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AlexanderHowl · 01-13-2021, 01:31 AM

Humans are not really meant to live much past 110 years and, while a few people push beyond that barrier, they often end up regretting it as they outliving their family and friends. However, there are new technologies on the horizon that offer increased longevity, though the long term cost of living beyond the maximum human lifespan. It is in the long term costs of longevity that horror might be found.

In essence, humans are no more psychological prepared to love beyond their alloted years than they are physiologically capable. While technology might be able to deal with the diseases of the body, it is less capable of dealing with the disorders of the mind. Since mind and body are one in humans, the transformation of the human mind to a computer program probably removes its anchors to reality (though it will be a while before we can test that hypothesis).

If the above is true in a setting, the real horror in longevity then comes in the form of a decaying mind rather than a decaying body. After their first century of life, humans would start to accumulate (Age in years/100, rounded down) points of Corruption every month that can only be removed through weekly psychotherapy or conversion into mental disadvantages. Mind emulations have it even worse, as they would gain (Existence as Emulation in years/25, rounded up) points of Corruption every week that can only be removed through daily psychotherapy or conversion into mental disadvatages.

What type of consequences do you think would occur due to Corruption coming from longevity? What impact would it have in your settings or games? Would you ever want to introduce the idea as a horror angle for a science fiction setting?

01-13-2021, 01:31 AM	#1
AlexanderHowl Join Date: Feb 2016	Corrupted Longevity [Horror] Humans are not really meant to live much past 110 years and, while a few people push beyond that barrier, they often end up regretting it as they outliving their family and friends. However, there are new technologies on the horizon that offer increased longevity, though the long term cost of living beyond the maximum human lifespan. It is in the long term costs of longevity that horror might be found. In essence, humans are no more psychological prepared to love beyond their alloted years than they are physiologically capable. While technology might be able to deal with the diseases of the body, it is less capable of dealing with the disorders of the mind. Since mind and body are one in humans, the transformation of the human mind to a computer program probably removes its anchors to reality (though it will be a while before we can test that hypothesis). If the above is true in a setting, the real horror in longevity then comes in the form of a decaying mind rather than a decaying body. After their first century of life, humans would start to accumulate (Age in years/100, rounded down) points of Corruption every month that can only be removed through weekly psychotherapy or conversion into mental disadvantages. Mind emulations have it even worse, as they would gain (Existence as Emulation in years/25, rounded up) points of Corruption every week that can only be removed through daily psychotherapy or conversion into mental disadvatages. What type of consequences do you think would occur due to Corruption coming from longevity? What impact would it have in your settings or games? Would you ever want to introduce the idea as a horror angle for a science fiction setting?