 Ghoul Talk, can they? |
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 Oct 18 2006, 06:47 PM
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#1
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Target  Group: Members Posts: 40 Joined: 13-March 06 Member No.: 8,371  |
I'd never considered it before, but Runner Havens mentions interogating a ghoul for info. The BBB doesn't give ghouls a language skill but does mention that many of them keep their intellect when infected.
Can ghouls talk in your game, 'cause I always had them down more like animals or zombies on speed? Is there a suave, sofisticated ghoul out there somewhere, living the high life and sipping champagne out of a human skull? You get the idea. Love to hear from you (and be nice to each other - and me!). |
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Oct 18 2006, 06:50 PM
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#2
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 668 Joined: 4-September 06 Member No.: 9,304 |
Ghouls can talk.
It has been mentioned in a few books and modules. Some do not, as they have lost the intellect to do so, but those that do keep their intellect can talk. |
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Oct 18 2006, 07:02 PM
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#3
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,174 Joined: 13-May 04 From: UCAS Member No.: 6,327 |
The only ghouls worth mentioning are the dead ones. ;-)
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Oct 18 2006, 07:36 PM
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#4
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 668 Joined: 4-September 06 Member No.: 9,304 |
Racist
:spin: |
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Oct 18 2006, 07:48 PM
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#5
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Ain Soph Aur Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,477 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Montreal, Canada Member No.: 600 |
It's worth mentionning that there ARE the "zombie on crack" types of Ghouls, just as there are highly intelligent ones, and everything in between. I always figured that, in Ghoul communities, the intelligent ones take care of the dumber ones, while using them as front line hunting troops. Of course you can also have communities where the intelligent ones outcast the dumb ones, the savages feeding on the meet leftovers the smart one throw them.
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Oct 18 2006, 07:50 PM
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#6
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,333 Joined: 19-August 06 From: Austin Member No.: 9,168 |
Our just finished run involved any number of interactions with The Ghoul King. He slobbered a lot, but he and his merry decrept mall full of misfits were quite talkative.
They can be mages, I have to think they can talk. And listen to Goblin Rock, based again on our run. |
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Oct 18 2006, 07:55 PM
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#7
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 588 Joined: 27-February 06 Member No.: 8,316 |
actually they're sick, but the same race as before they got sick. :grinbig: |
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Oct 18 2006, 07:56 PM
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#8
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 668 Joined: 4-September 06 Member No.: 9,304 |
Does that mean that Elves, Dwarves, Orks and Trolls are sick?
Hmm, are you a card carrying Humanis? |
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Oct 18 2006, 08:14 PM
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#9
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Target Group: Members Posts: 49 Joined: 27-February 03 Member No.: 4,171 |
Bikers may not talk in much more than grunts, but there's a ghoul gang that calls itself '162' or somesuch mentioned in Runner Havens. I believe it's because they claim dominion over the 162 (interstate? freeway? road) in the southern Seattle metroplex.
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Oct 18 2006, 08:18 PM
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#10
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Awakened Asset Group: Members Posts: 4,464 Joined: 9-April 05 From: AGS, North German League Member No.: 7,309 |
Ghouls... had to warn a GM once that my char meeting the NPC decker in person would be very dangerous for said decker. Intelligent or not, they do spread a dangerous disease. Most chars should at least say "better dead than undead", if not activly hunting them.
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Oct 18 2006, 08:21 PM
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#11
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,174 Joined: 13-May 04 From: UCAS Member No.: 6,327 |
So ya gotta contain/eradicate the disease, stop the spread of it, <insert other catchy phrase>. :P |
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Oct 18 2006, 08:21 PM
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#12
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 281 Joined: 9-September 06 Member No.: 9,346 |
I entirely agree. Deckers have been known to spread all manner of diseases, from Anti-RTG ICE deficiency syndrome, to sudden outbreaks of rash-like malicious code. Filthy creatures. Thankgod they usually stay indoors. Though, I rarely resort to hunting them. I think their palid skin, and penchant for living virtual lives is something to invoke pity, not hatred. |
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Oct 18 2006, 08:25 PM
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#13
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 588 Joined: 27-February 06 Member No.: 8,316 |
read my signature
I like the great Dunkelzan prefer treatment over killing of people with a disease. Remember that one of the awards in his will was for the first to come up with a synthetic flesh for ghouls to eat. As written in cannon, ghouls spread hmhvv via successful attack; That doesn't mean that they will attack everyone they see, nor does it mean that casual contact will spread the disease. |
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Oct 18 2006, 08:27 PM
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#14
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 668 Joined: 4-September 06 Member No.: 9,304 |
Hmmm, that was supposed to be humor.
shakes his head |
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Oct 18 2006, 08:32 PM
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#15
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 588 Joined: 27-February 06 Member No.: 8,316 |
nevermind, (there needs to be an emoticon of a little old lady to go with that.)
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Oct 18 2006, 09:05 PM
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#16
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 834 Joined: 30-June 03 Member No.: 4,832 |
Ghouls talk, but it costs 2 :nuyen: per min, have your credit card ready!
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Oct 18 2006, 09:05 PM
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#17
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,598 Joined: 24-May 03 Member No.: 4,629 |
Some Ghousl can talk, most can't. The Chicago strain had some downright *brilliant* members and were intrumental to getting Ghouls some recognition as Metatahumans, rather than critters. This recognition isn't universal, mind you.
