ChickcharnieBiomorph [Pod, Exotic]Based on the extinct giant owl breed Tyto Pollens, the Chickcharnie pod is a relatively new type of pod that has been designed by a group of neo-avian genehackers but has since spread beyond them; the goal is to give neo-avian digitals a body that they can sleeve into that has hands and is more durable than a convention neo-avian body when it's turned into a bioshell or pod. However, the pod exploded in popularity from there, with numerous companies picking up variants of it and producing their own take on the design.
The Chickcharnie's most unique feature are its arm wings; which allow it to fly in low gravity and provide it with a parachute that it can use to slow its fall in normal gravity. Like the owl, the Chickcharnie has been engineered with fixed eyes, meaning that it has to rotate its head if wants to see around it. This is in exchange for excellent vision. The catfall-nature of the pod also makes it ideal for free fall situations, and it is capable of using its feet as manipulators in the even that it needs to fly. This flexibility with manipulators is the major draw, although the durability is also a selling point. Interesting Facts
|
Chickcharnie 43 Points
Attribute Modifies
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers Advantages Perks Disadvantages Skills Features Costs |
ST -3 [-30]; HT +1 [10].
HP +2 [4]; SM -1 Basic Biomods [30]; Basic Mesh Inserts [26]; Catfall [10]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Cortical Stack [6]; Extra Limbs 2 (Foot Manipulator, -30%; Short, -40%) [4]; Flight (Requires Zero-G, -50%; Temporary Disadvantage, No Find Manipulator, -30%; Winged, -25%) [8]; Night Vision 9 [9]; Teeth (Sharp Beak) [1]; Telescopic Vision 2 [10]. Feathers [1]. Bad Grip 2 (doesn't affect climbing, -20%) [-8]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; Pod Body [-7]; Restricted Diet (Common, Pod Food) [-20]; Social Stigma (Pod) [-10] +2 to Free Fall [4]. Individuals of the same model look similar; Taboo Traits (Genetic Defects) $49,000 + computer. LC 3. |
Chickcharnie variants and family
For being a neo-avian design, the odd nature of the Chickcharnie has meant that it's captured some attention and is the product of some mild fascination, and not just among neo-avians but also amongst oddballs, weirdoes, and other assorted eccentrics who are looking for an eye-catching pod that has some utilitarian function as well. This means that it has a small family of different genotypes and variants, mostly homegrown rather than corporate sponsored.
Android Chickcharnie (+11 Points):
Cybercore Chickcharnie (+26 Points): Mechanical Owl (+44 Points): |
Androids of this type are uncommon, but they are sometimes produced, usually for a variety of niche reasons (entertainment, theme parks, and the like). As a result, while one is much more likely to stumble upon a pod variant, the android versions do exist. There are a small community within the Archosaur Autocracy, as well. Delete Pod Body [+7] and Social Stigma [+10] and add Android Body [-4], Dislikes Bright Light [-1], and Prefers Fresh Meat [-1]. Most also often have disadvantages like Loner [-5*] and Gluttony [-10*] as well, but these are optional 54 points.
A rare bioshell variant of the Chickcharnie pod. Delete Pod Body [+7] and Social Stigma Pod [+10] and add Bioshell Body [9]. 70points. This genotype is actually popular enough that a number of niche synths have been produced that mimic the pod; these are often referred to as Mechanical Owls and among pro-cybershell cultures, these are often more popular than the pod and bioshell variants. Add the Synth meta-trait [14] and delete Basic Mesh Inserts [-26], Restricted Diet [+20], and Social Stigma (Pod) [+10]. 87 points. |
Owlbear [Exotic] |
86 Points |
Often jokingly called a "War Chickcharnie" (but make mistake - this pod is not going to stand up against a true combat shell like a Reaper, although it could possibly hold its own against a Security Pod), the Owlbear Variant mixes Neo-Bear genetics into the standard Chickcharnie, producing a much larger variant of the Chickcharnie that comes equipped with claws, a great deal of strength, and plenty of what some consider to be "style." The Pod stands about 9 feet tall, making it one of the larger pods that aren't aquatic, and is covered in feathers. Like bears, it can walk on its hind legs, although it generally prefers to move about on all fours (an upright version also exists), and it has an owl-like face and arms with a fur-covered torso. While the pod is capable of flight in microgravity, the flight can hardly be called "graceful" by any stretch of the imagination. However, the genetic engineering is often lacking with the design, and those who sleeve in the pod often report that it has immunity issues, as well as cardiovascular ones, likely a consequence of mixing the various genetics both Chickcharnie (already something of a genetic chimera), and Neo-Bears (another genetic chimera).
