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Message no. 1
From: Bonnet Eric <ebonnet@*******.FR>
Subject: NAGTTW : France Part 1
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 1997 22:12:35 +0200
Here is the first version of my posting about France. It is too big for
my mailer so I was forced to cut it in three parts. There is a map in
the Word version that doesn't appear here. I'm not absolutely satisfied
about some parts so I would like to have your suggestions.

The Neo-Anarchists' Guide to the World
France
Eric Bonnet < ebonnet@*******.fr >
--------

> Well, chummers, there is the last download we received in Shadowland. It has been
sent by a French but I don't know who. But what I can tell you is that it interests many
people. I've been threatened by a guy from the French embassy so I decided to post all of
it before the files ( or me ) could be trashed. Don't forget to take all you read with a
grain of salt as I don't even know who sent this fragging file.
> SysOp
> It is tiring to see that you runners are so quick to believe anything as long as it
shows how bad are the corps or the governments. This file is just raving delusions of a
madman. I will try to restore the truth when necessary.
> Flame Lord

FAST FACTS
> I added this chapter for you runners that don't know anything about France. It's
useful stuff so don't skip it.
> SysOp
Getting in
- Immigration datawork
- Travel visas
Contrarly to many countries, travel visas are easy to get in France.
Indeed, tourism is necessary for th economy, especially in Southern
France. So the would-be tourists are not to be bothered. Anyone wanting
to visit France has to go to the nearest consulate or embassy and ask
for a tourism visa. Within a week, the visa is granted or not. The main
reasons for rejection are :
- citizenship of Aztlan or membership in Aztechnology or one of his
subsidiaries;
- illegal cyberware (class C only; the other classes are licensed);
- criminal record (felony).
Other reasons for rejection (but these are not automatic) are :
- citizenship of Amazonia, United Kingdom or Japan;
- membership in MCT or one of his subsidiaries;
- membership in a foreign army.
The visas are valid for a month in all the states. People are to leave
the country at the first offense.
When applying, you are to signal if you have cyberware or magical
abilities, items or weapons to obtain a
temporary license.
People from Tir Na Nog don't need a visa. Other Europeans from the
European Union are rejected only if they have links with Aztechnology.
> The frogs seem to really hate the Azzies. I wonder why but a country that bans the
Big A can't be so bad.
> Abbot
> Don't be so foolish. It's not because they hate the Azzies that they like us. In
fact, I heard that Aztechnology has been banned in France because of his dubious past (
not the cartels but the technopiracy). Seems like the French don't like this kind of
competition. Azzie hitters tried to off the president but, so far, their heads have been
sent back to Juan Atzcapotzalco.
> Blade

- Citizenship
You can obtain the French nationality only if you have at least one
French grandparent. If you have useful talents, it can help also.
Foreigners can't live in France more than two months a year.

- Travel by air
Three airports accept civilian international traffic regularly. They can
accept suborbitals and semiballistics. They are Paris-Orly,
Paris-Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Bordeaux-Merignac.
These other airports accept unscheduled international traffic.
Semiballistics can't land here. They are Lyon-Satolas,
Marseille-Marignane, Toulouse-Blagnac and Strasbourg-Entzsheim.
There are many other little airports that accept only internal traffic.
All the major carriers schedule flights in Paris. The major French
carrier is Air France.
Security surrounding is comparable with what can be found in other
countries.

- Travel by road
All major and some less important roads have border-crossing
checkpoints. You need to provide your datawork and
of course you must submit to a search of your vehicle ( and sometimes of
yourself ). The search is not too complete as you're supposed to have
been checked at your enter in the European Union. But beware, th
personnel at these points are all members of the army so don't try to to
force your way if you don't want to be geeked.
The highway network is very extended and of high quality but you need to
pay if you want to use it.
> Yeah, right! You can choose to use another road but it's too easy to lose yourself as
there are so many little roads that are not very well signalled. Believe me, guys. They
never bother the tourists before they enter the country but after, they're ripe for
extorsion. And if you are , for example, Brit and used to drive at the left of the road,
you'd better not forget that you are to drive at the right else you can already give to
the guy with the badge all you have and leave the country.
> Frog Hater

- Travel by train
The train network is european and extensive. You need to show your
datawork at the border ( the train is stopped ) and that's all. Some
luggage are searched. The Eurotunnel has been closed for more than
thirty years and there is no chance that it is reopened.

