[Mage: the Awakening 101] Metaphysics Part 5, Thyrsus

Thyrsus

Mages who Awaken to the Path of Thyrsus find themselves forced to survive in the Primal Wild.   This Supernal realm is nature personified.  It is simultaneously beautiful and terrifying, where the strong devour the weak.  It is in this savage, yet pure, realm that the mage’s soul is tested, and transformed, eventually finding their way towards the Watchtower of the Stone Book, where they mark their souls forever.  It is little wonder then that the mages who awaken to the Thyrsus are less heedful of society’s “laws” preferring to act in accordance of their more savage natures.

This path calls strongly towards those who are well aware of the nature of life and the spirit.  Doctors, hunters, midwives or sailors achieve an awakening to the Path, as they are more in tune with nature and the everyday miracle of life and survival.

Mages who Awaken to this path become adept at in using the Arcana of Spirit and Life.

Spirit is the Arcana of the unseen world.  It governs the matters of entities and concepts, as well as the human soul.  A mage with Spirit is capable of acting as a shaman, and intermediary between the alien entities that embody objects or concepts, coaxing them to provide answers or services on the behalf of the mage.  It is an arcana of diplomacy and cunning, built on trust or trickery to get these powerful beings to do what the mage wants.

In combat a Spirit mage uses the same cunning to thwart his enemies.  Calling and binding spirits to serve as his guardians means that a Spirit Mage is often capable of bringing more than enough backup to a fight.  Furthermore, a Spirit Mage calling on favors can enact effects similar to other Arcana by virtue of the Spirit’s Numina powers alone without the risk of Paradox.

Life is the Arcana that provides control of all living things.  With it, a mage can heal wounds, cure diseases, mend broken bones, and undo congenital defects.  On the other side of the spectrum, the same mage can choose to inflict the same, causing bones to become brittle, tumors grow in a matter of minutes, or rend gaping holes in a person’s flesh.

In combat a Life mage is capable of keeping himself alive in even the most adverse of situations.  He can alter his form to adapt certain animal traits, cause his opponents to go blind, and regenerate from life threatening wounds.  When concern for paradox is no longer a priority, he can perform even more vulgar magics such as transforming a stray dog into a swarm of wasps to assault his target.

[Mage: the Awakening 101] Metaphysics Part 4, Obrimos

Obrimos

The Mages who fall under the Obrimos Path are those who awaken to the Aether, the realm of naked power.  It is a world where power suffuses everything, where anything seems to be more “real” and more vibrant than anything that the Fallen World can hope to be.  It is little wonder then that those who awaken to this Path feel that they are chosen or destined to uplift this world to something greater.  They’ve had a glimpse of greatness, and they want to make it real.

Interestingly, those who often get called to the path of the Obrimos are those who are used to conflict.  They are fighters and firebrands, crusaders that bear their own inner light.  This does not end with just literal soldiers, but also those who carry the torch for other causes.  Priests, scholars, human rights activists, anyone with a point to prove and the will to go out and make that point are  potential Obrimos.

As torchbearers and illuminators, it is no surprise that the Obrimos command the Arcana of Prime and Forces:

Prime is the arcana of magic itself, allowing for the manipulation of spells and Mana.  A Prime mage is the ultimate equalizer, as they are capable of sensing whenever magic is in play, even if they can’t always identify which Arcana is being used.  Add the ability to dispel or counter opposing spells and the Prime mage can often neutralize an opponent by taking away the tools that they rely on.

Combat against a Prime mage is frustrating, as effects are countered, Mana siphoned and long standing enchantments made useless.  A cunning Prime mage might not even appear to be a mage, as their manipulations of their own Aura can make them resemble a normal bystander mortal caught in the conflict.  By the time you figure out who they were, their teammates would have assaulted your now no longer existing defenses.

