Shadowrun 4E - Magical Societies_2.pdf - Shadowrun 5th ed Core Rulebook - artofantonius

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M agical S ocietieS

Invited Guests: Smiling Jack

Posts/Files tagged with

“Magical Societies”

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T w o L a t i n p h r a s e s c i r c l e d t h r o u g h A li s t a i r ’ s h e a d , t i m e a n d t i m e a g a i n , r e p e a t i n g , d r o w n i n g t h e h i s s o f

s l e e t i n g r a i n w i t h t h e n o i s e i n h i s o w n h e a d . H e l o o k e d f o r a p a t h t h a t m i g h t a ll o w h i m t o k e e p s o m e w h a t d r y ,

b u t i t w a s h a r d ; t h e f o g r o lli n g o f f t h e b a y m i x e d w i t h t h e s p r a y o f w a t e r b o u n c i n g o f f t h e t a r m a c n e a r t h e

d o c k s , i lli n g t h e a i r w i t h a c o n s t a n t m i s t o f w a t e r t h a t g l o w e d i n t h e s u l p h u r - y e ll o w li g h t s

A s h e e n t e r e d a n o l d w o o d e n w a r e h o u s e a n d p a s s e d i n t o t h e d i m n e s s , h e a ll o w e d h i s s p e ll s t o f a d e i n t o t h e

m a n a s p h e r e . F r e e d f r o m t h i s m i n o r d i s t r a c t i o n , h e t o o k a d e e p b r e a t h a n d i n h a l e d c i n n a m o n m i x e d w i t h b u r n t

b r a k e s . T h e w a r e h o u s e w a s v e r y q u i e t , w h i c h m e a n t h e h a d a r r i v e d u n n e c e s s a r il y e a r l y . I n t h e d a r k n e s s , h e

s l o w l y p i c k e d h i s w a y p a s t p il e s o f s p i c e i n r o u g h p l a s t i c s a c k s u n t il h e w a s p a s t a ll t h e s t o c k . W a l k i n g b r i s k l y ,

h e c r o s s e d t h e e m p t y s p a c e i n a f e w s e c o n d s , s t o p p i n g n e x t t o a w a ll. H e t u r n e d , r a i s e d t h e c o w l o f h i s r o b e , a n d

w a i t e d f o r t h e o t h e r j u d g e s t o a r r i v e .

T h e n e x t t o a r r i v e w a s D e r e k , f a t a n d a n c i e n t . H i s r o b e l o o k e d li k e i t w a s d r a p e d o v e r a l o a t i n g b e a c h b a ll.

A l a s t a i r d r o p p e d r e a li t y f r o m h i s s i g h t a n d f o c u s e d o n t h e a s t r a l, a ll o w i n g h i m t o v i e w a s p i r i t u s i n g m a g i c t o

l y t h e o b e s e b a s t a r d i n .

Typical. Never does anything himself that he can get someone else to do. T h e o l d j u d g e d r i f t e d g e n t l y t o

t h e l o o r, n o t e v e n l o o k i n g a t A l a s t a i r a s h e f a c e d t h e e m p t y s p a c e . U n d e r h i s c o w l, A l a s t a i r f e l t h i s f a c e l u s h

a t t h e i n s u l t .

T h e i n a l j u d g e a r r i v e d o n f o o t . Z a k e s c h e w e d t h e r o b e s a n d m a n y o f t h e t r a d i t i o n s o f t h e g r o u p ; h e w a s a

y o u n g h u m a n o f i n d e t e r m i n a t e e t h n i c i t y , s t r i p p e d t o t h e w a i s t w i t h o n l y a s a s h t o s h o w t h a t h e m i g h t h a v e

s k ill i n t h e a r t . W i t h h i m s o m e e m p l o y e e s d r a g g e d a s t r u g g li n g b o u n d , h o o d e d i g u r e . A l a s t a i r a n d D e r e k

w a t c h e d s il e n t l y a s a c h a i r w a s f o u n d , a n d t h e i g u r e t i e d t o i t . T h e e m p l o y e e s t h e n l e f t t h e w a y t h e y h a d