Attribute Modifies
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers Advantages Perks Disadvantages Features Costs |
ST +4 (SM -10%) [36].
HP +2 [4]; SM +1 Basic Biomods [30]; Basic Mesh Inserts [26]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Cortical Stack [6]; Cyberbrain [4]; DR 2 (Tough Skin, -40%) [6]; Extra Limbs 2 (Foot Manipulator, -30%; Short, -40%) [4]; Flight (Requires Zero-G, -50%; Temporary Disadvantage, Winged, -25%; Ungainly, -2 to Roll, -10%) [8]; Night Vision 9 [9]; Teeth (Sharp Beak) [1]; Telescopic Vision 2 [10]. Feathers, Penetrating Voice [2]. Bad Grip 2 (doesn't affect climbing, -20%) [-8]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; Semi-Upright [-5]; Pod Body [-7]; Restricted Diet (Common, Pod Food) [-20]; Social Stigma (Pod) [-10]; Unfit [-5]. Individuals of the same model look similar; Taboo Traits (Genetic Defects) $86,000 + computer. LC 3. |
Upright Owlbear(+0 points): The Upright Owlbear removes the necessity of the Owlbear to be Semi-upright, but at the cost of reducing some of the overall speak of the pod. It's less popular and therefore, less common and often harder to get. Delete Semi-Upright [+5] and add Basic Move -1 [-5].
Owlman [Android, Exotic] |
58 Points |
Owlmen are often confused for a variant of the Lunar Flyer, but this isn't the case. The exotic androids actually resemble humans, with a more human-like body and arms that are independent from their wings, which allows them to fold their wings up against their backs while using their arms in flight. This, along with an improvement in size and durability, as well as sharpened hearing, is one of the major changes between them and the standard Chickcharnie. Psychologically, Owlmen appear to be engineered to be slightly collectivist, working together to produce their unusual cities where they happen to be the majority of the population - very rare, given they're both an android that isn't capable of self-replication and not very common to begin with. The coloration on their feathers ranges from white to brown, and their faces are distinctively owl-like, which is one of the reasons why they're often classified as a variant of the Chickcharnie pod, even if this may not precisely be the case.
The Owlmen (also called the Striges) are likely the product of God AI engineering, or some engineering project in the middle of the Utopian Era, although genetic historians often find it difficult to track their history back, since nobody can determine precisely what genotype they belong to. Like Lunar Flyers, they can only fly in low gravity and their muscle structure is very similar (although calls into question just how many arrangments of muscles can exist with back-mounted wings), but like the Chickcharnie, they keep the feet manipulators and the general aesthetic. The answer may never be fully known, given how rare the genotype is over all (although as with most populations, the total numbers is likely to never be known).
The Owlmen (also called the Striges) are likely the product of God AI engineering, or some engineering project in the middle of the Utopian Era, although genetic historians often find it difficult to track their history back, since nobody can determine precisely what genotype they belong to. Like Lunar Flyers, they can only fly in low gravity and their muscle structure is very similar (although calls into question just how many arrangments of muscles can exist with back-mounted wings), but like the Chickcharnie, they keep the feet manipulators and the general aesthetic. The answer may never be fully known, given how rare the genotype is over all (although as with most populations, the total numbers is likely to never be known).
Attribute Modifies
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers Advantages Perks Disadvantages Quirks Skills |
ST -2 [-20]; HT +1 [10].
HP +2 [4] Basic Biomods [30]; Catfall [10]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Extra Limbs 2 (Foot Manipulator, -30%; Short, -40%) [4]; Flight (Requires 0.3G, -35%; Winged, -25%) [16]; Night Vision 9 [9]; Parabolic Hearing 2 [8]; Teeth (Sharp Beak) [1]; Telescopic Vision 2 [10]. Feathers [1]. Bad Grip 2 (doesn't affect climbing, -20%) [-8]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; Pod Body [-7]. Congenial, Thin Frame [-2]. +2 to Flight [4]. |