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Dumpshock Forums _ Shadowrun _ hermetic concepts

Posted by: ting-bu-dong Oct 6 2003, 01:56 PM

Hi,
I have trouble coming up with good concepts for hermetic characters. Shamans are quite diversified with street shamans, tribal shamans, houngans, druids, priests, etc. But when thinking about hermetic characters, i usually come up with the same kind of character, varying just in the person who trained him (street hermetic, military hermetic, corporate hermetic and so on...).
Am I missing something here or are most hermetics quite similar?

tbd

Posted by: Siege Oct 6 2003, 01:59 PM

There aren't a lot of canon themes on hermetics -- shamans are inherently different based on the totem differences.

-Siege

Posted by: The Jopp Oct 6 2003, 02:07 PM

Hmm, what kind of Hermetic magic would he/she use? All of it, or would you limit him to some spells that fits his personality? Even though the Hermetics can be the “Academics” of the spellslingers doesn’t mean that they aren’t flexible. Is he/she someone who likes transmutation magic, to shapechange into an animal or transform wood into plastic? Or is he/she an elementalist who enjoys controlling the elements with lightning bolts or fireballs? Perhaps an scholar who studied manipulation spells for levitating, manipulating and handling hazardous material (I can see a use for magicians levitating Nuclear fallout from a safe distance)

Is he/she an evil manipulator AKA a “Puppetmaster” who enjoys messing with peoples minds and emotions? An illusionist who prefers to handle the opposition by illusions and subterfuge? The final stage would be a healer or its opposite the combat mage. The last two can be combined as well and will become you standard “Template” mage with Heal, Stunbolt and Powerbolt as the three main spells.

Posted by: Sphynx Oct 6 2003, 02:57 PM

Well, I always go Elementalist (not aspected) when I make a Hermetic because I enjoy a 'theme' around a character (and why I prefer Shamanism). However, aside from that, here are some ideas I've seen in practice.

Exorcist: Spirit combat mage, book studies all manner of spirits and hunts down all manner of spirits much like the old Hunters of England would go to Africa to hunt down some great prey. Always looking for something bigger/stronger/deadlier to fight

As a matter of fact, all the ones I was about to list fall into the same 'specialize' category of studying a specific field, be it talismongering or spirit hunting and going on from there. And the school doesn't have to be so simple. One of my favorites was someone taught by a secret order to preserve a religious artifact. It gave him a free 'group' to initiate into by how he told the background. Dark/Secret orders are excellent ways to become a hermetic.

Sphynx

Posted by: Drain Brain Oct 6 2003, 05:03 PM

English (as opposed to Celtic) Druids are Hermetic in outlook. That gives them plenty of character. Also, you can check out the Magical Traditions beginning on p24 of MitS. Black, Chaos, Christian, Egyptian, Islamic, Norse, Qabballistic and Witchcraft are all listed as either being Hermetic disciplines or having Hermetic variants - like the Druid example above. All of these "themes" can be incorporated into a character plan to make individualistic magic users - regardless of what rules archetype they are (Elementalist, aspected, full - whatever)

And as a note - why is it that thinking of a Hermetic Chaos Magician always makes me picture Geoff Goldblum? weird...

Posted by: Siege Oct 6 2003, 05:27 PM

Uhh...

Jeff Goldblum? The guy from "Jurassic Park"? The character was a chaos theory specialist, as I recall.

-Siege

Posted by: Drain Brain Oct 6 2003, 08:47 PM

Exactly.

This evening, partly inspired by this thread, I created a character. I don't quite know what I'm doing with him.

I've created him as an Hermetic magician, but I have this incling that the concept might indicate a shaman - with Hermetic Pop Magic as his "idol."

I don't really know where I'm going with this, but it's a fair example of how Hermetics can have character... I guess...

Tell me what you think...

NAME: ·---David Andrew Fielding---
PSEUDONYM: ·---Gideon (Street) “Daf” (Personal/Private nickname)---
METATYPE: ·---Human---
GENDER: ·---Male---
AGE: ·---25---

