Mage/Theme/Legacies/Transhuman Engineers

TRANSHUMAN ENGINEERS

He's the garish one snapping pictures at parties and showing off his latest gizmos, always a step ahead even among early adopters. He's also the creepy one who holes up in his room, surrounded by flickering screens and humming of cooling fans. Either way, he's the one with the camera, and who is one with the camera.

The Technological Apocalypse

Technological singularity is a concept where humanity's technological advance will reach a point where it surpasses human intelligence, exploding into existence as technology builds upon itself. The Transhuman Engineers want to usher in that era, despite worries and alarms of both Sleeper and Awakened peers alike. Even the Supernal will be no longer held back after the singularity, and anyone who opposes it will be an enemy of their crusade.

The Transhuman Engineers are numerous for a young Legacy, and the advance of technology only feeds their growth. Each Prime Mover has a "crusade," the pet project of Obsessions reflecting their interest and expertise. Even the founder himself is aloof but still active, occasionally recruiting both Engineers and other mages alike to his own crusade. Because the Movers exalt progress of technology above all else, they push at the limits of both tech and magic alike, sometimes even "inspiring" Sleeper scientists with magically enhanced devices, and tend to dismiss anything else that does not contribute to their vision. Naturally, this often creates tension within the Awakened community.

Origins

Parentage: Obrimos, Free Council, Mysterium

Background: As a passion for technology usually follows an understanding and access of it, potential Engineers come from the developed or quickly developing worlds. Most of them have the education to match, or quickly bring themselves up to it. Some Prime Movers claim to have literally seen the Singularity in their Awakenings, although the highly unique nature of Awakenings mean there's no real substance to it for the moment.

Appearances: The Engineers see themselves as progressives on technology's bleeding edge, and many would like to remind everybody else that they are. Some even wear outfits straight out of sci-fi, or tattoo themselves with circuitry and computer language. All of them can be seen with various high-end technological items on their persons.

Doctrine

Prerequisites: Matter 2, Science 2, two dots in one of the following Skills; Computer, Crafts, Expression, Investigation, Occult

Initiation: The aspirant must impress the mentor-to-be with technology to gain access to initiation. While not easy, different Engineers have different tastes and what gets shot down by one Mover may enthrall another. The shaping of Gnosis comes from defining and developing her own crusade, which need not come from what the initiate used to prove herself.

Organization: The Engineers respect privacy, but also encourage opportunities to gather in the form of global Expos. Here the Movers display the fruits of their latest crusade and discuss colloquia. Local Prime Movers working together in an area sometimes create communal "citadels" specifically where people gather, hoping to inspire and be inspired by the next generation of geniuses.

Theory: Unopposed progress. Unfettered access to technology. Oppose corporate conspiracies. Technology Will Become Magic. These are the core tenets of the Transhuman Engineers, one that each Prime Mover takes to heart.

Magic

Ruling Arcanum: Matter

Yantras: A metropolitan area, preferably busy (+1); succeeding on a Science or Crafts roll relevant to the spell (+2); high-tech devices inscribed with occult symbols (+2); digital identifiers (adds a +1 to what the identifier would have provided as a sympathy Yantra; these can still be used as sympathy for Sympathetic Range, etc.)

Oblations: Writing a computer program; studying or creating Imbued and Enhanced items; breaking into restricted areas in order to access technology; convincing people to try out a new piece of technology

Attainments

First: Interaction

Prerequisites: Initiation

The first step of interacting with technology is learning its function. This Attainment gives the Prime Mover a natural knack for such, replicating the "Craftsman's Eye" spell. Reach is assigned to instant use.

‘’’Optional’’’: Forces 1

Most high-end technology run on electricity in one way or another, so the Engineer finds it useful to master it. He emulates the "Influence Electricity" spell, with Reach assigned to instant use.

Second: Connection

Prerequisites: Matter 2, Science 3

The Prime Mover works to transcend the limits of modern technology, such as having to physically touch a device to get them working. She replicates the "Remote Control" spell, with Reach assigned to instant use and changing the primary spell factor to Duration. Should a remote action require a roll, the Mover scores automatic successes equal to her Matter dots.

‘’’Optional’’: Forces 2

Most modern technology makes use of wireless transmission, which the Engineer can perceive and hijack freely. This combines the "Tune In" and "Transmission" spells. Reach is assigned to instant use, counted from Forces 2.

