Cabals often form themselves around a magical theme. The benefit of a symbolic cabal is a slight boost to the members’ willworking when it’s done in tandem. If all members of the cabal participate in a spellcasting, each gains a +1 bonus to both the leader and helpers’ spellcasting tests. This bonus only applies,
however, if the cabal’s symbolic theme can be integrated into the spell.
PARADOX
A Paradox arises from the conflict between the energies channeled from a mage’s Path realm and prevailing reality, and is compounded by the unenlightened gaze of any Sleepers who witness the mage’s handiwork. The result most often manifests as a strain within the mage’s own Pattern as the forces of Creation attempt to right the problem. The more the mage changes the universe through force of will, the more the universe may change the mage in turn. Mages who push their powers too far descend into madness and delusion. Paradox can even tear the fabric of reality asunder, allow- ing unknowable horrors from Outside to find their way in. For rules on the chances of invoking Paradox and its type, see “Invoking a Paradox,” pp. 157-160.
169 Chapter Three: Magic
P
ARADOXD
URATIONA Paradox’s Duration depends on the Wisdom of the caster who invokes the Paradox. (The Duration of a Havoc Paradox is equal to the Duration factors of the spell that goes haywire.) Note that these factors are suggestions — the Storyteller may choose to decrease or increase them as she sees fit. However, in general, the lower the character’s Wisdom, the longer the Paradox should last.
Anomaly, Branding,
Wisdom Bedlam Manifestation
10 One turn One turn
9 One turn One scene
8 One turn One scene
7 One scene One scene
6 One scene One scene
5 One scene One scene
4 Two hours 24 hours
3 12 hours Two days
2 24 hours One week
1 Two days One month*
* If the mage has a Wisdom score of 0, the Paradox might be of indefinite Duration, at the Storyteller’s discretion. The method of canceling such an effectively permanent Paradox effect is likewise up to the Storyteller.
H
AVOCA Havoc spell is no longer under the mage’s control. A Havoc spell affects a randomly chosen target (or targets, if multiple targets were factored into the casting) instead of the caster’s declared target(s). The caster himself is a potential random victim. The new target must be of the same type (person, object, location, etc.). For example, if the mage targeted a person, then the pool of random targets includes only people. If the caster is the only viable target present, then he is the target of his own spell unless he was its originally intended target, in which case the spell affects a target of a different kind, such as an object.
The new target — including the mage himself, if he is the spell’s new target — can con- test or resist the spell if it is normally allowed. In addition, the player makes a Wisdom test (using his Wisdom as a test pool for a normal test, not a degeneration draw):
Failure: The spell’s desired effect is reversed. A blessing becomes a curse, a magical percep- tion spell blinds the mage to all resonance or an attack spell helps the target instead.
Success: The spell’s effect is unaltered.
A Havoc lasts as long as the spell’s Duration. Spells with a concentration-based Du- ration become transitory; the Storyteller draws a single card (that is not subject to the 10 Again rule), and the result is the number of turns the spells lasts. Since the spell is no longer under the caster’s control, he cannot dismiss it at will.
B
EDLAMThe mage gains a derangement as if he had suffered Wisdom degeneration, although his Wisdom is unaffected — see “Derangements,” Mind’s Eye Theatre, pp. 110–117. The player and Storyteller decide which derangement is most appropriate for the situation, or one can be selected at random. Unlike a normal derangement, the player does not
One turn One turn
10
One turn One scene
8
One scene One scene
6
Two hours 24 hours
4
24 hours One week
get to make any reflexive Resolve + Composure tests to resist the derangement’s effects — he is considered to have failed that test by invoking the Paradox. The derangement is fully active for the duration of the Paradox as listed on the Paradox Duration chart. The mage also suffers a penalty to all of his spellcasting tests for the duration of the Bedlam derangement.
Arcanum Dots Derangement Severity Spellcasting Penalty
1–3 Mild derangement –1
4–5 Severe derangement* –2
* The mage does not need to experience a life-altering trauma to acquire one of the extreme derangements (Schizophrenia, Multiple Personality or Fugue) through a Bedlam Paradox.
In addition, the player makes a test using his Wisdom as a test pool:
Failure: The mage’s madness is contagious. One other mage also suffers from the Bedlam derangement for as long as the Paradox lasts (based on the invoker’s Wisdom, not the victim’s). Randomly choose targets from within the spell’s range, including any sympathetic targets. The target may contest the Bedlam with a reflexive Resolve + Composure test. If the test is successful, he is unaffected.
