Shadows on the Horizon

Digital Web 3.0

• Grid Sectors
• Getting In
• • Sensory Visitation
  • Astral Immersion
  • Holistic Immersion
  • Noise
• Note: Sphere Magic in the Web
• Icons: Creation and Use
• • Part 1: Icon
  • Part 2: New Background
  • Part 3: Basic Icon Creation
  • Part 4: Add-Ons
  • Part 5: Dolls
• Surfing the Web
• • Part 1: The Ties that Bind
  • Part 2: Roaming Around
  • Part 3: Personal Webspace
  • Part 4: Conduits
  • Part 5: The Eye in the Sky
  • Part 6: Daemons and the Web
• Trinary Decks: Creation and Use
• • Part 1: The Deck
  • Part 2: Building a Dream
  • Part 3: Advanced Programs and Hardware

Grid Sectors

• Junklands- Negative grids, ruined and destroyed, nightmare realms (currently most of the inner web)
• Stacked Files- Well travelled grids, positive and generally appealing (currently mostly areas where sleepers log in and play)
• Constraint Realms- Heavily formatted areas with rules all must conform to within (very few of these remaining)
• SRVRZ- Technocratic controlled zones, very sterile and very secure (very few of these remaining)
• Warzones- Areas mostly created by combative video games, some are very Lethal (markers are not as clear as they used to be)
• Haunts- Areas where a death occurred online and the remaining mind has reformatted the area into a recursive loop around their death (there are currently a great many of these)
• Trash Sectors- Dumped and lost data gets drawn here in a vast tide, if a person is caught in a Whiteout this is usually where they are drawn and lost (vast seas currently exist due to the major whiteouts)
• Hung Sectors- Whole sectors caught in loops usually due to damage, enter them is a trap as you get caught in such a loop (many of the undestroyed but heavily damaged areas are currently Hung)
• Sex Sites- Areas of the explicit and smut that pervades the web (there are currently many areas like this)
• Conduits- Varying types of pathways that exist between sectors (many are currently damaged and dangerous, most still remaining ones are hard to find)
  Without Conduits only Correspondence or Web vehicles are able to travel between these sectors.

Without Conduits only Correspondence or Web vehicles are able to travel between these sectors.

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Getting In

1. Net Enabled Computer- Any trinary/hypertech deck can log in to the web and upload/download data. Add a set of VR goggles and you can build an avatar and view the DW. This is visual and audio only, you have no physical presence within the web, merely an avatar that cannot affect the ‘objects’ within. Interactions with Sleepers and their Grids using this form of entry puts you up two traits on all related tests, however difficulties affecting any deeper realms are increased by 6 traits. During Sensory Visitation it is merely an image and a speaker, so you can still hear and see things going on around your body fairly simply.
2. Apprentice Correspondence- An apprentice level Correspondence effect can be used to enter your own Personal Webspace any time or the Digital Web via any system connected to the internet. This is a Sensory Visitation and benefits and drawbacks are the same as entering through a Net Enabled Computer, however in addition the Correspondence effect consistently counts toward your Avatar’s Noise Level (described later). The added advantage of this is a more full transition of your sight and hearing, if you do this difficulties are only increased by 4 instead of six but those senses are fully focused in the Web and so only your other senses can be triggered where your body remains.
3. Initiate Correspondence- Similar to use of Apprentice above but an existing internet connection is not required and the Noise Level is increased for consistent use of Initiate magic.

Sensory Immersion Rote

Correspondence • (with connection) or ••
Visual and Audio Access to the Digital Web also allowing connection to data transfer within the Web to an existing computer as well as targeting of magic in its realms. Other Apprentice Spheres can be added into this to trigger disconnection from the Web. This effect is Continuous with concentration or lasts for a Scene or Hour. Grades of Success: Increased grades of duration.

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1. Net Enabled Computer- More complicated immersion Hypertech can be linked to a trinary/hypertech deck can interconnect with your brains impulses and fool it into believing you have truly entered the Web. And while this allows full ‘physical’ interaction with the Web it is a 2-way street. All senses are affected by the web for a complete experience, allowing full interaction with what is there. In this state Mental Traits are used in place of Physical and spending Willpower will add 4 when determining the outcome of any related tests. In this state anything that would be otherwise Lethal damage causes Bashing to your body from Neural feedback, additionally things that would do Aggravated damage or those that can cause Lethal Neural Feedback (described later) can cause lasting Lethal damage to the body. Interactions with Sleepers and their Grids using this form of entry puts you up six traits on all related tests and up two traits on dealing with those only using Sensory Visitation.
2. Initiate Correspondence and Mind- An Initiate level Correspondence effect can be used to enter your own personal webspace any time or the Digital Web via any system connected to the internet. This is Astral Immersion and benefits and drawbacks are the same as entering through a Net Enabled Computer, however in addition the Correspondence effect consistently counts toward your Avatar’s Noise Level (described later). If this is used with a trinary deck because it is lacking requisite immersion tech Noise is reduced by a level.
3. Disciple Correspondence and Initiate Mind- Similar to use of Initiate above but an existing internet connection is not required and the Noise Level is increased for consistent use of Disciple magic. If this is used with a internet connection because it is lacking requisite deck and immersion tech Noise is reduced by a level.

