The Land of Promise Options

[Bull]

I don't know, I used her quite well in Safehouses, I think. At least, no one complained about that part of Safehouses.He could have Goblinized, which gives him a human lifespan.

Bull is dead in Ork years, after all, and he's posting often on JackPoint despite getting a bomb to the face.

Bull is not quite dead in Ork Years. But he's pushing it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

However, yeah. There's some material from first edition that addressed that orks who were goblinized lived a human lifespan vs natural born orks who lived the shorter, accelerated lifespan. Never trust An Elf goes into this, with Kham meeting up with his grandfather Harry, who is mayor of the Ork Underground, and Harry laments the fact that his daughter (and Kham's mother) looks far older than he does.

This actually gets addressed officially for the first time in a project I'm working on, if I can find the time to finish it.

Bull

[CanRay]

This actually gets addressed officially for the first time in a project I'm working on, if I can find the time to finish it.

Bull

Hey, who said you can post? Back to work on that!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Nath]

This actually gets addressed officially for the first time in a project I'm working on, if I can find the time to finish it.

I actually think whoever write Corporate Guide chapter on Evo was already trying to address that issue.

Corporate Guide, page 78
Another complication arose in 2064, when Shibanokuji revealed that he was suffering from Methuselah’s Syndrome, a genetic condition common in goblinized orks, and was aging at an accelerated pace.

[Grinchy McScroog...]

There are no Barrens in Toronto. The whole city is safe and clean and fun. Even the sewers smell good.

In the Toronto Metroplex I've used in the past, the city is alive and thriving as an entertainment and commerce hub of the UCAS (as laid out by Shadows of North America and Sixth World Almanac, but criminally ignored by Attitude). There are, however, the Scarberian Barrens (because Scarborough is a wasteland in any reality). As well, there is a nasty rivalry, bordering on a Cold War, with the Hammerton Industrial Megaplex. (I wrote it up when Hamilton was still primarily a blue-collar town.) I swear, one of these I'll actually find the time to finish my write-up of Toronto and its environs. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dead.gif)

[Tashiro]

That would be interesting... a guidebook for each of the races, which gives a quick rundown on the race, their physiology, and anything 'cultural' that shows up in different regions, to show how they might act and such.

It'll be kind of cool when the dwarven language shows up officially. I have it starting to creep in within my campaign thanks to a PC's gremlins flaw kicking in and having his commlink suddenly switch to dwarven. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) They call it 'atlantean' at the moment, but... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[hermit]

Notice the emigration of the elf population. Where did they go?!?

They went to Seattle to become PC.

I'm sure some people are going to have lifespans in the 300+ years, without being elves.

Besides, with magic it was possible even in 12.000 BC. See Thera sourcebook.

This actually gets addressed officially for the first time in a project I'm working on, if I can find the time to finish it.

Is it the underground sourcebook, plus a general book on orks and ork things? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I hope it is.

That would be interesting... a guidebook for each of the races, which gives a quick rundown on the race, their physiology, and anything 'cultural' that shows up in different regions, to show how they might act and such.

Indeed, and how their deviant physilogy makes for unique cultural flavors. Elves, for instance, might surgically age themselves to impress other elves by claiming they are actually spikes and shook hands with Napolen, Churchill and John F. Kennedy. Also, I figure metahumans never, ever use the lights in their apartments if they have windows and city ambient light (elves and orks have eyes that see as well as cats in the dark, though (going by SR1) they will not see much color then; orks and trolls have infrared vision). This could also mean new unique metahuman art and signs, like infrared-emmitting paint used to convey seekrit messages among dwarf and troll enclaves/gangs.

[Tashiro]

Indeed, and how their deviant physilogy makes for unique cultural flavors. Elves, for instance, might surgically age themselves to impress other elves by claiming they are actually spikes and shook hands with Napolen, Churchill and John F. Kennedy. Also, I figure metahumans never, ever use the lights in their apartments if they have windows and city ambient light (elves and orks have eyes that see as well as cats in the dark, though (going by SR1) they will not see much color then; orks and trolls have infrared vision). This could also mean new unique metahuman art and signs, like infrared-emmitting paint used to convey seekrit messages among dwarf and troll enclaves/gangs.

Actually, that's a brilliant idea. The fact they have alternate vision, and how this impacts them and their societies, plus the metavariants and such. All of that would be awesome to look at with a critical eye.

[Abstruse]

The only problem with "race" sourcebooks in Shadowrun is that, unlike D&D, the various races have only been around for at most 63 years. That's hardly enough time to have a real culture uniting them, especially since they're spread out all over the world. The only exceptions are the three Elven nations solely because they had IEs at the helm to shape their culture into one resembling the more ancient one.

The only way it would work is if it were broken up by region/major national culture. This is what Japanese elves/dwarves/trolls/orks are like, this is what UCAS elves/dwarves/trolls/orks are like, this is what NAN elves/dwarves/trolls/orks are like, this is what Chinese etc. etc. I mean look at the elves alone. They're flat out drawn along the lines of the geographic culture. Tir Tairngire is what I'd expect from a nation run by elves from Tolkien or D&D transplanted to the modern world. Tir nA nOg is more of what I'd expect of the Sidhe, which is drawn directly from old Irish mythology.

