Mage Live Action Rules
by Gil Richard (g_richa@husky1.stmarys.ca)
Modified for Brevard Beastiary
By Daniel B Utecht.
The 9 Spheres
5.1 Correspondence
First off, as Correspondence is the sphere that deals with range and distance, a range table is needed, based on how familiar the mage is with the target. This familiarity can come from either personal knowledge of the target, or having something that belongs to or is somehow otherwise connected to the target. The general success table for determining the range of the effect is listed in the Correspondence Effect Table.Apprentice
Immediate Spatial Perceptions - The Apprentice of Correspondence is taught how to sense 3-dimensional space with keen understanding. They can intuitively sense how objects relate to space, calculate the exact volume of objects, the distance between objects, and be able to sense objects in their immediate vicinity without having to perceive them through the normal five senses. The mage may determine, to any level of accuracy, any aspect of the targets dimensionality (size, shape, distance, location, etc). In addition, the mage may choose to just sense the range and dimensionality of an area, effectively giving them a kind of 'sonar' effect. The mage may give themselves the ability to sense and navigate their surroundings by sensing the shapes, distances, and sizes of their surroundings. They would see no colors, only the contours of faces. Note that this effect only effects the mage's immediate surroundings - this cannot sense outside of Line of Sight.Initiate
Sense Space - The mage can now send his or her perceptions to any point in space by shifting their relationship to the Correspondence Point. They may re-locate any or all of their senses to another point in space. The senses function normally at this new point in space, but realize that their senses no longer sense the immediate vicinity around their person - they can only sense the new location. This power also allows the mage to sense if they are being spied upon by a remote observer through some sort of perception extension (binoculars/Sense Space/cameras).Touch Space - The mage can, with conjunctional Disciple Life or Matter (or both) teleport small objects to and from themselves. The mage can shift objects up to a maximum size of a house cat. The mage must grasping the object during the teleportation.
Ward - The mage may prevent scrying or remote sensing an area of space by re-enforcing the tapestry of an area. Upon a successful magical effect casting, the area of space effected by the magical effect is protected by this ward for the duration of the effect. Whenever someone wishes to remotely scry this area, their general success rating is dropped by the numeric equivalent of the magical effect result. This effect may be cast cumulatively, with this number being increased each time the effect is successfully cast.
Disciple
Pierce Space - At this level of understanding, the mage has an in-depth, personal understanding of the Theory of Correspondence, and may change their own relationship to the Correspondence Point. The mage can teleport themselves and everything they are carrying to another area in space. This can be used to evoke the 'Fair Escape' rule in virtually any situation. Upon success, the mage states that they 'disappear' and walk to their new location in space, using an out-of-game hand signal, and tell the people in the new area that they re-appear, oriented in any way they deem fit. If there are not too many people in the vicinity, the mage may call 'Freeze', move to their new location, then call 'Unfreeze'. This effect is vulgar or coincidental.
Lastly, this power allows the mage to slide objects through space, simulating telekinesis or levitation. Again, objects being moved can be no bigger than a common house cat, but weight is no option - only size. This effect can be used to cause damage, and is handled by the General Effect Result Table. Vulgar or coincidental.Seal Gate - The mage may also prevent others from remotely spying on an area with this power. Every Correspondence effect that involves opening or playing with the Tapestry of the area (ie, Remote sensing/Teleportation) has it's magical effect result rating lowered by the numeric equivalent of the magical effect result. This may be cast multiple times, with this number being cumulative.
The mage may also ban a certain type of pattern from an area of space by casting this power conjunctionally with the Disciple level powers of all patterns involved in the banned pattern, as well as having some connection to the target of the banning. If the mage accumulates a magical effect result rating of five or higher, it is impossible for the target pattern-type to enter that area of space. Note that this effect cannot effect magical effects or the incarnations of paradox.Co-Locality Perceptions - Also, at this level of understanding, the mage may potentially perceive all points in space at the same time. While this may seem to be a stupid idea, it can be very useful, and also very trippy. The mage may 'stack' their perceptions, perceiving all the wanted points in space at the same time. The result is a convoluted landscape of many ghostly images. The mage may co-locate their perceptions as many times as they have mental traits, and differentiating between one scene and another requires a static mental challenge vs a number twice the total number of scenes being viewed. If the mage wishes to perceive more scenes than they have mental traits, they may do so by winning a complex challenge. If they succeed, the extra scenes. If they fail, they enter a Quiet of a rating equal to half the number of scenes being perceived.
Adept
Rend Space - A mage at this rank may extend their control of Correspondence to opening 'pathways' through space to join two areas of space via a 'doorway'. These pathways usually take the form of a two-dimensional 'window', showing what exists on the other side of the doorway, but can take on another appearance if the mage so desires. The mage may open a 'doorway' between two areas of space. Passage through this doorway is free as long as the doorway remains open. This effect is quite vulgar.Reality Bubble - The mage may create 'pockets' of space that do not interact with the rest of space. This creates a pocket dimension within three-dimensional space which is cut off from the rest of space, roughly human-sized. Larger bubbles or moving bubbles require at least a result rating of four. This effect is quite vulgar.
