Mage: The Ascension
Mage: The Ascension is an IRC RPG run by IXJac using the eponymous game system and universe. It chronicles the adventures of the young, somewhat divisive Traditions chantry of Tempus Spatium and their circle of friends and allies as they right wrongs, pursue personal power, and contribute in increasingly major ways to the Ascension War effort.
Sometimes called IXMage to distinguish it from a few other Mage-related ideas, the game is notable amongst #lords RPGs in general for its grittiness, dark atmosphere and overall level of danger. At one point, the total PC casualty rate stood at 50% until the difficulty level was reduced (to Hard from Lunatic). It remains the gold standard for difficult games in contrast to much easier games like the various incarnations of Exalted: FBH.
Characters
Protagonists
Cara Stang (Andronicus)
Hermetic mage with an incurable case of vampire echoes. Really good at the whole mind control thing. As a Disciple, once stabbed an Adept to death. Now has a Kana-approved eyepatch to go with the existing dominatrix look. Successfully mind controlled a senior Technocrat, successfully executed a traitor in the Chicago Chantry while fending off (with Mari-chan's help) the misplaced anger of a high level Askahic. Escaped from China-Town, leaving the Chinese Hulk to cover her escape, with Shu and ended up burning down Starborns boat. Recently visited Lo Pan's realm (and found out Chor Memor was indirectly reponsible for Castlar's death) with her Green eyes. A practitioner of Hermetic Thaumaturgy, focusing on the Spheres of Life (Death) and Mind. Recently did a tour with the Baby Chorus in Chicago.
- Theme Music: Season 1: The Offspring-You're Gonna Go Far, Kid Season 3: Way of the Sword
- Aptitudes: Offensive Life Magic, Mind Control, Vampirism, Makes good pancakes, Green Eyes.
- Botchery: Cara Stang almost never botches and only rarely fails and generally does not do so during a critical situation. Quite appropriately she is one of the two undisputed survival mode characters and a proven survivor of IXBot's wrath.
- Classification: Insurable Type
- Insurance Rate: D
- Banality: 5 (An open mind is like a castle with its gate unbarred.)
- Humanity: 3 (Cold-hearted child-killing vampiress)
- Weakness: Abstinence
Catherine West (Norseman)
A silly librarian who thinks she's from the Victorian era. Talks to trees (they talk back). Carries a revolver containing a good Victorian constable (spirit).
- Theme Music: Mary Poppins-A Spoon Full of Sugar
- Aptitudes: Spirit Magic, Scrying, Occult Knowledge, Enhancing Alcohol Sales
- Botchery: IXBot has so far declined to openly dispense criticality during key moments for Cathy. She does get into plenty of trouble however, especially when left without supervision. Did botch with after-effects at least once while poking the Loom of Fate.
- Classification: Should-Not-Be-Left-Alone-With-Mari Type
- Risk Assessment: B
- Banality: 3 (Neo-Disney princess)
- Humanity: 8 (But Ma'at 0)
- Weakness: Decisions
Christopher Westin (MJ12)
An Entropy mage who has spent years and years of experience honing himself into a weapon of fate. Chalice trainee who is competent in all methods of murder and surprisingly good at several intellectual pursuits for a Euthanatos commando. Despite being more down to earth and grounded in reality than several party members, often demonstrates only somewhat more social grace than a HITMark. Currently in way over his head, participating in a conspiracy against an archmage.
- Theme Music: Moby-Extreme Ways (Bourne Ultimatum)
- Aptitudes: Omnicompetent at mundane combat and stealth, Computer Hacking, Entropy magic, healing, stunt driving.
- Botchery: Westin demonstrates the ability to botch and/or fail key rolls in dangerous situations, putting himself and others at risk. The 1's tend to strike during routine rolls where he seems to have a decent dice pool and during confrontations where you would really rather his opening actions not fail horribly. Key areas to be aware of are most non-combat dexterity rolls such as athletics or stealth, as well as Arete (obviously).