a r r i v e d . W h e n t h e i r f o o t s t e p s h a d d i s a p p e a r e d , Z a k c h a n t e d a q u i c k p h r a s e , a n d i n t h e b li n k o f a n e y e h e w a s

c l o t h e d i n t h e o r d e r ’ s r o b e s , c o m p l e t e w i t h d e e p c o w l. H e s t e p p e d f o r w a r d a n d s l a p p e d a p a t c h o n t h e e x p o s e d

n e c k o f t h e p r i s o n e r, p u t t i n g d r u g s i n h i s s y s t e m t o k e e p h i m q u i e t . H e t h e n p u ll e d t h e h o o d o f f, r e v e a li n g a

y o u n g o r k w e a r i n g g a n g c o l o r s a n d a g l a z e d e x p r e s s i o n .

A l a s t a i r w a s g e t t i n g w o r r i e d a b o u t Z a k ’ s a n t i - m e t a h u m a n v i e w s . H i s H u m a n i s m e m b e r s h i p c o u l d b e a

c o n l i c t o f i n t e r e s t w i t h s o m e o f t h e o t h e r m e m b e r s o f t h e g r o u p . I n t h i s c a s e i t d i d n ’ t m a t t e r w h o t h e v i c t i m

w a s , t h o u g h , b e c a u s e h e ’ d p r o b a b l y s u r v i v e . Z a k t o o k h i s p l a c e o n t h e o t h e r s i d e o f D e r e k a n d w a i t e d . A f e w

m i n u t e s l a t e r A li s t a i r f e l t t h e t o u c h o f a s p e ll i n t r u d i n g o n h i s s o u l; w i t h a m o m e n t ’ s h e s i t a t i o n h e a ll o w e d i t

p a s t h i s d e f e n c e s a n d h e a r d D e r e k ’ s v o i c e a s i t m u s t h a v e b e e n d e c a d e s a g o .

“ S h e i s o u t s i d e t h e b u il d i n g . T h e r e s t o f t h e c r e w s h e r u n s w i t h a r e n e a r b y i n c a s e o f t r o u b l e . I h a v e s e n t a

w a t c h e r t o d i r e c t h e r i n . ”

I f t h e r e w a s a n y t r o u b l e , i t w a s d o u b t f u l t h a t a n y o n e w o u l d b e a b l e t o s a v e h e r. A l a s t a i r w a s a l w a y s

r e l u c t a n t t o r e c r u i t s h a d o w r u n n e r s — t h e y h a d a t e n d e n c y t o b r i n g t r o u b l e w i t h t h e m , a n d a h a b i t o f t h i n k i n g

a b o u t t h e m s e l v e s i r s t a n d t h e g r o u p s e c o n d . S t ill, t h e y w e r e o f t e n a b l e t o g e t t h i n g s t h a t w e r e i m p o s s i b l e t o

Magical Societies

i n d o t h e r w i s e , a n d o c c a s i o n a ll y t h e y h a d t h e m o s t a s t o n i s h i n g i n s i g h t s . K n o w l e d g e t h a t m i g h t h a v e o t h e r w i s e

b e e n l o s t , if n o t f o r g r o u p s s u c h a s h i s .

A s s h e m a d e h e r w a y t o w a r d t h e m , A li s t a i r c a s t a s p e ll t o p r e v e n t e l e c t r o n i c t r a n s m i s s i o n s f r o m i n s i d e

t h e w a r e h o u s e . H e c o u l d s e n s e D e r e k i n v o k i n g a n o t h e r s p e ll o f s o m e s o r t , p r o b a b l y s o m e t h i n g t o s l o w d o w n

h e r b a c k u p . S h e r e a c h e d t h e e d g e o f t h e e m p t y s p a c e , a n d Z a k s p o k e s o f t l y , h i s v o i c e a l m o s t s w a ll o w e d b y

t h e d a r k n e s s .

