[OOC] [Mage: the Awakening 2E] The Supernal Suburbia

[rwknoll]

As I'm making Lynx, I realise I've got a minor disadvantage with being a foreign exchange student: I need to spend 1 of my 10 Merit dot on Language (English). I don't really mind doing so, but I'd like to know your opinion on this issue, Guest. After all, native language is Norwegian.

Personally, I feel like making you pay a Merit point for English is dumb. You can have the language for free.

Also, if you end up going Spirit 3, don't forget that you can always bond a spirit as a familiar on your own by getting up to Spirit 4. Depends how important that Arcana will be to your character concept, though.

[rwknoll]

For the 5 players who were not selected for the Chicago game: I created a new game thread for the Colorado one. Check it out and tell me what you think. I think it will be easier to come up with certain things for that game because of the info in some other books I have.

For everyone: Just a reminder that I'll be out of town starting tomorrow (7/1) through Sunday (7/10), so I may not be able to reply quickly. My hope is to type up more about the setting and local Awakened politics, and then get the ball rolling on the actual game!

[Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon]

Personally, I feel like making you pay a Merit point for English is dumb. You can have the language for free.

Also, if you end up going Spirit 3, don't forget that you can always bond a spirit as a familiar on your own by getting up to Spirit 4. Depends how important that Arcana will be to your character concept, though.

Thank you for the free language.


Dependent on the length of the campaign, it would take a very, very long time for me to get to Spirit 4. Assuming I start at Spirit 3, I would have to invest 14 exp before I could give myself a familiar - 19 if I don't beeline straight for Spirit 4, i.e., if I go Life 4 (or any other arcanum to 4) first. I also dislike planning my experience purchases ahead of time in such a fashion as well, so I couldn't tell you when, or even if, I'd go for familiar later.

[crapcarp]

Since we're filling sheets out, I've made some character sheets templates on google docs that auto-calculates Advantages and has a space for equipment. I can make a doc for this game with blank Mage sheets to keep all the sheets in one place as well as a status sheet that keeps track of WP, Health, Mana, and temporary Conditions/Tilts.

On a related note, I've got a chronicle info doc template where one can record general information of the chronicle, like a Beat record and a space to record where players have spent Experiences, and a profile template doc that all the players can use to add all the mechanic-less stuff.

rwknoll, if you're interested in that, I can make the docs and give everyone the links to that.

[Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon]

I'm primarily using an interactive pdf as a character sheet. I'll probably link it at the end of my stat block.

[rwknoll]

You can keep the stats in other additional formats if you like. Unfortunately, because of the firewall at my job, the problem becomes that I can't load a lot of links...including Google Docs and most download sites. So I will need text format like you've already started if I want to be able to view your character sheets at work. Is that ok?

[Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon]

You can keep the stats in other additional formats if you like. Unfortunately, because of the firewall at my job, the problem becomes that I can't load a lot of links...including Google Docs and most download sites. So I will need text format like you've already started if I want to be able to view your character sheets at work. Is that ok?

I don't mind at all, no worries from my end.

[rwknoll]

Also, experience doesn't scale with current dots like it did in 1E. You need 4 XP to go from Spirit 3 to 4, or 20 beats. And that can be a combination of regular and Arcane experience. It won't take nearly as long as you think.

[Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon]

Also, experience doesn't scale with current dots like it did in 1E. You need 4 XP to go from Spirit 3 to 4, or 20 beats. And that can be a combination of regular and Arcane experience. It won't take nearly as long as you think.

You need Gnosis 3 to get an Arcanum to 4 in 2nd Edition, though.

Gnosis limits the upper limit of a mage’s Arcana. A mage’s highest Arcanum can be three dots at Gnosis 1, four dots at Gnosis 3, and five dots at Gnosis 5. That mage’s other Arcana are limited to a maximum of two dots at Gnosis 1, three dots at Gnosis 2, four dots at Gnosis 4, and five dots at Gnosis 6.

