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Message no. 1
From: "Andrew W. Ragland" <RAGLAN54@***.BITNET>
Subject: Masking
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1993 21:34:00 -0600
The word from Paul Hume on GEnie is that an Initiate can mask foci, but not
active spells, and a Quickened spell is active; therefore you can't mask it.
The Grim II does not give a ruling on Masking Quickened spells that I can see,
check out p46, "Masking Foci".
Message no. 2
From: Damion Milliken <u9467882@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 1994 15:46:01 +1100
Someone writes:

> But the Grimeythingy says that Masking is a subconcious thing that
> Initiates do unless they purposely say otherwise.

I don't know this for sure (my Grimything is over 400 kms away at the
moment), but I think it actually says that a GM can merely assume that
initiates are masking their auras continuously, not that it is a subconcious
(non)effort.

> Since very few phys-ads I've seen get Astral Perception to start with,
> that means that any Astrally active person can see them very easily:)

Hunh?

--
Damion Milliken University of Wollongong e-mail: u9467882@***.edu.au

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Message no. 3
From: Gurth <gurth@***.NL>
Subject: masking
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 1994 18:58:37 +0100
And here's another question about masking...

What I was wondering about, with masking a magician can make himself
appear as a mundane. But can he make himself look like a cybered mundane?
That is, make his Essence appear lower than it actually is?

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But I got a lot of toys | D+(++) B? e+ u+@ h! f--(?) !r(--)(*) n---->!n y?
Message no. 4
From: Nightfox <DJWA@******.UCC.NAU.EDU>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 1994 16:48:07 -0700
>What I was wondering about, with masking a magician can make himself
>appear as a mundane. But can he make himself look like a cybered mundane?
>That is, make his Essence appear lower than it actually is?

you can
hide the fact that you are a mage
hide the fact that you are an initiate

you can't
make your aura change "looks"
your aura shows your "True Self" - you can hide the fact that your a mage
but you can't look like someone else.

So no - you can't try and look like you have cyber.

Nightfox
Message no. 5
From: Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@***.NEU.EDU>
Subject: masking
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 1994 19:16:28 -0500
>>>>> "Nightfox" == Nightfox <DJWA@******.UCC.NAU.EDU>
writes:

Nightfox> you can
Nightfox> hide the fact that you are a mage
Nightfox> hide the fact that you are an initiate

Nightfox> you can't
Nightfox> make your aura change "looks"
Nightfox> your aura shows your "True Self" - you can hide the fact that
Nightfox> your a mage but you can't look like someone else.

You just contradicted yourself. If your ``True Self'' is a mage, then
masking will allow you to disguise that fact. By definition you are making
your aura look like something you are not. By definition you have conscious
control over how that change takes place, i.e., looking like a non-initiate
mage. Therefore, it is a logical conclusion that you can make your aura
look like just about anything.

BTW, this is backed up in the early Shadowrun novels, when Sam attempts to
assense... I think it was Lofwyr in human guise, and he saw a human's aura.

--
Rat <ratinox@***.neu.edu> |Happy Fun Ball contains a liquid core,
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/ratinox|which, if exposed due to rupture, should
PGP Public Key: Ask for one today! |not be touched, inhaled, or looked at.
Message no. 6
From: Loki <jek5313@*******.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 1994 21:29:00 -0600
*****Lurker shield: Un-Lurk*.*..*...*....*.....*......

Rat:
> You just contradicted yourself. If your ``True Self'' is a mage, then
> masking will allow you to disguise that fact. By definition you are making
> your aura look like something you are not. By definition you have conscious
> control over how that change takes place, i.e., looking like a non-initiate
> mage. Therefore, it is a logical conclusion that you can make your aura
> look like just about anything.
>
> BTW, this is backed up in the early Shadowrun novels, when Sam attempts to
> assense... I think it was Lofwyr in human guise, and he saw a human's aura.

Ah, but did he see a mage human's aura, and did the magic ring that Lofwyr
wears prevent him from seeing the truth of his dual nature, and did this
ring tap magics of the ancient elven (or older) type, etc. This is far
from a closed case, but your initial posit is absolutely correct.

You can attempt to look like a non-mage, according to the Grimmie, but
this don't make a lick of sense. While the basic Grimmie rules leave the
case open to looking like whatever you want, they later tear down the
case in talks about the "unchangable nature" of the astral form. *sigh*
Wouldn't it be nice if FASA would just have all departments decide on
what will happen BEFORE they have the references written?

*****Lurker shield: En-Lurk*.*..*...*....*.....*......
Message no. 7
From: Loki <jek5313@*******.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 1994 21:21:03 -0600
> >What I was wondering about, with masking a magician can make himself
> >appear as a mundane. But can he make himself look like a cybered mundane?
> >That is, make his Essence appear lower than it actually is?
> you can
> hide the fact that you are a mage
> hide the fact that you are an initiate
> you can't
> make your aura change "looks"
> your aura shows your "True Self" - you can hide the fact that your a mage
> but you can't look like someone else.
> So no - you can't try and look like you have cyber.

Yes, my friend, the only way to resemble a mundo is to wear a gun and
look like you know how to use it (and avoid being looked at astrally,
doing magic, etc.)



--

Dark Thought Publications & Doom Technologies, Inc.
>>> Working on solutions best left in the dark.
Message no. 8
From: Nightfox <DJWA@******.UCC.NAU.EDU>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 01:11:57 -0700
>> you can't
>> make your aura change "looks"
>> your aura shows your "True Self" - you can hide the fact that
>> your a mage but you can't look like someone else.
>
>You just contradicted yourself. If your ``True Self'' is a mage, then
>masking will allow you to disguise that fact. By definition you are making
>your aura look like something you are not. By definition you have conscious
>control over how that change takes place, i.e., looking like a non-initiate
>mage. Therefore, it is a logical conclusion that you can make your aura
>look like just about anything.

Ok - in the SRII book it states somewhere that an aura will always show the
persons true self - that is a given. Atleast for the uninitiated. In the Grim -
it describes Masking as the ability to hide evidence of magic or levels of magic
from an astral observer.

It all depends on how you look at it - I look at as turning down the lightbulb
Others look at it as putting a slide infront of the lightbulb so that one gets a
totally different image.

In all, there really hasn't ever been a definate answer to this.
And there definately hasn't been a well written answer giving the whys and
wherefores

>BTW, this is backed up in the early Shadowrun novels, when Sam attempts to
>assense... I think it was Lofwyr in human guise, and he saw a human's aura.

Are you sure? I seem to remember that when he went astral - he saw a dragon
sitting in a chair in a restraunt

Of course - its been a while

Nightfox

BOINGEE!!!BOINGEE!!!BOINGEE!!!BOINGEE!!!BOINGEE!!!BOINGEE!!!BOINGEE!!!BOINGEE!!!
Daniel Waisley + SCA - March of Ered Sul - Flagstaff AZ
DJWA@******.UCC.NAU.EDU + Nau fencing club.
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Message no. 9
From: Susan Sherman <SSHERMAN@****.STEVENS-TECH.EDU>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 10:18:16 -0500
I've just read several SR books 'bout 2 weeks ago, and in Never Deal
with a Dragon, it said that Sam did view a Dragon when he looked into astral
Needless to say that startled the drek outta him.
See ya round chummers.

