Crafts (World of Darkness)

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In the Role-playing game Mage: The Ascension, the term Craft refers to a fictional society, particularly to an esoteric group not part of a formal alliance of like societies. Also known as Disparates, these groups count mages among their members, though most have members in the mundane human population as well. Each Craft is different, following its own rules, and Crafts vary in size enormously, from having only a few dozen members to have thousands (though as the size of the Craft increases, the proportion who are Awakened mages tends to decrease).

Contents 1 Crafts 1.1 Ahl-i-batin 1.2 Go Kamisori Gama 1.3 Hollow Ones 1.4 Lions of Zion 1.5 Sisters of Hippolyta 1.6 Sons of Tengri 1.7 Tai Hoi Li 1.8 Taftâni 1.9 Knights Templar 1.10 Ngoma 1.11 Solificati 1.12 Wu Lung 1.13 Bata'a 1.14 Kopa Loei 1.15 Hem-Ka Sobk

[edit] Crafts

These societies exist in the contemporary World of Darkness, though some are expected to fall or change during the so-called 'Time of Judgement.'

[edit] Ahl-i-batin

Known as the subtle ones, One of the nine original Traditions, the Ahl-i-batin are masters of spatial and informational magic, using ancient Arabic numerology, high mathematics, and Islamic ritual as their paradigm. Withdrawing from the Traditions without giving clear reason, but most likely due to technocratic encroachment forcing them to fight on a more local scale. They exist in the present but are well-concealed.

[edit] Go Kamisori Gama

This group is the modern evolution of the group known as the ninjas of feudal Japan. Having discarded the extreme physical conditioning, unusual weapons, and formal allegiance to the Emperor, they act as a group of socially invisible spies, assassins, and operatives who use a strictly minimalist magical paradigm.

[edit] Hollow Ones

Are now considered one of the Traditions, the Hollow Ones have no common magical paradigm, and are instead unified by the subculture they belong to. Thought to have evolved from groups of iconoclastic dilletants in the 1920s, they have embraced modern goth subcultures. Lacking a unifying philosophy, they have the ability to master any sphere of magic and or apprentice under any tradition.

[edit] Lions of Zion

A formal society of mages practicing Kabbalistic magic, these conservatives currently work on a local scale to protect the interests of Israel. Withdrawn and philosophical, the Lions have seen no formal restructuring to their hierarchy in centuries, despite the historical recency of Israel's formation as a country.

[edit] Sisters of Hippolyta

This extended family is an all-female society of peaceful mages who do not take part in the large-scale politics of many Crafts, Traditions, or Conventions. Practicing a tradition of magic dating back to the Amazons, the Sisters keep to themselves, leaving their enclaves to lend their support to women's groups.

[edit] Sons of Tengri

This group maintains the traditional practices of the ancient Mongols and venerate Tengri as the highest of all deities, identifying him as the true identity of the God of monotheistic religions. Based in Mongolia, the Sons work to keep their faith alive in western China and other regions once beloning to the Mongol Empire.

[edit] Tai Hoi Li

This mysterious group makes its home in the hundreds of miles of tunnel below urban Vietnam that were dug during French colonialism and the Vietnam War. Made up almost exclusively of the abject poor, this Craft seems to have no formal hierarchy or clear ambitions, and may be a cult of personality for its unnamed leader.

[edit] Taftâni

The 'Weavers of Wonder,' the Taftâni are the heirs to the ancient magical traditions of Persia and the Middle East. Masters of summoning and binding djinn through the Code of Suleiman, the Taftâni reject Islam in favor of Zoroastrianism and ancient pagan faiths. This puts them at odds with their former allies, the Ahl-i-Batin, and other Mages in the region. They favor highly vulgar magic drawn from the Thousand and One Nights, like hurling fireballs, elaborate curses, flying carpets, cloud castles and djinn slaves bound into lamps or rings. Because of this, by modern times they are forced into the most remote deserts of Afghanistan and the Rub' al-Khali where the Technocracy's Paradigm is weak.

