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Message no. 1
From: Brian McCallister <mccllstr@********.EDU>
Subject: Epic Shadowrunners...
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 15:06:23 -0500
I have an idea for a very epic Shadowrun/ ED game. I would like some
input from ya'll. The idea borrows a bit from some different systems so
hang in there.

Some metaphysics first. Magic works by the mage imposing his belief upon
reality. This is the official SR line, so no problems yet. The collective
world is governed by the beliefs of those in it, to borrow a term from
Whitewolf's Mage, the sleepers. The collective beliefs of humanity pretty
much shape the world humanity lives in. This is official Earthdawn
doctrine (belief in names and what not shapes what they can do. It is the
Name-givers' belief in your legend that allows you to do the things you
can).

Okay, so to break. The cycle of magic is an artificial cycle brought
about by self-fulfilling prophecies. People at various times believe
different things and this belief alter the way magic works. Magic in
Earthdawn eventually subsided because everyone collectively believed it
would. One of the problems I am having now is explaining how magic came
back... What caused (or what collection of things) the overwhelmingly
vast majority of meta-humanity to believe in the possibility of magic
again? Was this a collected effort? Who instigated it if it was. Can we
see a rising belief in magic today (RL)? So far tough this is distinctly
possible within the available FASA metaphysics.

Anyway, to break away from the FASA line, reincarnation happens. As a
matter of fact there can be a fair amount of continuity of "self" This is
no the present psychologcal, or humanistic idea of self that is formed
and understood in a cognitive manner (amongst others) but a "self" of
essence or spirit.

Ya'll can see where this is going at this point.

So we begin in Earthdawn with the players all being in an unopened Kaer
(50 years post Throal-opening) and it is broached by a Horror. Most of
inhabitants are gone, players are hiding in a deep sub-level in the
farming areas. Okay, have fun. When they get out it will be just in time
to sart realizing what is going on, find some places, (and with some
creative time-lining) Thera invades.

Shadowrun. I am not sure how to work this yet but it will tie into an
Azzie/Enemy/Dragon thing. Oh, there are no d*&^ immortal elfs., so
scratch any comments about HB or whatnot.

Earthdawn-
One huge conspiracy theory works like this. Thera orchestrated the Scourge
:) What better way to seize control then by spreading knowledge (and
complete paranoia) about this upcoming apocolypse that, oh yeah, we know
how to protect you from. Now 99% of Thera lives the lie, and doesn't know
any better. As Theran war goes on the player start getting hints, ideas,
something that they might wonder.

Shadowrun-
Aztechnology. Except spreading knowledge and making people beieve things
is far esier now with mass communication then the Troubadours of ED could
ever imagine...

Earthdawn-
Okay, so players late in game set things in motion to remove this
dependency on magic, this utter faith in magic from the general
population (for you Mage players, can you say proto-technocracy) and
thereby protect them from the evil designs of te Theran masterminds (who
may have dies off or been killed off by this poitn anyway and all that is
left is the deaying achine carrying on their intentions unwittingly known
lovingly to us as the Theran Empire)

Shadowrun-
Someone knows what happened and says, wow that worked. Only this time we
can do it right :)

What this sets up is a cyclical system wher ein ED they are setting up a
mesn of dismantling the most horrific :) of schemes, and in Shadowrun the
birth of what happened in Ed is occuring.

Okay, now the metaphysics that makes it interesting. All the SR people
should be magically active because of magic involved. It also makes it
easier to tie in their gradual growing understanding of their past life.
This allows the classic fictional ploy of heroes come again in the time
of need, with all the flashbacks and what not. Best part is, the
descendents of the institutions set up by the characters previous
incarnbations are the things allowing the new horror to begin...

Well,this is sketchy, but what do ya think?


-Skrub
Message no. 2
From: Jeremiah Stevens <jeremiah@********.EDU>
Subject: Re: Epic Shadowrunners...
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 15:21:00 -0500
On Fri, 21 Nov 1997, Brian McCallister wrote:

> I have an idea for a very epic Shadowrun/ ED game. I would like some
> input from ya'll. The idea borrows a bit from some different systems so
> hang in there.
>
> Some metaphysics first. Magic works by the mage imposing his belief upon
> reality. This is the official SR line, so no problems yet. The collective
> world is governed by the beliefs of those in it, to borrow a term from
> Whitewolf's Mage, the sleepers. The collective beliefs of humanity pretty
> much shape the world humanity lives in. This is official Earthdawn
> doctrine (belief in names and what not shapes what they can do. It is the
> Name-givers' belief in your legend that allows you to do the things you
> can).
>
> Okay, so to break. The cycle of magic is an artificial cycle brought
> about by self-fulfilling prophecies. People at various times believe
> different things and this belief alter the way magic works. Magic in
> Earthdawn eventually subsided because everyone collectively believed it
> would. One of the problems I am having now is explaining how magic came
> back... What caused (or what collection of things) the overwhelmingly
> vast majority of meta-humanity to believe in the possibility of magic
> again? Was this a collected effort? Who instigated it if it was. Can we
> see a rising belief in magic today (RL)? So far tough this is distinctly
> possible within the available FASA metaphysics.
I would say the whole 'millenial fever' new age mystic stuff works pretty
well. A good deal of SR magic has roots in Zen Buddhism and other
non-western and pagan religious/phlosophical/magical traditions.

