Editing The Gift:Characters (section)

===The Human Society===

Originally a splinter-group from the Children of Sol, the Human society seeks self-transformation through the union of magic and technology.  Different members have different opinions about what they, and the rest of humanity, should become, but Society members are expected not to interfere with each other’s projects.  Some seek a new existence in cyberspace, some a complete redesign of the human body, while others are chasing goals they can only express in metaphor.  The empasis on personal change leads often leads to significant excentricity if not outright madness.  The mage is always seeking to alter themselves so as to reach a higher state, and they "higher" they go, the stranger they are likely to get.  Members of the Society often act as patrons to mortals or mortal organizations, particularly in an effort to foster personal change, acting in what they take to be the mortals' best interests.

Apprentice training is focused on teaching the student to understand humanity, technology, and the connections between them.  Magical training focuses on machine possession, so that the mage can expand their consciousness, and self-defense, on the grounds that the world is a dangerous place.

Cost:  28 points

Skills:  Anthropology, Biology, Computer Hacking, Computer Operation, Computer Programming, Mathematics, Philosophy (Transhumanist), Philosophy (Western Analytic), Psychology, Sociology, Symbol Drawing (Scientific).

Spells:

Animal:  Animal Control (Fly), Beast-Soother, Rider Within.

Air:  Create Air, Lightning, Purify Air, Shape Air, Sparkstorm, Wall of Wind, Windstorm.

Movement:  Apportation, Locksmith.

Technological:  Permanent Machine Possession, Machine Control, Machine Possession, Reveal Function, Seek Machine.


House Stances

Magic:  Just another technology humanity created as an aid to its own evolution.

Themselves: We are transcending our humanity, leading the way for others.

The Council:  They are obsessed with power over the world and are so satisfied with themselves that they think nothing of self-transformation.  They are stagnant.  Rat Sniffing is the only house that even has their brains turns on.  Maybe we can convince them to defect.

The Circle:  They are facing backwards, into the past, but they are heading into the future whether they like it or not.

The Cooperative:  They need a little less focus on the external world and a little more focus on themselves.  All the same, they are somewhat useful allies.

Independents:  The Circle Road have great insight into what humans are, but it never occurs to them to think of what they could be.  The Order of St. John of Manhattan understand that humanity can be more than it is but they lack the imagination to build new futures.