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
·---Very average in build, standing only five feet and eleven inches, David is not exactly a prime example of humanity. His mousy coloured hair is always in a mess, although it is kept relatively short – never longer than shoulder length and then it remains tied up in a high ponytail. His muddy-brown eyes stare out from under shaggy eyebrows and his infrequently shaved “twelve o’clock shadow” hides a tiny double chin. He can frequently be seen with a cigarette or cigar hanging limply from his lips and has a tendency to wear a minute pair of sunglasses with rose tinted, bottle-top sized lenses (a ludicrous affectation). His style of dress is Neo-Slum but about five years out of date. It tends toward lots of denim and leather, frequently with knee-high combat boots (with the obligatory steel toe caps) and his almost trademark leather waistcoat, aptly adorned with numerous pins and badges depicting various magical and alchemical symbols---
PROFESSIONAL DESCRIPTION:
·---Fielding is every inch the stereotypical street mage, totally at home in the squalor and bustle of a modern metroplex. With a typical rebel’s disrespect for authority, he works as a Shadowrunner and freelance magical muscleboy to pay his (low) rent. Although none of the tools and trappings that he uses are really vital, he maintains a strict adherence to what he sees as “proper” magical practice. All this really amounts to is a magical view akin to “pop culture” magic as portrayed for the last half-century in the media. This means pentagrams, black candles, symbols such as the ankh, the “Eye of Horus” and “traditional” Pagan/Wiccan symbology such as the chalice, wands, ceremonial knife (“Athame” or the Indonesian “Kris” he has recently taken to using) and various assorted runes collected willy-nilly from various cultures. Other mages say that such a mish-mash of imagery and lack of discipline should not theoretically work, but it nonetheless functions for Fielding. The “feelings” that various Shaman have picked up when assensing him have caused some debate as to whether he is actually a hermetic mage. He, however, couldn’t care less about classification – he just does his job and carries on living as he sees fit. Unfortunately for him, living in the manner he does has taught him a little about a lot, and a lot about a little. His magical skill is quite advanced for a street practitioner, but his other skills are barely enough for his needs (although he doesn’t think so…)---

ATTRIBUTES:

BODY ·---3---
STRENGTH ·---3---
QUICKNESS ·---5---
INTELLIGENCE ·---5---
WILLPOWER ·---6---
CHARISMA ·---5---
ESSENCE ·---6---
MAGIC ·---6---

INITIATIVE:
REACTION TOTAL ·---5---
BASE INITIATIVE ·---1D6---
INITIATIVE TOTAL ·---5+1D6---
DICE POOLS/KARMA:

COMBAT ·---8---
SPELL ·---5---
ASTRAL COMBAT ·---8---
HACKING ·---N/A---
CONTROL ·---N/A---
OTHER ·---N/A---
KARMA POOL ·---1---
GOOD KARMA ·---0---

SKILLS:
ACTIVE
·---Athletics: 1---
·---Bike: 1---
·---Biotech: 1---
·---Brawling: 1---
·---Car: 1---
·---Computer: 1---
·---Conjuring (Banishing): 5(7)---
·---Edged Weapons (Kris): 1(3)---
·---Electronics: 1---
·---Etiquette (Street): 3(5)---
·---Negotiation: 3---
·---Pistols: 3---
·---Sorcery (Spellcasting): 5(7)---
·---Stealth: 2---
·---Throwing Weapons: 1---
KNOWLEDGE
·---Barroom Games (Pool): 1(3)---
·---Conjuring Background: 3---
·---Famous Mages: 2---
·---Gang Identification (Wizzer Gangs): 2(4)---
·---Law (Magical Restrictions): 1(3)---
·---“Music to do Magic to”: 3---
·---Pop-Culture Magic: 5---
·---Seedy Runner-Bars (Mage Hangouts): 3(5)---
·---Sorcery Background: 3---
·---Street Fashion: 1---
LANGUAGE
·---English (Quasi-Magical Pop-Culture lingo): 5(7) [read/write: 3]---
·---Hebrew: 1---
·---Latin: 1---
·---Ancient Egyptian: 1---

SPELLS:
Heal (EXCLUSIVE) 4
Stunbolt (EXCLUSIVE) 6
Improved Invisibility (EXCLUSIVE) 4
Magic Fingers (EXCLUSIVE) 4
Mind Probe (EXCLUSIVE) 4
Clairvoyance (EXCLUSIVE) 3
Control Actions (EXCLUSIVE) 4
Physical Barrier (EXCLUSIVE) 4

CONTACTS:
·---“Seedy” Dan Pierson, Owner and barman at the Fireball Tavern (most frequented hangout), Level 1---
·---Cheshire – Fixer, level 1---

GEAR:
WEAPONRY
·---Kris [C:7; (STR)M; 0.75kg]---
·---Seco LD-120 Light Pistol [C:5; 12©; SA; 6L; 1kg] w/ spare clip & 24 rounds, integral Laser Sight---
·---2 x Throwing Knife [C:9; (STR)L; 0.25kg]---
ARMOUR
·---Armour Vest [C:12; B:2; I:1; 1kg]---
·---Motorcycle Helmet [C:N/A; B:0; I:1; 1kg]---
·---Synthetic Leather Jacket [B:0; I:1; 1kg]---
OTHER
·---Audio Playback Unit [C:3; 2kg]---
·---2 x Cartons (100 each) of cigarettes---
·---10 points Elemental Conjuring Materialas---
·---Mini-Flashlight [C:10; 0.25kg]---
·---Pager [C:10]---
VEHICLE
·---Dodge Scoot [see p308, SR3] - very un-trendy and he knows it...---
LIFESTYLE
·---5 months Low Lifestyle, prepaid---
CASH
·---81¥---

Posted by: Arcanum V Oct 6 2003, 11:12 PM

QUOTE (ting-bu-dong)

Am I missing something here or are most hermetics quite similar?

