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Dumpshock Forums _ Shadowrun _ Para Law Enforcement
Posted by: Stormdrake Sep 13 2013, 10:31 PM
Have been reading Anita Blake Vampire Hunter and while the last few books have been "soft pornish" she did have an interesting idea in that the Marshal service got tapped to carry out executions of paranormals. Basically, the Marshals are the ones every one calls when they can't handle the magical stuff. Do the UCAS or CAS have any agency tasked similarly? If not I would say the idea would make for an interesting campaign idea. The characters could be called in to deal with things all over the country much like the FBI hostage rescue teams, or the serial killer department. Has any one tried this?
Posted by: Nath Sep 13 2013, 10:43 PM
In the UCAS, the FBI has a Thaumaturgy Division. In 2058, in the aftermath of Chicago invasion by insect spirits and the assassination of president Dunkelzahn, president Haeffner additionally decided the creation of a Magical Security Task Force "under the supervision of the Justice Department and Attorney General" which was "in conjunction with the FBI and local agencies such as Knight Errant and Lone Star, the Dunkelzahn Institute of Magical Research, the governments of Tir Tairngire and the Native American Nations, and universities from around the world" to "create and maintain paranormal, astral and magical defenses for the UCAS" (quoting the '58 State of the Union address featured in Target: UCAS).
Posted by: Sendaz Sep 13 2013, 11:07 PM
The Lone Star Handbook touched on some things, The Department of Paranormal Investigations (DIPS), where they investigate crimes involving magic or paranormals. They had the remit to hire in specialists as needed.
An SR novel by Lisa Smedman, 'The Forever Drug' reflects this with Romulas as a freelance Shapeshifter working for the DIPS.
It has a bit of a grim ending but does show what the DIPS do.
Lone Star handled spirit trouble makers by banishing as there was no real plans laid in for long tem imprisonment.
Posted by: Tymeaus Jalynsfein Sep 13 2013, 11:25 PM
Magical Security Taskforce... MST3k 
Posted by: Tymeaus Jalynsfein Sep 13 2013, 11:27 PM
An SR novel by Lisa Smedman, 'The Forever Drug' reflects this with Romulas as a freelance Shapeshifter working for the DIPS.
It has a bit of a grim ending but does show what the DIPS do.
Lone Star handled spirit trouble makers by banishing as there was no real plans laid in for long tem imprisonment.
Romulus was awesome... How many people can say that they bit a Great Dragon (Lofwyr no less) on the ass (well, Tail anyways) and lived...
Posted by: Stormdrake Sep 13 2013, 11:47 PM
The "Forever Drug"? Have not read that one. Will have to go up to 2nd & Charlie's and see if they have a copy.
Posted by: Sendaz Sep 14 2013, 12:06 AM
It's worth reading. From troubled characters to dystopian ending, it fit well in the SR-verse.
Has a few other SR novels under the belt including Lucifer Deck which was good.
Psychotrope is iffy. If you want a good feel of the Matrix and see some of the Prime Deckers its good for that, but the plot was muddled. But to be fair this was covering a transition period of sorts in game, so it can be understandable.
Posted by: Stormdrake Sep 15 2013, 10:55 PM
Still think based off of real life the various law enforcement agencies in Shadowrun should have a member of the alphabet agencies to turn to for magical crimes when things get to hectic. After all local law enforcement often have agents or departments that focus on drugs, muder, sex offenders, etc. but they can call in the DEA for drugs, FBI for serial killers or kidnapping, ATF for weapons trading, and the IRS for counterfeiting. So why not have an agency dedicated to magical crime? It's not any more compatmentalized then the above mentioned agencies in real life. Just saying.
Posted by: Voran Sep 16 2013, 11:30 PM
I think the main issue is the crossover. magical crime can cross all the plates of the abovementioned alphabet agencies. Which means sharing information, which can be troublesome. I'd think the agencies would rather have their own magical resources for their own backyard of responsibilities. Not to mention powers that be that rely upon stovepipe intelligence practices of agencies to hide their broad-board games.
Posted by: Slithery D Sep 17 2013, 01:20 AM
I think mundanes would be afraid of an all magician agency.
Posted by: Tymeaus Jalynsfein Sep 17 2013, 01:37 AM
Case in Point: Psi Corps in Babylon 5. Everyone not Psi (and even many who were) feared the Psi Corps. Even if it was both Mother and Father.
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