The Drowned War #6: sample of Poly Forms

It's been a while, I've been working on collecting and developing the Beastiary for the Drowned War.
This month I'll be selecting a few samplings of creatures: Poly Forms.

A Ploy Form is a mutant that has been exposed to copious amounts of the genetic soup, because of this their mutation has become unstable. Most Poly Forms are androgynous and have a light pink skin tone.

Poly Forms

These mutants appear humanoid with pink taffy-like skin. Driven by hunger they seek to consume the biomass of dead creatures and add it to their own.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4

Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7

Special Abilities* Androgynous: Poly Forms appear humanoid, but with no discernible gender

* Biomass: when a Poly Form makes a successful grapple attack they can consume the mass of their target. Each round thereafter the hold is maintained inflicts Str+6 damage. Once incapacitated the PolyForm consumes the target and adds +1 Size and pace along with one die in strength and vigor. Poly Forms can consume 6 targets and have a maximum strength and vigor d12+2, Size +6, Toughness 13, pace 10
* Claws: Str+d4.
* Creature parts: Poly Forms may ingest body parts from other creatures gain one of their special abilities as the GM sees fit.
* Fear: Poly Morphs induce a fear check at -2.

* Fearless (sort of): Poly Morphs are only afraid of fire. When harmed by a fire-based attack Polyforms must make a spirit check to resist retreating.
*Feral: Animal intelligence survives on instinct
* Gelantious Form: Normal weapons do half damage except weakness

* Mutant: same as Undead monstrous ability Savage Worlds Deluxe, except can be affected by poison disease and drowning
*Sluggish: in a deprived state Poly Forms are slow, but gain quickness as they consume more biomass
* Weakness (Fire): Fire based attacks cause normal damage.

Poly Swarm

Sometimes a Poly Form manages to ingest a rat or insect farm, in these cases the PolyForm is already at its max state. Ingesting these creatures changes the mindset of the polyform and makes them hyper-aggressive. They look humanoid with pink skin, but where the head should be is a mass of several rats faces all with sharp teeth

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d4, Strength d12+2, Vigor d12+2

Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4

Pace: 10; Parry: 5; Toughness: 14

Special Abilities* Androgynous: Poly Swarms appear humanoid, but with no discernible gender

* Bite / Claws: Str+d6.
* Fear: Poly Swarms induce a fear check at -4.

* Fearless (sort of): Poly Swarms are only afraid of fire. When harmed by a fire-based attack Poly Swarm must make a spirit check to resist retreating.
*Feral: Animal intelligence survives on instinct
*Rat Heads: Poly Swarms have both the improved First strike and Improved Frenzy edges.

* Mutant: same as Undead monstrous ability Savage Worlds Deluxe, except can be affected by poison disease and drowning
* Gelantious Form: Normal weapons do half damage except weakness
*Size: +6

* Weakness (Fire): Fire based attacks cause normal damage.

The Taffy Man (WC)

A living nightmare, the Taffy man has a pliable body that allows him to hide in very tight spaces. He stalks his prey, hides under their bed, in the closet, or even on the ceiling. Because he has a taste for inducing fear he has been known to whisper or snicker while in the room with his prey. The Taffy man is a humanoid with pink skin stretched taut over his body, a disjointed jaw that hangs loose creating an oversized mouth and an eye melted shut while the other is stretched and nearly popping from his skull.

Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d10

Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d10, Theivery d6, Notice d8, Stealth d10, Taunt d6

Cha: -4; Pace: 10; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7

Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Quirk (whispers or laughs from his hiding place)

Edges: Assassin, Fleet-footed, Improved Sweep, Thief, Woodsman

Special Abilities

* Bite: Str+d6.
*Hyper-Flexibility: The Rubber man gets his name due to his ability to contort his body in unusual ways. He is able to deflate, twist, and stretch himself at will. This allows him to slide through pipes, under doors, and through large enough cracks when the need presents itself.
*Semi-Feral: -2 Charisma, retains only the smallest amount humanity and survive on instinct
*Stretch and Leap: The Rubber man can elongate his arms and legs allowing him to make Melee attacks at +1 reach, and leap 1” up (works with wall walker)
*Wall Walker: See Savage Worlds Deluxe

The Drowned War #5: History of the Anthropocene, World Navy, and Flotillas

Before the Disaster

The world of the Drowned War takes place in a wet, oil covered future.
Desperate men and women scavenge for parts, search for dry land, and avoid genetic mutations while attempting to survive a planet regressed into primordial savagery.

History of the Anthropocene

Post 20th century the Corporate powers (mega corporations with incredible power) were able to utilize their economic influence and overthrow several governments.
A period know as the "Corporate Wars" saw the Corporate Powers gradually sweep independent states under the rug and make way for a Unified Nation.

The Corporate Powers erased borders, established global trade, diluted organized religions, and instituted a one world government.

Society progressed as new technology became available, but an increase in population and environmental changes were taking their toll on the world. A slow, methodical flooding of the Earth dubbed 'The Anthropocene' was occurring. The Unified Nation initially denied the existence of the Anthropocene, but as more and land was claimed by the seas the Corporate Powers were forced to acknowledge the inevitable loss of all dry land.
Massive Earthquakes shifted coastlines, sank mountains and washed away islands in Tsunamis. The Unified Nation began work to ensure humanity -or at least it's masters- would survive The Anthropocene.

The World Navy

As land became scarce The Unified Nation consolidated Earth's military forces and re-purposed them for aquatic research and Naval operations. 

It took decades, but the World Navy was born.

While an intimidating military force, the World Naval was also dedicated to research and exploration as much as conflict. 

Scientist with the World Navy's Project 7 Helix were responsible for creating the genetic modification serums or genetic soup as it had been come known. This substance is capable of altering the genetic codes of those exposed to it. Slightly radioactive the soup was responsible for mutations and "adaptive" projects that would allow humans to survive in varied ecological conditions. 

While Project 7 Helix unlocked the human genetic code and devised organic experiments another organization tackled the daunting task of sheltering the human population.

Flotillas

As land became more scarce the Corporate Powers reorganized several different contractors and development companies. The newly formed Atlas Applications was given an unlimited expense account by the Unified Nation. Tasked with developing sustainable synthetic islands Atlas developed modular flotillas. 

Coming in a wide varieties of sizes from personal pods to floating city blocks the advanced flotillas were designed to be self sustaining ecosystems. 

Unfortunately, while gigantic in size, flotilla cities were not large enough to accommodate the worlds population. 

Wealthy and middle classed citizens were welcomed, but the poor and unskilled were banned from most flotilla cities. 

Forced to make due outside of these floating jewels survivors began constructing their own environments from whatever they could scrap together, these junk flotillas litter the seascape like bobbing junkyards.

As water levels rose and resources became harder to locate disputes between flotilla cities became aggressive, the Corporate Powers split and dissolved into respective city councils.

The two largest cites, Oceania and Pacifica, were able to maintain relative peace during this time, until a terror attack by a doomsday cult damaged Pacifica's genetic soup reserves.

The mutagen leaked into the surrounding area and caused flora and fauna to wrap into horrific creatures. Pacifica's leaders refused to believe the attack was the result of religious zealot's and used the attack as a justification for war with Oceania. 

With the many dangers now present on the Earth, the remnants of the human race are drowning in war.