Character Generation
Inspiration - Who are you?
Attributes - What are you good at?
Advantages - What do you know?
Finishing Touches - Fill in the details
Spark of Life - Write a narrative description
The Traditions (text taken from Mage: the Ascension)
This is the mindset and worldview of the mage. It explains how and why her magick works and under what conditions her magick is considered "coincidental" (i.e.: able to be explained under ordinary conditions according to the local paradigm). This means not only the paradigm of the Sleepers involved, but also takes into account the paradigm of the location; the beliefs, attitudes and local superstition of the area that the mage finds herself in.
(Example: Janit0r 0f G0d, a Virtual Adept, is a brash young hacker living in the city. His worldview is seen from his PC's monitor. J0G uses his knowledge of computers and Bulletin Boards relay messages, "spy" on other people's bank accounts, and make long-distance calls without paying Ma Bell a dime. His magick takes the shape of software and passcodes. Janit0r 0f G0d's paradigm is that computers are the six-shooters of the new-age cowboys. The Virtual Adepts rely on the hype about the Information Superhighway to show that with a computer, anything is possible...)
Essence is the core of the mage’s heart, mind and soul. Put simply, her Essence describes her Avatar – the fragment of the Pure Ones that grants her the power to warp reality to her will. Avatars act as spiritual advisors, confidants, consciencess and sometimes, adversaries. A mage’s Avatar also determines what form his Ascension will take. Must he strive for greatness, pushing himself and his Art to the extreme? Or will he need to unlock the hidden mysteries of the universe?
There are three categories of inborn traits, called Attributes – Physical, which governs strength, agility and endurance; Social, which relates to charisma, persuasiveness and appearance; Mental, which covers perceptive abilities, intellect and wits.
Choose 7 Traits for your primary Attribute , 5 for your secondary, and 3 for your tertiary. You may buy additional Attributes with Negative Traits, at a cost of 1 Negative Trait per Attribute purchased.
Initiate-level magi have a ceiling of 10 Traits in all categories. Adept-level magi have a ceiling of 15 Traits, and Master-level magi have a maximum of 20.
Abilities are fields of skill, knowledge or expertise that your character may possess. Having a certain Ability translates to a basic level of proficiency in that area. If you take one Ability multiple times, that reflects a greater depth of knowledge and expertise (no player may possess more than five levels in any one Ability).
Spheres represent the different aspects of reality as we know it. Possessing a rating for a given Sphere means that the Mage has gained some level of knowledge or control over the aspects of reality represented by that Sphere. The higher the Sphere rating, the more the mage has come to understand it. A Mage may not possess a Sphere rating higher than his Arete.
There are three Sphere levels, each adding to the mage’s understanding of the true nature of reality. An Initiate-level Sphere allows the mage to perceive the underlying nature of reality. An Adept-level Sphere allows the mage to begin to change reality through manipulation and transformation. The final level, Master, represents the ultimate control over reality. The Master mage may create and destroy patterns at will.
Each Tradition has a Sphere in which it specializes, with the exception of Hollow Ones. A mage receives her Tradition specialty Sphere at Initiate level at no cost and receives two additional Initiate-level Spheres. During character generation, only Initiate level Spheres may be purchased unless the mage spends the points needed to raise her Arete to Adept (see Arete for more information).
Negative Traits may be used to buy additional Spheres during character creation. Any Spheres purchased with Negative Traits must be bought after assigning the initial Spheres.
The cost to increase the mage's Tradition specialty Sphere is two experience points less per level. As Hollow Ones have no specialty Sphere, they may choose to take any three Initiate-level Spheres they desire (or a combination of Initiate and Adept Spheres if their Arete is high enough).
The Nine Spheres (Following text taken from Mage: the Ascension)
Additional Traits
Arete: This is the overall "level of understanding" that a mage has of the Big Picture (Static Reality). Arete is a measure of a mage's confidence and belief in her ability to insert her own Paradigm into Static Reality. It also defines the maximum rating a mage may possess in a Sphere. An Adept level mage may not possess any Spheres at Master level, just as an Initiate level Mage may not possess Spheres at Adept level. However, an Adept Mage may buy all of the Initiate and Adept Spheres he wants (provided he has enough experience points!).
All magi start out as Initiates (able to use Initiate level magick) with an Arete of 1 (this is what grants magi their unique abilities). It costs 6 additional points to merit Adept status and yet another 9 points to warrant Master status. Achieving a Master level in Arete can only be done with storyteller approval. You must prove that your character has sufficient understanding of magick and the discipline to perform it at the Master level. Arete may be bought up to Adept level at character creation time with the expenditure of 6 Negative Traits.
