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Message no. 1
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Sat, 29 Jul 1995 10:02:52 +0200
You're getting your facts mixed up.

>1) The UCAS Govt has erected a containment zone inside of the city. Purpose
>to keep the populace, which has been infected by insect spirits from
>escaping and spreading the hives out.

This happened before the nuke went off, not afterward. The CZ came into
being shortly after 22nd August 2055, the nuke goes off in early October.

> What does Joe average know about this? Official UCAS reports state
>that a new plague virus (VITAS III?) has broken out in the city, and to
>protect the populace, a containment zone has been established.

Not anymore, Shadowland has broadcast the truth and the knowledge is
spreading to Jane and Joe Citizen as well.


Gurth@******.nl - Gurth@***.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Expect nothing
GC3.0: GAT/! dpu s:- !a>? C+(++) U P L E? W(++) N K- w+ O V? PS+ PE Y PGP-
t(+) 5 X R+++>$ tv+(++) b+@ DI? D+ G++ e h! !r(--) y? Unofficial Shadowrun
Guru :)
Message no. 2
From: Mike and Jill Johnson <mnj@******.NET>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Sat, 29 Jul 1995 13:07:00 MDT
>
>>1) The UCAS Govt has erected a containment zone inside of the city. Purpose
>>to keep the populace, which has been infected by insect spirits from
>>escaping and spreading the hives out.
>


I'm glad you brought this up....

I have a question about the CZ. Nature has a way of supplying what is
needed. I.E. when there is a land war going on, more male children are born
to make up for those being killed. Does that mean, in the next few
generations of CZ there is be more magically active children being born
there? It stands to reason, mages and adepts stand a better chance to fight
off bugs then Joe Average.



Jill
Message no. 3
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 00:36:20 +0200
>I have a question about the CZ. Nature has a way of supplying what is
>needed. I.E. when there is a land war going on, more male children are born
>to make up for those being killed.

I thought it took ages for the male population to reach normal levels again
after so many were killed as in both world wars?

>Does that mean, in the next few
>generations of CZ there is be more magically active children being born
>there? It stands to reason, mages and adepts stand a better chance to fight
>off bugs then Joe Average.

You've got a point, but there's one slight problem here -- those kids are
easy pickings for insect spirits. Maybe their being magically-active even
causes the insects to "home in" on them. Sure, you'll get small-stature
spirits if you summon them into a 6-month-old baby, but size doesn't matter
much for spirits :)


Gurth@******.nl - Gurth@***.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
I'll never get excited again --Me (1995)
GC3.0: GAT/! dpu s:- !a>? C+(++) U P L E? W(++) N K- w+ O V? PS+ PE Y PGP-
t(+) 5 X R+++>$ tv+(++) b+@ DI? D+ G++ e h! !r(--) y? Unofficial Shadowrun
Guru :)
Message no. 4
From: P Ward <P.Ward@**.CF.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 10:50:45 BST
Gurth :-
> You've got a point, but there's one slight problem here -- those kids are
> easy pickings for insect spirits. Maybe their being magically-active even
> causes the insects to "home in" on them. Sure, you'll get small-stature
> spirits if you summon them into a 6-month-old baby, but size doesn't matter
> much for spirits :)

Now there's a thought... if you have an incrase in the number of magically
active babies born in the CZ, then they are going to attract large numbers
of bugs...

Thought:- how exaclty are insect shamans made, do you choose to turn into
one, are you born one (in the same way you're born an adept or mage), or
can you be _tainted_ and turn into one due to outside influences...

Another good reason to deal with the CZ quickly, if they're breeding a
lot of active babies there, and the bugs can taint them, then even if the
bugs are dealt with you still have a horde of new insect shamns, just ready
to cnojure more in 20 years time...

Phil (Renegade)
Message no. 5
From: Damion Milliken <adm82@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 20:07:02 +1000
P Ward writes:

> Thought:- how exaclty are insect shamans made, do you choose to turn into
> one, are you born one (in the same way you're born an adept or mage), or
> can you be _tainted_ and turn into one due to outside influences...

