[Qemuel]

Can clothing hide bonded Foci from being Astrally Perceived?

Example - My character has a bonded sustaining focus (rating 1) in the form of a pentacle necklace.  It is not currently sustaining any spells.  He is wearing a high collar Lined Coat which is physically covering his pendant.  Another character rolls 3 successes Assensing me using Astral Perception.

She can obviously tell many things about me:  I'm magically active, my emotions, how healthy I am, that we have the same amount of magical power, etc., as per the Assensing Table (p. 191 SR4A).  However, the focus is not active so it is currently not dual natured/doesn't have an astral form (although, I am assuming that because it is a magic item, it will have an aura.  Is that correct?).  According to Astral Visibility (p. 114 SM),

Shadows of physical objects in the astral plane may be drab and insubstantial, but they are still opaque and can prevent targeting.

That would lead me to believe that this focus is not noticeable in any way no matter how many successes you get on the Assensing test.  Am I wrong?  Perhaps the aura extends beyond the clothing?  I don't know.

Now, same question but it is actively sustaining a spell.  The focus would now be dual natured and possess an astral form.  How would an astrally perceiving/projecting character notice this focus if the rule for Astral Visibility applies?  Does the astral form expand beyond the Lined Coat?  Aside from Extended Masking, can you hide active foci beneath layers of clothing to keep them hidden?  If so that would seem to negate the need for Extended Masking.  If not, it seems to contradict the section on Astral Visibility.

Looking for ideas...

[anotherJack]

If a coat could hide the focus' aura, then a body could hide the cyberware in it, and it doesn't. Consider that auras are really shiny, if you put a very shiny object under a thin opaque object, you will probably see the light through the thin object. So no, clothes can't hide auras. But a wall can.
If the gamemaster wants, he may adjust dices' pools, considering the clothes like a modifier to assensing.

[FastJack]

A focus always holds the astral signature of its owner (see Astral Signatures, p. 192).

This is true whether the focus is active or not. The only way to hide it on the astral is if your an Initiate with the Masking ability.

[Qemuel]

Thanks for the quick replies!

Okay, the Astral Signature clarifies things a bit.  Now, just to make sure I'm super clear...  If the perceiver does not score 3 successes on her test, she does NOT perceive the focus since she does not detect the astral signature? (p. 192 SR4A Astral Signatures  "Three or more hits are required to detect the signature.")  However, if it was sustaining a spell, it would be obvious as soon as she went astral since it now has an astral form (no successes needed)?

So the only reason she would notice the inactive focus is because of the the amount of her successes allowing her to see the astral signature.  Incidentally, opaque means you can't see through it.  The example in the first reply seems to indicate translucency.  However the point seems moot, since masking was not involved and 3 successes were achieved.

[FastJack]

Your assumptions are correct (or, at least as I would interpret the rules).

[The_Gun_Nut]

You are pretty much correct.  Astral forms, such as from living things and spirits, and from magical items, are very bright on the astral plane and can be hard to hide.  In a sprawl, where almost everything is processed, then it is relatively easy to see living forms through non-living barriers, depending on how thick the barrier is (a typical wall hides an aura well, a coat does not).

The reverse would obviously be true if one was in a mana/life rich environment like a tropical rain forest.  There would be so many auras surrounding you that discerning a specific one from the crowd would be difficult.  Unless, of course, it was an active focus or a powerful spirit or spell.

[cndblank]

So you really need living things to hide some thing on the astral.

A ghillie suit with fresh plants woven in or a handy bush and you are good.

Or some top grade arm candy and you can be covered on two fronts.

So what if I have a small focus and I stick under my tongue....

I'd think if it was active, it could be seen, but at least a minus 2.

You could swap it back and forth with your arm candy.

[Dead Monky]

I think someone skilled at assensing could detect your link to it anyway.  I think.  Someone with a book on hand or better off hand knowledge of the rules may know better.

[FastJack]

It'd play out the same as a Perception check. The better the results, the more they'd be able to make out.