Hermetics are not necessarily similar, but unless you've got Magic in the Shadows, Shadowrun doesn't really differentiate them because rules-wise, having them all be more or less the same is OK.

The big difference between hermetic mages is one of emphasis in interest. Some are going to be more truly "Hermetic" and follow the magical philosophies set forth in the Hermetica. Some may reach into Egyptian mythology and magic for their inspiration. Others may be more Kabbalistic and incorporate the Sephiroth and other Jewish mysticism ideas into their magic. Others may follow the Christian-based path laid forth by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa and his ilk. There are those follow the Victorian polyglot leanings of Aleister Crowley and the HOGD. The list is at least as complex as it is for the shamanic tradition, only it requries somewhat more specialized research on the part of the player than picking a totemic animal and playing the character sort of like that animal. The following are just a couple of the mages that have appeared in one form or another in my own game.

Belial — Pseudo-diabolic Street Mage
Male elf with Native American ancestry

Belial isn't really the wycked Evil diabolist that he poses as, but he plays the role well. He uses his pointed ears, the redness of his skin, and the blackness of his hair (cut, of course, into a Lugosi-esque widow's peak) to heighten the sense of menace that he projects. If it's not too over-the-top, he has horns (surgically implanted or SURGEd). He wears only black and black leather or immaculately tailored suits, and he's always talking about "the Deal." He claims that his Art was attained through a Deal, and he often hints that he is now a Dealmaker representing some Lower Power.

Belial is a bad boy mage in the tradition of Aleister Crowley and a nearly infinite number of Goth Talk poseurs, only he has real power. He's actually a mage and his spells run towards the Combat kind with an emphasis on the element of fire. His fire spells come with a sulfuric stench and a whiff of brimstone. His library includes scans of a few real grimoires, and he constantly implies that he's read from the worst of the worst. Belial reads mediaeval Latin and German, as most of his library is in those languages. He is wily and clever, but inherently untrustworthy in the long run. He is likely to be quick in combat, but evasive. He prefers to hit from a distance and with a lot of planning. He is usually accompanied by a Fire Elemental that remains in the Middle Umbra unless Belial beckons.

Rebbe Zelman ben Eran (Rebbe Zelman) — Hasidim Jewish mystic and advisor
Elderly male human

Rebbe Zelman ben Eran (Zelman = Solomon = “peaceful,” ben = “son of...,” Eran = “watcher or awake”) is the current Seattle Rebbe, following in the tradition of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He is a conservative, traditional, mystical Hasidim. His life is dedicated to gathering the klippoth remaining from the shattering of the vessels.

Rebbe Zelman is nearly 80; he was born shortly after 1980. His grandfather endured Auschwitz before emigrating to New York and from there to Seattle. During the mid-seventeenth century, one of his ancestors was associated with Sabbatai Zevi, a pseudo-messiah and Kabbalist. That ancestor kept a journal of Sabbatai Zevi’s teachings, which Rebbe Zelman’s grandfather translated after coming to the United States. This journal, other traditional Jewish documents (Torah, Midrash Haggadah, Midrash Halakah), and Kabbalah works (Sefer Yezirah, Sefer ha-Behir, Sefer ha-Zohar, etc.) make up the core of his library. He speaks and read Hebrew and Yiddish, and he can read Aramaic and Greek.

Rebbe Zelman is normally completely uninvolved with the shadowrunning community and the mysterious world of secret history. He serves a small synagogue of Hasidim in the Bellevue area. He is particularly gifted in repairing that which is damaged in the metahuman being. In addition to strong spells of healing, he has some competency in modern, scientific medicine.

Emerald Astra (Vincent Greene) — Hermetic Occultist
Human male
Knight Magus of the Eastern Portal in Omega Epsilon Rho (aka The Order of Five Rings)

Emerald Astra is a thin gentleman in his late 60s and has studied the occult all of his life. He is a practicing magician in the Victorian tradition and has been able to work real magic since 2012. His library is built around the works ot eh hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and the writings of the members that were not Aleister Crowley in particular. He reads Latin and Greek, but not very well. His understanding is based on the use of devices in magic, including wands, rings, and other small items. He is a focus-heavy mage and he specializes in Illusion and Detection spells.