- Travel by sea
The main ports are Marseille, Nice, Monaco and Toulon in th Mediterranee
coast and Bordeaux and Nantes in the
Atlantic coast. The incoming boats are searched carefully and the crew
of the ships carrying illegal itmes or drugs or immigrants are sent to
jail.
The northern ports like Le Havre or Calais are now forbidden to traffic.
The French Navy is enforcing this. As the sea traffic was linked to
United Kingdom, that was bound to happen. If you want to enter
illegally, forget this coast : it is too heavily watched. If you want to
make interesting meetings with, say, toxic water spirits , try it and
don't forget your chemically treated suit.
> Stress this. I crossed the Channel once and I'm not ready to do it again. I've been
hunted by a toxic and when I saw a French warship, they bet on how long I could survive.
> Blade
> And you escaped the spirit?
> Scythe
> No. Their captain didn't accept that his crew bet so he forced them to save me. I
spent a year in jail an was sent back to England without anything.
> Blade

Population and Demographics
Population 62,530,500
human 53%
elf 15%
dwarf 5%
ork 21%
troll 4%
other 2%
SINless population 2,500,000 (estimated)
Per Capita Income 80,000 francs
Below Poverty Level 14%
On Fortune's Active Traders List 3%
Corporate Affiliation 51%
Education
High School Equivalency 41%
College Equivalency 34%
advanced Studies 15%

The big percentage of non-(meta)human sentients is linked to the the
accepted citizenship of some creatures not
accepted everywhere : dracoforms (Western Dragons only), shapeshifters,
free spirits and even ghouls (they are
provided with fresh meat). Some other creatures that are not considered
as sentients are nevertheless protected.

Basic Economy
- Currency
The French currency is the nouveau franc and this base currency has no
subdivisions. Theoretically, the franc is divided in 100 centimes but
centimes are not used any more. Coins are available in denominations of
1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 100 francs. Plasti-weave bills are available in
denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 francs. To this date, 2
francs are nominally equivalent to 1 nuyen on the international exchange
market, like the Quebec's franc.
The ECU (European Currency Unit) is still used like in Germany but its
use is a sure mean to say you're a stranger.

- Cost of living
> Here are the prices we enjoyin France. These are prices differentials based on
Seatlle's prices.
France cost of living table
Item Cost Item
Cost
Weapons and armor (% of Seattle prices) Surveillance and security
Ammunition (a) 95 Communications
100
Armor (b) 110 Security Devices
100
Explosives (c) 105 Surveillance
Countermeasures (g)150
Firearm Accessories (d) 95 Surveillance Equipment (g)
150
Firearms 95 Survival Gear
90
Melee Weapons 85 Vision Enhancers
90
Projectile Weapons 90 Lifestyle
110
Throwing Weapons 90 Electronics
105
Cybertech Magical Equipment
Biotech 110 Hermetic Library
95
Bodyware 95 Magical Supplies
95
Cyberdecks (e) 105 Magical Weapons (h)
110
Headware 95 Power Foci
100
Internals 95 Ritual Sorcery Rituals
120
Programs 105 Spell Foci
95
Vehicles
Aircrafts 95
Boats 105
Ground Vehicles 100
Military Vehicles (f) ----

Cost of living notes
a only standard or gel rounds
b Light body armor is tolerated. Everythin else is restricted to
security forces. Don't even think to go to a restaurant with armor. You
won't be served and there is a good chance that the police will come to
make you leave.
c This stuff is available only for legally registered users ( not you )
d Everythin is accepted (except barrel-mounted grenade-launcher, no
surprise).
e This figure is for legal cyberdecks , with a signature you can't beat
and no evasion or mask chip.
f of course
g These are the prices for the black market. Definitely illegal, I fear.
h If you want one, you have to register and let ritual material.
> Masque d'Or

- Laws, Crime and Punishment
- Weapons
You can own and transport pistols and hunting rifles with the right
license. Melee weapons are legal and nearly
everyone carry at least a small blade. Like most countries, France
doesn't make distinction between intent and use.

- Magic
Every spellcaster has to register for the use of magic. Physads do not
need to register. Agressive use of magic is considered use of military
weapon.

-Brain-benders
Chips and drugs are illegal and really hard to find in the black market.
Police is quite heavy about it. On the other hand, alcohol is
unrestricted.

- Cyberdecks
Illegal without signature. Illegal with a mask or evasion chip. Illegal
with attack program...

Here's the skinny on fines and punishments (fines in francs)
Weapon Fines and Punishment Table
Weapon Type Possession Transport Threat Use
A small blade weapons --- --- 4000/2 months 10000/6
months
B large blade weapons --- --- 10000/4 months 20000/10
months
C blunt weapons --- --- 6000/3 months 15000/8
months
D projectile weapons --- 500 6000/4 months 15000/8
months
E pistols 1000 3000 10000/4 months 20000/10
months
F rifles 2000 5000 15000/5 months 30000/1
year
G automatic weapons 10000 30000 100000/1 year 200000/2
years
H heavy weapons 20000 60000 150000/1year 300000/2
years
I explosives 20000 50000 150000/1 year 300000/2
years
J military weapons 50000/1 year 100000/2 years 300000/4 years
500000/life
K military armor 10000 20000/2 months --- ---
L military ammunition 10000 10000 --- 20000/2
years
BA class A bioware 10000
BB class B bioware 20000
BC class C bioware 50000/5 years
CA class A cyberware 10000
CB class B cyberware 20000
CC class C cyberware 50000/5 years
EA class A equipment 3000
EB class B equipment 5000
EC class C equipment 20000/2 years
MA class A controlled 10000/1 year
MB class B controlled 20000/1 year
MC class C controlled 100000/life

