Steve Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Teleios has a new experiment in biology and social engineering. Using front groups, he is offering a cure for all human disease, starting in the poorest countries on Earth. It does work as he claims, gifting any human injected with the serum both a cure for any disease they are currently suffering from, and a permanent immunity to all disease (gaining the appropriate Life Support power). AIDS, cancer, malaria, and all other human diseases are eliminated within 24 hours of receiving the injection. Any mental illnesses that are caused by misfiring neurons or brain chemistry imbalances are also cured. Anyone analyzing the serum shows that it contains a symbiotic organism that doesn't contain anything deadly. Over the course of the next 30 days after receiving the serum, the next stage emerges. Anyone who has received it acquires the ability to regenerate from damage, including replacing lost limbs and organs. They also discover themselves to be growing younger (due to gaining a second Life Support Power: Immunity to aging). Further, their bodies are slowly reconfigured into their ideal physical appearance during the 30 days, gaining two levels of Striking Appearance (or 20 COM for 5th edition). People don't become identical or anything like that, and racial differences are maintained. The person simply becomes becomes their ideal appearance based on their individual genetics. Here's where the fun begins. The organism is also able to be transmitted by sexual activity, and it begins to spread in a pandemic. Those infected by the organism find their libido is heightened as well. The infected find the un-infected to be very attractive, and they will have a desire to seduce any un-infected they encounter. This is not a zombie-like outbreak, with the un-infected being attacked and raped. How would the world react? How would your character react? Would anyone try to stop its spread? Being infected means being young, beautiful and healthy forever. Downsides? They don't emerge until a full year has passed since initial infection. The organism affects the brain, slowly lowering Intelligence, Ego and Presence to 8 and making the individual willing to obey Teleios or one of his designated overseers. Teleios realized that he would need assistance to manage a world population of beautiful flowers. He formulated a second version of the organism, so the individual retains a bit more free will and has greater intelligence. They still have an in-built obedience to Teleios. He gives this second version to a selected group chosen personally by him, individuals such as artists and thinkers that he does not wish to destroy by eliminating their intellectual gifts. Would Teleios conquer the world with this plan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DusterBoy Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Probably. We'd be too busy eating and drinking and making. . . merry (yeah that's the word) to actually care that we're now slaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outsider Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People I am not familiar with Teleios... is he a known villain in his campaign world? Or is he merely a known entity, but not actually known to be a villain? If it is the former, I'd think (hope) people would be very very suspicious of any 'gifts' he came offering. Also... Apparently there are no clinical trials for new drugs in this world. All that said, I suspect his plan would do pretty well anyway. Question 1 : Would people with less than 8 in Intelligence, Ego, and Presence come out ahead in those areas from being infected? Question 2 : How does he plan on dealing with the giant & ongoing baby boom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People I am not familiar with Teleios... is he a known villain in his campaign world? Or is he merely a known entity, but not actually known to be a villain? If it is the former, I'd think (hope) people would be very very suspicious of any 'gifts' he came offering. Also... Apparently there are no clinical trials for new drugs in this world. All that said, I suspect his plan would do pretty well anyway. Question 1 : Would people with less than 8 in Intelligence, Ego, and Presence come out ahead in those areas from being infected? Question 2 : How does he plan on dealing with the giant & ongoing baby boom? I can hazard a guess at the second question. The symbiote would do one of the following: 1. Suppress fertility generally, such that children will still be born but only at rates suitable for a longer living population indulging in sex on a daily basis. 2. Place a person's reproductive system under their conscious control, such that conception can only take place if both partners are actually specifically wanting children, not just wanting to share a beautiful intimate experience. Probably still with a random component so that even if they're trying they must try many times to have much chance of success. 3. Suppress fertility totally, if not counteracted. For example, some injection must be given to a female that renders her fertile for a 24 hr period. This puts all reproduction under the direct control of the system of authority being set up. The population could be bred selectively and scientifically; for example, while the symbiote may erase the symptoms of a genetic disorder, by controlling breeding it may be possible to eventually eliminate from the population the genes responsible for that disorder, to protect future generations in case the symbiote should somehow fail or be eliminated. Lucius Alexander Palindromedary Enterprises: we sell more than just palindromedaries! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Probably. We'd be too busy eating and drinking and making. . . merry (yeah that's the word) to actually care that we're now slaves. It specifically says: Only targeted towards those not jet infected. So sooner or later you would find nobody interesting and have a hightened sexual drive. Also, how does the infection work with saver-sex methods like condoms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted April 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Some replies to questions. 