SilverFire
ssherman@****.stevens-tech.edu
Message no. 10
From: wadycki andrew m <wadycki@***.CSO.UIUC.EDU>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 11:00:00 -0600
Just to throw in something else, in Choose Your Enemies Carefully, the
wendigo was using spells to look like a human. He also was masked so
that his aura looked that way too. Sam was able to break through the
masking at the end of the book. I would purpose that you can use masking
to appear like your illusion spell. Also, some where else we were
discussing masking and quicken spells, well, apparently they were able to
mask the fact that they had a spell up that changed their appearance.

-Andrew
Message no. 11
From: wadycki andrew m <wadycki@***.CSO.UIUC.EDU>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 11:06:58 -0600
On Tue, 6 Dec 1994, Nightfox wrote:

> Are you sure? I seem to remember that when he went astral - he saw a dragon
> sitting in a chair in a restraunt
>

That was a different dragon that he saw. It was a non-great dragon that
worked security for united oil or something. It was the dragon they
killed in the first book.

-Andrew
Message no. 12
From: Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@***.NEU.EDU>
Subject: masking
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 12:23:00 -0500
>>>>> "wadycki" == wadycki andrew m
<wadycki@***.CSO.UIUC.EDU> writes:

wadycki> On Tue, 6 Dec 1994, Nightfox wrote:
>> Are you sure? I seem to remember that when he went astral - he saw a
>> dragon sitting in a chair in a restraunt

wadycki> That was a different dragon that he saw. It was a non-great
wadycki> dragon that worked security for united oil or something.

Yup, Haesselich, or something close to that.

wadycki> It was the dragon they killed in the first book.

Yup, again.

When Sam assensed, I belive it was ``Jarlath Drake,'' in the limo, he did
not see Lofwyr's aura, but that of an otherwise normal human.

--
Rat <ratinox@***.neu.edu> |Happy Fun Ball may stick to certain types
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PGP Public Key: Ask for one today! |
Message no. 13
From: "Thomas W. Craig" <Craigtw1@***.COM>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 13:43:51 -0500
Drake was Hasselich(sp?), The human's name began with an E.(I think) I can't
find my books.
Tom Craig
Message no. 14
From: Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@***.NEU.EDU>
Subject: masking
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 13:52:48 -0500
>>>>> "Thomas" == Thomas W Craig <Craigtw1@***.COM> writes:

Thomas> Drake was Hasselich(sp?), The human's name began with an E.(I
Thomas> think) I can't find my books.

Ok, Jarlath Drake is Haesselich (or however it's spelled), and when he was
assensed in the club by Sam, the aura showed as a dragon. He ran security
at United Oil until he was killed by Sam & company.

Enterich is the person I'm thinking of, whom Sam assensed in the limo, and
read as human. Enterich is Lowfwyr. Sam thought as much, which is why he
assensed Enterich, but not knowing much of the higher mysteries, the
astral disguise fooled him.

It works so much better when you get the names straight :).

--
Rat <ratinox@***.neu.edu> |Ingredients of Happy Fun Ball include an
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Message no. 15
From: The GREAT Cornholio <mruane@***.UUG.ARIZONA.EDU>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 1994 13:41:13 -0700
On Mon, 5 Dec 1994, Loki wrote:

> > >What I was wondering about, with masking a magician can make himself
> > >appear as a mundane. But can he make himself look like a cybered mundane?
> > >That is, make his Essence appear lower than it actually is?
> > you can
> > hide the fact that you are a mage
> > hide the fact that you are an initiate
> > you can't
> > make your aura change "looks"
> > your aura shows your "True Self" - you can hide the fact that your a
mage
> > but you can't look like someone else.
> > So no - you can't try and look like you have cyber.
>
> Yes, my friend, the only way to resemble a mundo is to wear a gun and
> look like you know how to use it (and avoid being looked at astrally,
> doing magic, etc.)
>
I gave up on masking a long time ago. My character's essence is 6 and he
never pulls a gun and he still carries around a COlt Manhunter. He never
shoots it, though. He just screams mage. Why bother trying to hide it?

Mike TGC
Message no. 16
From: Luke Kendall <luke@********.CANON.OZ.AU>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 10:05:00 +1100
According to my reading in the Grimoire (I), last time this came
up, the words conveyed the clear intent that you could not alter
your aura to look like whatever you wanted.

And the accompanying illustration quite clearly indicated that
you could (remember, the 3-headed aura illustration?).

I'll just say that in our game, we allow it, and we're sort of
stuck with it (it's so much a part of the history of events). But
it makes Initiate mages still more powerful. As if they neeed it...

luke
Message no. 17
From: Martin Steffens <BDI05626@***.RHIJ.NL>
Subject: Masking
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 1995 18:08:37 +0100
Just wondering:
Is it possible to continue masking once you have been knocked
senseless? If not that would be a nasty suprise for all those "I mask
so my spell locks are save" types :). I checked it in the books but
couldn't find a clear answer.
*********************************************************************
Martin Steffens |"Don't touch me, or I'll wound your inner child
bdi05626@***.rhij.nl | ... and then I'll kick your ass" Beavis
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*********************************************************************
Message no. 18
From: Damion Milliken <adm82@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 1995 21:22:27 +1000
Martin Steffens writes:

> Is it possible to continue masking once you have been knocked
> senseless? If not that would be a nasty suprise for all those "I mask
> so my spell locks are save" types :). I checked it in the books but
> couldn't find a clear answer.

Well, under the section Deliberate Masking, it says "The above assumes the
initiate is making no extraordinary atempts to mask his aura." and the above
section is the regular masking rules. So I'd say that Masking requires
minimal effort to perform (and the bit about assuming initiates are always
masking their aura fits with this), but the because it requires _some_
effort, then if you are unconcious, you can't be doing it. So if you are not
concious, then you are not masked.

--
Damion Milliken Unofficial Shadowrun Guru E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au

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b++ D B? e+$ u@ h* f+ !r n----(--)@ !y+
Message no. 19
From: Damion Milliken <adm82@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Thu, 11 May 1995 17:55:16 +1000
Mark Steedman writes:

> > Actaully, it's even better (fot the GM) than that. Masking does not cover
> > Quickenings, it only aplies to foci
>
> Where does it say that? i would agree its questionable as to what
> rating they count as (1 or karma spent on them) but if you cannot
> mask it quickening is useless as it plasters 'hey i'm initiate' all
> over the astral plane, not a clever thing to do.

On page 46 we have, under Masking: "Masking hides the true nature of the
magician's aura...", then further down, we have, under Masking Foci: "The
masking described above covers the magician himself and a number of Rating
Points of foci up to his current Grade." You can mask your own aura, plus
foci, but not sustained spells nor Quickenings. [Note that you can
deliberately mask more Rating Points of foci that your grade if you wish to
try.]

