(from Bodhi <rob@v-wave.com>)
As a Seraph, Foucault is dedicated to the Absolute Truth, which is best
exemplified in the Perfection that is God's Universe. The Rules which govern
the existence of God's creation not only helped to create it, but they form
the primary foundations by which all existence is governed. In any space-time
continuum, the principles which govern material existence are the cornerstone
which keeps God's Handiwork Straight and True.
Numbers are inter-related through a series of beautiful rules, the refinement
of which is principally governed by the field of Mathematics. The physical
representation of mathematics comes through the Applied fields of Geometry
and Physics. Thus, Foucault's word has Singular Manifestations (Great Numbers,
Defining numbers, such as Pi, Epsilon, The Universal Gravitational Constant),
the rules which govern numbers (mathematics, the ebb and flow of variable
relations, the beauty and symmetry of mathematical matrices), and physical
applications (the actual Physical Bond between rules of Physics and the
Universe they govern.)
Truth lies in the Laws which govern the universe. God, through Foucault's
perspective, is the Great Architect of the Universe. His Tracing Board is
the Universe. His Working Tools are the rules by which he has set this universe
to run (physical laws, mathematical laws, etc.), and his final product is
the clock-work universe that is running according to his plan.
Humans are variables: the most finicky and troublesome variables in God's
Equation. All things fit neatly into God's equation, but only God can keep
the complex and fantastic equation of the Universe in His Mind all at once.
While mortals grasp next to nothing of the Grand Equation, Celestials are
granted even more insight. Foucault governs those who recognize the Truth
of the Equation, and helps his servitors achieve understanding of God's
Equation, and also maintains their faith that the equation is valid. Diabolicals
are simply part of God's great scheme, but this scheme is so convoluted
and long-term that simple Celestials are not privy to its intricacies.
It's all part of the master plan, and Foucault wants to remind people of
that. Thus, architecture, engineering, and physics, are all the most beautiful
of Arts, because they reflect an underlying understanding of the Beauty
and Stability that are the Laws the Govern the Universe.
Foucault's servitors are not necessarily cold, but they are calculating.
They realize that, since there is a master equation which governs all of
existence, then every problem is solvable if one simply models the problem
correctly. They are the master thinkers, the great puzzlers, the ones who
see with clarity when all others are too clouded by details and red-herrings.
They are the greatest sleuths, the greatest investigators, and the most
level-headed of counsellors. Sherlock Holmes was probably a Soldier in service
to Foucault.
Foucault's servitors gain dissonance when they fail to recognize that everything is a solvable portion of God's Equation. Thus, when they find themselves incapable of explaining something away in a logical fashion, or find that their investigations have not led them to a final conclusion, they come to doubt the validity of God's equation, and generate dissonance. This means that a servitor of Foucault may investigate a problem for months, years, or centuries, unwilling to "let it drop", as this is the same as admitting that there is something unsolvable about the equation. If a character cannot come up with at least a reasonable explanation of something, or is "stumped" as to how something could come to be, and decides to cease inquiry (gives up, quits, admits defeat, etc.), they generate one point of dissonance. Their plausible answer need not be the correct answer, but they must always have a logical answer that fits the evidence at hand.
This makes it interesting when a servitor starts out a gaming session with a mystery, can't solve it, and is on the cusp of generating dissonance for the entire campaign until the very end, when he figures out the mystery and `proves' that everything is solvable. These guys are addicted to mysteries and puzzles, but their addiction is a dangerous one!!
Those `loose threads' at the end of a gaming campaign (eg. We know _who_ killed the president, but we never did find out _why_?) drive servitors of Foucault crazy. Everything needs to be tied up in a neat little package before they can move on. If they admit that some portion was "unsolvable", they generate dissonance.
Seraphim of Foucault have an affinity for the Truth in Physical Manifestations.
Thus, they always know where they are, Latitude and Longitude, how far away
they are from their home, etc. These guys don't get lost, as this is impossible
for anybody who understands the Truth with regards to their Physical Existence.
If a seraph is rendered unconscious, he awakens with an instantaneous knowledge
about the distance and direction to any personally known site, although
they probably won't know what building they are in.
Thus, for example, you would awaken in a darkened room with the knowledge
that you are 6424 m from your favourite bookstore, which lies 42 degrees
south-southwest of here, and that you are 47 metres above ground level...
but where the hell are you? You could always find your way back again, but
you must first figure out your present location.
Devoted to objects, places, and numbers, cherubs have a strange attunement for the numbers which will play an important part in the lives of their charges. On any successful perception roll, the cherub will be able to discern from the Symphony what number will become significant to their charge in the next span of time. A check digit of 1 indicates a short-term number of minimal importance, while a check digit of 6 indicates a very important number.
