Wherein your humble scribe presents the original version of an idea he had for using Mutant Future to play Planet of the Apes.
Introducing The Apen
For those looking to add a “Planet of the Apes” feel to Mutant Future, I humbly present a new Character Race, the Apen.
Apen are divided into three distinct sub-races: Chimpanzees, Orangutans and Gorillas. Apen society follows a strict caste system, outlined below:
* Gorillas serve as the military, police, and hunters
* Orangutans serve as the politicians, leaders, and philosophers
* Chimpanzees serve as the scientists and intellectuals
When choosing to play an Apen, players should specify which sub-race their character will be.
The Apen are most like MF’s Pure Human race, in that they have evolved to have an immunity against radiation-based mutations and possess a d8 as their hit die rather than the d6 found in other races. Apen, like their Pure Human counterparts, also receive ability bonuses to offset the edge lost to being mutation-free. These ability bonuses vary by sub-race, as outlined below:
* Gorillas receive +3 to STR, CON, DEX
* Orangutans receive +3 to WIL, CON, CHA
* Chimpanzees receive +3 to INT, CON, DEX
As with Pure Humans, all modified attributes may be elevated to 21 except for CON, which is capped at 18.
Apen and mutants don’t get along terribly well (+3/+3/+3 for all mutant types on the Charisma & Racial Modified table) and are often suspicious of and cool towards Pure Humans (+2/+2/+2 to Pure Humans on same table).
Although Apen communities are not typically treasure troves of technological items, they do tend to have a fair number of primitive firearms (rifles and carbines, mostly) at their disposal. Additionally, Gorilla militias and armies are often supplemented with war horses to speed their travel and increase their range.
Apen society is known for its well-definied set of laws that guide their communities. Though the implementation of these may vary – typically the level of tolerance afforded to humans and mutants varies most wildly – the one constant tenet of Apen culture is that “Ape Shall Never Kill Ape.” This law, if broken, will result in harsh punishment for the offending Apen.
