Talk:FSN: Clock Tower

Setting: Situated in London, The Clock Tower is the nerve center of the Magic Association. It functions as an administrative seat, as a repository for magical artifacts and lore, and as a training ground for apprentice mages. It operates much like a mundane university, a center of education and study.

These Rules are works in Progress.

Character Creation

If you’ve played any White Wolf game, you’ll have no trouble with this. Rules are fairly light, because I’ll invariably end up ignoring anything too complex for the sake of narrative. Primarily, these rules are to give a concrete guideline for what your characters are capable of.

Starting CP: 70

CP costs:

Attributes: New Rating Specialites: New Rating Magic Circuit: New Rating X4. You get one dot for free because. Magic Knowledge: New Rating X3 Merits: As noted

Traits

Attributes

This is pretty simple: it’s largely taken from the common system used in Expanse or FRW, for the sake of ease. Attributes represent general capacities the person may have. They may be anywhere between 1 and 5, with higher meaning better. You start at 1 for everything

Physical: Your capacities for physical action, such as strength and agility.

Endurance: Your ability to resist physical pain and to perform strenuous activity.

Intelligence: Your focus on cerebral action and your general skill at using your mind.

Integrity: Your ability to keep your cool and your wits about you.

Charisma: Your personal magnitude and ability to affect people.

Perception: Your ability to notice things, and your general awareness.

Specialties

These represent areas in which you possess specific knowledge or training in a particular field. These are associated with the most relevant Attribute (though may be used with others in specific circumstances and with GM approval). Specialties cannot be higher than 3 dots total.

Common examples include Physical (melee), Physical (guns), Intelligence (science), Endurance: (rowing), Integrity (focus), Perception (body language) and Charisma (cuteness).

Magic

‘Magic’ is a difficult term to pin down. Most respond to the question of what it is with an Arthur. C. Clarke quote, if they choose to respond at all. Magic as recognized by the Mage Association is a collection of disciplines and techniques that create events of miraculous power, by evoking and controlling the energy known as ‘Mana’. This broad definition is as close as anyone has gotten to creating a single definition of what magic is, even though ‘mana’ is extremely common – in fact, all living being generate mana, and their vital functions are tied to its presence.

The martial arts and spells wielded by mages comprise the arts known as magic, as used by ‘mages’. These spells shape mana into other effects, allowing the mage to create specific phenomena. Manipulating mana without spells requires supernatural heritage (being an entity with an innate method of channeling mana), or the ability to use powerful reality-warping methods (Sorcery). Otherwise, Mana is inert and bound into other mundane functions. Drawing it out requires a mechanism – that mechanism is spells.

The majority of magic is hermetic – evoking and shaping energies through phrases and symbols. The magic manifests as glyphic patterns which glow with the energies contained within, appearing on the skin or the surface so enchanted. The exact nature and motif of the patterns depends on the spells, the caster who created them, and even the caster’s own body. Latin and German are common languages for magic spells, due to their ties to many of the great mage clans; the nationality of the caster’s training and knowledge may effect this.

Magic is based on two factors that define one’s capacity for mystical energy and their understanding of magical practice.

Magic Circuit

The first of these factors is the Magic Circuit. Mana accumulates naturally in all living things as a naturally-occurring phenomena; a body drained of mana loses its life-functions. Magic Circuits represent ones ability to store and channel the mana in their bodies, to fuel acts of mystical wonder. Mundane humans have only the mana that naturally accumulates in their body, their Magic Circuit rating is 0, representing no special capacity for energy storage. Mages have a rating of 1 to 5, representing their reserve capacity. Magic Circuits are defined somewhat by birth, with some mages being naturally capable; mage families specifically breed magical capacity into their bloodlines. They can also be trained with rigorous practice and self-discipline.

Note that most mages cannot use all of the mana in their bodies without the help of spells or innate abilities (see Energy Storage or Body Burn). The Magic Circuit represents the amount of ‘free’ mana one can store within themselves; released the mana bound into one’s flesh takes some skill and risk (as it is directly tied to one’s continued living…)

Magic Circuit defines how much Mana one can store, which in turn defines how many spell one can cast.

0: Not a mage. You can’t play as this as you start off with one free dot. 1: Very minor storage capacity; Maybe one or two circuits. 5 Mana. 2: Average Storage capacity; A handful of circuits 10 Mana. 3: Notable storage capacity, with several circuits. 15 Mana. 4: A potent mage with many circuits. Archmages strive for this. 20 Mana 5: A mystic of staggering power and capacity. Archmages envy this; why does a mere student have much power? 25 Mana.