Well, if you read the prologue at the start of Queen Euphoria, you'll see
that the insect shaman there used to be a regular shaman before he was
"converted" to the insect way. It's arguable that he chose to do so though.

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

(GEEK CODE 2.1) GE -d+@ H s++:-- !g p0 !au a19 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. 6
From: P Ward <P.Ward@**.CF.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 11:18:47 BST
> Well, if you read the prologue at the start of Queen Euphoria, you'll see
> that the insect shaman there used to be a regular shaman before he was
> "converted" to the insect way. It's arguable that he chose to do so though.


Yeah, I read that one, the coyote (?) guy who turned ant after he saw his
totem devoured by a swarm (?) of ants....nasty.

But think about it.... 20 years up the line, all those Chicago babies with
magical powers, and tainted by the bugs :-)
Not to mention that if the number of babies who are magically active
increases, it also seems possible that the actual magnitude of their power
might increase as well... especially as we have those area's of huge back-
ground count.

Unpleasant..

Phil (Renegade)
Message no. 7
From: P Ward <P.Ward@**.CF.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 11:23:01 BST
In fact, that sounds like a really nasty idea for a moral dilemna-type
shadowrun within the CZ....

Guvint sources realise that this is a possiblity, and have sent in
death squads to deal with the problem....

human-form Bugs take over a maternity ward in Chicago General, what's
left of it....

Yuck... I'm going to have to go and play a happy-go-fluffy game for a
while to cool off...

Phil (Renegade)
Message no. 8
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 23:24:04 +0200
>Thought:- how exaclty are insect shamans made, do you choose to turn into
>one, are you born one (in the same way you're born an adept or mage), or
>can you be _tainted_ and turn into one due to outside influences...

According to Queen Euphoria, the shaman (forgot the name) from that was
originally a Rat shaman, but he was called by the Ant totem on some run into
a jungle.


Gurth@******.nl - Gurth@***.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
I'll never get excited again --Me (1995)
GC3.0: GAT/! dpu s:- !a>? C+(++) U P L E? W(++) N K- w+ O V? PS+ PE Y PGP-
t(+) 5 X R+++>$ tv+(++) b+@ DI? D+ G++ e h! !r(--) y? Unofficial Shadowrun
Guru :)
Message no. 9
From: Mike and Jill Johnson <mnj@******.NET>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 15:41:00 MDT
>Another good reason to deal with the CZ quickly, if they're breeding a
>lot of active babies there, and the bugs can taint them, then even if the
>bugs are dealt with you still have a horde of new insect shamns, just ready
>to cnojure more in 20 years time...
>


You guys are also missing the point of, if people are to be having kids then
I'd think, they'd stay around and protect them. Unless, your having kids to
sell to the bugs, (scary thought).


Jill
Message no. 10
From: Duke Diener <DukeDragon@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 21:36:52 -0400
Jill wrote:

>You guys are also missing the point of, if people are to be having kids then
>I'd think, they'd stay around and protect them. Unless, your having kids to
>sell to the bugs, (scary thought).

You can't watch them every second of the day...

But your second comment runs sort of along the lines of a scenario that came
to me. The bugs have started concentrating on aquiring teenagers.
Specifically they want magically active teenagers. Now you are asking why
do they want magically active teenagers? Because they want to "convert" one
or more of them to an insect totem. Acording to the write up in Bug City the
bugs in Topor can be awakened by the presence of magic, whereas the presents
of other bugs is not sufficient. So the bugs hope to "create" a pet magic
slinger and have him/her go around like an alarm clock. They've chosen to
try to convert a teenager because they think that with their limited life
experience the teenager maybe more suseptable to conversion.

The possible angles here are limitless: Protect the kids, reaquire a
snatched kid, go head to head with a converted shaman kid, etc.

Duke
Message no. 11
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1995 10:14:34 +0200
>You guys are also missing the point of, if people are to be having kids then
>I'd think, they'd stay around and protect them. Unless, your having kids to
>sell to the bugs, (scary thought).

I think insect spirits take what they want without asking for it... Of
course people protect their kids (any normal parent would), but could you
and your husband/wife stand up against three or four true-form spirits that
suddenly manifest inside your kids' bedrooms? Most likely, you'd get dragged
to the hive along with your kids.


