Shadorun in the 2160's, What do you think it will be like? Options

[Playing Games]

I think that by then raw magic would almost unheard of.

Cyberware would have compleltly changed, to the point delta grade would worthless.They may be working on magically active cyberware.

Way more magically active people.

More gene therapy.orks/trolls being able to live to see 150.

More lasers.

Any thoughts?

[Zeel De Mort]

I don't think magic will increase that dramatically, raw magic will probably still be the way most of it's done. There'll be some increase in 100 years though certainly.

Otherwise yeah, lots of new technology developed at a furious rate sounds about right.

[Kagetenshi]

Raw magic will probably be pretty much unheard of amongst initiates except when they're in a hurry. Joe Wagemage will still use the stuff.

~J

[kevyn668]

I've caught hints of this "raw magic" in..um, those other threads. I'm curious, what is raw magic? and what is its opposite? How do the two work?

As for 2161: More space travel. Runs on Mars, at the very least. And jet cars. Lots more jet cars :D

[cykotek]

In Earthdawn, there are two ways to cast a spell: Raw magic, and with a matrix.

Using raw magic, you quickly channel all the astral energy for the spell through your own pattern (aura). This can lead to damage (especially in tainted areas), as the energy attempts to warp and damage the aura in question.

The other way is matrices. A spellcaster will have one or more "spell matrices". To use one, a spell pattern is placed "inside" the matrix. When it comes time to cast the spell, the energy is channeled through the matrix. In effect, it is a permenent version of the filtering metamagic.

Canonically, in ED, raw casting is fast and dangerous (you don't have to have a spell prepared in a matrix, for instance. It's usually a five-minute process to swap spells around), and is usually not done. Think of ED raw casting as standard shadowrun spellcasting (the warping damage of ED is very similar to shadowrun drain).

Matrix casting is safer, but often slower. Most spell formulae are too complex to be completely held within a matrix, and the caster has to "finish the spell pattern" by weaving threads of magical energy through the matrix to fully empower the spell for casting. Outside of the filtering metamagic (which is kind of a half-step between raw and matrix casting), there is no equivelent in SR.

[Panzergeist]

Where can I see this filtering metamagic technique? What book is it in?

[Kagetenshi]

It's a SOTA:2063 one, isn't it?

~J

[Connor]

I think it's pretty hard to imagine how quickly thing will or won't advance. I mean, if you look at the past 100 years of history and the 100 years before that we've come quite a long way. Especially since the Industrial Revolution. Since then, we've made huge leaps and bounds in the advances of tech.

While it's possible to overestimate, I don't think it's unreasonable to think that spell matrices will be pretty common and possibly even low grade initiation. In regards to cyberware since it's inception we've gone from wired reflexes lvl 3 taking a huge 5 essence to it possibly only taking 2.5. And that's in less than 50 years. With another 100 years of development on top of that it's reasonable to assume that cyberware in most cases will be very essence friendly and some things that have a small effect may have none or next to nothing. Of course, with some things there may be a limit and now matter how advanced the stuff gets it's always going to take at least x amount of essence.

I really think you could speculate pretty much endlessly on what 2160 in the 6th World would be like. Who know's, maybe the Horrors have invaded by then foiling the great D's plans!!!!

[Kagetenshi]

Flynn Taggart will never be born, so the world will end as an invasion from Hell makes us all wish the Horrors had come.
Final screen: Lofwyr writhing in the agony of death, his neck being snapped under the hoof of the cyberdemon.

~J

[John Campbell]

Cyberdemon? Bah. No problem. Now, where did I put my shotgun....