Forces is the Arcana that almost needs no introduction.  Lightning, fire, sound, light, gravity, motion, heat, radiation… all of these fall under the purview of the Forces arcana.  A Forces mage can be infinitely versatile, capable of tapping into alternate wavelengths of vision to find opponents who might be relying on darkness or other means to hide their presence.  Imparting motion, or transmuting one type of energy to another can be used in all sorts of situations to startle and confuse the enemy.

A Forces mage is a fearsome foe in combat.  Guns fail, or explode spectacularly when fired, while the Forces mage calls lighting from his fingertips, or hurls fire upon his foes.  While trickery is still the norm for mage combats, the Forces mage pushed to using Vulgar effects can slaughter opponents in short order.

[Mage: the Awakening 101] Metaphysics Part 3, Moros

Moros

The Moros Awaken by finding themselves called towards Stygia, the land of the Dead.  Surrounded by the metaphysical reflection of one of life’s greatest and most inevitable truth, the souls that find their way here are transformed, shedding off materialistic needs and fleeting pleasures as they realize that all things will fade in time. It is no wonder then that the Moros tend to be contemplative and thoughtful, knowing that this is the only life they have, and that they had better make the most of it.  The Moros are also the mages who are most interested in the process of transformation, of shedding the old and bringing in the new.

Many of those who awaken to this path have a close association with either Death or materialism.  Doctors, Morticians and Hitmen are among those who find themselves reaching the kind of epiphany required to find themselves in Stygia, while Bankers and Industrialists may find their experience in Stygia to be most enlightening.

The Moros are notable for their command over two very interesting arcana: Death and Matter

Death is the Arcana that governs ghosts, shadows, weakness and decay.  How someone or something die, the rate of decay and manipulating the dead all fall under this Arcana.   While somewhat difficult to use, this Arcana is remarkably helpful in investigative games involving murder, enabling the Moros to speak with the dead, determine or obscure a cause of death, and even raise the dead as zombies.

It doesn’t take a large stretch of the imagination to recognize that Death is a powerful Arcana in combat.  Enervating the enemy, destroying their weapons and summoning ghosts and raising zombies to bolster their numbers is just a few of the things that a Death mage can bring to bear.  Add the metaphysical fact that shadows fall under their purview, and Death mages are also capable of setting up excellent ambushes, using the cover of darkness.

Matter is the Arcana that controls states and properties of non-living things.  With it machines can be made more efficient, circuits more conductive, and concrete walls given the elasticity of a rubber band.  Even at the lowest levels of Matter Magic a mage can discern chemical compositions of substances, identify traces of possible evidence in a crime scene, and determine how long a drunken person had passed by from chemical trails from his breath.

In combat Matter mages might not seem all that special compared to the flashy spells of Space or Time, but the ability to turn your shirt into the equivalent of a kevlar vest, or amplify the accuracy of your weapon can’t be overlooked.  Forcing a target to lose his footing by making the asphalt melt, or giving him a nasty surprise by making his armor as tough as wet tissue paper are also good tricks to use.

[Mage: the Awakening 101] Metaphysics Part 2, Mastigos

Mastigos

Mages Awakened to the Path of the Mastigos end up in Pandemonium, realm of nightmare.  It is a hellish realm, full of humanity’s horrors and fears given form.  Denizens of this realm take the form of demons, luring the awakening mortal away by using fear or temptation.  Some say that it is a path of scourging, where the mortal’s soul is purified enough to finally attain enough mastery of the self and earn the powers of this Supernal Realm.

Mages who awaken through this path are the embodiment of the Ego.  They are self-made men who choose who they are, and hold powerful convictions.  They are individualists, preferring to think for themselves rather than to bow to tradition.  Lawyers, inventors, rebels, evangelists and intellectuals often awaken to the Mastigos, given their ability to dominate by force of will.

It is no surprise then that the Mastigos excel in two Ruling Arcana that embody their mastery over thought and perception:  Mind and Space.

