Magical Groups & Traditions, Ideas for Initiatory groups and unique Traditions Options

[HentaiZonga]

I had started this in the main board, but I think this would be a good thing to open up to the community. Basically, post ideas for Magical Groups or Traditions here. A good write-up should include the group's strictures, beliefs, and known activities.

[HentaiZonga]

The Master's Guild, the Hunter's Wolf Packs, and the Sisterhood of the Kajira
Strictures: Belief, Fraternity, Limited Membership (males into the Master's Guild; females into the Sisterhood), Oath

Resources/Dues: Luxury. Adepts are expected to give everything they own to their Masters, who hold the resources of an entire family in a communal "pool" that they dole out as they see fit. As a result, most Masters are incredibly wealthy individuals. Petitioners to the Master's Guild must pay a substantial gift upon acceptance into the order, and a further gift upon graduation to Master, but the value of these gifts is often highly variable (see below).

Patron: None for Masters; each Master is their own patron for Kajira and Wolves.

Description: The Maste's Guild, the Huntmaster's Wolf Packs and the Sisterhood of Sacred Kajiras is a mystical group dedicated to obscure sadomasochistic sex rites, blending tantric yoga with ascetic self-moliation rituals. The tradition is deeply sexist, and utterly despised by Dianic wiccans and other more sexually progressive world-views. The group does, in fact, allow women into positions of power and men into positions of subservience, but ingrained attitudes and traditions create something of a "glass ceiling".

The groups has two separate Initiation Paths - one for Adepts (which is almost exclusively female), and one for Magicians (which is almost exclusively male). Magical Adepts may choose either path, but tend to be strongly encouraged towards the "correct" path for their gender. The gender politics are highly complex: a male Adept may find himself welcomed into the Adept Initiation Path alongside his "sisters", while a female Magician will find a much more hostile reception. The key to this discrepancy is the patriarchal attitudes of the upper ranks, almost all of whom are male Magicians of considerable power. Female Magicians must "prove" themselves in typically masculine displays of power and competition before they will be treated with any respect at all, and will still be seen as second-class Initiates compared to male members. On the other hand, a female who manages to distinguish herself as genuinely exceptional (in the Order's eyes, of course) will often find herself treated better than most male Magicians of the same Grade - another facet of the complex and ambiguous gender politics rife within the Order.

There are several "progressive" offshoots of this Order, all of which tend to be viewed by the "traditionalists" with contempt bordering on hostility. Many of these allow transgendered Adepts and Masters, seeing 'spiritual' gender as more important than 'genetic' - although they expect Masters and Hunters to act fully masculine, and Kajira to act fully feminine. Still further on the path towards gender equality are the so-called 'open' offshoots, which see dominance and submission as utterly transcending gender, and allow fully male (and sometimes ungelded) Kajira, and fully female Masters. A female Master who does not act 'masculine' will at least be expected to act 'matronly', presiding over her family as a strict but benevolent matriarch.

Regardless of sectarian schisms, though, nearly all groups who consider themselves a part of this Tradition follow very strict guidelines for Initiation processes and rituals.

Game Rules: Each Grade of Initiation is listed with its name, the Karma Cost (with group and ordeal reductions already factored in), the Ordeal that must be passed to achieve that Grade, and the specific Metamagic that is learned upon completing that Grade.

Magician's Initiation Path (The Way of the Master)

[ Spoiler ]

Grade 1 (Apprentice) - 8 Karma (Oath - Honor) - Great Ritual
With this, the recruit becomes an Apprentice, formally petitioning the order for the right to learn the skills and philosophy necessary to found his own family. He must swear a formal Oath on his own soul and power, to always treat his slaves properly and with honor, to always honor his deals and commitments with other Masters, and to always treat free men with courtesy and respect until deliberately disrespected. He then promises to honor the commitment to his sifu, and is brought into his sifu's house to learn.

Grade 2 (Animal) - 10 Karma (Suffering) - Sacrifice
When the sifu feels the Apprentice is ready, he is brought to a Place of Pain, where his endurance and resolve are tested until he breaks. The weak are discarded, while the strong are judged worthy to be given the chance to become Masters. Those who survive are dubbed "Animals", a constant reminder that they have shown themselves strong of body and spirit, but have not yet demonstrated the mind, the will, or the culture that distinguish Man from beast.

