[Senko]

I think there was a topic on this but I can't find it. Anyway a couple of things (rewatchimg slayers and Junior)  got me thinking about the effects of magic on a pregnant woman. I'm not just talking about any indirect effects on the child (addiction, mutation, higher chance of being an awakened) but also drain on the mother. So it got me thinking what would be the ramifications in a world like shadowrun with few civil rights vs the need for keeping your mages happy? Extra long maternity leave (as in from when you find out till you give birth), minimal spellcasting/summoning but still working as a magical resource by answering questions or working out theoretical nee Spells, forced surrogate motherhood to someone else, Strict limits on number of children and they must be pre-approved something else? Thoughts anyone? Either on the treatment of the female mage or the effects of magic use on mother/child.

[Jack_Spade]

Getting hurt and exerting yourself is generally avoided during pregnancies for the sake of mother and child.
Drain is comparable to fatigue damage, so I'd expect physicians advising female mages to only cast very low force spells during pregnancy.

I don't think that mages are prohibited from getting more children - rather the opposite: Awakened are valuable and making more is good business. Insofar, the corps might encourage surrogates, but then maybe awakening is furthered by having your mother let mana flow through her body and the baby, so I don't think it's mandatory.

All in all I don't think that there is any need on the part of the corps to intervene: Mages are highly paid specialists. Female mages will have the same problem like today's career oriented ladies: Career or family. And family will likely be pushed a bit back until the biological clock starts to tick...

[Sphinx]

It depends on a couple of things: (a) how the culture treats magicians, and (b) how it treats women.

Progressive corps (Horizon, NeoNET, Evo) would probably encourage a pregnant magician to accept light duty in the second trimester, medical leave for the third trimester, and maternity leave for the first six months after birth (paternity leave, too, for that matter). They would probably provide free daycare if not a dedicated nanny or au pair when the magician is ready to resume her duties. Progressive corps figure a happy, satisfied magician is a loyal, hardworking magician.

Socially conservative corps (most Japanacorps) might discourage magicians from becoming pregnant in subtle ways ... half-pay on medical or maternity leave, delayed promotion schedules, payroll deductions for corp-approved childcare, reassignment to lower-priority projects. Magicians are valuable resources; conservative corps would prefer they focus their attention on more important things than family or personal lives (i.e., the corp).

Most corporations (and all mega corps) are savvy enough to value magicians, but there are enough anti-Awakened cultures out there that being pregnant and a magician could make you the focus of all sorts of unwanted attention. Good targets for extraction, these.

EDIT: See the "Pregnant" quality in Bullets and Bandages (p.12).

[Longshot23]

Also, there's the long-standing Humanis et al party line that (human) Awakened - as in magically active - people are more likely to produce pointy-eared offspring, adding to the unwanted attention category.

[Beta]

Also there may be a lot of theories about magic and pregnancy,  but given how risk averse people generally are with pregnancy risks, and the shortage of animal equivalents to study, a lot of that may just be theory  still.  And in theory I include reasonable theory, old wives tales, propaganda,  stuff someone made up to sell their product, and outright bunkum that some people believe anyway.

[Senko]

I imagine if you do produce a healthy, human child they'd be scrutinised closely for magical ability of their own which may provide another reason to keep a pregnant mage healthy and happy so they encourage a potential future mage to work for the company.

[ShadowcatX]

IIRC there is an adventure based on an Aztec guy who has fallen out of favor trying to get his magical potential son back from the mom as a blood sacrifice.

[Senko]

Its one of the missions ones I think, sadly its just "Blood mage bad, sacrificing son for promotion" rather than really going into any detail. I don't think the mother even enters into it.

[ShadowcatX]

But it goes to show that even Aztechnology wants it's mages to reproduce because the children of mages are valuable.

[Senko]

 I think Atlanti valued the child less for magical potential than his potential blood symbolism. Still I suppose some corps could offer special incentive packages to encourage their mages to have children in the hopes of breeding a new crop of potential mages. Not just maternity leave but you receive free (good quality) corporate housing or a baby bonus if you have a child and another better upgrade if your child/ren are confirmed to have magical potential.

