| From: | Jani Fikouras <feanor@**********.UNI-BREMEN.DE> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Will a magic item work in the space? |
| Date: | Mon, 18 Sep 1995 12:30:24 +0200 |
> > be cast in the space, but how about a permanent magic item? After all,
> > there are karma points spent to create it, aren't they?
>
> I'd say it doesn't work. Shadowrun pretty clearly defines magical foci as
> being active links to the astral plane, which is how they get their power.
> Trouble is, the "etheric" astral plane (we're not talking about the
> metaplanes here) gets its energy wholly from the living matter of the
> earth. Leave the extent of the earth's "aura" and, poof, no more energy.
> Same goes for magic items, same goes for magical people.
>
> You'll note that the Shadowrun rulebook (and the Neo-Anarchist's Guide to
> Real Life) do not strictly SAY that magic and astral perception don't work
> outside the atmosphere -- they simply say you'll go insane if you try it.
> My guess at this is simply that extreme lack of energy. When the magician
> astrally perceives out there, he looks into all-consuming darkness and cold.
> Which, being all-consuming and the mage being a source of warmth and energy,
> quickly tries to consume him. The energy is "sucked" out of him by the
> vacuum, leaving his brain flash-frozen. Ouch.
>
> Most of what I said above is interpretation. I can't quote it at you out of
> a rulebook. I'd like to hear other interpretations; I'm sure there are
> lots of ideas out there.
Well thats what I thought until I read Hunter & Prey (by Tom Dowd). Its
a short story that describes how the insect spirits tried to murder Damien
Knight for all he has done to them (Ares Makrotech fights a private war
through Knight Errant with the pesky bugs).
So they send this fragging huge spirit that walks up to Damien and
tells him that "his about to get called home by the plumed serpent"
when Damien suddenly takes a different form (magically disguised double)
and kicks the spirits ass big time.
The spirit sez something about encountering other (meta)human magicians
wandering the metaplanes and devouring them in responce to a claim made
by the mage saying that he has spend time in a different place where magic
is much more difficult to work. Then the mage responds and sez that
he doesnt mean the metaplanes and that Ares "called him down" because
they feared that something like this might happen, then he comments
some more on how easy working magic is on earth and blasts the spirit
to oblivion.
Now (I could post the story for those of you who dont have it) the way
I see it Ares (they did buy Space Station Freedom from NASA) has low
earth orbit (LEO) staion(s) where they send magicians to train in
the manaless environment of space. This is roughly equivalent to
training with weights on your hands and feet, when you take the weights
off you can jump/run/move a lot faster and easier because your body
got used to the extra weight.
SO this means that magic is possible in space, possibly much more
difficult, but possible. What we know OTOH is that crossing the barrier
while engaged in magical activity can prove fatal.
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