I must admit, that sometime ago, I was addicted to Diablo 3. Something about the game occupied my every waking moment and for two weeks solid, I was glued to my computer. No ergonomic mouse was ever designed for this type of prolonged use and by the end of it, my hand was fixed in a rictus of mouse clicking. (You know you've been over doing it when you develop calluses where your palm rests on the mouse.)

After this extended bout of insanity, I had an epiphany that has dulled my enthusiasm for such fare - I had been a dupe at the end of an elaborate Skinner black box. Nothing cramps desire like coming to the realization that you've been manipulated into giving in to your inner monkey. The obsession with the game fed off the primal need for a reward completely disproportionate to the effort expended, but somehow, I had managed to rationalize the effort as "fun". What was I thinking???

There is something else that I should admit which is related to my fascination with video games; that I am a long time RPGer of the Dungeons & Dragons variety (the pen and paper, polyhedra wielding, geohex terrain loving, leaded miniture painting kind). I suspect that few people could claim that their RPG group has lasted some 25 years other than those involved in the industry itself. We've played (and continue to play) every game under the sun from Tunnels and Trolls and Paranoia, to our (relatively recent) work-horses of Earthdawn, ShadowRun, and TORG.

I always associated my love of video games and role playing as coming from the same source - my fascination with the fantastic (as evident from the SciFi/Fantasy ladened literature of my youth) and the acknowledgment that the collective engagement of our imaginations produced some of our most memorable moments of "the Game". The collective conscious fed by books, arcades, movies, and comics, contributed in no small part to the absurd hilarity and outright originality that permeated our gaming sessions.

It's taken me a while to be able to articulate my misgivings regarding the direction of computerized RPGs, though it's been steadily building. Not that I'm completely oppose computerized games, but there are a variety that certainly deserves the "heroine-ware" appellation.

My problem with these games is what lies at the heart of the game - why do gamers play games in the first place? I think the answer to this question highlights a fundamental difference between two genres of gaming which are superficially similar, but are governed by different motivations.

Part of appeal of RPG is the creative act of imagination that computerized RPGs literalize to the detriment of the whole experience. To overcome this limitation, game designers replace this void with artificial reward systems to entice players into continuing to play. The problem with these environments is that by introducing the phantom reward of level advancement, players never achieve the true reward of role-playing - catharsis. In a sense, delaying catharsis or completely eliminating it allows for players to become entrapped in the button clicking unreality where reward is dangled tantalizingly just out of reach.

What exactly do I mean by catharsis? From Wikipedia:

meaning "purification" or "cleansing" derived from the ancient Greek gerund καθαίρειν transliterated as kathairein "to purify, purge," and adjective katharos "pure or clean" (ancient and modern Greek: καθαρός).

How important is catharsis to the RPG experience? I think for any serious ( non-psychopathic) player, the ability to exercise their imagination in an environment that unconditionally accepts the suspension of disbelief and judgment while allowing a drama to unfold that could not otherwise find expression in daily life IS the REWARD. All gain in role playing lives only in the imagination. It is the feeling we take with us after we've played "the Game" that provides the motivation for the true RPGer.

This place we create for ourselves in the imagination that we use for cathartic release is implicitly a place that it meant to be occupied for only a limited time. It is the reality we use to escape from the everyday. It is not meant to replace our the reality of our daily existence. By allowing allowing us to enter periodically, it provides a means to enrich our daily existence by framing our struggles in more metaphorical terms and hopefully providing a means to come to terms with them.

This brings us to the question : Can the computerized RPG experience emulate catharsis that great collective reality based RPGs are capable of rewarding their players with?

I think that despite the increasing sophistication of virtual worlds, they will ultimately be limited by the vision imposed by their game designers. MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft will never be able to provide the essential ingredient for successful RPGs - catharsis. The real crux of the matter is the question of whether or not this is by design. There are are games out there that capture the essence of the RPG (Ico and Shadow of the Colussus come to mind), but WoW is not one of them. Players should question the what master the game serves - is it the players who benefit from being perpetually entrenched in the accumulation of "legendary" rewards, or the company that requires a subscription to enter this virtual world? How does "the Game" subvert our daily lives when so much actual time is required for the commitment of maintaining a virtual life? When does the "the Game" become "Life"?

