Stayka
Shitennou
- Registriert
- 13. September 2004
- Beiträge
- 11.525
QuickAndDirty meinte, ich sollte mal den Kram posten, den ich als Background für mein aktuelles alternatives Mage-Setting Etherites Go! im IRC verwende... Die Welt ist dort eine Parallelwelt zu den 70er/80er Jahren.
Warnung, dies ist ein wildes Sammelsurium von Background-Ideen, die in nem Chat von Asm0dai und mir zusammengefrickelt wurden. Wer davon etwas verwenden will - viel Spaß! Bei uns geht die Runde nächste Woche in die 15. Session.
Wie es begann....
Start of AC_Newton buffer: Thu Sep 16 02:29:26 2004
Session Ident: AC_Newton (~Stayka@pD9E24C0C.dip.t-dialin.net)
<Asmodai> i must confess i like that we are playing mage in a world
that we are molding part by part outside of canon
<AC_Newton> The ST can do anything after all
<AC_Newton> Heh.
<AC_Newton> Well, I have always played pretty much outside of canon
<AC_Newton> I usually start with some canon stuff, of course, but it goes my way then anyway
<Asmodai> sure but this is pretty much without canon
<AC_Newton> Yeah
<Asmodai> i don't think there's any sort of Council of Nine in this world and our Technocracy is closer to Majestic 12
<AC_Newton> Not that way. Only groups and factions
<Asmodai> yes
<AC_Newton> But pretty losely organised
<Asmodai> and rare
<AC_Newton> Some with more and some with less success
<AC_Newton> The non techies have their area, but the techie fractions have it even easier than in the canon WoD I'd say
<AC_Newton> What's Majestic 12?
<Asmodai> the organisation SD6 is a part of
<AC_Newton> Well, the Trads do exist - we know the Verbena are there, for ex
<AC_Newton> Ah, yes
<Asmodai> it's also a major conspiracy organisation that wants to rule the world in most conspiracy stories
<Asmodai> sort of like the New World Order
<AC_Newton> The Virtuals are not the leet hackers yet
<Asmodai> hmm i don't think Adepts work well in a setting like that
<AC_Newton> They will be more in the main computer business
<AC_Newton> I see the VAs working in universities with the huge non-portable mainfraimes
<Asmodai> how do you know Verbena are there?
<Asmodai> we had Verbena?
<Asmodai> Yep on the Adept count...
<AC_Newton> But of course that means they are rather adult-ish computer scientists and maths guys
<Asmodai> and less Punk freaks of today
<AC_Newton> Well, Lord Max has Verbena relatives
<AC_Newton> Yup
<AC_Newton> I think the VAs might even belong to the "baddies" in that world
<AC_Newton> The Turing thingy didn't happen like in canon
<AC_Newton> They rather help set up military network stuff for the big bad conspiracy
<Asmodai> and those who are not their members are conspiracy buffs
<AC_Newton> Sort of
<AC_Newton> I think Fuzzy might get into trouble if she enters OOC knowledge there *eg*
<AC_Newton> No nice VAs here.
<AC_Newton> Of course I think they should be called Virtual Engineers, not Adepts
<Asmodai> actualy they wouldn't be called anything i think
<Asmodai> they aren't a organisation per se in such a setting
<AC_Newton> Well, I think they have a secret internal network for themselves
<Asmodai> ...
<Asmodai> they will be called The Network!
<AC_Newton> Where they play space invaders on their PDP7s when their bosses don't watch *g*
<Asmodai> so The Network is a computer oriented group of freelancers...
<Asmodai> let's say they work for their own ends and for hire
<Asmodai> and so they can end up qutie some baddies if necessary...
<AC_Newton> THey work for computing time on the big machines, too
<Asmodai> Sure
<Asmodai> okay so... the Technocracy and the council of nine don't exist
<AC_Newton> Well, if you think of it that the BBC (Big Bad Conspiracy here) has most of the money they will get most of the Netters ^_^
<AC_Newton> Hm...