[Caladriu]

rwknoll I was planning to take the Artifact merit as a keepsake taken from Hakim, how does this look?

Cloak of Night (Artifact 5)
An archaic hooded traveling cloak, ink-black, with a leaden clasp in the shape of a death's-head moth.
Contains the spells Shadow Flesh (Death 4) and Wards and Signs (Prime 2). Effective Gnosis 3 and Arcana 4. Contains up to 10 Mana. Counts as a Path tool for Moros mages.
Effect 1: Gain [base Potency 4, more with spell factors] Withstand against all spells targeting me specifically for 1 scene. Activated by closing the clasp around the neck. 7 dice before spell factors. (Wards and Signs, 1 reach spent on instant casting, 1 reach on advanced duration, 1 reach spent on changing primary factor from duration to potency.)
Effect 2: Dissolve into a two-dimensional shadow for [base Duration 5 turns, more with spell factors] as per Shadow Flesh. Activated by pulling the hood over the head. 7 dice before spell factors. (Shadow Flesh, 1 reach spent on instant casting.)

In fact, it makes sense. After all, Hunter cells can settle their differences in order to team-up against powerful creatures. A powerful creature could easily take out an entire cell (Phoenix was dead at the time the rest of his cell was killed). I'd like to discuss with Caladriu about the possibility of Hakim being the target of that hunt. Just an idea.

You mean like Hakim being the one who killed Phoenix's cell? I wasn't imagining him being a Scelesti or anything, but I do like the idea that Moonstone's growth is going to involve distancing himself from his mentor and realizing that the relationship wasn't totally healthy and generally being more clear-sighted about him. And I did say that he had a big falling-out with his former cabal that led to him and Moonstone leaving them.

I don't know what if anything rwknoll had in mind when suggesting that hook, but maybe (being a Moros) Hakim was secretly a Reaper? Or otherwise dabbling with Left-Handed practices that Moonstone was willfully ignorant about. "He's just under a lot of stress at work!" Or at least he was connected to that kind of Bad Magical Shit enough to be a target, even if he was just investigating a cabal and looked from the outside hunter's perspective to be a member. We could leave it uncertain exactly why he was targeted and what the real truth of the situation was, I definitely want the events around his assassination to provoke some larger Mystery and suspicion and thread-unraveling that's fun for the whole party if we look into it in the course of the game. Also I just like the idea of Moonstone getting really huffy and defensive at the suggestion that he doesn't know his mentor as well as he thought.

[crapcarp]

You mean like Hakim being the one who killed Phoenix's cell? I wasn't imagining him being a Scelesti or anything, but I do like the idea that Moonstone's growth is going to involve distancing himself from his mentor and realizing that the relationship wasn't totally healthy and generally being more clear-sighted about him. And I did say that he had a big falling-out with his former cabal that led to him and Moonstone leaving them.

I don't know what if anything rwknoll had in mind when suggesting that hook, but maybe (being a Moros) Hakim was secretly a Reaper? Or otherwise dabbling with Left-Handed practices that Moonstone was willfully ignorant about. "He's just under a lot of stress at work!" Or at least he was connected to that kind of Bad Magical Shit enough to be a target, even if he was just investigating a cabal and looked from the outside hunter's perspective to be a member. We could leave it uncertain exactly why he was targeted and what the real truth of the situation was, I definitely want the events around his assassination to provoke some larger Mystery and suspicion and thread-unraveling that's fun for the whole party if we look into it in the course of the game. Also I just like the idea of Moonstone getting really huffy and defensive at the suggestion that he doesn't know his mentor as well as he thought.

That sounds pretty awesome, not to mention it'll spark a lot of drama when Phoenix and Moonstone find out the truth, especially if either one finds something out before the other.

[rwknoll]

You need Gnosis 3 to get an Arcanum to 4 in 2nd Edition, though.

You're right, totally forgot that part. I like to give out beats and Arcane beats frequently as rewards for good role play, as well as the normal rules for all that stuff, so hopefully it will happen at a good pace.