When you return to reality, I'll be waiting with my dice.

There seems to be a certain sense of indiscriminate labeling applied to online character based games and Role Playing Games of yore which, admittedly, share a lot of similarities, but are fundamentally quite different experiences. Granted, a lot of online RPGs derive their inspiration and content directly from pencil and dice based RPGs, but the difference I'm talking about has more to do with the experiencing of gaming, not the game itself. I personally think that it is misleading to label these games as RPGs for the simple reason that by definition, you MUST actually be engaged in Role Playing. Simply selecting a character class then acting like every other jackass who use the veil of anonymity to engage in infantile name calling does not qualify a game as an RPG. As any experienced RPGer knows, playing a character well involves making decisions in the game world from the perspective of the character. To do this well requires the complete engagement of a player's imagination. It is this complete dissociation of the imagination which separates old school RPGs from their digital equivalents. It's as if by explicitly depicting the game world, a player's imagination is stifled. At the very least, imagination is homogenized. Until this disconnect is addressed in current virtual game environments, the experience will always be a pale imitation of what our imagination's can conjure up.

Over the years, my RPG group has sampled the entire genre of classic RPG games ranging from Paranoia to Warhammer10K. Three systems we always find ourselves returning to are Earthdawn, ShadowRun 3rd Edition, and Torg. These systems represent the pinnacle of the RPG experience. Whether it's the immersive world stories and plot lines, the technical mechanics of representing dramatic action, the scalability in play for increasingly capable characters, or the engagement of players in telling their own stories in the context of the game, these systems epitomize the true nature of RPGs. All that needs to be said about the quality of these games can be summarized by one simple fact - they are imminently replayable. How may games can you say that about?

Instead of subjecting ourselves to YAGS (yet another gaming system), we decided to create a fusion of these existing games. This will hopefully bring together all of the best elements from the individual gaming systems to create an familiar, yet engaging whole. It is assumed that groups that wish to apply these rules have access to source material from all of the three gaming systems mentioned above.

The base story line is that from ShadowRun 2050. The rise of magic and the return of the Halley's comet provide key points to inject themes from Torg and Earthdawn into the near future at the confluence of magic and technology.

New Rules

1. There is a disconnect in SR between attributes and skills which impacts the probability of a success test.This does not make the distinction between aptitude (represented by attributes) versus skills.The changes below address some of the shortcomings of the 3rd edition rules.
   • certain game aspects will be changed to reflect the that skills are based on attributes. The failuretarget number for skills based on the attribute is equal to 6 - attribute value to a minimum of 1. Failures always take precedent over successes. For example a character with an attribute of 1 will result in the skill failure threshold of 5 or less regardless of the standard success target number.
   • the number of true failures (1 on a d6) that can be ignored on a skill role is based on 1/4 of the skill. In essence, there is a balance between the skill (in terms of the number of true failures that can be ignored) and the base aptitude (the failure threshold). While increasing aptitude (the attribute) reduces the threshold of failure, skill limits the amount of mistakes that can be made, but does not remove the possibility of failure.
   • BOD
     • for every two points of this attribute add 1 additional box to the physical damage monitor.
     • 1/3 of the BOD attribute shifts the damage levels by its value. For example, a BOD attribute of 8 will result in the following physical damage monitor: xxLxxMxxSxxxDx
     • this results in 2 additional boxes before L damage is felt. It also means that a character with a BOD of 8 can take D damage without going unconscious as well as having an additional box before going into overflow.
   • STR
     • 1/3 of the STR attribute can be used for recoil compensation.
   • DEX
     • 1/3 of the DEX attribute is used to determine the number of physical distance attack successes to target a character to a minimum of 1. For example, a character with a dexterity of 6 would require 2 successes to damage successfully.
   • INT
     • 1/3 of the INT attribute can be used to cancel Dump Shock damage associated with a single action.
   • WIL
     • for every two points of this attribute add 1 additional box to the stun damage monitor.
     • 1/3 of the WIL attribute shifts the stun damage levels by its value. See the BOD attribute.
     • 1/3 of the WIL attribute is used to determine the number of magical attack successes required totarget a character to a minimum of 1. For example, a character with a willpower of 9 would require 3 successes to damage successfully.
   • CHA
     • 1/3 of the CHA attribute is used to determine the number of social interaction successes required to target the character.
   • MAGIC
     • 1/3 of the MAGIC attribute can be used to cancel drain boxes associated with a single magical action. For example, a character with a MAGIC attribute of 6 can ignore 2 boxes of drain. When casting a spell with Medium drain, the amount of actual drain taken is 1 box (3 - 2) or Light. This allows highly magical beings to ignore drain in proportion to their magic rating.
     • (physical adepts only) 1/3 of the MAGIC attribute determines the power level of certain powers. The adept is only responsible for purchasing the base power. Its effectiveness is inheritly linked to the adepts magic / initiate level.
     • (MAGIC - 6) = the number of metamagical techniques a character can possess.
     • (MAGIC - 6)/2 = technological healing modifier. Magical creatures are more difficult to heal with purely technological means. This modifier does not apply to magical healing methods.
   • ESSENCE
     • (ESSENCE - 6)/2 = social interaction test modifier. Characters that are heavily modified by cybernetics have lower emotional affect which hinders social interaction
     • (ESSENCE - 6)/2 = magical healing modifier. Characters with extensive cybernetics are more difficult to heal by magical means. This does modifier does not apply to technological healing methods.
2. Current dice mechanics measure only successes and not failures. Going forward all roles will require measure successful roles against true failures (1 on a d6). Any true failures must be subtracted from any rolled successes to determine the net result of the test. For example if the standard target number of 4 results in a roll of 1,2,4,4,6 the net result is 3 successes - 1 failure = 2 successes.

