Overwrought and Underpaid

Hello All…

Here’s the first race preview for RunePunk.

First, we’ll lead out with an early bit of concept art.

Then show you something a bit more finished. :)

Now, on to the flavor and crunch!

Overwrought

Hulking unions of machine and man, the Overwrought are the labor caste of ScatterPoint. Once as human as anyone else, those who elect to become mechanized abominations are driven to the factories out of poverty, necessity, or as an opportunity for some sort of life outside of the prison districts of BlackShackle. Those that go beneath the surgeon’s knife are guaranteed work and a place to live for the ten year contract that they must sign. Conversions are done on candidates as young as twelve, providing their parent’s have signed them over to the factory. After that period, should they survive, Overwrought often spend a time trying to integrate into less mechanized society, usually with little success.

Despite the fact that they keep the city running smoothly, the Overwrought find they are regarded as social outcasts, relegated to the status of second-class citizens, fit for only the most dangerous of jobs in the mines and factories. This usually forces most Overwrought to return to their factory roots or become part of the squalid communities in and around them. Other Overwrought fully embrace this perception and actively seek out jobs where their abilities are most useful as bodyguards, enforcers, or parts of salvage teams that explore the barrens.

Overwrought are generally of average human height, but the addition of gears, metal, and other mechanized parts make them extremely bulky. Their facial features retain their human uniqueness, but their bodies are often varied with different patchwork combinations of metals, gears, and configurations that often reflect their factory origins.

Names: Overwrought sadly go through their factory years without names, but designations, such as Presser 218-3, which indicates their duty, position, and work shift. Among themselves, they try to retain their individual identities, but some get more used to the numbers then their names and, once outside, adopt a name that reflect a bit of their mixed origins such as Jane 344.

Innate Edges:

Big: Overwrought average between 5′ and 6′ tall and weigh in over 400 pounds, giving them Size+1 and +1 to their Toughness. Their size makes it impossible for them to use most goods not specifically made for them (such as armor).

Ever Ready: Being partially mechanical and in large part powered by arcane energies, Overwrought get a +2 bonus to Vigor rolls to resist Fatigue. As a standard action, an Overwrought may make a Vigor roll to drain a fully charged runestone they are in contact with of its energy. Success restores a fatigue level and drains the runestone, while failure just drains the runestone. Successfully draining a runestone when not fatigued makes the character’s unarmed attacks and any racial armor runic for three rounds, after which he suffers a level of fatigue requiring an hour of rest. This process, called overcharging, fills the character with a temporary feeling of euphoria as well.

Sturdy: An externally reinforced metal frame enables them to carry more weight than their strength would indicate. Their Toughness is increased by +1 over and above the bonus they get for being Big. Their Load Limit is determined normally and then doubled.

Well Built: Due to mechanical modifications, all Overwrought begin play with a d6 in both Strength and Vigor instead of a d4.

& Hindrances:

Lumbering: The great bulk of an Overwrought makes them clumsy. It costs 2 points to raise their Agility during character creation, and they must dedicate two leveling opportunities to raise their Agility afterwards (to a maximum of d8.)

Outsider: Overwrought are shunned by all for various reasons – their mechanical part make some uneasy, while others regard them as lower class scum, abominations, or stealing the jobs from honest folk. They incur a -2 Charisma penalty except among their own kind.

Runic Recharge: Overwrought must replenish their power supply at a Runic Recharge Point (man-made or natural) at least one hour out of every twenty four. Those who don’t automatically suffer a level of Fatigue each day until incapacitated. The day after that they perish.