Back to the main page

Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Gurth <jweste%smtp@******.HZEELAND.NL>
Subject: Re: Dual-nature question (ears)
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 1994 12:50:22 +0100
> On the same topic of using different senses, how about ears? It
>DEFINITELY is different for them, not hearing the actual conversation
>but he (oops) hearing the meaning. Makes a difference, wouldn't you
>think?

The way I read it, magicians can hear on the astral plane, but only those
sounds that are made naturally (people talking, falling objects, and so
on), but not recorded sounds (no listening to CDs on the astral plane).

> How about this...would a blind mage in astral get the +2 penalty
>for perceiving? I wouldn't think so, they're not looking in real
>space...

Food for thought...



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Gurth + I'm buried up to my neck in +
+ (jweste%smtp@******.hzeeland.nl) + contradictionary flies +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Message no. 2
From: Joshua James Harrison <harrij4@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Dual-nature question (ears)
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 1994 14:19:35 -0500
On Mar 22, 12:50pm, Gurth wrote:
> The way I read it, magicians can hear on the astral plane, but only those
> sounds that are made naturally (people talking, falling objects, and so
> on), but not recorded sounds (no listening to CDs on the astral plane).

I disagree... according to the SR Novel "Night's Pawn" (written by Tom Dowd)
music (even recorded music) on the Astral Plane is not heard as music, but as
the emotional content of the composer, pouring out in the notes. If you read
the introduction, Mozart's Requiem is being played when the two mages go into
Astral Combat, and the music is described as the emotional pain and torment of
the composer, rather than actual musical notes.

Of course, the intensity of this varies, depending on the music... Mozart's
Requiem is very emotional... I don't think that elevator muzak would be very
interesting on the astral, if you could hear it at all...

The important thing to remember about the astral is that it is based on
emotion and life (which is why magic and tech don't mix- tech has no life). So
while they may say astral sight, it really is another 'sixth' sense (to use
the expression). A projection into another plane of consciousness, one where
life and emotion, rather than hard science, is key. As a result, Astral
"Space" is very subjective, and no two mages see it exactly the same.

I'm just rambling now... so I'll cut this off.



--
Josh Harrison | A Elbereth Gilthoniel | "The Hedgehog"
aka A.M. Hawke | o menel palan-diriel, | \ \ | / /
Internet: | le nallon si di'nguruthos! | \ \ | / /
harrij4@***.edu | A tiro nin, Fanuilos! | --- O O ---
------------------------------------------------------------| / C \
'Now come, you filth!' he cried. 'You've hurt my master, | / m\_/m \
you brute, and you'll pay for it. We're going on; but we'll |---------------
settle with you first. Come on, and taste it again!' - Sam, "The Two Towers"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GE/T/O d++(--) -p+ c+(++) l u e+ m+(-) s+/ !n h f+(*) !g w+@ t+@ r(+) y?
Message no. 3
From: Stefan Hahn <HAHN@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Dual-nature question (ears)
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 1994 14:03:49 -0800
<DELETED>

>The important thing to remember about the astral is that it is based on
>emotion and life (which is why magic and tech don't mix- tech has no life). So
>while they may say astral sight, it really is another 'sixth' sense (to use
>the expression). A projection into another plane of consciousness, one where
>life and emotion, rather than hard science, is key. As a result, Astral
>"Space" is very subjective, and no two mages see it exactly the same.

In that case, one runs into the problem of bioware (organic material that, if
not cultured, doesn't match the 'life aura' of the person who has it) being
visible from astral space, and I didn't think that was the case as with cyber.
One also wonders if music has an astral(emotional) presence, then wouldn't a
painting or sculpture or other work of art have a palpable astral(emotional)
presence.
In that case, (we're extrpolating here) consider the shadowsurgeon who
takes such pride in his custom-designed work that each is, to him, a real work
of art.
See where I'm getting?
Say his girlfriend dumped him the day before you went in to get your
beta-wired reflexes, and he works off his emotion on you. All the time wiz-boys
would be looking at you and seeing sadness and despair, even if you yourself
were rather chipper at the time.
Note to GM's who love to torture their PC's: (Is there any other kind?)
This'd be an interesting way to give someone their own background count, a la
"Neddy, the party razorboy is radiating his own black aura of hate. Make a
willpower check."
heh.

