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Mage: The Ascension

5th Edition Homebrew
by Matthew Drake
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Please keep in mind, this document is for Homebrew purposes only. It is not intended

for sale, or in any way meant to make a profit. The World of Darkness is owned by Paradox. This is

simply a collation of the tweaking we have done on our own game. We hope you enjoy!

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

-Shakespeare, Hamlet
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Introduction

Hello! And welcome to Mage: The Ascension, 5th Edition Homebrew. We are happy to

have you, whether you are a World of Darkness veteran, or someone new, drawn by the recent hype.

Whatever the reason, you have stepped into a World steeped in lore, in history, in deep and driven

characters. Into a world steeped in horror and intrigue. If you have opened this document, it means you

have stepped through the Door of the Awakened, entered the World of Darkness as one of the most

potent creatures to exist. You are here to create a Mage, a reality bender, one who sees beyond the

horizon, and we do not wish to disappoint.

But before we begin, there are things that must be discussed. Mage is a free-form, open

experience; imagination and introspection lie at its heart. It is a tabletop that is every bit as

introspective as anything else. You must remember: the journey is more important than the destination.

Mage is not simply a power trip, though god-like abilities do indeed now lie within your grasp. Rather,

Mage is about exploration of the nature of reality. Of the nature of self. Of what it means to be real. It

explores how belief can influence perception, and how that perception helps us build our very

existence.

For these reasons, Mage is by far the most complicated of all of the World of Darkness

intellectual properties. It is more important here than in perhaps any other splat to remember: the rules

are more like guidelines. The structure of the mechanics is immutable, but how you apply them is

extremely variable. We will discuss these mechanics in detail in the following pages, but keep in mind

there is no real limit to what you can do as a Mage, Paradox is your only chain.

The way that a Mage views the world is extremely vital. Some see spirits in all things,

others turn to what they call "enlightened science" and produce gadgets to work their magick. As you

read, try to think about the views your Mage has. Are they a scientist? Do they believe in ritual? Do
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they work magick through meditation, or inside the confines of a laboratory? Do they use their bodies

to channel the magick, or a device, a talisman? Anything is possible, but it should make at least loose

logical sense to your Mage. It is how they see the world, the ideas upon which they build all else.

Everyone has this type of philosophical structure to their day to day; even Nihilists have to hold to a

belief structure, and this irony speaks to something fundamental about Mage: The Ascension. Our

beliefs push us; use this game as a chance to apply imagination and come up with new belief structures.

A new Paradigm.

If this is confusing, have no fear; as you read things will make more sense. But let your

mind simmer, allow these ideas to shift to the back-burner, and press on, dear reader! There is much to

learn, and more to see, and we have little time.

This homebrew utilizes 5th Edition at its core. Combat, health, all of the rules are the

same, with rare exception. Read on for clarification, but we tried our best to make this fit into the

framework laid down by Vampire: The Masquerade, 5th Edition. If you have played that splat before,

then you should be more than familiar with the basic structure we set out to capture. Part of the purpose

of this homebrew is to make Mage more compatible with Vampire, allowing for more cross-splat

Chronicles. It is, after all, not just Vampire, or Mage, or Werewolf, but the World of Darkness. By using

v5 as a scaffold for this system, we hope to help people more fully integrate the wide, deep lore of the

entire setting into their stories.

Whether we have succeeded, well, only time will tell. But thank you for taking the time

to read, and I hope this document helps bring you joy.

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Chapter 1: What is a Mage?

This section is dedicated to introductions. We will go over the basic concepts of Mage

here, and then break them down one by one later on.

To make a very complex topic easy to understand, a Mage is someone who can

manipulate reality through sheer willpower. In the World of Darkness, reality is like clay. It is shaped

by belief. The beliefs of the total mass of humanity is known as The Consensus, and this Consensus, to

put it more simply, Is The Way Things Are. If all of humanity believed the world was flat, it would be.

If everyone believed the sky was green, it would be. A Mage is someone who has Awakened, or

become Aware of the malleable nature of reality. Because of this, part of their souls has Woken Up, and

become an Avatar. This Avatar is the enlightened aspect of a Mage, and by communing with it a Mage

may further their understanding of the universe, or Arete. The higher a Mage's Arete, the more

malleable reality becomes to them; after all, the more awareness you have of a thing, the more power

you have over it.

Most Mages organize the way they see reality into a belief structure, as mentioned in the

Intro. These structures are known as Paradigms. A shamanistic Mage might see a spirit in each object,

and because of this, there is a spirit in each object, and he would call out to them when working his

magick. A Son of Aether might see a scientific and reasoned explanation to most things; perhaps they

build a ray gun, capable of collecting the Aether and then projecting it into devastating beams. The way

a Mage works their magick is dependent on their Paradigm, but make no mistake, they are indeed

working magick. Even Technocrats, with their Enlightened Science, work magick with their many

gadgets.
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Paradigms naturally lead to many factions within the world of Mage. Some Mages

agreed, or their Paradigms come close to each other. Others have wildly differing ideas about the nature

of reality. These Mages grouped together into organizations known as Traditions and, over time, they

came to struggle with one another in a great conflict known as the Ascension Wars. In the end, only one

Paradigm can ever be dominant. Take our modern world, for example; most people believe in science.

They understand that science works, when it comes to understanding reality. They drive cars, talk on

phones, all produced through science. And so the Paradigm of Enlightened Science is dominant. These

are the rules by which reality functions. The varying groups of Mages--which we will get into later--

fight against one another to make their Paradigm, The Consensus. Right now, the Technocrats, those

who hold to Enlightened Science, are winning. Other Traditions are rare, though not non-existent,

across the world.

Because Enlightened Science is dominant, all of the other Paradigms operate under a

handicap. Often their magick goes against The Consensus, and as such they accrue what is known is

Paradox. Paradox can be deadly for Mages, driving them deep into a type of madness known as Quiet.

Mages can avoid Quiet by finding a way to disguise their magick as Coincidental; for example, a Mage

that summons a gust of wind to blow someone down who is already standing on ice will not gain

Paradox. Any Sleepers who watch would assume the ice contributed to the fall. But if a Mage summons

an elephant out of thin air, the magick is now Vulgar. It goes directly against The Consensus, as science

says elephants do not simply drop from thin air, and as such the Mage would gain Paradox.

If a Mage accrues too much Paradox, they enter a state known as Quiet. Quiet is when

the mind struggles to comes to terms with Paradox; The Consensus is strong, and doing too much

which violates it makes the mind question itself, despite the Mage's Paradigm. This creates a feedback

loop of doubt and confidence within the Mage which, over time, can drive them further from their

humanity, even into madness. A Mage that accrues too much Paradox runs the risk of becoming a
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Marauder, beings who are completely mad, so convinced of their own Paradigm that they can create

reality bubbles around themselves, areas of mini-Consensus. There are Marauders in New York who

think themselves superheroes, and some elsewhere he believe that they are Jedi. But make no mistake,

being a Marauder is not a good thing. The Mage loses the ability to process emotion as a whole, and

they become slaves to their Paradigm, unable to break free or change their view of the world. Some

Marauders become sociopaths, others collapse into gibbering states of insanity, and still others think

themselves to be trapped within their favorite narrative. But becoming a Marauder is not the only

possible side-effect of Paradox. The Mage's mind can lash out while grappling with Paradox, creating

something called a Paradox Backlash. The effects of a Backlash are often random, but they can range

from the Mage's bones turning into wood, to the Mage being completely erased from existence. This

Zero-summing is the one of the greatest fears of all Mages, and one of the biggest checks on their

power.

You must remember when creating your Mage: your Paradigm can be anything. It does

not have to align with Consensus. Anything is possible with magick, even if it runs the risk of Paradox.

So do not limit yourself, or the scope of your imagination. The Traditions and lore that follows is there

for you to draw inspiration from. The Traditions exist as entities in the World of Darkness, and they

will more than likely be a part of your Chronicle. But your Mage does not have to be a part of that, they

can spring from somewhere wholly new. The limit is only what you can dream. What follows will be a

brief overview of the character creation process. We will then go over each aspect in detail, including

the Traditions.
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Character Creation Overview:

 Choose a name, and a Paradigm. If you are aligned with one of the Traditions, choose one now

(page 15)

 Choose an Ambition and a Desire

 Choose your Essence and Avatar (page 34)

 Distribute Attribute Points. All Attributes start with 1. One Attribute with additional 4, Three

Attributes with additional 3, four Attributes with additional 2, one Attribute with additional 1

 Choose a Skill Distribution

 Jack of All Trades: one Skill at 3, eight Skills at 2, ten Skills at 1

 Balanced: three Skills at 3, five Skills at 2, seven Skills at 1

 Specialist: one Skill at 4, three Skills at 3, three Skills at 2, three Skills at 1; add free

Specialties to either Academics, Craft, Performance, or Science Skills

 Set up Health; Stamina + 3

 Set up Willpower; Resolve + Compsure

 Choose your Spheres, and Arete (page 39)

1. First Setup, Awakened: Arete 3, 10 dots to distribute across all Spheres

2. Second Setup (recommended), Awakening: Arete 1, 6 dots to distribute

across all Spheres

 Choose 7 points of Backgrounds or Merits, and 2 points of Flaws (M20 Backgrounds and

Merits)

 Choose your Convictions and Touchstones

 Create your Rotes (page 59)

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Experience Costs:

 Increase Attribute: 5 x new level

 Increase Skill: 3 x new level

 New Specialty: 3

 Essence Sphere: 5 x new level

 Out of Essence Sphere: 10 x new level

 Questing Essence Spheres: 8 x new level

 Background or Merit: 3 per dot

 Arete: 10 x new level

 Willpower: 10 x new level

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Chapter 2: The World of Mages

The World of Darkness has a deep, detailed history, and Mages have played a great part

in it. History, as seen from their viewpoint, is an extremely fluid thing. History is in the eye of the

Beholder, after all, but there are some things which can be agreed upon, some few loose facts which

help to form a foundation when exploring the World of Darkness through the lens of a Mage. Keep in

mind when reading this chapter: none of this need be used in your Chronicles. Your explorations with

Mage can lead you anywhere, including far, far from the Ascension War. What follows is merely the

commonality, the foundation of the stage upon which your journey will play out. This chapter will help

to provide context, which you can use to fuel your own writing.

Ascension:

The first thing one must know about Mage is the nature of Ascension. Each Mage, and

each group of Mages, save for the Nephandi, strives to achieve Ascension. Ascension is when a Mage's

understanding of reality reaches such a high degree, that it allows their Paradigm to become dominant,

to Ascend to the status of Consensus. This has never truly been achieved, not even by the Technocracy,

who have managed to reach such a level of dominance they no longer need to worry about Paradox.

True Ascension would allow the Mage, or group of Mages, who achieves it to rewrite reality as they

see fit, to set the rules the way that they want. The collective struggle between Mages for Ascension,

across the ocean of history, is known as The Ascension Wars.

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Awakened History:

The universe was born. How this happened is a matter for belief. There are as many

creation myths as there are people and cultures, more even, with most having been long lost to time.