Astral Immersion Rote

Mind ••, Correspondence •• (with connection) •••
Astral immersion into the Web also allowing connection to data transfer within the Web to an existing computer as well as targeting of magic in its realms. Other Apprentice Spheres can be added into this to trigger disconnection from the Web. This effect is Continuous with concentration or lasts for a Scene or Hour. Grades of Success: Increased grades of duration.
Grades of Success: Increased grades of duration.

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1. Net Enabled Computer- This is the full digitization of the body and requires very advanced and powerful Hypertech. You are there and Physical/Mental traits can be used interchangeably in this state. Going in through this equipment does require that the equipment remain for an exit, unless you have some other means of egress. Another advantage of entering through these means is that all Noise caused by use of Magic is reduced by a level and that no tie can be trace between you and the system through which you entered. Interactions with Sleepers and their Grids using this form of entry puts you up ten traits on all related tests, up five traits on dealing with those only using Sensory Visitation and two on those using Astral Immersion. The methods of entry and egress as well as dealing with potential Paradox varies by system.
2. Disciple Correspondence- An Disciple level Correspondence effect can be used to enter your own personal webspace or the Digital Web via any trinary deck powerful enough. This is Holistic Immersion and benefits and drawbacks are the same as entering through a Net Enabled Computer, but without transition tech it can be a rather Paradoxical effect.
3. Adept Correspondence- Similar to use of Disciple above but an existing deck is not required. For lack of a better description you digitize into thin air, it is rather Paradoxical.

Holistic Immersion Rote

Correspondence ••• (with deck) ••••
Astral immersion into the Web also allowing connection to data transfer within the Web to an existing computer as well as targeting of magic in its realms. Other Apprentice Spheres can be added into this to trigger disconnection from the Web. This effect in Instantaneous.
Grades of Success: Each additional grade of success adds 2 Physical traits to your Avatar when you are digitized.

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As with any data flow, the Web has its limits for how much it can process at a time. Unlike the other parts of the Web where Sleepers play, no mundane flow of data can disrupt the Inner Web. Pictures, video files or even the transfer of whole had drives is well beneath the notice of the Digital Web. This is a place set to process whole minds and the wills that come with them. Each realm you enter in the DW will have its own background Noise depending on the complexity of the realm and the skill of its construction. Noise is the build-up of excessive data that can ultimately lead to a Whiteout if it goes too far. Noise is rated from 1 to 10:

1. Minimal Noise, as a base usually indicative of parts of the Grid used by Sleepers
2. Low Noise, really well constructed zones can be here like SRVRS and Constraint Realms at their base
3. Still fairly low Noise often what Stacked Files have as a base
4. Somewhat glitchy realms will start here as a base like Hung Sectors and Haunts
5. This is where Noise can start causing real problems, dangerous sectors like Junklands can base out here
6. A storm of Noise is constantly brewing, chaos crops up randomly, only Trash Sectors will generally start here
7. This rating and higher usually only occurs when excessive True Magic is being called into the Web and dangerous backlashes can start occurring regularly, though usually only to those that are the cause of the Noise
8. Here the Noise is consistently dangerous to all present.
9. Whole areas of realms with this kind of Noise will consistently glitch and all present are in danger of lethal feedback, local Whiteouts are possible
10. Constant danger of widespread Whiteouts.

Personal Noise vs Area Noise- Sectors start with a Noise level as listed above, though the ST has final determination. Use of Magic can increase this, but it depends on the target as to how the Noise is affected. An Icon has the same base Noise as the realm it is in, but certain things can add to or subtract from that. When Magic is used to target oneself only, affecting the Icon or the Mage directly, that will add only to the Icon’s Noise. If anything external is targeted that will add to the ambient Noise of the area. How this works is described below.

Use of any power within the Web can add to Noise, but those who are smart will preformat anything they need to call on as to minimize build up. Use of wild magic will always add to the local Noise. For simplicity sake the highest level of Spheres used in an effect adds directly to the Noise level while in effect, plus one for each additional sphere in use with it. If a Rote is in use only the highest sphere will add to the Noise. Should multiple magi be using wild effects they stack directly, hence fighting between two mage can be very dangerous. When those magi are using rotes the highest effect will count and each rote in use by another will simply add one on top of it. This is safer, but not by much. Highly formatted realms like SRVRS and Constraint realms can counter or outright forbid use of powers. In those realms anything less than Holistic Immersion forces you to follow their rules without exception. Those who are Holistically Immersed are more requested or commanded to obey rules under penalty of punishment or outright derez should they defy them. Some of these realms will not even allow these sorts in without special access or accepting of certain limiting effect upon their Avatar. When a Spinner formats specific effects into their Avatar they can severely reduce and even eliminate the Noise they cause (this is described later).

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Note about Spheres and their use in the Web

The Web may seem physical, but it is not, rather it is a between place where the mind is master. Fortunately Sphere magic is the manipulation of reality and reality is often in the eye of the beholder. A Magi’s perception is a majority of how True Magic works. What this means for most Tradition Magi is that there is a variance in the translation of their power when they are jacked in. Effects using Matter and Life translate poorly and so all uses see their difficulties raised by three. Mind and Correspondence on the other hand are the bread and butter of the Web so the difficulties of all their uses is lowered by one. Time and Forces are particularly dangerous when used in the web. Whenever these Spheres are used two simple tests must be made. If both are failed nasty things can happen. With Time one can become Hung, where as they get stuck in a loop like a Hung Sector. The level of Time used that was the cause of this will translate directly to the degree of time this lasts or how hard it is to break through. With Forces an equivalent amount of Aggravated damage is done to them (this includes all forms of Web entry). The ambient Noise of the area at the time will determine how far reaching the backlash is and therefore other unfortunates who may be caught or damaged as well. Spirit, Prime and Entropy are relatively unaffected by the realities of the Web. Virtual Adepts, most Sons of Ether and some among the other Traditions who are fortunate enough that their Paradigm allows have Rotes made specifically for the Web (granting them a -1 on difficulty of their use) because they know that for the most part Correspondence and Mind (with some small exception) can be used in place of all others in this place and the really smart ones rarely use Spheres at all because they know anything can be done with the right Programming skills.