- Classification: Operational Failure Type
- Critical Mission Failure Rating: B
- Banality: 7 (Only cares about things he can shoot)
- Humanity: 5 (What is a grain of sand in a desert? What is a drop of water in the storm? What is one murder to prevent a thousand more?)
- Weakness: Human Interaction
Eli Lorentz (OmegaPaladin)
Former aspiring technocrat who now happily deviates reality. Operates out of a "Welcome to My Laboratory!" in Chicago. Cackles maniacally while operating a tunneling machine. Earned his True Name by making the world's first supercavitating underwater speedboat while evading a technocratic laser satellite off the coast of Florida. Proven to be unspeakably badass in aborted timelines.
- Theme Music: Jack Wall et al. - Mordin
- Aptitudes: Technocratic Lore, Mad Science, Healing, Paragon Interrupts
- Botchery: Eli hasn't made any real botches of failures yet and in fact has a good share of success stories. Can be left unsupervised to accumulate successes.
- Classification: Insurable Type
- Lab Safety: D
- Banality: 6 (I've been to two different type of Hell)
- Humanity: 8 (Captain Cavitation takes all the Paragon interrupts.)
- Weakness: Shopping Trips
Elizabeth Allegheny (Phantom Llama)
Cardshark moebomb part-time Batman villain Umbrood Lord shrine maiden psychopomp. Writes fiction and reality.
- Theme Music: Requiem for a Dream
- Aptitudes: Lies, Spirit Magic, games of chance, getting possessed, dragonfacts, Cosmo Detonation
- Botchery: Liz alternates periods of dramatic success with periods of painful but not quite catastrophic failure that sap willpower and quint. However much like the chantry's other spirit mage, she has no need of botches to get herself into trouble. Recently, she has forayed into more spectacular botches which raised her to rating 'A'.
- Classification: Really-Should-Not-Be-Left-Alone Type
- Card Tournament Ranking: A
- Banality: 3 (Believes in spirits the same way fishes believe in water. Alien attack? Fuck yes!)
- Humanity: 7 (There's a difference between cheating and evil!)
- Weakness: Games of Skill
Kanako Kuga (Maloncanth)
Japanese-Canadian girl and Orphan mage whose paradigm is that anime works. Her special ability is the Power to Cosplay. With a broad mix of combat and non-combat abilities to go with a relatively large and diverse pool of spheres, Kana is usually considered one of the more powerfully well rounded mages as well as one of the least responsible. In the field, her decisiveness and tendency to undertake large scale and/or independent action often achieves results but sometimes lands her in trouble, ranging from death curses to piles of paradox that the rest of the chantry often have to extricate her from.
- Aptitudes: Blatancy, Modern Visual Culture, Xanatos Roulettes, Mecha
- Botchery: Kana mixes frequent(ly significant) success with spectacular accumulation of trouble, curses, quint resonance and paradox. Botches are infrequent but may strike large or strike in storms that overwhelm willpower and quint reserves. Holds the current dice pool record for botchery, having botched rolls on her stealth pool of 10 on two separate occasions.
- Banality: 3 (Drew the line at telepathic pink dinosaurs.)
- Humanity: 5 (Cheery otaku with a heart of Lelouch.)
- Weakness: Reality
Marilia Caldwell (Silence)
Fireball mage and sole heir to a Hermetic dynasty. The artillery of the chantry. Technically grounded from fighting the Ascension War again. Diableriezed her shadow and next incarnation for more power. Continues the Caldwell clan tradition of foiling Jodi Blake. Staring walking the path of Obrimos to do good now. A strong contender to win Botchamania 2013. Escaped from hell and is now the Last Caldwell.
- Theme Music: Lily
- Aptitudes: Firepower, Collateral damage, Occult Knowledge (specializing in onyx), being mind controlled
- Botchery: Mari botches from time to time and tends to do so at critical times and with terrifically damaging results - she has killed herself with her own fire once already. The botches of Team Fireball's burning heart have passed on into legend.