<AC_Newton> Why not really the BBC *g*
<Asmodai> the mages are rarer in this setting and there are more "servants" of the organisations that don't have mage only membership/leadership
<AC_Newton> They want to get the public under control with their public broadcasting ^_^
<Asmodai> VA's are The Network and BBC is one of their facets
<AC_Newton> Well, I like to use the acronym BBC
<AC_Newton> Everybody will think of the broadcasting company *g*
<Asmodai> Etherites don't exist... however the reality caters better to the pseudoscientific paradigm... and an old "old boys" club established a secret underground magazine known as Paradigma
<AC_Newton> I have to come up with a serious explanation, too
<AC_Newton> Well, Etherites do exist. That's the name of the game after all ^_^
<Asmodai> Paradigma is quite popular amongst those who heard of it and the people who work on it are connected and are effectively neutral
<AC_Newton> I play with the idea that Paradigma isn't really underground
<Asmodai> actualy Stayka be realistic...
<Asmodai> none of us are Etherites
<Asmodai> the game is Etherite in tone
<Asmodai> but none of us seem to work as "Etherites"
<AC_Newton> Hey, but the game is called Etherites, so I can't really change the name of the organization
<Asmodai> why not
<AC_Newton> Naw
<Asmodai> the game keeps its name
<AC_Newton> And I *like* it, too
<Asmodai> it also adds to the element of the unknown
<Asmodai> well you're the boss
<AC_Newton> The point is if I keep the name, then people are more prone to tap into traps *g*
<Asmodai> of course!
<AC_Newton> I think that'll teach them to use OOC stuff
<Asmodai> call the game Etherites but let there be no Etherites as a society
<Asmodai> oooh i kno!
<Asmodai> we can even make that "Old boys club" named Sons Of Ether but make them exclusive to 5-6 members who mostly got in through hereditary means and are only from the Old European families
<AC_Newton> Hehe. Sounds like fun
<AC_Newton> And they give the money for that magazine
<AC_Newton> And somehow people who get the message just decided to call themselves that no matter what strange stuff they did
<AC_Newton> Think of it as a fashion
<Asmodai> and the real SOE are a secret society!
<AC_Newton> Everybody who has strange ideas wants to be published in
<Asmodai> we can easiyl introduce that element through qadn's character
<AC_Newton> And of course there is a lot of trash in Paradigma, too
<Asmodai> hmm but Paradigma cannot be publicaly available... it would be too trackable
<AC_Newton> I think it can
<Asmodai> well someone could track the suppliers if it went on news stands...
<AC_Newton> Because most stuff is so weird that the BBC just laughs about it and nevver takes it serious
<AC_Newton> And those fighters against them are just terrorists
<AC_Newton> You know how the US currently blames *everything* on terrorists, whatever it is?
<Asmodai> okay... but it still needs to be kept away from the public
<Asmodai> think of "normal" scientists debunking the texts
<AC_Newton> Well, I rather thought that the stuff is so weird, that it only works for people with the proper mindset anyway
<Asmodai> or maybe... it being a cult magazine that most people see as in character fiction... and not as a actual Scientific publication!
<AC_Newton> And the BBC people's mindset is to ordered that they could make the stuff work so it is garbage to them
<AC_Newton> The Masses cannot make it work because they lack the spark so they think it is garbage, too
<Asmodai> the BBC keeps tabs on it and occasionaly recruits through it... but they usually just ignore it!
<AC_Newton> Yup
<Asmodai> he he !
<AC_Newton> Only if they see something that fits with them - and in that case the Scientist becomes a scientist
<Asmodai> okay let's work the other organisations/societies
<AC_Newton> (And later is utterly embarassed to ever have published something in that Paradigma Dreck
<Asmodai> the SOE are no more... Paradigma becomes quite a crazy thing...
<AC_Newton> I think of it as OMNI a bit
<Asmodai> the Adepts are not anarchists, they are a secret group called the Network
<AC_Newton> (That was a half SF half scientific Mag in the 80es)
<AC_Newton> Well, I need to catch some sleep too
<Asmodai> there is no technocracy but a global organisation bent on controllign the world from the shadows through advanced technology
<AC_Newton> I have been awake for almost 48 hours now
<Asmodai> just a few ideas if you can spare a few mins more
<AC_Newton> And I need to get up at 6
<Asmodai> soryy... i'm a bit hyper as i slept quite a bit today...
<AC_Newton> If I stay longer I won't be able to get up at 6 I fear
<Asmodai> and i think i'll pass the written part of the exam...
