Magic and Star Trek

We've seen superior beings like Q and such like have near miraculous powers which can only be described as magic or is it technology? Remember Clarke's Law "A sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

I have an idea involving the Faerie Veil (ie. the dimensional barrier between our universe and the world of Faerie (or Sidhe or Fey Folk)).

Anyway, the idea is that some sort of sub-space phenomenon has weakened the veil and Fey creatures start popping up all over. The problem is that their natural magic aura disrupts technology and as the veil weakens technology begins to break down as magic begins to enter into the Federation.

Obviously at the end of all this chaos, I'm sure one or two Fey would be left behind (there always is one isn't there) and well one of them may just join the crew...actually he would won't he? Anway, aside from just using psionics, does anyone have any ideas of how to simulate magic without spoiling the game balance.

There are numerous technobabbling ways to simulate magics in Trek universes IMHO.

One the first I thought of was DNA manipulation : since in TNG every single DNA alteration change the subject almost instantly, you could for instance imagine some being who would be able to emit some very specialized and targeted viruses toward someone, which would change almost instantly the target's DNA (in a sense it is nothing much more than Borg's assimilating nanites), hence the ability to turn princes (or captains) into frogs. Of course, in game terms, turning a human being into an amphibian (without going to warp 10...) would be a nearly impossible task as best, but you could initiate some minor changes without too much difficulty. The speed at wich the change occurs would also come into accounts.

I don't know if pirokinesy (sp?) is listed somewhere in the RPG extensions, but anyway that's a good way to handling the cast of fireballs (and similarly lighting with electronical manipulation, wind with telekinesy, and so on).

As for metamorphing or invisibility, well, think Founders or Jem'hadars.

More ideas to come... what do you think of those?

you might take a look at "Pagans in Trek" a thread started by yours truly, some time ago on these very boards.

http://forum.trekrpg.net/showthread....ghlight=pagans