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

[DArchon5]

DArchon5 - The character sheet is looking great. Only two corrections I see. First, the updated/errata for MtAw 2E says you start with only 3 rotes, not 6 dots of rotes. Please review your rote selection. Also, you get a number of bonuses to the Nimbus tilt equal to half of your Gnosis rounded up, so only one bonus at Gnosis 2. So you could take Wits +1, or Investigation +1 and 8-again, but not both.

Ah, I didn't know about that errata. I guess I'll drop a few of them then.

Rene actually has Potent Nimbus, which adds +2 to her Gnosis for determining her Nimbus Tilt

[rwknoll]

Oh, missed that! My bad.

[squidheadjax]

So have we all been introduced and running around together already, or are we meeting in-game?

[rwknoll]

DArchon5 - I forgot to say this yesterday, but I saw that your dedicated tool is a crystal staff. Do you think you might want to make that a crystal rod or something instead? Something that is slightly easier to conceal or take with you, since you will be using it a lot. I think a rod still has the same semiotics so it’s just an idea.

So have we all been introduced and running around together already, or are we meeting in-game?

You all will have met briefly. The Diamond Orders and your mentors collaborated to help you find a cabal due to your auspicious Awakening timing. You were introduced at a Consilium meeting a few days ago, in game time.

Let’s just move up to 2020 and say the Deathstorm occurred on September 8, 2020. You all awakened sometime that week. You were introduced to a full Consilium and each other on Friday, October 2. We can start our game on Saturday, October 3. You could have spent that Friday talking with each other, establishing ideas for your cabal, and initial talking about mutual goals.

Also, there will be no pandemic going on and there will be a fictional President, if that becomes relevant. I want to avoid politics and admittedly could use an escape from current events.

[Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon]

Ok, Raven it is! I think it will be cool to flesh out her character more.

So with 3 Resources and your background, I feel like Lynx’s parents are helping to pay for his rent for a nice 1-2 bedroom apartment that probably costs in the $900-1,100 range. It could be in a small apartment complex and I could introduce NPCs from there, either the landlord or another tenant.

In the old background, several of the characters were students or instructors at the University of Chicago and attended classes downtown. Since no one else in this group is a college student (at least from what I’ve seen), we could pick a college closer to the suburbs.

There actually aren’t any community colleges or full 4-year colleges or universities in La Grange. I actually might suggest Elmhurst College (renamed to Elmhurst University in 2020). It is only a 10-15 minute drive or train ride away from La Grange, just northwest of La Grange and only a few minutes away from the northwest corner of the woods and forest. The college is a private liberal arts college with a Christian affiliation. Coincidentally, the particular affiliation is with a liberal denomination that is pro-LGBT+ and openly affirms same-sex marriage and gay pastors. I think with Lynx’s background and his yearning for a deeper spiritual connection around the time of his Awakening, this might make the college a good fit for him. Thoughts?

I like this. It sounds like an interesting direction to go re: spirituality and such. I don't know how much I necessarily want to lean into the Christian part of it, but it does seem like a good fit logistically, and I do want to challenge myself in terms of roleplay. I'm in favour.

First, the updated/errata for MtAw 2E says you start with only 3 rotes, not 6 dots of rotes. Please review your rote selection. Also, you get a number of bonuses to the Nimbus tilt equal to half of your Gnosis rounded up, so only one bonus at Gnosis 2. So you could take Wits +1, or Investigation +1 and 8-again, but not both.

Just so I'm sure, we get 3 rotes, regardless of dots? So I could theoretically start with three Life 3 rotes?

[rwknoll]

I like this. It sounds like an interesting direction to go re: spirituality and such. I don't know how much I necessarily want to lean into the Christian part of it, but it does seem like a good fit logistically, and I do want to challenge myself in terms of roleplay. I'm in favour.

We definitely don't have to explore the Christian part much or at all. I just figured of the real colleges/universities within a 20-mile radius, this is probably the closest to what Lynx would be interested in given the backstory you created. If you don't like it, we could also create a fictional university in La Grange or nearby that fits better with what you are interested in.

