From:	Duke Diener <DukeDragon@***.COM>
Subject:	Re: Foci
Date:	Fri, 2 Jun 1995 17:16:58 -0400

Justin Pinnow asked about the cummulative nature of foci and thier
concealability when inactive.

IMHO foci are not additive. The description of foci says that their value is
added to the mages (appropriate) rating. So if you have a power foci 2 and a
power foci 3. You go to caluculate your magic rating, say a base of 5. You
add 2 to your base of 5 to get a 7 from the PF2, then you add 3 to your base
(because the power foci only work with your base rating not your effective
rating) and you get an 8. This may sound a bit chicken but we all know it
would be relatively easy and cheap to collect 8 power foci 1s, and I'm sure
no one wants a mage running around with a power foci 8 (effective) that he
didn't have to really earn (I wouldn't want one in my game period).

The answer to your second question is yes the inactive foci are visible
astrally, but as you correctly stated they cannot be used to ground spells
through.

The third part is a bit more interesting. I would have to say that yes they
would be visible otherwise by extrapolation you could say that I could mask
my own aura by completely covering myself with clothing and say a motorcycle
helmet with a reflective lens. Let's just say that the aura radiates around
the individual and the foci at a range that would be impossible to cover with
conventional cloathing.

After a little bit of thought that is how I would rule in my game and should
in no way indicate that someone who chose differently would be wrong.

Duke