Thus, while having dinner with a brand new charge, the cherub makes a perception roll, and picks out from the Symphony that the number 42.56 will become important in the next little while (check digit of 1). The bill, which arrives 3 minutes later, is for $42.56.
Or, on a check digit of 6, the cherub is informed that the number 666 will become important to his charge, and that its influence will probably last for a goodly long while, indeed. The cherub should immediately seek some assistance, as things are probably going to get pretty hot over the next few months.
The same attunement can be used to attempt to discern number of conscious importance to a cherub's charge, but the perception check should be modified by the GM accordingly. Thus, if you wish to find out the PIN number on your charge's bank card, the GM may allow you to make a perception roll at -1, since this is a number that is probably of significance to the person on an almost daily basis. Discerning the subject's bank balance from the Symphony would be much more difficult.
Quantum physics reminds us that everything maintains multiple potential-realities until it interacts with the rest of the universe. Oranim know this inherently, and also utilize their special relationship with potential-realities to lessen their Impact on the symphony. By utilizing their potential existences on an ongoing basis, and simply switching from one potential to another, Ofanim of Foucault will dramatically lessen the Disturbance they make in the Symphony whenever they utilize Songs of Movement. Any song will generate disturbance for the Essence spent, but NONE for the actual song itself, as the essence spent simply brings into play a potential reality that the symphony harmonizes with. Thus, even "teleportation" creates very little disturbance for these Ofanim. Like a stream of electrons, they can pass through barriers by simply adjusting their `wave-length'. They create hardly any disturbance at all, because they know just how to slip through the cracks in Reality.
Elohim of Foucault are dedicated to the Objective Perfection of God's Universe, as evinced in the details of His handiwork. Some Elohim have been known to happily calculate the value of Epsilon for centuries, before being given another assignment. Thus, they are suckers for detail, and remember _everything_! The 62nd digit in Pi is always the same, and the length of a metre is _always_ 100 cm. They have photographic memories. They notice the most particular Details about everything they scrutinize, but they don't necessarily scrutinize Everything. Thus, if an Elohim wants to see if he noticed the license number of the car that was speeding away (everybody else was too _emotionally_involved_ to notice it... ), Roll a Perception check - difficulty is modified by GM discretion. If he succeeds, he recollects the precise detail he was looking for ("it was GRY 457... and it expired on April of `97"). If he fails, he never noticed that detail in the first place, or of course he'd remember it now!
This could be used, for example, to see if the Elohim remembers the ID number on the badge showed to him yesterday, or if he noticed how many bullets the enemy has fired from his clip ("I know what you're thinking... did he fire 5 shots, or 6... Ya' gotta ask yourself one thing... Do you feel lucky, punk?")
Dispassionate and Calculating, these Elohim are often compared to certain `Star Trek' characters. (especially when combined with the `lightning calculator' servitor attunement...)
When one calculates one's moves properly, the effect is always exemplary!
Thus, Malakim of Foucault may, if they choose, spend a round calculating
their next move, and double the normal benefits for aiming. Their inherent
understanding of the rules which govern physics as well as the rules which
govern human conflict, allow them to make calculations and plans (very quickly)
that give them a tactical advantage in combat. If given the time to plan
(same as for aiming...), they gain double the benefits that a normal individual
would gain. This can become quite extraordinary if enough time is taken.
For example, note that Malakim with a good grasp of physics and mathematics
may even be able to, with a few rounds to plan and aim, `bounce' a bullet
around a corner at just the right angle, and hit their target. However,
shooting the `bad guy' while looking at his reflection in a mirror, while
still a feat of Miraculous Marksmanship, is still considered a mite `showy'
for a stoic Malakite. ;-)
Consummate multi-taskers, Kyriotates recognize the essential need for good equation, programs, and instructions. By calling upon their inherent understanding of the rules which govern Reality, Kyriotates of Foucault will give lengthy instructions to their vessels, alleviating (to a minor extent) the constant care and attention that possession usually demands. Thus, they can possess a number of Hosts similar to another Kyriotate of greater forces than they are, by giving lengthy rules and instructions to be followed while they are `not here' for a microsecond. However, `stretching your limits' comes at a price. They suffer a -1 on all rolls for extra Force they are trying to emulate. Thus, if a Kyriotate with 9 forces attempts to control a number of vessels that he would normally require 12 forces to control, he can do so at a -3 penalty to all rolls made with these vessels.
For Mercurians who serve Foucault, even human relationships have rules which govern their interactions. Mercurians gain a deeper insight into the interactions of humans through their special knowledge of the way each human variable appears to interact with all other variables. By "modelling" the situation correctly, these Mercurians gain a sharper picture than other members of the choir. So long as the "model" is correct, their predictions are startlingly accurate.
