LORE C. A Sourcebook Be for Mage:The Ascension aBy Allen Varney, Brian Campbell, Phil Brucato and John R. RobeyLZ XN) NG All| Credits Weitten by: Rotes! Mages: Allen Varney; Setting: John R. Robey, Beian Campbell; Mages/ St. Hints: Phil B Sphere sheets: Designed by Wayne Peacock; Spheres: A. Murphey, Phil Brucato; Fiction: Deena McKinney Developed by: Phil Brucaro Edited by: Cynthia Summers Vice President in Charge of Preduction: Richard Thomas Art Directors: Lawrence Snelly & Aileen E, Miles Layout and Typesetting: Aileen E. Miles Art: John Cobb, Daryll Elliott, Scott Johnson, Dan Smit Andrew Trabbald, Lawrence Allen Wi Maps: John Park Back Cover Art: Alex Shickman Front Cover Art: Mark Jackson Front and Back Cover Design: Kathleen Ryan & Aileen E. Miles yi 735 PARK NoRTH BLYD. SUTE128 ATLANTA, CA 30021 USA Gane Stupio ©1997 White WoifPublishing, Inc. Allrightsreserved. Reprodhiction without the written permission of the pub- lisher is expresly forbidlen, except for the purposes of reviews, and blank character sheets, which may be repro: duced for personal ase only. White Wolf, Vampire the Masquerale, V he Dark Ages and Mag the Ascen sion ate registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Zon, Werewolf the Apocalypse, Wraith the Oblivion, Changeling the Dreaming, Werewolf the Wild West and Hidden Lore: Second Edition Seren and arks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All character, placesand textherein are copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, Inc Book are tra rightsreserved. The mention of or reference toany conn in these yor peoduct Fk or copy rages is nota challenge tothe tra right concerned This book uses the supe sex! themes wtural for settings, characters All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended forentertainmene purposesonly. Reader retion is advised. Check out White Wolf onkine at bupe/awe.white rec games fp storyteller PRINTED IN CANADA. olf.com; altgameswhitewoif and Hidden Lore Special Thanks fo: Brad “Conan” Butkovieh, for spreading NERO's gos pel throughout the land Wes “Not My Fault” Harris, for joining Mark in Quakesville Mike "Wolfdaddy” Krause, for risinghis child among the pack. Danny “Outta Here” Landers, for taking his toys and soing hack to school Elisabeth “Karate Kid III" MeKee, for her dancing exploits at DragonCon. Christian “The Great Grape Ape” Naherhaus, for his dietary experim y Picnic rephe “Jet Sec" Pagel, for letting his ‘money goto Jane “Reach Out and Kill Someone” Palmer, for the Furious Phone-Line Follies. Fred “Collectible Tarot Card” Yelk, for dodging the Mage developer's Diane *Cattleprod" Zamojski, for threateningto liven up the party the hard way Sarah “Mystery Mistress” Timbrook, for having amazingly useful shadow Nathan“ useful shadow. Rachel (Remy) *Fast Talker” Blaine, for something — if only we could only understand what she just said Greg "Knockers" Fountain, for discovering just how silly a $12.00 Halloween gargoyle can be A Parting Howl Yipe! Ie scems like just yesterday that a handful of wolves fought itout forspace in an okdofice building. ters and our staff has 1 the days when our pack of black-leather degenerates would invisible” Jones, for being Sarah's amazingly Now we've moved to a new headgt To be hon nd boomed proportionately ffto Steak and Ale, scare the erp 0 stake out our own room an complain endle the work we did. We're h, but our respectability quotient has gone u hen (sigh) how little money we were paid f still not bit sin aly, two of our longtime packmates have departed forother forests. Bill Beidges, Werewolf sceveloperand.co: creator, has joined HDI (Andrew Greeners's computer game company), while convention god Danny Laralets has returned t0 school to pursue his masters degree. Theit jobs have fallen into the capable hands of Ethan Skemp (For merly Game Sto Editor) and Kim Pullen, respectively match the contributions these wo have made during their stay here. We'll miss them both, No one, however, 2 Good luck, guys.\ YY 7 aN —. Contents Introduction 4 Chapter One: Lore 6 Chapter Two: Shadows in the Rain 28 Chapter Three: Storyteller Goodies 46 Chapter Four: Handouts 62 Contents 3ana SegIntroduction The old woman gave Cat a haughty sniff as the young mage blew a loud, smacking bubble What do you mean, I have to go wash my hands?” Cat asked What kinala serewy library 1 woman slapped a ruler down hard on This. young lady, is a where the tomes of accimnudared knowledge from many for the benefit of boty therncelwes. Yet, Lfindit hard tw believe that someone who h withotat the benefit of She straightened her bun, which haul come loose Whe The libmarian's shaky old fingers peerel over them with a withering look Hows those who wish to learn and andl many ages past have been gathere buicusly slope im her clothes ar baths would even be mterested. he hell did anat made ox he th inspector of the wwered her glasses as she ‘Here, young lady. {am not just the health inspector of th wow wish eo paw my books, you'll How To Use This Book Lee's he honest: this isan overflow book. The material here had to be cut from Mage Second Edition to bring the book down 10 an affordable size. The goodies herein, however, were too good to go to waste, While they aren't essential to playing the game, they're nice tidbits to have around A quick overview of this book's contents: a pile of uar players and Storyteller charac me lesser-known facts about the mystick world, a short Who's Who; si a setting Chantry based in Seattle; variant game rotes and Effects for includin wick-roference Sphe suggestions and more, The general organization is as fol lows: Chapter One is general stuff for players, Chapter Two concerns the Conjurer's Cubbyhole, a magic shop that is more than it appears. Chapter Three's information is best left in Storyteller harxls, and Chapter Four offers a wall Mage players Open, peruse and enjoy Introxtuction 5 ID. NEED ID. Nee|UD My, Chapter One: oreNO All Chronicle Suggestions Why stay limited to the obvious? While the Mage rulebook provides the framework fora basic game, the tion might add some spice to your troupe's EF chronicle Alternative Gaming Styles around one Storyteller oupaf one-character players. The following variae ui! some spice to your chronicle, and help you teller (oF player) burnout A Mage game need nor revols anda tions might to avoid St * One-on-One Player prelixies do noc have tobe the only occasionsin which 9 Storyteller and player go at it alone. The most common mythical stories of heroism are based on the idea of ahero traveling alone. That one person struggles against everything the world can throw at him. He journeys into, darkness and emerges with and the world around him. greater knowledge of himself Mage, more than any other roleplaying game, lends itself well to single-player sessions. Quiets, Seckir quests, romantic interludes, family crises, brushes with the Jawaand imprisonment ina Paradox Realm are just a few of the possibilities if only one player is available for into larger storyline eally Such interludes work betterif they but with quick wit and an ims e player, powerful gamescan spring. Ics generally hest to throw thedice out entirely during al Will such sessions, of o use them only for the aceasi power roll, The real strengths of one fom the imagination invested and the power of the situa tionsinvolved. A trong grasp of the background characters, nd their relationships to your pl charactor are essential. Who are these people? Wht do hey want? What will they do to ger i? If your player has some empathy for her 1 their motivations Thinkupan intriguing situation, one wherescmething important is on the