Criminal Offenses and Punishment Table
Offense Sentence Offense Sentence
Arson 20000/1 year Murder 2 15 years-life
Assault 10000/1 year Murder 3 5-10 years
Battery 20000/1 year Negligence 1-4 years
Extorsion var/2-5 years Rape 3-10 years
Forcible Confinment 5-10 years Rape (statutory) 15 years-life
Fraud var/2-5 years Reckless Endangerment 20000/1 year
Illegal Entry 1-3 years Solicitation 10000
Kidnapping 2-8 years Traficking var/5-10 years
Larceny (petty) var/1-4 years Treason death
Larceny (grand) var/3-10 years Vandalism 5000
Murder 1 death
Accessory 20%
Conspiracy 50%

> Now, let's go back to the original download.
> SysOp

HISTORY
Surely, you think you know all you will ever need about French history,
it's to say nearly nothing. Hey, after all, there's nothing important
here; everything is known and public. You couldn't be wronger. Our rich
history, even now, is full of holes. Dark and secret events have taken
place in this country and even I don't know all of it.
For instance, let's talk about the three last dynasties of French kings
: the Capetiens (987-1328), the Valois (1328-1589) and the Bourbons
(1589-1789 and 1815-1848). The Capetien line ended when the three sons
of Philippe IV le Bel, who had been cursed by the last Templar. The
Valois line ended with the three sons of Catherine de Medicis and Henri
II (one has been assassinated, another has been poisoned and the third
died in a tournament). The Bourbon line ended with the Revolutions of
1789, 1830 and 1848. All these events seem dubious when you look at the
big picture. Evidently, a dark influence, and certainly more than one,
worked secretly to cause this. Each time, the symbolism of three is
evident (three lines, three deaths twice and three revolutions). Is it a
message or a threat?
> Yeah, take your medicine, guy. This guy is nuts. Captain, you shouldn't post
everything you're sent. This is
certainly no more than mad dreams.
> Frog Hater
This influence, I found it first when I studied the VIIIth century. In
732, at Poitiers, Charles Martel and the Francs stopped the Islamic army
and hunted it until the Pyrenees. While his army was much smaller than
the enemy's one, he won, far too easily. We all guess what happened: the
Francs used magic, of course, and a quite powerful one.
> Bulldrek. Impossible. There was no magic before the Awakening. Everybody knows it.
Now, I think this guy is
one of our numerous conspiracy theoricians.
> Psychosis
> Well, there was the phenomenon of spike magic but it was much too soon, I think. Or
perhaps, but it is only a
personal supposition, this period was a minor mana peak. I've always
thought that Ehran's cycles of magic theory was oversimplified. I think
that many cycles are weaving and a minor cycle could have produced it.
We discover each days incredible things about magic. It's not to us to
say what is possible or not.
> Sage
During the reign of Charlemagne, another event took place: the battle of
Roncevaux when Roland died. There is
always a part of truth in legends. We see here a physad with a weapon
focus called Durandal. More surprising,
Charlemagne instantly knew about the death of his nephew, not because of
the sound of a horn of course ( he was
too far ), but because of a magic link.
In 1119, a young noble called Hugues de Payns created the Order of the
Knights of the Temple of Jerusalem, it's to say the Templars. He was one
of the first knight adepts, a mostly French tradition that exists again.
> Makes me laugh. They are ony a slight variation of physads. Templars were only
fanatics with swords and
nothing more.
> Strike
> Don't know, Strike. I saw some of these guys and they have powers unknown by our
physads. Some say they can
talk with their horses and that is not the weirdest thing I heard.
> Adept
> It's true. You're a real sage. I am personnally a combat mage but some of my best
friends are knight adepts and I can say they are absolutely different from your physads. A
different culture, a different tradition.
> Flame Lord
> An interesting thing. The Seigneurs de la Flamme (Flame Lords) are the elite agents
of the main French corp. Of course, what he has to say is not biased, of course.
> Psychosis
Between 1209 and 1229, took place the Crusade of the Albigenses. A
legend say the Cathares were the wardens of
the Holy Grail. The bearers of the Grail came to France in the beginning
of the second century and founded the line of Trencavel, the counts of
Carcassonne. The Cathares were pure and mastered their minds like nobody
else. That was a great loss and the Grail disappeared. The line of
Trencavel was supposed to be extinguished but they
reappeared and created the southern state of Cathari. The Church isn't
welcome here; they have not forgotten or
forgiven anything.
In 1254, two knights of the same family, born the same day, made a
decision that could ch"'/.§mù - 5.3 Mps
corrupted -
> Hey, SysOp, what the hell is this? I didn't think that this file interested
Aztechnology.
> Blade
> Very funny. It wasn't an Aztlan decker this time. I really like when things change
but not this way. In fact; I quite don't understand why this guy trashed this and not some
of the stuff about the corps or the government. I will make my investigation, don't be
afraid.
> SysOp
> Not me, SysOp. My corp has no interest in this. I don't know what was in this file
and I wonder what was so
