| From: | Phil Levis <pal@**.BROWN.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: ED Races in SR; why it can't happen (long) |
| Date: | Wed, 6 May 1998 20:43:15 -0400 |
> ----------
> > From: Erik Jameson <erikj@****.COM>
>
> > Who designed this virus and why?
> <snip dragons and IE's>
> I agree on the IE's, but there is a possibility that I think a lot of
> people overlook. Coincidence. VITAS could have coincidentally targeted
> those segments of the population that carried the windling\t'skrang
> capability (IIRC, Obsidimen are asexual, and born from their Liferock).
> The first plague, IMO, could have very likely been targeted at something
> else entirely, but came to humans.
There is, of course, another possibility behind the lack of T'skrang,
Obisidimen, and depending which side you take, Windlings. For the sake of
completeness, I'll assume that Faerie are not Windlings, and Windlings
have yet to appear.
One simple explanation is magic levels. Although magic levels are high,
they are not high enough for T'skrang, Obsidimen or Windlings to appear.
In the Denizens of Barsaive book, it is mentioned that with magic levels
dropping, T'skrang have a lower egg fertility rate. Each of these three
races are not necessarily directly related to humans; for this reason, it
is possible that their resurgence requires a higher magic level. For
example, I don't believe that the Obsidimen will necessarily appear at the
same time as dwarves and elves. Consider the length of mana cycles; it's
quite possible that T'skrang will appear in two or three hundred years;
with such a time scale, FASA can safely say that T'skrang will not appear
in Shadowrun.
I could certainly buy the possibility of IEs tailoring a virus to decimate
the T'ksrang. However, I severely doubt that it would be done to harm
Obsidimen and Windlings. Additionally, I doubt that an IE could do it
without dragons and other IEs noticing; the repercussions of some dragons
learning this would be immense. Additionally, I doubt that the virus could
be one hundred percent effective. Some possible T'skrang would survive.
If VITAS was indeed a something which was created by some to prevent the
appearance of T'skrang, I would postulate it was done by a single
individual. Although there is racial enmity between some elves and
T'skrang, I don't think it is great enough that a large group of IEs would
take this course of action. This may have changed, however, since the time
which Earthdawn takes place.
Perhaps the T'skrang and Obsidimen all died before the Fourth World ended?
It's certainly possible. We have yet to see those such as The Laughing Man
or Usmondo comment on their fate.
Phil
