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Messages - Stephen

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1
DFRPG / Re: What is and isn't a Lawbreaker?
« on: August 05, 2010, 06:41:24 AM »
Hi Ophidimancer

I made the list up after thinking about what lawful actions, if any, a neuromancer might be allowed to do.
Stephen

I'm confused, is this a list of things that are allowed or disallowed?

First, Its not anything official. It represents the guidance and training given to any apprentice neuromancer in my DGRPG about the acts a neuromancer might be allowed to do.
Stephen

I would think that using magic to affect a person's senses is not a violation of the law, since you are not reading their thoughts or removing their free will. The person still has their free will, its just that their senses may not be telling them what they might normally (like a complex veil, or any of the mundane methods to impair someone's senses).

Mostly correct but beware of totally controlling a person's senses in a way that totally constrains their thoughts, feelings or actions, it could lead to lawbreaking or warden induced head removal.
Stephen


Quote from: Stephen on August 01, 2010, 02:34:58 AM
Magic used to read or affect human Thoughts and Beliefs is unlawful.
Magic used to read or affect human Desires and Motivation is unlawful.
Nyarlathotep5150 said
Harry's Lust potion didn't break the 4th law on the soul basis that it didn't FORCE you to do anything you weren't already inclined to do, it just gave you a heavy nudge in that direction. So you can affect the desires/motivations/beliefs of other humans just fine, its forcibly dictating their course of action (taking away their free will)that breaks the law. Saying, "You will have sex with the next person you see." is a law breaker, Saying, "You will find the next person you see insanely attractive." is technically legal.

There are two laws a neuromancer must be known by other wizards to always keep, don't invade someone's mind and don't control their will. Other uses of magic may affect areas of the mind without concern about an invasion of mind that a neuromancer must always deal with, so I agree with your example and possibly your point but my post wasn't about mind magic generally, it was about what was safely lawful for neuromancy.

Whether something is 'technically legal' may allow escape from lawbreaking but could still involve a meeting with a warden or might be accepted by a warden but still result in lawbreaking.
Stephen
   
Nyarlathotep5150 said
   As far as the sleep issue, I don't think a sleep spell falls under mind control at all. Sure sleep is run by the brain (As is everything your body does), but its a physical state. Making someone fall asleep is no more controlling their mind than giving them the hiccups would be.

Hey, you are entitled to hold differing beliefs but lets be clear, I said it was lawful for a neuromancer to change this and you aren't disagreeing about that and we agree that sleep is run by the brain.

It may be lawful for wizards to use magic to change human Thoughts, Beliefs, Emotions, Moods, Desires and/or Motivation provided they clearly can't[i/] invade someone's mind and clearly can't[i/] bind their will, but when there is the possibility that these may[i/] occur a warden's visit can be justified.
Stephen

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DFRPG / Re: How to Circumvent the Laws...Correctly.
« on: August 02, 2010, 01:35:14 PM »
A proven way around the laws is the use of the
(click to show/hide)
. So acquire it, the recipe for making it. recreate it or do something similar (e.g. 'scapegoating' - shifting the stain onto someone else).
Stephen

3
DFRPG / Re: What is and isn't a Lawbreaker?
« on: August 01, 2010, 11:37:40 AM »
It's not really meant to be comprehensive just give guidance what a mentor might pass on to their apprentice and what might allow Wizards to avoid visits by hostile Wardens. The rules actually imposed aren't that simple for lawbreaking and by Wardens not that clearcut.
Stephen

4
DFRPG / Re: What is and isn't a Lawbreaker?
« on: August 01, 2010, 09:34:58 AM »
This is the guidance given to apprentices of Psychomancy/Neuromancy

Any use of magic to invade the mind of another human is unlawful.
Magic used to read or affect human Thoughts and Beliefs is unlawful.
Magic used to read or affect human Desires and Motivation is unlawful.
Magic used to read or affect human Emotion and Moods is unlawful.
Magic used to read or affect human Memories is unlawful.

However the use of magic to enter the mind of a willing human receipient may be lawful (provided free will isn't altered) and the use of magic to enter the mind of a recently deceased person who may subsequently be revived may be lawful as may the
use of magic to read or affect the perception and/or motor abilities of a person even when free action is compromised.

Magic may also be used to invade the mind of animals.