“ A r e y o u r e a d y ? ”

T h e a t t r a c t i v e y o u n g e l v e n w o m a n n o d d e d a n d s t e p p e d i n t o t h e s p a c e . S h e t o o k a d e e p b r e a t h a n d l o o k e d

i n t o t h e d a r k n e s s . A l a s t a i r c r e a t e d a s o f t b l u e r a d i a n c e a b o v e t h e m , li g h t i n g t h e a r e a w h il e b l u r r i n g d e t a il s .

H e r e y e s l o o k e d a s b l a c k a s h e r h a i r i n t h e h a l f - li g h t .

“ I h a v e c o m e s e e k i n g k n o w l e d g e . ” H e r v o i c e w a s c l e a r a n d s t r o n g . “ A n d I w i s h t o s h a r e t h e k n o w l e d g e

t h a t I h a v e . ”

“ D o y o u s w e a r t o k e e p o u r s e c r e t s , t o e n t r u s t y o u r s t o u s , a n d t o h a r b o r a b r o t h e r o r s i s t e r i n t i m e o f

n e e d ? ” D e r e k c r o a k e d o u t t h e o l d p h r a s e ; h e m u s t h a v e f o r g o t t e n t h e n e w o n e , o r h e w a s d e li b e r a t e l y w i n d i n g

A l a s t a i r u p .

“ I s o s w e a r. ”

D i g g i n g i n t o h i s m e m o r y f o r t h e l a s t f e w w o r d s , A l a s t a i r s p o k e .

“ D o y o u u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h e q u e s t f o r k n o w l e d g e i s t h e h i g h e s t i d e a l, a n d d o y o u p r o m i s e t o p u r s u e t h i s

i n t h e f a c e o f d a n g e r ? ”

“ I d o . ”

“ T h e n s h o w u s s o m e t h i n g n e w . ”

T h e c a n d i d a t e t u r n e d a n d f a c e d t h e o r k v i c t i m , w h o w a s s t ill t o o d r u g g e d o u t t o b e a b l e t o m a k e m u c h

s e n s e o f t h e s i t u a t i o n . T h e d e m o n s t r a t i o n w a s a f o r m a li t y ; li k e m o s t s h a d o w r u n n e r s , t h e c a n d i d a t e h a d d e -

v e l o p e d h e r n e w s p e ll a n d l a s h e d i t a r o u n d s e v e r a l t i m e s . H e h i m s e l f h a d w a t c h e d f r o m t h e a s t r a l r e a l m w h il e

s h e h a d b e e n p r a c t i c i n g l a s t n i g h t , a n d i t w a s c e r t a i n t h a t t h e o t h e r s h a d s e e n i t b e f o r e a s w e ll.

S t e p p i n g b a c k w i t h o n e l e g , s h e m o v e d i n t o a m o r e s e c u r e p o s t u r e . T a k i n g a s e c o n d t o c o n c e n t r a t e , s h e

c h a n t e d q u i c k l y i n S p e r e t h i a l. A l a s t a i r w a t c h e d a s t h e m a n a c o n c e n t r a t e d a r o u n d h e r a n d t o o k f o r m . T h e r e

w e r e n o h i n t s t h a t a n y t h i n g s t r a n g e w a s h a p p e n i n g u n t il a n o p a q u e c l o u d f o r m e d a b o v e h e r h e a d . B e f o r e i t

h a d c o m p l e t e l y f o r m e d , i t w a s a l r e a d y m o v i n g i n a l o n g s t r e a m t o w a r d t h e h a p l e s s g a n g e r, i m p a c t i n g w i t h a

s p l a s h . T h e v i c t i m ’ s h e a d a n d t o r s o w e r e c o m p l e t e l y c o v e r e d f o r t h e s p li t s e c o n d t h e s p e ll t o o k t o r u n i t s c o u r s e .

