Post by Manah on Feb 13, 2021 17:04:16 GMT -5
NEW MECHANICS
MAGES, THE ARCANA, PATHS, ASCENSION, SPIRITS AND SPELLCASTING
MAGES
So before anything else, what are 'Mages', as far as the World of Darkness is concerned?
Every human being alive has a single spark of supernatural potential, although most people, known as 'Sleepers', are unaware of this, don't care about it/actively refuse to believe it exists, and only want to get on with their lives. Some people, however, do figure out what that spark is, and sometimes, that realization is accompanied, caused by or the consequence of, an Awakening.
What is an Awakening? Simply put, it is a mortal's realization that the mortal world is a lie, a Dream, keeping humans 'asleep' and unaware of the invisible truth that the Supernal World awaits them beyond the Abyss, that the world they always figured to be real is nothing but a prison for humankind maintained by the Exarchs. The Awakened, also known as Mages or Willworkers, are the few with the ability to recognize that truth, and as such, to break free from the limitations of this false reality to perform feats of unique wonder and power, known as Magic.
ARCANA
Magic is split into ten different Arcana (singular: Arcanum), which are essentially the building blocks of Reality itself. A given mage might have skill/training in one, some or all of those Arcana at various degrees of power depending on their Gnosis (see Modifiers below). Those Arcana (whose effects are described in further detail in Actions, below), and effects/elements commonly associated with them are as follows:
- Death - Ghosts, corpses, souls, death, decay, the Underworld, the undead, resurrection.
- Fate - Luck, chance, prediction, probability, destiny, oaths, blessings, curses.
- Forces - Fire, light, sound, electricity, radiation, gravity, storms, earthquakes, energy in all of its many forms.
- Life - Shapeshifting, healing, lifeforce, diseases, cures, the organic world of plants, animals and even humans.
- Matter - Stone, metal, plastic, inorganic material substances, repair objects, transmute substances into others, shape solids, liquid and gases, annihilate matter, create matter out of nothing.
- Mind - Read and control thoughts, manipulate emotions, telepathy, mind swapping, mental illusions, memories editing, astral projection.
- Prime - Magic, mana, illusions, enchantments, dispel magic, read magic, divine fire.
- Space - Distance, space, teleportation, scrying, sympathetic magic, connections and bonds, spatial awareness, dimensions, scale.
- Spirit - Communication with and control of spirits, cross into the shadow world, protect/restore souls, essence manipulation.
- Time - Clairvoyance, alter the flow of time, time travel, rewrite history.
PATHS
Likewise, mages themselves all belong to one of five different Paths, depending on which Watchtower - a powerful Supernal symbol that often manifest during an Awakening - they are connected to and associated with. Each Path has two Ruling Arcana they tend to excel at, and one they are less efficient at using and improving, called Inferior Arcana. In game terms, increasing a Ruling Arcana by 1 CL requires only 8 LoEs/4w, whereas an Inferior one requires 12 LoEs instead of 10, or 6w instead of 5. Additionally, Ruling Arcana spells receive a +1 sitmod bonus, whereas Inferior Arcana spell suffer a -1 sitmod malus when cast. The five Paths are as follows:
- Acanthus - Enchanters on the Path of Thistle, Scions of the Watchtower of the Lunargent Thorn in the Realm of Arcadia, Kingdom of Enchantment and Abode of the Fae. Ruling Arcana: Fate and Time. Inferior Arcana: Forces.
- Mastigos - Warlocks on the Path of Scourging, Scions of the Watchtower of the Iron Gauntlet in the Realm of Pandemonium, Kingdom of Nightmares and Abode of Demons. Ruling Arcana: Mind and Space. Inferior Arcana: Matter.
- Moros - Necromancers on the Path of Doom, Scions of the Watchtower of the Lead Coin in the Realm of Stygia, Kingdom of Crypts and Abode of Shades. Ruling Arcana: Death and Matter. Inferior Arcana: Spirit.
- Obrimos - Theurges on the Path of the Mighty, Scions of the Watchtower of the Golden Key in the Realm of the Aether, Kingdom of Celestial Spheres and Abode of Angels. Ruling Arcana: Forces and Prime. Inferior Arcana: Death.
- Thyrsus - Shamans on the Path of Ecstasy, Scions of the Watchtower of the Singing Stone in the Realm of the Primal Wild, Kingdom of Totems and Abode of Beasts. Ruling Arcana: Life and Spirit. Inferior Arcana: Mind.