important in a story about knights. But if it interests you, I saw a
Greek decker, Iannis. He works for ARI if you know what I mean.
> Flame Lord
In 1310, began the trial of the Templars. Originally defenders of the
pilgrims in the Holy Land, they had become lenders and bankers. Their
treasure is still legendary. The king Philippe IV le Bel desired this
treasure and tried unsuccesfully to become a Templar ( he was a friend
of the master of the order but this one understood his goal). So he
launched rumors of satanism, agreement with the Assassins of Alamut and
many other sins. The Pope Clement V had been elected only because the
king decided it and he was the first Pope living in Avignon so he
couldn't refuse anything to Philippe. This trial lasted for years with
accusations and confessions obtained with torture and finally denial of
the confessions. In 1314, the last leaders of the order were burned to
the stake. The last Commander of the order, Jacques de Molay, cursed the
Pope, the king and his main adviser, Guillaume de Nogaret, saying they
would join him before a year. The three died in the following months and
not of age, believe me. De Molay knew this was to happen and had
prepared his revenge, a terrible curse, very effective I have to
recognize.
The three sons of the king ( Louis X le Hutin, Philippe V le Long and
Charles IV le Bel ) became kings and died in the following 14 years,
ending their cursed line. The Templars became the Knights of Christ in
Portugal, the
masons in Scotland and later would come back to France as the Rosecroix.
In the XVIth century, a new form of magic appeared. The very first
Astrologer was Nostradamus (1503-1556). His
foretellings were accurate until 1999. His successors joined the
Rosecroix and took it over. They modified the last prophecies published
and hid the ones concerning our century so that only they know the truth
about the future.
> It is impossible to know the future. This guy is an infinite source of hot drek. At
least, this post is funny if it is not interesting.
> Psychosis
> You're a moron. It's true that what Nostradamus said proved to be true until 1999.
And there are spells that
enable to know the very near future. It is only a problem of scale to
fortell this far. Moreover, I know these guys and they are not fakers.
They're scary and dangerous. Their power is such that only us can
balance it in the country.
> Flame Lord
Now let's talk about more recent history. In 2009, the nuclear plant of
Cattenom exploded, irradiating a part of the Lorraine, the Luxembourg
and the German Sarre. The irradiated zone became a corporate paradise :
no government presence, no taxes, lots of new mutated toys and no limit
on experimentations. The corps are mostly Europeans. Even I don't really
know what happens there but I can say that there are strange creatures,
some of which could have been human.
The waves of VITAS didn't strike France as hard as most of the world
because of very strict measures and an
efficient medical system.
At the opposite, the Awakening came as a great shock. The first magic
users were the Gypsies, would-be modern
knights or druids and over all, the Astrologers. Their old plans could
finally be put in motion.
> I'm starting to get really pissed off by these fraggin' Astrologers. In fact,
contrarly to what I said earlier, I knew their existence. They have powers but they have
no balls. All they do is dissert at length about their foretellings and the ethical
implications of interventions. They haven't influenced anything for centuries. I will tell
you one thing : I know their dear secret and if
they6rh8bsml/§.§§šMšKM/.//?%££
> Psychosis has been found dead at his hiding place. It seems that he was the latest
bodyguard of an Astrologer and that he fled with documents belonging to the mage. I can't
stress it enough. Don't mess with them. They certainly don't like to act so bluntly but
they really have no problems acting from behind the scene.
> Flame Lord
The 6 of june 2012, Aldaran Cybersystems Incorporated ( Iknow, it's a
strange name for a French corp) was created by two interesting persons :
Maerdynn, a Western dragon, a Great, and Andre Sartan who is now the
President of the French (Dis)Union.
In 2014, the Corse became independant. The central government didn't
even try to reconquer it. It had been such a burden for decades that in
fact they were too happy to get rid of it.
In 2022, a French corp called Javert & Cie created what will be called
Urban Brawl in Marseille, using the local gangs as teams.
In 2025, because of the schemes of the British druids and the French
Astrologers, United Kingdom left the
European Union, straining even more the cold relations they had with
France. The Eurotunnel was closed and
guarded at each extremity by the army.
The Crash of 2029 and the Eurowars dealt the final blow to the French
Republic. Southern France fragmented in
many states, some of which didn't even last a year.
In 2039, the Night of Rage swept France, led by the racist Front
National. Shocked and disgusted, each state
banned the party and arrested its leaders.
Economic problems and political instability forced the states to accept
the proposition of Andre Sartan and they signed the Treaty of Union in
2041, thus creating the French Union. Sartan was elected President and
has still the title today.