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Icons: Creation and Use

Your Icon is the sum of your presence in the Web and this consists of several parts:

Put plainly your icon is your physical appearance. This is a relatively simple creation for most programmers. When you are telepresent (with Sensory Visitation or Astral immersion) it is at its easiest. A Computer Programming test can make pretty much any basic humanoid form per the rules below. These figures are generally fairly generic and can be recognized immediately, not to mention the standard barcode will always be plain and simple and one cannot go beyond basic visual design. For true integration and ‘realistic’ creations on this level of programming one must use Hyper Coding or Corr/Mind effects using the chart below. (Note that Hypertech is rejected by many Mage, including some Etherites. Correspondence affects the form of the web (requires at least Disciple Level) and Mind affects the function (requires at least Initiate Level). Mage who use these in order to will the Web to their wishes use Arete as with any other use of magic. Specifically in the creation of the look of an Icon a Mage will use Correspondence, ‘shaping’ the Web to look as they wish. The downside of this however is twofold. First as with any direct use of magic in the Web this can cause Noise. Not a problem generally when you are designing something in your Personal Webspace, but potentially problematic when done on the fly or when switching add-ons. Then there are foci, when you are on the web it is unlikely you can use any physical foci though those with Computers or say Meditation as foci can still get away with it. Mundane programming can still achieve realism but the standard difficulty increases apply and they just never seem to truly accomplish the level of realism or in many cased surrealism those truly skilled or enlightened can. Your Icon can also have an impact on your Traits and Abilities. (Most Constraint Realms, including SRVRZ will require you to use pre-designated Icons and many others will have optional programs you can use for Icons to travel through them) How your Icon affects your interaction with the Web is based on the type of entry you are using:

• During Sensory Visitation Your Physicals are directly dependent on how your Icon has been programmed as are your Appearance Traits. In this state your other Traits remain the same but all Wits and Perception related tests see an increase of four traits in difficulty. During this kind of entry additional Social/Mental traits and Abilities of the Icon do not apply as your mind has not been translated into the Web. Damage: Bashing has no effect on an Icon in this state, Lethal damage will have no direct effect on the user but a level of damage (plus any purchased as Icon Health Levels) will DeRez the Icon and cast out a user and Aggravated Damage will do an equivalent level of Bashing to the user in addition to the same DeRez rules as Lethal.
• During Astral Immersion your Physical traits are replaced with your Mental ones, but Appearance remains dependent on your Icon. In this state however all other Traits remain the same. Should your Icon hold additional Attribute traits or Abilities these are added to your own as your mind can truly merge with the Icon’s primitive AI, but they cannot exceed your normal maximums. Damage: Bashing damage will have no direct effect on the user but a level of damage (plus any purchased as Icon Health Levels) will DeRez the Icon and cast out a user, Lethal Damage will do an equivalent level of Bashing to the user in addition to the same DeRez rules as Bashing and Aggravated Damage will do an equivalent level of Lethal to the user in addition to the same DeRez rules as Bashing.
• Finally with Holistic Immersion you can choose to merge with an Icon or simply appear as yourself. In either case your Physical traits remain the same if they are higher, otherwise Mental traits may still be used in their stead with other traits remaining the same. In fact your full integration with the Web puts you up 2 traits on all Wits and Perception related tests. Appearance is that of the Icon if you chose to merge with it, otherwise it remains your own. Additional Attribute and Ability traits apply if you merge with an Icon and can actually exceed normal limits (like going above 5 for Abilities or above your normal Attribute trait caps) as you are merged with the data flows you have created into the icon and can process them with the help of the AI. Damage: All damage effects the user directly since he is actually there and this can more easily lead to death, especially with Aggravated damage, though he will have the added health levels of the Icon.

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Part 2: New Background

AI
(Useable for Icons, Dolls and Trinary Computers)

Note: these values go well over what a standard character can simply buy as a Background, this is represented because when building the Icon, Doll or Trinary Computer if you wish it to be more than just a pretty picture it will increase the difficulty of the programming listed above. Determine how many points you will need in your Icon creation and whatever the range of points that fits in in the Background add that level in traits to the initial difficulty.