Not all mages are the same even within a given Path, each awakening is different and not all mages perceive magic and the Supernal World in the same way. Countless different views, organizations and beliefs exist. A somewhat delusional Acanthus mage, for example, may perceive themselves as being simply ridiculously lucky and fortunate as opposed to warping reality with their magic. An Obrimos may believe she is blessed by her unwavering faith in God, and acting as an agent of the Lord on Earth, while the Supernal World is Heaven itself. But at the end of the day, all mages have a general - if subconscious in some cases - understanding of the true nature of the world, the Dream, magic and their ability to influence the world around them.
ASCENSION
Ascension is, for many mages, the ultimate goal and crowning achievement of the best, most dedicated and most powerful mages. It is essentially the process through which a Willworker translates their very soul, essence and being into the Supernal World, in order to become pure truth. Once Ascension is completed, a mage becomes truly immortal, just as part of the Supernal World as it is part of them. However, to some mages, this would be only the beginning... for the Exarchs still remain, waiting beyond that threshold.
To even begin seeking Ascension, a mage must meet the following criteria:
- Have a Gnosis of MN 10+
- Have at least three Arcana at MN 12+
- Have 'Transcend the Form' and 'Master the Paradox' Gnosis options
- Have an Intelligence of at least AN 10
Once all previous requirements are fulfilled, experience an event of significant personal importance and advancement, allowing one to touch the spark of enlightenment directly, which triggers one's Ascension. This is subject to GM's discretion and could be almost anything: finding true love, overcoming one's weakness or limitation, learning something of great importance, etc. Players and GMs are encouraged to come up with an idea they both agree with for this.
SPIRITS
Spirits are entities which exist within the Shadow Plane, the dark reflection of the Fallen World, or the mortal plane, where humankind lives. There are countless different kinds of those entities, and they can take any form. A spirit could appear as angels or demons, monsters and faeries, cars and trucks, swords and kitchen utensils, or even creatures so horrifying they'd render beings mad just by looking at them. Most of the fantastic creatures in legends of the past actually refer to one or many denizens in the Shadow World.
Whereas humans are creatures of flesh and blood, Spirits are beings of Essence, the spiritual energy making up their universe and powering their existence, just like how ghosts from the Twilight are made of ectoplasm. Spirits, unlike humans, are unable to act against their nature; they *are* their nature. A spirit's power can go anywhere from close to that of a normal human, to that of the greatest of deities, the most potent of cosmic entities, and the most terrifying of eldritch abominations.
Some of those entites band together in 'pantheons', 'courts', 'kingdoms', and similar grandiose organizations with their fancy titles; spirits are not known for their modesty. Some of them, albeit never among the strongest of their kinds, can decide - or be forced - to join with a mage, or sometimes even a magical family's lineage, and assist them in their activities and life. Such spirits are called Familiars, and there are many reasons for such alliances. Sometimes simply curiosity on the spirit's part. Sometimes much more complex ones than that.
Spirits are usually classified using a 12 step ranks system by scholars. From least powerful to most, thr ranks go as follow: Slave, Page, Squire, Knight, Baron/Baroness, Count/Countess, Marquess/Marchioness (Minor God), Prince/Princess (Lesser God), Duke/Duchess (Greater God), King/Queen (Overdeity), Emperor/Empress (Near-Omnipotent), Beyond Manifest Conception (True Omnipotent)
SPELLCASTING
Now, how does Spellcasting itself work, in concrete gameplay terms?
Essentially, magic in the World of Darkness is split between 10 Actions equivalent to their respective Arcanum, so Death, Fate, Forces, Life, Matter, Mind, Prime, Space, Spirit and Time. Each of these actions is technically capable of countless spells not unlike the vanilla Sorcery action - although limited by their respective general nature, and other factors. In general, there are various elements to take into consideration when casting a spell:
- What Arcanum should be used to cast it, and what AN is required to do so? - All spells can fairly easily be included in one of the ten Arcana, and the one which makes the most sense will be used to cast the spell. For example, 'Create a Homonculus servant from thin air' would be most fitting for the Life Arcanum, and the required minimum AN would be 8, for creating life from nothing. NOTE: Sometimes, a given spell may require more than a single Arcanum in order to fully achieve what the mage desires. For example, the formerly mentioned homunculus would indeed be created, and would be alive, but it would be a mindless and soulless slave to the mage with no will of its own. One may need Mind at AN 8 as a prerequisite to give it sentience and the ability to think for itself, and/or Spirit AN 8 to provide it with a soul, but the spell is still cast with the Life Arcanum given that 'creating a Homonculus' is still the main effect, as there would be nothing to give sentience or a soul to without it!
