From:	"DON'T EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM ME, I'M MALE." <GM1116@********>
Subject:	essence
Date:	Thu, 8 Oct 92 18:03:00 EDT

Ok, as far as the essence debate goes(yes, I KNOW I'm out of date,
I just got on for the first time in almost a week).
I'm not sure how shadowrun does it, but in cyberpunk the cybernetics
cost EMPATHY. EMPATHY is the way the charector relates to other humans,
and since the average human can't see infra-red, having cybernetic
eyes with infrared cost EMPATHY. Also, they rationalize that the
INREASED electrical activity caused by the cybernetics along the
neural paths will also have some affect on the sanity of the charector.
(All this is rationilization, of course, to keep charectors from having
cybernetic everything installed and changing a nice, gritty, cyberpunk
or shadowpunk campaing into a super-hero campaign! It also fits in nicely
with the Robocop movies, that much cybernetics and you aint human anymore).
Now, using EMPATHY as the base, my idea is as follows, assume loss
of empathy is due to neural damage and alienation from humanity(explain
to players that this is JUST A GM PLOT DEVICE and is not supposed to be
realistic, so they can take their objections and lump them). In this case,
therapy should be availiable to counteract the alienation from humanity.
This therapy should help with some, but not ALL, of the cost(again,
GM PLOT DEVICE). Also, if they get a wacko therapist, or a psychotic one,
or whatever, they could LOSE even more EMPATHY instead of gaining it(maybe
its an experiment to see how far a charector can be pushed before blowing
it). Therapy should be chancy and EXPENSIVE(just like real life). I'd
say half the time nothing even comes of it, mayby 30% of the time it helps,
and 20% of the time the charector gets worse.(or maybe 40% and 10%).
At most, I'd let them regain a third of the points this way.

Next, improved cybernetics can reduce the neural damage, as can EXPENSIVE
surgery, and adaptation over time. Again, no more than a third can be
regained this way.

What's that, your afraid of your party suddenly becoming a cybered up
killing squad if they use these options. NO problem. Don't tell them
they exist(make 'em dig for it, research cutting edge technology for that
01 essence or empathy gain(empathy is lost in .01 of a point). Make them
hunt for a good therapist. Etc, etc.)

later
-wombat
gm1116@********