From:	Luke Kendall <luke@********.CANON.OZ.AU>
Subject:	Re: Orbital Mages
Date:	Thu, 15 Jun 1995 22:58:46 +1000

> Charles KcKenzie wrote:
> >
> > Can a mage on an orbital station cast a spell?
> >
> No. He'd go mad. Contact with the Astral while outside the biosphere is
> BAD...

> > If yes, then can he (using optical magnification) target someone on earth?

Robert Watkins <bob@**.ntu.edu.au> wrote:

> Yes, he could.

> > If no, then is someone on an orbital station safe from ritual sorcery?

> Hmm... dunno. While the mage can't go into orbit, the spell might be able
> to... My gut feeling though is, yeah, they're safe.

Maybe you're thinking:

1) If mages on earth could spot satellites through telescopes, and
cast Ram with a ritual team, any Corp could knock down any other
Corp's satellite, including the manned ones.

2) Bad stuff is happening in astral space when you leave the biosphere.
Just looking astrally is mucho bad news. Going astral? Hah!
Forget it.

Now picture that poor, delicate bubble of astral energies, that
living entity in astral space, as it races through this
nightmare otherness on its way to the station.

In my opinion, the thing gets ripped apart. And if you want to
start anthropomorphising, then the thing probably suffers
horribly as it `dies'.

If I was the GM, I'd report to the player `a cold shiver runs up your
spine'. And if the spell was sustained, I'd add, `What's your
Willpower? Make a resistance roll, and tell me if you get any sixes ...'

luke