Dumpshock Forums > Magical Security Levels

Hedrik

Jul 20 2010, 04:19 PM

After reading the corporate guide I stated to make up some security procedures for business sides because this was not covered in the guide. I like to hear some comments to what I've done and I want to share this work in the case someone is interessted. Currently i'm working on the other securtiy branches (physical and matrix). I wrote everything in german and translated it i a hurry so I hope you excuse possible errors.

Magical security levels:

The prizes are based on an average income of a wage-mage of around 100k to 150k nY per year (high lifestyle). To add taxes, insurances as well as the profit of the employer the prize is doubled for someone to hire a mage, totaling to 200k up to 300k nY. This is for average skilled mages. The best mages would definitely get more. If only 1 of 500 people is able to do the job this seems probable. I r assume further that the mages working full time on summoning or making a ward.

Because of the nature of the menace of magic I assume 50% of every magical active being to work in the security sector. Maybe 30% would work in research and the rest providing specialized services. The levels of security can be roughly applied for street security, too. In this case wards would be less important instead more watcher would be sent on patrol. Level 4 corresponds to AAA-areas, level 3 to AA areas, level 2 for A and B areas and level 1 to C areas.
Note that a maximum of roughly 5% of the annual expenses for a specific location of today’s big businesses like Exxon or BP is invested in security related tasks. These are sites that are attacked by insurgents almost every month.

Level 0:

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Level 1:

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Level 2:

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Level 3:

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Level 4:

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Three to four security mages on shift work duty. Every time at least one mage is on site. One of the mages is initiated and experienced. He knows one of the following metamagical techniques with the corresponding effect (quickening permanent manabarriers, divining -> knows roughly the future, geomancy -> a part of the area is an aspected domain (level 1-3) for the security mages, invoking -> 1 or 2 great form spirits, ally conjuration, -> one ally spirit) The area is patrolled by 6-10 spirits which assense people at random. The surroundings of the area are astrally observed form time to time, too. Even mundane people found in uncommon places by the spirits are reported to the physical guards. Every mage knows at least one relevant detection spell (magic, live, or the like) and uses it to support even at pure physical alarms from security vehicles or the office. Every mage owns a mid level focus (level 1-2) and is periodically trained in magical and physical security procedures and skills. In addition to the mages the business possesses some mana-tech installations. Depending on the area this could be FAB II walls or magically active plants (GlooMoss, Ivy) with camera surveillance. One paranormal critter per shift to support the physical guards is also possible. In the case of a magical threat the on-site mage arrives within 10 to 30 sec. The other mages are on on-call duty and will arrive astrally within 2-3 min. The first mage estimates the power of the threat and waits to attack together with all other mages. They also concentrate their spirits (roughly 8-12 spirits level 3-4 and at least one especially summoned for defence (level 8+)). The mages will mostly stay in background. If the threat is able to escape, the mages will pursue it with spirits and target it with ritual magic (if one of them was able to assense the threat). If necessary the initiated mage will also perform an astral quest to gain additional information (the astral signature of the summoner of a spirit). Expenses: 120k nY per month (1.44mil nY p.a.). Only extremely important assets would be secured with such an effort (the head quarter of a huge business, a secret research lab)

Level 5:

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tagz

Jul 20 2010, 09:08 PM

Seems fairly reasonable. One thing I might add is anchored or quickened spells. Good for low level magical security, such as Level 1 or 2 in your example. As far as cost in the setting goes it wouldn't be much to have one or two mages in a corporation that make a one time stop to a facility to anchor a spell or two. The argument is often made about how few mages would be willing, but I think you'll find many people will put up with some unbelievable things to keep a job. Anyhow, that's neither here nor there, this is about security design.

Since the spells aren't controlled directly they should always be thoughtfully considered before-hand, and 9 times out of 10 be non-lethal. Good examples could be an illusion spell on a door that leads to a restricted area, making it look like just another section of wall. Anyone who works behind that door would have been shown the illusion to be false and wouldn't have to make tests again after the initial encounter.

Anything like that quickly loses potency when astral observation comes into play. Also, the lack of flexibility and adaptability make it a good GM tool when designing low level magic security, giving magic a presence but a easily handled one.

czarcasm

Jul 20 2010, 09:15 PM

One thing I like about your proposal is the use of spirits-only security set-ups. I've always thought that on-site security mages would be rare. Much more common would be astrally patrolling spirits/watchers, who can then fetch astrally projecting magicians. It strikes me as more realistic for corporations to have its security mages concentrated in a few facilities and to have those mages astrally projecting most of the time to provide support to already-onsite spirits. If the wage mages need to cast spells at non-astral foes -- well, that's what spirits of man are for.

One megagame upside of this framework is that you can give wage mages lots of foci without the worry that the runners will be able to loot them off the wage mage's body. I've always thought that megacorps should be able to afford to equip its preciously few wage mages with lots of high-power foci.

