Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

[boldilocks]

Predicting and changing the future, you say? What is a king to do?

[Cthulhu]

The way I understand the basic theory such a precognition tech would be akin to getting percentages of certainty for outcomes and as all X-Com players can attest, those help but are never set in stone.

With a telepathic machine powerful enough to read everyone's thoughts and predict their intentions, combined with a supercomputer able to calculate various possibilities, you could get pretty close to future telling. At least for what you know that you don't know yet.

On the other hand, it does sound like superscience and if someone was able to do something like that, then the Soia. That did not prevent their fall, however. Or maybe it caused it instead? After all, the complete knowledge of one's future would be the greatest curse imaginable.

[Dan Wyatt]

With a telepathic machine powerful enough to read everyone's thoughts and predict their intentions, combined with a supercomputer able to calculate various possibilities, you could get pretty close to future telling. At least for what you know that you don't know yet.

On the other hand, it does sound like superscience and if someone was able to do something like that, then the Soia. That did not prevent their fall, however. Or maybe it caused it instead? After all, the complete knowledge of one's future would be the greatest curse imaginable.

There was likely some kind of slave rebellion, like in the Barsam lore. There might be some third party involved (Historians?).

I sincerely hope this does not go the HALO route of "Ancient Humanity".

[Bamax]

The way I understand the basic theory such a precognition tech would be akin to getting percentages of certainty for outcomes and as all X-Com players can attest, those help but are never set in stone.

With a telepathic machine powerful enough to read everyone's thoughts and predict their intentions, combined with a supercomputer able to calculate various possibilities, you could get pretty close to future telling. At least for what you know that you don't know yet.

On the other hand, it does sound like superscience and if someone was able to do something like that, then the Soia. That did not prevent their fall, however. Or maybe it caused it instead? After all, the complete knowledge of one's future would be the greatest curse imaginable.

I honestly find anything short of actual time travel or god-level all-knowing intellect to be insufficient for predicting the future.

Why? Same reason AI is worse at some tasks than humans. They cannot predict the unknown nor unkown variables. Nor do they know the limits of what is and is not possible in the universe. To know all that you really need time travel or all-knowing ability.

[Krulle]

Another downsifde is how messy lasers are to fleshy targets. Waaay more messy than a bullet wound, far more gore.

With the shells (Umiak) this won't be so obvious because they are covered by shells.

Cauterisation?

Depends on the power setting, and how much flesh gets hit, but cauterisation reduces the gore considerably, although it creates its own problems for the victim...

[Cthulhu]

I honestly find anything short of actual time travel or god-level all-knowing intellect to be insufficient for predicting the future.

Why? Same reason AI is worse at some tasks than humans. They cannot predict the unknown nor unkown variables. Nor do they know the limits of what is and is not possible in the universe. To know all that you really need time travel or all-knowing ability.

That's what I meant, an AI cannot predict what its creator did not even know about, because it was not programmed for that. Only a truly creative mind can make "educated guesses" about what might be.

But it's irrelevant for this story, since even the most god-like precursors, the Soia, did not have that level of godhood. After all, what does God need with a starship:

[Bamax]

Another downsifde is how messy lasers are to fleshy targets. Waaay more messy than a bullet wound, far more gore.

With the shells (Umiak) this won't be so obvious because they are covered by shells.

Cauterisation?

Depends on the power setting, and how much flesh gets hit, but cauterisation reduces the gore considerably, although it creates its own problems for the victim...

Cutting through umiak armor and shells would take enough power that it will be gory.

Cauterization is not what you want when you ASAP lethality.

Lightsabers is the movies would be messy, not cauterizing.

If you can melt metal cauterizatation is below you.

[Keklas Rekobah]

The term "telepathy" conjures up a lot of very different notions, many of which are highly mystical in nature (and probably better described as "psychic"). Examples of psychic abilities often associated with telepathy that are NOT a part of Loroi telepathy are: clairvoyance, psychometry, precognition, empathy, or astral projection.

Q7: So if "Clairvoyance" is not part of Loroi telepathy, then is "Far-Seeing" under another classification -- "Extra-Sensory Perception" ("E.S.P."), perhaps?