- Classification: Explosive Type
- Fireball Intensity: S
- Banality: 5 (I was dead. I got better)
- Humanity: 4 (Trying to be better so she can at least if she has not earned light, she'll earn peace)
- Hubris: 7 (Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger. Now famous in the shadowlands)
- Loyalty: 8 (She took MY puppy?!)
- Resurrection Count: 1
- Fireball Count: Yes
- Reality Criminal Level: B
- Weakness: Handsome Vampires
Proteus v3.6 (Shrike)
Emergent AI that Awakened in a previous iteration and subsequently unlocked various aspects of his morphable nature. As a rebellious subsoul of Autochthon and the gathering core of a greater whole, Proteus is secretly one of Arcus Prima's two umbrood lords. Despite this, he is arguably more human than most of the rest of the party and is pretty much the glue that holds Tempus Spatium together. He and Beta take care of a lot of the mundanities that keep the chantry running as well as field communications and support. Has started taking a more direct role in things recently to fight the Ascension War his own way. Now a cloneloli with imprint memories.
- Theme Music: Juno Reactor-Guardian Angel
- Post-Nimrod Theme Music: Mad Machine
- Aptitudes: ECM/ECCM, Healing, Computer Hacking, Digital Web Ops, Intelligence Gathering, Paragon Interrupts, keeping teammates alive, Powersuit operation
- Botchery:
Numerous key Arete rolls botched or failed. The 1's are the new tundra.Uses Paradox as ablative protection against botchery - Classification: Paradox Accumulation Type
- eVulnerability: C+
- Banality: 8 (This shit is tacky. Seriously.)
- Humanity: 9 ("I do good not because I must, but because I choose.")
- Secular Humanism: 2
- Weakness: Shounen Moralizing
- Kills: 1
Shu Izanagi (Kerrus)
Martial artist and vengeance-driven ninja with a code of honour. Shu was originally a rising star of an Akashic from the Bakumatsu period sent on a suicide mission in last ditch efforts to ward off the Technocracy but unexpected events, divine intervention and resultant celestial litigation saw him thrown through time into the modern era. Now helping with every sidequest ever, planning heists, and saving the team from incredibly bad decisions. Continues to survive wounds that would've killed anyone else.
- Theme Music: The Last Ninja
- Aptitudes: Swordsmanship, Stealth, Entropy magic, Scrying, Surviving inordinate amounts of damage, Rescuing Party Members from botches and backlashes.
- Botchery: On the road to improvement, but still has a ways to go. Botched a shield spell and got mind freemed- but made a valuable contact in the underworld. Fairly consistent otherwise.
- Classification: Direct Action Support Type. Plays well with others.
- Sepekku Rank: B
- Banality: 5 (A man out of time)
- Humanity: 6 (Ninja Vigilante with a Heart of Gold)
- Weakness: Planning Sessions.
Xia Yu Lan (FBH)
Akashic swordswoman with a penchant for sudden acts of violence such as hucking bad people into acid vats. However, she is unfailingly polite in the process and would never do it to someone who didn't deserve it. Although her quest of vengeance ("You killed my master!") is certainly something, her real distinguishing feature is probably the fact that she is legend.
- Theme Music: The Internationale Chinese version
- Aptitudes: Kung Fu, Unwiseness, Communism
- Botchery: Continued low-priority botching
- Classification: Should-Not-Be-Left-Alone-Or-Under-Supervision Type
- Hong Kong Dubbing: A
- Banality: 4 (Even dragons can't be angry randomly!)
- Humanity: 6 (Throws evildoers into acid vats to die horribly, but only if they deserve it.)
- Unassisted/Assisted Kuei-Jin kills: 2(3)
- Successful Sword Throws:: 2
- Unsuccessful Sword Throws:: 1
- Weakness: Unwiseness, the suffering of the proletariat
Allies and Familiars
Beta
Proteus' AI familiar and probably Tempus Spatium's most indispensible ally, she is referred to as Beta-chan by Kana, an appellation which seems to have stuck. Like her master, she has no last name. Beta's primary duty is as Proteus' digital assistant and housekeeper - although she exists only on the Digital Web, she can manipulate objects within the Proteus Pad via at least one robotic arm. With the recent installation of a holographic wi-fi, she can manifest herself visually as well.
Beta has numerous duties within the chantry such as its finances, paperwork and legal trails which only she has any of the skills to manage thus far. A great deal of her time is spent cleaning the fridge (where tass manifests) and going through her master's email, ever vigilant for inappropriate pornographic material which she makes a point of trashing with prejudice. Other times, she will be busy clearing away her master's paradox or standing in as remote oversight for chantry operations when Proteus himself is unavailable.
Beta is a remarkably powerful being while on the internet, turning Chor Tempest's Five Man Band up to Eleven on her own. In this capacity, she is considered to have an "Insurable Type" rating of D. Recent revelations of Proteus' metaphysical nature have raised questions as well as to her true nature.
Available Outfits: Tron, Maid, Red Army
Constable Nerton
The animating spirit of Catherine West's revolver, Nerton is a very proper Victorian era London constable who (despite being the least powerful or independently capable of the chantry's allies) has demonstrated remarkable courage in the face of adversity. In contrast to everyone else in Tempus Spatium's sphere, Constable Nerton has the unique distinction of having no first name.
Kano - Former Yakuza midboss turned aspiring badass normal, now arguably definitely a genuine badass normal. He was, with some help from Kana, responsible for slaying the somewhat horrible Kang Zhang, a half Kuei-Ji half human dude mostly known as the man with the flaming hair. In the final episode of the arc, he joined Kana once again (this time with additional Proteus) and dealt the final blow to the more genuinely horrible Mister Lao. Kano managed to out-DPS Technocratic black helicopters against the enemy bioroid in Mage S3, further cementing his badassery. Recently became more image conscious, gaining fangirls. Kano finished off Boss Sasaki recently, adding yet another "exceedingly powerful supernatural" to his kill count.
- Yeah, man. What the fuck. Why the hell doesn't he have fangirls? M.M. 16:28, 24 February 2010 (UTC)
- He needs a higher appearance, that's why. --MJ12 Commando 23:10, 27 February 2010 (UTC)
Monta - A Tanuki which has become attached to Catherine. Witty, talkative, and with massive balls, shit gets totally metaphorical around him. A very talented shapeshifter, Monta is the only chantry ally besides Beta who can pose as a team by himself.
Natalie Boerman - Derek's old flame from Techno College when he was Darrin Clark. Recently had a moral qundary and choose not to turn Derek in - Leading to Derek holding her hostage with a suicide vest and blowing her and him up. Luckily C-10 had planned on that to happen. Arete 3, a trained Genegineer with Life 3, Matter 2, Mind 2, Prime 2 as Spheres.
Onyx - A newborn werewolf puppy, product of a forbidden (werewolves are obligate xenophiles) werewolf union. Rescued by Mari and duly imprinted.
Ozu (Mari: Ozu-sama!) - The Japanese (Possible Ventrue) Kindred who was contesting with Kang for control of Vancouver. Part of the Camarilla, and possibly the Camarilla prince of Vancouver. Saved from death at the treacherous hands of Team Timeout by Team Fireball. An ally, if an untrustworthy and vampiric one, of the chantry. For the moment.
- How the heck's this guy a protagonist?! Are you guys dense?! --Suiren 9:09, 9 September 2009 (XST)
Pam - An innocent loli who Kana rescued from the insidious clutches of a Vancouver pedoring. Rather than being groomed for CP, now she is being indoctrinated into the cel-shaded paradigm. Recent episodes have increasingly emphasized her supernatural status. Her special ability is the inability to fail stealth rolls.
Son Yu
A retired Ming general who defended his empire against Mongol incursions. A peaceful man at heart, he was never recognised for his deeds in life as his strategies were so sublime that they prevented battles from being necessary in the first place. Presently, his spirit inhabits the sword Usogoro and has made a deal with Cathy wherein he will assist in the rescue of the rescue of a certain Lama in return for his case being plead in the celestial courts.