<AC_Newton> Neat
<AC_Newton> Could you save this window as a log, please and mail it to me?
<Asmodai> if you want we can talk on it tomorrow or one of the next days ad then write it up
<Asmodai> right away...
<AC_Newton> Yup. But I'd like to have the raw here too.
<AC_Newton> Thx
The Write-Up:
That's it
Plus a few new ideas
-mages in this world are very rare and most of the organisations we are talking about are mostly normal...
-There is no Ascension War
-there is no Celestial Chorus. There are people who are great believers but work in their own ways. Some are telepreachers, others are wandering doogoders the third are just priests helping their flock with their god given powers. There is also a possibilty of introducing a Vatican based shadow organisation that works for "the benefit of Christians". While based in Vatican, they are connected with their Protestant (British parts and American parts) branches and are nominnaly in charge. Think a bit about Hellsing but add more behind the scenes stuff
- Verbena are a name for a group of witches who opperated in nothern France and england, and though there are witches and covens all over the world, the covens and withes are pretty unconnected in the world
- There are no akashics - however there are martial artists and zen buddhists with powers of the mind and Matrix level Kung fu. Akashic record does exist though, but it is kept somewhere in the Himmalaya's by a order of reclusive monks... it is an actual item
- Cultists of Ecstasy don't exist. However all sorts of hedonist magi exist who work their stuff through pleasures of the mind and the body
- the Order of Hermes are not D&D mages on steroids. They are occult arms of the BBC and help them with occult problems and mystical phennomena. Occasionaly they are also called to do things liek deleting people's memories and summonign things (or controllign things). They are very low in number and most of them are pretty powerful. Their division is called the Black Arts division
- there can be occultists who work simialr to them but they are quite rare and possibly some of them are kept tabs on by the Black Arts division. Oh yes, and there are no roganised Goth mages... there may be one actual gothmage but the rest are jsut moping bloody idjits
-the term Dreamspeaker was never coined. There are rare shamen over the world who still keep to their old faiths and don't go around the world much. However they are usually quite friendly to each other and see each other as brothers if and when they meet them
- BBC/Majestic 12/Whatever we name it. It doesn't have conventions. However it does have divisions, including Space Operations and Exploration -> SOE (VE), Scitech (ItX/Progenitors), Operations ($/NWO), Black Arts. The leadership of it would consist from a leader of each of the Divisions as consultants (with one vote each) and the rest would consist of a council master (senior member, long term service probably from operations, but not necessarily) , and two other members we will create...
-> Black Arts - see up
-> Operations - spying, crowd control, blackops, operations, media control...
-> Scitech - SOE is a part of it, and is currently a subdivision, other subdivisions include Biotech (genetech, splicing, gene experiments, drugs...), Hardtech (cyber,weaponry...) and the Special Projects division (PSI, biotech...)
- The Network are freelancers and rogues, however a number of Network members are members of the BBC and also work for them. The Network as a whole is probably the best informed but has soem sort of strict inside rules on what they can talk and do and with whom.
- Euthanatos are a small organisation that works with the dead and is trying to keep the wheel of existence flowing. To that cause they tend to judge people who are in important palces and act inappropriatley... however they don't have the time or the manpower to work everywhere, so they work in small steps. Tehnically we won't be meetign any of them
What is Paradigma ?
All over the world, for almost 80 years a magazine has been published. This magazine is known to most people as a old pulp rag that grew from its simplistic roots into a pseudoscientific incharacter magazine... the magazine keeps interviews and articles on all sorts of people, includign pop culture icons, quack scientists, real scientists. Still it is best known for the wacky science articles and following of the modern trends... And it's Autumn illustrated Sciencebabes addition
The magazine is not taken serius and most people who buy it are buying either for the non scientific articles, for the sciencebabe special, or the varius pulpish stories by numerous authors with full page illustrations by varius artists. There is a well known disclaimer in
the opening that points out that they are not taking any legal or other responsibility for the things not working or ending in explosive effects
The magazine is printed on a high quality paper and is well bound, made to stend the test of times. The publisher is a well standing American publisher who took over the rights for the original pulp from small british publishing house
This is what everyone with any knowledge of pop culture knows... however some "scientists", conspiracy theoreticians and other such unsavoury types think some of it is real... Most of those are simply laughed away... noone ever could believe in such prepostrous theses as Paradigma tends to espout
... but the truth some people know is different.