Note: There is no Background for Arete. Background points may not be spent to increase Arete.
Avatar: The innate "strength" of a mage's Avatar. Avatar defines the character's limits for storing and expending Quintessence, as well as his limits for retaining Paradox. All magi have an initial Avatar rating equal to his/her initial Arete rating. Additional levels may be purchased with Background points. Therefore, increasing the Arete to Adept level through Negative Traits will implicitly add a point to the Avatar rating. A character may increase the strength of his or her Avatar through experience (although this improvement will not reflect further upon their Arete). Under normal circumstances, a player's Avatar rating should not exceed 10.
Willpower: Magi start out with one Willpower Trait and may purchase additional Traits with Negative Traits and experience, at the cost of three experience points/Negative Traits per point of Willpower. The maximum Willpower a character can purchase through experience is 3x the character's Arete rating.
Quintessence: Quintessence is the power source behind all spellcasting; it is the stuff of magic itself. A mage's starting Quintessence level at the beginning of the evening is equal to his rating in Avatar. Quintessence is used to fuel magical effects and certain mage-related Abilities.
Quintessence may also be used to increase the effect or duration of a spell, but must be declared and spent before the test is performed. Usually, one point of Quintessence can be used to:
More examples of using Quintessence can be found in the "Mechanics of Magick" section.
Note: In a given round, a mage may not spend more Quintessence than her Avatar rating. The strength of the Avatar represents the mage's capacity for channeling Quintessence. A mage with the Prime sphere at Adept level or higher may exceed this by spending an extra point of Quintessence to increase the rate of flow. The Quintessence must come from somewhere, however - such as a Node or from the mage's own personal energies.
Foci (Text taken from Mage: the Ascension)
Foci are objects and actions that assist a mage when working magick. Unlike a Talisman, a focus has no magical properties of its own. It's a dance, a ritual, a weapon or a drug that helps the sorcerer enforce her will over reality. At first, the focus is a learning tool, a crutch the novice can lean on; soon it becomes an extension of the mage. Eventually, the mystick transcends the need for the crutch and may perform magick without it. That focus, however, will always remain a part of the magician's paradigm. The belief in the object or ritual still exists, but the mage has realized that it is the power within, not without, that changes reality.
Merits and Flaws allow you to describe your character in more detail than that provided by the basic character creation Process. These new rules are optional: If you do not take Merits and Flaws for your character, you will not suffer a disadvantage in gameplay.
Merits may only be bought with Negative Traits. Flaws give you extra Negative Traits to spend on Merits or anything else. You can purchase as many Merits as you wish, up to the full amount of your Negative Traits (though that leaves you weak in other areas). Each Merit has a different cost, which is described in terms of Traits - if you wish to take it you must have already taken that number of Negative Traits (this includes Flaws). Each Flaw you purchase gives you additional Negative Traits that allow you to buy Merits. The amount of Negative Traits is listed with the Flaw.
Keep in mind that you can only take up to five Negative Traits' worth of Flaws (which makes it impossible for a character to have or spend more than 10 Negative Traits). Additionally, Merits and Flaws can only be bought when the character is first generated (unless the Storyteller makes an exception for someone who missed the opportunity earlier).
Casting magick can be a very complicated process. Because we're dealing with the manipulation (and sometimes, defiance) of reality itself, it is necessary to be sure of the cause-and-effect relationships involved.
What do you want to cast today?
You must first determine exactly what it is that you're trying to do. Are you trying to heal someone? Are you trying to throw a fireball, or make someone's laces undone? The required Spheres (and the levels therein) are determined by the exact effect of the spell. A spell's effect must fall into one of the following categories: Perception, Manipulation, or Creation/Destruction. Be creative, but don't overdo it.
(Example: A mage may use Master-level Entropy to make someone suddenly realize that he/she left the iron on – but perhaps Adept-level Mind might be better. The simpler the spell, the easier it will be to explain in terms of Spheres (and it may cost less Quintessence as well)
You must also consider the way that you are casting your spell. This will have a profound effect on the duration of the spell. If you are casting magick on-the-spot (ad-hoc magick), the spell is going to have a limited duration. If you are casting ritual magick, the spell may last much longer (the duration of the session/evening for Adept level magick, or "permanently" for Master-level magick). Consult the section on spell duration for more information. Remember that ritual magick requires preparation and time to cast, so it is typically not cast on the spot.