Grade 3 (Boy) - 12 Karma (Asceticism) - Centering
After a period of basic wilderness survival training, the Animal is taken into a harsh environment by his sifu, and then left to fend for himself for one lunar month. He must use his wits, his strength, and most importantly his human intelligence to survive. When the Animal returns, he is declared Human, and welcomed into his sifu's house as an honored son. From this point forward, he will be referred to by one of two titles - Son or Boy - depending on whether he is being honored or reprimanded. He is taught the history, traditions, customs and expected behavior befitting Masters, until his sifu feels he has sufficient understanding.

Grade 4 (Man) - 14 Karma (Deed) - Invoking or Masking
When the Boy has learned all he can at the foot of his sifu, an elaborate "coming of age" ceremony is held, where the sifu gives his Son his "inheritance" - a gift of wealth and power from the sifu to the boy - and the Son pledges to go forth and accomplish a great deed in the name of his sifu. He is then banished entirely from all contact with his sifu, or anyone within the Order, until he has accomplished his task. Once he returns with proof of his success - often an item of substantial value to his sifu - he presents this as a gift to his sifu, and is granted the title of "Man". He is now free to go and establish his own household.

Grade 5 (Master) - 15 Karma (Thesis or Familiar) - Ally Conjuring or Quickening
At the final stage, the Man spends as much time as necessary - both in the mundane world and within the Order - establishing a foundation of wealth and security upon which he may build his family. When he feels he can securely begin, he either creates an Ally Spirit to serve as his first kajira, or writes an elaborate treatise on the specific rules, customs and rituals that will be observed within his own family, along with their personal significance to him. When either of these are completed, he may then call himself Master. No further ranks are necessary, and no higher honor can be awarded - and indeed, it is the Master's duty to award this final title upon himself.

Male Adept's Initiation Path (The Way of the Hunter's Wolf)

[ Spoiler ]

Grade 1 (Acolyte) - 8 Karma (Oath - Obedience) - Power Point
With this, the recruit becomes an Acolyte, formally petitioning the order for the right to join their family. He must swear a formal Oath on his own soul and power, to always obey their Master in all things, to never betray his family, and to never abandon his duties. Males are also given an additional Oath to always behave with "honor" and "chivalry", the details of which are explicitly defined in the oath.

Grade 2 (Gelded Pup) - 10 Karma (Suffering) - Power Point
The Alcolyte is ritually castrated, then branded with intricate scars and tattoos to permanently re-align their chakras. This renders the Acolyte permanently sterile, but radically slows their aging, keeping their body physiologically at beginning of adulthood (17 to 21). At this stage, the Acolyte is welcomed fully into the family, and gains the title of Gelded Pup. His is kept sequestered and protected by his family until his body heals from the damage the ritual has done to him.

Grade 3 (Hunting Dog) - 12 Karma (Geas - Honorable Combat) - Power Point
Once his body and soul heals, the Gelded Pup is taught the way of the warrior, as well as many minor tantric sex rites. By performing ritual combat training and only fighting using "honorable" styles, he increases his power and control over his life-force. The title of Gelded Pup is cast aside, and he becomes a Hunting Dog.

Grade 4 (Young Wolf) - 14 Karma (Sacrifice - Logic) - Attunement (Bike or Horse)
When the understanding of the true purpose of the honor training has reached its fullness, the Hunting Dog is brought before his Master for "sculpting". The exact details vary from person to person, but the ordeal is always a grueling and tortuous mental gauntlet, leaving the conscious mind ravaged and the feral subconscious far closer to the surface. Once finished, they join the ranks of the Young Wolves, and are given a mount - a motorcycle or horse, depending on the level of technology their Master prefers.

Grade 5 (Pack Wolf) - 15 Karma (Thesis) - Adept Centering
At the final stage, the Young Wolf is brought before all the Pack Wolves in service to his Master, and given his Wolf Name. He is formally accepted as a member of the Pack, and welcomed to their family. He must write a long treatise on his own concepts of honor and service, and submit them to his Pack Leader, who then presents the manuscript to the pack's Master.

Further Initiation proceeds at a pace determined by necessity and skill, but does not endow the Pack Wolf with any new rank. Indeed, little attention is paid to the difference between higher Initiation and merely learning a new Metamagical Technique or gaining a new Power Point at this stage. Pack Wolves may choose to Initiate if they wish to raise their Magic Attribute maximum, but otherwise tend to merely learn new Techniques or increase their Power.

