Full Version: Shedding Material Links at Initiation
I could have sworn I've come across references in the older editions to being able to shed/disrupt the links to any material samples (say blood or hair samples taken from you) when you Initiate, thus rendering them useless against you for purposes of Ritual Spellcasting. Does anyone have a book and page reference for this? I just tried to find this in SR3 Magic in the Shadows, but I'm not seeing it there.
Actually 3rd edition Magic in the Shadows does cover it on pg 58
So by foregoing the metamagic they would have gained at that initiation, a mage could alter their signature so previously gathered/learned material links/signatures would no longer work/trace back to them.
Later on in 4th they introduced the Flexible Signature Metamagic, which allowed a mage to alter their signature at will, pretty much replacing the option above.
So a smart mage with this would alter their sig before going out on a run so as to leave a false trail or very little trail from the scene.
QUOTE ( MitS pg 58)
Upon a character's first initiation, full magicians receive
access to the metaplanes of astral space (see Metaplanes, p. 91). In addition, an initiate can
choose one of the following three advantages during each initiation. The first option is to raise
the initiate's Magic Attribute and learn a metamagical technique. The second option is to raise the
initiate's Magic Attribute and alter the initiate's astral signature. The third option is to shed a
geas. Only one of these options may be chosen when a character initiates.
access to the metaplanes of astral space (see Metaplanes, p. 91). In addition, an initiate can
choose one of the following three advantages during each initiation. The first option is to raise
the initiate's Magic Attribute and learn a metamagical technique. The second option is to raise the
initiate's Magic Attribute and alter the initiate's astral signature. The third option is to shed a
geas. Only one of these options may be chosen when a character initiates.
So by foregoing the metamagic they would have gained at that initiation, a mage could alter their signature so previously gathered/learned material links/signatures would no longer work/trace back to them.
Later on in 4th they introduced the Flexible Signature Metamagic, which allowed a mage to alter their signature at will, pretty much replacing the option above.
QUOTE (SR4)
• Flexible Signature: The initiate can choose to alter her astral signature
(p. 192) at will, disguising it so that it cannot be used to
identify her, forging the astral signature of another magician, or
simply reducing the amount of time her signatures last.
When someone attempts to assense a faked signature, add
the faking magician’s initiate grade to the Assensing Test threshold.
So if a grade 2 initiate leaves a forged astral signature, another
magician would need to score only 3 hits as usual to see the fake
signature, but would need 5 hits to realize the signature was fake
and spot the true signature hiding underneath. The initiate must
have assensed someone else’s astral signature in order to forge it.
Initiates with this metamagic can also reduce the longevity
of astral signatures they leave behind by the initiate’s grade
in hours. So a grade 3 initiate can choose to leave no signature
on Force 3 or lesser effects, and the signature of a Force 5 effect
would last only 2 hours.
.(p. 192) at will, disguising it so that it cannot be used to
identify her, forging the astral signature of another magician, or
simply reducing the amount of time her signatures last.
When someone attempts to assense a faked signature, add
the faking magician’s initiate grade to the Assensing Test threshold.
So if a grade 2 initiate leaves a forged astral signature, another
magician would need to score only 3 hits as usual to see the fake
signature, but would need 5 hits to realize the signature was fake
and spot the true signature hiding underneath. The initiate must
have assensed someone else’s astral signature in order to forge it.
Initiates with this metamagic can also reduce the longevity
of astral signatures they leave behind by the initiate’s grade
in hours. So a grade 3 initiate can choose to leave no signature
on Force 3 or lesser effects, and the signature of a Force 5 effect
would last only 2 hours.
So a smart mage with this would alter their sig before going out on a run so as to leave a false trail or very little trail from the scene.
QUOTE (Sendaz @ Jun 6 2016, 09:55 PM) 
Actually 3rd edition Magic in the Shadows does cover it on pg 58
So by foregoing the metamagic they would have gained at that initiation, a mage could alter their signature so previously gathered/learned material links/signatures would no longer work/trace back to them.
So by foregoing the metamagic they would have gained at that initiation, a mage could alter their signature so previously gathered/learned material links/signatures would no longer work/trace back to them.
I saw that section, but it doesn't specifically state that it would defeat a blood sample material link; it sounds more lIke you would just leave different magical signatures behind. I may need to just invent something new here, but I could have sworn that I saw this stated more specifically somewhere, but it was years ago.
You are probably thinking of Sympathetic Magic in State of the Art 2063, which touches on people using material links or even sympathetic links (images, etc) to establish a link for ritual work, plus how to sever said material link.
However you can only sever said link in this way once a ritual is making use of it and you basically play tug o war with he folk trying to fry you, assuming you even have the requisite understanding to do so.
As for altering your astral signature, this does negate the link for ritual use because for all practical purposes that magical call can't get through.
Think of the material link or scoping out someone's astral signature as seeing someone's cell phone number
Now that you have that you can raise a ritual to connect to them using that siggie.
