Metahumanity: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:13, 23 October 2025

Metagenetics

Metagenetics present themselves as phenotype differences, all stemming from the same "Homo sapiens", as you can see below in each category. The phenotypical difference is caused by the return of magic in 2011, activating or modifying DNA strains previously dormant. Philosophical and scientific debate continues in the Sixth World on this topic, as more is uncovered about Metagenetics, but in this article you'll find the baseline assumptions as they are currently made in canon lore.

In game terms, metahuman characters generally have abilities beyond those of normal humans, such as increased strength or agility, improved vision, etc. They will also present differently visually, like a troll's horns, or an elf's pointed ears. And because of these phenotypical differences, those not classified as "Homo sapiens sapiens" (aka 'normal humans') are often the target of discrimination in the Sixth World.

Lastly, the phenotypical differences don't just end there, and within each Metatype you'll find a number of different Metavariants, each presenting a unique phenotypical profile often linked to a region or an ancestry.

Metatypes and Metavariants

Dwarves

Homo sapiens pumilionis.
There are currently six known variants of the Dwarven Metatype:

Gnomes: Central European Dwarf

Harumen: Dwarven variant from India with monkey-like appearance

Korobokuru: Japanese Dwarven variant

Menehune: Hawaiʻian Dwarf

Querx: Variant from Saxony in the Allied German States

Duende (Dour): Variant in 6th Edition in the Philippines, West Africa, and Peru

Elves

Homo sapiens nobilis.
There are at least five known variants of the Elven Metatype:

Dalakitnon: Elf variant from the Philippines

Dryads: All-female variant of the Elven species

Nocturna (Night Ones): European Elf noted for fine dark-coloured fur

Wakyambi: Dark-skinned Elves of Africa

Xapiri Thëpë: Elf variant with green spots (chlorophyl) on their skin, native to Amazonia

Trolls

Homo sapiens ingentis.
There are at least four known variants of the Troll Metatype:

Cyclops: One-eyed Mediterranean Troll

Fomori: Irish Celtic Troll

Giants: Nordic Troll

Minotaurs: Rare Mediterranean Troll

Orks

Homo sapiens robustus.
There are at least four known variants of the Ork Metatype:

Hobgoblins: Middle Eastern Ork variant

Ogres: European Ork sub-group

Oni: Japanese Ork

Satyr: Mediterranean Ork

Other Sentient Lifeforms

With the return of magic, other lifeforms were discovered and classified over time, often not classified or misclassified for many years. Below you will find a list of them, with short descriptions. For more information, go to each individual article.

In game rules, these alternate sentient lifeforms can be chosen by players as playable 'races', but they remain distinct from Metahumanity despite their sentience.

Pixies

Sasquatches

Infected (HMHVV)

HMHVV (Human Meta-Human Vampiric Virus) impacts each metatype slightly different, not to mention each individual strain of HMHVV.

Note than the HMHVV-III strain always turns its metahuman victim into a Ghoul.

	HMHVV-I	HMHVV-II	HMHVV-1A
Human	Vampire	Loup-garou	Nosferatu
Elf	Banshee	Harvester	- ¹
Dwarf	Goblin	Gnawer	-
Ork	Wendigo	Grendel	-
Troll	Dzoo-noo-qua	Fomóraig	Mutaqua
Effects on Non-Metahuman species
Sasquatch	Jabberwock	Bandersnatch	-
Centaur	Chiron	-	-
Merrow	Nibiinaabe	-	-
Naga	Lamia	-	-
Koala	-	Drop Bear ²	-
¹ - One recorded case of a Nosferatu ² - Uninfected carrier

