FRANKENCHICKEN PILOT
As the country's most famous and prolific fast food company, Crispy Aussie Chook (C.A.C.) maintains the highest quality standards that its customers deserve. Unfortunately, their customers don't realise that they deserve tainted, genetically modified, and altogether non-chicken material in their 'Fun Fried Fancy' packs. As part of their new marketing strategy, C.A.C. is seeking a mascot that epitomises the essence of their company: country-fresh, with just a 'touch' of enhancement.
Protowilson
A generally cynical character and the brains of the Group, Protowilson is not afraid to voice her opinions about anything and everything.
She does not have Frankenchicken's natural rapport with others, and some find her cross and intimidating.
Irasible, blunt and shrewd; if she isn't bursting a blood vessel over Frankenchicken's antics, then she's digging up some dirt on C.A.C...and very dirty dirt it is too!
The Dog
A cast-off from the 'smoking beagle' experiments, the Dog has been fitted with a special collar that functions as an artificial larynx.
This enables him to achieve perfect mimicry of any sound, making him the only choice for the Group's Communications.
The Dog, however, has a set of titanium teeth and attitude problem that makes him surly, unapproachable and unco-operative at the best of times.
Roah
Considered an outcast by other ravens, Roah has the unique ability to see things in ways that no other raven can. This is not only due to his cybernetic eye implant, but also as a result of the eye he was born with.
Inquisitive, innocent and eager to please, he leaves himself open to appalling sarcasm and general bad humour from the Dog.
However, as the Group's "eyes", and with his army of Sparrows, his value is incalculable.
The Chimera
One of the more ghastly experiments conducted by C.A.C. in their produce development centre, the Chimera is an organic trine-splice of a rat, a chicken, and a rabbit. It lives in the Warehouse in a semi-somnolent paramnesia, its eyes sewn closed, and speaks with a chorus of voices.
Recondite, distressed and despairing, the Chimera is viewed by the others as a being with almost telepathic knowledge, and a powerful talisman against opposing forces.
Rat Queen
The leader of the Brown Rats, she is watchful of the Group and their presence in her territory. She is a relutant participant in their efforts out of a sense of duty to Protowilson for replacing her damaged eye with a cybernetic implant. The Rat Queen guards against the Black Rats, who seek to expand their own territory into her own. Suspicious, and prodigious in size and manner; the others are very wary of her, and there is a particularly strong animosity between her and The Dog.
The Ants
Freed from an ant farm in the local pet store, the Ants were more than keen to become the administrators of the Group, monitoring supplies, maintaining the Warehouse, and assisting Protowilson in some of the more detailed actions of the Group. Apart from their relatively colossal hive-queen, the Ants are seemingly identical to each other, and only Frankenchicken can tell them apart. Relaxed, practical, and clear-headed; the others are content to relinquish the more mundane matters to them in total trust.
The Red Haired Woman
An unidentified human female who is seen in close proximity to members of the Group when outside the Warehouse. She does not speak, and is visible to others only because she chooses to be.
Her motives are unclear, but appear to parallel those of the Group.
Stealthy, fast, and agile; the others regards her with a mixture of uncertainty, curiosity, and gratitude.
The Sparrows
This loud-mouthed bunch operates under the illusion of the control of Roah in the Surveillance team. Having access to most areas of the city, they have a comprehensive idea of the day-to-day operations in Cinis.
Led by Big Bib, with his off-siders Half Bib and Quarter Bib.
Doughty, excitable, and convivial, they can be too boistrous for most of the others, and a pain in the cloaca for Roah.
The Mercenary
The hired gun of the Big Corporations, the Mercenary is committed to hunting down and eliminating the Group simply because he is being paid extremely well to do so.
Ruthless, relentless and amoral; the others view him with fear and hatred.
The Runt
As his name suggests, the Runt is a pariah amongst the Roaches. Unlike his brethren who bully and mistreat him, he is kindly regarded by other members of the Group.
He hides a natural affinity for micro-electronics and nanotechnology that even Protowilson cannot match.
When not being repressed, he is gregarious, nervous and eager to be part of the Group.
The Bats
Quasi-religious and abstruse, the Bats are fascinated hangers-on of the Group. Spouting riddle-like statements and near worshipping Frankenchicken, they freak the others out regularly.
Intense, persistent and unsettling. The only one who can handle them is the Bat Shaman.
The Roaches
Bred in one of MM Technology's laboratories to withstand extreme levels of radiation, starvation and dehydration, the Roaches are almost indestructible.
Under the iron fist of The Boss, they instil unease in others with their emotionless attitudes.
They are taciturn, outwardly dispassionate and calculating.
The Bat Shaman
The Bat Shaman is lucid where her charges are mad. She stands at the nexus point of past and future, seeing all possible outcomes, but forbidden to speak of any. Frankenchicken is of special interest to her, but she watches each member of the Group closely.
Calm, patient and wise, she bears her role with a studied, if sad fortitude.
CAC Executives
The largest fast-food chain operating in the country with its administration based in Cinis, Crispy Aussie Chook is one of the amoral Big Corporations who will tell you what to like and what to buy. Its parent company, MM Technologies, has an insidious plan to subjugate the population, forestall and regress the emerging sentience of animals, and escape the fate that is in store for the human race. Avaricious, guiltless and psychopathic, the C.A.C executives will stop at nothing to discover who is unravelling their plans.
The Rats
One of the two largest hordes in Cinis, the Brown Rats maintain their autonomy from the Group. Living in the sewers and underground tunnels, they are consummate scavengers.
Ebullient and rowdy when not under the steely eye of their Queen, they look on Protowilson as a little sister.
The Black Rats are the Brown Rats' enemies, seeking to push them from their established territories and grind them underfoot.
Long established, if grudging courtesies between the two subspecies are resoundingly ignored by the Black Rats.
Doe
The Doe was rescued from certain death after being discarded outside a town pet shop for being pregnant and therefore impossible to sell. Only one of her litter survived and as a result, the small kitten becomes her reason to live.
When something goes terribly wrong, the Doe turns into an animal harbouring an all-consuming and bitter hatred of humans, and her recklessness threatens the Group's security.
The Clowder
The mischievous feral city cats delight in hounding the members of the Group the moment they leave the Warehouse. Their motives are mysterious and their persistence unfailing.
They take particular pleasure in winding The Dog up and harassing Roah for reasons that extend beyond their own amusement.