line. Is the main character's ker having an affair! Iethe cabal’s detective ally suspicious of mmage's shady past? Is the mage at oaks with her Avatar, or for further levels of Arete? Has she lost 10 work magick the way she is she questi Willpe used to! Did somteone kidnap ser, and thus the powe experiments! A one-on-one storyline should carry hi Hidden Lore ‘emotional stakes for the playeras well asher character, Run, well, such @ game can be a memorable chronicle chapter. + Troupe Play It’s also possible for each player co have a “stable” of ¢ accesstoawide variety of options. Each player might h mage, re one powerful one or two acolytes and maybe even one oF two h story, the willplay the mages, che acolytes:and the you can shift focus among them. One Cho gto e from the acolytes, while the next ne” characters, In each chapter, oF playersdecie wh rmundanes. Th session might involve the Celes her flock with assis right featurean Akashic Brother breaking into corpora- tion head As arters while trying to keep his magicka sceret from the two private investigators helping hit ong as you occasionally run a session in which all the main characters can work together, this approach solves the problem of trying to integrate vastly different characters, * Troupe Storytelling If the troupe always relies on the ryteller, it out. With troupe Storytelling, certain turns running the game. They might choose to few weeks, or for each story, each chapter (through a series of cliffhangers) or even in the middle of a session, Another approach isto divide areas geographically (One player is responsible for the city, one has developed a plot in che wilderness, the thied has consteucted a few Otherworld plots, and the fourth may specialize in che realms of the Restless Dead. As lo gas the chi way to prevent Story teller burn * Blue-Booking ch tion write stories about the characte ‘blue books" (n booklets) make excellent resou rened medesigner Aaron Allston, this varia 1 gaming allows one oF two players to affairs between at med for college exam or backgrounds, plot ative elements (fore- dlowing, flashbacks, ete.), and help both players and Storytellers flesh their mages out sessions, These thread Blue-booking sessions can run either as written ex- hack and f projects which players hand in to you. Players need not be singeheb changes. yy assingle-wrlter Mercedes Lackey to turn in a good blue books ima nt than style. Especially ood stories might he worth an extra experience point involved. This should nor be abused, nook story ought to explore some new hased on the effo A bide Is in che character's life his private habits, past relationships, personality quirks, obsessions,ete. A string of “Imeta Technon il killed himn” vignettes would be a cheap appeal for power-gaming, and deserves to be ig- nored. We recommend that only one to two blue-booking sessions be “played” between exch group game; otherwise, the writers among the troupe quickly advance over the other players. Used wisely, however, blue-book stor add immeasurably to a chronicle’s depth and texture, Miniatures Although it’s not really a combat-oriented game, a Mage chronicle which uses 25mm miniatures gains some extradimensions:clarity (*Where'sthat HIT Mark?Canhe me ane! chat waterfall! Help!"), atmosphere ("Yipe! That just walked in?) anda sense of focus. Afterall, a game with ‘obvious pieces and a gameboard keeps people from becom: ing distracted by bowls of munchies or nearby Significant Others, Several figure lines represent Mage’s archaic-tech dic versity well. Ral Partha hasan extensive selection of Mage, Werewolf and Vampire figures available; their Shadowrun figures also work well. Leading Edge’s Terminator If collec: ks to the mix, and RAFM’s Call of Cthulhwe minis suit archaic scenarios. Troupes may choose to paint (or not co paint as it were) theie figures to suit the game's flavor and the players’ preferences. 1” hex maps, especially the roll-up vinyl variety, make ideal gameboards —s0 lo wed penstodraw ‘out your setting! Ambitious Storytellers might even use ‘model railroad kits to represent buildings and landscapes. Any and all of these props can be found in any good game co hobby store. Rules The rules for utilising miniatures are pretty simple # Each 1" hex represents one yard for the purposes of movement orange (see "Taking Actions” in Charter Ten form for weapon ranges). The average person can walk seven yards, wl run 26, which translates to 7°, 14" or 26" per turn. High Dexterity characters ean move even faster. Moving and acting in the same turn requites spittin rement ratesand"C your Dice Pool. © The direction of the hex indicates which way the character is facing, and he, she or it generally hasatriangue lar fick! of vision Under most circumstances, objects in between figures block visior fire, cer may only attack someone she’s facing or otherwise able to see # A walking or j facing by one side” for ing out from there though magick may modify this. A chara acter may change her wes. Ifshe runs, she can only change facing once for every hex she moves. She joveone way (call runni hs may only tur. Ifshe chooses t wall walking) per ickwards, she can only move 4 per turn, period, # Characters must he within a hex of each other to ouch or fight unless they're using some weapon or device Attack! ses your difficulty +2, whi that stretches across the distance your flank one behind you raises it by +3. Dedging ¢ move up to 3" in a turn. icking some: * Umbral or insubstantial characters are generally the only ones who can pass through a hex that someone else is standing in without confronting that second party in some way. Troupes the Unb indicate that they're “not the cantell, Spirits, asa rule, can fly upto 20 yards + Willpower per tur. Alternate Combat Rules Let him who desires peace, prepare for wer bard for el 1 place slipsof paper under the figures ” as far as other characters —Vegetius Combat rules have traditionally been complicated affsirsinvols 1 pages of charts, modifiers, mancuversand tables. When your char hinges on a few die rolls, such rules seem like a necessary evil. Whe abbreviated series weapon ters existence ashort battle intrudes upon story, however, any lesanuy be wor only appropriate but, for troupe sanity, necessary This simple combat syste Kubasik in Interactive Toclkit” series of articles (White Wolf Inpho 54), magickal feat and surprise maneuver rules one step Further Here, the player suggested by Christopher his excellen nerely announces what she wishes t0 accomplish. The Storyteller decides the difficulty (and possibly the number of successes needed), and the p rolls. The success or failure of the event ishased on roll. Nocharts, no modifiers. Thissystem is quick and dirty but dramatic. [r’s also wide open to abuse and extremely deadly. If you choose to use it, proceed with care Resolution The simple combat rules work best when player char acters need to work their way through a small army of soldiers, eyborgs, slaves, cteatures,ete., ro get to their main, objective. Rather than rolling a long series of initiatives, attack tolls, damage rolls and soaks, the Storyteller and players decide to pass their fictional counterparts into the hands of Lady Luck. When combat begins, the characters gettheis normal initiative sored Storyteller decide what action hetr characters will try Js. Each turn, both play Each makes their rll hased on an estimated target number. If the character rolls three successes or more, he omplishes that task ‘Chapter One: Lore ID. WO# If he rolls less than three, he was only partially sful 6 Ire fails, he a teh ‘Combat obj knock him off his ugh Willpower ‘one success. The