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Metahuman is varyingly used in the [[Shadowrun]] universe to describe either humans and the other metatypes as a single group, or to refer to elves, dwarves, orks and trolls as separate from Homo sapiens sapiens. Although the word metahuman is increasingly reclaimed in-universe for the former definition, this article deals with them primarily in the latter sense.
+== Metagenetics ==
+Metagenetics present themselves as phenotype differences, all stemming from the same "Homo sapiens", as you can see below in each category. The phenotypical difference is caused by the return of magic in 2011, activating or modifying DNA strains previously dormant. Philosophical and scientific debate continues in the Sixth World on this topic, as more is uncovered about Metagenetics, but in this article you'll find the baseline assumptions as they are currently made in canon lore.
-Metahumans are described as being subspecies of Homo sapiens who began emerging following the return of magic in 2011 and generally have been the targets of racism throughout their existence. In game terms, metahuman characters generally have abilities beyond those of normal humans, such as increased strength or agility, improved vision, etc.
+In game terms, metahuman characters generally have abilities beyond those of normal humans, such as increased strength or agility, improved vision, etc. They will also present differently visually, like a troll's horns, or an elf's pointed ears. And because of these phenotypical differences, those not classified as "Homo sapiens sapiens" (aka 'normal humans') are often the target of discrimination in the Sixth World.
-== Major Classifications in Metagenetics ==
+Lastly, the phenotypical differences don't just end there, and within each Metatype you'll find a number of different Metavariants, each presenting a unique phenotypical profile often linked to a region or an ancestry.
-=== Dwarves ===
+== Metatypes and Metavariants ==
+=== [[Dwarf|Dwarves]] ===
+''Homo sapiens pumilionis.''<br>
 There are currently six known variants of the Dwarven Metatype:<br>
 : [[Gnomes]]: Central European Dwarf<br>
@@ Line 13: / Line 17: @@
 : [[Duende]] (Dour): Variant in 6th Edition in the Philippines, West Africa, and Peru<br>
-=== Elves ===
+=== [[Elf|Elves]] ===
+'' Homo sapiens nobilis.''<br>
+There are at least five known variants of the Elven Metatype:
+: [[Dalakitnon]]: Elf variant from the Philippines
+: [[Dryads]]: All-female variant of the Elven species
+: [[Nocturn]]a (Night Ones): European Elf noted for fine dark-coloured fur
+: [[Wakyambi]]: Dark-skinned Elves of Africa
+: [[Xapiri Thëpë]]: Elf variant with green spots (chlorophyl) on their skin, native to Amazonia
+=== [[Troll|Trolls]] ===
+''Homo sapiens ingentis.''<br>
+There are at least four known variants of the Troll Metatype:
+: [[Cyclops]]: One-eyed Mediterranean Troll
+: [[Fomori]]: Irish Celtic Troll
+: [[Giants]]: Nordic Troll
+: [[Minotaurs]]: Rare Mediterranean Troll
+=== [[Ork|Orks]] ===
+''Homo sapiens robustus.''<br>
+There are at least four known variants of the Ork Metatype:
+: [[Hobgoblins]]: Middle Eastern Ork variant
+: [[Ogres]]: European Ork sub-group
+: [[Oni]]: Japanese Ork
+: [[Satyr]]: Mediterranean Ork
-=== Trolls ===
+== Other Sentient Lifeforms ==
+With the return of magic, other lifeforms were discovered and classified over time, often not classified or misclassified for many years. Below you will find a list of them, with short descriptions. For more information, go to each individual article.
-=== Orcs ===
+In game rules, these alternate sentient lifeforms can be chosen by players as playable 'races', but they remain distinct from Metahumanity despite their sentience.
-=== Others ===
+=== [[Pixie|Pixies]] ===
-== Metavariants ==
+=== [[Sasquatch|Sasquatches]] ===
 == Infected (HMHVV) ==
+[[HMHVV]] (Human Meta-Human Vampiric Virus) impacts each metatype slightly different, not to mention each individual strain of HMHVV.
+Note than the HMHVV-III strain '''always''' turns its metahuman victim into a [[Ghoul]].
+{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;"
+! || HMHVV-I || HMHVV-II || HMHVV-1A
+|-
+| [[Human]] || Vampire || Loup-garou || Nosferatu
+|-
+| [[Elf]] || Banshee || Harvester || - <sup>1</sup>
+|-
+| [[Dwarf]] || Goblin || Gnawer || -
+|-
+| [[Ork]] || Wendigo || Grendel || -
+|-
+| [[Troll]] || Dzoo-noo-qua || Fomóraig || Mutaqua
+|-
+! colspan="4" | Effects on Non-Metahuman species
+|-
+| [[Sasquatch]] || Jabberwock || Bandersnatch || -
+|-
+| [[Centaur]] || Chiron || - || -
+|-
+| [[Merrow]] || Nibiinaabe || - || -
+|-
+| [[Naga]] || Lamia || - || -
+|-
+| [[Koala]] || - || [[Drop Bear]] <sup>2</sup> || -
+|-
+| colspan="4" | <sup>1</sup> - One recorded case of a Nosferatu <br> <sup>2</sup> - Uninfected carrier
+|}
 == Legalities around the World ==