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Jun. 18th, 2009 09:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
drinkthedynePOWERS: Agatha is a Spark (technopath-ish) of a decidedly odd bent. Please see the Spark section in her original app for more clarification. She can build nearly anything, fix nearly anything mechanical, fix people (though her medical knowlege is currently a little lacking - this will improve), and all the machines (clanks) she creates obey her. She’s also very good at building guns/death rays. As a Spark, she can go into a state of mind called hyperfocus (the madness place) in which she does most of her work. Unfortunately, being in the madness place means just that: madness. She's less stable and more prone to ignore consequences, while being increasingly brilliant scientifically. Additionally, she uses something referred to as "heterodyning" in the form of a strange sort of music (often humming), to help her concentrate and control her clanks. She can speak to and hold conversations with her own clanks, most of which have some form of AI. Though she does require tools to work, the tools can be very minimal yet produce results. She builds clanks in her sleep often, especially when she’s under stress or worried about something.
THE SPARK: Please read the Spark entry on the Girl Genius wiki page for a better explanation than I can give.
The Spark, meaning the "spark of a genius," is a rare, hereditary mental attribute without which the mad scientists of the world of Girl Genius would be nothing. It's what makes them who and what they are, people who seem to be able to futz with the laws of physics and nature as we know them. To truly warp the laws takes about two hours, but the results of such things can vary in horror factor.
The major emphasis for a spark is on the mad of mad scientist. A Spark will go into 'the madness place' which can also be called hyperfocus, characterized by intense (and I do mean intense) concentration on the problem at hand, dramatically increased comprehension, intuition, megalomania, and increased increased aggression, often at the expense of rationality and self-preservation. This state of madness is the reason why sparks are called madboys and madgirls, though never to their faces, as it is dangerous to one's health. A Spark is intensely charismatic, especially while in the madness place, and tends to inspire loyalty, aka acquire minions, through sheer force of charisma and will. ***Agatha will not have access to this charisma. 95% of the people in her world are followers, and are thus prone to it. People in the City are not.***
Though tools and materials are required, very little is out of a Spark's capabilities if they want it enough. Agatha has built many things while sleeping when worried about a particular problem, and didn't even know what they were for until they were turned on later. Pretty much all of the 'mad scientist' stereotypes can be applied to Sparks. Many things they build outstrip even modern science, but when one takes into consideration the lack of rationality in the madness place, this can add up to a devastating outcome.
When the Spark first manifests in a person, usually in the teenage years, it's called a breakthrough, and is the most traumatic and dangerous time for any budding Spark. They often get themselves killed by their own creations or by angry towns.
Sparks tend to have characteristic styles, which are also hereditary. Agatha hasn't shown much in the way of a style preference yet; she's fantastic at building clanks and death rays, but not so good at the medical sparkyness yet. Yet. With her background it's likely that she'll excel at any Sparky field she tries her hand at.
Many of the machines Sparks build are known as clanks. Clanks have a range of AI - Agatha’s Dingbots are completely autonymous and able to perform complex tasks on their own, but some clanks merely follow orders.
THE SPARK: Please read the Spark entry on the Girl Genius wiki page for a better explanation than I can give.
The Spark, meaning the "spark of a genius," is a rare, hereditary mental attribute without which the mad scientists of the world of Girl Genius would be nothing. It's what makes them who and what they are, people who seem to be able to futz with the laws of physics and nature as we know them. To truly warp the laws takes about two hours, but the results of such things can vary in horror factor.
The major emphasis for a spark is on the mad of mad scientist. A Spark will go into 'the madness place' which can also be called hyperfocus, characterized by intense (and I do mean intense) concentration on the problem at hand, dramatically increased comprehension, intuition, megalomania, and increased increased aggression, often at the expense of rationality and self-preservation. This state of madness is the reason why sparks are called madboys and madgirls, though never to their faces, as it is dangerous to one's health. A Spark is intensely charismatic, especially while in the madness place, and tends to inspire loyalty, aka acquire minions, through sheer force of charisma and will. ***Agatha will not have access to this charisma. 95% of the people in her world are followers, and are thus prone to it. People in the City are not.***
Though tools and materials are required, very little is out of a Spark's capabilities if they want it enough. Agatha has built many things while sleeping when worried about a particular problem, and didn't even know what they were for until they were turned on later. Pretty much all of the 'mad scientist' stereotypes can be applied to Sparks. Many things they build outstrip even modern science, but when one takes into consideration the lack of rationality in the madness place, this can add up to a devastating outcome.
When the Spark first manifests in a person, usually in the teenage years, it's called a breakthrough, and is the most traumatic and dangerous time for any budding Spark. They often get themselves killed by their own creations or by angry towns.
Sparks tend to have characteristic styles, which are also hereditary. Agatha hasn't shown much in the way of a style preference yet; she's fantastic at building clanks and death rays, but not so good at the medical sparkyness yet. Yet. With her background it's likely that she'll excel at any Sparky field she tries her hand at.
Many of the machines Sparks build are known as clanks. Clanks have a range of AI - Agatha’s Dingbots are completely autonymous and able to perform complex tasks on their own, but some clanks merely follow orders.