In game terms, these Mercurians gain a +1 to their resonance chart. Thus, a roll of 3 becomes a 4, because the Mercurian's ability to "Model" the current problem correctly allows them to pull information out of the symphony that would escape the attention of one of their other brothers. HOWEVER, if the model is faulty (they roll a 1 for their check digit), then they make innacurate predictions. For this reason, the GM should re-roll the check-digit privately on any successful resonance roll (player and GM agree to simply ignore the original check digit rolled), and tell the player the information that is appropriate, but never let on whether this information has an increased accuracy (on a roll of 2-6), or is wildly innacurate (roll of 1).
Privileged servitors of Foucault are given the ability to run any mathematical calculation Instantly, and to make any fairly accurate measurement simply by `eyeballing'. They do NOT gain skills at mathematics or physics, but they do gain the ability to apply any knowledge they have in these areas INSTANTANEOUSLY. Thus, a servitor with modest skills (Math/2, Physics/2) would watch a speeding car pull away and know that they only have 2 minutes, 16 seconds before the car reaches the edge of the compound. A servitor with good skills (math/5, physics/5) would watch the president's head being shot off during a motorcade, instantly calculate the angle his head fell at ("back and to the left"), see the man beside the president also being shot, account for wind and the angle the bullet must have travelled at, and turn towards the grassy knoll because there just HAD to be a second shooter, coming from that angle!!! A servitor of excellent skills (math/6, physics/6) is just spooky...
Often, there are statistical anomolies that can be taken advantage of, but go unnoticed to the untrained observer. Thus, once per day, this attunement can be utilized to influence ONE die roll by up to TWO levels, up or down. This does NOT disturb the Symphony. It is undetectable, as it merely reflects the servitor's ability to take advantage of anomolous occurances in the Symphony that most mortals are unaware of. This could be used to adjust a target number down (to make it easier) or up (to make it harder), or to adjust the check digit by up to two levels.
Vassal of Erdudition are granted access to the truly Hidden Mysterious of Mathematics and Physics. Their Maximum possible skill in these levels is raised to Math/9 and Physics/9, although they will have to raise these skills in a normal fashion.
With added knowledge comes added responsibility. They are the watch-dogs of Reality, and keep abreast of the extent to which Mortals are actually unravveling the Mysteries of God's Equation. Thus, they often infiltrate human society, and befriend the most learned and ingenious mathematicians and physicists. Too much Knowledge could be a dangerous thing! It is their responsibility to keep tabs on exactly what humans know, and don't yet know, about God's Wonders.
Servitors with this distinction, at the cost of 9 essence, gain the ability to turn a small amount of matter directly to energy by taking advantage of their advanced knowledge about the true Nature of Reality. This energy, which usually takes the form of an explosion, is quite hazardous and dangerous, doing enough damage to destroy an average sized home (ground zero does about 100 points of damage). However, such an explosion sends a Ripple through the Symphony that can be heard for at least a 100 km radius. Mathematicians and Physicists were the first to discover the Atomic Bomb, and also the first to recognize the dangers that it represented. These servitors can, as an absolute last resort, unhinge the terrible destructive power harnassed in every atom, but they are loathe to do so! Utilizing this ability immediately gets the direct attention of Foucault, and unless his servitor has a bloody good reason for using it, or Foucault himself will see to it that the servitor is never put into a position to mis-use his knowledge again!!
Through their highly developed understanding of the working mechanisms of Reality, Masters of Destiny can hold many different models of Reality in their minds at the same time, and evaluate each one for its probable outcome. This gives them a form of Prescience, in which they put together information on an almost incommunicably complex level (think Paul Atreides of Dune... he could "see" the probable future when given enough data about the present.) Thus, Masters of Destiny, when they make a perception check, can make predictions about the future, if given enough information about a subject and time to study the issue.
For example, a Master of Destiny, when asked "will this new computer chip sell successfully?", would spend a few days researching the most recent developments in the field, and then put together ALL of the information they had to come up with the most accurate predictor model. On a successful perception check, the Master might reply "I think your project will work, but will probably be over-come by an even more radical design in a few years. You won't make much money."
Note: the Master can only make Predictor Models about areas that he has knowledge about. If you lack data with which to build your model, you lack the tools to make accurate predictions.
Chance of Invocation: 2
+1 - a sliderule or abacus (calculators are mass-produced, and have no Art)
+2 - a copy of Some Mathematical Constant (eg. Pi or Epsilon) hand-written to one thousand places.
+3 - personally hand-written solutions to all the geometric puzzles in Euclid's book of Problems
+4 - one kg of fissionable material
+5 - Some portion of the physical vessel of a great mathematician/physicist (Euclid's thigh-bone, the mummified finger of Sir Isaac Newton, a pint of Stephen Hawking's blood...)
+6 - A copy of Aristotle's Book of Numbers