Back to the main page

Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: bborich@***.COM
Subject: australia
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 1996 16:37:19 -0700
<2000: On January 2, in Australia.....country into a republic
and changing the flag. Both movements fail; My vote is to scrap
this bit.> My impression from Aussies on another list is that this
part would probably be correct.

<I don't want the mana storms to be *that* deadly> Offhand I
sorta' like it that way (and Paul's take on it, it made Australia
more intereting). My take on it is that you either need to do a bit
of research (either by book or the hard way), or find an adept or
shaman, or ask the local spirit, or old goat (prospector), or
something similar. In other words do your legwork.....

<It'd make sure that those few corporations brave enough to do
business in the outback would invest heavily in mages and shamans
and would mean that aboriginal shamans would be highly sought
after.> My take exactly, but I go deadly if you don't do your
work....and somehow I don't think the remaining aboriginal shamans
will take kindly to corps....... :)

<I'd rather see Australia as a refuge for those metahumans that
got turfed from their home countries> Asians attacking metahumans
doesn't negate this, in fact it might enforce it more.
I'd change it from asians to japanese (example: the Japanese in
Cal Free State).

<Bugger the guide... there aren't that many of them out there;
One of my friends is part aboriginal, and he's fairly adamant about
this part of it.> A guide is just one of the possibilities.... The
basic idea is that the characters need to do some legwork or
research (and possibly take a risk)

<Contact Paul...Please do.... I'd like to know.> Hmmm, We'll
see, been wanting to see if he's still around, but hate to bug him
(even though he's always been a terrific responder on SR questions)
if you know what I mean.

<Now we need an alternative of some kind, because someone shot
down my suggestion of India.> That was me.... at least in part

<Indonesia would be primarily after land, and the mana storms
would be a bitter pill for them to deal with.... Add all the
extraterritorial corporate enclaves and it might prove too much of
a pain in the arse.> True, if most of the population is relegated
to the coastal areas, that plus the alliance with New Zealand, plus
Indonesia might be to busy fighting with remnants of China and the
Phillipines (over the Spratly's).


Comments on your text so far:

<Firstly, Australia should be unified.> No prob there.....

<water shortages> Use desalizanition plants, with fusion power
(and Australia should also make for good solar power), these plants
should be more economical (it's one thing that was grossly
overlooked in Cal Free State for one)

<Keeping up with this general (surface) acceptance of
diversity, Australia could have recieved a large influx of
metahumans ousted from elsewhere...> I can see that (it would frag
the Japanacorps to no end....

<Australia...A republic> Mmmmmm, debatable point, I could see
it happening maybe but at a late date perhaps... And it doesn't
really have to much relevance anyway..... I'd probably just ignore
it or brush over it lightly as odds are there'd only be a minor
change in how things are done.

< Certainly, neither the army, nor navy would have increased
in size from today's levels and may have even been reduced.> I'd
say the navy probably grew (if only for the coalition with the New
Zealanders). At a rough guess seeing America fractionalize and
seeing no other parties that Australia might be able to tag along
with, the government approached New Zealand to form a coalition and
increased their naval strength and air strength to protect their
integrity and vital interests.
The army might have decreased, but there probably is more of a
reliance on magical forces in it's place.

<Organised crime in Australia would be diverse....be the
stranglehold that exists elsewhere in the world> Yep and I'm not
sure I understand your term of stranglehold.

<could make travel throughout the center of Aus. hazardous> I
like the hazardous outback.....

<Kakadu National Park and large tracts of the center of
Australia would have been handed back to the traditional owners
(Aborigines)> I'd go more for something like taken back (ala Native
Indian style)....or just ignored (they took but since no-one could
really use it because of the mana storms both sides claim ownership
of it; I prefer this second take it's more likely and makes for
more interesting runner adventures).

<Aborigines had to magic and nature caused those still out in
the dream-time to expess metahuman traits at a higher rate than
normal...> I'd go for that.

<Another probability is that the relationship with magic
caused more of the Aborigines to express as Shamans and adepts.>
Agreed... And would probably go further, I'd imagine the only
Hermetic aborigines are probably the City-bound ones, unless
there's some basis for hermetic magic among the aborigines.

<first physical-mage properties, almost exclusively in the
traceless walk / stealthy genre.> Someone's been watching too many
Crocodile Dundee movies..... :)

<awakened..dolphins> I think these have already been done...

<megacorps-orbital facilities-who> Maybe Knight-Errant....
Message no. 2
From: Marty <s457033@*******.GU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: australia
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 1996 08:42:37 +1000
> <I'd rather see Australia as a refuge for those metahumans that
> got turfed from their home countries> Asians attacking metahumans
> doesn't negate this, in fact it might enforce it more.
> I'd change it from asians to japanese (example: the Japanese in
> Cal Free State).
>

There aren't that many japanese immigrants currently in Australia, and
those few that I know off are reasonabnly well integrated into 'normal'
australian society.... The rest of the Asian communities tend to be very
clannish and form ghetto suburbs (which pisses some Australians off too.)

