Re: [HOE] Cyborgs and cyber prosthetics (long)

[Richard A Ranallo <toadpooka@juno.com>]

On Tue, 3 Dec 2002 22:32:04 -0800 "Kai Tave" <kaitave@harborside.com>
writes:
> At its very basic level, Spirit loss is a balancing device for 
> scrappers and cans.  Any attempt to justify it is going to run into the
same 
> problems that arise when discussing Essence loss in Shadowrun, or
Humanity loss 
> in Cyberpunk 2020

My take on it is that it's not so much the lost meat, or the metal that
replaces said meat, but the intrusion of computer bits in the character's
nervous system, as required to control the thing.  Maybe, in order to
interface with the cyber-part properly, the character's nerve impulses
(and thus, her thought patterns) have to become a little more like a
machine than a human.  The more interface is needed, the more Spirit is
lost.

There's also a degree of "identity loss" involved, as in people who get
major reconstructive surgery, and no longer recognize themselves in the
mirror.  Having parts of your own body be foreign to you can cause major,
but subtle psychological damage.  In terms of simple limb loss or "hook"
type prosthetics, I'd say this is similar to Spirit loss, but to a small
enough degree that it doesn't register on the grainy scale represented by
the rules.

From Whom It May Concern,
Rich Ranallo

"Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige's wall there was this one: 'Matters of
great concern should be treated lightly.'  Master Ittei commented,
'Matters of small concern should be treated seriously.'"
-Hakagure