From:	Steve Kenson <TalonMail@***.COM>
Subject:	Re: Full of Life
Date:	Thu, 31 Jul 1997 09:29:07 -0400

"J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM> writes:
>The rules are understandable, NOT clear. In that form I completely agree
>with you. However, the concept of making a Passive Aura interactable on the
>Astral Plane opens to many doors for abuse, even if it is only for a single
>living thing.

Perhaps there is a misunderstanding of my proposal here, if so, I apologize.
Clarity is one of the goals I am going for. To restate:

I am IN NO WAY proposing astral forms have the ability to attack those
things/beings not present on the astral plane. A mundane is a mundane and is
invulnerable to astral attack. If anything, I would like to see LESS
interaction between the physical and astral planes.

What I am suggesting is making the division between "active astral form" and
"intangible mundane aura/astral shadow" more clear-cut and distinct.
Something either exists on the astral, affecting it and therefore subject to
astral attack in return, or it does not, is intangible on the astral but
likewise cannot affect astral things.

The whole dual-natured ivy thing is just this: the awakened plants act as a
Ward IN EVERY WAY. This means they have a Rating, which is used in astral
combat (against intruding astral projectors or spells cast their way). The
plants are dual-natured, therefore astrally active like a pereiving
character. The "spirit" or astral form of the plants IS aggressive and does
fight in astral combat. They don't just sit there waiting to be killed any
more than a ward (or any other type of astral barrier) does.

For example, a corp research building is protecting by a Rating 6 para-ivy
grown over its walls. An astral projector with Sorcery 6 flys up and tries to
pass through. The ivy attacks. Both sides roll Astral Combat Tests using
their dice vs. TN 4. If the ivy gets more successes, it does combat damage
like a Barrier, or 6M, if the projector wins, his successes reduce the ivy's
Rating. If the projector wins the combat (ie, reduces the ivy's Rating to 0)
he is able to pass through, but "the barrier remains intact against all other
intruders." (SRII, "Barriers," p.147) just like a normal astral barrier.

If you want to prevent astral intrusion entirely (like ivy does in the
present system) just give the para-ivy ward a Rating of something like 12 or
more and tell the projector that when they assense the barrier. It would be
suicide to try breaking through it. If they still want to try, they deserve
what they get.

In my proposal, the same example is true with FAT Bacteria, alchemically
prepared concrete, wards, active hermetic circles, medicine lodges or any
other type of astral barrier. They all work the same.

Steve