You can't say that all of Asia hates meta's.... and I can't see that
increased racism against Asians being to likely if it stems purely from
the de-investment from the tourism industry. BTW, i can't see Japan
de-investing; When they plan, they plan for 50 years down the track.

They may de-invest when the manastorms arrive, but not before.

> <Bugger the guide... there aren't that many of them out there;
> One of my friends is part aboriginal, and he's fairly adamant about
> this part of it.> A guide is just one of the possibilities.... The
> basic idea is that the characters need to do some legwork or
> research (and possibly take a risk)
>
Excactly.... Just like anywhere else; Be prepared.

> <Indonesia would be primarily after land, and the mana storms
> would be a bitter pill for them to deal with.... Add all the
> extraterritorial corporate enclaves and it might prove too much of
> a pain in the arse.> True, if most of the population is relegated
> to the coastal areas, that plus the alliance with New Zealand, plus
> Indonesia might be to busy fighting with remnants of China and the
> Phillipines (over the Spratly's).
>
True enough.... The SE asian region could be the best place in the world
to get merc work for low level warfare.... If indonesia is involved in
three or four little shit-fights about land, it'd stop them getting to
hewavy on us.
> <water shortages> Use desalizanition plants, with fusion power
> (and Australia should also make for good solar power), these plants
> should be more economical (it's one thing that was grossly
> overlooked in Cal Free State for one)
>
I agree..... But I was keeping in line with the general FASA idea that
water shortages exist. Besides, some water is needed for agriculture.

> <Australia...A republic> Mmmmmm, debatable point, I could see
> it happening maybe but at a late date perhaps... And it doesn't
> really have to much relevance anyway..... I'd probably just ignore
> it or brush over it lightly as odds are there'd only be a minor
> change in how things are done.
>
That's just a personal wish of mine... It doesn't really make any
difference to how Australia runs.... The reason i want it to be a
republic is because I read a comment in the novel 'Black Madonna' about
Lord Manchester galivanting of tou tour the colonies... I
mean the commonwealth nations...

Got my goat, no end....

> < Certainly, neither the army, nor navy would have increased
> in size from today's levels and may have even been reduced.> I'd
> say the navy probably grew (if only for the coalition with the New
> Zealanders). At a rough guess seeing America fractionalize and
> seeing no other parties that Australia might be able to tag along
> with, the government approached New Zealand to form a coalition and
> increased their naval strength and air strength to protect their
> integrity and vital interests.
> The army might have decreased, but there probably is more of a
> reliance on magical forces in it's place.
>
All the above is true enough.... Maybe magical special forces... The SAS
gone magical?? Oh boy!!!

> <Organised crime in Australia would be diverse....be the
> stranglehold that exists elsewhere in the world> Yep and I'm not
> sure I understand your term of stranglehold.
>
A lot of the crime in Australia is indepedant, because of the diversity
of population...

> <Kakadu National Park and large tracts of the center of
> Australia would have been handed back to the traditional owners
> (Aborigines)> I'd go more for something like taken back (ala Native
> Indian style)....or just ignored (they took but since no-one could
> really use it because of the mana storms both sides claim ownership
> of it; I prefer this second take it's more likely and makes for
> more interesting runner adventures).
>
There are currently moves in progress to hand back large tracts of land
to the Aborigines as their tribal lands...called the Mabo decision A bit
like the reservation thing in America. Currently there's a big fight
between the companies and the Tribes about who gets what land, due to
resources and mining rights... but I think that some compromise will be
reached and you'll get some VERY rich aboriginal tribes. (I hope so at least)

I don't think we can stop it now, and the mana storms would accelerate
the process. I'd like to actually see a few Aborigines in politics, but
to date not many of them have shown the interest or the necessary
education to be successful.... That's just a statement, not a slur..

> <Another probability is that the relationship with magic
> caused more of the Aborigines to express as Shamans and adepts.>
> Agreed... And would probably go further, I'd imagine the only
> Hermetic aborigines are probably the City-bound ones, unless
> there's some basis for hermetic magic among the aborigines.
>
Not much.... they didn't have a written language as such. The history was
orally transmitted and image based, painted on cave walls.

> <first physical-mage properties, almost exclusively in the
> traceless walk / stealthy genre.> Someone's been watching too many
> Crocodile Dundee movies..... :)
>
He's not aboriginal.... Truly, the aborigines have a legendary reputation
as trackers, guides and hunters. They also believe heavily in the magic
of their cultures.

There have been documented cases of Aborigines actually dieng becease
they have had the bone pointed at them. Pointing the bone supposedly
lays a death curse on the aborigine, and they beleive it so strongly that
they die. Freaky.