POLITICS
Government
The French government is a federal republic. The central administration
controls the army, the foreign relations and commerce, the education and
has at least some influence in all the rest. Each state has a local
government whose form is still the one existing before the union. The
central government is headed by the President of the Union, elected for
seven years, no mandate number limit. The Union Parliament votes the
laws. The 500 PM are elected for five years and there is no other
chamber. The Prime Minister is nominated by the President with the
agreement of the Parliament; generally he's the leader of the governing
coalition. Today the coalition is composed of the Parti Socialiste and
the Parti pour le Renouveau de la France. This center left axis seems to
be quite united for the moment. The last elections were in 2055
(presidential) and 2053 (parliamentary).
- President of the Union : Andre Sartan, independant, human
Andre Sartan managed to convince the states to unite and won the
elections in 2041, 2048 and 2055, with no real
opponent. He's very charismatic and popular. Undoubtedly he's the most
powerful (meta)human of France. His
functions are to head the army and to deal with the foreign relations.
In fact, he also has a great deal of influence on the rest. Astrally, he
appears to be mundane. He's the CEO of Aldaran. There is no stain on his
name, no dirt. You must wonder where is the flaw. First of all, his name
is certainly not Andre Sartan.
> Bulldrek. No way. Insane. I've known him for twenty years. He's devoted to the
greater good of our country. Most of all, he knows the meaning and the importance of
honor. He wouldn't lie about his name. Couldn't.
> Flame Lord
He seems to be 25 but his official age is 64 (leonization, you know).
But if he was born in 1994, how could he find the money to create
Aldaran at the age of 18. He was barely major. Moreover, he seemed to
know Maerdynn like if they were old friends, which is impossible since
the dragon appeared only one year before. In fact, the real Andre Sartan
died in 2010 in Algerie ( perhaps an integrist murder ). He had no
family left and as he had lived for years in Algery, no one could see
the imposture. the official papers, the files, everything concerning
Andre Sartan was modified to suit our President. More surprising, I know
that guys in his corp discovered an old newspaper of 1965 with a photo
of our good President. They tried to blackmail him but they were all
found dead. I heared that he killed them himself. I saw this photo and I
still have it. He seems to be the same age as today so he's at least 118
years old.
Oh and no matter what astral sensing can say, he's a mage, a quite
powerful one. His masking is so hard to
penetrate that nearly no one knows it. My source on it is quite
reliable; he's a scribe in the old Oregon, if you know what I mean.
> He's an elf. It's so easy to see it. He is a member of the elven conspiracy that
wants to rule the world like the ones in the Tirs. He's too old to be anything else and
he's a very powerful mage. Thanks, guy, I hadn't found this one.
> Paranoid
> He's human. I can even say he's the more human guy I ever met. He's a mage, I admit
it. Hey, he was the one who taught me magic twenty years ago. He was powerful then and
he's even more now. I don't know his level of
initiation but I guess it has two numbers. Anyway let me tell you one
thing : if he was an elf, he and Maerdynn
wouldn't be such friends.
> Flame Lord
> Error. Andre is not a mage, he is a knight adept. I saw him fight with a sword and it
is quite a show. I wouldn't want to face him. When I think about it, perhaps he's a
physical mage, or rather a knight mage.
> Lancelot
The only answer to the numerous questions this man raise that I could
find is a very old magical item, a scepter of orichalcum called the
Scepter of the Gods. It certainly dates back to long before the
Awakening, at least two thousand years I would dare to say and possibly
even more. I saw it once and it was sufficient. In fact, it was nearly
too much. I barely survived this time and I'm no beginner in my job,
believe me. This item is probably one of the most powerful of the world.
I don't really know his powers but there are rumors. Some say it is
intelligent and conscious. Others say it can alter the longevity of
people ( it would explain the false identity). For the rest, I let you
try to find anything.
> An intelligent scepter, an immortal human and what else. I can't let this guy try to
damage the reputation of
Andre. Hey, whoever wrote this, I will find you and you will live to
regret it.
> Flame Lord
Andre created an order decades ago, called the Order of the Scepter.
This order is devoted to hunting the worst criminals of the world and
promoting values like honor or unity. You can't ask to join; if you're
honorable enough, you're asked to join. No one knows who is member of
the order. I ha d a hard time finding that Andre was the leader and I
was forced to flee before finding anything else. These guys have a mean
to recognize each other and they seem to know when the nearest members
are endangered. More important, they all have a powerful masking, even
those that are not mages.
> I have a story about the order. An Amerindian physad, a Salish, who was running the
shadows in Seatlle some
years ago, called Tatanka. He was my nearest friend. One day, he
disappeared and when he returned I couldn't
sense he was an adept any more. He also had a magical war axe I haven't
seen before. One of our fellows was a war criminal, a mercenary who had
looted and destroyed the city he and his troop were to protect. When we
learned about this, he kidnapped him and took him to the International
Court of Justice of La Haye. You can't say if your fellow is or not a
member until he has acted.
> Mephit
- Prime minister : Herve Dupre, PRF , human
Another interesting guy, this one. His uncle, Jean-Francois Dupre, is no
less than the Great Master of the
Rosecroix. With the help of the Astrologers, it's no wonder that they
make quite a good job in the government.
Dupre and Sartan are no friends, that's a fact. But for now, they have a
common goal. Better be very far when it won't be the case anymore. Herve
is not magically active. He's secretly a decker, not a very good one but
not a bad one either.
- Minister of Defence : Louis Dubois, PS, troll
- Minister of Justice : Jacques Choron, PRF, human
- Minister of Finances : Henri Nadon, PS, dwarf
- Minister of Education : Sophie Avargues, PS, human
- Minister of Interior : Pierre Tranchant, PRF ,ork
- Minister of Foreign Affairs : Thierry Thenoz, PRF, elf
- Minister of Environment : Karine Marie, PS, elf
- Minister of Culture : Lionel Roux, PS, human
- Minister of Health : Damien Lefort, PRF, human
> A troll deals with the army and an ork leads the police? I never saw that. In most of
countries, we have such
difficulties to be only mayors so ministers, we don't dream about it. It
must be a metahuman paradise.
> Goblin
> Not so, Gob. They are more symbols than ministers. The government wanted to show it
believed in the equality of metaraces but there are still people who think that the devils
are among us in forms mutated by their sins.
> Sage
Message no. 2
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: NAGTTW : France Part 1
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 1997 11:15:35 +0100
Bonnet Eric said on 22:12/ 2 Oct 97...