Mind is the Arcana of Domination and Self Empowerment. With it mages impose their will upon the myriad consciousnesses of the universe and transcend the limits of human potential. Mages proficient in Mind are Philosopher Kings made real, fonts of raw knowledge, skill and charisma.

In combat, a practitioner of Mind magic is a foe unlike any other; he walks unseen, his very gaze can kill, his foes become his servants and he attains puissance in any art with but a snap of his fingers. The art of the Mind is not a vainglorious art, it is bereft of bolts of lightning and storms of fire, yet it was makes it more deadly for it is the death that one never sees coming.

Space is the Arcana of dimension, position and relationships.  Mages skilled in manipulating this Arcana are capable of making a mockery of distances, shattering mortal perceptions of range and safety.  Mastigos Mages have a natural understanding of the illusion of Space, capable of transporting themselves vast distances, and seeing into locations remotely.

Combat against a Space mage is an exercise in futility.  They’re never where they are supposed to be, and are capable of taking pot shots at you over absurd distances.  Furthermore, Space Mages have the capability of making the perfect getaway, vanishing without a trace.

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[The Mind Arcana writeup was done by Blake Dy.]

[Mage: the Awakening 101] Metaphysics Part 1, Acanthus

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, we’re moving on to discuss some of the core principles behind Magic for Mage: the Awakening.  Unlike it’s predecessor, Mage: the Awakening assumes that there is one unified Awakened Magical Theory that serves as the backbone for all magic.  While different traditions, cultures and paradigms may have different names and practices which can influence the way this magic takes shape, it all ultimately comes back to Awakened Magic.

While other supernaturals may have magics and powers that they may channel, these are considered to be a separate form of phenomena, as Awakened Magic must cleave to certain behaviors, mainly:

• Awakened Magic is drawn down from the five Supernal Realms
• Awakened Magic is capable of incurring a Paradox
• Awakened Magic cannot be taught to someone who has not experienced an Awakening

Therefore various powers from other Supernaturals do not fall under this category, and are therefore not considered Awakened Magic.

The one advantage that Awakened Magic has over other supernatural phenomena is the fact that a Mage is not nailed down to a specific effect.  Mages are adaptable and unpredictable, capable of surprising their opponents with anything as subtle as using Matter magic to make a gun misfire to as vulgar as using Forces Magic to call down lightning from the heavens to strike down an assailant.

The Supernal Realms are the very source of Awakened Magic.  Without visiting them during an Awakening, it is impossible to channel their power and cast spells.  According to Mage lore, there are Five Supernal Realms:

• Arcadia – Connected to the Watchtower of the Lunargent Thorn, Realm of Fate and Time
• Pandemonium - Connected to the Watchtower of the Iron Gauntlet, Realm of Mind and Space
• Stygia -  Connected to the Watchtower of the Lead Coin, Realm of Death and Matter
• the Aether – Connected to the Watchtower of the Golden Key, Realm of Prime and Forces
• the Primal Wild – Connected to the Watchtower of the Stone Book, Realm of Spirit and Life

When a person Awakens, their soul travels to one of these Supernal Realms, and eventually finds their soul drawn to one of the Watchtowers.  There the Mage makes their mark, either carving out their name on the walls or some other symbolic gesture to seal a contract, cementing their connection to the Supernal Realms, and its magic.

The Supernal Realm that the Mage visits has a profound effect on their soul, as it colors their proficiency with certain Arcana.  Some would say that it is the nature of the Mage’s soul that determines which Supernal Realm they find, as each Realm seems to call to a different sort of personality.  Many, if not all Mages which find themselves in Pandemonium, for example, exhibit a strong sense of conviction.

Today we’ll be looking at the Acanthus, Path of the Thistle, as well as the Path’s primary Arcana: Fate and Time.

