Shunamitism

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Shunamitism

 

If you use the idea at all, it's just part of the way the world works. Just as you don't need to "build" something into citrus fruits to make them protect you from scurvy, or define in game terms the difference between sleeping in a warm bed or on a hard chair.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary thinks it's best done as "special effects." Why does this 80 yr old man still have CON 13? Because he eats right, exerciss, and hangs out with young people.

This is a good point. There is evidence that old people who keep their minds and bodies active tend to live longer and be more healthy, and one way to do that would be to hang around young people (so long as you remember to wash properly).

 

I'd assume any old PC or important NPC would generally be considered more active anyway, so the situation probably would not arise.

 

If you insisted on building it, I would not change the world, I'd change the person: hanging around young people is probably not enough in and of itself, you need the right mental attitude, or receptivity, or whatever. Buy LS Longevity 1 (only when in the proximity of people at least a quarter your age -0). That would mean the character ages at half rate in those circumstances.

That's my own preference for practical purposes (both for my own games, and for real life). I was just thinking along the lines of, "what if some one wanted to play a young person who had this as a 'special' ability?"

If this were the NGD' date=' I would make a comment about how college-age girls always put a little extra spring in my step... but it's not, so I won't.[/quote']

I've become more open minded about this issue; and think there might even be something to it.

 

If Jessica Alba and Taylor Swift will come to my apartment pronto, we can get started on the empirical (and totally scientific, of course) tests immediately.

To paraphrase teh bunneh... if people's minds weren't so much in the gutter , I'd make a comment about wanting to spend time around Hayden Panettiere for much the same reason. I do get this general effect when I get to spend time around high school and college-age girls (though I don't attribute it to sex or even odor, but to what's in their hearts).

[Markdoc]

Re: Shunamitism

 

To paraphrase teh bunneh... if people's minds weren't so much in the gutter ' date=' I'd make a comment about wanting to spend time around Hayden Panettiere for much the same reason. I do get this general effect when I get to spend time around high school and college-age girls (though I don't attribute it to sex or even odor, but to what's in their hearts).[/quote']

 

You drink their blood?

 

cheers, Mark

[Chris Goodwin]

Re: Shunamitism

 

Look, I like 18 year old women as much as the next guy, but if my wife caught me in bed with one there's no way she'd believe it was purely platonic.

[Guest random]

Re: Shunamitism

 

I'm wondering how people would write this up in Hero System game terms. I'm particularly thinking of the "makes one younger" aspect; a Transform to reduce one's Age bracket would be the obvious way' date=' probably Healing Back Normally and with Partial Transform. But I'd like to see others' take on this as well.[/quote']

 

If you have the Transform healing back normally, then the target would revert to his or her original age after a few months (or years maybe). Is that what you're after?

 

If the rejuvenation is permanent -- that is, the target's age is actually reduced to whatever age it appears to be, and (s)he then ages as normal from that point -- then it would probably be better to have an "all or nothing" recovery condition, where the recovery occurs based on some kind of appropriate special effect. If the shunamitic power is magical in nature, maybe a dispel or suppress magic effect would cancel it and cause the age to return.

[Egyptoid]

Re: Shunamitism

 

you people might need to get out of your western mind-set,

if only for a minute.

or maybe read a non-game, non-rule book once in a while.

 

think of a castle that has no heating of which to speak.

think of your self as the king or chieftain.

everything and everyone in the area is a resource,

ostensibly which you own or upon which you can call .

 

human bodies give off waste heat.

we in our nice suburban houses rarely have to huddle together just for the heat.

 

now you the chieftain could bang this girl if you wanted, yes. you do "own" her.

this is not the point, if your little minds can handle it.

 

the point is, if you take care of yourself you will live longer,

and if you keep yourself warmer in winter, that's a big step.

 

now if you smart guys say "build a fire", then realize this

custom originated where wood was a rare commodity, not a trifle like in North America.

 

Think on these things, and be wise. This concept is just generally not a western or european idea.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Shunamitism

 

I'm thinking that it would simply prevent the onset of the Age Disadvantages, or at least the negative effects of it.

 

If so, if the concept could reverse the aging process - mechanically it's a Transform removing the Age Disadvantage.

 

 

And for the record - the immediate sexualization of this concept by others disturbs me more than old guys sleeping with young girls at any level. Especially when the OP went out of his way to remove sexual context. Western (anti-)culture is a sad thing sometimes.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Shunamitism

 

And for the record - the immediate sexualization of this concept by others disturbs me more than old guys sleeping with young girls at any level. Especially when the OP went out of his way to remove sexual context. Western (anti-)culture is a sad thing sometimes.

I would like to note that my annoyance comes from the fact that this isn't the only place I've encountered the attitude. I would've been my more characteristically patient self otherwise.

 

The more recent responses to the question have been quite helpful, by the way.