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Part 3: Basic Icon Creation

Difficulty modifiers Point Cost
(for creation out of the Background and determining creation time)

Icon Design (Hyper Coding or Correspondence Sphere, Base Difficulty of 4 Traits)

(Not available using mundane programming)

Icon Programing (Hyper Coding or Mind Sphere, Base Difficulty of 4 Traits)

• Conduit Walker *Mental vs 8 ~Computers~; Create a temporary, one person Conduit back to Spawn Point or Personal Webspace. This takes ten turns of total concentration, but you may spend Mentals to reduce this on a one for one basis down to a minimum of 1 turn. If reduced to one turn a Willpower can be spent to make it instant. This can be traced with Initiate Correspondence or Hyper Coding; and a contested Mental challenge.
• Immunity to Hung Sectors
• Moveable Spawn Point
• Special Sector Access *Select Constraint Realm or SRVR*
• Variable Abilities *Can choose allocation of Ability points upon entering the web and while inside my concentration for a turn per point moved. Please note that all of these Ability points must be bought under the ‘Other Abilities’ listing.*
• Others can be made up with ST approval

Creation Time of Icons starts at a Month and adds a Month for every twenty total points going into it. If the programmer is using Hyper Coding or Computers (or other appropriate mundane ability) then each month a Mental test must be made at the difficulty of the Icon (determined above), then that Ability is used as a retest. When creating the code underlying the image already created for the Icon a Mage can also use Mind to make the Icon ‘functional’. In this case it will be the Ability appropriate to the Foci for those Spheres. If a test is lost the work already done is not necessarily lost. Two simple tests are made and if even one succeeds it simply adds an additional month to the time (due to an error in the coding). If both are lost the data is corrupted and all progress thus far is lost. Time and difficulty can both be reduced, I mean who wants to spend so much time in game on such a project and no one likes when the difficulty can over bid their every test. Firstly the time is based on the programmer only spending a small portion of their days on the project. Should they devote the entirety of a month doing nothing but programming (with a few snacks and a few hours of sleep each night) then that particular month counts as two, but the character can take no other time consuming actions in that month and must not be interrupted. Building on an existing Icon can also make the process easier. The Icon being upgraded cannot be used for the duration of the project, but the total Creation time of the original Icon is deducted from the new and difficulty is reduced by half the original Icon’s difficulty. The main caveat here is that the new Icon must bear some resemblance to the old in form and function. Taking one’s time on a project can also be helpful. Each month one adds on to the work time reduces the difficulty by five traits (it cannot be lowered below 5 traits in this manner). The help of others can add to this, for each additional person working on the Icon who makes a monthly test (using the same means as you) against 7 traits can remove a month from your Creation Time or ten from your overall difficulty that month (cannot bring the difficulty below 5 in this way). In both cases full monthly dedication does double these effects.

One might consider those using Spheres to be at a severe disadvantage from those using Hypertech or programming because one will likely have far more Mental traits than Arete level, and in the short-term for the tests involved in the Icon’s creation that is true. This disadvantage can be explained as the greater amount of concentration the use of such magic needs in such an intricate venture. Those that create Icons in this way do however get a long-term advantage. Those attempting to alter, hinder or counteract the function or effects of Icons (or Add-Ons) created in this way face a four trait penalty on any related test (depending on the situation the ST can instead give this as a test bonus to the affected character). Those using Hypertech cannot even enter such a test unless they have at least three levels in the related Hyper-Ability.

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Part 4: Add Ons

However it is made to look when integrated with the Icon, add-ons are programs that can have direct effect on the Web, those within it or systems connected to it. One of their biggest advantages is minimal if not downright nonexistent effect on the ambient Noise level. The best comparison that can be made for these are Rotes, highly focused effects with little room for variation. It is this focus that makes them effective in the Web, a lack of the chaotic fluctuations caused by raw magic makes them safer here. Another added advantage of creating effects in the Web is that if you have the proper skill in Correspondence and/or Hypertech you can program any effect regardless of having the ability to do it outside of the web. If you do happen to have the Sphere needed to have the effect as well, that will make it easier as shown below. Depending on what it is capable of these take one or more Add-On Slots as determined by the Icon Creation listed above. When the Web Surfer has picked the Icon he wishes to use he may fill these slots with whatever Add-Ons he has available in his library, be it personally programmed or procured from another programmer. The rules that define what an Add-On can do are very similar to the design of Rotes for Mage. Effects can be from singular or combined Spheres, but while Grades of Success still apply the Add-On must be preprogrammed, so that once it is added to the Icon it’s Grade cannot be altered thereafter. Since this can determine how much room an Add-On takes up many programmers will make different versions of the same Add-On to suit different situations. The programming of Add-Ons is similar to that of Icons though a bit simpler. The base trait difficulty for programming tests is also 4, but the number of monthly tests required is based on the number of slots the Add-On totals to (this is before any deduction modifiers are calculated). Similarly Hyper Coding can be used or the Mind Sphere. In order to give the effect any appearance other than the most basic an additional test is required for design (in the case of Hyper Coding this is Expression and in the case of Sphere use this will be Correspondence) and this includes making it less visible because all Add-Ons standardly have a visual representation on the Icon. Only through the use of Correspondence can the Add-On’s activation ever be completely hidden. Like Icon creation a test is made each month, time is determined by the number of Slots in months. An Add-On Automatically takes up one Slot on an Icon, this can never be completely removed, the following are a list of modifiers to the creation difficulty and the number of Slots it may take (for the sake of ease this is all made in comparison to the use of Sphere Magic):

*Note that while we use magic as a guide these ‘abilities’ are not in fact magic but programs of a sort. On the Web, image is everything. You should start by considering what you want to happen, then use the rules to fill it in.*

