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From: berosetti@watrose.UUCP (Barry Rosetti)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Infravision from a physical point of view
Message-ID: <7350@watrose.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 18-Mar-85 10:32:57 EST
Article-I.D.: watrose.7350
Posted: Mon Mar 18 10:32:57 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 19-Mar-85 03:38:54 EST
References: <4962@ukc.UUCP> <860@ttds.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 58

> 
> Of course, it's completely ridiculous to give scientific explanations
> to fantasy concepts. And what do we know about elven physiology?  In
> the AD&D universe I'm Mastering, seeing comes from the sight-beams
> emanating from each persons eyes (thats why you sometimes can feel if
> someone is looking at you), and even then I discourage my players to
> use their infra-vision. It hasn't been useful to them, anyway.
> 
  I don't think that it's rediculous to give scientific exlanations.
  As a matter of fact, if you can come up with a feasible explanation
  for a novel phenomena (sp?) you will know a lot better how to react
  to various twists and unexpected actions on the part of the players 
  (as far as the phenomena is concerned).
   
  In my campaign, I developed a new race (the Dwundel).  These creatures
  started off as humans and half-elves but were corrupted by a high
  devil called Trintur (son of Glasya and Mammon).  Their blood was mixed
  through eons with various different kinds of devils and the like.
  As a result of this and high magicks, they developed extended abilities
  and resistances, with those of the lower types of devils as base.  Included
  in these abilities is a 'special' infra-vision which is described as
  follows:

     (0) Infra-red light is just another spectrum of light.  It is not
	 solely associated with heat, however hot objects act much as 
	 a night light since heat gives off a limited amount of infra-red
	 light.

     (1) The sides of the Dwundel's eyes enamate a frequency of light in the 
	 infra-red spectrum.  Their sensitive pupils collect any reflecting
	 light and thus they can 'see' much as a bat can 'see' whenever there
	 is a total lack of infra-red light (or a great diminishing thereof).
	 A membrane over their pupils screens the amount of light that reaches
	 the sensitive areas (ie. the conterpart of rods and 'cones' in humans).
	 Thus, they always have some sort of light (of relatively
	 consistant intensity) and they are seldom blinded by a burst 
	 of infra-red light.

     (2) The Dwundel's eyes are NOT hot.  The light they enamate is IR but
	 as I said above IR light is just another form of light and not 
	 strictly associated with heat.

     (3) The Dwundel have no sensitivity to any of our 'normal' light.  This
	 is because of their specific breeding, magicks, etc.

  This background for their sight gives me the ability to handle strange
  situations (ie. a control temperature at a range of greater than 60' (the
  range of the light their eyes enamate) will give those within practical
  invisibility, but any closer the light from their eyes falls upon the sphere
  and spots something wrong).  A scientific explanation (or nearly scientific)
  provides  the ability to reason about something, and you don't have to 
  rely on an enumerated set of rules like (if xx then yy).
    
		    Barry Rosetti
		    ( ..!watdcsu!watrose!berosetti)
 
  "When in trouble, scream and shout, run in panic, jump about.."
	 - Heinlien (sp?)