Chiba Bob

Re: Is "evil race" an intrinsically rascist concept?

While Tolkien was a Christian' date=' there was only one letter written that supposedly said the LOTR was Christian writing (or something like that - I forgot the wording, and never have seen the letter). Most of what I heard of his statements denied any religious meanings - which doesn't deny a possible basis in the thoughts that gave birth to the story. Given that a lot of his material was heavily influenced by Norse (and other) mythology, the concept of opposites at war wasn't unique to the bible stories. I really wasn't aware of the Nephilim (have to add to research!), but I do recall the Elohim (IIRC?) that had many kids with the people of the earth back in Genesis. I'm not sure on that as a possible origin of evil races. [/quote']

 

 

Do not get me wrong. I am not saying that the LOTR was Christian writhing but given Tolkien's background, some of the concepts of good and evil may have a biblical origin. The Nephilim are from Genesis 6:4 (NIV) and their demon heritage it contested by many theologians. I am just saying that the ideas are there. The concept of intrinsic good and evil may have come from the bible. Tolkien did draw heavily from Norse mythology as well.

 

 

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Re: Is "evil race" an intrinsically rascist concept?

Fantasy in the Tolkien-inspired sense is about black and white' date=' good and evil. The morally ambiguous or socially complex doesn't have a place there. You're either a good guy or a bad guy, so why not have an entire race of bad guys?[/quote']

 

 

Tolkien was a Christian and he may have been biblically inspired. The whole Good and Evil philosophy is more of a Judo-Christian concept. In the Old Testament, evil is likened to a disease and cannot be cured, only destroyed. During biblical times, some cultures consorted with demons ("ruined by the dark powers") producing half-human/demon offspring called the Nephilim. The whole idea of inherently evil races (such as orcs) in fantasy could be inspired by these biblical stories.

Re: Is "evil race" an intrinsically rascist concept?

I think the 'just fun' excuse gets used far too often and quite sloppily to shut down any intellegent debate. I would much prefer to see the RPG community take responsibility for the extent in which we participate in the creation of social values.

Only empirical evidence has a small chance of ever changing a person's mind and even then, most likely not; therefore, intelligent debates are pointless. The Internet is littered with subjective thought. It is one great trash heap of reason. There is little value in adding to the pile. I love and hate it all with the same breath.

Re: Is "evil race" an intrinsically rascist concept?

It is a racist concept' date=' as the human genome doesn't allow for a slider of morality. Basically, there is no "Good-Evil" gene. This is according to Steven Pinker with mentions from Dr. Chomsky.[/quote']

 

 

Who's DNA was used in attempt to isolate good-evil gene? I can think of many candidates for the evil gene but who supplied the good gene for the comparison? I would like to know.

Re: Truely Alien Races

I'd imagine other alien races could follow along the lines found in Call of Cthulhu.

I would agree that Call of Cthulhu is a great source for truly alien races. In my own campaign, there are the Kraken (inspired by the "Star-Spawn of Cthulhu"), an aquatic race from the Aldebaran system who are responsible for the disappearance of a number of human colonies on the edge of the Terran Expanse. They are yet to be encountered by investigating marines.

I also what to base a creature on "Colours Out of Space" (energy beings) and on the "Shaggai" (parasitic creatures) who have infested a few other fringe colonies. Forget the Aliens and the Predators, Lovecraft conceived of some very creepy alien races which the bulk of humanity would have a shoot first relationship with.

Re: Pulp Sci-Fi

Outstanding article. Tor myself Pulp/Space Opera is more fun than hard science based games. Less "how things work" and more PC roleplaying....

I agree, game play should not be about the window treatments. I started calling things by colloquial nomenclature (like stardrives or nova guns) just to keep the junior physics buffs at bay. As a GM, I want to quickly get to the point where I can focus on the characters and the story then on how the toilets work. During Firefly's short season, they never felt the need to explained how the FTL drives worked or why Chinese was used in the vulgar.

Re: Ncm:15

If the players built their characters at 25/25 level, they will have fewer points to spend on DEX, CSL or other characteristics. Characters constructed at the 75/75 level can represent heros that are at the peak of physical training so it is quite reasonable that many of their characteristics would reach maximum levels. If you want your players to build more realistic characters then you need to set your game at more realistic level.

Here is a question; if someone wanted to freely experience a Mental Illusion at a higher effect than their EGO would normally allow, could they either, voluntarily lower their EGO resistance against the Illusion to increase its effect or could they just accept the Illusion's effect at the level they desire?

Re: Some timeline help

What I am looking for is a more detailed timeline for that period. I am hoping to blend my game into the existing timeline if possible.

Check This Out

http://www.orionsarm.com/main.html#timeline

Re: Killer dreams

Never under estimate the thick-headedness of the average PC. They might miss the whole overkill message and go gunning for the supervillain who is making clones of them.

