Back to the main page

Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: bborich@***.COM
Subject: NATTW: Australia
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 17:48:07 -0700
Excerpt:

----------------------------------
The Shadowrun Explorer
by John Maniha and Paolo Marcucci
Events related to australia

1992: In Australia, Boggo Road jail is closed for barbaric and
substandard conditions.
2000: On January 2, in Australia, a referendum is held concerning
turning the country into a republic and changing the flag.
Both movements fail.
2002: In Australia, Japanese corporations begin pulling out of the
Australian tourism industry, increasing animosity of
Australians against Asians.
2010: In Australia, the Monash Industries corporation becomes
Australia & New Zealand Amalgamated Corporations (ANZAC)
with Alex Monash as CEO.
2010: Australian Aborigines and New Zealand Maoris riot in sympathy
for the Native Americans in North America. The response is
at first to stop the rioting, but due to corporate influence,
the governments later decide to drive all Aborigines and
Maoris from the major cities after they refuse to stop the
rioting. These natives are accepted into the outback
communities and country towns where they have numerical
advantage.
2011: On April 23, in Australia, the first reported sighting, and
subsequent attack, of the Carnivorous Koala, or Drop Bear,
occurs when one attacks Wildlife Ranger Patrick Stone of
Sydney.
2011: In Australia, the first mana storm strikes the Campbell sheep
station, 102 kilometers northwest of Hay, New South Wales.
Only three people out of the 31 inhabitants survive. These
storms quickly increase in frequency.
2011: In Ireland, U.K., the ancient Slighe roads, peat bogs, and
cairne lines begin to re-emerge from the land as well as an
occurrence of mana storms similar to those in Australia.
2012: In Australia, ANZAC buys the contract of Derrick Rommanche,
a noted expert on computers, from the Renraku corporation.
2014: In Australia, most of the desert regions of the outback are
lost to mana storms. Some people however, having learned how
to predict one, stay in the outback.
2015: On January 26, Australia and New Zealand merge into one
nation, formally named Australasia, though still called
Australia.
2039: In Australasia, Asians commit the greatest number of attacks
on metahumans. The Australians respond by attacking the
Asians with the same anger that metahumans experience
worldwide.

All events reported by John Maniha.
The Shadowrun Explorer was built by Paolo Marcucci
-----------------------------------


<And if the outback is inaccessible> It is accessable (but
only if you know what the frag you're doing; i.e. have a proper
guide).

<Hey, why should austrlia be any more toxic than the rest of
the world, anyway??> Probably all those Road Warrior type movies
and that strip mining :)
But really, what I recall directly from Paul was that because
most of the aborigines lost their culture, their weren't enough
shamans left when the Magic came back, the magic went out of
control (hence the referenced mana storms). I'm pretty sure he also
stated that most of the Australian population is relegated to the
coastal areas.
What I dug up indirectly (referenced by another person) from
Tom was references to toxic messes.
Unluckily I seem to have trashed the early references with my
SR1 material (stupid me, though I can probably bug Paul about it
again if necessary and see what he remembers).

<Road Trains> Reference RBB, at least that's where I always
thought they got the idea for that truck they list (the one that
hauls up to 10? trailers).

<The other possibility might be the Japanese.> On second
thought forget them.
Message no. 2
From: Marty <s457033@*******.GU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: NATTW: Australia
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 1996 09:42:32 +1000
**********Here's my take on the Explorer stuff. I'd suggest that someone
do a search under Indonesia; It comes up with even more good stuff.


> The Shadowrun Explorer
> by John Maniha and Paolo Marcucci

Who is that guy; I didn't get a repsonse last time I asked.

> 2000: On January 2, in Australia, a referendum is held concerning
> turning the country into a republic and changing the flag.
> Both movements fail.

My vote is to scrap this bit.

> 2002: In Australia, Japanese corporations begin pulling out of the
> Australian tourism industry, increasing animosity of
> Australians against Asians.

Scrap this; We don't need MORE racism in Australia... especially not
colour based... Metatype would be the big factor, like everywhere else in
the world.

> 2010: In Australia, the Monash Industries corporation becomes
> Australia & New Zealand Amalgamated Corporations (ANZAC)
> with Alex Monash as CEO.

Maybe.... just don't make it the biggest corp. (I want BHP *pout*)

> 2010: Australian Aborigines and New Zealand Maoris riot in sympathy
> for the Native Americans in North America. The response is
> at first to stop the rioting, but due to corporate influence,
> the governments later decide to drive all Aborigines and
> Maoris from the major cities after they refuse to stop the
> rioting. These natives are accepted into the outback
> communities and country towns where they have numerical
> advantage.

The riots, yes.... The putting out... not a chance. Apparently there are
bugger all aborigines left in the dream-time.