Master
Mutate Localities - At this level of Mastery, the Mage is taught how to distort space. Mages can affect distances and sizes around them, stretching and shrinking them however they seem fit. The mass of the area of space or object being changed cannot change, but the size and shape is fair game to the mage. The mage may warp space about them however they desire.Co-location - The mage may take two area of space and 'stack' them, having them both occupy the same 'area' of space simultaneously. Interaction is free between the two area. Nothing inside the areas of space is damaged - when two objects occupy the same area of space, they simply do not interact until they are separated.
Poly-appearance - The mage may exist at multiple areas at the same time. Read the effect on page 191 of 2nd Edition Mage:The Ascension. The part about extra damage levels for poly-appearance attacks applies - the numeric rating of a magical result is added to the base amount of damage caused by the attack.
5.2 Entropy
Apprentice
Sense Fate & Fortune - The beginning of all teaching concerning Entropy starts with being able to identify Entropy as a distinct phenomenon in reality. Apprentices of entropy can intuitively discern the weakness in any system, be it a person, or a group, or a concept. As well, the mage may also intuitively discern the strengths of a system, which parts are more favored or lucky. The mage ascertains where entropy would manifest naturally in the target and how much, or how little, the target has been subjected to the forces of Entropy already. The mage can identify any weak spots in anything, as well as the amount of decay, degeneracy, or corruption the target has been subject to. Conversely, the mage may also sense which aspects of the target will be favored in the future, where entropy does not manifest itself as strongly./ In game terms, the mage will be have the option to re-test a failed challenge IF that challenge is of a nature being sensed by the effect, for the duration of the effect (this is not cumulative). The nature of the challenge and target must be known at the time of casting.Ring of Truth - The mage may use their sense of Destiny and entropy to discern if something being said to them is prophetic in some way, or is a falsehood. In the case of prophetic words, every level of the effect result rating will grant the mage a little more of a sense of understanding concerning the words that were spoken. For discerning the truth, the mage must achieve an effect result rating equal to or greater than the potential liar's total Subterfuge abilities.
Initiate
Control Probability - By starting small, the Initiate of entropy can affect very small events by manipulating random chance. The mage can affect who the waiter will serve first in a restaurant, which chamber houses the bullet in Russian Roulette, which cards are dealt where in a game of cards. Note, however, that the Mage cannot nullify or supersaturate an event with randomness - that would require the creation of entropic energy, or the immunization from the self-same energy, something even the Masters of Entropy cannot do. The mage can merely affect the probabilities involved with a single event that is only controlled by one instance of random chance. It can seem that this level of knowledge is pretty lame, but control over random chance can be very handy at times, and this level of knowledge can be used conjunctionally with other spheres to inject randomness and chaos into a system over and above what normally occurs. Every two effect result ratings allows the mage a re-test in any non-magical effect test in which the mage has 2 or fewer Ability traits (See "Beginner's Luck"). The mage can also dictate what the outcome of a single random event will be, as in all of the above examples. The event must be controlled by random chance. This is a coincidental effect, as all things are possible within a random system, but repeated uses of this in the same situation will eventually start pushing the boundaries of acceptable probability, and paradox may take notice. (See "The Domino Effect")Disciple
Affect Predictable Patterns - At the disciple level, the mage learns how rates of decay are controlled and with this knowledge can exert their will upon reality to either speed up or slow down the natural entropic processes that degrade matter patterns. The Mage can increase or decease the rate at which metals rust, woods decay, fabric rots, etc. With any number of effect result ratings, the mage may make a complex piece of machinery break down. With 2 or more effect result ratings, an amount of physical matter as determined by the area of effect can be eroded. Conversely, any number of effect result ratings can cause a complex machine to function without flaw for the duration of the effect. With 2 or more effect result ratings, the rate of decay on a mass of matter as determined by the area of effect can be slowed considerably, with the physical matter not being affected from the natural entropic processes for the duration of the effect.Adept
Affect Life - The Adept of Entropy has progressed beyond the scope of inorganic objects to the complex realm of Life. The Adept studies the multitudes of ways that living things wither and die as their bodies eventually break down and cease to function, as well as the many facets of heredity, and how it affects evolution and growth. From these processes, the Adept learns to control these random, degenerative processes, giving them immense powers to destroy life and control growth. They can age targets 5 years for every magical effect result rating, or reduce the probability for deformity and disease, with a effect result rating of 3 making a child insulated from any sort of disease, short of a massive plague, for life. Note that this only affects probability, not vitality or beauty. Note that direct and vulgar entropy attacks cause aggravated damage.Master
Affect Thought - The Masters of Entropy expand their control over the forces of Entropy by studying the ways in which entropy affects ideas and thoughts. Unlike the physical aspects of Entropy, in which the outcomes are pretty straight forward, the effects of entropy upon the mind can lead to some pretty far-fetched ideas. Entropy's reach is very far, even to the Ivory towers of intelligence. Forgetfulness, Distractions, Short attention spans, even Deranged and damaged minds fall under this category. Some call dynamic growth of ideas the inverse of Entropy, that old ideas are cast aside to make way for the new, but the fact that ideas are cast away makes even progress the result of Entropy, of old concepts withering away and dying. The limit of the Master of Entropy is the individual - the Master can destroy the thought of an individual, not the base concept upon which the thought was formed. They cannot erode entire philosophies on a societal level, but it is rumored that the Oracles of Entropy can perform such feats as erasing entire towns from the collective conscious. The Effect Result rating necessary to destroy mental structures is thusly listed:Thought Idea Train of Thought Concept - 1 Ability Add a derangement - 2 Mental Trait Rote/Ritual - 3 Philosophy - 4 Arete Trait - 5 Sphere ratings Apprentice - 6 Initiate - 7 Disciple - 8 Adept - 9 Master - 10Binding Oath - When cast, this effect ensures that a pact or promise is carried through. The mage administering or giving that oath may call down the force of Destiny to witness the proceedings and punish anyone who breaks the oath. Read the effect description on page 195 of 2nd Edition Mage:The Ascension for a full description of the effect.
