This is an idea for a new species of Night Creature; Mutants.
Mutants, unlike other night creatures, are not made in world generation. Rather, they can be created by certain megabeasts that have a new type of attack, a bite that will cause those afflicted to be mutated. The ability will be described as "Beware its mutating toxin!"
The ability acts in the same way as a poisonous bite, only afflicting things bitten by it.
When something is affected by the toxin, they will not feel any negative affects at first, but they will slowly mutate over the span of a few months (2-3 at the least), but that's only if the body puts up a fight. Depending on how strong the dwarf or person is to resisting diseases and illnesses, the mutation can take less than a month, or even can be fought off entirely. Nevertheless, You will be able to see the extent of the mutation's affects in the injuries tab, and these affects will also foreshadow what mutations will eventually overcome whatever is taken over. These mutations are generated randomly by the game, and can affect even livestock.
Mutants can naturally approach and attack your fortress once you reach a population of 65, 40,000 created wealth, and 4,000 exported wealth. They will randomly be chosen by one of the mutation affects present in the world.
Here are some examples of mutations that can overtake your dwarves.
- Massive swelling will overtake the body, leading to the body to be covered by large warts and blobs of flesh.
- Black sludge replaces their veins, small maggots and other hostile creatures periodically crawling out of any open wounds or severed limbs.
- Their body is merged with some form of large object, like a cabinet, bed, chest, siege ammo or even a loaded ballista.
- Their limbs and body parts can be formed into what amounts to maces or whips.
- Their body will form around their armor, turning it into essentially a metal ribcage.
Please share your opinions on my ideas!