Magical Mutations [Horror/Thaumatology]

[AlexanderHowl]

One possibility that could occur in some settings is that higher levels of mana may cause magical mutations. Now, magical mutations could be positive or negative, mental or physical, and the rate would likely depend on the duration and level of magical exposure and whether a resistance roll was allowed. For example, a setting may use the following system:

No Mana: No mutations.

Low Mana: For every decade of exposure, roll 1d-1 for beneficial mental mutations, 1d-1 for beneficial physical mutations, 1d-1 for harmful mental mutations, and 1d-1 for harmful physical mutations.

Normal Mana: As for low mana, but reduce the interval to five years.

High Mana: As for low mana, but reduce the interval to two years.

Very High Mana: As for low mana, but reduce the interval to one year.

Magical mutations are mutations given by magical exposure, not mutations that are sustained by magic, so they continue to function in no mana areas as they do not have the Magical (-10%) limitation. Creatures with Magical Resistance multiply their interval by (1 + [Magical Resistance/10) while creatures with Magical Susceptibility divided their interval by (1 + [Magical Susceptibility]). Magical mutations are not germline mutations, so newborn creatures are born without any mutations. As well as humans, any living entity is capable of mutating, though negative mental mutations are potential rather than actually if an entity possesses IQ 0, applying only if they develop IQ 1+ or acquire a template that gives them IQ 1+. Positive mutations may remove negative traits, and negative mutations may remove positive traits, instead of giving an entity new traits.

Optionally, characters may make a Thaumatology roll at every interval if they wish to guide the process of mutation (+5 for low mana, +0 for normal mana, -5 for high mana, and -10 for very high mana). On a critical failure, they only receive negative mutations, and they are chosen by the GM. On a failure, they receive negative and positive mutations, and they are chosen by the GM. On a success, they receive negative and positive mutations, and they are chosen by the player. On a critical success, they only receive positive mutations, and they are chosen by the player. If they wish, they may attempt to amplify the amount positive mutations that they receive by taking a -2 to their Thaumatology roll per +1 to their positive mutation roll, but the modifier instead applies to their negative mutation rolls in the case of a failure or a critical failure. Luck (including Super Luck) may explicitly not be used to influence the Thaumatology roll.

The above example represents a system that would allow humans to live in low mana and normal mana areas without much trouble, though some of the longer lived entities could become quite odd. People would likely avoid settling high mana and very high mana areas, as the entities in those areas would likely become very strange. For example, a domesticated cat that moved into very high mana region may come out of it a couple of decades later as a magical genius with a lifespan measured in centuries and the ability to take human form.

What do you think? Would you allow such magical mutations in your settings? If so, what impact do you think that they would have one your settings?

[RedMattis]

Low Mana: For every decade of exposure, roll 1d-1 for beneficial mental mutations, 1d-1 for beneficial negative mutations, 1d-1 for harmful mental mutations, and 1d-1 for harmful physical mutations.

Emphasis mine: I assume you mean physical mutations here?

What kind of mutations are we talking here? Could a negative mutation be something minor like Unusual Feature: Glowing Eyes [-1]?

Are the physical/mental mutations tied to a point value? F.ex. each mutation means 5-points of mutations?

Are the mutations usually mundane-seeming (Appearance (Unattractive) [-4], or on the polar opposite obviously supernatural e.g. Teal Glowing Skin (Appearance (Unattractive, Universal) [-5])?

How extensive are the mutations? Limited to relatively minor stuff like DR 1 (Tough Skin), or outright sprouting wings and gaining Flight (Winged, Mana dependent)? Do people get straight-up super powers like Innate Attack Burn (Aura) and bizarre disadvantages like Weakness (Daylight)?

Can the mutations end of inflicting entire templates over time, turning someone into a half-man half-stone Golem over time f.ex? Or even more dangerous stuff like raising the dead as zombies & vampires?

