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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: "S. Keith Graham" <vapspcx@***.GATECH.EDU>
Subject: Re: Deamons and other beasties..
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 1994 21:58:19 -0500
As someone pointed out, the general flavor of Cyberpunk in general
has man making his own worst nightmares...

And the flavor of SR beasties and magic (in general, I'm sure they're
exceptions,) revolve around the life force of creatures, and the echos
of the real world.

(And from a historical point of view, 80 or 90% of the "Named" deamons
in the Christian mythos were local dieties of groups that refused to
convert. (And half the saints were local dieties of groups that did
convert. :-)

So having (most) of this class of creatures meet the "horrific beast
from Hell" that the Christians push is a crock. Both from the point of
view of history, and good plot. Its never good for the players to
know who's side someone is actually on. :-)

The option that I've been working up is to make this group be "The
Manifest forms of the Emotions." Greater Forms typically are more
complex. This follows, to some degree, some of the Voodoo beliefs
of Loa, as I understand them. So you get Lust; and Lust Greater Form
is Venus (who might also be jealous and catty).

These creatures will have possesion (both voluntary and not), as well
as some more typical spirit powers. And you can summon an Emotion
and let it possess you, for bonuses (but at the loss of some/most of your
free will.) And of course, there are "nice" ones as well as "evil"
ones. But possesion by "Truth" or "Friendliness" might be as poor of
an idea as "Sadism" and "Bloodlust".

I'm open to game mechanic suggestions, but I really think that having
"Cruelty Greater Form Incarnate" is more in keeping with the "echos
of reality" than "some dark beast that actually cares enough about
humans to bother them." :-)

Keith
Message no. 2
From: Luke Kendall <luke@********.CANON.OZ.AU>
Subject: Re: Deamons and other beasties..
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 1994 13:14:03 +1000
S. Keith Graham:

> The option that I've been working up is to make this group [daemons] be "The
> Manifest forms of the Emotions."

Just like the demons in the Robert E. Vardeman's four books that were
collected under the title of `The Jade Demon Quartet' (which was good in
parts, IMHO). And, come to think of it, very like the Great Powers
in a game system I designed a few years ago (currently collecting
dust on a shelf in my study; but one day...).

Might be worth a read.

I think this idea of demons is more oriental; I remember the demons in
the Japanese TV series `Monkey'. (`Come on out of there, demon.' [Bangs
on boulder that blocks entrance.] `Come on out, you ... poofter!')

luke

Further Reading

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Thwap!