Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

[Arioch]

crossfire, I missed something didn't I ?

Crossfire is a Loroi boardgame similar in concept to chess.

[NOMAD]

crossfire, I missed something didn't I ?

Crossfire is a Loroi boardgame similar in concept to chess.

thxs, looking forward to this ( is that what Beryl has in her packs ?)

[Hālian]

crossfire, I missed something didn't I ?

Crossfire is a Loroi boardgame similar in concept to chess.

thxs, looking forward to this ( is that what Beryl has in her packs ?)

Were one to loot her bag, they'd find a binder not dissimilar to the one in which Alex keeps his complete set of Magic 2014 Core Set -- one of only 47 known to exist. Apparently the old-fashioned trading card game has caught a certain loroi's eye...

[Siber]

Crossfire is a Loroi boardgame...

I can't be the only person who remembers this...

[Charlie]

Wasn`t what I thought of first...

SpoilerShow

Image is big.

[Alexandr Koori]

I again return to the standards. How do they check up serviceability of telepathic devices? They have a certain gauge model? In what units they measure the telepathic potential of a operators of devices?

[Arioch]

So image posting is disabled, maybe. Either way, you know which one I mean.

I can see the image fine.

I again return to the standards. How do they check up serviceability of telepathic devices? They have a certain gauge model? In what units they measure the telepathic potential of a operators of devices?

In order to successfully manufacture a telepathic amplifier, you need to be able to understand and measure the physical quality of the device that makes the amplification work (even if you're just copying an existing device and don't understand why it works, and can't mechanically measure the telepathic output). So there has to be a set of measurable physical attributes that you manufacture to and test in the field to determine whether the device should work. But you won't know for certain that it works until you have a telepath use it.

Because the performance of telepathy (amplified or not) can only be accurately judged by another telepath, and that telepath must be a person, any measure of such performance is going to be inherently subjective. So rather than some kind of unit of telepathic power, I imagine that telepaths are graded according to a relative scale, perhaps similar to the way we grade the color of a gemstone or the quality of a restaurant... there are certain thresholds of power and a consensus of what those thresholds mean, but without much in the way of measurable data on which to base such standards, they are going to be somewhat arbitrary. There will be some range-based benchmarks to telepathy (how far can the telepath shout and still be heard? At what distance can the telepath detect a whisper?), but even these will be subjective to a degree (how sensitive is the listener to the shout? How powerful is the whisperer?).

Rating psychokinetic output is a little bit easier in this respect because the physical effects can be accurately measured; they will be rated on the amount of force that can be applied or the amount of heat that can be put into or taken out of a system.

[discord]

if i recall correctly, there are some telepathically controlled light switch level things....that could be used to test distance....or increase resistance....or something, might be some heretically inclined people wanting to use such....

[saint of m]

How Long can a Loroi male go without sex and what are the consequences of prolonged celibacy (trying to find a better way to word it.)

It's mostly due to how calm and matter of fact Beryl asked Jardin about his "needs." Yes she was wondering how to be say it sensationally, but it seemed like a "Tuesday" to her (in the same manner a nurse probably has to take care of someone who had uttered the phrase "Hold my Beer.)

Speaking of spirited conversation, are there many races that enjoy alcohol, what would their tolerance would be, and would there be a trade between them and us?

Would other races have developed electronic Gaming, and how would Loroli view them?

[Arioch]

if i recall correctly, there are some telepathically controlled light switch level things....that could be used to test distance....or increase resistance....or something, might be some heretically inclined people wanting to use such....

The idea there was that there might be some input devices that could tell whether the user touching them was telepathically "hot"; it wouldn't actually read the telepathic signal, just detect the presence of the telepathic link. It could be used, for example, as safety to prevent a non-Loroi from operating a device. However, I'm currently thinking that this is not a good idea, first because any mechanical detection capability at all should inevitably lead to mechanical analysis of telepathy (which I don't want), and second because this would result in too many devices that Alex wouldn't be able to use.

How Long can a Loroi male go without sex and what are the consequences of prolonged celibacy (trying to find a better way to word it.)

It depends on the individual. Some Loroi males can go indefinitely without sex; some may be in distress if deprived of sex for only a few days. The biggest determining factor will be what the individual is accustomed to. If a male who is accustomed to regular sexual contact is deprived of such contact, he may begin to suffer from fluid discharges, dehydration, malnutrition, hormone imbalance, depression, mania, or self-destructive behaviors.

Speaking of spirited conversation, are there many races that enjoy alcohol, what would their tolerance would be, and would there be a trade between them and us?