Female Adept's Initiation Path (The Way of the Kajira)

[ Spoiler ]

Grade 1 (Acolyte) - 8 Karma (Oath - Obedience) - Power Point
With this, the recruit becomes an Acolyte, formally petitioning the order for the right to join their family. She must swear a formal Oath on her own soul and power, to always obey their Master in all things, to never betray her family, and to never abandon her duties.

Grade 2 (Little Sister) - 10 Karma (Sacrifice - Body) - Power Point
The Acolyte is given an herbal mixture, infused with potent magics. This substance tears through her body, ravaging her reproductive system and permanently re-aligning her chakras. This renders the Acolyte permanently sterile, but radically slows her aging, keeping her body physiologically at cusp between puberty and adulthood (13 to 17). At this stage, the Acolyte is welcomed fully into the family, and gains the title of Little Sister. She is kept sequestered and protected by her family until her body heals from the damage the concoction has done to her.

Grade 3 (Blissful Concubine) - 12 Karma (Geas - Sexual Submission) - Power Point
Once her body and soul heals, the Little Sister is taught the secret tantric sex rites at the core of the family. By performing ritualized sexual acts with her Master and the other members of her order, they increase their power and their control over their life-force. The title of Little Sister is cast aside, and they become a Blissful Concubine.

Grade 4 (Betrothed) - 14 Karma (Sacrifice: Strength or Suffering) - Attunement (Clothing)
When her understanding of the true purpose of the tantric rites has reached its fullness, the Blissful Concubine is brought before their group for "sculpting". The exact details vary from person to person - some are starved for months, others laden with radical cosmetic surgery implants, and still others have entire limbs removed (and are re-trained over months to move and balance without any substantial loss to Agility). Once finished, she joins the ranks of the Betrothed, and is given suitable raiment for her station and newly sculpted purpose.

Grade 5 (Celestial Bride) - 15 Karma (Thesis) - Adept Centering
At the final stage, the Celestial Bride is made to sit alone for months, pondering her new form and her new powers and duties. At the end of this, she must write - in perfect, flowing penmanship, with whatever limbs or tools are available to her - a poetic tome describing who she was, what she has gained and lost, and who she has become. Once this tome is accepted by her Master, she is welcomed back to her family, and may step forward in an elaborate wedding ceremony to become a Celestial Bride to their Master.

Further Initiation proceeds at a pace determined by necessity and skill, but does not endow the Celestial Bride with any new rank. Indeed, little attention is paid to the difference between higher Initiation and merely learning a new Metamagical Technique or gaining a new Power Point at this stage. Celestial Brides may choose to Initiate if they wish to raise their Magic Attribute maximum, but otherwise tend to merely learn new Techniques or increase their Power.

[HentaiZonga]

The Jedi Order
Strictures: Belief, Fraternity, Limited Membership (only Magician Adepts who follow the Way of the Jedi), Oath, Obedience

Resources/Dues: High. With complete corporate backing, the Jedi Order has a nearly unlimited set of available resources, but must convince its corporate masters that their expenditure is necessary.

Patron: Ares Macrotechnology (through their subsidiary, Industrial Light and Magic)

Description: The Sixth World has shown the incredible power of belief in shaping mana. For some, magical ability comes from thousand-year-old traditions, steeped in arcane knowledge. For others, it comes from cult media phenomena, including pulp sci-fi films from the last century.

The Jedi Order is a group of Magician Adepts whose very magical Tradition is owned by corporate interests. The Order was founded in the aftermath of a landmark UCAS court case, ILM vs. Merryweather, in which a young Jerry Merryweather was sued for copyright infringement because the path of magic he Awakened to was based directly off of one of Ares Macrotechnology’s intellectual properties, the ancient pre-trid film The Return of the Jedi. In the case, several hundred ‘expert witnesses’ stepped foreward claiming solidarity with Jerry’s tradition, and demonstrated that they, too, saw magic as ‘the Force’, and interacted with Mentor Spirits taken directly from the films.

As part of the court settlement, many of these promising adepts were immediately offered positions within Ares Macrotechnology, serving as Ares corporate security, magical research, or special effects crews for ILM. The group has since grown to over 500 members, and produced several cutting-edge spell and focus designs.

Jedi Mentor Spirits typically follow the Wise Warrior template, but may occasionally manifest as Dragonslayer, Sun, or Owl.

