[UA] Yet Another New School: Demourgy

[Peter Hindman]

   This is a school one of the players in my current UA game wrote up for 
his character.  I'll follow up with some of my comments in a separate
message.

>                    Demourgy
> The Magic of Democracy and the People (Democracy-based
> magick)
>                by Sean Holland
> 
>      Please contact me with any suggestions, revisions or
> comments at rlyeh at athens.net Thank you.
> 
> 
>      History: Although some practitioners of Demourgy
> attempt to trace it back to classical Athens and early Republican
> Rome, this school is a child of the Enlightenment.  The
> Demourgic tradition began in the late enlightenment in France
> and was invigorated by the success of the America Revolution.  It
> emerged as a actual tradition flush with victory immediately
> following the French Revolution.  Demourgists proudly marched
> with the armies of Revolutionary France to spread fraternity,
> liberty and equality across Europe.  The order codified itself,
> deliberately choosing the title of Demourgy as a reflection of the
> 'Demiurge' of Gnostic tradition to place themselves squarely in
> the materialist and anti-Christian side of the debate.  However,
> their days of triumph were short lived, some fell to the Terror but
> the movement as a whole was shattered by Napoleon and its
> remnants either went underground or fled to England.
>      In England, the remaining Demourgists reformed their
> movement supporting various Radical movement both in England
> and across the world.  The failure of the Chartist movement was a
> great disappointment to the English Demourgists and they began
> to filter back across the continent in search of new causes to
> champion.  By 1848, there were nearly 200 Demourgists across
> Europe, three years later there were sixteen.  The Revolutions of
> 1848 made the Demourgists targets for the secret police of the
> Empires and of France as well.  This failure almost broke the
> tradition, but a few brave (or pig-headed) members continued the
> fight.
>      A few Demourgists tried to shape the Revolution in
> Russia towards democracy, but none of them are known to have
> escaped the Cheka (though several managed to get out of Russia
> they were assassinated), their papers survive.  Demourgy
> experienced a resurgence following the Great War, riding the
> wave of interest in the Occult and opposition to war.  The
> Depression and the rise of the Dictators ended what was hoped to
> be a second Golden Age of Demourgy.  Many Demourgists
> perished in the Spanish Civil War fighting against the
> Nationalists, indeed, Spain was nearly the graveyard of
> Demourgy.
>      (Option One: Spain was the graveyard of Demourgy, since
> 1938 Demourgic Magick simply does not work any more.  This is
> the option used in the current campaign that I am playing a
> Demourgist in.)
>      Again, a few brave souls survived and the tradition
> staggered along, only barely kept alive through the Second World
> War and its aftermath.  Decolonialism in the 1960s provided a
> rallying point for the surviving Demourgists many of whom
> dispersed to the Third World to help build democracy, most were
> disappointed, many were killed, but they stayed on and the school
> began to grow again.
>      (Option Two: Demourgy is a dead school in the West,
> democracy has become so boringly routine in the First World that
> the passion that drives this school cannot be maintained.  Only in
> the former Soviet Union, China and the Third World are the
> passions, and the stakes, high enough to sustain Demourgists.)
> 
>      Theme: "Vox Populi, vox Dei."  The voice of the people
> is the voice of God.
>      The Demourgist or "Democrat" (rarely 'Athenian') tries to
> harness the force of the people to promote the ideals of
> democracy.  (Sometime called derisively 'vote-chasers' by the
> other traditions.)  The Demourgist is in the uncomfortable
> position of having to be both slave and master of the democratic
> process, for the Demourgist gains their magic from assisting the
> democratic process and risks losing the same if they go against
> the will of the people.
>      The Demourgists are usually participants in the
> democratic process, politicians, lobbyists, reporters, political
> scientists, human rights campaigners and street agitators are all
> likely candidates.  Areas without true democracy as likely as
> corridors of power in the First World to spawn Demourgists.
>      The Demourgist must work to promote, support and
> participate in democracy in order to build charges, the more
> significant the result towards building or maintaining democracy
> the greater the charges generated.  But it must be genuine
> democracy, by allowing corruption, rigged elections or one-party
> politics to rule the Demourgist will be stripped of his or her
> charges.  Now, as to the societal end the Demourgist seeks, that is
> immaterial as long as they are willing to use democracy
> exclusively to obtain it, there are anarchist, libertarian and
> socialist Demourgists.
