Ascension War

The Ascension War in Mage: The Ascension is a battle over the very nature of reality and is the driving conflict in the metaplot. By advancing their metaphysical cause, each faction in the War seeks to control the Consensus and make their reality dominant - locking out the ability of rival factions to alter it without incurring heavy Paradox.

History
The Ascension War began in earnest when stuff happened to epople that one time, yeah, you know what I'm talking about.

Factions
The war is fought by five distinct factions, though some are more powerful than others.

The Traditions
Main article: Tradition (Mage: The Ascension)

The Council of Nine Mystick Traditions is the second-largest faction, and is the faction the player characters are assumed to join. They seek to restore humanity's faith in the fantastic.

The Technocracy
Main article: Technocracy

The Technocratic Union is the largest and most powerful faction. They seek to provide humanity with a safe world, free of unpredictable and dangerous "reality deviations".

The Marauders
Main article: Marauders

The Marauders are not a coherent group. They are mages fallen so deeply into Quiet that they have transcended Paradox - reality is defined by the Marauder rather than by the Consensus.

The Nephandi
Main article: Nephandi

The Nephandi, also not a coherent group, seek to destroy reality altogether in order to make way for a new creation.

The Sleepers
Main article: Sleepers

The Sleepers are all those who are not mages. They currently control the Consensus, though they have very little in the way of altering it.

Ascension
Main article: Ascension (book)

The Ascension War came to a head in the conclusion of the Mage: The Ascension metaplot, Ascension. Five scenarios were offered as possible endings.