3. Karma pools remain the same, but their usage is as follows: Karma can no longer be used to buy successes. They can only be used to augment dice rolls. They cannot be used for rerolls. They can be used to cancel dice failures (1 on a d6), but not gain unrolled successes. The corollary is that your karma pool can only increase and NOT decrease. Increasing your karma pool requires using accumulated karma points to increase the pool at a cost of karma equal to the next level.

   There are no more group karma pools. Karma points refresh at the end of every session.

4. Skill concentrations will be used as following: For every 2 points in a skill, a single concentration can be chosen. There are no more separate build/repair skills, only the build repair concentration. This removes the skill tree proliferation that has handicapped 3rd edition rules. Using skills with the correct concentration allows the character to role against standard success target numbers. Using the skill without the correct concentration will require achieving a good success for a test. This also reduces the maximum staging offset by 1.

   As well as determining the number of dice rolled, a skill also determines the number of true failures that can be disregarded on a single roll. 1/4 of the skill level can be used to disregard true failures (1 on a d6). For example, a skill of 8 when roled will allow for 2 true failures to be ignored.

5. Target numbers will be modified for difficulty following ED rules. There will be failure, average, good, excellent, and extraordinary success target numbers. The highest roled dice determines the success level. For every success level achieved, the staging number of the role is increased by 1. For example, an attack that does 9M damage will a single good success will result in 10M damage. Additional successes will power level will increase. For example, two average successes for an attack that does 9M damage will result in 9S damage.

   Failures result when there are no rolls resulting in successes, but the number of true failures (1 on a d6) exceed 1/4 of the attribute on which the skill is based. For example, if a skill of 6 based on an attribute value of 4 results in a roll of 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3 when a standard target number of 4 is required for the role will result in 3 failures (1 true failures + 2 standard failures based on 6-4=2).

   A catastrophic failure results when the skill dice roled results in more true failures (1 on a d6) than 1/2 of the base attribute. For example, if the skill roll instead resulted in 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3 this would have resulted in 4 failures (2 true failures + 2 standard failures). Since the attribute base is 4, this would have resulted in a catastrophic failure.

   A standard failure results in a minor inconvenience (i.e. a gun jam). A catastrophic failure will result in something more dramatic (i.e. such as your ammo exploding resulting in damage). This is usually a good time to use a karma point to reduce the number of true failures.

   Using karma to offset roles results in a double edged sword. As well as providing more opportunity to increasing the role effect, it also increases the possibility of true failures. Karma usage becomes more unpredictable which reflects the uncertainty introduced by relying on magic. Only experience can mitigate the risks associated with using karma.