Game Rules: All Jedi are Magician Adepts with the Aspected Magician (10 BP) quality. They receive a +2 bonus to mental and telekinetic Manipulation spells and a +2 bonus to conjuring Guidance Spirits, but receive a -4 penalty to all other spell and spirit types, as well as a -4 modifier to Assensing and Conjuring. They also receive a -4 penalty to all forms of Enchanting except for their own unique Weapon Foci.

Several ‘Dark Jedi’ also exist, who gain a +2 bonus to Combat spells in exchange for losing their ability to conjure Guidance Spirits. Additionally, Dark Jedi can go berserk in a manner identical to followers of Shark (Shadowrun, pg. 194). Most ‘Dark Jedi’ are typically toxic magicians, or well on their way to becoming so.

[HentaiZonga]

The Brother’s Keepers
Strictures: Belief, Fraternity, Limited Membership (Spellcasters who have killed another metahuman and repented), Oath, Geas, Exclusive Ritual Sorcery

Resources/Dues: Low. While the group as a whole has access to Luxury-level resources, all members lead humble lives of self-sacrifice and service, donating all of their time and funds to the cause (and receiving enough food, board and medical services to stay healthy, while meditating and learning how to better serve humanity).

Patron: None, but often receives large grants from the Red Cross / Red Crescent, Amnesty International, and other similar policlubs.

Description: The Brother’s Keepers are a rare beacon of light and hope in the 2070’s. All of them are awakened, all of them have done terrible things with their magic, and all of them see joining the Brother’s Keepers as a means of atoning for their past sins.

The Brother’s Keepers accepts mages who are on the way to corruption or burn-out, and gives them time to heal their wounds, reflect on the harm they’ve caused others, and decide to truly “come into the light�. When global situations become desperate for the poor and disenfranchised, they can show up en masse – often providing hundreds of magicians to come together in massive ritual sorcery efforts to cure diseases, cleanse pollution, and heal crops over areas the size of entire villages. They have single-handedly saved entire countries from plagues of malaria and yellow fever, rescued entire farming regions from blight and drought, and saved hundreds of thousands of acres of African and Amazonian ecology – all without demanding a dime of payment. Of course, by 2073, their reputation has become so potent that most governments and philanthropists see it as a major faux pas not to provide them with ample donations – ensuring that they remain more than adequately staffed and funded for the work they do.

Game Rules: All Brother’s Keepers are Initiated with the Oath ‘Serve metahumanity and make a better world’ and the Geas ‘Do No Harm’, and learn the Metamagics of Cleansing and Great Ritual. Once they have taken on these two strictures, they are seen as full members of the Order, and are invited to assist in the Order’s magical clean-up efforts. Membership in the Brother’s Keepers is akin to a lifelong stint in the Peace Corps; mages are expected to give their all to serve their fellow man.

[HentaiZonga]

Da Boyz

Strictures: Attendance, Belief, Fraternity, Limited Membership (Orks only, Technical-oriented Adepts only), Oath

Resources/Dues: Squatter. Da Boyz live in hollowed-out warehouses, garages and chopshops, and devote all their time and nuyen towards their crafts.

Patron: Sons of Sauron.

Description: Da Boyz are a terrifying new threat to appear in the Barrens, slowly spreading south through Tir Tairngire and the CFS. A group of Ork "tinkerer Adepts", Da Boyz delight in constructing improbable custom fighting vehicles, often Troll-sized or larger anthroform or walker drones with built-in rigger cocoons. Da Boyz are a special oddity: they hold many Ork Technomancers that they consider among their ranks, and while the Adepts and Technomancers don’t strictly Initiate or do rituals together, they consider themselves all part of the same family, tribe, and clan.

Da Boyz divide themselves into two sub-groups: Mekboyz, who design and construct their panic-inducing monstrosities of metal and gasoline, and Jokboyz, who pilot them. Mekboyz are almost exclusively Adepts with the Cognition metamagic and a strong focus in Technical and Build/Repair Improved Skill powers, while Jokboyz are either Adepts devoted to vehicle piloting, or Technomancers dedicated to rigging. The group also holds a few rare Mage Adepts and Magicians in its ranks, who are given the title of Weirdboyz.

Da Boyz have received the attention and patronage of the Sons of Sauron, who find their skills useful and their antics hilarious. The Sons of Sauron gangs operating within the Los Angeles metroplex have performed numerous gang-related raids in the past six months utilizing eight- to twelve-foot walking robots armed with industrial buzz-saws, concrete-cutters, flame-throwers and thresher combines. The CFS police have had their hands full responding to the incidents.