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ALTERNATIVE FOCI for Virtual Adepts
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         ". . . for I will have Understanding. . .
          Understanding of Digital Watches.
          And, when I have Understanding of Digital Watches,
          I will have Understanding of Computers. . ."
                              The Ultimate Evil, in Time Bandits


The way Virtual Adepts use foci in the Virtual Adept, Digital
Web, and Book of Shadows supplements is completely at odds with
the rules and impressions given in the original MAGE rule book. 
Obviously, the newer sources take precedence for rule purists,
However, MAGE is a sufficiently flexible game to allow for
'camps' of V-Depts who use foci as implied in the original.  That
is, their computers are not unique foci and do not have to be
trinary (and can be removed starting at Arete 2, as with any
Tradition mage).  The following is an elaboration of exactly how
such a camp might utilize the various computer technologies in
their magick.

Normally, Virtual Adepts use high-tech laptop computers to focus
all their spheres.  However, computers and microprocessors have
become very common and there are many other modern and near-
future devices that a V-Dept can avail herself of.  Potentially,
any device that includes a microprocessor chip can be used for
some magical effects.  Virtual Adepts may also be able to acquire
or create magickal, trinary, computers with special abilities.

Baseline V-Dept Laptop:  The basic computer used by virtual
adepts is a modern laptop upgraded to their technological
standards.  Such a computer is the equivalent of a powerful
workstation and can handle large amounts of normal software and
data without impeding its functionality as a focus.  
     It is generally programmed with a database of Rotes and
modules to speed the use of magickal effects.  When constructing
an effect from basic modules or adapting a Rote to the current
situation (making it Coincidental), there is a +2 to initiative
difficulty.  When programming a new effect - one that has never
been used before or is being used in a very different way - the
penalty to initiative is equal to the rating of the highest
sphere being used.  It is also possible to activate a Rote as
vulgar magick with no initiative penalty.

Normal Computers:  Virtual Adepts can employ normal laptop or
micro- computers.  The Adept can code any effect she wants on
such a computer, taking a +1 initiative penalty for each level of
the highest sphere being used.  However, she cannot set up the
machine with Rotes and modules for more than 4 spheres.  Also,
the machine's low processing speed may become a problem.  When
using a conjunctional effect with more than 5 total sphere levels
(ex: forces 5, prime 2 is 7 total sphere levels), an additional
turn of processing time is needed for each level over 5 before
the effect occurs.

The Big Guns:  It is possible to employ normal mini-computers and
high-end workstations to perform V-dept magick as easily as with
the base-line computers above.  In addition, 'souped up' mini-
and mainframe computers are used by V-dept researchers attempting
to push the limits of their tradition's knowledge of
correspondence or to develop totally new Rotes involving multiple
spheres at higher levels.  

Palmtops:  These are tiny computers - about the size of pocket
calculators.  Normal ones are set up to run 1 or 2 software
packages and certainly can't have hard disks of any kind.  They
can still be used to work magic, though with some difficulty. 
Such a device can be used to cast a few Rotes stored on its
'flash card' (about 10 sphere levels worth), and you can carry
several such cards.  However, it cannot hold the sheer volume of
modules needed to quickly perform most effects.   Effects must be
programmed in giving a +1 initiative penalty per level of the
highest sphere.  And, effects over level three take an extra turn
per level to run.  Virtual Adept modified ones, on the other
hand, can be equal to the best personal computers on the market. 
These are basically equal to the normal microcomputers described
above.

PDA's:  Personal Digital Assistants are tiny electronic devices
that take input directly from their screens using a special
stylus.  An unmodified PDA can be loaded with a single Rote or
used to program an effect.  Programming takes one turn per
highest sphere level (handwriting recognition is much slower than
typing) with an initiative roll made on the last turn.  Adjusting
the stored Rote (to make it coincidental) gives a +2 to
initiative difficulty.  Effects over level 2 require an extra
turn per additional level to run.  Enhanced versions are equal to
most laptops and PCs.  They can be set up to handle two or three
spheres, programming is still slow, but effects with up to 4
total sphere levels can be run in a single turn (higher level
ones require an additional turn per level above four).