My concept divides psionics into two categories: abilities that deal with the interaction of minds falls under telepathy, and abilities that interact with the physical world fall under psychokinesis. The other psi powers defined in GURPS (Antipsi, Astral Projection, Electrokinesis, ESP, Healing, Psychic Vampirism, Teleportation), if they exist, would be classified as either Telepathy or Psychokinesis.

Telepathy includes the ability to sense other minds. Farsensing takes this ability to extremes, but it's still a component of telepathy.

Clairvoyance and Psychometry (dealing with objects rather than minds) would be components of psychokinesis. I don't think Precognition is possible in the Outsider universe (I mean, there's breaking the laws of physics, and then there's really breaking the laws of physics). [...]

Thanks!

Back when I was more active in RPGs (i.e., Traveller, GURPS Traveller, et cetera), the psionics systems seemed kind of "clunky", so I reworked them slightly into four basic categories: Active, Passive, Internal, and Teleport.  Only the first two seem applicable to the Outsider-verse.  Whether the psion was sending thoughts or lifting a tool with their will, that came under "Active" (like active radar, which sends out energy).  Unless the psion was using Shield, his or her mind could pick up random thoughts from passers-by, like leaving one's window open on a busy street.  Reception could be "tuned" by concentrating on one thought stream (and making the appropriate dice rolls).  Clairaudience, clairvoyance, et cetera, would be "passive" skills (like radio receivers), requiring only a deactivated mental shield ... leaving the psion open to mental attack,

Also, there was always a 1 in 6 chance that the mind of a character with a 0 psi rating would be completely resistant to psionic contact of any kind -- he/she could still be pushed around telekinetically, but their mind could never be read or influenced, being effectively deaf and mute to telepathy.

[Keklas Rekobah]

I forgot to add this to my previous post...

Q10: Do Loroi have "Scopaesthesia", which is the (alleged) sense of being watched or stared at?

For instance, if Alex is enjoying the view while walking behind a shapely Lori female, how likely is it that she will turn around and say, "Take a holovid; it will last longer"?

[Arioch]

I forgot to add this to my previous post...

Q10: Do Loroi have "Scopaesthesia", which is the (alleged) sense of being watched or stared at?

For instance, if Alex is enjoying the view while walking behind a shapely Lori female, how likely is it that she will turn around and say, "Take a holovid; it will last longer"?

Attitudes will always vary between individuals (some may be shy, and some may be extroverts), but in general, in the Loroi male-female dynamic, there's nothing threatening about a male admiring the appearance of a female.. or even being somewhat forward with her. If you see a Loroi female all made up with fancy hair and the like, the chances are better than even that she likes being noticed.

And even in the male-female dynamic itself, not everything must be interpreted as sexual in nature. The males aren't hermits... they do walk around town.

Now... if she's a battered veteran holding onto sanity by her fingernails and it's the alien agent/"ambassador" eyeing her up, she might find it unsettling.

[Bamax]

I forgot to add this to my previous post...

Q10: Do Loroi have "Scopaesthesia", which is the (alleged) sense of being watched or stared at?

For instance, if Alex is enjoying the view while walking behind a shapely Lori female, how likely is it that she will turn around and say, "Take a holovid; it will last longer"?

Attitudes will always vary between individuals (some may be shy, and some may be extroverts), but in general, in the Loroi male-female dynamic, there's nothing threatening about a male admiring the appearance of a female. If you see a Loroi female all made up with fancy hair and the like, the chances are better than even that she likes being noticed.

Now... if she's a battered veteran holding onto sanity by her fingernails and it's the alien agent/"ambassador" eyeing her up, she might find it unsettling.

*cough* Stillstorm.

Wow... that's sad. So she is one bad day away from going full joker psycho?

Despite being a hero? Wow.. that could make for some unsettling character arcs.

It would be nice uf someone could save her or if she could save herself. But if a person has truly lost their sanity then they are unfit for command and even more dangerous in that position.

I still like Stillstorm, but we will see who orwhat she becomes.