> Here is the first version of my posting about France. It is too big for
> my mailer so I was forced to cut it in three parts.

This message was too large for my mailer to reply to it all...

> There is a map in the Word version that doesn't appear here.

Could you post it on a web or ftp site so everyone can look at it before
it goes into the book?

> I'm not absolutely satisfied about some parts so I would like to have
> your suggestions.

No problem. One suggestion I have is to go over it with someone who speaks
English as a native language, to catch some expressions that don't
translate well from French to English, and make the text more readable in
general. For example, if you use many short sentences (like you do) the
text is not all that pleasant to read, while if you use many long
sentences it can become difficult to understand.

One other thing I'd like to ask you to do is start decker comments by (>)
on the first line, and also before the poster's name. This:

> I added this chapter for you runners that don't know anything about
> France. It's useful stuff so don't skip it. SysOp

would become:

(>) I added this chapter for you runners that don't know anything about
France. It's useful stuff so don't skip it.
(>) SysOp

I've added a few comments myself that you can add to the text if you want.

> Getting in
> - Immigration datawork
> - Travel visas
> Contrarly to many countries, travel visas are easy to get in France.
> Indeed, tourism is necessary for th economy, especially in Southern
> France. So the would-be tourists are not to be bothered. Anyone wanting
> to visit France has to go to the nearest consulate or embassy and ask
> for a tourism visa.

This last sentence is an example of what I mean; it would be better to say
something like "Tourism visas can be acquired from any French consulate or
embassy."

> - Citizenship
> You can obtain the French nationality only if you have at least one
> French grandparent. If you have useful talents, it can help also.
> Foreigners can't live in France more than two months a year.

(>) Yeah, many shadowrunners will go to the trouble of obtaining the
French nationality for doing a run there. Right.
(>) Treeson

(>) Oh, I don't know... Do you need a SIN to apply for it? If not, then it
may be an ace up the sleeve when the Star arrests you. "No, officer, I
don't have a SIN. But I am a French citizen, and I would like to speak to
the embassy."
(>) Michelle

(>) And they'll say "We're very sorry, but we're rather busy at the
moment. We'll get back to you as soon as we can."
(>) Walter

> - Travel by train
[snip]
> The Eurotunnel has been closed for more than thirty years and there
> is no chance that it is reopened.

Since I don't own the London Sourcebook, can someone tell me if this fits
in with that book?

> Population and Demographics
[snip]
> The big percentage of non-(meta)human sentients is linked to the the
> accepted citizenship of some creatures not accepted everywhere :
> dracoforms (Western Dragons only), shapeshifters, free spirits and even
> ghouls (they are provided with fresh meat). Some other creatures that
> are not considered as sentients are nevertheless protected.

(>) Many trolls and dwarfs around, too.
(>) Treeson

> Basic Economy
> - Currency
> The French currency is the nouveau franc and this base currency has no
> subdivisions. Theoretically, the franc is divided in 100 centimes but
> centimes are not used any more. Coins are available in denominations of
> 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 100 francs. Plasti-weave bills are available in
> denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 francs. To this date, 2
> francs are nominally equivalent to 1 nuyen on the international exchange
> market, like the Quebec's franc.

I have this feeling that last bit ("like the Quebec's franc") wouldn't be
added in a text like this.

> HISTORY
[snip]
> The Capetien line ended when the three sons of Philippe IV le Bel, who
> had been cursed by the last Templar.

When the three sons what? You didn't finish the sentence.


