Transhuman Space/Mage: the Ascension Crossover

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Could analyze where their particular strengths are. It's possible they're warring with one another. Obvious strong points:

• The Virtual Adepts involve themselves with Ghosting and AI. They are probably centered in the EU; it's fair to figure that you can use ghost and AI rights as a proxy for their influence.
• Iteration X involve themselves with cybershells and similar hard tech, and are probably fairly closely allied with the Virtual Adepts, and are in competition (possibly war) with the Progenitors.
• The Progenitors do bioroids, human genetic upgrades, parahumans, and the like. In space, they're strong on Mars; on Earth, I'd need to read through more of Fifth Wave and Broken Dreams to say for sure.
• The Void Engineers are, obviously, strong in space. They appear fairly neutral in the cyber vs bio conflict.
• The NWO are probably responsible for memetics as a science (though you can view all of MTA as memetic warfare). However, they either have internal warfare, or their invention has escaped their control, what with concepts such as memetic terrorism.
• The Syndicate are probably responsible for IP policy; they're strong but under assault, because the TSA seems designed to attack them, and ubiquitous 3d printers are also a threat.

The opposition is less clear, it's likely there are new subversive traditions, possibly as splinter groups from the technocracy (the Duncanites feel like they could be a faction; the TSA almost certainly is). Of the MtA traditions, the Sons of Ether have either reformed or expired, and the Euthanatoi are under sustained assault; the others probably persist, though they may be weak.

That all makes sense.

Maybe the Celestial Chorus has something to do with the Caliphate?

[cptbutton]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

The specific changes in the cities of the West have thrown the Garou nation into chaos. The Glasswalkers, allied with the Bone Gnawlers and the Fianna are riding high. The Shadow Lords, the Silver Fangs, and the Get of Fenris, aren't united, and know that they can't hold onto power without unity. The Children of Gaia, the Black Furies, and the Silent Striders, are friendly to whichever allience promotes a better and more stable set-up, which is generally the Glasswalkers and their group. The Red Talons and Wendingo both ally with the old leadership, but they have little to offer. The Uktena are thinking of simply joining the Glass Walker Allience.

Adventure Seed: There is a project to use cyberswarms to fill in ecological holes, kill off invasive species, clean up pollution, and generally get a wilderness area back to the way it is "supposed to be".

The Glasswalkers are supporting it, with some help from the Children of Gaia.

The Red Talons are very much opposed to it, because two technological wrongs do not make a natural right. And more importantly, they say, the fundamental concept is wrong because "supposed to be" is an inherently Weaverish concept. Wilderness is supposed to be uncontrolled and forever slowly changing, as part of the Wyld.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by cptbutton

Adventure Seed: There is a project to use cyberswarms to fill in ecological holes, kill off invasive species, clean up pollution, and generally get a wilderness area back to the way it is "supposed to be".

The Glasswalkers are supporting it, with some help from the Children of Gaia.

The Red Talons are very much opposed to it, because two technological wrongs do not make a natural right. And more importantly, they say, the fundamental concept is wrong because "supposed to be" is an inherently Weaverish concept. Wilderness is supposed to be uncontrolled and forever slowly changing, as part of the Wyld.

Good logical bind and very much in line with the oWoD setting were such concepts, similar, but very different, were suggested.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

That all makes sense.

Maybe the Celestial Chorus has something to do with the Caliphate?

The Ali-Batin are in the Caliphate and bitter as hell toward both the Technos and the Trads.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Anthony

The opposition is less clear, it's likely there are new subversive traditions, possibly as splinter groups from the technocracy (the Duncanites feel like they could be a faction; the TSA almost certainly is). Of the MtA traditions, the Sons of Ether have either reformed or expired, and the Euthanatoi are under sustained assault; the others probably persist, though they may be weak.

Actually, I've covered much of the groud in earlier posts.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Maybe breaking it down by Clan/Bloodline makes more sense?

I'll do that later.

Assume the Malkavians, at least those that noticed anything changing, thinks it's a hoot. Dangerous, but a hoot.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Actually, I've covered much of the groud in earlier posts.

Your setting doesn't really use the Transhuman space setting, it just copies a few tech features. I was more thinking about the 'standard' THS setting.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Your setting doesn't really use the Transhuman space setting, it just copies a few tech features. I was more thinking about the 'standard' THS setting.

A valid way to go. Remember, Hermetics (being Mages of language, symbol, and high ritual) would be just as able to use Memetics as the NWO, if not moreso. The Cult of Ecstasy would also be good with memetics because of their profound link to the arts.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

A valid way to go. Remember, Hermetics (being Mages of language, symbol, and high ritual) would be just as able to use Memetics as the NWO, if not moreso.

Oh, everyone can use memetics (arguably the entire point of MtA is memetic conflict) -- the issue is structuring it as a science of memetics.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Oh, everyone can use memetics (arguably the entire point of MtA is memetic conflict) -- the issue is structuring it as a science of memetics.

I grant you that the New World Order would be good at the Science of Memetics. The Order of Hermes would excell at both the Science and the Art of Memetics. The Hermetic understand science perfectly well and have many scientists in their ranks, it is just that the Hermetics know more ways of knowing than science alone.

By the way, the Sons of Ether aren't merely outdated scientists glued to one theory, they are radical scientists with different spiritual and moral concerns than the technos. Many of their members can pass for normal if they want to. In the THS setting proper, the Etherites are probably big into nanotech.