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Message no. 1
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Nivek Sregor)
Subject: Technomancy
Date: Tue Aug 28 23:25:01 2001
I don't know if anyone remembers but I recall a certain post called "interface"
from a while back. Someone had the idea to make a spell that would allow a mage to deck
in without a data jack. I believe we all agreed that that was a little too powerful.
However, for some reason, it hit me the other day. What if "interface" were a
metamagical technique instead? I read through; magic in the shadows, man & machine,
matrix, and digital web 2.0 (Mage: The Ascension) for ideas. Digital web 2.0 talked
about projecting your avatar (your aura in this case, but that doesn't mean thats how it
would be done in Shadowrun) into the Net. In man & machine I looked up cybermancy,
which helped me come up with some ideas and the name, TECHNOMANCY! In Matrix I looked up
Otaku and some of their ideologies. Last, I looked through Magic in the shadows for
further reading into the subject. I know this still sounds pretty powerful and wrong, but
I don't see any reason why it couldn't be feasible. Plus, starting characters couldn't
have it to begin with and you're not gonna learn it unless you make an astral quest or
someone teaches you (that's if you know it exists). Now I could come up with some story
about maybe some mage who joined up with an otaku tribe, became an otaku through some form
or another (AI...), maybe partook upon an astral quest to learn it, maybe the mage
possessed an otaku, etc. I don't care what the story behind it is, I just want to know if
there is any reason why it couldn't be possible, except maybe you think its too munchkin,
and even at that you could limit it or something? I don't think any book has yet to
explain the deep resonance yet, so there could be something "magical" to the
matrix afterall. Any ideas and opinions would be great. I apologize if this was a bit
long, & thank you.
--

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Message no. 2
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Damion Milliken)
Subject: Technomancy
Date: Wed Aug 29 02:55:13 2001
Nivek Sregor writes:

> TECHNOMANCY! In Matrix I looked up Otaku and some of their ideologies.
> Last, I looked through Magic in the shadows for further reading into the
> subject. I know this still sounds pretty powerful and wrong, but I don't
> see any reason why it couldn't be feasible.

Not knowing anything about otaku whatsoever, it sounds like as good an
explanation for their abilities as any, to me.

I'd more closely link the metamagic to otaku abilities and the deep
resonance (like, say, have the magician go on an astral/matrix quest to find
the deep resonance, or whatever).

I personally don't like mixing magic and tech too much, but the otaku are
already just about "magic" deckers anyway, so I don't see too much of a
problem with this.

--
Damion Milliken University of Wollongong
Unofficial Shadowrun Guru E-mail: dam01@***.edu.au
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Message no. 3
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Marc Renouf)
Subject: Technomancy
Date: Wed Aug 29 09:15:01 2001
On Wed, 29 Aug 2001, Damion Milliken wrote:

> I personally don't like mixing magic and tech too much, but the otaku are
> already just about "magic" deckers anyway, so I don't see too much of a
> problem with this.

...which is why is despise the very concept of otaku.

Marc Renouf (ShadowRN GridSec - "Bad Cop" Division)

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Message no. 4
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Keith Duthie)
Subject: Technomancy
Date: Wed Aug 29 09:15:03 2001
On Wed, 29 Aug 2001, Damion Milliken wrote:

> Nivek Sregor writes:
>
> > TECHNOMANCY! In Matrix I looked up Otaku and some of their ideologies.
> > Last, I looked through Magic in the shadows for further reading into the
> > subject. I know this still sounds pretty powerful and wrong, but I don't
> > see any reason why it couldn't be feasible.
>
> Not knowing anything about otaku whatsoever, it sounds like as good an
> explanation for their abilities as any, to me.

Repeat after me: "Not everything unexplained is magic."

> I personally don't like mixing magic and tech too much, but the otaku are
> already just about "magic" deckers anyway, so I don't see too much of a
> problem with this.

The otaku are a bunch of weirdos who don't need decks. They're about as
magical as Deus.

Quite frankly, connecting to a deck without a datajack is called an
electrode rig (or 'trode rig, for short). If you want to do this sort of
thing with a spell, then base it on mindlink and up the target numbers
and drain to reflect the fact that a) you have to translate into
computer-speak, b) it's got to be physical, and c) it's going to be a
manipulation spell.
--
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change ready.
http://users.albatross.co.nz/~psycho/ O- -><-
Message no. 5
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Nivek Sregor)
Subject: Technomancy
Date: Wed Aug 29 17:15:01 2001
I realize that a mage could use a trode jack. With that you could just create a spell
with a target number of 6 or more, but it would be kinda hard to deck if you take damage
from the drain and it messes you up completely. Then you may as well spend the small cred
just to buy the trod jack. Not to mention the necessity of a cyberdeck. What I was
getting at was the idea of "projecting" yourself into the matrix. If you read
the 2 paths of the otaku you'll find that the cyberadepts view of the matrix is highly
similar to that of hermetic mages view of magic and likewise for technoshamen and shamen.
Which is pretty much the same for everyone else. Your view of reality is your reality.
Not to mention we have electromagnetic fields just like everything else, so why not be
able to interface with the matrix? This is why I think it would be a metamagical
technique. Still, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
--

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Message no. 6
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Keith Duthie)
Subject: Technomancy
Date: Thu Aug 30 01:55:05 2001
On Thu, 30 Aug 2001, Nivek Sregor wrote:

> for everyone else. Your view of reality is your reality. Not to mention
> we have electromagnetic fields just like everything else, so why not be
> able to interface with the matrix? This is why I think it would be a
> metamagical technique. Still, any suggestions would be greatly
> appreciated.

First of all, metamagical techniques deal with magic. The Matrix and
Otaku are not magical. Secondly, read the Posting Guidelines, specifically
the "Column Width" paragraph.

And remember, it's not a metamagic if it doesn't deal with magic.
--
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change ready.
http://users.albatross.co.nz/~psycho/ O- -><-
Message no. 7
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Nivek Sregor)
Subject: Technomancy
Date: Thu Aug 30 16:55:00 2001
>First of all, metamagical techniques deal with >magic. The Matrix and Otaku are not
magical. >Secondly, read the Posting Guidelines, specifically >the "Column
Width" paragraph. And remember, it's >not a metamagic if it doesn't deal with
magic.

It deals with magic in magically interfacing with the matrix. Besides, this is shadowrun,
how do you know that the matrix has nothing to do with magic. The metaplanes could really
be a hallucination for all we could know, it even says it in the book. The technoshamen
believe there are spirits in the matrix. I realize that the capabilities wouldn't be
quite the same. Maybe be a ghost in the machine or something. I also said earlier that
in theory you could do it because every thing has an electromagnetic field, including
humans. I don't see why you can't just manipulate them through a computer. Remember,
this is metamagic, not a spell, it has greater capabilities.
--

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Message no. 8
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Wolfchild)
Subject: Technomancy
Date: Thu Aug 30 18:25:01 2001
At 03:50 PM 8/30/01, you wrote:
>>First of all, metamagical techniques deal with
>>magic. The Matrix and Otaku are not magical.
>>Secondly, read the Posting Guidelines, specifically
>>the "Column Width" paragraph. And remember, it's
>>not a metamagic if it doesn't deal with magic.
>
>It deals with magic in magically interfacing with the matrix.

I think what he meant was that metamagical skills deal for the most part
with improving an existing magical ability. Reflecting/Shielding are based
on spell defense, Anchoring/Quickening are based on enchanting,
Cleansing/Invoking/Possessing are based on purely the astral, and
Masking/Divination are improved versions of existing spells or spell
categories. The idea of a magical matrix interface would certainly use
magic -- I don't think there is any question there -- but the activity it
is based upon is not inherently magical in nature. Having said that you
could certainly design a spell (or combo of spells) that allow the
magician to "project" into the matrix. The spell will have high target
numbers and be generally useless. However once that is done a metamagical
technique could be developed that improves on that existing spell. Simple,
no?

Wolfchild - "Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc"
--
"There are nights when the wolves are silent
and only the moon howls." -George Carlin
Wolfchild <nathan.olsen@*******.msus.edu>

Further Reading

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