How Does An Orion Womans Pheromone Thingy Actually Work?

[JD5000]

I'm running a free-form RP 'game' with some friends, and one of them would like to represent an MU Orion woman. The pheromone thing could kind of be a story-breaking issue with how it affects the other characters. So how does it actually work?

I'm running on the idea presented in the Enterprise episode 'Bound' by Phlox, in which he suspects 'it's a natural defense system against competition'. So does this mean it's an autonomic physical response by a female Orion triggered when in the company of a man and another woman? Is it purely physiological and chemical in nature, so it would affect a gay man but not a gay woman? Can she control it, or is it no different than someone becoming aroused in the company of someone that they find physically attractive?

I look forward to your responses.

 

[Finn]

I'd say she can control it

 

[Timo]

Phlox makes the "defense against competition" remark after describing the pheromone's effects on other females, on whom it causes "headaches and listlessness". Might be he feels it's a separate function from the effect it has on males.

Yet all victims seem to suffer from pretty much the same thing: a general intoxication that makes them "angry drunks", lashing out against each other. It doesn't seem to cause the males to lust for a specific Orion woman; it doesn't even make them lust in general, apparently. All that happens is that the men become stupid and thus more docile to suggestions made by the Orions, including sexual ones (or ones boosted by sexual promises, explicit or implicit). It's not as if the men are trying to compete for the Orions, not until the Orions themselves tell them to.

Basically, it's just like free booze for the party: the odds of scoring go up for the determined, experienced and somewhat more sober Orions even if they also affect each other to a degree.

In that interpretation, it wouldn't matter whether the victim is male, female, straight, gay, interested or disinterested. He or she just gets irritated, loses focus, and starts smashing things and people, until told to do something else by the composed and skilled Orions.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[JD5000]

I like the 'angry drunk' analogy. That may help me specifically. Other points are good too, thanks!

 

[EVL_Ripper]

Like a female cat. A little queef and that shit is everywhere.

 

[Misfit Toy]

Like a female cat. A little queef and that shit is everywhere.

Let's elevate the level of discourse, please - we already have Google watching us a bit too closely for questionable content.

 

[SicOne]

Like a female cat. A little queef and that shit is everywhere.

Let's elevate the level of discourse, please - we already have Google watching us a bit too closely for questionable content.

Darn. And just when I was about to add my unsolicited two-cents-worth by stating that it's more that Orion women are smokin' hot, speak little, and have tits like zeppelins than the pheromone-thingy. Mods always gotta quash my fun. It's like my first ex-wife. Sheesh.

 

[JD5000]

The last couple comments were not helpful. Feel free to close if it gets bad, Misfit Toy.

I'm gonna let the players work it how to deal with the negative effects in game, they've suggested several ways to deal with the negative effects, from chemical suppression to the Vulcan of the group working with the Orion on mental techniques to control the release of the pheromone.

So I do have the basic problem essentially solved, I'm looking for serious ideas that can help our narrative.

 

[SicOne]

^ Don't forget to toss a Deltan in the mix as well, JD. Deltans are big fun when it comes to spicing up a campaign. Lemme refer you to Christopher Bennett's Department of Temporal Investigations book Forgotten History.

 

[JD5000]

I like fun in my PPGs, but I don't think my players or myself are looking for this to devolve into "Star Trek: Nude Frontiers". Ignoring sex completely is just silly, but I don't want it to be a focus or graphic element of the game. We're shooting for PG-13.

 

[SicOne]

^ Well, you don't want Deltans, then. It degenerates into Penthouse Forum really quick.

 

[JD5000]

You understand correctly, my friend. Thanks for your input.

 

[JWPlatt]

...we already have Google watching us a bit too closely for questionable content.

I'm curious about why this matters.

 

[JD5000]

This thread is not for questioning site policies, please direct your questions to the appropriate forum or utilize the PM button.

There are some pretty smart people here, I was hoping to get more mature responses to my questions. Thanks to those that have responded to the opening post appropriately.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

...we already have Google watching us a bit too closely for questionable content.

I'm curious about why this matters.

IIRC, Google doesn't care about post text content, only images. The reason this matters is because Google controls the ads. If they object to any images posted here, they pull the ads, and thus TBBS loses the ad revenue derived from them.

I'd say she can control it

That's what I always assumed as well. There's no evidence that they can't, anyway.

As for Deltans, Ilia had to sign an oath of celibacy, but there's no record of her having to take inhibitors or anything. Same story with Orions, I should think.

Whereas there might be some low-level uneasiness that they might cause in passersby - which is probably instinctual and unavoidable - there are only serious problems if they are intentionally caused, and obviously Ilia (and Gaila from STXI) wouldn't do that.

 

[JD5000]

Thank you for your thoughts, MLB.

 

[T'Girl]

I'd say she can control it

That's what I always assumed as well. There's no evidence that they can't, anyway.

There's little insane Marta, she obviously couldn't control Garth to the point he wouldn't have her hauled out through an air lock and blown up.

possibilities ...

1) Due to her insanity, she had conscious no control over her natural abilities.

2) She wasn't actually an Orion, just a different alien in green make-up.

3) Marta was such a drama queen that she deliberately let Garth kill her as a grand exit.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Or maybe Garth was resistant to Orion pheromones.

Although I agree it's more likely that Marta's condition meant that (for whatever reason) she couldn't use them.

 

[Maurice]

Orrrrrrr as to Marta, the "pheromones" are a retcon that just doesn't effing apply.

 

[mos6507]

Orrrrrrr as to Marta, the "pheromones" are a retcon that just doesn't effing apply.

The pheremones explanation is the equivalent of midichlorians in Star Wars. It's better to just think of Orion women as being sexy based on their overall charisma rather than reducing it to a simple chemical reaction.