Just so I'm sure, we get 3 rotes, regardless of dots? So I could theoretically start with three Life 3 rotes?

Yeah, you could. That's what the Mage 2E errata says. If you haven't obtained an updated copy of the core book with the errata, you can find them linked here.

Quoting the relevant section:
"Instead of being dot-rated as they were in first edition in character creation, given that their Experiences cost after chargen is flat, we have changed "six dots of rotes" in character creation to "three rotes."

[Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon]

We definitely don't have to explore the Christian part much or at all. I just figured of the real colleges/universities within a 20-mile radius, this is probably the closest to what Lynx would be interested in given the backstory you created. If you don't like it, we could also create a fictional university in La Grange or nearby that fits better with what you are interested in.

Elmhurst will work out just fine, I think. No need to overcomplicate things when you've already found a good and thoughtful answer. I like it, and am excited to see what it'll end up being.

[squidheadjax]

You all will have met briefly. The Diamond Orders and your mentors collaborated to help you find a cabal due to your auspicious Awakening timing. You were introduced at a Consilium meeting a few days ago, in game time.

Let’s just move up to 2020 and say the Deathstorm occurred on September 8, 2020. You all awakened sometime that week. You were introduced to a full Consilium and each other on Friday, October 2. We can start our game on Saturday, October 3. You could have spent that Friday talking with each other, establishing ideas for your cabal, and initial talking about mutual goals.

Also, there will be no pandemic going on and there will be a fictional President, if that becomes relevant. I want to avoid politics and admittedly could use an escape from current events.

Sounds good.

I should probably figure out what Callie thinks of the others...

Lynx: she probably thinks 'loud and judgy', which is less than fair and will probably change.

Eurydice's Heir: she's not a fan of being confrontational about things... but she's going to want to learn Death magic (great for covering mundane evidence!), so likely to try and be ingratiating.

Fatewise: perceptive enough to make Callie a little instinctively anxious. She might also think Rene is leaning into the 'witch' thing a little too dramatically, but that's very pot-and-kettle.

Morganna: What Callie thinks of her will partly depend on how much of her background she reveals. Respect for her as an ex-con, and also as a thief for actually being successful in a MLM. Callie is probably also an embarassingly easy mark where Morganna is concerned, especially with those Striking Looks (btw, in 2e it's only 1 dot per level, so she'd have level 2).

[DrSteve]

DrSteve - Just wanted to say that you’re officially in, in case that wasn’t clear. Looking forward to playing with you!

I have also posted a recruitment post on the RPG.net forums. It seems like they are way more active. Hoping that draws some more interest.

If I am somehow able to access RPG.net from work, I might suggest that we migrate there to play the game. I’ll let you know if I suggest that.

Thanks. Just chiming in that I'm alive and here. Had some family health issues over the last week and the election is doing nothing to make me feel better about the world.

[DrSteve]

Obviously WIP, but wanted to get it out there before sleeping...


Shadow Name: TBD (Trying to come up with one that would sound like an obvious spy codename or something)


Fate 3 Time 2 Prime 1, most likely.

Samantha Spade (Sam Spade)?
Bond, Jane Bond
Mata Hari
Agent P
Mycroft
Q

[DrSteve]

(1) Aspirations/Obsession: Can you clarify what you mean by “be less scared”? Or perhaps rephrase this a bit? Your other aspirations/Obsession are great.

She wants to do something to feel more in control of the situation. She's not a banisher but the things that go bump in the night are real. She just purchased (semi-legally) a gun and body armor. This is a person that's still freaked out about awakening.

(2) Background: You made a few posts after I asked follow-up questions with information about your background and Hannah pre- and post-Awakening. Please consolidate the extra information into one post, as well as the rest of the requested information listed here.

I'll try to put everything into a nicely formatted character sheet in the morning.

(3) Photo: Please post a link to a photo or photos that represent how you view your character.

