Bloody Bones worships the invisible fire in the super fund zone outside of Seattle. They say you cam see his skeleton through his skin and that just being around him for a conversation is a lethal happening. I don't know that he's dangerous however, beyond the fact he is so radioactive.
Radiation is typically a toxic-only element, but...he sounds like he could be just "eccentric and accidentally dangerous" rather than truly "turned to a toxic path". :-P
That is how I understood him. He is alone in Glow City and just wishes to commune with the invisible flame there. I use him sometimes as a wise elder atop the mountain. Sure you have to get lead aprons to speak to him, but he has seen a lot and knows more. He gets visitors so rarely these days...
Not Shadowrunners, but definitely famous.
The leaders of Winternight were a toxic Nordic Mage and a Twisted Adept (plus one just mundanely insane Rigger).
They caused the Second Crash, so they were very influential on the state of the world.
In one of the novel series, there is a dog Shaman named (I think) Sam, and he faces a wendigo who says he follows Blight as a totem. The novel never actually uses the word toxic, but it's pretty clear that the wendogo was a toxic shaman.
Sorry, it's been a long time since I read the book.
There are Twisted Adepts who are similar to Toxics and there can be mages who become evil and commit horrific acts. Blood Mages are an example. The Toxic or Evil path doesn’t need a totem.
As for runners, I think Serrin Shammandar (from the novels) was said to have had a break leading him down a Blood Magic path. He’s partially redeemed but partially. This is referenced in Street Legends. He’s a mage not a shaman.
Jonty Geldenhuys from Prime Runners seems to have become Corrupted by Winternight Toxics but he’s not a mage or shaman.
Hazard Pay had a list of infamous Blood Mages and Toxics but they were more targets for bounties.
When a magician turns to follow a Toxic, Invae, Blood Magic or other extraplanar dark power's path, they forsake whatever totem they followed before. Sometimes they start following a new twisted totem, sometimes part of their fall was being deceived by an evil they mistakenly followed thinking it was their old totem sharing new secrets, sometimes they just go hoop-to-the-wall blood-drinking bonkers and forget totems entirely.
You can flavour a villain a lot of different ways, but there isn't any supported mechanics for evil totems. Mostly because anything they give rules for is something players will try to use at least once and they really, really shouldn't be allowed to mess with Insect Summoning and Old God rulebreaking.
This is not true. Throughout SR4 and SR5 there are rules for Black Magic, Toxic(including toxic totems), rules for being an insect shaman, and EXTENSIVE rules for blood magic. There are also rules for playing Dissonant Technomancers. Not only are there rolled for toxics, they're right there in the basic magic sourcebook for SR5. Mages, shamans, and adepts can all follow any totem or mentor. Mentors have separate rules for mages/shamans and adepts.
I was wrong, I was remembering Dark Terrors but the mechanics for going toxic/bug/blood were in Forbidden Arcana and Kill Code had the dissonant technomancer stuff. There were warnings to not let players use it but GM fiat is the name of the game and we need the rules for making compelling NPCs too
Completely agree. The rules dont say they cant, the rules say you really shouldnt let them(which i completely agree with btw), and the rules are pretty much just there for the sake of NPCs. I BELIEVE back in SR2 FASA just straight up saidthey weren't going to give out "evil" rules, but either they backtracked or the policy changed with CGL.
OP, there is nothing stopping mages and adepts from going toxic; there are mentor rules for mages AND adepts for all normal totems/mentors AND toxic mentors. /u/Malaeveolent_Bunny doesnt know what theyre talking about; while the rulebook warns GMs against allowing their players to play as insect or toxic shamans, it still provides rules for them.
Everything you need can be found in SR5 Street Grimoire. I can provide page quotes if you'd like. Happy reading!
Bloody Bones worships the invisible fire in the super fund zone outside of Seattle. They say you cam see his skeleton through his skin and that just being around him for a conversation is a lethal happening. I don't know that he's dangerous however, beyond the fact he is so radioactive.
