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Message no. 1
From: Luke Kendall <luke@********.CANON.OZ.AU>
Subject: Belief (Was: Re: Seeing through glass)
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 13:00:05 +1100
Damion Milliken writes:

luke> In my opinion, the Shadowrun magic system is _not_ based on Belief. The
luke> idea seems to really be that `It doesn't matter what you or anyone else
luke> believes, chummer, that's the way the world is.'

> I'd be led to think this way also, except for the comment at the beginning
> of Harlequin's description in Harlequins Back. It says soemthing akin to
> "yes, this does mean a characters world view shapes how magic works for
him".

I don't know the context, but I imagine that he means on the large scale -
whether he sees the world in Hermetic terms or Shamanistic terms (or
Houngan or whatever).

Certainly a shaman's beliefs affects how she casts her spells. It determines
bonus and penalty dice, and other things, for example. I think it's this
sort of shaping of magic that's being referred to.

luke
Message no. 2
From: Damion Milliken <adm82@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Belief (Was: Re: Seeing through glass)
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 1995 00:33:10 +1100
Luke Kendall writes:

> I don't know the context, but I imagine that he means on the large scale -
> whether he sees the world in Hermetic terms or Shamanistic terms (or
> Houngan or whatever).
>
> Certainly a shaman's beliefs affects how she casts her spells. It determines
> bonus and penalty dice, and other things, for example. I think it's this
> sort of shaping of magic that's being referred to.

Well, after looking all through Harlequins Back and Harlequin I'm dammed if
I can find the quote to see just what context it's in. But I'm positive it's
in there (someone else mentioned it too, so I don't think I'm crazy - unless
they're having the same halucinations I am). But I do sorta remember that it
was to do with something normal magicians couldn't do, but Harlequin could
because of his differring world view.

--
Damion Milliken University of Wollongong E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au

(GEEK CODE 2.1) GE -d+@ H s++:-- !g p0 !au a18 w+ v(?) C++ US++>+++ P+ L !3
E? N K- W M@ !V po@ Y+ t+ 5 !j R+(++) G(+)('''') !tv(--@)
b++ D B? e+ u@ h* f+ !r n----(--)@ !y+
Message no. 3
From: Damion Milliken <adm82@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Belief (Was: Re: Seeing through glass)
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 16:49:27 +1100
Luke Kendall writes:

> I don't know the context, but I imagine that he means on the large scale -
> whether he sees the world in Hermetic terms or Shamanistic terms (or
> Houngan or whatever).

Hmm, I looked for it today and couldn't even find the place where I read it,
but I'm sure I did. I have a feeling it was to do with something big too,
soemthing which allowed Harlequin to do something everyone else couldn't
because of his different world view. But I can't find the thing anymore.

> Certainly a shaman's beliefs affects how she casts her spells. It determines
> bonus and penalty dice, and other things, for example. I think it's this
> sort of shaping of magic that's being referred to.

Unless of course there _are_ actually supernatural beings embodied by the
totems. "The Masquerade" in Harlequins Back (not to mention Fate) certainly
seems to indicate that FASA has an idea that there might be higher beings in
the SR universe. Not that it matters either way, the same effects happen
whether the totems exist or whether they're just the magicians world view.

--
Damion Milliken University of Wollongong E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au

(GEEK CODE 2.1) GE -d+@ H s++:-- !g p0 !au a18 w+ v(?) C++ US++>+++ P+ L !3
E? N K- W M@ !V po@ Y+ t+ 5 !j R+(++) G(+)('''') !tv(--@)
b++ D B? e+ u@ h* f+ !r n----(--)@ !y+

Further Reading

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