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Ancient History
The file appears before you as an scroll of red-tinged chrome, with just the hint of gold filigree and circuit patterns along the edges. Settled into your private dataspace, you insert the passcode you purchased from that filthy little dealer into your deck and upload it, where it appears as a small iron key with a heart-shape on the end of the handle. With a touch, the key dissapears and the scroll unlocks, folding out origami-style into a lap-sized book, hotlinks smoldering on the left-hand index...

The Fellini Manual appeared in the occult underground of London in 2014, and was quickly labelled as pornography by the authorities and knowledgable occultists. Named after the author, one Arturo Fellini (a nom de plume) and based loosely on the writings of Aleister Crowley, the Fellini Manual had only a very limited run, straight-to-optical-chip, a method well ahead of its time, especially for the book-loving magic crowd.

The content of the Manual was so atrocious, however, that in 2016 it was officially banned in Great Britain, possession of it being deemed a magical felony no matter the talents or intent of the individual. The Lord Protector's agents collected and destroyed most of the books, keeping one copy under lock and key, while a prominent Madame is thought to hold another, but approximately ten are in unknown locations. Rumor has it that very London occult societies, the Vatican's black library, and a few eccentrics are all interested in obtaining an original copy. Inferior copies have long circulated in the dim back corners of the Matrix, but today the Fellini Manual is considered more of an urban myth than an actual magical work, or at best an expensive pillow-book with an overblown reputation by those who have seen the inferior copies. Due to the age of the code and the security encryptions on it, these copies lack any useful magical information, although they may serve as inspiration for spells or rituals involving sex and magic.

Unlike most other magical texts it has a helpful index and search function.

The Manual is a mixture of text, diagrams, photographs, and video material, most of it being in the triple-X bracket. The author begins with a simple treatise (featuring multiple illustrations and six five-minute videos) on using various sexual techniques to center oneself while performing a magical act, such as summoning a spirit, casting a spell, or participating in ritual magic (for the hours-long rituals required by the latter, the author includes certain tantric exercises, a calisthenics regimen, and certain pharmeceutical aids).

Fellini then delves into the concept of the Scarlet Woman. Something of a misnomer, the Scarlet Woman in this case is an adept of any gender that is submissive to and dominated by a magician according to Fellini's instruction, as given in the manual. Through repeated degradation and abuse, the Scarlet Woman, who must willingly go along with the process, although Fellini gives certain drugs and practices that can make it easier, becomes a receptacle of power for the magician. Individuals may be surprised at the levels to which the domineering magician (called by Fellini "the magus") must go to properly defile the submissive, including tattooing, branding, implantation of foreign objects beneath the skin, piercing, and of course various sexual acts, some enhanced by magic.

The Fellini Manual describes the Scarlet Woman as a willing partner for ritual sex for purposes of Centering, whose inherent adept powers empower the magus as they cast their spell. Ideally, the Scarlet Woman possesses sufficient magical ability to join in the ritual and aid the magus further.

[ Spoiler ]
lodestar
Where do you come up with this stuff Ancient?
Smiley
Creepy.
Ancient History
Boredom, back issues of Hellblazer and Dr. Strange, old pulp stories...
DocMortand
What would be the target number(s) for a Scarlet Woman to break free from the Magus? You say it's possible, but not a mechanism to use.

Also - what happens to the Scarlet Woman if the Magus is killed?

I love your work, as always, AH.
Ancient History
Well, since I figure it would never happen to a PC (as it requires months of game time and abuse most characters would throttle a GM over), I just put it down to a Fist-of-God moment...high willpower guys and gals aren't apt to become a Scarlet Woman anywho, although you never know.

If the magus dies? Still a Scarlet Woman until they break out...can lead to a horible career of prostitution, or seeking out another magus (or even coaxing a magician into becoming one); generally speaking it ain't pretty.
Demonseed Elite
sweet

I wish SR had more magical development of this style.
Charon
Hey, have you been spying in the dark corners of my psyche?

