Technomage

[Tovas]

Hello, everyone. I didn't get to watch B5 after they took it off the air after the first season here where I live. So I have been hearing about these technomages but I don't know anything about them. Who are they? What do they do? Any help would be appreciated.

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"The Divine is good, don't do flash, and if you're nice to people, they probably still won't be nice to you. Now, run along, kids. Daddy's working." Seamus Zelazny Harper

 

[bakana]

If you plan to catch up with the missing episodes, be warned that the Technomage books contain Spoilers for the series, particularly Crusade.

We should mention this, since some people prefer to see everything in Order.



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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?

 

[Tovas]

Well just tell me. I'm not going to get to read the books any time soon and watching the show will not happen any time soon so please tell me everything all of you know about them, don't hold back anything I want to know it all.

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"The Divine is good, don't do flash, and if you're nice to people, they probably still won't be nice to you. Now, run along, kids. Daddy's working." Seamus Zelazny Harper

 

[Kribu]

Not to spoil anything, but I believe they made their first appearance in B5 season 2 episode The Geometry of Shadows.

If you get the chance to watch it some day, then do.

Other than that, the technomage Galen was an important character in Crusade.

There's also quite a bit written about the technomages - it might be easier to find the books than get to see that B5 episode I mentioned or Crusade. The technomages play a large part in the Centauri Prime trilogy (The Legions of Fire) and of course, there are the two books of the technomage trilogy (which I haven't read).

I fear I'm not the most competent person to talk about the technomages, but in short they're


<table bgcolor=black><tr><td bgcolor=black><font size=1 color=white>Spoiler:</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2 color=black>people (I've only seen human technomages but there are probably others as well) who use very advanced technology (Shadow tech, it has been mentioned) to perform all sorts of things that appear magical to us mere mortals. They are quite powerful </font></td></tr></table>

.

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"It's animal magnetism. What can I say."

 

[crazybillyo]

The Technomages use advanced tech to simulate the appearance of magic.

They're featured in the second season episode The Geometry of Shadows. Also, There's a bunch of technomage info in the short-lived spinoff series Crusade. The B5 movie A Call to Arms also features technomages prominently (Galen in particular).

There is a trilogy of B5 novels coming out that specifically deals with the technomages. The first book has been out for awhile now, the second only for about a week. The third book is due out some time in November, I hear.

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Sheridan: Are you trying to cheer me up?
Ivanova: No sir, wouldn't dream of it.
Sheridan: Good, I hate being cheered up. It's depressing.
Ivanova: So in that case we're all going to die horrible, painful, lingering deaths.
Sheridan: Thank you, I feel so much better now.

 

[Teekas Dragon]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Kribu:
people (I've only seen human technomages but there are probably others as well) who use very advanced technology (Shadow tech, it has been mentioned.

[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

? where was it mentioned that the tech the mages use was shadow tech??? i must have missed that somewhere.



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*said in vorlon accent* "We are all confused"

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I haven't read the Techno Books, so that they use Shadow tech may be mentioned there. But where most of the people probably heard about it is the unproduced script The End of the Line.

Major Spoiler


<table bgcolor=black><tr><td bgcolor=black><font size=1 color=white>Spoiler:</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2 color=black> Gideon catches up with the ship (or a similar one) that destroyed the Cerberus and they managed to track it back to an Earthforce base where they find out that Earth is secretly developing Shadow tech and that the Technomages use it as well. </font></td></tr></table>



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"I didn't think so, but if I was wrong, I was wrong. I'd rather do something, and make a mistake than be frightened and be doing nothing. That's the problem back home. Folks have been conned to thinking they can't change the world, have to accept what is. I'll tell you something my friends. The world is changing every day, the only question is who's doing it."
-- Rev. Dexter in Babylon 5:"And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place"

 

[Ivanova]

I've started a Technomage section on my Hall of the Technomages site (it sort of fits, don't it?

) http://www.geocities.com/babylon5rpg/Technomages/Technomages.html is the link to the page. It only has a list of all members of the Technomages in Casting Shadows, the seven rules of the Mages, and a quote from Galen from Summoning Light. I plan on adding more stuff such as quotes, pictures, and history of the mages. Its just a very slow process.

Teekas Dragon,


<table bgcolor=black><tr><td bgcolor=black><font size=1 color=white>Spoiler:</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2 color=black> It was mentioned in Summoning light about Shadow tech being given to the Mages. </font></td></tr></table>



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Ivanova is always right. I will listen to Ivanova. I will not ignore Ivanova's recommendations. Ivanova is God. And if this ever happens again, Ivanova will personally rip your lungs out.