(Example: Maestro Sartori, a Cult of Ecstasy Adept, wants to increase his stamina so he can party all night at a Rave. Sartori uses Life to boost his endurance and, because he is Manipulating his Life Pattern (i.e.: giving himself additional Physical Traits), he needs to cast the spell at Adept level. Because he wants the spell to last for the remainder of the evening, he takes great care weaving the spell (spends 15 minutes in in-game meditation). Sartori boogies on down until sunrise, surrounded by exhausted bodies...)
How is the spell being cast? It is Coincidental or Vulgar?
During this phase, you must determine the exact method you are using to cast the spell. Are you using a focus? Are you simply pulling the effect out of thin air? If you are performing an action to cast the spell, it is often necessary to take some form of action before the spell can be cast.
(Example: A mage with Adept-level Forces may need to take out a lighter before creating a fireball to cast at his opponent. While this may not be an action in and of itself (it would be if the Mage was surprised), the Mage may need to use additional Spheres (such as Time) in order to pre-empt his opponent's action with such an action of his own.)
Don't forget that some of your Spheres will require the use of a focus in order to cast the spell. If it does, and you're not using one, you will need to risk an additional Mental Trait when the spell is cast.
Coincidental magick operates within the limits of Reality. People can't fly, lift cars or turn invisible. Vulgar magick disregards Reality and goes for (usually) spectacular and truly "magical" effects - people soar through the sky, toss Volkswagens and turn invisible. These "Limits of Reality" are called Paradigm. Magick is considered Coincidental when is operates within her Paradigm and is in harmony with the local Paradigm. Whenever a mage performs Vulgar magick, she will acquires at least one point of Paradox.
(Example: The magick being used by a Verbena in a grove's Circle surrounded by other Neo-Pagans would most probably be considered Coincidental. If the same mage tried to perform a similar ceremony deep within the labs of M.I.T., her magick would be Vulgar.)
Note that even working magick in one's own Paradigm may still be considered Vulgar. For instance, if the Verbena mentioned in the above example attempted to shape-shift into an owl. Although the shape-shifting ceremony would bear all of the trappings of the Verbena's religious and philosophical backgrounds, the effect may still be Vulgar. Performed behind a shroud or through some other measure of secrecy that hides the actual transformation helps under such circumstances.
You're really going to want your spell to appear Coincidental, unless your ass is on the line. If you can perform an action that causes the witnesses present to believe nothing particularly unusual happened, you take no Paradox. If you're alone, you can use an appropriate Ability to cast Coincidental magick.
(Example: If you've slipped off to a quiet corner to lick your wounds using Life magick and you have the Medicine Ability (and the method used to cast the spell is medical in nature), you may sacrifice a level of the Ability to make the spell Coincidental. This basically means that you're using the Ability as a focus for your magick. If you simply heal yourself without such a focus, the spell will be Vulgar. All levels in Abilities sacrificed in such a manner will return at the beginning of the following game session.)
If your spell is perception-based (that is, employs only Initiate-level spheres), then it's Coincidental. If it's Adept level or higher, it may be Vulgar. If there's a Storyteller present, ask her. Her decision is final, even if you don't agree with it. If not, try to work this out with the target of your spell. See the section on Paradox for guidelines in determining if a Spell is Coincidental or Vulgar. If there is a dispute and there is no Storyteller or Narrator present, perform a Simple Test (win on ties) with the target (if the target is a player) or anyone else present.
The use of a focus is often the best way to make a spell Coincidental. This is because your foci are typically within your paradigm; their use often prevents the effects of the spell from appearing to spring from thin air. Even if the primary Sphere you are using does not require a focus, that does not mean that the focus is no longer a useful item.
When the player is alone and has no one to test with, all "questionable" spells are Vulgar unless the player sacrifices a level in an Ability appropriate to the nature of the spell. Reality is a harsh mistress!
This may sound pretty simple, but if you're using Correspondence to target 5 people at once, that's going to cost some Quintessence. In addition, the target of the spell is very important, as it may make the difference as to whether the spell is Coincidental or Vulgar. Additionally, you must somehow be able to identify the target (no, I don't mean by name), and be within range of the target in order to affect it, unless other measures are taken. A mage player cannot simply state, "this spell affects 5 people in the room," hoping that if someone in the room is Obfuscated, it will affect him too. Spells with a specified area effect can be applied without naming specific targets, but they will affect only those targets closest to the mage. The mage must determine at this time whether the spell is an area affect. If so, the caster must name the number of targets to be affected. If not, the caster must specify the targets of his magick.
This is the time to determine whether someone is going to cast a counterspell. When Countermagick is being cast, a Mental Challenge is performed instead of the normal Simple Test.
Hey! How much Quintessence is this going to cost me?
