History Characters / MageTheAscension

* TheGreys: They have genetic samples from the real deal, and have been cloning them since the 40's.

* TheRedMage: Their paradigm extremely flexible, allowing them to incorporate the techniques of other Traditions into their magick relatively easily.

[[folder: Overall tropes]]

[[folder: Sons of Ether / Society of Ether]]

* ForcedTransformation: They have great facility with Life magic and can easily pull the whole Frog Prince routine if the mood strikes them.

[[folder: Virtual Adepts / Mercurial Elite]]

** The post-Pogrom Technocracy has come to realize that most Reality Deviants, such as werewolves and ''especially'' vampires, want to keep TheMasquerade just as much as they do. So when some neonate gets the idea into his head to throw around superpowers in full view of the camera, the local Technocratic supervisors are as likely to deliver him to his elders as they are to stake him themselves. It's just neighborly, and the vampire elders can be trusted to make a creative example out of their erstwhile childe.

* TheMasquerade: They're the ones who enforce the mages' version, and also sometimes work with the other groups who are trying to keep the lid on for ''their'' splats.

* MadScientist: Massively, massively {{Subverted}}. Even at [[FinalSolution their]] [[AncientConspiracy worst]] the Technocrats still act like real scientists, using collaboration with each other, research and repeatable testable hypotheses to learn more about the universe and advance the power of their {{Magitek}}. Ironically, the one Convention that actually was this, the Eloctrodyne Engineers, pulled a HeelFaceTurn and became the [[WeirdScience Society of Ether]] because they thought the rest of the Technocracy wasn't advancing technology fast enough.

* ReedRichardsIsUseless: {{Inverted}}. Any hypertech the Union uses, if all goes according to plan, will be widely available to [[{{Muggles}} the Masses]] in a couple decades. In fact, the Order of Reason was partially founded in opposition to the idea that super-science was meant to be hoarded rather than shared. It has to be introduced carefully into the Consensus, however; until people believe in the efficacy of a super-scientific device ''en masse'', it counts as vulgar Magick.

* ScienceHero: Often {{Subverted}} but ultimately depends on how they're played. They were this back when they were the Order of Reason, though.

* TechnicianVersusPerformer: The Technician to the Etherites' Performer. Iterators typically have more resources, more efficient facilities and better coordinated personnel. Thus, they excel at mass producing {{Magitek}} to an extent that completely eclipses even other technomancer groups. But their [[FlatEarthAtheist ultra-materialist]] Paradigm also prevented them from learning [[AnotherDimension Dimensional]] [[ClarkesThirdLaw Science]] and generally hamstrung their attempts to keep up as [[ScienceMarchesOn Sleeper science got weirder]].
* TerminatorImpersonator: The HIT-Mark program. Earlier models were reminiscent of the T-800, being overwhelming in combat, but useless for more subtle missions and obnoxiously easy to [[EverythingIsOnline hack into]]. Later models resemble the T-X.

* EveryoneHasStandards: {{Subverted}}. They think the Technocracy isn't going far enough and want to bring back the Pogrom.

* FantasticRacism: They ''loathe'' [[{{TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade}} vampires]] and want the Technocracy to destroy them. It's [[ALighterShadeOfGrey justified though]] since the vampires are [[AlwaysChaoticEvil vampires]].

* HeWhoFightsMonsters: As of the updated ''Convention Book: Progenitors'', they have the faction most dedicated towards neutralizing Reality Deviants besides Tradition mages that threaten humanity (e.g. [[TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade vampires]] and [[TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse werewolves]]). These Progenitors are notably at risk of becoming rather extreme in their methods, as per their FatalFlaw.

[[folder: Void Engineers]]

* DarkestAfrica: {{Subverted}}. The Ngoma would really like you to think that sub-Saharan Africa is a mix of jungles and grasslands with scattered mud huts, not worth bothering with. They are one of the most erudite and urbane magical traditions, with advanced ritual magick and high technology available to them, and they're using their wealth and magical power to sponsor infrastructural, agricultural and medical development the equal of anything that the Technocracy is rolling out in the First World.