6. Initiative is to be determined using the Drama Deck. Only one standard action is allowed per round, unless modified by the Drama Deck. Speed and defensive/offensive capability is now better reflected in a character's attributes.

7. Magical or technological enhancement of the attribute does NOT affect the base attribute modifiers. They are considered externalities and already have requisite benefits associated with their use. The only caveat is for physical adepts who use their magic points to improve their attributes. These bonuses affect the underlying attribute which affect the base attribute modifiers.

8. Essence can be improved like any other attribute. This allows for healing and social interaction bonuses as well as to recovering Essence Loss associated with the removal of cyberware. This also allows magical characters to install cyberware by offsetting any loss in their magic rating.

9. Knowledge skills and contacts can only be improved through role playing.

10. The Drama Deck will be used to enhance various aspects of the game:

    • as per Torg, characters will start out with 5 cards which they must activate by placing into their pool. One card per initiative turn is allowed.
    • each skill bonus can be applied to a single die result. Multiple cards can be used either on a single die result or to affect multiple dice (with one card per die).
    • the attribute bonuses correspond as follows:
      • BOD - Toughness
      • DEX - Dexterity
      • STR - Strength
      • CHA - Charisma
      • INT - Perception
      • WIL - Mind
      • MAGIC - Spirit
    • alertness cards function without modification.
    • haste cards allow for an additional action within a round.
    • master plan cards function without modification.
    • seize initiative cards function without modification.
    • hero cards can be used to re-roll ALL failed dice or cancel one true failure (1 on a d6). They can also be used to counteract an opponent fails card. Keeping this card till the end of the session increases the karma reward by 1 as well.
    • opponent fails cards function without modification.
    • rally works without modification. All stun damage is removed.
    • second chance works without modification.
    • connection allows a character to develop a contact.
    • idea works without modification.
    • glory : use of this card in conjuction with an extraordinary success will also shift the damage level to D. Keeping this card till the end of the session increases the karma reward by 3 as well.
    • monologue works without modification.
    • campaign works without modification.
    • coup de grace : shifts the base damage level of an attack by 1 damage level. An attack with a base of S can be shifted to a base of D.
    • romance works without modification. Can be submitted for 1 additional karma point reward if unused.
    • martyr : why change this at all?
    • mistaken identity : ditto
    • true identity : ditto
    • personal stake : ditto
    • nemesis : ditto
    • suspicion : ditto
    • drama : can be used like a hero card or redeemed for 3 karma points at the end of an adventure.
    • leadership works without modification
    • supporter works without modification
    • escape : probably shouldn't allow this, but oh well ...
    • hero fails : no deck is complete without this. Can be redeemed (if used in a session) for 3 karma points.
    • research works without modification
    • quest works without modification
    • super hero : roll twice and take the best result or use it like a hero card.
    • second wind : ignore stun penalties for this round only
    • resolve : add an additional success to any WIL based action for this round.
    • breakthrough : use any unskilled skill without penalties
    • new hope : roleplay a round of inspirational speech. All players that can trade cards are inspired.
    • plunder works without modification
    • fate : replace as many cards from the deck as you have discarded
    • murphy's law : like hero fail's but worse. The bright side is its worth 4 karma points if used.
    • retrospection : cannot be played in combat. After a round of meditation, you can replace this card with another card in the Discard Stack.
    • desperation : all players can put their cards into their pools.
    • clone : this card duplicates the affect of one card already in the pool.
    • reckoning : bonus applies to a single opponent and only until the end of an event/scene.
    • defiance : bonus applies to a single opponent and only until the end of an event/scene.
    • repair : works for 1 round

    Card actions work as follows:

    • Fatigue : add L Stun Damage (this is not compensated for by WIL bonuses)
    • Inspiration : remove L Stun Damage
    • Up : re-roll all failed dice
    • Flurry : get another action this round
    • Setback : lose your action this round, if completing a task lose one level of success
    • Stymied : lose your action this round
    • Breaks : lose one success for every action taken this round.
    • Confused : if completing a task, you cannot make progress this round

    As per Torg, approved actions will allow the character to draw another card from the drama deck. At the end of a session, players can only have a maximum of 5 cards in their hand. Excess cards MUST be discarded.