There are other methods of storing and channeling mana beyond Magic Circuits. Study of Energy Control/Storage allows for mana to be stored into other objects (or people) for a variety of reasons. Particularly creative and unscrupulous mages can convert their nerves or blood into impromptu magic circuits (or those of others), at the risk of doing permanent damage. Other, stranger methods exist; these are often the byproduct of different supernatural creatures, and their innate powers. Dead Apostles, for example, can distil mana from blood without any prior mystical knowledge.

Magic Circuit also decides how long you can sustain magic, and how many spells you can sustain at a time. The greater your Circuit rating, the more magic you can sustain without conscious effort.

Regaining Mana

Mana regenerates naturally in one’s body at rest. Sleeping restores mana at a rate of your Magic Circuit per hour; mediation techniques also restore it at the same rate.

Another method to gain mana is to take it from another source, primarily through the use of Energy Control magic. While casting the actual effects costs mana, the amount regained will often be greater depending on the source (and overflow can be stored using the same Knowledge). Drawing mana from an object drains whatever is stored (very little if it is not enchanted for storage) or from people if you’re unscrupulous. Spell fields are often used to drain all the mana sources in an area, used to devastating effect against people.

Finally, there are other supernatural methods of gaining mana besides magic. See Merits below.

Magic Knowledges

The second factor is Magic Knowledge, representing how much one knows of the various fields of magic and how much one understands about manipulating mana through the field’s rotes. Unlike Magic Circuits, these are rarely gained innately (though some do have affinities; see Merits/Flaws below), requiring instruction and study. Magical knowledge is not necessarily dependent on Magic Circuit, though a high magical circuit helps one actually use greater echelons of knowledge.

Each discipline is divided up into categories, based on learning and proficiency:

Discipline Ranks

0: No knowledge. You know nothing of this field. Obviously, you can’t cast spells. 1: Initiate: The bare basics. Minor effects with some utility. You may use C-class spells of this type; B-class can be cast with a ritual, though it’s usually not that useful to take so much time for such a little effect. 2: Adept: Middling effects, often quite potent. You may cast B-class spells and A-class ritual. 3: Master: You are awesome in this field, well beyond most students and even mages. You may cast A-class spells, and S-class rituals. 4: Prodigy: You have powers beyond that of mortals. You either have access to Sorcery that enlightens you to some standard magical fundamentals, or your essence than thinking lends itself particularly well to some magic. Maybe there’s no reason at all. Regardless, you can cast S-class Spells. This can only be gained by someone who possesses the Prodigy Merit.

Disciplines

The magical disciplines are as follows:

Energy Control/Storage: The ability to direct mana itself. This can be used to store magical energy into something, or to drain something (or someone) of it.

Projection: The ability to conjure objects out of magic, such as swords, armour, and mundane objects. Objects created are sustained with mana, allowing them to persist, though mages often reduce certain aspects of them (like durability) to reduce mana cost.

Augmentation: The ability to strengthen ones attributes in a temporary fashion, and that of others. This can include hardening one’s body, increasing strength or speed, or mutating or transforming into other shapes. It also includes healing.

Necromancy: The ability to summon the spirits of the dead, and to animate corpses to do your bidding. Offensive uses are generally limited to the undead, damaging their unnatural essence.

Puppetry: The art of creating homunculi, artificial living beings fueled by magic, and other constructs like golems. Also includes the ability to animate them (and other suitable objects, if necessary). The most notable creatures are ‘puppets’, mannequin-like being with artificial flesh and bone.

Spiritualism: The art of summoning supernatural entities, likes elementals and demons, to serve as familiars. It also includes the skills to bind and command such entities.

Warding: This covers defensive magic, such as energy shields and anti-magic defenses. Wards can be placed on people or on areas.

Elementalism: The ability to command energies and matter to obey you. For example, one can generate fire, raise stone to shield them, or conjure ice to encase their foes. This also includes more abstract energy, like ‘light’ or ‘darkness’.

Spells

For the sake of convenience, magic spells can be divided into four power categories, based on the effect’s potency and scope.

C-level: Minor spells, basic attacks and effects with specific utility. Costs 2 mana. B-level: The common middle-ground of spells, this denotes powerful effects and attacks. Costs 5 mana. A-level: Very strong spells capable of devastating and altering the tide of battle and clearing rooms. Noble Phantasm powers are on this level. Costs 10 mana. S-level: Spells of decisive magnitude. Bowls over lesser magic and overwhelms all but the most potent defenses. Most Sorcery de facto operates on this level. Costs 20 mana.

