123. Portias

Portias are engineered Portia Fimbriata, modified to be larger (up to the size of a a human hand) and proportional increases in neural mass. The step-by-step nature of Portia's mind is maintained, leading to incredible visual acuity, spatial awareness, problem solving, and hunting. Portias are not necessarily smarter than unmodified Portia Fimbriata, but they think much more quickly. They are masters of ambush, and many habitats use them for pest control. There is also an audience for Portia races: gambling on which spider will solve a maze, or kill a prey insect, first.

Mechanics

As smart roaches, plus unarmed combat 40 and freerunning 40 [Moderate]

Notes

Inspired by Peter Watt's post on Portia Fimbriata.

121. The Birds with Human Eyes

The proliferation of biomods and hobbyist genetic engineers makes it easy to forget how much research had to be done to bring about transhumanity, and how many dead-ends were explored. The now ubiquitous enhanced vision augmentation was the long-term project of military research groups, biotech startups, and university research teams. Spin-offs are common, especially when the products of your work are living, reproducing things.

As part of the compatibility testing on their avian-to-human gene splices, a biotech firm modified several bird species to develop human eyes. As a compatibility test, the modified birds successfully demonstrated new methods of avoiding rejection paving the way to human testing. Before the birds were to be destroyed, however, they caught the eye of a wealthy investor, who bought all of them and paid the firm to create some that would breed true.

The birds' human eyes expressing inhuman emotions, but that creepiness also gave them a certain appeal. Today the descendants of those human-eyed birds can be found as exotic pets among Somatek executives and pet owners with a taste for the truly strange.

Mechanics

Birds with human eyes can be treated as smart hawks without enhanced vision [Moderate]

114. Mantises

For hypercorp executives seeking to emphasize their competitiveness, smart mantises are the trend pet of choice, often kept in the office and fed mice during tough negotiations. The mantises are spliced together from many members of the order mantodea, and range from hand to head sized. Like smart roaches, they are often engineered to have bright colors and patterns.

Mantises are also used in underground gambling and blood sports, with bets taken on how many smart roaches the mantis can devour in a set amount of time, or fights between mantises or other predatory insects. Some habitats have also been experimenting with using them for pest control.

Mechanics

Treat as space roaches with the addition of Unarmed Combat 40.

110. Coiled Canines

"Coiled Canine" is the catch-all name among the hyperelite for a popular type of exotic pet: snake-like mixes of dogs and weasels. Weasel genes give them long, sinuous bodies. Dog genes give themdog-like friendliness and temperament. Genetic engineering removes their limbs and lengethens their bodies. Strengthened abdomen muscles allow them to move like snakes, even coiling themselves to climb. They often enjoy coiling around and clinging to the limbs of their owners, or wrapping around their necks like scarves.

In the exotic pet market, uniqueness dominates and many suppliers will create only small amounts of new varieties of pets. The original creator of the coiled canines is unknown, a fly-by-night boutique genetic engineering lab specializing in exotic pets. Since the canines first appeared, however, they have proven to be more than a fad. With no-one claiming any patents or copyrights, most of the pet labs of Luna and Mars have created their own varieties. Fox-like, cat-like, mouse-like varieties are all available, and in any color.

Mechanics

Coiled canines can be treated as smart raccoons [High]

94. Microraptors

Exotic pets are a lasting trend among the wealthy of the Planetary Consortium. Some animals, like dogs, are perennial favorites. Some, like smart hawks, are part of the rediscovery of ancient aristocratic pastimes. As the market grows, so too does the demand for the truly exotic.

Microraptors are reconstructions of paravian dinosaurs, but microraptors lived too long ago for any DNA to be recoverable, so genetic engineers recreated their physiology from similar species, primarily birds. Unlike birds, microraptors have four wings, and are skilled in both short flights, gliding and climbing.

As pets and smart animals they have been enhanced. Their intelligence and therefore trainability has been increased, raised to the approximate level of a baseline dog. Their claws and feet have been reshaped for dexterous manipulation, and augmented with grip pads. Finally, their plumage is dramatically shaped and colored for aesthetic effect.

Mechanics

Microraptors can be treated as smart hawks, with claws replaced by grip pads.