Yes some of the texts are scientific dreck without any sense... and a lot of the stories are imagined... but certain articles, that only certain people with a knack for the Weird Science (read technomancers) can see and interpret correctly... they see the actual truth in it...
they also find among the stories guides to odd places in the world some of the intrepid paradigma explorers visited. The texts that are interviews include interviews with popular scientists, Scientists, adventurers and pop culture icons on all sorts of topics.
The Paradigma magazine has offices in new york on the two top floors of a New York skyscraper built as a memorial to the cities of tomorrow of the 40's visions of American cocneptual artists. The Gernsback Plaza is a 80 floor building, topped with a large golden plated earth around which a rocketship is circling. The entry to it is a wonderfull greenery atrium filled with plants from all over the world and in the basement of the building is the Pulp museum, the historical adage to the Golden age of Comics and the old Pulp Magazines, including life sized maquettes and replicas of the props of the famous heroes.
There, in the "Lair of Doctor Diablos" diorama (behind the hulking body of Dr. Diabloses monkey, with a cloned brain of Alexander Macedonian in a jar portruding through its skull), is a hidden lift that can take the Paradigma journalists with enough knowledge into the actual storage house where Paradigm keeps some of its more interesting finds, repair
shops and the armoury.
The offices themselves take up the top two floors of the building and house all sorts of administrative staff. A large number of people there don't know how much of what they do has actual meaning and are quit easy going about their silly job that pays well. Only the top floor knows more.. and that is where the Paradigma and journalists have their offices, and where freelancers can get assignments, turn in reports and even get a expense account if necessary. Most of these are inspired individuals with a penchance for using quality scientific hardware, knowledge of Science, or just weird talents that allow them to get around the world and get the real stories for those discerning Paradigma readers that are actually looking for the real deal in the magazine.
All the staff signs an agreement that they will keep all their findings secret even after leaving the magazine and that their articles and submssions are subject to the approval of the Editor. Most of the staffers have realised that this is more to protect them and the
magazine itself instead of to create some sort of control of what is published. This belief is spread mostly by Buck Rogerson and Mia Ferrneli, the star reporters of Paradgima, well known for both their wit and their looks... their long status as journalists nonwhitstanding
precceded them in years past, and are assured that following the agreement with paradigma is a good thing as there are things that could kill them or harm paradigma if they came out... Those that get the hint keep their jobs and become luminaries. Others are fired to protect both Paradigma and themselves. Thanks to the preservance of the Editor and the smarts of the journalists Paradigma is well informed but keeps out of trouble with any organisatins in the world that wouldn't like noses poking around them. When they do tread dangerous grounds the Editor usually takes care the differences are mended quickly and correctly.
However this also does mean that occasionaly they have to grit their teeth and not publish a article "becuase of reader requests"
The Editor is a ornery old fellow with a smirk and a Phd in Archeology, Comparative religion and History, going by the name of Henry Jones Jr. That's the name most people see in the editorials and on the doors, but everyone who he likes and is working with on a regular basis calls him Indiana. One of the more interesting things on his wall is a large
golden plaque where a old whip is hanged. His table is usually pretty claer of clutter, but there is always a old worn brown fedora there that looks like it has been through three wars and the worse half of the world. The lack of clutter on his desk is however tarnished a bit by the number of boxes and papers piled up in the right corner of the room.
The Editor rose to his position in the late 60's and by then was well known for his archeological and geographical reports from all over the world, that gave the magazine quite a National Geographic feel and made it's popularity soar in varius circles. The previus Editor, a Francois E. Savage dissapeared while doing something in the early 60's and his place was left open for him for full 5 years, before he was declared officialy missing and his spot was given to the most popular writer, who, by then, had a long time academic background behind him.
The Editor and most of the staff know that Paradigma is not published solely on its own money and that there is someone backing it... according to some theses there are actualy more somebodies and there are some sort of organisations with a vested interest in some paradigma articles and or it's continued coming out. None know what is exactly true, except maybe the Editor, and possibly some of the bigwigs who appear occasionally.
However the pay is good, the life is interesting and the things seen are wondrous... the best thing is that you can write about them without anyone putting you into a asylum or takign you in for questioning... and of course you get paid... really, really well...