5.3 Forces
Because Forces is a pattern magick, Initiate level Prime is required to create energy. If your effect requires in increase of energy, you must be an Initiate of prime.Apprentice
Perceive Forces - The Apprentice of Forces first learns to understand the constructs that make up all of the Energies of Forces. As such, the apprentice of Forces first learns to perceive Forces, so they will know exactly what they are manipulating when they achieve higher levels of understanding. They may sense any energy they wish, or the lack there of, letting them see in the dark, perceive x-rays, sense motion, or hear the slightest of noises. Any degree of effect result rating will allow a mage to see a force that is not cluttered or jumbled with background noise. A 'noisy' background, however, will require a greater effect result rating as determined by the closest narrator.Initiate
Control Minor Forces - With this level the mage can manipulate both the positive forces (sound, light, heat, etc), as well as the negative forces (silence, darkness, cold, etc). The mage cannot fundamentally change the force they are manipulating; the force must retain it's polarity (positive/ negative), the mage can merely change it's direction of force. A mage may disguise their voice, eavesdrop on a conversation occurring over a crowded room, cloak themselves in a field of silence, bend and refract light, displace their image, wrap themselves in shadow, create a mirage or focus a flashlight into a fine laser. Heat and cold may be shuffled about, gravity may be re-directed, etc. The amount of force that can be affected at this level is quite limited - a mage may short-circuit a car or house, but not an apartment block or power plant. A mage could black out a house, but not a city block. They could change the velocity and trajectory of a bullet or skateboard, but not a mack truck. The degree to which the forces may be manipulated are generated by the area of effect column of the General effect table. Remember that a force may ONLY be re-directed, not increased or dispelled, so darkening a room would make an adjacent room brighter by an equal amount. Living beings being struck by Electrical force will be stunned for a number of challenges (roughly 4 seconds apiece) equal to the damage rating of the effect minus one for every stamina-related trait they possess.Disciple
Transmute Minor Forces - The mage may now change one force to another; flip positive to negative, or create or destroy forces at will. One force may be transmuted into another; Radiation can be transmuted to sound, kinetic energy to electricity, heat into cold or darkness into light. Unlike the Disciple level of this effect, a force may be dispelled instead of re-directed, and a force may be generated instead of concentrated. This effect may be casted conjunctionally with the spheres of matter or life to transmute the patterns of those spheres to a force, or vice versa. The amount of forces that can be manipulated is also determined by the General effect result table.Adept
Control Major Forces - This sphere works like the Initiate level of this sphere, but the maximum amount of force controllable by that level of forces is the minimum for this one. The mage may focus the light of the sun onto a powerful laser, cloak football fields with prismatic illusions, re-direct missiles in mid-flight, melt glaciers, or throw around mack trucks like rag dolls. The mage may also erect protective wards against these self-same forces, fireproofing themselves or a building, protecting ships from storms, etc. The parameters of the effect are generated by the general effect result table.Master
Transmute Major Forces - This level of forces master functions like the Disciple level of this sphere, but like the Adept level, it's maximum degree of control is this level's minimum. The amount of control at this level is almost limitless. Technomancers have used this level of control to create atomic explosions, leveling cities. A Master of forces can conjure (as well as dispel and guard against) hurricanes, firestorms, tidal waves, earthquakes, and nuclear blasts.5.4 Life
Life magick is a pattern magick. If your effect requires the creation of life patterns, you must be an Initiate of Prime. As well, the Life sphere divides all life into 2 divisions - simple life patterns, such as plants, virii, bacteria, insects, shellfish, anything invertebrate, and complex life patterns, such as cats, rats, puppy dogs, people, duck-billed, humans, bears, etc..Apprentice
Sense Life - The mage can read the patterns of life, learning a lot about it - it's age, sex, race, etc. Any degree of success can be used with this level of Life, but the greater the degree of success, the greater the detail of the information.Initiate
Alter Simple Patterns - The mage can alter, heal or destroy any simple life pattern. The mage may change the shape, health or form of any simple life pattern. The base structure of the pattern cannot fundamentally change - a tree will still be a tree, even if it has poisonous fruit now. Healing aggravated damage is considered vulgar, always. The number of health levels the mage can heal is determined by the general effect table.Heal Self - The mage can heal damage to their own life pattern. The number of health levels healed by this effect is determined by the general effect table.
Disciple
Alter Self - The mage may now alter their own form. They cannot change their fundamental form (human) (hopefully), but they change their appearance, sex, modify themselves go give them fur, gills, or natural weaponry, or improve their stats. They may receive one new physical trait for every effect result rating of the effect, for the duration of the effect (any duration over one day causes aggravated damage due to Pattern Bleeding) (see below), but if this total goes over the maximum number of trait for their race, they gain a permanent point of paradox for each trait above their trait maximum. If this modification is nullified, the permanent paradox point goes away. If the mage gives themselves natural weaponry, and decide to make it permanent, they do not suffer from pattern bleeding, but still retain the permanent paradox points.
