Panopticon: A Game of Posthumans, Perniciousness, Paranoia, Politics, and Plasmaguns

[MJ12 Commando]

Piero_Dominici_(EXEMPLAR)/Summary

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Name: Piero Dominici
Faction: Technocratic Union (Progenitor Damage Control/Ragnarok Command)
Political Allegiance: Apolitical
Tactical Threat: Extreme (Incarna-Grade)
Strategic Threat: High
Notes: Redirect to this page from Piero_Dominici_(Weapon_of_Mass_Destruction).

Piero Dominici (Project Number EXEMPLAR/R-301-S-2), decanted 2006, is a Progenitor Damage Control construct built by Project EXEMPLAR, a multidisciplinary Technocracy project which is related to FACADE's RECOIL sub-metholodogy, applying radical human enhancement techniques to create high-capability combat constructs for use by Damage Control. All the EXEMPLAR designs are unique and custom-engineered for specialist roles, such as special forces operations, mass social disruption, or strategic advisory.

Piero Dominici is specialized from, and built off of, RECOIL's Project ICONOCLAST, a late 20th century project which was intended to compete with the HITMark VI Strategic Threat Suppression System for funding and operational deployment. From what is known, ICONOCLAST created several limited-run developments based off of powerful spiritual entities, such as the Avatar Slaying Enhancement, but was not adopted for mass production because the primary advantage of biotechnology, its lower Paradox generation, was negligible at the capabilities required by the Union at the time. However, EXEMPLAR II provided ICONOCLAST a new lease on life. Void Engineer and Ragnarok Command forces became aware of several intact artifacts of Trojan War heroes on Mount Olympus, on Mars. Upon request by several Progenitors and their Financier allies, a joint operation was brought to seize the samples from the Rogue Council. This successful seizure provided sufficient material to create numerous EXEMPLAR II clones, including Piero Dominici.

The Progenitors proposed EXEMPLAR/R-301-S-2 as an offensive weapon with comparable capability to the HITMark VI but with improved flexibility and modularity, taking advantage of paradox mitigation to allow for a "scalable solution to strategic threats." From rumors and other second-hand intelligence, a small run of test units was approved. However, despite multiple attempts, only one of the original units was successfully decanted, Piero Dominici. Furthermore, Piero Dominici has been recorded as having significant emotional instability which has limited his ability to be deployed in many situations. Reports suggest that his collateral damage generation often reaches unacceptable levels and he has therefore been reserved for extreme combat situations and reprisal actions.

Additionally, his emotional instability means that he is only operated with constant monitoring and support. This makes him theoretically more vulnerable, but means that any assault spearheaded by Piero Dominici will be augmented by off-site casting.

TODO AxeBasedHacking - Get more information on the EXEMPLAR project discussion. This focus on making sure that the tools to deal with a strategic threat are scalable is new and interesting.

Augmentation

Piero Dominici is a high end bio-mechanical hybrid (cybrid) based off of Iteration X and Progenitor technology-living tissue over a synthetic endoskeletal prosthetic. This design is seen in many HITMark variants, most notably HITMark V-I Infiltrators. However, from budgetary reports provided to Syndicate Disbursements, the base endoskeletal prosthetic is a cut-down variant of the HITMark VI Strategic Threat Suppression System, with ICONOCLAST secondary life support systems integrated. Unlike most cybrid organisms, Piero Dominici is only approximately 190 centimeters tall and masses only approximately 180 kilograms. This increased weight is likely due to the high-density materials integrated into his body. Most of his body is living tissue cloned from the Greek hero and demigod Achilleus, who was infamous for his immense strength and speed. This tissue has been further enhanced by extensive genetic optimization, human-spirit hybridization, and additional cybernetic augmentation.

As a testbed for a resurrected ICONOCLAST project, Piero Dominici was equipped with almost every cost-effective weaponized bio-augmentation that could be produced by the Progenitors to improve survivability and combat ability. Scattered information from project reports suggests that this does not include mere strength and speed enhancement and protection, but extensive exotic augmentation, including cognitive acceleration, hyperspatial backups of vital organs, and implanted backup weapons. Piero Dominici was also originally intended to act as a command node in RAGNAROK situations and has significant intelligence augmentation, including an Iteration X tactical hypercomputer integrated into his primary and secondary nervous systems. These systems are generally used for tactical analysis at this point, as Piero Dominici has never been observed yet in a leadership role.

Piero Dominici is designed and equipped to interface with external power systems. This capability, which is very rare outside of Technocratic strategic weapons systems, allows him to power through paradox effects and allows him to constantly benefit from external support.

TODO MonkOnTheMountain: Determine the reason for the rumors in Japan of someone who looks very much like Piero Dominici leading a Damage Control contingent. It seems unlikely, but Akasha says that their words have some ring of truth.

Equipment

See also Unique_Power_Armor_Variants#Piero_Dominici

Piero Dominici has generally deployed with advanced combat biosuits or powered armor as a matter of course. In his earliest deployments, he was equipped with a modified NOBLE NOVEMBER unit for emotional and tactical monitoring. Although the standard N2 provides significant strength and survivability enhancement, it is likely that the strength enhancement and protective qualities were chosen more to ensure that the monitoring and emotional management system would not be destroyed as a side effect of the environments Piero Dominici is typically deployed in. Several other armor variants have been spotted through his deployment history, including several customized combat biosuits. It is unknown whether these systems were intended for protection, enhancement, or as some form of restraint system.

In extremely high threat environments, he has been seen to use various and continuously upgraded bespoke suits of power armor that are designed to interface with and augment his capabilities. Recently, Piero Dominici has been seen deploying in a powered armor that possesses a distinctive Corinthian helmet. Notably, this armor has shown the capability of deploying extensive additional equipment from pocket dimensions or via teleportation. This includes applique armor or secondary weapons, which can be arm-mounted or shoulder-fired. Known deployable secondary weapons include micromissile/microgrenade launchers, antipersonnel lasers, flamethrowers, and electromagnetic mini-gatlings.