I always have assumed that superheros and supervillains had a set unwritten rules of engagement that they followed. Kill one of ours and we will kill one yours. As long as the players or villains play by the rules, then the other side will not try and kill anyone. All the Old-School heros and villains play by them.

If a hero is a little too bloodthirsty, have one of the Old-School heros will stop by and explain how the rules of engagement work. Should the hero continue to persist, a few conflicts with the villains going out of their way to kill them might reinforce the message.

Re: Interstellar communications

This would work through quantum entanglement' date=' right? You can't transmit information through such a link. And even if you could, you'd be sending messages into the past.[/quote']

 

 

Yes, this is based on quantum entanglement. Just something I read, I don't have my quantum physics badge as of yet, but the people working on this do and they think this it possible. I though it was very cool. No mention of any time shift. How far into the past?

Re: Interstellar communications

I use Quantum Radios (secure, Instantaneous communications regardless of distance or even dimension. Based of real world physics (quantum particle pairing) FTL communications are more likely to be invented long before starship FTL travel will. Real world experiments into quantum radios have been inconclusive as of yet because they can't separate the particles far enough apart to be able measure any lag (quantum theory predicts no lag). The good new is that Interstellar banking and wireless highspeed Internet is more of a reality long before we reach the first star.

Quantum Radio: Mind Link, Specific Group of Minds, Any dimension, No LOS needed, Number of Minds (x16) (50 Active Points); Only With Others Who Have Mind Link (-1). Total cost: 25 points.

Re: Question for you all

Sounds more like Damage Reduction with a -0 Limitation Side Effect. The Side Effect being 1d6 Cosmetic Transform (looks beaten to death), Partial Transform, whenever hit by and attack that does BODY. This is more of a special effect of the power and should not have a +/- modifier.

Re: Generic Power Nullifiers

If they fully understood the genetic basis' date=' they should be able to insert metagenes into anyone, or activate mutant powers in anyone.[/quote']

 

 

The old PRIMUS source material maybe little out date now . Scott's new book, Villainy Amok, has scenarios involving the genetic creation of superpowers in normals in the Champions Universe.

 

It's getting time to start cranking away on Villainy Amok, which is scheduled for publication late this year. -------------

 

The currently planned scenarios include ----------------------------

 

-- "Ask Your Doctor If Metatron Is Right For You" (Thugs Take A Drug To Give Them Superpowers... With Terrible Side Effects)

Re: Anti-Mutant Collars

Rep cookie for Chiba Bob!

Thanks for the cookie

Re: Anti-Mutant Collars

Limitation would be at the -1/4 level

I reread the section and you are right, it is a -1/4 modifier in this case.

Re: Dwarf Martial art

Hummm, lets see, a Dwarf's head is about waist height on a human so maybe a bite maneuver is in order?

Re: Anti-Mutant Collars

Why not get your players who have mutant powers buy them with the limitation Restrainable -1/2 with the special effect "Restrained By Mutant Nullifiers" and then build the collars as an Entangle with the special effect "Mutant Nullifier Collar". In this way, each player's actual mutant powers are clear and the DEF and Body of the device defined.

Re: Generic Power Nullifiers

However' date=' it is explicitly *not* good enough to custom create metahumans and manipulate their genetic basis. *That* would be the level of genetic technology needed to nullify powers on a genetic level.[/quote']

 

By what criteria are you basing these assumptions on? I would like to know.

Re: Generic Power Nullifiers

Problem is' date=' again, it would require a degree of knowledge of metahuman genetics that is usually beyond the state of the art in most comic worlds ( and definitely is in the Champs U ).[/quote']

 

 

To say that the Champions Universe's technology is too low to support genetic engineering is short sighted. Looking through the VIPER book I see blaster weapons so why not some genetic engineering too?

 

In the real world, the human genome is mapped and the ability to detect and correct genetic deformities is leading edge science while blaster weapons are still the stuff of science fiction. Weapons currently under development are railguns firing guided kinetic kill projectiles, rocket torpedoes and chemical oxygen-iodine lasers but no blaster weapons. Moreover, none of these weapons are man portable but in the Champions Universe VIPER agents are armed with blaster weapons and fly around in jetpacks as most agent types do in many comics.

 

Looking at the facts, I would have to say that the Champions Universe's technology (as in many comic book worlds) is very advance for blaster weapons to exist at all. Therefore, is not much of a stretch to believe that genetic engineering would also have advanced somewhat as well. The ability to detect genetic aberrations and correct them is far more likely technological development than blasters will ever be.

Re: Generic Power Nullifiers

How about some type of gene therapy treatment (Transform, mutant to normal) to tweak their genetic code. They must get regular injections to block the use of their powers or they revert back to their normal genetic code (regaining normal use of their powers).

This makes more sense than some inhibiting field device.