Pattern Bleeding is caused by imperfect modifications of a mage's Life Pattern causing it to 'leak' raw quintessence. Every full day that a mage's pattern is modified by a magical Life effect, the mage takes a level of aggravated damage which CANNOT BE HEALED THROUGH magical MEANS. The mage may resist this damage if they are an Initiate of Prime and have some Quintessence to spend - spending a point of quintessence for every extra trait will nullify the effects of pattern bleeding for one day. If the mage uses experience to purchase the extra traits, they no longer suffer the effects of pattern bleeding, but if the trait total is over the normal race maximum for the mage's race, the permanent paradox points remain.Heal Life - As with the Initiate level of this effect, the mage may heal (or harm) other complex life patterns. The number of health levels healed (or inflicted) on the target pattern is determined by the general effect table, and heal aggravated damage is still vulgar. As well, vulgar life effects cause aggravated damage.
Transform/Create Simple Life Patterns - The structure of simple life patterns are now at the beck and call of the mage. The mage can turn them inside out, change one into another, or create them from other patterns, using conjunctional Matter, Forces or Prime effects. Although nothing that the mage makes has a mind of it's own, but with most simple life patterns that is rarely a drawback. Instinctive reflexes may be imbued into the target, but that is the limit. The mass of the patterns the mage can alter or create is determined by the general effect result table.
Adept
Alter Complex Patterns - The mage can control complex life patterns, such as humans, dogs, rats, cats, elephants, and platypuses. They can change their form, give them weird new organs, heal them, or kill them. They may be imbued with new physical traits or have physical traits removed for the duration of the effect (see Pattern Bleeding in Alter Self, for it applies here as well). See the Initiate Level of this effect for the game mechanics of modification. They may also completely change their appearance for the duration of the effect (see pattern bleeding).Transform Self - The Adept of Life may also alter their form to resemble that of any other form of an equivalent size. They may become a deer, not a mouse. Special abilities also do not carry over without additional Life effects, and navigating in the new form does take some time to do.
Master
Transform Complex Patterns - The mage may now transform others in the same fashion as the Adept level of this power. These tests are considered resisted challenges. The same rules for Transform Self apply here.Create Complex Forms - The mage can now create complex life forms like humans, dogs, rats, cats, and platypus ses. Their creations have no minds or souls, but can be given instinctive reactions that can fake some instances of instinctual intelligence, and if the pattern was created by transmuting one pattern into the complex life pattern, it will still retain the resonance of it's previous form. A handgun changed into a hamster will be a stupid, yet bloodthirsty, hamster.
Perfect Metamorphosis - The mage's control of transformation, however, is perfect when applied to themselves. There is no period of adjustment, and the mage retains their mind and magical abilities regardless of the form they assume. They also gain all the natural abilities of their new form without extra Life effects.
5.5 Matter
Like the previous two spheres, Matter is a pattern magick. If any effect you wish to cast requires you creating new matter, you must be an Initiate of Prime.Apprentice
Matter Perceptions - The mage can sense the patterns of Matter, letting them know their composition, structure, if anything is hidden inside them, any property of matter. Any degree of success will elicit information about the pattern (s) in question, but more successes will merit more information.Initiate
Basic Transformation - The mage may transform one base substance into another, without changing it's shape, temperature, or basic state (solid, liquid, gas). The more drastic the transformation, the greater the effect result rating must be. Changing water into wine would require a rating of one, changing water into sulfuric acid would require a rating of three. Turning sourdough into rye bread would require a rating of one, whereas turning bread into stone would require a rating of three. Casting this effect conjunctionally with the appropriate levels of other pattern magicks can transform one pattern to another, although this requires at least an effect rating of three. If the matter mage is an Initiate of Prime, they may create (or unravel) any simple, basic thing composed of one homogeneous substance. A boulder vaguely shaped like a woman is possible, but a dainty china shepherdess is not. Complex artificial substances such as plutonium are also not possible until Master. Elaborate creations cannot be created until Adept. Any matter created is considered at the ambient temperature of the surroundings unless the effect is cast conjunctionally with Disciple Forces and Initiate Prime. The mass of substance that can be created/Transformed is determined by the General effect result table.Disciple
Alter Form - The mage can change the shape or other properties of matter patterns, such as boiling point, melting point, color, or density. These changes last for as long as the effect duration, then resume their normal configuration afterwards. Permanent changes are not possible until Mastery has been achieved. The degree of change is at the whim of the mage, but must still be within the realm of common sense. The mass of substance that can be altered is determined by the General effect result table.Adept
Complex Transmutation - The mage may now perform radical changes to physical materials and craft complex and intricate items involving several common substances of a few rare ones, as well as moving parts. Any sort of regular matter may be changed into any other - a squirt pistol into a loaded zip gun requires an effect result rating of three, whereas changing a dumpster into a tank requires an effect result rating of five. The amount of mass that can be created or altered is determined by the area of effect chart. The complexity of whatever is created is still bound by the cutting edge of current technology.Master
Alter Properties - The master of matter can make really weird stuff. The same as the previous levels of transmutation, alteration and creation, but the rules are out the window. Silk as strong as steel, Steel you can fold up like paper, pieces of asphalt that conduct electricity, etc. The mage can dictate the properties like density, surface tension, melting/boiling point, viscosity, electromagnetic response, the whole kit and kaboodle. (Yes, transparent aluminum, Scotty). The mage can make whatever they damn well want as determined by the General effect result table.Pattern Disassociation - This is a cool effect. You take two matter patterns and, if this effect is successfully casted, those two matter patterns cannot interact with each other at all - they will pass through each other as if the other wasn't there. Both patterns must be matter patterns, and of a size equivalent to what is determined by the general effect result table.