What is certain, is that things began. The planets were made, and life sprang up. Humanity was born

and began to spread. This time is known as the Primordial Age. The details of this time are almost

completely unknown, and it is a period which is oft debated among Awakened.

But then, tragedy struck. Something occurred, again exactly what is unknown, but it

destroyed harmony in the universe. Humanity was cast down, as was most of the natural order. And

they were hunted. Slavering monsters and ravenous beasts hunted humankind, driving them deep into

caves, forcing humans to live as little more than hunted apes. This time was known as the Predatory

Age, and it was one of the lowest moments humanity ever reached.

Eventually, over time, human beings began to turn back the tide. They learned to harness

fire, invented technology, and, of course, some few began to Awaken. True Faith spread through some

others, and eventually the monsters were driven back. Great civilizations arose, from Atlantis to Mu;

they reached astounding heights of power and advancement. But it was not to last forever. Something

occurred, a great Cataclysm which tossed down these mighty kingdoms. The source of this Cataclysm

is lost to the mists of time, and is once again a source of great debate among the Awakened. This

Cataclysm Age was marked by the rise and fall of these civilizations.

A long Tribal Age would begin, with humanity regressing to a more primitive state.

Awakened would move to positions of leadership, using their magick to defend their people, both from
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nature and the wider world without. It was the Awakened who created the basis for civilization to

regrow. But all was not peaceful. Some few Awakened used their power to become warlords,

conquering all before them. These Awakened would eventually build urban centers, leading to the

rebirth of civilization in the Levant, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and the Yellow River Valley in China.

Even in the Americas and Australia, Awakened helped to steer and shape culture, developing their own

magick over the course of time.

This period would give way the Heroic Age, the time when legends walked the Earth.

Figures like Gilgamesh and Isis, and many, many more. But the details of this time still remain hazy,

the stories that have been passed down having long morphed into a myriad of myths and legends. What

is known for certain is that, eventually, stability would lead into the Classical Era.

The Classical Era was the time of Troy. Of Athens. Of the great civilizations in China,

India, and the Americas. This period is closer in time, and so better understood. History proceeded

much as taught in schools, but behind the curtain were the Awakened. The Awakened had always been

there, across all the time since Primordial Age. They had formed groups, and belief structures,

becoming more and more cemented in their ways. Eventually, this led to conflict, both martial and

political, as the different groups began to jockey for dominance.

All of this would come to a head in The Himalayan Wars. The Thanatoics and

Akashics warred over some misunderstanding, the nature of which has been lost to time. This war

would rage across Asia and Indian for six hundred years, both sides using magick which allowed fallen

Mages to reincarnate, and continue the fight across time. The magickal effects spilled outward from

this conflict, and the entire world seemed to become engulfed in war. From Europe to China, this

period was marked by conquest, brutality, and all out fighting as civilizations--and Awakened--strove

for power. It was during this period that Mages learned the truth of their power; they began to notice if

an Awakened ruled a land and people, reality bent to their whim as well. Certain magicks would only
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work correctly within certain areas. Beliefs, it turned out, ruled reality. And so Mages began to carve

out their our domains of influence, whispering into the ears of king's messages from the gods, or else

becoming kings and queens themselves. The modern Mage Traditions arose during this time, though

many of them have roots that run far older.

Eventually, as tends to happen, time wore things down. Barbarians appeared on the

borders of Rome, and the Western Empire collapsed. China entered a period of relative decline as well,

though India entered a Golden Age. This period is known as the High Mythic Ages, and it was a time

of great flux, both for society, and for the magickal world of the Awakened. Christianity was born and

spread, snuffing out the Old Gods, driving them into the far corners of the world, only to have them

creep back after the collapse of Rome. Mages struggled with each other across the world, as they

always had.

Enlightened Science, again just another form of magick, continued to progress during

this time as well. On March 25, 1325, Mages that aligned themselves with Paradigms of Reason, Logic,

and Science, came together in The Convention of the White Tower. There, they decided to band

together to create a new group, The Order of Reason. The Order would help to bring about the

Renaissance, spreading knowledge across Europe. They also ruthlessly pursued their goals, stamping

out beliefs in paganism, and kicking starting the Inquisition. This period was known as the Reasoned

Era.

Political machinations in the mundane world affected Mages through all of this, driving

deep divisions between disparate Traditions. The Order of Reason would wage a slow, unstoppable war

of culture against the other Traditions, driving deep into the Americas, bringing Reason with fire and

steel. They battled hard against other Paradigms, but the other Paradigms fought back, indigenous

groups across the world attempting to hold back the tide of Colonialism. There was a resurgence in

spiritualism at the dawn of the 20th century, and more Mystic Orders appeared again.
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In Response, the Order of Reason fell into a civil war known as The Lightening Purge,

and reorganized into the Technocratic Union. The reigns of power were shifted fully from the old way,

to the new; titles like Mage became replaced with Technocrat. Mages took the early part of the 20th

Century to expand their influence through mass media. And thus began the Technocratic Age.

But all was not well. The Nephandi, a group of Mages dedicated to destruction and

death, had wormed their way into the powers of Europe, and manipulated a great war between the

Traditions, and the Technocracy. World War II would rage for years, with disaster and Paradox

exploding all across the globe. Both sides were utterly ravaged, Axis and Allies alike suffering under

the devastation this conflict brought with it. Eventually, the Nephandi influence in the Thule Society in

Germany, and in other groups within the Axis, was discovered.

The Technocracy and Traditions would call for a meeting, and would sit down to discuss

these revelations. In the end, they would decide to sign a treaty, and to join together to defeat the

Nephandi. The Technocracy, who at first put its might behind the Axis, subtly shifted sides, and

together the two groups would crush the Thule Society, and soon after bring an end to the war.

And yet, once again, this was not the beginning of peace. Tensions would rise between

the Technocracy and the Traditions; a kind of magickal Cold War would break out, each side honoring

the treaty, but only just. Both sides knew at this point that Ascension was the only true way to achieve

victory, for their Paradigm to rise to dominance and become Consensus. If this happens, they will have

the power to mold reality as they see fit, create the worlds they know to be right, regardless of which

version of the world that happens to be. A shadow war rages in the World of Darkness, Technocrat

against Traditionalist, the struggles they engage in trapping humanity in a place of eternal purgatory,

languishing, suffering as collateral in a conflict they cannot even hope to understand.

The 1990's would prove to be a time of great transition for Mages. Conflicts broke out

across the globe, sometimes with supernatural creatures such as vampires, and in 1999 this all came to
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a head with the rising of the Ravnos Antediluvian, Zapathasura. The Technocracy would destroy this

creature by dropping four Quintessence Bombs on the Indian subcontinent. These bombs would have a

devastating effect on the Umbra; Stygia, and much of the rest of the homeland of the Wraiths, was

completely obliterated, tossing spirits into our world, and driving many others insane. The Avatar

Storm broke out, raging violent for weeks on end, killing Mages across the planet and cutting off those

journeying with the Umbra. Eventually, it would subside, but the damage would be done. Mages across

the world are still affected to this day. The Technocracy struck at the Traditions not long after this,

launching a sneak attack against the Council of Nine Traditions, and breaking the long truce. They

managed to catch the Traditionalists unawares, and wiped out the entire Council, kick starting the

Second Inquisition.

The Traditions are currently leaderless, and scattered across the globe. Enlightened

Technology is dominate, and the Traditions feel the weight of Paradox upon their magick. The Union

hunts down anything supernatural they consider to an aberration, showing no mercy, and turning the

Ascension Wars into a desperate battle for survival for the other Mages. Disparate traditions have again

begun to crop up as the Nine Traditions are forced to move underground , vacating positions of power

held for centuries. Reports of Nephandi and Marauders are on the rise as chaos becomes the norm for

the magickal community, the Nephandi even creeping into the Technocratic Union itself.

This is the setting that you will find yourself in, a world on the brink, a World of

Darkness. Some few within the Technocracy work against Nephandi corruption, and the Traditionalists

rally to retake their world. Will you join either side, or perhaps chart your own course, forming a group

of Disparates that holds to their own way of doing things? The choice is up to you; Ascension awaits.

The Council of Nine Mystick Traditions:

When you think of a Mage, you likely think of flowing robes, wooden staves, lightening
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called from the sky, and esoteric chanting. Magick, for better or worse, has a stereotype, and Tradition

Mages are stereotypical Mages. They brew potions, have rituals, pray to unknown gods, call upon the

spirits, or channel their chi. The Nine Traditions vary wildly, and indeed were only Eight for most of

their history. Most of them have roots that go back into the mists of time, and they are ruled by a

Council of nine members, each one representing one of the different Traditions. The Council has

always been an eclectic, international group, but it has rarely worked as intended. Many of the

Traditions are naturally at odds with one another, or Sleeper politics and beliefs creep in and drive deep

divides. But throughout it all they have held on, fighting a losing battle against the rise of Enlightened

Science.

In the modern era, they have returned to Nine members, but are in the midst of flux.

The Technocractic Union used the Avatar Storm as a chance to break their treaty with the Traditions,

and they struck many of the Council's strongholds at once, including Horizon. They years immediately

after this were dark for Tradition Mages; with no leadership, they lived hunted lives, tracked down and

destroyed or captured by the Technocracy. Slowly, though, resistance formed. A rogue Council, called

the New Horizon Council of Nine, filled the place of the original Council of Nine Mystick Traditions,

assuming leadership and beginning to strike back against the Union. Today, they have re-established

some few strongholds, and the conflict between the two sides is beginning to heat up. Tradition Mages

adopt new, more modern methods of working magick, and the Technocracy continues to further its goal

of world domination, and Ascension.

The New Council operates much the same as the old. Nine Primi represent each of the

Nine Traditions in the Council; they are the leaders of the Traditions, and some of the most powerful

Mages alive. They meet and make decisions about the direction of the future together, at least, when it

works. Tradition Mages operate out of Chantries and Horizon Realms. These are hidden fortresses,

or pocket dimensions, almost always centered around a focus, or Node, of magickal energy. Some of
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them are mighty, ancient places, and some of them are in the basement of the local convenience store,

but all are led by a Council or Regent of their own. Cabals are the Mage equivalent of the Coterie; they

are groups of like minded Mages that come together. Each one is often self-organized, but they answer

to the leadership of their local Chantry. The New Horizon Council recognizes the following ranks as

official positions of power and respect within their organization:

 Oracle: A Mage who has approached Ascension, but still struggles with their humanity. They

are not quite a god, but they are no longer fully mortal. Always an Arete 10 Mage. The Oracles

were destroyed by the Avatar Storm

 Primus: refers to one of the original Nine Founders of the Traditions, as well as to their living

representative on the Council today, very rarely under an Arete 8 Mage

 Arch-Mage/Master Scientist: Powerful Mages who have mastered several Spheres. This rank

can take lifetimes to achieve. Scientific Paradigms use the term "Master Scientist". Almost

always an Arete 6 or 7 Mage.

