TEXT: M
  M AGE
  AGE :  T
  :  T HE
  HE A
   A SCEN SIO N
  SCEN SIO N
  for
  RISUS:  The Anything RPG
  Written by Timothy Groves
  Mage:  The Ascension is © White Wolf.  RISUS is © Cumberland Games.  In no way do 
  I challenge their copyrights.  Please don't sue me.
  1
  
  Table of  Contents
  The World of Darkness....................................... ......................3
  Character Creation.....................................................................................3
  Special Clichés............................................. ............................4
  The Traditions.............................................................. .............5
  The Akashic Brotherhood...........................................................................5
  The Celestial Chorus..................................................................................6
  The Cult Of Ecstasy....................................................................................6
  The Dreamspeakers...................................................................................7
  The Euthanatos..........................................................................................7
  The Order of Hermes..................................................................................8
  The Sons of Ether.......................................................................................8
  The Verbena...............................................................................................9
  The Virtual Adepts......................................................................................9
  The Awakened.......................................................... ..............10
  Organization.............................................................................................10
  Mortals......................................................................................................12
  Magick........................................................ ............................13
  Creating a Magickal Effect........................................................................14
  The Spheres.............................................................................................14
  Correspondence.......................................................................................15
  Entropy.....................................................................................................16
  Forces.......................................................................................................17
  Life............................................................................................................18
  Matter........................................................................................................19
  Mind..........................................................................................................20
  Prime.........................................................................................................21
  Spirit..........................................................................................................22
  Time..........................................................................................................23
  Quintessence............................................................................................24
  Paradox....................................................................................................25
  Character Advancement.................................. .......................27
  The Advancement Roll.............................................................................27
  Adversaries................................................................. ............28
  The Technocracy......................................................................................28
  The Marauders.........................................................................................29
  The Nephandi...........................................................................................30
  Werewolves..............................................................................................30
  Vampires...................................................................................................30
  Umbrood...................................................................................................31
  The Inquisition..........................................................................................31
  The Arcanum............................................................................................31
  2
  
  The World of  Darkness
  he World of Darkness is a complete role-playing environment, created 
  by White Wolf.  Up until about 2003, it was quite nice.  Thereafter, it kind 
  of backslid.  In particular, Mage:  The Ascension got hosed.  My best guess 
  is that this was largely due to the re-emergence of Ars Magica, from which 
  large portions of M:TA seemed to have been “researched” from.
  T
  Largely, the World of Darkness is the world as we know it;  just darker, 
  more grimy, and with vampires and werewolves running about.  Oh, and 
  magic works.  That sort of stuff.  So you can basically use what you know 
  about the world today as your background.  If you want a more in-depth look 
  at the World of Darkness, acquire some White Wolf books;  my budget for 
  this book is 24 pages.
  Character Creation
  Characters in RISUS Mage are created using ten six-sided dice, with 
  no  more than  four  dice  in  any  one  cliché.   Both  Hooks  and  Tales  are 
  permitted, granting one bonus die each if used.  Clichés may be double-
  pumped, and certain clichés must be purchased double-pumpable.
  One cliché in particular is  required to be a Mage, and that cliché is 
  Arete.  Without Arete, it is impossible to wield Magick!  However, there is 
  certainly  room in  a  game  of Mage  for  a non-Mage.   Consors  are  non-
  spellcasting  buddies  of  Mages;   Consors  who  serve  as  bodyguards  are 
  known as Grogs.
  If a character is to be a Mage, he will gain one free die of Arete.  Since 
  Arete is double-pumpable, this means that a Mage will technically start with 
  two bonus dice, just for being a Mage.  What a deal!  Consors do not gain 
  this bonus die, but neither do they suffer from Paradox.
  Suggested Hooks include the following:
  ➢ Physical or Mental defects, such as missing limbs, blindness, or insanity;
  ➢ Unique Focus:  an item that is Required Gear to create any Effect;
  ➢ Rotes Only:  The Mage may not do “Free Magick”, but must instead 
  create all his Effects as Rotes;
  ➢ Wierdness:  The Mage “leaks” magick, and strange things tend to happen 
  around him;
  ➢ Sphere Blind:  The Mage can never access one Sphere of Magick, except 
  through Talismans;
  ➢ Cursed:  The Mage just happens to have bad luck, and once per game 
  session, the GM can hose him for no apparent reason;
  ➢ Chantry Survivor:  The Mage survived the destruction of his Chantry, but 
  is viewed as a bringer of bad luck by other Mages.
  3
  
  Special Clich s
  é
  ertain clichés have special uses or purchase costs.  They are mostly 
  specific to Mages, though other character types may have a rank or two 
  of Followers, Willpower or Talisman.
  C
  Arete.   Arete  measures  a  character's  understanding  of  how  the 
  universe works.  Arete is required in order to perform Magick.  Arete must be 
  purchased double-pumpable, at two dice per rank.  When creating a Static 
  Magick effect, the character rolls his Arete.  All Mage characters start with 
  one free die of Arete.  For more, refer to the section on Magick, page 13.
  Followers.  Each die put into Followers allows you to place three dice 
  worth of clichés into various Followers.  The only limit on the number of 
  Followers a character may have is the practial limit:  Each Follower needs at 
  least one die in at least one cliché.  Followers may not have Arete, Spheres, 
  Traditions or Willpower, nor may they have Followers of their own.  Followers 
  may have double-pumpable clichés, at a cost of two of their dice per rank.
  Spheres.  Spheres may be purchased at one die per rank, or double-
  pumpable  at  three dice  per  rank.   No  more  than  one  Sphere  may  be 
  purchased double-pumpable.  No Sphere may  ever have more ranks than 
  the character has ranks of Arete.  For more, see the section on Magick, page 
  13.
  Sanctum.  The Mage has a hideaway where he defines the rules of 
  reality!  In this Sanctum, he can get away with more Vulgar Magicks.  See 
  page 26 for details on Sanctums.
  Talisman.  This is a Magickal item.  Ranks may be purchased at a cost 
  of one per die, and are never purchased double-pumpable.  Each rank earns 
  the Talisman  dice to spend on Cliches.  Talismans  can  gain  all normal 
  clichés,  plus  the  special  clichés  of  Arete  and  Spheres.   For  more  on 
  Talismans, see page 25.
  Traditions.  Tradition clichés may be purchased at one die per rank. 
  They may not be purchased double-pumpable.  No character may have more 
  than one Tradition cliché.  Orphans may not choose to start with this cliché. 
  Wealth.  A Wealth roll is required  only if the Mage wishes to buy 
  something quite expensive.  Examples include:  A computer (5), a good-
  quality firearm (10), a car (15), a solid silver sword (20), or a house (25). 
  Unlike other rolls, failure does not result in the loss of a die. Rather, success 
  causes the permanent loss of one die in Wealth.  This loss can be recovered 
  through character advancement.
  Willpower.   Willpower  may  be  purchased  at  one  die  per  rank,  or 
  double-pumpable at two dice per rank.  The only real use for Willpower is to 
  boost dice pools.  A die of Willpower may be 'burned' to add one die to any 
  other cliché before the roll is made.  One die of Willpower may be recovered 
  at the end of each session.  The condition under which this recovery is 
  possible is covered in the Tradition description.  Orphans just need to survive 
  the session to recover their die of Willpower.
  4
  
  The Traditions
  ages  typically  belong  to one  of nine  Traditions.   To  be  part  of  a 
  Tradition, the character must purchase at least one die in a Tradition 
  cliché.  Each Tradition has its own flavour, and its preferred style of Magick; 
  however, for game purposes, all Traditions use the same rules for Magick.
  M
  Each Tradition is associated with a specific Sphere.  The Traditional 
  Sphere is the Sphere in which the Tradition focuses;  it also helps define the 
  nature of the Tradition in question.  Or vice versa.  No-one is completely 
  certain which way it goes.  But either way, Tradition members gain a special 
  bonus of +1 point to any magic roll that involves their Traditional Sphere, per 
  die in the Tradition.  So an Order of Hermes (3) that throws a fireball using 
  Forces (4) would roll 4d6+3.
  The Orphans
  A Mage with no dice  in any of the Traditional clichés  is called  an 
  Orphan;  they gain no bonus points to magic rolls of any sort.  They also tend 
  to feel rather lonely.  On the plus side, they are unfettered by any pre-existing 
  belief system.  If a character is an Orphan, they may select this as a Hook, 
  above and beyond any other Hook they may have.  The bonus die they gain 
  for being an Orphan, however, must be spent on Arete. (Which means they 
  also need to spend another die on Arete, since it must be purchased double-
  pumpable.)
  It is possible for an Orphan to join a Tradition.  To do so, the Orphan 
  merely need purchase one die in a Tradition cliché.
  The Akashic Brotherhood
  The Akashic Brotherhood is on a road to perfection.  They follow a path 
  they call do, supposedly the ultimate philosophy and martial art.  Of course, 
  do is highly subjective, and means different things to different people.  They 
  don't believe that they do Magick;  to them, Magick is merely do.
  It is because of this belief that the average Akashic can get away with 
  more vulgar Magicks than is typical for other Mages.  Body-boosting effects, 
  ludicrous jumps, unerring  strikes,  even  throwing  fireballs – all are easily 
  swallowed by Sleepers.  After all, everyone knows that martial artists can do 
  this sort of thing...just watch the latest Jet Li film.
  The Akashic cliché may be used for injuring combat, meditation, or 
  learning do.  Akashics recover Willpower at the end of any session in which 
  they take a step towards perfection, no matter how small.  They favour the 
  Spheres of Life, Entropy, Correspondence, and Mind.
  Traditional Sphere:  Mind
  Typical Clichés:  Martial Artist, Monk, Warrior, Student of Theology, 
  Buddhist, Acrobat, Athlete
  5
  
