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Message no. 1
From: "Simon.M" <Simon.M@**********.COM>
Subject: BIO-Warfare.
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 00:09:37 -0000
I open myself up to abuse here by introduceing a few ideas i had one
lonely evening sitting down with a book, some paper and a severe need for a
point in my latest run...

Bio weaponry isn't a new thing, it's as old as when the first humans picked
up a bone and clubed the guy next to him half to death(well, and another
half!). The difference between those folks and the new guys is that the new
ones don't waitfor dead ones...

Get 12 of 2057's best minds, add an unlimited budget and a corp need for
hand to hand weaponry that gives them the 'edge' and here's what you get.

Grown in a vat for about a week, simple insect eggs were manipulated with
science and magic to conform to design spescifications given from a higher
area of influence. What came out was several different types of hand held
mele weapons that were in every real sense alive.

Swords made from chitin(stronger in weight than steel) that ozed virilent
toxins, spores, and other foul nastys when they hit a living body. Small
tubes that when squezed grow to the size and shape of staffs and spears.
Daggers with the same mechanics as the comman nettle(little spear-like darts
that anchor themselves when it hits) but pump out blood while stuck in
there. All grow to custom fit a user after a few days/weeks of use.

-----------------------

Bio-Bastard sword.

Con: 2
Reach: 2
Dam: (str+3)S
Secondary dam: 8Mstun, -1d6 inititave -2 rctn
(sword secrets a modified version of MAO toxin when in contact with blood)

Bio-Daggers.

Con: 7
Reach: 0
Dam: (str+2)M
Secondary dam: 5M stun + 5L
(sword anchors it's self in skin and a swallowing reflex pumps blood through
pores in the blade down through the handle and out of the body)

Bio-Staff/Spear.

Con: 7(2)/7(2)
Reach: 2/2
Dam: (str+2)S/(str+2)M
(Staff/Spear[seperate types] collapse untill squezed, when they enlarge to
proper length for a certian time)


Requirements.
Must be kept in a sugar solution one day in every seven or will die.

Bonuses.
If broken, they will seal off the point of break(the actual organism lives
in the handle/grip) and when placed in the nutrient solution will grow back
to normal size/shape within a week.


So, comments, ideas?

Please do!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

"If you seek war, prepare for war."
"I beleive my lord, the saying is 'if you seek peace, prepare for war,'"
Leonard ventured.
Vetinari put his head on one side and his lips moved as he repeated the
phrase to himself. Finaly he said, "No, no. I just don't see that one at
all."
-Patriacen Vetinari and Leonardo De Quim, Jingo(a discworld novel).

Ps. Gurth, he is a mage, just a very bad one!
Message no. 2
From: Barbie <barbie@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: BIO-Warfare.
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 01:30:29 -0500
At 23-Nov-97 wrote Simon.M:

[snip bio weapons]

>So, comments, ideas?

Ever heard of Dark Space?

Its an world module for Rolemaster.
The primary tech in this world is a think called softech, exactly
what you just have invented here.
All techy things in this world is made from genetic altered bio masses,
breathers, weapons, vehicles you name it.
I highly recommended this book for every one who like this stuff.

BTW: Your reply-to-field overrides the list.
--

Barbie
---------------------------------------------------------------
Evil Overlord advice #50:

My main computers will have their own special operating system
that will be completely incompatible with standard IBM and
Macintosh powerbooks.

http://www.amigaworld.com/barbie
FAQ keeper of SR_D, the german Shadowrun mailing list.
Amiga RC5 Team effort member.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Message no. 3
From: Danyel Woods <9604801@********.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: BIO-Warfare.
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 13:42:41 +1300
So sayeth Simon (Simon.M@**********.COM]) (13:10 24-11-97):

>>{CHOP}<<
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Grown in a vat for about a week, simple insect eggs were
manipulated with
science and magic to conform to design specifications given from
a higher
area of influence. What came out was several different types of
hand held
melee weapons that were in every real sense alive.