 Adept/Professor: Skilled Mages who have shown knowledge within their Spheres. Mages

between Arete 2-5

 Initiate/Student: Baby Mages, those newly Awakened who are taking their first steps in the

Traditions. Arete 1, sometimes 2, Mages.

◦ Other Terms:

1. Consor: an unAwakened ally

2. Sentinel: the Guardian of a Chantry

3. Disparate: A Mage who belongs to a mystickal sect that refuses

to join the Traditions, and there are many.

The Chantries helped to preserve the Traditions after the fall of Horizon; with no
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leadership, things reverted to local control. Each Chantry ran itself as best it could. The Traditions have

long operated under a series of laws, but during this time they were enforced only intermittent, and

corruption and abuse of power ran rampant. Eventually, it became too much to bear. A New Horizon

Convention was called in 2001, in Los Angeles. There, the New Horizon Council of Nine was formed,

and assumed leadership of the Traditions. Reform has been the name of the game since then, with many

of the Traditions going through a transition period of rebirth, tossing off the shackles of out of date

beliefs, reforming those still useful, and developing new ones more in keeping with a modern age. New

Primi were elected in 2018, and the Traditions now are leaner, meaner, fighting a guerrilla war against

the Technocracy.

The Convention, both in the past and reaffirmed in 2001, agreed to abide by certain

Protocols. These Protocols function as laws for Mages, a code of conduct which helps to constrain the

worst of their behavior, and the abuse which comes when one garners great power. Consequences for

breaking the Protocols can vary, and minor infractions are usually handled by the leadership of the

local Chantry. More serious offenses call for judgment by Tribunal, a jury of powerful, experienced

Mages. Considering the inherent power in many of lawbreakers within the world of Mage, death is

often times the preferred method of punishment. The Protocols of the Traditions are as follows:

1. Respect those of greater Knowledge - Knowledge is power, and intrinsically carries value.

Every Mage knows this. The acquisition of knowledge is so cherished by the Awakened, that

honor to those that have it has been enshrined into Law.

2. A Tutor's debt must be repaid - The Council has heavily influenced by the Hermetic

Tradition. Teachers are expected to be paid in some fashion for their Knowledge and

experience. Any Mage who refuses to pay a Tutor debt risks a sentence of Avatar Branding.

Those who bear the Avatar Brand will never find a teacher again, at least, not among Tradition

Mages.
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3. A Mage's Word is his Honor; break not a sworn Vow - Mages lie. Mages especially lie. They

will say anything to further their ends. Because of this a special kind of magick was developed.

A Sworn Oath is a serious thing to a Mage. To violate one leaves a mark on one's aura, and is

considered extreme disrespect to the Arts. Oathbreakers are almost always sentenced to the

Avatar Brand.

4. Betray not your Cabal or Chantry - This Protocol is central to the Traditions. For most of

history, the Council operated in small groups, far isolated and often cut off. A Mage's Cabal,

their Chantry, they are a Mage's family, their lifeline. Even in the modern age, it was central to

the Traditions survival, as Mages across the world fell back to their local leadership to avoid the

Technocracy. The penalty for breaking this Protocol is death.

5. Protect the Sleepers; they know not what they do - This protocol has been part of the

Traditions laws since time immemorial. Many Mages in the Traditions see the Sleepers as

infants, in need of guidance, and it is--at least on the surface--a guiding ideal behind the

Council's decisions. To purposefully harm Sleepers, or mistreat them through magickal means,

is a serious offense, which can result in Branding, or even the feared sentence of Gilgul, the

extinguishment of a Mage's Avatar.

6. Be subtle with your Arts, lest others know you for what you are - This Protocol was added

during the First Inquisition, when witches pyres burned across Europe. It has become even more

important in the modern era, when the prevalence of cameras and the Internet makes the threat

of discovery--and of Paradox--more real than ever. Breaking this Protocol carries with it the

sentence of Branding, or even Gilgul, in an attempt to cover up the offenders breech.

The Disparate Alliance/The Crafts:

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The Disparate Alliance, as it is known by Traditionalist Mages, is a loose collection of

mystickal sects which have refused to join with the Traditions, and with the Technocracy. For most of

time, they existed on the fringes of society. Hedge mages, or covens of witches with strange rituals.

Over time, many Disparate groups begun to rise, including such famous organizations as the Knights

Templar. The Technocracy would conduct a purge of these groups at the dawn of the 20th century;

some whisper that the Traditions aided with this purge, eager to be rid of those who had refused their

authority for so long.

Disparates refer to their own organizations collectively as The Crafts. And after the

purge of the early 20th century, these groups began to learn. They fled back to the edges of society, but

not into isolation. They formed a loose collection, set up a network of communication with one

common goal: survive. This Disparate Alliance, as it has come to be known, has proven to be effective,

helping independent Mages stay one step ahead of both the Technocratic Union, and their Traditionalist

rivals.

The important thing to remember about Disparates: there is no end to their variety.

Human beings are infinitely variable, and as such, so are our beliefs. This fact still stands true for

Mages. There are Mages who believe anything, everything. There is no limit. There are as many

Paradigms as there are stars in the sky. Some of them are confined to the mind of a single Mage, others

have managed to find others of like mind and build groups that span the globe. If you choose to play a

Disparate, your backstory could be anything, you could be from anywhere.

The Nephandi:

The Nephandi are the dark aspect of the magickal world. In the past, they were Infernal

Mages, making deals with devils, demons, and other dark entities in exchange for power. They see the
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real truth of the universe: that there is no hope. That, in the end, all things will die. Even the stars will

go out, the universe will end cold and empty, devoid of anything, no life, no light. Only the long, black,

darkness that will be Absolute. A Nephandus is hard to spot; they play a very long game, often working

from inside organizations. They are classy, intelligent, and will do anything to achieve their goals. They

are the the personification of Entropy, the slow creep of decay that works towards the end of all.

Many Nephandi do still make dark pacts with horrible and unknowable creatures from

the Deep Umbra. They make pacts with demons, or eldritch gods, but gone are the days of Satanic

rituals that openly spill the blood of the innocent. They watch, silent, from the darkness, working

against the good of all with a smile. A Nephandus knows there is no hope, not even for themselves.

They will happily leap head first into the Abyss, laughing all the way. They bring destruction and

misery for destruction and miseries sake, and with the magick of a Mage on their side, they are forces

to be feared indeed. The Traditions, Technocracy and Disparates would put aside all other troubles--at

least temporarily--if knowledge of Nephandi corruption were to come to light. The Nephandi seek

Descent, not Ascension, and this cannot be allowed under any circumstances.
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Chapter 3: The Traditions

In this chapter, we will talk about the Traditions in a little more detail. Keep in mind,

there is no need to play a Traditionalist Mage. And even if you do, there is no need to fit them directly

into the molds laid out in this document. There is variation even in these organizations, Etherites who

postulate the existence of spirits, or a shaman who uses science to help inform his visions. As always

with Mage, your imagination is the true limiter. You are encouraged to think outside the box, and to

remember that the story is about the journey, not the destination.

The Akashayana: "Our bodies strive to recall the harmony our souls knew

before we were born."

Recommended Essence: Pattern or Dynamic

Recommended Spheres: Mind and Life

The Akashayana's history, according to them, goes all the way back to the beginning of

creation. In the beginning, there was Mount Meru, and humanity clustered around it. The Dragon, the

Tiger, and the Phoenix came to them, and taught them civilization. But, more important, they taught

humanity the Do, the Way, the first martial art, from which all others have flowed. The Akashayana

believe in harmony, in the balance of all things. They train their bodies so that they can train their

Minds, and are very proficient in the Mind Sphere for this reason. They use the movement and physical

rigor that comes from martial arts as a means to meditate, and to tap into their magick. They seek
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harmony through conflict, using it to sharpen their discipline to the point where peace and balance are

intrinsic. The Do has influenced aspects of culture, religion, and philosophy across Asia, and its

fingerprints can be found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Taoism, and yoga. They helped to build both

Angkor Wat and Shaolin Temple.

Akashayana believe in a Paradigm that includes reincarnation. As such, they can

meditate, delve their consciousness deep into the currents of Prime, and remember fragments from the

past lives of other Akashanaya. They call the layer of awareness that delve into the view these

memories the shunyata, and all Akashayana leave their imprint in this layer. A follower of the Do can

meditate once a day and view the memories of past lives. They roll Intelligence + Occult vs a difficulty

of 3. The Storyteller creates fragments of memory based on the amount of successes over; a Critical

will result in a profound realization about the player characters own past lives.

Akashayana usually are trained in a master and apprentice relationship, usually one

master training one apprentice, someone who has proven themselves to be both compassionate, a

skilled warrior, and of open mind. They almost always channel their magick through the movement of

their bodies, honing their minds by having the disciplined needed to perform flawless martial

accelerations.

The Celestial Chorus: "Dissonance is not the absence of Harmony, merely a

Harmony that needs to be adjusted until the song rings true."

Recommended Essence: Dynamic or Primordial

Recommended Spheres: Prime, Forces, and Spirit

Whether it is a belief in the Oneness of the Universe, or the belief in the God of the

Catholic Church, followers of the Celestial Chorus are those who hold a Paradigm that centers around a
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monotheistic God or Force that controls the universe. They believe that universe was created, and is

upheld, but a great cosmic Song, set in motion by the One. Any who know the One, in whatever shape

or form, are free to add their voice to the Melody. As with many of the Traditions, the Chorus goes

back to humanity's beginnings, and has taken on as many forms and faces as there are religions. The

Aton, Mithras, Zoroaster, Jesus, Allah, the name of the One has changed many times, always different

based on where the people, and that part of the Song, originates from. But what doesn't change is faith.

Faith is what drives the magick of the Chorus.

The Celestial Chorus has always struggled with fundamentalism within its ranks.

Religion can be a powerful tool, and many Sleepers hold fanatically, even today, to their religious

beliefs. This only makes the Paradigm of the Chorus stronger. But even so, it is a double-edged sword.

Fundamentalist groups can and have started wars throughout history, killing billions in the name of

shifting the Song in one direction or the other. The fanaticism that can be inherent in the Chorus can be

hard to steer, and often comes back to haunt Chorisers. The Technocratic Union was, in part, born out

of the Celestial Chorus, from a group known as the Gabrielites. This would explain the almost religious

fervor that Technocrats can give to science, and the rigor with which they hunt down those who oppose

their view.

The Chorus is very hierarchical. It is led by the Curia, a 17-member council of

Chancellors, the most respected of which is granted the title of Pontifex Maximus. The globe is divided

up into territories belonging to each Chancellor, and the Chancellors rely on agents known as Exarchs

to help them manage the vast domains. Many Exarchs assign local priests known as Presbyters to

manage the day to day. Presbyters are in charge of seeking out religious worshipers who have Awoken

through intense religious experience.

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The Sahajiya: "Life's a Gift, but most poor bastards never get past the wrapping

paper."

