[SR]contracts and confidentiality

[sinsual]

Alrighty then, I admit, I broke down and watched PAYCHECK. It got me to thinking about some stuff. Mainly, with some major corps that could have access to mages that can/could alter someone's memory...could that be a viable term of contract?

Also, in the underworld type of worlds, would signitures in blood be required for say "loansharking"?

[Serious Paul]

Oh yeah. I would bet its been done. I'd bet various megas resort to all sorts of trickery to keep really valueable employees. Magic and more.

I don't get your second question since I haven't seen Paycheck yet, I think.

[sinsual]

The second has nothing to do with Paycheck. I was pondering the thought of underworld loansharks using blood signitures to secure loans in order to do astral tracing of people who skip in the 6th world...

[ak404]

You'd have to be fucking nuts to give up such an obvious link.

[sinsual]

Think about what your doing AK...your asking to borrow several K in Nuyen from a leg breaker...do you think he would pass up a chance to gaurantee even better that you will pay him back? Do you think they would give you the option?

[TheQuestionMan]

What a cool concept for a terrible movie.

Personally I always prefered Leas. Used by the Tir Border Guards and Big D (after sufficiently powerful Magicians conjur powerful Free Spirits using their true names then required to take Leas to protect the Spirits later on).

<post and run>Later

QM

[I am poison]

Also, in the underworld type of worlds, would signitures in blood be required for say "loansharking"?

The Triads probably require a ritual link, and the typical Chinese customers would readily give it. The Thongs are though well of and generally would not use it against them unless they broke their word or otherwise became a threat to the organization. The mystical mentions of the Triads in Underworld even suggest they make use heavy of ritual magic.

The Yakuza ties so much to one’s honor that asking for a link from the start seems unlikely. They may, however, make it seem dishonorable not to provide a link of some kind. Perhaps they only ask for a “security deposit” in the form of something personally valuable - usable in symbolic linking. Of course, once you miss a payment, they take a finger... Which leads to what they do with the fingers of even their own soldiers; not only is it a visible symbol of disgrace but a mystical link as well?

Finally, the Mafia has been described as fearful, disdainful, and even damn near incompetent in the ways of magic. Of the Seattle families, only Finnigan uses it and then through a gang called the Merlins. Issues like you mention are the very things that might bring them forwards. But until then, they would probably just take something from your home one you fled or otherwise tried to skip out on a debt.

There is the New Orleans Mob to consider. I would assume they ask for nothing directly but have something taken anyway. Such as requiring a medical examination to insure you will live to pay and then keeping the blood sample. They might even spread that tactic through the mob, one Dona to another.

[Serious Paul]

Not to mention there are a number of pretty discreet ways to obtain samples with being to overt about it. Paper folding is pretty big in Japan-maybe a ritual that somehow makes this ritual more? or other rituals like it?

[FlakJacket]

Don't forget the Havana/Miami Families like the Batista's IIRC.