I was about to make another post no one cares about over on the casting spells without LOS thread and I realized I didn't know something. Has it ever been explained exactly how someone has the ability to be a mage and who doesn't and what that exactly means? Is the astral something that is inside us all and around us all and mages only have the sense? Is the astral so confusing that only mages can really interpret it and other people just close off the sense?(psychosomatic loss of a sense in response to an extremely painful or confusing and sustained stimuli?)


Just wondering if there has been something covering exactly WHY 1% of the population is magically active and what that means in the SR universe.


Chris

Short answer: no one knows. Given some of Dunkelzhan's bequests in "Portfolio of a Dragon", some think there is a "magic" gene. Astral space is "beside" physical space. A more in depth explanation can be found in Street Magic.

It comes down to who is "Awakened" and who isn't. mages are people who have awakened at some point of their life and become magically active. A mundane person, or someone who isn't magically active, can not use magic or see into the astral. Why the exact specifics of it are unknown, thats kind of the basis of it.

Sorry, I should have been clearer, I've read and understand Street Magic, I just have some interesting theories based on current evidence and the workability of this and all previous magic systems, I was wondering if I should bother to talk to anyone about them or if the details had already been published in like a 1-3rd edition book I haven't read.


Chris

to my knowledge, no concrete explanation for magical ability exists, though there are theories. In YOTC, it was revealed that at least some of the junk DNA metahumans carry within them has an astral "shadow". It got pretty technical, and I can't remember all of it, but I recall something like "fourth dimensional DNA".

Like Zhan Shi said, the official explanation given has something to do with 4th dimensional "astral shadow DNA". Which would mean, I guess that mages have 5th dimensional DNA that we obviously can't detect. (As 3rd dimensional people, we cast a 2 dimensional shadow, so that's how I figure a 5th dimension into it).

Essentially, this extra DNA gives the creature the ability to process mana in some manner, whether it's a physical manifestation of phenotype (expressing as a troll or barghest), enhanced physical abilities (adept powers or fire breathing like a hellhound), or the ability to detect and manipulate mana and astral space with spells, conjuration, and astral detection/projection. Just like other parts of the DNA deal with how to process proteins. But more science-fictiony.

A shaman would say that all of that is bunk and he can do magic because his totem deigns to grant him the power.

What I'm saying is that all of those explanations are theories put forth by scientist-types. But that doesn't mean that they are necessarily the truth in the SR world. Maybe it's just, um... magic.

The number of magically active varies by edition. It's supposed to rise over time, but Frank said it was 2% in either SR1/SR2. I can't find my old books to check.

The percentage is rising, but shadowrunners keep geeking the damn mage to keep the number of living magicians down to 1%. Can't let them Awakened get too uppity!

...damn straight!

My Sharpshooter Jill used to paint a magician's hat on the stock of her Walther 2100 for every one she geeked. Had to get a new stock.

Nice one! *hands AH a No-Prize*

Speaking of totems...assuming they are in the same vein as ED's "Passions", there is evidence to indicate they are jungian archetypes, given life by metahumanity. The power of belief in an ideal creates the totem, who in turn grants advantages and disadvantages to it's "children". That would mean that totems are merely a reflection of the awakened's own subconcious.

On the other hand, I could be full of crap, and the totems are real, independent forces.

Indications for either or both, really.

Banjo bzzts you.