Sons of Ether

*Onwards and upwards -- All or none!*

The only thing holding humanity back from achieving its yearned-for Utopia is the smallness of its imagination. So long as individuals allow society and its rulers to dictate the size and extent of their dreams, mundane boredom and all its attendant suffering shall persist. Even the magickal imaginations of most of the Nine Traditions are hampered by what was allowed them in times past by the Powers That Be, whether those powers were shamans, pharaohs, or priests. Only the future is free of these chains, unset and as yet undreamt of. Only the truly bold can make the future real in the present, and the Etherites are nothing if not bold!

A society of radical technomantic dreamers, the original Sons of Ether proved unfit for the confined and suffocating paradigm of the Technocracy. Although they adopted their current name at the turn of the 20th century, these Enlightened Scientists are both sons and daughters of their rallying theory: that of Ether, that subtle substance that lies behind the guise of all phenomena in the universe. Long criticized as a boys’ club due to its early Victorian customs, the Etherites have progressed over the years. Although hardliners still insist upon propriety, the term Society of Ether has largely replaced the shopworn masculinity of the group’s original name.

The Etherites trace their lineage back to ancient Troy, although few outside the Tradition accept this claim. Their foundation of natural philosophy was reputedly established among the pre-Socratic thinkers of Greece and the Mediterranean, recorded in a book titled (by its Islamic translators) the Kitab-alAlacir, or Book of Ether. As the first Inspired (that is, Awakened) attempt at a systemic natural philosophy, the Kitab is revered by Etherites, many of whom Awakened when reading it.

From a loose intellectual tradition practiced by disparate individuals, the group finally gained a societal foundation with the establishment of Hermetic House Golo in Medieval Italy. This eventually became the Natural Philosophers Guild, and then, in the Victorian Era, the Electrodyne Engineers, whose fascination with the novel power of electricity promised to liberate the common man from physical and metaphysical darkness. Such idealism remains the heart of this Tradition. The Technocracy could not crush it. World wars could not purge it. Neither skepticism nor failure nor claims that Etherites are all mad and reckless can prevent these luminaries from bringing their magnificent Science to the world.

Yes, by the standards of most people (even those lunatics with whom they share company), most Etherites are eccentric. Bizarre. Perhaps even mad. But such madness is the flare of a nova encased by an all too human shell. In a world determined to be small, the Society of Ether breeds heroes. If those heroes demolish labs, companions, even… um, cities… upon occasion, such casualties are the cost of true Enlightenment. And the world is improved thereby. Is not the current age proof of this? Flying machines! Recording technology! People no longer die by the thousands from plagues or starvation! (Well, perhaps except in those lands without much Science… a pity, that.) And so, despite its costs and obstacles, the Sons and Daughters of Ether remain dedicated to the advancement of wondrous Science!

In the 21st century, this Tradition has come into its own. The influence of science fiction – especially its Etherian offshoot, steampunk – in popular culture allows them to stand proudly at the forefront of human endeavors. Among all Traditions, only the Virtual Adepts (and sometimes the Akashayana) enjoy similar allowances from Paradox. Modern reality favors this weird Science, and although Etherites occasionally overreach themselves and suffer the Paradox Effect anyway, the Society of Ether manages to get away with… well, “murder” is such an ugly term. Let us say, instead, magnificence.

As far as their fellow Traditions are concerned, most Etherites seem like selfish egotists, pushing paradigms wherein individuals can excel while leaving the Masses behind. The Etherites, however, strive to give the benefits of Awakened Science to everyone. “All, or none!” is their creed. As a result, they strive for recognition – not only from their Enlightened peers but from the Masses most of all. Such acceptance, they know, reflects the striving human spirit – a spirit that looks toward Tomorrow and the many marvelous Things to Come.

## Organization

Etherites, despite their boisterous talk about society, are often fractious and competitive. Fellowship exists as an avenue for seeking praise; criticism merely prods you to go back to the lab and do better next time. Although many Etherites bury themselves in research for weeks on end with very little companionship, they eventually seek the company of their peers, no matter how obsessive their work becomes.

## Factions and Societies

* The Royal Ethernautical Society (or Ethernauts)
* Cybernetic Research Institute (or Cybernauts)
* The Utopian League (or Utopians)
* Adventurers
* Dissidents (or Mad Scientists)
* Progressivists

## Initiation

Prospective Etherites tend to be selected by true Scientists, based on some sign or evidence of latent genius. These prospective initiates receive a test designed to force them to confront the implications of their ideas. Most often, the would-be Scientist is left to discover a copy of the Kitab-al-Alacir, whose concepts often serve to Awaken the spark of bigger, brighter accomplishments to come.