Vulk Dragovic
A Croatian veteran and war criminal of the Bosnian War and a former general at that, much like Son Yu. These days he runs a hardware store whilst hiding from the International Criminal Court. Yet, he misses the days of excitement and danger and has become unsurprisingly drawn to the "Dangerous Woman" in Cara Stang. His skills and stats are presently unknown, but he does have Willpower 10, putting him in the same territory as, say, Colonel Bakin.
Han Yi Ling
Called the Lightning Sword in some quarters Yi Ling is an older, more experienced and more emotional version of Yu Lan, without some of the communism. Is also debatably unwise, but makes up for it by her creative use of pressure point attacks and vampire heads.
Belphegor Demon Prince of Sloth, trapped in cat form by Vincent Caldwell who is currently stuck in his situation and with Mari.
Mentors
Vincent Caldwell A Master of House Bonisagus and Mentor and uncle to Marilia Caldwell. Murdered during a magic dual, he was subsequently resurrected after his soul passed through the gauntlet during Team Fireball's first, confusing, mission. In cahoots with Noldos Vayne before Vayne's death. His death was directly caused by tainted Tass provided to him (through intermediaries, including Marillia and Ren) by the Verbena adjudicator of the Certamen... corrupted by a Nephandus who managed to penetrate the Chantry. It is very possible this was the same Nephandus who went to so much trouble to seize Catherine West and attempt to get one of the Japanese Umbrood to do away with her on the basis of being a self-proclaimed enemy of Caldwell.
Josephine Mordant - The Magistatus of Jove of House Quaesitor and Mentor to Cara, who swore her into the House, and the closest thing to family the Cabal's Quaesitor has. She gave a flower to Cara during her childhood after viewing her future. The flower allowed Cara to defeat the Wilder Luss, a far superior Mage. Supported Cara in the events involving Tom One-Eagle in Winnipeg with the Council.
Nakazawa Takumi - Shu Izanagi's cabal shota a hundred and fifty years ago. He is now an old man and still stuck with his little kid name. Played Go with Miho once last century and got his ass kicked. Kicks modern Shu's ass at martial arts and beat Kana at Go.
Dimitri Sotiris - A member of the Chalice grooming Westin for promotion. In his first appearance of two to date, proved that he wasn't above the words "necessary sacrifice". On the other hand, nobody died from it and Westin himself didn't care about being used as bait, so it all worked out in the end. Does, in fact, use a computer and understands the importance of internet security. Has currently revealed his hand, showing that he has been conspiring against a Euthanatos archmage on the suspicion that he might be Nephandi.
Margrave Karl-Werner Luftwelle III - One of the most progressive and well mannered Etherites on Victoria Station, and now Kana's new mentor in Robodynamic Engineering.
Retirees
Ichijo Watanabe (Ezekiel)
- Genuine Japanese junior VA. Learning to hate Marauders. Unofficially apprenticed to Proteus. Virtually going crazy with power. Hooked up with a hacker chick in Chicago and left.
- Theme Music: Chiaki Ishikawa-Uninstall
- Aptitudes: Long Range Strike, ECM/ECCM, Computer Hacking, Digital Web Ops, Firearms
- Botchery: Ichi botches very frequently at a steady and unavoidable rate but mostly doesn't cause huge problems for anybody else. He tends to do be online a lot - so since internets dox and IRL dox are tabulated separately, one can consider Ichi to have twice the safety buffer for dox accumulation. A recent crowning moment of awesome in Chicago has justified the lowering of his insurance rate. Alas, even when a cyborg from the future, he still botches.
- Classification: Operational Failure Type
- Brainmeat Integrity: C+
- Banality: 7 (I saw this on a youtube once)
- Humanity: 7 (Too young to become drunk and bitter yet)
Casualties
James Reines (Shrike) - Void Engineer who got Nephandirized, bringing an end to Team Techno.