Programmable Calculators:  Even normal Programmable and
Scientific calculators can be used for Correspondence, Entropy,
Matter, or Forces.  Effects higher than level two cannot be
produced.  Level 1 effects take a +2 initiative penalty to
program, those of level 2 take a +4 penalty.  Memory is
sufficient for a single level 1 rote.  Graphing calculators can
also be used for Correspondence 3 effects.  These take an extra
turn both to program and run.  
     Enhanced versions still are not really computers but they
have sufficient processing power to run rotes with up to 3 total
sphere levels in one turn.  Those with more than 3 total sphere
levels take an extra turn per additional level to execute.  Up to
5 rotes can be stored by installing PROMs and sufficient expanded
memory can be added to hold enough modules for one sphere. 
Adjusting a stored rote takes the usual +2 penalty.  Effects up
to level 3 take a turn to program with a +2 initiative penalty
per level.  Higher level rotes take another turn per extra level.

Modems:  Modems are needed to access the spheres of Prime &
Spirit, the baud rate and other features are relatively
unimportant.  Obviously the modem must be physically connected to
a working phone line (or be cellular) to be effective.  

Cellular Phones:  Normal phones are really only useful to a V-
dept if she is using an old-fashioned modem (one where the
handset is placed on it to make the connection).  Cellular
phones, however, actually contain processors and can be used to
do some magick even without an actual computer.  Normal cell-
phones can be used to perform Spirit and Prime effects of level
1.  One such rote can be stored (speed dial).  Effects cannot be
programmed on a cell-phone, but the rote can be adjusted to make
it static magic (+2 initiative difficulty).  
     Cell-phones can be modified by the addition of advanced
processor chips and rotes can be burned into PROMs and physically
installed (3-6 depending on the size of the phone).  Rotes can be
of any level and are instantly accessible.  They can be adjusted
to current static reality with a +2 initiative penalty.  It is
still not possible to program effects on a cell-phone.  Most V-
dept cell-phones are 'thumbed' - illegally accessing the cellular
service - so the phone bills and, hopefully, the MiB's don't wind
up at your door.

Pagers:  These little devices run a poor second to cell-phones,
however, you can still use one to perform the Prime 1 effect 'The
Rush' (storing quintessence is a message you want to get) or the
Spirit 1, Mind 1 rote 'Umbral Pager' (of course).  Enhanced
pagers could be used for one or two installed rotes much like a
cell-phone but would be limited to level one and two rotes. 
However, pagers take no initiative penalties, because they are so
simple to operate.
 
Electricity:  Virtual Adepts need electricity to utilize the
sphere of Forces.  Normal household current or the output of
their laptops' advanced NiCad batteries are sufficient for any
level forces effect.  Batteries will be drained however, normal
batteries are good for a few level 1 effects or one of level 2 or
three.  Advanced ones will run a V-dept laptop for about a day;
level 1 Forces effects are not a significant drain, levels 2 and
three drain 10 or 15 minutes worth of power, level 4 use an hour,
and level 5 will use six or more hours.  It's usually a good idea
to carry spares.  Of course, a permanent Spawn Lesser Forces
effect solves this problem nicely.

Virtual Reality Gear:  Though the sphere of Spirit is normally
accessed through a communications network, it is also possible to
do so by entering a virtual reality.  Normal V/R gear can be used
as a focus for Spirit, eliminating the need to hook up to a
network.  Normal V/R gear is perfectly acceptable, though
conspicuous.  The 'Adepts, however, have created sophisticated
V/R devices that look like sunglasses, hearing aids and the like. 
In either case they must be hooked up to a computer to be of use.

Digital Watches:  In addition to displaying the correct time, a
digital watch can be used for other Time 1 effects (detecting
temporal anomalies for instance).  It is also possible to install
an enhanced processor and a PROM with a single rote (up to Time
3) burned into it.  Such a rote can be accessed instantly but,
cannot be adjusted to fit static reality (it will always be
vulgar).