> 2011: On April 23, in Australia, the first reported sighting, and
> subsequent attack, of the Carnivorous Koala, or Drop Bear,
> occurs when one attacks Wildlife Ranger Patrick Stone of
> Sydney.
> 2011: In Australia, the first mana storm strikes the Campbell sheep
> station, 102 kilometers northwest of Hay, New South Wales.
> Only three people out of the 31 inhabitants survive. These
> storms quickly increase in frequency.

Both the above posts are excellent.

> 2014: In Australia, most of the desert regions of the outback are
> lost to mana storms. Some people however, having learned how
> to predict one, stay in the outback.

I don't want the mana storms to be *that* deadly.... They should pose an
inconvenience, and possible danger... they may kill you occasionally.
Since when should a shadowrunner live in constant quaking fear of the
weather??
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.

> 2015: On January 26, Australia and New Zealand merge into one
> nation, formally named Australasia, though still called
> Australia.

Might make that a bit later.... Maybe in response to Indonesian
agression in the Christmas islands

> 2039: In Australasia, Asians commit the greatest number of attacks
> on metahumans. The Australians respond by attacking the
> Asians with the same anger that metahumans experience
> worldwide.
>
*sigh*.... I'd rather see Australia as a refuge for those metahumans that
got turfed from their home countries.... Aus. currently has a lot of trouble
turning away those in need... it's a historicla precedent. That's not to
say that metahumans wouldn't be the target of racism, but why should the
Asians be responsible for the attacks??? All of the biggest Australian
bigots I know are white anglo-saxons.

> <And if the outback is inaccessible> It is accessable (but
> only if you know what the frag you're doing; i.e. have a proper
> guide).
>
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. You should be able to get by without a guide, assuming you've
come prepared. The reason I'd like this is so that runners not born in
Australia can come and visit and not have a huge anchor and target in the
form of a native guide.


> <Hey, why should austrlia be any more toxic than the
rest of > the world, anyway??> Probably all those Road Warrior type movies
> and that strip mining :)
> But really, what I recall directly from Paul was that because
> most of the aborigines lost their culture, their weren't enough
> shamans left when the Magic came back, the magic went out of
> control (hence the referenced mana storms). I'm pretty sure he also
> stated that most of the Australian population is relegated to the
> coastal areas.
>
That sounds more like it... Uncontrolled magic is a lot different to a
toxic wasteland. Australia is meant to be a wild place... even I think
that, and I live here. It's too big to frag up entirely even with the
mining we do.

Perhaps heavily mined or exploited areas should have a greater frequency
of damaging mana storms. (Who said all mana sotrms have to kill; Some of
them could be Illusions or other types of spells)

The Mad Max movies wouldn't have helped the image though I guess. *grin*


What I dug up indirectly
(referenced by another person) from > Tom was references to toxic messes.
> Unluckily I seem to have trashed the early references with my
> SR1 material (stupid me, though I can probably bug Paul about it
> again if necessary and see what he remembers).
>
Please do.... I'd like to know.

> <Road Trains> Reference RBB, at least that's where I always
> thought they got the idea for that truck they list (the one that
> hauls up to 10? trailers).
>
Yeah, well that annoyed me, because the RBB said that we borrowed the
idea from the South Africans. I'm not sure if that's true, but we have a
hell'uv'a lot more country to cover.

> <The other possibility might be the Japanese.>
>On second thought forget them.
>
>
Thankyou. Now we need an alternative of some kind, because someone shot
down my suggestion of India.

I guess we could get away with not needing a 'big brother' 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.
Message no. 3
From: Jens Hage <jhage@**.COM>
Subject: Re: NATTW: Australia
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 19:30:50 -0500
On Wed, 16 Oct 1996, Marty wrote:

> > 2002: In Australia, Japanese corporations begin pulling out of the
> > Australian tourism industry, increasing animosity of
> > Australians against Asians.
>
> Scrap this; We don't need MORE racism in Australia... especially not
> colour based... Metatype would be the big factor, like everywhere else in
> the world.

Since there weren't any metas at that point, how could they? Spike babies
excepted of course.

Only curious here.

Jens "Timeline" Hage
Message no. 4
From: Marty <s457033@*******.GU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: NATTW: Australia
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 1996 07:59:39 +1000
> > > 2002: In Australia, Japanese corporations begin pulling out of the
> > > Australian tourism industry, increasing animosity of
> > > Australians against Asians.
> >
> > Scrap this; We don't need MORE racism in Australia... especially not
> > colour based... Metatype would be the big factor, like everywhere else in
> > the world.
>
> Since there weren't any metas at that point, how could they? Spike babies
> excepted of course.
>
O.K. the major source of animosity of *some* Australians against asians
is their perceived level of investment in the country...... People think
that Japan owns most of Australia.

They are incorrect; NZ owns a hell of a lot more.

Anyway, if Japan de-invested, especially from the tourism industry, it'd
make the racists very, very, very, very happy.... Not piss them off.
De-investment by Japan would spike off a recession... but then if japan
de-invested in America the stock market there would crash too.

The bigots hate asians because they are here, not because they'd leave.

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about NATTW: 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.

Thwap!