Perceptual Changes
Magic may be used to affect Vision: Blindness, Imposed Images.
Magic may be used to affect Audition: Deafness, Imposed Sounds.
Magic may be used to affect Touch: Numbness, Imposed Tactile stimulation.
Magic may be used to affect Smell: Absence of Smell, Imposed Smells.
Magic may be used to affect Taste: Tastelessness, Imposed Tastes.
Magic may be used to affect Proprioception: Clumsiness, Imposed Stimulation.
Magic may be used to affect Balance: Loss of Balance, Imposed change of Balance.
Magic may be used to affect Magnetic Sense: Absence, Imposed change
Magic may be used to affect Thermal Sense: Absence, Imposed change
Magic may be used to affect Pressure Sense: Overwhelming, Imposed change
Magic may be used to affect Magic Energy Sense: Abscence, Imposed change
Magic may be used to minimize Pain but Imposition of Pain may be unlawful.
Magic may be used to affect multiple Senses: Sensory Deprivation but Imposition of  Halluciatory Experience may be unlawful.

Motor Changes
Magic may be used to affect Muscle Tension: Hypertonic (skeletal muscle lock) Hypotonic (flaccid skeletal muscles)
Magic may be used to affect Muscle use: Quadriplegia, Hemiplegia, Limb Weakness,
Magic may be used to affect Ballistic Movements: No Fast Limb Movements.
Magic may be used to affect Controlled Movements: No Precise Limb Movements.
Magic may be used to affect Automatic Motor Movement: Stumble/Fumble, Imposed automatic movements.
Magic may be used to affect Motor Planning: Apraxia (no skilled movements), Imposed skilled movements.
Magic may be used to mentally copy and master motor skills.

Arousal Changes
Magic may be used to affect Sleep/Wake Cycle: Imposed change.
Magic may be used to affect Alertness: Hypervigilant/ , Imposed change.
Magic may be used to affect Attention: Indifference/Fascination, Imposed change.

Hope this is useful
Stephen

5
DFRPG / Re: He Who Walks Behind
« on: August 10, 2009, 03:13:52 PM »
Outsiders are those demons and their minions. They are alien to our reality, not entirely bound by the laws of magic, physics or reality.
If they can exist on earth they are probably influenced more by our reality than expected.
It is earth's gravity that keeps them on earth -uninfluenced by earth gravity they disappear into space as the earth rotates away from them and around the sun.
It is their interaction with electronic fields (the molecular bonds of the earth) that allows them to 'stand' on the earth's surface and to move across the earth's surface -uninfluenced by electric fields (earth molecular bonds) they disappear into the earth center if affected by earth's gravity.
It is their interaction with gravity and aerodynamics that might permit flying. Rules about linear and rotational momentum/kinetic energy probably still apply, rules about electrostatics probably still apply, rules about thermodynamics possibly still apply, etc.
If they have email accounts they will be spammed, if they earn income some government will try and tax them, etc.
Stephen

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DFRPG / Re: Red-Court Infected, the hunger, and donated blood
« on: July 11, 2009, 03:59:09 PM »
I am thinking of going with the the life energies angle.

The main question I am pondering is that if the character does fail the checks and begins to feed, but is forcefully stopped before taking a life, would make the thirst easier (hunger is sated slightly/for the time being, kinda like whampires who feed shallowly), more difficult('more more more more more!'), or just 'different' ('Sooo good') to resist?

So far I'm leaning more towards the easier for a time angle, or at worse just 'different' in flavor text but same in difficulty.

If he needs to feed on life energies and it is thru blood then the result depends upon how you decide what is enough (full Red Vamps probably require much more than half RVs for 'living' so it should be easier). The magical controls installed thru the tattoos can be limited to what Susan said (warning) but there could be 'experimental' additions.
Stephen

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DFRPG / Re: Red-Court Infected, the hunger, and donated blood
« on: July 10, 2009, 10:20:38 AM »
*casts resurrection on thread*

I've a red court infectee who is about to join my game and so I find myself pondering this question again. So I come to bounce ideas and seek help with a brainstorm

Especially since, unless he changes his mind, said infectee will _not_ be part of the Order of St. Giles and will thusly lack the tattoos.
He will therefore have no warning about the rising power of his red vamp motivation and traits and would in stressful circumstances risk being lost to red vamp compulsions and seeking blood and turning. Result very short character life.
Solution, find alternative way of achieving similar result to magical tattoos - risk not tried and tested method so unknown failure modes.

