Name: IvanPlayer: Kyorinrin
Nature: Mad Scientist- | -Demeanor: Survivalist
Essence: Pattern- | -Concept: Technician
Affiliation: Council of Tradition- | -Sect: Society of Ether

Attributes

PhysicalSocialMental
Strength2Charisma3Perception3
Dexterity4Manipulation2Intelligence4
Stamina2Appearance1Wits3

Abilities

TalentsSkillsKnowledges
Alertness2Crafts (Mechanics)3Academics1
Art2Drive2Computer1
Athletics2Etiquette0Cosmology0
Awareness1Firearms2Enigmas0
Brawl0Martial Arts0Esoterica0
Empathy0Meditation0Investigation0
Expression0Melee0Law0
Intimidation0  Medicine0
Leadership0Stealth0Occult0
Streetwise0Survival0Research1
Subterfuge0Technology3Science (metallurgy)2
Other TalentsOther SkillsOther Knowledges
Scrounging2Gunsmith3 0
 0 0Lore: Awakened1

Advantages

Spheres
Correspondence0
Entropy0
Forces0
Life0
Matter3
Mind0
Prime (A)2
Spirit0
Time1
 
Backgrounds
Avatar4
Certification3
Library3
Resources3
 
Misc
Arete3
Willpower7
Quintessence4
Paradox0
Merits
Hands Of Daedalus3
Mechanical Aptitude1
Computer Aptitude1
Flaws
Sphere Inept: Correspondence6

Health Levels
Bruised-0 
Hurt-1 
Injured-1 
Wounded-2 
Mauled-2 
Crippled-5 
Incapacitated- 

Focus

Paradigm: A Holographic Reality
Practice: Weird Science
Instruments:
1: Compounds
2: Computers
3: Alloys
4: Crystals
5: CnC Shops
6: 3d Printers
7: Gadgets


BIO

How Old Are You: early/mid 30's Where and How where you raised: Gainesville Florida, lower middle, middle class upbringing When did you notice you were different: When he realized he'd rather fix up some garbage he "rescued" as a kid rather than play Who have your important friends been: The old shop teacher and the old pawn shop guy were his two biggest supporters growing up. And a few other latchkey kids who helped him dumpster dive after class What where you brought up to believe: Southern Baptist, Religion is right, science is wrong. Now that he's older, Science Is real, religion is a lie How did you first encounter magic: Not Magic, per se. But he found some old notebooks after an estate sale that had formulas and recipes for new types of chemicals and materials he'd never heard of that could do all sorts of strange things Do you Have a sense of Destiny: no How do your beliefs Determine your focus: Science shows us that it is the micro and quantum levels of reality that determine what we see and experience on the macro scale. Thus Even the smallest changes can have big results The trick is finding the tools and equipment that can translate your macro desires into micro changes and back again How did you meet your mentors: He's mostly self-schooled. He couldn't afford to go to proper school. So he mostly collected old books (text and otherwise) from school dumpsters, auctions, estate sales, and other sources. How did you join your faction: He met a helpful gentleman online who helped him join an "informal club of tinkerer's" who "help each other out from time to time" on "various projects". He's not quite sure what "earning your goggles" means, but he appreciates the academic advice on the forums, even if he feels some of the members are a little condescending How'd you meet your current associates: He's New to town, spends most of his time in the shop working on orders How do you see your Avatar and the relationship between you both: What's an avatar? How do you now deal with the mundane world: I can't play the violin, Some people can't fix cars, and other can't tune things up like I can, it's all relative.


DESCRIPTION


NOTES

Equipment:
.38 Special
Desue St Starke, FL 32091
Basic toolkit
Toughpad
Notebooks
Old pickup
Messenger Bag
Rifle (Ishapore 2A1)
Fuel3d Scanner

Hands of Daedalus (3 pt. Merit) You�ve got an innate gift for crafting machines and tech�nology. Such devices seem to come to life in your hands, fitting easily into place and functioning with incredible precision once you�ve worked with �em. Although this gift does not extend to the ins and outs of software technology, you can work on computer hardware (assuming that you know what you�re doing) as naturally as you can tune a �58 Ford. From a systems standpoint, any rolls you make to craft, repair, invent, or otherwise modify mechanical technologies are at -2 difficulty when you�ve got the opportunity to put those Hands of Daedalus to work. Tech-based magickal instruments (see the Mage 20 entries for Armor, Devices and Machines, and other hardware-based technologies) and practices (see Craftwork and Hypertech in the Focus and the Arts section of Mage 20, Chap�ter Ten) function, in your hands, as Personalized Instruments (Mage 20, pp. 503 and 587-588) once you�ve had a chance to get familiar with them� and to have them get familiar with you.

