Torpor
From Freepedia
Torpor is a state of regulated hypothermia in an endotherm lasting just a few hours. Animals that go through torpor include small birds like hummingbirds and some small mammals such as bats. During the active part of their day, these animals maintain normal body temperature and activity levels, but their body temperature drops during a portion of the day (usually night) to conserve energy. Torpor is often used to help animals survive in a cold climate, since it allows the organism to save the amount of energy that would normally be used to maintain a high body temperature.
Torpor is alternately used as a reference to any non-physiological state of inactivity.
Game References
In the role-playing game Vampire: the Masquerade, this refers to a vampire in a near-death state.
In the MMORPG EverQuest Torpor is a 60th level Shaman heal-over-time spell obtained originally from only the highest level creatures in the Kunark expansion. The spell significantly reduced the movement speed and attack speed of the player character it was cast on while simultaneously regenerating health points at an exceptional mana to health ratio over a short period of time (1200 hitpoints over 24 seconds for only 200 mana, unfocused). It has since been superceded by newer even more powerful healing spells, but in its heyday it was one of the most important spells in a Shaman's arsenal, especially when used in conjunction with the cannibalize spell to convert health back into mana during downtime.
