A Nightmare of Genetics and Guilt

With my first two Grendel residents lounging comfortably in the garden, I set to work on introducing the first Norn egg into this world. The third generation began with a beautiful female named Angharad! She is the daughter of Husby and Erikstad, and she is the exact image of her mother! Chronologically, these Norns will be introduced in the order that they were conceived. This was to be a very interesting beginning to the generation, though: I made the assumption that her mutations were fairly minor, but I would learn my lesson in due time. Oh, genetics, how you tease me!

Lobes

Brain lobes include important information about how the different parts of the brain work, from how concepts are learned to how a Norn goes through the decision process. These genes can greatly affect the learning process.

120 Emb B MutDup Lobe #= 6 Gain State Rule: suscept TRUE chem1 TRUE STW 0 end end, Gain= 3

The only difference here is that the first end value was replaced with zero. I particularly dislike state variable rules, due to their mysterious nature and lack of in-depth analysis. My theory is that since the value before this mutation does not include a function, like addition or multiplication, this will have no effect.

122 Emb B Mut Lobe #= 8 State Rule: anded0 end end end end 1 end end, Min LTW=128, Max LTW=128, Min strength=1, Max strength=10, flags=0

Angharad had two mutations in this gene: One which was a simple mutation, and another that was inherited from Erikstad. The first mutation simply replaced one of the end values with a value of one: However, since there is at least one end value before it, it will have no effect. So long as one end value is reached, the state variable rule ends. The more serious and complicated mutation is in the second part of this gene, where the dendrite migration properties are defined for D0 growth. I gave a fairly detailed description of it in A New Face and a New Illness. It basically means that Angharad will be unable to learn which concepts are good: The random dendrite connections she was born with will never migrate. Erikstad seemed to fare pretty well with this mutation, though: Instincts are still present and strong enough to guide her. So I hoped!

Receptors

Chemical receptors define parameters for a certain chemical. When these parameters are met, an element in the Creature is affected. These genes can increase drives, define life stages, control fertility, and more.

44 Emb B MutDupCut Creature, Drive Levels Pain, chem=Pain, thresh=2, nom=0, gain=255, features=Analogue

This gene controls how the pain drive is affected by the amount of pain chemical in a Norn. In the standard Norn genome, the threshold is set at a value of zero. This basically indicates the minimum level of pain chemical that must be present before it triggers a reaction in the pain drive. This is a very minor difference, but technically Angharad can withstand one unit of pain without feeling it. Time for a celebration!

89 Emb B MutDupCut Brain, Decision i/ps, Chemical 1, chem=Reinforcement, thresh=0, nom=0, gain=255, features=Analogue

Cue the end of said celebration. This gene controls one of the many signals to the brain, based on a Norn’s chemicals. In the standard Norn genome, the associated chemical is punishment. With Angharad, this chemical receptor now searches for reinforcement instead. Even worse, this directly affects the decision lobe. The Genetics Kit even states, “This receptor connects to the Chem1 locus on the Decision Layer lobe. It responds to the presence of the punish chemical and is used by the lobe’s reinforcement rule to cause learning.”Notice the gigantic problem? This receptor is tied in with reinforcement, yet it actively seeks out the level of reinforcement chemical, rather than punishment. This is an awful case of a neverending loop! Perhaps Angharad could survive and prosper, despite this serious genetic mutation.

Reactions

Chemical reactions define rules for individual chemicals and chemical combinations. These genes can also state the rules for how chemicals are used up, and each reaction has a defined half-life to determine how often it occurs.

146 Emb B MutDup 1*Glucose + 2*Hexokinase => 5*CO2; half-life = 24

This chemical reaction is associated with how glucose is used up during energy consumption, which can be measured with hexokinase. In the standard Norn genome, this reaction creates four units of carbon dioxide (CO2). Angharad will produce slightly more CO2 when she moves about and uses up energy. From my quick analysis, it appears that CO2 plays a negligible role in Creatures 1. Hopefully this will prove to be minor.

Instincts

Instincts define the expectations for certain behaviors. These genes do not state exactly what happens when the parameters are met, but rather provide the basis for Norns to base their decisions on.

133 Emb B MutDupCut Verb i/ps Come + (Lobe/Cell=0/0) + (Lobe/Cell=0/8) and I Come => 255*Reward

Basically, this mutation will have no effect. This gene defines an instinct which rewards a Norn who hears the word “come” and follows the command. The mutation in Angharad changes the cell number, but since the lobe is set at a value of zero, this will have no effect. Note that there are some instances where a value of zero will correspond with something, but this is not the case with instincts.

I was very worried as I led Angharad to the learning computer, yet she seemed to grasp the concepts quite quickly. I noticed some unusual behavior, such as when she walked away but still wanted to look at the learning computer. She even gobbled up a carrot, to my delight! Things quickly began to deteriorate, though. Soon, no matter how hard she tried to pick up the honeypot, she simply could not do it. All hope was not lost, but I was worried. Surely she could follow in her father’s footsteps! It would just take a little extra work, or so I hoped.

Achren and Smoit played in the garden while I spent the first crucial minutes with Angharad. Grendel voices carried to the incubator area, and I assumed that they both were just as close as they were when they first met. My heart shattered when I found Smoit missing. Unknowingly, he had traveled to a much colder area of Albia. Perhaps he even caught an illness along the way. No matter the cause, the fact remained that he had died when I thought he was safe. Had he tried to find a better place for Achren to enjoy? It was a terrible feeling to see his motionless body. I should have watched him more. Farewell, Smoit. I wish you could have stated with us longer.

I trudged guiltily back to my one remaining Grendel. Achren seemed oblivious to what had happened to Smoit: She innocently chased after the butterflies and tried to show off her not-so-enormous height. Luckily, her life force still hovered at around 76%. Still, I couldn’t help but remember how I had saved her from death when she was only a few minutes old. Smoit deserved the same protection, and I failed miserably. Hopefully Achren would meet a new friend soon, yet not too soon. She would likely forget Smoit during her lifetime, though no one else would.

Multitasking and caring for different creatures is a very difficult task! I’m sure all of us have lost a Norn, Grendel, or Ettin along the way. Perhaps the level of guilt is very minor, yet I often feel that I have a responsibility to watch over the creatures I choose to raise myself. Smoit’s death might still have occurred if I had followed him everywhere. Such is the harsh reality of Creatures 1, though: One never knows everything.