-----------------------

As for if I've used something like that; yes, I've used and do currently use a system like that if a character rolls high/low after a critical failure using demonic energies/artifacts. It hasn't come into play though, because the players decided against using or even keeping the evil artifacts they found. In another campaign I had a type of Arcane Ritual some NPCs tried to cast cause these type of effects. The thing to be careful with is not 'embarrassing' a player who doesn't want <thing> by forcing it unto them. If someone plays a Handsome charismatic Elf ranger then they might won't like your RNG-table turning them into an ugly ball of fur; to take an extreme example. Best try to evaluate your players feelings on this kind of thing beforehand if possible.

[maximara]

IIRC Magical Mutations happens on Merlin-1 (Technomaner) and likely is also happening on Merlin-3 (WWII Technomaner). Given what the Axis powers did in OTL I shudder to think what they are doing in Merlin-3.

[AlexanderHowl]

Thank you, I corrected it. The mutations are capable of being mundane, exotic, or supernatural and they can grow. For example, a character who gained 1 CP of positive mental advantages could purchase Magery 0 (Day Only, -40%; One College Only, Earth, -40%) [1] and, with further mutations, they could broaden their Magery and/or increase their Magery. Just that 1 CP would allow them to start becoming practicing mages though.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

What do you think? Would you allow such magical mutations in your settings? If so, what impact do you think that they would have one your settings?

A domestic cat would be pretty unlikely to live long enough to become a magical genius with a lifespan measured in hundreds of years unless it won the Mutation Lottery by getting Longevity first and no negative mutations that make it likely to get killed such as physical disabilities that hamper obtaining food, mental disabilities that make it even crazier than a normal domestic cat, etc. But there are going to be some freakish and probably dangerous turtles, parrots, and trees out there, and not just in the high mana areas if they are born with or obtain the ability to roam freely. This would be a very dark setting filled with magical horrors in short order.

[AlexanderHowl]

Well, that would definitely bring the horror aspect. I wonder if it would be better to fiddle around with the rules a bit to make better creations? How about we keep the intervals but change the results to the following:

Every interval, make a Will roll and a HT roll. For the Will roll, a critical failure inflicts 2d CP negative mental traits, a failure inflicts 1d CP negative mental traits, a success gives 1d CP positive mental traits, and a critical success gives 2d positive mental traits. For the HT roll, use the same results but replace mental traits with physical traits. For the CP roll, apply a -1 for low mana, +1 for high mana, and +2 for very high mana (doubled for critical failure/critical success).

A successful Thaumatology roll (+5 for low mana, -5 for high mana, and -10 for very high mana) before the Will roll and the HT roll allows the player to choose their traits while a failure means the GM chooses their traits. A critical success allows them to choose their traits and adds 1d positive traits to each roll. A critical failure means the GM chooses their traits and adds 1d negative traits to each roll.

[Inky]

That's interesting, yes, the trees would be more likely to end up with mutations than the animals. They'd still be rooted to the ground, though, unless and until they happened to get that particular mutation. Also, maybe mental mutations should be off the table for a creature with IQ 0 until it has at least IQ 1? This is beginning to look like a really good scenario.

As for how dark and filled with horrors the setting is, I'd imagine that would depend on the table you used to select your mutations. Just using the Advantages and Disadvantages lists would be the easiest way. I don't know what results that would produce, not having tried it.

[Jinumon]

It's definitely interesting in concept. I for one have always been a fan of the "Mana as Metaphysical Radiation" sort of concept in fiction. Just to be clear, the "1d-1" is the value of the traits added, right?

While I don't see anything inherently wrong with the sample system as you've presented it, you may consider looking at Power Corrupts from GURPS Horror, pp. 146-148 for additional inspiration on the sources/rates-of-accrual for magical mutations. The subsection on Other Corruptions specifically talks about the influence of forces that are not necessarily evil, and "Magic" or "Mana" could very easily fall under that umbrella.

Jinumon

[AlexanderHowl]

1d-1 would be the CP value of the traits added.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Well, that would definitely bring the horror aspect. I wonder if it would be better to fiddle around with the rules a bit to make better creations?

Depends on what you mean by "better creations," I guess. What's your goal here?