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Message no. 1
From: Mark Steedman <M.J.Steedman@***.RGU.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Spellcasting : Magemask and similar restriants
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 13:52:19 GMT
Ray & Tamara writes

> > If not why Lone Star uses a Magemask (p. 102). It make the mage unable to
> > speak and see and they tie his hands not to move. In addition, there's a
> > white noise generator so that the mage can't concentrate. If all this
> > gesture/speaking was not involved in casting, Lone Star would not have
> taken
> > this method to arrest mages and shamans. I think.
>
> This is a very good point that I hadn't thought of. Take note people.
>
The fact that mage masks etc don't really stop someone spellcasting
is not going to stop lonestar using them. Magicians form around 1%
tops of the population so you can imagine the level of worry they
create in mundanes. If you had just arrested someone and the law said
you could put a mask over his head to stop him seeing his
surroundings and you had reason to suspect he might be able to fry
your brain by doing little more than looking at you what would you do?
And after a couple of reports of coppers being fried while trying to
get arrested magicians back to the cop station would you as citizen
be keen on any means of stopping a minority of the population killing
people like that? killing exactly the folks you trust to keep the law?
The law unfortunately tends to have to be worded to cope with the
worst case and the majority of the population would happilly go along
with what i just said.
Given all this is it any suprise they use mage masks. They don't hurt
the mage any and hancuffs are standard anyway. Sure they might not
stop the mage casting but it does make it a darn'ed sight more
difficult, and lack of vision considerably reduces his chances of
avoiding getting clobbered by officer friendlies stun batton while
trying to escape.

Mark
Message no. 2
From: "MARTIN E. GOTTHARD" <s457033@*******.GU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Spellcasting : Magemask and similar restriants
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 1997 00:06:29 +1000
> > > If not why Lone Star uses a Magemask (p. 102). It make the mage unable to
> > > speak and see and they tie his hands not to move. In addition, there's a
> > > white noise generator so that the mage can't concentrate. If all this
> > > gesture/speaking was not involved in casting, Lone Star would not have
> > taken
> > > this method to arrest mages and shamans. I think.
> >

Lone star uses the magemask because mages need line-of sight to their
targets. They use the hand restraints because they _really_ don't want a
pissed-off mage removing his mask.

Of course, that isn't going to stop the mage going astral, but any cop
that wears an active spell lock around a captured mage *deserves* to be
excised from the gene pool.

> Given all this is it any suprise they use mage masks. They don't hurt
> the mage any and hancuffs are standard anyway. Sure they might not
> stop the mage casting but it does make it a darn'ed sight more
> difficult, and lack of vision considerably reduces his chances of
> avoiding getting clobbered by officer friendlies stun batton while
> trying to escape.
>
Ummm, yeah; the LOS restriction is generally NEEDED to synchronise auras of
the target with the caster.

Manipulation spells don't need that since they travel through space, but
it's a bit moot.... As a GM i'd make that nasty Acid Bomb originate from
a point in space that the mage could see; Inside his mask.

The other possibility is dedicated touch-based spells; They could work
off an interlocking of the auras, and not need LOS. This includes death
Touch, but there are other spells that could be useful... I'm thinking
Touch Suggestion, and Touch Influence, minly becasue the fried corpse of
a cop can't help you remove that nasty magemask and cuffs.

As a GM i'd make sure that the spell was Restricted Range; Touch,
because it'd work differently (And be designed differently) to a general
LOS spell.

*grin* I'll have to remember these ideas if I ever play a mage.

Bleach
Message no. 3
From: Matb <mbreton@**.NETCOM.COM>
Subject: Re: Spellcasting : Magemask and similar restriants
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 1997 01:40:53 -0700
> Lone star uses the magemask because mages need line-of sight to their
> targets. They use the hand restraints because they _really_ don't want a pissed-off
mage removing his mask.

I'd be surprised if the Star didn't start applying these to all
arrestees.

Picture the scenario: Three mundane 'Stars on patrol catch a b/e in the
act. The perps try to make tracks; one of them (which?) lobs a
low-powered manabolt at Badge No. 21145. A short chase and lengthier
beating later, all the perps are subdued. Y'really think they're gonna
guess that *this* one's a mage and deserves the blind/helpless routine,
while the other two are fine in just 'cuffs?

'Bout the only flaw I can see (from being too close?) is that a pack of
three 'Stars should include a mage... well, maybe he had comp time or
something. That and maybe one of the crooks might have 'magical
paraphernalia' on him....

-Matt

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