... it's a glorius life, being a Paradigma Journalist...
Clear Ether!
Stayka
Warnung, dies ist ein wildes Sammelsurium von Background-Ideen, die in nem Chat von Asm0dai und mir zusammengefrickelt wurden. Wer davon etwas verwenden will - viel Spaß! Bei uns geht die Runde nächste Woche in die 15. Session.
Wie es begann....
Start of AC_Newton buffer: Thu Sep 16 02:29:26 2004
Session Ident: AC_Newton (~Stayka@pD9E24C0C.dip.t-dialin.net)
<Asmodai> i must confess i like that we are playing mage in a world
that we are molding part by part outside of canon
<AC_Newton> The ST can do anything after all
<AC_Newton> Heh.
<AC_Newton> Well, I have always played pretty much outside of canon
<AC_Newton> I usually start with some canon stuff, of course, but it goes my way then anyway
<Asmodai> sure but this is pretty much without canon
<AC_Newton> Yeah
<Asmodai> i don't think there's any sort of Council of Nine in this world
and our Technocracy is closer to Majestic 12 <AC_Newton> Not that way. Only groups and factions
<Asmodai> yes
<AC_Newton> But pretty losely organised
<Asmodai> and rare
<AC_Newton> Some with more and some with less success
<AC_Newton> The non techies have their area, but the techie fractions have it even easier than in the canon WoD I'd say
<AC_Newton> What's Majestic 12?
<Asmodai> the organisation SD6 is a part of
<AC_Newton> Well, the Trads do exist - we know the Verbena are there, for ex
<AC_Newton> Ah, yes
<Asmodai> it's also a major conspiracy organisation that wants to rule the world in most conspiracy stories
<Asmodai> sort of like the New World Order
<AC_Newton> The Virtuals are not the leet hackers yet
<Asmodai> hmm i don't think Adepts work well in a setting like that
<AC_Newton> They will be more in the main computer business
<AC_Newton> I see the VAs working in universities with the huge non-portable mainfraimes
<Asmodai> how do you know Verbena are there?
<Asmodai> we had Verbena?
<Asmodai> Yep on the Adept count...
<AC_Newton> But of course that means they are rather adult-ish computer scientists and maths guys
<Asmodai> and less Punk freaks of today
<AC_Newton> Well, Lord Max has Verbena relatives
<AC_Newton> Yup
<AC_Newton> I think the VAs might even belong to the "baddies" in that world
<AC_Newton> The Turing thingy didn't happen like in canon
<AC_Newton> They rather help set up military network stuff for the big bad conspiracy
<Asmodai> and those who are not their members are conspiracy buffs
<AC_Newton> Sort of
<AC_Newton> I think Fuzzy might get into trouble if she enters OOC knowledge there *eg*
<AC_Newton> No nice VAs here.
<AC_Newton> Of course I think they should be called Virtual Engineers, not Adepts
<Asmodai> actualy they wouldn't be called anything i think
<Asmodai> they aren't a organisation per se in such a setting
<AC_Newton> Well, I think they have a secret internal network for themselves
<Asmodai> ...
<Asmodai> they will be called The Network!
<AC_Newton> Where they play space invaders on their PDP7s when their bosses don't watch *g*
<Asmodai> so The Network is a computer oriented group of freelancers...
<Asmodai> let's say they work for their own ends and for hire
<Asmodai> and so they can end up qutie some baddies if necessary...
<AC_Newton> THey work for computing time on the big machines, too
<Asmodai> Sure
<Asmodai> okay so... the Technocracy and the council of nine don't exist
<AC_Newton> Well, if you think of it that the BBC (Big Bad Conspiracy here) has most of the money they will get most of the Netters ^_^
<AC_Newton> Hm...