## Focus

Science! Or, more accurately, an imaginative grasp of natural principles channeled through established physical and energetic technologies. Earthier than their Virtual Adept colleagues, these technomancers prefer to employ Science that can be seen, held, demonstrated, and confirmed even by the eyes of fools. To that end, Etherite Science is showy, romantic, and gracefully futuristic, even if that future looks more like classic science fiction than like mundane science fact.

As a practice, an Etherite may use anything that seems to work. Most Scientists, however, favor gloriously esoteric variations on alchemy, craftwork, cybernetics, hypertech, reality hacking, and, of course, weird science. Paradigms focus largely around concepts like A Mechanistic Cosmos, Everything is Data, Might is Right, and Everything’s an Illusion, but they usually boil down to Tech Holds All the Answers.

## Glossary

* **Aretus:** “The Virtuous,” legendary sage and reputed author of the Kitab al-Alacir. Thought to be an allegorical or mythic character by some.
* **Chair:** An Etherite Master, so called because of a semi-official position that she would normally occupy. Some specific Chairs have their own titles, responsibilities and requirements for eligibility.
* **Doctor:** All Sons of Ether can claim the title of “Doctor,” either from pre-existing credentials or thanks to completing an Etherite apprenticeship (which is, of course, equivalent, if not superior, to any mundane education). Etherites who earn the title only from the Tradition are sometimes frowned upon by those who earned ordinary credentials first.
* **Electrodyne Engineers:** Name of the Sons of Ether during the 19th century when they re-established their identity as a distinct organization.
* **Emeritus:** An Archmage.
* **Ether:** The “Fifth Essence” of reality upon which the rest of the cosmos is founded. Ultimately, Ether is fundamental and imperceptible, but offshoots (“lesser Ethers”) such as Quintessence can be measured.
* **Etherite:** Informal, popular term for a member of the Sons of Ether. Favored by Scientists who would like to divest themselves of the sexist connotations of the Tradition’s proper name
* **Fortean:** Unusual phenomena for which there is evidence but no known cause, such as rains of frogs or psychic phenomena. Used by the Sons of Ether to uncover hidden natural laws and to prove the Parmenidean doctrine.
* **Heraclitan:** Theories in the Kitab al-Alacir similar to those proposed by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. Heraclitan doctrine holds that reality is in constant flux as opposing metaphysical forces destroy each other and recombine into new phenomena.
* **House Golo:** Medieval branch of the Hermetic House Ex Miscellanea devoted to studying the Kitab al-Alacir. Precursors to the modern Sons of Ether.
* **Kitab al-Alacir:** “Book of the Ether.” Arabic name of a Greek text that espouses theories about the Ether, human knowledge and the nature of reality. The book contains the central theories of Ether Science, but there are many divergent interpretations. This Primer Grimoire is loaned to virtually all budding Scientists and is known to spark Awakenings.
* **Parmenidean:** Theories in the Kitab al-Alacir similar to those of Parmenides, a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher. Parmenidean physics holds that the cosmos is a continuous entity, without any void. This cosmos holds every phenomena, both “real” and “unreal.” Therefore, some common medium must exist to support reality without emptiness (the Ether), and laws that assert that something is impossible must be categorically false. The Parmenideans (or Pupils of Parmenides) formed both a Greek cult and Renaissance society, both of which might have ties to the modern Sons of Ether.
* **Professor:** An Adept-ranked Scientist capable of supervising a lab and directing Researchers in the field.
* **Reductionism:** Scientific and philosophical tenet that holds that all possible phenomena can be reduced to a set of consistent, explainable mechanisms. Rejected by the Sons of Ether on the basis that phenomena are infinite, dynamic and possessed of simultaneous rational explanations.
* **Researcher:** An Ether Scientist capable of independent field research but not the supervision of other Scientists. In Tradition terms, roughly equal to a Disciple.
* **Science:** When capitalized, Science refers to Etherite Awakened inventions, research and theories, as opposed to Sleeper or Technocratic science. Also called Awakened Science, Ether Science or Dynamic Science.
* **Scientist:** A general term of an Etherite of any rank. Usually capitalized.
* **Specialist:** A Scientist who uses a narrow range of linear Effects; what mystics call a sorcerer or psychic.