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Message no. 1
From: Sven De Herdt Sven.DeHerdt@***********.be
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 15:11:27 +0200
The runners in my group have shared lifestyles and share one
building/hide-out to live in. In order to secure the perimeters
magically they were considering in buying paranormal critters,
especially hell hounds and barghest.

They haven't actually contacted any of their contacts yet for this
purchase, but I am expecting it to happen very soon now, especially the
way things are turning out for them. I didn't found any clue in whether
paranormals are available at the market and what the street price would
be for such a creatures.

Anyone knows were to find the information or has any suggestion in
regards to this subject?

Sven :)

SRCG v0.2 SR1! SR2++ SR3++ h b++>+++ B>+ UB->++ IE+(-) RN+(-) dk++>+++
sa- ma++ sh++ ad+ ri+ mc- m+ gm+>++(+++) M-(+)
Message no. 2
From: Cybertroll cybertroll@******.crosswinds.net
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 16:17:37 +0300
Sven De Herdt wrote:

> Anyone knows were to find the information or has any suggestion in
> regards to this subject?
>
> Sven :)
>

One suggestion only... They should be highly illegal with a big street
index rating!

Cybertroll

--
E-Mail : cybertroll@********.gr
ICQ# : 7483400 but u have to beg to get my authorization!! :-)))
Homepage: http://www.crosswinds.net/athens/~cybertroll - WOA Photos!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do u really want to talk to me?? Come to #tavern in Othernet!
U'll find the servers in http://www.othernet.org or in
http://tavern.home.pages.de - the #tavern Homepage by Soth
Message no. 3
From: Strago strago@***.com
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 09:22:51 -0400
Sven De Herdt wrote:

> The runners in my group have shared lifestyles and share one
> building/hide-out to live in. In order to secure the perimeters
> magically they were considering in buying paranormal critters,
> especially hell hounds and barghest.
>
> They haven't actually contacted any of their contacts yet for this
> purchase, but I am expecting it to happen very soon now, especially the
> way things are turning out for them. I didn't found any clue in whether
> paranormals are available at the market and what the street price would
> be for such a creatures.
>
> Anyone knows were to find the information or has any suggestion in
> regards to this subject?
>
> Sven :)
>
> SRCG v0.2 SR1! SR2++ SR3++ h b++>+++ B>+ UB->++ IE+(-) RN+(-) dk++>+++
> sa- ma++ sh++ ad+ ri+ mc- m+ gm+>++(+++) M-(+)

Don't let them make that purchase. Period. That's BAAAAAAAADDD!

--
--Strago

SRGC v0.2 !SR1 SR2++ !SR3 h b++ B- UB- IE+ RN++ sa++ ma++ ad+ m+ (o++ d+)
gm+ M-
Message no. 4
From: Sven De Herdt Sven.DeHerdt@***********.be
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 15:26:13 +0200
> Cybertroll [SMTP:cybertroll@******.crosswinds.net] wrote:
>
> Sven De Herdt wrote:

> > Anyone knows were to find the information or has any
suggestion in
> > regards to this subject?

> One suggestion only... They should be highly illegal with a
big street
> index rating!

> Cybertroll

Any reason for that? I mean that most security corporations
offer similar security measures. Do these corporations bread them or do
they also buy them and then train them? (IMHO)Quite a few corporations
would have these measures of security and they had to get them
somewhere, the only question is whether the runners' contacts are
sufficient enough to deliver such a goods. I couldn't quite figure it
out, since I am still learning a lot in regards to background info,
therefore it would be nice to get some explanation on why this stuff
should be highly illegal.

Sven :)

SRCG v0.2 SR1! SR2++ SR3++ h b++>+++ B>+ UB->++ IE+(-) RN+(-)
dk++>+++ sa- ma++ sh++ ad+ ri+ mc- m+ gm+>++(+++) M-(+)
Message no. 5
From: Mockingbird mockingbird@*********.com
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 08:39:50 -0500
----- Original Message -----
From: Sven De Herdt <Sven.DeHerdt@***********.be>
To: <shadowrn@*********.org>
Sent: Friday, April 23, 1999 8:26 AM
Subject: RE: Question: paranormal security!?


