From:	Phil Levis <pal@**.BROWN.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Extreme Essence Reduction (LONG)
Date:	Sun, 3 May 1998 20:46:27 -0400

On Sun, 3 May 1998, Wafflemeisters wrote:

> Why would they bother? If all he needs is a data jack, deltaware is
> probaly relaible enough to fuction as long as even that elf will live,
> and ANY essence loss will cause loss of a magic point. It would only be
> worht the trouble if you were crammingin a buch of cyber, and thus
> worried about keeping the essence cost total under 1, (or .85,for a
> safety margin) so as not to cause loss of MULTIPLE magic points. I know
> they see "essence preservation" as a religeous goal, but they are not
> SILLY.
>
> -Mongoose

Well, I think that this point steps into the bounds of distinctionsb
betweern what are OOC game mechanics which approximate the world, and its
actual workings. The discrete nature of Magic reduction with cyberware, I
would argue, is a rule, and not necessarily true in the world itself. From
an OOC standpoint, it makes little sense to spend all this trouble to
reduce the essence loss from a datajack; I'd argue that it would make a
tremendous deal of sense from the perspective of a character.

Let's take the elves of Tir na nOg as an example, or at least those that
fervently believe in the spiritual aspects of 'sacred essence.' Now,
admittedly, the addition of cyberware would not be a common occurance,
especially for the magically inclined. However, there are some things
which cyberware can achieve which no magic, as of yet, can. Hence my
example of the datajack.... there is no 'Enter Matrix' spell.

Let's take for granted that a certain follower of one of the Paths really
wants to have a datajack, either for intellectual, spiritual, or economic
reasons, or perhaps just interest. Especially for a spiritual belief so
steeped in the value and importance of magic, I'd find it strange for this
elf to make a decision along the lines of 'I might was well get
Delta-Grade cyberware because although there are methods which could
reduce the disruption of my aura and magical self in comparison, my magic
will still be the same due to the discrete nature of magical power.' For
them, it is a spiritual obsession; although that .05 essence difference
doesn't matter too much when it comes to game mechanics, it makes a
difference in their lives.

Try to make a correlation with Christian Science, if you will. (I myself
am not a Christian Scientist, and am not completely versed in the
religion's theology, so if I'm wrong, correct me) One of the aspects of
belief in Christian Science, as far as I understand it, involves the
refusal of modern medical techniques; instead, prayer and religious
methods are used. There have been Supreme Court cases involving charges of
parental negligence against Christian Scientists when a child has died
because they refused to take the child to the hospital, instead calling in
a spiritual healer. (It was ruled that they were not negligent, btw) Now,
I don't think a Christian Scientist would allow one medical procedure
which is more invasive than another due to the fact that they know that
'it won't affect my piety any more'.

Unless, of course, you decide that the world is governed by the rules, and
not that the rules attempt to model the world.

Phil