Recommended Essence: Dynamic or Pattern

Recommended Spheres: Life, Mind, and Spirit

The Sahajiya, formerly known as The Cult of Ecstasy, is among the most misunderstood

of all the Traditions, and might be the oldest. They indulge in drugs of all kinds, give in to their baser

lusts, have elaborate rituals based on orgies, and all around just like to party. This often gives them a

reputation for being flighty, eccentric, unpredictable. They are often looked down upon as degenerates,

touchy-feely hippy types who can be way, way too intense. But the truth is far more complex.

The truth is that Ecstatics believe in a simple precept: the Mind is All. Consciousness is

the seat of all things, and by expanding it, one can expand reality. The more experiences they have, the

better. The Mind must be altered, for by altering it we come to know an aspect of the truth. Sex, drugs,

intense feelings, and near death experiences, these are the things from which all magick flows for the

Sahajiya. Inhibition must be thrown to the wind in order to touch the Lakashim, the Divine Pulse.

The Sahajiya are extremely loose, and unorganized. There is only one rule: consent must

be given before the Path can be walked; the Sahajiya are forbid from engaging with unwilling partners.

They often live among the Sleepers, enjoying the extreme ends of their society. Some Ecstatics become

daredevils, adrenaline junkies. Others become actual junkies. The Code of Ananda is a set of rules

which helps to steer Sahajiya towards compassion and enlightenment, but everything the Ecstatics do is

informal. There are five steps to Ecstasy:

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1. Surrender your fear

2. Focus your intentions

3. Open yourself

4. Attune yourself

5. Repeat Step 1

The Kha'vadi: "I'm speaking to the End of Silence. Can you hear the Thunder

yet?"

Recommended Essence: Dynamic and Primordial

Recommended Spheres: Life, Prime, and Spirit

Formerly known as The Dreamspeakers, the Speakers have reorganized in the wake of

Horizon's fall, taking up their full spirit title as their rightful name. The Kha'vadi are perhaps one of the

most persecuted of the Traditions, and they often find themselves at odds with the Celestial Chorus,

who have slandered and patronized the Speakers for centuries. The Kha'vadi believe in the spirit world;

they believe that our world and it our supposed to touch, to mingle, that the spirits inform our lives.

Often called shamans, the Kha'vadi hail almost exclusively from the indigenous populations of the

globe. They view magick as Medicine, and they strive to work with and become one with reality, the

true reality, the reality of the Tryat and the spirits that have filled the universe since the Gauntlet

separated our world from the spirit world.

The Speakers have ever born the brunt of persecution, whether it be at the hands of

witch-hunters purging the pagan, or when fighting against the inexorable tide of Colonialism, the

Kha'vadi have been battered about for nearly five hundred years. But that has begun to change since
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Horizon fell. The spirit Tradition took the fall of the Old Council to adapt to the modern era. They have

begun to drift towards technology, and have noticed that the Digital Web is itself alive, with a mind--

and soul--of its own. They have taken to the Internet, and an era of technoshamanism has begun.

The Kha'vadi have no formal organization, instead acting as solitary agents, free to

wander and wonder at their leisure. However, they will often come together in Conclaves to exchange

information in socialize. Incidents of these Conclaves have drastically increased since the creation of

the World Wide Web. Speakers are brought into the Tradition by enduring a ritual (or literal) death,

traveling to the spirit world, and enduring a trial. Should the Awakened succeed, then they will return to

life with new wisdom.

The Euthanatos: "Death isn't just a word to me--it's Genesis."

Recommended Essence: Primordial or Dynamic

Recommended Spheres: Entropy, Life, and Spirit

The Euthanatoi, also known as the Chakranvanti, are Mages of Life and of Death. They

have lived before, and they have died before. Traveled beyond to the Great Wheel, ridden around, and

been reborn. Not all those who reincarnate become Euthanatoi; but all Euthanatoi have reincarnated.

These Mages--drawn from a variety of cultures from Greece and Africa, to India and China--

understand the true balance that the universe requires to operate. Life is born, it grows and thrives, it

grows old, and then it dies. This is the Way of things, and the Great Wheel exists to maintain the Cycle.

The Euthanatoi exist to maintain the Wheel. They are perhaps the most ethical of the Traditions, but

this is a symptom of the terrible burden they must bear. The Euthanatoi must maintain the Wheel, and

sometimes that means knowing when a life must end. Sometimes a life brings nothing but pain.

Sometimes one escapes from the Cycle altogether, like the accursed vampires. Whatever the case, the
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Euthanatoi does not hesitate to deal death in the name of balance. This does not mean they are evil or

unfeeling, however, far from it. Life is at the center of the Euthanatos, Life and helping it to flourish.

Death can be vital to Life, clearing out the old, making room for new growth.

The Tradition rules itself with a strict code, called the Dharmachakra, the Eight-Spoked

Wheel of the Law. This code enforces Eight Aspects:

1. The Samsara, the Cycle

2. The Advaita, the Unity of All Things

3. The Kala, Accpetance of Morality

4. The Pravitra, Mantle of Guardianship

5. The Dama, Mastery of Self-control

6. The Daya, Expression of Compassion

7. The Tapas, Avoidance of Temptation

8. The Punarjanman, Experience of Death and Rebirth

There is no over-arching organization to the Euthanatoi, but no matter their walk of life

or form, all of them must hold to the Dharmachakra. Euthanatoi are trained in a Master/Student

relationship. The student, known as the Chatra, swears a life-oath to to the teacher, known as the

Acarya. Each Mage must endure a ritual death known as the Diksha; they die, and must find their way

back from the Shadowlands. Only then may they be apprenticed, and they will then spend years

learning the healing and killing Arts.

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The Order of Hermes: "I do not 'manifest' change--I become change."

Recommended Essence: Dynamic or Pattern

Recommended Spheres: Forces, Matter, and Mind

The Order of Hermes is by far the largest of all the Traditions, the Order goes back far

into time, and it has gone through many incarnations. But one thing has always been true, and that is

that they are the most refined and most knowledgeable of all the Traditions. They are the most

organized Tradition, and by far the most strong willed. They view themselves as superior, and in some

ways they most certainly are; the archives of the Order are without peer. Hermetics know magick

beyond magick. They command their magick, through overpowering will. They use alchemy, High

Ritual, science, and a number of other esoteric approaches to the Arts.

The Order has a vast, and steeped history, going all the way back to Ancient Egypt. They

have always been extremely hierarchical, pulling recruits from academia, science, or the military. An

initiate must apprentice themselves to a Mater or Pater. The training is unforgivable, rigorous to the

extreme, and an initiate must advance through nine levels to achieve a full Awakening. It is supposed to

be a gradual Awakening, with the mind slowly opening as the student progresses. A Hermetic that

reaches the Ninth Level has achieved true Awareness, and such Mages have become rare since the fall

of Horizon. The Nine Levels of Advancement are as follows:

1. Neophyte

2. Zelator

3. Practicus

4. Initiate
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5. Initiate Exemptus

6. Adept

7. Adept Major

8. Magister Scholae

9. Magister Mundi

The Society of Ether: "Onwards and upwards--All or None!"

Recommended Essence: Pattern or Primordial

Recommended Spheres: Matter, Forces, or Prime

The Society of Ether follows a scientific Paradigm. That's right; scientists on the

Council of Traditions. Even so, the Society goes back to Ancient Troy. The Kitab was the one of the

first attempts at a systematic natural philosophy, and it is this document that caused many within the

Society of Ether to Awaken. The Society in its modern form, however did not come into being until the

19th century, and as such it is often considered by other Traditions to be the youngest facet of the

Council. Despite the fact that the Society reveres science, it is not the science that we know. Instead,

Etherites gravitate towards theories and hypotheses that would be considered disproved by most of the

scientific community. Indeed, the name itself sprang from the Aether, a scientific theory which fell out

of favor at the dawn of the 20th century. The Aether, string theory, flat earth, and more; the Society is

home to dozens, maybe hundreds of disparate scientific ideas.

The Society was actually born out of the beginnings of the Technocracy, specifically the

rivalry between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. Tesla was an Etherite, but he butted heads constantly

with Edison. Indeed, many of Edison's inventions were stolen from Tesla's science. Not only that, but

Edison would engage in a slander campaign against Tesla, sabotaging his research, pulling his grants,
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and outright destroying his laboratories at many points throughout their lives. This conflict would lead

Tesla to break with the Technocracy, and his fellow Etherites followed suit, going with him to join with

the Council of Nine Traditions in revolt against their former masters.

The Society is loosely organized, usually only coming together in rare instances to

exchange Knowledge. Instead, it is built of many individuals, all of them going their own way, seeking

their own idea of scientific truth. Etherites are always pulled from scientists, usually when another

member of the Society recognizes the spark of genius in their work. The Etherite then lays out an

unknowing test for the initiate, usually culminating in them finding the Kitab, reading it, and

Awakening as a result.

The Verbenae: "Everything is intertwined. To understand your tears is to

understand the sky."

Recommended Essence: Dynamic or Primordial

Recommended Spheres: Life, Spirit, or Forces

The Verbenae are old, very old, tracing their roots back to the creation of humanity.

They believe at the beginning of time there was the Wyck, the first fusion of spirit, mind, and flesh.

They were like gods, and they guided humankind into magick, and Awakening. These first teachings,

these Old Ways, are what the Verbenae hold at their heart. They are nature Mages, known for healing,

and for living in the wild. They can often change their shape, or commune with the animals, and they

utilize their magick through a simple belief: pain and pleasure, the feeling of the physical form, is itself

the very essence of Creation. They will carve runes into their skin, fast for long periods of time, or

endure other horrendous ordeals; the Plains Indians, for example, performed the infamous Sun Dance.

The Verbenae philosophy is close to the philosophy of nature itself; they are cold, hard, but also quick
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and fierce in their passion. Often times they will avoid technology, preferring to live in the wild with

the barest of essentials, but this is not always the case.

The Verbenae organization themselves into local cells known as Covens, usually of no

more than thirteen members. There are those Verbena who decide to live alone, but this is usually not

preferred. Each Coven is centered around a Grove, and each Grove is centered around a World Tree.

Groves can be anywhere, from the backyard fire escape of a Mage trapped in the confines of a city, to

pocket dimensions in the Umbra that can be walked into, far out in the reaches of the wilderness.

Induction into the Verbenae follows a trial of death and rebirth. An initiate is made to meditate, fasting,

until an Ordeal comes upon them. If the Mage survives, the rest of the Coven Calls the Elements to

bear witness to the induction of their new kin.

The Virtual Adepts: "It's all in the Code. You, me, the world. Everything."

Recommended Essence: Pattern or Dynamic

Recommended Spheres: Correspondence, Mind, or Forces

The name might conjure images of computers and the digital realm, but this is actually

misleading. The Virtual Adepts can trace their origins all the way back to Sumeria, to the ancient hero

known as Gilgamesh. Adepts believe that everything, the entire universe, me, you, your dog, all we are

is information. Data, compressed, and operating in a system beyond our understanding. There is a Code

that underlines the whole universe, and those that can crack it can rewrite it to their whim. In ancient

times this Code took the form of words, complex languages beyond the normal mortal ken. But as time

wore on the form of the Code changed. In the modern era, it is literally code, an equivalent to digital

commands. Indeed, most Adepts spend their time within the digital realms.