(4) Mentor: Please decide on which existing NPC you'd like to be your Order mentor, or give me a general, brief character concept of a new NPC and I will start to flesh them out myself. If you have questions about an NPC posted on the "List of Supporting Characters" section on the IC thread, let me know.

I had some ideas for Vivian. Actually I just saw a bit of Season 6 of the old Buffy The Vampire Slayer TV series. The Willow character does a good job of pulling off a high gnosis / low wisdom mage. I wonder if that might be an idea: somebody who is actually nice and has real friends within the concillium and order but has a gnosis of at least 6, a wisdom of 4, is the master of at least one art and fundamentally doesn't see the world the same way regular people do any more. (I'm thinking of one scene where Willow offers to search a dance floor quickly by shunting everyone that doesn't match the age/gender she is looking for into an alternative dimension for a couple of seconds). Let me play with this concept a bit and I'll message you a draft.

[quote]
(5) Residence: I need a general description of what kind of house/apartment/shelter you live in and where it is generally located.
[quote]

Two bedroom apartment in a nice but not pircey complex.

(6) Character and setting connections: Please come up with at least 3 general links to the setting and/or other characters. Look to Lynx or Caliginosa's character sheet for examples.

1. Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon - Lynx, Thyrsus animist/college student.
- Wants to learn Spirit so that she manifest Goetia. Lynx might be able to help.

2. Second Chances - TBD, Moros or Thyrsus
- If allowable, was one of the cops that investigated the student deaths/disappearances. Wants to talk to him now that he's no longer working for the PD.

3. DrSteve - Morganna, Mastigos soccer mom / con-woman

4. DArchon5 - Fatewise, Acanthus high school grad with supernatural family problems
- Wants to talk to her about the student deaths.

5. squidheadjax - Caligniosa, Obrimos enlightened 'lady' thief
- Professional interest. Has heard rumors. Wonders if she can help in a con.

[rwknoll]

Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon and squidheadjax both start with a Beat for completing their characters in full before yesterday morning.

Samantha Spade (Sam Spade)?
Bond, Jane Bond
Mata Hari
Agent P
Mycroft
Q

Squidheadjax ended up going with the name Caliginosa. I think you were responding to an older message. I have been updating the very first post of the OOC and IC threads as you all have updated or finished your character sheets, so please reference that anytime you need to find the character sheets for the rest of the players. (This is why I'm asking everyone to keep a copy of their current character sheet somewhere in the OOC thread for me to reference.)

She wants to do something to feel more in control of the situation. She's not a banisher but the things that go bump in the night are real. She just purchased (semi-legally) a gun and body armor. This is a person that's still freaked out about awakening.

Ok, that makes sense. So instead of "be less scared", let's go with the short-term aspiration "do something to feel more in control of a scary situation."

I'll try to put everything into a nicely formatted character sheet in the morning.

Thanks! I have been linking to your original post with your stats, post #1129 of this thread from 10/13/20. If you could, please go back and edit that post and consolidate all of your information there, including the photos, summary of her relationship with the others, etc. Let me know if you have any questions.

I had some ideas for Vivian. Actually I just saw a bit of Season 6 of the old Buffy The Vampire Slayer TV series. The Willow character does a good job of pulling off a high gnosis / low wisdom mage. I wonder if that might be an idea: somebody who is actually nice and has real friends within the concillium and order but has a gnosis of at least 6, a wisdom of 4, is the master of at least one art and fundamentally doesn't see the world the same way regular people do any more. (I'm thinking of one scene where Willow offers to search a dance floor quickly by shunting everyone that doesn't match the age/gender she is looking for into an alternative dimension for a couple of seconds). Let me play with this concept a bit and I'll message you a draft.

I like the idea, but not the level of power. With only 1 dot in the Mentor merit, which is only available because of the Mystery Cult Initiation merit, the mentor by default would only be a little stronger than you. In practice, the other main NPCs who are serving as mentors will have Gnosis 3-4 and generally be first-degree adepts or have multiple 3-dot Arcana, with about 8-10 Arcana dots total. Their accessibility for benefits and favors will be limited to the rules per the Mentor merit, or for those who didn't put any dots into Mentor, will be limited except when it's appropriate for the scene (and usually requiring a favor in return).