Changing your Astral signature via Initiation/flexible signature metamagic is the same as going back to the phone company and requesting a new number.
All tracings/rituals going on the old signature hit a dead end, because that particular pattern does not match up to anyone.
Just like calling your old number does not ring through on your new phone number.
Which also plays havoc with crime investigations because you may have a sensing of the aura of the culprit at that time but a mage with the Flexible Sig Metamagic or changed it altogether (if using 3rd ed rules) no longer 'looks' that way from the astral.
Though with the flexible sig, there is still a chance to see through it to the underlying signature so it was a bit more balanced than the total overhaul that Changing your sig via Initiation was which while the total change was nice, it was damn expensive after awhile.
And remember Flexible Sig is a metamagic so not every mage out there has it. A GM can control who gets and not if they feel it upsets the campaign too much.
So if you don't see it that way and want to stack something else on top you certainly can, but this should cover what you are looking for.
However you can only sever said link in this way once a ritual is making use of it and you basically play tug o war with he folk trying to fry you, assuming you even have the requisite understanding to do so.
As for altering your astral signature, this does negate the link for ritual use because for all practical purposes that magical call can't get through.
Think of the material link or scoping out someone's astral signature as seeing someone's cell phone number
Now that you have that you can raise a ritual to connect to them using that siggie.
Changing your Astral signature via Initiation/flexible signature metamagic is the same as going back to the phone company and requesting a new number.
All tracings/rituals going on the old signature hit a dead end, because that particular pattern does not match up to anyone.
Just like calling your old number does not ring through on your new phone number.
Which also plays havoc with crime investigations because you may have a sensing of the aura of the culprit at that time but a mage with the Flexible Sig Metamagic or changed it altogether (if using 3rd ed rules) no longer 'looks' that way from the astral.
Though with the flexible sig, there is still a chance to see through it to the underlying signature so it was a bit more balanced than the total overhaul that Changing your sig via Initiation was which while the total change was nice, it was damn expensive after awhile.
And remember Flexible Sig is a metamagic so not every mage out there has it. A GM can control who gets and not if they feel it upsets the campaign too much.
So if you don't see it that way and want to stack something else on top you certainly can, but this should cover what you are looking for.
I think it depends on how you interpret the Law of Contagion. I could argue that a sample of your blood is still connected to you, even if any "magical fingerprints" you leave behind after spellcasting are now different "fingerprints."
I could address this in our house rules by creating a new spell, "Sever Material Links," that you can use to outright sever any links existing to all such samples. Honestly, I think that's a service you could sell. In a magical world, plenty of people would want that performed on them regularly.
Still thinking about how best to deal with this...
I could address this in our house rules by creating a new spell, "Sever Material Links," that you can use to outright sever any links existing to all such samples. Honestly, I think that's a service you could sell. In a magical world, plenty of people would want that performed on them regularly.
Still thinking about how best to deal with this...
So you object to someone spending the time, initiation and Karma to be able to use a metamagic to be able to sufficiently alter their own, and ONLY their own, signature so as to potentially hinder possible links/assensing (again the metamagic can somewhat be seen throw with effort) and even invoke LoCt as reasons.
BUT then you say you want to drop a spell into the campaign, meaning it will be far more widely available and costs a fraction of the karma initiating would have (spell cost of 5 Karma vs 10 + (Grade x 3) Karma for initiating to get the metamagic, that severs all links up to that point AND it will be usable on others as well?
All with the cherry on top of you handwaving away the very same Contagion you shot down the first version with?
Because what will find the goose will still find the gander.
I think you may need to decide what it is you really want.
BUT then you say you want to drop a spell into the campaign, meaning it will be far more widely available and costs a fraction of the karma initiating would have (spell cost of 5 Karma vs 10 + (Grade x 3) Karma for initiating to get the metamagic, that severs all links up to that point AND it will be usable on others as well?
All with the cherry on top of you handwaving away the very same Contagion you shot down the first version with?
Because what will find the goose will still find the gander.
I think you may need to decide what it is you really want.
QUOTE (Sendaz @ Jun 7 2016, 10:49 AM)
So you object to someone spending the time, initiation and Karma to be able to use a metamagic to be able to sufficiently alter their own, and ONLY their own, signature so as to potentially sever or at least hinder possible links/assensing (again the metamagic can somewhat be seen throw with effort) and even invoke LoCt as reasons.
I don't object to this, I'm just saying I'm not sure that I agree this approach would actually work. I'm not convinced that just changing the "magical fingerprints" you leave behind after spellcasting would help at all with evading someone who has a sample of your blood.
A != B.
Approach A stops the cops from identifying it was you at the scene of the crime by examining the "magical fingerprints" you left behind (that's a good thing, too). But does that do a darn thing about the ability of someone to home in on you from the other side of the planet if they have a fresh sample of your blood? That's where I'm thinking Approach B needs to be something different.
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