Homines Immutati

The term ‘immutati’, which means ‘the unaltered’, is mostly used to refer to the poorer strata of the Roman Imperium who have remained physically unchanged over the past three centuries. The vast majority of them are plebs or provincials who lack the means to produce genetically engineered children.

The number of immutati patricians and wealthy plebs have been steadily decreasing over the past three hundred years. A thousand years after Rome’s founding, only a handful of them remain: the staunch traditionalists who refuse to “taint” their bloodlines with genetic tampering, and their children, who may or may not hold the same belief. Unsurprisingly, they tend to be very popular with the immutati populace, and they’re usually smart enough to capitalize on this.

Very few immutati are slaves, as creati have become plentiful and cheap, and are typically much more agreeable to servitude and thus less likely to revolt.

History

Initially, while some immutati plebs envied the mutati of the upper class, most resented them and their monstrous creations, the chimaeras; viewing the former as wealthy elitists who cast away their humanity to achieve their own idea of perfection, and the latter as subhuman abominations. Many of the immutati have been displaced from their farms by wealthy mutati, and forced to instead try to eke out a living in the cities. Their pent up frustrations frequently resulted in riots, where any unfortunate mutati or chimaera they managed to get their hands on was likely to get lynched. However, the chimaeras eventually became much better able to defend themselves, and even retaliate, due to their growing numbers, and their presence became increasingly normalized throughout the Imperium. Over time, the immutati came to begrudgingly accept their existence. By Rome’s 11th century, most immutati have come to view them as their equals, but their resentment for the mutati of the upper class remains.

Demographics

Homines immutati make up 57.4% of the Imperium’s population and 73.7% of Rome's population. The number of males and females are roughly equal. About 5% of homines immutati are slaves.