--
Damion Milliken Unofficial Shadowrun Guru E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au

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b++ D B? e+$ u@ h* f+ !r n----(--)@ !y+
Message no. 20
From: Mark Steedman <RSMS@******.EEE.RGU.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Fri, 12 May 1995 09:18:28 GMT
Damion Milliken writes

> Mark Steedman writes:
>
> > > Actaully, it's even better (fot the GM) than that. Masking does not cover
> > > Quickenings, it only aplies to foci
> >
> > Where does it say that? i would agree its questionable as to what
> > rating they count as (1 or karma spent on them) but if you cannot
> > mask it quickening is useless as it plasters 'hey i'm initiate' all
> > over the astral plane, not a clever thing to do.
>
> On page 46 we have, under Masking: "Masking hides the true nature of the
> magician's aura...", then further down, we have, under Masking Foci: "The
> masking described above covers the magician himself and a number of Rating
> Points of foci up to his current Grade." You can mask your own aura, plus
> foci, but not sustained spells nor Quickenings.
Fine.
Problem though then that quickening is plain unsubtle. Which in my,
play it careful and don't announce yourself methods makes it fraggin
useless. Here you have a thing you cannot turn off that plasters 'hey
i'm initiate' all over the astral plane all the time. Thats fine for
the Munchkins that want to vandalise the system with it but not a lot
of good.
Sustained spells, yeah if you were allowed to mask those it would be
rather nice so ok.

> [Note that you can
> deliberately mask more Rating Points of foci that your grade if you wish to
> try.]
>
i know, handy but as its an exclusive ability a real bind to use,
though if you have detect enemies not so bad as that should give you
enough warning if you get attacked to drop it and slam shielding up
(which baing magical is incompatible with dedicated masking).

> --
> Damion Milliken Unofficial Shadowrun Guru E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au
>
Yes you are probably right on the rules interpretation as that is
what it actually says but i still don't like it (oh well probably
another place where i will continue to ignore the book as I'm the GM!)

Mark
Message no. 21
From: Damion Milliken <adm82@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Sun, 14 May 1995 02:54:05 +1000
Mark Steedman writes:

> Problem though then that quickening is plain unsubtle. Which in my,
> play it careful and don't announce yourself methods makes it fraggin
> useless. Here you have a thing you cannot turn off that plasters 'hey
> i'm initiate' all over the astral plane all the time. Thats fine for
> the Munchkins that want to vandalise the system with it but not a lot
> of good.

And the problem is? <grin> Like Bob says, everything has some disadvantage...
Quickenings are pretty darn powerful, superior in general to spell locks, so
it is just as well they have a drawback, else they'd likely be too powerful.

> i know, handy but as its an exclusive ability a real bind to use,
> though if you have detect enemies not so bad as that should give you
> enough warning if you get attacked to drop it and slam shielding up
> (which baing magical is incompatible with dedicated masking).

You so sure the Shielding counts as the use of a skill or spell? I guess you
could rule it counted as a use of the Sorcery skill, but I can think of
examples where the Sorcery skill could be totally irrelevent to the Magic
Pool (like with power foci), so I'm not to sure whether Shielding counts as
the use of a skill. And if it isn't a spell or skill, then it isn't worried
by exclusivity.

> Yes you are probably right on the rules interpretation as that is
> what it actually says but i still don't like it (oh well probably
> another place where i will continue to ignore the book as I'm the GM!)

Yep, like the book says, in many places, if you don't like it, change it.

--
Damion Milliken Unofficial Shadowrun Guru E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au

(GEEK CODE 2.1) GE -d+@ H s++:-- !g p0 !au a19 w+ v(?) C++ US++>+++ P+ L !3
E? N K- W M@ !V po@ Y+ t+ 5 !j R+(++) G(+)('''') !tv(--@)
b++ D B? e+$ u@ h* f+ !r n----(--)@ !y+
Message no. 22
From: Mark Steedman <RSMS@******.EEE.RGU.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Tue, 16 May 1995 10:20:52 GMT
Damion Milliken writes
>
> And the problem is? <grin> Like Bob says, everything has some disadvantage...
> Quickenings are pretty darn powerful, superior in general to spell locks, so
> it is just as well they have a drawback, else they'd likely be too powerful.
>
Thats reasonable as a arguement, but as to the official rule well...
Masking does just reference foci agreed but like so many other parts
of the rules those sort of statements only tend to cover the basics
and quickening is the initiated alternative to spell locks (a type of
focus hence certainly maskable) and it does not really define what
you should classify quickening as anywhere (appart from being a type
of metamagic).

Anyone got a DLoH ruling on masking quickenings??

> You so sure the Shielding counts as the use of a skill or spell?

If i remember right it says under dedicated masking that it is
incompatible with ANY other MAGICAL activity. No shielding is
probably not a skill but it is use of a magic (else anyone could
learn it) so this particular ability is a special case.
I think thats right but no GR2 thingy just here and it is a while
since i last actually read the rule as no PC i know has ever used
dedicated masking (it'll probably get used eventually but.)

>
> --
> Damion Milliken Unofficial Shadowrun Guru E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au
>
Message no. 23
From: Barry Cadwgan <bcadwgan@**.com.au>
Subject: Masking
Date: Sat, 06 Jul 1996 09:42:59 -0700
Hi
Can you mask quickened or anchored spells? If not where is the advantage
over spell locks?
Thanks
Barry
Message no. 24
From: "Mark D. Fender" <mfender@****.orion.org>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Sat, 6 Jul 1996 14:23:03 -0500 (CDT)
On Sat, 6 Jul 1996, Barry Cadwgan wrote:

> Hi
> Can you mask quickened or anchored spells? If not where is the advantage
> over spell locks?
> Thanks
> Barry
>
They've got a higher strength than a spell lock. Spell locks's have a
measly 1. Target one spell through that in astral space and the spell
lock's a goner. Quickened or anchored spells can be made much stronger.
Message no. 25
From: "Gurth" <gurth@******.nl>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Sun, 7 Jul 1996 11:20:43 +0100
Mark D. Fender said on 14:23/ 6 Jul 96...

> They've got a higher strength than a spell lock. Spell locks's have a
> measly 1. Target one spell through that in astral space and the spell
> lock's a goner. Quickened or anchored spells can be made much stronger.