I expect that the chemistry of intoxicating drugs will be very specific to a particular alien biochemistry, and so I think it unlikely that most aliens would experience the same effects from alcohol that we do. Each alien biochemistry would probably have its own intoxicants, which would probably not be effective for anyone with a different biochemistry.

Would other races have developed electronic Gaming, and how would Loroli view them?

Yes, the Loroi (and other aliens) have computer games. The Loroi use them as simulations for training and as pastimes.

[Jakelope13]

(...) It could be used, for example, as safety to prevent a non-Loroi from operating a device. However, I'm currently thinking that this is not a good idea, first because any mechanical detection capability at all should inevitably lead to mechanical analysis of telepathy (which I don't want), and second because this would result in too many devices that Alex wouldn't be able to use.

What about designing a lock that can only be accessed by those with PK abilities? It could be as simple as a lever, or a weight of some sort, located within a wall.

It depends on the individual. Some Loroi males can go indefinitely without sex; some may be in distress if deprived of sex for only a few days. The biggest determining factor will be what the individual is accustomed to. If a male who is accustomed to regular sexual contact is deprived of such contact, he may begin to suffer from fluid discharges, dehydration, malnutrition, hormone imbalance, depression, mania, or self-destructive behaviors.

By 'fluid discharges,' do you limit only to fluid that can naturally be discharged (mucus, waste) or do you include fluids less likely to be discharged, like blood or the Loroi equivalent of spinal fluid?

Could it be possible that, in only the most severe cases, a male Loroi deprived of sexual contact could, in fact, crap his pants in terror and die?

[fredgiblet]

What about designing a lock that can only be accessed by those with PK abilities? It could be as simple as a lever, or a weight of some sort, located within a wall.

The problem with that is that not all Loroi have that ability, in fact few do. So that locks the majority of the Loroi out too, in most cases that might be beneficial, but there's few places on a warship that shouldn't be accessible to anyone who needs them when they REALLY need them, Perhaps in the training facilities for Teidar and Mizol though.

[Arioch]

By 'fluid discharges,' do you limit only to fluid that can naturally be discharged (mucus, waste) or do you include fluids less likely to be discharged, like blood or the Loroi equivalent of spinal fluid?

I was referring to fluids related to the reproductive processes that are no longer in use. There is more discussion on the subject in this thread.

[Karst45]

, and second because this would result in too many devices that Alex wouldn't be able to use.

Including those 3 damn sea shell!

[Suederwind]

Not sure if that was asked before:
Are the telepathic powers of a Loroi increase gradual when they grow up till they are mature?
Or is there an event like human puberty when those powers suddenly "kick in", so to speak? (I am not sure if you know an Anime called "Shinsekai yori", got that question as I watched it.)
Are there some kind of tests to identify the powers of a young Loroi before they are enrolled to one of the casts?

Completely OT: Is there a problem with the site lately?

[Arioch]

Are the telepathic powers of a Loroi increase gradual when they grow up till they are mature?
Or is there an event like human puberty when those powers suddenly "kick in", so to speak? (I am not sure if you know an Anime called "Shinsekai yori", got that question as I watched it.) Are there some kind of tests to identify the powers of a young Loroi before they are enrolled to one of the casts?

Loroi learn to use telepathy gradually, the way a human child learns to speak gradually. A Loroi telepath who is more powerful than normal will also be more powerful than normal as a child, but will mostly likely lack the skill to do much more than "shout" more loudly than others or be able to hear "whispers" more clearly.

Young Loroi are continually evaluated by their creche caregivers. A child who shows signs of a particular aptitude may get a more specific evaluation from a specialist.

Completely OT: Is there a problem with the site lately?

The host seems to be having a few problems recently (seems like there have been a few more random errors lately than usual, and the forums were down briefly yesterday morning because of a damaged table). But things seem to be working normally at the moment.

[Hālian]

How long has Loroi Trade been around? and how much if at all has it changed since then?

[Arioch]

The Archaic form of Trade dates back to the Soia era (as much as 500,000 years ago), and is significantly different than the current form. The Loroi dialects begin around 275,000 years ago and have drifted significantly since then, though perhaps not as much as one might expect given the length of time. The early Deinar Loroi went through a long cycle of overpopulation and destruction of the early civilizations, having to re-learn written language from the Archaic examples over and over again.

[Hālian]

I might possibly be tempted to write a Trade textbook sometime

[Pharos]

Hi, a question occurred to me, but I'm at work so I don't have the time to see if it's been covered before, so apologies if this has been answered in the past...Do the Loroi have any particular rites when dealing with their fallen comrades in space? Would they receive the equivalent of burial at sea, or perhaps put in cold storage until they can be returned to their homeworld?