New races background

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In 2048 an intensive classification project of paranormal races was
undertaken by researchers at the London Institute of Paranormal Studies.
Doctor Henry McAllister, Associate Professor and Project Leader for the
classification project, published a paper in February of 2054 that has been
a topic of debate ever since. His revolutionary results showed that not all
standard races of Dwarves, Orks, and others are the same. Some subjects,
showed vastly different physical attributes.

Contrary to the opinion of the majority of the scientific community, there
is substantial evidence that there are more than the five commonly 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 existence of eight distinct metahuman races. The first five are
the commonly accepted ones dwarves (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 humongous) and minotaurs (homo sapiens taurus), which are
often considered to be orks and trolls that "look different" by most
scientist, and halflings (homo sapiens waerlous) which are often confused
with dwarves.


Table of Attributes

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

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

Overview of new forms of metahumanity

Halflings were generally considered to be unusual dwarfs. However the
testing process proved them to have very different attributes than generally
associated with dwarves. 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 tests on halflings yield 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 vision like dwarfs.

Ogres are physically similar to orks. Their physical endurance and dexterity
are equal, but they are much stronger. In fact their strength, caused by
much denser muscle tissue than orks, is equal to that of trolls. Mental
capabilities 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.

Minotaur 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.