What are the limits of a Chiang-ku's metamorphosis?
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 3:26 pm
I have been pondering the Chiang-ku's ability to transform itself. I am wondering how other people have handled it, what sort of limits you have placed on it, or even just what your general thoughts are on some of these questions.
So the book states that a Chiang kus metamorphosis can last indefinitely, which is great, and it also says that they can transform into any living creature between the size of its own normal size and that of a house cat.
But what constitutes a "living creature"?
Do plants count?
Coral?
In phase world we have the Machine People, clearly not organic but I dare say they would be rather insulted by anyone suggesting that they are not "alive". Could the dragon transform into one of them?
Could they mix and match? For instance, could they make themselves look like a normal human being except replace one of the hands with a giant crab claw? What about simply changing the size of a normal living creature? Could they make themselves look like a house cat, except for feet tall? Could they add limbs that are not normally part of a species? A forearm human being? There are, after all, mutant humans in Rifts that may have all manner of strange additions or alterations to their physical body.
What about silicon-based life-forms?
If they can customize their appearance however they like, adding things or taking them away, is there any reason that they could not take the shape of two human beings that are connected by a tendril linking one body to another? Would that not still be a single form?
Would you limit them to taking the shape of any living thing that they have already encounter? For instance, taking on the shape of human beings because they have met human beings? Would it have to be something that they have seen, or something they have touched? Maybe tasted?
As for the limit on their maximum size, would you limit them based on Dimensions? Or Mass? What if they want to form some strange alien with large billowing gas sacs that are used to fly? That might take them far larger and then their normal dimensions, but certainly far less Mass wouldn't it?
And last but not least, what about their magic tattoos? I think there has been some discussion in another thread a boat whether or not a dragon loses their ability to transform after they gained seven or more tattoos, but what if they only have two or three? When they transform, do the tattoos disappear? Can they make the tattoos disappear if they want? What if they made themselves look like a human being only with a fold of the skin hiding the tattoos inside of themselves?
So the book states that a Chiang kus metamorphosis can last indefinitely, which is great, and it also says that they can transform into any living creature between the size of its own normal size and that of a house cat.
But what constitutes a "living creature"?
Do plants count?
Coral?
In phase world we have the Machine People, clearly not organic but I dare say they would be rather insulted by anyone suggesting that they are not "alive". Could the dragon transform into one of them?
Could they mix and match? For instance, could they make themselves look like a normal human being except replace one of the hands with a giant crab claw? What about simply changing the size of a normal living creature? Could they make themselves look like a house cat, except for feet tall? Could they add limbs that are not normally part of a species? A forearm human being? There are, after all, mutant humans in Rifts that may have all manner of strange additions or alterations to their physical body.
What about silicon-based life-forms?
If they can customize their appearance however they like, adding things or taking them away, is there any reason that they could not take the shape of two human beings that are connected by a tendril linking one body to another? Would that not still be a single form?
Would you limit them to taking the shape of any living thing that they have already encounter? For instance, taking on the shape of human beings because they have met human beings? Would it have to be something that they have seen, or something they have touched? Maybe tasted?
As for the limit on their maximum size, would you limit them based on Dimensions? Or Mass? What if they want to form some strange alien with large billowing gas sacs that are used to fly? That might take them far larger and then their normal dimensions, but certainly far less Mass wouldn't it?
And last but not least, what about their magic tattoos? I think there has been some discussion in another thread a boat whether or not a dragon loses their ability to transform after they gained seven or more tattoos, but what if they only have two or three? When they transform, do the tattoos disappear? Can they make the tattoos disappear if they want? What if they made themselves look like a human being only with a fold of the skin hiding the tattoos inside of themselves?