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Test Hunc — Description

The incessant experimenting, questioning and all around meddling of the Academy and its arms cannot be overstated. It is an organization that strives to answer the many mysteries of this world and learn how to master each and every one of them. While there are broad questions that are pondered by the likes of Philosopher and Scholar, the Academy does not let anything escape through vagueries. Within a single question are a dozen others, and inside those are dozens of more tiny details. It is not enough to understand something from the surface level, they need to cut it open, pull it apart and figure out every last bit and bone. Thus, it would seem that the grand task of the Academy of Veritas Mundus is unending, a futile effort to truly understand all, sending its members on a ceaseless march of exploration in which there will never be a conclusion. To some, this would sound like insanity, a doomed quest, but to the members of the Academy, that is the thrill. In this organization, everything is possible, nothing is taboo (unless banned for obvious safety and/or funding concerns). All avenues must be explored, all possibilities considered thoroughly. There is a never ending supply of inspiration and subjects for members to dive into, and those obsessed with insanely specific fields or methods will find themselves at home here. A research lab of a hundred Alchemists could all be working on the same subject, yet each of their methods and equipment could be unique, making it seem like they aren't even connected. Collaboration and competition exist in equal parts, further fueling exploration and discovery. Thus, there is always work to be done, new things to try and insane theories to pursue.
It is one thing to hear about this obsession of Academy members, but it is another thing entirely to see it. Visiting a busy research hall serves as a chaotic reminder of why people view the Academy as the Church's opposite. The Church's grand cathedrals are solemn and serious places, where the flock gathers and acts as one within this golden sanctuaries. It is a place of conformation, where all is united into one being to serve a single great purpose. But in an Academy research hall, and it looks like a madhouse in comparison. Labs are wildly different from one another, with some sterile and precise, while others a mess of fluids, flailing test subjects and, hopefully on purpose, explosions. Man and homunculus rush about as they gather materials, deliver papers and tend to a variety of experiments. Members rant and mutter, sometimes to an audience and sometimes to themselves. It appears to be total chaos, yet it is far from it. This mad dance is one that only they understand, the complex and intricate systems they tend to remain baffling to outsiders because the busy researchers cannot be bothered to dress it up into something presentable. Who cares what the "tourists" think? There is work to be done! With that, their research continues and their constant quest for breakthroughs marches on.
Perhaps one of the best living embodiments of the erratic obsessive nature of the Academy are the "Test Huncs." One look at their general appearance and those freaky staring eyes tells you that they are refined homunculi, those whose creation has been tweaked to make them a bit more human. While many are churned out to act as workers and soldiers, some get the "honor" of being test subjects. Of course, the Academy is not above human testing, but the fact of the matter is that resource is quite pricey, limited and doesn't give the greatest impression. Having a human subject explode into a gory shower due to a failed super charged heart transplant can no doubt hurt the Academy image, but it is also wasteful. It is best that humans are used with cleared test methods and approved experiments, ones that at least have the chance of working. Animals and grown flesh can take some of the brunt of trial-and-error, but certain methods call for something more humanoid. Thus, the refined homunculi take that place, serving as lab fodder for trials and surgeries. But, of course, they are not a perfect 1:1 to man, thus modifications are required.
These homunculi tend to have human parts added to them, either through surgery or introduced during their growing process. Corpses of man are far more plentiful, especially in this age of war, and thus ingredients are harvested to help bolster the flesh of these homunculi. Crude skeletons develop, sturdier flesh and thicker skin grow, all of which helps make them better test subjects. As for what they are used to test? Well, just about anything. From artificial organa, limb transplants, fluid infusions, prosthetics to the classic "what if..." or "eh, why not..." way of thinking. Pretty much anything is open game, and since these homunculi are a bit more malleable and adaptable, they can survive multiple experiments. But of course, a researcher would never limit themselves to just one idea! Thus, these subjects tend to have a collection of different augments and attachments on them, as their masters try techniques or satisfy morbid curiosities. This resulted in their unofficial name of "Huncs" amongst staff, referring them to a hunk of meat that is thrown onto an operating table whenever someone wants to try something out. This also refers to their imposing size, mass and appearance after an individual has successfully survived multiple experiments.
At a certain point, the Test Hunc of a researcher subtly changes from "sack of meat for testing" to "chunk of muscle for dirty work." Dozens of augments bolster them into something beefy, and depending on what has been done to them, different roles open up. They can work well for heavy lifting, wrangling feisty test subjects, fighting off ignorant fools and just be all around intimidating. Researchers start treating them as hired muscle or bodyguards, often having them close by when traveling through dangerous regions or unaligned towns. The towering and monstrous nature of these brutes help shut up the obnoxious rabble and crack skulls when bandits try to score some coin. And with the chaotic nature of their creation, no two Huncs are alike, meaning you never know what you are fighting until the stitched cloaks come off. Even then, it is still hard to tell until some random orifice or device on their body opens up and starts shooting some insane projectile or fluid.
It should be mentioned that in public, Huncs are always cloaked and covered, their patchwork bodies hidden from the eyes of the people. Even those with more presentable features are forced to wear some kind of mask or face covering. This was not always the case, as it used to be that traveling researchers would have their experimental bodyguards exposed for all the world to see. However, an infamous incident occurred one day when an Alchemist was strolling through a market with their Hunc in search of ingredients. A noble woman that crossed their path suddenly began to shriek at the piece of meat, creating one hell of a scene. As it would turn out, she had recently gotten news that her son had died in battle, and her mental state was not in the greatest place. This Hunc that she saw bore some more human features to it, with attempts to sculpt a face from its shapeless head. Her distraught mind interpreted this crude visage as the face of her son, and she suddenly believed that the Alchemist had stolen the corpse of her son and turned it into this meat slave. The accused Alchemist swore that he had done no such thing, but the chaos of the scene and poor reputation of the Academy in the field of human testing overruled this. Though they were aware this accusation had no base, the Archons still put in the order that all Test Huncs be covered, especially the face, to avoid any more unneeded drama.
Though stronger and more variable than the average refined homunculus, Test Huncs are not often thrown onto the field of battle. The war is a meat grinder and the efforts to build up these homunculi into these more impressive specimens would be wasted in the chaos. Rather, the Acadamy and its members keep them as bodyguards, hunters and an intimidating factor. When negotiations are done with seedier groups, the member sent to these talks may be flanked by these Huncs. When a troublesome target is hunted down, a Hunc may be amongst the collectors. And if a researcher is low on coin and desperate for some quick funds, their Hunc may be tossed into a fighting ring to win some bets. They are a slapdash, unpredictable and strange product of the Academy, and their wide variety of uses reflect it well.