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Message no. 1
From: Simon Fuller sfuller@******.com.au
Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2000 09:15:06 +1100
-----Original Message-----
From: Mik <hangfire@*********.net.au>
To: shadowrn@*********.com <shadowrn@*********.com>
Date: Sunday, March 05, 2000 9:52 PM
Subject: Re: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia


>> Nice one NR :) oh and btw Malcom, I find your little idea about the
>> tectonic plate movement just a tad implausible.
>
>
>Don't forget the Newcastle Earthquake. It was always thought of as nigh on
>impossible :)
>
>Mik
>
The Newcs earthquake was basically selling of the strata (I'm no geologist).
To drastically rearrange the tectonic plates and form massive mountains in a
couple of years is a bit too far fetched.
Message no. 2
From: Malcolm Shaw malhms@*********.com.au
Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia
Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2000 12:02:23 +1100
I originally posted the following on srfanfic but Dvixen suggested I
would get more responses posting it here so here goes:



Normally I lurk in the shadows reading both Shadowrn and Srfanfic but
lately I have been thinking of writing a shadowrun story based in
Australia. This got me to thinking about the conditions in Australia
due to the awakening and I have written short description of what I
thought may have happened in Australia due to the awakening. I would
appreciate any comments and or suggestions, especially from Australian
based readers about the following:

Thoughts for Shadowrun in Australia

Cities:
Sydney - heavy population of Corps -very advanced Technology City - lots
of polluted areas especially Botany Bay. Main Industrial import/export
due to natural port/harbour
Brisbane - heavy Japanese settlement plus corps - holiday recreation
city for Japan - short flight for Japanese (Japan based) corps.
Perth -highly developed city - corps and Japanese but fringed with
highly active scrub/semi desert. This fringe area heavily populated with
Awakened critters and mana storms. North West Australia is aboriginal
territories but area where mines are still active have infestation of
polluted land spirits - spirits of the land that are affected by mans
rape of the land and generally are "angry" spirits - similar but not
identical to Toxic Spirits.
Darwin - Freeport - corps and high technology mixed with pirate and
smugglers, mainly Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
Hobart: as a city Hobart underwent the greatest changes of all cities in
Australia. With to the awakening of magic due to the rise in mana
levels the island of Tasmania underwent rapid racial and ecological
changes. Dwarves became very prevalent among the births. Dwarves of all
skin colours, owing their heritage to aboriginal and European ancestry
became prevalent among the births. These dwarves were not the squat
hairy variety more frequently found in the Northern Hemisphere but
rather graceful, short human looking people with very little body hair,
apart from head hair which was luxurious in growth and condition. This
race of dwarves was not limited to Tasmania but rather the population
density was greatest in Tasmania. Tasmania saw great upheavals in the
ecology with land reverting back to wilderness even where man tried to
prevent it and tried to preserve the farms and clearings. Giant trees
and Awakened animals appeared, a larger variety of the Tasmanian Devil
appeared, having the basic characteristics of its smaller cousin.
Tasmanian Devil Gigantus, was the size of a small leopard and had a
ferocity unmatched by any creature of similar size. The Tasmanian Tiger
also reappeared, not only in Tasmania but, throughout the south eastern
parts of mainland Australia.
Melbourne: a city of parks and greenery changed gradually from a major
commerce centre to one that combined a unique blending of commerce and
nature. Ecological requirements and corporate demands exist side by
side dictated mainly by a combined aboriginal and white government
co-operative that became the precursor for the forming of the new
Federal Government in 2020. Two political houses formed in Victoria.
One, the parliament based on the Westminster model of the English, and
an upper house or Chamber of Elders, as it became called, formed of
elder - wise men and women, mainly of aboriginal ancestry but not
exclusively so. The main requirement for the people voted into the
Chamber of Elders were that:
a) they had no political or commercial affiliations,
b) had been part of the community for a long period (ie were over the
age of 50) and,
c) had demonstrated a deep love and knowledge of the land and its flora
and fauna.
The main day to day governing of the state was in the hands of its
parliament.
The Chamber of Elders had an overriding power of veto on any law that
affected the land and was a house of dispute where people and
corporation/business could present their needs or disagreements for
arbitration. Their decisions were binding and had the power of the law
equal to a Supreme Court decision (the highest court in the land). These
changes were directly attributed to the rise in population percentages
of Aboriginal people, and a green movement among the people of European
and Asian heritage that embraced the aboriginal belief in the land and
magic, that is the believe in the Dream Time of the aborigines.
History:
Pre 2010:
The Australian Government tried to be a peacemaker in the South Pacific
while trying to repair relations with its indigenous people. With
increasing health, the aboriginal race started to regain some of its
population lost due to the introduction of white man's diseases and
maltreatment by successive white governments
2010:
Vitas scoured the population of Australia but with surprisingly fewer
deaths among the aboriginal population, including those with part
aboriginal heritage. As a direct result the percentage of aboriginal and
part aboriginal population increased in all states especially in
Victoria, the Northern Territories and Queensland.
2015:
Heavy volcanic activity in other parts of the world were reflected in
Australia with what was thought to be an extinct volcano exploding in
Northern NSW, followed by two more in northern Queensland. Tectonic
pates shifted and mountain regions in Victoria, southern NSW and
Southern Queensland shifted upward and gained heights equivalent to the
Andes in South America. Mana storms appeared, predominantly in the
central areas and very active mana pockets formed in all states. The
sleeping serpent (a great Dragon) of the aboriginal Dreamtime awoke in
the region of Uluru (Ares Rock) and made his present known to the
aboriginal tribes of Central Australia. Exhorting them to regain their
links to the land, to reforge the bonds weakened by their scattering by,
and the influences of the white man.
2020:
The white dominated Federal government replaced by a balanced
aboriginal/white government. Mainly due to the increasing percentage of
population numbers of aboriginal and part aboriginal the parliamentary
system was reformed due to public demand and followed the pattern set by
the Government of Victoria.
Births of aboriginals increased in all states and among these births
were noted a random scattering of "new" aboriginals that prominent
anthropologist said were like the ancient people of the land. Bones and
other remains found in remote location in the middle to late 20th
century that suggested that these aboriginal people had lived in the
land from a time before the present day aboriginals. These bones were
found with remains of large varieties of the Kangaroo and the Wombat
together with bird bones suggestive of a flightless bird some 2 plus
meters in height.
2025:
New Zealand faced political upheavals due to its Maori population,
followed by Papua New Guinea and several of the South Pacific island
states stretching out to, but not including, the Philippines and
Hawaii. These sovereign nations joined with Australia to form a new
Pacific Commonwealth of nations with the Chamber of Elders of Federal
Australian becoming the new central body for the confederation known as
Pacifica. Delegates elected by each independent nation formed the
Chamber of Elders to oversee the land, sea and air of the South
Pacific. Rumours abounded about the DreamTime Serpent and its
involvement, and suggested demands, that the people of the region start
to care for the land in the manner of their ancient ancestors. The
people elected to the Chamber of Elders of Pacific were, in the
majority, Shamans and "Truthseers". (Ancient tribal elders that in ages
past guided the tribal chiefs in the lore and law of the tribe and when
disputes arose within the tribe gave the chiefs the "truth" of those
supplicants). Rumours in Shadowland and among the white populations of
the area were that the people of the region had experienced mystical and
exotic dreams in the days leading up to the elections of the Elders and
that these dreams were due to the DreamTime Serpent or its Shamans.
2030: an expedition of white and aboriginal anthropologist and zoologist
into the northern areas of South Australia found evidence of that the
Giant Wombat, Giant Kangaroo and a Giant bird (like the Moa of New
Zealand) had re-emerged. This evidence was supported by frequent
sightings of these giant animals in other states. The feral pig of the
outback grew larger and an awakend variety was found in the northern
areas of Queensland along with a larger and very dangerous awakened
variety of the Cassowary. The lyrebird of Victoria gave birth to an
awakened variety that not only could mimic any sound but also could emit
a paralysing shriek when threatened. This shriek would paralyse any
creature for up to one hour. The Dandenong ranges and the Grampians were
the main areas to find these lyrebirds.

Thanking any contributors in advance.

Malcolm
CAMP - Campaign against Mage Persecution
Message no. 3
From: Ray Macey macey@***.com.au
Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia
Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 12:29:30 +1000
----- Original Message -----
From: Malcolm Shaw <malhms@*********.com.au>
To: <shadowrn@*********.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2000 11:02 AM
Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia


> Brisbane - heavy Japanese settlement plus corps - holiday recreation
> city for Japan - short flight for Japanese (Japan based) corps.

You might want to think about Brisbane being a top holiday destination
unless you are saying it has grown to include the Gold Coast and Sunshine
Coast. There is not a beach worthy of the name in Brisbane itself.
Otherwise, go for Cairns as the holiday spot :)

NightRain.