But you cannot ground through a quickened spell *hides underneath stairs*

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Body And Soul?
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
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Message no. 26
From: dbuehrer@****.org (David Buehrer)
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Sun, 7 Jul 1996 21:25:21 -0600 (MDT)
Gurth wrote:
|
|Mark D. Fender said on 14:23/ 6 Jul 96...
|
|> They've got a higher strength than a spell lock. Spell locks's have a
|> measly 1. Target one spell through that in astral space and the spell
|> lock's a goner. Quickened or anchored spells can be made much stronger.
|
|But you cannot ground through a quickened spell *hides underneath stairs*

Just under the stairs? :)

-David

/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\ dbuehrer@****.org /^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\
"His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like
underpants in a dryer without Cling Free."
~~~~~~http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1068/homepage.html~~~~~~
Message no. 27
From: "Mark D. Fender" <mfender@****.orion.org>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 1996 00:59:51 -0500 (CDT)
On Sun, 7 Jul 1996, Gurth wrote:

> Mark D. Fender said on 14:23/ 6 Jul 96...
>
> > They've got a higher strength than a spell lock. Spell locks's have a
> > measly 1. Target one spell through that in astral space and the spell
> > lock's a goner. Quickened or anchored spells can be made much stronger.
>
> But you cannot ground through a quickened spell *hides underneath stairs*

This is true, but they can still be dispelled or attacked in astral space
so my reasoning still applies. *Fearing the coming onslaught, I fight
Gurth for the right to hide under the stairs*

PAX
Mark Fender
Death
Scurge
Avaris
Message no. 28
From: "Gurth" <gurth@******.nl>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 1996 10:58:46 +0100
David Buehrer said on 21:25/ 7 Jul 96...

> |But you cannot ground through a quickened spell *hides underneath stairs*
>
> Just under the stairs? :)

You're right... I should go to one of the bunkers in the dunes here, I
might be semi-safe there... :)

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html

-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Character Mortuary: http://huizen.dds.nl/~mortuary/mortuary.html <-

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Message no. 29
From: Brian Johnson <john0375@****.tc.umn.edu>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 14:06:36 -0500 (CDT)
> But you cannot ground through a quickened spell *hides underneath stairs*

follows Gurth.
Message no. 30
From: Ubiquitous <weberm@*******.net>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 22:17:03 -0400 (EDT)
At 12:59 AM 7/8/96 -0500, Mark wrote:
>On Sun, 7 Jul 1996, Gurth wrote:

>> But you cannot ground through a quickened spell *hides underneath stairs*
>
>This is true, but they can still be dispelled or attacked in astral space
>so my reasoning still applies. *Fearing the coming onslaught, I fight
>Gurth for the right to hide under the stairs*

Uh-oh! Here comes a lynch mob with torches and rope. *grin*
"Fire... BAD!"

--
"I remember my first sexual encounter because I kept the recipe."
- Jeff Dahmer
Message no. 31
From: Ray & Tamara <macey@*******.COM.AU>
Subject: Masking
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 10:58:42 +1100
A quick question. If a magician is an initiate capable of masking, do you
allow the masking to cover the mage's emotions as well. eg to stop another
mage from perceiving and reading the target's mood.

Ray
Message no. 32
From: MC23 <mc23@****.NET>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 00:08:14 -0500
Ray & Tamara wrote,
>A quick question. If a magician is an initiate capable of masking, do you
>allow the masking to cover the mage's emotions as well. eg to stop another
>mage from perceiving and reading the target's mood.

I don't see why not although the mage still has a great chance to
give himself away in the mundane world.


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Ancient cultures believed that names held great power, personal names
more so and they were guarded very closely. To protect themselves, they
answered to another name, because if another discovered their real name,
it could be used against them.
History repeats itself.
Welcome to the Digital Age.
I am MC23
Message no. 33
From: Ray & Tamara <macey@*******.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 17:34:14 +1100
> >A quick question. If a magician is an initiate capable of masking, do
you
> >allow the masking to cover the mage's emotions as well. eg to stop
another
> >mage from perceiving and reading the target's mood.
>
> I don't see why not although the mage still has a great chance to
> give himself away in the mundane world.

Well, this is very true. But was just curious.

Ray.
Message no. 34
From: Spike <u5a77@*****.CS.KEELE.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 12:57:26 +0000
|
|A quick question. If a magician is an initiate capable of masking, do you
|allow the masking to cover the mage's emotions as well. eg to stop another
|mage from perceiving and reading the target's mood.

If they're capable of masking their magical capability and appearing to be
mundane, then it should be a doddle to hide their mental state...
--
______________________________________________________________________________
|u5a77@*****.cs.keele.ac.uk| "Are you pondering what I'm pondering Pinky?" |
|Andrew Halliwell | |
|Principal subjects in:- | "I think so brain, but this time, you control |
|Comp Sci & Electronics | the Encounter suit, and I'll do the voice..." |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|GCv3.1 GCS/EL>$ d---(dpu) s+/- a- C++ U N++ o+ K- w-- M+/++ PS+++ PE- Y t+ |
|5++ X+/++ R+ tv+ b+ D G e>PhD h/h+ !r! !y-|I can't say F**K either now! :( |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Message no. 35
From: Justin Pinnow <jpinnow@*****.EDU>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 08:17:54 -0500
Ray & Tamara wrote:

> A quick question. If a magician is an initiate capable of masking, do you
> allow the masking to cover the mage's emotions as well. eg to stop another
> mage from perceiving and reading the target's mood.

AFAIK, the ONLY think an initiate can mask is his status as a
magician/initiate. That's it. He can appear mundane, or as a
non-initiate magician. He can't look different, or appear different in
any other way.

> Ray

Justin :)
--
_____________________________________________________________________________
Justin Pinnow
jpinnow@*****.edu
Message no. 36
From: Craig Rickel <crickel@***.EDU>
Subject: Masking
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 03:02:59 -0600
Can masking be used to make your aura look like anything? Say, if I
wanted to look like an elf? How about a bandersnatch? A wendigo (why I'd
want to look like one is anyone's guess)? A juggernaut? A greater
dragon?

Can it be used to make your aura look like it's not there anymore? Would
this kill you? If so, can it be done in combat against enemies?

Can another person use masking on you if you are also a mage? What if
you're not a mage? If you can, are there any adverse effects?

Spider Murphy
Message no. 37
From: William Gallas <wgallas@*****.FR>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 10:21:55 +0100
>Can masking be used to make your aura look like anything? Say, if I
>wanted to look like an elf? How about a bandersnatch? A wendigo (why I'd
>want to look like one is anyone's guess)? A juggernaut? A greater
>dragon?

Opinions differ on this one. IMO, they can only alter their magical nature.
An initiate could appear as normal mage or a mundane or an initiate of
lower grade for exemple. For foci, it's the same he could make 'em appear
as mundane or of lower force.

>Can it be used to make your aura look like it's not there anymore? Would
>this kill you? If so, can it be done in combat against enemies?

Nope. You can't use directly auras to attack someone. However you need them
to cast your spells (by synchronizing with the spell pattern).

>Can another person use masking on you if you are also a mage? What if
>you're not a mage? If you can, are there any adverse effects?

I'm not quite sure about this one...
I would say you can alter auras of others. If the target is a mage, I think
there should be an opposed test between the mages. To resolve this, use
