Africa in 2032, Africa in an Alt-History Technothriller Shadowrun [Altered States] Options

[apieros]

A piece of background from my alt-History Technothriller Shadowrun campaign, Altered States.

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###Classified###

“Regional Overview”
Task Group Central Africa
The Office for Strategic Analysis
02 December, 2031

File - Central Africa Overview (Annotated)

--begin part01--

Central Africa is an oddity. Variously described as post-national or denationalized, it is largely unorganized territory under the dominion of no extant country. There are no bureaucracies, no governments, no embassies, no states, nations, or countries. Central Africa is tribal land.

This doesn’t mean primitive. African tribes today have the latest in satphones, pocket reactors, and electrical vehicles. African tribals are among the most prosperous people on Earth.

Africa is a land of magic. Not the tempestuous wilderness magic of Europe, but societies based around a deep integration of shamanic traditions. The everyday life of African tribes are based around small rituals that shape tiny amounts of mana, making it available to their mages. Individually miniscule, the cumulative amount of mana available to their shamans is staggering.

No only do their mages have access to power unavailable anywhere else, they excel in using it. Sorcery, conjuring, enchanting: Africans are without peer as mages.

Africa’s wealth derives from this magical expertise. They produce the best thaumaturgical materials (including orichalcum and tempered gold) and enchanted items available anywhere, and sell them worldwide. If you’ve ever bought a gilded blade or high quality thaumaturgical materials for a ritual circle or fetish, they probably came from Africa.

> From what I understand, the production of magical materials is one of the rare human endeavors immune to mass-production techniques, and thus largely immune to economies of scale and the benefits of the State. They can only be produced by individual craftsmen, not factories. More, craftsmen who are embedded in a society where magical observances are an integral part of everyday life have an edge over mages from nearly any other society.
-Polisci Perpetrator

> More or less accurate. Cheap foci and materials can be cranked out quickly by nearly any enchanter, but are usually worthless (or nearly so). Quality goods require real skill and a stable mana-rich environment. Europe is very Awakened, but its manasphere is anything but stable. Africa’s is overall less tempestuous, and even in unstable areas (where spirits do or have warred, or where spells are cast), high levels of observance and dedication can calm the storms.
- Atlantean in Exile

Africa is not a peaceful place. Inter-tribe conflicts are common and deadly. Tribals armed with AK’s (shooting uncannily accurate golden bullets) and backed up with tribal spirits often savage each other over disputed lands, access to water, or ancient grudges. Territorial lines shift constantly, as do tribal allegiances and feuds.

On several occasions coastal nations have attempted to seize control of tribal lands, and thus control a part of the lucrative magic trade. In every instance, these have ended in disaster. African mages typically form strong alliances with their tribal spirits, and invaders face the unbound power of tribal wrath.

--end part01--