Alternate I/O devices:  Normal input and output is achieved
through the use of a keyboard and monitor.  However, there are
other options available both to sleepers and V-depts.
     Voice Recognition:  Voice recognition (and Audio output) is
currently available, but not terribly efficient. It could be used
to activate a rote with no penalty, but for any other purpose the
errors in recognition and ambiguity of language would add an
additional +1 to initiative difficulties and lengthy tasks like
programming would get frustrating.  More advanced forms,
available to the 'Adepts, solve most of these problems.  A
virtual adept can have a voice recognition system that lets him
access his computer with a simple headset and microphone.  In
this way rotes can be accessed with no penalty and adjusted to
fit static reality with only a +1 initiative penalty.  Assembling
a program from modules would still be at a +2 penalty because
debugging is made more difficult (the computer must read out code
line by line).  More difficult programming task will take twice
as long for the same reason.  A major advantage, of course, is
that you keep both hands free while doing this.
     HUD:  Heads Up Displays are currently used by fighter
pilots, they project images onto the cockpit canopy so that
output can be read without glancing down at instruments.  A
virtual adept could use a HUD in a vehicle or a more advanced
version on a helmet visor or even sunglasses.  (This technology
is similar to that used in V-dept V/R gear.)  In either case all
initiative penalties for using the computer connected to the HUD
are reduced by 1.
     Power Glove:  Some virtual adepts really have used Nintendo
PowerGloves as input devices.  More advanced versions can be made
to appear less conspicuous (again using V/R technology).  This
type of input allows gestures to replace whole lines of input
code.  Rotes can be accessed (even coincidentally) instantly as
can programs built from modules.  However, true programming
cannot be done (there are too many possible lines of code and
only so many gestures you can memorize). 
     V/R Gear:  This is just combining advanced HUDs and
PowerGloves to make input and output faster.  In addition,
complex programming can be done at a 'virtual keyboard,' though
you'll look silly typing in midair.
     Pointers & GUIs:  Mice, touch screens, trackballs and the
like do not significantly speed up the tasks of the virtual adept
(though they're still nice to have).  Graphic User Interfaces
also do little beyond looking cute.  However, combined, they do
make an unfamiliar system easier to use (-1 Computer
difficulties).

Hidden Computers:  Many common devices, today, contain
microchips.  Everything from VCRs, to microwave ovens, to anti-
lock brakes.  Generally speaking these devices cannot be accessed
in the way V-depts need to program and use magick (and that's
just how the technocracy likes it).  However, if such a device
can be included in a coincidental effect, the adept can use it to
cast that effect without using any other foci.
     For instance, a V-dept is hiding out (sans foci) in a
sleeper's hotel room.  He'd like to use Correspondence to see if
he's still being pursued, but still needs a focus to use that
sphere.  So he picks up the remote and clicks on the TV.  Sure
enough, a local traffic report happens to show a black cadillac
exiting the freeway.  He is gone when the Men in Black arrive.

Extra Time:  In most cases, spending an extra turn on a magical
effect gets you a -1 to the difficulty of your Arete roll. 
Unfortunately, Virtual Adepts who are still dependent on their
computer foci cannot benefit so easily.  To get the normal
benefit of extra time, the V-dept must carefully optimize his
code and debug it line by line.  This can be a lengthy process. 
To determine how much time is required, make a roll against
Intelligence + Computer, using the difficulty of the effect.

           Successes     Time
               1         1d10 days
              2-3        1d10 hours
               4         1d10 minutes
               5+        1d10 turns

Alternately, instead of rolling a d10, you could use the total
number of sphere levels in the effect.  If you fail you work for
1d10 days, scrap most of what you just did and roll again.  If
you botch you either fail completely and cannot make another
attempt or believe you have succeeded when an undetected bug will
actually raise your difficulty by 1 per botch when you try to use
the effect.  Remember that the effect and associated coincidence
programmed are unique - you cannot re-use the program and still
get the reduced difficulty.  Of course, you can keep the program
in your database like a rote and use it again, adjusting it to
make it coincidental if you so desire (+2 initiative difficulty).

