Progenitors (Mage: The Ascension)

The Progenitors are a Convention, or group of science mages, who make up a key part of the Technocratic Union, as seen in the game "Mage:The Ascension" by White Wolf. The chosen sphere of magic for this group is Life and they are most famous for their mastery of cloning technology, which has seen them earn the title "Hydras", since this appears to let them cheat even their own deaths, time and time again.

The Convention was one of the founder members of the Technocracy, though at that time it was known as the Hippocratic Order and its goals were admirable. The benefits of medecine and biology were all due to the machinations and efforts of this group and it is true to say that without them the world of darkness would be an intolerable place. However, as is the common theme to the Technocracy within the Mage roleplay game, this once noble grouping of mages have seemingly lost the humanity behind their countless achievements, instead becoming monsters of the soul and copying or adjusting people without much concern for the "human spirit".

The progenitor convention supplement was the first to be released and thus, compared to the latter books, it does seem somewhat lacking in terms of new rules. However, the illustrations and story fragments sum up the duality of the group very well. Along with its brother convention, Iteration X, the progenitors could be said to represent the core issue of the techocracy at large, which is whether or not it has lost its way, therefore becoming a sinister and dangerous force in the world of darkness.

Despite the clear intention of the game designers to make this and the other conventions the "bad guys" of the setting, many gaming groups and players found the technocrats very appealing and made serious efforts to redeem them. Thus, in the latter editions of the game, groups such as the progenitors took on a new role as the protectors and wardens of an embattled humanity.