Real-Life Weirdness

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Anders

Hmm... they reproduce once, when they reach 17 (and obviously have more than one kid each) and then raise the kids.

That, or the State raises the kids while the newly-minted adults go off into the workforce. This would likely mean some of the adults would indeed be involved in the raising of the children, but if you have multiple broods you might opt to have caretakers always be from a different brood than the children. Or maybe they're largely raised by machines, like the first generation in Horizon: Zero Dawn (the Taarakans in Vandread are implied to be in a similar boat - at one point Hibiki tries to convince the robot guarding his cell to let him as "We were both made in the factory, right?"; humorously, Hibiki is one of the few Taarakans who wasn't made in a factory, he just doesn't know that).

Yes, this would probably be some sort of dystopian society. Expect a lot of the new adults to join the military to fight (and often die) in the endless war(s).

[L.J.Steele]

Vampire Facials -- unlicensed spa providing "platelet-rich plasma microneedling".

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/26/h...re-facial.html

You just know actually vampires would be all into this sort of thing.

[Varyon]

I just learned of something called a fluidized bed. There are a few ways to make them, but they ultimately wind up with the same result - small particles sufficiently suspended by air to function as a liquid. They're apparently used in industry for cleaning and for coating things in paint or similar. Essentially, a fluidized bed can be a solid bed of sand, then when you turn it on the sand changes to function like liquid, causing anything that is insufficiently-buoyant to sink... and when you turn it off, it immediately reverts to normal. So you could have what looks like a normal field of sand, then when intruders step on it you turn it on, causing them to sink as though they were in water, and then immediately turn it back off, trapping them unless they can dig themselves out. It could certainly make for an interesting trap for the PC's to encounter.

[Anders]

Like quicksand? Sounds cool.

[cptbutton]

Originally Posted by Varyon

I just learned of something called a fluidized bed. There are a few ways to make them, but they ultimately wind up with the same result - small particles sufficiently suspended by air to function as a liquid. They're apparently used in industry for cleaning and for coating things in paint or similar. Essentially, a fluidized bed can be a solid bed of sand, then when you turn it on the sand changes to function like liquid, causing anything that is insufficiently-buoyant to sink... and when you turn it off, it immediately reverts to normal. So you could have what looks like a normal field of sand, then when intruders step on it you turn it on, causing them to sink as though they were in water, and then immediately turn it back off, trapping them unless they can dig themselves out. It could certainly make for an interesting trap for the PC's to encounter.

I think this sometimes happens in earthquakes, where the earth vibration is just right to do this to the soil. Google "Soil liquefaction".

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Anders

Like quicksand? Sounds cool.

In the video I saw it seemed to mimic water in terms of functional density, so if you know how to swim you'd be fine while it's liquid - although if it turns off you may well wind up buried from the neck down (also if they time it right, they could turn it off right after you go under from when it first turned on, and then your whole body is buried). But yeah, pretty nifty.

Originally Posted by cptbutton

I think this sometimes happens in earthquakes, where the earth vibration is just right to do this to the soil. Google "Soil liquefaction".

Well, that's just terrifying. Thanks.

[L.J.Steele]

Not quite weird, but definitely belongs in an RPG

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...t-leonard-book


Story of a Malaysian defense contractor, a Navy officer and a special agent tied up in a bribery scheme. The contractor, known around the Navy as Fat Leonard, bribed Navy officials with lavish gifts, five-star resort stays, gourmet dinners and the services of prostitutes. In exchange, officers did his bidding, leaking confidential military information to him or steering ships to ports that he controlled around Southeast Asia. Leonard bribed Navy officials with lavish gifts, five-star resort stays, gourmet dinners and the services of prostitutes. In exchange, officers did his bidding, leaking confidential military information to him or steering ships to ports that he controlled around Southeast Asia. Around 91 admirals were investigated in the scandal.

From all accounts, a larger than life guy who really ought be a source (or nemisis) in a spy game.

[Varyon]

Durendal, the legendary sword of the knight Roland, had allegedly spent the last 1300 years imbedded in a rock face in the village of Rocamadour, France. I say had spent because somebody has climbed the 100-foot wall, broken the chain attached to the sword, and pulled it from the stone. Some PC needed it for some important reason, apparently.

[dcarson]

https://www.wired.com/story/malware-dna-hack/
Researchers planted a working hacker exploit in a physical strand of DNA.
Malware in the DNA hijacks the computer running the DNA sequencer analyzes the data.

Always sanitize your data inputs even if you don't think they can be bad.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by dcarson

https://www.wired.com/story/malware-dna-hack/
Researchers planted a working hacker exploit in a physical strand of DNA.
Malware in the DNA hijacks the computer running the DNA sequencer analyzes the data.

Always sanitize your data inputs even if you don't think they can be bad.

"Alright, at that point, Mandy will stage a smash and grab at the corporate office. She doesn't need to actually steal anything, just leave some DNA."

"Some DNA I've tinkered with."

"Right. Kleenex has inserted a computer virus into the DNA. They'll use the isolated corporate security system to read the DNA, and in addition to finding our patsy, they'll also let us into their system."

"After that..."