<AC_Newton> Why not really the BBC *g*
<Asmodai> the mages are rarer in this setting and there are more "servants" of the organisations that don't have mage only membership/leadership
<AC_Newton> They want to get the public under control with their public broadcasting ^_^
<Asmodai> VA's are The Network and BBC is one of their facets
<AC_Newton> Well, I like to use the acronym BBC
<AC_Newton> Everybody will think of the broadcasting company *g*
<Asmodai> Etherites don't exist... however the reality caters better to the pseudoscientific paradigm... and an old "old boys" club established a secret underground magazine known as Paradigma
<AC_Newton> I have to come up with a serious explanation, too
<AC_Newton> Well, Etherites do exist. That's the name of the game after all ^_^
<Asmodai> Paradigma is quite popular amongst those who heard of it and the people who work on it are connected and are effectively neutral
<AC_Newton> I play with the idea that Paradigma isn't really underground
<Asmodai> actualy Stayka be realistic...
<Asmodai> none of us are Etherites
<Asmodai> the game is Etherite in tone
<Asmodai> but none of us seem to work as "Etherites"
<AC_Newton> Hey, but the game is called Etherites, so I can't really change the name of the organization
<Asmodai> why not
<AC_Newton> Naw
<Asmodai> the game keeps its name
<AC_Newton> And I *like* it, too
<Asmodai> it also adds to the element of the unknown
<Asmodai> well you're the boss
<AC_Newton> The point is if I keep the name, then people are more prone to tap into traps *g*
<Asmodai> of course!
<AC_Newton> I think that'll teach them to use OOC stuff
<Asmodai> call the game Etherites but let there be no Etherites as a society
<Asmodai> oooh i kno!
<Asmodai> we can even make that "Old boys club" named Sons Of Ether but make them exclusive to 5-6 members who mostly got in through hereditary means and are only from the Old European families
<AC_Newton> Hehe. Sounds like fun
<AC_Newton> And they give the money for that magazine
<AC_Newton> And somehow people who get the message just decided to call themselves that no matter what strange stuff they did
<AC_Newton> Think of it as a fashion
<Asmodai> and the real SOE are a secret society!
<AC_Newton> Everybody who has strange ideas wants to be published in
<Asmodai> we can easiyl introduce that element through qadn's character
<AC_Newton> And of course there is a lot of trash in Paradigma, too
<Asmodai> hmm but Paradigma cannot be publicaly available... it would be too trackable
<AC_Newton> I think it can
<Asmodai> well someone could track the suppliers if it went on news stands...
<AC_Newton> Because most stuff is so weird that the BBC just laughs about it and nevver takes it serious
<AC_Newton> And those fighters against them are just terrorists
<AC_Newton> You know how the US currently blames *everything* on terrorists, whatever it is?
<Asmodai> okay... but it still needs to be kept away from the public
<Asmodai> think of "normal" scientists debunking the texts
<AC_Newton> Well, I rather thought that the stuff is so weird, that it only works for people with the proper mindset anyway
<Asmodai> or maybe... it being a cult magazine that most people see as in character fiction... and not as a actual Scientific publication!
<AC_Newton> And the BBC people's mindset is to ordered that they could make the stuff work so it is garbage to them
<AC_Newton> The Masses cannot make it work because they lack the spark so they think it is garbage, too
<Asmodai> the BBC keeps tabs on it and occasionaly recruits through it... but they usually just ignore it!
<AC_Newton> Yup
<Asmodai> he he !
<AC_Newton> Only if they see something that fits with them - and in that case the Scientist becomes a scientist
<Asmodai> okay let's work the other organisations/societies
<AC_Newton> (And later is utterly embarassed to ever have published something in that Paradigma Dreck
<Asmodai> the SOE are no more... Paradigma becomes quite a crazy thing...
<AC_Newton> I think of it as OMNI a bit
<Asmodai> the Adepts are not anarchists, they are a secret group called the Network
<AC_Newton> (That was a half SF half scientific Mag in the 80es)
<AC_Newton> Well, I need to catch some sleep too
<Asmodai> there is no technocracy but a global organisation bent on controllign the world from the shadows through advanced technology
<AC_Newton> I have been awake for almost 48 hours now
<Asmodai> just a few ideas if you can spare a few mins more
<AC_Newton> And I need to get up at 6
<Asmodai> soryy... i'm a bit hyper as i slept quite a bit today...
<AC_Newton> If I stay longer I won't be able to get up at 6 I fear
<Asmodai> and i think i'll pass the written part of the exam...
<AC_Newton> Neat
<AC_Newton> Could you save this window as a log, please and mail it to me?
<Asmodai> if you want we can talk on it tomorrow or one of the next days ad then write it up
<Asmodai> right away...
