There is a paragraph on pg. 84 of Wake of the Comet that mentions "at least five" other naturally-occuring magical minerals rarer than orichalcum springing up during the passing of Haley's Comet. Granted, this claim was made in shadowtalk and thus could be completely false, but were any of these hypothetical substances mentioned elsewhere?

Failing that, are there any indications from Earthdawn what sort of things they might logically be?

Shadows of Asia hints of a rare natural radical form of water, which might be one of the five. This would coincide with the suggestion put forward by some that these are SR analogs of Earthdawn's true elements.

Shadows of Asia has Wuxing and Shiawase squabbling over certain underwatrer areas - Shiawase for mining and Wuxing a new water alchemical they'ce called dragon tears that mining would destroy. Fairly obvious that they're talking about True Water.

I actually have a serious question.

Is it possible for a Good Merge (I.E. insect spirit merge with a human) to become infected with the Krieger HMHVV virus of ghouls?

And if so, what exactly would happen to the spirit?

Thanks much.

Doc

No. A good merge is no longer metahuman, despite appearences, and should not be susceptible to such infections.

So good merges get immunity to disease?

Pretty much, yes, because they're really spirits. They might serve as /carriers/ of disease, and certain magical diseases that affect spirits would also affect them.

Probably more like immunity to awakened viruses trying to interact with a (meta)human aura. The insect spirit's aura is the only real one there, a perfect merge just masks it to look human, so there is nothing for the HMHV virus to interact with. Presumably a good merge could be a carrier for the virus but wouldn't display the symptoms themselves.

FAB is a sort of magical disease.

Strain III is the spirit killing magical disease. Its been used for the express purpose of getting rid of insect spirits. Target: Wastelands has a few more viruses that attack the magically active and might work on a flesh form, but I haven't got the book in front of me so I can't say for sure.

<nods> FAB III is essentially an infection, and the Aura-Deficiency Syndrome and Mana-Active Aura-Deficiancy Syndrome are spreadable by critters.

I had some great times with this thread.

Your subtlety is astounding.

Dear AH,

While doing some work in a secured facility owned by a small B corporation I met a rather nice fellow who was working as a guard there. We had a brief conversation about such things as who is authorized to be where and what he'd be forced to shoot me with if I didn't keep my hands up. Somehow, in the course of our interactions we became friends. Since then, he has helped me out on several occasions and I have returned the favor as best as I could.
Unfortunatly, his current perdiciment is beyond my ability to handle.

You see, he is a rather low-force Free earth elemental and was somehow bound by a mundane. Every night, he takes his master's form and performs his job as a security guard. So far, no one has been the wiser. What little magical security the facility has can't penetrate aura masking. The problem is that he, or rather his master, was recently given a promotion. He loves his job and the promotion would force him to work at a desk during the day. He doesn't want to do this but his master is very happy about the pay raise and will not turn the job down.

I have offered to simply make the master go away using a method that would unbind my friend, but he has refused. He has some emotional attachment to the guy and he's just a big softie at heart. I need to find some way to persuade my friend's maste rinto turning down the promotion without the use of excessive violence.

-Perplexed Person Who Can't Think of a Name That Begins With a P

Dear AH -

My frim was recently hired by an odd read-haired gentlman to procure a device called an "oscilation overthruster", which is currently part of some sort of rocket car owned by a neurosurgeon/adventurer/physicist/test pilot/cowboy/samurai.

During our legwork, we discovered some very disturbing things. First, the owner and creator of the overthruster is the leader of a team of rather famous prime runners who are, quite frankly, out of our league. Second, our employer will probably double cross us we will almost certainly die if he is able to use the overthruster for his own ends.

Normally, turning down the job would be a no brainer decision, but it pays very well.


- Soon to be beaten by the Hong Kong Cavaliers.

Dear Soon,

That's okay, Doc Savage probably planned for you to steal it so he could catch your boss in a squared cross.

-AH

Dear AH,
I have a querry about Free Insect Spirits.
- A Free spirit can only be destroyed by knowing its True Name
- A Free Spirits true name can only be found by going on a quest to the spirits Metaplane
- Only Insect Shamans can go to the Insect Metaplane

So how would one permanently rid the world of a Free Ant Queen if one did not have access to an Insect Shaman?
I imagine there must be an answer since Ares did a pretty good job at clearing out hives, a number of which would have divested themselves of their annoying shamans long ago, but other than Strain 3 Beta I cannot think of one.

Presumably true elements would exist primarily in the astral, with some portion in the physical. True fire could be anything from a radical form of phosphorous to a kind of plasma.

what do the other true elements look like/come from/special properties?

Thanks.

I thought I remembered reading some shadowtalk entry with some guy in the Tir (Na Nog) visiting some lord at aparty. The (elvish) lord took him to a room and showed him what appeared to be a fairy (windling) and say that it was "rarer than True Fire".