nly th plishes nothing ches, he hurts himself ickal fighting, ah coryteller may, if she wishes, reduce the difficulty by -1 or 2 if some coincident sed (naturally, this still aa borch and Paradox...) ives can range from stunts —“l want to. et until he can listen ro reason" I shoot the gun our of his hand” — to mortal attacks — “I shoot him right in the face and kill Effect i him." The dificult of the roll depends on the severity of 5 the effect. The more difficult (oF Options the higher the difficulty will be — and the higher the * If player character possibility of total failure. Success is not curnulatives the task must be decided each turn ing) the action is, Jhting cannon fodder, the ce his difficulty ot reduce the orcharacter (playeror otherwise) A complete success means the character did whatever pha mray tes Moat character aooke wanted toll the eyborg, he chandelier he ® lf the feat involves more than one character (either dealing damage or taking it), The Storyteller may increase of dectease the difficulty or combine the Dice Pools and mages trying co kill at once may combine their Dice Pools and al. The latter option may but not ificulties if she wanes 10. A p complicate thy © The su Large; tough 10 Hidden LoreSP Simple Combat Resolution Suggestions Stunts Objective '* Kicking ina door ‘* Swinging from achandelier * Yainking a rug gut + Grabbing someorie (ir something) in motion Dexterisy + Athletics + Scaring the crap ouvof someone ‘* Knocking someone off her feet Damage 4 * Disarmed Hure (equivalént ro 1-2 Health Lev * Wounded (3-4 Health Levels) * Instant knockout * Death (or severe wound) ~ successes to harm, while smaller targets would require less. Really potent weapons (chain guns, grenades) might lower the attacker's difficulty by -1 or 2, while really weak weap. ons (switchblades, zip guns, rocks) would raise it. Again, chis system is designed for speed and simplicity. Ifitcausesdelays, complications or arguments, refer back t© the usual method, Making an Interesting Character Statistics a bstract portraits; the collections of dots and Trait ratings reflect a larger picture of @ person with specific talents and abilities. Who is that person, though? What can we do to turn thar list of dors into a shaper of reality? What makes Mage cha nand memo- rable? There are two types of characters in most fictio Stock and Personalities. Stock charactersaren't usually very inter esting and do little more than perform a role in the story (person on the street, clerk ar the store, librarian), acting, within some hasicdemeanor (friendly, hostile, stupid,clever, arrogant and so on). The details of these characters ace completely irrelevant to the story at hand, since such minor roles are only good for providing flavor to the important characters’ setting. A good example of this kind of charac- terwould be Tohr, the Nazi villain in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He's an interesting sideline, but without Indy there to give him his just desserts, he’s nothing. He has no personality of hisown, he's simply atype. Many Storyteller characterswill be Stack types. Roll Strength + Athletics Dexterity + Athletics Suength + Athletics, Difficulty Manipialation + Intimidation Dexterity + Athletics Dexterity + (ateack) (appropriate Traits) (appropriate Traits) propriate Traits) (appropriate Traits) Ceesn Players’ characters, on the other hand, should be Per- sonalities — strong, unique characters. An character, whether very complex at least onc of three things: Charm, Depth or Identifiability If she’s got two or more of these things, so much the better. Three, and she’s a sure winner * Charm ‘Charm is probably the hardest Interesting, uple or ver have to fake. It you can pull it of however, it's the aspect of your character people will remember most. Going back to Raidersofthe Ark, rake a look at Indiana Jones. He's gor little depth — he's “Everypulphero,” rugged, handsome, smart. He’sdocsn’t have much identifiability handling, lost-treasure-seeking, Nasi-trashingPh.D.s! Wha he does have, in spades, ischarm. He's got asense of h wit, sophisticarion and a good heart buried shell. In short, Indiana Jones is someone that everybody would like to know how many of us are whip. The easiest way to make a ch course, to be (che way Harrison Ford’s natural chat ana Jones). The sec: from real life. Almost everybody has met someone who was charming — chink back to what it was about that person that was so att ter thar quality Then, when playing the character, think toyourself, "What would this person do in this situation! How would he orshe charming yourself and just let it rub through bs through Indi ctive, then give yourch: * Depth Depth refers to a certain amount of intriguing com. plexity. Real people usually have somewhat mudalled Chapter One: Lorepersonalities with conflicting desires and goals. Good fic tional characters can have all chese things too. Depth impli amount of trivial detail — knowing where and when your character was born, what her on-the-job life islike, how she relates to her neighbors, what kindof ear she ind so on. The more trivia you work out, the easier it n your head. has, will be to form her picture Ifshe dropped out of high school after falling in with a rough crowd, for example, she probably felt alienated or ied with her peersand went looking for others. If her search, she Awakened, what effects would this have on her? Was she happy to find the society of mages where she “fin,” oF is she just as alienated from them? Most of the cime, teams of indepth information aren't and of themselves. They are, however, helpful when deter- mining what your characteris like and what she'll do in a dissat Don’t, by the happiness for depth. A character who's miserable all the time is just as dull and flat is one who's always happy. Her reaction co pain or unhap- piness (or happiness and prosperity) is what gives her depth, ‘As strange as it may sound, depth is nor always as necessary sit seems. A flat character with a lot of charm or identifiability (Indiana Jones, James Bond) can sustain Intetest for quite some time. However, depthis necessary for aa character to survive and endure. * Identifiability Most people want to see themselves the way they ate or the way they'd like flected in a character — eith y ‘ ins Indiana Jone: character is hecause many people would like to be strony and but not superhuman. He's a Renaissance Man without being untouchable. Most people feel they have strong points in on. as — they're quite athletic ot very smart, for example; the traits they don’t have (bur wish they did), they look for in fictional characters. is such a popular ke him: be. One of the F smart, confident, superbly capable Similarly, most people are interested incharacterswho ss they can identify with. This can be cough, ml they don’t have tr though, because there areall kinds of people, always want to hear about other types. Intellectuals are generally interested in hearing about other intellectuals bur other people quickly get bored. Most people, however, ant tohear about how sity ddo Feel like life is a struggle, so they and conquered — ad others have met ‘Our charactersate extensions of ourselves, whether we wane them to be or not. Toa degree, this is unavoidable; roleplaying characters are like Rorschach tests — they show more about us than we realize. The best such sions, however, take our self-image and go intoorbit with it So, when creating your character, a good way to make him interesting isto give him some aspects of yourself — ideas, attitudes, physical characteristics, interests and so on. Be you don't have, but ‘would like