Piero Dominici has used just as many weapons as he has powered armor variants, but his primary ranged weapon is apparently some form of omnigun, which has shown the capability of deploying rapid-fire anti-tank ordinance, indirect fire explosives, and even emulating mundane weaponry. It is likely that his omnigun is intended as a secondary weapon for ranged engagement or when his physical strength is unnecessary or counterproductive, as its 'default' mode of operation, which he has used in multiple incidents, is a railgun with roughly equivalent firepower to a light Technocratic vehicle gun, combined with a missile launcher and a Primium vibro-bayonet with a disruptor field. Because of Piero Dominici's external interface, his ammunition should be considered effectively infinite and he will possess the right ammunition for any situation.

In close quarters, Piero Dominici has been observed using a Technocratic Intelligent Melee Weapon. This weapon is forged of Primium, capable of cutting through even preternaturally strong materials, includes explosive strike faces, and has shown the ability to intelligently aim itself, move on its own volition, and act semi-autonomously to kill foes, similar to several types of enchanted swords. He has been known to use this weapon to defeat even heavily armored vehicles and creatures of equivalent strength. As a member of Damage Control, it is likely that the weapon is poisoned in some form, but no confirmation can be made as its victims generally do not survive the initial attack.

Magic

A high-end combat construct, Piero Dominici is a Technomantic device of immense power. Furthermore, Correspondence Scrying of Piero Dominici has shown that he is constantly in direct contact and augmented by the capabilities of other Technosorcerers. The below ratings in terms of the Great Spheres are a worst case and assume that all his skills are his own. It is almost certain that they may be overestimations. However, given that he has never been reported to have operated without support, it is good practice to functionally treat him as at least as capable as these ratings show.

-The Great Spheres

(To represent this knowledge outside of the Hermetic standardised representation, see Equivalents to the Great Spheres)

Ars Conjunctionis: Piero Dominici displays a total awareness of his surroundings when prepared for combat, and is capable of moving great distances without crossing the intervening space. Additionally, he has been seen deploying weapons and equipment out of nowhere and has been constantly fed raw quintessence from external sources. He should be treated as roughly equivalent to an adept or possibly a master.

Ars Fati: Piero Dominici has shown a consistent ability to attack weak points and vital strategic locations, while showing preternatural awareness of incoming threats. However, it is quite possible that these capabilities are built-in enchantments rather than actual Awakened Magic. Piero Dominici has also shown the ability to destroy complex machinery with ease, although it is unclear if this is via the use of Ars Fati or through brute force. He should be treated as roughly equivalent to a disciple.

Ars Essentiae: Piero Dominici is capable of deploying weapons capable of leveling sanctums or destroying fortifications with single blows. He makes use of high-powered energy weapons, railguns, explosives, and other such technomantic arts. He is likely an adept of Ars Essentiae and may be a master.

Ars Animae: Piero Dominici has shown the ability to augment his already superhuman physical capability to a great degree. He is likely to possess the rapid regeneration common to most combat homonculi, which makes further evaluation difficult. He is at least a disciple.

Ars Materiae: Piero Dominici has been seen deploying and improvising high-tech weapons systems out of ambient quintessence on more than one incident. He or one of his support magi is likely an adept of this art.

Ars Mentis: Piero Dominici has shown a near-immunity to mental effects, powering through them with fury. Furthermore, attempts to read his mind or influence it have often backfired, as his white-hot rage burns those who seek to touch his mind with their own. Piero Dominici has also shown constant superhuman reflexes, coordination, and awareness. When he fights, even the bravest men flee in fear-although that may be more his reputation and power than any magic. He or one of his support magi is probably an adept of this art.

Ars Vis: On operations with the Void Engineers, Piero Dominici has shown the ability to cause extreme, difficult-to-heal wounds on powerful spirits. Additionally, Piero Dominici has shown an immense and surprising resistance to paradox effects. He, or (more likely) one of his support magi, is a master in this art.

Ars Manium: Piero Dominici is a Technocrat and is clearly ignorant of the Ars Manium. However, he still shows some awareness of spirits, so may be a practitioner of dimensional science.

Ars Temporis: Piero Dominici shows both precognitive divination and temporal acceleration in combat. He has been shown to make simultaneous attacks on large numbers of elder vampires and alpha werewolves in less than a second, so quickly that even Celerity is insufficient to allow them to react or evade. This is equivalent to an adept of the Ars Temporis.

Psuedo Spheres

Dimensional Science: Piero Dominici is known to have the capability to detect and wound spirits. It is not known whether this comes from a natural talent or from the use of Technocratic Devices. He may be able to do things that an apprentice of the Ars Manium can do.

Combat Danger

Piero Dominici is a strategic-scale threat who is typically deployed in Code RAGNAROK situations. His combat enhancements are nearly unprecedented in post-1999 Technocracy military assets, with only a handful of very senior Shock Corps cyborgs approaching him in capability. He is considered immune to all small arms and most vehicle weaponry, even to weak points such as his Achilles' Heel. Furthermore, although he has never been confirmed as having suffered injury in his operations, it is known that he has extremely rapid regeneration capability, superior to even most werewolves and Progenitor combat homonculi. Given his durability and regenerative capabilities, it is unlikely that anyone short of an Adept in the art of Forces will be able to cause him permanent injury. Piero Dominici has been observed tearing off limbs from advanced combat robots, breaking vampire claws on his bare skin, and destroying a tank bare-handed. Piero Dominici is apparently extensively trained and has shown mastery of various melee and ranged weapons, ranging from low-tech mechanical weapons such as knives, swords, and spears to high-end Technocratic energy weapons. He has shown extensive mastery in the supernatural martial arts and is likely a master of the following supernatural styles:

• LINE
• Bionic Combatives
• PsiCQC-Var3
• PsiCQC-Var8
• Metal Dragon Style
• Solar Hero
• Crimson Pentacle Blade
• Grim Fury (Haiden Sparring)
• Iron Phoenix (Haiden Shortsword)
• Gunslinger Program
• Augmented Combat Marksmanship

Most dangerously, Piero Dominici is extremely paradox tolerant, like all EXEMPLARs, and takes advantage of this ability to its fullest. Although it is unlikely that he can sustain full capability in a hostile environment for long periods of time, even a fraction of his demonstrated capability would put him beyond the capabilities of anything short of an Incarna. Postcognition of test sites suggests that he is capable of defeating a Methuselah without external support and with minimal equipment, while outnumbered.