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Part 5: Dolls

A doll is very simply an Icon with an AI built in. This of course can be more difficult than creating an Icon. Creating the appearance is identical to Icons above, and the method of tests and time for programming are also identical, but a new chart for difficulties and points is provided below. Once created however add-ons are interchangeable with the ones created for Icons. A basic Doll is prepared to perform based on their programming and that alone. It will act literally according to that programming without deviation. This can include limited integration and movement, much like many of the computer generated characters of modern video games. These can include anything from automated defense of a Personal Webspace to simple chit-chat based on preprogrammed information. The programmer must detail how the Doll will act and will make a Hyper Coding or Computer test against a difficulty based on that program. Ultimately the ST has discretion over difficulty but here is a good guide: Base difficulty of 6 plus 1 for each command past the first (ST might add additional difficulty for more complex commands). On the fly a programmer may input new commands, but the base difficulty goes up to 8 and a turn is required for each command programmed. If the Doll is given Self-Awareness the Doll can be given any length of verbal commands, but will act on them according to the personality set into it at creation. It will be loyal to its programmer to the point of destruction, however prolonged mistreatment can at the STs Discretion corrupt this and turn the Doll against the Programmer. It can act independently and make intuitive decisions about its orders and wishes based on the knowledge it was created with. Concerning damage, if a Doll loses all it’s Health Levels it is Derezed and unlike an Icon it cannot immediately Respawn. A Dolls much go into a Self-Reparative state for an hour per Health Level repaired and if fully Derezed before it does this it takes one full day before it can begin to repair itself. The same applies to recovery of any spent traits (which is cumulative with Health Levels). If a programmer spends an hour of this working on repairing the Doll’s code he may allow it to heal an additional level or Trait in this hour by making a Hyper Coding Computers test again 7 traits plus the number of currently unhealed Levels or Traits.

Doll Programming (Hyper Coding or Mind Sphere, Base Difficulty of 6 Traits)

¹Requires Self Awareness, regular Dolls cannot be Socially Challenged
²Adds after a basic action
³Bonus difficulty to hacking, this also adds to the programmer’s difficulty if the Doll is Self-Aware and does not wish to be reprogrammed, this can also act as a sort of Willpower where needed for Self Aware Dolls

*Special Digital Ability:

• Conduit Walker: Mental vs 8 ~Computers~; Create a temporary, one person Conduit back to the Master Icon or their Personal Webspace. This takes ten turns of total concentration, but they may spend Mentals to reduce this on a one for one basis down to a minimum of 1 turn. This can be traced with Initiate Correspondence or Hyper Coding; and a contested Mental challenge.*
• Immunity to Hung Sectors
• Conduit Anchor: If th Master Icon is a Conduit Walker they may now additionally jump to this Doll with that ability.
• Sector Chameleon: If the Master Icon is ever required by a Constraint Realm or SRVR to take on a Participant Icon this Doll can conform to such an Icon as well and if the Master Icon has any Special Sector Access that also applies to this Doll.

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Surfing the Web

How and where you enter the web are very important. Types of entry are listed in a previous section and that can affect how strong you are in the Web. The importance of where you enter can vary depending on the type of entry. With Sensory and Astral Immersions your entry point defines a sort of Spawn point. If your Icon is Derezed you can automatically re-enter there or in your Personal Webspace (described later). To change this point you must extricate yourself from the web and either physically change your entry point, or rely on any Conduits you have created from your Personal Webspace (described later). When Holistically Immersed it is even more important, in fact your life can depend on it. These points, and your Personal Webspace, are the only places you can completely safely step out of the Web and back to where you began. That is not to say there are not other ways, and though dangerous they can be preferable to suffering a real death by being killed on the Web. You can of course find another entry point connected to another location in the world. Of course this requires you to not only wind up wherever this connection is in the world, sometimes these places can be unpleasant but at least you get a general idea of where you are going before you leave, and then to deal with the Paradox associated with physically materializing somewhere in the world. This requires you to be at least a Disciple of Correspondence. On the other hand, if you are an Adept you can literally just step out where ever you are. This however can have nasty side effects (aside from Paradox) of bringing you out anywhere (not just a connection point) including such lovely locations as along a submersed data cable in the Atlantic, or around an orbital data relay… Additionally you have a connection to the point you enter, one that a fellow traveler can connect you to in a number of way. The two most common ways are to analyze the serial number that is always located somewhere on your Icon, no matter how creatively you have tried to disguise it. Also a proper use of Correspondence can trace the connection back. This connection, like your Icon’s serial number can be protected and disguised but never removed so long as you are on the Web.

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Acting in the Web is very similar to acting in the World, the mind translates data and motivation into something understandable. This is why those with stronger minds, who can think beyond the physical can often be ‘stronger’ even when they are Holistically Immersed. There are some slight differences and additions to take into consideration:

• A character can spend 1 Willpower in a turn to take an additional ‘Physical’ action in the Web.
• Swapping out Add-Ons takes 1 turn per Slot that Add-On takes up if the Add-On is readily available (AKA swapping with another present Icon or Doll, or being present wherever the Add-On is stored) and one minute per Slot if it is not present but located in storage you have access to, such as your Personal Webspace. Note that the ‘Eye in the Sky’ may do either of these for you by only taking a turn per Slot, but during these turns neither Add-On is useable.
• Changing an Icon: You can change Icons you own freely at the site of their storage, like your Personal Webspace. You can change Icons you own by taking one minute per level of the Icon at your ‘Spawn Point’. You can change Icons with one offered to you by another if you are at the location of that Icon’s storage or it has been brought to your location by taking 1 turn per level of the Icon. If you enter a Constraint Realm once a designated Icon is selected the change is instantaneous.
• Travel-time of a Conduit varies based on the similarity of the two connected locations. It is Storyteller discretion generally ranging from 1 turn for incredibly similar zones or a full minute for diametrically opposed zones. Times are doubled for anyone using Conduit Walker or similar effects.
• One can Derez by choice when under Sensory Visitation. One can also do this under Astral Immersion, but this will cause feedback and the player must make 2 simple tests. Total success will result in 1 Bashing directly to them and a splitting headache. A loss and a win will cause an additional Bashing an a minute of disorientation putting them down two traits on all tests. Total loss will cause an additional Lethal and at least the addition of a bloody nose if not other blown blood-vessels.