I also plan to have NPCs available who will offer mentorship and resources, in exchange for favors and other resources. So it's possible a Mage with Spirit 4 may mentor you and offer to bond a spirit familiar for you, but with strings attached.

Caladriu crapcarp - Really, really digging the ideas here about deeper plot ties between your characters. I was partially vague about my suggested plot hook there because I'm still formulating ideas about some Mysteries I want to craft for you all to explore. I also want it to be ambiguous now so you can explore it in-game without full OOC knowledge.

For right now, let's leave it at this: Hakim may have been involved in the death of Phoenix's Hunter cell, but details and presumed motives are unknown. He died relatively soon after, the apparent nature of which will be tied to a series of events that will serve a prominent role in the first story of this game. Sound fair?

[rwknoll]

Caladriu - The artifact looks really neat, and I like the idea of having something meaningful from your deceased mentor. It also serves as a temporal sympathy, yeah? So that might be helpful to you down the road (especially if you go Acanthus).

I am re-reading the core Mage 2E book to familiarize myself with the rules, but by my skimming, it looks accurate for the cost. Seems pretty neat.

For everyone: Please let me know how else I can help with the actual character stat building process. And let me know what you're thinking of for your Nimbus Tilt, too.

When you have time, to minimize confusion, please feel free to cut references in your character posts to connections/ties with PCs who weren't selected for this game.

I've flagged the initial post asking for a mod to rename this thread as an OOC thread for the game, so don't be surprised if/when that happens. Not sure if that throws off URLs to posts in the thread? I'll be re-adding those links to your character posts on the initial post.

[Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon]

rwknoll, if you could give your insight on these matters as the storyteller, I would appreciate it immensely.

FAMILIAR

It would help to know more about how the Familiar would function, I think.

2 dots in the merit gives a rank 1 spirit; 4 dots, a rank 2. Each rank has a variable number of attribute dots and numina, i.e., a rank 1 spirit has 5-8 attributes and 1-3 Numina; rank to has 9-14 attribute dots and 3-5 Numina.

As the storyteller, what's your verdict here? It says I design it per the rules, though I'll do this process with you closely regardless. If I go for a 4-dot familiar, what are my restrictions? Can I go 14 attribute dots and 5 Numina? Would you prefer the minimum? The median?

In 1st Edition, you could give spirits Numina that corresponded to specific spells, so long that they fit the spirit's Influence; would you allow this in 2nd edition? In this case, I'm thinking of a lynx as a familiar, which could have an Influence referring to knowledge, truth, vision and foresight, spiritual healing... assuming 4 Numina, I can't think of many of the listed ones in the book suiting the familiar. So...Let's say we go for a knowledge angle. Could it then have a Numen or two that would be the equivalent of Knowing of Time, i.e. "Postcognition" or "Divination", to reflect Knowledge (of the past) and/or Foresight? Or an effect similar to Prime 1 "Pierce Deception", if we think Truth?

How would it work in play?. Do I have full domain over its actions? Do I (help) design its personality? Do I play it as a second character, or does it work more like a mentor or retainer, where it is an NPC which will act in my interests and help me to the best of its abilities? I am honestly hoping for the latter in this case, where I ask it if it could do this or this, and then it does, but its methodology and willingness is ultimately subject to your decisions.

If it's an embodied familiar, how impractical would it be to have a physical lynx as a pet? Sure, it could create some interesting dilemmas, but I don't want to break suspension of disbelief (Why is a lynx following that man!?) or create unnecessary complications. Keeping it as a Fetch would be the most practical solution.

It would be wicked if it could Materialise in physical form - that would require an Open condition or some physical form of an ephemeral entity. Said Materialisation would also not be permanent. The spirit could do it on its own, since it would have the Materialise Manifestation effect. In the case of an Open condition, if the Resonance Condition is suitable in an area (e.g., knowledge = library), and I created the Open condition on said Resonance, would it then manifest as a lynx?