Great work, AH.
Patrick Goodman
Excellent piece of work, AH, as always. Creepy, but excellent.
Ancient History
Ah, weel. I didn't want to go to far. Like in Hellblazer...
Foreigner
A.H.:

Actually, this sounds quite similar to something that just popped into my head late one night/early one morning (essentially, it woke me out of a sound sleep; either that, or it hit me right as I was on the verge of falling asleep--I don't recall which).

The thought was:

What would happen if SR allowed for Tantric Metamagics?

Unfortunately, that was all that occurred to me at the time. I couldn't think of how to adapt the idea to the gaming system.

(I told you people that I wasn't quite "all there", so to speak. Now maybe you'll believe me. nyahnyah.gif In the immortal words of George Carlin, These are the sort of things that occur to me when I'm at home alone and the television is broken.)

I don't really understand enough of the magic system to figure out which type of Magician (i.e., Mage or Shaman) would be best suited to this specialty, although I rather think that it would be a discipline available only to female characters.

Edit: My bad, A.H. Either I haven't been getting enough sleep of late, or I didn't think it through.

--Foreigner
Crimson Jack
That's going in a run. Thanks, AH. smile.gif
Ancient History
Oh good, another group of players pissed at me.

QUOTE (THeForeigner)
...although I rather think that it would be a discipline available only to female characters.


Why?
Crimson Jack
You have one fan of your work in my gaming group. She doesn't post or view DSF for some reason, but I've given you props/credit when I use your stuff. My group generally finds your stuff amusing-to-very cool.
Ancient History
...except when the ex-insect shaman magician's way adept with a Queen Roach spirit tied into her Cage of Bone decides she needs part of them to make a focus or two, and to have the rest be her little bishi on leashes.
Dawnshadow
Can I please have a small tac-nuke on a dead man's trigger? Please?
Ancient History
Only if you submit to having "Poor Impulse Control" tattooed on your forehead, irradiated twice and you get taken out by an unarmed teenage girl.
Fortune
I never get tired of telling you what a great job you do, AH. smile.gif
Dawnshadow
Better than becoming an insect spirit..

I think.

Maybe.

No, not really.

But then again, neither's getting hit 12 times with an 'orgasm' spell and then getting hit by a force 1 manabolt.... after being told it's just another 'orgasm' spell.

Edit: might better than becoming an insect spirit's bishi. I don't even want to think about what that would entail.
Smiley
Hmmm... an orgasm spell...
Pthgar
Nice, this psycho mage would make a great arch-villian. Hmmm... a vamp or nosferatu version would be... no, that's to much.
Ancient History
Well, everyone likes a little snack after the act...
DocMortand
Yep, instead of smoking a ciggy, you're smoking a human. smile.gif
Smiley
QUOTE (Ancient History @ Apr 18 2005, 09:11 PM)
Well, everyone likes a little snack after the act...

Whoaaaaa... You've done it?

What's it like? grinbig.gif
Foreigner
Smiley:

I read a quote to that effect on The Shadowrun Quotefile once:

Collector: "My new spell is a work of genius!"
GM: "How so?"
C: "The more times I hit someone with it, the less likely they will resist the next time I target them." (sic)
GM: "There are no rules for that. It's impossible."
C: "My new spell is called 'Orgasm'."
GM:... "That's MEAN."

Mojo Jojo 42
Monday, November 22, 2004, at 02:50:08 (CST)

nyahnyah.gif

--Foreigner
Shanshu Freeman
QUOTE (Foreigner)
A.H.:

Actually, this sounds quite similar to something that just popped into my head late one night/early one morning (essentially, it woke me out of a sound sleep; either that, or it hit me right as I was on the verge of falling asleep--I don't recall which).

The thought was:

What would happen if SR allowed for Tantric Metamagics?

Unfortunately, that was all that occurred to me at the time. I couldn't think of how to adapt the idea to the gaming system.