A s t h e m a g i c a ll y c o n j u r e d w a t e r a n d s a n d d i s p e r s e d b a c k i n t o t h e m a n a s p h e r e , t h e o r k ’ s c h a i r w a s s l a m m e d

i n t o t h e l o o r b o a r d s . B r u i s e s w e r e a l r e a d y b e g i n n i n g t o f o r m o v e r h i s f a c e , a n d t h e a t t a c k h a d s h r e d d e d t h e

g a n g e r ’ s s h i r t a n d j a c k e t , s c o u r i n g h i s s k i n u n t il i t w a s b l e e d i n g . H e w a s n o t s e r i o u s l y h u r t a n d w o u l d b e l e f t

h e r e t o w a k e u p o n h i s o w n .

“ I t ’ s a w a t e r e l e m e n t a l s t r i k e w i t h a s a n d e f f e c t . N o t h i n g n e w . R e j e c t . ” Z a k ’ s t e r s e m e n t a l c o n t a c t c a m e

a c r o s s D e r e k ’ s t e l e p a t h i c li n k . I t w a s n ’ t a s u r p r i s e t h a t t h e m e t a h u m a n - h a t e r w a s r e j e c t i n g t h e e l f.

“ N i c e t e c h n i q u e , g o o d f o c u s , a n d i t ’ s n o t e x a c t l y t h e s a m e a s t h e s p e ll w e h a v e i n t h e li b r a r y . A p p r o v e . ”

A g a i n , n o t a s u r p r i s e t h a t t h e f a t o l d b a s t a r d a p p r o v e s o f t h e a t t r a c t i v e y o u n g e l v e n w o m a n .

A l a s t a i r t h o u g h t a b o u t w h e t h e r a p p r o v i n g h e r m e m b e r s h i p w o u l d b e b e t t e r f o r h i m o r n o t . O n t h e o n e

h a n d , i t w o u l d i r r i t a t e Z a k , w h o w a s i n l u e n t i a l w i t h t h e y o u n g e r u p - a n d - c o m e r s , a n d u l t i m a t e l y t h o s e w e r e

t h e p e o p l e w h o w o u l d b e d r i v i n g t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , h a v i n g a n a t t r a c t i v e , y o u n g e l f a r o u n d

w o u l d d i s t r a c t D e r e k f r o m p l a y i n g p o li t i c s .

“ T h e o l d s p e ll h a s n ’ t b e e n u s e d i n y e a r s , i t w ill b e g o o d t o h a v e s o m e o n e t o c i r c u l a t e i t i n t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n .

A p p r o v e . ” B e s i d e s , m a y b e h e c o u l d g e t D e r e k t o i n s t r u c t h e r i n s o m e o f t h e o l d e r s p e ll s . T h a t w o u l d k e e p t h e

l e c h e r o u s o l d f o o l b u s y .

T h e c a n d i d a t e h a d t u r n e d t o f a c e t h e t h r e e a d j u d i c a t o r s a n d w a s w a i t i n g i n s il e n c e f o r t h e i r j u d g m e n t .

A l t h o u g h s h e w a s k e e p i n g h e r e m o t i o n s u n d e r c o n t r o l, i t w a s o b v i o u s t h a t s h e w a s p r o u d o f t h e s p e ll.

D e r e k s t e p p e d f o r w a r d . “ W e l c o m e t o t h e G a t e o f I s h t a r. ”

Magical Societies

A magical initiation group is a small collection of people,

who ind that initiating with like-minded people helps make the

process easier. he group is tied together by a shared mystic bond,

as well as by the social agreements that hold the group together.

A magical society is an overarching method of organizing

the magical initiation groups to which its members belong. A

magical society will usually have other goals as well, based on the

combined beliefs of its members.

So a member of the Bear Society is a member of a group

of Bear Shamans that stretches across the UCAS and Native

American Nations, and each member of the Bear Society is

welcome at the other lodges, but each member of the society is

also a member of a much smaller local chapter of the society—

normally one with no more than a dozen members—that serves

as his magical initiation group.

Small magical societies may only have enough members to

form one initiation group, while larger ones may have hundreds

of groups and thousands of members scattered across the globe.

It might help to think of the structure of the Freemasons,

Rotary, or the local church. In each of these cases members belong

to the local lodge, group or parish, but they all agree with the

overall goals of the society of which they are a part , and in most

cases are welcome to visit other parts of the same organization.