Marilia Caldwell (Silence) - Hermitic book loli of Team Fireball. Consumed by fire and paradox in an untimely botch while burning vampires. Currently not resting in peace. Alive again! And finally succeeded where she once failed!
Ren Dynler (Ralson) - Hermitic mage of Team Fireball who majored in Drinking and Driving. Consumed by fire and steel-beam-through-chest in glorious fashion while torching vampires. May he also rest in peace.
Reynolds (MJ12) - ItX traitor member of the shortlived Team Hacker with eight points in AAAA TECHNOCRACY. Killed by Contingent 10 and then baleeted himself. May he rest in peace.
Wilhelm Deimos (Ezekiel) - Anarchist Etherite. Destroyed by techno beamnuke fire during the disastrous awesome disastrome Shady Vale mission. May he rest in subatomic pieces.
Tia Mazu (Ent) - Hot Ninja Girl. Destroyed by techno beamnuke fire during the disastrous awesome disastrome Shady Vale mission. May she rest in subatomic pieces.
John Nightingale (Screwball)
- A buff action hero type from Val Verde. Currently MIA, might have moved on...TO THE NEPHANDI.
Vali Bartal (Ralson)
- Psycho werecat. Narrowly avoided death at the hands of a 300 Gigajoule plasma cannon and has a skull for a face now. Scary!
Alexandra Solaimani (Norse ally NPC played by Kerrus)
What can one say, Jodie Blake is a mean bitch.
Kiyoshi Nakamura - Ichi's buddy. Did not fuck around while attacking a massive Progenitor web server. Vanished with Ichi.
Kobayashi - Shu's buddy. Did not fuck around while attacking a dual-class Akashic elder/Techno director. Met his destiny.
Vincent Caldwell - Mentor and father figure for Mari. Died in spellcasting to save the party from a doomed encounter with a Lord of Hell.
Tempus Spatium
The spaces in time.
- Status 2 (new chantry, but with many rising Adepts and highly active)
- Reputation 3 (Helps out, but also acts impulsively and has dangerous associations)
The current team rosters of our glorious chantry. Format: Cabals are the new thing! Previous groupings ("teams") and histories of should be put here: Chantry/Team History. Short descriptions, therefore, are fine here.
Cabals
Tempus Spatium constitutionally has three or four founding cabals.
The Silver Tower (Chor Ignis or Chor Memor or Team Evil)
Founder: Mari, Cara.
Membership:
Principals:
- The Technocracy is evil and deserving of destruction.
- The Acquirement of Mastery over Cosmic forces, for various reasons.
Associate Teams
Team Evil: Grouping of Westin, Mari, Cara.
Chor Memor: Mari, Cara, Shu, Eli, Westin, Natalie, Ichi. The Chicago Suicide Squad.
Chor SOS
Founder: Kanako Kuga
Membership: Elizabeth Allegheny
Principles
- Currently, the Technocracy is the primary enemy of humanity - not Nephandi or Marauders or Vampires or Wuffs.
- The source of the Technocracy's power are their mages and gear, though most irreplaceably their mages. Removing their mages and gear is the necessary first step to defeating them.
- The Technocracy must be defeated before ascension, philosophy, and definitions of enlightenment can be sorted out.
- We are at war.
- The Technocratic Paradigm is okay.
Chor TEMPEST
Founder: Proteus
Membership
Traditions
Hermetics
Cara, Mari and Cathy. The dominant presence.
Akashics
Shu and China. For now.
Etherites
Eli Lorentz and his girlfriend Natalya.
Virtual Adept
Proteus
Euthanatos
Westin
Fantastic Game and Story Club
Kana, Liz, Pam (even if she's not a mage) and maybe China, Milly and Arita in future. We are totally founding a craft!
Tempus Spatium Holdings
Arcus Prima, Chantry of Tempus Spatium Chantry Offices
Dirtfort Tempus Spatium is a multi-tradition chantry based in the city of Vancouver. We value diversity, commitment, and moé.