5.6 Mind
Apprentice
Sense Thoughts and Emotions - The mage can sense the thought around them. They can not yet read them, but can get general impressions about the mind of those around them. If the mage obtains any effect result rating, they may read the target's aura to determine their emotional state. The mage may also be able to sense psychic impressions left on objects. By obtaining any level of success on an effect, they may sense 'good' or 'bad' vibes about an object or area. This includes the resonance of objects, like Tass or a Node.Empower Self - The apprentice of Mind has a higher degree of control over their own mind. Eidetic memory, lightning-fast computation, mind-over-body control of biological processes, everything of that sort is available to the apprentice of Mind. They may change their emotional state of mind, trains of thought, speed up or slow down their rate of thought, edit their own memories, control biological processes, etc.
The mage may also form a mental barrier to prevent mental intrusion. The effect result rating of the mental barrier subtracts it's rating from any attempt to read the mage's thoughts or aura. This also affects non-magical aura perceptions, allowing the mage to add twice the effect rating of the magical effect to their mental trait total while the barrier is active.
This power can also be used to defend against non-magical mind effects, ie, Dominate, Presence, Obfuscate, etc, the mage must be at an equivalent power level to even attempt it. For example, the correlation between other supernatural powers and Mage spheres is Basic = Apprentice, Disciple = Intermediate and Master = Advanced. What this allows the mage to do is re-test a non-magical mind control power that succeeded against them, assuming the mage is of a suitable level of mastery, and has been under the influence of one of these powers before. The re-test is considered a magical effect, and so the positive and negative influences on a magical effect may be utilized, and the mage uses four times their Arete total instead of their mental traits for the purposes of the re-test.Initiate
Subliminal Impulse - The mage may transmit a simple command to their target, which affects them in a very insidious manner. If the mage attains an effect result rating higher than their target's willpower, the mage may issue a subliminal impulse to them which they must obey. The need to go to the bathroom, the opinion of someone, a sudden idea, etc. The command cannot be obviously suicidal or go against the nature of the target.Read Surface Thoughts - The mage can now read the surface thoughts of minds, as well as sense memories attached to objects (basic psychometry). By getting an effect result rating higher than the target's willpower, the mage may read whatever is on the surface of the target's mind. Note that the mage cannot form a mental link with this level of power - each reading requires a separate magical effect.
Window Dressing - With a successful magical effect, the mage may erect fake mental structures, such as changing their surface thoughts, or auras. Every effect result rating allows the mage to modify one aspect of their surface thoughts or color of aura to fool or confuse those attempting to read them.
Disciple
Mental Link - The mage may communicate freely with someone by establishing a mental link with them. Once the mental link is established, it can only be ceased by the casting mage, or by the effect duration running out. If the subject is willing, no test is required. If the subject is not willing, their willpower rating must be overcome with an effect result rating. Once the connection is established, the two parties may communicate freely to one another, using either words or mental imagery. The casting mage may try to read the mind of the target, and can do so by beating them in a mental challenge. The casting mage may also project perceptual illusions into the mind of the other party and, if they beat them in a mental challenge, the target believes that illusion to be true. Illusions may be of any perception that is deemed necessary.Walk Among Dreams - The mage may also make journeys into the dreams of others. By getting a higher effect result rating than the target has willpower, the mage may enter the dream of their target and run amok. This may be dangerous, however, as the dreamer can affect the mage as well while in their dream, and nasty beasties sometimes live in the dreams of sleepers, and do like to be disturbed.
Adept
Control Conscious Mind - At this level, the mage can now control the thoughts of another. Once a mental link is established, the mage gains control of the target. They may send complex commands to the target which must be obeyed, even suicidal actions or actions that would violate the target's nature. The mage can also change the memory of target, or may implant mental barriers or blocks, cure or create mental imbalances, or alter the target's aura to display color and textures of the mage's choosing. Each change in the mind of the target is a separate magical effect. If the effect wears off from the duration expiring, the target mind re-asserts itself. The thoughts and memories remain intact, but their Demeanor will remain in the state the mage left it in.Astral Projection - The mage may make short excursions into the penumbra by leaving their dream. Every effect result rating allows the mage to leave their body for 10 minutes. They may return to their body at any time.
Master
Control Subconscious - At this level of mastery, the mage may completely re-write an individual's personality, not only modifying their thoughts and memories, but re-writing their subconscious personality as well. A mental link must still be established, and each modification is still a magical effect, but any aspect of the target's mind may be modified at this level.Untether - This level allows the mage to unattach their mind from their body and leave it an empty shell while they transcend to higher levels of intellectual existence. Read the description in the book for a description of what happens to the untethered mind (or the Book of Madness for a discussion on the High Umbra). Untethering your mind requires a magical effect result rating of at least three. Re-attaching yourself to an empty shell is the same. Invading another's mind and splicing the two cords together is a magical effect in which the rating of the effect must be higher than the targets willpower.