On the whole, it looks to me like a good article, except you should try to
re-write it a bit to make it flow better; the way it is now, it's a bit
awkward to read. Also I think the references to magic in the middle ages
are too heavy and obvious.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Zo buurman, ik hier?
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-

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Message no. 3
From: Scott Harders <ZoneDancr@***.COM>
Subject: Re: NAGTTW : France Part 1
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 1997 13:04:47 -0400
I've got to get my 2 cents ( or your nearest monetary equivalent) in on this
one, even if it is going to be at Gurth's expense. Gurth? I'm not picking
on you, I swear. =)

>Zone Dancer
--------------------------- Reply as follows
--------------------------------------------------------------------
> Here is the first version of my posting about France. It is too big for
> my mailer so I was forced to cut it in three parts.

This message was too large for my mailer to reply to it all...

>>>>>( Gurth's server still uses a Commodore 64. >smile<
)<<<<<
- Zone Dancer (9:48:14/10-03-97)

> There is a map in the Word version that doesn't appear here.

Could you post it on a web or ftp site so everyone can look at it before
it goes into the book?

> I'm not absolutely satisfied about some parts so I would like to have
> your suggestions.

No problem. One suggestion I have is to go over it with someone who speaks
English as a native language, to catch some expressions that don't
translate well from French to English, and make the text more readable in
general. For example, if you use many short sentences (like you do) the
text is not all that pleasant to read, while if you use many long
sentences it can become difficult to understand.

>>>>>( Writing short sentences like that reminds Gurth of Hemingway, and
Gurth hated reading Hemmingway as a child. )<<<<<
-Zone Dancer (9:52:18/10-03-97)

One other thing I'd like to ask you to do is start decker comments by (>)
on the first line, and also before the poster's name. This:

>>>>>( Yeah, like this one. Hey, and what about scarecrows
brain!?)<<<<<
-Zone Dancer (9:53:51/10-03-97)

> I added this chapter for you runners that don't know anything about
> France. It's useful stuff so don't skip it. SysOp

would become:

(>) I added this chapter for you runners that don't know anything about
France. It's useful stuff so don't skip it.
(>) SysOp

I've added a few comments myself that you can add to the text if you want.

>>>>>(Or just delete his dribble altogether. =) )<<<<<
-Zone Dancer (9:55:14/10-03-97)

> Getting in
> - Immigration datawork
> - Travel visas
> Contrarly to many countries, travel visas are easy to get in France.
> Indeed, tourism is necessary for th economy, especially in Southern
> France. So the would-be tourists are not to be bothered. Anyone wanting
> to visit France has to go to the nearest consulate or embassy and ask
> for a tourism visa.

This last sentence is an example of what I mean; it would be better to say
something like "Tourism visas can be acquired from any French consulate or
embassy."

> - Citizenship
> You can obtain the French nationality only if you have at least one
> French grandparent. If you have useful talents, it can help also.
> Foreigners can't live in France more than two months a year.

(>) Yeah, many shadowrunners will go to the trouble of obtaining the
French nationality for doing a run there. Right.
(>) Treeson

(>) Oh, I don't know... Do you need a SIN to apply for it? If not, then it
may be an ace up the sleeve when the Star arrests you. "No, officer, I
don't have a SIN. But I am a French citizen, and I would like to speak to
the embassy."
(>) Michelle

(>) And they'll say "We're very sorry, but we're rather busy at the
moment. We'll get back to you as soon as we can."
(>) Walter

> - Travel by train
[snip]
> The Eurotunnel has been closed for more than thirty years and there
> is no chance that it is reopened.

Since I don't own the London Sourcebook, can someone tell me if this fits
in with that book?

>>>>>( Geez, you believe this guy. Has the nerve to make comments and
doesn't even own all the sourcebooks. >smile<)<<<<<
-Zone Dancer (9:57:36/10-03-97)

> Population and Demographics
[snip]
> The big percentage of non-(meta)human sentients is linked to the the
> accepted citizenship of some creatures not accepted everywhere :
> dracoforms (Western Dragons only), shapeshifters, free spirits and even
> ghouls (they are provided with fresh meat). Some other creatures that
> are not considered as sentients are nevertheless protected.

(>) Many trolls and dwarfs around, too.
(>) Treeson

> Basic Economy
> - Currency
> The French currency is the nouveau franc and this base currency has no
> subdivisions. Theoretically, the franc is divided in 100 centimes but
> centimes are not used any more. Coins are available in denominations of
> 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 100 francs. Plasti-weave bills are available in
> denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 francs. To this date, 2
> francs are nominally equivalent to 1 nuyen on the international exchange
> market, like the Quebec's franc.

I have this feeling that last bit ("like the Quebec's franc") wouldn't be
added in a text like this.

> HISTORY
[snip]
> The Capetien line ended when the three sons of Philippe IV le Bel, who
> had been cursed by the last Templar.

When the three sons what? You didn't finish the sentence.

>>>>>( You'll have to forgive Gurth. No one has let him in on the 3 sons
and
what that means. We only let him out long enough to eat and see a woman,
then we whip him back into his small room to crank out more NERPS material.
;o) )<<<<<
-Zone Dancer (10:01:52/10-03-97)

On the whole, it looks to me like a good article, except you should try to
re-write it a bit to make it flow better; the way it is now, it's a bit
awkward to read. Also I think the references to magic in the middle ages
are too heavy and obvious.