Would drinking donated blood help or only make things worse?
Risk of going red vamp instantly. Blood is the trigger and may work regardless of the need for life energies in the blood. If life energy is required and donated blood has less/none he could be a very weak red vamp power wise.

Should I require that the blood be fresh or would some from the bloodbank help? (how to acquire such from the blood bank though would be a challenge in of itself). . .
Get a job there, own the premises, etc. But it is humanity character death. I've thought of this issue before but it was so long ago I've forgotten much of my conclusions in relation to susan but drinking blood was out.

Would drinking some rats or other animals help at all, or would it count as killing and thus trigger a turning?
Risk of turning and resulting in weakened vamp.

Textev says blood is trigger for change.

My thoughts were the blood taken is physically incapable of supporting Rvamps (not enough nutrition) so is used either for carriage of life energies or to (my spec) establish a thaumaturgic link to donor's body where the rvamp's physical needs are magically siphoned from the multiple donors supporting each rvamp, number needed depending on the take e.g. take 1/10 of donor's nutrition need 10 donors for human strength more for superhuman strength.
Life energies, ahhh uncalculable
but is rpg possible solution for player. Find way of obtaining life energies off living animals or slaughtered animals - work at/access slaughter house (chickens, sheep, etc) or terminal hospice/execution site (humans) but this is risky.
Best idea - get tattoos and eat lots of high calorie food to provide energy needs of superhuman strength, or scrap character.
Stephen


Stephen

8
DFRPG / Re: Dresden Files D20 Homebrew
« on: June 20, 2009, 11:37:24 AM »
I am still thinking on making a skill system for the magic. however if I do that...I need a list of the seperate magic for Harry Dresden Universe (Mainly because it's more varied in skill than base DND, some might be a combat magic specialist with little skill in...Thaumergy (Sp?) and the like.)

The books give a messy picture on magic e.g. Harry says evocation is flash bang line of sight magic but Molly's neuromacy, psychomancy and veils and Mort's ectomancy seem more evocation like to me (mental effort only) than thaumaturgy (lots of materials).
Book named specific forms of magic:
Ectomancy - spirits
Kinetomancy - motion/force
Pyromancy - fire/temperature
Vulcanomancy - earthheat
Ferromancy - magnetics/electrics
Necromancy - death/zombies+spectres, etc
Anthropomancy - future Intellectus by reading human entrails
Neuromancy - mind reading/wrting
Psychomancy - Person/Object Limited Intellectus
Beeromancer - beer

Alchemy (Potions, Ointment, etc) is probably a form of Thaumaturgy as is Enchantment  (Foci, Amulets, Runes?, etc).

There have been other spells but the class of magic hasn't been named e.g. NN portals, gravity focusing, sell's shadowman, veils, Sight, Soulgaze, etc.

Hope this little bit helps
Stephen

9
DFRPG / Re: Scene Setting Movies
« on: May 18, 2009, 10:39:29 AM »
Well NEXT (DV) rpg was held on the w/e and enjoyed by all.

Backstory
Nick decides to target the RC human support organisation and create international chaos.

It was your typical Nick chaos matrix.
1. War between USA and Russia (biggest win but lowest possibility)
2. Russian nuclear explosion triggers earthquake along west coast USA.
3. Russian nuclear explosion destroys LA and triggers local earthquakes
4. Russian nuclear explosion destroys LA.
5. LA threatened by Russian nuclear explosion (lowest win but certain possibility)
In all cases USA/Russian tensions are increased and RC human organisation blamed for theft of Russian nuclear weapon and threatened USA explosion.

Day -16
Nick arranges for the theft of a Russian nuclear weapon and passes it to the Red Court Human support organisation (the guys who provided the mercenaries, weapons and poison gas) transporting it to LA USA for long term storage (where it will be deverted to use by Nick). The weapon head and bomb are separated and moved independently (and sent to the docks).

FBI agent advised by Church officials under confessional rules about theft and need for assistance by proven precog.

Next the movie.


10
DFRPG / Scene Setting Movies
« on: May 10, 2009, 12:10:52 PM »
I just saw Next which was a movie about a guy that could 'see' 2 minutes into the future (I think Abby in WK was slightly longer) but Next could be a DVish Movie.

The Covenant was another movie that could be a DVish Movie.