This seems pretty simple, doesn't it, Grasshopper? However, the more complex the spell, the more complex the process involved. Initially, all spells cost one Quintessence to cast – with one exception. Initiate-level spells have no Quintessence cost (however, see the Duration section for information on Initiate-level magick). All other spells that require at least one point of Quintessence. If a spell requires Quintessence and you don't have any available, you can't cast the spell. Note that you may not spend more Quintessence in a single round than your Avatar rating can withstand. If you possess the Prime Sphere at Adept level or higher, you may spend up to twice your Avatar rating in a single round.
A mage with the Time Sphere at Adept level or higher may spend a point of Quintessence for her spell to pre-empt another's action with an action of your own. It is a spell and you still have to test, but this may be integrated into your spell to cause it to happen prior to your opponent's action. This may not be performed if your character is surprise (this works exactly like Alacrity in the Laws of the Night). Up to 3 additional follow-up actions may also be purchased, at a cost of one Quintessence per action (again, this is a spell).
(Example: A mage with Adept-level Time may cast a spell to move out of the way of a gunshot (which is allowable under Alacrity rules). A mage may not use this to scald his opponent with a fireball before getting off the shot (which is a separate spell). In that situation, spending the extra Quintessence in the spell would enable the mage to pull out his lighter and gasoline before the shot went off, then explode the fireball at the same time his opponent fires the gun during the normal combat round.)
Only normal damage may be caused or healed, unless the mage possesses Adept level in a Sphere appropriate to the life form being injured or healed (Life for mages, Garou, Kinfolk, Mortals, Changelings and Ghouls, Matter for Kindred or Mummies, and Spirit for Wraiths, Spectres and other spirits).
Damage may be made Aggravated through the use of Adept-level (or higher) Prime or Entropy. If the Mage uses one of the specified Spheres, he may spend additional Quintessence to convert normal damage to Aggravated damage (or vice versa). The cost is one point of Quintessence per Health level (up to a maximum of two per action). Remember that healing Aggravated damage is always Vulgar!
A mage with Prime at Adept level or higher may enchant a weapon or item to make it cause Aggravated damage. This effect may be made permanent with Master level Prime (effectively, creating a Talisman).
By pushing an additional point of Quintessence into a spell, a mage may inflict one additional Health level of damage per action.
Transmuting or otherwise affecting physical materials (e.g. plants, stones, cars, people, etc.) costs one Quintessence per target. The effects are usually permanent unless healed or otherwise repaired. When affecting a single item of large volume, a good rule of thumb is one point of Quintessence per 100 kilograms.
A mage with the Prime Sphere at Adept level or higher may store up to twice her Avatar's rating of Quintessence. This is because the mage's ability to store and use Quintessence is based on the strength of her Avatar. A mage may essentially re-weave her Avatar to store more; however, this is a Prime 3 and Spirit 3 effect, causing Permanent Paradox to any mage that tries to go beyond three times her Avatar rating.
By spending a point of Quintessence, a mage with the Prime Sphere may also spend more than her Avatar's rating of Quintessence, and may draw from one other source (or more, if Correspondence is used as well) other than her own Avatar. The Quintessence may not be drawn from thin air (e.g. an undepleted Node will provide the Avatar's rating of Quintessence for each Node point drained), and must be provided willingly if possessed by another mage (otherwise, a countermagick challenge is in order). The 2x Avatar maximum is still in effect, as the Quintessence must be channeled through the mage's Avatar in order to be woven into the spell.
The caster may name additional simultaneous targets or sources of Quintessence if she possesses the Correspondence Sphere at Adept level or higher and the Mind Sphere at Initiate level or higher. This costs one Quintessence per target/source, with a maximum of 5 total sources and/or targets (Mind is required to multitask, and Correspondence is required to see all 5 sources simultaneously). Consult the section on multiple targets for more information.
The caster may generate an area effect for the spell, which can affect up to 5 targets, at the cost of one additional Quintessence per target. Unless the mage uses Correspondence and Mind to name the targets, the spell will affect the 5 closest individuals. Consult the section on multiple targets for more information.
Opening a passage to the Umbra using the Spirit sphere costs one point of Quintessence for each additional person passing through (other than the mage, who is covered by the initial expenditure). The same method is used for opening a portal using Correspondence.
With Adept-level or higher Mind magick, a mage may permanently create, alter or erase up to 15 minutes' worth of memories, or one specific memory (e.g. a name heard only a few times by the "victim", etc.) per Quintessence spent. With enough time and successes, a mage can do some serious damage! Other acts such as total recall can be initiated at the cost of one item memorized/one scene per point of Quintessence spent.
