[Dragonstar] Shapechanging and Identity

[Tetsubo]

How would a science fantasy society identify individuals when there are so many ways to change ones shape? Retinal scans, brainwaves, fingerprints, voice prints would all change from form to form. Any ideas?

 

[tensen]

Embed a chip with the ID number in the body of the being. With law enforcement having orders to shoot to kill anything without an ID chip...incentive not to form into a creature that dumps the chip.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

First, you start with ID cards/badges/passports

Then, you have options..

True Seeing windows at security check points?

Zone of Truth areas at check points?

Required blood (or some body fluid sample) - which would make sense to check for dangerous diseases spreading from planet to planet.

If the security has a lot of money- little anti-magic zones that all must pass through.

Or, if they are not heavy in resources, just basic magic detectors (similar to metal detectors at airports) - when the whole being glows, then that might just be a tip.

I am not sure why brain wave patterns would change with a shape change.

FD

 

[Leopold]

bar code on the back of the hand always works.

 

[Aaron L]

Astral pattern/soul scanners at spaceports and teleportation rings. Walk through the x-ray machine/True Seeing screen before you can get on your flight.

Which brings up an interesting point: If Good, Evil, Law, and Chaos are indeed actual forces in the D&D universe, why couldn't they be mechanically detected? Electronic alignment scanners? Hmmm... Just a thought. They could be magical forces, which by definition break the laws of physics, or they could be incorporated into the science of the DS setting, further blurring the lines between technicians and wizards (which I like, wizardy as a recognized field of physics!!) Maybe the Unified Field Theory needs Law/Chaos Good/Evil forces to be complete?!

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Maybe the Unified Field Theory needs Law/Chaos Good/Evil forces to be complete?!

In a DragonStar Empire? Why not?

The idea of integrating technical devices and magic is nice.
Maybe biological engineering combined with magic and some other high tech devices allows to creates magic detectors that can be used by everyone, constructed in masses. (Unlike Wondrous Items, who simply take to long to be available on a mass market)