Success: Only the mage is affected by Bedlam.
A Bedlam derangement is generally more dramatic than its mundane counterpart. The player is expected to roleplay the derangement as creatively as he can imagine. If the Storyteller feels that the character acts in opposition to the derangement, the Sto- ryteller can warn the player to change his action. If the player persists, the Storyteller can strip a Willpower point from the character, rationalizing that he exerted his will to work against his Bedlam.
A
NOMALYReality cracks open, and something impossible takes place. The area affected is usually a radius of 20 yards around the caster or paces per dot of the highest Arcanum used in the spell that invokes the Paradox. Anomalies are not affected by Sleeper Disbelief.
The important thing about Anomalies is that they’re unpredictable. The Storyteller chooses their effects and defines the rules on how they affect the area and/or characters (although players can agree to such effects via mediation if they so choose). Examples are provided below based on the invoker’s Path realm, but they’re just that — examples. Note that if two or more Paradox Anomalies from different Path realms are caused in the same area during the same scene, the effects combine. If the same Path realm causes more than one Anomaly in the same area in the same scene, the effects are worsened.
T
HEA
ETHER(P
ATHO
BRIMOS)
• A storm brews or strange weather patterns emerge, such as hail in clear skies. • The electrical system goes haywire, shorting out anything plugged into any nearby outlet.
• Mana cannot be drawn from any Hallow in the area of the Anomaly for the dura- tion of the Paradox.
• Resonance becomes negatively aspected (see “Resonance,” pp. 174-180). This is a lasting effect.
• Death spells suffer a –2 penalty (Death is the Aether’s Inferior Arcanum).
T
HEA
ETHER(P
AT• A storm brews or • The electrical sy nearby outlet.
• Mana cannot be d tion of the Paradox.
• Resonance becom a lasting effect.
• Death spells suffe
171 Chapter Three: Magic
A
RCADIA(P
ATHA
CANTHUS)
• Ill luck taints the scene, causing everyone there to suffer the effects of Double Trouble (see p. 182, Mind’s Eye Theatre).
• Odd and often unfortunate coincidences happen with alarming regularity in the area of the Anomaly.
• People repeat tasks they just accomplished (and forget they have done so) unless they succeed in a Wits + Composure test.
• People and/or things move in slow motion while time outside the area of the Anomaly passes normally.
• Forces spells suffer a –2 penalty (Forces is Arcadia’s Inferior Arcanum).
P
ANDEMONIUM(P
ATHM
ASTIGOS)
• Repressed or denied thoughts and emotions bubble up and cloud men’s minds. Any Social tests suffer a –2 penalty.
• People become lost and disoriented easily (–2 on any Survival tests to orient oneself). • Objects sometimes roll uphill or sideways.
• Nearby destinations take longer to get to while places farther away take only a step. • Matter spells suffer a –2 penalty (Matter is Pandemonium’s Inferior Arcanum).
T
HEP
RIMALW
ILD(P
ATHT
HYRSUS)
• Everyone on the scene loses energy. Physical actions, even walking, require huge effort (–2 to all such tests). Acting and Running Speed are halved.
• Flowers wither, milk curdles, animals are skittish and on edge.
• Some objects become ephemeral, existing only in Twilight. If 3+ dots were used in the spell that invoked the Paradox, objects might be transferred across the Gauntlet.
• Malevolent spirits in Twilight are attracted to the scene, or if 3+ dots were used in the spell that invoked the Paradox, spirits cross over from the Gauntlet.
• Slumbering spirits in objects awaken and turn against their wielders.
• Mind spells suffer a –2 penalty (Mind is the Primal Wild’s Inferior Arcanum).
S
TYGIA(P
ATHM
OROS)
• Ghosts in Twilight are attracted to the scene. They are usually malevolent or aroused to anger by the magic that draws them.
• Plants and animals may wither or even die while all people within the area of the Anomaly suffer one Resistant lethal level of damage (see “Resistant Damage,” p. 159).
• Darkness becomes a palpable force, dimming the light even during day.
• Things become delicate and breakable (ignore one point of Durability and armor when striking objects).
• Spirit spells suffer a –2 penalty (Spirit is Stygia’s Inferior Arcanum).
B
RANDINGThe mage’s body is afflicted by his misuse of magic. He wears the spell’s warped skein on his skin.
