ANDERS MAGE PAGE 2.0

Although the planning of Bellerophon Tower was performed by the Olympian Circle, they were forced to rely on another Etherite Cabal, the Society of the Xenologic, for the Quintessence necessary to complete the Realm. There has been tension between the two groups, the Olympians seeing the Society as pushy interlopers and the Society resenting this attitude deeply but, under the leadership of Dr. Otto Lichtenstein, the Cabals work together excellently.

The Olympian Circle

Several years ago, a German-American physicist named Dr. Otto Lichtenstein realized the ideal method of fulfilling his Grand Plan to defeat the Technocracy, save the world and bring about the first true Utopia in human history. All that was needed was a way to ease the pressure of population on limited resources, while providing a showcase for the best aspects of Science. All that was needed was the terraforming of Mars.

Lichtenstein swiftly assembled a crowd of fellow dreamers and invested them with his vision of bringing humanity to Olympus Mons. Unfortunately, without a decent supply of Tass to work with, the best the Olympian Circle could do was theorize. It wasn't until Lichtenstein located another Etherite Cabal, one with possession of an adequately sized Node and a huge supply of Tass, that Bellerophon Tower at last became possible.

The Circle is stretched thin trying to achieve the goal for which it was founded. Currently, it concentrates mostly on developing methods of turning desert to arable land, and on methods of reaching the Red Planet. They are aware that this barely even counts as practice for Awakening an entire planet, but are unwilling to dwell upon it.

Doctor Otto Lichtenstein, Sons of Ether

Essence: Questing
Nature: Architect
Demeanor: Visionary
Spheres: Corr. 1, Forces 2, Matter 4, Prime 4, Spirit 5

Dr. Lichtenstein is, of course, the heart and soul of the Olympian Circle and Bellerophon Tower itself. Although unremarkable in appearance and distant in personal relationships, he is a magnificent orator and it is difficult not to be swayed by his dreams. His Utopian ideals and Progressivist principles are infectious. Currently, the only Bellerophonian not to think of the Sons of Ether as "Etheric Scientists" is Professor Niles Greene. Ironically, Lichtenstein doesn't really expect the Martian project to succeed. To him, Bellerophon Tower is simply a means to an end, that end being the construction of a force which can stand against the Technocracy. He also hopes that the project may create new techniques for the use of Science. Currently, Lichtenstein's main project is developing a method of constructing "ley lines" (conduits of magneto-etheric energy) through the Deep Umbra.

Professor Niles Greene, Sons of Ether

Essence: Dynamic
Nature: Loner
Demeanor: Curmudgeon
Spheres: Corr. 1, Entropy 1, Forces 4, Matter 1, Prime 2

Niles Greene is the single least-liked resident of Bellerophon Tower. He is ill-tempered, sexist, obnoxiously nationalistic (he is English and can find fault with every other nation, including Scotland and Wales) and generally rude. However, one has to draw the line at calling him immature, for Niles Greene is fifteen years old. He is the newest member of the Olympian Circle, having joined them just before the Realm was completed, and feels that he is being unfairly discriminated against due to his dual lack of seniority. Should the Circle start to come apart, it will start with Niles. Right now, Niles' main project is building a way of powering the entire Red Planet, preferably through Tesla-esque wireless transmission.

Professor Etienne Deveraux, Sons of Ether

Essence: Dynamic
Nature: Avant-Garde
Demeanor: Caregiver
Spheres: Entropy 2, Matter 1, Mind 4, Prime 2, Spirit 2

This Quebecois metaphysicist was known in Etheric circles for his work on psychically attracting Native American spirit forms when Lichtenstein approached him. Professor Deveraux spent much time regretting his decision to abandon the rich research opportunities of Earth. Then the Society of the Xenologic arrived and the Professor knew he had an unimaginable advantage over his Earthbound colleagues. Contact with the alien biocomputer is beginning to take its toll on Deveraux, and his normally cheerful demeanor has become infected with an indefinable strangeness. Professor Deveraux's main task is the prediction of the psychological and sociological effects of colonization.

Doctor Mao Shih, Sons of Ether

Essence: Questing
Nature: Deviant
Demeanor: Conformist
Spheres: Forces 2, Life 5, Matter 2, Mind 1, Prime 3

Dr. Mao Shih was a prominent Beijing physician until she became obsessed with what she called "electrodirection of biological processes." Using a combination of acupuncture and electroshock therapy, she developed entire new realms of medicine. Fortunately, an Akashic Brother named Chao Li (see below) was able to save her from the Technocracy when her experiments became too obvious and too bloody. Even Chao Li is unaware of the extent of Mao's madness, seeing only the submissive front she puts forward. Dr. Shih's main task is developing the new forms of life necessary to terraform Mars.

Chao Li, Akashic Brother

Essence: Questing
Nature: Visionary
Demeanor: Judge
Spheres: Corr. 3, Forces 1, Mind 2, Prime 1, Spirit 3

Chao Li sometimes jokes that he's simply the bodyguard of the Olympian Circle. In reality, the sober martial artist is as important as Dr. Lichtenstein in keeping the Chantry together. He is at once the anchor of stability which keeps the Scientists from becoming lost in esoteric theory, and the inspiring force which moves the Laboratory to blaze new paths. Chao Li is also extremely good at finding ways to justify Science through quantum physics. Unfortunately, he has begun to neglect the Circle of late, concentrating instead on hunting down Icarus (see below). He fears that the winged man might have some connection to his old friend Mao, but does not wish to speak until he has some form of proof.

