Null Adept

Michael D. Bourgon and Dark Thought Publications (MDB0213@RIGEL.TAMU.EDU)
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A Null is the colloquial term for a being possessing no astral presence, or
without a remarkable and individual one. To the best efforts of science and
magic both, they remain unexplained, and no causal relationship has been
discovered for this strange phenomena.

A Null is, so far as science will speculate, a mutation, a deviation from
the standard genetic pattern of homo sapiens sapiens, perhaps an experiment
by Mother Nature in the world of the Third Awakening. No data exists to
explain the null's lack of presence on the Astral Plane, and most
Thaumaturgical circles deny their existence with a shudder.

Nulls do not make astral "noise," having no astral presence to speak of.
This is not to suggest that they do not have one, rather, this means that
they cast only the shadow of a normal astral presence, displaying only the
disturbance normal for a living mass.

Generally speaking, spells designed to interpret the aura, detect/manipulate
the perceptions/thoughts/emotions of the null are unproductive. The spells
are simply unable to find a presence to connect to. However, spells which
merely require a miscellaneous target or have physical effects operate
normally. Anonymous research in the SeaTac area suggests that combat spell
effectiveness is unchanged, as well as healing spells. Spells which augment
existing senses also are unaffected.

Game Notes:

Nulls must spend priority B on magic, and must be base-stock human [homo
sapiens sapiens]. They are, however, non-magical: This merely represents the
modification of their link with the Astral Plane.

Neither their emotional nor cerebral characteristics may be determined from
Astral Space. No manipulation of these may occur, either, as to do so would
require a receptive target for the spell. For all intents and purposes, a
null appears as a body without a mind - physical health may be evaluated,
but any clues as to the nature and/or existence of their thoughts/feelings
go unseen.

Reactions to nulls vary; from merely strange glance, muttered "unnatural,"
to acute digestive upper abdominal distention [regurgitation]. This last is
purely psychosomatic, and seems to follow hand-in- hand with some of the
more fundamentalist magical disciplines.

Magical information extraction methods are useless on a null, so they are
ideal for courier or information dealer positions, and often found in
similar positions both in and external to corporate hierarchies. They are,
of course, still susceptible to more conventional means of coercion.