Creatures/Beings who regenerate

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darthauthor
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Creatures/Beings who regenerate

Unread post by darthauthor »

Can a being with regeneration abilities cut off or pull out their own body parts (teeth, claws, piece of their hide, bone fragment, etc) and it will regrow thanks to their healing factor?

IF so, could they sell pieces of these body parts?

For example, reading Northern Gun, they have a bounty on vampire fangs. So could a secondary vampire or their master vampire pull the secondaries fangs out over and over again to have their mind slave minion sell for money?

Likewise, could a baby-dragon clip their claws pop their teeth to sell to a necromancer or someone for money?
Shoot, a dragon juicer would pay for a baby-dragon's blood.

Although, the point of it would be if the adventurers needed to raise some quick money for something or they are dealing with an NPC (high level magic user they need to cast a spell or something) they can't pay but haggled them into trading for "parts."

Hey traveling shows, start up towns, and merc companies need seed money from somewhere. Not to mention the costs of Northern Guns armor, energy rifles, and hovercycles.
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Re: Creatures/Beings who regenerate

Unread post by Grazzik »

darthauthor wrote:Can a being with regeneration abilities cut off or pull out their own body parts (teeth, claws, piece of their hide, bone fragment, etc) and it will regrow thanks to their healing factor?

IF so, could they sell pieces of these body parts?

For example, reading Northern Gun, they have a bounty on vampire fangs. So could a secondary vampire or their master vampire pull the secondaries fangs out over and over again to have their mind slave minion sell for money?


Can they? Yes. Would they? GM fiat.
However, I would say not in the ordinary course of events. These are self-elevated beings that operate at levels above the stanky mundane of commerce. If a vamp wanted money, just blackmail a bank manager, seduce a wealthy heiress, or double cross a drug lord, walking away with the cash while setting the drug lord up for a bust. The point is their reason for being is the exercise of power over mortals through cunning, deceit, and natural abilities... not lowering themselves to trading body parts. It would be equivalent to an industrial magnate spending time between meetings picking through trash to find pop cans for the deposit... they'd pay someone else a quarter of the deposit to collect it for them :) Other supernatural or creatures of magic would likely have the same attitude, though perhaps different means. Some may be so ancient that they understand the long term consequences of creating a market for their body parts.

Of course, in very specific scenarios worthy of roleplaying out, such beings might be desperate with no other choice. Or they could be held captive and exploited by others for their regenerative abilities.

darthauthor wrote:Likewise, could a baby-dragon clip their claws pop their teeth to sell to a necromancer or someone for money? Shoot, a dragon juicer would pay for a baby-dragon's blood.

A baby dragon is supposed to be childlike in their world perspective. They could be manipulated to do this but would likely not understand why. When they learn why, they may continue or they say no, for a reason or just to be difficult. However, I'd say there may be a growing sense in their mind that this is against their nature. Any that do it may come to feel shame or anger towards those that took advantage. That might lead to an adolescent dragon with a vendetta.

darthauthor wrote:Although, the point of it would be if the adventurers needed to raise some quick money for something or they are dealing with an NPC (high level magic user they need to cast a spell or something) they can't pay but haggled them into trading for "parts."

Hey traveling shows, start up towns, and merc companies need seed money from somewhere. Not to mention the costs of Northern Guns armor, energy rifles, and hovercycles.

As a one-off situation, maybe. But regular course of business, probably not for the reasons above. However, there is always the exception that proves the rule. This is a case where I'd make the PC work really hard for permission by playing in character showing the struggle with selling pieces of themselves... though I'd probably throw in some XP if they succeeded in convincing me.
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Re: Creatures/Beings who regenerate

Unread post by Killer Cyborg »

darthauthor wrote:Can a being with regeneration abilities cut off or pull out their own body parts (teeth, claws, piece of their hide, bone fragment, etc) and it will regrow thanks to their healing factor?

IF so, could they sell pieces of these body parts?


Some can, but it depends on the being in question and how thorough their regeneration is.
General rule is that any being that cannot have bionics/cybernetics due to regeneration, is a being that can regrow body parts. And vice-versa.
But there may be exceptions.

For example, reading Northern Gun, they have a bounty on vampire fangs. So could a secondary vampire or their master vampire pull the secondaries fangs out over and over again to have their mind slave minion sell for money?


Yes, and that's a pretty silly bounty.
For that matter, a person or group of people could potentially capture a vampire, stake it, remove its fangs, decapitate it, burn the head, remove the stake until a new head grows, then re-stake it, pull the fangs, and repeat.

Of course, people might eventually get suspicious if you abuse this, like if you're turning in a new set of fangs (or multiple sets of fangs) every day. Especially if the amount of vampire activity in the area doesn't match the number of vampires supposedly getting killed, or if somebody notices that the vampire fangs are all identical, right down to DNA and/or psychic scent or whatever.
For that matter, Object Read or other powers/spells might blow the scam.

If a GM wanted to pre-empt that kind of con, they could just say it's been run so many times before that Object Read and/or other powers are used on every fang turned in, to check authenticity and such.