The only minor blessing is that due to a high likelihood of friendly fire assets, it is unlikely that Piero Dominici will be deployed with other Technocracy assets in close support. Furthermore, after the end of the Ascension War, the Technocracy is exceedingly unlikely to deploy Piero Dominici against Traditions assets or Chantries, although he has been deployed against some Traditions allies and has inflicted casualties on ill-advised assassination attempts against him. His major deployments have been with Ragnarok Command or the Void Engineers, with the most notable deployments being the Special Projects Division Purge, the Mayan End of the World (the 2012 Bolon Yokte Incident), and the 2014 Moscow Nuclear Incident. He has also been deployed in reprisal operations against the Rogue Council.

Should you be in a combat zone with Piero Dominici deployed, you are probably already dead.

TODO Wingz-someone needs to rewrite this section to give more useful advice. Even if it's true. Basically, if you're near him, you probably aren't the primary target, which means that unless you have a real need to stay there and fight, you should probably run away. He probably knows you're there, but that's not the same thing as you mattering. If you do need to stay and fight, you should be fighting a delaying action to accomplish whatever your objective is and escape. You probably can't hurt him, so delay him, stay away from him, try to use his combat fury to your advantage. And make sure whatever you're fighting for is actually worth your life.

TODO SM_Jessup- We need to recompile a list of all his test and minor operations and what people have observed going through the postcognition of those incidents. A lot of this intelligence is based off of his major operations, and they don't paint a picture of what his operational capacity is when they're not putting maximum effort into augmenting him to be a killer.

Social Danger

Piero Dominici is generally only deployed in combat operations and it is unknown what his social danger level is. It is unlikely that he will be dangerous socially compared to his physical and combat capability. However, he has been observed making use of enhanced terror tactics in combat to break enemy morale and prevent the formation of organized resistance.

If he is talking to you, you should probably be thankful and keep him talking to you for as long as possible, because that means he's not strangling you to death with your own entrails.

TODO Wingz - Confirm once and for all whether he's scaring people via awakened magic or just because sensible people don't want to stay anywhere near him. Also, yes, the statement is true but it's also not helpful. Basically, we're pretty sure he's not any better at social influence than his ability to intimidate people and his dashing good looks make him. Of course, a lot of the combat analysis augmentation these high-end Technocratic warriors have makes them hard to lie to, so watch out for that if you have to talk to him.

Known Associates

Dr. Helena Chryses: Piero Dominici's handler and overseer, Dr. Chryses is a major FACADE researcher who has worked on multiple militarized projects for Damage Control and has worked closely with Iteration X on several HITMark projects. Dr. Chryses oversees the construct which provides Piero remote support, and is known to be a Master of Life and Prime.
Lt. Gen. Peter Fischer: Another member of Piero's support construct, Lt. Gen. Fischer is a Ragnarok Command military officer whose former career in the Shock Corps was overseeing the security and deployment of Iteration X's strategic weapons arsenal, which fell under the jurisdiction of Ragnarok Command. Gen. Fischer is known to be an expert in the deployment and ramifications of weapons of mass destruction, and was involved in the military operation related to the 1999 Indian Antediluvian Awakening. Gen. Fischer is known to be at least an Adept in Forces and Mind.

TODO Li9952 - rebuild this list with all of the other support staff we know of.

[Categories: Weapons of Mass Destruction | Technocratic Weapons of Mass Destruction | Incarna | Incarna of War | Cyborgs | Technocratic Cyborgs | Constructs | Technocratic Constructs | EXEMPLAR | People Claiming To Be Reincarnations of Demigods | Actual Reincarnations of Demigods ]

 

[MJ12 Commando]

Piero_Dominici_(EXEMPLAR)/Discussion

ICONOCLAST 02?
One of our budget analysts found a budget line entry for "ICONOCLAST Unit 02" in a 2014 Ragnarok Command budget. Anyone know who it is? -Bowman
-> Do you know where the budget is going? -Li4399
--> Several West Asian major biotech Constructs. ICONOCLAST-01 is Piero Dominici. I believe that they're looking at either replacing or supplementing him. -Bowman
----> It has to be Rama, I think. I heard Piero went rogue in Moscow. So they want someone of his caliber that can deal with him. That means someone capable of landing that weakpoint shot. So why not the best archer? -IAskedForThis

If it is Rama, it's not going to be because of archery. Piero doesn't actually have a heel weakpoint. His immortality is the immortality of Achilles. An immortality that destined him to die by Paris's hand, to a shot to the heel. This is why the Technocracy spent so many resources on Alexander_Cross_(EXEMPLAR). They wanted to make sure they had Paris, so that if the situation got out of hand, then they could take advantage of that destiny. No matter which heel you try, you will always have the wrong one. -FateIsMyWaifu
-> Yes, the problem with that is that Cross came before Piero. -CaptainSemiObvious
--> That doesn't change my analysis. They already have the Paris, who will fell Achilles with an arrow to the heel, then die afterwards. Someone like Piero would therefore be controllable. -FateIsMyWaifu
--> Then why are they bothering to build another Iconoclast? I'm all for radical, theotechnological transhumanism, but I would much prefer it be on our side. And ICONOCLAST is a bit expensive. -IAskedForThis.
---> Sometimes you just need someone who can blow up a small city and give no fucks about it. -PorthosDidNothingWrong

