Everything

Primal Utility (Prime)

Investing Essential Energies

Specialties: Assessment, Investment, Wellsprings, Personal Value, Primal Ventures, Generating Energetic Capital

To the Enlightened Hypereconomist, Prime is not some ephemeral energy bubbling up from the cracks of the world. Instead, it’s an energy field generated by Homo economicus: the ambitiously conscious human being who acts to further his or her self-interest. Related to the VE theory of Enlightened Anthropic Principle Fields (although they don’t know it by that name), the Syndicate’s hypereconomic theories see Quintessence energy rising from human interest and activity. People literally invest themselves in such ventures, and although they might not see the energy they create through such transactions, they can feel it… hence the sensations involved in feeling valued or worthless.

Whereas other Technocratic Conventions stick close to the “essential energies” model of Prime, the Syndicate’s Primal Utility specialists understand the Sphere differently. In game terms, the applications are more or less the same. For a Syndicate character, however, Prime flows through investing and withdrawing energetic currency through Ventures (value-generating Nodes – see the chart below) that manipulate the metaphysical economies of human value. By accessing what they call “creation’s credit rating,” the hypereconomist controls that currency, investing it where it does the most good… for him.

Perhaps the greatest edge granted to those who understand Primal Utility comes from the aforementioned Ventures. By investing in a Venture, the hypereconomist can draw Primal Energy (Quintessence) from a mundane business. In game terms, that business becomes a Node; if the character has a lasting personal connection with that Venture, then he’s got access to that Node as well. Only a character with at least one dot in Primal Utility can access the Quintessence from that Venture; another mage might sense the energies but remain unable to access their power.

Prime-savvy hypereconomists always watch for invisible bottom lines. Attuned to the effects of Market Correction (Paradox) and the perpetual exchange of energies conducted through human intercourse (sexual and otherwise), he can spot value – or the lack of it – in the least obvious situations, and he knows how to get the most for his investments in whatever form they might manifest.

* Each dot in Primal Utility reduces the specialist’s required connection by one step for each dot over the first. A specialist with three dots, for instance, could simply visit (one dot’s worth of connection) a large factory (a three-dot Venture) in order to draw upon its energy.

● Assess Primal Utility/ Deposit Primal Utility/ Exploit Primal Venture

Assessment analysis gives the hypereconomist a view of Prime flows, Resonance signatures, and applied metaphysical processes (that is, magick) in his vicinity. As with all other Technocratic Sphere Effects, this demands the correct instruments and training, although certain practices and instruments (especially dominion and hypereconomics) simply give the specialist a hunch about the energies in play. Some specialists see colorful flows of energy but dismiss such visions as simply mental constructs for an otherwise invisible process.

As with Prime 1, the hypereconomist can also invest such energies and can utilize the Prime Force generated by Ventures as well as other, more mystical sources of Quintessence.

●● Create Gadgets/ Perfect Material Exploitation/ Primal Innovation

Through sophisticated uses of instruments and principles, the hypereconomist can modify existing materials with an energized-value buzz; he can even create something from nothing, thanks to the principle of increased worth. In game terms, this allows him to use the normal Prime 2 Effects, although the character still needs to have some technological source to facilitate his conjurations.

●●● Create Stable Extraordinary Devices/ Living-Asset Exploitation/ Use Currency & Primal Storage

Utilizing energetic manifestations called Currency (in mystic terms, Tass), plus efficient managerial skills (see the Management and Human Resources sidebar, p. 595), the specialist can employ a team to create permanent Devices with his Currency, restore his personal stock (Pattern) with Currency, and drain or refill Devices and storage batteries called Matrices (that is, Periapts) with his available Currency.

●●●● Create Tass/ Exploit Opportunity/ Liquidate Assets

Skillful use of hypereconomics now allows the specialist to create Currency from free-flowing energy. Typically, this Tass involves precious materials, paper money, credit cards, or other items of value (paintings, stock certificates, bearer bonds, drugs, etc.). Unlike mystic mages (or other Technocrats), however, he can use only the energy generated by Primal Utility activities… and not, for example, charge up his Platinum card at the nearest Node.

By exploiting the Primal Opportunities called “wellsprings” in superstitionist jargon, that hypereconomist can also draw energy out of an exciting event rather than a consistent source.

On the flipside, he can also destroy material objects while divesting them of their value (Quintessence). Although the specialist cannot access this energy, he can keep other people from utilizing those resources. (“I’d sooner burn this warehouse down than let you have it…”)

●●●●● Create Living Assets/ Generate Primal Conflux & Ventures/ Liquidate Living Assets/ Market Compensation

Like Mastery of the mystic Prime, Mastery of this Rank allows the specialist to create permanent Devices, open new Confluxes (Nodes) and Ventures, liquidate living things (typically through vulgar applications of disintegration technology – although he could simply shoot someone and then burn the body), and negate the effects of Market Correction (Paradox) as if he were a Master of Prime Arts… though, of course, he has more technological finesse.