So, some Ghouls are just hissing howling meat-eatting vermin while others are fully function, cognicent members of undersociety. Which can lead to some interesting "Ghoul King" situations. For example: "Paulie! Paulie! Oh geeze Paulie!" "Calm down, Frank, calm down. What's wrong?" "These guys, man. These guys were down and trying to hassle us and Marie just started yelling and she was screaming at them and was hitting them and they smacked her and then Joey ... I dunno, he SNAPPED or something. It ..." "Frank, what happened?" "Bodies, man. There's ... there's bodies. I ... I dunno what to do." "Frak! Okay ... okay okay okay ... here's what you do. Get the boy together, get thos ebodies stripped down, and then go to this address." *glances at the pop-up on his comm. "There's nothing out there, Paulie." "Oh yeah there is. Look, you take those bodies, you leave 'em in the house with the blue door ... the BLUE door, you got me? There's gonna be a bell there. Stack the bodies on the floor, ring the bell, and then leave. Leave and don't loko back." "Blue door? Bell? What ... what're you...? "There's ... arrangements between our people and ... ... look, just do it, okay? And make sure that after you ring that bell, you close teh door and get out FAST. It'll all be taken care of." "All ... allright, I'll do it, but..." "Great. See you when you get back, chummer." "Yeah. Yeah, I... I'll see you." |
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Oct 18 2006, 09:14 PM
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#18
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Uncle Fisty Group: Admin Posts: 13,891 Joined: 3-January 05 From: Next To Her Member No.: 6,928 |
Well, there used to be, sorta. Darkfather was a decker, and eventually an otaku. He was also very rich, had cyber eyes and skin treatment, and tailored pheromones to fit in with "normal society". Past tense because he's dead now. |
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Oct 18 2006, 09:16 PM
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#19
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Shadow Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 3,737 Joined: 2-June 06 From: Secret Tunnels under the UK (South West) Member No.: 8,636 |
Darn. Saw the thread title and thought this was some sort of macabre late night chat show. "Tonight on Ghoul Talk - the growing problem of organ donor cards." |
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Oct 18 2006, 09:34 PM
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#20
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Prime Runner Group: Banned Posts: 3,732 Joined: 1-September 05 From: Prague, Czech Republic Member No.: 7,665 |
Which has puzzled people ever since it was written, because synthetic human flesh was something you could buy out of the medtech section of the first edition Shadowrun basic book published in 1989 and reflecting the technology of 2050. So some 7 years before the publication of Dunkie's Will, it was already canon that ghouls could put money into a credreader and walk away with a double-armload of human flesh that was complete moral and legal for consumption. Obviously either:
Take your pick. But ghouls can definitely eat synthetic flesh and always have been able to. They eat dead flesh, which is exactly the same as cloned flesh, which is another word for synthetic flesh. -Frank |
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Oct 18 2006, 09:41 PM
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#21
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,174 Joined: 13-May 04 From: UCAS Member No.: 6,327 |
Seen on an advert for synthetic flesh:
"Soylent Green, it does a body good!" |
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Oct 18 2006, 09:42 PM
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#22
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ghostrider Group: Retired Admins Posts: 4,196 Joined: 16-May 04 Member No.: 6,333 |
I like this one, personally. |
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Oct 18 2006, 10:44 PM
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#23
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Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
The problem with that option is that there are a lot of entries that would have been more recent, and he would have accessed the Will a fair deal in the interim. Dunk'n'Donuts was no fool, and something like a Will entry would not slip his mind, especially as he knew it very well might be imminently needed. I prefer the third option on Frank's list. |
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Oct 18 2006, 10:48 PM
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#24
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Uncle Fisty Group: Admin Posts: 13,891 Joined: 3-January 05 From: Next To Her Member No.: 6,928 |
If it was an overexcited freelancer, the current bunch must be jsut as excited, as there are still companies persuing this bequest. Apparently cloned flesh just ain't the same. For example, I can't stomach soy burgers. ;)
I always figured it was somehow connected to essence, since everything else with HMHVV needs essence (except the loup garou I think). Who knows, maybe it's like being lactose intolerent? :D |
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Oct 18 2006, 11:20 PM
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#25
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Prime Runner Group: Banned Posts: 3,732 Joined: 1-September 05 From: Prague, Czech Republic Member No.: 7,665 |
I think Cake said it best:
Yeah. Ghouls have been hanging around cyberclinics to eat the leftovers for 20 years, it's too late to take that back. Ghouls eat cloned meat. Cloned meat even has Essence (which is why you don't lose any when you swap your blown off arm for a cloned arm), so if there was some mumbo jumbo about how the dead meat had to have been living human tissue at some point, it doesn't even matter. Cloned donor bodies are real human bodies from a chemical, biological, and even magical perspective. Ghouls can eat them. They have been eating them since first editiion. And they'll continue to eat them long into fifth edition. Every sooftem people forget that cloning in Shadowrun is really easy when considering the horror (or frankly lack thereof) of the ghoulish condition in SR, but there you go. Now Wendigo have to eat the living tissue of a concious, living human under emotionally charged conitions. They can't eat stuff out of clone vats because the stuff in clone vats doesn't feel any emotions. They really need something funky to survive without murdering people. That's a major social problem. But Ghouls don't. And they never have in any edition of Shadowrn ever. From the first edition (where they were explicitly a Goblinized form of human), to the current one (where they are the result of a disease that is massively misnamed because they don't actually get the signature effect of the disease's title), Ghouls have always been able to persist on the dead flesh of a human. And cloned flesh is the dead flesh of a human. At least, it is once you keep it out of the nutrient bath for a few hours. -Frank |
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