> > Cybertroll [SMTP:cybertroll@******.crosswinds.net] wrote:
> >
> > Sven De Herdt wrote:
>
> > > Anyone knows were to find the information or has any
> suggestion in
> > > regards to this subject?
>
> > One suggestion only... They should be highly illegal with a
> big street
> > index rating!
>
> > Cybertroll
>
> Any reason for that? I mean that most security corporations
> offer similar security measures. Do these corporations bread them or do
> they also buy them and then train them? (IMHO)Quite a few corporations
> would have these measures of security and they had to get them
> somewhere, the only question is whether the runners' contacts are
> sufficient enough to deliver such a goods. I couldn't quite figure it
> out, since I am still learning a lot in regards to background info,
> therefore it would be nice to get some explanation on why this stuff
> should be highly illegal.
>
> Sven :)
>

Hi,
Corps have two things that runners don't. Number 1: Lisences. Lone
Star will issue lisences to people with acceptable need to leagal own
illegal things such as smartgun links, cyberspurs, automatic rifles,
gernade launchers, etc. Number 2: Megacorps were able to get international
acknowldegement (forget the legal term) for their land. In other words,
Renraku has the same leways on OFFICIAL Renraku property that Atzlan has on
embassy grounds (it is not considered UCAS property, the corporation sets
and enforces the laws, Lone Star can't follow a suspect onto corporate
property without permission, etc.)

Mockingbird
Message no. 6
From: Cybertroll cybertroll@******.crosswinds.net
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 16:49:30 +0300
Sven De Herdt wrote:
>
> Any reason for that? I mean that most security corporations
> offer similar security measures. Do these corporations bread them or do
> they also buy them and then train them? (IMHO)Quite a few corporations
> would have these measures of security and they had to get them
> somewhere, the only question is whether the runners' contacts are
> sufficient enough to deliver such a goods. I couldn't quite figure it
> out, since I am still learning a lot in regards to background info,
> therefore it would be nice to get some explanation on why this stuff
> should be highly illegal.
>
> Sven :)
>


Well imo Paranormal creatures aren't something that u meet all the time
in the streets or in the country side when u go for a stroll... They are
kinda rare and rare things cost... also they are lethal and lethal
things tend to be illegal.. Like guns for instance :-)
As for their origin u can create some kind of a corporation that breeds
them but it should be bloody difficult for a Runner to find a fixer that
has access to such stuff...

Cybertroll

--
E-Mail : cybertroll@********.gr
ICQ# : 7483400 but u have to beg to get my authorization!! :-)))
Homepage: http://www.crosswinds.net/athens/~cybertroll - WOA Photos!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do u really want to talk to me?? Come to #tavern in Othernet!
U'll find the servers in http://www.othernet.org or in
http://tavern.home.pages.de - the #tavern Homepage by Soth
Message no. 7
From: Lady Jestyr jestyr@*********.html.com
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 00:17:55 +1000
> Any reason for that? I mean that most security corporations
>offer similar security measures. Do these corporations bread them or do

*rofl* It must be the time of night... but I saw 'bread them' and
immediately thought of a nice crumbed Piasma schnitzel or something.

Hmm... new McHugh's item - Filet-O-Megalodon. The next big thing, perhaps?

(Damn do I need more sleep!)


Lady Jestyr

It might look like I'm doing | * Shadowrun Webring Ringmaster
nothing, but at the cellular | * Hibernator Extraordinaire
level I'm really quite busy. | * All-Around Superhero(TM)

* jestyr@*****.com | URL: http://www.geocities.com/~jestyr *
Message no. 8
From: Sven De Herdt Sven.DeHerdt@***********.be
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 16:41:54 +0200
> Lady Jestyr [SMTP:jestyr@*********.html.com] writes:
>
> > Any reason for that? I mean that most security
corporations
> >offer similar security measures. Do these corporations bread
them or do

> *rofl* It must be the time of night... but I saw 'bread them'
and
> immediately thought of a nice crumbed Piasma schnitzel or
something.

