| From: | Ereskanti@***.com Ereskanti@***.com |
|---|---|
| Subject: | True Names (Re: Control spells and Spirits) |
| Date: | Sun, 30 May 1999 05:18:48 EDT |
dghost@****.com writes:
>
> >IMHO, any attempt to do so would automatically break the spell, or *at
> the
> >very least* grant another resistance test, as if the caster ordered a
> human
> >subject to commit suicide. A free spirit's entire SURVIVAL is tied up in
> its
> >True Name, even magic can't pry it from them easily.
>
> What about Mind Probe?
Okay Folks, after some diggings that I did a *LONG* time ago, it would be
advisable for anyone and everyone who is planning on using the concept of
"True Names" in their game to pay attention.
The original writers of the Magic system for Shadowrun based the concept of
"True Names" upon very old beliefs that themselves stem as far back as the
pre-Egyptian time sakes. The Hebrew texts (the really old ones) also contain
information on this subject.
When a being is born, it's "True Name" (as we call it in the game) is a name
that is whispered to the spirit by the God Almighty (in one text, Vishnu
keeps the list of all the names). This concept is shared in no fewer than 15
belief systems throughout the world (albeit, I have problems retracing the
concept of Christianity/Catholocism with regards to this topic). This name
is something that the deepest, unknowing, spirit knows. It is something that
the spirit will never tell it's worldly coil. For the worldly coil itself is
not capable of understanding the depth of meaning that the name itself
confers.
It is not something that a being consciously knows unless that being
(presuming the being is even capable of doing so here) actually goes and
tries to find out what his/her/its "True Name" or "Secret Name" is.
In other
words, even though MitS is now out, and SR3 magic has been redone to certain
extents, the concept of the "True Name" is still static. It is not, in
either my own opinion, or the opinion of the original writers, something that
is *known* to each and every person. Mind Probe is NOT going to do crap in
getting the information out of a being, *UNLESS* that individual has done the
research and found out what their "True Name" is.
True Name research is a Quest, Quest of Knowledge, and one that is stunning
to gain the concept and grasp of in Game Mechanics. In addition, beyond the
SR usage of True Names with regards to Free Spirits, the True Name idea is
readily a function that would be usable in Ritual Magic against *ANY* target,
basically IMO, counting the same as having a blood/tissue sample of the
individual of the freshest kind.
Just uttering the True Name of a Free Spirit (mundane or magical speaker) can
gain the attention of the being in question. However, the ability of that
being whose name is being spoken to actually hear the name is a matter of
Presience of that being. For instance, though I consider myself an open
minded individual, were Alfredo to say my True Name where he lives, it is not
likely that I am going to hear him. However, were I "Wolf Totem", and
someone learned my True Name and spoke it aloud, then it is *very* likely
that I would searching out whomever it is that is babbling such.
With the invent of "Avatars" in SR3/MitS, this concept can, and likely *will*
go a long way eventually.
How easy is learning a True Name? That entirely depends on your view of the
game mechanics and it's overall cosmology. For a Free Spirit, the target
number is the being's Force (+ Spirit Energy IIRC). And once you learn it,
you gain the ability to conjure/call the being as well to banish it or even
permanently destroy it's presence in the Multiversal Continuum.
Learning the True Name of a "being" would always be strong. IMO, the target
number would be the being's Essence attribute, + *ANY* modifiers to this
target number. For instance, if a being had a 3.4 essence, I would make the
target number a "9", simply because of the damage done to the Essence is
somewhat reflective of the clarity of the True Name (to some extent, the
"True Pattern" in ED) as it reflects upon the universe. Additionally, for
Magicians, the GoI would be an additional modifier as well. Optionally, one
could create a "Threshold" that would need to be exceeded equal to the above
to forces/considers (essential adjustment or GoI). The "severity" of the
Quest itself is an "S" I believe in MitS, but in the home games here, we use
it as a "D", because it is generally viewed that the Quests are rendering
such potentially devastating knowledge that it warrants this kind of
danger/threat to the researcher.
Can you learn a being's True Name via "mundane methods?" According to some
belief structures, yes. Their is a system using numeric dispensation that
existed in the post-Babylonian stuff that supposedly could do this using
specific information that one would have to have (the year of the person's
birth, their day, the birth days of the parents, the "number" of their
astrological sign, etc...). In general, this would be INCREDIBLY resource
intensive, and IMO, for the purposes of SR, would require a Magical Theory
Library whose rating was at *least* twice the target number in question/under
scrutiny. It would also likely take weeks to months, or even longer, using
Mundane methods. On the "UP" side to this method, it's just time consuming,
not life threatening... ;-P
The whole concept of True Names, if taken to longer, more far reaching ends
as so much of the world would give consideration towards, would vastly change
the way a game was being played out. In all honesty, unless you are playing
in a more "experienced" group IMO, True Names should *NEVER* go beyond the
idea as a tool for gaining an edge over a particularly annoying/plot
centralized Free Spirit.
Do we use them? Oh HELL YES WE DO!!! If for no other reason, to increase
the threat levels that can occasionally show up. It's like the final, "this
spell has your name on it" theory in action.
What kind of benefits do we give to research of this nature, if any, beyond
Ritual Magic levels??? Plenty....
Will I mention them??? Maybe later....
-K (go look at Enchanting, Quality Ratings, and such at HHH and you'll get
some idea of what we do)