How the fuck are they funding another ICONOCLAST? -FightDamian
-> Well, there are a few thousand tons of Primium and high-grade biotech just waiting to be reprocessed... BaptismofFire
--> No but seriously. Even given that you'll need a lot of Masters to build even one more. -FightDamian
---> There are probably still some assets sitting around that are part of the ICONOCLAST project. This is a Ragnarok Command budget with some Void Engineer buy-in, not a Progenitor budget. -Bowman.
----> The most expensive bit would be the actual body. Cloning demigods isn't cheap. But if they render down most of the Moscow haul into tass, they have more than enough to build one. -DrQueenofFrance
---> You'd have to look into ICONOCLAST 02's actual augmentation package to check but if you were basing it off of proven technology, you could probably kludge something useful out of it. -IAskedForThis

Confirmed. Seen a prototype EXEMPLAR deployed against several Kuei-Jin in India. Deployment specifications are similar to Piero's test depoyments-you had pretty sizable force, but they were all standing off. Looks like he was armed with some variant of the Shock Corps Nanobow-some hybrid of the Konoko and Barnes patterns.-StarShiva
-> And what does that mean, exactly? -ImNotDrunkImCastingASpell
--> Both are specialized weapons that the Shock Corps issues on a special circumstances basis in places where guns don't work as well. The Barnes pattern is designed for grossly superhuman users, while the Konoko pattern still has superhuman draw weight but uses a kinetic accelerator for its stopping power. -QuoNemoSequiPotest
---> So they're restarting at least low-rate EXEMPLAR production? Chilling. At least if they started out with something more akin to Piero that means they're probably expecting to be getting into fistfights with gods. This stuff is overkill against us and way too expensive to justify using outside of example-making. -FightDamian.
-> Example-making? Making examples of people? -IAmNotAProgenitorForFucksSake
--> Remember that Contingency V chantry which was operating in Syria about four years ago and had pretty broad support from "our side" regarding driving out western imperialism and the technocracy? This is why there is one fewer Contingency V chantry in Syria and a lot of people in that war have washed their hands of C-V. Because Piero happened to them, as a message. Who would win? One chantry full of highly trained sociopathic killer cyborgs, or one angry boi? -FightDamian
---> we could probably take him. Hes not that scary. Like come on, a bunch of ex-technocrat scrubs and a pile of vampires? Plenty of people have that sort of killcount. -mraaa
----> I'd like to see you try. -FightDamian (User was infracted for this post)
----> he has that sort of killcount because he's too expensive to casually deploy, you moron. -LondonLass
-----> he has a weak heel. I can hit that sort of target. -mraaa
------> Even assuming that he does, in fact, have a weak heel, and you can, in fact, shoot through whatever lower leg and foot protection he's wearing, congratulations. You're still dealing with someone who has high-end dermal and subdermal armoring and a biology modified for combat in hostile environments, with enough Primium in him to shrug off almost anything. You might have just annoyed him enough that he'll debone you. -FightDamian
-------> he can do that? -xxL3ITxx
--------> Yes. It's not practical, but it's certainly showy. And when he's not under threat, he seems to like showy. -Bowman
----> FightDamian, encouraging users to commit suicide is against the rules. For the rest of you, this is a reminder that encouraging people to pick fights with war gods or self-aware, reusable, weapons of mass destruction is, in fact, prohibited. -HackedHITMark42 (Moderator).
----> I wonder if this is some sort of EXEMPLAR IV? -40Congress
-----> I don't think so. If they wanted a fourth tranche of EXEMPLARs, they probably wouldn't have just done a single project line item. -Tarpit
------> Especially not because it lets you do quite a bit of analysis. -Bowman

EXEMPLAR WMDS?
So which EXEMPLARs are actual WMD-level threats besides him? -Qwpo
-> You have Maria_Adara_(EXEMPLAR), who is Helen of Troy except sexier. -Aesthete
--> The term 'shipping' actually comes from Helen of Troy, whose romantic entanglements launched a thousand ships. -FalseTruthsStated
---> No it doesn't. -Aesthete
----> Yes it does. The mythic thread of Helen of Troy and her role in the story has resonated with other stories, including ones written as fanfiction. This is why 'shipping' causes so many 'flame wars' on the internet-the action of pairing up two attractive people resonates with the mythic thread of the Trojan War and so a fight must occur. -FalseTruthsStated
----> I've seen where this argument leads. I've seen the discussion on it in Maria_Adara_(EXEMPLAR)/Discussion. I'm going to just nip this right here in the bud. -Wingz (moderator).

Someone already mentioned Maria, so they've already covered the only one. There's a lot of other extreme combat threats, but people like Zhang_Yuan_(EXEMPLAR) and Adele_Dubois_(EXEMPLAR) are just high-end personal combat threats, comparable to elite Iterator supersoldiers. If you look above, there's a discussion of an ICONOCLAST 02 project above, and there's a bunch of guesses as to who they might field. I'd have guessed Roland, but if they're outsourcing to mostly Asian countries, they're probably using the project genesource to honor some Asian bits of the Technocracy as some internal budget compromise. -NightsTemplar
--> Lu Bu and Joan of Arc. What other cultures are they going to appropriate? -Nativist
---> Technically the Technocracy has heavy traditional ties to both the clergy and to various Chinese governments. The Chinese Technocrats evolved out of the old court mages of the Chinese emperors who backed the technocratic paradigm instead of their own. So it's not really appropriation. -HermeticHistorian592
---> A Christian saint who sees visions is hardly based on solid Technocratic doctrine. How are they justifying this? -BobTheRogueBob
-----> Look at Knights_Templar_and_Iteration_X and Religion_in_the_Shock_Corps and come back to me. Iteration X was always religious, they just turned it from worship of regular God to worship of terrifying robot God. -FaithandFinances
---> I thought Adele_Dubois_(EXEMPLAR) was actually a gender-variant clone of King Arthur? -Qwpo
----> Not this shit again. -Grailseeker
-----> Yes. Let's not. -Wingz (moderator)
---> It makes me weep that the Technocracy is transforming history's legends and heroes into nothing more than more war machines. -WickedWitchOfTheWeb

