From: owner-7thsea@darkedge.com on behalf of Eric R Sylwester
[hedgehog@uclink4.berkeley.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 1999 11:12 PM
Subject: Re: [7th Sea RPG] Vodacce Genetics

Chad Underkoffler wrote:

> Ahoy the List! Interesting thing in my head:
>
> 1. It takes 2 Full-Blooded Sorcerors to make a Full-Blooded
> Sorceror.
> 2. Only Vodacce women do magic.
>
> Thus,
>
> 3. There are Vodacce men, who are Full-blooded Sorcerors, but
> don't/can't do magic.

I wrote this once before, but here it is again: Sorcery may not be
genetic.  We are told that the noble families made pacts with
otherwordly beings in exchange for power.  It is entirely possible that
the inheritance of sorcerous powers is more akin to a legal inheritance
rather than a genetic one.  In each generation it is the contract that
is honored, rather than the Gift being a "one shot" genetic trait that
then propagates through generations.
The nice thing about this view is that it allows GM's a bit more
leeway.  Genetic inheritance of single, primary genes follows pretty
well known rules.  Legal inheritance, OTOH can allow for a lot of wierd
oddities (future generations growing in power as well as losing power,
technicalities, sorcery in one sex without any 'passive' sorcery
necessary in the other sex, the relationship of Glamour to the graal,
etc...)

It can also put some bite into your sorcery; for example, with Porte,
genetic powers relegates the 'beings in the mists' to sideline actors-
just a side effect of the power.  But with a legal Gift, perhaps they
are the ones that GAVE montaigne noble the gift- and as price they are
allowed to take any sorcerer who opens his eyes as tribute.  This, to my
mind, is far more sinister.
And of course the obvious bite for any sorcery is, if you break the
contract, you are in deep deep trouble.

> What do you all think?

Your idea sounds like a good one for a campaign.  I just pointed out
another.  Good luck!

Eric S.


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