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Apollo III

The Template

 [125 points]
 Attribute Mods.: DX+3 [60], HT+2 [20].
 Secondary Mods.: Basic Speed +0.50 [10], Per+1 [5]
 Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10], Acute Vision 4 [8], Combat Reflexes [15], Flexibility [5], Improved G-Tolerance [15], Night Vision 5 [5],
Prehensile Tail [10], Recovery [10], Resistant to Acceleration (+8) [3]. Perks: No Degeneration in Zero-G [1], Reproductive Control [1], Sanitized Metabolism [1]. Disadvantages: Chummy [-5], Overconfidence [-5], Severe Insomnia [-15], Selfless [-5], Short Lifespan 1 [-10], Skinny [-5],
Susceptible (Pheromones) [-4], Unusual Biochemistry [-5]. Features: Early Maturation 1 (4 years), Easy Childbirth, Genetic Tattoos, Light Menses, Increased Fecundity.

In addition to the above traits, most Apollo's have Fit or Very Fit, often levels of Hard to Kill or Hard to Subdue and some level of Hot Pilot 1-4. These are considered individual, rather than templated, traits because they very much depend on what an individual Apollo does with his genetics rather than something specifically built into the template itself. I.e., these are genetic tendencies that express themselves in different ways, not hard-coded traits. Apollo's also tend to develop family bonds with people they spend time around, such as the crew of a ship they're assigned to. This is just a Sense of Duty (Small Group) and is bought individually.

Advantages

 3D Spatial Sense

You can think and navigate in three dimensions. You always know things like "which direction is Up," or "Galactic North", and so on. You can retrace a path that you've taken in the past month, no matter how faint or confusing it has become. You gain a +3 to Body Sense and Navigation (Air, Land or Sea), a +2 bonus to Aerobatics, Astrobatics and Navigation (Space), and a +1 to Piloting. [10]

 Cardiovascular Modifications

Your body has been radically redesigned to stand up significantly better to larger G-forces. This includes a radically redesigned heart, an improved cardiovascular system that reacts to high-g acceleration by reducing blood flow to the lower extremities while enhancing it to the brain, and other even more severe modifications. You have a G-increment of 1G, +8 to all HT rolls made due to Acceleration, and you recover from unconsciousness sixty times faster than unmodified humans. These changes had a negative effect on lifespan, though. [28]

 Combat Reflexes

You have amazingly astute reflexes for battle. This gives you a +1 to all active defense rolls, +1 to Fast-Draw skill, and +2 to Fright Checks. You never "freeze" in a combat sitation, get +6 to all IQ rolls to wake up or recover from surprise or mental 'stun', and your entire side gets a +1 on initiative rolls to avoid a surprise attack. +2 if you are the leader! [15]

 Eye Modifications

You've received a distinctly nonhuman set of eyes, with greatly increased visual acuity in all circumstances and an added reflective layer (similar to a cats) that affords you greater ambient night vision. This gives you a +4 to any Sense (Vision) rolls, such as doing a visual search or spot something in the distance, and enables you to ignore up to -5 in penalties due to darkness. [13]

 Flexibility

Your were specifically designed to fit in small cramped cockpits without feeling cramped or suffering from reduced mobility. This allows you to ignore up to -3 in penalties for working in Close Quarters. In addition, you also gain a +3 on Climbing rolls, Escape rolls to get free of handcuffs and similar restraints, on rolls to break free in close combat, and on Erotic Arts skill. [5]

 Prehensile Tail

Initially unintended, the doctors had a hard time separating the genes for a tail from the genes they wanted such as enhanced reflexes, better hand-eye coordination and balance. The Apollo III thus took advantage of the trait, engineering a strong tail capable of grasping and manipulation. This modification, though initially poorly recieved in the Apollo I and II, eventually became seen as a great advantage to the III's and met enthusiastic approval. [10]

 Perk: No Degeneration in Zero-G

The basic, and essential, "Calcium Hack" that allows survival in Zero G without deterioration of bone mass. [1]

