Tagger Magic
For ShadowRun (I use first ed you can use these in second as well)
Wiz Kid gangs are a real threat n the
big city , and their tags deliniate the borders of their power. It
isn't just gang signs , for the Wiz Kids the tags are a source of
power. The accidental discovery of tagger magic in the Seattle
Metroplex in 2051 by the Hellkatz led quickly to an underground
explosion of magical warfare. Tagger magic is the art of tapping
ambient street energies , the kind that form City Spirits , and
putting them into a sort of community pool for the magical group that
made them. As long as the tags are visible , they generate energy for
the gang and can be burned off if additional magical power is needed.
The energy they produce also acts as a mild stimulant and intoxicant
for the members of the magical society while it is active.
So what is a magic tag ? Good question
, chummer. A magical gang tag is a piece of art infused with the
magical energy of the creator group, that acts as a siphon for
ambient energies. They are created in threes , generaly no further
than a block apart , or an exit in the case of highway gangs(with a
tag on the on ramp , in the rod somewhere and the next exit sign)
what is important is the area is a single domain of city. Once a trio
is made they harvest energy for the group that made them. The tags
cost one karma each set to make , and while in any area bordered by
the tags of her group a magican can use them to make magic stronger
or to resist burn damage. The tags must be placed in a visible area
in an urban enviroment. Tags in a place of power - such as the
Seattle Needle or St Louis Arch generate more power , but are rarely
allowed to stay up.
While in a tagged area all spells cast
by a member of the group either get an extra point of force or the
caster gets an extra die to resist drain, 2 dice if the tagged area
is a place of conspicuous attention like a monument. They also have a
feeling of intoxication similar to having a red bull and vodka. If
they wish to "burn" the tag they can get an additional die
to either force or resist drain , but the tag is destroyed. It also
kills thier buzz , which is the real reason most don't do it. The tags
also can be used to help resist summoning drain , summoners in the
tag zones roll one extra die to resist drain from summoning.
So how do you shut down the tags to
make the gangers feel the heat ? Well you can physically destory the tagged area , a sledgehammer usually does the trick, of course you have to destroy everything for a meter around the outermost edge of the tag. This tends to make the landlords picky. Less destructively , and more commonly, you tag over them , with
intent using another groups symbols, once you break all three down, the area is
untagged and the former taggers get some nasty feedback , a few hours of nausea or migraines treat as a Light drain injury. You want to bust them magically ? Fine , the tags once
created are visible from Astral Space and can be attacked the same
way spell locks can be however they are treated as Force 3-6 objects
due to their dispersed nature are the power flow through them.
Because of their nature the creators cannot be attacked through them
, excess energy just flows back into the enviroment. Spirits or
Elementals are often bound to protect a groups tags from Astral
attack. If another Wiz Kid gang tags over your markers you take more severe feedback , all members of the burned group take a Moderate Magical Mental Wound, suffering migraines, bloodshot eyes and nosebleeds.
Requirements : to make tagger magic the
Wiz Kid must be part of a magical group (as most wiz kids are) and
have some sort of art medium handy , usually spray paint , and a
point of karma. They are treated as spell locks for magical
restrictions. This limits most groups to a home turf of 30 or so
blocks since few Wiz Kids have more than 5 or 6 members. It usually
takes 8-30 minutes and a roll vs Magic Theory and Street Ettiquette
with a target number of 6 to set up a magical tag (30 minutes - 2
minutes for every success on an Street Ettiquette, Magic Theory ) , a
failed roll means another area must be tagged.
Magical Tags have the side effect of causing the background count of an area to drop until the tags break , the area's background then jumps by 1 for a few hours. Area that have magic tags on them tend to attract free spritis , and paranormal animals , and Gargoyles especially tend to congregate near them.
Corporations have attemped to pull this
same trick off , but as of yet the has been no success at making corp
bill boards or other advertisements work as mana harvesters.It is only a matter of time however.