Mechanical Aptitude (1 pt. Merit) Oh, you technophile, you! Blessed by the machine gods, you�ve got a knack for mechanical gear. As with most Merits of this type, such aptitude allows you to reduce difficulties by -2 when you�re making rolls based around working with mechan�ical technology. No, you don�t have to be a technomancer to use such a gift, much less a member of the Technocracy; still, this aptitude does suggest that mechanical technology means a great deal to you, which � by extension � suggests that your paradigm, practice, and instruments have something to do with applications of mechanical principles and tech. For suggestions, see the paradigms A Mechanistic Cosmos, Everything is Data, and Tech Holds All the Answers in Mage 20, pp. 568-571, as well as the related practices and instruments and the related material in this book�s Chapter Three. For more practical applications of this Merit, meanwhile, see Mage 20�s section regarding The Technological World, pp. 458-464.

Computer Aptitude (1 pt. Merit) A true child of the twenty-first century, you�re especially adept with computerized infotech. Reduce all difficulties involving computer-based rolls by -2, up to the usual modifier limit. This last caveat is especially important when dealing with computer-based magickal Effects, whose difficulties cannot be reduced by this Merit beyond the usual magick-roll modifier of -3, or below the minimum difficulty for magick-casting rolls. Even so, this Merit provides an edge for mages whose Arts include the guiding technology of our age. For detailed optional rules regarding computer usage, see Computer Systems in Chapter Two, pp. 116-127.

Sphere Inept (6 pt. Flaw) A particular element of Reality eludes you. No matter how devoted you might be to mastering its complexities, this field of magick remains a challenge. Essentially, this is the reverse of the Merit: Sphere Natural, described above; one Sphere costs 130% more (rounded up) to learn than the other Spheres cost. Rank Cost /Affinity Sphere Cost New Sphere 13 pts 2 11 /9 pts. 3 21 /19 pts. 4 32 /28 pts. 5 42 /37 pts.