co, however. Ifyou're scrawny, make him tough; if you have trouble getting along with people, make him ‘gregarious and friendly, and so on. sure to give him some qualities th Rotes Rotesaremagicks “discovered” by amage ‘oramystickal societyand passed on spacers Most of them involve conjungxi6nal Effects of exoor more Spheres. Lower level tes cary he used as teaching tools, exprSices of ditch solutions, while highgt payer make up tricks. The following lroteh/atd ba onsof these basic forms under differehe nanges J with different styles and foci. Ae iages advance perform in enlightenment, most see rotes ks newdlen-ceutehes, Nevertheless, most Masters keep a fey sugb spells” is ‘mind; after all, why not benefit from sonieone else's Work? Youn ight come’tn handy scan tell when a £00 2 Hidden Lore *eWBrochers with 2 fife for improv handy)smnall dhjed Akashic Brotherhood Rizochet (+ Correspondence, # Time) Bamaittudénts of Do develop exquisite aw wap, bor those they throw and those hurtling Btorlty trdined Disciple of Do can redirect an Tyee a balanced club off of several surface Beforelh\Srikoy the target. Unarmed Akashic Forces, # Matter, © ation use this skill to throw to bpponents eyes [With 4 succesfol Dexterity + Athletics of Dexterity + By fol difficalty5).an Akashic Brother can throw orkick iy Ob) 6cr 6 thal this a target after multiple rebounds. Fechyeucees give oné bounce. He must know all of the Spbetes involyéd to perform this feat. [fhe does, however, no agick ll ig séquited. This takes full wm. {Against icon a bullet, the mae’s sucGesses are subtracted from the attacker's suc nissles slower thcesses before determining a hit, If the Brother rolls more han hisattacker, the missile may besent hack the yyit came! The Effect dees nor work on bullets or energy beams, and unbalanced objects may requit three additional successes. This rote often gives a damage bonus due to surprise] Mindfulness of Wrong Thought ( Some Chi from one to Mind, * Life) ies of the Akashic Brotherhood consider sensitivity to danger a marker on the Way to Ascension, Masters encourage it in pupils by striking them fom sur prise with wooden swordsduringchores, me chants or sleep An Adepe of the Order of Hermes, Francesca Inez Garcia y Hernandez, once encered such a Chantry for covert study of the Brotherhood!’s secrets. She carried her lsguise well uncil her master leaped at her with a swor and she reflexively called down a lightning bole. Ind ‘aftermath, some in the Chantry argued for ber expulsit hut the master revived 19 time to defend his diseill Ultimately, Garcia y Hemande: found that the Brotherhood comprehend! [The rot alerts the matting mind stile be in the vicinity. The magick roll asi succeeds ina Perception + Medié the magick roll indicates general danger aR rough dre tion, Moresuccessesidentify the threats natura location, [The Effect reveals only immediate daniee (that imminent in the current scene) to the melita and only threats comin ites invent. A similar Effect, substituting Mater 1 for Life ilentifies traps, deadfalls ond other inanimate peril | Pass Calmly (## Mind, #* Correspondence, * Life With this Effect, the admirable Master Joro passed freely among agitated crowds, sensing and calming each ‘penon'sturtnnl. "Imbalance inthe body fosters he often said, "but the mind guides the box rote, one of Joro's disciples, kana the Ronin, tried to make an enemy drowsy curing bale kana found thar although the mind guides the boy, his foe's mind was unfortunately intent on guiding his body to ill Ikana. [The rove calms all Sleepers in a radius oftwo yards per ss rolled. It does not work in combat Celestial Chorus Spy's Stigmata (* Life, ** Prime, dence) Correspon- Paranoid mages have long known ways to detect al surveillance, bur in 1934 Sunday Lynn gave the twist. Lynn, who Awakened during a snake-handling rite in rural Tennessee, suffered mentby anonymous local Technocrats. When she detected \j them eavesdropping on her with Correspondence Eff she cast a rash on them, marking their foreheads wit cross. Mages of other Traditions adapt this technique to create rashes indifferent shapes: sgils, the mage’sinitialsor (in the case of one Virtual Adept) the Mark of Zerro, hy k to cancel Siecesses [The mage needs only two successes to cast the but the target may use eounterm: one-for-one. The rash (actually a bacterial infection) is harmless, but can only be healed with Life 2 magick. This Effect is usually coincidental, and lasts for the normal duration (see the Damage and Duration table) | Quietsong (+* or ##* Mind, * Entropy) In the 16th Century, Letitia the Venerated took a rare ‘opportunity to study with an Adept of the Euthanacos in Calcutta. Sadly, her mentor was not as chaste in rind wl he conceived a great pasion for her. After devel stewardship, she broke with him; naster, Hasan Naraswami, tried to attack temp, Naraswami suffered Paradox med to Quiet. LeritiasangherQuietsong is mindscape and guided him back to .¢ Chorus. The Euthanatos claim Lf when first trying this spel € her out 1 mage perceives the Quiet victim's ence and altered reality. At Mind 3, the fencer a catatonic victims trance (see “Quiet; .” pg. 179). A successful Wits + Enigma roll #€ffry 7) lets her communicate normally with the rim. That victim, however, interprets the mage in the jatext of the Quiet illusions. He may, for example, regard a hobgoblin or internal demon, fhe mage a [The mage cannot bring the vietim out of Quiet in- stancly, and does not necessarily lear how to do 30. She may, however, gain some understanding that helps her guide him out.) Consuming Thought (##* Mind, ## Prime) Benedetto Chiare:za used this rote to powerful effect during the medieval Iealian conflict berween the Guelph \d Ghibelline factions. Benedetto, aGuelph, toldselected ‘opponents that their sins would lead to horeib theafterlife. The unfortunate Ghibellinesfound they could think of nothing else for daysat a time. Driven to despera tion, the tormented Ghibellines often deserted to Benedetto’s faction. [The rote forces a target to think a ortutes if to the exclusion of all others, save for thoughts related to thetarger’simmediate survival. The numberof successeson the Effect roll determines how long the thought obsesses the target (the spell’s duration). The target may resist the Effect with Willpower.} Chapter One: Lore 13chart, 4 maximum of one story. For example, three successes means the individual experiences day's worth of thought in one turn. [Cult philosophy dictates that the target of thishifect must always be willing, although the rote itself does ot is. The New World Onder uses a malig aria an instrument of torture. Dreamspeakers Spirit Roster (** Correspondence, *one9Sparit) The Dreamspeaker drums quietly.) Wterdageae the silence between beats. In her trance she hears dieinames ik: feels theif auras, She breathes deeply, and with rhe indrawn Breath comes the knowledge of their whereabours. The drurmbeattherhyehm ol Gaia's houghts [The rote identifiesand locates -neurbyspii-beings soon). Spirit? lets with them. Theipiimberof um practigal ranige rood activity. Under (fomori, Garou, materialized spirits ar the willworker communic successes rolled determ before sensory overload masks Un most circumstances, each yard. If she bias some close familiarity with a particulad spiri-being, or with the area she is scanning, het ra becomes that of the Correspondence Ran; Gremlins (#* Entropy, #* Spirit) This rote the [ ing nature, which many other Tea During World War Il, lege spirits thar interfere fiers one symptom Dreamspeakers fh machinery) aros ng Sleepets, despite the Teehnoetaey esc affarts|Dheamspeakers in urban area legends ro sien hed beings. The Sons of Ether find gremlins intensel Tistgefitmsome,cven call them “erucl ¢ WintwalAGe pL TIC oY s ‘cocktoachs [See@ennA tage gremlin requitesat least threcsuccesses on the Fffece will. Exch additional success de rnimmber fprenifins summoned. A gremlin is Storyteller ghar rte withARéributes of2, Technology 3, Computer 1 Willgowee'4 and thece Health Levels. It has the Char Materilize Cuittol Electrical Tuachingryaa®perable) and Ruin Software (causes swap gris develop buys). Unless it Macerializes he Bpluteennot be seen by mortal sight. Mose demand sor ind bEbribe before they go to work. Gremlins often remain forthe mazick’s cs exploit these nly to Awak al gremlins, visible ID. We ins on sigh Systems, Short Out (males ation, and aren't choosy about whos yates {| Q yA Chapter One: LoreNew Ail 4 Hiden Lore Walking Chair (#** Matter Developed by the Dream shortly before cartoon,” said Antlered Men (P ¥y beanimated (one forevery ewe Fenerally, this works bur never lasts more than a mminure.