Convergence of Cyriss

The Convergence of Cyriss is a new faction to the Warmachine setting of Privateer Press, announced during the middle of 2013. They are a good example of how to foreshadow in a setting, as information about Cyriss and rumours of her priesthood have been circulating in the fluff for years before the faction came to be.

Who are they?

The convergence is a bunch of rampant technophiles who are most likely the forerunners for the Apple store employees of today. They are also equally religious; just replace Steve Jobs with their own god, Cyriss.

Like many religions, Cyriss made a prophecy that she would appear in person, in this case if something called ‘the perfect machine’ is constructed at certain points on the planet. These points are rather conveniently placed in hard to reach places like the capitals of BOTH Cygnar AND Khador... but when has that ever stopped a bunch of fanatics from trying? Naturally being all into tech the Convergence are wanting some of that fine cyber-goddess ass so they have been amassing their forces in preparation for the day they will move forward to construct this perfect machine, whatever it looks like. It is also speculated that this 'perfect machine' of theirs is basically a gizmo that will turn the world being, also known as Orboros, into a big machine. So not only are these guys trying to fight it out with the Iron Kingdoms themselves, they're also leading the world into certain doom that yet ANOTHER group of fanatics has been trying to prevent for centuries.

Naturally they decided the ideal time was when the entire world is currently aflame, rival nations and powers have mobilized their armies to maximum strength and everything is going to poo. Which either means the leadership of the Convergence is a sight to behold! or they actually are a sight to behold since they're attacking while every one else is distracted. Only time will tell which it is.

Forces

The convergence is the principle of a tech-heavy army in a machine fantasy setting. Worshiping the goddess of technology they have pushed the boundaries of technology to become the most advanced scientific society in the setting. They don’t rely so much on magic as the other factions; their science more then compensates.

The core of their forces is legions of techno-soldiers armed with various advanced weaponry beyond that of the rank and file warriors of the other powers. With them is powerful warjacks called vectors (who unlike other factions Jacks are completely and wholly puppets of their controlling warcaster); their tech has advanced to the point where they can transfer souls into machines. As the fluff says ‘A worthy soul can live a thousand lifetimes on the face of Caen in service to the Maiden of Gears.'

So yes basically this is what you could expect if the robots from the Matrix decided to head off to a fantasy world to conquer it.

Differences and similarities with the Adeptus Mechanicus

As you can expect there is inevitably going to be comparisons with the other well known priestly order devoted to machines in another setting, the Imperium of Man's Adeptus Mechanicus from Warhammer 40k.

Even at a glance there is obvious similarities and differences the two have with each other. In common there is:

• Both of the orders venerate machine deities
• Both consider machines holy and avatars of their deities
• Both have machines which contains living souls instead of Artificial Intelligences
• Both have dedicated priesthoods whose duty it is to administer to machines in their care
• They seek to refine themselves by becoming more like the machine
• Both have pretty crummy ongoing support for new figures

But while they might be able to greet each other on friendly terms at first, after a getting-to-know-you-cup-of-hot-oil, both orders would find the other heretical to their teachings. The AdMech would see the Convergence's constant inventing and tinkering with machines as an affront as well a lack of sufficient chanting and incense. Meanwhile the Convergence could see the AdMech's stubborn refusal to evolve as bullheadedness at best and an insult to Cyriss at worst. They would also be flabbergasted at how the Mechanicus would put it’s head into the sand over issues and disbelieving that the Mechanicus would prefer to lock up tech in a museum rather then use it.

This is because the two factions are coming at technology from completely different perspectives. The Adeptus Mechanicus has focused all it's energy into keeping what it has going, and in a lot of cases they've forgotten how a lot of it works over the enormous timespan of the setting. Take a plasma gun for example, the Adeptus does not know 100% what makes a plasma gun tick, and any attempt to figure out how it works, which would often means taking it apart, would mean you risk destroy a device you may not be able to put back together. This is especially true for devices that size of Titans, which if you break one is a massive problem. The AdMech is best seen as a museum keeper, in charge of keeping all the art intact.

But if the Adeptus Mechanicus is the Museum the Convergence is the Artist. For Cyriss the world has no vast technological background behind it, there are no plasma guns that might blow up if you push the wrong button lying around. With no pre-established technology lying around that required the rigid rules of ceremony in order to make sure it's going to work, Cyriss instead is the one who has to push the boundaries partly because of the aforementioned lack of plasma guns, but also because Cyriss tech is not invincible. The AdMech has two options when it comes to technology: either invent something new (a very, very time consuming process) or go out and find a STC of something that likely works much, much better then anything that exist now, such as a STC for a safe no "gets hot" plasma gun. Cyriss on the other hand knows for a fact that there is nothing better out there, they just can't go look in a tomb and find a better gun, and even if they did it likely won't be better then that new lighting gun a Cyngar stormsmith put together. They need to invent or they'll be outpaced.

Furthermore, the Imperium is an impossibly vast interstellar empire. This results in, among other things, a different sense of urgency in regards to events and a very broad spectrum of opinions within the Mechanicus (ranging from an uber-orthodox Archmagos who refuses to accept any sort of new tech to, say, Belisarius Cawl and his fabulous borderline-heretical tech). Cyriss does not have that option, they're limited to one continent on one planet and events unfold fast. If something new comes up, they need a solution NOW. They just can't wait a few hundred years and wait for a new thing to be discovered they need to adapt, improvise, invent, and overcome.

TLDR: if the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Convergence were boxers, the AdMech would be an old veteran who's seen it all before but needs to remember what exactly he's supposed to do, while the Convergence is the young fire brand who makes up for a lack of experience by being clever and changing up his fighting style to confuse his opponent.

Also the Convergence, despite it’s plans, is nowhere near as grimdark as the Mechanicus.