Magic groups who are not dedicated to secrecy also have the

opportunity to connect with other magical societies. Diferences

in philosophy or methods can make it impossible for two groups

to merge, but that does not necessarily stop the groups from

occasionally helping each other out. In most cases links between

very diferent magical groups occur on an individual level, where a

member of one society wants a particular item or service that is not

available within their own group. A member might buy reagents,

ask for a place to stay, or create a ward or sustaining focus for a

member of a diferent society in exchange for a favor or payment.

Contacting another magical society is also a good way to arrange

a meeting with someone who might otherwise be out of reach If

they are a member of another group or have a friend who is.

ASSeMbLIeS oF PoWeR

Posted by: Smiling Jack

It is good to be with many of you again. I was active on

Shadowland long before the last Crash, and I have been busy

enough since that time that I have not had an opportunity to

follow the discussion to JackPoint. I remember some of you from

the old days, and it is good to make your acquaintance again.

> I like how the guy assumes he would have been invited to

JackPoint if only he wasn’t so busy.

> Slamm-0!

I am a sociologist and a magician, in that order. I used to

be a shadowrunner, back when everyone who wanted decent

access to the Matrix needed a wire in their head. It has been a

long time since I’ve needed to pick up a gun and shoot anyone

in the face.

I ran across FastJack while I was checking out some rumors of

a new type of magical group, one that mixed magicians and tech-

nomancers. He asked me to upload a guide to modern magical

societies, initiatory groups, and other social clubs to give a feel for

what is out there.

First, a bit about me. My old handle was Whizzer; if you go

through what’s let of the archives, you might be able ind some of

my old posts, but bear in mind it was a long time ago.

I’ll be covering a bit about what magical societies are, the

beneits of joining, and the best way to ind and join a group that

suits you so that everyone has the basics. hen I’ll go into some

detail about groups that are currently active in North America

and further aield, what their goals are, and any dirt that I’ve

managed to dig up.

Many of these groups are secret, and even the ones that

aren’t don’t broadcast their innermost rituals and goals to the

world. Most of my information comes from carefully watching

suspected members of groups, talking to defectors and deserters,

listening to rumors, and looking at police and government records.

he statements I make in this document are ones I have judged to

be based on reliable evidence, supplemented by logical inference.

Like anything you read on the Matrix, treat the information as

useful, but if you are going on a run against one of these societies,

do your own legwork as well. More to the point, although these

groups don’t change as fast as hacker groups or gangs, they do

change, and it only takes one powerful person to have an accident

for the direction of a group to shit.

he information is also valuable because magical societies are

good sources of work and great places to of load fenced magical

materials; they have their own agendas as well, so it’s important to

know whose toes you might be treading on.

FastJack didn’t give me full access here, so if you have any

questions, let him know. He’ll pass them on.

Membership in Magical Societies

Shadowrunners are usually interested in magical societies that ly

below the radar and don’t ask too many questions about members, but

those aren’t the only societies around. Magic has been around for forty

years and there are many more public magical societies.

Any major corporation which has an interest in magic has an

internal magical society that they control. All of the AAA mega-

corps have at least one magical society as a part of their employee

framework, and most have more than one, each focusing on diferent

corporate goals. Inside a large corporation, membership of the

corporate society means the wage-mages have an internal network

of other people who understand their work and can be called on

for magical purposes, pending managerial approval. It also means

that news about the latest magical developments, spells, initiation

techniques, physical adept developments, and reagents ilter through

these corporate groups.

For mages of all sorts who are not in a megacorp, the beneits to

joining a magical society are similar but less formal. Since mages are

rare, a chance to relax around people who understand what a mage or

adept deals with in their daily life is gratifying .

MAgIC SoCIeTIeS: AN oveRvIeW

here are many misconceptions about magic groups and

societies, made by many diferent, otherwise well-informed people.

To clear a few things up, let’s irst review the type of groups you

might ind.

Magical Societies

Shadowrun 4E - Magical Societies_2.pdf

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

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