Swords made from chitin(stronger in weight than steel) that
oozed virulent
toxins, spores, and other foul nasties when they hit a living
body. Small
tubes that when squeezed grow to the size and shape of staffs
and spears.
Daggers with the same mechanics as the common nettle(little
spear-like darts
that anchor themselves when it hits) but pump out blood while
stuck in
there. All grow to custom fit a user after a few days/weeks of use.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Sounds a lot like the bio-weapons used by the Tyranids in Warhammer 40K
(to my limited understanding). {I now see where that nasty munchkin
weapon of Dust's came from!!!}

---------------------------------------------------------------
Get 12 of 2057's best minds, add an unlimited budget and a corp need for
hand to hand weaponry that gives them the 'edge' and here's what you
get.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Hmm. OR: how about a bug-hive's needs for weapons independent of
outside suppliers (who might turn against them)? (Imagine: true-forms
and flesh-forms armed with these, as well as their normal claws.
Organo-composite bows with arrows that work similar to the daggers you
listed. 'Grown' weapons firing bullets of chitin, some carrying organic
toxins within. Bullets which grow inside the victim, eating them from
the inside out....And you thought Aliens was bad as is!)

Needless to say, you had better keep these away from the PCs' grubby
mitts!

(How's that for ideas?)

DANYEL WOODS
9604801@********.ac.nz
Here endeth the lesson.
Message no. 4
From: John E Pederson <lobo1@****.COM>
Subject: Re: BIO-Warfare.
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 23:08:48 -0500
On Mon, 24 Nov 1997 00:09:37 -0000 "Simon.M" <Simon.M@**********.com>
writes:
<< I open myself up to abuse here by introduceing a few ideas i had one
lonely evening sitting down with a book, some paper and a severe need for
a point in my latest run...>>


Ah, come on, we're not that harsh. Usually.
:)



<<Swords made from chitin(stronger in weight than steel) that ozed
virilent toxins, spores, and other foul nastys when they hit a living
body. Small tubes that when squezed grow to the size and shape of staffs
and spears. Daggers with the same mechanics as the comman nettle(little
spear-like darts that anchor themselves when it hits) but pump out blood
while stuck in there. All grow to custom fit a user after a few
days/weeks of use.>>


Chitin may be stronger than steel by weight, but so is kevlar -- it's
just a hell of a lot bulkier. These things also have blood and organs to
boot, water, while not as dense as steel, will add weight. Does the
'custom fit' count as customisation, btw (granting an extra die when the
weapon is used). On poisoned weapons: It is possible to lace a weapon's
blade with a poison, various tribes have used poison-arrow frogs for that
purpose for a very long time.


<<Requirements.
Must be kept in a sugar solution one day in every seven or will die.>>


As long as we're gengineering, why not engineer symbiotes to produce
energy for the critters via photosynthesis (like some protozoans). Even
as a secondary option, it would be nearly inevitable, IMHO.


<<Bonuses.
If broken, they will seal off the point of break(the actual organism
lives in the handle/grip) and when placed in the nutrient solution will
grow back to normal size/shape within a week.>>


A quick question for you: while in this nutrient solution, where does the
organism obtain oxygen? Is the solution highly oxygenated?


<<So, comments, ideas?

Please do!>>

Heh, if you insist:)
Been reading **&*'s Dark Sun lately or something?
This strikes me as being very similar to some of the stuff I spied in
that book when I borrowed it from a friend:)

I think, however, you're limiting yourself on the viability of such
critters in other roles: I would see armor before I saw weaponry of this
sort, mostly since melee weaponry just insn't that important in the long
run (it's 2057, for pity's sake!). Especially since organic armor of this
type would be self-repairing, and could even be engineered to produce
endorphins and adrenalin (or the stimm-patch drug(s)) when the wearer
gets under stress. Someone elase mentioned bows: these could be handled
like your staff. Swords and daggers could probably be done the same way
(if the staff is that sturdy, surely the blade would be, too). It would
be rather expensive, however, to use these critters for arrows... you
just lose too many arrows to blow that much money on them. One could also
create hypodermic needles which would refill after each use (though you
would probably have to do some wierd stuff to effectively sterilize the
needle).

