Re: The Fear Helm

Perhaps a fear helm is essentially the same kind of device as a lifejammer
(as has been mentioned), but instead of draining physical strength, it preys
of emotional strength.  It looks like a coffin, and the person inside is
subjected to a continual barrage of illusions, memory flashes, whatever,
that frankly scare the hell out of them.  The more frightened the person
gets, the more efficient the helm is.

This effectiveness could be inversely proportional to the total of the
victims INTelligence (intellect), WISdom (intuition), and CHArisma
(willpower and strength of personality), or perhaps just this highest of the
three.

Characters with high stats in those categories would be able to "fight back"
for a time.  However, prolonged exposure to the fear helm would start
eroding the resolve of even the most steadfast individual; sort of like
Chinese Water Torture.  After being in there for a day or two, perhaps,
their stats start to drop, making the helm more efficient in the process.
Once the victim is reduced to zero in all the stats, they are in a coma and
a new victim must be thrown in.

This loss of stats need not be permanent, or at least not all of it.  After
some time away from the helm, and in a beneficial setting (the slave cells
on the neogi ship don't count), the stats start to go back up to normal.
Perhaps the victim permanently loses one or two points in one of the three
categories; permanent emotional scarring kind of thing.

So, anyone have ideas for the actual mechanics of such a gizmo?


Richard
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|Richard J. Pugh, MLS          | Traveling Eternity Road,             |
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| RJPugh@???.com               | Carrying your heavy load,            |
| PUGH.RICHARD@???????.???.gov |   Searching to find, a peace of mind |
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