Proteus' Pad - A 3-point node located in Proteus' apartment. All the tass it produces is consumed by Beta-chan.
Hasseltine House - A 4-point node controlled by Chor Memor.
Kana's Keep - A third node awakened by Kana and powered up by Liz and Mari to a full 5 points. Located in newly renovated former Wuff apartment.
The Gundam - The 1:1 Gundam in Tokyo is a five point node which has leylines connecting to Technocratic concerns, some of which appear to be in the umbra. Nevertheless, Kana knows how to access the Tass from this hallowed ground and has built a Jaburo Base the size of a small complex beneath it (Sanctum 1). Initial observations after the complex was finished showed a drafty shaft beneath the mecha elevator, raising the suspicion that she had either dug too greedily and too deep or perhaps not deep and greedy enough. Later exploration confirmed that the passage beneath the elevator leads to Undergundam (or Okhun if you believe the locals), a part of the Hollow Earth.
The chantry also has about 4 dots in resources, a 60m yacht with a helipad, and a not-inconsiderable amount of weaponry, including multiple Technocratic smallarms and a sizeable cache of iron oni equipment, wreckage, and Soviet surplus.
Tempus Spatium Associations
Pharos of Azkazia, in the Sea of Storms. Three earthly aspects. One is a manor in Winnipeg watched by a platoon of Chorus Slayerettes and one is a cabin out in the everglades west of Miami. Home base of Cathy and Mari.
Nice Things
- Does anyone bother updating these anymore? --chickenstrangler 03:14, 22 April 2010 (UTC)
Catherine West: A brief psychological analysis by K. E. Rrus. M.D. Dacis2 09:30, 29 April 2010 (UTC)
Captain Cavitation in the Windy City
Westin's Guide To Nonmagical Fighting
Useful Things
http://wodwarfare.tripod.com/firearms.html
http://www.pen-paper.net/indices/wod/
Magick Difficulty Modifiers (2nd Edition)
(Maximum modifier: +/-3. Minimum difficulty 3, Maximum difficulty 10)
Researches lore on subject before using magick: -1 to -3 (this is most commonly covered by our skill rolls)
Has item resonating with target's essence: -1 to -3
Near a Node: -1 to -3
Uses a unique focus: -1
Uses focus without needing it: -1
Extra time spent on magick: -1
Spending a point of Quintessence: -1 per point spent
Using Tass with appropriate Resonance: -1
Using Tass with opposed Resonance: +1
Fast-Casting: +1
Distant or hidden subject: +1
Mage distracted: +1
Mage in conflict with Avatar: +1 to +3
Domino effect: +1 to +3
Monumental feat: +1 to +3
Reflexive Magic Casting
Casting Magic while doing anything else (in conjunction with foci or for other reflexive uses) is at +1 difficulty but makes an arete roll a reflexive action.
This is useful. Always keep this in mind.
The Three Steps of Spellcasting
Ask yourself the following
(1) What spheres am I using to generate what effect?
(2) How do I justify this in paradigm and what foci am I using?
(3) What, if any, coincidental mask am I adding on top of it all?
Combat Maneuvers
All maneuvers are difficulty 6 unless specified otherwise.
Offensive
P185 Revised.
Clinch
- With a successful attack roll, the attacker grabs the target and begins to squeeze. First turn the attacker rolls damage (Strength). Each suceeding turn both attackers act according to initiative. Each combatant can either inflict damage automatically (roll soak normally) or attempt to break clinch. To escape, make a resisted Strength+Brawl roll.
Disarm
- Make a attack roll at difficulty penalty of 1 (typically 7). If successfull attacker rolls damage normally. If sux exceeds the defenders strength, the defender is disarmed.
Kick
- Dex+Brawl. Difficulty +1, Strength +1 (Bashing).
- A Kick has the chance to knock an enemy back, or over, or otherwise toss them around.
Multiple Opponents
- Characters fighting multiple opponents in close combat suffer cumulative attack and defense penalties of one per additional opponent (to a max of 4). I.e. John Courage fighting three Ninja hitmen at once suffers a difficulty penalty of 2 to all attack and defence rolls.