  The Celestial Chorus
  The Celestial Chorus believe that all power in the universe flows from 
  one source, which they (in a fit of originality) call The One.  They don't 
  believe in Magick;  they believe in the power of One.
  Many Celestial Chorus members are Christians, Jews or Muslims;  they 
  see no reason  why The One might not be their  God.  Surprisingly,  the 
  Celestial Chorus is free of internecine tension.  Moreso than their Sleeper 
  counterparts, the religious members of the Celestial Chorus understand that, 
  regardless of their individual beliefs, the God they serve is still The One.
  Celestial Chorus members care for the welfare of the Sleepers more 
  than  any  other  Tradition,  and  can  often  be found  in soup  kitchens  and 
  shelters, aiding the poor...possibly with some Magickal intervention.  And 
  since they are often religious, the laying on of hands and shouting, “Heal!”, 
  can turn the most Vulgar Life effect Coincidental.
  The  Celestial  Chorus  cliché  may  be  used  in  debates,  especially 
  theological debates, or when doing something beneficial.  A Celestial Chorus 
  member will regain Willpower if they do something charitable.  They favour 
  the Spheres of Life, Time, Spirit, and their Traditional Sphere of Prime.
  Traditional Sphere:  Prime
  Typical  Clichés:   Faith  Healer,  Social  Worker,  Priest,  Student  of 
  Theology, Minister, Freemason
  The Cult Of Ecstasy
  The Cultists believe that life is a party...or if it isn't, it really should be. 
  They take as much as possible to excess, but in particular, they love music, 
  dance, drugs and sex.  They don't believe in Magick, other than that you can 
  find in pure, simple enjoyment.
  Despite this mindset, the Cult of Ecstasy remains well-respected among 
  the Traditions.  This is mostly due to the fact that they ably defend their 
  viewpoint.  In the words of one Cultist, “The freedom to seek pleasure is the 
  first freedom curtailed by the small-minded.”  Many Cultists take this to heart.
  The very name of the Cult gives a clue to their viewpoint:  Ecstasy, from 
  the Latin:  ex stasis:  out of stasis.
  The Cult of Ecstasy cliché can be used for entertainment, seduction or 
  distraction attempts.  A Cultist recovers Willpower at the end of any session 
  in which they did something for sheer fun.  They favour the Spheres of Time, 
  being their Traditional Sphere, but also make use of Entropy, Forces and 
  Mind.
  Traditional Sphere:  Time
  Typical  Clichés:   Musician,  Novelist,  Hairdresser,  Dancer,  Public 
  Speaker, Hedonist, Beatnik, Hippie
  6
  
  The Dreamspeakers
  Dreamspeakers are shamans, mediums and others who try to bridge 
  the gap between our world and the spirit world.  They don't believe that they 
  are doing Magick;  they believe that the Spirits are doing the Magick.  
  These Spirits make for very powerful allies.  Possessed of their own 
  magicks, the Spirits can interact with our world to a limited degree, and with 
  the aid of a Dreamspeaker, that interaction can be made more direct.  It is 
  not  unusual  for  a  Dreamspeaker  to  have  some  dice  allocated  to  the 
  Followers cliché, gaining one or more Spirits as companions.  
  The Dreamspeakers also have a good rapport with the Lupines.  A few 
  Dreamspeakers  are  Garou  Kinfolk,  non-Garou  but  blood  relatives  to  a 
  Werewolf.  Should a Chantry need an envoy to the Garou, a Dreamspeaker 
  is the logical choice.
  The Dreamspeaker cliché can be used for ceremonies or for dealing 
  with Spirits.  Dreamspeakers recover Willpower after any session in which 
  they had a spiritual encounter.  Aside from their Traditional Sphere of Spirit, 
  the Dreamspeakers also favour Mind, Entropy and Time.
  Traditional Sphere:  Spirit
  Typical Clichés:  Medicine Man, Tribal Elder, Garou Kinfolk, Ghost 
  Hunter, Shaman, Faith Healer, Medium
  The Euthanatos
  The Euthanatos are creepy.  They have an unhealthy fascination with 
  death and decay.  Many worship Death Gods, while others are just strange. 
  They  don't  believe  in  Magick;   some  believe  that  random  chance  just 
  happens to favour them, whereas others believe it is the will of their Deity.
  But they're not just wierdos.  Most Euthanatos firmly believe in a cycle 
  of life:  Birth, death and rebirth.  It's just that they're most concerned with 
  death.  For all Euthanatos, however, the central belief is that everything must 
  die;  everything must end.  Despite their love of wearing black and looking 
  creepy, they have the greatest hatred of all the Traditions for the Undead.
  The Euthanatos believe that a good death is as important as a good 
  life.  And they are prepared to help others towards both.  Faced with a 
  person living in pain, no Euthanatos would hesitate to end the sufferer's pain. 
  They firmly believe that every person has the right to choose death.
  The Euthanatos cliché can be used in personal combat, or for leading 
  death cultists.  Euthanatos regain Willpower after any session in which they 
  kill or destroy anything.  The Spheres of Life, Forces and Matter are just as 
  useful for destroying things as their Traditional Sphere of Entropy.
  Traditional Sphere:  Entropy
  Typical  Clichés:   Death-Cultist,  Nihilist,  Surgeon,  Undertaker, 
  Statistician, Social Scientist, Gambler
  7
  
  The Order of Hermes
  The Order of Hermes are traditional wizards, Harry Potter and Merlin 
  types.  They believe in Magick, but they think they need magic circles, star 
  charts, wands, potions or other such to make it happen.
  The Order of Hermes is one of the oldest of Traditions, tracing its 
  origins back to the Ancient Egyptians.  They take their name from the Greek 
  messenger God, said to be the one  who taught  Humans  the secrets  of 
  Magick.  Though firm believers in the freedom of choice espoused by the 
  Traditions, many Hermetic Mages feel themselves above the Sleepers, and 
  feel they must act as the caretakers of those poor innocent souls.
  The  Order  is  divided  into  ten  Houses.   These  Houses  have  seen 
  change over time.  Each House concentrates on one particular Sphere, in 
  addition to the Traditional Sphere of Forces.
  The Order of Hermes cliché can be used when trying to solve puzzles, 
  especially arcane puzzles, or for doing math or reading ancient languages. 
  Hermetics  regain  Willpower  after  any  session  in  which  they  use  Vulgar 
  Magick (which can get dangerous...)  Besides Forces, they also favour the 
  Spheres of Time, Correspondence, and Matter, believing that these are most 
  amenable to their potions, magic circles, incantations, wands, formulae...
  Traditional Sphere:  Forces
  Typical  Clichés:   Freemason,  Student  of  the  Occult,  Librarian, 
  Archaeologist, Linguist, Mathematician
  The Sons of Ether
  The  Sons  of  Ether  are  mad  scientists,  a  breakaway  group  of  the 
  Technocracy that joined the Traditions.  They are tinkerers and engineers, 
  crackpots who scoff at the laws of reality.  They don't believe in Magick;  it's 
  all just high-tech.
  Despite  their  less  than  auspicious  origins,  no  member of the  other 
  Traditions feels any distrust towards the Etherians.  Their break with the 
  Technocracy was based upon that group's static attitude towards science. 
  Feeling that the freedom to explore unconventional paths of science was 
  more important than rules and regulations, they turned their back on the New 
  World Order and signed on, with no regrets, with the Traditions.  And despite 
  some rather spectacular failures, the Traditions have felt no reason to regret 
  the Etherians' defection.
  The Son of Ether cliché can be used for almost anything related to 
  science, math or engineering.  Etherians regain Willpower after any session 
  in which they broke a law of physics.  Etherians  favour the Spheres of 
  Forces, Life, Prime, and their Traditional Sphere.
  Traditional Sphere:  Matter
  Typical Clichés:  Mad Scientist, Researcher, Mad Scientist, Gadgeteer, 
  Mad Scientist, Engineer, Mad Scientist (well, it is a cliché...)
  8
  
  The Verbena
  Verbena are traditional witches, of the blood magic style.  They use 
  herbs, stir cauldrons and sacrifice small animals for personal gain.  They 
  believe in Magick, provided it has ten centuries of tradition behind it.
  Verbena are often found in rural areas, rather than the cities.  They 
  often care for Sleepers in their area.  Since their specialty is Life Magick, they 
  can  heal  wounds,  improve  crops,  or  cure  disease  in  either  Humans  or 
  livestock.   Some  Verbena  have  braved  the  cities,  and  are  often  found 
  practising medicine in hospitals or clinics.
  As  one  of  the  oldest  Traditions,  the  Verbena  have  opposed  the 
  Technocracy since its inception.  They are among the most highly respected 
  of the Traditions.  But this age and respect often bring them at loggerheads 
  with the Order of Hermes.  Both Traditions view themselves as the heart of 
  the Traditions.
  The  Verbena  cliché  can  be  used  for medicine,  for  determining  the 
  properties of animals or plants, or for using a knife.  They like knives.  A 
  Verbena recovers Willpower after any session in which they demonstrate 
  knowledge of the Old Ways of Witchcraft.  Aside from Life, they also favour 
  the Spheres of Prime, Mindand Entropy.
  Traditional Sphere:  Life
  Typical Clichés:   Witch,  Healer,  Surgeon,  Historian,  Nurse,  Occult 
  Bookstore Owner
  The Virtual Adepts
  Another breakaway group of Technomancers, the Virtual Adepts are a 
  bunch of computer nerds.  They don't believe in Magick;  however, with a 
  really good computer and access to the Net, you can do just about anything.
  Originally members of Iteration X, the Virtual Adepts were, as a group, 
  too chaotic to remain within the Technocracy.  Often hunted by Sleeper 
  authorities as well as the Pogrom, the Adepts rebel against conformity and 
  yearn for information to be free.
  The  development  of  FidoNet,  ARPANet,  and  the  Internet,  and  the 
  resulting explosion of information, worked as well for the Adepts as it did for 
  the  Pogrom.   Adepts  view  the  Net  as  a  natural  extension  of  their 
  Correspondence.  Or the other way around.  Not that it matters to them.
  The Virtual Adept cliché can be used for anything computer related. 
  Adepts regain one Willpower at the end of any session in which they “jack in” 
  and do something cool on the computer.  They favour the Spheres of Matter, 
  Mind, Forces, and their Traditional Sphere of Correspondence.
  Traditional Sphere:  Correspondence
  Typical  Clichés:   Computer  hacker,  Electronics  Engineer,  Social 
  Scientist, Social Engineer
  9
  
  The Awakened
  Of  the  four  primary  factions  of  Mages,  the  nine  Traditions  stand 
  opposed to the other three.  But they certainly do not stand united!  Often, 
  Mages will find themselves in closer agreement with their foes than they are 
  with their allies.
  Organization
  There are those Mages who sneer at the concept of organization within 
  the Traditions.  Indeed, it was hard enough to get all nine Traditions to agree 
  to the Protocols – not because of objections to the Protocols, but simply 
  because certain Traditions lack any form of hierarchy.  When every member 
  has a veto, very little gets done.
  Cabals
  A small group of Mages, of similar or dissimilar Traditions, may band 
  together to work towards a common goal.  Such a group is known as a 
  Cabal.  Some Chantries will demand that Cabals  must register with the 
  Chantry, stating their purpose and their leader;  other Chantries hold that the 
  business of the Cabal is its own, not that of the Chantry.
  Acolytes
  Most Mages have some unAwakened companions, known as Acolytes. 
  Sometimes, it is possible for an Acolyte to become Awakened, and some 
  even prove to have the gift of Magick.
  Consors
  Consors are similar to Acolytes, but are often Awakened.  However, 
  being Awakened does not mean that they can practice Magick!  Consors are, 
  by definition, Awakened non-Mages.  Consors can still have supernatural 
  abilities.  A Garou or Vampire who assists a Mage would be a Consor. 
  Consors may also possess Talismans.  Some Consors serve as bodyguards 
  or as Chantry guards;  they are known as Custos, or, less formally, Grogs.  A 
  group of Grogs is called a Turb.
  Chantries
  Chantries are the great meeting-places of the Mages.  Some Chantries 
  are held by only one Tradition, while others are less homogenous.  Most 
  Chantries, even the single-Tradition houses, will offer shelter, rest, food and 
  healing to any Mage of the Traditions. But for those who are Fellows within 
  the Chantry, much more is available.  Every Chantry has an extensive library, 
  and almost all possess a Node.  
  Many Chantries have a Head, either a single person or a Council. 
  Deacons are founding members of a Chantry; Fellows are other accepted 
  members.
  10
  
  Status
  It should be unsurprising that, among those who prize knowledge, those 
  with more knowledge are more highly prized.  This is tracked through the 
  Status system.  When resolving a social combat in an all-Mage situation, 
  subtract the lower-ranked Mage's status from the higher-ranked.  This is the 
  number of additional dice the lower-ranked Mage loses if he loses a roll.
  Orphans are the lowest of the low.  Those Mages with no Tradition 
  cliché will always be status 0, regardless of whatever other clichés they have.
  Apprentices are those Mages with at least one die in Arete, but no 
  Spheres – they are Awakened, but not yet educated.  They are status 1.
  Disciples have at least one die in a Sphere, and are status 2.
  Adepts have four or five dice in at least one Sphere, and are status 3.
  Masters have six dice in at least one Sphere, and are status 4.
  Oracles have six double-pumpable dice in at least one Sphere, and six 
  dice in Arete.  They are status 6, and considered infallible.
  The Protocols
  The nine Traditions have many and varied laws between them, but a 
  small subset of laws are agreed upon by all nine, and acts as a standard for 
  all Mages.  These laws are known as the Protocols, and are listed below.
  ●
  Respect those of greater knowledge.
  ●
  Repay those who have increased your knowledge.
  ●
  The word of an Oracle must be obeyed.
  ●
  Never betray your Cabal or your Chantry.
  ●
  Conspire not with the enemies of Ascension.
  ●
  Protect the Sleepers, for they know not what they do.
  The  Protocols  are  informal,  but  it  is  unwise  to  violate  them. 
  Punishments handed down by Chantry Heads and Oracles are usually  not 
  informal, and rarely pleasant.
  Tribunal
  Occasionally,  a  Tradition  feels  it  necessary  to  call  an  all-member 
  meeting to discuss matters of import;  this is known as a Tribunal.  The term 
  is beginning to be used to describe any large gathering of Mages.  Tribunals 
  are also used to resolve disputes and mete out punishments.
  11
  
  Mortals
  Mages are supernatural by nature, but completely mortal as far as their 
  physical makeup is concerned.  Dice lost during injuring combat may be 
  healed at a rate of one per game day.
  It is possible to heal physical damage using Magick;  rules for doing so 
  are given on page  18.  This can be done Coincidentally – the Celestial 
  Chorister shouts “Heal!”, the Verbena knows the right plants to treat the 
  iunjury, or even so blatant as, “Good thing you had that whiskey flask in that 
  pocket!”
  Aggravated Damage
  Certain types of damage are harder to recover from;  these types of 
  damage are known as Aggravated Damage.  For a Mage, such damage is 
  caused by fire, Paradox and by the teeth and claws of a Spirit or other 
  supernatural creature.
  Each  time  a  Mage  suffers  Aggravated  Damage,  she  gains  one 
  Aggravated Damage point, rather than losing any cliché dice.  For each such 
  point, the Mage may roll one less die on any cliché roll.  
  Aggravated Damage may only be healed at a rate of one per session, 
  and one Willpower die per point healed must be spent.
  Life Magick may be used to heal Aggravated damage, in exactly the 
  same manner as it is used to heal regular damage.  However, using Life to 
  heal requires burning a die of Arete if successful;  this represents expending 
  Quintessence to restore the target's Pattern.  
  In  addition,  healing  Aggravated  damage  is  always  Vulgar  Magick. 
  There is a world of difference between  a slash  “turning  out” to be only 
  superficial, and re-growing an arm.
  Aggravated wounds caused by a Paradox backlash cannot be healed 
  Magickally.
  12
  
  Magick
  agick is, of course, the heart and focus of this entire game.  It is the 
  primary tool of every Mage.  It is the means by which they can break, 
  alter or re-write the reality of their universe.
  M
  There are nine Spheres of Magick, each with its own Sphere cliché. 
  The Spheres can be used individually, or combined for really neat effects. 
  The Spheres are as follows:
  ➢ Correspondence:  Control over locations.
  ➢ Entropy:  Control over decay.
  ➢ Forces:  Control over energy and forces.
  ➢ Life:  Control over life forms.
  ➢ Matter:  Control over inanimate matter.
  ➢ Mind:  Control over the mind, both the Mage's and others'.
  ➢ Prime:  Control over Quintessence, the stuff of Magick itself.
  ➢ Spirit:  Control over Spirits and the Spirit Realms.
  ➢ Time:  Control over time.
  There are rumours of a tenth Sphere, with each Tradition holding out on 
  their own theories on such, but nothing has ever been discovered on that 
  subject.
  Static vs. Dynamic Magick
  Magickal effects are either Static (Coincidental) or Dynamic (Vulgar).  A 
  Static effect could be explained away:  A lucky coincidence, stage magic, or 
  so on.  A Dynamic effect is something that is obviously impossible.
  The classic example of Static vs. Dynamic magick:  A Mage decides to 
  use Forces to fry a target with electricity.  
  ➢ The Vulgar version:  the Mage winds up and lets fly with a lightning bolt. 
  All  the  non-Mages  standing  around  say,  “Hey!   That's  not  possible!” 
  Paradox descends on the luckless Mage.
  ➢ The Static version:  an electrical cable above the target breaks, and falls 
  on his head.  “Bad luck for him,” say all the non-Mages around.  Paradox 
  says, “Huh?  Did I miss something?”
  The difference  between  the two is crucial  to a Mage.  Non-Mages 
  (known as Sleepers) still slightly influence reality, but they all do it in mostly 
  the same way.  Trying to fight against the ingrained beliefs of six billion 
  people, so you can impose your own will on the universe, is rather difficult. 
  Therefore,  Static  Magick  is  easier  to  use,  and  less  likely  to  go 
  catastrophically wrong.  Dynamic Magick is much more difficult, especially if 
  there are Sleeper witnesses, and can cause Paradox.  There is not a single 
  Mage out there who wants to deal with Paradox.
  13
  
  Creating a Magickal Effect
  To create an Effect, the player begins by describing the Effect.  The GM 
  decides what Spheres are required to create the Effect, and whether or not 
  the Effect is Static or Dynamic.  The GM or player (or both) work out the 
  Difficulty of the effect, using the guidelines found under the Spheres and the 
  table below.  If Static, the Mage rolls his Arete;  if Dynamic, he rolls his 
  highest Sphere that is used in the effect.  If the roll meets or exceeds the 
  Difficulty, the effect goes off.  If not, the Mage runs the risk of Paradox, as 
  described on page 25.
  Effect Parameter
  Difficulty
  Effect is Dynamic
  +5
  Sleepers witness a Dynamic Effect
  +5†
  Effect requires more than one Sphere
  +5
  Effect lasts until the end of the current Scene
  +5
  Effect lasts until the end of the current Session
  +10
  Effect lasts until the end of the current Story
  +15
  Effect is permanent
  +20‡
  Target is within line of sight
  +0
  Ttarget is very familiar to the Mage
  +5
  Ttarget is familiar to the Mage
  +10
  Ttarget is unfamiliar to the Mage
  +15
  Target is completely unknown to the Mage
  +20
  Effect is a Rote
  -5
  Mage spends one full round preparing the Effect
  -5
  Mage spends one full day preparing the Effect
  -10
  Regardless of modifiers, the easiest that any Magickal Effect can be is 
  a Difficulty of 10.
  The Spheres
  The next nine sections detail each of the nine Spheres of Magick.  They 
  give a basic idea of what you can do with each Sphere, and also mention 
  some specific examples of such.
  It is worth noting that the examples given are in no way exhaustive; 
  almost any Sphere can be used for almost any Effect.  All that is required is 
  sufficient imagination on the part of the Mage.
  †
  This is in addition to the +5 Difficulty for a Dynamic Effect, for a total of +10.
  ‡
  All permanent Effects require the use of the Prime Effect, Fuel Pattern, whether or 
  not they are a Pattern Effect.
  14
  
  Correspondence
  The Sphere of Correspondence is centered on the belief that all points 
  in space are in fact one point.  The person who can access that one point 
  can access all points.  Simple, yet profound.  And since distances and areas 
  are just combinations of single locations, it is even possible to stretch, bend 
  or otherwise mutate such distances and areas.
  There are Mages in existence that believe that Correspondence is the 
  heart of all Magick.  According to these Mages, all other Magick is just an 
  extension  of  Correspondence.   According  to  all  other  Mages,  these 
  Correspondence junkies are just plain nuts.
  Effect
  Difficulty
  Get  exact  distances  or  measurements,  sense  distortions  in 
  space
  +0
  Cast  one's  senses  to  a  different  area,  teleport  anything  no 
  larger than a breadbox to oneself
  +5
  Teleport oneself to a different location, view multiple locations 
  simultaneously
  +10
  Co-locate  oneself  in  two  places  at  once,  teleport  others  to 
  another location
  +15
  Alter  distances  or  sizes  of  objects  or  locations,  co-locate 
  different locations in one place, warp or mutate a location
  +20
  Special Effects
  Correspondence is one of the most powerful tools available for spying; 
  simply cast your vision to another location.  All senses are affected evenly, 
  and unfortunately the Mage loses the ability to sense his own surroundings 
  (unless the more difficult Effect, viewing multiple locations at once, is used).
  Co-locating  oneself  can  be  used  to  devastating  effect  in  combat, 
  allowing one PC to effectively become a Team.  The +15 Difficulty assessed 
  in this effect is per additional Team Member “created” using this Effect.
  It is impossible to cause injury with Correspondence directly, though 
  one could co-locate a place with another, very hazardous place.  Doing so 
  has a Difficulty of +10 per die of damage inflicted, with a minimum Difficulty 
  of 20 total.
  Correspondence can be used to boost another cliché, if that cliché 
  involves measuring or altering distances or locations.  For each die added to 
  another cliché, the Difficulty is +5.
  15
  
  Entropy
  The Sphere of Entropy is concerned with things that run down, break, 
  decay, and fall to chaos.  It is a sphere profoundly centered around the 
  inevitability of destruction.  
  Those who specialize in this Sphere are an odd lot.  They have a 
  preoccupation with death and destruction that seems a bit unhealthy.  On the 
  other  hand,  nobody  really  wants  to  bother  them  over  it,  lest  something 
  unhealthy happen to the one doing the bothering...
  Effect
  Difficulty
  Find the most disorderly point in a system, determine the age of 
  an object or person, learn a person's weak point
  +0
  Control any purely random system, determine the next result in 
  a random system
  +5
  Diffuse  energy,  cause  an object  to  crumble  to dust  through 
  extreme ageing or rot, spontaneously organize something
  +10
  Cause a living target to age, cause the destruction of a bodily 
  function  in  another,  cause  a  random  event  to  inflict  severe 
  damage on someone
  +15
  Destroy an idea, cause someone to be forgotten by everyone, 
  cause a person's mental processes to be suddenly scrambled.
  +20
  Special Effects
  Using Entropy to find a weak spot in a target will grant a bonus in a 
  follow-up combat attack.  Bonuses can be added at a rate of +5 per die 
  added.  At least a bit of duration is required to manage this, and please note 
  that the Difficulty spent on duration is not added as bonus dice.
  An Entropy roll can also be used to counter any attack, by diffusing 
  energy (including kinetic energy), just as though it were a combat cliché.
  Actually damaging someone with Entropy is difficult, requiring a +15 
  Difficulty modifier, but the results are pretty impressive.  Not to mention quite 
  gruesome.  This use of Entropy causes the loss of three dice if successful, 
  rather than the usual one die.  If used in non-damaging combat, at the +20 
  level, it will cause the loss of four dice to the target, which is usually a 
  knockout punch.  Further dice of damage cause a +10 Difficulty to the effect 
  per die.  If the caster wishes to make a Difficulty 35(!) roll, she can remove 
  one die from a target's cliché permanently!
  A target can be deprived of his Tools of the Trade by simply ageing or 
  corroding them to uselessness.  The Difficulty for this result is +10.
  16
  
  Forces
  The Sphere of Forces involves the control and creation of both Minor 
  Forces (most forms of energy) and Major Forces (gravitation, magnetism, 
  and the strong and weak nuclear forces).  It is a flashy, dynamic Sphere, that 
  most often is used in a Vulgar fashion just because it's so much fun.
  Effect
  Difficulty
  Sense forces or energy in the area, see in the dark or through 
  walls
  +0
  Control an already existing Minor Force, discharge static in the 
  area on top of someone, cause a computer to go haywire, call a 
  lightning bolt from the heavens
  +5
  Spawn a Minor Force, toss a lightning bolt at someone, create a 
  visual or auditory illusion1
  +10
  Control  a  Major  Force,  telekinetically  move  something,  slow 
  one's rate of fall, walking on water
  +15
  Spawn  a  Major  Force,  toss  a  fireball  at  someone,  create  a 
  gravity well under someone's feet2
  +20
  Special Effects
  The  use  of  Forces  to  simply  fry  a  target  is  commonplace  –  even 
  stereotypical - among Mages.  Any effect above causes one die of damage 
  per +5 Difficulty selected – so, for example, discharging static on top of a 
  target will cause the loss of one die if they fail to resist.  This includes the 
  increased Difficulty needed to Fuel Pattern, for both the Fuel Effect and the 
  Conjunctional use of Prime.  So tossing a fireball at someone will cause the 
  loss of six dice.  Since this is the maximum a character can have in one 
  cliché, said fireball will probably convert the target into fine ash and charred 
  teeth.
  The use of Forces to sense energy can grant a bonus to any cliché that 
  would benefit from such.  The Difficulty for this sort of Effect is +5 per die 
  granted.
  Finally,  Forces  can  cheerfully  be  used  to  increase  someone  else's 
  Difficulty numbers.  Whatever the Mage rolls when using Forces to do so is 
  halved, then added to the target's Difficulty (or subtracted from his result) for 
  whatever task seems appropriate.  For example, scrambling a computer will 
  make a L33t Hacker (4) much less of a threat.  Likewise, a hologram image 
  could be created using Greater Forces and used to distract an attacking foe; 
  the Difficulty modifier would be subtracted from the target's total result.
  1
  Spawning a Minor Force requires the Prime Effect, Fuel Pattern
  2
  So does spawning a Major Force
  17
  
  Life
  The Sphere of Life concerns itself with control of life forms.  Life forms 
  are divided into Lesser Life (plants and invertebrates) and Greater Life (fish, 
  amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals).  Some Life Mages hold out that 
  fish are Lesser Life, and since they believe it, so it is.  (Of course, believing 
  that a human being is a Lesser Life pattern doesn't work quite so well...too 
  many human beings believe otherwise.)
  One rarely enters the home of a Life Mage without invitation.  It is a 
  sure bet that he has some nasty mutated Life Pattern standing guard.  (Like 
  a guppy, raised to six feet tall, given legs, arms, a lead pipe and a tatoo that 
  says 'Mom'.)
  Effect
  Difficulty
  Learn details of a Life Pattern, scan an area for Life, learn the 
  best way to treat an injury
  +0
  Heal, alter or kill a Lesser Life Pattern
  +5
  Create a Lesser Life Pattern3, heal oneself, improve one's own 
  Life Pattern
  +10
  Heal,  alter  or  kill  a  Greater  Life  Pattern,  control  another's 
  emotions by manipulating their hormones
  +15
  Assume  animal  form,  turn  another  into  an  animal,  create  a 
  Greater Life Pattern4
  +20
  Special Effects
  The uses of Life are many and varied, and one of the most common 
  uses is healing.  The Difficulty listed is per die of damage recovered from 
  injuring combat.
  Life Magick may also be used to boost another's clichés.  Doing so 
  generally requires a duration parameter, from page 14.  As with healing, the 
  Difficulty listed is per die added to a cliché.  Raising a cliché above six dice is 
  Vulgar Magick!
  When assuming  animal  form, a Mage gains  four dice  in the cliché 
  appropriate to the beast form, but cannot use any of his other mundane (non-
  Magickal) clichés.  Additional dice may be purchased, to a maximum of six, 
  by increasing the Difficulty by +5 per die.
  Created Life Patterns will have their appropriate cliché at one die per +5 
  Difficulty selected from the table above – so, for example, a stock Lesser Life 
  Pattern will have two dice in its cliché.  As above, the Mage may increase 
  this with a Difficulty of +5 per die added.
  3
  Creating a Lesser Life Pattern requires the Prime Effect, Fuel Pattern
  4
  So does creating a Greater Life Pattern
  18
  
  Matter
  This Sphere deals with the manipulation of unliving patterns.  It is quite 
  useful, but not terribly exciting.
  Effect
  Difficulty
  Find hidden compartments or rooms, find secret doors, analyze 
  the makeup of some object
  +0
  Create an amount of some unified substance in any shape the 
  Mage desires5
  +5
  Alter  or  destroy  an  existing  Matter  Pattern,  change  the 
  properties of a substance, cause two Matter Patterns to become 
  disassociate (so they don't affect each other in any way)
  +10
  Transmute substances in many neat ways without distrupting its 
  shape,  create  complex  objects  containing  many  different 
  materials6
  +15
  Create new substances with entirely new properties, alter the 
  properties of existing materials beyond recognition, give paper 
  the strength of six inches of steel
  +20
  Special Effects
  Like many other Spheres, Matter can be used to grant a bonus to 
  appropriate clichés.  If knowing the exact properties of a substance would 
  help, the Mage can use Matter to grant himself a one-die bonus on his cliché 
  check.
  Replacing Tools of the Trade using Matter is a Difficulty +15 Effect; 
  removing someone else's Tools of the Trade is a Difficulty +10.  (There's no 
  need to destroy your opponent's sword;  you can just turn it into a rubber 
  chicken.)
  Turning regular clothing into bulletproof wonder cloth is Difficulty +20, 
  and will give the Mage two free “hits” before he starts losing cliché dice. 
  Further “hits” can be added at a Difficulty of +10 per “hit”.
  Creating unified substances can be used in combat (summoning an 
  anvil above someone's head will ruin his whole day).  However, the best that 
  can be managed is to cause one die of damage.  On the other hand, bonus 
  dice can be permanently granted to an object through Matter refinement, at a 
  Difficulty of +20 per die added.
  5
  Creating a Unified Matter Pattern requires the use of the Prime Effect, Fuel Pattern
  6
  So does creating a complex Matter Pattern
  19
  
  Mind
  This Sphere deals with affecting a target's mind, either for good or ill. 
  Unlike Forces, Life and Matter, Mind is not a true Pattern, and so the effects 
  do not require Fuel Pattern.
  Mind Mages are the most subtle of opponents, given their ability to 
  influence another's emotions and reason.  Few people care to cross them. 
  Of course, this could simply be because the Mage makes them not want to 
  cross them, but...
  Effect
  Difficulty
  Improve one's own mind
  +0
  Send a mental impulse to another, read another's emotions or 
  surface thoughts, scan the area for thinking minds
  +5
  Communicate telepathically, create an illusion in another's mind, 
  probe another's thoughts
  +10
  Take  possession  of  another's  body,  manipulate  another's 
  memories
  +15
  Un-link a mind from its body, bind a freed mind to another body
  +20
  Special Effects
  Affecting  any  mind  beyond  that  of  the  Mage  himself  requires  a 
  Familiarity parameter, from page 14.  
  Mind can be used to add bonus dice to any cliché.  The Difficulty to do 
  so is +5 per die added, much as with any other Sphere.  The effects last but 
  a single roll.  Alternately, a mental illusion or thought impulse at just the 
  wrong time can wreck another's concentration.  Using Mind in this way will 
  raise the Difficulty of the target's cliché check by half the total amount rolled 
  by the Mage.
  Unlinking your mind from your body;  unlinking another's mind from his; 
  re-linking your mind to the other's body.  Sounds like a recipe for immortality, 
  right?  Remember to include the Permanent duration parameter from page 
  14, and also remember that this sort of thing is always Dynamic Magick. 
  Plus,  someone's  bound  to  notice,  and  try  to  “correct”  the  situation. 
  Sometimes the someone is a government official, determined to get to the 
  bottom of an identity official;  other times, it is the family and friends of the 
  victim.
  Manipulating memories takes as long to do as the memories run – that 
  is, the memories must be replayed or erased in real time.  Replacing one 
  memory with a false memory actually takes three times as long – once to 
  scan the original memory, once to erase it, and once to write in the new 
  memory.
  20
  
  Prime
  Quintessence  is  the basic  energy  of Magick,  and also  the  building 
  blocks of reality.  Prime is the Sphere of Quintessence.  Students of Prime 
  learn to manipulate Quintessence in several ways.  Any Mage that wants to 
  do any serious work had best learn some Prime.
  Every Mage believes his own choice of Sphere is the centerpiece of the 
  entire  set,  the  most  important  Sphere  of  Magick.   Prime  Mages  are  no 
  exception.  They just happen to be right...
  Effect
  Difficulty
  Store Quintessence (essentially gaining one free die of Arete), 
  sense for the presence of a Node
  +0
  Fuel a Pattern Effect (Forces, Life or Matter)
  +5
  Create a Talisman, “store” or “loan” a die of Arete outside of 
  one's body
  +10
  Cause the Quintessence of an existing Pattern to escape, force 
  a Paradox Backlash on a target
  +15
  Recover a lost die of Arete, remove one die of Paradox
  +20
  Special Effects
  Prime is one of the most important tools in any Mage's toolkit—and one 
  of the most useless on its own.  That said, however, it's got some really 
  clever stunts.
  One of the low-Difficulty tricks is storing Quintessence7.  The Difficulty is 
  not high for this, but first the Mage has to find some free Quintessence.  This 
  is often found near a Node, and Nodes are often guarded by big nasties. 
  One free “die” of Arete can be gleaned using this power.  This die cannot be 
  rolled, but can be used for pumping and such.  Using a Difficulty of +20, the 
  free die can be pulled from anywhere.
  Another use for Prime is to store a die of Arete elsewhere, or to give it 
  to someone else.  If stored, the die of Arete can be recovered later using the 
  Store  Quintessence  effect,  to  replace  a  lost  die.   This  is  a  complete 
  replacement;  the recovered die can be rolled.
  Causing  the  Quintessence  of  a  target  to  escape  usually  causes 
  damage to the target;  they will lose one die of Arete (or any other cliché, if 
  they don't have Arete) each time this Effect is used on them.
  Creating a Talisman is a complex and involved procedure, and if you 
  want the Talisman to be permanent, you have to give up one permanent die 
  of Arete for every two dice of clichés granted the Talisman.  Of course, this 
  die can be replaced through character advancement, as described on page 
  27, but it cannot simply be recovered as normal.
  7
  Quintessence is covered in detail on page 24.
  21
  
  Spirit
  The  Spirit  World  is  very  real;   this  Sphere  allows  those  with  the 
  knowledge to tap into it.  The realm of Spirits is known as the Umbra, and the 
  barrier between the Umbra and the real world (known as the Tellurian) is 
  called the Gauntlet.  The Umbra mirrors the Tellurian in almost all ways, save 
  that there are no people there other than fellow Umbral travellers.  Instead, 
  there are Spirits.
  The strength of the Gauntlet is measured in dice, as given in the table 
  at the bottom of the page.  Basically, the less natural or spiritual the area, the 
  higher the Gauntlet. 
  Effect
  Difficulty
  Sense the presence of a Spirit, test the strength of the Gauntlet, 
  sense if someone is looking across the Gauntlet
  +0
  Call a Spirit to aid the Mage, look through the Gauntlet to the 
  other side
  +0
  Cross the Gauntlet
  +5
  Bind a Spirit to an object, create a Spirit Realm, alter the local 
  Gauntlet by one die
  +10
  Travel  to  the  Deep  Umbra,  the  Sphere  Realms,  or  Horizon 
  Realms
  +20
  Special Effects
  Calling or binding a Spirit, peering through or crossing the Gauntlet, or 
  creating a Spirit Realm, are all contested rolls.  The Spirit or Gauntlet being 
  affected rolls their dice, and their result is added to the Difficulty of the Effect. 
  As an example:  A Dreamspeaker (4) with Spirit (2) wants to cross a Gauntlet 
  (3).  The Gauntlet rolls a 10, so the Dreamspeaker has a Difficulty of 15 to 
  cross  the  Gauntlet.   Luckily,  Spirit  is  the  Traditional  Sphere  of  a 
  Dreamspeaker,  so  he  gains  +4  to  his  two-die  roll  (+1  per  die  of 
  Dreamspeaker).
  Binding a Spirit to an object creates a 
  Talen  or Fetish.   A Talen  is  one-shot,  and 
  uses  only  the  listed  Difficulty.   A  Fetish  is 
  permanent,  with  a  +20  Duration  parameter. 
  Either way, the Talen or Fetish will have one 
  of the summoned Spirit's clichés, at the same 
  level as the Spirit.
  Travel to the Deep Umbra, the Sphere 
  Realms,  or  Horizon  Realms  is  beyond  the 
  scope of this book.  Let's simply point out that 
  it's weird out there.
  22
  Gauntlet Strengths
  1d Nodes, ley lines or 
  crop circles
  2d Werewolf  lairs  or 
  Faerie hangouts
  3d Unspoiled  forest or 
  mountain pools
  4d Rural  areas  or 
  small towns
  5d Cities  and  large 
  towns
  6d Downtown,  or  in  a 
  Technocratic lair
  
  Time
  If there is a more dangerous Sphere to be mucking about with, this 
  writer could not say.  Not only are the effects likely to be earth-shattering, but 
  the most powerful and dangerous Paradox Spirits enforce the use of this 
  Sphere.
  Having said that, however, it's worth pointing out that Time can be the 
  most fun Sphere to play with.  Nothing makes a Game Master's hair go gray 
  as quickly as time travel...
  Effect
  Difficulty
  Tell the exact time relative to any event, detect an effect in the 
  time flow
  +0
  See into the past or future
  +5
  Slow or speed up time
  +10
  Freeze time, “hang” a spell until a certain time passes
  +15
  Travel into the future
  +20
  Special Effects
  There are a few instances when having perfect timing will help with 
  another cliché;  a Mage can use Time Magick to enhance a cliché.  The 
  Difficulty is +10 per one die added to another cliché.
  Seeing into the past is relatively straightforward to adjudicate;  use 
  Duration Parameters to determine Difficulty based on how far back in time 
  you wish to look.  Seeing into the future is more difficult to adjudicate, and 
  requires considerable forethought on the part of the GM;  mechanics-wise, 
  however, it is handled identically to looking into the past.
  Altering  time  rate  can  give  a character  a  remarkable  advantage  in 
  combat.  Two dice can be granted to any non-Magickal cliché when engaging 
  in damaging combat by altering the rate of time.
  Freezing a target in time can also be helpful;  the Mage can gain three 
  dice to any non-Magickal cliché in damaging combat.
  Time can be used to seriously muck with another's ability to carry out 
  tasks.  The Mage can add the total result of his Magick roll to a target's 
  Difficulty when using Time against the target.
  Travelling into the future is done by shifting the character through a “null 
  time”  space,  by  definition  inviolable  until  the  desired  time  is  reached. 
  However, any character who attempts to travel  backward in time will be 
  immediately,  permanently  and  totally  destroyed  by  the  massive  Paradox 
  backlash that ensues.
  23
  
  Quintessence
  The so-called Fifth Element of the ancient Greeks, Quintessence is the 
  central building block of reality, and the most important substance in the 
  world of the Mage.  Existing in a halfway state between matter and energy, 
  Quintessence can be used to fuel a Magickal Effect or to stabilize a Magickal 
  creation.
  For the most part, Quintessence is handled as a Tool Of The Trade in 
  RISUS:  Either you have it, or you don't.  A Mage who has lost all of her 
  dice in Arete can be considered to be out of Quintessence.  The Sphere of 
  Prime (covered on page 21) is all about manipulating Quintessence.
  Tass
  On occasion, and usually within Nodes, Quintessence can be found in a 
  semi-solid  form.   This  is  known  as  Tass.   The  appearance  of  Tass  is 
  subjective, and usually conforms to the viewer's Paradigm.  One full measure 
  of Tass (occasionally referred to as a dram) can be absorbed by a Mage to 
  replace a lost die of Arete, or can be burned to add one die to a roll for a 
  Magickal Effect.
  Nodes
  In many places within the world, the boundary between our world (the 
  Tapestry) and the spirit world (the Umbra) is weak enough for magical energy 
  to leak across.  These locations are known to Mages as Nodes.  Nodes are 
  often fought over, either by rival factions of Mages, or by Mages and Garou.
  Nodes are awash in Quintessence, and usually contain a measure of 
  Tass as well.  Nodes are rated in dice.  This rating is the total number of dice 
  that may be gleaned  from the Node using  Prime.  Dice gleaned  in this 
  manner recover at a rate of one per day.
  It is also possible to remove Tass from the Node, though this takes 
  longer to recover.  Each dram of Tass removed reduces the Node by one die. 
  These dice recover at a rate of one per week.
  Mages creating an Effect within a Node gain a +1 to their roll for every 
  die within the Node.
  Countermagick
  Of course, Mages do not just stand around and watch each other throw 
  spells;  any good Mage worth his salt can countermagick another's spells.
  A countermagick roll is made using the same Sphere as the casting 
  Mage, or with Arete if the casting Mage is using a Static Effect.  If the 
  countering Mage defeats the casting Mage, it is treated as a normal failure in 
  all ways, including the chance to gain Paradox as listed in the next section.
  24
  
  Paradox
  The collective belief in reality can bite the Mage in a really harsh way: 
  Defying it can bring the disbelief of six million people down on the head of 
  one Mage.  This is called Paradox.
  Whenever a Mage attempts Magick, he risks gaining Paradox.  The 
  amount gained depends on the Magick being worked.  If the effect was Static 
  and the roll a failure, the Mage will gain one Paradox if any of his dice came 
  up ones.  If the effect was Dynamic, the Mage will gain one Paradox just for 
  attempting the spell, and if the roll fails, the Mage will gain one Paradox for 
  each die that comes up one.
  Each time that Paradox  is gained, the Mage immediately rolls dice 
  equal to his (newly adjusted) total Paradox.  For each six that is rolled, the 
  Mage  will  lose  one  point  of  Paradox,  but  will  also  suffer  one  point  of 
  Aggravated Damage!
  Paradox Spirits
  Rather than cause a Paradox Backlash, the GM may instead decide 
  that the Mage will be visited by a Paradox Spirit.  The Mage still loses the 
  indicated Paradox, but the Paradox Spirit will insist that the Mage undo the 
  Effect that caused the Paradox, or else.  The “or else” is often not pleasant.
  Paradox Spirits will have the following clichés rated to one die per six 
  rolled on the Paradox Backlash roll:  Paradox Spirit (good for bashing things), 
  Arete, and the Sphere used that caused the Paradox.  Paradox Spirits will 
  either use their personal cliché to pummel the Mage, or, if that isn't working, 
  will use Magick to either erase the Effect, or to erase the Mage.
  Talismans
  Talismans  are  magickal  artifacts  created  by  Mages.   The  primary 
  reason to create a Talisman is simple:  To allow another Mage to create an 
  Effect that would normally be beyond him.  Talismans have their own clichés, 
  usually  Arete  and  Spheres.   Arete  for  Talismans  may  not  be  double-
  pumpable;  nor may Spheres.  For every die of Arete, a Talisman may also 
  have one Rote.  It is important to realize that whenever a Mage uses a 
  Talisman, he rolls only the dice that the Talisman has available!
  Where do the dice for Talismans come from?  Why, from the Mage! 
  Any dice placed in the Talisman cliché is referred to as a purchase die, and 
  will gain the Talisman dice for clichés.
  For every purchase die a Mage invests in a Talisman, the Talisman 
  gains two dice to spend on clichés.  Some Talismans are created by binding 
  a Spirit to a physical object;  these are called Fetishes.  Fetishes gain three 
  cliché dice for each purchase die, but require that the Mage attempting to 
  use it roll his Spirit Sphere vs the Fetish's dice (those paid by the Mage) 
  before using it the first time.  Talismans or Fetishes that may only be used 
  once gain four dice for clichés for every purchase die.
  25
  
  Gaining Talismans after Character Creation
  There are two ways to gain a Talisman.  The first is to find it or be given 
  it.  Unfortunately, gaining a Talisman in this manner is not permanent;  the 
  item will soon leave the Mage's possession.  If the Mage wishes to keep the 
  Talisman, he will need to invest Advancement Points (page  27) in it.  The 
  Advancement Roll necessary to gain the Talisman is made with the purchase 
  dice of the Talisman.  Note that a Mage cannot simply whistle up a new 
  Talisman this way;  the opportunity to gain the Talisman must exist.
  Alternately, the Mage may create a Talisman.  In this case, the Mage 
  must permanently expend one die of Arete for each purchase die of Talisman 
  he creates, and succeed in either a Prime Roll at Difficulty 30, or a contested 
  Spirit Roll against the target Spirit's highest cliché + 20!
  Losing  Talismans
  A character may choose to expend a Talisman's dice by "Taking The 
  Hit" with the Talisman. However, should a Talisman be reduced to zero (or 
  fewer) dice through such action, the Talisman is destroyed and erased from 
  the character's sheet. 
  A Talisman may also be lost as a consequence of a player's action, 
  beyond merely “Taking The Hit”.  A Talisman lost in such a manner may be 
  replaced by succeeding in one Advancement Roll.  No bonus dice are gained 
  for this roll;  rather, the Talisman is replaced.  The roll is made with the 
  Talisman's purchase dice, not with the dice the Talisman itself possesses.
  Sanctum
  A Sanctum is an area of altered reality, where the controlling Mage 
  defines the laws of the universe.  The obvious advantage of this is that, 
  within a Sanctum, Vulgar Magicks may instead be Static!
  Within  his  own  Sanctum,  all  of  the  Mage's  Effects  are  considered 
  Coincidental, for both Difficulty and Paradox.  Furthermore, Sanctums are 
  stocked with handy bits of equipment and ingredients.  Dice in Sanctum may 
  be burned to pump a Magickal Effect roll.  Dice so burned are permanently 
  lost, but can be replaced through Character Advancement (page 27).  Note 
  that the act of burning dice counts as 'non-trivial successful use'.
  Dice in Sanctum may also be rolled as a Team Member when a Mage is 
  hiding something (like himself) within, and rolling to avoid detection.
  26
  
  Character Advancement
  haracter Advancement in RISUS Mage is tracked using Advancement 
  Points  (AP).   Each  cliché  on  the  character's  sheet  can  gain 
  Advancement Points.  In particular, an individual cliché will gain an AP under 
  each of the two circumstances:
  C
  ➢ The first time in the session that a Mage successfully uses the cliché at a 
  non-trivial moment; and
  ➢ The first time in the session that a Mage rolls all sixes on a cliché roll.
  In addition, each character can gain anywhere from one to eight “free” 
  Advancement Points per session.  These AP are “free” because they are not 
  automatically assigned to any one cliché;  however, before any Advancement 
  Checks are made, the Mage must have no unassigned AP.  AP can be 
  assigned to any cliché with five dice or less, or to a new cliché not currently 
  possessed by the character.
  “Free” AP can be gained for the following:
  ➢ One for participating in the session;
  ➢ One for at least attempting to role-play the character;
  ➢ One if the character made a significant discovery;
  ➢ One if the character displayed heroic behaviour;
  ➢ One if the character solved a significant challenge;
  ➢ One to three if a Story was completed, based upon the difficulty of the 
  Story.
  The Advancement Roll
  At the end of any session, a character may attempt an Advancement 
  Roll  for  any  cliché  that  has  Advancement  Points  invested  into  it.   This 
  includes for new clichés, which are assumed to have one die for purposes of 
  this roll.  The character rolls the cliché's dice, and if he matches or goes 
  under the total AP for the cliché, then the cliché increases by one die, and all 
  AP are removed from the cliché.  If, however, the Advancement Roll fails, the 
  character will lose a number of AP from the cliché equal to its current number 
  of dice.
  Rotes
  Once a Mage has successfully created any Magickal Effect, that Effect 
  can be codified into a Rote.  This costs one “free” AP and will lower the 
  Difficulty  of  the  Effect  by  five.   Remember,  however,  that  the  minimum 
  Difficulty for any Effect, even a Rote, is ten.
  Mages may freely trade Rotes, rather like sharing MP3 files.  (Heck, 
  given that the Virtual Adepts are certain they're just running shell scripts, 
  maybe there's a Rotes'ter program out there.)
  27
  
  Adversaries
  ages generally work towards the betterment of mankind.  However, not 
  every  Mage  does  so;  a  few  work  simply  for  the  betterment  of 
  themselves.  Further, not every Mage agrees on what betters Humanity. 
  Such differences make up all the spice in life, of course, but when you have 
  the power to re-write reality as you see fit...well, debates can sometimes get 
  very spirited.
  M
  Mages find themselves divided into four factions.  The Traditions are 
  the 'central' faction, being interested in maintaining the balance between the 
  supernatural and the mundane.
  The Technocracy
  The Progenitors, the Void Engineers, Iteration X, the Syndicate, the 
  New World Order.  These five Conventions work to maintain the status quo 
  among the mundane, and hold that unrestrained use of Magick is dangerous 
  to  mortals.   They  seek  to  stamp  out  creativity,  randomness,  and  all 
  supernatural activity beyond their own.  Each Technocratic Convention has 
  one or more Conventional Spheres:
  ➢ Iteration X:  Forces and Matter
  ➢ New World Order:  Mind and Time
  ➢ Progenitors:  Life and Entropy
  ➢ Syndicate:  Prime
  ➢ Void Engineers:  Spirit and Correspondence
  Men In Black
  These are the enforcers of the New World Order.  Whenever a Mythic 
  Remnant (meaning a Dragon, Chimera, or similar) runs amok, or whenever a 
  Mage cuts loose a particularly Vulgar Effect, or whenever their services are 
  needed, the Men In Black arrive in their black limousine, and control the 
  situation.  Controlling the situation means modifying memories, removing 
  evidence, and generally making sure anyone in the area does not notice 
  what happened, so they can go about their happy lives.  Thanks to the movie 
  Men In Black, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, most Sleepers 
  consider the Men In Black to be the good guys...
  Men In Black always travel in threes, one of which will have the Sphere 
  of Mind.  The other two will be selected to have Spheres likely to be useful in 
  the current situation.  When defeated, they melt into puddles of goo, which 
  quickly  evaporates,  leaving  behind  no  evidence  of their  own Magickally-
  created nature.
  Man In Black:  Arete [2], Sphere [2], Government Official (2)
  28
  
  HIT Mark V
  The HIT (Hyperdyne Intelligent Technologies) Mark V, developed by 
  Iteration X, is a robotic chassis with a flesh exterior.  The chassis includes a 
  wide variety of weapons, and is well defended against attacks.  The HIT 
  Mark's weapons are Magickally enhanced, granting the HIT Mark the ability 
  to roll seven dice on all attacks, regardless of its clichés' levels.
  HIT Marks  are  the  special  operations  soldiers  of  the  Technocracy. 
  Should a Chantry need raiding, or a Mythic Remnant destroyed, the HIT 
  Marks  are  deployed.   While  the  HIT  Mark  would  seem  an  outstanding 
  example of Vulgar Magick, it is in fact quite Static.  After all, everyone has 
  seen The Terminator...
  HIT Mark V:  Cybernetic Killing Machine (7), Walking Encyclopedia of 
  Mythic Remnants [2], Willpower (1)
  Superiors
  The Superiors are genetically-created supermen.  Unfortunately, they 
  tend to be psychotic.  They were created by the Progenitors as an alternative 
  to the HIT Marks, due to the fact that under most mundane examination, they 
  are merely human.  Typically they are trained as assassins or soldiers.
  Superior:  Assassin (8), Crazy Psycho With No Real Reason To Live 
  (3), Hook:  Psychotic
  The Marauders
  The Marauders wish to re-integrate the supernatural into everyday life. 
  They  are  also  quite  insane.   However,  their  insanity  gives  them  one 
  enormous advantage:  In effect, they live in a world of their own, a world with 
  a  population  of  one.   In  such  a  world,  anything  they  do  automatically 
  conforms to consensual reality.
  Yep, you guessed it:  They don't suffer from Paradox.  Or rather, they 
  can  gain  Paradox,  but  never  suffer  from  its  deleterious  effects. 
  Unfortunately, other Mages can and do, and this is the primary reason that 
  the Traditions and the Conventions opposed the Marauders.  Paradox Spirits 
  flock  around  Marauders  like  flies,  and  though  they  cannot  touch  the 
  Marauder, they will descend without mercy upon any hapless Mage in the 
  Marauder's vicinity.
  Marauders are often found in the company of Dragons and other Mythic 
  Remnants.   Having  such  critters  running  amok  also  fails  to  endear  the 
  Marauders to their more...conventional brethren.
   Marauder:  Scholar of the Arcane (3), Arete [2], three Spheres at (1), 
  Follower (Mythic Remnant) (1)
  29
  
  The Nephandi
  These  Mages  seek  nothing  more  or  less  than  the  destruction  of 
  everything.  Why?  Because they believe that destruction is why the universe 
  is here!  Once it's all gone, the universe can be reborn.
  Yep.  Just as nuts as the Marauders.
  The Nephandi come from the deep Umbra;  nobody's really sure exactly 
  where.  They arrive in our world, corrupt a few innocents, then perform some 
  horribly cruel atrocity on as many people as they can.  Most Nephandi that a 
  Mage will deal with are actually Barabbi:  Human Mages that have been 
  corrupted by a Nephandus.
  Barabbi:  Former Euthanatos (1), Entropy (3), Arete [3]
  Werewolves
  Werewolves are the ultimate eco-terrorists, fighting to protect the world 
  from corruption.  For the most part, Werewolves and Mages do not interfere 
  with each other.  The exception is at Nodes (which Werewolves call Caerns). 
  These they have been known to fight over, a lot.  On the flip side, frequently 
  Werewolves and Mages will band together against a common enemy.
  Werewolves  are  divided  into  thirteen  Tribes,  each  with  their  own 
  personalities  and  stereotypes.   However,  one  thing  is  common  among 
  Werewolves:  They all want to fight.  They fight because they believe that 
  they  are  the  last,  best  hope  for  the  Earth.   They  particularly  hate  the 
  Technocracy, the Nephandi and the Vampires.
  The most important thing to remember about Werewolves is that they 
  gain three bonus dice, on top of their cliché dice, when in their hybrid, half-
  man half-wolf form.
  Werewolf:  Big Hairy Nasty with claws [5]
  Vampires
  These  are  the  undead,  the  drinkers  of  blood.   They  are  generally 
  unpleasant to have around, but Mages and Vampires generally leave each 
  other alone.  They can control minds, and use supernatural strength, and 
  move really quick;  all that Vampire sort of stuff.  If you are not using RISUS 
  Vampire:  The Masquerade, just assume that Vampiric supernatural powers 
  are lumped into the Vampire cliché.
  Vampires are organized into Clans, and each city will have a Prince.  A 
  Prince will try to put himself on good terms with the local Mages.  Lesser 
  Vampires, often known as Fledgelings, might try to take on a Mage.
  Fledgeling Vampire:  Vampire [4], Biker Buddy (2)
  Vampire Prince:  Vampire [6], Well-Respected Businessman (4), Power 
  Behind the Scenes (3), Novelist (1)
  30
  
  Umbrood
  The denizens of the Umbra, the Spirits, are referred to as Umbrood by 
  the Awakened.  They range in rank from one to six.
  Umbrood will always have the Spirit cliché, which is both the Sphere of 
  Spirit and a cliché for just being a Spirit.  Even without Arete, an Umbrood 
  can  peek  across  or  breah  the  Gauntlet.   Magickal  Effects  created  by 
  Umbrood are always Static when performed in the Umbra.
  Spirits may have Arete as a cliché, at half the listed value (because it's 
  double-pumpable).  They may also have Spheres, or (if you are using RISUS 
  Werewolf or RISUS Vampire) may have Gifts or Disciplines.
  Gaffling:  Spirit (1)
  Jagling:  Spirit (2), any other cliché (2)
  Perceptor:  Spirit (4), any other three clichés (4)
  Umbral Lord:  Spirit (6), any other five clichés (6)
  The Inquisition
  “Suffer not a witch to live.”  Thanks to that single mistranslated line, 
  hundreds of Sleepers, aware of the presence of Mages, seek them out to 
  persecute and destroy them.  And yet the sad joke is that the Inquisition was 
  initially started by the Celestial Chorus and the Order of Hermes.
  But it would be a grave mistake to assume that the agents  of the 
  Inquisition are fanatical idiots.  Most are scholars as well as hunters, making 
  them all the more dangerous in their aims.
  Though most Inquisitors are trained in combat, they are more likely to 
  call upon other assets – such as the police, or the Technocrats – to deal with 
  a Mage.
  Witch Hunter:  Arcane Scholar (3), Priest (5), Swordsman (2)
  The Arcanum
  Little is known about this shadowy agency, save that they study all 
  supernatural activity – such as Mages.  They are believed to be an offshoot 
  of the Inquisition, or possibly a breakaway group of the Rosicrucians or 
  Freemasons.
  Unlike the Inquisition, the Arcanum does not seek to destroy;  merely to 
  study.  The existence of the Arcanum gives many Mages pause;  if the 
  Sleepers were to learn of the Ascension War, their reactions,  and the effect 
  of this knowledge on their well-being, would be difficult to judge.
  Arcanum Scholar:  Researcher [3], Cunning Investigator (2), Scholar of 
  the Supernatural (2)
  31
  
  Other Games by the Author
  GURPS  Caverns  and  Creatures  –  a  160-page  fantasy  role-playing 
  supplement for the Generic Universal Role-Playing System.  Just add a copy 
  of GURPS Lite 3rd Edition, and start playing!
  RISUS Star Wars – The cinematic feel of Star Wars, and the cinematic 
  play-style of RISUS – a perfect match!  Includes rules on The Force, alien 
  races, gadgets and starships, all in only twelve statement-sized pages!
  RISUS Vampire:  The Masquerade – Everyone's favourite gothic horror 
  game, boiled down to thirty-two statement-sized pages!  Playing a Vampire 
  was never this easy.
  RISUS Werewolf:  The Apocalypse – The  RISUS guide to being big 
  and furry, in only thirty-two statement-sized pages.  Take on the Wyrm, hunt 
  Vampires, and get completely raged out!
  All games are completely free to download and play.
  Check them all out at:
  http://www.tailkinker.net/rpg.htm
  RISUS was  created  by  S.  John  Ross,  of  Cumberland  Games 
  (http://www222.pair.com/sjohn/risus.htm).  This document mentions specific 
  rules from  RISUS,  particularly the Teamwork Rules and elements of the 
  Character Creation system, but does not directly quote from the  RISUS 
  rulebook.   As  such,  it  qualifies  as  a  Type  A,  or  RISUS Supplemental, 
  document.  The author would like to express his gratitude to Mr. Ross for 
  such a neat game.
  32
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Kid Friendly/3. Rules Lite Collection/Risus/Supplements/Mage Risus.pdf