Mutant faction

[oosyrag]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Just making notes for discussion and brainstorming. One problem this could solve is to provide a thematic reason for quests that utilize lesser visited areas like hives,anthills, groves, slime pits, water locations, ect.

Solution you would like.

A new faction to represent mutants in contrast to the Exodii/cyborgs. They consist of unwilling mutants or test subject survivors that have banded together. Their numbers are relatively small for a faction. They aren't hostile towards non mutants, but decidedly friendlier towards mutants, and mutually dislike the Exodii.

I imagine their base could be located in the sewers/subway (water treatment plant?) of large cities, as they are relatively safe from the surface and convenient for getting around to scavenging. They can keep fires/braziers burning at the entrances as a deterrent to other sewer monsters. Their main themes would be scavenging, crafting, and survival.

As scavengers, the mutants don't lack much in terms of basic survival and materials, but the quest givers could have wildly differing specialist needs or wants as mutants, incentivising exploration of lesser visited areas as mentioned above. I imagine some would pay a high price for purifier too. There could be dissent between those who have accepted being mutants and those who haven't.

They generally work well together as a community, pooling their mutation strengths to make up for each other's weaknesses. Some might be better as fighters or guards, others quick scavengers or hunters. Craftsman and tailors would be highly valued to make custom creations for mutated bodies. Overall pretty decent folks who try their best to help even those (mutants) who can't really make it in their own.

Describe alternatives you have considered.

No response

Additional context

Plant mutant, wants triffid heart (for reasons?) Can reward with satellite map style reveal, from Mycorrhizal Communion. Lazy and likes being a plant and enjoys it, just wants to sunbathe and not have to do anything.

Random mutant - wants purifier, doesn't want to be a mutant. Will join you as NPC follower, not comfortable in mutant community

Fish mutant - wants a giant aquarium to sleep in. Can reward with scales for making armor?

Bear mutant - wants honeycomb. Lots of it. To the beehive!

Slime mutant - wants large amounts of slime or something else from a slime pit

Alpha, elf, and medical mutants - the "human" mutations. probably wouldn't actually be part of the camp, but I like to imagine them as the three factions of human experimentation into mutation. Alpha was the military branch, to weaponize it controllably (disintegration minor kink in that plan). Medical was for the greater good, developed hopefully the public, but had too many problematic side effects to work though. Elf was the researchers who embraced mutation , the elitists who tried to transcend humanity. Actually an elf mutant would probably be suitable as a faction leader for the mutants. Elf and alpha would both probably be insufferable assholes, while the medical mutant would probably just be insane.

More quest premises: war against a nearby any colony or fungal bloom. Put down a former mutant member (chimera) who has gone crazy and brutal (boss fight).

Rewards: custom survivor gear style armor set?

There will probably be a skilled blacksmith and tailor to be found here at least, to facilitate the proposed new skill system.

[Rabadash94]

Good idea, although I don't see the need for them to be hostile towards non-mutants, regardless of what they may feel about their situation. The most logical thing is that they are not hostile but, on the contrary, wish to join other survivors (remember that there are some mutants in the Shelter, and although they are not received with enthusiasm, they are not attacked either), but it certainly raises the question of how could mutants help in the restoration of society (would they even have children? What would happen in that case?). Most likely they would prefer to be hidden, and some would prefer to be hostile, but most would not. There could, however, be two mutant factions, one spiteful and hostile, and the other, resigned and even eager to help others and/or purify themselves.

I also don't see why they would be enemies of the Exodii, since, on the one hand, the mutants are victims of the same thing that left the Exodii without their world, and on the other, how would that enmity have started? But yes, the idea is good.

[oosyrag]

They aren't hostile towards non mutants, although they might not ask for help/give quests to a non mutant who might not sympathize with them or discriminate against them.

Exodii hate mutants, not so much mutants hate Exodii, but they would need to be on their guard against cyborgs.

Mutants don't necessarily stand for the greater good, just surviving in their new circumstances. I expect their quests to be mostly selfish, or at least beneficial for themselves to live more comfortably.

[Rabadash94]

It already seemed strange to me that they were. I have to avoid reading these things when I'm busy with something else. It's not the first time it's happened to me.