- This penalty is reduced for the difference in combat skill between the combatants. Jackie Chan laughs at being mobbed by half-a-dozen mooks.
Strike
- Dex+Brawl. Difficulty Normal. Strength (Bashing).
Defensive
Block
- Dexterity + Brawl move to block an incoming hand-to-hand attack. Cannot be used on lethal or aggravated damage unless the character is wearing armor, using magic, or has some sort of special training (like say, Do).
Dodge
- Dexterity + Dodge roll to move out of the way of an attack. Cannot be used if there is no space to maneuver.
- Difficulty is usually 6 in close combat.
- Difficulty varies in ranged combat depending on cover.
- 4 for heavy cover (only very small portions of body exposed, like head or arm)
- 6 for medium cover (half body exposed)
- 8 for light cover (more than half body exposed)
- 9-10 for no cover at all (caught in the middle of an empty parking lot)
Parry
- Dexterity + Melee roll to parry attack. If enemy is attacking unarmed and character parries with weapon that deals lethal damage, enemy may be wounded by parry.
Desperate Defense
- The character gets his full defense pool against the first attack, then loses one die off of every subsequent defensive roll instead of normal multiple action rules.
Changing to a Defense
- The character can abandon any declared action to conduct a defense at a +1 difficulty.
Combat Misc
Target Size Diff Dmg Modifier
- Medium (arm, briefcase) +1
- Small (hand, head) +2 +1
- Precise (eye, heart) +3 +2
Multiple Actions
Taken sequentially and in initiative order for each "round" of a "turn" until all participants have used all actions.
(Numbers given are dice penalties)
- 1 action: -0
- 2 actions: -2/-3
- 3 actions: -3/-4/-5
- 4 actions: -4/-5/-6/-7
- 5 actions: -5/-6/-7/-8/-9
- 6 actions: -6/-7/-8/-9/-10/-11
Simultaneous Attacks
Done in a single turn against multiple targets, without waiting for the next initiative stage - generally for taking on lots of mooks quickly.
Split die pool for action between targets (does not have to be an even split)
- +1 difficulty on each target after the first, cumulative.
- Failing in an attack on one target my disrupt further attacks in the sequence.
Sanctums
As for Sanctum, we go with the Guide to the Traditions with the following modifications. Size goes from closet < decent sized room < house < extremely large buuilding < entire fucking forest, which you can trade off for smaller size and more arcane, AND. . . You get to have sphere effects up to the Sanctum's rating which work automatically within the Sanctum's boundaries. For instance. A 1 point closet sanctum where Billy is locked in by his parents when he's bad may have a 1 point magical effect where he can summon a small candle flame to banish the darkness (Forces 1) and keep the monsters at bay (impending Marauderism) Consider it just local reality bending to your will .
XP Costs
TRAIT INCREASE
- Name Cost (current rating)
- Attribute x4
- Knowledge x1
- Talent/Skill x2
- Willpower x1
- Background D
- Trad. Sphere x7
- Other Sphere x8
- Arete x8
NEW TRAIT
- Ability 3
- Background D
- Sphere 10
Banality Ratings
- 0-2 Marauders
- 2-4 Mysticks (Vervena, Cult of Ecstasy, Hermetics, Dreamspeakers)
- 4-6 True Believers (Nephandi, Celestial Chorus, Akashic Brotherhood, Euthantos, most Craft wizards)
- 6-8 Modern Cynics (Sons of Ether, Hollow Ones, Virtual Adepts, many Orphans)
- 8-10 Technocracts. The Badguys.
Common Misconceptions
1. Prime or Mind allow you to see auras.
- No. Spirit allows you to see auras. Mind allows you to detect emotions, which is one of the benefits of seeing auras, but it does not allow you to see auras. Prime allows you to see magick use, which is another benefit provided by seeing auras, however prime allows you to view magicks with much greater accuracy and detail.