Roleplaying help needed, Astral Projection problems Options

[Marwynn]

While I'm fairly new to the Shadowrun universe specifically I've been a follower of Cyberpunk for a while and after getting used to the game system my group and I are moving on to our "main" characters.

And like almost all cyberpunk stories there's the question of self and what is human. Of preconceptions being smashed, and so on. I wanted to explore that, while roleplaying substance abuse and detachment.

My character is what I like to call "Ganger Interrupted". Samurai would be too generous with its implications of honour and capability; he's fairly well into the bust-em 'up scene and has had some cyberware and bioware work done as he becomes Awakened. The hell does he know, right? He's ignorant and arrogant and has a hard time controlling his talent - but he thinks it'll give him the edge over other razors and gillettes.

But still, the finer control of magic eludes him.

Question is, is there any precedent for technology or psychology to limit astral access? Geas can affect spellcasting and so on, but this isn't exactly like a Geas.

I want to represent Astral space as the metaphorical layer of truth, his truth to his existence. And the lost Essence he has could interfere and so on, it could all be in his head, so he has to dig deeper and deeper.

So he turns to escapist drugs, feels guilty for doing it, and seeks out deepweed and gets hooked on that.

Hopefully there's a story there about humanity.

But I haven't read that many Shadowrun novels and I'm not that familiar with astral space as it's been described beyond the few books I've read. The lore behind it.


Ruleswise, if you're interested, he'll have to roll a Willpower + Charisma test every time he wants to switch perceptions or project. Back and forth. The threshold is up to my GM but it'll probably be set at 2 and 3 respectively.

Hey, there's only so many ways you can roleplay a BattleTech Mercenary, you gotta yearn to expand.

[Ravor]

Hmm, a couple of ideas spring to mind.

( 1 ) Incompetence ( Assensing ) may cover some of the aspects that you are looking for, and the clause about having to roll for tasks so simple that they normally don't need one could be used to model difficultly in switching between realms. And as your character comes to terms with his magical ability and lost humanity then he can buy off the Flaw.

( 2 ) Instead of Awakening into a full Mage he instead became a Mystic Adept without the Astral Perception Power, until he comes to terms with himself and gains another point of Magic he has to turn to Deepweed to Astrally Perceive at all.

( 3 ) Don't worry about the rules and just roleplay the story as you envision, someone with a low Assensing skill and who doesn't know much about Magic could easily be hesitant to relay on a whole new sense that he knows nothing about, just roleplay him as needing to "center" himself before shifting between realms until he has come to terms with himself.

[knasser]

Don't neglect the metaplanes. Accessible once the character initiates, these planes really might represent deep truths about the Universe. Some groups treat initiation as a pure game effect, but I play it as a spiritual epiphany of some kind. Initiation can represent for your character, increasing understanding and enlightenment as can exploring the metaplanes.

Just be aware, that exploring the deepest reaches of your soul can have its risks. And sometimes something can follow you back. Consider having your mage discover a nemesis of some sort when he goes too deeply, too soon, into the metaplanes.

[NightmareX]

The Assensing Rejection flaw out of Augmentation would also be good for this sort of thing.

[Marwynn]

Great ideas guys, thanks.

I'm leaning towards having a negative quality for it, since I'll be awarded Karma for writing stuff and RPing things. But it could also be done purely through RP.

Oh, and with the uncertainty of it all he has both the Astral Chameleon and Astral Beacon qualities. Totally randon astral signature, volatile.

The metaplanes I haven't thought too much about. We have hardly any experience there beyond a few pieces of hearsay. Infinite varieties right?

Well, it certainly is a nice goal. He can go through this entire campaign and end up "initiated" after removing his block. Now, whether or not he comes to terms with it or decides to forgo it -- say an angered ignorance about the talent, he decides to go for more surgeries and implants -- it's a "good ending" possibility.


I can't find the Assenssing Rejection flaw out of Augmentation, can you give me a page number?

Since he has an addictive personality I may even add Focus Addiction there as a 'latent' negative quality. My GM might be persuaded to let me get a Focus much more easily if he becomes mildly addicted to it when he gets it.

Brings an "overcompensation" angle to it. Should be real fun, he got his Street Magic finally so I can work on it some more.

[Fortune]

[Marwynn]

Ooh, thanks. That does help!