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Message no. 1
From: Debbie Giesbrecht <Debbie_Giesbrecht@**.CHIRON.COM>
Subject: novice questions
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 1994 10:14:35 PST
I am new to shadowrun and am trying to learn enough to run
our groups's first game. I am a long time DM of AD&D, but
that's another story. Anyway I am coming to the font of
wisdom from you long time players.

1. In the section on Banishing a spirit, it talks about the
winner deciding whether or not the spritual combat continues.
What happens if there is an outside attack on the magician
or the spirit? Can they react to the new threat or are they
just victims? How is this resolved?

2. When travelling astrally, it says that someone may pass
through air and water even though they are "living", but
not earth. The reason they give is that both water and air
have a light density. What about a higher density state
(solid) such as ice for water and dry ice for air?

3. I was confused by the ritual sorcery rules. Is ritual
sorcery and exclusive spell action? It kind of implies that
it is, without directly saying so. Later, though, it says
that the mages involved in the spell may sortee out to
fight astrally any attackers. It says that magic pools are
used in the ritual spell and are not available to the
individual mage, except for the spell leader who decides
how they are used in the spell and in the drain. How could
these sorteeing mages cast any spells at their attackers
without knocking themselves out? If the mages in the
ritual spell can just leave the circle, why do you need
an astral guide?

I am eagerly awaiting your responses.

Debbie

giesbred@******.com
Message no. 2
From: "Jason Carter, Nightstalker" <CARTER@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: novice questions
Date: Tue, 5 Jul 1994 21:47:47 -0700
Debbie asks:

>I am new to shadowrun and am trying to learn enough to run
>our groups's first game. I am a long time DM of AD&D, but
>that's another story. Anyway I am coming to the font of
>wisdom from you long time players.

Welcome aboard Debbie!

>1. In the section on Banishing a spirit, it talks about the
>winner deciding whether or not the spritual combat continues.
>What happens if there is an outside attack on the magician
>or the spirit? Can they react to the new threat or are they
>just victims? How is this resolved?

The outside attack can be defended against, but neither the magician or the
spirit is allowed to initiate actions outside of the Banishing Contest. Thus
if shot at they may use combat pool to avoid damage. If attacked physically
they may counterattack. However they could not attack back physically or with
magical powers.

>2. When travelling astrally, it says that someone may pass
>through air and water even though they are "living", but
>not earth. The reason they give is that both water and air
>have a light density. What about a higher density state
>(solid) such as ice for water and dry ice for air?

Earth refers to the "living earth". That is to say real dirt on top of real
stone. An astally projecting magician can travel through both ice and dry ice.

>3. I was confused by the ritual sorcery rules. Is ritual
>sorcery and exclusive spell action? It kind of implies that
>it is, without directly saying so. Later, though, it says
>that the mages involved in the spell may sortee out to
>fight astrally any attackers. It says that magic pools are
>used in the ritual spell and are not available to the
>individual mage, except for the spell leader who decides
>how they are used in the spell and in the drain. How could
>these sorteeing mages cast any spells at their attackers
>without knocking themselves out? If the mages in the
>ritual spell can just leave the circle, why do you need
>an astral guide?

Don't feel bad. Ritual Sorcery confuses me too. Now to answer your questions.
Yes, ritual sorcery is an exclusive Magical action. The only thing members of
a ritual sorcery team may do besides participate in the ritual is to astrally
project.

The magicians sorteeing out in astral space to defend the ritual team are
unable to cast spells. That's fine since casting spells in astral space will
not knock you unconcious, it will kill you (drain in astral space is physical).

Why do they need an astral guide? Actually, that beats the hell out of me.

*******************************************************************************
* See Ya in Shadows * * "Trust No One." *
* Jason J Carter * Carter@***.EDU * The late Deep Throat *
* The Nightstalker * * The X-Files *
*******************************************************************************
Message no. 3
From: Darth Vader <j07c@***.UNI-BREMEN.DE>
Subject: Re: novice questions
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 16:23:57 +0100
> The magicians sorteeing out in astral space to defend the ritual team are
> unable to cast spells. That's fine since casting spells in astral space will
> not knock you unconcious, it will kill you (drain in astral space is physical).
> Why do they need an astral guide? Actually, that beats the hell out of me.

Well the astral guide idea is pretty nifty, the guide just picks up the
spell and delivers it via astral space (in a way) so you dont need any
ritual materials. Its the one thing that makes ritual casting bearable
if you ask me.

--
Strong am I with the Force... but not that strong!
Twilight is upon me and soon night must fall.
That is the way of things ... the way of the Force.

GCS -d+@ -p+(---) c+++ l++ u+++ e+ m++(-) s+/ !n(---) h*(+) f+ !g w+ t+ r++ y?
Message no. 4
From: Adam Getchell <acgetche@****.UCDAVIS.EDU>
Subject: Re: novice questions
Date: Fri, 8 Jul 1994 13:02:23 -0700
On Tue, 5 Jul 1994, Jason Carter, Nightstalker wrote:
>
> Why do they need an astral guide? Actually, that beats the hell out of me.

I always figured they needed someone to do the aura
synchronization, since it isn't LOS and the casting magicians can't do
it. Hence you need a guide, or a picture, or a peice of the target, or
something.
Note you need ONE of the above, not ALL. You can do Ritual Sorcery
with just a Symbolic Representation of the target, at +12 TN.

> * Jason J Carter * Carter@***.EDU * The late Deep Throat *

+-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|Adam Getchell|acgetche@****.engr.ucdavis.edu | ez000270@*******.ucdavis.edu |
| acgetchell |"Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability is in the opponent"|
+-------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Message no. 5
From: The Powerhouse <P.C.Steele@*********.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: novice questions
Date: Sat, 9 Jul 1994 14:48:54 +0100
In reply to Adam Getchell .....

> I always figured they needed someone to do the aura
> synchronization, since it isn't LOS and the casting magicians can't do
> it. Hence you need a guide, or a picture, or a peice of the target, or
> something.
> Note you need ONE of the above, not ALL. You can do Ritual Sorcery
> with just a Symbolic Representation of the target, at +12 TN.

Take care when using that rule, note that even the book says that it is
optional. There are better ways of fraggin the players if they really deserve
it, ritual sorcery sucks unless the players have been really stupid, I just
use it to make my players paranoid, but haven't actually sent a ritual sending
down on any of them yet .. :)

On way is to maybe limit symbolic representations to houngans and their ilk.

Phill.
--
Phillip Steele - Email address P.C.Steele@***.ac.uk | Fighting against
Department Of Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Political Correctness !
University Of Newcastle Upon Tyne, England |
Land of the mad Geordies | The Powerhouse
Message no. 6
From: "Jason Carter, Nightstalker" <CARTER@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: novice questions
Date: Sat, 9 Jul 1994 11:34:02 -0700
People, your misinterpeting me.

>On Tue, 5 Jul 1994, Jason Carter, Nightstalker wrote:
>>
>> Why do they need an astral guide? Actually, that beats the hell out of me.

Our novice pointed out that members of a ritual team are allowed to astrally
project outside of the ritual ccle during the ritual with no apparent affect.
She thus asked why do you need "Independent" astral guide when a memeber of
the ritual team could got off and do it for them.

I though that to be an interesting observation and had no reason why it would
not work.

*******************************************************************************
* See Ya in Shadows * * "Trust No One." *
* Jason J Carter * Carter@***.EDU * The late Deep Throat *
* The Nightstalker * * The X-Files *
*******************************************************************************

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