| From: | bluewizard@*****.com (Steven A. Tinner) |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: True Bug Names (was Re: PhysAd equalizer?) |
| Date: | Sun, 15 Sep 1996 13:13:23 -0500 (EST) |
>
>> > As a side thread, all spirits have true names right? Has anyone
>> >thought of finding out the true name of insect spirits and trying to bind
>> >it? Imagine the possibilities in Bug City...
>
> Before I continue, let me clarify: by "spirits", I meant "free
>spirits"...
I thought so, wasn't sure though.
>> Oh, that's just wrong! :-)
Joke - note the :-) smiley?
>> I suppose that's possible, but I'd make it extremely dangerous.
>
> Which is it?
Both and neither :-)
>
>> After all, these are alien entities. They have less in common with
>> metahumanity than even "normal" spirits.
>
> What does commonality have to do with binding when dealing with
>astral beings?
For a mage? Probably nothing. For a shaman? IMHO a shaman sees spirits as
manifestations of the "TRUE" natures of "REAL" objects. Summoned
spirits are
reflections of the auras that shape them. ie. Hearth Spirits tend to closely
resemble humanity. From the myriad references FASA makes to the power and
inhumanity of the insect spirits, I've always trated them as a different
class of spirit.
I don't have a hard and fast game rule for this, it just seems logical.
Most wizards are used to a specific type of spirit, and their skills usually
reflect this. I'd impose some serious penalties for a wizard trying to bind
someting as unknown as a bug spirit.
>
>> Also, I would only allow queens to be summoned this way.
>
> How about the more powerful spirits like the soldiers and Mantids?
The soldiers don't truly have free will, so I probably wouldn't let them be
bound this way. Since they're a hive creature any weak/bound parts just get
cut off from the hive. As for the mantids, as someone else pointed out to
me, all female mantids are essentially queens, and the males usually aren't
alive long enough to matter :-)
>
>> Don't forget that free spirits can easily be angered by this type of
>> summoning, and will do their best to break free and harm the summoner.
>
> What's your point? Every free spirit gets angered when a person
>tries to bind it...
Not necessarily. If you consider a queen spirit free, then it has a specific
agenda. Someone summoning it to help it achieve that agenda isn't likley to
piss it off too much. I can't recall any rule that says ALL free spirits are
angered when summoned. Some Players, or Animus types might get a kick out of
the whole process and treat it like a game. Shadows would almost surely get
angry, but could concievably act calm so that they can mess the summoner up
later. :-)
>
>> I'd double (at least) the chances for a bug queen to do so.
>
> Why even bother? Their force plus spirit energy make this an
>almost impossible task to begin with...
The key word being ALMOST . . .
>
>> Or maybe I'd just have her consent to staicking around and have her do her
>> best to seduce the summoner and have him help start a new hive.
>
> Again, a great source for new adventures and role playing...
I like the way you think! :-)
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
"I don't care who he is, he's not touching MY chick!"