Jane "B-Loop" McIntyre, Virtual Adept

Essence: Dynamic
Nature: Conformist
Demeanor: Rebel
Spheres: Corr. 2, Forces 2, Mind 1, Prime 1, Time 3

"B-Loop" was originally hired by Lichtenstein to give the Realm computer access. She has since proven her worth repeatedly, such as by developing "prophecy programs" capable of limited prescience. Despite the fact that she seems willing to expound on her beliefs on any subject, the young Cyberpunk refuses to explain a great deal of things. None of her Chantrymates know what her childhood in Phoenix was like, or how she received her name. B-Loop becomes oddly quiet and restrained when dealing with Lichtenstein.

The Society of the Xenologic

In 1938, the year some claim to have hosted the unsuccessful Ka Luon invasion, a Son of Ether named Harold Munnell captured from unidentified beings a large store of Tass and a strange artifact. He dubbed this artifact, apparently a biological computer, "the Xenologic" and assembled a Cabal to study it. Unfortunately, the Xenologic was not only too incomprehensible to be understood without years of work, but was so delicate that it inexorably degenerated from exposure to influences found on and near Earth. The Society relocated the artifact to Victoria Station (see pg. 128 in Book of Worlds), preserved it in a Temporal Nullification Field and devoted their energies to comparing what little information they had obtained from it with the topography of the Deep Umbra.

As the decades passed, the original intent of the Society faded and they became little more than yet another group of Ethernauts. When the Cabal was ejected from Victoria Station due to interpersonal problems, it seemed that the Society of the Xenologic was doomed. Then Dr. Lichtenstein approached their young Captain with an offer of partnership and the decaying Cabal experienced a resurgence. The Xenologicians have devoted themselves to the Olympian Quest and have even begun to remove the Xenologic from stasis for short periods in order to study it.

The Society has a medium-sized ethership, originally named Lady X, which has been renamed the Pegasus in keeping with the mythological imagery of the Tower. The Pegasus now spends much of its time docked near the Tower but is still taken out for long voyages every month or two.

Captain Elizabeth Norton, Sons of Ether

Essence: Dynamic
Nature: Martyr
Demeanor: Director
Spheres: Forces 3, Matter 2, Mind 2, Prime 2, Spirit 4

Captain Norton inherited Lady X from Munnell when he died at the hands of a Void Engineer barabbi. She thought of the Cabal's founder as a sort of substitute father and has never truly recovered from his death. Despite her disciplinarian air, Norton is confused and insecure, and blames herself (wrongfully) for her Cabal's eviction from Victoria Station. Partially because of this guilt she will not, under any circumstances, allow anything bad to happen to her crew. She is beginning to gain faith in herself now that she has secured a place for the Society of the Xenologic in a Laboratory.

Professor Gordon Laws, Sons of Ether

Essence: Questing
Nature: Fanatic
Demeanor: Loner
Spheres: Corr. 4, Matter 2, Prime 2, Spirit 3

No one but Captain Norton knows of the fire that burns beneath Gordon Laws' mask of sullen detachment. Laws is obsessed with destroying the Technocracy, starting with the hated Void Engineers. Norton sees Laws as a potential danger to both the Society of the Xenologic and to Bellerophon Tower itself but has weighed this risk against Laws' utility as a navigator. The Professor has twice saved the Pegasus by simply teleporting it out of Void Engineer ambushes. Laws plans to learn enough about Prime to create a Device capable of doing this on a regular basis.

Sascha Koscovich, Sons of Ether

Essence: Dynamic
Nature: Visionary
Demeanor: Bon Vivant
Spheres: Forces 2, Matter 3, Mind 2, Prime 1, Spirit 2

Had an Ecstatic Cultist named Ignatius (see below) not arrived at his favorite club fifteen minutes late, Sascha Koscovich's life would have gone very differently indeed. As it is, Koscovich became so involved in a discussion about science and the true nature of reality that she completely forgot about her date with the famous local singer. Koscovich's conversation partner, a Son of Ether, Awakened her that night. By morning, the energetic young woman had begun to develop theories which conflicted with her Mentor's. This trend still continues. Sascha departs from standard Etheric tradition by concentrating on light and color rather than electricity. Her pet projects range from aura photography to altering moods through color to attracting spirits by "resonant polydimensional spectrography." She usually has at least one temporary Paradox Flaw related to this, such as a polychromatic aura or bright violet hair and nails. She still spends much of her time with Ignatius, and Niles Greene accuses her of acting like a Cultist.

Ignatius, Cult of Ecstasy

Essence: Primordial
Nature: Caregiver
Demeanor: Bon Vivant
Spheres: Life 4, Mind 2, Prime 2, Spirit 1, Time 2

Ignatius is in the habit of letting reality take him where it will. When he met the guitarist of the newly-leaderless "razorfunk" group Surrealistic Nacho, he let himself drift into the role of the new lead singer. When he met a near-Awakened girl after a gig, he let her talk him into a date, where he would begin her apprenticeship. When he arrived fifteen minutes late and found that she had moved on to another Destiny, he let her go. And when his Avatar appeared to him in the form of a golden unicorn and told him that his Destiny lay with hers, beyond the reach of the living Earth, he let it run his life. Ignatius is basically along for the ride — but oh, what a ride!