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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Sean Justice <JUSTICE@********.BITNET>
Subject: New Char
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 93 10:51:26 EST
How's this for an idea...

Blind Mage

This is a mage who has lost/never had the ability to see. Rather than damage
her magic by putting in cyber-eyes, she uses her astral perception at all
times. This allows her to function almost as well as a sighted individual,
and provides some unique abilities as well.

Rules

The Blind Mage does not suffer the +2 target number as there is no conflicting
data coming in from the "meat" eyes.
Astral Perception also allows line-of-sight contact for spell casting, and
does not prevent the casting of physical spells the way Astral Projection
does. (There is a meat body to channel the power through.)
The blind mage can see the physical world through the auras that all physical
physical objects have. The cohesive nature of these auras prevents the mage
from being able to see through closed windows. The mage cannot see mundane
objects that have no physical component such as a hologram or trideo program.
It is also impossible to read things printed on such objects throught the use
astral perception. This does not interfere with the use of brail or
raised/lowered lettering.
As the defect is in the eyes, not the muscles controlling them, the eyes
will focus on whatever the mage is currently paying attention to. This tends
to make it difficult to tell that the mage is blind. This effect is a result
of the connection to the physical body. As the mage views things astrally,
the body intercepts the "instructions" regarding focus and orientation and
acts on them.

Advantages

The blind mage suffers no penalties from darkness, fog, or glare and
is immune to the effects of flash grenades, flash packs, and similar
sight-based attacks. This includes physical illusion spells that are sight-
based. Mana illusion spells are not affected, and physical illusion spells
that do not have a sight component are also not affected.
It is possible to assense an object without astrally projecting as there is
no interference from the "meat" senses. This assensing will appear to be
nothing more than a close examination of the object, unless the observer is
also astrally active.

Disadvantages

The blind mage is open to attacks from spirits, elementals, and astrally
projecting mages while awake.
The blind mage cannot 'see' through any form of magical barrier or ward.

History
(This is the character that I created when I first developed this archtype)

Born in London on June 17, 2032, Kristen Anders was blind from birth due
to a genetic defect. At approximately four years of age, her parents had
her tested for magical ability. It was felt that she was acting in a
manner that was inexplicable in a blind individual.
She tested positive under a hermetic tradition. Her mind had adapted to
her lack of sight by using her magical senses to replace it. Her parents
hired a mage to act as a tutor for her.
Her parents also hired a cosmetic surgeon to correct a physical
manifestation of her genetically defective eyes. The doctor was quite
skilled and no essence was lost.
She has been provided with a classical education.
On Feburary 23, 2051, her older brother died of a drug overdose. Her
father tried to bring about an investigation to catch the dealer who
supplied him. He was killed by a car bomb shortly after. Scotland Yard
marked it as a terrorist bombing and refused to investigate further.
Unable to do anything to avenge the murders of her father and brother,
she left England for the UCAS. Her mother is well supported by the
family fortune, but since her fathers death, there has been no further
income.
She hates drugs, users, and pushers with a passion. She will do
anything in her power to disrupt any form of drug use if she feels she
can get away with it.
Kristen is a licensed magical practitioner in England, and has a tissue
sample on record in the Lord Protectors office.

Quotes
"And when Alexander saw the bredth of his domain, he wept, for there were
no more worlds to conquer"
"Cry Havok and let slip the dogs of war!"
"You are becoming annoying. That is not a good way to continue survival."
"Want some toast?"

Statistics

Body 4 Reaction 4
Quickness 4
Strength 3
Charisma 4 Skills
Intelligence 4 Sorcery 6
Willpower 5 Conjuring 4
Essence 6 Enchanting 3
Magic 6 Magical Theory 4
Athletics 3
Equipment Firearms 2
20,000 Tech value
Special Skills
Spells Brail 2
20 force points

This was done under SRI, for SRII the the tech value would be 5,000/15.

-- magister

"I'm not a cleric! They wanted me to be a cleric, but I refused. Party
needed a healer, they said. Hah! Fighters with all the brains of a
doorknob attack something twenty times their size, with a bizillion hit
points, and they expect _me_ to pull their heads out of their rib cages!"
-- Zifnab the Wizard

Further Reading

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Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.