(I told you people that I wasn't quite "all there", so to speak. Now maybe you'll believe me. nyahnyah.gif In the immortal words of George Carlin, These are the sort of things that occur to me when I'm at home alone and the television is broken.)

I don't really understand enough of the magic system to figure out which type of Magician (i.e., Mage or Shaman) would be best suited to this specialty, although I rather think that it would be a discipline available only to female characters.

Edit: My bad, A.H. Either I haven't been getting enough sleep of late, or I didn't think it through.

--Foreigner

Why would only women have access to tantric metamagics? You know about Sting right?

You could probably fit it easy enough into the system... but why? What would you use it for? (On the other hand, there are cyber and biowares that enhance sexual function...)

PBTHHHHT
QUOTE (Shanshu Freeman)
Why would only women have access to tantric metamagics? You know about Sting right?

You could probably fit it easy enough into the system... but why? What would you use it for? (On the other hand, there are cyber and biowares that enhance sexual function...)

NOO, I didn't... thank you for that fragging image that's stuck in my mind. sarcastic.gif

Oh and you want to know about sexual function tools? Hehe, search through the patent databases. Oh my gawd, there's some weird stuff people have patented... I wonder what lurks in the rejected pile....

take that, throw in some shadowrun tech, shake well and serve... let's see what ye get.
DocMortand
QUOTE (PBTHHHHT)
take that, throw in some shadowrun tech, shake well and serve... let's see what ye get.

sex with dikoted ally spirits?

......

what? It had to come up SOME time.
Kaosaur
Great...
Sex Adepts and Phallus Shamans...

Seriously though, the potential to use this in game is quite interesting...

Imagine a prostitution ring where all of the hookers/madames/giggalos are Tantric Metamages...

Imagine how high the demand for such a service would be and how much people would pay....You could easily use this as the sole basis of financing a gang, or other some such fun things.
Smiley
QUOTE
QUOTE (PBTHHHHT @ Apr 18 2005, 09:56 PM)
take that, throw in some shadowrun tech, shake well and serve...  let's see what ye get.

sex with dikoted ally spirits?

......

what? It had to come up SOME time.


I knew I was forgetting something.
Arethusa
QUOTE (Ancient History)
sex stuff

post pics plz
DocMortand
QUOTE (Kaosaur)
You could easily use this as the sole basis of financing a gang, or other some such fun things.

Yeah - call 'em the "Sex Pistols" or something like "Ghosts in the Crotch" or...
hyzmarca
High willpower doesn't necessarilary mean an independant personality. Sometimes it takes more willpower to accept degredation than it does to run from it.

There are some people who "top from the bottom". They enjoy being humilated and degraded and the focus of the relationship is pleasuring them in humilating and degrading ways.

Is there any reason that the Scarlet Woman wouldn't be able to skillfully manipulate the emotions and desires of the magus while remaining totaly submissive?

If not, such a character would be truely frightening. Imagine a twisted Adept who enjoys recieving pain and humilation comming across this tome and activly seeking out a less experienced mage to become a Magus. The adept could guide and teach this person to be dominant, slowly twisting and manipulating the mage's will while submiting to it.
Pthgar
Just like the Orion Slave Girls. Those green-skinned menaces!
Smiley
Hmmmm... details, please.
Pthgar
You should have watched Star Trek: Enterprise last night. The Spirit of Kirk lives on! (or pre-lives or whatever.)
Smiley
Ttthhhhbbbpppttttt dead.gif
Lindt
Oh godess... you guys are nuts...

As always, well done AH, well done.
Kesh
QUOTE (hyzmarca)
There are some people who "top from the bottom". They enjoy being humilated and degraded and the focus of the relationship is pleasuring them in humilating and degrading ways.

Is there any reason that the Scarlet Woman wouldn't be able to skillfully manipulate the emotions and desires of the magus while remaining totaly submissive?