- Is it a Covert or Vulgar spell? - A Covert spell is usually a subtle use of magic which is either not easily noticeable by non-mages, or easy to explain away with simple, natural if unusual phenomena, dumb luck, and/or regular science. Covert magic does not typically require incantations nor hand gestures and usually doesn't risk causing Paradox (see below) unless the mage uses such a spell in unreasonable ways and very likely impossible manner. Vulgar magic, on the other hand, is clearly supernatural, obviously beyond science's ability to explain, and often showoffy, requiring vocal incantations, hand gestures and always carrying a risk of paradox. For example, a spell to raise one's awareness and focus despite a bad night of sleep would be Covert, whereas blasting one's foes with lightning fired from one's fingertips is Vulgar.
- Is the spell a Rote, or an Improvised Spell? - Mages can cast essentially any spell they have sufficient power in the right Arcanum to use. However, it is more difficult to cast improvised spells than it is to cast a memorized, mastered spell, not mentioning the higher risk of Paradox in the former case. A Rote is essentially the latter; it is an effect paid for as an option to their Arcanum which allows them to cast a specific spell with more control and ease than normal. For example, someone with AN 4+ in the Forces Arcanum may potentially make themselves invisible. However, if a mage has bought 'Invisibility' as a Rote for the action, said spell will not suffer penalties to cast, whereas an Improvised spell of Invisibility may have suffered a -1 to -3 sitmod depending on the spell's complexity and ran an increased chance of Paradox.
- Does it cost Mana, and does the mage have the ability to spend it? Many spells do not cost mana at all to use. In those cases, the user can simply spend the stones of energy in the Arcanum action they have selected for their spell, and the spell can take effect normally (as long as there is no Paradox!). However, some spells may require Mana (see the Mana entry, below), and that Mana must typically be spent in a single panel to be usable. For example, casting an Improvised, Sympathetic, Silent spell would cost 3 Mana... and if the character only has Gnosis 2, they cannot spend this much Mana in a single panel, so they cannot cast that spell. Looks like they may have to be noisy after all. If they have enough Mana, however, they spend it, and the energy necessary to use the action as normal, and move on to the last step.
- Does the spell carry a risk of Paradox? - If the spell is Vulgar, then the answer to this question is simple, namely yes (except in extremely rare exceptions). If the spell is Covert, the GM considers the situation and decides whether disbelief may still settle in due to certain circumstances. If there is indeed a Paradox, the base risk - based on Gnosis, see Modifiers below - may be increased or reduced by various factors. Once the full risk is known, a percentage die (d100) is rolled; if the roll result is equal or inferior to the risk, a Paradox occurs (see below). If not, the spell is successfully cast, and its effects warp reality as intended!
ARCANUM AN VS POSSIBLE EFFECTS
The table below gives a general idea of what can be accomplished by the various Arcana at certain levels. This is not by any means an extensive list and is meant mostly as a guideline to help determine the general level of power for a given spell and the required AN to cast it. Players are encouraged to use it to decide on appropriate spell effects for their AN, but GMs have the final say on what is possible at a given level.
| ARCANUM AN | POSSIBLE EFFECTS |
| AN 1 Initiate |
|
| AN 2-3 Apprentice |
|
| AN 4-5 Disciple |
|
| AN 6-7 Adept |
|
| AN 8-9 Master |
|
| AN 10+ Archmaster |
|
MANA
Mana is a new resource for Mages characters similar yet quite different to Health, Energy and Regeneration, and should be noted in the same location of a CAD for easy reference, usually below the former three. Like Health and Energy for any character, Mana is vital to mages, and should be used sparingly and wisely. A Mage's amount of Mana depends on their Gnosis modifier; see below.
Essentially, Mana is the fluid form of the Materia Prima, also called Prime, which is Supernal energy filtered down into the Fallen World, or the world of mortals. It is essentially magical energy in 'liquid' form (although not in the sense given to it by science; Mana is actually normally intangible and invisible to those unable to perceive the supernatural), as opposed to 'Tass', which is its solidified, material state. To those who can actually perceive it, Mana may appear in multiple forms depending on the viewer and their own mystical nature; an Acanthus mage could, for example, perceive it as glittering fairy dust or the sand of Morpheus, whereas a Moros necromancer might see it as greenish-black energy with subtle skull-like patterns in it.