HISTORY

Childhood:
Ivan was born into a middle class family of middle class means. They weren't rich, but they weren't poor. His family was one that celebrated the existence of children, even if having more children wasn't necessarily a wise or prudent option. Although not the youngest, Ivan had to make do with hand me downs. Old clothes, old toys, old mattresses with a slight dent on one side that made you sink into the middle at night, these were the lot of the middle children. Perhaps it was there that Ivan learned how to make do. Two broken toys might be taken apart and recombined into one. Sure, maybe that old toy car might have gotten broken during the 'Stair incident' but its wheels could be put to use to fix the old truck that's missing one. And so it was. Ivan helped out his brothers and sisters, stretching out the life of their possessions, patching and repairing holes in shoes and clothes with a little needlework. It was all in good fun for him, and he learned a few things about patience and endurance.
Adolescence:
As he grew older Ivan graduated from toys and glue. To working with more complicated machines, a broken toaster, and a busted blender. With his trusty screwdriver he'd take them apart and see what makes them tick. He had a knack for knowing which ones were an easy fix, a quick solder or a tightened screw. And which ones were only good for parts for later fixes. Once he got his own room it quickly devolved into a mess of torn down machines and shoeboxes full of parts. Sometimes on garbage day he'd slip out on his bike and look for 'treasures' before the bus came to take him to school. Every week there was a new discovery and the fact that his folks would pay him if he fixed something around the house proved an irresistible lure.
Young Adult:
As he grew up a bit and his older siblings went off to college (some with scholarships, some with a little help from his folks) things got a little less tight. This, of course, didn't stop his habits of bringing home stray machines for a little TLC. In some ways it got a little worse. The shop teacher at his school would let him use some of the equipment after school and he found he could always pick up a little extra cash by trading in his 'refurbished' creations to the local pawnshop. Academically though, his grades tended to suffer. Who cares about the ramblings of dead poets when we live in a world surrounded by machines all with their own unique patterns and parts, each of which can be broken down in an endless combination of ways and combined to make something new and exciting? Still while his grades in some subject suffered, his teachers had to admit they were hard pressed to challenge him on others. During the weekends he would comb the old book-stores and pawn shops around the university collecting all sorts of books on strange and interesting subjects. Chemistry, physics, math, if it taught you how to make something or fix it, he'd read it. He particularly enjoyed stories of the great Tesla's works including his idea for the electric motor, which came to him when he remembered a poem while watching the sunset. Or even Edison's story of trying to make a lightbulb 1000 times before finally succeeding. Still, the joys of disassembly and repair made up his favourite hobby. To take something broken and give it life anew like a modern Pygmalion was just too exciting. But not quite as exciting as the discovery tucked in the pages of some old textbooks he bought for a refurbished blender.
Adult:
Like most Americans after mandatory education was complete Ivan had a choice. He could go on to get further educated, or he could strike out on his own, or even join the military. Since the dry halls of academia didn't appeal to him, and (to be honest) his folks were a little displeased about the fact that part of the house smelled like burnt plastic and solder 24/7, he decided to strike out on his own. His first job was as working at an auto shop full time, while working part time as an assessor at a local pawn shop. Although the jobs lacked in glamour they did offer access to quite a bit of equipment and parts, parts which Ivan used to research the notebook he had found in an old textbook. It was strange work. Much of it incomprehensible, often referring to old and archaic terms for materials. But the notes seemed to be a commentary on the textbook; often (with a little work) he could match the scrawl to the pages and see a sort of profound disagreement with the official text. Almost a refutation that b follows a and is followed by c, the text seemed to imply hidden paths and variables unseen. Still he made little progress (although the research did help fill in the holes in his classical education some) the rise of the internet helped, and as the 90's gave way to the 00's he added computer work to his roster of repairs. It was amazing how simple it was. All you needed was a careful hand and a fine touch to resurrect most systems. A diode here, a resistor there, perhaps a burnt out switch. He began to work less at the auto shop and more with the pawn broker. 'refurbishing' junk to sell back to the next customer. Still the promises held in old notes drew him in. Often occupying his free time, after all what time for transient connections with a paramour that will leave him as soon as they see his 'home' or won't understand his work, better to learn more and gain knowledge that will last throughout his life. Of course his friends on the internet helped out some, one of the moderators on the forums even sent him scans of some old books on alchemy, one of them happened to be some old retelling of the Iliad, but at least it had some interesting wordplay and puzzles in it. Still Progress was slow. One high point during this time was the discovery of an old box of military surplus at an estate sale. That box of parts happened to be to an engine for an old military tank, and with the Blanding museum up the road, it seemed like a good place to try and make some cash. Well one thing after another happened, he made the sale, got talking with a gentleman working for the museum on a broken display, offered to help, made a friend, and made it onto a list of 'people to call' when a particularly rough piece of history needs a little tlc. Eventually he started looking for a bit of land to call his own outside of the city. (After a few 'incidents' with the landlord at his apartments he was starting to chafe at the limitations of working in an ad hoc situation)
and then It all started as a normal day off, Ivan finished replacing the trigger mechanism on a firearm from the pawn shop, this little job would net him a nice 60-70 bucks and he could finally get order those mineral salts from his supplier. Thinking about the bluing process and if the salts work with the rust like portions of the notes said how he would get an almost unbreakable coating on the parts he wandered into the kitchen to make himself a sandwich and a drink. Lost in thought he forgot stumbled over the works tool in the kitchen and spilled his water onto one of his 'project cord' the results were shocking. For a moment he [was] the sandwich, he could see each piece of lettuce, each slab of bacon, each ear of bread, not just as it was now, but what it was. He could trace back the bread to the store and the bakery; he could feel the chemical chains break and bend as enzymes went to work. His hands were the salt causing the proteins in the bacon to cure. His breath the water flowing to the roots of the lettuce in the field. And more he could see how all of those reactions shared a common thread. It wasn't a matter of lettuce or bacon, but atoms. 100+ tiny balls of matter whizzing through an infinite void endlessly combining in new and exciting ways to form everything. One dance in the realm of atoms manifests itself as 'bacon' and another 'bread' and the tiniest movements of each dancer can change the whole of the whole into something else. Time, temperature, vibrations, all of it can affect the dance. Time slipped again and he could see the bite he'd absent mindedly eaten being broken down. The sugars and proteins becoming even smaller bits as acids and enzymes work them down. All of it based on the simple arrangements of those 100 pieces. Except no! What is that! The atoms themselves begin to break under his gaze, revealing that they too are no more than machines assembled from the cogs of creation. These tiny bits whir and combine forming the tiny pieces of matter that make up atoms that in turn make up chemicals, that make up objects, that make up the world. But how!, a glimpse, a peek, an unseen truth, the cogs do not spin freely, something constrains them to move and spin in certain ways, something pushes them to spin or slows them down. Some unseen force puppeteer changes on the fundamental levels of reality to cascade on the grand scale of the world. Tiny threads of what? Thought? Energy? Bacon? The moment stutters to an end as Ivan catches himself the insight fades like a wilting piece of lettuce. With only the surety that if the universe is an illusion of form brought on by the tugging of tiny strings, that if one can be pulled, then one can pull back with the right grip.
A few months ago:}
Ivan's search continued for a good piece of land to build his workshop, alas even with the money he saved from his other jobs, and the occasional internet sale from his refurbished goods. He was still a little short of what he needed. Perhaps then fate has a dark sense of humour. Although tragic, the death of his parents to a something as simple as a heart attack was nothing strange. The pair were against science and believed that clean living protects the body better than any medicine. Still, as the last child to still live in Florida he was left to take care of the details. With none of the children wanting the property an estate sale was sold and the proceeds split between them. His forum companions commiserated with his loss. Still, they said, the science must go on. One of them kept talking about his dead wife from Prussia'.. In the end Ivan had finally gathered enough to start his own business, if he sleeps at the workshop and avoids running a foul of zoning enforcement he should be able to get the ball rolling.
{
Currently:

Ivan's shop 'Gundamentals' is open. He's picked up a few orders here and there online. He can't draw the sort of customers Nighthawk can, but he's at least sold a few guns using those metals he's 'lightened'. Oddly enough He's gotten a few more orders for novelty ammunition than anything. Still As long as he can make the loan payments, no work is bad work. If only he could figure out how to build his own metal former he'd be set.