| From: | Bull bull@***********.com |
|---|---|
| Subject: | The Gamer Shaman |
| Date: | Thu, 04 Nov 1999 11:43:02 -0500 |
I finally wrote it up :]
Enjoy!
The Gamer Shaman
By Bull
+++++ [Originally posted to: "Awakenings: Magic In The Shadows"
Shadowland BBS]+++++
+++++ [Moved by: Capt. Chaos at 14:34:72 on 08-10-60]+++++
(>) Some stuff is a bit out of whack, even by our standards. Free speech
is the right of everyone, but sometimes, the information needs to be sorted
into it's own forum. Enjoy.
(>) Capt. Chaos
(>) Every now and then, someone learns THE TRUTH. It's rare, and it's
happened to only a couple of us on the entire planet. The good Captain is
searching for the truth behind everything, so he can post it to the
Shadowland boards. He's looking in the wrong place. The Lone Gunman
thinks he knows the truth. He only knows a half of it, and it's not the
half he thinks. Laughing Man thinks he knows the truth. Laughing Man
thinks he's the world's biggest secret. Not even close.
This document has the truth, knows the truth. You won't believe it.
Hell, you can't believe it, most likely. There's a reason for it, but
you'll have to figure that out for yourself. Enjoy, and if nothing else,
you may find this document amusing.
Sometimes it's good to laugh in the face of overwhelming Truth.
(>) Truth
(>) What the hell is this? Cap, thought you cleaned up nutballs like this?
(>) 150 Proof Reader
(>) Everyone has the right to be heard, so long as they behave.
(>) Capt. Chaos
So much of the world that we know of is a lie. Our lives, our loves,
our hopes, our dreams. Everything. None of it is our own, none of it is
our life. And so much of it lies with our past. In a manner of speaking.
(>) This making sense to anyone else? I sure can't make heads nor tails of it.
(>) X-Phile
In the late 20th Century, most of the world's greatest achievements,
and greatest works of modern creativity came into existence. There was a
movie, called "The Matrix", that was created around this time. In the
movie, the main character finds out that everything he believes is a
lie. Reality as he sees it is nothing more than a computer simulation, and
that somewhere, his body is hooked up and plugged into a machine that's
feeding him a virtual reality and sucking out electrical energy from his
body, using him as a battery.
I wish it was that simple.
(>) The Matrix? I bet someone got sued for copyright infringement.
(>) Legal Eagle
(>) Sort of.
(>) Truth
Another creation of the 20th century is something that barely exists
now, the Role Playing Game (RPG). Sure, there are thousands of computer
and trideo games that call themselves RPG's, but these don't even come
close to their originators, the Tabletop RPG.
(>) Hey, I've heard of these! Even played one once or twice. They just
can't come close to the VR experience though, ya know?
(>) Billy
In an RPG, you would create a character, give it a background,
personality, and a set of numbers that represented it's skills and
abilities. Several of your friends would do likewise, and another person,
called the Game Master, would create a game for you to play. In essence, it
was a little like Improv Acting while the GM acted like a computer or game
system, giving the players the story and controlling the enemies and other
characters that inhabited the game world.
(>) Kind of like a dragon, eh?
(>) Charizard
In 1989, a company called FASA, Inc. created a new RPG, capitalizing
on a relatively new genre of Fiction that had become popular, coined
Cyberpunk by a writer named William Gibson, one of the pioneers of the
field.. Since a couple of other RPG's had come out already, or were in the
works, that also utilized this Genre, the company needed a twist of some
kind to make the game unique and stand out. So they decided to take
Gibson's Cyberpunk and marry it to the classic Fantasy of J.R.R. Tolkien.
(>) Oh boy. I can already see where this is going. And I'm not so sure I
like the insinuation. Of course, it's all bogus, but it makes you think
for a second, eh?
(>) Bull
"The Best Ork Decker You've Never Met"
(>) Sure does, Bully-boy. Now hush and let me finish this thing.
(>) bull@***********.com
The result was an interesting and unique blend of the two worlds,
mixing futuristic technology of cyberware and megacorps with classic magic,
elves and dragons. And they named the game Shadowrun.
Yup, that's right boys and girls. Shadowrun. The name of the
activity that 90% of readers of these boards base our lives
around. Somewhere, 60 years in the past, some bored kid, or some college
kid, or whatever is running everything you do or say.
Or even worse, you're only an NPC. A Non-Player Character, a bit
player in the game or enemy to be eventually beaten or killed by the players.
(>) Sounds like you, Aurum!
(>) Mime
"Silence can kill"
(>) I should have never showed you how to access Shadowland! <grin>
(>) Aurum
"Silence is Golden"
It's frightening, isn't it? And as one of the few who know the truth,
and more importantly, believe in the truth, I have a heavy burden to
bear. But great power comes with the knowledge of the truth. And if you
can believe, really believe, then that power can be yours as well.
(>) I don't know WHAT to make of this drek. I guess belief defines the
Shamanic Tradition, but is this Shamanism, or Lunacy?
(>) Silicon Mage
GAME STATS
The Gamer Shaman is at once both the easiest and most difficult
character to play and roleplay. Because this character knows THE
TRUTH. That this is nothing more than a game, and that he is nothing more
than a piece of paper with some stats on it, that was created by you, the
player. And he has to live with the knowledge that his decisions are not
his own. And yet, he still has free action and free thought. Or does
he? This is where the difficulties lie.
How you play him is up to you. Is he a nut job? Does he really know the
truth? Either way, he follows the game rules as if it were the bible and
he were the most pious person in existence. He thinks in terms of stats,
and modifiers, and other game terms. His team mates and other major allies
are PC's, everyone else is an NPC. Have fun with it, go nuts. Just
remember to appease the GM, for he IS your god and master.
Bonuses: +2 Spell Pool, Karmic Bargaining*
Disadvantages: All spells require the Gamer Shaman have at least 1/2 his
Magic Rating in special D6's with him at all times. Should he lose too
many dice (A common occurrence, as all gamers know.), he will be unable to
cast spells until he replaces his dice. And since everyone knows Gamer's
like special and funky dice, these dice are similar in nature to reusable
fetishes (Though they confer no extra bonuses beyond allowing the gamer
shaman access to his magic and bonuses, and cost 1000 Nuyen each.
*Karmic Background -- The player may burn (permanently use) good karma in
one of several fashions:
* Good Karma may be burned in the same manner that Karma Pool is spent
(i.e. for Re-Rolls, etc.)
* One Good Karma may be spent to lower the Target Number of an action by
1. TN's may not be lowered below 2.
* One Good Karma may be spent to heal one full damage level when the wound
occurs. Karma may not be burned to heal any time later, though healing
Spells and the like still work on the Shaman.
--
Bull -- The Best Ork Decker You Never Met
bull@*******.net == bull22@***********.com == bull@***********.com
http://shadowrun.html.com/users/bull
ICQ: 35931890
====================================================== =
= Order is Illusion! Chaos is Bliss! Got any Fours? = =
======================================================
"Animals have 2 jobs: To taste good and to fit well."
-- Greg Proops, "Vs."
