From: carl@gergo.tamu.edu (Carl D. Perkins)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII: Quickening, Anchoring, etc.
Keywords: quckening, astral, spell locks
Date: 27 Jan 93 05:15:00 GMT
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John Whitley writes...

>There seems to be some ambiguity concerning the exact astral status of
>quickening.  I'll include my views/solutions to the problems. I'd
>really appreciate opinions from some of the Shadowrun gurus and from
>official sources as well.
>1) Can spells be grounded through a quickened spell?
>     No.  The Grimoire II states that Quickening gives the spell
>     its own, permenant, connection to the astral plane.  In
>     addition, the astral combat sections state that spells
>     ignore other spells in astral space.  (Exception: Mana
>     barrier).  The spell lock analogy doesn't hold since in
>     that case the focus is being attacked, not the locked
>     spell.

I gather that the all pwoerful Tom has said something about this, and
the answer is that you can ground one type of spell but it will never
have area effects. Unfortunately, I don't remeber whether the type was
physical or mana. Physical, probably, as I recall that it seemed like
the type mentioned was the wrong type (to the way I see it as working).

>2) Do quickened spells leave an astral trail to the caster?
>     No.  Once again, the quickened spell has its own circuit to
>     the astral plane, independent of the spellcaster.  Also
>     recall, quickening a spell of significant force represents
>     a proportionally significant investment of karma.  In
>     addition, this issue is moot if the caster quckens a spell
>     on her person.  Also, nowhere in the Grimoire does it
>     mention anything about Quickened spells having an astral
>     trail, but it explicitly mentions a trail for spell locks,
>     foci, and even prepared anchor items/sites.  Further, in
>     the quickening example, and in some of the source material,
>     initiates are found quickening spells on places/victims
>     with impunity.  This would make a little more sense if
>     these spells lacked astral trails.  (As I recall a toxic
>     quickened Turn-to-Goo on some guards...)

Or, perhapes, there is a trial but it is very difficult to follow - requiring
an astral quest or something.

>3) A spell lock may be concealed by an initiate as per the rules in
>   the Grimoire II; does this conceal the locked spell, as well?
>     This is a stickler, and here's some examples to illustrate why:
>     Yes?: What if a non-personal, area-effect, barrier spell is
>     locked?  A spell barrier?  It seems inconsistent with the
>     nature of the astral plane in Shadowrun to have a barrier
>     effect (or any spell) in place which is not astrally
>     apparent.
>     No?:  So what's the astral image of the locked spell?
>     In this case I'd have to assume that the spell just cannot
>     be attacked unless the lock itself is visible, just so that
>     there's a point to concealing the lock in the first place.

This is the only one I really have an answer for. I think the answer is no,
the spell is not concealed only the lock. If an invisibility spell is
concealed that means the target is visible, no? Anyhow, I also believe that
the spell can still be attacked. Not the lock, just the spell. Since grounding
takes place when the lock is attacked, concealing the lock has the biggest
advantage of preventing grounding (well, as fatr as the person that the lock
is on is concerened - I'm sure the magician thinks the biggest benefit is that
it prevents easy use of the link between him and the lock for ritual sorcery
purposes). Also, since you are now fighting the spell and not the lock, the
combat is against the force the spell was cast at rather than the lock's
force of 1. If the spell is defeated, the spell goes away but the lock is
left undamaged, allowing for it to be reused.

>John Whitley
>-- whitley@cs.buffalo.edu

Well, that's what I'd probably do anyway.

--- Carl
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc