1001 Interesting Paradox Backlashes

[Bluecho]

355) Hateful Pus [Burn or Spirit]: A disgusting backlash that afflicts those who abuse the power of Life. Progenitors experience this more often than most, a fact they chalk up to a failure on the sufferer's part to observe proper safety procedures. Foul, odorous fluids develop beneath the skin, eventually bursting violently from the body. In a Burn, the mage is made to suffer the pain of this bursting malady. As a Paradox Spirit, however, the onerous pus refuses to merely fall where it may. Upon seeping from the body, the disgusting slime builds into an animate puddle, green and noxious and hate-filled. It takes its putrid animosity out on the poor fool that birthed it, trying to smother the mage, or else bludgeon her with extruded tendrils.

[Bluecho]

356) Bad Gateway/File Not Found [Flaw]: Forever subject to the whims of internet connections, Virtual Adepts may find the small annoyances of computer errors infringing on their lives in meatspace. Attempts to move through a doorway or other opening could result in the mage being rebuffed, with the threshold blocked by a white wall, plastered with an error message like "Unable To Connect". Something similar can happen when attempting to sort through items in storage containers, the mage's sorting blocked with the message "File Not Found".


357) T H E M E M E S [Flaw or Spirit]: The mage - usually a Virtual Adept or other technomancer - comes under assault by unspeakable memes. Internet memes dog the mage at every turn. Walls and screens are plastered with captioned images, audio devices play famous (or infamous) songs and soundbites, and random passersby engage in memetic behavior. At more severe manifestations, the Memes come to life and attack the mage, although the meaning of the word "attack" can vary from meme to meme.

[Muad'Dib]

358) A Draught of Ideas [Paradox Flaw | Prime and Mind] This Paradox Flaw affects True Mages who try to improve their thinking (and the thinking of others) with both Mind and Prime True Magick; while relying too much and too often on their understanding of Prime - over or instead of their comprehension of Mind - while trying to do this.
True Mages affected by this Flaw find that they are unable to come to new concepts, conclusions and arguments about issues; but this tendency within their thinking is a slight one. This Flaw affects a True Mage to a much greater extent if they try to improve and catalyze their thinking through various means - like reading many books on a given topic or visiting places that are related and inspiring in regards to the given topic; then a True Mage finds out that they are unable to come to new avenues of understanding about the topic and to novel arguments about it.

A True Mage can deal with with Paradox Flaw by not using Prime and Mind together for a period of time; dealing with this Flaw becomes much easier if the True Mage does not use Prime at all for a period of time, while continuing to use Mind regularly.

[Muad'Dib]

359) Those Puzzling Associations [Paradox Flaw | Correspondence and Mind or Entropy] This Paradox Flaw affects True Mages who fail at casting Correspondence Spells and either Mind Spells or Entropy Spells; or Spells which combine all three of those Spheres. The True Mage comes to associate specific type of events - like a transport vehicle arriving on time, a celebration, an exchange of pleasantries - with types of persons - like a post office worker, or a friendly tourist. At first this occurs only as loose ruminations and a slight shift of attitude in the True Mage's thoughts; but with time the True Mage might suffer from seeing hallucinations; either hallucinating seeing a specific event after seeing a person or persons of a type; or hallucinating seeing nearby strangers as having the outward appearence of another person of a type, after seeing an a specific event happen nearby.

This Paradox Flaw can be dealt with through abstaining from the use of Correspondence Spells for a period of time.

[Bluecho]

360) Crown of Want [Flaw]: An ethereal crown made of tin floats above the mage's head. It appears in response to magicks used to assert their authority, and as such is seen most often among those who Practice Dominion. While it is a crown, it is a shabby, unimpressive ornament, betraying the character's pretension. Their authority is a sham, driven not by divine right, but by Want.


361) Crown of Thorns [Flaw and Burn]: An obvious Flaw to arise among Christian mages, for whom Paradox emulates the fate of their Savior. A ring of thorny vines grows on the scalp, digging into their flesh. It accompanies a Burn, as the mage is made to bleed. Unlike a more typical stigmata, the Burn's source is plainly visible. Among the faithful, it is considered a honor as well as a punishment, one to which they are unworthy. Still, it is one that many gladly bear, all the more so if the Paradox was garnered in the process of doing some righteous magick.


362) Crown of Flames [Flaw]: A halo of burning fire lights above the character's head. This Flaw manifests more often to Islamic and Zoroastrian mages, who see it as their version of the Western halo. The fire is often white, or sometimes a royal purple. In the days of the Sorcerer's Crusade, this was at times seen as a positive quirk, displaying the character's piety. As faith in such things wavered and the populace began to crave normalcy, what once was a boon morphed into a mere sign of unnatural doings, prone to attracting unwanted attention.


363) Crown of Worth [Flaw]: This crown does not appear in reality, but upon the mage's digital presence. Images taken of the mage, their social media profile pictures, and their Icons in the Digital Web all carry an ostentatious mantle. Afflicting members of the Virtual Adepts, Syndicate, and Hermetic House Thig/Verditus, it betrays the person's high opinion of themselves. Many - especially among the Syndicate - find the wholesale alteration of their digital presence to be intolerable, though the aforementioned Syndicate representatives tend to chalk the phenomenon up to (particularly committed) vandals. Because really, hackers are a much more sensible explanation than any kind of abstract, Reality-wide effect. Obviously.

[Muad'Dib]

364) A Needless Display [Paradox Flaw | Matter and Correspondence] True Mages affected by this Paradox Flaw develop a habit of carrying around an item, which can be one of their Foci for their Matter or Correspondence True Magick, or both; the True Mage will place the item absentmindedly and ostentatiously in front of other persons (she will place the item on the floor if there isn't any table or other place to put the item on) . The True Mage doesn't notice this behaviour in a situation, unless it is pointed out to them by another person; and she forgets that she has this habit, and that she is carrying the item and placing it, after leaving the situation and going to another location.

[Bluecho]

365) Painfully Sober [Flaw]: Bane of the mage who uses consciousness-expanding or sensation-inducing drugs to work their magick. The next time the mage tries to inhale, inject, ingest, or otherwise intake a drug, they will not feel the same buzz (or relief, in the case of someone who has gone far enough they need the drug to get to "normal") they usually do. The drugs, they do nothing. Actually, that's not true. While the person feels no pleasure or high, they do experience the later crash just like everyone else. They get all the downsides to the drug, while remaining sober in the interim. Unfortunately, the backlash also does nothing to alleviate or mitigate the effects of overdose. No matter that Paradox prevents them from feeling the effects, their body can only take so much. "The dose makes the poison", as Paracelsus said. More than a few Ecstatics killed themselves when 'Dox hit them at the wrong time, and they didn't realize what was happening (or didn't care).


366) Bugged Out [Quiet]: For an NWO operative, Paranoia is an occupational necessity. You never know when you're being listened in on, or by whom. With this Quiet, however, the fear of surveillance magnifies beyond even what is reasonable for career spies. They think they hear a buzz on phone lines, or see a flashing reflection of light off a hidden camera. A search through the room for the bug shows nothing (at least, nothing beyond what was already there), but the mage's Quiet causes them to doubt themselves. After all, just because they haven't found a hidden microphone, camera, or wiretap, doesn't mean it isn't there. The character starts being guarded about what they say and do, always fearful that their location may be compromised.

As the Quiet deepens, their paranoia begins to apply to people. Could one of their conversation partners be wearing a wire? Are their cellphone microphones on? Could it even be bits of other technology - Enlightened or otherwise - that are being bent towards spying on them? Can the agent trust their equipment...or their cybernetic implants?

When agents start digging their implants out with tableware is when the Union usually takes emphatic notice, if they hadn't already. A trip to Room 101 is in order, which often is enough to solve the problem given enough time. But sometimes, an agent is cunning. Skilled ones hide their paranoia, knowing that anyone could be watching and listening. They keep their cool, at least on the surface. Truly accomplished agents can nurse their Quiet for years unnoticed. Acting as if nothing was wrong. All while feeding bad information to the ones allegedly watching them. Of course, this also means that they are feeding bad information to whomever they are talking to, or doing actions that seem normal but aren't. The damage an agent in such deep Quiet can do is immense, and those best able to hide their paranoia can do damage that takes years to manifest, long after it became too late to correct.

[Weatherwax]

No, there are only two ways a mage leaves this Realm: either Horrible grows bored of tormenting them after a while and throws them away, or the mage's companions find the Realm and cut their strings. The former option can take a while, however, so the latter is preferable.

How would you say that a mage's companions can find this (or any other paradox) Realm they're trapped in? I'd be very grateful for any ideas!

[Bluecho]

How would you say that a mage's companions can find this (or any other paradox) Realm they're trapped in? I'd be very grateful for any ideas!

If the companions had Correspondence and Spirit, they could track the mage via their sympathetic connections. Just grab something tied to the mage - like a favored possession or body sample - and use an Effect to find where they've gone. Like trying to pull on invisible strings. A Paradox Realm is essentially a very esoteric location in the Umbra.

By that same token, though, you might try to find the Paradox Realm by asking spirits. A powerful Umbrood might have the ability to know where the disappeared mage is. Though if the companions had clues from when the mage was whisked away, any spirit might know something. Take the Parliament of Birds idea I mentioned over on page 1, for instance. If a bunch of man-sized birds in 18th century style military uniforms hauled the mage away at the point of bayonet and musket, someone in the Umbra is likely to know something. If one of the birds outright stated that the person was under arrest by order of the Parliament of Birds, that would be a solid data point to ask about.

If the mage who was captured had a Totem they owed allegiance to, or some other kind of powerful Umbrood backer, they might have the ability to find the mage. Even if the mage owed a powerful spirit a favor, it might work, if the companions hammered home the fact that the spirit might never get paid if the mage is trapped forever in a Paradox Realm. And if the mage is freed, they now owe even more debt, which is good from a story-creating standpoint.

[Weatherwax]

Thank you for the response, and the great ideas!

If the companions had Correspondence and Spirit, they could track the mage via their sympathetic connections. Just grab something tied to the mage - like a favored possession or body sample - and use an Effect to find where they've gone. Like trying to pull on invisible strings. A Paradox Realm is essentially a very esoteric location in the Umbra.

Yes, my big concern was the "very esoteric" part.

By that same token, though, you might try to find the Paradox Realm by asking spirits. A powerful Umbrood might have the ability to know where the disappeared mage is. Though if the companions had clues from when the mage was whisked away, any spirit might know something. Take the Parliament of Birds idea I mentioned over on page 1, for instance. If a bunch of man-sized birds in 18th century style military uniforms hauled the mage away at the point of bayonet and musket, someone in the Umbra is likely to know something. If one of the birds outright stated that the person was under arrest by order of the Parliament of Birds, that would be a solid data point to ask about.

If the mage who was captured had a Totem they owed allegiance to, or some other kind of powerful Umbrood backer, they might have the ability to find the mage. Even if the mage owed a powerful spirit a favor, it might work, if the companions hammered home the fact that the spirit might never get paid if the mage is trapped forever in a Paradox Realm. And if the mage is freed, they now owe even more debt, which is good from a story-creating standpoint.

I was thinking along the lines of asking spirits/getting spirits to track the mage and/or abducting spirit (possibly using "airt sense" charms?). The companions know exactly where the mage disappeared from and the location is very likely to have had other spirit witnesses to the event. Does all this sound reasonable to you?

Having said this, I also very much like the "sympathetic connections" idea. I think I can make that work too.

And my last question...: How do they actually *enter* the realm, which, as I understand it, is usually floating about in the deep umbra?
(I hate dealing with the Umbras. It breaks my brain.)

[Bluecho]

I was thinking along the lines of asking spirits/getting spirits to track the mage and/or abducting spirit (possibly using "airt sense" charms?). The companions know exactly where the mage disappeared from and the location is very likely to have had other spirit witnesses to the event. Does all this sound reasonable to you?

Sure, it sounds entirely reasonable. Spirits tend, by nativity, to better know how to navigate the Umbra than material beings.

Indeed, I seem to recall a type of dog spirit presented in The Infinite Tapestry, whose whole function is to act as a spiritual bloodhound.

Having said this, I also very much like the "sympathetic connections" idea. I think I can make that work too.

And my last question...: How do they actually *enter* the realm, which, as I understand it, is usually floating about in the deep umbra?
(I hate dealing with the Umbras. It breaks my brain.)

Who said Paradox Realms were in the Deep Umbra? Who said they were anywhere in particular, or that they were all together?

That the Umbra breaks your brain is entirely understandable, because that is the intention. The Umbra is meant to function according to different rules - and different depending on which part of it you're in - than the material world. Human minds aren't meant to understand it intuitively. The Umbra just IS.

For instance, Proximity in the Umbra takes much more into account the closeness of ideas and themes than actual, physical space. Realms twist and contort upon themselves and each other. If you find the right path, you can end up traveling to an entirely different part of the spirit world, and one that you imagined wouldn't be anywhere near where you were. It's why Correspondence doesn't work quite right there, unless you are using it conjunctional with Spirit. Space - even the esoteric sorts that Mages work with - does not work the same way over there.

So a Paradox Realm might be anywhere...or, wherever it is, it can be accessed more easily than one would think, IF you can follow the right thread of logic.

If you wanted to find the Parliament of Birds, for instance, you'd probably need to ask where the birds congregate. Their Paradox Realm may have entrances or paths adjacent to the bird-y parts of the Middle Umbra, or to certain lawful segments of the High Umbra. Getting there will almost certainly require flight...or you'd think so, until you remembered that not all birds fly, and thus there would NEED to be paths accessible by the flightless members of that august body.

Really, you get to a Paradox Realm the same way you get anywhere in the Umbra. Plenty of Cosmology, Enigmas, and Umbral Etiquette rolls to navigate the twisting paths of the spirit realm, and to get directions from various Umbrood. Having things like Correspondence + Spirit, or an Umbral guide with Airt Sense, just makes it all easier, because you have trails you can follow.