11. We will be starting at the beginning of the know ShadowRun universe. SOTA will be factored into the game time line as your characters progress through the adventures. This means that all characters start off with only the base equipment allowable for SR3 2050 characters. This also means that as SOTA becomes a factor, older gear will begin to loose its effectiveness. Your characters will also have age affect their attributes.

12. Spells will NOT have rating levels. The force/power of the spell is to be determined by the caster. This should simplify magic immensely. The distinction/bonuses for hermetic versus shamanic magicians still apply.

13. Building gear. The appropriate build/repair skill will allow construction/customization of gear. Custom built gear will have the same stats as the manufactured stuff, but will have a reliability rating as well. This factor will be based on the following formula:

    (manufactured cost)/2 
    ---------------------
         custom cost
    

    This means that a custom solution can be as reliable as the manufactured one if the component cost is equal to half the cost of the original. Using inferior components reduces reliability. If the custom component cost is equal to only 1/4 of the original cost, the component will be twice as likely to fail. Reliability mechanics to be determined. This also means that for riggers, repairing their droids should be feasible (assuming there is enough left to salvage).

14. As per ED, skill advancement requires successful use of a skill at the current level. Attributes can be improved whenever (assuming you have the karma points to spend).

15. Reputation will also factor into the game. The Karma Point total will be used to measure character reputation. This will have both positive and negative impacts on character interaction with in-game personalities and will affect game mechanics such as availability. The reputation system mechanics to be determined.

This is a work in progress. Obviously, play testing will reveal any flaws with these rules. Changes will be published as these deficiencies are discovered. Feel free to comment on these rule changes or make additional suggestions.

DM Rules

1. Talent Linking. Two or more characters can collaborate to perform a task together assuming that both characters possess the skill. In this circumstance, task resolution is accomplished as follows:

   • the highest skill level is used for the test.
   • additional characters reduce the possibility of failure. Instead of adding skill to the test, additional characters can use their allotment of failures to ensure that the test succeeds.
   • if the test allows the use of karma pools, additional characters can add dice to the test equal to the number of failure dice that can be canceled by the skill level of the character.
   • the success level can be used to determine the effect. If the task is time sensitive,standard success is accomplished without any time bonuses. A good success results in accomplishing the task in 1/3 the time. An excellent success results in the task taking only 1/2 the time. An extraordinary success results in the tasks taking 1/4 of the time.
   • additional characters can use cards in their pool

2. Magic. There are some missing ED corollaries that need to be addressed in ShadowRun.

   • Matrices. There must be a progression from casting raw magic to using artifacts to filter astral energy to the use of matrices. The ideal of warping can easily be reflected in additional physical drain that characters must take when casting in a corrupt area. The use of the matrix artifact removes this "lethal astral feedback" from the spell caster. The use of matrices will be limited to magical initiates with the initiate allocating one of his/her metamagical technique slots to be able to access this ability. The number of matrices is equal to 1/3 the Spellcasting skill.

   • Conjuring. There must be limitations placed on current conjuring techniques. The act of conjuring binds the astral construct to the conjurer. This is reflected by Magic Pool dice being allocated to conjured spirits with 1 Magic Pool dice per level being used while the spirit remains bound to the conjurer. While this Magic Pool dice is associated with the spirit it CANNOT be used to augment Magic rolls. Not all of the Magic Pool must be used this way. Unallocated Magic Pool dice functions as normal. For example a character wil 6 Magic Pool dice that conjures a level 3 spirit allocates 3 dice from his pool while the spirit remains bound to him. The remaining Magic pool dice can be used normally. The 3 Magic Pool dice return to the character's Magic Pool when the spirit has returned to the astral plain it was conjured from.

     This now provides a method to create Free Spirits (or Familiars). By permanently giving Magic Pool dice to an astral construct, it becomes self empowered.

   • Enchanting. To be determined.

3. Opposed resolution. There are situations which are tedious to resolve using the current ruleset which can be easily resolved through the use of the Drama Deck using the following mechanism:

   both parties declare their objectives. The first party to complete all of their actions(A, B, C, D) wins the their desired outcome.

   For example, a car chase results between the players and local law enforcement. The character's objective is to escape the coppers and the coppers objective is to catch the players. This situation can be resolved using this mechanism. The characters escape when they complete all of their action sequences before the cops do.

