CNN is reporting that the shooter at the Washington Naval Yard had the phrase "my elf weapon" etched into his gun. Makes me wonder if he played SR. He's being reported being an avid video game player so he may have really liked the Xbox game from a few years ago. Just a thought.

ELF, not "elf." Extremely Low Frequency. It's a microwave/electronics thing (much like his delusions that the government was using microwave-frequency stuff to disrupt his sleep patterns and broadcast orders to him).

Or just as likely referring to ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) signals.

A report came out about the gunman having told police in Rhode Island in August that people sent to follow him were using “some sort of microwave machine” to send vibrations into his body to disrupt his sleep, even going on to say he could hear their voices in his head.

There seems to be a lot of confusion about the red flags he was supposed to have been triggering previous to this, as well as which forces were doing what during the incident.

As usual, a total muddle.

Can we make a gun that shoots elves? or maybe make a gun out of an elf? This guy might be on to something.

Well, they're definitely flammable.

...
Fire is MY weapon of choice, buddy. If anyone on these forums suggests unnecessary use of fire as a weapon, it's supposed to be me! You're treading on dangerous-
Hang on, a burning elf catapult? That is awesome! All is forgiven. Tell me, can we make it troll-portable?

The German word for ivory is "Elfenbein", literally "elf leg" (originallly it meant "elf bone", but over time the meaning of "Bein" shifted from "bone" to "leg"). Cue in lots of puns about runners collecting ivory



On the more serious matter, I'd agree with Sendaz and Critias. Claims about being tortured by "microwave weapons" are a classic symptom paranoid schizophrenia, and typically accompanied by equally outlandish claims about the other end of the EM spectrum.

I'd totaly scrimshaw elf bones if they were enchantable and maybe even it they wern't.

It's even more fun when the elf is still attached to that bone.

Sure the elf may whine about how it hurts and ohmygodwhyareyoudoingthistome, but trust me once you get past all that it really is a great pastime.

Elf bone scrimshaw? Spike may find he has an artistic side after all. Not that the Ancients would be thrilled to hear it. (Assuming either is still around in SR5.)

But doesn't all that struggling and thrashing get in the way of artistry a bit?

If Thrash Metal is a viable form of pop culture in 2075, and it is, I don't see why not.

I dunno, etching the sticks of a metal drummer while he's using them sounds equally complicated...

CAUTION: Grey to Dark Arts following. If you don't want that shiny white robe soiled, you may want to go see what's on the Trideo...


If one were limiting themselves to using purely crude physical tools yes it could, but there are a number of ways to restrain the more wild gyrations, from simple bonds/clamps up to an inhabiting spirit to control the main motor functions.

Note, more than a few Shadow type spirits will be amenable to this sort of participation, sharing the sensations with the working material, though always check your wardings/defenses as these sort of spirits are just as likely to try to drag you from being the artist into adding you to the art piece.

A dedicated spell designed for this sort of etching however, is guided by the will of the caster and the visualization of the artwork so changes in position/oritentation of the material in question itself does not hinder the crafting itself so long as one can maintain adequate focus/connection.
Some level of restraints as above are still used so as to avoid the subject from unnecessarily injuring itself (clawing madly at the leg from the sensations or trying to sever an artery as a means of release) or removing itself from the work area.

This spell by the way, is one of a series of spells to be used for a magical version of bone lacing for the purposes of lacing orichalcum onto the bones of an awakened being in a manner suitable for further runing and enchantment. Normal methods of lacing seem to degrade the potential of the orichalcum slightly from the process used and while it can be enchanted to a certain degree, but still not to it's true potential.

Sadly that particular procedure still has a number of issues of its own and best left for another day.

Well, it does sound like he was mentally ill, so it is possible.