* StrawFeminist: Basically {{Averted}}, as the Hippolytoi are usually presented as intersectional feminists with a high degree of social literacy. Still, the game's track record here isn't perfect, and the writers have been known to fumble this part.

[[folder: Valdaermen]]

* HornyVikings: {{Subverted}}. The Valdaermen were generally masculine and hardy, but were also introspective and quite erudite and cultured, albeit not in a way that would be recognizable to the more urban mages of the era.

* TheVirus: Transhumanity's traditional offer is to make you "perfect", ie another Transhuman. Given how this results in a complete loss of individuality and free will, everyone sane and informed enough about what the choice entails turns them down.

** Well at least, in ''Mage'' science is shaped by the general views of the masses, [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve which is what the setting runs on]], rather than being something that was always inherently true and just needed to be discovered. Back before people believed in current scientific principles (such as those that would make a dragon non-aerodynamic), they literally didn't exist. The Order came up with them in order to define and control reality. The universe really did start out geocentric, and outer space beyond a certain distance from Earth is actually part of the Deep Umbra, with alien life only existing after people started believing in it.

** Well at least, in ''Mage'' science is shaped by the general views of the masses, [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve which is what the setting runs on]], rather than being something that was always inherently true and just needed to be discovered. Back before people believed in current scientific principles (such as those that would make a dragon non-aerodynamic), they literally didn't exist. The Order came up with them in order to define and control reality.

* ConspiracyRedemption: The most recent texts imply that the Technocracy is teetering between rebirth into the idealistic BenevolentConspiracy it once was, with the potential to ''not'' be mortal enemies with the Traditions, and falling completely past the MoralEventHorizon. It is the assumed job of PlayerCharacter Technocrats to make sure that the former triumphs over the latter.

* WouldNotShootACivilian: This is the official rule: No Collateral Impact. In practice, the Technocracy ''does'' sometimes have to black-bag a civilian, but doing it before the GodzillaThreshold has been reached is a good way to get reassigned to nuclear waste disposal duty.

* CharlesAtlasSuperpower; To Technocrats, Enlightened Science is as much about peak-human expertise in any and all disciplines, ranging from political expertise to cutting-edge educational techniques to the combat arts as it is about revolutionary gadgets and futuristic medical knowledge.
* ConspiracyRedemption: The most recent texts imply that the Technocracy is teetering between rebirth into the idealistic BenevolentConspiracy it once was and falling completely past the MoralEventHorizon. It is the assumed job of PlayerCharacter Technocrats to make sure that the former triumphs over the latter.

** Though built on largely-conflicting philosophies, Technocrats and Mages are, at heart, not terribly different from one another, and they will cooperate to deal with problems like [[EvilSorcerer Nephandi]], [[PowerBornOfMadness Marauders]], or just plain ol' human evil like child pornographers and slavers.

* EqualOpportunityEvil: Naturally, their status as [[HeroAntagonist "evil"]] is up to interpretation, but even at their worst, the modern incarnation of the Union is established to absolutely ''hate'' the idea of discrimination based on sex or ethnicity. They weren't always like this, especially in the 1800's, but it's one area where they genuinely have improved with time. ''Technocracy Reloaded'' takes this even further and makes clear that, for all the Progenitors love to talk up the potential of CRISPR, the Union will always offer you a ''choice'' if you're neurodivergent or disabled. You don't necessarily need limb regrowth or brain surgery if the right adaptive technologies will do the same job.