>>>>>( But then, Gurth never did have any love for the middle ages. =)
)<<<<<
-Zone Dancer (10:03:40/10-03-97)
--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Zo buurman, ik hier?

>>>>>(And just what the heck is "Zoo burmese like her" (See
above) supposed
to mean Gurth? =) )<<<<<
-Zone Dancer (10:05:09/10-03-97)
Message no. 4
From: "Paolo Falco, Explorer" <Falco@****.IT>
Subject: Re: NAGTTW : France Part 1
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 1997 01:19:02 +0000
Scott Harders thus did speak about Re: NAGTTW : France Part 1:

> I've got to get my 2 cents ( or your nearest monetary equivalent) in on this
> one, even if it is going to be at Gurth's expense. Gurth? I'm not picking
> on you, I swear. =)
>
> [...snip, unlike someone else...]
>
> >>>>>(And just what the heck is "Zoo burmese like her" (See
above) supposed
> to mean Gurth? =) )<<<<<
> -Zone Dancer (10:05:09/10-03-97)

(>) Ha ha, I say, ha ha! And what do we think we are anyways?
(>) Nottafraggingfragger

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Paolo Falco | "All things foul and dangerous, the Lord God made
(explorer) | them all" (Monty Python, "All things Dull and Ugly")
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I know you don't care about my Official Biography, but...
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/2717
Message no. 5
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: NAGTTW : France Part 1
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 1997 12:08:05 +0100
Scott Harders said on 13:04/ 3 Oct 97...

> I've got to get my 2 cents ( or your nearest monetary equivalent) in on this
> one, even if it is going to be at Gurth's expense. Gurth? I'm not picking
> on you, I swear. =)

I'm not bothered, but I don't think NERPS is the place for too much joking
around... (That means: let's not make a thread out of this.)

> >>>>>( Writing short sentences like that reminds Gurth of Hemingway,
and
> Gurth hated reading Hemmingway as a child. )<<<<<
> -Zone Dancer (9:52:18/10-03-97)

I never read anything by Hemingway, so I have no idea about his writing
style...

> > One other thing I'd like to ask you to do is start decker comments by
> > (>) on the first line, and also before the poster's name. This:
>
> >>>>>( Yeah, like this one. Hey, and what about scarecrows
brain!?)<<<<<
> -Zone Dancer (9:53:51/10-03-97)

NOT like that one. I want new-style decker comments, and I will remove all
old-style ones, except when the article, or that section of it, is
supposed to be from the time those old-style comments were still in use.

> Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
> Zo buurman, ik hier?
>
> >>>>>(And just what the heck is "Zoo burmese like her" (See
above) supposed
> to mean Gurth? =) )<<<<<
> -Zone Dancer (10:05:09/10-03-97)

You figure it out. The only hint I'll give is to watch "Geen Spatader
Veranderd" by Herman Finkers ;)

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Zo buurman, ik hier?
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-

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Version 3.1:
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Message no. 6
From: GKoth2258@***.COM
Subject: Re: NAGTTW : France Part 1
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 1997 15:06:00 -0400
Hey Gurth, Eric,

I'd love to edit your piece for grammar, spelling, sentence structure.
Considering writing is what I do for a living (most of the time anyway), I'd
really like to keep my editing skills sharp.

Unless you object, I'll go over your work and then send it back direct to you
so you can have final approval of any rewording I may or may not do.

Cool?

Erik J.
Message no. 7
From: Bonnet Eric <ebonnet@*******.FR>
Subject: Re: NAGTTW : France Part 1
Date: Sun, 5 Oct 1997 18:33:13 +0200
GKoth2258@***.COM wrote:
>
> Hey Gurth, Eric,
>
> I'd love to edit your piece for grammar, spelling, sentence structure.
> Considering writing is what I do for a living (most of the time anyway), I'd
> really like to keep my editing skills sharp.
>
> Unless you object, I'll go over your work and then send it back direct to you
> so you can have final approval of any rewording I may or may not do.
>
> Cool?
>
> Erik J.

I've no objection, of course. I thanks you to help me as I don't really
master your language.
Eric Bonnet
Message no. 8
From: Bonnet Eric <ebonnet@*******.FR>
Subject: Re: NAGTTW : France Part 1
Date: Mon, 6 Oct 1997 18:16:18 +0200
GKoth2258@***.COM wrote:
>
> Hey Gurth, Eric,
>
> I'd love to edit your piece for grammar, spelling, sentence structure.
> Considering writing is what I do for a living (most of the time anyway), I'd
> really like to keep my editing skills sharp.
>
> Unless you object, I'll go over your work and then send it back direct to you
> so you can have final approval of any rewording I may or may not do.
>
> Cool?
>
> Erik J.

I have no objections. It would be very interesting for me as I don't
really master your language.
Eric Bonnet

Further Reading

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