Augmentation?
Holy shit what did they put into him? -DeaExMachina
-> Most of a HITMark VI as a skeleton, and the essence of several powerful spirits and at least one demigod. -TheMailman
--> I'm reading Piero_Dominici_(EXEMPLAR)/Confirmed_Augmentations and some of these sound ludicrous. Why does he have corrosive blood? -ParryHotter
---> It's a standard smartblood programmable function. Because sometimes someone might strip you naked in a cell, but generally if someone imprisons you they leave you your blood, at least for a while. And it's also hilarious if a vampire ends up biting you or something. -IAskedForThis
--> And why does he need a microkinetic carbine in his arm? -ParryHotter
---> Sometimes you just want to be able to kill things at the speed of thought. Or when you get disarmed. A well-hidden implant weapon helps. -IAskedForThis
----> Yes but why? He has unbreakable skin. His internal organs have multiple redundancies. He can punch so hard they tested his punch strength against tanks. He has kinetic amplifiers in his hands because he might want to punch even harder than that. He can yell so loud it shatters concrete. They've loaded him with an internal JUPITER lightning gun. Why does he need to have one of these? I read the wiki page on microkinetics and they're not great against anything much tougher than a normal person? -ParryHotter
-----> Probably an option for utility, or for minimal collateral damage in his case. -IAskedForThis

This is Bullshit
How did we manage to fight the Technocracy when they had things like... him? -NewBee
--> We had similar allies. Gods. Dragons. Monsters. They were just in the Umbra, for we could never afford to use them like this. -TheHighDragun
---> I think we still have a handful, after the Avatar Storm. It's just that nobody has had much of a reason to go and do a in-depth inventory of this stuff, because half of it is self-aware and might bite your face off. -Thig4Life.
--> Most of the time you just didn't stick your head out far enough that they could send something like this to you, because they were too busy dealing with murdering some gods in the spirit realms or something. And it's not like these weapons are invincible. A sufficiently prepared master, and you find out that without some equivalent force, even something like Piero or a HITMark VI isn't enough. -FightDamian

More importantly, how the fuck does he know all these martial arts? And are half of these stolen from us? -ZenZen
-> Yes. Several of these are our katas and techniques, repurposed. The two PsiCQC variants listed, for example. -MonkOnTheMountain (Supermoderator)
-> Gunslinger? Has he been working with NWO tactical teams? -QuoNemoSequiPotest
--> I saw him using that stance in a reprisal op. Pretty standard machine pistol + knife Gunslinger stance. Looked like a custom Mjolnir VI and his regular blade at minimum, CQC length. -Grailseeker
---> I see. Odd choice for a superhuman cyborg. Maybe he's learning from them. -QuoNemoSequiPotest

Piero Goes Painting?
Get this. He apparently now has an art page. On the Sleeper internet. -Thig4Life
-> Is it as edgy as a teenager's? -FightDamian
--> That's what I thought it would be-all blood and guts and naked men and maybe some naked women. But it's, get this, fucking landscape paintings all the way down. -Thig4Life
---> Is this some sort of metaphor or something? Someone should analyze everything he's posted! -Li1337
----> I can tell he's a fan of Bob Ross. Beyond that... -Aesthete
-> Any memetic threat? -SteamQueen
--> Minor. Just some hyperpsych to make people more inclined to give his paintings the benefit of the doubt. They're actually not that bad. -Thig4Life
---> Well of course not. Superhuman coordination and cognitive augmentation make up for a lot. -DeaExMachina
----> Piero uses that cognitive augmentation? -IAskedForThis
-----> Just because he's violent doesn't mean he's stupid. And he was designed as a C3 system. -FightDamian

Just a reminder to everyone that if you decide to go onto the page of a superhuman demigod with anger management problems and troll him, you probably deserve whatever happens to you next. Please don't. -Wingz (moderator)

WTF Japan?
WTF is happening in Japan? Confirmed Piero sighting-they had his VR casket delivered there a while ago. -Caaaanada
-> If he's been delivered like that it means a heavy assault, and possibly a long-term deployment. Normally they'd just drop him out of a bomber or something while flying reinforcements in via air. That only happens when there's something serious going down. -FightDamian
-> Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit -CrabbyHime
--> Do we know who his target is? Seconding the 'oh shit' too. -StreetSamurai
--> This won't be another Moscow, right? -InTheNameofTheMoon
---> I don't think anyone knows at this point. I'm willing to help with evacuating if it's necessary. At least if you have friends or loved ones try to get them out of the way. -FightDamian
----> Seconded. Our chantry is a little cramped but we can put up a few spare beds. -Thig4Life
-----> Thirded. More than willing to help get people out of his line of fire. I bought up some property cheap after its vampire owner vanished to who-knows-where a few months ago, and I can house a few people like that. -LondonLass

 

[MJ12 Commando]

Rules/Tradwiki Is Not Your Hookup Site

We understand that fighting in the Ascension War and seeking personal Ascension can be an extremely exhausting, isolating experience. We know that people naturally gravitate to romantic partners who understand them. Willworkers tend to end up in romances or quick passionate flings with other Willworkers, simply because you're around each other for so long and you both understand, a little, what the other's going through. Also, because almost everyone has asked that question about their ability to shape reality via will and ritual at least once-'how can I use this to spice up my sex life?'

We understand this and we sympathize with it. However, Tradwiki is intended to provide a repository of mystic knowledge, open-source intelligence, and allow for the crowdsourced analysis of relevant magical and mundane trends which might be relevant to the Ascension War. Tradwiki is not intended to allow lonely willworkers to find a warm companion to spend a long night with. Likewise, Tradwiki is not a place to host pornographic content. There's plenty of other sources for that.

There are several reasons for this, but the most important one is security. If you treat Tradwiki as a hookup site, you will often post private or identifying information. You might think that pseudonyms and obfuscation are enough-but if you do, you've never seen what an Iteration X hypercomputer can do with the most limited scraps of personal information and a good analyst looking over its output. There's a reason Tradwiki links trading to vBay which uses a different architecture and more secure logins. Tradwiki is secure-it is not foolproof. Technocrats, Nephandi, and hostile Marauders can and do break the security protocols on this site on a regular basis. Having unnecessary information which might directly identify you or your acquaintances on this Wiki might endanger you. The little death is not worth an actual, real death (or worse).