} Euthanatos Safecracker (++ Eneropygim Matter) Using this sotfie tote a mage Opens 2 safe by ran Jomly:wistnghecombination lock’sdial Mayes:o« aliiny in a Chanusyoe the Digital Web sometimes ploy » game, liscang all ehe diferene waye-they ean best: in safe: blowing ie@pen. rendering it insabstantialy n.stin; comprchgding the a the Cortespondenge Roint barrier afd $0 On. [For S8@h sueeess rolled, the mage Leanns@nc J he, safe’s SSmbination. The maze pleads one a pao deat time lock mechanism) ‘ReturnitoDarkness (++ Entcopy, + oc ### Forces) EuthanatosDisciple «Ine chisrote fo itscoinciden | elegance. By causing foil. an many components, the fffect extinguishes all light 19.1 power sources in an are. when the mage shoots our or breaks a single lit lighe bulh, nin Black in the New Delhi airport i Parananda used this sudden darks effect. His Cortespondene surprise when the entire terminal went black. This pre sentednno danger toSleepers:as usual, all New Dells flights in the ground and hours behind schedule [The blackou ration. The more Jer the areathat he p into darkness — two successes covers a coun, four a build: asmall city. Large areas requ Forces magick | Mind) Chronopathy ( This anonym: thought, wouldthe hands of many hobgoblins, and their mischief led to witch-hunts and mass hysteria throughout northern Italy. [By adding Telepathy to Past or Future Sight. mystick can cry to experience things that occurred in the past. The more remote or removed the rime or person, the mote successes the magick requires. Sleepers’ feelings are we same with an Awakened being's thoughts demands an extra success or two (or more in the n arch-mage or elder vampire). Time 4 to isolate a thought in time, the mage rmaysend a message, image or emotion into the future. The message either certain time, or is triggered by some specified event. ("The first three people to walk through this door will hear my warning.”) Anyone who enters the mage’s current location will telepathically re- ceive the message at that time. The mage cannot know, aaivance whether a sending is received. The numbe successes determines how far abead in time che magg send the message, or how precise its trigger will be [he Effect cannot capture experiences hat selves gathered via chronopathy (so-called “se easiest to decect; doi experience). Only actual “first-order” exper, cessible.| Order of Herme Experience Substance ( Auribution of this medieval 1 Moderates in the Order of Herm many claimants developed it haswaited in the Pendingfile off Dispure Adju By rubbing a medicing fingers, a Hermetic mage 1 «es and diuretics peoduce only not the physial effects themselves. The control, and can always stop the experience w aidiction or physical effects Calis ofFestasysnee apalesimulation ofthe substance’s realty ts control isthe antithesis of Cult doctrine. A Manbattan Cultist named Jhst Larry has modified this rote to amplify a substance’s effects when actually ingested. He will presumably report results when he emerges from his coma in Bellevue Hospi- al this rote for it produ [For dangerous substances such as acids, the Effect works when the mage touches the substance’s container.| Heat Trace (#* Time, * Forces) ‘The Onder of Hermes scrupulously credits the er ‘of most rotes, documents their uses and annotates their variants. Phoche Tetramegestus of Chantry Sangreal elles) developed this simple Effect in 1443. With i, ee || N/A magus tracks a living target based on the trail of slightly wart air his body leaves. The Forces Sphere lets her track the target beyond the immediate area permitted by the Time Sphere’s etrocognition. For this Effect, Phoche received a Prix dHonneur in the next Decennial Adjudication ceremony. However, she seems never to have used it, nor any of her many other inventive rotes. In the last nine decades of her life, she never left her Chantry. [The number of suecesseson the Effect roll determines how far the mage can track the target's movements. Two successes covers the immediate vicinity, five successes block, 10.a small rown and 20a city. The spell must be used within five minutes ofthe target's passing, or the trail fades — unless, of course, no other living thing or weather ern has passed ehrough the same area.) nish Elemental (** Forces, ## Spirit) yall cheir command of natural forces, Hermetic ave a skittish ers and some Verbena main ionship with elemental spirits, respectful (if beings, uc the Blanco, a delegate to the Vatican XIII, devised thisrote in 1576. Contto- ‘onan element s Power (if his rote does not work at all on other Life, ¢ Corre: Helga Zalau of the Romany created this wulgar Effect 1339 under the name “Greek Life-Fire.” The rote causes every living being in the vieinity to glow brightly but intermittently, likea firefly, The mage ean omit herselfand her companions from this Effect, making it useful during firefighes [The number ofsuccessesdetermines how precisely the can control the glow, With only one success, ambient bacteria, dust mites and insects set up a general concealing plow. With three successes the mage fct the Effect to humans, and with four she can pinpoint all desired targets Chaptet One: Lore ID Ws:Sons of Ether Instant Measurement (* Correspondence, + Mind) Most new Son of Ether students quickly learn to read the hand-held Etheroscopic nnalyzer. The ability tt automatically meas ct's exact composition, weight and density pr ly handy around the Matter, cus thar makes the mal (#/Mind, # © Pri {and Etiquette. The processes remain modi tion. The successes deter chare) Point-to-Point Narrow-Band Transmission (## or +++ Forces, ** Correspondence) The Technocracy has widely adopted this rote and has introduced the concept to Sleeper society; however. the Sons of Ether developed it in Britain during World War |. While wearing adelicate headset, the user can broadcast to any single nearby radio or television receiver, so long as it is tumed on. This also works on close groups of receivers, such as those in a store window display. Whereas the Sons pre-empt existing signals, the Technocracy has used the rote to subtly alter existing programs, “customizing” them todeliver warnings, suggestions, false impressionsand such. ‘the Effect’s duration (see [The number of successes rolled determines clarity of reception. The mage can make the voice of image sound nd look like whacever he wants. The more elaborate the alteration, the more successes it demands. Correspondence extends the range out of the caster'simmediate area. With Forces 3 and Prime 2, the willworker can broadcast 60 receivers that are shut offor broken, although this Effect i vulgar Verbena