THE TEChnocracy

Tecnocracia, Technocrats, Technos

“Humanity, science, and progress -- these can be delayed but they cannot be denied”

Symbol

A large gear symbol with a wreath beneath it and two crossed lightning bolts within it.

Lore: Low Medium

Technocracy lore is more involved, with the traditions and histories of a person’s Corp being of importance. However, the concept of a corporate suit or dilettante-type character is easy enough for many players to grasp.

Aesthetic

Technocrats dress in the latest of fashions, which currently evoke a mixture of island sensibilities, Victorian flair (aka Steampunk), and a touch of the “Nueva Ciencia” or the New Sciences. This can depend and fluctuate depending on the season and the Union’s tastes. Unlike other aesthetes however, Technocrats are more likely to mix adventuring and aesthetics with great aplomb. Their gear tends to be ornate with filigree or ornamental markings, even heavily used items such as firearms, skill kits, and gadgets tend to follow these tendencies. All in all, Technocrats like to have both fashion and utility, they will lean immensely toward the former if both are unavailable. 

Outlook

Clever Negotiators: The wise folk among the Tecnokrats tend to approach social interaction as a structure just as intricate as an ornate dress or as delicate as a fine wine. While seeming amicable, most will mind their words and their manners when confronted with someone that appears impressive or important. Speaking from the heart is not a common trait amongst these people who wheel and deal as a lifestyle. But not all Krats follow this outlook -- some appear impulsive and brazen, almost debauched in their confidence. For these folk, the guise of bravado hides a keen mind that probes for weaknesses and desires. 

Height of Fashion: Appearance and reputation matters much to the average Technocrat. Those who are known to be poor and notorious are not awarded work and have a surfeit of allies. Thus, most Technocrats stay mindful of the trends of fashion and politics. Even those who are stationed far away from Ayiti find it useful to know the happenings in their homeland, in case visiting dignitaries might find them too provincial. One way to get around this pitfall is to adopt and retain a style that is their very own, despite whatever trends might be happening. In this way, a Krat presents a striking and audacious figure -- the problem with this is if a trend follows the “unique Technocrat”, they may find their own personal fashion become old and banal. 

Order and Chaos: Other peoples might believe Technocrats to be greedy, scheming individuals but they do not know the truth. The Tecnocracia craves order and control most of all. While other folk chase dreams of immortality or glory, the practical Technokrat simply desires the means to achieve whatever they seek -- and in their structured society, wealth and status are the means to control one's own destiny and the destiny of their family.

The New Sciences: The world has changed and with it have come the new sciences (aka Nueva Ciencia or Nueva-Sci), mingling technology and sorcery as well as the physical and the spiritual. Krats are always on the lookout for new tech or new magics, caring little if it is labeled as forbidden or sacred. For some, it is a function of squeezing more profit for their Corporation. For other Krats, this novelty is a new horizon to explore and to learn from.

Words over Wars: Though military contracts have earned certain Corporations no small amount of wealth, most Technokrats detest fighting. They think it is dirty, chaotic, and (less importantly) dangerous. A Technocrat will ask first and shoot later, which may fly in the face of common wisdom in hazardous areas. Though they consider combat beneath them, they do not ignore their own safety. Thus, they hire or befriend allies that are much more dangerous than they are. Similarly, their wealth and/or technical expertise also lends them to having gadgetry and weaponry aplenty to deal with trouble.

Names

The individuals among the Tecnocracia follow the naming conventions of their locale, usually of the Illustrados themselves (first name, middle name, both last names of their parents). While they have rankings within their organization, these are not brought about unless formality necessitates such an act. 

Example Names:

• Jean St. Pierre Villanueva-Caron is an entrepreneur for the Tecnocracia, going to the fringes of civilization and wilderness to prospect and to evaluate local assets for the Gremio. He goes by Jean St. Pierre, unless formality requires his entire name. 

• Isabella Adrianna Christina Velasco-Guillermo is often under the employ of the Technocracia, but she keeps their association quiet. After all, her activities as “Bella the Bullet” makes her seem more like a brazen mercenary than a Tecnocracia researcher.

• Garris Greenfield is a Mid-Atlantic employee of the Tecnocracia. Garris works for a local arm of the organization as a finder of things and a solver of problems, with their actual work title being largely obscured. 
  
  
  
  
  

Example Character Ideas

The following are some character concepts that may be seen from this Gremio. If desired, Feel free to use or alter one of these for your character.

Artisan of the New Sciences: The world and reality itself changed with the Long Fall. But along with monsters and disasters, there came new sciences for humanity to discover and utilize. Components and new crafting techniques allow for devices and technologies that rivaled the wonders of the old world. This is in addition to the eldritch energies of the modern era, which allow humanity greater capacities and abilities to contend with the new threats of their lives. These artisans study and refine the new sciences, even straying to the fringes of normality and morality to find new frontiers of science and progress.  

Suggested Classes: Arcanist, Builder

Eldritch Aesthete: When fatigued by the lavish and the luxurious, there are those who find euphoria in the strange and the horrific. Some Teknokrats take their wealth and their technology to the hazardous fringes of humanity in search of some terrifying sublimity. They do this not for study, for progress, or for some greater good -- they do this for the experience and because they hear an ineffable call to the unknown. The more fortunate of these individuals survive with immeasurable wisdom and knowledge, but most succumb to the dangers  and lores of the World Beyond the Fall. 

Suggested Classes: Arcanist, Counselor

Game-Hunter: Like Abyssal Paraffin harvested from the Leviathans and Krakens that prey on their shipping lanes, there is treasure to be found in the horrors that haunt the ruins of the world. Some Technokrats take this to heart, organizing and leading expeditions into the treacherous wilds in search of the next Paraffin or the next “Flesh of the Empress”. While such exploits do not always end well -- fat purses, pristine carapaces, and interesting trophies await the bold and the brave. 

Suggested Classes: Ranger, Warrior

Tech-Finder: Technocrats may claim credit for most of the Illustrados’ progress, but they themselves are always on the lookout for strange and alien technologies. They marvel at the grotesqueries of the Templar’s fleshcrafting, as well as the unsightly works of the Scavvers and the Hellhounds. Tech-Finders find beauty in the exotic, seeking out and studying the foreign lores of other lands. This beauty may then lead to prestige, progress, or immense profits.  

Suggested Classes: Builder, Ranger

Trade Mogul: Commerce is as central to the Tecnocracia as technological progress and creation. To that end, many individuals within the Gremio make connections and relationships their primary goal. Through these, they leverage the sale and purchase of commodities and technologies. What makes these folk different from the other traders and sellers of the World Beyond the Fall, is their own connections and relationships with the Tecnocracia. As its members, they are allowed greater leeway and greater insight as to the workings of the next big thing or the needs of the Gremio, fueling their success and the success of those who have invested in them. 

Suggested Classes: Builder, Counselor

Leadership

The biggest companies and industries in the Tecnocracia are called “Corporations”. The largest and wealthiest of these Corporations form the Corporate Board (aka Junta Corporativa), which is the governing and policing body of the Tecnocracia. The Junta meets multiple times a year in the Ayiti island to determine the policy of their Gremio as a whole, though they themselves prefer that their own Corporations are not disturbed. 

Entrance into this exclusive group requires an immense amount of money “donated” to the others on the Junta, though they have limited their numbers to five. Similarly, membership can be voided by a super majority of the Junta, if a boardmember’s Corporation is sufficiently weakened or is determined to fall short of their standards.