Modern Virtual Adepts are hackers, the elusive anarchists of the Internet. They come
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and go as they please through a world that is more interconnected than ever before. But this is just a

shadow when compared to their true power, the ability to manipulate the God Code that underlies all of

Creation. They have no formal structure or organization, instead operating as individuals, or very small

cells. Induction into the Adepts is normally given through cryptic digital signals, which eventually lead

the initiate to strike against some kind of corporate or authoritarian pillar of society. They normally

right some social injustice, or play some kind of prank that involves shaming the elite. They work their

magick at computers, but this is not a prerequisite. Some Adepts hold to the old way of writing to work

their Arts, others still meditate until their mind is filled with the Code. The most advanced Adepts need

only wave their hand, or blink their eyes, able to bend the Code of Reality at will.
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Chapter 4: Magick

Magick is the collective term for the power Mages wield through their Awareness. Post

Awakening, a Mage can utilize magick to rewrite reality on the fly, making the impossible, possible.

Mages with a scientific Paradigm sometimes call it Enlightened Science, but it is magick all the same.

Even though, at first glance, Awakening might seem rather simple, it is actually a complex process, one

with can happen all at once, or slowly over many years. In this chapter, we will discuss magick, the

Avatar, Paradox, and more. Then, you will finally be ready to create a Mage of your own!

The Avatar and the Awakening:

How, when, and where a Mage Awakens is different for each Mage. Some Traditions

have rituals and initiations which are designed to induce Awakening. Some Mages Awaken after

reading a certain book, or a near death experience. Some just...have an epiphany one day. No matter

how a Mage Awakens, what matters is that they do. And once they do, their soul changes.

When a Mage Awakens a part of their soul transforms, becomes something more. This

part of their spirit becomes known as The Avatar, and it is the piece of the Mage that contains their

super Awareness of reality. The Avatar is different for each Mage, usually taking a shape that is aligned

with the Mage's Essence. A Dynamic Mage could have a pillar of flame for an Avatar, for example. A

Mage must meditate and commune with their Avatar in order to increase their understanding within the

Spheres, but we will discuss this below.

Essences:

A Mages Essence can better be described as the flavor of their soul. It is the Aspect of
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the metaphysical Tryat. There is Dynamism, which represents the Wyld, passionate, vibrant, and

unpredicatable. There is Pattern, which represents the Weaver, ordered, logical, calculating and

emotionless. There is Primordial, which represents the Wyrm, the raw force of Entropy that brings

balance to the universe. And then there is Questing, which aligns with none of these three Aspects,

instead still searching for their direction in life.

Dynamism is the first Aspect of the universe. It is change, chaos, unbridled growth. It

never stays the same, instead changing from moment to moment. It is the Wyld, the wild part of the

Tryat. Dynamic Mages are unpredictable, mercurial, shifting in their temperaments as often as the wind

changes direction, and overwhelming in their emotions. They are passionate, full of life, loud and

boisterous. Avatars of Dynamic Mages often take the form of flames, bears, stags, or lightening,

uncontrollable forces of nature, or massive, wild animals.

Dynamic Spheres: Forces, Spirit, Life

Pattern is the second Aspect of the universe. It is Order, logic, the soul of civilization

itself. It is tied to the Weaver, and as such is most revered by Mages who utilize a scientific Paradigm.

The Pattern does not change. It may shift, and flow, buoyed on the currents of Time and Will, but it

does not every change. The Pattern is Static, and Pattern Mages reflect this in their demeanor. They are

often cold, withdrawn. Not without emotion, but extremely logical. They rely on evidence to build their

worldview, and are firm believers in law and order. Pattern Avatars take the form of ordered structures.

A crystalline spider, a pillar of obsidian stone, or perhaps a piece of code, Pattern Avatars are almost

always made from something structured.

Pattern Spheres: Mind, Correspondence, and Matter

Primordial is the third Aspect of the universe. It is Decay, and entropy. It is the slow rot

that clears out the overgrown forest, making way for new life. It is the youngest of the three Aspects,

but the most important, for without it there is no true balance. A Primordial Essence Mage can be cold,
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removed, calculating, but they can also be quick to anger, depraved, utterly lacking in respect for life.

They are inscrutable, Blank, hard to read, and difficult to understand. To them, their is an order to the

universe, and a part of that order is Death, coming for even stars in the end, snuffing out the old so that

the new can flourish in its stead. Their Avatars often reflect this darker Aspect, taking the form of

shadows, or whispers, vortexes of energy or ghosts.

Pattern Spheres: Prime, Entropy, and Time

Questing is the fourth and final type of Essence. This Essence is still untied to any of

the Three Aspects of the Tryat. They are still looking for their truth, and as such are usually still in the

process of growth. They are mercurial, prone to, even eager to change. They are adventurous, willing to

take risks, and extremely driven, usually searching for something, even if they themselves don't know

exactly what yet. They are always searching, always exploring, looking forward towards the horizon.

Questing Avatars are completely random. They can take the form of animals or objects which represent

yearning or exploration. A compass, or a swallow. Even things as metaphysical as abstract patterns of

light and sound.

Pattern Spheres: None

Arete:

Arete is Greek for Excellence, and it is the term that Mages use to describe the level of

ones Awareness, the amount that one is Awake. The higher a Mage's Arete, the greater their

understanding of reality. The greater the understanding, the more powerful the spells. A Mage's Arete

also determines the max level of their Spheres. For example, an Arete 2 Mage cannot have knowledge

in any of the Spheres that is over 2 Dots. There are 10 levels of Arete; various levels of Arete give

various advantages to spellcasting. They are as follows:

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1. Arete 1-3: The Mage must use a Focus to work their magick. These are

explained more in detail below, but they must have some means to work

their magick, including rituals, chants, or gestures. They must have

Rotes.

2. Arete 4-6: The Mage loses a need for a physical Focus, but must still

chant, or perform some other type of verbal or mental exercise in order to

work their Arts. They must have Rotes.

3. Arete 7-9: The Mage no longer needs a Focus at all. They can now work

magick with Thought and Will alone. A Mage at this level can sit

perfectly still and simply have their magick happen, with not outward or

verbal effort whatsoever. They must have Rotes.

4. Arete 10: The Mage has reached the level of the Incarnae, and no longer

needs Rotes or Focuses of any kind. They may work their Arts to the

fullest extent of their Spheres at any time, even without any pre-written

Rotes for spellcasting.

Arete will also function akin to Blood Potency in Vampire 5th Edition; the level of Arete

will help to determine a serious of passive bonuses and handicaps. The value of these is determined

directly off the Vampire 5th Edition Companion Blood Potency Chart. For example, a Mage with an

Arete of 10 has an Unreality of 3 , and may reroll spells that are Sphere 5 Dot or lower.

A Mage's Arete sets them apart; often time a high Arete Mage will seem strange, or off.

Oracles can seem truly alien, and wield powers that can be considered godlike. But it also makes them

alien, sets them apart from their fellow human beings. Arete Level will now also determine the

following:

Unreality: The amount a Mage is removed from reality. This will cause them to come
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off as weird to Sleepers, and other supernaturals. They receive a penalty to social rolls equal to their

Bane Severity, halved, from Vampire 5th Edition Blood Potency. The Bane Severity, halved, will also

be the penalty for any Paradox backlash. For example, should Paradox cause the Mage to perceive time

as slower, then for the duration they will receive Bane Severity, halved, as a negative to Dexterity

checks. Effects will last for a number of days equal to full Severity.

Spell Re-roll: The highest spell level a mage can re-roll immediately. This is equal to

their Reroll Bonus from Vampire 5th Edition Blood Potency. For example, a Mage at Arete 10 can

reroll any failed spell made up of a Sphere 5 Dot or lower. Mages may only reroll once; if a failure is

the result of the reroll, the spell fails.

Connection to the Prime: How much Quintessence a Mage absorbs from Nodes or

other targets. Also the amount of Agg Damage dealt to living targets if Quintessence is absorbed from

there. This is equal to Power Bonus from Vampire 5th Edition Blood Potency. For example, a Mage at

Arete 10 can absorb 5 Quintessence from a Node at once, and if the target is living this will deal 5

Aggravated damage. If out of combat, the Mage may re-roll until the Node or target is out of

Quintessence.

Avatar Level: How much Quintessence the Mage can passively generate up to. Also the

dicepool a Mage rolls to clear Paradox twice per day through meditation. This is equal to Surge Bonus

from Vampire 5th Edition Blood Potency . For example, a Mage at Arete 10 has an Avatar level of 6.

They passively generate up to 6 Quintessence, and their dicepool to remove Paradox through

meditation is 6.

The Spheres:

The Spheres are the metaphysical pillars of reality. They are the fundamental forces that
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underline everything, from things like gravity, to things like the soul, and the currents of Prime left over

from the days of creation. It is important to remember, while these Spheres are proven and true, they

are likely imperfect. They overlap each other, in many ways they feed into each other. They have been

defined to the best of Awakened abilities, but there are surely beings and forces out in the Deep Umbra

that no Awakened has ever dreamed of. Mastery within the Spheres can give a Mage god-like powers;

at a high enough Arete, they can even create their own universes and life. The precise nature of

Spellcasting is covered a bit later on, but for now know that you must combine the Spheres that you

have knowledge in. Doing this is what creates the effects that Mages are so infamous for. Each Sphere

has a level between 1 and 5 Dots, with 1 being basic awareness and 5 being true Mastery.

The Nine Spheres, and what you can do at each Dot:

Correspondence:

Correspondence is the Sphere of space, of distance. Between point A and point B, there

is area. This is Correspondence. Correspondence heavy Mages have full awareness of their

surroundings, they can detect things or work magick from extreme distance. They can open gateways

in space to allow themselves or others to teleport, and combined with other Spheres can even create

their own pocket dimensions.

1 Dot: The Mage has basic spatial understanding. They know where everything around

them is, even without seeing it. They intuitively know directions, sense hidden objects or characters, or

sense the effects of Correspondence magick. Combined with other Spheres, such as Matter, allows the

Mage to do things like create a perfect mental map of an object.

2 Dot: The Mage can now extend their senses across space and perform a Remote

Viewing, sensing the location of objects, and when combined with Life, people or animals while far

away. They can also thicken space, covering their tracks and making it harder to sense them. When
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combined with Matter 2 or Life 2, allows them to grab small objects or animals and teleport them, like

pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

3 Dot: The Mage can now tear open holes in space, allowing them to teleport one

person--including themselves. They can now also fully view two locations at once, with them

appearing as ghost images that overlap. By combinging with Forces, Matter, or Life the Mage can now

perform Telekinesis.

