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Message no. 1
From: "Steven A. Tinner" <bluewizard@*****.COM>
Subject: Living material links
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 1997 12:47:01 -0400
At the risk of being called an evil GM ... do you think it would be
feasible to use a runner's kid as a material link for ritual sorcery?

Going on the DNA theory, the child has at least PART of the father's DNA
right? So there should be a flicker of a weak link there, and then of
course there's the fact that the father/son emotional bond could act as a
link.

Anyone have any problem with there being a similarity (Is that the term?)
link/connection between father and son?

Any suggestions for combining this with blood magic for a truly hideous
ritual?

Steven A. Tinner
bluewizard@*****.com
http://www.ncweb.com/users/bluewizard
"Uh-oh! Chongo!"
Message no. 2
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Living material links
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 1997 15:34:35 -0400
In a message dated 97-07-13 12:55:42 EDT, bluewizard@*****.COM (Steven A.
Tinner) writes:

>
> At the risk of being called an evil GM ... do you think it would be
> feasible to use a runner's kid as a material link for ritual sorcery?
>
> Going on the DNA theory, the child has at least PART of the father's DNA
> right? So there should be a flicker of a weak link there, and then of
> course there's the fact that the father/son emotional bond could act as a
> link.

Actually, it's the second strongest link in the game mechanics. The first is
the Mother's Connectivity (she carried him longer, more "aura brushoff" as it
were.

>
> Anyone have any problem with there being a similarity (Is that the term?)
> link/connection between father and son?

None what so ever...

>
> Any suggestions for combining this with blood magic for a truly hideous
> ritual?
>
Actually, there are tons of them ... but I'm not going to help "spread the
disease of wicked gmness..." ;)

-K
Message no. 3
From: "Bruce H. Nagel" <NAGELBH@******.ACS.MUOHIO.EDU>
Subject: Re: Living material links
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 1997 19:47:17 -0500
You wrote:
> At the risk of being called an evil GM ... do you think it would be
> feasible to use a runner's kid as a material link for ritual sorcery?
No, no, no. It is not still just one parent's DNA, or even both parents' DNA
equally mixed. Some random chance goes into it as well, which is why two kids
from the same parents do not necessarily have the same characteristics.

> Going on the DNA theory, the child has at least PART of the father's DNA
> right? So there should be a flicker of a weak link there, and then of
> course there's the fact that the father/son emotional bond could act as a
> link.
Too weak, it is not a *part* of his structure, and any likeness is
overwhelmed by the kid's own aura anyway, he/she has an aura of their own.

losthalo (geez, get some fingernail clippings or something...)
Message no. 4
From: John E Pederson <lobo1@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Living material links
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 1997 20:48:10 EDT
On Sun, 13 Jul 1997 12:47:01 -0400 "Steven A. Tinner"
<bluewizard@*****.COM> writes:
<<At the risk of being called an evil GM>>


I thought we had already established that fact:)


<<... do you think it would be feasible to use a runner's kid as a
material link for ritual sorcery?>>


Hmmm...You're not gonna do even more stuff to Bull are you? Seems like
nearly every time you come up with this stuff, a certain ork decker gets
himself socked...maybe not this time, though. No "Bull-Stay Out" in the
subject line:)


<<Going on the DNA theory, the child has at least PART of the father's
DNA right? So there should be a flicker of a weak link there, and then of
course there's the fact that the father/son emotional bond could act as a
link.>>


The problem, however, is that the child's aura is separate and distinct
from the parents' respective auras. There would be similarities, just as
there are similarities genetically, but the aura of the individual child
is unique and separate from that of his parents, even more so than his
genetic fingerprint.


<<Anyone have any problem with there being a similarity (Is that the
term?) link/connection between father and son?>>


You mean a sympathetic link? <getting Awakenings and Grimmy> also brought
the BBB:) I could see either sympathetic or symbolic links, but not a
material link in the sens that is required in the BBB. It's quite
possible (especially if the child spends little time around the parent in
question) that they could not function adequately as a sypathetic link,
mainly because I figure on any 'aural fingerprints' that might have been
left by the parent being integrated into the living, dynamic aura of the
child (or any living animal, for that matter). A symbolic link might be
iffy, mostly because the child is not a representation of what the parent
is like now, and may not even be a representation of the parent is
his/her youth. And, of course, the child contains only half of the
parent's DNA, not enough to function as a material link, IMO.