Deduction (* Life, * Mind) By sensing the small details of a stranger’ life pattern and integrating them using sharp insight, a Verbena mage 18___Hidden Lore can decide whether the stranger represents a threat to her loved ones. In recent decades, new initiates have given this rote a pop-culture spin by expressing their conclusions in, the manner of Sherlock Holmes: “I perceive that you are left-handed, dabble in watercolors, were once a member of the Merchant Marines, and have recently visited India.” ‘Showing off with this rote around the coven is considered bad form, ot each success tolled, the difficulty of an accompa nying Mental, Intuition or Enigmas roll is reduced by -1 See “Abilities and Magick,” Pg. 174 for details.) Spirit, #* Life) Jack in the Green ( Mysticks must often the Glade Children (tree spirits) who dwell there. How- Jiligent Verbena e Child in a park or city street, although the Umbrood ly toxpid and decrepit. The a: few drops of his blood at the roots of a tre quietly. A bubbling cauldron produces best results, but pungent vapors of any kind may rouse the spirit, tradition: ally known among the Verbena as “Jack in the Green nage can communicate with a Jack is usually a good information source, but his gossip ss with the season. Jack notices many nearby e spring and summe sleepy. His memory, however, is long and excellent fewer in autumn; in winter he’s 100 [The plantspiritoften has Willpower 7, Rage 3, Gnosis 8, Power 20and the Charms Cleanse the Blight and Forest Sense, The number of successes determines how long it takes to rouse the spirit and how cooperative itis. Commu nicating with a rural oak in summer requires only one a city sapling in the dead of winter may ore successes. Roleplaying influences a + Etiquette rolls. An added require se this, as can successful Charism: gitioBal Efigetbur restrict its use malits'to avold Paradox. Using a wand, the-wh@h clasps i tightly. Blood fom her hand drips over the wand and onto the ground. Where ifalls dense thorn bushes spring up, their branches angand whispering. The witch, who controls the shape rea of the bushes, usually forms chem into a barier ch as ce three normal Health Crippled, [Those whoenter the barrier ( Levels of dam: Depending on how the target re ripping himself up further when he chann but will not lose levels belo ing in Pri vated instead. [The numberofsuccesses rolled determines how quickly the wall appears: one success, an hour: two successes, 10 minutes; three successes, one minute; four, LO seconds: fiveor more, instantly. Ir lasts for the normal length of time then dies and c Virtual Adep “ ronal her chpice, anyhe; ‘ged, 2, the Syl ae (expe ly) cr execute thi Xft Go elden lly expensive foci. Virtual Ad Sy ctchangs hoorleg telephone access i ai A all desired locat a change once ot twice nde works [The number of successes lari telephones in the next room, fiveanywhere in ity. ei nationwide and 10 worldwide. The Adept must know a currentaccesscode. The Storyteller may simply assum Adept knows the code, roleplay its acquisitios ecorso fay otha BR Intelligence + Adept know Mental Interface (#* Correspondence, ** Forces, * Mind) P Bbtiynanors oF this recent rote, designed by the fa Bauticated thot it dispens Here user inverface directly wich the Computer (difficulty 8) to determine if the ioe ni Aft 4 re aa cick ox Correspon angetsdoces' 4 e, however, from such surveil ince Effects.) the Effect disc es resonance theory prof [The rote tablished, It lasts for the rote’s duration. The Storyteller may require Wits + Technology, Computer or Science rolls to analyze the results ‘dental. Once the link is Chapter One: Lore 19LZ XN) NG All| Boot Buzzer (+* Correspondence, #* Forces,or #** Forces, ** Correspondence, ** Prime) A mischievous or vindictive Adept on a network isa frightening figure. He can alter a computer anywhere on that network to deliver a powerful shock to its user. The Adept usually prefaces the jolt byputting astrange imageor Afcer the Effect is cast, it takes several minutes t accumulate the electricity needed for the jolt. With Forces 3/ Prime 2, thecharge can be created instantly. With Time 4, the Adepe can delay the jolt to. certain time, such as when the user turns the computer on or types a particular word, [The Adepe must, of course, locate the target stccess. fully through Correspondence magick only then can he set the charge. Foreach success beyond the first, thejolt inflicts Mages h Level of damage on the vietim, al me 2 variant inflicts the usual Public Posting (#* or # dence, #* Prime) Mind, #* Correspon- Typing furiously (high adrenaline appears 10 the rote's power), the Virtual Adept broadcasts a simple message (usually "Help!") of some raightforward emo. tional sentiment (“Screw the workd!") in sucha way thatall mages within range can hear it, with or witheut a computer of their own. TThe number of successes determines the range and clarity ofthe sending. One success reaches adjacent rooms, nd eight a city. With pathic sentiment led and specific.) three a city block, five a small cown Mind 2, the message becomes an e Mind 3, the mess of Note can be de Pleased to meet you, Hope you guessed my name. —Rolling Stones, “Sympathy for the Devil” The following mysticks are well-known throughout Awakened society, mages whom their enemies respect. Though by re the most powerful mages alive (or the ‘only ones of note), each has a reputation which precedes him or her. Player characters may cross paths with chese notables, hear about their adventures at the Storytellers option (five points worth, of course) player's beck id — or oppost or even choose one as.a mentor or connection Such "celebrities" will not, of course, be at and call, but may offer some last-min Tradition Masters These are only the tip of a very Large iceber Tradition naturally has its favored celebrities. These Mas ters, however, are familiar to most young Couneil mages in the Western world, if only by reputation. Master Porthos, Drua'shi Master and Deacon Primus of Chantry Doissetep Amid the rwisted intriguesof Doissetep, Master Porthos stands like a bareere: compelling, Oneof the oldest Tradition magesalive, Porthos icon —spat upon, ancient, worn, but strives to leave legacy to atone for the Ascension he has never attained, A Hermetic mage almost from childhood, Porthos actually Awakened ¢ House deciles before the his own and joined a Hermeric Grand Convoe: jon. He hasseen, Hidden Lore the endless parade of triumphs and frustrations the Council a number of both, His conscience often troubles him, but he remainsa solid figure hhas endured and is responsible fo in Couneit politics, doing whatever need to be done further the Traditions’ ends. A relentlessly moral man, he considers himself unworthy of the power he has accumu- Tared and drifts in and out of sani Porthos’ ‘quent visits from the Shand Realm of Forces, he radiates an scan detect. The manifest ke azinable. On his infre aura of otherworldly might even Sle hhobgoblins his frequent Qu Doissetep.. Anteresting gickal prowessand longevity, Porthos holdsonto che leadership of the Drua'shi, che de facto ulers of Doissetep. Though rival ccabals besiege these "Seckers of Truth,” no conspiracy has dislodged them for long. Despite these triumphs, this Mas- ter claims to long for death. His recent book, The Fragile Path: Testamenas ofthe Fivsi Cabal, is supposedly his farewell {© this incamatic would-be assassin could attest to it. Port life with the tovisit. Through force of personality, If he has a death wish, however, no os still clings to erocity of a mad god. Czar Vargo Indisputably the leading scientist of the Sons of Ether, ‘Cear Vargo was