4. Karma effects in an evolving magical world. Like Earthdawn, Karma can be used to represent a character's innate magical nature. World events which change the nature of magic can manifest in game play by modifying Karma behavior. For example, using Karma near magically active sites can result in different Karma behavior. Using magic near a Ley Line may result in Karma dice never resulting in failures (even on a 1).

   This also allows for magical attacks which affect the use of Karma. Cursed Luck can take a player's highest roll and turn it into a 1. Corrupt Karma can prevent Karma from being used on an action. Various ED karma modifiers can be used to supplement SR3 to provide a more magical feel to the game.

5. Convergent Torg storylines. That FASA meant to introduce the Scourage and the coming of the Horrors, there can be no doubt. The problem lies in the implementation of these details.Torg provides a great framework to meld SR3 / ED themes without upsetting the game universe dramatically.

   • As well as Church dogma to proclaim the validity of the metahuman soul, church elements begin to embrace technology as a source of salvation. This leads to the formation of a modern Cyberpapal state with Magic taking on the role of "miracles". The search for a spiritual machine results in the birthing of a "moral" AI (Gabriel).

   • The astral bridge to signal the beginning of the Scourage is halted temporarily, but minions of powerful Named Horrors managed to gain a foot hold in this world. When they realize that technology played a factor in repelling their advances, they create technodemon constructs to augment their power and provide insight into this tool. A negative astral cascade sweeps SoCAL and transforms it into Tharkhold. This fits in with Saito succession of Japanese authority and creating a nation state.

   • The Atlantean Foundation spurred on by the discovery of the pyramids on Mars manages to create an astral gateway to contact the last of the Therans. The Space Gods arrive as a call to their answers. With their return, will they look to re-establish the dominance of 3rd world Thera. A twist on this could be that the Incan Gold looted by the Spanish was in fact Orichulum. The geoglyphs of Nazca and Palpa are the traces of the magical glyphs that took the Therans from this world to the next.

   • Aztechnology and their penchant for blood magic seems like a natural fit for Orrosh. We can develop the story line to transform Aztlan nto the first bastion of the Horror foothold in SR3. Given its proximity to SoCAL and the transformation of the adjacent L.A into Tharkholdu, this makes a lot of sense as the Horrors experiment with high technology in a separate realm. Think HellRaiser meets the Cube. This could also explain the strange similarity between Space God/Theran magical methods (and their use of the pyramid).

   • Aysle can manifest in the Tir nations. The heavy reliance on magic due to the high availability of magical sources such as ley lines makes this a natural fit. By introducing a continuum between the technological and the magical, we will have the ability to adjust magic use depending on the game context. This can play well against the Eleven Schism which manifests between Tir Tairngire and Tir Nan Og. This can be the the parallel between Sereathea and the Wyrm Wood. Once the encroaching Horrors target Aylse strong holds due to their attraction to the high mana available in these zones, perhaps the Alichia will reinvoke the Ritual of Thorns.

   • The Nile Empire fits in well with idea that "Egypt" is analogous to Creana. Although Weird Science has no SR3 analogue, I think that if approached with the technomagic bent (such as personal force fields powered with Karma), this might be doable. Ra can be transformed into one of the Great Dragons which is late to the party (or All-wings herself).

   • Nippon Tech I think suites the intrigue posed by the Yakuza/Seoulpa Rings/Triads. With their penchant for cloak and dagger maneuverings, this would be a good fit. I suggest that the 227 plot line be attempts for either biological or cybernetic cloning (which in SR3 falls into the realm of cybermancy). The surreptitious acquisition of technology from competitors plus the alchemical philosophers stone (i.e. Orichulum) allows the transfer of human consciousness to an autonomous technological body.

   • The only problems I have are with the Living Land / Land Below cosms which I think violate base SR3 idioms. If these are left out, I think that most of the Torg world is well preserved that the general feel can pervade the campaign.

6. Convergent ED storylines. There were a number of world storylines in ED which remained unresolved. These themes could provide a wealth of adventure possibilities in SR3.

   • The Ever Living Flower. Some of the SR3 adventures touch upon this, but do not go into any further detail. This could be a good introduction to magical theory regarding Immortality, elves on the Path of Lords, and the power of True Naming. This could lead in to magical means of enchanting mundane items and create an interesting mechanic for the game.

