Bureau of Magitek

The Technocracy

The **Bureau of Magitek**, originally known as Briggs-Meier Technologies, and with the oldest of members referring to themselves as the Technocracy, is a secret agency of magi affiliated with the United States government. Originally a break-away movement from the Arcane Order and was considered a radical faction, the founders of the Bureau followed the belief that the only way to defeat the Decay of magic is to have it adapt and evolve to fit the consensus of science and technology that humanity has started to follow. By becoming one of the United States' first tech companies, the Bureau has amassed both wealth and influence, to the point where they also became the first mage-agency in the country. In the present, they serve as a major player in North American mage-politics and continue to amass wealth as one of the main industrial powerhouses of the United States. Their continued goal of blending magic with tech to the point where Sleepers could no longer distinguish between the two has kept them at odds with the more traditional organizations, such as the Arcane Order, as well as the Martyrdom due to what is deemed "reckless normalization" of magic for Sleepers.

## History

The Bureau started of as a faction of magi from various Covenants in the Grand Order that was heavily scrutinized by their more traditional peers. They believed that the Order has been following a wrong path in the combat of Decay, and that in order to stop it, magic should evolve to fit the new consensus of reality in the world by blending in the scientific and technological with the old arcane practices. This immediately put them at odds with the many staunch traditionalists. After persecution and violence erupted, the faction left the Order permanently and escaped to the Americas by the early 1800s. Using connections they had with elites in Europe, the Briggs-Meier Technologies Company was created, after the two leading members of the breakaway faction. They would later call themselves the Technocracy. The company started off with artificers creating magical items and tools machines disguised to look as factory tools and machinery that increased the efficiency of flour milling through automation. This resulted in the Technocracy slowly but surely gaining profit and influence as the Industrial revolution arrived in the United States. Their wealth and status in the country soon allowed for them to accommodate more magi into their ranks, making them members of the "company", and by the dawn of the 20th century, they've become synonymous with American industrial engineering, all while not revealing that their technology has been using hints of magic. As soon as the United States Government expressed a need for their own magical agencies after a series of conflicts and disagreements with the North American covenant of the Grand Order, the Technocracy stepped in and offered their services to the United States as the Buereau of Magitek, loyal to the country and not some old European confederacy of magi. This resulted in the rise of agents, both magi and Awakened Sleepers, serving the US' interests in the Arcane world, armed with magi-tek (magical equipment disguised as regular technology). In truth, the Technocracy was actually divided between patriotism and pragmatism, as the latter wanted to increase their influence in a growing global superpower as well as decrease the influence of the Arcane Order.

The Technocracy would continue to ingratiate themselves with the United States throughout the century and newer members even joining with the sole purpose of serving their country. Their ever-continuing growth of influence, wealth, and control has turned them into a major faction in the world of magi, despite their diplomacy with others being passive to avoid large-scale conflicts. Their goal remains clear, control the perception of the Sleepers and the World on magic by slowly making them realize that the Technocracy's magic is just highly advanced science that they are too ignorant to understand. In the present, Magitek has been used by the United States mainly for their military industrial complex, both in factories and in battle. Magitek is also used by the Bureau's Agents called Technomancers that aid other magical agencies in the regulation of the arcane in the US , while the Magitek itself is developed by members dedicated to magecrafting and research called Technocrats. These Technocrats also make up a majority of the upper echelons of the organization, while the Technomancers make up the rank-and-file members. Their reliance on blending magic with technology has continuously marked them as a major enemy for traditional magic organizations, especially the Grand Order of Magi. But due to the Technocracy having extremely deep rooted connections with the United States, they remain relatively untouched by other mage organizations. Their only main problem is Magitek being stolen and smuggled in the mage black market and their creations being replicated and reproduced illegally.

A major criticism other American Magi agencies and hostile organizations like the Order have with the Bureau of Magitek is that they no longer even care about the original goal of their group and instead are just preserving the power and influence of the Technocrats in the top through continued business with the United States. To which the Technocracy would call the Order hypocrites since that is exactly what happened to the majority of the Grand Order's mage families. Regardless, both sides deny what the others say about them.

## Organizational Structure

The Bureau of Magitek is divided into two divisions, the Technocrats of Old blood and research, and Technomancers who act as the field-agents.

### The Technocrat Division

The Technocrats are in charge of the development, finance, and leadership of the Bureau. They are made up primarily of the Magecrafters and researchers dedicated to developing and advancing magi-tech. They are responsible for creating new enchantments, integrating magic with technology, and ensuring the continual evolution of the Bureau's magical arsenal.

They are lead by the **Chief Executive Officer (CEO)**: Head of the entire organization, responsible for overall strategy, decision-making, and ensuring the Technocracy's interests align with those of the United States. A majority of the upper-class Technocracy members belong to this Technocrats, either through merit, inheritance, or political manuevering. The artificers, magecrafters, and researchers all work in specific hidden workshops, led by different **Chief Magitek Officers (CMO)** who oversees all aspects related to magi-tech development, magecrafting, and research This role is crucial for maintaining the Technocracy's technological edge in a region of the United states.

### The Technomancer Division

The Technomancer Division is tasked with the field operations of the Bureau. They act independently or cooperate with different agencies in the country in order to regulate magic in the United States as well as combat perceived threats to the organization and the country. The Division is led by a **Director of Operations** who coordinates and oversees all operational activities, including field operations, intelligence gathering, and coordination with other magical agencies. They are served directly by **"Managers"** from different states, who in turn served by different Teams of agents who specialize in either combat, espionage, infiltration, counterintelligence, and other specializations. These Teams are given jurisdiction in their assigned state. There also are teams that are specialized in gathering and stealing magical and technological information from other countries, but the Bureau denies their existence.

Most Technocracy equipment are restricted to just Bureau of Magitek use, resulting in most Technomancers being typically better armed and equipped compared to other US agencies, this is for the sake of maintaining the secrets of the Technocracy and reduce the chance of equipment or information leaking to unauthorized hands.

## Creations

A large majority of the Bureau's creations are classified and mostly used in industries and production for the US government. The equipment used by Technomancers are the most common magitek used by the agency, from high-powered firearms that fire what resembles lasers or plasma bolts, holograms, communication devices, familiars disguised as drones, etc. Their most recent development is the production of robotic homunculi as Artificial Intelligence evolves more prominently in the collective consciousness of the Sleepers. Many Technomancers express many criticisms of the latest developments, from ethical repercussions in using arguably sentient beings to do dehumanizing tasks, or simple worries that their jobs will be replaced.