WITH ORION'S SWORD THE HUNTER AROSE AND CONQUERED THE WORLD WITH FURY AND GRACE
**/|*******
HAHN@***.EDU **(/**********
THE TOOTH OF THE KHAN **/ **/|********
**| \/ |*********
\^ /**********
/*\ /***********
()*\(***********
_________________ **\|**********
==============================(_(______________/ **\*********
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\________________/ *********
*****
IN HIM WAS I BORN, IN HIM SHALL I DIE, IN HIM DO I LOSE NAME, STATION, AND FACE
Message no. 4
From: Neal A Porter <nap@*****.PHYSICS.SWIN.OZ.AU>
Subject: Re: Dual-nature question (ears)
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 1994 13:56:54 +1000
>
>> On the same topic of using different senses, how about ears? It
>>DEFINITELY is different for them, not hearing the actual conversation
>>but he (oops) hearing the meaning. Makes a difference, wouldn't you
>>think?
>
>The way I read it, magicians can hear on the astral plane, but only those
>sounds that are made naturally (people talking, falling objects, and so
>on), but not recorded sounds (no listening to CDs on the astral plane).

I don't think that they can hear while purely astral, they can feel the
emotional content of the discussion, such as anger in a lovers fight, or fear
in anyones encounter with a dragon, but these are the emotions, not the
actual sounds. Also remember that a projecting Mage has the option of
manifesation, where they can create a ghost like image of themselves on
the physical plane (not able to effect the Physical or be effected Physically,
but watch out for any magical attack), and through this ghost image
communicate with mundies. Ie talk and hear, just not do anything.
>
>Food for thought...
> Gurth

Munch, Munch.. Yum Orange Flavour...

A'Deus.
Message no. 5
From: Joshua James Harrison <harrij4@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Dual-nature question (ears)
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 1994 23:30:30 -0500
[Extrapolations of stuff deleted for brevity's sake]

I see what you're getting at, but I don't think it is quite as extreme as you
trake it... for ART art... that is, sculpture and painting and so forth, there
should certainly be an astral presence for it...

But in terms of the shakier stuff (the tech stuff, primarilly) you're getting
into some strange territory... background countand astral presence is
developed in an inanimate object when extended emotional and 'hands on' work
is put into it.

Going back to the example of Mozart's Requiem, he spent a lot of time and
poured a lot of his energy into that piece (it was his last, I believe), and
as a result it has a very strong astral presence... basically, the more
intense the emotion, and the longer that emotion is associated with an object,
the stronger an astral presence it will have. Cyberware has an astral
presence, it's just that that presence is 'dead' - it doesn't have the life
and emotion that a living being does, and as a result, is also not really
solid on the astral plane.

But of course, the extreme to which you want to take this depends entirely on
your own style of play. This is purely my own ideas and style.



--
Josh Harrison | A Elbereth Gilthoniel | "The Hedgehog"
aka A.M. Hawke | o menel palan-diriel, | \ \ | / /
Internet: | le nallon si di'nguruthos! | \ \ | / /
harrij4@***.edu | A tiro nin, Fanuilos! | --- O O ---
------------------------------------------------------------| / C \
'Now come, you filth!' he cried. 'You've hurt my master, | / m\_/m \
you brute, and you'll pay for it. We're going on; but we'll |---------------
settle with you first. Come on, and taste it again!' - Sam, "The Two Towers"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
GE/T/O d++(--) -p+ c+(++) l u e+ m+(-) s+/ !n h f+(*) !g w+@ t+@ r(+) y?

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Dual-nature question (ears), you may also be interested in:

Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.