What other movies have people seen that could be Dresdenverse-ish and hence good for some RPG scene setting?

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DFRPG / Re: Baltimore and Other Possible Dresdenverse Cities
« on: February 19, 2009, 08:25:38 AM »
Another possibility is Ipswich Massachusetts (42°40'47"N   70°50'24"W) not for any intrinsic reason but because its the setting of the Covenant.
The Covenant is a movie about a group of magic users (in DV terms they might be a group with an inherited ability to use magic fueled from soul energies (ala soulfire) rather than the normal magical energies).

12
DFRPG / Re: Enchanting guns and other tech items?
« on: September 21, 2008, 11:32:46 AM »
Harry could pick up waterskiing and attach the energy charger thingies to his feet.  He'll be distant enough from the boat to avoid any tech complications, but still be able to power up quickly.
Or for a thrill take up skydiving.
Doubly dangerous.
Stephen

13
DFRPG / Re: Enchanting guns and other tech items?
« on: September 06, 2008, 10:37:43 AM »
Perhaps the enchanted item has to be in contact with the skin or in very close physical proximity in order to store/release energy. ???
Yea, tha's why I put in the reference to 'personal space' (e.g. on him - hands- or close to him - punching bag).
But on feet is so much more useful (eg absorbing falling momentum) than hands
Stephen

14
DFRPG / Re: Enchanting guns and other tech items?
« on: September 05, 2008, 10:16:30 AM »
So, how about duplicating the effect instead of just enhancing a preexisting gun?

Instead of gunpowder, use some kinetic charged magic thingy.  Charge it up by leeching off a train's momentum.  Load some bullets, pull the trigger, and some of the kinetic energy is released.  Instead of pushing directly onto the enemy, it's used to accelerate a small piece of enchanted metal.

Not really that high tech, but it's still a magic gun.
Love the idea.
I've been wondering why harry charges his force rings with arm movements when he could use much more powerful momentum sources (heel strke, leg swings if personal space is required) but I've always wondered about massive momentum sources (the beetle, trucks, el trains, freight trains, ships, etc). I've assumed its because you either can't or the spell to do it is too different/complex/dangerous but there is always the possibility that it's just unthought of.
Stephen

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DFRPG / Re: Enchanting guns and other tech items?
« on: August 21, 2008, 10:13:50 AM »
Also, steel, or Cold Iron is not something the fae would touch with a ten foot pole.
But not all fae are anti iron/steel, Harry has said some are totally unconcerned about the stuff and usually in mythology that is the metal working crafters e.g. toll smiths being one example.

I'm not saying that the theoretical firearm couldn't be made of other stuff (what are their swords made of again), but it would not be something you could just get made without a very heafty price
For a 'normal' human sure, unless the smith was interested in the challenge, but if the Winter or Summer Knight ordered it or one of the people requested to act as agents for the courts demanded/requested one for their mission their might be no cost.

Dead Beat's plot development has the mule hiding the Word of Kemmler's location on a thumb drive so Cowl and the likes wouldn't screw him over. Didn't Butters have to put up a circle to get a GPS signal during the Darkhallow?
Yes but it was Grevane not Cowl that made the deal and its not clear from that example that necro does cause murphonic issues just that the guy believed it would act as a deterent and that would be based on info he had about normal magic rather than necro.
Yes but its also not clear that raising the spirits used the necro magic (the stuff Harry describes as cold) rather than typical magic in a necromantic act.

I can't remember if we have seen fae magic around tech before...
In Summer Night, first in the dead Summer Knight's home (minor time), but also when Harry and Murphy when up against the Veggy construct (major time - chainsaw). When Lea visited Harry at his office, probably other times. Still partly speculative an idea though.

I couldn't see a gun having so much veneration that it has a power of faith, unless it was the hypothetical M1 Garand that assinated Hitler. Even then, we would still be talking about a historical artifact, famous maybe, but not something that has a direct connection with peoples' faith.
I'm not thinking of it as a current faith item but a possible one and as Sanya, Harry and Micheal demonstrate faith is broad so it could easily be possible as a holy item (likely no but not impossible), given the number of wacky cults and 'survivalist' groups an alignment of both could set up a gun as a holy item and who knows maybe Nic's fanatics might qualify as such a group. I'm just raising the possibility not the probability and Nic's nuts apart there is no known DF group that might.
Stephen

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