Ritual

Ritual is an extended form of spellcasting. By using complex reagents and a long series of oblations and planning, a spell of greater effect can be enacted than might normally be possible.

Using rituals allow you to cast magic that normally would be too difficult for you to cast as spells, and allows you to incorporate complex reagents. Conversely, it allows you to create more permanent effects, enchanting a place or person for a longer span of time. The downside is that it requires prep time and components, and isn’t very mobile. It can also be disrupted much more easily than standard spells.

== Sorcery ==

In addition to the standard schools of magic, there are also Sorcery – true magic, the fundamental principles of the universe. Unlike standard magic, which is a bending of reality through external processes, Sorcery IS reality, and those who can manipulate it gain abilities far beyond that of mortal spells. Note that this does not necessarily mean that one is better at standard magical Knowledges, though this can be the case (and is better represented with higher ratings or other merits; see below)

There are three notable kinds of Sorcery. All three kinds of Sorcery work differently, but generally are composed of a Minor Power and a Major Power, with different cost and effects. They are detailed below.

Reality Marbles

A Reality Marble is a manifestation of Sorcery – it is a mote of existence that depicts its sorcerer’s inner world. With proper training and mana, a sorcerer can project this world outward, engulfing anyone within a certain radius. Note that this actually does alter the real world around the caster – the area of the spell literally becomes the Marble for a time – but it also separates it from the rest of the world.

Reality marbles require an equivalent of a ritual to cast. Note that Spell Knowledge or Magic Circuit do not change that this is a ritual; Sorcery is not standard magic. A Marble is sustained much like a regular spell, though consumes tremendous power; and unlike normal spells, it cannot be soaked up by Circuit alone. Mana is expended each turn the Marble is active, sustaining its effect until the mage chooses to dismiss it or runs out of power. Only the strongest Circuits can sustain it for longer than a minute or so. Consider it S-class magic for the purposes of comparing it to other magic.

The nature of the Marble depends on its theme. This can be almost anything that the player desires, but it always exists as some tangible effect. A barren hill full of swords the caster can control depicting every weapon he’s seen, a vast glacier containing the bodies of defeated warriors, a mighty cavern where the stones animate to crush their targets, or tower of mirrors that the caster can slip in and out of to evade his foes are all suitable.

Mystic Eyes

These powers are natural magic embodied within a person themselves, notably incarnate in the person’s eyes. One who possesses such powers has unnatural looks to their eyes: strange colours, oddly-shaped pupils, and even completely bizarre patterns are all possible.

Mystic eyes do not just grant magical perceptions. They often do as part of their greater powers, but they are primarily based around an deliberate and constant effect that is projected onto whatever one sees. Some of these require deliberate action to enact (Mystic Eyes of Death allow a person to attack death lines in people and things, destroying them utterly), while some are simply automatic (Mystic Eyes of Captivation cause people to fall in love with the viewer; Mystic Eyes of Petrification paralyses or petrifies the viewed entity).

Mystic eyes are difficult to control and to resist. As a form of sorcery, they overcome most standard magic unless it is extremely powerful (and if the mage is particularly willful). Conversely, humans who possess such power cannot suppress its effects without some sort of enchanted item or constant magical warding. Such people often have issues controlling their Eyes, and can cause a lot of damage if they are not careful.

Supernatural creatures commonly possess Mystic Eyes, developed due to their sorcerous natures. These beings often have innate ability to activate and deactivate these powers.

Mechanically, Mystic Eyes grant a power that functions constantly upon whatever the target looks upon, unless they have some method of blocking their mystic gaze (or closing their eyes). Generally, this ability can be enhanced or supplemented with a magical action that applies the gaze’s purview (Usually a A- or B-level spell). The nature of this power is best discussed with the GM.

Noble Phantasms

These are legendary objects of staggering power, given purchase in the laws of reality through the exalted deeds bound to them. Some are based on real objects used by heroes in life; others start as Phantasms, created by Sorcery or powerful supernatural beings; some are even solidified manifestations of abstracts. The most notable of these are used by Servants in the Grail War as their primary weapons or defenses. These artifacts rival Sorcery in their power, allowing them to bypass some common defenses entirely. Examples include King Arthur’s Excalibur, Ajax’s Shield, Heracles’ divine body and the Rule Breaker dagger manifested out of Medea’s history of betrayal.

