RPPR Illustrated: Cointract Island - The Leftover and Project HATHOR

The Leftover

The Leftover began in Cointract Island’s secret lab as an experiment to grant the regenerative healing of axolotl to humans. The test subject gained incredible healing but fell into a deep coma. It seemed the healing overrode the subject’s memories ‘healing’ them to a blank slate. Later, a scientist in the lab died from an accident. Rather than let the corpse go to waste, the scientific team tried a brain transplant, theorizing the healing properties of the test subject would allow it to accept the new brain easily. The test subject awoke with some of the dead scientist’s memories and most of his scientific knowledge. It was nicknamed the Leftover. 

Over the next few months, the creature began implanting himself with spare cybernetic parts. He was obsessed with personal power and strength. He never wanted to feel as vulnerable as he did when he first woke up. He became a trustee of the lab, helping the scientists with their work, but secretly plotting against them. He was put in charge of disposing of failed experiments and hunting down escaped test subjects. He built a harpoon crossbow that allowed him to reel in any target he struck with a chain reel. The Leftover built a secret workshop and body pit in the forest south of the secret lab. He wants to build an army of enslaved chimera so he can take over the island. 

The Leftover is a tall and massive cyborg with weird pale flesh. On his left arm is a harpoon crossbow, with a bolt attached to a chain reel on his forearm. If destroyed or slain, the Leftover regenerates and comes back to life within six hours unless his body is completely destroyed. 

Project HATHOR and Dryads

Cointract researchers saw a bottleneck in their plan to bring chimera to market. Making a wild chimera into a tame Cointracter requires expensive cybernetic implants and surgery. What if a chimera could be controlled through a drug/pheromone treatment? Project HATHOR was an attempt to create a single chimera that could control/domesticate countless other chimera by releasing pheromones. Their first experiment was Hathor, a unique chimera that blended multiple organisms and plants together. The result looked vaguely, a seven foot humanoid that grew flowers on its body. Hathor has human intelligence and can speak. The flowers released pollen with a powerful hypnotic effect. The pollen worked but only temporarily. Chimera had to be dosed every week or they would go feral. Hathor was too expensive to build en masse, so researchers worked on a cheaper version.

Dryads are genetically modified humans. Only subjects assigned female at birth can be modified by this treatment. Subjects are lowered into a tank of experimental drugs derived from Hathor’s genetic material. After three days, the subject’s flesh resembles wood and flowers begin to grow on their skin. They retain their memories and identity but lose the ability to speak. If the treatment is interrupted before three days are up, the subject remains human, although their skin color could permanently become brown or green. 

They gain strength and speed and can easily camouflage themselves in any wild environment. Cointract researchers believed they could ‘hire’ people as dryads and have them act as chimera wranglers. The project is still in testing because corporate executives are unsure how to handle the numerous legal and political issues brought on by genetically modifying humans to that extent. It is unknown if the process can be reversed. 

Art by Patsy McDowell