—-

Acanthus

Mages who Awaken to the Path of the Acanthus find themselves in Arcadia, realm of the Fae.  Much like the stories of old, Arcadia is simultaneously beautiful, timeless and deadly.  Strange creatures bound by arcane rules and odd behaviors are the norm, eager to trick or beguile the unwary to dooms that are better left unknown.  Oaths and promises have power in Arcadia, and it is only by wits, luck, guile or simple charm that the Mage finally completes their quest and finds the Watchtower of the Lunargent Thorn.

Those that find themselves on the Path of the Acanthus tend to embody the same kind of personality as Arcadia.  Artists, con men, gamblers and actors are but a few of those who find themselves often called to Arcadia.  The Acanthus are well known for their ability to use their considerable skill at misdirection, illusion and just plain luck to get them through in any situation.

The Acanthus are well known for their proficiency with their Path’s Ruling Arcana: Fate and Time.

Fate is the Arcana of luck, chance, oaths and curses.  With it, the Mage gains mastery and command over the vagaries of chance, tugging strings of causality to make things go their way.  Mages proficient in Fate magics live blessed lives, as misfortune avoids them, while good luck seems to grace them in every which way.

In combat, a practitioner of Fate magics is a terror, as they can bolster themselves and their allies, while cursing their enemies to suffer all manner of misfortune.  Shots go awry, missed bullets ricochet to injure comrades and random accidents are but a sampling of what a Fate mage’s enemies can expect.

The Time Arcana is by far one of the most frightening and impressive Arcana, if used properly.  Precognition, postcognition, and even manipulating the very flow of time is possible to those with sufficient mastery of this Arcana.  The primary drawback of this Arcana however, is the fact that most of its most potent effects are blatantly Vulgar, and will call down Paradox upon the magus.

But should the Mage be forced to pull out all the stops, the Time Arcana provides one of the most impressive arsenal of effects, from accelerating a Mage to speeds beyond that of ordinary mortals to even going so far as rewinding time to a more favorable situation.

[Mage: the Awakening 101] Introduction

One of the biggest obstacles to getting people to try a game like Mage: the Awakening is its complexity.  M:tAw is  a game with broad themes, and a detailed system that was designed to enable the players to conceptualize spells on the fly, rather than to be constrained to just picking from a list.

Add a multi-faceted social structure of multiple factions with differing agendas, as well as a remarkable number of opponents, and it’s easy to see why the book is so daunting.  Many new players simply give up at the thought of having to absorb so much information, and I personally feel that they’d be missing out.

It’s because of this that I’ve decided to work on a series of articles that dissects the Mage: the Awakening Core Rulebook in the same way I’ve done with Fantasy Craft.  Hopefully, by taking apart the book and dealing with components separately, I can help clear up the confusing parts and make this fantastic game even more accessible to more players.

[nMage] Plot Hook: Adoration of the Magi

Being from the only Roman Catholic country in Asia, it is no surprise that Christmas is widely celebrated here in the Philippines.  That said, one of the most popular stories about Christmas is about the Magi, the three wise men from “the east” that followed a star to find Jesus.

While also known as the Three Kings, the Magi are aren’t actually royalty, but wizards and seers, people who had the esoteric knowledge to discern such a spiritually significant effect, and sought Jesus out to worship him.  Given such a precedent, it would be fascinating to actually take the familiar elements of this tale and use it for a game of nMage.

Arguably, Mage: the Awakening has all the elements already set up for this.  A faction of the Guardians of the Veil are waiting for the day that the Heiromagus will be born to lead humanity into an age of enlightenment, and there’s Troy Bell and Kirsten Quarles from the Lovers chapter of the Keys to the Supernal Tarot supplement that could serve as a perfect stand in for a couple with a child.

The birth of Kirsten’s child is tremendously significant due to the child being unique, and quite possibly the Heiromagus himself.  And there are mages who want to be there to take advantage of the situation, or to protect the couple.

The Exarchs and Seers of the Throne make for a great stand-in for King Herod.  Considering that they are, undoubtedly the Kings of the Fallen World, it would be in their best interest to find this newborn threat and eliminate it as soon as possible.