>
> Anyway, to break away from the FASA line, reincarnation happens. As a
> matter of fact there can be a fair amount of continuity of "self" This is
> no the present psychologcal, or humanistic idea of self that is formed
> and understood in a cognitive manner (amongst others) but a "self" of
> essence or spirit.
<Snipped plot synopsis>
>
> Okay, now the metaphysics that makes it interesting. All the SR people
> should be magically active because of magic involved. It also makes it
> easier to tie in their gradual growing understanding of their past life.
> This allows the classic fictional ploy of heroes come again in the time
> of need, with all the flashbacks and what not. Best part is, the
> descendents of the institutions set up by the characters previous
> incarnbations are the things allowing the new horror to begin...
>
> Well,this is sketchy, but what do ya think?
>
>
> -Skrub
>
I definitely think something like this could work. It would make for a
good one-shot campaign, like the sort of thing you could run over summer
vacation. Of course, you should have experienced and dedicated players to
try and pull off something like this.
Message no. 3
From: "Leszek Karlik, aka Mike" <trrkt@*****.ONET.PL>
Subject: Re: Epic Shadowrunners...
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 22:35:28 +0000
On 21 Nov 97, Brian McCallister disseminated foul capitalist
propaganda by writing:

> I have an idea for a very epic Shadowrun/ ED game. I would like some
> input from ya'll. The idea borrows a bit from some different systems
> so hang in there.

<snip plot idea>

Pretty neat, but you'd have to have a good group and lotsa time... I
mean, we usually play once a two weeks, and we usually change system
after each adventure (e.g. one SR adventure, one SW adventure, one
short CoC adventure, one Amber adventure, and begin anew...)
This way, we get to play our favourite systems, but my SW and Amber
campaings are unfolding very slowly...
So I guess it depends on the group.

But a pretty cool idea overall...


Leszek Karlik, aka Mike - trrkt@*****.onet.pl; http://www.wlkp.top.pl/~bear/mike; FIAWOL
FL/GN Leszek/Raptor II/ISD Vanguard, (SS) (PC) (ISM) {IWATS-IIC} JH(Sith)/House Scholae
Palatinae
Adam met Eve and turned over a new leaf.
Message no. 4
From: William Gallas <wgallas@*****.FR>
Subject: Re: Epic Shadowrunners...
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 10:55:48 +0100
>I have an idea for a very epic Shadowrun/ ED game. I would like some
>input from ya'll. The idea borrows a bit from some different systems so
>hang in there.

Okay.

>Some metaphysics first. Magic works by the mage imposing his belief upon
>reality. This is the official SR line, so no problems yet. The collective
>world is governed by the beliefs of those in it, to borrow a term from
>Whitewolf's Mage, the sleepers. The collective beliefs of humanity pretty
>much shape the world humanity lives in. This is official Earthdawn
>doctrine (belief in names and what not shapes what they can do. It is the
>Name-givers' belief in your legend that allows you to do the things you
>can).
>Okay, so to break. The cycle of magic is an artificial cycle brought
>about by self-fulfilling prophecies. People at various times believe
>different things and this belief alter the way magic works. Magic in
>Earthdawn eventually subsided because everyone collectively believed it
>would. One of the problems I am having now is explaining how magic came
>back... What caused (or what collection of things) the overwhelmingly
>vast majority of meta-humanity to believe in the possibility of magic
>again? Was this a collected effort? Who instigated it if it was. Can we
>see a rising belief in magic today (RL)? So far tough this is distinctly
>possible within the available FASA metaphysics.
>

I once had this hypothesis about magic being created by collective beliefs
but today I changed my mind. IMO (based on interpretation of some SR
products), the world is surronded by multiple metaplanes. Each of these
metaplanes are highly magical by nature (even if you can't cast any spell
there) because you walk from plane to plane by magic. Earth could work the
same way. Existence of earth would need magic as well as material
sustenance. To continue existing, the Earth uses the magic that connects
the different metaplanes. By accumulation, mana begins to rise and magic
energy is then sufficient for humans to use it. The way magic loses its
strength is by horrors to destroy it. So, the horrors are essential to the
balance of the universe just like a magical ecosystem. Magic then acts on
the emotions of (meta)humans living in the world. It changes their point of
view (in some way) and reveals their true nature. This nature was seen by
therans as the true pattern of people, objects and places.

