| From: | "Jeff Freeman (He Lives! He Lives!)" <WFREEMA3@*****.UA.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Vampire mages |
| Date: | Mon, 4 Jul 1994 08:56:25 -0500 |
It's been ages since I was anything more than a lurker on this list (grad schoo
l can be like that), but finally there's a topic I actually have an opinion on.
Basically, the explanation for vampires being magical despite having once been
at 0 essence is that the 0 magic=mundane applies to HUMANS. The Grimoire and
Shadowtech both refer to the "Magus Factor," a part of one's genetic makeup
that allows one to use magic.
When cyberware is implanted the body's natural "rejection factor" (the same thi
ng that requires kidney transplants to come from a close relative) must be over
come. This usually requires immunosuppressant drugs or techniques. unfortunat
ely, this reduces the body's resistence to disease, often causing the patient
to develop other health problems. Needless to say, in a world where VITAS is
common, this solution is unsatisfactory due to the risk to the patient - esp.
considering that this is "elective surgery. One possible solution is that the
subject's DNA is slightly altered during the operation to cause it to acclimate
to the implanted cyberware. This change in the DNA structure causes essence lo
ss. At a certain point (i.e. 6 essence), the body's genetic code becomes so alt
ered as to cause the organism as a whole to become dysfunctional- the "limit"
for cyberware implantation.
Now, the magus factor in someone's DNA grants incredible power, but at a cost-
one such cost being increased sensitivity to such tampering, to the point that
even the smaller genetic modifications involved with bioware cause them essence
loss. Even cultured bioware causes a slight change to the subject's genetic
code, at least for the organ affected- after all, that's how the stuff is made.
Magic loss to mages due to deadly wound remains the result of "mere" severe
trauma, and of course no essence is lost when magic is reduced in this manner..
So, waht does this have to do with vampires? The HMHVV, like many destructive
viruses, alters the victim's genetic code to reproduce. The victim of HMHVV has
obviously had several changes made to their phyical and mental makeup, as well
as the basics of how their body functions. One such alteration is to the "Magu
s factor," one that toughens it against damage caused by such things as essence
drain and other trauma damage. Therefore, a person inflicted with HMHVV will
not lose magic due to losing essence from essence drain- including the natura
l decline over time in a vampire's essence. Magic loss due to dealdly wounds
(which a vampire will probably survive, anyway) is also no longer a concern.
Magic loss due to cyberware/bioware is unimportant, as the vampire's regenerati
ve functions will eliminate such "threats" to the body's integrity, simultaneou
sly restoring the genetic code "damage" involved with cyberware.
Adventure Idea Alert! GM's take note!
1) Scientists try to isolate the gene-repairing function of HMHVV, in order to
cure essence loss/magic loss (imagine the PC's greed to get access to the
"essence restoring" clinic!). Whether the process actually works, and the side
effects, are left to the GM's own level of sadism.
2) A mage who has become a mundane studies HMHVV and realizes that the only way
to recover his formaer power is to become infected. Or, someone offers a solut
ion to a PC who has become a mundane, without telling them exactly what the sol
ution entails...
Well, that's about it. Sorry it ran kinda long. My opinions are just that, and
I don't claim to be a geneticist, or even play one on TV. Use if you wanna, dis
regard if you don't, flame if you wanna test my delete-key speed.
Ciao for now,
Jeff Freeman
