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Message no. 1
From: Rob Hudson r_hudson2@*****.msn.com
Subject: Toxic Villain Questions
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 17:58:59 -0600
While reading through 'New Seattle' I happened across the reference to a
[presumably] toxic magician who lived in/around a leaky, abandoned nuclear
reactor in the wilds of the Barrens and started to wonder about that.
Especially when one of the 'shadow commentators' suggested he was summoning
unusual spirits there. I know in advance my group's going to think the idea
stinks, but I'm thinking of involving them with him on an ongoing basis as a
recurring villain for a bit.

Since you guys are the best sources I know for ideas on the game... here's
what I'm looking for suggestions on:

1) Should he be a toxic shaman, or a toxic mage [or whatever they're called
now]?

2) If he's a shaman, what kind of spirit do you get at a leaky reactor? Some
kind of modified Toxic Earth Spirit? Modified how?

3) If he's a mage, it's even more offbeat. Is he calling up 'Radiation
Elementals?' What would they be like if he was?

4) In either case, I'm thinking of him using a Damaging Manipulation
spell-set that's unique. What kind of suggestions do y'all have for the
'Radiation' Elemental Effect?

Looking forward to the ideas!

Rob Hudson
Message no. 2
From: GMPax@***.com GMPax@***.com
Subject: Toxic Villain Questions
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 19:05:47 EST
In a message dated 3/23/99 6:54:45 PM Eastern Standard Time,
r_hudson2@*****.msn.com writes:

> 1) Should he be a toxic shaman, or a toxic mage [or whatever they're called
> now]?

Shaman; for why, see the next answer. :-)

>
> 2) If he's a shaman, what kind of spirit do you get at a leaky reactor?
Some
> kind of modified Toxic Earth Spirit? Modified how?

Toxic City Spirit, IMO. Nuke reactors are about as "city" as you can get.
And, a BROKEN Nuke Reactor throws the TOXIC into the mix. <g>

>
> 3) If he's a mage, it's even more offbeat. Is he calling up 'Radiation
> Elementals?' What would they be like if he was?

Hm. Toxic Fire Elementals; many science fiction sources have described
radiation as a "strange fire" ...

Or you can borrow from the Books of Swords: Demons were, in essence, Radiation
Elementals. Kind of. :-) Would be interesting, neh? Toxic Fire (the core
itself), Toxic Water (the contaminated coolant water), Toxic Air (duh ;-), and
toxic Earth elementals (the fuel rods, or the now irradiated containment
vessel and structure itself), are all possibilities. However, a Toxic Fire-
Aspected Hermetic mage would be interesting. <g>

>
> 4) In either case, I'm thinking of him using a Damaging Manipulation
> spell-set that's unique. What kind of suggestions do y'all have for the
> 'Radiation' Elemental Effect?

Radiation? Hmm. Every wound of M (Physical) or S/D (Stun) causes a
corresponding L (stun), PERMANENTLY or until treated/healed by magical or
advanced medical means. Every wound of S/D (Physical) causes the same effect,
but the permanent wound is L (Physical).

I think that might be a decent, quick-and-dirty way to represent the slow
wasting of radiation sickness.

Alternately, whenever a wound of S or better gets through to the character,
they lose one point of attribute ratings: any of them will do, let it be the
GM's choice, but never the same attribute twice in a row. Once per three
losses should be a decent cap.

B or S we can all easily see (weaker, less healthy, etc). C, well, hair loss,
sores on the skin, etc. W, fatigue from permanent damage to the marrow, and
thus less blood FOREVER. I, direct neural damage.

And of course, you can always "fudge" a cancer or three.