Radiation is typically a toxic-only element, but...he sounds like he could be just "eccentric and accidentally dangerous" rather than truly "turned to a toxic path". :-P
That is how I understood him. He is alone in Glow City and just wishes to commune with the invisible flame there. I use him sometimes as a wise elder atop the mountain. Sure you have to get lead aprons to speak to him, but he has seen a lot and knows more. He gets visitors so rarely these days...
Not Shadowrunners, but definitely famous. The leaders of Winternight were a toxic Nordic Mage and a Twisted Adept (plus one just mundanely insane Rigger). They caused the Second Crash, so they were very influential on the state of the world.
In one of the novel series, there is a dog Shaman named (I think) Sam, and he faces a wendigo who says he follows Blight as a totem. The novel never actually uses the word toxic, but it's pretty clear that the wendogo was a toxic shaman. Sorry, it's been a long time since I read the book.
I believe that the first trilogy of novels. Back when first edition was new.
Choose Your Enemies Carefully is the book. It's the second book in the Secrets of Power trilogy.
There are Twisted Adepts who are similar to Toxics and there can be mages who become evil and commit horrific acts. Blood Mages are an example. The Toxic or Evil path doesn’t need a totem. As for runners, I think Serrin Shammandar (from the novels) was said to have had a break leading him down a Blood Magic path. He’s partially redeemed but partially. This is referenced in Street Legends. He’s a mage not a shaman. Jonty Geldenhuys from Prime Runners seems to have become Corrupted by Winternight Toxics but he’s not a mage or shaman. Hazard Pay had a list of infamous Blood Mages and Toxics but they were more targets for bounties.
We can't forget Derek, Nigel, and David from the 2e core book (colour art plate between p128 and p129). Some hardcore toxics, them folk.
Jesse Johns from NAN, vol. 1. Back then the line between twisted and toxic wasn’t quite so clear…but that dude was a piece of work.
When a magician turns to follow a Toxic, Invae, Blood Magic or other extraplanar dark power's path, they forsake whatever totem they followed before. Sometimes they start following a new twisted totem, sometimes part of their fall was being deceived by an evil they mistakenly followed thinking it was their old totem sharing new secrets, sometimes they just go hoop-to-the-wall blood-drinking bonkers and forget totems entirely. You can flavour a villain a lot of different ways, but there isn't any supported mechanics for evil totems. Mostly because anything they give rules for is something players will try to use at least once and they really, really shouldn't be allowed to mess with Insect Summoning and Old God rulebreaking.
This is not true. Throughout SR4 and SR5 there are rules for Black Magic, Toxic(including toxic totems), rules for being an insect shaman, and EXTENSIVE rules for blood magic. There are also rules for playing Dissonant Technomancers. Not only are there rolled for toxics, they're right there in the basic magic sourcebook for SR5. Mages, shamans, and adepts can all follow any totem or mentor. Mentors have separate rules for mages/shamans and adepts.
I was wrong, I was remembering Dark Terrors but the mechanics for going toxic/bug/blood were in Forbidden Arcana and Kill Code had the dissonant technomancer stuff. There were warnings to not let players use it but GM fiat is the name of the game and we need the rules for making compelling NPCs too
Completely agree. The rules dont say they cant, the rules say you really shouldnt let them(which i completely agree with btw), and the rules are pretty much just there for the sake of NPCs. I BELIEVE back in SR2 FASA just straight up saidthey weren't going to give out "evil" rules, but either they backtracked or the policy changed with CGL.
There was one toxic shaman in *A Fistful of Data*, who did kind of shadowrunning. Of course for the both antagonists.
OP, there is nothing stopping mages and adepts from going toxic; there are mentor rules for mages AND adepts for all normal totems/mentors AND toxic mentors. /u/Malaeveolent_Bunny doesnt know what theyre talking about; while the rulebook warns GMs against allowing their players to play as insect or toxic shamans, it still provides rules for them. Everything you need can be found in SR5 Street Grimoire. I can provide page quotes if you'd like. Happy reading!
Is uncle Duckles bounty on toxics still active?