What Is Okay?

• Incidental Sexual Content: It is a fact of life that in the modern day, sexual content is everywhere. If you need to use something that is sexually charged to illustrate an example on a wiki page that talks about a relevant topic, that's fine so long as the sexual content is not the primary focus of the image, paragraph, or video.
• Sex Magic: We understand that some people's paradigms involve the use of sexuality and eroticism in magic. This means that some rituals will have to be described in explicit sexual terms. This is fine. However, these rituals should be described in Neutral Language and the article should focus on the proper performance of the ritual, its benefits and its variants-and not the sexual act itself. Treat sex magic like any other magic, don't put it on a special pedestal and focus on unimportant detail solely because it involves sex.
• Unredacted Intelligence Uploads: We understand that a lot of intelligence information might be contained in material that is unintentionally or deliberately pornographic. The rule is, Intelligence access comes first. If you're uploading relevant intelligence that has a legitimate use for analysis, we're not going to remove it from the Wiki no matter how lewd it is, although certain items may have to undergo content review and redaction to host here. Yes, we know that there are some sick fucks in the occult world. We don't need to expose everyone to something that makes people reach for the brain bleach. If something is disgusting and makes you recoil and contains sexual overtones, tag it before uploading so we can have someone review the content before making it visible to everyone.

See Also:

• Advice/AvoidSexualRelationsWithSpirits
• Advice/DealingWithDeviantParadigms
• Advice/DoNotFallForTheProgenitorEyeCandy
• Advice/WritingAboutSexMagic
• Advice/WritingAboutNephandi

 

[MJ12 Commando]

Yeah that's the idea. Tons of echoes of the real thing.

e: Do we have Alice and Harlan's (updated) character sheets?

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Harlan himself has Enlightenment 5, Mind 4 (Assassination), Correspondence 4 (Portals), Forces 3, Prime 3, and Spirit 4 (Control). He gained the last one from the experiences he's had in the Umbra and after you've left him to do his own thing.

Elissa has Arete 5 and these spheres: Correspondence 3, Entropy 1, Death 3, Dimensional Science 3, Forces 3, Life 3, Mind 4 (Control), and Time 3. Elissa's gained a little more knowledge of the Ixoi (in her Entropy) and learned a lot about Correspondence under that paradigm.

Click to shrink...

Here you go.

 

[MJ12 Commando]

Oh okay fine, have some Iteration X ones

Iteration X Grimoires
Combat Cyborg Tactical Maneuvering, 2004 edition (Colonel Charles Starborn)
This Grimoire is a military science textbook, available electronically, which teaches small unit tactics for heavily augmented soldiers. Running through the drills (which require a minimum of four participants, each with soak 6B/6L, Strength 5, Stamina 5, Firearms 3, Athletics 3, and Tactics 2), a soldier learns to understand the precise timing that military operations require, as well as predict the movements of enemy combatants. This teaches Time 1. This can be used by anyone who accepts modern small unit tactics as part of their paradigm, although the exercises (including no-parachute assault drops, long falls from tall buildings, charging through small arms fire, and danger close usage of fragmentation grenades) require inhuman durability and nearly inhuman strength and stamina to achieve. Anyone attempting to run through the exercises without the minimum requirements is likely to either have to give up, or suffer fatal accidents.

Basic Cyberwarfare, 2003 revised edition (Regina Hauteclere)
Basic Cyberwarfare is a practical electronic textbook that teaches combat-relevant cyberwarfare techniques. The text assumes a basic knowledge of electronics monitoring (Forces 1) and computer science (Computers 3) and teaches the user via both practical exercises and theoretical doctrine on how to manipulate electronics systems for offensive, defensive, and intelligence-gathering duties. A reader can gain Forces 2 from this textbook, as well as a basic understanding of military Tactics (Tactics 1). This text is one of the most popular Iteration X Shock Corps publications. It is used by Virtual Adepts as well, who have stolen copies of the text and sometimes use commented versions for their own students. NWO Operatives and Syndicate Enforcers in training often learn from this grimoire as well, and many pranksters at Damian Academy have found it incredibly useful for their own nefarious goals.

Applied High Energy Physics, 9th Edition (Professor Amirah Malek)
Applied High Energy Physics is a treatise on the creation, use, and application of plasma, high-energy radiation, and other fun things. The exercises require an advanced laboratory to run through (which costs the equivalent of Resources 5) but anyone who can successfully complete the exercises and read the book in its entirety (which requires Science [Physics] 3 and Intelligence 4) can raise their Forces from 2 to 3. This is usable with the Iteration X paradigm-but can also be used by anyone with a scientific paradigm and the correct laboratory equipment.

 

[MJ12 Commando]

Syndicate Grimoires

How To Win Friends And Influence People, Unredacted Edition (Dale Carnegie)
Like the sleeper-published book, the unredacted edition of How to Win Friends and Influence People is a self-help book that builds social influence ability. Unlike the sleeper version, the chapters have not been redacted, providing hyperpsychological advice and theories. A reader who carefully reads and understands its advice will learn Mind 2 at reduced cost. This book is fairly popular across the ranks of the Syndicate but the New World Order thumbs its nose at the "pop-hyperpsych" that it teaches, and claims that the paradigm it enforces on its learners is low on theory and makes it more difficult for its students to understand the more advanced forms of hyperpsych.

A Unified Theory of Wealth (Adam Smith)
One of the writings of Adam Smith that was not eventually published for public consumption, A Unified Theory of Wealth is a somewhat archaic but still perfectly valid treatise which sums up the theoretical underpinnings of Primal Utility in economic terms. A reader with Science (Mathematics) and Academics (Economics) at 2 may fully comprehend the treatise and how it defines 'value' as a fundamental constant in the world and how to evaluate, make use of, and transfer said value, learning Primal Utility 1. More interesting is that A Unified Theory of Wealth is a Primer-if a Sleeper reads it, they may learn both Primal Utility 1 and Enlightenment 1. A Unified Theory of Wealth is mandatory reading in Damian classes on advanced economics.