1) Teleios is the Champions Universe master villain, the foremost expert on biology and biochemistry. His goal is to create a sort of Eloi society that will be easier to control and provide fodder for his experiments. It is not known that he is the source of the wonder drug. 2) The cure he is offering is initially given to the poorest and most disease-ridden segments of the world population. His agents work through local clinics giving out the new wonder drug. As its effectiveness becomes obvious, expect a clamoring from the ill around the world to be allowed to have it, and sick people travelling to countries that already have it. 3) Fertility is suppressed by the symbiote to hold down population growth. When enough of the world is under his control, Teleios will provide injections that will restore fertility to those that are deemed genetically valuable, and that value will be determined by Teleios and his overseers by means of genetic testing. If someone wants to have a child but have a genetic trait Teleios wants to edit from the gene pool, he will provide a fertilized embryo that meets his threshold. 4) The libido is increased, but the attraction to a non-infected person doesn't eliminate attraction and love for another infected person. There will be Beautiful People couples who are attracted to each other and indulge their sexual energies with each other regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Interstingly it would allow those infected (and knowing of it's short term effects) to use totally new hookup-lines: Persuasion: Get immortal, is cool! Bribery: the bribe is basically "built into" the offer High Soceity: "Everyone has it nowadays. You don't want to be left out, do you?" Oratory: "Who of you ladys want's to get imortal too?" Of course, you could benefit from this with acting to, even if you are not infected... There could be some disapointments: "I always thought he should be bigger by nature and he just couldn't fully develop...". Old persons may find you irrestable, both because you are pretty and because you could give them their youth back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted April 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People In regards to the condom question, the organism passes by means of fluid transmission, so saliva can also pass it to a new host. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People In regards to the condom question' date=' the organism passes by means of fluid transmission, so saliva can also pass it to a new host.[/quote'] That would totally change the scale of the transmision. Or is there some build in flaw that it only works with salvia during sexual activity. Giving them controll about fertitly (at least in the second phase) could generally increase the spreading without having to rely on this (when you don't need it anyway, why bother?). There is a big question complex building up: What about the superhuman world? There are people with hightened metabolism rates, people regualry moving through time,.... All things that could blow the cover on this. And what about mutants, werewolves and the like. How would their forms be affected by this? Would it reverse these transformations, or get them to their peak and Teleilos will weed them out later? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted April 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Teleios wants the organism to spread rapidly through the population, so having it as a "kissing disease" in addition to being sexually-transmitted will help it spread more quickly. Superhumans do present a problem, but the organism itself does solve some situations. Any superhuman who becomes infected that has natural powers (mutants or genetically-altered types) will be depowered. A superhuman that doesn't get their powers from their genetics won't be affected. If they have immunity to all diseases already, their body won't allow the organism to take hold. This will whittle down the superhuman resistance a bit. The rest can be dealt with by using cloned superhumans. Send a dozen Ogre clones against most superteams and each supervillain, maybe with a couple of Mentalla clones to deal with mentalists and supermages. There is also the human factor to consider. The opportunity to be young and healthy forever? You'd have people actively resisting being cured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People This would get him some problems with PSI (the use this formula to get/unleash their powers, right?), Viper and some others, since it either depowers them or makes finding new test-"candidates" difficulty. It could result in a classical Villains and Heros united scenario. Making it fluid contagious could mean it can be weaponrized (also meaning it's hidden porpose's could be detected through more intense testing). And sometimes it may not work in the way you anticipated: "'Just give it a try on Grond', you said. 'What's the worst that could happen?', you said. Well, now we have a even more healthy grond. It can't believe I.....wait, is his just bringing a mountain a flowers?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoloOfEarth Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People "'Just give it a try on Grond'' date=' you said. 'What's the worst that could happen?', you said.[/quote'] "Grond like you. You purty." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt the Bruins Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Not words most people would want to hear... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizza Man Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Yes. Don't tell Steve Long. This is the prefect plan to take over the world. Teleios succeeds and Both Dr Destroyers loose. Personally I would limit the disease to where mutants are immune. The organism was designed for normal humanity and mutants are genetically incomparable. ---But then I partial to mutants. I just wonder how the survivor gene would react to this? Specifically one that had not activated yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted April 12, 2011 Report Share Posted April 12, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Best Super Porn Ever! Kidding. Ok sort of kidding. A great plot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuclear Fridge Posted April 13, 2011 Report Share Posted April 13, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People "Grond like you. You purty." Oh... That's just wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 13, 2011 Report Share Posted April 13, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People I just wonder how the survivor gene would react to this? Specifically one that had not activated yet. Certainly taking controll of it. Have you ever seen DNA²? Something around the "Super Playboy" (or girl) I guess? Edit: Where is Wikipedia on DNA², and he was called Mega-Playboy. He could become super-seductive, but normally had a "alergy" vs. women. There is a little bit of time travel involved and cerain elements form fighter anime like DBZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted April 13, 2011 Report Share Posted April 13, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Wouldnt an Int of 8 be like an improvement over a lot of our real population? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted April 13, 2011 Report Share Posted April 13, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People "Grond like you. You have purty mouth." Sorry had to add to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoloOfEarth Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Sorry had to add to it. Someday I need to figure out how to type the notes to Dueling Banjos... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opale Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People It's a twisted idea , and I like it. It makes me imagine a new kind of superheroine, named "Bliss" , Impulse or "Excite", that would be a mutant with latent adaptive power, which organism adaptated to the symbiote, tough been affected by the whole effects of it. I imagine her been able to blast vital energy and drain people from it, with an appetite of life and such. You have a good idea indeed for a campaign I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister E Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People So, I think there needs to be an occult Morlock society from the far future, beings proven to be resistant to the symbiote. Due to the overwhelming success of Teleios' evil design, these Morlocks need to be very attractive in order to *pass* as beautiful people. All the ugly non-occult Morlocks in the far future's past were reduced to virtual data for the mastermind's super computer (& nutritional genetic milkshakes for his dinosaurs). Far future Doctor Destroyer, due to his unique unluckiness when it comes to immortality projects, is an extremely antiquified virtual Morlock within Teleios' super computer. He continues to age (despite being nothing but recorded data) well past what is actually sustainable in the real world. There is a button (hard wired within far future Teleios' *base*) that can liberate Doctor Destroyer from the super computer. Teleios built the button to gloat in front of his rival, but by time he actually desired to pressed it, it was too late. He leaves it alone because it would merely cause Destroyer turned into dust in front of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted April 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Let's add in a new wrinkle, since this might make for an interesting science-fiction campaign as well, after reading the comments. If Teleios succeeded, wiping out all superhumans except for himself and his followers, taking control of Earth's population, then what? A campaign about a resistance effort of some kind? Humans trying to restore freedom for mankind? Taking Teleios out of the equation and changing the setting to a non-superhero one, the origin of the symbiote could be changed to a science-fiction one. Maybe something experimental got out of a lab, or a brilliant mad scientist unleashed it on the world. In that case, you could have the vast majority of humans become Beautiful People, but a small portion react differently, gaining all the benefits but not losing their intelligence. Fertility is suppressed, but there is now a world of happy sheep, a few wolves and maybe a number of more heroic typesto deal with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People The clasical version here is usually "Virus that eliminated civilisation and lay dormant until found by human explorers". This can even work with Superhero-Campaigns. Maybe one of the Vacuum-Resistant, Disease Immune guy's brought it back? There was this one James Bond Film (Moonraker) where the usual mad scientist wanted to de-fertitlize the entire world, wait for a hundred years and then come back with his selected people. No super-sexy, but a good plot to use such a virus other than for dominance. Wich brings up: Aliens that want to eliminate the human race that way. Maybe not even the humans in paticular, but any race comming to close to their terrotory (this of course, requires a scanner/synthesizer to get the "right" Virus for that species). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted April 14, 2011 Report Share Posted April 14, 2011 Re: The Beautiful People Wouldnt an Int of 8 be like an improvement over a lot of our real population? I wasn't going to say anything. You'd just came back and all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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