Unlike what is the case in many universes, not all spells require Mana to be casted, although Mana may be used to empower any spell, as well as to perform various feats. What one can do with Mana is described below:
- Casting Improvised Spells (1 Mana): If a given spell effect is not listed as a Rote - a known spell for a given Arcanum - a mage can still cast it as an Improvised Spell. Doing so always require at least 1 Mana, regardess of how minor the spell may be.
- Casting Powerful Spells (1+ Mana): Some spells are more powerful and/or require more magical energy to cast than normal (say, resurrecting the dead or creating a miniature sun to roast vampires), and in those cases, such a spell may cost 1 or more mana in order to cast it, even if known as a Rote. Usually, that is left to the player to decide when they buy the rote (requiring 1 Mana to cast the spell is a -1 Disadvantage), but a GM can rule that a given rote is too powerful to be casted without Mana, in which case the disadvantage is added - and the value refunded if appropriate. Obviously, the same ruling can be made when casting an Improvised Spell the GM deems too powerful to cost only 1 Mana.
- Sympathetic Spell (1 Mana): Most spells requires the user to see, hear or otherwise sense their target directly in order to affect them, and have a basic Range of 4, although the latter can be increased with stones or using a ritual. However, users of the Space Arcanum have the ability to use Sympathetic Magic, which may allow one to cast their magic at much greater ranges with ease, provided they have some measure of connection with the target. Such a spell always costs 1 Mana; see the Space Arcanum for more details. Requires Space Arcanum at AN 3+ to use.
- Empower Spell (1 Mana/additional Stone): This use effectively functions as Overstrain, except instead of needing time to recover, a mage simply spends mana for each additional stone. This effect can allow spells to exceed limitations based on their AN, such as the maximum weight lifted with Telekinesis.
- Silent Spell (1 Mana): Vulgar Spells normally require a Willworker to chant an incantation or speak certain arcane words, but using 1 Mana allows them to ignore that requirement.
- Still Spell (1 Mana): Casting Vulgar spells usually require a mage to perform various gestures in order to properly shape or direct the change they desire to apply to reality, but for 1 Mana, they can cast a spell without that requirement at all.
- Instant Spell (3 Mana): Allows a user to cast a spell/use a Magical action without requiring the use of one of their actions/panel, not unlike if a character had used Power Level to gain an additional action to do so. Requires Gnosis 4+ to use.
- Aggravated Damage (1 Mana): Mages with at least AN 9 in an Arcanum are able to have damaging spells inflict Aggravated Damage for 1 Mana. Aggravated Damage deals 1w of additional damage provided the attack succeeds, always deal both Normal AND Stun damage, and its wounds cannot be healed via Healing Factors, Medical Healing, any mundane methods and even some supernatural methods. Such wounds heal only at a Rate of 1w per 2 days of complete rest, or with Healing spells cast by an Arcanum of at least AN 9, or an equivalent supernatural power. Needless to say, no (honorable) mage in their right mind would ever use such powerful spells unless they fully intend to kill their target. Requires an Arcanum at AN 9+ to use, and even then only for spells of that Arcanum.)
- Pattern Restoration (3 Mana/White stone Healed): All mages have the ability to infuse Mana into their own physical pattern in order to heal their wounds not unlike Magical Healing. Doing so does not require an Action nor Energy, but a mage may only use this ability to heal up to Gnosis MN white stones per day, cannot heal the wounds of others but themselves, and cannot heal Aggravated damage. Overcoming these limitations require actual spells to do. NOTE: Pattern Restoration acts as a Covert spell for the purpose of Paradox risk, but may cause one anyway if a Sleeper witnesses visible wounds being healed.)
So now we know how to spend Mana. How do mages regain it?
The vast majority of mages do not naturally regenerate Mana on their own (there are rare exceptions; see Mana Well modifier below). However, there are various methods for regaining Mana, which are described below:
- Oblation Ritual (Regain up to Half Gnosis MN, rounded up, in Mana per ritual): A mage with access to a Hallow can perform a 1 hour ritual there called Oblation, which allows them to regain some Mana, up to the Hallow's maximum Mana value per day (see Hallow modifier below for details). Such a ritual usually depends on the Path of the mage using it, for example an Acanthus mage might perform a ceremony recognizing the solstices and equinoxes, while Moros might perform a ritual of remembrance for their ancestors and the dead.)
