There are decisions upon decisions to make for any setting whether it will be used for a story, a novel, or something wider spread such as a series, or a (role-playing) gaming property. Some decisions are easy to make. Some do not affect much beyond the point where they are mentioned. Others though are hard because they have a great impact upon many things. Actions have consequences and beyond that for the writer are additional consequences to the tone and mood of the work. This of course is a most important factor when dealing with the horror genre. Mood is paramount, widespread, and far reaching.
In the world of Umbral Intentions one of those important decisions with a lot reach came up recently. The element in question is psychic healing. A knee jerk reaction might be to say that there are no methods of psychic healing. The psychic gifts are all dangerous, even ones that create knowledge--what better weapon than knowledge discovered as needed by psychic force. Healing can of course fit the psychic bill for horror though. An adversary that takes a moment and seals up a wound to come at the heroes again and again. An organ thief that plunges hands into the body to pull out a kidney without leaving a wound. An ally that saves a loved one by stealing a grievous wound and dying instead.
What does this mean for Josh? Well it could have meant a quick fix for his crippled arm. That wouldn't do. Immediately he would rule out giving someone else his injuries. He has no power to heal himself beyond human norm. The psychic surgery idea had some appeal, but in staying with the more horrific tone I ruled it out on secondary issues. What I've decided is that a psychic surgeon cannot make new tissues, only do what real surgeons can do--just without tools or blood transfusions or sedation. That makes widespread nerve damage only fixable with widespread nerve transplantation from the patient. Maintaining the need to have blood and tissue matches adds nicely to the complication and grittiness. It also opens up the opportunity of finding donors--including unwilling ones for the more unsavory harvesters. Though again Josh opted against both of these even had a psychic surgeon been available. Availability of course is another useful method of mood control.