<<Any suggestions for combining this with blood magic for a truly hideous
ritual?>>


Oh, like you really need help on the evil GM trip:)

Ever read any of C.S. Friedman's books in the Dark Sun Trilogy? In there,
you could make a sacrifice (not necessarily a blood sacrifice, btw) to
make magic more powerful, the extra power this granted you depended a
great deal on the personal meaning the sacrificed item(s) held, for you
or for the person involved. I'd say that a child would mean some
seriously nasty magic if you used it that way <shudder>


--
-Canthros
I had rather believe all the fables in the legends and the Talmud
and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind.
--Francis Bacon
http://members.aol.com/canthros1
Message no. 5
From: John E Pederson <lobo1@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Living material links)
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 01:00:42 EDT
On Sun, 13 Jul 1997 22:55:11 -0400 "Steven A. Tinner"
<bluewizard@*****.COM> writes:
<<Man what's with everybody and Bulls stinky foul Ork babies?>>


I think it has to do with them seeming to be your favorite targets:)


<<Here I thought I had done the world a favor by letting the Juggernaut
eat them ...>>

<<Just kidding!>>


You're a sick, sick, sick person, do you know that? Sadist, sick, sick,
sadistic person:)


<<Bull's kids a re mostly OK, and no, the ritual sacrifice idea was NOT
for him!
I used the concept with a voudoun in our campaign named Sangre. He's a
follower of Ghede, and has had a looonng rivalry with another Petro
voudoun named Ramirez.>>


Ah, one of Bull's friends.


<<Ramirez discovered that Sangre had fathered an illegitimate child (in
the PC's background) and captured the kid for use in a really nasty
ritual.
I combined some elements of traditional voodoo, mixed in a little Cthulu,
swirled in a generous helping of Chariots of the Gods (ala Dream Park -
California Voodoo Game) and voila! We had a heck of a good game
tonight!>>


I sense serious masochism here...


<<The Sleestaks I mentioned the other day became Cthuloid Deep Ones.
Rmirez made a deal with a Horror, Cthulu and our old friend Mr. Darke to
have revenge on Sangre.>>


Oh, boy <eye-rolling>.


<<Oh yeah, I also mixed in a neutron bomb that was stolen from the
wreckage of an Ares space station. ;-) Good old Bull with his 300+ total
karma, and hideous karma pool took a serious beating, and was challenged
in combat for the first time in AGES!>>


Ummm...I *think* that's a good thing (a neutron bomb?!)


<<I managed to whittle the four man team down from a combined total karma
pool, including team karma of over 130 to just 11 left in the team karma
pool!
Good fun was had by all, and at the end of the run, the players felt like
they had earned every karma point the received!>>


Well, as long as they enjoyed it, I guess:)


<<I'm dern happy about that!>>


At least he's a man who loves his work:)


--
-Canthros
I had rather believe all the fables in the legends and the Talmud
and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind.
--Francis Bacon
http://members.aol.com/canthros1
Message no. 6
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Living material links
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 12:30:07 +0100
J. Keith Henry said on 15:34/13 Jul 97...

> Actually, it's the second strongest link in the game mechanics. The first is
> the Mother's Connectivity (she carried him longer, more "aura brushoff" as
it
> were.

But that's not going to help if a bunch of magicians want to get to the
kid's _father_...

> > Any suggestions for combining this with blood magic for a truly hideous
> > ritual?
> >
> Actually, there are tons of them ... but I'm not going to help "spread the
> disease of wicked gmness..." ;)

Tinner is beyond rescue already :)

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
"Don't you ever wonder if you ARE wasting your life?"
"Only when I'm awake."
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-

-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version 3.1:
GAT/! d-(dpu) s:- !a>? C+(++)@ U P L E? W(++) N o? K- w+ O V? PS+ PE
Y PGP- t(+) 5++ X++ R+++>$ tv+(++) b++@ DI? D+ G(++) e h! !r(---) y?
------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------
Message no. 7
From: David Buehrer <dbuehrer@****.ORG>
Subject: Re: Living material links
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 07:57:42 -0600
Steven A. Tinner wrote:
|
[snip: using a runner's kid against him]
|
| Any suggestions for combining this with blood magic for a truly hideous
| ritual?