For NPCs, I would focus on drafting details about how they relate to each other, their history and relationships with others in their Order and the Consilium, and descriptions of how they act towards others. I will generally be taking the lead on roleplaying NPCs during scenes, although I liberally allow players to add NPCs to their posts and to RP for them when it adds to the narrative and doesn't affect mechanics. I will draft the NPC stats myself, which I keep in my ST notes offline. I do like the idea of a lower-Wisdom character who is more brash in style and approach. I imagine she would be effective at achieving her goals, but at times off-putting to Guardians or other higher-Wisdom characters.

Two bedroom apartment in a nice but not pircey complex.

With the Resources 2 dots that you get from your Mystery Cult Initiation merit, this makes sense. It won't be as nice as the apartment Lynx will have with Resources 3, and you'll have less spending cash by default (obviously not taking into consideration your in-game use of skills to obtain more money illegally). On a related note, I surprisingly can't find the availability dots of vehicles anywhere in the CofD books I own (including Hurt Locker), which is strange, so I'm just going to say that a mini-van is availability 2 and that isn't an issue for you at character creation.

[rwknoll]

Posting an updated to-do list for everyone. As you can see, Second Chances and DArchon5 still need the most work before we can start. Can you two please let me know what a realistic goal might be for when you can complete this, so we can start playing?


Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon (Lynx):
As far as I can tell, your character is completely ready to go! Thank you!


Second Chances (Eurydice’s Heir):
(1) Character sheet: I need you to make a post in the OOC thread with your actual game stats. Please use the same post to include all of the additional information we need to know about your character (aspirations/Obsessions, background, photo, etc.).

(2) Aspirations/Obsession: Your Obsession is probably more appropriate for a short-term aspiration. And honestly, your mentor will probably start as an adept in at least one arcanum, so you could easily pick a mentor who starts with Spirit 4. An Obsession should be like a long-term aspiration that relates specifically to the Supernal realms, a specific known Mystery, or something else related to the Awakened world or magic. Your long-term aspiration might possibly be a better fit as an Obsession, but you might consider something broader like "study goetia of Greek mythological concepts." Please tweak your aspirations/Obsession accordingly.

(3) Background: Please flesh out more details about your background. This doesn't need to be lengthy, but it should provide a little more clarification about who Eurydice's Heir is both pre- and post-Awakening.

(4) Photo: Please post a link to a photo or photos that represent how you view your character.

(5) Mentor: Please decide on which existing NPC you'd like to be your Order mentor, or give me a general, brief character concept of a new NPC and I will start to flesh them out myself. If you have questions about an NPC posted on the "List of Supporting Characters" section on the IC thread, let me know.

(6) Residence: I need a general description of what kind of house/apartment/shelter you live in and where it is generally located.

(7) Character and setting connections: Please come up with at least 3 general links to the setting and/or other characters. Look to Lynx or Caliginosa's character sheet for examples.


DrSteve (Morganna):
(1) Background: As we discussed, please consolidate all of your character sheet, background information, and everything else I need to know about your character into a single post.

(2) Mentor: As we discussed, give me a little more information about Vivian and your vision of how she interacts with others. Focus on the narrative pieces, not the stats; I'll take care of that piece.


DArchon5 (Fatewise):
(1) Background: Please continue to finalize details about your character, and consolidate into one larger post with your character sheet and all of the other requested information listed here. Also as noted in one of my other posts, you might want to consider replacing your crystal staff Dedicated Tool with a crystal rod, which is smaller, easier to conceal, and would generally provide the same symbolism for spellcasting.

(2) Photo: Please post a link to a photo or photos that represent how you view your character.

(3) Mentor: Please decide on which existing NPC you'd like to be your Order mentor, or give me a general, brief character concept of a new NPC and I will start to flesh them out myself. If you have questions about an NPC posted on the "List of Supporting Characters" section on the IC thread, let me know.

(4) Residence: I need a general description of what kind of house/apartment/shelter you live in and where it is generally located.

