Paradigm

By Zach Archer (behemoth@grin.net)

Introduction

In one of my Mage stories, I took my troupe sixty-four years into the future and challenged them with a grim world devoid of spirit, where the Technocracy had conquered half the globe, calling their province Technocria. (The other half was Nephandia which, fortunately, we didn't experience.) Technocria was a cross between all the worst parts of Farenheit 451, 1984, and A Wrinkle In Time. Everything was driven by a pulse which eminated from enormous towers. This pulse was the rhythm people used when they walked, or drove a car, or did anything. It even spread into nature; ocean waves crashed on the sand with the same steady rhythm.

My troupe discovered odd things afoot when it came time to use magic. No one received Paradox when using vulgar magic. Instead, any magic that was used could be sensed by Technocria's overlords, and they could then immediately dispatch policing units. And, the paradigm itself worked in some odd ways. Metal would not affect metal. A pair of wire cutters couldn't cut a barbed-wire fence, they just slid right off. And when one car slammed into another, the car bodies did not even dent.

My group finally found a renegade mage colony and I started revealing what was going on. I came up with the idea of the Paradigm sphere on the spur of the moment. Paradigm was theorized by the Technocrats in 1996 and perfected in 1999. The Techies remained the undisputed masters of the sphere and secured a great chunk of the world for themselves. Opposite them was a "neo-tradition" known as the Champions of Liberty (some of them have appeared in some of my other stories) who adopted Paradigm as their pet sphere. The Champions wanted to shape the world so that all paradigms would be valid, and no mages would ever have to fear Paradox again, as long as they remained true to their inner beliefs. All of the Champions wanted to keep technomagic valid, but many different political splinters of the group had conflicting views on how to handle the Technocrats, and the tradition collapsed due to infighting.

I really hurt my little head when I was trying to determine power levels for this sphere, it's difficult to think about. I hope you find the fruits of my headache useful! On with the Paradigm:

Game note

Yes, this sphere is way too powerful. That's why it comes with a catch: any Paradox accumulated from magical effects involving the Paradigm sphere is 'special'. For the most part, it should be treated the same as normal Paradox, and all the normal rules apply. However, for each point of special Paradigm Paradox that the player has accumulated, all the difficulties for magical effects that person casts are increased by one. This can be cancelled for one turn at a time by spending either quintessence or willpower points, but the only way to truly get rid of this curse is to bleed off the Paradox. Reality does not take lightly to being munged.

Tapestry note

Reality tends to smooth paradigm shifts over, as all good mages know. What they don't necessarily realize is that the stronger paradigm wins. This is why a poacher can shoot a !Kung Sun in the African desert and the !Kung will feel pain, although the !Kung's paradigm does not accept guns. The stronger paradigm accepts guns as legitimate, and therefore conquers.

* Analyze Paradigm/Disruption Sense

Just like the Prime 1 Spirit 1 effect, Analyze Paradigm tells the mage what reality will and will not accept at present.

Disruption Sense monitors reality violations, shifts in the paradigm, and other discontinuities.

** Calcify Tapestry/Spread Paradigm

Calcify Tapestry increases the strength of the current paradigm so as to amplify the Paradox backlash, and maybe even negate any opposing magical effects.

Spread Paradigm is just like spreading peanut butter: you can drag your paradigm along with you and have it affect the surrounding area.

*** Alter Process

Combined with other spheres, this lets you alter the ideas that make reality work. With Matter 2, screws and nails will cease to work and fall out of the things they're holding together. With Mind 2 Prime 2 Forces 3, explosions can be generated by visualizing them in your mind, or thinking secret words.

**** Memetic Truth/Slacken Tapestry

Memetic Truth is just like Alter Function, except that Memetic Truth causes the idea to spread once it is initiated and gradually encompass the globe. This effect can be cancelled with unbelief, or with Calcify Tapestry.

Slacken Tapestry is the opposite of Calcify Tapestry; it allows the tapestry to be more at the mercy of magical effects. Yay!

***** Weld Paradigm/Alter Inner Paradigms

Weld Paradigm causes the paradigm to shift so that everyone, even mages, will be aware of how reality works in that given area, and will not think to question reality's established rules. If the paradigm in an Iteration X construct is Welded, an Akashic Brother will not even think to use his Tradition's style of magic. The thought will simply not occur. Conversely, a HIT-Mark entering a Welded dojo will not remember his laser cannons. This can be detected with Analyze Paradigm, at which point the Weld is canceled for that person.

Mages and sleepers alike have their own personal systems of belief that they carry around. Alter Inner Paradigm allows these to be changed, subtly, so that the victim does not notice, except by use of Analyze Paradigm.

****** Eradicate Paradox/Globalize Consciousness

These are theoretical levels, and have yet to be developed... Tt is believed that whoever comprehends this level of the sphere will control the Tellurian.