COURSERS

By Chris Chambers (bv728@yfn.ysu.edu)

Description

Coursers are a group of VA's and orphans who use a lot of cyber-ware that the VA's and SoE's created, but wouldn't test on themselves. Many Coursers come from low income, poor, or homeless families. For them, the system was a shield. However, the system is just as deadly as an assassin, especially for vulgar Orphans. These Orphans found themselves hunted, and used their powers to augment themselves. However, Pattern Leakage soon began taking its toll, and the more technically minded hooked up with a few VA's and SoE's then had augmentation's done using a combination of magick and tech. They refer to themselves as a group as "Coursers" and as individuals as "Hypes."

Philosophy

The world is a deadly place. The system even more so. We work the underside, barely making a profit. We have seen the problems from the bottom. The system is supposed to protect us, but more often then not it merely normalizes, eliminating those who disagree with its policy. The Sleepers too often get caught up in upper-level politics. They get hurt. We need to do something about that.

Quote

"You vredded them. You may be able to run, but you can't outrun the wind. Maybe next raz you'll get it. Don't think so. There won't be a next raz."

Organization

They are organized into, at the lowest level, Cabals, then groups of 2 to 5 Cabal's called "Packs" and, at the higest level, "Warlords" who control several Packs. Packs are often geographically separate, but have a common goal.

Initiation

The initiation consists of the basic augmentation. They can then focus their magick through these enhancements, increasing their physical attributes to super-human levels.

Chantry

Their main chantry is in Baltimore. It is a microsurgery ward under a cyberpunk bar.

Acolytes

Cyber-punks, Net heads, weirdos.

Sphere

The player can choose: Life, Forces, Correspondence

[Special Effect : The Coursers rarely learn anything but Life, Forces, and Correspondence. However, they focus these magicks in a peculiar way. Instead of most normal effects, they instead can add a # of points to their physical attributes equal to their combined ratings in those spheres. This is Vulgar with no sleeper witnesses at all times. They can also add a # of points equal to their successes in a Arete (8) roll. This lasts until the player terminates it. Check for Paradox every turn. A spent point, one that is in use, is not considered in magick use. This includes Arete. They must chose one sphere to specialize in. This sphere can be taken to 5. All others can be taken to 4. As a result of their augmention, they are covered with scars and are badly misshapen. They cannot have an Apperance above 1 or a Charisma above 3.]

Foci

Life, Correspondence, Forces: Augmentations

Talisman

Coolsuit

Stereotypes

Akashic Brotherhood: A good thought in this info-age, being connected to everything.

They abandon their humanity to a false promise of power.

Celestial Chorus: These people are so mired down with anachronisms that they can't see what's right in front of their noses.

Dogs can find The One also. What? They are Orphans?

Cult of Ecstasy: Truth in Hedonism? I don't thinks so. These people would move slower than the Chorus if not for their control of time.

Man, it would be a RUSH to run at 90 MPH!

Dreamspeakers: The spirit is important. We don't deny that. But it isn't everthing.

They have turned to Technology to transcend themselves. They do not see that we have found the same thing.

Euthanatos: The good Death? I don't think so. You can add as many rationalizations as you want, but you're still killing. Just maybe you're killing the right people.

They have seen much of our ways. They seek to protect people. We remove the problem. It is complimentary.

Hollow Ones: Can't blame them. Can't say anything good either. Next.

These guys really need a wake up call. No matter what they do, everythings pointless, and so why worry about "Protecting the Innocent". Get a life. Or maybe just lose one.

Order of Hermes: Pht. These clowns wouldn't know Dynmanic magic if it had them by the short hairs.

Who?

Sons Of Ether: These People have Helped us Become what we are. And we thank them for it.

Zoom! These guys are great for the up an coming cyber-tech experiments.

Verbena: We steer clear of them. They seem to think that the Burning Times are over. They're dead Wrong.

They oppose the secrecy we need to prevent another Burning Times.

Virtual Adepts: These are the guys who got us here. They've got this weird affliction with regard to computers.

These Guys are pretty cool. We get to see what some of our ideas would be like in the flesh.

Credits

"CrashCourse" by Wilhelimina Baird.

"A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess.

Too many files to list on Abe Dashiell's B.J. Zanzibars World of Darkness page.

Mage: The Ascension, 2nd Edition. by White Wolf Games.

Quote Is in NadSat, the slang that Alex and his friends use in "A Clockwork Orange." Many of the Coursers use it as well.