Kill the Mutant! is the name of a new campaign I'm working on. In it, the players will play the role of mutant insurgents operating from deep beneath the spires of Sibellus, for some dark and nefarious purpose (that I havn't completely decided on yet).

I thought I'd share some of these ideas with my fellow GMs. Maybe (hopefully) getting some useful feedback in turn. Or letting you leech if there's anything in my mad scribbles that you think you can use.

My first concern is the first three stages of character creation.

Stage One: Origin

I'm not quite settled on what to do with origin. The options, as I see them right now, are threefold: One possibility is to have certain pre-set mutation packages players can choose from. Another (possibly combined with the first) is to have origins be a sort of "how did you become a mutant" scenarios. With possibilities such as 'evolution', 'exposure', 'ruinous powers', etc. Each granting different starting traits. Lastly - and perhaps most appealing to me right now - is to just ignore origin entirely. The idea being that mutants, by their very nature, don't share a lot of common traits in the first place.

There may be options I havn't considered yet.

Stage Two: Generate Characteristics

Second stage worth consideration. What characteristic modifications should mutants have? I'm inclined to say an even Imperial World +20 to everything to get a good baseline statistics, modified by any mutations the character might be getting. As for mutations, I'm thinking of letting players start with 1d5-1 (minimum 1) minor mutations. I'm not really set on that number though... I want it to be enough to be significant, but not so many that you pretty much start with every minor mutation in the book. I've debated whether players should also start with a major mutation, or whether that should be left to chance. Might also expand on the list of minor mutations if I can think of anything appropriate.

Stage Three: Determine Career Path

This is where it gets interesting. I'm planning a number of custom tailored mutant "career" archtypes. Conceptually they will be combinations of existing DH careers with some modifications. Unlike regular DH careers, most of these will have prerequisites. These archtypes represent particular roles your mutations make you particular apt at, and hence there are some requirements you must fulfill to qualify. These requirements will usually be difficult to meet unless you have mutations that enhance those areas - but it shouldn't be impossible. I'm not entirely sold on what bases to cover, but these are my initial bunch:

• Dreg. This is your normal run of the mill mutant carving out a meeker existence in the underhive beneath Sibellus. Mechanically I expect them to be identical to the Scum career. Perhaps with minor variations where appropriate. This will be the default career for starting mutants and thus it has no prerequisites.
• Infiltrator: These are are the sneaky, underhanded mutants that may travel up into human habitats to carry out orders for their deformed masters. These could both be the physically mutated who're apt at keeping to the shadows and slip into guarded areas - or perhaps the slick-tongued mutant able to hide their physical manifestations and talk their way into human society. They will be roughly modelled on the assassin career, but given a more sneaky than murderous bend. Prerequisites: Ag 40, Fel 30
• Metaphage: Most mutants are just the unfortunate dregs of society, with little hope or faith in their lives. Not so for the Metaphage. These are twisted individuals who have given themselves in worship of Tzeentch, the Changer of Ways. Whether his mutations are a result of this worship, or what caused him to turn to the ruinous powers in the first place, the Metaphage is a demented zealot, preaching the unholy word of his god to his fellow abominations. The Metaphage will combine traits of the psyker and cleric, although drawing on the rules for sorcery found in DotDG. Prerequisites: No characteristic below 30
• Mindbender: These are the dangerous mutants who harbour undisputed psychic potential, able to absorb vast amounts of forbidden lore with their mutated intellect. They combine traits of the psyker and the adept, harbouring vast knowledge and psychic potential. Prerequisites: Int 35, WP 40
• War-beast: The war-beasts are huge, hulking behemoths. Grossly mutated frames functioning as little more than mobile weapon platforms. They will draw on the Guardsman career for inspiration, although with an emphasis on melee combat and heavy weapons. Prerequisites: S 40, T 40
• Warlord: These are the leaders of the mutant uprising. Large, physically powerful individuals, second in stature only to a war-beast, yet they possess a dangerously keen intellect and the gilded words that make the dregs of society willing to follow them in bloody revolt. They are the true champions of the cause. The Warlord will most likely draw inspiration from the Arbitrator and Cleric careers. Prerequisites: S 35, T 35, Fel 40

So, that's what I got so far. Next on my list is to expand on these careers/archtypes and plot out their exact focus. Thoughts? Ideas?

