Mutants

Mutants are humans that were born near or stayed far too close to a heavily irradiated area, such as the central ruins of Old Los Angeles where three tactical nukes were set off during World War III. The radiation mutated their cells and organs, giving rise to a number of strange changes and alterations to their form. The changes vary from person to person, but all have something usually in common: they're often not pleasant to be around or to look at.

Mutants are often discriminated against by normal humans, ostracized from civilized society for being so different. Thus, they have made their own homes in the ruins of Old LA, or in other irradiated locations around the world.

Some efforts are being made by some of the 'kinder' megacorps to try and fix the mutations to these former humans through nanoscience or through rad-reversal tech.