Gurth@******.nl - Gurth@***.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Sponsored by nobody
GC3.0: GAT/! dpu s:- !a>? C+(++) U P L E? W(++) N K- w+ O V? PS+ PE Y PGP-
t(+) 5 X R+++>$ tv+(++) b+@ DI? D+ G++ e h! !r(--) y? Unofficial Shadowrun
Guru :)
Message no. 12
From: Robert Watkins <bob@**.NTU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1995 19:05:56 +0930
Mike and Jill Johnson wrote:
>
> >>1) The UCAS Govt has erected a containment zone inside of the city. Purpose
> >>to keep the populace, which has been infected by insect spirits from
> >>escaping and spreading the hives out.
>
> I'm glad you brought this up....
>
> I have a question about the CZ. Nature has a way of supplying what is
> needed. I.E. when there is a land war going on, more male children are born
> to make up for those being killed. Does that mean, in the next few
> generations of CZ there is be more magically active children being born
> there? It stands to reason, mages and adepts stand a better chance to fight
> off bugs then Joe Average.

While that's true in species which EVOLVED to it, I never heard it being
proposed about humanity, and figures don't bear that out. Any such effect
would have to occur over years, and (just as an example), after World War
One and Two, female births were slightly, but not significantly, higher
than males. (In the Western world, at least).

As for magically active children being born there, go back and READ about
the CZ... magic is NOT a survival attribute there. SKILL with magic is, but
the mere presence of a magically active person can wake up the bugs, and
children would probably never have the time to develop the skills. OTH, as
a countereffect, skilled magic-users will be more likely to survive, and IF
magic is genetically carried, then their children would also be more likely
to survive, and gain the skills, etc...

But how ever said the CZ will stand that long? My money says it'll collapse
soon: either because the feds move in, or the bugs move out. :)

--
Robert Watkins bob@**.ntu.edu.au
Real Programmers never work 9 to 5. If any real programmers
are around at 9 am, it's because they were up all night.
*** Finger me for my geek code ***
Message no. 13
From: Robert Watkins <bob@**.NTU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1995 19:30:24 +0930
Mike and Jill Johnson wrote:
> >Another good reason to deal with the CZ quickly, if they're breeding a
> >lot of active babies there, and the bugs can taint them, then even if the
> >bugs are dealt with you still have a horde of new insect shamns, just ready
> >to cnojure more in 20 years time...
>
> You guys are also missing the point of, if people are to be having kids then
> I'd think, they'd stay around and protect them. Unless, your having kids to
> sell to the bugs, (scary thought).
>

If the bugs plan to go after the kids, they're going to get them. Remember:
the only thing that keeps people alive in Bug City is that:
a) The bugs originally didn't care.
b) Now they're in stasis.

--
Robert Watkins bob@**.ntu.edu.au
Real Programmers never work 9 to 5. If any real programmers
are around at 9 am, it's because they were up all night.
*** Finger me for my geek code ***
Message no. 14
From: "Brian A. Stewart" <bstewart@***.UUG.ARIZONA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Bug City (spoiler warning!)
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1995 15:22:31 -0700
>In fact, that sounds like a really nasty idea for a moral >dilemna-type
shadowrun within the CZ....
>Guvint sources realise that this is a possiblity, and have sent >in death
squads to deal with the problem....
>human-form Bugs take over a maternity ward in Chicago General, >what'sleft
of it....
>Yuck... I'm going to have to go and play a happy-go-fluffy game >for a
while to cool off...
>
>Phil (Renegade)
>
-----
Just imagine when invae are the least of our worries. I'm with you for
playing a happy-go-fluffy game, how does Cuthulu sound? (grin)

Brian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Breakdowns come and breakdowns go---
What are you going to do about it-
that's what I'd like to know.

-Paul Simon
*****************************************************************
"Nurse Wratchet": bstewart@***.uug.arizona.edu
or brian-stewart@**.arizona.edu
*****************************************************************

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Bug City (spoiler warning!), you may also be interested in:

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