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The Web is a reality created by the signals and networks that now permeate the world. Technology has made this a vast world, but predating all that is the complex computer and series of signals known as the human mind and body. Smart Adepts have learned to create safe workspaces on the Web that are truly their own. More so than any mortal a Mage’s Avatar makes them a far more complex computer that can be turned into a world of its own known as Personal Webspace. Some say it is a VA’s version of a Demanse, but they are distinctly separate and some have discovered strange ways to tie them together. This is accessed similarly to the Web and as described above. Its initial development does take a bit of skill. Either a programmer with at least Hyper Coding 2 must lay a base code (against 7 traits plus their Avatar level) or a Cor 2, Mind 2 Effect (requiring a Grade of Success per level of Avatar). Those with stronger Avatars have a harder time formatting what is somewhat of a preformatted server and even then the Avatar will have a strong influence on the appearance and operation of the space, no matter what changes the Mage tries to make of it. In the Webspace tests involving creation of Icons and Add-Ons can be easier. Difficulties are reduced by two traits and time is reduced by a month (with a minimum of one). If you have an Avatar you gain your rating in traits to all such tests, however there is a price. Any Icon or Add-On shaped in your Webspace will be influenced by the Avatar, in appearance and function. STs may make alterations based on this, and is encouraged to make them stronger for higher levels of Avatar. As explained later, Conduits can be created from your Webspace into the Web itself and though this has obvious benefits, it can also have drawbacks.

This Webspace has the following parameters:
Storage Space = Arete + Mind in Terrabytes (this can be used as a sort of external hard drive)
Icon/Add-On Storage= (Arete + Mind + Avatar) x 10 in total Icon Levels and Add-On Slots (this include active Add-Ons and AIs operating within the webspace)
Visual Space= (Arete + Correspondance + Avatar) x 1000 square feet (designed and laid out based on the skill of the creator)

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Conduits, as described above, connect two potentially distant locations in the Web. Many of these form seemingly naturally, usually between two similar locations. Some are obvious and some are well camouflaged. Creating a new conduit has two primary steps, anchoring and tunneling. First an anchor must be established in each entry point (these can lead to more than one location and existing ones can be expanded). At its core laying an anchor is a simple matter, it is a sort of tag made with Correspondence or Coding to direct the later tunneling. If one of the entry points is to be in your own Webspace this is not needed there since you are always able to locate that. Normally this only requires a Cor 2 effect or a Hyper Coding test against 6 traits, but certain realms and programs are designed to prevent these from being created, so additional measures may need to be taken to secure them. Once this is accomplished one must start tunneling from one of these locations. This again can be a very simple matter using Cor 3 or making a Hyper Coding test against 8 traits. Again, realm defenses can be implemented to prevent this, increasing difficulty levels or requiring greater grades of success/processing time. Obviously stealth can be useful, as someone who finds your conduit can similarly collapse it. If one uses Correspondence to create this Conduit the entrances will automatically conform to the surrounding realm, though be an obvious entrance of some sort. Use of Hyper Coding will make a rather blatant digital doorway, generally somewhat less than subtle. In either case additional crafting is needed to alter this appearance in some way and obviously additional defenses can be implemented, and thing from traps to reactive AIs. This is most important in conduits created directly to your Personal Webspace. If these are found they can present an enemy with direct path to you. With the consent of all parties these can be created between individual Webspaces allowing groups to ‘Network’ themselves. This requires a good deal of trust and usually only happens within Cabals. There are advantages aside from ready communication and information sharing that will be listed later.

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Nobody wants to get left behind on an adventure, well in the Digital Web you can enjoy the pleasures of the Web from the comfort of your own home and let someone else take the risks. From a Web terminal an operator can, with permission (though sometimes without), key into a group of Icons to monitor and assist them. This takes the form of a little module that will follow the Icons around kind of like hovering cameras, or whatever imagery the operator programs into one. These are often called the ‘Eyes in the Sky’ and can be very helpful to those they follow. There are base advantages for one generically following and then an operator can program specialized ones (described later). An operator can link up with a number of Icons equal to their Computer Ability without penalty and everyone beyond that give a 1 trait penalty to all Web activities. O a basic level the operator offers many things: Constant communication between all Icons that are connected, ability to access information the Icons may not have access to, monitoring of each Icon’s status and location in relation to the others, someone to monitor bodies that may be left out of the Web, keep track of local and personal Noise levels, etc. There are also a base set of actions the operator can take for the Icons:

1. Can access and switch Add-Ons for an Icon based on the rules described previously. Note that to do this with Add-Ons from someone’s Personal Webspace they must have preset permissions to access them.
2. Can move the ‘Eye’ away from the Icon certain distances to scout of more safely gather data. The Eye must stay in line of sight of the Icon, only has 1 Health Level if attacked and moves based on the Operator’s Mental/Computer traits.
3. If the Operator is using a Deck with it’s own Self Aware Actions that Deck may act as the Operator with those actions.
4. May use any applicable Advanced Software programs that they have available.