* HeroAntagonist: While the Technocracy certainly has their fair share of genuine villains out to crush dissent [[spoiler: and Nephandi infiltrators]], a lot of them are just trying to protect humanity from things that are even worse, or to bring "supernatural" solutions to the {{Muggles}} and even the majority of the more amoral ones are WellIntentionedExtremist types who honestly think their doing the right thing.
* HollywoodAtheist: The Technocracy was originally a fiercely religious organization, but gradually moved to secularism and atheism as the heroic Order of Reason morphed into the morally grey Technocracy.
** Modern books mention that Technocrats don't technically ''have'' to be atheists, they just can't allow their belief in a higher power to come before their duty to the Time Table. Essentially, they still don't oppose the ''existence'' of religion, but [[ReligionIsMagic Religion is]] [[InvertedTrope NOT]] [[ReligionIsMagic Magic]].
* HunterOfHisOwnKind: The Technocrat's Enlightened personal are Mages exactly like the ones who work for the Traditions and use the same powers. They even have Avatars. It should be noted though that not all Technocrats are Enlightened Personnel, they also have a lot of [[OurMagesAreDifferent Extraordinary Citizens]], [[BadassNormal Citizens]], and [[MechaMook HIT Marks]].
* InsistentTerminology: Technocrats do not do magic, but "Enlightened Science" [[TheWorldIsNotReady that is too advanced for the masses to understand or even know about]]. They do not have an Avatar but make use of their personal Genius for inspiration. Traditionalists and other supernatural creatures are merely [[RealityWarper "Reality Deviants"]]. And so on.

* MadScientist: Massively, massively {{Subverted}}. Even at [[FinalSolution their]] [[AncientConspiracy worst]] the Technocrats still act like real scientists, using collaboration with each other, research and repeatable testable hypothesis to learn more about the universe and advance the power of their {{Magitek}}. Ironically, the one Convention that actually was this, the Eloctrodyne Engineers, pulled a HeelFaceTurn and became the [[WeirdScience Society of Ether]] because they thought the rest of the Technocracy wasn't advancing technology fast enough.

* NayTheist: The Technocracy recognizes that higher powers exist, but they will not abide by that deviant thought, thank you very much. This has had repercussions in Union history ranging from the ousting of the Knights Templar once the background atheism count reached a certain level, to having an active hand in the Indian schools that tried to drive out indigenous faith, culture, and language. The latest materials emphasize that the Technocracy has come around to a more multicultural view in the 21st century and is willing to accept "[[TheScully Dana Scully Catholics]]," but those undercurrents of disregard towards faith run deep.
* NGOSuperpower: The Technocracy is not subject to any one nation (anymore. Things were getting pretty British in the 1800's), but its resources are immense enough to, in one ''Ascension'' scenario, conquer Australia.
* MirroringFactions: One of the reasons why the Order of Reason hated Mages so much is because they tried to rule over Sleepers. In modern times the Technocracy is now a group of [[HunterOfHisOwnKind Mages]] who rule over Sleepers, even if they, themselves, would bristle at the accusation (and indeed, their 'style' of ruling at least provides the illusion of freedom for Sleepers, rather than the outright {{Sorcerous Overlord}}s of the Dark Ages).

* ThePurge: The fate of the Craftmasons, who were some of the founders of the Order of Reason. Inflicting this on local Mages is referred to as a Pogrom, though it isn't as standard policy as many think.
* PunchClockVillain: Of the "Played straight for horror" variety. This is what ultimately makes them a villainous faction, even after the whitewashing they received in updated revisions. They embody the sheer soul-crushing indifference of corporate culture, stamping on free will, hope, expression and wonder not out of deliberate malice but out of simple blind obedience to their bureaucratic culture. They're so caught up in their "Great Schedule" that they fail to see how far they've fallen into being monsters via the refrain of [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans "for the greater good"]].
** Furthermore, this has also blinded them from seeing the mistakes they made. This is a major disadvantage they have with the Traditions; whle the Technocracy kept chugging along and growing drunk with power without change, the Traditions did actually reform and go through the skeletons in their closet.

* ReedRichardsIsUseless: {{Inverted}}. Any hypertech the Union uses, if all goes according to plan, will be widely available to [[{{Muggles}} the Masses]] in a couple decades. In fact, the Order of Reason was partially founded in opposition to the idea that super-science was meant to be hoarded rather than shared.

* ScienceHero: Often {{Subverted}} but ultimately depends on how they're played. They were this back when they were the Order of Reason though.
* ScienceIsWrong: Well, shaped by the general views of the masses, [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve which is what the setting runs on]].

