New update on pending changes.
For 1.5.2, alongside DFHack compatibility, I want to add each of the Necromundan Houses as plug-ins, each with separate creature and civ entries as well as graphics. So if you want to play Delaque, Escher, Goliath, Van Saar and Cawdor you'll be able to do that and get thematic benefits and penalties for that. Now, I've got a pretty good handle on what I want to do for most of the Houses as far as mechanical stuff goes: Orlock (which will continue to be the default house) will get a significant bonus to mining skill gain as well as a small bonus to smelting efficiency. Escher will get a bonus to agility and to melee skills for females and an across-the-board penalty on everything for males as well as a lower population ratio (due to a genetic abnormality). Goliath will get significant bonuses to strength and toughness for males but females will get reduced skill gain rate for selected skills (in this case, to represent regressive cultural practices rather than genetic abnormalities.) Cawdor will be friendly with Redemptionists and hostile to Ratskins, and will be able to outfit their gangers with powerful flamethrowers (in the form of a fairly long-lasting transformation.) Van Saar will get a relatively minor but still significant boost to skill gain for all industrial/crafting skills.
Now, the main problem is that I'm unsure of what to give the Delaques. They'll be getting cave adaptation for sure, to represent their sensitivity to light, but I'm not sure what bonuses to give them. In the fluff, they're all about spycraft and information brokering, but I'm not sure how to translate this to DF. Any help whatsoever with this will be greatly appreciated. Additionally, the reason I want to do them as plug-ins and not have all the Houses in-game simultaneously as separate civs is because I'm concerned about players getting swamped by caravans/sieges/ambushes. If anyone knows of a method to have all the civs in-game whilst avoiding that, I would appreciate having that information passed on.
In addition to all of that, each of the Houses will have separate wardrobes and armouries and available trade goods where appropriate (Goliaths getting access to large two-handed weapons, Cawdor getting flamer fuel from caravans, etc.) Furthermore, there will be a new Rival Ganger civ dependent on which House you choose, who will bother you with everything from theft to sieges. (It's gonna be Orlock vs. Delaque, Goliath vs. Escher and Cawdor vs. Van Saar as the odd ones out.) As always, please keep me current to any of your thoughts, concerns and wishes for the mod.