Hedrik

Jul 21 2010, 07:41 AM

I'm not sure about how long a single spirit service can endure. If I command a bound spirit to patrol a specific area how long the spirit will do it? It's more or less a single service but could last many years if nothing happens.

To the quickened spells I'm in principle on par with that. But I could not think of a reasonable spell to quicken. For the same amount of karma you need to quicken a spell you can also bind a spirit to a long term service for a year and a day. This seems to be the better option in every case. The only spell semi-resonable is manabarrier which could replace a ward in a door or similar. But again compared with a ward and a spirit it seems less effective.

To the foci. They are still a heavy investment of several 10k nY and the actual effect is bared measureable by the corp. Nonetheless I will rethink it. Because of the various spirits that have to be summoned by each mage a high force summoning or binding focus seems reasonable.

tagz

Jul 21 2010, 08:41 PM

QUOTE (Hedrik @ Jul 21 2010, 08:41 AM)

I'm not sure about how long a single spirit service can endure. If I command a bound spirit to patrol a specific area how long the spirit will do it? It's more or less a single service but could last many years if nothing happens.

To the quickened spells I'm in principle on par with that. But I could not think of a reasonable spell to quicken. For the same amount of karma you need to quicken a spell you can also bind a spirit to a long term service for a year and a day. This seems to be the better option in every case. The only spell semi-resonable is manabarrier which could replace a ward in a door or similar. But again compared with a ward and a spirit it seems less effective.

To the foci. They are still a heavy investment of several 10k nY and the actual effect is bared measureable by the corp. Nonetheless I will rethink it. Because of the various spirits that have to be summoned by each mage a high force summoning or binding focus seems reasonable.

This is true about the long term binding, but also remember that the number of bound spirits a magician may have is equal to their Charisma. Long Term Binding does not state that it is exempt from this. So likely there could be 3-5 on average per magician in a corporation using typical mook stats. Also consider that they likely wouldn't want to bind their maximums as it would make it impossible to bind another if the need came up. And consider that corporations have uses for spirits other then security. Since all this limits the number each magician may bind, and likely use for security purposes, it becomes a resource that is in greater demand and in limited supply. Quickened spells and Anchored spells seem more likely to me at low level magic security then long term binding.

Some examples of quickened / anchored spells on low level facilities.
Illusion: fake doors, hidden doors, disguising tech security like cameras, Hot Potato quickened on a prototype, Foreboding in a restricted area, etc.
Manipulation: Physical barrier, Mana barrier, Spirit Zapper (I think low level places would love to have this one considering how dangerous spirits can be against the mundane), Bind or Net tied to a detection spell to snare intruders, Mana Static to intentionally create background count, Sterilize in clean room environments
Combat: Stunbolt or Stunball tied to a detection spell placed in rare cases. Lethal combat spell tied in same way in very rare occasions.

Most of these would be fairly easy to overcome with just a little magic support on the team's side, and nothing impossible if they didn't have any magic support.

Hedrik

Jul 22 2010, 03:08 PM

QUOTE (tagz @ Jul 21 2010, 09:41 PM)

This is true about the long term binding, but also remember that the number of bound spirits a magician may have is equal to their Charisma. Long Term Binding does not state that it is exempt from this.

Au contraire. It is explicitly stated that Long term bound spirits do not count against your charisma limit. SM p. 94 (Long Term Binding)

Because of the prize to charge for a qickened spell I still don't see this to be more effective that say just more guards or a better mag-lock.
I don't know this spirit zapper spell (and could not find it anywhere) so this maybe one exception. Can you ref to a page of this spell?

tagz

Jul 22 2010, 09:29 PM

QUOTE (Hedrik @ Jul 22 2010, 03:08 PM)

Au contraire. It is explicitly stated that Long term bound spirits do not count against your charisma limit. SM p. 94 (Long Term Binding)

Because of the prize to charge for a qickened spell I still don't see this to be more effective that say just more guards or a better mag-lock.
I don't know this spirit zapper spell (and could not find it anywhere) so this maybe one exception. Can you ref to a page of this spell?

Wow, the sad thing is I checked it for that ruling before I posted too. I need to sleep more, Dumpshock less.

Anyhow, Spirit Barrier and Spirit Zapper SM p174. Mana Barrier and offensive Mana Barrier respectively that are limited to only effect spirits. Awesome way to keep entry level mages from summoning a spirit to run amok in a relatively low magic security area.

But yeah, quickened and anochored spells aren't something you'd see around every corner. Maybe not even every low magic facility. But they do have some great potential if used cleverly. They're basically just awakened traps, but there are exceptions. If you like the idea of them use them. If not then don't. Sometimes they make sense, sometimes they don't. Placed smartly though and they can be game changers.

From a Game Master security design angle, they're good BECAUSE they aren't as adaptable. If the idea is to have a low magic presence on the security side sometimes a spirit might be TOO good. They're more versitile and can call the mage to poof there in the astral in an instant. In a "makes common sense in the world" manner then yea, two things with the same cost you'll always use the one with higher returns, but when designing something for your players you might want to go against that.