Abracadabra alakazam! Cast that sucka...
Mage is in paradigm, spell is coincidental: The spell will succeed on a Win or Tie result. A Lose result can be changed to a Win if the mage "pushes" the spell (acquires a point of Paradox and loses a Mental Trait), else the spell will fail.
Mage is not in paradigm, spell is coincidental: The spell will succeed on a Win result and will fail on a Tie or Lose result. The mage may change push the spell on a Tie to change the result to a successful casting.
Spell is vulgar: The mage will automatically acquire a point of Paradox when casting Vulgar magick. The spell succeeds on a Win result, fails on a Lose result and will fail on a Tie result unless the mage takes an additional point of Paradox (and loses a Mental Trait).
Remember: All Initiate-level spells are considered to be Coincidental.
(Example: A Kindred is attacking your character with Wolf Claws drawn. You are attempting to counter his attack by blasting him with a fireball (remember, fire is Aggravated damage, so you won't need to use Prime or add Quintessence to make it Aggravated). You cast the spell as he swings. You first test to see if your spell is successfully cast. If it isn't, you may only defend in the main challenge round. If it's successful, perform the next test (the Resistance Test/Counter Challenge). If you win, the fireball strikes your opponent; if you lose, your opponent is successful. On a tie, you both lose, and any Quintessence and Traits spent are lost.)
Remember – if the primary Sphere being used requires the use of a focus and the mage isn't using it, the mage must risk a Mental Trait to cast the spell. If the mage loses the Simple Test, she loses the Mental Trait. If she uses an Ability to retest the spell casting, she does not regain the Mental Trait. If Countermagick is being cast, the Mage must risk an additional Mental Trait if a Mental Challenge is required to cast the Countermagick.
Note: Abilities may be used to retest coincidental effects (and only coincidental effects) in the same manner as MET rules (Provided the ability is appropriate to the coincidental effect being cast). Once a level of an Ability is used to retest, it is "lost" for the remainder of the evening.
Despite the fact that mages are able to shape Reality, that does not make them gods. In fact, many spells may be resisted by non-mages. For instance, an opponent may be Tough enough to resist a fireball thrown by the mage, or perhaps even be Quick enough to dodge it. Even non-visible effects such as Master-level llife and Matter (like changing an opponent's shape) can be resisted. If the spell utilizes only Initiate level spheres, the spell has no effect on the target, and therefore cannot be resisted (you must still cast the spell, however; it is not a "freebie"). Remember that the Resistance challenge takes place in the same round as the spell casting test.
This test consists of a Physical, Social or Mental challenge against the target of the spell, depending on the desired effect. If the target wins the Challenge, the spell has no effect on the target; however, the mage still loses all Quintessence spent and retains any Paradox gained.
The type of test perform depends mainly on the intended effect of the spell. If the spell affects the player physically, a Physical Challenge is in order. If the mage is trying to use his/her social graces to make the spell's effects appear Coincidental, a Social Challenge is required. If it's some form of mental assault or coercion (e.g. Dominate or Dementation-like spells), a Mental challenge is in order. If the spell doesn't fit neatly into any one category, perform a Mental challenge against the target. In this case, it's a matter of your ability to shape Reality versus the Target's strength of belief in the local Paradigm.
Because the Resistance Test is exactly like a regular challenge, Abilities, Willpower and/or Negative Traits may be used in accordance with the MET challenge systems. Traits are bid, and retests performed just as with any other test. The target may also relent if he or she so chooses.
Under some circumstances, the mage does not use the same Attribute category for testing.
(Example: Suppose a mage is using Adept-level Entropy to cause another character to trip and fall down. The mage has successfully cast the spell, and now the Resistance challenge must be performed. The effect on the target requires a Physical challenge, but because the mage is not performing a physical action, he uses his Mental Traits. This is still a Physical Challenge, so the target cannot spend Willpower to ignore the spell's effect...but may use an Ability like Athletics to retest.)
In the above example, if the Mage had been throwing a Fireball without using Adept-level Correspondence and did not possess an Ability such as Firearms, the contest would be a Physical vs. Physical challenge. If the Mage possessed the Firearms Ability or wove Adept-level Correspondence into the spell, the Mage could still use his Mental Traits.
Paradox: Bend Over, Here it Comes Again...
If your spell was Coincidental, you take no Paradox for the spell itself. If the spell was vulgar, you take a point of Temporary Paradox.
Certain forms of Master-level magick will cause Permanent Paradox instead of Temporary. See the section on Permanent Paradox for more information.