There are limitations to these Eyes. Unless the Constraint Realm or SRVR allows it an Eye cannot accompany an Icon into them and sometimes even when it is allowed limitations or changes are made to the Eye. If these eye is Derezed or Disconnected (at which time it is Derezed) the Icon must return to a location the Operator has access to and spend a full minute reconnecting. The Eyes move with the speed of the Operator’s computing but to take active movement the Operator must take an Action to do this otherwise it will float numbly around the Icon. If attacked the Operator can make reflexive defensive tests however if multiple Eyes are attacked in the same turn each defensive action after the first is done at a cumulative one trait loss. This applies separately but equally to Self Aware Decks taking actions with Eyes as well.

Much like Icon’s and Dolls, special Eyes can be designed by operators. Any Traits bought for them add to the Operator’s use tests but individual Eyes must be designed for each separate Icon connected to the Operator for benefits to apply, otherwise one must choose which Icons special Eyes go with and the others get standard ones. Unlike Icons these don’t work on Point systems or require extended tests:

Eye Design
(Hyper Coding or Correspondence Sphere, Base Difficulty of 3 Traits)

¹These start out at a Very Small Size
²Not Available using mundane programming

Eye Programming (Hyper Coding or Mind Sphere, Base Difficulty of 3 Traits)

¹These cannot have Intelligence, Charisma or Manipulation Traits
²These only add for movement or uses of any purchased Appendages
*Note that while the Mentals of the operator are used for movement and dexterity tests ONLY Physicals bought specifically for the Eye apply for any tests of Strength or Stamina, so for the Eye to ever ‘soak’ a hit it must have at least one Stamina related trait.
³The Eye will disconnect if it cannot stay within acceptable sight of the Icon
⁴These can be arms, legs, tentacles or whatever, the Eye does not start with any
*Note that while the Mentals of the operator are used for movement and dexterity tests ONLY Physicals bought specifically for the Eye apply for any tests of Strength or Stamina, so for an appendage to be able to lift or hold something at least one Strength trait must be purchased.

*Special Digital Ability

• Immunity to Hung Sectors
• Special Sector Access: Select Constraint Realm or SRVR -- needs this to follow an Icon with a like Access into that Realm.
• Restart Button: If the Eye is Derezed it will ‘Respawn’ at the Icon’s Respawn point and wait for the Icon be become in range to reconnect.
• Tracking Program: If the Icon is disconnected from the Eye the Eye will not Derez, but rather float or otherwise move if possible in the direction of the Icon until it can reconnect. During this time the Operator gets no telemetry and it is ST discretion if it can and how long it will take to get to the Icon.
• 1 UP: This can be taken multiple times and each one allows the Eye to return unharmed to the Icon after being Derezed.
• Others can be made up with ST approval

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Much like the Realm it overlays the Digital Web is connected to the Umbra, but whereas the Penumbra connects to that Realm, the Cyber Realm connects to the Web. We won’t go into the logistics of the Onion that is the universe here, that is for other books to poorly attempt and the Web is complicated enough by itself. Daemons (what many call spirits) can access and be used in the Web, it is just rare and hard not to mention there is only a select few types of them that will enter it willingly. If anyone has mastered this it is the Ghost Wheel Society of the Dreamspeakers, but what else would you expect from Dreamspeakers? Leave it to them to complicate the fun that is the Web. Truly to simplify Daemons will work much the same way in the Web as they do elsewhere, simply with the Cyber Realm acting as the ‘Penumbra’. The barrier between the Web and the Cyber Realm is similar to the Gauntlet, a digital membrane of sorts, though it is much easier to get through. The hard part is usually getting to the Cyber Realm in the first place. Once there one must make their way high above the Spider City to the Computer Web, a spiritual representation of the data and connections of the world. There are several ways to get here:

1. Inside the Digital Web you can ‘cross’ into a Micro Level of the Realm with the right Add-On or with a rote much like that used to cross the Gauntlet though you need Disciple-level Correspondence as well. You will arrive in whatever data-pocket represents the location you were at in the Web. From there however the only ways to pass out into the Macro Level is if you are Holistically immersed, your access to the Web is via a Fetish or that you entered from the Computer Web in the first place.
2. With a fetish Computer or through a normal computer with a technofetish that uses an informational geomid you can go directly to the Computer Web and access the Digital Web via one of the Micro Levels (again you need the right Spheres as listed above to cross)
3. By travelling to the Spider City in the Cyber Realm and climbing a web spun by a orb spider from Uptown to the Computer Web.

Daemons can enter the DW via the Computer Web as well, but if you know anything about daemons you know that that Realm is the Weaver’s personal toybox and generally only daemons of its ilk can travel through there freely, others will be attacked. Most then use these types of daemons if any. Many a creative Dreamspeaker has learned to smuggle other daemons in however, the most common ways are to Bind them to an item and bring them directly to the Computer Web. In any case to enter the Digital Web a daemon must use the Materialize Charm from one of the Micro Levels. (Please note that as indicated here there is a separation between where Mage generally consider the Web and what Garou do, it will generally only be certain Garou dealing with the Cyber Realm such as many Glasswalkers who will take the extra step into the Digital Web. Their natural spirit links allow them to cross in as they can cross the Gauntlet. Many other types of these creatures who travel here for some reason *given the Realm is anathema to their nature this is rare and they generally don’t like it* they are never likely to encounter a Mage or others in the Digital Web because they will handle their business in the spiritual plane and leave as soon as they can.)