4 Dot: The Mage can create larger gateways in space, allowing whole groups of people

or large objects to pass through. When combined with Forces, Matter, and Life the Mage can create

pocket dimensions. When combined with Forces, Matter, Life or Prime, the Mage can Ward a location,

preventing the entry of a specific material, Resonance, or Essence. The Mage may also appear in more

than one place at once by combining with Mind 1; if the Mage adds Life 2, then each copy may act

independent.

5 Dot: Distance and space are now playthings for the Mage. They can distort space, and,

by combining with other Spheres such as Matter and Life, they can cause objects to grow or shrink.

They can bind two Patterns together no matter the distance, an effect the Technocracy calls quantum

entanglement. They can even fold space, superimposing two places on top of one another, though this

is always Vulgar Magick.

Entropy:

Entropy is the manifestation of decay. It is the Dark Energy, the force which drives

galaxies and stars ever further apart. It is the rot that comes to bodies, the decline of civilizations, and

the dying of suns. Mages of this Sphere control mortality itself. They can tap into the energy of the

Low Umbra, corrupt or remove Entropic corruption. They can influence the flaws within systems or

objects, shattering the thickest metal with the flick of one finger. Entropy is a subtle Art, and requires
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some knowledge in other Spheres to be truly effective.

1 Dot: A Mage at this level has understanding of the principle of Entropy. They can spot

flaws in systems and materials, tell when someone is lying, or spot the weakness in an argument. A

Mage can use this Dot to enhance other Spheres, combining with Mind to make it easier to break

through mental defenses, or with Time in order to spot the flow of probability and predict the throw of

dice. The Arts at this level are extremely subtle, and as such almost never Vulgar.

2 Dot: The Mage can now influence the factors of decay within systems and objects.

They can break through materials by striking their intrinsic weak point. They can influence traffic to

cause an accident, or effect the outcome of a horse race. Combined with other Spheres, such as Mind or

Time, this allows the Mage to know the precisely perfect argument to use in any given situation, or to

view alternate branching timelines.

3 Dot: The Mage can now speed up or slow down the decay within simple objects or

lifeforms. Combined with Life and Matter, they can make a flower wilt and die, or rebuild a shattered

door with a wave of their hand. Combined with Mind and Prime, the Mage can now control the

probability of events around people, giving them good or bad luck. Combined with Time they can

influence the Time stream to select for the least, or most, Entropic future in a small area, making a

room either its worst or best possible condition.

4 Dot: The Mage can now speed up or slow down the decay within complex life-forms

and objects. Combined with Life, the Mage can heal or deal Aggravated Damage, inflict disease, make

a person much stronger or healthier. Combined with Spirit the Mage can now reanimate dead bodies,

though they cannot yet restore them to the fullest semblance of life, like zombies.

5 Dot: The Mage has total Awareness of the force of Entropy. They can control it to

such a fine degree, they can cause misfiring of neurons in the brain, disrupting a target's thought

patterns and making it hard to think or act. They can also perform an Oath Binding; those who have
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been Oath Bound must keep their word, otherwise they will suffer eternal bad luck, manifesting as

negatives to all dicerolls. Combined with Time and Matter, the Mage can reconstruct a ruin or burnt

down house with the flick of their fingers. They can raise the dead back to life as if they were only

sleeping, even fully restoring any decay present, like Lazarus.

Forces:

The Mage who focuses in the Sphere of Forces commands the fundamental Forces of

the universe. Fire, water, light, shadow, gravity, electromagnetic waves, all of these are at the command

of the Mage's Will. Mages in this Sphere can summon storms, toss fireballs, fly, or see the in the dark.

It is one of the most versatile spheres.

1 Dot: The Mage has awareness of Forces, allowing them to see in the dark, see

electromagnetic waves, see sound or radio waves, see in X-Ray or ultraviolet. They can hear beyond

normal human perception, and smell things others should be unable to detect.

2 Dot: The Mage cannot yet conjure Forces, but they can manipulate Forces that already

exist within the environment. They can cause a fire place to flare, or pull electricity from the walls

around them. They can bend sound waves to remain completely silent, or sculpt shadows. Combined

with Life they can increase their own EMF field to make themselves harder to grab. Combined with

Matter or Life, the Mage can make a target attract or repel forces, making them a magnet for shadows,

or for sunlight. They can generate minor force fields when combined with the same. The Mage can

only effect a single person, or a very small area at this level.

3 Dot: The Mage, when combined with Prime 2, can now conjure the elements,

summoning fire, lightening, gravity, or wind from thin air. Combined with Life 5 they can change

people into electricity, or with Matter 3 they can change water into air, or air into ice. With Entropy 3

they can enhance or erode energy, with Mind 3 they can create blasts of mental energy, and with Spirit
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3 they can create blasts of spiritual energy.

4 Dot: The Mage has the area of their effects drastically increased. They can now work

their magick over an area equivalent to a square mile, changing the weather as they see fit, making it

darker or lighter, raising or lower the temperature. The effects of the lower 3 Dots can now be

expanded to massive storms.

5 Dot: The Mage has total mastery over Forces. They can conjure tornadoes out of thin

air, calm the tides, conjure blizzards across an area that is countries in size. They can ignite the air to

create a firestorm, and because of this Mages with this level of mastery earn the title "Nukes". Mages

who utilize effects as this scale should keep in mind the long-term effects of bringing imbalance to an

ecosystem.

Life:

The Mage who is drawn to this Sphere is drawn towards one of the closest Spheres to

Creation. Life is fundamental; it is change over time, growing in all places, springing into being as if

from nothing. Mages can use this Sphere to heal or deal Aggravated Damage, they can modify

lifeforms, or their own shape, at will. At higher levels of understanding, and combined with Prime, Life

Mages can even create their own forms of life from thin air.

1 Dot: The Mage understands Life as they understand themselves. At this stage, they

can sense the pulse of life around them, allowing them to detect life-forms. Conversely, this also allows

them to sense Kindred, as they can sense the absence of life within them. They can sense disease, and

can read the status of an organisms physical form. Combined with Prime, they can sense the strings of

Fate that tie an organism to the universe. With Time they can see the past or future states of an

organism.

2 Dot: The Mage can now alter simple life-forms. Anything from a bacteria to a small
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dog or cat. They can, for example, give a rabbit antlers at this stage, molding their form as they see fit.

They can make diseases more or less virulent and deadly. The Mage can also heal Superficial damage

at this stage. They can make small alterations to their own form, changing eye or hair color, adding

weight, or height. They can help plants to bloom, or wither. Combined with Correspondence they can

control the direction of this growth.

3 Dot: The Mage has an advanced understanding of Life. They can now heal

Aggravated damage, but only to themselves. They can alter simple organisms in radical ways, changing

a flower into a snake, for example. Combine with Prime 2, they can conjure life-forms temporarily.

Combined with Time 5 this effect can become permanent. They also completely master their own form,

now able to change it in extreme ways. They can add gills, or wings, thicken their skin to add to their

defense. They must retain the same basic shape, humanoid. Combined with Mind, they can put

organisms to sleep, or control them as if they were extensions of their body. Combined with Spirit the

Mage can become ephemeral, able to pass through objects and avoid harm.

4 Dot: The Mage can make radical changes to all kinds of complex life. They can mold

the forms of anyone or anything at will. When combined with Mind, they can uplift species to become

intelligent. When combined with Prime, Spirit, Mind, and/or Matter, they can conjure life forms up to a

chimpanzee in complexity from thin air. When combined with Time, they can make these life-forms

permanent. Mass no longer has meaning; a Mage at this level can turn into a dog, or a blue whale.

5 Dot: The Mage is a Master over the Sphere. They can adopt any form they wish, at

any time, and do the same to any other organism. When combined with Entropy they have complete

control over aging. When combined with Prime, Mind, Spirit, and Matter, they can create complex,

human-like life out of thin air. When combined with Time, they can make these life-forms permanent.

They can turn life-forms into matter, or matter into life-forms.

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Matter:

Matter is the raw, physical stuff that makes up the universe. It is any object that is not

alive. Mages who concentrate in this Sphere have the ability to transmute lead into gold, or to conjure

money from thin air. They can alter the state of material things, making them brittle, or turning them

into gas. They can even imbue objects with consciousness.

1 Dot: The Mage has understanding in the realm of Matter. They can know what an

object is made of, and in exact quanitites. When combined with Entropy, they can spot the weak-points

in an object. Combined with Life they can detect implants or enhancements in living things. When

combined with Spirit they can sense residual spiritual energy within an object.

2 Dot: The Mage has achieved the ability to transmute simple, homogeneous materials

from one form to another, so long as it does not alter the basic structure or shape. For example, a Mage

at this level cannot change a solid to a gas. But they can turn lead into gold. Or wood into stone, water

into wine. When combined with Life, they could turn water into blood. Complex, refined materials are

still beyond the Mage. For example, a Mage could turn a rock into unprocessed iron ore, but not into

steel. When combined with Prime 2 the Mage gains the ability to summon simple materials from thin

air, such as conjuring dollar bills. When combined with Spirit 3 it allows the Mage to turn objects

ephemeral.

3 Dot: The Mage can now alter the shape of materials at will. They can mold objects

into whatever shape they desire. They can also temporarily transform the state of one material into

another, for example changing air into gold, or water into dirt. They can fuse items together, or tear

them apart. Combined with Life, this allows Mages to fuse living and unliving things. Combined with

Entropy it allows them to turn things to dust.

4 Dot: The Mage can now perform radical, reality bending transformations. For
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example, when combined with Life 2 the Mage can turn a pumpkin into a carriage. Combined with

Prime and Forces, they could turn a car into a robot. They could pull feasts from thin air. They can

create elements which contain the heart of Forces, like steel that is charged with electricity.

Complicated machines like cars and computers can now be summoned from thin air with Prime.

5 Dot: The Mage has complete power over the realm of Matter. They can create

completely new, never before heard of materials, conjure things beyond Earthly science or

understanding. Combined with Prime 2 they can summon anything from thin air. Combined with Life 5

they can turn a person into a tree. Combined with Mind 3 they can melt a gun with their mind. At this

level the material world itself becomes as putty before the Mage.

Mind:

1 Dot: The Mage has full control of their mental faculties. They can sense the emotions

or surface level thoughts of others. They can also shield their own thoughts from outside influence. The

Mage can also temporarily raise their Mental Attributes, usually lasting for one scene. Combined with

Matter the Mage can sense the echoes of people on objects. Combined with Life they can read auras.

2 Dot: The Mage can now read unshielded minds, even reading memories. They can

also transmit emotions into others, causing them to feel what the Mage wants them to feel. Combined

with Matter or Spirit they can read memories of a person; combined with Correspondence they can read

they memories of a place.

3 Dot: The Mage has begun to truly understand the world of Mind. They can now link

minds together, they can influence another's thoughts, pushing them to do what they wish. They can

create illusions, and enter into someone's dreams. Combined with Correspondence allows for

Telekinesis. When combined with Forces allows for psychic blasts of power. When Combined with

Life, the Mage can now inflict Superficial damage with his Mind.
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4 Dot: The Mage can now directly control another person, puppeting their form, not just

influencing their thoughts. They can alter memories, or drive someone to insanity with a glance. They

can set up post-hypnotic commands. The Mage can also project their Astral form using only their Mind.