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Message no. 4
From: Simon Fuller sfuller@******.com.au
Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia
Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 15:33:56 +1000
-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Macey <macey@***.com.au>
To: shadowrn@*********.com <shadowrn@*********.com>
Date: Sunday, March 05, 2000 12:30 PM
Subject: Re: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia


>----- Original Message -----
>From: Malcolm Shaw <malhms@*********.com.au>
>To: <shadowrn@*********.com>
>Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2000 11:02 AM
>Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia
>
>
>> Brisbane - heavy Japanese settlement plus corps - holiday recreation
>> city for Japan - short flight for Japanese (Japan based) corps.
>
>You might want to think about Brisbane being a top holiday destination
>unless you are saying it has grown to include the Gold Coast and Sunshine
>Coast. There is not a beach worthy of the name in Brisbane itself.
>Otherwise, go for Cairns as the holiday spot :)
>
>NightRain.
>
Just to be pedantic, I live next to Cairns, and all it has is mud flats. The
Northern Beaches, a half hour drive out of Cairns maybe, have good beaches,
except that the recent cyclone has washed a fair chunk away.
OTOH, they are doing a major development on the Cairns esplinade, replacing
some of the mudflats with an artificial beach for the tourists, which is
getting the ecologists very upset.
Cairns does still make an excellent holiday spot, and the Gold Coast hates
it, because of the reef and us locals being so great :). It also already has
a strong Yakuza presence, rumour of course, but they don't really bother
hiding their presence too much.
I would like to see Cairns as a major holiday destination for Japan in SR,
because it pretty much is already, and it is at the moment growing too fast
for its own good.

I'm sorry, I work in a resort, I can't help it.
Message no. 5
From: Simon Fuller sfuller@******.com.au
Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia
Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 16:23:47 +1000
-----Original Message-----
From: Malcolm Shaw <malhms@*********.com.au>
To: shadowrn@*********.com <shadowrn@*********.com>
Date: Sunday, March 05, 2000 11:04 AM
Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia


>I originally posted the following on srfanfic but Dvixen suggested I
>would get more responses posting it here so here goes:
>
>
>
>Normally I lurk in the shadows reading both Shadowrn and Srfanfic but
>lately I have been thinking of writing a shadowrun story based in
>Australia. This got me to thinking about the conditions in Australia
>due to the awakening and I have written short description of what I
>thought may have happened in Australia due to the awakening. I would
>appreciate any comments and or suggestions, especially from Australian
>based readers about the following:
>
>Thoughts for Shadowrun in Australia
>
North West Australia is aboriginal
>territories but area where mines are still active have infestation of
>polluted land spirits - spirits of the land that are affected by mans
>rape of the land and generally are "angry" spirits - similar but not
>identical to Toxic Spirits.

I like the idea of hostile spirits, and have used the concept the few times
in my game. It suits what we have been told about the country. I would have
them throughout noncoastal Australia, and I also have the concept that the
land itself is hostile toward totems of feral species (cat, dog, rabbit, fox
are the main offenders). If you haven't already, see the Shadowrun novel
'Find Your Own Truth' by Robert Charette. The actual rocks of the country
can work against intelopers.




>2010:
>Vitas scoured the population of Australia but with surprisingly fewer
>deaths among the aboriginal population, including those with part
>aboriginal heritage. As a direct result the percentage of aboriginal and
>part aboriginal population increased in all states especially in
>Victoria, the Northern Territories and Queensland.

I like this idea, but an explanation would be in order. VITAS has been
definitely described as hitting everyone equally. The indians in America
survived because they were forced out of contact with large population
centres and society in general.

>2015:
>Heavy volcanic activity in other parts of the world were reflected in
>Australia with what was thought to be an extinct volcano exploding in
>Northern NSW, followed by two more in northern Queensland. Tectonic
>pates shifted and mountain regions in Victoria, southern NSW and
>Southern Queensland shifted upward and gained heights equivalent to the
>Andes in South America.

I don't like the idea of volcanoes and such in Australia. The whole concept
of the country is it is an ancient and unchanging land. It finished with all
that rushing about with lava and stuff 100 000 years ago. As for mountains
the size of the Andes, there isn't really room. Brisbane and Sydney would be
eradicated by the mountains, possibly even Canberra and Melbourne. It would
also radically change weather patterns, altering the country so much that
you might as well set the book somewhere else.