Because such a character isn't truly submissive. "Topping from the Bottom" is the sign of a bad submissive.

And this is magic. You don't fake something like that when dealing with magic, or it goes all wonky. wobble.gif
Tziluthi
And trust me, you don't want it to go wonky. biggrin.gif
Shanshu Freeman
QUOTE (Kaosaur)
Great...
Sex Adepts and Phallus Shamans...

Seriously though, the potential to use this in game is quite interesting...

Imagine a prostitution ring where all of the hookers/madames/giggalos are Tantric Metamages...

Imagine how high the demand for such a service would be and how much people would pay....You could easily use this as the sole basis of financing a gang, or other some such fun things.

I'm not sure I follow how tantra metamagics would be useful in prostitution in the classical sense.

the point of tantra is to make sex last as long as possible/pleasurable. (I could be wrong here)

the point of any business is to service as many customers in as short a time as possible.

female prostitutes that are used to taking a beating down there can "last" through as many Johns as they feel like seeing that day, with or without magic help.

male prostitutes can have tremendous stamina with training, practice, diet, exercise, cyber, bioware and drugs... all far too much, considering a Jane would want to stop when she'd had her fill. so to speak.

my point is that I don't see the point.

Edward
Although every industry has a lot of operators that produce large quantities of quick produced there are also those that take the time to provide something special and longer lasting, of cause your going to have to pay a lot more for it.

Edward
ElFenrir
Definatley a cool piece you wrote there, AH. I love mysterious stuff like that, and forbidden stuff usually=interesting. I wonder how it would work in practice(in a game of course nyahnyah.gif)
Ancient History
Probably with a player making me /her/ bitch in retaliation for doing it to their character.

Thanks to all for the kind comments.
hermit
A very interesting idea, AH. Great stuff!

QUOTE
Imagine a prostitution ring where all of the hookers/madames/giggalos are Tantric Metamages...

Imagine how high the demand for such a service would be and how much people would pay....You could easily use this as the sole basis of financing a gang, or other some such fun things.

That so sounds like the Honored Matres from Frank Herbert's last Dune book.

On a related thought, would Bene Gesserit be possible by Shadowrun rules? I'd think so, their power would mainly having themselves posessed by various ancestor spirits in a more or less controlled manner (or, as in case of Aina, less than controlled).
Edward
I would use the rules for shamanic adepts to create the Bene Gesserit of frank Herbert’s dune books. There speed and skills all fall under adept powers (the voice would be tricky but could be a description for one of the social adept powers or find a way to give them the influence spell) the ancestral memories can be an astral quest for knowledge.

Edward
PBTHHHHT
QUOTE (Edward)
I would use the rules for shamanic adepts to create the Bene Gesserit of frank Herbert’s dune books. There speed and skills all fall under adept powers (the voice would be tricky but could be a description for one of the social adept powers or find a way to give them the influence spell) the ancestral memories can be an astral quest for knowledge.

Edward

Bene Gesserit? Bah, I'll try and recreate the Harkonnens for srun... oh wait, that's the corps...
Walpurgisborn
QUOTE (Ancient History @ Apr 18 2005, 05:25 PM) *
The Fellini Manual appeared in the occult underground of London in 2014, and was quickly labelled as pornography by the authorities and knowledgable occultists. Named after the author, one Arturo Fellini (a nom de plume) and based loosely on the writings of Aleister Crowley, the Fellini Manual had only a very limited run, straight-to-optical-chip, a method well ahead of its time, especially for the book-loving magic crowd.

The (magical) Book of O! AH, this is incredible.
Stahlseele
You realize, of course, that this thread is more than 5 Years old?
Patrick Goodman
QUOTE (Stahlseele @ Apr 16 2010, 08:35 AM) *
You realize, of course, that this thread is more than 5 Years old?

Actually, it's a couple days shy of being 5 years old, but yeah...necrothread. I still love the part about the magical document having a useful index, though....
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