More to come!

Stage One: Origin

I'm not quite settled on what to do with origin. The options, as I see them right now, are threefold: One possibility is to have certain pre-set mutation packages players can choose from. Another (possibly combined with the first) is to have origins be a sort of "how did you become a mutant" scenarios. With possibilities such as 'evolution', 'exposure', 'ruinous powers', etc. Each granting different starting traits. Lastly - and perhaps most appealing to me right now - is to just ignore origin entirely. The idea being that mutants, by their very nature, don't share a lot of common traits in the first place.

There may be options I havn't considered yet.

I'd go for the last option. Just let your players decide on what made them mutate.

Stage Two: Generate Characteristics

Second stage worth consideration. What characteristic modifications should mutants have? I'm inclined to say an even Imperial World +20 to everything to get a good baseline statistics, modified by any mutations the character might be getting. As for mutations, I'm thinking of letting players start with 1d5-1 (minimum 1) minor mutations. I'm not really set on that number though... I want it to be enough to be significant, but not so many that you pretty much start with every minor mutation in the book. I've debated whether players should also start with a major mutation, or whether that should be left to chance. Might also expand on the list of minor mutations if I can think of anything appropriate.

For characteristics, I'd allow a single +5/-5 deal representing the general slant of their mutation and upbringing. A "we don't purge them while they're still so useful" slave laborer might have toughness more in line with a feral worlder, while a smoothtalker might pass for normal because he can talk his way out of sticky situations (higher fellowship). Also, 1D5-1 in a group of, say, 4 players is quite likely to end with every mutation in the book. I'd suggest handing out one, with an option for a second one if the first is entirely negative (Malformed Hands and Misshapen). Also note that with random application of mutations, it's quite unlikely that characters can pass for normal as about 65% of all the rolls will result in very obvious mutations.

I'd also enable characters to get a single major mutation, either automatically as a "you're special, guys!" bonus or as an elite advance for, say, 400 XP (considering that a major mutation can, in the extreme cases, entail Unnatural Strength or a Psy Rating of 2 with a few really cool other traits).

Stage Three: Determine Career Path

This is where it gets interesting. I'm planning a number of custom tailored mutant "career" archtypes. Conceptually they will be combinations of existing DH careers with some modifications. Unlike regular DH careers, most of these will have prerequisites. These archtypes represent particular roles your mutations make you particular apt at, and hence there are some requirements you must fulfill to qualify. These requirements will usually be difficult to meet unless you have mutations that enhance those areas - but it shouldn't be impossible. I'm not entirely sold on what bases to cover, but these are my initial bunch:

* Dreg. This is your normal run of the mill mutant carving out a meeker existence in the underhive beneath Sibellus. Mechanically I expect them to be identical to the Scum career. Perhaps with minor variations where appropriate. This will be the default career for starting mutants and thus it has no prerequisites.
* Infiltrator: These are are the sneaky, underhanded mutants that may travel up into human habitats to carry out orders for their deformed masters. These could both be the physically mutated who're apt at keeping to the shadows and slip into guarded areas - or perhaps the slick-tongued mutant able to hide their physical manifestations and talk their way into human society. They will be roughly modelled on the assassin career, but given a more sneaky than murderous bend. Prerequisites: Ag 40, Fel 30

Those two should be the other way around. Assassins have nothing in the way of social advances while Scum has them in far higher amounts than your average mutie.