One thing I would really like to see, though, is a CD released of their music. There's got to be enough of us Shadowrun fans out there with a smattering of musical talent to pull off a compilation. I'm getting tired of digging through my CD collection for Minor Threat, Anal Cunt, The Exploited, etc. to play when the orksploitation band is on stage, and I'm always torn with who I should pull out for Maria Mercurial (my current go-to band is Go Betty Go). Would elves be dominating the pop genre due to their innate charisma and otherworldly aura? Would dwarves tend toward prog rock or drum and base? Considering how popular goth-inspired industrial and synthrock is these days (bands like Birthday Massacre, HIM, etc.), would there be a 2070s market for goth music by actual undead? What sort of music would ghouls get into as a culture? I mean we're all just humans here in a relatively stable society (especially compared to the Sixth World) and we've got a friggin' a capella metal band out there and there are so many extremely geeky people doing gangsta rap about 80s Nintendo games that there's an entire genre of music called "nerdcore". What's the Shadowrun world going to have?

EDIT: Please note this is not a plea to bring back the Rocker archetype. I still stand by to this day that any Rocker in my game gets killed in the most horrible way I can come up with, and I have an annual Halloween horror movie marathon that runs 24/7 the entire month of October with no repeats just from my personal collection.

[Stahlseele]

Well, Rumors have it there is a subterranean dorf kingdom under germany at least . .

[hermit]

The only problem with "race" sourcebooks in Shadowrun is that, unlike D&D, the various races have only been around for at most 63 years. That's hardly enough time to have a real culture uniting them, especially since they're spread out all over the world. The only exceptions are the three Elven nations solely because they had IEs at the helm to shape their culture into one resembling the more ancient one.

My idea certainly isn't something like the race books from D&D. Far from it. I'd like to see something more akin to a sociological study of how metahumans and their new features that deviate far from the standard human body plan create new twists on existing cultures, create new problems, solve others, ect. As I wrote, elves aging their appearance, as opposed to everyone obsessing about youth - if everyone looks like a pristine teenager until they'Re 300 years old, where is the point in a youth-obsessed culture? Beauty ideals only work if they're hardly ever met. Or invisible graffitti used by metahuman counter-culture types - nothing like writing "fuck you pigs" fat on the front of a police station and every troll and dwarf passing by laughing their asses off while the cops wonder what the hell they'Re missing. Or a human postman sueing an elven-run and -inhabited tenement management company after he tripped and fell badly because, unlike elves, he cannot see a thing in the place's corridors (while elves see perfectly fine by mandatory small marker lights for emergency exits). Or a debate about the assumptioon whether or not orks are "meant by nature" to be nocturnal underground dwellers by favor of their phsyiology, because they seem so adapted to light, hosting a human metaanthropologist who is incredibly full of subliminal racism. A Pentagon assesment of optimal use of metahumans in the different branches of the military. A treatise about what metaposers THINK life as a metahuman is like, and an essay by an ork and/or an elf why that is totally off. How being highly sexualised and proposed the most desirable metatype impacts elves' lives. How orks and trolls struggle with their short childhood and how that impacts their role in society (an orc will be physically mature in junior high). That sort of stuff I am looking for, not "High elves, they are very high, also elves, have pretty castles and all get these boni and traits: [blah] (also sad story of their fall from power inf avor of upcoming humans)".

Usually, SR treats metahumans like taller, stokier, smellier or prettier humans, while in fact, they should see the world - literally - very differently indeed.

[EKBT81]

Usually, SR treats metahumans like taller, stokier, smellier or prettier humans, while in fact, they should see the world - literally - very differently indeed.

Well Shadowrun Metahumans are still metahumans, after all. Of course there are areas where metahuman physiology may influence the way a metahuman goes about their daily life, like elves and orks using low lighting or the aforementioned infrared signs for trolls and dwarves. But I'd be very wary of any "metatype racial-cultural determinism" or ridiculous fantasy anatomy stuff (like the WH40K fluff of eldar having no body fat at all) ending up in such a book. I feel that you'd be better of leaving the effects of metaphysiology up to the creativity of the individual gaming group and what they want to make out of the stuff that we already have.

And some effects of metahuman physiology will also matched by the effects of cyberware. Any human cop with half-decent cybereyes or IR goggles will also be able to read the super-secret dwarf gang signs.

[Abstruse]

I think that problem is, again, because the various races are only 63 years old even at the latest edition of the game (excluding IEs and spike babies), there just hasn't been time for that sort of thing to permeate itself. You might have that problem of the mailman tripping in the dark in one of the Tirs, but not in the UCAS because an all-elf building would violate all sorts of laws. You might see the beginnings of that sort of segregation (again, see the Tirs as well as the Ork Underground) at this point, but it would take at least a century or more before that sort of thing would take hold on a large scale.