Notes on certain types of Daemons:

Chaos Daemons (Wyld Spirits)- Jagglings raise the ambient Noise by one each that is present plus one for every level of spirit they are above that, they are immune to the effects of Whiteouts.
Techno Daemons (Weaver Spirits)- Gafflings lower the ambient Noise by one each that is present plus one for every level of daemon they are above that, every three Jagglings lover the ambient Noise by one (Noise can be reduced to and below zero this way, if it becomes negative ten however the sector is immediately Hung), they are immune to Hung Sectors and the rules of Constraint Realms (though they generally want to obey them anyway)
Death Daemons (Wyrm Spirits)- Jagglings raise the ambient Noise by two each that is present plus one for every level of daemon they are above that, they are immune to the effects of Trash Sectors, Junklands and Warzones give them power bonuses based on ST discretion.
Chimera- Her and her Brood cause automatic Whiteouts when they enter a Server, to bring or summon one there is suicide, though they will generally refuse to enter in the first place (like most Wyld Spirits) since it is a place anathema to their natures.
‘Tainted Daemons’- Some of any of the above types of daemons can be ‘tainted’ by the power of another, especially the Wyrm. In these cases they have the benefits and flaws of both types within the Web.

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Trinary Decks: Creation and Use

Any VA worth his salt can hack a computer, and a little razzle dazzle of the grand programming code of the world one can truly accomplish anything. Most are way past the technological level the Technocracy has allowed the world to evolve to and that junk is nothing but a hindrance. Trinary Computer Decks are as different from builder to builder as Tradition Paradigms. Computing light-years beyond modern technology they can only be built and properly operated by the Awakened/Enlightened and must be constructed using either True Magik or Hypertechnology. Note that these do not have to be Devices/Wonders, but can be and often are, for example a Deck that effects Holistic Immersion for you and stores that potential Paradox can be very useful. Should this be your wish rules are as normal for Wonder/Device creation, the tests are made after construction tests though it's construction is concurrent and its final completion becomes dependent on the successful completion of both.

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No matter how you are making it the construction of one of these computers is not unlike building programs in the web, except you are now working with physical matter rather than digital code. Those going the route of Magik (Paradigm permitting) will be using Correspondence and Matter (Rather than Mind), and those going the route of Hyper Abilities will be using the Hyper Technology Ability in association with a regular Technology or Electronics Ability first. Once complete a Hyper Coding test is required against the same difficulty for final activation. The same benefits apply here as to Web Building, if you use True Magick it is harder to affect or counter the final products because it is an object of your Will and if you choose to use Hyper Abilities you will have an advantage in the actual construction tests allowing for more ease in creating more complex systems. Please note that those using True Magick must have at least Initiat Mind, Disciple Correspondence and Adept Matter (though Master can mitigate the need for anything more than the rawest materials).

Those using Hyper Technology of course need access to the proper components, which can be hard to come by and expensive (One can forge their own components of course, but this takes an extra month for every two spent on the Computer itself and requires a Hyper Science Test against 7 traits during each of these months).

Storage starts at one Terabyte plus one per level of the Deck and all can enter all mundane Knowledge-related tests.

Basic Deck Creation (Base difficulty of 8):

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A Trinary Computer can run any mundane program and hardware with ease, and in great numbers without slowing down a bit. Based on it's Processor's Capacity it can also run a certain number of Advanced Programs or amount of Advanced Hardware or even Devices, which can do things boarding magic and are the only things that can be used in conjuntion with Hypertech of any kind. An Advanced Program can be one of two things:

1. A Charm placed in the computer, created via normal rules and the level of the Charm applies against the Processor's capacity
2. A Program designed using the Hyper Coding Ability that can affect other Trinary Computers or Hypertech and it's level counting against the Processor's capacity which is equal to the bonuses it grants. Note that if the Deck is also a Device capable of storing or casting off Paradox, this can be applied to any Charms it is programmed with. Advanced hardware are simply Hypertech additions that can be run by the Deck, up to it's Processor's capacity based on it's total level. First these can be Devices, but only if the Deck itself is a Device. The advantage here is that the Deck provides the power source and storage or casting of Paradox for the smaller devices so that their individual creations are easier and more focus can be placed on their uses. Also if the Deck builds up too much paradox and is destroyed, the individual Device may remain intact. Additionally normal Hypertech items can be built and used, and though these can have amazing effects similar to those created with Procedures they must at all times remain Strictly Coincidental. For ease creation of these is compared directly to Procedures/Rotes, needing only ST approval that they are Coinsidental enough not to be all-out Devices. Example can inlude: Sensor Suites that detect all forms of radiation and heat or light (Forces 1), Special Mapping (Corr 1), 3D Modeler (Matter 3 to 4), Cyber VR Gear (Corr 1 to 3 and Mind 0 or 2). ALso note that multiple functions can be assembled into one piece of hardware.

Advanced Hardware

Design

All new constructs have a base difficulty of 6 traits

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