Clonus Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Raymond H. Pymler, "Shrinking Ray", a scientist who discovered shrinking technology and used it to fight crime back in the Silver Age is long retired from the good and bad guy biz...or is he? His ex-wife comes to your character distraught and fearful. Pymler has always been a little odd for all of his good intentions, hot-tempered and resentful of those who take the ability to shrink down lightly as a superpower. She recently had a conversation with him in which he was...ranting about how once he's finished with what his latest project, the world will never be the same and they'll learn to appreciate the value of shrinking. He's apparently blown his entire fortune on whatever he has been building. Your character investigates, and determines that Shrinking Ray has built a satellite and has contracted to have it shot into orbit. When confronted he admits that yes he's built a shrink machine to affect the entire human race, but this is a good thing don't you see? Over about ten years we'll shrink down to about the size of an action figure, with our needs for food and water and our carbon footprint reduced more than ten-fold. The planet's environment will be saved, and the human population will be free to grow considerably before it becomes a problem again. Do you smash Ray's stupid machine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebuchet Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Zl'f: Hell yes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnia Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Investigate the ex-wife &/or any ex-enemies first to see if there's any undue influence here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yansuf Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Will everything else shrink also, or will animals, insects etc. now be effectively giant sized with respect to humans? How about plants? Buildings and machines? And, will it be reversible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted November 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Will everything else shrink also, or will animals, insects etc. now be effectively giant sized with respect to humans? How about plants? Buildings and machines? And, will it be reversible? It's tuned to only affect creatures with a mostly human genetic structure. So, chimps might shrink too, and any alien close enough to humanity that it could naturally interbreed with us will also shrink. Obviously most insects are still going to be quite small compared to action-figure sized humans. Building and machines will not shrink but with ten years to adapt controls and build smaller, Ray figures humanity will be able to adjust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species I don't think I'd want to deal with mosquitos when I'm action-figure sized. They could suck me dry. IMO ten years will not be nearly enough time to retool our animal husbandry to handle all the species we depend on for food and other resources, like cattle, sheep, or pigs, which will become gigantic compared to us. Domesticated cats and dogs will have to be slaughtered, as many of them will be able to swallow us whole. And we'll have to devote major military resources just to defend our settlements from wild felines, canines, ursines, and raptors now become like kaiju. IMHO this would be a really, really bad idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zed-F Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Yeah, and it's not like tampering with the entire race couldn't have side effects. Not to mention that most of the inhabitants of the planet didn't ask to be shrunk. This idea of Ray's is an abortion from the start. Soulbarb is no techie, but is a capable investigator. She'll either figure out how to stop the satellite or alert someone who can. Then she'll investigate to find out what, if anything, would make the normally conscientious Ray pull a stunt like this. It's got just enough upside to blind him to the downside if he did really make the move from hero to anti-hero (Well Intentioned Extremist), but it might have been precipitated by another party. Sylph is no techie either, but is all about giving people a chance to mend their ways before resorting to force. She will earnestly try to talk Ray out of his plan. She's not really that great a debater, so while she will have logic on her side, she's unlikely to be able to convince him that this is a bad idea. Nevertheless, he's likely to let enough information slip during the course of the debate that she'll be able to figure out a means to stop the satellite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oruncrest Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Alchemiss transforms into a gas, slips into Ray's machine, and then transforms into acid, eating away at it's guts from the inside. Then she slaps ray upside the head and admonishes him for watching Superfriends marathons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadborder Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Skadi's "I wanted to be a scienctist when I grew up" side would instantly know that this is a very, very bad idea. She'd do her best to track the guy down and try to verify that his is the truth, probably by looming over him and being large. Then, if that didn't work, she'd punch him. Or hope that other, more technically-minded members of her team can find out a way to stop the salatite. Or try to punch it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species If you don't mind, I think I might "borrow" this plot. I like it Though I might change shrinking Ray to Shrinker and make this a revenge plot. Oh thought, maybe Shrinker seduced Shriking Ray for this very purpose ! He thinks he is helping humanity, and she can wreak revenge to all ! Bwhaahaa ! Oh I digress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenbriar Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species seriously think about retooling it to just hit