magic attributes or just compare initation ranks.


Cobra.

E-mail adress : wgallas@*****.fr
Quote : "Never trust an elf"
Message no. 38
From: Da Twink Daddy <twinkie@*******.DMSC.K12.AR.US>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 09:14:46 -0600
-----Original Message-----
From: Craig Rickel <crickel@***.EDU>


>Can masking be used to make your aura look like anything?

<snip: interesting examples, and then some not-so-interesting ones>

As I read it in the Grimoire, (Hell, they _may_ have changed it in
awakenings) Masking can only be used to decrease the "Magic" of your aura
and those aura(s) of magical item(s) bonded to you.

You can appear of a lower grade initiate, normal (mage, shaman, physad as
appropiate.), or even a mundane. You can't hide the dimmness of your aura as
it isn't actually based on the magic-ness of it. You can't appear as a
different type of magically active. as that is "type" of magic not
"amount"
of magic. You can't make your aura look like another race/emotion or even a
different person. Your aura is always yours no matter how magical it looks,
so if they know it's you they can probably infer your "known" magic levels.
As I read it, IMO, you can only hide your initiate level (and then only to
make it lower, non-existant, or not possible) and the power/number of foci
you have (You can decrease their "visable" force, or make them seem
nocpletely non-magical.)

Da Twink Daddy ( twinkie@*******.dmsc.k12.ar.us gilmeth@*********.com
UIN:514984)
----------
If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?
---------------
http://vancove.dmsc.k12.ar.us/~twinkie/
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/3759/
Message no. 39
From: Craig Rickel <crickel@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 10:56:44 -0600
Da Twink Daddy wrote:

> You can appear of a lower grade initiate, normal (mage, shaman, physad as
> appropiate.), or even a mundane. You can't hide the dimmness of your aura as
> it isn't actually based on the magic-ness of it. You can't appear as a
> different type of magically active. as that is "type" of magic not
"amount"
> of magic. You can't make your aura look like another race/emotion or even a
> different person. Your aura is always yours no matter how magical it looks,
> so if they know it's you they can probably infer your "known" magic levels.
> As I read it, IMO, you can only hide your initiate level (and then only to
> make it lower, non-existant, or not possible) and the power/number of foci
> you have (You can decrease their "visable" force, or make them seem
> nocpletely non-magical.)

So, if you can make foci seem non-magical, why can you not make yourself seem
non-magical?

Also, IIRC, wasn't there was something in there about being able to completely
mask your aura, but that it would look really funny (meat body with no aura
attached)?

Spider Murphy
Message no. 40
From: Da Twink Daddy <twinkie@*******.DMSC.K12.AR.US>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 11:11:49 -0600
-----Original Message-----
From: Craig Rickel <crickel@***.EDU>
To: SHADOWRN@********.ITRIBE.NET <SHADOWRN@********.ITRIBE.NET>
Date: Monday, February 16, 1998 10:58 AM
Subject: Re: Masking


>Da Twink Daddy wrote:
>
>> You can appear of a lower grade initiate, normal (mage, shaman, physad as
>> appropiate.), or even a mundane. You can't hide the dimmness of your aura
as
>> it isn't actually based on the magic-ness of it. You can't appear as a
>> different type of magically active. as that is "type" of magic not
"amount"
>> of magic. You can't make your aura look like another race/emotion or even
a
>> different person. Your aura is always yours no matter how magical it
looks,
>> so if they know it's you they can probably infer your "known" magic
levels.
>> As I read it, IMO, you can only hide your initiate level (and then only
to
>> make it lower, non-existant, or not possible) and the power/number of
foci
>> you have (You can decrease their "visable" force, or make them seem
>> nocpletely non-magical.)
>
>So, if you can make foci seem non-magical, why can you not make yourself
seem
>non-magical?


You can. You can seem mundane, but still yourself. As if you had burnt
yourself out but, with no possible trace, as if you had never been magical
(that is, until they penetrate the masking....)

>Also, IIRC, wasn't there was something in there about being able to
completely
>mask your aura, but that it would look really funny (meat body with no aura
>attached)?


Actually, the opposite was mentioned. It says that a mage may appear mundane
even while Astraly projecting. It however looks wierd... imagine (quote from
Grimiore) "an aura with no meat body attached."

Da Twink Daddy ( twinkie@*******.dmsc.k12.ar.us gilmeth@*********.com
UIN:514984)
----------
What do you do when you discover an endangered animal that eats only
endangered plants?
---------------
http://vancove.dmsc.k12.ar.us/~twinkie/
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/3759/
Message no. 41
From: "Panther`" <qmilton@**.NET>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 1998 21:08:46 -0800
Craig Rickel wrote:
>
> So, if you can make foci seem non-magical, why can you not make yourself seem
> non-magical?

you CAN make your aura appear completely mundane

> Also, IIRC, wasn't there was something in there about being able to completely
> mask your aura, but that it would look really funny (meat body with no aura
> attached)?

no. the example used was a mundane aura with no meat body attached

Panther

--
Death becomes us all, in the end...live while you can, because nothing
is trivial
------------------------------------------
Goth Code 3.1a GoNQ1$ TJtYzz7 PEShMo B7/23 cDbr-c6 V4 M3 ZGoMe C6m a20=
n5DF b54 H179 g4L1?97A mEa1@** w6T v4M r5BSP p45555Zz D66!* h4 sM10n
SrNy k6p N0297CWH RsSp2 LusMI1
---------------------------------
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Alley/1562/
Message no. 42
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 17:37:06 EST
In a message dated 98-02-16 03:57:35 EST, crickel@***.EDU writes:

> Can masking be used to make your aura look like anything? Say, if I
> wanted to look like an elf? How about a bandersnatch? A wendigo (why I'd
> want to look like one is anyone's guess)? A juggernaut? A greater
> dragon?

By the rules, everyone else says "NO." We here say yes however, common sense
makes us think so.

> Can it be used to make your aura look like it's not there anymore? Would
> this kill you? If so, can it be done in combat against enemies?

I think you could "obscure" your aura, but not make it "go away". We
don't
think it would kill you, unless of course you die, then well, you know...

> Can another person use masking on you if you are also a mage? What if
> you're not a mage? If you can, are there any adverse effects?

Again, we say yes, due in part to the idea of "Masking a Foci", which is in
the rules as they currently stand.

-K
Message no. 43
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 1998 11:29:17 +0100
Craig Rickel said on 10:56/16 Feb 98...

> So, if you can make foci seem non-magical, why can you not make yourself seem
> non-magical?

You can make yourself appear as a mundane; it specifically says so in the
very first sentence about masking on page 46 of the Grimthingy.

> Also, IIRC, wasn't there was something in there about being able to completely
> mask your aura, but that it would look really funny (meat body with no aura
> attached)?

That's only if you astrally project while masking -- your aura will look
like a mundane's, but you are astrally active... Other magicians
would notice this as something that goes against magical theory. Masking
yourself as an un-initiated magician would overcome that slight drawback.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html - UIN5044116
That's just fine.
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

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Message no. 44
From: frederico augusto de castro furtado <fred@***.UFRJ.BR>
Subject: Masking
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 1998 14:15:31 -0300
About the discussion whether Masking can be used to make someone's aura
look like other things.
I used to think that Masking would only hide your level of magic
aptitude, but in the Grimoire (I don't have the page number), when they
talk about dual beings, they explicitly says that Masking would allow a
shapeshifter to change his true form. For example, suppose you assense a
