| From: | Dennis Watson <watson@*******.SCRI.FSU.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Nerps for Mages! |
| Date: | Thu, 21 Oct 1993 16:31:41 EDT |
I thank those of you who answered my question about Nerps. I feel
much better about it now that I know, as much as anyone can know, the
nature of Nerps. My mind is at ease.
On the subject of mages in space. I've seen several ways of
running mages in space, so I feel comfortable in telling everyone the
way I do it.
I use the logic that there must be astral energy around in order to
do magic. It is a biosphere that creates astral energy. I get this
from references in the main book, the grimoire, and NAGRL. Free
spirits need only karma to learn spells because they interact directly
with astral energies. Active foci burn out on semi-ballistic flights
because they are exposed to an astral vacuum which bleeds their
energies out into the boundlessness of space. A lunar or orbital
colony with a functioning biosphere would have astral energy, but it
would be diluted unless the biosphere were stable. Sure, it could be
expanding, no problem. But if the biosphere is tenuous or imbalanced,
the mage runs the risk of insanity or death. And even if such a
biosphere existed, it would be an ideal place for nasties such as
insect spirits or ED horrors to infest.
Here is what I see for the magically active in space, without the
benefit of astral energy, i.e. a biosphere. Mages of both traditions
are safe as long as they don't interact with the astral through
spellcasting, conjuring, enchanting, perception, projection, or any
other means that I may have left out. PhyAds are a bit different. I
say that since the nature of their power is different, they don't run
the risk that mages do, they just don't get the power. The exception
is of course PhysAd astral perception, which will kill or vegitate a
PhysAd just like a mage.
Yes, this makes Samurai supreme in space. But it stands to reason
that space favors tech by excluding magic. It's unfair as anything,
just like real life. Deal with it, because the consequence of not
dealing with your problems rationally in SR is an untimely death.
Fate has no mercy on a mage who whines about life being unfair because
he didn't believe that the sheltering hand of god (the GM) would allow
injustice to befall him.
Of course, this is just my spin on things. If you don't like it,
then I welcome coherent conversation. Saying "that's not the way I do
it so it's wrong" will get you nothing but scorn.
--
Lord Dennis E. Watson, B.A.M.F., Master of the Cheese.
"Okay, here's the plan. First we'll try to sneak in. If that fails,
we bluff our way through. If that fails, we shoot anything that
moves, get what we want, and then shoot our way out."
"I didn't say it was a _good_ plan."