- Pattern Scouring (5 Mana/Physical Ability AN disabled): Mages can scour their Physical Patterns, which effectively lowers their Physical Abilities in exchange for Mana. Doing so takes 1 panel during which the user can only move at Speed 0 and do nothing else, and will lower one of Strength, Agility or Speed by 1 for 24 hours in exchange for 5 Mana recovered. An ability cannot be lowered below 1 from using this effect, and there is a limit on how many times per day a mage can scour their Pattern. At Gnosis MN 1-4, it can be done once a day. With Gnosis 5-6, a Mage can perform a scouring 2 times/day. Gnosis 7-8 allows for 3/day, 9-10 for 4/day, and 11+ allows for 5/day.
- Health Scouring (5 Mana/Durability AN disabled): Instead of lowering their Strength, Agility or Speed, a mage can decide to scour their Durability for Mana. Doing so has the advantage of not counting against Pattern Scouring times/day limitation - it can technically be used however many times the user has Durability AN on top of regular scouring, but it comes with all the consequences of lowered Durability, including lowered Health, Energy and Regeneration. An Health Scouring may even lower Durability to 0, which will effectively kill the user in exchange for Mana; although that would have little use unless the mage can somehow remain alive and conscious long enough to use the mana they got, or somehow survive their death.
- Tass (Mana value varies): Tass is the solidified form of Mana. Unlike Mana itself, Tass takes the form of natural or artificial objects based on their surroundings and the phenomena which led to its creation, and can have more or less power for multiple reasons and due to various factors, usually providing between 1 and 5 Mana upon use, although more potent Tass are neither unheard of, nor that uncommon, GM's call; though even then, very few and rare between are Tass which provide over 10 Mana. If Tass takes the form of edible or drinkable materials, all that is needed to use them is to consume them; with the Mana they provide being gained with an hour if eater, or 10 minutes if drunk. However, if Tass takes a form which a mage cannot consume - say, an electronic computer component, it must be dissolved into Mana using a 5 minutes/Mana ritual in order to absorb it. Tass is normally always consumed with use, although it is theoretically possible that rare Tass may exist with the ability to regenerate their Mana value over time; such items would be no doubt prized by any mage.
- Sacrifice (1 Mana for a rat-sized to cat-sized animal; 3 Mana/Health for larger beings; 5 Mana/Health, up to the max Mana of the victim if appropriate, for a fellow mage or other supernatural being): Although civilized and good-hearted mages do not like to talk about it, there is another, much darker method to regain Mana, namely the ritualistic killing of a living being. To perform a sacrifice, a potential victim must be either immobilized, willing or unconscious, and the mage must be the one to deal the killing blow themselves; tying someone up with a belt of explosives or passing by fresh roadkill will not do. Regardless of how many victims are sacrificed or their Health, a mage may not used this method to recover more Mana/day than 3x their Gnosis MN per day.)
SYMPATHETIC MAGIC
Experienced Space Arcanum realize that distance, like the rest of the Fallen World, is an illusion, a limitation which magic can overcome. With proper training and experience, a mage can potentially learn to extend the reach of their powers to the very limits of all of creation.
A Sympathetic magic user finds their way around distance by having a sufficiently strong connection with the target of their spell to affect them anyway. In order to cast a sympathetic spell, one spends 1 Mana and consults the table below. For each step you do not have sufficient Space Arcanum AN for, you suffer a -2 sitmod to the spell you're attempting to cast. Anything below that can be used as though the target was in sight/within reach:
| Space Arcanum AN Required | Sympathetic Connection |
| 0 | Sensory: You can see, hear or otherwise sense your target directly. This is the default factor, a sensory spell in which a sympathetic connection is not, in fact, necessary. |
| 3 | Intimate: Either you know the target personally and very well (a prized family possession, a beloved pet, a close family member or a very close friend), or you literally have a piece of the target's physical substance, such as a lock of hair, a piece of clothing, a leaf from a plant, a sliver from an object's material. |
| 4 | Known: Either you know the target - a friend, a co-worker, or a personal possession - or you have a photo, accurate representation, video or audio recording of the target. |
| 5 | Acquainted: You are acquainted with the target. Maybe a co-worker you hardly know, a casual acquaintance, a friend of a friend, or an item you've held or used once. |
| 6 | Encountered: You have encountered the target briefly. Perhaps a person you passed by, or an object you may have touched once. |
| 7 | Described: You have never encountered the target, but can describe it. You might know a person's name or physical description, or what an object or place looks like. |
| N/A | Unknown: You know nothing about the target, and as such can't cast Sympathetic magic on it. Knowing that an enemy of the user's arrived in town is of little help if one has no idea who it is, what they look like or where they are, and as such, Sympathetic magic won't help you here. |
PARADOXES
What's a Paradox in the context of World of Darkness?
