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Technomancy

Any technology distinguishable from magick is insufficiently advanced.

Technomancy

This school is the school of the cutting edge. Arthur C. Clarke is famous for saying, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Technomancers take technology, and make it sufficiently advanced. The paradox of technomancy is that even as technomancers obsess over what technology can do, their power comes from breaking the rules, and doing what technology normally can’t.

Note: I found an old post with a take on Technomancy
here, but wanted to try my own version. As noted below, most of that version could be used as a useful addition to this, or vice versa.

Gaining Charges: Minor charges are gained by using a technological device for 4 hours straight. This can be searching the web on a computer, listening to an iPod, or using any other digital device. Significant charges are gained by obtaining a new technological device that allow the technomancer to do something his current devices cannot. A major charge requires an adept to acquire a device that is unique in its capabilities – these devices are either prototypes or the best of their kind, and in either case are likely to be closely guarded. Stealing the world’s most powerful electron microscope won’t be easy.

Taboo: Technomancers are focused on the use of technology. Technomancers lose all their charges if they use other methods when they could use technology. Listening to somebody’s directions instead of using Mapquest is taboo, as is buying tickets somewhere then you could order them online. Even if talking to an actual human being would be easier, the technomancer must rely on technology.

Random Magic: Letting technological devices do more than they normally can. Minor charges let an adept search text or spellcheck when there normally is no such function, or make any screen a touchscreen. Significant charges allow technology to exceed what is normally possible, such as using GPS to find a location using “where Stan is doing his ritual” as the only criteria. Major charges allow almost anything science fiction can come up with…

Locator Tag (1 minor charge): Superspies always have clever devices that they can track on a GPS locator. Bypassing the gadgetry, the technomancer can use magick to “tag” a person or item with a simple touch. For the next 24 hours, the technomancer can cause any GPS device to give the location of the touched target.

Open Sesame (1 minor charge): This spell will bypass any one password on a computer or other technological device. Note that the adept doesn’t learn the password; the spell must be used again any time the password is needed again.

Mood Music (2 minor charges): This spell grants a +10% boost to any skill while the adept is listening to appropriate music. (The Mortal Kombat theme could grant +10% to Struggle, “Poker Face” could help with Lying, etc.) If the music is interupted, for instance by someone pulling out the adept’s headphone wire or hitting pause on the stereo being used, the effect immediately ends.

Laser Blast (2 minor charges): This is the technomancer minor blast. It uses a laser pointer to do hand-to-hand damage to a target. Since the adept must hit with the laser, Dodge can be used to defend against it. This can also be used with other devices that create lasers, such as some security systems, to make them deal damage.

Personal Soundtrack (2 significant charges): This functions in the same way as Mood Music, except the music must be played for others to hear (not just headphones). The adept chooses one skill that is appropriate to the music, and can flip-flop rolls for that skill for the duration of the song. If the music is interupted, for instance by someone hitting pause on the stereo being used, the effect immediately ends.

Expanded Search (2 significant charges): Much like the Bibliomancer spell Cross-Reference, this compiles information on a specific target, except this consists of all information on a subject that is recorded electronically. This includes anything in the computers of the DMV, police, and FBI, as well as personal computers, web pages, etc. The spell returns a large text file that the adept can search for information.

Super Laser (3 significant charges): This is the technomancer significant blast, and functions exactly like Laser Blast, except it deals firearms damage.

In addition, the previously mentioned post by Polotet has a number of good formula spells, including an alternate blast.

5 thoughts on “Technomancy

  1. Zompire says:

    Interesting, but there a couple things im not keen on.

    The Charging structure, seesm FAR too easy to gain Significant charges.
    I would change the structure all together into saying soemthing like :

    Minor – Buy a new peice of Technology that has had no more than 1 year on the Market that replaces and improves uppon a current peice of tech you have.

    Significant – Buy a peice of technology that has Been on the Market for Less than 1 Month and is am improvent or better replacement for a peice of tech you have.

    Major Charge- Collect something truly groundbreaking in its feild of design, for instance the firt fully emmersive Virtual reality helmet, The world first Man portable Combat Laser or True X-Ray Specs. This peice of tech has to be Holy Grail kinda territory for the guy and gals developing it.

    and the Taboo would change too:

    You cannot use a peice of Technology that has been more than 1 year on the Market meaning your having to use real cutting edge stuff and be in the know of whats hot and whats new in order to stay in charges.

    I think the quote “Any technology distinguishable from magick is insufficiently advanced” suits the feel of the school better if that charging and Taboo is used.

    And other than Mood Music (which i think is more of a Musical themes magic than Technology themed) I like the spells.

    Thanks
    Robert

    Reply
  2. Owldragon says:

    Thanks for the comments.

    I do think your charging structure better captures what I was trying to accomplish.

    As far as Mood Music, I admit to cannibalizing it from an attempt at Audiomancy. At the very least, it should be modified to require the music playing to be from a digital device such as an MP3 player. Or, you could just ignore it.

    Reply
  3. ashwood says:

    “You cannot use a peice of Technology that has been more than 1 year on the Market meaning your having to use real cutting edge stuff and be in the know of whats hot and whats new in order to stay in charges.” -Zompire

    That’s good for the stuff you get at radio shack, but does it apply to your car or your house’s air conditioning?

    Reply
  4. Zompire says:

    In a word, yes, i dont see this being a poor Adepts lifestyle, you will have to be a rich money guy, but then Ebay can be a good way of making money back to buy your new kit.

    Reply

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