The Order of Five Rings is a secretive group that builds foci and other magical knick-knacks and occasionally sells them. They have a strict hierarchy of membership based on HOGD and Masonic degrees. All of the members have craft names, many of which incorporate their titles.

Sa-Heru — Egyptian Priest
Human male

Sa-Heru ("Son of Horus") is a warrior-mage in the service of HEMU-KA, an entirely Egyptian-themed magical order. He is a young human male specialized in Combat spells, most of which incorporate a bright flash of sun-like light in their casting. Sa-Heru's library consists in papyri, reproductions of inscriptions, and several reproductions of the Book of the Dead. He can read hieroglyphs, a little French, and some German.

Sa-Heru is often teamed with Sat-Djehuti ("Daughter of Thoth"), a highly skilled researcher, scholar, and Divination mage. It's possible that they are brother and sister or married, or, given their tradition, both. In addition to being completely fluent in reading hieroglyphs and German and French, she can read Demotic, Greek, and some Latin.

HEMU-KA (The Hermetic and Esoteric Memphite Union and Keepers of the Adytum) ("Servents of the Ka") is a large, semi-secret group dedicated to preserving the Egyptian roots of magic in much the same way that the Atlantean Foundation works.

That's a really long way of saying "look at pages 24-26 of Magic in the Shadows, and then start your research."

Posted by: Stonecougar Oct 7 2003, 12:08 AM

Technomancers are fun, too.

Eminently hermetic in ideals, though certain totems could fit, the idea of a techno-magus is one I've always liked. The brain is a computer, the body, a machine. Spells are merely a set of pre-programmed instructions with physical effects... just like pulling the trigger of a gun yields the propelling of the bullet, so too does performing a certain sequence of casting yield the result of a lightning bolt or telekinesis.

One man's science is another man's magic. This sort of character thinks they're one and the same. It says it all on the back of the cover of Ye Olde Bigge Blacke Booke... "Where man meets magic and machine."

Then there's the opposite of the spectrum. A character who believes that technology is merely the manifestation of magic, and that the fools who believe that technology is an easily quantified 'science' are decieving themselves. Technology and science are an illusion, magic is the *true* science, and the application of it has merely been disguised all these years by clever charlatans. Works well as a hermetic because he's still 'scientific' in his outlook, and still attempts to control and quantify magic, but has different beliefs than most.

Just a couple ideas.

Posted by: Drain Brain Oct 7 2003, 08:37 AM

Waaaaaaaaaaaay too much white wolf there...

Posted by: Stonecougar Oct 7 2003, 07:57 PM

White Wolf wasn't the first to come up with the concepts, and I doubt they'll be the last. They're still perfectly valid characters, and the technomancer has more place in SR than in White Wolf, in my eyes.

Posted by: Drain Brain Oct 7 2003, 08:30 PM

I was only teasin' 'Cougar!

I actually agree - the whole concept is very Shadowrun. I especially like the old stereotype of the Hermetic mage using things like Chip-players, indellible markers, smoke machines and synthesizers in their magic - it's an endearing image.

All I could think of when I read your post, however, were the Mage Technocrays and how they have dubbed magick as "science" and invented "physical laws" so that the world at large accepts them as the truth, thereby avoiding paradox.

Excuse me if I got any of the terminology wrong - bought the book, but never actually played Mage...

Posted by: Stonecougar Oct 7 2003, 10:01 PM

No worries... I just have mixed feelings about White Wolf in general.

Here's another idea that's mentioned here and there in fluff reading in the SR books... A forensic magician. Part profiler, part coroner, part dectective, he uses his magic as well as his extensive knowledge of biology, chemistry, etc., to solve what would previously have been unsolvable. He'd do very well as a Hermetic, because hermeticism lacks the inherent emotional bias that shamanism has, and the analytical bent would suit his line of work very well.

Posted by: Drain Brain Oct 8 2003, 12:04 AM

6th World Quincy.. I like it!

Any scientific discipline could have a crossover too - a parazoologist hermetic mage, utilising his powers to get close to the animals to study them... hmm

Posted by: Stonecougar Oct 8 2003, 01:07 AM

Wow... someone else who remembers that show...

Posted by: Drain Brain Oct 8 2003, 07:59 AM

QUOTE (Stonecougar)

Wow... someone else who remembers that show...

Que?

Quincy rules! Not to mention the fact that Quincy is shown regularly on British Daytime TV! Woohoo!

(I always liked the little Oriental guy - his assistant, Sam...)

Posted by: Munchkinslayer Oct 9 2003, 05:54 AM

Steve Kenson's article in Shadowland vol. 3 "Arabian Magic in the Sixth World" was an awesome idea. Kenson rules.