If you "pushed" your magick test (i.e., spent a Mental Trait to win on a tie), you take another point of Temporary Paradox.
Once you have tallied up your total, you need to determine whether or not your total Paradox rating has reached a level that will have an effect on your character. If your Paradox rating is equal to your Avatar rating, you must test to see if you are the victim of a Paradox Effect. Consult the section on Paradox Effects for more information.
Additional Systems
Countermagick is a mage's attempt to counteract the casting of another mage's magick. A mage may choose to counter a spell with a spell of her own, cancel the spell before it activates, or dismantle an existing spell. These are called Counterspell, Anti-magick and Unweaving.
Counterspells entail casting a spell that does not prevent the opponent's magick from being cast. It instead deflects or otherwise contains the effect in some manner not intended by the opponent. It does not necessarily require the counterspelling mage to have the same Spheres as her opponent.
Anti-magick unweaves the spell before it is cast, and requires that the opposing mage have the same Spheres as her opponent. Anti-magick does not gain the mage Paradox and if it successfully cancels the opposing spell, the opposing spell doesn’t acquire Paradox either (even if it would have).
Unweaving is an effect which undoes magick that has already been cast. It does not require the same Spheres, and the test operates as normal magick casting.
Both counterspells and antimagick are performed during the spell casting phase of the testing procedure. Instead of the normal Simple test, the two mages face off in a Mental challenge. The winner's spell is the one successfully cast. With antimagick, this means that the attacker's spell does not work. In the case of counterspells, this means that the defender has successfully cast his magick; in some cases, this implies that the caster's spell has also been successful, but does not produce the desired effect. If applicable, the target of the defender's spell may then make his resistance challenge.
Unweaving is a process of dismantling an existing spell. It is performed in the same manner as other forms of magick. The mage determines which Spheres are required to unweave the spell, and casts them. The Storyteller or initiating mage may attempt to resist the spell's effect, in essence preventing the original spell from being undone. The casting portion of an Unweaving spell is a Simple Test, just as with normal magick casting.
Paradox accrues with no harmful effects until it reaches the mage's Avatar rating.
Once per session, a mage may "burn off" her Paradox by taking a Paradox Flaw. The nature, severity and duration of this flaw depend on the number of Paradox traits that are removed by the Flaw (and by Storyteller discretion, of course). This can be done at any time, but cannot be used in lieu of Paradox Backlash.
When Paradox levels are between the mage’s Avatar Rating and twice the mage's Avatar Rating, perform a Simple Test after each point of Paradox is accrued. On a loss, the mage experiences Paradox Backlash. The mages loses one Mental Trait for each point of Paradox he is carrying. If, when all of the mage’s Mental Traits have been lost, any Paradox is remaining, the mage will lose one Physical Trait per point of Paradox. If there is yet still Paradox remaining, the mage loses a Health level for each Paradox, but will go no lower than Incapacitated. The mage will remain at Incapacitated for an additional 10 minutes per point of Paradox still remaining.
When Paradox levels are at or above twice the mage's Avatar Rating, continue to perform the Simple Test after Paradox is accrued. On a loss, the mage is confronted by a Paradox Spirit or pulled into a Paradox Realm (this means it's spanking time, and you need to find a Narrator). Regardless of whether or not the mage manages to avoid this fate, she will gain one point of Permanent Paradox.
Permanent Paradox can be gained in one of two ways. The first occurs when a mage casts Master-level magick to reweave a pattern in such a way that it creates a Vulgar effect. The second occurs when a mage has some form of Vulgar magick woven into his pattern. Permanent Paradox lasts as long as the magick is in effect, and can therefore only be reversed if the spell is broken or unwoven.
If a mage's Permanent Paradox reaches her Avatar rating, she will immediately go into Quiet. Often, this means that the character is fini and the player starts over with a new character. If this is not the case, the Storyteller will outline the exact manifestation of this form of madness. The effects of the Quiet will last until the Mage's Permanent Paradox rating is somehow lowered. This can be performed only through roleplaying (e.g., through visitations from various Paradox Spirits and/or the expenditure of experience points). A Mage may temporarily override his Quiet for one scene by spending a point of Willpower.
Permanent Paradox is not always gained when a mage casts Vulgar Master-level magick. It will only occur if the desired effect is permanent, measurable, and produces an effect that would be considered Vulgar.
(Example, using Master-level Matter to create a handful of stones might cause Temporary Paradox, but because the stones themselves are not Vulgar, no Permanent Paradox is gained. However, if a mage is casting Master-level Matter and Life to turn his hand into living stone, he will gain a Permanent Paradox because that sort of thing just doesn't happen everyday.)
