[UA] Evolutionary Archetype - the Next Step / New Model

[R. Menzi]

---- James Ganong JGanong at webtv.net wrote:

> What would you call the personification of 
> evolution, & what might the channels be?


     You forgot the all-important question of names. 
Does the Evolutionist need to change his name so it
ends in -mon?

     I'd say that it'd be represented by freakish, but
useful mutations.  There are two kinds of avatars, the
born freak and the augmented man.  At one time,
avatars of the New Model were all born genetic
aberrations. Sometimes it was benign, like being born
without an apendix or without wisdom teeth are good
examples of qualifications for New Model status.  The
more visible versions involve having extra fingers or
toes.

     These days, however, one can become an avatar of
the New Model via exposure to gamma radiation or by
undergoing gene therapy.  Surgical modifications and
non-genetic congenital conditions do not count, as
one's special traits must be passed down to the next
generation.

     The second requirement is that the New Model must
have offspring.  Walking the path can only begin once
the avatar has passed the trait on to the next
generation.  The taboo is not passing having a genetic
legacy - if the character ever has no surviving
children who carry the mutation, they violate their
taboo.  (In UA, this usually means that they make
themselves mystically vulnerable by having lots of
kids and that their families are often targeted by
their enemies.)

     Channels are further mutations that provide
benefits.  Low-level channels might be the
disappearance of wisdom teeth and the apendix.  More
useful ones include subtle modifications to their
biology that make the New Model immune to most
diseases.  (eg: their cellular membranes don't use the
protein that HIV uses to get in, making them immune to
the disease.)  At this level, the avatar can still
have more children, though the only the original
mutation, not the channels get passed on.

     Higher level channels are more prominent and
functional mutations.  Unfortunately, once they get to
the higher levels of the Next Step, they can no longer
reproduce with normal humans and they begin to appear
more and more freakish.  The only ones that they can
mate with after this point (to have more kids and
avoid breaking the taboo) are other avatars or the
Next Step or others with their original mutation. 
(Incest is very common among medium-level Next Steps.)
 Children born at this point and later are deformed
freaks, like the Weekly World News' "Bat Boy" or some
sideshow performer.

     Once they get to the third step, they can only
reproduce with other avatars that have their original
mutation, ie: their children.  The products of this
incenstual and magical unions are born just deformed
freaks, like before, but are also automatically
low-level avatars of the Next Step.

     The godwalker can't reproduce at all, and tend to
get knocked out by competitors who hunt down and
erradicate their entire family lines.  Unseating the
sitting Next Step is usually seen as evolving beyond
the physical form.  Generally, the Next Step's
godwalker would hardly be mistaken for human.

-----------

     What do you think?


Regards,
- R. Menzi

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