> Hmm... new McHugh's item - Filet-O-Megalodon. The next big
thing, perhaps?

> (Damn do I need more sleep!)

> Lady Jestyr

Sorry, I didn't re-check the spelling after writing it, it's
almost weekend over here and I just want leave work and go home.

It is kind a funny the way you put it, nice thinking. (it
should have been BREED of course).

Greetings,
Sven :)

SRCG v0.2 SR1! SR2++ SR3++ h b++>+++ B>+ UB->++ IE+(-) RN+(-)
dk++>+++ sa- ma++ sh++ ad+ ri+ mc- m+ gm+>++(+++) M-(+)
Message no. 9
From: Ereskanti@***.com Ereskanti@***.com
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 18:45:34 EDT
In a message dated 4/23/1999 8:11:59 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
Sven.DeHerdt@***********.be writes:

> The runners in my group have shared lifestyles and share one
> building/hide-out to live in. In order to secure the perimeters
> magically they were considering in buying paranormal critters,
> especially hell hounds and barghest.

Often a nice consideration.

> They haven't actually contacted any of their contacts yet for this
> purchase, but I am expecting it to happen very soon now, especially the
> way things are turning out for them. I didn't found any clue in whether
> paranormals are available at the market and what the street price would
> be for such a creatures.

There are *several* paranormal critters that are available in the world of SR
that are suitable for guard animals. The "paracanines" are a good group,
with Barghests, Hell Hounds and maybe even Bogie's (PAoNA) creating a nice
menagerie to choose from.

In our games, owning a Barghest is like owning any other animal, except that
due to it's paranaturality, the licensing is vastly more expensive that
say...a Rottweiler or Irish Wolfhound. We usually go for a base price equal
to the Body of the critter in 1,000's of nuyen for the license ship to own.
"Obedience" training also exists, and is honestly something best left up to
the GM. Admittedly, even our House Rules are slim in this area, as we've
paid anything from karma (and creating an anchoring with a "Animal Chat"
spell) to training using the various skills (like Animal Handling) that might
be appropriate.

> Anyone knows were to find the information or has any suggestion in
> regards to this subject?

As I said, the information is fairly slim in the books, even "the Grail" of
books (SB) doesn't contain much (if any) information on this topic.

Options to consider.

Any paranormal animal/critter that has an immediately apparent "mundane"
counterpart, could be trainable. This could range from Canines (see above),
to Falcons/Gyres/Kites (training a Blood Kite would be weird). Magic that
aids in communication or domination is also available, some of which is in
the book(s) now. Skills needed to perform the training would be the same as
for a mundane animal, but a trainer that is also capable of Astral Perception
(especially for the training of Dual Nature beasties) would be considerably
more expensive.

You *COULD* use the training costs for magical mentors that are in the books,
and treat the Body or Essence of the critter as the "force" of the spell in
this case. You could create some kind of opposed Willpower tests (use an
animals Body/Willpower average) in these cases. Certain animals might have
target modifiers (elephants, canines, monkeys) that would make it a tad bit
easier. Say an extra die for the training test for every point of
intelligence the animal has (IMO, an Elephant might qualify for 3 dice for
example).

There are no doubt loads of options, especially if you dig deep enough and
start to draw conclusions in parallel thought directions (such as the magical
mentoring applied to animal training example above).

As for other options with regards to Paranormal Security, the entire gamut of
options concerning Spirits could exist. This groups' favorite is to conjure
a spirit (elemental or nature being) and create a pre-freedom contract with
the being. "We'll set you 'free' if you agree to monitor this area of astral
space "x" hours a week/month/whatever in exchange for "Y" amount of
karma.
Skills like Etiquette (Astral) and Edges like Friends Abroad (Free Spirits)
might be considered in this case.