These artifacts have a wide variety of magical effects, limited only by imagination and design. Like most sorceries, they generally have a minor and a major effect, though this is much broader than the other kinds. Minor effects represent the item’s manifestation, and usually reflect the superlative design; for example, a Noble Phantasm sword is incredibly sharp and potent, armour is super-strong, etc. Other items may have stranger minor effects. Major effects are practically limitless; they’re often the reason for the legend surrounding them.

Minor effects are often automatic, requiring little or no expenditure of power, though some have a recharge time or require an investment of mana identical to a C-level spell. Major powers usually require an A-level spell casting or higher, depending on the effect.

Merits and Flaws

These are some general traits to round out the character. Not needed, but I fully expect everyone to take one as a matter of course. Don’t be stupid when picking these; obviously-contradictory merits and flaws will be punished.

Merits

Cloaked: You don’t radiate magic. Maybe your supernatural nature or some trick of your bloodline makes it difficult to sense your Circuit and spells, or maybe you know some secret technique. Either way, you don’t radiate magic. You need to work out why you don’t appear magical with the GM.

There are two versions of this power. The lesser version of this makes you appear as having Magic Circuit of one, appearing to be a weak mage. You fall under the radar, and people only notice you’re more than you seem when they see the results of your magic. The greater version means that you appear as a normal human if you wish, or a Magic Circuit 1 mage. You can switch these at will. Weak spells are practically invisible, while S-class powers can still be sensed fairly easily. Note that long-term and permanent effects lose this quality after they leave your presence – cloaking is tied to your essence, and once the spell is sustaining itself, it loses its invisibility.

You cannot choose to suppress this ability.

Cost: 2 or 5 points Prereq: Magic Circuit of 3 or higher.

Rich

You have a lot of wealth, either from family background or business sense. You have access to substantial funds, making large purchases remarkably easy. You have a lot of people wanting to be friends, and may not want to walk alone on certain streets. The lower cost is moderately wealthy (upper-class, big houses, hired help), the latter is true opulence (mansions and butlers and such)

Cost: 2 or 4 Prereqs: A valid reason why you have access to this money

Prodigy

You are unnaturally good with a certain Sphere of magic; so good, in fact, that you have the potential to rival Sorcery at the height of your power. Your power may be due to Sorcery, or some other trick of your nature, but the effect is the same.

You automatically gain one rank in the sphere of your choice, applied after normal ranks. Thus, you do not factor it into CP costs for raising magic. In addition, this is the only way to get Prodigy Rank in any field of magic.

Cost: 4 CP. Prereqs: May not have more than one purchase of this skill.

Natural Mana Regain

You have a method to regain mana that doesn’t involve Energy Control/Storage or rest. This isn’t Sorcery, but rather a minor form of supernatural power that allows one to take mana from a specific source. A primary example of this is the Dead Apostles’ ability to drain mana from human blood. Others include performing a ritual to a certain sun god to receive an influx of mana or injesting and experiencing a certain substance to achieve a transcendent state. These methods are always personal to the Merit’s bearer, and cannot benefit another person who copies them exactly.

Specify what the source of the mana is, and what method you use to transfer it to yourself. Note that some sources are greater than others – human blood draws the mana of a human body, and ritual connects you to a higher power for a moment, and the drugs awaken some mystical trigger within you that generates a flux of power (where most would just OD – which you can still do if you take enough). Eating wood might be a valid choice, but wood doesn’t have that much mana, so you’ll be chowing down for a while.

Cost: 4 Prereq: Magic Circuit 2 or more

Magical Bloodline

You are the scion of one of the renowned mage families, known for their magical-potent genealogy and history of mages. You were exposed to magic from birth, perhaps even tutored since a young age, and are more at home around it than in the mundane world. You may have brothers and sisters who share the gifts of your blood, but you are selected to carry on the family’s greatest honor – the Magic Crest.

The Crest is a magical item, a small, metal object depicting the family heraldry. As a symbol of the family, it can allow access to some special locations within the Clock Tower (special archives or lounges, research labs, etc) and denotes the bearer as representative of the family concern. Its actual power is tied to the bearer, as well; the seal can open family-created wards and reveal special caches designed for the bearer. The Crest’s true power, however, is it’s ability to keep the bearer alive, provided enough mana is present to power it. If a bearer is reduced to death, the Crest spends 5 mana to save their life, from the mage’s reserve or from any mana-storage devices on their body (not Body Burn, however). If the damage is very severe (like disintegration), it can cost more. It does not affect anything that is not fatal, so continuous damage will result in multiple ‘deaths’ until mana is exhausted or the effect is stopped (like poison, or being tossed onto a bonfire)

Cost: 4 Prereq: Magic Circuit 3 or more

Body Burn

You have converted part of your body into a Magic Circuit beyond your own. You have done this either as a response to a weak magic circuit, as part of powerful sorcery, or as part of a supernatural or construct nature. This is very unusual to have in anyone who was not specifically created with this in mind, and requires esoteric circumstances.