A Death 2 mage can use "Create Ectoplasm" and use "Ectoplasmic Shaping" to allow ghosts to materialise; he can also shape Death-attuned ephemera with Death 2 and pull said ephemera out of Twilight with "Touch of the Grave" into the physical realm.

Would these rules work parallel with Spirit, i.e., could I shape Spirit-attuned Ephemera and pull it out of Twilight to if I wanted to manifest the Lynx into the physical realm (in a shape of my choosing) for a certain amount of time with Spirit 2?

Which also reminds me - Death 3 "Ghost Gate" allows the mage to shift into Death-attuned Twilight. Spirit 3 "Reaching" allows the mage to cross the Gauntlet - but there is a Spirit-attuned Twilight. I do assume I could cross over to said Twilight with Spirit 3, but I still want to make sure if you agree or not.

I'm still not a 100% on the rules on Spirits, so if anybody can correct me that would be swell. Or maybe I'm just really overthinking it...

ARCANA

I'm still undecided if I want Life 3, Spirit 3, or a fourth Arcanum.

Life 3 would be immensely practical (and think of the possibilities!)! Transform Life to change aspects of one's self, Honing the Form to bolster physical attributes (on both self and others if needed), Knit to heal wounds and stay refreshed... it also would further Lynx's free spirit and, at this point, his budding hedonism.

Spirit 3 would open up the Shadow as a secondary location for us to explore and use. Is this an opportunity you find desirable, rwknoll? What about the other players? This alone is a world of possibilities, adventure, and danger (Jake English would be proud), and I will go for Spirit 3 without hesitation if the availability to enter the Shadow across the Gauntlet pretty much at will is wanted.

As for fourth Arcanum... again, possibilities. If we rule out what wouldn't fit, we'd have Mind (inferior), Space, Death and Forces. I've mentioned Matter before, but I can also imagine Time and Prime, for knowledge's sake. But if I were to go for the familiar as above, it would be Lynx's primary Supernal source of information.

NIMBUS

Appropriately, the ecstatic feeling of truly feeling alive is what comes to mind. The Immediate Nimbus could be a shadow of Lynx's animalistic nature, e.g., his shadow might appear as a wolf, or momentarily he might look an anthropomorphic animal (not necessarily a lynx); and/or a sensation of heightened senses and sensitivity; the lightest touch resonates through the body; a person's nature manifests as odour (someone deceitful by nature would smell foul; someone calm would smell like a quiet pond or glade, something like that); the feeling of being naked, raw, and exposed.

The Signature would be remnants of fur and/or a distinct odour, I think.

NIMBUS TILT

I was thinking either +1 Presence, -1 Resolve, to reflect something akin to empowered primal charisma combined with lowered inhibitions; or +1 Empathy, -1 Subterfuge, to reflect Lynx's instinct of reading people, while making those affected more transparent.

[crapcarp]

Caladriu crapcarp - Really, really digging the ideas here about deeper plot ties between your characters. I was partially vague about my suggested plot hook there because I'm still formulating ideas about some Mysteries I want to craft for you all to explore. I also want it to be ambiguous now so you can explore it in-game without full OOC knowledge.

For right now, let's leave it at this: Hakim may have been involved in the death of Phoenix's Hunter cell, but details and presumed motives are unknown. He died relatively soon after, the apparent nature of which will be tied to a series of events that will serve a prominent role in the first story of this game. Sound fair?

Generally speaking, I'm fine with this. However, I do need a bit more detail on Phoenix's perception of what happened. Not asking for what actually went down, just the things that Phoenix knew and saw. For example, who was Hakim from the cell's perspective and why were they hunting him, things like that. The main reason is so I know what to fill in for Phoenix's first Obsession, and it might affect Aspirations, too.

Speaking of character stuff, I've changed my intro post into a full character sheet.

It's incomplete, like the Obsession and I haven't put in any of the Order benefits (I've also listed the input for Order and Legacy in parentheses, meaning that I fully intend for Phoenix to join those, but he hasn't yet). By the way, what are the rules for starting equipment?