> <megacorps-orbital facilities-who> Maybe Knight-Errant....
>
Who is a subsidiary of Ares, which I believe already has enough launching
facilities. Pick another, please
Message no. 3
From: Bryan Borich <bborich@***.COM>
Subject: australia
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 1996 20:44:22 -0700
<Croc Dundee....He's not aboriginal> No, not him, but the
'native' tracker they hired in the second movie.......

<Who is a subsidiary of Ares, which I believe already has
enough launching facilities. Pick another, please> I wasn't
thinking when that one typed itself out.
I remember reading somewhere about a launch site being built on
the North-Eastern coast (but I can't remember if that was RL, a
book, or movie).

<I agree..... But I was keeping in line with the general FASA
idea that water shortages exist. Besides, some water is needed for
agriculture.> Hmmm, I'm more along the line that they aren't aware
of some facts/knowledge in these regards. I'd compromise on a tight
water supply.
Message no. 4
From: Marty <s457033@*******.GU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: australia
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 11:53:49 +1000
> <Croc Dundee....He's not aboriginal> No, not him, but the
> 'native' tracker they hired in the second movie.......
>
True enough..... That's actually kind of like what I want some of them to
be like; It'd add a bit of mystery and fear to the attitude of the corps
in Australia.

> <Who is a subsidiary of Ares, which I believe already has
> enough launching facilities. Pick another, please> I wasn't
> thinking when that one typed itself out.
> I remember reading somewhere about a launch site being built on
> the North-Eastern coast (but I can't remember if that was RL, a
> book, or movie).
>
That was real life..... It's where I'm basing the SR space facility on.
We arranetly lost the competiton to PNG for the launching site, but
who is to say that there couldn't be one in SR???

I guess the greenies in Aust. raised too much of a fuss about the possible
environmental impact, and PNG basically said "Yes sir, come invest in our
nation, we don't care what it does to our ecology"

I'm not really sure how much damage space launches themselves do to the
enviroment, anyway... The only by product of the rocket is water vapour.

> > I agree..... But I was keeping in line with the general FASA
> > idea that water shortages exist. Besides, some water is needed for
> > agriculture.
>
> Hmmm, I'm more along the line that they aren't aware
> of some facts/knowledge in these regards. I'd compromise on a tight
> water supply.
>
True.
Message no. 5
From: "Gurth" <gurth@******.nl>
Subject: Australia
Date: Tue, 8 Oct 1996 13:19:52 +0100
The Jestyr said on 9:44/ 8 Oct 96...

> I wouldn't mind collaborating with you on this one, since (despite
> British citizenship) I've lived in Australia all my life. Could well be
> helpful to share ideas, like...

It was you I had in mind, yes... :)

> And the only reason I didn't speak up sooner was that I thought Australia
> was off limits due to the Australian sourcebook due out in '98 (maybe).

IMHO that's too far away to be considered "upcoming". Australia and the
surrounding countries are okay by me.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Learn their rules, play their game, deceive yourself in haste.
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-

-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version 3.1:
GAT/! d-(dpu) s:- !a>? C+(++)@ U P L E? W(++) N o? K- w+ O V? PS+ PE
Y PGP- t(+) 5+ X++ R+++>$ tv+(++) b++@ DI? D+ G(++) e h! !r(---) y?
------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------
Message no. 6
From: The Jestyr <s421539@*******.gu.edu.au>
Subject: Re: Australia
Date: Wed, 9 Oct 1996 07:54:00 +1000 (EST)
> > I wouldn't mind collaborating with you on this one, since (despite
> > British citizenship) I've lived in Australia all my life. Could well be
> > helpful to share ideas, like...
>
> It was you I had in mind, yes... :)

Wow! Someone remembered me! :)

> > And the only reason I didn't speak up sooner was that I thought Australia
> > was off limits due to the Australian sourcebook due out in '98 (maybe).
>
> IMHO that's too far away to be considered "upcoming". Australia and the
> surrounding countries are okay by me.

Alrighty... well, I'll talk to the rest of the players and the GM in my
group and see what we come up with. I wouldn't mind doing the North Coast
of NSW (for all those Australians) personally, and we'll probably take a
stab at certain other areas too, maybe Brisbane and/or Melbourne.

AUSTRALIANS WHO WANT TO CONTRIBUTE:
What areas does everyone want to cover? I don't want to be left doing
"the rest of the country" cause that's a pretty big area, so anything not
specifically done by me, my group, or any other list members, will be
ignored. So, Aussies, speak now and tell us which areas you want to do.


Lady Jestyr

------------------------------------------------------
A titanic intellect... in a world full of icebergs
------------------------------------------------------
Elle Holmes s421539@*****.student.gu.edu.au
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1503
------------------------------------------------------

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about australia, you may also be interested in:

Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.