Programmable Reality-Quantifying and Manipulating Aphysical Markets (Thomas Laredo)
Grimoires which teach high-level spheres are rare due to their generally high requirements and limited audience, but Laredo's work is one of them. Programmable Reality-Quantifying and Manipulating Aphysical Markets is one of those rare beasts. Intended for experienced hypereconomists (Primal Utility 3, Computers 4, Academics (Economics) 4, Science (Mathematics) 4) there has been little effort made to make the textbook comprehensible for anyone without the required academic knowledge. Furthermore, it is paradigm-limited-only Syndicate Quants and (in theory) Virtual Adept Reality Hackers with the spheres may even be able to mesh its writings with their paradigms and understand it. However, the Grimoire teaches Primal Utility 4 and Matter 3, allowing for the creation of objects via instantiation of hypereconomic modeling.

 

[MJ12 Commando]

So, could we acquire any of these example grimoires?

Click to shrink...

Yes, I am already assuming you have access to them, it's why people can develop their spheres without Mentors. Technocrats have systemized libraries of this stuff, Traditions magi tend to have more difficulties seeking mystic knowledge. Most grimoires only give slight XP discounts, rather than free sphere dots.

New World Order Grimoires

The Twelve Habits of Highly Effective Operatives (Johnathan Bastion)
First published in 1920, The Twelve Habits of Highly Effective Operatives is a guide for new Operatives which teaches vital skills at a low level. Mandatory reading for anyone in Operative training (O-School), care has been taken to make this book easy to read and comprehend, with basic techniques and theory interspersed equally. The Twelve Habits of Highly Effective Operatives teaches Athletics 2, Alertness 2, Firearms 2, Stealth 2, Subterfuge 2, and Style 2, as well as Entropy 1 and Time 1.

Advanced Close Quarters Combat Techniques (Jack Boss)
A training manual for combat Operatives, this field manual requires an Operative to have 10 total dots in physical attributes and Brawl/Athletics/Medicine 3. Teaching various martial arts intended to rapidly kill or incapacitate, as well as techniques to ignore pain and injury, Advanced Close Quarters Combat Techniques teaches Brawl 4, Forces 2, and Life 2 to its practitioners. A sparring partner is required to make use of this manual. Furthermore, it paradigmically only works for martial artists-in theory, an Akashic could use this grimoire, but in practice most Akashics think its brutal fighting style, which includes things such as point-blank small arms usage, eye gouges, and crippling blows, is uncouth and almost blasphemy to the enlightening and sacred nature of martial artistry.

Media Influence, 4th Edition (Professor Michelle Watkins)
Written for the Ivory Tower and the Watchers, Media Influence is a basic text on large-scale manipulation of human psychology that has unintentionally become very popular amongst the Syndicate as well. To understand its techniques, one must be well-versed in sociology and psychology (Academics (Sociology) 2, Academics (Psychology) 2). This grimoire teaches Mind 2 and Correspondence 2 to someone who already has Mind and Correspondence 1. It is highly recommended reading for anyone in the Watchers or the Ivory Tower. The primary paradigm restriction is that it teaches Ivory Tower Mind-its focus is primarily in large-scale, resource intensive media manipulations and is difficult to use for Traditions magi. For this reason, it is one of the NWO grimoires which is widely available to the Traditions, some say entirely deliberately.

 

[MJ12 Commando]

Progenitor Grimoires

Basic Bioengineering (Dr. Pia Rosario)
This Progenitor textbook teaches basic bioengineering techniques via various experimental genetic engineering experiments, ranging from simple chimeric bacteria to altered animals. To use this textbook requires Science (Biology) 3, Life 1, and a biological lab worth Resources 4, but the book teaches a Biotechnology specialty for Biology and Life 2.

Biological Warfare Containment: Code UMBRELLA (Captain Randall Taggart)
Written by one of the most famous Damage Control leaders, responsible for the successful 1987 New York Containment, Code UMBRELLA is a postmortem and analysis of the New York Containment and the successful methods and missteps taken for later Damage Control readers. Readers must be medically and tactically trained (Tactics 2, Medicine 2, Life 2), but readers can learn command techniques based on containing and mitigating harm from widespread bio-agent attack. This teaches Life 3 and Correspondence 2, as well as Tactics specialties in Biological Warfare and Counter-Terrorism.

Get Pumped! A Easy Program to Bring Out Your Inner Beast (Dr. Thomas Harding)
If you run into Dr. Harding outside of the lab, you probably wouldn't expect the 1.9 meter tall, 130 kilogram bodybuilder to be one of the most brilliant Progenitors in the lab. This would be a mistake, because he easily is. His book is a full-body workout that, despite its name, is not easy at all. In fact, the workout is excruciatingly painful and is only possible if you have some method of rapid healing and incredible determination (Willpower 6, Life 2 required). Over the several months of excruciating exercise, rapid recovery, and sports science, its user learns far more about how their own biology works and how to ignore pain than they probably ever wanted to know, and also become supremely fit and toned. This book teaches Life 3 and Mind 1. Furthermore, it discounts purchases of physical attributes and Appearance.

 

[MJ12 Commando]

And last but not least for the 5 main Technocratic Conventions, Void Engineer Grimoires

But before we do that, a quick note. Technocrats refer to Grimoires formally as Principiae, although this is only formally and is generally out of favor except in the stuffiest academic halls of the Ivory Tower. Informally, most Technocrats see no real difference between Principae and just really complex and advanced textbooks or training manuals.

UFO: Extraterrestrial Combat (Unrestricted Version) (Alpha Centauri Games)
This Principia takes the form of a popular video game, where the player manages a secret UN organization that seeks to research and counter an impending alien threat with recruits from military special forces units. The aliens attack from space, via extradimensional portals, and even terrorize mankind from the depths of the ocean. The game is known for the punishing difficulty of its difficulty levels-the highest difficulty setting, "Long War," is nearly impossible to beat (requires Intelligence + Strategy 9d or above). However, if a fan beats the game on its highest difficulty setting without handicaps, they find that the game itself is a Primer, teaching Enlightenment 1, Correspondence 1, and Dimensional Science 1. More usefully, the ingame UFOpaedia uses thinly disguised versions of actual EDE threats the Void Engineers have categorized, and the descriptions of these xenological threats are largely accurate, allowing a player to raise RD Data: EDEs from 1 to 2 from reading the ingame lore.

