| From: | sfeley@*****.com (Stephen Eley) |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Legal Magic |
| Date: | Tue, 16 Aug 2005 11:52:46 -0400 |
>
> I'm looking (hastely I might add) through the SR3 book and seeing nothing on
> limitations on magic. I'm not talking starting limits, I'm talking legal
> limits. I remember reading how in game terms, all spells, unless
> registered, over a Focus of 4 are illegel (except for Mind Probe which is
> ALWAYS illegel).
>
> Who does one register with and what would be the process?
> Any thoughts?
That's a nifty question. My off-the-cuff take on it would be that
there is no process for individuals. Casting of high-Force spells is
usually illegal unless you're a member of law enforcement, a megacorp
(for whom laws don't apply anyway), academic faculty (who'd be
monitored by the institution), or a union member of an industry that
needs those spells (e.g. the movie business and illusion spells). In
each of those cases, the group you're a member of has negotiated to
get permission for you, and if you cast the spell outside of the
approved context, you can probably still get arrested.
This would also be true for most low-Force spells as well, although
the penalties might be lower and there may be more approved uses. If,
however, the spell was used in the commission of another crime, you
can be prosecuted as if the spell was high-Force regardless. (Using
Control Emotions to get laid is rape, whether you cast the spell at
Force 1 or Force 8, and good luck getting sympathy from a jury.)
Now, that all only applies to casting. There's no way to prove
whether or not someone *knows* a spell unless you see them cast it
(and even then you'd need testimony from a trained mage), so simply
knowing a spell can't be illegal. Possession of high-Force hermetic
spell formulae might be illegal as well, and you may need a license
for high-level hermetic libraries, but in most cases these would be
misdemeanors. They'd most often be used as supporting evidence at the
felony trial if you're caught casting that spell.
Shamans are safer, BTW. In practical terms it doesn't matter whether
shamanic formulae are illegal, because most investigators wouldn't
know what the hell they were looking at, and it's very hard to find a
shaman willing to testify and tell them. ("So I got some owl feathers
tied to a crystal. So what? Are owls illegal now? Maybe I was gonna
shoot light through the crystal, make an unlicensed spectrum? What's
the problem here, officer?")
...Oh, by the way, hi everyone. I was on this list many years ago.
I'm pulling out my dusty SR3 to start a new campaign, so I thought I'd
resubscribe. It's great to see Gurth's still around, and still Gurth.
>8->
--
Have Fun,
Steve Eley (sfeley@*****.com)
ESCAPE POD - The Science Fiction Podcast Magazine
http://www.escapepod.info
