Discussions/BioTechnology
While we have a lot of "hard tech" artifacts, there is less spent on biotechnological artifacts, although we do have some in Wonders of the Lost age, along with soe slightly more indepth rules to create them. But it would seem that biotechnology would be more prevelant in the age of sorrows, since it repairs and reproduces itself. So what sort of biotech might we find? Also, It's my belief that while the Solars might have some great examples of this, it would be the Lunars who would be more effective and for that matter interested in the creation of biotech.
A few thoughts-- rather than a repair rating, biotech might have a "Feeding rating" referring to how much down time you have to give it to eat and sleep.
So, any other thoughts? CharlesGray
Rather than designing artifacts, I would design these as creatures. Given the genre and the beliefs of the groups in question, your potential designers of this "biotech" are more likely to look at it as breeding magical creatures and mutants than designing devices. I could certainly see all kinds of nifty things though:
- A magical, leech-like symbiote that drains Essence but increases physical attributes.
- A furry, boneless creature designed to be a living blanket that snuggles you in bed.
- A creature with naturally pleasing perfume musk.
- A hulking beast that eats anything and processes it down to its base Essence, storing it like a battery. Perhaps it can be "milked" for this Essence later.
- The Chillikin are canon examples of this kind of created creature.
Also keep in mind the various methods to be used. Solars would likely use Wyld-Shaping Techinque. Lunars would probably breed the creatures they wanted together, possibly including themselves in this process to get desirable traits in their beast-children. Lunars also have that charm to take Wyld-things into Creation and make them real. This would make Solars and Lunars a great team, since the Solar could shape some creature in the wyld, and the Lunar could bring it back fully real. Dragon-Blooded and Sidereals would have to turn to Sorcery, since they have no charms particularly well suited to these endeavors. Even if a Dragon-Blood tried to create some, they would probably make him a better breeder, able to weed out which mutations and traits he wanted. - IanPrice
Let's not forget living weaponry, which is always cool.
-- Darloth
Another question is-- what about essence manipulatoin. We have it stated that *most* but not all beastmen tend to focus on physical, not essence manipulation abilities.
- Now, I'm of two minds on this. First of all, Exalted is about breaking limits-- but the ability to manipulate essence, use charms, (especially sorcery) etc, is such an incredible plus that if it was possible, likely every beastman would have it-- the advantages it confers over non-essence manipulators are just too great. So, my assumption is that it's not that easy, eeither requiring a lot of very high level charms and spells, or more likely being something that it's hard to obtain save through internal development-- we now that both the dragon kings and mountain folk, while they can maniulate essence, take a good while to get good at it. So I'd argue that for the most part, "essence manipulation" defined as the ability to use essence, develop charms, and learn spells and/or necromancy is an example of a spiritual development, not a physical development. Most creatures that have "essence" when it's tied to one or two limited charms or used by creatures that are nonsentient are in fact using the term "essence" to keep track of their power, but it's more limited than what we'd normally see in an essence manipulating creature like an exalt. -- CharlesGray
One thing that might have been created, either in the first age or more recently by Halten allied lunars might be living blimps-- creatures that can float and fly, either by using their wings to press them along or biological "jets". Actually, although some looks would have to be changed, what about using some f hte Trinity style biotech for this? I was thinking some enterprising lunar developed "Living Gunzosha" armor for her champaions, that they might be able to confront the 7th legions warriors. -- CharlesGray
What about Fallen Dragon style biologically integrated armor? Or rather, biological armor that is worn, but has a lot of biology in it. Something like this.