>So we begin in Earthdawn with the players all being in an unopened Kaer
>(50 years post Throal-opening) and it is broached by a Horror. Most of
>inhabitants are gone, players are hiding in a deep sub-level in the
>farming areas. Okay, have fun. When they get out it will be just in time
>to sart realizing what is going on, find some places, (and with some
>creative time-lining) Thera invades.
>
>Shadowrun. I am not sure how to work this yet but it will tie into an
>Azzie/Enemy/Dragon thing. Oh, there are no d*&^ immortal elfs., so
>scratch any comments about HB or whatnot.
>
>Earthdawn-
>One huge conspiracy theory works like this. Thera orchestrated the Scourge
>:) What better way to seize control then by spreading knowledge (and
>complete paranoia) about this upcoming apocolypse that, oh yeah, we know
>how to protect you from. Now 99% of Thera lives the lie, and doesn't know
>any better. As Theran war goes on the player start getting hints, ideas,
>something that they might wonder.
>
>Shadowrun-
>Aztechnology. Except spreading knowledge and making people beieve things
>is far esier now with mass communication then the Troubadours of ED could
>ever imagine...

The way I see it, none of these two did it consciously. Therans did fight
to prevent the horrors from entering the world but in a way that made them
really bad guys. For AZ, I see it in a different way. IMO there is two
factions in the corp/nation. The first (lead by Darke) tries to summon
horrors in the hope of being saved and/or gain power. It seems that horrors
can grant some powers to their servants. IMO they can give you immortality.
To these guys, the important thing is to keep on the line. Help the horrors
to gain some power but not too much to keep it. The other faction uses
blood magic and powerful rituals (somewhat cruel) to keep horrors from
entering the world. Perhaps they act the good way and perhaps not. Sure,
their powerful magic could be of some use but by practicing this magic,
they will create a gate between the horrors and us.

>Okay, now the metaphysics that makes it interesting. All the SR people
>should be magically active because of magic involved. It also makes it
>easier to tie in their gradual growing understanding of their past life.
>This allows the classic fictional ploy of heroes come again in the time
>of need, with all the flashbacks and what not. Best part is, the
>descendents of the institutions set up by the characters previous
>incarnbations are the things allowing the new horror to begin...
>
>Well,this is sketchy, but what do ya think?

That's interesting. The campaign (the third I GM) I actually run (for one
year now) is a bit like this. I won't explain it in detail because it uses
elements from the other two campaigns but it's something like this :

- First, the runners are low powered (80 points and limited resources :
10kY for 15 points). They are young gangers or the like.
- An horror is the world since the last scourge. To be able to survive the
magic diseparance, it became a vampire. This greatly limited it but allowed
it to survive by drinking essence from human beings. For more than 7000
years, it had time to like Earth and now plans to prevent horrors to enter
prematuraly the world.
- This horrors is aided (consciously or not) by a very old mage (from the
18th siecle) which practices some strange magic. He uses tarot cards to
alter the way things happen. He doesn't entirely master this art but
progressed significantly the few last years. He learned about an horror
that entered the world a few years (my 2d campaign) and wants to hurl it
back and (most important) to prevent it from creating a gate its world (?)
and the Earth. To succeed he will use the PCs by giving them a card that
personnalies each of them and that will contain this :
* A link between them and the vampiric horror.
* This card can be used to change the way things happen in a strange way.
This must be done in the same direction as the significance of the card.
Each use tends to increase the influence of the horror on 'em.
* The card is related to a true pattern of their destiny (which they can
bend) and to adepts from ED.
- An horror which manipulated an old elf (16th siecle) and azzies to do a
nasty ritual which allowed him to enter the world by possessing the corpse
of the elf. This was in the 2d campaign. This horror is Yrsgrath and thus
prevents some immortals to directly act against it (in my game, it used to
horror mark the elves from blood wood).
- ED characters are old incarnations or alter ego of the SR PCs. They will
have adventures parallel to that of the SR PCs. This will make them
understand more and more completely what happens. These ED PCs are not
important and I planed to kill them at the end. One of them will have
sacrificed himself in a metaplanar quest and will have the same pattern
than one of the SR PCs. Explanation of this could be some reincarnation.
I'll try to make the SR PCs do an astral quest at the end of the campaign
that will allow the chosen PC to become this old hero which will give them
sufficient power to fight the horror (with the help of a lot of people).
Well ... I'm getting bored about writing and I have some work. This is only
a small part of the campaign. The really is worse and much more complex
(and is not so magical).

>-Skrub

Cobra.

E-mail adress : wgallas@*****.fr
Quote : "You are who you know"

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