bor Vargo Zamtredia on the Black coast, in what is now the Republic of Georgia, in 1878. Apprenticed to Count Roland of France, Vargo displayed astonishing talene with Forces and soon mastered Matter as ne by age 19 and a preliminary version of his gravity ray soon thereafter. Ac the Paris Exhibition in 1900, Vax against the world’s preparations for war. Soon thereafter, he disappeared. He emerged drs ally on July 24, 1914, when fleets of his airships appeared over seven major cities well. He developed his conversion « » spoke publiclyind demanded that all national governments sur arsenals to. him. His superior science overcame all Sleeper opposition, and only the Technocracy’s desperate assaule with steam-driven robots and mutant soldiers drove him aveay \Vargo's ships retreated into the sky, presumably past the Horizon, The New World Order removed all evidence I record, while fox hacklashes destroyed entire budding technologies of the takeover Ps empt from the histo many observers (including: Void Engineers) fleet in the Deep Umbra. ‘current whereabouts and occupation are un. ce the have reported sightingsof Van Coar Var known Najjda Bantu An African Celestial mage, Najid Council during the days of the Triangle Trade later, she helped found the Underground Rail US., fought the forces of the Contes jesigned from the A century ud in the cracy, then returned to urage” the English and German settlers to leave. After the Abl-i-Barin left the Council, Najjd yced her to return t Horizon. She has been a fixture on the Primii Couneil ever since ion with the Judeo- , Nayjda has always identified the One as her homeland to “en allies cony Despite her Tradition’s aff Christian reli agoddess whom she calls Bau-Hart. Over 300 yearsold,she retains her v wchover jstie, Bantu hhasavoided excessive violence throughout her centuries of struggle. The turmoils in central Africa, however, hav wounded her spirit. She has brought nal purged sick- her chosen people. Though never wholly pac neses on more th: batrleeannot he wonalone. From the Council, Najjda seeks, aunited effort to ar, her compan jonsscem bent more on warfare than welfare, andshe grows more discourages with each yea Within the last fiv a contingent of Dreamspeakers and Choristers has answered Najjda's eal. nd Africa's suffering. So Their recent quest to eradicate the Progenicor laboratories aire has won attention and acclaim from younger members of the Council Dante Virtual Adept Desmond Colli was born on 07/21/1969 in Chicago. re Awakened before| led by the Progenitors, aduated high school at eight, Harvard ar 13. and ‘medical school at 18, Before the Technocracy could recruit hhim, however, he was kidnapped bya band of Adepts called the LabRats, each a former Progenitor breeding projectlike mself. Learning the ways of went independent and began rescuing children that Pro: genitors had earmarked as recruits. Most of them he gives worth, AKA Dante, Zollingsworth is said rth. Gu wick from them, Dante over to Tradition allies. Others he sets up in hidden safe homes with mundane identities Dante carries himself with che cool assurance that comes of supreme competence in a limited domain. In the Digital Web, Dante has bec ind. His Mastery of Correspondence, Forces and Mind has not ome somewhat ofa le ‘evented him from socializing with “lesser” mysticks. For ny person has infinite potential. He has dedicated y folks res himself to helping as ma as he can. Alexis Hastings A tinkerer and a traveler, Alexis has won through meticulous research, ingenuity and pure nerve. Though personally shy Hastings’ enthusiasm for Science knows no hounds. Noto rious for her love of electricity, Alexis publishes frequently in Paradigma and scopes into the Net for R&R (rest and research). Atpresent, she'shard at work on an Otherworlds a strong reputation amo ic Etherite colleagues and apparently conservative travel beyond the barriers. re and the similar “Captain piemythical idol of the Virtual ely lives, physically, but no one knows his true identity or location. Kibo's fame lies entirely in the Digital Web. There, he uses impressive Correspondence magick toappear is invoked. These tricks ious and some The Adepts have taken to calling Kibo “the god of cyberspace” and have founded silly but elaborate religion, Kibology. Those outside the Tradition find Kibology’ haf fling, unsure whether ic isa joke masquetading asa religion orarel \sa joke, The Order of Hermes Adepts. Kibo defi cause strange events wherever hisname fe mischievous rather than mali- gion masquerading. currently states that Kibology isa religion masqueradiny a joke masquerading as a religion Marianna Archmage Marianna oversees Balador, the supreme Cult of Bestasy Chantry, and its surrounding Horizon Realm city of Altua. A Master of Correspondence, Life Matter, Mind and Time, Marianna hardly looks her ae (believed to be 76). Instead, she reshapes herself week by week, takingon the appearance of ie: sion of current and historical cultures: Berber, Javanese, Hollywood, Khmer, Hopi, 1920s Paris, 1600s Elizabethan nd a thousand more. Her duties as supervisor of the Telluran’s greatest pl mex hhausted her: Marianna’s continual remarkable I beauty in a succes- house evidently have st for sensation is In recent years, Marianna and the Balador cabals have declared a vendetta against a diabolic cult known as the aprer One: Lore HN A ID. NOs;Seventh Generation, which (she claims) has deliberately corrupted sexual practices in the eastern United States. The Order is unclear as to what kind of sexuality Marianna could think corrupt, but she has, among Council mysticks, proven herselfa worthy and sensible ally archmage of astonishing power. Raging Eagle ‘A mysterious martial artise Master of the Akashic Brothethoo's order called the Scales of the Dragoo, Rag- ing Eagle hasapparently lived many lives, going back to the Himalayan Wars between the Brotherhood and the Euthanatos. In his current incarnation, Raging Eagle trained in Do. He believes he is tolorado, mascering the most destructive aspects of the red to die whenever he fights for more than a week. Though Raging Eagle is undoubtedly ind means well, he is prone to deep Quiets and furious changes in temperament. Sam Haine ‘Thetrucname ofthis Verbena mageis unknown; "Sam to the ancient “Changing stidtotravel Sambain festival. The Verbe Man" hecauseof his variable appearance. He! the workd searching for mythic elements of reality and taking them to Verbena Horizon Realms for preservation. He also delights in debunking false occult items and ideas that the Syndicate promulgates among Sleepers. Iconoclattic to an extreme, Sam Haine consciously flouts the typical Verbena rituals and trappings. Verbena ‘mages claim he hasalllies or sympathizers within the Tech nocracy, because he has been captured several times and escaped each time. An enigmatic figure to Tradition mysticks, Sam Haine seems to enjoy the confusion he inevitably leaves in his wake Heasha Morninglade Though young by archmage standards, the Verbena Heasha has won a significant reputation through her elo- quent dedication to Ascension’sideals. In an age where few toblte to any purpose higher than the accumulation of power, Mominglade’s arguments and writings have in spired Sleeper and Awakened alike to follow some higher goal. The last apprentice of Nightshade, Heatha benefited from tha Prim centuriesofwisdomand folly. Sheleaned, as few cabers have, of the Councils founding singles and ‘has an uncanny insight into history. Nightshade, whose vision helped shape the Traditions, may have passed on ‘more than her Arts and learning; some older mages claim that Nightshade can still