<AC_Newton> Yup. But I'd like to have the raw here too.
<AC_Newton> Thx
The Write-Up:
That's it
Plus a few new ideas
-mages in this world are very rare and most of the organisations we are talking about are mostly normal...
-There is no Ascension War
-there is no Celestial Chorus. There are people who are great believers but work in their own ways. Some are telepreachers, others are wandering doogoders the third are just priests helping their flock with their god given powers. There is also a possibilty of introducing a Vatican based shadow organisation that works for "the benefit of Christians". While based in Vatican, they are connected with their Protestant (British parts and American parts) branches and are nominnaly in charge. Think a bit about Hellsing but add more behind the scenes stuff
- Verbena are a name for a group of witches who opperated in nothern France and england, and though there are witches and covens all over the world, the covens and withes are pretty unconnected in the world
- There are no akashics - however there are martial artists and zen buddhists with powers of the mind and Matrix level Kung fu. Akashic record does exist though, but it is kept somewhere in the Himmalaya's by a order of reclusive monks... it is an actual item
- Cultists of Ecstasy don't exist. However all sorts of hedonist magi exist who work their stuff through pleasures of the mind and the body
- the Order of Hermes are not D&D mages on steroids. They are occult arms of the BBC and help them with occult problems and mystical phennomena. Occasionaly they are also called to do things liek deleting people's memories and summonign things (or controllign things). They are very low in number and most of them are pretty powerful. Their division is called the Black Arts division
- there can be occultists who work simialr to them but they are quite rare and possibly some of them are kept tabs on by the Black Arts division. Oh yes, and there are no roganised Goth mages... there may be one actual gothmage but the rest are jsut moping bloody idjits
-the term Dreamspeaker was never coined. There are rare shamen over the world who still keep to their old faiths and don't go around the world much. However they are usually quite friendly to each other and see each other as brothers if and when they meet them
- BBC/Majestic 12/Whatever we name it. It doesn't have conventions. However it does have divisions, including Space Operations and Exploration -> SOE
(VE), Scitech (ItX/Progenitors), Operations ($/NWO), Black Arts. The leadership of it would consist from a leader of each of the Divisions as consultants (with one vote each) and the rest would consist of a council master (senior member, long term service probably from operations, but not necessarily) , and two other members we will create...-> Black Arts - see up
-> Operations - spying, crowd control, blackops, operations, media control...
-> Scitech - SOE is a part of it, and is currently a subdivision, other subdivisions include Biotech (genetech, splicing, gene experiments, drugs...), Hardtech (cyber,weaponry...) and the Special Projects division (PSI, biotech...)
- The Network are freelancers and rogues, however a number of Network members are members of the BBC and also work for them. The Network as a whole is probably the best informed but has soem sort of strict inside rules on what they can talk and do and with whom.
- Euthanatos are a small organisation that works with the dead and is trying to keep the wheel of existence flowing. To that cause they tend to judge people who are in important palces and act inappropriatley... however they don't have the time or the manpower to work everywhere, so they work in small steps. Tehnically we won't be meetign any of them
What is Paradigma ?
All over the world, for almost 80 years a magazine has been published. This magazine is known to most people as a old pulp rag that grew from its simplistic roots into a pseudoscientific incharacter magazine... the magazine keeps interviews and articles on all sorts of people, includign pop culture icons, quack scientists, real scientists. Still it is best known for the wacky science articles and following of the modern trends... And it's Autumn illustrated Sciencebabes addition
The magazine is not taken serius and most people who buy it are buying either for the non scientific articles, for the sciencebabe special, or the varius pulpish stories by numerous authors with full page illustrations by varius artists. There is a well known disclaimer in
the opening that points out that they are not taking any legal or other responsibility for the things not working or ending in explosive effects
The magazine is printed on a high quality paper and is well bound, made to stend the test of times. The publisher is a well standing American publisher who took over the rights for the original pulp from small british publishing house
This is what everyone with any knowledge of pop culture knows... however some "scientists", conspiracy theoreticians and other such unsavoury types think some of it is real... Most of those are simply laughed away... noone ever could believe in such prepostrous theses as Paradigma tends to espout
... but the truth some people know is different.
