From:	bschlitt@**********.net (Dr. Robert Kyle)
Subject:	Re: Strange Spirits
Date:	Tue, 12 Mar 1996 23:16:36 -0600

>There is another, even simpler, solution. Shade overreacted. I think a
>Force 7ish Free Spirit with the right powers and Spirit Energy could be every
>bit as intimidating as the thing Shade ran into. Certainly, I see no need for
>either new paranormal creatures _or_ drastically-inflated force entities.
Let's see a person with a PHD in such a specific area of study who
is a conjouring adept, and a practiced Shadowrunner, got easily spooked by
such a creature, while the toxics didn't even phase him? Yeah, that seems
simple enough, if and only if the creature's fear power got him.
The only reason the issue came up is because my character decided to
investigate the issue. I understand the wish to keep things simple, but my
character is actually slowly putting together an entire run to dig up more
info. If enough characters are interested in the run, there is no reason to
kill the storyline.
Lastly, I will say again that free spirist are supposed to be
*RARE*, yet I notice that there are several used regularly on this list.
They seem to be so common, in fact, that the above quote indicates that they
feel a free spirit is merely a SIMPLE SOLUTION?!?
If you see my previous post, you will notice I too feel that it may
not be as nasty as my character thinks it is. This does not mean he will
back down, though; because I plan to role-play him properly. Now aparently,
other disagree with this opinion, but I feel it is more likely a form of
toxic or mutated paranormal due to the simple lack of info. indicated by the
current paranormal source-books. Everything about them indicates that they
are innacurate and out-dated like most publications. Traits commonly found
among critters of a given type were only revealed through shadowrunners
talking about the creatures.
The most likely situation that I could figure, is since they already
were used to experimenting on dogs into making their Biodogs that Shade
found out about, they caught one of the indigenous Shadowhounds. These
creatures are plentiful in the area as such creatures go, and Maxim may have
had to capture on for experimentation to placate their toxic shamans. The
toxics experimented on said puppy. This would explain its black symettrical
rather than amphorous appearance and dual nature capability. The flying was
taken care of by the mutations or by putting a toxic under its control. The
difficulty of others hitting it was merely due to the blackness it produced.
This I feel is more likely and mundane in our understanding than the rarity
of a free spirit. Sure there are still some holes, but I am sure those can
be plugged.

Sinc.
Benjamin Schlitt