You receive an effective increase in your Magic Circuit rating by 1, which adds 5 mana to your pool. However, there are some stipulations on its use. Firstly, it can only be recovered through rest, not through drawing energy through another.

Cost: 5

Sorcery

You have access to true magic, the fundamental workings of reality. This comes in either the Mystic Eyes or Reality Marble variant. This is extremely rare among humans, and bearers are often hunted by Burial agents and the Mage Association alike. Supernatural beings possess these more often than mortals do.

Cost: 7 points. Prereq: None, but you probably can’t use (or control) it fully if you’re not a strong mage.

Noble Phantasm

You’ve somehow acquired a magical artifact of frightening power; a legendary weapon used by great heroes or villains. These are practically unheard of for anyone to possess, even skilled mages; the most common users are the Servants of the Holy Grail War.

Having a Phantasm is extremely rare, and the Mage Association frown upon students or neophytes possessing such legendary wonders. Don’t let people know you have these or you may get yourself killed and/or your treasure seized.

Cost: 7 Prereqs: None to have, but it’s pretty much useless unless you’ve a decent Magic Circuit.

Flaws

These are negative traits that give you points back for use in creating your character. You can use them for anything, though I recommend you use some for merits (recommendations are in the descriptive text). Flaw-farming damages the economy and will be punished by liberal use of Angra Mainyu lovin’.

These generally don’t have formal prerequisites. They provide Bonus CP as listed.

Wanted

Somebody wants your ass, and not in the good dominatrix way. This could be anything from mundane authorities to the big scaries of the universe.

Bonus: As follows:

1: Mundane authorities, or some guy with considerable mundane resources but no magic. Stop boning the Mafioso’s daughter. 3. A magically-bolstered group other than the Mage Association, like the Church or the Black Command Society, or a single very well-connected mage. Stop boning the Archmage’s daughter. 5: Some powerful supernatural entity, like a Dead Apostle, demon, or something altogether worse. Good god, what did you bone? 7: The Mage Association. Good god, why are you in school?! You’d better have a good cover identity and hope nobody figures it out (or hope no-one blames you for the fatalities). This is worse than supernaturals, because you’re IN the Mage Association heart. You probably will be found out sooner than later.

Bound Item

One of your traits is dependant on an item. Choose an Attribute, Magical Knowledge, or Merit; that ability is tied to your item. Losing it can strip you of some of that trait, possibly all. Don’t let her cut your hair, Sampson-sama.

Bonus: 2 CP, 1 CP if tied to the Cloaked power, because fuck you, munchkin. Prereq: Some other bound trait. This cannot be paired with powers that cost less than 2 CP. Also, if paired with flaws, the total CP bound must be equal or higher than the total flaws.

Beacon of Power: You cannot hide your magical nature. Cloaking spells cannot cover your essence, and you shine over any and all magic. Even Sorcery cannot conceal you against dedicated augury. You have some unusual alternative to magical circuits, access to Sorcery that causes you to light up, or are supernatural.

Bonus: 4 points

Supernatural

You are not human. You may have once been, but that’s generally immaterial now. You may want to be again. But for now, you’re separate from the human herd.

As a supernatural, a few rules are different for you. Magic that effects normal humans doesn’t effect you the same way, and your nature makes you susceptible to some magic, such as spirit-binding or warding, and vulnerabilities to certain things beyond what normal humans are affected. You also often have other supernatural powers (represented by other Merits). The benefits of this Flaw are outweighed by the pre

Bonus: Varies depending on how powerful one is, as follows:

2: A fey-blooded individual, with supernatural lineage. Minorly effected by wards and possessing some specific resistances.

4: Something significant, like a half-demon or homunculus. Generally can pass for human, but can be harmed some mystical forces that normally don’t affect humans.

6: A big-time supernatural like a Dead Apostle, full-blooded demon, combat android, or eldritch horror in a skin suit. You are subject to wards and magic as most supernatural beings are. You often have sorcerous powers in conjunction with your nature.