A mage can be the victim of Permanent Paradox even if he/she is not the caster of the magick that caused it. In circumstances when a mage has some form of Vulgar magick woven into his pattern, he will gain Permanent Paradox.
(Example: A member of Iteration X whose arm is replaced with a flame-thrower will acquire a point of Permanent Paradox. In addition, the mage may take Temporary Paradox for each use of the weapon, if the use of such magick is especially Vulgar.)
Under certain circumstances, a mage may gain more than one Permanent Paradox for a single effect. This usually occurs when the mage is casting magick that is particularly powerful or long lasting. One example of this would be a Master Life, Time and Entropy spell that re-weaves a mage's life pattern, essentially making her immune to the aging process. She will gain one point of Permanent Paradox when the spell is cast, and she may continue to accrue additional Permanent Paradox as time passes (storyteller discretion). The mage can "buy off" these Paradox over time, but they are far more pervasive and can add up over time to be an incredible nuisance.
Typically, a mage must find a way to make the effect of her spell less Vulgar in order to counteract or eliminate the effect of the Permanent Paradox. This usually involves finding a mundane way to "hide" or explain away the effect from the Sleepers (and, hence, reality).
(Example: The mage that has extended her life span may be able to "buy off" the Paradox by changing her identity every 20-30 years, or by casting magick that changes her appearance or causes her to appear to age normally. This is usually a time-consuming and costly process, and typically should not lower the Permanent Paradox rating below 1 for that effect.)
When a mage's Pattern is re-woven, the Storyteller must decide on the number of Permanent Paradox traits gained, and who gains them. Under most circumstances, the Paradox affects only the caster of the spell.
A mage may regain Quintessence in one of the following ways:
Note: A mage may sacrifice a level of the Meditation (or Do, if appropriate) Ability to recover Quintessence in half the time. During this period, the mage may not engage in activities other than meditation (or Do).
When not in the presence of a Node, a mage gains one point of Quintessence per hour. She may not absorb more than her maximum allowable levels.
Nodes come in two forms: personal and generic. Personal nodes are those that a mage is capable of transferring from one location to another. These are purchased with background points or obtained through roleplay (e.g. a gift/boon from another Mage). Generic nodes are places such as Garou Cairns and abandoned Chantries.
The Node rating represents the number of Points of Quintessence that may be drawn from it in a 24-hour period. Each Background point spent on Node is equal to a Node rating of 5. When indicating the Node rating possessed by your character, specify the Node rating instead of the number of Background points spent.
A Cairn's Node rating is usually equal to the Gnosis rating. Depleting a Cairn of its Node rating does not affect its Gnosis rating, but a Mage may convert a Cairn's Gnosis to Quintessence (see the section on Tass).
A mage possessing the Node Background may split the node across multiple locations.
(Example: A mage with a Node rating of 5 (which costs 1 Background Point to purchase) may choose to invest three points in his Cabal's chantry and two points at his place of residence.)
Nodes cannot be carried around by the mage, unless he somehow casts Magick to infuse it into an item that he carries. Think of a node as a large stereo system. It's very large and unwieldy, and carrying it about to play your CDs is probably not a good idea. However, with some effort you can move it from one location to another, but it isn't easy. A Storyteller should not allow a player to relocate a node during in-game play. It should only be performed between games, and its exact location should be specified to the Storyteller.
Once a Node is invested in a location, the Node will remain there even if the site is destroyed, unless the node is infused within a specific item. Because of this, a Node cannot be easily "stolen." It can be tapped against the mage's will (i.e., another mage may soak Quintessence from it without permission, though certain magic can be cast to protect this from happening), but cannot be taken away like Talismans or foci can.
Chantries are typically secret locations at which members of a particular Tradition or Cabal can learn and perform magick with less danger of acquiring Paradox. Chantries are most often located at the site of a Node; the paradigm of a chantry is typically that of the Tradition with the largest investment in the Node, but not always. Whenever a group of mages wishes to found a chantry, the Storyteller or Narrator should require some form of in-game ritual or activity. These may sometimes last hours, depending on the form the ritual takes. These may sometimes entail "cleansing" activities, or having the members of the Cabal stand and profess their level of devotion to the Chantry (the three S’s: safety, security and sanctity).
Firstly, Talismans cannot be used by beings that do not have an Awakened Avatar. Fetishes may be used by "ordinary" folk, but are typically possessed/used by other supernatural beings, esp. Garou.