   • Aardelea and the Drakes. The appearance of drakes in close temporal proximity to extended periods of elevated Mana suggests that Great Dragons are still relying on the Ritual of Blue Spirits to create their servants. Perhaps a genetic marker exists in the descendants of Aardelea which through exposure to high mana sources forces a latent transformation.

   • The Books of Harrow. As I mentioned previously, I think that artifacts from previous eras could prognosticate the return of the Scourage. Perhaps the Sphinx in Eygpt is Jaron himself and the Ritual of Awakening can coax some tidbits of information from him.

   • The Orichulum Wars. I think the manifestation of Orichulum in SR3 provide ample opportunity to introduce the theme of War on a Global scale to SR3. As well as allowing for closer technological and magical integration, it becomes the currency of the new era.

   • Kaers. With the discovery of the Books of Harrow, preparations begin to secure humanity against the onslaught. Although there are those who believe that the Scourge can still be avoided, the prudent begin construction of Kaers; this time with the help of technology. Think Saeder Krupp Prime.

   • The rise of Magic. The warning by ancestor spirits of the coming Scourage points to the development of Nethermancy. Prior to this, Elementalism, Wizardry, and Illusionism were well represented in SR3. This would be a new magical focus which manifests in SR3. At first, those who are practitioners are hunted down until it becomes understood that Nethermancy is not the practice of the Dark Arts, but the study of the magic use of the Horrors. This could dovetail nicely with the rise of the Cyberpapacy and their war on Heretical Nethermancers.

   • The Power of Naming. This could have the biggest effect on the use of persistent magic in SR3. Like ED, it is not enough that something is inherently magical because of its construction or materials, but through its use becomes empowered. This could mesh well with the Torg cosm artifacts in terms of the Karma/Possibilities. Mechanics to be determined at some future date.

As with the general rules, comments are welcome.

Tell it Like it Is

One of the most difficult tasks for a DM when running a campaign is structuring adventures in a way that is both engaging for the players without becoming a tedious management task. After all, the enjoyment the DM gets as a participant in the gaming session is as the director of collective imagination.

More importantly, adventures need enough structure to move the storyline forward but enough flexibility to account for unexpected player actions. Achieving this balance is difficult, but luckily both Torg and Earthdawn provide excellent examples of how to structure an adventure just right. A more rigid storytelling structure results in too much Deus Ex Machina common in a lot of D&D style games.

The following template can be used to modify existing ShadowRun adventures (which, despite their exceptional back story are incredibly difficult to run) or create new scenarios to introduce elements of the world storyline into regular game play.

Common Adventure Themes

To prevent adventures from devolving from one dungeon trawl to another, it is crucial to craft a theme around adventures. This relieves the tedium most campaigns become, by providing a variety of encounters for the players some of which (believe it or not) do not require the use of swords. I find that most games which over-rely on physical confrontation quickly become "Gear" games. The only motivation for players is to acquire the next "Biggest, Baddest, Can of Whoop Ass". While there is something gratifying in having a powerful item, it quickly upsets game balance.

This is the main short-coming of ShadowRun. While advances in technology and magic make the game interesting, the system suffers from it's inability to scale with experienced players.

Before designing an adventure, decide the core theme. This will provide the foundation of the adventure experience. Here are some common themes (other than the basic Hack-N-Slash theme):

Themes

1. Mystery

   I world without mystery quickly becomes predictable. Players crave discovery as part of the experience and making them work for it makes it all the more enjoyable. Metagaming is a part of a group dynamic that generally undermines mystery. The challenge is to engage the player regardless of this element by introducing the unpredictable to the campaign. Doing so provides opportunities for players to have a hand in determining the outcome of campaign wide events.

2. Revenge

   Revenge can only work within a campaign setting if the DM invests the time to develop credible nemesi (probably a non-existent plural for nemesis) to continually challenge players. This means that death should not be the only outcome when encountering game master generated opposition. Like unrequited love, the longer the act is delayed, the sweeter it is (or the greater the disappointment).

3. Comedy

   Like a good movie, the right mix of action, mystery, romance, and comedy contribute to the overall enjoyment experienced by players. Comedy provides colour and has multiplier effect on the other elements that make the game enjoyable for the players.