You could also go into the whole Dark Sun idea and create symbiotic
organisms which integrate into the user's body, ala the arm blade.


--
John Pederson "Oh my God! They killed Kenny!"
aka Canthros, shapeshifter-mage --South Park
lobo1@****.com canthros1@***.com john.e.pederson@***********.edu
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/4864 ICQ UIN 3190186
Message no. 5
From: Avenger <Avenger@*******.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: BIO-Warfare.
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 01:23:21 +0000
In article <yam7267.1474.136815136@****.amigaworld.com>, Barbie
<barbie@**********.COM> waffled & burbled about BIO-Warfare.
>
>Ever heard of Dark Space?

Or DarkTek From Dark Conspiracy. Large listing of mechano-organic toys.


--
Dark Avenger -:- http://www.shalako.demon.co.uk -
Unofficial Shadowtk Newbies Guide, Edgerunners Datastore &
Beginnings of the Underseas Sourcebook.
http://freespace.virgin.net/pete.sims - Alternative UK Sourcebook (U/C)
Message no. 6
From: "Simon.M" <Simon.M@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: BIO-Warfare.
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 07:36:39 -0000
-----Original Message-----
From: Avenger <Avenger@*******.DEMON.CO.UK>
To: SHADOWRN@********.ITRIBE.NET <SHADOWRN@********.ITRIBE.NET>
Date: 25 November 1997 01:52
Subject: Re: BIO-Warfare.


>In article <yam7267.1474.136815136@****.amigaworld.com>, Barbie
><barbie@**********.COM> waffled & burbled about BIO-Warfare.
>>
>>Ever heard of Dark Space?
>
>Or DarkTek From Dark Conspiracy. Large listing of mechano-organic toys.


Does the horror ever end?


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
WE GO IN, WE DO THE JOB, WE LET HUMAN NATURE TAKE IT'S COURSE, said Death.
-Death, Good Omens.
Message no. 7
From: Mike Bobroff <AirWisp@***.COM>
Subject: Re: BIO-Warfare.
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 1997 07:58:03 -0500
In a message dated 97-11-23 21:00:10 EST, you write:

> Bio weaponry isn't a new thing, it's as old as when the first humans picked
> up a bone and clubed the guy next to him half to death(well, and another
> half!). The difference between those folks and the new guys is that the
new
> ones don't waitfor dead ones...
>
> Get 12 of 2057's best minds, add an unlimited budget and a corp need for
> hand to hand weaponry that gives them the 'edge' and here's what you get.
>
> Grown in a vat for about a week, simple insect eggs were manipulated with
> science and magic to conform to design spescifications given from a higher
> area of influence. What came out was several different types of hand held
> mele weapons that were in every real sense alive.

Sounds like something any queen/mother invae would appreciate ... a
queen/mother brings forth a worker and commands it to die while manifest,
thereby leaving it's shell behind ... the skin/armor can then be shaped and
molded into weaponry ... as some of the invae have the Venom power, they
could secrete their venom onto the melee weapons, thereby increasing the
damage of the weapon (or even applying tranq on them to capture the offending
individuals). This is not close to the living weapons that you mention in
the last sentence but is another idea.

> Swords made from chitin(stronger in weight than steel) that ozed virilent
> toxins, spores, and other foul nastys when they hit a living body. Small
> tubes that when squezed grow to the size and shape of staffs and spears.
> Daggers with the same mechanics as the comman nettle(little spear-like
darts
> that anchor themselves when it hits) but pump out blood while stuck in
> there. All grow to custom fit a user after a few days/weeks of use.

Though the below are not vat-grown weapons as you suggest, they are tech
versions that do roughly the same thing ...

Going with the sword first, applying a cost modifier to a standard sword, one
could make it have micro-sprayers that spray out liquid material, and if the
liquid were mixed with DMSO to provide for a more rapid entry into the blood
stream and other exposed body parts ... the sprayer function could also be
controlled via smartlink that is contained within the pommel of the sword and
would only be a free action for a person to activate, and the sword woud
"spray" out a single dose of the icky stuff contained within ...