 

[Deviot]

Ah nice web page of the technomages Ivanova I havn't read the 2nd book yet but was wondering about one of the names you had in you list of mages..

You had Kane is this teh same mage that was in the Centauri Tilagy? I rember he was a cloister in the centauri books

I also noticed you didnt have the other two mages we met in the Centauri tilagy..Gwynn and Finian ..




<table bgcolor=black><tr><td bgcolor=black><font size=1 color=white>Spoiler:</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2 color=black>
Kane died in that trilagy </font></td></tr></table>

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Deviot
Lincbot@yahoo.com.au

[This message has been edited by Deviot (edited July 11, 2001).]

 

[Mondo Londo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tovas:
Well just tell me. I'm not going to get to read the books any time soon and watching the show will not happen any time soon so please tell me everything all of you know about them, don't hold back anything I want to know it all.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Okay, here it is...


<table bgcolor=black><tr><td bgcolor=black><font size=1 color=white>Spoiler:</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2 color=black>The Techno-Mages were formed by an extinct race about a thousand years ago -- oddly enough, about the same time as the last Shadow war. They are ruled by a "circle" of 5 elected Techno-Mages; and follow 7 tenets:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Solidarity
<LI>Secrecy
<LI>Mystery
<LI>Magic
<LI>Science
<LI>Knowledge
<LI>Good
[/list]

Interestingly enough, there is no glyph in the ancient language for "good." The glyph for "useful" is used instead.

The Techno-Mages have convocations every 3 years. There have been 333 so far, and Kosh has spied on all of them. Over the centuries, many races have been represented; but Kosh likes the direction the new, heavier representation of humans are taking the group.

Upper level apprentices are given an implant in the back of their heads/necks, and a chrysalis that attaches to their heads/backs. During initiation, they receive permanent, internal implants in a very painful ceremony.

Many Techno-Mages then take the Chrysalis that each has trained with, and plant/bury it somewhere on their home planets. This is known as their place of power, and enables them to call on the strength of the planets themselves. The further away a Techno-Mage travels from his/her place of power, the less powerful he/she becomes.

When the Shadows are rumored to reappearing, it's mentioned that Vorlons aside, the Techno-Mages may be the only force around powerful enough to put up a fight. However, the Circle votes instead to flee known space.

Part of the reason is that the Circle receives the chrysalis and implant technology from the Shadows. At this point, we don't know the terms of this deal.

Second, perhaps because the implants are Shadow designed, Techno-Mages (who have the internal Shadow implants from initiation)have a tendency to aggression. If they start fighting, some members of the Circle are afraid at least some Techno-Mages may not be able to stop. This would violate what they stand for -- good (for which there is no symbol in the ancient language).

</font></td></tr></table>



Of course, that's the very short version.



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"What's up, Drakh?"

Michael Garibaldi

 

[Mondo Londo]

Oh yes, I should also add:




<table bgcolor=black><tr><td bgcolor=black><font size=1 color=white>Spoiler:</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2 color=black> There are only about 500 Techno-Mages at this time, so that is another factor in the Circle's decision to flee.

More importantly, only the Circle knows about their agreement with the Shadows. Galen and Alwyn have stumbled upon the fact there is an arrangement between the Shadows and the Circle, but they don't know the details. Both Galen and Alwyn have been forbidden to reveal this knowledge. Were the rest of the 500 Techno-Mages to learn they are somehow in league with the Shadows, the entire organization could shatter.

</font></td></tr></table>

Like I said before, this is the short version.

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"What's up, Drakh?"

Michael Garibaldi

 

[Quagmire]

To add a little:


<table bgcolor=black><tr><td bgcolor=black><font size=1 color=white>Spoiler:</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2 color=black>The illusions or appearance of magic were created as a way to alter what they had been given by the Shadows. Originally they were powerful in a more straightforward manner. The code and the circle are also creations of the technomages to distance themselves from the Shadows and fight their influence. As said very few mages know this.

Galen is special in part because he has discovered spells that access the mages original straight forward powers. </font></td></tr></table>

Mages are of many races. Apprentices are either children of mages(one mage as parent and the other parent a usually discarded normal person except in the rarest cases, Galen as one) or infants taken as payment for some service.

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Bus
"The pink ones keep ya from screamin'." Grandpa