I recently read Danny Vendramini’s Them and Us and Michael Crichton’s Eaters of the Dead, both of which feature scary neanderthals. Them and Us is pretty much entirely pseudoscience, but does raise some interesting points about how we probably underestimate the differences between humans and neanderthals. I’m fairly convinced they were a lot hairier and less human-looking than typical reconstructions show them. Evidence for casual cannibalism, with the bones being tossed into the same waste pile as those of other prey species suggests a certain degree of inhuman disregard for the dead.
Unfortunately, Vendramini doesn’t stop there, but starts with wild speculation about them being nocturnal, with slit pupils, and ape-like noses, then goes on to complete crank theory about human race memories.
Eaters of the Dead is a work of fiction, written well before Vendramini’s work, but the ‘wendel’ are basically similar to his neandethals, if vaguely described. Both are covered in black hair, immensely strong, nocturnal, and hunt humans for food.
Nightmare Neanderthal
12 points
These creatures roughly resemble a cross between a chimpanzee and a human. They are slightly bow-legged, with straight spines, hunched a little at the shoulders. Their build is much heavier than a human’s with barrel-chests, wide pelvises, and huge muscles.
The large eyes have vertical slit pupils and are set high on their long skulls, protected by a heavy brow-ridge. Instead of a human-like nose, they have an ape-like muzzle, with thin lips, and virtually no chin. Their skin is wrinkled and leathery, varying from beige to dark grey. Thick black or reddish-brown fur covers everything except their face, hands, and feet.
Although capable of speech, their vocalizations don’t cover the full human range, being mostly deep, guttural grunting sounds.
Their culture is focused around hunting large prey, including other hominids. Religion consists of venerating animal totems, especially cave bears, and the worship of a primordial fertility goddess. They habitually go naked, or wear a simple garment consisting of an animal skin hung over their torso. Animal headdresses are sometimes worn for ritual purposes.
To find height and weight for a nightmare neanderthal, look up their ST (before accounting for the racial modifier) on the Build Table, then reduce height by 2″ and increase weight by 30 lbs.
Attribute Modifiers: ST+3 [30].
Advantages: Acute Taste and Smell 1 [1]; DR 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3]; Fur [1]; Night Vision 2 [2]; Temperature Tolerance (Cold) 2 [2].
Disadvantages: Bloodlust (12) [−10]; Bowlegged [−1]; Dull [−1]; Social Stigma (Monster) [−15].
Variations
This template assumes that the reference society is a TL 0 human one. For a setting where neanderthals are the dominant species, remove Social Stigma. For late survivors who still use stone age technology, add Low TL equal to the campaign TL.
More realistic neanderthals would have Night Vision 1 at best, lack Bloodlust, and have Social Stigma (Minority Group) and possibly (Uneducated) rather than (Monster).