>      Some Demourgists prefer the thrill and constant challenge
> of supporting democracy in the Third World.  Gathering charges
> is easier, and riskier, in the rough and tumble politics of the Third
> World where simply surviving from day-to-day can champion
> democracy.  Others prefer the corridors of power in the self-
> proclaimed centers of democracy such as Brussels, London, Paris,
> Washington, D.C. or the United Nations where life can be both
> profitable and safe for a Demourgist.
>      The Demourgist must always remember that their powers
> are linked to democracy and the people, the purer the form of
> democracy the closer they are to their source of power.  This
> leads many Demourgists to support direct forms of democracy
> such as town meetings and referendums.  Such tactics often find
> them in conflict with established political parties forcing
> Demourgists to the political fringe.
> 
>      Definitions (for the Demourgist School):
>      The People, the mass of humanity, voting and non, that
> make up a community.
>      Will of the People, as expressed by legitimate and fair
> elections.  The Demourgist may ignore the dictates of imperfect
> democracy in their plans (and for their Taboo).
> 
>      Demourgist Blast Style: Demourgists only have access to
> minor blast effects.  The Demourgist channels the strength of the
> people adding it to their own, sometimes this causes strange
> visuals as the images of the people the Demourgist is drawing
> strength from are momentarily overlaid on the caster.
> 
>      Stats
>      Generate a Minor Charge: Contribute to building or
> maintaining democracy in a small way.  Distribute pamphlets,
> vote in an election, collect signatures, discuss politics at length,
> inspire others to run for office, get fairly elected to a local
> political or union post.
>      Generate a Significant Charge: Make a major contribution
> to democracy.  Start a mass movement to support democracy,
> form a union, successful spearhead revision of laws to improve
> voter access, get fairly elected to a state or national post in
> government.
>      Generate a Major Charge: Bring democracy to those who
> have lived under tyranny (or other incredible contributions to
> democracy).
> 
>      Taboo: The Demourgist can never directly act against the
> people's will as expressed by legitimate democratic methods,
> even if it is leading to undemocratic ends.  If the people fairly and
> freely choose to elect a dictator, the Demourgist must stick with
> lawful political means to oppose that change (until the dictator
> abandons any pretexts of democracy).  If they do, they lose all
> charges.
>      Further, the Demourgist cannot allow corruption, vote
> fixing, one-party rule or other such perversions of the democratic
> process to exist unchallenged or they will lose their charges. 
> Their power ties them to a higher conception of democracy that
> must remain unsullied.  For a Demourgist to abandon the high
> road of democracy is to abandon their power.
> 
>      Random Magick Domain: Demourgy is the power of the
> people as an abstraction made real, it treats democracy as a living
> thing that can be harnessed.  Demourgy focuses on channeling
> that power to reinforce the democratic ideal.
> 
>      Starting Charges: A new Demourgist starts with three
> minor charges, describe to the GM what your character has been
> doing to support democracy.
> 
> 
>      Demourgy Minor Formula Spells
> 
>      Cestus Populi, Cestus Dei
>      Cost: 1 Minor Charge
>      Effect: This in the minor blast spell of the Demourgic
> school, by using this spell the Demourgist taps into the strength of
> the people and uses it to smite his opponent.  When the spell is
> active the character is drawing on strength of people and
> occasionally the image of the people drawn upon will be briefly
> overlaid on top of the caster (Rank 1 Unnatural check if
> witnessed).
>      The blast has no range and must be combined with a
> normal hand to hand attack (though it cannot be split between
> multiple opponents).  The damage from the spell adds to that of
> the hand to hand attack and can provide some spectacular special
> effects (like tossing the target across the room).  At the GM
> discretion the spell may do extra damage against a target who is
> particularly hated by the people.  The spell must be successfully
> cast before the attack is rolled and the effect remains until
> discharged or until three rounds have passed.