I think the best way to pull the con would be to find out if there's a limit of how many fangs one can turn in at one time. If there's no limit, save up for a while and show up with a truckload, get the money while they're caught off-guard, then leave town and don't come back.
That, or just come in every few weeks or so, turn in a single set of fangs. See what the top vampire-hunters in the region are doing fang-wise, and try to make sure you're not turning in so many that it looks suspicious.
In addition to being caught in the scam, even if you're a vampire doing this, if you're not the ONLY vampire in the area, you might find yourself targeted by vampires who think you're slaughtering them.

Likewise, could a baby-dragon clip their claws pop their teeth to sell to a necromancer or someone for money?
Shoot, a dragon juicer would pay for a baby-dragon's blood.


Yes.
Generally we always said that dragons were loathe to do this, though.
Body parts tend to be used in magic rituals and such, in ways detrimental to the person the part belonged to.

Our party captured a demon that could regenerate fully, and flooded the market with demon blood & bone. The demon wasn't willing, though.
Our alignments suffered, we couldn't go back to various towns without disguises because we'd angered local magic merchants by flooding the market, AND if we tried to summon any more demons... well, they wouldn't show up alone.
Made quite a few enemies that popped up later down the road, demonic and mortal.

But we got stinking rich!
:-D

Although, the point of it would be if the adventurers needed to raise some quick money for something or they are dealing with an NPC (high level magic user they need to cast a spell or something) they can't pay but haggled them into trading for "parts."


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darthauthor
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Re: Creatures/Beings who regenerate

Unread post by darthauthor »

Beautifully Worded,

Grazzik,

"... their reason for being is the exercise of power over mortals through cunning, deceit, and natural abilities... not lowering themselves to trading body parts. It would be equivalent to an industrial magnate spending time between meetings picking through trash to find pop cans for the deposit."

Genius and beautifully worded

KILLER CYBORG,

Adore your description,
"Our party captured a demon that could regenerate fully, and flooded the market with demon blood & bone. The demon wasn't willing, though.
Our alignments suffered, we couldn't go back to various towns without disguises because we'd angered local magic merchants by flooding the market, AND if we tried to summon any more demons... well, they wouldn't show up alone.
Made quite a few enemies that popped up later down the road, demonic and mortal.

But we got stinking rich!

Sounds like a really great game and I would have wanted to have played. Love the realism and Holistic world building. A world rich with opportuniities, rewards and consequences that one can experience.

I have to ask, "What did you do with the money?"

I'd have started my own organization or kingdom or something. Place to keep all my things. Recruit people for my causes. Explore the mega verse. Be my own version of a hero and champion. Create a sanctuary against injustice. A refuge for the right kind of magic users, psychics, and DBees.
A place for the psychics of Free Quebec before or after they are deported.
Same with the DBees of the NGR, Norther Gun, and the Burbs.
Although finding the real estate could be a challenge.

Seems like all the great ideas have been take: Psyscape, floating cities of the Lumerians, Tolkeen, that hidden federation of magic city. Anywhere people can find you and you need an army to defend yourself. Even then it could be Tolkeen all over again.

What is the alternative?

What would you do?

What did you do?
.
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Re: Creatures/Beings who regenerate

Unread post by SpiritInterface »

Killer Cyborg wrote:
darthauthor wrote:Could a baby-dragon clip their claws pop their teeth to sell to a necromancer or someone for money?
Shoot, a dragon juicer would pay for a baby-dragon's blood.


Yes.
Generally we always said that dragons were loathe to do this, though.
Body parts tend to be used in magic rituals and such, in ways detrimental to the person the part belonged to.


The RUE, and Gods and Dragons clearly states that baby dragon parts aren't worth anything only adult dragon parts are useful.
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Grazzik
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Re: Creatures/Beings who regenerate

Unread post by Grazzik »

SpiritInterface wrote:
Killer Cyborg wrote:
darthauthor wrote:Could a baby-dragon clip their claws pop their teeth to sell to a necromancer or someone for money?
Shoot, a dragon juicer would pay for a baby-dragon's blood.


Yes.
Generally we always said that dragons were loathe to do this, though.
Body parts tend to be used in magic rituals and such, in ways detrimental to the person the part belonged to.


The RUE, and Gods and Dragons clearly states that baby dragon parts aren't worth anything only adult dragon parts are useful.


May I ask for a reference please? I've been through RUE and can't find this important limitation, and other books offer the following specific references to hatchling parts...

Hatchling bones are 1/4 the value of an adult's (D&G pg 16)
Hatchling claws are specifically mentioned (PFRPG High Seas 2e pg 31)
Claw: Dragon Hatchling — 200,000+ credits (WB18 pg 107, reprint from WB4)
Wings: Dragon Hatchling — 200,000+ credits (WB18 pg 107, reprint from WB4)

True, there is an emphasis on adult dragon parts being imbued with mystic energies for lots of different uses, but there is a myriad of other uses (dragon skin armor, dragon blood for dragon juicers, etc.) that simply say "dragon" without a qualifier for only adult or ancient. I've focused where there are specific call-outs for hatchling parts, but if there is a rule in RUE that directly overrules them, I'd appreciate if you could point it out. Thanks!
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