Chemsuits which are Radiation-proofed, should increase the needed damage
threshhold by one level, i.e. from S to D, for the elemental effect to happen.
:-)

>
> Looking forward to the ideas!
>
> Rob Hudson

Sean
GM Pax
Message no. 3
From: NightRain nightrain@***.com.au
Subject: Toxic Villain Questions
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 13:37:18 +1000
> -----Original Message-----
> From: shadowrn-admin@*********.org
> [mailto:shadowrn-admin@*********.org]On Behalf Of Rob Hudson
> Sent: Wednesday, 24 March 1999 9:59
>
>
> 1) Should he be a toxic shaman, or a toxic mage [or whatever
> they're called
> now]?
>

Hermetics can't be toxic. Their magic is not linked to the well-being of
the land or astral space or any other domain as shamans are.

NightRain.

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Message no. 4
From: Ereskanti@***.com Ereskanti@***.com
Subject: Toxic Villain Questions
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 23:25:34 EST
In a message dated 3/24/1999 10:34:40 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
nightrain@***.com.au writes:

>
> Hermetics can't be toxic. Their magic is not linked to the well-being of
> the land or astral space or any other domain as shamans are.

That must be the comment made by some during the conversations in the various
shadowtalks about "shaman's not knowing what they doing"...


-K
Message no. 5
From: Patrick Goodman remo@***.net
Subject: Toxic Villain Questions
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 23:20:14 -0600
>That must be the comment made by some during the conversations in the
>various shadowtalks about "shaman's not knowing what they doing"...

K, are you really back or are you just teasing?

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 6
From: Mongoose m0ng005e@*********.com
Subject: Toxic Villain Questions
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 02:04:11 -0600
:> Hermetics can't be toxic. Their magic is not linked to the well-being
of
:> the land or astral space or any other domain as shamans are.
:
:That must be the comment made by some during the conversations in the
various
:shadowtalks about "shaman's not knowing what they doing"...
:
:
:-K


In any event, there has nevr been anything stopping the GM from saying
a particular hermetic NPC was attuned to toxic magic, and could use
certain toxic areas as powe sites. That would make them work pretty much
like toxic shamns, though maybe not quite as nasty.
I would not suggest using "toxic elementals", though elementals not
troubled by the toxic areas bacground count might be appropriate if you
used the above idea. Those could be rather nasty if they were great form,
and could dirrect and control the motion of various toxic subastances
(water greatform elemental control in toxic area = firehose of acidic
sludge...). You might similarly add side effects from thier "engulf" and
similar powers; normally elementalts are supposed to be pure
manifestations of thier element.

But yes, dollars to donuts, the guy in "New Seattle" is a Toxic
Shaman, though probaly of some odd sort; either he proably has unique
magical allies and powers. MITS should be enough to give plenty of ideas
in that vien, once it comes out. You'd also want the mutant / toxic
critters rules from the SR3 gm screen, and consider using any old spirit
creature, with toxic spirit modifications, if you really want to kill all
the PC's. If you have Ti na Nog, consider that maybe he can conjure toxic
versions of "spirits of the firey firmament"- they look and act rather
like fire elementals, so it might add to the confusion.
Even a "garden variety" toxic shamn could be a powerful recurring arch
nemeisis, if intellegently used. The description ing "The Grimoire" makes
them powerful as is; if he makes good use of metamagic, even a magically
competant team can have a really hard time dealing with a toxic shaman.

Mongoose
Message no. 7
From: B. Blackbarin BillT@*********.com
Subject: Toxic Villain Questions
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 13:01:37 -0800
On 3/25/99 Mongoose wrote:

> In any event, there has nevr been anything stopping the GM from saying
> a particular hermetic NPC was attuned to toxic magic, and could use
> certain toxic areas as powe sites. That would make them work pretty much
> like toxic shamns, though maybe not quite as nasty.
<snip>
>
> But yes, dollars to donuts, the guy in "New Seattle" is a Toxic
> Shaman, though probaly of some odd sort; either he proably has unique
> magical allies and powers.

I actually used this to throw a curve at my players who had read "New
Seattle". The word on the street was that the guy was a toxic shaman, but
when the runners got out to the site, he was a heretic mage using the
background radiation as part of his conjuring ritual. Not exactly kosher,
but it was fun. Especially after the run when the characters had to
figure out how to decontaminate their weapons and equipment.

------------------
.sig on .vacation

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