Otherworldly Mage Faction who are not Marauders or Nephandi

[HorizonParty2021]

I'm thinking of an alliance of smaller groups like traditions or conventions. They could be from any type of world; mystical, technological or in between. They might not have a home world at all, instead spreading out across pocket realms in the umbra. They would have rational motivations. Who and what would you add to the setting?

[AkatsukiLeader13]

I mean aside from the 'Otherworldly' part, that's pretty much M20 Disparate Alliance. And depending on the state of the Umbra in your games, it wouldn't be hard to have the Alliance with Umbral holdings.

[Astromancer]

I could see a faction of Mages who left the world before the collapse of the Ancient world. They built a world for themselves out in the far teaches of the tapestry. It should have positive and negative traits. Things genuinely utopian and equally distopian. Perhaps like the Brahmins of India they created a society to strong for any faction to challenge.

Because of disruptions back in the world, their supply of quintessence is being reduced. They want to change Earth to suit their needs and values. They neither respect the people of our world nor give any thought about how their actions effect others. While utterly indifferent to others in most cases, they do value and respect Mages and certain other paranormal beings.

More later I must go.

[HorizonParty2021]

I mean aside from the 'Otherworldly' part, that's pretty much M20 Disparate Alliance. And depending on the state of the Umbra in your games, it wouldn't be hard to have the Alliance with Umbral holdings.

I have only one DA NPC who is from a fictional Polynesian island. She will be on a mission for the Alliance to advance their interests in a North American setting where their is a tenuous regional Ascension Truce between Traditions and Technocracy. I have not added her, because I plan for the plot related to her to lead to a complex that is partially submerged, belonging to a DA Cabal. I will have to invent the other members. I think I will have the Alliance extend to otherworldly crafts. That could actually reduce the workload of creating the imagined faction

I could see a faction of Mages who left the world before the collapse of the Ancient world. They built a world for themselves out in the far teaches of the tapestry. It should have positive and negative traits. Things genuinely utopian and equally dystopian. Perhaps like the Brahmins of India they created a society to strong for any faction to challenge.

Because of disruptions back in the world, their supply of quintessence is being reduced. They want to change Earth to suit their needs and values. They neither respect the people of our world nor give any thought about how their actions effect others. While utterly indifferent to others in most cases, they do value and respect Mages and certain other paranormal beings.

More later I must go.

A utopic feature could be an effect that causes every person's physical attractiveness to improve or degrade based on virtues and deeds, even those witnessed by nobody. A dystopic feature could be that sleepers who faction leaders are indifferent to are taught to fear the outside and are confined to walled spaces above ground where there is no nature or subterranean tunnels where mining takes place. There might be a metal found only in parts of the Umbra that creates a magical alloy when combined with copper.

They have a complete monopoly on a magical commodity that the Technocracy, Traditions and Disparate Alliance would like to purchase. They have taken great measures to conceal the fact that they are Quintessence-Poor, asking instead to purchase land on Earth. Naturally, they seek countries where land values are lower. The territories of the Disparate Alliance have a lot of such land. They form an Alliance with some of its member Crafts, possibly creating a divide within the DA.

Where Prime 5 allows someone to create a Node at a place of magical significance, the returning otherworldly mages have mastered a technology whereby they build webs of cable made from the alloy that channel Quintessence toward a central point, which becomes a Node. The channeling of Quintessence from the surrounding area erodes patterns, breaking things down and making room for otherworldly structures to immerge.

[Ragged Robin]

House diedne as weird fae magi could work.

[Ramnesis]

There are indications of factions that came from somewhere other than Earth. The Aeduna, the inhabitants of Mt Meru, etc. Others could certainly be out there.

[Astromancer]

Stealing the Exarchs from Mage: the Awakening would create a truly nasty extra faction.

[Muad'Dib]

I'm thinking of an alliance of smaller groups like traditions or conventions. They could be from any type of world; mystical, technological or in between. They might not have a home world at all, instead spreading out across pocket realms in the umbra. They would have rational motivations. Who and what would you add to the setting?

There definitely could be Mages who still follow beliefs, ideas, concepts, attitudes, and methods outlined and described in Dark Ages books.
So these Mages would be still using Foundations and Pillars - like the Old Faith's Summer, Winter, Spring, Autumn approach to Magick. Such groups could also be focusing on just one or two Pillars to exclusion of other approaches, making them even more unique and distinct.

[HorizonParty2021]

I'm considering everything posted so far. In my experience at the gaming table, I have never found that the Traditions holding seats governing their affinity sphere amounts to any kind of service specialization. Even with my "Thinner" version of the Technocracy, I see them as being able to maintain their dominance for one main reason. Their Conventions and Methodologies specialize in doing things for each other. Mystic mages could do so and would not have to be as specialized as the Technocracy to begin pursuing a strategy that gives them a chance. Specializations could include things like enchanting wonders, breeding pets, bio-modding, portal construction, wards and diplomatic missions to umbral courts.

[Amethyst]

House diedne as weird fae magi could work.

Or House Merinita.

[Bluecho]

Strictly going by the rules, it's difficult to have an otherworldly faction that's TOO disconnected from the material world, because of Discorporation. In order to maintain an Umbral realm that's proofed against its residents turning into spirits, it requires tethering to Earth, via Nodes. Many Tradition Chantries and Technocracy Constructs are build around Nodes that maintain their realms. Often multiple such sites per realm, both because of the Quintessence requirements and for the sake of not putting too many eggs in one basket.

As such, any mage faction that predominantly exists in the Umbra will need to have a non-trivial presence on Earth. Which does give reasons for why those factions would be involved in Chronicles happening in the material world.

[Dataweaver]

What are you looking for that the Dreamspeakers and Void Engineers don't provide?

[HorizonParty2021]

What are you looking for that the Dreamspeakers and Void Engineers don't provide?

The faction's intentions toward Earth may not be favorable to the population of humans that currently live on it. They arrive in too small numbers to be openly aggressive and have material things, knowledge or both to trade. Unlike Threat Null, where you look at them and say, "Oh shit.", the newcomers can present themselves in a way that leaves people guessing whether their arrival is for weal or woe.

[Dataweaver]

So, it's like V.

[HorizonParty2021]

So, it's like V.

There are some good story elements in V and others I definitely wouldn't use. I'd say more, but advanced editor isn't showing me the spoiler function.

Guest and Guest, on Houses Diedne Or Merinita, which Fae from either Dreaming or Lost would you consider the scariest?