[nMage Japan] What Do the Characters Do?

Before settling on a campaign, the first question that a GM must ask himself is: “What do I see my players doing in this game?”

It’s a simple question, but the answers aren’t necessarily easy.  Sometimes the fun of campaign design tends to override this little question, resulting in an intricate, beautiful setting… but one that remains vague and difficult to game in for lack of a direction.

And so I figure I might as well address that issue right now, without letting out any major spoilers for the campaign.  So far, I see the players preoccupied with three things:

1. Solve the Awakening Crisis – With the dearth of new Awakenings in the local Japanese populace, the players will be dedicated to trying to get to the bottom of the situation, and perhaps find a way to encourage mortals to achieve an Awakening again.
2. Safeguard Tokyo – Mages aren’t the only beings running around.  Mortals, Hunters, Rival Mages, Banishers, Ghosts, Spirits, and even a few foreign threats might show up to carve a niche.  Despite the Awakening Crisis, the Mages have to make sure that Tokyo remains safe and under their control.
3. Personal Stories – I’ve always been a fan of personal stories, and I always ask for players to come up with characters that they’d enjoy playing through those kind of situations.  There’s a big picture, but never at the expense of Character Development.

Given this, I can start building the game around their concepts, and the Players can get around to building characters who are geared towards these three actions.  They’re not restrictive, but they do bestow direction, which I feel is a very good thing.

[nMage Japan] Free Council Cabal – Suicide Pact

As far as cabals go, the Suicide Pact is an odd, insular bunch.  The three mages that compose the cabal are close as kin, even if they had only known each other over the internet a few years ago.  An old, washed-out salaryman, an angry construction worker and a bastard army brat had nothing in common except for a singular goal:  to die in a most poignant fashion, to leave this sad and broken world in a way that echoes their emptiness inside.

The plan was perfect, the combined suicide note were carefully written and rewritten for clarity.  Their clothes were selected to look best in the newpapers.  They opted to go for charcoal burning: painless, stainless and effortless.  All they’d have to do is lie down, take deep breaths, and go to sleep.

At least, that was the plan.

Most of the other mages in Tokyo contest their stories, but the Suicide Pact claim that it was at this moment that all three of them found themselves in Stygia.  While lost in the realm of the dead, the three stumbled about, coming to one singular conclusion: Death was not what they really wanted.

And so they worked their way towards a great tower that rose above the gloom, helping each other as each succumbed to their weaknesses, finding true camaraderie here in the land of shades.  They could not explain it, but they were certain that this was the way out.

The Suicide Pact remained together even after they awoke, choking and gasping, running out of the room to breathe fresh air.  They had learned something, become something more.  It was a strange, but powerful transformation, and all three of them shared a bond that was forged beyond the Fallen World.

—-

The Suicide Pact is a Free Council Cabal composed of Rei Hiramatsu, a sixteen year old Japanese-American Army Brat who never knew her real father, Yuji Ogata, a Construction Worker whose drinking habit caused his wife and child to leave him, and Ryunoske Yamadera, a retired Salaryman who gave all his years to a company who sacked him for being “redundant.”

All three of them are Free Council Mages, with no real interest in getting involved in the “politics” of the Consilium.  Instead, the Suicide Pact has set up a Suicide Prevention and Grief Counseling Hotline, using their magics to help people discover the truths that they died to learn.  Having a few friendly ghosts as allies to serve as an additional information gathering network doesn’t hurt either.

This doesn’t mean that it’s always easy however, as the Suicide Pact has also taken to the field to stop a Gaki or two that’s been terrorizing neighborhoods and even a serial rapist once.

—-

Notes:

The Suicide Pact was an exploration of the theme of Hope in light of the Moros.  It’s easy to make a dour, emo Moros, but entirely different to take themes of Death and merge those with Hope and Friendship.  This Cabal makes for a good ally for Cabals of any alignment, as the Suicide Pact hold their mission to preserve life as more important than politics.  This isn’t to say that the Cabal is a pushover either.  The Cabal has garnered a massive following of grateful mortals and allied ghosts, and should any of the Suicide Pact be pushed into a corner, the assailant had better be prepared to be mobbed from all sides.

