There is a degree of nature involved, too.

Some people are born with it and their dedication gets them to benchpressing Volkswagens, maybe even an armoured Lada.

It's the law of the jungle right now.

Ron Caliburn wrote:I've been dedicated for a while and I still ain't benchpresing any volkswagens.

Gimme some time to train you up good and proper -- Shaolin style. If you can free up some time (16 hours a day six days a week) it should take less than twelve ... er, years.

That's the problem we're all coming face to face with... Even if I wasn't hunting the paranormal, I have a family, and can't dedicate all my waking time for most of my week to training like that until my first kid's into junior high.

That's why I don't have kids or a family.

Yeah, and we'll be here to help you...both when the time comes, and every step along the way.

Hey, George, do you have an address I can send some things via UPS? I've got a care package for you.

There are alchemical formulae that promise great strength, others that offer great speed, still more for the rapid healing of wounds, and no small number that claim to offer a shortcut to immortality.


The ingredients are always rare and costly, they are also normally highly toxic untill properly treated (much like my own beladonna teas). Beware the draughts of the alchemist - you will notice that he approaches others offering his potions and aid rather than taking them himself.

A single grain too much or too little of any one of the many ingredients, the proportions of which change by size, weight, and chi of the subject, and instead of an elixer with a wonderous effect you get an uncontrolled effect with many undesired side effects.

[Robyn]

Cybermancer has encountered augmented humans. In fact, his earliest posts were about one such person. In this instance, the subject was the result of a centuries long eugenics project specifically aimed at combating superior opponents. The last couple of generations were further enhanced with genetic tweaking. The results were impressive although the organization responsible has since been neutralized.

The case discussed in this thread initially sounds as though the enhancement was accomplished through chemical augmentation. Science has really just scratched the surface of what might ultimately be possible. Although there is always a price to be paid.

Legends and myths speak of potions and elixirs imbided by heroes and villians alike that granted great powers to their recipients. Perhaps something similar is going on here.

There are also spells that grant humans enhanced abilities. Perhaps this mage was using ritualized concoctions to achieve the desired augmentations.

Perhaps this is case of modern science meeting ancient myth.

Only direct laboratory and alchemcial analysis can tell for certain.