[SwampFox]

Hey all, need an answer on a question regarding magical security in Denver.  Is using spirits completely verboten unless a Free Spirit volunteers their services?  And if so, how would various security forces work around this issue?  I mean, it's not like shadowrunners are going to stop using spirits...

[Jack_Spade]

There are a few options:
Dual natured critters are quite good at recognizing and combating magical threats.
With the right meta magic and a few apprentices a corp mage can create quite powerful watchers and homunculi to secure locations

[SwampFox]

Free spirits are also a decent option if they're offered payment in karma or something right?

[Jack_Spade]

Possible, but ask yourself:
How many spirits are interested in doing boring guard duty?
How can management be assured, that the spirit will do exactly as he his told?
How can management be sure that the spirit won't betray them or spy on them?

For the corps it's always about control and a free spirit is by definition something they would loath...

[SwampFox]

On a slight tangent, but how likely is someone going to notice summoning spirits going on in Denver?  I mean, is Zebulon personally watching/listening for spirits complaining about being summoned, or is it more of a "don't be fecking obvious about it and you'll fly under the radar" type deal.

[Kwai]

Iirc, the real problem with spirits in Denver is Zebulon: she is considered ADD/bipolar/borderline personality disorder and her moodswings impact all the spirits in the Denver area..."maintain this spell, spirit" Spirit "Ok" 5 minutes later Spirit "a PUPPY!! its so cute..>spirit runs off chasing puppy, never to be seen again by summoner.  Or worse ( it is Shadowrun, after all.)

[Reaver]

Don't forget, Spirits share a collective memory/hive memory of summoners and their actions...

So yes, Zebulon is very much aware of amy summoning anywhere in the Denver area in very short order.... Which could have very fatal consiquences..

[SwampFox]

So would ally spirits not really tip her off, but they might be distracted by her astral yammering?  Thinking of implementing a thing where ally spirits operating more than 24 hours in Denver have to make a Willpower [2] check in order to not be distracted by Zubulon's influence.  And their summoner can use reagents up to half their force to give them a boost via a small ritual, adding the number of reagents used to the willpower roll for that only.

If they fall the roll, the ally spirit is at a -1 dice penalty for any support actions due to Zebulon's astral influence distracting them, with the penalty being cumulative.

[Kwai]

If your gming, it's up to you.
But I'd have ally spirits be no less screwed than any other spirit. (more reason to not go, and that is how Ghosty likes it). Now, many spirits in Denver are likely immune/ not so effected, but I imagine their formulae take Zebulon into consideration, and Ghosty and Zeb are both going to be very protective of that data: if someone could track Zeb's mood via spirits, they may be able to learn enough to start to influence those moods..something Ghosty certainly doesn't want, so the "no spirits" dictate would be very aggressively enforced.
I loved the old Denver boxed set: no real truth given, even the gm book had 3 variations for major npcs so the GM could choose what was "true" on that specific table. If you have a player that has invested heavily in an ally then you would have different parameters for gming Denver. Maybe losing the ally and having to deal with Snowball or the ZDF would be fun? Or not. Happy gaming!

[Kiirnodel]

Where is this information about spirits being F*'d up in Denver talked about? I've never heard anything about this...

[Kwai]

the 4th edition Clutch of Dragons mentions a lot of it, including rumors of Lofwyr being responsible for Zebulon's initial fracture. Iirc, there's more but I can't recall where.
No mechanics given, but Zebulon is considered the causative agent for a "new sense of collaboration" and "an atmosphere of unity that feels magical" between the different spirits residing around Denver. (This is post Ghostwalker's return but before the Jester's Army.)
The extent of all the effects is not  explored, Zebulon's mental state is an offhand comment but opens the door for several interpretations. Up to how a given gm wants to present it. (good thing)

[SwampFox]

If your gming, it's up to you.
But I'd have ally spirits be no less screwed than any other spirit. (more reason to not go, and that is how Ghosty likes it). Now, many spirits in Denver are likely immune/ not so effected, but I imagine their formulae take Zebulon into consideration, and Ghosty and Zeb are both going to be very protective of that data: if someone could track Zeb's mood via spirits, they may be able to learn enough to start to influence those moods..something Ghosty certainly doesn't want, so the "no spirits" dictate would be very aggressively enforced.
I loved the old Denver boxed set: no real truth given, even the gm book had 3 variations for major npcs so the GM could choose what was "true" on that specific table. If you have a player that has invested heavily in an ally then you would have different parameters for gming Denver. Maybe losing the ally and having to deal with Snowball or the ZDF would be fun? Or not. Happy gaming!

In regards to the ally spirits being screwed, given that they're kind of permanently summoned and bound, I can see why they wouldn't be as affected if they entered Denver after they were bound; as opposed to someone trying to bind an ally spirit in Zebulon's area of influence.