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Message no. 1
From: "S. Keith Graham" <vapspcx@***.GATECH.EDU>
Subject: Psionic power source?
Date: Tue, 12 Jul 1994 19:34:55 -0400
Dumb question:

Do you want psionics to be "another form of magic", or
do you want them to be "another form of energy"?

The reason I ask, is that making a Psionic "a new kind
of mage, that has a different spell list" (and a couple
of other tweaks) is a radically different feel than
someone who uses "the power of their mind to do things",
specifically with neither they, nor their spells, ever travelling
through the Astral.

That would make Psionics a completely different tool/effect
in the Awakened world, as you'd need a different defense
against them than Astral Oversight, HOWEVER, the psionics would be
mage-bait as much as the average street sammy.

Since "Astral Travel" is more of a spiritual/magical thing
than "psionic", I'd be inclined to at least make it a whole
new ball of wax.

Keith Graham
vapspcx@***.gatech.edu

P.S. And the background would change, such that "some adepts
aren't actually magicians, but actually psionics, but unless
observed astrally, the effects are very simliar."
Message no. 2
From: "Robert A. Hayden" <hayden@******.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
Subject: Re: Psionic power source?
Date: Tue, 12 Jul 1994 20:19:41 +0100
On Tue, 12 Jul 1994, S. Keith Graham wrote:

> Do you want psionics to be "another form of magic", or
> do you want them to be "another form of energy"?

[...hum...whirrr...tinkle...clang...]

Yes...

> The reason I ask, is that making a Psionic "a new kind
> of mage, that has a different spell list" (and a couple
> of other tweaks) is a radically different feel than
> someone who uses "the power of their mind to do things",
> specifically with neither they, nor their spells, ever travelling
> through the Astral.

Well, there are two sides to this issue. The societal issue and the
rulebook issue.

From the standpoint of the rules, psionics would be very similiar to
magic, using rules that are nearly identical, but a seperate spell list.
This is for the sake of simplicity mostly, and the idea that there is no
reason to mess with something that is already working.

Now, fromt he standpoint of the role-playing side, psionics are similiar
to magic, and using Jai Tao's background, originally considered to be
magic. But, the source of the power is different, the mentality is
different, and the role-playing approach is different.

> That would make Psionics a completely different tool/effect
> in the Awakened world, as you'd need a different defense
> against them than Astral Oversight, HOWEVER, the psionics would be
> mage-bait as much as the average street sammy.

Well, one of the reasons originally I thought going with astral space for
psionics would be because it keeps things simple. There is no need to
designed a third realm of existence or none of that.

Now, there is an easy way to 'scientifically' justify it. Astral space
is a plane of energy, not matter. To enter astral, you project your
energy into it. When an astral being manifests, they do the opposite.
Psionics do something identical. The only difference, really, is what
you call it.

> Since "Astral Travel" is more of a spiritual/magical thing
> than "psionic", I'd be inclined to at least make it a whole
> new ball of wax.

*shudder* Seems over complicated. It's easy to justify melding the two.

> P.S. And the background would change, such that "some adepts
> aren't actually magicians, but actually psionics, but unless
> observed astrally, the effects are very simliar."

Yes. These adepts that were really psionics were probably termed
'untrainable' by their teachers and now they work dead-end jobs at the
Stuffer Shak

____ Robert A. Hayden <=> hayden@******.mankato.msus.edu
\ /__ -=-=-=-=- <=> -=-=-=-=-
\/ / Finger for Geek Code Info <=> I do not necessarily speak for the
\/ Finger for PGP Public Key <=> City of Mankato or Blue Earth County
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
(GEEK CODE 1.0.1) GAT d- -p+(---) c++(++++) l++ u++ e+/* m++(*)@ s-/++
n-(---) h+(*) f+ g+ w++ t++ r++ y+(*)
Message no. 3
From: Luke Kendall <luke@********.CANON.OZ.AU>
Subject: Re: Psionic power source?
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 1994 12:11:43 +1000
Robert A. Hayden wrote:

> Now, there is an easy way to 'scientifically' justify it. Astral space
> is a plane of energy, not matter. To enter astral, you project your
> energy into it. When an astral being manifests, they do the opposite.
> Psionics do something identical. The only difference, really, is what
> you call it.

This doesn't work, IMHO. The Astral Plane is a place of something which
is neither matter nor energy. It's emotions, truth, things like that.
Not stuff you can fit into E = mc^2. Physics is something which is
completely inappropriate to apply to Astral Space. You can only apply
physics when you start using Astral Space to interact with the physical
world.

Technology and magic are supposed to not mix. Humans provide the meeting
ground. Coming up with this sort of theoretical background goes deeply
against the spirit of magic.

> > Since "Astral Travel" is more of a spiritual/magical thing
> > than "psionic", I'd be inclined to at least make it a whole
> > new ball of wax.
>

> *shudder* Seems over complicated. It's easy to justify melding the two.

I still agree with this. Don't forget that hermetic and shamanic mages
are poles apart in their world views, and interpretation of how magic
works. I see the Psionicists as having no more a radically different
view than these two already are.

One last thing:

> Magic Psi
> --------- ----------
> No diciplines Must purchase disciplines (1)
> Incompatible with tech CyberPsionics
> Cannot be used off planet Can be used anywhere
> Societal Acceptance Misunderstood by Society (2)

In the rules, they state several times that mages and magic are generally
distrusted and not accepted. That's why, when your character has to go
into a hospital, it takes months to heal instead of minutes.

luke
Message no. 4
From: MILLIKEN DAMION A <u9467882@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Psionic power source?
Date: Mon, 18 Jul 1994 13:20:27 +1000
luke writes:

> In the rules, they state several times that mages and magic are generally
> distrusted and not accepted. That's why, when your character has to go
> into a hospital, it takes months to heal instead of minutes.

Isnt that because of the fact that they have to be extra carefull not to
damage your nervous sytem? So it gets a +2 mod? If the mod isnt take, you
heal just as fast as anyone else, only you might loose a point of magic.

Damion

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