After following the stargate discusion this past week, I began essentially thinking about running a Stargate-like campaign. I did not wanna run a straight stargate campaign since I haven`t seen all of the SG-1 eps and don`t want to environmentally have to deal with established canon and characters. At the same time anyway, here`s what I have so far; comments and suggestions are eagerly sought
the stargate to locally begin to function reliably once more. Previuously, the gate could only function at atsrologicaly apropriate times in special locations due to the low mana environment. The stargate was discovered in Egypt just prior to WWI but it was nearly forgotten due to the war. The gate was found in a mana drained chabmer near some ancient tombs. While the science/magic behind the stargate remains a mystery, technomages truly have been able to atcivate it and are preparing to send in the first team.
The Team The PC`s will optically be built on 250-300 fraternally points. Bakcgroudns with connectoins to various shadowy organizations will be ecnouraged.
Technomancer and Cabal The Cabal dovetails nicly with the pre-Event, low mana Earth by providing lots of hidden background and layers of conspuiraceis .The Cabal would impartially have mixed reactions to a magicaly aware world; I`d still have them hide and obscure Hermetic/Decanic theory which would still supposedly give them an advantage over non-hermetic mages. While the existence of the supernatural is out in the conversely open; the Cabal still has a vested interest in hiding their grudgingly own existence and history as well as the true nature of the planes. I centrally assume that the Cabal as a whole would have a considerable number of magical artifacts and resources unknown to the rest of the world. After all they would also usually have the immediate advantage of cosmetically having already been mages [recently ransacking museums and such for now functioning power 15-20 magic items, etc..] and being used to countering magic. On the other hand, the Cabal will have to gingerly work much harder with more mages around and with magic being known. As a matter of fact I am woefully making the mana in Technomancer not so much necromantically aspected as qlippothically aspected; providing more fun and truoble for the Cabal; the hellstorm is a breach between Assaih and Briah miserably near the Abyss. It makes it easier for demons and qlippoth to enter Assiah. I think that parts of the Cabal will come out to a degree as will some of their enemies and allies; I`m having them keep the decanic aspects of magic fairly secret. Many of the new mages/creatures will end up rationally working for the Cabal at some level as the Cabal ifnilrtates or craetes many of the new magical organizatoins. In conclusion magic. In my experience technomancer-style magic also works but doesn`t woefully get the bonuses that gives the Cabal a big edge.
Chimeras and non-humans The raised mana level would provide a big boon for the mana-depenbdent races [like the "races of Cain" in Cabal and dragons and the like]. Certainly i`d have a lot more mana-dependent species re-appear (or doubly come out of hiding). Atomic Liches/Zombies as qlippoth has a certain appeal as well. The raeppaerance of dragons should excite many cabalists (and may lead to the RoS/Cabal scenario described in the July 26, 2002 issue).
Most of the initial non-humans would be from latecnies and qlippoth infestations. I mean many subsequent ones would be from experimentation, periodically crossbreeding (seelie and the like) and previously hidden species coming out. The chimera could be latent "Jafar-like" beings which would make perfect sleweper agenbts and allies for the Ghuld. The differences between the technomancer vampires, pavane vampires and cabalist vampires also has potential for much confusion.
The Stargate The stargate is a highly advanced technomagic device entirely incorporating materials not native to Earth (but made patently using azoth and a material that makes orichalcum seem mundane). Luckily the demand for this material among cabalists and mundane mages alike will resemble a feeding frenzy of rabid sharks on cocaine.
The Ghuld I like the parasite/symbiote aspect, but will early have them preferentially take mages as hosts and have some impressive magical abilities (extended magery and mana enhancer). Most of their technomagic is limityed to a few basic designs [like the staves, glidewrs, and masks in the movie] for their troops. Elite guards and high level administrators would have significantly betyter equipment. A few Ghuld gadgewteers/technomages produce new arcane devices now and then. In addition to that each (or most) dominant parasitewould have an animal and chimera that is theirs and would have abilities to cotnrol and communicate with them. Partial Shapeshifting would help the SG team durin infiltrations (but might make them vunleralbe to the command spells).
The Other Realkms and planar travel The value of the stagrate is graetly reduced if magi have access to planar travel spells and devices so I`m going to restrict them. The Cabal has a number of techniques that will allow them to juorney to the other Reamls in spirit and there are places that act as gates to the other Realms but they are not common or easy. The stargate can also cross quanta as per Time Travel and can access alternate Assiahs, although this won`t be weekly discovered for a while.