Additionally, Lodges can be very useful (hence our modified house rules on
HHH) for assisting in this case, and in theory a lodge can be quite large and
thereby encompass a large enough area to serve as a "hideout" for a group of
individuals.

Wards and Anchorings/Power Sites can also be arranged, but again, that could
take some considerable effort and/or resources.

-K (who thinks it's funny a topic like this comes up considering "the Dark
Tower" project that is going on in the games currently..."Security??? Oh,
well we thought hiding out in the Containment Zone would work, why do you
ask???" ;-)
Message no. 10
From: Neil Goodwin neil@***************.freeserve.co.uk
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 00:26:15 +0100
Sven.DeHerdt@***********.be said


>The runners in my group have shared lifestyles and share one
>building/hide-out to live in. In order to secure the perimeters
>magically they were considering in buying paranormal critters,
>especially hell hounds and barghest.
>
>They haven't actually contacted any of their contacts yet for this
>purchase, but I am expecting it to happen very soon now, especially the
>way things are turning out for them. I didn't found any clue in whether
>paranormals are available at the market and what the street price would
>be for such a creatures.
>
>Anyone knows were to find the information or has any suggestion in
>regards to this subject?
>
>Sven :)



What I would do is give the player the following info (Via
Contacts/shadowlands):

Hell hounds (etc.) are hard to breed in captivity. (Flushing eggs, IVF,
implanting into normal dogs (Do you want to separate a hell hound from it's
litter?)). Therefore it takes time and resources to produce more.


Therefore it's only corporations who can breed and sell paracritters with
the associated handlers/commands. (You could even have a DNA register of
all critters breed by such methods.)

Hell hounds are trained from a very young age by two methods:

1) Commands (aka pavlovs dogs): Return to kennel, attack all, patrol, roll
over and play dead. This is usefull as any security rigger can control the
paranormal critters. The weakness is that if someone captures the security
system, they have the commands for the hell hounds.

2) Personal trainer (ie. police dog and handler). One (or more) people train
a particular animal to respond to them. Advantages: more versatile as the
para critter is used to being handled by people and will follow more complex
commands. Disadvantages: only the people who have been present from a very
early age can control the critter.

This leaves the runners with a couple of options:

Aquire some adult pavlovs dogs with commands on the black market. (Hard to
get hold of, and may attack the runners/be controled by others.)

Aquire some young and train them as a group. This would take time (1-2
years), money to feed, and karma to bond/train the critters to each runner
(0.25 - 2 Karma per critter, per runner, per month?). I would make it even
more difficult to aquire young on the black market. The other option would
be to steal them from a kennels. (Which I'm sure would be very
challenging.....)


Basically, I would make the runners do a run on an isolated facility to get
the critters, then I would sting them for cash, karma, and time to train
them into good guard animals. You can also throw in charisma/animal handling
skill / spell tests to make it more difficult / varied. ( Then the critters
like one runner more than another.)

And the runners have to house train a hell hound :-)

Neil

P.S. Delurk
Message no. 11
From: Ereskanti@***.com Ereskanti@***.com
Subject: Question: paranormal security!?
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 21:45:52 EDT
In a message dated 4/23/1999 6:47:48 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
neil@***************.freeserve.co.uk writes:

>
> And the runners have to house train a hell hound :-)
>
This option can be a load of fun to play out. The barghest (Kray) that we
have had as an "NPC" here in the games recently had a litter. All those
little barghests running around can be quite annoying. Mercifully, time has
passed (almost two years actually since) and they're old enough now to be
able to communicated/handled well enough.

Of course, then there is the stories of Kray (no Kray, *don't* speak!!!!),
Buffy (Mimic this you damn snake!!!), Angel (who had to be given back before
he pulled an *Anaconda* scenario upon it's owner), Shamantyr
(rassumfrassumfrackumscrewumbiteemmaimum bird), Kenny (who's developed a
personality and a few weapons skills of his own) and the others....

-K

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