[Reaver]

Keep in mind that awakened talents do not breed true. Meaning, even if both parents are awakened doesn't mean their kids are.

Back when magic reappeared, there was all sorts of effort made find the "magic gene" and all sorts of breeding programs set up by corporations looking to cash in.... and they all failed.


As to how they treat pregnant workers. Probably the same way as they are treated in developing nations. Which means you work until the last possible moment, and are back to work ASAP. (There is no such thing as a Labour Code, worker's Rights, or any other Socialistic Programs. Those died with the Governments in the late 90s early 2000's remember?)


Now mages, being a rare commodity, Probably get better treatment. - the fluff in game points to this- so things are probably a little better for them, but I wouldn't expect what the awakened get to be anywhere near what some Socialistic Governments adhear to now... (ex: in Canada a new mother can collect Social payments equal to 70% of her wage (max $2500/mo) for up to 18 months!)

[ShadowcatX]

Keep in mind that awakened talents do not breed true. Meaning, even if both parents are awakened doesn't mean their kids are.

Back when magic reappeared, there was all sorts of effort made find the "magic gene" and all sorts of breeding programs set up by corporations looking to cash in.... and they all failed.


As to how they treat pregnant workers. Probably the same way as they are treated in developing nations. Which means you work until the last possible moment, and are back to work ASAP. (There is no such thing as a Labour Code, worker's Rights, or any other Socialistic Programs. Those died with the Governments in the late 90s early 2000's remember?)


Now mages, being a rare commodity, Probably get better treatment. - the fluff in game points to this- so things are probably a little better for them, but I wouldn't expect what the awakened get to be anywhere near what some Socialistic Governments adhear to now... (ex: in Canada a new mother can collect Social payments equal to 70% of her wage (max $2500/mo) for up to 18 months!)

They don't breed true, but there is evidence that magic can run in blood lines.

[Senko]

Keep in mind that awakened talents do not breed true. Meaning, even if both parents are awakened doesn't mean their kids are.

Back when magic reappeared, there was all sorts of effort made find the "magic gene" and all sorts of breeding programs set up by corporations looking to cash in.... and they all failed.


As to how they treat pregnant workers. Probably the same way as they are treated in developing nations. Which means you work until the last possible moment, and are back to work ASAP. (There is no such thing as a Labour Code, worker's Rights, or any other Socialistic Programs. Those died with the Governments in the late 90s early 2000's remember?)


Now mages, being a rare commodity, Probably get better treatment. - the fluff in game points to this- so things are probably a little better for them, but I wouldn't expect what the awakened get to be anywhere near what some Socialistic Governments adhear to now... (ex: in Canada a new mother can collect Social payments equal to 70% of her wage (max $2500/mo) for up to 18 months!)

They don't breed true, but there is evidence that magic can run in blood lines.

Not just this but even if the child isn't a mage the mother and possibly the father is and if they're not happy with how they're treated you've got a valuable resource who'd welcome an extraction if they believed they were going somewhere better, they may even just try to quit. Renraku arcology had entire upper levels dedicated solely to mage inhabitants. So I think there is a certain degree of good treatment you don't want to cut the goose that's laying golden eggs open.

[Marcus]

These threads tend to get creepy. Magic should be about good story, the pregnancy element rarely adds much to a run. It just reminds me to much of a million tv shows where they add drama by having someone giving birth in the middle of some dramatic conflict.  I know this shows up several classic myths, but I just don't see it being a very useful plot device for most runs.

[Senko]

It's mainly on mind because a lot of things (TV shows, books, etc) have female reproduction tied to magic e.g. can't use magic when their having their period or affecting the child if used. Slayers anime and dark jewels both have the female magic users unable to use magic when having a period for instance (and in the later the more powerful the which the more pain she's in during that time of the month from her magic).