wolf shapeshifter, you should see his aura shaped as a wolf, but if he has
masking, he can make his aura match his human form.


Ilalekah,
Fred Furtado
fred@***.ufrj.br

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars..."
--Oscar Wilde
Message no. 45
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 10:22:12 +0100
frederico augusto de castro f said on 14:15/17 Feb 98...

> I used to think that Masking would only hide your level of magic
> aptitude, but in the Grimoire (I don't have the page number), when they
> talk about dual beings, they explicitly says that Masking would allow a
> shapeshifter to change his true form. For example, suppose you assense a
> wolf shapeshifter, you should see his aura shaped as a wolf, but if he has
> masking, he can make his aura match his human form.

A counter-argument is that shapeshifters are a special case -- a
shapeshifter's aura shows the form the physical body _isn't_ in (SRII p.
230). So from that, they have two aura "shapes", and through masking they
could learn how to display the human aura when their body is in human
shape, or the animal aura when in animal form. This is different from
learning to shape your aura like something you are not.

Since (meta)humans do not have two different shapes for their physical
bodies, nor the corresponding aura shapes, they could not learn to display
the "other form" as shapeshifters can.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html - UIN5044116
That's just fine.
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

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Message no. 46
From: frederico augusto de castro furtado <fred@***.UFRJ.BR>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 13:44:15 -0300
On Wed, 18 Feb 1998, Gurth wrote:

> A counter-argument is that shapeshifters are a special case -- a
> shapeshifter's aura shows the form the physical body _isn't_ in (SRII p.
> 230). So from that, they have two aura "shapes", and through masking they
> could learn how to display the human aura when their body is in human
> shape, or the animal aura when in animal form. This is different from
> learning to shape your aura like something you are not.
>
> Since (meta)humans do not have two different shapes for their physical
> bodies, nor the corresponding aura shapes, they could not learn to display
> the "other form" as shapeshifters can.

We could also say that a magician is capable of creating a number of
"alternate" auras equal to his grade. I think this could be a good house
rule.
Ilalekah,
Fred Furtado
fred@***.ufrj.br

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars..."
--Oscar Wilde
Message no. 47
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 22:01:33 +0100
frederico augusto de castro f said on 13:44/18 Feb 98...

> We could also say that a magician is capable of creating a number of
> "alternate" auras equal to his grade. I think this could be a good house
> rule.

If you want to allow initiates to "change" their aura to appear as
something or someone else, I think this is a very good solution. It
prevents them from masking as just anything that strikes their fancy.

Also, I'd add some requirements that the magician has studied the aura of
anything he or she wants to appear like. Masking as a specific person
should be even harder, requiring long study of the person in question, and
a Magic roll.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html - UIN5044116
That's just fine.
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
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Message no. 48
From: Craig Rickel <crickel@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 17:14:43 -0600
> If you want to allow initiates to "change" their aura to appear as
> something or someone else, I think this is a very good solution. It
> prevents them from masking as just anything that strikes their fancy.
>
> Also, I'd add some requirements that the magician has studied the aura of
> anything he or she wants to appear like. Masking as a specific person
> should be even harder, requiring long study of the person in question, and
> a Magic roll.

So I can look like a table lamp if I wanted to? After all, inanimate objects
have auras too. What would you say if you saw an astrally projecting car? :)

Spider Murphy
Message no. 49
From: Lady Jestyr <jestyr@*******.DIALIX.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 09:14:22 +1000
> So I can look like a table lamp if I wanted to? After all, inanimate objects
> have auras too. What would you say if you saw an astrally projecting car? :)

I'd say "Good lord, there's an astrally projecting car."

Then I'd head to my doctors to have my medication changed. :)

Lady Jestyr

- I'm in touch with my Inner Klingon... -
| Elle Holmes | jestyr@**********.com | http://jestyr.home.ml.org |
| Shadowrun Webring Ringmaster | GeoCities Leader | RPGA Reviewer |
Message no. 50
From: Wyrmy <elfman@*****.NET>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 06:13:52 -0600
> What would you say if you saw an astrally projecting car? :)
>
> I'd say "Good lord, there's an astrally projecting car."
>
> Then I'd head to my doctors to have my medication changed. :)
I would attack the car,simply to see what would happen.;^)
Message no. 51
From: Robert Watkins <robert.watkins@******.COM>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 12:43:30 +1000
Wyrmy writes:
>>> What would you say if you saw an astrally projecting car? :)
>> I'd say "Good lord, there's an astrally projecting car."
>> Then I'd head to my doctors to have my medication changed. :)
>I would attack the car,simply to see what would happen.;^)


I'd sit back and watch how badly the astrally projecting car beats you up...
:)

--
.sig deleted to conserve electrons. robert.watkins@******.com
Message no. 52
From: Lucas Wagner <cricket@********.NET>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 22:07:58 -0500
Robert Watkins wrote:
>
> Wyrmy writes:
> >>> What would you say if you saw an astrally projecting car? :)
> >> I'd say "Good lord, there's an astrally projecting car."
> >> Then I'd head to my doctors to have my medication changed. :)
> >I would attack the car,simply to see what would happen.;^)
>
> I'd sit back and watch how badly the astrally projecting car beats you up...
> :)
>
Um, anyway, there's quite a difference between something living and
non-living. Living objects are "real" in astral; they are solid.
Unliving objects are not. Now, I'm not trying to rule anything out, but
I'd think that changing your aura would not be possible unless you were
VERY familiar with the form, to the extent of being it, from
shapechanging consistently. Since the astral consists of minds and
emotions, I can't think of any other way to be able to empathize with
soemthing on the level required to emulate its form. Taking this to an
inanimate level would be rather extreme, especially if you shapechange
to it. That brings up all sorts of problems, doesn't it? Like they
say, turning the moon to cheese. Sure I think it's possible, but who
would have the ability to shift their mind into a state like that?

Lucas
Message no. 53
From: Craig Rickel <crickel@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 22:45:26 -0600
> Um, anyway, there's quite a difference between something living and
> non-living. Living objects are "real" in astral; they are solid.
> Unliving objects are not. Now, I'm not trying to rule anything out, but
> I'd think that changing your aura would not be possible unless you were
> VERY familiar with the form, to the extent of being it, from
> shapechanging consistently. Since the astral consists of minds and
> emotions, I can't think of any other way to be able to empathize with
> soemthing on the level required to emulate its form. Taking this to an
> inanimate level would be rather extreme, especially if you shapechange
> to it. That brings up all sorts of problems, doesn't it? Like they
> say, turning the moon to cheese. Sure I think it's possible, but who
> would have the ability to shift their mind into a state like that?

Why couldn't you become familiar with an object to the extent required? My first
guess upon seeing one of these things would be, "Whoa! Great Spirit of Man!"
after
all, it's a car, and it's probably not sticking to the streets... As for the
shapechanging, no problem. Mages are supposedly half-insane, anyway. Who says you
can't have a Shapechange Self (Car) spell? "Look ma, I'm a Mitubishi Runabout!"
<POOF!>

/begin(off-topic question)
