X-Topic-No: 6
Date:  Tue, 30 Aug 1994 14:59:00 -0400
From: "/G=Christopher/S=Kobar/OU=DTT.US.NATTAX/"@SMDELOIT.LANGATE.sprint.com
To: mage-l@wizards.com
Subject: Sons of Ether
Message-ID:  <"Tue Aug 30 14:59:02 199400*/G=Christopher/S=Kobar/OU=DTT.US.NATTAX/O=SMDELOIT/PRMD=LANGATE/ADMD=TELEMAIL/C=US/"@MHS>

     The following is my own "Paradigm Page" for the Sons of Ether:
     
     The Ethereal Plane (The Tellurian)
     
     Phenomena (Magick)
       
        The Blind (Sleepers)
        The Moment of Truth (The Awakening)
        True Scientist (Mage)
        
        Ordinary Phenomena (Coincidental Magick)
        Extraordinary Phenomena (Vulgar Magick)
     
     Subconscious (Avatar)
     
     Genius (Arete)
     
     The Ectotropic Plane (The Umbra)
     
     The Categories (The Spheres)
        
        Dimension (Correspondence)
        Entropy
        Electroplasm (Forces)
        Bioplasm (Life)
        Plasm (Matter)
        Psychoplasm (Mind)
        Ether (Prime)
        Causality (Time)
        Ether (Quintessence)
        Etheric Residue (Tass)
        Ether-gate (Node)
     
     Paradox
     
        Paradox Flaw
        Backlash
        Quiet
     
     Miscellany
     
        Eccentricity (Blatancy)
        Letheric Potential (Dream)
     
     --------------------------------------------------------------------
     
     Weird Science
     
     (The following should help color and bring-to-life Sons of Ether)
     
     Inventions (Rote Foci)
     
        The Sons of Ether spurn the constraints of modern scientific 
     theory, and their proof is in the pudding, so to speak.  By inventing 
     all manner of bizarre contraptions and impossible devices these "weird 
     scientists" prove to themselves (and hopefully others) that just 
     because the National Academy of Sciences says so, does not make it so. 
     
        The Sons hope that some of their inventions will one day be 
     accepted by society as a whole, becoming part of the consensual 
     paradigm, but until the Technocracy can be convinced to become more 
     flexible in regards to what is and what isn't proper science, their 
     myriad of odd gadgets will have to remain their province only, 
     occasionally drawing them derision from those who do not understand.
     
     Purpose (Effect):  Each invention has a purpose, which is in essence, 
     what it does.
     
     System
     
        A character may invent as many devices as he wishes, though he will 
     be limited by cost and time.  Furthermore, each gadget will have a 
     relative encumberance that will dictate how many may be carried at a 
     time.  Normally, each invention will perform on rote, though as long 
     as the rotes utilize the same spheres and all rotes were built into 
     the device upon its creation, more can be "installed".  Note that this 
     will increase all the limitations as mentioned above.
     
     Cost:  $500 x total sphere levels x (11 - Arete).  Example:  a 
     Matter/3, Correspondence/2, Entropy/2 rote device made by a mage with 
     an Arete of 4 would cost $24,500.
     
     Time to make:  One day per sphere level x (11 - Arete).  The example 
     invention above would take forty-nine days to make.  Typically, one 
     day assumes a full working day, with few distractions.
     
     Encumberance:  Weighs 0.1 pound per sphere level x (11 - Arete).  The 
     gadget would only weigh five (4.9) pounds.  Round all results to the 
     nearest half-pound.  Note:  Regardless of how many rotes are actually 
     "installed" in an invention when first made, the weight of the device 
     is only derived from non-repetitive spheres.  If the device above also 
     had a Mind/2, Correspondence/1 rote, only the two levels of mind would 
     have to be added to the weight calculation, making it 1.4 pounds 
     heavier, for a total final encumberance of  6.5 (6.3) pounds.  
     
     Advantages
     
     Simplicity:  The primary advantage of using an invention for a focus 
     is the reduction of an effect's difficulty.  The difficulty of an 
     effect is reduced by one (-1) if it is done with the help of the 
     proper invention.
     
     Speed:  An added bonus is the fact that an invention allows one to 
     produce the desired effect much quicker than normal.  A rote effect 
     performed with the proper invention takes only one turn to produce.  
     Note:  A "fast cast" is still possible, though it will negate the 
     invention's difficulty reduction.
     
     Blatancy:  A final advantage in using an invention as a focus is the 
     increased probability that onlookers will believe any vulgar effects 
     to be coincidental.  Inventions provide an automatic point of 
     Blatancy.  Note:  This can only change Vulgar with Witnesses to Vulgar 
     without Witnesses.  It cannot make a vulgar effect coincidental.
     
     
     I hope this helps out everyone who whines about how unfair the system 
     is to technomancers.  And it should add some fun, too.
     
     Aurelius