100 Sons of Ether y’know? The dreams were really starting to scare the shit out ta me, man. I just knew I was gonna die tonight. Right here.” He looked at the coral surface between his scuffed work boots. “And everything I managed to do with my life woulda just, I dunno, vanished in a puff of Paradox… Or something.” Packing his equipment, Yves made no reply. “But I didn’t die, did I? And Coral Castle’s still here, right? All thanks to you, bro! And to Captain Caveman, too. You ever talk to him, get to know him? He’s not that bad a guy, just a little loco from spending all his time alone, away from civilization. We should get him a good nickname, you know? ‘Captain Caveman’ was a cartoon from when I was a kid. I think everyone just started calling him that as an insult. We should do something for him, welcome him into the fold before he goes completely Dissident on us.” Yves paused, and spoke without facing the man. “Perhaps. I recall that his research and his devices were intrinsic to our efforts in the future.” He resumed his task in silence. After a while the man said, “So, do you think we made a difference?” “Perhaps that is for you to tell me.” Yves turned. “Do you feel any different?” “No. But if I get back to the workshop and find that all my work is 10 years ahead of schedule, I’ll let you know, man. Maybe the results won’t show up in our own timeline, but in an alternate one.” “Ah, well. If we cannot save our own world, we can at least give the world in the next universe over a better chance.” Yves paused to consider the thought. The hint of smile creased his cheek. “There is a certain nobility in it that appeals to me.” “I just can’t believe I wasted 10 years of my life playing fucking King of the Strip just to impress a bunch of racist shitkickers. Pardon my French.” Yves glared at him. “Sorry.” The man looked down. “And I apologize for railroading you into this like I did. It’s just that I was desperate, and you were the only Ethernaut I could get hold of.” Yves shrugged. “It was a bit of adventure, at least. And that is in short supply these days.” “Still, it’s a lot to do for someone you hardly know. If there’s anything that I can do to repay you, anything at all, bro, let me know and it’s yours.” Yves thought for a moment. “Do you know a young lady by the name of Niki Yemana?” he said. References Books Against Method: Outline of an Anarchistic Theory of Knowledge. Philosopher Paul Feyerabend outlines objections to the scientific method and proposes a replacement. The book serves as an excellent source to justify Etherite problems with conventional science. Also: For and Against Method, a record of the arguments between Feyerabend and Scientific Method proponent Imre Lakatos. The Cyberiad. Stanislaw Lem blithely ignores the laws of physics to tell the story of two inventive robots who loose their creations on the universe. Aside from the fact that the inventions suit a bizarre, Umbra-centered game, the book pokes fun at how we perceive technology and, in the end, what it ultimately means to us. Also, The Futurological Congress is an excellent model for Utopian Science gone wrong. Wasn’t the Future Wonderful? A marvelous look at popular science magazines in the 1930s, this book is evenly split between genuine speculation, crankery that never should have got past the editors and tremendous, impractical proposals such as creating mile-high vertical airports. The book includes interviews with Robert Goddard and Nikola Tesla alongside gems like: “Will Monster Insects Rule the World?” Virtually every flight of fancy (such as the one-wheeled tank) is illustrated. And the best part? One of the source magazines is The Technocrat! Also… Anti-Gravity and the World Grid, edited by David Hatcher Childress Forbidden Archeology, by Michael A. Cremo and Richard L. Thompson (abridged as The Hidden History of the Human Race) Etidorpha by John Uri Lloyd “‘Bob’ and the Oxygen Wars” by Waves Forest, from Three-Fisted Tales of Bob, edited by Rev. Ivan Stang Supernature, by Lyall Watson Colony: Earth, by Richard Mooney The Eighth Tower, by John Keel The Anomalist.com, edited by Patrick Huyghe Games Adventure! White Wolf’s Origins Award winning pulp RPG. Aside from deftly simulating pulp conventions and providing a ready made all-Etherite game setting (where “ZRays” can stand in for Ether with virtually no tweaking), it captures the Utopian spirit. Since it uses a version of the Storyteller rules, many of its systems can be directly plugged in to your Mage games — besides being a great game itself. Also, its sister game Trinity is filled with plenty of inspirations for futuristic weird technology and psionics.
Strength______________ Dexterity_____________ Stamina______________ Nature: Essence: Demeanor: Name: Player: Chronicle: Faction: Concept: Cabal: Advantages Attributes Physical Social Mental Charisma______________ Manipulation___________ Appearance____________ Perception_____________ Intelligence____________ Wits__________________ Talents Alertness______________ Athletics______________ Awareness_____________ Brawl_________________ Dodge________________ Expression_____________ Intimidation___________ Leadership______________ Streetwise_____________ Subterfuge_____________ Crafts_________________ Drive_________________ Etiquette______________ Firearms_______________ Meditation_____________ Melee_________________ Performance____________ Stealth________________ Survival________________ Technology_____________ Academics______________ Computer______________ Cosmology_____________ Enigmas______________ Investigation___________ Law__________________ Linguistics_____________ Medicine______________ Occult________________ Science________________ Skills Knowledges Correspondence________ Entropy_______________ Forces________________ Life__________________ Matter________________ Mind_________________ Prime_________________ Spirit_________________ Time_________________ Backgrounds Arete Health OOOOOOOOOO Willpower _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ Quintessence Bruised -0 Hurt -1 Injured -1 Wounded -2 Mauled -2 Crippled -5 Incapacitated Experience Paradox Abilities Spheres OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO • OOOOOOOOOO Resonance Dynamic______________ Entropic_______________ Static________________ OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO Other Traits ________________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO OOOOO ™
Weapon Difficulty Damage Range Rate Clip Conceal Merits & Flaws Merit Type Cost Flaw Type Bonus ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ Magic Preferred Effects Rotes ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ Combat Maneuver/Do Technique Roll Difficulty Damage/Effect Armor:___________ Do Style:___________ ™
Expanded Background Allies ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Contacts ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Destiny ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Influence ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Library ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Mentor ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Node ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Resources ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Possessions Gear (Carried) ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Equipment (Owned) ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Foci ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Wonders ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Familiar ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Past Incarnations ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ™
History Awakening ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ Goals/Destiny ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ Seekings:__________________________________Quiets:__________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ Description Age:____________________________________________________________________________________ Apparent Age:________________________________________________________________________ Date of Birth:__________________________________________________________________________ Age of Awakening:_____________________________________________________________________ Hair:____________________________________________________________________________________ Eyes:____________________________________________________________________________________ Race:________________________Appearance/Nature of Avatar:_______________________________ Nationality:__________________________________________________________________________ Height:_________________________________________________________________________________ Weight:__________________________________________________________________________________ Sex:____________________________________________________________________________________ Visuals Cabal Chart Character Sketch ™
Notes
Notes