[nMage: Japan] Homebrew Legacy – Avatars

That's Tifa, as far as I'm concerned.

“When I wear this, I am a God, a Concept, an Ideal. Forget yourself, and become Nothing and Everything at once.”

To transcend the limits of your humanity by becoming a symbol is the very focus of the Avatar Legacy.  Using principles of Zen married into the subcultures of Cosplay and the Internet, this recently born Legacy of Warlocks aspires towards enlightenment by shedding their Ego, paring away at the self until one can finally reach the point where one is ready to understand the universal Truth.

To allow the Avatars to overcome the self, they select symbols to transform into.  Some take up the mannerisms, speech and costumes of beloved anime and manga characters, as well as those from live-action tokusatsu shows, while others resort to the anonymity of the internet, hiding behind handles and made-up personas, breathing life into imaginary identities, making them real.  More moderate members take on various “Common” roles, manifesting as the kindly taxi driver, the greeting lady in a shopping mall, or a security guard in the subway.  These “roles” are no less valid, and many Avatars bask in the inherent anonymity of a stereotype.

The Avatars have also taken to harnessing the very symbols that they represent to encourage ideas, memes and concepts that sway the youth towards chosen opinions on issues such as ecological awareness, politics and other causes deemed worthy.  This power to swing opinion is a double-edged sword, as the Avatars have also been known to fall victim to their own pride and self-righteousness, using their own symbols to further hate or discrimination as well.

Parent Path: Mastigos or Free Council
Nicknames: Dolls, Pretenders
Suggested Oblations: Zazen Meditation, making a costume, cross-dressing, successfully passing yourself as someone else in public (usually a celebrity)
Concepts: Professional Cosplay performer, Anonymous Internet Symbol of Justice, Good Samaritan

Attainments:

1st Attainment: Knowing the Symbol
Prerequisites: Gnosis 3, Mind 2, Empathy 3

The Avatar’s first step into losing the self, is to embody the universal appeal of their Symbol.  As long as the Avatar is portraying someone else, they gain the benefits of a Mind 2 “First Impressions” spell at all times, with successes equal to the Avatar’s dots in Mind.

2nd Attainment: Wearing the Symbol
Prerequisites: Gnosis 5, Mind 3

At this stage of an Avatar’s path to enlightenment, the Avatar learns to manifest his Symbol by will alone.  The Avatar gains the inherent ability to benefit from the Mind 3 “Impostor” spell, with the Avatar rolling his Manipulation+Expression or Subterfuge, and gaining automatic successes equal to his dots in the Mind Arcana.

3rd Attainment: Becoming the Symbol
Prerequisites: Gnosis 7, Mind 4

The Avatar’s transformation is nigh complete at this stage.  As long as the Avatar is “in-character” with a given role, the mage may benefit from the Mind 4 “Skill Mastery” spell, gaining temporary dots in a chosen skill equal to his Mind Arcana.  These may push a skill to a Maximum of 7 dots, and these skill dots may also be distributed among multiple Skills.  The only limitation is that these skills must coincide with the “Stereotype” of the role being taken.  An Avatar who has taken the persona of an Accountant, for example, may not use Becoming the Symbol to gain dots in Firearms.

—-

Notes:

The Avatars Legacy was born out of looking at the Cosplay community and trying to see what kind of Spiritual / Philosophical concept could be applied to it as mages.  The Free Council strives to find Magic in the modern world, and this one came naturally to me.

For the Japan nMage game, I was looking at using the various zoku, or subcultures as a basis for many Free Council Cabals, as they fit the Free Council’s almost frenzied dash to innovate, create and push the boundaries of the now to find new and greater secrets hidden in the world as is.