5 Dot: The Mage can alter their own, or another's Mental Attributes forever. They can

rewrite a person's personality. The Mage can create consciousness on a whim, creating Minds from

nothing with Prime. They can imbue life or objects with intelligence with Life or Matter. Also with

Life, they can switch the minds of beings around, from one body to another.

Prime:

Prime is the raw essence of Creation. It is the energy that ties most fundamentally to the

heart of what is real. This energy is also known as Quintessence, and it is the energy that fuels all other

Spheres. Prime Mages gain the ability to absorb, and channel, this energy. They can create blades of

pure energy, or infuse someone with energy, turning them into a Living Saint. Prime Mages can conjure

anything, from thin air, and at the most advanced stages can even give birth to their own universes.

1 Dot: The Mage has a basic understanding of Prime. They can sense Nodes, and can

absorb Quintessence from them. When combined with Matter, the Mage can infuse an object with

Quintessence, consecrating said object. If the Mage shape shifts, steps sideways, etc., then the object

will change or travel with them. The object picks up the Mages Essence, and becomes bound to them.

2 Dot: The Mage may now control the energies of Prime, to a degree. They can divert

the energy into new forms. Combined with Spheres such as Forces, Life, Matter, or Mind, this allows

the Mage to conjure objects from thin air. It also allows them to Infuse with Primal Force, making an

object stronger, or making it deal more damage; weapons so infused may hurt spirits, and always cause

Aggravated damage. Combined with Life, a Mage may do this with living things. They may also create

a Body of Light, an idealized form of astral projection that appears as a glowing, holographic display
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before the target. It has no substance, but may be used to communicate.

3 Dot: The Mage can now draw Quintessence directly from living things. This always

deals Aggravated Damage equal to the Quintessence absorbed. When combined with other Spheres the

Mages can infuse a person with Quintessence, letting them absorb and deal Aggravated Damage. They

can cause Aggravated damage directly to a target's Pattern with Life or Matter. The Mage can now

create Periapts, an object infused with extra Quintessence the Mage can draw from. The Mage can

conjure energy beams or blades of light; these weapons inflict Aggravated damage, and can effect

spirits. They cost 1 point of Quintessence per turn to maintain in combat. The Mage can also now

Enchant, using Quintessence, Forces, and Matter to apply effects to objects; for example, making a

sword which deals ice damage, or a gun that shoots fire. These effects last for a limited time, or a

limited amount of uses.

4 Dot: The Mage can now enchant items or people permanently, infusing them forever

with the power of their Quintessence. The Mage can also detect and draw from Wellsprings, extra fonts

of Quintessence left behind by exciting events. Combined Matter and Life, this level allows the Mage

to fuse organic and inorganic material. Combined with Matter they can create unbreakable objects.

They can also produce Wonders. Wonders are structures that have been made into Periapts, infused

with Quintessence. Magick creates no Paradox when cast from within a Wonder. Double all your

successes when rolling Effect to determine total Quintessence infused at the Wonder's creation.

5 Dot: The Mage is infused with Prime. They can now pull Quintessence from thin air,

anywhere, at any time. They can create Nodes, and even nullify Paradox. A Mage at this level of Prime

rolls Arete after every spell; the number of successes is the amount of Paradox the Mage has nullified.

Quintessence can be spent to boost this effect. Combined with Life 5, a Mage can create a Soulflower

from a complex organism, making them a living Periapt that passively generates Quintessence that can

be drawn from. The can also combine Prime with Spirit, Life, and Matter to "bless" a living (or
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supernatural) being, infusing them with energy, and boosting their stats by Effect rolled.

Spirit:

1 Dot: The Mage can sense the spirit world. Mages at this level can read the thickness of

the local Gauntlet. They can also sense auras, and sense the spirits of all kinds. Combined with Matter

they can tell if an item has a spiritual component. Combined with Forces the Mage can sense Awakened

objects, with Life possessed organisms.

2 Dot: The Mage can now call across the Gauntlet and speak to spirits. The Mage can

thicken, or thin, the local Gauntlet; they may never lower the Gauntlet rating to less than 4. The can

reach through the Gauntlet to the other side for a brief time. Combined with Matter, they can make

objects ephemeral. They can drain Quintessence from spirits with Prime 3. Combined with Life 2 they

can help living beings see into the spiritworld.

3 Dot: The Mage can now Step Sideways, like the Fera do. He can carry over whatever

is on his person at the time. The Mage can also harm spirits now, or heal them. Combined with Matter 3

and Prime 2 the Mage can created objects from spiritual energy. The Mage can put spirits to sleep, and

combined with Correspondence they can do this across an area. Combined with Forces, the Mage can

create blasts of spiritual energy. Combined with Matter, the Mage can now Ward against spirits.

4 Dot: The Mage can now rend the Gauntlet, creating large gateways into the Umbra

that multiple people can travel through. They also can seal up the same kind of breach. The Mage can

now create a Fetish, an object imbued with a spirit that has the spirit's qualities. The Mage themselves

can become a Fetish, losing the ability to use magick for a time, but gaining the spirit's abilities. The

Mage can bind a spirit to a place, person or thing, and can also exorcise them.

5 Dot: The Mage has complete command of ephemera. They can craft Realms, their

own pocket realities inside the Umbra. They can also perform the feared sentence of Gilgul, the
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extinguishment of the Mage's Avatar. Combined with Life, or Matter, the Mage can instill life or

objects with souls. The Mage can now disconnect themselves from their tether to the "real" world, and

can travel as fair into the Deep Umbra as they want.

Time:

Time is the most complex of all the Spheres, and Mages who are masters of this Sphere

are, in many ways, beyond reality itself. They can look backward or forwards in time, manipulate

probability, and make magickal effects permanent. They can travel through the Time stream, freeze

things in place, fast forward or rewind the world. Time Mages exist as beings apart, but many of them

prefer it that way. This Sphere generates the most Paradox by far.

1 Dot: The Mage has true Awareness of the perception of Time. They have a perfect

internal clock, always knowing the exact time. They can also spot temporal ripples, knowing when

Time magick has been, or will be, in effect. Combined with Correspondence, the Mage can tell what

happened in an area within the last day. Using Matter, they can tell the last day's history for an object.

2 Dot: The Mage can look forward, or backward in time, though the visions are often

indistinct. They can also only see the Time stream for their local area. By Combining this Sphere with

Entropy the Mage can now predict probability. Their ability to see into the future can give the Mage a

boost to their reflexes.

3 Dot: The Mage can speed or slow the passage of time, gaining actions for their turn,

or taking away actions on the turn of their enemy. By combining this Sphere with Correspondence the

Mage can reverse time, turning things back to way they were before turns before.

4 Dot: The Mage can withdraw from the normal flow of Time, essentially becoming

immortal. The Mage can also set effects to be triggered at a later date, for example casting a fireball to

go off at a certain time. Or, freezing a tornado, shunting it into a pocket dimension, and setting it to
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release at a specific trigger. Combined with Correspondence, Life, Matter, Forces, and/or Spirit they

can capture beings or objects in Time Bubbles, freezing them. The Mage can set a Temporal Anchor for

themselves in preparation for Time Travel.

5 Dot: The Mage exists completely outside Time. They can make the effects of other

Spheres permanent. They can travel backwards or forwards in Time at their leisure, using their created

Time Anchor to help tether them to reality. Combined with Life, Matter, and/or Spirit, they can grant

this effect to others, making them immune to Time as well, and taking them and objects with the Mage

through the Time stream.

The Seeking:

Mages must level up their Arete and their Spheres in a very specific way. Each Essence

is paired with three of the Spheres, except for Questing. A Mage must spend 10 x the level wanted in

XP to increase their Arete; for example, Arete 10 costs 100 XP. The XP cost for Spheres is tied to

Essence, as stated above. For In Essence Spheres, a Mage must pay 5 x the level wanted in XP. For Out

of Essence Spheres, a Mage must pay 10 x the level wanted for XP. Questing Essences are the

exception to this rule; they spend 8 x the level wanted all on Spheres.

Once the XP has been spent, the Mage must engage in a Seeking. They enter into a

meditative state in same way, and commune with their Avatar. The Avatar gives some sort of quest, or

spiritual ordeal for the Mage to complete or endure. Usually, this quest takes place within the

dreamscape of the Mage's meditative mind, though this is not always the case. Mechanically, the Mage

must roll their current Arete + Willpower. The difficulty is the Arete or Sphere level wanted. For

example, a Mage who wants Arete of 10 must roll against a difficulty of 10. A Mage who wants a

Sphere at 5 must roll against a difficulty of 5. If the Mage rolls more successes than the difficulty, they

pass their Seeking and successfully level-up. If they fail, they must try again the next day.
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Spellcasting:

And now we get to the bread and butter. Spellcasting in Mage is a varied, and multi-

layered thing, but it is not a complex process. First, the Mage must create Rotes based on their

knowledge in the Spheres. We will go over Rotes in detail below, but to put simply they are the spells

your Mage will use when working their Arts. Each Rote normally centers around a Focus, some means

to help the Mage channel their Will.

The Mage's spellcasting dicepool is their Arete + current Willpower. They must roll this

pool against a difficulty which is determined based on Rote. Rotes are made of Spheres; to find

difficulty for casting, take the highest Sphere level used, and add +1. For example, if the Mage is

casting a Rote made of Life 3 and Matter 2, they must pass a difficulty of 3+1. If the Mage rolls more

successes than the difficulty, the spell is successfully cast.

For certain spells, there will be Effects which require a numeric value. For example, a

fireball requires an amount of damage dealt. For a Ward, a Ward rating will be required. A Mage may

have to roll against a target trying to shield their mind. For all such rolls, the Mage will roll Arete +

current Willpower again after the successful cast. The number of successes determines the value of the

Effect. For example, a Mage who successfully casts a fireball, then rolls 6 afterward, deals 6

Aggravated Damage with that fireball.

Warding:

As mentioned above, Mages can Ward an area or object against spirits or other beings.

The Mage will roll Arete + Willpower after achieving a successful spellcast; the number of successes

determines the Ward Rating. Spirits or Fera who try to push past a Ward must roll their Gnosis vs the

Ward Rating. On success, they may pass, but take 5 Superficial Damage. Living beings or Kindred

must roll Willpower vs the Ward Rating.

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Quintessence:

Quintessence is the raw energy of creation. A Mage can store this energy within their

bodies, draw it from Nodes and from the environment around them, and use it to enhance their

spellcasting. A Mage can spend Quintessence in order to add dice to their spellcasting dicepool, on a 1

for 1 basis. The Mage can spend Quintessence to add to the Effect dicepool as well, again on a 1 for 1

basis. For example, a Mage rolls Arete + Willpower for spellcasting a fireball, and spends 2

Quintessence to add +2 dice to that pool. Their spell succeeds, and they roll Arete + Willpower for

damage; they then choose to spend 2 more Quintessence to make their Effect pool Arete + Willpower +

2.