As for Weapons-in-a-can (in a manner of speaking) ... apply the Nano-Mech
stuff Keith (Ereskanti) came up with ... the weapons could be made from
whatever material the nanites could get their hands upon .. would take the
nanites several minutes to position themselves into position before the fuse
together and become the weapon they are designed to become ... the can would
need to hold a weight (in kg) of nanites that is equal to the weapon that
they are to become ... the potential for this could be in the area of either
small hand-held melee weapons and for assassins (once the weapon strikes it
begins to decompose itself - specialized nanites inside that will begin to
'eat' the fused nanites and then scatter themselves to the four winds - can
you say no evidence of a weapon anymore - OJ eat your heart out)...

As for once a weapon goes in and begins pumping out blood and other things
... apply a blood thinner / anti-coagulant to a dagger or some sharp point
object with a hole down the middle ... the person stabs the dagger into a
person, then squeezes hard on the pommel of the 'dagger', thereby causing a
suction like effect to occur ... the effect would cause a small cap on the
pommel to pop off and this would then create a siphon effect using pressure
differentials to begin drawing out blood at a rather alarming rate ...

As for growing vat grown weapons of this category ... considering the
Warhammer 40K and the Tyrannids ... consider bioware versions of the hand
razors and cyberspurs ... the one problem with keeping these organic weapons
around is keeping them alive to begin with ... but even that is solvable with
a little bit of imagination ... how about you give us the ideas for the rules
concerning the bio-weapons you are thinking of introducing into your game ...

Mike
Message no. 8
From: "Simon.M" <Simon.M@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: BIO-Warfare.
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 1997 21:31:28 -0000
>Sounds like something any queen/mother invae would appreciate ... a
>queen/mother brings forth a worker and commands it to die while manifest,
>thereby leaving it's shell behind ... the skin/armor can then be shaped and
>molded into weaponry ... as some of the invae have the Venom power, they
>could secrete their venom onto the melee weapons, thereby increasing the
>damage of the weapon (or even applying tranq on them to capture the
offending
>individuals). This is not close to the living weapons that you mention in
>the last sentence but is another idea.


I like that, but it's too close to magic weapons from White Wolf and Storm
Bringer(Elric). It's really worth thinking over(maybe when i have the time i
will try it).

>Though the below are not vat-grown weapons as you suggest, they are tech
>versions that do roughly the same thing ...

I won't go through the list. Although they are much better suggestions than
i came up with, i was looking for the whole bio-stuff scene. I will(again
when i have time) really take a look at your stuff here. It makes for some
good images(tech boys VS bio boys... Hmmmm...).


>As for growing vat grown weapons of this category ... considering the
>Warhammer 40K and the Tyrannids ... consider bioware versions of the hand
>razors and cyberspurs ...

I thought they already had these out in net books? Yeah, i am sure of that.
I think?

>how about you give us the ideas for the
>rules
>concerning the bio-weapons you are thinking of introducing into your game

Well, i already introduced them in so i am way ahead here.
I thought i already wrote most of that stuff out, so could you posibly be a
tad more spescific?

Thanks, your input has been great!

Seconds?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
"Need more input."
-Jonny 5, Short Circit.
Message no. 9
From: Brett Borger <bxb121@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: BIO-Warfare.
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 1997 18:10:12 EST
> I like that, but it's too close to magic weapons from White Wolf and
> Storm Bringer(Elric). It's really worth thinking over(maybe when i
> have the time i will try it).

Actually, directly inspired by Elric and co, I have a
freespirit/homonculus. Sword form (natch), Personal domain (the self
same sword) such that he can Possess anyone holding it. (per
Possession in Personal Domain). While at it, I said he's a blood
spirit with a modified Drain Essence...requires contact with blood.

Blooddrinker is a Mage killer, found in an Atzlan temple (a remnent
of an earlier magic cycle).

Quite fun. One player currently has "control" of him, but that
players friends aren't safe....:)

-=SwiftOne=-

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about BIO-Warfare., you may also be interested in:

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Thwap!