Deviants

*“A Deviant is something made of flesh, yet lower than natural life. Created by and of humans while dragging the creator and created lower than any animal. Every creature involved in the business of Fleshcrafting becomes less than the sum of their parts.”*

*-’Anthropology of the Frontiers’, Society of Inquisitive Minds research leader Gunther Ledwig*

A Deviant is the catch all term for any creature created by Cursed arts or Fleshcrafting, the usage of harvested organic parts to create a new creature. Deviants come in all shapes and sizes, whether building a better soldier, harvester, or general labor slave. They can be completely enslaved to the will of their creator or entirely independent. Many nations will use these creatures as shock troops to oppose the might of the ASH.

The Deviants have earned their moniker because they are not different species, naturally born monsters, or alien entities but instead deviations on a natural form. People cannot be unquestioning unless broken completely whether by drugs, surgery, or magic. Fleshcrafters, those who seek to reshape and reform existing species to their own whims, view their experimental subjects as human resources. They are unscrupulous in their resource collection. Someone could sit down for a free meal and awaken as a dulled component of a larger entity, drugged and cut apart only to be pieced back together. A Deviant is not crafted to be comfortable or pleasing to look upon.

If the victim is unfortunate enough to become the thought center of the creature, they will often remember their old life. They may even remember free will. But they are trapped in a body that is not their own, fulfilling a will that is not their own, and enjoying despicable pleasures that are not their own. After dozens of suicides, Fleshcrafters discovered that especially strong willed people do not make good thought centers for Deviants.

Despite a Deviant's purpose-built advantage in their roles, they are can be made easier targets with applied intellect. Reason can prevail against the insane. Similar to defense against Cursed abilities, strong intellect can help undo what should not be.

## Commonly Encountered Deviant Types

**Mechanos**: Large creatures resembling a powerfully built human with metal grafts painfully fused into their skin. They stand only slightly taller than a regular human. The level of armor infused to their vaguely purple flesh varies from creature to creature depending on its creator, but every Mechanos has a grafted faceplate covering all but its uniformly glassy eyes. They are intensely focused on a single combatant at a time and used as guards or shock troops. Weapons are grafted in place of at least one hand, solidifying this Deviant’s purpose.

**‘Royal Guard’:** First pioneered by the Technocratic Commonwealth. These Deviants are created to clear subjugated zones of dissenters before a TC prince made an appearance in the area.

Royal Guards are blackened torsos connected to four 9-foot long spider-like legs branching over the shoulders and under the hips. Able to quickly navigate through canopies or between rooftops. Central to the creature is a large vertical mouth opening in the upper chest and ending above the pelvis. Two humanoid arms dangle from the torso with long claws at the end of every finger. Their speed and predatory nature make them especially dangerous opponents, relying primarily on surprise or speed. They prefer to attack from above when possible but will lower themselves on their four legs to present weapons and claws if confronted in the open.

It is very rare to see these Deviants when they are not alert.

**Breaker:** Breakers have existed at least since the time of Xan’s Deluge. These Deviants are some of the least human entities brought about through Fleshcrafting. A whirling mass of confusing bright colors adorn this entity. The main body is a sphere studded with eyes to watch almost every direction. Six prehensile tentacles are attached evenly around the body, stretching outwards four to six feet in every direction. The muscular limbs enable it to stand on a single feathered tentacles and lash out with the sharp ends at enemies.

Breakers have no singular center of balance. This enables their bizarre movement, spinning to find purchase on any available surface, expanding or contracting their limbs quickly to keep a fast pace. Breakers are loud and easy to spot with dazzling colors and a distinct clattering made by their unique movement. If they are set to wait or ambush, these Deviants are known to simply roll their bodies and not use their limbs until initiating combat, though even this makes an audible squelch.