Say, if inanimate objects aren't solid in astral, doesn't that mean they
actually don't have auras?
/end(off-topic question)

Spider Murphy
Message no. 54
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 10:46:17 +0100
Craig Rickel said on 17:14/18 Feb 98...

> So I can look like a table lamp if I wanted to? After all, inanimate objects
> have auras too. What would you say if you saw an astrally projecting car? :)

Provided you subscribe to the idea that masking can allow you to change
the appearance of your aura into that of something else (which I don't),
then if you want to look like an inanimate object, go ahead. I'd think it
would raise some astral eyebrows when someone else assenses you, though,
yes...

--
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Message no. 55
From: frederico augusto de castro furtado <fred@***.UFRJ.BR>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 10:41:18 -0300
> > So I can look like a table lamp if I wanted to? After all, inanimate objects
> > have auras too. What would you say if you saw an astrally projecting car? :)

I don't think you could pull that of. There is a difference between the
auras o living things and inanimate objects (a glow?). Masking could let
you change the shape and "fine-tunning" of the aura, but I don't believe
it could make something alive look like something dead.

Ilalekah,
Fred Furtado
fred@***.ufrj.br

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars..."
--Oscar Wilde
Message no. 56
From: William Gallas <wgallas@*****.FR>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 14:04:59 +0100
> I don't think you could pull that of. There is a difference between the
>auras o living things and inanimate objects (a glow?). Masking could let
>you change the shape and "fine-tunning" of the aura, but I don't believe
>it could make something alive look like something dead.

Actually, I don't think you could shape your aura to give another
appearance. However, if you allow it, I don't see any problem.
Since you can change aura of a power focus (living thing) into a mundane
item (non living thing), I think you should extend it to a person.


Cobra.

E-mail adress : wgallas@*****.fr
Quote : "Never trust an elf"
Message no. 57
From: frederico augusto de castro furtado <fred@***.UFRJ.BR>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 11:03:35 -0300
On Thu, 19 Feb 1998, William Gallas wrote:

> Actually, I don't think you could shape your aura to give another
> appearance. However, if you allow it, I don't see any problem.
> Since you can change aura of a power focus (living thing) into a mundane
> item (non living thing), I think you should extend it to a person.

I don't consider magical foci as "living." Magical, sure. To me,
changing your aura to make you look like a mundane is the same thing as
"dampening" the magical signature of a focus to make it look like a
non-magical object. For example, suppose you have a magical sword, Masking
it would make it look like a regular (non-magical) one, but it wouldn't be
able to make it look like a living being.


Ilalekah,
Fred Furtado
fred@***.ufrj.br

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars..."
--Oscar Wilde
Message no. 58
From: Phil Ames <Philaims@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 17:08:09 EST
In a message dated 98-02-19 08:00:10 EST, you write:

> auras o living things and inanimate objects (a glow?). Masking could let
> >you change the shape and "fine-tunning" of the aura, but I don't
believe
> >it could make something alive look like something dead.
>
> Actually, I don't think you could shape your aura to give another
> appearance. However, if you allow it, I don't see any problem.
> Since you can change aura of a power focus (living thing) into a mundane
> item (non living thing), I think you should extend it to a person.
>
>
> Cobra.

On the masked to look like a car thing. Why is it necessary for it to be
masking. What if it's some gear head mage's idealized self image...

Just a random thought.

Phil
Message no. 59
From: Lucas Wagner <cricket@********.NET>
Subject: Re: Masking
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 17:16:31 -0500
Craig Rickel wrote:
>
> > Um, anyway, there's quite a difference between something living and
> > non-living. Living objects are "real" in astral; they are solid.
> > Unliving objects are not. Now, I'm not trying to rule anything out, but
> > I'd think that changing your aura would not be possible unless you were
> > VERY familiar with the form, to the extent of being it, from
> > shapechanging consistently. Since the astral consists of minds and
> > emotions, I can't think of any other way to be able to empathize with
> > soemthing on the level required to emulate its form. Taking this to an
> > inanimate level would be rather extreme, especially if you shapechange
> > to it. That brings up all sorts of problems, doesn't it? Like they
> > say, turning the moon to cheese. Sure I think it's possible, but who
> > would have the ability to shift their mind into a state like that?
>
> Why couldn't you become familiar with an object to the extent required? My first
> guess upon seeing one of these things would be, "Whoa! Great Spirit of
Man!" after
> all, it's a car, and it's probably not sticking to the streets... As for the
> shapechanging, no problem. Mages are supposedly half-insane, anyway. Who says you
> can't have a Shapechange Self (Car) spell? "Look ma, I'm a Mitubishi
Runabout!"
> <POOF!>

Transform yourself into an inanimate object? What happens when you want
to move? I'm not saying that you can't have a Shapechange (Car) spell,
it's just that it would be extremely draining, and if you can't move,
you don't experience the form to its extent, and therefore don't become
familiar with it. That and I'm not sure what an aura would do once it
found itself attached to an inanimate object. Wouldn't that be like
replacing your entire body with cyber?

>
> /begin(off-topic question)
> Say, if inanimate objects aren't solid in astral, doesn't that mean they
> actually don't have auras?
> /end(off-topic question)
>
Does air not exist? It's not solid, and you don't notice it much.

btw, in my game, you'd have to be quite powerful for me to even consider
it possible for you to change your aura in any way, and if you did,
there would be a few complications. You don't abandon your mental
persona and suffer no ill effects.

Lucas/Lunky
Message no. 60
From: Wiebke & Birger Timm <WiebkeT@********.DE>
Subject: masking
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 22:49:46 +0200
I reread the passage about initiates in the Grimmy and I stumbled
over something:
One sentence said, an initiate's aura is always masked unless he
doesn't want to do mask it.
On the other hand there was a passage that said that keeping the
aura masked is an active process and an initiate can't cast a
spell while having his aura masked. IMO these rules contradict
each other. (I would have quoted or given a page but I don't have
the english edition, sorry)
Is the aura of an initiate masked initially (i.e. without the
mage thinking about it) or isn't it?

Blix
Message no. 61
From: Alfredo B Alves <dghost@****.COM>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 06:36:14 -0500
On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 22:49:46 +0200 Wiebke & Birger Timm
<WiebkeT@********.DE> writes:
>I reread the passage about initiates in the Grimmy and I stumbled
>over something:
>One sentence said, an initiate's aura is always masked unless he
>doesn't want to do mask it.
>On the other hand there was a passage that said that keeping the
>aura masked is an active process and an initiate can't cast a
>spell while having his aura masked. IMO these rules contradict
>each other. (I would have quoted or given a page but I don't have
>the english edition, sorry)
>Is the aura of an initiate masked initially (i.e. without the
>mage thinking about it) or isn't it?
>
>Blix

There are two types of masking. Pasive Masking conceals the nature of
aura and must be overcome in order to assense the intiate correctly.
that is the one that is always on unless the player says otherwise.

Active Masking is when an Intiate deliberately conceals (or attempts to
conceal) any carried focus/foci. This type is the active process.

Does that clear things up?

D. Ghost
(aka Pixel, Tantrum, RuPixel)
o/` Trideo killed the Video Star ... o/`

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Message no. 62
