Hello, darlings! Let's talk about the wild and wonderful world of magic, shall we?
Ah, Magic! The very word just gives you shivers, doesn't it? It's so, well, magical. And that's just what the Big Boys in the entertainment world carry with them to the bank each and every week. Magic is big business for the entertainment industry.
Well, not exactly. The idea of magic as a big business for those execs in Hollywood and all of the media corps. You see, real magic is rather boring at times, I mean there's all of that chanting and carrying on and, well, all of those books, darlings. No one is interested in hearing about all of those books, really.
So magic needs a bit of a facelift for all of us out here in audience-land. A little nip here and a tuck there to make it all a bit more interating and fun. A dash of powder on the nose and a few script changes and voila! You have magic in shows like Tales of Atlantis, with all of those wonderful backdrops and those amazing special effects scenes. Or even Tyee! on NAB, which shows the exploits of those Native American freedom fighters and the wise old shamans who advise them. (Not my thing at all, but very popular nonetheless.)
A certain studio executive of my acquaintance once said that magichns came in three types for shows: Good, Evil and Funny. (I swear that you could practically hear the capitals...) Magicians needed to be bigger than life, as romantic heroes (and how could we forget the oh-so-dashing Prince Zannor from Tales?), terrible villains or comic relief -- like that lecherous Tantric magician on Sans Reproche a few weeks ago. If you're one of those budding young writers looking to do "the real story" on magicians, let me tell you that it had best have some dramatic magical duels or some amusing spell backfires in it, dears, or you won't even make in the door. And stay clear of those long, dull documentaries unless you're pitching something to the Ancient Wisdom Channel (which already has just too much of that sort of thing already, if you ask me).
To put it bluntly, magic is something that most modern corporations really wished didn't exist. Magic is an art, and big business and artists have rarely gotten along well together.
In further proof of Sturgeon's Law, 90%+ of the material on the tri-D that involves magic is total drek. Most programs are in desperate need of a magical script advisor. The magical theory isn't even close most of the time and magicians are little more the charactitures of the real thing. The treatment is only a little better then what metahumans get in a lot of ways.
At least magicians get some good press out of the deal. There's a strong faction of
magician wannabes out there (in the same category as the pointy-ears-can-do-no-wrong
fankids who all want to be Elves). Shows like Tales of Atlantis make it look like being a magician is all glamour, romance and great special effects.
The way the trid presents it it's little wonder that most people get this skewed view of
magicians as some kind of superbeings capable of casting killer spells without even raising a
sweat.
Magic, like everything in our glamorous little comer of the world, is a matter of style. Some of the latest fashions from the Spring shows in Paris (ah, how I adore Paris! ) have shown just how stylish magic can be for you. With one of Etienne Duchamps inspired hooded cloaks, you're ready for a night on the town in all kinds of weather, with just a touch of mystery from those embroidered symbols to make everyone wonder. Accent it with a decorative wand or amulet and you've got the makings of a truly magical outfit (especially if you choose some of LeCroix's new Egyptian-styled jewelry and accessories). Or perhaps a neo-gothic tunic from Vashon Island would be more suitable and business-like for you. And of course, there's always the tribal look with plenty of leather, fringe and beading (not my style at all, but absolutely fabulous on the right person).
If you're looking for some magical music to liven up your evening (and who isn't?) there are simply thousands of selections to choose from to download from the Matrix. But for the true magical music lover, nothing equals a live performance, especially when the performers are bands like Shield Wall or Ill Es Hault, with their fabulous magical illusion show (which simply must be seen live to be appreciated. Trideo simply doesn't do it justice). There's the dark depths of the neoGothic scene with bands like the Blue Bloods and Carpathian Ride (simply too dreary, get some sun, darlings!) and of course there are some wonderful Elven performers like Sandra Willowfall and the late, lamented Dark Angel (take my advice and stick to his earlier material, though. Much less flighty than his last album).
And while you're out shopping, feel free to stop by one of those charming
little lore shops to pick up a new talisman or fetish that goes with your latest
outfit, but don't make the mistake of thinking that those little trinkets will do you
anything other than make you fashion coordinated. There's a big business in
selling magical trinkets that promise to do everything from keep your car run' ning
to finding you that perfect someone, but real magic is much harder to come by than
that, my dears. You definitely won't find it for sale cheap over the counter, so don't
even bother. If you are shopping for real magic, talk to a magician you trust and keep in mind that a little goes a long way.
There are plenty of talismongers who make a living selling phony magic items to unsuspecting mundanes.
Of course. Selling only to real magicians is too specialized a market for any but the best
talismongers to make a living at. Selling junk fetishes and charms to the mundos and
wannabes is the only way most can make ends meet.
I'm amazed at the market for this drek even among shadowrunners, people who ought to knew
better. I remember running into a newbie razorboy who actually believed in this drek and wore a
whole truckload of amulets and fetishes that he was convinced would protect him from magic. I
almost felt guilty about fireballing him. What a loser.
Evolution in action, chummer. More Magic
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