Mages who are proficient in Prime can also infuse Quintessence to enchant, or otherwise

consecrate. Mages passively generates Quintessence at the rate of 1 per day, up to their Avatar Level. A

Mage can have a total of 20 Quintessence, but Paradox can subtract from this total. For each point of

Paradox, a Mage has -1 less total cap on Quintessence.

Paradox:

Paradox is the only true limit on most Mages. Except for Technocrats, all Mages are

bound by the Consensus, and as such their magick is afflicted with Paradox. Paradox occurs when

magick goes against the established Consensus. Make an elephant, appear from thin air, and you will

get Paradox. As discussed above, Paradox can be avoided if the Mage can find ways to disguise it as

Coincidental. Vulgar Magick will always generate Paradox, but it will generate more in front of

Sleepers. Magick in front of Supernaturals does not generate Paradox, unless Vulgar, then it only

generates the base amount of Paradox for being Vulgar. The amount of Paradox generated is always

determined by the Storyteller, based on context for that spellcast.

Paradox does strange things to a Mage. Their mind enters a terrible feedback loop,

convinced of the truth of their Awakening, and yet so astonished by their own Arts that their brain
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begins to refuse to accept the truth. The interplay between these two sides often drives Mages mad. In

this homebrew, Paradox functions much like Hunger for Kindred. There are five Paradox levels, based

on the amount of Paradox the Mage has accrued. The levels are as follows:

Paradox Levels:

1. 1-3 Paradox = Paradox level 1

2. 4-6 Paradox = Paradox level 2

3. 7-10 Paradox = Paradox level 3

4. 11-15 = Paradox level 4

5. 16-20 Paradox = Paradox level 5

Mages that reach 21 Paradox succumb to their madness and become Marauders, losing

control of their character to the Storyteller permanently.

For each level the Mage gains, they must roll one "Quiet" dice during each spellcast.

These Quiet dice function equivalent to Hunger dice in Vampire 5th Edition, and like in Vampire,

Mages must worry about Compulsions. On a Messy or Bestial Critical or Failure, the Mage must roll 1

Dice. On a Pass, they enter a state of Compulsion that is tied to their Essence. On a fail, they suffer

Paradox backlash. Paradox backlash can be anything, from seeing the world upside down, to the

Mage's bones turning into wood. The effect is decided by the ST.

If the Mage receives a Compulsion, they must act under its influence until cleared, or

suffer -2 dice to all rolls. Paradox Compulsions are as follows:

Paradox Compulsions:

Dynamic Compulsion has the Mage do something new, something they never tried

before, it is the "dare" of truth or dare

In a social setting: The Mage will have to say something they never told anyone, ever, this can't be a
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random phrase, but it can be a long held secret, or an insult, or a confession of love, it has to be

something that will add emotion to the area.

In a violent setting: The Mage will have to try unorthodox ways of fighting, perhaps using a broom as

a weapon or shooting the chandelier above them so it falls on the enemy. The Mage engages in battle

with flair, making it harder just for the challenge.

In a solitary setting: Mage tries something they never tried before, whether its streaking naked or

eating chocolate pudding upside down.

Pattern Compulsion has the Mage acting under this Compulsion can be stubborn,

without empathy or emotion. They can be pushy, domineering, often lashing out at those they see as

lesser.

In a social setting: The Mage will not back down from their point of view, they will not be convinced

and will constantly try to convince the person they are talking to of something. The Mage will press

their point of view, even if it is completely inappropriate to do so.

In a violent setting: The Mage looks down their nose at the enemy, seeing them for the lesser beings

they are. They as tactically as possible, in order to show that the Mage has the better mind, preferably

using the Mage's magickal prowess to showcase their superiority.

In a solitary setting: The Mage becomes obsessed with an idea or concept. They cannot stop thinking

about it, and take penalties to dice rolls until they spend at least 3 hours thinking about or actively
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working towards their obsession.

Primordial Compulsion has the Mage see those surrounding them as ugly, as

primordial essence reminds them of the harmony before creation. It makes them loathe existence as it is

now, and try to see the flaws.

In a social setting: The Mage will criticize every single statement. They won't offer anything of their

own, they just will not like anything given to them. The compulsion ends when the person stops trying

to talk to the Mage.

In a violent setting: Mage unleashes the true monster, finding ways to kill their opponents as brutal as

possible. The Mage won't accept pleas of mercy or surrender, and the Compulsion won't end until

they've taken at least one life.

In a solitary setting: The Mage destroys everything around them, not in a rage, but in a need to be

cleared away from the junk. The will smash furniture to pieces, or destroy their apartment. The

Compulsion is satisfied when at least one object is destroyed.

Questing Compulsion is decided randomly from the other three. The Mage rolls a dice.

If the dice is 1-3 the Mage suffers a Dynamic Compulsion. If it is 4-6 the Mage suffers a Pattern

Compulsion. If it is 7-9 the Mage suffers a Primordial Compulsion. If the dice is 10 the Storyteller

decides which the Mage will suffer.

Quiet:

Compulsion is not the only side-effect of Paradox. Quiet is the name of the madness that

can descend upon a Mage if their Paradox stacks up too high. Quiet can drive Mages to do truly insane,

inhuman things. When a Mage hits Quiet level of 4, and 5 they must make a roll of Willpower +
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Quintessence. The difficulty will always be the Mage's current Quiet level. The Mage must also make

these checks each time they cast spells at this level.

When the Mage fails, they enter their version of Frenzy, the state known as Quiet. Each

Quiet is influenced by the Mage's Essence, as follows:

Mages with Dynamic Essence will enter the type of quiet known as Insanity. While in

this state, mage will begin to perceive things that are not there. This can range from hearing footsteps

while you are all alone to your mage attacking their best friend, hallucinating them to be an enemy. The

exact effect is decided by the ST. The effect ends when the Mage manages to successfully manages to

roll Willpower + Quintessence vs the Quiet level.

Mages with Pattern Essence will enter the type of quiet known as Zealotry. While in

this state, the Mage will refuse to accept any other truth but theirs. They will refuse to accept, or

tolerate other viewpoints, and might even react with hostility to the idea of their ideals being wrong.

Zealous mages must act more obsessed with their ideals and willing to take more risks for them. Mages

under the influence of Zealotry must pursue their goals to the absolute exclusion of all else. They must

follow their own agenda, to the point they will walk away from friends in a life or death crisis. The

effect ends when the Mage manages to successfully manages to roll Willpower + Quintessence vs the

Quiet level.

Mages with Primordial Essence will enter the type of quiet known as Morbidity.

While in this state, the Mage will completely lose empathy. They will become like serial killers,

obsessed with death and murder. They might end up as serial killers and plain sociopaths, mages with

morbidity are dangerous to have around. Mages under the influence of this state of Quiet seek death,

and will do absolutely anything to bring death, in elaborate and painful ways, to as many people as

possible. The effect ends when the Mage manages to successfully manages to roll Willpower +

Quintessence vs the Quiet level.

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Questing Essence is decided randomly from the other three. The Mage rolls a dice. If

the dice is 1-3 the Mage suffers a Dynamic Compulsion. If it is 4-6 the Mage suffers a Pattern

Compulsion. If it is 7-9 the Mage suffers a Primordial Compulsion. If the dice is 10 the Storyteller

decides which the Mage will suffer.

Removing Paradox:

A Mage passively removes Paradox at a rate of 1 per day, so a Mage who is high in

Paradox can simply forgo magick for a time. However, a Mage can also remove Paradox through

meditation. Twice a day, a Mage may meditate and roll their Avatar Level. The number of successes is

equal to the amount of Paradox removed. Mages skilled in Prime can also remove Paradox as they cast

spells.
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Chapter 5: Rotes

Rotes are the heart of spellcasting for a Mage, and also the place where creativity is

allowed to truly reign free. You must remember, a Mage can do anything. There is nothing that is

beyond their grasp. The rules to create Rotes are loose, but strict. A Mage cannot simply do whatever

they want, they must justify their power with Rotes. For example, if a Mage wishes to create new life

from nothing it would require Life 5, Matter 4, Prime 4. Life because of the living creature, Matter to

summon the raw material needed, and Prime to pluck it from thin air. If the Mage added Mind 5 to this,

they could also make that life intelligent. Mages can do anything, so long as they can justify it logically

through their Spheres.

When creating Rotes, you must keep in mind your Focus. The Focus is the means by

which a Mage focuses their Will to work their Arts. For lower Arete Mages, this must be a physical

thing and verbal thing, with higher Arete Mages needing only verbal, or mental commands, and

eventually surpassing the need for a Focus all together. For example, a Focus could be a raygun that

collects raw Quintessence and shoots it into beams at the command of a scientist. Or it could be a wave

of the hand, and the uttering of an esoteric phrase. It is up to the individual Mage, and it is almost

always aligned with the Mages Paradigm; technological Mages use gadgets as Foci, shamanistic Mages

use potions and chanting, some use elaborate rituals, etc. Some example Rotes follow to help you get

the idea:

Shadow Mold For 2: The Mage, molds shadows like clay to create constructs and
illusions. May not cause damage, but can distract; a target in combat must engage the construct and
must land 1 hit on a construct to dispel it before focusing attacking others.
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focus: The Mage snorts a powder made of nightshade, garlic, psilocybin and sunflower

This Rote uses Forces 2 as its basis. The Focus is snorting a homemade powder, which

grants the Mage the ability to mold Shadows. Mechanically, the Mage rolls Arete + Willpower vs a

difficulty of 3 to successfully cast. Narratively, they must snort the powder to make the magick work.

Spirit Heal Spir 2 Life 3 Prim 2: The Mage may cure the target of all diseases, including
those of supernatural origin. They cannot banish spirits, or exorcise, but things such as the Blood
Plague are now putty in their hands.

focus: The Mage lays their hands on a target, and pulls upon the Fabric of the Dream,

bunching it within themselves and pulling the disease out of the target, through their own bodies, and

then dispelling it, usually through the mouth.

In this Rote, Spirit is used to sense spiritual ailments within the target, Prime is used to

read the strings of Fate, and Life is used to read the body, allowing the Mage control over all sickness,

including that of supernatural origin. The focus here is mostly mental, though the Mage must

physically lay hands on the target, and expel the metaphysical representation of the disease through the

mouth. The spellcasting difficulty here is 4, as Life 3 is the highest Sphere level used + 1.

Rotes are extremely fluid, and they are where Mage truly comes to life. There is no limit

to the number of Rotes a Mage can have; your mind is the only barrier in your path. Most Mage players

will create a separate Word Document to store their Rotes, and attach it to their Character Sheets. Take

your time when thinking of them. Let your imagination run wild. Truly anything is possible within the

playground of Mage.

That concludes this introduction to Mage 5th Edition Homebrew. Please keep in mind,

this document is for Homebrew purposes only. It is not intended for sale, or in any way meant to make
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a profit. The World of Darkness is owned by Paradox. This is simply a collation of the tweaking we

have done on our own game. We hope you enjoy!