Forge Psyche - The mage may now create another conscious, rational mind from nothing, and implant it into another object. The mind will be whatever the mage wishes it to be. It has a number of mental and social traits equal to the effect result rating of the effect, to a normal human maximum. The mage themselves may add extra mental traits to themselves via the same process as the Life Effect Alter Self.
5.7 Prime
Apprentice
Etheric Senses - The mage can sense quintessence and the amount of quintessence that is being stored. The mage can sense the free quintessence whether it is stored in a talisman, stored in a pattern, stored in an avatar, coming out of a node, or in the form of tass) and the amount of quintessence that is there. Sensing Tass or a node is the easiest, only requiring an effect rating one one. Sensing quintessence stored in a talisman or prime stored using Store Prime requires a rating of two, sensing quintessence stored in any other pattern or an Avatar requires three.Store Prime (immediate) - The normal amount of quintessence a mage can store without Initiate rank in Prime is determined by their avatar. The Apprentice of prime may use this Sphere power to store excess quintessence on the outside of their body. This allows the mage to store a maximum number of 20 points of free quintessence both on their body and in their avatar. The mage may store a number quintessence equal to the result rating of the magical effect, and may only use this effect once per quintessence source. This stored quintessence is not stored in their avatar, so this effect stores quintessence above and beyond their avatar rating.
Initiate
Weave Idyllic Force - The mage has not attained some level of control over the shifting patterns of prime, and may now infuse this magical energy into objects or divert small streams of the stuff. The mage may infuse a weapon with Primal force, allowing it to to aggravated damage to supernatural creatures if the mage attains a minimum effect rating of three. This enchantment lasts as long as the duration of the effect, and then wears off. Each time the weapon is used to inflict an aggravated level of damage, one point of quintessence must be spent. If the weapon enchanted is being used by a non-mage, then the casting mage may 'charge' the effect with a number of quintessence points by casting this conjunctionally with Channel Quintessence. In this case, the charged quintessence is used instead of the user's quintessence. Also, the mage may divert a small amount of a Life pattern's quintessence flow away, causing a great amount of pain and disruption to them, and they start to flicker in and out of reality. Upon successful casting, the target of the spell is stunned and cannot function for the duration of the effect, which is effectively one rating lower than normal. The target may spend a point of quintessence to smooth this ripple effect out (Or a Disciple of prime may spend it for them with any degree of success on their magical effect). The target may also spend a willpower trait to allow themselves to act for 10 minutes.Fuel Pattern - This is needed to create any of the Pattern magicks: Forces, Life and Matter. If a mage wishes to create a pattern, the pattern magick must be casted conjunctionally with this level of prime, or else it does not work.
Disciple
Channel Quintessence - The mage may act as a conduit for free quintessence (for a discussion on the difference between Raw and free quintessence, read the description for this effect in Mage:The Ascension, 2nd Edition). The mage may channel up to five points of free quintessence from one pattern to either themselves or another pattern for every effect rating result they acquire.Create Talisman (immediate) - The mage may now create talismans. To create a talisman takes time, a node, and usually a horizon realm.
First off, the talisman must have a pattern into which the power will be placed. This can be any pattern, but a forces pattern is not suggested (Unless it's been frozen in time, which is kinda cool, but anyway). As soon as the pattern is located, the pattern must be prepared to be able to contain magical effects. This is done with a vulgar Adept Prime Rote, which requires expending a *PERMANENT* point of willpower and accumulating a total number of effect result ratings of 10 or more, each magical effect taking a a day.
After this, the talisman is ready to receive it's capacity to work magick. This action is what requires Disciple-level Prime to do. The mage focuses 10 points of quintessence for every Arete trait the talisman is to have. Every 10 points of quintessence must be slowly focused in over a complete day. A mage cannot create a talisman with more Arete traits than they have themselves. After this, the mage can add whatever effects the talisman is to have. Each effect must be considered static in the realm the talisman is being created in, and requires one point of quintessence per Mastery level of the effect, and a complete days' uninterrupted work. At the end of the day, the mage does the tests that normally would be required to cast the desired effect. The mage must accumulate a total magical effect rating of 4 or more before the effect is successfully put into the talisman. Note that a talisman cannot have more effects than it has Arete Traits.
After all of the effects have been put into the talisman, the mage must initially charge it with an Adept level Prime effect, which mimics Channel Quintessence for game mechanics. The talisman can hold five times it's Mastery level in quintessence.Adept
Expel Base Energy - The mage may pull raw quintessence out of static patterns, changing the degree to which they manifest in reality. The raw quintessence is recycled back into the Universal pool of quintessence, and cannot be captured by the mage. The mage may extract the quintessence from the pattern and have it fade into nothingness. This affect can be used conjunctionally with the Initiate level of the pattern magick to dissolve certain parts of a pattern, otherwise the entire pattern is affected. So solids could become insubstantial, a magnet could have only one pole, remove a chemical's ability to form nuclear bonds with other chemicals, or cause an object to lose it's weight while sill remaining solid.