Anyonw know what book this was in, or was it some kind of fan fiction? I can't recall. Little help?

AH:

I've got this little problem. FOr the last few years I've been 'dating' this voodoun hottie. Been having some fun for a while, but the relationship isn't realing going anywhere. Ususally consists of seeing each other once month or two for a little sezual healing, then she's off again. Being a gargoyle shaman, we've got a few things in common. Mostly that I'm scared of her, and she knows it.

But now I'm thinking of moving on, and not really sure of how to go about it, especially since she keeps leaving where my old t-shirts. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and has a ritual link" and all that. How do I move on without moving on to the next world, then coming back for a month or two as a zombie? Or should I just continue in the life of blissful terror?

-- Ritually Fearful

thanks, been looking for that

I know a free spirit! He used to be my ally and went free, and still likes me! Thanks AH, you've saved my .... something...

Nothing says "I want a divorce" quite like a tactical airstrike. Depending on just how much she means to you (to get out of your life,) you might want to contact a couple of boys who have a GMC Banshee and are crazy enough to deploy air-to-ground ordinance for

For the less full budget, of course, the caliber of .50 is an excelent vintage.

Reminds me of when the Richard Villers and His wife got a divorce. Those were some fun runs.

Dear AH

I need some advice. I think I'm a jinx or something.
I'm havin' trouble meeting girls. I mean, meeting them, you know, actually finding a girl to socialize with. I already know yer' main man Rico, he's cool an' all. But that's not the kinda thing I'm lookin' fer, y'know?
Well, I keep having problems. The first girl, I met her in a university. Young, hot asian dish. Very soft-spoken, charming smile, intoxicating kiss. Jailbait really, not that a little law ever stopped me. But then it turns out she's an Otaku, and can hand me my utter ass in the 'trix, even though I'm a Decker by trade.

Okay, that's cool. I figure if I can ever work up the gump to tell her what I am, she can help me crack systems wide open. But then I catch her sleeping with a few girls. (I haven't slept with her yet.)

Okay. Cool, right? She's bi, I can dig it. An' the girls were her roommates - an' hey, I got no room to talk, patronizing Rico's establishment as I sometimes do. Monogomy never got man anywhere but in a nasty mortgage, right?

Then she dissapears for awhile. I hear from her later - her abusive father called her back to Japan for something, really pisses me off. Her old man's a jerk.

Meanwhile, while this is going on, m' chummer's finding a girl. Only she seems less interested in him than the hilt of her solid orichilum dikoted katana, if you catch my drift. Then she starts dikoting everything in sight.

Then my other chummer? Usually a suave sort, girls fawning on him, I went out barcrawling with him, and he got no less than twenty drinks thrown in his face, and now refuses to be seen by the female species within twenty meters of me.

Am I a jinx?

Someone has quickened a reduce Charisma spell on you. And possibly stench. Get yourself Assensed and dispelled by a high grade initiate immediately.

Dear AH: I am a midget troll. You know, that other kinda dwarf, the one caused by a desease and not the awakening? I have trouble finding clothing and armor in my sizes, seeing as I am wider than I am tall. And heaven forbid finding any cyberware in my size. Where can I find gear modified to my particualr dimensions?

RE: Jinxed

Knock off the sword chick, borrow her joy toy and retire. Solid orichilum will make most of your enchanting types sploge them selfs. And if you cant get tail with the kinda money that provides, I have to wonder what you are doing wrong.

~L

Dear Ancient History,

I have a fairly good grasp on how the modern fixer in the shadows works. Infact I tend to think of my self as one for very small jobs (I can get Joe banger a new peice for a good price). But lately and for a while now, I have been trying to get a hold of a very choice bit of electronics, fancy maglock sequancer/key forger/nano toolkit. I have been patiently waiting for 2 months now, and since we (my fixer and I) have up untill this point had a reasonably good working relationship, I gave him a downpayment/ finders fee. Recently I discovered the where abouts of one of these little wonders, and for a compairable price (once you take into account the misc. funds needed to get your hands on it). Its just in the hands of people I dont like dealing with ,and who, consequently dont like me either. How would I tactfully go about telling my fixer that his doing a crappy job, and I found it for him, and want my finders fee back?

General Contractor

Dear General,

Never cheat on your fixer. Cheat on your Johnson, your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your team, your country, your company and your race, but never cheat on your fixer. They know people.

-AH

Dear AH-

I bought this whiz enchanting formula off E-Bay. Unfortunatly, I cannot implement it because none of the talismongers I know carry dragon semen. Can you put me in touch with someone?

Thanks in advance,
Desperatly Seeking Sperm.

Dear Spermaphile,

Yes. Yes I can.

-AH

wow... feel so sorry for the japanese now. That just adds insult to injury for being burned to a crisp by flaming atomic jizz.

Godzilla: I Bukkake for great justice.