> 
>      Get out the Vote
>      Cost: 1 or more Minor Charges
>      Effect: By use of this spell, the Demourgist inspires
> people to become actively involved in the Democratic process. 
> The spell must be cast in the week before the election or event
> that the Demourgist wishes the people to become involved in. 
> The first charge spent will cause one person who would not have
> become involved to do so, and each additional charge spent will
> cause that to double (to 2, 4, 8, etc.).
>      Multiple casting of this spell are not cumulative for effect
> (i.e., if you cast it three times for two charges each time you get
> six additional voters [3x2] not thirty-two [26] voters).
> 
>      Good Research
>      Cost: 2 Minor Charges
>      Effect: Functionally the same as the Cliomancy spell
> 'Trivia' (UA, p 84).
> 
>      Position Statement
>      Cost: 3 Minor Charges
>      Effect: Takes one true statement made by a person on a
> political subject and immediately distributes it to that person's
> constituents.  Much like Gnostic Gossip, the people affected will
> remember having read the person's opinion somewhere, or seeing
> them on television, or having heard it from a trusted friend.  In
> any case, they will accept the information as reliable.
>      The subject of the spell must be visible and their words
> audible to the Demourgist for the spell to be cast.  It interesting
> side effect is that if the statement this spell was cast upon is not
> the true belief of the subject that information will be broadcast
> instead (that they do not really believe what they said, not their
> true position).
> 
>      Press the Flesh
>      Cost: 1 Minor Charge
>      Effect: This makes the caster more comfortable and social
> towards a group in any non-confrontational social setting.  The
> casting receives a +5% to all social interaction skills (+10% if the
> group was already inclined to be friendly towards you) for six
> hours or until you leave the area that the group has gathered
> (which may be as large as a convention center or theme park or as
> small as a smoke-filled room).  If the spell was canceled by
> leaving the area of effect, it can be instantly reinstated on the
> return of the caster by the expenditure of another Minor Charge.
> 
>      Spin
>      Cost: 1 Minor Charge
>      Effect: With this spell, the Demourgist can put their own
> 'spin' on an event or statement that will then spread by word of
> mouth and be considered as reliable, but it must be spread from
> the Demourgist out spreading like ripples on a pond. 
> Demourgists usually use this spell to counter the 'spin' put on
> things by their political opponents.  The Demourgist cannot use
> this spell to disseminate information they know to be false.
>      This spell is often used by Demourgists when they get the
> chance to speak on radio or television as it gives the initial ripple
> a big boost.
> 
> 
>      Demourgy Significant Formula Spells
> 
>      Don't Just Stand There, Do Something!
>      Cost: 2 Significant Charges
>      Effect: This spell inspires a group of people who have no
> clear direction with the need to take action.  The Demourgist's
> roll is the minimum number (or the minimum percentage if less
> that a hundred people) who are inspired to take immediate action. 
> The Demourgist should provide this action either by example or
> speech or the first idea that comes to the group will be the one
> that they follow.  The action can be only of limited duration
> ("Defend the barricades!") and once inspired, the actions taken by
> the mob can quickly spiral out of the Demourgist's control.
> 
>      Jaw Jaw
>      Cost: 1 Significant Charge
>      Effect: This spell cool tempers so that problems can be
> discussed.  As long as no blood has been drawn (a punch or two
> can be dealt with), the effected people calm down and are willing
> to continue to talk, though they will still be tense and jumpy. 
> This spell allows for a second chance to resolve conflicts before
> they spin totally out of control.
> 
>      Sic Semper Tyrannus
>      Cost: 4 Significant Charges
>      Effect: This can only affect people who have through their
> own admission or by the judgement of the people be considered
> an enemy of the people.  The next number of rolls equal to the
> number in the tens spot of the spell success (i.e., a '47' would
> result in the next four rolls of the victim being affected) made by
> the target, or those acting directly for him (such as bodyguards or
> pilots), that oppose the will of the people are flip-flopped to their
> worst possible result. Further, natural failures are treated as
> matched failures, and natural matched failures become
> BOHICAs.
>      Some people believe that the air crash that killed General
> Sanjurjo (the original leader of the Nationalists in the Spanish
> Civil War) was caused by this spell.


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