Apes, a branch of primates consisting of two species of chimpanzees, two species of gorillas, three species of orangutans, nineteen species of gibbons, and three species of humans. The human species - tall folk, elves, and dwarves - share a relatively recent common ancestor with the rest of apes, however due to their superior intelligence they consider themselves far above their hairy cousins.
But what if something happened, maybe some mutant virus, maybe a freak temporal loop, perhaps punishment from above, that gave apes intelligence above that of humans? What if the apes could raise castles, forge swords, ride horses into battles? Would they resist the temptation to strike back at their hairless relatives (and goblins) who used to look down on them in the past?
Introducing:
Fortress of the Apes
or, proving Doctor Zaius right
Finally, a mod that I'm not reluctant to consider finished! It's a small one, but still.
Fortress of the Apes adds a single invader civilization, and that's it; not even any new weapons, just the basics. It's obviously inspired by Planet of the Apes franchise, especially the original pentalogy.
The ape civilization consists of a few distinct species:
-Chimpanzees - on average stronger and more intelligent than dwarves, those apes are the most common species, and also capable of holding most positions of power in the ape society. They learn all skills faster than other races, and can enter martial trances. Being the same size as dwarves, they are worthy opponents even for well-established fortresses, but also powerful allies, should some of them decide to change sides. They are a particularly vengeful and cruel breed.
-Gorillas - the greatest of great apes, larger than the tall folks, and strong even for creatures their size. Gorillas learn basic combat skills quickly, but they cannot enter martial trances because ultimately they do not share the aggressive nature of chimpanzees. Even so, gorillas are traditionally the millitary leaders in the ape society, usually due to their great strength and imposing appearance rather than exceptional cunning (which, don't get me wrong, is still great by human standards).
-Orangutans - calm, collected, philosophical, and somewhat withdrawn. These human-sized apes, while not as intelligent as chimpanzees, exceed them in wisdom and patience, which makes them natural thinkers. They are also drawn to medicine, and to a lesser extent leadership.
-Bonobo - these dwarf chimpanzees may appear simillar to their close relatives, however their brains work completely differently - while chimpanzees are cruel and war-like, bonobos are peaceful and cheerful. Also extremely lustful. They are just slightly smaller than dwarves, cannot enter trances, and do not like fighting. They are good at learning various forms of crafts, making use of their bright minds and dexterous hands.
-Gibbons (white-handed kind) - the small apes may not out-think a dwarf, their arms are long and thin, and they are almost ten times smaller than a typical tall man, but the gibbons compensate it all with their spirit. They are happy to entertain others with their dances, songs and poetry. They can only carry spears, blowguns and daggers, which MAY be a problem, but we'll see.
The ape civilization have not reached as deep underground as to steal the secret of metallurgy from dwarves, and as a consequence they cannot make steel.
