4. The Magi Orders in Toronto =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- There is always something Magic, There is always something new. And when you really really need it the most, that's when rock and roll dreams come true. --Meatloaf Rock and Roll dreams come true The Magi have always been here. They watched from their tribes as the Europeans came over, and laid claim to the land. he watched as the European technologies claimed a heavy toll on their soul. They watched as McDiarmuid and Simcoe set the site for Fort York. They watched as Garou tore Kindred to pieces, and the streets ran with blood. And when the earth cried, one of the Order of Hermes declared she would make a peace between the Kindred and the Garou. This is how they first learned of the Magi. Thet have always been here. They are still here now. Mage: Sect Toronto Area Head Akashic Bros 5 14 Jang Xiu Celestl Chorus 12 20 Thomas Gradenko Cult of Ecstasy 6 17 Lila Cheney DreamSpeakers 7 17 Mother Adelle Euthanatos 5 12 Victor Krueger Hollow Ones 28 37 Rachel Abbousefy Order of Hermes 8 15 Ben Cordick Sons of Ether 5 11 T.Redd Mann Verbena 4 10 Russell Nash Virtual Adepts 7 15 Joanne Raschyk Orphans 16? 40? ? 4.1 The Akashic Brotherhood The Akashic Brotherhood does not have many members in the Toronto area. There are a number of Nodes in Toronto, but only one that is specifically used by the Brotherhood. The Voice of the Brotherhood in the Council of Nine, is Jang Xiu, a master at Mind magic. 4.1.1 Jang Xiu A small Korean man who does not speak. He now communicated ideas and concepts directly through telepathy. He is rarely seen outside of the Jun Jeet Dao Studio & Dojo. It is uncertain how involved with the Brotherhood he truly is. The Brotherhood proudly brag that he refused admission into the Oracles of Mind, so that he could teach. This has not been confirmed. 4.2 The Celestial Chorus The Celestial Chorus in Toronto has just over a dozen members. They maintain four separate nodes, and travel between them regularly. The Voice of the Celestial Chorus, a televangelist named Thomas Gradenko, is seeking to awaken others by performing small miracles. He pays a fairly heavy paradox toll, but his sleeper following is becoming enormous. 4.2.1 Thomas Gradenko Charismatic, Glib, silver-tongued. All of these fit Gradenko. He issssss quickly becoming a feature, and a bit of a worry. Outside of his services, Gradenko is a manipulative man who is constantly driven to flaunt the technocracy. He beleives that he and his services must provide a diversion for more direct and subversive activities of other orders. But he can still do so while planting the idea firmly in his followers minds that reality is shaped by the mind, not the other way around. 4.3 The Cult of Ecstasy The Cult's influence in Toronto is surprisingly low. For a city that barely ever sleeps, there are only six known cultists (17 or so in the surrounding area). Ms. Lila Cheney, a concert guitarist is currently the Voice of the Cult of Ecstasy. Although she is often on tour, she uses her high correspondance to make meetings. 4.3.1 Lila Cheney She's a thief, and a sculptor, and a musician, and a dancer. She is energetic and alive. And she'll do anything to keep feeling alive. Her worst problem is that she's a adrenaline junkie. She is capable of great tenderness and great joy. But she avoids times of sadness. 4.4 The Dreamspeakers The Dreamspeakers in Toronto also number under 10. There is a small chantry in Scarborough, that acts as a half-way house for incarcerated persons. The house is really a Dreamspeaker chantry. Mother Adelle, the Dreamspeaker Voice, is desperately trying to wake others by inducing eclectic dream patterns into people's mind. The spirits she works with seem positive that this path will work for her and her order. 4.4.1 Mother Adelle Mother Adelle has served as the Voice of the Dreamspeakers for over three decades. She has established the Midway Chantry, and works it strongly. She is called Mother Adelle because she served in the service of the Roman Catholic church for almost twenty years. There are some ties between her and Thomas Gradenko. He secured her dispensation of vows. 4.5 The Euthanatos The Euthanatos are not generally well regarded among the Toronto Council of Nine (TC9). After the depression era, the Euthanatos were accused of playing with the stock market, and causing, if indirectly, the entire decade that followed. The Euthanatos have been allowed back in Toronto so long as they keep their promise to stay away from the Toronto Stock Exchange. The Voice for the Euthanatos is Victor Kurgen. 