From:	Mark Steedman <M.J.Steedman@***.RGU.AC.UK>
Subject:	Re: Full of Life
Date:	Thu, 31 Jul 1997 16:35:01 GMT

Steve Kenson writes

> I would like to remove the "immovable object" problem from astral space. As
> it stands now, there are 3 types of astral things: astral forms (which can
> interact), auras (reflections of material things, which show information, but
> a non-tangible) and living beings, which can block and affect astral
> movement, but cannot in turn be affected from the astral.
>
> But wait! you cry. What about astral security? Actually, it doesn't change
> much. You just need to make a small adjustment. Instead of covering the walls
> of a corp facility with normal ivy to create an astral barrier, say there is
> an Awakened strain of ivy that is dual natured, forming a natural Astral
> Barrier. The difference is, now you can fight the barrier in astral combat to
> break through it like you would any other.

>
> Thoughts?

I forsee some problems.
I rather liked the fact that ivy covered building offered mundanes a
fairly effective and totally astral magician proof method of
protection, it gives the non magicians a chance against something
they cannot detect, the astral mage spying mission is a very powerful
information gatehring technique which if you are not careful mundanes
have absolutely no defense against. The problem with making the
things dual is even if you ban grounding area effect spells (one of
the few things that discourages unmasked spell locks because of risk
of the whole team going up to one fireball) mundanes no longer have a
mage proof defense which they do now though its sufficiently awkward
to use that it remains rare.

The other problem someone mentioned is masked intiates become easy to
find, just try flying through them, the guy who looks normal but you
cannot fly through is masking astral connections. Clever mages can
actually already do this, the detect magic spell will find thier
locks even if you cannot see them :) but it does become easier.

I can see the advantages over FAB though i have followed the 'when
all else fails and the mage gets trapped rule it as if the object hit
his physical body, nets drape over (assuming he hits something firm
otherwise they just push him asside) but 10ton weights coated in FAB
create mage pancake on hitting the ground, result being red teammates
when astral repercussion sets in, yuck. The other answer to FAB is
simply to say things either 'are plants rooted in the soil', 'mouse
plus sizes animals' or are too small to matter, nothing capable of
floating in the air counting as blocking astral movement.

On this matter, oricalcum. I have rated this as not dual but blocking
movement the same as plants do... ?? which allows a few really neat
tricks the corp sec handbook doesn't cover.

Mark