Mana storms appeared, predominantly in the
>central areas and very active mana pockets formed in all states. The
>sleeping serpent (a great Dragon) of the aboriginal Dreamtime awoke in
>the region of Uluru (Ares Rock) and made his present known to the
>aboriginal tribes of Central Australia. Exhorting them to regain their
>links to the land, to reforge the bonds weakened by their scattering by,
>and the influences of the white man.
>2020:

>Thanking any contributors in advance.
>
>Malcolm
>CAMP - Campaign against Mage Persecution
>
In the Rigger Black Book, and possibly other places, there are several
references to Australia's war with New Guinea. This is where the Wandjina
(sp) drone came from.

I think that it is too great an opportunity to not include a Mad Max
situation in the Outback. Think of it this way. There is still great mineral
wealth to be exploited, but the outback is one of the deadliest places on
earth. So the answer would be to have massive fortified mining compounds.
Then to get the product to the coast, you would need armoured convoys. Land
pirates would of course abound, because there is no law in the outback, and
the looting profits could be massive.

Special note should be made of the aborigine elves, of which Urdli is the
most imfamous. Speaking of Aborigines, not everybody agrees with the image
of white man invading the country and massacring the rightful owners (it
happened, but only on a very small scale. Most people either assume it was
far more or far less prevalent than it was), and our racial international
image is not really true. From what I've seen of the world opinion, we are
as bad as South Africa was. This is not the case, and you would have to be
careful not to make the book into a political thing that would alienate
people. I know that it is just fiction and all that, but I think you should
still seek a balance or just keep the subject vague.

Careful of the critters, you shouldn't make every animal bigger, tougher and
scarier, just a select few. The cockatrice is the awakened form of the Emu
(or more likely the Cassowary, in my opinion), and basilisks are probably
also native species (it is not made clear, although they look in their
picture like the ordinary basilisk found today (not in Australia, I think).
The megafauna is cool though, it would be interesting if all these fossils
of giant animals are found becuse Harlequin (or whichever immortal elf was
responsible) wasn't quick enough to cover up the evedience.

Reasons for there being more traditional aboriginal tribes would be needed.
The dragon would be a big incentive in that area, but what if the astral
plane (dreamtime) was calling people back? It doesn't have to be all
aborigines either, look at the pinkskin tribes in America.

I think that the cities would be overloaded with illegal immigrants, not
just from Asian countries but from many third world nations. This is
happening today more and more, and the idea of walking down the barrens and
not hearing the same language spoken twice is very cyberpunk, especially if
a pidgin language was hobbled together that everyone in that area spoke as
well as their own language. If it would happen anywhere, it would be in
Australia.

Finally, although Japanese influence would be big in some areas, it
shouldn't be overwhelming in every city. Maybe Brisbane (and Cairns!),
possibly Melbourne but not likely.

These are my thoughts, take them or leave them. I will point out, though,
that Target: Awakened Lands will be coming out later this year, and all
anyone seems to know is that Australia will be in it. Patience may be
advised. (can anyone fill us in more on what Target: Awakened Lands will
hold?)
Message no. 6
From: Tamino tamino@*******.com.au
Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia
Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2000 17:29:48 +1000
At 12:29 PM 5/03/00 +1000, you wrote:
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Malcolm Shaw <malhms@*********.com.au>
>To: <shadowrn@*********.com>
>Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2000 11:02 AM
>Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia
>
>
>> Brisbane - heavy Japanese settlement plus corps - holiday recreation
>> city for Japan - short flight for Japanese (Japan based) corps.
>
>You might want to think about Brisbane being a top holiday destination
>unless you are saying it has grown to include the Gold Coast and Sunshine
>Coast. There is not a beach worthy of the name in Brisbane itself.
>Otherwise, go for Cairns as the holiday spot :)
>
>NightRain.

Um, before we get too into this, why don't we all wait till
target:awakened lands comes out before we start speculating on
australia in the 206x's. It's not good writing thousands of
words on a subject only to have it all refuted in 6 months as
it were.

Nice one NR :) oh and btw Malcom, I find your little idea about the
tectonic plate movement just a tad implausible. Just my 2 bob as it
were...also in making this material public, you're limiting the people
who are writing for target:al insofar as that they won't be able to
do anything like you're saying without people crying plaguarism and
copyright yadda yadda...my advice, as always, is to wait and see what
happens.




-Tamino ...All too easy

"ISTI MIRANT STELLA" - Bayeux Tapestry
tamino@*******.com.au
Message no. 7
From: Mik hangfire@*********.net.au
Subject: Ideas on Shadowrun in Australia
Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 21:53:11 +1100
> Nice one NR :) oh and btw Malcom, I find your little idea about the
> tectonic plate movement just a tad implausible.


Don't forget the Newcastle Earthquake. It was always thought of as nigh on
impossible :)


Mik

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