As it is stated above, all humans have within themselves the 'spark', the potential for supernatural power and accessing magic. Mages have awakened to this potential and the true reality around them, whereas ordinary people - 'Sleepers' - have not. The problem, however, is that even though they are not Awakened, they still possess the spark! And as much as a mage may know for a fact that they can fly and rain down hellfire on their enemies like a god, the rest of humanity believes adamantly that they can't and that such things are scientifically impossible, and their own collective will works subconsciously against the mage's. In a way, the magic of those who do not believe in magic impedes the magic of those who do. Hence the Paradox.
The base risk of Paradox is determined by the base power of the mage - namely their Gnosis modifier, see below. Typically, that risk is calculated by increments of 5% per odd MN of Gnosis, so a mage with Gnosis 8 would have 20% chance of causing a Paradox when such a risk applies (such as when casting a Vulgar spell). However, that chance can be modified - either by lowering the increments via Gnosis options (for example, the same Gnosis 8 mage with Control the Paradox option would only have a 12% base chance for a paradox) - or via some situational impacts:
- Each additional Paradox roll after the first in a single situation/scene (+1 increment/additional roll after the first.)
- Using a Rote instead of Improvised spell (-1 increment)
- Using a magical tool during casting (-1 increment)
- One or more Sleepers witness a Vulgar spell being cast (+2 increments)
Example: A Gnosis 3 (no option) mage attempts a Vulgar spell. With AN 3, they have a base Paradox chance of two 5% increments, for 10%, but some Sleepers are present on the scene, adding 2 more increments for 20%. Fortunately, the mage is using their favorite walking cane which they have selected as a magical tool, which lowers the risk by one increment, to 15%. They roll a d100... unfortunately, they roll a 3, still well within the risk of Paradox!
PARADOX MITIGATION
As stated in the Mana entry above, before the Paradox risk d100 is rolled, a mage may decide to mitigate the Paradox using their mana. Doing so costs 1 Mana/increment negated, although obviously the user must have enough mana to do so and the ability to spend it within a single panel in addition to the mana needed to cast the spell in the first place.
PARADOX RESULTS
If a Paradox does occur, the mage might be in trouble. Another d100 is immediately rolled to determine the results of the Paradox, based on the table below:
| d100 Roll Result | Severity |
| 01 | Lucky Day - Turns out, you got lucky! The spell works as intended, a Paradox did not actually occur, and the next spell to cause a risk of Paradox in the same scene will not add an increment for consecutive roll. |
| 02 to 05 | Failure - The spell fails to function, although any mana and energy spent is still lost. Fortunately, there was no Paradox, either. |
| 06 to 50 | Havoc - The spell still activates, but it is out of the mage's control, and will seek a random target of the same type as appropriate (if the spell could only be cast on objects, it will affect another object, and so on). Its effects may be identical, reversed, altered in some way or another or similarly chaotic; the exact results are left to the GM's discretion. |
| 51 to 70 | Bedlam - A Bedlam Paradox causes both the spell to fail and the mage to suffer a temporary mental derangement (as in a Psychological challenge of -1 to -3) for a Duration of (12-Intelligence AN) on the D&R chart, with a minimum of Duration 2 (10 panels). The exact nature of the derangement is left to the GM's discretion, but can be potentially anything from a phobia to schizophrenia, including dissociative personality disorder, megalomania, paranoia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and so on and on. NOTE: In rare cases, about 5%, the derangement a mage suffer might become permanent. |
| 71 to 85 | Anomaly - An Anomaly can be potentially terrifying to behold, and might be the most chaotic of the possible Paradoxes. Essentially, Anomalies are when reality cracks open and something impossible happens in an area around the caster instead of whatever spell they were going for. Said effect may have literally nothing to do with the original spell and may be completely different. The GM gets to decide what happens, who or what is affected, to what extent, and whether the results are temporary or permanent, and is encouraged to come up with something either scary, chaotic, freakish as heck or hilarious... or all four at once. |
