Immunity

[Taliesin Dir Rhiannon]

I don't know how better to word it, but do you think there is a way that the child of two Luperci would be 'immune' to the Luperci blood....as if that gene just didn't pass to them at all?

[Ezra Rosen]

i mean i'm no SA member, but biologically it could totally happen because it's a virus and not all viruses pass down from generation to generation. i guess the luperci virus functions the same way AIDS does-- if a mother has it, giving birth to a child will pass down the disease.

however, i'm kind of interested in the biological aspects of the virus (i'm a huge bio nerd >>. looking at the rp guide it says "The mutated shifting gene is dominant, so it only takes one Luperci parent for a litter of werewolf children to occur."

buuuuut, freak things in nature do happen....


WHAT IF THE VIRUS MUTATED AGAIN O_O; who knows what that could bring! hahah :3

-/useless-

[Barrett]

Not SA here, either. I'm pretty sure we've always played as if it passes, just wanted to pipe in and say if it was an actual gene now (not necessarily a virus itself), it is possible for two parents that express dominant genes to have offspring that don't IF they each "carry" (possess) the recessive gene. So for example, if we let R represent a dominant gene and r recessive.

[html]
First we consider each parent carrying both the dominant and recessive gene. Since it's dominant, they both express as luperci.

Rr x Rr
	R	r
R	RR	Rr
r	Rr	rr

However, we see about 25% of the children will not possess the dominant gene.


If instead one of the above parents had two of the dominant gene, we'll see that all children will be luperci, but 50% will carry the recessive gene:

RR x Rr
	R	R
R	RR	RR
r	Rr	Rr

If a non-luperci were to mate with a RR luperci, all children will be luperci, but all will carry the recessive/non-luperci gene:

RR x rr
	R	R
r	Rr	Rr
r	Rr	Rr

Finally if a carrier and a non-luperci had children, half would be luperci (but non-luperci carriers) and half wouldn't be luperci.

Rr x rr
	R	r
r	Rr	rr
r	Rr	rr

[/html]

/biology lesson ;

Again, this assumes it's 100% due to genetics and not a virus. I don't think the virus simply sparked a genetic mutation and took the back burner, because it can still be passed via bodily fluids. Maybe when it's transmitted this way you wind up with an Rr carrier? In this case my third table might wind up more like the second, the fourth more like the first, etc. depending on how quickly it 'manifests'.

Even so it's unlikely that a virus would pass with a 100% success rate, but out of all the methods of transmission I'd assume in the womb would be most successful.

I dunno. But if it *does* take most of the time, even the puppy that didn't have it in the first scenario I presented would probably "catch" it in the womb/during birth even if it didn't "inherit" it. This would make it exceedingly unusual to say the least :3

[Ezra Rosen]

i was wondering about dominant/recessiveness of the gene. -claps for zeros awesomeness :3-

[Anann Kelevra]

I have a question that i believe to be some what related, perhaps i am just taking this off topic tho :x

Now don't we credit the virus/now gene for the heightened intelligence of the 'soulsverse canines? If that is the case would non-luperci have lower (real world average canine) iqs rather that equal to luperci canines? I know we don't play it that way. And I'm not suggesting we do...I was just curious is all :3

[Sage River Lykoi]

Soooper interesting. *stares at the Punnett squares*

[Eris Eternity]

I think we have discussed this before and I believe it is possible for parents to fail to pass along the Luperci gene, pending other 'SA input.

Katie D. - Naw, and I'd think that's a slight inconsistency with the way Luperci work. >_>

[Anann Kelevra]

Admittedly I did not research the provided back story info to look for whatever it was that had given me this idea. I am at work and phone browsing for such things is a pain as well as copy paste, so I will look to see if I can find any supportings for my question when I get home (if I remember) although I do full accept accept your answer. I am probably just remembering incorrectly (say it isn't so!). I also have a bad habit of misreading things when skimming them quickly. Damn brain.

[Barrett]

Hmm, on intelligence I always just kind of waved my hand and assumed they were all intelligent to begin with, just as wolves on other RPGs are even though they're not werewolves/shifters. I figured the bipedal form mostly gave more function, i.e. more versatile use of tools, greater longevity, etc. But yeah, that's mostly how it goes in my own head, it might technically be different for the board xD;

[Anann Kelevra]

The Canis genus in particular profited greatly: wolves, dogs, and coyotes found themselves with the ability to shapeshift from their natural form to a humanoid two-legged form with dangerous, cat-like claws. Beyond the physical advantages, their intelligence and senses seemed to sharpen, and from the wreckage of human society rose the Luperci.

Here is the origins of my question I as in a post above. The way -I- read it I take it as a result of the virus. Or is it a natural evolvement of all canines whether or not they have been infected by the virus?

Either way I am only curious and not asking nor suggesting for any changes to our current play and seemingly level playing field of intelligence amongst canines. With the obvious character to character variances of coarse.

[Luna Sabino]

According to what i have seen in other RP sites, the animals, independently of the species, the time or the main plot, have a nearly human intelligence, if not an average one, because they are roleplayed by humans! So, the intelligence of the wolves has more to do with the game than with the plot. Or at least that is my theory.

And i hadn't thought about the genetics of Lupercis. It is quite plausible, and may as well be added to the FAQ. So, the main reason of why most of the newborn pups are lupercis has to be with the fact that the parents are both lupercis. Though, I wouldn't be surprised to see a litter which's parents are Lupercis with one or two pups lacking the luperci gene.

[Ezekiel de le Poer]

I'd agree that it is probably likely a small percentage of offspring wouldn't inherit the gene, but this is also likely along the percentage chance you'd have a character born with a severe mental disability (ie; Elijah) or a genetic mutation like a withered arm or something. Either way, it's a very interesting idea and I could see it happening once or twice on the forum, given our sizable population and the lack of it occurring in previous generations on-board.

One thing I would assume is that the above-average intelligence would be shown in problem-solving as far as learning to read, construction, and the other human-like traits they display. I'd assume that non-Luperci wouldn't want/be able to learn how to read or anything like that. Perhaps identify images, but not letters--somewhat like how it's difficult to teach a dog to identify letters (though it has been done!)

[Skye Collins]

Oh man I remember us having this discussion!
I think that we decided it was sort of like AIDS, where the child could be born with an immunity, and it didn't necessarily have to be passed on.

[Taliesin Dir Rhiannon]

Enter the next question...
Would a child who is immune to being a Luperci necessarily have to pass that on to their child?

[Nayru]

I have a thought...

The virus (if given by blood transfusion or sex) MUTATES the gene that passes along the luperci. Why would it only mutate one gene and not the other? Would a formerly rr wolf then be RR? o.0