(5) Character and setting connections: Please come up with at least 3 general links to the setting and/or other characters. Look to Lynx or Caliginosa's character sheet for examples.


squidheadjax (Caliginosa):
As far as I can tell, your character is completely ready to go! Thank you!

[DrSteve]

Morganna Character Sheet

Shadow Name:Morganna	Player: DrSteve	Concept: Soccer Mom / Con-Artist	Path: Mastigos
Alternate Name: Multiple	Chronicle: Supernal Suburbia	Virtue: Just	Order: <Silver Ladder>
Sympathetic Name: Hannah Kaczkowski	Cabal: [insert cabal]	Vice: Deceptive	Legacy:

ATTRIBUTES
Mental		Physical		Social
Intelligence	●●●○○	Strength	●○○○○	Presence	●●○○○
Wits	●●○○○	Dexterity	●●●○○	Manipulation	●●●○○
Resolve	●●●○○	Stamina	●●○○○	Composure	●●●○○
SKILLS
Mental		Physical		Social
Academics	●○○○○(Business)	Athletics	●●●○○	Animal Ken	○○○○○
Computer	○○○○○	Brawl	○○○○○	Empathy	●○○○○
Crafts	○○○○○	Drive	○○○○○	Expression	○○○○○
Investigation	●○○○○	Firearms	●●●○○(Pistols)	Intimidation	○○○○○
Medicine	○○○○○	Larceny	●○○○○	Persuasion	●●●●○(Cons)<Asset Skill>
Occult	<●>●●○○ (Faeries)	Stealth	○○○○○	Socialize	●○○○○
Politics	●○○○○	Survival<*>	○○○○○	Streetwise	●○○○○
Science	○○○○○	Weaponry	○○○○○	Subterfuge	●●●●○ <Asset Skill>

ARCANA		ADVANTAGES
Death	○○○○○	Health: 7
Fate	○○○○○	Willpower: 6
Forces	○○○○○	Defense: 5 (8)
Life	○○○○○	Initiative: 6
Matter	○○○○○	Speed: 9
Mind	●●●○○	Size: 5
Prime	●○○○○	Gnosis: 2
Spirit	○○○○○	Max Mana/Per Turn: 11/2
Space	●●○○○	Ritual Time: 3 hours
Time	○○○○○	Obsessions: 1

Merits

• Mystery Cult Initiation (Avalon Supply MLM) ●●●●●
• ● Specialty (Academics: Business)
• ●● Striking Looks ●
• ●●● Extra Skill Dot (Occult)
• ●●●● Astral Adept
• ●●●●● Resources ●●, Mentor ●
• Professional Training (Conwoman) ●●
• ● Contacts (Criminals, High Society) ●●
• ●● 9 Again (Persuasion, Subterfuge)
• Shadow Name ●●
• High Speech ●
• <Order Status (Silver Laddr) ●○○○○>

Praxes

• Pierce Deception (Prime ●)
• Enhance Skill (Mind ●●●)

Attainments

• Counterspell (Mind, Prime, Space)
• Mage Armor (Space, Mind)
• Minds Eye (Mind)
• Sympathetic Range (Space)
• Targetted Summoning (Mind)

Rotes

• Goetic Summoning (MInd ●●●)
• Augment Mind (MInd ●●●)
• Psychic Assualt (Mind ●●●

Nimbus

Long-Term - Those around Morganna grow more heroic, for good or ill.

Immediate - Yeah, that's somebody out of an Arthurian legend. . . People who see it have a hard explaining, but if it were a movie you might say the camera effect just dramatized the sorcerer.

Signature - The smell of apples.

Tilt – The personalities of those nearby become more forceful, resulting in a +1 bonus on Presence rolls.