Unfamiliar Systems:  Virtual Adepts manage to hold their own
against other mages by performing complicated programming tasks
under pressure - sometimes in seconds.  One factor that helps
them pull this off is the intimate familiarity a V-Dept develops
with the system(s) she uses most frequently.  However, it is
possible to use any computer, however unfamiliar or
unsophisticated, to execute code as its typed in - effects
produced this way take a +1 initiative penalty per highest sphere
level in addition to any penalties for the computer's level of
sophistication - the same penalty as for creating a new effect. 
In order to utilize rotes and modules stored on another V-dept's
or Technomancer's computer, a roll of Wits + Computer is
required.  
     Consult the chart under Extra Time, above, to determine how
long it takes for the V-dept to familiarize herself with the new
system.  Alternately, a marginal success allows the user to
access one rote or assemble one effect normally  The roll must be
repeated each time even when using the same rote, until the time
is taken to gain familiarity.  The base difficulty is 4 if the
system is set up to be 'friendly,' 8 if it is protected, and 6
otherwise.  Difficulty is raised by 1 if the user is a Disciple
and the system belongs to an Adept or if an Adept attempts to
use, a Master's system,  and by 2 when a Disciple tries to use a
system belonging to a Master.  A Graphical User Interface reduces
difficulty by 1 while a bare command line (without menus or help
facilities) raises it by 1.

The Boot Disk:  Most V-depts use a special operating system and
command interpreter to help them perform their magick. These
systems bear some resemblance to those used by sleepers.  For
instance, DIS (Disk Invocation System) is a somewhat dated
command-line driven system, while System 13 uses a Graphic User
Interface, and GATES adds a GUI to DIS.  Most Adepts have several
backups of their chosen OS and favorite Rotes.  A single disk can
be made to hold the complete operating system and a number of
rotes as well.  The V-dept can store Rotes with sphere levels
totaling up to his Arete plus his total known sphere levels.  An
intelligence + computers roll lets her store an addition sphere
level of rotes per success. The resultant floppy is called a Boot
Disk.  
     Any computer can be rebooted from this disk (assuming an
appropriately sized disk drive, minor incompatibilities like
sticking an IBM disk in a Macintosh won't slow down V-dept
magick).  Unless the system is magickally protected, the boot-up
sequence 'learns' the new system and creates a sort of virtual
architecture over it so the Adept can use it much like his own. 
Of course, when this is done to a normal computer, it is still
limited to the rotes on the Boot Disk, everything else has to be
done normally, though the unfamiliarity penalties are removed. 
Magickally protected computers must be overcome with a contested
Arete roll. The difficulty is based on the power of the system
and the levels of sphere magic its set up to use, typically
highest sphere +3.
     Trinary Computers:
     The basic concept of a trinary computer is fairly well
described in The Digital Web source book.  However its importance
is over emphasized.  Trinary computers are very useful and many
V-dept know how to make and use them.  I am not one of these,
however.  But I can tell you that much of what the Digital Web
said about how we use magic with computers is just dead wrong (or
at least horribly unclear).  I hope the preceding has given you a
better idea.  (Anyway, I was going to tell you about trinary
computers.)
     Exactly how trinary computers are made is not commonly
known.  However, the basic concept - that they use three states
instead of two, a sort of 'fuzzy logic' - and use of them is
common knowledge.  Trinary computers fall somewhere between foci
and Talismans.  Though they cannot cast magic themselves, they do
make it much easier for the lucky mages who use them.  Using
'fuzzy' logic, rotes and modules flexible enough to encompass a
wide range or coincidental effects can be created.  There is no
initiative penalty for invoking a rote stored in trinary form,
even when not casting it as vulgar magic.  Putting together
programs from modules is also no problem as the computer does the
gruntwork of integrating the modules.  Programming a new effect
is also much easier as the computer can run special magickally
oriented CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering) tools that
can instantly write whole modules for the character.  New effects
give only half (round up) the normal initiative penalty.  
     Trinary computers are otherwise equal to other V-dept
computers of similar size and configuration.  Though I have heard
rumors of incidents were such computers achieved an inconvenient
level of sentience.  
     In spite of what Digital Web says, Trinary computers are not
"vital to the use of magick beyond the second sphere."  I'm quite
capable of sifting the correspondence point or teleporting using
my laptop (and after two years it's badly in need of an upgrade). 
The very idea that my tradition needs some secret process that
requires veritable quests to discover just to use magick beyond
the lower levels of discipleship is ridiculous.  (Too bad I don't
have Time ** or I could've warned 'em before they got the book
out.)

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