[edit] Knights Templar

Once part of the Cabal of Pure Thought, the Templars of the World of Darkness were founding members of the original Order of Reason but were later cast out over increasing friction over the role of religion in natural philosophy, the nascent Technocratic ideal of pure science. Existing as a radical splinter group for hundreds of years, the Templars have, under considerable pressure, joined the Celestial Chorus, their former enemies.

[edit] Ngoma

A cautionary tale of hubris and its cost, this society of bureaucratic mages from the plains of Zimbabwe was a potential member of the Traditions during its original formation in the 15th century, but was refused because of its unwillingness to be grouped into a single Tradition with another society. Despite being sophisticated magi, the group did not survive the wholesale pillage of their populations by Europeans in the 16th century, and no longer exist. Its last remains joined Hermetic House Ex Miscellanea in 2001.

[edit] Solificati

Perhaps the least trusted of any Craft, the Solificati have the dubious legacy of having been founding members of both the Order of Reason and the Council of Nine and having been later exiled from both groups.

From 1466 to 1470, The First Cabal (containing the Mages the started the Traditions) travelled around the world trying to get other mages to unite under the Council. This journey ended when Heylel Teomim, the Solificati representative, betrayed the traditions by selling information about the cabal to the Order of Reason. Later, His supporters would claim that he was trying to help unite the Traditions by forcing them to go through hardship together. He was captured, tried, and sentenced to Gilgul (the process of ripping a Mage's avatar, thus making him unable to perform magical feats). The Solificati withdrew from the Traditions and fled. (cited: Mage: Storyteller's Companion, p. 12)

Fascinated with alchemy, the Children of Knowledge (as they have also been called) dabbled extensively in consciousness-expanding drugs in the late 20th century. Recently, they have uncomfortably rejoined the Traditions as House Solificati of the Order of Hermes.

Many Solificati are still trying to clear Heylel's name, but the Traditions, especially the Hermetics are watching for any signs of a so-called "Heylel Syndrome."

[edit] Wu Lung

Once the undisputed masters of the supernatural in ancient China, the "dragon wizards" have seen their dominance of the eastern half of China diminish tremendously under the predations of communist atheism, the inadvertent adoption of the Five Elemental Dragons (most notably the Zi Guang) into the Technocracy and by the consolidation of their former rivals, the Akashic Brotherhood. Now uneasily unified under the banner of keeping China's spiritual heritage alive, the Wu Lung have joined the Akashic Brotherhood as a sub-faction (some mages of the Craft were reluctant to join their former adversaries and joined Order of Hermes instead, forming Minor House Hong Lei). Despite this, they have shared little of their esoteric knowledge, keeping to themselves.

[edit] Bata'a

Practitioners of voodoo, Santeria, and other related religions, this strong affiliation of mages, hedge mages, faith healers, and worshippers is the largest society of magic users to never have entered a formal alliance. Powerful in New Orleans, the Caribbean, and West Africa, they maintain an active front in support of their neighborhoods, traditions, and culture.

In Revised Edition of Mage, Bata’a were subsumed into the Dreamspeakers tradition.

[edit] Kopa Loei

Made up of various kahunas and shamans across the Pacific Ocean, this loose alliance of mages keep the traditional religions of the Pacific Islands alive while working behind the scenes to support their communities. This particularly adaptive group focuses on retaining culture while simultaneously accepting new improvements in quality of life, adapting to the modern day.

In Revised Edition of Mage, Kopa Loei were also subsumed into the Dreamspeakers tradition.

[edit] Hem-Ka Sobk

Worshippers of the Egyptian god Sobek, this craft exists in the poorest places in Egypt. Practicing their religion with possibly delusional fervor, they are insular, xenophobic, and often violent in their approach to others, living a lifestyle that has not changed in hundreds of years.

In Revised Edition of Mage, Hem-Ka Sobk craft was destroyed by unknown, possibly demonic, force.