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Rolemodel
So. Background count. Tied to emotion. Tied to violence. Tied to... serial killers?

Does a particularly evil character (PC or NPC) distort the astral space around them, and temporarily warp the background count?

Supports For vs. Against may commence immediately.

-RoleModel
Kagetenshi
Against. Background count is usually tied to locations rather than individuals, CZs and SURGE excepted.

~J
Ancient History
Their actions and emotions do create small background counts; any area they live or work in is likely to develop a small one. Magically active serial killers may cultivate it. There's an incidence of a Toxic shaman who could be tracked by the tiny cloud of astral pollution that formed around them, but that would be up to GM approval if used at all.
Dawnshadow
Against. That's a large portion of runners, I would say. Although it would give Slaughterfest Sam a little more protection from those blasted mages..

Also: Evil is a bad way to put it.. backgrount count is tied to violence and emotion, not 'morality'. Particularly violent PC/NPC, justifiably, particularly Evil? No. That'd be a walking background count on lawyers, mortgage people, insurance company employees, and anyone highly placed in the gov't. (Subject to GM decisions on the basic inhuman nature of above-mentioned groups.) (No, I am not being particularly serious about this, just pointing out that there are a lot of people that can fall into the 'evil' catagory that don't meet the 'violent' criteria, and may or may not meet the 'emotional' criteria)
Garland
There was a thread about this a while back, theorizing about a van that a bunch of murders had been committed in and would it be a mobile locale of background count. I'm not sure the SR magic paradigm supports it, but that's an intensely groovy thought.
Rolemodel
Mmmm. I'll all for it, myself. SamTheRazorBoy could use a bit of Mage Buffing. I think with a little work from my players, I'd be inclined to bend in that direction.

And yes, RE: Morality - I agree with the point you bring up in regards to violence, emotion vs. Morality. However, I do believe that in most cases what ~generalized~ society would consider 'evil' would also be what general magician's consider Background generators.

@name me=Role, @alias=Model, @nextflip_Stealth(OK)
Method
I'd say it depends.

If the serial killer had specific place he killed his victims, and he killed with enough frequency that place would develop a modest BGC (especially if the killings are ritualistic adding emotional weight to the violence).

But as a general rule, a person cannot develop a traveling BGC.
GrinderTheTroll
QUOTE (Garland)
There was a thread about this a while back, theorizing about a van that a bunch of murders had been committed in and would it be a mobile locale of background count. I'm not sure the SR magic paradigm supports it, but that's an intensely groovy thought.

It's an example out of MiTS, with some minor modifications.
Dawnshadow
QUOTE (Rolemodel)
And yes, RE: Morality - I agree with the point you bring up in regards to violence, emotion vs. Morality. However, I do believe that in most cases what ~generalized~ society would consider 'evil' would also be what general magician's consider Background generators.

Mmhmm, but there are some things under the 'evil' label that wouldn't be background count generators, which is important as well..

If you've got the mafia don who doesn't do anything himself but orders his goons to do it..

Likewise, the dealers, etc.

Point I'm trying to make: Background Count Generators would be a subset of 'Evil' characters, and probably limitted to NPCs and particularly violent adepts and sams. And considering the lack of essence and emotion to heavily cybered Sams, it'd take some exceptional violence.
hahnsoo
I'd say the death of a metahuman life is enough to cause at least a temporary background count, but this may be game concept bleed-through from "In Nomine". As far as people walking around causing a background count, I think the case can be made for toxic shamans. I'm against the case for serial killers causing an actual background count, although they probably will leave astral impressions behind that can be caught by someone with the Psychometry metamagic. Perhaps those individuals can contribute to an existing background count, though, and be detected in that manner though assensing.
DrJest
I think against for the majority of serial killer, but perhaps for as applied to maybe one specific case in a campaign's career, to make an interesting bad guy for a run. Say... oh, I don't know, say a serial killer who believes that he serves Satan on earth and his kills are all sacrifices to said Judeo-Christian ultimate bad guy. The killings are carried out through extensive torture etc, killing the victim over a period of days in grim agony. Sure a background count would accrue to the sites of the killings, but it would be an interesting twist to apply a small BGC to the killer himself. If nothing else, it would raise doubts in the runners' minds as to just how much of the killer's beliefs were delusions... eek.gif
Garland
QUOTE (DrJest)
If nothing else, it would raise doubts in the runners' minds as to just how much of the killer's beliefs were delusions...

Why? Having an argument (without Satanic involvement) can make a background count.
DrJest
But not a mobile one attached to a person, I believe
Dawnshadow
I think there's something fundamental about it that hasn't been brought up yet..

Toxic shamans and cyberzombies have been mentioned, but, the thing is, they have background counts around them not because of what they DO but what they ARE. There's something strange about their aura that creates it.

If you want to have someone else that has a mobile background count, then it can't be something that they've done, unless it's twisted their aura so that they're carrying it with them. Personally speaking, I don't think it's possible in a 'mortal' lifetime to create that kind of change with violence.

It might be possible with some other ways though.. for instance, you get someone who is beyond just a serial killer, mass murderer, torturer, etc.. you'd probably need someone who's mind is constantly fixated on it, constantly replaying the scenes of violence, intensely enough that it's hovering in astral space around him/her. It would likely be so intense that the person would be unable to function in society at all -- they'd be driven to kill constantly, not just once a week, or once a month..
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