be heard in Heasha’s impassioned thetoric. Whatever the truth may be, Mominglade is a formidable willworker for her age. Though not quite 40, she Hidden Lore commands the Spheres with the skill of a magus centuries older. Heasha holds no formal Council rank, nor does she want one. Polities bore her. Nor has she chosen a formal apprentice. Instead, she often travels witha pack of mysticks al in a mobi helpinghand heads Tom “Laughing Eagle” Smithson A former Apache shaman, Tom Smithson leads the Lelge ofthe Gray Squire, a four-cabal Chantry of Native American origins located in a Horizon Realm called the Second World of the Dine. Si sare obscu but it is common knowledge that he was enslaved for decades in the horrendeus Technoceacy Construct Null-B Escaping with four other Dreamspeake:s, Smithson re- turned to Earth and joined the Cele of the Gray Squirrel in 1958, the first non-Navajo shaman to enter the cabal Through great ability, honorable conduet and generos ity, Smithson rose to Mastery nd Adepe rank in several other Spheres, and to leadership ofthe eabal called the Cule of the Bear. He is plain-spoken and outwardly cynical, but has repeatedly shown compassion and friend: ship to mages of other Traditions. Smithson and the Bear Cule work both on Earth and in the Otherworlds to protect Native American people and beliefs, and are said 0 have lies. Smichson himself investigates Horizon Realms of Technomancers, tutors young mages and raises horses. He has argued fora united assoul by all Traditions on Null-B, but tone a Technocrats ‘The Council keepsits most detailed files updaced with Technocratic Masters. Unfortunately, this information is often subverted by the Union’s scrambling and dlsinformation magicks false reports and the almost super: natural awe with which low-ranking Technomancers regard their superiors. The mages helow are only handfulof these dedicated foes of dynamnisrn, The Matriarch The union of two Iteration X sis ry called the Magic Bus, offering a and ste:n wisdom — to magesinovertheir mithson’s oF the Matriarch commands the dreaded Construct of MECHA, a forced labor camp/prison from which the Technocracy draws much of its Classified Bio-Harvested Quintessential Force (Tass). This mage is said to exist only within MECHA’s massive incernal systems, though she supposedly artends conferences in Autocthoni brief, savage forays. ‘The Mattlarch is a technocratic nigh present Big Sister who monitors her Construct with and travels into the Web forunblinking eyes and punishes failure with methods thet N c even cyborgs to tremble. Hated and feared within the Technocracy itself, the Matriarch nevertheless e Iteration X's ideal of perfection — eternal uniry with The Machine Andre Takahashi Z The Syndicate head of the Far East, Takahashi has a = perfected theart of personae. With advanced bio-alteration (Life magicks), he switches identit whatever suits him. Under aliases, Takahashi is thought to govern three yakus Tr Nepalese liberation group and a Brahmin clan with a lineage going back aver 2,000 years. Whether or not André killed off the original leaders or simply used Mind influence to “convince” others that he belonged is a mystery { national families, the andy a Records trace Takahashi to a marriage between a French tradesman and a female samurai in the late 1800s He learned secrets ftom a number of mystckal societies before joining the Matsuba-kai ikka shortly before W.W AL There, he encountered a Syndicate cell and devoted him selfrothe Union's cause. When the Technocracy switched! sides during the war, he personally undermined the Japa nse defense, then fostered U.S. economic interests before turning their best methods against them. Although he concems himself largely with “legitimate corporations, Takahashi has found the underground elements to be @ superior form of damage control André is a formidable man, versed in sorcery, technomagick, economic control and str who meet him realize it at the rime; Tradicion cabals have clashed with crime families in Asia, Europe and the U.S. only to find some lead back to one of Takahasi’s many personas. Only infiltration, dara raids and a bi of Andre's egotism have allowed the Council to recognize him at all violence. Few Oscar Hamilton After the death of Null-B's chief commander Alonzo Vendiz, Hamilton quickly rose to the top divided Triumvirate. The Construct, which has weathered persistent Marauder attacks, has become famous through: out the Union for its batt Hamilton. a high-ranking NWO operative. is the main reason for Null-B's readiness and combat savvy A graduate of the NWO's top-ranked training acad cemy, Hamiliton served as a Man in Black from World War 1 uncil Watergate, when his identity was compromised by top-secret tapes. He moved tothe then-powerful toserveas Vendit’ second in command and ed the powerful shock-troops to victory after viccory before a massive Ma- rauder assault rocked Null-B in 1993. Since then, the outlying war Construct has suffered badly at the hands of lying Umbral horrors and internal dissent. Rumor has ic Chapter One: Lore 23i Hidden Lore that Hamilton assassinated Vendi himself, but the mess the killing has left makes thi Hamilton carries great weight with the Inner Circle. A brillianestrategist, hehas coordinated raids against Horizon tself, and once forced the Counct! headquarters to move likely ofits Nodestoavoid being cut off. A quiecman with ant unassuming demeanor, Hamilcon hides his war-savvy well. Those who know him, however, speak of an inhuman vitality and deep commitmentto reality deviate extermina Dr. Ken Himii This unorthodox Technocrat fills an imporcant post: the preservati su of the Union's interests in San Francisco, His unusual ories and occasional compromises have cearned him enemiesand grudging respect from beth Coun cil ma sand the Doctor's colleagues. Himitsu isa visionary; he is not above striking ali ances with mysticks or investigating wild new theories if that helps him protect his Sleeper charges better. He will not tolerate any threat to the people under his protection, and can be harsh if necessary. In general, howe prefers to work thingsout peacefully, and will offer compre mises that seem treasonous to more dedicated Technocrats hhim, the common good is an ideal worth any sac A massive man, Himiitsu directs the U.C. Medical Center with a firm hand. His physical steer, affable n with his actual abilities. Like many Progeni- tors, he keepsa variety of clones around for risky sit Unlike most Technocracy leaders, however, Himitsu is not afraid to get his hands dirty if need be. He will place himself — or his clones — in dang: ment is called for EvaRaum An energetic and visionary woman, Raum spearheads the Void Engineers’ earthbound operations, With her friendly disposition and charisma, she garnets support for manner and powerful friends earn the Doctor a respect of propor if personal involve- het passion — the exploration and classification of known space. An amazing capacity for Correspondence, Mind and spirit-te votion to the Technocratic cause make Raum a driving force on both sides of the and complete de auncler Evaknows whar's out there: during stints with both the PDC and the BDC, she encountered horrors beyond any filmmaker's nightmares. The rev isp ion she feels for these 1m whenever such ippear. Outer space, she feels, is the hope of the future, an endless palace of wondersand resources. To make her to pursue the F space safe, however, the aliens must be taught alesson: The Earth wi Those who meet Ms. Raum would never guess at her fanaticism. A master of PR, she attends private and ottolerate invasions. Compromise inviteschaos.