[Grinder]

Or invisible graffitti used by metahuman counter-culture types - nothing like writing "fuck you pigs" fat on the front of a police station and every troll and dwarf passing by laughing their asses off while the cops wonder what the hell they'Re missing. Or a human postman sueing an elven-run and -inhabited tenement management company after he tripped and fell badly because, unlike elves, he cannot see a thing in the place's corridors (while elves see perfectly fine by mandatory small marker lights for emergency exits).

You've heard of this thing called cyberware (eyes)? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[Tashiro]

You've heard of this thing called cyberware (eyes)? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

Actually, you bring up a good point. A long, hard look at how cybernetics and bioware affect (meta)humanity would also be good. It would be good to be given some examples of what someone's commlink might have on it, software-wise, and what having headware might do, or bodyware.

[hermit]

And some effects of metahuman physiology will also matched by the effects of cyberware. Any human cop with half-decent cybereyes or IR goggles will also be able to read the super-secret dwarf gang signs.

Sure, but not every Nowm has either.

You've heard of this thing called cyberware (eyes)?

Yup. But not everyone has cybereyes. Cop templates usually do not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) And how cybernetics affect people is another things, as Tashiro says, that I would like to see given a writeup.

like the WH40K fluff of eldar having no body fat at all

Thats because Eldar are space aliens from space, not metahumans (they retconned that).

[Stahlseele]

forget cybereyes.
as of SR4, a good pair of contact lenses or sun-glasses do the same . .

[Sengir]

Well, Rumors have it there is a subterranean dorf kingdom under germany at least . .

That sounds like a rather small kingdom...

[Halinn]

That sounds like a rather small kingdom...

It's more of a dwarf fortress, really.

[Stahlseele]

It's more of a dwarf fortress, really.

a bit more magic in this dorf fortress

[EKBT81]

Yup. But not everyone has cybereyes. Cop templates usually do not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) And how cybernetics affect people is another things, as Tashiro says, that I would like to see given a writeup.

Maybe the average Cop template doesn't have IR-capable cybereyes. It still seems plausible to me to assume that a metroplex police station will have a few officers with them. And IMHO they certainly will have IR goggles/glasses and IR-capable surveillance gear, precisely because to deal with such sixth-world issues. And we haven't even considered that some officers might actually be trolls or dwarves. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Thats because Eldar are space aliens from space, not metahumans (they retconned that).

Maybe. I actually don't follow WH40K much. That was just meant as an illustrative way of contending that if you have non-anatomists/physiologists writing fluff texts about fictional-race anatomy, you risk getting weird/nonsensical bits that don't add anything meaningful for actual play.

[Critias]

Just a heads up, Tir Tairngire fans, but...we got 'em to push up the release date of Elven Blood!

[Tashiro]

And as soon as money pops into my bank account, Elven Blood is mine!
Edit: Wait, it's missions? :\ Aw nerps, I thought it was something more related to a sourcebook. Hmm, I'll need to consider this more carefully then. Could someone sell me on the book?

[Bull]

And as soon as money pops into my bank account, Elven Blood is mine!
Edit: Wait, it's missions? :\ Aw nerps, I thought it was something more related to a sourcebook. Hmm, I'll need to consider this more carefully then. Could someone sell me on the book?

Land of Promise was actually a product that was designed to support the Elven Blood missions. Originally it was going to be a short update that was included with it, but Critias got... enthusiastic, and eventually we realized it would be better as a standalone product.

Anyway, Elven Blood is a collection of 5 Convention Missions adventures that form a short campaign. The campaign starts off in Seattle with "Ancient Pawns", and adventrue that is a sequel of sorts to the old FASA module "Elven Fire" and gets the players involved with a shakeup in the Ancients gang leadership. From there, they're hired to head down to Portland on a smuggling run, and then once there they end up working for a face that may be familiar to long time runners.

It's 96 pages, black & white, for $6.99.

Bull

[Critias]

And as soon as money pops into my bank account, Elven Blood is mine!
Edit: Wait, it's missions? :\ Aw nerps, I thought it was something more related to a sourcebook. Hmm, I'll need to consider this more carefully then. Could someone sell me on the book?

FWIW, it very much is related to the sourcebook. Land of Promise was initially going to be the intro fic to the four Tir adventures, really, but once I got my foot in the door, I just kept typing until they made it a solo e-book. I also asked them to toss Ancient Pawns (my adventure from last year) into the adventure pack, because it was elfy and still hadn't been released. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

But, yes, the two products very much were written side-by-side, and were meant to go together. Many of the basic NPC stats from LoP, in fact, are some of the grunts you'll go up against throughout the Elven Blood adventures (and some of the Princes from LoP show up in EB)...it's all criss-crossed and goes together, which is why we were able to get them both released at (almost) the same time.

[Tashiro]

That's cool and all - I used to buy all the Shadowrun adventures for my group back in the day - but these days I'm mostly running my own stuff. What I'm curious about is that is there any fluff or crunch in Elven Blood which I could use even if I'm not using the adventures? I was hoping Elven Blood was going to be a long, hard look at the elves and what's happening behind the scenes, but adventures don't carry much traction with the group. :\