From: "Geoffrey E. Fagan" Subject: RE: Mana-Tech - Genetic Manipulation spells Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 03:01:57 -0500 Joinson wrote: >Has anyone made up items that combine technology and magic? More to come, but the following spells came from the old Illuminati BBS discussion group for GURPS magic. I regret that I no longer remember the name(s) of the author(s). Tech level of introduction is my own contribution; this assumes that the concept of tech levels can be applied to magic, which I will expand in future posts. Genetic Manipulation Spells --------------------------- For the purposes of these spells, a gene is considered to be the entire gene sequence that is responsible for a certain trait. This would include, as examples, a gene responsible for night vision, or a gene responsible for the musculature associated with a Strength of 20. Anything which the GM rules has a genetic basis can be duplicated. Find Gene Information Determines if a certain gene is present in a subject. The caster must have present a specimen with the genes he wishes to find in the subject or have cast Analyze Genes on such a specimen. Cost: 2. Time to Cast: 2 seconds. Tech Level: 5. Prerequisites: IQ 15+, Magery 2. Item: Jewelry, staff or wand. Energy cost to create: 250. Usable only by a mage. Analyze Genes (VH) Information Gives full knowledge of subject's genetic make-up. Cost: 5. Time to cast: 10 minutes. Tech Level: 5. Prerequisites: Find Gene. Item: Jewelry, staff or wand. Energy cost to create: 1200. Usable only by a mage. Hide Gene Regular, Resists Information spells Makes a gene undetectable, resulting in a Contest of Skills when confronted by a Find or Analyze Gene spell. Duration: 1 minute. Cost: 2; 1 to maintain. May be made permanent, at an energy cost of 100. Time to cast: 1 second. Tech Level: 5. Prerequisites: Analyze Genes. Item: Jewelry, staff or wand. Energy cost to create: 150. Usable only by a mage. Gene Mask (VH) Regular, Resists Information spells Masks subject's entire genetic structure, making it appear completely different, as specified by caster. Contest of Skills as above. Duration: 1 minute. Cost: 3; 2 to maintain. May be made permanent, at an energy cost of 600. Time to cast: 2 seconds. Tech Level: 5. Prerequisites: Hide Gene. Item: Jewelry, staff or wand. Energy cost to create: 900. Usable only by a mage. Alter Genes (VH) Regular Caster can modify one aspect of a subject's genetic code. This could change appearance, alter strength, or give some unusual abilities, such as Night Vision, but this would place the recipient in point debt. Furthermore, a character cannot make an alteration which requires that he expend Character Points if he is still paying for a previous alteration; the spell will simply fail. Note that changing genetic code in an adult subject may fail to impart the ability which that gene governs. When altering genes, a character cannot add abilities which he has not "genetically sampled." Thus, a mage would have to use Analyze Genes upon someone with Night Vision in order to introduce the genes into himself. An alternative is to conduct Genetic Research, which is simply to invent the gene, using standard invention or gadgeteering rules, substituting TL9+ Genetics for Engineering skill. (Tech rated skills default to higher tech levels at -5 per tech level, with a maximum of 3 levels, so genetic research is barely possible at TL6). All genetic alterations are permanent unless reversed. Cost: Varies. For alterations which require Character Points, energy cost is equal to 10 times the point cost. Thus, Night Vision would cost 100. For alterations which do not cost character points, the energy cost is 90. Tech Level: 6. Prerequisites: Magery 3, Alter Body, Gene Mask, and Genetic Engineering skill 15+. Crossbreed (VH) Regular This rare spell facilitates breeding between different species, yielding a makara. This process occurs naturally in areas of normal mana, but the chance of offspring such a union is very low. If successful, this spell raises the chance to what it would be for in-species breeding of the less fertile partner, and the offspring will be healthy. If the spell fails, any offspring which may result is likely to be flawed in some way by incompatible genes, like the Mermecoleon (p. FB45). Crossbreeds may be crossbred themselves. For example, combining a Giant Eagle and a Horse results in the formation of a Hippogriff, and further re-combination of a Hippogriff and another Horse forms a Pegasus. Many races that are part human, part animal or combinations of two or more animal types are possibilities, although Centaurs, Faeries, Merfolk, Minotaurs, Satyrs, and Winged Folk, may not approve of the notion that they are nothing more than successful wizard's experiments. Duration: Permanent. Cost: 25 times the expected HT score of crossbreed. Time to Cast: 1 hour per 100 energy points. Tech Level: 4. Prerequisites: Magery 3, Alter Body, Enchant, and any 3 Shapeshift Other spells. Gef