* Metaphage: Most mutants are just the unfortunate dregs of society, with little hope or faith in their lives. Not so for the Metaphage. These are twisted individuals who have given themselves in worship of Tzeentch, the Changer of Ways. Whether his mutations are a result of this worship, or what caused him to turn to the ruinous powers in the first place, the Metaphage is a demented zealot, preaching the unholy word of his god to his fellow abominations. The Metaphage will combine traits of the psyker and cleric, although drawing on the rules for sorcery found in DotDG. Prerequisites: No characteristic below 30

Is there a special reason that you can only follow Tzeentch? After all, all the chaos gods grant mutations...

* Mindbender: These are the dangerous mutants who harbour undisputed psychic potential, able to absorb vast amounts of forbidden lore with their mutated intellect. They combine traits of the psyker and the adept, harbouring vast knowledge and psychic potential. Prerequisites: Int 35, WP 40
* War-beast: The war-beasts are huge, hulking behemoths. Grossly mutated frames functioning as little more than mobile weapon platforms. They will draw on the Guardsman career for inspiration, although with an emphasis on melee combat and heavy weapons. Prerequisites: S 40, T 40
* Warlord: These are the leaders of the mutant uprising. Large, physically powerful individuals, second in stature only to a war-beast, yet they possess a dangerously keen intellect and the gilded words that make the dregs of society willing to follow them in bloody revolt. They are the true champions of the cause. The Warlord will most likely draw inspiration from the Arbitrator and Cleric careers. Prerequisites: S 35, T 35, Fel 40

Sounds about right.

Also, you should think about in what direction you want your campaign to go. Are you playing the heroes of the down-trodden and ostracized masses or dangerous worshippers of the Ruinous Powers that prove the Imperium right in why mutants are to be feared and hunted?

So, that's what I got so far. Next on my list is to expand on these careers/archtypes and plot out their exact focus. Thoughts? Ideas?

Thoughts and Ideas have just been presented.

Cifer said:

1) That's a pretty good idea, with that one optional +5/-5 ontop of their mutations. I think I'll adopt that. As for the random mutations, I realize that many of them will leave the character pretty misshapen. Especially when we talk major mutations. But that'll be one of the major challenges of the campaign... getting around those inherent handicaps. One or two mutations might be better, as you don't risk getting something too weird. I was a little concerned with too few mutations because you could end up without being particular interesting. But hey! That's the lot of the mutant. I could then offer one major mutation at character creation (only) for all your 400 starting xp. Certain career might also be able to purchase mutations at particular ranks.

2) Good idea. The timing will be a little awkward (you pick mutations way before spending xp normally) but that should be manageable.

3) I'll have to switch things around a little for some of the careers, but I like the base layout so far. I don't have the book on me right now, but I imagine the Infiltrator being a little more social than a baseline assassin (instead of focusing so much on killing stuff beautifully). I think I'm okay with the Dreg for now. They should be a bit jack-of-all-trades. Of course, if the Infiltrator ends up being too similar to the Dreg, I'll have to switch things around again.

4) Originally I just wanted it to be a follower of one of the ruinous powers... but I don't think having one career cover all those bases would be feasible. As Lord of Change, Tzeentch made an obvious choice for a little mutie to find comfort - and it gave me an excuse to add an alternate psyker (which might also have worked for Nurgle or Slaanesh, but totally not for Khorne ). I don't intend the warp to be a major influence though, but rather a few particular demented indiviuals trying to spread the word of their dark masters - adding a little extra chaos to an already tense situation.

5) The best answer I can give is "both." I tend to run my campaigns fairly open-ended, leaving the ethics for the players to decide on. The players will essentially be playing secretive rebels against an opressive Empire that really just wants to exterminate them due to some accident of birth. The players will be fully justified in their actions... if all goes well, however, this would also justify the Imperium in fearing and hunting the mutant. The base idea is actually that this mini-campaign will be the stepping stone for a new campaign where Imquisitorial Accolytes will investigate the circumstances surrounding a mutant uprising on Scintilla. I thought it might be an interesting twist to have the players actually play through the background for the campaign, rather than me just making it up.