[Critter]

So I will say,  I am not a GM, but I like to help them out.

Can anyone help describe what the astral looks like. Like if you're inside buildings I assume you can't see through walls. I tried to explain it to my GM as sort of thermographic imaging, but with emotions and magic as opposed to heat. Like if someone were standing next to a wall you'd see their aura bleed through but if you wanted to see inside the room you'd need to poke your head through the wall.

Also, how would you describe cyber. The best I could explain is it looks like dark spots in the body, and for things like wired reflexes it might look like a spiderweb of darkness throughout the aura.


Can any of you experts give a better explanations?

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

That's pretty accurate.  To flesh things out, remember that the rooms and nonliving things in astral really are very bland unless someone is leaving impressions on them.  Whatever place someone things of as 'special' will be imprinted by them as they spend time there. 

A cubicle farm where all the workers are unhappy drones will be a pretty dark and dreary place.  The brightest 'colors' will be whatever personal knickknacks, family photos, or such that the company allows them to keep in their areas.

Likewise, the water cooler area will be brightly 'lit' with the echoes of gossiping and social bonding between workers.

The corner office probably 'reeks' of ambition and the smug satisfaction of the young exec who recently moved in.  Contrasted with the cubicle farm example, perhaps his 'personal' knickknacks are not very noticeable astrally because they're just there for show.

An important thing to remember about cyberware is when essence is paid, it becomes 'part' of the aura.  Mechanically, you don't even see it unless you're specifically searching for it.  (Astral perception chart tells you how many hits you need before you can see cyberware)