If she becomes a homicidal killer then any affections I have will dty up. Sympathy will be there still, as anyone who has had drama and had to live through it witj no escape can sympathize with another who had.

[Keklas Rekobah]

I forgot to add this to my previous post...

Q10: Do Loroi have "Scopaesthesia", which is the (alleged) sense of being watched or stared at?

For instance, if Alex is enjoying the view while walking behind a shapely Lori female, how likely is it that she will turn around and say, "Take a holovid; it will last longer"?

Attitudes will always vary between individuals (some may be shy, and some may be extroverts), but in general, in the Loroi male-female dynamic, there's nothing threatening about a male admiring the appearance of a female... or even being somewhat forward with her.  If you see a Loroi female all made up with fancy hair and the like, the chances are better than even that she likes being noticed.  And even in the male-female dynamic itself, not everything must be interpreted as sexual in nature.  The males aren't hermits... they do walk around town.  Now... if she's a battered veteran holding onto sanity by her fingernails and it's the alien agent/"ambassador" eyeing her up, she might find it unsettling.

Thank you... but do Loroi have "Scopaesthesia" as I described it?

[entity2636]

*cough* Stillstorm.

I'm more than sure Arioch means Fireblade. She's the walking mentally unstable powder keg

[Arioch]

I forgot to add this to my previous post...

Q10: Do Loroi have "Scopaesthesia", which is the (alleged) sense of being watched or stared at?

For instance, if Alex is enjoying the view while walking behind a shapely Lori female, how likely is it that she will turn around and say, "Take a holovid; it will last longer"?

Attitudes will always vary between individuals (some may be shy, and some may be extroverts), but in general, in the Loroi male-female dynamic, there's nothing threatening about a male admiring the appearance of a female... or even being somewhat forward with her.  If you see a Loroi female all made up with fancy hair and the like, the chances are better than even that she likes being noticed.  And even in the male-female dynamic itself, not everything must be interpreted as sexual in nature.  The males aren't hermits... they do walk around town.  Now... if she's a battered veteran holding onto sanity by her fingernails and it's the alien agent/"ambassador" eyeing her up, she might find it unsettling.

Thank you... but do Loroi have "Scopaesthesia" as I described it?

No.

Neither do humans.

[Bamax]

*cough* Stillstorm.

I'm more than sure Arioch means Fireblade. She's the walking mentally unstable powder keg

I believe you. You cannot be in command if you are about to explode.

Fireblade's character card says she gets a power boost when she goes full berserk, but she is also known fir being stubborn.

Not the first best choice for command of a warship, that is surem

[Cthulhu]

No.

Neither do humans.

But maybe we, I mean the Humans in your story, actually do? A tiny bit of our dormant telepathic abilities could be leaking out, creating the alleged "Sixth sense". This would certainly explain all that paranormal stuff. But I guess that would be a spoiler for the coming page(s)?

[Mk_C]

These fetishes are getting really specific.

[Dan Wyatt]

These fetishes are getting really specific.

Blame Tempo's posterior.

[Keklas Rekobah]

No.  Neither do humans.

But maybe we, I mean the Humans in your story, actually do? A tiny bit of our dormant telepathic abilities could be leaking out, creating the alleged "Sixth sense".  This would certainly explain all that paranormal stuff.  [...]

"All that paranormal stuff" can easily be debunked ItRW.  Sadly, I can only live vicariously in worlds where "paranormal stuff" is normal through TTRPGs and websites like this.

[Cthulhu]

"All that paranormal stuff" can easily be debunked ItRW.  Sadly, I can only live vicariously in worlds where "paranormal stuff" is normal through TTRPGs and websites like this.

In our mundane world, yes. But since our protagonist displays something quite paranormal already, he may not be the first one, at least in the comic universe. It will be a huge shock for Humanity if they realize that not only elves are real, but that paranormal activity may happen due to their own latent abilities. Imagine the futuristic version of YouTube being flooded with holovids of wannabe telekinetics.

It's been ages since I played TTRPGs. I've drawn background pictures and even DM'd some D&D sessions back in school and university. Nowadays, I play strategy games for the most part.