| 86 to 95 | Branding - Branding means the spell fails, and instead, the mage's body is affected by the mystical energies they lost control of, with various possible effects based on how high the spell's Arcanum AN is (although the GM may choose to ignore this table and decide to pick/create an entirely new one instead). These effects are usually permanent as far as the mage's base form is concerned. 1: Uncanny Nimbus (The mage's Nimbus/aura is tainted by the Paradox and the user's greatest sin or personality flaw. For example, a wrathful mage may have a very aggressive, hostile and seemingly fiery aura which seems to attack anyone who comes too close - although it cannot actually harm people on its own, this is just a visual effect. Such changes are only visible to beings with the ability to perceive the supernatural.) 2-3: Witch's Mark (The mage bears a weird but non-prominent blemish or alteration to their appearance that is visible to Sleepers, although not immediately and obviously supernatural in nature. Examples include an arcane symbol-like birthmark, slightly greyish pallor to the skin, subtle stars in the pupils of one's eyes, and so on.) 4-5: Disfigurement (The mage bears an obvious and prominent blemish that is visible to Sleepers, and clearly strange or unusual. Examples include weirdly colored irises, extra joints in one's limbs, a bizarre tenor to one's voice, and so on. The victim suffers a -1 Looking non-human drawback.) 6-7: Bestial Feature (The mage gains an animal trait, be it cat-like eyes, retractable claws, a prehensile tail, dog ears, scaly skin or anything else along those lines. Incidentally, those may actually be useful and provide the mage with some advantages - for example, see better in the dark with cat eyes - but it comes with a -2 to -3 looking non-human drawback.) 8-9: Inhuman Feature (The mage gains an inhuman trait, such as a bestial feature that is clearly demonic or supernatural. Maybe their eyes glow red, or they have a forked tongue or a devil-like red tail, a pall of smoke or an aura of decay which rots all natural plants and other flora in a matter of moments.) 10+: GM's call. It could be basically anything. Either the GM picks among what is suggested here or comes up with one of their own creations. |
| 96 to 100 | Manifestation - An entity from the Abyss enters reality via a vortex manifested from the failed spell, no farther than 10 yards away from the mage per MN of Gnosis. The entity's nature depends on GM's discretion, or the AN of the Arcanum used to cast the spell: 1: Gremlin/Imp (The entity is a minor and fairly weak gremlin or imp, an intangible being existing only in Twilight - the plane of the dead - and unable to manifest physically into reality. Unfortunately, such spirits are mischievous and are able to affect the material world in various ways such as slamming doors, tip things over and swing small objects across the room.) 2-3: Lesser Entity (A being at this level is capable of assuming a physical form and sufficiently powerful to be a threat to low rank mages and mortals alike, but not much more than that. They are, however, smart and cunning enough to be more a threat than a nuisance like gremlins and imps.) 4-5: Moderate Entity (An entity at this level is generally a menace even to average mages, and is clever and manipulative enough to try various tactics to reach their goals, whatever those may be.) 6-7: Major Entity (A Major Entity is considered about as powerful as the mage themselves, and could easily be a thorn in one's side at the very least, or a bitter enemy at worst. A well known example of this level are Doppelgangers, indistinguishable from the original mage aside for its otherworldly nature and chaotic troublemaking tendencies.) 8-9: Epic Entity (An entity at this level is a very dangerous being, either a demon lord, an ancient lich, a powerful spirit or a mad greater faerie, or worse. While not necessarily evil - as is the case for most other entries, in fact - such beings have their own agenda and might be quite interested - or annoyed - by their unexpected visit of the human world.) 10+: GM's call (Whatever the GM decides to have show up may show up instead of those above, or they could pick instead.) |
NEW DISADVANTAGES
-Costs Mana (-1 to -3 CL; the effect requires Mana to be spent in order to be used. Typically, this disadvantage is taken at the first level, requiring 1 Mana to be used, but especially powerful effects might warrant a -2 or even -3 CLs, which unsurprisingly mean that 2 or 3 Mana must be spent. This disadvantage is usually taken on Rotes bought for the various Arcanum actions, but may be taken for other actions if appropriate at the GM's discretion.)