Limited-Edition Morphs

Limited-edition morphs are unique, one-of-a-kind models — or exceptionally rare, at the least. Crafted by skilled morph designers, each one is special in some way: select genetics, custom ware, priceless components, or simply awarded only to a select person or small group.

Hypercorp morph designers sell limited-edition morphs for vast amounts to hyper-elite customers with a burning desire to show off their taste and wealth. The most expensive limited editions sell for hundreds of times the costs of a standard morph. Some hyperelites collect them like pre-Fall artwork. These often feature expensive, cutting-edge, and/or proprietary technology — protected by fierce legal measures — to create a look that can’t be replicated. Many limited editions are well known, tracked by fans and changing hands among the elite. A few, however, are designed in secret and never publicly acknowledged.

Autonomist morph designers create limited-edition morphs to commemorate great deeds and special events or to show off their artistic skills. Some are simply presented as unique gifts to their comrades or the community at large. While some autonomists enjoy limited editions for their individuality and flair, others are critical of limited editions because they reinforce social hierarchies.

GMs are encouraged to present limited-edition morphs as rare and unique items. They may be found in the hands of the ultra-rich or special individuals or could be the focus of an art-heist scenario. PCs will rarely have the wealth or social capital to acquire their own limited editions, but they may be rewarded one in exceptional circumstances.

A few examples of limited editions are included below.

Antifa Supersoldier

The autonomist robotics collective All Cases Are Beautiful (ACAB) first made a name for itself by reverse-engineering popular innersystem case models and widely releasing open-source prints for better, improved models free of built-in design flaws. More recently, they are known for gifting versions of their prototype antifa supersoldier morph to individuals around the Solar System who have been subject to heavy persecution, imprisoned for supporting just causes, or have otherwise advanced the autonomist agenda. Most of these morphs are designed to appear as any other case morph except to the most detailed observation, allowing them to easily blend in and pursue a subversive agenda.

Antifa Supersoldier

  • WT: 7 • DUR: 35 • DR: 70
  • Insight 2, Moxie 2, Vigor 2 (4), Flex 2
  • Movement Rate: Walker 4/20
  • Ware: Access Jacks, Cortical Stack, Cyberbrain, Data Module, Eelware, Emergency Farcaster, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Vision, Fake Brainprint, Gait Mask, Grip Pads, Hidden Compartment, Implant Mask (multiple), Industrial Armor (+6/+4), Mesh Inserts, Mnemonics, Nanotat ID Flux, Neurachem, Puppet Sock, Stealth Coating
  • Morph Traits: Exotic Morphology (Level 1)
  • Notes: Light Frame (Armor 6/4, 12/8 with industrial armor), bonus from neurachem already incorporated

Heirloom

Heirlooms are modified exalts spliced with exclusive genetic material from famous historical figures. Before the Fall, eccentric and well-funded grave robbers discreetly collected DNA samples from the remains of dead celebrities, royalty, famous artists and thinkers, etc. They would even steal genetic samples from living people they deemed worthy of note. Combined with samples from known relatives/descendants, these collectors had the ability to clone and “recreate” these people, though legal restrictions prevented them from doing so except in a few outlaw countries and off-world.

After the Fall, things changed. An alliance of unscrupulous morph brokers scooped up all of the genetic collections that had made it off that they could get their claws on, stealing what they couldn’t buy. With these libraries, they created the Heirloom morph line. With the old governments shattered by the Fall, no one was in a position to oppose this, especially as they were extremely profitable and popular. Many Fall survivors want to carry a bit of old Earth with them — how better than with a famous person’s clone? Nevertheless, detractors consider heirlooms to be an invasive and ghoulish practice.

The alliance of morph brokers who sell heirlooms enforce a mutually agreed artificial scarcity in order to keep them profitable. Heirloom dealers are contractually limited to sell only a certain number of each model per quarter. Sellers who exceed this limit are dealt with harshly, via both legal and extralegal measures. If a particular heirloom is destroyed, the dealer can replace it.

Heirlooms promise 100% DNA authenticity, but in reality, most of the “clones” from the 20th century and earlier are approximations — composites blending together genetic fragments taken from the grave remains of several generations of relatives. A bit of genetic engineering and cosmetic sculpting shape each morph to look exactly like the person in question. Each Heirloom comes equipped with a database about the person on which it is based, so the ego sleeved in it is well-informed about their history and personality.

The heirlooms most in demand are photogenic celebrities from the late 20th century and later. Famous political figures are the second most popular. Intellectuals and artists have modest demand. Royalty is the least popular, as few transhumans care enough about Earth history to recognize old aristocrats on sight, but some hyperelites prefer them. A few libertine gerontocrats even commission heirlooms with the original genetic flaws left intact. At least one hunchbacked Richard III has been spotted in a Martian night club. Rumors persist that Heirlooms of infamous dictators and serial killers are available to tactful, high-paying customers.

Scum genetic engineers are known to create parody heirlooms of despised historical figures to dishonor their legacy. While most rely on cosmetic sculpting to fake the look, a few are derived from actual genetics. One swarm, for example, has a tradition of sleeving a fork of the collective member who took the most rep dings throughout the year in a Trotsky Heirloom morph, who must endure a week of beatings and abuse before being stabbed to death with icepicks at the climax of their yearly “counter-revolution” party.

Einstein Heirloom

  • WT: 7 • DUR: 35 • DR: 53
  • Insight 4, Moxie 2, Vigor 0, Flex 2
  • Movement Rate: Walker 4/20
  • Ware: Biomods, Cortical Stack, Medichines, Mesh Inserts, Oracles

The Jabberwock

Created by genetic artiste Salvador Giger for the smash-hit Lunar horror series Moonbeast, the Jabberwock is a monstrous design frequently spotted by paparazzi flying across Lunar caves. The actor who plays the creature, Ami Andi, has refused to surrender the sleeve between XP productions. Over 2 meters tall, the Jabberwock features a long neck, leathery wings, a serpentine tail, glistening scales, fierce fangs, and wicked curved claws. Rumors that an exhuman managed to steal and recreate Giger’s designs have been thoroughly quashed.