Hyperspatial Physics, 35th Edition (Multiple Authors)
A textbook that teaches hyperspatial physics, this academic text requires its reader to have Science (Physics) 3+ to understand the theory behind hyperspatial physics and faster than light travel. The book teaches the basics about hyperspace, subspace, and subdimensional environments, although it teaches it in a largely theoretical fashion. This Principia teaches Correspondence 2 and Dimensional Science 3 to a reader.

If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It: A Border Control Division Field Guide (Captain Arnold Schaeffer)
Known jokingly as the "Space Marine's Bible," If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It is a field guide on xenobiological entities, EDEs, and obviously how to kill them. Detailed autopsy data and interrogations are interspersed by weapons test data and field combat reports on encounters with various unknown EDEs. Furthermore, it teaches weapons combat techniques and gives a list of special ammunition types that are effective against the varied threats the BCD encounters. The last edition was published in 2003, and there have been no later editions printed, or at least none that have been released to Technocratic libraries. If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It teaches Life 3, Dimensional Science 2, and Forces 2, and also provides RD Data: EDEs at a 3-dot level.

 

[MJ12 Commando]

Now for the 9 Mystic Traditions. First off, the Akashic Brotherhood.

Akashic Grimoires:
The Scroll of the Monk: Supposedly a long-lost text from the ancient First Age of Creation preserved only through the Akashic Records, The Scroll of the Monk teaches of an ancient age of heroism and martial artistry. Unfortunately for its readers, much of the knowledge of the Scroll has been lost. Although copies of them each have different remaining styles, the most common styles and the spheres they teach are listed below. It is far more common to find different styles as individual texts and katas.

• Scarlet-Haired Wind Demon Style: A spear-using martial arts style based on rapid movement and lethal efficiency, this style requires Dexterity 3. Wits 4, Athletics 3, and Melee 3. Learning this style and understanding its lessons teaches the artist to move as fast and as quietly as the wind, granting Correspondence 2. For martial artists who learn this style, paradox flaws from Correspondence often involve becoming incredibly lost despite any knowledge of navigation or navigation-enhancing tools they might have.
• Hulking Bear Style: Foes fear the sculpted muscles and oiled musculature of Hulking Bear stylists. These fighters fight almost nude, trusting in their hardened bodies and colossal physiques to turn blows, then mauling the life out of their foes with powerful clinches and deadly rains of fists. Mastering this style, which requires Appearance 3, Strength 4, Stamina 4, and Brawl 3, teaches the user to ignore physical injury as irrelevant, learning Life 2. Traditionally, most Hulking Bear stylists were male, but in recent eras with the loss of much of the Akashic Brotherhood's organization, an increasing number of females are learning this brute-force style.
• False Mockingbird Style: A fast martial arts style based on the use of a staff, this style requires Dexterity 3, Wits 3, and Melee 3. Masters of this style learn to attack with a flurry of blows, each of which hits with enough force to shatter stone walls or crush plate armor. This teaches Forces 2.
• Elemental Dragon Styles: There are five different Elemental Dragon styles, each of which has an independently chosen weapon (the bow for Wood Dragon Style, for example, or twin blades for Fire Dragon Style. Most of the Elemental Dragon Styles teach Forces 3 to a master, with two exceptions. Earth Dragon Style teaches Matter 3 instead, and Wood Dragon Style teaches Life 3. In any case, the practitioner needs Brawl or Melee 5 to master this style and a willingness to suffer long discomfort around quantities of their chosen element. There is a Sixth Dragon style, the False Dragon Style, taught by Asian members of Iteration X who wished to synchronize ancient martial knowledge with modern science. "Metal Dragon Style," as it is termed, is not a particularly enlightening martial arts style, but is a brutally effective martial arts style for augmented individuals.
  • Metal Dragon Style adds +(Enhancement) to the raw damage to unarmed attacks as a Forces 2 Blessing, and adds +(Enhancement/2) as soak against melee and unarmed weapons (and slow-moving projectiles like slings and bows) by taking blows on augmented parts of the user's anatomy. Although Iteration X generally dislikes martial artistry as a focus, Iterators can in fact use Metal Dragon Style as a focus.
• Violet Bier of Sorrows Style: A single sword-based martial arts style, the lessons of the Violet Bier are that fate and death are intertwined and that all things have an end. Mastering this style, which requires Melee 4 and Dexterity 3, gives the martial artist insights on the methods of fate and how it brings things to an end, teaching Entropy 2.

Elephant-and-Donkey Style: Demonstrating that the Li-Hai Akashic sect are often irreverent and that martial arts can be inspired by almost anything, Elephant-and-Donkey style is a martial arts style based upon the dysfunctional American political system, based on a combination of ponderous movements and dishonorable fighting. A character must have Manipulation 3 and Subterfuge 3 to master it, and by mastering it, they learn the truth behind the metaphor, the power to bend the wills of men, and gain Mind 2.

The Kunlun Mountains: Sometimes Grimoires take odd forms. Iteration X and the Virtual Adepts have made grimoires in the form of first-person shooters or software source code. The New World Order has grimoires that are high-intensity tactical training courses. Akashics learn spheres by mastering martial arts styles. And sometimes grimoires are places like the Kunlun Mountains. Associated with martial arts, Akashic legend says that climbing the peaks of these mountains brings one closer to the Akashic Records and the seat of heaven. A long training journey of meditation and fasting while climbing these mountains (requires Stamina 5, Endurance 5, Willpower 8) is a journey of spiritual enlightenment and transcendence. Completing the journey can teach 1 level of Arete (up to 5), Mind 4, and grants its supplicant cosmic wisdom, giving them a single Ability at 5 for no XP cost. This grimoire is in possession of the Technocracy and the journeys themselves must be done surreptitiously in the modern era.