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RCADIA(
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in Twilight • Ghosts nger by the m aroused to an and animals • Plants a y suffer one the Anomaly p. 159). ss becomes a • Darknes become delic • Things b ng objects). when strikinArcanum Dots Brand 1 Uncanny Nimbus 2 Witch’s Mark 3 Disfigurement 4 Bestial Feature 5 Inhuman Feature
The Storyteller should create an appropriate Brand as needed, one that symbolically represents the character’s Vice. Some examples are provided below.
Uncanny Nimbus: The mage’s nimbus is disfigured by his Vice. Anyone with supernatu- ral perception can see it. An Envious or Prideful mage’s nimbus might be weaker when affecting others and stronger when affecting the mage himself. A Greedy mage’s nimbus might not affect others at all although its presence is still obvious. A Wrathful mage’s nimbus might seem threatening to others although it cannot harm them directly.
Witch’s Mark: The mage bears a weird but non-prominent blemish that is visible to Sleepers. He might have luminous motes in his eyes (Lust or Greed), his body radiates heat (Wrath) or cold (Envy) or there is a grayish pallor to his skin (Sloth). In addition, he has an uncanny nimbus, as described above.
Disfigurement: The mage bears a prominent blemish that is visible to Sleepers, such as a metallic sheen to his skin (Pride), the pupils of an animal (Wrath or Gluttony) or a bizarre tenor to his voice (Lust, Envy, Greed). In addition, he has an uncanny nimbus, as described above. He suffers a –1 penalty to Social tests with Sleepers (except the Intimidation Skill).
Bestial Feature: The mage gains an animal trait, such as claws (Wrath; 1 (L) damage), fangs (Envy or Gluttony; 1 (L) damage), horns (Pride; 2 (L) damage), a tail (Greed or Lust; it has half the mage’s Strength, rounding up) or fur or scales (Sloth or Pride; one armor point). None of these features can be concealed easily. He suffers a –3 penalty to all Social tests (except the Intimidation Skill).
Inhuman Feature: The mage gains an inhuman trait, such as a bestial feature that is clearly demonic or supernatural, such as a forked tail or glowing eyes. Or he might be surrounded by a cloud of flies (Gluttony or Greed), a miasma that causes plants to wither (Sloth or Envy), a herd of crawling vermin (Pride or Lust) or a shroud of smoke (Wrath). He suffers a –5 penalty to all Social tests (except the Intimidation Skill).
M
ANIFESTATIONAn entity from the Abyss enters into the Fallen World. The entity manifests some- where within the area around the mage who invoked the manifestation, usually no farther away than 10 yards or paces per dot of the caster’s Gnosis. The entity does not necessarily appear within sight; the being might manifest below the mage, in the sewers or in an unseen room beyond the nearest wall.
Arcanum Dots Entity
1 The manifestation is a gremlin or imp, a minor spirit with a dark sense of humor, that troubles the mage for a short time (Rank 1 or 2, with 5–14 Attribute dots). This entity exists in Twilight and cannot cause direct harm but can cause any number of minor problems. The manifestation has some influence over the material world, similar to a poltergeist. The manifestation can open and close doors, tip things over and send small objects flying across a room.
1 Uncanny Nimbus 3 Disfigurement
5 Inhuman Feature
1 The manifestation is a gremlin or imp, a minor spirit wwith a dark sense of humor, that troubles the mage foor a short time (Rank 1 or 2, with 5–14 Attribute dots). TThis entity exists in Twilight and cannot cause direct harm but can cause any number of minor problems. TThe manifestation has some influence over the material world, similar to a poltergeist. The manifestation can oppen
and close doors, tip things over and send small objeects flying across a room.
173 Chapter Three: Magic Arcanum Dots Entity
2 A more powerful and menacing entity (Rank 3, with 15–25 Attribute dots) manifests in the material realm. This entity is malicious and rarely humorous. It has a keen sense of timing, causes various hassles and has powers like those of gremlins, above.
3 Entities of this intensity are more complex and capable (Rank 3 or 4, with 26–35 Attribute dots) and are driven less by pure instinct and emotion and more by thought and planning. They are also powerful enough to manifest a physical form and interact with the material world. They are cunning enough to pretend to have the mage’s interests at heart while leading him astray. The promises of such creatures are not to be trusted.