[Weatherwax]

Indeed, I seem to recall a type of dog spirit presented in The Infinite Tapestry, whose whole function is to act as a spiritual bloodhound.

Ah! What a great idea. *scuttles off to find the spirit in question*

Who said Paradox Realms were in the Deep Umbra? Who said they were anywhere in particular, or that they were all together?

Ok, not all of them are in the same place, but in The Book of Worlds it does say that old ones drift off into the Deep Umbra, and then on pp. 184-85 where it describes how one can get in, it talks about passing outside the Horizon and searching for their trails. ... Hence my general assumption.

That the Umbra breaks your brain is entirely understandable, because that is the intention. The Umbra is meant to function according to different rules - and different depending on which part of it you're in - than the material world. Human minds aren't meant to understand it intuitively. The Umbra just IS.

For instance, Proximity in the Umbra takes much more into account the closeness of ideas and themes than actual, physical space. Realms twist and contort upon themselves and each other. If you find the right path, you can end up traveling to an entirely different part of the spirit world, and one that you imagined wouldn't be anywhere near where you were. It's why Correspondence doesn't work quite right there, unless you are using it conjunctional with Spirit. Space - even the esoteric sorts that Mages work with - does not work the same way over there.

So a Paradox Realm might be anywhere...or, wherever it is, it can be accessed more easily than one would think, IF you can follow the right thread of logic.

If you wanted to find the Parliament of Birds, for instance, you'd probably need to ask where the birds congregate. Their Paradox Realm may have entrances or paths adjacent to the bird-y parts of the Middle Umbra, or to certain lawful segments of the High Umbra. Getting there will almost certainly require flight...or you'd think so, until you remembered that not all birds fly, and thus there would NEED to be paths accessible by the flightless members of that august body.

Really, you get to a Paradox Realm the same way you get anywhere in the Umbra. Plenty of Cosmology, Enigmas, and Umbral Etiquette rolls to navigate the twisting paths of the spirit realm, and to get directions from various Umbrood. Having things like Correspondence + Spirit, or an Umbral guide with Airt Sense, just makes it all easier, because you have trails you can follow.

All this is incredibly useful, so thank you once again for taking the time to write!

[Bluecho]

367) Skeletons In The Closet [Flaw or Spirit]: As with the old adage, the dark secrets a mage has kept manifest as skeletons, inhabiting their closet (or any similar type of back room). As a Flaw, the skeletons are just inert collections of bones. They can't just be removed - they phase through the mage's hands when they try, yet remain solid when it would be most inconvenient for the mage. A mage with a great deal of important secrets or buried crimes will find it difficult to make use of whatever room, since it's piled up with bones. As a Spirit, the skeletons aren't sedentary. They are quite active, at least within the bounds of the room they crowd in. While they might attack the mage outright, they will more often taunt the character for their crimes (usually with pantomime), try to attract attention every time the door is open, or make creepy noises at all hours. They may attempt to leave their prisons, requiring the mage to constantly work to corral them back inside and keep them contained.


368) Weight On The Shoulders [Flaw]: Similar to the closet skeletons, this Flaw reacts to a mage's poor decisions. When a life is taken, the killer bears the weight of that crime afterwards. Here, this is literal. When a mage murders someone - or even is centrally responsible for someone's death - they afterwards feel as though that victim hangs on their back. The mage shoulders the burden of these ghosts, like the most morbid of piggyback rides. The victim can't be seen, but the mage feels their oppressive mass wherever they go. The more victims, the greater the burden. Only when the backlash subsides - or when the mage has made proper atonement for their sins - can the weight be lifted.

[Muad'Dib]

369) No More Walls and Thus No More Mazes [Paradox Phenomenon ; Matter and Correspondence] This one-time Paradox Phenomenon removes all inner walls in the affected True Mage's Sanctum. Any items on the walls end up on the floor.

[Bluecho]

370) Under Cover [Flaw]: Afflicts mages who remix the elements of Reality, in order to remake it. When established, known music is played around the mage, this backlash causes that music to change, until it sounds like a very accomplished cover of the original piece, by a cover artist or band. Sometimes a cover that has actually been produced, but other times a cover by a purely hypothetical band. (A Syndicate rep in the music business once despaired that the sublime cover of a favorite band that he'd heard was not, in fact, something that existed, save in that single moment when Market Correction altered his listening experience. Years were spent afterward, on and off, trying to engineer a similar piece - recorded this time - to unsatisfactory results.)

Moreover, these covers often alter the musical style of the original. A classic rock song may become a folk piece, a pop hit might be rendered acapella, and a classical score might turn into dubstep (or vice versa). Even if, however, the cover matches the original's tone, there is an unmistakable sense of the piece being OFF, in a manner that can bother or baffle listeners.