Aspirations

• Feel more in control of the situation. (short)
• Don't forget to pick up Lucy's scout uniform from the clearners. (short)
• Pull a con on a supernatural entity. (long)

Obsessions

• Find out what is happening to kids at the high school

Equipment

• First-Aid Kit (Bonus +1, Durability 1, Size 2, Structure 3, Availability 2)
• Laptop Computer (Bonus +2, Durability 2, Size 3, Structure 2, Availability 2)
• Smartphone (Bonus +1, Durability 2, Size 1, Structure 1, Availability 2)
• Glock 9mm (lt. pistol)
• Kevlar Vest
• Mini Van
• 2 Bedroom Apt

Yantras & Tools

• Small Statuette of Justice that sat on the window of her cell. (Dedicated - Path Tool):

Details

General
Age/Birthday: 32; 08/14/?? (whichever year makes her 32)
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 9"
Build: Commanding
Occupation: Conwoman
Ethnicity: Polish
Nationality: USA
Hair Colour: Dark, cropped
Eye Colour: Blue-grey
Sexuality: Bisexual







Background

Hannah came from a small town in Illinois and attended the University of Illinois, at Champlain. If she cheated her way through business school, well many of her classmates did the same. After graduation, she worked in a number of less than savory business ventures. Ironically, it wasn’t some scam that landed her in jail. Instead it was going legit. Hannah snagged a position at a drug company, only to find that they had hidden the addictive and dangerous nature of one of their blockbuster products. When Hannah tried to, anonymously, report the situation to the authorities she instead found herself fired and under investigation. Ultimately, she spent 18 months in a federal (minimum security) prison for lying to the FBI.

While awaiting trial, Hannah began working for a cultlike multi-level marketing firm – Avalon Supply MLM, actual a Silver Ladder front. The company sells a number of items of interest to hedge mages, and some of its stuff actually works (striking looks 1 is actually some form of hedge glamour). Most of the stuff is crap though.

While on the inside her husband (Mat) divorced her, getting custody of the couple’s two kids (Lucy, 10 and Max 8), most of the assets and then marrying a younger woman. While she is not going to send a goetia to eat her ex-husbands face in the middle of the night. He's from a political family and is gearing up to run for office. Her shadow name is Morganna, the sorceress who actively worked to bring down Camelot. (Unkown to her Ex might be a werewolf or other supernatural).

The judge gave her some time with her kids but not much, one weekend a month and Thursday evening every week. She didn't see them much while in prison and is trying to reconnect. It doesn't help that she's hearing that things out there might want to randomly kill her (no sanctum or safe place merit), so she's worried about being around the kids too much.

She lived in the Chicago area with her family before her arrest, one of the reasons that she's bac

Hannah’s awakening as a Mastigos formed a mystery play taking part at the same time as her release from prison.

Hannah is now back on the outside.

Needless to say Hannah, is frightened to discover the supernatural is real. Looking to stop being scared, she took the name Morgana, after Morgana le Fey – one of the central villains of Arthurian lore.

Mentor - WIP



Character links (still WIP)

Individual characters:

This section is WIP for now.

• 1. Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon - Lynx, Thyrsus animist/college student.
  - Wants to learn Spirit so that she manifest Goetia. Lynx might be able to help.
  
  2. Second Chances - TBD, Moros or Thyrsus
  - If allowable, was one of the cops that investigated the student deaths/disappearances. Wants to talk to him now that he's no longer working for the PD.
  
  3. DrSteve - Morganna, Mastigos soccer mom / con-woman
  
  4. DArchon5 - Fatewise, Acanthus high school grad with supernatural family problems
  - Wants to talk to her about the student deaths.
  
  5. squidheadjax - Caligniosa, Obrimos enlightened 'lady' thief
  - Professional interest. Has heard rumors. Wonders if she can help in a con

Status

Health: 0000000
Willpower: 6/6
Mana: 11/11
Wisdom: 7

Experience Log

Beats: 0/5
Arcane Beats: 0/5
Experience (Unspent/Total): 0/0
Arcane Experience (Unspent/Total): 0/0
Dots Purchased - XP Cost

• [insert dots purchased]

[Second Chances]

I'm aiming to try and get the stat side of things solidified tonight and have everything else done by the end of the weekend. Just got some stuff off my plate, so that hopefully will help.