Don't overlook providing some character downtime as an opportunity to lighten the mood of the campaign. These moments allow players to become more vested in character by allowing them to pursue personal sub-themes. Sometimes, it is these sub-themes that become the motivating force for moving the plot forward.

Plots

Plots provide the primary motivation for the characters in terms of moving the story and action forward. Without motivation, campaigns quickly devolve into chaos. The GM's challenge is to allow characters to fulfill plots while allowing sub-plots to develop in parallel. These objectives should be achievable within 2-3 sessions. Larger story arcs should be broken up into chapters, each with its own plot. This prevents the primary motivation from becoming stale. Plots should have a definitive beginning and end. In the context of larger story arcs, each chapter should be able to stand on its own and allow the players to choose whether or not to continue the larger arc. There is nothing more frustrating from a players perspective then having to follow a story arc simply because the DM has an adventure for it. Using transitional elements to move the story forward allows the GM to introduce possible resolutions to a story without explicitly directing the players into a course of action. A campaign should be flexible enough to allow deviation while still accomplishing the necessary objectives.

Most plots are variations of the following types and usually vary only in scope within a campaign. These types should be fairly self explanatory.

1. The Quest
2. The Guantlet
3. The Gathering

Building an Adventure

1. Basic Outline
   1. Adventure Idea
   2. Background
   3. Act One - setup. Near the conclusion of the act, a plot point in presented.
   4. Act Two - contains a confrontation leading to the major conflict.
   5. Act Three - contains a confrontation leading to the major conflict.
   6. Conclusion - climax and resolution of the major conflict.

   Beginnings - always try to start with some sort of action. This will set the tone of the adventure.

2. Scenes - discrete units of action within each act to move the action forward. Within each scene you need to decide what the action will be and what events you want to occur.

   Settings - work along with tone and genre to place and adventure firmly in front of the players. Ideally, each Act should have its own unusual and distinct setting. One or two additional details will flesh out the scenario and make the setting real.

3. The Action - what the player characters will be doing. Each scene should only involve one primary action. If there is another action, it should be split into two scenes.

4. Events - an interactive situation which depends upon timing and setting. An incident of significance within a scene.

5. Variables - plans for alternate directions in the storyline.

   Plot Twists - throw in a surprise or two. Keep some information secret until later.

6. Flags - conditional events that are activated by the player characters' action, not necessarily connected to a specific setting. Design flags that add new twists, new menaces, or new information to the adventure.

   Bits - events not part of the central storyline. Used to insert running gags, comic relief, red herrings, to add spice to the story line.

   Stacks - scenes that exist separate and apart from the individual acts designed to move the storyline forward.

7. Awards

   Rewards should scale based on player experience. The challenge is to ensure that players feel like they are advancing without unbalancing the game. ED is great for this as power is acquired incrementally and requires a proportional investment of experience to gain the benefits of a new power or item. Power is rooted in knowledge not simple possession.

8. Cut To ... - The lead-in to the next act.

   This is an opportunity for the DM to provide context for the Action and exercise his/her storytelling abilities. Introduction of new game themes or characters allows the story to flow into the general narrative.

9. Gamemaster Characters

   These elements of GM characters give depth which allow players to treat them with more that disposable game elements. The more you allow players to interact with characters with these elements, the more they are likely to be recurring elements in your campaign. This is useful for being able to subtly direct action through interaction as imposing them situationally.

   1. Distinctive Appearance
   2. Distinctive Speech
   3. Definite Objective
   4. Skills
   5. Motivation

10. GM Character Roles

    GMing is a balancing act that requires practice. It requires intuition of the players themselves in order to determine the right amount of these elements to introduce and when to introduce them. Ultimately, although your job is to play all the obstacles the players are likely to encounter, you must also give them the opportunity to succeed. The challenges should be difficult, but not impossible. This is what builds the feeling of being invested in the development of a player character. Death, while being a real possibility in the game, should be used sparingly. Players should feel their mortality, but should not always be put in mortal danger.

    1. Information Source
    2. Obstacle
    3. Major Villain
    4. Comic Relief
    5. Mood-Setting Device

As with all this material, please feel free to comment.