-9000 starting cash. Ecus may be spent on any desired equipment, but Requisition points can only be spent on smallarms, grenades, melee weapons (including the new equipment described in World of the Weren), personal armor up to PL 6, and other equipment of PL 5 or lower at a conversion rate of 2R:1E. R-points are not legal currency outside the Oasis system.

Characters have the following free equipment:
Dirt Poor Groundling: Two sets rough shorts, one set heavy sandals, tablet comp, satphone, watch
Standard Groundling: As for Dirt Poor plus three sets clothing as desired
Spacer: As Dirt Poor, plus soft e-suit

Characters do not gain free equipment due to their career.