4.5.1 Victor Kuergen Kuergen is a very tall (6'5") man who wear a lot of leather. He models himself after Clancy Brown as the Kurgan in "Highlander". He is rumoured to have taken the head of the previous voice of the Euthanatos. But this may only be superstition and reputation spread to impress the magi. 4.6 The Order of Hermes The Order is still alive and well, and in control of the Council of Nine. (At least they think they are). Having just survived a brief civil war among the local order, culminating in a certanmen to determine who the new Voice of the order will be, Krysia Chydyck, an entrepeneur originally from Winipeg now has control. She is bringing the Order back into direct involvement with the other supernatural species in Toronto. There are roughly 15 members in the Toronto area 4.6.1 Ben Cordick As a vice-president and C.E.O. of Septon International, Cordick is heavily concerned both with the company, and with the developments of its board of directors--the order of Hermes. He is adept at Life magick, and has an uncanny knowledge of Toronto history. This is because he remembers in minute detail everything that he experienced in a past life--that of his grandfather--Christopher Cordick. He knows that the time has come when he can make up for the sins of his grandfather--but he doesn't yet know how. He has been the Voice of the Order of Hermes, recommending a tolerant, yet paternal image for the order. 4.6.2 Krysia Chydyk President of Septon International. Her primary concerns have been to investigate omens of destruction that have been cropping up for the last few years. She current;y has a challenge out to Ben Cordick for Certamen, for the position of Voice of the Order of Hermes. She is pregant with Cordicks twin children, but someone else carries the children. Cordick may not know--so Chydyk will not say anything. If the apocalypse is near, Chydyk beleives that she will become the soul of Tabitha House. And that the Order of Hermes must pay for causing the death of Tabitha Fodor--the current soul of the house. 4.7 The Sons of Ether The Sons of Ether have roughly a dozen members in Toronto. They do not hold regular meetings anymore, but communicate via teleconferen- -cing. The Sons of Ether have forged an alliance of sorts with the Virtual Adepts, whereby anything that is useful can be integrated and promoted via the digital web. The Sons of Ether generally have their laboratories on or around nodes. 4.7.1 Thomas Redd Mann Little is known about Mr. Mann. He runs a small courier service called "Destinations T.O.", which has just won a court injunction against seizure of its clientelle files. He works his courier acitivities through correspondance. So, essentially, D.T.O. is a one-man operation. He is also the voice of the Sons of Ether--because is perhaps the most down-to-earth and centred of all the Sons. 4.8 The Virtual Adepts The Virtual Adepts in Toronto number around 15. They have wrestled a number of subnets from Technocracy control, and have recently discovered a vast network called HADES (The Nosferatu conglomeration). They have explored a fair bit, and are seeking a true alliance with the Nosferatu. 4.8.1 Joanne Raschyk She comes across as a bubbly blonde, but underneath she seethes. She remembers the torute. She remembers the information glut. And she can use that memory. Raschyk's biggest concerns are keeping information looped around the technocracy, and acting as support for her Tribe. She is a Wendigo Kinfolk. She beleives that Pentex and teh Technocracy are in definate partnership. 4.9 The Verbena One of the most well-known Verbena chantries, "The Wandering hand" is based in Toronto. The Voice of the Verbena in the TC9 is Russel Nash, an antiques dealer on hudson street. Most of the Verbena in Toronto are associated with the chantry. However, since the chantry focusses on working among the sleepers, through heavy mundane channels, they rarely come out of the woodwork. 4.9.1 Russell Nash He is the deacon of the Wandering Hand Chantry (that travels constantly all across Canada), and the Voice of the Verbena. He models himself after Christopher Lambert in "Highlander". He and the Euthanatos do not get along. The Verbena and the Euthanatos in Toronto are bitter enemies. However, Nash also beleives that he is the one who will be chosen for "The Prize", a revelation that the end is near. He knows the signs to wait for. WHen the apocalypse is near, he will feel an irresistable pull to Tabitha House, where he will fight with the quintessence stored in the house for over a century. 4.10 The Orphans/Hollow Ones There are almost 25 Orphans or Hollow Ones known or recognized in Toronto. 4.10.1 Kevin Stafford No-one really speaks for the Hollow Ones, or the Orphans. Stafford occasionally speaks out, but not on a regular basis. People just kinda tell him their problems, see? 'besides, he's only a tattoo artist, and people gotta talk about something if their getting their skin done. 4.11 The Ahl-i-batin The Ahl-i-batin, according to the TC9, has probably died out. They are unaware that the Prince's ghoul is a member of this order. She is the only one in Toronto, and she has dedicated herself to the protection of the house she lives in, and the Node it is built on. (See the internet supplement: "Tabitha House" for more details). 4.11.1 Clarissa Rotchet nee Fodor SHe is not known to be one of the Ahl-i-Batin. She may be recognized by the MAgi as a Mage, and by teh Garou, as something more than human, but none will be able to discern her true affiliations. She does not speak on behalf of her order. She had left her order over a century ago. (after she had explored the Sons of Ether, the Verbena, the Akashic Brotherhood, and the Cult of Ecstasy). SHe lives for one reason only--she is the caretaker of Tabitha house, and she will gather the defenders, until the time comes when Apocalypse arrives.