Jabberwock

  • WT: 12 • DUR: 60 • DR: 90
  • Insight 2, Moxie 2, Vigor 4 (6), Flex 4
  • Movement Rate: Walker 4/20, Winged 8/32
  • Ware: Access Jacks, Chameleon Skin, Claws, Cold Tolerance, Cortical Stack, Cyberbrain, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Respiration, Enhanced Vision, Hibernation, Medichines, Mesh Inserts, Mnemonics, Neurachem, Oxygen Reserve, Pain Regulator, Prehensile Tail, Puppet Sock, Sonar, Vacuum Sealing, Wings
  • Morph Traits: Exotic Morphology (Level 3)
  • Notes: Large Size (+10 to spot/hit). Claws DV 4d6, Armor-Piercing; Bite DV 3d6 Armor-Piercing. Bonus from neurachem already incorporated.

The Pantheon

Hyperelite designer Venturi Ballard created the ultimate limited- edition line of morphs: a series of unique skins, each themed after a different celestial object. Currently, there is one morph for every inhabited planet and most of the heavily populated moons in the Solar System. Ballard goes to great lengths to build each morph on the planet or moon it represents, using only resources from that location. They also employ strict legal and technological safeguards to ensure the morph stays there. Wearers of pantheon morphs must sign contracts agreeing never to take the morph off their planet/ moon of origin. Rumors suggest that Ballard also employs Ultimate mercenaries and other extreme measures to make sure these obligations are met. This quirk has made the Pantheon even more famous and sparked debates over whether Ballard has the legal authority to enforce such restrictions on morphs he designs.

The launch of each new Pantheon morph is a major media event, with gala balls, auctions, behind-the-scenes drama, and political protests from activists who consider the whole affair a tremendous waste of resources. Since their unveiling, the morphs have become celebrities themselves, regardless of the ego sleeved in them. Bloggers, x-casters, and paparazzi follow the Pantheon morphs, keeping track of their movements and the egos sleeved in them. Even past owners of the Pantheon morphs attract stalkers, particularly ones that fans hate or love. The Pantheon fan base argues endlessly about who deserves to be sleeved in one and who should be banned. The fans even stalk egos that used drugs or engaged in risky behavior that allegedly put the morph in danger. The most devoted fans believe the morphs have feelings independent of the ego and write elaborate fan fiction about them.

Ballard has released a Pantheon morph for Mercury, Venus, Luna, Mars, Europa, Titan, Oberon, and Titania. Each is a biomorph suitable for its locale. There is no Earth Pantheon morph, as Ballard has said it would only be right when the Earth can be inhabited again by transhumans. The Jovian Republic has prohibited Ballard from creating any Pantheon morphs for its territory. Ballard is rumored to be creating new Pantheon morphs for exoplanets like Sky Ark and Ascension.

Venus Pantheon

The Venus Pantheon morph is a heavily modified female Venusian glider morph, with a unique retractable gliding membrane. Its appearance is striking, with skin and hair colored to resemble the skies of Venus, a brilliant combination of white, ochre, and yellow. The morph is hand-tattooed with symbols from ancient depictions of Venus, including Mayan and Chinese star maps. The most striking feature is the Morning Star, which appears to be a small glowing star that orbits the morph. Most likely a custom-built bot, some fans believe it is an alien artifact secretly recovered from the surface of Venus. The Venus morph is currently located on the Octavia aerostat, owned by the mayor, Halis Sapien, who loans the morph out to friends and visiting celebrities. Some popular socialites have traveled all the way from Titan just for a chance to sleeve it.

Venus Pantheon

  • WT: 8 • DUR: 40 • DR: 60
  • Insight 2, Moxie 4, Vigor 1, Flex 1
  • Movement Rate: Walker 4/12, Glider 8/32
  • Ware: Biomods, Clean Metabolism, Cortical Stack, Energy Efficiency, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Respiration, Enhanced Vision, Gliding Membranes, Enhanced Vision, Medichines, Mesh Inserts, Nanophages, Oxygen Reserve, Respirocytes, Vacuum Sealing
  • Morph Traits: Exotic Morphology (Level 1), Limberness (Level 2), Rapid Healing, Striking Looks (Level 2)

TITAN Busters

The Barsoomian TITAN Busters collective fights the good fight against the remnants of the TITAN presence on Mars, often operating inside the TQZ itself. In order to bolster recruitment, the collective rewards those who survive six months of active service with a TITAN Buster morph — usually a fury morph with specialized unit decals tattooed or etched on the skin, but sometimes other morphs. The sleeve also comes with a crypto-signed copy of the collective’s non-flashy AR visuals, so the recipient can display their achievement in their social media profile even when they’re in a different morph. The collective doesn’t only reward fighters; it makes an effort to also recognize people who support the operation with essential services even if they’ve never fired a gun.

TITAN Busters

  • WT: 10 • DUR: 50 • DR: 75
  • Insight 1, Moxie 1, Vigor 4, Flex 3
  • Movement Rate: Walker 4/20
  • Ware: Biomods, Claws, Cold Tolerance, Cortical Stack, Dead Switch, Dermal Armor (+4/+5), Enhanced Respiration, Enhanced Vision, Medichines, Mesh Inserts, Nanophages, Stress Control, Toxin Filters, T-Ray Emitter
  • Notes: At the GM’s discretion, bearers of a TITAN Buster morph may receive a +10 to +30 modifier on @-rep tests.