I Met a Modhuman Once
Some old ideas, written up in a readable fashion. Once again, no real plot. This is just me presenting some ideas for a character in a formal narrative, as opposed to random notes. Might interest some people, I dunno. Enjoy.
I recall meeting a modhuman once. It was during a party hosted by one Madame Joanavique. I had been invited by a friend, and arrived halfway through the evening. The music was fine, and the wine good, and it was while making light banter with an ambassador from Mornall on Jaxis XII that I met our host.
She was dressed in a fine silver dress, encrusted with gems. I greeted her, and complimented her choice of wine, as is my wont. But I found myself glancing occasionally at what I at first assumed was her bodyguard: a great brute of a man, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts with a loaded gun-holster, and a black collar. He was the modhuman with which this account is concerned, you see. He stood as tall as you or I, and was covered head-to-toe with fur. He had strong muscles clearly visible beneath the thin fur on his chest, and had I a muscle chart I could've identified every one of them. In some ways he put me in mind of the Greek statues of antiquity.
In others he differed more clearly from the norm: his legs were the bent, animal-like kind of a canine. His head also, and his tail, all indicated him to be some kind of dog-man. However, I think myself good at dog breeds, but I could not place him. The pattern of his fur said "husky", but its colour was a curious blend of orange, brown, white and grey. There was also a harshness to his gaze which put me in mind of a wolf, which hardly seems unlikely given the circumstances of his birth.
I quizzed Madame on the nature of her guard, as I have often found myself fascinated by the modhuman concept and have always wanted to meet one. She answered my questions most politely and clearly, obviously enjoying having something to talk about besides politics or shareholders.
His name was Daniel, though she did not introduce him to me. He could not speak English, or any other language for that matter, though he understood the former. She told me that he was more a dog than a man, not that she really minded, as he was unwaveringly loyal. At this point she also warned me not to approach him too readily, as he could be a bit "testy" around strangers.
She told me he was a gift from her late father (one Henry Joanavique), who commissioned Daniel's birth during the Ku'rani Conflict. 3 years later, her father gave Daniel to her as a present for her 5th birthday. At the time, Daniel was still the size of a child, and barely taller than Madame herself. Her father told the servants that Daniel was her responsibility, so she alone had to look after him all through her childhood. According to Madame, it was not as hard as it may have sounded, as Daniel was smart enough to look after himself a lot of the time, but he still needed attention.
By her teens he was already as tall as he was when I met him, and was unerringly protective of the Lady. It was around this time that his training became apparent: her father (by then deceased) had requested much the same kind of training as the Ku'rani modtroopers. She learned that Daniel was qualified to do many things, including drive a car, perform CPR and other basic emergency procedures, and use and maintain firearms.
She confided in me that despite his skills, he could still be a bit slow-witted and dumb occasionally. She said that he never seemed to understand what he was doing, and as an example explained that if she asked, he would murder anyone in the room without so much as flinching.
Morbid it may sound, but I was fascinated. I would've liked to have investigated further, but sadly Madame soon bustled away to speak to a foreign dignitary of some kind, and I could learn no more. Perhaps I could contact her some time, but it seems rude to take more of an interest in the lady's pet than the lady herself.