Exodii hate mutants, not so much mutants hate Exodii, but they would need to be on their guard against cyborgs.

Maybe, but unless the Exodii are dedicated to hunting mutants, it seems unlikely that an encounter will ever occur. And it is clear that the mutants would not be interested in taking the initiative either. What I'm saying is that it's one thing for the Exodii to hate mutants, and another for them to know there are some hidden ones out there. Don't forget that the Exodii are from another world, so they shouldn't be especially worried about what's hidden in the sewers. It might be asked if the Exodii shouldn't start distinguishing between mutants and mutants.

Mutants don't necessarily stand for the greater good, just surviving in their new circumstances. I expect their quests to be mostly selfish, or at least beneficial for themselves to live more comfortably.

Without a doubt, although there is also another possibility, and that is that with some mutations being an interesting advantage, a faction of several of them could attract someone's attention.

[Rabadash94]

Likewise, it would be nice if there was a faction of hostile mutants lurking in dark places, waiting...

[fairyarmadillo]

I actually have something like this in the outline stage. It will be a little while before I can get a draft PR up, but it's thematically quite close to the basic concept you've described here. I basically just need to make their map.

One difference from the proposal is that it's the developers' intent as far as I am aware that mutated humans are exceedingly rare, so I think it'll be less of a society and more a very small group of people who are looking to find others like them and share information about their condition. If that changes, however, there would always be room to add more NPCs.

[Rabadash94]

Plant mutant, wants triffid heart (for reasons?) Can reward with satellite map style reveal, from Mycorrhizal Communion. Lazy and likes being a plant and enjoys it, just wants to sunbathe and not have to do anything.

Random mutant - wants purifier, doesn't want to be a mutant. Will join you as NPC follower, not comfortable in mutant community

Fish mutant - wants a giant aquarium to sleep in. Can reward with scales for making armor?

Bear mutant - wants honeycomb. Lots of it. To the beehive!

Slime mutant - wants large amounts of slime or something else from a slime pit

In addition to the missions that the mutants can entrust to the player individually, the mutants as a whole would look for a way to stay hidden and safe. This would lead to several missions. For example, and assuming that they hide in the sewers, some could be:

• Block some entrances to the sewers that the mutants do not plan to use but that could be used by unwanted visitors.
• Get rid of the buildings in the city that may attract the attention of looters (gun stores, household goods stores, workshops, police stations, etc.).
• Help the mutants establish a supply depot (sealed food and the means to preserve more) and easy access to some food source (a river?) in order to reduce the need to go outside and be exposed to prying eyes.
• Obtain all the maps that may exist of those sewers and, after using them, deliver them to the mutants.
• Perhaps also seal the access from above to various basements and build passages from the sewers. Just because they are mutants doesn't mean they don't like some comforts.
• If there is a non-hostile human faction nearby, it might be useful to find a sneaky, non-violent way to ward them off. Or attract a horde of zombies to take care of it.
• If the mutants (or some of them) were victims of an experiment, any records that exist on the matter must be found and destroyed. And if some of the responsible scientists are still alive, take care of them too.

[AmarinReyny]

The more "human-looking" mutants could probably serve as a sort of surface front, to either misdirect hostile factions into going somewhere else, or get a sense of who can be trusted to interact with the mutant faction in a friendly manner. I was thinking they'd be scouts at first, but that would probably be redundant with the plant mutant - but, working with the plant mutant to know when newcomers are in the area would likely work pretty well.

[Rabadash94]

There is a Great Library faction project. Maybe they could relate well to mutants.

[oosyrag]

Some more powerful reward options: possible loot from lab finales they escaped from.

[Rabadash94]

Some more powerful reward options: possible loot from lab finales they escaped from.

Some ideas for this:

• A genetic strengthener
• Maps with locations of other secret facilities
• A master key for other laboratories
• A Structural Imager CBM
• An Energy Storage Mk. III CBM
• Recipes or samples for new experimental mutagens

[github-actions[bot]]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions. Please do not bump or comment on this issue unless you are actively working on it. Stale issues, and stale issues that are closed are still considered.