4 The entity’s power is equal to that of the mage in every respect. Such entities range from murderous monsters that stalk and kill the mage’s loved ones (or enemies pinning the blame on the mage) to seductive manifestations of the mage’s darkest desires. Some entities this powerful, called doppelgängers, appear exactly as the mages who spawned them. Doppelgängers never appear in the same places as their doubles. Doppelgängers are always elsewhere, causing mischief. The only means of banishing a doppelgänger is for the mage to confront it directly (whereupon it vanishes). Doppel-gängers must be restrained in order to do this. They can sense the approach of their doubles and flee if at all possible.
5 The mage draws the attention of a truly powerful entity (Rank 4 or 5, with 36–45 Attribute dots). The entity may try to destroy the mage or possess his body. Alternately, the entity may attempt to seduce the mage with promises of power, knowledge and the fulfillment of his desires. The entity remains in the world until either banished by the mage who summoned the entity or until the mage’s death. In the past, the orders have sanctioned the execution of mages responsible for calling such entities into reality.
DISBELIEF
When a Sleeper encounters magic or the supernatural, he cannot usually cope with what he sees. Supernatural disturbances trouble Sleepers who witness such events until the embrace of Disbelief erases all evidence of the occurrence from their minds. Mages debate endlessly about why this is so. Ancient records have no references to any such effect before the fall of Atlantis and the division of the worlds. It seems that human souls, cut off from the Supernal World and exiled to the Fallen World, cannot cope with the truth of magic. When a Sleeper witnesses a vulgar act of magic, the occurrence always triggers Disbe- lief. The Sleeper’s reaction depends on his Willpower. In many cases, the effects alter or amend the Sleeper’s memory of the event, but humans have been known to react in unpredictable ways. If multiple humans witness the same vulgar act of magic, each
Entities of this intensity are more complex and capable 3
(Rank 3 or 4, with 26–35 Attribute dots) and are driven less by pure instinct and emotion and more by thought and planning. They are also powerful enough to manifest a physical form and interact with the material world. They are cunning enough to pretendto have the mage’s interests at heart while leading him astray. The promises of such creatures are not to be trusted.
The mage draws the attention of a truly powerful entity 5
(Rank 4 or 5, with 36–45 Attribute dots). The entity may try to destroy the mage or possess his body. Alternately, the entity may attempt to seduce the mage with promises of power, knowledge and the fulfillment of his desires. The entity remains in the world until either banished by the mage who summoned the entity or until the mage’s death. In the past, the orders have sanctioned the execution of mages responsible for calling such entities into reality.
interprets it differently according to his Willpower and the resources his unconscious mind uses to explain the event. Casting the spell always triggers Disbelief, but the effects of the spell may or may not trigger it if a Sleeper notices them after the spell is cast.
Willpower Memory
1–4 The Sleeper completely forgets that he ever saw anything unusual.
5–7 He forgets what he sees but has a feeling of unease. He might remember events later as if they were something he dreamed. Or he misinterprets what he sees; he might mistake a spell for a technological phenom- enon or anything to explain it away in
“normal” terms.
8–10 He remembers everything.
Covert magic does not trigger Disbelief unless the magic strains credulity (see “Im- probable Magic,” p. 140). Also, the powers of supernatural creatures do not trigger Disbelief. Vampires, werewolves, spirits, ghosts and other strange beings can use their powers freely before the eyes of Sleepers. Mages theorize that Disbelief is a Sleeper’s soul denying the truth of the Supernal World as displayed by vulgar Awakened magic. The powers of other creatures, mages believe, originate in the Fallen World and do not stir the soul’s memory of its fallen tragedy. In a sense, Disbelief is a near Awakening, but one that denies Awakening itself.
U
NRAVELINGA Sleeper who witnesses a vulgar spell might very well unravel that spell with the force of his Disbelief. The result is an extended action, accumulating successes over time. In the first turn in which the spell’s effect is witnessed, test with a pool consisting of the Sleeper’s Resolve + Composure and compare the successes to the spell’s Potency. If the number of successes exceed the Potency, the spell is dispelled. If they are equal to or less than the spell’s Potency, the spell is unaffected.
Every 10 minutes thereafter for the rest of the scene, test again and add successes to the running total. Once successes exceed the spell’s Potency, the spell is dispelled. A mage might try to hide the effect from a Sleeper, but if the Sleeper sees it again any time during the scene, his new Disbelief successes are added to his previous successes. If the action has moved on to another location, but the spell remains, Storytellers can assume one success on this test per Sleeper per 10 minutes that pass until the spell is unraveled. For example, a Potency 3 spell in a room with two Sleepers is unraveled in 20 minutes. If a Sleeper leaves the scene of the spell, tests are no longer made for him.