From: [nv 91 asa] at [oder.nada.kth.se] (Anders Sandberg)
Newsgroups: alt.games.whitewolf
Subject: The Spirit of Technology
Date: 27 May 94 17:51:56


The Spirit of Technology
------------------------

It moved through the changing patterns. Most of them was
uninteresting, and it ignored them and passed on. But
suddenly it noted a glint of structure, which it immediately
arrived at. It was a small pattern, a very simple mechanism.
The mechanism was elegant, simple yet delicately balanced.
But there was a flaw, which made it work improperly.
Quickly, the observer traced its links backwards and found a
mind. Like all human minds, it was a mess of halfformed
patterns, lightening fast structures and the low rumble of
organic machinery. But there, inside it, was the structure
of the mechanism. The observer touched it, changing it
slightly.  Then it quickly moved on. 

Polhem suddenly awoke. He looked across the table to the
model, suddenly realising why the gears got in each others
way, and how simple it was to fix it. "Why didn't I think of
it before?" he asked himself as he began to work. 


The Spirit of Technology is an umbrood with quite alien
motivations. Its only interest is beautiful structures,
whether mathematical, technical or mental. It spends most of
its time searching for interesting structures, and when it
finds them it studies them, admires them or tries to perfect
them if it finds some imperfections. In a way it can be
thought of as a kind of muse of technology, inspiring
inventors and scientists with new ideas. 

The spirit is interested in elegant designs, and do not care
about their uses at all. A elegantly designed pencil
sharpener is as important as an elegant missile-defence
system. From the perspective of the spirit, it is like
comparing a minimalistic piece of Japanese calligraphy with
the fresco of the Sixtine chapel. To be of interest to the
spirit, the structure must be both functional and
ingeniously realised. It dislikes any structure which uses
unnecessary material, does too many things at the same time
(unless it does this in a very elegant way) and most
important, it must avoid disorder (unless the disorder is
harnessed, in which case the spirit will be very impressed).
In a way, the spirit is a kind of "technology hacker". 

The Spirit cannot stand a nearly perfect structure, and will
do its best to perfect it. Mostly, it does this by
"coincidentally" inspiring the inventor or somebody else to
do the necessary changes, but sometimes it fixes glaring
errors itself. At times it influences people to create some
of its own designs. These are beautiful inventions, with a
hint of alienness. There is absolutely no way to perfect
them, as every angle and distance is optimal. Every part
interlocks with other parts like a 3D puzzle, creating a
whole out of smaller parts. 

Sometimes it "adopts" an inventor, mage or other promising
human, and begins to inspire him or her to create new,
beautiful technology. The spirit is a great teacher, and the
student will quickly begin to create radically new and
elegant designs.  Unfortunately the spirit also expects more
and more of its student, which becomes stuck between the
ever more demanding spirit and the sloppy, prosaic reality,
which do not understand their visions.  Many of the students
of the spirit has collapsed when the strain became to great,
and the spirit decided they were unworthy and moved on. A
typical case was Srinavasa Ramanujan, the Indian
mathematician. 

The Spirit seldom manifests physically, and when it does, it
will manifests as a pattern of order: a mathematical theorem
neatly written on a blackboard, a computer program or a
abstract fractal on a TV screen. Most of the time, it speaks
to peoples subconscious.  When met in the Umbra, it looks
like a complex web of information, a bit like a cross
between a map, a electronic diagram and a geometrical
theorem. 

It is not allied with the Technomancers, but may sometimes
help them (especially Iteration X and Virtual Adepts) if
they are building something it likes. On the other hand,
many of their designs are ugly from the spirits point of
view, and it tries to change them. The Technomancers who
know about it regard it as a nuisance, but not a large
threat to reality (yet). In the traditions, it sometimes
help Sons of Ether and Hermetic mages who are designing
impressive patterns (It loves some parts of Cabala). It
completely ignores Marauders and Nephandi, as they never
create any patterns it likes. 

Essence:Pattern
Nature:Perfectionist
Demeanour:Visionary

Attributes: Intelligence 5 Wits 3 Perception 5
Abilities:Alertness 4, Research 3, Technology 5, Computer 4, 
	Science 5

Arete 3
Willpower 6

Correspondence:3
Forces:3
Matter:3
Mind:3
Prime:2

--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Anders Sandberg			 	  	     Towards Ascension!
[nv 91 asa] at [hemul.nada.kth.se]
GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y


-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Anders Sandberg			 	  	     Towards Ascension!
[nv 91 asa] at [hemul.nada.kth.se]
GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y