Talisman use is always considered vulgar magick (the Paradox affects the Mage, not the Talisman) and reduces the Talisman's Quintessence level by 1. When the Talisman runs out of Quintessence, it is rendered inoperable until "re-charged" with a mage's Quintessence (using Prime: Adept). Talismans can also be drained (using Prime: Adept) as a means of quickly acquiring Quintessence, thus turning them into batteries, of sorts.
Mages may also channel their own Quintessence through the Talisman to boost the Effect (again: Prime, Adept). Talismans are not usable by Sleepers, no matter how mundane the Talisman appears (i.e.: a Talisman gun can't be fired), except for certain devices used by the Technocracy ("bringing magick to the Masses..."). Talismans do not regain Quintessence on their own; a Mage must recharge them, or they are effectively useless.
Each Effect the Talisman is capable of must be named to the Storyteller. The effect is written on an index card, along with any "special" testing procedures that must be followed to use the item. Any Trait bonuses/drawbacks possessed by the item (e.g. additional Traits provided by a Talisman pistol) may be used in the Resistance Challenge, including any Negative Traits. Be sure to specify maximum damage or healing levels per round, if applicable. Having the information on an index card makes it easier for other players to understand what is being done to them, and that the Storyteller has approved the Talisman. This way, the Storyteller does not need to be dragged out of a scene to approve its use.
Each use of an Effect costs one Quintessence, unless otherwise specified. More complex Effects may require the expenditure of more than one point of Quintessence. The Spellcasting test is not performed with Talismans, unless another Mage is using some form of Countermagick against it. In that case, the testing proceeds in the normal manner for Countermagick. Additional Quintessence may be channeled from the Mage's Avatar (or other acceptable and available source) into an Effect to increase its power.
Talisman creation is a difficult process. It may be performed only through the use of Master-level Prime Magick (Spirit for Fetishes). Any item that is to be crafted into a Talisman or Fetish must be well constructed. The Mage must then cast a vulgar Master-level Prime effect on the Talisman and spend a permanent point of Willpower to imbibe it with magical properties. Note that the Mage need only push the Willpower -after- successfully casting the magic. This way, he doesn't have to spend a point of permanent Willpower on each attempt.
Next, the Mage must cast another vulgar Master-level Prime effect to provide the Talisman with an Arete rating. This costs 2 Quintessence per Arete. Note that a Mage cannot create a Talisman with an Arete rating higher than his own. Afterwards, the Mage infuses each Effect the Talisman is capable of utilizing with an Adept-level or higher spell utilizing the Sphere(s) in question. Initiate and Adept-level Effects can be infused into the Talisman with Adept-level Spheres; Master-level effects require mastery of the primary Sphere named in the effect. Note that each effect added to the Talisman requires a separate spell casting, even though effects can be composed of multiple Spheres. Fetishes typically only have one power, and do not utilize Spheres.
Each effect added costs one Quintessence per Sphere level of the effect being infused, even if the Talisman already has some or all of those Spheres. The Talisman may hold as many Effects as it has levels of Arete. Only one Effect may be added per day, and the exact Effect and method of testing must be specified on the index card representing the Talisman/Fetish.
Remember, when creating a Fetish, you are binding a Spirit to the item. Failing to do so on the first attempt may be dangerous to your health.
Note that the Mage that created the Talisman is not the only one that can infuse it with magical Effects. Any existing Talisman may be improved by an Adept-level Mage, under the conditions specified above (i.e., all effects that can be performed with Adept-level magick). Only a mage with Master-level Prime may increase the Avatar of a Talisman.
Tass – Additional sources of Quintessence
A mage may free Quintessence (Tass) from other sources of power with the following magick:
The mage must be in physical contact with the source of the substance or must possess at least Adept level Correspondence. The cost of transmutation is one Quintessence (only one point of Tass may be freed per Turn). Note that draining the target completely does not destroy it; it simply brings levels to 0 (which can have serious repercussions -- e.g. if the target is a Kindred, she will Frenzy). In addition, the target is capable of resisting the spell if she is an unwilling participant (via the Resistance Test).
General Guidelines for Magick Casting
Note: These are guidelines for magick casting; they provide a framework for the scope of magick that may be cast at the different levels of mastery within a Sphere. The possibilities are limited only by your (or your character's) imagination and/or experience.
Initiate level: Percieve/Sense pattern
Adept level: Manipulate/Alter existing pattern
Master Level: Create/Destroy/Re-weave pattern
The following spell effects are examples of what a mage might be able to accomplish using various Spheres and Sphere levels. Many, many more effects can be created and when Spheres are used in conjunction, the possibilities are as infinite as the mage's (and player's) imagination.
Correspondence
Entropy
Forces
Life
Matter
Mind
Prime
Spirit
Time