Yes some of the texts are scientific dreck without any sense... and a lot of the stories are imagined... but certain articles, that only certain people with a knack for the Weird Science (read technomancers) can see and interpret correctly... they see the actual truth in it...
they also find among the stories guides to odd places in the world some of the intrepid paradigma explorers visited. The texts that are interviews include interviews with popular scientists, Scientists, adventurers and pop culture icons on all sorts of topics.
The Paradigma magazine has offices in new york on the two top floors of a New York skyscraper built as a memorial to the cities of tomorrow of the 40's visions of American cocneptual artists. The Gernsback Plaza is a 80 floor building, topped with a large golden plated earth around which a rocketship is circling. The entry to it is a wonderfull greenery atrium filled with plants from all over the world and in the basement of the building is the Pulp museum, the historical adage to the Golden age of Comics and the old Pulp Magazines, including life sized maquettes and replicas of the props of the famous heroes.
There, in the "Lair of Doctor Diablos" diorama (behind the hulking body of Dr. Diabloses monkey, with a cloned brain of Alexander Macedonian in a jar portruding through its skull), is a hidden lift that can take the Paradigma journalists with enough knowledge into the actual storage house where Paradigm keeps some of its more interesting finds, repair
shops and the armoury.
The offices themselves take up the top two floors of the building and house all sorts of administrative staff. A large number of people there don't know how much of what they do has actual meaning and are quit easy going about their silly job that pays well. Only the top floor knows more.. and that is where the Paradigma and journalists have their offices, and where freelancers can get assignments, turn in reports and even get a expense account if necessary. Most of these are inspired individuals with a penchance for using quality scientific hardware, knowledge of Science, or just weird talents that allow them to get around the world and get the real stories for those discerning Paradigma readers that are actually looking for the real deal in the magazine.
All the staff signs an agreement that they will keep all their findings secret even after leaving the magazine and that their articles and submssions are subject to the approval of the Editor. Most of the staffers have realised that this is more to protect them and the
magazine itself instead of to create some sort of control of what is published. This belief is spread mostly by Buck Rogerson and Mia Ferrneli, the star reporters of Paradgima, well known for both their wit and their looks... their long status as journalists nonwhitstanding
precceded them in years past, and are assured that following the agreement with paradigma is a good thing as there are things that could kill them or harm paradigma if they came out... Those that get the hint keep their jobs and become luminaries. Others are fired to protect both Paradigma and themselves. Thanks to the preservance of the Editor and the smarts of the journalists Paradigma is well informed but keeps out of trouble with any organisatins in the world that wouldn't like noses poking around them. When they do tread dangerous grounds the Editor usually takes care the differences are mended quickly and correctly.
However this also does mean that occasionaly they have to grit their teeth and not publish a article "becuase of reader requests"
The Editor is a ornery old fellow with a smirk and a Phd in Archeology, Comparative religion and History, going by the name of Henry Jones Jr. That's the name most people see in the editorials and on the doors, but everyone who he likes and is working with on a regular basis calls him Indiana. One of the more interesting things on his wall is a large
golden plaque where a old whip is hanged. His table is usually pretty claer of clutter, but there is always a old worn brown fedora there that looks like it has been through three wars and the worse half of the world. The lack of clutter on his desk is however tarnished a bit by the number of boxes and papers piled up in the right corner of the room.
The Editor rose to his position in the late 60's and by then was well known for his archeological and geographical reports from all over the world, that gave the magazine quite a National Geographic feel and made it's popularity soar in varius circles. The previus Editor, a Francois E. Savage dissapeared while doing something in the early 60's and his place was left open for him for full 5 years, before he was declared officialy missing and his spot was given to the most popular writer, who, by then, had a long time academic background behind him.
The Editor and most of the staff know that Paradigma is not published solely on its own money and that there is someone backing it... according to some theses there are actualy more somebodies and there are some sort of organisations with a vested interest in some paradigma articles and or it's continued coming out. None know what is exactly true, except maybe the Editor, and possibly some of the bigwigs who appear occasionally.
However the pay is good, the life is interesting and the things seen are wondrous... the best thing is that you can write about them without anyone putting you into a asylum or takign you in for questioning... and of course you get paid... really, really well...
... it's a glorius life, being a Paradigma Journalist...
Clear Ether!
Stayka