Note that effects the recycle the raw quintessence of patterns is considered a damaging magical effect, which does damage as per the general effect result table, and if the effect is vulgar, the effect does aggravated damage.Master
Alter Flow - The mage may control established flows of quintessence, such as those that flow between a life pattern and the pool of quintessence. As with Expel Base Energy, the quintessence is recycled back into the universal quintessence pool. The mage may attempt to extinguish the spark of life within a pattern, having it fall dead then fade into nothingness. The amount of damage done by this effect is determined by the general effect result table, and this damage is aggravated (if the effect is vulgar). A mage with Initiate level Life knowledge may cast this effect conjunctionally with Initiate level Life to affect only part of the Life pattern, otherwise the effect affects the entire pattern. As well, the mage may instantly recharge their avatar, whether they are in a node or not, but casting this effect vulgarly. The amount of quintessence gained is equal to the effect result rating. Lastly, a mage may channel a quintessence blast in a way that nullifies paradox energy not stored within a pattern. A number of free-floating paradox is dispelled equal to the effect result rating of the magical effect.5.8 Spirit
Any effects which need to pierce the gauntlet must have an effect result rating sufficient enough to pierce the gauntlet of the area. See the Gauntlet Penetration table.Apprentice
Spirit Sight/Sense - The initiate of Spirit may send their perceptions into the Umbra. By attaining an effect result rating sufficient enough to pierce the gaunt they can send their perceptions into the umbra. To have umbral excursions, go grab a narrator. Note that while your perceptions are in the Umbra, they are not in your body, so whatever perceptions you send into the umbra (you don't need to send them all) you cannot use in physical reality.
To move your senses in the Umbra, you have to move your physical body (or use Correspondence). The mage may also detect the auras of beings, and depending on the degree of success, the mage can read a target's aura to determine what type of creature they are. Spirits, ghosts and wraiths require am effect result rating of one, Shapeshifters require a result rating of two, whereas anything else requires three. The mage may also determine the gauntlet level of an area by winning a simple test.Initiate
Touch Spirit - The mage may briefly touch the other side of the gauntlet with this level. The mage can pick up a fetish stick dropped by a Garou, push a spirit out of a room, or hit one over the head with something from the Umbra. Objects may not be brought over the gauntlet yet, simply manipulated from the other side if the mage attains a sphere effect rating sufficient to overcome the gauntlet of the area.Call Spirit - The mage may also send their voice through the gauntlet with the same game mechanics as Touch Spirit. If the mage succeeds, they may ask the spirit to come to them. The spirit does not necessarily have to come to the calling, however.
Manipulate Gauntlet - The mage may also change the level of the gauntlet in an area in a minor fashion. Every effect result rating will raise or lower the gauntlet rating of the area by one for the duration of the effect. The mage cannot lower the gauntlet below 4 with this effect, however.
Disciple
Pierce Gauntlet - The mage can physically transport themselves and their possessions to the Umbra. By achieving an effect result rating sufficient to defeat the gauntlet of the area, the mage may transform themselves and their possessions to ephemera, the stuff of spirit, but which will possess a kind of a glow which denizens of the Umbra will detect as belonging to a living being. After the mage reaches the penumbra, they can go wherever they like (assuming they have Cosmology or a spirit guide), up to the borders which mark the Horizon and the Deep Umbra. In other words, go grab a narrator.Rouse and Lull Spirit - The mage may now also attempt to contact spirits that are 'asleep'. By defeating the gauntlet rating in effect result ratings, the mage may contact spirits that have been out of contact for extended periods of time. The spirit, however, may not appreciate this disturbance. The mage may summon angry spirits to attack a person, which does the mage's damage rating according to the General effect table. Note that this damage is aggravated.
Adept
Rend Gauntlet/Seal Breach - A larger version of Manipulate Gauntlet, the mage may now raise or lower the gauntlet rating of the area to whatever they want, determined by the effect result rating of their effect. Note that tearing holes in the gauntlet is quite vulgar and, in most situations, also quite stupid. This effect can be used to trap beings in the gauntlet. By pulsing the gauntlet of the ara, the mage may trap a being in the gauntlet. If the mage can obtain an effect result rating greater than the gauntlet level of the area, the poor fool will be trapped inside the gauntlet until they are released by some nice spirit traveler. Beings trapped in the gauntlet in this fashion appear as ghost-like images floating in mid-air near the area where they were imprisoned.Bind Spirit - The mage may also compel a spirit to do the mage's bidding. if the mage can accumulate an effect result rating higher than the spirit's power, then the spirit must do the mage's bidding for the duration of the effect. Note that when this wears off, the spirit will be free, and will probably not be very happy. An angry spirit can be bound into a person, turning the person into a living fetish, doing the mage's damage rating as determined by the general effect table, and the pain it causes may stun the opponent if the amount of damage dealt is higher than the number of stamina related traits the target possesses. If this is the case, the target is stunned for a number of challenges (roughly 4 seconds) equal to the difference between the amount of damage done and their number of stamina-related traits. This effect may also be used to make fetishes. The mage must accumulate a total effect result rating of 10+, with each magical effect casting taking a day. When this is done, the item is capable of housing spiritual entities. A mage may also petition a spirit to inhabit them and give the mage access to the powers that the spirit has. If the mage succeeds in breaching the gauntlet, and either gains the spirit's consent to allow this, or defeats it in a Binding effect, the mage has access to all of the spirit's charms, and one or two of the spirit's abilities (water-breathing for nixies, plant- blooming for dryads, etc). As well, the mage effectively gains four Cosmology traits, and three extra physical traits appropriate for the spirit. While inhabited by the spirit, the mage cannot cast any magical effects. If the spirit does not wish to leave, the mage may attempt to banish the spirit from their body by spending a Willpower trait and winning a number of simple tests equal to the spirit's willpower rating.