Third: Dissolution

Prerequisites: Matter 3, two dots in a second Skill among the optional prerequisite Skills

After gaining remote connection to technology, the Prime Mover moves to gain physical access to items otherwise restricted from her. After a scene of preparation in which she stays still and uninterrupted, she conceals herself from all recording devices. This emulates the "Machine Invisibility" spell, with Reach assigned to instant use and Advanced Duration.

Optional: Forces 3

Cameras and microphones aren't the only eyes and ears, so the Engineer learns to hide himself more conventionally. He can choose to combine "Machine Invisibility" with the "Invisibility" and "Control Sounds" spells. Reach assignment stays the same, but additional spell factors will be now dependent on the lower of the Engineer's Matter or Forces should he add one or both of the Forces spells.

Fourth: Activation

Prerequisites: Matter 4 Science 4

It is not enough to build technology. Technology has to be used, the Transhuman Engineers reckon, and to be used it has to be maintained. The Prime Mover may spend a point of Mana to generate a circular field of power in a radius equal to her Matter dots. This field is similar to a Matter-charged Node, with the Mover's crusade determining what area of technology counts as being Resonant with it. The benefitting technology need not be stationary or inanimate, and they heal Structure every hour instead of day.

The field lasts for hours equal to the Mover's Gnosis, with every subsequent period equal to Gnosis requiring additional Mana. Maintaining the field too long may bleed the Prime Mover's Nimbus into the powered devices and their users, resulting in unknowingly left Signatures and devices flaring her Immediate Gnosis when someone misuses or overuses them.

Optional: Forces 4

All technology require power for activation, and the Engineer will provide them with it. The field of power now incorporates Forces, and the pieces of technology within it can now function without an apparent power source. The combination of Matter and Forces substitute for even solid fuel such as gas.

Fifth: Integration

Prerequisites: Matter 5, two dots in a third Skill among the optional prerequisite Skills

The singularity will come when technology invents technology, synergizing with itself to open completely unimagined areas. The Prime Mover is so close to kickstarting the singularity but for now she will have to suffice with a more physical synergization of technology. This Attainment resembles the "Wonderful Machine" spell, with Reach assigned to instant use, Advanced Duration, and Advanced Scale.

The techno-Gnosis of the Transhuman Engineers allows the Mover to integrate technology into her own body without Life. If she actually has Life 3, she can do it to other life forms as normal.

Some Movers even integrate themselves to technology, appearing to seamlessly enter and merge with a large enough device or a connected collection of them. In such a state she uses the technology's equipment bonus as her Physical Attributes, and its Durability as armor. Structure effectively becomes additional Health, as any damage targeting her reduces Structure first. The device keeps functioning even at zero Structure, until the Mover leaves or dies. The Mover has access to whatever functions the technology has, including Imbued spells if any, and can use Matter spells to further augment them. She can also heal herself with Matter spells in this state.

Optional: Forces 5

The Transhuman Engineer doesn't want to merely see the singularity. He wants to feel the singularity, and be the singularity. After a scene of trance-like calm in contemplation of her crusade, the Engineer dissipates into a cloud of data and electricity, submerging inside technology.

Similarly to above, the Engineer has full access to the device's functions, although in most cases will be immobile unless integrating into moving machines. If the device is online or otherwise networked (including both internet connections and shared power cables), the Engineer can simultaneously exist inside multiple connected items, up to a number of his Forces dots within a radius up to his Gnosis in yards.

The incorporeal nature of digital and electric existence mean that the Engineer does not gain the devices' Durability and Structure to his armor and additional Health. Any damage to the devices are also inflicted on him, but downgraded by a level. Attacks jamming the power source or corrupt stored data bypass even this defense and inflict lethal damage. The devices keep functioning even at zero Structure, until the Engineer leaves or dies. The Engineer has access to whatever functions the device has, including free access to networks it is connected to, and Imbued spells if any. He can augment their digital functions further, and even heal himself with Forces spells.

Controlling multiple networked devices at once is possible but taxing. The Engineer must spend Willpower points equal to the number of additionally controlled devices after the first, and even then he cannot take multiple actions in a turn. Reflexive actions, mostly Perception checks viewing the surrounding area, are free and can still be taken in a single turn.