 Perk: Reproductive Alterations

The Female II's and III's were designed with the species' short-lifespan in mind. These strains are thus prone to multiple births, while their pelvis has been subtly redesigned to help deal with delivery and ensure a shorter and less painful birthing process even for Twins or Triplets. The ovulation and hormone function has also been tweaked, resulting in greatly reduced discomforts (important considering their function) and an ease into menopause (which, naturally, happens earlier). The III's added Reproductive Control, allowing them to choose when and more importantly when not, to have children. [1]

 Perk: Sanitized Metabolism

You're totally clean. Your body produces minimal, sanitized waste products and you never suffer from bad breath, excessive perspiration, or unsightly skin problems. This gives -1 to attempts to track you by scent and +1 to reaction rolls in close confines. [1]

Disadvantages

 Chummy

Apollo's are social animals, partially because of the way they were designed and partially because of their source genetic code. They get along best in groups, and react to others at +1. If isolated from others, however, they become unhappy and distracted and suffer a -1 penalty to IQ-based skills. [-5]

 Overconfidence

The overblown Ego of the Apollo III was purposely placed into the genome of the II's and III's, to counterattack certain deficiency in the initial strain. II's and III's thus don't show much in the way of restraint or caution; make a Self-Control roll (12-) to hold back instead of rushing ahead in full confidence of your abilities. You recieve a +2 on all reactions rolls from young or naive individuals, but a -2 on reactions from experienced NPC's. [-5]

 Severe Insomnia

While fiddling around with Deep Brain structures in an attempt to fix the deep Mental Instability suffered by II's, the gengineers managed to bring out this problem in the III's. In the end "problems sleeping" was considered a fair trade for getting rid of the delusional sadistic aggressive tendencies of the II's. On a night when your suffering an insomniac episode, you must make a HT-1 roll once per night. On a successful you fall asleep easily and that episode ends -- another will begin in about 2d-1 days. On a failure, you lose two hours of sleep that night an the episode continues. On a critical failure you get no sleep that night! [-15]

 Selfless

One of the few things that was gotten right from the very beginning, Apollo's are very altruistic and self-sacrificing. They put little importance on personal fame and wealth, instead sublimating all of that stuff to the overall group. You have to make a Self-Control roll (12-) to put your needs, even survival, before those of another. [-5]

 Short Lifespan

An unavoidable side-effect of the numerous species modifications made in the Apollo's, especially the numerous cardiovascular changes, is that the subrace simply doesn't live as long as the average human. They start making aging rolls every six months at 25, increasing in frequency to three months at 35 and every forty five days at 45. Unlike the I's and II's, III's mature considerably faster than most, reaching physical maturity at age 4. [-10]

 Skinny

Apollo's are designed to fit, and be generally happy, in small cramped conditions. They're thus quite small, and their lowered weight also helps ease thrust requireemnts somewhat. Admittedly a very minor concern, but every little bit helps! This gives you a -2 to ST when you resist knockback as well as a -2 to Disguise -- or Shadowing, if you are trying to follow someone in a crowd. Your HT may not be above 14. [-5]

 Susceptible (Pheromones)

All of the Apollo's were engineered with an innate weakness to Pheromones. Such as the Pheromones used by the Ruling Caste of the Core Worlds. When resisting such effects, you have a -4 to your HT. [-4]

 Unusual Biochemistry

You're more than inhuman enough to react to drugs... differently than a less extremely modified human. The end result being that drugs generally react differently for you, or don't work at all, while drugs specific to your biochemistry cost 10 times as much as usual! If you receive a drug intended for humans, roll 1d: 1-3, the drug acts normally. On a 4-5, the drug works but you suffer from an additional harmful side effect. On a 6, the drug just doesn't work. [-5]

Features

 Genetic Tattoos

All Apollo's share similar "genetic tattoo's"; insignia's formed from skin pigmentation, bumps and ridges. These are different for each strain, and usually subtly different for each individual member of such strain. Their exact nature was never explained to the Apollo's. [0]