* OutsideGenreFoe: Played with. This being [[FantasyKitchenSink Mage]], it's hard to be truly "outside genre". However, the Marauders zones of influence often manifest with the trope-laden characteristics of various genres. Combine this with their outside-the-box Paradigms and you may find your gritty techno-espionage game in modern-day Moscow suddenly transform into a slapstick comedy set in the Old West.

* DarkestAfrica: Notably and thankfully {{Averted}}. Most Ngoma are noted to be quite sophisticated, well-educated and urbane.

* NamesTheSame: The word "Infernalists" refers both to the Nephandic sects that worship DemonLordsAndArchdevils and those ([[PragmaticVillainy relatively more reasonable]]) magi who have contracted with demonic powers.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: They are described as a Zoroastrian group with a dislike for monotheism... when in reality Zoroastrianism was one of the first monotheistic religions. Considering the Neopagan leanings if many Creator/WhiteWolf writers, this may have been a case of WriterOnBoard.

* DarkSecret: Theirs is so explosive (revealed in the revised Convention book, one of the last that was published before the Time of Judgment) that it's been kept even from the membership of Iteration X as well. [[spoiler: The Master Computer? It's not an artificial intelligence built solely by the efforts of the Convention. It's actually an Incarnum (or something of similar spiritual power and stature) that surreptitiously inhabited a powerful Iteration X device and demonstrated its sapience on the ''x''th iteration. It actively prevents future attempts at building such a device to prevent Iteration X from discovering the truth.]] There are subtle hints in the revised Void Engineers book that this has gone further: [[spoiler: it's heavily suggested that it's controlling the Autopolitans of Threat Null, and it's possibly even the heart of Threat Null's existence]].

* BigGood: Debatably, and ironically, considering they're also the TokenEvilTeammate of the Council. They have Porthos, for one thing. They're also the archetypical wizards in a world where that matters a great deal, many of the greatest teachers in the Traditions hail from the Order, they produce the most archmages, they are notably skilled at Awakening sleepers, their organization put in a great deal of work into founding the Council and the Order is perhaps the single Tradition most loyal to it. [[FlawedHero If only they could get their pride under control]].

* SenseFreak: How other, more inward-focuswd Traditions see them. And to be fair, it's true that Ecstatics run the risk of burning themselves out and requiring greater and greater heights of sensation to feel anything.

* {{Antihero}}: This is literally the Euthanatos' job. They do things which are unpleasent but which they believe need to be done to protect humanity.

* KnightInSourArmor: Are gradually becoming this as just how dangerous and bleak the universe it impresses itself upon them. The fact that they're being deliberately steered into the worse parts doesn't help. It's kinf of a tragedy, since they're one of the most idealistic factions within the Technocracy otherwise.

* ThereAreNoTherapists: Explicitly averted, as they have an entire arm of the Convention devoted to providing therapy to others in the Convention. They retain this in no small part because they highly distrust the New World Order, who are generally the therapist option for the Technocracy. It's also a reflection of [[ShellShockedVeteran of how traumatic their profession can be]]; no other Convention within the Technocratic Union [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow are exposed to sanity-flaying bad shit as often as the VE are]].

* TokenEvilTeammate: Surprisingly, depite debatably being the BigGood, the Order of Hermes are probably the closest to an 'evil' Tradition though the do still have plenty of genuine heroes as well. They have an egotistical Mage-supremist streak to the point that they actively want Mages to rule over Sleepers (though with the [[EveryoneHasStandards caveat that they still want Sleepers to be protected and treated well]]) along with a DecadentCourt which some vampires would be disturbed by. They aren't as bad as they were during the Dark Ages, but they haven't moved as far past the flaws which caused the Order of Reason to try to destroy them as one may think.

%%* StrawFeminist: DependingOnTheWriter. ZERO CONTEXT EXAMPLE

* StrawFeminist: DependingOnTheWriter. Unfortunately, SturgeonsLaw dictates that this interpretation sees a disproportionate amount of representation.

* NGOSuperpower: The Technocracy is not subject to any one nation, but its resources are immense enough to, in one ''Ascension'' scenario, conquer Australia.