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 21:08:13 +0200
Wiebke & Birger Timm said on 22:49/31 Aug 98,...

> One sentence said, an initiate's aura is always masked unless he
> doesn't want to do mask it.

True.

> On the other hand there was a passage that said that keeping the
> aura masked is an active process and an initiate can't cast a
> spell while having his aura masked. IMO these rules contradict
> each other. (I would have quoted or given a page but I don't have
> the english edition, sorry)
> Is the aura of an initiate masked initially (i.e. without the
> mage thinking about it) or isn't it?

The second passage refers to _deliberate_ masking -- putting more effort
into it than normal, in order to prevent other initiates from seeing
through your masked aura. Normal masking is not an exclusive activity,
deliberate masking is.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
It may look to the untrained eye I'm sitting on my arse all day.
-> NERPS Project Leader * ShadowRN GridSec * Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
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Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998
Message no. 63
From: Wiebke & Birger Timm <WiebkeT@********.DE>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 21:39:17 +0200
Alfredo B Alves wrote:

> >Is the aura of an initiate masked initially (i.e. without the
> >mage thinking about it) or isn't it?
> >
> >Blix
>
> There are two types of masking. Pasive Masking conceals the nature of
> aura and must be overcome in order to assense the intiate correctly.
> that is the one that is always on unless the player says otherwise.
>
> Active Masking is when an Intiate deliberately conceals (or attempts to
> conceal) any carried focus/foci. This type is the active process.
>
> Does that clear things up?

Yepp. Thanks! It isn't that clear in the Grimmy...)

Blix
Message no. 64
From: "Ratinac, Rand (NSW)" <RRatinac@*****.REDCROSS.ORG.AU>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 09:30:33 +1000
> > >Is the aura of an initiate masked initially (i.e. without the
> > >mage thinking about it) or isn't it?
> > >
> > >Blix
> >
> > There are two types of masking. Pasive Masking conceals the nature
> of
> > aura and must be overcome in order to assense the intiate correctly.
> > that is the one that is always on unless the player says otherwise.
> >
> > Active Masking is when an Intiate deliberately conceals (or attempts
> to
> > conceal) any carried focus/foci. This type is the active process.
> >
> > Does that clear things up?
>
> Yepp. Thanks! It isn't that clear in the Grimmy...)
>
> Blix
>
Uh - yes it is.

But never mind me.

8-)

Doc'
Message no. 65
From: Michael vanHulst <Schizi@***.COM>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1998 20:02:57 EDT
In a message dated 9/1/98 4:32:14 AM Pacific Daylight Time, WiebkeT@**
ONLINE.DE writes:

> One sentence said, an initiate's aura is always masked unless he
> doesn't want to do mask it.
> On the other hand there was a passage that said that keeping the
> aura masked is an active process and an initiate can't cast a
> spell while having his aura masked.
It is an active process that does not require thought :-)
It is always on, except for the astral presence while casting a spell.
Message no. 66
From: Bai Shen <baishen@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: masking
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 20:54:51 -0400
> I reread the passage about initiates in the Grimmy and I stumbled
> over something:
> One sentence said, an initiate's aura is always masked unless he
> doesn't want to do mask it.
> On the other hand there was a passage that said that keeping the
> aura masked is an active process and an initiate can't cast a
> spell while having his aura masked. IMO these rules contradict
> each other. (I would have quoted or given a page but I don't have
> the english edition, sorry)
> Is the aura of an initiate masked initially (i.e. without the
> mage thinking about it) or isn't it?

IIRC(and I may not, I haven't seen the book in a while). The initiate's
aura is masked from normals all the time without thinking about it.
However, other initiates can easily peirce this masking(not sure if they
had to be higher level). If the initiate wants to shield his aura from
other inits, then he has to concentrate.
--
Bai Shen
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
http://www.series2000.com/users/baishen
UIN 3543257 (Don't ask to join if you aren't going to send me anything.)
Message no. 67
From: BrotherJustice50@***.com BrotherJustice50@***.com
Subject: Masking
Date: Wed Jun 21 11:52:33 2000
Can an initiate use Masking to make their aura appear as something else? Perhaps to have
the aura of a fire elemental? Or something else unusual like that? I know they can attempt
to look mundande, but I couldn't find anything in MiTS about it. Any help there?
Message no. 68
From: vocenoctum@****.com vocenoctum@****.com
Subject: Masking
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 15:04:18 -0400
On Wed Jun 21 11:52:33 2000 BrotherJustice50@***.com writes:
> Can an initiate use Masking to make their aura appear as something
> else? Perhaps to have the aura of a fire elemental? Or something
> else unusual like that? I know they can attempt to look mundande,
> but I couldn't find anything in MiTS about it. Any help there?
>
>

I know this came up on AOL a while back, but I don't remember if it made
it here.
For what its worth, (and, IIRC) Steve Kenson said he could see a
projecting mage masking as a spirit (assuming he knew what they looked
like :-)

For myself, I wouldn't allow it for such a thing, you can only "mask"
your aura to match your form. To me, this allows a character shapechanged
into a rabbit could make his aura look like a rabbit. Also, in a
disguise, he could make his aura a little different than his normal, so
that it wasn't obvious.

I think officially, all you can do with masking is mask as a mundane, or
a non-initiate mage.

Vocenoctum
<http://members.xoom.com/vocenoctum>;

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Message no. 69
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Hahns Shin)
Subject: Masking
Date: Tue Jun 12 19:05:01 2001
>I'm not even sure it normally implies any aura changes, other
>than those involved in the Initiation itself. BTW, regarding that,
>while masking is stated as being capable of making an Initiate
>look like a non-Initiate (MITS pg 76), there aren't any rules on
>the needed successes et al to astrally perceive someone as an Initiate in
>the first place, aside from seeing their Essence and Magic Attribute. There
>also aren't any rules on seeing bioware.
Hmm, I always thought that there was no way from assensing alone a
non-Initiate can penetrate masking. One of the benefits of having masking,
I guess. There are other ways to tell if an Awakened is an initiate: Using
metamagic, using magical power in a way that would normally be damaging to
the unInitiated, seeing a "mundane" chuck a spell, etc, but from assensing
aura alone, if the Initiate has masking, then you cannot even attempt to
penetrate it unless you are an Initiate as well.

Now as for NON-masking initiates, I'd say that each success on assensing
gets you one piece of info, such as Initiate/non-initiate, grade, aspected
mage, totem, tradition, etc, some details precluding others obviously. If
the assenser is not an initiate, then he/she would only be able to determine
Magic Rating and Essence and extropolate from that... he/she would not be
able to directly determine initiation and grade, in other words.

Bioware is another detail entirely... I don't think you'd see the "darkening
of aura" that one sees when assensing cyberware, at least not to the same
extent. I think bioware would only leave indirect clues, such as "He's not
cybered, but something is compromising his 'wellness'/immune system... could
be a chronic infection, or bioware". I think assensing would reveal Body
Overstress in the same fashion "Well, either he's been running a marathon
and hasn't trained for it, or..." Maybe an assenser with a Bioware knowledge
skill would have better judgment on detailing the subtle changes in aura,
just as an Awakened with Biotech or Medicine knowledge skill would be able
to diagnose medical conditions more appropriately from assensing.

Hahns Shin, MS II
Budding cybersurgeon
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Further Reading

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