Centurions

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Name Centurions
Classification Mortal
Age Expectancy 95 years
Average Height 182cm Male, 172cm Female
Average Weight 100kg Male, 80kg Female
Body Enhanced
Spirit Normal
Soul Normal
Preferred Weapons Firearms
Owner Isabel (Previous Owner: David)


Overview

Just as the people of Disparatus have learned how to alter human beings through mechanical augmentation, they've also had success in making changes on a genetic level. Coined as Centurions by the first company that made them, the classification applies to anyone brought into the world with designer genetics.

The first serious dive into genetic engineering was done by a branch of the United Provinces government. At the time, most of the research was focused on making the ideal soldier, building off of strength and combat prowess. Characterized by their improved muscle mass, and greater bone density, these centurions were very capable in battle, and impressive for their time, but very simple on a genetic engineering level.

Rumor had it, however, that the first batches of these super-soldiers were built with a "Lucid" state, where the mind was wiped of most emotion if set off by a certain trigger. These triggers could be anything from a word to a certain action, or even a memory. It was, all and all, a crude form of mind control. That said, very few of these original centurions survived through the wars they fought in, and even less of them are still on record. Any remaining are either out in the world, clueless to their triggers, and near-impossible to pick out from the average person, or on very tight leashes with the United Provincian government.

Over time, as genetic technology became more cost efficient, use of it extended to a consumer level. It became possible for the wealthy to make small, cosmetic changes to their children, and assure that said babies would grow up happy and healthy. Thanks to this technology, death from genetic disease plummeted in most first world Disparatus countries.

However, due to the frequency of health-related alterations in those countries, classification of Centurions was made more limited on a legal level. Without any significant cosmetic or functionality differences programmed in, children born with only their explicitly bad genes taken out have been categorized as Neophytes, and not Centurions.

For research groups, the wide scope of possibility that came with the technology became too much to pass up. Several companies began to experiment more with non-military oriented builds, tweaking human beings for a variety of specializations and jobs. However, as these ideas became more morally questionable as time went on, many governments felt the need to lay down rules about how genetic engineering could be used. Not that it stopped anyone.

Now there are several underground companies who focus on creating humans for any imaginable purpose. From spies, to archivists, and even to pre-designed movie stars, centurions have been made to do just about anything. If someone has a need for a certain kind of person, they can get them with enough money and connections. Of course, this often brings up concerns of slavery, but many of those desperate enough to create someone for a job won't consider that a problem.

Although Centurions have a much lower chance of winding up with genetic abnormalities, what with those sorts of things being removed as part of the engineering process, not every centurion is perfect. Some more experimental builds can wind up with unexpected complications as a result of of their unusual features. An aggressive, soldier-type can wind up with a rage problem due to mental chemistry changes. A centurion with the ability to breathe underwater might find themselves with complications in air, due to their amphibious parts not taking it as well as expected. Just about anything is possible.

There have also been studies in making genetic changes to people after they've already been born, but this technology is considerably behind that used for centurions. For the most part it's only used to cure certain diseases, and transplant new organs and body parts. People who have had these procedures done to them do not count as centurions.

Although it's the less common use of the term, "Centurion" is also sometimes used to categorize people who have mutated for reasons other than genetic engineering. Though even then, it's only ever for examples of beneficial or benign mutations. If someone gets cancer from a radioactive substance, they're not a centurion. They just have cancer. If someone has seemingly super-human traits, but these traits are not caused by genetic abnormalities, be that by genetic engineering or mutation, then that person is not a centurion. (ex. Spiderman was bitten by a radioactive spider, so he mutated and gained superhuman powers. He's a centurion. Superman, on the other hand, has superhuman powers, but those powers are natural to his race. He is not a centurion.)


Racial

Genetic Masterpiece (Racial Passive): Centurion DNA can be uniquely customized, allowing quite a bit of variety in specializations.
Effects: Start with an additional Unique Passive at level 1. +1 Awakening Point. Centurions increase the skill cap to 75 at level 10, and 100 at level 20.