Re: What makes a species

["Michael Kilgore" <khaakon@lycosmail.com>]

Ummm....  Where in the spell does it say that mutate changes one's DNA?  Was
this in an errata that I have not received?


-----Original Message-----
From: Jevan Furmanski <furmansj@expert.cc.purdue.edu>
To: Kris Ames <kris@cioe.com>
Cc: gmlist@cioe.com <gmlist@cioe.com>
Date: Wednesday, July 15, 1998 4:54 PM
Subject: Re: What makes a species


>
>
>On Wed, 15 Jul 1998, Kris Ames wrote:
>
>>
>> >
>> > [Daniel Lawrence]  There is NO mention of added abilities. The
>> description
>> > specifically improves an existing species... it does not change
>> the target to
>> > a different speices.
>>
>> Just a quick question,  what in AQ defines a separate species.  In
>> reality land two animals are considered separate species if they can
>> not interbreed and produce a viable offspring (sometimes distance
>> (i.e. the two will never meet) is the only thing that makes this
>> so).  Obviously in AQ this is not the defining point.  I mean elves
>> and humans are separate species, but they can interbreed (i.e. half
>> elves).  So for game purposes what makes something a separate
>> species?  I guess my feeling is that if you have been mutated 5
>> times for lets say iron skin, wings, gills, webbed feet, and breed
>> true I would no longer look at them and say human.  If I understand
>> Dan correctly, this person would still be considered human (assuming
>> they started that way).  Just wondering.
>>
>>
>> -Kris
>>
>
>
>I just want to point out that we are once again arguing rules and
>semantics.
>
>It has been said that mutate actually changes the DNA of the target, hense
>it cannot be reversed without a reverse mutation.  This change in DNA
>would seem to be a divergence in Species, if a different creature will be
>born when the target breeds.  I have upheld that those who get mutated too
>many times will become sterile, like in real life when fetuses are
>irradiated and become mutated.  This may not stand because in AQ lizards
>can breed with a totally alien strain of DNA, which is 6 million years
>more developed.
>
>Result:  mutate changes the whole target, race and all.
>
>I really don't care how the mutate thing comes out, I originally just
>wanted a ruling from Dan (see my first post).  I know we can't retcon, and
>I was just giving Wright a hard time about playing a Muto, and I believe
>in some cases there are physiological changes that are obvious.  That is
>however in the hands of the adjudicating GM, and should not be open to
>interpretation by just anyone.
>
>
>This is my spew, and I hope a consensus is reached so we can get more
>consistancy in the campaign.
>
>Jevan
>