None whatsoever. However, I'd love to know what you figure out
(being an EGM and having a PC that has a child).

-David
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1068/homepage.htm
--
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing
which ones to keep."
Message no. 8
From: Justin Pinnow <vanyel@*******.NET>
Subject: Re: Living material links
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 10:52:05 -0400
> From: David Buehrer <dbuehrer@****.ORG>
> Date: Monday, July 14, 1997 9:57 AM

> Steven A. Tinner wrote:

> [snip: using a runner's kid against him]

> | Any suggestions for combining this with blood magic for a truly hideous
> | ritual?

> None whatsoever. However, I'd love to know what you figure out
> (being an EGM and having a PC that has a child).

I am of the mind to think that because the child is a living being with his
own aura, that he cannot be used as a material link to anyone. Otherwise,
by shaking someone's hand, that person can be used as a sympathetic link to
you...ick. I believe that the TNs for sympathetic link are pretty high,
and should stay that way...and I don't think it should be made any easier
than necessary to get a link to someone with ritual sorcery.

I can't comment on the whole blood magic thing, because I don't have any
sourcebooks that cover it. :(

> -David

Justin :)
Message no. 9
From: Tim Cooper <z-i-m@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Living material links
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 12:11:22 EDT
On Sun, 13 Jul 1997 20:48:10 EDT John E Pederson <lobo1@****.COM> writes:

>Ever read any of C.S. Friedman's books in the Dark Sun Trilogy? In
there,
>you could make a sacrifice (not necessarily a blood sacrifice, btw) to
>make magic more powerful, the extra power this granted you depended a
>great deal on the personal meaning the sacrificed item(s) held, for
>you or for the person involved. I'd say that a child would mean some
>seriously nasty magic if you used it that way <shudder>

And of course the last novel shows that it, the sacrifice, doesn't
always have to be LITERAL.

~Tim (.. that is one GOOD trilogy... "The Madness Season" gets a
pair-of-opposable-digits -vertical too.)
Message no. 10
From: Caric <caric@********.COM>
Subject: Re: Living material links
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 14:20:39 -0700
Steven A. Tinner wrote:

> At the risk of being called an evil GM ... do you think it would be
> feasible to use a runner's kid as a material link for ritual sorcery?

(Sorry Bull) I would have to say absolutely, unless the person is not
emotionally attached to the child at all. Anything that has emotional
significance for the target should work. In fact I would say kids would
work really really well.

> Going on the DNA theory, the child has at least PART of the father's DNA
> right? So there should be a flicker of a weak link there, and then of
> course there's the fact that the father/son emotional bond could act as a
> link.

Possibly, but unnecessary...see above.

> Anyone have any problem with there being a similarity (Is that the term?)
> link/connection between father and son?
>
> Any suggestions for combining this with blood magic for a truly hideous
> ritual?

Game mechanics wise? No. Player wise? Yeah, I kinda liked Bull. .]

Caric-the-eye-pokin'-shaman
Message no. 11
From: John E Pederson <lobo1@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Living material links
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 19:50:27 EDT
On Mon, 14 Jul 1997 12:11:22 EDT Tim Cooper <z-i-m@****.COM> writes:

>And of course the last novel shows that it, the sacrifice, doesn't
>always have to be LITERAL.


Careful there. I've only read the first one:)

--
-Canthros
I had rather believe all the fables in the legends and the Talmud
and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind.
--Francis Bacon
http://members.aol.com/canthros1
Message no. 12
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Living material links
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 1997 18:44:29 -0400
In a message dated 97-07-14 06:32:14 EDT, you write:

> > Actually, it's the second strongest link in the game mechanics. The
first
> is
> > the Mother's Connectivity (she carried him longer, more "aura
brushoff"
as
> it
> > were.
>
> But that's not going to help if a bunch of magicians want to get to the
> kid's _father_...
>
>
Utilizing material links via genetics sources (blood links) are strongest via
familial ties. Mother is First, Father is Second. Siblings third, with
cousins and uncles/aunt's following fourth. Say, a +8 for the first stage
(mom), +4 for the second stage (dad), +2 for the third (siblings) and +1 at
the fouth. There really wouldn't be anything beyond that level, unless
inbreeding has occurred, and then the chances of Ritual Misfiring are
increased by 200% to 300%.
-Keith

Further Reading

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