Infested Terran
Former human beings transmogrified by the zerg into monstrous mockeries of their former, fairer selves. Since the defeat of the Overmind and scattering of cerebrates, these former thralls have awakened to self-determination and—unlike other zerg creatures—are able to survive apart from the thrall. Most are bitter over the loss of their memories and former selves, and favor jobs that involve conflict to make use of their obtrusive appearance.
Physical Characteristics
Average Height: 177 - 183 cm
Average Mass: 82 - 106 kg
Ability Scores: +1 Strength, +1 Intelligence
Size: Medium
Speed: 5 squares
Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, +2 Heal
Surge Bonus: +1 to healing surges
Level 1 Species Power: Hive Endurance—You add 1 to your base CM during each round spent exhausted.
Level 6 Species Power: Hive Violence—Choose a damage type. Increase the die size of damage you deal of that type by one step.
Play an infested terran if you want...
- to be the former thrall of a powerful alien menace.
- to be good at tricking, intimidating, or persuading others to do your will.
- to be more durable than other characters.
- to favor the striker and controller roles.
Infested terrans are slightly larger and heavier than terrans, owing to the fact that the zerg selected for stockier humans when creating infested thralls. They are warped versions of their previous selves, many human characteristics still visible, if half-consumed by pulsing veins, chitinous plates, and spiny appendages.
Infested terrans are many in number, but as all were taken as adults, do not have a life cycle per se. It is rumored that some zerg cerebrates yet survive, capturing and infesting new terrans to do their vile bidding.
Infested terrans are thought to have similar life expectancies to their uninfested counterparts.
Playing an Infested Terran
Several years ago, the hive of Zerg was the scourge of the galaxy. These vicious bug creatures were attracted to psionic energy, as their Overmind sought out the Protoss in an attempt to wrap them into the hive. The first experiments at this used human hosts from the Confederate Ghost program: psionically attuned terran warriors. Many simply perished. A few were successfully transmogrified, merged human and zerg biology, willful powerful fighters brought under the thrall of the Overmind and his cerebrates.
Most of these were sappers: shock suicide troops meant to demoralize terran opposition in the region. As the zerg methods refined, more complete transformations came about, and the infested terrans could take on more permanent ranks in the zerg force.
One notable infested terran by the name of Kerrigan rose to power in the hive after the defeat of the Overmind at the battle of Aiur. Kerrigan became a mobile cerebrate in her own right, capable of commanding and enthralling swarms of zerg in her own bid for sector-spanning dominance. A bid that saw some success.
Almost all living infested terrans are of a generation after this. They do not have a cohesive society or culture so much as a mutual trauma.
The menace of the zerg is too recent in the minds of galactic society for infested terrans to survive without prejudice. Some swarms still exist, though no infested terrans are enthralled modernly. Some deal with this trauma by throwing themselves into danger. They make excellent fighters, thugs, security guards, hooligans, and assassins. Most remember their lives as terrans, and the horror of metamorphosis. Each knows he must be strong to survive, and following the all-connected hive mind of the zerg, they most often become loners and hermits, trying to distance themselves as much as possible from their prior connection to the vile heart of the swarm.
Infested terran characteristics: Brooding, suspicious, cunning, imposing, mysterious, sinister, unconventional, self-reliant, hermetic.
Names:
Infested Terrans have the same names they had as terrans (see Terran)