Lastly, this effect may be used to Exorcize spirits. By spending a willpower trait and winning a number of simple tests equal to the spirit's willpower, the mage may banish a spirit back to it's point of origin. Disciple Prime can assist in this - every magical effect result rating in the Prime effect counts as one successful test against the spirit's willpower. MasterForge Ephemera - At this level, the mage may create and destroy fields of spirit. The Master of Spirit may heal spirit's power (The number of Power healed is determined by the Healing category in the general effect table). They may also Fabricate Domains in the Umbra, which are described in the Book of Chantries and in the Mage book. Lastly, the dreaded Gilgul rite is possible at this level of mastery. A Master of Spirit may attack a mage's Avatar. This is always considered vulgar. A Master of spirit must inflict twice the avatars' rating in damage to destroy an Avatar. Scary stuff.
Outwards Journeys - The Master of Spirit can break through Gaia's horizon and can traverse the Deep Umbra. The Mage must be in the Horizon to do this, and they must accumulate a magical effect result rating of ten to pierce the Horizon and enter the Deep Umbra. If the mage uses an Anchorhead, the result rating need only be a five. In other words, grab a narrator. In order to travel in the spirit, the mage must first create a spirit field around them to keep them alive in the near Umbra. This is done using Fabricate Spirit, and as long as the spirit field exists (i.e., it's effect duration). When it runs out, well, it's time to make a new character.
5.9 Time
Apprentice
Time Sense - The mage intuitively knows what time it is, regardless of where they are, and can sense 'weird stuff' with respect to time (Programmed events, slow time fields, etc.). The higher the magical effect result rating, the more sensitive the mage is to the time effects.Initiate
Past/Future Sight - The mage can send their perceptions backwards and forwards in time. While their perceptions are not in the present, they cannot sense the present - only the past. When they send their senses back in time, they see what happened in that area in the past. When they send their perceptions into the future, they get what will *PROBABLY* happen in the future - the future is not set, and anything can happen. The length of time the mage can send their perceptions is determined by the Time Effect table. Note that some areas of time may be guarded or warded against peeping toms from the future, so time-scrying mages be forewarned. (Punny!)Disciple
Time Contraction/Dilation - The mage can slow down time in an area. Everything in that area moves slower looking in at it from the outside, and looking outside from it, everything moves quicker. When someone is in a slow time field, they move much slower. Every effect result rating above the second of a time effect determines how many extra follow-up attacks the target of a Time Dilation effect gets or, in the case of a Time Contraction, how many challenges go by before the target of the Time Dilation gets to perform an action. A vampire may use Celerity to counter this, with each extra follow-up attack countering one rating of the dilation effect. The same holds for a Garou's rage. Lastly, the mage may also cast a dilation effect on a target to allow them to automatically pre-empt a physical action taken up against them. When compared to a Vampire's Alacrity Discipline, the effect rating of the mage is compared to the Discipline level of the Vampire. These lasts for the effect's duration, but extended use of them, as well as attaining 3 or more extra follow up attacks makes this effect vulgar.Adept
Time Determinism (special) - The mage may make absolute shifts in the rate at which time flows in an area of space. (Or, if casted conjunctionally with a Disciple level pattern magick, a particular pattern). The mage may freeze time in the area affected for a length of time determined by the Time Effect table. The mage may freeze an event in time, such as a cup falling, or a magical effect, or a message, or a bucket above a door. Static reality, however, will interpose and cancel a frozen time field if something else affects it. If someone were to come up and grab the cup hovering in mid-air, the time field would return to normal. As well, the mage may increase the rate at which time progresses.Master
Time Immunity - The mage can now pluck themselves out of time. Each effect result rating allows the mage to freeze time for 10 minutes, and during this duration, no one may do anything until the mage either calls 'Continue', or the time duration for the effect runs out. It may be more practical for longer durations to just remove yourself from the game and go tell a narrator what you did over the length of time in your stay. While outside of Time, he mage may affect reality in the normal sense, but reality is frozen. This effect can be cast conjunctionally with Disciple Life or Matter to bring objects of other people with you outside of time. Anything brought with the master of time cannot affect anything while outside of the time stream - only the casting mage can. If the Master leaves them there, two perspectives occur. From the abandoned person's perspective, they remain in that frozen point in time a length of time as determined by the Time Effect chart, trapped in a timeless hell. From the perspective of everyone inside the timestream, they appear a moment later, having aged hundreds of years.Future Travel (immediate) - The mage may move things into the future. The mage must achieve a magical effect result rating sufficient enough to jump the time-span desired. A rating of one skips the mage up to 10 minutes, two skips the mage up to an day, three skips the mage up to a week, four skips the mage up to a month, five skips the mage up to a year, six skips the mage up to a decade, seven skips the mage up to century, eight skips the mage up to 500 years, nine skips the mage up to 1000 years and ten skips the mage wherever the hell that want. This effect can be cast conjunctionally with a Disciple level pattern magick to skip the objects affected ahead in time that far. That area disappears in the current time, and re-appears in the future. The effect can be canceled at any time, 'pulling back' the item sent into the future back to the present.
Section 6 - Character development