viper bases. before taking it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjalund Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species any non-human residents of earth would end up feeling like King Kong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utech Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Go for it! Sounds like the segue into a new and fascinating game world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yansuf Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species It's tuned to only affect creatures with a mostly human genetic structure. So' date=' chimps might shrink too, and any alien close enough to humanity that it could naturally interbreed with us will also shrink. Obviously most insects are still going to be quite small compared to action-figure sized humans. Building and machines will not shrink but with ten years to adapt controls and build smaller, Ray figures humanity will be able to adjust.[/quote'] All of my characters figure Ray needs to adjust to a new room with funny (soft) wall paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Likewise. Muttering about how you'll 'Show them! Show them all!' as you prepare to use the power of SCIENCE! to warp the entire world without even bothering to ask permission first is like holding up a large neon sign saying 'Superheroes, please repeatedly punch me in the face until I fall down.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species All my characters would have to stop this. Including the ones from villain games... Though as a GM, it would be interesting to start a campaign fifty years in the future... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Impudite Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Likewise. Muttering about how you'll 'Show them! Show them all!' as you prepare to use the power of SCIENCE! to warp the entire world without even bothering to ask permission first is like holding up a large neon sign saying 'Superheroes' date=' please repeatedly punch me in the face until I fall down.'[/quote'] Some of us villains might even want to get in a punch or two as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Amphibian: "You're welcome to try, Doctor, but I point out that even if I keep silent, it will soon be obvious what is happening, and scientists will quickly figure out how, track the rays back to their source in orbit, and it will be targetted and destroyed. You lack the resources to try again. Your entire scheme is an exercise in futility." Quetzldoatl: May lack the technical skills, but if he can't do it, he'll try to convince Dr. Ray to do it : "Look, this is going to be detected and destroyed before it has much effect. We need to make it more subtle - maybe over 20 or 50 years - install some ECM style devices to make it harder to detect the rays and track them, and build in some cover purpose for the satellite to keep people from wondering what it's really for." And one "villain" response The Bayang: "If Humans were reduced to the same size as ourselves, it would destroy our decisive advantage! We must prevent this if we are to remain hidden among them. Reprogram it to effect us instead. Let those foolish Humans who suspect our existence try to convince anyone when we are literally too small to see!" Lucius Alexander The palindromedary is charmed by the image of tiny people living like mice in buildings made for their much larger ancestors.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drhoz Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species Coming from a world where gnoll-eating carnivores are distressingly common, Vitus would immediately see that that a shrink-ray that only affected humans would be a bad idea. Can you imagine a yappy chihuahua the size of a Kodiak Bear? On the other hand, his attitude would be "Not my problem" ( altho he would ask if he could get a hand-held version with a faster effect ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Holck Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species first off shrinking in champions doesn't work it is impossible to be small without being impossible to hit In my game, there only a +1 DCV bonus and -1 perception role for each halfing of height that way people can play fairies without disrupting the CV balance the same thought goes to range modifiers In every champions game, the characters keep closing in as from biology and brain size, I don't think humans would function ... I mean yeah sure solve overpopulation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jagged Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species I mean yeah sure solve overpopulation But think of all the people eaten by their own pets when they couldn't reach the cupboard to get their tinned food Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Holck Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species humans have moved up the predator chain in the past Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnia Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species humans have moved up the predator chain in the past And yet we're still getting laid low by viruses ala swine flu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Holck Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species All Insects out mass all mammals already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Jogger Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Re: The Incredible Shrinking Species I wonder if people will shrink like most shrinkers do and retain their normal STR and normal defenses. Even if they only walk the same proportionally (1" I'm guessing), their leap would be incredible, even taking the standard 8 STR leaping capability and not increasing it do to smaller size. You would still be able to take on a yappy chihuahua, although you might have to learn to leap and punch like the Atom does (move-thru, I'm guessing). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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